Author's note: Yes, I just love torturing my readers with sloth slow updates. Kidding. Actually, MAJOR writers block going on with me lately. This chapter had been sitting on the computer for weeks before I finished it, and it's worse with my other WIPs. I think it's the stress of my exams which will be, let's see... in a few days. Can I scream now?
Sometimes stories just don't go as originally planned, that is, if you had a plan. And more swearing than I'd like, but situation called for it.
Oh yes, before I forget... the thank yous! Don't you just love it when people name drop? Ahem... the lovely reviewers ofthe last chapter: Ruth Quist, Kelly, Imzadi, t87gan and irish6red. Thank you so much!
The story thus far: Wesley has moved into the hotel and Chris starts on his friends. Gunn was hurt through a car explosion but survives with minor cuts and bruises.
Chapter 5: The Commencement
"Wesley, look."
Wesley was studying in his room when his name was called from the door. He looked up from the book he was reading and came up to his brother who held something hidden in his hands. "What is it?" Wesley asked curiously. Chris moved his hands to reveal a bird, its neck snapped in an awkward position andWesley's eyes widened in horror. "Oh, Chris. Is it dead?"
"Yes, I think it was trying to get inside the house but didn't see the window." Chris said. "I heard a loud bang and the bird was lying on the ground outside."
Wesley held his hand out to take the bird and looked at it sadly. It was so small in his tiny palms; so fragile. "What should we do?" Wesley asked softly.
Chris looked at him. "What do you want to do?"
"If... if only we could do something to..." As Wesley started rubbing the bird's head tenderly, his eyes began to tear.
Chris looked at his brother for a moment more before starting calmly, "Wesley, there's a resurrection spell in father's study..."
Wesley looked up instantly with fearful eyes at the mention of the study. "Chris! Father would be furious if he knew you went in there! You know we're not allowed."
"Well, he doesn't. But listen, the resurrection spell - I think you should take it, and bring the bird back to life. We both know I'm as useful with spell casting as a pen without ink, but you're already taking advanced lessons."
"But..."
"Do you think it deserved to die, trying to get into this house?"
No, it didn't, Wesley knew. But he was torn between his need to restore the bird to life and his knowledge of what their father would do if the plan backlashed. Wesley looked back at the bird with its empty dead eyes staring back at him, its freedom forever taken away by the place that most its inhabitants themselves felt trapped in. No, it didn't deserve to die. Wesley looked back up, a determined gaze on his face.
"Okay."
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The phone rang twice before Chris picked it up.
"We didn't pay you to play stalker games with your boyfriend." The voice said at once.
Chris chuckled and sat down before replying, "Morning to you too. And he's my brother – didn't you see the resemblance?"
"Do you have the package?" was the curt reply.
"Never time for small talk with you." He sighed dramatically. Then he said, "And yes, I have it. But I'm curious – why would you need a 'Shai'lin Stone'? It's hardly a child's plaything."
"You little piece of shit! You opened it!"
Chris leaned forward. "Now, now… no need to get verbal. I might just think you're trying to piss me off."
The line was quiet for a moment. Then, "No more delay – bring it tonight." The connection was cut off with an audible click and the beeping tone echoed in the once silent apartment. Chris sighed before putting the phone down on the receiver.
"People today – no manners at all."
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"I don't know why we never thought of this before." Cordelia said. "I mean, this is a hotel."
It was two mornings after that event and they were moving Cordelia's things from Wesley's SUV to the hotel, Gunn's possession having been already moved earlier that day. They had all discussed, and agreed, that it would be safer if they all stayed in one place for the time being.
Gunn looked disbelievingly at her. "Maybe for the fact that once Angel becomes Mr. Perfect Happiness he'll have a buffet ready served under one roof. And no offense but dead people? Not my idea of the ideal housemate."
Cordelia grinned. "Well, with all the brooding going on, that won't be a problem, right Angel?"
Angel shrugged and hefted the last of Cordelia's boxes into the lobby. "Ow! That hurt!" he said, when Cordelia punched him in the arm. She was still grinning and Angel sighed. "Yes, my constant brood-a-thon will postpone any thought of achieving perfect happiness in any way or form now or in the near future. And Cordelia is the mighty Queen of bosoms."
"See?" Cordelia said, and then frowned at Angel. "I didn't tell you to say that last bit."
"Really?" Angel said, and then looked thoughtful. "I knew it looked like Wesley's handwriting."
"By the way, where is Wes?" Gunn asked, having not seen him once all day.
"Ugh, he's sulking in his room feeling all guilty about what happened. I seriously think someone should go talk to him again."
"I'll go." Gunn said, already going up the stairs.
Cordelia piped up. "Amazing - my thoughts exactly. And tell him to come down cause I'm making brownies!"
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Gunn knocked on the open door and walked into the room. "Yo, anyone home?"
Wesley went out of the bathroom with a towel in his hand and saw him. "Oh, Gunn, it's you." He said softly.
Gunn smirked. "Hey, don't sound so disappointed."
"Sorry, I…"
"Whoa, Wes, chill - just playin' with you." He said, coming further into the room and sitting on the couch. He looked around the room, noticing that Wesley hadn't fully unpacked yet.
Wesley rubbed his face and took a seat at the chair opposite. "It's not just that. Gunn, I-"
"If sorry's the next word that comes out of that mouth, I'm gonna get over there and kick that scrawny white ass of yours, doc's orders be damned."
Wesley hesitated, then smiled as he finished. "-apologise, regret, have deep remorseful feeling?"
Gunn returned the smile, glad that Wesley wasn't buried too deep in his angst to still have a sense of humour. "I'm not blaming this on you, Wes. That freak's killed my baby and he's gonna get his. Until then, we're in this together." He stood up. "Now come on. Cordy said she'd make brownies." Wesley raised an eyebrow at him and Gunn realised what he had just said. "You're right. Staying here is safer. Man, you should've brought-"
"My Playstation?" Wesley said, holding up 'Attack Of The Zombies 2'.
Gunn grinned and rubbed his hands together. "Now that's what I'm talking about."
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"About time you two showed your face!" Cordelia said loudly. Angel was standing beside her, scowling as he was well aware that they stayed upstairs on purpose.
"We were caught up." Gunn said as he and Wesley went down the stairs. "Sorry we missed your brownies."
"Actually…" Cordelia started. They grimaced as Cordelia went over to her table, undoubtedly to retrieve the forsaken object. She turned around holding the plate of brownies, but before she could say anything, a vision hit her fiercely, forcing her to drop her plate with a loud smash.
"Cordelia!" They said as they rushed to her side.
"Girl. In the park. We've seen this demon before; uh… a Borv demon!" she said. She took the water and pills from Wesley with a small thank you and swallowed it before saying, "I didn't get the address, but I know where it is. I can point it out to you." Turning to Angel, she said, "Sorry, Angel, but no sewer systems. You'll have to stay here."
Angel's pained expression made it obvious that he didn't want to be left behind but instead he said, "Just go. Save the girl."
Quickly, they gathered up their weapons and left, leaving Angel alone in the hotel. Dejectedly, he decided to sweep up the broken porcelain, and went in search of a broom.
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As soon as he was done putting away everything, the phone started to ring. Thinking it was the guys, Angel picked up the phone.
"Hey, what-"
"Look outside." said a voice, before the connection was immediately cut off. Confused, Angel put down the phone and walked towards the front doors, opening them wide. He squinted at the sudden brightness of the sun but straight away saw the man standing a few metres away on the driveway.
He was wearing a heavy trenchcoat, strange as the heat was at its mightiest that day, and smiled, waving broadly at Angel when he saw him. "Good morrow, Angel." He said loudly, chuckling as he put his hand down and into the depth of his brown pockets. "It's an honour to finally meet the man who had captivated my brother's heart all this time."
The English accent and words made it unmistakable to Angel to the identity of the man – he was Wesley's brother. Chris.
Angel growled. All he wanted to do was run up to him and smash the guy's face into his head repeatedly, but they both knew that he would turn to dust before he would even reach him, and Angel hated it. Instead he said, "You're here. Aren't you afraid that I know what you look like now?"
"Oh, I knew that was a risk, but it's one I'm willing to take." Pacing casually, the man said, "I just wanted to stake out the competition; have a friendly chat before the real battle begins. You know, like tradition."
"If you touch one hair-"
"Isn't it pretty?" Chris interrupted. "And those eyes – so blue and vulnerable. Easy to get lost into, don't you agree? It's-"
Angel didn't hear what he had to say as he quickly retreated back into the hotel. Chris stood there, dumbfounded at Angel's sudden disappearance act.
He looked around disbelievingly. "Well, really, I haven't even finished talking yet. People these days…"
Suddenly, Angel was back and with amazing speed, hurled an object towards Chris who moved away a little too late.
"Ah, shit!" Chris swore. He looked at his shoulder and let out a short laugh. Pulling out the fork from his shoulder with a groan, he looked back at Angel, barely deflecting a second attack.
"Whoa, you don't play nice, do you? I get that." He tossed the fork down. "As they say, all's fair in love and war. And before you get any funny ideas, Wesley's mine. Always was, and always will be. You're just a distraction… But hey, I love the challenge." As he said those words, he moved his fingers towards his wound, staining them blood red. He inspected it before turning his gaze back up at Angel and smirking. Quickly he got down and marked a cross on the tiled ground. Before he rushed away, he whispered something, too soft for a normal human to pick up, but loud enough for Angel to feel threatened by the mortal.
"Let the game begin."
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Christopher knocked on the door and entered the occupied drawing room. "Father?" he said hesitantly.
He waited for Roger Wyndam-Pryce to finish what he was doing and turn his attention to him. "What is it, boy? Speak up - I don't have all day!"
Chris put his hands behind his back and started. "It's Wesley. I saw him entering your study..."
His father immediately stood up and bellowed. "What!"
Chris stood straighter as he finished quickly. "He took something; it looked like a scroll."
"That thieving little monster! Where is he!"
"In his room, I think." He said, hastily getting out of the way. Chris watched the fuming back of his father as he went to the direction of Wesley's room, no doubt to give him a piece of his mind. Only when he was sure that his father was gone did he allow his smile to break out.