FAMILY TREE SERIES by
: Wolfa Moon#1 Relative Penance
#2 Worried Big Brother
#3 I Dreamed A Dream
#4 Letters
#5 Look Who's Back
#6 Brotherly Returns
#7 Life Goes On
#8 A Friend in Need
#9 A Place We Call Home
Catherine turned around in the office she knew all to well.
"About time." The office was dark. The only light was moonbeams coming in through the window. Noise was coming up the stairs. Catherine looked around. She went to the wall and stayed in the shadows.
"Well what do you want me to do?" Cordelia said. The rest of the gang following.
"Not cook for one thing." A familiar voice remarked.
"Well have you tasted her brownies?" Her Brit. friend remarked.
"Yeah, used it for a door stop." A slap hit the man. "Ow." Angel held up his hand.
"Someone's here." Angel looked around the room. Cordelia turned on the lights. Angel squinted his eyes but refocused.
"I don't see anyone." Cordelia said trying to make him feel better.
"Someone is here." He looked around. No one in sight except for his three guest.
"Man, have you been hitten the bottle again."
"No, you're the only drunk around here." Wesley came up beside Angel.
"It could be Catherine."
"Good guess." They all looked around. No one was there.
"Catherine?" Wesley asked again.
"Yes Wesley?" He felt a tug on his collar. He turned around no one was there.
"Stop this now Catherine. I mean it."
"What are you going to do to me Wesley." She appeared to be sitting on Cordelia's desk. "Burn me at the stake."
"Catherine." Wesley walked over to her direction. She became visible. She got off the desk. They both gave each other a hug. "It's good to see you again."
"Good to be seen."
"What are you doing here?"
"Duh." She tapped him slightly on the head. "Get you."
"I know, sorry." He looked back at the gang. "You know everyone." She gave a wave to them.
"Yeah, Wesley. We need to get out of here."
"Why?"
"Cause I need to get back."
"Well just imagine all we can learn. All the differences." Cathy looked around then focused back on him.
"Yeah! I'm one of them."
"Well what's the rush?" Cordelia came walking over. Cathy looked at her.
" I don't like it here."
"Well it's seems nice to me." Wesley trying to get her to come around.
"To you yes to me no." She stormed by them and went to the door.
"Where is she goin?" His Irish accent questioning.
"The roof where else." He looked to Angel. "You should talk to her."
"Why me?"
"She listens to you."
"Why not send Doyle? Since you told us she's his sister."
"Cause, I told you. Doyle is dead. You are the only true person she trusts. More than me."
"But I'm not your Angel."
"It is still you." He took a step toward him. "Please talk to her." Angel shrugged and went out the door.
"Did you notice that she didn't look at me?" Doyle said realizing it. "Why would she do that?" Wesley shrugged.
"Un…Catherine is…dealing with a resent situation. It dealt with someone from the past."
"Oh," Doyle dropped it. If he wanted more he would ask her.
*********
Angel came up to the roof. He spotted her sitting on the edge. He began to walk over to her. She didn't look at him.
"What do you think you are doing?" he stopped in his tracks.
"I came to talk to you."
"Wesley sent you."
"How do you know that?" she tapped the side of her head.
"A gift." Angel came up next to her.
"So " he looked at her. "Why am I the only one you can talk to?"
"Your not."
"I'm not." Angel looked off in the distance. She looked at him.
**********
"So this bad Guy came and tried to kill her?" Cordelia looked Wesley up and down.
"Yes." Wesley looked to Cordelia. "What?"
"You, alive?"
"Alive. I'm dead here."
"Yeah, didn't I tell you." Wesley shock his head. "Yeah well."
*******
Angel still looked off in the distance. Catherine raised her hand and touched the side of his face. He turned rapidly and faced her.
"What are you doing?"
"Seeing how you felt."
"I feel?" She smiled.
"Yeah." She looked off. "You look alike and you feel the same." Angel raised his hand and touched the side of her face. She looked back at him.
"What are you doing?"
"Well when I feel your face later. I'll have something to compare to." She lent in toward him. Angel did the same.
**********
"So Faith was here but didn't hurt anyone? She wasn't in leave with the Mayor?"
"No, she was, it was an act. An act you created."
"You're joking?"
"No." Cordelia looked to Doyle. He slammed himself up against the wall. His eyes rolling up in his head. "Oh, no." She went over to his side. Both Wesley and Cordelia helped Doyle as he stop fidgeting.
"What you see?" He looked around the room. "You ok?" Cordelia showing her concern. She held his hand. Wesley noticed.
"A club. A demon, looked familiar." He began to get up. "I need to get Angel."
*********
Angel was leaning closer to Catherine. She was leaning in to. Doyle popped onto the roof. The two straightened. Doyle came over. Cathy kept her gaze everywhere except Doyle. Angel looked at his friend.
"Angel man, Vision."
"Where at?" Angel got off the wall.
"The Forest of Sherwood." Cathy began to slide of the wall. She looked out over the city. Doyle looked at her. "Is she ok?" He bent in toward Angel.
"Yeah," he faced Cathy. "Catherine let's go." Doyle and Angel began to head down. Catherine gazed out over the city then headed down the stairs.
**********
They where in Angel's black car.
"So where did Cordelia go?" Cathy questioned from shot gun seat. Doyle bent between the two seats.
"She has an audition tomorrow and I didn't want her here." Cathy looked out the window as he spoke. "Am I that horrible to look at."
"No, it's nothing personal."
"So I was told." He looked ahead of him. "It's right there." He pointed. Cathy looked at it. Doyle got the first glance at her eyes. No she wasn't looking at him but he saw them. They looked like a mask hiding the truth.
"The hood." Cathy said.
"No it's The Forest of Sherwood."
"Well in my world it's The Hood."
"And how do you know this?" Wesley getting protective.
"Well I know must of the good dance joints in the area and this is one. Also a great drug spot."
"You do drugs?"
"Relax Wes. " Angel pulled the car over. She hopped out. "Purely for fun." She walked up to the door. Everyone got out and followed. Angel came up behind her.
"So how do we get in?" Wesley looked at his female friend. She gave a smile.
"Follow me." She walked up to the guy at the door. The big black bouncer looked at her. She gave him one of her childish smiles. The guy surprisingly smiled back. He opened the door.
"Go right in." she stood at the entrance.
"Come on." The guys followed her into the club.
"How'd you do that?" Cathy didn't look back at him. She pointed to her temple. Angel walked by him.
"Mental powers. " he came beside her. Doyle came on the other side. "So where is this demon?" Doyle looked around. He pointed to a guy in a bright blue plastic jacket. The man was sipping a drink at the bar.
"Shanko?" they looked at her.
"You know him?"
"Yeah. Owes me money. Doesn't seem the type to cause a disturbance."
"Remember, this is not our reality."
"I know I know." She placed a hand on her temple. Her eyes closed.
"What she doing?" Wesley held a hand up and stood behind her. Her hand fell to her side. She fumbled back a little. Wesley steadied her. Angel helped too.
"Are you ok?"
"Yeah. Need to get that under control. Um… it's not him."
"You sure?" Cathy straightened herself.
"Yes. Positive." she walked down the steps and walked past the dance floor into a booth. The guys followed her. Wesley sat next to her. Angel and Doyle sat on the other side.
"Well then if it's not him then who?" Doyle didn't like getting the wrong picture of the wrong guy. 'Hunting Me' by Stabbing Westward began to play. They looked around the room. There were people of all kinds. All kinds came to LA trying to fit in. yet no one fit in here. But they think they are finding something better against the stars. LA is a mix. So you can blend in just don't lose yourself.
"So we're just gonna sit here and wait?" Catherine looked at Wesley. "We could be back at Angel's looking for the spell."
"It's not there."
"What do you mean?" She faced him and put her back against the wall. He looked at her.
"It was in one of the ones you got me."
"Oh shit." She whispered, shaking her head.
"What's wrong?" Angel looked at both of them.
"The book is an original." She looked at him. "That place probably doesn't exist." Doyle looked over at the bar. "I can't believe it." The man, Shanko, got up from the bar and headed toward the door.
"Guy's he's leaving." She looked up. Doyle was amazed by her. He wanted to see her eyes. But she wouldn't.
"Who cares?" Catherine looked down at the seat in front of her.
"Well I do. Can I ask you a question?" Cathy didn't look over at him. "Um…" Doyle snapped searching for her name.
"Catherine." Wesley informed him.
"Yeah, Catherine. Can I ask you something?" Doyle looked at her. Her eyes were shut. "Does she do dis often?" asking the only man who knew her.
"When something is up she does. But this is peculiar." The man that left came back in again but in a black leather jacket. Hair different. He walked over to the bar. Catherine's head shot up.
"That's him." They glanced at her then back.
"Him?" Angel looked at him. "So how do we approach him?"
"You don't." she slid over Wesley and out of the booth. "I'll take care of this."
"Are you sure?" Wesley grabbing her hand. Catherine looked at him. She looked in his eyes. "Be careful."
"Don't be such an Angel." He released her hand then walked over to the bar.
"What does dat mean?" Wesley watched her.
"Angel is over protective of her. He is her shadow. " He looked over at this realities Angel. Angel watched her intensively. The imposter and her were laughing at something.
"So your Angel is he in love with her?"
"Yes, I believe." Wesley answered to Angel's question. Catherine had taken the guys hand and led him onto the dance floor.
"So are we just gonna watch or grab her?" Doyle had a bad feeling.
"She'll tell us when to intervene." The song stopped. They still moved slowly to the dance. 'Step by Step' by The New Kids on the Block began to play.
**************
The music was nice and soft. It was 'Neptune, the Mystic' by Holst.
Catherine looked into the guy's eyes.
"So what is with the fan club?" he smelled nice.
"They're my brothers. They have to watch out for their only sister."
"What they afraid something will happen to you?"
"Yeah, they think the world is full of demons and I can't survive on my own."
"That must…."
"Suck."
"Right." The song changed. 'Step By Step' by The New Kids on the Block came on. They still swayed.
"I haven't heard this song in years."
"Years. It was just released."
"By whom?"
"Um, not to sound loserish but N*Sync did."
"N*Sync did. And what about Backstreet Boys?"
"They're a England band."
"Oh." She leaned up closer to his ear. "You wanna go talk?"
"What about your brothers?"
"Who cares?"
********
Angel, Wesley and Doyle watched as she walked through the crowd and up a stairwell to the second level.
"Shouldn't we go aftur her?"
"She'll tell us." Wesley watched the only piece of his reality walk away. Angel turned to him.
"So tell us more about her. What are all her gifts?"
"And especially is she like me?" Wesley looked at them.
*********
Catherine and the guy took a seat on the edge of the second floor.
"So what's your name?" she asked him. He looked at her.
"Marco."
"Marco, that's a pretty name."
"Probably not as pretty as yours."
"Ariel." She smiled. He closed his eyes. "What's wrong?"
"That name it's the most beautiful name I've ever heard."
"You're lying."
"No, I swear on my life."
"Then you should swear on your soul."
"My soul?" He was in shock. She slapped him slightly on the shoulder.
"Jeez you would think I was really gonna take it."
"NO, no I just never thought of that."
"Ow nice recovery." He laughed.
"So," he leans toward her. "You wanna go someplace private?" she looked him up and down. "I promise I won't bite, hard." She looked down at her friends. "Don't worry about them." He stood up. 'To the Moon and Back' by Savage Garden began to play. She took his hand the two walked out one of the doors that read exit.
********
'To the Moon and Back' by Savage Garden was almost done. Doyle leaned over the table listening intensively to all what Wesley was telling them.
"She's also Ticka?"
"Ticka?" Angel said. "They're extinct."
"Well you've seen her. She's is indeed in fact very much alive."
"And ho'd that happen?"
"Your mother the same. Father different."
"Wow, wow. Same mother. Get out of her."
"I assure you that." He stopped in mid-sentence. 'Wesley help. I'm out back.' He heard Catherine's voice in his head. The two looked at him.
"What's wrong?"
"He has her." 'Ready to Go' by Republica began to play. The three headed out of the booth. They walked toward one of the exit doors. Angel opened the door and walked out. Wesley and Doyle followed. The music diminished but still could be heard.
"So Wes, where is she?" A scream was heard from around back. The alleyway was dark. They saw things flying around.
" Catherine!" Wesley shouted. She was in demon form. The man wasn't the man anymore. He was a demon. He looked like a mix of the Alien from Aliens and the Chig from Space: Above and Beyond. Catherine was all white as normal Ticka but had blood coming from wounds. Her arm hung down by her side. She had a big gash across her belly. The other demon was bleeding too but more visible on her. She flew over the thing's head and kicked it in the back. It hit the wall. She faced it again. It lunged at her. It grabbed her. Held her in the air and threw her against the wall. She hit and fell behind a trash container to the ground, unmoving. Angel turned into vamp mode and headed straight toward it. The creature was getting weak and Angel wasn't helping it or letting it get better. Wesley went to find Catherine. Angel began beating it. Doyle turned demon and helped out too. Two against one is better odds. They creature was bending down on it's knees. The demon gave one swift blow of strength. It threw Doyle toward one of the walls and tumbled to the ground dazed. Angel keep on pounding on it. It finally got a good hold on Angel and threw him. The creature stood there shaking. Angel got up and stood there.
"What's wrong getting tired?" the creature reverted back into it's human body.
"Angel." Doyle threw him a Metal pipe. He caught it. The man just stood there. Blood was coming down his face. The man looked at Angel. He grinned. Angel came at him.
"Batters up." He took the pipe and hit the guy square across the face. He flew and hit the wall. It didn't move. Angel came over and looked at it. Doyle came over to see.
"He dead?"
"I hope so." The creature moved. They got ready. Then it released what must have been it's final breath. It disintegrated.
"That's what I hate about them." Angel looked at him. " They don't clean up after themselves."
"Where's Wesley and Cathy?" Angel looked around. Angel ran to where she was thrown. Doyle in close pursuit.
****************
Wesley could hear the battle going on. He held Cathy in his arms. She was hurt, bleeding and semi-conscious.
"It's ok Catherine. Everything's gonna be ok. Stay awake." Her eyes fluttered open.
"WE need to get back."
"I know but we can't."
"Yes I know." It hurt for her to speak. "Wesley.."
The battle sounded like it was finished. Wesley had covered her with his jacket. He didn't know who one. He grabbed a piece of wood. Catherine took his hand.
*************
Angel pulled the garbage container away. He saw the sight before him. Wesley put the piece of wood down. Angel knelt down beside them.
"Is she ok?"
"No, and yes."
"Yes," she said weakly. Wesley shushed her. Doyle came over to her side. She looked totally different. He took her other hand. For the first time she came she looked at him. Her eyes where blue like his. She gave a smile and a slight squeeze of the hand. Doyle smiled back. "The good fight." Wesley gave a smile to them.
"Yes." Wesley stroked her hair. Angel looked down at her.
"Wes, we should get out of her." You can hear sirens in the distance. Wesley knodded.
"We shouldn't move her man." Doyle objected.
"How bad is she?" Wesley moved the jacket up. They both saw the wound on her stomach. He looked at her. She looked him straight in the eye. "It's.."
"I know. Wesley.." Wesley looked at her. 'If we get back this will have never happened.'
"What?" Wesley looked at both of them. "It will." She knodded slightly.
"What she say?" Doyle was on the verge of crying.
"We need the spell." She looked to Doyle. 'Make one for me'. Doyle looked around.
"I can't."
"Allen…Do it, please." 'I believe in you'. Doyle looked at them all he stood up.
"I can't."
"What?" Wesley looked at him.
"She wants me to do the spell. I don't know how. I'm not a witch."
"No, your not." Wesley stood up. Angel took Catherine in his arms.
"But your mother was." Angel looked down at her. He had both her hands in his.
"To bad I'll never get to see you dance."
"Well ask me when you get back." She gave a smile.
"Mmff." 'Angel'? Angel looked at her. 'Don't worry. It's only me'.
"How I'm a vampire?" 'I'm Ticka. I can do anything'. "Including get hurt."
"Yes." Blood was seeping through the jacket.
"Well you have to." Wesley keeps on pushing Doyle. "She needs you." Doyle looked down at her. He knelt down.
"Catherine I can't. I don't know how."
"Say it from your heart. Believe in the magic. It will come true."
"I can't"
"You can." She reached up and took his hand. "Please Allen. Do it. I believe in you." he looked to Angel.
"I can't." Angel looked up at him.
"I believe in you Doyle. You can do it." Doyle looked at Wesley then to Catherine.
"Ok. Um. Wesley, you here." He moved him down next to Catherine. He pulled Angel up. "ok." He looked at them. "I hope this works."
"Take care of her." Angel informed.
"I will." Wesley said.
"So will i." She patted Wesley on the hand. "Your on." Doyle stood straight.
"I call upon the watchtowers to head and hear my call. I ask of you to take these two and send them to home and rightful place in reality. Send quick and home without hurt nor harm. Send these friends to the place, the place they call home. So bless it be." She smiled at him. The began to turn sparkly. Then faded like dust. They were gone. Angel put an arm around Doyle.
"Good job."
"Thanks."
"You okay."
"Yeah, I'm part witch and I need to talk to my mum."
"I'm sure you do."
***************
Wesley turned around. He was in the office. Catherine was not in sight.
"Catherine." He looked around. The light from Cordelia's desk was on. It was night. He walked down the steps. "Catherine?" he saw Angel asleep in one of the chairs. Cordelia was lying on the couch. "Catherine?" he whispered. Angel stirred. He walked to the bedroom. He opened the door. On bed lay Catherine. Angel stood behind him.
"Welcome back." Wesley ignored him and headed toward the bed. He felt for her pulse. There was one. He gave a sigh of relief. "You ok?"
"Yes." He stroked Catherine's hair. She stirred and looked at him.
"Are we back?" he knodded." She bent up and gave him a hug. She saw Angel at the door. Wesley held her tight. She held her hand out to Angel. He came over and took it. She pulled him down and hugged him. They just sat there for a while. "It's nice to be home." Cordelia entered the room.
"Hey, wasn't someone gonna wake me." They looked to her and waved her to the bed. She came over. They held each other and began to laugh. "Welcome back."
The End
