Title: Mislead 4/13
Author: Savage
Email: NatashaQuinn@aol.com
Pairing: Angel/Cordy Wes/Faith Gunn/Fred Buffy/Giles
Rating: M over all
Spoilers: For Season Three, I don't know the name of the Eps but yes, there are
Spoilers for Season Three Angel
(Los Angeles - Angel Investigations - Lobby)
Faith had helped Cordelia and Lorne to set up the lobby with Angel's birthday decorations, while Gunn and Fred kept Angel, who had returned a while ago, upstairs and busy.
"I wonder where Wesley is," Cordy asked as Faith handed her the last balloon.
"You know Wes, he likes to take his time."
Cordy smiled and looked at Faith, "Actually, you would know that."
With a chuckle, Faith followed Cordy to the counter and watched her as she put the candles on Angel's cake. "Good thing he doesn't expect anything for his birthday day cause once this thing is lit, I have a feeling the fire department will be here."
Faith laughed as she watched all the candles getting added to the cake. "You're really not gonna try to put all those on there are you? I mean he's like what, 248?"
"No not all and more like 250 something or other."
Lorne walked over to the girls and laid his hand to his heart dramatically. "Oh my. Very nice sweet stuff. Mr. Broody will definitely like that."
"You think?"
"Oh yeah," Lorne answered and tried to stick his finger in the icing, only to have it slapped away by Cordy. "HEY!"
"What? I'm starving here!"
"You can wait!"
Angel, Fred and Gunn were heard coming down the hall as Cordy and The Host grabbed the cake and held it out in their hands so he would see it as he descended the stairs.
"Look, Fred, No, alright? I don't think I wanna try-" Angel trailed off as he saw the lobby of his hotel. It was filled with 'Happy Birthday' signs, and colorful Balloons. "Wow."
Cordy giggled as she looked at him. He was so stunning. He had on a black pants, and a red shirt. It looked soft, velvet maybe. And he smelled so good. He walked to her with a large smile on his lips. "Did you do all of this?"
"Um, noooo," she said shyly.
"Of course she did," Lorne chimed in. "She planned everything, we only helped slightly."
Angel let a grin, warm and bright form on his lips and softy said to Cordy, "Thank you."
With a smile she said he was welcome and she and Lorne laid the cake back to the counter. Faith was amazed at the how long Angel actually went without asking about Connor. When he arrived an hour before, Faith told him Wesley called and said he was running late. To her surprise he didn't question her any further and headed upstairs to get ready for Cordelia. In fact several hours now went by and Angel not once said anything about his son. This unsettled Faith somewhat. Angel was always asking about Connor. She snuck into Wesley's office and called him on the cell phone. After several rings Faith heard a large crash in the lobby and went to the door. She stood carefully next to it, making sure she could see what was going on, but not enough so anyone could see her. Then she heard him, Holtz. He was there. And by the sounds of it, he wasn't alone.
Faith listened to the exchange and the fight that soon followed as she waited for Wes to pick up the damn phone. After several more rings the slammed the phone shut and went to help Angel fight Holtz. Only as she got out there Holtz was gone and Cordy was helping Angel off the ground. "What happened," she asked as she surveyed the area. Everything was torn up and a mess.
"Holtz," Cordy simply said as she looked at the kick Angel had received to his side. "Are you sure your all right?"
"Yeah, I'm Fine. Faith. Where's Wes?"
"Um, Wes?"
"Yeah, where is he? Where's Connor?"
"Oh, uh, he's.he's still at the mall. He and Connor are, um fine."
Angel watched Faith. He knew her well enough to read her and he knew something was off. Getting up, with Cordy's help he went to Faith and stood in front of her. "Faith, where's Wesley and my child?"
Faith swallowed hard as she prayed Wesley and Giles had enough time to find whatever it was they needed. "He's, um, He and Connor, they..."
"What Faith?"
"They're not here."
"I know that! Where-"
Faith looked at the clock on the wall. It was only 11:30 pm. There was still 5 hours before sunrise. She had to stall them somehow. "I-I'll call Wes again and see what's wrong." Faith removed her cell phone from her pocket and dialled Wesley as Angel watched and listened to her intently.
(Magic Box-Research Table)
After glancing at his watch for the 100th time, Wesley realized several hours had passed. Both he and Mr. Giles had searched through almost every book Giles had. The only thing that was helpful was not even that forthcoming. All they knew was that if they keep Angel away from the baby tonight, then by morning's light, all would return to normal. Like that was a lot of help!
Wesley slammed the book shut, startling Xander and Willow who passed out with their heads on the research table. They snapped their heads up and looked dead tired. "Huh? What? I did not," Xander mumbled incoherently as Willow wiped drool from the corner of her mouth.
"Sorry you two."
"Nah, that's fine. I always enjoy a good heart attack in the mornings," Xander said with a smile as Giles brought over some donuts for them all and coffee.
"It's only 30 minutes till midnight Xander."
"Can't you just say its 11:30 Giles? Ya know, like a normal person?" Not only did Xander get a glare from Giles but a slap on the back of his head by Buffy who walked behind him to get to her seat. She held her hot cocoa in her hands as Xander yelped and grabbed the back of his head.
"Hey!"
"What?"
"What was that for?"
"You insulted my boyfriend!"
"You know, I think I liked you two better when you were just Watcher and Slayer."
"Aww, is someone cranky," Buffy teased as Xander glared at her with his mouth full of a jelly donut. Willow smiled, watching her two best friends arguing. Then she noticed Giles over by the window to the shop. He was staring outside, maybe at something or someone. She couldn't tell, but she noticed he was deep in thought. Getting up from the table she went to him.
"Hey."
"Hello," he answered back, a little distracted. He never looked at her and keep his eyes outside. Willow stood closer to him and tried to see what he was looking at.
"Um, Giles, its just rain."
"Yes, and I wouldn't be worried about that if not for more than only 30 seconds ago, there wasn't a cloud in the sky."
"Oh. Oh! You think, maybe that this a sign?"
"I don't know," Giles said with a sigh and removed his glasses. He rubbed his weary eyes as Willow laid a hand to his arm.
"it's all right Giles."
"W-What is?"
"That you don't know what's happening. What to do. It's all right. You can't know everything. Though, secretly, between you and me, I kinda think you do."
Giles shared a warm smile with Willow as she hugged him. "Thank you Willow."
"Hey! What's this, huh? You trying to take my man," Buffy said in a joking tone as Willow let Giles go and stepped back.
"Oh please, Buffy, I'm not into penises anymore. How many times do I have to tell you guys that?"
Buffy had wrapped her arms around Giles and placed a kiss to his lips as Willow finished her sentence. Then both Watcher and Slayer looked at the witch and frowned.
"What? Well, she asked!" Willow huffed playfully then turned to go check on Tara. Buffy turned back to Giles and smiled.
"What?"
"You."
"Me?"
"Yes, you."
"What about me?"
"Nothing really, I just love you. And wanted you to know that."
Giles stared at Buffy for a moment. A thoughtful expression on his face. Then he tilted his head and lowered his voice.
"You're not, are you thinking of-- no Buffy!"
"Um, was there a question in there somewhere cause-"
"No! You hear me? No!"
"I hear you but I'm not sure I'm liking your tone Giles."
"You have to be bloody crazy if you think I would ever let you anywhere -"
"You can't stop me."
"Watch me."
Buffy sighed as she looked Giles in the eyes. Defiance glaring from hers. But Giles didn't back down; he held her glaze and laid a hand to her face, his thumb stroking her cheek. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean--I'm sorry for that. But there is no way you are leaving here Buffy."
"It's only to the PTB's. If I can see them-"
"Absolutely not."
"Why?"
"Because as soon as Angel finds out Wesley took Connor, he'll be here faster-"
"Its two hours from here to LA Giles-"
"Its raining."
"And what...I'm gonna melt if I go out in it?"
Releasing a sigh he wasn't aware that he was holding, Giles rubbed his eyes once again and turned to the door. He opened it and stepped over so Buffy could see the rain pounding the ground. "Giles, I hate to tell you this but, I've seen rain before." "No Buffy, look." Giles grabbed a flyer off the table near the front door and held one end while pushing the other into the rain. The paper immediately began to dissolve.
"Whoa!" She walked closer to Giles as the paper began to hiss and fissile away. "What, what's that-"
"Its acid."
The Slayer looked at her Watcher as Wesley joined them. He watched the paper melt away and mumbled... "It's started."