Crushed Hopes
Title: Crushed Hopes
Pairing: None
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: I don't own these characters
Buffy sighed as she rooted through the stacks for something useful about Angelus that could help her fight him. For the most part it was all tales of the carnage that he left in his wake, with a few odd entries from the Watchers' Diaries thrown in about favorite holiday pastimes, 'family' outings that always seemed to end in horror, or behavior that seemed normal enough. As she was rifling through a book (wincing at some of the graphic sketches that were, of course, included) she heard Giles call out, “Buffy, come here please.”
She gave the book one last glance and then yelled back, “I'll be right there, Giles!” When she emerged from the stacks she found him studying a page from one of the other diaries. “Well? Did you find anything that could help us?”
“Maybe. Have a look at this.”
She glanced at the page he pointed at, barely able to make out something about vampire and hunters in the hurried scribbles. “Whoa, what happened to this guy?”
“He refers to the The Scourge of Europe trailing him, says he's comes across several bodies which he believes are his victims, and he makes mention of a gypsy camp nearby and then the entries stop suddenly. I can't help but believe that he must have been attacked, quite likely very soon before Angelus received his curse.”
“So does that mean that he knew how it happened?” Buffy was starting to get excited. “Do you think there's something in that book that can tell us how to resoul him?”
Giles shook his head. “We'd need the spell itself and the supplies, and we don't even know what those were. Since he mentions the gypsy camp, it's doubtful that he knew anything about performing the ritual himself. We don't even know if he was aware that such a ritual existed. I'm sorry, Buffy, but in all likelihood, that ritual and any chance of restoring Angel has been completely lost.”
Buffy didn't say anything, just picked up another book and started looking through it. After a little while had gone by, she asked, “Do you think that there's still some part of him in there? Angel, I mean.”
“Probably not. When vampires lose their soul they lose their ability to care. He isn't Angel anymore. He's Angelus.”
“But Spike cares for Drusilla.”
“Spike is clearly a anomaly but most vampires lead a solipsistic lifestyle.”
“Whoduwhnh? Can I get that translated please?”
“Solipsistic. It means that you act as if there is no one else around you. Your own wishes and thoughts and desires are the only things that matter.”
“Okaaaayyyyy. So basically they act as if they're the only living person on the planet.”
“Exactly.”
“Well, all the SAT talk is making me tired, so can we just get back to what we were doing please?”
“Certainly.”
Buffy got up to check the stacks for anything else when Willow pushed the door open and popped her head inside. “Buffy, time to study!”
“Huh?”
“The chemistry exam? You remember, tomorrow? We're studying in Ms Calendar's room because you didn't want to go to your house,” she reminded her.
“Oh, yeah, sure. I'm on my way.”Buffy replied. “See you later Giles.”
“Yes, of course. Go on, then.” When Giles looked up, the library door was swinging back and forth, with no Buffy in sight. He adjusted his glasses, then went back to his reading, pouring over the writing for any clue that might help them.
Pairing: None
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: I don't own these characters
Buffy sighed as she rooted through the stacks for something useful about Angelus that could help her fight him. For the most part it was all tales of the carnage that he left in his wake, with a few odd entries from the Watchers' Diaries thrown in about favorite holiday pastimes, 'family' outings that always seemed to end in horror, or behavior that seemed normal enough. As she was rifling through a book (wincing at some of the graphic sketches that were, of course, included) she heard Giles call out, “Buffy, come here please.”
She gave the book one last glance and then yelled back, “I'll be right there, Giles!” When she emerged from the stacks she found him studying a page from one of the other diaries. “Well? Did you find anything that could help us?”
“Maybe. Have a look at this.”
She glanced at the page he pointed at, barely able to make out something about vampire and hunters in the hurried scribbles. “Whoa, what happened to this guy?”
“He refers to the The Scourge of Europe trailing him, says he's comes across several bodies which he believes are his victims, and he makes mention of a gypsy camp nearby and then the entries stop suddenly. I can't help but believe that he must have been attacked, quite likely very soon before Angelus received his curse.”
“So does that mean that he knew how it happened?” Buffy was starting to get excited. “Do you think there's something in that book that can tell us how to resoul him?”
Giles shook his head. “We'd need the spell itself and the supplies, and we don't even know what those were. Since he mentions the gypsy camp, it's doubtful that he knew anything about performing the ritual himself. We don't even know if he was aware that such a ritual existed. I'm sorry, Buffy, but in all likelihood, that ritual and any chance of restoring Angel has been completely lost.”
Buffy didn't say anything, just picked up another book and started looking through it. After a little while had gone by, she asked, “Do you think that there's still some part of him in there? Angel, I mean.”
“Probably not. When vampires lose their soul they lose their ability to care. He isn't Angel anymore. He's Angelus.”
“But Spike cares for Drusilla.”
“Spike is clearly a anomaly but most vampires lead a solipsistic lifestyle.”
“Whoduwhnh? Can I get that translated please?”
“Solipsistic. It means that you act as if there is no one else around you. Your own wishes and thoughts and desires are the only things that matter.”
“Okaaaayyyyy. So basically they act as if they're the only living person on the planet.”
“Exactly.”
“Well, all the SAT talk is making me tired, so can we just get back to what we were doing please?”
“Certainly.”
Buffy got up to check the stacks for anything else when Willow pushed the door open and popped her head inside. “Buffy, time to study!”
“Huh?”
“The chemistry exam? You remember, tomorrow? We're studying in Ms Calendar's room because you didn't want to go to your house,” she reminded her.
“Oh, yeah, sure. I'm on my way.”Buffy replied. “See you later Giles.”
“Yes, of course. Go on, then.” When Giles looked up, the library door was swinging back and forth, with no Buffy in sight. He adjusted his glasses, then went back to his reading, pouring over the writing for any clue that might help them.