Chapter 9 -'There's a Judas Amongst Us.'
3 months later
Wesley lay in his bed, he flinched as the stitches threatened to break. It had been one of the toughest three months in his life and last night had been the straw that broke the camels back. They had been fighting Kular demons, known for their poisoned claws and violent nature. Wesley and Fred had been caught by the claws but Wesley had can off worse, great slash marks marring his stomach. He lifted his top and looked at the wounds. They were clear now, no sign of the poison seeping out. Angel and Gunn had assumed that both Fred and Wesley had moved away before he poison had had a chance to inject. Still Wesley had been taken to hospital and they tried to get him to stay in hospital but after the Gang had left he discharged himself and went home to lick his wounds, not literally. He knew that Angel was researching the poison just in case the demons weren't alone and there would be more victims appearing. The cell phone charging beside the bed started ringing displaying the Angel Investigations number. He sighed and picked it up.
"Hello, Wesley speaking."
"Wesley, it's Angel. I knew you wouldn't stay in hospital long. I've found our demons. You were right. They secrete a poison into the blood flow of their victim. The poison effects the chemicals in the brain causing the victim to act on their instincts or real thoughts and feelings. Lucky you and Fred managed to escape from the poison. I think we see enough of Fred and Gunn together without the poison adding to it."
"Quite." Wesley muttered dryly. "I don't mean to be rude Angel but I was sleeping so if I can say I will be in tomorrow on light duties of course." He added before Angel could tell him other wise.
"OK Wes. We'll see you tomorrow. Are you still up for baby-sitting tomorrow? I think Cordelia deserves the ballet for her birthday."
"Yes, I'll be fine. I don't think baby-sitting is thought of as heavy duties."
Wesley hung up and carefully lowered himself back down to the pillows. He was just dozing off when a knock at his door brought him out of his dreams. He winced as he pulled himself from his bed and headed for the door. His eyes grew large at his midnight guest.
"F...Fred..." He stammered. "What are you doing here?"
"I came to see if you were OK. I would be like ya are now if ya hadn't jump in front of me."
Wesley stared at her for a moment them moved forward. Fred moved towards him to as if her feet had been freed from the floor. Wesley put his arm around the small of her back and brought her to him. She searched is eyes for a truth and when she found it she gave herself to him. Their lips collided with a fiery passion that couldn't be smoldered. Their hands flew to each other, trying to cover every part of each other. Wesley gasped as Fred ran her hand over his stomach. She lifted up his gray T-shirt and a look of horror flashed over her features.
"Wesley I...."
Wesley raised a finger to her lips. "Don't. It wasn't your fault."
He moved them towards the bed. Fred sat down and looked down at Wesley, giggling, as he removed her black sandals. Freds stood up and reached from the bed and reached for Wesley's T-shirt, carefully lifting if over his head. Soon Freds dress and Wesley's trousers were discarded on the floor with Wesley's T-shirt and their bodies now wrapped up in Wesley's crisp white sheets. That night they committed the ultimate sin: They betrayed a friend.
Next Day
Wesley awoke so find a warm body next to his, slowly running their fingers around his three sets of stitches. He looked at Freds face who seemed to be smiling with pleasure.
"Morin'." She muttered lazily. She placed a kiss on Wesley's cheek.
"Fred...Oh Fred I am quite sorry. I feel as if I have taken advantage of you." He looked guiltily away. Freds hand brought his face back to her sight.
"Hello, I can here. I could have canceled the cab and never came but something pushed me on."
"That's just it Fred, I knew what the properties of the poison was just before you got here. It intensifies your deepest desires and feelings."
"I was already going to come here tonight and tell you how I feel. Wesley I don't know what to do. I feel in love with you but I don't want to hurt Gunn by telling him I don't love him. I feel as if all I want is to be happy and I can't be 'cause I'm scared to hurt other people." She felt a tear slip down her cheek.
Wesley carefully pulled her to him and wiped away her tear. "We'll think of something." He gently cooed her until she fell asleep again. He didn't know how they could possible fix this.
Later Next Day
Wesley entered the hotel, peering his head around the door first and was relieved to find nobody in the lobby. He stepped out and walked towards the stairs.
"Ah Wes, I was beginning to think that you weren't coming. We're nearly late but Cordelia is still searching for her diamond earrings upstairs and fussing over Allen." Angel reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, black velvet box and held it protectively in his hands before opening the lid. It was pulled back to reveal a gold ring with 6 sapphires in a ring and 12 diamonds on the outside and a small one in the center. "Do you think Cordelia will like it?" Angel asked, sounding slightly scared.
"Oh my Angel, it is quite exquisite. When are you thinking of asking her?"
Angel looked at Wesley, surprised he had guessed so soon. "Um...in the middle of the interval. What do you think that she will say."
"Angel, do you even need o ask? She'll say yes of course. Oh congratulations Angel. So I guess I will be buying a new hat then?"
The two men laughed together; Wesley out of happiness for his friend and Angel out of relief that it hadn't been a total waste. Their laughter was interrupted by a small voice calling for Cordelia. Wesley looked up to find Fred standing at the door.
"Ah Fred, another one that was late. Wesley I asked Fred to help, what with the stitches and everything. Cordelia insisted." There was a toot outside. "Cordelia come on. The limousine is here."
Cordelia came down the stairs in a silk navy gown that fell down in layers at her chest and reached right to the floor with a slight trail. The diamond earrings that Angel had given her for her birthday the year before were in her ears.
"OK Wesley, if Allen wakes up there is a bottle in the fridge and one that had already heated. Um...if he needs changed there is lots of diapers upstairs." She thrust a padded carry bag into his hands. "His favourite toys are all in here and here..." She gave him a slip of paper. "Numbers for the opera house, police, bomb squad and the SWAT team as well as numbers for Giles and if you need to Spike. Are sure you will be OK with this?" Wesley nodded as the tooting got impatient.
"Cordelia, darling. The limo." Angel muttered through gritted teeth.
"Angel, honey. Your son!" Cordelia won. She left more notes in his hands as Angel helped her on with her wrap and Wesley watched them leave.
"Wesley, Angel said he had OK'ed this with you. I'll go if you want."
Wesley sat the ample supply of baby stuff on the reception desk and took Freds hands. "No, stay. It means we can talk about things. Why does it seem as if everything is against us?"
"I don't know but when I was with Gunn today, I couldn't look him straight in the face. I don't want to hurt him Wes but I can't go on like this. I love you but I like Gunn. I wish we could just run away from this."
"Elope. Fred that would just hurt even more people. Plus we can't we have Allen to look after and I don't think that Cordelia and Angel will be back early tonight."
"Why?" Quizzed Fred.
"Angel is going to ask Cordelia to marry him. He's bought the ring and everything. They deserve to be happy after what they have been through to get here." Wesley muttered absently.
"Took him long enough to ask her. I though he would have did it before the baby came but better late than never." She glanced over at the TV. "I brought a movie, Armageddon. I thought it was appropriate."
She giggled as Wesley put in the video and sat beside her on the couch. Wesley immediately pulled her to him and the two sat in each others arms.
One Meteor, Two Spaceships and a Fantastic Theme Tune Later
Wesley wiped away the tears that tracked down Freds face. He laughed quietly at Fred as she lay in his lap. He stroked her hair as the theme tune played out and the screen faded to black.
"I'm sorry. I always cry at sad endings. Oh it was so sad that he had to die but Ben Affleck was so cute all teary."
Wesley turned to her with a mock angry look on his face. "And I thought you only had eyes for me Fred." He moved in on her, his fingers posed and struck in the deadly position under her ribs on her side.
Fred let out a shriek and fell on to the floor laughing. Wesley followed her down and was relentless in his tickling. Fred had new tears falling down her face as she tried to squirm free of Wesley's grasp but was unsuccessful time after time.
It was at this moment that Gunn walked through the hotel door, smiling at the thought of seeing Fred again. He had stopped by to see if Fred wanted to go to the beach tomorrow but instead he heard shrieking coming from the living room off the reception. 'Cordelia and Angel must have had a very good night.' Gunn thought to himself. Then he heard Freds voice moan out a name. It wasn't his. 'Wesley' He his behind one of the grand pillars in the reception hall and watched the scene.
"Wesley stop. Please. I didn't mean it."
"So what Ben Affleck isn't cute then?" Wesley teased.
"Yes he's cute..." Wesley began to tickle her again. "...but not as cute as you. You have the added bonus of being English and sophisticated.
Wesley stopped tickling her and got to his feet. He help Fred up but used the momentum to pull her into his arms. He kissed her passionately, feeling the passion of the night before building up again. He was rewarded with a small moan. They pulled away and a movement caught Freds eye.
"Gunn." She gasped as he revealed himself from the pillar. "Gunn it isn't what it looks like."
Instead of looking at Fred, Gunn turned to Wesley. "English how could you? You were my friend, my brother. I trusted you with my life and now this..." He pointed at the two of them. "...I thought it was Giles that was the threat. God how blind have I been? How long has this been going on?"
Wesley and Fred turned toward the stairs as a huge crash echoed through the hotel. "Fred go and check on Allen and I will speak to Gunn."
Fred hesitated but went leaving Gunn and Wesley in the lobby. Gunn was almost red with rage and Wesley couldn't stop the guilty look from appearing on his face.
"Couldn't you just let me be happy for me for once? I mean I saw her first and gee English, I thought that the fact she was my girlfriend would make her way off limits."
"We can't help what we feel Gunn. We love each other, we can't help it."
Gunn stared at him in disbelieve as f he had just been run through with a broad sword. "She feels the same. Oh man."
"Allens gone." Fred shouted from the stairs as she ran towards them. "Someone has got Allen, he's gone." She shouted again panicking.
"And so am I." Gunn stated as he walked out of the hotel into the night.
Fred went to run after him but Wesley caught her arm and held her back. "Don't Fred. He needs time to cool off. He was just talking with his anger. We have a bigger problem on our hands. What do you mean Allen is gone?"
"The window to the nursery is smashed and all he's not in his crib, all of the bed clothes are missing."
"OK." Wesley said trying to maintain a straight head. "Call the police and then phone the opera house and get Angel and Cordelia home but don't tell them why. Just tell them that Allen is ill. I'm going out to look around. Lock the door and don't open it unless it is one of us OK." He shook Fred slightly by the shoulders to make sure she understood. He placed a kiss on her forehead before grabbing his jacket and heading out of the door.
Fred stood in the middle of the empty lobby not knowing where it all went wrong or what to do. She ran for the phone and phoned the people Wesley told her to and collapsed on the floor sobbing.
3 months later
Wesley lay in his bed, he flinched as the stitches threatened to break. It had been one of the toughest three months in his life and last night had been the straw that broke the camels back. They had been fighting Kular demons, known for their poisoned claws and violent nature. Wesley and Fred had been caught by the claws but Wesley had can off worse, great slash marks marring his stomach. He lifted his top and looked at the wounds. They were clear now, no sign of the poison seeping out. Angel and Gunn had assumed that both Fred and Wesley had moved away before he poison had had a chance to inject. Still Wesley had been taken to hospital and they tried to get him to stay in hospital but after the Gang had left he discharged himself and went home to lick his wounds, not literally. He knew that Angel was researching the poison just in case the demons weren't alone and there would be more victims appearing. The cell phone charging beside the bed started ringing displaying the Angel Investigations number. He sighed and picked it up.
"Hello, Wesley speaking."
"Wesley, it's Angel. I knew you wouldn't stay in hospital long. I've found our demons. You were right. They secrete a poison into the blood flow of their victim. The poison effects the chemicals in the brain causing the victim to act on their instincts or real thoughts and feelings. Lucky you and Fred managed to escape from the poison. I think we see enough of Fred and Gunn together without the poison adding to it."
"Quite." Wesley muttered dryly. "I don't mean to be rude Angel but I was sleeping so if I can say I will be in tomorrow on light duties of course." He added before Angel could tell him other wise.
"OK Wes. We'll see you tomorrow. Are you still up for baby-sitting tomorrow? I think Cordelia deserves the ballet for her birthday."
"Yes, I'll be fine. I don't think baby-sitting is thought of as heavy duties."
Wesley hung up and carefully lowered himself back down to the pillows. He was just dozing off when a knock at his door brought him out of his dreams. He winced as he pulled himself from his bed and headed for the door. His eyes grew large at his midnight guest.
"F...Fred..." He stammered. "What are you doing here?"
"I came to see if you were OK. I would be like ya are now if ya hadn't jump in front of me."
Wesley stared at her for a moment them moved forward. Fred moved towards him to as if her feet had been freed from the floor. Wesley put his arm around the small of her back and brought her to him. She searched is eyes for a truth and when she found it she gave herself to him. Their lips collided with a fiery passion that couldn't be smoldered. Their hands flew to each other, trying to cover every part of each other. Wesley gasped as Fred ran her hand over his stomach. She lifted up his gray T-shirt and a look of horror flashed over her features.
"Wesley I...."
Wesley raised a finger to her lips. "Don't. It wasn't your fault."
He moved them towards the bed. Fred sat down and looked down at Wesley, giggling, as he removed her black sandals. Freds stood up and reached from the bed and reached for Wesley's T-shirt, carefully lifting if over his head. Soon Freds dress and Wesley's trousers were discarded on the floor with Wesley's T-shirt and their bodies now wrapped up in Wesley's crisp white sheets. That night they committed the ultimate sin: They betrayed a friend.
Next Day
Wesley awoke so find a warm body next to his, slowly running their fingers around his three sets of stitches. He looked at Freds face who seemed to be smiling with pleasure.
"Morin'." She muttered lazily. She placed a kiss on Wesley's cheek.
"Fred...Oh Fred I am quite sorry. I feel as if I have taken advantage of you." He looked guiltily away. Freds hand brought his face back to her sight.
"Hello, I can here. I could have canceled the cab and never came but something pushed me on."
"That's just it Fred, I knew what the properties of the poison was just before you got here. It intensifies your deepest desires and feelings."
"I was already going to come here tonight and tell you how I feel. Wesley I don't know what to do. I feel in love with you but I don't want to hurt Gunn by telling him I don't love him. I feel as if all I want is to be happy and I can't be 'cause I'm scared to hurt other people." She felt a tear slip down her cheek.
Wesley carefully pulled her to him and wiped away her tear. "We'll think of something." He gently cooed her until she fell asleep again. He didn't know how they could possible fix this.
Later Next Day
Wesley entered the hotel, peering his head around the door first and was relieved to find nobody in the lobby. He stepped out and walked towards the stairs.
"Ah Wes, I was beginning to think that you weren't coming. We're nearly late but Cordelia is still searching for her diamond earrings upstairs and fussing over Allen." Angel reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, black velvet box and held it protectively in his hands before opening the lid. It was pulled back to reveal a gold ring with 6 sapphires in a ring and 12 diamonds on the outside and a small one in the center. "Do you think Cordelia will like it?" Angel asked, sounding slightly scared.
"Oh my Angel, it is quite exquisite. When are you thinking of asking her?"
Angel looked at Wesley, surprised he had guessed so soon. "Um...in the middle of the interval. What do you think that she will say."
"Angel, do you even need o ask? She'll say yes of course. Oh congratulations Angel. So I guess I will be buying a new hat then?"
The two men laughed together; Wesley out of happiness for his friend and Angel out of relief that it hadn't been a total waste. Their laughter was interrupted by a small voice calling for Cordelia. Wesley looked up to find Fred standing at the door.
"Ah Fred, another one that was late. Wesley I asked Fred to help, what with the stitches and everything. Cordelia insisted." There was a toot outside. "Cordelia come on. The limousine is here."
Cordelia came down the stairs in a silk navy gown that fell down in layers at her chest and reached right to the floor with a slight trail. The diamond earrings that Angel had given her for her birthday the year before were in her ears.
"OK Wesley, if Allen wakes up there is a bottle in the fridge and one that had already heated. Um...if he needs changed there is lots of diapers upstairs." She thrust a padded carry bag into his hands. "His favourite toys are all in here and here..." She gave him a slip of paper. "Numbers for the opera house, police, bomb squad and the SWAT team as well as numbers for Giles and if you need to Spike. Are sure you will be OK with this?" Wesley nodded as the tooting got impatient.
"Cordelia, darling. The limo." Angel muttered through gritted teeth.
"Angel, honey. Your son!" Cordelia won. She left more notes in his hands as Angel helped her on with her wrap and Wesley watched them leave.
"Wesley, Angel said he had OK'ed this with you. I'll go if you want."
Wesley sat the ample supply of baby stuff on the reception desk and took Freds hands. "No, stay. It means we can talk about things. Why does it seem as if everything is against us?"
"I don't know but when I was with Gunn today, I couldn't look him straight in the face. I don't want to hurt him Wes but I can't go on like this. I love you but I like Gunn. I wish we could just run away from this."
"Elope. Fred that would just hurt even more people. Plus we can't we have Allen to look after and I don't think that Cordelia and Angel will be back early tonight."
"Why?" Quizzed Fred.
"Angel is going to ask Cordelia to marry him. He's bought the ring and everything. They deserve to be happy after what they have been through to get here." Wesley muttered absently.
"Took him long enough to ask her. I though he would have did it before the baby came but better late than never." She glanced over at the TV. "I brought a movie, Armageddon. I thought it was appropriate."
She giggled as Wesley put in the video and sat beside her on the couch. Wesley immediately pulled her to him and the two sat in each others arms.
One Meteor, Two Spaceships and a Fantastic Theme Tune Later
Wesley wiped away the tears that tracked down Freds face. He laughed quietly at Fred as she lay in his lap. He stroked her hair as the theme tune played out and the screen faded to black.
"I'm sorry. I always cry at sad endings. Oh it was so sad that he had to die but Ben Affleck was so cute all teary."
Wesley turned to her with a mock angry look on his face. "And I thought you only had eyes for me Fred." He moved in on her, his fingers posed and struck in the deadly position under her ribs on her side.
Fred let out a shriek and fell on to the floor laughing. Wesley followed her down and was relentless in his tickling. Fred had new tears falling down her face as she tried to squirm free of Wesley's grasp but was unsuccessful time after time.
It was at this moment that Gunn walked through the hotel door, smiling at the thought of seeing Fred again. He had stopped by to see if Fred wanted to go to the beach tomorrow but instead he heard shrieking coming from the living room off the reception. 'Cordelia and Angel must have had a very good night.' Gunn thought to himself. Then he heard Freds voice moan out a name. It wasn't his. 'Wesley' He his behind one of the grand pillars in the reception hall and watched the scene.
"Wesley stop. Please. I didn't mean it."
"So what Ben Affleck isn't cute then?" Wesley teased.
"Yes he's cute..." Wesley began to tickle her again. "...but not as cute as you. You have the added bonus of being English and sophisticated.
Wesley stopped tickling her and got to his feet. He help Fred up but used the momentum to pull her into his arms. He kissed her passionately, feeling the passion of the night before building up again. He was rewarded with a small moan. They pulled away and a movement caught Freds eye.
"Gunn." She gasped as he revealed himself from the pillar. "Gunn it isn't what it looks like."
Instead of looking at Fred, Gunn turned to Wesley. "English how could you? You were my friend, my brother. I trusted you with my life and now this..." He pointed at the two of them. "...I thought it was Giles that was the threat. God how blind have I been? How long has this been going on?"
Wesley and Fred turned toward the stairs as a huge crash echoed through the hotel. "Fred go and check on Allen and I will speak to Gunn."
Fred hesitated but went leaving Gunn and Wesley in the lobby. Gunn was almost red with rage and Wesley couldn't stop the guilty look from appearing on his face.
"Couldn't you just let me be happy for me for once? I mean I saw her first and gee English, I thought that the fact she was my girlfriend would make her way off limits."
"We can't help what we feel Gunn. We love each other, we can't help it."
Gunn stared at him in disbelieve as f he had just been run through with a broad sword. "She feels the same. Oh man."
"Allens gone." Fred shouted from the stairs as she ran towards them. "Someone has got Allen, he's gone." She shouted again panicking.
"And so am I." Gunn stated as he walked out of the hotel into the night.
Fred went to run after him but Wesley caught her arm and held her back. "Don't Fred. He needs time to cool off. He was just talking with his anger. We have a bigger problem on our hands. What do you mean Allen is gone?"
"The window to the nursery is smashed and all he's not in his crib, all of the bed clothes are missing."
"OK." Wesley said trying to maintain a straight head. "Call the police and then phone the opera house and get Angel and Cordelia home but don't tell them why. Just tell them that Allen is ill. I'm going out to look around. Lock the door and don't open it unless it is one of us OK." He shook Fred slightly by the shoulders to make sure she understood. He placed a kiss on her forehead before grabbing his jacket and heading out of the door.
Fred stood in the middle of the empty lobby not knowing where it all went wrong or what to do. She ran for the phone and phoned the people Wesley told her to and collapsed on the floor sobbing.