Chapter 28

Cordelia's house.

Willow woke up and turned to her left and then her right, but Cordelia was nowhere around. Getting to her feet, she quickly felt the cool air on her naked body and a cute smile covered her sweet face as she thought about how much fun she'd had getting out of her clothes just hours earlier.

Grabbing a blanket from the floor, Willow covered up and began searching for Cordy. She called out Cordelia's name a couple times, assuming she hadn't gone far, but as she made her way through the gigantic mansion she soon started feeling very uneasy about everything.

Stepping out into the backyard, she sighed as she saw the Olympic sized swimming pool and the hot tub to the left of it. Over to the right was a pretty pink swing set, with a matching pink playground, surrounded by the most perfect beach sand in the world.

Further on past the swimming pool was a greenhouse with a light on. Moving closer she heard Cordy's voice yelling at someone and as she stepped up to the window she saw Cordy talking on the phone.

"I told you I would do what you asked, now back off." Cordy said, visibly upset at whomever she was talking to.

After some head shaking and teething gritting, Cordy was back arguing, "No, I didn't say that. I said I'd help you get her powers. I will not be part of anything else. So if you think you are going to change the agreement now, you're wrong."

Willow raised her eyebrows at the mention of someone's powers, but had no idea what Cordelia was talking about.

"I didn't plan on this happening. I mean, I thought it would be easy. I though I could do without caring or feeling, but it's not possible. I'm human and...and I didn't expect to feel this way. I wish you knew what it was like to feel this happy." Cordelia smiled as she thought about Willow, "Nothing, not even your threats can change how I feel right now."

Not liking what she was hearing about the threats, Willow stormed into the room, "What's going on? Who's threatening you?"

Cordy turned white as a ghost and clicked off her cell, "Willow, what are you doing here?"

"I woke up and you were gone. I just wanted to find you and tell you how much I loved...well you know...before." Willow said as she snuggled up to Cordy, "I couldn't find you, came out here, and heard you say that someone was making threats to you. Who were you talking to?"

"It was nobody. Just a crank call." Cordy said, not doing a very good job of selling her lie, "Listen, I'm sorry I wasn't there when you woke up. I wanted to be there, but...anyway, let's get back."

"No." Willow said, backing away from Cordelia, "You better tell me who was on the phone or I'm gonna get mad. I can you know? If I'm pushed enough. Which I may or may not be right now, but come on, I want to help."

"I know and that's so sweet, but it was nothing. Really, I'll handle it. The threat wasn't anything bad, it was just a figure of speech. I promise." Cordelia said and then pulled Willow back into her arms, "Now, did you want to talk about some dumb call all night or did you wanna come kiss me again?"

Smiling up at Cordelia, Willow chose the easy way out and leaned in and kissed Cordy softly on the lips. After a long sensual kiss, they broke off and gazed into each others eyes.

Somewhere in the sky between Texas and California.

Kate adjusted Eve's pillow and pulled out her laptop. Waiting patiently as it started up, she looked around at the other passengers, always keeping her eyes and ears open for anything remotely suspicious.

When she heard the music of her computer start up, she pulled up a file, sorted through some reading material and finally zoomed in on what she was looking for.
It was the Eve Simpson file she'd requested and Lilah had delivered.

Reading up on the lengthy history of such a young girl, Kate learned more about Eve's troubled childhood, her workaholic parent's and her first brush with the law at 15, courtesy of her first boyfriend.

On the surface, it appeared as if Eve had it all. Two loving parent's, all the possessions a young girl could ask for and a dream home in West Beverly Hills, but as with most stories that seem too good to be true, so was this one.

Upon further digging, Kate found the one name constant in Eve's life that stood out like a red flag, Holland Manners. Reading closer, she found out that Holland was Eve's Godfather, her father's best friend and trustee of the family estate.

There were pictures of Holland with Eve all through her childhood and even one with Holland, Eve and Fred at a Wolfram & Hart charity function, further connecting Fred to the evil law firm.

Seeing Eve open her eyes, Kate closed the laptop, sat it under her seat and took a sip of her coffee as Eve looked around to see where she was, "How long have I been asleep? It feels like forever."

"Well, not quite that long, but a couple hours. You needed it." Kate smiled, "How do you feel?"

"Better." Eve said with a yawn and then turned to face Kate, "Can I ask you what you know about Fred? Is she in some kind of danger?"

Kate was expecting these questions and was quick to reply, "I don't really know her personally. I'm helping someone gather information about her. It's a very long and complicated story, but as far as I know Fred's doing fine now."

"Will I get to see her when we get to LA? I'm not sure if I'm ready for that, but I know I'll have to tell her the truth sooner or later. God I hate what I did so much." Eve said, holding back the tears, "What if she hates me? I don't think I could stand that."

"You're getting ahead of yourself." Kate said, putting her hand over Eve's, "You need to take things slowly. Okay?"

"I guess, but I've spent the last year thinking of what I would say if I ever saw Fred again, but how do you apologize for selling out your best friend and girlfriend at the same time?" Eve paused, hoping Kate would give her the answer, but she could tell by the look on her face, she had none, "It's okay, I know can't keep getting others to bail me out of my own messes."

"Well, that's probably a good place to start." Kate nodded, "Maybe you could tell me more about who asked you to do this and why?"

Eve sat back, stretched out her legs and began to think back to what led up to her biggest regret ever, "The easy part is who asked me to do this. It was Holland Manners. He was a friend of my dad's and he was always so nice to me. He spoiled me rotten. Bought me anything I needed or wanted and was really a great guy. Up until he asked me to drug Fred so he could run some kind of tests on her. At the time, he said they had information that she was doing drugs and wanted to make sure. I didn't even question why some law firm would be doing this. He offered me $100,000 to do this and he promised she wouldn't be hurt in any way. I'm so stupid."

"That's quite a story." Kate said as she listened intently, "Did your father know about this?"

"No, he had no idea. Holland made sure of that." Eve said with a laugh, "Holland was a very persuasive man. There were rumors about his law firm being crooked and I didn't care one bit because to me, he was like an uncle. My favorite uncle."

"Do you think it was Holland that sent those men after you?" Kate asked, hoping to get some kind of reaction from Eve.

Eve took a moment before she answered, did some deep thinking and then continued. "To be honest I don't know. After everything that's happened, I can't say he wouldn't do it. I haven't talked to him since I ran away. I cut ties with my family and wanted to start a new life where I could do something useful with it. I guess that's over now."

"No, I don't believe that at all." Kate said shaking her head, "You're still so young; if you want to change you just have to keep at it, own up to your mistakes and take it from there. From everything you've told me about Fred, I think there's a good chance she'll be able to forgive you."

"I hope so. I can't imagine my life without Fred in it somehow. Even as a friend. I don't think she'd ever trust me enough to get back together, but I'd like to try to be friends again." Eve said softly and then stopped, "Anyway, I shouldn't be going on like this. I want you to know I think of Fred every day."

Kate still couldn't read Eve as well as she wanted, but felt she was being honest about how she felt about Fred, "Well, I think Fred thinks about you a lot to. Especially since she has no idea what made you disappear. I'm guessing she's been worried about since she last saw you."

"Oh god, I never even thought of that. Of course she'd be worried. She cares so much about people. Even me. I should've told her I was fine so she wouldn't have to worry. Why can't I think of these things before it's too late." Eve questioned out loud, "I do wonder what she saw in me. I bet you wonder that to."

"I don't wonder anything. I'm not here to judge you." Kate said, trying her best to reassure Eve, "As I see it, you made a mistake. Once you talk to Fred about this, you'll be able to start over and make sure you don't do the same thing again."

"You sound like you're talking from experience."

"I am. I think we've all made mistakes that we'd love to have back, but since we can't, we learn from them." Kate said, remembering her biggest mistake as a visual of Jenny Calender in a mini skirt flashed through her head.

Eve smiled as she watched Kate close her and slowly lick her lips, "Well, who were you thinking about?"

Kate shook her head and turned to Eve, "Um, nobody, just a friend I let slip away a long time ago."

"I'm sorry; I guess you know more about how I feel than I thought. It's not fun is it?"

"No it isn't, but on the bright side, I recently bumped into her and we talked, had a couple drinks, danced a bit and if we weren't interrupted, who knows what could've happened." Kate sighed, "I guess my point is you can never give up."

"I won't then. I actually spent most of my time trying to think of what I could do to make up for what I did to Fred and I came up with this picture for her." Eve said as she pulled out her over night bag, removed a beautiful hand drawn painting and handed it to Kate. "I gave her one when we were in college, but I'm sure she tossed it out long ago, but this one is really from my heart and I just want to her to have so she knows how I feel."

Kate held the painting in front of her. It was beautiful portrait of Fred. She was leaning up against the wood gate, smiling at her favorite horse, Buttons. She was wearing a tight pair of jeans and a tight white t-shirt. In the background was her family house, her parent's sitting on a porch swing and in the top right corner was a picture of a girl standing in the distance watching Fred from afar.

"This is beautiful." Kate said as she smiled at Eve, "Fred's gonna love this."

"I don't know, I hope so. I started so many pictures and none of them seemed right. They didn't capture how I was feeling. I had to stop thinking about it and then one night when I was feeling lonely and thinking of Fred, it just happened. I've never been able to paint like this before. It was so smooth and fluid and everything I was feeling came through so beautifully. It was as if I was watching it being painted by someone else. When it was finished, I just sat in front of it, crying for hours."
"I'm sure it was an emotional time. That's why the picture feels so real. I can feel the emotion just by looking at it." Kate said as she took a final look at picture before handing it back to Eve.

"Thank you. It's nice to be able to show someone how I feel. Sometimes I do better expressing myself when I paint then I ever could with words." Eve smiled as she looked at the picture again, "This picture got me through so many lonely nights."

"I wanted to say this earlier, but I bet you didn't know she kept that picture you made for her in college." Kate said as she turned to face Eve, "She has it proudly displayed on the first wall you see when you walk into her house. It's there for a reason. Her mother told me she treasured that picture more than anything in the world. Every day when she'd come home it was the first thing she'd look at and the last thing she'd see before she went up to bed. Her mother didn't know why, but now I do. She loved you. She missed you and the picture was all she had left to hold onto."

Eve was a mess after she'd heard, "Oh god, I don't think I can stand this. Even when I think I'm making things better, I make them worse. I just wanted her to be happy and I knew I wasn't the person to do that. Not after what I'd done to her. Of course, I didn't think of how my leaving would affect Fred. More and more I see just how selfish I was and still am."

"I know you feel bad and you should. But, I have to tell ya, you aren't going to get anywhere feeling sorry for yourself. Yes, you screwed up. Yes, it's going to be hard when you see Fred, but that's the whole point." Kate said, becoming more animated than she expected, "You made this hard on yourself, now it's time to face the music. Whatever happens next is Fred's choice. You have to realize that once she hears all this she's going to need some time to deal with it. She won't have time to worry about your feelings. I'm guessing she's going to be hurt so much by this, but I think, from what I've learned about her, she's got a big heart and I think she wants to forgive people, to give them a second chance. She sees the good in everyone, so I guess what I'm saying, is even if she's mad as hell, don't give up on her. She just needs time. Can you do that?"

"I will do it. I have to. I promise, all's I want is what's best for Fred. I want to make this right. I want a second chance so bad. I'm not the same person I was then. I've grown up so much in the last year. I know I need to prove this to her, and I know I can I just need one chance." Eve said, trying to stay strong as she looked over at Kate, "I just want to thank you for listening to me. It's helped a lot just talking about this with someone. I know what I have to do and I'm ready for it."
"I hope, but first we stop in LA." Kate said as she looked at her watch. "I have to talk to someone about Wolfram & Hart's connection to all this."

"That's fine. I wouldn't mind having a day to unwind after this long plane ride."

"I'll make some calls and see what I can do. Why don't you try to get some sleep. We've got another two hours before we land." Kate said and then began making her phone calls.

Wolfram & Hart Archives. Deep below the earth's surface.

Angel arrived at the archives alone, but soon met up with and old friend. As soon as he spotted his old hunting buddy, he couldn't help but laugh, "Well, funny meeting you here."

"Maybe a little, but I knew we'd run into each other eventually." Spike said as he cautiously moved closer to his old friend, "Word has it that you're no longer going by Angelus. Is that just another rumor or did ya sell out after all?"

Angel didn't react to Spike's question, just gave him an amused look, "What do you think?"

"Oh, I think it's highly possible and more than likely probable. You always did get bored easily." Spike added as he tried to get a read on Angel.

"You don't seem all that comfortable around me. Why's that Spike?" Angel said with a grin.

"Don't flatter yourself. If it comes down to that we'll finally see who the better man is. Not that I have any doubt." Spike grinned.

Angel stopped moving and stared back at Spike, "You mean better vampire don't ya? Or do you still see yourself as a man? You always were halfway delusional."

"Man, vampire, what's the difference?" Spike shrugged, "So what brings you to this place? You doing some good deed to help erase the hundred years of killing you did? You do know you can never atone for that, right?"

"I don't know, maybe not, but I gotta say, it does feel right in a strange sort of way." Angel said as he moved closer to the entrance, "As good as I was at killing; I never enjoyed it like you did. I shouldn't have felt anything, but I did. Over time those feelings grew into guilt, remorse and finally disgust at what I'd become. I wasn't meant to be a vampire and even though I can't change that now, I can help make a difference in this little world of ours."

"Oh god, what the hell has happened to you?" Spike said as she shook his head and rolled his eyes, "I never saw any of these so called feelings when we were working our way through Europe all those years ago. In fact, as I recall, you planned most of our raids. You meticulously picked out the best areas for feeding. You were like a sadistic general leading Darla, Dru and me into battle."

"Well Spike, that's the difference between you and me, well, it's one of the many differences I should say, but I did what I did to feed. Much like a real hunter hunts for food instead of sport. I didn't hunt for pleasure. I planned things out so we wouldn't be staked. So we could continue to exist. It's the law of the jungle, the number one priority of most every creature in the universe, self-preservation."

"What do you expect to get from turning on your own kind?" Spike chided, "I don't see much of a future for you anymore. I've already heard there's a bounty out for your death. Sounds interesting."

"Is that a threat Spike?" Angel asked as he stepped up to the much shorter vampire, "If it is, we can take care of this now."

"It's not a threat, it's a fact." Spike said as he stared back at Angel, "You've made more enemies with your switch than you even know. Every demon, vamp and I'd say most of the human race will still want you dead. How many outside of the Watchers Council will ever hear your sad little story of redemption? None. They'll just see a vampire that needs to die. You of all people know that the demon world is very powerful and you don't stand a chance in hell of surviving if they all come after you. I don't have to do a thing and you'll be dead soon enough."

"You always did love to exaggerate." Angel chuckled, "Most demons are out for themselves. There is no demon union, last I checked. They aren't going to band together to come after me. Even if they did, I'd be ready for it. I've spent the last 250 years preparing for this day and I won't be calling the slayer to help fight my battles, I'll do it alone and I'll do just fine."

Spike put his hands together and made three slow clapping sounds with his hands, "Wow, aren't you a model of all that's good and pure in the world. I almost got weepy there for a moment. You're still full of yourself, I can see that hasn't changed. Yep, it's you against the world and all that garbage. I wish ya luck Angel, I really do. For now, I need to get something out of the archives, so if we're gonna fight, let's do it so one of us can get on with our day."

"I have no desire to kill you just yet Spike. If you don't give me any reason to, we'll have no problems. For now, why don't we just get into the archive together and save the big fight scene for another day."

"Fine by me." Spike nodded, "I have no quarrel with you either Angelus or Angel or whatever hell you call yourself these days, but if you get in my way that will change. Just so we're clear on all this. Right then, let's break into this dump."

"We don't have to break in, I know the password."
"Of course you do." Spike said sarcastically, "How did ya manage that? They don't give this password out to anyone. I checked. Thoroughly."

"Well, that's why I'm me and you're you. I get things done. Follow me would ya. Try and keep up." Angel said as he broke down the first gate.

"So what kind of security does a place like this have?" Spike asked, just as a group of demons rushed into the room.

There was intense fighting as they slowly made their way through the seemingly endless corridors, finally ending up at a large vault the size of a football stadium. In front of the vault was a Rigalo demon.

Angel smiled at Spike and began walking towards it. Spike quickly pulled him back and gave him a look of confusion, "Are you insane? You do know what a Rigalo demon can do to a vampire don't you?"
"Ah yes, they seem to be the one demon we can't kill." Angel said with a mock look of terror.

"Bloody hilarious, but if you want to get turned to dust, be my guest. I can enjoy the show." Spike said as she sat down on a rocky ledge and motioned for Angel to continue.

Angel laughed at Spike, looked up at the menacing looking demon and turned back to Spike. "I guess I better get going."

"Yep, you do that. Onward."

Angel walked slowly up the long rocky stairway, finally stopping in front of the Rigalo demon, "Hi there. I need to get into the archive. Could ya open the door?"

"No vampire is allowed in this room. Leave or you will die a slow death." The demon scowled down at Angel.

"Aren't we a bit testy." Angel said as he waved down at Spike and then moved closer to the demon and whispered in it's ear, "Um, what if I said "Cupcake" to you? Would that help?"

With a sneer on it's face, the Rigalo demon stepped to the side, "You may pass."

Spike was in awe as the demon let Angel pass and quickly rushed up the stairs. "Hey, what about me? I thought we were doing this together?"

Angel began walking past the demon, tiptoeing around the razor sharp blades that poked out through the ground, turning back to Spike and shrugged his shoulders, "Well, I thought so to, but it appears that our demon friend will only allow one person in at a time. Then they change the password, so telling you what mine was won't do you any good. I wish I could stay and help, but I'm in a hurry. It was good running into again Spike. I'm sure we'll meet again real soon."

"Nicely played Angel." Spike said with a grin, "I'll find another way into the vault. I look forward to the day we settle things once and for all. It'll be a great battle. Well, until then, you take care now."

Angel smiled at his old friend, waved and stepped inside the vault.

End of Chapter 28