Chapter 16
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from the Angel series except my own.
Angel felt a sick feeling pooling in the bottom of his gut, a feeling he knew that didn't just stem from his stomach wound. "What is he talking about," Angel asked her quietly. Kaia didn't answer him, instead choosing to turn her eyes back to the remaining assailant who was grinning like a mad man.
"Yes…what am I talking about," the vampire said, a wide grin still on his face. "The question is: does Kaia know what I'm talking about?" Kaia gave Angel sideways glance, realizing that he was now standing next to her, before looking down at the ground guiltily. The vampire threw his head back and laughed loudly. "So you did finally figure out about your parentage. But I'm confused here. I thought for sure you would have told Angel the truth once you found out. What's the matter...afraid he would turn you away? You're not his only bastard child you know."
Wesley gasped. "Oh good god," was all he could get out. Spike's mouth gaped. Was this vampire saying what he thought or was he misinterpreting? It sounded like he was saying that she was Angel's child, but how?
"You know what...I'm about tired of your mouth," Kaia said as she walked closer towards him, her tone low, almost a growl.
The vampire chuckled and kicked a table he spied to his right sharply, breaking off one of the legs. As he bent to pick it up, he withdrew a device from his pocket and placed it on the floor carefully. He stood back up, caressing the broken table leg for a moment, running his fingers down towards the jagged edge. He laughed again as he rapidly threw the piece of wood, sharp edge outwards towards his target. Kaia moved to catch it, but only managed to knock it slightly off course. It sliced Angel on his shoulder and he let out a low groan.
Gunn clenched his hands at his side. He was tired of this shit. He moved forward and picked up the axe off the floor. Angel touched him on his shoulder as he moved past him, holding his hand out to take the axe, silently telling Gunn he wanted to do it himself. Gunn nodded. "Finish that bastard," he said. Angel nodded, but called Kaia's name, throwing the axe to her instead as she turned towards him. She caught it swiftly, before throwing the axe at the vampire using her telekinesis to make it go faster. The axe cut the vampire's head clean off and the grin that was on his face slipped away. He exploded into dust and Kaia watched as the dust fell. The room was quiet save for Angel's shallow breathing. She closed her eyes, unable to face him right now. She hadn't wanted him to find out the truth like this. She heard him call her name and she glanced at him. His eyes searched her face for answers.
"What did he mean Kaia," he questioned softly; even though he had a sinking feeling he knew exactly what the vampire meant...at least he thought he did. "What he said...about you not being my only bastard child...is he saying..." He broke off not able to continue, almost fearful of her answer.
She didn't answer him right away. His stomach wound was more pressing. Kaia walked back over to him and removed his hand from his stomach. She placed a hand above his wound and her hand glowed for a moment before she pulled it away. Angel felt a sense of warmness flow through him and when he touched his stomach, he realized the wound had closed. She then held a hand to his sliced shoulder and repeated the motion, healing that injury as well. He reached up to grab her hand, cradling it in his. "Answer me," he pleaded. "Tell me what's going on."
"I'm sorry Angel," Kaia said finally meeting his eyes. "I didn't want you to find out this way. I didn't want you to find out so soon. I haven't been able to wrap my mind around it myself...but yes you're my father."
"But...but...how," he sputtered, shaking his head in disbelief. "How could this be possible? It can't be. What happened with Darla couldn't have happened again. I would have known. How could you be my--?" He stopped abruptly, unable to even get the word out. His child...how could this be possible?
Gunn glanced at Fred. "Is this why you guys were acting so weird," he asked her. Fred nodded and walked towards Angel and placed a hand on his shoulder. "It's tru-true Angel," Fred stuttered. "I ran the tests myself. That's why we took so long. We were talking about you and that's how Connor's name came up. She told me about her suspicions that you were her father and I carried her down to the lab to test the both of your blood. The data matches up...she is yours Angel...I don't know how, but it's true."
Angel's eyes never left Kaia's face while Fred spoke. He noticed her face had fallen, the pain in her eyes visible. He hadn't meant to react like that...he was just in shock. But now he could see his reaction was hurting her...immensely. As evidence of what he was thinking, she abruptly pulled her hand from his grasp, tearing her eyes away from his stare.
"No don't," he said as he saw her backing away. He reached out and grabbed her shoulders to stop her. "I'm sorry...for reacting that way," he said. "I'm just so confused. I'm a vampire...vampires don't have children...not like that. Connor...well...I'm sure Fred explained he was part of a prophecy. He wasn't supposed to happen. I'm not sure how this could have happened twice...not to mention you're older than him. Fred, do you know how this happened?"
"No I don't know...at least not yet," Fred answered. "But Kaia was the one that prompted the tests. She was having these dreams...about you and her."
Angel stared at Kaia. "What kind of dreams," he asked, his eyes still on Kaia's face. Tell me about them.
"I don't really want to talk about the dreams right now," Kaia said, her voice cracking. "Do we have to talk about that...right this second?"
"No we don't...only when you're ready...right Angel," said Fred in a voice that dared him to argue with her.
"Ye-Yeah...I can wait...Kaia you don't have to tell me everything right now, but there are still questions I need answers too," he said, his voice pleading with her to understand his position. "You can't just tell me I fathered a child and leave it that. How come I never knew about you?"
"I don't know the answer to that question Angel," Kaia replied, her voice sounding weary. "I've been wondering that myself...ever since I first suspected that you were my father. I didn't even want you to know...at first."
"That's why you were so against staying," he said slowly. "You were trying to protect me."
"Yeah I was," she said, her sorrowful eyes looking into his dark ones. "But look what good that did...you almost got dusted today. I told you they would find me...that they would come for me. You wouldn't listen. You could have been killed. That would have been the second time I lost a father." She backed away from him. "I should leave."
"No you can't," he said, as he moved toward her again, placing his hands on her face. "We'll figure this out. I won't let you leave like this."
"Well now Angel...you may not have a choice in the matter," a familiar voice said, causing everyone but Kaia to cringe inwardly.
All eyes flew towards the sound of that voice, everyone surprised to see a hologram of Lindsay coming out of the device the vampire had left on the floor. "Well isn't this sweet," he continued, a sickening smile on his face. "It looks like the family's all back together again...oh wait...except for the younger brother, but hey at least you have one of your kids right Angel."
"Lindsay," Angel growled. "You. I should have known Wolfram & Hart would have something to do with this."
"Now...now...now," Lindsay taunted. "Don't get all huffed up Angel. I was not even a part of the company when this plan was put into action. You can thank your buddy there for helping us on that." He motioned a hand to Spike and Spike's mouth fell open.
"You're a bloody liar," he cried. "Angel don't believe him. You know you can't trust him. I don't know what he's talking about."
Angel turned to glare at Spike. "Not too long ago I couldn't trust you," he spat. Spike returned the glare. "I'm telling you he's lying," Spike replied angrily.
"Spike's telling the truth," Kaia chimed in, her eyes focusing intently on Spike. "At least what he knows is the truth...there's something blocking a part of his subconscious...some sort of mind barrier." She then glanced at her father. "Someone brain washed him...made him forget something...whatever is blocked behind that barrier could be what that asshole is talking about."
"No need for those kinds of names sweetheart," Lindsay said, his voice sticky sweet. "Like I said this wasn't my idea. Spike struck a deal with one of our lawyers to collect some of your Dad's 'little men' where it would be stored until we were ready to use it."
Gunn grimaced. "Are you telling me that Spike collected Angel's sperm and just handed them over to you? How the hell did he get it? Don't answer that last one...I'm not sure I want to know!"
"Angel, do you remember there was a time you went to a certain bar and woke up feeling a little out of sorts," Lindsay continued, ignoring Gunn's question completely. "Something was slipped into your drink that night. It was a powerful drug that kept you high for almost 6 hours. Of course that feeling of an intense high brought out your alter ego...Angelus." Angel's brow furrowed in confusion, as he tried to recall that event.
"I remember something vaguely like that," said Wesley. "But Angel wasn't at a bar...it happened at that actress's house. She wanted Angel to turn her so that she could retain her youth. And it wasn't 6 hours...the effects didn't last anywhere as long as that. Plus that only happened a couple years ago. Kaia is 25 years old."
"Oh no...not that time," Lindsay said with a laugh. "This happened long before that. Angel went to that bar on a tip that there was a hoard of vampires scheduled to attack there that night. Little did he know his friend Spike was the one who was responsible for him getting that tip. A young woman persuaded him to get a drink and the bartender put a little happy pill in it...both were paid off by Spike of course. And that's when the fun began...out came Angelus!"
"Wait...I remember something like that," Angel said slowly. "I woke up at my apartment feeling dazed and out of sorts. I had hoped that it was some sort of dream." Angel inhaled sharply when realization suddenly hit him. "That happened about 25 years ago."
"Exactly," Lindsay replied. "And how old is this lovely girl here?"
Kaia fought the suddent bout of naseau cursing through her stomach. "I'm 25 years old," she whispered. "Oh god," she exclaimed, unable to believe what she was hearing.
"Oh God can't help you now," Lindsay quipped, a wide grin apparent on his face. "When your daddy here turned into Angelus he went and had sex with the same slut he met in that bar, who coincidentally was a vampire as well. After they did the deed, several times I might add, he staked her and left. But there was one thing he didn't expect...Spike. Angel didn't know Spike had tracked him there. Spike contacted our people and one of our scientists went and collected daddy boy's semen...and well used it to create you. Needless to say...you're a petri dish baby. The egg was fertilized outside the womb of your mother and then was placed back inside her. Spike was brainwashed to forget the entire thing."
"My-my mother...where is she...who is she," Kaia demanded. "Tell me now!"
"You're in no position to make demands," he replied, his tone even. "But since you're so eager to know...well she's dead. We had to kill her."
"You bastard," Kaia spat, clenching her hands at her sides.
Lindsay chuckled again. "No, that would be you," he shot back at her. "It was her own fault really. She tried to escape with you when you were born. She had first agreed to conceive you, if we released her. Of course we were never going to let her go. She was an alien being that we had captured, who apparently had been here exploring our world. She was just a thing. Of course we couldn't just let her go...not without further experimentation. But she just had to play the protective mother. She didn't want you to be experimented on like she was. That didn't work out too well though did it? She was a hot number though so I heard. Apparently her species was very similar to humans in the way their bodies were made, except a couple important things...they had special abilities. That's why you're so powerful. My superiors knew a mixture of Angel's abilities grouped with that alien's power would create a powerful fighting entity...a future assassin."
"Yes...I read my file...at least the small part I managed to see," Kaia responded coldly. "It said that I was the start of a group of military assassins that would be trained to kill, but I rejected most of your brain washing. That didn't work out too well did it?" Lindsay's smile faltered as his words were thrown back at him. She was tougher than he thought. He thought she would have visibly fallen apart at the news she had just discovered, but she held fast...just like her father. Well, that was what they were hoping for...for her to be strong. That's the only way she could be of some use to the senior partners.
"Yes that was unfortunate," said Lindsay, all traces of fun and games absent from his tone, his face now bearing a serious expression. "We didn't expect your telepathic power to be so strong. Not to mention you escaping was something unexpected. You were only a child. We didn't think your powers were advanced enough to find a way out of the facility. But enough of that talk now. Let's get down to business. The next time we send people out...well they won't come here. They'll be heading for a college that has a certain blue-eyed boy related to you...you know...your little brother. We will kill him. He won't even know what hit him. All of Connor's knowledge of fighting was wiped away, so he'll be easy pickings."
"Don't you dare go near my son," Angel warned. "And stay away from my daughter." Kaia felt a feeling of warmness enter her heart at his words, but that feeling dissipated quickly. They were threatening her brother now. She couldn't let that happen."
"Well that's up to Kaia now isn't it," said Lindsay. "We'll send instructions in three days on where to meet us. I can't wait to finally meet you in person...to get to know you better. I've never made it with an alien before. I guess now's my chance." He ran his eyes over her body with a nasty look that made her cringe inwardly.
"You.Better.Not.Touch.My.Brother," she said advancing toward the hologram. "If you hurt him, my father, or anyone else in this room, including Spike...I will kill you myself."
Lindsay only smiled, refusing to react to her threat. "Don't disappoint us, or you'll be sorry." The hologram disappeared leaving the device on the floor. Kaia glanced at Angel and saw how angry he was. He was visibly shaking. She walked back towards him and slowly reached out a hand to touch him, but he withdrew and simply walked away from her. Her hand fell down to her side as she heard him stomping up the stairs and she felt her protective barrier tearing down, brick by brick. She vaguely heard Gunn curse and she could see Wesley moving towards her in the corner of her eye. He caught her hand and pulled her to him and that was her undoing. Her hands moved of their own accord to grasp his shirt tightly as the sobs racked her body. Angel didn't want her. She knew now she should have never come back to this house. It was a mistake...and that mistake was costing her.
Note: Jesus. This was a hard chapter for me to write. It took a lot out of me...packing so much emotion in one chapter. I was actually feeling Kaia and Angel's emotions. I'm a weirdo...I know, but it's the only way I feel I can write. I have to be able to feel it...to feel that's it's real. Everyone knows the best stories are the ones that touch you, that intrigue you, that make you feel. That's what I'm trying to do here. Please review.
