BY: J.Martin
Page 2
PREVIOUS PAGE
She quickly put both hands under her pillow and again slipped out and opened the laptop. This time as she saw the blue light shine, there was the message she waited for. It made her heart beat faster and faster until her ears were filled with her own heartbeat, loud, loud, louder, until she thought she would faint.
She managed to force her hand to touch the computer mouse and open the message with a sudden click. “Thank God, he is okay.” She once again read his message that had taken so long to get to her. Why had it taken him so long to answer? Where had he been, what was happening and what did he mean, he would explain later? They both knew they could not go into detail in case someone was watching, monitoring their messages. But when would or could he to tell her more? She was too tired to decipher the hidden message. When would she see him again, she needed him so much right now. Dawn needed him; there were so many reasons they needed to be together and so many more reason why they couldn’t be, not now, not yet.
Then her eyes focused on the end of the message with the same three letters that would make it easy for her to sleep tonight. She whispered to herself almost at the same time she could hear him say, “Yes, my love, Angel & Buffy Forever.”
She smiled deeply and hoped he could feel her lips on his as she kissed the blue screen of the computer. “Now that was silly while surprisingly warm.” She was so tired but knew she needed to send a message to let him know she understood and was glad to hear back from him. Click. Click. Tab. Tab. Pause.
“Okay, think, think, you can do this.” Click, click, tap, tap went her nails on the keyboard. Pause. “Damn, I am so tired, need to clear my head and…I think I need a manicure.” She closed her eyes and envisioned the last time they were together. They held each other so close; it seemed like tomorrow would never come. She could feel his lips on hers. She could feel his arms around her, pulling her closer and then just holding her tighter and tighter. She remembered the fear that gripped her when she knew things were getting out of control. Then came the sudden carefree feeling. The pure pleasure she felt as she whispered, “just take me, make me like you, I just don’t care.” After all she had been to hell and back. Damn, she had been to Heaven and back, what else was left.
She opened her eyes as the words began to form in her mind. Click. Click. “Glad to know things are good. Been rather calm here for the past two days. Guess the demons here took some time off. We will talk soon.”- ABF
She lies back in her bed still fully clothed realizing how very tired she is as she slides the computer back under her pillow. Somehow this made her feel as though he was closer to her. She knew he would understand her message, but more than that she hoped he could get away to meet her in two days. There was a secret place that only they knew and they met there whenever they needed to talk in person. It had been a while, months in fact. The last time he told her about Connor and all that had transpired to make that happen. He thought she would never forgive him for that moment of indiscretion, but they had promised to never lie to each other. Only she understood, she understood all too well how it happened. There seemed to be another surprise in his long cursed life; something having a soul enabled him to do. He could sire children. She had only seen the baby once and knew what a good father he would be when given the chance. “Baby-B-A-B-Y, he never calls me baby!” A stroke of fear shot through her, something has happened, “Connor-something is wrong with Connor.” This could be the only explanation for his missing in action for so long. She knew nothing else short of death would keep him from staying in touch with her. If she had not been so tired she could have caught that sooner. “Well now I need a plan if he can’t get to me, can I wait two days, can I, can he…” She slipped into a restless sleep and dreamed, dreamed of things past.
Daylight now filtered through her nightmares, she could see the bright sunny day, she was walking by the ocean, but not alone. Then there was someone coming, running after her. The day became darker now, and she was just drifting, drifting…sleep, peaceful, restful sleep. “Tomorrow is another day and I’ll figure it out in the morning when I ride the train. Who said that? What train, why a train? Hmm, sleep, Angel, Angel, my love. I am so sorry I am not there, not there with you….” She drifted off into a more restful sleep now. Then the dream began…
*****
Morning came so fast that the sun seemed to slide right over the moon. She was just barely able to adjust her eyes to the daylight when she heard someone racing down the hall. “Now what?“ Dawn came flying into her room, tripped over something, which caused her to catapult right on top of the bed.
As she rolled quickly out of harms way, she stammered, “its times like this the slayer reflex training pays off.” Then again rather sarcastically. “What‘s going on and why in such a hurry so darn early?”
Buffy tried to maintain her calm as she put her “just in case” wooden stake back under the mattress, but her heart was still racing. Dawn was so flabbergasted at what happened she could hardly speak and as they looked at each other with hair in their faces and arms and other body parts flailing about, they both began to giggle.
Willow came into the room to see what she was missing since she too was awakened by all the noise. She had a small crucifix and bottle of holy water with her. These were her “just in case” items. Neither she nor Buffy was awake enough to realize that no vamp would be out and about in this early morning light. What she saw put her in a state of the giggles also. Buffy was lying halfway in the bed and most of her legs were over the headboard. She was still in her coat, hat and shoes from the night before. Dawn was sprawled out on all fours in the middle of the bed sheets with her head covered in pillows. Willow’s only thought was “I am not even going to ask.”
Once they all settled down, Dawn tried to explain. “Okay, so Grace is not my middle name.”
“Or your first or last name“, chirped in Willow.
Dawn managed to pull herself up while rubbing a red spot on her forehead. “Buffy, I just wanted to check with you before I was off to school to be sure you had not forgotten about tonight.” Her eyes were wide and full of excitement. This was the first time since she was back in school that she seemed happy to be there. Her grades were now way above average, she had a number of new friends to hang with and there was even some talk of a boy and an upcoming spring dance. Oh to be just a normal teenager again. Normal!
The two older girls echoed each other as they both started to answer. “Of course we have not forgotten about tonight and we all will be there for you.” Willow smiled and let Buffy continue. “ In your honor I am not even going to patrol tonight. I am yours for the entire evening, pending of course any apocalyptic conditions. And, even then--let the world end! I have a sacred duty to my little sister tonight. It’s her night. Right?” She reached over and hugged Dawn with pride over the wonderful adolescent she was becoming. There was nothing going to stop her from being there for Dawn, not tonight or any other night.
Dawn drew away, still rubbing her forehead, with a puzzled look in her eyes. She moved her hands from her head and began to slide them under the pillow to see what she landed on to cause her head to throb. At this point, Buffy realizing what the culprit was, rolled over grabbing both her sister’s hands, helped her off the bed and distracted her to the mirror. As concerned as she was about Dawn, she was also concerned that Willow might move the pillow. To secure that would not happen, she quickly turned toward the bed. “Will, can you look at Dawn’s forehead, my eyes still have not adjusted to the sunshine.” This gave her pause to take off her coat and throw in onto the bed covering the pillow that hid the laptop.
Buffy jerked around quickly as Dawn turned back toward her. “Buffy, either you are hiding a rock under there or it's time to buy a new pillow. Oh, that hurt.” She twitched and turned back to Willow who was touching the soft skin around her left eye.
“Maybe as you attempted to fly, Orville, you encountered the edge of the night stand on your bumpy landing. No blood, it’s not cut or anything. You heal fast and it will probably be gone before you even get to school. Sometimes I think she heals faster than you do, Buffy.“
She turned toward the bed where Buffy was anxiously straightening the ruffled sheets. She was still pondering the fact that Dawn did seem to heal fast, uncommonly fast, as she turned to face Buffy waiting for a reply.
Her only reply being, “Guess it’s that slayer bloodline.” Buffy was still nervously tidying the clothes she had thrown on top the bed.
They always shrugged it off to being the slayer bloodline. But the fast healing act along with the fact that Dawn never seems to be ill crossed Willow’s mind many times before. Now she was remembering a fact she had long forgotten, they were not really blood relatives.
Almost sensing Willow's thoughts and afraid she was going to ask more questions, Buffy tossed a hairbrush to Dawn. “Remember school, shouldn’t you be on your way? I would not think it a good idea for the new class President to be in detention when everyone is waiting to hear her speak at tonight’s festivities.”
“Okay, okay, I take the honor as well as the burden.“ She bowed herself backward to the door. “ I am outta here, see you guys tonight and don't be late.” She kissed both Buffy and Will on the cheek as she left them standing there staring after her. They heard her bouncing down the stairs two at a time. “Gosh Buff, were we ever that full of energy?”
“I guess so Will, but we always had a lot of things draining on that energy. I just want Dawn to enjoy being a teenager and not take on the worries of the world like we did. It’s just not something she has to do,
that‘s still my job.” She hung her head as she was again feeling tired.
“Oh dear, I knew you wanted to sleep in today. I forgot to tell her not to wake you. Why don’t you try to get some more sleep, it‘s still early.”
“No, that’s okay I am wide awake now. I was having those dreams again anyway. I am going to take a long hot bath with lots of bubbles. I may clean this mess up. Or not. If I don’t take too long we should have time to stop for coffee before you head off to class and I hit the mall. What da ya think old pal?” They put their arms around each other while both looked in the mirror.
“I think that sounds like a solid plan. Meet you at the front door in about an hour?” As Willow started to leave, Buffy moved toward her and they hugged. “Thanks, Will.”
“For what?”
“Just for being Willow. You know we love you don’t you?”
“Uh huh, I love you guys too.” She smiled and pulled the door closed as she headed back down the hall to a hot shower of her own.
*****
The morning sun appeared in LA much earlier than in Sunnydale. For Angel there had been no sleep nor dreams, just restlessness and more trepidation about his son’s whereabouts. There were noises coming from the lobby, which meant someone was awake. He rolled to one side and thought about rising, but decided that whatever they were doing they could do without him for now. Money has been scarce but the thought of bringing in new business made him ill. How could he possibly handle the problems of others when he had so much of his own to deal? “Well, how long is it now that I have been out there actually helping people?” He figured that somehow he would find the strength to continue. Maybe he could do this for another hundred years or so, that of course depending on his not getting dusted anytime soon. Then the next thought hit him, what if something happened to him? He wasn’t exactly being careful with his actions as of late and he had no idea who or what was out there waiting for him to make that fatal mistake.
The only comfort he had, if his days were numbered, was his thought of seeing Buffy in the next day or so. He had to see her, no matter what. It had been so long, too long since he had been able to touch her, to hold her and tell her that he loved her. As much as he loved Connor, he had such a deeper love for Buffy that with her in his arms he knew he could conquer anything, even this.
There was no good reason to get up now. It was daylight and there was nothing much he could do in the daylight hours anyway. He needed to store up energy for the trip. He needed to stop thinking.
Slowly his eyes closed and a vision began to form behind his eyelids. It was her, walking by the ocean, the bright shining sun outlined her scintillating body. She was indeed the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. She was so exquisite that she seemed to make the sun glow. He walked up behind her and put his arms around her waist gently caressing her stomach and pulling her soft sweet body close to his. Oh to touch her and feel the warmth of her again filled him with such desire. The passion and desire he knew every time he thought of her became stronger and more passionate when they touched. Her skin was soft and warm and she was backing up against him as she began to fold herself within his loving embrace. They were talking now; she was asking him how he found her. He was assuring her that no matter where she went he would always be there. He would always find her. As she turned her head upward toward his lips, the sky darkened, thunder clouds rolled in, and a sudden shudder of pain overwhelmed him. They looked into each other’s tear filled eyes while falling to their knees. Now they were being pulled apart, farther and farther away from each other. He had felt a blow to his chest so fierce that it pushed him backward until he was freefalling. His heart began to ache as he tried to grab onto her outstretched hands. That‘s when they both saw the red begin to stain his shirt. Her smile turned to pain and she started to sob uncontrollably. “Angel, I love you. I am so sorry. I had to. Please forgive me. I love you.”
He could hear her screaming now, screaming and screaming. Heart wrenching sobs now. No matter how much he struggled, he couldn’t get to her. He never heard her cry like this before. He tried with every ounce of his being to reach her, but something was holding him back. “ I tried. I didn’t want you to face this alone. I love you. Buffy!” An amazing glow of white light blinded him and now everything became still. It was quiet now, almost too quiet. He could sense someone or something over him.
“Angel? Angel?"
"Wake up.” As Fred put her hand to his chest, he jumped from the bed so fast that he was in the doorway before he realized the voice was real and not inside of his nightmare.
“Damn Fred, don’t you know better than to do that? I could have killed you.” He was trying to wipe the dream from his mind as he rubbed both his eyes. This left his normal pointy hair more side wards than upwards as he shook his head.
Her voice becoming tender and concerned, “Had another nightmare I‘m guessing.”
“Nothing for you to worry about, unless of course you continue to sneak up on me in the middle of it.”
“I am also thinking you didn’t get much rest last night. You’re a little cranky. I’m sorry.” She started for the door.
“No, don’t go. Did you need something?”
“Oh, I came to see if you were using the laptop last night. It was open and dialed in and all when I went down this morning. And seeing that it’s just you & me and Lorne here now, I just wanted to check before I started to use it and changed anything.” Now more apologetic and concerned,
“ I’m sorry that I woke you Angel, but you were yelling and everything and I just didn’t know what else to do.”
He reached out and touched her arm gently, “Hey Fred, that’s not a problem. I needed to be woken up, it was a bad one.” She knew it must have been. She could hear his sighs and yells in the hallway but could make little sense out of what he was saying. It made her heart ache to hear his begging for forgiveness. He must have been dreaming about losing Connor.
“Well, I’ll leave you alone now.” She started out of the room. As she took a quick side-glance, she noticed that the only thing left on the bed was a pillow, everything else was scattered all over the floor. It looked like he was fighting demons all night and not just the physical ones.
Angel hesitated a minute figuring he better admit to using the computer. “Fred, I was at the computer last night doing some look up since I couldn’t sleep. Just shut it down to do whatever you need.”
She smiled and closed the door. He could hear her talking with Lorne as she went halfway down the hall. One thing they continued to forget was the extraordinary hearing a vamp possessed.
“He’s still not resting well. I thought I was a goner there for a minute. I forgot how fast he moves.” She whispered as she looked down.
“Well little lady that’s just one of his better assets. Maybe something will break soon in this and we can all get back to normal.”
“Normal? Do we even have a normal to get back to? Lorne, I did notice a difference in him. He seems to be a little calmer but at the same time apprehensive about something. I‘m not sure if this has to do with Connor or something else is on his mind.” As she said this, she put her finger to her lips and pointed to the lobby. “By the way, I might need you to help me move something in the office.”
His red eyes and horns seemed to squint as he stood there with a puzzled look. When he realized she was trying to tell him to be quiet and they should continue talking downstairs, he nodded. “Sure thing, I will be down in a minute.”
They separated and she continued down the stairs as he went to his room to change from his robe into street clothes.
*****
PREVIOUS PAGE