“You’re ignoring me,” Jade said in disgust.
“I am not ignoring you,” Angel retorted, but he didn’t look at her. Instead, all of his focus was on the punching bag hanging in the corner of his apartment. Even as he spoke he punched it forcefully. “I know what I’m doing.”
“Yes, Warrior, you know what you’re doing,” Jade replied, trying not to let her sarcasm show. On one hand she did have it easier than her predecessors. Her charge already knew how to fight, was in excellent physical condition, and was ready and willing to fight demons on a daily – or nightly – basis. But he also was over 250 years old. He was stubborn, knew he was knowledgeable, and when it came right down to it a very reluctant student. Jade sighed. “You know what you’re doing as a Warrior,” she clarified. “That’s not all you are anymore, and you refuse to listen to me when it comes to what else being the Phoenix means!”
“I do not refuse to listen to you!” Angel yelled back, stopping his workout. “I have done everything you’ve asked of me since you showed up to ‘teach’ me. So what have I done wrong this time?!”
It took an extreme act of willpower for Jade not to throw her hands up in the air and cry out ‘why me?’ “You’ve been ignoring your calling.”
Angel’s brow wrinkled in confusion. “I don’t know what you mean. I’ve been fighting…”
Jade shook her head to interrupt him. “Your Calling, Angel.” Seeing the look of confusion wasn’t fading, she gestured for him to stop what he was doing and join her at the table. Didn’t he listen to any of her lessons? “Sit down, please.”
Angel did as she asked, bringing a glass of water over with him. He looked at her expectantly over the brim. “Well?”
“Calling,” Jade clarified. “I mean that…sense that tells the Phoenix – you – where you are needed. You’ve always been a defender of one place, but that’s not your job anymore. You need to be mobile, to destroy concentrations of evil wherever they may appear. Hence, your Calling.”
Angel looked slightly less confused. “I haven’t … sensed anything.”
Jade sighed. On top of stubbornness, this was the biggest problem she’d been having with Angel. He had no problem at all with the physical components of what being the Phoenix entailed. It was the extra abilities and the…metaphysical components that he just couldn’t get a hang of. He was only using half of his potential. The other abilities only popped up on accident, such as when he rescued the Slayer from being burned at the stake. “You should have,” Jade snapped. “And if you did we would be in Seattle right now, but instead someone else had to be summoned to clean up that mess. It was…too close all call for several.”
Angel looked distinctly guilty. He leaned back in his chair. “What do you want me to do?”
“Maybe…” She thought for a second. “You are familiar with meditation techniques, yes?”
“Yes.”
“Then I want you to really listen to me for once. We’re going to actively try and summon your Calling, so that you’ll know what it feels like in the future. Okay?”
Angel nodded. “Alright.” He shifted in his chair, obviously trying to get as comfortable as possible.
“Okay,” Jade said easily. “Just listen to me, and do what I say. I want you to close your eyes, and breathe deeply.” She waited for a moment as Angel did what she said. “Now, relax, calm your thoughts, and concentrate. I need you to focus on the Phoenix, on the spirit that lives in you.”
“How…” Angel started.
“Shh,” Jade said quickly. “Just listen. Relax and concentrate. Think back to when we actually met, yes? When you and the Slayer were captured. When she was going to be killed, you saved her. You put out the fires with the force of the Phoenix.” Angel grimaced slightly, but she continued. “You did not know what you were harnessing at the time. Remember how that felt. Feel the power inside you. The Calling is connected to that. It’s…”
Suddenly Angel gasped and his eyes snapped open. For a moment Jade was annoyed that he’d stopped when they were so close, but then she noticed the pain and panic in his expression. “Angel?” she asked urgently. “What is it?”
His eyes focused on her for a second, then he stood abruptly. “Buffy,” he said quickly.
If that was supposed to be an explanation, it didn’t help Jade much. “What about the Slayer?” But Angel was already moving again, rushing in and out of his bedroom…packing. “Where do you think you’re going?”
“Sunnydale!” Angel called from the next room.
This time Jade did throw her hands up in the air. This was not what the result of that little exercise was supposed to be. That was not what their destination was supposed to be! “Why me?” she muttered helplessly.
But of course, no one answered.
“How is she? Where is she?” Mrs. Summers asked frantically.
Spike looked up, seeming startled. “I don’t know.” He paused. “The doctors took her that way,” he gestured.
“Is she alright?” Willow blurted.
Giles spoke right on top of her. “What happened?” he asked. There was a hint of danger in his tone that was impossible for Spike to miss.
He really looked at the three of them this time. “What is this? An inquisition or something?”
“Spike…” Giles said, the dangerous tone in his voice no longer suppressed.
“What? Are you suggesting I did this?”
“We’re not…” Willow began, trying to make peace.
“Did you?” Giles asked.
“No! I can’t, if you don’t remember.”
Giles looked skeptical.
Spike stood abruptly. A bloodstain showed dark on his shirt. Buffy’s blood. “You know, I didn’t have to bring her here! I could have left her to die and had a nice meal of Slayer blood!” Joyce gasped, and he glanced at her before continuing in a softer tone. “The point is, I didn’t. I even called you lot knowing you’d probably accuse me! So I’d really appreciate the benefit of the doubt, here.”
Giles nodded slowly. “You’re right. Now, would you tell us what happened?”
“Aren’t you going to say please?”
“Spike!” Joyce yelled. “I will not have you acting all…whatever, while my daughter may be…” Her voice cracked before she finished, but the word “dying” still hung in the air.
Spike sat back down slowly. “It was vampires. A group of them, probably, though she’d managed to kill off most of them before… I killed him, if you care. Staked him from behind while he was drinking her blood.” Pride flashed across his face for a split second before he continued. “She was already unconscious, though. Bastard had decided to impale her with her own stake.”
Willow gasped. “Oh my…”
“I don’t understand,” Joyce said slowly. “She should have been able to take care of herself. She always has before.”
“These…things happen,” Giles tried slowly.
Willow broke in the conversation in a whisper, and only her sob alerted them she was speaking. “She hasn’t been feeling well,” she said miserably. “On and off for weeks. She said she felt better…when she left. I shouldn’t have let her…”
“You really think you could have stopped her, red?” Spike pointed out.
“But…I should have tried….”
Joyce turned away abruptly. “I’m going to find out what’s going on with my baby,” she said strongly, cutting off the rest of them.
“Of course,” Giles agreed, and Willow nodded through her guilt. Spike’s attention was down the hall instead.
“I don’t think you need to do that,” he said softly.
All eyes turned to see the doctor walking purposefully towards them. His gaze was carefully neutral…too carefully.
“Oh,” Willow whispered. “I don’t think that’s a good thing…”
It seemed to take forever until the doctor made his way down the hallway and stopped in front of Spike. “You brought in Miss Summers?” he asked carefully. At Spike’s nod he asked, “Are any of you family?”
“I’m her mother,” Joyce said quickly. “Please, my baby…”
The doctor’s expression was grim. “Why don’t we talk about your daughter some place more private?”
“No!” Willow said quickly. “Private is bad! Private means bad news. Please…”
Joyce nodded. “Just say it, Doctor. Tell me what’s going on. Tell us, because otherwise I’m just going to have to repeat it all anyway.”
The doctor looked over the anxious group. “Why don’t we have a seat, at least.” At that the entire group dropped into the plastic chairs. The doctor began slowly. “Your daughter was seriously injured, Mrs. Summers. She sustained a broken wrist and a blow to the head, but those were minor injuries comparatively. A sharp piece of wood pierced her stomach and she had another wound on her neck. However, she lost far more blood than either wound can account for. I’m afraid…”
“Don’t finish that sentence,” Joyce said, cutting him off. “Please.”
“Mrs. Summers…” the doctor tried reluctantly.
A sharp cry down the hall interrupted him. “Doctor Daniels!” a woman still in sterile gloves called urgently, peaking out from around the door he had emerged from. “The girl…!”
The doctor sprang to attention. “Excuse me,” he blurted, before taking off down the hall.
The four of them sat there for a moment in stunned silence.
“What the hell was that!?” Spike cried at last.
His sentiment was echoed by a new arrival. Xander stood awkwardly just inside the hospital doors with Anya close behind him. “Uh…what did we just miss?”
On to Part Six
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