TITLE changes
AUTHOR ophelia
EMAIL ophelia_rd@yahoo.com
DISTRIBUTION do not take without permission
RATING m
PART 8/?
FEEDBACK yes please!!!
PREVIOUS PARTS http://au.oocities.com/dra_gon_fly_er
AUTHOR'S NOTE
Okay, I'd just like to apologize for all the typos and stuff - I didn't bother to reread the previous two parts and now I'm seriously embarrassed because some of it sounds rather stupid... I hope it didn't put you off too much ;)
Changes
"It was the last straw..."
Lindsey still didn't quite understand, but he managed to restrain himself from interrupting the vampire's line of thought, allowing him to explain things to him in his own time.
"Spike..., my sweet William..., he's always been the most human of us. His tough guy talk and big bravado - it's all been a mask. Something he had to make up for himself and make himself into, in order to stay alive. He's been the sweetest, most lovable human being and Angelus took great pleasure in cutting and whipping and beating every last trace of humanity out of his boy - he never succeeded though."
He had read a fair deal about Angelus' heydays, back then, when he'd still been with the firm. But looking up snippets from a dusty old book or actually listening to Angel painting pictures of abuse and mindgames..., Lindsey all but tossed up his cookies.
He was pretty sure that back then, even with today's knowledge, he wouldn't have changed a thing. At that time he'd been too caught up in his career thinking to really think about what he was doing. Good and bad, black and white, everything had mingled in a murky broth, something he preferred to keep buried and suppressed in the back of him mind.
Signing the contract with Wolfram & Hart had cost him his soul as sure as accepting Darla's wrist to drink had done the same to Angel some 250 odd years in the past. Maybe that's why they'd reacted so strongly to one another in the first place.
"He brutalized and lorded over him, just as he provided blood and shelter - but then he disappeared, without a word..."
Lindsey shifted on his armchair until he dropped gracelessly next to Angel on the wooden planks of the floor. That was so much better, he did a 1-80 so they were seated face to face to one another. Finally he could hold and be held in return by the dark-haired man, just as he'd always wanted to be held by him the second he'd set eye on him more than three years ago.
"And it should take close to a century for Will to reunite with his master, only than he wasn't Angelus anymore."
Hmmm, he felt content and he would willing give another hand if only this would mean he could stay in the comfort of this cold embrace for the rest of his life.
"Angel...?"
A tentative knock announced the approach of the brunette teen - Dawn, as Lindsey had been told - who curiously poked her head around the slightly ajar bedroom door.
"I'm sorry to interrupt," she apologized politely, taking in the everything from the two men's tender embrace to their not yet all comfortable silence. "It's just..., Spike is having a hissy fit - demanding you let him talk to Buffy right NOW..."
The gawky girl took a curious look around. "He claims you're hiding her in your room - trying to keep her away from him." Her head pulled back, when she was satisfied that there was nobody in the apartment but Lindsey and Angel.
Obviously used to such announcements, Angel gave the girl his I'm-gonna-handle-it smile. "It's okay, Dawn, I'll be out in a sec."
"Whatever, just make it quick." She shrugged. "Dunno how long Riley and Wes will be able to keep him restrained." A little wave of the hand and she was gone, gently closing the door behind her.
With a heavy sigh Angel leaned into the strangely quiet lawyer. "He's in denial about her. We keep telling him that she's gone, but somehow he doesn't seem to understand..." Angel explained tiredly. "He's getting more erratic by the second..."
It all didn't matter to Lindsey anymore.
Whatever soft feelings he thought he'd harbored for William after their enforced get together, it all went out the window the second Angel made it obvious, he'd choosen his childe's comfort and well-being over him.
He felt left out and empty and struggled to disentangle himself from the vampire's strong arms. Where there had been understanding, even compassion, mere seconds ago, now a raving green-eyed monster had set up camp. Needing some alone time to wallow in self-pity Lindsey forcefully shoved Angel away from him.
"Lin?" The hurt was plain obvious in the vampire's voice. "You understand I have to go talk to him?"
His answer was an indifferent glare and an even more indifferent shrug as introduced by Dawn. "You do what you have to," the lawyer evenly told him.
With an even heavier sigh Angel reached to reassure the hurtful brunet, but to no avail. After several fruitless attempts the dark-haired man let him be and instead opting for the less subtle verbal sort of way.
However, he obviously wasn't meant to explain things to Lin, since just then the door almost got ripped from its hinges when Angel was about to open his mouth. Barging in came a growly all vamped out William - Riley, Wesley and Dawn hard on his heels - just brawling for a fight.
"Where is she?"
Just like Dawn before he made a point of scanning every hidden corner of the room.
"Damn it, Peaches, where is she..." The words died on his lips when he took several whiffs of air, before scrunching up his ridges furthermore in an equivalent of a vampire frown, before his gazed focused on Lindsey. "You..., you..., what have you done to my slayer?"