The Blue Room--Chapter 4

Sorry this is so short, I've been really out of my mind lately. I think it says what it needs to.

And in a reader's review, I was reminded that Oz shouldn't be vulnerable to the lunar cycle anymore. I knew about his time in Tibet...but I didn't know what time frame. I never watched 'Buffy'. Anyway, thank you for telling me. I feel rather silly now, I can't fix it, I've already plotted the story. My only, extremely lame, excuse is that the story is set AU, so maybe in this Alternate Universe...he never went. That's my story and I'm stickin' to it. P

Thanks to everyone who reviewed. I WANT MORE! I'm sadly addicted. Review and I'll shower you with--something you'd want to be showered with. Promise. Thanks.

Oz woke up on a cold concrete floor with his hands tied behind his back. The room was dark and dank. Oz noticed there were no windows, so he must be underground. As if in answer to his thoughts, a voice came from the other side of the room.

"It's a vault."

From the sound Oz concluded it must be a male. He could almost make out a dim shape in the darkness. He didn't reply, the man spoke again.

"A bank vault. Wolfram & Hart owns it, but it's been empty for decades."

"Wolfram & Hart?" Oz found the courage to ask.

"The law firm I–" He paused. "...used to work for."

"A law firm?" Oz coughed, spitting blood onto the cement. "You're a lawyer?"

"Sorry I had you brought here. If she gets the girl I'm dead."

"Fred? Who wants Fred? What the hell's going on!"

"You know everything you've said thus far has been in the form of a question. It makes you sound clueless, you should work on that."

"No, that last one was meant to be a statement. As in, quit playing games with me and tell me why I'm here."

"Or what?"

"Or–" Oz froze, feeling the wolf in him rise. He choked whatever urges he had to tear the man's flesh apart, and flattened himself against the far wall. The man chuckled softly from the dark.

"What are you laughing at?" Asked the blonde woman. Oz heard the man gasp at her sudden arrival.

"Oh, hey baby." He said nervously. "That's him, over there."

Oz was able to see the blonde woman clearly. She seemed to have a certain glow about her. She eyed him curiously at first, and then began to move steadily towards him.

Wesley offered Fred his handkerchief as she sat down on the couch. He and Gunn had fought to get her here, she wouldn't move unless they urged her. She merely sniffled and whimpered and repeated Oz's name over and over again in a soft, trembling voice.

"What?" Wesley pressed desperately. "We can't help if you don't tell us what's happening to Oz." Fred shook her head sadly.

"Torture, betrayal..." She looked into Wesley's eyes, her face streaked with tears. "...death."

Wesley shuddered. He turned to face Gunn, ready to ask him to call Oz's apartment. As he opened his mouth Fred gave a shrieking wail and buried her hands in her dark hair, pulling it every which way. Gunn and Wesley darted to catch her and head butted each other in mid-leap. Fred hit the floor hard, and lay there writhing while Wes and Gunn stood rubbing their heads trying to come up with someway to help.

"A demon!" Fred gasped between the sobs. "That one we almost killed..."

"The Ardentious demon?" Wesley tried. Fred nodded a reply, struggling against the pain.

"It's after revenge...oh, it's really pissed..." She whimpered.

Gunn lifted her onto the couch, handing her a blanket after she complained of a sudden chill. Then he walked into the kitchen where Wesley was waiting for him.

"Hey man, what about that spell you were talking about? That incantation mumbo-jumbo, sposta kill it with just words? How's that work?" At Wesley's guilty look Gunn frowned. "What?"

"I didn't finish..." Wesley shrugged hopelessly. "I couldn't finish..."

Gunn narrowed his eyes and set his shoulders for the determined look, before quickly making his way back to Fred, who lay shaking under her blanket on the couch.

"Fred?" Gunn ventured. She gave a weak mumble in reply. "Where is this thing? What does it want?" Fred breathed into her pillow quietly, and Gunn repeated the question, thinking she hadn't heard him. "Fred?" He said after a minute of silence. Fred wasn't conscious, he soon realized. She was slipping.

"Wes!" He shouted, turning to see Wesley right behind him, wincing at the sudden sound. "Oh, sorry. Fred's–"

"I know." Wesley murmured. "She's dying."

"What?"

"The visions. They're killing her." Wesley watched Fred's irregular breathing, silently wishing he were the one gasping for air. "A human can't keep them. The visions are too powerful." As Wesley spoke, Gunn shook his head in disbelief.

"How do we save her?" He asked, almost begging Wesley to have an answer.

"We can't." Wesley sighed. "Well–"

"What?"

"She can only live if someone else takes the visions."

"Angel!" Gunn turned and ran to the spare bedroom, jostling the key in the lock and opening the door. "Uh-oh...Wes!"

Wesley came reluctantly, not wanting to leave Fred's side.

"What is it?" He stopped suddenly at the sight of the shattered window.

"Angel's gone."

I'll try to get the next chapter up A.S.A.P., but like I said, I'm way busy and it's driving me complete starkers. I'm more likely to hop to it if you review! (hint, hint)