Fallen AngelsBy Kristi
Deja vu
@--Angel--@She could so totally kick my ass. I know it and I love it. I remember the scared, starved, addicted little girl I brought back here three months ago. She is not that girl anymore. And she’s currently showing me that by handing my ass to me. I tried to land a side kick into her abdomen. I should have known better then to try a kick with her. She grabbed my ankle, gave it a twist and that’s why I’m currently flying through the air. I land on my back with a thud. I groan involuntarily. Just because I don’t breathe doesn’t mean having a sledge hammer rammed into my lungs feels good.
“Oh, God, Angel?” She peers down at me.
I struggle to get up. “It’s okay; I just forgot what sparring with you was like.”
“You were holding back, weren’t you?” She asks. Her gray green eyes twinkle mischievously.
“Well, sort of. It’s been a long time since we’ve sparred. I forgot you’re pretty spry though.” I grin at her.
“The last time you forgot that you ended up on your back too.” She sits down, straddling my hips.
“You know, you knocked me down that night, and I’ve never stopped falling.” I tell her, brushing a lock of damp hair out of her face.
“Me either.” There is a sweet, sad moment. Buffy’s soul shines through her eyes, and mine answers it. You couldn’t cut the sexual tension with a knife, you’d need a chainsaw. She stands up and holds out her hand. “Come on, I’ll give you one more chance before I run upstairs and tell everyone I kicked your ass.”
I chuckle, take her hand and let her pull me to my feet. She takes a defensive fighting stance and the sparring has begun again.
I hear Fred upstairs, but what she says doesn’t register until I’m on the ground, again I might add, and looking right into the eyes of Wesley, with a crossbow, and Gunn with his hubcap axe.
“Oh God, he’s trying to kill her.”
I recall hearing it a few moments ago. Now it registers why I’m facing two murderous looking men. I hold my hands up in surrender. “In my defense, I’m the one on the ground.”
“What’s the what, guys?” Buffy asks. Her breath is coming hard. Sweat glistens on her body.
“Fred came running up stairs and said Angel was tryin to kill you. We figured he’d gone bad again.” Gunn said.
Buffy started laughing. She had to bend over to catch her breath. Tears gather in the corners of her eyes. She kept shaking her head and trying to talk. Finally she managed. “We were sparring, training.”
“But-but he hit you, hard. I saw him.” Fred says poking her head around Gunn.
I stay silent. Buffy seems to be handling things alright.
“I’m okay, really. And Angel isn’t bad. We were training. We used to do this all the time.” She attempts to assure them.
Fred still does not appear to be convinced.
“Fred, really, it’s ok. I’m the slayer. I can take it. And he’s really not hitting me as hard as he would if it were real. It just looks like it.”
Cordy has come down to see what all the fuss is about now. She rolls her eyes in typical Cordy fashion. “Ok, I’m going to have to explain the whole Buffy/Angel lore to you guys, at least some of it. This is normal. First they talk out their differences, and then they fight them out. It’s the whole Buffy and Angel show.”
Buffy smirks at her. “Thanks for clearing that up Cordy. I didn’t realize my life amused you so much.”
Cordelia shrugs. “It was Sunnydale. Besides, it’s not like you actually had normal boyfriends.” Cordelia makes a face. “Vision!” She screams just before she falls. Gunn is close enough to catch her. I get to my feet and make it to her side as quick as vampire reflexes will allow. I hold her tightly while she writhes with the pain. It passes fairly quickly and I carry her upstairs and carefully lay her on the round couch. Wesley gets pain pills and a glass of water for her.
“Big demons in a cave on Long Beach. Hurry, there’s a bunch of kids having a bonfire there.” Cordy gulps down the pills and lays back on the couch.
“Cordy, I hate to bother you, but any details on the demons.” I ask softly.Cordelia screws up her face and closes her eyes. “I think maybe they wore armor. I’m sorry Angel, there’s just not much there.”
I smile at her. “It’s ok, Cor, just lay back. We’ll be back in a few.”
“Buffy, cell phone, make him turn it on.” Cordy says.
I join the others in scavenging weapons from the cabinet. I take my favorite battle axe. Buffy chooses a broadsword. Ever the vampire slayer, I notice she has a wooden stake tucked into the back waistband of her pants.
We pack up in the GTX and I drive as fast as I can to Long Beach. Cordy’s visions don’t generally give us much time.
There are cliffs near Long Beach. I park the car as close to them as I dare, get out and we make our way to the cliffs. The kids Cordy told us about are less then 500 yards from the cave. They are drinking, their music is up loud and the bonfire has already been started. I can see the black of the cave entrance from our hiding spot on the beach. I silently point it out to everyone. They nod in recognition. We move as one group toward the caves.
Buffy and I take point. Gunn and Wes are close behind us. We creep into the cave. I can hear voices deeper in. I beckon everyone to follow close. The mouth of the cave is narrow. The floor is damp and crusted with salt. I can see light up ahead. There is an outcropping of boulders and rocks just before the cave opens up. The demons are past this outcropping, just around a corner, in the widest part of the cave.
The plan is to get to these boulders, crouch behind them and raise a surprise attack. Someone kicks a small rock. The demons start talking in excited voices. I can hear 6 different voices, maybe more. One of them is giving orders to check the entrance. We rush into the cave, attempting to take any surprise advantage that is left. I pull my axe back to swing it at the first demon. It turns and I fall to my knees. It can’t be. I won’t be able to make that choice again. I’m not strong enough.
@--Buffy--@
“ANGEL!” I step in front of him just in time to block the Mohra demon’s downward swing with a really big sword. “Smash the jewels in their heads!” I scream.
I step in, sword hilt raised. I remember the last time I fought one of these. They are strong and this time they will be extra vigilant in protecting their power center. They know we know about it. I don’t have time to make sure the others are doing alright. Mohra sweeps forward with his right leg and I land hard, in front of Angel. I roll up to my feet, propelling myself forward and into the air with my legs and by using my sword like a staff on the rocky ground. I push hard enough to somersault in the air to the left of Angel. Mohra forgets all about the easy kill in front of him and goes after the more challenging bait, me.
“Oh come on. I thought you guys were assassins. You’re about to get your ass kicked by a girl.”
He steps toward me with a growl. “We can not be stopped. For everyone of us that falls-“
“Yeah, yeah I’ve heard this spiel. It’s been like 3 years. Don’t you guys get new lines?”
The more I taunt him the further he steps away from Angel. I twirl my sword, taunting him, drawing him closer, always staying just out of reach. There is a moment of panic as my foot comes up against the cave wall. I’m out of space and I’m not nearly far enough from Angel to really fight this guy. I attack with a jumping half twist crescent kick. Mohra stumbles back. My timing is going to have to be really good. I drop into a crouch and do a sweep at Mohra’s legs. He loses his balance but recovers. If we stumble any further back, Angel will be in his line of sight, and I can’t take that chance. I toss my sword up in the air and catch it blade first in both hands. I barely even feel the blade slicing deep into my palms. I rush Mohra, stepping in close enough to smash the jewel on his head. It’s also close enough that the dagger he’s got in his left hand is plunged into my stomach before he dies.
There are still four Mohras left. I grab Angel under the arm and haul him to his feet. “FIGHT!” I scream at him. I shove my bloody sword into his hands. I’m out of the most physical part of this fight. He looks down the sword and his hands, now covered in my blood.
“Buffy, you’re hurt.” His voice is calm and out of place in this scene. Maybe it’s that being gutted hurts so much, but it makes me even angrier at him.
“I’m going to be a lot more hurt if we don’t kill these damn things in a hurry.” I grab the stake from my waistband, it quickly becomes slick with the blood from my hands. I rock back on my heels as one of the demons charges at me and Angel.
Angel puts on his game face and charges back with a feral growl. They collide like football players, Mohra lands underneath Angel and it’s all the opening he needs. He smashes the jewel on the demon’s forehead and moves on to help Wes and Gunn.
Angel grabs one of the demons from behind in a headlock and gives Wes the chance to smash the jewel with his mace. Angel shoves my sword back into the gut of another Mohra. I watch as the demon’s glowing green blood begins to drip down the sword blade close to the hilt and I know what Angel is scared of.
“Angel!” I scream. He lets go of the sword and looks up just in time to catch the stake I toss to him. He smashes the jewel with the stake.
Gunn is holding his own with his Mohra, avoiding most of the strikes, just waiting for the chance to step in close enough to get the killing blow. Angel throws my stake like a dart and it lands in the back of the demon’s neck with a sick thud. It won’t impair the demon much, it certainly wont’ kill him but the demon is distracted long enough for Gunn to step in and smash the red jewel. I sink to the ground, my hand over the gash in my stomach. I notice I am not the only one with injuries. Wes’ right arm is covered with blood and Gunn’s shirt is becoming sticky with blood at the shoulder.
“Buffy, let me see.” Angel is on his knees lifting the hem of my shirt so he can look at my wound. He doesn’t realize he’s in vamp face.“It’s not really that bad. It just looks it. I don’t think it got any major organs.” I say.
“You need a hospital and stitches. And you’re hands-” Angel insists. He gently holds my hands palm up in his.
“No, really. I’ve been shish k bob before. It’s not that bad. And my hands, I did that myself. They’ll heal. Check Wes’ arm and Gunn’s shoulder. “
“It’s a scratch.” Gunn says.
“It’s, Uhm, okay I think .It just looks rather bad.” Wes’ assesses his arm. “However, I believe some gauze, tape and disinfectant will suffice.”
“My assessment exactly.” I say.
“Buffy, no. You need a hospital.” Angel says again.
“Angel, please, just take me away from here. Take me home.” I beg him with my eyes. I’m not playing fair, and I know it. I just want to avoid the hospital. I haven’t stepped inside of one since Mom. Nothing good ever comes of hospitals, at least not in my experience.
“Yo, Angel. You might wanna change faces there, before we walk out on the beach and scare the crap out of the beach party.” Gunn says, pointing out Angel’s vamp face.
He growls and struggles managing to wear his human face, but his eyes glow yellow. “I’m sorry, Buffy. It’s your blood.”
I smile at him. His demon remembers my blood and that makes it harder, also blood of a slayer. “It’s okay. I understand.”
“So no one else here feels uncomfortable that Angel can’t keep his face under control when we’re all bleeding like stuck pigs?” Gunn asks, looking dubiously at Angel who is still holding my hands in his.
“It’s not your blood the demon wants, Gunn, so don’t worry about it.” My voice has turned frosty and defensive. “Now let’s get out of here.”
Angel picks me up and holds me close. I tuck my face into the crook of his neck. He has gone full vamp face again. He strides out of the cave, taking care not to jostle me. Gunn and Wes follow close behind. I can tell Gunn is still not convinced everything is on the up and up.
“Gunn, or Wes, drive. I want to sit in the back with Buffy.”
“Angel, are you sure that’s wise?” Wes asks looking pointedly at Angel’s game face.
“Just drive. Let me and Buffy worry about this.”
We sit snuggled in the backseat. Angel checks on my gut wound, which is still seeping blood.
“Buffy, I’m sorry. I didn’t expect Mohra demons.” He apologized to me.
“I know. I didn’t want to risk you getting into any of their blood either. That’s not a decision I want either of us to have to make ever again.” I say running my fingertips over the ridges of his forehead. He turns his face away from me and looks out of the car. I notice he is taking deep breaths of the ocean air.
“I wanted to. I wanted to drag a knife across my hand and dip my hand in their blood.” He says quietly.
I want so badly to wrap myself around him and I know it will only hurt him. He is having a hard enough time without me wrapping my blood around him. “I couldn’t survive another Day that Wasn’t. I’d die from the heartache, Angel.”
“I know. When she asked me if I could carry the burden of being the only one to remember, I didn’t know if I could. And it was a heavy burden to carry. I wondered every day if I had made a mistake, but it was also a gift. I had one perfect day to sustain me through all the pain that has been my life.”
I squeeze his hand, the only comfort I can give him right now, and wince at the pain it causes in my hand. I can feel the blood seeping down my wrists. “Wes, drive faster.” I say blackness begins to invade the corners of my vision. Maybe a hospital wasn’t such a bad idea.