All New Angel
The vampire
sneered as Buffy fell, not noticing Giles had come closer. The Watcher staked
it and the vampire didn't have time to turn around before it turned to dust.
Then there
was the silence.
Buffy sat up, rubbing her cheek, and looked at Angel, unable to form a single word. Kate just couldn't speak either, and she was trying hard to understand how all this was possible. There should be something simple that explained it all. Stood on one side, Giles didn't want to be the one who would explain, and remained silent, but extended his hand to Buffy to help her up. He closed his eyes one short moment, praying for this unexpected reunion not to be too hard. Willow was trying to understand what was going on, and merely frowned, while Xander didn't understand what was going on but didn't dare asking. He looked up at Willow but she wouldn't turn towards him, so he just stood up. In the meanwhile, Angel was looking at Buffy and Kate from the center of the room, not knowing where he should begin.
- "I think I deserve an explanation," Kate noted in the end.
- "Yeah,
me too," Buffy murmured. "Do-do you have the Gem of Amara?"
It was the
only thing she could think of. She just wasn't ready to hear anything else
at the moment. But Angel swallowed, and showed his fingers without the ring
to Buffy.
- "I'm...
I'm not a vampire anymore," he explained.
- "What?"
was all Buffy could say.
- "Huh?"
Kate echoed, along with Xander.
Willow's
eyes had widened, but she didn't say anything. Giles glanced at Buffy, wishing
he could do something.
- "There's
nothing else to say," Angel added, trying to make the news less surprising.
"I'm human now."
- "Oh,
yeah, there's something else to say," Buffy said, somewhere between a
cracked tone and a harsh one. "For example, why? How? When? Is it permanent?
What are you doing here?"
- "And
also, why didn't you tell me?" Kate finished.
- "Kate,
it just happened last week. Of course I was gonna tell you," Angel tried
to explain.
- "You
two know each other?" Willow realized.
- "But
you didn't tell me right away," Kate went on. "I dropped by four
days ago and you didn't tell me."
- "No,
I wanted..." Angel began.
Kate came
closer to Angel and looked at him, unable to decide whether she was angry,
or moved, or anything. The news was really too confusing and she never thought
she would learn it this way.
- "Look,
Angel, I know you well enough to know you're gonna get caught in long explanations,
which probably won't even be justifications, and... I need to think about
it alone," Kate declared. "I'm working tomorrow, and... we'll talk
things over later. Everyone here looks to be as little informed as I am, maybe
even less if that's possible."
- "Kate,
are you sure that..."
- "Angel,
it's okay," she replied.
She looked
at him one last time and went away, trying to calm down, to think about something
else, or at least to understand what she was feeling. As she walked away,
she felt so confused she didn't even notice Cordelia and Danny coming closer.
- "Oh, that's Kate," Danny whispered. "She's sad. And angry."
- "Are
you sure? What is she doing here?" Cordelia asked. "God, I hate
the dress. She really should do some… Danny, stop that. You're making
me thinking about something else. You sure it's here?"
Danny stopped,
and so did Cordelia.
- "Yeah.
But now it's finished," the kid shrugged.
- "C'mon,
let's have a look," Cordelia decided.
They came
closer to the entry, and glanced inside. When she saw Angel standing in front
of Buffy, who was frowning, and with Xander, Willow and Giles who weren't
moving, Cordelia understood Angel was finally explaining himself. And that
he didn't need them to arrive now.
- "C'mon
Danny, let's go," she said.
- "Why?"
- "Angel
needs to see other friends. Well, one other friend."
- "The
blond girl, is she the one I saw in the picture?"
- "Yeah.
That's our Buffy."
- "Why
is he coming to see her?"
- "Look,
Danny, we'll see Angel tomorrow. He'll explain everything. He has so much
to explain at the moment that one more thing won't disturb him anyway. And
so I won't have to explain the whole story of these two. Coz it's a pretty
long story and I'm getting bored telling it each time we meet her."
- "What
about your vision, then?" Danny asked, frowning. He wasn't sure he got
what the problem was with the blond girl.
- "We'll
also tell him tomorrow. C'mon, we're gonna phone Wes and Gunn. See if they're
still alive."
- "Things
are weird here. I don't understand everything," Danny said, glancing
one last time at the mansion as they were walking away from it.
- "Danny,
you don't have to understand everything... and Sunnydale is weird anyway.
I'm one to know, I've been Homecoming Queen here. C'mon."
Danny frowned
again, then decided to follow Cordelia who was already nearing Gunn's car.
- "So, what are you waiting for? Explain yourself." Buffy said,
glaring at Angel. She had to look up at him because she was smaller, but yet
it was obvious that she was the one taking the offensive, and there was no
way she would let herself be submissive.
Angel stared
at Buffy in silence, slightly frowned and embarked on.
- "Look,
I think that... that you're still under..." He hesitated on the words
to use. "… In shock? Maybe we'd better leave, and talk, hum, later,
somewhere else."
- "And
where are you staying?" Buffy asked sharply.
- "Uh...
here," he replied, slightly lowering his eyes. She was about to rebuff
him. He could feel it. What did he expect anyway? That she run to him and
kiss him?
- "Then,
why don't you..." she started.
Giles felt
Buffy was about to say something mean that wouldn't get things moving, and
rushed to help Angel out. He didn't exactly feel he had to do this, after
all he himself still had some issues with Angel, but he knew his Slayer well
enough to know she would later regret what she was about to say.
- "Buffy,
he isn't wrong," Giles said calmly, hoping Buffy would listen to him
for once. "You'd better go home. I think Angel and you need to talk together.
We can wait."
Willow, who
was dying to know what was going to happen, was about to say something, but
Xander hit her with his elbow, and she realized Giles was right. Buffy remained
silent for a moment, then nodded.
- "Yeah.
Whatever."
- "Hum...
okay... we're... oh, Xander, remember that thing you had to show me at your
apartment? Why don't you show me that… thing?" Willow exclaimed.
- "Oh,
yes. That thing. Okay, we're going. Bye guys! See ya tomorrow at the Magic
Box, okay?"
Xander and
Willow waved and walked away silently. Giles soon took his leave, thanks to
an excuse almost as lame, leaving Buffy and Angel alone, facing each other.
- "Okay,
we're not gonna stay here forever, there's no point," Buffy eventually
said. "If you wanna move, all right. We're going to my house. I've got
people waiting for me."
- "People?"
- "Yeah,
y'know, human beings. Things living on Earth. I call these ones a family.
Well, a sister in this case, mom isn't there tonight. Remember what a family
is?"
Angel thought
of Danny and for a moment hesitated to ask Buffy to explain about her sister.
But he felt she had mentioned her precisely for him to ask, and he preferred
the silence. Plus, the tone she had just used made him feel she was in sarcastic
mode, and he knew better than anyone that it meant it wasn't the good time
for a long explanation, or a conversation. They'd end up talking angrily to
each other, and above all he wanted to avoid that.
While walking,
Buffy and Angel stayed silent. Buffy's thoughts had been so complicated and
numerous that they couldn't be summed, but the very moment they finally reached
Revello Drive, she was happy Angel was still so taciturn. The silence calmed
the anger she had against him after the news was broken, and she felt more
objective now. Since he had left Sunnydale, she had usually offered him nothing
but sarcasm on his infrequent return. Not to mention the times *she* went
to LA… And this time wasn't different so far. She knew she shouldn't
react like that. And usually she was annoyed with herself after for talking
to him this way, but she just couldn't help it. Maybe it was a defensive behavior,
because his departure had been so hard, she didn't know. But she knew that
the silence did her good. Knowing that he was there, next to her, was in a
sense reassuring, and that was all she needed to calm down.
As they were
turning towards her house, she wanted to thank him for not talking all that
time, but she wasn't able to do it, and just opened the door.
- "Hey
Dawnie. It's me," Buffy said as she entered the house, trying to sound
casual.
Dawn arrived
in the hall from the living-room as Buffy was closing the door behind Angel,
and immediately her face lightened when she saw Angel, who didn't really know
what to do, or say. She grinned at him, obviously delighted.
- "Hi
Buffy! Hey, stranger."
- "Huh...
hi. I'm... I'm Angel."
- "I'm
Dawn. Buffy's annoying little sister."
- "N-nice
to meet you," Angel said, visibly destabilized by Dawn's attitude.
Buffy pointed
to the coat rack so he could hang his jacket, and gently frowned at Dawn who
was still grinning and almost jumping on her feet. Dawn loved it when Buffy
came back home with new people, especially when they were boys, and what she
loved above all was to rush into Buffy's bedroom, the next day or once the
boy was out, to talk about him with her. Buffy was pretty open from that point
of view and she talked easily to Dawn about it. At least now. Dawn wasn't
really able to tell since when things had changed, because obviously 18 months
before Buffy would have snubbed her, but she knew they had. And she wouldn't
be the one complaining about it.
- "Okay,
well I'm going back to Kat'. We're watching TV," Dawn explained.
She was trying
not to gaze at Angel too bluntly, but she couldn't help it. She found him
almost cuter than Matt, and that was hardly possible! How did her sister always
get handsome guys? By this time, Angel felt Dawn was staring at him, and it
made him uncomfortable. Eventually, to his relief, she disappeared in the
living room, and Buffy motioned him to go upstairs.
Once they
were in her bedroom, Buffy sat down on her bed and Angel remained standing
for a moment, hesitating on the attitude to have, but finally he decided to
sit next to her. She didn't react, and Angel felt it was going to be easier
than he had thought back at the mansion. She turned his head towards him.
- "So?
Tell me. What happened?" Buffy asked, trying to go easy on him. At least
there was no more sarcasm in her voice.
- "Uh...
I dunno where to begin... a week ago, or so, a demon came to LA, and killed
people. He threatened, among others, a little boy, but I arrived in time and
killed that demon, and suddenly I felt ill, and I fainted. Then I found myself
in a weird room... Greek style, a bit like the Oracles'."
- "I
don't know the Oracles' room," Buffy pointed out.
- "Oh,
right. It's a room... in a Greek style. Anyway, I was surrounded by people
who were all whispering. They seemed almost transparent, a little like ghosts,
y'know? And they were all dressed in long dark blue gowns, with a strange
sign drawn on them."
- "Who
were they?"
- "The
Judges. They're messengers for the Powers-That-Be, just above the Oracles
in the hierarchy. A Judge starts as a Messenger for the Powers, and when he
dies, he becomes a Judge if he did good work. I saw Doyle there."
Angel stopped
a moment, and Buffy understood that this Doyle had probably died and that
it was still a delicate topic. The name reminded her of someone, but she couldn't
remember who. Maybe that guy she had met once when she had come to Angel Investigation?
Another part of Angel's life she didn't know. There were so many of them.
- "They
said... that the Powers-That-Be considered I had made amends. That they knew
I wanted the redemption, and they were ready to grant it to me. They asked
me if I wanted to have that redemption, and become a lower being again."
- "And
you said yes," Buffy concluded.
- "They
caught me unawares. It was so sudden, I hadn't really fought a bigger demon
than usual... I wasn't sure if becoming human now was a good idea, but I waited
for this moment for such a long time. At least they agreed to forget the past,
to forgive all the horrible things I had done, and I wanted that so much...
yeah, I said yes. Doyle smiled at me, and the most powerful explained that
from that day, I'd become a lower being. I would begin my life again where
it stopped, at 26, but my transformation wouldn't have any effect on my personality.
I would stay the one I had become. They also said I would lose the strength
I had as a vampire, so I remarked they were gonna lose a Warrior from their
cause, and they answered the relief would come in time, and that I should
have a normal life without worrying. Before they turned me back, they said
I wouldn't exactly be a lower being. I now am a human Link. It means I can
still contact the Oracles, for example," Angel finished. He said it all
at once, as to get rid of it.
- "You're
still a link between the humans and the Powers."
- "That's
it. I thought I would have visions or something, but I guess not, Cordelia
still has hers."
Buffy didn't
seem to notice that detail. She was thinking about something else, about the
whole humanity thing that sounded so unreal.
- "And
they turned you back?"
- "Yeah,
they did. The most powerful Judge closed my eyes with his hand. Then it was
all dark, and I woke up in my bed, with Cordelia, Wesley and Danny by the
bed. I had been unconscious for hours, and they were beginning to worry. And
that's it. I shanshued."
- "Shanshued?"
Buffy frowned.
- "Became
human."
- "Oh."
Buffy didn't
add anything, just stared at him. She wanted to check it wasn't a dream. Wanted
to take his hand and touch his wrist, feel his pulse, put her ear against
his chest to hear his heart beat, but she didn't.
- "Why...
why did you come back?" she asked instead.
Angel didn't
answer straight away.
- "I
didn't intend to. I mean, I talked about it with my friends, and we all thought
it was a bad idea to come back after all this time, but then... I thought
about it, all the time. I couldn't help it, I tried to convinced myself there
was no reason to come back here, but I couldn't stop thinking about it, and
eventually I took my car and left. I wanted... I dunno, I wanted to tell you
what had happened."
- "But
why? To tell me that now we could have what we never could have had when you
were here, now that we have our own lives and that it can't work between the
two of us??"
Buffy immediately
regretted saying that. The sarcasm and bitterness were back, and those were
exactly the kind of words that had put distance between them during the last
three years. This time should be different, and she wished Angel wouldn't
take it badly.
- "I
know that, Buffy," Angel said, almost sharply. He closed his eyes and
went on, more calmly. "And if you tell me it's a mistake, I know that
too. But... I can't help it, you understand?"
- "Yeah.
Yes, I get it."
- "And
you're mad at me?"
- "No.
I mean, I dunno. It's so... surprising, and unexpected... I don't really see
all that clearly in my head, see? It's like the news didn't hit my brain yet.
Give it time."
- "It's
no big. I'll leave tomorrow, now that... that you're aware," Angel said.
Buffy wanted
to tell him he could stay longer than a day, but the words didn't come out.
- "Till
then, you... you can stay for the night if you want," Buffy suggested
instead. "I mean, the mansion is far away."
*That's the
most pitiful excuse I ever used,* she thought. *Even Xander and Willow do
better.*
- "Okay.
I mean, if you don't mind."
- "No,
I don't… Oh, wait. I was thinking about offering you the couch, but…
It kinda broke last week. I guess maybe because it was too old and some demon
crushed in last week," she tried to joke. "But… we have an
extra mattress. Mom's keeping one for the guests… Maybe you could -I
mean, maybe I can bring it over here."
- "Okay.
It's okay."
They faced
each other silently for a moment. Joyce was out. They both knew it. Buffy
could sleep in her mom's bedroom and let Angel in her bedroom, but neither
of them brought the subject up. Buffy didn't even know why she didn't mention
it. She just couldn't think of Angel sleeping in her house away from her,
or maybe she didn't want to think about it… She didn't want anything
to happen that night. That wasn't the point. The point was… well, that
was the problem. She didn't know what the point of all that was.
At last she
stood up and left the room. Her head was still buzzing with ideas. Angel...
he didn't have anything to do here, he had his life, she had hers... that's
what she had been saying for three years, and it was right, but... finally,
she was wondering if it hadn't been a way to avoid thinking about it, and
it had worked. Usually, seeing Angel confirmed that idea. But this time, it
was like...everything was different, and everything is, she thought. Angel
himself seemed... like before. No, she had to stop thinking about all that.
He was gonna leave, and then nothing would have changed.
In the bedroom,
Angel had started again his observation of the place he began the day before.
He didn't really know which way to turn concerning Buffy. He had been happy
to see she didn't react as badly as he thought she would, but he knew it was
too early to say anything. She looked way too thrown by the news, and he felt
she was unsure of how to react. He wanted to take her in his arms, hold her
tightly and reassure her, but he couldn't. On the way over there, he thought
all was going to happen as usual, that they were going to be standoffish,
almost in on bad terms sometimes, and that it was stupid to arrive in that
state of mind, but it looked like his change got them closer without any real
reason. Buffy had simply heard the story, but already he knew she wouldn't
be as distant as she used to be. On the other hand, she didn't jump from joy
either when he told her he was human, as he had dreamt once that she would.
She stayed quite neutral, and that was confusing. He used to see her react
clearly, but there it looked as if she were waiting for something to show
what she really thought about all that.
He had reached that point in his thoughts when Buffy came back with a bunch
of blankets and a comforter.
- "I'm
sorry... the only mattress we had, my sister took it for her friend. I...
I don't really see myself taking it back, I-I'm the one who told her she could
invite a friend. So, I'm gonna put some blankets on the floor, I'm gonna sleep
there. You can take the bed."
- "No.
I'll take the floor."
Buffy paused.
This conversation sounded familiar, and she smiled, looking up at him.
- "If
you insist. But, now that you're human, if you'd rather-"
- "Even
now that I'm human, I've had worse."
And Buffy
knew he also remembered.
- "Okay,"
she simply said. Again, she wanted to tell him something else, to ask him
if he really remembered, but she couldn't.
She walked
to the bed and took her pajamas.
- "I'm...
I'm gonna change, and brush my teeth. Uh... make yourself comfortable, go
ahead."
She was about
to leave when she turned around.
- "Oh.
Maybe you want pajamas?" 'You stupid,' she thought. 'Angel in pajamas?
What pajamas do you want to give anyway? Your mother's?'
- "No,
it's okay."
He smiled and so did she, a little sheepishly. She really didn't know how to react to the fact that Angel was human. The truth was, she hadn't realized it yet.
By the time
she returned, Angel had put the comforter on the floor next to Buffy's bed,
exactly like the last time he slept there, and he was looking at Mr. Gordo
which he noticed on a shelf. It brought back good memories, and it had been
a long time since he allowed himself to remember things he did with Buffy.
That was also why the last few days were so special. He had been trying to
remember everything, whereas usually he tried not to think about this part
of his past.
- "I'm
gonna give you that fluffy toy," Buffy said with a smile as she came
in.
Angel quickly
put the pig back in place and turned around. Buffy had pulled on a white slipover
with a sheep drawn on it and her blue, wide pajamas pants, and the thought
that she looked amazing crossed his mind, but he quickly made it go away.
He shouldn't think about her like that. Not anymore, at least.
- "Oh,
no, I was just..."
- "I
know. I was teasing you. Still not the type, huh?" she smiled.
Then she
realized he was a little staring at her. *What kind of attitude am I suppose
to have??*
- "I
know," she tried to joke, lowering her eyes on her pajamas top. *Xander's
attitude. Great. Could you be stupider?* "Sheep top, not exactly the
sexiest, but…" *You can. Congrats.*
- "I
think you look good," he replied automatically.
They remained
silent a few seconds, Buffy struggling with herself, Angel wondering if he
had been right to say that and not sure how she was going to react. Finally
she chose not to linger over the comment, because she was afraid it would
lead to an argument, or at least to her making nasty comments, and she really
didn't want that. That was the only thing she was sure of.
- "Okay,
I… so, bedtime. I mean, sleep. Sleep-time. Sleep's good," she finally
said. 'God, be confident. Aren't you supposed to be the confident type?'
- "You're
right."
Awkwardly,
she turned off the light, and lay in her bed. Angel lay down too, and turned
his head towards the bed. Buffy had turned her head towards him, and smiled
at him discreetly. Then she looked back at the ceiling, and no one said anything
for a moment.
- "Angel?"
- "Yeah?"
- "Does
it mean no more gypsy curse?"
Angel nodded
slowly, as if for himself, and whispered,
- "Yeah.
No more gypsy curse."
He had no
response but the silence.
The next
morning, Angel woke up quite early. Some sun beams had already penetrated
through the window curtains, bathing the place in diffuse light, even though
it was still dark in the room. He got up silently and looked at Buffy who
was still asleep, her head lying on her pillow and on her left arm, her face
rested and serene. The sheets covered her entirely, and Angel mentally thanked
god for that. Even the vague form of her body under the sheets made him want
to come closer and to lay beside her. He couldn't stop looking at her anymore.
He wanted to kiss the top of her head, her hair, to stroke her naked shoulder
and stay near her forever. How had he been able to sleep that night?
Pictures
of Darla crossed his mind. And pictures of the night they had spent together.
Darla was dead now... He felt guilty for a second for spending this night
with Darla. By the time it happened, he had been obsessed... he had had to
forget Buffy. He had had to stop suffering from not being with her, and he
still remembered the day he realized with sorrow that not suffering meant
forgetting. But he tried to get used to the idea. What happened with Darla
had had more repercussions on Cordelia, Wesley and Gunn than on Buffy, and
he never really thought about what she could say about it. And now that he
was looking at her lying in her bed, captivated as the he was the very first
day he had seen her, he despised himself. It was just a matter of conscience,
because Buffy was never going to know. She didn't need to know. And anyway,
he knew that pathetic guy he didn't like and that he met once hadn't been
the last in Buffy's arms. The thought hurt, but he tried to hang to the idea
that it was normal. From the moment he left, even before seeing Riley, he
sort of always knew he wouldn't be the only one in her heart anymore. After
all, he was the one who left... Darla had just been a stage in his life of
which Buffy would never hear. Still, his brain seemed to like torturing him
with that. By remembering Darla, he also had thoughts of Tina, Kate, Jhiera,
Rebecca, and also Fran, who helped him so much at the beginning of that year.
It was terrible to face his beloved one and to think that, during these three
years apart, he almost loved other women; at least, it was for him. But always
in his mind, Darla was the strongest. He wanted to forget, this time, really
forget. Why did time always take away the best memories and leave only guilt?
He walked
closer to the bed and kneeled near Buffy's face, which hadn't moved an inch.
Gently, he planted a kiss on her forehead, and at that moment the images of
Darla disappeared. If only he could have held Buffy tightly just like he used
to do... He felt he already stayed too long in the bedroom. He got up and
looked at her again. If only... He turned around and left.
When he reached
the kitchen, he discovered Dawn having breakfast alone.
- "Oh,
good morning."
Dawn looked
up at him and smiled. So the guy had stayed all night.
- "Hi!
Sleep well?"
- "Yeah,
thanks," he said awkwardly. What was the kid sister going to think after
he spent the whole night here?
- "Do
you want something to eat? The refrigerator is full to the brim, mom never
leaves without being sure we could become obese if we wanted to."
Dawn's smiling
face and jokes reassured Angel a little. The fact that she wasn't staring
at him anymore did too. Dawn beamed when she realized it. Except David, whom
she didn't get along well with, she was always on good terms with the guys
who passed by, and she was quite proud of it. She liked it when the same stayed
for a while, but her favorite part was getting to know him.
- "Some
coffee would be okay... if you have some," he added, still not sure how
he was supposed to act around Dawn.
- "No
prob. Buffy and I usually have tea, but mom likes coffee. Do you only drink
coffee?"
- "Oh,
no, depends." Were they really going to have a conversation about what
he drank?
- "Okay.
There, here is a mug, and the coffee" Dawn put the two items down on
the table for Angel. "I've got some water boiling in the tea-coffee maker.
Mom's pretty proud of it. She said it's a lot more simpler than having a plain
coffeemaker. Two in one, as she says. She loves the 'two in one' stuff."
Dawn sat
down and started pouring some milk in her bowl full of cereals, leaving Angel
confused in front of his mug 'Art Gallery of Sunnydale'. She looked up at
him and smiled again. Buffy didn't really like it when her boyfriend had breakfast
with her kid sister because she was always afraid Dawn would ask the wrong
questions, or answer the wrong ones, or even simply say the wrong thing -after
all, she was very good at that game. But Dawn didn't care and went on chatting
with the boyfriends, always curious to know what kind of new guy Buffy had
allowed in her heart -if the guy was still there in the morning, it was usually
that he had passed the 'night at home' test, as Dawn called it in her diary,
and that he was going to stick around for a while. As far as she could remember,
she had never seen Buffy bringing home a one-night stand; that was just not
her type.
- "So,
have you known Buffy for a long time?" Dawn asked. That was your basic
first question, but it could be revealing.
- "Oh,
yes. But... we haven't seen each other for a long time."
- "Hum.
I knew I didn't remember you. Usually, every guy I see here, I remember them
pretty well. Especially the ones who have breakfast here, I mean."
- "Every
guy?"
Angel regretted
asking that the moment he said it. But Dawn didn't look embarrassed, or angry,
and he thought he could make inquiries thanks to this mysterious little sister.
He wasn't harming anybody after all.
- "Oh,
not that many. I mean, it's usually the same guy for a long while. It's not
like Buffy's some cheerleading shank."
- "Yeah,
I know..."
- "Do
you work?"
- "Me?
Uh, not really. Well, I was kind of a PI, but I'm not sure of what I am now."
- "PI?
Cool. I prefer that over mom's gallery or Buffy's ice-rink."
- "Buffy
is working at the ice-rink?"
- "Yeah,
has been for a while actually... she's a skate guard for kids, or for groups.
She likes it I think, but her boss hates her."
- "Yeah?
Why?"
- "Don't
know... They just don't get along. Anyway she's looking for another job, because
she says the atmosphere is unbearable each time Mr. Thrunt enters. Mr. Thrunt
is the boss," she added to be sure Angel had understood.
- "Oh.
So, you're in high school?"
- "Yeah,
I'm a junior. I'm going to the new Sunnydale High. They built it near the
old one. My sister blew it up," Dawn said with a proud smile.
- "I
know. I was there..."
- "Yeah?
Wow, so cool! Did you fight against the Mayor?"
- "Yeah,"
Angel said, amused.
- "Great!
You're so lucky you didn't get bitten. The Scoobys told me someone they knew
got bitten that day. It would have sucked if you had gotten transformed into
a vampire."
- "Yeah.
For sure."
Dawn got
up when the kettle whistled, and moved it to the table. Angel served himself
some coffee and drank it in silence. Dawn, who had a big bowl of cereals to
finish with a glass of orange juice, finally remained silent too.
Finally, he put his mug in the dishwasher, and headed towards the stairs to
go to the bathroom, to splash some water on his face. As he was going upstairs,
Buffy appeared, already dressed.
- "Oh,
Angel. I... I was wondering where you had gone."
- "I
didn't want to wake you up, I went downstairs. Your sister was there, so I
had a cup of coffee."
- "Oh."
- "I
was gonna wash my face."
- "Oh.
Sorry."
Buffy moved
away to let Angel pass, but at first he didn't move. He wanted to do something,
he wanted it so badly...!
- "Oh,
I didn't mean... thanks."
He walked
past her and went to the bathroom, while Buffy went downstairs and met Dawn
in the kitchen, passing a hand on her face. Things were still so gauche with
Angel.
- "He
looks sweet, this new one," Dawn commented first thing as Buffy entered.
"A little, I dunno, dark sometimes, but sweet."
Buffy slightly
frowned while serving herself some tea.
- "Dawn,
he's not... y'know, the very old one I talked to you about? Well this is the
guy."
- "Oh,"
Dawn realized. "I thought... why is he here? I thought he had forgotten
about you?"
- "He
has..."
The doorbell
interrupted the two sisters. Dawn jumped to her feet.
- "I
got it!"
She went
to open the door, and found herself in front of Cordelia and Danny.
- "Hi,"
Cordelia said with a grin. "We're coming to..."
- "I
need to talk to my father," Danny ended.
Dawn frowned,
not sure to understand what he meant.
- "Are
you sure you have the right-"
- "Danny?"
Dawn swiftly
turned around. Angel was in the middle of the stairs, and quickly came down.
Buffy had left the kitchen when she had recognized Cordelia's voice, and was
now standing, staring at the little brown-haired boy who was dressed in black
and standing on her doorstep.
- "Angel
is your... father?" Dawn asked, echoing the question that was hammering
out in Buffy's head.
- "No,
no, no," Angel said as he reached the bottom of the stairs.
He saw Buffy
who wasn't moving anymore at the sight of Danny.
- "Buffy,
no." He turned towards Danny, and gave him a quite hard look. "Danny,
I told you not to do this."
- "If
I say I'm looking for you, that's what people think anyway," the boy
defended himself, a little hurt. Angel never looked at him this way.
- "Angel,
who is he?" Buffy murmured.
- "It's
a long story."
- "Angel,
explain to me." Buffy's voice had become sharp.
- "Look,"
Cordelia interrupted, "I'm sorry to bother you two at the beginning of
an argument, but we have a situation here. Danny says a big demon is in town.
That it's the one Giles talked about yesterday. And I had a vision. Kind of
big, nasty-looking demon."
- "It
may be important," Danny added.
- "Giles?
You saw Giles?" Buffy asked Angel, feeling her brain submerging again.
- "The
Titan?" Angel asked Danny. "We have to warn everyone then. "Buffy,
Willow and Xander said they were going to the magic shop this morning, right?"
- "Yeah,
but..."
- "We're
going then. Danny, do you think you can explain to Giles?"
- "I
think so."
Angel took
his coat and turned towards Buffy who hadn't moved, still confused.
- "C'mon.
I'm gonna explain everything to you."
He took her
hand, and dragged her towards the door. Buffy regained consciousness when
Angel's hand touched hers. She remembered his touch cold, and there it was
warm, and it was even nicer than she hoped it would be. She followed him without
any comments, just throwing a 'cya tonight' to Dawn who had completely lost
track of the story.
Cordelia
drove Gunn's car, and Danny settled next to her, while Angel climbed in the
back seat with Buffy. When he finally let her hand go, Buffy wanted to take
it back, but prevented herself from doing it.
- "So?
What about these explanations?" she asked.
- "First
of all, Danny is all *but* my son. I found him six months ago in LA, in a
group home."
- "I
don't really have folks," Danny explained from the front seat. "My
father was nice but he died when I was six, and my mom was a drug-addict since
I was born, so they put me in foster care. Well, they said they did. Actually
I was more in a group home than in a new family."
- "There
was an Indian demon that wanted to attack the group home. I saved the kids,
but Danny took advantage of it to escape."
- "Now,
everyone over there thinks I'm dead, but it's no big because it wasn't really
a great place, and the psycho never believed me," Danny noted.
- "Danny
found us and the office, and insisted on staying with us. He said it was his
destiny; we just thought he was shocked by the life in foster care or something,"
Cordelia said.
- "Wesley
assumed he saw me like some kind of Superman who could save him, but I didn't
think I could do anything for him, so we had decided to take him back to the
group home, when he started talking about the Powers-That-Be," Angel
went on.
- "Sometimes
I have strange dreams, and there's that word again. I'm not really a normal
kid. I feel when there are demons, or even danger. I feel when someone's gonna
die or when something's gonna happen, but I don't always know why."
- "Danny's
real name is Peter Thomas Brotley. His initials are PTB."
- "Powers-That-Be!!"
Cordelia exclaimed, as if she wasn't sure Buffy would understand.
- "Danny
is a young Link. Like me," Angel said. "But he's more powerful than
I am, because he's the son of a Warrior who served the cause of the Powers."
- "A
Warrior, like you and me," Buffy said.
- "Exactly,"
nodded Angel. "Well, not like me anymore. We asked the Oracles for explanations.
Each time a Warrior has offspring, the first kid to be born is a baby Link.
He remains a Link 'till he comes of age, around 13, and then he becomes a
Warrior of the cause like us."
- "So
that's me," Danny concluded.
- "The
Oracles weren't clear, but it seems like, since his father was dead, I was
supposed to take care of him and protect him 'till he's strong enough to be
a Warrior, when I was a vampire."
- "As
I said," Danny went on, "Mom wasn't exactly the loving type when
she was around. I know she wasn't a Warrior. In a way, that's a good thing,
coz my dad could protect me whenever she wanted to beat me. He was way stronger."
- "He's
the little boy the demon was threatening before you 'shanshued'"? Buffy
asked Angel. She hadn't really listened to Danny and Cordelia.
- "Yes.
Cordelia and Wesley think that's partly because of that I shanshued, but Gunn
and I don't really get why I shanshued, as I'm supposed to protect Danny.
I can't really fight anymore as a human."
- "But
why do you call him Danny if his name is Peter Thomas?"
- "So
he won't be recognized. The demons and other powers of darkness usually know
about these young Links, and know that they'll become Warriors once they'll
come to age. So they try to get rid of them if they discover them. Danny's
initials probably weren't random and it could have help some people to find
him, that's why we choose to give him a nick."
- "The
thing is, we don't really get why his folks called Danny Peter Thomas,"
Cordy said. "I mean, they should have noticed the initials would help
the nasty things to find him and kill him, no? That's a big question Wesley
has been working on since January but he still doesn't understand."
- "Anyway,
I chose the nick. Peter Thomas sucks," Danny said.
Buffy smiled,
although she was overwhelmed by too much news at one time.
- "That's
it. You know almost all about Danny. I explained to Giles when we went to
see him yesterday because Danny felt a powerful force," Angel explained.
- "What
about you, Danny? Do you already have any other powers?" Buffy asked.
- "Not
really. I feel I have power but I can't use it well yet", Danny clarified.
"During a fight I don't have enough muscles, I wouldn't be able to do
anything I guess. But I train sometimes. With Angel."
Buffy tried
to picture Angel training on a punching-ball with Danny, or doing taï-chi-chuan
with him, and it made her smile for a moment.
- "I
tried to ask the Oracles who was supposed to protect Danny now, but they didn't
reply", Angel said. They just said Danny would follow his destiny. Which
was pretty vague."
- "Okay,"
Buffy murmured.
The story
began to take shape, and she thought a second that Angel's role concerning
Danny was a little like the one she had concerning Dawn when the latter was
still the Key.
Everyone
in the car stayed silent. Angel was again watching out for a clear reaction
from Buffy, but like the previous evening, she looked more confused than anything
else. He looked at her, frowning, then asked,
- "Buffy...
can you explain Dawn for me? You never had a sister. Did you?"
Angel's voice
brought Buffy back to reality.
- "What?
Oh, Dawn. It's a long story."
- "She
was brought to you so you could protect her, you did, she became your sister?"
Danny asked.
- "Okay,
maybe not that long," Buffy said, surprised. "How did you know that?"
- "Just
a guess. I mean, Wesley always talks about Warriors supposed to protect important
kids or young warriors," Danny said simply.
*Wow, the
kid's impressive,* Buffy quickly thought.
- "Dawn's
important?" Angel asked.
- "She
was. Now she's just a human being. My sister."
- "It's
crazy how many things can happen in three years, huh?"
- "Hum,"
Buffy answered.
She was back in her thoughts. Which went on mixing up. For a second, she saw Spike again telling her, 'What, Angel?? You really think you two could get along now? You're funny, kiddo.'
Soon the
car stopped, in front of the Magic Box. Danny was the first to get out of
the car, followed by Cordelia who glanced at the back seat, where Buffy and
Angel hadn't moved. Buffy didn't even realize they had arrived, too lost in
her thoughts about Angel turning human. Finally he said her name and she shook
her head, back into reality. They got out together, and entered the magic
store. Xander was in and ready to greet the new costumers but remained silent
and just leaned against the bookshelves, maybe due to the fact he was facing
Cordelia again for the first time in three years, and also a little boy who
looked like a lot -too much- like Angel.
Buffy thought
she was going to lose it when she saw another thing Angel still had to explain:
Kate. Her brain already felt mashed just because he had "shanshued",
and more than ever she didn't want to hear about the woman.
Angel knew
he still owned Kate explanations, but Buffy was there. He sighed thinking
he just wasn't equipped to handle these 90210-like events, as Cordelia would
put it…. He turned towards Buffy. He immediately knew she still needed
to think about all that, and that it was useless talking about the topic 'Kate'
for the moment. On the contrary, Kate was staring at him, clearly recovered
from her shock, and ready to hear his defense about the whole story.
Danny also
got it. He looked at Angel and said,
- "Angel,
don't worry about me. I can explain to Giles alone. He understands pretty
well."
- "Okay.
I won't be long."
He signaled
to Kate to follow him outside, which she did. At the very moment they left
the store, Giles and Willow came in. Willow immediately saw Buffy was out
of sorts, and understood that the evening had been chock full of info. She
came closer to her friends and put an arm around her shoulders.
- "You
okay?"
Buffy looked
up at her friend, looking confused and still frowning, testifying of the constant
activity of her brain.
- "I...
I dunno."
At that moment,
Willow noticed Danny, and Cordelia.
- "Oh,
Cordelia. Hi. I didn't see you... What are you doing here?"
- "Hey
guys," Cordelia began. "I'm here with Danny, actually. I wasn't
supposed to be here at all."
- "And
Danny is...?" Xander asked.
- "I'm
not Angel's son," Danny just answered, vanishing the understandable doubts
that had begun to germinate in Xander and Willow's minds.
- "Danny
is a young Link," Giles explained. "He's a future Warrior for the
Powers-That-Be, as Buffy is."
- "He's
the future Slayer? Because he seriously looks like a boy."
- "No.
The Slayer is a Warrior for the Powers-That-Be, but she isn't the only one,"
Giles explicated. "Angel, while he was a vampire, also was one of those
Warriors."
- "And
what's a Link?" Willow asked, frowning.
- "It
means I'm in touch with the Powers," Danny went on, while glancing outside,
where Kate and Angel were still talking. "I don't have any visions, but
more like foreboding and all, I know if something's gonna happen, that kind
of things. I could guide you to a close demon easily I guess."
- "Oh."
- "And
if you're wondering why he looks like a mini-Angel," Cordelia said, "that's
all his fault. When he arrived he looked like McCaulay Culkin with a serious
face and dark hair, but then he began to go all spiky with his hair and to
wear black stuff like Angel does."
- "It's
a cool style," Danny only grinned at Cordelia.
- "He
also went face lift because it's a cool style?" Xander asked.
- "Oh
no, I guess I just look a little like Angel. Dunno why," Danny shrugged.
- "Wesley's
also torturing himself with that, even though we all keep saying it's just
random," Cordelia explained. "Just don't pay attention to that,
the PTB sometimes do weird choices but who cares."
Willow was
about to ask who the 'PTB' were, but Danny didn't want to get into big explanations
now.
- "Mr.
Giles, I feel a very powerful demon coming. I think it's the Titan you told
me about yesterday," the little boy said.
- "I
guess it's possible," Giles murmured. "Willow, did you find all
the ingredients in the shop?"
- "Ingredients
for what?" Buffy asked.
- "A
spell I found in a book yesterday at home. Cast on the escaped killer, it
should prevent him from coming near a demon, which would allow us to fight
the demons while Kate and her men arrest Castiglioni," Willow explained.
At this moment,
the small bell rang as Angel and Kate walked in. Angel's face was dark as
usual, and Kate tried not to show emotions, but it wasn't hard to guess she
was confused and a little sad. Danny, who could feel all that, mentally promised
he'd try to talk to her if he ever had the chance.
- "So,
what's up with the demon?" Angel asked to avoid any remark from Cordelia.
- "Willow
found a way to keep the killer and the demon apart. Danny, do you think you
can lead us to the demon?" Giles enquired.
- "Basically,
yeah."
- "What
about the second demon that was with the Titan?" Buffy posed.
- "I
don't know. I hope it's stayed behind and that it isn't there."
- "It
isn't there. The Titan is alone," Danny declared.
Giles paused,
still surprised by the confident tone Danny used, despite his youth, then
spoke again.
- "Then
we are going. Kate, notify your men to join you soon."
At that moment,
he noticed Buffy looked unwell.
- "Buffy,
do you feel okay? Are you up to some fighting?"
Buffy nodded,
as to convince herself.
- "Yeah.
I'm up to it."
- "I'm
taking my car," Giles decided, "and Danny is going to show me the
way. Cordelia, can you follow with your car? My car won't be big enough for
everyone anyway."
They started
to leave the store, and when he passed by Buffy, Angel murmured,
- "Buffy,
I'll explain everything later."
- "Yeah... later," she whispered. "Please, later."