author: Lucinda

rating: Y-14 for violence

tenth in the 'My Daughter' series

main characters:

disclaimer: Quentin Travers, Lilah Morgan, Wesley Wyndham-Price and Faith are the creation of Joss Whedon for the series BtVS and/or Angel the Series. Caine Marko, Tom and Sean Cassidy, and Charles Xavier are the creations of Marvel comics.

distribution: with the rest of the My Daughter series.

notes: AU after Faith turned herself in during S1 Angel/S4 BtVS. :Words in colons: are telepathic communication.

Faith breathed out, mentally keeping count as she did sit-ups in her cell. They were tedious, but it was a slight improvement to just sitting or laying on the cot and staring at the ceiling. At least she'd had plenty of time to sort out her thoughts. Time to figure out what she'd done wrong and how she could have done better at the time and if it came up again.

Now she just wanted out. The walls loomed at her, and she kept having half-dreams where they moved inwards, shrinking around her. The clothing was ugly. The food was bad. The boredom would drive her out of her mind.

"Company, Faith. You have a visitor out front. She said she's your lawyer," the guard smirked. "What's a nice girl like you doing with a lawyer anyhow? They're all sharks."

"When did I get a lawyer?" Faith mused.

"I didn't ask. Time to go talk to her, maybe she can tell you when you got a lawyer."

Faith rolled up to her feet, shaking her head. She might as well go talk to this lawyer, it would probably be the only way to figure out what was going on.

Of course, she hadn't expected her lawyer to be someone she recognized. Lilah Morgan, sitting there in an expensive gray suit with her leather briefcase. That only raised more questions for Faith, even as others were answered.

"Lilah Morgan," Faith nodded in recognition. "Should I ask what a high level player like yourself is doing with my case?"

"Merely seeing that justice is…" Lilah paused smirking. "It seems that there have been a few unusual things uncovered in your original trial. Particularly questionable things. Some of those things led to your conviction, and some of the more annoying ones have been traced to a particularly meddling organization. You may consider yourself and your situation to be insignificant, but this is a serious matter to myself and to my company."

Looking at Lilah's smile, Faith could see why lawyers had a reputation for being sharks. There was no warmth, nothing friendly in that expression.

Another few moments and Faith realized why. The 'meddling organization' could only be the Watcher's Council. Lilah and her company had identified them, and they knew that the Council wasn't whatever the hell they'd claimed they were when they gave evidence against Faith. Not only had they identified, but they wanted to either taunt or hurt them by getting Faith out. They might even think that this would leave Faith thinking that she owed them something.

Remembering Quentin Travers, and Dobson and his accusations, and the assassination teams, and the Council's idea of dealing with her first Watcher's death, Faith returned her own predatory smile. "So, what sort of unusual things did you find?"

Sean glared at the luggage collection area and the seething horde of people that filled it. He didn't have a great deal that he'd brought, and this was part of the reason why. Well, that and the fact that he wasn't expecting to be in the area for terribly long.

Just long enough to find Tom and figure out what they were doing. To get a few answers.

Finally, the crowd thinned enough that he could lift up his battered duffel. After that, it was a simple matter to walk out of the airport and take a bus shuttle into the right area to wander in search of his hotel. It wasn't a wonderful hotel, but it would do for a brief stay. After all, his needs were simple, and this time, they didn't include keeping anyone else safe and comfortable enough to plot with him. Of course, if he miscalculated, there'd be nobody to keep him from being crushed if this was finally the time that Tom had lost control.

Grinning, he contemplated that possibility. He was treading the edge of danger, dancing a jig along the line of his cousin's temper and the whim of fortune. It made his heart hammer and his blood sing. "Ahh, it's good to be alive, and I'm probably a risk-taking fool."

Sean stepped off the bus shuttle, waiting for it to rumble away before he took his deep breathe of air. Not exactly sweet smelling, but this was the closest that he'd had to a vacation in a long time. After all, going to beautiful, exotic locations to stop a crisis and having the other side trying to blast you into a scattering of scorched cells was hardly his idea of a relaxing vacation. He started walking down the street, going right from the bus stop. In theory, he was looking for a hotel, but part of it was the desire to stretch after the plane trip and bus ride.

He certainly hadn't expected to see the Juggernaut waking down the street ahead of him.

Granted, the man wasn't in his armor, and certainly not that horrible, bucket-like helmet, but he was rather unmistakable. He towered head and very broad shoulders over the rest of the crowd. As if the size wasn't enough, Sean had seen pictures of the man, back in the day when some idiot had thought ordinary law enforcement could stop him. That was definitely Caine Marko.

And joy of joys, he was supposed to be figuring out why the Juggernaut was here.

Sometimes, efficiency was a terrible thing. When he truly needed to find someone fast, it usually took some time. When he was in no hurry at all, he no sooner gets off the bus then there the man is… "Fortune's got a plan for me. Hopefully, it's not a spectacular ending."

Trying not to hang his head like a man off to his execution, Sean followed the Juggernaut. Down the street, turning left at a small grocery store, down two blocks, and then the Juggernaut sauntered into a hotel. Not a very impressive one, and some of the other people there made Marko look positively normal, but it was a hotel.

"Now I've gone and found both of the things I was supposed to be looking for," Sean chuckled. "I might as well see if there's a room open."

The clerk had green hair and a strange pattern of green swirls that patterned over her face and arms, as well as slightly pointed teeth. Granted, it could have been the result of a rebellious fashion statement, but Sean had the suspicion that the green was natural. He didn't want to ask about the teeth. Of course there was a single occupancy room available for an unspecified number of days, though the cleaning staff weren't quite done with it yet, and he'd need to wait a little while before he could go inside. She – though Sean wasn't absolutely certain that the clerk was in fact female – also recommended a few places that might interest him and hoped that he enjoyed his stay.

Settling himself into one of the worn chairs in the lobby, Sean picked up a phone book to figure out what he'd do for dinner.

"Isn't this a bit out of your normal range, cousin?" Tom's voice was very calm.

Sean put the phonebook down, resisting the urge to swear. Tom always caused the most problems after he used that particular tone. Trying to stay calm, Sean looked over, replying, "No more than yours, Tom. How have you been lately?"

"Busy. But you're probably well aware of that, aren't you?" Tom's voice was smooth and menacing.

"Mmmm. Trips here, a trip to London… I'd say that's busy," Sean agreed.

"I suppose that fool Xavier sent you out here to stop me from whatever evil plot he thinks I'm up to now?" Tom's hand was clenched around his shillelagh, and while the energy couldn't hurt Sean, the stick itself was quite capable of causing injuries on it's own.

"He's not here, is he? I'd rather start with asking what you're up to than jumping right into a big fight that will result in me needing to find another hotel room," Sean countered.

"Sensible of you," Tom murmured, settling himself in one of the chairs.

For a few moments, they watched each other. Somewhere, a fan was making a 'woop-woop' noise, and something else was humming. Then, Tom spoke, "What I'm doing here has nothing to do with Xavier, or his plans. It's personal."

Sean nodded, commenting, "I told him that you must have had some particular reason for your visit to the irritating Mr. Travers."

"Do you remember Eileen?" Tom asked.

"Your wife," Sean nodded. "Dark hair, a dimple when she smiled, a quick temper and the most bizarre collection of music… Did she move out here then?"

"My daughter's out here."

Sean had a sudden fit of coughing and for a moment wondered if he'd manage to keep breathing. That changed everything. "Daughter? You have a daughter…"

Tom nodded, looking rather smug. "A fine, lovely daughter. I'm looking forward to seeing a bit more of her while I'm out this way, just as soon as a few minor matters have been taken care of."

Sean decided that he didn't want to know what those 'few, minor matters' were. Tom's daughter was family, and family was important. He just hoped that none of them would be things that he'd have to object to as a law abiding person. "Can you tell me a bit about her?"

Tom smiled, resting the shillelagh over his knees. "Her name's Faith…"

End MD10: You Have a Daughter?