"Would you read to me some more?" Fred asked.
"Of course," Wesley replied. He made a move to sit up, but Fred weakly reached for his arm, stopping him.
"The light... hurts my eyes, but I don't want you to turn it off. But it hurts my eyes. Everything's so bright and hollow. Cave men win. Of course the cave men win," she babbled.
She let out a cry, convulsing on the bed as Wesley's eyes filled with tears, his hands struggling to stay steady as he injected her with something to calm her down.
"Oh, God! I sinned. I've sinned, and I'm being punished. I don't know what's wrong. I never got a B minus before. Uhh! Sorry. I'm sorry. Make it stop!" Fred cried out.
Wesley closed his eyes for a moment, unable to watch her in so much agony.
"Why did we go there? Why did we think we could beat it? It's evil, Wesley. It's bigger than anything."
"I don't believe that," Wesley replied.
"Ugh! I'm with him! He won't leave me now. We're so close." Her cheeks were wet with tears.
"I will never leave you," Wesley reassured her.
"Hmph. Oh. Hmm. That was bad, but it's better now. You won't leave me?" she asked.
"I won't," he promised.
"My boys. I walk with heroes. Think about that."
"You are one," Wesley said, crying now.
"Superhero. And this is my power: to not let them take me. Not me," Fred replied.
"That's right."
"That's right," Fred agreed. "He's with me... will you kiss me?"
Wesley leaned down and covered her lips with his own, wrapping his arms gently around her frail body.
"Would you have loved me?" she asked quietly.
"I've loved you since I've known you. No, that's not... I think maybe even before," Wesley replied, close to losing it.
"I'm so sorry," Fred said.
"No, no, no," he rushed out.
"I need you to talk to my parents. They have to know I wasn't scared, that it was quick. That I wasn't scared. Oh, God." Fred's body convulsed again.
"You have to fight. You don't have to talk, just concentrate on fighting. Just hold on," Wesley told her firmly, but gently.
"I'm not scared. I'm not scared. I'm not scared. Please, Wesley, why can't I stay?" Fred's body went still in his arms.
"Please... please..." he begged, hugging her close to his chest as he sobbed.
Fred's eyes glazed over like they'd frozen, and she convulsed again, sending her flying in one direction and Wesley in the other. She stood up, her appearance other worldly. Long blue hair, cold blue eyes, and her body was covered in red armour.
"This will do," Illyria said, tilting her head.
Wesley watched with horror.