Fiction- Baby Doll Prologue

Title: Baby Doll
Author Restive Nature
Disclaimers: I do not own any of the characters from Buffy the Vampire Slayer or Angel the Series. They belong to the almighty Joss and I just play with them for my own amusement before putting them away neatly.
Spoilers: Buffy Season Three "Amends"
Summary: A teenage girl with mysterious ties to Angel helps him with his Christmas Amends.

Prologue

Christmas 1998

Angel stared up at the sunless sky, still trying to take in the unnatural snow. He knew logically where it came from. And at first, when the snow had started, he wasn’t sure why it had. But Buffy’s words echoed in his mind. And he knew there was someone who thought he was worth something. There was a reason for him to stay in this world. To keep fighting. And it was more than the amazing woman strolling idly by his side. He glanced down at her, enjoying the look of wonderment and childish delight in his lover’s eyes. Having her by his side made life a little more bearable.

They continued to stroll down the main streets of Sunnydale, unbothered by the cold. Neither one said anything, there were no words needed now. But Angel could feel a little niggling sensation in the back of his head. He recognized it for what it was. He’d only ever felt this way with one other person, Buffy. They always could sense each other. Whether it grew out of their connection as Vampire and Slayer, or from being lovers and soul mates, he wasn’t sure. But this sensation was different. This other connection came from a place that he didn’t understand. Finally, it grew strong enough to make him stop in his tracks and glance around.

"Are you okay?" Buffy asked, stopping as well, gripping his hand a little tighter. She had almost lost him this morning and was unwilling to let go their physical connection.

"Yeah baby," he whispered, his eyes scanning the street. Finally, he saw her, across the street, leaning against a street light, her head down. Buffy glanced at his new object of scrutiny. She was relieved to see that there actually was someone there this time. Only a few days ago, the Harbingers had been sending him visions of past victims.

"Do you know that person?" she inquired, puzzled. Angel knew very few people and tended not to circulate much, for obvious reasons.

"I met her," he answered after a moment’s hesitation. He looked down at his feet, uncomfortable with the new subject. "When I… wasn’t myself." Buffy needed no further explanation. When he was Angelus. Buffy still hadn’t had the heart to talk about that time with him. It would forever be a closed subject between them. Unfortunately, she knew all too well what Angelus had been up to when he’d last been in control. With a sigh, she pulled a stake from her waistband. It would figure that she couldn’t catch a break, even for Christmas. Since Angel was out and about, she should have known that other vampires would take advantage of the unnatural weather change.

She waited for a car to pass, but before she could cross the street, she felt the gentle restraint of Angel’s hand on hers. She glanced up at him, puzzled. "She’s not one," he shook his head. "At least she wasn’t the last time I saw her." Buffy raised a confused eyebrow.

"How well did…he know her?" there was a mixture of curiosity, fear and jealousy in her voice and Angel couldn’t honestly blame her for that.

"Not well," he shrugged. "It’s a long story." Buffy bit her lip. As usual, Angel wasn’t very forthcoming. She glanced back at the girl, who was now bending over to lift a plastic shopping bag up from the ground where it had been set. As the girl straightened up, they both saw her stiffen as she caught sight of Angel. Angel stared at her, surprised that she looked as well as she did. But he remembered then that it had been a long time since he’d seen her last. Months for her, but years, centuries for him. Slowly, the girl began to move towards them; the plastic shopping bag now cradled gently in her arms. She stopped right before Angel and held out the package for him. With confusion marring his brow, he took it from her.

"Merry Christmas Angel," the girl whispered, unshed tears shining in her eyes. Buffy was surprised to note that there was little fear in this girl and she wondered how the girl could feel no fear of what she had to assume…but no! The girl had said ‘Angel’. She knew then that Angelus had been banished once more? Buffy glanced back at her boyfriend, noting that he had similar tears shining in his eyes and a much larger than normal smile on his face.

"Merry Christmas Dylan," he returned. The girl nodded once, then turned around and marched away. Her step much lighter than it had been before.

"You know Dylan McKenzie?" Buffy was surprised. She’d finally recognized the girl. She was a senior at Sunnydale High, but shared very few classes with Buffy and her friends.

"Yeah," Angel whispered, watching the girl walk away, his heart a little lighter. Someone up there really did want him to have a good day. "I know Dylan."


Chapter One