"Pain" Part Two -- The Buffy Alterniverse

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Date Posted: 16:02:06 06/14/03 Sat
Author: {mikeyG}
Subject: "Pain" Part Two
In reply to: {mikeyG} 's message, ""Pain" Part One" on 16:00:45 06/14/03 Sat

* * *

Lilah paced around the antechamber, trying to gather her thoughts. Angel�s soul was taken by someone, but not by the Beast. It wasn�t the Senior Partners, that was clear. Although Angelus was a high priority for them, the Senior Partners didn�t exist on this plane and their chief disciple, Wolfram & Hart was gone. So if it wasn�t the Beast or the Senior Partners, who had done it? It could have been another creature of evil, choosing this time of anarchy to replace the city�s resident champion and replace him with his sinister alter-ego. It was a possibility, but it just didn�t fit.

Lilah�s money was on Angel Investigations. The situation must have become so desperate that they needed Angelus� assistance. But what could they need Angelus for when Angel had all of his evil counterpart�s memories?

�The Beast.�

Lilah turned to see herself. Well not exactly, the other Lilah was dressed in a stylish designer suit, a vast improvement over Lilah�s own sewer-soiled clothes. Plus the other Lilah was another hallucination, so technically only a part of herself and not the real deal.

�What about the Beast?�

�Angel Inc. They must be desperate to destroy the Beast. After everything that�s happened, who isn�t desperate?� The other Lilah smiled at her, as if pointing out Lilah�s own desperation.

�I might be desperate, but at least I�m not rolling over and giving up.�

�That�s true, but face it sweetie, we�re yesterday�s bad guy. With the Beast on the rampage and Angelus back, what can we do?�

�Make them pay.�

�You got the idea, but how exactly do we make that happen? Not like lucky breaks are growing on trees for us these days.�

�Angelus. They brought him back for a reason, just gotta find out what it is.�

�Maybe they�re just stupid. Beast had them on the ropes, might as well sic the evilest vampire the world�s ever known at him.�

�No, Wesley wouldn�t have ��

The other Lilah stepped up closer to her real counterpart. �Ah, good ole Wes. What is it about him, anyway? Besides the obvious.�

Real Lilah looked down. �I don�t know. Was supposed to corrupt him, make him join the winning team.�

�But even at his lowest he couldn�t be pulled into the shadows completely. At his darkest, he was still one of the good guys. You tried your best.� The fake Lilah smirked. �He thought so, too.�

�He did his best, too. Even after he decided he didn�t want me anymore, he still cared enough to make sure I wasn�t shredded by the Beast.�

�That�s it exactly. In the end, you didn�t corrupt him, it was him that corrupted you. We might be the only person you believe in, but part of you wants to believe in him.�

Lilah stopped her inspection of the floor to look herself in the eyes. What she found was quiet acceptance. If there was a part of her that could ever believe in Wesley, ever love him, she was looking at it. �So how does that help me now?�

The other Lilah chuckled. �That�s me, always thinking about number one. Simple, Lilah, believe in Wes now. You know he wouldn�t willingly unleash Angelus if he didn�t have a damn good reason.�

�The Beast.�

Lilah�s cleaner counterpart sighed. �That seems to be what it all boils down to nowadays.�

�They need Angelus because they think he can help them defeat the Beast where Angel couldn�t.�

The fake Lilah clapped her hands. �Might be a little dingy right now, but still not just another pretty face.�

Lilah wasn�t even paying attention. She scanned the room until she found what she was looking for. She crossed the room, picking up a discarded crowbar, weighing it in her hands. Satisfied, she walked towards the door.

�Where the Hell are you going?�

�If Angel Investigations needed Angelus to give them info on the Beast, he must have something to tell. And I think it�s high time for the cross examination.�

Lilah walked straight to the large grate she knew Angel used as sewer access during the day. She opened it, hoisting herself up into the basement. She almost cried out in pain, but stifled it. Soon enough she wouldn�t be the only one in pain, she just had to stick it out.

She headed up into the basement of the Hyperion, her eyes straining to see in the darkness. She slowly stalked down a narrow hallway, careful that she wasn�t caught by Angel�s band of merry men. The hallway ended, leaving Lilah staring straight at a caged Angelus.

She approached him slowly, holding her crowbar high. He smiled at her. She walked up to his cage.

�Great Angelus.�

�Oh come on, you can do better than that. Try playing up the awe and the reverence a bit. �The Great Angelus�.�

�Great, locked in a cage.�

He stalked towards the bars. �Yet still able to display better grooming habits then you. Look at yourself, Lilah, hmm. All these years wanting to meet me, couldn�t you run a comb through your hair, maybe slap on a little lipstick? Evil doesn�t have to mean sloppy.�

�Stop it.� Lilah tried to make herself sound desperate, make Angelus underestimate her.

�Ooo, feeling touchy, are we?�

�The Beast, I want you to stop it.�

�Oh.� Angelus walked away from her. �Not sure I really want to. Don�t get me wrong, not a big fan of the hornjob. Although he did bring on permanent midnight, gotta give him props for that.�

�Can you do it, or not?!�

�Mmm, why is your thong in such a bunch, Councilor? You�re a professional.�

Lilah laughed right in his face. �Workin� the sewers. Beast took everything, killed them all.�

�Saw the damage, does have a flair for it.�

�Not just at the office, everybody. Field ops, liaisons, even people out sick that day. But not me. Not yet. Why is he picking on us? We�re the bad guys!�

�Apparently not bad enough. But there�s a bright side, you have a devoted boyfriend who loves and cares � oh wait, you don�t. Heheh. Your life really is crap.�

�Yet I�m not the monkey in the box. I want that thing destroyed, and you�re the only one who can do it.�

Angelus appeared to be considering something. �Maybe we can work something out.�

Lilah smiled, things were going exactly as planned. All she had to do was convince Angelus she was desperate enough to release him and then she could work some information out of him. Things might actually be looking up.

Soon the Beast would be dead and she�d have her life back.

It was just a matter of time.

The End

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