“Mom, can we get ice cream? I want chocolate-no! strawberry!” Efren jumped up and down smiling.
“I don’t think you need more sugar-.” I began. The idea was to spend the whole day together just having fun.
“Please! Pleeease!” he hung on to my arm walking on his toes as he leaned in. I kinda smiled and he let go, knowing I’d get him the damn ice cream. It was a nice day to be out and it was even better for shopping. As usual it was just him and me.
‘I shouldn’t get it just on principle.’ I thought. He was going to have more sugar later any way once we went to the pier and then to the movie.
‘Damn, I need to hurry.’
It was Saturday so the others were most likely at the hotel researching some demon or other and if not then I didn’t know what the hell they were doing but I could guess.
Gunn and Fred would be staring into each others eyes like some lovesick fools, the Groo and his love would be com-shuking and poor Angel would either be sitting and brooding or standing and brooding but he’d definitely be brooding.
Thinking about him I felt kinda sad. I could tell he was trying to hide it from us, how he felt. It wouldn’t take much for him to loose it in a fight which is why I tended to be more careful in our training sessions.
“I still can’t believe he insists on that.” I grumble shaking my head. Efren got his ice cream and I gave him the money to pay. He was getting good at that and I wondered why he couldn’t improve on his reading.
««««« »»»»»»
“Wow! That was so cool!” Efren exclaimed as we walked out of the theater. He had enjoyed the movie and was talking about it as if hadn’t been there. Which was good because I hadn't really seen any of it. I was too busy thinking, remembering and trying to explain it to myself.
“Mom!” Efren whined. He crossed his arms over his chest and frowned.
“Que paso?” I glanced down absently then my phone rang. I pulled it out of my purse as we walked and flipped it open. I groaned seeing the number.
“Hi.” I listened for a moment.
“You’re not listening!” Efren complained but I was looking around at the parking lot. I had this sudden sense of deja-vu and frowned.
“Hush, baby…” I put a hand on his shoulder pushing him a little behind me ignoring his complaints.
“Here,” I handed him the phone. “Talk to your dad.”
There was a truck parked up a head and a couple of big SUV’s across from it blocking the view to my car.
rfect for an ambush.’ I thought walking past it.
“Dad? We saw a movie and it was cool! They guy with the-!”
“Bitch!” a man jumped out from behind us and I pulled Efren away. The man swung at me and I ducked kicking him in the chest. The man flew back and landed on the asphalt face down unmoving. I pushed Efren between the SUV’s and turned to the other three men coming at us. One had a glowing nightstick.
“Not good, not good at all.” I mumbled throwing my purse at Efren’s feet.
“Stay back!” I ordered him with a quick glance over my shoulder. As long as he stayed behind me and between the SUV’s he’d be ok.
“Now, what’s with y’all? You didn’t like the movie?” I asked. They didn’t say any thing as the men rushed me. I ducked under an arm and barely avoided the nightstick. The third swung his fist at my face and I grabbed his wrist. I twisted it hearing the snap of bones as I pulled him around and threw him against the other two. It was kinda like bowling only instead of pins I was using pin-heads.
I looked around behind me for Efren but he was gone. He had to be hiding at least I hoped so. I rushed forward between the SUV’s looking for him suddenly the front door swung open behind me and knocked me down. I turned onto my back quickly and felt a sharp pain in my side. For a moment I couldn’t breathe though I tried dragging in a breath as I kicked up. I could see four men trying to get at me but they didn’t all fit between the SUV’s.
I flipped to my feet feeling the ache in my ribs but other wise breathing normally again. It never ceased to amaze me how fast the runes worked, especially in healing the small aches. I grabbed the first one by his shirt and yanked him down. The shirt ripped and his nose broke against my knee. I shoved him aside and reached for the next one getting rid of three more before I felt the burning jolt of electricity on my spine.
I know I fell though I don’t remember much after that or before his scream.
I turned searching for him through the parking lot. I could see people coming and the bodies on the ground.
“Shit!” I wanted to run but I couldn’t leave Efren and I didn’t know where he was hiding though I heard his crying.
“Efren! Where are you? Efren!” I followed his voice to the dumpster. The crying increased and I looked in. He wailed louder seeing me.
««««« »»»»»»
The doctor was explaining Efren’s injuries to me. I nodded at all the right moments but I couldn’t help seeing in my head his smudged face all scratched up from being thrown in the dumpster. I blamed myself for his broken arm; if I had been paying more attention to him instead of the fight he wouldn’t have been hurt.
I didn’t know why we had been attacked but they weren’t some regular guys, no, these were trained men, soldiers.
“The police men still need to speak to you Ms. Vartan. I've already answered their questions in regards to your son’s injuries. Make sure you fill his prescription, he’ll be in pain for the next couple of days but he’ll be fine.” The doctor handed me a piece of paper and patted my shoulder as he went to attend some one else.
I left Efren with the nurse, reluctantly and headed towards the pharmacy in the hospital. I had to go down two floors but at least I didn’t have to drive out. I waited in line for about ten minutes before I dropped it off. The pick up line was longer and that would be at least a couple of hours.
As I headed up stairs again I wondered why me? Who were they and who sent them? The elevator doors opened to all the noise. I didn’t get far before the boys in black stopped me for questioning.
“Ms. Vartan?”
“Yes.” The first one was tall and younger than his partner. He looked kinda pale, his blond hair was just a little wavy and his blue eyes were framed by dark lashes. He was very handsome and so not my type, even though he was tall. Both wore the black uniforms and shiny black shoes that squeaked when they walked.
“We’d like to ask you a few questions.” The older chubby officer pulled out a little notebook.
“We’ve already spoken to the doctor.” The blond Apollo said. I looked at his name tag and arched an eyebrow.
Rivera. Who would’ve thunk it.’
“I don’t know who they were or why we were attacked.” I said. Both officers looked at each other.
“That’s what you were going to ask.” I shook my head.
“Don’t bother asking if there’s any one who has a grudge with me because there’s too many to count and I wouldn’t be able to say any way.”
“And why is that?” the older chubby officer asked. I glanced at his name tag as well. ‘Santiago’ it read.
“I work for a private investigation office. Our cases are sometimes a little out of the norm.”
“What’s the name for the company? Phone number as well.”
I sighed, giving him the information. As if reading my thoughts, Rivera said; “I’d leave the police work to us.” I turned to him with a slight frown.
“We’d appreciate if you’d come down and identify the man we’re holding. The detectives will be questioning him about the attack but we’ll need a statement from you.”
I nodded thinking how much I wanted to talk to the man myself.
“We’ll be in touch ma’am.” Both officers walked past me. I looked over my shoulder as I headed towards Efren’s room.
“Jaden!” My head snapped ‘round at that. The only time he ever used my middle name was when he was pissed and this was not a good time for him to piss me off.
‘Damn! I forgot he was on the phone.’
“Shit! My phone!” I patted my pockets and looked in my jacket sighing heavily as Dante stalked towards me. I could see the anger in his face just as I felt it flowing from his body.
“What the hell is going on! And why aren’t you picking up my calls?” he thundered stopping a hand span in front of me. I hated when he did that because then I had to look up, just like now, and see him glaring.
“First off,” I began. “I don’t have my cell. Ef-.”
“Where’s my son?” he turned to the nurses station and jabbed his hand in their direction.
“They wouldn’t give me any information because I’m not an ‘immediate’ family member.”
I tried to tell him the nurse was just doing her job but he wouldn’t hear me out.
“Since when is a father not immediate family, Jaden? This is why I keep telling you to change his name. We wouldn’t be having this problem and he wouldn’t be in the hospital if you would let him live with me. What the hell were you doing in a dark parking lot in the middle of the night with my son?” he ranted.
“Oh, so now he’s your son? Now you want him to have your name. You didn’t say that when I was pregnant! You didn’t want him! And he’s not living with you because you care more about partying than you do him!” I was yelling at him and I didn’t care who heard me. Who did he think he was to tell me my son would be better off with him? Or to start claiming him now? He hadn't been there before.
“You know its not even like that! I told you-.”
“Bull shit! You don’t even help me with him financially but you want to claim rights?” I pointed away still shouting.
“Go make another child to leave fatherless until you feel like being a dad!”
“Excuse me, excuse me.”
“You can’t take care of him! Look where you live! It’s not fit-.” Dante shouted.
“Excuse me!”
“WHAT!” We both turned, shouting at the doctor. I gasped realizing what I had done. I felt hot all over, my skin tingled, and it sort of felt the same as when I’d been hit with the taser.
“This is a hospital!” the doctor cleared his throat and lowered his voice.
“You can’t be yelling. Now,” he ushered us towards the elevators.
“You can go argue your problems outside-.”
“I want to see my son.” Dante pulled out of the doctors grasp and turned to the nurse station again.
“The nurse wouldn’t let me in or give me any information-.”
“I’m sure she’s following hospital policy, sir. Calm down and we’ll straighten this out.” the doctor waved the nurse over as we walked towards the counter.
“Doctor Nash. I’m sorry but this gentle man doesn’t come up in the child’s records. I was waiting for his mother to verify that he is-.”
“You don’t need to verify any thing! I’m his father!”
Dante yelled. The poor nurse flinched away from him. I could understand her reaction; he’s a tall guy and still looked well built even with the slight paunch.
The nurse narrowed her eyes slightly and asked; “Is this man the father. Ms. Vartan?”
I didn’t even hesitate. “No.” I answered. I was definitely not giving him any more rights. He didn’t deserve them or my boy.
Dante slowly turned to me. Wave after wave of rage flowed off him but it didn’t bother me.
“No, he’s not.”
“You’ll have to leave the hospital, sir.” The nurse waved two big orderlies over and I smiled inwardly. I could tell she was enjoying this and so was I.
“Jaden! You better re-think this.” He glanced at the orderlies as they flanked him.
“I’m his father!”
“He doesn’t even know you!” I retorted turning away from him. He’d be pissed for a while but he’d get over it eventually. He had no legal rights, just those I gave him. He spent time with Efren because I let him not because I had to. Efren was mine and nothing was going to change that.
“JADEN!”
What could he do?
««««« »»»»»»
The limo pulled up slowly following him to his car. Dante turned but couldn’t see inside even the drivers window was dark. He stopped and waited for the limo to go by. It rolled past him slowing to a stop, the back window slid down with a gentle whirring noise.
A woman smiled up at him from inside.
“Hello.” She said.
“Hello.” Dante frowned, he didn’t know her, didn’t know what she wanted but he was wary. In his line of work you tended to be very careful if you wanted to live past thirty or freely.
“You want something,” she said still smiling. “and I can help you get it.”
“What’s that?” he asked.
“Your son.”
««««« »»»»»»
Cordelia looked up at the sound of the door opening.
‘Finally! Some business!’
“Can I help you?” she asked getting up and standing behind the counter. The young man walked towards her purposely then the door opened again and Cordelia frowned.
“I love what you’ve done with the place.” Lilah looked around the lobby carefully avoiding the area where the pentagram was still visible.
“Haven’t been able to get that off, huh?”
Cordelia crossed her arms over her chest and frowned.
“You can take your suits back the way you came. There’s nothing here for you.”
Lilah laughed, for once happy to deny her.
“Oh, but you do.” One of the suits stepped forward and handed her a folded paper which Cordelia ignored. Unfazed the young lawyer set it on the counter returning to his position next to the other two suits.
“Where’s Phade?” the young man asked. Cordelia narrowed her eyes looking him up and down.
Something about him seemed familiar but she knew she hadn’t seen him before.
“I'm not her mother.”
««««« »»»»»»
“I don’t have one.” I went down to the lobby carefully looking them over. I recognized Lilah immediately but I didn’t know what Dante was doing with her or the lawyers.
Dante snatched a paper from the counter and strode towards me. We met at the bottom of the stairs.
“Where’s Efren?” he asked as he handed me the paper.
I had a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach as I opened the paper. “Upstairs.” I said and began to read walking towards my desk. I had come down for a cd I needed.
“…the above named is ordered to immediately confer the above named minor to the above named until such a time as, by court mandate, legal custody of the above named minor has been established in a court of law.”
I continued to read the document without comprehension. The only thing in my head was that one little paragraph. He was going to take him from me.
I crumpled the paper in my hand and threw it in his face. “If you think-!” I began.
“Ooh, that’s a legal document you've thrown away.” Lilah tsked. I turned to her and saw her move away.
“Government property, you could get a fine.” She smiled and I knew she would just love to see me in serious trouble.
“You fucking snake!” I screamed. I was enraged and didn’t realize what I was doing. People where yelling and someone actually kept trying to hold me. Lilah kept behind her suits and Dante… where the hell was Dante?
I turned, searching the lobby for him but he was gone. I tried getting to the stairs but he wouldn’t let me go. “GET OFF!!” I shoved with all my strength. When I saw the blurry face I felt just a little bit guilty for hurting Angel but the fact that he would heal quickly minimized it as I ran up the stairs.
“DANTE!”
I could hear the sound of running feet behind me but I didn’t care. I just wanted to stop them.
««««« »»»»»»
He opened the door and smiled.
“Dad!”
Dante looked him over. Efren's hair was longer than he liked though the little boy wore it spiked up. He had gained some weight which was good. ‘Its about time.’ He thought as he took in his clothes. Dante shook his head at the t-shirt his son was wearing. It was black with a red long sleeve under shirt. There was a skeleton guy running across the front chasing something. Dante couldn’t see it because it was on the back of his shirt. The jeans were loose almost baggy and rolled up at the bottom. Dante smiled seeing his bare feet.
Dante scooped him up in his arms. “Little man.” He carefully took Efren's arm and tapped the cast. “How are you feeling?”
Efren shrugged. “It doesn’t hurt.” He pulled his cast out of Dante's hand and tried to stick his finger inside. “Its itchy.”
Dante gave a soft laugh and hugged his son for a moment before setting him down.
“Hey, you want to come visit with me for a while?” he could see Efren hesitate. The little boy took a step away from him and looked over his shoulder.
Dante frowned. “You don’t want to see your Nina? Or grandma?”
“Yes.” Efren fidgeted. “But mom…”
“She knows.” Dante got to his feet and ushered Efren to his room. “Get your shoes. We’re leaving.”
“But my mom-.”
“She’s downstairs waiting for us. Get your shoes Efren.”
««««« »»»»»»
“GET OFF ME!” I yelled digging my elbow into something soft. There was a slight grunt and severe tightening around my ribs. “Let GO!” I grunted shoving loose. Angel grabbed me again and we rolled around on the second floor landing.
“He’s not taking him!” I yelled getting to my knees. Angel jumped on me again. “Calm down. Ooph!”
“You calm down!” I jabbed my fist in his chest getting loose again. I grabbed onto the rails and pulled myself up. I didn’t get far down the hallway before he grabbed me from behind and pulled me off my feet. I kicked and flailed around. Suddenly we found ourselves in another room.
I coughed spitting out pieces of plaster. There was a white cloud around us and it was difficult to breathe through the dust. The burning started at the back of my neck and the cloud cleared just enough that I could see the door. I stumbled out fast and went to my suite.
“Efren!” I ran through the living room past the kitchen to his room. His door was open and I noticed his back pack was gone.
“No.” my heart thundered in my chest and I turned running out the door again. He never went any where without that back pack, especially on a trip. He had all his favorite games in there not to mention comics.
“Umph!” Angel’s weight knocked me down and stupidly enough my first instinct was to grab onto him. In his place I would’ve shoved me away but he actually tried to turn us so he would land first, instead, we landed on our sides in the middle of the hallway.
“I swear,” I moved on top of him and held his arms down. “if you don’t stop knocking me down the next time I will make sure you stay down.” I glared getting up and moved away still facing him. “Permanently.”
“They left.”
I shook my head not believing him and ran down to the lobby. “Where are they?” I yelled taking the stairs two at a time. No one answered though they all turned to face the suits in the middle of the lobby heading directly towards me and the front doors.
“You.” I stalked towards Lilah who flinched away from me. “Good. You’re scared. That’s real good.”
One of the suits got in front of me. He started to say something that ended in a high squeak. I pulled my hand down and he jerked with the movement. I twisted his balls feeling something squish, like when you squeeze a banana through your fingers.
“Ugh…” I made a face and let go wiping my hand on his light gray suit. I moved towards Lilah once more while the two suits stepped out of my way.
“Give him back.”
Lilah glanced nervously to the other suits but they shrugged and walked out taking their ball-less buddy with them. Lilah turned her back to me looking for help with Cordelia and Groo.
“Bad idea.” Cordy smiled.
I grabbed Lilah’s hair and yanked her backwards. She screamed more from fear than pain.
“Call your little friends and send my son back.” I pulled her closer and whispered in her ear. “Don’t forget what I told you at Wesley's.” I pushed her away and she stumbled going down on her knees.
“I can’t do that.” Lilah cowered away from me as she got up.
“What do you mean, cant?” I stomped towards her only to be pulled back by Groo. He put himself between the bitch who managed to ruin my life with a piece of paper and I.
“Oh, honey no-.” Cordelia began as I grabbed him by his shirt front and threw him aside.
“What the hell-!” she started. I cut her off with a cold look. “Stay out of this.”
“You.” I pointed to Lilah who scurried towards the door where I saw Angel coming down the last steps. I didn’t want him getting in my way but I doubted my threat would keep him from it.
“Go.” He told her.
“Wait a minute! I’m not done with her!” I yelled. “Get your evil-white ass back here!!”
Angel stopped me at the steps and I tried to grab Lilah before she left. Too bad I missed, though not completely.
Lilah screeched grabbing at her face.
“You’ll regret this. By the time I'm done with you he won't know who you are. You’ll never see him again. You’ll be begging-!” Lilah screamed at me as Lorne pushed her out the door.
I was screaming at her too though I doubt any one could understand what either of us was saying. Angel held me down pretty good considering I was frantically trying to get out the door. He managed to carry me upstairs to my suite. Between he and Lorne they kinda explained why I shouldn’t kill her. telling me all the bad things that would happen if I did. Then started with Efren and I kicked them out.
“Get out! OUT!!”
|
|
|
|
Rave
Barbie Girl (Becca)
biscuit07
Filmtheory (Jim)
Malice (Jess)
MebbtheScribe (MichaelB)
Reset (Allie)
Shay (Marrisa)
somnambulist29 (Shea)
Stephanie Loss
Wendyness (Wendy)
Questions?Contact Us
|
|
All stories on this site have been archived with the authors' consent. Do not copy these stories for your own uses without the express consent of the author themselves. Buffy the Vampire Slayer TM and Angel TM are © UPN, WB, Fox and its related entities. All photos on the site are © UPN, Fox, Warner Bros, and/or their respective owners. No profits are being made by use of these images.
Powered with the assitance of eFiction.
|
|
|
