Harmony

Rated- PG13

Summary- There are two vampires with a soul. The world is falling into chaos because of this anomaly. There is no way around it. One of them has to die. But which one?

Spoilers- This takes place after Buffy’s Chosen and Angel’s Destiny

Disclaimer- Joss Whedon owns all the characters from BTVS and ATS. I’m just borrowing. Although, I’m kinda reluctant to give back a certain bleach blonde

This chapter is from Angel’s perspective. Sorry. But this part is important. Next chapter will be all about our Buffy and Spike.

This story is not really about C/A, but I got kind of carried away with it.

Chapter 6

Angel was brooding. It was a habit he tried desperately to deny. He often told himself that he was only pensive. Deep in thought because he had a lot to think about. In no way was he dwelling over how unfair his life. . . er, unlife had turned out. Hah! For once he had to admit it. He was brooding big time.

Buffy and Spike were in his office. Alone. In ‘his’ office. He had been evicted from his own personal space. Okay, it had been his idea to leave, but still . . . They were intruding.

Who knows what they were doing in there. Angel could guess, though. The reunion he had witnessed had been pretty cuddly. They looked like lovers. Two people deeply in love.

Love.

Angel had known love once. It seemed so long ago. There was an emptiness where it used to burn inside his chest. All that remained was a faint echo from the past. He wondered if he would ever know it again.

No, he decided. Not unless it was her again. Or . . .

Angel abruptly stopped walking. He closed his eyes. The image of another woman popped into his head. He felt guilty for not thinking about her lately. He had been so preoccupied with everything. She was important and he did not want to neglect her. The pain was still fresh. At least with Buffy he had learned to live in their separation. Miles cut them off from each other. Distance made it easier. Cordy . . . She was right there. She was in the same building. And still, she was lost to him. Worse than Buffy. Cordy was there, taunting him, and gone forever at the same time.

He moved against his will. He stepped through the firm, possessed. The door beckoned to him. He reached it, pressing his palm to its smooth wood.

He could feel her. Vampires were able to sense humans. Especially the slayer. She possessed the air of strength and courage. But Cordelia was just a girl. Despite that she was like no other. She was confident and determined. Ready to go to any limit in order to achieve her goal. She was magnificent. As potent as any slayer.

Cordelia wasn’t a substitute for Buff. She was whole new territory. His innocent Buffy had been sunshine and rainbows. He had seen them when they really hadn’t been there at all. She had given him rose-colored glasses. His seer was about discovering light in the darkness. It was about accepting the bad, but not letting it overcome them. They had created something splendid and tangible in the middle of chaos.

Leaning his forehead against the cold door, he came to realize something. Buffy was long over. It had been a fleeting fantasy. Something he would hold dear until the end of time. But that was all it was. She was no longer the glowing, young teen he had fallen for. Even if he Shanshued that very day it would never work out. She had gone through metamorphosis and moved on. She had embraced the truth as well. Their shiny mirage was over.

He would always love Buffy. But she didn’t fit with him anymore.

This notion froze him. He had been holding onto the dream of them for so long. There had always been that tiny flame of hope, no matter how small. Now it flickered and went out.

Angel braced himself. He straightened. He took his hand and gripped the doorknob. It turned easily. Too easily.

There was no stench of sickness in the room. He was thankful for that. He wouldn’t have been able to handle that.

The entire space was white. Still and silent, except for the steady beeping pace of the heart monitor. It was like stepping into another dimension. The outside was harsh and abrasive. This was tranquil and sterile of the ugliness that dwelt behind the walls. It was almost holy. Angelic. Maybe even a piece of heaven.

Staring down at the woman lying in bed, Angel believed it to be fact. This place was sacred.

The infirmary had become his sanctuary. He came there to get away. To rest and regenerate.

Sometimes he could fool himself into feeling love there. But that was impossible. Cordelia was gone. Jasmine had cast her away. Only a shell remained. Or so he hoped. He wished with all his being that she wasn’t locked away, immobile, and confined. Screaming to get out.

No. No, she couldn’t be. She was somewhere else. Somewhere far away. Better.

Angel seated himself in a white chair beside her bed. He scooted closer. With steady fingers, he reached out and took her hand. Warmth swept into him. Her skin was so soft and alive.

Cordelia smelled fresh and in-bloom. Her hair had grown out. It ran past her shoulders now, long and silky. He ordered a change of clothing and bath every day. The ones who carried it out probably thought he was crazy. Catatonic people didn’t need designer clothes and salon shampoo.

Queen C would be proud. She always wanted the best. She deserved the best.

Angel cleared his throat. The action didn’t prevent the catch in his voice.

“Cordelia.”

Her name hung in the air. It was whispered, absorbing every syllable.

“Sorry I haven’t been around the past few days.”

He believed that her spirit wasn’t in Wolfram and Hart. That didn’t keep him from talking to her every chance he got. She heard him. Wherever she was, she heard him.

“A lots been going on. I’ve had some big cases. Someone planted a robot to impersonate Wesley’s father. Workers were stricken ill. I was lied to about the Shanshu prophecy.” He gritted his teeth. “Spike’s been his usual pain in the ass. And Buffy’s come to see me. But her attention is mostly focused on our dear bleach-wonder.”

He took a deep, useless breath.

Taking her in, he was overwhelmed with awe. God, she was a sight. Some sleeping beauty. She looked like a princess begging to be awakened by a kiss. If only that were true.

Overcome by emotion, he gazed up at the ceiling.

“Oh, Cord, I could use you about now. No, not now. Always. You’re my best friend. More than just that. But you know that already.”

“I can’t help but wonder what things would be like if Jasmine had never entered our lives. Would Conner still hate me? Would we have worked?”

He paused.

“I can’t help but wonder. But it doesn’t change reality, does it?”

Angel bent down. He pressed his cold, dry lips to her hot, moist ones.

“Bye Cordy. I’ll be back sooner than before. I promise.”

He squeezed her hand. For a second he thought he detected movement in her fingers. It must have been his imagination.

The vampire stood up, departing. He left the room, entering the hectic medical ward. Wolfram and Hart orderlies moved about, occupied. He could detect the use of medication being administered in the atmosphere. There was also the strong aroma of sickness. And death. Weaker, but there. It made him nauseous. Which was rare considering his status.

He passed a doctor in a lab coat. She was talking to a colleague, examining a file.

“I’ve never seen anything like this before.” She sounded baffled.

Her companion nodded. “Neither have I. His symptoms don’t connect. Blindness, temporary paralysis, vomiting, seizures, and hearing loss? It makes no sense.”

Angel became alert. This was something he needed to look into.

He stepped over to the doctors. He had made an attempt at getting to know most of the employees at Wolfram and Hart, but he must have overlooked these two.

“Excuse me, uh . . .” He glanced at the female’s nametag. “Miss Winters.”

Kate Winters’s eyes widened. She immediately recognized her boss.

“Oh . . .” She stuck out her hand. “Angel, right? I’m Kate Winters, yes. And this is Robert.”

The male doctor nodded.

Angel shook Kate’s hand.

Gesturing to her papers, he asked, “May I please see the file?”

“Oh, of course.” She handed it over willingly.

He scanned it over.

The patient worked in the mail room. He was young, age twenty-three. He had never been diagnosed with any major illnesses before. His family history showed nothing life-threatening in his genes. His episode had hit suddenly, without any warning at all. He began to go into convulsions. He had never had an epileptic fit before. The shaking had ceased, leaving him partly paralyzed. Then he reported to be gradually going blind. Soon after he no longer could see ‘or’ hear anything.

Angel looked up from the file.

“Did anything unusual happen right before the incident?”

Confused, Kate replied, “No. Why do you ask?”

“This might not be a physical illness.”

“You think it is supernatural?” Robert questioned.

“Yeah, I think it might be.”

“That might explain why his condition doesn’t add up,” Kate agreed. “There was no reports of any weird occurrences. But to be sure maybe it should be looked into.”

“I’m on it,” Angel told her. He held up the file. “May I borrow this?”

Surprised, she blinked. “Yeah. Let me make a copy.”

He handed over the folder. She took it to be photocopied.

After receiving the information, he proceeded out of med-lab. A stab of foreboding washed over him. Something was coming.

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