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This chapter shall cover Angel 4x16, but ONLY the Gunn/Gwen stuff, because rest of it won't be happening due to Jasmine and Skip already done with.

After this, there'll be about 2 more chapters to finish this fic up.

Chapter 16- Not just muscle

"Cordelia, hey", Angel sat near Cordelia on her bed. "Well, at least the thing using you is gone now, so is Skip, who was working for it all along, so, no one will use you now."

Angel sighed and then said. "I'm sorry, I should have seen it sooner, the thing possessing you wasn't acting all that much like you, but I…..I ignored my instincts, and you paid the price. I'm sorry."

Struggling not to break down, Angel kissed her forehead and whispered. "Come back to me. We need you."

Sitting back up, Angel looked at her sadly and added. "I need you."

"Angel."

"Yes Wesley", Angel asked as he turned around to face his friend, schooling his expression so as to not let Wesley see how he was feeling.

"Gwen Raiden is here", Wesley revealed.

"Why?" Angel asked.

"Well, she needs someone to help her in a jam", Wesley shrugged as Angel got up to face him.

"I'd love to help but-"

"Not you, she wants Gunn, he went with her", Wesley told Angel, who seemed surprised, but then shrugged.

"Well, hope he manages to help her out", Angel assured as he turned back to the comatose Cordelia.

"She will pull through Angel, she has always been the strongest us of all of us", Wesley reminded him. "She has been through things neither of us ever have."

"I know", Angel whispered. "She'll come back to us."

At Gwen's apartment, Gunn picked up a small jade tiger figurine from a table and examined it. "So why me?"

"I told you, I need a suave guy in a tight spot."

Gunn laughed. "Suave." He asked about the tiger. "You been collecting these for a while?"

Gwen replied. "Yeah, I get one each trip. Just brought the dolphin back from Tahiti." She then asked. "You collect anything when you travel?"

"Umm… yeah. I got a big old scar on my thigh from Boyle Heights, a piece of vamp stake I picked up a while back in Alhambra and a couple of burn marks on my hip from Encino. Yep, name a town, I'll show you the souvenir", Gunn shrugged.

"I didn't mean to—"

"Nah, I'm not complaining. Hell, I've seen more here than most people seen traveling around the world. Someday, maybe. So what's so big and bad that Electro-Gwen needs my super-suave assistance? Something about a girl in trouble? " Gunn reminded Gwen of her words when she had first come to them.

Gwen now gave him the relevant information. "Yeah, I did a little black bag dealio for this corp. Happens all the time. Company A hires me to make sure Company B's thingamabob doesn't so much bob as bust."

Gunn realized. "And Company A gets a multi-million dollar payday."

"Right. But this time Company B fought back. They kidnapped this girl." Gwen handed Gunn a photo of a young Asian girl.

"Her name's Lisa. She's the daughter of the guy who hired me to do the dirty work."

"And nobody can go to the cops 'cause—"

"Of what I did", Gwen cleared it up. "So you see? It's my fault. I have to save her and I can't do it alone."

She took out some papers and handed them to him. He looked at her curiously when he saw the edges were scorched and burned.

"Don't ask. This is everything I could get on the man who's holding her. His name is Takeshi Morimoto. He's the head honcho of the company I tanked. He's promised to kill the girl if Company A doesn't come clean about what they did."

Gunn knew who this guy in the picture was. "This dude's a serious player. Chairman Emeritus, honorary degrees, all kinds of charity work. Cancer research, wildlife preservation… the zoo committee? Whoa, bank fraud, smuggling, money laundering…"

"And now kidnapping."

"This guy know about you?"

"Nope. That's why I think we have a shot at getting to the girl", Gwen took out a set of blueprints and spread them out on a table. "They're keeping her at his compound. It's gated, armed guards, infrared surveillance, dogs, the works. If we're going to have half a chance…" She saw him smirking. "You're gonna have to stop grinning like that and share the joke with the entire class. You think this is impossible?"

Gunn replied to her. "No, I think it's fantastic. Listen, I've spent most of this year trapped in what I can only describe as a turgid supernatural soap opera. The fact that I have the chance to go out and really help somebody, well, it feels good to be doing good. So how are we breaking in to Fort Knox?"

Gwen's answer took him by surprise.

"We're walking in the front door."

A sleek black limousine pulled up and Gunn stepped out in a tuxedo, then reached in for Gwen who was dressed in a formal red dress in the style of the Japanese geisha. They joined a group of other similarly attired guests and made their way into the mansion where a formal party was being held.

Gwen asked. "How are you doing?"

Gunn shrugged. "You tell me. I'm thinking James Bond never looked this fine."

Gwen agreed. "I'm thinking you're right."

"Of course, I'd feel better if we were packing some of his secret weapons."

Gwen pointed out. "Charles, we are the secret weapons."

They moved into line behind the other guests passing through a security screening.

"Nervous?"

"Nah, I've gotten into clubs with tighter security than this."

They walked in and first Gwen, then Gunn passed through a device shaped like an airport metal-detector. An operator nearby tapped commands into a keyboard, then watched a monitor as an infrared scan of their bodies appears on the screen.

They both passed through with no problems as Gwen said. "One down, one to go."

Gunn then inquired. "Hey, how's your electro-thing gonna do with these metal detectors?"

"Piece of cake."

They stepped forward and two security guards waved wands over their bodies, looking for concealed weapons. Finding nothing, the guards waved them forward. They stepped inside and handed their invitation to a man sitting behind a desk. He took it and scanned it with an optical reader.

Gunn started. "Now if we can just get out as easily as we got in—"

The computer emitted a shrill alarm when it scanned the invitation and Gwen and Gunn suddenly found themselves surrounded by security guards.

"Why did I even say that?" Gunn then asked. "What seems to be the problem?"

The head security guard regarded him coolly. "The electronic imprint on your invitation's been altered."

"I can explain that. I was struck by lightning", Gwen saw the guard's look. "Really." She turned to Gunn. "See how my life sucks?"

"Step this way, please", the guard noted Gunn's look. "Please don't make a scene."

Gwen started. "Little late for that, isn't it? What with the beeping and batons…"

Gunn sighed to her. "Maybe it's not our night."

Gwen shrugged. "Then we make it our night. This is my one shot, Gunn, and I'm not leaving without you-know-who."

Gunn spotted Morimoto making his way among the guests across the room.

"And if that means we do it the hard way…" Gwen started to remove her gloves.

"Uh-uh. Keep your mittens on, sparky", Gunn then called out. "Morimoto-san!"

Morimoto looked over and acknowledged him and Gunn bowed and greeted him in Japanese. Surprised, Morimoto rattled off a rapid-paced Japanese response.

Gunn smiled. "Sorry, didn't follow that last bit. Shot my entire Japanese vocabulary when I said hello."

Morimoto assured. "The gesture is still appreciated." He turned to go back to his guests.

"Mr. Morimoto, I'm Charles Gunn. We met at the zoo benefit last year?" Gunn continued off Morimoto's look. "You don't remember me, do you? Your wife held that monkey right after my girlfriend did. Ugly little gray thing— the monkey, not my girl." Gunn laughed, bringing Gwen forward. "Gwen, you remember Mr. Morimoto. We met him at the zoo benefit."

Gwen smiled and bowed. "How could I forget?"

"Mr. Morimoto, in case we don't have the opportunity to speak later, please do me the honor of accepting this humble gift", Gunn reached into his jacket and removed a small gift box, then held it out to Morimoto. "To thank you for inviting us into your beautiful home."

"You're too generous."

"Please, it's just a trinket."

Morimoto hesitated, then took the box and opened it. Inside was the jade tiger figurine from Gwen's apartment. Gwen shot Gunn an angry look.

Morimoto was surprised. "It's beautiful."

"Well, I read somewhere you love tigers."

"Truly exquisite. Thank you", Morimoto nodded and walked off, leaving Gunn and Gwen with the security guards.

The guard told the two. "If you'll follow me, please."

Gwen muttered to Gunn. "Okay, we tried it your way."

"Hang on."

"This way, please."

Gunn watched as Morimoto stopped about 20 feet away, then motioned them inside.

"All right. Go ahead."

The guard opened the velvet rope and let them in.

Wesley was looking over Lilah's letter again as Fred arrived and saw a little of it, but didn't read it as it wasn't for her, but was still dejected as she sat next to Wesley.

"Hey", she greeted him.

"Hello", he greeted back.

"Reading it again?"

"Yeah."

"How did it even happen?" Fred asked Wesley. "I want to know."

Wesley sighed, realizing that considering how their own thing had gone, he should tell her.

"We were both lost… lonely."

"No matter how lonely I was, I would never—"

"Things happen, Fred. When you're alienated from the people who care about you… you start to look other places", Wesley explained how it had happened. He hadn't realized it then, but he had started falling in love with Lilah.

"So…."

"We were fighting on opposite sides but it was the same war."

Fred was a little angry. "But you hated her." A beat. "Didn't you?"

Wesley told her not all relationships were about becoming into a lovey-dovey kissy-kiss-kiss couple. "It's not always about holding hands."

"But she is still going to remain the same, so are you", Fred pointed out, sounding concerned. "You really want to carry on?"

"I know neither of us will change our values, but well, I almost lost her…so I believe I do want to see it", Wesley sighed, hating that he had hurt Fred.

Fred looked disappointed, but she was mature enough to accept Wesley's choice. He had not thrown a fit when her and Gunn had first gotten together, had he?

Sure he had tried to make some moves on her right now but it wasn't like she herself was innocent in this matter, as she had drifted towards him when hers and Gunn's relationship had started falling apart piece by piece.

"Well, I am not going to question you or stand in your way, just, knowing what kind of person she is, be careful Wesley", Fred told him. "Please, I care about you."

"I know, thank you", Wesley said with a nod. "I will keep your advice close to my heart."

They shared a sad and bittersweet smile at that before turning away from each other.

Gwen and Gunn mingled among the party guests. "So when did you become Mr. Japanese Ambassador?"

Gunn shrugged. "Well, you watch enough samurai movies, you learn a couple of things about the culture. The first is reishiki, which is a fancy way of stressing proper etiquette at all times. The other is never underestimate the value of a thoughtful gift."

Gwen was still pissed due to that. "You mean that gift you stole."

"Yeah, sorry about that. Hope it wasn't too valuable."

"Let you in on a little secret?" Gwen opened her pocket to reveal the jade figurine resting inside.

"You stole it back?"

"It's not like 18th Century jade's falling off trucks."

Gunn chuckled, then noticed something had caught Gwen's attention. "What?" He followed her gaze across the room where a young Asian girl stood surrounded by burly security guards. "Is that her? Shouldn't she be tied to a chair or something?"

Gwen told him. "Tied up or dressed up, she's a prisoner. Look at the muscle around her. I'm going to go see if I can get a better look."

Gunn moved to follow her but she stopped him. "No. Keep an eye on Morimoto." She moved off into the crowd and Gunn turned back to watching the little girl.

A while later, Gunn stood with Morimoto and several party guests, listening as a woman with far too much jewelry went on about the recent supernatural events. "Meteor showers, earthquakes, that strange thing with the sun… I find it an exciting time to be in Los Angeles."

Morimoto agreed. "I couldn't agree more. I can't help but feel something wonderful's coming. Don't you, Mr. Gunn?"

"Well, something seemed to be coming, all right. Not anymore though. And won't call it wonderful", Gunn subtly referred to recent events.

Morimoto laughed as Gwen tapped Gunn on the shoulder. He said to Morimoto. "If you'll excuse me. Gwen, you're not gonna—" He saw Gwen's look. "What is it?"

"They're going to kill her— tonight."

Gunn was firm. "Not gonna happen."

Gwen told him. "We have to act fast. You need to get Lisa and get out."

"You mean we need to?"

Gwen told Gunn the proper plan. "No, I mean you. I'm going over to the other side of the room to create one hell of a distraction. By the time they figure out what hit 'em, you'll have her halfway to my place. This is our one shot."

"Like I said when I signed up— feels good to be doing good."

Gwen agreed. "Okay, work your way over there. Wait for my signal." Gwen crossed the room and stood with her back to a table covered with cups and dishes. Gunn circled around the room and positioned himself behind the guards and the little girl. When he was ready, he nodded at Gwen and she nodded back, then tipped the table over.

The dishes shattered on the floor with a tremendous crash, drawing the attention of everyone in the room. Gunn ducked out from behind a support column and snatched the little girl with a hand over her mouth to keep her from screaming and ducked back down the corridor with her.

Across the room, Gwen pulled a security guard aside and points at Gunn. "Oh, my god. Somebody's trying to hurt that little girl."

The guard informed the rest. "This is Bravo 9, we have a situation in progress."

The guard ran off after Gunn, gathering up the other bodyguards as he goes. Gwen smiled and moved off in the opposite direction.

Gunn ran down the corridor with the girl in his arms and ducked into a library. He set the girl down and slid the doors shut. "Hang in there. We're almost out."

A wooden staff suddenly slammed into his head from behind and he dropped to the floor.

Several of Morimoto's security men now stood over Gunn, staves in hand. He struggled to his feet and felt the back of his head, then confronted his attackers.

"Now you did it. I'm gonna have to get your lame-ass blood all over my sweet new suit."

One guard attacked as Gunn dodged or blocked, then punched his gut and took the staff, knocking him back before kicking him down. Gunn then used the staff to parry blows from the rest, knocking them away, taking one down in a spin motion, and then parried another one's sword.

He took 3 down in quick succession before one with a samurai sword knocked him down. Gunn took that one down in a spin motion as well as the next.

Gunn then faced 3 remaining ones. "You know, I spent the last couple of weeks whackin' on a giant lava demon and more vamps than I can count. Almost forgot how good it feels to just let off a little steam." Gunn then took 2 down quickly before using the staff to leap and kick the last one back.

He tried attack again but Gunn used the staff to flip him over his head, dropping the staff and calmly fixing his tie as the guard was knocked out.

Then Gunn turned to the little girl cowering in the corner. "All right, let's get you out of her." She looked scared. "It's okay. I'm here to take you home."

She revealed. "I am home."

Gunn was confused. "No, you've been kidnapped."

Now she exclaimed. "Get out of my house!"

Gunn now realized it all. "Your name's not Lisa, is it?"

She crossed her arms, defiant. "I'm Aiko Morimoto and when my daddy finds out you tried to hurt me, he's gonna kill you."

A frustrated Gunn moved away.

Gwen stood before a large wall safe, slowly turning the dials and listening to the tumblers through a microphone/earpiece device. A hand fell on her shoulder and she jumped. She turned to find Gunn standing behind her.

"It's you."

"It was the scanners, wasn't it? Why you wanted me— Angel, no heartbeat."

Gwen 'fessed up at last. "Security scan of a dead guy might have raised a few eyebrows."

Gunn was disappointed. "You know, for about five seconds I thought you might actually care about something."

Gwen then pointed out she had done some good for Gunn in spite of tricking him. "Okay, so what if I didn't tell you about my plan? And so what if I set you up for a fall? When's the last time you had this much fun? I saw your face out there. You were having a great time."

Gunn responded. "That's 'cause I thought I was doing good."

"You were! Just not the kind that involves saving a fairy princess from an evil king."

"So Lisa doesn't exist", Gunn noted.

Gwen revealed. "Yes, she does. And I'd have liberated her from this steel tomb by now if you'd stop yappin' for half a sec", she explained off his look. "It's a military acronym: localized ionic sensory activator. L-I-S-A."

Gunn was surprised. "A weapon? LISA's a weapon?"

"Not a weapon. A covert device worn by black ops. Regulates body temp, heartbeat, body chemistry. Morimoto's company designed it and I've been hired to steal the beta test."

Gunn sighed. "God bless America."

"Actually, China or North Korea. Not really sure. Morimoto's selling it to the highest bidder."

"And who are you stealing it for?"

"Look, there are two things that make me a good thief. I steal what I'm paid to steal and I don't ask too many questions."

"Well, good luck with that", Gunn turned and headed for the door.

"Nothing's changed, you know. Morimoto's still a bad guy. You're still a good one."

Gunn told her. "You know, I can't believe I actually did this between two apocalypses."

Gwen pointed out to him. "Even the Prez takes vacations. Besides, they need you, they'll call", Gunn hesitated. "Come on, we started this together, let's finish it the same way."

Gunn shook his head and went for the door again. "It's not the same."

"You can keep the suit."

That did it. Gunn nodded and walked back to her.

Gwen then dialled the final combination and turned the handle on the safe. It clicked open only to reveal another door sealed by an electric keypad.

"Crap!"

"Nah, this is the easy one", Gwen peeled off her glove and pressed her palm to the keypad. A bright flash of energy shorted out the pad and the door slid open. Gwen reached in and took out a small credit card-sized box. She opened it to reveal a thin hi-tech computer wafer. "We're outta here."

They turned and headed for the door. "We should split up in case they—"

"Oh, no. We're not doing that again. Either we both make it out or— "

"Neither of us do."

He turned around to find Morimoto and four of his men blocking the exit.

"Put that on the desk and step away."

Gwen didn't move.

"Set it down now."

"No."

"I don't think you realize who you're up against."

Gunn looked at the guards. "If it's those two girls, I already kicked their ass once." The two guards drew pistols and aimed at Gunn. "But when you put it like that…" He turned to Gwen. "Maybe we should."

"I won't give it back. I can't."

"I can. I'm not dying for this."

Gwen was desperate. "I'm finishing the job!"

Gunn pointed out. "Gwen, it's too late. We're busted."

Gwen was determined. "I'm not leaving without it."

"Then you're not leaving at all", Morimoto told his guards. "Finish it."

"Gwen, give it to him."

"No! I need it."

"I said finish it!"

"It's mine!"

Massive bolts of electricity leapt from her hands and arced across the room. They slammed into Morimoto and his guards, electrocuting them where they stood. The men jerked and writhed as the power coursed through their bodies.

Gunn watched in shock for a moment, then tackled Gwen to the floor, cutting the circuit between her and the men. They dropped to the floor, as Gunn cradled Gwen in his arms.

Gunn then helped Gwen to her feet. "Liar. You're not stealing it for someone else. It's for you. You think it'll fix you."

Gwen told him. "When I was at Xavier's, they made something to fix me. When I ran off, I left it there, didn't want to owe them. Big mistake."

And then she walked out.

Now back at Gwen's apartment, Gunn set the jade tiger back in its place among her collection. "Back where he belongs. I gotta give you credit. You are stubborn."

Gwen told him. "I know what I want."

"I get that. At least I used to. Things aren't always so clear anymore."

Gwen pointed out. "You seemed pretty clear tonight."

"Adrenaline rush. When I was trying to save that girl."

"I meant when you were saving me."

Gunn shrugged. "Hey, I'm just the muscle."

Gwen told him in a flirting tone. "Don't knock the muscle, buddy. Makes the girls go all knocky in the knees." She then pointed out. "But if that's all you were, we never could have gotten into that party tonight."

"Oh, you would've gotten in. Of course, the damage would have been significantly higher."

"Thanks to your brains-over-brawn approach…"

"Not so much brains as too many movies."

Gwen noted Gunn didn't think too highly of himself. "Man, they have done a number on you. You really believe this "I'm the muscle" crap."

Gunn asked. "This your version of a pep talk?"

"Could be. Need one?"

"Nah."

"Good. It's not my area of expertise." Gwen inquired out of curiosity. "So why do you stay if that's all they see in you?"

"I'm a fighter, born and raised. You love being a thief?"

Gwen held up her hands. "I'm a freak. Being a thief makes me a part of something and not a part at the same time. Tonight? Yeah, kinda loved it."

He held up the LISA case. "You know for someone loving life, you seemed awfully willing to die for this."

"What you saw tonight, that's as bad as it gets but even at its best…" There was a beat. "That thing might let me be, well, not normal but… hold hands, maybe. So yeah, guess I was willing to die or even… you wouldn't understand."

"Sure, I do. Brainy, remember? You want to show me how this thing works?"

A while later, Gwen approached the bed and dropped her kimono. She was nude from the waist up and she lay down on her belly. Gunn sat next to her, opened the case and took out the device.

"How do you fire it up?"

"It's not an X-Box. Just put it on."

He reached down to set it on the small of her back. "Careful."

Gunn hesitated, then touched the tip of his finger to her skin. A bolt of electricity shocked him painfully.

"Like I said."

He set the device on her back right over her spine.

"It's chilly."

A small LED screen sprang to life with scrolling data as wire circuits extended from the casing and burrowed into her body.

"What's it doing?"

"You ever see one of those body-snatcher movies?"

The wire filaments disappeared beneath her skin.

"You feel any different?" Gunn asked. "Yeah", Gwen said after a beat. "Not so much." Gunn tentatively reached out and placed his hand on her back. Nothing happened as she said. "I think it worked."

He ran his hand down her back as she said. "It feels good."

Gunn realized. "So if you couldn't touch, I guess that means you've never…"

Gwen sat up, covering herself, nervous. "Nope… nope. Anyway, thanks for turning me… off again."

Gunn replied. "Anytime. Thank you."

Gwen asked. "For what? The guards? The suit? The almost dying?"

Gunn revealed. "The most fun I've had since…" He leaned close and their lips met in a kiss.

She suddenly drew back, flustered. "You know… that… device, it's a prototype. It might not hold."

Gunn reminded. "Well… you already killed me once. If it happens again, you know where my battery is."

Gunn kissed Gwen again and this time she didn't resist.

Later, Gunn returned to the rest of the team who were together in the lobby as Fred asked. "How did it go?"

"Quite satisfactory business", Gunn said with a wistful smile, then asked. "So, what do we do now?"

Angel started. "Well, a few of us can stay, the rest of us have to go to Sunnydale."

"What's the hurry?"

They all turned and were shocked to see Lilah walk in with a smirk.

"Lilah", Wesley greeted.

"Wesley", Lilah greeted back.

"Why are you here, to drill someone's skull again?" Lorne asked.

"No", Lilah shook her head. "I'm here to give you all the offer of a lifetime."

And there it ends, now obviously you know what happens next.

Here Angel's reasons for accepting will be a bit different obviously, since Connor can't go crazy. The rest of the team wanted to accept it anyway.

Now in next chapter, this and the Buffy story shall get updated together.