Survival of the Sickest
Chapter 4: What the Heart Wants
By: Rogue-Slayer13
Disclaimer: The characters of Btvs and Ats belong to Joss Whedon, not myself.
Summary: See chapter one
Author's Note: AU means alternate universe, which means this is pretty different from the show, so don't get mad, I warned you. Thanks for the tip about Illyria, I spelt it right, but my computer fixed it and I didn't notice until it was brought to my attention.
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Fred watched from her office as Wesley walked into the now mostly vacant lab. She assumed he was here to take her home, but she wasn't sure, he might be coming to see if she needed any more pencils, he'd given her six already. Wesley weaved his way through the lab stations and up to the stairs that led to her office, he disappeared for a brief moment before coming back into view as he opened her office door.
"I just came by to see if you were ready to go home yet."
"I've got a lot left to do here." Fred looked up at Wesley from behind her lab report. "But you can go on home."
"I'd hate to have you have to get a cab or walk."
"I'm not crazy enough to walk anywhere alone in this city Wes," Fred replied with a laugh as she got up from her desk.
"I could wait for you to finish up if you want," Wesley offered.
"Nah, I'll be fine. Besides, I can get a ride home with Spike," Fred said, spotting the bleach blonde out in the hallway.
"Are you sure?"
"Sure about what?" Spike asked as he came up behind Wesley.
"I need someone to give me a ride home once I get done here," Fred explained.
Spike looked from Fred to Wesley and then back up at the scientist. "I can give you a ride Pet. I've got a few things to do for Peaches first, but if you've got work to do anyway, I can just take you when you're done."
"That'd be great." Fred smiled. "See, I told you there was nothing to worry about," Fred said, directing her attention back to her boyfriend.
"Are you sure it's not out of your way?" Wesley asked.
"Not at all mate, sides, I don't mind givin' Fred a lift home."
"Very well. Call me when you get in." Wesley gave Spike one last look before leaving.
"Percy seems awfully clingy today," Spike commented.
"They've all been like that." Fred went back over to her desk to finish reading her report.
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"Knock, knock."
Fred looked up to see Spike leaning in the door way to her office, his weight resting on his right forearm.
"Hey, I'm almost done."
"Take all the time you need," Spike replied walking over and taking a seat on the edge of her desk.
"Did Angel have you jumping through hoops all day?" Fred asked.
"Like a bloody circus poodle."
Fred laughed. "Well if it makes you feel any better, he treats everyone like that."
"Yeah, he always was a bossy git," Spike commented as he picked up a coffee mug that was sitting on Fred's desk.
Fred peeked over the edge of her paper to look at Spike while he was busy toying with the mug. She let her eyes wander from his fingers, which were covered with chipped black nail polish, and up his leather clad arm to his sexy cheek bones.
"You won't get any work done if you keep starring at me Luv," Spike said as he set the mug back down.
"I wasn't starring, I was just thinking and I zoned out," replied an embarrassed Fred as she hid behind the paper.
How did he know? He never even looked at me? Fred thought.
"Thinking about what?"
"Nothing important." Fred set down her paper and got her purse out of her desk drawer. "C'mon, let's get out of here."
"Okay Pet," Spike replied as he followed her out of the office.
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"You're place or his?"
"Huh?"
Spike looked over at Fred, who had been starring out the passenger side window of the car. "Where is home for the evening? Am I taking you to your place or to Percy's?"
"Oh, my place," Fred replied before going back to looking out the window again.
The next few minutes were spent in silence until Spike spoke again.
"You've been awfully quiet this evening."
"I've just had a lot on my mind is all." Fred turned in her seat so she could look at Spike better.
"Anything you want to talk about?" Spike glanced over at Fred before looking back at the road.
"Not really, just a bunch of random thoughts."
"Well if you need me, I'm always here to lend a compassionate ear," Spike replied as he stopped the car outside Fred's apartment building.
"I'll give you a call." Fred got out of the car and headed inside, pausing to wave Spike good-bye, before going on in.
Fred walked into her dark apartment, turning on the light and shutting the door in almost one fluid motion. She set her keys down on the counter before making her way over to the phone. On the way to the phone she passed by the sofa laying her coat down on the arm. Fred picked up the phone and dialed Wesley's number. There was only one ring before he picked it up.
"Hello?"
"Hey Wes, you said you wanted me to call once I got in."
"Oh yes, did you just get in?"
"Yeah, I came in and called you first thing." Fred began to pace around her apartment while talking to Wesley.
"Well, do you want to come over? We could watch a movie or something. I can come and get you if you want."
"A movie sounds nice," Fred said.
"Great, I'll be over in a bit."
"Okay."
"Love you."
"You too," replied Fred as she hung up the phone.
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Over the next few days Fred began to feel smothered. Wesley and Gunn kept checking on her all throughout the day at work and she hardly got to spend anytime alone after work either. Wesley kept calling to see how she was or to see if she wanted to come over. The only person who wasn't worried sick about her was Spike and as weird as it sounded, she liked that about him. She liked that he wasn't worried to death every time she sneezed and that he let her actually do her job.
"What happens if you mix those two together?" Spike asked as he pointed at two of the flasks that were full of brightly colored liquids.
"They'd at least destroy this entire floor and every floor above it," Fred replied.
"Pretty powerful stuff you're working with here Luv."
"Powerful, but boring." Fred mixed two a drop of blue liquid into a beaker full of gray slime and stirred it with a stirring rod.
"It turned pink, doesn't that mean it tests positive for protein?" Spike asked gesturing to the beaker full of slime,
Fred starred at Spike in shock.
"What? Am I wrong?"
"No, not at all, you're exactly right, but how did you know that?" asked an very impressed Fred.
"I guess I've just spent too much time here with you," Spike replied with a shrug. "So, why are you testing for protein?"
"Angel found this in a crypt while on patrol and he wanted to know if it was some sort of protective slime from a demon or if it was a weapon."
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Wesley walked into Fred's office to find it empty; he was about to turn and leave when something caught his eye. He walked over to the window that looked out into the lab and saw Spike and Fred sitting very close to each other at a lab station. Wesley felt a pang of jealousy as Fred laughed at something he said.
She hasn't laughed around me since she got back. Wesley thought as he headed out of the office and into the lab.
Fred looked up and saw Wesley walking into the lab.
"Looks like Percy wants to talk to you," Spike commented as he looked over his shoulder at Wesley.
"He probably wants to know if I need anymore paperclips or something," Fred sighed.
Spike stifled a laugh as Wesley came up to the two.
"Hey Wesley," Fred greeted.
"Hello."
"So, what brings you to my neck of the woods?" Fred asked.
"I just thought you might want to go and have lunch."
"Well, Spike and I were . . ."
"Go ahead and have lunch with Percy, Luv. I'll talk to you later," Spike said.
Wesley glared at Spike when he called Fred Luv.
"Are you sure?" Fred asked looking over at Spike.
"Yeah," Spike replied as he turned and headed out of the lab.
"Have you been to the new deli down the street?" Wesley asked once Spike was gone.
"Nope," Fred replied.
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"You okay Sweet Pea?" Lorne asked as Fred walked into his office close to time to go home.
"Not really," Fred replied as she sat down in the chair on the other side of Lorne's desk.
"Trouble in paradise?"
"More like paradise just got ransacked by a hurricane."
"That bad, huh?" Lorne asked.
"Yes, I can't stand this. I feel like I'm being torn in two right now. Part of me wants to stay with Wesley because I know he'd never hurt me, but . . ."
"The other part wants Spike, the man of mystery and danger," Lorne finished for her.
"Exactly and I don't know why," Fred said.
"Girls always go after the bad boys."
"But I never have. I know that bad boys don't go after good girls."
"Maybe not, but I wouldn't be surprised if a Big Bad went after a Science Babe."
"He wouldn't . . . would he?" Fred asked uncertainly.
"If these walls could talk," Lorne replied with a smile.
"What do you know?" Fred demanded, leaning forward and grabbing a hold of Lorne's hand.
"I couldn't." Lorne looked away with a very dramatic air about him.
"Please?"
"Well, I haven't heard anything, but it's obvious in the way he looks at you."
"What do you mean?" Fred asked.
"Sweet cheeks, he's fallen and he's fallen hard," Lorne explained.
"Really?"
"Yep, he tries to be respectful of Wesley and hide it, but I can tell he glows with it."
"Really?" Fred asked.
"Yes."
Just then Fred looked at the clock on Lorne's desk. "Crap! I'm supposed to have dinner with Wesley," Fred said as she quickly got up and headed for the door.
"What ever you do, do it soon!" Lorne called.
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To Be Continued . . .
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