Chapter 11 I hate him

Katie had managed to find 35 cents lying on the ground and walked to the payphone in the subway station. She reached in her back pocket for the business card, but cursed to herself when she remembered it was in her old knapsack that she'd left in Angel's apartment. She had carried that bag for longer then she cared to remember. I'll find a way to sneak back there and get it. She tried to remember the phone number, but her memory failed her. Instead, she reached for the attached phonebook.

"Lawyers…ok, got it. Wolfram and Hart…" Her finger skimmed the page, but failed to locate the business. She flipped the page and found a full page ad for the law office. Wow, they're big time! She dialed the number and waited for an answer.

"Wolfram & Hart," came a voice from the other end of the line.

"Could you please connect me with Marcus?" Katie hoped there was only one Marcus working there.

"One moment please."

Katie was put on hold and looked around. She wanted to be sure no one was following her.

"This is Marcus."

"Marcus, hi. It's Katie. Remember me from the beach?"

"Hi, Katie. Of course I remember you! Now what can I do for you? Change your mind about that talk?"

"Sort of. Could you do me a big favor, though?"

"I'll see what I can do. What's up?"

"I was wondering if you could come pick me up. I'm in the subway station at 27th and Sweet Briar."

"Sure. I was just about to go for lunch anyway."

"Thank you so much!" Katie felt her voice crack with relief.

"Are you alright? You sound funny. Is everything ok?"

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"Ok, hold tight. I'll be there soon."

Katie hung up the phone and sighed. She still didn't fully trust Marcus, but he was the only person she could turn to at the moment. If nothing else, he would listen. She slid down the wall and waited for her new friend to show up.


"He threw you out?" Marcus repeated in sympathetic disbelief. "He just threw you out on the street without giving you a chance to explain yourself. That's just wrong!"

Katie and Marcus were sitting in the big comfy chairs in his office back at Wolfram & Hart. Katie just nodded. She had explained everything to him.

"I wasn't planning on hurting Wesley. I just panicked and freaked out on him. Once I started, I lost control," Katie looked up through tears. "I'm not a bad person; I just can't help myself sometimes. I was so afraid that he was going to turn Angel against me and end the relationship I had waited my entire…um…so long for."

"Honey, you can't deny who or what you are," Marcus leaned over and put his hand on Katie's knee. "It happens to all of us."

"He hates me now. But you know something? I despise him more. This isn't the first time Angel's turned his back on me in favor of a new 'family'." Marcus just sat there as Katie ranted.

"I hate him for what he did to our family. I hate him for what he did to me. I hate him for abandoning me when I needed him most. What I hate him for most of all is that all this time he's had his 'family'!"

"You hate him so much you want to kill him?" Marcus prompted. Katie looked up at him with shock.

"No, I don't want him dead. I couldn't do it even if I wanted to. He's too strong."

"Then what do you want?"

"I want him abandoned by his own little family. I want them to turn and walk out of his life forever," Katie's eyes narrowed to match the vengeance in her voice. "I want him to be alone and miserable like I was for so long."

Marcus nodded his head. He could feel the wheels turning. I'm sure the Senior Partners could use her. She may not be able to kill him herself, but with a little bit of help…a plan was forming in Marcus' mind.

"So, you're a vampire too?" Katie asked, changing the subject and cutting into Marcus' thoughts.

"Well, kind of. It's a long story."

"Tell me?" Katie gave him her little innocent girl look that worked like a charm. This time was no exception.

"I'm sort of an in-between. I'm not totally human, but I'm not totally vampire either."

"Huh? How can that happen?"

"You know the whole process. Sire bites until the heart almost stops and then offers the child a taste of his or her own blood. Sometimes all it takes is a drop. I got a dried smear. A slayer dusted my sire before he could fully turn me."

"Wow, that's interesting, and sad in a way."

"As a result, I never really died, but just stopped living. I don't have a heartbeat, but my brain still functions. I don't have fangs and vampire strength, but do have slightly heightened senses. I can eat regular food, but can still enjoy a real Bloody-Mary or two."

"What about the sun and crosses and stuff?"

"Crosses and holy water, etc. make me nervous but don't hurt me; they just give me a rash. I don't burst into flames in daylight, but I do get very nasty sunburn pretty quickly."

"Wow, I've never heard of anything like that."

"I guess I'm a pretty rare case," Marcus said with a laugh. Katie noticed a twinkle in his eye and smiled. "Speaking of cases, I have one that you might be able to help me with."

"Sure!" Katie said enthusiastically. She'd love to help him out after he was so nice to her. "Just give me the details." Marcus smiled at the girl's spunk. What a better ally than the betrayed little girl for whom Angel must have a soft spot?

"Well, I will have to discuss it further with the Senior Partners, but I'm sure they will support me and be thrilled to have you on board," he stood and offered his hand. Katie stood up and shook it with a smile of pride. Even before knowing any details, she already felt like she was going to be part of something very important, and she loved that feeling. "I'm sorry, but I have to go to a meeting now. It was great talking with you, Miss Katie. Keep in touch."

"I sure will. Thank you for listening." Katie checked her cheap plastic watch as she exited the office. 6 o'clock! I spent all afternoon talking with Marcus! Time sure flies sometimes, even if one is immortal. The problem now was that she had no where to go. No where to stay. She was used to sleeping on the streets, but she had all of her essentials in that old knapsack. She wandered down to the front lobby and asked the receptionist to use the phone.

"Hi, it's Cordelia. I'm not home right now, but leave a message…"

Katie sighed and hung up the phone. She wasn't sure she should do what she planned to do next, but it didn't look like she had much of a choice. Hopefully Cordelia would listen and understand.