Title: Remembering is not always better.
Author:Brandy
Rating:Um PG 13
Spoilers: Up to Tubala Rusa for Buffy anything after that is thrown out.
WWE:Takes place about six months before the illegitimate son angle.
AN: I talked with Eena and she said I could reconstruct the challenge to fit the story line, I'll try to make as little adjustments as possible.
Steph and Hunter are engaged for this time line they haven't gotten married yet.
Pairing:I'll reveal that after the story gets rolling.
Disclaimer:I don't own anyone or anything. I'm just playing around with them.
Reorganized Challenge
Hey Guys Got another idea for a story today but instead of writing it myself,
I'm putting it in a challenge. And I promise not to answer my own challenge for a while if no one else picks it up. So here it is:
What if in the episode Tabula Rasa in Season 6 BTVS, the Gang never regains their memory?
Must Haves:
1) Willow/Jeff, Willow/Edge, Willow/Ted, Willow/Cody
2) Xander/Maria, Xander/Mickie, Xander/Katie Lea
3) Lita/anyone but Edge (Not that I don't like this pairing, because I do, but I want to read a story where they aren't together.) Lita never left.
4) Xander heads off to the WWE because when they all go looking for their identities, he finds his birth certificate with his real father's name on it.
5) Xander's real dad can be: Ric Flair, Vince, Undertaker, Hulk Hogan.
6) Their memories do eventually return, but neither want to go home at the end.
Must Have 6 of these lines:
1) I would tell you if I could remember.
2) Well that's the fun part about amnesia. You can forget you ever knew jerks like that.
3) I hope I'm a natural redhead.
4) I still think I have some pissed off brother out there.
5) You don't always have to solve your problems with violence. You can do something else.
There's an option?
6) I'm worried about him. That shade of purple cannot be healthy for a human.
7) I have vague memories of a dancing dog.
Snoopy?
God I hope so.
8) Look at this! What the hell was I thinking?
9) My hand slipped.
It's been doing a lot of that lately.
10) I wasn't born evil. It just came to me as time went on.
11) Abrasive British man? Why does this feel familiar?
12) Am I in trouble?
No, why do you keep asking that?
Because I'm me?
13) Frogs make me uncomfortable. But I surprisingly have no problems with rats.
14) I do not get paid enough for this.
15) You put what in the what?
16) I think we're corrupting you.
Don't worry. I don't think I was that innocent to begin with.
17) I think I'm kind of gay. She looks way too hot to me tonight.
18) I remember cookies and cream ice cream, the ending to the Titantic, and how to get fruit juice out of polyester. But for the life of me, I can't remember who you are.
19) That's the way the world works.
And what are you basing that on? You don't remember the world.
20) You think stupidity is contagious?
21) Don't you dare even try to poke me with that.
22) I suck.
You know, there's a whole bunch of things to be done with that sentence.
23) I don't think you should do that. He'll most likely kill you.
24) That wasn't three minutes.
25) I'm telling you, the monkey did it!
At least 3 of these:
1) Willow and Xander foiling a three minute warning unwittingly.
2) Willow getting angry and accidentally (using magic) turning Victoria's hair green.
3) Xander getting locked in a locker in the divas locker room.
4) Eric being put through a table.
5) Linda making Xander the Commissioner.
6) Kenndy trying to hit on Willow and ends up losing his title to Xander's Dad because of it.
7) Maria and Katie Lea fighting over Xander.
8) Another love spell gone awry.
9) Angel showing up and being really confused by Willow and Xander's behavior.
10) Xander going by Alex.
The group looked around at each other. They were clueless as to what to do now.
They had no memory of who they were.
"Maybe we should see if we can't find out who we are." Tara McClay suggested.
Joan shared a look with her little sister Dawn. Rupert Giles and his fiancee Anya Jenkins nodded their heads at the suggestion. Randy Giles, Ruperts son rolled his eyes.
"I think that is a good idea." Rupert replied.
Joan glanced over at Randy and smiled. The two of them had shared a grin they had fought side by side against the vampires even if he was one.
The group parted ways as they walked out of the shop. Joan and Dawn walked to their left. Rupert, Anya and Randy went right and Tara walked to one of the cabs that was waiting to take her to the college. Alexander climbed into the second one. Willow waited a few seconds and at the fear and pain of not being close to Alex she opened the door and sat down beside him.
The taxi stopped outside the apartment building. He turned toward the two in the back, told them the amount of money and had a fist full of money shoved his way.
The young man climbed out of the cab the redheaded woman followed.
Alexander Harris walked up the steps with Willow Rosenberg right behind him. He had seen that his drivers license had an address on it. So after calling a cab company in the phone book he climbed in the car and was about to leave when the passenger door opened and Willow jumped in.
"I felt that I should come with you." she replied with a shrug.
So the two of them wondered the halls looking for the apartment number on the licenses.
After three floors they finally came across his door. The two of them looked at each other then tried the keys in his pocket in the lock, they found the right one and walked into the apartment.
Alex wondered into the other room which he soon found to be the bedroom. He started going through the drawers looking for any sign that would spark a memory.
"There's a lot of photos of you and Anya. Maybe she's like your cousin or something." Willow shouted from the other room.
"None of us remember anything so she could be." he replied.
Willow in the other room was going through the desk drawers and side tables. She was trying to help him find out anything about his life. She was so focused on the task at hand she didn't notice the door open.
"Don't tell me you're digging up dirt on my son. You've known him just as long as I have and you probably know him better." a woman's voice said from the doorway.
Willow jumped at the sound of the voice. She looked up to see a middle aged woman with brown shoulder length hair and brown eyes. She was wearing a pair of blue jeans and long sleeved white t-shirt. She was starting at her, waiting for an answer.
'Um... I... Hi." Willow replied confused.
The woman smiled and walked farther into the room. She glanced at the stack of papers in front of Willow.
"Hey did you find... Uh Hi." Alex said as he came into the room.
The woman looked back and forth between the two and soon realized that they had the oddest look in their eyes. Like they had no clue who she was. She walked father into the room and looked into the blank eyes of the two. She took in the confused looks that passed between them, she sighed.
"You have no idea who I am do you?" she asked glancing at them.
She received shakes of the heads as an answer. She had always hoped that her son would find a way to get away from her insane husband. Now it seems that she got her wish, her son had no idea who she was. A thought came to her as she looked between the two, they were like two little kids with no idea of what the world held. She smiled. Jessica Harris was going to do right by her son and his best friend.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Jessica Harris slipped out of the house as her husband slept on the couch. Tony Harris was passed out drunk as usual. Tony Harris was an abusive drunk who found it a daily habit to beat her and Xander. She remembered one time that he had put Alexander in the hospital with a broken arm and a shattered knee cap.
Jessica slipped back behind the wheel of her blue Sadan and put the envelope in the seat next to her. Putting her seat belt on she started the car and pulled out of the driveway. Her eyes going to the envelope beside her, she wanted to make sure that the contents got to Alexander.
Jessica had some skeletons in her closet, one of which was the contents in the seat beside her. She had been married to Tony when she was still in her early twenties, a week before the wedding she had went out to a party and drank more then she should have, the next morning she had woken up in an unfamiliar hotel room. She could remember bits and pieces of the night before.
She had been on her third drink of the night when the bartender handed her a White Russian. Now she normally didn't drink such a drink but the bartender had pointed to a gentleman across the room and told her he had bought it. She held it up and thanked him. After the first drink the others followed, as she finished one she was handed another.
After her fourth drink from the gentleman she saw that he was walking up to her.
They had talked for thirty minutes and then went up stairs. That night she had gone farther then she had attended. She had awoken wrapped in sheets and alone.
There was a note from the man, which she had read, noting that it had his name and address on it, then promptly threw it away.
She had forgotten all about her night of sowing wild oats until two months into her new marriage and she had visited the doctor for a check up. The news of the pregnancy shook her to her core. She was afraid that Tony would be upset about the situation. She remembered all the times he had told her that he didn't want kids. She remembered once he had shouted that he had been fixed, so she wasn't sure the child was his.
Jessica was sure that Tony was a wear that Alexander wasn't his. She figured that Tony took out his anger over her infidelity onto the product of that infidelity.
She had tried to protect Alexander from her enraged husband but it would become clear to her time and time again that she wouldn't be able to.
Jessica pulled herself from her memories as she pulled into the parking lot of the apartment building that her son lived in. She had wanted Alexander to escape the life that she had brought him in to, and now it seemed she could make it happen by giving him the contents of the envelope.
Climbing out of the car she grabbed her things and walking toward the doors of the building. She walked up the stairs and thought about the other person who was in her sons apartment. Willow.
Willow Daniel Rosenberg was intelligent and sweet. She and Alexander had met when they were two, and had been inseparable ever since. Willow, like Alexander,
had a very unhappy home life. Her parents were never home, they both thought their careers were more important than their child. Willow had practically grew up in the Harris household. Jessica had become concerned for Willows life when in a drunken rage Tony had pinned her against the wall. the girl had tried to protect Alexander from Tony and had paid a painful price. She had sported a black eye and a twisted wrist for a week.
Jessica walked to the door of Alexanders apartment and knocked. A few moments later the door opened and Alexander let her in. They shared a tentative smile as she walked past him. She spotted Willow sitting on the edge of the sofa and gave her a smile too.
Turning around she saw that Alexander had closed the door and was now looking at her with confusion on his face. She handed him the envelope and looked down at their hands as they touched.
"What's this?" Alexander asked as he looked back up at her.
Jessica heaved a heavy sigh and gave him a small smile. Her heart was breaking as she silently said goodbye to her son.
"Your father."
00000000000000000
The flight to Greenwich, Connecticut was long and exhausting. The two walked off the plane and into the airport gates. They walked through the building following Jessica Harris. The woman walked ahead of them, she walked with a determination.
"What do you think your dad will be like?" Willow whispered to Alex.
"I don't know. I'm just hoping he likes me." he replied.
The group checked their luggage and walked toward the taxi rentals. They climbed into the backseat and Jessica gave the driver the address to their destination.
Jessica looked over at the two youths beside her. Alexander had a worried look on his face. He was biting his lower lip, a trait that he had picked up from Willow. Willow was trying her hardest to reassure him that everything would be fine.
The car ride was silent, each person lost in their own world of thoughts. The driver not making any conversation, as he noticed the signs of a person wanting to be left alone with their thoughts.
Forty minutes after their plane landed the small group were climbing out of the cab and standing in front of a a huge house.
Jessica paid the cab fare and they grabbed their things. They turned toward the house. Alexander and Willow gave each other a look, it said that they were both nervous about what was happening.
Jessica lead them up to the front door. Ringing the doorbell Jessica turned and gave a nervous smile to the two behind her. The butterflies in her stomach increased as she thought of the person on the other side of the door. She had not seen the man since that night, she knew he was married and had other kids.
She had felt like such a home wrecker when she saw that he was married. She had contacted him after she had found out that she was pregnant, they had agreed that Tony would be the father and if Alexander wanted to know his real father when he was older then he could. Jessica had never told Alex that the man he thought was his dad was his stepfather until Jessica saw the opportunity.
The door opened and a man in his mid-thirties stood before them. His brown eyes grazed over them in confusion. He gave a tentative smile and glanced behind him.
"Can I help you?" he asked turning back toward them.
Jessica stepped forward. She put a smile on her face and held out her hand.
"I'm Jessica, I'm a friend of the owner of the house is he here?" she said as he shook her hand.
The man now frowned at them. His smile went from tentative to non-existent. He looked from them to somewhere behind him. When he turned back to them he held up one finger and told them he would be right back.
Jessica turned back to the two behind her. She knew that they would be able to get through this as long as they were together. They were each others rock.
Jessica knew as long as Alexander had Willow in his life he would be just fine.
"Jessica?" a voice from the doorway broke her train of thought.
Jessica turned around and didn't see whom she had thought. She thought Alexanders father would be at the door, but nope it was his stepmother.
"Hello Linda."
Before them stood a woman in her late fifties, with silvering hair and bright blue eyes. Her bottom-downed shirt and slacks hugged her body. Alexander and Willow looked from the woman in the door to Jessica.
"Jessica, what brings you here?" she asked stepping down from the top step.
Jessica looked over at the two she had brought and then back at Linda.
"Can we talk in private Linda I really need to explain something to you."
Linda nodded as she showed them into the house. Not sure what made her say yes to the whole thing. Maybe it was the fact that Jessica had a plead in her voice or maybe it was the tears in her eyes. It wasn't tears that would be caused by ones self, no these were the tears of a mother losing her child and knowing there was nothing that she could do to stop it. Linda turned to the gentleman that had opened the door.
"Shane would you please take Alexander and..." she turned to Jessica.
"Willow." she replied to the unspoken question.
"Alexander and Willow to the backyard? If anyone asks just tell them I'll explain it when I get out there."
"Okay, mom." Shane said earning a look from the two beside him.
Jessica and Linda went up the stairs and into a bright and well furnished study.
Linda showed Jessica to the sofa and offered her something to drink. After getting both of them a glass of water, Linda sat on the other side of her and waited. She didn't have to wait long.
"He doesn't remember anything. He doesn't remember Tony, or me. He didn't even remember Willow. I don't know how it happened but he has some form of amnesia, is it wrong to hope he never remembers? I mean I love my son but Tony was such an abusive jackass to him and Willow at one point. I think it would be best if he stayed with you and Vince. I mean, he is Vince's son and all. Linda, I would never ask this of you if it weren't the best thing for him. I'm such a bad mother aren't I? I think it would be best if he didn't know I was his mother."
Linda watched as the hope turned to desperation. She knew what was being asked,
she knew it needed to be done too. If what Jessica had told her about Tony Harris was true then it was a miracle that Alexander had survived childhood.
She remembered the rare occasion of a phone call from the woman every few years, even if they were to only apologize to her for the betrayal she felt that she for her husbands actions all that time ago. Linda had never told Vince but she didn't hate Jessica Harris, not even a little. No Linda had asked Jessica to send her pictures and such of Alexander when he was around two. She now remembered that most of them were of Alex and two other kids, a little brown haired boy and a little redheaded girl, which must have been a young Willow.
"The girl? Willow? What about her?"
Jessica shook her head.
"They have been each others support for so long, I can't help but think that if you took away one from the other they wouldn't make it. She doesn't remember anything either. She has no clue who she is or where she came from aside from her name. Her parents aren't fit to be parents. She used to spend all her time at our house as a child because they were never home. Please Linda, help them?"
Jessica finally broke as she let the tears slide down her face. She knew she was asking so much of the woman before her. She knew it was a burden to ask this of someone but she had no other choice.
"I get it. Jessica listen I understand. If he doesn't remember what he went through why make him remember. I don't think you are a bad mother cause only a mother would make this kind of sacrifice for her child. Of course, we can help."
Jessica gave Linda a grateful smile.
Alexander looked around the back yard. It was nice. It was big and spacious. Of course at the moment it was a bit crowded it seemed there was some type of party going on. It was a bit cold, of course being from California neither he or Willow had winter jackets. Alexander grabbed Willows hand and refused to let go. He didn't like the looks that some of the men were shooting her way. He had the overprotective urge to hit them all if they messed with her, though he had a feeling that they could break him in half.
Across the yard he saw that Shane guy talking with two brunette girls and a tall blonde man with a nose like a bird. Alex thought the man looked strangely familiar, like he'd seen him before.
"Whoa! I fell like I might throw up. I think I might have a problem with crowds." Willow muttered threw clattering teeth.
Alex looked at her and noticed that she did in-fact look a little sick. Her face was slightly pale and her breathing was to fast for his liking.
"Well I would tell you if I could remember." he said as he nudged her with his shoulder then wrapped his arms around her.
Suddenly a forty-ish looking brunette man started shouting and turned a table over, all the food and beverages on the table went flying.
"Abrasive British man? Why does this feel familiar?" Alex asked as he turned to look at the small redhead next to him as the man continued to rant and rave in the distance.
"I'm worried about him. That shade of purple cannot be healthy for a human."
Willow replied as she watched the scene in front of her.
A group of men went to the other man and spoke to him trying to calm him down.
It seemed to work as he went about talking with others as if he hadn't just freaked out and dumped a table full of food and drinks to the ground.
"He sure knows how to make a first impression." a voice spoke from beside them.
The two young adults looked to their right and saw a young blond man smiling at them. He looked to be about their age. The two friends looked at each other then at him. His smile was faltering as he realized that they staring at him blankly.
"Hi, I'm Ted." he said holding his hand out, again he saw the two share a look then just before he pulled his hand back the guy grabbed onto him. The man slipped his jacket off and put it on Willows shoulders.
"Howdy, Ted. I'm Alex this here is my prettier counterpart Willow."
Ted laughed at the other mans introduction of the girl, who was now blushing with her head down. Ted motioned to another man this one shorter and a bit stocky-er, he had brown hair and eyes to match. He smiled as he walked up to the trio.
"Hey Ted, who's your friends?" he asked.
"Cody met Alex and Willow. This is Cody." Ted informed the two clueless people beside him.
Willow waved meekly from under Teds coat as Alex held his hand out. Cody gave a confused look toward the redhead who was trying to hide under the coat and behind her friend at the same time. She seemed to be a bit on the shy side. Alex reached back and slipped his arm around the girl. Ted and Cody watched as Linda and some other woman walked down the steps and up to Vince McMahon. The three had a quite conversation in the corner of the yard Vince kept glancing back over in Ted and the other three direction. The conversation got to a point where Vince was nodding his head a lot and running his hand over his face. The unknown woman was crying slightly as the three of them turned toward the yard and they made their way to the middle of the party. The unknown woman motioned for Alex and Willow to come to her. The two walked over toward the woman at a slow pace now alert that all eyes where on them.
"Mom what's going on?" Alex asked a little uneasy.
"This is Linda and Vince. They will explain everything to you in a little bit.
I'm heading back to California. Take care of each other alright? If you need me,
which I don't think you will Linda has my phone number. Please remember I love you both." she said tearfully as she hugged them both goodbye and walked to the backdoor leaving the house.
The two friends looked at each other then at the group of strangers then to the door that Jessica exited out. Alex gave a nervous chuckle and smiled at the large group of people.
"Shane, Steph, come with us. Alex, Willow you as well come on." Linda said motioning the group of four and led them toward the house. Vince motioned for the larger group to stay and enjoy the rest of the party, then he followed Linda.
He walked into the house and up the stairs to the family room where he knew Linda had taken the kids. He sat down on the top step and put his head in his hands. He still felt horrible for that night all those years ago. He regretted cheating on his wife and he had felt lucky that she had forgiving him. They had never told Shane and Stephanie about their brother. He sighed as he stood up and walked toward the room that held the five awaiting his arrival.
Linda was standing in front of the kids and looked over at Vince as he walked in.
They shared a look of hope and worry. Hope that they would be able to give the two neglected young adults the family life that they hadn't had growing up.
Worry that their own kids would take the news badly. Vince sat down in one of the empty chairs as Linda sat in the other. Their chairs facing the other seat in the room, a large four person sofa that held the other occupants of the room.
Shane and Stephanie where on one side while Alex and Willow were on the other.
Vince held in a laugh as he saw that Willow was practically in Alex's lap, she must be very shy he thought.
"This is a good news bad news situation or a good news good news situation depending on how you look at it. Let your father talk and then you can react."
Linda started looking at her two kids.
"What do you mean mom?" Shane asked confused as he looked at her.
"First off we have handled the situation given to us. Secondly, I want you to know that while I regret my actions years ago, I have accepted the consequence.
Shane, Steph this is Alex and Willow. They are here by the request of Jessica, whom I met years ago at a mixer. Now I see that look in your eyes Shane Brandon, but I will tell you right now yes you are right. Now Alex and Willow have no memory of who they are from what I gather, which is a blessing. Now Alex, Jessica told us that you are slightly aware of the situation but we should tell you the rest. Now as I said I met Jessica at a mixer years ago, she was celebrating her impending marriage, I was trying to make new contacts for the company. I was drunk she was drunk we ended up in my hotel room and well one thing led to another and I'm sure you get the picture. Jessica informed me when she came to realize that she was pregnant and we all, your mother included, agreed that we would let Jessica's new husband raise the baby as his own. If the baby, sorry Alex, wanted to know whom his real father was when he was older I was open to the notion as was your mother. We received the occupational school and birthday pictures over the years but when we never heard anything after his sixteenth birthday I had assumed that he didn't want to met us and we just let it go. Now Shane, Stephanie I want you both to know I love your mother and you but I do want to know Alex as well. I hope you can find it in your hearts to forgive me if not that is fine just don't take it out on your brother, he was as innocent in this whole thing as you two."
Shane and Stephanie looked from their father to their mother then to their new brother. They had known that in the early years of their parents marriage their dad had been accused of being somewhat of a playboy. He had apparently lived up to that image at least at one point and they got a bouncing baby brother as a reward. Their mom seemed it was just fine with the newest family development.
Stephanie's eyes landed on the redhead, Willow.
"Is she our sister too?" came the soft spoken words from the brunette woman.
Willow's head snapped up as she looked over at the other woman in shock.
"No she is Alex's best friend from what Jessica told me." Vince said shaking his head.
"I think given the situation that it would be best if the two of them stayed here for the time being." Linda suggested as she and Vince exchanged a glance then looked toward their kids once again.
Shane and Stephanie looked over at each other then with looks of shock and anger got up and walked out of the room. Linda and Vince watched them go with calm rearguard. They both turned back toward the remaining duo on the sofa. Linda and Vince soon where shaking their heads in humor when Xander turned to Willow and replied.
"See I told you I had a pissed off brother out there."
