The Great Outdoors
John sat in his Jeep after parking it in a distance far off. They were still in the cabin regions, which meant out of city limits of New York. Almost two weeks were at a closure, and he had a better understanding of his power than before. He actually felt comfortable with the changes at times.
With nightfall, Angel stirred from the cabin; she hated that place...she learned really quickly...too much wood. Tired as hell, she stumbled out of the cabin and towards John. He was dressed in blue jeans and a grey Hangs t-shirt, which able his arm muscles to show off. She yawned a bit as she walked right into him, arms wrapping around him as she rested her head against his back.
"Tired..."
"I can tell" He smiled, kissing the top of her forehead. She moved to lean against the Jeep, smiling softly at him, really dressed in nothing more than a pair of short jean shorts and a button up shirt that she had tied, her golden hair pulled back into a ponytail.
"You seem to feel good."
He nodded. "I just remember being an outside boy when I was younger...now as what I am...I guess I really am forest boy."
"No...you're just a big fur ball." She giggled softly.
"Gee, thanks for the vote of confidence." He leaned against the Jeep, his arms snaking around her more.
"You're welcome." She smiled up at him as she kissed him softly. He nuzzled her neck a little as he returned it, slowly deepening it. Her arms moved up around his neck, kissing hm deeply, slightly fiercely, her small form pressed to him. As they started to get carried off, a loud boom sounded off in her head.
>Watch out,< V's voice warned Angel.
She winced and pulled away, her hands going to the sides of her head::
John looked at Angel. "Angel...?"
She growled lightly as she looked around, eyes a hellish yellow looking for anything that normally wasn't there. >V... what the fuck are you talking about?<
>You'll see in a few minutes, I'm sure of it<
>V...where the hell are you?<
She didn't answer as Nick came into view. Angel looked at Nick, drawing closer to John. He appeared ticked off, but didn't voice it. Yet, any way.
"Eeep..." She moved behind John, not liking the look on Nick's face.
"Nick...please...I really don't feel like arguing again."
"I get the feeling that what ever is wrong with him... he's going to blame it on me.... "
Nick just stared at Angel as V jumped down from a tree and landed softly on the ground.
"Angel…" Nick started slowly, trying not to let his anger take control.
"Yes?" She smiled innocently, keeping close to John. >V, what is going on?<
>He just wants to tell you something. Hopefully he keeps to that<
>Oh, great.<
He folded his arms across his chest, looking at his brother and his...girlfriend. He took a deep breath. "Okay. Much as this pains me to say…I'm gonna back off of you two. But just because you may be a vampire and whatever to V, doesn't give you the right to be bitchy around me. John's my brother, and my first priority is to save him. It's always been. He even comes before Va'Shanna and she knows that. And I'll be damned if anyone's going to stop that, especially you.
"What?"
"Just listen up, all right?"
She growled, arms crossed as she stayed silent.
"I can't stop John from dating...and that, unfortunately, means you. But if you so ever try to stop me from protecting him--and it costs John his life or hurts him, you will be dead. Permanently."
She glared, obviously ticked off by what she was hearing.
"Got it?" He looked at John at the same time he looked at Angel.
With the anger building up in her, she punched she side of the jeep, leaving a nice sized dent, she did that so she didn't wind up hitting Nick.
"Good. Now that we understand each other..."
John frowned. "Angel!"
She just continued to glare at Nick; not being able to believe he would accuse her of wanting to stop him from protecting John, and a death threat to go along with it! V stood off to the side silently, watching as John tried to calm Angel down. She mumbled something about being back later as she turned and walked off into the forest, hands balled up into fists, once out of sight, she would occasionally punch and kick at a tree here and there.
Nick looked at V. "And you made her a vampire...why? She's a brat!"
"Nick, stop it!" John yelled at him.
Angel punch into a rotten log that was standing up, because it was dead; it was easier to punch through. When she drew her hand back, her knuckles were speckled with blood. With a sigh, she sank down against a tree, brushing off the dead wood and such from the wound so it would heal.
Nick stopped John in his tracks for a moment. "John, I know you love her...but I'm just worried about you. I'm not doing any worse than what you tried to tell me about V."
"And I was obviously wrong on some things with V, right?" John looked at Nick. "I'm stronger than I've ever been, and I got people that love me. But you...you gotta let me live my own life like you force me to let you live your own, okay?" With that, he pushed past his brother to find Angel.
Angel looked up into the tree, finding a large branch that looked sturdy, standing up, she climbed the tree with ease, sitting on the chosen branch, sighing as she stared at the waxing moon. John transformed into his animal self as he saw Angel in the distance and took a back route so that when she noticed him, he came up behind her, rubbing his head under her hand like a house broken cat.
She smiled softly at him and then sighed. "Your brother hates me.."
He licked her hand a little, then forced himself back to human form so he could talk. "He'll get over it like I did. It's a phase, I suppose." He winced a little, reminding himself not to shift so quickly at one time.
"Poor baby..." She kissed his forehead gently. "A phase? A deadly phase to me...you never threatened V with a death threat."
"You wanna know why I never did?"
"You were a priest."
"That and she scares me. Even today. First time I saw her I peed my pants."
She laughed softly. He shook his head silently in embarrassment.
"V does have that effect at times. I doubt anyone could be scared of me...no one ever has."
"If it's any comfort, I was," he admitted softly::
"When?" she looked at him in disbelief.
"When I first meet you. Not so scary as to make me pee my pants...but like a eight year old boy asking a girl to the school dance."
"Lust...that's generally all the reaction I get... lustful men ready to do as I wish...the only time I saw fright...w as before I killed them.".
"I guess you hate that? I never heard of woman wanting to frighten men. It's always them wanting to seduce them."
"For a vampire...fright flavors the blood at times... and it was fun to chase a frightened victim."
"I'm sure you must've scared them prior to...biting them?" He prayed he was saying the right words.
"Of course...but a ten minute scare flavors the blood like alcohol…giving it a taste that only done just right... will it taste like it... you remember the flavor of the blood when you were hunting that rabbit?"
He nodded.
"That's what its like..."
"But only bigger with a human, huh?
"Yeah...but it's a talent... we only scared those whom we knew wouldn't get away... those who wouldn't alert others to our presence..." She leaned against him. "But those days are behind me..."
"Do you....do you ever miss them?"
"At times...I answered to no one... except V, of course. We had everything. Elegance... houses...the finest of materials...everything a mortal desired…Everything a mortal wanted.... we had. We were royalty."
John looked at her and wrapped an arm around her as movement sounded. She looked up, looking around, leaning into him. It was Nick, hands shoved into his pant pockets. John felt her tense up, as she narrowed her eyes at Nick.
"I come in peace, honestly," Nick told her, with a soft sigh. "We need…to work this out between us. I didn't mean the death threat." Even if part of him did deep down.
"Fine..." Angel sighed as she relaxed some, leaning more against John, her eyes still partially narrowed.
"Can we talk…in private?" At John's look, he said, "I won't go crazy."
"We'll be back soon, babe." She turned in John's arms to place a small kiss to his cheek. He returned it as he released her.
She smiled softly at him. "Go keep V company."
He nodded, kissing the top of her head. "Good luck," he whispered, then left.
Angel smiled as he left, then looked back at Nick, leaning against the tree.
Nick licked his lips, then removed himself from the tree and sat beside her. "I always seem to get off on the bad foot with V's family…" He looked down at his hands. "Look…what I meant earlier about you dating John...is that…" He struggled for the right words. "We need to try to get along. I know you care about V. as much as I care about John. John's my brother and it's my duty, my responsibility to protect him. You feel the same about V. don't you? Then do me the courtesy of believing that my feelings about both of them are as strong as yours."
"You doubt that I know that? You are John's brother, V's husband. You have a strong sense of connection to them. V is my mother... the only mother I ever knew. And John, I love him. You might not want me to, but I do."
He looked at her, then away. "Angel. I'm still not sure of what to make of you," he told her honestly.
"What?" Angel asked, confused. What was so hard to make of her? She was a woman, V's vampiric daughter.
"What I mean is…I don't know your personality or if you're stable. Well, you are stable, I'll give you that much. But all I know from you is that you're some woman that's changed my brother's life for better or worse, and…" He shrugged. "I don't know. How do you see me? Make of me?"
"You're protective, a man worthy of V's love, obviously a good man, a good brother. Stable as well, and you have made V extremely happy. For that, that's all I need to know. To know that she is in good hands, I...I trust you." Angel looked off to the side.
"Honestly?" Wow. Such a revelation to him.
She nodded softly. Thinking for a moment, he reached out and touched her shoulder. "Since we're being honest…I know I don't show it…but when I found out what happened to John…I was really mad that I couldn't save him from that fate. It kills me inside knowing I let him down. But…I'm glad you found him when you did. I'm glad that he loves and trusts you."
She shook her head lightly. "There was nothing either of us could have done. I didn't go to Bulgaria with him, because it was a mission trip for the church, I didn't want to distract him... and I honestly thought that he would be safe with the other priests. And honestly, you couldn't have gone because those priests would be all over you trying to get you to turn your ways, that and you had to stay with V." She paused. "I went to his apartment every other night while he was gone, just making sure things were okay."
"Yeah, but," he smiled a little, "you know I'm too stubborn to accept that." He looked at her. "How bad was he when you found him?"
"He cursed."
"John?! It must've been bad."
"Proclaiming that he was a 'fucking monster,' because he had killed and enjoyed it as a panther."
Nick winced inwardly. "Cripes…how did you convince him…otherwise?"
She smiled softly as she looked at the ground. "Told him that...he was part animal now, and it was just nature for an animal to hunt... that and I called him a kitty..."
"Okay, okay, stop right there," Nick told her, holding up a hand. She shrugged softly.
"Gah…how about we start over? I'll try to be less of a jackass."
"Okay, and I'll try to be less of a bitch."
He produced a hand and, doing his best impression of being cheesy said, "Hi! I'm Nick Vari."
Angel laughed full heartedly at that before grabbing his hand with her own, speaking in an Irish accent. "Hi, I'm Kitrina Liam. Angel for short."
He answered in a Texan accent. "My, my. An Angel you are indeed." He stood up, offering his arm. "Shall we go back and join the party?"
Still in the Irish accent, trying not to laugh she nodded softly as she took his arm. "Yes, indeed, lets join the others."
He grinned at her and led her up towards the cabin. Angel couldn't help but smile as they walked towards the cabin, their accents being shown through their words. Va'Shanna and John were having words, sitting on the steps of the porch when they saw finally saw their two friends. Va'Shanna's jaw literally dropped open, amazed at this.
"Va'Shanna...you keep your mouth open, you'll catch flies." Angel smiled softly her voice thick with an Irish accent.
"Yea, sure thing darlin', and I like only yer juicy lips without flies." Nick grinned at them.
"I don't believe it," John whispered to V. She only nodded.
She released Nick's arm to skip towards John, a playful grin on her lips. He blinked slowly at Nick, then looked at her. "You feeling alright, hon?"
"Oh course, why wouldn't I be?" She smiled as she leaned down and kissed him softly. "Don't worry so much."
He returned it as V went to Nick and checked his forehead for a fever. "Nope, not sick…"
"So, are we going back to civilization or not? Quite frankly... being around this much wood makes me shudder." She smiled softly, fiery eyes looking at John.
"At least it isn't fire," V commented, putting her arm around Nick and pulling him closer beside her. "So, before we do...do we all agree with not killing each other?"
"Why would we kill each other?" Angel grinned brightly.
Nick grinned, then pulled away from V for a moment and moved to Angel. "Thanks…again. For understanding."
She nodded softly. "Thanks for understanding that I do understand." She smiled softly.
He pointed a finger at her. "Just because I'm getting soft, doesn't mean you can call me daddy."
"Oh darn." She pouted lightly.
Nick patted her on top of her head and looked at John. "Forgive me for being a hard-ass?"
John smiled weakly, then nodded. "Yeah, I do."
She purred playfully when he did so before sitting next to John, leaning against him.
>Oh my, whadda know…we're becoming a functional family,< V mused, sending the thought to Angel.
She giggled softly to V's message, nodding softly.
"Well, before Nick starts singing 'We Are Family', we best take our leave…now that we have come to terms with each other's egos."
"Heeeeyyy…" Nick mumbled.
"We'll be right behind ya'll... unless John wants to spend another day here…"
John stood up. "I'm ready to go."
She stood, leaning against him. "Okay, I look forward to sleeping in MY bed once again... away from this much wood."
"Only if I get to join you," John whispered, and at that point, V pulled Nick away to his '68 Mustang.
She smiled and rose on her toes to nuzzle at his neck, whispering back. "Of course, dear."
"Yay," he smiled, wrapping his arms around her and lifted her up off the ground slightly.
She laughed softly and hung onto him.
"I love you so much," he told her, leading her towards the Jeep. They had packed up earlier that day, so their luggage was already in the Jeep.
" I love you too, John." She smiled at him.
"Much as I hate to, I gotta let you go." He pouted. "Driving sucks at times."
"Don't worry...it's only a few hours…and then we can spend the rest of the time, alone…in each others arms, in a candle lit bedroom." She smiled playfully and seductively up at him.
"At times, I see why you're called an Angel…but at times like these," he said, slowly releasing her, "it's more like devil kitty."
She winked at him as she climbed into the jeep. "Better believe it."
"You enjoy seeing me suffer as a guy, don'cha?"
"Maybe."
He slid into the driver's seat, closing the door and started up the engine. "Home sweet home."
"New York City sounds good to me right now."
"We'll be there in no time."
"I hope so, I want to see buildings... not trees. And I'm sure you want chinese.."
"Chinese...anything better?"
"Sex?"
He blushed. "Chinese and sex…"
"Frozen Chinese food...then sex?"
John looked at her. "You're an evil, evil woman, you know that right?"
"I was made by evil, dear. I'm temptation in the flesh!" She stuck her tongue out at him a bit before laughing.
He shook his head at her. She leaned over and kissed his cheek gently. He gave her a small smirk, since he was paying attention to the roads. She pulled a blanket from the back of the jeep and wrapped it about her as she cuddled up in the front seat, smiling softly. John turned on the radio and found a classical music station and left it on as he drove. She smiled softly as she yawned gently. As a Beethoven Symphony came on the air, John glanced occasionally over at the vampire, seeing her sleepily looking. With everything that seemed like it was crushing his life…she had somehow made it all better. It was a reassuring thought that kept him awake for rest of the drive.