Medley of Extemporanea (How Lucky are the Dead REMIX) [Angel; Lindsey McDonald; Angel]
Title: Medley of Extemporanea (How Lucky are the Dead REMIX)
Author: alison_sky
Summary: 15 years after Not Fade Away, Lindsey McDonald has been living in Pittsburg where he has found a team who have helped him come to terms with himself. That was, until Angel showed up. (Future Fic)
Rating: PG-13
Fandom: Angel the Series
Warnings: Slash (undercurrent. No actual physical touchies or graphic content.)
Spoilers: Angel Season 5 finale Not Fade Away
Notes: Story is from the 1st Person POV of an OC in the original story, Lucy.
Praise: Thanks to my wonderful beta pjferret!
Title, Author and URL of original story: Medley of Extemporanea by Dana Woods.
I remember when Mom told me about this Angel character asking to come to Pittsburg. I didn't like the idea, but everyone knows my mom is into the money. And Angel was willing to pay a LOT of money for what we could offer him.
So she told me not to tell Uncle Lindsey... boy, he was going to flip when he found out. Over the years I had heard a bunch of stories from him. Of course, I usually had to get him when he was drunk or just really out of it. I've never seen one person put up so many walls around his psyche before, and I do this stuff for a living!
Let's say that I wasn't surprised when Lindsey came into my office a few days later, angry as anything. He was pacing back and forth, not able to keep from talking with his hands... instant signs of agitation. I was worried for a bit, because I know my uncle. He doesn't lose his cool. Hell, I've seen him stare into the face of a Chalabra demon and look UP into their eyes and make them cower.
He wanted me to evaluate Angel. "Find out everything, Lucy. Why he wants to do this. If he understands what will happen. You're going to have to find out if this has anything to do with Buffy, Faith, Darla, Connor..."
"Wait... Uncle Lindsey, you're acting like he's got some kind of ulterior motive here. Maybe he just wants to settle down and relax?"
He gave me this stare, and it made the hair on the back of my neck stand up. "Nothing Angel ever does is this simple. Find out. I'm going to convince your mother to hold off on this ceremony until you have results and feel that this is genuine."
"Why does this mean so much to you?"
"Because I've already died once for this bastard; if I'm going to go through hell again, it had damn better be worth it."
***
I could tell there was more to what he was asking me. Lindsey always forgot that I was trained to see this in other people, so of course I was going to see it in him. But, whatever - he wanted me to evaluate Angel, so I was going to do it.
... This lasted all of two conferences before I gave up. The first one was fun, watching the vampire squirm as I got to pull the names Lindsey had given me out of nowhere. And each one got a different response. Buffy got this broody look... Faith got a wince... Darla got this longing sad puppy expression... and Connor was one that he glared at me so hard I had to call an end to the session. Not like he really wanted to open up and actually cooperate anyway.
Sheesh, some vampires just have way too much emotional baggage, ya know?
The second conference started off much differently. Instead of me asking the questions, Angel turned around and opened up freely, talking about murders that he had committed, things he had done to my uncle... all with this look of near glee in his eyes and watching me almost as if he was going to make me his next victim. He kept coming closer and closer to me as he talked, until he was standing right behind me, breathing on my neck as he talked about this Drusilla and how I reminded him of her.
I wrapped that meeting up pretty damn quickly, and promptly went to the street Lindsey was patrolling and gave him an earful. I was NOT going to try and break into that vampire's psyche anymore. It wasn't pretty, and I didn't like it. I don't like feeling helpless, and in his stare, I felt it.
I was grateful for Lindsey at that moment, wrapping his arms around me and hugging me like he had when I was little. He always tried to protect me from the bad things, and I could tell he wasn't happy with what Angel had made me feel like.
"Say the word Lucy and we can use this to get him out of here," he told me and I clung to him. "I'll personally kick his ass out of the territory."
"No... I don't like it, but Mom's right, Uncle Lindsey. We need someone like him here. Maybe... maybe it will push the Ftolt demons back. Make them realize we won't roll over for them."
Lindsey sighed and I could feel that with what I had said, it made him lose a bit of hope for getting rid of Angel. "You just don't let yourself be alone with him, ok? I'll take care of it."
"Ok."
"Is there anything else I should know?"
I pulled back and looked my uncle in the eyes, forcing a fake brave smile. "He called me a prissy human. Can you believe that? I'm so not prissy."
***
The next time I saw Angel was on a Wednesday. I was having my weekly dinner with my uncle when I noticed that Angel was in the apartment.
The vampire... was INSIDE my uncle's apartment. Don't they have to be invited in? I could have sworn that they needed an invitation, and sure, maybe my uncle was dead, but he wasn't really all that dead. There was still a soul there. So I'm sure that Angel couldn't walk into this place without Uncle Lindsey wanting him here.
Which, of course, meant that even after all the anger and crap my uncle had, he must have invited the vampire into his place. I was curious as to why, now, but really? I just wanted Angel to go away. This was MY night with my uncle, and I didn't need a jerk vampire with mismatched baggage ruining it.
“Do you always sneak into people’s homes and eavesdrop?”
“Don’t be a sore loser, Luce,” Uncle Lindsey scolded.
“I’m not - “
“You are. You’re tough, but he’s got centuries on you. Of course he scared you off.”
Color me speechless. Now he was taking the vampire’s SIDE?! But what was I going to do? Angel had basically made it known he would take a nice pint or two from me if I tried his patience, and part of me wondered if my uncle would even stop him. When had my uncle stopped hating…
Oh no. No. NO! Please someone tell me that I’m not reading the classic signs of hidden desire coming from my uncle towards Angel. The not wanting him around, but inviting him in without hesitation. Complaining about his habits, yet supporting others. And that look he had when Angel first walked in…
I must have been glaring at Angel because my uncle gave me a look. I hate it when he does that; it’s like I’m a child again. I’m always going to be a little girl in his eyes, I just know it. But fine, he wanted me to play nice, I’d play nice.
“So Angel, how do you like Pittsburg so far?”
“I like it. It’s nice. Quaint.”
“That’s good.” Now is it that you liked the area because of the local points of interest - or some of its minor attractions. Like my uncle? I tried to watch Angel, to see how he watches my uncle. Of course UNCLE LINDSEY made it hard because he insisted on me taking the leftovers home with me.
“You sticking around for a movie, Luce?”
And get between you and your Angel issues, my dear uncle? FAT CHANCE! “Shana and Ruth are on border patrol this week and…” I mumbled off a quick excuse, just something to get me out of that apartment as quickly as possible. It really wasn’t a surprise that I was already halfway to the door, pulling on my coat as I walked.
“Be careful out there.”
“Always am.” I gave my uncle the big hug and cheek kiss goodbye. My uncle always gave the best hugs, and I was not even going to let Angel’s presence deny me that. Of course, I also gave a quick goodbye to the vampire, because it would have been rude otherwise, then ran out the door.
Oh, the things I had to tell Shana and Ruth that night.
***
“So let me get this straight: You think that Angel - the big broody vampire that gets all evil when he gets all humpty with someone - is jiving on your uncle?” Shana shook her head.
“No, I think it’s my uncle who’s got the hots for Angel. I mean, you could cut the UST with a knife in that kitchen. Hell, it was like there was a big blinking sign with the words SEXUAL TENSION hanging above them!”
“Lucibell, I hate to say it, but I think you’ve finally gone off the deep end with your psychology stuff,” Ruth told me as we sat on the flatbed of the truck on the overpass that makes up the Pennsylvania - Ohio border.
“What is she talking about now?” I jumped as I heard my mother approach from behind me, which had my two friends laughing.
“Nothing Mom.”
“She’s talking about Lindsey and Angel getting it on,” Ruth stated.
“Are they finally doing it?” Frank hissed from beside my mom, which sounded like he was laughing.
“No, they aren’t DOING it.” I rolled my eyes, and then glared at Frank. “Wait a sec, you see it too?”
“Sweetie, the whole team sees it. Well, except for Lindsey.” My mom was grinning. “I knew it before Angel even got here. You can just tell from how Lindsey talks about him.”
“I always thought it was because he hated him.”
“Hate and infatuation can be seen as the same thing,” Mom explained, putting an arm around my shoulder. “You remember the time when that boy kicked you on the playground, and the next day brought you a cupcake in for your birthday?”
“Oh god, that is SO not the same thing.”
“You were a rough kid growing up. He thought hitting you would get you to pay attention to him. Lindsey is the same way. Angel paid attention to him when he was hurting him. So he kept doing it.”
I thought about it for a moment, and I could see that pattern. It was a common theory that bullying is something done out of jealousy and misguided affection than it is from hate. “And Angel?”
“That is the wild card,” Frank stated. “We have a betting pool going on how long it’s going to take for him to notice. He seems to be a bit dense when it comes to things like this…”
“Oh, put me in for ten bucks that it doesn’t happen until Luce points it out to them,” Shana stated, reaching for her wallet.
“That spot’s already taken,” Mom laughed.
***
So I thought about it long and hard, and decided that if my uncle had all this hidden infatuation with Angel, and that since Angel was going to be here to stay, that I should be an adult about all of this and bake him a cake.
However, I hate to cook. So I made an ice cream cake. It’s my specialty after all. And I got it over there just as he walked out of the apartment - to the point where he almost walked into the cake. Lucky that we both have good reflexes; he caught the cake as I screamed.
“You enjoy scaring the shit out of me, don’t you?”
He blinked, and then held the box with the cake back to me. “And you apparently enjoy throwing things at me.”
“Yeah, about that. Listen, I think we got off on the wrong foot, and seeing that you…” have a thing going for my uncle “…are going to be staying here for, well, ever - I though we should try and start over again. So this is for you.” I pushed the cake back to him.
He looked confused, and sniffed the box a moment. “Ice cream?”
“Cookie dough ice cream cake,” I explained proudly. “Two big chocolate chip cookies with vanilla cookie dough ice cream in the center. Trust me, you’ll like it. Now let’s get it in the freezer before it melts.” I opened the door to his place and walked by him, letting him follow me back in with the cake in his hands.
“Lucy?”
“Angel.”
“When I said that I have no problem using mental torture as a way to convince young women into being lambs for the slaughter… I didn’t mean that I was going to do it. You know. To you. Now.”
“Yes you did.” I opened the freezer and took the cake from his hands and put it in the freezer. There wasn’t anything else in it. “You really should eat something besides blood, you know. Sure, it doesn’t nourish you, but it can make you appear more human. After all, that’s why you came here…”
“Lucy?”
“Uncle Lindsey could teach you to cook if you’ve forgotten. He’s pretty good at it. Taught me a lot of it growing up…” I opened the fridge and looked in. Inside were just blood packets, and a bottle of vodka. Did he steal that from my uncle? It looked like his brand.
“Um…”
“So anyway, I just wanted to let you know that we’re cool, ok? And tomorrow’s your big moment, so I really shouldn’t keep you. You’ve got things to do, stuff to plan I’m sure. See you later.”
I let myself out, and was pretty sure that Angel was probably wondering just what the hell happened. I like keeping people on their toes like that.
***
“You’re not coming.”
“Mom, I’m old enough to understand that this isn’t something nice that’s going to happen. I’m going to have to see it eventually. I’m going.”
My mother tried to stare me down, but I just stood there, arms crossed as I had seen my uncle do so many times when he was determined to get his own way. Oh, the times my mother cursed him out for teaching me what she called my “bad habits”.
Tough. I wanted to see the ceremony. I wanted to see just why my uncle hated doing these things, and yet Angel was willing to pay everything he had to go through it. And no one was going to tell me “no” this time.
Mom growled for the whole car ride. But she started to explain to me what was going to happen. In detail. FULL detail. Enough so that by the time we got to the mill, I was ready to find the nearest hole, cover my head and wait for it all to be over.
But I had dug my grave now… and I was going to have to lay in it. But as I watched Mom work with the magic, and heard Frank and the twins explain to Angel what was going to go on, I really felt like I was going to pass out or throw up or something.
I hadn’t realized that my uncle had arrived until he was standing beside me, obviously angry that I had shown up. I got another one of his looks, and I would have laughed if I didn’t know just how bad this was going to be.
“Get out of here, Luce.”
“No.” Yeah, my voice was not convincing him at all that I wasn’t scared. “I can’t keep avoiding this.”
“You can and you will.” He grabbed my elbow, and I could feel his fingers digging into my flesh. I looked into his blue eyes, and I could see that my presence was really upsetting him. “I’ll drag you out of here, see if I won’t.”
“Lindsey…” Mom called over to him, and we both looked at her. She looked so sad… I had to wonder again if I was really doing the right thing by being here. No one seemed to want me to see this.
“It’s time, whether either of us likes it or not.”
Uncle Lindsey looked at me, and I could see the anger bleed out of his eyes, replaced with something different. I couldn’t tell if it was sadness from him… or maybe shame? Was he upset about his part in this and having me witness it? Fifteen years later and he still was able to hide his emotions like the lawyer he used to be.
“You listen to me. The only thing fatal to me is your mother ripping up that contract. Everything else is just a passing inconvenience. You understand what I’m saying?”
He held my chin so gently, compared to where his other hand was still squeezing the flesh off the bone of my elbow. What was he so afraid of with me? “I understand.”
“Good. And no one’s going to think less of you when you blow chunks. They’ve all done it, too.”
I could hear Mom and Angel talking, something about me and the ceremony. But I ignored them, instead just stared into my uncle’s eyes. He wasn’t ashamed. He was scared; scared that I was going to see him differently after this, and that I wouldn’t love him anymore.
He didn’t want me to finally finish growing up. That last bit of innocence I had held onto from what everyone in this organization did.
He didn’t want me to see him die.
I let him lead me to a spot on the other side of the circle, and he kissed my forehead. I did my best not to cry, especially when he smoothed my hair back. I wanted to hug him, let him know I was going to be all right. Instead, I gave him a brave smile.
And then Frank ruined the moment by putting a huge bucket by my feet. Really, I wasn’t going to need it, at least one THAT big. But Frank loved to be dramatic.
Angel and Lindsey argued as my uncle took off his clothing. Wow. I really should have looked away. This was my uncle after all. But almost immediately after he’s naked, my mother called for everyone to be quiet and she started to chant for the Bolrash magic.
The words always had a way of hypnotizing me, and I felt myself wavering a bit in place. I don’t know the words she spoke, but I could feel the magic in the room. It made my skin tingle as it prepared itself.
I was also able to watch Angel’s face over my uncle’s shoulder. He was angry. There was a look of betrayal, which meant that while my mother had given me the fun details of what was going to happen, no one had given them to Angel. Maybe they felt he wouldn’t go through with the ceremony if he knew. If he liked my uncle the way we figure my uncle liked him… I would understand why he wouldn’t want to do it.
“Angel, step out of the circle.”
Mom spoke, but the vampire didn’t move. The magic flowed away from him and started to come after my uncle.
“Angel!”
“Get out of the fucking circle!” Uncle Lindsey snarled, and then he screamed as the magic attacked him.
I couldn’t blame Angel. You could see that he wanted to stop what was happening to my uncle. He wanted to help him. Hell, I wanted to help him, but Mom had warned me not to cross into the circle no matter what I felt like doing.
I cringed as I heard my uncle scream again, and the flames around him were so bright that I couldn’t see. Frank grabbed the fire extinguisher as Angel’s pants caught on fire, and the twins rushed forward to help.
Angel fought against them though, and finally I just screamed myself. “Damnit Angel please get out of the circle!”
Then there was the smell of burning flesh, Uncle Lindsey’s, and I couldn’t handle it anymore. Now I know why Frank gave me such a big bucket. By the time I finished losing my dinner and probably breakfast and lunch too, Angel was outside of the circle and watched in horror as the magic consumed my uncle. I wasn’t able to watch anymore, and curled up on the floor, doing my best to not hear the screaming that echoed in my head. Would it ever end, I wondered?
I don’t remember how much longer it was, but after awhile, I was aware of a pair of arms that wrapped around me, and I clung to the person as I hid my eyes in their chest. Then I smelt the oils, and looked up to see Angel’s face looking down at me, concerned. “It’s over now,” he told me softly.
Carefully I turned my head to see my uncle laying on the ground, Frank standing over him. Uncle Lindsey was coming back slowly, the body being rebuilt as Frank spoke with the Loa to do their thing. “How can he let that happen to himself over and over again?” Angel asked softly.
“Because it’s what he does,” I told him.
“But why?”
I looked up at Angel, and smiled softly. “Because he helps people that way. To us, he means something beyond just a person. He has a purpose. And we all care about each other. We’re a family here. And it’s all that he really has left.”
“You love him, don’t you?”
I nodded. “And so do you.”
Angel blinked and I grabbed his arm, squeezing it gently. “You wouldn’t be this worried about him if you didn’t care,” I told him softly. “It’s ok to admit it, you know.”
“I’ve spent so long hating him, but I can’t anymore. He’s no longer the man I knew.”
“Time changes people. He’s never told me about his past, but I know he’s been trying to redeem himself from whatever it was he was running from. Whatever it was that formed the contract he’s bound to.”
We watched as Frank finished his ceremony, and Uncle Lindsey was back, completely reformed. His skin shined from the ointment that Frank had slathered over his skin. “You should go help him,” I told Angel softly. “He might like that.”
Angel helped me stand up, then left me as he walked over to Frank and the twins. Mom came up behind me and wrapped an arm around me. “You ok?”
“I’ll live,” I said softly, watching as Angel lifted Lindsey up into his arms.
“And so will your uncle. It’s like he told you, the only thing that will kill him is ripping up that contract. Which, for the record, I never plan on doing. And you’ll inherit it when the time comes, so that it doesn’t dissolve on him either. He and I already talked about it.”
“Then he just better not piss me off.” I looked up at my mom and smiled. “Oh, and you won the bet.”
My mom just smiled. “That’s my girl.”
***
Frank said that I should give my uncle a few days to recover. I gave him about a day. I couldn’t wait much longer to just check up on him. I needed to see with my own two eyes that he was ok.
After all… it was Wednesday. I refuse to give up my Wednesdays with him for anyone.
I had a key to his apartment, and so I arrived with dinner from the Italian restaurant we like. I also got some of the fresh chocolate eggs from the supermarket. It was still a month until Easter, but the stores were decorated in the pastel colors.
As I worked to open the door while juggling the bags, it opened. Angel stood there, nervous, and visibly relaxed when he saw it was only me. I grinned, then tossed the bag from the Italian restaurant at him. “I figured I would stop by and visit. See how you two were doing…”
I pushed past him into the apartment, and heard him chuckle as he closed the door. “Good thing you’re not a vampire,” he said. “You don’t wait for an invitation in.”
“I was invited into this place long before you even knew about us, buster, so don’t be telling me I can’t come in, or I WILL kick your ass.” Angel gave me a look. “Well, I’d glare at you at least. So, how’s my uncle doing?”
“Being a stubborn bastard, as I’m sure you’re aware he always is.” Angel pulled the containers out, looking at them while I took off my new leather jacket - bought with my half of the winnings my mom got. “You have three meals here…”
“I figured you might want something new to eat. You see, now that you’re part of our family, there’s a few basic rules you have to learn. First off is that I’m always right.”
Angel went to talk, but I held my hand up. “Second is that if the doctor says something, you have to listen. Seeing that I’m the only one in the room with a PHD, that means I’m the doctor and you have to listen.”
I grinned and grabbed two of the containers. “Third off… Wednesday is my night with my uncle. This is a ten year tradition that won’t be ending until I’m old and gray and can’t remember my name anymore. So you’re just going to have to deal with me. Got it?”
“Anything else?” Angel looked amused as he opened the remaining container. Spaghetti and meatballs. I figured that the red sauce looked enough like blood to give him a slow start back into normal food.
“Yeah. You hurt my uncle, and I really will find a way to kick your ass.” With a wink, I opened the door to the bedroom and slipped inside, closing it behind me.
Uncle Lindsey was asleep on the bed, the blanket wrapped up and tucking him in that I had to laugh. Angel probably had done that to get him to stay in bed. I wasn’t that surprised.
I made my way across the room and put the food down on the TV table, moving it beside him. Then I sat on the edge of the bed and gently took his hand in mine. I let my fingers play over his, remembering that no matter how many times he went through this and had his body healed, his skin still managed to be a bit rough.
“Am I going to have to start worrying about you sneaking into men’s bedrooms soon?” Blue eyes greeted me as I looked up at my uncle’s face. He smiled a bit, and then squeezed my hand.
“Oh, I’ve been doing that for years now… even sleeping in their beds when I have bad dreams.” I leaned over and hugged him gently. “How are you feeling?”
“I’m fine, though the big lug outside won’t let me get out of bed,” he sighed. When I pulled back, he brought his hand up to hold onto my cheek. “How are you?”
I gave him the brave smile, because I knew what he was really referring to. “I survived. Not sure I really want to see that ever again, but I’m glad I know now. I understand things a bit better. I don’t like seeing that happen to you though.”
He smiled back. “I wish you never had to have seen that.”
“I know. But you can’t have everything you want. Speaking of which…” I sat up and grabbed his meal, holding it out to him. “They were out of steak. Can you believe it? How can a restaurant run out of steak? So I got us chicken parm. It looked ok this time.”
Laughing, Uncle Lindsey sat up, putting the food on his lap. “I almost forgot today.”
“Good thing I didn’t, or you’d be starving. Not like you really need to EAT, but if you keep hanging out with Angel, he’s seriously going to make you forget what real food is.”
“He’s just here until -“
“God, uncle, do I LOOK like I’m still twelve?” I gave him a bright grin. “For a lawyer -“
“Ex-Lawyer.”
“Whatever. For an EX-lawyer, you are good at covering most things, but you really suck covering when you care about someone. So you like the vampire. Big whoop, though I would have thought you would have had better tastes…”
“Hey!” Angel exclaimed from the doorway as he walked in. He had his plate with him, sitting on the opposite side of the bed.
“He is a bit on the broody side, and doesn’t like to listen to us when we tell him what to do. But you’re like that too, so I think you two will be ok if you don’t end up killing each other.”
“Luce…” I got that warning look from my uncle, and I just kept grinning.
“Though if you think I’m giving up my Wednesday dinners, as I already warned Angel, I will kick your ass. You’re MY uncle. Whatever you do in your private life I don’t really want to know about, but I was here first.”
“I don’t think I could be allowed to forget,” Uncle Lindsey shook his head. “And I don’t plan on pushing you out of my life either.”
“And I don’t want you to leave either,” Angel added. “Maybe we can start over and try again?”
I thought about it a moment, then nodded. “Works for me. I always did want an aunt anyway.”
Uncle Lindsey just started to laugh as I grinned at the look of horror on Angel’s face.
*End*
Author: alison_sky
Summary: 15 years after Not Fade Away, Lindsey McDonald has been living in Pittsburg where he has found a team who have helped him come to terms with himself. That was, until Angel showed up. (Future Fic)
Rating: PG-13
Fandom: Angel the Series
Warnings: Slash (undercurrent. No actual physical touchies or graphic content.)
Spoilers: Angel Season 5 finale Not Fade Away
Notes: Story is from the 1st Person POV of an OC in the original story, Lucy.
Praise: Thanks to my wonderful beta pjferret!
Title, Author and URL of original story: Medley of Extemporanea by Dana Woods.
I remember when Mom told me about this Angel character asking to come to Pittsburg. I didn't like the idea, but everyone knows my mom is into the money. And Angel was willing to pay a LOT of money for what we could offer him.
So she told me not to tell Uncle Lindsey... boy, he was going to flip when he found out. Over the years I had heard a bunch of stories from him. Of course, I usually had to get him when he was drunk or just really out of it. I've never seen one person put up so many walls around his psyche before, and I do this stuff for a living!
Let's say that I wasn't surprised when Lindsey came into my office a few days later, angry as anything. He was pacing back and forth, not able to keep from talking with his hands... instant signs of agitation. I was worried for a bit, because I know my uncle. He doesn't lose his cool. Hell, I've seen him stare into the face of a Chalabra demon and look UP into their eyes and make them cower.
He wanted me to evaluate Angel. "Find out everything, Lucy. Why he wants to do this. If he understands what will happen. You're going to have to find out if this has anything to do with Buffy, Faith, Darla, Connor..."
"Wait... Uncle Lindsey, you're acting like he's got some kind of ulterior motive here. Maybe he just wants to settle down and relax?"
He gave me this stare, and it made the hair on the back of my neck stand up. "Nothing Angel ever does is this simple. Find out. I'm going to convince your mother to hold off on this ceremony until you have results and feel that this is genuine."
"Why does this mean so much to you?"
"Because I've already died once for this bastard; if I'm going to go through hell again, it had damn better be worth it."
***
I could tell there was more to what he was asking me. Lindsey always forgot that I was trained to see this in other people, so of course I was going to see it in him. But, whatever - he wanted me to evaluate Angel, so I was going to do it.
... This lasted all of two conferences before I gave up. The first one was fun, watching the vampire squirm as I got to pull the names Lindsey had given me out of nowhere. And each one got a different response. Buffy got this broody look... Faith got a wince... Darla got this longing sad puppy expression... and Connor was one that he glared at me so hard I had to call an end to the session. Not like he really wanted to open up and actually cooperate anyway.
Sheesh, some vampires just have way too much emotional baggage, ya know?
The second conference started off much differently. Instead of me asking the questions, Angel turned around and opened up freely, talking about murders that he had committed, things he had done to my uncle... all with this look of near glee in his eyes and watching me almost as if he was going to make me his next victim. He kept coming closer and closer to me as he talked, until he was standing right behind me, breathing on my neck as he talked about this Drusilla and how I reminded him of her.
I wrapped that meeting up pretty damn quickly, and promptly went to the street Lindsey was patrolling and gave him an earful. I was NOT going to try and break into that vampire's psyche anymore. It wasn't pretty, and I didn't like it. I don't like feeling helpless, and in his stare, I felt it.
I was grateful for Lindsey at that moment, wrapping his arms around me and hugging me like he had when I was little. He always tried to protect me from the bad things, and I could tell he wasn't happy with what Angel had made me feel like.
"Say the word Lucy and we can use this to get him out of here," he told me and I clung to him. "I'll personally kick his ass out of the territory."
"No... I don't like it, but Mom's right, Uncle Lindsey. We need someone like him here. Maybe... maybe it will push the Ftolt demons back. Make them realize we won't roll over for them."
Lindsey sighed and I could feel that with what I had said, it made him lose a bit of hope for getting rid of Angel. "You just don't let yourself be alone with him, ok? I'll take care of it."
"Ok."
"Is there anything else I should know?"
I pulled back and looked my uncle in the eyes, forcing a fake brave smile. "He called me a prissy human. Can you believe that? I'm so not prissy."
***
The next time I saw Angel was on a Wednesday. I was having my weekly dinner with my uncle when I noticed that Angel was in the apartment.
The vampire... was INSIDE my uncle's apartment. Don't they have to be invited in? I could have sworn that they needed an invitation, and sure, maybe my uncle was dead, but he wasn't really all that dead. There was still a soul there. So I'm sure that Angel couldn't walk into this place without Uncle Lindsey wanting him here.
Which, of course, meant that even after all the anger and crap my uncle had, he must have invited the vampire into his place. I was curious as to why, now, but really? I just wanted Angel to go away. This was MY night with my uncle, and I didn't need a jerk vampire with mismatched baggage ruining it.
“Do you always sneak into people’s homes and eavesdrop?”
“Don’t be a sore loser, Luce,” Uncle Lindsey scolded.
“I’m not - “
“You are. You’re tough, but he’s got centuries on you. Of course he scared you off.”
Color me speechless. Now he was taking the vampire’s SIDE?! But what was I going to do? Angel had basically made it known he would take a nice pint or two from me if I tried his patience, and part of me wondered if my uncle would even stop him. When had my uncle stopped hating…
Oh no. No. NO! Please someone tell me that I’m not reading the classic signs of hidden desire coming from my uncle towards Angel. The not wanting him around, but inviting him in without hesitation. Complaining about his habits, yet supporting others. And that look he had when Angel first walked in…
I must have been glaring at Angel because my uncle gave me a look. I hate it when he does that; it’s like I’m a child again. I’m always going to be a little girl in his eyes, I just know it. But fine, he wanted me to play nice, I’d play nice.
“So Angel, how do you like Pittsburg so far?”
“I like it. It’s nice. Quaint.”
“That’s good.” Now is it that you liked the area because of the local points of interest - or some of its minor attractions. Like my uncle? I tried to watch Angel, to see how he watches my uncle. Of course UNCLE LINDSEY made it hard because he insisted on me taking the leftovers home with me.
“You sticking around for a movie, Luce?”
And get between you and your Angel issues, my dear uncle? FAT CHANCE! “Shana and Ruth are on border patrol this week and…” I mumbled off a quick excuse, just something to get me out of that apartment as quickly as possible. It really wasn’t a surprise that I was already halfway to the door, pulling on my coat as I walked.
“Be careful out there.”
“Always am.” I gave my uncle the big hug and cheek kiss goodbye. My uncle always gave the best hugs, and I was not even going to let Angel’s presence deny me that. Of course, I also gave a quick goodbye to the vampire, because it would have been rude otherwise, then ran out the door.
Oh, the things I had to tell Shana and Ruth that night.
***
“So let me get this straight: You think that Angel - the big broody vampire that gets all evil when he gets all humpty with someone - is jiving on your uncle?” Shana shook her head.
“No, I think it’s my uncle who’s got the hots for Angel. I mean, you could cut the UST with a knife in that kitchen. Hell, it was like there was a big blinking sign with the words SEXUAL TENSION hanging above them!”
“Lucibell, I hate to say it, but I think you’ve finally gone off the deep end with your psychology stuff,” Ruth told me as we sat on the flatbed of the truck on the overpass that makes up the Pennsylvania - Ohio border.
“What is she talking about now?” I jumped as I heard my mother approach from behind me, which had my two friends laughing.
“Nothing Mom.”
“She’s talking about Lindsey and Angel getting it on,” Ruth stated.
“Are they finally doing it?” Frank hissed from beside my mom, which sounded like he was laughing.
“No, they aren’t DOING it.” I rolled my eyes, and then glared at Frank. “Wait a sec, you see it too?”
“Sweetie, the whole team sees it. Well, except for Lindsey.” My mom was grinning. “I knew it before Angel even got here. You can just tell from how Lindsey talks about him.”
“I always thought it was because he hated him.”
“Hate and infatuation can be seen as the same thing,” Mom explained, putting an arm around my shoulder. “You remember the time when that boy kicked you on the playground, and the next day brought you a cupcake in for your birthday?”
“Oh god, that is SO not the same thing.”
“You were a rough kid growing up. He thought hitting you would get you to pay attention to him. Lindsey is the same way. Angel paid attention to him when he was hurting him. So he kept doing it.”
I thought about it for a moment, and I could see that pattern. It was a common theory that bullying is something done out of jealousy and misguided affection than it is from hate. “And Angel?”
“That is the wild card,” Frank stated. “We have a betting pool going on how long it’s going to take for him to notice. He seems to be a bit dense when it comes to things like this…”
“Oh, put me in for ten bucks that it doesn’t happen until Luce points it out to them,” Shana stated, reaching for her wallet.
“That spot’s already taken,” Mom laughed.
***
So I thought about it long and hard, and decided that if my uncle had all this hidden infatuation with Angel, and that since Angel was going to be here to stay, that I should be an adult about all of this and bake him a cake.
However, I hate to cook. So I made an ice cream cake. It’s my specialty after all. And I got it over there just as he walked out of the apartment - to the point where he almost walked into the cake. Lucky that we both have good reflexes; he caught the cake as I screamed.
“You enjoy scaring the shit out of me, don’t you?”
He blinked, and then held the box with the cake back to me. “And you apparently enjoy throwing things at me.”
“Yeah, about that. Listen, I think we got off on the wrong foot, and seeing that you…” have a thing going for my uncle “…are going to be staying here for, well, ever - I though we should try and start over again. So this is for you.” I pushed the cake back to him.
He looked confused, and sniffed the box a moment. “Ice cream?”
“Cookie dough ice cream cake,” I explained proudly. “Two big chocolate chip cookies with vanilla cookie dough ice cream in the center. Trust me, you’ll like it. Now let’s get it in the freezer before it melts.” I opened the door to his place and walked by him, letting him follow me back in with the cake in his hands.
“Lucy?”
“Angel.”
“When I said that I have no problem using mental torture as a way to convince young women into being lambs for the slaughter… I didn’t mean that I was going to do it. You know. To you. Now.”
“Yes you did.” I opened the freezer and took the cake from his hands and put it in the freezer. There wasn’t anything else in it. “You really should eat something besides blood, you know. Sure, it doesn’t nourish you, but it can make you appear more human. After all, that’s why you came here…”
“Lucy?”
“Uncle Lindsey could teach you to cook if you’ve forgotten. He’s pretty good at it. Taught me a lot of it growing up…” I opened the fridge and looked in. Inside were just blood packets, and a bottle of vodka. Did he steal that from my uncle? It looked like his brand.
“Um…”
“So anyway, I just wanted to let you know that we’re cool, ok? And tomorrow’s your big moment, so I really shouldn’t keep you. You’ve got things to do, stuff to plan I’m sure. See you later.”
I let myself out, and was pretty sure that Angel was probably wondering just what the hell happened. I like keeping people on their toes like that.
***
“You’re not coming.”
“Mom, I’m old enough to understand that this isn’t something nice that’s going to happen. I’m going to have to see it eventually. I’m going.”
My mother tried to stare me down, but I just stood there, arms crossed as I had seen my uncle do so many times when he was determined to get his own way. Oh, the times my mother cursed him out for teaching me what she called my “bad habits”.
Tough. I wanted to see the ceremony. I wanted to see just why my uncle hated doing these things, and yet Angel was willing to pay everything he had to go through it. And no one was going to tell me “no” this time.
Mom growled for the whole car ride. But she started to explain to me what was going to happen. In detail. FULL detail. Enough so that by the time we got to the mill, I was ready to find the nearest hole, cover my head and wait for it all to be over.
But I had dug my grave now… and I was going to have to lay in it. But as I watched Mom work with the magic, and heard Frank and the twins explain to Angel what was going to go on, I really felt like I was going to pass out or throw up or something.
I hadn’t realized that my uncle had arrived until he was standing beside me, obviously angry that I had shown up. I got another one of his looks, and I would have laughed if I didn’t know just how bad this was going to be.
“Get out of here, Luce.”
“No.” Yeah, my voice was not convincing him at all that I wasn’t scared. “I can’t keep avoiding this.”
“You can and you will.” He grabbed my elbow, and I could feel his fingers digging into my flesh. I looked into his blue eyes, and I could see that my presence was really upsetting him. “I’ll drag you out of here, see if I won’t.”
“Lindsey…” Mom called over to him, and we both looked at her. She looked so sad… I had to wonder again if I was really doing the right thing by being here. No one seemed to want me to see this.
“It’s time, whether either of us likes it or not.”
Uncle Lindsey looked at me, and I could see the anger bleed out of his eyes, replaced with something different. I couldn’t tell if it was sadness from him… or maybe shame? Was he upset about his part in this and having me witness it? Fifteen years later and he still was able to hide his emotions like the lawyer he used to be.
“You listen to me. The only thing fatal to me is your mother ripping up that contract. Everything else is just a passing inconvenience. You understand what I’m saying?”
He held my chin so gently, compared to where his other hand was still squeezing the flesh off the bone of my elbow. What was he so afraid of with me? “I understand.”
“Good. And no one’s going to think less of you when you blow chunks. They’ve all done it, too.”
I could hear Mom and Angel talking, something about me and the ceremony. But I ignored them, instead just stared into my uncle’s eyes. He wasn’t ashamed. He was scared; scared that I was going to see him differently after this, and that I wouldn’t love him anymore.
He didn’t want me to finally finish growing up. That last bit of innocence I had held onto from what everyone in this organization did.
He didn’t want me to see him die.
I let him lead me to a spot on the other side of the circle, and he kissed my forehead. I did my best not to cry, especially when he smoothed my hair back. I wanted to hug him, let him know I was going to be all right. Instead, I gave him a brave smile.
And then Frank ruined the moment by putting a huge bucket by my feet. Really, I wasn’t going to need it, at least one THAT big. But Frank loved to be dramatic.
Angel and Lindsey argued as my uncle took off his clothing. Wow. I really should have looked away. This was my uncle after all. But almost immediately after he’s naked, my mother called for everyone to be quiet and she started to chant for the Bolrash magic.
The words always had a way of hypnotizing me, and I felt myself wavering a bit in place. I don’t know the words she spoke, but I could feel the magic in the room. It made my skin tingle as it prepared itself.
I was also able to watch Angel’s face over my uncle’s shoulder. He was angry. There was a look of betrayal, which meant that while my mother had given me the fun details of what was going to happen, no one had given them to Angel. Maybe they felt he wouldn’t go through with the ceremony if he knew. If he liked my uncle the way we figure my uncle liked him… I would understand why he wouldn’t want to do it.
“Angel, step out of the circle.”
Mom spoke, but the vampire didn’t move. The magic flowed away from him and started to come after my uncle.
“Angel!”
“Get out of the fucking circle!” Uncle Lindsey snarled, and then he screamed as the magic attacked him.
I couldn’t blame Angel. You could see that he wanted to stop what was happening to my uncle. He wanted to help him. Hell, I wanted to help him, but Mom had warned me not to cross into the circle no matter what I felt like doing.
I cringed as I heard my uncle scream again, and the flames around him were so bright that I couldn’t see. Frank grabbed the fire extinguisher as Angel’s pants caught on fire, and the twins rushed forward to help.
Angel fought against them though, and finally I just screamed myself. “Damnit Angel please get out of the circle!”
Then there was the smell of burning flesh, Uncle Lindsey’s, and I couldn’t handle it anymore. Now I know why Frank gave me such a big bucket. By the time I finished losing my dinner and probably breakfast and lunch too, Angel was outside of the circle and watched in horror as the magic consumed my uncle. I wasn’t able to watch anymore, and curled up on the floor, doing my best to not hear the screaming that echoed in my head. Would it ever end, I wondered?
I don’t remember how much longer it was, but after awhile, I was aware of a pair of arms that wrapped around me, and I clung to the person as I hid my eyes in their chest. Then I smelt the oils, and looked up to see Angel’s face looking down at me, concerned. “It’s over now,” he told me softly.
Carefully I turned my head to see my uncle laying on the ground, Frank standing over him. Uncle Lindsey was coming back slowly, the body being rebuilt as Frank spoke with the Loa to do their thing. “How can he let that happen to himself over and over again?” Angel asked softly.
“Because it’s what he does,” I told him.
“But why?”
I looked up at Angel, and smiled softly. “Because he helps people that way. To us, he means something beyond just a person. He has a purpose. And we all care about each other. We’re a family here. And it’s all that he really has left.”
“You love him, don’t you?”
I nodded. “And so do you.”
Angel blinked and I grabbed his arm, squeezing it gently. “You wouldn’t be this worried about him if you didn’t care,” I told him softly. “It’s ok to admit it, you know.”
“I’ve spent so long hating him, but I can’t anymore. He’s no longer the man I knew.”
“Time changes people. He’s never told me about his past, but I know he’s been trying to redeem himself from whatever it was he was running from. Whatever it was that formed the contract he’s bound to.”
We watched as Frank finished his ceremony, and Uncle Lindsey was back, completely reformed. His skin shined from the ointment that Frank had slathered over his skin. “You should go help him,” I told Angel softly. “He might like that.”
Angel helped me stand up, then left me as he walked over to Frank and the twins. Mom came up behind me and wrapped an arm around me. “You ok?”
“I’ll live,” I said softly, watching as Angel lifted Lindsey up into his arms.
“And so will your uncle. It’s like he told you, the only thing that will kill him is ripping up that contract. Which, for the record, I never plan on doing. And you’ll inherit it when the time comes, so that it doesn’t dissolve on him either. He and I already talked about it.”
“Then he just better not piss me off.” I looked up at my mom and smiled. “Oh, and you won the bet.”
My mom just smiled. “That’s my girl.”
***
Frank said that I should give my uncle a few days to recover. I gave him about a day. I couldn’t wait much longer to just check up on him. I needed to see with my own two eyes that he was ok.
After all… it was Wednesday. I refuse to give up my Wednesdays with him for anyone.
I had a key to his apartment, and so I arrived with dinner from the Italian restaurant we like. I also got some of the fresh chocolate eggs from the supermarket. It was still a month until Easter, but the stores were decorated in the pastel colors.
As I worked to open the door while juggling the bags, it opened. Angel stood there, nervous, and visibly relaxed when he saw it was only me. I grinned, then tossed the bag from the Italian restaurant at him. “I figured I would stop by and visit. See how you two were doing…”
I pushed past him into the apartment, and heard him chuckle as he closed the door. “Good thing you’re not a vampire,” he said. “You don’t wait for an invitation in.”
“I was invited into this place long before you even knew about us, buster, so don’t be telling me I can’t come in, or I WILL kick your ass.” Angel gave me a look. “Well, I’d glare at you at least. So, how’s my uncle doing?”
“Being a stubborn bastard, as I’m sure you’re aware he always is.” Angel pulled the containers out, looking at them while I took off my new leather jacket - bought with my half of the winnings my mom got. “You have three meals here…”
“I figured you might want something new to eat. You see, now that you’re part of our family, there’s a few basic rules you have to learn. First off is that I’m always right.”
Angel went to talk, but I held my hand up. “Second is that if the doctor says something, you have to listen. Seeing that I’m the only one in the room with a PHD, that means I’m the doctor and you have to listen.”
I grinned and grabbed two of the containers. “Third off… Wednesday is my night with my uncle. This is a ten year tradition that won’t be ending until I’m old and gray and can’t remember my name anymore. So you’re just going to have to deal with me. Got it?”
“Anything else?” Angel looked amused as he opened the remaining container. Spaghetti and meatballs. I figured that the red sauce looked enough like blood to give him a slow start back into normal food.
“Yeah. You hurt my uncle, and I really will find a way to kick your ass.” With a wink, I opened the door to the bedroom and slipped inside, closing it behind me.
Uncle Lindsey was asleep on the bed, the blanket wrapped up and tucking him in that I had to laugh. Angel probably had done that to get him to stay in bed. I wasn’t that surprised.
I made my way across the room and put the food down on the TV table, moving it beside him. Then I sat on the edge of the bed and gently took his hand in mine. I let my fingers play over his, remembering that no matter how many times he went through this and had his body healed, his skin still managed to be a bit rough.
“Am I going to have to start worrying about you sneaking into men’s bedrooms soon?” Blue eyes greeted me as I looked up at my uncle’s face. He smiled a bit, and then squeezed my hand.
“Oh, I’ve been doing that for years now… even sleeping in their beds when I have bad dreams.” I leaned over and hugged him gently. “How are you feeling?”
“I’m fine, though the big lug outside won’t let me get out of bed,” he sighed. When I pulled back, he brought his hand up to hold onto my cheek. “How are you?”
I gave him the brave smile, because I knew what he was really referring to. “I survived. Not sure I really want to see that ever again, but I’m glad I know now. I understand things a bit better. I don’t like seeing that happen to you though.”
He smiled back. “I wish you never had to have seen that.”
“I know. But you can’t have everything you want. Speaking of which…” I sat up and grabbed his meal, holding it out to him. “They were out of steak. Can you believe it? How can a restaurant run out of steak? So I got us chicken parm. It looked ok this time.”
Laughing, Uncle Lindsey sat up, putting the food on his lap. “I almost forgot today.”
“Good thing I didn’t, or you’d be starving. Not like you really need to EAT, but if you keep hanging out with Angel, he’s seriously going to make you forget what real food is.”
“He’s just here until -“
“God, uncle, do I LOOK like I’m still twelve?” I gave him a bright grin. “For a lawyer -“
“Ex-Lawyer.”
“Whatever. For an EX-lawyer, you are good at covering most things, but you really suck covering when you care about someone. So you like the vampire. Big whoop, though I would have thought you would have had better tastes…”
“Hey!” Angel exclaimed from the doorway as he walked in. He had his plate with him, sitting on the opposite side of the bed.
“He is a bit on the broody side, and doesn’t like to listen to us when we tell him what to do. But you’re like that too, so I think you two will be ok if you don’t end up killing each other.”
“Luce…” I got that warning look from my uncle, and I just kept grinning.
“Though if you think I’m giving up my Wednesday dinners, as I already warned Angel, I will kick your ass. You’re MY uncle. Whatever you do in your private life I don’t really want to know about, but I was here first.”
“I don’t think I could be allowed to forget,” Uncle Lindsey shook his head. “And I don’t plan on pushing you out of my life either.”
“And I don’t want you to leave either,” Angel added. “Maybe we can start over and try again?”
I thought about it a moment, then nodded. “Works for me. I always did want an aunt anyway.”
Uncle Lindsey just started to laugh as I grinned at the look of horror on Angel’s face.
*End*