Pathways Ch. 01-02

(The characters are not my property. They belong to Mutant Enemy and the amazing Joss Whedon. This begins immediately after the last scene of "Not Fade Away".)

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"Why do they always have to make speeches?" Angel asked himself, through the aches and pains that defined his world right now. In the movies they do that so that the good guy can get rescued at the last moment. But there wouldn't be any of that for him. Not today. There wasn't anyone left to rescue him.

As he had foreseen, Gunn was the first one to fall. He had taken a heavy toll of the attacking army, heavier than anyone could have thought possible. It had been possible only because he knew he was already dying and had thrown himself headlong into the fray, heedless of danger.

Illyria had been next. That had surprised him. He thought that Spike, hell, that he and Spike both would go first. But the raging former goddess had hurled herself into the densest part of the enemy. The grief that had seized her over Wesley's death was indeed uncontrollable, as uncontrollable as her thirst for violence, for vengeance. For a moment Angel had thought she would destroy the entire massive Wolfram and Hart strike force. But a flood of last minute arrivals had snowed her under and although she took most of them with her, when the dust cleared, she didn't get up. Angel hoped that the Powers That Be could somehow arrange things so that her spirit and Wes could finally find some peace together.

That left him and Spike. The two vampires with souls had stood back to back, hacking and swinging their swords for what seemed to have been hours. It might have been that long, it might have only been minutes. Then Angel was covered in dust and he knew that William the Bloody was gone. For good? The elder vampire grinned as he set his back against the body of the dragon that had been his first mark. Be just like Spike to show up again somewhere. Angel wished him luck, and the world too if he did.

The battle had gone on. The strength that he had taken from Hamilton had carried him further than he could have ever dreamed, but it faded finally. So arm weary he could not lift his sword for another blow, the final group of the Senior Partners' minions had swarmed over him and bore him to the ground, helpless and exhausted.

The demon that he supposed to be the senior member of the survivors had come up to him and started boasting. Angel guessed that he was going to try to take all the credit for the destruction of the Fang Gang. It didn't matter to him. Hell, he wasn't going to be here. Angel just hoped he had accumulated enough points to avoid eternal fire and brimstone.

It sounded like the demon was finally winding down. Angel wondered if it had been a good speech, but he had no clue. He hadn't heard a word. The creature standing over him grinned widely and lifted a sword over its shoulder. Must be planning on decapitation, Angel mused. This sure would be a good time for the cavalry to come to the rescue.

The sword started its downswing. Then it was flying through the air and the creature wielding it as well. That creature was in several pieces already as a gray thunderbolt hurtled over the prostrate vampire. The remaining demons attempted to flee but none made it farther than a few steps as the cavalry, in the form of an enraged werewolf, made mince meat out of all of them.

Angel tried to rise but sank back against the dragon's corpse as the werewolf turned towards him. It was a shame he thought. Just the two of them left, and even though he knew just exactly who that shape shifter was, it wasn't going to do him any good. Why she had finished off the opposition before turning back to him he didn't know. In one way he wished the demon had killed him. It was ironic for him to finally torn to pieces by someone he had tried to keep safe.

He closed his eyes. He never would have done that for a foe, but this was different. He hoped that when she returned to her human form she wouldn't remember this. He waited.

Nothing happened. No blow descended, no ripping claws struck. Hell, there wasn't even any hot breath on his face. Instead a familiar voice said "Ouch. Ouch. OUCH."

Angel opened his eyes. A blonde figure danced back and forth from one bare foot to the other. In fact, all of her was bare and the sight was as pleasant this time as it had been ever since he had first seen her nude. A smile must have crossed his face because Nina stopped hopping back and forth and glared at him.

"It's not funny. This alleyway is covered in bodies that have horns and scales and sharp things sticking out of them. Not to mention broken swords and chains and all the rest of the litter. I can barely find any place to stand, let alone get back to my shoes and the rest of my clothes. Anyway, stay where you are and I'll be right back."

The young woman disappeared from sight. Angel could monitor her progress though, as a steady stream of "Ouch, ouch," floated to his ears. The complaints finally stopped and less than a minute after that Nina was back; dressed in jeans, a pullover top and tennis shoes. She helped him to his feet.

"Come on, we have to go. The storm has broken and maybe it's over but I don't think we need to sit here and wait to see if the bad guys have more up their sleeves." Angel leaned on the slender girl as she led him out of the alley and around the corner and helped him into her battered Honda. She buckled him in the passenger seat and drove away.

"Where are we going?"

"I have no idea. I don't think we can make it to my house before daylight and this car doesn't have those fancy windows. I have the money I got from cashing in my airline ticket. I guess its enough to get us a hotel room for a couple of days."

"You cashed in your ticket? Why?"

"Oh please," Nina took her eyes from the road for just a moment to give him a pitying look, not realizing that she was nearly quoting Connor's remarks from earlier in the day. "You want me and Jill and Amanda out of town and I don't know something major is about to happen? I bundled them on the plane, told them I loved them and came back looking for you.

Angel closed his eyes. He really hadn't fooled anyone had he? First Connor and now Nina. The car hit a bump and he winced as the worn out shocks failed to cope with the road.

"Oh God, I'm sorry."

"You came back for me and rescued me. You don't need to apologize for anything ever Nina, especially for the condition of the road for heaven's sake." As worn and hurting as he was, Angel could not resist asking, "How did you, well, how did find me? How did you make the transformation to and from your, ummm..."

"Werewolf side?" Angel nodded and Nina continued. "I don't know. I came to the office building of course. It was so strange Angel. People were walking right past it as though they couldn't see what was happening there. Maybe they can't, maybe that alley was in a world by itself. I hope we've escaped it."

"Anyway, some how I got to the alley and saw you. I didn't know what to do. What COULD I do? One skinny blonde isn't going to be able to do much. But then, somehow I felt, no, rather I KNEW that I could transform." The young woman blushed. "I was mighty glad everyone's attention was on you as I stripped so I would have clothes to put back on after, assuming there was an after." She got a thoughtful look on her face. "If this ability stays with me I wonder if I could rig up some sort of knapsack or bag to carry my clothes around."

The picture in Angel's mind of a Werewolf with a little knapsack on her shoulders, combined with the enormous events of the day, proved too much. The vampire began to laugh, then cry, then shake almost uncontrollably. Nina glanced around frantically and pulled into a downtown hotel's drive-up. Declining the offer of assistance from a bellman, she got Angel inside and registered at the desk. The clerk baulked momentarily when Nina was unable to present a credit card but two days rent in cash and a couple of extra twenties in his pocket assuaged his worries and she got the now quiet Angel up to their room.

Once there the blonde young woman steered Angel towards the bathroom. She carefully undressed him and got him in a hot shower. Watching anxiously as he slumped wordlessly against the stall, she reached a decision. She quickly stripped her own clothing off and joined him in the water. She held the much bigger vampire, washing and soothing him. She felt his tense muscles relax bit by bit. Finally she helped him from the tub and assisted him to dry off. She led him to the bed, pulling back the covers and climbing in with him.

Angel shivered and Nina wrapped her arms around him and pulled him close. The duo clung tightly, the warmth of the woman's body calming the exhausted man. They cuddled, with Nina whispering into Angel's ear as he drifted off to sleep, completely exhausted by the day's events.

"It's alright Angel. You're safe," the slender blonde repeated over and over. "You're safe here, with me, in my arms. I have you and I'm never going to let you go." She hesitated, rested her face against his neck as she spooned with him and then whispered "I love you." There was no verbal reply, but Angel snuggled back against Nina and his hand clasped hers.

The two slept, the werewolf holding the vampire. A hero. HER hero. For the moment all was peaceful.

However, somewhere else a sleepy voice was inquiring "What is it Willow?"

The red-headed witch was sitting up in bed. "I don't know Kennedy. Something, I feel something but I don't know what it is." Her eyes widened. "Yes, I do. It's LA and it's Angel. Something has happened." She kicked the covers off and got up.

"How do you know it's him?"

"There's been a connection between us ever since I restored his soul." Willow scurried around the room. "Where did I put the phone? I need to call Rome."

Chapter 2

Angel stirred. Nina was instantly awake, as she had been off and on throughout the day and now into the hours of darkness. Exhaustion was apparently not enough to keep the nightmares away. The blonde woman suspected he was not just reliving the fight in the alley but much more. There had been a stab of jealousy when the restless vampire had mumbled "Buffy", but she determinedly smothered it and simply held him and soothed him whenever his thrashings woke her. He would clutch at her and sooner or later relax.

Nina was right. Angel's mind was traveling back through his life and unlife starting with the memories of his childhood, of his parents, his sister. Again he met Darla, saw the night when he was turned and the terrible events that had followed. He remembered Drusilla and what he had done to her. He saw the Gypsy girl and the guilt that had flooded him with the return of his soul. He saw Faith, he saw Kate Locksley. And, most of all, he saw Buffy.

He saw Buffy from the first day until he had arrived just in time to knock down Caleb before he brought the axe down on Buffy. He saw the night that they made love and he lost his soul. He felt her kiss him and then drive her sword through his body to shut the portal to the Hell Dimension. He saw her standing in the sunshine the day that he regained his mortality, the day that never existed.

He had always been sure his fate had been linked with the Slayer, that they were destined to be together. But he had thought the same thing about Darla. He watched the futile search through Rome with Spike. He had been so sure of the connection with Buffy, but somehow it seemed as though it had evaporated.

The Immortal. Even in his sleep Angel ground his teeth. He had always felt he was more than a match for any other guy on the face of the planet, but somehow he always seemed to come up short with that one. First with Darla and the fact that Spike was left kicking his heels while Drusilla went too didn't make him any happier. He saw Buffy, her back anyway, dancing with the Immortal, ignoring him. The vampire who had loved a Slayer groaned, only to feel a warm presence holding him and drawing him away from that picture.

From far away he heard a familiar soft voice going "Shhhhhhhh. It's alright."

Angel struggled to make sense of it all. He felt like all these scenes were some kind of show, that there was a reason behind this flood of memories. What was he being told? Why was he taking this journey again? He was thankful that apparently he was being spared a reliving of all of his crimes, as thankful as he was for the familiar voice that calmed him.

Around midnight Angel finally woke, confused about his surroundings but able to relax in Nina's arms. For her part, the blonde were girl was happy just to be with him, but at the same time she wondered what their next move was going to be. She wondered aloud and the answer came immediately.

"We're going to see the Oracles."

"The Oracles? Who are they?" inquired Nina.

"They're a link to the Powers That Be. Or at least they used to be," Angel admitted.

"Used to be?"

"They were killed, murdered by Vocab, an assassin sent by the Senior Partners."

"But if they're dead how are they going to help us?" Nina frowned.

"I managed to consult the ghost of one of them once before. Granted, that was very shortly after their murders. Still, I can't think of any thing else to do right now. I'd like some answers."

The duo arrived at the Post Office and found their way to the apparently blank wall that led to their destination. Angel cudgeled his memory until he recalled Doyle's instructions on how to gain entrance. Since Nina was still holding his hand, the pair appeared together in the audience chamber.

The bodies were gone, not that Angel had expected them to still be here. The pair looked around. No one and nothing. He gave a sigh.

"It was worth a shot." He looked at Nina.

The slender woman wasn't looking back. She was staring at the far side of the room. "I think there's something there. Or someone."

Neither Angel nor Nina was ever able to describe the figure that appeared before them. It seemed human, in a way. One moment it seemed male, then it was female and then impossibility both, or neither. It was old and young, stern and joyful. They couldn't even decide if it spoke aloud or if they simply heard its thoughts.

"Welcome Liam. Welcome Nina."

Nina gripped Angel's arm "Who's Liam?" she whispered.

"Me. I'll explain later."

"You have done well. Now you stand at a crossroads. More than one pathway is available to you. Eventually you will need to return here, once you make your decision."

"What decision is that?" asked Angel, confusion written on his face.

"You'll know it when you are ready to make it."

Angel wanted to sigh. That's just what he need, more cryptic messages. Oh well, that was always the way it went. He felt in awe of the figure, but decided to risk asking a question or two.

"What about the Senior Partners? Will they be looking for me.? For us," he amended, conscious that Nina had also been at the final fight.

"The Senior Partners will always remain a foe and a danger to you. They will be around until the final battle takes places, far in the future between the forces of good and evil. They will not be threatening you directly but through their minions. You will always have to be on the lookout for them. However you disrupted their plans and they will need to start rebuilding. Their energy and attention will be focused on that, not on you two. I assure you that you will find much to do if you resume quest to help the helpless."

"If?"

"You need not. It is your decision. I tell you now Angel, that Angelus is now forever bound safely. Your soul is your own and you cannot lose it, although of course you can give it away, as can any person."

Angel stood with his mouth open. His soul fixed? No worried about the curse? No fears of a moment of perfect happiness returning him to darkness? He swayed on his feet. Thoughts cascaded through his mind, primarily of Buffy.

Nina watched the expressions play across Angel's face. She knew where his mind was going. Although she wanted to run, to cry, to deny the attraction that she knew still existed between vampire and Slayer, she held that emotion in check, trying to give him only encouragement.

"That's wonderful!"

The figure turned its attention to the young woman. "And you Nina Ash. You will keep control of your body now. The full moon will not affect you and you will retain self-awareness while in your wolven state. You need not fear harming any one." A ghostly smile seemed to appear, "Not by accident anyway."

"I, I don't know what to say," Nina was shocked. She had hoped somehow that the curse would be lifted completely from her. But on second thought she remembered the exchange Angel and she had the morning after he had rescued her from being eaten.

"Next thing you'll tell me you like being a vampire."

"Well, being nearly indestructible is cool."

Well, being a werewolf in control of herself was cool too. And it meant she had a reason to stay with Angel, as a side kick, as an assistant, perhaps even more. She certainly wanted that.

The figure drew itself up in some way. "The audience is over. You will know when you will need to return." A hand waved and the pair found themselves standing outside the faceless brick wall again.

"Wow."

"Yes." Nina hesitated and then asked as casually as she could manage. "Where do we go now?"

"I thought we'd go to the Hyperion."

"Hyperion?"

They climbed back into Nina's car and she followed his directions as he explained how he had come by the sprawling old building and his long connection with it. Angel even smiled on arrival as they found his convertible parked in the garage. He gave her a brief tour and settled in to his office while Nina determinedly began to clean up the neglect of the last few months.

"Angel? Where's the washing machine?" At his blank look Nina sighed. "Leave it to a guy. I need to wash the sheets from the bed. How are you coming with setting 'Angel Investigations' back into operation?"

"I've reactivated the phone line and our ad in the newspaper. I might drop by a couple places I know and let the word spread that we're back in business."

"Okay. While you do that, I'm going to run home and get some clothes. I can't go on forever with one outfit. And I'll stop and get us some cleaning supplies and stock up on groceries for me. I found the kitchen and the refrigerator and stove are working." She hesitated. "Is there anything I need to get for you?"

Angel was touched at Nina's oblique offer to pick up some blood for him. "No, I'll take care of that myself. You do your errands. Hurry back."

"You can count on it." Nina slid against Angel and kissed the vampire. "I'll be back soon. Try not to fight any armies until I return."

Angel hugged her. "It's a deal." He watched as she scampered out the door.

The sometimes art student sat for a long moment in her car. Was she being sneaky? Conniving? She had acted as though her staying with Angel was simply an assumed part of their lives. Had he gone along with that because that was how he felt or because he hadn't had the heart to object? She knew he cared for her. But with his soul fixed would that be enough to hold him?

Well her next step in "Gee I just thought this was how things were" would be when she got back and moved her clothes into Angel's closet and herself into his bedroom, and bed.

"I love him," she said out loud. "I don't know if his feelings for me are love or not but I'm damned sure going to try to make them grow into that if they're not already." With that declaration she pulled away and headed, not home, that wasn't "home" anymore but to her sister's house. "Home" was with Angel.

Willow doubled her attempts to reach Buffy, having felt the sensation of what she didn't know was Angel's soul being anchored for good. She just knew something had happened again. Frustrated by the insulation that the Immortal seemed to have thrown around the Slayer and himself, she finally reached Andrew. He promised to pass along a message but Willow could tell that he found little importance in her call or her news. She fumed but had to accept that she would have to wait.