Balance chp 7: Revelations

Connor and Calista walked down to the lobby but Connor suddenly grabbed her arm and stopped her pulling her to the wall. She looked at him and he put a finger to his lips. They listened

"Seriously, guys I don't know what to do!" Angel's voice said, "Every time Connor and I seem to be starting to reach an understanding something happens to change everything one of us or both of us thought about the other."

"Angel, Connor is his own person, he grew up without you, he's like someone you're trying to make friends with, you have to get to know them before you can get closer." Wesley's voice said quietly

"How can I do that if he won't tell me anything about himself, I didn't even know he didn't like tomatoes until Fred said it to me! And I don't exactly want to regal him with my life, dead or otherwise. I'm not proud of how I used to live when I was alive and I'll be damned if I ever feel good about my life as Angelus!" Angel was clearly getting upset, "I mean, neither of us wants to share our lives, but if we don't then how are we going to reach an understanding?"

"Well you're doing ok now!" said Fred helpfully

"Only because Calista's here, it's like she has this magic touch, all she has to do is put her hand on his shoulder and he instantly calms down! And about that, what exactly are they going to do? Raise the kids? They're both still kids themselves, not to mention they really don't have a clue about this world. How do they expect to raise not one, but two kids on their own?"

"Are you saying that you won't be there for them?" asked Gunn sounding a tad annoyed

"Well no but I can't see Connor letting me near the babies!"

"You have so little faith in Connor!" snapped Fred

"This coming from someone who only yesterday was threatening him with a taser?" asked Angel incredulously

"Yeah it is coming from me! Connor, in case you haven't noticed, is actually trying to get along with you! We all see it, even in the way he talks to you, he's trying to open up, but lets face it he's been hurt by all of us, one way or another, he has had no reason to trust us, but I can tell he's making an effort!" They heard Angel sigh

"I just… it's all so much to take in, I mean, my son is about to become a father, and not with just one girl, but two, and one is the equivalent of his mother and the other, his sister!"

"Uh actually I know for a fact that they grew up never considering each other brother and sister, they always were just close friends! Well until they were fifteen. That's when they moved to the next base." said Lorne hesitantly,

"Oh! Well, still, both girls are to have a major part in the apocalypse, one on our side, and the other on the other side! Does anyone else think that the powers are trying to send me a message?"

"That your sons future isn't preordained?" said a familiar voice that neither expected to hear ever again. Connor and Calista shared a wide eyed look and then silently crawled over to the railing, peering over, like two children trying to see what grown-ups did when they weren't around. Standing in the lobby before the taken aback A.I.'s was Daniel Holtz! He looked just as he had before he died, his usual calm demeanour in place. Once Angel got over his initial shock his handsome face darkened and he growled out,

"Holtz!" Holtz nodded in greeting

"Angelus."

"What are you doing here?"

"To tell you something! About Steven."

"He goes by Connor now!" said Angel almost smugly, Holtz looked a little disappointed but it was quickly gone.

"It was his choice to make." he said diplomatically. Angel clenched his fists in irritation. Connor smirked in amusement as he remembered one of the things that got to Angel and Angelus, was that Daniel never lost his cool and was always well spoken.

"Yeah it was!" Angel gritted out, "Now what do you have to tell me?"

"Simply that Connor's future has never been decided. Like this demon here said," he looked at Skip who looked affronted, "Our lives have all been set, all major choices predetermined, sure you make choices, like what you will wear, eat, small things like that. But choices like who you will love, marry, hate they're ones that were already decided. But with him it is different, Connor's future cannot be seen, of course people will come up with plans for him, some will even seal them in stone and call them prophecies, but they are still just plans. In the end Connor has what everyone believes they have or wish they had," he looked up at them and smiled paternally, "The choice. The choice of whether you wish to fight for good or evil, the choice of who you love." Connor stood up never breaking eye contact with the man he had called father all his life, Calista followed his lead. "You have a life to paint while everyone else has theirs already done." Connor looked at Calista in questioning and Holtz said,

"Calista is special too, but she doesn't have a choice, it was made before she was born."

"Just what was my choice?" asked Calista her hands on her hips. Holtz gave her a look that said, you already know. Calista smiled gently and nodded, while Connor looked uncertain. Angel looked from Holtz, to Connor, to Calista and back to Holtz. It hit him then that no matter how much it hurt him he had to accept that Holtz was as much a part of Connor's life as he and Calista were. Holtz spoke again, to Connor, quietly and gently

"People will try to corrupt you, will try to use you but remember that it's always down to your choice, I made a decision that took away your chance for a happy childhood, but if I hadn't, you wouldn't be the boy you are or the man you will become, and Calista wouldn't be here for you. That was the only thing that was decided, that you two are for each other." Calista placed a hand on her stomach and smiled at Connor softly, her eyes full of love for him. He looked at her and his own eyes reflected the same devotion. He nodded in understanding and looked back down at Holtz.

"Thanks!" he whispered. Holtz nodded, smiled and was gone. There was an uneasy silence for several moments when Angel asked

"How do you feel Calista?"

"Oh fine, but I could still do with some rest."

"Then why aren't you asleep?" asked Fred

"Well it isn't easy to sleep when Queen Bee-otch is sending Connor flying across the room. What you say to her anyway?" she asked Connor, Connor smirked in amusement

"That you were prettier then her!" Calista giggled

"Wait, wait! Cordelia was here? In the hotel?" asked Gunn

"Yeah but I'd say she's gone now." said Connor calmly

"You mean you just let her go?" exclaimed Lorne incredulously

"Well I highly doubt she was dumb enough to just pop in." said Calista as she and Connor walked down the steps.

"She wasn't real, just an image." said Connor, "She had no scent."

"Oh, so it was all really carefree, chatting with an evil hell bitch who's plan is to destroy the world as we know it!" said Lorne sarcastically, his eyes wide with worry.

"Yeah pretty much, we insulted her, she threatened us, we had a quick and snappy comeback and then slammed the door in her face, pissing her off no end." grinned Calista proudly as if they had done something amazing. Angel stared at them stone faced, then said

"Why didn't you try to find out about what she's up to?" he cried angrily, "We have to stop her before she can go pop! But you two let a chance to find out slip because you wanted to piss her off?"

"Well if it's any consolation she wasn't interested in sharing." said Calista calmly, running her hand up Connor's arm to make him relax.

"Besides we know what she's planning! She's gonna try to find another virgin sacrifice, to bring whatever's inside her into the world." said Connor coolly, clearly he still wasn't comfortable with the fact that Cordelia was pregnant with some evil because of him. Who would be?

"Yes that's true and besides we don't know how to stop her without killing her. So finding where she is would be useless." said Wesley

"Finally someone gets it!" exclaimed Skip mockingly

"Shut it Skip! Or have you forgotten the Sphere of infinite agony that we can whip up?" threatened Angel

"No but I just realised that it doesn't matter how clever your little girl is, she still isn't powerful enough to conjure something as complex as that!"

"Well in case you didn't know we now have the most powerful witch in the world here and I'm sure she would have no worries about casting a spell like that!" smirked Wesley. Skip's eyes widened considerably and he clamed up. Connor grinned and whispered to Calista

"We don't need a spell with us around." She giggled and nodded, trying to hide her mirth behind her hand. Connor tickled her sides and she giggled even more. The thing about Calista was that she was extremely ticklish and Connor knew where the best places to tickle her were. So it wasn't long before he had to catch her as her legs gave way. The others chuckled at their antics, finding it touching how Connor could play about like a kid when he had a chance. Angel had never seen his son so happy before, it was like all the world's problems disappeared from his baby blue eyes and he was able to just act immaturely and enjoy it. Calista was now officially giddy and she softly slapped Connor on the arm saying

"You are unbelievable!"

"But you love me anyway!" he teased holding her close.

"Of course!" she sighed, mock resigned, but her bright smile was shining. Connor, somehow, picked her up gently by the waist and spun her around as she laughed.

"Aww, well ain't that something to see." grinned Lorne. Fred chuckled as the two finally sat down, still teasing each other.

"As much as I agree, maybe you two should get back to bed and get some more sleep." said Angel a bit reluctantly, he really wanted to see Connor laugh and smile but his parental instincts kicked in and the well being of the two teens was very important to him. They both groaned but stood up and headed back upstairs. Connor poked his head into the room, making sure there were no more surprises but there didn't appear to be any. So they got into bed and quickly fell asleep.


'Cordelia' gasped as she was suddenly assaulted with pain. She doubled over and coughed and gasped.

"That was just a small punishment for letting the Destroyer slip away!" came a disembodied voice. She looked up and saw the slayer, Buffy Summers. But there was no way she could have appeared out of nowhere like that so obviously it was The First,

"Don't you ever get tired of the pop in, pop out crap?" she scorned,

"Do you have any idea how much trouble those two Children of Vampires will be for us? They were enough of a problem the last time they were around but now they are allied with the champion and the slayer!"

"T-The slayer?" gasped 'Cordelia' worriedly, placing a protective hand on her stomach.

"Yes she and her friends are here in L.A and with them here, then the Children of Vampires and their troublesome spawn will be protected! And I have reason to believe the previous ones are not as gone as we thought." The First growled angrily and paced slowly around the room its arms folded across its chest. "Ugh, it's bad enough they're back, but to have them looking like the others… oh it just makes it all the more infuriating! They are the biggest threat to us, with or without the slayer and the champion."

"Do they realise the truth?" asked 'Cordelia worriedly, The First shook its head

"No but the children inside the girl have given a huge hint. How could you be so stupid as to not top up the spell you cast on his memory?"

"Well I didn't think they had a telepathic connection!" she snapped

"You fool; did you learn nothing from the last time? They are the impossible ones, they can do whatever they wish, but these two have to be even more special with one having the ultimate choice of the side he fights on and the other having the power to destroy both of us with the flick of her wrist!" exclaimed The First angrily.

"But she can only access it as long as she's pregnant, right?" said Cordelia

"Yes and they have yet to unlock it." sighed The First, "Which is fortunate for both of us, my Bringer was able to weaken her, but of course knowing their kind she'll bounce back up in no time."

"And bounce on my mate no doubt!" grumbled 'Cordelia' jealously. The First shot her a strange look to which she pointedly ignored. "Anyway, I need more time, my vessel isn't ready yet, and as per our agreement your minions have to protect me until then."

"I know the agreement!" snapped The First, "But I won't have them running around after you. They will protect you, nothing more, you will have to take care of the ritual yourself!"

"Well if we hold out a week or so more we won't need to go to all that trouble." said 'Cordelia' smoothly, although inside she was getting annoyed.

"And if you know what's good for you, you will bring your ass into this world as soon as you can, not when it's the most convenient time for you!" said The First angrily and then it was gone. Cordelia fumed

"God I hate that bitch!"


Night's Darkness