Lectures

It had been a week since Goliath's proposal to Elisa. She knew she had to tell her parents but she didn't know how to approach the subject and didn't have time. After her day off, the next week for her was hectic. She didn't even have time to visit her new family. Well she did visit them everyday before her shift started but it was only a few minutes.

The sun still shone bright in the sky and Elisa had decided that she was going to spend the evening with her parents. Tonight was going to be the night of dropping the bomb. As Elisa drove to her parents' home, she kept thinking that it would be good if they were to accept her engagement. But that was wishful thinking.

"I hope I'm doing the right thing," Elisa said as she got out of the car. She went up to the front door and rang the doorbell.

"Elisa," her mother announced as she opened the door. "It's good to see you. I hear you have been busy this past week."

"Hi Mom," Elisa hugged her mother. Diane Maza escorted her daughter to the living room where Peter Maza was sitting at the couch, watching the afternoon news. "It has been a very busy week. First there was a robbery at the bank, three hookers were arrested for drugs...it has been hectic."

"I would imagine," her father said. "Your flying friends have also been all over the news. They are becoming quite popular. There have also been a few interviews with a couple of them."

"But talking about the Gargoyles isn't what you came here for is it?" Diane asked.

"It depends on how you want to look it." Elisa looked at her parents and took a deep breath. "I need to tell you something that I don't think you're going to like."

"What is it?" Peter asked. "It sounds like it's important. Are you quitting the force?"

"No. But it will affect you and me. Mom you better sit down."

Both Diane and Peter were confused. Diane sat beside her husband as Elisa took a few more deep breaths.

"Sweetheart, what is wrong?" Diane asked.

"Mom. Dad. Something happened to me last week that I hadn't had the time to tell you. I..." She wasn't sure how to put it. "I'm getting married." It wasn't the way she wanted to say it. Of course it wasn't said to whom.

"You're getting married? When did this happen? I didn't even know you were seeing someone," Diane rambled.

Peter crossed his arms and gave a disapproval look. "Why would you consider marrying him?"

Diane looked at Peter questionably. She was confused. Peter knew but she didn't.

"I figure you wouldn't be happy. But Dad Goliath makes me happy."

"Goliath!" Diane squeaked. "You are marrying a Gargoyle? Why? Why would you do something like that?"

"Things like this doesn't happen everyday. But I love him and he loves me. He saved my life on numerous occasions. I even saved his. I don't care if there are no sexual relations with this marriage. I'm marrying him for his friendship, his look on life."

"You think that would be enough?" Peter inquired. "Do you think Goliath could live with that?"

"I know he can. Xanatos already knew this was coming."

"I bet Xanatos put him up to this." Peter got up from the couch and walked over to the window that looked into the street.

"Xanatos had nothing to do with this, except to help Goliath get a ring. When I joined the force, I was putting my life at risk. Goliath knows the dangers I'm in. I would rather die, knowing that I had a family of Gargoyles to leave, instead of a normal family.

"At least if I die, they will know the reasons. Just I will know if they were to die. I watched as friends died in the line of duty and their families asking the why questions. It hurts to know the reasons but I have no authority to say."

"That I can relate to," Peter agreed. "But what can you accomplish by being with these Gargoyles?"

"They are my friends. I love them as if they were my family. I was the one who showed them how this world works. When they first woke, all they knew was the world that was left behind.

"I'm expecting you to agree with my decision but what I am asking is that you keep an opened mind. You both have seen the Gargoyles in action, well Goliath, Angela and Bronx. If it weren't for them, I would have been dead about ten times over.

"Mom, when we were in Africa, if it weren't for Goliath, you're friends would have been killed and we wouldn't have met Anise, the spider trickster. Dad, Xanatos would have captured Coyote if it weren't for Goliath, and you wouldn't have finally embraced Grandpa's beliefs. Goliath has helped us all."

"You have a point," Peter sighed. "Goliath has helped us. But we don't have to like this."

"No but I would like you to be at our wedding." The conversation was going along better than Elisa hoped. They weren't accepting but they weren't excusing.

"Is there a date, yet?" Diane asked as she stood went to Peter.

"No. I haven't even had time to really talk to Goliath since he proposed."

"When did this happen?" Peter asked.

"On my last night off."

"I had better check on supper. Would you like to stay for supper?"

"I would love to."

Diane went into the kitchen as Peter fell silent. A few minutes later Diane called from the kitchen that supper was ready. Silently the two remaining Maza's went into the kitchen. As they sat down for supper, there was a knock at the door. Elisa, who was closest, went and answered and to her surprise, it was her brother.

"Derrick," Elisa said in surprise. Both parents came into the room at the outburst.

"Hello Elisa," Derrick said. He looked past Elisa. "Mom, Dad."

Where both parents were finally comfortable of their son's new appearance, Derrick knew he was welcomed.

Diane smiled. "Would you like some supper?"

"I would love to," Derrick said. Now there was four Maza's for supper.

During supper, Peter ended his silence. "Elisa what do you plan to do?"

"Goliath will probably insist that I move into the castle."

"Why would he do that?" Derrick asked.

"Goliath and Elisa are getting married," Diane said.

"Married?" Derrick questioned, nearly choking on his food. "Wow, when did this happen?"

"Last week," Elisa said. "Goliath even had a ring purchased."

"I can see that," Derrick said. "I suppose Xanatos helped him on that?" As much as he still hated the rich man. He couldn't blame him anymore. He saved Goliath and the others and helped to bring them into the light of the city. Even his kind, the Mutants, was now allowed to walk around the city.

"Yeah he did. By the way, Xanatos is doing research into seeing if the mutation can be reversed."

"Where did I hear that before?" Derrick sort of hissed. "I'm sorry Elisa but I will not trust that man."

"I don't trust him either but he did help us."

"You don't trust the man but you will be willing to live in the castle?" Peter asked.

"Well it's not like I can have Goliath turn to stone in my living room everyday. Xanatos has the best protection at the castle for the Gargoyles. Besides, the castle is big enough, that I won't have to see Xanatos much. He has other things to deal with. Also I can keep an eye on him to make sure he isn't breaking the law again."

"That's a good excuse to live there," Derrick agreed. "Elisa I'm happy for you."

"Derrick," Diane said. "What do you friends call you now?"

"To my friends and the Gargoyles, I'm Talon but to you I'm Derrick."

"Talon? Where did that name come up?" Peter asked.

"I'm actually not quite sure. I mainly like the sound of it," Derrick answered.

When supper was finished Peter and Derrick retreated to the living room, while Elisa and Diane cleared the table and did the dishes. It seemed like a regular family again as if there were no Gargoyles, no mutated Derrick. But everyone knew it wasn't. When the dishes were completed, Diane and Elisa joined the rest of the family in the living room.

"Well I should go, Maggie may wonder where I am."

"You and Maggie seem to be quite close," Diane said.

"Yeah, we are. You could say we are going out."

"Don't be a stranger," Peter said. "Both of you."

"And I don't want any of you to stop seeing just because I may end up living in the castle or because I'm marrying Goliath," Elisa said. "I would like you all to be at our wedding, whenever that will be."

"Elisa you can be sure that Maggie and I will be there," Derrick said. "I always knew something like that was going to end up happening. At least my sister won't be getting her heart ripped out."

Elisa chuckled. "Yeah and if I did date a normal man, he would have had to go through you. And I don't think I would want to see a man with his eyes ripped half way because he treated me unfairly. I have two Gargoyles who will look after me."

"That you do," Derrick agreed. "Well bye for now."

Diane escorted her son to the door and watched him as he climbed the nearest building so he could get height for his wings to catch the wind. When her son was in the air, she closed the door. "I miss him."

"I do too," Elisa said. "But we are who we are. I should actually get going myself. There are a few things I need to do before tomorrow."

Diane and Peter were resting comfortably in their living room. As much they didn't like the idea of Elisa marrying another being, they couldn't stop her. She was a woman who can make her own decisions and had her own mind.

A knock at the door brought them out of their relaxation. Peter went to the door and to his surprise it was Goliath. It was very strange to see Gargoyles, knock on your door, out in the open.

He sighed and allowed the lavender gargoyle in. "So what do you we owe the pleasure of this visit?"

"Elisa told me she was coming her tonight. I came here to talk to you personally," Goliath answered. "As a father I know how you feel."

"How could you know how I feel?" Peter questioned.

"When Angela goes out, especially with Demona, her mother, and she's gone too long, I wonder what she is doing. Right now she is trying to stop a war between me and her mother."

"I'm told," Peter said simply.

"Mr. Maza, you're scared for Elisa and I can sympathize. I wish I had gotten to see Angela grow up but I didn't. If I had, she would not call me father and we would not be having this conversation."

"You better not be coming here to get my approval of your up coming wedding."

"On the contrary, I came here to let you know I understand how you feel. I know if Angela were to be interested with a human, I would fear for her safety. There are still some anti-gargoyles out there. How you feel about our union is your decision. I will not try to convince you otherwise. If you disapprove of our marriage, that is your purgative."

"You are saying that you will not try and change our minds even if we don't go to your wedding."

"No."

"I only have one thing to say," Peter announced. "Don't hurt my daughter. I may have another one but she is still in Arizona. So Elisa is all I have left for family here. Derrick is one of you now."

"Yes and I'm going to help in trying to find a cure for him. There is no guarantees that it will ever be found but I'm not going to stop trying."

"Goliath," Diane said. "Why is Elisa special to you?"

Goliath looked at Diane. "She is a wonderful person. I like her personality on life and her understanding towards our traditions. She is our first friend who has never tried to harm us or betray us."

"So you love her because she is your friend and her personality. What were women like back in the old days?" Diane asked.

"Women didn't have a say in what happened in the world. They were to sit back and let the men make the decisions. They were evicted out of the family if they disgraced her family. No woman was able to voice her opinion. Unlike Elisa, I value her opinion and I know you would never disown her."

"That is one thing we agree upon. We love her too much to never speak to her again," Peter said.

"I better go before I'm missed by the clan. Please come by the castle sometime, we would love to see you and to know you better."

"I would like the same," Diane said.

Goliath turned and left the Maza house, the same way Derrick did. As he glided away, Diane knew that her daughter was in good hands even if she didn't like the hands that she was in. But there was no way Diane was going to defy her daughters wishes.