__Hot, Too Hot__
By Kath



With a final swipe of his axe, Angel beheaded the large, ugly, yellow demon that he and Wesley had wrestled to the ground. A disgusting purple fluid sprayed out across them and the rest of the dark alley.

"EW! Even when they're not Slime Demons, there's slime!" Cordelia looked on in disgust.

Wesley sat back on the ground, trying to catch his breath and wipe the worst of the slime from his face with his handkerchief. "I believe, in this instance, I do have to agree with Cordelia. EW!"

Angel wiped the axe off on his pantleg and offered an arm up to his assistant, who took it gratefully. "You two think you can handle disposal detail? I want to make sure this guy was working alone."

"Oh yeah, that's us. The cheerful cleanup committee!" Seeing her boss' disapproving look at her sarcasm, Cordelia added, "Hey, I said cheerful....Go, go." She shooed him away and , snapping on a pair of gloves, she removed the small saw from their handy disposal kit. As soon as Angel was out of sight, however, she handed it to Wesley with a smile. He sighed and also gave her a look, but begrudgingly took the saw from her. "What? Like I see the need for *both* of us to get all messy? These are new shoes."

"Well, you could always - oh, I don't know - choose not to wear your new shoes when demon hunting." He stood up again and smiled brightly at her. "In fact, I don't see why you couldn't just remove them now." And with that, he handed the saw back to her.

Cordelia's mouth hung open in surprise. "Fine. Never let it be said that Cordelia Chase doesn't do her share." She kicked off her shoes and kneeled over the creature, but paused to give Wesley one more glare. "But if I get demon slime stains on these pants, you're gonna pay!"

Wesley stood, rocking on the balls of his feet, with his hands in his pockets, and a huge grin spread across his face, as he whispered under his breath."Ah, but it would be worth it.

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(several hours later)

"Any luck identifying our demon yet?" Angel came out of his office and over to Wesley's desk. The young man looked up from his pile of books and stretched his back wearily.

"I think I'm close. Based on the third eye, high pitched whistling sound it makes, and the bumpy yellow skin, I think I've narrowed it down to one of three, rather rare species." He stopped to unbutton his collar and roll up his sleeves. "I say, is it just me, or is it awfully warm in here?"

"Thank you!" Cordelia piped up from her side of the room. "I thought it was just me. Angel, could ya open a window? ...Well, you're closer."

"*I* don't feel hot." He went to open the window anyway. It took less energy than arguing with her. He turned back and found Cordelia fanning herself with a client file. "Are you okay? You are looking kind of...pink."

Cordy grimaced. "Suddenly I don't feel so hot. Well, I mean, I do feel *hot*. I just feel kinda lightheaded. Oh man, I had better not be getting sick. It's Friday night."

"You want me to drive you home?" Angel was starting to get concerned.

"Could I just lie down for a few minutes? I really don't feel like moving a whole lot." She tried to stand up, but wobbled unsteadily. Angel rushed to catch her and led her to the elevator.

"C'mon, you can lie down downstairs. Wesley, look in the first aide kit. I think there is a thermometer in there."

"Right!" Wesley hurried into the bathroom for it. He was starting to feel very flushed himself, and beads of sweat were forming on his forehead. He splashed cool water on his face and, grabbing the thermometer from the box and a book off his desk, he hurried after Angel and Cordelia.

Angel was making Cordy comfortable in his bed. He was having trouble because she kept throwing off the covers. "Annnnngelllll! I'm HOT! I don't waaaaant any blankets." The frustrated vampire looked up gratefully, at the sound of Wesley's approach. He was alarmed, however, at the state Wesley was in. His cheeks were red and his hair was damp with sweat. He was breathing hard, despite having taken the elevator. He handed Angel the thermometer and waved the book around at him.

"I'm afraid I've identified our demon." he gasped. It's name is virtually unpronounceable, but is roughly translated as 'Fever Demon'." He leaned unsteadily against the cool wall. "It secretes an enzyme that renders its victims helpless, with a high fever, which then leads to disorienting delirium, making them easy prey. I fear Cordelia and I may have become infected by coming into direct contact with it." With that, he slid down the wall, until he was sitting on the floor. He was trying to read from the book, but couldn't see that he was holding it upside down now. "What? This was in English a moment ago?!"

"Okay Wes. It's 'beddie-bye' time for you too." Angel easily hoisted the protesting ex-Watcher over his shoulder, and plopped him onto the bed, next to Cordelia. He took the thermometer out of her mouth, and squinted at it. After holding it at many angles he finally managed to read it - 102 degrees.

"Give me the book Wesley...C'mon, give it to me." He managed to wrestle the book out of Wesley's tight grip without losing the page, and sat on the edge of the bed to read. "Let's see...'high fever...delirium...lasts for up to 12 hours...in rare cases fever can be fatal, so careful monitoring is necessary'...Great! Do I *look* like Florence Nightingale? No! She was much shorter and had long black hair."

Angel paced back and forth, at the foot of the bed, watching his friends' restless movements anxiously. Finally, he went over to Cordelia and shook her gently. "Cordelia, help me out here. What do you do for a high fever?"

It was Wesley who mumbled "Fever reducer - tylenol - and must have plenty of fluids - juice, broth....oooh, say, a grape popsicle would be nice."

"Ice. Lots of ice would be great too. And make mine an orange popsicle." Cordelia chimed in.

Angel scratched his head and looked from one to the other. "Okay, tylenol I can do." He retrieved the economy size bottle from on top of the refrigerator and managed to get, first Wesley, and then Cordelia, to choke down two of the white pills, with a glass of water. At least this made *him* feel a little better. He made a futile search of his kitchen cupboards, even though he knew what he'd find there. "Well, as for the rest of that stuff...I don't have anything. I could run to the store, if you guys think you would be okay...Guys?"

He came back to the bedroom and his jaw dropped in amazement. Both Cordy and Wes were lying on their sides, with the young man right up behind the girl, spooning her. He had his arm around her waist and his chin rested on her shoulder. They both seemed to be sleeping quietly. "Well, what do you know? Hmmm, okay, I'm gonna go out for that ice and juice and stuff. Uh, don't go anywhere." With one last look, he grabbed his car keys and headed out, still shaking his head.

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(a half hour later)

"Cordelia?" Wesley snuggled closer.

"Mmmmm, what?"

"Have I told you lately how much I love you?"

Cordy turned over in his arms, so that she was facing him. Her face lit up, as she smiled lovingly at him. "Not today, Sweetheart."

"Well, I do. Most definitely." He planted a gentle kiss on her lips. Then a more passionate one, which she returned. When he tried for more, she slapped his arm playfully.

"Wesley, what about the children? They might hear us."

Wesley looked momentarily confused. "We have children?" Then he wiggled his eyebrows at her and leered. "Would you like to make another one?"

Cordelia giggled and, as an answer, began to unbutton his shirt and kiss his chest. He sighed happily and slid his hands under her shirt, caressing her back.

"*What* are you two *doing*?!?!"

Cordelia had gotten as far as the belly button, when Angel walked in with the groceries. She looked up at Wesley. "See, I told you we'd wake them. (to Angel) Go back to bed Honey. It's too early to get up."

Angel felt like he was rooted to the floor, in shock. Finally, he shook himself awake. "Excuse me? *Hello!* Is this a joke? Because, you don't see me laughing here."

Wesley stopped kissing Cordelia long enough to admonish Angel. "Now do as your mother said, and go back to bed."

"Are you two deliri...oh wait. That *was* one of the symptoms, wasn't it." Angel went over and physically pried his friends apart.

"Hey, watch it!" Cordelia yelped.

"Uh, guys. Look, you really don't want to be doing this....Well, maybe you do, but I don't think it's a good idea right now. You're not thinking straight." He rummaged through the grocery bag. "Here, have a popsicle." He gave them each one and , when it seemed reasonable safe to leave them, Angel took the rest of the groceries to the kitchen. He served up two bowls of chicken broth and two glasses of apple juice and carried the tray into the bedroom, and groaned. They were at it again.

"Okay, I can see this is going to be a long night. I should just leave you two to have at it, but since *I'm* the one who's gonna have to hear about it in the morning, I'm not going to." He sighed his typical brooding sigh. " I *really* don't want to have to do this, but you leave me no choice. He disappeared into the kitchen and returned with a bucket of ice, which he proceeded to dump on his 'patients' heads. When they came apart, sputtering and protesting, Angel cleared some of the ice out of his way and proceeded to flop down on the bed between them. He sat, leaning up against the headboard, with his arms crossing his chest, and glared menacingly at Wesley and Cordelia alternately. The fever, plus their ardorous activities, had exhausted them to the point where it was only moments before they were fast asleep. Angel made no move to leave though. He was not taking *any* chances.

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(the next morning)

TABLEAU: Wesley, curled up in a ball, asleep on one side of the bed; Cordelia on the other. Smack dab in the middle, sleeping sitting up, with his arms still folded across his chest, is Angel.

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