Lorne threw down the papers that he was looking over when he heard a
knock on the door. "Can't a body get a moments peace around here?" he
grumbled making his way to the entrance. He opened the door and was
about to shout at the person to come back in two days when he saw who
was standing in the doorway.
"Hi," she said meekly. At first Evelyn did not look at him and then
when she did make eye contact it was only for a few seconds.
Lorne looked her over for a moment before he spoke again. "Well you
look more British today," his tone was emotionless.
"Huh," Evie did not understand first. Then she looked down at the
dress she was wearing. If you had been in England every other woman
you saw would be wearing one like it. "Yes," she stammered a
bit. "Well my, I mean a friend of mine sent some stuff over while I
was sleeping."
"A friend?"
Evie blushed a bit then remembered the reason she was there. "Do you
mind if I come in? I promise that I won't wreck anything."
He moved aside to let her in. "Good because your Watcher friends have
been working night and day to get this place in order. I am not going
to have to change my Grand Opening date."
"Oh, that's good," Evie was trying her best to sound causal. "I am
happy they could help you out."
"They were very nice," Lorne matched her tone. He moved behind the
counter of the bar and felt her follow him. He did not look at her
while he poured himself a drink. "They had a lot of questions about
you. About what happened and such."
Evelyn could feel the heat start to rise in her cheeks. She had taken
a seat in front of him and looked at him. "Well," she was not sure
what to say. "I don't really care about that. Those guys don't have
much of a life. If you are not watching an active Slayer you are
pretty much stuck doing research and checking up on prophecies."
"So being the Watcher of a Slayer is a big honor," he asked.
"Oh yes," Evie gushed. "It is what every Watcher dreams of. That or
being a head member of the Council, but that only happens when you
are like 60."
"Then you must be very happy for your father," he looked at her with
something odd in his expression. It almost looked like he was saying,
gotcha.
Evie's mouth fell open. She realized what he had been doing and it
angered her. "Look, I came here to apologize to you about what
happened the other night, not to get a lecture about how I should
treat my father."
"Really," Lorne's eyes had disbelief in them. "Honey you are
radiating off a whole bunch of mixed of emotions but none of them is
regret."
"Piffle!" Evie shouted back. "Shows you how much you know. I regret
that I ever came here. You are impossible to talk to." She stood up
and started to head to the door. "I am sorry about what happened,"
she said turning around. "It may have not be my fault but it
shouldn't have happened. Have fun at your Opening." She made a break
for the outside world.
"Wait!" Lorne called out after her. Evie sighed and turned
around. "You are right, I am sorry. I'll accept your apology if you
will accept mine, okay?"
"On one condition," Evie crossed her arms in front of her and waited
for him to agree. He nodded his response, "You tell me what happened
to Fred. You said you were from Plyea and I know that is where she
was. Tell me everything."
"She hasn't told you," he was confused now. From what Angel had told
him about Evie he thought that she was the one person that Fred would
tell everything to.
"I know she spent a good deal of time in a cave and on the run," Evie
shuttered as she thought back to a few nights ago. She and Fred had
stayed up most of the night just talking. "I get the feeling though
that she was holding something back."
"Well you would know better than anyone," Lorne informed her. "I
don't know what happened to her. I was here enjoying this lovely
world of yours. When she came back though she was not all that
stable. No one knew that much about her until her parents showed up
and even then she never talked about her past.
"Everyone was shocked to have you turn up. That and the fact that you
were Mr. Giles daughter, granted I don't know about what went down in
Sunnydale but I figured that he had to be pretty trustworthily if
Angel was involving him with plans about Connor."
"You think you know him?" Evie felt a swell of pain come to her
throat. "Then you are lucky. All my life I have never known him, he
is my father and I don't even know him. You want to know the most
tragic thing, he doesn't know me either."
"Sounds like you got some pent up aggression there sweetie," Lorne
started to pour her a drink. "This might help," he pointed to the
drink.
"I don't drink," Evie did not move from where she was standing. "I
don't really want to talk about this. My problems with my father are
his and mine. We are working on it."
"Doesn't sound like you have gotten very far," Lorne motioned for her
to sit down again.
Evie sighed and shook her head, "No, I can't do this right now. I am
sorry, again." She turned back to the door.
"When you are ready," he called after her. "I'll be here."
"Thanks," she looked at him and smiled.
Lorne watched her leave and muttered, "Strange girl."
Gunn was sitting on the round couch in the lobby playing Gameboy. He
was watching the others around him really. He had been doing that for
days. Watching Angel and Cordy as they just avoided any talk about
what happened between them. Fred and Wesley who did not even bother
to try to be in the same room with each other. And watching Giles as
he just general worried over everything that was going on. When the
older British was not sitting with his daughter he was yelling on the
phone to some guy named James.
He turned his head when he heard the door start open slowly. Evie
walked in and closed the door without looking at the room to see who
was there. She looked a little put off, or so he thought. "Hey," he
turned off his Gameboy.
"Geez," Evie gasped. "What is it with you people and scaring each
other?"
"Sorry," Gunn gave her a silly grin.
Evie calmed her breathing. "It's okay," she checked to see if there
was anyone else around. "So, where is everyone?"
Gunn's smile faded, "I think Cordy is with Connor and Angel is doing
the sleep thing. Fred and Wes are on opposite sides of the hotel. And
your dad left saying something about talking to some friends of his."
"Oh," Evie walked down the steps of the lobby and stood in front of
him. "Well then, umm did he say anything about someone named James or
Peter?"
"Nope."
Evie nodded, "Alright then." She was not looking at him. She kept
eyes moving around the room and she started to rub her shoulder. "So."
Gunn did not say anything he just looked at her. He could tell that
she was flustered. Finally he decided that he did not want to torture
her. He patted the seat next to him on the couch.
"Why does everyone want to get me to sit down," Evie frowned. "You
know some people do like to stand."
"You can stand if you want," he shrugged.
Evie looked at him for a second. She did not want to give him the
upper hand in this discussion, "No. I will sit." She flopped down a
section of the couch next to him. She looked up at the ceiling and
took in a deep breath. Evie really did not want to do this but she
had to and she knew it. "Look Gunn," she started. "I… You know… Well
see the thing is…"
Gunn held up his hand. If she kept this up they would be sitting
there until next month. "Look it's okay girl. Don't worry about. You
aren't the first one around here who lost control of their, umm
emotions."
"Really?" Evie was shocked.
"Yeah I mean Angel was all and then there was the time when Wesley
and I," Gunn saw her looking at him. "Why don't we save that story
for another day, huh?"
Evie eyed him for a moment, "You know I am going to find out sooner
or later."
"Probably."
She inched closer to him, "And wouldn't you rather it be from you?"
He looked at her and then stood up so quickly that he dropped his
Gameboy, "Nah uh! There is no amount of pheromone mojo that you can
put on me that will make me tell."
"Come on," Evie got up and leaned in close to him. "Please!"
"No!"
The doors to the hotel opened at moment and in walked Giles and other
man who looked about Wesley's age maybe a little younger. Giles was
horrified at the scene in front of him, "Evie!" He moved quickly to
her and grabbed her arm. "What are you doing?"
"I thought you said the mating season was over Rupert," laughed the
other man.
"Peter," Evie cried out in joy and ran to hug him.
Peter laughed and hugged her back, "Nice to see you to Evie Rosie."
Evie smiled and looked around him, "And where is James?"
Peter looked at Giles and then back at Evelyn. "He isn't here," he
backed away from her and looked at the ground.
"Well when is he coming then?" Evelyn felt her heart jump into her
throat. She knew that something was wrong. She could feel the tears
forming in her eyes, "He's not, he couldn't be?"
"Oh god no," Peter felt so bad for her. "No it is not that at all."
He could see the pain start to course through her body and he did not
have the heart to tell the truth anymore, "He is just busy right now.
You know he is Quinten's favorite. Well the old man got him so bogged
down in work. But he did say that he would call you as soon as he got
a chance."
"God Peter," Evie hit him on his arm. "Don't scare me like that!"
"Sorry dear."
Evie had totally forgotten there was anyone else in the room but her
friend, "Well come on then. I will show you my room and you can tell
him all about it and make him jealous when you get back." She laughed
and took his arm to lead him upstairs.
Gunn and Giles stood at the bottom of the stairs watching them.
Finally Gunn said something, "Who is James?"
Giles let out a breath, "The man that will break her heart."
"Come on Connor," Cordy tried to stop the baby from crying. "Please!"
"Here," Angel took his son from her. He cooed to the baby and made
gurgling noises. Connor started to quiet down at the sound of his
father's voice.
"You are supposed to getting some rest," Cordelia did not look at
him. Instead she moved to make some formula for Connor and clean up
around the room.
"I couldn't sleep." Angel changed his tone, "Besides where else would
I want to be but with my little guy, huh? Hey Connor. Hello."
Cordelia handed him the bottle a bit roughly, "Fine."
"Cordy this has to stop," Angel switched Connor around in his
arms. "You are upsetting him."
"Well I am so sorry," she hissed back at him.
"Cordelia what is the problem here," Angel watched as she avoided eye
contact with him. He sighed and put Connor in his cradle. "You are
going to have too look at me one of these days you know."
"The problem is that you and I almost and now you are acting like
nothing happened," she practically yelled.
"Cordy I," Angel's voice was so soft that she almost couldn't hear
him.
She threw her arms up in the air, "Fine forget it!" Then she stormed
out of the room.
"Connor," Angel picked up his son and looked at him in the
eyes. "Stay away from women. Really it will make your life much
easier."
"Oof!" Evie grumbled when someone rushing by her pushed her into a
wall.
"I'm sorry," Cordelia saw who she has just plowed over. "On second
thought I am not."
"Tense much," Evie rubbed the sore spot on her shoulder.
"You know this is all your fault," Cordy pointed her finger at
Evie. "Everything that has happened is your fault."
"Okay," Evie was confused. "I am gonna just agree with you on that
one. Yeah this is all my fault."
"See," Cordelia shouted. "Even you agree with me. So why the hell is
he letting you stay here? Doesn't he know that you are just going to
cause more trouble?"
"I am the second strongest person here and I got the Council wrapped
around my little finger," Evie suggested.
"We were doing just fine before you came," Cordelia kept
ranting. "And we would still do just fine without you."
"I am sure of it," Evie was starting to tire of people trying their
best not to get along with her. "But you know you might just find
that having me around is very useful. I have good night vision and I
am quick on my feet. Plus I know just as many languages as Wesley
does. Oh and I locked Wesley and Winnie in the atrium so that they
would be forced to talk to each other."
"You did what?" Cordelia was in total shock.
"Come on," Evie motioned to her to one of the rooms that over looked
the atrium. "I'll show you."
They looked out the window and saw the two figures down below. Wesley
was pulling at the door and pounding at it. No one was answering him
though.
Cordelia chuckled, "How long have they been in there for?"
"Just about five minutes," Evie smiled down at her friend. "They will
start talking soon. My way of saying sorry to them."
"Really now," Cordy sounded very unsure of Evie's methods.
Evie leaned forward a little bit more and strained to see more
clearly what was going on. "Yep. Don't worry though. I won't do that
to you and Angel."
"Thanks, I think." Cordelia tilted her head, "Why not?"
Evie leaned against the window with her elbows propped against the
sill, "You guys are going to take a lot more then just being locked
up in a room." She laughed and then started to walk out of the
room. "Come on. We will be able to hear them better downstairs."
Walking downstairs to the lobby she left a rather confused Cordelia
up on the second floor of the hotel.
"Wesley," Fred got his attention. "I don't think that is going to
work. Gunn is in the basement and Giles is taking Evie's friend back
to his hotel. I don't think anyone is going to hear us."
"I guess you are right," Wesley gave the atrium doors one last good
kick. "God, what are this things made out of? I don't remember them
being this strong."
"Angel had them reinforced," Fred walked to one of the benches and
sat down. "Just in case."
"It was a good idea," Wesley kept staring at the door. "What I can't
figure out is how we got locked out? I mean I didn't even notice that
you were in here when I came outside."
Fred shrugged. She looked up the sky and watched the stars. It was a
warm night in Los Angeles for being so late in the year. It reminded
her of being at home and all those nights that she and Evie would
sneak out and then it dawned on her. "I am going to kill her," Fred
muttered under her breath.
"What did you say," Wesley turned his head from the door.
"Nothing," Fred lied but she knew that from his look he was not
convinced. "I was just saying that glaring at the door will not make
it open."
"I know but it makes me feel better," he sulked and looked back at
the door.
Fred sighed at him. She knew that the likelihood of Evie putting a
spell on the door keeping them locked up was great. `I wish I never
let her pick up a magic book,' she thought. `She may not be a witch
but she can still cause a world of trouble when she wants to.' She
tried to sum up all of her courage with the last thought that it was
now or never. "Why do you always avoid me?" she asked Wesley in a
tone to show much she was hurt by his actions and how confused she
was.
"What," Wesley whipped around to look at her. "Me avoid you? What you
about you avoiding me! I mean you are the one who as soon as you see
me turns and runs in the other direction. Not walk, literally run."
"Only because you started it," Fred yelled back.
"Started what!" Wesley countered. Then he looked up at the sky and
laughed. "This is ridiculous."
Before he could say anything else Fred burst in to tears. She had
misunderstood what he was saying and thought he meant that the idea
of them being together was ridiculous. She buried her face into her
hands and let the sobs take over her body.
"Oh Fred," Wesley sat down next to her and wrapped his arms around
her. "I am so sorry. I just assumed that you, well that you didn't
remember."
"Not remember," Fred chocked a bit on another sob and then pulled
away from him. "How could I not remember what happened and then in
the car. I mean, well."
"Then why were you avoiding me," Wesley was unsure of himself and of
her.
"I was waiting for you to… and then you didn't," Fred sputtered. "I
got scared that you…"
Wesley took her face in his hands and forced her too look him in the
eyes, "Fred you don't have to be scared. I know what you feel like
but really there is no reason."
Fred let the last tear roll down her face but no more followed. Her
lips started to trembled, "Yes there is."
He slowly brushed away the tear. His own fears were starting to take
over and he knew he would have to say what he wanted to soon or he
would lose his nerve, "No there isn't."
"It wasn't her pheromones," the both blurted out at the same time.
Fred a little louder than Wesley. When she realized what happened she
blushed and turned away.
Evie let out a squeal, "It worked! It worked!"
"Evie!" Giles called out to her from the door of the hotel. "What are
you doing?"
She whipped around and hid something behind her back, "Nothing. I am
not doing anything."
"She's lying," Angel sniffed the air a little.
"Damned vampires!" Evie cursed. Before she could move Angel and Giles
were at either side of her. Picking her up by her shoulders. "Hey put
me down!"
"Evie you really should learn to mind your own business," her father
scolded her.
Angel nodded, "It is not nice to spy on other people."
"But you don't," Evie struggled against them. Then she saw Cordelia
coming toward them. "Wesley and Fred," she exclaimed. "First real
kiss. Get a picture," tossing the camera she held in her had before
Angel or Giles could take it away.
Cordelia caught the camera with ease and dashed around Gunn who was
walking into the room. She started to head for the office but Evie
shouted out the word atrium. Almost tripping over her shoes she got
to the doors turning the handle as quickly and quietly as she could.
She stepped softly into the courtyard and saw Wesley and Fred sitting
on the bench. They were kissing and without them noticing her she
snapped the picture and dashed back inside before they could react to
the flash.
"I got it," Cordy shouted in excitement as she held the camera up in
her hands.
Fred and Wesley did not turn around though. They did not hear
Cordelia shouting to the others about her success. Nor did the notice
the sounds of running and excited yelling by the people in the lobby
who were chasing each other around. They were lost in their own world
and everything else faded around them. They separated for a moment
but only to stare into each other's eyes. No words passed between
them, there was no need for any. Then the kissed again and let the
night drift away.
