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LaCroix set the innocuous cardboard box on his desk then sat down across from it, watching it as one would watch a venomous snake.
He wondered if Pandora’s box had looked so mundane from the outside. Pandora’s box had held all the evils in the world… and hope. Most of the time LaCroix didn’t see the distinction. To hope was to invite despair… and yet, was it possible to truly live without hope? He’d always believed that he had, even so he’d hoped for the day Nicholas would give up his foolishness until Nicholas’ death, and he hadn’t felt alive again until he’d found Angelus. Now it seemed he would loose Angelus as well, to some unknown malady, but today he hoped otherwise.
When he’d left Toronto he’d taken the box with him. He should have destroyed it and everything it contained. There was no ration in his desire to keep it, but he did. That box represented the summation of the quest that had killed Nicholas. Twenty-three notebooks and three computer disks filled with Dr. Natalie Lambert’s neat, precise, scientific notes on the condition of vampirism.
When Diva had offered him this life, he’d believed she’d made him a god, above morals or mortal concerns, free of humanity and all its attendant miseries. It had been magic, mysticism, power.
Almost two millennia later a lovely, stubborn coroner had looked at the same phenomenon and had seen a disease, an addiction, a virus.
And then there was Nicholas, who saw curses and eternal damnation. Nicholas, who found disillusion and disappointment in everything. A knight of the crusade who lost faith in God. A vampire striving for light. Nicholas who couldn’t understand that what he was didn’t define who he was. Who, despite the example of his own life couldn’t believe that a vampire could also be a good person. Who condemned both himself and the woman he loved to death rather than accepting himself.
The box contained meticulous descriptions of every misery Nicholas had endured in the name of finding a cure. It told of willful starvation, of regiments of exposure to substances that caused him pain, of noxious substances meant to replace what his body craved and cried for, of reckless experiments, all in the search of a scientific cure.
In those records were also frustrated accounts of Nicholas’ other attempts to cure himself. It seemed that no matter how she tried Dr. Lambert had never fully made Nicholas a convert to the faith of science. As he had ever been, Nicholas had remained a willing and eager believer in every possibility, no matter how unlikely. From magic to playing pretend, Nicholas had tried everything. At least Natalie had truly cared for his son, unlike the various charlatans LaCroix had been forced to rescue Nicholas from over the years.
But like Pandora’s Box, this box also held hope. Without the hope of a cure would Nicholas have survived as long as he did? LaCroix couldn’t be sure anymore. And now it contained a new hope, hope that all of Dr. Lambert’s tests and measurements and defining of vampirism in scientific terms might give them some clue as to what was happening to Angelus.
_____________________________________________________________________________
Wesley looked around at the assembled group, taking one last moment to gather his thoughts before beginning. “It’s been two weeks since Angel was shot, although his injuries have completely healed, he has yet to regain consciousness, and despite that he has remained in his demon form.”
Buffy wanted to tell Wesley to forget all the preliminaries and get right to how they were going to fix Angel, but she knew lecture-mode was a comfort zone for Watchers and after the last two weeks she wouldn’t begrudge Wesley the right to present their findings as he saw fit.
She doubted he’d slept for more than an hour or two at a setting since Angel had been injured. He had coordinated everyone else’s efforts and dealt with frayed tempers, as well as doing his own research. He had cajoled Spike into the roll of a test subject to provide them with data on what a normal vampire was physically in comparison with LaCroix’s type of vampire. He had spent long hours pursuing LaCroix’s explanations of the how’s and what’s and why’s of his kind of vampire. More than anything else that last effort had won Wesley Buffy’s respect. She could hardly stand being in the same building with the ancient vampire.
Willow, who had the strongest science background had been given the task of deciphering Dr. Lambert’s baseline study of vampirism and performing a similar study on Spike and Angel so they could determine exactly what Angel was physically.
Buffy and Giles had been trying to determine the meaning behind what Buffy could see with her Slayer sense.
LaCroix procured outside assistance where needed, found equipment and arranged for lab work to be done without questions for Willow.
Cordy, who was seriously ill herself, if Buffy was translating some of Cordy’s more cryptic disagreements with Wesley correctly, was taking care of Angel.
Xander, Anya and Tara were holding the fort in Sunnydale.
Buffy wasn’t sure where Riley was. She’d never found time to talk with him between the Fever dying out in Sunnydale and her rushing to LA upon hearing that Angel had been injured a few days later.
“When one of LaCroix’s type of vampire turns someone there are three possibilities,” Wesley was saying. “After the individual is infected with the virus that causes vampirism they enter a state of near death while it adapts their body. During this period the person’s soul leaves the body. The first possibility is that the soul will choose to continue on and the person will die. The second possibility is that the soul will return to the body and they will become what LaCroix refers to as a true vampire. The third possible outcome is that a demon will find the undefended body and take it, then the body will rise as one of the Failed, one of the vampires we have all become familiar with.”
“When the Failed turn someone there are no options, the soul is ripped from the body and replaced with a demon, as you all know.”
“While the soul is absent from the body the virus sustains it in a state of suspended animation. There is no breath, no heartbeat, any externally imposed changes, such as injuries are repaired,” Wesley paused to glance at LaCroix, his eyes deeply troubled.
“Put your mind at ease,” LaCroix sighed. “I did not turn someone simply to obtain that information.”
“Thank God,” Wesley sighed. He had commented that it would be useful to have more data on the intermediate phase between human and vampire, a few days later LaCroix had presented him with exactly what he’d asked for. Wesley had been afraid to ask how he got it.
Returning to his lecture, Wesley explained. “The Failed are still physically in the intermediate stage, the final changes don’t occur until after the soul returns. We’re not sure if Angel didn’t finish transforming when the gypsies first cursed him because of the demon’s presence, because his soul was returned magically or simply because the virus had been in the sustaining mode for so long. Several months ago LaCroix saved Angel’s life by giving him massive amounts of blood and using his mesmeric abilities to convince Angel’s heart that it should beat, somehow this jumpstarted the process. The virus in Angel’s bloodstream is becoming active.
“Where the difficulties come in is Angel’s demon is still present. Buffy and Giles have discovered that the type of demon that creates a vampire cannot possess a living body. As Angel’s body exits the state of suspended animation that it’s been in since he was turned it is rejecting the demon. Unfortunately the demon isn’t leaving without a fight.”
“I believe that the best course of action would be for us to remove the demon before it can do any further damage. The demon’s presence isn’t essential to Angel any more; it’s actually detrimental to him. There isn’t a single reason not to do this.”
Buffy raised her hand tentatively. “How much are we hypothesizing when you say Angel doesn’t need the demon any more?”
“I’m sure Buffy,” Willow said. “Physically Angel’s way closer to Dr. Lambert’s subject than he is to Spike. Plus he needs a functioning circulatory system. When the demon manages to stop his heart it doesn’t look like it would if he were human but it’s pretty much what’s happening, only slower. Vampires, LaCroix’s kind anyway, have a really, really slow metabolism. As long as Angel doesn’t do anything diffusion can almost suffice, but not quite. That’s why he felt dizzy; it was sort of like he was suffocating and starving because without his heart to pump blood his cells don’t get oxygen or anything else fast enough. In other words, when the demon starts trying to make itself at home, Angel starts dying. I think that’s pretty strong proof that he doesn’t need it.”
“So just to be clear here,” Cordelia said. “We’re talking exorcism, like with crosses and holy water. All things which hurt Angel, remember?”
“Even so, it will work,” LaCroix said. “My son, Nicholas was briefly possessed, a priest was able to exile the creature in spite of Nicholas’ nature.”
“There is one other factor we should consider,” Giles said. “You’ve thoroughly looked into whether or not we should perform an exorcism, but have you consider that we may not be able to do it?”
“We did one last spring,” Cordelia said. “Okay, Angel did the kicking the demon out part, but Wes and I helped.”
“And how long had the demon possessed it’s victim?” Giles asked.
“It would be difficult to determine,” Wesley said uncomfortably. “Due to the circumstances surrounding the case.”
“How old was the victim?”
“Seven.”
“So you’re comparing the removal of a demon which had at maximum of seven years to establish a foot hold in it’s host with one that has been an integral part of Angel for two and a half centuries?” Giles asked. “Have you started looking into a plan B yet?”
“The demon is using all its resources to simply retain its connection to Angel. We’ll be providing the added push to remove it completely,” Wesley replied. “But feel free to start looking for something else since my plan couldn’t possibly work.”
“Guys, lets put the profession, or not so professional, differences on the back burner till Angel’s okay, alright?” Cordy asked.
“I’ll start preparing for the ceremony,” Wesley said sounding subdued. “I don’t need much help, the rest of you could put your efforts into looking for alternatives.”
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“Go down stairs, help the other,” LaCroix said to Cordelia. “I’ll watch him. I am not a team player.”
Cordelia smiled half-heartedly. “Way understatement… Thanks.”
When the door closed behind her LaCroix took her chair beside Angel’s bed. He brushed one fingertip over the ridges in Angel’s forehead. “We’ll get it out of you,” LaCroix promised softly. “One way or another. The Slayer says I make the demon retreat when I touch your mind. Shall we try a small experiment?”
LaCroix rearranged the pillows so Angel was semi-upright. Then LaCroix carefully bit his wrist and pressed the bleeding wound to Angel’s lips, with his free hand he massaged Angel’s throat until he felt the younger vampire swallow. “Good boy,” LaCroix said with a faint smile.
When he was certain Angel would continue drinking he brought Angel’s wrist to his mouth, as soon as he tasted Angel’s blood LaCroix was drowning in the battle occurring inside Angel. Change, confusion, fear, anger, malice, hope, determination. Identity breaking down, separating, reforming.
The demon, which had existed in a shifting balance with Angel’s soul for so long was being displaced, forced out by the emergence of a true vampire’s core, the thing that made them predators, human no longer. That core blended with his soul, becoming a part of him, making the demon other than him. LaCroix knew that sometimes the predatory core became dominate, distorting the original personality, as had happened to Richard Lambert. LaCroix had neglected to tell the others of that possibility. It didn’t happen with proper precautions and given that Angel had controlled the demon’s desires for a century it would hardly be an issue in this case.
LaCroix wasn’t sure if this sharing of blood would help or not, but it would reaffirm their bond, thus making it easier to monitor Angelus’ well being during the coming trial.
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“How far can we trust LaCroix?” Buffy asked Wesley as they prepared for the exorcism.
“Just as long as our interests coincide,” Wesley replied.
“Do they? Why would they?” Buffy asked.
“If you haven’t noticed, his feelings toward Angel are distinctly parental,” Wesley explained.
“Come on, Angel’s way too old for that,” Buffy objected.
“LaCroix is considerably older, in comparison Angel is little more than a child,” Wesley replied. “I don’t know how his feelings for Angel developed so quickly but they did, as long as Angel’s life is endangered we’re on the same side.”
“And beyond that?” Buffy asked.
“So far he hasn’t shown any interest in destroying or ruling the world. If he saw you dying in the street he wouldn’t care. He’s not our friend but he doesn’t have to be an enemy. I wouldn’t want him for an enemy,” Wesley said seriously. “So it’s best if we don’t unduly antagonize him.”
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Wesley glanced around the room, making sure everyone was prepared. They had chained Angel in addition to creating a warding circle around him. Angelus wasn’t someone they looked forward to seeing again. Still, for the exorcism to work the demon had to manifest.
Seeing Buffy and Cordelia’s nods that they were ready and LaCroix’s unflappable stare that said he was never caught unprepared, Wesley tossed a handful of grayish powder over Angel completing his spell.
After a few moments Angel’s golden eyes opened and glared at the foursome with absolute hatred. “Now why would you call on me?” the demon asked.
Wesley immediately began reading the Latin ceremony in a firm voice.
“You might want to listen to what I have to say before you do that Wes,” the demon hissed. “You kick me out of this body and I’ll make sure the only thing it’s good for afterwards it burial.”
“Angel doesn’t need you anymore,” Wesley said confidently.
“Doesn’t matter,” the demon replied. A second later blood started dripping from Angel’s ears, nose and eyes.
“Desist,” LaCroix ordered.
“Tired of burying your children Lucien?” the demon asked. “You’re little blood sharing game works both ways you know. It’s all there in the blood; how you killed them. Diva, Nicholas, both dead by your hands. Angel you started killing the moment you touched him. Why is it that you destroy everything you love Lucien? Have you ever wondered that?”
LaCroix smiled coldly. “You are the one who is loosing demon. However this night goes you still loose.”
“If you want your son alive you’ll change him back to what he was,” the demon ordered. Then it redirected its attention to Buffy. “I’d rather deal with you lover, but we all know how much Angel means to you.”
“‘What we have is something new. I trust him. I know him,’” the demon quoted in a mocking parody of Buffy’s voice. “You couldn’t have hurt him any more if you’d literally ripped out his heart and stomped on it. Even if he lives he’ll never look at you the same way again now that he knows what you’re capable of.”
“We won’t set you loose,” Buffy said.
The demon laughed. “I don’t give a damn, Soul-boy will eventually get worn down, all this misery he subjects himself to… it won’t be worth it when you’re gone Slayer, and we all know how long Slayers last don’t we? All I want is to stay right where I am until Angel’s ready to admit he’d rather be me.”
“Are you done yet?” Wesley asked.
“Yes, you and the dethroned princess aren’t worth my time,” the demon said. “None of us has much time, I wouldn’t want to waste it chatting. Fix this body or I’ll kill it. You have less than a week.”
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“Please don’t say it,” Wesley said to Giles as he, Buffy, Cordy and LaCroix descended the stairs.
Giles could easily see the defeat and pain in Wesley’s eyes. “I’m sorry,” he said. “We haven’t had any luck either.”
“So what do we do now?” Cordelia asked.
“I will not allow that creature to have him,” LaCroix declared.
“That isn’t even an option,” Wesley sighed. “The supernatural is where our expertise lies not in medical science. Perhaps your Dr. Lambert could find a way to reverse the progression of the virus, but even with her help we couldn’t do it within the necessary time frame.”
“So back to the books,” Willow suggested.
Several hours later Wesley angrily shoved the book he was examining away. “I can find a dozen ways to remove the demon,” he exclaimed. “But not one is fast enough! We need something that works instantaneously so that the demon can’t retaliate.”
“Like when Angel turned human?” Cordelia asked with a yawn.
The stack of books Buffy had been carrying crashed loudly to the floor, the sound echoed in the suddenly dead silent room.
“What?” Cordelia asked realizing everyone was staring at her.
“When was Angel ever human? Why didn’t I know about it? And why is he a vampire now?” Buffy demanded.
“Oops,” Cordelia said, realizing that this was a cat no longer in the bag situation. “Well Angel fought this Mora demon. Their blood mixed. Angel turned human. As I understood it that was pretty much a now you see it now you don’t moment. Bad stuff happened, Angel had to ask the PTB to turn him back. End of story.”
“What ‘bad stuff’?” Buffy asked.
Cordelia squirmed, she was a rotten liar and she knew it. “Highly non-relevant to the current topic bad stuff.”
“The demon that broke into Angel’s office last Thanksgiving, he said it was a Mora demon,” Buffy remembered. “He said he knew how to kill it because he’d read about them. Why would Angel lie to me?”
“So I take it these Mora demons are fairly common,” Wesley said. “That’s excellent.”
“I will not have Angelus turned into a mortal,” LaCroix announced glaring intimidatingly at the others.
“Not all that common,” Cordelia said. “That was the only one we ever ran into.”
“LaCroix, right now Angel’s choices are human or dead,” Buffy said staring into the ancient vampire’s eyes. “Are you with us or not?”
LaCroix considered Angel’s blood memories of the forgotten day and why he’d asked to be made a vampire again. “When you put it so charmingly my dear…” he said.
“Good. Giles, Wes find me one of those demons so I can make it bleed. Cordy, lets do the girl talk thing,” Buffy stated in a hard voice.
_____________________________________________________________________________
“Now remember, the pentagram will only contain the demon as long as it remains unbroken,” Wesley said.
“How are we supposed to get the Mora’s blood without breaking it?” Buffy asked. “I doubt it’ll just give us a cup full.”
“You won’t,” Wesley replied. “I’m just warning you as to what to expect.”
“Once you have the blood you must shatter the gem set in the demon’s forehead,” Giles instructed. “It will regenerate if you fail to do this. We will have summoned this demon into our dimension, any harm it does is our fault.”
“But you can’t shatter the gem until after you have the blood,” Wesley said. “This spell won’t work twice in a century.”
“I know all that already,” Buffy said. “Lets stop talking and get this done.”
“I shall leave this to you,” LaCroix said withdrawing from the group.
“I thought you were helping,” Cordelia said.
“Not with the collection of a substance that makes vampires mortal,” LaCroix stated walking toward the stairs.
“Shut the door behind you,” Buffy said.
Willow lit the last candle then nodded to Giles and Wesley, together the trio began chanting.
A fog filled the pentagram and slowly condensed into the Mora demon. “That’s the mutant Ninja I was looking for,” Buffy commented hefting her ax.
The Mora drew its sword. “Who dares summon me?” it demanded.
“Well you forgot to give during the last blood drive. We wanted to give you a second chance,” Buffy said swinging the ax with all her strength.
The Mora blocked the blow with its sword, cutting the head off of Buffy’s ax. She leaned back and kicked the sword out of its hands then spun, catching the severed head of her ax as it fell and buried it in the Mora’s chest.
“Glass,” Buffy said kneeling over the body.
“That was fast,” Cordy commented handing it to her.
“I was motivated,” Buffy replied freeing the ax from the wound and dipping the glass in the demon’s blood. Once it was full of the glowing blue substance Buffy handed the glass back to Cordelia and smashed the gem in the Mora’s forehead. The demon disappeared in a flash of light. “Let’s go.”
Buffy reclaimed the glass of demon blood from Cordelia and started up the stairs, out of the basement. Wesley, Giles Cordelia and Willow followed her. As they crossed the lobby LaCroix fell in with them.
“Does he die or have you figured out how to keep me around?” Angelus asked as they entered his rooms.
“We found a way to fix the problem,” Buffy said icily.
Wesley stepped forward and turned Angel’s hand palm up then cut a deep slash across it.
Buffy stepped forward and emptied the contents of the glass over the injury.
Angelus’ eyes narrowed in fury then he gasped. Seeing his expression soften and loose the demon’s arrogance Buffy sat beside him on the bed. She pressed her hand to his chest and smiled as she felt his heart speeding up to a moral pace, she could feel the warmth racing into his flesh as the Waters of Eternity regenerated him.
“Buffy?” Angel asked.
“You’re human,” she said leaning over to kiss him passionately.
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