CONSEQUENCES
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters except for the ones that I created like Katy, Michelle, and Morgan.
CHAPTER 16-FEELINGS TOLD AND WHO TO TRUST
After checking in on Nina, an act that took all day as he walked into the room and saw her huddled up in her sheets, shaking like she was cold, Angel could not leave without comforting her. After making sure the shades were completely shut Angel slipped under the covers beside Nina and took her into his arms, hoping that his presence would calm her. After a while it did. When he finally got down into the library to more closely inspect the Axis Spike was seated in a chair on the totally opposite side of the room from Illyria, who was now trying different things to keep her shoulder length orange hair from obscuring her field of vision. Angle wasn't quite sure what to make of the new Illyria, more than once he had to force himself to not stare at her best assets, as he slid into a seat beside Spike.
"Do you find this as insane as I do," Angel whispered to Spike under his breath as he picked up a random book.
"You mean insane as in how blue went from Dora the Explorer to Elvira with the…with the uh," Spike stammered out with a nervous and uncomfortable shifting in his seat before both he and Angel looked away as Illyria glanced up their way.
"Something like that yeah," Angel mumbled back with an awkward and anxious frown on his face as he quickly nodded his head and did his best to bury himself in the book that he was holding, without realizing that he was holding it upside down.
"Now while the Axis has the uncanny ability to locate souls and entities across time and space it does not however possess the ability to pull those souls or entities back into our dimension, to do that we'd need something to focus the particular souls energy and then a physical anchor in this world," Michelle announced loudly with a very proud smile on her face as she traced the lines on the page with her index finger as she deciphered them.
"Focus as in a person using magic to focus the souls energy or a talisman of some kind," Spike asked with a bored tone to his voice as he kept his gaze locked onto the passage of the book that he was skimming.
"A demon or person skilled in the dark arts is need to draw the soul back from its present location to our dimension and hold it here until the anchor, well…anchors it here," Michelle replied with a happy look on her face before Spike smiled at her and she ducked back behind the book and blushed furiously.
"Great…why does everything have to come down to magic," Connor grumbled with a nervous and unhappy scowl on his face as he crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair.
"It's simple Connor, they probably don't want just anybody being able to bring someone back from another dimension so they restrict it to just the powerful magic types, now our only problem is finding someone that's skilled in the dark arts that would actually work with us," Spike replied with a nervous and anxious frown on his face as he slowly put the book that he was skimming down and turned to Connor.
"Willow," Angel uttered with a look of total seriousness on his face as he shut the book that he was looking at and glanced over at the Axis.
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"And just where do you think you're going," Buffy demanded with a nervous look on her face as she caught up to Dawn in the hotel's lobby.
"Out to get a bite, there's this great little restaurant a couple of blocks from here, I'll only be gone for a few minutes, nothing will happen," Dawn answered with an unhappy scowl on her face as after momentarily stopping her way out of the hotel continued on her way.
"You shouldn't go alone, take Willow with you," Buffy shot back with a serious and unwavering look on her face as she hurried forward and barred Dawn's exit out of the building just as Willow shook her head and stood up from the chair that Lorne had been sitting in earlier.
"But Buffy…I'm not a child," Dawn protested with an angry scowl on her face as she crossed her arms and stomped her foot.
"I know you're not Dawn, but right now we don't know exactly what's going on and who our enemy is, until we do it wouldn't be wise to send anyone out alone," Buffy said with a very serious look on her face as she braced herself for Dawn's temper.
"You mean anyone that isn't a slayer," Dawn snapped back with a hurt pout on her face before she pushed past Buffy and slipped out into the street.
"Dawn," Buffy shouted in alarm as she recovered from Dawn's sudden act and started to turn around to follow her younger sister but was stopped by Willow.
"It's okay Buffy, I won't let anything happen to her," Willow interjected with a slightly nervous look on her face as she gave Buffy a quick hug and then slipped out of the hotel and after Dawn.
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"So how exactly are we supposed to convince this friend of yours to come with us and perform a very dangerous spell to get Wesley back," Gwen asked with an impatient frown on her face as she sulked in the back of the car while Angel drove and a tired and somber Nina occupied the front passenger seat.
"We ask her real nicely…and if she says no, well we've got that covered to," Spike slowly replied with an anxious expression on his face as he patted a bulge in his coat and Gwen saw a flash of silver sticking out of a pocket on the interior side of the duster at about chest level.
"What's that supposed to mean," Nina asked quite pointedly before feeling ashamed and turning back to stare out of the passenger window, tightly gripping the axe that Angel had given her.
"Nothing much, just that there's no way that we're going home empty-handed," Spike replied slowly after an awkward silence as he caught the gaze of Angel for a moment in the rear view mirror before he looked over out of the window and saw Dawn and Willow enter a small restaurant on the corner.
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Dawn rushed into the small restaurant first, interested in getting to the counter and ordering what she wanted before Willow caught up with her and dishing out whatever angry message that Buffy had given her. She wasn't really in the mood for pizza but she felt that she needed to get some air and get out from under Buffy's at times overprotective shadow.
"Slow down Dawnie, where's the fire," Willow exclaimed with a slightly out of breath look on her face as doubled over to catch her breath and let the door shut behind her.
"I don't care what she told you to tell me Willow, I'm not a child," Dawn angrily shot back with an annoyed pout on her face before she walked over and got into the short line leading to the counter.
"She knows that Dawnie, she's just scared about what's could happen to you, she just wants you to be safe," Willow replied with a nervous and pained look on her face as she straightened up and joined Dawn in the line.
"I know Willow, fragile little Dawn, needs to be coddled and protected like she's glass," Dawn angrily mumbled back with an impatient frown on her face as she crossed her arms in front of her chest and was about to add something when she was interrupted by an unfamiliar voice.
"She's right, wouldn't want a fragile little thing like you to get hurt, you just might shatter," Gwen interjected with an innuendo filled tone to her voice as she stepped up into line behind Willow and Dawn and did her best to not appear threatening, something that only lasted for about three seconds.
"Who are you," Willow demanded with a very serious look on her face as she stepped in front of Dawn and prepared a spell in the back of her mind, just in case.
"It depends, are you going to come with me quietly or do I have to make a scene," Gwen shot back with a tone to her voice and look on her face that were all aimed at making Willow and Dawn believe that Gwen could care less about either of them.
"We aren't going anywhere with you," Dawn stated with a very firm and certain expression on her face as she leaned out from behind Willow just a bit before ducking back.
"Oh I think you will," Angel said with an emotionless tone of voice as he walked silently into the restaurant, his sword expertly concealed beneath the folds of his duster.
"Angel," Willow exclaimed with a look of total surprise and shock on her face while Dawn made a sound that resembled a mouse squeaking before the two took a fearful and nervous step back and away from Angel.
"Scared…good, you should be," Angel replied calmly with a deadly serious look in his gaze as he calmly took another step forward and slid the hilt of his sword out from beneath the folds of his duster just enough to make sure that both Willow and Dawn saw it.
"You two are coming with us," Gwen added with a frustrated and under whelmed frown on her face as she slid her dagger out of her coat pocket.
"Gwen, what do you think you're doing, how can we get them to trust us if…," Nina began with a panicked look on her face as she hurried forward and did her best to make Gwen put her dagger back into her coat while making sure that none of the other customers had seen the weapon.
"Why should we trust you," Willow asked with a curious and very anxious expression on her face as she brought the words to a very protective spell to her lips, only to lose them instantly at the voice of another.
"Because I do Red," Spike replied with a cool and collected smirk on his face as he appeared from out of the crowd on the opposite side of Angel, looking a bit ragged but otherwise just as Willow and Dawn remembered him.
"No…it can't be, you're dead, you died in the Hellmouth, Buffy told me," Willow stuttered out with a complete look of shock and surprise on her face while Dawn was still trying to get her mouth to work correctly and actually form sounds instead of just looking like a fish out of water.
"Right on all three accounts luv, but like the saying goes…reports of my demise have been greatly exaggerated," Spike answered with a very calm and almost whimsical smile on his face as he kept his hands in the front pockets of his duster and stood there completely still.
"No…you can't be here, you're dead…the First, you're the First," Dawn finally said with a terrified look on her face as it appeared as if tears were threatening to form in her eyes.
"Come on Bit, could that bloody git do this," Spike asked calmly with a somewhat hurt look on his face before he carefully and slowly reached out his right hand and with his fingers gently bounced a few of Dawn's locks, making her gasp audibly in shock. He half expected her to faint right then and there, but his little Bit was stronger than that. Before he knew it she had reared back and slapped him hard across the face. Recoiling from the first strike he fully expected another, being glad that Angel kept the others at bay, before to his surprise large elephant tears appeared in her eyes and she flung herself at him, enveloping in one of the tightest hugs that he had ever received, the front of his shirt quickly becoming completely soaked.
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"How do you feel," Connor asked softly and politely with a concerned look on his face and tone to his voice as he slowly shut the door to Morgan's room.
"How do you think I…I've been better," Morgan started to shout back with a very angry and frustrated scowl on her face before she saw the hurt and shock on Connor's face and did her best to calm down.
"How's your shoulder, still hurt," Connor asked softly as he nervous slid his hands into the pockets of his jeans and tried not to stare at Morgan. It wasn't because she was devoid of clothing but after his past experiences with women Connor had decided to be less assertive with members of the opposite sex, at least those that made his stomach get tied in knots when he was around them. As he took an awkward step towards her bed Connor wondered if Angel had ever felt this way around any of the many women that he had known in his lifetime.
"Yeah, it's like a dull pain though…thanks to the drugs, although I really can't move it much, hope the fabled enhanced slayer healing kicks in pretty soon because otherwise it might just be better to chop it off," Morgan finally replied after pulling a tissue out of the box and blowing her nose.
"My dad and the others are out picking up a few things, they said that we were supposed to stay here and wait for them," Connor said with a reluctant look Morgan's way before he walked over to the window and sullenly gazed out of it.
"Are you okay," Morgan asked with a slightly confused look on her face after remaining silent for a few seconds and watching Connor's nervous behavior.
"Yeah…I'm fine," Connor mumbled back with a sad pout on his face even though he barely moved a muscle.
"Really, that's funny you know, because you don't look fine, was it something I did," Morgan wondered, at first with a bit of anger and sarcasm in her voice, before she slipped out of bed, thankful that she had something on more than her robe, and crossed the room to stand off to the side of Connor. She was close enough so that she could see his face but no so close as to make him feel as if she were trying to box him in.
"You like him…don't you," Connor said with a sad and dejected tone of voice as he fought against himself to keep from looking at Morgan, who stood there perplexed by his question.
"Him who," Morgan asked with a confused look on her face as she took a step forward and sat down gingerly on the window seat.
"Spike," Connor mumbled back in reply before he turned and walked away from the window, finally stopping in front of a full-length mirror, half bathed in shadows. After being initially taken aback at his comment Morgan recovered quickly and answered.
"Of course, what woman in her right mind wouldn't be…Connor," Morgan answered quickly as a faint smile came to her lips before without saying a word Connor turned and walked over to the door. Before Morgan could say anything more Connor had left the room. It was twenty minutes later before Morgan heard a knock on her door. "Connor," Morgan asked with a somewhat worried tone to her voice as she slowly pulled the door open.
"Nope, he's out in the backyard somewhere, looked terrible to," Michelle replied with a surprised look on her face before her countenance grew sad at the memory of the look that Connor had on his face when he had walked past her in the library.
"Did he say anything…about me," Morgan asked, more than a bit nervous but yet at the same time feeling oddly as if she were the cause of Connor's current state of melancholy and it bugged her to see him feel that way.
"About you…no, can't say as he did, although it's getting kind of cold out there and he wasn't wearing a coat," Michelle answered with a sad and tired yawn as she leaned up against the doorframe a little bit.
"Maybe I should take him one," Morgan started to say with a concerned look on her face as she turned back into the room in an attempt to look for a coat.
"In your condition, sorry Morgan but you should get as much rest as possible, despite having the enhanced slayer healing you still have to give your body the time that it needs to heal, and going outside into the cold night air won't be helping any," Michelle countered with an almost motherly expression on her face as Morgan guessed that Michelle had used that same face before, probably on either younger siblings or children whom she babysat.
"But," Morgan began to argue with a slightly more concerned look on her face before she realized that Michelle was right and turned in for the night.
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"Where are we going," Dawn asked with a nervous look on her face as she and Willow had piled into a van shortly after exiting the restaurant. Spike got in along with them and slipped behind the wheel, allowing Groo to slip to the passenger side seat.
"Headquarters Bit, not exactly my usual fare but at the moment we don't really have much of a choice in the matter," Spike replied with a nervous look on his face as he roared out of the restaurants parking lot after Angel and the others.
"And then what, is Cordy or Wesley there…or Fred," Willow asked with a worried and impatient frown on her face as she hand to hang onto her seat tightly as Spike took the corners very sharply and drove like he was rushed for time.
"Sorry Red, it's only me, Peaches, and Illyria left…well guess you could add Faith and a few new slayers to that tally, and hopefully with your help we'll add Wesley to that mix," Spike said back with a nervous and anxious edge to his voice as he slowed down and waited for Angel to make the turn.
"But he's dead right, Wesley's dead," Dawn interjected with a confused pout on her face that Spike couldn't help but smirk at as he saw it in the rearview mirror.
"He is indeed, but once you cast the spell with the correct talisman's he will be alive once again and help us to forever close the portals to the hell dimensions that the senior partners of Wolfram and Hart wish to open," Groo answered before Spike could as he half turned in his seat and smiled back at Dawn and Willow just as the mansion came into view.
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"Mind if I sit down," Katy asked softly with a content smile on her face as she slowly walked up to Connor, who sat shivering on a stone bench beside a small pool.
"Yes," Connor mumbled back with a slightly annoyed scowl on his face as he kept his gaze riveted on a crack in the cement.
"Well sorry but I'm sitting down," Katy shot back with a frustrated frown on her face as she walked over and sat down beside Connor.
"I don't want to talk about it," Connor grumbled with an annoyed scowl on his face as he scooted an inch further away from Katy and stared down at a severed blade of grass.
"Yes you do, look Connor I might not be the smartest slayer ever but I've been around enough men to know when they're all hung up over a woman, so which one is it…Faith, Michelle," Katy countered with a half amused pout on her face as she was trying to hold her excitement in while not letting Connor get the wrong idea about her line of questioning.
"Stop it okay, just stop it," Connor snapped with a scared look on his face as he stood up quickly and started to walk away from the pool.
"It's Morgan isn't it Connor, but she doesn't even see you…right," Katy exclaimed loudly enough so that Connor could easily hear her but no one inside the mansion would. At her words Connor instantly stopped walking and half turned.
"Maybe," Connor mumbled softly with a defeated frown on his face before he shivered in the cold and turned back to face Katy.
"Then you're in luck, because I'm going to help you Connor, help you get your girl, Morgan Adams won't know what hit her when I'm through with you," Katy said back with a sly and slightly seductive smirk on her face as she patted the seat beside her and waited for a nervous and somewhat skittish Connor to sit down.
END OF CHAPTER 16