Disclaimer: Do I own them? Nope. See, my name is RACHEL, NOT Joss. None of these characters belong to me. I'm not making money off them, blah, blah, blah. Do you really think I would put B/A thru all of this and have Buffy sleeping with Riley? YUK!
Rating: Do you watch the show?? You can read this. Maybe PG-13ish
Summary: What ever happened to the baby that Angel saved from Darla and why was he so eager to help Buffy?
Spoilers: Angel Season 2 ep "Darla" and "Welcome to the Hellmouth"
Distribution: My site, Angel Forevermore, the groups I send them to and if everyone else can just tell me where it's going first. I'll probably say yes!
Feedback? <G> Does Angel look hot wearing leather pants? (That would be a YES!) @ LuVnAnGeLNBuFfY@aol.com
That night of the Boxer Rebellion and only hours after Spike had killed the Chinese Slayer, Angel returned to his home with Darla. He had been out feeding. Not on humans, of course. He hadn't been able to do that since he was cursed with his soul. However, not even 2 years had passed since he sought out Darla. Now they were together again, nonetheless, Angel could never be Angelus again.
As Angel walked into their home in China, he glanced around for Darla. "Where have you been?" She asked from her chair in the corner.
<Damn, she's here.> Angel thought. "Darla." He said, acknowledging her presence.
She glared at him. "Answer me!" She demanded.
Angel somewhat shrugged and glanced around the room. "Just out. Why?"
Darla asked, "Feeding?"
Angel only nodded, saying, "Yeah."
"On vermin?" She asked. It was more of a statement than a question.
Angel paused. "No." He replied after a beat.
Darla only glared at Angel harder. "Don't lie to me."
Angel knew what she was getting at. For months now she had been slightly curious about what he fed on these days. "Look, I've killed men. You've seen it." Angel told her defensively.
Darla, in her long green kimono, stood up from her chair and started walking to him. "Rapists and murderers, thieves and scoundrels." She began, as she walked towards him. "Did you think I wouldn't notice? Only evildoers, that's all you hunt down." Angel lowered his eyes, knowing she had found out her secret. "You swore to me. You said, if I took you back you'd prove yourself.
Angel looked back into her eyes. "And I will."
"Good." Was all Darla said. On the table next to them, Darla pulled a blanket off a basket lying there. Inside the basket was the missionaries' baby who Angel had saved hours ago. Angel glanced down at the baby. <What is she up to exactly?> He thought, shifting his weight nervously.
Darla began speaking as she looked down at the baby. "I went back before dawn. They were still cowering there. Praying to their god for a salvation." She looked at Angel icily before continuing to speak. "They didn't know that their only savior was at the waterfront…dining on RATS. I won't be made a fool, Angelus." Angel only looked at her silently. "Not by you. Not by anyone."
"I…I didn't mean-" Angel tried to begin speaking.
"While Spike!" Darla said, interrupting him. "SPIKE! Was out killing a Slayer, you were saving missionaries! From me!"
Angel spoke. "I'm sorry..."
Darla shook her head. "No. No more words." Darla took a step back as Angel only stared at the baby. <I can't…I can't kill her.> Angel thought. "Act." Darla said.
Angel gave one more glance at the child before speaking. "I can't."
"What do you mean you can't?" Darla asked, her anger rising. "You won't!"
Angel shook his head, muttering, "I can't seem to be what I'm not." He looked back up at her face. "I'm sorry."
"You disgust me." Darla stated as she shook her head slightly.
Suddenly, Angel grabbed a hold of the baby and ran past Darla. He picked up speed and jumped out the window, crashing through the glass.
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Once outside, Angel ran like hell. Never in his life did he remember having to run so fast. He had to get away. Away from her. Away from a constant reminder of what he could never be for her. <It was stupid to think that I could pass as what I used to be. Just STUPID.> Angel thought. Now running through the torn and battered streets, he protected the child from any harm by covering her with his arm.
<What am I going to do?> Angel thought as he passed burning homes, turned over wagons, and dead bodies here and there. Feeling the warmth of the babe in his arms, Angel could almost feel the bloodlust come upon him. However, he fought it off, only pursuing his search in someway to help the child. <Maybe I could give her to a family…> Angel thought. <They could take care of her.>
So Angel began searching for a safe house. All he needed was someplace where he could leave this child with a caring family and ensure her a happy lifetime. It was the least Angel could do since his Sire probably killed the rest of her family. Angel immediately thought back to Darla, Dru, and Spike. For years they had been his family. His hunting partners. However, Angel knew that he couldn't keep pretending to be someone that he wasn't.
He was a nobody. <I can't be a man. I am a vampire. I am not a vampire. I have a soul. Either way, I'm screwed> Angel thought, now running again because sunrise would be in several hours. Angel was very aware that he had to finish this. Finally, he found a small, homely cottage on the outskirts of the village. <This should do.>
Angel set the baby down on their steps. He wrapped the blanket around her to keep her warm. She smiled and giggled up at Angel, having no clue what was going on. Angel stood back up and knocked on the door, before silently slipping down the stairs and disappearing into the night.
From behind a tree, Angel watched the door open. A couple opened the door, gasping at the sight of a child at their doorstep. Angel heard only murmurs and parts of words as the couple picked up the baby and carried her inside. <She's going to be all right.> Angel thought. <That's all that matters now.> Shoving his hands in his pockets, Angel walked away into the night.
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~*16 years Later*~
16 years had passed since Angel last set foot in China. He had once made a vow to never return as to not reopen old wounds. However, that night, here he was. Dressed in an outfit similar to what he had been wearing the night he left Darla, Angel found himself standing on the grounds that belonged to the family where he had left the baby 16 years ago. He was looking in the window to see if the same family was still there.
Sure enough, the exact same 2 people were sitting down at the dinner table. The only difference was that they looked 16 years older. However, next to them, sat a young blonde. <Is that her?> Angel thought, trying to walk closer to the window without being spotted. <She's so…beautiful.>
And that was true. The young lady sitting at the table had a small frame. However, her smile towards her family lit up the dark room. Her long blonde hair fell to her waist. As she nodded her head, several strands of gold fell into her eyes and all of a sudden, Angel had this urge to swipe them away from her face. <Oh…her eyes…> Angel thought. Hazel orbs with specks of green and darker brown shone brightly for the whole world to see. As she got up to put her plate away, Angel watched as she walked from the table to sink. He saw her carry herself with such pride and respect for herself.
Angel backed away from the window so he wouldn't be seen. However, since he was so busy watching the girl, he failed to move away in enough time. Inside, however, the girl, named Elizabeth Anne Summers, saw him. Nonetheless, she made no noise to her parents and continued on with her chores. As Angel went back to staring at the blonde beauty, he made a vow to protect her from anything and everything.
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Several hours after nightfall, Angel still stood outside, watching over the house and the three people that lived inside. Suddenly, to his left, Angel saw the bushes shake. He heard a rustling of the leaves. Instantly, he was on guard.
<What if it was Darla?> Angel never found out where she went after he let her. <What if she felt me come back and has come to kill me?> He glanced around. <What if it's the Slayer?> The way Angel had been living, he was in no shape to fight a Slayer. Suddenly, the bushes separated and Elizabeth jumped out from the bushes. Angel jumped back in surprise, not even hearing her come out of the house earlier. <She knew I was here?!> He thought. The two stared at each other. Angel noticed that her dress was torn.
Not knowing what else to say, Angel said the first thing that came to his mind. "Um…hello."
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Part 2
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"Um…hello." Angel said, staring at the beauty that stood before him.
Elizabeth stared at the man for a second. "Hello sir." She replied politely. The two stared at each other for another second. Elizabeth took the time to look at the man standing before her. She stared into his soulful dark brown eyes and suddenly her knees felt weak. He was dressed plainly in complete black. And although she thought his hair was…somewhat untidy, she instantly began falling for him. "May I ask what you were doing out here?"
"Um…well…" Angel began. "I was-"
"Was it because you were…spying on me?" She asked before smiling at the man.
For a moment, Angel thought he felt his heart beat. Never had someone so lovely as this person standing in front of him ever smiled at him that way. The way there was a spark and shimmer in her eyes and pure happiness in her expression. "Me? Spying on you? Whatever gave you that idea?" He asked back to her, managing to give her a half-smile.
"I saw you." She said, pointing back over to the window where Angel had stood several hours ago. <Shoot, I didn't move fast enough.> Angel thought. "What's your name?" She asked, smiling back at him once again.
"It's…Angel. Just Angel." He replied. Long ago he had sworn to never go by the name Angelus again. Now it was simply Angel.
"Angel…" she took a second to look at him. "It suits you." She replied.
"And your name?" Angel asked.
"Elizabeth Anne Summers." She said. Motioning back towards the door, she and Angel began walking back to the front door of the house. "So…why were you spying on me?" she asked once again. They took their time to walk to the door. Angel wanted to savor every moment he had to talk to her. He was thinking that it would probably be the only time he would ever talk to her. Little did he know, but Elizabeth was also thinking the same thing.
"Well…it's hard to explain." Angel began. "I-"
Without warning, Elizabeth's eyes traveled past him and into her home. Angel turned around to see what she was staring at and saw a light flicker on and grow in size inside a window. "Oh dear. Father must have woken up." Elizabeth complained. "He'll wonder where I've gone to." She turned around and started walking up the steps.
Angel didn't want her to go…ever. He reached out for her, touching and grasping her arm. Their connection was instantaneous. Elizabeth felt him grab her so carefully. When his hand touched hers, sparks of electricity raced through her body. Never in her whole life had she ever felt herself suddenly jump like that. From just a single touch of Angel's hand, Elizabeth felt like she was truly living for the first time. "Yes?" She asked, turning back around to face him.
"I…" Angel glanced around at the ground. <I have no right to ask her this…> he thought. "Can I see you again?"
Elizabeth stared at him for a second before a giant smile appeared on her face. "Yes, I would like that very much. Tomorrow?"
Angel nodded, trying to keep his joy of seeing Elizabeth tomorrow night to a minimum. "Good. Can we meet at night? It's…easier for me." He asked. Of course, he couldn't go out in the sunlight because he'd dust.
"Sure." Elizabeth replied. "I'll meet you over there. Where I found you."
"All right." Angel responded. He smiled at her, feeling a wave of warmth washing over him. He lowered the hand he held to his lips and lightly kissed her hand. Without a word, Angel silently slipped into the darkness. Meanwhile, Elizabeth stood there, mesmerized by him. She held her hand that he had kissed. <Oh God,> she thought. <I'm falling in love with him.>
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Part 3
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That night, Angel waited patiently under the tree where he had met Elizabeth last night. There was a full moon out tonight and it lit up the countryside like a beacon. All today as he slept, he had dreamed about her. She had become his only light in his dark, lonely world. Although he knew nothing could come of this meeting, Angel felt like a somebody again.
Suddenly, from behind him, someone grabbed his shoulders. Angel sun around, meeting eyes with Elizabeth. "Hey you." She said happily.
Angel smiled slightly. <Again with the creeping up on me.> Angel thought. "Hello Elizabeth." He looked down at her smiling face. Never in his life had he ever seen such a free spirit. He almost wanted to say `spunky.' Most girls he met were boring, lazy, and dull. Already he could tell that Elizabeth was the complete opposite. She was…interesting.
"Have you been waiting long?" She asked. Walking out from the bushes, the two began walking down a dirt road.
"No, I just got here." Angel turned around to look back at her home. However, the truth was, that Angel had been here since sundown. He stood outside, simply watching her. "Are you sure that your parents won't mind that you're out so late?"
"They won't notice me. Mother thinks I am asleep." Elizabeth said. "Which is fine by me."
Angel stared down at her as they walked. <She speaks so informally.> he thought. And for the first time, Angel also began feeling something else: love. Never had he met someone he could talk to. Angel felt as though he could sit down with her and tell her anything. "So…" He began, following her pace as they walked along. "How long have you been living here?"
"All my life." She replied. "It's so boring."
Angel turned to look at her. He stopped walking and looked down into her face. Elizabeth stopped walking also and looked straight into his eyes. "Boring? I would think it would be peaceful."
"Well, it is peaceful. Too peaceful. I want some action, some excitement from time to time." Elizabeth said. "I want something new to happen."
"Well, I don't know…it can't be that bad. You never really miss it until it's gone forever, but…" Angel's voice drifted off and he stared down at the ground. "I know that I'd love to find some peace." He added very softly.
Elizabeth took a step towards him. "Wow…that was deep." She said before smiling at him and taking one more step closer to him. They were so close…close enough to kiss. And that's what Elizabeth wanted. She stared at his eyes and then his lips.
"Yeah…well, I tend to have plenty of time to think about things like this." He said softly, staring down at her. Angel was also fighting the same feelings. He lowered his eyes, staring at her. All he wanted to do was capture her lips and kiss her.
Angel began lowering his head, nearing her lips, when suddenly he heard something jump out from behind them. He raised his head, standing at his full height, staring straight into the eyes of another vampire. His face was evilly contorted and his eyes glowed yellow in the dark.
"Ahhh….fresh blood." The vampire hissed.
Elizabeth whirled around, staring at the demon with fear in her eyes. "Angel…." She began, her tone filled with fright.
Angel took two steps in front of Elizabeth, protecting her immediately. "Elizabeth. Go home." He said.
"No!" She said, pulling at his arm. "I'm not leaving you."
The vampire standing only feet away growled at them and began running towards the couple. Angel instantaneously reacted. Pushing Elizabeth out of the way, Angel ran towards the monster. As the vampire threw the first punch, Angel ducked before punching the vampire back. Angel kicked the vampire, but it bent over quickly. As Angel regained his posture, the vampire took the opportunity to punch Angel. He went flying backwards, slamming into a tree.
From several feet away, Elizabeth climbed to her feet after Angel shoved her out of the way. She gasped as she saw Angel get punched. <God, he's going to get killed.> She thought. <I have to do something!> But in her mind, she knew there was nothing she could do that wouldn't get her killed also.
As Angel stood up, he broke off an immature branch from the side of the tree. He faced the vampire, staring at him threateningly. His rage was out of control now, and he felt his face shift into that of the true demon inside of him. The vampire's eyes widened in surprise as Angel growled, saying, "That was NOT smart."
Angel rushed at the vampire, knocking him over. The two wrestled on the ground for a few seconds before Angel got into control and shoved the stake into the vampire's dead heart. With a scream, the demon turned to dust and disappeared. Angel stood on his feet, wiping the dust from his black duster.
"Oh God…" Elizabeth started. "Angel…are you all right?"
Angel shook his head, feeling his vampiric features still there. "Elizabeth." He started. He couldn't let her see him like this. His anger still hadn't cooled off so his demonic mask remained. He stood away from her in the darkness to hide his face. "Don't come any closer."
"But Angel…are you hurt?" Elizabeth asked, beginning to walk over to him.
"No…" Angel began. But Elizabeth was already rushing over to him with worry on her expression.
However, when she saw his face, she froze. "Oh God…" she began. "You…you-"
"Elizabeth, it's not what you think…."
"You look just like that man you just killed." She said.
Angel's emotions had finally cooled off and let his features slide back, revealing his handsome face. He saw her flinch and step backwards in surprise. "That wasn't a man." Angel said softly. <No…why did she have to find out THIS way?> he thought, hanging his head.
"So, it was a…?" Elizabeth started him.
"A…vampire." Angel said guiltily.
"A vampire." Elizabeth stated flatly. "And you?"
"Look, you can trust me." Angel said, avoiding her question. <Please…I need you to trust me.> he silently begged. "Look…I better get you home. Usually when there's one vampire out, there are more on the way." Angel began walking back towards her house, speechlessly motioning her to follow.
"No…Angel! Tell me what's going on!" Elizabeth said, picking up her skirts and running ahead of him. "I deserve to know."
Angel looked down at her a long time, debating what to say or do. "I guess you do…" But from his left, Angel heard the snarls and growls of 5 other vampires. "But for now…let's just get you safe inside."
Elizabeth saw how urgent he was acting and got the message that they were no longer safe. "All right." She said softly. Almost unconsciously, they grabbed each other's hands, running back towards Elizabeth's parent's cottage.
When they finally reached the front door, Angel no longer heard the vampires near by. He walked Elizabeth up to the door, following her up the steps. "Don't invite anyone you don't know inside." He warned.
Elizabeth nodded, unable to meet his eyes. Angel understood. <God, she thinks I'm this horrible monster now.> he thought. "Good night." He said, beginning to walk down the steps.
"Are we meeting again tomorrow?" Elizabeth asked, turning back around to face him.
"What?" Angel looked back at her.
"Are we still seeing each other tomorrow?" She asked again.
"Elizabeth…" Angel began. "Are you sure you even want to look at me still?"
"Angel, I…I'd like to sleep on this. Can we talk tomorrow night? Say around…RIGHT after the sun set?" She asked.
Angel looked back at her. "All right. I'll be here." Elizabeth walked inside, closing the door without a second look back, leaving Angel to silently brood throughout the remainder of the night.
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Part 4
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The next night, the sun had just set. Just as he promised, Angel was already waiting for Elizabeth to walk outside to talk with him. As he stood there, his mind began drifting. <God, she's never going to want to see me ever again.> He thought. <She saw what I am…how will she ever be able to look at me again? The one thing…ONE thing that I tried to keep hidden from her, I failed in doing that.> Angel glanced around, making sure she hadn't walked outside yet. His mind thought back to her expression when she saw his face. <I'm a fool, thinking I could talk to her. Thinking that I could pass for anything but the monster that I am.>
Ahead of him, Angel heard the wooden door open and Elizabeth walked out. She wore a pale peach dress with a low-neck lining and white lace surrounding the edges. The dress complimented her womanly figure. Her golden hair was pulled back, several loose strands flowing behind her as she walked. Once she walked up to Angel, she stared into his eyes.
"Hello." She whispered softly.
"Hi." Angel began, suddenly thinking about what a bad idea this was, since he could literally feel her tension in the air. Elizabeth silently motioned for them to start walking. Angel followed her down the path, silently matching her pace. They continued walking for several minutes, having no real destination in mind.
Not knowing it, each person was thinking the exact same thing.
<What is he going to tell me?> Elizabeth thought. <Why can't he just explain what happened last night? Does he think I'm mad? Shocked? Frightened?> She looked over and up at his face, which was blank, staring straight ahead. She knew that he was thinking deeply also. <I'm neither.> Elizabeth lowered her head again. <All I am is grateful. Why won't he just talk to me?>
<What do I tell her?> Angel thought. <The truth? NO.> He glanced over at her, seeing her also in deep thought. <Oh, what the hell, someone needs to say something here.>
"So…" Angel began. "I suppose this will be our last walk together?"
Elizabeth looked up at him, her features filled with surprise. "You mean you don't want to talk to me anymore?"
"No!" Angel said back to her. He stopped walking and turned to face her. "Elizabeth, I thought it'd be the other way around. After what happened last night, I thought that…" His voice died off and he stared at the ground.
"Angel…" She began. Oh how he loved that…the way she said his name. Even now, she spoke to him with such gentleness in her tone that Angel could barely believe it. "I know that you aren't like that other monster. If you had wanted to kill me, you could have done it two nights ago." She looked up into his eyes. As Angel gazed into her hazel orbs, he could see that she was sincere. "You're different." A smile spread across her face. "Besides, now I have an official protector of the night." She added.
Angel managed to crack a small smile. "So, you're okay with this?" He was somewhat astonished. Each moment, this young woman amazed him just a little bit more. She wasn't afraid. She actually still wanted to see him. That alone meant more to Angel than she could possibly understand.
Elizabeth nodded. "Yes, I am. Angel…I won't lie." She glanced around, nervous about what she was getting ready to say. "I…I have feelings for you. I enjoy our nightly walks together and I don't want to see them end."
Angel's undead heart suddenly felt alive. So, she had finally admitted that she had feelings for him. That alone made everything more difficult. Angel knew it was impossible for a young mortal like her to fall for a creature of the night such as he. Already, he knew this and more. She couldn't be tied to demons and darkness. She belonged in the sun. "Oh, Elizabeth…" Angel sighed. He stared at her, taking in what she had just told him.
"Angel?" She questioned, taking a step closer to him. "Did I say something wrong?"
"Wrong? No." Angel said, also taking one more step to be closer to her. "What you said means a lot to me."
"So…we're okay then?" Elizabeth asked.
"Yes, I believe we are." Angel replied, staring down at her. His eyes traveled down to her slightly parted lips. Angel knew that he was treading in dangerous waters. All he wanted to do was lean down and gently kiss her…and her body language said that's what she wanted also.
Angel bent his head closer to Elizabeth and leaned forward to meet her lips. Instantly, it was like a shock wave was racing through him when he met her warn, full lips. Elizabeth instantly responded, wrapping her arms around his neck as she raised her head to be closer to him. She felt as though she were on fire…so many emotions were racing throughout her mind…mostly love and want.
Angel gently kissed her, caressing her lips with his. His hands slid around her waist, pulling her deeper into his embrace. He felt her hands travel through his hair and Angel felt as though electricity was surging through his body. Elizabeth felt the exact same way.
For the two of them, it was an instant connection.
When Angel finally pulled back, Elizabeth was breathing heavily. He held her close to him, kissing the top of her head.. <Oh…this is where I was meant to be.> Elizabeth thought. <With him, safe in his arms.>
Angel's mind was reeling. Never had he felt like this with anyone. Darla was pure lust…but this incredible woman was more than that…much more. He heard her sigh and he felt her relax in his arms. What amazed him even more was how serene she was. <She knows what I am and yet she's not afraid.> Angel thought. He lowered his head and kissed her forehead, dragging his fingers through her hair slowly.
<This is incredible.> Elizabeth thought, breathing him in. <This man, who has so much power and strength, can be SO gentle when it comes towards me.> Finally, she looked up into his eyes. All she saw was love reflecting in his chocolate-brown pools, and she knew that he saw the exact same look in hers. "That was nice." She stated.
"Just nice?" Angel asked, bumping foreheads with her.
"No…much better." She corrected before smiling. She felt him kiss her cheek and chills ran down her spine. Never had someone inspired so many emotions within her. "Oh…" she sighed, "I've been wanted you to kiss me since last night." She admitted.
"You know something? Me too." Angel said, giving her a huge smile.
Elizabeth's breath caught and her heart melted when she saw his smile. <He's so handsome…his smile, his eyes…> "Oh, Angel…" she whispered. She raised her head and met lips again, forgetting about everything except the person in front of her, kissing and caressing her as though she were a goddess.
<My blonde goddess.> Angel suddenly thought. "You're right…" Angel began. "This is much better than `nice.'" He whispered before plundering her lips with his. They stood like that for hours it seemed, simply touching and kissing. No words were heard between the two…they didn't need words to express what they were feeling in the moment.
After a long time, Angel finally spoke up. "We'd better get you back." He whispered huskily, as if unused to using his voice. "If your parents woke up, they'd start to worry about you."
Elizabeth stared up at him, her lips swollen from his constant kisses. Truth was…she didn't want to leave his arms- ever. This WAS her home- with him. "All right." She said softly. Taking her hand, Angel began leading the way home. When they finally reached her front door, no one wanted to say `good night.'
Angel silently leaned down to kiss her once more before turning around and beginning to walk away. "Angel?" Elizabeth asked. He turned around and stared at her. "Good night." She said, smiling.
Angel also smiled. "Good night, my love." He replied, before realizing what he had said. With one more smile, he faded into the night.
Elizabeth stood there for a second. <'My love.'> she thought. "I love you too, Angel." Elizabeth whispered into the night before walking back inside her home.
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Part 5
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Nights turned into weeks and weeks eventually turned into months. Each night, Angel would come to Elizabeth, always eager to simply be with her. Every night, the two shared secret kisses as they took a walk outside or simply talked together outside on the porch. With each meeting, the two only fell deeper in love; however, no one had the courage to tell each other that.
Whether it was raining, freezing cold, or occasionally snowing, every night Elizabeth could always look forward to her visits from her guardian Angel. Over time, Angel came to know everything about her- dislikes, likes, EVERYthing. She was always so open with him, talking about the simple things that went on during the day or anything else that came to mind.
Being the resolved person that he was, Angel never was very open with anyone. However, with Elizabeth he felt as though he could tell her his entire past and she would understand. So little by little, Elizabeth found out bits and pieces of his dark history.
Although Elizabeth understood what he had gone through, she also felt like it would have been exciting…getting to do whatever you wanted. Finally, there was some excitement in her life. With Angel, life had become an adventure for her. He opened her eyes on the world around them as he told her tales or Paris, Italy, and London. If it hadn't been for the `no soul' thing, Elizabeth would have thought the idea intriguing.
Angel had almost been seeing Elizabeth for a year. Never had he thought that his life would be like this. This amazing woman, who always greeted him with kind words and sweet kisses loved him. Oh yes, he knew she loved him. He heard her whisper it occasionally as he would leave her each night. She just didn't have the courage to tell him that. The truth was, however, Angel felt the same way. Everything Elizabeth did, from laughing, complaining, and simply being there for him, made Angel love her just a little bit more.
That night, as they walked along their usual route, Angel was explaining about his soul, as Elizabeth asked him to do. "Well…it's my conscience." Angel said. "My human heart."
"Your conscience…" Elizabeth said. "You mean that little voice in your head that tells you what to do all the time?"
Angel grinned. "Yeah, that's it. I, uh, killed a gypsy girl and they cursed me with my soul."
Elizabeth coughed as he talked, but still listened. "So what? They couldn't just curse you with warts, bumpy things, or just stake you in the heart?" she asked, mimicking a staking motion.
"Gee, thanks. I can tell you care about me." Angel said dryly.
"Angel!" she pretended to hit him lightly. "You know I care." She said.
Angel wrapped his arms around her waist, smiling down at her. "Yes, I do." He leaned down to kiss her lips. "Besides, without my soul, I would have never met you." He added.
"You always know exactly what to say to me…how is that?" Elizabeth asked, her arms loosely wrapped around him.
"Comes with age." Angel joked, before leaning down to kiss her. This was one thing he never tired of. Her lips were so soft and warm…and she always knew how to make him feel loved. Their kiss quickly deepened as he pushed her into his arms, sweeping his hands along her back and tangling in her hair.
Suddenly, Elizabeth broke off, coughing loudly. She placed her hands over her mouth as she coughed continuously. Angel stared at her, immediately worried. He had never heard her cough quite that violently before. "Elizabeth? Are you all right?"
Elizabeth shook her head `no' and fell to the ground, her coughing never ending. At once, Angel was at her side, holding her shoulders, whispering sweet words to calm her down. Several minutes later, Elizabeth's coughing finally settled down. Elizabeth removed her hands from her mouth and looked down at them.
Angel's sense of smell suddenly picked up something in the air. It smelled like…
"Angel!" Elizabeth shouted, staring at her hands.
Angel looked across at her. "What?" and then he looked down at her hands. They were covered in her blood. "Oh God, Elizabeth…" Angel held her hands out, smelling the blood in the air. He fought the urge to vamp-out in front of her. He hadn't shown her his demonic mask since the night she found out what he was. However, right now, he had more important things to worry about.
"Angel…" Elizabeth said, looking up at him. Drops of blood ran down her chin. "My chest…it hurts."
"Oh God…" Angel whispered, looking into her eyes, which were filled with fear. "Okay…you're going to be okay." He whispered, quickly kissing her cheek. He ripped off a piece of cloth from his shirt. "All right…let's just get you cleaned up…" he took her hands and began wiping the blood off her palms. He moved upward, wiping off her chin.
"Angel…" She moaned. "It hurts…so much…"
"I know, love, I know." Although Angel really didn't know. He had absolutely NO clue what was going on. All he knew was that he was SO worried about her. Angel handed Elizabeth the cloth to allow her to finish wiping the rest of her mouth. She spit into the cloth, getting the blood taste out of her mouth. "C'mon. Let's get you home." Elizabeth silently nodded and Angel rose to his feet, pulling Elizabeth up with him.
As soon as Elizabeth stood to her full height, she bent over, coughing even more. Elizabeth practically was gagging on the blood that flew out of her mouth, falling to the ground below her. Now she felt as though she were throwing up…throwing up blood. "No, Angel…" She started falling again. "I can't stand up…it hurts too much."
"All right. You're going to be all right." Angel whispered to her, wrapping his arms around her body. Angel picked her up in his arms and began walking home. Elizabeth wrapped her arms around her neck, slightly trembling. Fear and dread had replaced her once brave and energetic personality. Angel felt her shiver against his skin and he only increased his pace towards her home.
And the entire time as Angel walked back to her home, Elizabeth continued coughing, her chest hurting and blood constantly spurting from her mouth. And with each cough that Angel heard, he grew a little bit more worried.
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Once Angel and Elizabeth had made it inside, he carried her to her room and lay her on the bed. Elizabeth's coughing had only gotten worse. And now she felt as though she couldn't breathe straight. Angel got a fresh cloth and some water to wipe her mouth and hands off. After a few minutes of getting Elizabeth comfortable, Angel sat on the edge of the bed, holding onto Elizabeth's hand. "Can you talk, love?" he asked her.
"Yes, I think so…" she replied hoarsely.
"All right…now, do you know when your parents are getting back?" Angel asked. When they had arrived home, the two found that Elizabeth's parents had gone to town, leaving the house empty.
Elizabeth shook her head. "No…they, uh, could be back anytime. I…I don't really know."
"That's okay." Angel said soothingly, rubbing her hand. "Now, I'm going to go get a doctor for you. I need you to stay here-"
"No, don't leave me…please?" Elizabeth begged.
"I have to, love. I need to get you help." Angel said, beginning to climb up from the bed.
"Okay," Elizabeth finally agreed. She turned her head away, slightly coughing from this small act.
"Hey, I'll be back." Angel said, squeezing her hand. He bent down and quickly kissed her on the lips. Elizabeth placed her hand on the back of his head, pushing him closer to her so he couldn't pull away. As their mouths met again and again, Angel could taste her blood in his mouth. In a way, it made him feel disgusted and pleased at the same time.
When they pulled back, Elizabeth was out of breath. She held back her coughing to talk to him. "Hurry back to me." She whispered.
"You know I will." Angel replied. He got up and walked out, closing the door behind him as he tried to ignore the sounds of her hacking cough in the background.
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When Angel returned with a doctor for Elizabeth, the doctor told him to wait outside. He needed time with Elizabeth, to check her over. Meanwhile, Angel paced restlessly outside. <God, what is taking so long?> He thought. <If he finds out that she is going to…> the only thing Angel could think of was <what if she dies from this?> He thought about her age…almost 17. <She's so young. She hasn't even had the chance to live. What if that's all ripped away from her in a flash?> But then Angel started thinking about how this would also affect him. <If she dies…I would die. I wouldn't be able to go on…>
Luckily, the doctor opened the door and walked out to meet Angel. Angel walked over to him, waiting for an answer. "Well?"
The doctor had a solemn expression on his face. "I wish I had better news for you, sir." He began.
"What? What is it?" Angel asked, worried.
"She…she seems to have blood in her lungs. I can hear wheezing in her breathing system…only now she has started coughing up pieces of…" the doctor paused, regretting what he was saying, "her lungs."
Angel gasped. His eyes widened in what the doctor was saying. "Well, we have to do something? What can we do…" Angel started walking towards Elizabeth's room. "You have to help her-"
The doctor grabbed Angel's arm, stopping him. "I can't…"
"Can't?"
"Help her." He finished. "Sir…I've seen cases like this before. Many young girls her age will get this…and…"
"And what?!" Angel asked loudly.
"And there's no cure. This thing she has…it's terminal." He finished.
"No…there's a way to cure her." Angel said, in denial.
"I'm sorry sir…there's nothing I can do for her. The best thing you and her family can do is make her comfortable." He said. "I'm truly sorry."
Angel wasn't even staring at him anymore. "Thank you." He replied dead pan. With a slight nod, the doctor walked past him and out the door. The second he had left, Angel let out a burst of energy, slamming his fists into the wall. <NO! It wasn't suppose to be this way.> he thought.
"Angel?" he heard her call out before coughing.
<Oh God, what am I going to do?> Angel thought, turning around. "I'm coming, Elizabeth." He said. Beginning to walk towards her room, he braced himself for what would probably be the hardest conversation he had ever had in his life.
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Part 6
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Angel walked into Elizabeth's room, solemn-faced. He couldn't meet eyes with her…there was just no way that he could say what had to be said. When he finally looked up at her, she was sitting up on her bed, holding a new cloth to her mouth. On the table next to her were blooded handkerchiefs, towels, and other red fabrics there. Angel could smell the blood in the room- it overpowered him.
"So…" Elizabeth began. "He told you." Angel only nodded, unable to speak. Elizabeth sighed, before coughing into her handkerchief again.
Angel walked over to Elizabeth's bed and sat down next to her. He instantly took her hand, holding onto it tightly. "I…I don't know what to say to you."
Elizabeth only sat there. "He…he said I have maybe two months left…the doctor said it was fairly serious." She fought the urge to cry. Never in her life had she thought that this would happen. <My life…my life with Angel is being ripped away from me.>
"I…I don't accept that." Angel began. "I'll find a way to save you. There's got to be a cure for you somewhere out there. I…I have to try something. I will save you…I-"
"Angel…" she began. Just saying his name instantly silenced him. "That's a hopeless crusade. You know that as well as I do." She said, looking down at the bed. "You heard what the doctor said. There is no cure." Angel looked up at her. It amazed him how strong she could be in a time like this. "This is it. This is what's going to happen to me...what is meant to happen to me."
"To die?" Angel asked. Tears were welling in his eyes at what she was saying. His love looked so frail, so weak…
"I suppose so." Elizabeth replied softly. They sat there for a few seconds, simply holding hands. Suddenly, Elizabeth broke the silence with a sob. "Angel…" She looked across at him with tears falling down her cheeks. "I'm so scared. I don't want to die."
Immediately, Angel was at her side, hugging her tightly. "Shh, shh, my love." He rocked her slowly as she cried on his shoulder.
"It's not fair…I finally find my place in the world, I have two parents that love me dearly…I have you…" she whispered. "And it's all being taken from me." She tightened her grip on Angel, never wanting to let go.
"I know, I know…I'm so sorry." Angel whispered, running his hand down her back. "If I could do anything…."
Elizabeth sniffed back more tears. "God, Angel…I'm so frightened." She took a few shallow breaths, calming down the best she could. "Is it going to hurt, you think?" she asked softly.
Angel didn't answer for a second. Her voice sounded full of fear. <God, she's going to die and I can't do anything about it.> "No…" he began. "It won't hurt a bit."
Elizabeth managed a small smile. "You're such a liar." She said softly.
Angel sat back, staring into Elizabeth's eyes. "Elizabeth, I want you to know…I'll be here for you. Every night. As long as you are on this planet, I will be here for you with whatever you need."
"Thank you." She whispered before breaking down in tears once again. Angel wrapped his arms around her, holding her and silently crying as well.
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Nights passed, and Angel, true to his word, visited her every night. Elizabeth had lost the strength to walk outside now. Each night, Angel would enter through her window and sit next to her, simply being there for her or occasionally talking. Her body had become even frailer than before. She was so weak…it broke Angel's heart to be around her.
By now her parents knew what was going on. They were with her every minute of the day. And of course, Angel was with her every night. Elizabeth was surrounded by her loved ones…that was all she needed for now. Occasionally, Angel would come with news, talking about new things happening. This would distract Elizabeth just enough to get her to smile for an instant, which, in turn, kept Angel going.
A month and several weeks eventually passed. Each night that Angel visited, he knew that it could be his last. Elizabeth was growing weaker and paler by the day. Her room smelled of blood from her constant coughing. She was so frail, Angel noticed each night. So much of her spirit in her eyes had faded. Everything about her had become dull and faded. The only time the true Elizabeth came out was when she talked to Angel.
The night that would end up being stamped in Angel's memory started out like any other night.
Angel opened the window and climbed into Elizabeth's room. He walked over to the bed and sat down next to her. Elizabeth's eyes were closed and her chest faintly moved up and down. However, when he reached out to hold her hand, Elizabeth instantly opened her eyes.
"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to wake you." Angel apologized.
"No…it's okay…" she replied softly. These days, Elizabeth could rarely speak above a whisper. It hurt her chest too much, she said. "I…wanted to see you so…so badly. I…I think this is it…"
Angel kissed her hand softly. "I'm right here…" he reminded her.
"I know…" she sighed. Elizabeth stared out the window longingly. "You know what? I miss our walks that we always used to take."
Angel looked at her. <God, she is still so beautiful.> Although Angel knew the real truth…his beloved was going to die soon…too soon for him. "Don't worry, love. As soon as spring comes, we'll be taking our nightly walks again."
Elizabeth stared at him, managing to show a small smile. "You're such a liar." She whispered to him. "Angel…kiss me?" She asked several minutes later.
"Of course…" he replied, before leaning forward and meeting lips with hers. He was so gentle…treating her with great care from her weakness. The two knew that there was something different about tonight…they both knew that it was their last time together. Angel ran his fingers down her cheek, feeling her satiny skin against his. Elizabeth wrapped her arms around his waist, wanting to have this be her last memory. The two savored their kiss…it would undoubtedly be their last.
Several minutes later, Angel sat back, going back to his original position of sitting next to her. "Angel…" Elizabeth began. "I…I love you."
"Elizabeth…" Angel sighed in awe. Never in his lonely, tortured life, had anyone ever spoke to him so gently. Hearing the words from Elizabeth's mouth for the first time only brought more tears to his eyes. "Elizabeth…I love you too."
"I always have loved you…for months now. I just…haven't had the courage to say anything." Elizabeth said to him, lightly squeezing his hand. "I…want…need you to know now. I love you…so much."
"So do I." Angel said. It dawned on him that this was their `good bye.' The only good bye they would ever have. "I have loved you ever since I first saw you…with your hair flowing down your back and your eyes full of life…"
Elizabeth smiled at him once more, tears in her eyes. "Angel…" she began several minutes later.
"Yes, my love?" he asked, immediately bending down to be right by her side.
"I'm so sleepy…" she said softly, beginning to close her eyes.
"Sleep my love." Angel said, holding back his tears. "I'll…I'll wake you before I leave."
"You're…such a liar." Elizabeth whispered to him, closing her eyes. In his ears, Angel could hear her heartbeat.
He felt Elizabeth lightly squeeze his hand as he heard the beating of her heart get softer and lesser.
Angel kissed her forehead.
Her heartbeat continued to lessen and lessen. And eventually, Angel heard nothing. And that night, within the arms of her beloved, Elizabeth Anne Summers died.
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Several days later, Elizabeth's funeral was held. It was at daytime, of course, so Angel could not attend. The first two nights after her death, Angel had been in denial. He kept thinking <She's still there, in her home…waiting for me.> But of course, she never was.
That night, many hours after Elizabeth's funeral, Angel slipped out of his shoddy home and went to the graveyard. He walked up to her headstone with tears in his eyes. In his hand was a white lily, her favorite flower. He placed it in front of her headstone before standing back up. Angel silently read the engraving on the cold slab of stone as tears ran down his cheeks.
*Elizabeth Anne Summers*
*1900-1917*
*May Your Soul Find the Peace You Deserve*
"Elizabeth…" Angel whispered. "God, I can't believe you're gone. My love. You understood me…accepted me. I never deserved love and yet, you gave it to me so freely." Angel paused, looking down at the ground. "Whenever we kissed or merely touched…I felt alive. You always had that power to make me feel…human. You gave me this and so much more. I love you." He leaned forward and speechlessly kissed her headstone, wishing he could be only kissing her.
He stood back, still as one of the many statues in the graveyard around him. "I'm leaving the country." He began. "Somehow…everything here reminds me of you."
As Angel stood there, a strong wing picked up. The winds tossed Angel's duster around here and there and leaves began flying here and there. Angel looked around, listening to the wind shaking the leaves of the trees.
Don't grieve…the wind seemed to be whispering to him. We'll be together again…someday. Angel looked around the graveyard, wondering who was whispering to him. Suddenly, he swore he heard faint laughter in the wind…laughter that sounded exactly like Elizabeth's.
"I'll love you forever." Angel swore into the night. And with that, Angel disappeared into the night, unable to stand the sight of her tombstone any longer.
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Part 7
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Years- decades passed since that night Angel said goodbye to Elizabeth. After that night, Angel had dropped all contact with people. Without her, there was no reason for him to even go on living. There wasn't a reason for him to even pretend to blend in with the human population. Without his light in his dark world, Angel's life had once again become nothing. Angel truly was empty.
However, a major change of events was about to take place.
In 1996, this demon…Whistler was his name, showed up right in front of him. At once, Angel thought he was incredibly annoying in this cryptic sort of way. Whistler told Angel that he had something to show him…And if Angel wanted to see it, he would have to go with Whistler.
RIGHT. NOW.
Angel stood there, listening to Whistler talk to him. As Whistler spoke, Angel thought, <Why the hell not? After all, I haven't seen anything since I lost her so long ago.> "Her" was, of course, Elizabeth. As time passed, Angel had barely been able to say her name. Too many sorrowful memories were brought up.
Whistler ended up dragging Angel to the other side of the US- to Los Angeles, the bearing Angel's name. When the two arrived in LA, Whistler went to point something out to Angel. The demon and vampire stood outside at night, staring into the window of a suburban home. Inside the window, stood a young girl, maybe 15 or 16 years old.
"Okay, I give. Why are we here spying on some teenager?" Angel asked, before really looking at the adolescent standing around inside.
"Angel my pal…gaze your eyes on the lovely Buffy Summers." Whistler said, pointing inside the house. Angel looked down at Whistler in faint surprise before looking back at the teenager standing inside the house. After taking a closer look at the youth standing in the bathroom, Angel noticed that Buffy, as Whistler called her, looked just like Elizabeth. "More formally known as Elizabeth Anne Summers." Whistler finished.
Angel's mouth dropped open, and in the first time since forever, he was speechless.
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That night, Angel told Whistler that he wanted to become someone. More than anything else, Angel wanted to help her. So, six months later, in the small down of Sunnydale, California, it was finally time for Angel to introduce himself to Buffy. Over the six proceeding months, with Whistler's help, Angel had become his stronger self again, preparing for what was to come.
That summery night, as Angel was walking down a deserted alley behind the Bronze, Buffy, who knew he was coming, swung down from a high bar over the pavement and kicked him in the back. Angel fell to the ground and Buffy walked over to him.
Their first meeting definitely caught him off guard, to say the least.
"Ah, heh…is there a problem ma'am?" Angel asked, looking up into Elizabeth's eyes. <No…it's Buffy now,> he thought…her hazel eyes stared at him with bright burning fire. But when he looked at her gorgeous features, all he could think about was <It's Elizabeth.>
"Yes there is a problem. Why were you following me." She asked him firmly. Angel couldn't believe it…she still had that ability to always jump out at him without him knowing.
Angel could still remember how surprised he was when Whistler showed him that Buffy was destined to become the Slayer. He was shocked that the Powers had brought his love back as a Slayer…the one person in the world who was suppose to KILL him. <How ironic,> he thought when Whistler told him several months ago.
"I know what you're thinking…" Angel began. "And don't worry…I don't bite."
Buffy backed off, allowing him to stand. As Angel rose to his feet, she still held her fighting stance. Angel looked her over once more, forcing himself to not grab and kiss her over and over again. "Truth is, I thought you'd be taller, or bigger muscles and all that. You're pretty spry, though." Angel massaged his neck from where he had landed.
"What do you want?" She asked.
"The same thing you do." Angel replied to her. <That's good…keep the conversation short and to the point.> he thought.
Buffy finally let down her guard. "Okay…what do I want?"
Angel took a step towards her, silently breathing her in…<Oh, my blonde goddess.> He thought quickly. "To kill them. To kill them all." He replied to her.
"Sorry, that's incorrect." Buffy said. "But you do get this lovely watch and a year's supply of Turtle Wax. What I want is to be left alone!"
Angel watched her as she fired that sarcastic remark at him, looking her over…taking her in. There was no mistaking that Buffy was his love. Her hazel eyes sparked at him as she spoke. Her blonde hair, now cut up to her shoulders, sparkled even though it was night. Ah…her personality. That spunkiness that he had loved since he first met her. Her fiery attitude shone at him like a beacon. She still had that same spirit…she WAS Elizabeth.
After speaking, Buffy began walking away. Angel couldn't let her go…not yet. "Do you really think that's an option anymore? You're standing at the Mouth of Hell. And it's about to open." Angel shouted out to her. Well, that got her attention. Buffy turned around to face him again as Angel pulled a small box out of his jacket. "Don't turn your back on this." He threw her the box and Buffy immediately caught it. "You've gotta be ready."
"What for?" She asked him.
"For the Harvest." Angel replied.
Buffy stared at him. <There's something…something that's so familiar about him. Like I should know him or something…I just can't place it.> she thought. She stared into his deep brown eyes…and suddenly felt as though she could drown in them. "Who are you?"
There was so much that Angel wanted to tell her…<your love, your life, your salvation.> Of course, he could say none of these things to her- ever. "Let's just say…I'm a friend." He finally said, starting to leave.
"Yeah? Well, maybe I don't want a friend?" Buffy asked back at him.
Angel turned back around to her. He took one last look at her, memorizing every detail about her. "I didn't say I was yours." He said, before disappearing into the night.
Buffy looked down at the box Angel had thrown to her. She opened it, revealing a silver cross. She brought it out, staring at it before taking one more look back towards him. Without muttering a word, Buffy strolled back in the opposite direction Angel had gone. `
As Buffy walked off, Angel stood there in the darkness, staring at her. More than anything, he wanted to unclasp that necklace for her and place it around her neck…the neck that he had memorized 80 years ago as he planted kisses up and down Elizabeth's neck.
Angel's Elizabeth…now known as Buffy to everyone, had miraculously returned to him. From that moment on, as Angel watched Buffy walk away, he knew that his life would never be the same again.
And, of course, we all know the rest of the story from there…
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