"Bitter Sea"
Notes: I obviously do not own Angel
O0O
"You know, when I suggested we go to the beach, I thought someone would be in the water," Fred said, gesturing at the ocean before them.
The two men at her side said nothing. Gunn rolled on to his stomach, enjoying the heat from the sun. Connor buried his feet in the sand.
"C'mon, Connor! Why don't you play with me in the water?" Fred suggested, getting up and taking two steps toward the water before she realized he wasn't following her.
"Don't you know how to swim?"
Connor stared at the beach, distractedly shifting the sand around his fingers.
"Fred asked you a question," Gunn reprimanded, playing the role of brusque father-figure.
"No. The larger bodies of water in Quor'toth were either corrosive or too dangerous to enter."
A cheerful smile bloomed on Fred's face, "Well, I can fix that!"
For about a half-hour, Fred taught Connor the basics to swimming. Once he got a feel for it, Connor was a natural. He raced Gunn and got into splash wars with Fred. They went back to the Hyperion with sun baked bodies and laughter in their hearts.
Recalling the memory, Fred's face twisted into a sneer. She had taught Connor to swim in the same ocean he'd sunk Angel. With satisfied vengeance, Fred stuck Connor with the taser again.
She had trusted him, and bought his lies. She wouldn't ever make that mistake again.