Chapter 2
Author: Beth
Rating: NC-17 (overall story)
Spoilers: Up Through "She"
Summary: A retelling of the episode "She" as it might have happened in the Power of Three universe.
Disclaimer: We don't own any of these characters, or the basic plot of the episode "She," written by David Greenwalt and Marti Noxon, from which this story is adapted. Angel, Doyle, Cordelia, Wesley et al. are the property of Joss Whedon's Mutant Enemy Productions, 20th Century Fox and/or The WB.
Thoughts between Angel, Doyle and Cordelia are marked //like this.//
Angel and Wesley got back a little later. They went to the Jericho Ice Factory, looked around. Found a bloke by the name of Tay, who said he wasn't from our reality. Just what we need, yeah? More complications in our lives. It's enough to make the dull headache start up again.
Angel catches my thoughts and looks over, smiling. "How you doing, Doyle?"
I shrug. "Same ol' thing." A smirk now. //Wit a few exceptions...//
He smirks back at me, moving a little closer. //True. But I do have to say I enjoy those exceptions.//
//If ya weren't then I'd hafta be doin' sumthin' wrong.//
Cordelia gives us both a look. We smile innocently but it's a bit hard to keep up the act when your mind can be read. Takes a little out of it. "Okay, so who was this demon... whatever." She glances down at the sketch Angel's drawn before handing it to me. We already know the answers but he says it aloud for Wesley's benefit. The guy's outta the loop enough as it is. Almost feel sorry for him. Almost.
"He said his name was Tay. Seemed pretty shook up. Said this thing bring chaos and destruction to this world."
Chaos. Destruction. Great. Just what we need. Haven't we dealt with this enough already? Couldn't I just have several months of blissful peace with my lovers?
"Tay. Hmm... Could be a Kovitch demon from the Caucasus."
//Great... he's in researchy mode.// 'Delia thinks to us. I shrug my shoulders, not really knowing what that means. She's kind enough to let me know. I grimace at the mental image. Irritating for sure. Angel places a hand on my shoulder, squeezing it lightly. He knows I'm just upset about the whole doom 'n gloom thing. 'Specially after the Scourge.
"He's not from our dimension." Angel says to Wesley after a few moments. Hope the guy didn't notice our little dip into silence there.
"Ah, they must come to ours via portals." Guess he didn't.
"Portals? When did they put in portals?" That's me Cordy. Angel growls slightly in my mind. Our Cordy. I correct myself. Damn possessive vampire. Wouldn't have it any other way though. I lean back against him, grateful for the nearness of his body. The hand on my shoulder stays there, other one snaking around to grab my hand.
"Don't we have enough without burning monster fiends coming here?"
Before I can get a word in, Wesley speaks again. "We'll figure out who he is, where he comes from, boss. You can count on it."
Cordelia glares at him and I snicker at her thoughts. "Wesley stop kissing butt. It's not like we get overtime."
I let both of them know exactly what the kissing butt comment makes me think of. Angel groans ever so slightly at the mental image. Cordy pauses and tosses me one of her pissed off glares. Guess I wrecked her concentration there.
"But I'll get right on it." She smiles sweetly at both of us, sending an image of her own. Damn, that woman is evil sometimes.
Angel swallows hard before speaking, "I also want – "
"To know if there are any killings by incineration lately. See, on it."
"Ready to go, man?" I ask the vampire, sadly having moved away when Wesley's concentration turned back to us. Not much but enough.
"Um, where are you going?" Wes asks us.
"Victim's office. He was in private security. I'd like to know who hired him."
"Okay." We get a look from Cordelia. I smirk in response to her thoughts.
//Since when have ya wanted us ta be good?//
//Cute. Now go.//
We end up in front of a brick building. I hop out of the car first, followed closely by Angel. The street around us is silent and deserted. Turning slightly toward Angel, I kiss him briefly on the lips before we move any further.
"Been wantin' ta do tha' fer quite some time. Some irritatin' Brit got in tha' way tho'."
"Know what you mean." He tries the door but it's locked.
He looks at me. Up we go. Fun. Ya know, for awhile I wondered why he bothered with the grappling hooks. I see how they come in handy now. Go from scaling the wall to jumping on a metal ladder. Few minutes later we're inside thanks to the rooftop entrance.
Inside Peter Wilker's office now, looking for information. I hadn't found anything much, few invoices, when a jolt of pain courses through me. I look up and Angel's flying across the room, holding tightly onto his singed arm.
"Wha' th' hell?" I speak aloud because of the shock. At times we don't exactly have the hang of the not needing to speak thing. I run to his side, knowing he's okay but still having to move by him.
"I'm okay, Doyle. Don't worry."
"How can I no' worry? You 'n fire ain't a good combination." He smiles, feeling my worry.
"What are you doing here?" A lass with an interesting tattoo around her left eye asks of us. Angel answers her while I just glare.
"I could ask you the same thing."
"Working for them, is that it?"
"Who might them be?"
She ignores my question. "How much do they pay you to hunt us?"
Angel gets to his feet with my help, whether he needed it or not. "I work for myself and I'm here because I'm looking for his killer. Hard to forget, huh?" He places his hand on a nearby chair, readying himself for a fight. I do the same, knowing this one isn't just gonna let us go all fine and well. Plus, she hurt Angel and I'm not gonna let her get away with it.
"Burnt alive. Know anyone who does that kind of thing?"
She doesn't answer in words, instead charging the both of us. Angel tries to fend her off with the chair in his grasp but she ducks underneath it. He's hit in the chest and goes flying through the door. I growl, slipping into my demon form and tackle her. We wrestle for a bit before I'm sent out the same way as Angel was.
I land almost on top of him on the floor. In the silence around us, I feel the concern flare painfully in his mind. I nod that I'm okay before he can ask. His hands brush my face. //I just hate seeing you get hurt, Doyle. After...//
//I know, Angel but ya can't keep me tied down fer ev'r.//
//Mmm... between Cordy and myself, I think it's pretty possible.//
I lean in and kiss him softly. //Love th' way ya think.//
