AUTHORS DEDICATION: Okay, I meant to dedicate The Weak Link, cuz the title to her story and also a line about Angel and his demon being inseparable inspired me to write that part. I also wanted it to be different, but I wrote that before I had read part 2. Part of my idea that I haven't written yet is dangerously close to something in part 2 of Adalisa's Demon In Our Mind, so I'm going to rethink my idea and continue writing the series a little later. But this is pretty much to say thanks to Adalisa for inspiring me to write again. It's been months and months. So THANK YOU!!!

Title: The Weak Link

Author: Drake

Rating: PG(at the most)

Disclaimer: Joss owns everything!

Feedback: If you give it, I'd appreciate it tons! Oh, and constructive criticism is also greatly appreciated. I'd really like to learn my weak points in order to improve. :)

Archive: Well, Whiteknight for sure, and anywhere else that want it.

Spoilers: None that I know of, unless you don't know the casts names.

Notes: This is the first part of my new "What Lies Within" series. It's about Angelus. You know, the demon inside Angel. This first part is kind of a look at what the demon goes through inside Angel. Oh, yeah, and this is Angelus's POV, so he's saying everything. This will be A/X or Aus/X in later parts. It takes place after Angel comes back in season 3 and before Graduation. But as for canon...well, it's almost nonexistant other than those 2 events.

WEAK LINK

By Drake

It's dark. Of course, it's always dark in here. I have barely enough light to see myself. Luckily I've had centuries to learn my way around my small space. Given, to a normal person, it might seem like a mansion, but let's see how small it is when it's your entire world.

I walk to the center room. It's where I'm the strongest. It's where I have the most control. That control is excrutiatingly limited, but I still manage to have a little fun from time to time. As I walk up the dark red steps to my most personal of chambers, they pulse beneath my feet, as if in anticipation. I wonder if they know something I don't.

The liquid walls of the room greet me. Though the light is almost nonexistant, they are clearly visible in the distance, pulsing... glowing their deep red...they are alive, you know. Allow me to explain. I am not in a normal house. I am inside a person. Inside his very mind. If you do not understand, you will later.

I walk towards the center of the room, to the obelisk rising from the floor. It glows the same eery light that eminates from the walls, it's light seemingly swallowed by the darkness only the smallest of distances from itself. Upon arriving at the obelisk, I see an indentation, one that is very familiar to me by now. It vaguely resembles a chair. I sit in it, it's curves fitting me perfectly.

I look to the left, a longing falling over me that has done so a million times these past centuries. The section I look at glows brighter than the rest of the wall, as if mocking me. It is my only release from this place, yet I can only go out through it when "he" comes in. He only does so when he has a moment of "absolute happiness." It happend once, but that little "witch" put forced me back.

Of course, the torment I saw my "host" go through in those following centuries, millenia even, was satisfaction enough. But a couple months ago, that torment ended. You have no idea how boring it is to me to not only be stuck here, but to also have no suffering to amuse me. But I digress...

I look up, to my only visual contact to the world outside. Of course, I'm seeing it through "his" eyes, so it looks so...happy. He sees people smiling and he doesn't even harm them. It's sickening, believe you me.

I rest my arms, and am practically absorbed into the obelisk. I can see clearer, and now I can even hear, smell, taste, and feel what my host does. I've dubbed this "full-neural-interface mode". Occasionally, but only in his weakest of moments, I can use this to exert control. It only lasts a second, or two if I'm lucky, but I always try to make the most of it. In the end, the choice is his, however, and he never chooses what I want. He's greedy, if you ask me.

Something flashes across our vision. I had been so deep in thought, I almost didn't notice. "He" had looked at someone. There! He looked again! I listen to his thoughts. I can't tell everything, but I know that these brief glances excite him. Lust if I'm not mistaken. There! One more time...no! It can't be...I laugh for the first time in centuries.

This is too grand. Oh how could I have been such a fool? Every time I've tried to exert my authority, I've used the "girl". That little slayer girl...well, I'm glad he never noticed that his feelings towards her were fabricated. I was very very subtle. I've been with him for centuries. I guess he hides things very well, too. Never, if I hadn't seen this evidence myself, would I have suspected my host was more interested in men! I rewind, and display the frozen image in the corner of the screen. Studying it, I understand why. This guy is definitely tasty. And for once I'm not talking about dinner.

As I look at this young boy...this young, *mortal* boy, a plan formulates. Angel, old buddy, I must thank you. I think you've just inadvertantly told me your weak link. And his name--Xander Harris. Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha...

~part 2 soon~