Chp; 4, COLD
CONNER CARRIED EMMA into the Hotel. Dawn saw him immediately and came out into the Lobby from Angel’s office, “Conner, you found her.”
Conner walked past her with Emma shaking in his arms clinging to him, “Get stuff to keep her warm.”
“Okay,” said Dawn watching him go towards the stairs.
EMMA COULDN’T STOP SHAKING. Conner didn’t know what to do with her, take care of the situation. His skin room temperature, wouldn’t be able to warm hers. So he took her into her room and into the bathroom kicking the door open then sat her down in the tub keeping the shower door open.
Her eyes closed tight as she trembled trying to breath. Conner turned on the warm water in the tub the shower only worked. The shower of warm water rained down on her. He turned it on hotter and sat her up. He got in the bath tub part with her, sat her laying on top of him. Conner rubbed her arms trying to warm her as the bath tub slowly filled.
She clung to him shaking. Her body felt like ice. Her touch almost stung Conner’s skin. But he just kept trying to warm her up holding her to him. Both of them wet. She wasn’t any different from what he could remember, every bit of her, just colder, and traumatized some more.
“I’ll never let them take you again,” said Conner, he kissed her forehead, “You’re going to get warm and be better.”
She clung tighter to his shirt. He stroked her skin to warm her up, to get the shaking to stop as the water started to over flow out of the tub.
WESLEY WAS SICK with himself as he watched the hospital staff try to bring Gunn back. Gunn’s body jerked with every shock from the paddles. But no life was in him. Wesley saw his friend slip from him right there. One of the nurses took him out.
“We’re so sorry,” she said, “I don’t think we can do anything else for him-”
“You can bring him back,” stated Wesley.
“We’re trying,” she looked to the door, the doctors were done, “He’s gone now.”
“No, it just doesn’t end like that,” stated Wes his eyes going teary for his comrade.
“We couldn’t help him, you saw,” she said, “And we didn’t want you to, but he’s in a better place now.”
“He can’t be dead,” Wesley said.
“We wished that we could have done more, but it was his time,” stated The nurse, “Just his time I guess.”
“He couldn’t,” he said.
“It’s not the first one we’ve lost,” she sighed, “Today just has been a bad day.”
“Lilah?” asked Wesley, “Lilah Morgan.”
“She’s being taken care of,” sighed The nurse, she patted Wesley’s shoulder and walked past him.
“No,” sighed Wesley, “It can’t be.”
He looked into the room, Gunn’s body just lay there. His gown opened to his chest. The nurses that had try there best to save the life, put the sheet over his head.
EMMA WAS COMPLETELY WET. She was still shaking as she stood waiting for him.
“Some one took your clothes,” he said coming into her room, “I don’t know where they were, but I got mines.”
He wasn’t wet had nothing but his pants on, they were dry. Emma closed her eyes, hadn’t moved since he’d walked out. Conner stood in front of her. “You’re all wet,” he sighed. Conner slowly took his jacket off of her. “I’ll put something warm on you.” Her arms were so white. Like always but, her being cold made it terrible looking, poor child.
She didn’t do anything. She just opened her eyes and looked at him. Conner stroked her cheek as he watched her shake, “You’re going to get cold again if you don’t take your clothes off and put on dry ones.”
Conner got no reply. He put his hands on her shoulders and rubbed them, still cold. He slowly put his hands where her shirt began and pulled it up and over her stomach, where her ribs were and she let him pull it over her head. She stood there in her bra.
Not doing anything. Conner had brought her some of his clothes since hers had been thrown out recently. He went behind her and un did her bra for her. She wouldn’t do it. He felt sad for her, he felt her sadness, she was a in a state of shock. Some kind of shock, but completely aware.
He pulled the straps down her shoulders and had her raise her arms and he stood in front of her grabbing his red long sleeve shirt off the toilet seat cover and put it over her head not looking at her chest. Trying not to anyway. Emma just watched his eyes the entire time.
Conner helped her slide her arms into the sleeves. He went to her belt and slowly undid it. Emma slowly held his hands as he did so, she gripped them slightly. Conner paused, “I love you.”
Emma didn’t say anything just looked at him. He pulled her belt out of her pants then un buttoned them since she wasn’t stopping him from putting dry clothes on her. Emma pulled them off herself. He gave her his pants and she put them on. Slid them up and zipped them then tried to button them but for some reason she wasn’t able to.
Able, she probably could. But her eyes started to tear up and she started breathing different. Conner help her button the pants then put the belt through the loops for her and buckled it. He looked at her, tears going down her cheeks.
Conner rubbed her shoulders trying to warm her. He could feel her cold skin through the shirt cloth. Emma closed her eyes. Conner caressed her cheek then picked her up and carried her to the bed. He laid her in the bed and put the blanket over her. Emma looked up at him. Conner climbed into the twin size bed with her and put his arms around her under the covers to warm her up.
She rolled over to face him. He held her tightly to him. Never wanted to let her go.
WESLEY CAME into the Hyperion shaking white stuff off his head. Dawn heard him come in and came around the bar, “I’ve got good news.”
“Gunn’s dead,” said Wesley.
“No, that’s not the news,” it hit her, “What, oh, he’s dead.” Dawn looked at the wet white stuff on him, “What the.”
“It’s snowing.”
“Huh?” she asked going past him to the small garden place.
Snow was coming down outside in thick flakes. Dawn went back in, “It’s snowing.” She went inside, “This is impossible.”
“It’s happened once already,” he said looking at her.
“I’m sorry about Gunn, but-”
“He just died right there, I wasn’t able to help him,” stated Wesley, “I should of.”
“Emma’s back,” she said bluntly.
“What?” Wesley questioned going closer to Dawn like he couldn’t believe it.
“She was locked up somewhere, and really cold, and wet,” she stated.
“Cold and wet,” said Wesley, “When?”
“A couple of hours ago,” stated Dawn.
“I take it that’s when the snow began, Emma’s probably the cause,” stated Wesley.
“What?” she asked, “How would that be?”
“It take a major magic to hold something like Conner or Emma for a long period of time, Months, it could just be a back lash of some sort,” he said sadly.
They were quiet for a long time.
“Gunn’s in a better place,” said Dawn, “I didn’t know him, but, he can rest now from all this, mixed up things, this stupid world.”
“You’re very right Dawn,” said Wesley, “We’ll miss him.”
“Emma doesn’t have anymore clothes,” stated Dawn, “I kind of got rid of them.”
“Well Fred had some more,” said Wesley, “Conner must be happy.”
“He’s just worried about keeping her warm,” said Dawn.
“I think I might have a way of making her get better quicker,” stated Wesley going behind the bar.
“Liquor?” questioned Dawn.
“No,” stated Wesley opening up Angel’s frig and taking out some bags of blood out of the frig and putting them on the counter top.
“Can she drink blood?” questioned Dawn.
“Yes,” he stated putting the bags in the microwave, [I don’t know if you can heat those up in there.] “Essentially live on it, but it’s not that helpful, just a jump start.”
CONNER kissed Emma’s forehead holding her to him, the shaking had calmed down but she was still shaking a bit. He heard Wesley knock at the door and slowly got up. Emma moaned for him.
“I wont go anywhere,” he said going to the door.
He opened it. Wesley was standing there with bags of blood. Conner saw it immediately, “What’s that for?”
“Emma,” he said.
“She’s not a vampire,” stated Conner.
“But she can ingest, you two can essentially live off it and I suggest you feed her. It’ll give her a jump start, it’s warm,” said Wesley.
“Fine,” said Conner taking the tray of bags.
“I would have gotten glasses but Dawn doesn’t like washing dishes,” he stated. Conner set the tray on his night stand and grabbed the shirt off the floor of his and put it on, “Gunn’s dead.”
Conner didn’t seem to really care he just sat on the bed and took Emma up in his arms. Wesley folded his arms across his chest watching them. Conner took a bag of blood off the tray and put it to her mouth.
“You might need to cut that bag,” said Wesley, but Emma had used her teeth immediately and was drinking from it vigorously.
A little bit of blood dripped out of her mouth but hardly anything and Conner held her head up to it. Wesley tried not to watch, just didn’t feel right to him to do so.
“You don’t care that Gunn is dead, do you?” asked Wesley.
“That’s not on my list of priorities,” said Conner, “I’ve killed my father, I don’t really care anymore by anyone’s death but Emma’s.”
Emma had opened her eyes when she heard that Conner had killed his father and with her left hand grabbed Conner’s that held the bag and gripped it. Conner wasn’t hurt by her grip, it wasn’t a violent grip, more of a harsh reassuring one. She held her one hand up as she emptied the bag.
“Are you still hungry?” he asked.
“Yes,” she said in a tone of no emotion. She sat up and Conner gave her another bag.
“I’ll leave you two to what you’re doing,” said Wesley.
“Thank you,” said Conner handing her another bag.
“Tell me if you need more,” stated Wesley closing the door as he left.
Emma wanted him to hold the bag for her, but she did too with both her hand sitting in a ball sort of, her knees against her chest. Conner looked at her as she drank, she hadn’t changed. Her hair was a little longer, it went farther down her back instead of at her shoulders.
Conner watched her intently. Her eyes were closed again. Emma’s hair was still streaked black and her nails had stayed black. Her blue eyes were normal blue, she’d opened them and looked at him then closed them again.
Color was returning to her face. As much color as she’d always had and her body was starting to warm. But the only thing that wasn’t right was her emotions. He didn’t feel anything emotional but, want, [I guess you can call that an emotion.] Her need for something and she was scared, anxious.
“DOES IT ALWAYS SNOW?” Angel asked his Imaginary Friend, “Now?”
“No,” laughed Darla, “It’s magic that it does so,” she sighed.
“Why do you still follow me?” he asked standing in the night, “I don’t do anything,” he said walking down the sidewalk, “I’m not of any use to anyone.”
“But you’re still around aren’t you?” she asked, “Hurting people, killing people, everyone has a purpose my boy,” she put her hand on his shoulder, “I wouldn’t be here if you were dead.”
“You’re telling me to kill people,” said Angel.
“Go to L.A. Sweet,” she said.
“Okay,” said Angel. He turned towards the road.
Cars passing, not many, people seemed smart enough not to drive in this snow because they wouldn’t really be used to the conditions. Angel then got out in the middle of the road quickly and an older woman suddenly stopped her car in front of him.
The head lights stung his eyes. He went to the driver’s side quickly and the little poor old lady locked it. Angel knocked on the window, “Open up.”
“NO!!” she said sticking his tongue out.
Darla was already sitting in there with her, “Come Angel.”
“Let me in,” demanded Angel.
The little old lady shook her head ‘no’. She put the car in gear drove forward over his foot then backed up over it then went to do it again. The wincing Angel suddenly busted in her window and pulled out of the car making his face go vampire and sinking his teeth into her throat. Little lady screamed but he dropped her in the road when he was done eating turned his face back, opened up the door, got in and drove off.
“That was ridiculous,” said Spike sitting in the passenger seat.
“You know if you want to train me as your lap dog you don’t do it as Spike,” said Angel, “And I think she broke my foot.”
The car sped up the snowy road.
DAY: NINA WAS AT a Diner. She seemed to be waiting for someone. Of course, she was kind of jumpy feeling very energetic since that night would be a full moon and all. She was trying not to drink too much coffee.
“Is that Nina?” questioned a familiar voice.
Nina smiled and stood up. She turned around to hug her friend Mary Lin Heartfield. “Oh I haven’t seen you in so long,” she said in the embrace.
They pulled away, “I’ve missed you, I’ve got so much to tell you.”
“So much that you couldn’t tell me over the phone, this must be interesting,” she said sitting down.
Mary sat in front of her. It still snowed outside. The place was practically empty, good.
“And I thought you might like me to visit,” Mary stated.
“Of course, I hate to sound like I wasn’t excited, when you called, I was thrilled,” stated Nina, “So, how’re you doing?”
“Different, my dog Lucy was attacked,” stated Mary.
“Oh, that’s horrible,” said Nina, “Are you doing okay.”
“Better then I thought I would,” she sighed, “I found something.”
“What?” Nina asked holding her cup of coffee.
“A naked man in the bushes,” laughed Mary.
“A naked man?” laughed Nina, they were keeping their voices low, “Wow.”
“I don’t know where he went, but I came here looking for him, he had told me he was from L.A.,” said Mary, “Well, he’s cute.”
“I take it that’s not the only reason you’d just come here and leave your pets,” smiled Nina.
“I think he’s a mental patient, and he ran off, but, I’ve seen things I can’t explain,” said Mary, “Paranormal.”
“Oh,” sighed Nina, “Vampires?”
“I guess,” stated Mary, “I think he was one, I don’t know, but he’s strong, and cute and a little crazy, in animal way.”
“Animal,” she smiled, “What’s his name?”
“Liam,” she smiled, “I think he might have a form of amnesia as well, as being a little kooky.”
“So you know that the paranormal is real?” asked Nina.
“Obviously, I was attacked by a vampire,” she said, “Some beastly, disfigured man.”
“Liam?” asked Nina.
“No, he was going to try and kill me, Liam saved me, but he was super strong is my point, what demons are there?”
“Vampires, werewolves, all kinds, icky green ones, blue ones,” she stated.
“Why didn’t you ever tell me this?” asked Mary.
“Well, I didn’t know how’d you handle it, I’m sorry,” said Nina.
“Werewolves?” asked Mary, “Are they as ferocious like in the movies?”
“Yeah, I was attacked by one two years ago,” stated Nina.
“Where you okay?” asked Mary.
“It’s almost a full moon,” said Nina.
“Oh my god, you’re, wow, you,” Mary couldn’t find words for it.
“I’m scaring you aren’t I?” she asked.
“No, just one more reason for you to be my best friend,” smiled Mary.
“Oh,” smiled Nina, “You’re taking, all of this, awfully well.”
“Some how, I think I knew all my life,” said Mary, “Explains all the things that happened on T.V. and stuff.”
“Yeah,” sighed Nina, “I was dating a vampire.”
“You were?” asked Mary, “Aren’t they evil?”
“His name was Angel, and he had a soul, but he said it was better I leave L.A. Something to do with an apocalypse with in the company he worked at,” stated Nina, “Wolfram & Hart.”
“What’s happened to that place anyway?” asked Mary.
“Well, they aren’t around,” she stated, “Something took them out, I don’t know, it’s like the whole place took up and left, now the building is a mall.”
Mary smiled, “I knew those people could do better things with their lives.”
“I think the employees are dead,” said Nina, “I just get that feel from it.”
“Wow,” said Mary, “This is a lot of stuff.”
“I hope you find Liam,” said Nina, “Unless he’s evil.”
“I don’t care if he’s evil, he didn’t try to hurt me,” said Mary.
“Well my boyfriend had an evil side to him,” said Nina, “If he experienced a moment of complete pure happiness he’d loose his soul and become this alter ego named Angelus.”
“Was it as bad as it sounds?” asked Mary.
“I wasn’t there when any of it happened or anything but, from the stories, he was evil, pure and simple evil,” stated Nina.
“Well, if Liam’s a vampire, I hope he has a soul,” stated Mary.
“Makes a sex relationship hard though,” laughed Nina.
“YOU’RE 17 NOW AREN’T YOU?” questioned Conner looking out the window then back at Emma. Emma shook her head ‘yes’. She was sitting up with the blanket around her. “Wolfram & Hart I think has left for now. Gunn’s dead, Lilah’s dead, the Harvester, dead.”
Conner knelt down in front of her. He pushed her hair off her face touching her cheek, if felt normal now, “You’re back, with me.” He smiled, “Mines.” Emma looked at him putting her hand on his. “I killed Angelus,” growled Conner, “Dust, killed, gone.”
Emma looked down, “It won’t stop.”
“What?” asked Conner.
“I see what he did, every time I close my eyes, I try to block it out but…”
“He’s burning now for everything,” stated Conner.
“You even know what he did?” she sobbed.
“Yes, he told me, then I staked him between the legs then in the heart,” Conner said, “I wished that I had found you,” a tear went down her cheek, “I’m sorry, I wanted to find you.”
“I’m still cold on the inside,” she said looking at the window.
Conner leaned in and went to kiss her but she moved her face away from him. He just stopped before he touched her skin and looked at her. Emma didn’t want to be kissed, she didn’t want to be touched, but she wanted to be touched. She wanted everything to end.
“I want it to go away,” she said wiping her face.
“You’re mines,” said Conner, “Not his,” his voice got forceful, “I love you, and I’d kill him every day of eternity for you.”
“Stop saying that stuff,” she said looking him in the eyes, “I’m not yours.” Conner pulled away from her, “I want my dad,” she spoke, “Where is he?”
“I don’t know,” stated Conner.
“Go away,” she said.
“Emma,” breathed Conner, he wanted to protest, he just wanted to be near her.
“Go away,” she sighed.
Conner was hurt by her.
“I FOUND CLOTHES FOR EMMA,” said Dawn, she sounded proud for herself for finding clothes to wear, they were in a box she sat down on the counter in the lobby. Wesley was sitting at the desk behind the bar. Leaning back thinking, not really of anything.
“Has the snow stopped?” asked Wesley.
“Yeah,” sighed Dawn, “It hasn’t melted or anything, but it’s stopped.”
“I see,” stated Wesley, “Have you called Buffy?”
“Yeah,” said Dawn, “I told her that I’ll be meeting up with Andrew in Washington then going to Canada for a couple of weeks, before I start school.”
“Isn’t too late?” asked Wesley.
“They won’t care really,” she said, “I can always go back to Buffy and work with her.”
“Does she know about Emma?” asked Wesley.
“No,” stated Dawn, “She’s already gotten over the crying and the mourning of loss, well, not completely over it but she’s doing good, and I don’t want her coming here, too many risks.”
“You’re a smart young woman,” stated Wesley, “Really grown up. That is about the best plan I think could have been chosen. Buffy shouldn’t be thrown around the bin, her emotions played with. A person be gone, then come back.”
“Thanks,” said Dawn, “Lying to her feels bad though.”
“Lying most of the time feels bad, but I think it’s for Buffy’s own good that we keep this lie.”
“One less reason for her to be coming back to L.A., she’ll probably go off on her own with her boyfriend Alex, I think they love each other,” stated Dawn, “Buffy can have another life sort of.”
“Sadly true, but I figure it could make things better to keep that of mind,” said Wesley.
They noticed Conner walked down the hall upstairs towards where his room would be. “I think I’ll talk to him,” said Dawn.
“Alright,” replied Wesley, “I’ll keep a watch on the phones. Not like their really going to ring though.”
“Okay,” said Dawn.
CONNER slammed his bedroom door shut making the wall shake. He laid down on his bed for a long moment. He looked up at the ceiling, “I get her back, and she doesn’t want me,” he said to himself.
“She wants you,” said Dawn.
Conner sat up quickly, he looked at Dawn, “What do you want?”
“What’s wrong?” asked Dawn.
“What’s wrong?” he snarled, “Emma.”
“Do you even understand the situation?” Dawn asked going into the room and closing the door behind her.
“She doesn’t want me anymore,” said Conner looking at Dawn.
“She doesn’t want you physically now,” stated Dawn, “She was raped. Emma’s probably sick with herself. She feels helpless. She should get better.”
“But, I want to make her feel better,” said Conner.
“Emma probably needs a little space,” assured Dawn.
“Do you know what Emma will do if she’s sad enough?” asked Conner.
“I don’t know-”
“Hurt herself,” said Conner, “I would too.”
“I think she’s smart enough not to,” stated Dawn.
“I want her to forget that ever happened,” said Conner.
“I know a spell,” said Dawn.
“Magic, no,” said Conner, “It turns out bad.”
“It won’t,” stated Dawn, “I’ve been practicing magic.”
“You have no idea what you’re playing with,” stated Conner standing up.
“It was just a suggestion,” smiled Dawn, “Nothing big, no biggy.”
“I want to be alone,” sighed Conner.
“Okay,” stated Dawn, “I’ll leave you alone.”
[SUN DOWN] NINA stepped into the Hyperion. Wesley saw her come in and stood up, “Nina?”
“Hi Wes, um… where’s Angel?” asked Nina.
“Dead,” stated Wesley.
“What, I needed to talk to him,” replied Nina.
“I well, sorry to say it,” he replied, “I don’t think he’ll come back just so you can talk to him.”
“Nina,” stated that familiar voice.
“Angel?” questioned Wesley.
“I’m back,” said Angel, “Long story,” replied Angel, “I’m not Angelus anymore.”
“How do we know?” asked Wesley amazed by having Angel before him.
“I don’t know,” said Angel.
“I want to talk to you,” said Nina, “Alone.”
“Come into my office,” said Angel.
Nina followed him into his office. Wesley stood there in awe.
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