Chapter 16

"Promises"

zzz

Death is an earthquake of the soul, it shakes, it brakes and then it scars deeply, it makes us test the meaning of our lives, if we have done what we came here for, how much we've loved the people around us and most of all …how we will be remembered when we are gone.

Buffy stared at the window as if it held all the answers to her questions, she was having one of those days where life seemed meaningless, she knew she was depressed, she cried her eyes out when she thought no one was looking, she missed Joyce, she was scared of the trial, she wanted to be positive about things but Spike could get Patrick, and yeah as irrational as those thoughts were, she still thought about them. Life is like that, we are always afraid of the unknown, of missing a step and falling down like a rock, down, down to the bottom of the river, down into the unknown.

Someone noticed Buffy's forlorn expression and sat at her table. "Are you alright, Darling? You look like you are about to cry. Can I get you anything?" Buffy was sitting at the hospital's cafeteria, and the person who had approached her was an intern.

"I'm fine, thank you, I'm just a little winded, long night, hard life… whatever, you know?" Buffy responded in a flat tone, noticing that her interloper was a tall, leggy, blonde with eyes the size of cannonballs, in a shade of sky blue that was quite gorgeous. What could she know about the hardness of life?

"Hell if I know, I'm on the 37th hour of my third shift in two weeks, I know about long nights… name is Julia, it's nice to meet you." She extended her hand and Buffy took it kindly, noticing the perfectly done French manicure and the ring less fingers.

"Hi, the name is Buffy; it's nice to meet you too." Julia in turn noticed Buffy's delicate jewelry, her earrings matched the small tear-shaped diamond of her necklace; her wedding ring was accompanied by a heart shaped pink diamond, and a delicate charm bracelet dangled above the untouched chocolate-milk.

"So, are you here to see a doctor? Or are you here visiting a patient?" Buffy thought about her answer for a few seconds, she wasn't there to do either. She worked there but she didn't feel like saying she was a depressed therapist.

"I'm here waiting for a doctor, he'll be here soon."

"That makes two of us, I'm sort of waiting …and dreading my boss, he's a mean asshole, he makes us work forty hours shifts, while everybody else does twenty-four hours, that's more than mean, that's just plain inhuman, and he's strict with a capital s, you mess around, you're out of the program. I just get incredibly anxious when he's around." Buffy forgot about her problems for a minute and focused on Julia's for a while.

"Woah, he's a slave driver, how does he get around doing that?"

"Well, he's incredibly talented, so we all want to learn from him, and then he's so fucking gorgeous that he makes panties drop with his chocolate eyes." That pointed Buffy as to who was her boss perfectly well.

"Is he that cute? I mean, if he's such a slave driver, why don't you guys just quit? I bet there're a thousand other hospitals looking for interns."

"We are basically masochistic bitches; we want the best we can get, even if we can't handle it, besides half the girls stay just to try and seduce him."

"Is he single?"

"You sound like you are getting interested! He's married, his wife must be a psycho bitch, whenever she calls he drops everything, even the patients," Julia leaned closer to Buffy and whispered. "She must be a first class whore; I've heard he had quite a reputation for sleeping with interns and coworkers …until he married her."

"Does he… we'll I bet its all gossip."

"You're right, but he is hot as hell, that's for sure, and his wife is a lucky bitch, he's not only cute but filthy rich, and a famous doctor too, so… she won the lottery when she snatched him from the rest of us."

"I guess." Buffy replied absently, she didn't think of herself as a lucky bitch, or a first class whore for that matter, she was just a woman, like any of the lot.

"So, you are pregnant, when are you due?" Julia noticed the subject was a bit sore for Buffy so she dropped it.

"Oh, next month, I'm 35 weeks pregnant."

"Is daddy on the picture?"

"Of course he is; he's the doctor I'm waiting for."

"Really, that's great, what's his name, maybe I know him." Buffy was about to make-up a story when none other that the devil Doctor Angelus O'Quinn showed up and kissed her on the lips.

"Julia Winterbourne, I believe you should be at the ER, your shift isn't over just yet." Julia became as pale as the pantry table they were sitting at.

"Doctor O'Quinn, I thought…"

"We just met; she told me she's your intern." Buffy interjected, sharing a conspicuous look with the Angel.

"I'm just about to leave; it was a pleasure meeting you…" Julia said hurriedly, leaving the table like she had seen a ghost.

"Buffy, the name's Buffy; I'll be seeing you around; Julie." Angel said with sarcasm. Julia couldn't handle the staring of both Buffy's and Angel's eyes, she knew she had messed it up big time, she had ranted about the boss… to the boss's wife. So she left, she didn't even said goodbye to either them. She just murmured something about an emergency.

"So you've met the interns." Angel continued as he noticed Buffy's expression.

"Just her, she said some pretty nasty things about you though." Buffy replied as Angel helped her out of the chair. They were supposed to meet there, and then leave to go grab a bite.

"I guess she didn't know who you are."

"No, I'm sure she didn't."

"I have an idea, baby; let's go get some ice-cream; you have that lost-kitten expression I hate so much." Angel ventured, he had noticed how sad she was that day.

"Can it be chocolate chip dough and mint? Maybe some peanut butter too, crunchy would be great."

"That sounds like a plan, baby."

zzz

"She said you were a mean asshole, a slave driver and a womanizer too, oh and apparently all the female interns drop their panties when you walk by." Buffy said sardonically after Angel asked her about what Julia had said exactly.

"That's an exaggeration, they are young, and they are seeking for a cheap thrill, seducing the boss makes a great story to tell."

"Don't you know all about it?" Buffy said sarcastically.

"You said it yourself, it's just gossip, I didn't ask one of then to enroll, in fact, I warned them that they were the first batch of a personal experiment. I'm demanding, obstinate and stubborn; they can only do things my way or no way at all."

"What are you going to teach them, exactly?"

"I'm going to teach them about medicine, ethics to begin with, don't think badly of me, I know what I'm doing, in a couple of months, they'll be adults, they'll know about responsibility and dealing with their mistakes, right now all they know about is tourism and modeling."

"They went to college, you know?"

"So did I, baby. I was green once too, I had to suffer the first year as well, it is a rite of passage, once you screw up for the first time, you start seeing things in perspective."

"I don't think badly of you, but I wouldn't like to be your intern either." Buffy pulled a paper out of her pocket and showed it to Angel, she had taken her GMD test the day before and she had passed it.

"Wow! You never told me!"

"It was a surprise, I started studying for it right after we got married, I wanted more."

"Well, I don't know what to say."

"It's what I always wanted to do but couldn't; I promised mom I'd live up to my dreams, so I went out to get it. Don't you feel happy for me?"

"I do, darling. It's just that you kept it a secret, and then you are so pregnant, how's that going to work?"

"I don't know, Angel. But I can promise you that I'll try, maybe not now, but in a couple of months, when this little baby is older, I'm definitely going go start this medical career."

"I'm so proud of you. I don't even know what to say without sounding condescending. Except that I love you. And then again, if you were a surgical intern, I could shape you up."

"Like I am a masochist too? I don't think so, and besides, I'd feel sick if you weren't nice to me."

"I wouldn't be mean to you."

"And then there's that! I don't like special treatments either."

"I trust you. If you were my doctor I'd fell secure."

"No, you wouldn't! Mister: I went to Stanford and then to UCLA, you wouldn't trust a GMD, besides you are your own doctor."

"I can't self-prescribe. And I do like working with you close by."

"I knew you were going to get like this, that's why I wanted to make it a surprise… I promise you that I'll think about it."

"I promise you that I'll be very nice."

"You are scaring me now."

"If you weren't a cardiologist like me, what would you be?"

"That's a tough question, I don't know, honestly? I would like Neurology and Psychiatry; I just wanna mess around with people's head."

"I see. Well I think a cardiologist and a neuron-surgeon could work fine."

"It could be."

"It could be; it could definitely be." Angel said smiling with a wicked expression on his eyes, and then Buffy giggled too. Next year she's be one of Angel's intern, that had to be exciting for their relationship, and then they will also be raising their little angel, life seemed to be destined to become far more complicated as time went by, Patrick will eventually start high school and then well, he could choose medicine too… and then you know how this endless cycle goes, it just never ends.

zzz

"Delta Airlines announces the arrival of flight 5251 from Rome, Italy…"

It was early eleven in the morning when Lindsay and Eve arrived at JFK airport, The FBI had instructed the Interpol to let Eve Macdonald out of Italy and then they would catch her as soon as she set foot on USA.

"Mr. And Mrs. Mac Donald, I need you to come with us." The security guard said to the couple as they escorted them out of the line for the immigration stand.

"Sure, is there a problem?" Lindsay asked out-loud, becoming concerned about the amount of cops and FBI agents gathering around them.

"We just need to have a word with you two; there ain't no problem at all."

"Can I at least get my bags?" Eve asked before she was physically escorted to a separate room.

"We have your bags Mrs. Mac Donald, don't worry about them."

"I'm not transporting any kind of drugs, if that's what you are looking for." Eve said thinking she was framed as a narcomule.

"We don't think you are, relax, this is just for your safety, please step inside the room, we'll be talking to you in a second." She did as she was told but under coercion, she feared that they would use some sort of weapon if she refused to cooperate.

"Mrs. Eve Mac Donald, please put your hands up, I'm Jack Somerfield, NYPD, you are under arrest, anything you say, can and will be used against you in a court of law; you have a right…" the agent said as he placed the handcuffs on Eve's wrists.

"I wanna see my lawyer now! Lindsay!"

"Lindsay Mac Donald is also under arrest for the kidnap and attempt or murder of Buffy Summers-O'Quinn."

"Lindsay!" Eve screamed as the cop escorted her out of the airport and into a patrol car.

"Everything is going to be alright, darling! Don't panic I'll get help!" Lindsay screamed back to her, he had been handcuffed as well, and he was being taken to a separate patrol car. "I love you, Evey, don't be afraid!" But she was afraid indeed, if she was under arrest it was because the beast had sold her out. If the whole truth came out into the light, she'd be sentenced to many years in prison.

"Lindsay!"

zzz

Bryan Adam's song "Everything I do, I do it for you" was playing on the stereo.

Spike had just popped-open a bottle of veuve clicquot La Grande Damme champagne.

And Drusilla was sitting at the designing table, bent over her latest collection for autumn-winter 2007.

"Here, pet, you look like you need some of these." Spike said as he handled the brunette a tulip glass of sparkly champagne.

"Thank you, darling." Dru said, and then she had a taste of the delicious liquor. "What are we celebrating?"

"Nothing… as to yet." Spike replied with innuendo.

"Well, this is a fine champagne. Do you know something I don't?"

"No, I guess not." Spike started kissing her neck and when he reached her earlobe he pulled something from behind Dru's ear, and bent on one knee to offer it to her.

"Oh my god, tell me you aren't doing what I think you are doing." It was a square cut diamond, in a set of pink gold, a lovely engagement ring.

"I am, Dru-Darling! My dearest, you are the woman of my life, I've never loved anyone like I love you… would you do me the honor of marrying me?" Dru was caught speechless.

"I … I don't even know what to say… wow, that's such a beautiful ring!"

"Say yes and you'll have it."

"But I, we hardly know each other! We shouldn't, it's so impulsive!"

"I'm a new man, Pet. I want to marry ye, I don't care if it's fast or impulsive or whatever, I love ye, and I'd be the happiest man on earth if you married me."

"I guess… I do!" Drusilla said with a huge smile and tears rolling down her cheeks. "I do! I do! I'll marry you."

zzz

"I don't know who it is, dad." Patrick screamed to Angel, it war near eleven at night when someone started buzzing at the gate.

"Don't open it, wait. Let me go get dressed." Angel was already in bed, wearing only his boxers; he had had a really long day, both Buffy and he needed a good long rest.

"What's all the rush?" Dawn had come downstairs as she heard Angel and Patrick arguing.

"There's a man out there, he wants to get in."

"Let me check who it is first." Angel said crossed with whoever dared violate the peace and safety of his home. "Who is this?" Angel asked crossly over the intercom, they had installed an electronic iron gate and a security camera at the entrance.

"It's been a while, and I know that you are not expecting me, but I need to talk to you, it's Daniel Holtz, the FBI lieutenant that rescued your wife." Angel was genuinely surprised, he thought the man would never look for them; it had been months since they last saw each other.

"When you hear the buzz, push open the small gate, come inside, and please close it afterwards, I'll be right out there." The cobblestone road to the house was about two miles away from the iron gate, for their own safety they never left it open at night and it was locked and attached to a direct alarm to the police, if someone broke in anywhere on the perimeter of the house, a surveillance team would come to the rescue, after what had happened to Buffy, safety was the most important thing for Angel.

zzz

"It's so nice to see you, Buffy. Can I call you Buffy?" Holtz said as he came into the house. "You're glowing; I bet you must be pretty close to the date now." Holtz said, extending a shy hand to touch Buffy's bump.

"A month away, it's nice to see you again, please come in." Buffy answered warmly, she had a weird feeling of joy about the man, this was Angel's dad, looking up and close to him, they had a very soft resemblance, hardly there, Angel was the spitting image of his mother, but the air of familiarity was there none the less.

"I'm sorry if I'm disturbing you, but there's something really important that I need to tell you." Angel and Buffy shared an intimate look, they knew what that visit was about.

"Please take a sit, can I offer you anything? Coffee, iced tea, a beer?" Angel said to man as they walked into the living room.

"Don't worry, I'm fine, why don't you take a sit too."

"Ok, oh by the way this is my sister Dawn, this is Lieutenant Daniel Holtz." Buffy said as she introduced the two of them, Dawn had been lurking right behind the couple.

"It's nice to meet you, I've heard so much about you, thank you for saving my sister… again. Can I get you anything? We have cheese cake, I made it, and it's really great."

"Ok, I'll have some." As soon as Dawn left, Holtz felt a knot of apprehension tie itself around his chest; this was his son's house, his daughter in law pregnant, and her sister giving him cheese cake, to sum it all up: this was his long lost family. "We captured Eve today, she was taken at JFK airport; we presume her trial will come soon."

"Oh! We thought you were here about something else." Buffy said feeling silly and worried at the same time.

"Jonathan, I mean the beast, sold out Eve to get a lesser sentence; he's negotiating to change his sentence from death to life in prison, no possibility of parole. And I think he'll get it."

"I was never in favor of the capital penalty." Buffy said with her eyes downcast, she was staring at her round belly.

"I'm sure you have more morals than most people, and you are also with child, but he's also a danger to society, he produces and sells drugs, he kidnaps, rapes and kills innocent women and if that's not enough he has stolen cars and assaulted people, you among them."

"I'm sure justice will work." Angel said placating Holtz's tirade, he could tell Buffy was getting uncomfortable, she was staring at Holtz like he had grown two heads, he could tell she'll snap if he pushed her.

"The point is that I needed you to know these things, so you aren't caught unaware when the media starts swarming around you."

"Thank you, that's a very kind thing of you." Angel said and then he thought twice about what he was about to say, but then he jumped into it. "I know who you are; you should know that I'm aware of what you meant to my mom… and what you mean to me." Angel said, infusing a lifetime of secrets in just a few words.

"Do you? I can't imagine how you realized that. Did she tell you?"

"She didn't have time, you know she died when I was only a kid, I found out through a DNA test, my sister wasn't my sister at all, not trough the father or through the mother."

"Oh, I don't know what to say." And Holtz really didn't know what to say, he hadn't even consider that Angel knew the truth.

"It's alright, we knew you'd come sooner or later. After all, we are family." Buffy said voicing out what they were all thinking but didn't dare say out loud.

"There you go; I brought you some iced tea too." Dawn arrived with the cake feeling the awful silence swamp her. "Is everything alright?"

"Everything's fine, darling, come here, sit down with us." Buffy said, motioning her sister to sit beside here. "We are just talking about Angel's dad."

"Isn't he dead?" Dawn replied innocently.

"Well, sort of not, Holtz is Angel's dad." Buffy said point blank.

"Woah! That's heavy! How do you know?"

"I just did, let's reschedule this meeting for some other time, Buffy and I need to rest." Angel said a lot more rudely than he had planned, he was happy that the truth was out, but he was also confused and angry about Eve and the beast. This convoluted family reunion could and would wait, Holtz would need to explain what happened thirty years ago and Angel would have some questions of his own. "I'm sorry if I seem rude, but I'm tired and tomorrow will be a long day."

"I completely understand what you mean, I'm leaving." Holtz said dropping the cheese cake untouched. "Oh, by the way, the DA is going to call you, I'm afraid they need to find a motive why Eve picked you out of the lot, her name I believe is going to be Anabeth Chase, she'll talk to you, I'm sure the investigation will start as soon as tomorrow, as you know is election year, so I bet the mayor is going to take particular interest in the case."

"We'll be waiting for her call." Angel said on the same rude tone.

"You are always welcome here, Daniel. Can I call you Daniel?" Buffy said as she led Holtz back to the door. "I'm sorry about my husband; he's a little neurotic at the moment. He'll be a lot friendlier next time we meet."

"Don't worry, darling. It runs in the family." Buffy smiled warmly to the man and he hugged her. "Take good care of yourself, this is my first grandson."

"No she isn't, that would be Patrick, I'm sorry but he didn't want to come down, he's playing on his x-box, this girl is baby number two for us."

"That's right! I ought to talk to him then, thanks for the cake, I'll see you around."

"Sure."

Zzz

"You were so rude!" Buffy said as she slapped Angel on the shoulder, he had been too nasty with the man.

"I'm tired, it's late, and this talk is way too long to have it right now."

"Think about how Patrick is going to get when he's confronted with the situation you're dealing with right now."

"It's different; he's not thirty years old."

"Anyway, I think you should cut him some slack, he's an old man, I bet he has a really sad story too, let's give him the benefit of the doubt, shall we?"

"I can do that much… come here, give me a kiss, god! I'm getting older; this day was way too long. I'm getting tired jus thinking about tomorrow." Angel said as he guided Buffy back to their room.

"We'll make it shorter." Buffy whispered sexily as she caressed Angel's back.

"That's sounds so much more interesting." Angel whispered back, fondling Buffy's ass above her silk pajamas. "It's almost tomorrow, why don't we start making it nicer…"

"Come here, give me a kiss… I wanna feel you close to me." Buffy drawled huskily as she pushed her hands inside Angel's boxers to grab his manhood. "I wanna feel you … inside me."

"Baby, we shouldn't…" He denied it but his body craved it, he was already hard with the imagination of having her.

"Shut up, just kiss me!" Buffy ordered as she grabbed Angel's face to force him to kiss her.

"I love you, baby; I'm dying to be inside you, but we shouldn't, we could hurt the baby. You know how much I love you, if we hurt her I'd never be able to forgive myself, what if you go into labor because I…" Angel whispered as he caressed Buffy's bump.

"You know I love you, and you know we'll never hurt her, just kiss me…" Buffy commanded as Angel took hold of her footy pajamas and pushed it up, leaving her naked from the waist up, much as he wanted her; he couldn't help feeling weird with fucking her when she was so pregnant. "Please…" Buffy begged with those huge green eyes of hers and Angel couldn't say no to that.

"If it hurts, if you feel anything weird you must tell me immediately."

"I promise." He then pushed her softly onto the bed, so she could lie down and be comfortable, he knew she was tired from the long hours at work. He took hold of her pants, pulling softly down as he kissed her calf. "You have the loveliest legs, baby, soft and golden, delicate and strong at the same time."

"And your skin feels like satin." Angel followed his explorations with long wet kisses along her calves and then up to her thighs, crouching above her to get better access to her apex. When he reached it, he pulled down her underwear and left her totally naked, kissing her protruded stomach. "You are the most beautiful pregnant woman in the world."

"And your breast could not be more perfect." Buffy didn't say anything; she just watched Angel's hungry expression as he climbed her body; he was kissing every curve, every little freckle and every little scar that she had.

"I get lost in your eyes, they are so magical, it's like they are constantly changing." When he reached her face, Buffy closed her arms around his neck, closed her eyes and drew him to kiss her on the lips, Angel surrender, feeling ravenous with the plundering and twisting of her tongue inside his mouth.

"And your lips are made of molten candy." Angel said and then he felt his dick go impossibly hard and swollen, begging to be inside her, he controlled the urge, he didn't want to fuck her, he just wanted to give her pleasure but without adding risks to their baby, so he let go of her honeyed lips and kissed her temple instead.

"You are so beautiful, A leanan. You are just perfect. You are my little golden angel." Angel cradled Buffy's head between his large hands with tenderness and fingered her silken hair with the same curious expression of wonderment and hunger he had a moment before. "Your hair is so curious, a little gold, a little saffron and lots of honey."

"It's called highlights." Buffy said jokingly, she wasn't too much into poetry, but Angel loved saying things like that to her.

"I missed you all this years, Buffy. I never knew how much I've yearned for, how much I needed your body, your company, your love; I was a shell of a man… until you came back." Buffy felt shy and vulnerable, like he was opening his heart to her because he was afraid of something. "I just can't imagine how life was before you. Do you know how happy you make me? Do you know that I want you all the time? When I'm not close to you, all I think about is you."

"I missed you too, Angel. I wondered everyday if you missed me half of what I missed you."

"Every minute of every hour of every day, sometimes even more than that, I know it sounds like a lie, but it's the truth." Angel wrapped a single lock of her golden hair around his finger, drawing it to his nose. He loved that vanilla smell of her hair. "You were the dream, the illusion of elusive happiness that wasn't."

"But I am now. Are you worried about the trial? You sound so melancholic."

"I'm worried about a lot of things, that's just one of them, kiss me, just shut me up and kiss me, I don't wanna think anymore."

Buffy drew him to her face and kissed him again, giving him even more passion, Angel understood the hint and started rocking his body against her, but too soon the bump became an obstacle between them, so Angel turned her to the side, so he could spoon her.

"Baby…" Buffy loved the feeling of his large body pressed behind her, spooning her; Angel didn't hesitate, he caressed her thighs and each time little moan that she made he got closer to her sex, until he found her clit, Buffy nearly screamed then, noticing she was already wet he started making little circles around it; Buffy gasped when his finger entered her from behind, she loved that, that's how he got her to come when she was getting difficult, she loved doggy style.

Angel fought for control as Buffy dug her nails on the sheets, rocking her hips to give herself more pleasure, just one finger wasn't enough, she wanted more; she needed more, so Angel added two more fingers and Buffy shuddered with the beginning of her orgasm.

She was wet, and tight, just like the first time he had taken her, soft and warm, silky and yielding. He begged to God for the will to stop himself from fucking her, but as he came in and out of her with his hand, she came, like a train-wreck of pleasure, a cascade of sighs and an inferno of hot gripping contractions that made him wish his dick was his finger, he had to bite his lip to remember his determinations.

"God, that was so good." Buffy whispered afterwards. "But I need you inside me…" Buffy whispered as she wrapped her hand around his dick, guiding him closer to her.

"Baby…" Buffy noticed the hesitation and turned around; she sat up above him and continued kissing him, giving him no quarter to deny his need for her.

"Don't baby me. I want you inside me now." Before he could no, she took her dick and pushed it inside her. "You know you want it." He gasped with the initial penetration, feeling like a teenager, right about to explode from the first thrust.

"God…"

"Goddess…" Buffy said huskily as she bobbed up and down on top on him, she felt her own body start that sweet climb again and she sped up, quickening her thrusts.

"My goddess." Angel whispered back, getting a hold on her hips to settle her on a softer rhythm. After that, he stopped complaining, she was in command, she wanted it, who was he to deny her right when he craved as much as her?

"Jesus, baby, you are so hot and tight!" A few minutes later Buffy started getting hotter and hotter and then she exploded, screaming that sweet release, Angel followed her, shouting his own explosion.

When the riot receded, they both stayed linked, he spooning her, and she with his hand and her hand wrapped together around her belly.

Angel didn't say anything when she started to snore on her sleep; he just stayed there, with his chest pressed to her back. He wasn't ready to sleep yet but he wouldn't disturb her rest because of it.

"Sleep tight, baby; we have long days ahead of us, sleep tight, I'll be here watching your sleep." He said meaning both mommy and daughter.

zzz

The DA called Buffy first thing in the morning, they told her that they had Eve under custody and they would pursue the investigation to link her to the crime.

The DA also called Darla, she knew Eve, the beast, Lindsay and Angel, if no one else was found she was the only link to be found in that case. The evidence against Eve was all circumstantial; the only thing holding to her involvement was the beast's testimony.

The call Kate had intercepted at the FBI headquarter couldn't be used in trial, there were no fingerprints found of Eve at the kidnap scene, in a nutshell, there was nothing to link her to the crime as to yet. So the DA knew she had to dug deep into their past to find the real reason why Eve had wanted to kidnap and murder Buffy on the first place.

During the investigation to Buffy and Angel's past, something came up; the D.A. had asked Angel if he had harmed trough malpractice or send to jail anyone, so that they could study the revenge motive and to his surprise, Angel did almost sent someone to jail, many years back.

A doctor, he had been an anesthesiologist, when Angel was a first year resident, he filed a law suit against a Holland Manners M.D. who had been criminally negligent, he had administrated a certain kind of drug to a patient of Angel's who was allergic to it while he was under the influence of alcohol, the disciplinary committee investigated and indeed, the doctor had made a mistake and then he had tried to blame it on Angel, the doctor had been suspended, and that's the last he knew of the doctor.

zzz

The District Attorney Investigation team found out a lot more about Mr. Manners, he had a daughter named Eve Manners, now Eve Mac Donald, and he had committed suicide just two moths after his license was revoked, which had been six years back in time. The relatives had sued Doctor Manners for exactly 50 million dollars and he had lost, the clinic had no malpractice insurance, so Holland himself had been charged with the obligation to pay.

Eve had been still in college back in that time, she had been left destitute after that, the defendant lawyers had collected the money from the bank the night Holland killed himself, he had sold everything he owned to make that amount; and yet he knew he was going to go to jail, since he had been criminally negligent the relatives insisted he was tried for manslaughter, and he knew he was guilty.

That probed Eve's motive, she had been seeking revenge all along; she had lost her father, her trust fund and her status because of Angelus O'Quinn. It wasn't a wonder that she was so angry at him, now the problem was proving it.

The DA was hesitant about telling the truth to Buffy and Angel, she was near due date and he was very stressed, this case was going to get ugly real soon, perhaps it was best not to involve them, but they would find out eventually through the news, so Holtz decided he would be the one telling them what was happening, to that purpose he had made an appointment to have dinner next Friday night at a French restaurant. Now it was the DA's duty to find evidence to put Eve behind bars, Holtz on his side, would see to their protection, his family would not suffer ever again if he could help it.

zzz

The end of chapter 16

Don't forget to review me! What do you think? Do you like where the final chapter is going? Believe me; you will have a surprising turn of events, so stay tuned!

The mean kitten.

zzz

To Victoria Maria, my grandmother: you never knew that I loved writing, but I know you loved reading. So know that I will remember you always.

Vicky.

Extra: I know it's a new song and all that, but I love it, it's on her album "The Damn best thing" it makes me feel calm, and that's what I listened to when I finished the chapter.

"Innocence"

By Avril Lavigne

Waking up I see that everything is OK
The first time in my life and now it's so great
Slowing down I look around and I am so amazed
I think about the little things that make life great

I wouldn't change a thing about it
This is the best feeling

[Chorus
This innocence is brilliant
I hope that it will stay
This moment is perfect
Please don't go away
I need you now
And I'll hold on to it
Don't you let it pass you by

I found a place so safe, not a single tear
The first time in my life and now it's so clear
Feel calm, I belong, I'm so happy here
It's so strong and now I let myself be sincere

I wouldn't change a thing about it
This is the best feeling

[Chorus

It's a state of bliss, you think you're dreaming
It's the happiness inside that you're feeling
It's so beautiful it makes you wanna cry
It's a state of bliss, you think you're dreaming
It's the happiness inside that you're feeling
It's so beautiful it makes you wanna cry

It's so beautiful it makes you wanna cry
This innocence is brilliant
Makes you wanna cry
This innocence is brilliance
Please don't go away
Cause I need you now
And I'll hold on to it
Don't you let it pass you by