Disclaimer: I own nothing present (Locations, Characters, etc.) in the following story, I intend to make no profit off of it. Please don't sue me, there is is nothing to get anyway.
Spoilers: Buffy the Vampire Slayer thru Season 7, Angel the Series thru Season 5
To Hell with the World
Chapter 1: A Friend for Wesley
The law offices of the Los Angeles branch of Wolfram & Hart were usually a hub of activity. There were always clients and staff moving into and out of the building at all hours.
Except for this day. The building was unusually quiet and empty. As if the clients of the firm knew something was terribly wrong and that staying away was probably for the best. Even the staff at the company knew something was going on, with the way the new bosses were running around trying to find to a solution to the most pressing of problems: a life and death situation.
The focus of this activity by the upper management of the firm was a sick young woman laying in a hospital bed in the medical wing. Her name was Winifred Burkle, though most people called her "Fred", and the infection she carried was slowly eating her from the inside out. It was a hollowing her out and consuming her to make way for an Old one called Illyria.
One member of this new circle of upper management was desperately trying to find a cure for Fred. Wesley was desperate for two reasons. The first was that having an Old One enter the world, in any form, could be apocalyptic. The second was that he had fallen in love with the woman in question, in fact he had been pining over her for years. She had had an on-again, off-again awareness of his affections. This had recently turned from awareness to a genuine return of said feelings and Wesley had been euphoric about it ever since. He found himself sitting at his desk poring over ancient tomes and scrolls as rapidly as possible in order to find some clue to save Fred from the prospect of an agonizing death.
At this point reality appeared in the form of one of the innumerable lawyers in the building "I'm sorry to interrupt. I just need to know if the Holbine Clan history was here. It was supposed to be faxed to my office."
At this Wesley seethed with frustration and anger while still maintaining a calm outward appearance "It can wait." while discreetly pulling a pistol from a desk drawer.
The Lawyer was unaware of the imminent danger as he replied with a bewildered "These guys are really important. I just need— I mean, the whole company can't be working Miss Burkle's case."
Wesley's grip on the pistol tightened as he started to move his hand to raise the gun while masking the movement with an eerily calm "Of course." which was punctuated by the report of the gun firing. As the lawyer fell to ground screaming and writhing in agony on the bullet hitting his knee, Wesley informed his secretary to send all similarly-minded individuals to him for the same method of persuasion. As he saw the horrified look on his assistant's face he realized what he had said and done. This surprised him, as it seemed he was not himself when Fred's condition was mentioned. The wounded man was taken to medical and Wesley was left alone by his staff who thought he was a bit crazy.
This assessment was partially shared by the man in question as he tried to work out why he reacted that way. 'I'm losing it, I haven't done anything like that since those cyborgs attacked us.' One of the cyborgs, pretending to be Wesley's father, had threatened Fred and had been blown away without any hesitation on Wesley's part. Wesley had been fooled by the pretense completely and so it was that he had to choose between his father and Fred. The choice was made instinctually, as if there had been no choice at all. There his mind stopped 'Of course, it always comes back to her, and now she's dying.' At this thought he stopped thinking and simply sat staring at a blank template book before him.
'If she dies, how could I deal with that, the answer is I-I' Wesley did not shed tears normally, even in situations where it would have been perfectly acceptable, such as when he been shot and he had thought he was going to die. He didn't intend to weep now, as he had promised himself he would not fall apart until there was no hope left. The flesh and the mind may have been resolute with this promise but the spirit was a different matter. So, again, as if it was someone else in control, tears began to drip onto the blank page. If Wesley had not wrapped up in own thoughts over the possibility of losing the woman he had loved for so long, he might have noticed the slight glow emanating from the template.
After the glimmer was over, a message appeared on the page. It was uncalled for, which was unusual for the templates, as they had to be instructed to display information. Wesley looked down, a bit startled, and read the partially filled page.
Wes, stop that crying right now, its not gonna help you save her. It's like your back in Sunnydale, with that high-pitched shriek you made after saving me from that freaky vamp double of Willow. Sheesh, I didn't think you could get any louder and more wimpy than that. Anyway, back to the point, which is that we can save Fred.
It won't be easy, especially given what's killing her. Below this are three spells which will give you a chance, and a slim one at that, to avert what you seem to think will be a disaster and a total meltdown for yourself. This is going to be extremely painful for her. The first spell is one to try and transfer some of that to you. This is going to hurt very much, it's not going to be a paper-cut, it'll be more like getting tortured by Faith, only worse. You'll know when to use it. Now, Wesley, this next spell will be more trying for you. You will have to watch Fred die, or at least almost, my boss tells me this little piece of magic will a cause a temporal disruption, he said you would know what that meant. You will have to wait until she says her last words. You have to use the next spell right after you use the second one, as this will be your way to talk someone who can help. Trust me, Wesley, I know how you feel about her. That might be enough to save her.
Wesley had remembered when they had found out what was happening to Fred. Spike had immediately replied with an emphatic "No. Not this girl. Not this day." Wesley had thought he had found a friend in that comment, and it seemed he had found another, seemingly unlooked for, in his search for the key Fred's survival.
