Chapter 5

Connor MacAuley was worried.

This wasn't unusual for the veteran cop, something would defiantly be wrong if he wasn't worrying about his baby girl, he was a father after all. But when he had been unable to get a hold of his daughter, his usual amount of worry began to increase.

He had called to ask if she'd be willing to work on a buddy of his' motorcycle. And while he knew that Kathleen couldn't often hear her office or home phone when she was working, and didn't always remember to put her cell on vibrate, after calling throughout his shift at the station, a full twelve-hours, with no calls, out of twenty-two, being returned, he was really worried.

At the end of his shift, six o'clock at night, Connor virtually ran to his car, before driving as fast as he dared to his daughter's shop and apartment.

Considering it was a weekday, and the time, the sergeant was shocked to find that the shop itself was closed. His daughter's shop was her life, for it not to be open, something defiantly had to be wrong.

Pulling out the spare key Kathy had given him in case of emergency, he opened the door to the shop and, making sure to lock the door behind him, made his way up to her apartment.

What he found shocked him.

The floor was littered with bottles of...it seemed like his daughter had been drinking every type of alcohol imaginable. He was able to pick out tequila bottles, whiskey bottles, sake bottles, beer bottles, and even some liqueur bottles.

And sitting on her couch, looking like death, was his daughter, chugging a bottle of Jose Cuervo. It was clear that she'd been crying from the puffiness of her eyes, and the tear-tracks running down her cheeks.

"Kathy?" he called softly, hoping to get her to acknowledge him. But when she turned to look at him, he almost wished she hadn't.

Her eyes, usually so full of passion and life, where dead. The shining quality they possessed was dulled to non-existence.

"Daddy?" Kat said lifelessly. "Wha...what are you..?" unable to complete her thought, she just continued to stare at her father.

Connor was completely blown away, and had no idea what to do. His daughter was obviously drunk, something he had never thought possible due to her kitsune nature. In fact Connor was sure that if she weren't a kitsune, she would have severe alcohol poisoning. Actually, considering the amount of bottles scattered around, Connor wasn't entirely sure she didn't have alcohol poisoning.

"Here." Gently reaching out, the old Irishman took the bottle of tequila from his daughter. "How long have you been drinking?" he asked worried, and hoping she could answer.

"Last..last night," Kat answered shakily. Without the almost constant stream of alcohol she had been pouring into her body, Kathleen's kitsune metabolism was already beginning to purge the alcohol from her system.

"Have you eaten anything?" he asked.

Kathy shook her head. "Not hungry."

Connor put his hand on his daughter's shoulder. "Kathy, why? Why did you need to get so drunk?"

Kat smiled as he eyes began to droop. "I messed up. I messed..."

The older man held his daughter as she fell asleep. She must have been up as long as she'd been drinking. Sighing, he picked her up bridal style, and carried her to her bedroom. After setting her down in her bed, and checking her vitals to make sure she was still okay, Connor made his way back to the living room and looked around forlornly at the mess of bottles. Knowing that he wouldn't be able to leave until his daughter woke back up, he decided that he should probably pick them up.

He just wish he knew what his daughter thought she had messed up.

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Angela was careful not to be spotted as she left the showers. Luckily, she made it to the outer wall without interruption, before unfurling her wings and jumping into the sky. As was her standard when leaving to visit Kat, she flew around a bit, both to calm her nerves, and to make sure she wasn't being followed.

Ten minutes later, Angela landed on the roof of Kat's building.

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Fox smiled as she watched Angela fly away from a nearby window. No doubt the gargess was going to see her mystery girl again. She truly hoped that the young gargess would be happy.

But Fox also worried. She considered Angela a friend. For one, as the only gargoyle that hadn't been here when she was an enemy of the clan, Angela, while still cautious, wasn't as suspicious of her or her husband. Angela was also the only woman Fox could really talk to, aside from Elisa, who like the rest of the clan was suspicious of her and David.

She supposed she could talk to Demona, but they weren't really on speaking terms.

Fox knew that Goliath was beginning to wonder where it was his daughter disappeared to, but so far he hadn't looked to far, as Angela never returned harmed, and, despite his own worry, he did his best to accept his clan's privacy.

Unless he felt it was detrimental to the welfare of the clan.

And she had a feeling he wouldn't take it very well if he realized that Angela was falling in love with another woman. A human, he could accept, it would be hypocritical of him not to when he was seeing Elisa. But it seemed that he had made his position on same-sex relations clear to Angela.

She hoped he would see that his daughter was happy and not cause trouble.

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Angela opened the door and walked down the steps. She didn't hear any music, or noise from the shop, so either Kat was out, or up in the apartment. Opening the appropriate door, Angela called, "Kat?"

"I'm afraid she's asleep," a male voice said, startling the gargoyle.

Angela turned towards the kitchen, were an older man, with red hair, peppered with gray, was preparing a pot of coffee. He smiled at her and said, "I'm Connor MacAuley, Kathleen's father. You must be Angela, I've heard a lot about you from Kathy."

Angela smiled, pleased that at least Kat knew the man, and that he apparently wasn't any threat. Still, she would keep her guard up until Kat confirmed what he said. "Where is Kat?" Angela asked, letting her eyes roam the apartment, looking for her.

Connor sighed. "She's in her bedroom, asleep," he explained. He licked his lips. "I'm sorry if it seems like I'm snooping, but did anything happen last night between you two?"

Angela blushed and looked away. "I'd rather not discuss that with you."

Connor sighed, as he poured himself a cup of fresh coffee. "Kathy didn't work today. I tried calling her several times, and when she didn't return my calls, I came over here. Do you know what I found?" he asked, before taking a sip of coffee.

Angela shook her head.

"Kathy was drunk," Connor explained. "Which, with her being what she is, is incredibly hard to do, and requires a great deal of alcohol."

"Is she alright?" Angela asked, suddenly worried.

Connor nodded. "Yes. She's exhausted, but fine. Apparently she'd been up since last night, until I got here, shortly after six-thirty, drinking. The only explanation she gave was that she messed up. Which is why I want to know what happened last night."

Angela sighed. "What has Kat told you about our relationship?" she asked.

The old Irishman shrugged. "That you know you're her soul-mate, but that you weren't ready to go past the friend stage."

"Yes well," Angela began to blush. "I stopped in to see her last night. When I came into the apartment I heard moans from her bedroom, thinking she could be hurt, I went to investigate and um..."

"I screamed her name as I came," Kat said from the doorway to her bedroom, drawing the other two's attention.

"Kathy." Connor walked over and hugged his daughter. "Are you okay?"

Kat nodded. "I'm fine. Thankfully, I'll never need to worry about hangovers." She looked over at Angela. "Hi Angela," she greeted nervously.

"Kat," Angela said, with a small smile.

Kat smiled, and turned back to her father. "Thanks for coming to check on me Dad, but I think me and Angela need to talk."

Connor nodded in understanding. "It was no problem Kath, but next time, call me before you pick up a bottle," he said sternly.

Kat nodded sheepishly. "Of course."

Connor nodded and leaned down to place a kiss on Kat's head. "I love you Kathy," he told her before turning to Angela. "It was a pleasure to meet you Angela, I wish it had been under better circumstances."

Angela smiled. "It was a pleasure to met you as well."

Connor smiled, and took one last look at the two girls before making his way out. "I'll lock up when I leave," he told them over his shoulder as he went through the door to the stairway, leaving Angela and Kat alone.

Kat smiled nervously. "It's amazing, I'm twenty-six years old, and he still manages to make me feel like a little girl."

"He cares about you a great deal," the gargess pointed out.

Kat sighed. "I suppose your he to tell me that you never want to see me again?"

Angela smiled and stepped towards the kitsune, until she was standing in front of Kat. "No," Angela said. "I came here because I realized something."

"What is that?" Kat asked.

Angela smiled, and leaned in, laying a gentle, chaste kiss on Kat's lips. Pulling back, Angela smiled as she noticed the surprised, and somewhat dazed look on Kat's face.

As Kat brought her hand up to her lips, Angela said, "I realized that I'm tired of just being friends.

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Hope you enjoy, Please Review and Check Out the Challenges in my Forums. There are also links to the pictures people have made for the story.

Please tell me if it seems like I'm making Kat a Mary-Sue, I'm trying really hard not to, but I worry.