Rating: R Pairing: Wesley/Angel, Wes/Lilah mentioned Spoilers: all Season 3 AtS Summary: Wesley reflects on his position. Disclaimer: Jodd Whedon, Mutant Enemy, et all, owns the
characters. They make the money. I write the fic and make
none. Warnings: Religious views that may not sit well with
everyone. So be it. The debate over Judas Iscariot is a fact.
It is happening. My personal religious views don’t matter
here and honestly, I don’t want yours if you are going to try
to fight me on them. What a person believes is their right.
No offense is meant by this fic or the warning. Notes: This is one of those fics that demanded to be
written. It would not sit quiet in my head until it came out.
Pushy thing. Thank yous are bestowed, as always, to my
wonderful Evil Twin, Wyrdchaos. Thank you for your
paitence, creativity and amazing support!
Judas Iscariot, the ultimate traitor. The one who Dante put
in the worst level of Hell, and thank you Lilah, I knew that.
What most people refuse to believe, to even conceive of, is
that he may have been the man who loved Jesus most.
Biblical scholars are debating that very thing. Did Judas
betray Jesus Christ, or did he do him the ultimate act of
devotion? Did Jesus know the man some believe to be an
assassin would be the only one who’s faith was strong
enough, his love great enough, to elevate the Lord’s Son to
his heavenly place? The other Apostles, tearing apart by
arguments and potential greed, wouldn’t have been able to
kill their Lord. Judas though, Judas’ love and devotion was
so strong he took the curse, the silver and did his sacred
duty. Did what Jesus bade him.
I believe this. I have to. It’s all I have left.
You see, Angel asked me, once upon a time, to kill him.
Begged me to not let him turn to Angelus again. The drugs
that changed him scared him nearly to life that it could be
that easy. When he was slowly going mad over Darla, I
didn’t. I couldn’t. I was weak. Thank God that turned out
okay.
I don’t think Angel is Jesus Christ. He’s far too worldly
bound for that elevation. But he does have the quality of
mystic to him. He has his quest, his redemption. Strangely,
in a way, Cordelia, Gunn, Fred and myself are his apostles.
We sit at his feet, washing away sins in a perverse turn, a
parody, of Mary Magdalene four fold. We offer the penance
and gratitude he so desperately needs. Mayhaps Conner fits
the Jesus role, the son come to do the bidding of the father.
I don’t know. Too much education and scotch for me to
think clearly anymore. At least I know the boy is alive as
surely as I know my role now.
Lilah didn’t have to tell me my place. I knew it intimately
the moment Angel placed the pillow over my face. Traitor...
except when someone needs something. Damn Gunn for
throwing Fred in my face. Damn her for her revelation of
the falsehood of the prophecy. Damn them all for their
shortsightedness. They won’t be able to kill Angel if he
needs it now. Not even bad ass Charles Gunn. Perhaps
Conner will. He’s surely been fed Holtz’s hate by now no
matter what solidarity the boy showed at the club.
They cannot let him turn to evil again. Cannot let him fall
under the purview of Wolfram and Hart. Lilah thinks they
would be able to control Angelus if he ever emerged again.
What a fool. If it happens, when it happens, the look will be
exquisite. One I’d savor. It would be much like the one on
her face when I drove hard into her. Eyes wide, lips open
and trembling to see such supposed goodness be so viscous.
Yes, she thinks she’s as evil, as hard as it gets. Poor
deluded child. She can’t even scratch the surface.
Did I? Not hardly, but I’m not so blind that I can’t
recognize the evil within. I suppose, since I work... worked
with Angel, was friends with him, loved him, that one
would think I was blind to it. Never. I’ve been trained
better, despite what my father and the Counsel thinks. I just
happen to be able to recognize good as well. How else can
one make comparisons? How else could one keep a vigil
without that knowledge?
How are the others going to do that? Angelus comes back
and there won’t be a whole throat left to scream. Perhaps
he’ll even turn one or two of them as a sick joke. I could
always stick a spear in his side and run. Hope to be damned
like that Roman soldier. Damned to roam the earth eternally
waiting. Waiting and watching, keeping the evil at bay?
Hrm, arrogance comes with the bottle as well.
Yes, I cannot afford to delude myself except here at home,
doors and windows tightly locked and protected. If I were
to cross Angel’s path again, he will kill me. Perhaps, if that
happens, he will have had enough time to remember the
past and make it quick. Remember all the times he cried
and I held him. The times he sucked me off, seeking
apologies and the only connection he could make. The
times I sucked him, seeking the love and affection I knew
he couldn’t bestow to me fully. I loved him. I still do. I
probably always will, even if he never knows it.
I do know he’ll never forgive. I have my proof in the letter
on the table. I found it this morning, slipped under the door.
‘One day, Wesley. We have unfinished business. Sleep
while you can.’
It was signed with his flowing ‘A’. I know that, some night,
perhaps tomorrow or next year, he will find me. Find me
out somewhere and God, let him be quick. Did Judas want
this? I think he did.