Disclaimer: I don't own Angel. It belongs to Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy. Enjoy.
A Mother's Love
By David Knight
Chapter 4: Night at the Movies
Connor awoke from his sleep to a very pleasant sight. "When you get in?"
"You were slumbering soundly when I returned," Illyria replied, her back against the wall, her royal blue eyes looking lovingly at her son.
A look that Connor caught well and sensed something else behind it. "Looks like I wasn't the only one that had a good time yesterday."
Illyria smiled mysteriously, "You could say that." She stood up right suddenly. "Now get dressed. Time for training."
Connor eagerly did just that, wondering how it would be to have both his mom and dad training with him at the same time. One hell of a workout that's for sure!
-----
Cordelia stepped into the lobby of the hotel and grinned at Connor as came down the stairs, Illyria beside him. "Hey, Connor! Ready to go?"
"Go?" Illyria questioned.
Connor groaned. "Oh right. Um, Mom, Cordelia said that she was going to take my shopping today."
"Oh," Illyria said simply. "After you've trained with me and then your father."
"Nope," Cordelia said firmly. "He'll have plenty of time to train in the days to come. He's going shopping with me today." She smiled. "Trust me. He needs to get something to wear that isn't black or made of... what did you say, fire demon skin?"
"An adult fire dragon that was five stories tall, which I beheaded with my scythe," Illyria clarified. "And my son will train first before going... shopping."
"Right. A fire dragon. Uh-huh. And how long does he train with you?"
"He..." Illyria blinked, unsure of it. "... I am still trying to become accustomed to concepts of time measurements that are hours and minutes. Days I tell by positioning of the sun and moon."
"Well you want your son to know what it's like being a normal teenager, right?"
Illyria blinked again, confused and for some unknown reason just agreeing, "Well...yes."
Cordelia smiled. "Well, that doesn't include training with his mother. I'll take him shopping, show him around, and we'll be back for lunch. Sound good?"
"I... suppose..." Illyria muttered.
"Good. See you for lunch." She took Connor's arm and they left the lobby, closing the doors firmly behind them.
Illyria just stood there, staring at the door for a bit before she comprehended what just happened. "... I cannot believe that just happened. How did she do that?"
"It happens all the time," Fred said, walking down the stairs almost hesitantly. "She sort of overwhelms people. Even a ghost once, I think. I would have liked to see that."
"Winifred," Illyria said, for the first time dropping her last name along with the first. Like Fred, she felt a little uneasy.
"Please, call me Fred. I never liked my given name."
"...I do not believe can continue to co-exist within this place feeling as we presently do about each other."
"I don't think it will go away soon," Fred said slowly, coming to a stop before the demon woman. Her brows creased and she reached up to touch the hair so like hers, and yet... not. Before she made contact, she jerked her hand down and flushed. "I'm sorry. It's just... very weird."
"Then what do you wish to know?" Illyria asked her.
"Do you keep your word?"
"I do."
Fred tilted her head. "Do you mind if I confirm that with Connor? He knows you better than I do."
"Do what you wish to make yourself feel easier about me." Illyria replied.
"Thank you. I would only ask that you do not go about looking like me, without my knowledge. That, I think, would make me feel much better."
Illyria paused for a moment. "Very well. I can understand how my assuming your total form would be unnerving."
Fred smiled hesitantly. "Unnerving... is one way of putting it," she said. "Did... did you like your visit to the city?"
Illyria smiled slightly. "The evening was most enjoyable." She paused in thought. "Might ask you something."
"Um, okay."
Illyria didn't say anything. Rather she changed appearance again, however her clothes were not like Fred. Instead, they were black pants, a red shirt. Her skin tones were normal like Fred's. However the eyes were still Illyria's blue instead of Fred's green and her hair retained its blue streaks. "Does this appearance unnerve you as much as appearing exactly as you do, or is this form acceptable to you for me to use when I go out amongst humans?"
Fred smiled, a little more relieved. "You could be my sister," she said. "They might mistake you for me, but that is normal for a sister, I think." She paused, wistful. "I always wanted a sister growing up."
"Sister..." Illyria let that roll off her tongue for a moment before looking back at Fred, "Thank you for saying this acceptable, Win...I mean Fred."
Fred's smile firmed up. "You're welcome. I know it's got to be weird, to be in a different time, and in a different situation. Please, give Charles a little time. He's... rough around the edges, still."
"I know. He is not an unpleasant sight on my eyes," Illyria stated, "and I don't find it weird. I'm very grateful. I am uncertain how it all happened, but I do not care. The future hell I went through, I can stop it. I will stop it." She added softly, "they will not die this time."
"They?" Fred asked, hesitant again.
"Angel, Charles...Wesley," Illyria muttered softly. "I will not allow their deaths to be repeated."
"You are... fond of Wes?" Fred asked, an odd note in her voice.
Illyria nodded, "I am."
Fred stared at her. "I realize that I am merely human," she said, "but if you hurt him, I will find a way to hurt you."
Illyria's eyes hardened. "How dare you assume I would harm Wesley. You have no idea of the grief I felt when he died in my arms so many years ago. I mourned and longed to see him and when I raised Connor could admit that I lo..." She trailed off, knowing just how much her emotions had let her slip.
Fred nodded. "I wanted only to make sure," she said gently. "He's gone through a lot, and most of us here miss him. I would not see him hurt again." Then she leaned closer, conspiratorially. "And I will keep your secret," she said softly. "Because while it is not the same, I love Wes, too."
Illyria blinked, surprised by what Fred had just done. A slight smile came to her lips. "I think I shall be glad to know you in this life Fred."
"I think I am glad to know you, as well, Illyria."
-----
A cemetery.
Holy ground. Place where the dead are laid to rest. Sometimes where the dead rise up as the undead if they are unfortunate enough.
For Justine, it was where half her soul felt buried, because her twin sister Julia was buried here.
"Red roses, you loved them best didn't you?" Justine asked somberly to the wind, laying the roses down on her twin's grave. "Julia, I miss you so much. Not a day goes by that I don't think of you." She bowed her head in shame, "and in turn I've become something you would be disgusted with. You cared so much for people. More than I ever did. I was the fighter, you were the pacifist."
She smiled bitterly, remembering her past. Their parents died when they were ten, and they were forced to live on their own, trying to avoid child welfare so that they would never be separated. Yet through all their time running, Justine had been the one that resorted to her fists to get results while Julia had used her mind and diplomacy.
Together they had been able to form a life together, one that gotten them through many hardships, only to be ruined at the hands of a vampire, something that wasn't even supposed to exist.
"No one would do a thing, no one would believe the truth. They stay wrapped in their fantasies, believed the lies to keep themselves safe. I hated it. I hated them for being so damn stupid!" Justine shouted. "If they didn't do anything I would, and I did. Every night I went out looking for a vampire to dust. Kill enough of them and maybe I'd do something with my life. Then Holtz came, showed me how to fight, showed me what I thought was my purpose..."
The tears came down her face as she put her hands on the gravestone. "But it was all a lie. All he wanted was vengeance. It was never about justice, about helping us. It was about him, never thinking about what his actions might do." The tears continued to flow down her face. "Like I have... I've just been so caught up in finding vengeance, finding a purpose that I've fallen down so far... I don't know if I can ever get up."
By now she was nearly a quivering mess, spilling out all of her sins and problems on to the gravesite. "Julia, Julia forgive me!" she sobbed, wondering just what her sister would think of her now. How she could have...
Her self-condemnation was interrupted by feeling a gentle touch on her shoulders, followed by a gust of wind that came past Justine.
Live.
Justine's eyes went wide, hearing a voice through that wind with a single word. She stared back at the gravestone and whispered, "... Julia?"
There was no answer to Justine's call. No one but her was in the graveyard.
Getting up off her feet, she looked up at the sky and then to the gravestone of her twin. "... Thank you Julia."
Silently, Justine walked away from the graveyard, and for the first time since her sister's death felt the weight on her soul lessen.
-----
It was late in the afternoon when Lilah walked through a dingy, half-empty bar to a table where she saw Wesley. She didn't find it odd for him to be in a place like this. Though I was expecting him to have a lot more than just three shot glasses in front of him. she mused as she walked to him. "Mind if I join you?"
"On many levels and with great intensity," Wes said casually as he poured a shot into his beer.
Is... is his tone just a little bit not too depressed? Lilah questioned as she sat down. "How's your throat? Need a lozenge? Life's something, huh? One day you're a pivotal figure in the big battle, next thing you know, you're thrown out on your lonesome. No one even cares what you think any more. Well... I care."
"You care?" Wesley asked.
"As one human being to another," Lilah smiled, raising an eyebrow at Wes. "Just kidding. I care that your great big brain is going to waste. Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't Angel Jr. a thing without precedent in human history?"
"You're wrong," he said as he took a sip of his beer. "Mesopotamian, Greek, Hindi, Celtic myth, the bible, even Darwin, all support the coming of something that wasn't possible before."
"Okay," Lilah agreed half-heartedly, "the impossible is here. But what does it mean? Is it the herald of a new age, better things to come... or the mass-destruction of everything we hold dear?"
"Yes. Every child born carries into the world the possibility of salvation or slaughter."
"And one born to two vampires carries it in spades. Now, my people will be rooting - for slaughter. And your people..." Lilah paused for a moment "Oh sorry. Your former people, they won't know what to do if things turn sour."
Wesley laughed. "Oh you couldn't be more deluded, Lilah."
"E-excuse me, are you laughing at me?" Lilah blinked, feeling confused yet again. "Wes, consider if the kid's the next Stalin, do you kill him? You can't! He's Angel's son. But on the other hand, if you just watch while he up and kills Angel or somebody else..."
"Except he won't," Wes said as he finished his drink, leaving it down on the table, "Connor doesn't hate Angel."
Lilah just rolled his eyes at Wes, "Are you in denial or something here, Wes? The kid was raised by Holtz, who hated Angel. This is all some manipulative scheme that boy wonder has cocked up. There is no real love here." However her confidence started to fade when she saw the smile on his face. "... What?"
"Lilah, for someone who thinks she's so well informed... well let's just say your informants should be shot and killed for giving you false information," Wes said with a grin.
A grin Lilah knew very well because she used it herself to rub in other people's faces: 'I know something you don't'.
"And for the record," Wes added getting in close to her, "I'm not your friend, and I have no wish to be a part of your firm." He got even closer to her and whispered, "and I have no intention of bring you home to have sex in my bed."
...EXCUSE ME!!! All of the emergency lights in Lilah's brain went off like it was the Fourth of July.
"Have a nice evening," Wes said with a cocky grin as he left her alone at table.
Lilah took a few minutes before shaking herself out of her stupor, "Okay. Something's up here. And this ain't woman's intuition telling me so. ...hrm?" Lilah looked down at the table, and a frown formed on her face as she was not happy with Wes's parting joke.
Sticking her with his bill.
-----
Illyria and Angel were standing in the middle of the lobby alone.
"How long is it now?" Illyria asked.
Angel looked at his watch, "About seven o'clock." He sighed. "Long past lunch time."
"What can she be doing with my son? What can shopping possibly be that it takes such a long time?" Illyria asked Angel.
"Well, actually it depends on the person really. For average people it can be like a simple hour or two."
"And with Cordelia?" Illyria questioned.
"Well, she can shop with the best of them... but I gotta admit this is late even for her," Angel muttered. He then looked back at Illyria and noticed her appearance. "... Does Fred know that you are..."
"Wini... Fred was the one told me that this appearance was acceptable for me to use to go out in public among humans," Illyria explained.
"Well you do look different enough," Angel mused. It was then that the doors of the hotel opened up.
However, to both Illyria and Angel's surprise, there were just a lot of shopping bags coming through, until they just fell down, revealing an overburdened Connor.
"Connor!" Illyria cried, rushing to him. Angel followed.
Connor let out a breath as he pulled himself out of the mess of bags. "And I thought the Gulags of Kitian were a nightmare... these malls, there's no end to them."
"Um... hi," Cordelia said hesitantly from the doorway.
"Cordelia," Angel muttered.
"Yeah um, I know I said we'd be back by lunch," Cordelia started to say, not liking the angry look on Illyria's face as she was advancing on her. "But we hit a snag. See, for some bizarre reason, my credit card got frozen so I didn't have any cash to use."
"Then what is all this!" Angel exclaimed, "It looks like you cleared out an entire department store! How did you pay for all this?"
"Actually that was my fault dad," Connor sighed.
Both Angel and Illyria turned to Connor with confusion. "Explain," his mother asked.
"Well, I thought Cordelia shouldn't pay with her own money, so I decided to pay for my clothes myself." Connor explained.
"Pay with what?" Angel asked. Connor tossed over to his father a small leather pouch, which he opened... and his jaw dropped when he saw the contents.
"I just thought they were pretty stones when I was kid and collected a bunch of them. Wasn't until much later that I realized they could be used for jewelry." Connor explained.
"Rubies... emeralds... diamonds," Angel mouthed.
"Such stones are rather commonly found in Quor-toth. So is silver, although the elements of gold and copper do not exist." Illyria said calmly.
"You know how hard it was for me to find an appraiser for just one diamond and then I had to haggle with him on the price," Cordelia told them. "It went on for a while and then finally after we had settled on a nice five digit number, we went to the bank to cash the check so I could clear my credit debt. After that, we went back to the stores, where I proceeded to give Connor the best wardrobe his money could buy."
Both Angel and Illyria were speechless at this point, which made Cordelia start going through her purse.
"Look at it this way; I have enough clothes to last me a year... at least." Connor breathed a sigh of relief, thankful his ordeal was over. "Which means I don't have to do shopping again for at least that long."
FLASH!!!
Angel and Illyria blinked from the sudden flash, seeing Cordelia now with a camera in her hands. "This is so the perfect end to a perfect day!" Cordelia squealed, earning her a dirty look from both of Connor's parents. "What? You think I'm not gonna capture your faces looking like that for prosperity?"
"I want that film." Angel said.
"No, and you know the picture I took last night? That will be developed in two days." Cordy chirped.
Illyria glanced at Angel. "... how do you live with this female?"
"No comment," Angel mouthed softly to her.
"What was that?" Cordelia asked.
"Nothing," Angel said quickly, "hey, Cor, we're going to the movies tonight. Gunn and Fred already left with Lorne. You wanna come?"
Cordelia sighed. "I'd like to, but I can't. Groo and I are supposed to have some one-on-one time, and I am already so late getting home."
"Oh. Right. You should do that," Angel said to her.
"Well, I'll see ya all tomorrow," Cordelia smiled before leaving.
"Um dad? What's a movie? Is it like the pictures on those t...tel... televisions I saw when passing stores with Cordelia?" Connor asked.
"Why don't you come and see. It'll be your first movie." Angel smiled. He turned to Illyria, "Want to join us?" His smile however dropped when he saw her suddenly serious face.
"You will be attacked tonight by Wolfram and Hart, yet you will be victorious even though I will not be there," Illyria said to them.
"What?" Angel muttered, his fists starting to clench.
"It is what happened to Fred in my original timeline," Illyria explained. "You cannot avoid a confrontation."
"I don't plan on it," Angel growled. "I want to make them understand that my family is off limits."
"A movie and a fight," Connor said, "sounds like fun. Could use some after this hellish day... But its not like you to turn away from a fight mom."
"I am not turning away, Connor," Illyria replied, "I am simply doing what I have to... but none the less be careful." She changed back to her true form and made a portal appear before her. She stepped through it and the portal vanished.
Angel just stared at it for a while before looking at his son. "How long as she had that power?"
"Only for the last two, maybe three weeks. If she could have escaped from Quor-toth sooner dad, she would have."
"Just checking. So, ready?"
"For the movie or the ambush?" Connor asked.
"Well... both actually."
"Um... yeah."
-----
"Hi, honey. It's me! Sorry I'm late!" Cordelia called out once she got inside of her apartment. "It's just that you wouldn't believe..." She dropped her things on the table and turned to see Groo standing in the bedroom looking downcast. "Groo... what's wrong?"
"I am," he said sadly, "wrong. For you."
"What?" Cordelia blinked. "Groo, what are you talking about?"
"I am not the one you love," Groo said softly and emotionally, "Angel is."
"A... Angel?" Cordelia stuttered. "I love Angel? What are you talking about? I love... you know... us."
"I wished it was... but it is not." Groo shook his head. "I see you when you are with him. I see how you are connected, how you finish each other's sentences. When you laugh, you laugh with him. When he is in pain, you are there for him. He is what you want. Not me."
He paused for a moment, trying to get this out without losing the courage to do so. "In my heart I have known the truth for some time. I've just been... struggling... to find the courage to do what is right."
Cordelia could feel the tears starting to form, overwhelmed by this admission from the man that had been her boyfriend now for sometime. "I...I don't know what to say, Groo."
"Tell me I'm wrong," Groo replied, "that I should stay. That you love only me."
Cordelia looked at Groo hard, blinking away her tears... but remained silent.
Groo sighed, lowering his head, putting a hand to Cordelia's face and giving her a kiss on her lips. "... I wish you a great life, princess." He walked away from her, getting his bags.
He left a heartbroken Cordelia Chase standing in the room alone, not sure of her own emotions any more.
-----
In a tree above the front walkway, Illyria watched the Groosalug leave Cordelia's apartment, his bags in hand, never to return again. From her memories as Fred, Groo had just up and vanished on this night, as did many other friends. Lorne, Angel... And Cordelia.
Illyria could feel the sadness coming off of Cordelia even from where she stood, watching her like a hawk. She felt something of pity for the woman, but pushed it aside for the moment.
This is the critical moment. Sometime this night, Jasmine will infest her... A cruel smile graced her lips. Or would have infested her that is. After tonight, there will be one less evil to worry about.
She gave a moment to ponder about her son, wondering how he'd like the movie and violence for the evening.
-----
"Where did humans come up with these machines?" Connor asked in amazement as he saw on the big screen a helicopter, which launched some rockets and fired its guns.
"Mankind has advanced pretty far in two centuries," Angel admitted. "I mean I remember it when we were just using horses instead of cars."
"Pretty archaic times huh boss?" Gunn quipped over from his jeep, where Fred and Lorne were. Angel and Connor were in Angel's convertible.
"Maybe to you," Angel returned.
"Stupid question Angel-cakes," Lorne spoke up, "but if W&H are going to attack us..."
"They would have come after us eventually once they found out Connor was back," Angel reasoned. "This way, with Illyria's heads up, we're ready for them."
"Still have my own trust issues with Smurfette," Gunn muttered, only to get pelted by a few pieces of popcorn by Connor. "Hey!"
"Would you stop calling my mother that stupid name?" Connor frowned.
Gunn shook his head. "No. Way."
"Well personally, I'm not completely comfortable with Illyria yet," Fred said, "but she doesn't have anything to gain by lying."
Gunn blinked, looking at Fred strangely. "Come again?"
"We had a talk. Really helped clear out the whole identity theft concern," Fred as she finished off her popcorn.
"You finished off that jumbo tub all by yourself Fred-ikins?" Lorne asked in disbelief.
"Free refills," Fred said pushing her empty tub to Lorne.
Gunn let out a chuckle. "God has blessed me with such a wonderful woman."
"Oh, Charles," Fred blushed.
"Um dad..." Connor spoke up.
"Yeah son?" Angel asked.
"Is that a real plane or part of the movie?"
Everyone looked up to see what Connor was seeing. A real helicopter with a searchlight pointing down came flying up over the edge of the movie screen. Some lines were lowered out of the side of the helicopter and three guys in nondescript black combat uniforms started to rappel down them... with more right behind them.
It was when the searchlight focused on Angel's car that they realized they had trouble.
"Um, Houston, we have a problem." Lorne muttered.
"Lorne, Fred, get down. Gunn, Connor, you're with me," Angel ordered.
"Looking forward to seeing how good these guys are," Connor said with a smirk as he, Angel and Gunn got into a fight with three Commandos. The Commando Connor was fighting tried to hit him in the stomach, only Connor jumped up and landed a kick to his opponent's temple. The Commando crumpled to the ground unconscious.
Connor kicked the downed man lightly, trying to get him to get up. He didn't. "They think guys like this can capture me? Who do these weaklings work for? Slacor demons that have the brains of an insect?" he asked disgusted and disappointed with how fast the fight ended. "They could have sent demons at least."
Gunn watched that exchange with concern. "You know you have to get him a hobby outside of demon fighting, boss." he said while fighting off a commando.
"He was raised inside of a hell dimension Gunn," Angel replied while fighting off another commando. "This how he thinks!"
"Yeah, well, he needs to find other ways to have fun," Gunn replied, "like maybe, I don't know, shooting hoops?"
"Hoops?" Connor asked, coming to Gunn's aid by striking down the commando he was fighting and then worked with him to knock him out.
"I'll show you tomorrow," Gunn smirked.
-----
Inside of a van parked a little way from Angel's Car, Linwood was not having a good time. "Could you explain to me, Gavin, why it appears to me that they were expecting us?!"
Gavin Park just shook his head. "I have no answer for you sir... but I feel confident that we will get the boy." Now I know why Lilah decided not to be a part of this operation. So she doesn't get heat if it blows up in our faces.
Linwood growled as he watched at the fight. "He tied me up, threatened me with sharp objects, but he shouldn't have let me go. That was your mistake, you stinking vermin!"
"The kid's pretty good," Gavin said, ignoring Linwood's rant.
"Oh, I can't wait to get my hands on him, cut him open, see what makes him tick!" Linwood rubbed his hands in anticipation. "The Senior Partners will be sure to reward me for this."
"We feel that we will be able to win this fight. We have considered everything in preparing this stratagem to capture the boy."
"What weren't you counting on?" Linwood asked.
Before Gavin could reply, the van suddenly took off, speeding fast and shaking the two lawyers up.
"What the hell!" Linwood snapped.
Gavin got back to his feet and shouted, "Stop this van now!"
The van stopped abruptly and both Gavin and Linwood fell against the wall dividing the driver's side from the passenger's side. Groaning, Linwood got up and slammed on the wall. "You moron! What do you think you are doing! I'm going to have you killed once this is over, and then I'll have you fired!"
Not long after he said those words, a double-barreled shotgun emerged from the driver's side and was right in Linwood's face.
"Funny. I could say the same thing about you." An unfamiliar voice spoke.
"...what the?" Linwood mouthed.
"Your driver is currently unconscious on the pavement. You, on the other hand, will be dead if you don't call off your strike team." The gun cocked. "You have five seconds to comply."
Linwood found that he couldn't get his walkie-talkie fast enough.
-----
"Well, for a supposed ambush, I gotta say I don't feel sorry for the bad men in black," Lorne mused as he and Fred watched Angel, Gunn and Connor beat back the commandos. Suddenly came a voice came from the external speaker on the helicopter. "Abort! Abort! Abort! Abort!"
Angel recognized the voice. "Linwood," he growled as he watched the commandos melt away and the helicopter veer off.
"Who?" Connor asked, but before anyone could respond, a black van moved toward them, stopping about five feet away.
Angel went over to the van, ripped the doors off, finding Linwood and Gavin... only to see that the former had a shotgun barrel aimed at the back of his head from the driver's side.
"Friend of yours?" Linwood muttered, his tone showing his disgust.
"Not to my knowledge, but they might become one tonight," Angel said as he reached in and pulled Linwood out.
"Hey! Yeah, okay. Easy. Easy. Easy. Now we're even." Linwood pleaded.
"Wrong," Angel spat, shoving the man against the van. "Give me a reason not to kill you for this."
"Thought you didn't do killing."
Angel and the rest of his team froze as Gavin got out of the van... and then Justine followed, holding the shotgun aimed at the back of his head.
"You really do attract bad company," Justine quipped.
"You?" Gunn asked. "You come here and help us?!" His tone showed just how much of a shock this was.
"I guess you all know each other," Gavin observed.
"We were on opposite sides, her being Holtz's lackey and all," Angel stated.
"And Holtz died in Quor-toth. Think that's fitting considering how he used me," Justine said, looking into Angel's eyes. "Came looking for you. I didn't want to move on without trying to clear things up. When I saw this thing and the army guys, I knew something was up." She shot a glance over at Gavin and Linwood. "You might as well have giant neon lights that say 'We're evil. Be aware.'"
Angel looked back at Justine. He didn't pick up any lying or deception in her voice. It sounded purely sincere... and there was the slight fact that he saw she had a nervous twitch every time she looked at Fred.
Looks like someone's been busy, Angel mused as he turned his attention back to Justine. "What do you want?"
"A purpose, a higher meaning, something worth living for," Justine said. "You hiring?"
"Excuse me?" Fred blinked.
"No. Oh, no, come on, boss." Gunn shook his head.
"Gunn," Angel growled, fixing him with a stare. "Before you start going off, remember," he looked back at his enemies, "we are with company."
Gunn kept his mouth shut, knowing it wouldn't be good to have the suits learning about Illyria just yet.
"You want me to believe you?" Angel asked Justine, who nodded. "Then sing."
Justine blinked but thought better of it. "Isn't it Ironic? Don't you think. A little too Ironic. Yeah I really do think."
"Whoa!" Lorne exclaimed, taking a step backwards.
"Lorne, you okay?" Gunn asked.
"Yeah, I'm good," Lorne muttered. "Just a bit surprised is all... but former evil girl reads rather clean."
Suddenly, police sirens started to fill the air. "Think it's time to leave," Angel said to his team and turned to Justine, "Get in my car."
"That mean there is an opening?" Justine asked.
"It means its open to negotiations and this isn't exactly the best place to discuss it," Angel told her. "Now get in."
Justine didn't need anymore encouragement and she got into Angel's convertible. Linwood glared at her. "You've made a big mistake, girl."
"Wrong," Connor returned, grabbing Linwood up and to the older man's shock, raised the man up off of his feet. "You made the mistake of trying to harm my family." He narrowed his eyes. "Now you pay for it." He threw Linwood to the ground hard. He groaned loudly in pain.
As Connor got into his father's car, Angel addressed Gavin, "When your boss wakes up, give him this message and feel free to send it the Senior Partners too." A beat later he spoke, his voice deadly serious. "Stay away from my son."
Angel turned on his heel, got into his car and left the drive in with Connor and Justine, while Gunn, Fred and Lorne followed in the jeep.
-----
"Well... this is was a waste of a night." Gavin muttered as he helped Linwood into the van. Then he got into the driver's seat and drove off, heading back to the office.
Yet he felt very angered and at the same time curious. How did Angel know they were going to ambush him and try to take his son?
Think we need to do some checking up on who our favorite vampire has been seeing, Gavin mused.
To Be Continued...