To Tariq: This story will not be a B/A. It won't even be a B/S. You've been with me on this story from the beginning and I would hate to lose your interest in this story, but I just don't see it going that way. It doesn't work with the plot I have in mind. However, I do have a plot in mind for a B/A, but I can't start it yet. I have too many other stories to finish.

To everyone else, thank you for all the lovely reviews and support. I appreciate it so much! Now on to the story...

True Destiny Continues

Chapter 9: Reunions & Revelations

Disclaimer: I don't own anything or anyone from the Angel series. I only own my original characters.

Lindsey stood in shock staring at the familiar figure ahead of him. He couldn't believe it. She had actually made it out alive. He watched as the woman moved further and further away from him. He managed to break out of his trance and started walking swiftly behind her. She stopped, hearing the footsteps behind her, and turned around quickly. Her brown eyes widened and suddenly she was running towards him. He immediately opened his arms and seconds later he had her in his embrace. Her body began shaking with sobs and he held her tightly to him. He murmured to her over and over that it was okay, that everything was alright now.

Eve pulled away from her lover, her trembling hands tracing his features in awe. She couldn't believe it. He was alive; no thanks to Angel. Anger at the vampire spread through her entire being. "How did you…Angel said you---," she broke off, unable to say the words.

Lindsey smiled softly. "Yeah I know…he told you I bit the bullet huh," he commented dryly. She nodded. "Well, actually he thinks I'm dead. He had his lackey do the job for him."

"Which one," Eve questioned acidly.

"It was Lorne…you know the demon that reads people," he answered, his voice devoid of the anger he knew he should be feeling. He saw her eyes narrow and the way she stiffened. His girlfriend was pissed. And she had every right to be. Still, he couldn't blame Angel for his actions. "It's okay sweetie. Angel just did what he thought he had to."

"I don't give a shit what Angel thinks and neither should you," she replied angrily, pulling away from his grasp. She walked away a couple steps from him. She turned around and glared at him. "How can you be so calm about this? He tried to kill you!"

Lindsey crossed the distance between them, taking her small hands in his. "Yeah I know but what about all the times I tried to kill him," he reminded her. Some of her anger deflated but he could still see a good amount remained. "Listen all I know is that I'm alive and so are you. For that, I have to be grateful. Can't we just be happy that we're together again?"

Eve rolled her eyes in exasperation. "No it's not enough…he should pay for what he did to you," she said vehemently.

"No," he barked out. She flinched away from him. He took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down. "I'm sorry but just…no…okay. I'm done with this revenge and hate. All I want to do is spend the rest of my life loving you."

Her face softened and her hand rose to brush fingers across his cheek. "I want that too baby but---," she faltered. She wasn't sure she could just walk away from this letting Angel think that he won this round.

He heard and saw the indecision in her voice and on her face. "We can't go after Angel sweetheart," he said firmly. "He'll have enough danger heading his way." Somehow that thought didn't give him any pleasure at all. "Now come on. Let's see if we can catch a cab further up the street. We'll pick up our truck and get the hell out of this town. We'll start over fresh. How's that sound?" 'Please, oh please say yes' was repeated in his mind. He didn't have the strength left to put any evil plans in motion. He just wanted to live a normal life with the woman he loved.

"Okay," Eve whispered. If he could let it go, then so could she. Maybe he was right. She was so tired of playing this back and forth game of who's evil and who's good. She didn't want to be neither. She just wanted to be normal. And she wanted to be normal with Lindsey. She would let it go…for him.

Connor held Spike tightly around the waist as he opened the door to his old room. The vampire winced and Connor moved his hand to hold him around his shoulders instead. "Sorry about that," he said apologetically. He led the vampire over to the side of the bed and set him down carefully.

"It's alright mate," Spike said quietly. He looked down at the young boy curiously, wondering how the hell could he be Angel's son. Vampires were sterile weren't they? And what's this about a prophecy? How come he didn't know about any of this? The little whelp was his family too. He had a right to know. "Hey, so what's this about you being Angel's son? You wanna explain that to me?"

Connor sighed heavily. "Not really," he said softly. He started in on the laces of Spike's boots, untying them hurriedly before removing both shoes. "You need me to help you undress?" He was met with a glare. "I'm only trying to help so don't be an ass."

Spike exhaled loudly. "I know…sorry," he said honestly. "I can undo my belt and zipper but I'll need help with my shirt and duster. I'd appreciate it if you would offer your uncle some assistance."

Connor nodded and began easing Spike's arms out of the long coat. He took the filthy garment and draped it over an armchair on the other side of the room. He returned to Spike's side and saw the vampire wincing as he tried to ease the denim off his legs. Connor finished the task for him, pulling the jeans the rest of the way off, taking the socks with it. Then he helped to pull the black t-shirt off as carefully as he could. He inhaled audibly at the amount of bruises covering the vampire's body.

"Don't worry about me…I'll be fine," Spike mumbled as he scooted back on the bed slowly. Connor helped him lift up so that they could ease the comforter down. When the vampire was nestled under the covers, Connor sat down on the side of the bed. He looked expectantly at Spike.

"What…bloody hell…what is it," Spike asked irritably. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

Connor tilted his head to the side. "I was just thinking about that 'uncle' comment you made," he said curiously. "What did you mean by that?"

"Cause that's what I am…I'm your uncle…well sort off," Spike answered flatly. In all actuality, Connor was Spike's uncle, but he was the elder here.

"Wait…you mean like Gunn…and Wes," Connor asked, swallowing hard after saying Wesley's nickname. He had almost forgotten that the man was dead…almost.

"No, I'm actually a blood relative mate," Spike clarified. "Your father is my grandsire."

Connor's eyes widened. "You mean…oh…so you were sired by---," he trailed off.

"Drusilla sired me," the vampire said softly. "Drusilla was the first person your father sired. She then sired me."

"Um…okay…so I'm actually your uncle," Connor corrected, smirking slightly, unable to believe that he could actually find amusement after what he witnessed downstairs. But there was just something about being in the vampire's presence that made him feel…well…comfortable.

Spike smirked back. "Yeah you're actually my uncle but I've got you by at least a hundred years," he said meaningfully. His eyes drifted shut. He was so tired, but he wanted to talk to his nephew some more. Then his eyes snapped open. "Sorry. I'm just so exhausted."

"It's alright…you need to rest anyway," Connor assured him. He then looked down at his uncle's torso. "Don't you want me to wrap your ribs up for you?"

Spike shook his head. "Nah too tired to deal with the fuss right now," he said wearily. "Just want to sleep. What about you? You alright?"

"Yeah I'm good…tired but okay," he answered with a smile. "I'm gonna go check on that girl okay. I'll check up on you a little later." He patted Spike's leg and then he was up and walking across the room to the door.

"Did you feel it too," Spike asked softly.

Connor's hand had just touched the doorknob. "Feel what," he asked, turning around to face Spike.

"A connection…with the girl…Faith's friend," Spike explained. "I felt it right away, but I brushed it off because…you know…stopping yet another apocalypse was kinda first priority. Now, I'm wondering why I felt it, that connection." The last part was whispered almost as if he was talking to himself. His eyes closed and he couldn't fight the sleep anymore.

Connor watched as the vampire drifted off to sleep. "I don't know what's going with that girl but I'm gonna find out," he said determinedly before leaving the room, making sure to shut the door softly behind him.

Faith had already undressed Milani; leaving the girl clad only in her undergarments. Milani had been groaning and moaning but had yet to open her eyes. "Come on Lani…let me see those brown eyes," she coaxed gently, as she rubbed disinfectant on the stomach wound. It had not closed entirely, the skin marred now by a jagged slit, but at least the blood was not flowing so steadily. A fresh gauze pad was handed to her and she accepted it with a small thanks. She placed it on the wound, affixing it with medical tape.

Gunn pulled the armchair from out of the corner of the room until it was next to the bed, a couple feet away from where Faith sat. "Aren't you tired," he asked her. "I can watch Milani for you. Why don't you get some sleep? All the rooms on this floor are livable. Just pick any one."

Faith shook her head in refusal. "Nah I'm okay," she lied. "I want to be here when she---." Brown eyes fluttered open and began peering around the room, the orbs appearing dazed and unfocused. "Hey girl…welcome back," Faith said happily.

Milani put a hand to her head and groaned. "Wha—what happened…where am I," she asked, rubbing her forehead to in an attempt at stopping the jackhammer that was currently drilling into her head. "God my whole body hurts. Why do I feel like shit?" She looked at Faith finally, her eyes now more focused. "Faith?"

"Yeah girl…it's me," Faith answered, her smile widening. "We're in Angel's hotel. Do you remember what happened tonight?"

Milani's arm fell heavily to her side, her throat trying to work past the lump in her throat at the mention of the vampire's name. "Yeah, I think you just triggered my memory," she said hesitantly. It all flooded back to her…the battle, the shock at seeing Angel and Connor, Willow drawing power from her, the bright light, and finally her getting impaled by a sword. "Yeah I remember everything…unfortunately." She didn't understand what the hell was going on. Liam and Connor. They shouldn't be here. She was afraid to broach the subject but she just had too. "Faith, that guy you called Angel, who do you think he is," she asked carefully.

Faith bit her lip, looking back at Gunn quickly before turning to face her friend again. "Um…I think the question is…who do you think he is," she questioned.

"He's my dad Faith," she answered calmly. At the alarmed expression on her friend's face, she continued hurriedly. "I know it seems weird but it's true. Vampires can't have kids…I know…but…this one apparently was fertile enough to make two…me and Connor."

An expletive flew out of Gunn's mouth and Faith glared at him. He held up his hands in apology. She turned to face Milani again. "Lani, are you saying that you think Angel is your father and Connor is your brother," she asked incredulously. The girl nodded. "Milani that's impossible. Angel only has one kid and that's Connor."

"No you're wrong," Milani argued. "And his name is not Angel. It's Liam…Liam O'Reilly. He had me first and then Connor came along some years later." She saw Faith getting ready to speak again. "No Faith. Just listen to me. Liam, or Angel as you call him, followed me here to this dimension. Both him and Connor followed me here."

Gunn's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "Wait…are you saying you're not from this dimension," he asked quickly. Faith glared at him again for interrupting. "Sorry Faith, but this is some heavy stuff."

"Yeah I know," Milani agreed heartily. She pulled herself slowly up into a sitting position. "I'm not from around here, here being this dimension."

"You serious," Faith inquired, her eyes widening every second.

"Yeah, totally serious," Milani said tiredly. "My dimension is sort of an alternate reality from yours. My Los Angeles is almost identical to yours."

"Wait…you said alternate reality," Gunn reminded her. "If my memory is right, don't alternate realities have the same people but just…I don't know…different situations?"

"Yeah…like there could be another me somewhere but that me would be living a different kind of life right," Faith said excitedly, glancing at Gunn for confirmation.

"Yeah that sounds about right…but…then that would mean…oh man," Gunn choked out.

"That would explain why Milani thought Angel and Connor were her family," Faith finished for him in amazement. She picked up the girl's hand and squeezed it lightly. "Lani, I think there are two sets of men walking around with the same faces, but just in different realities. The ones that are here are not your Liam and Connor."

Note: So we finally get a little explanation about who Milani is, but there is much more to come. Next chapter will have more discussion with Faith/Milani, a confrontation with Connor demanding answers from Milani, and we finally bring back Wes.