A.N: At this rate to do the entire season is going to take forever... oh well I'll have to vary that chapter sizes... anyone enough of my ramblings I hope you all enjoyed the last chapter and the return of Wesley. Here's the next one! Oh, the action shifts around a lot in this chapter... just thought I'd say
Chapter 3:
"Is he ever going to wake up?"
"Shut up, I think he's coming to!"
Wesley felt light stabbing at his eyes, also intense pain in his head. How long had he been unconscious? Why was he still alive?
"Well, well," Wesley heard a familiar voice. "Looks who's awake."
"Shut up!" A loud smack followed the familiar voice, then a tiny grunt.
The light grew stronger as Wesley's eyes tried to push their way open, he could feel people standing around him, and chain around his wrist, he was being held somewhere. There was also a distinct odor in the room, like something had died there.
Soon enough Wesley opened his eyes completely taking in the view, he seemed to be in some sort of cave, perhaps underground. The three vampires who had attacked him stood in front of him. He also felt a familiar presence behind him and though he couldn't tell whom it was, their presence reviled him.
"Where am I?" Wesley asked, and in response received a smack across the mouth. He wondered why they would bring him down here only to chain him up.
"Idiot."
That hideous snicker sounded so familiar to Wesley, something inside him began to churn violently, violence against his fellow captive felt very necessary, but the reason was still anonymous to Wes.
"Now stay still and shut up," one of his capturers spat at him. "We'll talk again when he's hungry."
"What?" Wes asked, confused as to who 'he' was. His capturer turned back to him launching a hard kick into his stomach knocking the wind out of him.
"At least the throat's working Wes," Suddenly it hit him, the putrid voice of his fellow captive was Justine. Wesley turned to the red head with brutal unforgiving eyes. "Hello Justine."
"Oh what?" Justine said putting on her bitch face, though it wasn't a huge variation. "No hug?"
"Remind me to kill you after them." Wesley said looking at the vampire guards.
"I've been down here for weeks," Justine said with a pained expression. "If there was a way out I would have found it by now."
Wesley looked down to the ground and tried to calculate a plan to get himself out of there, however he knew it wouldn't be easy, there were three vampires in the cave, and he was willing to bet whatever had knocked him down repeatedly the night before was there, somewhere. But the greatest problem he currently had was that he was chained to a wall, to get out of this he just may need Justine's help.
*****************
The ceiling of Connor's room was so placid, not like the ocean inside his stomach, the anxiety attack had come on after Gunn had left, and it was making it impossible to sleep. Gunn and Fred trusted him, and accepted him like part of their family, but they also considered Angel a part of their family, they weren't going to stop looking for him.
It was hard for Connor to imagine what Angel was going through. Was it as bad as what Holtz had gone through after Angel had killed his family? For doing all that Angel deserved everything he was getting, Connor wished he could still believe that, all his life Holtz had trained Connor to fight, to fight Angelus, but he never met Angelus, when Connor returned from Quortoth he had come face to face with Angel, who since Connor had been back, done nothing but try to be a father to him.
Connor had been wrong, it was a mistake to trap Angel at the bottom of the ocean, and he had to do something about it. He sat up in his and pulled away the covers, he pulled on the jeans he and worn to talk to Gunn and grabbed a T-shirt from his drawer then grabbed his denim jacket before exiting his room.
The hotel seemed quiet, most of the lights were off and there was no sign of Gunn or Fred. As Connor completed his descent of the stairs he noticed a small light illuminating from the office, probably Fred, still up researching. Connor didn't know why she had made it s dark, it's not like she could bother anyone with the lights, both Connor's and, Gunn and Fred's rooms were up a few levels.
The office lit and Fred was there hitting away at the keys on her computer, Connor didn't want to sneak up on her so he put more weight on his feet as he walked through the lobby towards the office. He figured he should say goodbye.
"Connor?" Fred asked peering out of her office. "What are you doing up?"
"Couldn't sleep Connor replied as he stepped into the office. "What are you still working on?"
"Still looking for an ID on our sea demon," Fred said shifting her eyes back to the computer. "I got a good look at its tentacles but so far the only thing I found matching what I saw is an instinct demon that died over four hundred years ago."
"Well," Connor consoled her. "Stranger things have happened."
"Everyday around here," Fred laughed with a slight eye-role. "So why'd you come downstairs?" Fred asked suspecting it was more than insomnia, Connor had never been the greatest sleeper, Gunn and Fred were used to him being up at al hours, but there seemed to be something on his mind.
"Uh... nothing," Connor lied, he had done enough of that though, he wished he were telling the truth. "I was just going to go out for a walk, you know? Clear my head."
"Right," red said making it obvious that she knew he was lying.
"Maybe get in a few vamps."
"Connor," Fred said disapprovingly. "You shouldn't be going out hunting this late, not without Gunn."
"I'll be fine Fred," Fred was always looking out for Connor, she and Gunn had taken Angel's place both in business and family matters.
"All right but take some weapons," Fred insisted, funny the advice she gave a teenager.
"I always do," Connor said walking out the office towards the weapon's cabinet. He wasn't sure what to take, if he wanted to break Angel out it would take something heavy, Gunn's prized ax wasn't thick enough, and a sword wouldn't have enough weight. Finally Connor found a small handled, thick ax to his liking, he grabbed that along with his favorite device, ready to shoot a stake from his wrist.
Connor was ready to leave until he looked back into the office seeing Fred going through some of the books in the office, still trying to identify the demon, he hated that she was completely oblivious to what he had done, and to what he was going to do. Connor couldn't just leave it like that.
"Hey Fred," Connor said re-entering the office.
"What's up?" Fred asked with a smile.
"Umm..." Connor wasn't sure what to tell her, he knew that things were going to be different from now on and he wasn't sure if he liked the fact but he had to tell her something...
*****************
Wesley had come slightly closer in his plan, he couldn't take on the vampire's if he was still in chains, and since he knew how to pick a lock he now searched the ground for something to pick the lock with.
There was nothing suitable in there; he saw a screwdriver and similar equipment in one corner of the cave but other than that there was nothing. Whatever Wesley was going to do he had to do it quick, he couldn't stand being there any longer, being next to Justine was not on his 'top then things to do' list.
"Idiot," Justine said obnoxiously to Wesley. "It's hopeless, there's no way out."
"Well I do have a good plan right now but it involves strangling you with my legs," Wes said calmly, his expression not changing. "We'll see how desperate I get."
"Like when you were desperate to protect Connor from Angel," Justine laughed.
A sudden spark of anger shot through Wesley and he lifted his legs into the air, using the chains to keep him up, he slammed his legs repeatedly into Justine stomach. The vampire's ran back into the cave hearing Justine scream in pain one grabbed Wesley legs while the other saw to Justine, Wes kicked the vampire in the face causing the him to fall on the other vamp who had just unchained Justine.
"Grab the key!" Wesley commanded Justine who kneeled in pain. Their eyes met and in the brief time Justine realized she needed Wesley to escape she got up and began to undo his shackles. Once free Wesley knocked the two vamps down, grabbed Justine's hand running towards the cave entrance.
Near the cave entrance there was a wooden table, Wes figured it was a good chance to deal with the unwanted vampire problem, he broke off two stool legs, giving one to Justine. They then waited.
There were now three vampires; Wesley figured if he took two Justine could handle the other, in her condition.
The lead vampire lunged at Wes, and Wes used it's body weight to make it hit into the wooden table hard, already in pain Wesley managed to stake it in the back before it could get up. Wesley's last move had left him open allowing the other vampire to tackle him while the other, who lagged behind a bit, began to battle Justine.
Justine attempted a punch at the vampire's head only for it to dodge and kick her on the stomach, she lurched over and the vamp punched her in face then tackled her to the floor. Wesley, while Justine was attacked, was struggling to get out from under the weight off the second vampire, who had tackled him into the broken table. They each struggled through the rubble trying to gain the upper hand until Wesley managed to pull a small enough piece from the rubble which he stabbed into the vampire's neck, as he had no clean shot at it's chest. Wesley then pushed it off him and got to his feet only to be knocked back down by Justine, who had been pushed back by the vampire she had been fighting.
The three of them, Wesley, Justine and one of the vamps, lay sprawled in a pile on the floor Wes tried to crawl away only to be grabbed the vampire he had been fighting who shot it's teeth in the direction of Wesley's neck until Justine grabbed Wes' stake and dusted the vampire.
The two looked at each other in the silence of the moment, both were bruised from battle and a great deal f hatred stood between the two, but something about the moment connected them - until it was broken by the attack of the last remaining vampire.
*****************
Since Fred and Gunn had first shown it to him, the ocean had been one of Connor's favorite places, kind of ironic. It was a whole new beneath the surface, for Connor that world was full of guilt, mistakes and regret. He hated himself for feeling this way, at the beginning of the summer he had been so sure what he had done was right, he was grieving for Holtz he hadn't been thinking rationally, and none of these excuses made a difference, he had still bestowed a terrible punishment on an innocent man, he had to right his wrong.
His senses wouldn't help him much in the water but Connor felt if he swam out far enough, to wear he and Justine had dumped Angel; he would be able to feel his presence. And though he loved it Connor was terrified to go back into the ocean, there was the overwhelming guilt that he thought he could drown in and now there was some new sea monster to worry about. But Connor couldn't put it off he had to go after Angel.
*****************
As quietly as she could, Fred turned the doorknob hoping not to wake Gunn who had been asleep for over and hour now, she didn't want to wake him. After closing the door quietly behind her Fred headed towards the bathroom.
"Fred?" Gunn asked rolling over to face her. "What are you doin' up so late?"
"Just more research," Fred said walking towards the bathroom then paused. "Charles, when you talked to Connor did you notice anything odd?"
"How you mean odd?" Gunn asked sitting up letting the sheets sink into his lap. "Did he say something to you?"
"Kind of," Fred started sitting down on the other side of the bed. "He went out for a walk, but before he left he was talking to me weirdly... and he said goodbye like..."
"Like what?" Gunn asked sliding over to Fred. "You think he was leaving?"
"Leaving? Why would he..." red began to trail off, genuinely concerned about Connor. Leaving so abruptly in the middle of the night.
"Maybe we should go after him?" Gunn suggested helpfully.
"If he doesn't want to be found..." Fred began
"We wont find him," Gunn finished before looking Fred in the eyes. "But we can try. I'm not sure if we can manage things here without him, with Angel and Cordy gone, I'm thinking he should be stickin' around."
"Charles, after everything that's happened-"
"We should stick together," Gunn smiled at Fred trying to show her that not everything was doomed. "We're family."
Before red could answer the sudden shrill ring of her cell phone shot through the room it was sitting on her bedside table, she and Gunn exchanged worried looks as Fred picked up the phone.
"Hello," Fred answered to hear Wesley's voice, which shocked her supremely.
Gunn watched her curiously as she spoke, he wondered who could be calling at such a late hour, and the phone conversation seemed strange and abrupt.
"Get dressed we got to go," Fred said walking out of the room.
Gunn stood up in his boxer shorts and followed Fred out into the hallway, he didn't get what was going on; he was in bed wearing nothing but his boxer shorts while she was rushing out in the middle of the night.
"Fred!" Gun called after her. "Who was that?"
"Wesley."
"What did he want?" Gunn asked crossing his arms.
"He knows where Angel is."
*****************
"No!" Justine spat at Wesley pulling on her handcuffs trying to get away.
"Where is he Justine?" Wesley yelled losing patience. His boat was sailing further out into the area he suspected Angel would be in, after conducting his own investigation for months Angel had been at the bottom of the ocean, sent there by Justine and Connor.
"Vampire got what he deserved," Justine spoke a familiar phrase.
"And what do you deserve Justine?" Wesley asked threateningly, revealing a small knife by his side.
"You wouldn't..."
Wesley didn't answer only stabbed his knife into Justine's shoulder. She let out a scream then panted madly as Wesley yanked the knife out and waited for a response.
*****************
Water ran across Connor's body as he shot up to the surface for air, he wasn't a normal person and he could hold his breath for longer than an average person, but he was still human and he had to breathe. That made finding Angels so much harder, and though t was still summer he was cold.
Connor had discarded his shirt and jacket back on the beach to make swimming easier and his wet chest glistened in the moonlight as he looked across the water surface. Not too far away Connor saw a boat, heading not for him but in his general direction, this only added to the not right feeling he already had.
Once again Connor sank into the water diving down lower, towards where he hoped to find Angel, Connor seemed to be able to dive deeper this time.
[He'll kill you]
Connor felt a sinking sensation in his get, but oddly enough felt like he was getting closer. Something began to pull Connor down, like some sort of attracting force he had to keep swimming deeper.
*****************
Angel could see him, though he was still far above him, Angel could see Connor approaching. The bond he shared with his son was so strong; it was hard to believe Connor was the one who had done this to him. Could Angel forgive him?
[Never forgive him, he can't be trusted]
The thought of killing his son still lingered inside his metallic prison, suddenly Angel found himself praying Connor, wouldn't rescue him, then he would let it out and Angel would...
[Kill]
*****************
Diving, now, deeper than Connor thought was humanly possible, he saw it in the distance. One the ocean floor there he was. Angel still chained in his metal coffin, which Connor had put him in, he had found him now it was time.
Connor had left his ax on the beach, seeing that it would be impossible to swim with it, so he was going to have to break Angel free with his hands. As Connor began to swim deeper a sickly feeling came over him, not the guilt he had felt before but impending doom, and he knew what it was. He tried to make a quick turn in the water and as he began to swim back up for air, a familiar tentacle wrapped around his legs pulling him away from the surface.
All Connor's struggles proved hopeless as the creature extended its tentacle wrapping them around Connor's body and squeezing the air out of him. Connor's muscles began to ache as he thrashed about in the huge creature's intense grip, before long he felt the creature had somehow, exhausted his body leaving him with no strength to struggle. He lay placid in the creature's arms unable to fight of get free until a large jolt went through the creature's body and shot Connor free from it's grip. Floating away.
*****************
The boat pulsed violently; they must have hit something large, though Wesley couldn't imagine what. He looked over the edge and saw it, the huge demon with large tentacles, wrapping itself around the boat pulling it down. Wesley grabbed onto the railing and tried to steady himself enough to get back to his weapons.
"What the hell's going on?" Justine yelled trying to steady herself.
Wesley looked out at the creature seeing how immensely huge it was, he couldn't handle this himself, he needed Angel. But he wouldn't be able to help at the bottom of the ocean, he had to rescue Angel. But he wasn't sure if he could do that without Gunn and Fred, he had left a speedboat for them, but he wasn't sure if they'd get there in time.
Wesley's thoughts were suddenly broken as the large creature howled in pain, Wesley looked down at the creature, to see it attacking a speedboat which Gunn and Fred resided on, he had told them what had happened to angel and to meet him out here, however he did not give details as to how this all happened.
*****************
Fred ducked and reloaded her crossbow as Gunn hacked at the creature's tentacles with his ax; before they left the hotel Fred hadn't managed to find what the creature was or how to kill it. They were trying violence.
Tentacles shot in all directions slapping across the speedboat, which sat next to Wesley's boat, Wesley had now also taken up a crossbow. The fight raged on with none of them gaining an advantage. Wesley and Fred continued to fire at the creature while Gunn slashed madly with his ax, however he wasn't close enough to cause any real damage. So far things were not looking good, they couldn't rage a proper fight against this creature from a boat, however none of them could get any closer to the creature without it killing them, they needed Angel or Connor for something like this.
*****************
I was hopeless, they couldn't win against that thing and Cordelia knew it, but what could she do about it, she couldn't help, but maybe Angel or Connor could.
Connor drifted hopelessly through the water, he had stopped breathing some time ago and now he simply drifted down into the depths of the ocean where he had so cruelly banished his father, he only wanted to make it right.
Cordelia could feel Connor's pain, if there was something she could do now was the time, any small act she could perform to help, it was her job to oversee champions, like Angel, it was her job to keep them on their path, and if Connor died that couldn't happen. Connor's death would destroy both his, and Angel's destiny.
If Cordy could put on of them back on their path she had to, but Connor was far from his path, only heading towards death she had to give him life, but it wasn't her place to interfere in life and death. She could only do so much.
"Connor!"
Chapter 3:
"Is he ever going to wake up?"
"Shut up, I think he's coming to!"
Wesley felt light stabbing at his eyes, also intense pain in his head. How long had he been unconscious? Why was he still alive?
"Well, well," Wesley heard a familiar voice. "Looks who's awake."
"Shut up!" A loud smack followed the familiar voice, then a tiny grunt.
The light grew stronger as Wesley's eyes tried to push their way open, he could feel people standing around him, and chain around his wrist, he was being held somewhere. There was also a distinct odor in the room, like something had died there.
Soon enough Wesley opened his eyes completely taking in the view, he seemed to be in some sort of cave, perhaps underground. The three vampires who had attacked him stood in front of him. He also felt a familiar presence behind him and though he couldn't tell whom it was, their presence reviled him.
"Where am I?" Wesley asked, and in response received a smack across the mouth. He wondered why they would bring him down here only to chain him up.
"Idiot."
That hideous snicker sounded so familiar to Wesley, something inside him began to churn violently, violence against his fellow captive felt very necessary, but the reason was still anonymous to Wes.
"Now stay still and shut up," one of his capturers spat at him. "We'll talk again when he's hungry."
"What?" Wes asked, confused as to who 'he' was. His capturer turned back to him launching a hard kick into his stomach knocking the wind out of him.
"At least the throat's working Wes," Suddenly it hit him, the putrid voice of his fellow captive was Justine. Wesley turned to the red head with brutal unforgiving eyes. "Hello Justine."
"Oh what?" Justine said putting on her bitch face, though it wasn't a huge variation. "No hug?"
"Remind me to kill you after them." Wesley said looking at the vampire guards.
"I've been down here for weeks," Justine said with a pained expression. "If there was a way out I would have found it by now."
Wesley looked down to the ground and tried to calculate a plan to get himself out of there, however he knew it wouldn't be easy, there were three vampires in the cave, and he was willing to bet whatever had knocked him down repeatedly the night before was there, somewhere. But the greatest problem he currently had was that he was chained to a wall, to get out of this he just may need Justine's help.
*****************
The ceiling of Connor's room was so placid, not like the ocean inside his stomach, the anxiety attack had come on after Gunn had left, and it was making it impossible to sleep. Gunn and Fred trusted him, and accepted him like part of their family, but they also considered Angel a part of their family, they weren't going to stop looking for him.
It was hard for Connor to imagine what Angel was going through. Was it as bad as what Holtz had gone through after Angel had killed his family? For doing all that Angel deserved everything he was getting, Connor wished he could still believe that, all his life Holtz had trained Connor to fight, to fight Angelus, but he never met Angelus, when Connor returned from Quortoth he had come face to face with Angel, who since Connor had been back, done nothing but try to be a father to him.
Connor had been wrong, it was a mistake to trap Angel at the bottom of the ocean, and he had to do something about it. He sat up in his and pulled away the covers, he pulled on the jeans he and worn to talk to Gunn and grabbed a T-shirt from his drawer then grabbed his denim jacket before exiting his room.
The hotel seemed quiet, most of the lights were off and there was no sign of Gunn or Fred. As Connor completed his descent of the stairs he noticed a small light illuminating from the office, probably Fred, still up researching. Connor didn't know why she had made it s dark, it's not like she could bother anyone with the lights, both Connor's and, Gunn and Fred's rooms were up a few levels.
The office lit and Fred was there hitting away at the keys on her computer, Connor didn't want to sneak up on her so he put more weight on his feet as he walked through the lobby towards the office. He figured he should say goodbye.
"Connor?" Fred asked peering out of her office. "What are you doing up?"
"Couldn't sleep Connor replied as he stepped into the office. "What are you still working on?"
"Still looking for an ID on our sea demon," Fred said shifting her eyes back to the computer. "I got a good look at its tentacles but so far the only thing I found matching what I saw is an instinct demon that died over four hundred years ago."
"Well," Connor consoled her. "Stranger things have happened."
"Everyday around here," Fred laughed with a slight eye-role. "So why'd you come downstairs?" Fred asked suspecting it was more than insomnia, Connor had never been the greatest sleeper, Gunn and Fred were used to him being up at al hours, but there seemed to be something on his mind.
"Uh... nothing," Connor lied, he had done enough of that though, he wished he were telling the truth. "I was just going to go out for a walk, you know? Clear my head."
"Right," red said making it obvious that she knew he was lying.
"Maybe get in a few vamps."
"Connor," Fred said disapprovingly. "You shouldn't be going out hunting this late, not without Gunn."
"I'll be fine Fred," Fred was always looking out for Connor, she and Gunn had taken Angel's place both in business and family matters.
"All right but take some weapons," Fred insisted, funny the advice she gave a teenager.
"I always do," Connor said walking out the office towards the weapon's cabinet. He wasn't sure what to take, if he wanted to break Angel out it would take something heavy, Gunn's prized ax wasn't thick enough, and a sword wouldn't have enough weight. Finally Connor found a small handled, thick ax to his liking, he grabbed that along with his favorite device, ready to shoot a stake from his wrist.
Connor was ready to leave until he looked back into the office seeing Fred going through some of the books in the office, still trying to identify the demon, he hated that she was completely oblivious to what he had done, and to what he was going to do. Connor couldn't just leave it like that.
"Hey Fred," Connor said re-entering the office.
"What's up?" Fred asked with a smile.
"Umm..." Connor wasn't sure what to tell her, he knew that things were going to be different from now on and he wasn't sure if he liked the fact but he had to tell her something...
*****************
Wesley had come slightly closer in his plan, he couldn't take on the vampire's if he was still in chains, and since he knew how to pick a lock he now searched the ground for something to pick the lock with.
There was nothing suitable in there; he saw a screwdriver and similar equipment in one corner of the cave but other than that there was nothing. Whatever Wesley was going to do he had to do it quick, he couldn't stand being there any longer, being next to Justine was not on his 'top then things to do' list.
"Idiot," Justine said obnoxiously to Wesley. "It's hopeless, there's no way out."
"Well I do have a good plan right now but it involves strangling you with my legs," Wes said calmly, his expression not changing. "We'll see how desperate I get."
"Like when you were desperate to protect Connor from Angel," Justine laughed.
A sudden spark of anger shot through Wesley and he lifted his legs into the air, using the chains to keep him up, he slammed his legs repeatedly into Justine stomach. The vampire's ran back into the cave hearing Justine scream in pain one grabbed Wesley legs while the other saw to Justine, Wes kicked the vampire in the face causing the him to fall on the other vamp who had just unchained Justine.
"Grab the key!" Wesley commanded Justine who kneeled in pain. Their eyes met and in the brief time Justine realized she needed Wesley to escape she got up and began to undo his shackles. Once free Wesley knocked the two vamps down, grabbed Justine's hand running towards the cave entrance.
Near the cave entrance there was a wooden table, Wes figured it was a good chance to deal with the unwanted vampire problem, he broke off two stool legs, giving one to Justine. They then waited.
There were now three vampires; Wesley figured if he took two Justine could handle the other, in her condition.
The lead vampire lunged at Wes, and Wes used it's body weight to make it hit into the wooden table hard, already in pain Wesley managed to stake it in the back before it could get up. Wesley's last move had left him open allowing the other vampire to tackle him while the other, who lagged behind a bit, began to battle Justine.
Justine attempted a punch at the vampire's head only for it to dodge and kick her on the stomach, she lurched over and the vamp punched her in face then tackled her to the floor. Wesley, while Justine was attacked, was struggling to get out from under the weight off the second vampire, who had tackled him into the broken table. They each struggled through the rubble trying to gain the upper hand until Wesley managed to pull a small enough piece from the rubble which he stabbed into the vampire's neck, as he had no clean shot at it's chest. Wesley then pushed it off him and got to his feet only to be knocked back down by Justine, who had been pushed back by the vampire she had been fighting.
The three of them, Wesley, Justine and one of the vamps, lay sprawled in a pile on the floor Wes tried to crawl away only to be grabbed the vampire he had been fighting who shot it's teeth in the direction of Wesley's neck until Justine grabbed Wes' stake and dusted the vampire.
The two looked at each other in the silence of the moment, both were bruised from battle and a great deal f hatred stood between the two, but something about the moment connected them - until it was broken by the attack of the last remaining vampire.
*****************
Since Fred and Gunn had first shown it to him, the ocean had been one of Connor's favorite places, kind of ironic. It was a whole new beneath the surface, for Connor that world was full of guilt, mistakes and regret. He hated himself for feeling this way, at the beginning of the summer he had been so sure what he had done was right, he was grieving for Holtz he hadn't been thinking rationally, and none of these excuses made a difference, he had still bestowed a terrible punishment on an innocent man, he had to right his wrong.
His senses wouldn't help him much in the water but Connor felt if he swam out far enough, to wear he and Justine had dumped Angel; he would be able to feel his presence. And though he loved it Connor was terrified to go back into the ocean, there was the overwhelming guilt that he thought he could drown in and now there was some new sea monster to worry about. But Connor couldn't put it off he had to go after Angel.
*****************
As quietly as she could, Fred turned the doorknob hoping not to wake Gunn who had been asleep for over and hour now, she didn't want to wake him. After closing the door quietly behind her Fred headed towards the bathroom.
"Fred?" Gunn asked rolling over to face her. "What are you doin' up so late?"
"Just more research," Fred said walking towards the bathroom then paused. "Charles, when you talked to Connor did you notice anything odd?"
"How you mean odd?" Gunn asked sitting up letting the sheets sink into his lap. "Did he say something to you?"
"Kind of," Fred started sitting down on the other side of the bed. "He went out for a walk, but before he left he was talking to me weirdly... and he said goodbye like..."
"Like what?" Gunn asked sliding over to Fred. "You think he was leaving?"
"Leaving? Why would he..." red began to trail off, genuinely concerned about Connor. Leaving so abruptly in the middle of the night.
"Maybe we should go after him?" Gunn suggested helpfully.
"If he doesn't want to be found..." Fred began
"We wont find him," Gunn finished before looking Fred in the eyes. "But we can try. I'm not sure if we can manage things here without him, with Angel and Cordy gone, I'm thinking he should be stickin' around."
"Charles, after everything that's happened-"
"We should stick together," Gunn smiled at Fred trying to show her that not everything was doomed. "We're family."
Before red could answer the sudden shrill ring of her cell phone shot through the room it was sitting on her bedside table, she and Gunn exchanged worried looks as Fred picked up the phone.
"Hello," Fred answered to hear Wesley's voice, which shocked her supremely.
Gunn watched her curiously as she spoke, he wondered who could be calling at such a late hour, and the phone conversation seemed strange and abrupt.
"Get dressed we got to go," Fred said walking out of the room.
Gunn stood up in his boxer shorts and followed Fred out into the hallway, he didn't get what was going on; he was in bed wearing nothing but his boxer shorts while she was rushing out in the middle of the night.
"Fred!" Gun called after her. "Who was that?"
"Wesley."
"What did he want?" Gunn asked crossing his arms.
"He knows where Angel is."
*****************
"No!" Justine spat at Wesley pulling on her handcuffs trying to get away.
"Where is he Justine?" Wesley yelled losing patience. His boat was sailing further out into the area he suspected Angel would be in, after conducting his own investigation for months Angel had been at the bottom of the ocean, sent there by Justine and Connor.
"Vampire got what he deserved," Justine spoke a familiar phrase.
"And what do you deserve Justine?" Wesley asked threateningly, revealing a small knife by his side.
"You wouldn't..."
Wesley didn't answer only stabbed his knife into Justine's shoulder. She let out a scream then panted madly as Wesley yanked the knife out and waited for a response.
*****************
Water ran across Connor's body as he shot up to the surface for air, he wasn't a normal person and he could hold his breath for longer than an average person, but he was still human and he had to breathe. That made finding Angels so much harder, and though t was still summer he was cold.
Connor had discarded his shirt and jacket back on the beach to make swimming easier and his wet chest glistened in the moonlight as he looked across the water surface. Not too far away Connor saw a boat, heading not for him but in his general direction, this only added to the not right feeling he already had.
Once again Connor sank into the water diving down lower, towards where he hoped to find Angel, Connor seemed to be able to dive deeper this time.
[He'll kill you]
Connor felt a sinking sensation in his get, but oddly enough felt like he was getting closer. Something began to pull Connor down, like some sort of attracting force he had to keep swimming deeper.
*****************
Angel could see him, though he was still far above him, Angel could see Connor approaching. The bond he shared with his son was so strong; it was hard to believe Connor was the one who had done this to him. Could Angel forgive him?
[Never forgive him, he can't be trusted]
The thought of killing his son still lingered inside his metallic prison, suddenly Angel found himself praying Connor, wouldn't rescue him, then he would let it out and Angel would...
[Kill]
*****************
Diving, now, deeper than Connor thought was humanly possible, he saw it in the distance. One the ocean floor there he was. Angel still chained in his metal coffin, which Connor had put him in, he had found him now it was time.
Connor had left his ax on the beach, seeing that it would be impossible to swim with it, so he was going to have to break Angel free with his hands. As Connor began to swim deeper a sickly feeling came over him, not the guilt he had felt before but impending doom, and he knew what it was. He tried to make a quick turn in the water and as he began to swim back up for air, a familiar tentacle wrapped around his legs pulling him away from the surface.
All Connor's struggles proved hopeless as the creature extended its tentacle wrapping them around Connor's body and squeezing the air out of him. Connor's muscles began to ache as he thrashed about in the huge creature's intense grip, before long he felt the creature had somehow, exhausted his body leaving him with no strength to struggle. He lay placid in the creature's arms unable to fight of get free until a large jolt went through the creature's body and shot Connor free from it's grip. Floating away.
*****************
The boat pulsed violently; they must have hit something large, though Wesley couldn't imagine what. He looked over the edge and saw it, the huge demon with large tentacles, wrapping itself around the boat pulling it down. Wesley grabbed onto the railing and tried to steady himself enough to get back to his weapons.
"What the hell's going on?" Justine yelled trying to steady herself.
Wesley looked out at the creature seeing how immensely huge it was, he couldn't handle this himself, he needed Angel. But he wouldn't be able to help at the bottom of the ocean, he had to rescue Angel. But he wasn't sure if he could do that without Gunn and Fred, he had left a speedboat for them, but he wasn't sure if they'd get there in time.
Wesley's thoughts were suddenly broken as the large creature howled in pain, Wesley looked down at the creature, to see it attacking a speedboat which Gunn and Fred resided on, he had told them what had happened to angel and to meet him out here, however he did not give details as to how this all happened.
*****************
Fred ducked and reloaded her crossbow as Gunn hacked at the creature's tentacles with his ax; before they left the hotel Fred hadn't managed to find what the creature was or how to kill it. They were trying violence.
Tentacles shot in all directions slapping across the speedboat, which sat next to Wesley's boat, Wesley had now also taken up a crossbow. The fight raged on with none of them gaining an advantage. Wesley and Fred continued to fire at the creature while Gunn slashed madly with his ax, however he wasn't close enough to cause any real damage. So far things were not looking good, they couldn't rage a proper fight against this creature from a boat, however none of them could get any closer to the creature without it killing them, they needed Angel or Connor for something like this.
*****************
I was hopeless, they couldn't win against that thing and Cordelia knew it, but what could she do about it, she couldn't help, but maybe Angel or Connor could.
Connor drifted hopelessly through the water, he had stopped breathing some time ago and now he simply drifted down into the depths of the ocean where he had so cruelly banished his father, he only wanted to make it right.
Cordelia could feel Connor's pain, if there was something she could do now was the time, any small act she could perform to help, it was her job to oversee champions, like Angel, it was her job to keep them on their path, and if Connor died that couldn't happen. Connor's death would destroy both his, and Angel's destiny.
If Cordy could put on of them back on their path she had to, but Connor was far from his path, only heading towards death she had to give him life, but it wasn't her place to interfere in life and death. She could only do so much.
"Connor!"