Timely Departures:
Chapter One -
Late Yet Right On Time
by Minion

SUMMARY: What if the events after after "Smile Time" had gone in a different direction?

RATED: FRAO [ESS] [GV] [AU]

SPOILERS: Up to fifth season "Smile Time" variates off "A Hole in the World".

DISCLAIMER: The Angel/Buffyverse all belongs to Joss Whedon/WB. I am but writing my own story in the hopes of entertaining someone.

"Do you think anyone noticed that we we're gone for a few days? You know...didn't show up for the Monday meeting, alarms and klaxons blaring..." Fred trailed off in her hushed voice peeking around the corner then sneaking into her office with Wesleys' hand firmly in her grasp.

Wesley for the most part was amused by the sneaking about their own building simply to avoid the inevitable. Once the door was closed he found himself sitting leaned up against the far corner of her desk as she came to stand before him with hands resting upon his shoulders.

"I doubt it would be that serious. More than likely our reputation as wallflowers may have kept us hidden but we do have Angel dealing with being a puppet." An eyebrow lifts with the twitching corner of his lips. "We could have an extended vacation and just have not gotten the memo yet."

Fred giggled peering down onto her desk and finding the usual stack of paperwork and file folders spread about in her usual organized mess. "Nope, no notes from upstairs. Besides, for what it's worth, I'm looking forward to sneaking down to your office and then leaving a message that we're outta here on a well over due vacation."

With the children of Los Angeles safe from demonic puppets and their friend/boss back to normal, no major crisis rearing its ugly head, it was time. Stalling the slinking about for a moment to kiss lethargically with not a care for the world at present. Just beyond the office there were busy workers conversing back and forth, the squeaks of metal wheels scooting across the floor as mail was being delivered.

Fred could not help but smile as their hands started wandering about of their own accord. Her fingertips intent on mapping out every well defined line of his chest while his fingers itched to caress the softness that lay just beneath her light jacket. Both broke apart from an ever growing ardent kiss to giggle about the silliness of the situation they were in.

"You know this is not exactly our plan Wesley."

"You were the one that wanted to find Lorne and tell him in person. Rush in, rush out." Snapping his fingers for emphasis. "Just like that you said."

Fred rolled her eyes happily as he removed her coat, laying it down on the desk. A barely audible sigh escaped her slightly parted lips as his fingers slid underneath the back of her blouse. "We should be sticking to the plan. Faster we'd get to where we want to be."

Wesley peered over her shoulder then down at the floor before lifting his gaze to regard her with the hurt little puppy dog eyes. "If I must desist I do so begrudgingly and demand a rain check that will be cashed in the second we are out of Los Angeles."

She kissed the corners of his lips with an adorable expression that he knew could turn his heart to a puddle of goo faster than he could call up an ancient text in Sanskrit. "The pout won't work on me but I'll let you get away with it this time."

Snatching up her coat in one hand while she took a few steps back, "Lets whoosh out of here, drop a message on Lorne's desk and it's all fruit drinks with funny little umbrellas for us!"

Wesley rose from his seated position, coming up to stand behind her with his hand slipping down her spine to rest just light against the small of her back. "After you Madam head of the research and development department."

Down in the lab a mysterious sarcophagus sits in a lightly quarantined area for examination. Knox being a bit slothful ever since the rejection of his belayed valentine wishes had not bothered to move it. After several moments of staring into space, plans on hold, a safe place must be acquired till she returned. This delay was most distressing for the lowly scientist. A man on a mission Knox leaves the lab going to have a talk with security on level 36 about putting it away in the restricted vault.

Harmony bounces about in a good mood while delivering messages from Angel to everyone. The senior staff being Wesley, Fred, Gunn and Lorne were to forego coming into work for a few days to catch up on some much needed rest and to regroup out at the park in a few days to get away from the office a bit.

She skips her way into the lab noticing that most of the workers are out on break. With a shrug she makes her way down the steps past a few of the more interesting experiments. Turning about trying to make sure not to knock into anything she indeed backs into a wheel able cart that knocks into a elongated white table.

"Oh poop!"

Quickly she puts the cart back into its spot, sorta. Looking around to see if anyone saw, breathing a sigh of relief till she notices the object laying on the floor. Covering her mouth to stifle her exclamation Harmony dashes over and picks it up. About to set the object down it opens just a fraction of an inch and a fine mist of dust shoots into her face temporarily blinding her.

Coughing and rubbing at her eyes she knocks over several beakers full of experimental anti coagulant as Knox returns to the lab to look on in horror. Running down the stairs to berate Harmony for the mess she has created till he is stopped dead in his tracks while she complains about being injured and to stop yelling at her.

"Who leaves a coffin sitting out in the middle of a room!"

Blinking rapidly Knox glances from the table back to the still ranting vampire. "I'm sorry." Not knowing whether he was apologizing to Angels executive assistant or his goddess who would now be trapped within a vampire for eternity. Appeasing Harmony for a moment with promise to get some help Knox dashes off to his office to get his personal things and hopefully sneak out of the building before its too late to get away.

Upstairs Fred finishes her note to Lorne drawing a few happy stick figure people with floating hearts around their heads for good measure. Signing her name in an elegant cursive instead of her normally unreadable chicken scratch she tosses down the pen with a curt nod. "Ok, we're set."

Wesley stands up from leaning against the door frame keeping an eye out for Lorne should he come walking down the hallway wheeling an' dealing the next big movie star. "Are you sure you do not want to stop by your place to pick up anything?"

Fred shakes her head negatively finding herself now comfortably leaning against his chest. "Nope, I'm going just like this and when we get there I'm finding some island clothes and that's that."

With an arm slipping around her waist Wesley escorts Fred through the lobby to the main elevator. Entering the car when it arrives it takes but a few minutes for the elevator doors to open into the underground parking facility. Wesley and Fred hop into Wes' car for the short drive to the airport, final destination Hawaii.

Harmony has made her way up to her desk, slumping down bonelessly while looking rather worse for wear. "Of course they didn't find anything. Figures." Still mentally ranting about being checked out by the on call doctors that sent her packing with a clean bill of "health." Certainly not feeling her usual perky self that everyone is accustomed to seeing when they step off the elevator. Angel happens by in time to watch Harmony cough up blood into a napkin, staring at it with wide panicking eyes that shift their focus to him.

Rushing over to her desk he calls down to the lab for help as Harmony's body begins to tremble, her vision becomes less focused. His name barely creaked out of a parched throat before she faints backward, caught by Angels quick reflexes. The stretcher arrives moments later as her limp body is draped onto it, wheeling it to the elevator with the destination of the lab being punched in rather violently by the CEO.

"What in the hell is going on now?" he thinks to himself as Harmony continues to tremble even though she is unresponsive to any member of the staff. Numbers continue to tick off on the control panel as Angel ponders yet again how much good can come from continuing to work amongst the evil that he used to fight.

© April 2004

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