1 Chapter Six

1.1 Revelations

Disclaimer: As usual- I own nothing, just borrow the characters to play with.

Sorry this has taken so long, but real life keeps intruding on my play- world. Please read and review!!! Feed back keeps me focused on continuing….



Rowan raced up the stairs to her room, dropping to her knees beside her bags in haste to roughly rifle through the neatly folded clothes until she felt the well-worn spine of her grandmother's grimoire. It felt smooth and old and comforting. "I hope there's something in here to help us out, Gran!" Rowan muttered as she hastily flipped through, looking for the spell she half-remembered reading somewhere near the middle of the volume.

There. It was dated not long before Rowan's mother's death. It was the last "great" spell her grandmother had written, from what Rowan could gather. After her mother's death, Gran had taken in and raised Rowan; dealing with a magically inclined three year old didn't leave mush time- or energy- to play around with Great Magiks. She wondered if her Gran had constructed the spell with a use in mind like Rowan now considered. Probably not.

Running down the page, Rowan saw she needed quite a few items to complete the spell. Hopefully Wesley had the supplies she needed somewhere around here; running out to get them would delay them by a day, because the spell needed to be cast at moon-set. She was so eager to be of help to Angel, she had momentarily forgotten the others. Making her way back down to the lobby, Rowan's mind slowed enough to consider what would be waiting for her back in the conference room.

What had Angel told the Fang Gang? And what did the Fang Gang think of her? Maybe Angel hadn't explained at all- he wasn't exactly a big talker, especially when his mind was occupied with fighting evil nasties. And she and Angel had not finished their conversation yet, either. He still didn't have the whole story. Maybe he would wait until he did before he spread it around?

Whatever his choice, Rowan's steps had taken her to the conference room door and she paused, her hand on the knob. With a deep breath and feeling slightly shaky, Rowan pushed the door open and stepped in.

Rowan felt the change in the room dynamics as soon as she crossed the threshold. Slowing her steps and looking up, she cast her eyes around to each AI member in turn. None looked particularly happy or friendly. She paused in her path to the chair, licking her lips nervously, and looked to Angel.

The members of AI also looked to Angel, who cleared his throat as he sat back and crossed his arms. "I filled them in. I don't think we believe you yet."

Rowan nodded. "We," not "they." Angel himself was still unconvinced. She sat gently in her chair, looking at Angel thoughtfully for a minute before speaking. Angel had been skeptical of her story; but enough detail about his life could probably convince him. AI, however, was another story entirely. "Did you tell them the whole story, or the short version?"

"He told us the short version, witch-girl. Explain the rest." Cordelia spoke in an even voice, her body casually splayed across the chair, but her eyes were alive with fire and hatred.

Rowan closed the grimoire and deeply sighed. "Angel is my many times over grandfather; he fathered a bastard child on a Seer and witch, Sorcha Gallagher. Sorcha Saw what was to pass, and took measures to protect her child. Then she pursued Liam, who killed her as Angelus. The rest of her line has Watched Angel since, to keep track of him and to protect the family. I am the latest," Rowan lowered her eyes, unsure of the group's reaction.

Gunn immediately challenged her, sending her defenses up. "Why go after Angelus? Why not just run like hell and never look back?"

Rowan narrowed her eyes. "Uh, 1700s, unmarried mother, loved the father. Also a Seer, soon-to-be Vampire with a soul and warrior for the PTB? She thought it prudent to hang around."

Cordelia perked up at Rowan's tone and put in her own two cents worth. "Was it really necessary for the family to keep watching once he was vamped? Or did someone just like the blood and guts show?"

Rowan settled back in the chair for a grilling. Picking up her soda, she gulped some more down before replying. "Do you like the blood inside your head with a vision?"

"I don't have much choice. You people peeping-tommed of your own free will," Cordelia finished somewhat smugly.

Rowan bared a tight, toothy smile. "Would you get rid of your visions if you could?"

"In a hot minute!" Cordelia spit out, then paused. "I think," she added belatedly.

Rowan shook her head. "No, you wouldn't. They're your gift to help the good fight. You've always helped, by choice, in your own way- even if you don't like to admit it. This mission was my family's, and now it's mine- alone." Rowan barely looked in Angel's direction as she softly uttered, "I am the last one left."

Rowan heard Angel's intake of unneeded breath. She had not yet told him why she exposed the two-hundred year plus secret of his family's existence; that brief, last sentence lay potently in the air between them.

Wesley, mangling a paper clip in his slim fingers, looked perturbed. "Your family has watched Angel since his turning? How?"

Rowan smiled wanly. "We're witches. We've done it, for the most part, magically. When the Gift runs weak in a generation, the chosen member simply followed him and tried not to get eaten- or found out by your Watchers."

Wesley pursed his lips like a fish. "And what do you know about Watchers?"

Rowan tried to weigh her words, but she felt so strongly that she was sure it would sound bad no matter how she phrased it. "Don't take this the wrong way- and I don't apply this to all the Watchers, just the majority- but I know that they can't tell their ass from a hole in the ground. Those few truly gifted watchers are never utilized properly." Rowan took a sip of the Dr. Pepper still on the table. "My father was a Watcher."

Cordelia looked thoughtfully at Rowan, taking in everything that passed Rowan's lips. There was more to this girl, Rowan realized, than a pretty faced messenger girl for the Powers That Be. "And why are you the last?"

Swallowing, Rowan closed her eyes. She hadn't said this out loud to any one but her Gran's grave. "This is the twenty-first century. Most of my relatives who still believe our history will be dead before me; the rest think I'm crazy. And there won't be anyone after me." Opening her eyes, Rowan looked Angel dead on. "I was diagnosed with cancer last year and received radiation as well as chemotherapy. The doctors are certain that I will never become pregnant."

Silence filled the room. Rowan could almost hear Cordelia's mental rebuke to herself.

There was a flicker in Angel's eyes that quickly disappeared. He held hers a moment longer before looking away. "And that's why you came to me."

"Yes." Rowan bit her lip. "If I am the last, I thought that you should know you have other family out there, even if they don't know who you are."