Dark Times
Chapter Three: Singing for the Green Man
Posted: July 24th 2004
Disclaimer: see first chapter. I would just like to add that the song featured in this chapter is "Born to Fly" by Sarah Evans, written and composed by Darryl Scott, Marcus Hummon, and Sarah Evans.
Author's notes: I just want to apologize for the delay in getting this up. I am now working, and though the job is only part time, taking care of a nine month old is very trying. I wrote up a 'fanfic to do list' a couple days ago, which is good news for those of you who are waiting for me to update Divine Interference, it will be done as soon as I get a chance. I want to thank Will ow2002 for reviewing today, or sometime in the past 12 hours, because it reminded me that I owed you guys an update!
Here is your update!
Reader Responses:
Will ow2002: I'm sorry the chapters are short. Generally I have five or six paged chapters, but that was the best I could do, being at my dad's and his stinky computer. And I'm sorry there's not as much as emotion as you'd like. I hope that there's more in this chapter.
Whoa, wait, they took out my separators again?! I've been having this problem since the new updates came along! Second letter, coming up! This time it'll be a bit nastier! Thanks for letting me know! That pisses me off that they took those out!
There we go, a professional email sent to ! Thank you so much for bringing that to my attention! And I'm glad you found something you liked about my story, and I'm glad that you will continue to read. I, personally, think that things only have to get worse, before they get better. And for those of you who know me, you know the only way this can end...
Queen Boadicea: I had no intention of her sounding like Dawn. I was just thinking, she's a teenager, and she just found out something that's changed her life. I think we'd all be very upset. And to tell you the truth...I have no idea whatsoever where this is going. I know that might not inspire any confidence in me, but it's true. The only goal I have for this story is the goal I have for almost all of my stories: to get Buffy and Angel back together. Oh, and to please my readers, as well! Thanks for your review!
Willow Fireheart: you like the word interesting, don't you? Lol, well, you are right in most, well, almost all of your deductions. I'm not going to tell you which, though, because you learn about them in this chapter. I will tell you though, that soul or not, Angel is still a vampire. And vampires, at least in my book, well, if I had a book, are evil. Even if they are hott....
FivebyFive: awesome, I wouldn't go that far but...You'll definitely be finding out more about everything in this chapter, but not so much about Cordy. I might end up having a chapter about what happened to her, but to tell you the truth, I really don't know. She's alive, of course, but so are- some other people you'll be seeing in this chapter (nice going, Karen, almost blew it!) Anyway, I hope you enjoy this update!
DaMick: Yeah, that was bugging me too, but I think after all these years (because this is set way in the future of Not Fade Away, if you haven't guessed that, Jennifer was born roughly around third season, in reference to this story ( :D ) and she's 18 now, or roughly that. You'll find out more in this chapter, don't worry about it.
Oh, and I just want to remark, because I find this funny: as far as I know, whenever I have had her do something, I have always called her Jennifer, yet in every single review I got, people were calling her Jena. I'm sorry for laughing at you, but I think it's funny. I couldn't care less what you call her, but still...
Ok, there was a Jenny in there too, but hey!
(START OF STORY)
"Hey, Jena!" Connor called a couple days later, "What's up?"
"Nothing," she deadpanned. For once the gray colors she had to wear matched her mood.
"What's wrong?" he asked, his brow creasing.
"Nothing."
"Jen, I feel like I've known you forever, and I just know something's wrong."
"Not here. I can't talk about it here," she said fervently, shaking her head, her long blond hair flying everywhere.
Fifteen minutes later they were dangling their feet into a chilly creek, deep in some woods.
"Nobody knows about this place, besides me and my dad. He used to take me here a lot before he got too busy, and I grew up," Connor explained, as well as to break the ice. They hadn't talked at all since they had skipped lunch and drove away from the campus.
"I-I'm adopted," she said, her eyes filling with tears. Now that he looked really close, he could see they were red rimmed, hidden by carefully applied makeup.
"Wow, that sucks. What are you going to do?"
"Do?" she asked, confused.
"Are you going to look for your birth mom?"
"I never thought about it. I guess. She's my mom. But what if she doesn't want to know me? She gave me up, Connor!"
He wrapped his arms around her, a motion that should have seemed awkward, seeing as he had only known her a few days, but it felt perfectly natural, "I didn't say it was going to be easy, but you'll feel better knowing," she sat up, and he stared off into space a moment. "Sometimes...I feel like I'm adopted. My sisters- my family is great, but I've been having these dreams...about when I was younger...a man calling me Steven, in this strange world, and...that woman, Cordy, from Angel Investigations. I swear she was in some, calling me Connor..." he sighed, "Sorry, I'm taking away your thunder."
"No, you're not. D-Do you think, if we told Angel, he could help?"
"I'm not sure. It's worth a try though."
(SCENE CHANGE)
"Hey, sweet-cheeks, the Stud-Muffin's out right now, but if there's anything I can do for you...?" a green demon with red horns greeted them after they had knocked. The splash of color that was the demon shocked them for a moment, compared to the shades, not colors, they generally saw. He wore a bright purple, pinstriped suit. The stripes were stunningly blue, and his skin didn't help any.
"I-I'm looking for my birth mother," something about the demon's personality made Jennifer open up right away.
"And I'm having strange dreams," Connor put in warily.
"Well, Angel-face is the one for all the detective stuff, but come on into the next room, and sing a few bars for me."
"E-Excuse me?"
"Trust me, angel-girl, sing." He headed towards an office, and they couldn't do anything but follow.
"Uh...what should I sing?"
"Anything you want, pretty."
"Uh....I've been tellin' my dreams to the scarecrow
'Bout the places that I'd like to see
I say, friend do you think I'll ever get the-ere
Oh, but he just stands there, smiling back at me
So I confess my sins to the preacher
About the love I've been prayin' to find
Is there a brown-eyed boy in my future, yeah?
And he says, girl you've got nothing but time,"
She waited for him to stop her, but he never did, so she sang the whole song.
"Woo-ey! Girl, you are dynamite! If I still have all my connections...mm-hm! You'd never guess you're father was tone deaf, would you? And he can't carry a tune in a bucket, let me tell you!"
"You know my father?"
"Know him? I work for him, angel-cakes." He let her digest that information, and turned to Connor, "Now your turn-"
"No nicknames, and no singing. I don't sing."
"If you wanna know what's going on, you will," he said in a no nonsense voice that sounded strange compared to the happy go lucky persona he had that matched his suit.
He sighed and sang a few bars.
"Ok, that's enough," he shook his green head, "You two really have more in common than you'd ever dream of. Ask Angel about your dreams. Now, I'd love to chat, but I gotta fly, Chow!" he left the room, and soon they heard the door close.
They sat in silence for a while.
"Angel?" a female voice called from the next room, different than Cordy's with a Texan swing. "Angel, are you back yet? Cordy had a-oh" she poked her head into the room, and noticed them. She pushed her glasses up from where they had slid down, "Have you seen Angel? I need his help with Cordelia."
They both shook their heads.
"And-"
"WOOEY!" the heard from the front room as the door slammed.
"Oh thank God! Charles! Wesley! You're back! I need help with Cordelia! She had another..." she left the room, closing the door behind her.
"Cordelia...Chase," Connor muttered, "Part " he shook his head, confused, a scared look on his face.
"What?" Jennifer asked.
"I-I'm not sure."
They waited in silence once more, until finally Angel returned. He opened the office door, and was surprised to see them, "Uh, hi. We haven't found anything yet. We are working on it though. Things have been," he sighed, sinking down into the office chair. Connor looked around for the first time, and guessed it was his office, by the Spartan furnishings.
"Are you my father?" she asked before he had even sat down.
"No," he was caught of guard.
"The singing demon said you were."
"No, they're no way. Vampires cannot have children," his eyes slid unbidden to Connor, before he jerked them away.
"Think," she cried, tears forming, she was so close, she just knew it, "I'm 18. My birthday is September 16th. The green demon made us sing, and he said he worked for my father."
"I've only slept with three women in over 90 years. I'd think I would know if-" his face suddenly changed, like something had dawned on him "you said 18?" she nodded. He swore, and stalked out of the room, slamming the door behind him.
He came back a few minutes later, looking defeated, "Did he read you too, Connor?"
He nodded, "I've been having these dreams..."
Angel sighed, "You're mother was my sire, a vampire by the name of Darla. The curse that gave me my soul has a loophole, and she was trying to activate it. I was in a bad place in my unlife, so I let her. My soul stayed intact, and I threw her out.
"She died giving birth to you because vampires can't have kids. While you were still an infant, one of my old nemeses kidnapped you and you grew up in Kortoff, thinking you were his son. You were a wreck after we defeated Jasmine, a demon, and you almost killed yourself. I worked for Wolfram and Hart in exchange for the family that you now have.
"I-I just wanted you to have a life without demons and darkness, the life you deserved. Did you have a good life? A good childhood?"
"Uh...yeah, I did."
Angel nodded, "I own the building. Choose an apartment on the first floor, and stay the night. Someone's coming that I want you to meet, Jenny," he flinched.
"Call me Jena, please. The name seems painful for us both."
He nodded, "Connor, you don't have to stay, but we're about to crack this case."
"What do we tell our parents?" Jennifer asked warily. She couldn't very well tell them she was staying the night with a boy and a vampire.
"Uh...you're staying at a friend's. Round robin, or whatever it's called. If you need names, Charles, Wesley, Winifred, or Cordelia." He stalked off.
They looked at each other, shocked by his mood, and their new information. "You first," Connor said.
She nodded and dialed her home phone. "Hey, mom. I'm at Fred's and it seems like we're gonna pull an all night studying thing...Winifred, Mom. Bye, I love you too." She hung up, handing him the phone. She hated lying to her parents, and her bubbly mood was subdued at the moment.
"Hey, Brat. I'm out with the guys. Tell Mom I won't be home until late, if at all. You don't know 'em, squirt; Charlie, Wes, and Fred," he laughed, "Love you too, pipsqueak." He hung up, "Gotta love siblings." Suddenly he remembered that they weren't his real sisters, and sulked.
"Let's go find us a room," she said quietly, knowing just how he felt. He nodded, and they headed towards the stairs. They found a tiny apartment with two bedrooms. As soon as they had finished choosing rooms, Cordelia came bouncing into the room.
"Angel sent me over with these," she beamed, setting down a paper bag full of snack type items. She was wearing a flowing red top, and black pleather looking pants. What the other woman had said before suddenly came back to Jennifer, and she wondered why she had needed help, what was wrong with this beautiful, if not vibrant woman?
"Uh, thanks," Jennifer smiled at the woman.
"And you're welcome to join us for dinner," she smiled, almost too perky.
"Oh, are you two...involved?" Jennifer asked. For some reason it didn't set right with her, though she didn't even really know her father, and she had no clue who her mother was.
"No, though once we were in love," she said in the same perky manner, "If you want to join us, just take the elevator to the basement. See you then!" she left, just as bouncy as she came in.
Jennifer and Connor just looked at each other, confused.
(SCENE CHANGE)
"Jennifer, wake up," the brunette shook her lightly. Once she glared blearily up at her, she said, "Angel sent me to wake you. She's here."
"Who?" but she was already gone. Jennifer pulled her sleep-tousled hair back into a loose ponytail and pulled on her shorts.
Connor came out of his room at the same time she came out of hers, and they headed to the basement together. They had joined them for dinner earlier that night, both surprised that a vampire, who didn't need such a skill, was such a good cook.
"Drop the cryptic, Angel! What the hell is this about?!" The same blonde they had seen their first time in the apartment building cried, exasperated. She was wearing a yellow, backless shirt, and blue jeans.
"Why didn't you tell me I had a daughter?" he asked quietly.
He expected her to deny it, hoped she would, but instead she seemed to deflate before his eyes. "I was...ashamed. No one knows," she whispered.
He saw them, nodding them farther into the room as he talked, "It just doesn't go away, Buffy-"
"I wanted a normal life, the one that you left me for, for her. But it got fucked up again, because of you. How did you find out, anyway?"
"She sought me out, unintentionally. Jennifer, I'd like you to meet your birth mother, Buffy Summers." The woman turned in slow motion, almost like she was unprepared for this moment, but had dreamt of it for a long time. Then she was rushing towards Jennifer, crushing her into her arms.
Angel was shocked to see the tiny movement in her shoulder's letting him know that she was crying.
Chapter Three: Singing for the Green Man
Posted: July 24th 2004
Disclaimer: see first chapter. I would just like to add that the song featured in this chapter is "Born to Fly" by Sarah Evans, written and composed by Darryl Scott, Marcus Hummon, and Sarah Evans.
Author's notes: I just want to apologize for the delay in getting this up. I am now working, and though the job is only part time, taking care of a nine month old is very trying. I wrote up a 'fanfic to do list' a couple days ago, which is good news for those of you who are waiting for me to update Divine Interference, it will be done as soon as I get a chance. I want to thank Will ow2002 for reviewing today, or sometime in the past 12 hours, because it reminded me that I owed you guys an update!
Here is your update!
Reader Responses:
Will ow2002: I'm sorry the chapters are short. Generally I have five or six paged chapters, but that was the best I could do, being at my dad's and his stinky computer. And I'm sorry there's not as much as emotion as you'd like. I hope that there's more in this chapter.
Whoa, wait, they took out my separators again?! I've been having this problem since the new updates came along! Second letter, coming up! This time it'll be a bit nastier! Thanks for letting me know! That pisses me off that they took those out!
There we go, a professional email sent to ! Thank you so much for bringing that to my attention! And I'm glad you found something you liked about my story, and I'm glad that you will continue to read. I, personally, think that things only have to get worse, before they get better. And for those of you who know me, you know the only way this can end...
Queen Boadicea: I had no intention of her sounding like Dawn. I was just thinking, she's a teenager, and she just found out something that's changed her life. I think we'd all be very upset. And to tell you the truth...I have no idea whatsoever where this is going. I know that might not inspire any confidence in me, but it's true. The only goal I have for this story is the goal I have for almost all of my stories: to get Buffy and Angel back together. Oh, and to please my readers, as well! Thanks for your review!
Willow Fireheart: you like the word interesting, don't you? Lol, well, you are right in most, well, almost all of your deductions. I'm not going to tell you which, though, because you learn about them in this chapter. I will tell you though, that soul or not, Angel is still a vampire. And vampires, at least in my book, well, if I had a book, are evil. Even if they are hott....
FivebyFive: awesome, I wouldn't go that far but...You'll definitely be finding out more about everything in this chapter, but not so much about Cordy. I might end up having a chapter about what happened to her, but to tell you the truth, I really don't know. She's alive, of course, but so are- some other people you'll be seeing in this chapter (nice going, Karen, almost blew it!) Anyway, I hope you enjoy this update!
DaMick: Yeah, that was bugging me too, but I think after all these years (because this is set way in the future of Not Fade Away, if you haven't guessed that, Jennifer was born roughly around third season, in reference to this story ( :D ) and she's 18 now, or roughly that. You'll find out more in this chapter, don't worry about it.
Oh, and I just want to remark, because I find this funny: as far as I know, whenever I have had her do something, I have always called her Jennifer, yet in every single review I got, people were calling her Jena. I'm sorry for laughing at you, but I think it's funny. I couldn't care less what you call her, but still...
Ok, there was a Jenny in there too, but hey!
(START OF STORY)
"Hey, Jena!" Connor called a couple days later, "What's up?"
"Nothing," she deadpanned. For once the gray colors she had to wear matched her mood.
"What's wrong?" he asked, his brow creasing.
"Nothing."
"Jen, I feel like I've known you forever, and I just know something's wrong."
"Not here. I can't talk about it here," she said fervently, shaking her head, her long blond hair flying everywhere.
Fifteen minutes later they were dangling their feet into a chilly creek, deep in some woods.
"Nobody knows about this place, besides me and my dad. He used to take me here a lot before he got too busy, and I grew up," Connor explained, as well as to break the ice. They hadn't talked at all since they had skipped lunch and drove away from the campus.
"I-I'm adopted," she said, her eyes filling with tears. Now that he looked really close, he could see they were red rimmed, hidden by carefully applied makeup.
"Wow, that sucks. What are you going to do?"
"Do?" she asked, confused.
"Are you going to look for your birth mom?"
"I never thought about it. I guess. She's my mom. But what if she doesn't want to know me? She gave me up, Connor!"
He wrapped his arms around her, a motion that should have seemed awkward, seeing as he had only known her a few days, but it felt perfectly natural, "I didn't say it was going to be easy, but you'll feel better knowing," she sat up, and he stared off into space a moment. "Sometimes...I feel like I'm adopted. My sisters- my family is great, but I've been having these dreams...about when I was younger...a man calling me Steven, in this strange world, and...that woman, Cordy, from Angel Investigations. I swear she was in some, calling me Connor..." he sighed, "Sorry, I'm taking away your thunder."
"No, you're not. D-Do you think, if we told Angel, he could help?"
"I'm not sure. It's worth a try though."
(SCENE CHANGE)
"Hey, sweet-cheeks, the Stud-Muffin's out right now, but if there's anything I can do for you...?" a green demon with red horns greeted them after they had knocked. The splash of color that was the demon shocked them for a moment, compared to the shades, not colors, they generally saw. He wore a bright purple, pinstriped suit. The stripes were stunningly blue, and his skin didn't help any.
"I-I'm looking for my birth mother," something about the demon's personality made Jennifer open up right away.
"And I'm having strange dreams," Connor put in warily.
"Well, Angel-face is the one for all the detective stuff, but come on into the next room, and sing a few bars for me."
"E-Excuse me?"
"Trust me, angel-girl, sing." He headed towards an office, and they couldn't do anything but follow.
"Uh...what should I sing?"
"Anything you want, pretty."
"Uh....I've been tellin' my dreams to the scarecrow
'Bout the places that I'd like to see
I say, friend do you think I'll ever get the-ere
Oh, but he just stands there, smiling back at me
So I confess my sins to the preacher
About the love I've been prayin' to find
Is there a brown-eyed boy in my future, yeah?
And he says, girl you've got nothing but time,"
She waited for him to stop her, but he never did, so she sang the whole song.
"Woo-ey! Girl, you are dynamite! If I still have all my connections...mm-hm! You'd never guess you're father was tone deaf, would you? And he can't carry a tune in a bucket, let me tell you!"
"You know my father?"
"Know him? I work for him, angel-cakes." He let her digest that information, and turned to Connor, "Now your turn-"
"No nicknames, and no singing. I don't sing."
"If you wanna know what's going on, you will," he said in a no nonsense voice that sounded strange compared to the happy go lucky persona he had that matched his suit.
He sighed and sang a few bars.
"Ok, that's enough," he shook his green head, "You two really have more in common than you'd ever dream of. Ask Angel about your dreams. Now, I'd love to chat, but I gotta fly, Chow!" he left the room, and soon they heard the door close.
They sat in silence for a while.
"Angel?" a female voice called from the next room, different than Cordy's with a Texan swing. "Angel, are you back yet? Cordy had a-oh" she poked her head into the room, and noticed them. She pushed her glasses up from where they had slid down, "Have you seen Angel? I need his help with Cordelia."
They both shook their heads.
"And-"
"WOOEY!" the heard from the front room as the door slammed.
"Oh thank God! Charles! Wesley! You're back! I need help with Cordelia! She had another..." she left the room, closing the door behind her.
"Cordelia...Chase," Connor muttered, "Part " he shook his head, confused, a scared look on his face.
"What?" Jennifer asked.
"I-I'm not sure."
They waited in silence once more, until finally Angel returned. He opened the office door, and was surprised to see them, "Uh, hi. We haven't found anything yet. We are working on it though. Things have been," he sighed, sinking down into the office chair. Connor looked around for the first time, and guessed it was his office, by the Spartan furnishings.
"Are you my father?" she asked before he had even sat down.
"No," he was caught of guard.
"The singing demon said you were."
"No, they're no way. Vampires cannot have children," his eyes slid unbidden to Connor, before he jerked them away.
"Think," she cried, tears forming, she was so close, she just knew it, "I'm 18. My birthday is September 16th. The green demon made us sing, and he said he worked for my father."
"I've only slept with three women in over 90 years. I'd think I would know if-" his face suddenly changed, like something had dawned on him "you said 18?" she nodded. He swore, and stalked out of the room, slamming the door behind him.
He came back a few minutes later, looking defeated, "Did he read you too, Connor?"
He nodded, "I've been having these dreams..."
Angel sighed, "You're mother was my sire, a vampire by the name of Darla. The curse that gave me my soul has a loophole, and she was trying to activate it. I was in a bad place in my unlife, so I let her. My soul stayed intact, and I threw her out.
"She died giving birth to you because vampires can't have kids. While you were still an infant, one of my old nemeses kidnapped you and you grew up in Kortoff, thinking you were his son. You were a wreck after we defeated Jasmine, a demon, and you almost killed yourself. I worked for Wolfram and Hart in exchange for the family that you now have.
"I-I just wanted you to have a life without demons and darkness, the life you deserved. Did you have a good life? A good childhood?"
"Uh...yeah, I did."
Angel nodded, "I own the building. Choose an apartment on the first floor, and stay the night. Someone's coming that I want you to meet, Jenny," he flinched.
"Call me Jena, please. The name seems painful for us both."
He nodded, "Connor, you don't have to stay, but we're about to crack this case."
"What do we tell our parents?" Jennifer asked warily. She couldn't very well tell them she was staying the night with a boy and a vampire.
"Uh...you're staying at a friend's. Round robin, or whatever it's called. If you need names, Charles, Wesley, Winifred, or Cordelia." He stalked off.
They looked at each other, shocked by his mood, and their new information. "You first," Connor said.
She nodded and dialed her home phone. "Hey, mom. I'm at Fred's and it seems like we're gonna pull an all night studying thing...Winifred, Mom. Bye, I love you too." She hung up, handing him the phone. She hated lying to her parents, and her bubbly mood was subdued at the moment.
"Hey, Brat. I'm out with the guys. Tell Mom I won't be home until late, if at all. You don't know 'em, squirt; Charlie, Wes, and Fred," he laughed, "Love you too, pipsqueak." He hung up, "Gotta love siblings." Suddenly he remembered that they weren't his real sisters, and sulked.
"Let's go find us a room," she said quietly, knowing just how he felt. He nodded, and they headed towards the stairs. They found a tiny apartment with two bedrooms. As soon as they had finished choosing rooms, Cordelia came bouncing into the room.
"Angel sent me over with these," she beamed, setting down a paper bag full of snack type items. She was wearing a flowing red top, and black pleather looking pants. What the other woman had said before suddenly came back to Jennifer, and she wondered why she had needed help, what was wrong with this beautiful, if not vibrant woman?
"Uh, thanks," Jennifer smiled at the woman.
"And you're welcome to join us for dinner," she smiled, almost too perky.
"Oh, are you two...involved?" Jennifer asked. For some reason it didn't set right with her, though she didn't even really know her father, and she had no clue who her mother was.
"No, though once we were in love," she said in the same perky manner, "If you want to join us, just take the elevator to the basement. See you then!" she left, just as bouncy as she came in.
Jennifer and Connor just looked at each other, confused.
(SCENE CHANGE)
"Jennifer, wake up," the brunette shook her lightly. Once she glared blearily up at her, she said, "Angel sent me to wake you. She's here."
"Who?" but she was already gone. Jennifer pulled her sleep-tousled hair back into a loose ponytail and pulled on her shorts.
Connor came out of his room at the same time she came out of hers, and they headed to the basement together. They had joined them for dinner earlier that night, both surprised that a vampire, who didn't need such a skill, was such a good cook.
"Drop the cryptic, Angel! What the hell is this about?!" The same blonde they had seen their first time in the apartment building cried, exasperated. She was wearing a yellow, backless shirt, and blue jeans.
"Why didn't you tell me I had a daughter?" he asked quietly.
He expected her to deny it, hoped she would, but instead she seemed to deflate before his eyes. "I was...ashamed. No one knows," she whispered.
He saw them, nodding them farther into the room as he talked, "It just doesn't go away, Buffy-"
"I wanted a normal life, the one that you left me for, for her. But it got fucked up again, because of you. How did you find out, anyway?"
"She sought me out, unintentionally. Jennifer, I'd like you to meet your birth mother, Buffy Summers." The woman turned in slow motion, almost like she was unprepared for this moment, but had dreamt of it for a long time. Then she was rushing towards Jennifer, crushing her into her arms.
Angel was shocked to see the tiny movement in her shoulder's letting him know that she was crying.