Singing

Author: Joy

Email: Julianna@ziplip.com

A/N: Review Please

The Hyperion doors swung open to reveal two children sitting on the counter in the lobby with a bomb box between them. "What are you two doing up?" Gabriella questioned.

"Well Mum. When you slash a guy's throat open…it wakes us up," Will commented. Angelus blinked about a million times. The kid sounded and looked just like Spike. Not to mention the fact that he knew what had happened several miles away.

"Mummy Wesley thinks he found something…and Connor is glowing purple and red…and a big man with green skin that likes to sing got here a few minutes ago," Joy babbled erratically.

"Green skin?" Spike questioned. "You sure Pixie?"

She swung her legs back and forth with great joy. "Oh yes…we got the player out so we could have a good time."

"Lorn?" Angel questioned seeing his friend come into the lobby. "What's going on to the best of your knowledge?"

"I told you not to turn your back on him," the demon said simply. He sighed, "Wesley…" pointing to the sleeping man in the office, "is doing the best he can on the translation of the prophecy about your Connor and her Joy."

"Who let him come back?" Angel grumbled.

"I did," Gabriella snapped. "You are a moron… Your friend tried to keep your son safe from a very real threat and you try to kill him. Guess what oh sire of mine. This goes way beyond your bruised ego and notions of you are the end all be all authority in the universe. Wesley can help and he will. To me honest…if Wesley hadn't taken Connor then your buddies at the law firm would have dissected him. But then again you were never good about looking at time lines and grasp full meanings…"

Angelus came to face off with Gabriella. "What would you know about losing someone you love? What would you know about having people be willing to kill your children to keep them from you?"

"Plenty ya idiot. I have the first child in a century born to two vamps and the only one to ever have a soul. I spent the first ten years of Will's life being chased all over the globe and yes even have him stolen from me for a time. My daughter that I love to death is something no one can identify as she is the child of a vampire and human but seems to have qualities that far exceed either's abilities. Her father died trying to protect her and us from the beloved Watcher's council. So yeah…I think I can say without a doubt I have some idea of what it might be like… then again my kids know they were created out of love while your son knows deep down in his being he was created out of violence and hate." The words rolled off Gabriella's tongue with amazing ease. "Go rest up Sire. We have work in the morning."

Angelus grit his teeth as he left the room venturing off to the kitchen for so more blood. His Childe had the uncanny ability to cast him in the worst possible light at every moment.

Lorn stepped forward to the vampire before him. "We haven't been introduced. Lorn."

"Gabriella…You have met my children obviously. This is William the Bloody or Spike," she said touching the other vampire's back softly. "Wesley said you would be coming…I'm just wondering why."

"Direct aren't you?"

"Always," Will and Spike said in unison.

Lorn smiled, "I'm good with Angel…Getting him calm when need be."

"Then you definitely need to stick around. I rub him the wrong way," Gabriella stated with a proud smile.

"Well your children tell me you have a lovely voice."

"Yeah Mummy… I want to hear you sing. It will be fun," Joy cooed swinging her legs back and forth again.

"What am I to sing?" Ella asked.

"When you come back to me," Spike offered with a sexy smile. The vampires smirked at each other for a moment. Will started the music and Gabriella moved off to the side so she could see Lorn, her kids, and Spike. Gunn wasn't really paying attention.

'Just a float on the sea

Find myself on a page of history

As I ride along

I can always hear this song about you

And where you meant to be'

Gabriella pointed at Spike and then started to crook her finger in a come hither motion.

'Your going tell me answers

I'll know

When you come back to me'

Spike smirked cockily at the way his love was claiming him. He enjoyed her voice as well as the way her body moved to the rhythm.

'If we should fall

Love will catch us every time

Hear you call I will run

And if the magic of the adventure overcomes

We won't cry because it could be fun'

Will and Joy nodded their heads in beat with the music. Gunn's attention was caught during the second verse. He had to smile at the look of delight on Lorn's face. Angel peered back into lobby as Gabriella finished.

'I'm going to tell you the answers

You'll know

When you come back to me

It's gonna be alright

When you come back to me'

"So what'd ya think luv?" Gabriella asked Spike.

"I think I love that song…especially when you sing it," he responded kissing her forehead hugging her close. Will rolled his eyes.

Gabriella turned to Lorn with a smile and said, "So how do I read?" He looked a bit shocked, as did Gunn. "What? I had a prophetic gift before I died. Do you think I don't recognize another 'reader' shall we say?"

"Well aren't you full of surprises?" Lorn smirked.

"You have no idea," Ella raised her eyebrows a couple times quickly.

"Now a song we can all sing," Joy insisted.

"Alright Little One," Gabriella said to her daughter. "What do you want to sing?"

"Tempted," the five and 1/2 year old said.

"That's a grown up song," Ella stated.

"But you and Will sound so nice when you sing it…and its fun."

Will and Gabriella looked at each other and shrugged. "Last song…then bed."

The music started leaving Angel in the lobby doorframe out of the way. Wesley came in from the office having been roused by the first set. Lorn and Gunn got comfortable this time to watch the singing vampire family perform.

Gabriella turned out one foot, nodded her head in time with the music and began to sing.

'I bought a toothbrush, some toothpaste, a flannel for my face,

pajamas, a hairbrush, new shoes and a case.

I said to my reflection lets get out of this place.'

'Past the church and the steeple, the laundry on the hill,

billboards and buildings

Memories of it still keep calling and calling

But forget it all, I know I will'

            Will picked up harmonizing with his mother at the chorus. Both were quite serious in there singing, playing off each other's energy and charisma.

'Tempted by the fruit of another

Tempted but the truth is discovered

What's been going on

Now that you have gone

There's no other

Tempted by the fruit of another

Tempted but the truth is discovered.'

Will began the next section alone.

'I'm at the car park, the airport, the baggage carousel

People keep on driving Keep wishing I was well

I said its no occasion. It's no story I can tell'

He motioned back to his mother, apparently not liking the complete attention of his audience. Gabriella smiled and picked up the second part without a missed beat. For a white girl she could wail fairly well.

'At my bedside empty pocket, a foot without a sock

Your body gets much closer. I fumble for the clock,

Alarmed by the seduction…I wish it would stop.'

Gabriella started to ham it up by grabbing her head rocking it back and forth then raising her hand in the Supremes 'Stop' motion. Spike laughed out right as did Will.

Joy was singing along quietly to the chorus, while the rest of the boys just watched in wonder at the strange creature that was Gabriella.

'Tempted by the fruit of another

Tempted but the truth is discovered

What's been going on

Now that you have gone

There's no other

Tempted by the fruit of another

Tempted but the truth is discovered'

Gabriella was in full entertainer mode singing to each guy individually for a bit. She came to focus on Spike as she began the next stanza.

'I bought novel, some perfume, a fortune, all for you

But its not my conscience that hates to be untrue.

I ask of my reflection what is there to do'

Tempted by the fruit of another

Tempted but the truth is discovered

What's been going on

Now that you have gone

There's no other

Tempted by the fruit of another

Tempted but the truth is discovered'

Angel listened to the full soulful voice he had lusted after when he first saw Gabriella on stage. She was going to be his pet…He shook his head to remove the images from his mind. She could still move her body wonderfully. Angel licked his lips and came further into the room unobserved.

'Tempted by the fruit of another

Tempted but the truth is discovered…'

Gabriella's voice was cut off as Angel's body slammed into a far wall by an unseen force. Everyone turned to where the vampire landed and not the levitating little girl on the counter. Scissors, knives, pencils…anything sharp started flying toward Angelus's body. "Bloody Hell," Will yelled. "Joy! Stop, Joy!"

Angelus was pinned to the wall by several sharp objects…some through his skin. A long sword floated in front of his left eyeball ready to pierce his skull. "STOP THINKING OF MY MUMMY!" the child shouted.

Buffy and Fred came flying out of theirs room to see the scene lay out below. A green glow surrounded Joy as she floated toward a terrified Angel who had knives embedded in his body.

"Joy…Joy…Stop! Let him down," Gabriella commanded.

"NO! He keeps picturing it. He likes it. He likes to watch you suffer. He gets excited by it…He wants to hurt you again…over and over…I have to stop him," Joy's voice vacillated between hostile and scared as she spoke.

"Baby," Ella soothed. "He can't hurt me anymore. You don't need to protect me… He's just a sick man who is alone."

"He hurt you…and he enjoyed it!" the small child ground out through gritted teeth before piercing Angelus's shoulder with the sword and then removed it again.

"That is it! Joy you will stop this right now! I have had enough of this behavior," Gabriella scolded.

"But mummy…"

"No…no but mummy… Stop now," Ella stated clearly. All of the knives were lurched from Angelus's body in one swift movement. He let out a painful cry as he tumbled to the floor.

Buffy stumbled down the stairs in her pajamas while Wesley kept his distance from the disruption. He still didn't know if Angel would try to kill him again. Gabriella held Joy to herself as Spike stroked mother and daughter's hair. He held each loosely kissing each of their foreheads.

Will went over to the fallen vampire as Gunn and Lorn helped him up. The teen reach over to Angelus's stomach grabbed one of the pencils still embedded in his skin. He twisted it meeting the older vampire's eyes full on. Will whispered so softly only another vampire could hear, "I hate you…My sister hates you… Our mother didn't raise us to hate anyone or anything. We've gained that all on our own from what you think about… They all see you as some great hero…your mind tells a different story." He ground the pencil in further. "Just remember that after we have Connor, its going to be your own thoughts that will determine if Joy and I decide if you're a waste of space or not… So please keep imagining raping my mum. I really want you dusty."

Spike laid a hand on his son's shoulder and pulled him away. Will held up the bloody and now removed pencil to Angelus's line of sight. In the blink of an eye, Will flicked the pencil hard enough that it was embedded up to the eraser in the wall behind Angelus. "Come on," Spike encouraged tugging Will back toward his mother. The teen's eyes continued to penetrate Angelus's.

Buffy walked over to the wall and examined the writing utensil. Gunn stood next to her. "Damn!" he murmured. "Those kids could take all of us out in a breath." Gunn's eyes came level with Buffy. "How do you mother two children that powerful?"

"Very carefully," she answered. "I still don't know how my mom did it." Buffy extracted the pencil from the wall. "That wasn't dry wall," she gasped, "that was a wooden wall…Okay now I'm scared. I've only seen that sort of power after a tornado."

"Yeah I've seen blades of grass sticking out of telephone poles…How fast must he have thrown that?" Gunn asked.

"Fast enough to scare Angel…but that was the point," Buffy stated looking at the vampire still watching the teenager.

"It might be good if you talked to him…He's really worried about what you think of him," the young man said.

Buffy shook her head, "I don't know what to say…or even what I think… I knew going into my relationship with him he had done awful things…hell he did awful things to me. But with his soul he was always so sweet and…respectful. The idea that he could still be that awful… I just don't know."

Angel breathed deeply to calm himself. Lorn took him back to the kitchen to dress his wounds. The vampire could still see his attackers from his seat. "I'm as good as dust," he whispered. Lorn looked at his friend. "Between Connor and those kids I won't live long."

"Sins of the father," Lorn responded quietly. Angel and he looked at one another. Lorn continued, "You are at a moment of reckoning." The host shook his head, "Gabriella has no intention of letting anyone kill you…and she doesn't hate you…not truly. She has forgiven you for what you have done to her…but she has not forgiven you for what your mind does to her children… To Gabriella letting her children kill you would destroy a part of their souls. Now Connor I can't comment on."

"Do you believe her about the prophecy and such?" the vampire questioned.

"I read her…and the kids. Hell I even read Spike. Gabriella wants her daughter protected and her kids to grow up as healthy as possible. Will wants his sister to be safe and for you to get what's coming to you. Joy…well Joy is harder. While she was singing it was obvious that her own well being wasn't as important as the world being together. Spike has the purest motivation of all. He loves Gabriella and the children…and he will die to protect them. None of this should come as a shock."

Angel nodded, "What will they do once we find him?"

"Will you get to see him you mean?" Lorn asked.

"Yeah."

"Probably not… Look Gabriella is a good mom with a teenage son that loves and respects her. That is a rare thing. One thing she won't do is try to make you look bad. She might share with him how she is related to you but she won't try to make him hate you. She knows you didn't kill Holtz…she might be the only person that can convince Connor of that," the host said simply.

"Great…the fate of my relationship with my son rests in the hands of a woman I killed twenty years ago. Now that is irony."

Lorn looked at his friend, "Piece of advice. I know you had her only one time…but if you continue to think of that one time, you're going to be in trouble. She is beautiful and talented…and I can see why you choose to turn her, but any thoughts of that process will only add fuel to the fire."

"I know its stupid…but watching Spike with her…it makes me jealous. I see them together…"

Lorn cut Angel off, "Don't go there…even in your head. Spike was there to clean up the mess you left. He was there to give her stability and love… You destroyed her. Spike put her back together… That's irony. For three different women for over a hundred years Spike has been the one to put the women you have destroyed back together… Gabriella isn't a flake, like Druscilla, or hateful, like Buffy. Gabriella brought the humanity out in Spike before he had a soul. Now she can help him adjust."

"What do you mean 'like Buffy' and 'before he had a soul'?" Angel asked quickly.

The host looked grieved. "Maybe you should talk to Buffy about that."

"I'm asking you," the vampire snipped.

"Hey…I'm really the only one here that doesn't question your soul right now. Everyone else in this building sees you as a monster… The truth is the reason why Wesley took off with Connor was because he had been in contact with Gabriella's husband before he died. Wesley got the whole story. He questioned your actions because your actions have been questionable… I know you and you soul. I know how you fight your demon and how you struggle with those impulses. But I also know who you are. Finding out about Gabriella and the others only solidified things you revealed while you sang," Lorn told him truthfully.

Angel sighed, "Please tell me. At this point all surprises I would like to come from someone I trust and know."

Lorn eyed his friend and said, "Spike and Buffy had an affair. I could see it when Spike sang. He loved her very much but she didn't love him back. It was very destructive for both of them. Once he saw Gabriella again he realized he had just been trying to force Buffy into Gabriella's shoes." Angel looked like he had been struck. "Spike apparently got his soul sometime recently…in the last few months. It wasn't a curse. He fought to gain his soul…and won. Now that Gabriella is back everything he has gone through sort of makes sense. He wishes he had never been separated from Gabriella and Will but he is more then happy to be a part of that family now."

"All of them have souls?" Angel questioned.

"Yes."

"No curses…No moment of true happiness?"

"No… If there had been Gabriella would have lost hers the night she conceived Will. For Spike it would have been the moment she agreed to marry him… You got your soul as a punishment…they didn't. Gabriella has never been without her soul," Lorn commented.

Angel chuckled half-heartedly, "Maybe that's fitting."

"Angel, Gabriella could help you a lot. She can help you connect with Connor. She can teach you to be a better parent," Lorn instructed as the vampire nodded.

TBC…