Disclaimer: I own nothing below except the plot. All characters, locations, and concepts are owned under their respective copyrights.
Spoilers: Angel through Season 5
Timeline: During the season 5 episode "Time Bomb"
The Burden
Chapter 3: To serve your captives' need
Memories, dreams, and nightmares.
Those were all he had left.
Memories, some of these were quite pleasant, his graduation from the Watcher's Academy being one filled with pride and accomplishment. Similarly, his first field assignment was met with a certain amount of nervousness, but he had an undercurrent of confidence, that he was ready to take on the role of Watcher to an active Slayer. There was his time with Angel, Cordelia, and Gunn, how he had found a purpose with them, and a kind of family. And then there was Fred, most of the memories of her fell into the pleasant category, but of course every pleasant memory had the shadow of her fate hanging over it.
Even the painful memories were muffled by her presence, like when she walked into his hospital room after the debacle involving Connor and told him that could no longer work with them, as Angel would kill him. The fact that it was her delivering the message was both a blessing and a curse. She didn't berate him, but she also forced him to endure a promised last sight and sound of her.
His nightmares stemmed from these, they would start with an image he would seek to hold on to, such as when she came to his apartment to forgive him after he had tried to kill her. She would stand in his doorway and say the things he needed to hear, that she forgave him. Then her appearance would ever so slowly change to the blue-hued form of Illyria who would ask of him "Why, does the shell do this, it is not necessary." This was just one of many that involved her. Most detailing the many ways she could have died. And the one in which she did. He would awaken when this one hit, howling out her name as if his mind refused to accept the horror of her loss.
His dreams were the best and worst of all. He imagined all that could have been. The date he had planned on the day she had died. What would have happened if he had found some way to save her. All of his fantasies involving a life with her and the shining prospect of a family. Others were of her, just talking to him, as if she were still alive, he would respond to her in the same way. And yet every time he awoke, he would feel the wound she had left all the more, as if he was being punished for some unspeakable evil. Illyria would help enlarge the wound by her presence and the question's she would ask about him and his actions, which at first she could not comprehend.
He was now enmeshed in a surreal combination of all three as he was in the lobby of the Hyperion with the rogue demon Skip, who was attacking the group in service to his master. The memory had progressed to the point where Skip was holding Fred by the neck, lifting her flailing into the air, and promising to inflict agony upon her. Fred, her face already bloodied, was imploring anyone to save her while her eyes were locked on Wesley's "Please, Wesley, why me...help."
He would have obliged her if had not been restrained by a suddenly present Angelus who kept taunting him "Come on Wes ol' boy, just take the shot, it'll be easy." He knew where to point the gun and when to fire so that the round would hit true. Every time he aimed he was jerked back so the vampire could whisper to him "I always knew you were useless, Angel was too 'oh I mustn't tell him, gotta find that redemption'" He aimed and was jerked again "why don't you deal with me before you try to save her, but you could never do it, just like you could never save her." He was wrenched again "her fate is sealed but don't listen to me, go ahead and do it your way, because everyone knows your record."
Throughout all of this he heard his mind screaming at him 'What are you doing, hurry, for Winifred...For Fred...For Fred...dammit just deal with Angelus, and then you can kill the demon threatening her, but first you must wake up!'
At this the scene shifted to the hospital room where Fred was sitting at his bedside, and he was asleep, he knew it was her by her voice, her soft tones coaxing him "Wesley, you gotta wake up, there's still a bunch of work to do, now c'mon, c'mon..." and abruptly the voice changed slightly, less soft with more of an accent and an anxiousness he hadn't heard before.
"C'mon, C'mon, mister, I know I didn't hit ya that hard, hard enough to knock ya senseless, but not any more than that, less I got the weight of the rock wrong than well, I coulda killed ya, I coulda got the math wrong, which seems to be happenin' more an' more, oh c'mon please don't be dead, who will I talk to then, you gotta wake up." The voice was punctuated by a shaking that forced his eyes to open.
He felt the pain at the back of his head, but it faded into the background as he saw who was staring down at him. He thought for a moment he was still in the dream as her face would be what he expected to see. It was made real by her voice, which was unlike the one he had come to cherish "Oh, good, I guess didn't kill ya, does it hurt? I'm sorry."
He felt for the briefest of moments as if he was in heaven, and then she cocked her head to the side, and he was thrust into a terrifying hell, he thought 'Is some scheme of Illyria's, some illusion to further understand the world, using me along the way.' To the visage before him, whoever it might be, he shuddered and rasped out "N-no."
She frowned, she didn't know why he had a look of horror on his face, "No what, mister, and don't look like that, I can't be that scary. Besides, ya brought a lot of stuff with ya, and some of it is strange. So, first, what's your name?"
Wesley came back from hell and settled into a sort of purgatory as he took note of his surroundings. He felt the animal skins and rock underneath him. He smelt the place he was in, it was a combination of the natural smells of the world outside of the cave, mixed with the undeniably human smells of someone who had access to fire, and not perfume. He saw the cave, with writing covering some of its walls. His primary focus was on the woman who was clothed in a brown dress, though that description hardly fit the single piece of frayed covering. However, she was waiting for an answer, "My name's Wesley, Wes if you like. It doesn't hurt too much, I appreciate that you didn't crush my head, what did you find that was strange?" he looked around again and saw the pack and weapons he brought opened and rummaged through.
Fred, 'No, not Fred' he thought, turned around and showed him two items, it was the stuffed bunny Feigenbaum, and the issue of Modern Physics Review with her last article in it. "Well, these for starters, this journal has an article with my name that I never wrote and I would know Feigenbaum anywhere. Do you know me, Wesley?"
He felt a familiar elation when she said his name, but he stamped it down, hard, 'Fred, but not Fred keep it straight, Fred is dead and gone, but then here she is' he shook his head trying to shake free these confusing thoughts, "Well, yes, I do, or I did anyway, how else did you know?"
Fred looked away seemingly embarrassed and softly said "When you were laid out earlier, you were dreamin' an' hollerin', you said my name and kept sayin' it during your blubberin', this journal here is from a couple of years from now. Are you from the future?"
Wesley said with hesitation and a slight blush, "Yes...I was sent back because of you."
Fred edged away from him a bit "Oh, it's like a 'Terminator' type a thing, huh. Please tell me you're not here to rescue me, I'm no damsel you know, though I wouldn't mind gettin' outta here."
Wesley thought back to the last time he heard the word 'damsel' and shuddered a bit, how long would this go on, was he doomed to fall into horrific memories with every interaction with this new Fred, he would have to find a different name for her, but not at the moment, "I know you don't need rescuing, you said as much to me once, If I could get into the palace here, I could get the books we would need to leave. I would like to stay alive though, so that isn't really an option yet, I'm sorry."
Fred moved back closer "No rescue, huh, dang it. So then, why are you here, you're not in love with me are you, because this ain't no movie, and there'll be no swoonin' from me, or hotel scene for that matter."
Wesley was totally unprepared for this line of questioning, and yet again he was assaulted by memories of when Fred did swoon, how he had sworn to save her, and how he had failed utterly "Winifred, I wouldn't dream of anything like that." He inwardly chuckled at that, as he had many dreams of that sort with her. "Actually, I was in love with a woman named Winifred Burkle." In his head 'madly in love, as it turned out.'
Fred was shocked, she didn't think he would say that, then she thought about what he had actually said "Well, oh, I'm sorry for putting you on the spot like that, wait isn't she me, and why did you say 'was'? Did we break up?"
Wesley sighed in exasperation, this was very difficult, "I'm sorry, Winifred, I misspoke. I am in love with a woman named Winifred Burkle. Please don't ask me what happened. I can't say yet."
Fred was confused "But that's my name, that's me, Fred Burkle, so you love me, right? I mean not that I'm not flattered, it's all a bit sudden."
Wesley caressed her cheek, lost in the moment, then jerked back as if he was slapped "I don't know, I just don't know, please Winifred, stop asking me about it, I am here because of you and because of me, and a mission, if you want to know about what happened to you, bring me one of those blank books in my pack over there."
Once he had the book, he was about to see if Fred's, the one he had known, biography was present, but decided against it, it was too soon. For him as well for her. He decided on a test, "Show me a list of the Chief Executive Officers of the Los Angeles branch of Wolfram and Heart." There at the bottom of the long list of names was the one he was hoping to see.
Angel, fomerly Angelus, part of the Scourge of Europe
To Fred "Sorry, I can't do this, suffice to say my goal here is to make sure that your future is far different from the one I saw you experience."
Fred shrugged but got a glint in her eyes, Wesley had seen this before when she was trying to find something, it was equal parts determination and curiosity. "Alright, Wes, I'll let it go for now, but I will find out how you feel, you don't seem to know yourself yet." Fred was about to continue when they both heard the sound of hoofbeats outside the cave. The sounds belonging to multiple horses.
Wesley thought 'Of course, they would know I was here, bugger, we're not ready for a fight yet, what do I do, what am I going to do?'
Fred's eyes went wide and she started glancing around frantically "Oh, no, how'd they find me, I knew they watched from the castle, but I'm no one to bother with. Why, Wesley?"
Wesley was about to answer when another voice caused him to stiffen in shock "You'll fail, boy, just like you do everything else." Standing behind and to the left of Fred, was a perfect image of his father. Fred seemed not to have heard or noticed him.
Fred was surprised when Wesley glanced sharply to her right and said with gritted teeth "Not now, just shut the hell up." But then he turned to her and with a softer yet more serious tone "Winifred, I'm sorry, they must've known about the portal, they didn't come for you, don't worry, if it is the last thing I do I will see you come to no harm. Quickly now, go grab those crossbows, some bolts for them and pick one of the swords I brought with me." She skittered over and grabbed the two bows, as well as the machete for herself. She brought the crossbows to him, which he loaded, and handed one back to her. "Now, Winifred, when you fire that thing, just drop it and be ready with the sword. But I want you to try something first."
Fred answered, her eyes still wide with fear, but she was listening to him, "What is it?"
Wesley smiled "Winifred, I want you to sing, as high and as loud as you can. It might disable whoever comes in here, It'll be easier to get out of this."
Fred stammered "M-me, sing? What about you, can't you do it?"
To which Wesley said "I suppose I could, but I think your voice is better suited to this, I've heard you sing before, and the better it is, the worse it will be for them."
Fred answered "Alright..." but was stopped by the appearance in the cave of one green unmasked Pylean and three helmeted palace guards.
The green one barked "Ah, two cows, the covenant will be most pleased, don't kill them just yet, they could prove useful."
Wesley recognized the one who had spoken, "Constable Narwek, how 'nice' to meet you again, please just leave."
Narwek snorted "This thing thinks it can address me, guards make sure they both know their place, get them!"
Wesley turned to Fred and shouted "Winifred , Now!" She began singing and the guards, who had been in motion towards them, were struck dumb at first, and then along with Narwek, covered their ears and collapsed to the ground. Wesley was right Fred voice was loud and fueled by fear and adrenaline.
We're runnin' with the shadows of the night
Wesley got up and moved next to Narwek, who was completely helpless, he reached down and pried Narwek's hands from his ears as Fred continued to sing.
Surrender all your dreams to me tonight
They'll come true in the end
Narwek screamed, "Stop this infernal sorcery, it's from Tarkna itself."
Wesley got a feral grin on his face, "Tell your guards to leave and ride away, and it'll stop." Narwek complied immediately, and the guards left. Wesley turned to Fred and saw that she was smiling, having gotten into the spirit of the singing, if not the song.
I said, you can't hide on the inside
All the pain you've ever felt
Wesley considered those words for a moment, but shook off any meaning they might have had, "Winifred, well done, you can stop now, I need to speak with this gentleman here." Fred did stop, looking pleased but disappointed that she couldn't continue, given its effects on the Pyleans. Wesley hauled Narwek up, disarmed him, and slammed him against the cave wall with the stake from his arm-mounted weapon inches from the underside of the green demon's chin."Narwek, I have an offer for you and the priests whom you serve."
Narwek snorted again, seemingly unaware of his new, untenable position, "Why would they deign to listen to anything you have to say, cow scum." This was met by a punch that made his vision blurry.
Wesley became unusually calm, dangerously so, "Tell your priests, that the Senior Partners would be very 'upset' if anything were to happen to me, I have information that they want, and I am willing to give it to them, provided we are left alone, both in here and outside, that means no arrest from you or any of your deputies, and no enslavement. In return we will not steal anything nor disrupt society here.
Have the Groosalug deliver their response. And if there is any subterfuge on your or their part, that results in harm coming to either me or her, I can promise you, you will die and they will regret it."
Narwek looked unnerved by this cow who spoke so boldly "What is your name then?"
Wesley relaxed a bit "It's Wesley Pryce. I want an answer soon, within the week would be best. Now, get...out."
Narwek hastily left the cave and they heard him riding away. Wesley sighed and turned to Fred "Well, Winifred, what is there to eat around here?
Fred was studying her new companion with a bit of apprehension, he had a capacity for cruelty that she hadn't expected, he said he came here of all places because of her, yet he wouldn't or couldn't tell her why, except in vague terms. And if he knew her, why in the heck did he keep calling her Winifred?
