Title: Rotten Apples
Author: Califi
Posted: a bit of everything...ummm…just read, kay?
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Rating: R
Category:
Content: C/A
Summary: It all began with a shiny red apple…
Spoilers:
Disclaimer: The characters in the Angelverse were created by Joss Whedon & David Greenwalt. No infringement is intended, no profit is made.
Distribution:
Notes: You won't believe this, but this fic came to me less than one hour ago, and my fingers just whizzed away, so what you see is what you get. Hope you guys enjoy it.
Thanks/Dedication:
Feedback:You won't believe this, but this fic came to me less than one hour ago, and my fingers just whizzed away, so what you see is what you get. Hope you guys enjoy it.
Once upon a time in a far away land…
"What the hell am I doing here?" Even as he asked himself that question over and over, Angel continued to walk down the hushed dim corridor.
Thoughts of past and present blended together and twirled around inside his head as he placed one foot in front of the other; his black boots muffled by the plush pale blue Carpeting.
Four long, arduous months since he last had been on this floor- the floor that housed one single occupant. And the last time he had been here had also been the first.
Well, what did anyone expect?
Everyone knew Angel; the not-so-unique vampire with a soul could never face his own, personal demons.
His guilt.
His failure.
His shame.
His guilt over what he'd done; not seeing the truth that was now so blindingly obvious. For stepping into an old habit rather than fight for what he really wanted. For being unable to face the one thing he wanted more than anything else.
His failure over what he'd not done- not seeing until it was too late. In not swooping in to rescue the most important of helpless victims. In dealing with a treasured child face to face.
And his shame- for the choices he'd made, the ones he'd refused to make- and most of all because he was afraid, even though those beautiful eyes were closed, that she would still be able to see what he'd become.
She wouldn't have recognised him. He knew that because, hell, even *he* didn't recognise himself anymore.
Yet not less than an hour ago, what had begun as a slight niggle finally grew to full-blown need. Need to see her. Right. Now.
But even as he placed one foot after another, his gut churned with threatened nausea. Four months. 13 weeks. 93 days since he'd last built up the courage to see her.
All too soon Angel stood outside her door- the only door in that long, silent corridor painted the brightest yellow; a symbol of the person who lay beyond.
His Sun on his darkest night.
As he stood there staring fixedly at the too-bright splash of colour, a muted sound filtered through the cacophony of thoughts that raced through his brain. He frowned darkly, his eyes narrowing with concentration as he attempted to place the familiar sound.
Then his leg drew back and the door was kicked open. The sight before him made him freeze for a moment.
A man loomed over the still figure lying in the queen-sized bed; the sound had stopped- but only because the cause of that sound now turned it's head to face him. Bloody fangs glistened hideously in the softly lit room, the sudden fear drenching the air as the feral amber eyes stared back at him in terror.
Even as he walked forward- yes walked, because now the trespassing vampire had frozen to the spot, which meant Angel could approach the bed with no chance of injuring the occupant with a frenzied lunge.
Then the vampire began to speak frantically.
"The voices…the voices told me to do it- take away her bad blood but leave enough not to kill her- I brought fresh blood" his shaking hands pointed to a cooler set on the floor by the bed. "This blood is good- not like hers. Hers is bad, so bad-had to get it out of her-they told me to," his words spewed out of his ragged mouth and the content sunk in even as Angel finally stood within inches of the cowering demon.
Lifting his powerful arms, he rested them on the vampire's quaking shoulders and carefully moved him away from the bed, and once at a safe distance, her lifted those hands and almost casually grabbed hold of the other's head and wrenched it from his shoulders.
Before the dust had time to settle, Angel was next to the bed, one hand pressed against the still bleeding wound in her throat. With the other he reached for his cell phone.
"Fred? Blood transfusion equipment in her room. NOW" he dropped his cell to the bed and loomed over the still figure beneath him
"Please don't die, pleasedon'tdie. I've lost enough of you already." His eyes flickered up towards the ceiling, whispering, "Don't take the rest."
Then the cracked door flew fully open. It seemed instantaneous, but the vampire had lost track of time so he couldn't be sure. Even with the pressure of his hand against the wound on her throat, her blood still oozed between his fingers.
"God, what happened?" Fred's frightened voice came over his shoulder.
"Vampire attack. Hurry up, Fred; I'm losing her." He glanced behind him and watched briefly as she set up the equipment, watched her carefully as she slid a sterilized needle into still softly golden skin. She reached for a bag of blood from the trolley- then the vampire's words echoed In his almost numb mind. Reaching out a staying hand he grabbed her arm.
"No; not those. Use the ones in the box." He jerked his head to point out the cooler by his feet.
Fred looked from the box to his face, and then with a sigh, reached down and opened the lid. Almost a dozen bags of fresh human blood lay stacked carefully within. "Her blood type too!" Fred's brows rose, then without further delay grabbed the cooler and placed it on the trolley, quickly setting up and the transfusion began.
Under his hands he felt her pulse pick up from the sluggish rate it was going when he'd first laid his cool flesh against her warm skin.
Time seemed to drag, but finally Fred expressed relief, and expertly removed the needle and covered the small puncture. Reaching for a bottle of holy water and a fresh pad, she indicated silently for him to remove his hand. He did so; relieved to see the blood had slowed to a trickle.
Moving safely away from the bed, Angel watched as the young physicist drew a deep breath and then quickly poured the entire contents of the phial over the wound. Before their eyes the raw puncture marks closed, faded and then disappeared.
"Like magic," Fred commented before grabbing a stethoscope and checking the other woman's chest. After a moment she smiled in relief. Angel relaxed; then stiffened at the sudden concern on the girls face.
"Angel…look; the blood!" both leaned over the woman lying o the bed and inspected the spilled blood on the large pillow with puzzled expressions.
"It's turned brown- a yucky, dirty…and really stinky brown," her nose wrinkled and she pulled back muttering "Snow White," Angel frowned and turned his head to look at her.
"What?" the puzzlement grew by the second. Fred blushed a little.
"Well, a lot of people in pharmaceuticals called that particular toxin Snow White- her blood was swimming in it." Her eyes widened with dawning excitement, "Oh, god!" then she frowned just as quickly. "Oh, God!"
"What? - Fred! Talk to me in Angel-speak for God's sake," the vampire growled with irritation. She shook her head abruptly then dragged her brown eyes from the stained pillow.
"Okay…sorry; have you ever read the fairytale Snow White?" Angel shook his head but admitted to knowing something about the Seven Dwarfs. Fred rolled her eyes then continued with a thread of excitement lacing her tone.
"Well, the old Witchy Queen sorta killed Snow White with a poisoned apple, she collapsed with a serious case of Living death." She explained rapidly. "Once the obstruction- the bite of apple was dislodged and fell out the toxin also left her body and she woke up."
Fred practically bounced on her heels and they both compulsively turned their heads to look at the beautiful, but still sleeping face. Their faces dropped with disappointment. Then Fred brightened up. "She got a hell of a lot more than a little ole bite of an apple, Angel." She attempted to soothe the vampire.
Her bottom lip disappeared between her teeth as once again a frown marred her brow "I can't believe they didn't notice that, what with all those blood tests they said they've been giving her." Their eyes met and slid away.
Neither had bothered with any results of those tests; Angel had never dared open a single routine medical report, and Fred had never aided in the tests. Guilt flared for a moment before another darker thought cross their minds simultaneously.
"Unless… Angel-" she began, only to be stopped by a raised pale hand.
"Don't say it Fred; please," Angel practically begged, his eyes shutting and his large body turning away. "Jesus. Nothing changes," he rubbed his face roughly, then he spun back round. "I trusted those scum, Fred." He shook his head slowly.
"What does that make me? – A blind fool or an unfeeling bastard? Take your pick," he added bitterly.
"Angel, please," Fred reached out a tentative hand. "None of us have made any effort to bring her back," she admitted guiltily. "This isn't just your burden alone." The vampire shook his head angrily.
"This is all my fault- MY FAULT! Fred, you have no idea what I've done," his voice broke, and he paused before continuing. "If you did, you'd never be able to look at me again with anything but hatred and distrust."
"Um…Can you guys keep it down over there? Girl with a major headache here- and what the hell am I doing in pink for God's sake?" Physicist and vampire turned as one to the bed and stared at the young woman who now sat up groggily against the plush headboard, a drowsy smile curving her beautiful unpainted yet pink mouth.
Hazel eyes glimmered with confusion mixed with mild amusement, and a well-manicured hand lifted to run slender fingers through her long, silky mahogany hair.
"Cordy", the smile softened at the vampire's hushed and unbelieving voice, his brown eyes shining with sudden moisture.
"That's my name, don't wear it out, big gu-ommph!" her breath whooshed out of her lungs as she was engulfed in a Vampy bear hug and her eyes glittered with emotion as she looked over his shoulder at the brunette Texan who waited impatiently for her turn.
"Angel! Human bones; crushable human bones here, buddy," she spluttered, a tender smile stretching her mouth as he merely relaxed his hold and buried his dark head into the crook of her neck.
"I thought I'd lost you," he murmured brokenly, overcome with feelings of crushing relief and heart-consuming love.
"Takes more than a trip to glowy land to lose me, big guy," she whispered into his ear, then looked back over at Fred.
"So what's been happening round here since my little vacation?" her fine brow arched in query.
Fred rushed over and went to sit on the other side of the large bed, reaching out to clasp the other woman's free hand.
"Well, it all began with a shiny red apple…"
FIN.
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