"You have to believe me!" Sitting in the hospital bed, her hair pulled up into a sloppy ponytail on top of her head. Courtney touched the bandage on the side of her neck gingerly as she stared pleadingly at the two men in the room. "I know what I saw."
With a heavy sigh, Sonny sunk down in the chair next to her bed. "Courtney I know you've been through a lot lately. Finding out you have an older brother. Being stalked by your husband. Getting mugged tonight. But you need to stop telling everyone-."
"No!" Her cry bounced off walls. "I'm not lying." Her eyes swung over in Jason's direction. "And I'm not crazy. I was attacked by vampires. You believe me, don't you Jason?"
His eyes traveled from hers to the gauze on her neck. "I think you believe you saw a vampire." His tone was soft, but his eyes betrayed what he really thought.
"Not one. Two." Folding her hands in her lap, she hung her head low as tears swelled up in her eyes. "Why can't you believe me?"
Neither men said a word, instead they shared a look that clearly stated what they thought. Courtney had snapped. With a tired sigh, Jason crossed the room to stare out the window. They'd been listening to her for the last hour. Crying, pleading for them to accept what she was saying. But the more she pushed, the more they worried for her.
"I believe you." Looking over his shoulder, Jason spotted Scotty Baldwin stood in the doorway, his eyes filled with fake sympathy. "Why don't you tell me what happened."
"Leave." It wasn't a request but a demand, as Jason turned around and glared at the DA.
"I'm here to take her statement." With a lopsided grin, Scotty winked at Jason. "If you're good I'll let you stay. If not?" Shrugging his shoulders, he jerked his thumb over his behind him where a uniformed officer stood. "I'll him one of 'my' men escort you out."
"Can't this wait till morning. She's already been through enough tonight." Sonny's tone was light, but the outrage in his eyes only made Scotty giddy.
"Not when the trail is fresh. Don't you want to see the men who harmed your sister punished? Or did you get one of your thugs to take care of that for you already?" Slapping his hand against his forehead, the DA gave a short chuckle. "What am I thinking? Jason's here."
A growl escaped Sonny's lips, but before he could rise from his chair, Jason put a hand on his shoulder. "You have five minutes. Then you leave."
"Anything you say Bugsy." With a smirk and a tilt of his head, Scotty clapped his hands together and turned his attention on Courtney. "So why don't you start at the beginning?"
Wiping the tears from her eyes, Courtney sniffed. "I was attacked by vampires."
His sandy brown brows shot up. Taking a closer step to the bed, Scott's voice dropped. "You don't say."
"I was taking Rosie for a walk, when I was grabbed and pulled into an alley." Ignoring Sonny's loud groan, her lower lip quivered. "I was so scared. They're faces...and their teeth." Sobbing, Courtney covered her face with her hands.
Patting her on the back awkwardly, Scotty hushed her until she pulled herself together. "There, there."
"T-Then one of them bit me-."
"Oh come on Baldwin. Can't you see she's in shock!" Leaping out of his chair, Sonny went for the door and opened it. "She needs to rest."
Rage replaced fear in her eyes, as she glared at her older brother. "Fine if you don't believe me, then ask Elizabeth Webber and her friends. They were there. Infact they're the ones that killed the vampires."
Feeling his heart literally stop beating in his chest, Jason's mouth went dry. It wasn't like he believed Courtney's tale of vampires attacking her in an alley. He was certain that she had been attacked. Perhaps the shadows had played tricks with her eyes. But if Elizabeth was there and with friends...
"Elizabeth Webber." Scotty looked thoughtful. "Short, brunette, about yay high?" His hand was about Elizabeth's height. "You're saying she killed this...vampire."
Frustrated, Courtney shook her head. "No she fought him. After he hit her across the back with a pipe." Shaking his head, Jason thought the situation would've been funny, if she didn't look so convinced this was what happened. "Some tall man put a stake through the vampire's back and it went up in a ball of dust."
"Uh-right." Scott's complexion turned pale as he licked his lips. "These people that were with Elizabeth. What did they look like?"
Eyeing the DA, Courtney looked slightly relieved that someone, anyone was listening to her. "The man was tall. Definitely over six feet. Dark hair, good looking. He looked really mad when he showed up."
"And the girl?"
Quick to react, Jason folded his arms across his chest. "She didn't say the other one was a girl."
"She didn't?" Scott shrugged. "I guess I just assumed."
"She was blonde. Really skinny. But she was so strong." Her lips twisted. "So's Elizabeth. She's not the weak little princess she wants everyone to think she is. When she got hit she barely winced."
Choking, Scott looked ready to hurl. "You didn't get their names did you?"
Biting down on her lower lip, Courtney's forehead scrunched as she thought back to the nights events. "Buffy! The man called her Buffy."
Scotty visibly gulped. "A-And the man?"
Courtney stared down at her hands. Shaking her head, Courtney sighed. "I can't remember. I-I don't think anyone said it."
Letting out a shaky breath, Scotty looked behind him to the uniformed officer standing beside the door. "I need Elizabeth Webber found-."
"Whoa!" Rounding the bed, Sonny grabbed a hold of Scotty's elbow and pulled him aside. "Leave Elizabeth alone. My sister is talking about vampires attacking her. Can't you see she's a little unstable right now?"
Looking down at Sonny's hand, Scotty pulled free from the mobsters grasp. "Elizabeth Webber and her friends may be the only source of information we have. Besides you don't call the shots here." Looking at the officer who was still standing in the same position, Scotty's face flushed. "Now! I want her in my office in the next hour."
The young officer nodded and moved for the door but Scotty stopped him. "Tell the men to be careful."
"What was that?" Jason's gut clenched . This wasn't good. He knew the PCPD and their plain stupidity. But for Scott to act like Elizabeth was some armed and dangerous criminal didn't sit well with him.
"Precautions." Mumbling to himself, the DA straightened his suit jacket. "Well as much as this has been, I have a job to do."
"Let us know when you start doing it." Sonny grumbled as he turned back to Courtney. His eyes raked over his sister's face. Gone was the fear and in it's place a smug little smile twisted her lips. Shaking his head, Sonny turned on his heel and cocked his head to the door, silently telling Jason to follow.
With hardly a glance toward the woman he'd been sleeping with for the last two months, Jason followed him out into the hallway. Neither man spoke until they were a good distance from Courtney's room.
"I don't want Baldwin or any of his rats anywhere near Courtney." Talking in a hushed whisper, Sonny pulled his gloves out of his pocket. "If anyone hears her talking like this, she's gonna have a nice little vacation at Ferncliffe."
"I can get one of the men to guard her door." Happy with Jason's answer, Sonny gave a quick nod.
"I'm going to go back to the penthouse and get a hold of Benny to see what he's found."
"What do you want me to do?"
Sonny looked back towards his sister's room then back to Jason. "Do what your instincts are telling you to. Go protect Elizabeth." Without another word, Sonny slapped him on the back as he walked past him and down the hall. His shoulders slumped his gait slow.
Conflicted now, Jason stood rooted in place. Everything in his being was screaming, demanding he track Elizabeth down. Make sure she was alright. Most importantly find out what was going on. But he had two very large problems. One was down the hall, babbling away about getting bitten by vampires. The other was Elizabeth's desire to keep him out of her life.
He wasn't in love with Courtney. He loved her maybe. Her presence was a blessing to his shredded heart when Elizabeth had walked out on him without a second glance. But she wasn't the woman he saw himself with ten years down the road. Hell he couldn't see himself with her next year.
How had he let things go this far? He knew she thought she was in love with him. A house with a picket fence, PTA meetings and family barbeques gleamed in her eyes every time she looked at him. Which only proved she didn't know him at all. Those things would be nice, normal. But he'd tried normal with Robin. For awhile it worked, had been a nice change of pace. It just wasn't him.
"Jase." Snapping out of his thoughts, Jason watched as Johnny made his way down the over polished linoleum hall. His steps quick, his face anxious.
"Where the hell have you been?" Looking down at Johnny's torn and muddy suit, Jason wrinkled his nose at the guard. "You smell like garbage."
"So would you if you'd been crawling around an alley." Johnny bit back. Looking down at his clothing he let out a loud groan. "I just bought these shoes." Shaking his head sadly the guard looked back up at Jason's stony face. "Cops showed up, but not before I found these." Holding up a little black purse and a scrap of fabric, Johnny grinned like a little boy. "They're Miss Webber's."
Jason's eyes flew to the fabric. "You didn't tell me that Elizabeth was in the alley when you found
Courtney. It would've been nice to know this before she went and told Baldwin."
Johnny's arms lowered slowly as his smile slipped. "Yeah, well she was acting king of strange. And with everything going on between the two of you..."
"There's nothing going on." Snapping, Jason took the purse from the other man's hands.
"Besides, some guy was there. Looked like he was more than capable of taking care of her. That SOB looked meaner than a..."
"Yeah I had pleasure of meeting him tonight." Opening the purse, Jason pulled out Elizabeth's keys. "Well she'll need these."
Looking at the metal objects, Johnny shrugged. "Maybe she has a spare."
"No. I have the second set." Looking up in time to see the silly grin on Johnny's face, Jason glared. "Incase anything happened to her."
"Yeah. Whatever."
"You didn't see where Elizabeth went did you?"
A nurse walked past them, her wrinkled in disgust as she passed Johnny, who glared at her until she scurried away. "Can't help you there. Courtney was yapping about being attacked..."
"By vampires. I heard."
Letting out a sigh, Johnny nodded. "She's still sticking to that story huh?"
"Yeah." Looking down at the purse, Jason was surprised to see how tightly he was clutching the item. "Baldwin is looking for Elizabeth. There was something off about him."
"When isn't there something off about the guy?" His words were meant to be a joke, but instead the seriousness of Scotty Baldwin's drive to take down Sonny and anyone who ever had connections to him was no laughing matter. "You want me to come with you?"
"No." Tucking the piece of Elizabeth's skirt into his pocket, Jason took one last look toward Courtney's room. "I need you to call Nico and get him to stand guard outside Courtney's room. No one. And I mean no one gets in unless they're a doctor."
"Okay."
"Then I want you and Francis to start looking for Elizabeth. I'm going to swing by Kelly's then her studio." Without another word, Jason headed for the elevators.
"Hey Jase?"
Pushing the button, Jason turned back around.
"What do we do if we find her?"
"Call me. Don't approach her."
"You're kidding right?" Johnny didn't know whether to smile or take Jason seriously.
"Just say I'm taking precautions." The elevator opened and Jason stepped inside, leaving Johnny to wonder at his words.
Her feet dangling over the ledge, Tess gazed down at the city of Port Charles beneath her. It had once been a habit of hers. To slip away and find a spot on one of the buildings back in Sunnydale. Sometimes she'd dream about what it'd be like to be a normal person. One who lived in the day and knew nothing about the dangers lurkring around at night. To be able to go on dates, without the added stress of wondering if her date was going to try to kill her before their first kiss. School, love, life. All seemed like such easy, maintainable things. But always out of her grasp.
Giles had only confirmed what Buffy had told her. Four years. She'd been gone for four years, her friends believing she'd died in the explosion. So much time had passed. To her it seemed like it'd only been a few days ago that she'd put on the crimson cap and gown for her graduation. Her stomach in knots as she prepared to fight the mayor.
But once everyone welcomed her back, hugs were exchanged, tears wiped from blurry eyes, she'd notice just how much her friends had changed. It wasn't just physical changes, she didn't have a hard time adapting to haircuts and highlights. The entire group dynamic had undertaken a massive overhaul.
Instead of the huge family she'd known, there were now two separate groups. The line separating them so clear a person could practically see the wide gulf isolating them. Buffy, Xander, Willow and Giles on one side. Angel, Cordelia, Wesley , Gunn and Fred on the other. Then there was Lindsey who stood to the side.
Lindsey McDonald. Who would have thought she'd ever seen him again? The last time she'd seen him, he'd been standing with his hands in his pockets. His eyes downcast, not man enough to look her in the eye. Now he was an unwilling participant in their crazy world.
"I thought I'd find you here." Giles's rich British voice greeted her warmly from behind. Looking over her shoulder, Tess smiled gently at him. Thank god there was one person who really hadn't changed. Sure he was back with the Watchers Council, but other than that he was the same man she remembered. Calm exterior, kind eyes, easy smile. So many nights she'd prayed her own father could be more like the man standing near her. Just another lesson that prayers don't always get answered.
"I just needed to get away for a little while." She hated how weak she sounded, like a little girl who had no where to go, no one to watch over her. It was a feeling she wasn't used to and one she hoped she got over quickly. "I was just feeling..."
"Overwhelmed?" Joining her at the edge of the building, he looked down at the street below.
Nodding her head slowly, Tess straightened. "It's not that I'm not thrilled to see everyone."
"I understand. A lot has changed since..."
"I was stupid and turned around." Anger started to warm her insides. "I should've just kept going. I knew the building was going to blow."
"You did as you were trained." His tone was soft but firm. "As a slayer you have many responsibilities-."
With a loud groan, Tess couldn't control the overwhelming urge to roll her eyes. "Oh God not the responsibility speech already."
Chuckling, Giles's eyes danced. "No. I thought as a welcome back present I'd forgo the speeches for today. What I was going to say was, as a slayer so much is counting on you to make the right decision. Never have I thought you'd made the wrong one."
The side of her mouth curved up slightly. "So you're saying it wasn't stupid for me to turn around?"
"Absolutely not. You put me through that again I'll personally wring your neck." Putting an arm around her shoulder, he gave her an affectionate squeeze. "I'm proud of you."
"How did everyone get so distanced?" Kicking her legs out, she let her heels bounce off the bricks. She wasn't sure she wanted to know this quiet yet. Sometimes ignorance was bliss, but her curiosity got the better of her.
"It happens I suppose. People move away, change."
"Why did Angel and Cordelia leave?" She could tell he was leaving something out. Giles was never a talented liar. His face would turn red and he'd stutter. Though she had to give it to him for trying.
"Cordelia went to LA at the end of summer. Wanted to become a star."
"I can see that." Smiling she couldn't think of Cordelia trying to be anything but a starlet. To say the least her friend was flamboyant. "And Angel?"
"Some had to do with Buffy. But also because of you."
Her forehead scrunched. "I don't understand."
Giving her a disbelieving glance, Giles lifted a brow. "I'm sure you do."
"Because we were attracted to each other, but he was in love with Buffy." It felt weird talking to him like this. The slayer, vampire triangle was a taboo subject the last time she was around. So saying it out loud was awkward. Talking about it with Giles humiliating.
"Watching the building explode and thinking you were still inside... It made him start to second guess his love for Buffy."
"So he left?"
"I think I've said enough. You really should talk to Angel." Poor man. Relationships had never really been his forte. Old dust books and a strong English tea was more his style.
"So what's everyone up to?"
"Lindsey is filling them in on everything he knows about Wolfram and Hart and Ric Lansing."
Tess's upper lip curled, as her eyes narrowed some. "My old pal Ric Lansing. I can't wait to see that bastard again." Because she desperately wanted to finish the job she'd started with that SOB. If it weren't for the armed guards standing outside her cell, Ric wouldn't be a problem now.
Closing her eyes against the rush of memories, Tess swallowed the rage inside. Her nails bit into the skin of her palms, as the picture of Ric's cocky expression invaded her head. His crude words and wandering eyes disgusted her, but it wasn't until he tried to chain her to the small cot in the room she truly understood his intent. He'd gotten lucky and had her hand cuffed before she'd realized just how far he was going to go. Before she'd been able to get her arm free, he'd been able to get in a few good punches, as well as tearing the front of her shirt.
Seeing that his young slayer had drifted off to another place, Giles cleared his throat. Warring with himself whether he should tell her that the man was in town. "Lindsey has told us that Mr. Lansing is in Port Charles."
Her head whipped up, nearly cramping the muscles in her neck. "Ric's in town?"
Not liking the way her eyes nearly glowed, Giles cleared his throat again. He knew this look, it was usually followed by one of Tess's impulsive incidents. Each of his slayers were so different from one another. Buffy had a quick tongue, could be slightly superficial and had such a carefree attitude about most things. Tess was a little more focused, which was why she'd been a quick student when it came to the magical arts. Usually laid back, once her temper was lit there was little anyone could do to stop her from acting out. Lastly there'd been Faith. A tough exterior and a sharper tongue, she was the most insecure one out of the three. Her uncertainty had been her down fall. He only prayed the young woman was truly learning for her past mistakes.
"Tess-."
"Don't Tess me. Is Ric Lansing in Port Charles?"
"You need to think..." It was the only confirmation she needed. Hopping down, she didn't waste any time getting to the roof exit and making her way down the old metal stairs. Her steps sounded like thunder as she descended to the bottom.
Blood pumped through her veins like wildfire. Starting from her heart and ending up echoing in her ears. Her mind centered on one thing only. Bending Ric Lansing until he broke.