A/N: For the Gwen-fic-a-thon. Ficangel requested an Angel/Gwen non-fluffy fic that happened sometime between 'Rain of Fire' and 'Home'.
Gwen absently swirled her glass and watched the play of light over the amber liquid as if it held the secrets to the universe. What was happening? Everywhere she looked there were Stepford People. Was she the only normal person on the planet?
The pretty brunette snorted as she swallowed the last of the Scotch. Who would have thought that the Freak would be normal? Well, she had been 'normal' when LISA had worked its magic but that hadn't lasted long. She shivered at the memories of Gunn's soft fingers caressing her skin. Gwen almost wished that she had never found LISA, never known what it was to feel skin on skin. It was better when she could wish for what she could not have than to be given a glimpse of what could be and have it cruelly fade away from the tips of her fingers.
She was about to signal the bartender for another drink when she noticed that everyone in the bar was captivated by the evening news.
"That Jasmine, isn't she wonderful?" A blonde barfly to Gwen's left asked the room at large when a picture of Jasmine came on the screen.
Gwen's eyebrow quirked as she watched the "Stepford" phenomenon seem to take over everyone in the bar. "Yeah, she's a gem alright."
She could only take so much of the shiny, happy people before the urge to hurl took over. Whether it was to hurl an object at the television or hurl her lunch she couldn't say but all the happiness was getting on her last nerve. Gwen sort of missed the dark days of the Beast-y Boy. At least there were villains you could understand but all this… the Cathy Lee Gifford wanna bes were just wrong.
None of the patrons in the bar noticed as Gwen left, their attention seemed to be focused on a voice only they could hear. As a unit they turned their backs on the television and wound their way through the bar to the back door mumbling, "Find Angel."
"Drive!" Angel yelled at Fred as he jumped in the car.
Fred glanced over her shoulder and saw a mob rapidly approaching. Her hands shook as she tried to turn the key.
"Fred!"
"I'm trying, I'm trying." She breathed a sigh of relief as the key turned and she stomped on the gas pedal. "Where to now?"
Angel tried to think of someplace safe that Jasmine or Connor wouldn't know about or ever think to look for them. Connor knew too much of the sewer system so that was out. He briefly flirted with the idea of going to Wolfram and Hart but quickly dismissed it. What they needed was a safe house, someplace where they could regroup and plan without fear of discovery or interruptions.
"Angel? Where to now?"
"Make a left up here."
Gunn's eyes widened as he realized where Angel was taking them. Holy shit, what was he going to do? He hadn't told Fred about Gwen, not that there was anything to tell now. They both had agreed it was two lonely people comforting each other but somehow he didn't think Fred would take too kindly to the knowledge no matter how pretty it was wrapped. Maybe if he was lucky, REALLY lucky, Gwen would be out on a job but knowing his luck Gwen was probably part of the happy people brigade and had joined in the hunt. A relieved smile flashed across his features… that was brilliant.
Gunn turned in his seat next to Fred to look at Angel, "How can you be sure that Gwen's place is safe and she isn't part of the 'kill 'em' brigade?"
"I don't, but I have backup just in case." Angel held up a small vial that held Cordelia's blood.
Crap, crap, crap. Gunn just knew he was screwed.
Fred glanced over at Gunn and wondered what had him so upset. Well, besides the obvious of a mob trying to kill them, an evil entity trying to take over the world and their friend Cordelia in some kind of magical coma.
"Take a right at the next light, Gwen's place is an old brick tenement about halfway down on the right." Angel finished giving directions to Fred.
"Do you think that's wise? Even if she isn't part of Jasmine's army, won't our being there put her in danger?"
Gunn could have kissed Wesley.
"Gwen can hold her own. Besides she has a 'panic room' and security that will be helpful while we regroup."
"Her security didn't help Manny." Fred mumbled as she pulled in front of Gwen's building.
"That was an inside job with whatever was controlling Cordelia. If it had been an outside attack they never would have gotten through. Besides Connor doesn't know about Gwen and I'm sure she'll be under Jasmine's radar."
"If SHE isn't trying to kill us." Lorne pointed out as they stopped in front of Gwen's door.
"Well, the thought has crossed my mind but the urge isn't any stronger than it usually is." Gwen smirked as she opened her door.
"So, you have no overwhelming desire to beat us to a bloody pulp or take us to your leader?"
"How about a deal? I won't 'take you to my leader' if you don't become a 'Stepford Wife'."
Angel smiled, "Deal."
Gwen stepped back to let the others enter. "So where's the nagging girlfriend, handsome?"
A flash of pain flitted across Angel's features at the thought of Cordelia but he quickly tamped it down.
Gwen quirked an eyebrow at Angel's reaction to her question. Well, well, obviously there was a story there. Not that Gwen cared… unless she could use it to her advantage.
Her brown eyes twinkled as she caught Gunn's attempt at a cool façade. It would be fun to watch him squirm waiting for her to drop the other shoe.
"So, are the Cathy Lee Gifford wanna bes our punishment for your defeat of the Beast? Are we in some kind of hell?"
"Wait!" Fred blurted out. She narrowed her eyes at Gwen, "Why is it that everyone is devoted to Jasmine but you? I mean even Angel was so it's not like she doesn't affect…" Fred trailed off as she realized what she was going to say.
"That's okay, sweetie you can say it. Doesn't affect Freaks."
"N-no, that wasn't what I meant."
"What were you going to say? Non-humans, since I'm guessing Kermit here was affected as well."
"Hey!" Lorne protested. "I'm much cuter than Kermit."
Gwen sighed deeply, she always seemed to raise the hackles of the shy brunette. Yeah, okay, her first impression of killing her boyfriend may have set the tone of their relationship but she DID revive him later. Sure, she had sex with Gunn but she would bet the Hope Diamond that he hadn't told her that bit of news.
"Look, I don't know why I'm not affected. Maybe it has to do with my being Electro-Girl. All I know is that everyone but me, and now you guys, seems to think Jasmine is the second coming. So what's going on?"
Angel turned to Gunn and the others. "Gwen and I'll take the first watch. Gunn, show the others where the safe room is. Wesley, Gwen has some ancient texts in her library, see if there is anything we can use."
Gwen arched her eyebrow at Angel. "Sure, that'll be fine. Thanks for asking." She turned to Gunn, "Hey Denzel!"
Gunn stopped dead in his tracks, took a deep breath and turned to meet his doom. "Y-yeah?" Good, he sounded normal.
"Remember the way?" Gwen had to bite her lip to keep from laughing at Gunn's relief. God, she loved yanking people's chains.
"Yeah, I remember." Gunn quickly left the room before she could change her mind on what she was going to say.
Gwen checked her security cameras that faced the outside as Angel flipped on the television in hopes of getting word of what was happening.
"So, you ready to tell me what's going on?"
"Condensed version… Jasmine is an entity that's trying to take over the world."
"Yeah, kinda got that. Where's the girlfriend? And how are you no longer Jasmine obsessed? More importantly, why come to me?"
"Cordelia's in a coma. The only way we were able to stop worshipping Jasmine was from Cordelia's blood."
"Come again? Why would your girlfriend's blood stop the obsession?"
Angel sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. "Well, not just Cordelia's blood… Jasmine's blood will do the same thing. I think Cordelia and Jasmine share a blood link as well as a mystical link."
"Why a blood link? I get the mystical link since she was in that other realm."
"Cordelia gave birth to Jasmine."
Gwen blinked and then blinked again. "I'm sorry I must have hit my head or something I thought you just said that your girlfriend gave birth to Jasmine."
God, he wished she'd stop calling Cordelia his girlfriend. "I did. Cordelia's body was used a vessel to carry Jasmine into this reality."
Of all the things that Angel could have said that certainly wasn't what she was expecting. From the flash of pain earlier Gwen seriously doubted that he was the father. Before she could stop herself, her hand reached over to give his a comforting squeeze. "I'm sorry."
Angel looked down at Gwen's bare hand on his. There was a small electrical charge but he barely felt it. He flipped his hand so he could entwine his fingers with hers.
Gwen didn't even realize she had placed her bare hand on Angel's until she felt his gentle squeeze in return. She dropped his hand like she had been the one shocked. "God, I'm sorry. I… I didn't mean."
"Gwen, it's okay. I'm pretty much unshockable." Angel deliberately reached for her hand and entangled his fingers with hers again. He wasn't a tactile person by nature but for some reason he got comfort in Gwen's unconscious act of consolation.
Gwen tried to unclasp her fingers from Angel's but he only tightened his hold. God, if she looked up and saw pity in his eyes she was going to unleash all her power into him. She gave up her struggle and raised her eyes.
There were many emotions flitting across Angel's features as he stared at her and to her immense relief she saw that pity wasn't among them.
"So what's next?" Gwen wasn't sure exactly what she was asking.
"I don't know… I don't really have a plan besides trying to stay alive. The whole Jasmine taking over the world caught me by surprise."
"Well, you know as plans go trying to stay alive is a pretty good one."
Gwen looked over her shoulder to make a quick visual inspection of the security cameras. She stiffened and dropped Angel's hand before she quickly moved to the cameras.
"What? What is it?" Angel asked as he followed her.
"I thought I saw movement in one of the views."
"Damn!" Angel pointed to one of the monitors. "Do you have sound hooked up?"
Gwen didn't bother answering Angel, she just flipped a switch. There was brief static over the line and then a very faint mumbling voice, "Find Angel."
"One of your many admirers?"
"I didn't think she'd find us that quick." Angel turned on his heels and hit the panic room button to open the door.
"What's up, boss?" Lorne asked as he took in Angel's grim expression.
"They're in the building."
"Shit! Now what?" Gunn asked as he quickly left the room.
"Go out by the fire escape, I'll distract them." Gwen said as she pulled her other glove off.
"No! I won't let you fight on your own."
Gwen's lips quirked into a slight smile at Angel's words. "Go on. I'm used to fighting alone. Besides they don't know I allowed you in. I'll just tell them that you forced your way passed me."
Gunn opened the window to the fire escape and looked down. "It's clear. Come on, let's go."
Lorne was the last one through the window and he turned back to where Angel stood next to Gwen, "Angel? You coming?"
"Yeah, go ahead. I'll be right down."
Lorne took one last look at Angel before nodding and turning to follow the others down the fire escape.
"Where's Angel?" Fred asked as she climbed down.
"He said he'll meet us at the bottom."
"Go on, Angel. I'll be fine."
Angel cupped her face in his palms and placed a gentle kiss on her lips. "Be careful."
"Always." Gwen stepped back and gave Angel a wink before turning to leave. "Now go save the world." She called over her shoulder as she opened the door and went out to face the Cathy Lee Zombies.
Angel watched the monitor for a last glimpse of Gwen before he turned and jumped out the window.
"You okay?" Gunn asked when Angel landed on the ground in front of him.
He glanced up at Gwen's window before turning back to Gunn, "Yeah, let's go save the world."