Disclaimer: I do not own Angel, Buffy TVS, or any other production of Joss Wheldon. This Story is solely for entertainment purposes only and i will not make any money for it.
However i do wish i could Angel and Buffy TVS, Joss is too cruel, and he does know how to satisfy anyone! I am done rambling. On to the story.
New Stuff:
None at the Time
Author's Notes: Sorry for the long update, I was caught up in school. Graduation project and stuff.
Pain Stake
Fred's Bed Room in Reality
Fear and Anxiety at a Max
Wednesday April, 17, 2001
2:35am
Fred awoke from her pained sleep sweating madly in addition to hyperventilating. She grabbed a hold of her night-gown covered chest to ensure that the overwhelmingly real stab was only in the dream – it was. Fred's smooth skin was unblemished as she looked it over realizing that she had only had a bad dream.
"Oh wow" she breathed a sigh of relief, "That was painstakingly real."
Fred threw aside the covers and emerged from her bed. She gingerly made her way out of her room and down the steps into the lobby where she might find Angel. She didn't usually sleep at the hotel, but the gang had been taking turns keeping Angel's company with the new baby and all. He needed a helping hand at some points in time.
"Angel? You Up?" Fred began wondering quietly. "Angel I need to talk to you about something very important."
No answer...
Fred peeked around frantically as she slid her hand along the wall in pursuit to turn on the lights. Her eyes bulged like big brown bulbs due to the permeating darkness. Finally Fred managed to get a hold of the switch… she flicked it on and screamed seeing a figure standing in the middle of the room – it wasn't Angel.
"ACK!" Fred choked placing her hands upon her mouth to stifle the scream. "You are real?"
Cirri stared at Fred lazily. "Yes, of course" she rolled her eyes. "I would not have made you have such a terrible dream if you just listened to me though."
"How – how was that even possible if it was just a dream?" Fred asked incredulously.
"It's complicated Fred." Cirri answered with an exasperated sigh. "Look the important thing is I am your friend ok?"
Fred nodded tentatively as if to slightly approve Cirri's claim.
Cirri examined the room silently, then turning to Fred she asked: "Where is Angel, I need to speak with him."
"Um –
"I am right here" Angel replied obstinately. Both females spun around to see Angel's powerful figure standing in the hotel's large doorway. "Mind filling me in on the new person?"
"Hi I am Cirri!" Cirri chirped outstretching her small hand towards the vampire. Angel ignored her and strolled right pass her over to the counter. Taking off his coat and tossing it into a nearby chair, Angel let his eyes rest on the pretty girl for the first time.
"My question?" he asked impatiently.
"I just told you!" Cirri whined.
"Ok so your name is Cirri, that doesn't exactly fill me in though." Angel mused provocatively.
"Angel this is the life form that came out of that dagger we found from that PTB you fought." Fred informed him.
"Oh that's makes a little more sense" Angel nodded. "So what are you here for?"
Cirri glanced at Fred with a peeved look. "Didn't you learn anything about you and your mouth from the dream" she scowled.
Fred didn't know how to respond, so she just stood still with her frail arms crossed over her chest.
"Angel, you know that you are not off the hook right?" Cirri began.
"With the PTBs? Yea, so I hear" Angel groaned.
"You are in grave danger" Cirri warned him. Angel sighed and stood up straight from his leaning position. Then he made his way over to Cirri and told her he wasn't really interested to know what they had to say. However Cirri widened her eyes and beckoned to Fred as if to say. "Your friends are in it too". She knew this would grab his attentions so she made herself comfortable in a plush red couch, ready to patronize Angel with her information. Angel took a seat from across the blonde girl and put on his "Angel frown." Having no real choice, Fred joined Angel on the seat across from her.
Cirri began to rack her brain for what Angel might want to know.
"Ok so the PTB said you are gone way pass the limit of disrespect which I totally agree about," Cirri started counting off her fingers. "Next they said you need to pay for it. Then they said you should be feeling a lot of misery for you act. And last but not least they said, you will be put to the ultimate test.
"And?" Angel inquired.
"And I am going to help you get out of it!" Cirri grinned.
"Angel chuckled evilly. "No offense but, you? Fred can knock you out." Fred blushed, but remained silent.
"You of all people Angel - err I mean creatures should know that looks are deceiving." Cirri countered sourly.
"I see." Angel said rubbing his chin. "What else did they say about me?"
"Well, you better watch out for her and your friend Gunn. They said the mere humans who – never mind, you don't need to know that part." Cirri teased.
At the mention of his friends again, Angel's mood dropped a considerable amount of positive points. "What did they say?" he barked between gritted teeth.
"Well um – Cirri began.
"Look here little girl, I am really tired, its 3 o clock in the morning, and you are trying my patience so open that yap trap of yours and start talking something that is worth listening to!" Angel commanded.
Cirri, taken aback by Angel's sudden gruffness, began to spill her info more seriously.
"I'm sorry Angel, I really want to help." Cirri apologized.
"Then start TALKING!" Angel yelled.
"Angel calm down," Fred told him gently as he began to rise. He allowed her to sit him back down.
Cirri returned to her info giving.
"Ok Angel, I believe the powers that be are going to put you through trials of such that if you don't pass they can have a legal, and I mean legal written document authorizing them to kill you officially. The trials are supposed to be exaggerated forms of your current condition in which you will have to bear them until the time passes. At the end, if you even get there, they are going to manually resurface Angelus in you, and you have to suppress him." Cirri rambled.
"How? You know that there are very few things that you can do to resurface Angelus in me." Angel began. "And I won't be participating in any of them."
"They are gonna use me" Cirri told him sagging her head. "I don't want to do it though."
"Please, you are just a little girl!" Angel snorted.
"Angel, you be surprised what I am and how old I am. I just like this body, it's cute." Cirri informed him.
"So how are they going to make you resurface Angelus if you don't want to? Fred asked.
"Well the Chief of –
A loud noise cracked throughout the whole lobby as something exploded across the room. Not even two seconds after the sound did Fred and Angel see Cirri's whole chest covered in rich red blood. She cried out in pain and leapt from the chair to the ground to avoid another shot.
"Shut up Cirri!" Coronel snarled wielding a smoking blaster.
Without hesitation Angel launched his self from the sofa over the back, changing into his vampire form for battle. Fred scrambled to Cirri's limp body to aid her.
Coronel aimed the gun at Angel's chest and pulled the trigger, firing another deadly stake-like weapon. However, Angel caught the lethal projectile straight out of the air and sailed it into Coronel's leg sending him down to the ground in pain.
Knowing that he would be attacked by the furious vampire in a matter of seconds, Coronel quickly rolled to the left and readied for another shot at Angel despite the pain of the stake.
"WHOOM!" The stake blasted from the gun and struck Angel in his left arm sending him crashing into the sofa he had just left.
"You don't know what kind of power you are toying with boy!" Coronel bellowed pulling the stake from his own leg. "And neither does that little girl!"
"Yes I do." Angel grunted leaping up. "It's called human manipulation and it won't continue."
The two men lunged for each other, engaging in deadly martial arts combat.
Mean while Fred had managed to pull Cirri away behind the counter and tried to stop the bleeding. Cirri moaned in pain as Fred tried to pull the stake from her chest.
Are you a vampire?" Fred asked quietly.
"Arrgh, NO!" Cirri moaned.
"Then why did that guy shoot a stake at you?" Fred asked.
"Because it's a special one that will poison me…NOW TAKE IT OUT!" Cirri wailed.
Fred grabbed the stake and yanked it out; bright red blood adorned its tip. Cirri began to sweat badly and before Fred could ask her how she was feeling, she fainted.
"Cirri? Cirri what's wrong?" Fred inquired. The blonde began sweating so badly, her thin white clothes stuck to her body; however Fred noticed the blood and the wound slowly vanishing.
Fred had been so concerned with the new girl's dire condition, she forgot all about the brawling men. That is – until Coronel came flying over the counter only to notice the two of them.
"You can't win you fool!" Coronel snarled evilly jumping up to his feet. His face was drizzled with old and new blood. "Angel, we are working on a new player; then we can rid the world of you and your blasted body!"
With that Coronel snatched the unconscious Cirri at lightning speed. Before anyone could oppose him, he barreled through the hotel running off into the treacherous night.
"CIRRI!" Fred screamed outstretching her hand. Fred leapt up to chase after the obnoxious man but Angel stopped her gently.
"Fred – Let him go." Angel grunted wiping blood from the corner of his bleeding mouth. "It's been a long night…lets rest and deal with it in the morning Connor probably needs attention anyway.
Fred looked at Angel with her soft brown eyes full of misery. "Angel…
"I know, Cirri is right…I am in big problems…" Angel agreed placing a wounded arm around Fred's bare shoulders. "But no matter what, I won't stop fighting until you and the other are safe...
A Deserted Alley
Wet and Confusing
Wednesday April, 17, 2001
6:35am
Cirri awoke with a start to find herself lying on cold wet ground. The sun peered straight down into her mocha colored eyes almost blinding her as she slowly opened them. Getting up groggily, she began to wonder about her current location.
"I didn't want to, but you made me" Coronel's voice floated from around the corner.
"Yeah right." Cirri retorted rising from her laying position. "You could have full well shot Angel in the head."
"I could, and I would, if I could." Coronel explained. "You don't get it little girl, you are divulging our business when you open your big glossy mouth."
"But –
"But nothing Cirri." Coronel cut her off. "I am ashamed of you, you told him too much - now shut up and get some rest.
Cirri fell silent for a small period of time wondering what would become of Angel and his friends. She began to wonder if staying loyal to the PTB was worth her life as it really seemed. After all, they were the good guys. So Angel step out of his place for a little, did that mean he was supposed to be tortured beyond tolerable? Did it mean he was no longer that chosen one? The key player? After pondering the questions swimming in her head, Cirri decided to ask coronel a question.
"Coronel, aren't we the good guys? She asked.
Coronel hesitated for a small period of time and then answered.
"Yes, of course." He said with a hint of anger. "Angel is a vampire Cirri; he was always evil even if he has a so called soul. That soul is just an excuse to give that body another chance to prove its worth, but in truth Angel is really the evil one, "he finished.
Cirri sighed, she wanted to believe Angel was good, but she wanted to believe the man who had been like a father to her a long time. Coronel sensed the confused girl's bafflement and softened his tone and expression.
"Just follow in my footsteps young one. You won't regret it," he assured her.
"Can I leave now?" Cirri asked peeved at the answer to her question.
"Why?" Coronel growled. "To go running back to Angelus?"
"He ISN'T ANGELUS ANYMORE!" Cirri screamed. Her mood seem to snap back and forth very easily.
"He will always be that demon."
"What about before he became a vampire? Huh?" Cirri countered. "What about then?"
"He was still demonic, even then." Coronel scowled disgustedly." "Is he your father Cirri?"
"No." she answered curtly.
"Then why do you care about him so much?" Coronel glared at her.
"Because I feel sorry for him…and his friends!" Cirri cried. "They have been fighting for so long, isn't the pain and suffering enough now?"
"If it was, they would have been redeemed." Coronel said.
Cirri arose from her position with much misery she walked over to where Coronel stood leaning against a hard brick wall. Her eyes were wet with tears.
"You have no heart Coronel, that why I can't love you the way I can love Angel Investigations. They have so little, yet they work so hard, and they are like a family, they accept each other's difference and they have hearts. You are just a cold old puppet." Cirri choked angrily. "Please can I leave now!"
"Yes" Coronel allowed. "But first let me ask you something."
"What?" Cirri asked pulling back her hair into a bun.
"If I have no heart, why are you not standing before the wrathful master right now? That's where you are supposed to be." Coronel told the girl.
"Because – you know that you are going to be violating your wishes by bring me back – you think I am your daughter, but I'm not." Cirri answered. Upon finishing her explanation, she took off into the warm sunlight beating down on the earth without saying goodbye.
Angel Investigations
A Very Tense Morning
Wednesday April, 17, 2001
8:50am
Wesley had barely expected to see the neatly kept lobby trashed the next morning when he arrived at the beloved hotel he also knew as home. Books and papers where everywhere, one sofa was over turned and cracked, stakes lay everywhere, some adorned with blood and others chipped and chiseled. What was even more baffling is that Fred lay lazily on the freshly ripped love seat and Angel stood still across from her just staring with his hands jammed into his pockets.
Angel didn't even flinch when Wesley opened the door as he normally did; he just stood still not budging or caring that anyone had penetrated his hotel's boundaries. For all he could have known, it could have been some enemy, if not Coronel himself.
Wesley took one careful step forward, making sure not to step in any on the stray blood splatters on the ground. Only then did he notice Angel's bare torso and the many scars it carried.
"Coronel," Angel stated flatly. "Wes, it's very dangerous these days you know.
"Yes…Yes it is." Wesley answered skeptically. "How did – did –
"Your scent," Angel answered Wesley's unasked question.
"Oh yes." Wesley sighed with confusion. "What happened?
"Long story, but Fred is ok, if that's what you are getting at." Angel answered finally turning from his obstinate state.
"No actually I wanted to know if you were ok?" Wesley corrected him.
"Oh, thanks - Yea, I'm good enough." Angel assured him. "Coronel fought us last night, trying to retrieve the dagger he dropped which happened to be a pretty little annoying girl named Cirri.
"So you agree that I am pretty?" Cirri's voice floated from the hotel entrance. Angel and Wesley spun around to face her.
Cirri stood in the doorway, same tattered and blood stained clothes as yesterday. However the big hole in her chest was gone. She seemed fairly happy seeing that she had gotten back to the gang which is apparently where she wanted to be. Cirri took a few steps into the ripped up hotel, her platform shoes clopped as she stepped. Looking up to face Angel, she smiled.
"So I guess you can heal pretty fast" Angel asked with a peeved expression.
"Yup" Cirri smiled beginning to pick up the strewn papers and books. "I came back, I got away from Coronel."
"Who exactly are you?" Wesley ventured to ask.
"I am Angel's personal help info guide." Cirri informed him. "I am going to help you guys get by in these times of trouble."
"And why should we trust you?" Wesley asked.
Angel simply ignored Cirri and began picking up broken objects.
"I am trustable!" Cirri cried indignantly.
"Really?" Wesley asked eyeing her careful.
Cirri walked around picking up papers and books, and tossing trash where it belonged. She walked passed Fred's chair and decided to give her sleeping head an affectionate stroke.
"I like Fred." Cirri smiled. She so innocent and calm; unlike that impatient brute," She teased pointing in Angel's direction.
Wesley shifted in his shoes uncomfortably giving Angel a pondering look. Angel nodded as if to say "She can be trusted, despite her personality".
"Don't you agree?" Cirri asked looking up innocently, her blue eyes glowing.
"Yes its true, Fred is a very special person, but why are you so interested in her?" Wesley asked disapprovingly.
Oh, I'm not interested in her Wesley…" Cirri began sauntering over to the knowledgeable man. "I like your shave more." Cirri told him placing a single finger on Wesley's lip. Wesley took a step back and began to sweat nervously. However Angel came to the rescue; he grabbed Cirri's small wrist forcefully, his face wore a grim expression of solemnity and disapproval, and yanked her aside from Wesley and Fred over to where the over turned counter lay.
"Ow!" she cried. "Getting all mad aren't you Mr. Handsome."
"That's enough," Angel growled. "Either work or be worked."
"Ok," Cirri frowned and returned to her regular self. She yanked her wrist out of Angel's grasp and began trying to lift the counter. Angel gave her an unwelcomed hand.
A moment of bone-chilling silence passed. Everyone just quietly tried to restore the order of the hotel with their minds and heads full of intriguing and important thoughts. Fred had been awake for a while, but after last night, she felt very drowsy and lazy, so she just lay there and no one bothered to make her get up and help. Finally, someone spoke after what seemed like an age of dead sound.
"Where are Gunn, Cordy, and Lorne?" Cirri asked curiously.
"How do you know about the rest of our friends?" Wesley asked stopping dead in his tracks.
"Pfttt, for a grade - A researcher you sure are dumb!" Cirri said disgustedly.
"For a little girl, you sure do have a lot of nasty thoughts and words." Wesley retorted in response to her remark.
"Look! This is my new body, and it is 23 years old! Stop calling me a little girl!" Cirri shouted apparently snapping.
"Then stop acting like one!" Wesley cried.
"Yea." Fred agreed quietly.
"Oh great! I am acting like a little girl? TAKE A LOOK AT FRED! WHAT DO YOU CALL HER?" Cirri screamed.
"Wait! What are you talking about" Fred cried jumping from her chair. "You are the one who popped up in here and interrupted my fine sleep with a demonic nightmare! I'm a supposed to be resting you know!"
"You wouldn't listen!" Cirri shouted advancing on Fred. "You are such a little innocent girl! You could have opened a hell mouth under this hotel for all I know because you are so naïve!"
"Well that's better than having those stupid self-proclaimed righteous bastards appearing in here to kill our champion!" Fred shouted equally as worked up as her new enemy. "At least we have the right to kill those monsters!"
"You have other rights too!" Cirri said grabbing a hold of Fred's shoulders. Angel and Wesley watched in annoyed amusement. Despite the fact that the fuss was obviously a serious quarrel; both men found it quite interesting to see Fred stand up for herself. "Why don't you just shut up Winifred! Ugh! That's such a babyish name! Winifred; it sounds like a name for a fat teddy bear!"
"Like yours is any better!" Fred cried. "You should have never set foot in here!" With that, Fred smacked Cirri across her face.
Cirri stepped back; she was so struck by Fred's reaction, that she began to cry tears; it really hurt to be smacked by Fred. However her super big heart allowed her to instantly forgive the girl and stoop down to apologize.
"I – I – I am sorry!" Fred stuttered gingerly wrapping her arms around Cirri's shaking figure. Wesley and Angel decided to intervene now. Angel took Cirri by the hand and led her away to the staircase. Wesley took Fred's hand gently and pulled her away.
"I - I - I didnt mean to snap!" Cirri choked. "I'm sorry Fred, i truly am. Will you ofrgive me?"
"I forgive you." Fred whispered unsure of what to say.
Cirri sniffled. "I know, i have these easy mood swings but really I -
"Its Ok Cirri" Angel assured her. "Were going to help you, i see that you need - family."
"Thanks" she sobbed greatfully making her way up the stair case.
"You guys, I am sensing more to this girl than we have anticipated. I am going to see what I can get out of her. I will relieve you guys of her." Angel told them. "Why don't you guys try settling down and getting something to eat perhaps?" After saying that, Angel led the sobbing girl up the staircase and into his "batcave."
Wesley and Fred exchanged perturbed glances. "What was that all about?" Wesley asked.
"I don't know really," Fred shrugged. "I didn't mean to lose my temper; actually I didn't know I could lose my temper."
"Neither did Cirri apparently." Wesley observed. "She seems to care a lot about you Fred though."
"How is that possible?" Fred asked leaving to grab a pot of water for the floor.
"I think she is jealous of you!" Wesley shouted towards her.
"WHAT?" Fred cried popping out of the kitchen with her mousy hair.
"Yes, it is true." A voice agreed from at the top of the steps. Both Wesley and Fred spun to see their song singing friend, Lorne.
"Oh, Good Morning Lorne," Wesley greeted the humble demon with a warm smile.
"Yes, morning Lorne," Fred smiled as well emerging from the kitchen.
"Whoa, so grumpylocks wasn't joking about the wreckage." Lorne mused as he descended the steps.
"I'm guessing grumpylocks is Angel." Fred conjectured with a lopsided smile.
"Right Munchkins," Lorne told her. "He told me everything about the mysterious girl. So I read her and it turns out, she is more lonely for people than here to help Angel.
"So is she legitimate?" Wesley asked. "Is she going to help?"
"That I don't know." Lorne admitted, but she definitely wishes she had Fred's magnetic affections." Fred blushed furiously hiding her face in her shoulder; she stooped down and began cleaning the grounds. Wesley smiled dreamily and looked at Fred with a longing wish in his head.
"However, Angel believes she has something to do with his human form, directly…poor guy." Lorne informed them.
"Wait, why?" Fred asked looking up from her hand mopping.
"He said the emotion fluctuations in her mood, you know, sexy to sensitive? Provocative to serious?" Lorne told them.
"Yes I see" Wesley agreed. "But why that?
"I don't know Weslekins" Lorne shrugged picking up a broken stake. "Wow, bad battle yesterday huh?" Fred giggled at Lorne's tendency to make a cute name out of anyone.
"I didn't see it," Wesley admitted. "But Fred did."
"Oh it was bad!" Fred agreed shaking her head. "A lot of blood."
"Why did it start?" Lorne asked taking a seat on the sofa back.
"Um, I think Cirri was about to tell Angel something that Coronel didn't want her to tell him." Fred explained.
"Well it must have been important; we should get her to say it." Wesley mused.
"She is sleeping right now." Lorne educated Wesley. "Don't know how Angel did it though, But -
Just then Cordelia and Gunn finally burst through the hotel doors panting. They seemed to have learned something dire, with Cordy was leaning upon Gunn's shoulder. Everybody ran to meet them with concern etched into their faces.
"What's wrong?!" Fred cried.
"I need to see Angel right now!" Cordy cried.
'She had one hell of a vision!" Gunn informed them. It started-" Gunn began.
"ARRRRHHHHAAAAA!!!!!!" someone wailed.
"Like that…" Gunn trailed off.
TBC
Author's Note: Ok so there you have chap 3, sorry for the long update but like i said, i was busy. Plz Review! I Thank You Until Next Time :)