"Immortal Beloved..." CXXX...
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 (130) 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...)
This one plays with events in London before the action of
=93Heliophobia=94=85Although I do plan to tweak that story a bit sometime,
this doesn=92t quite fit but I=92m intrigued by some notions, so=85
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 ...
***
London=85An elegant converted townhouse now the site of a law firm...
=93It=92s very kind of you to show me around, Mr. Knowles=85I appreciate
it...=94 Buffy in rather chic white overcoat, green suit, a wan smile to
the kindly face of the early-sixties?...she judged=85lawyer=85Bru****ng a
loose strand from the carefully pinned mass of her hair...
=93A pleasure to show it to one of our American side, Mrs. Walthrop=85
There=92s so few of the family left around here these days=85=94 he
returne=
d
the smile, moving to the first door in the second floor hallway he=92d
led her to=85
And a pleasure to encounter such a sweetly, old-fa****oned
type...Haven=92t seen a young woman wearing hair that way in twenty
years, outside of television or movies...Nice to know the US branch
has kept the standards up...
Sounds from below, where glancing over the elegant restored railing of
the balcony hallway she could see several staff scurrying about below=85
She instinctively put a hand to touch=85No=85She looked=85
=93Gone?...=94 she half-whispered=85
=93Mrs. Walthrop?...=94 Knowles called to her=85
=93I=85=94 she looked over the carved railing again=85The room was not so
crowded but there were carpets laid and hangings of fabric on the
walls=85Gas lights burning brightly, a candle or two in places=85James
serving=85She gripped the railing=85Kneeling=85
Had to hide=85In a moment she=92d be going down=85Where all of
them=85Where=
he=85
Was awaiting her=85
=93Mrs. Walthrop?...Is something wrong?...=94
=93The lion=92s gone=85=94 she looked up at him...Blinking a bit=85
=93Lion?...=94 he eyed her=85 =93Do you mean the brass one?...=94 He
cocked=
his
head a bit=85 =93It=92s been sold by the firm to Sotheby=92s=85Didn=92t
qui=
te fit
the d=E9cor up here=85How did you know?...=94
=93Saw it in a photograph=85Back home...=94 she quickly replied, turning
away=85
So that=92s where you stayed=85*****=85she thought=85Hiding=85While=85
She came over to Knowles=85 =93Sorry to keep you waiting=85Yeah, my mom
had
one of it in her old photos=85=94
=93It was a shame to lose it=85I would have purchased it myself if I
could=92ve afforded it=85=94
=93She used to=85My namesake=85I think she used to play with it a
lot=85The
lion=85My mother told me stories about it=85=94
=93It was a noble beast=85=94 he smiled... =93Right out of
=93Narnia=94=85H=
opefully
they found it a good home=85I think this room is still not in use
yet=85=94
he opened the door=85
She moved to the door frame and peered in=85Bru****ng hair back=85Always
coming down when I wear it this way, she noted apologetically to
Knowles=85
Dawn=92s puzzled look the day she came out, hair piled=85You look like
you=92re trying out for an old movie=85
Henri likes it, she=92d told her=85Not quite ready to discuss it,
then=85Sh=
e
looked into the room...
Papa moving me round the floor=85I must learn to dance like a lady=85Like
Mother=85She eyed the old rug=85
=93You haven=92t changed things=85?=94
=93Not much in here=85The wallpaper had to be restored but we were
fortunate to find it was still available=85=94 Knowles noted=85
I have something to tell you, William=85She saw his worried face=85Have I
done wrong?...His eyes staring up at her from the seat he=92d taken on
her bed=85Nervous that Father would come looking for her=85Had to be done
quickly=85
Henry=92s found a minister=85Who=92ll do it=85Tonight=85
Don=92t you believe me?...She stared at his nervous face=85Didn=92t he?...
I meant every word=85I=85
Betrayer=85Liar=85Coward=85
You lied to him=85You left him=85Always=85
=93It=92s amazing=85=94 she gave Knowles a smile=85Moving slowly about=85
But not here=85They didn=92t bring us here=85After...
=93This was the daughter=92s room, I believe=85Cicely=92s room=85=94
=93Yes=85=94 she nodded=85
He couldn=92t believe his luck=85That she really meant it and=85Oh, God=85
She put hands to her head=85Not again=85She closed her eyes=85
=93No, you don=92t=85=94 his words lingering=85
And I left him=85Just as she did=85
And now=85Now=85Her dead hand on his heart forever=85She won=92t let him
li=
ve=85
And I...
No, you don=92t...The whisper...
Please...Please...She closed her eyes...Oh, God...Please...Just one
more chance...
=93Mrs. Walthrop?...=94
=93Sorry=85A bad headache=85=94 she put her hands down=85
But she still saw him=85Burning, alone=85And all for=85
Well, at least not for Dru=85Poor kid=85
But not for me=85Not really=85Not for me...
She calmed...Her face setting...
But it will be for me=85What ever I have to do=85
I=92ll beat her...And free him...
=93There used to be a back stairway=85To the roof=85In here=85?=94
=93Yes, it=92s right up there=85Pulls down=85=94 Knowles pointed=85
Up there on the roof=85The first night?...No, later=85I=85She wanted to
prove a point=85Some star that wasn=92t blue?...
First time he touched me besides taking my hand=85Helping her up the
stairs=85
I stumbled a little=85Deliberately, so he=92d hold me=85
But it wasn=92t here where they brought us=85Her=85And=85Dawn=85
=93And there=92s an old sitting room next door=85But that=92s being
replastered=85It=92ll be an office=85I=92d show you the old master
bedroom,
Sir Richard=92s old room but it=92s in use by one of our seniors=85=94
=93He=92d be pleased to know an im****tant man was using it=85Sir Richard,
I
mean=85=94 she replied=85
=93Yes, I suppose so=85=94 Knowles eyed her=85 =93You=92ve learned a great
=
deal
about your husband=92s family, Mrs. Walthrop. Not that many people know
of Sir Richard these days, especially outside of England=85=94
=93My family actually, since I=92m an Addams=85I mean=85=94 she paused=85
=
=93I=92m a
descendant=85=94
=93Yes, I remember now that you=92d mentioned it=85How did you manage to
meet a Walthrop?...Are the families so well known to each other in
America?...=94
=93I guess we kept in touch=85Somehow=85=94 she smiled=85 =93I met him at
a=
sort
of family get- together one fall years ago=85Over time we found out we
shared a lot of the family history=85=94 She stared at the closed door to
the old master bedroom as they passed=85
=93That=92s good to hear=85That the family continues to be close in the
United States=85=94 Knowles nodded=85=93I=92ll have to come over sometime
a=
nd
trace that side=85=94
=93We=92d love to have you=85Though since my mom died the family hasn=92t
m=
et=85
But my husband is always ready to tell what he knows of the stories=85=94
=93Indeed=85Well, not much more we can see up here=85There=92s an old
sitti=
ng
room that belonged to=85=94
=93Mrs. Addams=85=94 Buffy nodded=85Peering into the room=85Elegant old
wallpaper of green and gold=85 =93You=92ve changed the carpet=85=94 she
not=
ed=85
=93Yes, it was too worn to save=85And the pattern couldn=92t be replicated
within our budget=85Still, not too off a match, I hope=85=94
=93Very nice=85=94 she stared=85
Father kept it so long=85Exactly as she=92d left it=85Wouldn=92t even let
m=
e
move a few things=85I could see he hated to see me in there=85I looked so
like=85
She blinked hastily=85
Fine...Fine, have your fun=85But not till we strike a deal, lady=85
And Henri agrees=85
But we have to be quick=85He=92s human, vulnerable=85
And God knows I=92m not losing him to some cute girl in LA =91cause he=92s
given up on me=85Or Dru changes her mind again=85
Dru=85
We can agree on that one, can=92t we=85Cicely?...Human or no, Drusilla is
not going to win=85
Big vows, Summers...But you nearly lost him to her without so much as=85
Words not deeds=85Deeds are what matter=85He knew that...
=93Deeds=85=94 she whispered=85
=93Mrs. Walthrop?...=94
=93Hmmn?...Sorry, I was thinking of Sir Richard=85A man of many
deeds=85=94
=93Yes, quite=85And a tragic figure, at the end, rather=85=94
=93Yes=85=94 Oh, poor papa=85So alone=85What did you do without even me
to=
ease
that loneliness?...
=93Wife lost in childbirth=85Daughter died as a young woman=85=94
Like mother, like=85
=93What, Mrs. Walthrop?...=94
She hadn=92t realized she=92d spoken the words=85
=93I think the daughter=85Cicely=85Died in childbirth as her mother
did=85=
=94
=93Really?...In childbirth?...I=92d known she=92d married just before her
death but=85=94
=93Her husband=85William=85Died just before her=85=94
=93Your husband=92s people=85?=94
=93Yes=85His side=85I never=85=94 her voice trailed a bit=85
=93Sorry, Mrs. Walthrop?...=94
=93I don=92t know about them=85I never asked him about them=85My
husband=85=
=94
=93I think one did well in munitions during or before the First World
War=85A brother of the William who married your ancestor, I believe=85=94
=93I never asked=85=94 Buffy repeated=85Nodding vaguely to Knowles=92
words=
,
bru****ng hair back lightly=85
=93It=92s strange sometimes how little we know about the people we love=85
Their family histories, their childhood=85=94 Knowles noted kindly=85
=93The things they had to endure to be with you=85=94 Buffy said quietly,
staring at the wallpaper a moment=85
=93I=92m afraid the garden has been built over in front=85There once was a
fine overlook down that way=85=94 Knowles nodded in the direction of the
hallway running toward the front of the house.
=93That=92s too bad=85=94
=93Yes, a pity...But...Too much of an expense for us to maintain, I=92m
afraid...Would you like to see the lower level?...There=92s been some
work and in fact we just uncovered a little mystery...=94
She looked at him...
=93Some rooms, sealed off from the current rear of the house...Our
architect and I suspect it may have to do with the fact that the
Addams=92 were closet Catholics...=94
=93The chapel...=94 she nodded...
=93Yes, quite...Even in the nineteenth century it wasn=92t something every
prominent family would advertise...=94
I=92d=92ve loved to have been married there...But Papa would surely...
So cold there...In the dark...Papa used to tell those stories about
the priest they caught in the old manor...
Cold...Dark...But not lonely...
=93...but why it would have been sealed up...=94 Knowles shrugged...
=93Lets have a look...If you wouldn=92t mind...?=94 she paused, nearly at
the stairs...
=93Certainly...We will have to be a bit careful...It=92s still being
opened up...But the workmen have put in some lighting... =93 he waved
her on and she continued onto and down the staircase...Passing the
busy first floor...Down...
I=92ve felt this before...Once...
But I was digging my way out then, not crawling back in...
Oh, William...Don=92t abandon me...Not now...
They stood in a large room on the lower floor...Covered gas and
plumbing fixtures about...A large old sink to their left...Brick,
whitewashed walls...
=93Kitchen here...=94 Knowles waved at the old fixtures... =93Just a
storag=
e
area now...And through here...Laundry room...And...=94
He paused at the rear of the laundry...Nothing but file cabinets in it
now...She eyeing the wall...Not quite able to stare at it for more
than seconds...
=93And down here is where they realized the wall had been blocked off
and we got permission to pierce the wall...=94 he waved at a large
opening, torn into the wall...He reached to a jury-rigged fixture and
snapped a switch...Lights came on in the room beyond...
=93Please be careful...=94 he told her...
=93Yes...=94 she nodded... =93I=92d better be...=94
Here...I=92d better be...
She stepped inside, carefully protecting her coat from catching on the
torn bricks...
Another large room, not different from the laundry, though fewer
fixtures about...
=93Back there...=94 she moved on...Passing into another room...Where a
long wall was heavily paneled in carved wood...
=93Magnificent isn=92t it?...=94 Knowles stared at the paneling... =93This
must have been the chapel...=94
=93Yes...=94 she nodded... =93The altar was there...Nothing very big...=94
=
she
pointed to where a rectangular black space could be seen on the
floor...As if something large had been moved away...
=93I think you=92re right...It must have been removed at some point...=94
She stared at the long sweep of carved wood paneling...
=93This is different...=94 she touched a large square...Which appeared no
different from the rest...
=93You think so?...=94
=93Listen...=94 she tapped the wood...He came and put an ear closer,
imitating her own move...
=93Yes...I hear it...Hollow, you=92d say?...=94
=93I think I can...=94 she carefully pulled at a piece of molding on the
panel...Working it gently to the eye but with concentrated, concealed
force...
God, I hope I don=92t...The panel moved back...
=93Well, hollow it is...=94 Knowles stared... =93How did you guess...?=94
=93Mom must have mentioned it...=94 she said, hurriedly...Pu****ng the
large panel to the side...A space large enough...
=93Do you have a flashlight...Or can that reach...?=94 she indicated a
work light hooked to a chain on the brick wall to their left...
=93Just a minute...=94 he moved over to the work light and carefully
lifted it off its hook...
=93You=92d better let me...=94 she took the light from him and turning,
stepped inside before he could protest...
He followed, frowning slightly... =93Mrs. Walthrop, please be
careful...I...=94
He froze at her sharp scream...Not a frightened cry...More like...
Rage...
=93Mrs. Walthrop?...Are you all right?...=94 he came over to where she
stood, the light a bit weak for the room=92s blackness...
=93Murder...=94 she whispered...Staring...
He peering at the large bronze plaque, set in stone into the wall...
=93Cicely Anne Walthrop...1857-...My God...=94 he backed away...
So...There you are...*****...She stared...
Poor *****...So that=92s what happened to you...That=92s why you
didn=92t..=
..
=93They did this...=94 she whispered...
Oh, God...They did this...
Giles...Giles...No...
I didn=92t want to...Believe her...
Giles...
=93Buried...Here...?=94 Knowles shook his head...
=93Why?...=94
Giles...You...Bastard...Her hands clenching....
You knew...You knew...
That=92s why...You didn=92t need to kill Spike...
But William...She put her hands to her face...
=93Murderers....All of you...=94 she whispered...
=93Look...=94 Knowles, touching a lower plaque...
=93What?...=94 she stared blankly...
=93Another one...Amelia...=94 he began reading...
=93...Dawn...=94 she said, staring at the words...=94Amelia Dawn
Walthrop..=
..
1880-...=94
=93No death date...=94 Knowles pondered...
=93Yes, there is...=94 Buffy said quietly... =93It was all the same...The
birth and death day...=94
It was kind of Father, really...To put a proper plaque up...
=93Mr. Knowles?...You=92ve been so kind...Could you just let me have a
moment here?...=94
=93What?...=94 he looked at her, still stunned...
=93Just a moment...=94 she said, her accent rather clipped...Precise...
=93I=92d like to say a prayer or two...=94
=93Well...Yes...If you=92d like...But please, not too long, Mrs.
Walthrop...We should get upstairs...I=92ll have to let everyone
know...This is quite a...=94
=93Of course...=94 she nodded...Smiling... =93I=92ll be out in just a
minute...=94
He left her, cautiously backing out...Wiping his brow as he emerged...
So...She eyed the plaques...
Here you are...But thanks to me...And the Benedictine monks...Dawn=92s
free...And you=92re alone...
=93What a fool you were, Cicely...=94 she told the plaque... =93You
couldn=
=92t
even save Dawn...Didn=92t even manage to stake him...=94
This=92ll be a piece of cake, sweetie...
Though I am sorry for Henri...I think he really did care for you...And
he means well...
=93But you=92ll have your chance...I=92ll keep my end...And when we get
him
over here...We=92ll see...=94
Just don=92t count on my playing fair...Cause you=92ve had your chances
before, loser...And Buffy Summers has never lost a battle...
=93And this...=94 she felt the chain on her neck and pulled up an antique
pendant... =93This is gonna be mine fair and square...William=92s gift to
the woman who loves him...And didn=92t fail him...In the end...=94
Sorry...She looked down to Amelia=92s plaque... =93But you=92re mine as
muc=
h
as hers now, Dawn...And I swear...I=92ll give you your father
back...Whatever it takes...=94
=93Loser...=94 she repeated bitterly, eyeing Cicely=92s plaque... =93You
wo=
n=92t
keep him in there with you, *****...Cowardly *****...=94
=93Bring it on...=94
***
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