Gift

Chapter Seven

Sketch

            Liberty picked up her phone, hoping that it wasn't too late to call Connor.  She should be going to bed since she had school the next day.  But she had reread his description of the woman and she seemed vaguely familiar to her.  So she decided that if Connor drew her a picture of the mysterious woman from his dreams she might be able to find her. 

"Hello?"

"Connor?  It's Liberty."

He was silent and for a second, Liberty thought he'd hung up on her.  She could hear his breathing, the only sign he hadn't.

"Connor…"

"What do you want?"

All the warmth from his voice had disappeared.  He was still mad about her turning him down for dinner.  She felt so guilty, but she hadn't thought that Connor had really cared about her that much.  She figured he'd shrug it off and then run back to his normal friends to hang out.  Sure, the refusal would smart for a few days, but he'd find someone else.  At least that was what she assumed.  The depth of Connor's anger surprised her.  Did he really care for her? 

"Connor, I'm sorry I'm calling so late, but I have a little favor to ask."

"Of course you do."

"How good are you at drawing?"

"I'm fine.  Why?"

"Do you think you'd be able to draw the woman from your nightmares?"

"I guess I could try.  Why?  Will that help us find out what's going on?"
"That's my hope.  She seems so familiar to me but I can't figure out why.  So I thought a picture might help me place her.  Your descriptions are great, but a picture might be better."
"All right.  I'll bring it to you tomorrow."

"Thank you."

They fell quiet, neither ready to hang up the phone.  Liberty wanted to say more to him, explain the situation to him.  She wanted to confess her abilities to him, tell him how she'd almost been shamed into hiding them.  Still, a part of her didn't know how to trust him, or even tell him about her abilities. 

"I'm-"

"I'll see you later."

Connor hung up before she had a chance to apologize about the incident.  He didn't want to hear her phony I'm-sorrys and elaborate explanations for saying no.  He was a freak.  She didn't want a freak.  There was nothing more to it. 

            Liberty sat in her English class, her nose stuffed in a book as usual.  The only difference was this book was about mystical portals and convergences.  The usual kids around her watched her curiously, wondering if she would ever even notice their stares at her.  Liberty was weird.  Everyone knew it.  Even the teachers could see her oddness.  She wasn't an outcast, exactly, but she was far from popular.  She didn't really notice.  She never really had, but especially since she had started working for Wolfram and Hart.

"Whatcha readin', Libby?"  The girl who sat next to her asked mockingly.

"The Truths of Mystical Portals and Abnormal Convergences."

She said it calmly and with a no nonsense attitude, which made the students laugh.  She acted like it was the most normal thing in the world to be reading up on portals. 

"Why are you reading that?"

The girl said it as though the concept of pleasure reading was out of the question, but combined with the topic, it couldn't be assigned reading.

"Actually, I'm researching some stuff for work."

"Where do you work that has you reading about portals?"

"Wolfram and Hart.  It's a-"

"Law office.  Yeah, I've heard of it.  I'm not stupid.  What are you there?  A secretary?"

Liberty shook her head as she lowered her eyes back to the book.  She didn't want to see their face when she told them her position.  In fact, she didn't really want to tell them at all.  She could lie and say she was a secretary.  No.  She refused to let them turn her into a liar or make her ashamed for what her job was.  They were just some dumb kids at school.  She didn't need them.  She had other friends.  Spike.  Wesley.  Angel.

"No.  I'm the head of the teen research division."

"The head is someone who is in charge.  You're trying to tell me you're in charge of a branch at an international law firm?"

"Yes."

"Libby, if you're going to lie about where you work, you might as well come up with a believable lie."

"I'm not lying.  Wesley Wyndam-Pryce, the head of the research branch, put me in charge of it.  This reading is for a case."

She could tell they still didn't believe her.  She sighed.  She wouldn't try to convince them anymore.  She didn't have the energy. Libby closed her eyes, cursing her gift again.  If she'd been normal, she wouldn't even be having this conversation.  She sunk down in her chair, trying not to let their words get to her.  She didn't need to impress them.  She didn't really want to.  It just got lonely at school, since she'd never had any real friends there and she was tired of pretending.  She didn't have a choice, though.  She pulled the book up over her eyes as she tried her best to ignore the snickers surrounding her.  She had a job to do.  The sooner she found out, the sooner Connor would be gone.  She wouldn't end up being any more attached to him then she already was.  And after he disappeared from her life, he would fade from her memory or so she hoped.  That was what she wanted.  Right?  Liberty sighed again as she examined the chart in front of her.  She was getting to very recent abnormal convergences in the universe.  One particular occurrence was worrying her.  It was a year ago in May.  And it happened in Los Angeles.

            Connor clutched the portrait of the mysterious woman from his memory.  He'd been working on the sketch since Liberty had called last night.  He was consumed with the need to draw each and every characteristic of the woman perfectly.  He hadn't slept at all.  He'd sat at his desk all night, drawing diligently, disturbing his roommate.  He had taken it to class the next day to define her features.  He'd become so absorbed in his work that he didn't even hear a word of the lecture.  It had been fairly useless for him to even attend the class.  He finally completed the sketch to his satisfaction and he was on his way to drop it off to Liberty.  Well, hopefully she wouldn't be there.  High school should still have two more hours left in the day.  Connor wanted desperately to avoid her.  He was afraid he would see that day-after pity in her eyes and that was the last thing he wanted.  He didn't want to see her sympathy; he didn't want it.  He refused to let her own refusal make him uncomfortable.  He wouldn't allow himself to continue to like her, but in order to stop his feelings; he needed to have as little contact with her as possible.  Connor opened the door to Liberty's office, ready to drop the portrait off and flee.  Unfortunately, she was there sitting at her desk.

"Libby?!  Uh-shouldn't you be at school?"

And to his surprise, she jumped from her chair and threw her arms around him.

            Connor couldn't stop himself from returning her embrace.  So much for stopping those feelings.  Her smiled was brilliant and the excitement danced in her eyes.  She looked stunning. 

"Yeah, I should be.  But I was doing some reading and I found something, so I had Wesley call me out of school and here I am."

Connor forgot everything that had happened the day before at the mention of her finding something.

"You found something?"

"Yes!"  She started to laugh, a melodic sound that rang through his ears.

"What is it?"

She produced a large, leather-bound book.  Connor scanned the title while he listened to her explanation.

"There was abnormal activity in Los Angeles on May 2nd.  The convergence happened from a hotel to a sporting goods store before it spread over the entire city."

"I didn't notice my abilities until a few months ago.  It definitely wasn't May."

"Exactly.   You didn't notice them.  The powers still may have been inside of you, lying dormant."

"What does that mean?"

"It means that you could have had the powers and the mystical insurgence activated  your powers. It may have taken a few months to take affect, but it could have sort of jump-started your powers.  Like car cables."

Connor tilted his head, trying to process what Liberty was saying.  The explanation seemed to make sense, though it did seem a bit far-fetched.  In reality, the entire situation was far-fetched. 

"So you think this convergence is the cause of my powers?"

"Yes.  But that doesn't answer all of our questions.  We need to know how you got powers in the first place.  Even if they were lying dormant, they had to come from somewhere."

Connor nodded, the reasoning Liberty was coming up with seemed completely indisputable.  Liberty was good at the reasoning out problems.  He enjoyed watching her mind work.

"Well, at least we're getting closer."

"Yeah.  I'm going to go tell Wesley what I've been finding out."

"Okay.  Thank you for trying to figure this out.  It's not your problem."
"I know what it's like to be different, Connor."

"You do?"

Liberty blanched; surprised that she'd let it slip out so easily.  She'd protected her secret for years.  And she'd just blurted out that she was 'special' too.  "I've gotta go up there.  Wesley is waiting for me.  I think Spike is too."

Connor realized that the topic was closed for discussion.  Apparently, she didn't want him to know.  Maybe she didn't trust him enough.  Maybe he freaked her out too much for her to confide in him.   

"Do you want that picture you asked for?"
"Oh, yeah!  I completely forgot about it!  Thanks for reminding me."

She took the picture from him, glancing over it.

"She seems familiar.  Hmm…you know this is a really great sketch, Connor.  Do you take art classes or something?"

"No.  I-I don't really know how I learned to draw.  I just can."

She smiled.  "I wish I could have something like that.  If I could just have something that I can do without any training.  Anyway, I'll see you later."

She hurried away from Connor before he brought up the topic of her being different again.  Connor watched her leave and didn't go after her.  Maybe he'd have that space now.

            Wesley sat at his desk, studying yet another ancient text.  The days got fairly tedious, to research every single day.  Illyria proved to be entertaining enough, with her naivety in human ways, and insistence on being worshipped as the goddess she once was.  And he even forgot about Fred for a few moments when Illyria was with him.  He was starting to feel for the spoiled demon goddess, perhaps because of the comfort she provided him with.  She was Fred in so many ways, yet completely different.  She was fascinating.

"What is that pounding noise on the wood?"

Wesley glanced up as soon as he heard her icy voice.  He'd been lost in his reading and his thoughts, so he hadn't even heard anyone knock.

"Someone is knocking for entry."
"Why do they knock?"

"It's the polite thing to do.  You can't just barge in on someone when their door is closed."

Illyria tilted her head, her blue eyes glittering oddly in the sunlight.  Wesley had gotten up and started walking to the door.

"You must hide, Illyria.  No one knows you are here.  The others think that you have left Los Angeles."
"I will not cower like a dog.  If they do not want me here, I will kill them.  This shell may not be incredibly powerful, but I am still stronger than humans and half-breeds."

Wesley sighed loudly, his exasperation showing through.  If it had been anyone but Illyria, they would have cared that they had frustrated Wesley that much.  Illyria simply found the sigh annoying.  The door opened before Wesley could force Illyria to hide, so he turned, preparing himself to feel the wrath of Angel or Gunn.  Instead, Liberty bounced in the door, holding a sketch and a book. 

"Oh.  Do you have a client, Wesley?  I just wanted to talk to you about this convergence stuff I found.  It doesn't have anything to do with Connor's dreams, but I think it may help us figure out how his powers got started."

"Why is she addressing you after she asked if you had a client?"

Wesley could feel the frustration mounting up.

"It's all right, Liberty.  Come on in and sit down while I take care of her."

Liberty watched the blue-haired woman carefully.  She seemed really odd.  Their gazes locked and Liberty felt confusion, despair and annoyance full force.  The girl was a demon, but she had human qualities also.

"Why does this woman believe she has a right to look at me, " Illyria questioned.

"She is trying to figure out if you are a demon or not."

Wesley smiled a bit at Liberty, trying to put her at ease. 

"She must ask permission to look at me."

"Illyria, honestly-"

"This is Illyria?"  Liberty had heard rumblings about a Winifred Burkle being taken over by a recently missing Illyria, a demon goddess from the past.  Her death was still water cooler gossip at Wolfram and Hart, since half of management had locked themselves in their respective offices and refused to come out most of the time since her death.  Liberty had assumed Winifred was the reason everyone was so heartbroken since she'd met Wesley and company.  She'd never asked, though, fearing the answer.

"You know of her?"

"I've heard rumors."

"Yes.  This is she.  Libby, no one knows she's here.  No one realizes that Illyria has been staying with me since her arrival almost.  Illyria is trying to adapt in the ways of humans and I haven't felt the need to tell Angel.  He'd want Illyria destroyed."

"And you don't want that?"
"No.  Illyria-"

"Do not speak of me as if I were not in this small space.  I am well aware that you are discussing me."

"Illyria, please leave for a bit.  I need to discuss some work with Liberty.  It will be dreadfully boring and quite beneath you.  You could go into the room next door and examine some of my ancient weaponry.  I'm sure you would enjoy that.'

"I suppose I can.  I do not want to listen to the trifles of humans."

Illyria left immediately, not even saying good-bye to either human.

            "Sorry about that, Libby.  Illyria is still adapting."  Wesley apologized as he returned his attention to the girl sitting on his desk.

"She doesn't seem like she's adapting at all, Wesley."

He shrugged nonchalantly as he returned to the other side of the desk.  He took his chair and accepted the book Liberty offered him.

"Do you see the convergence that occurred on May 2nd?  It happened at one Hyperion Hotel and on to a sporting goods store.  I think that could have activated his powers if he was in the near vicinity of those places."

Wesley paled considerably.  He studied the book, leaving no room for Liberty to question his sudden paleness.  Liberty glanced at the photos on his desk, while waiting for him to finish reading about the convergence.  There was one of that blue haired girl, without the blue hair.  Wesley had his arms around her and they were both grinning.  She was pretty.  She must be Winifred.  The picture next to that one was of Angel, Wesley and another girl.  She had long brown hair in that picture, but the face seemed familiar.  Liberty picked the frame up off the table and studied the picture more closely.  Who was this girl?  Why did Liberty recognize her? 

"I don't believe this!"  Liberty exclaimed as the realization hit her. 

"Believe what?"  Wesley put the book down to see what she was so excited about.  Liberty brandished a sketch and placed it next to the photograph.

"It's her!  This is the woman from Connor's memories!"

"Cordelia?"