I'm sorry that this chapter took so long to get up, but I have been so busy lately that it wasn't even funny, I will try to get updates out sooner but I will always let you know when they happen!
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hope that makes sense!
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Chap 2
Xander looked up at Lorne with haunted eyes, "If you want us to leave I would understand." he whispered.
Lorne's mouth was hanging open as hr watched the small ridges and golden eyes disappear, "Let me just wrap my brain around this hun, obviously you're not a vampire since you walked here in the middle of the day. So what are you, human?"
Alex looked at him his face tired, "I don't really know anymore and that scares me. Would you like us to leave now?"
"And lose my new favorite bartender? Not a chance in hell! Besides who cares if she is a little different, it only makes her more special."
The green skinned demon threw a soft smile at the shell shocked kid and got a shy sweet one in return. "You have no idea how much I appreciate this, Lorne."
"Just give me a great new bartender and lots of time with the cutie and we'll call it even."
With a small laugh and smile Alex nodded happier then he had been in a long time.
Getting serious again Lorne took Jessica as he looked art Alex, "First though why don't you give me the whole story, not necessarily your real name but how about how you came to get this little one."
Alex seemed to take a deep breath to steel himself as he began speaking, "I grew up on a place called the hellmouth, not exactly the best location for a childhood. My parents were negligent at best, verbally and physically abusive at worst, I much prefer them passed out drunk then up and tormenting me."
"When I was in high school I got possessed by a hyena spirit, I was the pack leader, not the alpha male but the alpha female, a hunt-brother. I guess because of that even when the others where exorcised she stuck around in my head, she's still there. One Halloween after that this sorcerer came to town and we all got turned into our Halloween costumes. I was a soldier and I actually still have his memories; his name was Sgt. Mark Hamilton and he was military special ops. He had died in an ambush on a mission. Even after it ended I still ended up with him sticking around as well. I figured that since he was a spirit rather then just a representation of the costume that's why he didn't leave with everything else."
Lorne could only nod as he looked at the young kid, it was amazing that he was still sane, and he got the feeling that he was still leaving things out and that this was only the tip of the iceberg.
Alex took a deep breath and seemed to skip ahead to the matter at hand, "Anyway, these military guys seemed to find all this out, not to mention that I survived there my entire life, and they took me. Just grabbed me as I was leaving work one night and took me to their base."
Here his voice broke and he stood setting Jessica down into her toy as he paced, "It was horrible, they were experimenting on all these demons, some of them weren't even violent, they were peaceful! It was like torture. Anyway, I had been there awhile when apparently they brought in a vampire, they kept calling him Hostile 17, I recognized him but I don't think he even saw me. They...they cut open his head while he was still awake and stuck this chip inside, it hurt him if he tried to hurt humans, I mean he couldn't even hit them! Suddenly the food I was being given tasted different somehow, it wasn't until after I escaped that I realized I was pregnant, they had been supplementing my food with blood, vampire blood. On top of that they had started injecting me other bodily fluids to see in being possessed by a female hyena did anything. I couldn't stay in town, my friends wouldn't understand, so I left and I ran across the west coast for awhile. Jessica was born in Seattle with the help of some practicing Wiccans in the area."
Lorne listened with rapt attention until at last he had to speak, "What's the mark on the back of your neck, it looks like an x almost."
Alex rubbed it with an absent hand as he sat back down, "It's where they stuck a tracer, the Wiccans found it when they were figuring out all the formalities, they took it out for me, and for some reason it left that mark. It was at that point we figured out what I was, I'm a healer, both for demons and humans. I got the ID from a grout Grothunk demons after I healed the leader's son of a nasty infection, it nearly exhausted my energy supply."
"So how old is the little cutie?"
A worn smile crossed the younger man's face as he looked down, "She's just about to turn one, I try and feed her at least a little human blood because she is part vampire, but I'm sure getting that around here isn't a problem."
Lorne shook his head, he got enough vampires into the club, including Angel that it was good to have it permanently on hand. "Not at all, I have plenty around. Now first thing is that we are going to have to get you some new clothes hun!"
Xander looked down at his own slightly worn baggy carpenter pants and loose black t-shirt and then at Lorne's brightly colored iridescent silk suit. He merely raised an eyebrow.
The green demon waived him off with a smile, "Don't worry, you could never pull this off, we'll have to find something to show off that body of yours, not to mention that I'll have to make a new rule about propositioning the bartender."
A startled look appeared on his face followed quickly by a dark flush that rose across his skin with a sheepish smile, "I guess all that traveling did some good?"
"Hun, you'd better watch out, you're gonna be the new hot ticket item at Caritas."
Glancing towards the clock Lorne pulled Alex towards the door, "C'mon we have just enough time before we open to get this place set up and you into some new duds!"
Quickly grabbing Jessica and the baby pack Xander followed Lorne out the door shaking his head at the sheer amount of energy that he put out. They walked towards a small shop at the end of the street Lorne ushered Alex inside as the bell chimed their entrance.
A small old Asian woman appeared from the back of the shop, she was dressed in a black kimono with circling red and purple flowers embroidered over it. Her face spoke of wisdom and age and her eyes glinted with knowledge and a secret mirth. "Lorne, what a pleasant surprise! What have you brought me today?" she asked as she circled the uncomfortable teenager.
"Xenia, this is my newest bartender, Alex. He needs a new wardrobe as you can tell."
Xander blushed cursing his easily enflamed face as the old woman looked at him with knowing eyes. Suddenly a tape measurer appeared in her hands and Xander looked at Lorne imploringly and then glared as he merely stepped forward and took Jessica and then stepped away. "Sorry hun, you're on your own. She'd skin me alive and I rather like it thank you very much."
Sighing Xander gave up and stood still as she circled around taking measurements here and there in various places all over his body. Just when he thought they were done Xenia grabbed them both and dragged them into a back room where with a wave of her hand the clothes started to form.
Lorne laughed at the stunned expression on Alex's face, "Why do you think Xenia wasn't freaked out by my appearance? She's half Msaan demon and a very powerful witch to boot."
Alex looked at the older lady with more respect as the multitudes of new clothes folded themselves and stacked on the counter. With a mocking bow the older woman turned to Lorne piercing him with her look, "And how will we be paying for this?"
The green demon laughed and handed the now sleeping baby back to her mother, "Alex, there's a great furniture store right next door, I'll meet you there."
Alex looked like he was about to protest Lorne paying but finally he just nodded and left carefully cradling the small girl in his arms as if she were the most precious thing in the world.
Turning back to Xenia his expression became serious, "What do you sense?"
A sad expression came across the older woman's face. One of the skills of the Msaan demons was the ability of empathy and some psychic skills. The emotions coming off the boy were overwhelming in their variety and intensity. "Be careful with him, he has been hurt emotionally, physically, and mentally. The heart is kind but with an edge of darkness that now understands the shades of gray that inhabit the world around him. He has the possibility of great power and of helping many people. He already has and the affect upon him is great; you cannot prevent this but you can help."
Xenia turned fully to Lorne with a dark glare, "If he is hurt, I will make sure to make your life hell."
The green demon nodded sadly as he dropped some money into her hand and walked from the store, "I won't, all I want from him is his friendship; his heart is to big for this world; he makes you want to protect him."
The small woman nodded sagely, "Yes he does, there are people from his past here and they could hurt him or heal him, don't let them."
"I won't you have my word." With that he left the shop quickly following after Alex.
