Paka Ahali (NC-17, Wesley/Gunn, Angel/Doyle)
Title: Paka Ahali
Author: frk_werewolf
Fandom: Angelverse
Rating: NC-17
Pairing: Wesley/Gunn, Angel/Doyle, Cordelia/Various
Summary: As the infection within grows into an animal, Wesley finds himself questioning the meaning of family and fighting to protect those closest to him.
Warnings: Slash. Minor-almost-not-there Het. And character death, only not so much.
Icon made my she_and_i_were! I'm so spoilt.
Notes: This takes place in the Fisi-Verse, which up until now focused primarily on Spike/Xander. The fisi-verse consists of the following stories, in order: Fisi Mtima (16 chapters), Kao (1-shot), and Mbwa Mwitu (21 chapters). As is typical with this universe, the title is Swahili and roughly translates into cat family. If you'd like to know what's planned for this universe, check out this entry.
I highly suggest you read the other stories before tackling this one, but here is a quick run-down: In Fisi Mtima Xander was repossessed with the Hyena from Season One (episode: The Pack). In the process of uniting his hyena with his human side, he discovered Spike to be his mate and Spike received his soul, thanks to the help of Tara. Also, we discover that Doyle did not die and is currently shacking it up with Angel in L.A. In Kao, Xander and Spike find an apartment. In Mbwa Mwitu, everything changes when Oz returns and Tara breaks up with Willow. The Initiative captures Xander and Oz, leaving Tara and Spike to save them, which in turn leads to Buffy and Riley's death. Wesley, in Mbwa Mwitu, was attacked by a demon while helping and became infected. That led to this story.
for later chapters, see below
Prologue
Change. It was inevitable. No matter who you were or where you lived, you had to face it. Typically, change happened over a series of events, stretched out through time. You hardly noticed you were changing until one day you woke up and realized you were a completely different person.
Wesley had never truly appreciated the fact that when he changed, he did so on his own terms. Leaving the Watcher's Council, coming to L.A., and choosing to help Tara. These were choices that he made, consciously, with the knowledge that they would alter everything. He did not, however, realize how different life would be after the Initiative.
Change. It was something you weren't always prepared for, but in the end you had to face. You didn't get to choose how it appeared or what it did, but you could control how you reacted toward it. The problem was that, all in all, most people didn't react the way they should.
This was a fact that Wesley was about to learn.
Chapter One
Doyle didn't bother to open his mouth and ask if Angel wanted dinner. His vampire lover immediately, upon entering the Hyperion, had walked briskly up the stairs and disappeared through the darkened hallway. Doyle rubbed slightly at his forehead and thanked his stars that they had already dropped a teary eyed Cordelia off after Buffy Summers' funeral.
It was bad enough, having to spend the morning at his lover's ex-girlfriend's funeral, but what's worst was the vision Doyle had had upon arriving in L.A. Angel, who wanted nothing more than to hide in his room and brood, had to help save yet another group of innocents, before the sun had actually set.
Doyle glanced through the window pane and at the thundering clouds in the sky. They certainly fit his mood. With a slight sigh, Doyle pulled off his coat and, after tossing it on a random sofa, made his way upstairs. He bypassed the library, which had signs of brooding vibrating through it's walls. Instead of checking on Angel, he chose instead to move farther down the corridors until he reached the bedroom they had given Wesley. He could hear Gunn speaking through the door, his voice soft and low.
"Gunn?" Doyle called, gently, as he tapped on the door. It swung open a moment later to reveal a man who looked as though he hadn't slept in days, his clothes wrinkled and his eyes bloodshot. "Hey."
"You guys back already?" Gunn asked, pulling the door open and allowing Doyle entrance.
"Yeah, well, Angel didn't want to stay and hang out with the locals if you know what I mean." Doyle replied, walking toward the bed and taking a look at Wesley.
A yellow sheen of sweat seemed to coat the man's body. He was naked to the waist, the covers drawn down to reveal the large bandage covering his wound. Doyle could still picture the broken claw protruding from Wesley's side, dripping with the golden blood of a lion demon. Wesley was still asleep, his head jerking every so often in a fitful dream.
"I take it we missed the doc's visit?" Doyle questioned, sitting down in a nearby chair. Gunn sat down on the bed, his eyes focused on Wesley's labored breathing.
"Yeah." Gunn nodded. "He's coming back tomorrow evening, at about sunset. In the meantime we have to prepare that cage in the basement for him."
"Cage?" Doyle blinked in shock, before looking back at Wesley. "Why? Is he that dangerous?"
"We don't know, and that's the problem." Gunn admitted, with a tired sigh. "Dr. Keebler says he's fighting the change, but it's inevitable. Wes' body will give out if it keeps this up."
"What are we suppose to do then?"
"He told me to prepare the cage. He's got a plan, I'm not sure what." Gunn shrugged. "As long as it helps and doesn't kill Wesley, I'm willing to go for it."
A tense silence followed, in which Doyle contemplated whether Angel was finished brooding or not. "I should go check on my vampire. I know he's going through a hard time right now, with Buffy's death, but... It might be a good idea to make sure he didn't set himself on fire or something."
"Hey, man." Gunn said, with a slight smile. "Don't know Angel as well as you do, but don't let this bother you. I mean, she was his unlife for three years. He was under the impression that she was his ticket to happiness and sanity."
"I know that." Doyle replied, unable to keep the resentful tone out of his voice. "It's just a little... Difficult to know that I'll always be second to her, even after death."
"Love isn't easy. I think my sister told me that when I was younger." Gunn said, looking down at Wesley with worried eyes. Doyle stood up, taking a moment to pat Gunn on the shoulder, before silently leave the room.
The light was growing, causing his eyes to burn. Blinking, Doyle looked up at Angel, who stood with a grim look on his face. The vampire opened his mouth, speaking, but no sound came out. Doyle felt himself tense, fighting to speak back or to stop Angel from doing whatever it was he wanted to do. The light continued to grow.
"The good fight, yeah?"
"Doyle? Doyle!" Doyle jerked, sitting up with wide eyes. His throat seemed to tighten as he fought to breathe. Cordelia stood in front of him, her mouth drawn into a tight frown. "Are you okay? ...You fell asleep right in the middle of my dazzling explanation of the filing system."
"Filing system?" Doyle asked, rubbing at his eyes. He fought to push the memory of his dream away, certain that it wasn't a vision and merely his sub-conscious playing tricks on him. "Where is everyone?"
"Basement." Cordelia replied, suddenly looking uneasy. "They just moved Wesley in. He didn't wake up, thank God. Dr. Keebler's on his way... I-I'm going to stay out here, you know. Man the desk. We might get some calls, after all--"
"Cordy, it's okay." Doyle interrupted. "You don't have to be down there." Cordelia let out a nervous sigh and sat down on top of the desk. "He's going to be okay, Princess."
"I know." Cordelia insisted. "I just... Wesley has this horrible habit of getting hurt and I'm tired of being worried about him!" Cordelia crossed her arms and looked, for a moment, on the verge of diving into a full rant. It was the sound of the door opening that kept her from speaking. Cordelia let out a frustrated noise, before hopping off of the desk and entering the lobby. "Hi, you must be Dr. Keebler! I... Like your horns."
"Why thank you, young lady." A squeaky voice replied.
Doyle stood, taking a moment to stretch, before entering the lobby. A short man with a pair of two inch pink horns protruding from his forehead stood near the front door, a black doctor's bag in his hand. If Doyle's memory served him right, this was the same doctor to help Spike and Xander when they were first having their hyena problem. Doyle could only pray that this turned out as well as that did.
"Ah, Mr. Doyle. I am Dr. Keebler, of the Woodland Territory." Dr. Keebler greeted, with a slight bow. "I've heard a great deal of you... I see you're still coated with those pesky visions."
"Well, a guy has to have a day job." Doyle stated. "Come on, I think they're ready."
Doyle led Dr. Keebler to the basement. The normally dank and cold space was lit up with a few lamps that Gunn had brought down. The cage had a makeshift bed placed in the corner, where Wesley lay. The man's wheezing could be heard all the way from the stairs. Doyle immediately walked over to Angel's side, watching as Gunn stared at Wesley through the cage bars.
"Well, now, I see our patient isn't doing much better." Dr. Keebler commented, setting his bag onto the floor. He dug around for a moment, before pulling out a large magnifying glass. "Shall we see how far the infection has spread?"
Dr. Keebler calmly waited for Gunn to unlock the cage door, before entering and shutting it behind him. He knelt down next to the bed and raised the magnifying glass about a foot away from his face. Small noises of thoughtfulness escaped the doctor as he inspected Wesley from head to foot.
"Well?" Gunn asked, when Dr. Keebler stood up. He watched as the doctor opened the door and once again start digging through his bag.
"As I had suspected, the infection has spread dramatically." Dr. Keebler admitted. He straightened up, holding a small vial of light green liquid and a long syringe. "His immune system is fighting the change. It's trying to kill the so-called virus, but is destroying itself in the process. The infection is not, exactly, a virus, though. His body is unable to recognize the magical and demonic side of the blood corrupting his body."
"Corrupting?" Gunn asked, looking horrified.
"Yes, I'm afraid that's the best term for this process." Dr. Keebler admitted. "Very few of the victims of this sort of attack survive the initial transformation, so it's very difficult to tell what it will do to Wesley's body. It could be anything from him taking on aspects of the demon, to a complete alteration of personality."
"What can we do to ensure that Wesley will still be Wesley?" Angel asked in his typical 'I'm concerned, watch me brood' voice. Doyle tried, for the life of him, to not describe Angel in such a way, but after dating the vampire for over a year it became a habit.
"That, sadly, is something I do not know." Dr. Keebler stated, reaching back into his bag to pull out a band-aid and cotton ball. "I would suspect that when he awakens he won't be himself either way, but after a couple of days we should know for certain."
"This feels so wrong." Gunn commented, softly.
"Not everything happens in perfect order." Dr. Keebler informed him. "Sometimes you've got to hit a few bumps along the way." Dr. Keebler sighed, before immediately perking up again. "Now, Mr. Gunn, if you would be so kind as to come help me hold our dear patient down?"
"Is this going to be dangerous?" Doyle found himself asking. Dr. Keebler merely looked at him, all perkiness vanishing briefly from his face. Doyle, of course, had already known the answer. Of course it was dangerous. This serum, or whatever it was that was inside that vial, could have the opposite effect on Wesley: killing him instantly. Or, Wesley could be allergic to it. Or, the demonic infection could, instead, feed off the injection and thus grow stronger.
Doyle gulped and looked away as Dr. Keebler once again entered the cage. He felt Angel slip his arm around his shoulders, trying to provide some form of support. Sighing, Doyle turned back toward the cage. Gunn had entered behind the doctor and was now kneeling next to the bed, pining Wesley's shoulders to the mattress, which was made up of blankets.
Unable to take it, Doyle took a step forward, giving himself a better view. Angel stepped up next to him, his jaw set and eyes narrowed. Resting his hands on the cold, metal bars, Doyle watched as Dr. Keebler pulled a small packet out of his back pocket. He ripped it open, pulling out a small wet piece of cloth and proceeded in cleaning the side of Wesley's neck. Then, setting that on the bed next to Wesley's twitching arm, Dr. Keebler picked up the syringe.
The needle's cap popped with a soft click. The needle was long, causing Gunn to cringe at the sight. Calmly, the doctor picked up the vial of green liquid and flipped it upside-down. He inserted the needle into the white circle of rubber that was part of the vial's lid and swiftly filled the needle.
The whole process lasted for barely a minute, if even that, but seemed like an eternity to Doyle. Not finding the strength to look away, Doyle could only watch as Dr. Keebler slowly inserted the needle into Wesley's neck and, most likely, into one of the arteries found there. Wesley's body tensed in his sleep, the muscles in his neck flexing. Dr. Keebler quickly injected the serum and pulled the needle out of Wesley's neck, placing the cotton ball over the spot. He checked it, making sure it wasn't bleeding, before unwrapping the band-aid and gently attaching it to the needle wound.
"Is that all?" Gunn asked, his voice shaky.
"Yes. That is all, for now." Dr. Keebler replied, standing. "Let him rest. If he starts jerking, as though going into a fit, let him be. It's a normal reaction to the medication. If the skin around the injection sight starts turning a shade of green, however, immediately find a way to strap him onto the bed and call me."
"You're not staying... To watch after him?" Doyle asked.
"I'm afraid you are not my only clients." Dr. Keebler informed them, picking up his black bag. "I have a half-Volga demon giving birth before the sun breaks. I can't very well miss it, you know." Dr. Keebler sent them a bright smile. "Not to worry, of course! Everything will be quite all right."
"I'm not sure I believe you." Doyle admitted.
"Well, that's not exactly my problem. Faith and belief, as you may know, is something completely different than reality." Dr. Keebler said. "Now, Mr. Angel. Shall you walk me to the door?"
Angel blinked, looking momentarily shocked, before glancing at Doyle. Doyle shrugged. Letting out a mild sigh, Angel followed Dr. Keebler up the stairs. The basement door shut behind them. Doyle nervously crossed his arms and turned toward Gunn, who had relocked the cage door. "So, now we wait."
"Worst job in the world, waiting." Gunn grumbled.
"Yeah." Doyle nodded. After a moment of uneasy silence, Doyle felt he had outstayed his welcome. Leaving Gunn to his thinking and Wesley-watching, Doyle made his way upstairs. There he found a very confused looking Angel, staring at the door. "You okay, big guy?"
"I think I'm suppose to ask you that." Angel replied, frowning. "He told me to watch out for you. Like... Something was going to happen."
"Angel, man, I wouldn't worry about that." Doyle said, slipping an arm into Angel's. "I'm not going anywhere anytime soon."
"I didn't say you were." Angel told him, softly. Unsure of what, exactly, to say to that, Doyle gently tugged Angel toward the stairs.
"Hey, wait!" Cordelia called from the office. She appeared a second later, pulling on her jacket. "I'm leaving early."
"Why?" Angel asked, looking concerned. While this was a common look for the vampire, Doyle had to admit it was a better expression than the one of worried confusion he was wearing a minute before.
"I have a date." Cordelia beamed.
"He's not... A demon or anything, is he?" Cordelia scowled up at Angel, who had the decency to look a little sheepish about asking such a question. Doyle quickly intercepted before Cordelia could muster a reply.
"Have a good time, yeah?" Doyle smiled, encouragingly. "And, just, you know, call us when you get home?"
"That I can do." Cordelia grinned. Angel and Doyle watched her grab her purse and literally dart from the building, as though afraid they would catch her and tie her to a chair in order to make her stay.
"Maybe we should--?" Angel started.
"You are not about to suggest we follow her." Doyle interrupted, giving his lover a dark look. "Besides, we need to stay here in case something happens with Wesley."
"I wasn't going to suggest that." Angel insisted, allowing Doyle to push him the rest of the way upstairs.
Chapters: Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. Seven.
OR, in the memories.
Author: frk_werewolf
Fandom: Angelverse
Rating: NC-17
Pairing: Wesley/Gunn, Angel/Doyle, Cordelia/Various
Summary: As the infection within grows into an animal, Wesley finds himself questioning the meaning of family and fighting to protect those closest to him.
Warnings: Slash. Minor-almost-not-there Het. And character death, only not so much.
Icon made my she_and_i_were! I'm so spoilt.
Notes: This takes place in the Fisi-Verse, which up until now focused primarily on Spike/Xander. The fisi-verse consists of the following stories, in order: Fisi Mtima (16 chapters), Kao (1-shot), and Mbwa Mwitu (21 chapters). As is typical with this universe, the title is Swahili and roughly translates into cat family. If you'd like to know what's planned for this universe, check out this entry.
I highly suggest you read the other stories before tackling this one, but here is a quick run-down: In Fisi Mtima Xander was repossessed with the Hyena from Season One (episode: The Pack). In the process of uniting his hyena with his human side, he discovered Spike to be his mate and Spike received his soul, thanks to the help of Tara. Also, we discover that Doyle did not die and is currently shacking it up with Angel in L.A. In Kao, Xander and Spike find an apartment. In Mbwa Mwitu, everything changes when Oz returns and Tara breaks up with Willow. The Initiative captures Xander and Oz, leaving Tara and Spike to save them, which in turn leads to Buffy and Riley's death. Wesley, in Mbwa Mwitu, was attacked by a demon while helping and became infected. That led to this story.
for later chapters, see below
Prologue
Change. It was inevitable. No matter who you were or where you lived, you had to face it. Typically, change happened over a series of events, stretched out through time. You hardly noticed you were changing until one day you woke up and realized you were a completely different person.
Wesley had never truly appreciated the fact that when he changed, he did so on his own terms. Leaving the Watcher's Council, coming to L.A., and choosing to help Tara. These were choices that he made, consciously, with the knowledge that they would alter everything. He did not, however, realize how different life would be after the Initiative.
Change. It was something you weren't always prepared for, but in the end you had to face. You didn't get to choose how it appeared or what it did, but you could control how you reacted toward it. The problem was that, all in all, most people didn't react the way they should.
This was a fact that Wesley was about to learn.
Chapter One
Doyle didn't bother to open his mouth and ask if Angel wanted dinner. His vampire lover immediately, upon entering the Hyperion, had walked briskly up the stairs and disappeared through the darkened hallway. Doyle rubbed slightly at his forehead and thanked his stars that they had already dropped a teary eyed Cordelia off after Buffy Summers' funeral.
It was bad enough, having to spend the morning at his lover's ex-girlfriend's funeral, but what's worst was the vision Doyle had had upon arriving in L.A. Angel, who wanted nothing more than to hide in his room and brood, had to help save yet another group of innocents, before the sun had actually set.
Doyle glanced through the window pane and at the thundering clouds in the sky. They certainly fit his mood. With a slight sigh, Doyle pulled off his coat and, after tossing it on a random sofa, made his way upstairs. He bypassed the library, which had signs of brooding vibrating through it's walls. Instead of checking on Angel, he chose instead to move farther down the corridors until he reached the bedroom they had given Wesley. He could hear Gunn speaking through the door, his voice soft and low.
"Gunn?" Doyle called, gently, as he tapped on the door. It swung open a moment later to reveal a man who looked as though he hadn't slept in days, his clothes wrinkled and his eyes bloodshot. "Hey."
"You guys back already?" Gunn asked, pulling the door open and allowing Doyle entrance.
"Yeah, well, Angel didn't want to stay and hang out with the locals if you know what I mean." Doyle replied, walking toward the bed and taking a look at Wesley.
A yellow sheen of sweat seemed to coat the man's body. He was naked to the waist, the covers drawn down to reveal the large bandage covering his wound. Doyle could still picture the broken claw protruding from Wesley's side, dripping with the golden blood of a lion demon. Wesley was still asleep, his head jerking every so often in a fitful dream.
"I take it we missed the doc's visit?" Doyle questioned, sitting down in a nearby chair. Gunn sat down on the bed, his eyes focused on Wesley's labored breathing.
"Yeah." Gunn nodded. "He's coming back tomorrow evening, at about sunset. In the meantime we have to prepare that cage in the basement for him."
"Cage?" Doyle blinked in shock, before looking back at Wesley. "Why? Is he that dangerous?"
"We don't know, and that's the problem." Gunn admitted, with a tired sigh. "Dr. Keebler says he's fighting the change, but it's inevitable. Wes' body will give out if it keeps this up."
"What are we suppose to do then?"
"He told me to prepare the cage. He's got a plan, I'm not sure what." Gunn shrugged. "As long as it helps and doesn't kill Wesley, I'm willing to go for it."
A tense silence followed, in which Doyle contemplated whether Angel was finished brooding or not. "I should go check on my vampire. I know he's going through a hard time right now, with Buffy's death, but... It might be a good idea to make sure he didn't set himself on fire or something."
"Hey, man." Gunn said, with a slight smile. "Don't know Angel as well as you do, but don't let this bother you. I mean, she was his unlife for three years. He was under the impression that she was his ticket to happiness and sanity."
"I know that." Doyle replied, unable to keep the resentful tone out of his voice. "It's just a little... Difficult to know that I'll always be second to her, even after death."
"Love isn't easy. I think my sister told me that when I was younger." Gunn said, looking down at Wesley with worried eyes. Doyle stood up, taking a moment to pat Gunn on the shoulder, before silently leave the room.
The light was growing, causing his eyes to burn. Blinking, Doyle looked up at Angel, who stood with a grim look on his face. The vampire opened his mouth, speaking, but no sound came out. Doyle felt himself tense, fighting to speak back or to stop Angel from doing whatever it was he wanted to do. The light continued to grow.
"The good fight, yeah?"
"Doyle? Doyle!" Doyle jerked, sitting up with wide eyes. His throat seemed to tighten as he fought to breathe. Cordelia stood in front of him, her mouth drawn into a tight frown. "Are you okay? ...You fell asleep right in the middle of my dazzling explanation of the filing system."
"Filing system?" Doyle asked, rubbing at his eyes. He fought to push the memory of his dream away, certain that it wasn't a vision and merely his sub-conscious playing tricks on him. "Where is everyone?"
"Basement." Cordelia replied, suddenly looking uneasy. "They just moved Wesley in. He didn't wake up, thank God. Dr. Keebler's on his way... I-I'm going to stay out here, you know. Man the desk. We might get some calls, after all--"
"Cordy, it's okay." Doyle interrupted. "You don't have to be down there." Cordelia let out a nervous sigh and sat down on top of the desk. "He's going to be okay, Princess."
"I know." Cordelia insisted. "I just... Wesley has this horrible habit of getting hurt and I'm tired of being worried about him!" Cordelia crossed her arms and looked, for a moment, on the verge of diving into a full rant. It was the sound of the door opening that kept her from speaking. Cordelia let out a frustrated noise, before hopping off of the desk and entering the lobby. "Hi, you must be Dr. Keebler! I... Like your horns."
"Why thank you, young lady." A squeaky voice replied.
Doyle stood, taking a moment to stretch, before entering the lobby. A short man with a pair of two inch pink horns protruding from his forehead stood near the front door, a black doctor's bag in his hand. If Doyle's memory served him right, this was the same doctor to help Spike and Xander when they were first having their hyena problem. Doyle could only pray that this turned out as well as that did.
"Ah, Mr. Doyle. I am Dr. Keebler, of the Woodland Territory." Dr. Keebler greeted, with a slight bow. "I've heard a great deal of you... I see you're still coated with those pesky visions."
"Well, a guy has to have a day job." Doyle stated. "Come on, I think they're ready."
Doyle led Dr. Keebler to the basement. The normally dank and cold space was lit up with a few lamps that Gunn had brought down. The cage had a makeshift bed placed in the corner, where Wesley lay. The man's wheezing could be heard all the way from the stairs. Doyle immediately walked over to Angel's side, watching as Gunn stared at Wesley through the cage bars.
"Well, now, I see our patient isn't doing much better." Dr. Keebler commented, setting his bag onto the floor. He dug around for a moment, before pulling out a large magnifying glass. "Shall we see how far the infection has spread?"
Dr. Keebler calmly waited for Gunn to unlock the cage door, before entering and shutting it behind him. He knelt down next to the bed and raised the magnifying glass about a foot away from his face. Small noises of thoughtfulness escaped the doctor as he inspected Wesley from head to foot.
"Well?" Gunn asked, when Dr. Keebler stood up. He watched as the doctor opened the door and once again start digging through his bag.
"As I had suspected, the infection has spread dramatically." Dr. Keebler admitted. He straightened up, holding a small vial of light green liquid and a long syringe. "His immune system is fighting the change. It's trying to kill the so-called virus, but is destroying itself in the process. The infection is not, exactly, a virus, though. His body is unable to recognize the magical and demonic side of the blood corrupting his body."
"Corrupting?" Gunn asked, looking horrified.
"Yes, I'm afraid that's the best term for this process." Dr. Keebler admitted. "Very few of the victims of this sort of attack survive the initial transformation, so it's very difficult to tell what it will do to Wesley's body. It could be anything from him taking on aspects of the demon, to a complete alteration of personality."
"What can we do to ensure that Wesley will still be Wesley?" Angel asked in his typical 'I'm concerned, watch me brood' voice. Doyle tried, for the life of him, to not describe Angel in such a way, but after dating the vampire for over a year it became a habit.
"That, sadly, is something I do not know." Dr. Keebler stated, reaching back into his bag to pull out a band-aid and cotton ball. "I would suspect that when he awakens he won't be himself either way, but after a couple of days we should know for certain."
"This feels so wrong." Gunn commented, softly.
"Not everything happens in perfect order." Dr. Keebler informed him. "Sometimes you've got to hit a few bumps along the way." Dr. Keebler sighed, before immediately perking up again. "Now, Mr. Gunn, if you would be so kind as to come help me hold our dear patient down?"
"Is this going to be dangerous?" Doyle found himself asking. Dr. Keebler merely looked at him, all perkiness vanishing briefly from his face. Doyle, of course, had already known the answer. Of course it was dangerous. This serum, or whatever it was that was inside that vial, could have the opposite effect on Wesley: killing him instantly. Or, Wesley could be allergic to it. Or, the demonic infection could, instead, feed off the injection and thus grow stronger.
Doyle gulped and looked away as Dr. Keebler once again entered the cage. He felt Angel slip his arm around his shoulders, trying to provide some form of support. Sighing, Doyle turned back toward the cage. Gunn had entered behind the doctor and was now kneeling next to the bed, pining Wesley's shoulders to the mattress, which was made up of blankets.
Unable to take it, Doyle took a step forward, giving himself a better view. Angel stepped up next to him, his jaw set and eyes narrowed. Resting his hands on the cold, metal bars, Doyle watched as Dr. Keebler pulled a small packet out of his back pocket. He ripped it open, pulling out a small wet piece of cloth and proceeded in cleaning the side of Wesley's neck. Then, setting that on the bed next to Wesley's twitching arm, Dr. Keebler picked up the syringe.
The needle's cap popped with a soft click. The needle was long, causing Gunn to cringe at the sight. Calmly, the doctor picked up the vial of green liquid and flipped it upside-down. He inserted the needle into the white circle of rubber that was part of the vial's lid and swiftly filled the needle.
The whole process lasted for barely a minute, if even that, but seemed like an eternity to Doyle. Not finding the strength to look away, Doyle could only watch as Dr. Keebler slowly inserted the needle into Wesley's neck and, most likely, into one of the arteries found there. Wesley's body tensed in his sleep, the muscles in his neck flexing. Dr. Keebler quickly injected the serum and pulled the needle out of Wesley's neck, placing the cotton ball over the spot. He checked it, making sure it wasn't bleeding, before unwrapping the band-aid and gently attaching it to the needle wound.
"Is that all?" Gunn asked, his voice shaky.
"Yes. That is all, for now." Dr. Keebler replied, standing. "Let him rest. If he starts jerking, as though going into a fit, let him be. It's a normal reaction to the medication. If the skin around the injection sight starts turning a shade of green, however, immediately find a way to strap him onto the bed and call me."
"You're not staying... To watch after him?" Doyle asked.
"I'm afraid you are not my only clients." Dr. Keebler informed them, picking up his black bag. "I have a half-Volga demon giving birth before the sun breaks. I can't very well miss it, you know." Dr. Keebler sent them a bright smile. "Not to worry, of course! Everything will be quite all right."
"I'm not sure I believe you." Doyle admitted.
"Well, that's not exactly my problem. Faith and belief, as you may know, is something completely different than reality." Dr. Keebler said. "Now, Mr. Angel. Shall you walk me to the door?"
Angel blinked, looking momentarily shocked, before glancing at Doyle. Doyle shrugged. Letting out a mild sigh, Angel followed Dr. Keebler up the stairs. The basement door shut behind them. Doyle nervously crossed his arms and turned toward Gunn, who had relocked the cage door. "So, now we wait."
"Worst job in the world, waiting." Gunn grumbled.
"Yeah." Doyle nodded. After a moment of uneasy silence, Doyle felt he had outstayed his welcome. Leaving Gunn to his thinking and Wesley-watching, Doyle made his way upstairs. There he found a very confused looking Angel, staring at the door. "You okay, big guy?"
"I think I'm suppose to ask you that." Angel replied, frowning. "He told me to watch out for you. Like... Something was going to happen."
"Angel, man, I wouldn't worry about that." Doyle said, slipping an arm into Angel's. "I'm not going anywhere anytime soon."
"I didn't say you were." Angel told him, softly. Unsure of what, exactly, to say to that, Doyle gently tugged Angel toward the stairs.
"Hey, wait!" Cordelia called from the office. She appeared a second later, pulling on her jacket. "I'm leaving early."
"Why?" Angel asked, looking concerned. While this was a common look for the vampire, Doyle had to admit it was a better expression than the one of worried confusion he was wearing a minute before.
"I have a date." Cordelia beamed.
"He's not... A demon or anything, is he?" Cordelia scowled up at Angel, who had the decency to look a little sheepish about asking such a question. Doyle quickly intercepted before Cordelia could muster a reply.
"Have a good time, yeah?" Doyle smiled, encouragingly. "And, just, you know, call us when you get home?"
"That I can do." Cordelia grinned. Angel and Doyle watched her grab her purse and literally dart from the building, as though afraid they would catch her and tie her to a chair in order to make her stay.
"Maybe we should--?" Angel started.
"You are not about to suggest we follow her." Doyle interrupted, giving his lover a dark look. "Besides, we need to stay here in case something happens with Wesley."
"I wasn't going to suggest that." Angel insisted, allowing Doyle to push him the rest of the way upstairs.
Chapters: Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. Seven.
OR, in the memories.