Forever, Always, and Then Some

Chapter 128

 

Friday December 13, 2002

Angel taps on the steering wheel as he passes the welcome sign. A few more minutes and his arms will no longer be empty. One night to feel her warmth next to his as they slumber. One day to chase his son around the house or cradle his daughter. Only twenty-four hours, but he needs them. His car turns into the driveway. He is irritated to see a motorcycle parked there. He grabs his overnight bag and heads to the front door. Using his key, he lets himself in the front door. His eyes roam the living room, landing on Dawn and Pike sitting on the floor playing a video game.

Dawn jumps up and runs into his arms.

Dawn: Angel, we did not know you were coming.

He glares at Pike.

Angel: Hi Dawn? Where is (interrupted)

Willow: Hello Angel.

He glances at the red-head coming out of the kitchen carrying Caitlin.

Angel: Hi Will. Whe..(interrupted)

Willow: I just made a bottle. You want to feed her?

Angel: Bottle? Where’s Buffy?

Willow: Patrolling

His eyes flash anger momentarily before she hands him the baby and the bottle. Angel looks down at the child and brings the nipple to her mouth.

Angel: Patrolling? Already?

Willow: Yes.

Angel: Not alone I hope.

Willow: Not sure. She is checking into some missing girls.

Angel: Missing?

Willow: Five of them in the last couple of weeks.

Angel: Will, can you take Caitlin?

Willow: You going to go help her?

Angel: Or ring her neck. Not sure which yet.

Willow takes the infant and he heads toward the door.

Willow: I think she was going to the Bronze. Three of the girls were last seen there.

Angel: Thanks.

 

The Bronze

Buffy flashes a smile as she walks past Frankie. She glances over and sees Faith and Spike. She moves over to their table.

Buffy: Seen anything?

Faith: Nothing B.

Buffy: Well enjoy yourself but keep your eyes open.

Faith: You know it B.

Spike: Asked around and no one knows or not talking.

Buffy: It can’t be.

Faith: What?

Buffy: Angel.

She heads for the door and looks out down the street. The black clad males steps from the shadows and approaches Frankie.

Frankie: Three dollars.

Buffy: Sorry Frankie, he’s with me.

Frankie: This one too?

Buffy: Frankie, meet my husband Angel. As in Angel Investigations.

Frankie does not answer as Angel stands and glares at her.

Buffy: You coming in here?

Angel steps past Frankie and into the club.

Angel: Are you alone?

Buffy: Not any more.

She saddles up to him looking into his eyes and wraps her arms around his neck.

Angel: You take too many risks.

Buffy: Kiss me.

He frowns before lowering his lips to hers for a soft quick kiss.

Buffy: That will have to do I guess.

Angel: So what is going on?

Buffy: I’m meeting Kate. There have been girls missing and she asked for my help.

Angel: Vampires?

Buffy: No idea. They just disappear and no one sees a thing.

Angel: In here?

Buffy: Some.

Angel: The bouncer?

Buffy: Told the police he never saw any of them leave.

She glances over at Faith.

Buffy: Spike better watch out.

Angel turns and looks.

Angel: Why?

Buffy: While he is at the counter, that guy is about to hit on his date.

Angel: I am more concerned for the guy.

Buffy: You might be right.

They watch the tall muscular male approach the brunette. He smiles and she smiles back. Buffy watches dreading Spike’s return when she notices a flash of metal. Faith’s face registers shock. The man grabs her around the waist and walks her toward the door. Buffy moves through the crowd and across the room. As they reach the door, she grabs Faith’s arm and wrenches her from his grasp. She hands Faith’s semi conscious body to Angel and turns to see the kidnapper dashing down the alley. She pursues him and tackles him to the ground. He rolls them over and lands a hard blow to her jaw. She flies back and he makes his way to his feet. She flips up and kicks him in the side. He doubles over and gets a knee to his jaw. Her foot crashes into his knee. The sound of breaking bone is heard before his scream and collapse to the ground.

Angel: Buffy stop!

She turns to see Angel walk up with Frankie’s head trapped under his arm. Behind them is Spike carrying Faith.

Buffy: Why?

Angel: He’s human.

She looks down at the man rolling on the ground in agony. She looks back at Angel and he nods.

Buffy: Damn it.

 

She reaches down and jerks the guy to his feet.

Buffy: You better start talking.

The guy struggles to free his arm from her vise grip. Spike moves forward and growls.

Angel: Spike, we can’t.

Buffy looks up to see Kate approaching.

Buffy: Kate.

Kate: What happened?

Buffy: This guy here stabbed Faith with something and tried to take her from the Bronze.

Kate glances over at the noticeably drugged slayer.

Kate: And the bouncer under Angel’s arm?

Angel: Oh he was taking money to look the other way.

Kate: Well, I think I need to take these two in for a few questions.

She reaches for her radio but is stopped by the cry from the male in Buffy’s grip.

Kate: What did you do?

Buffy: Oh he is just whining over his broke leg.

Kate: He broke his leg?

Angel: No Buffy broke his leg.

Kate: Oh.

She radios for a cruiser and then moves toward the kidnapper. She quickly reads him his rights.

Kate: So you want to tell me where you are taking the girls?

The guy looks at her angrily.

Kate: No. Maybe Buffy can help you remember.

Buffy smiles as he looks into her face.

Guy: No where. I was not doing anything. This bitch just attacked me for no reason.

Kate turns toward Frankie.

Kate: And is that your story too?

He says nothing.

Buffy: Angel, maybe if you let him go he can find his tongue.

Angel: He may try and run.

Buffy: You think he will get very far?

Angel releases the shaken bouncer.

Kate: So let’s try again. What do you know?

Frankie: Nothing I swear.

Angel: And the money.

Frankie: It was a tip, that is all.

Kate: A tip? For what, opening the door?

Frankie: For smiling, hell I don’t know. He always tipped me on the way out.

Buffy: And did he leave alone?

Frankie: Sometimes.

Kate: But not always?

Frankie: No. Sometimes he had a girl.

Buffy: Like tonight?

Frankie: Yes.

Spike steps forward and Angel places his hand on his chest holding him back.

Buffy: And you don’t think it is odd that the girls are unconscious?

Frankie: They just look drunk. Besides I need the tips. My girlfriend is having twins and well we got bills.

Kate: I asked you about the girls and you said you never saw them.

Frankie: I didn’t ever look at who he left with. I…well…I didn’t want to know.

Kate turns to the other guy.

Kate: So are you ready to talk?

Guy: Fuck off.

Buffy jerks his arm causing his leg to shift sending waves of pain through him.

Guy: My lawyer is going to sue the pants off you folks.

Kate: On what grounds?

Guy: Police brutality.

Kate: I haven’t touched you.

Guy: Not you her.

Buffy: Me? I am not with the police. Heck I am just a housewife. (Angel smirks) And I am sorry you fell and hurt yourself but you can not blame me. I am a third your size.

Guy looks at her and then at Angel.

Guy: Well he did it.

Buffy: Frankie, did Angel ever leave you?

Frankie looks at Angel.

Frankie: No.

Kate: Looks like you must have fallen like Buffy said. So you going to tell me your name?

The guy just stares at her. Buffy reaches back with her free hand. Angel flinches as her hand roams over the back of jeans feeling for his wallet. She tosses it on the ground.

Buffy: Hey looks like someone dropped a wallet. Maybe our friend when he fell.

Kate picks it up and flips through it.

Kate: Albert Little.

Buffy steps away from Albert as the two officer’s approach. Albert turns and tries to run only to fall down screaming. One officer runs to him and helps him up.

Officer 1: What do we have?

Kate: This is Albert Little. He drugged and tried to remove a female from the premises.

Officer 2: And his leg?

Kate: Fell and hurt it trying to flee according to the witnesses. I need you to take him in for questioning.

Officer 1: And his leg?

Kate: Have the nurse look at him and if she thinks he needs to go to the hospital later we can take him.

Officer 1: Yes ma’am.

The two officer’s lead Albert away. Kate turns to Frankie.

Kate: I expect you in my office at 8 AM or I will have you taken into custody.

Frankie: I am not under arrest?

Kate: Not yet.

Frankie: So I can go?

Kate: 8 AM

Frankie: I will be there.

He takes off.

Buffy: So we going to go check his home.

Kate: Not us. You guys can not be involved. We have to do this by the book.

Kate pulls out her cell phone and dials. She walks a few steps off.

Spike: Bloody Hell. I ain’t waiting for no damn book.

Angel: Spike, let Kate handle this.

Spike: Fine, it wasn’t Buffy he tried to cart off.

Angel looks at him in shock at the emotion in his voice.

Buffy: Spike, we will get him but he is human. And humans have to be punished by the law and not by us.

Spike: Look at Faith.

He nods at the weak female gripped in his arms.

Buffy: I know and the guy who did it is on his was to the police station. Now we need to find the evidence to keep him there.

Kate: Judge is issuing a search warrant.

Buffy: Let’s go.

Kate: Sorry, you guys need to stay out of it.

Buffy: We can help.

Kate: Yes you can. Take Faith to the hospital and get a blood sample so we can find out what they used.

Buffy: No.

Angel: Yes. You need to go home. Caitlin needs you.

Buffy: Willow can……..

Angel: She will be hungry.

Buffy: But.

He leads her over to the side.

Angel: Please, love. Go home and take care of our babies.

Buffy: And you?

Angel: I will make sure Kate does not need my help and then come home.

He trials his fingers down her arm and leans in touching his forehead to hers.

Buffy: Caitlin will be fine for a while. I left a bottle.

Angel: I know. I fed her some when I was home.

Buffy smiles. Angel pulls his keys from his pocket and hands them to her.

Angel: Take the car and take Faith to the hospital and home. By then Caitlin will be looking for you.

Buffy: And you?

Angel: I will be home soon. Just want to be sure Kate don’t need any help.

Buffy looks over at Faith.

Angel: I have a surprise for you when I get home.

Buffy: You do?

Angel: Yes.

Buffy: What?

Angel: Uh uh. It will wait.

She stick out her bottom lip enticing him to try and grab it with his teeth. He wraps her in his arms and draws her close. His mouth demands access to hers. She opens her lips and his cool tongue plunders her warm recess until she tussle it back with her own. Kate glances at them.

Spike: Yeah, don’t they make you want to heave.

Kate: They seem to have found what we all are looking for.

Spike: And what’s that?

Kate: A connection.

Angel and Buffy pull back from the kiss.

Buffy: I…I…I

Angel: Yes?

Buffy: I better get Faith to the car.

Angel: I will be home as soon as I can.

She takes Faith from Spike.

Buffy: Want me to give the kids a kiss goodnight for you.

Angel: No, I want to do it myself.

Buffy: Then you better be quick.

Angel: I will.

She walks off with Faith and he watches until they reach his car. He turns to Kate.

Angel: You get the warrant?

Kate: Judge should have signed it. Meeting the team at the house.

Angel: You might need us.

Kate: You two?

Angel: Yes. You don’t know what is really going on. He may be human but he may not work for one.

Kate: I know but you can be seen.

Angel: We won’t be.

Kate: Let’s go

They walk to her car and get in. She drives toward the home and drops them down the street.

Kate: Stay out of site.

Angel: No a problem.

She reaches the house and joins the officers. They quickly surround the house and enter. The place is empty. The officers head into the front yard and Kate stands in the living room awaiting the forensic team. She stares out the front window as the men prepare to rope off the property.

Angel: Kate.

She jumps and turns around.

Kate: Where you?

Angel: Back door.

Kate: You need to leave.

Angel: Didn’t find anything?

Kate: Nothing. Place is clean. No girls.

Spike: Wrong.

He nods at Angel and the two men snatch up the mammoth sofa from under the front window and move into the middle of the room. Angel runs his fingers near the baseboard and finds the handle to the trap door.

Kate: Stop.

Angel stands up.

Kate: How did you know?

Angel: We can smell them. I would say at least two females and one corpse.

Spike: I agree.

Kate: You can tell the sex?

Angel: We can smell their fluids. Females smell different than males. An each has its own scent.

Kate: You need to go.

Angel: We will be around if you need us.

They slip out the back as Kate calls the officers back in. They are surprised at her find but quickly open the door and move down the narrow steps.

Later Kate looks out the back door and Angel slips from the shadows.

Kate: Two woman both alive and one not so lucky.

Angel: And the others?

Kate: They were here. One of the girls saw them but said a man showed up one day and took them.

Angel: A man?

Kate: She said he was a man in a really really nice suit.

Angel: So the girls were here?

Kate: Yes.

Angel: Show us.

Kate: I can’t.

Angel: It will only take a minute. We can help.

She looks goes in and checks for the others. Finding they have all gone out she signals Angel and Spike. They quickly slip down into the hidden basement. They look at the empty cells. Angel nods to Spike and each enters a cel then back out.

Kate: The girls were in the other cells.

Angel: We know. We could tell. We just wanted to see if we could pick up the scent of the missing girls.

They head back up stairs and toward the back

Kate: And?

Angel: Yes. Spike?

Spike: Let’s go.

They slip into the backyard.

Kate: Where?

Angel: I figure start on the affluent side of town.

Kate: I’m coming.

Angel: We can do it.

Kate: I am coming.

Spike: We may need a human.

Angel: Fine. But you need to hurry.

Kate: Meet me where I dropped you off.

 

Later they drive down the road slowly in her car.

Kate: You really can you know find them.

Angel: Maybe.

Spike: Slow.

Kate: Any slower and we are walking.

Spike opens the door and steps out. He heads toward the high wall surrounding the massive home. Kate pulls the car into a small grove of trees and she and Angel walk back toward Spike.

Angel: What do you have?

Spike: Dunno but I am gonna check it out.

He leaps to the top of the wall. Angel grabs Kate and literally tosses her up to Spike. He catches her and with his arms around her waist jumps to ground. Angel lands beside them. They move toward the house but pause as two Dobermans coem at them. Angel steps in front and the animals lunge. He grabs each one in a hand and slams their head together. The collapse in a heap.

Kate: Are they?

Angel: Dead? No but they will have a headache when they wake up.

They slip up to the house. They move toward the back.

© 2005 Tara