6. On the Run
'She wants to stay here.', Lilah said. She and Wesley were 'finally' discussing Gabrielle. So far they hadn't exactly achieved much yet.
'Have you asked her?'. Wesley wasn't sure if she was right, but he was however sure Gabrielle started to like him as well as Los Angeles. But live here? That was the other end of it. She had her friends in New York, her school, her entire life, actually. Wouldn't she start hating him if he took that all away from her?
'Not yet. I had kind of figured out you would do that for me..', Lilah suggested.
'I don't think so, Lilah. She's your responsibility too, still. We can go together, though, if you prefer that.'
'Yea.. That's good.', she agreed. She felt that if she would go and talk to Gabrielle alone she would either get the door slammed shut in her face or Gaby would talk to her and choose to live with her father. But, if Lilah would go and talk to her with Wesley then there might still be a chance that someone would listen to her. Not that Lilah minded if Gaby chose to live with Wesley, though. She knew her daughter would want to stay in La. And it was Lilah's own fault. She knew she was a bad mother.
'That seems like a fair idea', Wesley nodded. And so, an hour later they were both knocking on their daughter's door. Gabrielle opened after the second knock already, she was in a much better mood then a few days earlier when her mother had unexpectedly arrived. However, when she saw her parents standing there her expression changed into something less happy. They were actually quite pathetic, Gaby thought as she watched them. That probably wasn't easy for them though, to stand there together, so apparently they would do a lot for her after all.
As she watched her mom and dad, she got some kind of an image of what her life could have been. It could have been happy..., with parents who lived together without fighting, a cat maybe, or a dog. That was a bit of an ouch-moment for Gabrielle, but she soon realised that life with a 'married' Lilah could have been much worse as well.
'I'm busy.', she told them, not in the mood for a 'we- understand-you-so-great-conversation'.
'We understand..', Wesley spoke the words she didn't want to hear.
'Can we come in, though?', Lilah questioned.
'Unless you've both been turned into a vampire within the last 5 hours since I've last seen you I can't exactly stop you.', Gaby said. She stepped aside and let Wesley and Lilah in.
'Summer holiday will be over soon.', her mother started. It was obvious that she was uncomfortable and therefore not used to talking to her daughter for longer than 5 minutes.
'I know that , mother. And yes, I know what that means; I have to go back to New York with you. Fine, I thought about it, and I will.'
Both Lilah and Wesley frowned, they hadn't expected this.
'We're not here to make you go back to New York with your mother.', Wesley told her.
Gaby arched a perfectly shaped eyebrow. Lots of possible reasons going through her head that might explain then why exactly her parents were here. Nothing came up that made sense..
'What then?', she eventually asked.
'Well, we'd like you to choose... to tell us where you'd be happy.', Lilah explained.
'Oh, so we're going to play that game now, hm! You're both going to be like this, but when I'll make my final decision the one I didn't choose will tell me how disappointed he or she is so I'll reconsider my choice. Am I right?'. Gaby didn't understand how they could be so very naive. Did they honestly think she would buy this crap? This was the cliché- game all split-up parents played.. She had expected more of them, but seemingly Lilah and Wesley were just like everybody else; desperate to have what they both wanted the most, and unwilling to share.
'That's not true, Gabrielle. Your mother and I are just saying that you can't live both in New York 'and' Los Angeles, and we believe you're old enough to make that choice yourself.', Wesley said, trying to prevent a fight.
'Right.', Gaby snorted. 'I know who thought of this.' She turned to Lilah and continued. 'Now this situation has occurred, you suddenly see a great chance to get rid of me, don't you!', she yelled with tears in her dark green eyes. 'Fine! Whatever! I'll just stay here!'.
Not giving any of her parents a chance to say one word during her furious tirade, Gabrielle ran off, outside her room, outside the hotel, until she no longer knew where she was. She'd ran all her anger out, and for a split second she felt much better. She glanced around and wondered where she was. Lots of trees surrounded her, and it had also become very dark in the mean time. How long had she been running? She checked her watch and soon learned that she'd left the Hyperion Hotel at least 40 minutes ago... Where was she? Clearly in a forest, but where? Gaby didn't know the neighbourhood that well.. Ok, so she could find the local supermarket and a mall that sold her favourite brand of designer clothes, but that was about it really... A slightly uncomfortable feeling crept up. It was past midnight, dark, and she was alone. Unarmed. That would be like winning the lottery for any vampire around. She took a deep breath and tried to comfort herself with the thought that no vampires were around so far. But they would be able to smell her fear! In a flash, Gabrielle could already see her epitaph. What would it say? '' Beloved daughter"?
How ironic.
No.. she tried to stop herself from thinking all those depressing thoughts. That wouldn't get her anywhere.
'I need to calm down now.', she told herself. 'Standing here shaking like an idiot isn't going to help me. Think, Gaby, think. What direction did I come from?'. She walked back and tried to remember anything. Had she seen that big oak tree there before? Had she seen that pacifier probably lost by a baby or toddler there when she was running? Gaby really didn't know. She'd been in a complete daze earlier. So angry.. All she had seen was her parents' selfishness. She sighed and stood still, surrendering to the fear. Would it make a difference if she would stand here and cry her eyes out? Probably not, but the need was there. A minute later Gabrielle decided not to relent to her tears after all. She would make a fool of herself, even if she'd be the only one noticing. Good thing she no longer believed in fairytales, because otherwise she'd be looking for the candy house of the evil witch from Hansel & Gretel right now. She started to become tired and decided to head left. It should eventually bring her back to the land of the living, right? Once there she would take a decent cab and head back home. Not that she had any money with her, but that was of later concern. If her parents would be worried sick about her that'd be just icing on the cake. Gabrielle didn't have a chance to head down the left path, though. Before she could even blink an unfamiliar hand with a handkerchief covered in chloroform covered her mouth. She wanted to kick, scream, or run away again, but instead everything surrounding her faded, and all she could see was black.
'You should have stopped her!', Lilah said, blaming Wesley for everything that had happened. They were in the lobby, waiting for their daughter to return. They both thought, or hoped, that she was just around the corner, waiting for them to be worried enough, and then walk in with a triumphant grin. Or, they expected her to be at a friend's house, both unaware that Gabrielle didn't have many friends in L.A. Actually, not one.
'Me! Why couldn't you stop her?', Wesley defended himself, tired, frustrated, and most of all very worried. He'd only found his daughter very recently, obviously he didn't want to lose her yet! He never wanted to... He'd never loved someone like he loved Gaby. It was strange, and new, but good. Definitely good.
'Sure, blame it all on me! Just like you always do!'.
Wesley let out a deep sigh. 'Perhaps we should quit yelling and think of something to do..', he suggested carefully.
'You're probably right.', Lilah gave in, surrendering and realising yelling wouldn't bring her daughter back. 'So what do we do, then?', she asked him. 'Apparently you know her 'so' much better than I do.'
'Lilah, that's not true and you know it. She has lived with you for her entire life, you know her better than anyone!'. Wesley couldn't help but start feeling some pity for the woman, despite what she did to him.
'No, I don't. In the short time she's been here you probably spent more time with her than I did throughout her whole life. She had a 'nanny', you know.'
'I know. Gabrielle told me. That, and many other things.', Wesley said.
'See? She never told me anything.'
'Because you were never there!'.
Lilah crossed her arms, she clearly felt threatened. 'I'm a workaholic. Always been, always will be. You know it, and so does she.''
'Yes, we know that. Don't you regret it though, Lilah? Don't you wish you'd done things differently?', he questioned her.
'What's done is done.', she replied, perfectly playing her role again, just when he thought the real Lilah was starting to show. Sometimes she could really piss him off. Nearly all the time, actually. He should probably say there were rare times when she 'didn't' make his blood boil. Very rare times, though.
'Any idea where she can be?', Wesley then asked her. He could continue to ask her "deep" questions , but he could already see there was no use in trying. She definitely wasn't going to take off her mask today. But would she ever?
'No idea. A bar? A club?', she suggested, trying to hide the fact that she had honestly no idea if her daughter would go to these.
'I've never noticed Gabrielle going out, in the matter of fact, but it won't hurt trying, now will it? Perhaps there is someone who has seen her.'
Both ex-lovers took their coats and hurried out into the dark night, into Wesley's warm and safe car. He started the engine and drove off. They sat in silence, each struggling with their own fears and emotions. Lilah was the first to interrupt the silence.
'Do you think she's..'.
'No.', Wesley said, not even letting her finish the sentence. He simply couldn't bear the thought of his "little girl" as he sometimes called her in his mind, being in trouble. That thought hurt him so much more than all the times his father had beaten him up and called him useless. It even hurt more than Fred breaking up with him.
'She's just trying to scare us, you'll see.', he continued.
Lilah nodded. 'Of course.'
Wesley parked the car near some club called D'Oblique. He'd been fighting vampires there once with Angel and Cordelia and had been in long enough to learn it was a quite popular club. Popular enough to give it a try, anyway.
They got out of the vehicle and headed in the direction of the club, only to find a ridiculous long line in front of the entrance. Lilah sighed and walked over to the security guard.
'Look, you have to let us in.', she started. The guard, who seemed to fit the description "lots of muscle, little brain" very well , checked her out. And Wesley.
'Sorry lady, I can't do that.', he then decided.
'O, right. Because I don't happen to fit the description of 21 minus with a skirt that looks like a broadened belt and a top that covers about nothing. Do you even know who I am! I work with Wolfram & Hart you know! I could pick up the phone right now and have someone come over and rip out your entrails! And then, after that, I'll make soup out of them and feed them to the homeless cats!', Lilah exclaimed.
Wesley couldn't help but smile. He was glad to see that she cared more than she seemed to realise. If only she could tell that to Gabrielle, too... It would surely make things a lot easier for all three of them.
The guard's eyes widened to the size of plates, and in terror he stepped back to allow them entrance. Good thing his boss couldn't see him right now. Scared off by a lady.
Ridiculous.
Wesley followed Lilah inside and swallowed at what he saw there. Hundreds and hundreds of people, dancing or sitting all within an inch of each other. He really couldn't imagine Gaby being anywhere inside here.
'It's impossible to find her here!', he commented.
Lilah rolled her eyes and led him to the bar. It made Wesley wonder if she'd been here before. Her confidant attitude seemed to prove that, but then again, Lilah "always" was like that. At the bar, Wesley took the lead. He turned to the bartender. 'We're looking for a girl.'
'Enough of those over here.', the bartender replied while mixing a cocktail for another customer.
'Brown hair, green eyes, mature haircut, youthful features and expensive designer clothes? Her name is Gabrielle Morgan.', Wesley continued hopefully.
The bartender thought for a while as he handed the cocktail to an obviously minor girl and then turned back to the slightly desperate parents. 'Haven't seen her. The people who come in here of her age are more likely to fit the description of "slut".', he said, pointing at a group of girls covered in almost nothing. Wesley followed his glance and was very glad that his daughter didn't approve of such clothes.
'So you're absolutely sure you haven't seen her?', Lilah asked, looking for confirmation.
The bartender shook his head, sure of himself. 'I would have noticed her around here. She would have drawn my attention. Believe me, she's not here. And if she's not, she's probably out there. If she's out there, and she's on her own, then I'd start looking for her pretty damn soon.'
Both Wesley and Lilah nodded in unison. 'Thank you.', Wesley managed to say before they rushed out into the darkness again. Lilah stopped when she heard her phone ring. 'I have to answer this. It might be important..'
Wesley nodded shortly, hiding the fact that he was actually quite angry that she would let work come before finding their daughter. They couldn't use "another" argument, however, so he let her have her way and kept his mouth shut. Lilah turned around and picked up her ringing cell phone. 'Hello? What? Yes.. I understand. Thank you.. I'll be there.'. She hung up the phone and turned back to Wesley, her eyes widened in shock a little.
'I know where Gabrielle is...' .