Title: Samantha’s Angel

Rating: I guess PG-13 for some swearing and violence.

Disclaimer: All characters except the ones of my own creation belong to Joss & Co.

Pairing: None.

Distribution: Kim’s Angel Fanfic. If anyone else wants it just ask I’ve never said no yet!

Summary: Angel tries to help a girl he meets in an alley.

Spoilers: The story takes place sometime before ‘Damage’ in season five.

 

  

 

 

It was a clear night, the city of Los Angeles lit up the night sky suppressing the darkness that hid below on her streets. Evil, of the demon persuasion, lurked in the dark allies and seedy back stores of shops on the boulevard. At least that was what Angel had been hoping for tonight.

   He had been patrolling since just after sunset, he had needed to get away from the office and all the headaches that went along with it. Ever since taking over Wolfram & Hart he felt as if he hadn’t been doing as much hands on work, helping the helpless, as he used to. So this evening, after having spent the day dealing with all the idiocy that is Wolfram & Hart, Angel made the decision to go try and do some good and went patrolling. So far the night had turned out to be a total bust. He hadn’t found one person who might have been in need of his assistance.

   Bothered that he hadn’t seen any help to anyone, he started to wonder if maybe he was losing is edge.

   Perched upon the roof of a building downtown, Angel was surveying the area one last time before calling it quits for the night. He didn’t see anything happening, not one person in need of his help.

   Sighing in frustration he turned to leave. He walked to the other side of the building, where he had parked his Plymouth GTX, even though he now had a bevy of cars to choose from he had been feeling nostalgic and had decided to take his old convertible. Maybe, if he was being truthful to himself, he had hoped that his old convertible would bring him luck.

   He was just about to jump down to his car when he heard sounds of a struggle. He stopped so he could hear in which direction the sounds were in. They were coming from the alley he had been surveying only a few seconds before. He sprinted back to the other edge of the rooftop. When he reached it he tried to judge where the sounds were coming from.  He listened intently until he heard the sound again. At the far end of the alley where the shadows were at their darkest Angel saw two shapes in the midst of skirmish.

   He leaped off the roof and landed only a few feet away, running the rest of the distance. When he got there, he saw that the fight was between a vampire and a teenaged girl. Angel grabbed the vamp from behind and tore it away from the girl. The vampire hadn’t let go of the girl when Angel had yanked it away and the vamp swung her, before it let go, causing her to smack against the brick wall of the building. The vamp fought feverishly to free itself from Angel’s grip. The more it twisted and turned the harder Angel hung on. The vampire managed to slam its elbow hard into Angel’s gut making him loosen his grip enough for the vamp to turn and land an upper cut to Angel’s chin. The blow caused Angel to lose his balance and his grip on the vamp. Instead of taking advantage of the situation as Angel had assumed the fiend would do, it fled up the alley and out onto the busy street.

   Angel went to give chase but was stopped when the girl leaped from her position by the wall on to his back dragging them both to the ground. “You idiot!” she cried as she pounded him with her fist. “You let him get away!”

   “If you would get off my back,” Angel grunted, “maybe I could go after him.” He finally managed to liberate himself by shaking her off. Angel turned and grabbed her fists which she was still beating him with. “What’s the problem?” he asked her as he tried to avoid being hit. The girl had quite a bit of strength in her; he was having a hard time keeping her at bay. “I was just trying to help you!”

   The girl kept struggling, “did I give you any indication that I wanted any help form you?”

   “He had you trapped!” Angel struggled to keep her fists from flailing at him, “do you have any idea what that was?”

   “Yeah I do, now get your hands off me!” as she spoke she brought her right knee up trying smash it into Angel’s groin, “If you don’t let me go I’m going to tell my father that you manhandle me and he’s gonna sue your ass off!”

    “Oh really?” Angel grunted as he twisted barely averting the blow, “just who’s manhandling who here?”

   “Just let go of me,” the girl hissed.

   “Tell you what, you stop trying to hit me and I’ll let go of you.” The girl snarled but reluctantly agreed to stop. Angel carefully let go of her wrists, wary that she would start up once more. “Now see isn’t this better? My name’s Angel, what’s yours?”

   Her answer came in the form of a roundhouse kick aim straight for his head. She was so quick that Angel barely had time to duck. When she tried a second time he was ready for her and caught her leg. “That’s enough!” Angel growled as he flung her leg in the air. She landed with a grunt as her back hit the ground.  He held her in place with his foot as he attempted gain control of himself so that he wouldn’t vamp out. There was something about the strength that she exerted that was strangely familiar. “Who are you?” he demanded, becoming greatly annoyed at that fact that she continually kept fighting him.

   “None of your damn business,” she huffed pushing on Angel’s foot. She gestured toward his foot, “It’s getting kinda hard to breath. Do you mind?”

 “Yes I do,” Angel responded.

 “Look, I promise I won’t try anything. Okay?”

 “Why should I believe you?”  Angel studied her face trying to discern if she was telling the truth this time. The girl shrugged as much as his foot would allow her to, “What choice do you got? We either stay like this until I suffocate or you lemme get up. What’s it gonna be?”

   She had a point. Angel slowly released the pressure of his foot and held out his hand to help her up. She ignored his offer of assistance and role to her feet. They stood their staring at each other trying to anticipate each others next move. Angel gradually brought his hand up to his breast pocket and took out one of his business cards. He noticed the girl tense up at his gesture and slowly handed the card to the girl, “I really was just trying to help. This is my card… please… take it. If ever you need anything…to talk or… anything, just call.”

   She took the card and put it in her pocket without even looking at it. “I didn’t need your help and I don’t want your help so if I were you I  wouldn’t wait up by the phone,” and with that she walk out of the alley leaving Angel in the darkness wondering what had just happened.

   Shaking his head in disbelief, Angel walked around to the other side of the building, got into his car and drove home.

 

~~*~~*~~*~~

 

   When Angel entered his office the next day, an hour late, he was greeted by Gunn who had been impatiently waiting for him. “’Bout time you got here.”

   “And good morning to you too Gunn,” Angel responded sarcastically. He circle around to his desk and hit the intercom button on his phone, “Harmony could you get me some blood …please.”

   Harmony popped her head through the office door startling Angel and Gunn. “Sure thing Boss. A mug-o-blood coming right up.” And she was gone again.

   Angel stared at the spot his secretary had just vacated. He wondered again why he ever listened to Wesley, when Wesley had suggested Harmony as his assistant, as she referred to herself, in the first place. 

   “Angel we have a problem,” Gunn said trying to regain Angel’s attention.

   Angel sat down at his desk and muttered, “When don’t we?” as he sifted through the papers littering his desk. He really wasn’t in any mood to deal with another problem at Wolfram & Hart.

   His mind was still on the girl he had tried to help the night before. Her strength and speed had surprised him. The only thing he could compare it to was Buffy’s strength and speed when she was first called, full of power but not entirely sure how to harness it.

   Unable to discern what was behind Angel’s attitude from his appearance, Gunn sat on the desk and tried once again to get him to focus on what was going on. “This is serious Angel. One of our very powerful clients, one Mr. Samuel Burns, is threatening to bring you up on charges of assault and battery.”

   Dragged away from his thoughts, Angel gazed up at Gunn, “Samuel Burns…?” he pondered, “…I don’t know any Samuel Burns.”

   “He’s the guy who harvests body parts so he can sell them to the highest bidder. I gave you his file to look over last week.”

   “Oh… yeah… right…” Angel mumbled, “Why do we care what that scum bag thinks?”

   “Because, that scum bag, as you so eloquently put it, is a very influential person within the demon community. They’re scared of him Angel. He could make things really difficult for us.”

   Harmony came back and put the mug of blood on Angel’s desk. “From what I heard through the rumor mill he’s one nasty SOB. Every once and awhile he’ll get is little minions to bring him the donors so that he can dissect them himself, instead of… well whoever usually does it, while their still alive just so he can hear them scream. Oh and for the freshness, y’know? That’s why he does while their alive…”

   Both men looked at Harm with looks of disgust upon their faces. “Well that’s what I heard,” she replied with a shrug and left the office.

   As Angel watched Harmony departing he tried very hard to wipe away the mental images that she had conjured up. When she was gone he returned his attention to the paper work in front of him. “I’ve never even met this…”

   “Samuel Burns.”

   “This Samuel Burns guy, so how could I’ve beaten him up?” he asked without so much as lifting his eyes to look at Gunn.

   “He didn’t say you assaulted him, he says it’s his daughter.”

   Still not very interested in what Gunn was saying, he picked up his mug and took a drink before he brought his attention to his friend. “I’ve never met her either.” He said with a sigh.

   Getting frustrated by Angel’s lack of interest Gunn threw the file folder and pictures, he had been holding, on the desk. He sat there waiting for any kind of response from Angel.

   Without even glancing at the file that had landed in front of him Angel took another drink. “What’s that?” he asked after a moment of silence.

   Before answering Gunn took a deep breath, “That would be Samantha Burns, Samuel Burns daughter. She’s the one Mr. Burns’ says you attacked last night.”

   “Last night?” Angel quickly looked at the photographs that Gunn had thrown on his desk. There on the top of the pile was a picture of the girl he had tried to help. The same girl, who had left him in the alley in a complete state of confusion. “She never told me her name,” he muttered to himself.

   “What? You mean you really did…?”

   Angel looked up, “of course not Gunn! I saw her trying to fight off a vampire in an alley and I try to help her.”

   “What do you mean tried to help her?”

   Lifting the picture of Samantha Burns before him, Angel thought about their altercation. “The vamp got away and she tried to beat the crap out of me because of it,” he said lost in thought. Then he looked up at Gunn. “Got the bruises to prove it to.”

   “Well that’s more like it,” Gunn said sounding relieved.

   Angel slammed the photo down and glared at the man seated on his desk. “What?”

   Gunn cleared his throat clearly feeling a little uneasy with the way his friend was staring at him. “You know, that you were trying to help her, I mean.”

   Angel stood up pushing his chair back at the same time so that it hit the wall and continued to glare at Gunn. “You mean you actually thought…?”

   “No man! Uh…Of course not.” Gunn looked at Angel with concern. “It’s just… umm…” he stammered. “Well…”

   “Well what?”

   “Ever since we took over Wolfram & Hart you haven’t been yourself. You’re closing yourself off. Sometimes we worry about you.” 

   “We?”

   “Yeah me, Wes, Fred and Lorne.”

   Angel closed his eyes, took an unnecessary breath to clam himself and sat back down. He pulled his chair back, opened his eyes and picked the photographs up again. “Don’t be, I’m fine.” Angel felt guilty about the fact that his friends were worrying about him but they had no idea what was bothering him and he could never tell them. He had sacrificed too much to give Connor a normal life and he wasn’t willing to jeopardize it for anything.

   Trying to push his thoughts of Connor aside, Angel focused on the picture on his desk. “So daddy’s little girl told him I attacked her?”

   Gunn felt disappointed that Angel didn’t elaborate on what he was going through but ever the professional he believed himself to be now, he let the matter drop, for now and continued the discussion pertaining to the Burns’. “That would be their story.”

  For the second time in twenty four hours Angel was left completely baffled by Samantha Burns. At least now he had a name for his source of confusion.

   “That’s gratitude for ya.” Angel started going through the rest of the photographs. He stopped when he came to one that showed Miss Burns face covered with bruises and cuts. “I didn’t do that,” he said pointing at the picture. “Why would she say I did that? Well… okay, she did threaten to tell her father but…she was the one trying to hit me. The most I did was to try and deflect her punches… and I, uh, held her down with my foot.”

   “You what?”

   Angel cringed at Gunn’s tone of disbelief. “She didn’t give me much of an option at the time. It was either that or have the crap kicked out of me. She was really strong Gunn,” he glanced up at Gunn the full meaning of his next words reflected in his eyes, “slayer strong.”

   With a look of surprise on his face Gunn stood up and faced Angel, “but I thought you said there was only one slayer… sorry two, Buffy and Faith.”

   “The way the slayer mythology goes is there was one girl chosen above all others to be the slayer. When the chosen slayer dies a new one is called and so on. But then Buffy died and then was brought back to life, which activated another slayer, which to make a long story short leads us to Faith.”

   “So if this girl is a slayer…”

   Angel didn’t even want to think it but it had to be said, “Buffy or Faith must be…”

   “Dead.”

   Gunn ran his hand over his face, “Okay, I’ll go call Mr. Burns and ask him if he would be willing to come in with his daughter and hopefully we can straighten this whole mess out.” With that Gunn stood up to leave and go to his office.

   “You do that I’ll make some calls to Giles.”  With his guts twisted in knots Angel picked up his phone and dial London hoping that his worst fear hadn’t come true.

 

~~*~~*~~*~~

 

  Her window looked out upon the flawlessly manicured lawn of her father’s estate. The grass was green, the flowers where in full bloom and the shrubs and trees all perfectly sculpted. She stared out toward it but did not really see it. It was the alley she had been in last night that she envisioned instead.

  Going over the events of the previous night again, Samantha was entirely certain that she would have been able to achieve her goal if it had not been for the stupid oaf who had gotten in her way.

  She had been pursuing the vampire from the moment he had left her father’s house. She had had no idea who the vampire was but she was positive she knew what he was and she despised it. That fact alone had prompted her to sneak out of the house in an attempt to rid the world of one more monster.

  She trailed the vampire all the way downtown staying far enough behind not to be noticed. He went in to a few shops, places that Samantha had only heard about but had never dared to go to, coming out with a package each time. After an hour or so of doing this the vampire turned and entered a deserted ally. Sam knew that her moment had arrived. Keeping to the shadows she followed her prey deeper into the alley. When she was sure that they were both out of sight of the busy street, Sam left the shadows and prepared to confront the vampire.

   Reassured by the feel of the wooden stake in her hand Samantha called out, “Hey ugly!” The vampire whirled around and snarled at her. “Yeah, I mean you!” she jeered, “Ya don’t see anybody else ‘round here do ya?”

  “Who the hell do you think…?” the vampire stopped and looked at her recognition lighting his face, “Hey, you’re Burns’ brat ain’t ya?”  The vampire relaxed when he realized who it was that had taunted him, “What the fuck do ya think you’re doing? Does your Daddy know that you’re out here harassing his employees?” he asked while taking in Sam’s appearance.

  Aware that the vampire did not consider her a threat, Sam knew the advantage was all hers. For all intents and purposes she looked like the average sixteen year old teenager but appearances can be deceiving. “What I do on my own time is none of my father’s damn business,” with that Sam lunged at the vampire, stake raised.

  Caught off guard by her attack the vamp barely avoided Sam’s blow dropping his packages. He twisted out of Sam’s way and she struck the pavement faced down, the impact temporarily knocking the wind out of her. It took her just a few seconds to recover and gain her feet then she turned around to face her opponent. That’s when she saw is face, his true face, the face of the demon within. She had of course seen vampires before, her father occasionally employed some of them, but she had never seen one in game face this close and the sight of it unnerved just a little bit more then she had anticipated. The palms of her hands had begun to sweat and the hold on her precious stake had become precarious.

  The vampire leaped at Sam with his fangs bared before she had a chance to regain her wits about her. Before she knew it the vampire had her held tightly in his grip. Sam began struggling against him trying desperately to free her arm and hand that held the only weapon she had, the stake. She had just managed to liberate her arm and had it risen for the coup de grace when her unwelcome and untimely rescuer arrived…

  Samantha was aroused from her reflections by the appearance of her father’s limousine pulling up to the front entrance. She walked away from her window with a slight limp and crossed her room to sit at the vanity table. As she looked in the mirror and examined the various cuts and bruises on her face and chest she began to recall what had happened when she got home after her encounter in the alley…

  As soon as she had walked through the front doors Jacob, her father’s personal assistant was waiting for her in the foyer. “Samantha your father is waiting for you in his library.” The thought of her father wanting to see her sent a chill along her spine. Her father usually left her to her own devices.

  Growing up as the daughter of Samuel Burns she had seen a lot of evil things but none as evil as Samuel Burns himself. The man frightened her like nothing else had ever done. Even the imaginary monsters under her bed as a child or the real ones she met as she grew older, never terrified her like her father did.

  About a month ago Samantha had been laying in bed when this feeling of strength and power came over her. She just knew in her heart of hearts that she no longer needed to be afraid of anything ever again, or so she thought. After a couple of weeks testing her new found strength, she had decided to go after some of her father’s more unsavory employees.

  Even though she had all this new found strength the one thing that still frightened her was her father. Oh shit, she had thought to herself. She looked over at Jacob, “Is there anyway I can get out of seeing him?”

  “I’m sorry Sam, he’s in a hell of a mood, there’s no way I can sneak you out this time.” Out of all her father’s people Jacob was the only one who always tried to help Samantha when Samuel decided he should discipline Sam. In all her young life Jacob was the only person Sam could ever remember ever being kind to her the only person except her mother who had died when she was five. If he couldn’t help her out of this no one could.

  She took a deep breath squared her shoulders and headed to her father’s library. The heels of her shoes clicked on the marble floor the whole way just like the sound of a hammer chipping away at any courage she had felt. When she reached out to grasp the door knob of the library door Jacob notice the tremor in Sam’s hand. He took her hand in his and held it as if trying to infuse some of his strength into her. After a few moments he let go, opened the door for her and lead her into the room with his hand on her back.

  The library was dark, the long think velvet curtains having been closed blocking out any light that might be outside. The mahogany bookshelves covering the walls were filled with arcane volumes. There were Italian leather and wood sofas and chairs strategically place around the room and situated at the opposite side of the room from where the doors opened sat her father behind his massive desk speaking to someone.

  When she entered the room Sam couldn’t not help but let a gasp of surprise form escaping her lips as she recognized the vampire that she had been fighting in the ally now seated in one of the chairs in front of the desk. She slowly walked toward her father certain that he saw the light of recognition in her eyes. She couldn’t prevent her legs form trembling as she came to a stop beside the vampire’s chair. She wanted to kick herself, she never gave the vampire she had been hunting a second thought after she left the alley, never thought that he would come back and report to her father.

  “Samantha, how kind of you to join us,” her father said motioning for her to be seated in the chair next to the vampire. “Mr. Rivers here has just been regaling me with such stories that I could scare believe my ears. Do you have any idea what these tales could be about Sammy?”

  Samantha lowered her gaze and stared at her feet not having taken the seat her father had shown her. “No father, I wouldn’t have any idea,” she lied.

  “Well you see Mr. Rivers is sure, beyond a shadow of a doubt he says, that you were trying to kill him early this evening. Now I’ve tried to assure Mr. Rivers that he is mistaken. My daughter would never do something so stupid,” Samantha cringed at the word stupid, “as to stick her nose into something that does not concern her. Would you Samantha?”

  “I…I’d never do any…anything like that Daddy,” she stammered. Fear was starting to take a hold on Sam, slowly winding itself around her heart.

  “I didn’t think so either. So to prove my point I sent Jacob here to go get you in your room. Imagine my surprise when he came back to tell me you weren’t here.” By this time Samuel had stood and maneuvered himself from behind his desk so that he was standing mere inches from his daughter. “Where were you tonight Samantha?” he whispered menacingly.

  Sam still couldn’t bring herself to look at her father. She trembled harder as her heart beat against her rib cage and her breathing became increasingly labored. “Um…I was out…um…taking a…a walk on the grounds,” she stammered as she worried her bottom lip between her teeth.

  The sting of her father’s hand as it struck her cheek brought tears to her eyes. “Look at me!” he ordered her. When she failed to comply he struck her again only this time with a closed fist. Holding her already bruising face in her hand, Samantha struggled to keep her balance. “I said look at me!”

  Sam lifted her eyes to look at the man who was here father. Samuel Burns could see fear in his daughters’ eyes. “Answer my question Samantha, where were you?”

  “Out.” As soon as the word was out of her mouth she felt her father’s blow on the other side of her face.

  “Just answer him Sam and it’ll all be over.” Jacob pleaded. Unable to stand seeing Samantha beat, he looked at Mr. Burns in hopes that Mr. Burns would confirm the statement. But Samuel just stood there staring at his daughter seething.

  “Stay out of this Jacob.” He grabbed Sam by the shoulders and shook her violently. “You lying little shit! Who the fuck do you think you are meddling in my business?!”

Blow after blow Samuel Burns rained upon his daughter, furious with her. Samantha had by now fallen to the floor trying in vain to protect herself. “Because of you I lost some very important packages worth a lot of money,” he started kicking her shouting, “If you ever try anything so stupid again I’ll kill you! Nobody, I mean nobody fucks with me, especially my own flesh and blood. Do you under stand me?”

  With her voice barely above a whisper she answered, “Yes Daddy.” She kept repeating it until he heard her.

  Samuel knelt down next to the beaten form of his daughter, “Sammy, sweetie,” he cooed as he lovingly brushed back her hair behind her ear, “We’ve come to an understanding haven’t we?”

  “Yes Daddy.”

  “That’s my good girl.” As he started to stand back up Samuel notice a business card on the floor. “What’s this?” he asked as he picked it up. “Wolfram & Hart? Where did you get this?” He waved the card toward Sam.

  “Stupid oaf gave it to me,” she sputtered trying to sit up.  

  “Stupid oaf? What stupid oaf?”

  Mr. Rivers now believing in it safe to speak again answered the question. “Must be that idiot that saved me from her,” he said pointing at Sam.

  “Excuse me; did you just say someone saved you from Samantha?” Samuel couldn’t believe what he had just heard, “You mean to tell me you needed to be saved from my sixteen year old daughter?”

  “Uh… Did I say saved…uh…I meant…uh…”

  Samuel looked at the card again, it had the law firms logo on it and under that it had a name, “The new CEO of Wolfram & Hart saved you form Samantha?”

  “Uh…well it wasn’t quite…”

  “And he saw your face?”

  “Mr. Burns…sir…it was dark and…”

  “So he knows who you are?”

  Mr. Rivers was really regretting having said anything, “Uh…yeah.”

  Samuel circle around to this desk and laid the business card down upon it. He nodded ever so slightly toward the vampire. Jacob having seen his employers signal grabbed the vampire from behind and brought him to Mr. Burns’s side.

  The vampire struggle, as Samantha looked on, but was unable to free himself. In a split second her father had opened the desk drawer, pulled out a stake and dusted the vampire.

  Oh sure, Sam thought to herself, it’s a lot easier when you’ve got someone to hold him. She crawled to the chair her father had offered her at first and started to haul herself up on to her feet. When she was sure that she would not collapse Sam slowly limped to the door.

  “Where do you think you’re going? Did I say you could leave?”

  Samantha halted, “I t-thought I’d g-go to b-bed,” she stuttered, and lick my wounds.

  “Look at me Sammy.” Sam turned around and glanced at her father before letting her eyes drop to the floor. Samuel walked over to her and grabbed her chin forcing her to look up. “What a pity you made me mar such a pretty face,” he moved her head left and right looking over his handy work. “Jacob, have Tony come in here with a camera. I think I just might be able to put Sammy’s appearance to good use and maybe salvage something from tonight’s debacle.”

  Exhausted, battered and bruised, Sam limped over to the sofa in the middle of the room. No longer able to stay standing she let herself sink into the soft Italian leather.

  Jacob came back followed by Tony. “Wha’ s’up Boss?”

  “I want you to take some pictures of Sammy.”

  Tony leered at Sam and she felt her skin crawl, “Sure thing Boss.”

  “Take your blouse off I want to make sure we get a photo of every mark that’s on you.”

  Sam looked form her father to Tony to Jacob, who smile sadly at her and back to her father. “Daddy, please…” she begged.

  Samuel raised his fist as if to strike Samantha again, “Don’t you back talk me Missy!”

  Sammy cringed from his fist and with shaking hands started to undo her blouse, “I’m sorry Daddy.”

 

   A knock on her bedroom door brought Samantha back to the present, “Yeah?”

 The door opened slightly and Jacob poked his head in, “hey Sammy, how you doing?”

  “A bit sore but I’ll be okay.”

  “That’s the spirit,” he said with a smile, “father says he wants you downstairs and ready to go in ten minutes.” He was about to leave when he stopped, “Oh, he also said to wear something low cut to show off your bruises. See ya downstairs,” then he left closing the door behind him.

   She look at the door then back at her reflection, noticing how her bruises were already starting to fade, knowing that that would piss her father off even more. She whispered to herself, “God I hate this place,” as a tear rolled down her face.

 

~~*~~*~~*~~

 

  It had taken him what felt like forever before Angel finally got Giles on the phone. He had been left on hold for at least twenty minutes if not more and his temper was starting to rise.

  Angel straightened as Giles’ voice interrupted the song that was playing, “Hello?”

  “Giles finally, do you have any idea how long I’ve been waiting?”

  “Angel?” Giles sounded surprised, “this is unexpected. What can I do for you?”

  “What can you do for me?” Angel was shocked that Giles could even ask him that question. Then a thought occurred to him, “everything must be okay if you can ask me that,” he muttered.

  “What in the bloody hell are you talking about Angel I don’t have time for games.”

  Giles sounded irritated but Angel just couldn’t bring himself to give a damn. The man had kept him on hold forever. “So Buffy and Faith are okay then?”

 “Why yes of course they are. Why in heavens name would you think other ways?”

  Now Angel was becoming irritated as well by Giles’ impatient and short manner, “Why don’t you tell me? There’s a girl here in L.A. that’s displaying all the traits of a slayer but how can that be if Buffy and Faith are alright?”

  “Oh.”

  “Oh? What’s oh supposed to mean?”

  Angel heard Giles clear his throat, He could picture Giles standing there cleaning his glasses as he was prone to do when he was unsure of himself. “What’s going on Giles?”

  The silence endured a little while longer until Giles finally spoke, “well you see Angel, Buffy knew that in order to have any chance at defeating the First that she would need the potentials she had been training to have full slayer strength so she asked Willow cast a spell to active any and all potential slayers.”

  “I see and nobody thought to tell me this because…”

  “We didn’t believe it was any of your concern.”

  Angel couldn’t believe what he was hearing. His grip the phone had tightened to the point where to would break at any moment. “None of my concern! You pompous son of a bitch! Where do you get off…?”

  “It was Buffy’s decision,” Giles cut in.

  “Buffy?”

  “Yes.”

  “I don’t believe it.” Could Buffy really believed that it wasn’t worth telling him something as important as activating all the slayers?

  “Whether you believe it or not that is the case. Buffy believes and I tend to agree with her that you have become, shall we say unreliable since you took over the running of Wolfram & Hart.”

  “Unreliable?”

  “Yes well I’ll send someone to L.A. to help you out with the girl.”

 Angel could feel his anger coursing through him, “thanks but no thanks Giles. I think I can handle one slayer by myself.”

  “That’s not your decision to make Angel, it is ours. The slayers are our responsibility. Someone will be along in the next day or so. Good Bye Angel.”

  The line went dead. The next thing Angel heard was a crack as the receiver crumbled in his trembling hand. I’m gonna kill him the next time I see him, Angel thought to himself.

 

~~*~~*~~*~~

 

 When Samantha opened the door to go outside she saw her father’s black limousine parked in front of the house. She dreaded going into the car. She had no desire to see her father or to go to Wolfram & Hart. How would she react when she saw the stupid oaf, what had her father called him? Angel that was it. She knew that Angel would know that he hadn’t caused her injuries and that this whole affaire was a scam. Would he call her a liar to her face? She didn’t think that she would be able to take that but she was more afraid of how her father would react if she didn’t go a long with his plan.

  Sam squared her shoulders and pulled the sweater that she had put on tight around her and went down the steps to the car. The chauffer opened the door for her and she stepped in. There her father sat in one of his Italian suits, the grey of the suit matched the cold grey of his eyes, reading the morning paper. “Good morning Samantha,” he said, never putting the paper down.

  “Good morning Daddy.”

  Samuel folded his paper and looked at his daughter. “Why are you wearing that sweater? I told you to wear something that was revealing.”

  Actually you had Jacob tell me. “I know Daddy but I was a little cold and I thought I’d wear it for the drive over to Wolfram & Hart. I’ll take it off as soon as we get there if that’s alright?” At least you won’t see that the bruises are fading until we get there. Samantha knew that if her father saw how quickly she was healing that he wouldn’t hesitate to add some fresh ones.

  “Make sure that you do that.”

  Sam nodded and turned to look out the window after Samuel had made it clear that he was done speaking to her by opening his paper to continue reading. Samantha wished desperately that she were anywhere else but on her way to the law offices. She closed her eyes and tried to recall every second of her fight with Angel the night before. Was there any thing that he did that would have caused her injuries? She knew that the answer was no but she kept trying anyway. If there was an inkling of truth to what her father was about to accuse the big oaf of at least she could try and look like it was the truth. For some reason she just didn’t think she could lied to Angel, no matter how much she feared her father’s displeasure and that scared her because she knew that her father would retaliate if she betrayed him. I just won’t look at the big oaf then he won’t be able to see… the guilt on my face. Oh god I’m doomed.

  Before she knew it the limo had stopped in front of Wolfram & Hart. Her heart stared to pound faster and her palms were getting sweaty. She took a deep breath to try and calm herself, as she did so her father looked at her. “Listen to me good missy, if you do anything to screw this up the beating you got last night will seem like a slap on the wrist in comparison. Do you understand me?”

  Sam shrank into the corner of the car door. “Yes sir,” she whispered.

  “Good. Now let’s teach this Angel who really has the power in this town.” The limo driver came and opened his door. Samuel put a foot out but then turned to Samantha again. “Don’t forget to take that ridiculous sweater off,” he said and got out of the car.

  Sam waited for the driver to come open her door trying in vain to keep her tears from falling. Her fathers remake about the sweater cut deep. He hadn’t recognized it hurt her. She had put on the only thing that she had of her mother’s, the sweater, her favorite. As the door opened she quickly wiped at her face and got out of the car. She swore to herself that one day she would bring her father down; she just needed to get out from under his influence.

 

~~*~~*~~*~~

 

  Everyone gathered in Angel’s office to get the low down on the situation of a possible new slayer in town.

  “So Willow performed this spell and activated all potential slayers?’ Wesley asked.

  “That’s what Giles said. Buffy need an army to defeat the first and asked Willow to do the spell.”

  Fred watched Angel and could see that that was not the only thing that Giles had said to him. There was a shadow behind Angel’s eyes that told her he had been upset by the phone call. “But Buffy and Faith are all right, right?”

  “Yeah.”

  “So what do we do if Samantha Burns really is a Slayer?” wondered Wesley. “If she has been influenced at all by her farther she could be a very serious problem. A rogue slayer, at par with Faith, before her attempt at redemption.”

  Angel shrugged, “I didn’t get that feeling from her. She was trying to kill a vampire not be its friend.” Angel stood up and walked to the window. He gazed out at the city and tried to image how Samantha might be feeling; all of a sudden having slayer powers but not having a clue what was going on with her. He turned around and looked at his people. “We’ll do the only thing we can, try and help her understand who and what she has become.”

  “How do you propose we do that?” Wesley asked. “Samuel Burns is a powerful man and will not take too kindly to people medaling in his affaires.”

  Angel retuned to his desk and picked up the pictures that Gunn had given him of Samantha “This girl needs our help whether she realizes it or not.” He lifted the photograph for everyone to see. “Look at this picture. She doesn’t look like that because of me,” he said indicating her injuries. “Her father must’ve done this so he could get to us, to me. I don’t know what’s going on for sure but I damn well intend to find out.”

  “He could cause us some serious problems Angel,” said Gunn. “As it is he’s got it out for us, so if we really start messing with his daughter there’s no telling what he would do.”

  Angel stared at Gunn in disbelief then in anger. “There was a time Gunn when the well being of Samantha would’ve been more important to you than what her farther could do to us. I think that legal upgrade of yours might have come with a few hidden extras if you ask me.”

  “Hey man, of course I care about Samantha; I was just telling it like it is.”

  At that moment the sound of Angel’s phone cut the air. Angel stood there glowering at Gunn ignoring the ringing. Fred looked from Angel to Gunn then back again, neither were backing down so she got up and answered the phone, “Angel’s office.”

  “Mr. Burns is here to see Angel,” Harmony announced to Fred.

  “Angel their here,” Fred said.

  This seemed to snap Angel out of his stand off with Gunn. “We need to stand a united front, are you all with me?” he asked looking straight at Gunn. Everyone nodded there agreement. Angel took the phone from Fred and told Harmony to send them in.

  Everyone turned to watch as Samuel Burns entered the office followed by what appeared to be his entourage, five very large well built men and finally by Samantha Burns. Angel had a hard time imaging this girl to be the same one he had encountered the pervious evening. No longer was she a sassy ball of strength but a meek slip of a girl covered in fading bruises, unable to look him in the eye. He could smell the fear emanating from her.

  Angel stepped out from behind his desk walking up to Samuel with his hand out in greeting, “Mr. Burns would you like to have a seat.”

  Burns ignored Angel’s hand and turn toward the couch and sat down. “Mr. Angel this is not a social call. You aggrievedly assaulted my daughter last night and I intend on making you pay. No one messes with my prop… family and gets away with it.”

  Burns’ slip may have been barely noticeable but Angel caught it none the less. He turned to observe Samantha after her father’s statement but she hadn’t moved form the position she took when she first entered the room, the corner behind the door.

  “Mr. Burns my names Charles Gunn.” Gunn went to shake Samuel’s hand but once again the proffered hand was ignored. Gunn retracted his hand and address Burns again, “I’m sure that we can come to some sort of mutual agreement here.”

  “Mr. Gunn is it?” Charles nodded. “Let me explain something to you Mr. Gunn, my daughter has been assaulted and the son of a bitch who did it is going to pay. Have I made myself clear?”

  Watching Samantha Angel noticed her flinch at her father’s words. She’s petrified of him, he thought. “Who beat you Samantha?” Sam’s eyes flickered to Angel then to her father for a split second as he asked her the question. That look told Angel all he needed to know.

  Burns roared, “Don’t say a word Samantha! This is between you and me Angel leave her out of it.”

  “Why?”

  “Because I said so!”

  Angel stood in front of Samuel’s chair, “Let me explain something to you Mr. Burns,” he said as he leaned over the chair is face mere inches from Samuels’. Jacob and the rest of Samuel’s entourage rushed at Angel to pull him back. As soon as a hand touched him Angel turn and flashed them his vamp face then looked back at Burns. “I haven’t drank from a human in a long time,” he growled in a low voice that only Burns could hear, “so I’d tell them to back off if I were you before I decide to reacquaint myself with the taste of human blood. Because we both now that I could have my fang in your neck before they even get a chance to stop me.”

  A bit unnerved but trying to keep his cool demeanor Samuel motioned for his men to desist, “It’s alright Jacob.”

  With an uncertain look at his employer Jacob and his men back away.

  Samantha was thunderstruck at the fact that her father had Jacob back down. She lifted her head to observe Angel and her father.

 “So as I was saying, someone did assault your daughter but it wasn’t me. And you’re right about one thing, the son of a bitch who did is gonna pay.” Before Burns knew what was happening Angel planted his fist right into Samuel’s stomach. The man bent over in half gasping.

  “Angel!”

  “Back off Gunn.” Angel grabbed Burns by his shirt and turned to Samantha. She stood in her corner looking at Angel and her father disbelief etched across her face. “Samantha you and I both know that this is some sort of scam your father cooked up. Don’t let this scum bag bully you into saying that it’s not.”

  Sam was caught between being terrified of her father and being astonished at Angel’s total lack of fear of him. She had never known anyone who hadn’t cowered in front of her father. She looked at her father and saw the fury in his eyes as he looked back at her. Then she looked at Angel, the one man in the entire world who ever stood up to her father, and saw a look of pleading in his eyes as he waited for her answer that almost undid her. She felt as if she was being torn in two, part of her really wanted to take Angel’s lead and stand up to her father but the other part feared her father’s wrath. The fear won out and Samantha ran out of the office sobbing into her mother’s sweater.

  Shaking his head in disappointment Angel watched as Sam ran out the door. He turned back around and glared at Burns who was still trying to regain his breath. “I’ll be watching you and if I so much as see a mark on her that I think you caused I’ll repay you in kind tenfold.” Angel let go of Burns and stood up, “now get out of my office!”

  Mr. Burns got out of the chair and straightened his shirt. “This isn’t over Mr. Angel, not by a long shot. You think you can threaten me and get away with it? You’re wrong dead wrong. You’re going down,” he said. He nodded to his men and left the room.

  Everyone in the office was silent as they all watched Angel stride across the room back to his desk. It was Wesley who ventured to speak first, “Angel I’m not so sure that was wise. You may have inadvertently condemned not only yourself but Miss Burns to face the wrath of Mr. Burns.”

  Angel sat down and leaned his elbows on the desk running his hands over his face, “I know Wes, I know,” he muttered.

~*~*~*~

 

  Tall buildings, cars and people walking along the street flashed by as Samantha looked out the window of the limo. Her father hadn’t said two words too her since they had left Angel’s office. Well that wasn’t completely true, he bark at her to stop her sniveling once he had caught up to her then grabbed her arm and practically dragged out of the building.

  She rubbed at the marks his fingers had left as she chanced a glance at her father. She could see his rage just bubbling under the surface. The fact that he had not spoken to her did not bode well. Sam knew from past experience that the longer her father’s rage boiled the more devastatingly painful the end result would be for her.

  She looked back out the window hating herself for being such a coward. Why did she run out of Angel’s office? Why didn’t she, for once in her life, stand up to her father and tell Angel the truth? She spent the rest of the drive silently kicking herself for being a weak willed fool.

  When they arrived back at her father’s mansion Sam dreaded having to go in. She quietly followed her father inside.

  Without turning to look at her Samuel quietly commanded Sam, “Go to your room. I will call for you when I am ready to deal with you,” and kept walking toward s the library.

  The words when I am ready to deal with you kept echoing in Sam’s ears as she ran to her room. Reaching her door she wrenched it open, nearly ripping it off its hinges, and then slammed it shut behind her.

  The rage she felt at herself for fearing her father consumed her. She grabbed the trinkets off her dresser and flung them across the room, then she went to the bookshelf and savagely snatched the books out and flipped the bookshelf itself up side down. On and on went the destruction of her room as well as the tempest whirling inside her until exhaustion over took her and she crumpled to the floor clutching her mother’s sweater sobbing and drifted off to sleep.

 

~*~*~*~

 

  Everyone had left Angel’s office after having a rather short discussion about the dire situation that Angel had just put Samantha Burns in. But Angel had been in no mood too talk about it and told them all to go, that he wanted to be left alone. He felt bad enough about what had happened and he didn’t need his friends pushing the matter.

  Angel was sitting in front of the picture window in his office watching the sun set when he heard a knock on the door. He ignored it assuming that whoever it was would go away. A few seconds later he heard another knock this time followed by the office door opening.

  Irritated that he was being interrupted Angel grumbled, “I thought I said I wanted to be left alone.”

  “Well that’s a hell of a way to greet an old friend.”

  Angel spun around when he heard the voice coming from the doorway. He was surprised when he saw Faith standing where the voice had come from. She looked the same as the last time he had seen her, only a few short months before, though it felt like a lifetime time ago.

  “Faith …you look good.”

  “Damn right I do,” she said smiling as she entered the room. “So what’s a girl gotta do ‘round here to getta little action?”

  Angel looked at Faith uncertainly, “action?”

 Faith laughed at Angel’s apparent discomfort, “of the slaying kind. Geez Angel get your mind outta the gutter would ya.”

  “Oh …yeah, I knew that’s what you meant,” he said with a nervous little laugh unable to meet Faith’s eyes which made Faith laugh even harder.

  After having managed to stop laughing and catch her breath, Faith plopped down into one of Angel’s overstuffed armchairs and took a look around the office. “Pretty nice place you got here. A little bit much for my taste but hey, whatever turns your crank if you know what I mean.”

  Smiling Angel answered, “Yeah I know. Not that I’m not happy to see you or anything but what are you doing here?”

  Faith shrugged, “Giles phoned me up and said that you’ve got yourself a new slayer sitch going on here.”

  Angel’s pleasure at seeing Faith evaporated as his anger towards Giles returned. “I told him I could handle this on my own and that I didn’t need or want any help that he sent.”

  “He told me that too but I thought since I was in the neighborhood that I’d stop by and see if I could lend a hand.”

  Angrily Angel stormed to his desk, sat down and started rifling though some papers trying to look busy. “Well I don’t need the help so you can go back and report to Giles that everything’s fine. If Giles and Buffy think I can’t handle one slayer on my own they can go …hang themselves!”   

  “Hey! Wait a sec here,” Faith stood up and leaned her hands on the desk staring down at Angel, What ever happened between you and Giles that’s your business. And as for Buffy I don’t know what she thinks…”

  Angel cut her off, “What about you Faith? What do you think? Have I become unreliable since I’ve taken over Wolfram & Hart?” He stared intently at Faith trying to read her.

  “Unreliable? Who thinks you’re unreliable?”

  Angel lowered his eyes and looked away, “apparently Buffy does.”

  Faith sat on the edge of the desk and took a moment to study the man in front of her. When she finally gave him his answer she spoke from the heart, “Ever since I’ve known you all you’ve ever wanted to do was help people and do the right thing, Angel. That’s who you are. I don’t think some evil law firm or what ever could ever change that. If it wasn’t for you man I’d still be one pretty fucked up rogue slayer on the run or dead, but now look at me everything’s five by five.”

  Angel lifted his eyes back up to her and saw the sincerity with which Faith had just spoken with and was glad for it. “You’re still a wanted felon in the state of California.”

  “Ahh that’s besides the point. I’m working for the greater good know,” she smiled.

  “Thank you.”

  “For what?”

  “For believing in me.”

  “Don’t mention it. So you gonna let me help or what?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Cool.”

  So Angel explained to Faith every thing that had happened within the last twenty-four hours. He started with his encounter with Samantha Burns in the alley and finished off with the confrontation he had with her father a few hours ago.

  “Shit.”

  “My sentiments exactly.”

  “And she has no idea what she is?”

  “No,” Angel said shaking his head, “I really don’t think so.”

  “Okay, got the low down. So what’s the plan? Save the fairy princess from the fire breathing dragon?”

  “Yeah, basically.”

  “Alrighty then, let’s get the rest of the gang and saddle up.”

  He shook his head, “No.”

  “No?”

  “I think it’d be best if it was just the two of us. I want to get in there and get Samantha and get out as quickly and quietly as possible. The less people the better. I’ll let Wes know what’s happening incase we need backup.”

  Picking up the phone Angel dial Wesley’s office, “Yeah Wes, it’s me. I’m headed out to the Burns estate.”

  “To the Burns estate, what ever for?” Wesley sounded shocked.

  “I’m getting Samantha out of there.”

  Wesley knew how strongly Angel felt about the situation that he had put the Burns girl in and want to back him up as much as possible, “I’ll gather every one and we’ll meet you in the garage.”

  “No Wes I need you to stay here and look up some sort of protection spell or some thing for when I bring her back, anything that will stop her father from getting to her once she’s safe.”

   Felling a bit put off Wesley tried to caution his friend, “But Angel surely you’re not thinking of going there alone, that’s madness.”

  “I won’t be alone, Faith’s here, she’ll be coming with me. But be ready with back up just incase we need it.”

  “Alright if that’s what you think is best.”

  “I do.”

  “I’ll get my people on straight away. Oh and Angel…”

  “Yeah?”

  “Do be careful, after today Burns just might be expecting some thing like this.”

  “Yeah, I will.” Angel hung up the phone and led Faith to his private elevator which descended to the stable of cars in the garage.

  Faith’s eye’s lit up when she saw them all. “They all yours?” she asked as Angel unlocked the door to the Viper. Whistling she ran her hand along the smooth lines of vehicle admiring it’s candy apple red paint job, “you sure are movin’ on up ain’t ya big guy.”

  “Hey what can I say? The perks of being CEO of an evil law firm are undeniable,” Angel answered smiling.

   They got into the car; Angel put the key in the ignition revved up the car and squealed the tires as they left the parking garage of Wolfram & Hart. Steering the Viper towards the Burns estate Angel hoped that this time he really did get to help Samantha before it was too late.

 

~*~*~*~

 

  A throbbing pain at the back of her neck awoke Samantha some time later. She had fallen asleep head hung down so that her chin touched her chest and now she was paying the price for that folly. She gradually tried to straighten her neck while rubbing it to try an ease the pain. She had no idea hoe long she had been asleep but considering her aching neck she suspected at least a couple of hours.

  She slowly opened her eyes and surveyed the carnage that was once her room. The furniture was busted up, the window and bed dressings were in tatters, all her possessions were smashed and strewn across the room. She felt nothing as she took it all in. None of it mattered to her anymore.

  She stood up and navigated around the debris to the window. As she saw the sun set she remembered how she used to love watching it, dusk had been her favorite time of the day. But now as she looked at the scene before her she felting nothing, only empty. Sam turned from the window and walked out of the room. She hadn’t notice that she still clung on to her mother’s sweater until she reached to open the door and saw it in her hand. She slowly put her arms through the sleeves and buttoned it up the left the wreckage behind her not entirely sure where she has headed.

  Samantha wander aimlessly around the halls for a while wondering if she had ever truly felt safe within these walls. She knew the answer…no she never had. All her memories were filled with nightmarish creatures and screams as well as the brutality of her father but even these images could no longer invoke any feeling from her.

  Her travels had led her to the massive oak doors of the library.  She stood there staring at them. Someone hadn’t closed the doors tight and she could see a sliver of light emanating form the crack. She was just about to turn and go when she heard her father’s voice emerge form the doors. Taking a step closer Sam listened in on Samuel’s conversation, “I can’t believe the little bitch ran out on me! She’s going to pay for it to. The good for nothing brat, I should’ve killed her when I killed her mother.”

  Samantha’s blood ran cold. My mother… He killed my mother.

 

~*~*~*~

 

  Getting through the Burns’ security was easier then Angel had anticipated. He and Faith had scaled the outer wall with little difficulty. When they had reached the other side Angel was surprised that there hadn’t been any guards or dogs to greet them.  They kept to the shadows as they race through the grounds to the mansion proper. As they reach the front steps that’s when they saw the first sign of any kind of security.

  There were two men standing on either side of the front entrance holding automatic rifles. Angel motioned to Faith that she take the one on the right but to wait on his signal. She nodded at him to let him know that she understood.

  Angel’s signal wasn’t hard to recognize, he ran and jumped, full body tackling the guard on the left. He landed hard on his back with Angel on top. The vampire lifted himself to his knees and started pummeling his target. Seeing his partner attacked, the second guard aimed his rifle at Angel but before he could fire a shot Faith was by the guard’s side and kicked the rifle out of his hands. With another kick Faith had her guy knocked to the ground where she punched him in the head rendering him unconscious. She gave him another quick jab for good measure then looked over to see how Angel was making out. The guy that he was straddle was out cold but Angel continued to lay a beating on him.

  “Angel!” Faith whispered as loud as she dared. “Angel, I think the guys done. Maybe we should…” she pointed toward the door.

  He nodded in response and got up. Quietly he checked to see if the door was locked but it opened with no resistance.  Angel look to Faith and then they both entered the mansion. The place was enormous.

  “My guess is this Burns guy ain’t human.” Faith quietly commented as she watched Angel enter the premises without an invitation. “How the hell are we gonna find her?” Faith asked.

  Angel held a finger to his lips telling faith to be quite then he closed his eyes, listened and sniffed the air. Having found Samantha’s scent he opened his eyes and mouthed back to Faith, “This way,” and headed off to his right.

  They quietly made their way down a long corridor stopping every so often when they thought they heard a noise. When they finally reach the end, the corridor emptied out into a large hall. The walls were dark wood decorated with medieval tapestries. Angel scanned the area and found Samantha standing next too a set of doors on the far side of the room.

  The girl was so still that if Angel hadn’t known better he would have swore she was a statue. He quickly but quietly came up beside her, “Samantha,” he whispered. There was no reaction. “Samantha, its Angel I’ve come to got you out of here.”

  Faith joined the pair keeping her eye out for any wanted company. “Is this her?”

  “Yeah.”

  “What’s wrong with her?”

  “I don’t know.”

  Angel took Sam’s arm and shook her just enough to try and get her to snap out of whatever kind of trance she was in. “Come Samantha let’s go. I promise you that your father will never be able to hurt you again.”

  Sam had had no idea that someone was beside her until Angel’s last words sunk into her consciousness, your father will never hurt you again. These words kept clashing with the last thing she heard her father say. Back and forth the words went until the sound of them deafened her.

  Her emptiness was starting to be filled with an anger so complete she could feel nothing else. She grabbed her head between her hands and Samantha wail as the fury rushed into her.

  The suddenness of the young slayers cry cause Angel and Faith to stagger back a couple of paces. They stared at each other trying to discern what was going on.

  In a movement faster then a normal human being could have accomplished, Sam kicked open the doors to the library and staked two vamps, with a piece of broken door frame, that had moved in to stop her. All her fury was focus on the man seated behind the desk and any person or any thing that as stupid enough to get in her way was rapidly dispatched.

  Samuel was surprised by the sudden disturbance. He looked up from his desk and saw Samantha charging toward him, there was a fire in her eyes that chilled Samuel to the bone. He called to his guards, “Stop her!”

  Angel swiftly followed Sam through the doors and was greeted by an ugly looking demon with open sores covering it’s exposed flesh. Angel grimaced at the sight, “I’d have those looked at if I were you,” he taunted as he swung a right cross at its face.

  Sam was still cutting a large rift through her fathers’ entourage as Angel and Faith battled more of her father’s people at the entrance of the room. With another burst of speed the girl ran for the desk and sprang on top of it, dropped her makeshift stake and grabbed the lethally sharp letter opener off the blotter  and flip over the chair landing behind it bringing the weapon to her father’s throat pushing it hard enough to draw blood.

  Seeing Samantha holding Samuel Angel dusted the vampire he had been fighting with and ran towards them. “Samantha no!” he exclaimed, “don’t do it.”

  For the first time since he had seen her standing in the hall Sam acknowledged Angel presence, “Why shouldn’t I? He’s the worst monster of them all!” she shouted.

  He tried to reason with her, “If you do it, if you kill your father, you’ll never be able to live with yourself.”

  “I don’t care! He deserves to die!” She pushed the opener a little harder into Samuel’s neck.

  “Samantha, Angel knows what he’s talking about,” Faith intoned.

  “Please listen to me Samantha. Let my people deal with him.”

  “No!”

  “Go on do it,” Samuel grunted at her.

  “Don’t think I won’t.”

  “I dare you,” he taunted her. “Go on and do it. You know what I think? I think you don’t have the gall to do it. You’re just a weak will, good for nothing, little bitch just like your mother.”

  “Don’t you ever talk like that about my mother!” she screamed.

  “I should’ve killed you when I kiledl that pathetic piece of shit that gave birth to you.”

  Samantha screamed, “You son of a bitch!” and dragged the opener across Samuel Burns’ neck severing his head form his body.

  “Nooooooo!” Angel yelled as he tried to reach her before the deed was done.

  She let go of the body and crumpled into a fetal position sobbing.

  Seeing their bosses demise the remainder of Samuel Burns’ entourage fled leaving the ensouled vampire, the brown hair slayer and the wreck that was Samantha Burns alone among the carnage.

  Angel knelt down beside Sam and cradled her head in his lap. “It’s all over, it’s all over,” he intoned to her over and over.

  When her sobbing quieted down Angel gently raised Samantha up in his arms and carried her out library, the mansion, the estate and to his car and drove her away form the hell she had lived for sixteen years.

 

~*~*~*~

 

  The next morning Wesley and Faith had gathered in Angel’s office. Wesley stood with an open book in one hand while he flipped the pages with the other. “So Samantha’s is not really a slayer.”

  “I don’t know? Can a girl whose part demon be a slayer?” Angel had never heard of such a thing but on the other hand he never heard that it hadn’t.

  At that moment Gunn walked in, “Actually she’s not part demon.”

 “But Burn’s was a demon.” Angel said.

  “I saw Angel walk right in without an invite, that Burns guy definitely wasn’t human,” Faith added.

  “Your right he was a demon, a Calash demon to be precise, but he wasn’t Samantha’s biological father.”

  “He wasn’t?” everyone asked at once.

  “He married the girl’s mother when she was expecting,” Gunn continued, “he adopted the child as soon as she was born. My guess he wanted a child to groom to take over the business one day.”

  “When her mother found out what kind of business Burn’s really ran she tried to take Samantha away,” Wesley surmised.

  “And he killed her,” Angel said quietly.

  Faith nodded, “So I guess were back with the she’s a slayer assumption.”

  Wesley closed his book and looked at Angel. “How is Miss Burns doing?”

  Angel took an unneeded breath and sighed, “As good as can be expected, I guess. We’re getting her the best psychiatric help Wolfram & Hart can provide. Hopefully once we get her mind healed, then we can deal with helping her find out who or what she really is and how to get on with the rest of her life.”

  “Well I guess it’s time for me to book. A slayer’s job is never done and all that.” Faith smiled and headed to the door, “It was a blast seeing all you guys again. Let’s do it again sometime.”

  Angel stood up and joined Faith by the door.

  “You’re not gonna try and hug me again are ya?” she teased.

  “No,” he smiled.

  “Good,” Faith laughed.

  Angel looked her in the eyes, “Thank you,” he said, “for everything.”

  “Not a prob big guy. I’ll see you around,” and with that Faith left.

 

~*~*~*~

 

  Angel knocked softly on the door of Samantha’s room.

  “Come in,” came Sam’s unemotional voice through the door.

  He walked into the room and spied her sitting on the bed gazing out the widow. Gently sitting on the bed Angel reached out and touched Sam’s shoulder.

  At the feeling of his fingers she turned around.  There sitting next to her was the man she came to think of as her angel. She leaned over and rested her head on his shoulder and began to weep.

  Angel sat there and held Samantha hoping that one day she would feel whole again.

 

 

THE END