Okay, last chapter before my study-time and exams, I'll try to update as
much as possible...
To those of you who also get to torture their poor braincells by studying
for exams... GOOD LUCK!!! And to the others... have fun?
Enjoy!
Chapter 7
'...A good police officer, bearing the marks to prove it. But above all he was a man with a heart in the right place. A wonderful father to his children, Abby and Simon. So let us all honour and remember Jamie Parker for the man he was, a good Christian and a great father...'
From her spot under the old oak, Kate Lockley listened as the priest finished his sermon.
She watched as Dorothy Stevin held her two children close as she shed some tears over her ex-husband.
It's weird, Kate thought. Officer Parker had indeed been a good and friendly man, and a respected cop. Still it was his body that was found in the alley where Angel was wounded, now already five days ago.
Angel's associates, Wesley and Gunn, had told her and the others that they had decapitated the demon and had thrown away its head. The demon was dead, and the body was left to rot in the alley. Yet when the cops found Jamie Parker, they found just him, dead on the filthy ground, face down in a large puddle of blood.
The cause of dead had been unclear, just two large holes in his lower abdomen. Considering they found no splinters and the flesh wasn't ripped open, they assumed it had been a sabre or so.
The family got the body in time for the funeral and an investigation was up and running. Especially because they had found the same blue mark on his hip. Enough to dismiss it as just another victim of the serial killer. Only this time it was a man, and no other wound besides the two cuts in his stomach were found.
As the priest said some final words of comfort for the family, Kate slowly started to walk away. In the chaos of the investigation she hadn't found the time to properly inform the team at the Hyperion, but she planned to do that right now. She had brought Parker's autopsy-report along, thinking it might be useful.
--
Even though the last days had been incredibly hard, seeing Connor made her smile every time. Even though she wasn't the baby's biological mother, she loved him like her own. Even seeing him and Spike together made her feel better, and it helped take her mind off of Angel and their troubles, if only for a moment.
It was indeed a most charming view: the Big Bad, playing with a little baby, surrounded by toys, and talking some sort of baby language while making funny faces.
'He likes you.' She said, looking at the little miracle from behind Spike's shoulder.
'God, luv! You scared the hell out of me. Shouldn't sneak up on people like that!'
'I thought you were a vampire...you know, super hearing and stuff.'
'Yeah well...I was distracted.'
But before Cordy could reply, Connor decided to let her know he'd seen her, and wanted to be with her. With a smile she took up the little boy and went to sit down across from Spike.
'So...no news on Angel?' Spike asked.
'No, the guys are still looking into it.' Cordelia said as the smile which had lit up her face moments ago, faded again, letting her look tired and pale.
Spike immediately felt sorry for asking. He'd grown very fond of the former cheerleader and felt sorry for her too now. He went to sit down next to her, placing a hand on her shoulder for comfort, as silence slowly took over.
'How are things with you?' Cordelia then asked, turning her face towards him.
He could see tears burning behind her eyes and hear how her voice cracked a bit. She really did love Angel, he realised.
'I'm okay.'
'I mean with Buffy?'
'Oh...That.' He said as he shifted a bit, taking Connor from her lap, starting to make funny faces again.
'Spike,' Cordelia let out a sigh, 'You've been here for like three weeks now, and you haven't even called her.' She raised her voice a bit, then took a deep breath. 'You love her... Look, if there's one thing that I've learnt these past few years, and even days, it's that life's short, and that love's worth fighting for.'
'In case you've forgotten... I'm a vampire.'
'Yes, but Buffy isn't... Spike, just call her, or go to Sunnydale. But tell her that you love her.'
'Tried that, didn't work.'
'Then prove your love, make it work!'
A pause, then he sighed.
'I'll try.' He said, handing Connor back to her, then leaving the room.
--
'Explain to me why we're here again.' Gunn asked as he poked his head up out of the pit they were digging.
He looked right into Fred's brown eyes. He hated being out here, in the dark, but seeing the brunette's face, illuminated by the flashlight she was holding, and by the light of the full moon that was shining brightly, eased it all just a little.
Fred gave him a smile.
'To help Angel.' She said, for once not starting her normal rambling.
'Yes, I got that, but why are we digging up coffins in the middle of the night?'
A sigh rose from down the pit.
'For the last time, Gunn, the cure for Angel's illness is most likely right here in this coffin.' Wesley said, and with that once more put his shovel down. But instead of going deeper into the dark moist ground, it hit something hard with a thud.
'I think we found it.' He announced as he started clearing the coffin.
'Finally.' Gunn uttered and rushed to help the ex-watcher.
Fred smiled, but at the same time a shiver ran down her spine. She really didn't like hanging out at a cemetery at night, digging up human remains.
Caves and other dimensions she'd learnt to deal with. She was good at research and her fighting skills had definitely improved too, yet she felt a creepy feeling settle into her gut as she watched the guys open up the coffin. She'd seen dead people before, and it still freaked her out, but this...
She averted her eyes whilst still providing light for the guys. Only Wesley's comments and Gunn's replies on how nasty it all was reached her ears.
Then, she heard Wesley cry out a triumphant 'eureka' as he pulled one of the demon's horns out of the half-rotten corpse.
--
Spike was up in his room, lying on the bed, staring up at the ceiling like he'd done a hundred times since fleeing Sunnydale.
Yet after so many times he could still discover new cracks, or just old ones he'd forgotten about. His shirt hung open, and a cool night breeze coming through the open window teased his naked skin, but he barely registered it.
His mind, already clouded by the liquor, was many miles away. A sigh escaped his lips and he reached out for the almost-empty bottle of whiskey next to the bed.
He'd called Buffy just before, but things didn't really turn out the way he'd planned.
The slayer hadn't been at home. Dawn had answered the phone and in the background he'd heard Anya and Xander. It wasn't like he wasn't happy to hear her, no, he did love the teenager. But it was her older sister that held his heart. It was that same sister, the slayer; he needed now, if only it was to hear her voice.
She'd asked him about his whereabouts and then made some small talk, ending the conversation with 'we miss you' in a small voice.
He'd sighed and hung up.
'Me too, Niblet.' He said, lying back on the bed, drinking up the last drop of alcohol in the bottle.
--
Pacing the room nervously, Connor in her arms, Cordelia looked at the clock for what must've been the millionth time since the gang had come back with the horn.
Gunn had excused himself and had retreated into the basement, wanting to train a bit while Fred and Wesley were putting their brilliant minds to use, working on a cure.
Even though that was only about a quarter of an hour ago, it seemed like ages.
'What's taking them so long?' Cordy asked herself as she bounced Connor up and down a little.
'Your daddy's going to be just fine, he has to be.'
Taking a deep breath, she tried to regain her posture, fighting back the tears that threaten to fall. She wouldn't give in. She was stronger than that.
Connor only gave her a weak smile before he sighed and rested his head against her shoulder.
'Getting tired huh? Let's take you upstairs then. You can keep daddy company for a while.' She said as she walked up the stairs, momentarily forgetting to worry about how long it was taking to make a cure. 'Daddy loves you very much, Connor. He loves having you around, even though he can't really play with you now... But uncle Wes and auntie Fred are trying really hard to make him all better...'
She kept talking to the little baby as she put him down in his cradle, softly singing a lullaby as she tucked him in, watching him drift off into a peaceful sleep.
Quickly checking on Angel, she left the room and went back downstairs, right in time to see Fred storm out of Wesley's office, shouting her name.
'Stop yelling, you'll wake up Connor.' Cordelia said, stepping into the lobby.
'Oh.' Fred said as she started to blush, lost for words for a moment, 'We've prepared a cure.'
--
Enjoy!
Chapter 7
'...A good police officer, bearing the marks to prove it. But above all he was a man with a heart in the right place. A wonderful father to his children, Abby and Simon. So let us all honour and remember Jamie Parker for the man he was, a good Christian and a great father...'
From her spot under the old oak, Kate Lockley listened as the priest finished his sermon.
She watched as Dorothy Stevin held her two children close as she shed some tears over her ex-husband.
It's weird, Kate thought. Officer Parker had indeed been a good and friendly man, and a respected cop. Still it was his body that was found in the alley where Angel was wounded, now already five days ago.
Angel's associates, Wesley and Gunn, had told her and the others that they had decapitated the demon and had thrown away its head. The demon was dead, and the body was left to rot in the alley. Yet when the cops found Jamie Parker, they found just him, dead on the filthy ground, face down in a large puddle of blood.
The cause of dead had been unclear, just two large holes in his lower abdomen. Considering they found no splinters and the flesh wasn't ripped open, they assumed it had been a sabre or so.
The family got the body in time for the funeral and an investigation was up and running. Especially because they had found the same blue mark on his hip. Enough to dismiss it as just another victim of the serial killer. Only this time it was a man, and no other wound besides the two cuts in his stomach were found.
As the priest said some final words of comfort for the family, Kate slowly started to walk away. In the chaos of the investigation she hadn't found the time to properly inform the team at the Hyperion, but she planned to do that right now. She had brought Parker's autopsy-report along, thinking it might be useful.
--
Even though the last days had been incredibly hard, seeing Connor made her smile every time. Even though she wasn't the baby's biological mother, she loved him like her own. Even seeing him and Spike together made her feel better, and it helped take her mind off of Angel and their troubles, if only for a moment.
It was indeed a most charming view: the Big Bad, playing with a little baby, surrounded by toys, and talking some sort of baby language while making funny faces.
'He likes you.' She said, looking at the little miracle from behind Spike's shoulder.
'God, luv! You scared the hell out of me. Shouldn't sneak up on people like that!'
'I thought you were a vampire...you know, super hearing and stuff.'
'Yeah well...I was distracted.'
But before Cordy could reply, Connor decided to let her know he'd seen her, and wanted to be with her. With a smile she took up the little boy and went to sit down across from Spike.
'So...no news on Angel?' Spike asked.
'No, the guys are still looking into it.' Cordelia said as the smile which had lit up her face moments ago, faded again, letting her look tired and pale.
Spike immediately felt sorry for asking. He'd grown very fond of the former cheerleader and felt sorry for her too now. He went to sit down next to her, placing a hand on her shoulder for comfort, as silence slowly took over.
'How are things with you?' Cordelia then asked, turning her face towards him.
He could see tears burning behind her eyes and hear how her voice cracked a bit. She really did love Angel, he realised.
'I'm okay.'
'I mean with Buffy?'
'Oh...That.' He said as he shifted a bit, taking Connor from her lap, starting to make funny faces again.
'Spike,' Cordelia let out a sigh, 'You've been here for like three weeks now, and you haven't even called her.' She raised her voice a bit, then took a deep breath. 'You love her... Look, if there's one thing that I've learnt these past few years, and even days, it's that life's short, and that love's worth fighting for.'
'In case you've forgotten... I'm a vampire.'
'Yes, but Buffy isn't... Spike, just call her, or go to Sunnydale. But tell her that you love her.'
'Tried that, didn't work.'
'Then prove your love, make it work!'
A pause, then he sighed.
'I'll try.' He said, handing Connor back to her, then leaving the room.
--
'Explain to me why we're here again.' Gunn asked as he poked his head up out of the pit they were digging.
He looked right into Fred's brown eyes. He hated being out here, in the dark, but seeing the brunette's face, illuminated by the flashlight she was holding, and by the light of the full moon that was shining brightly, eased it all just a little.
Fred gave him a smile.
'To help Angel.' She said, for once not starting her normal rambling.
'Yes, I got that, but why are we digging up coffins in the middle of the night?'
A sigh rose from down the pit.
'For the last time, Gunn, the cure for Angel's illness is most likely right here in this coffin.' Wesley said, and with that once more put his shovel down. But instead of going deeper into the dark moist ground, it hit something hard with a thud.
'I think we found it.' He announced as he started clearing the coffin.
'Finally.' Gunn uttered and rushed to help the ex-watcher.
Fred smiled, but at the same time a shiver ran down her spine. She really didn't like hanging out at a cemetery at night, digging up human remains.
Caves and other dimensions she'd learnt to deal with. She was good at research and her fighting skills had definitely improved too, yet she felt a creepy feeling settle into her gut as she watched the guys open up the coffin. She'd seen dead people before, and it still freaked her out, but this...
She averted her eyes whilst still providing light for the guys. Only Wesley's comments and Gunn's replies on how nasty it all was reached her ears.
Then, she heard Wesley cry out a triumphant 'eureka' as he pulled one of the demon's horns out of the half-rotten corpse.
--
Spike was up in his room, lying on the bed, staring up at the ceiling like he'd done a hundred times since fleeing Sunnydale.
Yet after so many times he could still discover new cracks, or just old ones he'd forgotten about. His shirt hung open, and a cool night breeze coming through the open window teased his naked skin, but he barely registered it.
His mind, already clouded by the liquor, was many miles away. A sigh escaped his lips and he reached out for the almost-empty bottle of whiskey next to the bed.
He'd called Buffy just before, but things didn't really turn out the way he'd planned.
The slayer hadn't been at home. Dawn had answered the phone and in the background he'd heard Anya and Xander. It wasn't like he wasn't happy to hear her, no, he did love the teenager. But it was her older sister that held his heart. It was that same sister, the slayer; he needed now, if only it was to hear her voice.
She'd asked him about his whereabouts and then made some small talk, ending the conversation with 'we miss you' in a small voice.
He'd sighed and hung up.
'Me too, Niblet.' He said, lying back on the bed, drinking up the last drop of alcohol in the bottle.
--
Pacing the room nervously, Connor in her arms, Cordelia looked at the clock for what must've been the millionth time since the gang had come back with the horn.
Gunn had excused himself and had retreated into the basement, wanting to train a bit while Fred and Wesley were putting their brilliant minds to use, working on a cure.
Even though that was only about a quarter of an hour ago, it seemed like ages.
'What's taking them so long?' Cordy asked herself as she bounced Connor up and down a little.
'Your daddy's going to be just fine, he has to be.'
Taking a deep breath, she tried to regain her posture, fighting back the tears that threaten to fall. She wouldn't give in. She was stronger than that.
Connor only gave her a weak smile before he sighed and rested his head against her shoulder.
'Getting tired huh? Let's take you upstairs then. You can keep daddy company for a while.' She said as she walked up the stairs, momentarily forgetting to worry about how long it was taking to make a cure. 'Daddy loves you very much, Connor. He loves having you around, even though he can't really play with you now... But uncle Wes and auntie Fred are trying really hard to make him all better...'
She kept talking to the little baby as she put him down in his cradle, softly singing a lullaby as she tucked him in, watching him drift off into a peaceful sleep.
Quickly checking on Angel, she left the room and went back downstairs, right in time to see Fred storm out of Wesley's office, shouting her name.
'Stop yelling, you'll wake up Connor.' Cordelia said, stepping into the lobby.
'Oh.' Fred said as she started to blush, lost for words for a moment, 'We've prepared a cure.'
--
