THE CELL
Wesley played with the knife in his hand, sitting on the floor beside the body of the still and silent Cathy. Strangely enough she comforted him and he wondered why that was, idly though. He was too busy waiting for the tell tale crash of the bolts that would signal his wait was over.
“I wonder how Angels doing”? He asked her, half expecting a ghostly head to pop up with a smart-ass remark about not being that psychic.
“Probably kicking demon ass half way to the eastern seaboard the mood he was in”. He’d been here long enough that using Americanism’s seemed as natural as breathing, although his sainted Father would likely have a few pithy things to say about ‘butchering the Queens English’. “Stupid Sod”.
“Shut up Wesley”, he berated himself tiredly, “Now’s not the time for ‘daddy’ issues”. His brows rose over dull eyes, not that he’d ever really thought about his family relations as an issue. Or anything at all for that matter, they were as they were; thankfully thousands of miles away.
The bolts crashed back and calmly he stood up, the knife still in his hand now and hidden beside his thigh. He only hoped they were right that it would only be the one guard; the state he was in now, any more might be a problem. He stepped to the side of the opening door and closed his eyes to protect his night-vision from the bright flames of the obligatory torch.
He heard the grunt of the guard when it didn’t immediately spot him. He opened his eyes and raised his hand across his body at shoulder level, the knife gripped so that the blade faced outward. The demon turned to face him and they eyeballed each other for a single instant before Wesley drew back his arm in a slashing motion across its throat. It fell twitching to the ground, its head almost severed by the depth of the vicious cut.
“Nice of you to stop by” said Wesley conversationally and stepped over the still jerking body. A sense of renewed energy filled him as he approached the wrapped body and he crouched down to lay a tender hand on her. “I swear to you that no matter what I have to do, I will be back for you”.
Wesley returned to the lifeless demon and turned the thing over on its back to search it for the keys, easily located attached to its leather jerkin by a leather cord. With a strong twist of his fingers, they were free and then with a last look at Cathy, turned and left cell. He debated locking it and then did, thinking it might be safer for her.
He walked down the corridor and after checking for more guards, none of which seemed to be around. Mentally shaking his head at the laxness while thanking heaven for it, he started to unlock all of the cells doors on this block.
After a few minutes various coloured, races and breeds of demons started to warily edge their way out of the cell doors; some looking around with frantic eyes, while others were simply put- furiously angry. They all looked towards Wesley, who was studiously avoiding direct eye contact and twirling the keys in his hands.
He waited until the scuffle of feet stopped to look up and found, as expected, he had their complete attention.
“Yes, it was me that freed you, so yes it would be damned rude to try and kill me for it” he stopped and waited for a response, which was limited to a few growls and sarcastic remarks by the English speaking ones.
“That being the case- I would suggest that you save all that rage and anger, justified I might add, at being kidnapped for the ones that did the kidnapping, don’t you think so”?
Still no answer, well he hadn’t expected it to be easy, “Either that or curl up and die because it’s going to take all of us fighting them to get any of us free of this stinking place”. He dropped the cordial gentleman act and told them like it was in as cold a voice as he could muster.
That got through. Finally.
***
WHAT A MAZE
Angel was beside her in seconds and Cordelia spared some energy to look at him as he kept pace with her. Her heart soared and the pain in her face, arms and legs receded a little. I did it, Oh my God, I did IT.
She’d gotten him out and yeah, okay, so they weren’t out of the woods yet but dammit at least she wasn’t sitting in the hotel, wearing a track in the floor and wringing her hands like some useless girly-girl. Though she knew what he would prefer and that she was likely in for a rough time when they did get home. She smiled to herself at the thought, bring it on Baby, I can so handle anything you can dish out.
Angel was checking behind them about every third step and soon enough they both heard the doors give way as the spear snapped from the combined weight of the infuriated demons. With a last knowing look at one another, Cordelia ducked her chin into her chest and pumped her arms and legs harder, reaching deep inside for more speed.
Angel kept pace with her, and when she stumbled over the uneven ground he caught her up and immediately put her back on her feet, neither slowing down in what became a team effort.
After a while they came to a bend and skidded round it, trying not give their pursuers time to catch up. Just beyond the curve was a rough entrance into another tunnel, without speaking they took it. It was much narrower than the one they’d left and soon got narrower still. Cordelia’s breathing became harsher as her body fought to take in more oxygen to sustain the pace her brain was demanding from it.
Sounds of pursuit got closer as the howls became clearer, Cordelia’s heartbeat increased even more and a momentary dizzy spell nearly made her stumble into the wall, only Angel’s strong supporting hands saved her from a painful smash into the unforgiving surface of the rock walls.
Angel kept his arm around her and looked ahead, his supernaturally strong eyes piercing the dark gloom, searching for a means of escaping the pursuit so that she could rest. He could hear the frantic beat of her heart and her breathing was so laboured it hurt him to hear it.
He saw something ahead, but it wasn’t what he was looking for; quite the opposite. His belly clenched when he realised it was what he’d first thought it was. A gap in the floor of the tunnel, god knows what it was there for, or even if it was just a natural occurrence, whatever, this was definitely the wrong tunnel to have taken. He released Cordelia for a moment to scoop up some loose stones and threw it at the dark patch.
He heard the rackety sound as they travelled down- a long, long way. His belly dropped even further. He didn’t tell Cordelia but simply picked her up in his arms and turned her so that she faced him, she gave him a startled glance and wrapped her legs around his hips.
“Don’t look forward” he told her and kissed her on the lips. She gave him a ‘look’ and tucked her head into the crook of his shoulder, trusting that he knew what he was doing- NOT. “I hope you know what you’re doing” she grumbled in his ear. Angel certainly hoped so, but no promises.
Cordelia could feel him increase their speed as his legs lifted and pounded down under her thighs and bottom, while his abdomen bunched and relaxed between her thighs in a synchrony of muscular power. She gripped him harder and simply held on.
She felt him gather himself and even take a deep breath that expanded his chest against hers, “What’s the matter”? She asked, unable to stop the question and yet a part of her not wanting to know. “Hole in the floor” Angel muttered just as he launched them both into the air.
Cordelia yelped at the feel of the air rushing around them, she squeezed her eyes shut and prayed. They almost made it; they were short by only a few inches. Angel snapped a hand out and wrapped an arm around Cordelia. He groaned at the jerk on his arm when he stopped their fall, his fingers just about gripping the rock of the floor on the other side of the shaft.
“We didn’t make it did we”? Asked Cordelia, not daring to move in case she dislodged them. Her heart was pounding like a piston engine and there was a dull roaring in her ears.
“Not quite” Angel gritted out and experimentally tried to pull them up, his fingers slipped and convulsively they clung to one another tighter.
“Can you pull us up”? She hardly dared ask, but avoiding it was out of the question, pretty soon it would be answered for her anyway. She tried to keep her breathing even and not let the panic creep in and take over her mind. It was the total darkness that creeped her out as much as the feeling of being at the edge of a precipice.
He didn’t answer her, didn’t know how to. Should he tell her a comforting lie? God he just didn’t know what to tell her. “At least we lost them,” he offered as some positive news.
“I’m going to die aren’t I”? She asked him in a small voice, not going for his little attempt at diversion. Oh god I don’t wanna die- I don’t want to be finished I have so much to live for now- STOP IT, get a GRIP, hysterical much.
“No you’re not” His voice grated like it was strained or something. No fucking WAY, was he going to let her die.
“But if you can’t pull us up then we’re both gonna fall, what if I let go…” she started to offer, her mind dulled by weariness grasped at tiny shards of reason, she didn’t want to die for nothing.
“Don’t you DARE Cordelia, I swear if you do…” he broke off and swore, his shoulders twitched and they both fell silent with mingled terror and awful anticipation. “Do.Not.Even. Think of letting go of me Cordy, or I’ll let go too”.
She huffed impatiently and tried again, “But if I’m going to die anyway”. Okayyy, I can’t believe we’re arguing about this, like I wanna die- NOT.
“You are not gonna die, now shut-up the hell up. What is it with you mortals anyway, first Wes and now you, give me a frickin break here, I’m the immortal one”.
Normally a statement like that would have her rolling her eyes and lambasting him for being such an arrogant ass, but she heard the emotions behind the words, could feel it too in the fine tremors wracking his body. So she settled for a delicate, for her, snort and said “Well yay us, we must love you then and maybe don’t want you hurt- go figure”.
His shoulders were killing him, particularly the one that got stabbed in the fight, and he knew it wasn’t going to be long before even his strength gave out. “Then don’t let go of me Cordy, if you do I’m lost anyway”. Angel wasn’t one for wearing his heart on his sleeve very often, but when he did it was almost like a neon sign.
She silently digested that, and settled her head more firmly into his strong neck, breathing in the scent that always made her feel safe and secure. “That’s not fair,” she finally whispered back, not sure if she wanted that responsibility.
He wasn’t having any of that, when they’d finally got it together, she’d made promises, including sticking around. He intended that she kept them. “Get used to it”. His voice was uncompromising and maybe that was unfair, but fuck unfair- he was 250 plus years and he was in love.
Then he frowned and after a few seconds of intense concentration, rubbed his chin against her hair to get her attention. “Do you feel that”?
“Feel what”? She muttered not willing to move away from the safety of his neck, it was dark sure, but not scary dark if she pressed against his skin.
“A draft- there’s air moving below us”.
“Whoopey doo” she replied too worn out to care about a draft. Then something in his voice must have awoken a sleeping alarm. She looked up and hated that she couldn’t even see his face. “So”? There was more than a question in that dark feminine tone, “don’t even think about going there”.
He ignored the last bit, “Hold on tight, and don’t let go”.
Her wail of “Are you crazy” was lost in the rush of air as he released his death grip on the edge of the shaft, dropping them both. The walls were much closer together now and he used his boots on either side of the shaft to slow them down.
Then he felt that rush of air again, only stronger and widened his leg, it hurt like crazy when his leg jolted as it his foot caught. But he slowed their descent enough to give himself time to firmly snag the upper edges of another hole with both hands, relieving the weight on his leg.
“Ooophh” Cordy was winded when her upper back hit the wall above the hole and she clutched him tighter, but it was much better than being squished on the bottom of this hellhole. “Sorry Cor, you OK”?
“Just fine” she snarled back, more out of the fear still drilling through her than any pain, she was going to get him back for that crap inducing scare- if it was the last thing she did. “Where the hell are we now”?
“Another tunnel or something”, He chuckled with relief when she swore a blue streak, then using both feet and his back on the opposite wall, he turned them around so that Cordy would be able to crawl inside the hole, using his body underneath to support her.
“This is just great, I can’t see a damn thing” there was a fractious note in her voice and he could feel the trembling that gave away her post adrenaline exhaustion.
“I’ve got you, Sweetheart” he kept his voice low and deep, soothing her with his voice and his hands sweeping over her back as he guided her until she felt the edges. It was totally pitch black, dark enough that he could barely make out anything, so it must seem like a nightmare to her.
“You’re doing great Cor, just pull yourself inside and I’ll follow right behind you”.
She crawled over him and felt her way inside the gap in the wall of the shaft, it wasn’t very big and a huge shudder swept over her as claustrophobia hit her hard. Okay, deep breaths. Life and death remember, a little coffin like time in a hole beneath hell won’t hurt you.
“Great, this is just great. I hate dark enclosed spaces, so obviously it’s my lucky day to be stuck down here with no flashlight, no handy lighter cos I don’t smoke and no frickin idea where we are or how to get out again”.
She used her grumbles like a lifeline, hearing her own voice constantly echoing back was better than just hearing her own panicked panting. The rock was sharp in places and her hands were sore from various scrapes. “Plus just look at me, I’m a mess- well OK can’t really see much, but I just know I look like hell, which is pretty appropriate for here I guess”.
“Cordelia” said Angel warningly, although he didn’t object to hearing her talk most of the time, having got used to it over the years, now wasn’t the time.
“What” she snapped back, knowing he was going to tell her to shut up.
“Shush, these places are like sound amplifiers you can never tell who can hear you”. He was directly behind her, as they crawled along the narrow tunnel.
“Well excuse me, for not knowing all about caves, I never lived in one” she pointed out with acerbic calm
“Cor” he growled back.
“Okkayy, Geeze, shutting up now”.
He smiled he couldn’t help it, she amazed him on so many levels, sometimes he scared himself about how much she meant to him. Could you imagine anything more overwhelming for an immortal than to a love a mortal with all of your being all the while knowing that fate could snatch them away from you at any time.
Sometimes, he drove her crazy with his over-protectiveness but he doubted she knew of the times when he managed to restrain it- just. If he had his way she would stay at his side and when that wasn’t safe, in a safe secure place he wanted to create just for her. What stopped him was knowing that she would never accept it and that if he tried to insist- she would grow to hate him.
So he tried to let her go on as she wanted, building a life on the ruins of the old one and doing a fantastic job of it- god, while it scared the crap out of him, he was damned proud of her too, talk about being pulled into two directions.
He pulled his mind of the morbid and yet not, thoughts and realised that Cordelia had stopped moving. “What is it, what’s the matter”, he was seized with the wish that he’d gone first, a physical impossibility at the time.
“This is not good” came back Cordy’s voice; strangely hollow as the sounds pushed past her body and echoed slightly in the dark and damp enclosed space they were struggling through.
“What isn’t good”? He demanded sharply, irritation poking him hard at the lack of information. He tried to see past her but it was impossible.
“This tunnel finishes here unless you want to try the vertical version of it,” she told him, her voice thick with tired hopeless tears. That was why she’d taken so long to answer.
Her obvious despair tore at him with steel talons and his own eyes stung. Dammit, give us a fucking break here.
“Start climbing” the demand came out harsher than he’d intended, but right then he didn’t care. She was not going to die here and he wasn’t willing to wait for another solution, as impossible as that was, they had to do this together.
Tears were running down her cheeks and dropped down on her sore hands, the darkness pressed in on her and she just wanted to bury her head in her hands and sob for a while. Then maybe she could get it together again and try to climb, just not now.
“I can’t” she told him and then felt a hard hand grab her ankle and shake it.
“Do it” his voice was uncompromising and suddenly she wanted to scream and yell at him, hot words bubbled up in her throat and she opened her mouth to give it to him full blast, but at the last second she bit them back and settled for a growl low in her throat.
She scrubbed a hand over her wet face and shot a dark scowl that he couldn’t see over her body at him. “Fine, I’ll do it, just don’t blame me if I fall and you get squashed”.
“I’ll cope” he replied and felt her move forward a little and then stretch. Once inside the shaft she pushed and pulled herself up with her boots and hands, scraped raw now but she ignored the pain.
After a while she went numb and it took a while for her to realise that she was practically sitting on Angel’s shoulder while he climbed for the both of them. The strong surges upwards were monotonous but comforting. She started to try and get back into doing some of the work but he stopped her.
“Just settle down, I can do this”. She didn’t argue.
***
