Chapter 9
Author: Ellen
Rating: NC-17 (overall)
Spoilers: Somnambulist
Summary: The events of Somnambulist as they might have happened in the 'Power of Three' universe.
Disclaimer: This story is adapted from an episode of the WB television series Angel, written by Tim Minear. Angel, Doyle, Cordelia and all other characters from the Angel television series belong to Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy and/or 20th Century Fox and other entities who aren't us. We only wish that we owned them and could keep them safe and happy and loved.
Thoughts among Angel, Doyle and Cordelia are set off by double slashes //like this.//
When they arrived at the warehouse, Angel spotted a drain pipe on the side of the building. It looked like a good means of access.
//Doyle, stay behind for now but keep open to me until I tell you to block.//
Out loud, he said to Wesley, "Meet you both back here." Then he headed off to scale the drain pipe and enter the warehouse.
Doyle and Wesley exchanged uneasy looks.
Through Angel's eyes, Doyle watched as Angel dropped from the ceiling, between Kate and the other who was advancing toward her. He felt Angel's reluctance as he turned to confront his childe.
Slim, blond, seemingly youthful, the other vampire's face looked better suited to serious contemplation than to the delighted grin which lit it now. "Angelus? Angelus, it really is you!"
The younger vampire threw an arm around Angel, smiling broadly up at him. Then the smile began to fade from his face, replaced by a look of confusion, when Angel did not respond.
"I thought I sensed you near but when you didn't answer my call... My God! It's been a lifetime!"
"At least."
"We were to meet in Italy, remember?"
"I remember."
"Well, I waited. Hell, I waited until the 19th century. What happened?"
"Got held up in Romania."
"Romania. What's in Romania?"
"Gypsies."
"Hmm." Penn shook his head, bewildered, then gestured toward Kate, who was lying on the floor. "Join me for a drink. She'd make a good hole-in-one, don't you think?"
"That's not why I'm here."
"Hmmm. What's the game then? Fill me in. You always did like to play with your food."
Without intending it, Angel's mind replayed memories of past meals shared with Penn. Doyle and, farther away, Cordelia also, caught a brief glimpse of Penn through the eyes of an indulgent Angelus, as Angel's mind filled with a vivid memory: the two lying naked with a half-drained victim between them, keeping the human alive as long as possible, while they amused themselves by creating new openings...
//So not going there,// Cordelia thought firmly. //Think about something else.//
//Gotta agree,// Doyle sent.
Penn saw the distracted look on Angel's face and stepped in closer to him. "You're a thousand miles away, Angelus. Come back to me. I've missed you." He reached out a hand to touch Angel's lips.
Angel knocked his hand away. For a long moment, they simply stared at each other.
Both vampires could hear Kate whisper into her radio: "Request assistance, suspect sighted..."
Penn's face wore a childlike, lost expression as he gazed at Angel. "There's something different about you. I can feel it. Something's missing."
"No, nothing's missing." Angel sighed. "It's more like... something isn't missing any more."
"You don't need it any more, do you? The game. You're not playing any more. But then, why are you here?"
"To tell you to leave town. And, if I have to..."
Partly closing his eyes, Angel lashed out, knocking Penn through the nearest wall. He half-whispered, knowing that his childe could still hear him... "To kill you."
While Penn was picking himself up, Angel turned to Kate. "Go, Kate! Get out of here! Go!"
Penn was back in moments. "You know its name? Angelus, what happened to you?"
"People change."
"We're not people!" Penn cried out, his face twisted with anguished incomprehension.
Penn threw Angel directly into Kate, then took off at a run, leaving Angel and Kate staring at each other.
Kate said slowly, "I shot him three times. I know I did. And he got up." Suddenly, she aimed her gun at Angel. "If I pull this trigger, are you going to get up, too? What are you?"
"You already know the answer, Kate. Details have been left out of the press reports. Something you held back. Isn't that right?"
"What do you know about it?"
"Puncture wounds. The victims have all been drained of their blood, haven't they?"
"And should I trust you more, or less because you happen to know that?"
"You're not going to stop him, Kate, not like this."
"What do you mean?"
"It's going to take direct sunlight, decapitation, or a stake through the heart."
"You're telling me children's stories."
"I'm telling you the truth."
"No. I don't believe you."
"I know you don't. Even after what you saw you won't let yourself, which is why you'll lose."
"I've heard enough."
//Doyle,// Angel sent, //You might want to block this.//
He closed his fist around the cross dangling from the necklace at her throat.
Outside, in the car, Doyle winced and back at the office, Cordelia did too, as they both felt the burning.
"No, you haven't heard a word and you won't. Not now, not yet. Because there are some things in this world you're just not ready to face."
And he walked out of the warehouse, leaving Kate behind.
When Angel returned to the car, Wesley asked: "Did you – "
"He got away," Angel answered shortly. "Kate's all right."
"She saw something though, didn't she?" Doyle asked aloud.
Angel nodded. Both Angel and Doyle were silent for the rest of the ride back to the office.
When they arrived, Angel turned briefly to Wesley. "Get some sleep. You've been a lot of help today, Wes, thanks. If you want to come by in the morning, you can. If you'd rather not, then we can handle it without you."
"I don't run away from a fight, Angel. At least, not any more. I'll stop by early tomorrow."
Angel nodded. "All right. See you then."
They walked in to the dark, quiet office, both sensing Cordelia waiting in the shadows for them. //Angel...//
She walked toward them and without another word, put her arms around Angel. He stood still in her embrace, not fighting it but not responding, either.
Doyle moved to rest against the vampire's tense back, putting his arms over Cordelia's, joining her in sending out all the reassurance he could.
//I couldn't kill him,// Angel thought.
//It's all right,// Cordelia sent. //Maybe you'll kill him tomorrow.//
//And in the meantime, he'll kill someone else tonight.//
//You can't fix everything at once.//
//You saw a little of... some of what we used to do.//
//It was pretty gross,// Cordelia admitted, still holding him in the warmth of her hug, //but that was a long time ago.//
//How can you even touch me, knowing....?//
//That Angelus liked to cut holes in people who were still alive? And then have sex with Penn through the holes? Yeah, I got that. Kind of over the top on the yuck-o-meter, okay, is that what you want to know?//
Angel let out a sigh that shuddered through his body. //Cordelia...//
//It's okay, Angel. You're not that person – well, that vampire, I mean. Not any more.//
//He's still here.//
//So are we,// Doyle thought firmly, reaching out to stroke Angel's face. //So are we. And we're not goin' anywhere, not now, not ever.//
Angel closed his eyes, holding on desperately to the two warm bodies that embraced him tightly. They both felt the sudden upsurge of need in him and both of them responded, pressing against him, sending waves of acceptance and forgiveness.
//I don't deserve you two,// Angel thought in anguish. //How can you...//
//It doesn't have to be about death or pain, love, not any more,// Doyle soothed. //Let us love you.//
//I'm not fit to be touched... I let him get away...//
//You are our love,// Doyle sent. //You are our life. You're about life now, man, not death, not any more. Been there. Done that. Know the difference.//
//Doyle... don't ever leave me again...//
//Shhh. I won't.//
//I won't let him,// Cordelia sent. //I'll drag him back by the... you know... //
//You already did that, darlin'.//
To his own astonishment, Angel laughed. And then the laugh began to melt into tears and he was melting into their arms, melting under the heat of their hands and their lips and their unconditional love.
Now and forever, that was where he belonged.
And he would do anything that he had to do to protect them.
Anything.
