Ficlet: "The Other Guy" (Fred/Nick, Angel/CSI: crossover, FRT)
TITLE: The Other Guy
AUTHOR: Lara (larakailyn)
SUMMARY: There’s someone Fred’s been turning to - only it’s not who Charles thinks.
PAIRING: Fred Burkle/Nick Stokes (references to Fred/Gunn)
FANDOMS: Angel/CSI:
RATING: FRT
SPOILERS: Season 4 Angel, mainly “The House Always Wins” and “Soulless”.
DISCLAIMER: I only wish I were as successful as Joss Whedon. He and Mutant Enemy own the Buffyverse/Angelverse while Jerry Bruckheimer and his people own the CSIverse; I just write fanfic for fun.
DISTRIBUTION: If anyone wants to archive this, please let me know!
FEEDBACK: Very much appreciated.
AUTHOR'S NOTES: Written for btvsats_love’s “strangle/choke” open fandom prompt (so I did a crossover).
The business card’s edges are bent and frayed from all the times Fred’s pulled it out. Every time she’s used it, though, she’s never been able to tell him the complete truth, not wanting to pull him into a world he probably couldn’t even imagine existing because she knows he’s probably seen enough badness in his life as it is, so why should she burden him with more?
Her neck still throbs from Angelus’ attempt to strangle her downstairs - she should have let go of the cart, she chastises herself - and Charles is still ranting like it’s Wesley’s fault. If it’s anyone’s fault, it’s hers. But Angelus’ words have done their damage.
Only, Charles is ranting about the wrong guy.
*****
Looking in the mirror, she made a face, not sure this was going to work. Green skin looked good on Lorne, but she wasn’t sure it did on her, and God, would her father have a heart attack if he saw the outfit she wore. There was also something a bit...weird about dressing up like the same race that enslaved you although she was pretty sure that none of the Pylean women she had seen were as beautiful as the girls who danced with Lorne.
With one last fluff of her hair, she hurried out of the dressing room, practically running over a man in the corridor, sending them both into the wall with a thud.
“Oh...I’m sorry!” she apologized as he helped her straighten up.
“It’s all right. You aren’t-Fred? That you?”
Looking at him for the first time, she felt her eyes widen in amazement. “Nick?”
“What are you doing here?” they both asked simultaneously before laughing nervously. Fred hadn’t seen Nick since she was sixteen, the last time Nick was back home in Texas, visiting her cousin Logan, who had been his best friend growing up.
“You’re in this show?”
“No...I’m just...it’s a long story. I’m helping a friend,” she told him. “What about you? You were about to graduate from college, last I saw you.”
“Yep. Went into forensics, ended up in Vegas. I’m investigating a strangulation case here at the hotel.” Nick stopped for a moment and smiled. “Man, it’s good to see you.”
Blushing, Fred looked down. “Even though I look like a strange demon alien?”
“Yeah, even so. But I thought you were-Logan said you disappeared.”
“I...another long story. I’m back now.”
“You want to get a coffee or something? Catch up? You can tell me all about it.”
She looked over her shoulder before shaking her head regretfully. “I can’t. I have to meet my boyfriend and friends.”
“Oh.” The disappointment in his voice was evident.
“I...I’d love to talk to you sometime, though,” she told him.
“Let me give you my card,” he said, reaching into his pocket. “Call anytime.”
*****
They’ve spoken at least a dozen times since then, and every time, Fred wants to tell him everything because he’s the only one outside all this craziness she can trust. He listens to her ramble, talks about his days, gives her something normal. And as she and Charles have grown more apart over the last few weeks, Nick’s been the one she’s increasingly turned to. It isn’t right, she knows, but she needs him.
She just prays he understands as she dials the number. She knows it by heart now, but she likes looking at the card anyway.
“Hello?” his groggy voice comes on the line.
“N-Nick?” she chokes out.
“Fred? What’s wrong?”
Suddenly, she’s scared again and wonders if telling him is a good idea. “You probably wouldn’t believe me if I told you.”
“Try me.”
AUTHOR: Lara (larakailyn)
SUMMARY: There’s someone Fred’s been turning to - only it’s not who Charles thinks.
PAIRING: Fred Burkle/Nick Stokes (references to Fred/Gunn)
FANDOMS: Angel/CSI:
RATING: FRT
SPOILERS: Season 4 Angel, mainly “The House Always Wins” and “Soulless”.
DISCLAIMER: I only wish I were as successful as Joss Whedon. He and Mutant Enemy own the Buffyverse/Angelverse while Jerry Bruckheimer and his people own the CSIverse; I just write fanfic for fun.
DISTRIBUTION: If anyone wants to archive this, please let me know!
FEEDBACK: Very much appreciated.
AUTHOR'S NOTES: Written for btvsats_love’s “strangle/choke” open fandom prompt (so I did a crossover).
The business card’s edges are bent and frayed from all the times Fred’s pulled it out. Every time she’s used it, though, she’s never been able to tell him the complete truth, not wanting to pull him into a world he probably couldn’t even imagine existing because she knows he’s probably seen enough badness in his life as it is, so why should she burden him with more?
Her neck still throbs from Angelus’ attempt to strangle her downstairs - she should have let go of the cart, she chastises herself - and Charles is still ranting like it’s Wesley’s fault. If it’s anyone’s fault, it’s hers. But Angelus’ words have done their damage.
Only, Charles is ranting about the wrong guy.
*****
Looking in the mirror, she made a face, not sure this was going to work. Green skin looked good on Lorne, but she wasn’t sure it did on her, and God, would her father have a heart attack if he saw the outfit she wore. There was also something a bit...weird about dressing up like the same race that enslaved you although she was pretty sure that none of the Pylean women she had seen were as beautiful as the girls who danced with Lorne.
With one last fluff of her hair, she hurried out of the dressing room, practically running over a man in the corridor, sending them both into the wall with a thud.
“Oh...I’m sorry!” she apologized as he helped her straighten up.
“It’s all right. You aren’t-Fred? That you?”
Looking at him for the first time, she felt her eyes widen in amazement. “Nick?”
“What are you doing here?” they both asked simultaneously before laughing nervously. Fred hadn’t seen Nick since she was sixteen, the last time Nick was back home in Texas, visiting her cousin Logan, who had been his best friend growing up.
“You’re in this show?”
“No...I’m just...it’s a long story. I’m helping a friend,” she told him. “What about you? You were about to graduate from college, last I saw you.”
“Yep. Went into forensics, ended up in Vegas. I’m investigating a strangulation case here at the hotel.” Nick stopped for a moment and smiled. “Man, it’s good to see you.”
Blushing, Fred looked down. “Even though I look like a strange demon alien?”
“Yeah, even so. But I thought you were-Logan said you disappeared.”
“I...another long story. I’m back now.”
“You want to get a coffee or something? Catch up? You can tell me all about it.”
She looked over her shoulder before shaking her head regretfully. “I can’t. I have to meet my boyfriend and friends.”
“Oh.” The disappointment in his voice was evident.
“I...I’d love to talk to you sometime, though,” she told him.
“Let me give you my card,” he said, reaching into his pocket. “Call anytime.”
*****
They’ve spoken at least a dozen times since then, and every time, Fred wants to tell him everything because he’s the only one outside all this craziness she can trust. He listens to her ramble, talks about his days, gives her something normal. And as she and Charles have grown more apart over the last few weeks, Nick’s been the one she’s increasingly turned to. It isn’t right, she knows, but she needs him.
She just prays he understands as she dials the number. She knows it by heart now, but she likes looking at the card anyway.
“Hello?” his groggy voice comes on the line.
“N-Nick?” she chokes out.
“Fred? What’s wrong?”
Suddenly, she’s scared again and wonders if telling him is a good idea. “You probably wouldn’t believe me if I told you.”
“Try me.”