DISCLAIMER: Angel the series and its characters are the property of Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy. No infringement intended.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Originally posted to my fanfiction.net account under the same title.
ARCHIVING: Only with the permission of the author.
FEEDBACK: To howlingturtle[at]hotmail.com
Not to Plan (Alternative Ending)
By SilverTurtle
Shit. Shit, shit, shit, was all Lilah Morgan could think as she hurriedly walked away from the burning wreckage of yet another spectacularly failed project to gain more power for the demonic law firm Wolfram & Hart. The Senior Partners are not going to like this. Fuck.
Angel and his crew had once again busted into her operations and killed a majority of those involved and preventing Lilah from making the deal that would have garnered the firm a solid foothold in this dimension. Lilah wasn't sure if Angel's gang knew she had been involved yet, but she was betting that when they did discover that mess was hers they'd be coming after her guns blazing. I have to get out of here, she thought to herself. I need to lay low for a while, let this entire thing blow over. Then, when things calm down, I can make a triumphant return…now I just have to think of a plan that will make that return triumphant.
But fuck, she thought, I am so sick of those goody two-shoes butting in and ruining all my best work. What does it take to shut them down and let the megalomaniacal firm take over the world? Really? What is it going to take?
Her thoughts were rudely interrupted by the loud ringing of her cell phone. She knew that ring tone, though she'd never heard it from her phone before. The Senior Partners. Shit. "Good evening," she said into her phone as she flipped it open.
"Miss Morgan," she heard the ethereal voices of the demonic powers over the line say, "you've failed us. Again." Nope, they were definitely not pleased. Lilah felt fear, the first real fear she'd ever felt since joining the firm, take root in her gut. This is not how she wanted her first contact with them to be. She had hoped to make a good impression.
"I can explain, sirs," Lilah began reasonably.
"We're tired of excuses, Miss Morgan," those ghastly voices intoned, "You've failed us for the last time."
Oh fuck. Lilah knew what that meant. That meant that her time was limited and rapidly dwindling.
"This is just a courtesy call, Miss Morgan. You are no longer in our employ. We suggest you settle your affairs." Nothing more was said and the dial tone came through loud and clear.
Goddammit all to hell! Lilah thought. I know too much. They'll never let me get away clean. Shit. They've probably already sent out their assassins. Fuck. What now? What now? Maybe if I run to Angel's crew they'll protect me…she had to scoff at herself, as if Angel would ever protect her. She'd been the cause of a majority of their problems for the last few years. They would not forgive her, and there's no guarantee that they'd even believe her if she did go to them.
That left one option. Run.
But she knew already that no matter how far or how fast she ran, the Senior Partners would have her head. They always won in the end. They had nearly limitless resources to send after her and they were immortal. And she was only one weak human after all. There's no way she'd be able to keep ahead of demon assassins for long. She might be able to get herself another day, maybe, if she left immediately and didn't stop for any reason. She knew it wouldn't work, but she refused to accept her fate quietly. The least she could do is lose them some valuable business before she died.
She readied her phone, but before she could make any calls to former clients shadows detached themselves from the walls of the alley around her. She was surrounded before she realized it.
An unusually perky voice spoke from directly in front of her, "Look boys, it's a meal on heels."
Lilah looked up sharply into the vamped out face of a short blonde while the male vampires around her dutifully laughed menacingly.
Fan-fucking-tastic, Lilah thought, just what I needed. Why do they think they're all so clever? 'Meal on heels', she's probably pretty proud of that one. "Look, Vampire Barbie, I don't have time to play with you tonight. Move along before I get upset." She was all bluff and they all knew it.
The lead vamp smirked at her, "The name's Harmony." Her voice disgustingly perky, "Let's be friends," she hissed as she slithered towards Lilah prepared to take a bite.
Suddenly a loud pop echoed from behind Lilah and Harmony paused mere centimeters from her neck, where her pulse was racing. The vamp looked over Lilah's shoulder to one of her goons with a frown plastered firmly on her face.
"Joel," she said sweetly, a note of menace lacing her tone, "what have I told you about bubblegum?"
Joel, the hapless fool, looked confused for a moment before he replied dumbly, "Don't chew it unless I have enough for everyone…And never pop it during your dramatic moments."
"Right," Harmony replied, falsely bright, "Did you bring enough for everyone?"
Joel shook his head slowly, looking like a chastened little boy, "No, sire."
"Then spit it out," the blonde vamp commanded. When he puckered his lips to obey Harmony screeched, "In a trash can! We're vampires not litter bugs! Gross!"
Great, Lilah thought, not only am I going to die tonight. I don't even get to be killed by a skilled demonic assassin sent by the Senior Partners. I'm going to be eaten by this environmentally conscious vampire bimbo and her failed frat boy crew. Just fucking great. What the hell did I ever do to deserve this? Then she remembered she'd tried to help demons take over the world and kill off all of humanity…many times. All for the faint chance that those demons may let her live and give her a mere taste of power. Well fuck this, Lilah mentally spat.
She tried to make a break for it while Harmony was distracted with her minions, only to be snagged before going three steps. The look Harmony gave her was full of pity. Well, shit. You had to know you were truly pathetic when a vamp as lame as this one pitied you. Fucking swell.
That was it. That was just fucking it! Lilah was sick and tired of being pushed around by demons. The fuckers can't even stand sunlight. How all powerful could they be? It was then she realized she'd been playing for the wrong team for too long. She should have been protecting humanity; she was a part of it after all. She wanted the chance to make amends, to take back all the evil she'd done. She tried to struggle, but it was ineffectual. She had no weapons and no strength to speak of. She was done for.
"Where did you think you were going?" the blonde bimbo asked her curiously, like a cat toying with a mouse.
Lilah cursed herself when she felt tears prick her eyes and trickle down her cheeks, she spoke in a quavering voice, "I-I don't want to—to die." She realized as she said it that it was true. She wasn't ready yet. She knew she was going to Hell. Knew for a fact that Hell existed; several Hells actually. And what was left of her withered soul was going to one of them. She was irredeemable. It was a painful realization, learning that you'd worked all your life towards one goal so you could have a taste of power only to discover that in the end you never really got that taste and never would. I've wasted my life. I should have joined Wesley when I could have. At least I'd have been getting laid.
"Poor thing," Harmony cooed at her, "I really feel for you."
A glimmer of hope blossomed in Lilah's heart, the heart she'd long thought dead, "Does that mean you'll let me go?"
"Oh, no!" Harmony said, almost apologetically, "See. I'm trying to build my reputation. And the way to do that is to rack up a lot of kills. You're dead meat!" she finished brightly.
FUCK! Lilah couldn't imagine this airhead was going to kill her. At the very least, she thought, I deserve to be killed by a real fucking vampire! Not this half-assed vampire Barbie. I'd rather be killed by whatever demon the Senior Partners send after me than sired by this blockhead. Not that I have a choice now. Damn it!
"Lovely," Lilah said sarcastically, but it went right over Harmony's head.
"Great!" the chipper vampire said, "Let's get started!" With that said Harmony pulled Lilah's back flush against her front, yanked Lilah's hair from her neck and bit down with a squelch.
Lilah screamed in agony. It can't end like this! Being sucked dry by this pathetic excuse for a vampire! I deserve to be dismembered by a stronger demon, surely. For all the evil I've done. But no, I get the happiest little vampire in the city. She probably fucking farts rainbows. Bitch. I'm probably more evil than this pest could ever be. Damn it! I deserve better! Where the fuck is a goddamned Fyarl demon when you need one?
Shit. And I didn't even get to make a dent in the Senior Partners' client list. Fuck a succubus. This is just ridiculous.
As Lilah's world went black she heard Harmony say, "Leave her where others can find her. She'll be a good message that this is my turf. The new ruthless Harmony has arrived."
Alone, furious, and unfulfilled, she died.
The End