Chapter Seven
Restoration
After
Angel left the loft he got in his car and drove. He didn’t even realize where
he was driving too until he came to a stop in an alley behind The Beverly Hills
Hotel.
He
sat in his car staring straight ahead as images of a beaten Buffy plagued his
conscience and his heart. He played back
every word that Spike said and he started to wonder if maybe he had been wrong.
He
knew that he had an unhealthy amount of male pride when it came to what he
perceived as his. And he also knew that when he felt threatened he became
extremely stubborn. Taking that into account, he focused his mind on the
contents of the file, trying to remember if he misread or missed something
entirely.
After
the Mayor had given it to him he’d sat in his car in this very same spot and
read through it. He had been absolutely
stunned to learn that Buffy was the thief who had been plaguing him for years. Every job he had ever been given on the East
Coast had been thwarted by her which had always been a sore spot for him. It
tarnished his otherwise perfect record.
But
oddly enough, finding that out didn’t bother him in the least. Actually after
he read it a lot of things made sense. Like how she got into his house the
night she returned from the photo shoot in
He
found it extremely exhilarating to finally meet a woman that was as talented as
he was – his equal. Someone he loved and who he could be completely honest
with. He was so aroused by the idea that
he was planning on bringing her out of retirement and joining his crew.
But
then he kept reading. And the more he read the more his excitement became
distorted, shifting to an infuriation that he had never felt before. It was a
maddening insane anger that threatened to explode, and perhaps made him see
things that weren’t really there.
The
more he thought about it the more he realized that the file never specifically
said Buffy knew or that she was a part of anything. He had been so wrapped up in the shocking
knowledge that she was married that he assumed the worse.
Maybe
he had been wrong.
His
eyes closed as the disturbing images returned and floated through his mind,
tinted in a deep brilliant red; the color of blood.
He
shook his head and opened his eyes furiously trying to clear them. He had to be sharp to figure out what to do
and those images were not helpful.
He
took deep breaths and concentrated on the last time he saw Buffy. She had seemed sincere; the look on her face
when he told her that Parker was alive seemed like genuine shock and fear. So why was he having such a hard time
believing it?
When
did he develop trust issues? Thinking back he guessed it was Darla. But it wasn’t what Darla did; it was the
events that occurred days before they married that sealed his fate.
He
had paid a visit to Uncle and told him that he was getting married. Uncle said he disapproved but he would let
Angel make his own decisions. He then told him that he had a wedding gift for
him. The wedding gift had been a manila
folder and inside was Darla’s entire life.
Angel
had gone home and read that file, even though he really didn’t want to. What he
read did make him think twice. She had a
long history with many different men and she had never had a lasting stable
relationship with any of them.
Knowing
how his Uncle worked, Angel naturally assumed that he fabricated the contents
of the file in an attempt to get what he wanted. Keeping
Angel single. Uncle always
believed that being in their line of work and having a relationship was like
trying to put a square inside a circle.
It never worked and was only a detriment to the job. Many times he had
thrown Angel’s own loving parent’s relationship in his face as an example. He
said that it was their love for each other that comprised their positions and
got them killed.
Angel
hated that and he hated his Uncle. So the next morning he went to see him and
threw the file in his face. He told him that he was full of shit and that he
knew he was just trying to manipulate him.
He
married Darla two days later, a year after that he found her with Finn. Darla’s betrayal had been very hard to deal
with but the hardest thing of all was that Uncle had been right.
It
was that history that now tore at his gut.
If he hadn’t been so dead set on proving Uncle wrong none of that
would’ve happened.
It
was the same scenario all over again. The only difference was that he truly
loved Buffy and the thought of her being in danger made him want to kill
someone, anyone, he didn’t care. The
animalistic urge to destroy whoever it was that threatened her was all he could
think about.
Buffy.
God
he missed her. He missed her so much that he didn’t know which way he was
going.
He
did know one thing; he had to give her the benefit of the doubt. He owed that much to her and he owed it to
himself. She was too important to him and he wasn’t going to let his
stubbornness get in the way of finding out the truth.
Whatever
he found, he found out. If he was right, then he had to find a way to forget
her. Move on with his life. And if he
was wrong…God if he was wrong, he would never forgive himself if something
happened to her. Either way if he didn’t
find answers to his questions soon he would surely go mad.
He
took a deep breath and opened the car door, stepping outside. He had to put on his game face. Walk inside there and demand answers from The
Mayor. He felt his sides; his girls were
locked and loaded, ready to come to his aid and get the information for him if
need be.
His
feet moved and he started to walk down the alley. As he approached the corner,
two motorcycles pulled up and stopped.
He didn’t pay them much mind until he heard them talking.
“No
shit, Parker’s here?”
Angel
stopped after hearing that name and leaned against the wall, listening
intently.
“Yeah I couldn’t fucking believe it man, it was like a fucking ghost walked into
the room. It was freaky.”
The
guy laughed, “Yeah I bet it was. So what’s he doing in LA?”
“You
remember Buffy right?”
Angel
tensed.
“Shit
who can forget that hot little package.
She’s here?”
“Yeah,
and she has no idea that Parker’s alive and in town.” The guy chuckled, “can
you imagine the look on her face when she sees Parker? Damn I’d like to see
that.”
The
other guy laughed with him. “Yeah me too. She’s not
going to be happy that’s for sure.”
“I
know Parker was always an asshole. I tried to get a piece of that action first
you know but Parker beat me too it, too bad for her.”
The
guy nodded and their voices faded as they walked into the Hotel.
Angel
relaxed against the wall. He had been wrong. Relief filled him. She hadn’t known. She never betrayed
him. She did love him!
His
gut churned with nausea. He had betrayed her.
He had lied to her about what he did and then jumped to conclusions
regarding her past.
He
silently cursed as he banged his head back against the concrete wall. The pain was welcomed as he remembered the
things he had said to her, how he’d called her a whore.
He
had to make things right.
He
headed back to the car stopping as he remembered where he was. The Mayor, he was the one that gave him the
folder. He was the one that had an
agenda behind it; him and Uncle.
The
wheels started to spin as he slipped into work mode. Now that he was lucid
about his situation with Buffy everything else started to bug him.
They
were working together. Together they had
conspired to bring Angel back into the fold full time again in order to get
what they wanted. And Angel knew that only meant bad things for his country and
for himself.
He
might be a thief and an assassin but every job he’d ever done was done with the
intention of protecting his country. Of making it better. And he knew that it was up to him to make
sure that The Mayor and Uncle never took control.
**********************
The
second Faith left Willy’s she realized that she had absolutely no idea where to
find Angel. She tried calling Spike but he wasn’t answering his phone. Next she
called Angel’s house but there was no answer there either.
Frustrated, tired, and ready to throw her cell phone out the car window she
remembered that Oz had given
Faith
knew they had a central hub somewhere in the city. She had asked Spike before where they met but
he refused to tell her. When she asked him why, he said it was safer for her
that way.
At
the time she thought that was an odd reason. It was also the same moment she
realized his job was much more than what he led her to believe. Seeing him today with the face of a killer
holding that gun she knew exactly what he did and she understood why he didn’t
tell her.
If
she wasn’t so pissed off and ready to kick some serious Angel ass she would
have stopped to admire the beautiful old hotel that she was currently storming
over too. As it was, she threw open the
door and stood on the threshold her brown angry eyes scanning the lobby and
landing on a frightened Wesley.
“Faith,
good lord you scared me.” Wesley had been on edge since Angel dropped them off
from the Graveyard. With Angel’s disappearance after his meeting with the Mayor
and then his explosive entrance at the hotel only a half an hour ago, his poor
nerves never had a chance to recover. And by the looks of Faith, he didn’t
think they would.
“Where
is he?”
Wesley
took a step forward and winced at seeing her blood dried protruding lip. “umm…Spike isn’t here Faith. If you don’t mind me asking, how
did you find us?”
She
stepped down and got right in his face. “I do mind and I’m not here for Spike.”
She took another step forward. “Where’s Angel?”
Wesley
swallowed; she was making him very uneasy. She looked like she was prepared to do
whatever she had to do to find out what she wanted. Now Wesley was trained in
Martial Arts and he could defend himself so that wasn’t what made him nervous,
he just had a problem with fighting women.
When
he just stood there staring at her Faith took a step closer and pushed him
back. “Look Wesley, I like you and I don’t want to hurt you but I will if you
don’t tell me where he is.”
“Why?
What happened? Where’s Spike?”
She
sighed, “Wesley do you remember the hot little blonde that you were so openly ogling
named Buffy?”
He
gulped his feet shuffling uncomfortably, “Umm…yes.”
“Good.
Well if you don’t tell me where Angel is she’s going to make the stupidest
decision of her life. Which would make
her miserable and not to mention Angel extremely…” she leaned in closer, “and I
do mean extremely…miserable too.”
Wesley
nodded, he knew exactly what she was talking about and he was happy to
oblige.
He
smiled, “oh…well, why didn’t you say so. Down the hall last door on your left.”
She
smiled and walked down the hall. “Thanks Wes.”
No
sooner did she leave then Wesley picked up the phone and called Spike.
Angel
was sitting at his desk pondering his next move. He talked to the Mayor and told him he would
do the job. He also told him that he needed time to set it up. The Mayor had been so happy to see that
Angel was back and ready to get to work that he didn’t question how much time
he needed.
Now
Angel had to figure out his next move and what to do about Buffy.
He
wasn’t sure if he should let her in on what was going on. It might be safer for
her if she didn’t know. The only problem
with that was then she would be left with Parker and from the looks of the
loft, how safe was that? He didn’t like
that idea in the least but he had to consider the possibility of it being the
course of action to take right now. At least until he could be sure that she
would be protected.
Standing
up he walked around the desk and to the bar to pour himself
another drink when his door crashed open.
He
looked up to see Faith standing there. Shit he didn’t need this right now. Until he decided what he was going to do
about Buffy he was better off leaving Faith out of the picture. She was too
volatile and too loyal to Buffy. If he decided to go through with what he was
thinking, she would fight him every step of the way. He couldn’t waste his time
or energy on getting her to see things his way.
“Hiding
in shame?” She sneered and he scowled back.
“I
have nothing to say to you Faith.” He said.
She
slammed the door shut and threw a right hook landing it squarely on his jaw.
“Good then you can keep your fucking mouth shut because I have plenty to say to
you!”
He
growled furiously as his head snapped back from the force of her blow. He looked back at her his fists curling as he
instinctively readied himself to fight back.
“You
want to hit me go ahead?” She goaded him.
The
fat bloody lip that she was sporting was evidence that she had also been on the
receiving end of Parker’s fist, which also made him feel guilty.
His
fist unwound and he went back to the bar. Keep cool he told himself as he
poured another shot of control.
“Buffy
told me what you think. What the hell is
wrong with you Angel? How can you think
that she knew Parker was alive?”
He
shrugged, “why not. It makes sense. They were in trouble they needed a way out
and that was it.”
She
snorted, “I can’t believe you.”
Her
calculating eyes followed him as he walked to the window and stood there
looking out. She really didn’t want to go where she knew she had to go, but she
had no choice. She knew Angel loved Buffy, she knew he wasn’t that cold hearted
she just had to say the right things.
Educate him so to speak.
“Angel
I don’t know what Buffy ever told you about her life with Parker but I’m guessing
she didn’t tell you everything.”
“It’s
not my business.” He said softly.
“Yeah
well I’m making it your business. Do you
know what it means to be in a biker gang Angel? Do you? Do you understand a
woman’s role in it? A woman is nothing but the shit on their shoes. She’s the
closest warm hole for them and all their buddies to stick their cocks into and
that’s it.”
He
closed his eyes. He didn’t want to hear this. He really, really didn’t want to hear
this. He rethought his decision on letting her in just to get her to shut up.
“Now
of course if you’re lucky enough to find a guy that has some sort of decency in
him then that won’t happen to you. But Parker, Parker isn’t that guy Angel.
Parker is the guy that would give Buffy to his brother Adam, whenever he
asked. Parker is the guy that would tie
her up and beat her if she wore something that he didn’t approve of. Parker is
the kind of guy that shot her up with Heroin when he didn’t want to hear her
talk. “
He
couldn’t keep her voice out of his head. He couldn’t stop the images from
coming. He couldn’t keep listening to this. He was on the verge of losing
control. “Shut up.” He quietly snarled but Faith didn’t care she kept on going.
“Shut
up? Yeah that’s what Parker would say when he wanted sex and Buffy didn’t want
to give him any. ‘Shut up bitch and spread your legs!’ those were his exact
words at least that’s what Buffy told me.”
In
a flash Angel spun around and punched Faith. He didn’t mean too but he couldn’t
stop himself from doing it. He always
knew that there were things Buffy didn’t tell him about her relationship with
Parker, besides the fact that she was married to him. And hearing them now after he himself had
called her a whore made him feel like a complete asshole. He really wanted to
punch himself but instead he took his frustrations out on Faith.
She
fell to the floor and he stood over her his fists clenched trying not to hit
her again.
Faith
looked up at him, holding her chin. “Not nice is it. It’s a shitty disturbing thing to hear isn’t
it?”
The
door was kicked in and Spike came barreling in. He saw Faith on the floor
holding her chin and he saw Angel looming above her. He snarled angrily and
rushed Angel throwing him against the wall, punching him in the face, and Angel
welcomed it. His redeemer had arrived.
Faith
got to her feet and watched as Angel smiled at Spike. Her brow furrowed with
confusion as he yelled at him.
“Do
it again!”
Spike
took a step back and looked at him strangely but Angel grabbed him by the shirt
collar and screamed at him. “DO IT AGAIN!”
Spike
shook his head, Angel looked crazed and it totally unnerved him. He tried to
take a step back but Angel’s gripped tightened.
Wesley
and the rest of the gang came barreling into the room and stood silently by
watching as things unfolded.
Seeing
that Spike wasn’t about to oblige him, Angel pushed him and threw a left punch
right in his eye. Spike fell back as Faith ran forward.
With
one hand Angel pushed her back and she fell on her ass staring up at him as if
he had lost his mind.
Spike
growled angrily as he looked at her.
“Come
on Spike! Don’t be a pussy! Kick my ass! “Angel shouted.
Fred
took a step closer but Gunn stopped her. “Angel, stop it you’re talking crazy!”
She screamed at him.
Angel
ignored her, his wild eyes on the person that he perceived to be his
savior. He wanted to feel as much pain
as possible. He wanted, no he needed, to
be punished for his bout of stupidity and he saw Spike as the one to give it to
him.
Spike
stared at his brother and saw right through him. He looked over at the gang and
quietly spoke. “Guys go down stairs everything’s okay.”
“Everything’s
okay? Did he knock your brain out of your head?” Gunn asked.
Spike
looked at Wesley, “Wes please.”
Wesley
nodded. Whatever was going on he knew
that for now it was between them. “Come on guys, let’s go downstairs.”
They
all protested but did what he asked, and when he closed the door Angel yelled
at Spike again.
“Come
on Spiky. You’ve always wanted to take me and now I’m giving you the
chance.” He stood straight and held his
arms up and away from his body. “I won’t touch you. You can have all the free shots you want!”
It
broke Spike’s heart to see him filled with such guilt but it also pissed him
off. If Angel had listened to him to begin with none of this would have
happened.
Spike
smirked at him, and punched him once in the face and then once in the
gut…hard.
As
Angel fell to the floor on his knees, he was laughing like a lunatic. “YES!”
“Holy
shit he’s lost his mind.” Faith commented.
Angel
looked up at Spike, “Do it again.”
Spike
shook his head, “Sorry brother. I’m not going
to appease your guilt. That’s all you’re going to get out of me.”
He
stepped back, watching as Angel’s smile faded and his arms dropped to his
side. Spike held out his hand and Angel
grabbed it, standing to his feet.
Angel
smirked at him, blood dripping down his lips. He reached up and wiped it away
with his finger. “Thanks. I needed that.
Good shot by the way. You’ve been training harder.” He said as he flexed his
jaw.
Spike
smirked back, “all in the hopes of beating you mate.”
They
smiled at each other as if everything was right as rain and Faith looked at
them like they were crazy. “What the hell was that all about?”
Angel
walked over to the bar and took some ice out as Spike turned to look at
her. “That my ferocious Faith was Angel
pulling his head out of his ass.”
“Ah?”
He
ignored her and spoke to Angel. “So what happened?”
Angel
threw some ice in a towel and pressed it up to his cheek. There was no way in
hell he was going to admit that he took the word of two bikers over Buffy. While he had no guilt over that, he knew that
they and Buffy wouldn’t see it that way.
How could you explain that hearing something from two people that he
didn’t know, two people that had nothing to gain, made it more believable then
hearing it from the mouth of the person he thought had betrayed him to begin
with? You couldn’t. So better to not say it at all.
“Let’s
just say that I was enlightened by a very reliable source.”
Spike
nodded that was all he needed to hear. But Faith was still confused, “What the
hell is he talking about?” She asked.
“He
knows that Buffy wasn’t a part of Parker’s plan.”
Her
eyes lit with understanding and she felt the tension leave her body. “Finally! Jesus Angel I was ready to kill you.”
He
smiled at her as he walked around and sat down at his desk with a glass of
whiskey in one hand and ice in the other. He toasted her, “My compliments on
that right hook Faith. It’s a damn good one.” He tenderly touched the toweled
ice to his cheek.
She
couldn’t help but smile at the praise. “Thanks.” She said blushing slightly and
looked at Spike who winked at her. “Okay well now that that’s all settled I’ll
take you to Buffy.”
Angel’s
smile faded. “No.”
“No.
What do you mean no? You said you believed her.”
“I
do.”
“Then
what’s the problem.”
Angel
looked at Spike, who spoke, “Faith there’s more to the picture here than you
know. Hell there’s more going on than I
know.” He looked at Angel, “but that’s going to change right?”
Angel
nodded as he began to tell them what happened with The Mayor.
“I
don’t get it. So what if they want to take over the world. That doesn’t explain
why Buffy has to be left in the dark.” Faith said.
Angel
sighed, just as he suspected. “Faith I don’t like it anymore than you do, but
if she knew what was going on then Parker might suspect something is up and
then she would be in even more danger.”
Faith
didn’t think so and before she could argue any further Angel continued with his
reasons.
“Faith
why do you think Parker came for Buffy after two years of being in hiding?”
She
shook her head.
“Because they need her to do the job. I’ve looked at the schematics of where the diamonds are
kept, it’s like
“That
must have been a shocker eh mate?” Spike said grinning
from ear to ear.
Angel
shrugged a lecherous smile on his face. “Well I always knew she had good
hands.”
Spike
chuckled and Faith snorted, “Ah can we get our minds out of the gutter for just
one minute please. What’s your plan send Buffy back to hell and let her do the
job?”
Angel’s
face changed and he stood up, pacing. “I don’t want to no. But I think right
now that would be the best bet. Let them
think the ball is in their court. Then when they’re not looking I’ll steal the
diamonds and Buffy back. This way they
think she did her job and she’s out of the picture. Once that’s done then I can
take them all down, one by one.”
Spike
looked at Angel now with concern, “This is it eh?”
Angel
nodded. “That’s why everything has to go as planned.”
“What’s
it?” Faith asked.
They
both ignored her question.
“That’s
why Buffy can’t know.” Angel said.
“I
don’t know Angel. I don’t like the idea. I told her I wouldn’t keep anymore
secrets from her.”
“Sometimes
secrets are necessary Faith to protect the ones you love.”
“Yeah
like that worked out real well for you.” She answered him and he scowled.
“Look
even if I ignored the immense guilt I would have over that, I still don’t like
sending her into the lion’s den.” She rubbed her lip, “You didn’t see him Angel
he was fucking pissed off there’s no telling what he’ll do.”
Angel’s
scowl darkened. “Faith, Buffy is a strong woman. She’s not the person she used
to be. She’ll be able to deal with him.”
God he hoped so.
Spike
understood Angel’s plan and the reasoning behind it but he didn’t agree with
it. Angel was in work mode now, thinking
the way an assassin thinks. Ready willing and able to do anything that he
needed to do to get the job done, and in the process forgetting that sometimes
not all causalities were acceptable.
Unlike
Angel he witnessed Parker’s instability first hand and he witnessed Buffy’s detached
compliance. She was definitely not the same woman that she had been since Spike
met her. She wasn’t in any frame of mind to handle or deal with Parker. He had
to agree with Faith.
“She’s
right Angelus. The girl’s a fucking mess. She can’t handle him,” he said and
Faith looked at him thankfully then addressed Angel.
“Angel,
she thinks you hate her and that you never loved her. I saw every once of
strength drain out of her body when she said that to me. She can’t go in there thinking that or she’ll
never make it out. ”
Angel
didn’t say anything as he considered her words. In many ways hearing it made
him happy because it was proof that she loved him. But then again his guilt returned, it was his own idiocy that put those ideas in her head.
“Angel
she needs to know that you still love her, that she has something to live for.”
Faith implored him again. “Look you know
what she did when she lived in
She
was right. He was once again underestimating Buffy in order to protect her. He
had to stop himself from doing that because it was what landed him in this
situation to begin with.
“Alright.”
He
stood up and grabbed his jacket as Faith and Spike smiled at him happily.
“Thank god because I really didn’t want to have to hit you again.” Faith said
grinning.
Angel
smiled at her feeling like a thousand pound weight was lifted off his shoulder.
There was still a small amount of fear that he was doing the wrong thing, but
he pushed it aside because he knew in his heart that he couldn’t have made any
other choice. There was also no denying
his need to see her and hold her in his arms again, it was too strong. He also
couldn’t let her go on thinking that he didn’t love her, he had to tell her.
“What
about Parker?” Faith asked as a chill ran down her spine from the evil look
that entered Angel’s eye.
“Parker
is the easy part.” He sneered vehemently and Faith swallowed.
“He’ll
come looking for her. He won’t just let
her leave.”
“Parker
won’t be a problem. He’s already dead.”
Angel said coldly.
It
took Faith only a few seconds to realize what he was saying. For all intents
and purposes Parker WAS dead! She smiled
understanding completely. “Good plan.”
Angel’s
smile was pure evil as he looked at her and she had to shake off the discomfort
that smile caused. She almost felt sorry for Parker, almost. She could only
imagine the torture that Angel was going to inflict on him. She knew it wasn’t
going to be pleasant.
“Can
I watch?” she asked gleefully as Spike chuckled and hugged her to him. “Ah
there’s my bloodthirsty little wench.” He kissed her soundly on the lips.
When
he released her she smacked him on the arm, “Don’t call me that!” She tried to
look stern but he was looking at her so playfully that she couldn’t help but
smile.
“Alright
let’s go.” Angel said.
Faith
nodded and opened the door to walk out, “I left her at Willy’s.”
Spike
followed her, “Willy’s…the perv? I didn’t know you knew Willy. You do know that’s a strip joint right?”
“Uh huh.”
Faith answered as she followed Angel out the door.
Spike’s
interest was piqued. The thought that his girlfriend frequented a strip club
turned him on and gave him lurid ideas. “Do you go there often luv?”
**********************
The
room was quiet and peaceful, dark. It was just what she needed to calm her
frazzled nerves and think. It was truly
amazing what a few hours of rest could do for a person. Last night if Spike hadn’t shown up she would
have meekly gone with Parker. But today she had a different perspective.
She
still couldn’t believe that Parker was alive. If it weren’t for the sting that
she felt every time her sore lip slid across the pillow, she still wouldn’t
believe it.
Reaching
up she gingerly touched the growing bump on her temple, hissing as pain
radiated throughout her already pounding head. She had forgotten how hard he
could hit, funny considering he was a skinny guy. She chuckled to herself, skinny and
boyish. He definitely did not look like
a biker. In fact his looks were so
boyish that she wondered how she was ever even attracted to him to begin with.
She
sighed. Well that didn’t matter anymore,
because he was definitely not her type.
No she liked them big and strong, confident and yes even a little bit
self-centered. That was the woman she
had become and she wanted her man to be the same way.
That
was Angel.
She
rolled over onto her back sucking in her breath as she felt every sore and achy
muscle. Her hand came up and toyed with the
silver cross Angel had given her one night three months ago. He was everything that she wanted in a man.
And she had him for while, until all these bullshit lies and that scrawny
asshole Parker showed up.
Parker,
God he turned her stomach. And what churned her insides even more was her
reaction to him. She thought she could
be strong but the second she saw him it was like she reverted back to the young
frightened girl she used to be.
The
second he touched her she was instantly hit with a barrage of unwanted memories
and it had paralyzed her. She had been
so consumed with fear and shame, feeling so insecure about who she was that she
knew if he hadn’t picked up the picture she never would’ve snapped out of it.
Her
eyes burned heatedly just thinking about it. It had enraged her to see his
dirty hands touch something that was sacred to her. She smiled broadly
remembering how good it had felt to stick her fist in his face. She was proud
of herself for doing that and it brought her confidence back. Not to mention
the look of utter shock on Parker’s face, that had been priceless. The scuffle
that ensued afterwards, and the aches and pains she now felt were all well
worth it.
Now
she had to figure out what she was going to do and she had to do it fast.
The
way she saw it she had two problems…and they were both male.
Problem
number one: Angel.
He
was mad. He was mad and hurt. But Faith
was right, Buffy knew Angel he was an extremely possessive and jealous person.
He was arrogant and bursting at the seams with pride. It must have been crushing to learn her
history and to learn that she was married.
He reacted the only way he knew. He
lashed out her and she couldn’t blame him for that. He was running on his emotions.
Knowing
that she also knew that behind those base emotions was a rational and logical
man. Eventually he would start to wonder if he had been right. She knew that,
because she knew that he loved her. There was no doubt in her mind about that.
She
wasn’t naïve. She hadn’t spent the last
eight months with a man that didn’t love her.
Every touch, every word, every look that he had ever gifted her with
proved that. She knew what fake love was and she knew what true love was, and
Angel’s love was definitely true.
She
just had to set him aside for now and believe that he would snap out of it and
see the truth. It might take some time
but she was willing to wait. She had
faith in their love and she had faith in him.
Besides, she had bigger problems then Angel’s ego right now.
This
brought her to problem number two, Parker.
God
she shivered with loathing just thinking about him. But she had to. He was a BIG problem one that could not
easily be dismissed. She was married to
him and while in the eyes of the law a divorce would get him out of her life
for good, in the eyes of The Brotherhood that was not the case.
There
was no such thing as divorce in their mind.
Once you married a member you were chained to them until the day one of
you died. She could run but she knew she
couldn’t hide for long. They had too
many connections and her face was too well known. Besides she was tired of running. If she ran now she would always be running
and she refused to do that.
Her
goal was to get rid of Parker and her past, and get Angel back.
Her
brow furrowed thoughtfully, as she remembered what Angel said. He thought she helped plan Parker’s
death. Thinking back to that last heist
it made sense.
There
was a big to do at The New York Metropolitan Art Museum. They had just received
an original painting by Monet, one that was supposedly destroyed in a fire at a
Museum in
The
painting was worth millions and Adam and Parker wanted it. The plan was simple enough. As usual Parker
and Adam would get all the information Buffy needed to know. Floor plans, how
many guards, how they were armed, when they patrolled, the alarm system,
basically anything and everything that she needed to pull of the job they got.
Next
it was her turn, after reviewing everything she would decide what she needed to
do the job and then with the help of Grant they would acquire whatever it was
she needed.
When
everything was ready they went. She had
no problem getting in and she had no problem getting out with the painting. After throwing the tube containing the
priceless painting over her shoulder and jumping on the back of Parker’s bike,
cops came out from nowhere. If it
weren’t for the van that cut the cops off they never would have gotten
away.
It
was only a week later that Parker got into his accident apparently dying in
it. Of course at the time, she had been
so happy that he was dead that she never once considered the possibility that
it was a farce.
But
now remembering the week before his death, she recalled how tense Adam and
Parker were. She also remembered a man coming to the house. She never saw what he looked like but she
heard his voice. It was authoritive and it was anxious. He yelled at them that they fucked up and
demanded that they fix it before everything fell apart.
She
didn’t get to hear the rest, because Parker caught her listening. He quickly dragged her up the stairs by her
hair and threw her in their room, locking the door as he left. She swallowed as
she remembered the beating she got that night. But then he died, and that night
and every other night she had spent with Parker was pushed aside.
She
was pretty sure that the file Angel had told that entire tale. Taking all that
information into context she could see why he would think that she knew. She
might even believe it herself if she didn’t already know the truth.
So
where did that leave her? What were her
options? She had two very different problems that required two very different
solutions. And too many unanswered questions.
Like,
why now after two years did Parker re-surface?
She smirked; well she knew the answer to that one. A job, that’s why.
That was the only reason he ever needed her anyway. She was the one that
brought the money into the club. Whether it was stealing it or restoring cars,
she was the one that made them the big bucks. Sure they had a steady income
from selling drugs and guns, and prostitution, but the real money, the type of
money that you could buy a small island with, came from the heists that she
did.
It
was all starting to make sense. Parker
knew where she had been all along and he knew about her relationship with
Angel. They needed her back under their
wing and they went about it the only way they know how…deceit and manipulation.
They
were the ones that sent the folder to Angel.
It had to be. It was their way of sucking her back into the fold. Take
away the one thing that meant everything to her and she would fall apart and
crawl back to them. Well they had
another thing coming if they thought that was going to happen.
But
she still needed a solution to the Parker problem. The more she thought about it the more she
realized that she only had one option.
She
had to kill him. It was the only
way. If he was dead then her ties were
once more severed with the Brotherhood and she could concentrate on getting
Angel back.
Feeling
confident in her plan she shot off the bed her feet slamming on the floor as
she did.
She
walked over to the mirror and looked at herself, her face crinkling distastefully
as she did. She rummaged through her bag
and pulled out some make up quickly covering her bruises.
When
she was satisfied that that was as good as it was going to get she put them
away and put her hand on the knob.
It
was locked, she scowled, Faith.
Sighing
she dropped to her knees and pulled out a bobby pin. “Good thing I put my hair up today.”
‘Click’
and the door unlocked. Placing the bobby pin back in her hair she grabbed her
bag and slowly opened the door.
She
walked down the hallway and peered out in to the club. It was practically empty
only a few patrons were there and their eyes were on Casey who was currently
dancing on the stage.
She
looked over at the bar, Willy was there talking to Bubba.
Buffy
sighed, figures Faith would send over the one bouncer that was most loyal to
Angel. No exit that way.
She
inched back away from the doorway and looked back down the hall. There was a window at the end of it and she
made a beeline straight for it.
Thankfully
it slid open easily and she threw her bag out on to the fire escape. She quickly followed it then closed the
window.
There
was one thing Parker was right about. She knew exactly where he was and she was
coming for him.
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