Angel came awake, he chronicled his body as the aches and pains made him more aware. Hold on, why in the world was he laying on something soft? Last thing he remembered was a bright flash of light just as the dragon was about to eat him.
With a groan he opened his eyes, he focused on soft brown eyes in a blue face.
"Illyria? Fred? What are you doing here?"
"Shh, lie still Angel, you took a pretty bad bump on the head." Fred pressed her hand against Angels chest to keep him lying down.
"Gunn? Spike? Are they….."
"Wil.. Spike took Gunn to the hospital, Gunn has a serious wound to his stomach, but I think he'll be fine." Fred reassured Angel, she hoped he didn't catch the fact that she almost called Spike William. That was something special between them that started when Spike was incorporeal and he would spend hours in her lab keeping her company.
With a groan Angel sat up and leaned against the sofa, he looked around and recognized the lobby of the Hyperion.
"Angel I thought the hotel was trashed, how come it looks like new?"
"What's the use of being a CEO of one of the most corrupt evil law firms in the world if I couldn't siphon off money to fix our home?" Angel replied.
"Fix you mean,"
"Yup, the whole place has been redone, I had them fix up everything, and even the spaces we didn't use." Angel told Fred with a smile, Fred opened her mouth to ask another question but the opening of the lobby doors cut her off.
"Hello, is any one home?" a young male voice called out.
"Oh just go on in, if there are any baddies we can take em" a young female voice stated loudly.
"Hey who are you and what are you doing at my Dad's hotel" another male voice called out.
"Conner, we're in here" Angel yelled out recognizing his son's voice.
Conner came rushing through the doors with Andrew and Dawn fast on his heels, "Dad", "Angel" "Where's Spike" all tumbled together.
Conner knelt down beside his father and looked closely to see how he was, "Just a bump on the head Conner I'll be fine" Angel reassured his son as he pulled him in for a hug.
Willow, Kendall, Faith and Giles stood on the steps at the top of the lobby taking in the tableau, the girls all wondered whom the blue woman was. At the sight of her Giles went white, all color drained from his face and he stepped back into the shadows.
Over the top of Conner's head Angel answered Andrew and Dawn, "Spike is at the hospital with Gunn, Andrew. He is fine just banged up a little. Hey Dawnie, what are you doing here?"
"Willow called us and said that there was something big going down in LA and that we had to get here as soon as possible, so we jumped a plane and here we are." Dawn said in all one breath, a frown creased her forehead, "But from the looks of you I think we are to late."
Fred watched all the people crowd around Angel, she had never been comfortable in crowds before Illyria took her over, and now she felt even more self conscious. With the ease born of long practice she found a seat in an alcove.
The door thumped open and Xander stuck his head in, "Are we staying then?" he called out. Willow raised a hand and waved him over, they were listening to Dawn explain all that had happened to the Scooby gang since they had closed the hellmouth in Sunnydale.
"So I finished high school in Rome, Buffy is in charge of the Italy Branch of Slayers, Andrew is a European Rep for the Watchers Council. Xander is located in Cleveland with Faith, Watcher and Slayer reps, oh sorry, Angel this is Kendall Willow's partner. They live in Central America and take care of the Slayer/Watcher business down there." Dawn wrapped up her tale with a nod.
Angel went to say something, but Conner forestalled him, "I think you need to get to bed, C'mon." He pulled his father to his feet, "You guys will be here for a couple of days yet?" at Willows nod, "Ok then, you can all get together tomorrow an finish catching up."
"Huh" Xander looked around at the group, "is it just me or did anyone else find it really odd that, the kid kept calling Angel Dad?"
"I know Angel will explain things tomorrow, we should probably be getting back to our hotel." Willow said as she gazed thoughtfully at where Fred was hiding.
Giles stepped forward and cleared his throat, "I am afraid I have done a great disservice to our friends here in LA." His voice was thick with emotion as he addressed the young people; he walked down to stand in front of them, he made sure to face the alcove where Fred was hiding. He took a deep breath in preparation to tell them something only Andrew had to date been privy to.
"I received a call from Angel a while back, Angel was requesting my help to save a young woman of his acquaintance." Giles reached up and removed his glasses; he withdrew a handkerchief from his pocket and started to clean them. "It seems this young woman's body was being taken over slowly and painfully by an ancient one." Giles looked off into the distance, "I really have no excuse, other than believing that Angel as CEO of Wolfram and Heart had truly turned evil, I refused to help Angel to find a cure for his friend."
The room was completely silent; the friends all looked at each other hoping to see the answer listed in each other's faces.
Willow was the first to speak, "Was there a cure?"
Giles shook his head, "I honestly don't know, ancient ones existed before time, before demons, before humanity."
