Disclaimer: I own nothing below except the plot. All characters, locations, and concepts are owned under their respective copyrights.
Spoilers and Timeline: Angel up to the episode "Forgiving"
A Monster
Chapter 1: Resignation and Negotiation
"You thought I was going to turn evil and kill my son. I didn't turn into Angelus. It's important to me that you know that. This isn't Angelus talking to you, it's me, Angel. You know that, right?"
Angel stared at the nearly dead man in the hospital bed who simply nodded in response. The nod was the only way he could respond as he had a large bandage over his throat that was covering a knife wound. He received the wound earlier that night from someone he had foolishly trusted.
Wesley thought he knew what was going to happen next until Angel pulled a small smokey-black sphere and uttered quietly "sepelio" and the sphere dissolved. Black runes typical of a concealment spell appeared on the walls and then disappeared entirely. The monitoring machines hooked up to Wesley began showing unchanging vital signs. Angel smirked at this and Wesley became concerned. He signaled for Angel to stop and motioned to a pen and pad of paper nearby. Angel handed it to him. Wesley knew the word Angel had said meant to bury or destroy. He suspected Angel meant both. He scribbled out a quick message.
"You're going to kill me, aren't you?"
Angel stared at the message and his expression softened "Well, Wes, I seriously thought about it." Wesley signed in relief at this but Angel continued "Oh, don't think for one second I'm sparing you. I mean I have forgiven you for taking Connor, you were trying to protect him, I can't forgive you for losing him." Wesley responded.
"Well, what are you going to do then?"
Angel smiled "I want you to live with the failure, ideally for a long, long time, centuries if possible." Wesley became horrified and his eyes darted around for some form of rescue, but he knew the spell was still in place.
"No, please, no. You would let a creature of pure evil take my body?"
Angel chuckled at this, "Only for a little while, I promise to put your soul back as quickly as possible, I still need your help to find Connor. And Wes it's not like you have much choice here." Wesley thought he saw an opening, a chance to stave off the coming horror.
"Why not let me live then? I can go away and still help you get Connor back."
The expression on Angel's face became clouded with anger as he nearly shouted, "Didn't you hear me Wesley, You failed my son! There has to be a price for that. Also, I am tired of being the only inhuman fighter of this group. I remember what it was like back when I was with the Whirlwind or in Sunnydale when I was fighting alongside or against Buffy. To have help in a fight that wasn't human. To know that at the end of it, I wouldn't need to worry about them being in a place like this, like you are right now." Wesley did one long blink.
"I see, well the Loa was right, pain and agony were in my future, I guess I was seeking death. You won't let me hurt anyone will you?"
Angel was surprised "You went to see a Loa, it was about Connor and the prophecy, right, why did it say you were seeking death? It wasn't just because of the prophecy that you took Connor, what else was it?" Wesley stared steadily back.
"It said the pain in my heart was begging for it. Holtz threatened to attack you and everyone else, and I couldn't risk that and you possibly killing Connor."
Angel glanced around, the spell was going to wear off soon, "I understand Wesley, thank you, I will do my best to make sure you don't hurt anyone, I will make a deal with you, if you help me get Connor back, if will do everything I can to help you deal with that pain." Wesley nodded
"I guess that's it then, make it quick, if you can, and get me back to the Hyperion as quickly as possible, I should turn in a few hours. And make sure to get my soul, I won't be able to help without it."
Angel nodded and his face changed to show the demon within. He almost gently moved the bandage on Wesley's neck aside. Then his demeanor changed and he attacked, biting deep into the side of Wesley's neck. Wesley had closed his eyes in preparation and they flew open and darted frantically around as his body struggled to survive even while his mind had accepted what was going to happen. His hands spasmed and shook for a moment and went limp as his eyes became fixed and wide open. Angel waited for the right moment before he fed Wesley his own blood to complete the process.
Angel replaced the bandage, cleaned himself up, and left to get Fred and Gunn to move Wesley's body back to the Hyperion. It was only after Wesley had been discharged against medical advice and taken by his friends that the room returned to normal and the monitoring machines resumed normal operation.