Lost
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Author:
Dark Star Website:
Dark Star's Portal Summary:
Who can save the Slayer? Disclaimer:
Joss Whedon is creator and owner
of all things Angel Timeline:
Set during Buffy’s Season 3 Rating:
PG 13 ** “Which
way?” Angel
gestured toward the left hand tunnel. “Down there.” He led
the way through the tunnels, his vampire senses tuned into the trail of blood
left by the O’hklas demon. Buffy followed, keeping watch for any indication
that they might have missed it. The
tunnel began curving upwards, and Angel started to get an uncomfortable
feeling. As he suspected, the tunnel led up to an open patch of daylight,
where he paused. “I
can’t go any further, Buffy.” He turned to her. “We’d better get back, tell
Giles what we’ve seen.” “I
can go on,” Buffy said. “I’ll meet you back at the mansion.” She
moved past him, and he caught her arm. “Buffy….” she turned back to him.
“Don’t go alone.” She
smiled, reaching up to kiss him. “Don’t
worry, Angel. I’ll be okay.” Angel
knew he couldn’t stop her, so he added reluctantly, “Be careful.” Buffy
smiled again, her fingers briefly interlocking with his; then she turned and
climbed into the sunshine. Angel
watched her helplessly. He hated that sometimes she had to go on without him,
face the danger alone. All he could do now was wait. * *
* * For
endless hours Angel restlessly paced the floor of his mansion; there had been
no word from Buffy and he was very worried. The sudden ringing of the phone
startled him; he grabbed it, hoping it was Buffy. “Angel,
it’s Giles,” a man’s voice said instantly, and Angel knew something was up.
“Buffy’s disappeared.” As
Giles filled Angel in on the story, it appeared that no one had seen her
since she’d left him in the tunnels. Giles and the gang had gone looking for
her, but found no trace. “It’ll
be dark soon,” Angel told him. “I’ll go and look for her.” * *
* * Angel
started his search at the point that Buffy had left him. He could still smell
the demon’s blood, though it was fainter. The trail led him through the woods,
when a second blood scent assailed his senses…human…hers. Her
blood led off in one direction and the O’hklas’s in another. No longer
interested in the demon, Angel followed the trail of human blood. There was
something odd about her blood though, and as he followed, he realised what it
was. The scent of the O’hklas’s blood was growing stronger, and it was mixed
with hers. Damn,
that meant that she was infected, and Angel grew even more worried. He
followed the trail down a bank, she was close, of that Angel was certain.
Then he saw her, curled into a tight ball beneath the trees. “Buffy?” Her
head snapped up and he was startled by the hatred in her eyes. He took an
involuntary step back, just as she hurled herself at him with a shriek. She
landed directly on his chest, overbalancing him, her nails clawing for his
face. His vampire side surfaced instantly as he grappled with her; trying to
restrain but not hurt her. She
had no such restrictions, however. Completely out of control, she was like a snarling
animal, trying to sink her teeth and nails into his skin. Her Slayer strength
made it hard for Angel to control her; eventually he had no choice and he had
to stop her in the only way he could, by hitting her squarely on the jaw. She
slid into a heap at his feet. “Sorry,”
he murmured to her unconscious form as he gently picked her up and carried
her back to the mansion. It occurred to him that she would probably be pretty
mad with him later… After
he’d chained her up securely, he rang Giles and told him what had happened.
Giles promised to try and find a cure and Angel returned to Buffy. Her arms
were covered with cuts and scratches and he cleaned and dressed them as best
he could. She was still unconscious and he went to fetch blankets and pillows
to make her more comfortable. He
wanted to keep busy, and then he wouldn’t have to think about what was
happening to her. Finally, though, there was nothing left he could do. He
placed a gentle kiss on her forehead, and then settled down next to her to
wait. Over
the next few hours, Buffy’s condition worsened. She stopped raging and for
the most part just lay still; her eyes open but not seeing. Angel
had long since relocated her to his bed, now she was no longer dangerous. He
knew she was in pain, and he had no idea how to help her. Every so often the
pain flared up and he would hold her, try to soothe her, until the spasm
passed. He
knew that she was losing her fight, and was growing weaker. Eventually there came
a point when she didn’t react to him, didn’t seem to feel anything, not even
pain. Her eyes, usually so vibrant, held nothing at all. Angel
rang Giles to break the news. He could sense that she didn’t have very long
left and if Giles had any kind of a plan, they would have to use it now. * *
* * Giles
and Willow swiftly arrived at Angel’s mansion. The expression on their faces
told Angel that the news wasn’t good. “There
are very few references to this kind of infection, Angel. In every case the
outcome has been the same,” Giles said, gravely. “And
that is?” “The
victim died.” “So
what do you have in mind?” Angel asked. “You’ve brought Willow, so I’m
guessing there’s a spell of some kind?” “Perhaps,”
Giles replied cautiously. “We think that she’s lost somewhere on the astral
plane. We want to send someone in after her.” “I
wanted to go, best friend and all that. But her best chance lies with a blood
relative or a lo…well, you know, someone who loves her,” Willow finished,
embarrassed “What
do I have to do?” Angel asked, relieved to finally have something to do. The
spell was simple, but powerful. Angel laid Buffy gently on the floor and sat
down next to her, holding her hand. Willow sat next to him, she was to be his
anchor to this world, and Giles sat between her and Buffy, completing the
circle Giles
instructed them to link hands, to strengthen the magic of the circle. “Are
you ready, Angel?” “Yes.”
He was impatient to start; worried that Buffy was facing danger or that she
would die if they left it too long. Giles
began the chant, and they could all feel the energy flowing through the
circle. Angel
tried to calm himself, to open up to the power of the magic; ‘Hang on,
Buffy,’ he thought to himself. One thing he was sure of, though. He
wasn’t coming back without her. The
power of the spell grew. Angel closed his eyes as dizziness swept over him;
when he opened them, he was standing in a cold swirling mist. He took a
tentative step forward, straight into the sunlight. Panicking,
he cast around for shelter, for any kind of cover; but there was none.
Finally, it filtered through his terror that if the sun was going to destroy
him, he would already be toast and he forced himself to calm down. ‘This
isn’t real,’ he told himself, looking around. He
stood on a beautiful beach. The air felt warm and the sea looked impossibly
blue. He could feel the heat of the golden sand; frowning, he wriggled his
toes and felt the sand flow between them. Where the hell were his shoes? He
scanned the area, there was nothing but the sand, sea, and… “Buffy,”
he whispered, already moving toward her. She
sat on the sand, staring out over the vast expanse of ocean. She hadn’t seen
him and he knew she couldn’t hear his soft footsteps across the sand. But she
looked up as he drew close, her face breaking into such a radiant smile at
seeing him, that it warmed his cold heart. . “Angel!” She
jumped up, racing toward him, and he caught her in a welcoming embrace. “Is
it really you?” she said, in wonder. “Are you really here?” “I’m
here,” he said, proving it to her by pulling her closer and planting a gentle
kiss on her lips. He thought there was something he should tell her, but he
couldn’t remember what it was. “Walk
with me?” Buffy asked breathlessly, when Angel released her. Linking
hands, they walked slowly along the beach. Angel found he couldn’t take his
eyes off the vision beside him. He’d always thought she was beautiful, but
here, with the sun making her hair glint like gold, she looked….well, she glowed.
“What?”
she grinned, under his intense scrutiny. “I
love you.” Her
smile was genuine. “I love you.” He gathered
Buffy into his arms, and she responded eagerly to his kisses, allowing him to
ease her down onto the warm sand. Angel had no thought in his head except to
love her, lose himself in the warmth that she offered him. * *
* * Back
at the mansion, Willow frowned, looking at Angel’s still form. Giles gave her
a questioning glance, without breaking the rhythm of his chant. “Something’s
wrong, Giles. We’re losing him.” Giles
had been afraid of that. He indicated to Willow that she take up the chant
with him, hoping it would increase the power. He could almost hear Buffy
calling it a ‘Double Whammy’. * *
* * Buffy
laughed as she paddled in the warm sea, her skirt hitched up to keep it dry. “Come
on, Angel!” He
smiled back, from his dry spot on the beach. He had no desire to join her in
the water, but it pleased him to see her so happy. Giggling,
she splashed back up the beach, hurrying toward Angel as he sat on the sand
watching her. She landed on his lap, the sand sticking to her wet legs, and
draped her arms round his neck. Angel’s
arms tightened around her. He wanted to kiss her, to touch her, to…take her
home. He froze. Where had that thought come from? “Are
you okay?” Buffy asked him, feeling his body tense. “I…I…think…”
Angel seemed to be struggling to get the words out. “I…think we should go
back.” “I
like it here,” she said, with a puzzled frown. “So
do I,” he agreed. “But the others, Willow…and…Giles are waiting for us.” “They’ll
be okay,” she answered airily. “I want to stay here.” “Your
mom will be worried,” he tried, hating himself for what he had to do. “My…mom?”
her eyes widened, and her words faltered. She could feel it now, the call to
go back. “We
don’t really belong here, Buffy. It isn’t real.” “It
feels real.” She looked up at him, her soft lips formed into a little pout,
her big eyes glistening and pleading with him. ‘Oh
God,’ he thought, swallowing hard. ‘I have to focus here’. “It
isn’t real, Buffy. We have to go back.” “I
know,” she said, sadly. “It won’t be like this though, will it?” “No.” “Kiss
me, Angel. One last time in the sunshine?” He
complied, willingly. Her kiss assailed his senses; her warmth and scent
making him dizzy. He closed his eyes, and then reopened them when the pressure
on his lips abruptly ceased. Willow
was looking at him with concern. He looked away, his eyes searching for
Buffy’s. “Thank
God.” Giles murmured when Buffy opened her eyes. “Are you all right?” She looked
past him, not really seeing. She met Angel’s gaze, and held it. “I
like the sand,” she said, wistfully * *
* * Much
later, after Giles and Willow had gone home, Buffy knelt on some large
cushions in front of Angel’s fireplace.
She was lost in thought as she stared at the flames. Behind
her, hidden in the shadows of the dark room, Angel stood watching the
flickering light as it danced across her face. He was acutely aware that he
had almost lost her today. Buffy
stirred, and turned toward him. Even though he knew he couldn’t be seen, she
still spoke directly to him. “How
long have you been there?” “Not
long,” he answered, softly moving toward her. In fact, he had no idea how
long he’d stood watching her. Quite a while, he suspected. He
joined her on the cushions, sitting cross-legged next to but not touching
her. “Are
you okay?” “Yeah,”
she replied, quietly. She was silent for a long time, before adding, “When I
was infected, and I didn’t know what I was doing…it’s kind of odd, you know;
losing yourself like that.” “Tell
me about it,” Angel agreed, gently. Buffy
looked at him, knowing he understood. She wondered what it must be like for
him. He had such a romantic soul, yet he was forced to live forever in the
darkness; trapped in a body that only wanted to hurt and destroy. “It
was beautiful, wasn’t it?” she asked Angel. “Yes,
it was,” he agreed, but she knew from the way he was looking at her that he
wasn’t talking about the scenery. She felt herself blushing a little. She sighed,
shifting her position toward Angel; he moved his legs so that she could rest
against his chest. She raised her hand, and slowly caressed his face. His
skin felt cool against her exploring fingers. Angel
lowered his head and kissed her, softly. Her lips parted immediately,
inviting him in and their kiss was slow and gentle. “Nice,”
Buffy murmured, her eyes shining in the half-light. She felt warm and loved,
encircled in Angel’s arms; she smiled as Angel idly traced his fingers along
her bare arm, over the little strap of her blouse and came to rest on the
pulse at her throat. He
liked to feel the blood pumping through her, and his vampire instincts
stirred. But he wasn’t hungry, and the demon in him lay quiet. Buffy
looked up at him, completely unafraid. It never ceased to amaze him that she
could still trust him, even after some of the terrible things he’d done to
her. “I
love you,” she whispered. “I
love you,” he replied. “Always.” THE END Return to Fiction Index
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