エンジェル closed the door of his room. He had already sent the others ホーム just in case Darla did come tonight. Climbing into bed, he switched off the light and closed his eyes. However, he did not sleep.
A few 分 after midnight, he heard the door click open and soft footfalls on the carpet.
“There’s my boy,” whispered Darla as she pulled out the sleeping powder.
エンジェル felt her climb on 上, ページのトップへ of him and heard her unscrew the lid.
“Now, just a bit of this and you’ll sleep well.”
As her hand drifted over his face, Angel’s eyes flew open and he grabbed her wrist.
“Hello, Darla.”
“Angel!” she gasped. “How – “
“I paid a visit to your resurrectors. Tell me, what exactly didn’t あなた understand about ‘dust to dust’?”
“Angel, let go of me!” she exclaimed.
“Not until あなた give me some answers. Why did they bring あなた back?” he demanded.
“Let go of me!”
“Why did they bring あなた back?”
Darla stopped struggling. “The apocalypse,” she murmured.
“What do あなた have anything to do with the apocalypse?”
“I don’t know!” she cried. “I’m just a small part in all of this. Wolfram and Hart are trying to influence あなた to fight on their side. You’re a major player, they say, but the Senior Partners don’t know which side あなた will be on. That’s all I know.”
エンジェル drew back, a bit shocked and extremely uneasy about what his old sire was telling him. Darla felt his grip loosen just enough and quickly made her escape. However, エンジェル was not that willing to let her go so easily and pursued her at once. She eventually led him to an underground convent. エンジェル came up behind her and grabbed hold of her arm. Darla spun, fury on her lips.
“You know where we are, don’t you, Angelus? A convent. あなた always did 愛 convents.”
“I’m not Angelus anymore. My name is Angel.”
“You will always be Angelus!” she shrieked. “That demon is always there! My boy is still in there, and he wants out!”
エンジェル shook his head. “No.”
“What is all this for?” she exclaimed, pulling out a wooden クロス and thrusting it in his face. “For redemption? God doesn’t want you! But I still do.” Darla pocketed the クロス and ran towards a set of stairs, with エンジェル after her. によって now, weak sunlight filtered through and エンジェル halted. Darla turned and glared at him.
“Can’t follow me, can you? あなた always were worthless,” she spat. And then she fled.
Although エンジェル knew her words held little weight, he was surprised to find that they still stung a little. Tired and irritated, he trudged towards the sewer entrance and headed back to the Hyperion.
“Angel, where have あなた been?” Cordelia asked anxiously.
“Where’s Wes and Gunn?” he muttered, plopping down on a cushioned chair and leaning his head back with a sigh.
“I had a vision. They waited for a few minutes, but あなた didn’t come back, so they took care of it themselves. What happened?”
“Darla came around midnight. あなた were right; Wolfram and Hart brought her back from the dead. I chased her all the way to an underground convent, but she still escaped,” he sighed wearily.
“What does she want from you?” Cordy settled 次 to him and placed her hand on his arm. Angel’s imaginary beating ハート, 心 thumped faster as he gazed her beautiful face and soft, perfect dark hair. He usually preferred the blonde type, but he had to admit that Cordelia Chase was different.
“Apparently Wolfram and Hart are using her as a part of their plan to influence the outcome of the apocalypse.”
She stared at him blankly. “Huh?”
“Darla 発言しました that I’m a major player in the prophesied apocalypse but the firm isn’t sure which side I will be on when the time comes. Obviously, they want me to fight for it, not against it. Frankly, I don’t know either.”
“Of course あなた will fight against it!” she cried. “Who do they think あなた are? You’re Angel, the Dark Avenger – あなた help the helpless and save the needy!”
“Cordy,” エンジェル sighed. “There’s still the part of me, that demon that I struggle with every 日 who is constantly fighting to get out. Sometimes chance throws a hand in and あなた trip and everything you’ve worked for is lost.”
“Well, if we trip, then we’ll just have to take chance and our enemies down with us, now won’t we?” Cordelia grinned, patting his hand. She stood and made her way to the fridge. “Want coffee? または blood? I just got a shipment from the butcher this morning.”
“Blood, please. Thanks, Cordy.”
She gave him a sidelong glance and a smile. “You’re Welcome.”
The door opened and Wesley and Gunn stumbled in, covered in demon slime and fluorescent blood.
“Oh, Angel, you’re back,” Wesley muttered, exhausted.
“What happened to you?”
“Ankho demons. A nest of them. They’re not very large, but they have a nasty tendency to come up from behind and strangle their victims, like a ボア constrictor. Except a lot もっと見る ugly and evil. What happened to you?”
“Darla.”
“Oh, God.”
Cordelia walked in then with a cup of coffee and a glass of blood in her hands. “Yeah, that charming little bloodsucker is back. And now the world is going to end.” エンジェル glared at her as she handed him his dinner. “Sorry,” she muttered.
Wesley fell onto a couch. “Is there something that I need to know?”
“Long story. Tell あなた tomorrow.”
“Make it a bedtime story,” Gunn intoned.
“Too tired.”
“Fine.”
Cordelia shook her head at the wearied group. “You guys are pathetic. You’re all 芝居 like a bunch of babies!”
They all gave her dirty, exhausted looks.
“You try fighting off 6 Ankho demons who 愛 to eat human flesh,” Wesley retorted.
“Yeah, and try running on fumes while trying to save the world, gain redemption, fight demons both internal and external, and deal with your sire who never stays dead, evil law firms who have it out for あなた at all times, and teammates who are whining about a simple infestation. 上, ページのトップへ that!” エンジェル growled.
Cordy stood thoughtfully. “Fine. Angel, teach me how to fight.”
“What?”
“Teach me how to fight. I’m tired of staying behind and playing housewife and then having あなた guys come ホーム and be all gripy and irritated. So, teach me. Lessons every 日 for an hour,” she demanded.
“Um – “
“Great! I’ll see あなた tomorrow. I’m going home.”
The three men stared after her retreating back. Wesley smiled grimly at Angel. “Good luck.”
“I won’t do it anymore!” Darla shouted.
“You have to,” replied Lindsay.
“No, I don’t! I am a 400-year-old vampire. I created him! I won’t do it!”
“We brought あなた back. あなた must do as あなた are ordered.”
“I didn’t ask to be brought back, now did I? This soul is torturing me. And this…this…thing beating in my chest...it is a curse! I hate it!” she screamed, breathing heavily. She felt dizzy and weak, and her anger was made even greater. “What is wrong with me?” she whispered. “I feel so weak…what is happening?”
Lindsay looked away, refusing to answer.
Darla’s voice rose again to a screech. “What is happening to me?”
He did not reply.
She approached him, her whole stance threatening. “I swear to God, Lindsay, if あなた don’t tell me what is going on, I will rip your throat out,” she hissed.
He swallowed and turned back to face her. “Your test results came back,” he 発言しました quietly. “When あなた first were human, 400 years ago, あなた were dying of syphilis. When the master turned あなた into a vampire, he cured あなた of that. Now that you’re human again….” he trailed off, still not meeting her eyes.
“What are あなた saying? I’m…I’m dying?” Darla choked out.
“Yes.”
She stared at Lindsay, horrified. She backed away slowly and then turned and ran out the door. Stumbling across the street, she fell to her knees and sobbed.
“This can’t be happening,” she cried. “I can’t die. I shouldn’t be able to die!”
“Cordy, what are あなた doing?’ エンジェル sighed as he reluctantly descended the basement stairs.
Rearranging another 花 vase, she replied, “I thought I’d bring some color and cheer down here! Don’t worry, they’re fake. Leave anything that’s actually alive around here and it’ll die instantly in this dreary pit.” Cordelia turned and caught エンジェル glaring at her in defense of his space.
“Sorry,” she muttered.
“Anyways, let’s get started. First, I’m going to 表示する あなた how to perform a basic roundhouse kick.”
“Basic? Isn’t that, well, not basic?”
“We don’t have time for level zero.”
“There’s a level zero?”
“Cor….”
“Sorry.”
“Now. Do as I do. Plant your left foot here…no, a little over more…good. Up on your toes, lean フォワード, 前進, 楽しみにして a little…wait, too far!”
Cordy yelped as she crashed onto the floor. “What are we doing, combat skills または ballet?” she grumbled. エンジェル helped her to her feet and waited as she brushed herself off.
“All right, let’s try it again. Plant your foot, up on your toes, lean just a little…good. Bring your arms in…okay, now スイング around with your other leg out and kick!”
Cordelia mirrored her mentor’s actions almost perfectly until she kicked her leg out. She almost made it, but suddenly became unbalanced and toppled over again. エンジェル caught her just before she hit the floor.
“That was good! あなた almost had it!” he praised.
Cordy looked up at him. “Really? あなた think so?” she asked, her eyes shining.
“Yeah. あなた just need to work on your balance is all. Now, I’m going to 表示する あなた how to properly defend yourself when someone attacks あなた from the front. Hold your stance like this. Arms up a little more…always protect your face. That’s the position あなた should always be in when starting out. Now punch, straight out – lock your wrist. Good. All right, try it on me.”
“What?”
“Pretend I’m the enemy. I’m going to come at you, and あなた will defend yourself. Ready?”
“Can I pretend you’re the evil version of you? It’s easier.”
“Fine. Ready?”
“Ready.”
エンジェル lunged at her and she immediately punched him in the face, sending him flying backwards and into a pile of boxes.
“Angel! Oh, no! I’m so sorry!” Cordelia exclaimed, rushing towards him. He crawled out from underneath the pile and brushed himself off.
“Are あなた okay?” she asked worriedly.
He grinned at her. “Yeah, I’m fine. あなた can’t hurt me.” He turned away a little and grimaced, rubbing his nose.
Ow, he winced inwardly.
“Are あなた sure you’re okay?”
“Yes, Cordy, I’m fine. What I want あなた to do now is to try your technique out on my punching bag over there.”
“But it’s just a bag. There’s nothing dangerous about it.”
エンジェル sighed. “Okay, I’ll just have to be your punching bag, then. Come at me.”
They sparred for a few minutes, with エンジェル dodging most of Cordelia’s attacks. At last, she tried out a roundhouse kick and caught エンジェル square in the stomach. He doubled over and fell to the floor.
“I did it again!” she complained. “Sorry!”
“Don’t worry,” エンジェル struggled to speak. “I already told you. あなた can’t hurt me.”
Suddenly the phone upstairs rang. “I’ll get it!” Cordelia called, running upstairs and leaving エンジェル on the floor. He tried to sit up but the wind was still knocked out of him, and he fell back, groaning.
“Oof. I guess she can hurt me a little. Ow…”
A few 分 after midnight, he heard the door click open and soft footfalls on the carpet.
“There’s my boy,” whispered Darla as she pulled out the sleeping powder.
エンジェル felt her climb on 上, ページのトップへ of him and heard her unscrew the lid.
“Now, just a bit of this and you’ll sleep well.”
As her hand drifted over his face, Angel’s eyes flew open and he grabbed her wrist.
“Hello, Darla.”
“Angel!” she gasped. “How – “
“I paid a visit to your resurrectors. Tell me, what exactly didn’t あなた understand about ‘dust to dust’?”
“Angel, let go of me!” she exclaimed.
“Not until あなた give me some answers. Why did they bring あなた back?” he demanded.
“Let go of me!”
“Why did they bring あなた back?”
Darla stopped struggling. “The apocalypse,” she murmured.
“What do あなた have anything to do with the apocalypse?”
“I don’t know!” she cried. “I’m just a small part in all of this. Wolfram and Hart are trying to influence あなた to fight on their side. You’re a major player, they say, but the Senior Partners don’t know which side あなた will be on. That’s all I know.”
エンジェル drew back, a bit shocked and extremely uneasy about what his old sire was telling him. Darla felt his grip loosen just enough and quickly made her escape. However, エンジェル was not that willing to let her go so easily and pursued her at once. She eventually led him to an underground convent. エンジェル came up behind her and grabbed hold of her arm. Darla spun, fury on her lips.
“You know where we are, don’t you, Angelus? A convent. あなた always did 愛 convents.”
“I’m not Angelus anymore. My name is Angel.”
“You will always be Angelus!” she shrieked. “That demon is always there! My boy is still in there, and he wants out!”
エンジェル shook his head. “No.”
“What is all this for?” she exclaimed, pulling out a wooden クロス and thrusting it in his face. “For redemption? God doesn’t want you! But I still do.” Darla pocketed the クロス and ran towards a set of stairs, with エンジェル after her. によって now, weak sunlight filtered through and エンジェル halted. Darla turned and glared at him.
“Can’t follow me, can you? あなた always were worthless,” she spat. And then she fled.
Although エンジェル knew her words held little weight, he was surprised to find that they still stung a little. Tired and irritated, he trudged towards the sewer entrance and headed back to the Hyperion.
“Angel, where have あなた been?” Cordelia asked anxiously.
“Where’s Wes and Gunn?” he muttered, plopping down on a cushioned chair and leaning his head back with a sigh.
“I had a vision. They waited for a few minutes, but あなた didn’t come back, so they took care of it themselves. What happened?”
“Darla came around midnight. あなた were right; Wolfram and Hart brought her back from the dead. I chased her all the way to an underground convent, but she still escaped,” he sighed wearily.
“What does she want from you?” Cordy settled 次 to him and placed her hand on his arm. Angel’s imaginary beating ハート, 心 thumped faster as he gazed her beautiful face and soft, perfect dark hair. He usually preferred the blonde type, but he had to admit that Cordelia Chase was different.
“Apparently Wolfram and Hart are using her as a part of their plan to influence the outcome of the apocalypse.”
She stared at him blankly. “Huh?”
“Darla 発言しました that I’m a major player in the prophesied apocalypse but the firm isn’t sure which side I will be on when the time comes. Obviously, they want me to fight for it, not against it. Frankly, I don’t know either.”
“Of course あなた will fight against it!” she cried. “Who do they think あなた are? You’re Angel, the Dark Avenger – あなた help the helpless and save the needy!”
“Cordy,” エンジェル sighed. “There’s still the part of me, that demon that I struggle with every 日 who is constantly fighting to get out. Sometimes chance throws a hand in and あなた trip and everything you’ve worked for is lost.”
“Well, if we trip, then we’ll just have to take chance and our enemies down with us, now won’t we?” Cordelia grinned, patting his hand. She stood and made her way to the fridge. “Want coffee? または blood? I just got a shipment from the butcher this morning.”
“Blood, please. Thanks, Cordy.”
She gave him a sidelong glance and a smile. “You’re Welcome.”
The door opened and Wesley and Gunn stumbled in, covered in demon slime and fluorescent blood.
“Oh, Angel, you’re back,” Wesley muttered, exhausted.
“What happened to you?”
“Ankho demons. A nest of them. They’re not very large, but they have a nasty tendency to come up from behind and strangle their victims, like a ボア constrictor. Except a lot もっと見る ugly and evil. What happened to you?”
“Darla.”
“Oh, God.”
Cordelia walked in then with a cup of coffee and a glass of blood in her hands. “Yeah, that charming little bloodsucker is back. And now the world is going to end.” エンジェル glared at her as she handed him his dinner. “Sorry,” she muttered.
Wesley fell onto a couch. “Is there something that I need to know?”
“Long story. Tell あなた tomorrow.”
“Make it a bedtime story,” Gunn intoned.
“Too tired.”
“Fine.”
Cordelia shook her head at the wearied group. “You guys are pathetic. You’re all 芝居 like a bunch of babies!”
They all gave her dirty, exhausted looks.
“You try fighting off 6 Ankho demons who 愛 to eat human flesh,” Wesley retorted.
“Yeah, and try running on fumes while trying to save the world, gain redemption, fight demons both internal and external, and deal with your sire who never stays dead, evil law firms who have it out for あなた at all times, and teammates who are whining about a simple infestation. 上, ページのトップへ that!” エンジェル growled.
Cordy stood thoughtfully. “Fine. Angel, teach me how to fight.”
“What?”
“Teach me how to fight. I’m tired of staying behind and playing housewife and then having あなた guys come ホーム and be all gripy and irritated. So, teach me. Lessons every 日 for an hour,” she demanded.
“Um – “
“Great! I’ll see あなた tomorrow. I’m going home.”
The three men stared after her retreating back. Wesley smiled grimly at Angel. “Good luck.”
“I won’t do it anymore!” Darla shouted.
“You have to,” replied Lindsay.
“No, I don’t! I am a 400-year-old vampire. I created him! I won’t do it!”
“We brought あなた back. あなた must do as あなた are ordered.”
“I didn’t ask to be brought back, now did I? This soul is torturing me. And this…this…thing beating in my chest...it is a curse! I hate it!” she screamed, breathing heavily. She felt dizzy and weak, and her anger was made even greater. “What is wrong with me?” she whispered. “I feel so weak…what is happening?”
Lindsay looked away, refusing to answer.
Darla’s voice rose again to a screech. “What is happening to me?”
He did not reply.
She approached him, her whole stance threatening. “I swear to God, Lindsay, if あなた don’t tell me what is going on, I will rip your throat out,” she hissed.
He swallowed and turned back to face her. “Your test results came back,” he 発言しました quietly. “When あなた first were human, 400 years ago, あなた were dying of syphilis. When the master turned あなた into a vampire, he cured あなた of that. Now that you’re human again….” he trailed off, still not meeting her eyes.
“What are あなた saying? I’m…I’m dying?” Darla choked out.
“Yes.”
She stared at Lindsay, horrified. She backed away slowly and then turned and ran out the door. Stumbling across the street, she fell to her knees and sobbed.
“This can’t be happening,” she cried. “I can’t die. I shouldn’t be able to die!”
“Cordy, what are あなた doing?’ エンジェル sighed as he reluctantly descended the basement stairs.
Rearranging another 花 vase, she replied, “I thought I’d bring some color and cheer down here! Don’t worry, they’re fake. Leave anything that’s actually alive around here and it’ll die instantly in this dreary pit.” Cordelia turned and caught エンジェル glaring at her in defense of his space.
“Sorry,” she muttered.
“Anyways, let’s get started. First, I’m going to 表示する あなた how to perform a basic roundhouse kick.”
“Basic? Isn’t that, well, not basic?”
“We don’t have time for level zero.”
“There’s a level zero?”
“Cor….”
“Sorry.”
“Now. Do as I do. Plant your left foot here…no, a little over more…good. Up on your toes, lean フォワード, 前進, 楽しみにして a little…wait, too far!”
Cordy yelped as she crashed onto the floor. “What are we doing, combat skills または ballet?” she grumbled. エンジェル helped her to her feet and waited as she brushed herself off.
“All right, let’s try it again. Plant your foot, up on your toes, lean just a little…good. Bring your arms in…okay, now スイング around with your other leg out and kick!”
Cordelia mirrored her mentor’s actions almost perfectly until she kicked her leg out. She almost made it, but suddenly became unbalanced and toppled over again. エンジェル caught her just before she hit the floor.
“That was good! あなた almost had it!” he praised.
Cordy looked up at him. “Really? あなた think so?” she asked, her eyes shining.
“Yeah. あなた just need to work on your balance is all. Now, I’m going to 表示する あなた how to properly defend yourself when someone attacks あなた from the front. Hold your stance like this. Arms up a little more…always protect your face. That’s the position あなた should always be in when starting out. Now punch, straight out – lock your wrist. Good. All right, try it on me.”
“What?”
“Pretend I’m the enemy. I’m going to come at you, and あなた will defend yourself. Ready?”
“Can I pretend you’re the evil version of you? It’s easier.”
“Fine. Ready?”
“Ready.”
エンジェル lunged at her and she immediately punched him in the face, sending him flying backwards and into a pile of boxes.
“Angel! Oh, no! I’m so sorry!” Cordelia exclaimed, rushing towards him. He crawled out from underneath the pile and brushed himself off.
“Are あなた okay?” she asked worriedly.
He grinned at her. “Yeah, I’m fine. あなた can’t hurt me.” He turned away a little and grimaced, rubbing his nose.
Ow, he winced inwardly.
“Are あなた sure you’re okay?”
“Yes, Cordy, I’m fine. What I want あなた to do now is to try your technique out on my punching bag over there.”
“But it’s just a bag. There’s nothing dangerous about it.”
エンジェル sighed. “Okay, I’ll just have to be your punching bag, then. Come at me.”
They sparred for a few minutes, with エンジェル dodging most of Cordelia’s attacks. At last, she tried out a roundhouse kick and caught エンジェル square in the stomach. He doubled over and fell to the floor.
“I did it again!” she complained. “Sorry!”
“Don’t worry,” エンジェル struggled to speak. “I already told you. あなた can’t hurt me.”
Suddenly the phone upstairs rang. “I’ll get it!” Cordelia called, running upstairs and leaving エンジェル on the floor. He tried to sit up but the wind was still knocked out of him, and he fell back, groaning.
“Oof. I guess she can hurt me a little. Ow…”