Summary: Lorne has spilled the beans on Willow. The AI team have to deal or kill.
Disclaimer: I don't own the characters, Joss and Co. do.
Distribution: If I give it you can have it. Any one I don't post to just ask
Author's Notes: This is told from Willow's POV. I know I switch back and forth, but it works. Thanks to G again. Heck, I might as well go ahead and dedicate the whole thing to her. There ya go. This fic, in it's entirety, is dedicated to Gabrielle, the muse of choice. =0) And Happy Birthday.
Feedback: Would be much appreciated. ghoztstarz@yahoo.com
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"Uh, surprise," I say. Understatement of the year goes to...me! The little green demon, Lorne, sure does have a way with words, and clothes. Hmm, silence. Well, at least no one has tried to stake me, yet. Yay me!
"Huh?" Cordelia says. The queen of blunt is speechless. I can't decide if that's good or bad. Angel is just standing there with his mouth literally hanging open. Apparently this wasn't on the agenda for today. Nothing has gone right since I was made. Maybe it's me. Maybe I'm messing up the whole flow of things here. Who knows. I reach out and shut Angel's mouth. No need to catch flies, not like he needs the protein.
"Oh," Angel says. I giggle. It's just too funny to see him unbalanced.
"Ok, so you're a Vamp. You aren't like an old lover of Angel's are you? 'Cuz I really don't want to deal with that again," Gunn says. I laugh out loud then. Everyone just looks at me like I'm crazy. Although, I do see Cordelia trying to hold back a smile. Good for her.
"I take that as a no?" he asks.
"No," I say still giggling. "Just an old friend." Old lover? I know they've met Buffy. I wonder who he's talking about.
"She's a friend of Buffy's. Or used to be. I don't know how that works now," Cordelia said finally getting over her shock. "So, how'd this happen? Who attacked you?"
"Oh, umm, well, that's kind of a long story," I say. I don't think they'd take too kindly to Angel if they found out he made me. They might think he went all 'Grrr' again. Can't have them killing him.
"So, I take it you are on the 'No Stake' list?" Gunn says. He's got his hand behind him, probably going for a stake. Sometimes people are just too predictable.
"Willow is under my protection," Angel says stepping closer to me. Sire to the rescue. Ha! I concentrate hard on the stake that is hidden behind Gunn. I'll show them who needs protection.
"You're kidding. Right man?" Gunn says. "Not this shit again."
I smile sweetly at him. Then, with my mind wrapped around the stake, I fling it from his hand and into the wall behind it. Gunn spins on his heals to see where it had gone. The stake is embedded three inches deep and in the far wall.
"Damn. How'd you do that?" he asks turning back to me. I smile.
"Very carefully, and with practice," I say sweetly.
"Well, our little girl has some power to her," Lorne says smiling at me. I really do like him.
"Willow?" Angel asks. "When did you learn to do that?"
"Oh, well, see the whole power thing, kinda still running through me. I may have stopped practicing, but that little trick has been with me for years. Plus, it seems I have my own personal magick."
"Neat," Cordelia says. "If we figure out you're not evil and going to eat us, would you mind teaching me that?"
"Sure," I say. It's the least I can do right? She won't be able to do it, but now isn't the time to be rude.
"Wesley?" I ask. He's been awfully quiet. Probably shock, it'll do that.
"Uh, yes, well...this certainly is a surprise," he says playing with the book in his hands. Poor Wesley. He never was good around vampires. I'm amazed he came to work for Angel. That had to be an...interesting transition.
"So Sweet Cheeks, what are we going to do about her?" Lorne asks Angel.
"Well, she's going to be staying here, at the hotel," Angel says. Well, duh.
"Just a few ground rules," Cordelia says facing me. "One, no eating us humans. And two, no 'happy' with the boss ok?"
"Kinda figured that," I say. Oh, if she only knew what almost happened in Angel's room earlier. Better that she doesn't.
"Good. Well, welcome to Angel Investigations," Cordelia says shaking my hand, and walks back to the desk and her waiting magazine. She's changed, not much, but all of it in a good way.
"Thanks Cordy," I say and smile. Gunn walks over to the stake I took from him and tries to pull it from the wall. He can't get it and curses under his breath. I walk over to him and tap him on the shoulder. He jumps.
"Here, let me," I say and pull the stake out in one quick yank. I really didn't need that show of strength, but it was fun. No use waisting it. I hand the stake back to him, but I don't let go.
"Just don't use it on me," I say.
"Yeah, ok."
I walk back over to Angel, Wesley, and Lorne. They were talking while I was helping Gunn and stop abruptly when I start walking back towards them. I hadn't paid attention while I was on the other side of the room. I haven't quite got the hang of this vampire stuff yet. I'll have to work on that.
"I take it I was the topic of conversation?" I ask the men, or man and demons...whatever. Wesley looks guilty. Lorne just smiles sweetly at me, and Angel...well Angel just looks distraught. He really has been through a lot these past few days. As have I.
"It's ok. I don't mind, as long as it was nothing bad," I say and smile at them. They all nod. Lorne stares at me concern on his face. My smile falters. What does he sense?
"Are you alright Pumpkin?" he asks.
I nod. I don't trust my voice. Angel touches my arm gently and asks me if I need anything. I try to show him through my eyes and our bond that my 'happy go lucky' exterior won't hold. Granted, my mind trick wasn't using magick, but it was. Like raw magick. No frills. I can feel my own magick humming inside me. Wanting out.
"Whoa Sweetie, tone down the power. You're flooding the hotel," Lorne said. I look at him horrified. He can feel it. Oh my God. I run, run upstairs and into Angel's room using every ounce of speed I have.
I go into the bathroom and sit on the toilet. After everything that's happened in the last few months, I'm still scared of my powers. My natural ability. Well, not scared...wary, cautious. I know what it can do if I loose control again.
Lorne had felt my power. He said it was flooding the hotel. I thought I had it under control. Maybe I was wrong. But, Lorne hadn't been afraid, just overwhelmed.
I can't believe I ran like that. Like a scared little child. I should go back down. Apologize. I listen to the sounds from the lobby. Four heartbeats, and Angel. Well, my little display hadn't scared off Gunn. Good. I didn't think Angel would work with someone who'd get scared easily.
I guess I can go back down, say I'm sorry. I walk out of the bathroom toward the door. I stop. I hear someone walking carefully down the hallway. The person's trying to be stealthy. If I hadn't been this close to them I might have missed it. Hmm. I wait behind the door. I want them to pass the room. If I learned anything by being a Scoobie, it was not to just jump right in. Leave that to those who have the skills. A vampire I may be, but even a vampire needs skills.
The person walks past the door, oblivious to my presence. Good. Don't want to ruin the surprise. I slowly open the door, careful not to let it squeak. Angel must oil the hinges. Not a sound. I love when things go my way.
I step out into the hallway a few feet from them, or him, now I can see the person. It's a male about five inches taller then me, dark sandy brown hair, and he's holding a stake. I don't think I'm the target, then again you never know. He stops, and so do I. He spins around, swinging the arm with the stake towards me. I move, but not quickly enough. The stake nicks me on my left shoulder, ripping through the shirt and drawing blood. Ok, playtime's over.
"Averto," I say flinging him down the rest of the hallway. He hits the wall, knocking some of the wind out of him. I concentrate on the stake and toss it into my hand.
"What the hell are you?" the boy asks. He is a boy, not a man. I can tell now that I can see his face.
"I'm the one that has you pinned to the wall," I say smugly. "Who are you?"
"Connor," Angel says walking into the hallway and towards the boy.
"So you know him?" I ask. Angel nods. "Well then, I guess this was meant for you," I say tossing the stake to Angel. He catches it without turning to look at me. I need to learn that trick.
"Release him Willow," Angel says still looking at Connor.
"But, Angel, he--" I say, but he cuts me off.
"Now," he says. The commanding voice isn't Angel's, it's my Sire's. I release him...grudgingly. I don't think he's much of a threat with Angel and I here, but still.
Lorne, Gunn, Wesley, and Cordelia quickly join us in the hallway. The hostility coming off the boy is thick enough to cut. What is his problem?
"Who is he?" I ask no one in particular. The answer lay up for grabs, but no takers. Angel and Connor are staring at each other. Open hatred on Connor's face, his muscles twitching in anticipation of a fight. Angel is another story. Sorrow floods through the bond and I almost choke on it. There's a lot of history between those two. I can tell just by the way they interact.
Connor spoke up. "She reeks of you," he says to Angel, disgust clearly written on his face. What did I do to him? Well, that he didn't deserve I mean. "Didn't learn your lesson with my mother?" Connor spat. Well, this just keeps getting more and more interesting.
"Thant's enough Connor. I told you to leave and never come back. What are you doing here?" Angel asks. I really would like to know what the hell is going on here. I don't think now is the time to ask however. It can wait, I guess.
Lorne looks sympathetically between Connor and Angel. Wesley is just standing there absorbing it all, like a good Watcher should. Somethings you never outgrow. Gunn is standing there, arms crossed, looking both bored and like he's seen this before. Cordelia, well, I can't read her. She's almost blank in her expression, and I can't see her eyes to tell for sure.
"I came to kill you, but she stopped me," Connor said moving closer to Angel. I could see Angel didn't like that answer. He hangs his head. Who could blame him? Apparently, to the others, this was old news. It seems that this boy has tried, on more then one occasion, to kill Angel. I really don't like this Connor kid.
"Get out, son," Angel says in a barely audible whisper. His head is still down, not looking at Connor. Son? How the hell...? I shake my head to release the shock of that statement.
"I'm not your son!" Connor yells. He has another stake in his and and it's descending fast, towards Angel's heart. I react without hesitation.
"Abstineo," I say in a voice that is just a shade deeper then my own. The stake stops centimeters from Angel's chest.
"Let me go you bitch!" Connor screams. He is frozen in place from my spell. Angel just looks at the stake, eyes a little too wide. Shock. He probably didn't think the boy would actually do it. Or something. Who knows.
"No," I say. "You will NOT harm Angel."
"Willow, what are you doing?" Wesley pipes up from off to my right. It's the first thing he's said since meeting me.
"He will not kill my Sire. I won't allow it." I fling the stake into the far wall. It hits hard and deep. Angel might have to remove that one.
"Sire?" Gunn asks. Angel looks at me. Oops. I think I let the cat out of the bag, so to speak. His shoulders droop, and he walks over to stand by me. Everyone's shocked, mouths gaping, or working like fish. Speechless. Even Connor. Well, don't let it ever be said that unlife is boring.