Disclaimer: Buffy, the Vampire Slayer and Angel are not mine, I'm just playing with them.
Chapter 5: The Calm Before...
Wesley and Gunn watched as Fred paced in front of them, amused looks on their faces. Wesley had counted at least 10 total laps around the room. Hiding his smile, he stood up and stopped the girl in her tracks. She blushed.
"Sorry." Fred said, flustered. "The pacing helps me think."
"What exactly are you trying to figure out?" Gunn wanted to know. He paused for a second before continuing. "Only answer that if I'll understand the answer." He told her. Fred smiled.
"I was thinking about that boy, the one who attacked Spike in the cemetery." She told them. Wesley and Gunn shared a look. "I don't think he knew we were looking for him. I think he attacked Spike because he realized that Spike was a vampire." Fred went on, wringing her hands a little.
"That makes sense." Wesley replied, trying to reassure her.
"Yes, but that doesn't explain who he is, or how he had the strength to take on Spike. He's not a slayer, obviously, but if it hadn't been for Dawn..."Fred trailed off.
"You can't blame yourself." Wesley said, putting a comforting hand on her shoulder. A look of longing and anger passed over Gunn's face, but it was gone before either of them noticed it.
"I think I'm gonna check in with Angel, see if he's got any theories." Gunn said. He gave the couple standing in the middle of the lab one last look before he left the room. Neither of them seemed to realize that he had spoken, much less left.
"I just stood there, Wesley." Fred's face crumpled. "I just stood there while that boy attacked him. I didn't lift a finger to help." She cried. He pulled her into a hug, smoothing back her dark hair.
"No one would have expected you to." Wesley tried to comfort her. "You're not a fighter, Fred."
"I know." Fred smiled sadly, a lone tear tracking down one cheek. Wesley wiped it away carefully, his thumb brushing softly against her cheek.
"I could teach you." Wesley suggested suddenly, wanting to cheer her up.
"You mean training?" Fred asked him, brightening considerably. Wesley swelled up a bit, pride surging through him. There was no way Knox could top that.
"Of course." Wesley answered. Excited, Fred threw her arms around him. He held her tightly, relishing in her closeness. She pulled back, and met his gaze. The tension in the room thickened as they stared at each other. Wesley had just touched his lips with his own when a shriek from the doorway let them know they had company.
"Oh my God!" Harmony exclaimed. " I'm sooo sorry." She apologized. Fred blushed and slowly slipped out of Wesley's embrace.
"It's all right, Harmony." Fred told the blond vampire.
"Was there something you wanted, Harmony?" Wesley asked, slightly frustrated.
"Oh, yeah!" Harmony remembered. "Angel sent me to get Fred." She told them before excusing herself.
"I better go." Fred said, smiling at Wesley.
"Yes." He replied, reluctant to let her leave. "We'll meet later?" Wesley asked. She nodded and smiled before following Harmony. Wesley sat down a lab stool, staring at the now empty doorway.
*
Dawn opened her eyes, and then immediately shut them. Buffy and Spike were kissing, and Dawn was pretty sure Buffy did not want an audience. She kept them closed, willing herself to stay completely still, so that they wouldn't know she was awake. Dawn figured she was doing a pretty good job until she heard Spike start talking.
"Faker." He said, causing Dawn to open her eyes. She met his gaze and smiled.
"I just figured you didn't need an audience." Dawn told them, choosing to ignore her sister's inflamed cheeks. For now, anyway. Spike shifted restlessly on the bed. He was feeling a hell of a lot better, and was getting antsy about getting up. Dawn took his hand in hers and squeezed it tightly.
"How'd you sleep, 'Bit?" He asked her, squeezing her hand in return. Never had he felt so lucky. He had his girls back.
"Good." Dawn answered. "The medication they gave me was kinda strong." She said, continuing. Spike moved again, and the sister's shared a smile.
"Listen, why don't you two catch up while I hunt down a doctor and get him to let you go?" Buffy suggested.
"Ok." Dawn replied. She and Spike were silent until Buffy had left the room.
"You know, that was a hell of a right hook you hit that boy with as you tackled him." Spike complimented the girl.
"Well, I've been training with Buffy and the girls in England." Dawn said, smiling. "We've started a school there for slayers and their families. Giles managed to swing it so that we're funded by the Government." She went on.
"I bet you're skipping school all the time then." He said knowingly. She smiled.
"Not exactly. Willow's home schooling me, but I'm actually enrolled at a school here in the states. I'll probably go to college in England, though." Dawn replied. Spike was thrown.
"You are all grown-up, aren't you? Not really even a Nibblet any more." He lamented. Before Dawn could say anything to him, Buffy reappeared in the doorway.
"Angel's called a meeting." Buffy said, hating to break up their conversation. Spike looked like he was about to object. "The doctor's discharged you, so there's no reason you can't go." She refuted. He sighed.
*
Angel sat behind his desk, watching at the people he considered family filed in. What he was going to tell them would probably make them very angry. He was not looking forward to spilling the beans about Connor, especially since none of them would remember his son anyway. Angel sighed as he watched Buffy, Spike and Dawn enter his office together. Spike was not going to let this go over easy, and Buffy, who had never known about Connor in the first place, was going to be very hurt. His friends would be more understanding, of that he was sure. He just wasn't able to say how they'd react to the knowledge that their memories had been tampered with.
He observed that Wesley and Fred were sitting very close together, and wondered if Wes had finally made a move. Gunn was perched on the edge of his desk, looking at a file. Lorne entered last, greeted everyone and settled himself next to Wesley and Fred. Buffy, Spike and Dawn took up Angel's leather couch. They made small talk for a few minutes, until Angel stood up and cleared his throat.
"There are some things you need to know about the boy that attacked Spike last night." He began, unsure of how to start. "They might be a little hard to believe, even for us, but their true. I swear, all of it's true." Angel said. He opened his mouth to begin the story, but was interrupted by his office door flying open. All eyes in the room settled on Connor as he stood there. He had a crossbow clutched in his left hand, the arrow aimed for Angel's heart.
"Hi, Dad." Connor said, and then fired.