"Immortal Beloved..." CXXVI...
PG 13
Disclaimer: If ya are fan fic writers, where's your disclaimers?
Disclaimers? We ain't got no disclaimers...I don' need to show you
no stinkin'...No, Joss, no...I make no claims, put that thing down!
It's all yours and ME's...
Spoilers for Angel to the bitter end...Flee at once!...
Summary: Though the standard IB format, one of (126) versions of
events
following the end of Angel S5 episodes from "Girl in Question"
through
to "Not Fade Away" and beyond... (Not a continuous story, though some
are multipart...)
Archived (soon) at the 'Normal' Buffyverse page of the Buffy Rebecca
verse at http://www.angelfire.com/zine2/buffyrebecca/index.html
,
scroll down to "Immortal Beloved" series ...
I rather like this one and may expand it to a regular story...
***
1880...Night of William=92s death and transformation...
Hell, Ministry of Information...
Naturally a morass of bureaucracy and inefficiency...Rife with very
literal back-stabbing and betrayal...
=93Ma=92am...?=94 tap at the office door of Hell=92s all-powerful First
Evil...
Currently using the form of the greatest Slayer living...Formerly one
Cicely Addams...As of the previous night, Cicely Walthrop...
=93Well?...=94 an icy, cruel-looking...Not even Halfreck the vengeance
demon using her form this night on Earth in cru****ng the heart of the
Slayer=92s mate looked so cold, the messenger tapping noted to his
floppy-eyed self...
=93Clement, ma=92am...Message from Lord D=92Hoffryn about Operation
Walthrop, ma=92am...=94
=93Hand it over...=94
=93Gouged in blood on my arm, ma=92am...=94
=93Like I said, hand it over...Guard?!...=94 a guard cut the extended arm
off as Clem howled in agony...
Hmmn...The other false =91Cicely=92 perused the communique...
=93So, D=92Hoffryn=92s girl=92s nailed him...And the Slayer blames
herself.=
...A
good start...=94 she nodded...
But frowned after a moment...Representing several days on Earth...Clem
nervously awaiting her dismissal...
=93So where=92s her despair?...The summons to anyone or thing that could
avenge her William=92s taking...?=94
=93Don=92t know ma=92am...Might I have my arm back, ma=92am?...=94
=93Grow another, fur-ball...=94 she sneered, tossing the arm for
disposal...
Another pause...Representing nearly an Earthly month...
=93What the hell?...Doesn=92t she care?...You there, pooch...=94 she
glared
at Clem...
=93Go find out what=92s going on...And it=92d better be horrendous
news...For Humanity...Make sure you get full surveillance
yourself...No more of this operating through that pimp and his
vengeance demons...=94
=93Yes, ma=92am...Uh, about my arm, ma=92am?...=94
=93Get the here out!...=94
=93Yes, ma=92am...=94
***
London...1880...
Surveillance Re****t #1 Operation =93Walthrop=94...
Slayer Mrs. Cicely Walthrop was brought to an East End hospital
looking mighty bad by her Watcher, Dr. Farris and his crew...Slayer is
definitely pregnant and seemed delirious...
(Poor kid...Clem sighed... She did look awful...)
Mr. Farris seen to make contact with operative Halfreck this afternoon
in hospital room...He confirmed that Slayer has been poisoned and is
near death...
No word on whereabouts of vampire counterpart of Slayer=92s
husband...Believed to be still on pleasure cruise off French coast
with siress Drusilla...
Miss Halfreck aware of surveillance and in making contact afterwards,
cautioned... (Boy, did she...) This operative to remain in passive
mode... (My favorite anyway)...But agreed not to alert her human
partner, Dr. Farris, to my presence...
Miss Halfreck in agreement Slayer not likely to accept an offer of
help from D=92Hoffryn or our own group at this time...She recommends...
(Hmmn...That Slayer isn=92t gonna cut a deal with us either...Why bother
the poor thing on her deathbed?...he pondered...Erasing =93She
recommends...=94 after a moment=92s reflection...)
=2E..at this time...No further recommendations...Will maintain
surveillance...
***
Surveillance re****t #2 Operation =93Walthrop=94...
Slayer Cicely Walthrop died at 3 pm this afternoon, along with her
stillborn daughter...Vengeance demon Halfreck re****ts there was no
success in attempting to contract an arrangement with her departing
soul, despite Slayer=92s avowed promise to return and save husband...
Slayer=92s father, Sir Richard Addams came to collect body and took it
away following argument with Slayer=92s cousin, a Mr. Foxcroft...
As per orders (Do appreciate getting the arm back, ma=92am, Clem eyeing
severed arm with gouged instructions...) this operation will shortly
resume in more limited fa****on as Operation =93Spike=94, focusing on
intermittent surveillance of Slayer=92s husband=92s counterpart...
***
Romania...1898...
Surveillance Re****t # 2000 Operation =93Spike=94...
Break-up of Angelus pride seems imminent owing to previously described
soul curse of former leader Angelus... Subject William the Bloody
(WTB) increasingly asserting leader****p, though as yet still held in
check by vampiral pride leader, Darla... In discussion, WTB has
recommended leaving pride to siress/mate Drusilla but as yet the
decision has not been made... Pride remains vigilant and successful...
Have successfully made contact with WTB as fellow demon...Stood him
drinks at local inn...
(Nice fellow, really...When fed...Though not much shakes at darts...)
WTB generally non-aggressive toward human society as whole...Somewhat
malicious towards victims...Seems to ape Angelus=92 style to large
extent...
Though drowning that bartender in his own beer keg had a distinctive
Shakespearian touch...I mean Clarence in =93Richard III=94, ma=92am...
(Ow...He patted flaming fur...
Just tryin=92 to be clear, ma=92am...)
***
Constantinople...1899...
Surveillance Re****t #2497 Operation =93Spike=94...
Angelus pride held together for the moment under Darla...Angelus
clearly withdrawn from hunting activity with pride...Soul curse?...
Have maintained friendly relations with WTB, though Drusilla seems
annoyed when he spends time away from her...Darla doesn=92t seem to like
me much either.. (I=92m sure =93nice dog you picked up...=94 was meant as
insult, Clem frowned at the paper...) May be necessary to avoid
contact with the pride females...
(Of course Darla is having a rough time these days what with Angelus
and all...)
Cautiously brought up subject of his transformation and past human
existence with WTB as instructed...He deflected all discussion of his
human past except to mention he was a famed and promising poet...
(Thank God I took a dart in the paw just then...)
***
China...1900...
Surveillance Re****t # 3010 Operation =93Spike=94
WTB defeated and killed the current Slayer tonight...She hesitated in
her fight as if... (Clem paused and scratched out everything after
=93tonight...=94 Though it was true...As if she=92d recognized him in a
vague way, poor kid...)
After battle had drinks with him...He a bit curious as to my doings in
China...I keeping to =93on my way to the famous Hellmouth in the great
California land in America...=94 explanation...He eager to review battle
in any case...Though a bit troubled when I translated Slayer=92s last
words for him...Talked about his past a bit for the first time,
mentioning his own mother...After multiple rounds, noted Slayer=92s
hesitation and admitted she could have destroyed him...Seemed troubled
by that as well...Briefly...When taking him home...
Drusilla quite annoyed with both of us at near dawn arrival...
Angelus was caught by Darla protecting some people tonight...I think
it must have been that soul he got in Romania...She=92s kicked him out
once and for all...William and Drusilla however have decided for their
part to leave the pride as well...
(Poor ole Darla...he thought...It=92s tough to be alone for all
eternity...)
***
Russian Pacific coast...1900...
Surveillance Re****t # 3098 Operation =93Spike=94...
Drusilla has demanded she and WTB return to Europe...As it would look
suspicious, I must continue onto America for now...Since there has
been no further indication of a possible return of Mrs. Walthrop to
date, I feel surveillance can be reduced to limited monitoring on a
yearly or at most, monthly basis...If this is denied, I recommend
another demon be assigned to watch WTB for a time to minimize
suspicion...
(Right...=94Go and check out the California Hellmouth, ask about the new
American Slayer, then go to Europe, re****t to vampire Master, Heinrich
Nast in France, then find and resume surveillance on William the
Bloody...The Hell I=92m letting you off this one...=94 he sighed, reading
the reply sent back...Eyeing the sneeringly grinning imp bearer
ruefully...)
***
England...1912...
Surveillance Re****t # 6001, Operation =93Spike=94...
Flagged as =93For immediate attention...=94
(It better be something, the First grumbling in her Cicely
form...Having interrupted her beauty bath and torture session...)
Found Darla boarding passenger ocean liner bound for America, possibly
in service of sire Heinrich Nast...WTB and Drusilla were not traveling
with her as rumor indicated...
Correction: Located WTB and Drusilla following evening in Southampton
pub celebrating likely demise of Darla...(Passenger liner struck
iceberg, sank in North Atlantic with heavy loss of life...) Drusilla
quite annoyed at my reappearance, though not very suspicious...Urged
WTB to =93make a rug of [me] for his Dru girl=94...Enraged at WTB
refusal...WTB and I spending after evening together in pub, he noting,
after multiple rounds, a past infidelity of Drusilla=92s with Angelus...
(Eehew...Hybrid vampires and their *****uous relations...But that had
better not be all...The First frowned...)
WTB continued at some length on general unworthiness of female ***,
both human and demonic...However it was clear he was not primarily
focusing on Drusilla, he mentioning =93that other *****=94 multiple times,
with appreciative thanks to all Powers That Be that said =93other *****=94
was long in her grave and would not rise to trouble him again... I
refrained from pressing the subject given his occasional snarls at my
early attempts but of his own accord at round 19...Whiskey straight...
He offered a gold ring for my perusal, noting it was a symbol of
fidelity, transmuted into a constant reminder of female fickleness...
(In somewhat less clear terms, involving a chorus of =93La Donna E
Mobile=94...Clem thought...)
There was an inscription of =93Eternity is Ours=94 inside the ring...
I suspect this may be wedding ring from WTB human counterpart=92s 1880
marriage to Slayer Cicely Addams...
(It=92s that amazing brain of yours that keeps me assigning you these
arduous tasks, moron...the First glared at the re****t...
Still...It is something...)
WTB made joke about keeping ring for pawning purposes when no well-
loaded dinners are at hand...Cautioned me not to mention ring to
Drusilla...
No word of Angelus, according to WTB, who seemed glad (and how) to
have him gone...
Shame...They were like brothers once...
***
Sunnydale...2001...
=93Surveillance Re****t # 12,071...=94Operation Spike...=94
Drinks at local bar with WTB...WTB once again denouncing Slayer Buffy
Summers as =93golden-haired ***** vomited from Heaven...=94
It=92s definitely love...
Follow-up to re****t 12,067...I am convinced there is a psychic link
between Ms. Summers and WTB...WTB has continued to mention past since
spending night with Ms. Summers at local bar...Many references to the
=93other *****=94 mentioned in last century=92s re****ts... (=93Look it up,
=
you
moron!!=94...Flaming letters searing on to Clem=92s brow...)
Supplemental re****t for Re****t #12,071...
It was noted in re****t #6001, ma=92am...
(I=92m beneath her, she said, William told me...
=2E..Jesus...)
***
Surveillance Re****t # 12, 073...=94Operation Spike=94...
Apologies for lack of re****ts in past six months...WTB=92s been busy...
Slayer engaged with goddess Glorificus...WTB concerned...
Slayer Ms. Summers=92 mother ill...WTB concerned about that too...
WTB generally pretty much focused on Slayer Ms. Summers these
days...Surprised to find Slayer Ms. Summers seems comforted by his
presence, though she continues to threaten him with staking should his
=93chip=94 (see re****t #10,902) fail...
(Wish he hadn=92t told me about lurkin=92 in her cellar and collectin=92
he=
r
old clothes...Clem thought, wincing slightly...)
***
Surveillance Re****t # 12, 101...=94Operation Spike...=94
Interesting development...Spotted WTB in graveyard being straddled by
Slayer Buffy Summers...
She seemed quite happy about it...No signs of obvious thrall...Though
Slayer=92s friends on arrival were not so pleased...
WTB rather oddly mum about development later when meeting for drinks
and kitten poker...Seemed a little embarrassed when asked what Slayer
was doing in his crypt when I arrived...Insisted Slayer =93mad gone on
him=94 when pressed after third round...
Correction...
Further surveillance indicates Slayer =93mad gone=94 on WTB not Buffy
Summers but robot copy...
Neat job, too...Very lifelike...
(She=92s so nice...Kissed my cheek and said any friend of Spike=92s was
welcome to access programs 3-12 anytime Spike gave administrative
permission and provided the password...)
***
Surveillance Re****t # 12, 202...
Note: Please delete re****ts 10,010 through 10,031; 11,063 through 11,
071; 11, 323 through 11, 325; 12,005...Slayer Ms. Summers=92 sister Dawn
was a construct from an energy matrix...All memories associated with
her are unreliable...
Slayer Ms. Summers defeated Glorificus tonight...Goddess is dead,
killed while trapped in human shell by Slayer=92s watcher, Mr.
Giles...She (Slayer) is dead also...
I=92m convinced Slayer Buffy Summers was reincarnation of Slayer Cicely
Addams Walthrop...However she failed to fully recognize WTB before her
death...
So, I guess we won...
I don=92t want to do these anymore, ma=92am...
I understand the consequences...
(I doubt that...The First, now in Buffy form, muttered grimly to
herself...)
***
Rome...Night of the LA battle...
=93William, William...=94
=93No...No, Slayer...Listen to me...I got him hid...He=92s alive...More or
less...You gotta go...Survive...You=92ll find him later, I swear...=94
=93Clem?...=94 Buffy stared at him=85=93I left him=85He was=85=94
=93I know=85Cicely=85=94 he nodded, patting her gently, helping her up=85
S=
he
groaning from her wounds=85Only a small force of Slayers having defied
Giles=92 orders and backed her up=85Now nearly all wounded or dead
themselves=85
=93He=92s=85=94
=93I=92ll bring him to you=85I swear he=92s ok=85=94 he nodded=85
***
Yesterday=85
=93Clem...You know your career in Hell was toileted before, given your
helping the Slayer against me...It=92s now completely flushed...=94 the
First frowned...Flickering slightly in her Buffy form=85
Poor thing, Clem couldn=92t help a sympathetic look which earned a
glare=85
Never quite the same since the amulet blasted her back to Hell=85
=93Yes, ma=92am...=94 he sighed...Readying himself as best he could...Eye-
gouging, flaying...Drawing, quartering...You can never really be ready
for them but...
He eyed the pictures on her desk, grabbed from him on his return=85
Really shoulda thought before going hiking in the Canadian woods
without a human costume=85A beaming Buffy holding adopted Will, Jr, and
her baby daughter, and a still rather hesitant but tentatively
accepting daughter Dawn Amelia beside her eyeing her acknowledged
father=85A rather in his own right still stunned-looking William=85 =93To
Clem=85The Walthrops=85=94 the writing in marker across the photo=85
=93You=92re out, demon...=94 the First eyed him... =93Hell will freeze
over
before her tender, warm bosom suckles the likes of you again...=94
Ummn...?
=93Well...You know what I mean...Guards, deposit this traitor at the
gates of Purgatory...Hope you like punishment followed by white
blankness, traitor...=94
Ummn...Clem blinked...I=92m out?...To Purgatory?...Meaning, a shot
at...?
That=92s...It...?
A strange look in her eye... =93Begone...Forever...=94
Uh...=94Yes, ma=92am...Uh...Bye...=94
Of course it could be a vicious joke...Best to be prepared to join in
the laughter...
Still...I wonder what the punishment in Purgatory is for accidentally
frightening a child to death...?
Of course I do have a few murders since then, but they were
demonically inspired...I hear you get a break...Consideration...
Hmmn...He glanced down from the platform where the guards were
chaining him, preparatory to his express elevator ride to another
dimension...She staring up at him...A flash of a look coming over her
flickering face...
Well, I=92ll be...No, actually I won=92t be...He thought, rather
happily...
***
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