Fic: Last Known Address, Part Five

[girlpire]

Title: Last Known Address (Part Five)
Author: girlpire
Rating: FRM
Pairing: Primarily Angel/Spike
Disclaimer: This story is based on the "Angel" and "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" series, with which I am not affiliated in any way. Joss Whedon is my master, etc.
Distribution: Please do not archive this story anywhere.

Summary: After the death of his last human friend, Spike travels halfway across the world looking for the only person he still knows. When he arrives at Angel's last known address in a small village in Cambodia, he finds an audio recording that details the last two years of Angel's life. But where is Angel?

Author's Notes: This is the fifth part of a story that was written for spring_spangel, 2008. A complete listing of the chapters can be found [here].
Author's Notes 2: This story is set about seventy years post-NFA, but disregards both the AtS and BtVS comics - meaning that the whole Rome thing in TGiQ is canon. Because that is how I occasionally roll. Also, dialogue in italics means that it is spoken in a language other than English. You should be able to tell from the context what language the characters are speaking (probably either Khmer or French).



*

Last Known Address, Part Five

*

"I made up a game for the kids," Angel said. He was standing at his little window, looking toward the village through the steam on the glass. The recorder was sitting on the windowsill in front of him, gears turning slowly. "I guess it's really more of a test than a game. I've been thinking about Sann's abilities, and I want to know more about what he can do, so... we're going to try a little experiment. The school should dismiss in about an hour." As soon as he said this, Angel saw Devi and Sann come running down the path toward his house. "Or... huh. They're early today."

Angel reached over and pushed the stop button on the recorder. He went to stand at the end of the room furthest from the door so that the sunlight wouldn't reach him when they opened it, and a moment later, the kids burst through the door and ran straight for him, their arms out. He was a little startled when Devi's hand slapped against his stomach at the same time as Sann's hand slapped against his arm. They'd never greeted him this way before.

"I win!" Devi declared breathlessly.

Sann shook his head and pointed at himself.

"No, I got him first," Devi argued. Then, "Yes, I did!" She turned to Angel. "Who won, Chee-yaboh?" she demanded.

Angel looked down at the children, their little sweaty faces both hopeful and determined. "I don't think I understand the game," said Angel. "Why are you guys here so early?"

"Papa Pierre made us leave, so we raced," said Devi. "We went from the school to our house to the mission to Kanya's grandma's house to the temple to our house again to that one big tree - you know the one that looks like a fish with arms - to the road beside the mission to your house. And I touched you first, didn't I?"

Sann tugged Angel's arm and pointed at himself again.

"Why did Papa Pierre ask you to leave?" Angel asked.

Devi turned to Sann. "No, you didn't!" she protested. "Tell him, Chee-yaboh! Tell Sann I won."

Angel rolled his eyes. "I think," he told them, "that it was a tie. You both won."

"But I won faster," Devi clarified.

"You won at exactly the same time," said Angel, smiling a little.

Sann appeared satisfied by this. He walked over to the padded bench and flopped onto it dramatically, breathing hard. Devi pouted.

"Where's your dinner?" Angel asked. Usually, the kids brought a small portion of rice and fish with them in little boxes to eat for supper, but today they didn't have their boxes.

Devi and Sann looked at each other. Devi shrugged. "Where's yours?" she asked.

"I... ate before you came over," Angel said. It wasn't technically a lie; he'd had some blood two nights ago. Or was it three? He made a mental note to eat tonight at some point.

"What did you eat?" Devi asked.

"A six year old who asked too many questions," said Angel. He chuckled as Devi's eyes widened and Sann giggled silently. "And her brother," Angel added. Sann clapped a hand over his mouth.

"You couldn't eat us," said Devi. "We're too fast for you!"

Angel raised an eyebrow. "Yeah? You think I couldn't catch you?"

"Nope, you're too slow," the little girl asserted. She was already backing away, grinning. Sann got up from the bench and went to stand beside her, also smiling, anticipating a game.

"We'll see about that..." said Angel. He paused for a moment, watching them slyly, then took one step forward. Devi squealed and both children darted away, running for the bedroom. He followed them in and grabbed Sann around the waist, spun the laughing boy in a circle, and dropped him on the bed with a little bounce. "Gotcha," said Angel.

He turned to Devi next, and she ran out of the room, calling, "You can't catch me, Chee-yaboh!" Sann also scrambled up off the bed and ran after his sister, and Angel followed them both into the front room. Just as he got close, though, Devi made a grab for the door and flung it open, and both children ran outside.

Angel, caught by surprise, immediately halted and jumped out of the way, but it was too late. He was wearing a tank top and the sunlight streaming in through the doorway had already burned his arms. When the children peeked back inside, he was standing in the shade with his jaw clenched and eyes closed, waiting for the pain to subside, his forearms still smoking a little.

"Chee-yaboh?" Devi said, approaching him slowly. "Are you okay?"

Angel cleared his throat. "Yeah," he said. "Yeah, I'm okay."

"What happened to your arms?" She was very close now, staring at the raw, red patches on his skin. The smoke was dissipating.

"It's nothing," said Angel. "It's just... remember when I told you I can't go outside during the day? Because I'll get sick?"

Devi nodded, eyes wide.

"Well... this is what happens."

"Does it hurt?" she asked.

"A little bit," said Angel. "But I heal pretty fast."

Devi nodded again, then suddenly ran forward and threw her arms around him in a hug. "I'm sorry, Chee-yaboh," she said, her voice muffled into his hip. "I'm sorry I opened the door."

Angel ruffled her hair. "It's okay, Devi," he said. "Really. Everything's okay." He glanced over at Sann. The boy was standing near the door, watching him. He had closed it. Angel couldn't really read the expression on his face. "Sann? You alright, buddy?"

Without breaking their hug, Devi responded, "Sann got scared. But he's okay now."

Angel reached out a hand toward Sann, and the boy came forward quickly to wrap his arms around Angel as well. Angel hugged both of the children back.

"Sann says," Devi went on quietly, "that it's not time yet. You haven't been here long enough."

Angel pulled back gently. "And what does Sann mean by that?" he asked. The boy had pulled back as well and was examining Angel's arms. The raw patches were already starting to smooth away.

"He says that when it happens, it won't be like this," said Devi. "You won't get sun-sick." She looked at Angel's arms as well. "He says that when you get hurt, it will be a lot worse than that."

"What are you talking about?" asked Angel. He turned to Sann. "What does that mean?"

Sann looked over at Devi. She tilted her head as though listening and then nodded enthusiastically, the subject forgotten just as easily as it had been brought up. "Let's play a game!" she said.

*

Angel picked up another small piece of paper from the pile and looked at it. Then he looked at Sann. Sann was looking back at him calmly. Devi tilted her head to the side. Suddenly, she laughed. "It's Spot!" she said.

Angel turned the small drawing around so the kids could see it. It was indeed the donkey with the spot. "That was an easy one," said Angel. "Let's try again." He picked up another one of the small drawings he'd done before the kids came over. This one was a duck wearing galoshes. He glanced down at it, then over at Sann. Sann was still looking at him, smiling pleasantly.

"It's a duck!" said Devi, her head still tilted. "And it's... it's wearing funny shoes?"

"That's right," said Angel, turning the picture around so the children could look at it. "You guys are really good at this."

Devi was smiling. "The pictures are funny," she said.

"Let's do another one." Angel picked a random picture from the pile and looked at it. It was the one he'd drawn of a shooting star with a smiley face. He glanced at Sann.

"A happy star!" said Devi proudly.

"Very good," Angel said. He turned the picture so they could see it. "How did you know?"

Devi paused, glancing at her brother. Then she said, "Sann told me."

Sann was smiling, too. "How did he tell you?" asked Angel.

Devi pursed her lips like she was thinking. Then she tapped the side of her head. "He tells me in here," she said.

"And how does Sann know?"

Devi shrugged.

Angel turned to the boy. "Sann, how do you know what the pictures are?" he asked.

Sann pointed at Angel.

"He says you tell him," said Devi.

"But I wasn't saying anything."

Devi tilted her head, listening. "Sann says when you look at the picture, he can hear you. You tell him in his head." Then she looked at Angel. "Can we read a story now?" Along with new wardrobes (including the clothes they were currently wearing) and some toys and art supplies and candy and the two small donkeys, Angel had bought the children so many books for their birthday that they still hadn't managed to look at them all yet, even though it had been weeks.

"In a little while, Devi," Angel said. "First I want to know how Sann can hear me when I don't say anything."

Angel and Devi both looked at Sann. Sann gave them a theatrical shrug.

"Okay, let's try it this way," said Angel. He pulled a picture from the little pile and set it off to the side on the table without looking at it. "Do you know what this picture is, Sann?" he asked.

Sann's brow furrowed for a moment. Devi tilted her head. Then she said, "Sann says it's the fish tree."

Angel flipped the picture over. The kids were right again. "How did you know that one?" he asked. "I didn't even know what that one was."

Sann tapped the tabletop. "He says the table told him," said Devi.

"Oh," said Angel. He wasn't sure how to respond to that. "But the other pictures... you knew what they were because... you got them out of my head?"

Sann nodded.

"Alright, let's try a different game," said Angel. "I'm just going to think of something, and I want you to see if you can tell me what I'm thinking about. Without the pictures. Okay?"

Sann nodded again.

Angel decided to start off easy. He thought of a square. "Alright, what am I thinking of?"

"A box," said Devi.

"Very good," said Angel. "How about now?"

"A fast car," the girl immediately replied, head tilted.

"Right again," said Angel. He pictured a heart. "And now?"

"Your son," she said.

Angel started. "My... my what?"

"You're thinking of your son," said Devi. Both children were looking at him frankly. "His heart was sick. Three times."

"I -- yes," said Angel. "That's. That's very... good."

"And you miss him a whole lot," Devi went on, "and when you think about him your heart gets sick, too. But not in the same way."

"Okay," said Angel softly. "I think... that's enough of this game." He turned to Sann. The boy was watching him with an intense expression, his almond-shaped eyes now seeming much more perceptive than Angel had ever noticed before. "Sann, you can stop now," he said. But the look of concentration didn't leave the boy's features.

"You want to draw him," Devi continued slowly. "Your son. You keep trying to, but when you think about his face, you just see an old man. And the things you want to say to him, you can't say to him anymore because--"

"Devi. I said that's enough."

"--because he's all gone now. He's gone to the same place where our mother went."

Angel looked at Sann. The boy was staring at him as though transfixed, but his eyes were round and pained.

"You couldn't fight it," Devi said quietly. "His heart attacked him and you couldn't fight it. And you're... you're so sad." A tear suddenly slipped down her cheek, and she took a deep, trembling breath. "Oh, Chee-yaboh, you're so lonely!"

The girl pushed back her chair and ran over to Angel, climbed up into his lap, and wrapped her arms around his neck. Angel swallowed, unsure of what to say. He patted Devi's back as she sniffled near his ear. Sann was still staring at him. "The game is over, Sann," Angel finally said. "Now."

After a moment of tense silence, Sann abruptly broke eye contact. He looked down at the pieces of paper on the table.

"I'm so sorry, Chee-yaboh," Devi whispered. "I'm so sorry about... Connor."

Angel sighed, letting his eyes fall closed. For some reason, that name didn't sound right in this language. It sounded foreign, like a translation of a translation, a word snatched out of his thoughts by someone who couldn't make sense of it, then repeated to someone else who couldn't understand it either. But they didn't mean anything by it. Of course they didn't. They were just kids.

He patted Devi on the back. "It's okay," he said.

"Do you want me to sing you a song so you'll feel better?" she asked. A song was Devi's usual answer to everything.

"We can sing a song later," Angel said quietly. "Right now, why don't you and Sann go out and visit Chanlina and Gambhut? I'm just going to... stay right here. For a little while. Alright?"

Devi nodded. She slid down off of Angel's lap and went around the table to take Sann's hand. "Come on, Sann," she said. "Let's go outside."

The boy stood up but didn't walk away. He looked over at Angel with dark, sad eyes.

Devi tilted her head. "Sann says... he says please don't be mad at him for looking in your head."

"Oh, Sann, I'm not mad at you," Angel said. He held out his hand to the boy. "Come here." Sann hurried over to Angel and put his little arms around him. Angel kissed him on top of the head. "I'm not mad at you," he repeated, pressing his cheek to the boy's dark hair. "I asked you to do it."

Sann nodded. Devi said, "He says he won't do it again unless you tell him to."

"Thank you," Angel murmured.

"Because there are scary things in your head, Chee-yaboh. Nightmare things." Devi frowned at her brother. "He won't say what they are."

Angel exhaled softly. "Thank you, Sann," he said again.

The boy pulled back from the hug and put his small hand up to Angel's cheek. "It's how he knows you're the one," said Devi. She suddenly looked startled. "Are you going away somewhere?"

"Me? No, of course not," Angel said. "Why would you ask that?"

Devi shrugged. "Sann says he will miss you." She came over and took the boy's hand again. "Let's go, Sann," she said. "I bet I can touch Gambhut before you!"

The boy shook his head emphatically and then took off running toward the door, a small grin on his face. Devi shouted and ran behind him, and a moment later the door slammed shut, the children both on the brightly lit other side.

Angel continued to sit at the table, looking down at the small drawings he'd done for their 'game.' Finally, he got up and went to the window. The tape recorder was still sitting on the sill where he'd left it.

*

"And then they just ran outside, like it was nothing," Angel's voice is saying through the tiny speaker. Spike can hear his frustration clearly. "They're outside right now, playing with the donkeys. I just... I wish I could understand what all of this means. First they tell me that someone's listening to this recording because they can't find me, and then they say I'm going to get hurt worse than sun exposure 'when it's time' - whatever that means - and then Sann says I'm the one and he's going to miss me... Christ, I feel like they're trying to tell me I'm gonna die or something."

Spike swallows against a tightness in his throat. The possibility had more than crossed his mind. But if Angel is dead, where does that leave him? Just... alone?

"I feel like this is all leading up to something. Something big. I just... I don't know what. And I can't ask the kids because whenever I get close, it's like their abilities shut down and they suddenly turn into kids again. And you don't... you just can't ask a little kid what's going to kill you. I mean, they're so innocent... I don't even want them thinking about death. They've had enough tragedy in their lives already. Both parents dying, the war... they don't even have enough food tonight for their dinner.

"Today when my arms got burned, it occurred to me that if I died, Devi and Sann wouldn't have anyone to look after them. And it really scared me. I mean, the burns aren't bad - they're almost completely healed already - but... God, what if something happened to me? What would they do? I don't even want to think about it."

There's a soft sigh, and then the voice continues, "And I still don't know the extent of Sann's abilities. I know that he can read minds - and tables, apparently, which is pretty weird - and talk to Devi telepathically, but this stuff about the future? There's no way to test that. I mean, maybe it's all just some kind of game they're playing... Maybe there's not even anyone listening to this recording like they said. And... maybe nothing happens to me." There's another soft sigh. "Or maybe it's all true and the invisible monster from the village rips me apart, and whoever's listening can't find me because I'm dust. I guess there's really no way to know until it happens."

It's happening now, Spike thinks. But he doesn't say anything. He keeps having to remind himself that Angel couldn't actually hear him respond, even if he did it out loud. He shifts more comfortably on the small bed and places the recorder closer to his ear.

"Oh, and speaking of which, I've been doing some research on invisible monsters that rip people apart, and it looks like there aren't any. At least, not any who only hunt at night. There are two species of demons that are invisible and carnivorous, but one is insatiable, constantly hunting both day and night and ripping apart any animal it comes across, and the other hunts strictly during the day because it's allergic to moonlight. So this thing couldn't be either one of those. Besides, they're both indigenous to Canada. But I'm still looking into the ghost angle."

There's a short pause. Then Angel adds, "Also, it's kind of weird, but... for some reason, Pierre keeps sending the kids home from school early. It's not very often, just... about once every couple of months, I guess. But they never say why, and I keep forgetting to ask Marie about it. I hope it's not a discipline problem. I can't imagine that it would be. I feel like she would have mentioned it if it was.

"Oh. They're getting ready to come back in now."

*

Angel clicked the recorder off and placed it back on the windowsill as the two children pushed open the door and came inside. They were sweaty and a little out of breath, having raced to and from every landmark near Angel's house, including each of the four donkeys.

"Can we read a story now, Chee-yaboh?" Devi asked.

"Yeah, go ahead and get one off the shelf," Angel told her. He went to sit on his makeshift sofa, and Sann sat down on it next to him and leaned against him, yawning. Devi brought over one of their birthday books and sat on the other side of Angel, scooting very close before plopping the book down in Angel's lap. It was Bernard, the Brilliant Blue Dog translated into Khmer. Angel chuckled. "Are you sure you want to read this one again?" he asked. "There are still a lot of stories on the shelf that we haven't looked at yet."

"I like this one best," said Devi.

Angel turned to the boy. "What do you think, Sann? Should we read this one again?"

Sann nodded. He pulled his feet up onto the bench and lay more comfortably against Angel's side, and Angel put his arm around him.

"Alright. We'll read this one." Before he started, though, he asked Devi, "Do you want to read it, or do you want me to read it?"

"You read it, and I'll look at the pictures," Devi said.

"Okay," said Angel. He opened it to the first page and looked down at the squiggly Khmer letters. Once Marie had decided Angel was more or less fluent in Khmer, she'd started teaching him to read Khmer as well. He was still a little slow, but children's books were good practice. He cleared his throat quietly. "Bernard the bulldog," he began, "was no ordinary dog..."

*

By the time Angel had read about two thirds of the book out loud, both children were deeply asleep. They didn't usually fall asleep during Bernard, but they appeared to have worn themselves out with all the running around they'd done that day, and since they hadn't brought any food to eat, Angel figured it couldn't hurt for them to sleep until it was time to go home. He closed the book and carefully unwound himself from their warm little arms before standing to go put it back on the shelf. When he looked back, both kids were sleeping in oddly scrunched positions so they could fit on the padded bench, so Angel went over and scooped Devi up and then moved her to his own bed without waking her. He was going to put Sann in the bed, too - even though it was a small bed, the two children could easily have fit side by side - but when he returned, Sann had stretched out into a more comfortable position, and so Angel just left him there.

He got his sketchbook and pencils out of the cabinet to pass the time while the children napped. He turned to a blank page and stared at it, thinking. After a few minutes, he went back to the cabinet and got his stack of old photos out and started looking through them. If he couldn't draw Connor from memory - which he could; it was just... easier to have a photo reference - then he would do it this way instead. He had more photos of Connor than of anyone else. He was smiling in all of them, but he looked happiest in the one where he was holding his first son for the first time. Actually, his face was in profile, turned slightly away from the camera, but it's the one Angel felt sure Connor was the happiest in. Holding his own son as a newborn had made Angel very happy as well.

He looked at the picture until it got a little bit blurry, and then he put it down. It wasn't time yet. Maybe it never would be.

As he began to slip the photos back into their little plastic bag, the one on the bottom of the stack fell down to the floor. Angel picked it up. It was an old one of Xander and Spike standing on Willow's back porch beside a smoking barbecue grill. Xander was in his fifties, holding a beer and a pair of tongs and saying something to the blond vampire, but Spike was looking at the camera with a smirk and one eyebrow raised like he found something particularly amusing, although it didn't appear to be whatever the other man was saying to him. He looked almost as though he had some secret to be very smug about, which was probably true, although Angel had no way of knowing. It was a classic Spike expression.

Angel looked at the picture for quite a while. He didn't know why he'd kept it. He'd found it lying on top of a stack of old photographs at Dawn's house when he'd gone to Rome for Buffy's funeral thirty years ago. Something about it had appealed to him, and he'd slipped it into his pocket without a word, only to find it there later and feel guilty for taking it. He supposed he'd kept it because when he'd tried to talk with Spike on that visit, the other vampire's face had been drawn and vacant, and that's not how he wanted to remember him. Not that he thought about Spike a lot or anything, but when he did, he'd much rather think of the Spike from this picture.

He'd seen Spike again once since Buffy's funeral, but that didn't really count, as Spike had not seen him.

Angel finally put the photo of Spike in the bag with the others and replaced them in the cabinet. When he went back to his sketchbook, he decided to draw the blond instead, so he set about doing that, the mysterious smirk still very clear in his mind. He thought perhaps, if he ever saw Spike again, he might ask what he'd been smirking about in the photo. But it was already so old that he'd have probably forgotten by now anyway.

Angel worked on the drawing for a long time, squinting a little when the light from the window became too faint for a human to see by. He could still see, though. The light from the moon was perfectly sufficient for a vam--

Oh. Wait. Moonlight?

Angel quickly looked over at the window to make sure, and yes, it was definitely night time. And the kids were still in his house. He glanced at Sann over on his sofa. The boy was still sleeping there peacefully, one arm hanging down off the side, his fingers not quite touching the floor. Shit.

His first instinct of course was to jump up and take the children home right away. Mrs. Sen would be worried to death about them, was probably already convinced that the invisible monster had gotten them. On the other hand, if the safest thing would be to keep them inside all night and send them home with a sincere apology in the morning, would she prefer that he do that? No, better take them now. He wasn't certain there was an actual village monster in the first place, and even if there were, he felt sure he could protect the kids. And getting them home safely within about twenty minutes would be better than letting Mrs. Sen worry all night.

Angel stood and went quickly over to Sann, put a hand on his shoulder. "Sann," Angel said quietly. "Sann, you need to wake up now. We lost track of time a little bit..."

The child blinked his eyes open slowly.

"Hey, buddy. It's time to go home, alright? I'll get your sister." Angel left the boy sitting up with a yawn and went into his bedroom. "Devi? Devi, sweetheart, you need to wake up." He took her arm and shook her a little. "Come on, Devi. It's time to go." But the girl wouldn't budge for anything. Finally, with a sigh, Angel just picked her up. One of her arms went around his neck, and her head rested heavily against his shoulder, but she went on sleeping. He carried her back into the other room. "Sann? You ready to go?"

The boy was alert now, and he shook his head, looking at Angel as though he were crazy. He pointed to the window.

"I know it's dark, son, but your grandmother is going to be very worried about you. Don't you want to go home so she won't be worried?"

Sann shook his head again. He went over and stood in front of the door with his arms spread out like he was trying to block Angel from going outside.

"Listen, Sann," said Angel. "I'm taking you home. You don't have to be scared because you'll be with me, alright? I'm not going to let anything happen to you."

The boy still looked frightened.

"You trust me, right?" Angel asked.

Sann swallowed. Very slowly, he put his arms down. As Angel watched, the boy turned and opened the door a crack, peering out into the night. Then he opened it wider and stuck his head outside to look around. Finally, he turned back to Angel and took his hand, the hand Angel wasn't supporting Devi with, and led him resolutely outside.

The three of them made their way to the path that led to the village, Sann slightly ahead of Angel but still holding his hand, looking around constantly as though to make sure the way was safe. Angel had his other arm curled underneath Devi as she slept against his chest, her head on his shoulder, breath tickling his neck. Outside was quiet and still as usual. There was no wind, and the air around them was warm and damp, sticking their clothes to their bodies. The stars seemed very bright.

Angel squeezed Sann's hand. "Look how pretty the stars are," he said quietly. "I bet you don't see that very often, do you?"

Sann didn't respond. His eyes continued to dart from side to side, sweeping the area for a potential threat as they walked.

"Sann, you don't have to protect me, you know," said Angel. "There's nothing out here." Sann glanced at him and gave him a brief, hesitant smile but didn't appear to relax at all. Angel sighed and continued to let the little boy lead him by the hand.

Everything was fine until they got to the village. Angel had been thinking about what a nice night it was for a walk because there weren't many clouds to cover up the moon and stars, when they turned a corner around a small house on the way to Mrs. Sen's house, and Sann suddenly stopped walking.

"Come on," Angel said. "We're almost there." He tugged Sann's hand gently, but the boy was frozen in place, staring straight ahead of them, eyes wide. Angel could smell the sudden fear wafting off the boy's skin, and he frowned. "Sann? What's wrong?" he asked. He looked down the dirt path. There was nothing there. He sniffed the air, but the only things he could smell were the ordinary scents of the village and Sann's fear. "Sann?"

The boy was shaking his head slowly, his eyes on the empty space ahead of them. He took a step back, pulling Angel's arm.

"No," Devi's voice suddenly whispered near Angel's ear. "It's not time yet."

"Devi--?" he started. But then he realized that she hadn't lifted her head or moved at all. Her breathing and heart rate hadn't changed. The little girl was still asleep.

"Go away," she whispered, voice slightly muffled against Angel's neck. "Go away; it's not time."

Sann's hand was tight around Angel's. He slowly pulled the vampire backwards, one step at a time, and Angel went with him, still looking around for some reason to be frightened. But there was nothing. Sann kept glancing from side to side as though searching for an escape route before looking forward into the empty space again, keeping an eye on it. Clearly, he was terrified.

"Sann, what is it?" Angel asked softly, staring ahead at the deserted path between the small houses. Nothing was moving. "Is there something out there?"

Very carefully, Sann let go of Angel's hand and moved to stand in front of him, face forward but still crowding Angel backwards with his arms spread out to the sides. Finally, the boy swallowed and turned to look up at Angel's face.

"Run," Devi whispered.

It was enough. Without a second thought, Angel scooped Sann up with his free arm and sprinted back the way they'd come, carrying both children. He imagined, though he couldn't be sure, that he heard heavy footsteps following closely behind them on the path away from the village, but he didn't stop running until they were back to his little house. He dropped Sann just in front of the doorway so he could open the door, and the boy scrambled inside, yanking Angel in after him by his shirt. This caused Angel to lose his balance, and all three of them spilled in through the doorway onto the floor, Angel catching himself awkwardly with his left hand and knee so he wouldn't land on top of either of the kids.

As soon as they'd made their clumsy entrance, before the door had even been shut, there was a flash of deep purple light and the entire house shook like something very large had battered against the side of it. Angel flipped over to stare at the open doorway and saw the flash a second time as the walls shook again. Then Sann lunged forward, caught the edge of the door near the bottom, and slammed it shut. At once, the battering stopped.

Angel took a deep, shaky breath. So the spell he'd cast on the doorway was working. He fell back on the rug and wiped a hand over his face. That was... that was good to know. His other hand found Sann's sandaled foot and patted it. "Good job, buddy," he said. "You did good. Thanks."

Sann was still lying on the rug breathing hard. He nodded.

Devi, wide awake by now and looking quite confused, was sitting up and staring at Angel. "It's night, Chee-yaboh," she said. "We're supposed to be at home."

"You're spending the night here tonight," said Angel, not moving from the floor.

"Oh." Devi thought about this for a moment. Then she asked cheerfully, "Can we read a story?"

*

tbc.

Back to [Table of Contents]

*

Comments

[spikesfool.livejournal.com]

Wow. I was just thinking about this story yesterday, wishing there would be a new chapter, and here it is.!

Really, really excellent. The sequence where Angel's trying to take the children home made the hair on the nape of my neck stand on end.

*big round of applause*

Now, more please. Immediately!!!!!

[girlpire.livejournal.com]

wishing there would be a new chapter, and here it is.!

i did it just for you! :)

made the hair on the nape of my neck stand on end.

yay! thanks!

Now, more please. Immediately!!!!!

haha, i'm working on it. hold your horses. :P

[hello-spikey.livejournal.com]

duuuuude so scary! OMG!
and sad! And so many beautiful character moments - I love that Angel sees the photograph of Spike and Xander differently than Spike saw it.

You're so good. Oh you rock my socks and make me all embarrassed about how crappy my stories are!

Sann making Devi talk in her sleep? Scary. His abilities are so strong it's creepy. But you convey his personality without words and so I'm not afraid of HIM... just... scary freaky supernatural stuffs!!

(And of course the Spangel heart is fluttering that Angel decided, however casually, to draw Spike. :D)

[girlpire.livejournal.com]

thank you!

i think spike sees the picture as a picture of xander, and angel sees it as a picture of spike. if that makes sense.

i'm glad you thought the scary part was scary! i've never really written anything scary before. like, in a chilling way. but i've got at least one more scary scene coming up in a future part, and i'm kind of excited about it. heh.

the spangel heart is supposed to flutter! it IS a spangel story, after all... supposedly... i mean, if i can make myself porn in the same story as i've written some little kids. i dunno, though... i tried it out in the last chapter and it felt weird. hmm.

You're so good. Oh you rock my socks and make me all embarrassed about how crappy my stories are!

i at once hug you and slap you for this comment! haha. thank you, but you are very good yourself, you know. i've lurked in lots of fic by you. :)

oh, and the other comment you made - the one you didn't want other people to get spoiled by? i can neither confirm nor deny the um, allegations there, BUT i will say that that is not the ONLY thing that could have happened in order for the story to be turning out the way it is. (believe me, i have examined many options for this fic.)

[hello-spikey.livejournal.com]

i think spike sees the picture as a picture of xander, and angel sees it as a picture of spike. if that makes sense.

That's it exactly! And you convey that without outright telling, which I love.

and aaaaw you can put smut in a story that had little kids - after all, smut LEADS to little kids, doesn't it? :D

*biting my lip and thinking 'it can all turn out all right in the end'*

[makd.livejournal.com]

Neat update. What a cliffie! This is heart-pumping....

The children are very lovable - and a bit eerie.....

[lizaboo2.livejournal.com]

really interesting chapter! i can't wait for the next part to (maybe) find out what had been out there and what is going to happen to angel! loved that angel decided to draw spike!

[kaydee23.livejournal.com]

This is really scary. I like it, but I'm scared for Angel and the kids. Now I'm really worried about what happened to Angel.

[emeraldswan.livejournal.com]

I've spent the evening reading what you've written of this story thus far, and wow. This is freaking fantastic!

[rebcake.livejournal.com]

This is fantastic, and so, so creepy. I am frightened for little Sann. He's such a sweetie, but that much power will create problems. I can't help but think that they are the "monster's" target, not Angel, since he hasn't had trouble before, though Sann seemed to be shielding Angel. Or is there some association with the early dismissal from school? Quite the mystery you've got going!

[silentflux]

Yay! More :) And the ending - so creepy... I can't wait to find out what else you have in store :)

[lynnenne]

This fic continues to captivate. I *love* these kids, and I can easily see how Angel loves them, too. You choose such perfect little details to illustrate their personalities, like Devi insisting that she won the race. Too cute!

"What did you eat?" Devi asked.

"A six year old who asked too many questions," said Angel.

Bwahahahaha!

"The table told me." I found that hilarious yet creepy all at once.

"And you miss him a whole lot," Devi went on, "and when you think about him your heart gets sick, too. But not in the same way."

*bursts into tears*

Oh, honey. That whole scene just about broke me. Just... wonderful job. Wonderful.

[elisi]

Ok that last part just freaked me out completely! Which - given the fact that monsters are two a penny in the Angelverse - is quite something. *shivers*

VERY curious and apprehensive now!

[acacia5.livejournal.com]

Ooo, the mystery deepens.
I am very worried for Sann and Angel now. Not only is Angel missing but Spike has only seen a little girl so far.
Angel's relationship with the children is lovely, very moving, and of course I love the Spangel overtones. I just hope that a happy ending is in store, because Sann's revelations have me very nervous.

[amavel-bel.livejournal.com]

Greap chap, hon!!! I got very scared with the monster threatening Angel and the kids. And Angel choosing to draw Spike was so lovely. I am so worried about what's going to happen to Angel. What a mystery.

[mendenbar01.livejournal.com]

I love all your works, but this one has me totally wrapped up.

[jillyjelly.livejournal.com]

this is soooo good, I give a little squee when I see you have updated. No porn and I am still hooked, lined and sinkered.

[sp23.livejournal.com]

I don't normally read WIPs, but yours intrigued me, so I thought I'd give in. And now I wish I hadn't because I want to read more immediately! ;-)

Really marvelous tale, and I can hardly wait to see what happens next, what happened to Angel, if something happened to Sann (oh, noes), and how Spike will find him. I'm eagerly looking forward to your next chapter.

[a-mistletoe.livejournal.com]

It's like Angel is having the childhood experiences he never had with Connor and then to be reminded of his dead son: so sad. The fact that it was still too soon to draw him was also sad, so to look for comfort in drawing Spike: aaaaww.

As for the plot, you've created two really fascinating children who know just enough to scare the reader about what has happened to Angel and maybe Sann. I think they also show that Asian fatalism about what destiny and death are all about - just like Angel really.

The monster is really scary in a Predator type way and I have my suspicions about that Father Pierre being significant.

Great chapter, well worth the wait. What a lot of good reading is about at the moment!

[sijay.livejournal.com]

thanks for telling me, there was a new chapter ^^ I would have missed it.

Okay, no I am a little scared. Sann could see this monster-thing? And Angel couldn't? Okay, at least we know now, there really is something out there.

[flake-sake.livejournal.com]

Yay, another update!!! You're handing out little versions of christmas in my head (sans the family drama)every time you put up a new part!

Love the monster. Really scary monsters were so rare on the show, because mostly there wasn't much mystery about them, but this one is the real thing. Coming out only in the dark, undetectable to Angel's senses, yet Sann can see it and talk trough sleeping Devi. This was sooo creepy! Brilliant!
Also a pretty new experience to Angel not being the scariest thing in the night, feeling more like prey, when he's used to being the hunter.

Loved how Spike wants to answer to the record voice.

The scene were Angel tries to fathom the extend of the kid's abilities was adorable, especially when Sann asked him not be mad, because he looked at the things in his head.

[billysgirl5.livejournal.com]

things are getting very interesting...

[zoesmith.livejournal.com]

I love love the story so much! I can’t get enough of it! Your descriptions are simply amazing and Angel is so great with the kids he melts my heart. Sann and Devi are two of the best original characters ever. Sann even talks to tables… how cool is that?
The story is so intriguing and I can’t wait to find out what’s going to happen. Where’s Angel? Where’s Sann? What chased them?

"He says that when it happens, it won't be like this," said Devi. "You won't get sun-sick." She looked at Angel's arms as well. "He says that when you get hurt, it will be a lot worse than that."
OMG no! no! Save him Spike! Save him!!!

"You couldn't fight it," Devi said quietly. "His heart attacked him and you couldn't fight it. And you're... you're so sad." A tear suddenly slipped down her cheek, and she took a deep, trembling breath. "Oh, Chee-yaboh, you're so lonely!"
Awwww my poor poor lonely Angel. *hugs him*

Thank you for the great chapter hun! Thank you! xxx

[bindigirl.livejournal.com]

OMG! Really great update, so very scary.

Thanks hope there's more soon.

[dreamsofspangel.livejournal.com]

Oh no, what ever the ripping-people-apart monster is, Angel can't sense it; that is bad! But, Spike will be there to save him... right?

[deepsorskies.livejournal.com]

Gulp ... You ... you made me cry! The scene, where Sann looks into Angel's head and Devi vocalizes Angel's feelings about Connor's death and the kids try to comfort Angel, made me cry! It's so sad and so perfect; it really brings home what I think is Angel's deepest hurt, his utter loneliness. And Angel being unable to draw Connor? Made me cry all over again! ... Although this scene also is kind of comforting in his finding, almost subconciously, solace in drawing Spike. I love it how suptle the hints are you let Angel drop that Spike is important to him; for someone who claims that he rarely thinks about certain blond vampires, he does the self-same quite a lot! Im curious, when Angel saw Spike without the other being aware of it!

The rest of this chapter was just downright creepy. I'm very on edge and biting my nails. There will be a new chapter soon, right? Right? I'm getting really, really worried here and am starting to fear: Maybe Angel truly is dead??? (No, no, no, no, no, no, no, he's all right, la, la, la, la, la) What, if the tape-recorder is his legacy and Spike the one who has to take care of Devi and Sann, now that Angel is ... no, no, no, no, no, he's all right, la, la, la, la, la, not listening to myself ...

... Okay, that was me going a little crazy. You see, I need a new chapter very soon for the sake of my mental health *makes puppy-dog eyes*

By the way, my favourite part out of this chapter is probably:

Devi tilted her head. "Sann says... he says please don't be mad at him for looking in your head."

"Oh, Sann, I'm not mad at you," Angel said. He held out his hand to the boy. "Come here." Sann hurried over to Angel and put his little arms around him. Angel kissed him on top of the head. "I'm not mad at you," he repeated, pressing his cheek to the boy's dark hair. "I asked you to do it."

Sann nodded. Devi said, "He says he won't do it again unless you tell him to."

"Thank you," Angel murmured.

"Because there are scary things in your head, Chee-yaboh. Nightmare things." Devi frowned at her brother. "He won't say what they are."

Angel exhaled softly. "Thank you, Sann," he said again.

*sighs* Perfect!

[adso-von-melk.livejournal.com]

Beautiful, so beautiful!!! want more of this....loved it! :D

Hi

[kimmyjarl.livejournal.com]

Just thought I should say, I’ve been reading this story and loving it. It’s so... slow moving and meaningful, a pleasure to read. The way you portray Angel, it’s like I get to know him a little better. It’s really him.

And also, a spangel story that’s not all about the sex? Those are the best kind.^_^

[pellamerethiel.livejournal.com]

Oh, another chapter!!! How wonderful, what a pity that I didn't read that before :D

I loved this one, especially the end and the dramatic moment with deep purple light - what the hell was that?! :DDD

And Sann's mentioning Connor was fabulous, too. I love this story, it's so emotional and touching.

[mendenbar01.livejournal.com]

Seems like forever since there has been an update here. Please, tell me you haven't abandoned it.

[bella240.livejournal.com]

This is such a beautiful and intriguing story.

[emac66.livejournal.com]

This is marvelous! What a wonderfully indtriguing story. I hope you will continue on with it.

[staticspinning.livejournal.com]

omg...this story is incredible! It's so well written, the characters are perfect...angsty and scary and beautiful--*shivers* --do you plan on continuing this?

[martinius.livejournal.com]

I also wonder if there's going to be more, because I need more!! More please?

[merlenhiver.livejournal.com]

Hey there,
just dropping a few lines to say how much I enjoyed this story so far. I hadn't realized it wasn't finished until just now ... hope you'll get around to finishing it, since it's such an amazing read! I love your take on Spike/Angel, as I've told you before, they work so well together in your stories.
While I was reading this, I realized that this is another of your stories where Spike and Angel communicate only indirectly (at least at first), but that it's exactly this sort of botched communication that helps them realize their feelings for each other in the first place. It makes sense, I guess, since the way they usually talk to each other leads from one argument to the next, and both deny their affection. (I'm thinking about "Friday" here, where Spike and Angel are on different planes for the better part of the story, and of "The Small Places", where Spike isn't speaking and the communication is mostly non-verbal on his part.) Anyway, it's a fascinating plot device and so much fun to read! It's probably the main reason why I love your Spike/Angel stories so much.
I also loved the unusual setting and your way of using foreign languages, your attention to detail. Thank you for another great read!
merlenhiver

[mofetash.livejournal.com]

rereading your stories on my hard drive and came looking for more chapters...and found your list! many on there that I have not read and would like to do so, so will friend you and hope you friend me back so i can enjoy all your great writing.
very much enjoyed small place, one of the best written stories ever.

[si-zilla.livejournal.com]

Excellent story. Any hope that you will continue it?

[cowboyandrodeo.livejournal.com]

Been reading a lot of fics lateley just to unwind. Not sure how i came across this particular one, but i am glad I did. Wonderful story, wonderful writing. I hope one day you find your muse to continue.

[(Anonymous)]

I normally don't read unfinished stories (too frustrating), but I've never regretted reading and rereading this one -- great work.

[spikesjojo.livejournal.com]

I don't want to punch you or bruise you. I just want to tell you that classic stories like this are loved forever! I'm pretty sure you won't be returning to it, to finish, but I so love what you've written.

Be well!

[(Anonymous)]

Good God, this story is mesmerizing! I can't stop reading it. Is this where it ends?!! This is some brilliant storytelling here and I will be devastated to see the end of it, especially without a proper close to it all....Just WOW.

I'm hanging on every word, the jump between Spike in the present and Angel in the past...I haven't the words for how much I want to read more of this wonderful, wonderful story.

~jade_wulf