Under the Forbidden Sun
Part 8 – Complications
Oz crept quietly by Giles’ house, hoping to catch sight of the mistress or one of the mistress’ others. On his second pass, he heard something coming from the kitchen and moved closer. He could make out what the noise was: sex, loud sex. Groans, growls, snarls, and moans penetrated the night. With a sudden jerk, Oz realized he recognized both voices. One was Angel; the other had to be Doyle, though he’d actually only ever heard the half-demon screaming in anguish. Never speaking, or fucking, as the case may be.
Not wishing to be a voyeur, Oz snuck back through the night, retreating to his hotel room. He touched the silver wolf’s head that hung from his left ear and hoped the mistress would contact him soon.
Jericho looked over into the passenger’s seat of the T-bird where Malachi was curled up. The poor boy had spent almost the entire trip with headphones on, thanks to the two in the backseat. He was sleeping now, the headphones perched precariously, ready to slip off his ears.
She then glanced at Spike and Xander, though she knew she really needn’t bother. The two had been having sex almost non-stop the entire trip. And while it had been hilarious for the first five hours, amusing for the next 4 or so, it was getting tiring and she wished they would take a longer break than half an hour.
“Hey, you two,” she said, noticing they appeared to be done for a few minutes. Two sets of eyes fixed on her, one set dazed brown and the other smug cerulean. “How about stopping the sexcapades for a few hours? I think you broke the record for consecutive amounts of sex in a car.”
“Don’t know about that, luv,” smirked Spike. “We weren’t really trying, now were we?”
“If that wasn’t ‘really trying’,” Jericho said, feigning horror, “I would hate to see it when you did try!”
“Prob’ly wear the boy out, though,” Spike said. He pulled the now sleeping male closer to him. “I’d have to get him nice and rested up first. Don’t know if I’d have that much patience.” Yawning, Spike asked, “How much longer?”
“‘Til the prophecy comes to pass, or ‘til we get to Sunnydale?”
“Both,” said Spike. “But knowing you, I’ll go with how long until we get to Sunnyhell.”
“About seven more hours, less if I speed.”
“Put that pedal down, then, luv. What’re you waiting for?”
“Mr. Giles? Rupert Giles?”
“Yes,” said Giles worriedly.
“I’m Dr. Bougher. You’re Buffy’s… father?”
“Guardian.”
“Of course. Could I speak with you in private?”
The doctor led Giles into a secluded room. “How is she?”
“She’s lost a lot of blood and she’s unconscious right now, but she’s going to be fine.” Giles sighed with relief, then tensed at the doctor’s next words. “Do you know why she would do something like this?”
“Well, actually,” he searched for a second, trying to remember the excuses given to the hospital, “her boyfriend and another good friend were killed by a gang a few nights ago, and her younger sister was killed in a mugging that same night. While we were here, actually. And a visiting friend was mauled and killed by a pack of dogs yesterday.”
Dr. Bougher stared at Giles for a moment, stunned. Then he said, “I… see. Well, we’re going to have to keep Buffy here for a few days after she regains consciousness. You can go in to see her now.”
“Thank you.”
“Tired, Wesley?” asked Joholen tauntingly. “I know you could do so much better than that cold, hard floor.”
“Go away,” snapped Wesley.
“I’m hurt. Really,” said Joholen unconvincingly. Then his eyes lit up, looking remarkably like a flickering fire, “And here I thought you wanted me. I was certain you were just thinking about grabbing me, stripping me down, and teasing me until I beg for mercy.”
Wesley’s eyes widened, then narrowed, “Stop doing that.”
“Doing what?” was the innocent reply.
“Reading my mind. It’s an invasion of my privacy,” snapped Wesley.
“Oh, come on. Anyone can tell what you’re thinking. You’re being ridiculously stubborn, you know. I’m not asking all that much here.”
“Only that I be your whore!”
“I never said that.”
“Not in so many words, but the implications are there.”
“You could be so much more than just a whore. It all depends on what you’re willing to sacrifice.”
“And if I sacrifice nothing?”
“Except your dignity, Watcher, for then you would be nothing but a whore,” said Joholen matter of factly.
“And if I said I would sacrifice everything?” Wesley said softly, without the angry fire that fueled his other remarks.
“I would lay the world at your feet.”
Doyle rolled away from the cool body he had been clinging to, and shakily got to his feet. The vampire on the floor just murmured a bit of nonsense and continued sleeping.
“Shit!” said Doyle softly. “Shit, shit, shit! How could I have done that? I’m so stupid.” He walked stiffly over to the kitchen table and stared at the words that still lay there:
‘Lost and found twice before, the dark savior will again fall to the devils
Unless the one already fallen is restored to the regal Hell.
Coming together, the dark saint and the fallen one set in motion
That which was written in the blood of the saved souls.’
Cursing again, Doyle swept his arm across the smooth surface, scattering the scraps of napkin that formed part of the prophecy. A noise behind him, made the half-demon turn around. Staring into golden eyes and a ridged face, Doyle swallowed audibly, “H-hello, Angelus.”
Willow sat in the waiting room at the hospital while Giles sat with Buffy. After glancing at the magazine choices, she pulled out the prophecy, hoping to discover something that would help them discern the meaning. She read the middle lines three times before sighing in frustration.
She let her thought wander for a moment, thinking to clear her head. She thought of the odd contents of Spike and Xander’s drawers, which triggered another memory. “Spike! The chip!” she said aloud. Quickly, she poured down the lines of the prophecy. There it was: ‘One filled with a bloody rage Caught then freed from a metal cage.’
Willow ran over to the room where Buffy and Giles were. “Giles. Giles, come here for a minute.”
“What is it, Willow?” he asked, exiting the room.
“Look,” she showed him the line. “That’s Spike, it has to be.”
“Spike?”
“Bloody rage, that’s William the Bloody. Caught then freed from a metal cage. Giles, his chip! He was trapped by his chip and now he’s free from it!”
“Oh, dear. You’re right. We should get back to the house. Angel will need to know,” said Giles.
“Wait,” Willow stopped him. “Spike’s the second line and Xander’s the third line of that second section. But wasn’t Angel, or actually Angelus the fourth line? Should we really tell him?”
“As long as he’s not Angelus, I’m sure it will be fine. And according to the prophecy that now resides on my kitchen table, Angel will only lose his soul with the fallen one…” Giles trailed off as he thought of something disturbing. “Willow, let me see the prophecy.” He skimmed it until he found the line he was looking for: ‘One seemed gone but not at all Shall rise again to forever fall.’ “We have to get back, now!”
Wesley sat in his empty cell, staring at the wall. Joholen was offering him everything he could ever desire. But would it be enough to abandon Angel and the rest of their group? He sighed, realizing that yes, it would be enough. More than enough. Every time the Saveric demon entered the room, it took all Wesley’s willpower not to jump the flame-eyed demon.
Joholen watched the mortal intently. As soon as Wesley agreed to be his companion, they could leave for the Hellmouth. Jericho would be waiting, and Joholen hated being on the receiving end when she happened to lose her temper.
Smiling, he entered the room, startling Wesley out of his contemplation. Joholen caught Wesley’s eyes with his own, “Well, Wesley. Have you decided?”
Wesley stared directly into the flickering orange orbs, “I have.”
“And?”
“I am yours, now and forever.”
Giles and Willow raced back to the house as fast as they could. Neither one noticed a dark shadow watching them as they entered the house. “Doyle? Doyle, are you here?” called Giles.
“I-in the kitchen,” came Doyle’s trembling voice.
Giles and Willow entered the kitchen and stopped in shock. Still naked, Doyle had been backed into a corner of the kitchen. Angelus was watching the half-demon with a maniacal glint in his eyes.
“Angel?” asked Willow nervously.
“Try again,” purred the vampire.
“Angelus,” stated Giles.
“Very good. Now,” the vampire turned toward the two humans, “we can do this the easy way or the hard way. I prefer the hard way, what about you?”
Willow’s hand fumbled in her pocket and she pulled out a vial. Before Angelus could react, she removed the cork and dashed the contents in his face, holy water. Willow darted from the room, with Giles following close behind. The two were quickly out the door and running.
Angelus snarled in rage and pain, “I guess we do this the really hard way.” He stalked over to the front door, but before he even grasped the handle, it was thrust open. Angelus snarled at the figure in the doorway.
“Don’t. It’s not time yet,” said Oz, stepping into the house. “The mistress will be here soon.”
Angelus narrowed his eyes at the werewolf, “I have no mistress.”
“But you will,” replied Oz. “You belong to her. The same as I do. The same as Doyle.”
“Wake up, boys,” sing-songed Jericho. “We’re almost ho-ome!”
Spike and Xander stirred groggily in the backseat. “Hmmm, whzt?” mumbled Xander.
“Home sweet Hellmouth. Soon to be site of our ultimate victory,” said Jericho.
“Oh,” Xander snuggled back into Spike and attempted to fall back asleep.
But he was unable to. “Bloody hell! We’ve got to go back!”
“Why?” asked Jericho, a bit puzzled.
“You didn’t run the soddin’ sign over!” exclaimed Spike.
“Oh,” said Jericho, putting the T-bird in reverse and smashing into the ‘Welcome to Sunnydale’ sign.
“That’s better,” muttered Spike.
Xander sighed in exasperation, “Y’know, Spike. It’s not absolutely necessary to do that EVERY time.”
“ ‘Course it is, luv,” said Spike. “It’s tradition.”
“I thought it was tradition to whack it on the way out of town.”
“In, out. It’s all the same.”
“What do we do now?” asked Willow, panting heavily.
“I suggest we find a safe place to stay and consider our options,” said Giles.
“Where can we go? Angel’s been invited into my house and he can go into the shop and the hospital.”
“What about Xander and Spike’s apartment?”
“I don’t know,” said Willow thoughtfully. “But what about when Spike and Xander get back? They’re part of the prophecy, too. So they’re all going to have to work together.”
“Hmm,” Giles thought for a second.
“Tara’s with Buffy right now. Why don’t we get her and perform the uninvited spell at Buffy’s house?”
“Good idea,” said Giles. “Let’s go.”
Jericho pulled the car up in front of Giles’ house and they all piled out, stretching sore muscles. Spike and Xander led the way into the house, with Jericho and Malachi following after them.
“Oz!” exclaimed Xander. “What’re you doing here, man?”
“Waiting.”
“Where’s Giles? And the girls?”
“Buffy’s in the hospital and Giles and Willow… left.”
Xander gave a startled yelp when a hand brushed across his back. “Angel! Don’t sneak up on a guy like that!”
Spike stared intently at the other vampire for a second, then he snarled and pulled Xander into his arms. “That ain’t Angel,” he snarled. “That’s Angelus.”
“That’s my boy,” sneered Angelus. “Always one for stating the obvious.”
“Stay away or I’ll rip your intestines out through your nose,” Spike threatened.
“Now, now, boys. Play nice,” said Jericho. “Can’t you two get along even for a minute?”
“Maybe if he wasn’t such a pathetic git I would,” snarled Spike, his eyes flecked with gold.
“I’ll teach you to insult me!” raged Angelus, moving toward his growling childe.
Jericho moved between the two. “Stop that now!” she commanded. Both vampires fell silent. “That’s better. Now, I need you two to overcome your difference. We all have to work together.”
“Why?” asked Xander. He held tightly to Spike, who was shaking with suppressed rage.
“The prophecy,” said Doyle, who had gone unnoticed before. “It’s nearly time.”
Jericho smiled at the half-demon and he shrank back from the evil grin. Angelus moved between Doyle and the green-haired demon. “Mine,” he growled.
“No,” said Jericho, her eyes flashing like purple lightening. “He’s mine. And you are too.” She walked up to the angry vampire and placed her hand on his forehead for a moment. The two glowed violet, then returned to normal. Jericho handed Angelus a silver hoop with a miniature claddaugh hanging from it. “Put that on.” The vampire hesitated for a second, then placed it securely in his left ear.
“Now that we have that nonsense out of the way, let’s get down to business.” Jericho turned to Malachi, “Your father will be arriving shortly. Let us know when he gets here.”
“Of course, Aunt Jericho,” said the boy, as Jericho led the others into the kitchen.