As Fred led Wren up to her room, Angel sat at his desk and tried to get his head around everything that had happened that day. First of all he'd accepted a potentially leathal ally into his group, which could come in very useful when fighting the demon underworld. However, the second thing he had soon come to realise was that, despite the girl's natural (or supernatural) abilities as a Slayer, he personality was so strong, she was so unbelievably afraid of...something! that there was no way in hell that she would be in any state to fight. At least, not until they'd worked out what the root of the problem was.
Angel recognised some of the symptoms straight away. There was clearly something in this girl, who he couldn't help but see as a child, despite the fact he knew from the Council that she was at least 18, had some horror in her past which was affecting her to this day, and he was determined to find out what it was. He wanted to help this girl, this Wren, more than anything, he wanted to save her.
-+-
The room which Angel had had converted into Wren's appartment was a light, airy space on the top floor of the Wolfram and Hart building. It had been one of the many conference rooms, but Angel had insited when he first learned that he was to take charge of the young Slayer, that she would need space of her own in order to train. More importantly, being a teenager, he knew she would need the space just to stop from driving herself and everyone else crazy!
It was, undoubtedly. a beautiful space, although Wren didn't really seem to acknowledge it when she first walked in. Fred went over to the far wall and pulled on the string which opened the drapes, which were of a heavy material, but were a light beige in colour. As soon as she did, the room flooded with light, the entire wall being made up of glass. Wren blinked and cowered away for a second, before seeming to uncoil slightly and look around the room. The floor around the door was carpeted with a thick pile, luxurious cream carpet. Further into the room and to the left was a wooded floor on which stood a small dining table, made of a similar wood finish. On the right was an area partitioed by a breakfast bar, behind which was a small but well appointed kitchen. Angel had made very clear to include things Wren could use to cook with, but nothing she could potentially burn the whole building down with. So, a microwave had been installed, as well as a small electric oven and a refrigerator. There was a sink next to this, and a few plates and cutlery aranged next to it. Further into the room than this, towards the huge window, was a raised area, again with a wooden floor, but with a thick circular rug on top of it. On the rug was a large white leather sofa and two easy chairs in the same material, with a small glass coffee table in the middle of the arrangement. Tp the right of this area was a door which led into the bedroom, fitted with equally simple but luxurious items in pale colours and warm woods. As Wren moved further into the room, her eyes opening wide at the wonder of it all, she noticed a door which had previously been hidden by the kitchen area. Fred indicated to the door when she noticed the reluctant girl staring at the woodwork.
"That's your training area. Angel thought it would be a good idea if you had a space for yourself to train in," she paused as she remembered what the Slayer was like and realised she had probably never trained in her life before, "You don't have to use it if you don't want to, but if you do it's there and, well...y'know," she finished quietly.
Wren looked first phased and then slightly stunned by all this information, and Fred was sure she was about to bolt, although Lord only knew where to. But then, the girl met Fred's eyes, and there was a strength hidden deep in there that Fred had never seen before, and made her remember that, altough this girl was painfully introverted and shy, she was still decended from warriors.
"Umm," began Wren, before pausing and starting again, "could I maybe see inside, please?" She said, as thoygh asking to see some highly forbidden thing, not her own appartment.
Fred nodden and moved to open the door, all the time watching as Wren moved slowly into the next room.
The training room was just as light as the apartment, but this time un-natural light filled the space, from large lights held high above the floor. The walls were plain white, and there was a large black mat covering most of the central floor space. On the walls there hung many different kinds of weapons. From training staffs and hardwood swords, to wracks of Samuri swords, Tsi's and many kinds of throwing knives, as well as other oddly shaped weapons Fred couldn't even begin to name.
Wren moved around the room as if in a trance, clearly spellbound by the arsenal before her. "Slayer indeed", though Fred. Then, as if burned, Wren shrieked and jumped back from a wall chart displaying a vampire and marking the key places to aim for when fighting. Fred rushed to the side of the quaking girl, who had shrunk into a ball on the floor, but still unable to take her eyes off the picture of the demon. Amid the torrent of words that were coming out of her mouth, Fred couldn't quick figure what had the girl so spooked. Clearly the picture of the vamp had distressed her somehow, but Fred couldn't tell exactly what about it had frightened her. Picking the girl up off the ground, and supporting the trembling Slayer into her yet unseen bedroom, Fred resolved to tell Angel as soon as possible about what had happened, and just hoped that Wren would calm down enough to be able to explain.
Lying Wren down on the bed, Fred sat down beside her and tried to sooth the girl. Eventually Wren seemed to fall asleep, and Fred quietly moved out of the room and headed back down to Angel's office, a look of deep concern on her face.
-+-
When Fred walked in to Angel's office, she found him staring out of his window, watching the sun set. She couldn't see his face, but by the shape of his shoulders and the way his arms were crossed in front of him she could tell he was brooding on something. "Oh no, not again," she thought, but said "Er, Angel, I think you should come up and see Wren, she was looking around her training room and something about that picture of the vampire got her spooked real bad."
Angel immediately turned on his heels at this point and faced Fred. "Where is she?" he demanded, concern deep in his voice for his new ward.
"I put her in her bed and she fell asleep. Well, after she was done shaking and wailing that is. Angel I really don't know what could have got her so bad! I mean she was really terrified, and it wasn't even real!"
"Take me to her," the vampire said shortly, "and get Lorne and the other's up here too, we may need them."
As Angel followed Fred back up the way she had just come from Wren's room, he grew more and more concerned, but also even more certain that his previos theories about Wre's past were well founded. If a picture of a Vampire was enough to promote this sort of hysterical reaction, then she must be carrying an even deeper fear around with her. Something from her past, something that had been done to her, or that she had seen done? Angel couldn't tell.
One thing was certain however, and this worried Angel most, only beaten by his concern for the girl's well being. If he couldn't find out what was causing her behaviour and try to get her to confront her fear, the she would never be able to fight the way a Slayer should. What's more, she would never be able to trust him once she found out what he was, and the thought of that nearly broke the vampire's unbeating heart.
-+-
When Fred walked in to Angel's office, she found him staring out of his window, watching the sun set. She couldn't see his face, but by the shape of his shoulders and the way his arms were crossed in front of him she could tell he was brooding on something. "Oh no, not again," she thought, but said "Er, Angel, I think you should come up and see Wren, she was looking around her training room and something about that picture of the vampire got her spooked real bad."
Angel immediately turned on his heels at this point and faced Fred. "Where is she?" he demanded, concern deep in his voice for his new ward.
"I put her in her bed and she fell asleep. Well, after she was done shaking and wailing that is. Angel I really don't know what could have got her so bad! I mean she was really terrified, and it wasn't even real!"
"Take me to her," the vampire said shortly, "and get Lorne and the other's up here too, we may need them."
As Angel followed Fred back up the way she had just come from Wren's room, he grew more and more concerned, but also even more certain that his previos theories about Wre's past were well founded. If a picture of a Vampire was enough to promote this sort of hysterical reaction, then she must be carrying an even deeper fear around with her. Something from her past, something that had been done to her, or that she had seen done? Angel couldn't tell.
One thing was certain however, and this worried Angel most, only beaten by his concern for the girl's well being. If he couldn't find out what was causing her behaviour and try to get her to confront her fear, the she would never be able to fight the way a Slayer should. What's more, she would never be able to trust him once she found out what he was, and the thought of that nearly broke the vampire's unbeating heart.
-+-
Angel indicated quietly that Fred, Gunn, Wesley and Spike should wait outside, and that Lorne and he should go in and see Wren alone. He didnt want to stress the girl even further by bring a deputation of stange, new people into her room. He turned to Lorne,
"You go i first and try and get a read on her. I know she won't be singing but considering the emotions she must be going through to act like this, I'm sure that won't be a major problem."
Lorne nodded and carefully opened the door and moved into the room.
Angel turned to the rest of the group. "I don't know what's causing this, but I do know that this girl could be very important to us, could be vital in fact, so we have to make sure we get he well again."
"That all sounds great Angel pie," said Lorne, exiting the room, "but may I suggest you do something else first?"
"What?" said Angel, impatience clear in his voice.
"Find her," said Lorne, opening the door further to reveal an empty bed. And an open window.