Bonded

Chapter Twelve

 

Summer’s House

Dawn walks in the front door. She looks into the living room knowing what she will see. Buffy sits curled on the end of the sofa. Dark circles around her eyes give her skin a pale translucent sheen. She stares intently at the book clasped in her hands. Stack of other books cover the floor and tables. Dawn turns her gaze to Angel slumped in his chair. His eyes move from watching his lover to Dawn’s concerned face.

Angel: Hello Dawn.

Dawn: Angel. Still researching?

Angel: Yes.

Dawn: But nothing?

Angel: Not yet.

Dawn: Buffy?

Getting no response she walks over and touches her leg. Buffy looks up slowly.

Dawn: How are you?

Buffy: Alive.

Dawn: Have you slept at all?

Buffy: I will sleep when Conner is back in his bed.

She turns back to the book, ending the conversation. Dawn looks back at Angel who is deep into his own book. She walks into the kitchen and fixes a sandwich. She watches the couple with deep concern. As she sits nibbling at the food, the backdoor opens. Willow walks in carrying an armload of books.

Dawn: More research.

Willow: Yes.

She glances in the living room and sets the stack on the counter.

Dawn: It has been five days and all she does is research books from sunup to sundown and patrol form sundown to sunup.

Willow: I know honey but she is eating and she is not shutdown.

Dawn: And well at least Angel made her take a shower yesterday.

Willow: He did kinda look Cro-Magnon carrying her up the stairs over his shoulder.

Dawn: Willow?

Willow: Yes?

Dawn: If don’t find Connor, will she ever be okay?

Willow: Let’s not even think that way. We will find him and get him back.

Dawn: Are we going to call Giles? He may be able to help.

Willow: Already done. He is researching using all the council’s records.

Dawn: Thank god. Now he should be able to find something.

Willow: One way or the other we will find Shajhain or something to tell us where he took Connor.

She lifts up the stack of books and carries them in and set them on the coffee table.

Willow: Found these in the basement of the Magic Box.

Buffy: Thanks.

She looks back to her book and turns the page. Willow turns to Angel. She tilts her head to the kitchen and he gets up and follows her in.

Willow: Do you think you can get her to take a small nap?

Angel: No. I’ve tried. She won’t even lie down with me.

Willow: We could try to slip her something to make her sleep.

Angel: No. If she can go five days without sleep, she will fight the drug too. And she may stop eating if she thinks we are putting stuff in it.

Willow sighs.

Angel: Have you heard form the others?

Willow: Nothing but they are still at it.

Angel glances in the living room.

Angel: If we don’t find something anything soon, we may lose her again.

Willow: I know and I don’t see her coming back a third time.

Dawn: Willow?

Willow: Yes Dawnie?

Dawn: Remember the nerd trio?

Willow: Of course.

Dawn hands her the newspaper. Willow stares at the headline. Local Man sues Nabbitt Industries for High Tech Robbery. She sits reading the article.

Angel: What is it?

Willow: Seems that Jonathan Levinson has proof he created some software prototype and is taking one of the software companies to court over copywrite infringements.

Angel: Let me see that.

He glances at the article and then picks up the phone and dials.

Angel: David please. Just tell him its Angel……………Hi David………no I don’t need your help but I think you need mine. I was just reading in the paper about the lawsuit…………….I know you didn’t. Listen I know this guy and I also suspect he and a couple of friends have mastered time travel………….Yes I’m serious…………..Yes, yes don’t offer him anything. Let me see what I can do first……Sure. I will call you as soon as I know more. ….Bye

He hangs up.

Willow: Uh who was that?

Angel David Nabbitt.

Willow: You know David Nabbitt?

Angel: Yeah, I handle a case for him a couple years ago.

Willow: Oh.

He walks into the living room and looks at Buffy.

Angel: Buffy?

She looks up at him expectantly.

Angel: The nerd crew have struck again.

Buffy: So. Did they kill someone?

Angel: No. Just more time travel robbery.

Buffy jumps up and looks at him.

Buffy: Time Travel!!! Did you say time travel?

Angel: Yes. Oh god Buffy no.

Buffy: Yes! This is just what we need.

Angel: No baby. We just need to stop them.

Buffy: No, we just need to find out how they do it.

Angel sighs.

Buffy peaks out the window.

Buffy: How long before sunset?

Angel: About two hours.

Buffy: Willow!!!!

Willow walks in.

Willow: You find something?

Buffy: Huh? No, I need you to find where they are staying.

Willow: Staying? Who staying?

Buffy: Warren and his group. I need you to find them.

Willow: I…well I know they left the other house after the invisibility thing.

Buffy: I know that. I want to know where they are now.

Willow: I guess I can get on the net and try. Not sure where to start.

Dawn: Uh how about bills. I know ours have no problem finding us.

Buffy: That’s true enough.

Willow: I will try.

Buffy: You got two hours.

Willow: Buffy.

Buffy: When that sun sets I am out that door and I need to know where the I am going. Angel, come with me.

She moves toward the stairs with renewed vigor. He follows her up to their room. He finds her digging through their trunks, pulling out chains and weapons.

Angel: Slow down baby.

Buffy turns on him angrily.

Buffy: He has been gone 5 days. Count them. Five . You know how he hates to be away from his own bed. Away from us. I refuse to do that to him any longer than necessary cause you want to think it through.

Angel: Don’t.

Buffy: Don’t what? Don’t die inside cause he is gone? Don’t want to do anything I can to bring him back? Well I am sorry I can’t.

Angel: You say that as if you think I don’t care. Damn it he is my son. It was my job to protect him. My most important job and I failed. I failed him. And….

Buffy: Don’t say it. Don’t you dare say it.

She looks into his tear filled eyes and calms down.

Buffy: Angel, you promised me we would find him. I need to believe that.

Angel: I believe it. I have to.

He pulls her into his arms and clings to her. Her head rest against his chest.

Angel: Buffy, we will find him. It might not be today. It might not be tomorrow. But I know deep down I will see him again. I can‘t believe otherwise.

She pulls back and looks up into his eyes

Buffy: Then help me find Warren

Angel: I will. You know that. But he is not the answer.

Buffy: Damn it Angel. He has mastered time travel We know that. And if we can find out how, then all we have to do is find Conner and go get him.

Angel: I know. But one will not lead directly to the other.

Buffy: I know that. But we can be prepared.

Angel: I don’t think you are.

Buffy: I am what?

Angel: Prepared. Buffy you can not go on like this.

Buffy: Like what?

Angel: Without any rest. When it is time, will you be too exhausted to help?

Buffy: I can sleep when Connor is home.

Angel reaches out and strokes her cheek.

Angel: I know how you feel. But I am scared I will lose you before we get him home. I can’t do that again.

Buffy: I am here and I am fine.

Angel: Do you love me?

Buffy gasp at him.

Buffy: Of course I do.

Angel: Do you trust me?

Buffy: With my life.

Angel: Then please listen. You need to let your body rest.

Buffy jerks back.

Angel: One hour. That is all I am asking. One hour.

Buffy: No.

Angel: Lie down with me for 60 minutes and let your body recharge.

She stands shaking her head.

Angel: Then we get up and kick Warren and his cohort’s asses.

She smiles slightly.

Angel: Then we find whatever they are using to go back in time.

Buffy: So you agree with me?

Angel: I never said I didn’t. I am just asking you to step back for a second and let your body rest. I am not asking you to stop trying. Just give me one hour.

He looks into her green eyes and gives her small smile.

Angel: Please?

Buffy: One hour?

Angel: Yes.

Buffy: 60 minutes, not one minute more.

He nods.

Angel: I promise.

Buffy sighs.

He opens the door and yells.

Angel: Dawn!!!

The teen runs up the stairs and into the room.

Dawn: Yes?

Angel takes off his watch.

Angel: It is 4:22. Take my watch and come back here at exactly 5:22. Not one minute later.

Dawn: Sure, but what’s up.

Angel: We are taking a nap.

Dawn looks to Buffy and smiles.

Dawn: 5:22, I got it.

Buffy: Don’t be late.

Dawn: I won’t. I promise.

As she leaves and closes the door, Angel lies down and beacons to Buffy. She lies beside him and he spoons his body around hers. He sighs as he feels her relax into him. Both are almost immediately asleep.

Time flies by and suddenly Angel’s eyes fly open as a light from the open door hits his face.

Dawn: 5:22.

Angel strokes Buffy’s shoulder until she opens her eyes. She looks up at Dawn who holds up the watch. Buffy quickly sits up.

Buffy: Did you find anything?

Dawn: Nothing under Warren Mears or Jonathan Levinson.

The trio heads for the stairs.

Buffy: What about the blonde guy?

Dawn: Do you know his name?

Buffy: No. I don’t remember ever seeing him before.

Dawn: Willow either.

As they reach the bottom of the stairs there is a knock on the door. Dawn moves to open it. And stands there before throwing her arms around the visitor. Buffy looks out.

Buffy: Xander!

Willow comes running from the dining room. Xander hugs his two best friends and slowly enters the house.

Xander: Angel.

Angel: Xander.

Buffy quickly shifts gears.

Buffy: Willow, Dawn said you did not find anything.

Willow: No.

Buffy follows Willow back to the computer on the dining room table.

Buffy: We need to remember the other guy’s name.

Xander: Yo guys, what is going on.

Dawn: Conner’s been taken.

Xander: Oh god no. When?

Dawn: Five days ago.

Willow: Xander, do you remember us talking about the three nerds?

Xander: Of course. Don’t tell me they took him.

Buffy: No a time travel demon but the nerds have been time traveling so I want to know how.

Dawn: So when they find out when Conner is they can go get him.

Xander: Oh. What about the nerds?

Buffy: Who are they?

Xander: You said the robot guy Warren, Jonathan, and Tucker’s brother, I thought.

Buffy: That’s it. Tucker’s brother. Mr. Hellhounds at prom. Last name?

Willow: Wells.

She begins typing.

Angel: Hellhounds?

Buffy: Oh yeah, you missed it. You were late.

Angel: I came.

Buffy: You did.

Willow: Got it. Andrew Wells. New service connection with Sunnydale Public Works.

Buffy: Address?

Willow: 125B Crawford Street.

Angel: My gatehouse?

Buffy: What?

Angel: That is the gatehouse for my mansion. They nerds are my new tenants.

Xander: What? You still own the mansion?

Buffy: My question.

Angel: Yes. And I rent out the gatehouse to pay the property taxes. Local realtor takes care of it.

Buffy: So you never sold it?

Angel: No. I didn’t.

Xander: Who would want it?

Buffy: We can discuss this later. Let’s go.

Angel: I agree.

He turns and they begin assembling weapons.

Buffy: Willow, can you stay with Dawn?

Willow: Of course. You know I will.

Buffy: Thanks.

She glances out to see the sun finish setting.

Buffy: Let’s lock and load.

Buffy, Angel, and Xander head out the door. They climb in the convertible and head to Crawford Street. Angel slips the car into the garage of the mansion and stops the engine. The trio climbs out.

Angel: Why don’t you two slip around back in case they try to slip out that way.

Buffy: What are you going to do?

Angel: Introduce myself to the new tenants.

Buffy nods. She and Xander head around to the back of the small house. Angel waits for them to get in position and approaches the front door. He knocks sharply. The sound reverberates throughout the night air. He notices a movement of a curtain and then listens as there is a scurry of feet inside. His vampire hearing listens to the activity within.

Warren: Who is it?

Jonathan: Buffy’s ex-boyfriend.

Warren: The blonde soldier guy?

Jonathan: No the one before him. The vampire.

Warren: Vampire? She dated a vampire?

Jonathan: All through high school.

Andrew: You mean the dark haired extremely good looking one?

Jonathan and Warren look at him oddly.

Andrew: I mean the girls thought so. He is a vampire?

Jonathan: Yes.

Angel pounds on the door again.

Jonathan: What do we do?

Warren: Nothing. He can’t come in if we don’t invite him.

Jonathan: Right.

Warren: So answer the door and tell him to go away.

Andrew: And the slayer?

Warren: She is his ex. She has had others. I don’t see them bonding to take us down. Do you Jonathan?

Jonathan: No. Not really. She was really into that Riley fellow.

Warren: Right.

Angel knocks again.

Warren: So answer the dang door and get rid of him.

He shoves Jonathan toward the door. He moves and slowly opens the door. He stares up to the man towering above him.

Jonathan: Uh, can I help you?

Angel: Hello Jonathan.

Jonathan: You know who I am?

Angel: I know all the students that went to school with Buffy.

Jonathan: Oh.

Angel: Speaking of Buffy. She tells me you have been causing her a bit of grief lately.

Jonathan backs away from the door. Angel looks into the room at the other two.

Angel: So you must be Warren and Andrew.

Andrew: G..G…Go away.

Warren: Calm down. He can’t come in.

Jonathan: Right.

He looks over at Angel in the doorway and tries to summon confidence.

Jonathan: You can go away. We are not letting you in.

Andrew: Yeah.

Angel smiles and steps in through the doorway. Jonathan and Andrew run behind Warren.

Warren: Hey you can’t do that.

Angel walks closer.

Jonathan: I thought there were rules. You can not come in here without an invitation.

Angel moves closer and leans into Warren’s face and smiles.

Angel: I don’t need an invitation. I own the place.

Jonathan and Andrew dash for the back of the house and fall over each other. They scream in pain as they hit the ground. Angel glances at them and back to Warren.

Angel: So I guess it is just you and me.

Warren: What do you want?

Angel: Hmm. What do I want?

They both look toward the back of the house as they hear Jonathan scream. Buffy and Xander escort the two back into the living room.

Buffy: You going to let these two leave?

Angel: I knew you would stop them.

Jonathan: You…you can’t hurt us.

Angel: I can’t?

Jonathan: No. The slayer don’t kill humans.

Angel: You are right about that. But I’m not the slayer and no one said a thing about killing.

Jonathan and Andrew sigh.

Angel: But maiming is a different thing.

He smirks.

Angel: I have a lot of experience in torture. I can spend forever causing all sorts of pain without ever killing anyone.

He walks closer to Andrew.

Angel: You believe me don’t you?

Andrew nods and Angel turns quickly as he sees Warren move.

Angel: I will have you down before you can get close to that door.

Warren: I’m not going anywhere.

He pulls out a pistol and aims it at Angel. Angel smiles and moves closer.

Warren: Stop. I will use this.

Angel laughs: Go ahead. You can’t kill me.

Warren whips the gun toward Buffy and smiles.

Warren: I can kill her.

Angel: But you won’t. Cause you even try to harm one hair on my wife’s head I will kill you.

Warren looks back and forth between Buffy and Angel. He backs against a wall still holding the gun.

Warren: I…I…I

Angel: Yes?

Warren: What do you want? We never really hurt her.

Angel: No but you are not all sweet and innocent either.

Warren: What a few time loops and little invisibility? No biggy.

Xander: Add in the attempt to kill her twice.

Jonathan: We didn’t try to kill her. Never. We voted not to.

Andrew: Yeah. We just wanted to make her…..

Angel: Make her what?

Andrew: Uh nothing.

Angel growls.

Andrew: Our…our..our sex bunny.

Angel glares at him angrily and growls.

Jonathan: But we didn‘t.

Xander: No, you just sent a M’Fashnik demon to the house.

Jonathan: What?

He glares at Warren.

Jonathan: Warren?

Angel: It keeps coming back to you. Seems your friends are laying all this on you. And seeing as you are the only one with a gun I am prone to believe them.

He stalks toward Warren. Warren’s hands shakes and Angel uses his vampire speed to deflect his arm upward as the trigger is pulled. Buffy grabs Xander and they fall on the floor on top of the other two. She looks up to see Warren on the floor as Angel towers over him. The gun lies on the floor. She goes to get up and notices Warren hit his wrist against his thigh. Warren disappears momentary and returns as fast with the gun again in hand pointing at her. She glances down and the gun is no longer on the floor. Before she react, she hears the sound and feels herself falling back down. She lands and looks into Xander’s eyes.

Buffy: Xander?

Xander: I..I..

Buffy: Angel!!!!

She looks over at Warren unconscious and Angel in game face. He turns to the panic in her voice. He glances at the blood on the floor.

Buffy: Oh god.

Angel bends down and touches Xander’s shoulder.

Buffy: Is he?

Angel: No, he is alive but he is bleeding badly. We need to get him to the hospital. Are you okay?

Buffy: I’m fine.

Angel pulls out his cell phone and hands it to Buffy as he applies pressure to the wound.

Buffy: Man has been shot. 125B Crawford Street. Hurry.

She looks at a sobbing Jonathan and Andrew and crawls over to them.

Jonathan: It wasn’t suppose to be like this. No one was suppose to be hurt. No one.

Buffy: I want it.

Jonathan: Want it?

Buffy: The time travel whatever. I want it.

Jonathan: But….

Buffy: Give it to me damn it!!

Jonathan crawls over to Warren and unstraps it from his wrist. He hands it to Buffy.

Buffy: Show me how it works.

She watches as Jonathan shows it to her and explains how to operate it.

Buffy: Halt!

Andrew stops his crawl to the back door.

Buffy: No one is leaving here. Not until the police arrive.

Andrew: Police?

Buffy: You think you are going to get away with this. Bank robbery. Stock theft. Software piracy. Attempted murder.

Jonathan: We didn’t…..

Buffy: Oh come on. The police may be stupid but I’m not.

Andrew: So what are you going to tell them?

Buffy: The truth. Angel came to check on his rental house and his new tenant shot his friend.

Jonathan: And the rest?

Angel: Well you are going to contribute the money you stole to charity and drop the lawsuit.

Andrew: But.

Buffy glares at him.

Jonathan: I’ll drop the suit.

Buffy: I knew you would.

The sirens are heard coming closer. Buffy gets up to meet them at the door. The police come in followed by the paramedics. As they take care of Xander, Buffy gives the story. Jonathan and Andrew agree with her as Warren begins waking up. He looks at the police and an uninjured slayer. He sits up against the wall. Angel walks in from washing his hands in the kitchen and watches the alarm on Warren‘s face. Buffy notices as he looks at his naked wrist and panics. She catches his eye and smiles. He notices the band sticking out of her pocket and slumps against the wall. The officer guarding him begins to read him his rights. He glances up and back down. He nods as the officer finishes. He stands and is handcuffed glaring at Buffy.

Buffy looks away from Warren as the officer speaks to her.

Officer: The paramedics said your friend should be fine.

Buffy smiles and begins crying. All the emotions pour from her.

Officer: You need a ride home, miss?

Buffy: No, thank you.

Angel: Our car is at the main house.

Angel wraps his arm around her quaking form and they walk out. The trio are escorted to the police cars.