Survival of the Sickest

Chapter 3: I Don't Need You To Hold My Hand

By: Rogue-Slayer13

Disclaimer: The characters of Btvs and Ats belong to Joss Whedon, not myself.

Summary: See chapter one

Author's Note: I'm back! Yay!

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Fred watched as Spike and Angel discussed exactly what they were going to do to Knox once they got back to Wolfram & Hart. Angel had called to let everyone know what had happened and that Fred was okay, when Wesley told him how big of a part Knox played in the whole thing. Fred had never seen two people as angry as Spike and Angel were. After several minutes of idol threats and cursing the two had actually got down to some serious planning on what was the best way to remove Knox's vital organs.

"I say we go in through the throat." Angel looked over at Spike.

"Nah, that's too easy. We should do something creative." Spike stated,

"What about hot pokers?" Angel suggested.

"Ooh, how very Angelus of you," Spike replied, clearly expressing his delight in the idea.

"Why don't you two just kick the shit out of him and leave his organs on the inside?" Fred suggested.

Both vampires looked over at the young woman before looking back at each other.

"We haven't had a good ass kicking in awhile," Angel commented.

"Evisceration's too messy anyway," Spike added.

"That's a great idea Fred," Angel said as he and Spike looked back over at her.

"Glad to be of help."

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Fred almost got the wind knocked out of her as Wesley pulled her into a hug, picking her up off her feet at the same time.

"I'm so glad you're okay!"

"It's nice to see you too Wes, but I kind of need to breathe," Fred wheezed out.

"Oh, right. Sorry," Wesley replied as he set Fred back down on her feet.

"We're glad you're better Honey Bun." Lorne gave Fred a hug as well, but he was much more gentle then Wesley.

"Yeah, glad to have you back," Gunn added as he gave Fred a quick hug.

"Glad to be back amongst the non-possessed," Fred replied.

"Where's Knox?" Spike asked.

"Yeah, where is the little creep?" Angel looked around.

"Now we don't want to have Angelus coming out to play." Gunn looked at the older vampire.

"He won't, trust me," Angel stated.

"As long as you're sure you've got a lid on things, he's down in one of the containment cells."

"Great," Angel replied as he headed out of the room followed by Spike.

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The next day Fred was busy working in her lab when one of the lab techs came up to her.

"You've got a phone call in your office Miss Burkle."

"Thanks Sarah," Fred replied as she went to take the call. "Hello?"

"Hey Fred, I was just calling to check up on you," Gunn's voice came over the phone.

"Well Gunn, nothings happened in the last fifteen minutes since the last time you called me," Fred replied, a tad annoyed at the constant interruption.

"Oh, well I guess I let you get back to work then."

"Okay."

"Take care of yourself," Gunn said.

"I will," replied Fred as she and Gunn both hung up the phone.

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"Science Department, Fred speaking."

"Hello Fred."

Fred gave an annoyed sigh before replying. "Hi Wesley."

"Is everything going okay in the lab?" Wesley asked.

"Yes, nothing's changed since you called to ask if I had enough pencils."

"Do you?"

"Do I what?" asked a puzzled Fred.

"Have enough pencils, because if you don't I can . . ."

"I'm fine Wesley, I have plenty of pencils. A whole supply room full in fact." Fred paced around her office wishing that Wesley would get off the phone.

"Oh, well if you need anything . . ."

"I know, give you a call," Fred said quickly.

"Well, I'll talk to you later."

"Okay."

"I love you."

"Talk to you later." Fred hung up the phone and went back to the equation she was working on.

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Angel walked into the science lab, only to be pushed back out the door by a very annoyed Fred.

"If you're here to see if I have enough pencils, then the answer is yes and you can leave right now," Fred said, irritation evident in her voice.

"Why would I come to see if you have enough pencils?" Angel asked.

"I don't know, you should ask Gunn and Wesley, they're the ones who seem to think there's some sort of office supply crisis in the science department."

"Oh, well, I just came by to see how you were feeling," said a somewhat embarrassed Angel.

"Physically, I feel fine, emotionally I'm annoyed." Fred put her hands on her hips.

"Well, I'm going to go ahead and leave you alone then."

"Thank you," Fred replied as Angel turned and walked back down the hall.

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"Ello Luv."

Fred let out a little shriek and threw the stack of files she was holding into the air. "Oh my god!"

"I prefer Spike, but whatever gets you through the night Pet." Spike bent down and scooped up the files.

"I thought I told you never to do that again," Fred said, taking the files from Spike and placing them down on her desk.

"I thought that only applied when I was popping out of the walls?" Spike cocked his head to the side.

"Well, it now applies to you using that vampire stealth of yours to scare me half to death," Fred informed.

"Vampire stealth, that's a new one," Spike said with a chuckle.

"Well I'm glad you're amused. Did you come by to check on me too?" Fred asked with a hint of annoyance.

"Actually, I came by to see if you wanted to go have lunch. Figured you could use a break from all of the mollycoddling."

"Oh," said a shocked Fred. "Well, I don't know. Normally I have lunch with Wesley."

"They have tacos," Spike coaxed.

"I'll get my purse."

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"Knock, knock."

Fred looked up from her paperwork to see Lorne standing in the doorway to her office. "Did you come by to hold my hand while I work too?"

"No . . . well sort of," Lorne said taking a seat across from Fred. "How ya holding up Sugar Foots?"

"I'm fine, just really annoyed with everyone."

"Everyone?" Lorne asked a bit surprised.

"Yes everyone or at least our entire group has come to check on me. I don't need someone to hold my damn hand while I do my job!"

"Well if it makes you feel any better, I was coming just to see how you felt physically, not if you could do your job right," Lorne pointed out.

"That makes me feel a bit better," Fred replied with a smile.

"So everyone, even Spike?"

"No, Spike's the only one who's acting normal today. It was . . . nice."

"Really? What'd you two do?" Lorne asked, sensing that there was more to Fred's appreciation for Spike's visit then just a break from being checked up on.

"Oh, well we went to eat at this fabulous Mexican restaurant and we had the greatest conversation about traveling. Do you know how many places Spike's been to? And then we came back," Fred replied dreamily.

"Sounds like you had a nice time."

"It was great." Fred gave a little sigh.

"Well I'm glad you two had such a great time." Lorne started to get up.

"Yeah, but it's weird."

"Why's that?" Lorne asked, sitting back down.

"I get along really well with Spike, better then anyone else really, even Wesley."

"Is that a bad thing?" Lorne asked.

"No, but it's definitely a weird one. I mean, I should have a really strong bound with Wesley and . . ."

"You don't?" Lorne offered.

"Not really. I mean, we get along, and I trust him, but I think it's mostly because I know he won't hurt me," Fred said as she looked down at her desk.

"So, Wesley's the safe bet, no risk or danger involved?"

"Yeah, I know exactly what I'll get with Wesley."

"But with Spike . . ."

"I don't know what I'll get. Every time we talk, it's like we've never talked before. I never get tired of listening to him tell stories about all the places he's gone," Fred said with a smile.

"I think you've solved you're dilemma," Lorne replied getting up.

"Wow, when did the conversation shift over to . . . never mind." Fred got up and walked Lorne to the door.

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To Be Continued . . .

Thanks for the reviews everyone. Sorry that it's been so long, but I just now got my computer back.

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