CHAPTER TEN Douglass was thrilled to be included into the group, and agreed to move to LA. She did have to make a trip back to Denver, to talk one last time with the police there, and pick up her Jeep. She had only a box of books and a few other odds and ends to bring back. Most of her belongings had either been destroyed, stolen or weren't worth taking back with her. She insisted on seeing the pictures from the crime scene. Hoping that the pictures would spark her memory. They didn't. It did bring up images of how her friend had met her demise. Tori had been dismembered. Pieces of her body were found all around the apartment. Douglass prayed that her friend had already been dead when she had been torn apart. The death of Tori still didn't seem possible. Guilt gnawed at Douglass's stomach, knowing that her friend died such a grisly death, while she had lived. After a few days the tight feeling in her throat lessened. But the pain of losing her best friend was still there buried a little deeper everyday, but still there. Then there was the fact that poor Willow had found her. Though Willow had seen some truly hideous things in her life, she could still see the pain in her friend�s eyes. Then the final guilt, the spell to anchor Angel's soul was gone. It had been in one of her books that came up missing. How was she going to explain this to Willow? `Oh by the way Willow you remember that spell I found that would anchor the soul to the man your in love with. Yeah well you see its gone, funny huh?' Douglass groaned as she pulled up in front of the old bank, her new home. She had insisted on going by herself to Denver, so she could get some closure. Everyone argued, stating that she should bring someone with her. But in the end Douglass won. Walking into the lobby she noticed how quite it was. Which was odd, knowing that her new family was a bit boisterous. Whether teasing each other, or arguing over how to handle different situations. Shifting the heavy box in her arms as she headed towards the elevator, pushing the button to her floor, she wondered where everyone was. She wasn't expected until later that night, but shouldn't someone be here working at least? Stepping out of the elevator she called out to see if anyone was there, she was thrilled to hear the shout of joy coming from Willow's room. "Doug? We weren't expecting you until later!" Willow hurried out of her room to embrace her friend. "Got up early this morning, was eager to get back." Setting the box on the floor Douglass looked around the apartment. She had only stayed here for two days before she left for Denver. At that time she really hadn't paid attention, too many things on her mind. But after taking a look around she was satisfied at the comfortable feeling that came over her. She felt safe here. Something that was very important. "Are you thirsty?" Willow started towards the kitchen only to stop as a Diet Coke floated towards Douglass, who was still getting used to their invisible roommate. "Ah, thanks Dennis." Turning back toward Willow, she asked. " Where is everyone else?" "Things have been a little slow this week, so everyone is out doing their own thing. Gunn is at the teen center, volunteering. Wesley is at an occult bookstore, trying to find more additions to our small library. Cordelia is out shopping. And Spike went back to Sunnydale a few days ago to get the last of our stuff." Douglass studied Willow's face, trying to figure out how she felt about leaving Sunnydale. "Are you sure you want to leave Sunnydale?" "Yes." Willow blushed at how quickly she could answer the question. "I mean I'll be homesick and all. I lived there all my life, and its not like I wont ever see any of them again. It's just that I'm tired of not having any say in what's going on. Especially now, since Riley and a few of his friends decided to stay behind. I was a part of that team before they were, but I've been feeling more and more like an outcast." Willow slumped down on the couch. "Here I feel like I'm really part of something." "Have you seen Angel since the hospital?" Douglass asked as she sat down on the floor in front of Willow. "No. I don't know what to do about that. We've all been arguing over *if* we should tell him, or *what* we should tell him. Wes thinks that if we tell him about another way for him to lose his soul, his inner demon may cause him to inadvertently harm us. Cordelia wants him to know she loves him like a big brother and wants him back. Gunn doesn't really know him all that well to have any real thought to the matter. And Spike is Spike. I think he's really enjoying the fact that he's part of this group, while Angel is the outsider." She paused and stared at her hands. "And I...I'm scared that he's going to get really angry with me...the never gonna talk to you again kind of angry. We're kind of responsible for his little trip to the dark side. If we had told him before, we might have been able to stop all of this." Douglass was speechless. She hadn't thought of it that way, and now that she had a sick feeling came over her. "Maybe we should just go over and tell him now." Douglass was just a tad bit shocked at even her own suggestion. "You mean right now, just go over there and tell him." Willow stood and started pacing. "I guess we can lighten the blow by telling him about the anchoring spell." "Ah Willow, I hate to tell you this now, but it's about the anchoring spell. It's gone. Some of my books are missing. The original that had the spell and the book that I copied it into." Willow sat back against the couch and tried to absorb what was being said. "Okay, so we need to start looking for another spell." "Willow, there's one more small thing." Douglass mumbled. "None of my spells have been working. I've tried the simplest of spells and nothing happens. I'm sure it's just the shock, and everything will be fine." Willow watched her friend, an unease spread through her. "Spell binding." She whispered. Douglass whitened at the words, "NO."Standing up she walked toward her room. " I'm going to change. We'll leave in ten minutes." ~~~~~~~~~~~~ When they walked into the hotel's dim lobby, Douglass was searching her mind for reasons why they shouldn't be doing this. She had come up with several great reasons, but she knew Willow would shoot them all down. They walked across the deserted lobby, looking around them at the elegance hidden beneath the dust. Unopened newspapers had been tossed in the general direction of the crimson couch. Pieces of shattered glass covered a portion of the floor. "Willow you said he was a neat freak." Taking another look around. "He is. Well he was." Willow bit her lip, maybe. This was a bad idea. "Maybe we should've called first." "He hasn't been answering his phone, nor returning any messages." "Which means that he doesn't want company. Willow I know I'm the one who said to come here today and tell him the truth, but it was a *bad* idea." "He deserves to know. We should've told him when we first found out. No, he should have known when he came back from hell. It was stupid for us to keep the spell to ourselves." Douglass took a deep breath and calmed herself. "You're right. I just wish Hallmark made a card for this kind of thing." "So what should we say to him?" Willow asked. Douglass shrugged. "I don't know. Never thought I'd actually meet him." "How about the truth." A deep voice came from one of the shadows, startling the girls. "Oh yeah this was a *bad* idea." Douglass grumbled. ~~~~~~~~~~ Angel had heard them the moment they entered the lobby doors. He silently cursed himself for forgetting to lock the door the night prior. He had been sitting in the dark office. Upon hearing the intruders, crept slowly toward the office door, careful to stay hidden in the shadows. He was surprised to see Willow and her friend standing there, looking around his neglected lobby. They both looked ready to bolt, and he almost let himself be known until they started talking. Holding himself back, he listened for a moment. Their initial banter was out of nervousness. It was the rest that gave him a sinking feeling. That what they came to tell him was going to answer the questions that of late had been plaguing him. He knew his obsession of Darla was getting out of hand, okay it was way out of hand. But it went from an obsession to help her, to an obsession to kill her. Plus his grudge against Wolfram and Hart was getting unhealthy. This wasn't the first time he got sucked in by an unhealthy obsession. In the end he had always had control over the Demon inside. When he felt he was teetering over the edge, he'd pull himself together and pulled back. But two and a half months ago he fell leaving a room of enemies to a gruesome death. Sure they were at war, but enjoying the cries of terror was something his soul should have found twisted. It was time. He needed answers. " How about the truth?" |
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