She turned her head quickly. Her eyes darted from one corner of the room to another. Nothing was there; she was just imagining things again. Letting out a small breath of relief Winifred Burkle crossed her small bedroom to stand in the center next to the small baby crib that had been placed there a few days ago. Brown tendrils of her hair floated just above the sleeping head of the baby boy. She reached out her hand and stroked his cheek. "Sleep well little one," her voice was soft and there was a faint sadness to it.

How could he not sleep well? He had not spent the last five years of his life in a demon dimension were humans were treated like labor beasts. His mind was never flooded with images of the terrible things that he was made to do and the horrible way he had been treated. He did not wake at night sobbing softly until he fell asleep again. No, he was an innocent little baby who had yet to find out about the cruelties of this world and other worlds around it. Fred sighed looking down at his small sleeping form feeling slightly jealous of him for half a second. Not a day would go by where she did not wish that she could just forget what had happened to her for the last five years of her life and go back to being normal. Only, she was not even sure what normal was for her.

Fred looked at the windowsill to her left and noticed that there was a black marker sitting on it. The marker had been lying there for months now, forgotten. Walking quietly so as not to wake the baby Fred went to pick up it up. She then looked at her blank white walls, taking off the marker cap and leaving it on the windowsill. She walked up close to one of the walls and raised the marker in her hand. Her head was spinning from all these thoughts. If she could just write them down all at once she was sure it would stop.

Then just as she was about to let the marker touch the wall she heard a whimper come from baby. She dashed over to the baby's side and let the marker fall to the floor. "Hush now, everything is okay," she said as she scooped the small boy up in her arms. She bounced the baby up and down a little and held him close as she walked toward the window again.

The sun would be up in another few hours and everyone would be returning. This thought made her happy, as she hated to be left alone in the hotel. Sure she was not really alone because she was there taking care of Angel's son, but how could she protect him if they were attacked by some demon or something like that.

Angel had explained to her that because of her being in Pylea. She was best suited for taking the baby and find a safe place for it and herself if need be. Plus, he added she knew how to care for the baby best out of all of them if anything happened to him. She did not mind much expect they had made a rule for her. If no one returned a half an hour after sun up or did not at least call, she was to take the baby and go straight to Caritas. Once there she was to get money from Lorne and get out of town as fast as she could. Angel told her specifically not go to Sunnydale, which confused her. She thought the safest place for the baby would be Sunnydale where the girl with the funny name could protect it. But Angel insisted that that would be the first place someone would look for her and his son.

So they started to brain storm ideas and throwing them out to be discussed. However none of their ideas offered Fred and the baby any protection, they were basically going to have to keep moving, and keep one step ahead of anyone who was looking for them. Then Angel received a phone call from Rupert Giles, a member of an elite group known as the Watchers Council. Giles, as they all called him, was asking Angel to keep an eye out for any strange happenings in Sunnydale as he had returned to England and was concerned for his slayer and her friends. Angel told him that he would do what he could and told his friends about Giles return to his home country. This prompted Wesley to suggest that they ask the Watcher's Council for help. His suggestion led to hours of discussion, some yelling, and lots of unpleasantness. Then they came up with the idea of just asking Giles for help. Since he was England and had the support of the Slayer, the Council would no doubt do as he asked with out question, for if they did not listen to him they all knew that their Slayer would abandon the Council in a heartbeat.

The plans were made after many phone calls and a lot of explaining. A final decision was reached and help was sought to make things safe for Fred and the baby. If anything happened to Angel and the others Lorne was to give money to Fred to help her and Angel's son get to England, he would of course be paid back as a trip for two to England was not a ten-cent matter. Then Mr. Giles would give her and the baby new identities and would look after them. The Watchers Council was only to be told that she and the baby were to be protected at all costs. The Slayer, Fred still liked to think of her as the girl with the funny name because in all honesty what cruel person names their child Buffy, and her friends in Sunnydale were basically to be told the same thing unless it became absolutely necessary for them to know the whole truth. For some reason Angel was really hesitant about telling Buffy about his son, Fred could not figure out why. She thought everyone would be happy for Angel but she could sense that he did not think that the people in Sunnydale would have a positive reaction to the news that he had a son.

Fred bit her lip a little as she reviewed the escape plan in her head over and over as she held the baby close to her chest and strained her eyes in the darkness to see if she could make out an outline of her friends returning. Then off in the distance she saw two familiar headlights and she let out a breath. Her body started to relax as the image of her three friends were brought into focus. She watched them pull up in front of hotel and looked down at their sleepy forms.

A man in long black leather coat was the first out of the car. "Hey Fred!" Angel called up to her in an excited whisper, "Is that my son you have there?"

"Of course it is doofus," a woman with a chin length hair cut scolded him. "Fred do you really think it is safe to hold him so near a window?"

"Sure it is, don't worry Cordelia," Fred smiled down at them. "It's not like I'm gonna drop him or anything."

"Oh this is so silly," Cordelia turned to Angel. "It is about time you name that boy. He is your own son for crying out loud!"

The dark form of Gunn exited the car and joined in, "Cordy's right man."

"As right as she maybe this is not a conversation to have outside at this hour," the Englishman, Wesley, interjected. "Fred we will meet you downstairs. Come inside everyone."

Fred nodded at Wesley and the others and watched them enter the Hyperion Hotel and she was just about to turn away from the window when she noticed something in the bushes. There were two small twinkles of yellow that looked a bit familiar to her. She looked more closes at the yellow glimmers that looked like tiny globes of light but in the next second they were gone. Fred blinked a couple of times and strained her eyes to see through the darkness, but there was nothing. Whatever had been there was gone now.

"What about William?" Gunn suggested as Fred walked down the stairs.

"No!" Angel said vehemently.

Gunn shrugged, "Just a thought."

"William was Spike's name before he was turned," Wesley whispered to Gunn. Gunn made a sound that indicated he had forgotten that little fact.

"How about Patrick," Cordy said, thinking that Patrick was a pretty good name.

Angel scrunched up his nose as he gently took the baby from Fred once she had finished descending the stairs. "I never really liked that name," he said to them. He smiled a little and bounced his son up and down in his arms.

"What about Liam?" said Fred who was now standing next to Wesley. Everyone just looked at her for a moment not sure of what to say. "Well I mean it was your name but still."

"Fred," Cordelia started to say something but she could not form the words. She looked at the others as if to ask them to say something that would explain what she was thinking.

"Well Fred it is just that," Wesley started to say and lightly put his had on her shoulder. "It is a good suggestion but."

Angel knew that the others were not going to come up with a reason not to give his son his old human name, that or they were not going tell each other why he would never name anyone after his old self. "It would seem like a good idea but," Angel sucked in a breath, regardless of the fact that he did not actually breath. "I never really liked Liam though, the person not the name."

"Oh," was all Fred managed to squeak out.

"Hey it's the thought that counts right," Cordelia tried to let Fred know that they appreciated her effort.

"Yeah, sun's up. I am going into the garden if you guys don't mind. The plants need to be watered." She started to leave before any of them had a chance to answer.

"Fred wait," Angel tried to call after her.

"I'll go talk to her," Wesley told them.

Cordelia shook her head though. "Let me Wesley," she said. When Wesley gave her slightly hurt look Cordelia explained herself. "There is something else going on. I just have this feeling about it." She left the room so no one was given a chance to protest.

She watched Fred for a few moments. The former librarian seemed to be lost in another world of her own. Cordelia felt bad for her and sighed a little. "Hey Fred," she said with a quiet voice. "How are you doing?"

Fred looked up briefly, "Oh fine, fine." She busied herself with the watering can in her hand and seemed to be entranced by it.

"Are you sure," said Cordelia. "I mean I know that was kind of weird and all with Angel and the baby. He will find the right name though. Give it time." Fred just nodded at her. Cordy was unsure of how to bring up what she really wanted to talk about.

The truth was few days ago they had all noticed that Fred never said anything to them about her life before Pylea. Wesley thought this might be inhibiting her recover and adjustment to living in this world. Everyone agreed but they had not found a good way to bring it up. Then came the multiple issues of Angel's son and they put off any thought of talking to her. Now seems to be a good a time as any, Cordy thought to herself. "So Fred," she started to speak in a gentle tone, "how come you never talk about your life before going to Pylea."

"I don't really remember all that much," Fred shrugged. She slowly lifted the can and started to water a new plant. She was very careful not to make eye contact. "I can remember bits and pieces but nothing real. Nothing that I can grasp on. I remember my parents the most. But sometimes," Fred voice started to get quiet and was almost a whisper. "Sometimes I remember this girl. I can just make out her face but it is still a little burly. But I get this feeling that, well that she was my fried. A good friend."

"What was her name," Cordelia asked softly.

Fred shook her head, "I don't remember. It's all fuzzy. Like when you first wake and you have sleep in your eyes and you blink and blink but you can't see until you get up and go put some water on your face. But by the time you do that you have forgotten whatever it was that you were dreaming about and it happens over and over again every day, so you are doomed to never really remember what you were dreaming about." Fred felt a little sad but she pushed the feeling down and kept to the plants. This was something she did not want to talk about.

Cordelia however pressed one with her questions, "Have you tried keeping a journal by you bed. I have heard that if you do that you can write down what you were dreaming about and then review it later."

"Well I don't really know if that would help," Fred started to mumble. "I mean it is all so confusing when I wake up and then I can't even see without my glasses. Besides what if what I dream doesn't make any sense. I mean dreams aren't suppose to make sense. They are just you subconscious working in your sleep and now a days people are saying that they is really no purpose to dreams."

"But if it is about your past then you really should try to remember," Cordelia insisted. "Your past is an important part of you, you can't just- "

"No, no, no," Fred shook her head vehemently. "I can't remember. I don't want to. It hurts too much. I don't want to." With that she threw down the watering can and ran out of the garden.

"Fred!" Cordy ran after her.

"Hey Fred, could you," Angel started to speak as she entered the lobby of the hotel but she ran right past him and head straight for the doors. "Fred, hold on a second."

It was too late though. Fred was gone through the doors of the hotel and into the outside world and there was nothing Angel could do about it because of the sun. He looked around and the rest of the people standing around him. Then he turned to Cordelia. "What happened?" he asked her.

"I was trying to get her to remember stuff and then she totally started to wig out. Then she pulled a Party of Five on me and took off," Cordelia felt bad about what had happened. She might have been pushing too hard, but she wasn't going to let everyone know that it was bothering her.

"Wesley will you," Angel started to ask his friend to go after Fred but Wesley had around put his coat on and was head out the door.

"I'll call as soon as I find her," Wesley said and then was gone.

Everyone stood around for a few more moment but then Gunn spoke up, "Well I am gonna head home and try to get some sleep. See ya guys later. And."

"We'll call when he finds her," Cordelia finished for him. "Have a nice nap Gunn."

Angel and Cordelia stood in the lobby for a while after Gunn had left. They really did not have anything to do or say. They were not looking at each other but rather at Angel's son, who was still in desperate need of a name. The boy started to whimper a little. "Shh, it will be alright," Angel rocked him in his arms but the whimpers did not subside. "I have a feeling that Fred was better at this."

"Hey don't sell yourself short," Cordy scold him lightly. "You are the first vampire parent. Besides no one every gets it right at first. It is a learning process. I am sure that he just senses something is up."

"It's okay," Angel spoke in a whisper to his son, hold the boy close to him. "It's okay Garren, we are will find her."

"Garren," questioned Cordelia. "You are going to name him Garren?" This time her voice had a hit of disgust in it.

"What's wrong with Garren?" Angel asked with is eyebrows a little furrowed.

"Nothing I guess," said Cordelia. "Why don't we put it to a vote when everyone gets back?" She did not like the idea of the future savior of humanity being named Garren.

Angel scowled a little, "A vote? He is my son! Why shouldn't I be able to name him whatever I want?"

"Sure, fine, whatever," she said.

"Well Garren and I are going to bed," he stalked away pretending to be mad, but he really could never be mad at her.

Cordy let out a little moan. "I am the only one here that cares that we stay in business?" she demanded to know from the empty room. She rolled her eyes and decided to start some work. Someone had to keep this place running, besides once Wesley and Fred got back they would insist on her getting some sleep. She started to tie up some old accounts and made a few phone calls to pass the time until they returned.

Fred had stop running a while ago. She was out of breath and her feet hurt. Eventually she would go back to the hotel, it was the safest place, but right now she just wanted to outside of the hotel grounds. Fear was keeping Fred away from her friends. It was the fear of something familiar, something that had happened before. She just could not put her finger on it. The one thing that she did know was that it was best that she stay away from the hotel and Angel's baby until she found out what was scaring her.

"Fred!" She heard a male voice call out to her and knew who it was before she looked around at him. Closing her eyes and saying a silent prayer that it was not him she turned. Wesley was standing just a few yards away from her and once he was sure that it was her he started to run toward her.

At first she smiled and let him get closer to her, but then she remembered what was going on. Unsure of what to do she just stood there for a few seconds. Then something in her head clicked and she started to run away from him and towards something else.

"Fred wait!" she heard him call out to her. "Please Fred, I just want to help." She just kept running though.

She ran past a few alleyways and was about turn down one of them when something grabbed her. "Wesley no!" she shouted in protest because she was sure that he had caught her. What she had not realized was that it could not be him because what she had been pulled into an alley. Not realizing this she turned to yell at Wesley for not letting her be, but she found that her voice was caught in her throat. There standing in front of her was something that scared her more than demons that she had faced the past five years. Something that filled her with so much dread that she felt like her mind and body were frozen. So using what sense she had left Winifred Burkle screamed.

Panting from lack of oxygen Winifred looked at the creature that stood before her. It was obviously female and had cat like features, which included a fine layer of black fur with thin sliver strips streaking across in a chaotic pattern. The strangest feature of all though was the yellow eyes that Fred was now staring into. They were the same hue as the two glimmers she saw back at the hotel. The glints of yellow light that seemed so familiar. She stood these with all this different thoughts racing through her mind and then images started to hit her in waves.

Ten years ago, she was running in her back yard. She had been laughing at something and was out of breath. She was running from someone. "I am gonna find you Winnie," a lighthearted voice called out to her. But she kept hiding in the bushes. Giggling silently to herself. She was watching for something. Everything was so warm, happy and just lovely, then there was a flash of bright light.

Now she was inside her house. It was a few years later. She looked around for a moment and heard noises in the living room. Slowly she started to walk toward the room without making a sound. She pushed the door to the entrance and saw that everything was dark. Just as she was about to turn to leave the lights came on and people sprung up from everywhere around the room. They were shouting at her and laughing. She was not scared though. Happiness was washing over her and she felt loved. The faces of the people around her were all blurry, everyone but her mother and father. She could make them out clearly. Turning towards her left she saw the yellow glimmers again and tried to focus on them. She willed her past self to move closer but just as things were starting to come into focus the scene changed.

It was months later. She felt sad and scared. She was sitting alone in her room and there were a few tears coming down her check. Then she heard a soft muffled noise coming from across the room. There was someone coming toward her and they were moving slowly. Fred could make out long strands of hair but she could not figure out the color. The body was shaking all over and seemed weak. Carefully she reached out her hand and felt another press against it. A smile crept across her face but there was still worry in her veins. But it was not worry for her self; it was worry for this other person. "I am scared Winnie," the same voice from her early vision spoke but this time it was meek and trembling. "I know this is the way it has to be but I am just so scared." She was about to say something when the white light from before blinded her and she found herself back in the alley.

She was still staring into the yellow eyes of the creature. Then it hit her. This creature was something from her past. That was what she was so afraid of. Sure some of her past she could face. Little bits and pieces of it. But this creature represented a lot of it, the good memories and the bad. This is what she was running from and trying to hide from. Her past was not something she wanted to face. Clutching her fists she gave the female creature a determined look.

"No," she told the she beast. "I don't want to do this. I don't want to remember! Leave me alone. I don't want to!"

"You have to," it spoke in a gruff but familiar voice.

Fred was about to protest when more images started to hit her. Faster this time and more recent. The end of high school and she was standing with a girl whose face was just out of focus. Fred could tell that this was the same girl from her other memories. They were talking about something and crying a little. The girl seemed worried for her, afraid of where she was going. But Fred told her that she would be perfectly safe in Los Angeles.

"I am going to go with you," the girl's voice sounded so similar to the creatures, but why? "Just for the first few months. Until I have to go to England. Then I will only be gone for a little while and I will come back."

"You really shouldn't," Fred told her. "It's getting too close. Besides it's safer for you there. I'll be fine."

"I am not going to take no for an answer," her accent was slightly different then other Texans. Almost like she had lived in England for a little while. "Besides it is my job."

"You don't owe me anything," Fred reassured her. "I helped because I wanted to and because you're my friend. My best friend. You have always been there for me. Even when you aren't really there I feel like a small part of you is. Even if it's your job," she smiled again the girl's face started to come into focus a little. The two of them laughed and then they were not at the high school any more.

Now she was in her old apartment in LA. Things were decorated in a style that was not quite her own but they blended with things that were clearly hers. The rooms were painted with vibrant colors and the furniture matched. The only thing that wasn't colored wood or plastic was her old writing desk, which sat in the corner of the living room near the big bay window that over looked the city. Hanging above the window were five spider plants all in a row. Pushed up against another wall was a large fish tank and there were pictures done by modern artists hanging on almost every wall space. The whole apartment was very loud in a way and was definitely not something she would have chosen on her own.

"Now Winnie," it was the girl from before calling to her from another room. "Don't forget to water the plants every three days and feed the fish every other evening, but not too much. And clean their tank when the water starts to get murky. I left the phone number of the place that I will be staying and even if I am not there someone will be there to send help if you need it."

"You're only going to be gone for a month. I think I can handle myself for that long," Fred called back to her a little upset that she was not being trusted. "I have been training with you for years now. I might not be as strong, but I am quick." Fred looked at the girl as she entered the room. Her face was now in full focus. She had average length dark hair, dark eyes to match, and she was average build and height. The girl looked perfectly average.

"You are brilliant, quick, smart, and," the girl let out a groan as she pushed the heavy trunk into the living, "right now you are probably just as strong as I am. Here Winnie will you help me with this."

Fred sighed, "Yes Evie." That was the girl's name. Fred and finally been able to remember her name. "You know the only reason you can't do this on your own is because you are taking those organic compounds of muscle relaxants and adrenal suppressants. It is really quite fascinating to see their affect on you. It is very drastic."

"Well as fascinating as it is to you Winifred it is a pain in the butt for me," Evie complained. "I can't even lift this bloody trunk!"

"You have been speaking with your father haven't you," Fred asked Evie because she noticed that her accent was more pronounced.

"Might have," Evie grumbled. Fred gave her a look. "Well he did book the flight."

"It is good that you are talking to him Evelyn," that was her full name. Her full name was Evelyn Rose, oh what was her last name. "He does want to help. Besides you will get to spend time with him now."

"Piffle!" Evelyn was angry. "He isn't going to be there."

"But he said-" Fred started.

"Well his isn't now. Even though he is out of a job he still can't make it," Evie was starting to turn slight red in the face. "The most important time of my life and he can't be there just like he couldn't be there for me like all the other times I asked for him. You know I had to beg him to come see me this holiday. You know what he said. He said he would try but most likely he wouldn't be able to come."

"But he will at least call you won't he," Fred tried to make her friend feel better. "I know that when you were younger he would always come until he couldn't anymore cause of his job. But he always called."

"Not the same," Evie sighed and they heard the doorbell buzz. "Well that will be the limo service. Come downstairs with me and say goodbye." The vision ended and Fred was again standing looking the beast in the eyes.

"Evie," Fred ventured.

A scary smile came over the feline face, "Yes it's-" Evie's voice, which was hoarser than in the visions because of her monster form, was cut off. Wesley had burst into the alley and tackled her thinking that she was attacking Fred.

"Wesley," Fred called out to him.

"It's alright Fred. I have her," Wesley pinned Evelyn down and punched her stomach.

Evelyn let out a roar and swiped one of her clawed hands over his chest giving his shirt five neat rip marks and slightly cutting his chest. She struggled against him but she felt weak. "Help me," she begged of Fred.

Wesley was stunned for a moment but did not let go of her, "Fred?"

"Wesley it's alright. Let her go," Fred walked closer to them. "She's really weak now. She didn't mean to hurt you but she had to defend herself. You did hit her." Fred touched Evie's feline face, "Are you okay Evie?"

"Cold, tired," was all Evie managed to say.

"Fred, you know her?" Wesley still did not understand what was going on.

Fred nodded, "She doesn't always look like this but yes, she is my friend. Wesley this is Evelyn. Evelyn this is Wesley."

"Pleasure," Evie coughed out. "Change."

"I beg your pardon," Wesley was slightly offended thinking that she was telling him to change.

"She means she is going to change now. She is too weak to keep this form for long. Turn your eyes for a moment," Fred explained. "And give me your coat."

Wesley understood now and shrugged off his coat. "I hope it is long enough," he spoke softly as he handed it her and turned around.

Fred watched as the feline in front of her shrink a back into the form of Evelyn, "Here."

Evelyn sat up to take the coat and wrapped it around her. It thankfully covered everything it needed to, "Bad thing about being in demon form, no cloths." Her voice was still a little raspy but it seemed to be that way for another reason.

"It's okay now Wesley," Fred told him as she helped Evelyn to her feet.

"Thanks, Wesley right," Evelyn held out her very human hand to him.

"Yes," Wesley shook it. "Not to sound rude or anything but would someone mind explaining going on to me."

"I'm an old friend of Fred's and I came for a visit," Evie stated simply. Then she realized what he meant. "Oh, you mean the Bastlian bit back there?"

"Bastlian?" Wesley was slightly confused. "I have never heard of that type of demon before."

"Well I should hope not!" Evelyn was now sounded offended.

Fred smiled awkwardly and tried to explain. "Bastlians were named after the Goddess Bast because they are her demon warriors and guardians. They are very rare"

"See, rare demon warrior guardian. Not just demon, demon warrior guardian," Evelyn gave Wes a snubbed look.

"Well I can see the huge difference now but while you were trying to rip my lungs out demon and demon warrior guardian seemed very similar," Wesley rolled his eyes.

"I don't care for him that much," Evelyn looked at Fred. She had been leaning her weight against her friend because she knew that she could not stand on her own. "Besides, I wasn't trying to rip his lungs out. I just wanted him off me. I am fairly weak right now. Hitting a girl while she's down, where did you meet such an awful fellow Fred?"

"He is my friend and he helped save me from the demon world that I was in," Fred sighed. "Now shut up before he decides not to help you back to the hotel."

"Help her back to the hotel, I don't think that is such a- did you just tell her to shut up?" Wesley was shocked.

Fred ignored his question, "We have to help her. She is really a good person. Besides she can't go anywhere else. She doesn't have the strength."

"Why doesn't she," Wesley asked as he stood on Evelyn's other side and let her lean some of her weight on him. "She looks very ill, what happened?"

"Always so mean to me that one. Anyway it's all the bloody drugs and viruses that they keep pumping me with," Evelyn mumbled. "Oh I feel dizzy."

"Come on Evie," Fred encouraged her. "Just hang on and we will get you some help." But Fred was not heard because Evie had just passed out.

"Fred not to press the issue but what is wrong with her," Wesley picked up Evelyn in his arms.

"A controlled virus and some muscle represents to help keep her body temperature down," Fred explained. "The virus won't affect us or the baby. Just demons."

"But why?" Wesley continued to question her.

Fred looked around the alley for a moment. "Let's just get her to the hotel so she will be safe," Fred begged. "I'll explain everything once we are all safe, okay?"

Wesley sighed and saw that he had no choice to but fulfill her request. They started to walk out the alley and head back to the hotel. "Fred," Wesley had one more question that was bothering him. "Why did you run from me?" He was a little scared to hear the answer and if it was what he thought then he did not want to her speak it. "Is it because you are afraid of me?"

"Wesley of course not," Fred shook her head. "How could you think that? I was just scared of, well my past. Evelyn was near by the whole time I was running and she was making me remember by sending me these images and thoughts. I was frightened by all of it. So I ran. It wasn't you Wesley. I will never be afraid of you, well unless you were possessed by some type of evil force, but other than that."

Despite the situation Wesley let out a small chuckle, "Well that is good to know. Let's hurry than, everyone is waiting for us." Fred nodded and they headed quickly for the hotel.

Cordelia was totally lost in thought. Everything that had happened over the last few months just started to hit her all at once. For now they were safe. Angel had seen to that when he went to have his little talk with Wolfram & Hart. But Holtz was still a huge factor in destroying they momentary peace. Cordy frowned.

It just was not fair that something that Angel could never have and now did have could be taken away from him so easily. Sure he had killed Holtz's family but that was way back when he did not have a soul. "Can't he see that he is totally a different person, vampire now," Cordy called out angrily to no one. "He has a soul for crying out loud."

It was no secret. She hated Holtz and if she could she would kill him. No one should try to take a baby away from his family, not even as payback. It just was not right. Angel had been through so much in his life and now, well now it just seemed like enough to Cordelia. The whole torched soul thing was starting to seem pretty old to her and she just wished that there was something that she could do to make it okay for him, even for just a moment. One moment where he did not have to worry about the rest of the world trying to attack him or the people he cared about. If she someone told her that giving up her right arm would let him live with that kind of peace than she would do it in a heart beat. But no mystical being was going to pop and give her the chance to give up her arm or any other part of her body.

Cordelia was just about to continue her great rant when her head started to feel like it was going to spilt open. A vision started to flash in her mind and it caused pain to sweep across her whole body. Then she saw the images a bit more clearly and she let out a terrifying scream.

"Cordy," Angel came running into the lobby and the baby's cries could be heard in the background. "Cordy, speak to me."

"Wesley," Cordelia managed to gasp out. "Monster attacked him. Claws. Fred was screaming."

"Where were they," Angel pressed on.

Cordelia shook her head. The pain was starting to subside and she was able to comprehend everything more clearly. "Wait you can't go," she said. "Hello, sunlight?"

"We'll call Gunn and you can meet up with him," Angel thought quickly. "Besides I have to stay here and take care of Connor."

"Connor? What happened to Garren?" asked Cordy

Angel smiled, "I like Connor better. Now go get some weapons, I'll call Gunn."

"I wouldn't recommend that," a man's voice spoke to them from the entrance of the hotel. "It would be a waste of time. Your friends are fine."

Angel and Cordelia looked toward the doors of the hotel and refused to believe what they saw. The person standing before them, well he could not be there. It was impossible. But there he was, standing there and telling them not to worry.

"What are you doing here," the both called out at the same time. Totally confusion could not being to describe the state that their minds were in because there standing in front of them was Rupert Giles.

"Oh yeah," Angel finished helping Cordelia get up. "I'll be right back."

"Good then," Giles smiled faintly and sat down on that round couch at the center of the lobby setting the bag next to him.

As Angel left to tend to his son Cordy could not help but ask the question she had asked just a few moments early, "What are you doing here Giles?"

"Yeah aren't you suppose to be in England," Angel continued when he and Connor came back.

Giles held out his hands to take the baby. Angel was reluctant at first but saw no harm in letting the former watcher hold him. "I was looking for someone," said Giles. He bounced the baby a little bit and smiled at him. "Your son is doing quite well I'd say Angel."

"He is," Angel still eyed Giles. "And your part of making sure that he stays that way was to be in England."

"Well as circumstances are I cannot afford to be there at this moment," Giles handed the baby back to him.

"Who are you looking for Giles," Cordelia ignored his annoying manner of being mysterious about the whole situation. She wanted answers.

"The person that you saw with your friends in your vision, no doubt. I figured that I would come here and look for her first but I see that the reason that she came to Los Angeles is not here right now," Giles was speaking in riddles and it was starting to get on everyone's last nerve.

"I want a straight answer Giles," Angel hissed at him. "What are you doing here? Who is this person, or beast as it may be, that you are looking for? And why are you looking for them?"

"I think it is best that we wait until your friends and she arrive back here. It should be any moment now," Giles did not look at any of them. He concentrated on rubbing his glasses with a cloth.

Before Cordelia or Angel had a chance to open their mouths again the door to the hotel was thrown open and Fred and Wesley walked in. Wesley was holding what looked like a very ill girl in his arms who was wrapped in his coat. They all noticed the rips in his shirt, which Cordelia recognized from her vision.

"Oh my god, Wesley are you alright," Cordelia ran to the behind the desk to get the first aid kit. "Did that claw demon attack you and that girl?"

"How did you, oh you had a vision," Wesley answered his own question.

"Thank god," Giles leaped from his seat. "Is she alright?"

"Yeah is fine Mr. Giles," said Fred. "Just a little tried from her trip."

"Here lay her down on the couch," Giles helped Wesley arrange her body. "Winifred, please get me the thermometer from the bag. It should be in the second zipper pocket on the left side." Fred nodded and started to search the bag.

"Okay obliviously I missed something here," said Cordy in a rather annoyed tone. "Since when do Fred and Giles know each other? What is that girl doing here? And what happened to the demon I saw attack you two?"

"Well, she is the demon," Wesley pointed to the girl.

"Her name is Evelyn," Fred sounded a little defensive. "And she is not a bad demon. She is kind of like Angel."

"That answers some of the questions," Angel spoke up now. "But how do you know Giles, Fred?"

"I met him," Fred didn't look at any of them. She just handed the thermometer to Giles. "A long time ago."

"Not so long," Giles smiled at her. "I was there at your graduation."

"The one thing you managed to be there for," a rather garbled voice spoke. It was the girl, she and woken up.

"Oh Evie, you're awake," Fred rushed to the girl's side. "I was kinda worried. Lay still a moment okay. I'll get you some soup and your dad can finish taking your temperature." Evie nodded her reply and gave Giles a little glare.

"Wait a minute!" Cordelia cried out again. Scaring Connor a bit, he started to whimper but Angel calmed him. "Giles is her father. I mean he is Evelyn's father?"

"Yes, I am," Giles sighed and took the thermometer out of Evie's mouth. He looked at it for a moment, "97.5, you are getting better."

"So sorry," Evie pouted at him.

"Evie not now please," Giles begged her. "Here take some of the soup that Fred has for you."

"I want some clothes," Evie stated flatly.

Fred started to head up the stairs, "I'll go get you some."

"Winifred wait," Giles stopped her. "I think Evie owes us all an explanation. There a lot of people worried about you back in England. It took some effort to track you down."

"Fine," Evie stood up a little shaky. "Fine, fine fine! You want an explanation? I will give you one. You never told me that she was back. You knew and you never told me. So I had to find out from a demon seer who I am not even very good friends with. He told me. I had to fight him for the information too, do you know how un-fun that is?" She paused for a moment but did not let anyone bother to answer the question before she started talking again. "Not fun at all. Especially after having muscle relaxants pumped into me. So that is why I am here dear father. Because I have a job to do and even though you tried to stop me I am still going to be here and do my job."

Giles sighed and looked at the floor, "Evie, I wasn't trying to stop you from doing your job. I just wanted to make sure that you would be safe. You know that this is a very hard time for you."

"Yeah I do," Evie flapped her arms. "But then you wouldn't know how hard would you. You were never there. You weren't there the first time, just like you have never been there for me all the other times I have needed you."

"Evie please," Giles looked as if he had tears in his eyes. "We have been through this. I can't apologize enough for what you have been through."

"No, you can't," Evelyn kept glaring at him.

Cordy waved her hand as if to single a time out, "Um, not that we all aren't enjoying your soap opera here, but there are still a few unanswered questions."

"Yeah the whole part where you come and attack Wesley, what your job is, why are you here, and how the hell is Giles your father to name a few," said Angel. He was not happy with all the ruckus that was going on. It was starting to upset Connor and he did not want his son to be put through any more trauma then need be.

Evie took a deep breath. Then she looked at Fred. Her friend had been quiet this whole time. Fred understood what was going and she knew that she could count on her to explain. Evie also knew that these people would be more likely to believe Fred than her. She nodded her head at Fred and the girl came forward.

"Evie is like my guardian," Fred explained. "It is her job to make sure that I stay safe, because well, I saved her life one time. In return she watches out for me for the rest of my life.

"Giles is her adopted father. That's how I know him. Evie was sent to live in Texas when she was just about four. We have been best friend ever since we meet. I didn't know that she was a demon until the day that I saved her life. Her aunt and uncle, well they aren't really her aunt and uncle. They explained everything to me. They also told me that I could never tell my parents. So I didn't.

"She didn't mean to attack Wesley. Evie was trying to make me remember what I had forgotten, what I was refusing to remember. And Wesley, well he thought that she was attacking him me, so he tackled her. But she only scratched him in self-defense, she would never really hurt someone unless they were trying to kill her or me. Besides she is too weak to now anyway."

"You keep saying that Fred," Wesley spoke softly to her. "What does that mean?"

"Once a year," Giles started to explain to them. When he spoke Evie softened her glare at him a little. "The Bastlian race goes through something similar to a cat going through heat. The only difference is that not all Bastlians are ready to produce offspring. Half Bastlians, such as Evelyn, would not be able to live through the gestation process until they turned twenty-seven or sometimes older. However the age of maturity is eighteen for any of them, and since they give off such high amounts of pheromones to attract mates it makes the chances of a half Balstian living to the age of twenty-seven very slim."

"So why not just keep her cooped up in a room or something," asked Cordy.

"Yeah that would work. Why didn't I think of that years ago?" Evie rolled her eyes but Giles gave her a stern look.

"The pheromone levels are so high that anyone in close proximity to a Bastlian in heat goes semi-nuts with sexual energy. Also because Bastlians are all going through this at once it makes it very easy for them to track another Bastlian down, even if they are hundreds of miles away."

"But I thought you said that Bastlians were rare," Wesley asked Fred.

"We are," Evie answered. "But durning mating season a Bastlian will use any means to find a mate. It can get kind of bloody."

"So great," Cordy's voice had an exasperated tone to it. "Now we are going start going all crazy with the sex drive. That is going to be so much fun."

"Oh don't worry about," Evie snapped a little. "Nothing bad is going to happen to you. Not as long as my temperature can't reach above 98.6, you all be fine."

"What are you talking about," Angel was starting to understand a little bit more what was going on. Evie was sick, but she was for a reason. If she was carrying a virus he did not want her anywhere near his son.

"The Watcher's Council has developed a type of virus that will only infect Bastlians. It is very localized and it makes Evie sick enough to keep her temperature down. Also they use muscle relaxants to make her body susceptible to the virus and to keep her immune system from ridding her body of the virus completely," Giles kept explaining and still gave Evelyn a look to show that he was not pleased with her behavior. "That way she will be unable to give off any pheromones."

"See, all's good in the land now. For humans, demons, and baby boys alike," Evie smiled at them. But Angel and Cordelia just gave her a strange look from where they were standing. Evelyn had noticed that the whole time they had been talking the two had inched closer to each other. They had not meant to but they did. She was about to use a trick that a demon cousin of hers had once taught her but before she could focus the talking started up again.

"So how did you manage to adopt her," Wesley asked. "And how come if the Council knew about her I have never heard anything about her before."

"Oh, oh," Evie started to jump up and down like Wesley had just said something that really excited her. "I can answer that. He killed my mother when he was twenty-one so his dad and the Council forced him to adopt me. But they wanted to keep that the fact that they had a half demon in their pocket very hush, hush so only a few of the top people know about me."

"So why did I get a vision of you attacking Wesley and Fred if you are a good guy, girl," Cordelia was not really asking the question.

"I knew it," Evelyn cried out. "I knew it. I knew it. I knew it!"

"Knew what," Cordy was starting to get upset with this new comer

Evelyn looked at her oddly, "You really haven't figured it out yet have you? All this time and you haven't the faintest idea."

"Faintest idea of what," Angel inched closer to Cordelia. As if he was moving to protect her.

Evie sighed, "Hello, The Power That Be. Their plan?" Everyone but Giles and Fred gave her a blank look. "Okay, guess not. How about this then? Why do you get your visions, to help people right? Well, why only those certain people? What about the other twenty or more people that are being attacked by demons every day? Why not send you a vision two seconds earlier, or even two minutes earlier so that you have a better chance of saving the person? The Powers That Be are very powerful beings. They transcend time, space, and well everything. Why not make your job easier?" Again no one answered.

"Why on earth send you a vision of a woman who disappeared five years ago? Why not send it to you sooner? Or send it to another seer before she got pulled out of this world? So that her guardian could protect her, so she didn't have to go through hell," Evie's voice was starting to become choked. "I'll tell you why. Because they have a bloody plan. A plan that we are all just parts of. Isn't that just wonderful!"

Everyone stared at her. Tears were rolling down her check slowly but no one said a word. Fred was the first to move and she took Evie's hand.

"Come on," Fred's voice was barely audible. "Let's get you into some clothes and you can lay down." Evie didn't say anything. She just let herself be lead up the stairs to Fred's room. No one from the lobby protested as they watched the girls go up the stairs.

Once they were inside Fred's small room with the baby cradle in the center Evie just stood there not saying anything. Fred went to her dresser and pulled some oversized sweets that she had. She showed Evie to the bathroom and got dampened a washcloth then let her change.

While Evelyn was inside Fred turned down the sheets and tested the soup that she had made. It was barely warm, but it would be good if Evie ate some of it. Then she came out of the bathroom and Fred helped her into the bed. Then she pulled up a chair and sat next to her.

"Are you feeling any better," asked Fred. She picked up the soup and spoon and handed it to Evelyn.

"No, but that is a good thing," Evelyn took the spoon to her mouth. "This is awful, it's cold."

Fred laughed but then she looked away and out of the window. "You know, it's not your fault," Fred was really quiet. "None of it is."

Evie didn't look at her, "I guess I do. But I still feel like I should have been able to do something. You know I looked for you. Before I found out that you were taking to another dimension. I looked. Did you parents tell you?"

"No," Fred shook her head. "But I am sure they meant to."

Evie laughed, "You know that's not true. They blame me, because I was gone. They knew that you would be safe if I was there. I told them that I would try my best to find you, when you first disappeared. But after about two weeks I told them that there was no chance that I would be able to find you. The resources that I had just weren't enough. They were mad."

"Yeah I suppose so," Fred sighed. "But they were mad at the wrong person. We both know that."

"Why," Evie voice trembled. "Why did you forget about me?"

Fred was starting to feel wicked now. She felt awful. How could she forget her best friend. "I don't know," Fred shook her head. "I guess it wasn't you that I wanted to forget. It was everything else that came with remembering you. All the things about The Powers. About knowing that we all have our destiny and even though we can change things along the way eventually we will end up walking the path that was chosen for us. I did not want to face all of that the first time. I guess it was a way for me not having to deal with it again."

"Yeah," Evie sniffled. "I understand that. I wish that I could forget that stuff too sometimes." She tugged at the shirt she had on a bit, "You got so small. Look at you. These clothes barely fit."

"Yeah well I was living in a cave for the last five years," Fred explained to her.

"Oh," was all Evelyn could think to say.

After a few moments of silence Fred smiled at her old friend, "Well why don't we talk about something else, huh Evie?"

"What did you have in mind Winnie," Evie smiled back, although Fred could tell that it was forced.

"You know, people call me Fred now," she said.

"Yeah, I noticed that," Evie shook her head with defiance. "But to me you will always be Winnie!"

"I figured," Fred rolled her eyes.

"Piffle," Evie lightly slapped Fred's hand. "Now, what about that girl and the vampire?"

"You mean Cordelia and Angel," Fred corrected her. "Wait I thought you knew their names?"

"I didn't. I just know about them," Evie informed her. "That demon I beat up just told me a little about the people here. There was a female seer, a vampire, and two humans. That is pretty much it."

"Oh well the girl is named Cordelia, she's a seer like you said, Angel is a vampire with a soul, Wesley is the boss of the whole operation, and Gunn is the muscle," Fred explained. "Oh you haven't meet Gunn yet. But you'll like him, he is nice."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, whatever," Evie waved her hand. "So tell me what is going on between Angel and Cordelia?"

"Well nothing," Fred replied.

"But I see it, can you see it," Evie asked Fred.

Fred laughed, "Of course I can see it. Everyone can except for them."

"Well why don't you do something about it," Evie was frustrated with the people around her.

"Because, well of the curse," Fred stammered

"Curse? What curse?"

"Only the one where that if he has one true moment of happiness he goes all evil and tries to kill everyone in the world," Fred explained to her then she took the thermometer that Giles had given to her and stuck it in Evie's mouth..

"Oh, well you know what they say," Evie smiled wickedly, her words all muffled. "True love conquers all."

"I don't know if that applies to curses," Fred smiled back. Then she took the thermometer out of Evelyn's mouth and held it to the light. "98.2, that was higher than last time and that was less than an hour ago."

"That can't be good," Evie tried to laugh but instead she coughed. "Better go call my dad. He will be oh so interested in this."

"Evie," Fred scolded her, "I thought you two were getting along now."

"Yeah we are I guess," she sighed. "But it still doesn't make up for all the other times."

"I know," Fred sympathized, "But he is trying."

"That he is," Evie leaned back in the bed and closed her eyes. "That he is."

"Do you want to sleep now," Fred was a little worried for her friend.

"No, I am fine. But you still better go tell my dad about my temperature. He will want to know," she looked at her friend. "I am fine, really. I mean I have almost gotten used to being injected once a year with viruses and drugs. It is just the people here that I am not used yet."

"Once you get to know them and they get to know you things will go a little smoother," said Fred as she pressed a cold washcloth on her friend's forehead.

"I suppose. Once they stop staring at me like I am the biggest freak in the world," Evelyn pouted now. "I guess I should not have told them about The Powers That Be having a reason for everything. I think it made Cordelia jumpy."

"I don't know," Fred smiled sadly at her. "I'll go get your dad. You will be alright for a moment?"

"Yes!" Evie exclaimed. "What a minute! I know what this is. This is pay back for all those times that I doubled checked to make sure that you were safe, isn't it!"

"Maybe," Fred winked at her. "I'll be right back!"

"It won't work Winnie!" Evie called after her. "When I get better I will smother you with attention!"

Fred laughed to herself as she closed the door behind her and headed down the stairs of the hotel from the lobby. She could hear the voices below in heated conversation. It made her glad that she had taken Evelyn up to her room. It would have only upset her friend to hear people speak so angrily to her father. Evie would never have admitted to anyone but she very much loved him and was as fiercely protective of him as she was of Fred.

"I can't believe you didn't tell anyone Giles," Angel shouted at him.

"All these years and you never said a word," Cordelia's voice was just as loud.

Rupert Giles had taken of his glasses and was rubbing them with a cloth that he kept in his pocket. "It was not my decision to make," he told them. "The Council told me not to ever tell anyone about her because she might be used against me and the slayer at one point. Besides which, the whole part of her being half Bastlian made it all too tempting for them to keep her as their pet project. I was only twenty-one! I had only just resided to the fact that being a Watcher was something that I had to do. Then to have a child thrust upon me was a bit much."

Wesley who had remand quiet for the most part felt his voice come to him, "You killed her mother! For god sakes man!"

"He did not mean to," Fred explained in a soft voice, just loud enough for everyone to hear her.

"How did you," Giles started to speak.

Fred took in a breath. "I was there. The day that she found out about it. It was a painful day for both of us. I just found out that she was a demon and she had just found out that you had accidentally killed her mother. Then we both got the whole talk about The Powers That Be that Evie just gave you Cordy. You can't imagine how scary that is to two twelve year old girls."

Everyone had fell silent in thought. Fred took a breath and then turned to Giles. "Mr. Giles, Evie's temperature is starting to rise."

"What is it," Giles had worry in his voice.

"98.2," Fred handed him the thermometer that she had brought down.

Giles held it up to the light as if hoping to find that Fred had misread it. He sighed as he brought it back down, "Well this can't be good." He started to rub his temples. "I begged her to wait you know. When I found out she knew. But she just couldn't anymore. She had to come and-"

"It is okay Mr. Giles," Fred interrupted him. "I understand, it is her job. She needs to be here. Besides she still feels awful about the first time. I guess it was too much like reliving the past of her, being away. She wanted to set it right, so she came."

"Nevertheless," Giles felt a little like he was scolding his former Slayer. "Well I will go up and see her now. Are you coming Winifred?"

"I'll be up in a minute," She smiled at him. "I kinda need to talk to you guys. Explains some more about what is going on," she looked at her friends. He nodded and started to head up the stairs. The he turned around and just as Giles was about to ask her, Fred called out, "She is on the third floor, room 314."

"Yes, thank you," he turned back around and continued back up the stairs.

After he left there everyone just stood in silence. Then when Fred was about to speak Gunn walked into the hotel. "Hey you all. Why didn't you call to tell me that Fred was back," Gunn was smiling at them and then he got a good look at everyone around him. "Well why so grim? What's going on?"

"Fred was just about to explain to us," Cordelia told him. "Weren't you?"

"Cordy," Wesley gave her a warning. "I think she has been through quite a lot today without having to answer to you."

"I am just saying," Cordy tried to defend herself but even Angel was giving her a look that said to back off. "Fine."

"Look you guys," Fred started to speak but her voice was shaky a little. "I'm really sorry about all of this. I just had no idea that everything would come crashing down like this. I'm really sorry."

"It's okay Fred," Wesley took her arm and helped her to the couch. "Just relax and sit for a minute. We don't have to talk about this right now if you don't want to."

"No," Fred shook her head. "It's better we do this now. That way in case you run into any male Bastlians tonight you will know what to do."

"Alright then," Angel held Connor close to him. "But can we keep this a G rated conversation, for Connor?"

"You named him," Fred gave him a smile. And for a moment everything in the hotel went back to normal. But the moment would not last forever and Fred knew that. Things were hard enough as is without having Evelyn around. Now that she was here it was just going to add a whole new level of stress. Fred was not sure that her new friends would be able to handle it, but she hoped that they would try. If not then she might have to leave.

There were no calls and Cordelia had no visions, so she and Gunn left rather early. Before they left, Giles had come back down from Fred's room with the news that Evie's body was fighting the virus more effectively than expected. He was worried that she would be cured by the next day. If that happened he was not sure that any of them would be able to stop her from seeking a mate.

Giles had explained to them that under normal circumstances when Evie changed to her demon form it just made her a better fighter; however when she was going though the Bastlian breeding season she could not be reasoned with, and could become dangerous to those around her. He really was not sure how to contain her because he had never had to deal with her when she was breeding before. Normally the Watchers Council were the ones that looked after her, but now that she was not in England there really was not much they could do and she was is no condition to go back.

So the night had been spent looking through books and on the computer trying to find a way to keep Evelyn from regaining full health until after the mating season was finished. One week of insanity in which she had no control over her mind or body. They found a list of a few herbs and magic spells that might hold her back until the end of the week, but they all hoped that it would not come to that.

Wesley rubbed his temples slowly. It had been odd last night working with Giles. Ever since they had met it always felt like they were working against each other. He could tell that Giles was clearly worried about this girl whom he called his daughter. Wesley had talked to him even though he had made it understood that he did not want to talk to anyone about it. Giles had explained that he and Evie had spent months working on their relationship and now it was at a very pivotal point and he wanted to prove to her that he could be there for her. Giles had pushed everyone to find what they could. He pushed Wesley so hard to search through books at a speed that was not humanly possible that the younger English man finally snapped under the pressure. He told Giles they would help him but they were not going to be his servants and clean up the mess he had made.

After that things had gone much more smoothly. The rest of the night was quiet and uneventful. They decided that Gunn would go with Giles in the morning and buy the list of herbs from the shops while Wesley and Fred looked after Evie and kept searching for other cures. Angel and Cordelia would take any calls for Angel Investigations and of course take care of Connor.

Wesley was about to turn over and try to get another few minutes of sleep when he felt a warm sensation crawl over his skin. For a moment his mind went totally blank and then thoughts of Fred started to come crashing into his head. Images of her were racing through his mind at such a fast speed that he felt like he could not breathe. Sitting straight up in bed Wesley worked to try to calm his breathing, but there was too much pressure on his chest.

He swung his feet over the side of the bed and started to head toward the window hoping that some fresh air would help. Once he was standing his thoughts started to clear. He had to see Fred; he had to get to her. If he stayed away a moment longer it would kill him. There was no time to get a shower or change. He needed to see her, now.

"Winnie," Evie whispered to her sleeping friend. "Winnie." Fred did not move. Sighing Evie got off the bed she had been allowed to sleep in. She carefully stepped over Fred's sleeping form and headed to the bathroom. "So cold," Evie gasped when her feet touched to tiled floor. "A hot shower will make everything better."

She let the water heat up while she found towels and some clothes that her father had left with her. Reaching out one hand she tested the water, "Scalding hot. Perfect!" Evie smiled and stepped into the shower.

Wesley slowly opened the door to Fred's room. He heard the water running in the bathroom and turned to look at the person sleeping on the mattress on the floor. There she was just lying there asleep looking absolutely breathtaking. He had to touch her.

Crossing the room silently he kneeled down next her and reached out his hand to brush away a few strands of hair that had fallen across her face. She sighed a little in her sleep but still did not wake up. Wesley smiled and bent over to cover her lips with his.

Fred's eyes flew open. She was looking right at Wesley and he was kissing her. She sprang back from him. "Wesley," she whispered harshly at him. "What are you doing here?"

"Relax," Wesley whispered back. "Evie is in the shower."

"Oh," Fred nodded slowly at him. She could feel the heat coming off of his body. Something was not right. "Well in that case. Evie!"

Wesley fell back, "What are you shouting about?"

"Winnie," Evie came running out the bathroom with a towel wrapped around her. "What's going on?"

"Evie!" Giles came rushing into the room. Then he saw Wesley and Fred on the floor. "Good god man, get a hold of yourself."

"Would someone mind telling me what is going on here," Evie was very upset. "Fred calls me and I find she is making out with the younger version of you. Then you come rushing in here like the world is ending and tell him to get a hold of himself. And I still have shampoo in my hair. I would like to finish my shower sometime today!"

"Evie," Giles looked at her. "How are you feeling?"

"Like a truck ran over me; but otherwise okay," Evie shook her head.

Fred stood up and went to feel Evie's forehead, "She is warm. But I don't understand. How come I wasn't affected? I mean, I was with her all night."

"You are a woman," Giles theorized. "Her pheromones would not start affecting you until they reached a higher level." Then he turned to Wesley who was starting to eye Fred again, "As for you. Go take a cold shower and put on some clothes." Then pointed to Evie, "You too. Cold, not hot."

"You are so mean," Evie growled at him. "It is not my fault he can't control himself. You seem to be fine."

"I am older and your father. Therefore you will take a cold shower and be quick about it," Giles scolded her. "I want everyone downstairs in the lobby in ten minutes." He turned around and left shutting the door behind him. Giles walked a few paces and then took out the cloth that he kept in his pocket and dabbed his forehead.

Once they were all down stairs Evelyn started to pace the room. She was starting to look somewhat like a caged. Every now and then she would throw her arms up in the air and then glare at them. Finally she got sick of them just staring at her, "So where is the resident vampire and his miracle son? I thought he owned this place?"

"Angel is sleeping," Fred replied quietly.

"Well does he keep any real food in this place or just blood?" snarled Evie.

Fred felt bad for her friend. She knew that it wasn't Evelyn's fault that she was being testy, it was just what happened to her during this time. "Come with me to the kitchen we can find you something to eat."

"Is that alright with you father?" Evie hissed to Giles.

Giles was staring at Wesley and did not bother to look at he, "You two can go. Wesley will stay here with me."

"Whatever," Evie rolled her eyes and then followed Fred to the kitchen.

"Are you thinking clearly now?" Giles asked Wesley.

"Yes," Wesley shook his head then looked at Giles. "Listen Rupert, I am really sorry about what happened earlier."

Giles scoffed a little, "Yes, well why don't we try hard to forget that moment? I am very concerned though."

"About Evelyn?"

Giles nodded.

"You said yourself though, the chances of her actually finding an mate here in LA are very slim," Wesley reminded him.

"The chances of her finding a Bastlian mate are slim," Giles agreed. "But the chances of her going after someone who is not Bastlian are still high. Evie only needs to find someone whom her demon self would consider to be a good mate and yield strong offspring."

"So are you saying," Wesley started make sense of Giles was suggesting. " Are saying that she might mate with a human?"

"No," said Giles. "She would never mate with a human. Although she might use a human to umm, get worked up. Evelyn has had her mind played with by the Council. She will seek out a mate that is half demon or full. Damn them!" Giles pounded his fist into the counter that he was leaning on. "If only they had used their stupid mind games to do something useful, like to train her not to seek a mate until she was old enough."

"Why didn't they?" Wesley wondered. "I mean they thought having her around would be such a gift. Why not make sure that their gift was safe?"

"In case they could not control her," Giles took off his glasses and started to rub his eyes. "They wanted to make sure that they would have a way to get rid of her. If Evelyn were to get pregnant then her baby would be carried at least until the third term before her body gave out. If that were to happen then the Council would have another demon baby to try and control all over again."

"I never that the they could be so…" Wesley started to speak. "No I take that back. I did know and I can believe it." Then he looked Giles in the eyes, "What are you going to do about it?"

"The best that I can," Giles put his glasses back on. "When is your friend, Gunn getting in?"

"Soon, I could call him to check if you like," Wesley offered.

"No that is alright," Giles brushed off the question. "Are you sure you are going to be able to handle her?"

"Well as long as she doesn't try to rip my lungs out again," Wesley grinned a little.

Giles grimaced. Clearly there were some things that Wesley was still naïve about, "I meant Fred. She is the one that has most direct contact with Evelyn. If she starts to come under the influence of Evie's pheromones her reaction will be pretty intense."

"Oh well," Wesley started to become flustered. "Maybe we should keep the cold water running."

"That might be a good idea," Giles managed to hold back his laughter.

"Hello people," Gunn announced cheerily as he and Cordelia walked into the hotel.

"Is someone using the kitchen?" Cordy sniffed the air.

Fred came into the lobby with two plates of what looked like a typical English breakfast. "Oh Charles, Cordelia, you're here," Fred smiled at them. "Evie was just making some breakfast for us. Would you like some?"

The morning had started atypical from any other they had ever had. Evelyn cooked them all a wonderful breakfast except for Angel who was still not to be seen. Evie started to clean away the breakfast dishes with some help from Cordelia who was starting to warm up to the girl.

"Are you feeling better?" Cordelia asked her when they were inside the kitchen.

"Yes," Evie frowned. "But it will be okay. My father and your friend are going out soon. They will get the things they need and then I will be right as rain. Well wrong as rain, I guess."

Cordelia laughed, "You know Fred once told me that rain couldn't be right or wrong."

"That is something she would say," Evie paused for a moment. "I think your vampire is up."

"Oh, you can really tell that he's up?" Cordy's interest had been peaked.

Evie nodded, "One of the little gifts I got. That and I can tell when anyone part demon is around. It is a scent thing."

"So do you have any other powers, I mean besides giving off large doses of pheromones?" asked Cordy.

"Well I have the same abilities as any Bastlian. Well any cat really, part of the downfall of being modeled after the Cat Goddess," Evie shrugged. "But other than that, I am just your average half demon."

"I smell food," Angel's voice sounded from behind them. "Do you smell it too Connor? Huh? Do you?" Angel baby talked to his son and held him close to his face.

"Don't do that," Cordy rushed over to Angel to try to take Connor. "You are going to traumatize him."

Evie laughed at them, "Do you want me to heat up some of his formula?"

"No," Angel snapped at her. Then Cordy gave him a sharp look. "I mean, no thank you," his voice softened. "I can do it myself."

"Alright then," Evelyn turned back to the sink, which she and Cordelia had placed all the dishes in. "I will just finish cleaning up here."

Then there was a tense silence in the kitchen as Angel prepared the baby's formula and Evelyn washed the dishes. When the formula was ready Cordelia offered to take it and Connor into the other room. She gave Angel a look and mouthed the words talk to her before she left.

Angel sighed which caused Evie to jump. "Sorry," he apologized. "I didn't mean to startle you."

"You didn't," Evie replied. "Okay well you did. I just didn't know that vamps sighed. I mean I was told to stake them, not to talk to them."

"The Council trained you like a slayer," Angel was startled by this news. "Giles never said anything like that. He said they taught you to fight, but I thought he just meant fight off other Bastlians."

"Evie!" Giles called into the kitchen.

"Yes dad," Evie signaled for Angel to be quiet.

"I am going out now with Gunn. We'll be back later," he did not come bother to go into his daughter because he knew that he and Gunn had to hurry.

Evie shouted back at him in a merry voice, "Good luck then. See you later!"

Then she waited a few moments to see if he would say anything else. He did not. "He doesn't like to talk about that," Evie told Angel. "The Council did a lot of things that he wishes he could have prevented. He knew that I would be a fighter. But once the Council lost both slayers they started to train me to do their job.

"It was their foolish hope that I would be like a replacement slayer. But that never happened. I am not that strong. Besides, the whole going crazy once a year thing really puts me at a disadvantage."

Angel nodded. Then before he said anything else he felt something. Heat was coming from Evelyn. Slowly her body temperature was starting to rise. He moved to grab her wrist and she started to back away from him but she ended up backing into the sink.

"You are getting better," he hissed at her when his hand came in contact with her skin. Then before he could say anything else he felt a sensation of warmth start to spread over him. Slowly he took his other hand and pressed it against her face. At first he thought he saw fear in her eyes but then he saw something else, something dark.

Thursday, May 29, 2003She reached out her hand and touched him. "You know what you have to do," she said simply. He nodded and let go of her and started to walk out of the kitchen. A smile crossed Evie's face and her eyes started to twinkle.

* * * * *

Angel walked slowly up the back staircase; not really paying any attention to what he was doing. He had to get to Cordy.  He had to see her, had to touch her, had to taste her.  He walked up the stairs with determination; not noticing that Evie had changed into her demon form and was following him.

Once he reached the floor his room was on, Angel started to walk faster.  The only thing standing between him and his goal was the door.  Turning the knob he threw open his door.

“Wow,” Cordy rolled her eyes at him.  “Drama king much?”

Angel did not say anything to her.  He saw that she was holding Connor.  He went over and took the baby from her and placed in him in the crib.

“Angel,” said Cordelia, sounding a little worried.  “Is there something wrong?”

Angel paused for a moment.  Then he turned around and looked her in the eyes.  “Yeah,” he walked to her and took her hand.  Then he leaned closed to her ear and whispered in it, “You have too many clothes on.”

Cordelia felt her cheeks go red but it only lasted for a moment.  She backed away from him and glared at him, “I see.  Well I guess Evie is feeling better.  I think it is time you go tell the others.”

“You talk too much,” Angel gave her a hard kiss to keep her quiet but Cordelia pulled away.

Now she was really mad.  She slapped him across his face with every ounce of force in her body.  “Wake up Angel!  Stop flirting with me and go tell the others.”

Angel put his hand to his cheek.  It stung and was sore to the touch, “What did you do that for?”

“Don’t play mister innocent with me,” Cordelia grabbed his ear and started to drag him to the door.

“Ow, ow, ow,” Angel struggled to keep up with her.  He had no idea what was going on.

“Get out of here and don’t come back until you have cooled down,” Cordelia pushed him out the door and slammed it behind him.  Once she had done that she slumped against the door and let her body slide to the floor.  A small tear rolled down her face.  She was not sure why she was so sad, but she guessed that it had to do with Angel.  Maybe somewhere deep down inside she had wished that it really had been him that kissed her and not Evie’s pheromones.  Shaking her head she stood up tall.  This was not the time for thoughts like that.  She paced around the room for a few minutes trying to shake off the thoughts and feelings that were swirling through her head.

Angel stood there looking at the door that had just slammed into his face.  He was absolutely and completely confused by what just happened.  His cheek still hurt and he rubbed it a little.  Well Cordy did say to go downstairs and tell the others.  He looked at the door again and then turned away and headed for the lobby.

“Angel,” Fred started to ask him.  “Are you feeling alright?”

“Fine,” Angel sounded a little frizzled.  “Cordy slapped me.”

“What!” Fred and Wesley said at the same time.

Angel shrugged, “Yeah that’s what I said.  I don’t know why she slapped me?  She said that I was hitting on her.  Why would I hit on Cordy?”

Wesley and Fred looked at each other for a moment and they could tell they were thinking the same thing.  “Were you talking to Evie before you were talking to Cordelia?”

“I don’t remember,” Angel shook his head.  “The last thing I remember was Cordy taking Connor to give him his formula.”

“Giles never said anything about memory loss,” Wesley looked at Fred.  “He only said that…”

Fred nodded, “I don’t know.  He did say that people went crazy.  But you remember what happened this morning.”  The moment she said it she regretted it.

“What?” Angel looked at both of them.  They were blushing.  “What happened this morning?”

“Nothing,” Wesley covered quickly.  “I mean nothing that you should worry about.”  He looked at Fred for a moment but she was not looking at him.  Wesley sighed, “Do you remember anything before Cordy slapped you besides her taking Connor?”

“I, there was something,” the words were at the tip of his tongue.  “I thought there was something but now…”

“I’m sure you will remember,” Wesley smiled.  “Why don’t you sit down for a moment, you look a bit flushed.”

“Evie,” Fred muttered under her breath.  “Hey, have either of you seen Evie lately?”  Both men shook their heads.  “Well I am going to find her.  I think you two should probably stay here.”  Neither of them protested so Fred headed up the stairs.

“Evie,” She called out knocking on doors and poking her head in.  There was no response.  She went up and down the hallway of the third floor.  Nothing.  Evelyn was not in any of the rooms.  Fred was about to head back down the main staircase to let the guys know that they all need to start looking for Evie when she heard a noise coming from one of the other staircases.

Fred approached the staircase slowly, “Evie?  Are you in there?”  She did not hear any other noises though.  “Evie, please come out.”  Still there was no response.  Taking a deep breath Fred pushed the door to the staircase open.

When she walked through though she was instantly knocked over.  Fred found herself looking straight into a pair of yellow eyes which belonged to Evelyn’s demon form.  The half Bastlian started to mutter something in a language that Fred did not understand, holding down Fred by her arms.  Then she let her claws out and they pierced into Fred’s skin.  For a moment Fred panicked and did not know what to do.  Then her whole body started to itch and ache.  The eyes of her friend seemed to burn into her and caused her temperature to rise.  Just when Fred thought that she could no longer stand it, she blacked out.

“I am sorry Fred,” Evelyn spoke in ancient Egyptian.  “It is for the best.”  The demon smiled with her sharp teeth bared.  “Besides, you might even have a little fun.”  Standing up quickly she jumped over the railing of the stairs and landed on a set of paw-like hands and feet.  She sniffed the air for a moment and then headed toward the lobby of the hotel.

“Did you hear something?” Angel asked Wesley looking around the lobby.

Wesley looked up from the book that he was reading, “No, but then you do have much better hearing than I do.”

“I swear I heard something fall,” Angel got up and started to walk toward the door of the atrium.  “Or thump.  But I couldn’t pin-point where it came from.”

“Do you think someone’s after Connor?” Wesley put his book down.  He moved to the weapons cabinet but before he could pull anything out something dashed in front of him and nearly knocked him over.  “Angel, it’s inside!”

Angel whipped his head around him expecting to see some demon bounty hunter but instead he saw something that almost looked like a large panther but with silver stripes and slightly human features.  “Wait, Wesley.  Isn’t that?”

“Evie,” Wesley whispered.

The Bastlian let out a loud growl at the two men.  Then she stood straight up on her hind paws.  She moved toward them slowly her tail swaying behind her.  Knowing that neither one of them would be able to move she came so close to Wesley that she could feel his breath on her fur.  A smile started to cross her feline features and then she extended her claws.

In a quick move she scratched Wesley across his left arm and then pushed him aside with her tail as she lunged at Angel.  Angel just stood there and watched her injure his friend. He tried desperately to move but found nothing could make him.

Evelyn extended her hand and stroked Angel’s cheek.  He nuzzled his face into her hand, not noticing that Wesley lay on the ground motionless.  Then, in the next moment, he felt a razor sharp set of claws dig into his skin.  Evelyn used her tail and pushed him to the ground in the same manner she had done with Wesley.  As Angel felt blood begin to trickle down his cheek, he heard Evie begin to speak in an odd tongue. 

“You are under my spell vampire,” Evelyn spoke in her dead language.  “It is much easier for me to manipulate males.  I can have you do my bidding before I even invoke Bast.  But I choose neither of you.”  Angel simply stared at her not understanding a word of what she was saying.  “The women that live here will only get in my way and will not allow me to answer the call of my maker.  So I will trust you and the man to keep them busy while I go out to find my mate.  Now you will do this task and the women will comply because they too will taste the power of the great goddess Bast.” 

Angel wanted to get up but he found he could not move.  In the next moment a wave of heat took his body.  That was when he realized that this was not the first time that this heat had come over him; only now it was stronger.  His whole body felt like it was going to burn from the inside out and his skin crawled.  A powerful yearning washed over him and pained him so much that his head started to spin.  He saw two things before his blacked out.  The first was Evelyn grabbing him under his arms and dragging him somewhere.  The second was Cordelia’s face.

Fred started to stir.  Her head felt all fuzzy, but she managed to sit up right.  Trying hard to remember what happened to her she found that she could not.  Standing up right Fred felt something stir inside her.  A heat had taken over her body and was making very hard for her to focus on anything but Wesley.  She could see him in her mind’s eye and it made her long to be near him and to touch him.  Just as she was about to head off looking for him she swore she could smell him nearby.

The scent of his body filled her nostrils and she followed it.  Following his aroma, Fred headed down the stairs of the hotel down to the ground floor.  He was there, she was sure of it.  When she rounded the corner she was proven right.

Wesley was lying on the floor with his eyes closed.  A wicked smile came over Fred’s face and she crossed the room to stand above him.  She waited for a moment but started to pout when he did not even try to open his eyes.  Deciding that he was not going to get up of his own accord, Fred came up with a clever way to get him to come to consciousness.

Straddling his waist she lowered her body on him and started to trace his jaw line with her finger all the way up to his lips.  Her smile deepened when she noticed that he was starting to come around.  She started to trail small kisses on his chest that was slightly exposed by his shirt.  She went up his neck again and then started to nibble gently on his ear, and that was what finally caused him to come to life.

“Fred,” Wesley breathed her name hoarsely.

“Shh,” she pressed a finger against his lips.  Then she replaced her finger with her lips and started to kiss him softly.

For some reason Wesley was not in shock by her actions and returned her kiss.  He used his tongue to part her lips and started to explore her sweet mouth; Fred let out a small moan from deep in her throat.

Fred felt as though she couldn’t get close enough to Wesley.  The clothes that they were wearing were getting in the way and it annoyed her to no end.  She began to unbutton his shirt and ran her hands along his chest underneath it.  In response Wesley wrapped his arms around her and then pulled both of them into something that resembled a sitting position.  They did not break lip contact, for fear of suffocating if they did.

Wesley was starting to feel the same need that Fred did to get rid of their clothes but something dawned on him.  Angel and Cordelia were still in the hotel and Giles and Gunn would be returning soon.  He did not want to be interrupted again.  Slowly he started to stand up, pulling Fred with him and still kissing her, allowing his hands to roam her body.  As they rose he became entranced with a small soft spot at collarbone and when he kissed it Fred let out a squeal of delight.

“What are we doing?” Fred asked him between pants as he attacked her neck.

“Moving,” Wesley moved his assault back to her lips, enjoying the little moans that she made as he did so.  He picked her up and she started to giggle a little against his lips.  She wrapped her arms around his neck and legs around his waist.

“Hurry up then,” she whispered in his ear.  “The door does lock doesn’t it?”  She started to nibble on his ear again.

Wesley let out a low growl into her neck and carried her in a hurried walk to the office.  Opening the door quickly he let her slide down him as he closed and locked it.  The next second chaos broke in the office and clothes went flying in every which direction.

From her perch on the staircase Evie watched the shadows of the two humans for a moment then remembered that she had yet to turn Cordelia.  Angel would wake soon and find her and if that happened before Cordy was entranced it would mean that she would have to start everything from square one again.  She checked the door of the room that she had dragged Angel up to and made sure it was locked.  Then she raced up the stairs to where she knew Cordelia was.

Cordelia had been almost totally ignorant to happenings on the floors below her.  She knew that Evie had recovered for the most part.  Sighing, she half smiled.  For a moment she had thought that Angelus had come back but she now knew that everything was safe.  That was when she heard the door handle jiggle.

Picking up a weapon that lay nearby, Cordy stood in front of the door ready for whatever was on the other side.  She watched as the knob started to turn and felt her body tense up.  Nothing though could have prepared her for what came bursting through the door.

One moment she was on her feet then the next she was on the ground.  Looking up she saw a cat like creature, which she knew from her visions, was Evie.  The half Bastlian hissed a little at her and then dragged a single claw across her skin cutting her shirt.

“Hey,” Cordy struggled against the demon.  “We are supposed to be on the same side.”

Evelyn started to recite her invocation of the goddess Bast and watched as Cordelia’s body reacted in the same manner as the others.  Once the girl had stopped twitching, Evie stood up.  She looked down at the now unconscious Cordelia and let out a small chuckle.  Now the only two she had left to deal with were her father and the strange man.  They would pose no problem and would be the key to letting her out of this place.  After all she could not leave unless she was allowed to.  Part of the rules of the game.  A game that had been lost to people for generations, but Bastlians knew on instinct how to play it and how to trick others into allowing them to do so.

Cordy shook her head at first when she woke up.  Then she opened her eyes and looked into the darkened pair that belonged to Angel.  Her first instinct was to close the distance between them.  She stood and moved to him, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling his face closer to hers.  She paused for a moment when he pulled back.  Then he grasped her waist and pulled her to him and covered her mouth with his.

The world around them seemed to fade away; the only thing that mattered was them.  They kissed each other with a burning fever and passion.  They were dizzy from wanting each other so badly.  They moved as one toward the bed, clothes slowly falling to the floor.  Then something shook the world that they had moved into.  A small cry coming from outside the bubble that they created around them pierced their ears.

Connor was crying because something was trying to take him away.  Something had told him that he needed be very quiet because his dad was busy and he was going to be put somewhere so that his dad could have some private time.  But the something was a stranger.  The keen sense of smell that babies had, because their vision was not clear in the first few months in life, told him so.  This something was doing bad things.  So Connor cried.

Angel and Cordelia looked to the baby just in time to see the large cat demon race away from the cradle and out of the room.  At first they did not know what was going on.  They had no idea what they had been doing or what the creature was.  Then it hit them both at the same time.

“Evie,” Angel whispered.  “She was trying to get Connor out of the room so he wouldn’t…” Angel looked at Cordelia and together the realized the second thing that Evelyn had tried to do.  Blushing he averted his gaze quickly.  “Clothes, then we go after her.”  He heard Cordelia agree and they started to dress.

Evelyn raced downstairs to the lobby of the hotel room.  Jumping sometimes from floor to floor in order to move faster.  Once she was safely downstairs, she listened.  Angel and Cordelia had not followed her yet.  She still had time.  Wesley and Fred were still very much involved with each other and nothing was going to stop them.  Then the familiar scent of her father hit her.  He was just on the other side of the door.  She fled to hide so that she would not be in direct sight of the people standing at the door.

“We’re back,” Gunn called out as he stepped into the lobby.  Then he saw a flash of fur flying toward him.

Evie pounced on him and knocked him to the ground.  She knocked Giles over the head with her tail as she and Gunn fell to floor.  Once she sensed that her father was out cold she sniffed Gunn.  He was staring at her unmoving.

“You could be of some use to me,” Evie was still speaking in Egyptian.  “My mate will be able to find me more easily if I am excited.”  She smiled down at him and started to lick and nibble his lips.  Hearing Gunn let out a moan she laughed.  “You will find that I am very good at this.”

Gunn’s breathing started to become uneven.  Somewhere in the back of his mind he knew what he was doing was wrong but he could not stop himself.  He let her torture him and started to allow himself to relax.  His hands started to move across her body without him even willing them too.  He found the little purrs and growls that came from her excited him even more and made him lose total control over his thoughts.

Then he heard someone calling to him from the staircase.  Evie let out a roar and leaped off him and out the door.  Gunn wanted to follow her.  His body was now begging for her.  He almost started after her when he tripped over Giles who was starting to wake up.

“Gunn, Giles!” Cordy ran to help them.  “Are you guys alright?”

“Fine,” Giles muttered.  “Bloody fine.”

“I…” Gunn started to speak.  “I dunno.”

“Yeah,” Cordelia sympathized with him.  “Evie put her pheromone mojo on Angel and me too.”

“It was…” Angel tried to form words but they would not come.  Instead he shifted the weight of his son in his arms.

“Well, we’d better go after her,” Giles said.  “I don’t want her to get too far.  She will act on instinct and go to the safest place that she can find.”

“What do you mean?” Angel asked him.

“The Council,” Giles sighed.  “They trained her to seek out a safe place to mate.  Somewhere that will offer a lot of protection and privacy.  She will be able to locate any place like that just by her senses.  Then she can start calling for her mate.”

“Umm,” Gunn looked at Angel and Cordelia then back Giles.  “She wouldn’t be able to say sense a Sanctuary Spell, would she?”

“Yes,” Giles rubbed his head.  “And that is exactly the place that she would be head for.  Why?”

“Cause we know where she’d be going,” Gunn grimaced.

“Well where?” asked an impatient Giles.

Angel gave the group a worried look, “Caritas.  She would probably head straight for it.  It is the only place around here that has that kind of spell.”

“Let’s get going then,” Giles picked up the bag of magical items he had dropped when Evie knocked him over.

“Lorne is going to love this,” Cordelia rolled his eyes.  “Let’s just hope we don’t blow up his club again.”

“What?!” exclaimed Giles in a panicked voice.

“We have had a few run-ins with not so nice people there before,” Angel explained.  “It is a long story.  We’d better get going.”

They were just about to head out the door when Angel realized two things.  One he was still holding his son.  The other was that Wesley and Fred were not with them.  “We need to find Fred and Wes,” Angel told the others and they all froze in their tracks.

“Oh dear,” mumbled Giles.

“They are probably,” Gunn started speak but stopped.  “Well I am not going to find them.  Giles you go.  You got that magic stuff that will counter act the pheromones.”

“I’d rather not,” Giles shook his head.  “I’ve already walked in on them once.”

“Don’t look at me,” Angel protested.  “I have Connor.”

Cordelia shook her head.  “You men are such babies.  Give me the magic goo and I will throw it at them.”

Giles handed her a small bottle of liquid.  “You don’t really need to through it at them.  Just have it break some where near them so that they will be exposed to the fumes.”

Taking the bottle in hand Cordelia looked at Angel, “Where are they?”

“The office,” Angel’s eyes motioned toward it for a second and then he looked away.

Cordelia glared at him then marched over to the door.  Taking in a deep breath and closing her eyes she tried to turn the knob.  “It’s locked!” she called out to the others.

“Then uncork the bottle and roll it under the door,” Giles instructed her.

Cordelia did as she was told.  On the other side of the door she could hear soft moaning and an image started to come to her head but she quickly banished it.  All of sudden the moaning stopped.  Walking quickly to where the others were standing she waited to see what would happen next.

Out of the office came a rather flushed but full clothed Wesley and Fred.  They seemed a little confused but happy then they saw the crowd at the door and frowned.  Fred let out a little gasp and started to blush.

“Hello,” Wesley managed to say in an even tone.

“Come on Wesley,” Giles did not have time for them to be embarrassed.  “Evie is out and about and looking for a mate.  We have to go find her.”

“I’m going to then,” Fred spoke with assertion.

“But Fred,” Angel started.

“No,” said Fred.  “I have to be there for her.  Someone else can stay with Connor or you can take him to Lorne, but I have to try to help.”

“Well we are just going to Caritas,” Cordelia tried to offer some comfort to Angel.  “He will be safe there.”

“Decide now,” Giles was starting to panic again.  “We have to hurry.”

“Alright we will take him,” Angel gave him.  He knew that if it were Connor out there he would be just as worried as Giles.  They safely packed Connor into his car seat and rushed to Caritas; hoping that they could get there before Evie had a chance to find a mate.

* * * * *

Her feet did not hurt but her body ached.  The need to release the tension increased when she came upon what she had been seeking.  She stood in front of a building for a moment then slowly walked down the stairs and tried push the door open.  It was locked and the rules of course prevented her from just walking in, so she pounded on the door loudly.

“I’m coming, I’m coming,” she heard a male voice call from the other side and her sense registered that he was a demon.

He opened the door and took one look at the demon girl standing in front of him and knew that she was trouble.  “We don’t open till next week,” he said.

“I need help,” she told him pleadingly.  “Please.  This is a sanctuary I can feel it.  Let me in.”

“Why?  You are trouble,” his words were a little ragged and he could feel sweat start to form on his body.

Evie reached her hand up to touch his check, “Not trouble.  I promise.  Let me in.”

“What are you,” he found that he could not move to stop her.  His will was starting to become hers.

“I don’t recognize your kind,” she was starting to get desperate now.  The burning inside was hurting her to no end.  She had to choose a mate.  “Powerful though.  What is your name?”

“Lorne… Krevlorneswath of the Deathwok Clan,” said Lorne then he shook his head.  “I mean, Lorne the host of Caritas.”

“Lorne,” Evie started to run her hands through what she thought was his hair.  “I am Evelyn a Bastlian, I want to come inside now.”

“Okay,” Lorne stepped aside and let her in.

Evie smiled at him and sauntered in with her tail swaying behind her.  Once inside she glanced over the room she was standing in.  She walked over to the bar and ran her finger over the counter.  Sitting down on a bar stool she turned her eyes back on Lorne.  “What are your powers,” she demanded of him.

“I can read people’s auras,” he said.

“Where do you come from?”

“Plyea, an alternate dimension.”

“Alternate dimension,” Evie stood from the stool.  She crossed to where he was standing and started to run her hands along his chest under the rob he was wearing.  She took in his scent once again.  “You would yield strong offspring.”

“What are you doing to me,” Lorne tried to push her hands away but she stopped him.

Evie growled at him.  “What is this magic?  How can you still put up a fight?”  Her eyes became angry but then she laughed.  “It is no matter.  It only means that my offspring will be strong.”  She let out her claws and quickly ran them over his bath rob cutting slightly into his chest.

“Stop,” he looked right into her eyes.  Something was there that he did not understand.  She was powerful and she doing something to him.  He barely had strength to fight it but now he found that his was losing his battle.  “I don’t want to-”

Evie hissed at him and pushed him against the wall.  She started to recite the words of Bast and in a moment she felt his body start to relax.  “How do you feel now?”

Lorne did not answer her.  Instead he flipped their bodies so that she was the one pressed into the wall.  Then he kissed her.  He could feel her giggle against his mouth.  She used her tail to pull him closer to her almost crushing them together.  Their minds started to become one and it became impossible to tell where one of them started and the other finished.  They made their way to Lorne’s bedroom leaving the club looking like someone had ransacked it.

Gavin watched the demon pace back and forth.  The creature was tall and well built.  He could have easily left of his own accord but the demon cat stayed there.  His tail was held in a rigid position behind him.  Then he let out a furious roar.

“She has chosen a mate!” the male Bastlian yelled at Gavin and Lilah.  “It is too late now.”

“No,” Lilah tried to rush to him but he glared at him.  “It is not to late.”

“I will go find her now,” he told them.  “She is at the sanctuary.  Meet me there.  I should be able to stop her before she starts to mate with him.  If I can do that then she will be mine.”

“But why don’t you just stay here,” Lilah reasoned with the beast.  “We have others here who would be willing to be your mate.”

The creature let out a deep laughter that matched his voice.  Handsome was not a word that could fully describe this cross between cat and man.  The fur that covered him was a sandy color, which looked like a loin’s coat, but his eyes were a light blue.  “I do not mate with non-Bastlians human female,” he brushed past her and opened the door of the boardroom.  “It is even below someone of my status to mate with the halfling, but she is the only Bastlian around for miles and I will not let my race to be inflected any further with foreign blood.”

“Wait,” Lilah tried to stop him again but the Bastlian had already left and was making his way to Caritas.  “You don’t have to…”

Gavin laughed at her.  This was truly the best assignment that he had ever been given.  He was thoroughly enjoying seeing her get all flustered over this demon that she did not even have a chance with.  He on the other hand had enough sense to take the anti-pheromone agent that the company had recommended before meeting with their new comrade.

The Bastlian male was a recent hire as an assassin.  The fact that he would be causing a certain death to a friend of Angel’s was just a bonus, even if the death was delayed.  Besides then afterward they would have a brand new Bastlian to work from them.  They will finally get a message sent to Angel and they would no longer have to wait to take the child.

“Really Lilah,” Gavin sneered at her.  “Did you honestly think that you had a chance with him?  He is the first born and only son from one of the oldest Bastlian families.”

“Shut up!” Lilah hissed at him.  Her head was starting to spin and her mind was becoming clearer.

“You know there is something I don’t understand.  He could be a very powerful member of his race, take charge and what not.  Yet here he is working for us and almost having to mate with someone who is beneath him,” mocked Gavin.

Lilah ignored his remark about her, “Bastlians have always been loyal to Bast, the senior partners said so.  But when Bast left they had no one to tell them what to do.  Some of them turned to the so-called powers that be.   Those that didn’t died mostly.  Killed by their own sometimes.”

“But this girl, well half girl,” Gavin started.

“Works for the powers,” Lilah finished for him.  “Yes, which is why our friend is not to happy about having her as a mate.”

“Well given the alterative,” Gavin eyed her.  “I don’t see as he had much of a choice.”

“Go to hell,” Lilah pushed past him and walked out the door.

Giles started to fidget in the back of Angel’s car.  They had managed to cram into the car somehow, although he was not really sure he wanted to know how.  “Ouch,” Giles yelped as the baby-seat that was placed next to him crushed into his side.

“Sorry,” Fred shifted her weight a little as she sat on Wesley’s lap.

“It’s okay Fred,” Giles reassured her.  “I know that it is a bit cramped.”  He looked out the window and thought, ‘at least I hope that’s the reason why I was just assaulted by a car seat those herbs only work on Bastlians and do I really want to be thinking about this too carefully?’  Giles shook his head to push away the thoughts that were starting to cloud his mind and focus on the more important things that were going on.  “Are we nearly there?,” Giles leaned foreword and asked Angel who was sitting with Cordy and Gunn in the front.

Cordy nodded her head but did not dare looking to the backseat.  “Just a few more minutes,” she said.

They slowly pulled into a side street next to the club and everyone started to get out of the car.  Everyone but Fred and Wesley.  Fred had started to open the door to the car but something was pulling at her and preventing her from getting up.  She tried to again but instead she fell back into Wesley’s lap.

“Your shirt is caught,” Wesley whispered in her ear.

Fred gave him a fearful look.  “Oh no,” she gasped.  Again she tried to pull away from him and this time she nearly tumbled out of the car and landed on the ground but he grabbed her arm and she was able to steady herself.

“Fred are you okay,” Angel gave her a look of concern.

Fred nodded, “Fine.  Everything’s fine.  Nothing’s the matter.  Just have to get Connor out of his car seat.”

Angel would have believed her except he noticed that part of her shirt was torn.  Then when Wesley handed him his son he say that the missing part of Fred’s shirt was caught on his button.  He took Connor and gave Wesley a glare.

Wesley pretended ignore him and put his hand on the small of Fred’s back.  “Shall we get going then?”

They moved to Caritas but as the came to the stairs they heard a two toned roar.  The next minute a large cat demon with sandy colored fur seemed to be running up the stairs backward but it also looked like some one had tried to thrown him in the direction of the alley.  There was blood coming from his arm.

“What the hell is going on,” Cordy fell back a little but Angel helped her balance herself.  “What happened to him?”

“Evie,” Giles and Fred said at the same time.

“She must be with Lorne,” Fred gave Giles a worried looked.

“She wouldn’t,” Angel frowned a little at the Watcher.  “Would she?”

“Lorne is a demon, isn’t he?” Giles looked at the angry male Bastlian and tried not to picture what his daughter did make him so mad.

“Yes but-” Cordy started with a slightly disgusted look.

“She will not mate with him!” a deep voice roared over all of them.  The large cat was panting and looking at the stairs as if he was waiting for someone to come up them.  “I will not allow it!”

“Haven’t you heard that no means no!” Wesley almost fell over when Fred grabbed a hold him and pulled him to her.  He could feel the fear coming from her body in waves.

“What happened to freedom of choice man,” Gunn glared at the beast.

“There is no choice for her,” the beast stood in the center of the club.  “She will become mine.  Bastlians will mate with Bastlians!”

“Well that is closed-minded isn’t,” Cordy snorted.

Giles shook his head at the male Bastlian.  “She will mate with no one.  Having a child will kill her.  You must realize that!”

“The weak shall perish and the strong will rise,” the male stood to his full height, which towered over them.  “This is the way of our people.”  He turned to toward the stairwe