Daughter of Darkness

Chapter 4: First Date

By Gaz Destiny

Rated: PG-13

Spoiler: Snowman

Disclaimer: the show and its respective characters (except for Claudia and my ingenious plot) were created by J. J. Abrams and are owned by ABC. I also don't own Blink 182 or their songs, I have their CDs but that's all.

Little note about time line: I messed up somewhere with my timeline, so I'm just gonna go along with what I have, um with one of the songs later on, I know it didn't come out till 2001, but let's just say it's been around longer.

***READ VERY IMPORTANT AUTHOR'S NOTE***: everyone…hold on…do read this…it is important…Alina Moonling this was more inspired by your review…thanks for the help…it's actually helped me redo the not so good future of this story. I'm pretty sure I wrote in chapter 1 that Claudia was fifteen when she confronted her father, if not, I'm telling you now, also that and like ONE other time were the only times she followed him. Normally I wouldn't have used something that didn't really work so well in a story to get it to work the way I want it to, but I believe even you guys understand that there's no way in HELL that Sloane would let his daughter join, especially bringing her in himself. That's the only reason I did it the way I did, otherwise I might have ended up doing something much more stupid. I try not to insert author's notes throughout the story, actually half of those were to my former Beta (finally got a new one, will soon be revising all chapters out so far), the other half were just me getting bored just typing up my story written stuff that I did in class.

I'm not following the plot, if it sounds like that, please run, don't walk, to the nearest psychologist, though some new characters from Season 2, like Sydney's mom and Sark (though he was new in S1 rather than S2, he's used more in S2), they'll be used in future chapters. If any of you have a problem with me being very specific about what things look like, I'm sorry, but I have a thing, where I've got this very specific way everything looks, and there will be a bunch of times that I want you to see that too. I try not to do it all the time, but sometimes I can't help it. Also, with the way Claudia walked into CIA, 1) Sydney didn't wear a wig, her hair was dyed, 2) THERE ARE ONLY SO MANY WAYS TO WALK INTO A PLACE THAT YOU DON'T WANT TO BE CAUGHT WALKING INTO, otherwise, I would have used something else.

I've got my plot all set out in my mind. There'll be angst, happiness, death, lots of torturey fun, and BIG differences/changes. Claudia's impact is a major one, though her place in the past year has had to be very small and unknown about seeing as she was NEVER in the show, but I mean, she's already made a big impact, as in without her giving Sloane a recommendation for Sydney, there could have been little to no chance that he'd take her on (in my story that is).

So far I know she's not really all that realistic, I see that myself plain and simple, but there's much more to her than you've seen so far, there are twists that not many people would expect (except my friend Ripping Them Down—my new beta—cause I've already told her). About her finding out about SD-6, think project Christmas, just carried out longer on her than Sydney, since Sloane was at one time farther in the CIA than Jack. Another think that went to finding out about SD-6 was the amount of time she and Arvin once spent together, even Emily was able to find out, and my theory is that she knew for a while before she said anything.

As to Arvin and his missing backbone, he has it; he's just doing things behind her back. Plus if she knew many of the things he did behind her back that affected her life, he knows that she has way more than enough information to go to the CIA with and take SD-6 down in a second, he just doesn't know that she's been to them already, more on that at the end of this chapter.

Finally, I know I've bored you long enough already, so far there really doesn't seem to be much conflict at all, all I'm doing right now is setting the scene, another chapter or two and you'll really see where I'm going with this.

Review reply time (too many happy bunnies are laughing at my story—not you guys, it's all in my head):

Auroraskies37: thanks a bunch, but that's only one of my smaller twists, I haven't gotten to the major bit of the plot yet.

Alina Moonling: read my author's note, I pretty much address everything you said, and I know so far she's unrealistic, but we really haven't gotten into her mind yet, so far we've only skimmed the outer layer.

Syd: My head's going to explode with reviews like that, please, go on, my room needs a new coat of paint anyways.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

In the car I just can't wait

To pick you up on our very first date

Is it cool if I hold your hand?

Is it wrong if I think it's lame to dance?

Do you like my stupid hair?

Would you guess I didn't know what to wear?

I'm just scared of what you think

You make me nervous so I really can't eat.

--Blink 182 (First Date)

~few years ago (don't ask for a timeline, I'm really not sure, I kinda messed that up somewhere along the way)~

"Um…excuse me?" a familiar voice said, tapping Michael on the shoulder as he left his law class.

"Yeah?" he asked turning around, not realizing it was Claudia until after he'd turned around, her accent being gone didn't help him know it was her, and apparently she hadn't known it was him either.

"You don't happen to have last week's notes do you?" she continued after a chain of curses under her breath, 'Fuckin' hell! Fuck fuck fuckin' hell!' and such.

"Um, yeah," he answered, both were pretending they'd never met.

"Mind if I borrow them, I missed class last week. I can get them back to you by tomorrow, I have a cultural studies class tomorrow morning, so I can give them back then," she told him quickly.

"Sure, I'll be here tomorrow morning anyways," he answered, handing her the aforementioned notes.

"Thanks, by the way, I'm Claudia," she said, as though they'd never met, holding out a hand.

"Michael," he told her, shaking her outstretched hand.

"I've gotta go now. See ya," she said, seeing someone over his shoulder.

"There you are, Dia," Sydney said as Claudia joined her, not to far from where Michael was still standing. "We're gonna be late meeting the guys."

"They won't mind," Claudia laughed as they walked on.

***

"Who was that guy you were talking to yesterday?" Sydney asked over the loud music of the club.

"Just some guy from my law class, I borrowed last week's notes from him," Claudia answered, taking another sip of her drink.

"He looked kinda cute," Sydney said, her tone indicating that she thought Claudia should give up her whole 'I like being single, so fuck off' thing.

"Ya think so? You could go after him, but I don't think Danny would like it, I mean you guys just started going out," she said, her eyes twinkling.

"So, how's school going?" Sydney asked, already bored with the previous topic.

"They wanna kick me out, I'm barely ever there, what with work an' all," Claudia laughed. "How 'bout you?"

***

"Hey, guys, I'll be right back," Michael said standing up from the table, where his friends were sitting, leaving his beer with them, not really caring that they were trying to drink them selves into a stupor and would probably down it almost immediately after he was gone.

Hanging out behind the club on the weekend

Acting stupid, getting drunk with my best friends.

I couldn't wait for the summer and the Warped Tour.

I remember it's the first time that I saw her...there.

He easily made his way over to Claudia, who was sitting at a small table across the club, alone, Sydney had left a little bit before.

"Hey," he greeted, with a smile, the alcohol in his system helping to make it a bigger smile than his usual tight small one.

"Hey," she answered, returning his smile.

She's getting kicked out of school because she's failing.

I'm kind of nervous 'cause I think all her friends hate me.

She's the one, she'll always be there

She took my hand and that made it I swear.

Because I fell in love with the girl at the rock show.

She said 'what' and I told her that I didn't know.

She's so cool, I'm gonna sneak in through her window.

Everything's better when she's around,

I can't wait 'til her parents go out of town.

I fell in love with the girl at the rock show.

"This is so cool," Claudia yelled over the music.

On stage Blink 182 was playing their song 'The Rock Show,' and Claudia was thoroughly enjoying the concert. Michael watched her dancing to the music; he'd have to remember to thank Eric for the tickets in the morning. It was their third date that week; the first one had been a nice dinner and the second a movie and coffee. He smiled as he watched her.

"What?" she asked, smiling back at him.

"Nothing," he answered pulling her into a hug.

She rapped her arms around his neck and pulled him into a kiss.

When we said we were gonna move to Vegas

I remember the look her mother gave us

Seventeen without a purpose or direction

We don't owe anyone a fucking explanation.

I feel in love with the girl at the rock show

She said 'what' and I told her that I didn't know

She's so cool, gonna sneak in through her window.

Everything is better when she's around,

I can't wait 'til her parents go out of town.

I fell in love with the girl at the rock show.

"What, no elevator guy?" he asked, as they entered the elevator in her apartment building.

"Nope, he goes off duty at ten," she smiled kissing him again.

Black and white picture of her on my wall

I waited for her call

She always kept me waiting.

And if I ever got another chance

I'd still ask her to dance.

Because she kept me waiting

I fell in love with the girl at the rock show.

She said 'what' and I told her that I didn't know

She's so cool, gonna sneak in through her window.

Everything is better when she's around,

I can't wait 'til her parents go out of town.

I fell in love with the girl at the rock show.

With the girl at the rock show

With the girl at the rock show

I'll never forget tonight

With the girl at the rock show

I'll never forget tonight

With the girl at the rock show

I'll never forget tonight

With the girl at the rock show

I'll never forget tonight

Ring, Ring.

"Hello?" Claudia answered the phone groggily, pulling herself out of Michael's arms to get to the phone. "Dad?...Oh, work, right...I have class in an hour, I was up all night cramming for a test...I know, I know, I was supposed to come in before class...yes, I just woke up...I'll come in after class...promise!"

She paused for a minute as her father said something.

"I don't have class today?" she asked slightly confused. "Then why are you bugging me at, ugh, nine in the morning, you know, I could have sworn I had class today...today's Saturday, well then, that explains some of it, so why are you bugging me?...Oh! Breakfast, forgot about that, hey, can you put mom on the phone, thanks."

Another pause as she waited for him to hand off the phone.

"Hey, mom," she said sounding almost cheerful. "Sorry 'bout that...yep, that's it. Hey, could you do me a favor?...Next time dad decides to call me this early in the morning, could you stop him…preferably with death...thanks...I'll call you later...bye."

She hung up the phone and rolled over to face him.

"I swear, the man's completely nuts," she said, rolling her eyes.

"I fully agree," Michael told her, wrapping his arms around her again.

~_~

End A/N: I was gong to keep gong, but I'm really not feeling good this week, so I think six pages is good enough, though I am going to get the next chapter up asap, which means we'll all get to see Sydney and Michael's reactions really soon…I love cliffies…

Gazzy D. (the nutso fangurl)