The screams were unbearble to listen to. So many people were still trapped on board as the majestic ship rose higher and higher. Idiots the officers were.
Angel had been out looking up at the stars on the third class Well-Deck when he heard the door behind him opening. Emerging from the lighted hall were a young couple, dancing around and laughing happily, looking warmer than those inside. Angel ducked into into the shadows to not be noticed. But they were too held up in their love and happiness to notice anyone else, not even the peeping toms in the crow's nest.
The vampire wondered if he'd ever be that happy again, never had he felt real happiness since he had been brought over to the dark side more than a century before. Why did he do such a stupid thing as to ask that girl to see her world? Probably because he was blind from the alcohol he'd consumed at the tavern.
His brooding was interupted by the shrill ringing of the crow's nest bell. Three rings and assorted yells from above and from the bridge only could mean one thing. Angel looked straight up and forward to see a mountain looming, right in front of the bow.
"Oh, crap, " he whispered. He could feel the ship turning slightly starboard. But unfortuneatly the mountain, actually an iceberg, was too close.
There was a jolt as the ice scrapped along side the ship and tons of ice rained down on him, the couple in front of him, and the deck.
The pounding of ice continued further aft and disappeared into the night.
"Smell ice can you? Bloody Christ!" Angel heard one of the lookouts mutter to his.companion. The vampire didn't take another look towards the forecastle. He turned and rushed through the door leading to the third class cabins to get his food supply and his roommate.
It was now almost two and a half hours later and Angel had escaped onto one of the lifeboats. But how did he get there while all those other people were still stuck on the sinking ship? This was just adding to the guilt of the countless people he'd killed in his more than a century as a heartless, uncaring creature of the night. He was unable to focus anymore from the throbbing guilt, but unable to look away. All he could do was listen to the thousand voices of the frightened. Of the damned.
The voices soon stopped as the stern of Titanic rose higher and higher and finally plunged. Two and a half hours after striking the iceberg, the "unsinkable" ship had sunk, taking 1, 500 people with her.
Angel felt tears of sorrow and pity.coming into his eyes. He turned away and looked into the sky, knowing that was the only thing that ever calmed him at night. His eyes felt droopy and before long, the cries of the doomed in the water had somehow helped him drift asleep.
Something tingling in his skin alerted his brain of an approching danger. Dawn.
"Angelus. Angelus?" whispered a familiar voice. He lifted his head and sat up, through blurred eyes seeing his best friend Nickolis. He had met Nickolis at the docks in France, where they boarded the doomed ship together. Angel had discovered that, though he wasn't a real vampire, he too fed off blood and avoided sunlight. He was like a hybrid, he wasn't fully brought over. He was just given enough blood to acquire some vampire traits.
"What?"
"Shouldn't we be worried of the sunlight, friend?" Nickolis' hazel eyes were full of worry, looking to the horizon.
"If we happen to get caught, just put your jacket over your head and try to avoid people or the sun. "
"You two!" barked a British accent. The friends turned to see Fifth Officer Lowe glaring at them. "You seem like strong lads. Help us look for live bodies!"
Not wanting an angry officer on their hands, they replied, "Yes, sir!" and turned their attention to the body-filled water. Nickolis knew this was torture for Angel to see all the dead humans again. He followed his squinting friend's look out over the bobbing heads to a small plank of wood. Though far and faint, both could here the slow pulsing of two hearts, nearly frozen and near death.
"Sir, look out there. " Angel pointed to the plank and Lowe pulled the flashlight in the direction. The frozen hair gleamed under the light.
"Is there anyone alive out there?" Lowe called. No answer, except the gentle lapping of the water.
"I know they're alive. I can. . . feel it. "
"We have no time for nonsense. Now stop fooling around and help look!" The officer turned away and told the oarsman to continue on. Nickolis and Angel just kept looking to the wood, knowing they were alive and that Lowe was wrong. But the boat drifted away and the heartbeats almost disappeared. After a few minutes of listening to Lowe yell his question, there was the sound of slight movement only audible to the vampire and the hybrid.
"I know they're alive, damn it!" Nickolis whispered angrily.
"I know you know, but the British are so damn persistant with knowing they're right. Those two are moving towards us, so if they make it. . . " Angel drifted off, listening to the faint blowing of a whistle. "Hear that?"
Soon the whistling came louder and more distinct. Lowe turned around and yelled "Come about!"
The whistling was louder now, and joined by more yelling, hoarse, "Over here! Please!" The light beam flashed over the dead bodies to a pair of floaters by a dead Chief Officer Wilde. A girl had his whistle in her mouth, and the boy beside her was doing the yelling. "Please! This water is cold as hell!"
"Right, " Lowe said. "Hold on one minute!" he yelled to the floaters. "Oarsmen, we need to head. . . west. Now. "
"Hurry!" called a female's voice. Angel and Nickolis kept their eyes on the two as the lifeboat swirved through the bodies and eventually got to the couple. First they hoisted in the frostbitten boy. His legs were frozen together and he was barely alive now. Next came the girl. Several men struggled to get her in, since their hands were freezing and they had to hurry. There was a loud rip as Nickolis grasped one of the pockets of her jacket, and out fell a small bag.
"Oh no! My money satchel!"
"Sorry, Miss, but it's headed to the bottom. " a sailor told her as he helped her in.
"Not if I have anything to do with it. " Angel said breathlessly. He took off his jacket, stood up and dived over the edge, rocking the boat violently.
"No! You bloody stupid-"
"Angelus!" Nickolis yelled. His friend disappeared from view, into the black water. The sailors shook their heads in disapprovement and sadness and started to row away when the hybrid yelled at them, "No! Angel will be back!"
"Face it boy! You're friend is gone!" barked an Irishman to his left.
Suddenly, several splashes came from beside the boat and there from the water appeared a hand. Then Angel's head emerged. He took a deep gasp, just to appear human, and treaded in the freezing water.
"Don't just look there, Nick! Help me in damn it!" Nickolis grabbed his hand, and by himself, hoisted Angel in. Several women who had woken up sighed with relief and started whispering amongst themselves.
"You're bloody mental, man!" Lowe said to the wet vampire.
"Anything for a lady. " Angel handed the soaking bag to the rescued girl and smiled at her.
"Thank you very much, Sir. " The girl smiled back and turned to the boy who'd been rescued also.
"You're dead in the head, you know that Angelus? Did the gypsies blow a few brain cells when they restored your soul?" Angel couldn't help but laugh, but also felt a deep pain from the memory of those he killed re-emerging in his mind.
"The boy has no parents, probably. That's why. . . " whispered an old first class lady in the boat that was tied to boat 14. The vampires just rolled their eyes and tried to ignore the steadily growing sensation telling them about the approching sun. . .
* * *
"Angel? You okay? Hello?" Buffy called, waving her hand in front of his face.
"What? Huh? N-oh, Buffy. Sorry, I was just lost in thought. " Angel tried to chuckle and set the small velvet satchel back on the table.
"That wasn't just a thought Angel. You were asleep. " Willow pointed out to him, looking at him with a worried look on her face. "We've been trying to call you back for at least a minute. What happened?"
"N-Nothing. I've. . . got to get home. I'm a little disturbed by having vistors from another. . . time here. " Angel looked at Jack and Rose, getting a pained look on his face and stood up.
"I'll walk you home then. " Buffy offered, standing up too.
"No. I was going to take a longer way, clear my. . . head. "
The slayer was silent for a few seconds. She brushed her hand against his check and replied, "Okay. See you tomorrow?"
"Probably. I've got to get going. " He looked at the three other people, gave a small smile, and was through the door rather quickly.
"Jumpy guy, " Jack said.
"He's been under stress lately, " Buffy lied.
"Jack, doesn't he seem familiar?" Rose asked, raising an eyebrow of familiarity. Jack pondered the question.
"Y-sorta. . . "
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