Chapter Two: The Explanation

'Kathy, I'll just be back out in the lobby. Just come back and join us where you're done.' Angel was completely unsure of what he was to say to Kathy. He hadn't seen her in over 200 years, and suddenly there she was. What was he supposed to do?

He wandered back out into the lobby to find confused and surprised expressions on all his friends' faces.

'You wanna tell us what's going on here Angel?' Cordelia asked first.

'Yeah, you say that little girl is your sister?' Gunn added.

'Yes, that's my little sister.' Angel confirmed. 'Before you ask me how she's here, I'll answer your question now with I don't know. She was just there, in the alley, but I don't know how she could be.'

'Did she say anything to you?' Wesley asked.

'She said that she's been alive ever since…' his voice trailed off.

'Ever since what?' Cordelia pressed. Wesley understood.

'Since Angelus killed her.' He answered for Angel, who simply nodded.

'Well does that make her a vampire?' Fred asked.

'No, she's not a vampire.' Angel replied. 'I'd be able to smell it, and she'd be a lot less kind.' Fred was quiet after his response, stepping back out of the circle. She was still trying to fit in.

Kathy emerged from the bathroom to find everyone questioning Angel.

'So where did you find her?' Wesley asked. 'How far from here?'

'Just a couple of blocks, not that far.' Angel answered.

'Where was she staying?'

'She said she was staying at a shelter a block in the other direction.'

'It's a nice place, really. The people there are so friendly.' Kathy said, entering the conversation. Everyone was silent for a minute until Angel spoke.

'Um Kathy, can you tell me exactly how you came to be alive?'

'Well, something brought me back to life. I don't know who he was, he just came to me and then suddenly I was alive. He made me do things…'

Angel perked up when he heard those words. What did he make her do? He asked himself.

'Kathy, what sort of things?' Angel asked before anyone else had the chance.

'He told me that I had to hunt things. People. And that I had to kill them before they killed me.'

'What did you do?' Cordelia asked.

'I did as he asked. He told me something would come after me if I didn't do as he said.'

'But what did he ask you to do?' Wesley pressed for answers, seeing the look on Angel's face. He was furious that someone had taken advantage of Kathy, and it clearly showed.

'I had to kill people.' Kathy repeated.

'Kathy, who did you kill?' Angel asked.

'Well… they weren't exactly people. Some of them were, a few, but most of them were beastly-looking giants. I killed them all.' Angel's jaw dropped. He was speechless, as was everyone else in the room. Fred hid behind Gunn, and Wesley stood silently near him. Cordelia stepped back and leant up against the counter, thinking of all the awful things Kathy had to go through over the years.

'How many have you killed?' Angel asked, the first to speak after a prolonged silence.

'I don't know. Lots?' Kathy suggested.

'Take a guess.' Angel added.

'I was told to kill at least one a week.' Kathy replied. Angel instantly looked over to Fred for the mathematical figure of "how many".

'Oh… um…'Fred thought for a moment, doing the math in her head before working out a figure. '10400.'

Angel's jaw dropped again, even lower. Everyone's jaw dropped as they realised what this young girl had to do.

'Kathy, have you been doing this all the way up until now?' Angel asked.

'Up until the time when the Second World War was on.' Kathy replied. 'It was then that I escaped from Nero.'

'Who's Nero?' Gunn asked.

'Is he the man who told you to kill people?' Wesley asked in the nicest way he possibly could. Kathy nodded.

'Is Nero dead?' Angel asked.

'No. I managed to get away from him, but it was hard. He had a tracer on me that I managed to remove, and I've been running from him ever since. Back in the alley, I thought he'd found me.'

'He's out looking for you?' Angel gasped.

'He's been searching for me since the war began. It's been a long time, but I don't know how long.'

'60 years.' Angel answered quickly. 'I was a part of World War Two, and I never even knew you were here. I was forced to retrieve a German submarine, with Spike nonetheless.' Angel scowled before continuing. 'And I never even knew that you were in need to help. I didn't even know that you were alive.'

'Liam, I've been okay.' Kathy told him. 'Really, you shouldn't worry.'

'Kathy, this guy Nero will still be out there looking for you.' Angel snapped. He was becoming the over-protective older brother. 'I have to protect you from him, keep you safe.'

'Liam, I'll be okay. Do not worry for me, I've survived this long.'

'She's got a point Angel. She's obviously a very strong girl…' Wesley was interrupted.

'I don't care how strong she is or how many things she's killed; she's still my little sister. I have a right to protect her, and I have to now that I know someone is after her.' Angel explained.

'What can we do to help?' Cordelia asked.

'Wesley, I want to know everything there is to know about this Nero guy. What he looks like, his strengths and weaknesses but most of all where I can find him. And I want to know now.'

'I'm on it Angel.' Wesley replied, darting through the crowd and into his office where he kept all his books.

'Cordy, I want you to take Kathy up and give her the room across the hall from me.' Cordelia nodded and took Kathy's hand, leading her away. She exchanged a glance with Angel. His was of worry and regret, while hers was of total innocence.

'Fred, Gunn, can you help Wesley with the research?'

'Sure, I haven't done me any good reading lately.' Gunn answered. Fred nodded and followed Gunn as he headed after Wesley.

Angel was left alone in the lobby as he watched Cordelia take Kathy upstairs. He knew what he had to do. He had to get out there are find out everything he could about who Nero was.

Author's Note: I've got great plans for this story if readers support it. I'd like to know if anyone likes the turn I've taken with it.