Part Five
The Art of Decapitation. The title stared up at Cordelia from the
book laying casually on an end table in the hotel's lobby. She picked
it up and carried it to the offices. "Wesley, I thought I told you
to make sure all of your books were locked away." She held out the
offending object.
Wesley glanced at the title. "That's Angel's." He took the book
anyway and locked it away in a glassed cabinet with the other
paranormal books and scrolls that Angel Investigations owned.
Cordelia spun on her heel and turned her disproving glare on the
vampire. "Angel! You know that Connor is bringing his friends home
to visit today. Why would you leave that book laying around? Don't
you want your son to be normal? We have to be normal. And perfect.
This is very important. I can't believe you!" Cordelia moved on to
rearranging things, making sure everything looked 'normal' and
'perfect.'
As they watched Cordelia whip herself into a nervous frenzy, Fred
leaned across her desk toward Gunn. "I think Cordelia needs a
vacation."
"She does need to chill." Gunn nodded his head in agreement. Both of
them ducked their heads and pretended to be working when Cordelia's
gaze sharpened on them. The sound of the front door opening and Connor
calling out saved them from further scrutiny.
"They're here." Cordelia straightened her clothing and headed for the
office door that led out into the lobby. Before walking through,
she whirled around with her finger raised in warning. "Okay, everyone,
be normal!" Then she swept out into the lobby.
"Well, you heard her." Angel shrugged. He stood up and followed
Cordelia out of the office. He was anxious to meet his son's friends
and give a 'normal' impression too, he just wasn't nuts like his Seer.
"Hey, Mom, Dad. These are my friends, Pandora and Ron." Connor waved
in each person's direction as an introduction. "And that's my Uncle
Wesley, Aunt Fred, and Uncle Gunn."
"It's so nice to finally meet you, kids." Cordelia beamed. "How was
school? Would you like a snack?"
"No, thank you, Mrs. Chase," Pandora smiled. Connor's parents were
really nice. She knew that his father was a vampire and his mother was
a Seer, but they both looked so normal. But then she grew up in a
house with three witches who were the Charmed Ones, a white-lighter,
and an ex-demon. She wasn't exactly an expert on normal. "School was
interesting."
"Only if you define interesting as staring at a board while the teacher
drones semi-useful information," Ron cut in.
Pandora threw Ron an exasperated look. "Don't be rude," she hissed
under her breath, but Angel caught it and he suppressed a smile. He
liked these kids. Ron seemed to be fun and easy-going - something that
his son sorely needed in his life - and Angel had confidence that
Pandora was more than capable of keeping the boys in line.
"Angel," a whispered voice cam from the staircase. It was Lorne and
with the children's presence he could hardly walk out into the open.
Not without shattering Cordelia's illusion of normalcy. "Angel, I
need to see you and the rest of the crew. We have a visitor."
Angel made a motioning gesture toward the office behind his back and
turned his attention back to the kids. His gaze met Connor's concerned
look. Luckily, his son had inherited his keen sense of hearing. "I'm
going to show Ron and Dory the courtyard." Connor ushered his friends
out the door.
"Lorne needs to see us." Angel led the way back into the office where
Lorne was standing next to a squat, grey blur. The most distinguishing
feature of a Dispero demon was their complete lack of distinguishing
features - or any features.
"This is Tanya, the friend I was telling you about. She handled your
friend's disappearing act." Lorne frowned at his blurry friend.
"Don't look at me like that, Tanya, there are extenuating
circumstances. Now, tell them where you stashed the girl."
"I can't do that. Demon/client privilege." The voice was high
pitched in a feminine manner. "How do I know your friends aren't the
people she was running from?"
"Because we're her friends." Cordelia went over to Angel's desk and
rifled through it until she produced an envelope. She brought it to
Tanya and held it out. "She writes to us to let us know she's okay."
"We think she's still in trouble," Angel added. "She shouldn't be
alone. She needs her friends. Us."
Tanya didn't take the offered letter of proof. Her form clouded in a
darker shade of grey. "I can't go around telling people where my
clients have disappeared to. It'll ruin my business. Besides, if
she's a smart person she would have disappeared again on her own using
non-magical means. I advised her to use the identity I have her only
until she had established another one."
"Perhaps we could track her once you've given us the identity you
supplied Miss Rosenberg with." Wesley sat down at the computer. "I
can assure you Miss...uh, Ma'am, that we will not disclose that you
were the source of our information."
"And as a private investigation business we get lots of people who
want to disappear. We could refer them to you," Fred added brightly.
"Alexandria Potter. I sent her to New York, a nice big city to get
lost in."
"Luckily computers make that especially difficult to do." Wesley
relayed the information into the neural net. "Alexandria Potter lived
in Manhattan in 2002 and worked at the Pritchard Theatre Off Broadway
as a set designer and understudy for the female lead."
"Willow?" Cordelia stood with open-mouthed, incredulous shock. "Our
Willow worked in a theatre? As an actor! But she had horrible stage
fright. I remember this one time when we had a talent show that Giles
was wrangled into directing and that horrible Snyder made Willow,
Buffy, and Xander participate. She just ran off the stage without
saying a word."
"She probably thought that no one would look for her there." Angel
massaged Cordelia's shoulders affectionately. They were so close to
finding Willow. Then they could bring her back home, she would make a
great addition to the team. She could stay at the hotel, they had
plenty of rooms, and Connor could get to know his Aunt Willow.
"She terminated her employment after two months." Wesley frowned and
mumbled something about death certificates and social security
applications. "Ah-ha! Two weeks before Alexandria Potter quit her
job, a Marina Allen applied for a Virginia State driver's licence.
She fits Miss Rosenberg's description in height and weight. I'll try
to find the licence photo...Oh, dear."
"What?" Cordelia leaned forward, but she couldn't see the computer
screen. Wesley had that reluctant look on his face, the one he got
when he had information he knew no one wanted to hear. "Did she change
identities again? Have we hit another dead end?"
"Well, uh..." Wesley went through some of his stalling motions -
rubbing his forehead, adjusting and cleaning his glasses, clearing his
throat.
"Cut it out, Wesley, and just tell us!" Cordelia tensed under Angel's
hands.
"There was a car accident, it was raining and the police believe that
weather conditions contributed to the accident. The car careened off
an embankment and exploded. Marina Allen died on March 23rd, 2003."
"No." Cordelia shook her head. The envelope crumpled in her hand.
"Willow can't be dead."
"She isn't." Angel took the envelope from Cordelia's hand. "You've got
the wrong person, Wes. Willow has been sending us letters and Connor
packages for the past eleven years."
"That's part of the service." Tanya's shape had turned a misty white.
"Your friend paid for ten years, but I threw in the extra year because
I liked her and I had the extra paper. The last package and letter
you got were the final ones."
"They're written in Willow's handwriting." Angel took the letter from
the envelope and unfolded it. He read it once more even though he
knew it by heart. "It's her cadence...the way she babbles and
switches subjects...the nonsequitors...This letter is Willow."
Wisps of darkness threaded through the white mist of Tanya's form.
"Of course it is. The paper is bespelled with her essence. You dump
some ink on it and the words that tell of how she's feeling form. I
had thought her letters were getting redundant."
"So, the essence in the paper just kept writing the last feelings it
has received from Miss Rosenberg. The guilt and regret that she felt
over the events in Sunnydale when she thought about Angel and
Cordelia." Wesley gave his friends a sympathetic look. "The police
made a positive identification on the body and included a photo in her
file." Wesley turned the computer monitor's flat screen so his friends
could see it. The girl in photo had dark hair and eyes, but it was
Willow. "I'm sorry."
*****
The address was the same. When Ron had mentioned visiting Connor at
his house, Willow had requested an address and phone number for the
boy's parents. When she called a woman named Fred answered - Willow
vaguely remembered Fred from when she had told Angel about Buffy's
death. Her son was friends with Angel's son. Willow didn't know if
she should be happy or nervous. She was happy that her son had a good
friend and nervous that Angel would be able to use Ron to find her.
Willow stared out her front window at the sunny California day and
shivered. As much as she missed her friends, Willow didn't want them
to know that she had traded her body for black magic. She loved Ron
and didn't regret having him in her life, but she was ashamed of how
he was conceived.
"Relax, Willow." Lindsey came up behind her and wrapped his arms
around her waist. He looked out the window over her shoulder to the
sidewalk outside. "Angel isn't going to come stalking up to our front
door demanding answers before dragging you back to Sunnydale. For one
thing, it's the middle of the afternoon and for another, none of them
knew you were pregnant. There's no way Angel would connect Ron to
you."
"I know." Willow leaned back in Lindsey's embrace. "I'm being silly.
I know Angel and Cordelia and Xander and Buffy are going to find out
about Ron if we want to stop running and have a half-way normal
existence. They'll also want to know who...who Ron's father is. I
don't want to see the looks on their faces when I tell them or hear
what they think of me."
"I think you're a wonderful, beautiful, strong woman." Lindsey ran his
hands up and down Willow's arms and turned her around to face him.
"You accepted everything about me and my past and you've never held
any of it against me. You made one mistake, Willow, and you managed
to turn it around and raise a great kid. If that stupid vampire, his
cheerleader seer, and those other idiots you used to know can't see
that, than their opinion isn't worth caring about."
"You had a lot to do with raising that great kid." Willow smiled up
at Lindsey. She hugged him closer and rested her head on his chest.
"I don't know what I would have done without you all these years, Mac.
Sorry, I mean Lindsey. I have to get used to calling you that."
"I don't mind being called Mac every once in a while as long as it's
you." Lindsey grinned wickedly. He bent his head and brushed his
lips along her jawline in a trail of kisses. "You know, my lovely
wife, we have the house to ourselves...."
"But not for long." Willow sighed and pulled away. "I have to pick
Ron up at Angel's."
Lindsey noted how Willow tensed up and lost her smile. She wasn't
ready to confront her past face to face as he had done with Lilah.
"I'll do it. I have to talk to Angel."
"Why? So, he can rip your throat out? He hates you." Willow's eyes
widened in alarm and she clutched onto Lindsey's arm. She was dreading
seeing Angel and Cordelia, but with the glamor in place it was doubtful
that they would know it was her. Lindsey wouldn't have that safety
net. Angel would recognize him as enemy right away and see him as a
threat to Connor.
"He wouldn't do that - at least not in front of the kids." Lindsey
pressed his lips to Willow's forehead. "Angel's going to find out I'm
back in L. A. eventually and that Ron is my son. It might as well be
sooner than later and come from me. It'll be okay." He gave her a
reassuring smile and a wink.
"If you say so. Just make sure to duck if he takes a swing at you."
Willow kissed Lindsey good-bye. She sighed again as she watched him
get into the car and drive off. Angel would know everything soon
enough and she just hoped that he would still consider her a friend.
Even more she hoped that he would allow their sons' budding friendship
to continue. Ron needed friends now and he would definitely need them
when his father found them.
*****
The children were still outside in the courtyard. Connor and Ron were
tossing a football back and forth while Pandora sat in the grass
reading a book. The sun shone brightly down on them as they played.
Connor caught the ball and glanced back at Pandora. He chucked the
ball into her lap. Pandora put her book down and stood up, her hands
on her hips and a frown on her face. The boys just laughed and
encouraged her to throw it back at them.
A strangled sob broke free from Cordelia as she watched the serene
scene from the window. She sensed Angel's presence as he came up to
stand behind her, not getting too close because of the window. "I used
to do this a lot when I was younger - watched three children play
together. I used to wish on every star I could find every night that
I could be friends with Willow, Xander, and Jesse. They had so much
fun, but my mother said good little girls didn't rough-house with boys.
I had too much breeding to lower myself to their level." Tears fell
freely from Cordelia's eyes, blurring her vision. She turned into
Angel's embrace. "She can't be dead, Angel. Willow...she can't have
died alone...afraid. She thought we hated her. How am I going to
tell Xander?"
Angel closed his eyes and swallowed his own tears. His arms tightened
around Cordelia to help quell her violent sobs. "She's in a place now
where she knows we never felt that way. Willow is safe and loved
wherever she is because that's what she deserves." The words were
meant to comfort Cordelia and Angel sincerely hoped they did because
they were hollow to him. Willow had died alone and afraid and she
didn't deserve that. Whoever had made her run away from her friends
and disappear from their lives was going to pay. Willow may be dead,
but he wasn't going to give up on the search to find out what had
happened. Why she had left and why she hadn't come to him for help.
"Did Lorne or Wesley find anything out about that warlock, Rack?"
Cordelia stepped out of Angel's arms and wiped her eyes. "He's the one
who turned Buffy and the others against her and why she disappeared."
"We got sidetracked by the Dispero demon. Don't worry, Cordelia, we'll
find him." And send him straight to hell. Angel clenched his fists
and wished he had something to hit.
"Angel!" Gunn's shout came from the front lobby. "We've got company."
The children were still outside, they didn't seem to have heard Gunn.
Angel led the way into the lobby. Gunn stood by the front door,
holding the sharp side of a battle axe under Lindsey MacDonald's chin.
Fred hovered in the door way of the office. "I should have wished for
a million dollars while I had the chance," Angel muttered and strode
forward. "Cordy, make sure the kids stay outside."
"Actually, Miss Chase, could you get Ron for me please." Lindsey spoke
carefully, mindful of the blade against his skin. He shot a look at
Gunn. "Do you mind removing that before my son sees it."
"Your son?" Cordelia moved forward instead of leaving the room to get
the children. "Ron is not your son."
"You're right. He's not my son biologically. My wife and I adopted
him after his mother was killed in an accident."
A tap on the door drew everyone's attention. Gunn quickly stepped back
and brought the axe down to his side as the door opened and a woman
with pale skin and dark black hair walked in. "Hi, I'm Paige Matthews
Halliwell. I'm supposed to pick up my niece, Pandora."
"Oh, yes, the kids are just outside." Cordelia stepped forward and
shook Paige's hand. "I'm Connor's mother, Cordelia, and this is his
father, Angel."
"Nice to meet you. Piper would have come, but she had a business
emergency." Paige glanced around the room until her eyes fell on Gunn.
"Nice axe."
"I'll go get the kids," Angel volunteered. "Why don't you come with
me, Lindsey. We'll catch up on old times." Once they were out of
sight, Angel grabbed Lindsey by the throat and slammed him up against
the wall. Outside, they could hear the children shouting and laughing.
"If you touch my son, I will kill you in the slowest, most painful way
possible, you bastard." Angel let his demonic features show to make
his point. "I thought I made it very clear to Wolfram and Hart that
Connor was off limits in their evil games."
"I don't work for Wolfram and Hart. I quit, remember?" Lindsey
reached up and pried Angel's fingers from his throat. He knew Willow
would fuss over his bruises once they started to appear. "I don't
want to hurt your son, Angel, I'm a father too. I have a family. A
family I want to protect and I need your help."
"What makes you think I'll help you? I've helped you enough." Angel
slipped into his human face and stepped back. If this was a Wolfram
and Hart trick....
"This isn't for me. I need you to promise to protect my family if
Wolfram and Hart decide that it's safer for them to have me dead. I
need you to keep my wife and son safe from Lilah."
Lindsey's heartbeat was steady and he maintained eye contact. Angel
was fairly certain that he was telling the truth. Ron was his son -
not biologically - and he wasn't working for Wolfram and Hart, but
still....Lindsey had spent too much time switching sides for Angel to
just trust him.
"Dad," Connor called as they trooped inside. "Can we..."
"Hi, Dad, is it time to go home already?" Ron grinned. "Is Mom in a
full-fledged panic attack?"
"Your Mom is fine." Lindsey ruffled his son's hair. He glanced at
Angel. "She's overprotective - worries a lot about the past."
That did it. Lindsey had obviously gotten an innocent woman and boy
mixed up in his evil business and now their lives were in danger. "You
can tell her to stop worrying. Connor's friends are welcome here any
time. Oh, Pandora, your Aunt Paige is here as well."
"Thanks. See you tomorrow at school, Connor, Ron." Pandora smiled at
Angel. "Thank you for inviting me to your home, Mr. Chase."
"You're welcome, Pandora." Angel watched Lindsey's eyebrow raise at
the name Pandora used, but he didn't say anything. Pandora gave a
last wave to the boys and left to find her aunt.
"Yeah, thanks, Mr. Chase. Are we going home now, Dad?"
"We better, you're mother is waiting." Lindsey ushered Ron back toward
the lobby. "And if we don't get home soon, she might try cooking
something."
"Drastic! Connor, man, it's been great, but it's not worth lingering
on the good-byes if it means I gotta eat something my Mom attempted to
cook."
"I know the feeling." Connor grinned at his mother. "Bye, Ron."
Silence descended for a few beats once the door closed behind Ron and
his father. "I had fun today. It's great having friends come over
and they thought everything was very normal, Mom. Thanks for letting
them visit." He gave his mother and father a hug and a kiss, something
he didn't do very often now that he was older. "I'll do my homework
now before dinner, like I promised."
Cordelia waited for Connor to disappear upstairs. "Oh, my God! Evil
Lawyer-Boy has a son. A great son who is our son's best friend.
Angel, we can't tell Connor to stay away from Ron. He's so happy."
"We're not going to. Ron's a good kid, it's not his fault who his
father is." Angel sat down heavily in one of the soft lobby chairs.
The afternoon had been intense and emotionally draining. "Besides,
Lindsey asked me to protect Ron and his mother."
"What?" Cordelia sat down beside Angel. "And you agreed?"
"Of course. He asked me to protect them if Wolfram and Hart kills him.
He didn't ask me to protect him. His wife and child have nothing to
do with what Lindsey was in the past, I can't let them become victims
of Wolfram and Hart."
"No, you can't." Cordelia sighed. She rubbed her forehead. She felt
like she used to after a vision - before she had become part demon.
"I wonder what kind of woman would marry Lindsey MacDonald."
The Art of Decapitation. The title stared up at Cordelia from the
book laying casually on an end table in the hotel's lobby. She picked
it up and carried it to the offices. "Wesley, I thought I told you
to make sure all of your books were locked away." She held out the
offending object.
Wesley glanced at the title. "That's Angel's." He took the book
anyway and locked it away in a glassed cabinet with the other
paranormal books and scrolls that Angel Investigations owned.
Cordelia spun on her heel and turned her disproving glare on the
vampire. "Angel! You know that Connor is bringing his friends home
to visit today. Why would you leave that book laying around? Don't
you want your son to be normal? We have to be normal. And perfect.
This is very important. I can't believe you!" Cordelia moved on to
rearranging things, making sure everything looked 'normal' and
'perfect.'
As they watched Cordelia whip herself into a nervous frenzy, Fred
leaned across her desk toward Gunn. "I think Cordelia needs a
vacation."
"She does need to chill." Gunn nodded his head in agreement. Both of
them ducked their heads and pretended to be working when Cordelia's
gaze sharpened on them. The sound of the front door opening and Connor
calling out saved them from further scrutiny.
"They're here." Cordelia straightened her clothing and headed for the
office door that led out into the lobby. Before walking through,
she whirled around with her finger raised in warning. "Okay, everyone,
be normal!" Then she swept out into the lobby.
"Well, you heard her." Angel shrugged. He stood up and followed
Cordelia out of the office. He was anxious to meet his son's friends
and give a 'normal' impression too, he just wasn't nuts like his Seer.
"Hey, Mom, Dad. These are my friends, Pandora and Ron." Connor waved
in each person's direction as an introduction. "And that's my Uncle
Wesley, Aunt Fred, and Uncle Gunn."
"It's so nice to finally meet you, kids." Cordelia beamed. "How was
school? Would you like a snack?"
"No, thank you, Mrs. Chase," Pandora smiled. Connor's parents were
really nice. She knew that his father was a vampire and his mother was
a Seer, but they both looked so normal. But then she grew up in a
house with three witches who were the Charmed Ones, a white-lighter,
and an ex-demon. She wasn't exactly an expert on normal. "School was
interesting."
"Only if you define interesting as staring at a board while the teacher
drones semi-useful information," Ron cut in.
Pandora threw Ron an exasperated look. "Don't be rude," she hissed
under her breath, but Angel caught it and he suppressed a smile. He
liked these kids. Ron seemed to be fun and easy-going - something that
his son sorely needed in his life - and Angel had confidence that
Pandora was more than capable of keeping the boys in line.
"Angel," a whispered voice cam from the staircase. It was Lorne and
with the children's presence he could hardly walk out into the open.
Not without shattering Cordelia's illusion of normalcy. "Angel, I
need to see you and the rest of the crew. We have a visitor."
Angel made a motioning gesture toward the office behind his back and
turned his attention back to the kids. His gaze met Connor's concerned
look. Luckily, his son had inherited his keen sense of hearing. "I'm
going to show Ron and Dory the courtyard." Connor ushered his friends
out the door.
"Lorne needs to see us." Angel led the way back into the office where
Lorne was standing next to a squat, grey blur. The most distinguishing
feature of a Dispero demon was their complete lack of distinguishing
features - or any features.
"This is Tanya, the friend I was telling you about. She handled your
friend's disappearing act." Lorne frowned at his blurry friend.
"Don't look at me like that, Tanya, there are extenuating
circumstances. Now, tell them where you stashed the girl."
"I can't do that. Demon/client privilege." The voice was high
pitched in a feminine manner. "How do I know your friends aren't the
people she was running from?"
"Because we're her friends." Cordelia went over to Angel's desk and
rifled through it until she produced an envelope. She brought it to
Tanya and held it out. "She writes to us to let us know she's okay."
"We think she's still in trouble," Angel added. "She shouldn't be
alone. She needs her friends. Us."
Tanya didn't take the offered letter of proof. Her form clouded in a
darker shade of grey. "I can't go around telling people where my
clients have disappeared to. It'll ruin my business. Besides, if
she's a smart person she would have disappeared again on her own using
non-magical means. I advised her to use the identity I have her only
until she had established another one."
"Perhaps we could track her once you've given us the identity you
supplied Miss Rosenberg with." Wesley sat down at the computer. "I
can assure you Miss...uh, Ma'am, that we will not disclose that you
were the source of our information."
"And as a private investigation business we get lots of people who
want to disappear. We could refer them to you," Fred added brightly.
"Alexandria Potter. I sent her to New York, a nice big city to get
lost in."
"Luckily computers make that especially difficult to do." Wesley
relayed the information into the neural net. "Alexandria Potter lived
in Manhattan in 2002 and worked at the Pritchard Theatre Off Broadway
as a set designer and understudy for the female lead."
"Willow?" Cordelia stood with open-mouthed, incredulous shock. "Our
Willow worked in a theatre? As an actor! But she had horrible stage
fright. I remember this one time when we had a talent show that Giles
was wrangled into directing and that horrible Snyder made Willow,
Buffy, and Xander participate. She just ran off the stage without
saying a word."
"She probably thought that no one would look for her there." Angel
massaged Cordelia's shoulders affectionately. They were so close to
finding Willow. Then they could bring her back home, she would make a
great addition to the team. She could stay at the hotel, they had
plenty of rooms, and Connor could get to know his Aunt Willow.
"She terminated her employment after two months." Wesley frowned and
mumbled something about death certificates and social security
applications. "Ah-ha! Two weeks before Alexandria Potter quit her
job, a Marina Allen applied for a Virginia State driver's licence.
She fits Miss Rosenberg's description in height and weight. I'll try
to find the licence photo...Oh, dear."
"What?" Cordelia leaned forward, but she couldn't see the computer
screen. Wesley had that reluctant look on his face, the one he got
when he had information he knew no one wanted to hear. "Did she change
identities again? Have we hit another dead end?"
"Well, uh..." Wesley went through some of his stalling motions -
rubbing his forehead, adjusting and cleaning his glasses, clearing his
throat.
"Cut it out, Wesley, and just tell us!" Cordelia tensed under Angel's
hands.
"There was a car accident, it was raining and the police believe that
weather conditions contributed to the accident. The car careened off
an embankment and exploded. Marina Allen died on March 23rd, 2003."
"No." Cordelia shook her head. The envelope crumpled in her hand.
"Willow can't be dead."
"She isn't." Angel took the envelope from Cordelia's hand. "You've got
the wrong person, Wes. Willow has been sending us letters and Connor
packages for the past eleven years."
"That's part of the service." Tanya's shape had turned a misty white.
"Your friend paid for ten years, but I threw in the extra year because
I liked her and I had the extra paper. The last package and letter
you got were the final ones."
"They're written in Willow's handwriting." Angel took the letter from
the envelope and unfolded it. He read it once more even though he
knew it by heart. "It's her cadence...the way she babbles and
switches subjects...the nonsequitors...This letter is Willow."
Wisps of darkness threaded through the white mist of Tanya's form.
"Of course it is. The paper is bespelled with her essence. You dump
some ink on it and the words that tell of how she's feeling form. I
had thought her letters were getting redundant."
"So, the essence in the paper just kept writing the last feelings it
has received from Miss Rosenberg. The guilt and regret that she felt
over the events in Sunnydale when she thought about Angel and
Cordelia." Wesley gave his friends a sympathetic look. "The police
made a positive identification on the body and included a photo in her
file." Wesley turned the computer monitor's flat screen so his friends
could see it. The girl in photo had dark hair and eyes, but it was
Willow. "I'm sorry."
*****
The address was the same. When Ron had mentioned visiting Connor at
his house, Willow had requested an address and phone number for the
boy's parents. When she called a woman named Fred answered - Willow
vaguely remembered Fred from when she had told Angel about Buffy's
death. Her son was friends with Angel's son. Willow didn't know if
she should be happy or nervous. She was happy that her son had a good
friend and nervous that Angel would be able to use Ron to find her.
Willow stared out her front window at the sunny California day and
shivered. As much as she missed her friends, Willow didn't want them
to know that she had traded her body for black magic. She loved Ron
and didn't regret having him in her life, but she was ashamed of how
he was conceived.
"Relax, Willow." Lindsey came up behind her and wrapped his arms
around her waist. He looked out the window over her shoulder to the
sidewalk outside. "Angel isn't going to come stalking up to our front
door demanding answers before dragging you back to Sunnydale. For one
thing, it's the middle of the afternoon and for another, none of them
knew you were pregnant. There's no way Angel would connect Ron to
you."
"I know." Willow leaned back in Lindsey's embrace. "I'm being silly.
I know Angel and Cordelia and Xander and Buffy are going to find out
about Ron if we want to stop running and have a half-way normal
existence. They'll also want to know who...who Ron's father is. I
don't want to see the looks on their faces when I tell them or hear
what they think of me."
"I think you're a wonderful, beautiful, strong woman." Lindsey ran his
hands up and down Willow's arms and turned her around to face him.
"You accepted everything about me and my past and you've never held
any of it against me. You made one mistake, Willow, and you managed
to turn it around and raise a great kid. If that stupid vampire, his
cheerleader seer, and those other idiots you used to know can't see
that, than their opinion isn't worth caring about."
"You had a lot to do with raising that great kid." Willow smiled up
at Lindsey. She hugged him closer and rested her head on his chest.
"I don't know what I would have done without you all these years, Mac.
Sorry, I mean Lindsey. I have to get used to calling you that."
"I don't mind being called Mac every once in a while as long as it's
you." Lindsey grinned wickedly. He bent his head and brushed his
lips along her jawline in a trail of kisses. "You know, my lovely
wife, we have the house to ourselves...."
"But not for long." Willow sighed and pulled away. "I have to pick
Ron up at Angel's."
Lindsey noted how Willow tensed up and lost her smile. She wasn't
ready to confront her past face to face as he had done with Lilah.
"I'll do it. I have to talk to Angel."
"Why? So, he can rip your throat out? He hates you." Willow's eyes
widened in alarm and she clutched onto Lindsey's arm. She was dreading
seeing Angel and Cordelia, but with the glamor in place it was doubtful
that they would know it was her. Lindsey wouldn't have that safety
net. Angel would recognize him as enemy right away and see him as a
threat to Connor.
"He wouldn't do that - at least not in front of the kids." Lindsey
pressed his lips to Willow's forehead. "Angel's going to find out I'm
back in L. A. eventually and that Ron is my son. It might as well be
sooner than later and come from me. It'll be okay." He gave her a
reassuring smile and a wink.
"If you say so. Just make sure to duck if he takes a swing at you."
Willow kissed Lindsey good-bye. She sighed again as she watched him
get into the car and drive off. Angel would know everything soon
enough and she just hoped that he would still consider her a friend.
Even more she hoped that he would allow their sons' budding friendship
to continue. Ron needed friends now and he would definitely need them
when his father found them.
*****
The children were still outside in the courtyard. Connor and Ron were
tossing a football back and forth while Pandora sat in the grass
reading a book. The sun shone brightly down on them as they played.
Connor caught the ball and glanced back at Pandora. He chucked the
ball into her lap. Pandora put her book down and stood up, her hands
on her hips and a frown on her face. The boys just laughed and
encouraged her to throw it back at them.
A strangled sob broke free from Cordelia as she watched the serene
scene from the window. She sensed Angel's presence as he came up to
stand behind her, not getting too close because of the window. "I used
to do this a lot when I was younger - watched three children play
together. I used to wish on every star I could find every night that
I could be friends with Willow, Xander, and Jesse. They had so much
fun, but my mother said good little girls didn't rough-house with boys.
I had too much breeding to lower myself to their level." Tears fell
freely from Cordelia's eyes, blurring her vision. She turned into
Angel's embrace. "She can't be dead, Angel. Willow...she can't have
died alone...afraid. She thought we hated her. How am I going to
tell Xander?"
Angel closed his eyes and swallowed his own tears. His arms tightened
around Cordelia to help quell her violent sobs. "She's in a place now
where she knows we never felt that way. Willow is safe and loved
wherever she is because that's what she deserves." The words were
meant to comfort Cordelia and Angel sincerely hoped they did because
they were hollow to him. Willow had died alone and afraid and she
didn't deserve that. Whoever had made her run away from her friends
and disappear from their lives was going to pay. Willow may be dead,
but he wasn't going to give up on the search to find out what had
happened. Why she had left and why she hadn't come to him for help.
"Did Lorne or Wesley find anything out about that warlock, Rack?"
Cordelia stepped out of Angel's arms and wiped her eyes. "He's the one
who turned Buffy and the others against her and why she disappeared."
"We got sidetracked by the Dispero demon. Don't worry, Cordelia, we'll
find him." And send him straight to hell. Angel clenched his fists
and wished he had something to hit.
"Angel!" Gunn's shout came from the front lobby. "We've got company."
The children were still outside, they didn't seem to have heard Gunn.
Angel led the way into the lobby. Gunn stood by the front door,
holding the sharp side of a battle axe under Lindsey MacDonald's chin.
Fred hovered in the door way of the office. "I should have wished for
a million dollars while I had the chance," Angel muttered and strode
forward. "Cordy, make sure the kids stay outside."
"Actually, Miss Chase, could you get Ron for me please." Lindsey spoke
carefully, mindful of the blade against his skin. He shot a look at
Gunn. "Do you mind removing that before my son sees it."
"Your son?" Cordelia moved forward instead of leaving the room to get
the children. "Ron is not your son."
"You're right. He's not my son biologically. My wife and I adopted
him after his mother was killed in an accident."
A tap on the door drew everyone's attention. Gunn quickly stepped back
and brought the axe down to his side as the door opened and a woman
with pale skin and dark black hair walked in. "Hi, I'm Paige Matthews
Halliwell. I'm supposed to pick up my niece, Pandora."
"Oh, yes, the kids are just outside." Cordelia stepped forward and
shook Paige's hand. "I'm Connor's mother, Cordelia, and this is his
father, Angel."
"Nice to meet you. Piper would have come, but she had a business
emergency." Paige glanced around the room until her eyes fell on Gunn.
"Nice axe."
"I'll go get the kids," Angel volunteered. "Why don't you come with
me, Lindsey. We'll catch up on old times." Once they were out of
sight, Angel grabbed Lindsey by the throat and slammed him up against
the wall. Outside, they could hear the children shouting and laughing.
"If you touch my son, I will kill you in the slowest, most painful way
possible, you bastard." Angel let his demonic features show to make
his point. "I thought I made it very clear to Wolfram and Hart that
Connor was off limits in their evil games."
"I don't work for Wolfram and Hart. I quit, remember?" Lindsey
reached up and pried Angel's fingers from his throat. He knew Willow
would fuss over his bruises once they started to appear. "I don't
want to hurt your son, Angel, I'm a father too. I have a family. A
family I want to protect and I need your help."
"What makes you think I'll help you? I've helped you enough." Angel
slipped into his human face and stepped back. If this was a Wolfram
and Hart trick....
"This isn't for me. I need you to promise to protect my family if
Wolfram and Hart decide that it's safer for them to have me dead. I
need you to keep my wife and son safe from Lilah."
Lindsey's heartbeat was steady and he maintained eye contact. Angel
was fairly certain that he was telling the truth. Ron was his son -
not biologically - and he wasn't working for Wolfram and Hart, but
still....Lindsey had spent too much time switching sides for Angel to
just trust him.
"Dad," Connor called as they trooped inside. "Can we..."
"Hi, Dad, is it time to go home already?" Ron grinned. "Is Mom in a
full-fledged panic attack?"
"Your Mom is fine." Lindsey ruffled his son's hair. He glanced at
Angel. "She's overprotective - worries a lot about the past."
That did it. Lindsey had obviously gotten an innocent woman and boy
mixed up in his evil business and now their lives were in danger. "You
can tell her to stop worrying. Connor's friends are welcome here any
time. Oh, Pandora, your Aunt Paige is here as well."
"Thanks. See you tomorrow at school, Connor, Ron." Pandora smiled at
Angel. "Thank you for inviting me to your home, Mr. Chase."
"You're welcome, Pandora." Angel watched Lindsey's eyebrow raise at
the name Pandora used, but he didn't say anything. Pandora gave a
last wave to the boys and left to find her aunt.
"Yeah, thanks, Mr. Chase. Are we going home now, Dad?"
"We better, you're mother is waiting." Lindsey ushered Ron back toward
the lobby. "And if we don't get home soon, she might try cooking
something."
"Drastic! Connor, man, it's been great, but it's not worth lingering
on the good-byes if it means I gotta eat something my Mom attempted to
cook."
"I know the feeling." Connor grinned at his mother. "Bye, Ron."
Silence descended for a few beats once the door closed behind Ron and
his father. "I had fun today. It's great having friends come over
and they thought everything was very normal, Mom. Thanks for letting
them visit." He gave his mother and father a hug and a kiss, something
he didn't do very often now that he was older. "I'll do my homework
now before dinner, like I promised."
Cordelia waited for Connor to disappear upstairs. "Oh, my God! Evil
Lawyer-Boy has a son. A great son who is our son's best friend.
Angel, we can't tell Connor to stay away from Ron. He's so happy."
"We're not going to. Ron's a good kid, it's not his fault who his
father is." Angel sat down heavily in one of the soft lobby chairs.
The afternoon had been intense and emotionally draining. "Besides,
Lindsey asked me to protect Ron and his mother."
"What?" Cordelia sat down beside Angel. "And you agreed?"
"Of course. He asked me to protect them if Wolfram and Hart kills him.
He didn't ask me to protect him. His wife and child have nothing to
do with what Lindsey was in the past, I can't let them become victims
of Wolfram and Hart."
"No, you can't." Cordelia sighed. She rubbed her forehead. She felt
like she used to after a vision - before she had become part demon.
"I wonder what kind of woman would marry Lindsey MacDonald."