Where Angels Tread
By Spike SpeigelDark Corners
Dawn didn’t realize how late it had been. She had told Willow and Tara that she’d be home in time for dinner. But her study group had gone all out that evening. Mainly because of the fact that the upcoming math test counted for twenty-five percent of her overall grade. And she needed all the points she could get after her poor performance on her last test. Who needed math anyway? Seriously, why would anyone need to know the area under a curve?
There had been one bright spot during the whole evening. Chris Conley had asked her if she was doing anything this weekend. At first, she thought he was talking to the whole group, but when no one else responded to his question, Dawn realized that he was asking her out. On a date, no less.
An actual date. How would she break the news to Buffy? After what happened last Halloween, there was a slim chance in hell that Buffy would let her go out alone with a member of the opposite sex. Maybe if Buffy didn’t come back from L.A. before the weekend, Willow and Tara would let her go out with Chris. And maybe the Hellmouth would swallow her whole right about now.
Dawn sighed, hanging her head slightly at the thought of not being able to spend a night out with Chris. He was so cute. It was the dimples that did it. When he smiled, they just stood out, making you melt inside. Unfortunately for Dawn, she was so entrenched in thought of Chris’ dimples, she never saw the guy standing in front of her. The only reason she finally saw him was because she walked smack dab into him.
“Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t see you there.” The young man, probably in his early twenties, just stood there and smiled, leaving Dawn to ask the obvious. “What’s so funny?”
The stranger finally spoke, joy lilting his voice. “That you’re about to die and you don’t even know it.”
Dawn began to cautiously step backwards, never taking her eyes off the young man that had caused the hairs to stand on the back of her neck. “What are you talking about?” Dawn thought she might have a chance to run if she needed to, but that thought quickly left her mind when she stepped into another body behind her. She looked up, seeing another young man, much taller, much bigger than the one standing in front of her. Dawn began to step away from the new individual, but his massive arms roughly encircled her, pulling her to his chest as he began to squeeze the air out of her lungs.
While Dawn began to gasp for air, the first man began to giggle as he spoke, his face morphing into a vampire. “Fight all you want. Makes the blood that much tastier. All warm and fragrant. Ain’t that right, Munch?”
“That’s right, Doug.” Munch, the one with the massive girth, joined in the laughter while Dawn continued to struggle in his grasp. That was, until she heard Munch groan. The next thing she knew, she was falling backward through a cloud of dust and ashes into the arms of a new individual. She looked back quickly but couldn’t see her savior. That was because he had left her side and was quickly advancing on Doug, the vampire that no longer seemed like laughing.
“Hey, you just killed my right hand man!”
The stranger wasted no time, the stake flying into Doug’s heart as he retorted. “Doesn’t look like you need the help anymore.” Doug looked on in disbelief as his body began to turn black, his final gaze falling on the man that had easily ended his life. As Doug’s body exploded into an ashen cloud, the stranger walked over to the remains to retrieve the stake that was once lodged in Doug’s chest.
“Who are you?” The stranger turned his attention to Dawn, she trying to comprehend what had just happened. “Not that I’m complaining about you saving my life. But you’re not one of the local superheroes.”
“I’ll take that as a compliment.”
Dawn didn’t mean to blush, but whatever Chris had, the stranger had in spades. It was the eyes that did it. Almost like he was looking into her soul. She quickly composed herself, her hand quickly smoothing her hair. “So, who do I have to thank for saving my life?”
The stranger walked casually to Dawn, the smile never leaving his lips. “You can call me Connor.”
Buffy didn’t realize that the sun had already gone down. The only reason she did was because Angel opened the lobby doors of the Hyperion, Spike and Cordelia following. Angel walked over to Buffy who was now situated behind the front desk.
“Um, Buffy. Why are you back there?”
Buffy smiled as she answered his question. “Felt like the thing to do. You got two calls while you were out.” Buffy handed over two yellow post its, each containing names and phone numbers. “Seems like you guys keep busy here in L.A.”
“You don’t know the half of it.”
Buffy looked past Angel, seeing Spike and Cordelia conversing in the background. They seemed rather friendly. “So, where’s Fred?” Her gaze remained on Spike as Angel answered her question.
“She’s with Gunn.”
“So, he’s awake?”
“Yeah.” Angel would have gone into more detail, but he finally realized that Buffy wasn’t paying any attention to him. “Buffy?”
“Yeah, Angel?”
“You okay?”
“Yeah, why do you ask?” What could he be talking about with her?
“Because your attention seems to be elsewhere.”
“What are you talking…” She never got a chance to finish her sentence. Mainly because Spike and Cordelia had finally made their way to the front desk, Cordelia interrupting her.
“So, how’s Lorne?”
Buffy looked over to Cordelia, Spike standing close to her. “He’s okay. I changed his bandages but it seems like the pain is lessening. We actually had a conversation. Did you know that he wants to sing in Vegas?”
Angel smirked as Cordelia answered Buffy. “That sounds about right. He’s the next Sinatra.”
“You’re kidding.”
Angel replied this time. “He’s got the voice. Now all he needs is the agent.” Buffy smiled at the thought of Lorne knocking them dead in Vegas. “Well, I don’t know about you guys, but I’m calling it a night. It’s been a long day.”
Cordelia seconded the sentiment. “Tell me about it. Maybe tomorrow will be better. I’ve had my fill of bad news today.” Buffy was about to ask what she meant, but she had already began walking toward the stairs. “Good night, Buffy. Spike.”
“Good night, luv.”
Angel began to follow Cordelia, but turned back to Spike. “You know, there’s this pub down the street. We should go check it out tomorrow.”
Spike chuckled softly at the thought. Wasn’t this the same person that tried to end his life mere days ago? “Sounds like a plan.”
Angel grinned at Spike before turning his attention to Buffy. “You two behave now.”
Buffy gave Angel a perplexed look as he began to walk away. “Night, Angel.” As he made his way up the stairs, Buffy turned her gaze to Spike. “What was that about?”
“What was what about?”
“You and Angel acting all chummy.”
“Oh, that.” Spike leaned forward, his face now in front of Buffy’s. “Let’s just say we worked out some of our problems and leave it at that.” Buffy nodded as Spike leaned in closer, his lips threatening to touch hers as he continued. “You in the mood for a late supper?”
“Spike, we can’t. Not here.”
Spike chuckled as he spoke. “Well, I was talking about getting something to eat, but if you have other things in mind.”
Buffy leaned in closer, the tip of her nose now pressed against the side of his. “Another time, another place.” As her lips began to part, welcoming the kiss that was inevitable, the words from earlier floated into her head.
Are you sure it’s love you’re feeling for Spike? Or is it something that you think might be love? Like you did with me and Riley.
Buffy quickly pulled away from Spike, confusion now enveloping his being. “What’s wrong, luv?”
“Um, it’s nothing.” She lied to him. “I’m just tired. Long day.”
Spike nodded, showing his understanding. “Well, guess supper’ll have to wait.”
Her voice was timid as she spoke. “Yeah, guess so.”
With that, she made her way to the stairway, Spike calling out to her. “Night, pet.”
She never looked back as she made her way up the steps. “Good night, Spike.”
“Come on, people! Move it!” Cordelia looked around the lobby, wondering how she had gotten back downstairs. As far as she knew, she was sound asleep in her bed. At least, she was supposed to be. But things took a turn for the weird when Gunn walked past her, crossbow in hand.
“Gunn?”
“C’mon, Cordelia. We’ve gotta go.”
“No, wait. I thought you were in the hospital?”
Fred stepped to Gunn’s side, a small smile on her face. “Why would my homie be in the ER? He’s tougher than that.”
Gunn frowned as he looked over to his girlfriend. “Fred, baby. What have I told you about using slang?”
“That I can’t pull it off?”
“That’s right. So why do you still try?”
Fred considered the question before answering. “Because you’re my homie.”
Gunn sighed as the one person Cordelia thought she’d never see again moved to Gunn’s opposite side. “She’s got you there, Charles.”
Cordelia fumbled for the words, still trying to comprehend what was going on. “Wesley?”
He turned to Cordelia, a slight grin on his face as he spoke. “What is it, Cordelia?”
“You’re not supposed to be here.”
Wesley’s tone was now one of inquisitiveness, the statement obviously foreign to him. “What are you talking about? I’ve always been here.”
Gunn came to his defense. “That’s right, Cordy. He’s the brains of the outfit.”
Of course, Fred took exception to this. “Hey, I thought I was the brainy one?”
Gunn quickly recovered before planting a chaste kiss on her lips. “You’re the sexy one.”
“Oh, in that case.” She answered with a kiss of her own.
Cordelia spoke once again, confusion beginning to encompass her. “This isn’t right.” She pointed to Gunn as she spoke. “You’re supposed to be in the hospital…” Her finger moved from Gunn to Wesley. “…and you’re not supposed to even be here.”
Wesley chuckled slightly, beginning to think that Cordelia had completely lost her mind. “And why would you say that?”
“Because you stole Angel’s son.” The group looked at one another, not following Cordelia’s train of thought. “Connor?”
The voice came from behind her. “Even if I did have a son, Wes wouldn’t do something that despicable. Now would you?”
Cordelia turned to the stairs, Angel descending them at a hurried pace. As he joined the group, Wesley answered his question. “That’s right. But enough of this dallying around. We’ve got to go.”
Cordelia could hear the frustration now in her voice as she tried to gain some semblance of reason from her friends’ behavior. “Go where?”
Angel grinned slightly as his gaze met Cordelia’s. “Well, that’s what you’re here for. You tell us who needs help, and we go help them.”
Cordelia frowned upon hearing his words. “But, I don’t see anything right now.” Then the unexpected happened. They began to laugh at her. “What…what’s so funny?”
Gunn answered, discontent in his voice. “I told you she was worthless. Even when she has those visions, they’re so damn vague we have to do all the footwork.”
Fred seconded the sentiment. “Yeah. At least I’ve got the sexiness factor going for me.”
“Damn straight, baby.”
As Fred and Gunn began to make their way to the lobby doors, Wesley spoke. “You’re such a disappointment, Cordelia. The simplest thing we ask of you, and you can’t even do that.”
Cordelia tried to defend herself, but before she could, Wesley had already turned his back to her as he joined Fred and Gunn at the top of the steps near the lobby doors. She frantically turned to Angel, knowing in her heart that he’d defend her. “I’m not useless. Tell them, Angel.”
“But that’d be a lie.”
Cordelia felt the air catch in her lungs, as though she had just been kicked in the gut. She desperately gasped for air, her world crumbling around her. “What are you saying, Angel?”
The gentle smile never left his face as he looked at her. “Let’s face facts, Cordy. You’re not needed here. You never were.” He turned his back to her, beginning to walk to his friends at the top of the stairs. “You’ll be gone by the time we get back, won’t you?”
Cordelia couldn’t stop the tears as she desperately called out to the man that had supposedly changed her life for the better. “Angel!” He kept on walking. “Angel!?!” And then he was gone. All of them. The lobby doors remained open, the night air seeping into the lobby like a rolling fog. Cordelia fell to her knees, the sobs overcoming her. “Angel?”
All the while, she never noticed the individual standing in the shadows. “Intriguing. Let’s see what the vampire’s up to.”
Angel sat in the sterile hospital room, Gunn laying across from him. Lifeless. Time of death was seven thirty-two in the evening. About the time they did their best work. Once the sun went down.
Seven thirty-two. It was so precise. At seven thirty-two, he lost another soldier. No, he lost another friend. Just like… ”Doyle.”
His first real friend in L.A. This dirty, diseased city, and Doyle was the first decent thing he found. The Powers were kind for introducing him to Doyle. But, their pettiness outweighed their kindness. That much was evident as Doyle jumped into the cage, sacrificing his life for people that didn’t even know who he was. Who, frankly, didn’t give a damn about anyone but themselves.
And now he had lost another friend. This time, he had no idea who was responsible. He didn’t have a face to place with the rage building up in him. A place to vent. A place to become the animal that he really was.
“You really should stop lying to yourself.”
Angel’s eyes fell on Gunn as he sat up in the bed, his forehead damp with moisture. “Gunn?”
“Yeah, man.” Gunn chuckled as his legs swung to the side of the bed, his toes flexing against the cold, hard tile beneath the pads of his feet. “You know that’s a load of bull. We all knew what we were getting into when we signed up with you.” Gunn got up from the bed. As he did so, he lost his balance, his hands gripping the side of the bed to keep him upright. Angel came to his aid, helping him to his feet. “Even where we might end up.”
Angel looked at him, curiosity permeating every fiber of his being. “Where you might…?”
Gunn stopped Angel from finishing the words. “C’mon. Let’s take a walk. Find out what’s really eating at you.” Before Angel could question his friend who a moment ago was very much dead, Gunn opened the door of the ICU room, bright light pouring into the room. “The only way you’ll find out is if you take that first step.”
Angel looked at his friend quizzically, noticing that the moisture was now congregating about not only Gunn’s forehead, but the scalp as well. Was it hot in here? It was kind of hard for someone like Angel to judge since any semblance of warm bloodedness vanished once he became a vampire. However, if Gunn had something to show him, who was he to deny his friend’s request. With that thought in his mind, Angel stepped through the door. However, instead of emerging in the hallway of the hospital, they were now in… “The Hyperion?” Angel turned his gaze back to Gunn, realizing that his companion was acting as though this was completely normal. “Why are we back here?”
“Look.”
Angel turned his gaze from his friend, his eyes moving across the room until they reached what Gunn wanted him to see. A couple lay in the bed, the man on top of the woman, each caught up in the rapture that was copulation. Even though the room was dark, Angel could clearly see who the two people were. The voice was a dead giveaway. “Oh, Spike.”
“Buffy. God, I love you so much. So much.”
The bodies moved rhythmically under the satin sheets, each never taking their eyes off the other. They were in the moment. To them, that was their world. Nothing else mattered.
Angel looked back to Gunn, curiosity turning into utter confusion. “Why are you showing me this?”
“Come on. You know that you want to kill them. She was your true love, man. And that whelp is having his way with your woman.”
Whelp? Since when did Gunn use words like whelp? “She was my true love. But we’ve both moved on. Whatever she wants to do with her life is her decision. I’ve no say in the matter.”
“Then, how about this?” Angel wondered what Gunn was getting at this time, but before he could ask, something in the room changed. While Spike’s groans remained, Buffy’s began to sound odd, as though she were changing the cadence of her voice. Suddenly, Angel recognized the voice that had now covered Buffy’s. It was undeniable.
“Cordy?”
His eyes focused on the couple in the bed, realizing that the person underneath Spike was not Buffy. The woman was slightly taller, her hair shorter. And the skin color was a dead giveaway. He looked on as Cordelia continued to moan under Spike’s ministrations. He could feel that feeling coming back. The same feeling he felt earlier in the hospital room.
“Hasn’t changed, has she? She sees something better and pounces on it.”
Angel finally began to put the pieces together. “You’re doing this, aren’t you?”
Gunn chuckled, a deep rich sound emanating from his chest. And his face continued to perspire. He was practically drenched. “Let’s face facts. This is what you really want? It’s what you’ve wanted for a long time.”
“You have now idea what I want.”
“Is that a fact?”
Before Angel could answer his friend’s question, the sounds changed once again. While Cordelia’s moans remained constant, Spike’s faded, now replaced by a sound very close to home. It was his voice intermingled with Cordelia’s sighs of pleasure.
Angel’s gaze fell once again to the bed, his mouth slightly agape at the sight now in front of him. It was something he’d only seen in dreams. There he was, making love to the woman that had occupied a large portion of his heart. And she was welcoming it in kind. He felt voyeuristic, watching himself and Cordelia, their bodies intertwined. Not knowing where he ended and she began.
He could feel the smile growing on his face. It wasn’t a sheepish grin. It was a genuine smile. Something reserved for seeing a friend you hadn’t seen in years. Something used during the miracle of childbirth. Something reserved for that one moment. When you realized that you’re with the person that you’re meant to be with. Your soulmate.
But, as quickly as the smile emerged on Angel’s face, it vanished upon what he saw next. Angel, the other Angel, groaned loudly, Cordelia following his guttural sound. Then silence. But Angel knew what would come next. If that was the one moment of true happiness. There was no doubt of what was to come. Angel wanted to turn his gaze away, but like a car wreck on your way to work, you had that morbid curiosity gnawing at the back of your mind.
Hoping against hope that he was wrong, that hope was quickly dashed as Angel saw his face morph, Cordelia’s expression one of surprise and fear. “Angel?”
He never answered her. Instead, his hands held her arms against the bed, his fangs plunging into her throat. Angel tried to turn away, but the images being formed in front of him proved too magnetic, too compelling. He could hear Cordelia’s gurgled screams as his other self continued to drink from her. But, the slurping sounds turned into gnawing. Angel didn’t want to believe what he was hearing, but based on Cordelia’s gurgled screams ceasing, Angel could come to one conclusion. He was feeding on flesh as well as blood.
Angel took a step toward the bed, but stopped in his tracks as his other self turned to him, blood and skin matted about his lips. “You know you want this. It’s the only time you feel alive.”
Angel looked at himself, his eyes moving to the now lifeless Cordelia still underneath his other self. “You’re wrong.”
“Yeah? Then how do you explain this?”
“Explain…” He didn’t know what had happened, but instead of looking at himself and Cordelia, he was all of a sudden looking a lonesome Gunn. Angel could feel the warmth beneath him as well as on his lips. Trepidation in his heart, Angel brought his hand to his lips, then held it out. Blood. It was blood.
He looked down and that’s when he realized. He was now on top of Cordelia, blood pouring through the gaping wound that he had put there. No, the other. Not him. He would never hurt Cordelia. Never.
“You’re such a liar.” Angel jerked back slightly upon hearing the words escape Cordelia’s lips. Her eyes flew open, looking at him accusingly. “You won’t be happy until you kill us all. Until you get rid of your conscience. Your soul.”
Angel noticed the movement from the corner of his eye, turning his gaze back to Gunn. He approached the bed slowly, Angel still trying to comprehend what was happening. “Help me, Gunn.”
Gunn stepped out of the shadows, the sight leaving Angel breathless. He was now covered in blood, the reddish black substance pouring profusely from his eyes, his nose, his very pores. Gunn chuckled as Angel remained atop Cordelia. “What’s wrong, Angel? Can’t handle the truth?”
In his life, Angel had never encountered a situation in which he was truly afraid. That all changed as his screams of denial reverberated through the bedroom, the realization that his friends might be right. He never noticed as Gunn slowly stepped back into the shadows.
As he made his way out of the room, Angel’s screams continuing unabated, his shape began to change, shifting effortlessly into his true guise. “How depressing. I thought his demons would be more…original.” The figure smiled slightly as he made his way down the hall, Angel’s screams filling the night.
Buffy sat on the couch in her living room, flipping idly through the numerous photo albums that needed a new home. Now that Willow was home, the bedroom that was formerly used as a storage space would eventually become Willow’s new room. While Tara and Willow were acting amiably toward one another, they had agreed that it would better in the long run if they allowed things to come naturally.
That was the reason why Buffy was taking a nostalgic stroll, the pictures triggering the memories of better times. Times when things were simpler. Back when her mother was still the adult and she the child.
She turned the page, Riley’s face smiling back at her. Riley. He was smiling because he had his hands about her waist, she leaning back into his embrace. It was a typical Sunnydale afternoon as they stood on the beach. Everyone was there that day. The whole gang. Buffy gently smiled, remembering what came after Xander took that photo of the couple. Willow had sneaked up behind Riley and mischievously pulled his swimming trunks to his ankles.
How Riley had blushed as he tried to maintain his composure. Buffy didn’t mean to laugh, but it was funny seeing Mr. Military caught off guard. Riley had sworn revenge on Xander and Willow, but he was just talking the talk. Inside, he was probably thinking how on earth did Willow get the jump on him.
But Buffy made him forget all about the incident that night. They made love twice that night. Before she took off to patrol in the cemetery. Before she ran into Dracula. Before the truth about her nature came out into open view. Before Riley left her.
They all left her in the end. They all found something wrong with her. She wasn’t normal enough for a relationship. It all came with the territory. Just another aspect of being a Slayer.
“Yeah? That argument doesn’t really hold up with me, does it?”
Buffy looked up from the photo album, her eyes falling onto Angel. He stood in front of her, his hands in his jacket pockets and a frown on his face. “Angel? When did you…”
Angel interrupted her train of thought, reiterating the question. “I wasn’t really the model of normality. So, tell me.” He moved to the couch, sitting next to her. “Why didn’t we work?”
Buffy placed the photo album to the wayside, turning her body to Angel’s. “You left me. After graduation. Remember?”
Angel smiled gently as he answered her question. “I remember. But I didn’t have much of a choice. If I stayed, you would have realized that we could have never worked. You would have kept on aging while I remained like I am now. What kind of life would that be?” Buffy nodded slightly, agreeing with his reasoning. “I left because I loved you. You can see that, right?”
Buffy laughed bitterly as she spoke. “How could I see that? You fled the scene of the crime before I had a chance to say goodbye. You couldn’t at least given me the choice? Of whether or not we had a chance?”
Angel leaned in closer to Buffy, his smile disappearing as a solemn look replaced it. “Okay. So, tell me. Did we have a chance?” Buffy jerked away from Angel, almost as a reflex. “I loved you. Did you love me?”
Buffy’s voice lost her caustic tone, returning to a subtler one. “You know the answer.”
“Just humor me then.” He never took his eyes away from hers. “Did you love me?”
Buffy opened her mouth slightly, about to answer his question. But, her mouth quickly closed, the answer escaping her.
“That’s not fair, Angel.” Buffy’s eyes moved from Angel to the new voice. New wasn’t exactly correct. She knew whom that voice belonged to. “She was only a child when she met you. She didn’t know what love really meant back then.”
Buffy rose from the couch, walking toward the new visitor. “Riley?”
“Hey, Buffy. How’ve you been?”
“Riley. I haven’t see you in months and the only thing you have to say for yourself is ‘how’ve you been’?”
Riley chuckled as he looked over Buffy’s shoulder toward Angel. “She’s right. Bastard I’ve been, the only thing I can think of is her well-being.”
Angel shrugged his shoulders as he responded. “Wouldn’t worry too much about it. This one has problems with her emotions. Of course it’d be difficult for her to recognize kindness.”
Buffy looked over her shoulder, not believing what she was hearing. “I don’t have emotional problems. Just because you two left me doesn’t make me the bad guy.”
The cheerfulness left Riley’s voice, seriousness now replacing it. “Alright. So, why do you think I left you? Since you’re the expert here.”
Her answer came almost immediately. “Because you wanted something I couldn’t give you. You wanted normal.”
Angel gently chuckled at Buffy’s response. But Riley’s response wasn’t that flippant. Instead, he moved closer to Buffy, his gaze intent. “You thought I wanted normal? I was working for a branch of the military policing demon activity. And you thought I wanted normal?”
Buffy bowed her head slightly, her voice a whisper now. “Then what did you want?”
His voice never wavered. “I wanted you to love me.”
“You what?”
Riley tilted his head slightly so he could see Buffy’s face better. “I gave you everything I had. My heart. My soul. But you never gave me the same.”
Buffy’s gaze met Riley’s once again, the shock evident. “How can you say that? You know how I felt.”
“Fine. Prove me wrong.” He never backed down from her fiery gaze. “Tell me that you loved me.”
Once again, Buffy tried to say those three words, but found that they wouldn’t come out. No matter how hard she tried, they seemed to dry up in her throat. As though the effort would cause her bodily harm. She took a deep breath, trying once again. Fortunately, she didn’t get the chance.
“That’s enough, mate. Can’t you see she’s not in the mood for this?”
Buffy turned to the living room entrance, a smile gracing her face. “Spike, thank God. I don’t know what’s going on but Angel and Riley have been asking me the strangest things.”
“Oh, I don’t know about that.” Spike walked into the living room as Angel stood up, moving to Riley’s side. “I think they’ve got valid points.”
Buffy’s smile faded as a frown took its place. “Don’t tell me you’re siding with them.”
Spike moved closer to Buffy, his hand now encircling hers. “I didn’t say that, pet.” Buffy began to smile, but Spike’s words stopped her from continuing. “But it’s curious. I’ve proved time and time again that I love you. Died for you, even.”
Buffy gently squeezed his hand, a gentle smile emerging on her face. “I know you did, honey. And I know that you love me.”
“That’s right. I’ll love you. Till the end of the world.” Angel and Riley maintained their distance, both knowing what was coming. “So, I’ve got to ask. Do you love me?”
Buffy pulled her hand away from Spike, the question burning like acid. She looked at him, at his gentle face, and tried to answer. But, once again, she couldn’t bring herself to say the words. So, she stood there in front of the man that loved her unconditionally and did the only thing she could. She closed her eyes as the tears came.
Spike stood in the lobby of the Hyperion, looking on as Buffy made her way up the stairs to the numerous bedrooms. He stood there puzzled, wondering about Buffy’s prior behavior. Everything had seemed normal. She was even playful before she pulled away. So, what was it? Was it something he said?
“Of course it was.”
Spike’s gaze moved from the stairs, his eyes falling onto Angel emerging from the lower hallway. “Angel. Thought you went to bed.”
“Yeah. So did I. Too wired.”
Spike nodded agreement. Things were definitely too tense to even fathom sleep. “So, what did you mean by your previous comment?” Angel’s brow furrowed, indicating that he wasn’t sure what Spike was talking about. “You said that it was something I said.”
Angel nodded, a grin now on his face. “Oh, you know Buffy. One moment, everything’s smooth sailing. The next, she’s looking for the nearest exit. So, it’s just easier to say it’s your fault. Because it’s never hers.”
Spike awkwardly chuckled, not believing his ears. “Didn’t know you felt that way about her.”
“Oh, yeah. Regular ice queen that one. Why do you think I’m trying to get Cordelia’s attention? At least she knows how to handle her emotions. She’s honest, you know what I mean?”
“You don’t think Buffy’s honest?”
“What do you think?”
“I trust her with my life.”
Angel gently laughed as he spoke. “I used to be like you. Letting my love for her blind me. But you’ve got to face facts. There’s going to come a time where she just gets tired of you.” Spike turned his gaze away from Angel as he continued. “Trust me. I know what I’m talking about. Don’t make the same mistake I did. Don’t let her hurt you like she has the others before you.” Spike nodded, as though he was beginning to see the validity of Angel’s words. “So, you think I’m off base?”
Spike stepped closer to Angel, a look of curiosity on his face. “Actually, I’m starting to think that the real Angel wouldn’t be chatting it up with me right about now. Truth be told, I’m pretty sure the real Angel would have probably stuck to his word and left this alone until tomorrow.” Angel’s grin began to fade as Spike continued. “So, the real question is, who the hell are you?”
Angel sighed as he looked at Spike, the room suddenly quiet. The silence enveloped the lobby, both men looking at each other intently. Finally, Angel broke the silence. “I knew there was something about you. I can smell it on you.”
“What are you blathering about?”
Before Spike knew what was happening, Angel’s face faded away. In its place was a stranger’s. Even though the lobby was insufficiently lit, Spike could see that the man’s hair shimmered in the artificial light, the silvery strands about his brow accentuating the rugged features of the stranger’s face. As though he lived through numerous lifetimes. “In all the times I’ve done this, only a special few have been able to see through my façade.” Angel’s clothes fell away, the stranger now draped in a simple woolen overthrow. Almost akin to a poncho. “And those special few always get my undivided attention.”
Spike knew that he should probably be intimidated by the magic show happening in front of him, but his curiosity got the better of him. “So, why visit my dream? I’m assuming this is a dream, correct?” The stranger nodded, indicating Spike’s initial observation to be accurate. “What makes me so special?”
“Because the Key chose you.”
Before, the stranger merely held Spike’s curiosity. Now, he was treading on dangerously familiar territory. “What do you know about Dawn?”
“I know that she cares for you deeply. So much so, that she greedily stole you away from your position.”
The confusion was evident in Spike’s tone as he spoke. “I’m not following.”
The stranger tilted his head slightly, as if he were measuring up the man standing in front of him. “That’s the only thing that I haven’t been able to figure out. Why would someone with your past be given such a revered position? And why would something as holy as the Key care so much as to give you a new genesis?”
“So, you know what I am now?”
“I do.”
Spike moved closer to the individual, his fear falling to the wayside, hope now taking its place. “Please, tell me. What did I come back as?”
“You still haven’t figured it out? All the clues are in front of you.”
“Why don’t you spell it out for me? I’m a little slow.”
The stranger smiled at Spike’s attempt at levity. “Very well. If you must know, you…” Spike waited anxiously for the words to come, but unfortunately, they never did. “I’m sorry. But I have to leave. It appears that my young ward already has the Key in his possession. Such a gifted young man.” The pride in his voice was subtle, but it was there.
However, Spike didn’t pick up on it as the news finally sunk in. “You have Dawn?”
“I do.”
The fear was starting to reemerge. “Why would you do that? She’s just an innocent girl.”
“She’s not a girl. She’s an object.” The stranger’s smile waned as he continued. “And I have need of her if I’m to complete the next step of my plan.”
That’s when it clicked. “You’re the one that Tweedy saw, aren’t you? You’re the bastard that killed him.”
Dante nodded, somewhat impressed that Spike had put the pieces together. “Congratulations. But you had a little help from Mr. Tweedy. Yes?”
Spike nodded. “I can see things. Things he put in my head.” Spike finally asked the obvious question. “Wait, if I’m seeing what he saw, then why aren’t you trying to kill me?”
“Make no mistake. Your time will come. As will everyone else on this ball of refuse.” With that, Dante walked past Spike and toward the lobby doors.
“Wait! We’re not done here, you son of a bitch. You tell me where you’ve taken the Niblet or I swear to God I’m going to pull your colon through your sodding mouth.”
Dante never turned back. Instead, as he reached the lobby doors, he casually pulled them open, the harsh blue light blinding Spike. “We’ll meet again. You have my word on it.”
Buffy awoke upon hearing the loud banging against her door. Her eyes blinked repeatedly, trying to get the sleep out. However, she realized that it wasn’t sleep that was blurring her vision. It was the tears. She quickly wiped her hand across her eyes as she called out. “Who is it?”
“Luv, it’s me. Open up.”
Buffy hesitated for a moment before getting out of the bed. As she opened the door, she thought she’d see the Spike that was in her dream. A gentle, caring one. Instead, upon opening the door, all she saw on his countenance was worry and fear. “Spike?”
“You need to call home. Now.”
“Spike, what is this about?”
She could hear the weariness in his voice as he spoke. “Dawn’s gone.”
“What? How do you know that?”
Spike sighed, frustration beginning to seep into his tone. “Buffy, you need to trust me here. I’ll answer your questions later.” Buffy could see that he was deathly serious. “Please, just call. If even to prove I’m wrong.”
Buffy nodded, a small smile on her face as she walked back into the room. She picked up her jacket, her hand searching the pocket for her cell phone. However, as soon as she found it, it began to chime. Buffy pressed the signal button, bringing the phone to her ear. “Hello?”
“Buffy, you need to come home.”
“Willow?” Her eyes met with Spike’s, fear beginning to overcome her. Fear that Spike was right. “What’s happened?”
Willow didn’t hesitate as she delivered the news. “Dawn didn’t come home from school. Tara and I have searched everywhere. Tara even cast a location spell. But we can’t find her.”
“Okay, Will. Spike and I will be there as soon as we can.”
The sorrow was now evident in Willow’s voice. “God, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to lose her. I didn’t mean…”
Buffy comforted her friend even though she felt as though she were the one that needed solace at the moment. “Don’t worry, Willow. We’ll find her. Okay?”
Willow answered softly. “Okay.”
“Okay. We’ll be there as soon as we can.”
With that, Buffy pressed the end key. Spike nodded as he began to walk out of the room. “I’ll get the car. Get your stuff.” Buffy nodded as Spike vanished from her view. While Buffy was genuinely concerned for her sister, she was even more concerned about Spike’s foreknowledge.
Connor didn’t mean to stare at the young woman bound to the chair, but there was something about her. Sure, she was pretty. But that wasn’t it. There was something else. As though she was hiding a secret.
“What are you looking at?” Dawn struggled against the ropes now digging into her wrists and ankles. “It’s bad enough that you kidnapped me, but do you have to keep staring at me like that?”
“Sorry.” Connor averted his eyes, his thoughts moving back to Dante. Why would he possibly need an innocent woman such as this? No matter how he looked at it, it didn’t make sense.
Dawn could see the worry in her abductor’s face. “Why did you do this? You don’t seem like the kind of person that would do something like this.”
“Yeah? What makes you say that?”
Dawn’s voice was soft as she answered him. “You have an honest face. Gentle, even.”
Connor softly chuckled under his breath as he spoke. “How can you say that? You don’t even know me.”
“I can see it in your eyes. You’re not a violent person. So, why don’t you just let me go and we’ll just pretend like none of this ever happened.”
She could see in his eyes that he was debating whether or not to let her go. However, Connor never got a chance to act on his thoughts as a bright glow began to grow in the center of the room. Dawn and Connor both averted their eyes to the harsh light, Connor placing his arm over his eyes while Dawn turned away as best she could.
Fortunately, as quickly as the light appeared, it vanished with the same quickness. Then came the voice. “You’ve done well, Connor.”
Connor would have originally accepted his praise in high regard. However, Connor found himself questioning Dante’s actions for the first time. “Why do you need her?”
“Ever to the point.” Connor didn’t respond. “Very well. I’ll show you why I needed her.” Dante made his way over to Dawn, she now struggling to move away from the silver haired stranger. “Don’t worry, child. I won’t kill you. But, this will hurt. That I can’t prevent.”
Dawn’s voice wavered as she spoke. “Please, just let me go. I won’t tell my sister what you did. Please.”
Dante knelt down beside Dawn, undoing the knots that Connor had fastened. “You can tell your sister if you’d like. But a Slayer is the least of my worries.”
“You know Buffy?”
“Yes, child. There are things I know that even you aren’t privy to.” Dawn began to relax, the stranger’s soothing voice calming her nerves. “Now, you’ll want to brace yourself.” Before Dawn could register what was happening, Dante placed his hand on her forehead, an unimaginable amount of pain coursing through her body. She began to spasm in the chair as Dante braced her as much as he could without breaking her bones in the process.
Connor began to move toward the two individuals, about to stop Dante from hurting the young woman. However, the energy emanating from their position whipped across the room, knocking Connor against the nearby wall. The energy continued to build about Dante and Dawn until it shot from their location into the air.
The energy began to congregate just below the ceiling of the rundown apartment, creating a spherical mass. Even though the energy discharge was nearly deafening, Connor could hear Dawn’s screams of pain as Dante continued whatever he was currently doing to her. Connor’s gaze fell skyward, his eyes trying to focus on the large ball of energy that seemed like it could increase in size for eternity.
That wasn’t the case as the sphere began to change colors. It flashed from blue to red to a mixture of gold and silver. Then it happened. Connor thought it was just the light playing tricks on him. But it moved. It was unmistakable. It was a leg. Then another. Before he knew it, an arm joined the congregation. Finally, with one loud thunderclap, the sphere dispersed followed immediately by a nude body falling to the apartment floor.
Connor picked himself up to his feet as Dante moved away from a now unconscious Dawn. Dante moved cautiously toward the new visitor, not noticing Connor as he moved to Dawn’ side. She still had a pulse. That was good. But it looked like she was hurting. That much was evident judging by the muscle spasms coursing through her body.
Dante stood over the figure, a smile on his face. Things were going according to plan. “You can get up. We’re all friends here.”
The figure finally spoke as she struggled to her feet. “Good. Then you won’t mind when I rip your head off. What the hell gave you the right to pull me out of my dimension?!?”
Dante slightly chuckled as he spoke. “Now, Glory. Is that any way to talk to your new best friend?”