Oz tidied the circle his friends gathered in mourning about Rose and Jack. He didn’t join them, he hadn’t known Gorgon that well, but from what he’d gleaned in conversations, Gorgon was a mythical creature of great compassion and fierce loyalty. It was hard to believe that Ethan knew such a fellow! And from what little Oz knew about mythical creatures, generally they didn’t just die, for the balance to be maintained some kind of transformation usually took place.

Angel found himself alone, observing humanity again. His nostrils flared as the scent of Watcher blood approached from his right.

Wesley jumped as the legendary Angelus locked his predator’s gaze on him.

"Ummm, what of.… Is?" He stopped and took a breath, lowering his gaze and trying a new tack. "I found Laurel, and I saw how beautiful she was, the human third. Did she…?" He swallowed the lump in his throat and Angel took pity on him.

"She died with the others, but she stopped Sebastian before he could complete his plan, and had no part in the fight that ensued. The Slayer almost died tonight and she saved her. She died well, that’s all us ensouled demons can ask for. To die well."

Wesley had tears in his eyes and he blotted them impatiently with his handkerchief. "Seems like a very lonely existence…" Angel nodded. Then turned to Wesley as the Watcher’s aura shifted, he could sense his growing excitement. "Angelus?"

"Angel…" Angel corrected. The middle–aged man before him nodded and continued. "I’ve left the Watcher’s Council, and thus am without employment, would you consider letting me work with you? I mean what do you do? I’m assuming you fight evil otherwise; you wouldn’t have been summoned to help the Council…" Wesley paused when he saw Angel’s interested expression and smiled.

"I used to help Buffy, in Sunnydale. I was there the night she died. Since then, I’ve been a sort of auxiliary Slayer in Los Angeles. I hope I’m making a difference. But I do need an assistant.… Would you like the job?"

Wesley grinned, and bounced on the balls of his feet, instantly making him look years younger. "Oh yes! Yes please!"

"Sorry, what’s your name?" Angel smiled at the Watcher, he’s like a puppy with two tails, he thought.

"Wesley…" Wesley coloured when saying his name, aghast that he hadn’t introduced himself at the start of the conversation.

"Well, Wesley. Try not to bounce too much; it’s unbecoming to a rogue demon hunter." Angel commented dryly and excused himself in search of Buffy.

Wesley watched Angel’s retreating back, straightening his shoulders, and muttering beneath his breath "Rogue Demon Hunter, I like the sound of that…"

Angel went outside and stood amongst the midnight scented roses, the hair on the nape of his neck prickled as he caught Buffy’s essence on the gentle breeze, all fire and snap with a guilty hint of chocolate.

Buffy walked into his vision and stood before him hands on hips.

"So, you thought that dashing headlong down a booby trapped corridor and crashing through a mirror into a stake lined pit was a good idea, did you?"

Angel shrugged; Buffy had always had the ability to reduce his reasoning to that of a bumbling child. Her stance changed, she lowered her arms and the tinkle of bells ended at her wrist. Angel concentrated on the sound, narrowing his gaze to the bracelet she wore on the night of her death. She was wearing the same outfit.

His heart ached as he remembered that night, the night she died.

He’d been seconds too late, he had heard her choking before he saw her and tested his sinews to beyond breaking point. He saw her struggles to breathe, her fall and the sound her bracelet made as it hit the ground. He had stopped dead. The horror of the scene pummelling his senses, the swirling dust of her last slain and the poison hidden within that dust.

"What’s Bloodfast?" Buffy fingered her bracelet as she stepped closer to angel.

Buffy’s question and the tinkling sound jolted him out of his remembrance. He swallowed the dust in his throat before answering.

"Bloodfast is called to honour a fallen Master, I called it for you, a great Warrior. No vampire or demon fed or killed for three weeks while Willow searched for your murderer. Her name was Marie Sebastian; she was a vampire without minions who considered it a sacred act of revenge to kill all Slayers that crossed her path. We, Spike, Willow, Xander and I, captured her and tortured her to death." Angel droned on, his gaze fixed on the damask roses before him. "Her last agonised screams signalled the end of the Bloodfast and Sunnydale became Hell, for the next three weeks."

"Angel?" Buffy murmured.

He looked at her intensely; he wanted desperately to hold her, to feel her warm body next to his, to worship her to the beat of her heart. But that was never to be now.

"I hoped it would be you who found me, Giles… well he went a little weird." She smiled with tears in her eyes. "I knew the one who loved me most would find me. I love you, Angel." Angel gasped at the jolt in his heart and tears sprang to his own eyes.

"I’ll wait for you Angel," Buffy continued. "We’ll be together with no curses or cares. I promise you… Only, don’t be in too much of a hurry to join me, ok?"

He gave a sort of gulping hiccupping laugh then was still as Buffy kissed him. The sensation was of sunlight and snapdragons; her fingers caressed his hair and swept away his tears.

"Buffy, I never stopped loving you…" Angel whispered into the soft night. He could feel the spectral strands of her hair on his face. She nodded. "I know lover, I know." She slipped her hand in his and gently urged him to follow her. "Time to go inside or you’ll miss Giles playing with Oz."

Angel’s eyebrows nearly climbed off his forehead. "Now that’s something I’d pay to see…" He muttered and followed his love into the Library.

End of pt. 9

Site Disclaimer: Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, etc. own the Buffy characters.
All products, movies, books, songs, etc. are owned by their respective owners.
No copyright infringement is intended.
All ORIGINAL plots and characters on this site are owned by their respective authors.