The Iron: The Iron
by lilah_morgan
Disclaimer: Everything belongs to Joss the Genius
Author's Notes: This is how the story would have gone if Joss didn’t love to torture us.
It had been a beautiful night. Well until the inevitable happened. Trouble seemed to follow Fred’s new family. She began to think of them that way since the day she realized her true path in life. And now one of the member of her family was wounded.
“Charles!” Fred screamed as the blade slid into Gunn’s side. He fell to the ground just as Fred swung the heaviest thing she could find at the demon responsible. Fred heard Wesley nearby fighting the remaining aggressors and went to tend to her fallen friend. She seemed to remember all of her first-aid skills despite the fact she was panicking beyond belief. Her heartbeat did not slow even as Gunn tried to make light of the situation.
“And all I ask is one last kiss as the light is dimming”. He was the only one laughing at his joke. Fred didn’t think having your insides on the outside was any laughing matter. With fear, panic, and now slight irritation building, she couldn’t’ hold back her tears.
“Charles, I thought…when you..”
Gunn saw the first tear roll down her cheek and felt instant guilt. “Fred, I’m OK.” Her expression did not change, so he pulled her into comforting hug. Their embrace was accompanied by a cold wind which they both mentally wrote off as a characteristic of the building. Fred pulled away and felt the oddest sensation. From the looks of Charles, he wasn’t feeling himself either.
“Are you really that worried?”
“You must think I’m an idiot.”
“I think if you care that much, the wound is definitely deep.”
A wave washed over them. A deep and passionate love filled their hearts and took them over. Before either of them realized what was happening, their lips met. The slightest touch of the other’s lips sent shockwaves through their bodies. They were caught in a pink fog of desire. Fred was drowning deeper and deeper until she remembered who she was kissing. Stop it, Fred! This is Gunn you’re kissin’. She broke the kiss and couldn’t look Gunn in the face.
“Wow, Fred. That was…I, uh,…wow.” Fred felt her face get warmer. Now she was panicking for a whole different reason.
“Charles, I’m so sorry. I don’t know why I did that. This place is makin’ all of us act kooky.”
“No need to apologize. There is some serious mojo working in this place.”
“You guys alright?” She had never been more happy to hear Angel’s voice. The disheveled vampire came running towards them with an equally rumpled Cordy.
“Charles got stabbed, but I think I stopped the bleedin’. Have we figured out how to get the heck outta here? ‘Cause I think I’ve have enough ‘culture‘ for one night.”
Cordy knelt beside Charles and examined what Fred had done. “Angel’s got an idea. An utterly insane idea, but an idea. How’re you feeling, tough guy?”
“Not so bad,” he lied.
Cordy caught the look still lingering on Fred’s face. “Okay. Did I miss something?”
“Where’d Wesley go?” Angel looked around for the missing member of his troop.
“I’m here. I got turned around when I was fighting those guys back there.” Yeah, that’s believable. He couldn’t tell them that he hid after witnessing the woman of his dreams kissing one of his best friends.
“So what’s the plan, Angel?”
“Well , when Cordy and I were in that dressing room…”
“Fighting demons and nothing else!,” Cordy added quick as lighting.
“Yeah,” Angel continued, “Whenever I’d kill those guys they’d multiply and we noticed that he glamour around us would fade. Making more of these guys drains the sorcerer’s magic. So, all we have to do is continue to drain the magic.”
“By making more demons.” Fred wanted to be crystal clear on the craziness that was this plan.
“Like I said…” Cordelia added.
“Well, Cordy, if you’ve got a better idea we’d all love to hear it.” Angel was secretly amused at how quickly Miss. Chase could get him fired up. Cordy put her hands up in defeat and Angel ran off to get in position for his part of the plan. Wesley, being second in command, took charge. “Cordy, you take the left. I’ll take the right.” He turned to see Fred helping Gunn off of the floor. She then put his arm around her neck to help support his weight. Wesley could feel his heart breaking at the sight of them. This was not the time for petty jealousy, so he simply said, “You guys take care of each other.”
The fight continued and after what seemed like seconds there were dozens of demons surrounding them. Crying, laughter, and the sounds of clanging swords filled the air. Wesley felt his arms begin to burn as he brought this sword down again. The final blow never connected as his opponent blinked out of existence.
“God! They are never going to take this dress back now, “Cordy complained, “The tag is completely ripped off. What am I supposed to say about he grimy mess around the hem?”
************************
Back at the hotel, Cordelia dressed Gunn’s wounds in Angel ‘s office as Fred paced outside Wesley’s. He’d walked straight into it as soon as they returned. Being around Wesley always seemed to make Fred feel better about everything. She opened his door and found him sitting at his desk with his head in his hands and his elbows on the desk. She’d seen him like this before. Usually he was really stressed or hung up on a translation from some ancient obscure text.
“Wes?”
He say straight up as if he’d been struck by lightining, but did his best to act as normal as possible. “Fred.”
“Some night, huh?”
“Um, yes.”
Fred now had to search for a reason to stay in his office.
“Wes, are you feelin’ alright?”
He opened his mouth wanting to tell her everything, to pour his heart out to her, but only said, “I’m just tired. I think I’ll head home.”
He stood up and headed for the door and stopped before turning the knob. He looked over his shoulder into the most beautiful eyes he’d ever see.
“I’m really happy for you. Gunn is a great guy. I know he’ll make you happy.”
By the time the shock wore off and Fred found her voice again, Wesley was gone. Once again, she began to panic. She heard him say goodnight to the others. Moving only as fast as her dress would allow her, she got out of the office just in time to see the door close behind him.
“Hey, Fred. Where you been hidin’?” Charles and Cordelia were sitting on the round couch in the lobby.
Cordy didn’t give Fred a chance to answer Gunn’s question. “I don’t know about you guys, but if I don’t get to bed soon, I’m gonna pas out right here on this painfully tacky couch.”
“Yeah. It’s way past late. Even for me.” Gunn illustrated this by yawning.
“I’ll tell Angel y’all said ’Night’.” Fred watched the two leave before heading up the stairs. Before going to her room, Fred looked in on Angel and found him rocking Connor back to sleep. She decided not to disturb him.
“Hey, Freddles. How was the big night out?” Lorne was always chipper no matter the hour. Unfortunately, the same couldn’t be said for the tiny Texan.
“Can we talk tomorrow? I’m really beat.”
“Sure, kiddo, but I’m gonna want every detail.”
“You got it.”
Fred finally made it to her room and managed to change into her pajamas even with her mind going a mile a minute about Wesley. She knew she would have a hard time sleeping that night.
****************************
Fred awoke to the surprise that she’d slept at all. The little sleep she did get did not improve the chaos in her head. The sounds of Lorne and Cordy’s voices told her that it was time to get out of bed. After a quick shower, Fred ventured downstairs to find Cordy, Angel, and Lorne talking and laughing over bagels and coffee.
“Gracious! How loud was she snoring?” Lorne was almost doubling over with laughter after hearing about how much Cordy enjoyed the show.
“I do not snore. And I wasn‘t sleeping.”
“Should I get the jacket and point out the drool stain,” Angel said positively smug. Lorne was near the point of shooting coffee out of his nose.
“Mornin’, y’all.”
Fred was somewhat happy to see that Wes hadn’t appeared to have come into the office yet.
The breakfast trio each offered morning greetings as Fred joined them. In as casual a voice as Fred could muster she asked, “So, where’re the guys?” Wesley, to be exact.
With a mouth full of bagel, Cordy answered, “Wes is in his office and Gunn hasn’t made it in yet. You know, maybe we should tell him to take the day off.”
“I called him this morning actually,” Angel cut in, “He said he’d be in later today, but I told him to stay home and we’d call him only if it was absolutely necessary.”
Fred was relieved. Things would probably go better if Gunn wasn’t around.
“Cordy, could I talk to you about something?”
“Sure. What’s up?”
This wasn’t something Fred wanted to broadcast to everyone, so she thought fast.
“Um, my dress. Yeah, there’s, uh…, I think I got something on my dress last night and I wanted to see if it’s noticeable. Can you come to my room?”
Fred couldn’t tell if Cordelia could sense the distress in her vice, but she followed nonetheless.
When they were both in Fred’s room, she closed the door behind them. The next the she knew, Fred just exploded. Everything she had been holding on to for what seemed like days came spilling out of her mouth in one long run-on sentence.
“Ohmigod. I don’t know what to do! Charles kissed me last night, but it wasn’t him, or me. It was the spell and Wesley saw and now he thinks I’m with Charles, but I’m not. What do I say to him? I’m not good at this kinda thing. I’m totally confused and---”
Cordy was forced to put a hand over Fred’s mouth to stop the tidal wave of desperation.
“Breathe, please.”
Fred took deep breaths and Cordy sat her down on the bed.
“This is not that big of a deal. It’s all just a misunderstanding, right? You’ve just gotta do some damage control.”
“How am I gonna explain this to Wesley? He could barely look at me last night.”
“Wesley is gonna get more than an earful for not doing what I told him to do.”
Fred had no idea what Cordelia was talking about, but she trusted her to help straighten things out.
**************************
Cordelia walked into Wesley’s office and found a look on his face that she suddenly remembered seeing in the car on the way home. A book lay open in front of him, but he was obviously not terribly engrossed in the thing.
“Hey, Wes. Wacha doin’?” Cordy decided to soften him up a bit before laying into him. At the sound of her voice, Wesley’s eyes snapped back on the page. He wasn’t fooling anyone. Completely ignoring the question he said, “What can I do for you?”
“You can tell me why you’re wearing your mopey face today.”
“My what?”
“Wrong answer! It’s because you walked in on the very last thing you ever wanted to see. I won’t ask if I’m right ‘cause I know I am.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about actually. I , uh, just happen to be in the middle of , uh…”
“A funk? A pity party?”
He knew there was no point in lying anymore. “Well…yes.” He turned four shades of pink.
“Wesley, Wesley, Wesley. Did I not tell you to go for it? You had it and you totally choked! My exact words were---”
“’The iron is hot..’ Yes I know. How could I ‘go for it’? When two people are lip to lip, I’d say that pretty much freezes the iron, doesn’t it?”
“For such a smart guy, you are a massive dunce. The ‘iron’ is hot for you!”
Wesley was shocked into silence. He never dreamed that Fred would have any feelings for him.
“How do you know? Did she actually say that? Are you sure? If she is, why was she kissing Gunn?”
“Whoa with the questions, ok? Did you ever think they might have been under the influence. There was some powerful magic floating around last night.”
He was so upset that he hadn’t even considered that. “Well, what---”
Cordy put a hand up to stop his next question.
“Don’t ask me. Ask her. This isn’t junior high. I’m not gonna pass her a note or be messenger for you guys. I will offer you a suggestion. Please take it this time. Wait until everyone has cleared out before you do anything. This way makes for no distractions. Oh, and don’t pressure her. Just talk like it’s just another day. Girls hate it when guys act all twitchy.”
Wesley was positively glowing. Cordy rolled her eyes at the silliness of it all and left Wes to contemplate what he would say to Fred.
The girl in question was sitting on the stairs waiting for Cordy to reappear. She exited and gave Fred a thumbs up sign. Fred knew it was only half the battle. Fred felt she was going to have to explain the previous nights herself.
***************************
Being in a more social mood, Wesley moved his research to the front desk. Fred didn’t want to think it was because of her, but she knew it was. The day went by slowly with one or two clients. Lorne, deciding he deserved a night out after baby duty, suggested they all go out and do some karaoke.
“I’ll go with you. But I’m sure that Fred’s had enough karaoke to last a lifetime. Wes, why don’t you stay and keep her company?” Cordy thought it was the best excuse to leave the two alone. Without a word from anyone, Cordy added, “Great! Come on, Lorne.”
A second later , they were out the door. Fred was planted in the middle of the lobby floor tinkering with her latest invention. She tried desperately to look involved in it and not like she was waiting for Wesley to come over. He closed his book and walked from behind the desk. “Fred, would you like to get some ice cream?”
She smiled and grabbed her coat.
**************************
Twenty minutes later, they walked out of Cookie’s Ice Cream Shop. “You aren’t havin’ any?,” Fred asked in between licks of her cone.
“No. I don’t handle sugar that well this late in the evening. What did you get?”
“Yum. Double chocolate fudge.”
“Aha. And how do you sleep?”
“Who needs sleep when there’s double chocolate fudge in the world?”
Wesley laughed. She was so full of spirit. They walked in silence until Fred finished her ice cream. He liked watching her. He loved how a simple ice cream cone could make her so happy. She saw that he was staring at her.
“Was I a pig?” Fred felt a little embarrassed at he stickiness on her chin.
“No. I’m glad you enjoyed it.” He handed her a handkerchief. They talked like two people who had been on twenty dates instead of just one.
Wesley walked Fred up the path to the front doors of the hotel. Neither wanted the night to end. Fred stopped at the door and turned back to face Wesley.
“So…”
“Well, I guess this is good night. Unless, of course you want me to walk you to your room.”
Fred knew one of them had to grab the moment before it faded away. She decided it should be her as Wesley seemed to be losing his nerve right before her eyes. She took a step closer and leaned into him ever so slightly. Wesley got the message loud and clear. He slowly leaned down and brushed her mouth with the softness of a butterfly’s wing. She responded and pressed her lips to his and deepened the kiss. Soon, the contact wasn’t just through their lips. Fred felt hands massage her hips and the move up and down her back. She wrapped her arms around his neck as the kiss became more passionate. Several minutes passed before they were forced to come up for air.
“Do you want to walk me to my room?,” Fred asked already knowing the answer.
Hand in hand, they tip-toed like a couple of teenagers who had broken curfew. Wesley opened the door and let Fred walk in first then followed her. Fred walked to the middle of the room and kept her back to him. This gave Wesley an opportunity to catch the fragrance of her hair when he wrapped his arms around her tiny waist.
“Wes?”
“Yes, luv.”
“When did you know that you--”
“Loved you?”
Not quite expecting to hear those words, Fred turned to face him. She half expected the man holding he to disappear a he did in her dreams.
“You love me? I never…expected you to…”
“Of course I love you. And to answer your question, I first realized how I felt when your parents came to take you back to Texas. When I thought I’d never see you again I knew instantly.”
The sudden silence between them sent a chill down Wesley’s spine. He began to regret his admission. He knew right then that he had blown it.
“God, Fred, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that. Just forget it. I don’t want to frighten you or ruin this.” He stopped talking when he saw a tear roll down her cheek. I’m so stupid. I’ve screwed it up already. “Please don’t cry. Do you want me to--?” His mouth was stopped by Fred’s tear filled kiss.
“Oh, Wes. These are happy tears, baby. I love you , too. It’s just that when you actually said it, it all became real. I’ve imagined you sayin ’ those words a thousand times. Now you’re here with me.”
Wesley couldn’t think of any words that could express the overwhelming joy in his heart. Instead, he cupped her face and kissed the path her tears had taken. Then their lips met again in a passionate kiss.
“Wesley, I want you to make love to me.”
Hearing these words come from he mouth made Wesley doubt that this night was actually happening. Once he managed to get his breathing back under control, Wesley pick Fred up and sat her on the edge of her bed and knelt down in front of her. Nerves got the better of Wes as he clumsily tried to unbutton her blouse. Fred didn’t realized that nibbling his ear was actually doing more harm than good. She couldn’t help but giggle at his deep sigh of relief after he’d undone the final button. He slowly slid her top off and kissed the now bare flesh on her shoulders. The next moment Wes took to simply take in the luminous sight that was her body. As he took his moment, Fred slid back to the middle of the bed and laid back. She then help out both her arms as a cue for Wesley to join her. Once Wesley had shed his T-shirt revealing a more musculature torso than Fred imagined and lowered himself over her tiny frame. She could barely move as he placed butterfly soft kisses across her chest and down her stomach. Wesley began to hear tiny moans and sighs of pleasure as he made his way down her stomach to the top of her jeans, This is where he stopped. He stopped moving completely. Fred mistakenly took this as a sign that he couldn’t figure out her belt buckle. As she fumbled with them herself, he put a hand over hers to stop her.
“What’s wrong?,” she asked, but deeply feared the answer.
“Nothing. I just…we can’t…”
“You don’t want me?”
“That is the furthest thing from truth. That’s not it at all. There’s nothing in the world I want more than you.”
Fred wiggled from under him and was now sitting with her legs under her. “The what is it? Just tell me before my head explodes.”
He sat up and looked her in the eyes, “I just think we may be going too fast.”
“Too fast? We’ve been waitn’ a heck of a long time to be together. I’m ready. I want you and you just said you want me. I don’t get it.”
“Yes, we’ve waited a long time, but think about all that’s happened in just the last two days. We realized we had feelings for each other. We had our first date, first kiss, and we’ve said ‘I love you’. I’m not saying I’m sorry that they happened, but I’m thinking about tomorrow. I mean…”
“You mean that all that cutesy relationship stuff new couples look forward to we’ve already done.”
“Pretty much all except one. The one I think we should save. And I’m not talking about until we’re married. Just for a while.”
“Married?” Wesley suddenly heard his own words and blushed. He got embarrassed so easily. “Pink’s a good color for you. Actually, I think you‘re right, Wes. We should wait. Now that I think about it, this morning seems like such a long time ago.”
“I know what you mean.” Wesley couldn’t believe she was still sitting there. She hadn’t disappeared. She was actually with him. She leaned over and kissed him and then crawled off the bed.
“Where are you going?,” Wesley asked.
“Since we won’t be doing anything physical, I need clothes to keep warm in this drafty old spook house.” He pretended not to watch her change into little pink shorts and the shirt he’d dropped earlier. She knew he was peeking and said, “You don’t mind, do ya?”
“Not in the least.”
“You were stayin’, right?”
“That depends. Are you a kicker?” He stood up off the bed and took off his jeans. Not wanting to stand and gawk at him, Fred went to her closet and pulled out a fluffy blanket she used on super-cold nights. She turned around to face him once more and was unable to hold back her laughter.
“Oh, Wes! Smiley face boxers?”
Wes then turned her favorite shade of pink again and charged at her. She shrieked and dropped the blanket as he threw her over his shoulder. Suddenly, a loud bang echoed through the hotel when Angel through his entire body against Fred’s door.
“Fred!… Wesley?” Angel was utterly confused.
Wesley very nearly dropped Fred on her head following the unexpected intrusion. Lorne appeared behind Angel a mere 10 seconds later. “What the heck’s going on in here, Freddles?,” Lorne asked, “ I come through the front door and the first thing I hear is---Wes?”
Angel finally managed to speak after what seemed like ages. “So, Fred, I’m gonna assume you don’t need my help. O…K. I’m just gonna go now. Come on, Lorne.”
“Sure thing, Angel-cakes. Oh, by the by, nice boxers, Casanova.”
Fred was now laughing uncontrollably at a less than amused and half naked Wesley. “Oh, my poor baby.” Fred kissed him on the cheek while still fighting the giggles.
“Can we just go to bed now?” Wesley pleaded.
“Anything you want.” She took him by the hand and they both crawled under the covers. Fred snuggled close and laid her face on his chest. Wes could once again smell the sugar-sweet fragrance that emanated from her soft brown curls. He lay there for a few moments breathing her in. She ran her fingers across his chest while waiting for sleep to come. The silence was interrupted by a soft chuckle from Wesley.
“What’s funny?’
“I was thinking about how this could all be the best dream I’ve ever had. I did end up naked in front of everyone. Then I realized that my dream self would never have stopped us from having sex.”
Fred gave a little laugh. “Go to sleep, baby. We can live the dream again tomorrow.”
FIN
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