Title: And You Were There Too Author: Ashlee E-mail: RubysAndPearls@aol.comDisclaimer: Personally, I would kill myself if I owned Angel right now. Yeah, don't own them, don't sue. Distribution: Sure, why not? Just tell me where it is going. Rating: PG-13 just some naughty words. Pairings: B/A is the main one plus season three couples. Summary: Angel had a dream. Angel's POV Feedback: Puh puh please? Author's Note: This is my wicked way of coping! Timeline: All the shows up until now, but then it goes back to season three. Sounds confusing but just read it. ********
"Were we in love?" Her question hung in the air and it choked me. Vampire don't choke, of course, but it felt like an icy cold grip around my heart. How the fuck was I supposed to answer that?
I didn't need to.
Everything started to fade around me and Cordelia. Not in the romantic way but everything was well...fading. The hotel was turning shades of black and melting into the background while the garden looked like nothing but a gray blob. Cordelia looked at me expectantly, as if the world wasn't turning out around us.
"What the..." I mutter, confusion settling over me. The blonde in front of me, I liked her better as a brunette, seemed frozen in front of me. I reached an arm out and it seemed to go right through her.
"Cordy?" I mutter and she too finally fell into the dark oblivion. I stood there alone, a voice and a familiar presence tugging at the corner of my mind.
"What? Did he just say Cordy?" A familiar voice rang loudly in my ear, even though I was the only here.
My eyes shoot open with a gasp and I sit up quickly, knocking heads with the person in front of me. I lay back down, nursing my head.
"Okay. Ow." Buffy muttered, rubbing her forehead. Wait, Buffy? I'm laying down? I looked around with a startled confusion. I was laying in a bed, shirtless. I blinked several times to make sure I was seeing what I thought I was seeing. Holy shit...
The whole Scooby Gang, Wesley and Giles included, were staring at me with anxiety and relief evident in their eyes. We were in my old bedroom in the mansion.
"Sleeping Beauty is finally awake." Xander quipped.
"Phew, that's a relief, for a second there I thought we got the wrong cure." Willow looked at me happily, a sweet concerned smile on her face. Oz had a strong arm around her shoulder, holding her close at the end of my bed.
"Cure?" I looked confused. "What am I doing here?"
My eyes fall on the next person I see and I almost laugh. Cordelia Chase, with long brown hair, an arrogant and conceded air around her.
"Cordelia?" I chuckle. I feel no shiver down my spine or a smile quirking at my lips while I take her in. Its all missing, gone. The only person my body feels is the one hovering over me as if I was a piece of glass. I turn to Buffy and she blushes, looking down at her hands.
"Again with the Cordelia thing." Xander snorts possessively, giving me a glare. My brow furrows.
"You got hit with an arrow, remember?" Buffy whispers softly, touching a sore spot on my shoulder. I look down at the angry red patch of skin, it was healed but tender. It all came back to me.
"But that happened so long ago..."I muttered, trying to rid myself of the distraction of my skin against my lover's. Oh boy, I'm already referring to her as my lover and I don't even know where the hell I am.
"Try a couple days ago. Before Graduation, you passed out. We thought you were gone for good." Willow filled in.
"What? No, that never happened. I went to LA, I was just talking to Cordelia and all of a sudden I'm here, in Sunnydale." I corrected her, something was up. My memory of my life in LA was slowly fading back to my mind, as if didn't really happen.
"Well, you passed out, missing the showdown between the mayor and Buffster. In less you slept walked to LA, you were in this bed." Xander looked at his best friend proudly and I controlled the urge to growl. My fingers found hers, gripping them tightly. Buffy looked at me, relief and love evident in her eyes.
"I tried to cure you," Buffy blushed again and touched the scar on her neck. "You came to for a couple minutes while you were...but then you were sleeping since then."
My scar, I almost smile that it makes Buffy embarrassed. I remember vividly the way she was thrashing under me, moaning at the pain and pleasure. I snap myself out my thoughts and try to concentrate on the problem at hand. Was it so much a problem? I couldn't help but asking.
"I was sleeping..." I trailed off. Does this mean that everything that happened in LA, was just a dream. A long drawn out nightmare?
"You blew up the school, right?" I asked, my attention turned towards Giles. Giles looked a bit perplexed.
"Certainly not, but that would have been another option. While the students distracting Mr. Wilkins, many of us were quipped with several rocket launchers. It took a while but we got him down." Giles looked mighty proud of his Scooby's. I was too, even though things happened differently before...in my dream.
"You must of had a hell of a dream." Cordelia muttered. I look at her, it was ironic that she out of all people would say that. I'm starting to remember the main points in my dream and I have to chuckle to myself. It does seem pretty ridiculous.
"Well, I had a son that was in love with you." I look to Cordelia, leaving out the part where I thought I felt something for her as well.
"Was there a man named Jerry Springer in that dream?" Xander chuckled to himself. I looked confused. Jerry who?
"Pop culture reference." Buffy noticed my look. I smile a thanks at her and she gives my hand a squeeze.
"I was sunk to the bottom of the ocean, Buffy had a sister, Darla was brought back, Willow was a lesbian..."
"Thanks, man." Oz put in and Willow looked confused.
"But...I'm not a lesbian. I like guys." She defended herself and looked to her boyfriend. "I like you and you are a guy."
Oz silenced her with a quick peck on the lips.
"Who was I in your dream?" A voice asked quietly to my side, I turned to look at my gorgeous blonde. I smiled slightly, thinking of the one of the most perfect moments.
"I was human for a day and we made love for hours." I whisper gently to her. She looks up at me, sadness in her eyes. I suddenly remember that I broke up with her a few days before. My stomach lurches at the thought of leaving her for the life that might be my dream. I bring her hand up to my lips, gently brushing them against her soft knuckles.
"I bet I was some great guy in your dreams. I must have been some Spiderman or something, right?" Xander looked hopeful.
"Nah, you were myself." I replied.
"God, that must have been the worst nightmare ever, then." Cordelia snapped.
"Wesely, you were there. You became a rouge demon hunter but then...you started to do it with this bitch lawyer." I smiled at Wesely who was looking a bit left out.
"I feel honored." He muttered.
"Well, I believe Angel is very exhausted, we should all leave him alone." Giles rounded the gang up and everyone bid their farewells. Buffy was the only one that stayed by my side.
"I was worried." She whispered, tears threatening to spill from her beautiful eyes. "You just wouldn't wake up and I thought that I was too late, that I was going to loose you."
I quickly wrap my arms around her, bringing her down to lay with me. I smelled her strawberry shampoo and kiss the top of her head. I ran smooth patterns on her back with my finger tips.
"Shh, its okay. I'm here." I love comforting her. It was almost a natural thing to do when she starts to cry.
"Yeah but for how long?" She snaps bitterly, laying her head down on my cool chest.
"Forever." I whisper gently. She looked up at me.
"So your not leaving?" She asks. I pause for a moment. What if this all wasn't a dream? What if that was just a premonition? Even though, life would be hell. I saved a lot of people, they would die if I wasn't there. Right?
"Just for a little bit, but I'll be back. I just have to check some things out." I promise to her. She closes her eyes and soon drifts into a peaceful sleep. I stay awake, watching over her, my mind plagued with thoughts.
******** The next night, I took a trip down to LA, I drove to were the Wolfram and Hart building used to stand, there was nothing there but a strip mall. I felt large satisfaction building up in me. I even spat on the ground where it stood in my dream, feeling a large burden off my shoulders.
The Hyperion, which I also checked out, is now a full running hotel. The wealthy managers were a couple named Fred and Gunn. I took my time to introduce myself and get to know them. I'm sure they thought I was probably crazy but I told them were they could find me if they had any supernatural trouble.
The drive home seemed to stretch forever but it was worth it. I walked into the mansion to find Buffy waiting for me. I smiled to myself, thinking about what a stupid decision I made for breaking up with her.
Who knows? Maybe my life would have been that nightmare if I decided to leave her. Things are better this way.
|