Yeah. And he must've felt like he was in the Box(Which, not as fun as it might sound.)

(weird how I keep returning to the middle aged mama with something wrong growing on her brain.....)

The nice thing about drabbles is that you don't have to do the "okay, how do I fit [Cordy/Gunn/Anya/Whoever's not talking to your muse but should logically be there] into this?" thing -- it's just a chance to let yourself see one or two characters for a short period of time.

I should go through my drabbles sometime, see who I've written.

Love the drabbles, Lyra.

I'm dabbling in the Angelverse. Fred. Supersymmetry. Caught in the act.

Most everyone thinks Fred is one brick short of a full load. But there are moments when everything falls away. Her mind is clear and calm. In those moments, Fred becomes something terrifying. This is one of those moments. She can see it on Dr. Seidel's face.

The crossbow feels heavy in her hand. The portal opens. It's all as it should be. And then Charles is there, looking at her like he finally knows her.

He says he doesn't want to lose her, but he already has. She's gone before Dr. Seidel's neck snaps. Then, a lot of things close.

Hot damn, Kat.

Bloody good work.

<shudders>

Lovely Fred, kat.

WOW.

Kat, that was chilling.

Thanks. blush

That's the second drabble I've written with Fred, and I'm trying to write something longer with her. I haven't even watched Angel consistently since mid-S3, but I just hear Fred in my head sometimes. I don't know what that says about my head, but there you go.

I like your Fred, Kat.

If somebody had told Frank Pembleton, even six months ago, that he'd be standing in a store called the Magic Box, with a list that included stakes, holy water, and garlic cloves(Which were already reeking quietly in a plastic bag, in the car thank you very much.) he would've thought they were crazy. Or John Munch, making one of his little "jokes". But everything changed once they expected him to babysit a partner. It wasn't like Tim knew anything(although he had to admit his gut was surprisingly good. And that could not be taught.)

But it's hard not to look for somebody to blame when you are a qualified professional in a store filled with crystal balls and chicken feet.

"Excuse me," Frank said. "I need to look at some stakes."
The proprietor looked at him with pity. "Most people in the trade make their own stakes."

Frank said "Do I look like most people?" and flashed his badge.
"No, no. You sure don't. Not around here, anyway. You're from back East, aren't you?"

"Yeah. About this holy water?" "Blessed fresh today. That's why the delivery's late."

"OK. I'll take twelve bottles." He had already spent long enough on this errand. It was beneath him.

"Sir, I didn't say anything when you announced your attention to buy Sunnydale's Finest pre-made Taiwanese stakes. But I must make a pitch for another brand of holy water. Directly from Lourdes." "Hmm, how much?" It wasn't like he was paying out-of-pocket for this hokum anyway. Let the suits upstairs buy the imported holy water. It was the least they could do.

"Just a dollar more. It really is the best value." And he scurried into the back room. "I'm just kind of subletting the place anyway.I'm between jobs anyway, and just wanna help my sister out. She's married to this real asshole, Ethan Rayne. He oughta be put away, really. I'm Bob, by the way."

"We usually don't do that until someone commits a crime."
"Oh, I'll bet you have your ways of making people "disappear".
If so, Frank thinks, I would book you for misdemeanor distraction and Too Much Television in the first degree. Also, in my opinion, you are too old to be living off your sister and using such casual profanity.

"I would think a man in your business could stand to be a bit more discreet."

"Eh, what's the worst that can happen?"

A young woman who'd been looking at Frank intently during the whole exchange was now motioning to him. He thought he knew her. She looked like any number of young white women who came to Mary's women's events. Or book group. "Excuse me. I...couldn't h-help overhearing. The f-foreign holy water thing is...well, kind of a s-scam. For most spells, you really can't tell the difference."

But it's hard not to look for somebody to blame when you are a qualified professional in a store filled with crystal balls and chicken feet.

Damnitalltohell, I am dying over here.

One thing - the proprietor. Who was running it at that point? Because - and this may be a total memfault - hadn't the proprietor been killed? Could we have a specific? I kept seeing Giles but I know that's wrong for timing...