FIC: The Flow (9/10)

[stefzis@xxxxxxxxx]

Catch you on the flipside,
Stef

Title: The Flow
Chapter 8: The Pawn Queen
Rating: R
Disclaimer: Joss Whedon owns it all right?
Note: Special thanks to Cheryl and Cilia
Summary: Set after the serie's end, kind of hard to put into words 
really. Who is the Pawn Queen?

Chapter 8: The Pawn Queen

She's my pawn queen. I realized this not long after our first meeting 
after the Peking experience. The forces that are manipulating her are 
so far beyond her limited scope that she would have a nice little 
nervous breakdown if she ever realized it. Realize that I am 
manipulating her. I'm quite good at that you see, manipulating 
things. I use various methods, my knowledge, my magic or my body. 
Whatever it takes I do it. 

That's why I'm riding Xander right now. Granted he's always a 
challenge, but I don't lose. With him it's uniquely different than 
with Buffy, he has no illusions of being in charge. It's also more 
fun since there is no guilt involved here. It has its tender moments 
and I'm not something he must conquer or beg forgiveness from. He's 
the bishop knight, the only one of us who still clings to the true 
light like a drowning man. 

Under all his priestly garments he's a man, his skin looks so dark 
rubbing against my pale flesh. But we are the same, bundles of 
muscles and skin, sculpted by the life we lead and unavoidably scared 
by it. Still my scars pale in comparison to his, but he moved on 
while I did not. The strength of his soul no doubt, he has always 
been the strong one. Rebounding back from every tragedy and returning 
stronger each time. Of the many men and women I have met over the 
course of the years he is the only one I respect. Still he knows my 
plans now and he must be made to forget and contribute his part. Yes 
I am a ruthless bastard, but he loves me anyway.

I feel the rush approaching and after it has past I vanish into the 
night again, leaving him alone with his prayers and his true light, 
hopefully not too tainted by my touch. The mission is accomplished 
and I go leave now, no need to stick around except for one last thing.

I enter the study and find the pawn queen sitting in her chair 
staring at the fire. She's brooding and I can't help to think: If 
Angel could only see her now. It's funny really watching her brood 
and not say a word as I explain things. The way things are going to 
be from now on, how she's going to stay away from my city and if she 
ever touches me again I will smear her along Oxford Street. I won't 
be used anymore, I have come to realize this and that is the only 
reason I came here. And she just sits there, silent, having her 
nervous breakdown as I go into the details of my plan. Then as the 
last blow I turn around and say:
"I love you." 
And that's it, I left the next morning as the rain seized and my 
replacement arrived. I'm not stupid. The Four are necessary in the 
grand scheme of things so Dawn will be taking over for me. The Flow 
can't be stopped, but it can be manipulated and that's what I have 
done. Manipulated so that I am finally free from my little circle of 
abus I shake hands with the Key and speed away. Maybe I won't erase 
the taxi driver's memories this time around though.

To Be Concluded?