Chapter Six- The Father

Amy heard the apartment door open and then slammed closed. Great; something had upset her father and that mean that she would have to listen to him rant. She didn't like it when he ranted because sometimes he would hit her in his anger. He always regretted the action and of course, she forgave him.

He appeared at her bedroom door and the glare he gave her made Amy nervous. Was she the cause of his anger this time? "Father?" she prompted gently.

"I would never have believed if of my own daughter after I told you what I thought," he said in quiet anger.

"Thought of what?"

"Of those…monsters! They are dangerous and yet you would support them!"

"Why would you think that?"

"One of my co-workers has a family member who is a member of P.I.T. and he said his son has seen you at their meetings. I want you to stop going to those meetings."

"I'm sorry, Father but I can't do that."

"What? You would defy me, your own father!" He swung his hand and back-handed her. The force knocked her out of her chair and onto the floor. She sat up as he kicked aside the chair and back-handed her again, this time cutting her lip.

"I believe the gargoyles aren't evil," she said, despite the cut.

"You don't know that!"

"Actually, I do. I met some of them."

"You what!? You met those beasts!?"

"They're not beasts!" Amy exclaimed, standing up.

"They are! Jon Castaway has proof of that and of the fact that they're evil. I will not have you associating with them or people who support them."

"You can't stop me!" Amy was so mad, she was seeing red. She couldn't believe she and her father were having this fight. She had been careful not to say she was in P.I.T., but now it seems her efforts were in vain.

"Yes, I can!" Her father slammed her door closed and she heard a click: He had locked her in!

I can't believe it. I never thought he would do something like this. He won't let me out until I'm anti-gargoyle like him. Well, that won't happen. I'll find a way out. Amy nursed her lip and then laid down for a nap, reasoning that her father would calm down and unlock the door.

She awoke about two hours later to see it was dark outside her window. She got up, went to the door, and turned the knob: Locked.

"Father! Let me out!" She pounded on the door.

"No, not until you promise not to support those monsters!"

"Gargoyles are not monsters! I will not stop my support!"

She head the apartment door slam and she guessed her father left. Perhaps, she could pick the lock, pack a suitcase and ask a P.I.T. member to take her in. After all, she was eighteen and could move out.

She was putting clothes and essentials in a suitcase when she heard a tap on her window. She snapped the case shut, looked up, and saw Brooklyn at her window! She smiled at the sight of her boyfriend, opened the window, and said in relief, "Brooklyn, I'm glad you're here!"

"Oh?" Brooklyn was concerned about her tone. What was going on?"

"Father found out I'm a P.I.T. member and has locked me in saying he'll let me out when I promise not to support gargoyles."

But you won't."

"I know. Father just went out and I decided that it's time to move out. I was about to try to pick the lock and find a friend to stay with."

"Why not stay with me? I'm sure you would be welcomed."

"Where?"

"The castle on top of the Eyrie Building."

"You live in Xanatos' castle!?" she said, amazed.

Brooklyn laughed at her amazement. "Yeah. I know Xanatos would let you stay."

"Let me grab my case and you can glide me to the castle."

Xanatos listened to Amy's story and agreed to give her shelter. Amy vowed to get a job so she could start saving up for her own apartment. She went job hunting the next day with Brooklyn assisting her.

She found a job as a waitress not far from the castle and was placed on night shift. Both Amy and Brooklyn were thrilled with the schedule; they could still get together in the afternoon before her shift. Brooklyn decided he would watch over Amy when she would walk to work from home every night and see over her when she got off shift. He never met her father, but he already didn't like him for his bigot of gargoyles and trying to make Amy accept his views.

He might go looking for her and may try to hurt her for moving out. If he tries to, I'll be there to put a stop to it. Of course, I won't hurt him; just scare him off.

And so, Brooklyn spent time with Amy in the afternoon, walk her to work, and watched over her on her way home. This went on for about two weeks until Elisa told them that Amy's father had filed a missing person report.

"I'm not going back," Amy stated when Elisa had finished. "I'm old enough to live on my own."

"I won't argue that, but at least call him. Perhaps work things out so he won't worry for the rest of his life."

Amy's hard face softened. "All right. I'll call."

She went to Xanatos' office and asked to call her father. The man smiled as he got up, gestured to the phone, and then left the office to give her privacy. She dialed the number and listened to it ring until it was answered.

"Hello?"

"Hello, Father."

"Amy! My God, where are you? Are you all right?" The relief and anxiousness was evident and she knew it wouldn't last when she answered his questions.

"I'm fine. I'm staying with my boyfriend and his family."

"Boyfriend? You never said you had a boyfriend."

"We've been seeing each other for about three months now. I didn't say anything because I knew you wouldn't like him."

"Why? Is he a freak lover, too?"

"He's in P.I.T. too, yes."

"I won't have it! You come home this instant, young lady!"

"No, I won't! I'm moving out! You can leave my stuff where it is and I'll come get it when you're out." Amy hung up before her father could reply. She stepped out to see Xanatos leaning against the opposite wall. He smiled at her. "If you need help moving, I can hire movers and secure a storage shed for you."

"I would appreciate that, Mr. Xanatos. Thank you."

"Then, let me also offer you a place here at the castle."

"I could live here?"

"Of course. It's clear that Brooklyn cares a great deal for you. I'm sure he would be happy if you decided to stay here."

"I would love to stay."

"Then, it's decided."

Amy was able to retrieve all of her stuff without incident. Some went into a storage shed while the rest went into her room which was next to Brooklyn's. She was happy with her living arrangement, despite the fact that her father was angry with her. She still loved her father; it was his feelings about gargoyles that she didn't like.

The insanities of living in the castle continued to surprise even a week after officially moving in. It took her a little time to adjust to the clan's routine, but as she worked at night, she enjoyed their routine immensely. It seemed like a dream come true, living with gargoyles. She sometimes felt envious of Brooklyn being able to change between human and gargoyle. She too wished she could change like that.

And it's possible, she thought. The fact that Alex had magic powers and was being taught by a disguised fay was a total surprise. She then learned that it was because of a magic lesson that Brooklyn became human. She wondered if she could approach Owen and suggest Alex learn a spell that would make a human become a gargoyle at night. She quickly dismissed the idea. She had a job now and was happy with the shift she had, though she was open to changing over to a day shift.

She started to think about a career as September would be there before she knew it. She sent applications to various nearby colleges and was thrilled when she got an acceptance letter to NYU faster than she anticipated; faster than she expected in getting any acceptance letters. She pored over the class catalog, choosing basic classes that were required as well as times that would fit her work schedule. Brooklyn looked over her shoulder as she did this.

"Looks complicated," he commented.

"It does, a little," she admitted. "But in a year or two, I'll be an expert in reading it."

"I've heard college is expensive."

"It is. Most students either take jobs or student loans to pay for it. Some are lucky to win scholarships that will pay for it."

"So, the money from your job will go toward college."

"That's the plan."

Brooklyn nodded. Amy had plans to go to college to get a better paying job. She didn't know what she wanted to do yet, but she would figure it out, he had no doubt of that. "So, when do classes start?" he asked.

"The week after Labor Day," she answered. "That's a month away!" she exclaimed when she realized what day it was.

"What do you have left to do?"

"I have to register both my classes and my student status, pay for my classes, and then pick up and buy my books as well as school supplies."

"Anything I can do?"

"Well, I could use some company when I go to buy my book and pay for my classes."

Brooklyn smiled. "You got it."