Chapter 20 What's past is past
"Ok, so I understand how I became human. The Mohra demon's blood has regenerative properties. It got in me through my wrist and made me human. What I still don't understand it what happened after that. How do I still have the speed and strength? And how did I suddenly become an eighteen year old?"
A few hours and ice packs later, the Angel Investigations team was back at the office still trying to make sense out of the morning's events. They were able to get Angel out of the alley by using an old blanket in the dumpster for cover. Katie changed into better fitting clothes and tended to his wounds while Wesley and Cordelia scrounged ice and painkillers. Once everyone was cleaned and medicated up, the research began to explain Katie's new state. Angel told the group about his past experience with a Morha demon and his 24 hours of humanity that resulted from getting his blood mixed. He had traded his humanity to save Buffy by having the Oracles turn back time. Only he carried the memory of that day.
"Angel, what was your last name?" Wesley asked, looking up from an old leather-bound text. It was nearly identical to the two foot stack that sat on the left side of the desk.
"Um…," Angel struggled to remember. "O'Connor."
"Hmm…Katherine O'Connor…ah…" Wesley mumbled to himself. "Oh…oh my!"
"What?!" Angel asked in alarm.
"Yeah, what's up?" Katie questioned, walking over to Wesley's side.
"Did you find anything yet?" Cordelia announced entering the room. She had decided to rest for a while.
"Well…I can't be certain. I'll have to check some other sources to be sure, but I think I may have the answer, though it's almost too hard to believe," the British man rambled in excitement.
"Just spit it out already!" Katie nudged him impatiently.
"It seems that Miss Katherine O'Connor was to be called as the next vampire slayer; however, she was turned before coming of age. Most slayers are not called until their late teen years."
"You mean Katie was going to be a slayer?" Angel asked in disbelief looking at his now-grown up sister.
"That is correct, except I don't think the gift ever left. Now that she's human again, she can fulfill her destiny as a slayer."
"Me? A vampire slayer?" Katie was still trying to make sense of her new role in the world.
"That still doesn't explain how teenie bopper here skipped, like, five years," Cordelia pointed out.
"Well, I know Katie couldn't have had her full powers in her youthful state…" Wesley gave a shrug.
"It was a miracle!" Katie interrupted. The crew looked at her in surprise from her sudden outburst. "It had to be. I was still a girl when I killed that last Morha," she went on to explain. "I thought I was going to die. I was a normal human. I was powerless against that thing. All of sudden, I just knew I could take it. It was kind of like when I used to vamp out, but different somehow."
"The Powers that Be must need you pretty bad then. They gave you powers to defeat that beast, and now the maturity to really access those powers," Cordelia reasoned. "Oh God, I'm starting to sound like Wesley!" she said in mock horror.
"That makes sense, Cordy," Angel replied.
"Ok, so now that mystery's solved," Katie said hesitantly. "Now what?"
"I think I need to call Giles," Wesley excused himself from the room to use the phone.
"I won't be that far away, Angel," Katie said to her brother standing in the doorway of Cordelia's apartment. She was packing her clothes for an extended trip to Sunnydale. Giles was going to begin her official slayer training there until she got her own Watcher. "You can come and visit."
"No, I try to stay away from there. Too many bad memories," Angel replied with a pained expression. Katie closed her suitcase and crossed the room.
"Then I'll come back here and make sure you're staying out of trouble, bro," she teased, giving Angel a hug. "By that time, I'll be good enough to kick your ass!"
"In your dreams, sis" Angel laughed. He held her at arm's length and said, "I have a surprise for you. It's sort of a going-away and good luck present." He reached in his pocket and withdrew a golden heart-shaped locket.
"Oh! It's my locket! I thought I lost it in a fight!" Katie gasped in surprise. She was overjoyed to see the only token she had of her past with her normal family.
"Yes, it's your locket. I got the chain fixed and something else too. Look inside," he said with love in his eyes. Katie took the locket and opened the clasp. 'Happy Birthday, darling sister' was written on the back of the front half like always. What had changed was the back half. It had been changed to 'With love forever, Angel'. Tears welled up in her eyes and one escaped down her cheek.
"Will you put it on?" she asked. She walked over to the oval wall mirror. She smiled at her reflection and watched as the locket seemed to float around her neck and settle itself at the nape of her neck. She turned and threw her arms around Angel's stout form. "I promise I will never take it off," she sobbed into his chest. "Thank you so much, for everything."
"I love you, sweet Katie," Angel replied, trying to keep his tears from rising.
"Ahem, Giles is waiting," Wesley entered the room, interrupting the moment.
"Alright," Katie replied as she stepped away and wiped her tears. "Take care of yourself, big brother." She grabbed Angel's hand and gave it a squeeze before picking up her bags and heading for the door.
"I guess that's about it," Cordelia said as Wesley closed the trunk.
"Yeah, I guess so. I can't thank you enough, Cordy, for everything you've done. You believed in me when no one else would," she reached out and gave the older girl a hug.
"Don't mention it," the seer replied, returning the embrace. They stepped apart as Wesley opened the passenger door.
"And you," Katie said to him. "I'm so sorry for all the trouble I caused in the beginning."
"What's past is past," he replied with an air of formality.
"Oh, don't give me that, Wes," she said with a gleam in her eyes. She pulled the man into a tight bear hug. "I'm just glad you're man enough to say that. Now, don't ever lose that suspicion. It may just save all of us one day. You have to look out for the brooding one for me, ok?"
"Will do," Wes smiled and helped her into the car.
Angel silently waved and watched as the car drew away from the curb. When the car was out of sight, he heard the other two turn and enter the office, but remained at the curb for a moment. He felt like he was losing his sister all over again, but this time he truly cared. Angel knew she would return, but it would not be the same. She would no longer be the innocent little girl or even vampire she once was. She would return a mature, beautiful warrior who would no longer need his protection. He turned to leave when the radio from a passing car stopped him in his tracks.
When the sun sinks down over the water…
"Everything gets hotter when the sun goes down," he softly sang, fondly remembering the 'Vampire's Anthem'. A small smile crossed his face at the memory. "Good bye, dear sweet Katie," the vampire whispered into the wind, before joining the rest of his family in the office.
Fin.
A.N. I would like to once again thank everyone who took the time to read this and review. Colburn, you so totally and completely rock!
I never thought this story would be so long or even go through everything it did. I hope to make this into a series revolving around Katie the Slayer...feel free to toss out new ideas!
Happy reading and writing y'all!
