Demona glided over the city sobbing bitterly. She landed at her apartment and went in and searched through everything trying to find who she was supposed to be now. She threw out all of the human clothes. Puck removed the spell so I won't need these anymore anyway. She was grateful to have the spell removed, but a small part of her would miss the fashions. She went to her kitchen and found a bottle of wine and sat in her favorite chair and drank it while waiting for the sun to rise. What do I do now?

"You can't be serious" Brooklyn had been arguing with Goliath since they had arrived back at the castle.

"I'm serious Brooklyn, you saw what happened. You saw how her mind had been taken over. I would make the same decision with anyone here and you know that.

"That bitch has betrayed us again and again and you expect us to just...roll out the welcome mat?" Brooklyn shouted as he became angrier.

"I know how you feel lad, but try and see this from a leader's point of view." Hudson looked Brooklyn in the eye has he continued "He has just discovered that a member of this clan has been partially under the control of a powerful mage."

"Yeah, but…"

"Let me finish, he also discovered that she has been fighting his control and stopped him from killing us many times. She even tried to hint at her condition many times." He held up his hand and began to count on his fingers. "First, you have the magic. Gargoyles inherently have no skill for the arcane. Second, the password 'Alone' that she set when she attempted to blow us up when we tried to reverse her spell was a cry for help that none of us saw. Third, until recently she has been flesh every day for the last year and a half. That's plenty of time to wipe us out, and she didn't." Hudson sighed as he put his hands down.

"So, what would you have me do? Forget all that she's done and just welcome her back with open arms." Brooklyn shook his head as he tried to comprehend what Hudson had said.

"No lad, I would never have you forget. Just as Goliath asked Oberon not to wipe her memory ours should be intact as well. Those memories serve as life lessons that will make us stronger provided we learned from them. If she truly is the gargoyle I remember her to be before the Arch-mage entered her life than we need to give her a chance." Hudson began to leave the room. "I'm only asking that you to think it over lad."

"You both do have valid points, but I will need to see that she is our ally and not our enemy before I can trust her again. Until I can Goliath as your second I'm asking you…No, I'm begging you to tell her to wait before rejoining the clan if that is her decision until I can work this through and until she can prove to be our ally. Can you give me at least that much."

Goliath sighed. "Very well, I suppose that a probationary period would be prudent in this matter. When it is concluded and she has proven herself you will give your support?" Goliath looked at him questioningly.

"I will, and if she proves once again to be our enemy?" Brooklyn asked.

"Then I will end that threat for good this time." Brooklyn and Hudson both looked stunned, but Brooklyn just nodded his head.

"Then we have a deal Goliath." Brooklyn said as he left the library. Hudson stayed behind for a moment.

"Lad, are you sure you can bring yourself to kill her?" Hudson asked as he gave him a worried look.

"If she betrays us again after all we just went through it would be a pleasure, but after what I saw I believe that she is once again my angel and I needed the opportunity to prove it. Now, I have it." Goliath said as he to left the library.

Hudson sat in the library long after those two had gone. Finally he looked up when he thought he heard a rustling behind some books.

"You can come out now Lass." Hudson said smiling to himself. Angela stepped out from behind a pile of books and walked up to him.

"He won't try and kill my mother will he?" Angela asked as she walked to him.

"That is entirely up to her. If we are wrong and it wasn't the Arch-mage that caused her fall then it may be necessary to insure everyone's safety." Hudson sighed as he looked at her thoughtfully. "It won't be easy for him though."

"What do you think will happen?" Angela studied his eyes searching for any clue.

"I really don't know lass. It is up to her." With that Angela hugged him quickly and turned to leave.

"I can't believe all that has happened was for nothing. She will be back with us again soon." Angela smiled as she left the library.

I certainly hope so Lass. You and your father could use a win. Hudson thought as he went back to reading a book he had been studying before the meeting. He looked at his hands and sighed. Besides someone needs to look after him when I'm gone Hudson thought as he closed the book and went to look out the window at the younger gargoyles. "I just hope I taught them all enough." Hudson sighed as he sat back down in his favorite recliner.

"Ange, I know you're excited but what if she isn't coming back?" Broadway asked as he walked with her around the castle courtyard and up to the tower.

"I have to try. If it was me and you could help me wouldn't you do it?" Broadway gave her a knowing look.

"You know I would Ange. If there is a way to save her you know that Goliath will do it. I just think you should give them space and let them work this out." Broadway tried to reason.

"I can't just do nothing love. If you truly love me I need you to support me on this." She looked up at him to gauge his response.

"I hope that you're right Ange, and I hope you can convince her to come home." Broadway said as he grinned at her. She smiled back at him and then hugged him quickly before she went to the edge and leapt off and began gliding towards Demona's apartment.

Broadway stormed into the common room. "Goliath, we need to talk. Now" Goliath turned in surprise at Broadway's intrusion.

"What's happened?" He got up to see what the problem was.

"Nothing yet, I want to keep it that way." Broadway threw his hands up in frustration and turned away from Goliath for a moment and then turned back. "I love Angela very much Goliath and we've put our own happiness on hold while we have waited for you two to get your shit together, but dammit I'm not waiting anymore. Go to her, settle this garbage, and don't come back until you do."

"He's right Goliath." Lexington spoke up from across the room. "Is she an outsider or a member of our clan? We need to know where she stands and where you're going to go with this in order to make sense of everything." He pointed out.

"She said she needed time." Goliath stated irritably.

Broadway just waved that off. "Angela tells me that every other day. You know what I do I give her five or ten minutes to think things over and then I go to her. That is what you need to do here."

"Perhaps, I do not care for this tone, but perhaps you have a point." Goliath stated as he got up to leave.

"You're going now?" Lex asked suddenly.

"I have no reason to keep putting this off. For now she is a member of this clan, and I need to know where she stands. I cannot allow our history to change that any longer." As he said that he left the room and took off for Demona's apartment.

At that moment Demona had just finished the bottle of wine and she stood up as her anger grew inside her she threw the bottle as hard as she could and it smashed in her fireplace just as she heard a knocking at the door. Curious she went over to answer it and Angela was standing there for a minute as Demona looked at her in shock as she walked in and closed the door behind her.

Demona was about to speak when Angela threw her arms around her hugging her tightly. They hugged for several minutes finding comfort in each other. Then as they began to pull apart Angela held onto her hands and began to speak.

"First, I came to tell you that I know that you were not completely responsible for your actions over these past few years. Second, I came to tell you that even if you decide my father is not a good mate I would hope you return with me to the castle. You belong with the clan, and third if you choose to be alone I want you to know… this is the last you will see of me." Angela raised her hand to halt Demona's protests.

"Let me finish. I love you and I love my father and our clan. Deep down I believe that you love him and don't want to be alone anymore. I hope that I am correct about this. My time in Avalon has blinded me to many things, and I don't always see what is plain to everyone else." She said as they both sat down and she reached forward and grabbed both of Demona's hands in her own again.

Demona looked up at her daughter with tears in her eyes. "You don't understand and it's impossible for me to explain it to you. I haven't had complete control of my body for centuries. Now, I am the gargoyle that I used to be before the prophecy, but I just don't know how I can face him again."

Just then Goliath landed on the patio. Angela saw him and waved him forward but signaled for him to be silent.

"I just don't know what I can do. If I went back I know Brooklyn would still hate me, and your father I think is still in love with that human. I have full control of myself for the first time in centuries and I just don't know where to turn or what to do. For the first time in my long life I am terrified to face the future." Demona became irritated with herself. "But I caused this so I have no one else to blame. It would be easier if I did."

"You could come back to the clan with me. Even if my father has chosen a human you could choose another mate." Angela wanted to laugh at the look on Goliath's face when she said that.

"No…No, I couldn't. All of these centuries have passed and do you know how many mates I have had?" Demona sighed. "One, I have had one mate in my entire life."

"But I thought that Thailog…" Angela started.

"So did he" Demona smirked "He was just there to make your father jealous. I could never love someone like that."

"Then why not come back and fight for what you want?" Angela said in a tone close to pleading.

"I may someday, but I need to rediscover who I am." Demona sighed bitterly as she stood up.

"I hope that doesn't take too long, but whether it does or not there will always be a place for you with us." Goliath said as he walked up to her. Demona gasped in surprise and quickly backed up. Her head hung low and her chest rapidly rose and fell with her heart beats.

"Did…Do you love her?" Demona barely got the question out as she stood there for a minute terrified by the potential answer.

"Yes" Demona's heart sank and she felt tears welling up "But as I do every member of our clan. Only one truly owns my heart and she's had it all along." Angela smiled as she watched Demona suddenly leap into her father's arms, and kiss him roughly letting out the pent up passion she had been storing for centuries. She left to give them some privacy. As they heard the balcony door close Demona kissed him harder and began to feverishly undress him. She moaned as she reached down and felt his desire for her. Goliath stopped suddenly.

"Wait, should we be doing this?" Goliath asked as he caught his breath.

Demona just smiled at him and quickly removed her halter top and delighted in the way his eyes devoured her bare breasts. She took his hands and placed them on her and moaned at the feeling of him once again touching her breasts.

"I've missed you so much." She leaned forward and kissed him again, and began to undo her belt when he stopped again. She let out a growl of impatience, but Goliath just looked her in the eye.

"I have waited for this moment for so long. A part of me is afraid I am dreaming. If we do this then you are mine forever." Goliath stated firmly.

Demona smiled brightly at that. "Then you are taking much too long to claim what's yours." She purred as she removed her belt and loincloth and enjoyed the way his eyes roamed over her entire body she then kissed him again hard. "Make me yours again. You're the only one I ever want to be with."

With that Goliath let go of all his doubts and took her as he had dreamed about doing for as long as they had awakened in this time. In their passion they destroyed most of Demona's furniture and finally made their way to her bed and as he mounted her for the first time Demona was in heaven at the feeling as Goliath entered her for the first time in millennia. After nearly an hour she felt him fill her and she purred in a way that always excited him. She felt complete for the first time in centuries and she never wanted this to end. Goliath felt the same and he laid beside her as he brushed a stray hair from her face and kissed her again.

As they slowly parted Demona looked up into his eyes and smiled brightly, but then she slowly turned away.

"I can't return. The rest of the clan despises me and for good reason." Demona stated as she began to shake. "Besides I'm selling my company to Xanatos tomorrow night. I'm in no condition to run it anymore."

"But you said…" Goliath began. Demona rolled over to face him again and he noticed the tears streaming down her face.

"I am yours now my love, but I cannot go back to the castle until I am ready. Please don't make me." Her last request was little more than a whisper.

As her mate he did have the right to tell her to pick up and move whenever he felt it necessary, but he knew to do so now would cause unnecessary pain so he relented.

"Will you ever come home?" He asked bitterly.

Demona laid her head on his chest. "Soon my love, I just need time to figure things out and try and find my place within the clan once more. I need to apologize to someone, and I will take care of that tomorrow night." She reached for his hand and held him close. "I know I have no right to ask this of you my love, but please trust me. I will come back as soon as I can."

"I will visit as often as I am able." He got up and dressed quickly. "I hope that you come back soon. I will miss you dreadfully while we're apart." Demona took one of his hands in hers.

"I will be with you as soon as I am able." She said as she began to get dressed. After they were both dressed she walked Goliath to the balcony and kissed him goodbye. Neither one of them noticed but Angela watched them from a far off roof top using a binocular set she had borrowed from Lexington. She smiled and then quickly snarled in rage as she saw Goliath leave alone.