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[sith_happened]

Anakin was going to wear a path across his floor if he kept up his pacing.

And the sun wasn't going to set any faster, no matter how many times he checked out the window.

...why yes, Anakin was taking the news on the radio as a personal insult.

His friendship alpha-male off rivalry thing with Angel had always been...complicated. And his hatred for Angelus had never really gone away. Angelus'd nearly killed Rory, after all. Anakin wasn't the kind to just let that sort of thing go.

You know, ever.

So pacing. He figured it was a step up from lifting every rock on the island to figure out which one Angelus had slithered under.

The door was open.

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[sith_happened]

"No," he said in that same soft tone. He took a deep breath. "Angelus is back, love."

[auroryborealis.livejournal.com]

Rory paused.

"...I'm sorry, I totally misheard you. What was that?"

She hadn't misheard.

[sith_happened]

"You heard me," he said quietly. "I'm so, so sorry."

Because clearly this was somehow his fault.

[auroryborealis.livejournal.com]

Rory sat down slowly. "Explain," she said quietly.

[sith_happened]

"I don't know much," he said. "Angel was coming into town to do this incredibly stupid thing for Winchester's class and pretend to be Angelus. But pretending to be Angelus doesn't send Dean and Sam after him with holy water, or bring Bel and Logan back to the island. I have a bad feeling about this."

[auroryborealis.livejournal.com]

"I told him to," Rory whispered, her head sinking to her hands. "It's my fault. Has he gotten anyone?"

[sith_happened]

"Sweetheart, flip on the video feed," he replied. "I need to see your face."

He really wanted to be there, but he'd settle for this instead.

[auroryborealis.livejournal.com]

She did, numbly. "It's my fault. I told him to do it. It's my fault."

[sith_happened]

Anakin's eyes locked on hers. "It's not," he said firmly. "Rory, it's not. There's no part of this that's your fault. Tell me how you souled him last time."

[auroryborealis.livejournal.com]

"I wasn't there. Tara did it. But I don't know, beyond who was involved. I was off dying of blood loss," she said softly. "I told Angel to do the thing for Mr. Winchester. It's my fault."

[sith_happened]

Anakin's face went pale. "I remember that part," he said a little shakily. "Love, believe me, Angel never did anything he didn't want to. This isn't your fault."

And he'd keep saying that until she hung up on him or began to believe it.

[auroryborealis.livejournal.com]

"He wouldn't have gone if I hadn't told him to," she insisted.

[sith_happened]

"Angel cares about your opinion, my love, but not enough to overrule his own," he insisted back.

[auroryborealis.livejournal.com]

"He called me to convince him."

[sith_happened]

Anakin felt his heart crack for her. "Oh love, when?"

[auroryborealis.livejournal.com]

"I have no perception of time. Last week?" she guessed in a small voice.

[sith_happened]

"You have no idea how badly I want to be in Connecticut right now," he whispered. "This isn't your fault."

[auroryborealis.livejournal.com]

"Nuh uh, I'm coming there," she said, shaking her head.

[sith_happened]

"The hell you are," Anakin said before he could stop himself. "I don't want you within two states of Angelus."

[auroryborealis.livejournal.com]

"You can't tell me what to do. I'm coming after my final," she said stubbornly.

[sith_happened]

Anakin ran his hands through his hair. "Why?" he asked quietly. "Why do you need to be here?"

[auroryborealis.livejournal.com]

"Because you are."

[sith_happened]

Anakin's expression softened noticably. "Oh."

[auroryborealis.livejournal.com]

"And I want to help," she added. "I'll be safe, believe me."

[sith_happened]

"Because I'll be with you the whole time," Anakin said at his most stubborn.