A/N: Well met by moonlight - uh, the quotation goes, 'proud Titania', but I
am infinitely humble. Sorry about the long wait, people, I had block on
*all* kid fic, not just this, and university applications are coming up.
It's a plotty chapter, so read on.
Thank you gidgetgirl, as always, for throwing plot-bunnies my way at the same time as I was recovering for block. I have two non-uploaded kid-fic starts due to her. *glare*
Jocasta Kingston sat back in her chair, idly trailing her fingers over the chunky paperweight on her desk, a round glass orb. She gazed out of the window disinterestedly, watching the sun go down on Los Angeles with a vague detachment. She did not care what was going on outside the law-firm. It was what was within it that counted.
Eighteen years, she had worked in the firm. Her perfectly presented fingertips had brushed power; she hadn't given up her time, her life and. other things, to sit around at the beck and call of a do-good vampire. Jocasta's forehead creased in irritation. Wrestling the firm back would be difficult -Extensive screening had rooted out those who were hostile to Angel and his merry gang, except those bright enough to cover their minds, or pay someone big bucks to do it for them.
Still, it had also rooted out the weaker among her allies. Those left knew how to cover their butts. It would be necessary. Wrestling the firm away from the vampire would require thinking.
She cocked her head on one side, thinking quietly, her clear blue eyes contemplative. She could bide her time.
Buffy leaned across, and placed a block on top of Bryn's tower. The little girl was meticulously stacking the brightly coloured wooden blocks into a wavering tower, bigger than she was, but as the blonde helped her, she shot the woman a fearsome scowl, her face scrunched into an expression of immense displeasure. Sighing quietly, Buffy backed off, sitting down on the couch to observe, as Bryn plucked the top block off the tower delicately, between her finger and thumb, and dropped it on the floor.
'Acting out. Acting out,' the Slayer repeated to herself silently, her shoulders tensing. She knew the child was reacting to her presence for a reason, but - damnit, Bryn got along with Spike, for heaven's sakes!
The door swung open into the small room, used mainly for clients waiting, and Angel appeared at the door, a smile on his face. Bryn, with a look of intense concentration flitting across her tiny features, knocked over the tower to the ground with a great crash, that made Buffy jump.
"Bryn, sweetie, what are you doing?' Angel asked, holding out his arms. Bryn ran into them, and he scooped her up, whirling her around as she giggled. Buffy swallowed.
"Playing demolition," Bryn replied sweetly. "Spike taught me." Angel restrained himself from thinking about Spike/Bryn interaction, and forced himself to concentrate.
"How'd you like to go see a movie, Bryn?" he asked, letting her down onto the floor. Bryn opened her mouth to speak, but then the little Nudge came, and she cocked her head on one side, thinking then said, her finger tapping her chin,
"I don't know. I'd have to check my diary. But I think I could fit you in."
"Your kid is weird, Angel," Gunn rolled his eyes, catching Bryn's last comment. He grinned at her, poking his tongue out at her. She immediately did the same back.
"Nah, those are Buffy's genes," Angel said off-hand, smiling at the Slayer. Bryn scowled instantly. She didn't want her Daddy to smile at Her. Daddy was her's, not the lady's.
"What movie are we going to see?" she demanded, tugging her Daddy's hand. Angel looked down at her, and ruffled her hair. His eyes lifted, and met Buffy's.
"I can't remember. What film, Buffy?" Bryn's eyes widened in indignation. SHE wasn't coming, was She?
"Finding Nemo," Buffy replied, smiling gratefully back at Angel, her eyebrows raising to communicate the message. He was trying to make it easier, he was, it was just - difficult.
"I don't want Her to come," Bryn said immediately, glaring at Buffy. Angel hunched down, to her height, and tugged Bryn's hand until she met his eyes, reluctantly.
"Bryn honey, I know you're really confused right now, but Buffy, she's your mom. And she really wants to get to know you. Why don't you invite her to come along with us, and show her you want to be her friend?"
Bryn sighed very reluctantly and nodded, then leaned forward to whisper in his ear, looking toward Buffy.
"If She has to come, Spike does too." Angel sighed, meeting her eyes once more.
"You're pushing your luck, kiddo."
"What work have we done thus far?" Jocasta asked, trailing her fingers over the rounded glass orb, holding a stack of papers neatly in place. Her ice blue eyes fell upon Lindsey, and she lifted her chin expectantly.
"Faith?" she inquired. The dark-haired Slayer's eyes flicked to Lindsey, trying to telegraph her anxiety. She had no idea what the woman wanted.
"She and I have been working together, Miss Kingston," he said smoothly. Jocasta gave a little sigh of annoyance.
"You then," she stated. Fait met the lawyer's eyes from her position across the room. It was only a couple of days into her 'position' but the meeting had been called by the leader of the little group of vigilantes, and when she called, they came.
"We've looked into it. The firm is built on a basis, deep-rooted into the dimension. Every level of that is wrapped around Angel's name, and the group. It's not going to be easy to get it out again," he answered steadily, meeting her gaze.
"So we need power," Jocasta mused, her voice low. She gestured to the man next to Lindsey impatiently, a man, Faith noted, that came under one of Angel's cronies' department.
The dark man bowed his head. "We cannot foresee a way to get that power, other than the source you suggested. However, there is no way to access that resource."
Jocasta's eyes went icy cold. "Then find a way."
She dismissed them, dropping into the chair with a tired sigh. She massaged her temples, her eyes closing, and then, checking that no one was in the office, picked up the paperweight from her desk.
She set it on the desk, then whispered a couple of low words, making the orb glow a dull gold. It cleared, and she could see the power she wanted, needed, right in front of her. Jocasta's eyes narrowed. She would get it.
A face formed in the gleam of the orb, its face wistful. Bright blue eyes focused on something beyond the watcher. Jocasta's expression softened, and one finger rose involuntarily to caress the glass.
* * * * * * * * *
'But sir, I- I- it's my choice.'
'It's your choice, Miss Kingston, as to whether you continue here. Your potential- It would be sad to see you go, but we will understand.'
'No!'
"Well then.. '
* * * * * * *
Jocasta sprang back from the glass, and the glow went out. She would have her back. Soon.
"That was so cool!' Bryn enthused, skipping out of the movie theatre, her hands firmly enclasped by Buffy on one side, and Angel on the other. She looked up at Spike, unconscious of the fact. "Did you like the movie, Spike?"
Spike glanced from Buffy, to Angel, to Bryn, then back to Angel. "One sodding happy family outing is this, then?" he murmured, too low for anyone other than his grandsire to pick up on.
"Different kind of family," Angel said immediately back, shooting him a warning look.
"Spi-ike," Bryn whined, stamping her foot impetulantly. Spike looked back at her.
"Yeah, quarter-pint. I can say that of all the Disney movies I have ever seen, that was the best." His tone was laden thickly with sarcasm.
"S'not Disney," muttered Angel. He met Spike's amused gaze, and stiffened defensively. "What? It's not."
"It's too easy," Spike told empty air. "Really."
"Daddy? Can we go get a fish? Please?" Bryn gave her daddy the sad-eyes he always fell for. Angel glanced at Buffy.
"How 'bout you two go get a fish, and I'll talk to Spike here," he suggested.
"Okay," Bryn shrugged. Buffy stared at her. Normally, the kid was completely unco-operative. Before she could stop herself, she blurted out,
"What's wrong with you?"
Bryn stared at her, her face completely blank. Buffy laughed a little.
"Normally, you act like I'm gonna bite." Bryn shot her a disdainful look, that made the woman feel worm-high.
"I want a fish," she shrugged again. Buffy shook her head. Bryn seemed to have inherited her sense of tact from Cordelia and Anya, rather than her.
"See my fish, Jory?" Bryn pointed to the goldfish, swimming placidly in its bowl on the side. Jory smiled at the little girl.
"Yup. I do," she answered, watching it again. The goldfish watched her back, its lips silently mouthing, 'blub'.
"See, Jory, it goes round and round, kinda like Dory. You know, your name is kinda like Dory," Bryn considered it, and giggled. "I wanted a Dory- fish, but they only have yellow fish. I like yellow."
"Me too," Jory agreed, smiling again, softly. Bryn smiled back.
"So Buffy isn't so bad, then?" Jory probed, a little grin on her lips now. Bryn shook her head.
"I guess so. I'm not sure. She let me get the big fish tank."
"Oh," Jory nodded gravely, trying not to smile now.
Jocasta watched, her eyes wide, as the one she had watched for so long, took the hand of the little girl, and let her follow into the dimension and - the glow flashed bright, and then died, but Jocasta had seen what she needed.
The key to the Star children lay in the child. Hero Brynna Angel.
A/N: A difficult chapter to get out, having struggled with writer's block. There's a couple more chapters, but I doubt this will go over twelve. If you want an update soon,
REVIEW!!!
Thank you gidgetgirl, as always, for throwing plot-bunnies my way at the same time as I was recovering for block. I have two non-uploaded kid-fic starts due to her. *glare*
Jocasta Kingston sat back in her chair, idly trailing her fingers over the chunky paperweight on her desk, a round glass orb. She gazed out of the window disinterestedly, watching the sun go down on Los Angeles with a vague detachment. She did not care what was going on outside the law-firm. It was what was within it that counted.
Eighteen years, she had worked in the firm. Her perfectly presented fingertips had brushed power; she hadn't given up her time, her life and. other things, to sit around at the beck and call of a do-good vampire. Jocasta's forehead creased in irritation. Wrestling the firm back would be difficult -Extensive screening had rooted out those who were hostile to Angel and his merry gang, except those bright enough to cover their minds, or pay someone big bucks to do it for them.
Still, it had also rooted out the weaker among her allies. Those left knew how to cover their butts. It would be necessary. Wrestling the firm away from the vampire would require thinking.
She cocked her head on one side, thinking quietly, her clear blue eyes contemplative. She could bide her time.
Buffy leaned across, and placed a block on top of Bryn's tower. The little girl was meticulously stacking the brightly coloured wooden blocks into a wavering tower, bigger than she was, but as the blonde helped her, she shot the woman a fearsome scowl, her face scrunched into an expression of immense displeasure. Sighing quietly, Buffy backed off, sitting down on the couch to observe, as Bryn plucked the top block off the tower delicately, between her finger and thumb, and dropped it on the floor.
'Acting out. Acting out,' the Slayer repeated to herself silently, her shoulders tensing. She knew the child was reacting to her presence for a reason, but - damnit, Bryn got along with Spike, for heaven's sakes!
The door swung open into the small room, used mainly for clients waiting, and Angel appeared at the door, a smile on his face. Bryn, with a look of intense concentration flitting across her tiny features, knocked over the tower to the ground with a great crash, that made Buffy jump.
"Bryn, sweetie, what are you doing?' Angel asked, holding out his arms. Bryn ran into them, and he scooped her up, whirling her around as she giggled. Buffy swallowed.
"Playing demolition," Bryn replied sweetly. "Spike taught me." Angel restrained himself from thinking about Spike/Bryn interaction, and forced himself to concentrate.
"How'd you like to go see a movie, Bryn?" he asked, letting her down onto the floor. Bryn opened her mouth to speak, but then the little Nudge came, and she cocked her head on one side, thinking then said, her finger tapping her chin,
"I don't know. I'd have to check my diary. But I think I could fit you in."
"Your kid is weird, Angel," Gunn rolled his eyes, catching Bryn's last comment. He grinned at her, poking his tongue out at her. She immediately did the same back.
"Nah, those are Buffy's genes," Angel said off-hand, smiling at the Slayer. Bryn scowled instantly. She didn't want her Daddy to smile at Her. Daddy was her's, not the lady's.
"What movie are we going to see?" she demanded, tugging her Daddy's hand. Angel looked down at her, and ruffled her hair. His eyes lifted, and met Buffy's.
"I can't remember. What film, Buffy?" Bryn's eyes widened in indignation. SHE wasn't coming, was She?
"Finding Nemo," Buffy replied, smiling gratefully back at Angel, her eyebrows raising to communicate the message. He was trying to make it easier, he was, it was just - difficult.
"I don't want Her to come," Bryn said immediately, glaring at Buffy. Angel hunched down, to her height, and tugged Bryn's hand until she met his eyes, reluctantly.
"Bryn honey, I know you're really confused right now, but Buffy, she's your mom. And she really wants to get to know you. Why don't you invite her to come along with us, and show her you want to be her friend?"
Bryn sighed very reluctantly and nodded, then leaned forward to whisper in his ear, looking toward Buffy.
"If She has to come, Spike does too." Angel sighed, meeting her eyes once more.
"You're pushing your luck, kiddo."
"What work have we done thus far?" Jocasta asked, trailing her fingers over the rounded glass orb, holding a stack of papers neatly in place. Her ice blue eyes fell upon Lindsey, and she lifted her chin expectantly.
"Faith?" she inquired. The dark-haired Slayer's eyes flicked to Lindsey, trying to telegraph her anxiety. She had no idea what the woman wanted.
"She and I have been working together, Miss Kingston," he said smoothly. Jocasta gave a little sigh of annoyance.
"You then," she stated. Fait met the lawyer's eyes from her position across the room. It was only a couple of days into her 'position' but the meeting had been called by the leader of the little group of vigilantes, and when she called, they came.
"We've looked into it. The firm is built on a basis, deep-rooted into the dimension. Every level of that is wrapped around Angel's name, and the group. It's not going to be easy to get it out again," he answered steadily, meeting her gaze.
"So we need power," Jocasta mused, her voice low. She gestured to the man next to Lindsey impatiently, a man, Faith noted, that came under one of Angel's cronies' department.
The dark man bowed his head. "We cannot foresee a way to get that power, other than the source you suggested. However, there is no way to access that resource."
Jocasta's eyes went icy cold. "Then find a way."
She dismissed them, dropping into the chair with a tired sigh. She massaged her temples, her eyes closing, and then, checking that no one was in the office, picked up the paperweight from her desk.
She set it on the desk, then whispered a couple of low words, making the orb glow a dull gold. It cleared, and she could see the power she wanted, needed, right in front of her. Jocasta's eyes narrowed. She would get it.
A face formed in the gleam of the orb, its face wistful. Bright blue eyes focused on something beyond the watcher. Jocasta's expression softened, and one finger rose involuntarily to caress the glass.
* * * * * * * * *
'But sir, I- I- it's my choice.'
'It's your choice, Miss Kingston, as to whether you continue here. Your potential- It would be sad to see you go, but we will understand.'
'No!'
"Well then.. '
* * * * * * *
Jocasta sprang back from the glass, and the glow went out. She would have her back. Soon.
"That was so cool!' Bryn enthused, skipping out of the movie theatre, her hands firmly enclasped by Buffy on one side, and Angel on the other. She looked up at Spike, unconscious of the fact. "Did you like the movie, Spike?"
Spike glanced from Buffy, to Angel, to Bryn, then back to Angel. "One sodding happy family outing is this, then?" he murmured, too low for anyone other than his grandsire to pick up on.
"Different kind of family," Angel said immediately back, shooting him a warning look.
"Spi-ike," Bryn whined, stamping her foot impetulantly. Spike looked back at her.
"Yeah, quarter-pint. I can say that of all the Disney movies I have ever seen, that was the best." His tone was laden thickly with sarcasm.
"S'not Disney," muttered Angel. He met Spike's amused gaze, and stiffened defensively. "What? It's not."
"It's too easy," Spike told empty air. "Really."
"Daddy? Can we go get a fish? Please?" Bryn gave her daddy the sad-eyes he always fell for. Angel glanced at Buffy.
"How 'bout you two go get a fish, and I'll talk to Spike here," he suggested.
"Okay," Bryn shrugged. Buffy stared at her. Normally, the kid was completely unco-operative. Before she could stop herself, she blurted out,
"What's wrong with you?"
Bryn stared at her, her face completely blank. Buffy laughed a little.
"Normally, you act like I'm gonna bite." Bryn shot her a disdainful look, that made the woman feel worm-high.
"I want a fish," she shrugged again. Buffy shook her head. Bryn seemed to have inherited her sense of tact from Cordelia and Anya, rather than her.
"See my fish, Jory?" Bryn pointed to the goldfish, swimming placidly in its bowl on the side. Jory smiled at the little girl.
"Yup. I do," she answered, watching it again. The goldfish watched her back, its lips silently mouthing, 'blub'.
"See, Jory, it goes round and round, kinda like Dory. You know, your name is kinda like Dory," Bryn considered it, and giggled. "I wanted a Dory- fish, but they only have yellow fish. I like yellow."
"Me too," Jory agreed, smiling again, softly. Bryn smiled back.
"So Buffy isn't so bad, then?" Jory probed, a little grin on her lips now. Bryn shook her head.
"I guess so. I'm not sure. She let me get the big fish tank."
"Oh," Jory nodded gravely, trying not to smile now.
Jocasta watched, her eyes wide, as the one she had watched for so long, took the hand of the little girl, and let her follow into the dimension and - the glow flashed bright, and then died, but Jocasta had seen what she needed.
The key to the Star children lay in the child. Hero Brynna Angel.
A/N: A difficult chapter to get out, having struggled with writer's block. There's a couple more chapters, but I doubt this will go over twelve. If you want an update soon,
REVIEW!!!