Fred opened her eyes to look at the face of her lover. It was strange that none of the titles really covered it all. Lover, husband, soul mate, he was all of that and more to her. He was her other half, but also her best friend. She smiled at him. "You okay?"
He kissed her on the cheek. "Never better," She looked at the sterile white walls in the small out of the way clinic. For a place that catered mostly to demons it seemed remarkably normal. She still felt weak, but at least she was in a hospital bed, not a car.
"Never?" She asked skeptically
"Maybe a couple of times."
Eight Months Ago
Wesley opened the front door and was greeted by delicious smells wafting over from the kitchen. "I thought it was my turn to cook dinner." He protested
She ran out of the kitchen and up to him and then kissed him on the mouth, long, passionately. "I just wanted to make something really special tonight. Tonight is special."
"Why what happened?" He asked, excited by her boundless energy and enthusiasm
She handed him an envelope. He pulled out a piece of paper that turned out to be a lab report. He stared at it for a few moments as a wide grin stretched onto his face. "Fred," He whispered "Oh my God," He looked up at her beaming face. "This is fantastic!" He drew her into his arms and kissed her. "This is wonderful." He stared into her eyes.
"I'm glad you're happy." She said
"Of course I'm happy, I'm ecstatic." He grinned even wider. "We're going to be parents." He kissed her again and she giggled at his enthusiasm. "Us, parents,"
"And we will be wonderful parents. We will make our kids eat vegetables and candy every night. We will read them bedtime stories about electrons and protons. We'll teach them all the things they need to know for life: calculus, accounting, decorum, interior decorating."
Wesley laughed. "Kids?"
"Well we'll start with just the one." Fred said "See how that goes."
"Maybe not candy every night," He suggested
"We won't tell them that it's sugar free."
"Oh that's devious." Wesley said as he leaned in for another kiss
"I am," Fred threw her arms around him. "Very devious,"
Wesley could smell kitchen spices and sweat on her. "If we take this any further dinner will definitely be burnt when we're done." Wes said as he pulled her closer to him.
"Okay,"
"The house could catch on fire."
"It's insured."
"Where will the baby live then?"
Fred sighed and pulled back from him, her hands resting on his chest. She gave him a brief kiss. "Later," She said as she returned to the kitchen with him following her
"I promise." Wesley grabbed the cutting board and knife to finish chopping carrots. He was going to be a dad. The idea sent him reeling. In some ways it felt like a dream. In some ways this all felt like a dream. He looked over at his wife. He looked at her frame and bearing. Every part of her made him love her, but none so much as all her parts put together. Now they were going to have a child together. She caught him looking at her. She reached over and turned off the stove. She put her hands to his face and her lips to his. They did not have dinner that night.
…
Spike planted his stake in another vampire. He glanced over at Angel, who was holding his own. Spike saw that humanity hadn't made Angel go completely soft. The man was slower, weaker, and more vulnerable, but he was still tough and gave his task his all. Spike respected that. Spike grabbed a vampire headed for Angel before it could close the distance between himself and his target. Angel was distracted by his fight and hadn't noticed the vamp. Spike staked it. Spike watched the man who had once been his grandsire and felt a wave of conflicted emotions. The one that most surprised him was pity. No matter what Spike thought of Angel he knew the man really did love Buffy, that they made each other happy. That might be over now.
Harmony bumped into Spike while taking out a vamp. "Watch it," He growled
"Gee you are in such a foul mood today." Harmony said
Spike took out the last vampire, then he turned and grabbed Harmony by her hair. "I get tired of your pestering." He kissed her, without gentleness or warmth
She grabbed his shoulder and pressed herself against him. "You are such a jerk."
Angel watched the two riled up vampires go at it. He wondered if that was how they always handled the aftermath of a battle. Fighting did tend to leave one with a lot of excess energy. Angel remembered that from his own days as an evil-fighting vampire. But as a human things were different, had been anyway. Maybe it wasn't his humanity that changed him, maybe it was her, finally being able to have her. Semantics really, they were one and the same.
Two Months Ago
Angel staked one of the last vampires. Buffy took out the remaining two in a single quick double jab. She smiled at her beau. "Looks like that about covers it."
"Yep," Angel rotated his shoulder. "I'm starting to get back in my groove." Realizing that sounded corny Angel decided to run with it and attempted a little dance move.
Buffy laughed. "Stop." She gave him a gentle shove. "It's almost sunrise." She noted
Angel looked up at the sky. "It is." He grinned at her. "Coffee?"
Buffy nodded. "What's that place we went to after we took out the nest in the abandoned church? It had those blueberry pastries with the little chocolate pearls?"
"I know what you're talking about." Angel said "Those were good."
"Where was that place?" Buffy pondered
"It was on the river." Angel said "There was a little kid feeding ducks outside the window. I think I could find it again. Things are easier to find with the sun out."
Buffy took his arm. "Do you think you'll ever get tired of it?"
Angel lay his head on hers and sniffed her hair. "I could watch a billion sunrises and a billion sunsets, and still be excited for the next one." She smelled like vanilla.
"It's funny, I always used to think of the sunrise as just a vampire alarm clock. Now, seeing it through your eyes, it gives me a whole new appreciation. It has become the most beautiful thing in the world. I never would have had that if not for you."
"I wouldn't have anything if not for you." Angel said "You're…" He couldn't finish
"What?" Buffy asked "What am I?" She was grinning at him, eager to hear.
"I'd have to rewrite the dictionary to tell you." Angel said
"You're such a dork." Buffy kissed him.
"I know." He kissed her back. "I'm a romantic."
"You're my romantic. You're my old-fashioned, cover-hogging, pancake-making, amazing romantic. I love you." Buffy grabbed the edges of his coat. She kissed him with greater intensity. He reciprocated, feeling her warmth and life surround him, and touch his own. He felt her heat and knew that she felt his. It was the most wonderful feeling in the world.
"I hog the covers because I'm not used to the cold."
"Get over it." Buffy said as she pressed against him "Now," She pulled back and straightened his coat. "Let's go get some coffee." They interlocked hands. They walked over to the riverside, letting the sunlight wash over them. Angel felt a moment of perfect happiness. The moment filled him with light, strengthening his soul instead of tearing it out.
…
Faith lay down on the pull out couch. It was fairly comfortable once it had sheets and pillows. She closed her eyes and wished for everyone to return as soon as possible. She considered praying, but decided against it. Faith rolled over to try and get comfortable. Her anxiety was like an itch she couldn't scratch. She just wanted Wesley and his family to get back safe and sound. She tossed and turned a little more. She wouldn't get a wink of sleep until then.
Eleven Months Ago
"And how goes the riveting life of a high school English teacher?" Faith lay on her bed, phone to her ear. Robin was still at work and she was home for her lunch break.
"Well it's not the glamorous life of a slayer, but the kids are all right." Wesley sat at his desk in his empty classroom eating a sandwich. "Some actually want to learn."
"Perish the thought." Faith said with a laugh "I remember my school days."
"Yes I'm sure you were an excellent student who never gave your teachers any trouble."
"You know how easy-going I am." Faith said "I did like that one Shakespeare play though, what was it called? We read it aloud in class and I was one of the main characters. I liked how looney tunes all the main characters were. It was a romantic comedy I think."
"I'd figure you more for the tragedies. A Midsummer Night's Dream?" Wesley guessed
"No, I hate that one. There was a prince, and his brother was a bastard."
"Much Ado about Nothing?"
"That's it!" Faith sat up in excitement. "I read the prince."
"I'd love to hear that." Wesley said
"Well you never will." Faith said "My Shakespeare days are over."
Wesley adopted a dramatic tone. "Oh you can take the girl out of the theatre, but you can never take the theatre out of the girl. It will call you again."
Faith walked into the kitchen. "Not. Going. To. Happen."
Wesley laughed. "It's my new mission in life, to get you to read Shakespeare."
"Well good luck with your doomed mission." Faith said as she pulled an unlabeled tupperware out of the fridge "How's the new wife?" Faith asked, opening the container with one hand to reveal chicken which she then put in the microwave
"Wonderful." Wesley said in an endearing tone on sincerity "The kids love her. She has a special way of explaining things that really appeals to them. She makes quantum theory seem fun. But everything is fun with Fred, she injects energy into every aspect of her life."
"That's nice." Faith said "You sound like a love struck teenager." She didn't say that in an insulting way, her tone implied a compliment. "I thought old married people were supposed to get all mundane and bored with each other. Not that I'm saying you're old, which you are."
"First of all," Wesley said "Not old," Faith snickered as she started to chow down on her chicken. It was still sort of cold, but she felt lazy. "Secondly, I could never be bored of Fred."
Faith smiled. That sort of optimistic romanticism would frustrate her in anybody else, but in Wesley she found it very endearing. "I have to get back to work." She said, realizing the time
"All right, I'll talk to you later."
"Bye," She hung up the phone and then put the chicken back in the fridge. Faith headed for the door, and her slayer headquarters. She found it odd how Wesley always made her remember things that made her smile. Throughout her terrible high school years reading that play was one memory that while not wonderful, didn't suck. She wondered how he did that.
…
Anne sat fidgeting nervously at one of the tables in the bar. Teresa was talking to Conner downstairs. Faith was upstairs asleep. Anne supposed she should try to get some sleep as well, especially while the building was mostly empty. But she had a million different thought whirling around in her head. Conner, she'd come to love him like a mother would a son. They'd tried to help him, done all they could. Yet she felt as though she'd failed him. She felt like she'd failed everybody. Anne lay her head down on the table. It was strange how for the first little while she'd felt like she was intruding on someone else's happy ending. When Conner got sick it almost felt more right than when they were all happy. It wasn't that she was glad, she was devastated. But when they were all together and happy, when she had her shelter running smoothly, her man happy beside her, Conner laughing with some kids in another room, she felt like she was cheating. She felt like she'd injected herself into Gunn's happy ending without earning it. She needed to do something, to feel like she was paying for her joy.
Seventeen Months Ago
Anne stood in front of the construction site. "They're almost done." She marveled
Gunn stepped behind her and wrapped his arms around her. "We can open soon."
"I'm already running through the list of things we'll need for opening night. Conner said he'd come over and help out, but we'll need some more volunteers. I talked to the food bank and we should have enough food, but I have a cash reserve we can tap into if we start to run low. We might have to bring out the sleeping bags if all the beds fill up-" Gunn stopped Anne with a kiss.
"Has anyone ever told you how extremely sexy you are when you get all administrative."
"No," She said truthfully "No one has ever told me that."
"My problem is I always think you're sexy, so I can't tell what does and doesn't make you look extra sexy." He kissed her again. "I guess there's no hope for me."
"None," Anne said "You're stuck with me."
"Forever?" He asked
"For. Ever." She said in a fake scary voice "And ever," She whispered
"Sounds like a pretty sweet deal." He said
"We're going to help a lot of people." Anne said
"Um-hum," Gunn kissed her again. "We will." He was so happy. She was as well. She remembered. Every day she looked in the mirror at least once and remembered. She remembered what Kate had said had about seeing herself and what she had done. Anne did that, but then she went on with her life. She had things to live for, good works to do. She was going to help a lot of people. Maybe Kate and Rodney would be able to forgive her, wherever they were.
…
Lorne opened the car door for his friends. Wesley had his ribs wrapped and stern instructions not to engage in any strenuous activity for a little while. The doctors had looked at Cordelia and declared her to be in perfect health. Fred they said was suffering from overexertion and a slight infection. They'd treated her and told her sleep and food was all she needed now, as well as the antibiotics they'd given her. Gunn watched her get in the car and felt a pang in his heart. She looked better, but still incredibly weak. Gunn loved her, but in the same way he'd loved his sister, not in a creepy stalker ex-boyfriend way. Gunn was happy with Anne, and happy to see Fred with a man that she loved. Yet when he saw her like this, weak and in pain, he felt involuntary resentment toward Wesley. In a way, he was responsible for this. Gunn hated thinking like that. He hated it because he loved Wesley like a brother, just as he loved Fred like a sister. He didn't want to resent the man, especially for such an unwarranted reason.
"Are you okay?" Lorne asked Gunn when he got in the car "Your aura is screaming."
Gunn felt his heartbeat accelerate. How much of that had Lorne gotten? "I just want to get back to where it's safe. I don't like being out in the open like this."
"Seconded," Wesley said
Lorne pretended to accept that. He felt anger and resentment coming from Gunn, but also guilt and selfless concern. Lorne was used to such mixed emotional baggage, especially from his friends. But this last year had lulled him into a false sense of security. Lorne had always been watching the fluxing in their auras, worrying about their paths. But at the wedding, he hadn't seen any problems bigger than a little aimlessness. Everyone had seemed so happy. Lorne might have been projecting a little bit though, because he had been very happy. He had a thriving business, happy friends, and a renewed purpose. It was strange, how well things had been going in New York. Even the bad things had their good moments in a weird way.
Six Months Ago
Lorne woke up to a pounding on the door. He stumbled out of bed. When he threw open the door Harmony was standing there. Lorne moaned. "Tonight? Really?"
Teresa followed him out of their room. "I need to sleep on your couch." Harm said
Teresa knew the routine, they'd done it many times before. She got the sheets out of the linen closet while Lorne pulled out the couch. Teresa handed him the pillows while she held open the pillow cases. "What did he say?" Teresa asked
"He told me I was needy. Me! Needy! I'm not needy. He's needy. All I want is a little acknowledgment of our relationship, but all he wants to do is screw around. I need to know he's committed. I can't be wasting my time on some guy who's just going to use up the best years of my unlife and then cast me aside. I'm not getting any younger. I'm not getting any older, but I'm not getting any younger either." Harmony concluded her rant with a heavy sigh as she plopped down on the freshly made pull out bed. "I just don't get him." She said
"There, there Harmonica." Lorne said "He'll come around."
"He's going through a weird phase in his dating life." Teresa explained "He killed Drusilla, watched Buffy get together with Angel. He's still processing all the occurrences in his life. He needs to take things slow, it's important you support him through that."
"He wasn't slow about putting his-"
Lorne cut Harmony off. "Okay, well good night Harmony."
Teresa waggled her claws at Harmony as good night. They went back to their room. They got back into bed. Lorne sighed in exasperation. Teresa snuggled up next to him. "Young love,"
"He's one hundred thirty three years old." Lorne said
"Well we're all young in the grand scheme of things." Teresa said "We're all young and dying young. But popular culture often espouses the values of dying young, so that's good."
Lorne chuckled. "I don't intend to die any time soon."
"Promise?" Teresa asked
"Yes," Lorne said "What about-"
Teresa cut him off, something she almost never did to anybody, especially him. "They're our friends." She said "We shouldn't be exasperated by them, we should celebrate them."
Lorne pulled her closer to him. It was weird how close he could feel to her when there was always the unacknowledged chasm between them. "Even when they act like lunatics?"
"Especially then," Teresa said "We shouldn't get angry, or lose patience. We should smile all the time, tell at least one joke every day, and take all their money in poker."
Lorne laughed. He kissed the top of her head. "I guess I can do that."
…
Spike drove silently along the road with Angel in the passenger seat. They didn't really have anything to talk about so there was no need to speak. Spike felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. He pulled it out and swore. "What is it?" Angel asked
"Buffy," Spike flipped open the phone. "Hey," Angel felt a physical tension as Spike listened to Angel's (ex?) girlfriend at the other end. "No, I don't think they'd come to me for help." Spike was silent for a few moments. "Sure I'll ask Lorne if he's heard from them." There was more silence. "Okay, I'll talk to you later. Hey why didn't you ask Angel if he's heard from them? They're his friends." Silence. "Oh really, I see. Well talk to you later, bye." Spike hung up the phone. He threw it on the back seat and clutched the steering wheel tighter. "She knows."
"What?" Angel asked "How?"
"I don't know, but I know Buffy and she knows."
They sat in silence for the rest of the ride back.
Four Months Ago
Spike fell to the ground as the last demon fell apart after he skewered its regenerative core. He laughed, filled with energy. "Well that was fun." He looked around at the sewer they were in. It was dark, smelly, and coated with demon puss. Spike laughed again.
"I got demon goo on my shoes." Harmony whined as she approached from down the tunnel "I don't think it's coming out." She flicked a pulpy green mass off her arm.
"Wear rain boots next time."
Harmony rolled her eyes. "They totally clash."
Spike nodded with mock commiseration. "Right, with the demon puss. I see your point."
Harmony tried to kick him, but he grabbed her foot and pulled her to the ground. She shrieked. "Disgusting!" She lifted her arm and looked at the slime and grime. "My clothes," She moaned "Oh they're ruined." Spike positioned himself over her and began to kiss her. "Oh God Spike, you're a pig. We're in a sewer." Spike maneuvered his tongue into her mouth. "A," He reached under her shirt. "Dirty," He shifted to be more directly on top of her. "Disgusting," He moved his mouth down her neck, licking her skin. "I am so hot right now." She said
They got home about an hour later. Harmony made a beeline for the shower. Spike was smirking as he headed upstairs to the ground floor. When he entered the bar he ignored the looks from patrons staring at his disgusting clothes. The bartender had his usual ready when Spike arrived at the bar and handed it over. "Thanks," Spike held the glass up toward the man.
"Cheers," He looked down the bar at Teresa, raising a champagne glass.
He smiled at her and mimicked her actions. "Cheers," He replied
He downed his shot while she took a sip of champagne. "Good job," She told him
"What do you mean?"
She walked over and sat down next to him. "Think of all the people those demons would have killed in their lives. Think of all the pain and suffering they would have caused. You ended that. Sometimes you don't think about stuff like that. But I think it's nice to remind you."
Spike chuckled. "You always say the strangest things." He told her
"Everyone says that, so I assume it isn't true."
Spike laughed again. "I was just having a good time." He said "Bumping off some ugly demons, bumping uglies with a pretty blond demon, it's a good time." He gestured for another drink. Teresa placed her elbow on the table and leaned against her hand. "What?" He asked
"You should give yourself more credit. You're a hero."
"I don't need to be a hero." Spike said
"Those are the best kinds of heroes." Teresa said "The ones who don't have to do the right thing, but choose to anyway. You would be no worse off if you hadn't done what you did tonight, but you saved so many people. You did it for its own sake; that is noble."
"I'm not noble." Spike said
"But your actions are." Teresa said "That's more important, for the people you saved anyway. I doubt they care that you screwed in the slime afterwards, so don't think it changes what you did. You are a hero, maybe not a gentleman, but a genuine hero."
Spike looked into the demon's strange eyes. "Why are you being so nice to me?"
"You're my friend, and I like you. Plus I'm nice to everybody," Teresa said "Except IRS agents, I hate those guys. I'm prejudiced against them. Truly I am a horrible person."
"For shame," Spike said
"Indeed," They clinked glasses.
…
Buffy hung up the phone. "They're at Caritas." She said
"You're sure?" Willow asked
"Spike can't lie to me." Buffy said
"So what do we do?"
Buffy tossed the phone up and down in her hand, frowning.
Fifteen Months Ago
Buffy rolled off her boyfriend onto her back, panting. She was completely nude and covered in sweat. Angel reached up and ran his fingers through his hair. "Wow," He said
Buffy smiled. She leaned over and kissed him. He kissed her back, full of passion and love. Here was a man who put her needs first. He was someone she trusted absolutely. It had been a long time since she'd felt like this, like she didn't have to worry, didn't have to put up a front. With him she could be wholly and totally herself. "I love you." She said, and meant it
"I love you too." Angel touched her cheek and kissed her lips. He moved closer to here, pressing their bodies together. "You make me feel alive."
"You are alive." Buffy said
"Only when I'm with you." Angel got out of bed and went to stand in front of the vanity mirror. He looked at his face, put his hand to it. "All of this is great. The heartbeat, the reflection, eating real food. But none of it compares to being with you. That's living."
Buffy stood up and walked behind him. She wrapped her arms around his stomach. She stood on her tip-toes and kissed his neck. "Then you're going to live a long time."
Now
Buffy put the phone in her pocket. "We tear the place apart."
…
The sound of a crying baby let everyone know Wes, Fred, Gunn, Lorne, and the crier herself were back. Everyone rushed into the bar. Lorne was carrying the baby and he looked like he was having fun doing so. The man looked imperturbable. "These things are adorable."
"Even when they cry!" Harmony said insincerely
Spike elbowed her. "Everyone all right?"
"We're fine." Fred said genially "We're great even."
"Not yet," Teresa said "But you will be when you have some of the marvelous soup and casserole I made while you were gone. Nutrition and sleep are nature's pick-me-ups!" She gestured for the couple to follow her. Lorne, Fred, and Wes followed the woman upstairs.
Angel surveyed the room. "What the hell guys?"
"What?" Faith asked, confused
Angel glared at Gunn. "You knew something was up with Conner."
Gunn sighed. He massaged the bridge of his nose, looking away from his friend. "He asked me not to tell you. I wanted to man, but he didn't want…"
"What?" Angel asked "What was it?"
"He didn't want to hurt you." Anne said
"You had no right to keep this from me!"
"Angel," Faith said "Keep it down."
"You don't agree?" Angel was incredulous.
"I do, I just think you should keep it down. Wes and Fred are sick."
Angel was seething, but he knew Faith was right. He took a moment to compose himself before speaking again. "He's my son, I had a right to know what was happening." He was calm.
"Conner is an adult." Gunn said "I had to respect his choice."
Angel locked eyes with Gunn. Angel wore his pain and anger on his face without making any attempts to hide it. Gunn looked guilty, but resolved. Finally Angel looked away. He bit back all the angry words he wanted to say. The last thing he wanted to do was alienate a close friend at a time like this. Gunn had possessed his reasons, and Angel might not agree with them, but there was little he could do about it now. All he could do was handle the situation that had finally been brought to his attention. "Fine, it's past now. I'm going to see my son." Angel walked to the basement steps. Gunn watched him go with guilt burrowing in his gut like a parasite. It was so hard to explain to Angel how him not knowing what was happening seemed to be the only thing keeping Conner going. How do you tell someone something like that?
Twelve Months Ago
Gunn knocked on the door to Conner's room. "Come in," Gunn stepped inside, still wearing the suit he'd worn to the wedding. "How was it?" Conner asked
"Great," Gunn said "Everyone missed you."
"I don't think they would have appreciated me giving them this fever."
"Yeah, the three month fever. Conner-"
"You didn't tell my dad did you? You said something about school right?"
"The school you dropped out of?" Gunn sighed. "Yeah, I did."
Conner reached for the washcloth sitting in the bowl of melted ice on his nightstand. He wiped the sweat off his face. "Thanks, I really appreciate it."
Gunn examined the sick boy from afar. Something told him that Conner knew more than he was letting on about his odd condition. At this point they were all deluding themselves. This had to be more than a natural malady. The more Gunn thought about it, the more he became sure that this had something to do with the four scars Conner bore from the fight in L.A. Yet even as Gunn became surer of this in one part of his mind another part of him didn't even dare think the thought. Was this the price for their victory in L.A.? Was Conner going to die from some otherworldly infection? "Do you want something to eat?" Gunn asked "I think Anne was going to make something." He heard a phone go off. He checked his; it was dark. "It's you."
Conner reached for the cell phone on the nightstand. He answered it. "Hey dad!" How did he manage to fake that healthy voice? "Yeah the school trip is going great!"
Gunn left the room. Conner almost seemed to gain strength when Angel called. It was if the lies were what was sustaining him. Conner was a warrior, he needed his mission. It seemed the mission he had adopted was making sure nothing disturbed his father's happiness, not even Conner's grave illness. Gunn supposed it was heroic, but how would Angel feel upon the inevitable revelation. Was Conner considering that? Or did the boy not think he would be here to deal with it? Gunn shook his head. He wouldn't allow himself to think like that, he couldn't.
…
Conner sat with his knees to his chest, his cheek resting against the cool stone wall. He heard shouting upstairs, but blocked it out. He could feel the energy in his blood, bones, and brain. It didn't intermingle with them. This was pure energy. It wanted to burn away what was in him, it wanted to burn away what was him. Was this anything like what had happened to Fred?
He heard footsteps. Conner knew who it was. "Conner,"
"Dad," Conner said in a croaking voice
Conner sensed him kneeling down in front of him. "Why?"
Conner didn't need to ask. "You were so happy."
"Conner you're my son. All that matters to me is keeping you safe."
"I know." He moaned "That's why I couldn't tell you. I couldn't mess things up for you again. I knew you couldn't be happy if you knew what was happening."
"What is happening?" Angel asked
"She's in here. She's pure, I'm not. She wants to get rid of me, take my place in this dimension." Conner opened his eyes and looked into his father's sorrowful ones. "I'm sorry."
"No Conner," Angel reached out and hugged his son.
"I'm so sorry." Conner began to cry.
"I just wish you had told me." Angel began to cry as well. "All those times we spoke on the phone and you were telling me about your classes, about your life, all of that was a lie?"
Conner nodded. "I was staying at the shelter with Anne and Gunn."
Angel squeezed his son, feeling the unhealthy heat. "I just want to be here for you Conner. I just want to be a father to you. Please let me do that."
"Okay," Conner said "I can't do this alone anyway."
"You will never be alone Conner." Angel promised
Three Months Ago
Conner felt the change coming. Even though he knew the thick walls and metal door of this room would keep him contained, he was afraid. He knew what other people heard when this happened. They heard screams and growls. They heard a powerful body throwing itself against the door and walls. The claws he sprouted dug furrows in the cement. What they didn't know was that the thing in him was strong enough to escape this room. The only reason it didn't was that its energies were distracted by its fight with Conner inside the boy's mind. He saw the world around him change. The walls were four-dimensional now. He saw its thickness as well as its height, length, and a fourth unknown quality. The air tasted like history. People had stood here before; before this was a shelter. People had cried and died here. Conner had tried to kill his father here. In the fifties a vampire with a soul had let a demon continue its reign of terror here.
Conner felt her come out. He heard her whisper in his ear. "Hello my child."
"I'm not yours."
"You exist in defiance of nature. You were prophesized to come to be to clear the way for me. I will take your place in this dimension, as it was never meant to be yours anyways."
"No," Conner blinked back tears. He saw the sounds of children getting ready for bed upstairs. He smelt their emotions. A girl was here after just running away from home. Her stepfather had tried to force himself on her. Conner could taste the salt in her tears. He could see her future. He could see her go back there, see the things that would happen. He could see that the Wolf thought it was very funny. She reveled in pain, came here to inflict it. If she took his place she would use it to hurt and destroy things, but she would allow humanity to continue. She loved humanity. They were her favorite snack food. She would let those girls continue forever.
"Yes,"
"Leave me alone." Conner saw blood running down the walls. The blood of everyone in this building. He saw arterial blood, a fountain of it. He saw a monster drink it. The monster inside him, the one that was trying to get rid of him. It wanted his place.
"You will never be alone Conner."
