Chapter 3 - Sandy Feet
A small child's laughter filled the air as Conner ran in circles dancing with the wind. Cordelia looked on and smiled, her camera clicking every now and again as Conner sat down to finish his sand castle. Anyone who knew Cordelia or who had seen their summer house in the Hampton's or the penthouse apartment in New York then they would know how attached Cordelia was to her camera. Few knew the real reason why. Having succumbed to the fact she couldn't draw in her A.I days so instead she found another way to put her memories on paper.
"Mommy, come help me." Conner grabbed Cordelia's hand. "You can help me build the river around the castle."
Cordelia stared at her son. He looked so like his father with his brown hair and dark eyes. Conner could huff like his father too. She loved him at this age when he was big enough to tell her what he knew about the world yet still small enough to come to his mommy and curl up in her arms every night. She gave Conner everything Angel would want, took him places that he would never forget, went to the beach every Sunday and it still held that magic. Conner looked up at her with pleading eyes, puppy-dog expression that he knew only he could get away with.
"Please mommy. I'll be your best friend forever and ever."
Cordelia smiled sown at Conner and ruffled his hair. "You're just like your father, the only way he could ever get around me was to give me those puppy dog eyes." Cordelia sat down in the sand beside her son.
*Softly tread the sand below your feet now
Two worlds, one family
Trust your heart
Let fate decide
To guide these lives we see*
"Mommy, tell me about when you and daddy first met."
Cordelia had to laugh a little. Most kids would love to hear about the 'cool' demon stories that Conner's mommy had or about the Vampires they had slayed. Conner saw that kind of stuff everyday, had heard almost every story but his favourite one was about how Cordelia had met Angel at the directors party. His favourite part being when Angel scooped Cordelia into his arms and jumped from the balcony. Cordelia could here Conner hitch his breath every time she reached the part where she was in Angels arms until she mentioned that they landed safely at the bottom. The story lasted about an hour and by the time Cordelia had finished a cool wind was blowing in from the sea and she could feel the goose pimples beginning to grow on her bare arms.
"Come on honey, time to go home. How about I make cheesy pasta from tea." Conner jumped up and down in front of her. "I guess I have Giles to thank for finally find something nutritious that you like to eat instead of Ben and Jerry's and waffles...which make a great breakfast but not a good dinner. Something else you got to learn."
"But mommy, they're good." Conner whined as they finished packing up and watched the tide wash away today's sand castle.
"Not good for your teeth though!" Cordelia muttered as she pulled the jumper over Conner's head.
LATER
Cordelia loved the Hampton's house. It was her own private haven. A haven away from Chase Investigation, away from the hustle and bustle of New York City and just for a short time she could be herself. Unlike her New York apartment, the Hampton's house was full of pictures from what she called 'the old days.' No one else had even been up here, no one could see the pictures that Angel had taken or the pictures of Cordelia, Angel and Conner together looking like a real family. That was part of the reason why she loved to bring Conner up her; she never wanted him to forget his dad. Cordelia still kept his picture by her bed, one beside Conner's bed. Cordelia bought the Hampton's house because when she saw it she knew it would have been the type of house Angel would have brought to bring Conner up. She often thought of Angel: was he human, did he think of her, was he still alive...well as alive as a dead person can be. She had thought about trying to find him, try and make him take Conner back but she realised that Angel couldn't offer Conner a life he wanted for his only son. The dreams she had of them together had faded now and she had Conner to concentrate on.
*No words describe a mother's tears
No words can heal a broken heart
A dream is gone, but where there's hope*
She had picked herself up when Angel left, did as he told her and sold the old Hyperion to developers who turned it into 17 flats. It was heart-breaking for Cordelia to sell her home but the memories had to go. She had moved to New York. New York seemed the total opposite from LA - it wasn't fake, there was a culture, Art museums and a place to bring up Conner - and it was somewhere far enough away from LA. She had been all ready for a normal life but on her second day in LA, she had a vision. It was the worse kind of vision she could even ask for. It was of someone close, someone she loved and had once loved her...Gunn. When she found him, he was living on the streets, reckless and tormented. Together they pulled each other through the worse two year either of them ever seen. Chase Investigations sprung up and grew. It was now a business big enough to help those in need and they could take on every came their way. It was easy to keep it a slightly secretive business....people were still very much naive to the things that went bump in the night. With the money, Gunn bought himself his first car without selling his soul and a house. He still hadn't forgot about Fred and refused point blank to try and find somebody else. Gunn was as stubborn as Cordelia. Any guy that came near Cordelia was kindly told by her that she had a child. It amused her to see the men hot-tail away from her. She was happy with her life but not content. Her muse was disturbed by the shrill ringing of the phone, which was an unusual event. She gingerly picked it up as if it might explode.
"Hello, Cordeila Chase." She hesitated.
"Barbie...thank god your in. We've had a phone call."
Cordelia was alarmed at Gunn's tone and it would have to been important if he was calling her up here. "Gunn, what has happened?" She illterated like speaking to a two year old.
"We had a phone call." A hitch in his breath. "It was from Angel."
Cordelia dropped the phone in surprise. "What did he say?"
"He said he was looking for you. He got real angry with me when I wouldn't tell him where you were. He said to give him a phone on a number in New York. Said he wants to see Conner."
"Right fax the number over and I'll see what I want to do. I can't stop him from seeing his child. Conner isn't mine." Cordelia tried not to cry, she hadn't since Angel had left and would be damned if she was now.
"Cordelia, you are Conner's legal parent. We checked this out with the lawyers OK. Don't worry and think about making a call. The number is coming through now."
The fax machine beside her whirled into life and the paper came out with a number scrawled across it in huge black pen. "I got it Gunn. I'll give it a call."
"Good luck Barbie." Gunn hung up.
Cordelia sat herself down in the telephone chair beside her and looked at the number. She took a deep breath and dialled the number slowly, resisting the urge to slam it back into it's cradle.
"Hello, Angel O'Patrick's office. Helen speaking."
Cordelia's eyes opened wide. "This is Cordelia Chase of Chase Investigations, I was asked to call Mr O'Patrick back."
"Putting you through."
Cordelia heard a series of beeps before a voice she had long forgotten filled her ears. It was like whispers on the wind, haunting her and throwing her into overload. "This is Miss Chase of Chase Investigations." She said, her business like manner hiding her shaky voice...she could do this. But her resolve was crumbled by one word.
"Cordeila?" A pause. "Cordelia is that you?"
"Yes Angel, It's me."
Look out for the last chapter please...just what will happen to our intrepid friends and can Gunn and Lindsey stay in the story? Stay tuned to find out.
Words are from;
1) Two Worlds by Phil Collins
2) You'll Be In My Heart by Phil Collins
Both are from the Tarzan Movie which soundtrack rocks....
A small child's laughter filled the air as Conner ran in circles dancing with the wind. Cordelia looked on and smiled, her camera clicking every now and again as Conner sat down to finish his sand castle. Anyone who knew Cordelia or who had seen their summer house in the Hampton's or the penthouse apartment in New York then they would know how attached Cordelia was to her camera. Few knew the real reason why. Having succumbed to the fact she couldn't draw in her A.I days so instead she found another way to put her memories on paper.
"Mommy, come help me." Conner grabbed Cordelia's hand. "You can help me build the river around the castle."
Cordelia stared at her son. He looked so like his father with his brown hair and dark eyes. Conner could huff like his father too. She loved him at this age when he was big enough to tell her what he knew about the world yet still small enough to come to his mommy and curl up in her arms every night. She gave Conner everything Angel would want, took him places that he would never forget, went to the beach every Sunday and it still held that magic. Conner looked up at her with pleading eyes, puppy-dog expression that he knew only he could get away with.
"Please mommy. I'll be your best friend forever and ever."
Cordelia smiled sown at Conner and ruffled his hair. "You're just like your father, the only way he could ever get around me was to give me those puppy dog eyes." Cordelia sat down in the sand beside her son.
*Softly tread the sand below your feet now
Two worlds, one family
Trust your heart
Let fate decide
To guide these lives we see*
"Mommy, tell me about when you and daddy first met."
Cordelia had to laugh a little. Most kids would love to hear about the 'cool' demon stories that Conner's mommy had or about the Vampires they had slayed. Conner saw that kind of stuff everyday, had heard almost every story but his favourite one was about how Cordelia had met Angel at the directors party. His favourite part being when Angel scooped Cordelia into his arms and jumped from the balcony. Cordelia could here Conner hitch his breath every time she reached the part where she was in Angels arms until she mentioned that they landed safely at the bottom. The story lasted about an hour and by the time Cordelia had finished a cool wind was blowing in from the sea and she could feel the goose pimples beginning to grow on her bare arms.
"Come on honey, time to go home. How about I make cheesy pasta from tea." Conner jumped up and down in front of her. "I guess I have Giles to thank for finally find something nutritious that you like to eat instead of Ben and Jerry's and waffles...which make a great breakfast but not a good dinner. Something else you got to learn."
"But mommy, they're good." Conner whined as they finished packing up and watched the tide wash away today's sand castle.
"Not good for your teeth though!" Cordelia muttered as she pulled the jumper over Conner's head.
LATER
Cordelia loved the Hampton's house. It was her own private haven. A haven away from Chase Investigation, away from the hustle and bustle of New York City and just for a short time she could be herself. Unlike her New York apartment, the Hampton's house was full of pictures from what she called 'the old days.' No one else had even been up here, no one could see the pictures that Angel had taken or the pictures of Cordelia, Angel and Conner together looking like a real family. That was part of the reason why she loved to bring Conner up her; she never wanted him to forget his dad. Cordelia still kept his picture by her bed, one beside Conner's bed. Cordelia bought the Hampton's house because when she saw it she knew it would have been the type of house Angel would have brought to bring Conner up. She often thought of Angel: was he human, did he think of her, was he still alive...well as alive as a dead person can be. She had thought about trying to find him, try and make him take Conner back but she realised that Angel couldn't offer Conner a life he wanted for his only son. The dreams she had of them together had faded now and she had Conner to concentrate on.
*No words describe a mother's tears
No words can heal a broken heart
A dream is gone, but where there's hope*
She had picked herself up when Angel left, did as he told her and sold the old Hyperion to developers who turned it into 17 flats. It was heart-breaking for Cordelia to sell her home but the memories had to go. She had moved to New York. New York seemed the total opposite from LA - it wasn't fake, there was a culture, Art museums and a place to bring up Conner - and it was somewhere far enough away from LA. She had been all ready for a normal life but on her second day in LA, she had a vision. It was the worse kind of vision she could even ask for. It was of someone close, someone she loved and had once loved her...Gunn. When she found him, he was living on the streets, reckless and tormented. Together they pulled each other through the worse two year either of them ever seen. Chase Investigations sprung up and grew. It was now a business big enough to help those in need and they could take on every came their way. It was easy to keep it a slightly secretive business....people were still very much naive to the things that went bump in the night. With the money, Gunn bought himself his first car without selling his soul and a house. He still hadn't forgot about Fred and refused point blank to try and find somebody else. Gunn was as stubborn as Cordelia. Any guy that came near Cordelia was kindly told by her that she had a child. It amused her to see the men hot-tail away from her. She was happy with her life but not content. Her muse was disturbed by the shrill ringing of the phone, which was an unusual event. She gingerly picked it up as if it might explode.
"Hello, Cordeila Chase." She hesitated.
"Barbie...thank god your in. We've had a phone call."
Cordelia was alarmed at Gunn's tone and it would have to been important if he was calling her up here. "Gunn, what has happened?" She illterated like speaking to a two year old.
"We had a phone call." A hitch in his breath. "It was from Angel."
Cordelia dropped the phone in surprise. "What did he say?"
"He said he was looking for you. He got real angry with me when I wouldn't tell him where you were. He said to give him a phone on a number in New York. Said he wants to see Conner."
"Right fax the number over and I'll see what I want to do. I can't stop him from seeing his child. Conner isn't mine." Cordelia tried not to cry, she hadn't since Angel had left and would be damned if she was now.
"Cordelia, you are Conner's legal parent. We checked this out with the lawyers OK. Don't worry and think about making a call. The number is coming through now."
The fax machine beside her whirled into life and the paper came out with a number scrawled across it in huge black pen. "I got it Gunn. I'll give it a call."
"Good luck Barbie." Gunn hung up.
Cordelia sat herself down in the telephone chair beside her and looked at the number. She took a deep breath and dialled the number slowly, resisting the urge to slam it back into it's cradle.
"Hello, Angel O'Patrick's office. Helen speaking."
Cordelia's eyes opened wide. "This is Cordelia Chase of Chase Investigations, I was asked to call Mr O'Patrick back."
"Putting you through."
Cordelia heard a series of beeps before a voice she had long forgotten filled her ears. It was like whispers on the wind, haunting her and throwing her into overload. "This is Miss Chase of Chase Investigations." She said, her business like manner hiding her shaky voice...she could do this. But her resolve was crumbled by one word.
"Cordeila?" A pause. "Cordelia is that you?"
"Yes Angel, It's me."
Look out for the last chapter please...just what will happen to our intrepid friends and can Gunn and Lindsey stay in the story? Stay tuned to find out.
Words are from;
1) Two Worlds by Phil Collins
2) You'll Be In My Heart by Phil Collins
Both are from the Tarzan Movie which soundtrack rocks....
