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Where have I been? Well, I’ve had a couple hard weeks. My luck hasn’t been the best lately. Also, I’ve been studying for SAT’s.
This part has a little tidbit with Angel. It includes some A/C shipper stuff. : ) Hope you enjoy!
Chapter 16
“Buffy?” Dawn queried.
“Huh?” Buffy uttered. Her blank gaze shifted to her back-from-the dead sister.
Dawn grabbed the slayer’s shoulders. “Did you hear me, Buffy? They’re coming back. Everyone’s coming back.”
On the other side of Dawn, Spike reached across to take his love’s hand. He squeezed it. “You’re friends are coming back, luv.” His mouth twitched upward.
It was hard for Buffy to think right then, let alone react to their words. Her mind swam, creating a dozen emotions at once. The intensity was too much for her to handle.
“Buffy, aren’t you happy?” Dawn questioned, worried.
“She’s just in shock, bit. Give her time,” the blonde vamp voiced.
Buffy found her voice then. “He’s right, Dawnie. This is all too much for me to grasp all at once.”
The teen nodded. “I understand. But isn’t it great!?” A giant grin spread across Dawn’s face.
“Yeah . . . Yeah, it is,” Buffy agreed.
“We’ll all be together like we used to be,” announced Dawn.
They may be together, but Buffy wasn’t convinced about it being the same as before. Too many things had changed in fifty-five years.
“I’m pleased and all . . . but why does the poof have to be thrown inta the mix? We conquered two apocalypses without the likes of him.” Spike stated, slightly irritated.
Buffy sat up straighter. She hadn’t even bothered to ask about her first real boyfriend since coming back. A pang of guilt went through her at how he hadn’t even crossed her mind.
“Angel didn’t die, did he?” Buffy asked, shakily.
“Nah, not that I know of. Last I heard he was still doin the good fight and all that in LA. I woulda known. Vamps can feel when their sires or grand-sires go dust in the wind.”
“He alive,” Dawn confirmed. “Lonely, but alive. He’s still is helping the helpless. But lately he’s been wondering what the whole point is and has fallen into a depression.”
A snort came from Spike. “Isn’t he always with the broodiness?”
That got a glare from Buffy. “He’s lost everyone he cares about. Don’t you have the slightest bit of empathy for him?”
Spike sobered. “I’m sorry, pet. It’s just . . . you know how it is with me and him.”
Buffy faced Dawn. “He’s not going to do anything drastic. Is he?”
Dawn sighed. “I don’t know. When I . . . upstairs I got to look down at the people down here. Last I saw of Angel he wouldn’t even get out of bed to feed.”
Abruptly, Buffy stood up. “We gotta go help him. If he sees that I’m back maybe we can reach him before . . .”
She didn’t see that way Spike’s jaw tightened. Always rushing to be by Peaches’ side. No matter what he did his grandsire would come first.
“Buffy!” Dawn said loudly to get her sister’s attention.
Buffy stopped, turning back around.
“He’s not going to shrivel up from starvation. Before I left the Powers were planning on sending someone to help him. They’re probably already there.”
Curiosity filled the slayer. “Who?”
|} - - -> <- - - {|
Los Angelus- The Hyperion Hotel
Jewel hesitantly stepped into the heavy door of the hotel. She was greeted by darkness (not complete blackness, however, seeing as some daylight filtered in, but still it was dim). Jeesh, this guy needs to learn how to turn on a light switch. There were cobwebs in some of the corners, adding to the gloominess of the place. Eeew, she thought. Spiders were not her thing. Did she have the right address? Or was the lack of housekeeping rooted to the fact that men were so lazy?
Seeing a counter, she inched toward it. She found a dusty bell on it. Taking a perfect manicured hand, she tapped it. A dinging sound filled the room. “Hello! Is this Angel Investigations!?”
Waiting for a moment without any response, she called out,” Is anyone home!? Is this where Angel the investigator lives?” There still was no answer.
Damn! she cursed silently. She sat down on the stairs. What was she going to do now? These visions wouldn’t stop. They just kept coming, painful, pounding on her skull.
(AN- Okay, by now you probably have figured out that Jewel is Cordy. Why did I name her Jewel? Because in my Baby Name book Cordelia means Jewel of the Sea.)
Jewel stood up to leave. Suddenly she stopped and turned back to the stairs. Her gaze shifted to the upper level. She grabbed the banister. Something was pulling her upstairs. There was something that she needed to find. Without really thinking about it, her feet started to go up the steps.
(AN again- If you haven’t seen Birthday please skip this note, because I have some spoiler references. This isn’t really relevant to the story.
Remember in Birthday she had the inclination to go to the Hyperion Hotel? She barged right in there and tore up the wall, right? Well, that is sort of what is going on here. She feels a need to go find something upstairs like the message under the wallpaper.)
The unseen force stopped when she reached a door. She took a deep breath, then turned to knob. It was even darker in this room. She could hardly see a thing. All she could vaguely make out was a bed. She groped the wall for a light switch. Finding one, she flipped it on.
Her eyes scanned the room, falling to the bed. On it lay a muscular man. A VERY attractive muscular man. He had his eyes closed. His hair was in all directions and his clothes were rumpled. Must not be with the personal hygiene, Jewel noted. Hott, but unkempt.
Jewel couldn’t take her eyes off him. Her breathing and heart rate increased. Then it happened. The visions came shooting at her. Well, it wasn’t really the kind of visions she had previously received. These weren’t painful, only overwhelming. And it wasn’t about one specific thing, and lasted way too long. No, these were memories.
Everything flashed before her. Sunnydale, Buffy, the scoobies, graduation, coming to LA, Angel Investigation, the gang (Wes, Gunn, and Fred), and . . . Angel. When her brain cleared she realized that she had ended up on her knees. She struggled to her feet, brushing off her designer jeans.
She instantly went over to the bed. Seeing the vampire now with new knowledge, and up close, she discovered him to be far too thin and haggard. When was the last time he had fed? She shook him, not getting a reaction.
On instinct, she raced to the kitchen. The fridge was completely empty. Panicking, she grabbed a knife out of the drawers. In a flash, she was back in Angel’s room.
Leaning over Angel’s form, she muttered,” What the hell have you done to yourself?”
In a quick motion, she ran the blade over her palm. Red liquid trickled down her skin. She took her hand and pressed it to Angel’s lips. At first nothing seemed to happen, but then she noticed a slight sucking.
“You stupid vampire,” she snapped. “I go away for awhile and look what you do to yourself. Gotta have me looking out for you all the time. And what outfit are you wearing? Back to no color I see. Remember that lecture I gave you about that thing they call the rainbow? Blue. I love you in blue. Remind me to take you shopping when you’re all better.”
After she was sure he had taken enough blood, she pulled away. She felt a little dizzy. She held onto the bedpost, trying to steady herself.
“Cordy?” a weak voice filled her ears.
She looked over. Angel’s eyes fluttered. Taking his hand, she said, “Yeah. Vision girl is back. Now, get some rest. I’ll be hear when you wake up.”
With that, Angel drifted off again.
|} - - -> <- - - {|
Buffy couldn’t control her laughter. “An-Angel and . . . Cor . . . Cor . . .”
Dawn stared at her hysterical sister, her arms crossed in annoyance. “Will you quit already? You’ve been going at it for I don’t know how long.”
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry.” The slayer fought to control her giggles. She lost, loosing it again. “It’s just so funny!”
Dawn frowned.
“Come on, bit, gotta admit they are an unlikely pair. The cheerleader and the brood machine,” Spike told Dawn. He couldn’t help but smirk.
Glancing from one to the other, Dawn said, “She’s really changed. For the better. Angel loved her before she died. He never got to tell her how he felt, though, and that hit him hard.”
Buffy quieted down. Spike’s smirk disappeared as well. The slayer and vampire made eye contact. Each could sympathize. Buffy because she never told Spike about how she harbored inner feelings for him. Maybe they hadn’t been love at the time, but they could have developed into such given time. Spike because he knew what it was like to lose someone dear.
Buffy sat down on the couch again. “Well, I’m happy for him. Now he can tell her how he feels. So like do the PTBs decide who to send out in what order. I mean, how does this work? Do they beam them down to earth one at a time?”
A small smile appeared on Dawn’s mouth. “No. They’re already here.”
“Huh?”
“They were reincarnated, Buffy.”
The slayer groaned.
“What is it?” Dawn asked.
“Am I gonna have to guess who they are? I mean, I look similar but I’m not an exact replica of my former body.”
“No. Don’t you get it? They were reborn as babies. They still have the same body, just returned to go through a new life. That’s why Willow had to die twenty years ago. She’s was needed to be reborn.”
“So Red had to go for a reason then?” Spike stated it more as a fact than a question.
“Yeah,” Dawn replied. “She needed to be a baby again. Now, she’s grown up, the same Willow we remember.”
“So then why did I have to be transported into a new body. Not that I’m complaining, this one’s pretty okay, but sometimes I miss my old one,” Buffy said.
“Because they needed a slayer RIGHT THEN. They couldn’t wait years for a baby to grow up.”
Still pouting, Buffy nodded. “I get that. Still sucks.”
Spike yawned. “Well, kiddies, I’m off to bed.” He stood up.
“You sleep at night?” Dawn inquired, surprised.
He ran a hand through his hair. “Oh, yeh. Gotten used to it actually. But don’t wake me till twelve, ya hear?”
She giggled. “Got it.”
Buffy went over to Spike. She gave him a quick kiss. “Be there in a sec.”
“K, luv. I’ll make the bed all warm for ya.”
When he had left, Buffy focused back on Dawn. The teen had an eyebrow risen. Buffy put her hands on her hips. “What?”
“So, you’re like together then?” Dawn asked.
“Uh huh,” Buffy answered.
Dawn grinned, throwing her arms around Buffy. “This is so cool!” she squealed.
Smiling, Buffy hugged Dawn too. “Glad you think so.”
Buffy arranged the couch for Dawn to sleep on. Then she walked into her and Spike’s bedroom and crawled in beside him.
In the living room, Dawn snuggled in the thick blanket. She was so happy that she wasn’t sure if she could get to sleep. She had to remind herself to get earplugs tomorrow. Sounds of Buffy and Spike were part of the not good.
Soft footsteps suddenly came in the room. “Dawn, are you still awake?” Buffy whispered.
Dawn sat up, craning her neck. “Yeah.”
“Uhhh . . . Do you mind coming to sleep with me and Spike? I don’t want to make you feel like a baby or anything, but . . . We don’t think we can get to sleep without you there. Both of us can hardly believe you are even here. We’re afraid that we might wake up in the morning and . . .” Her voice broke.
“Sure, Buffy, I’d really like that,” Dawn complied.
They traveled to the bedroom, hand-in-hand. The two girls got in beside the bleached vampire.
“Hey, nibblet,” Spike greeted.
“Hey,” said Dawn. There was a pause. “Spike, you aren’t naked are you?”
He chuckled. “Nope. I made an acceptation tonight.”
“Ewww, I hope you washed the sheets.”
“Night you two,” Buffy sleepily said.
“Night, luv.”
“Goodnight, Buffy.”
It wasn’t long before the reunited family was taken over by slumber.
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Phew, that was long. I don’t think I want to go over it for errors right now, so deal with it as is until later. : ) Next part will have more A/C as well as B/S +D.