Part 2<\/b><\/p>\n
Giles\u2019 Apartment
\n7:00pm<\/b><\/p>\n
Angel was getting aggravated. It had been nearly twenty-four hours since the Hellmouth had closed, and they weren\u2019t getting any closer to locating Cordelia. Xander and Willow had gone checking the nearby clinics and hospitals during the day. They had all insisted that Buffy should rest after her ordeal. Giles was currently on the phone, again, desperately trying to contact Cordelia\u2019s parents. Judging by his tone of voice, he seemed to be finally successful.<\/p>\n
\u201cI understand, Mrs. Chase,\u201d Giles implored, exasperation was ringing clearly in his tone. The Chases were virtually impossible to contact. Earlier that day, the Chase housekeeper had informed the librarian that Cordelia\u2019s parents would be home at around 6:00pm. \u201cI do apologize for interrupting you and your husband, in light that you just arrived home. But you daughter is\u00a0missing<\/i>\u00a0and the school is trying to find her.\u201d<\/p>\n
Finally feeling some of his tension ease, knowing that Giles was on the phone with Cordelia\u2019s mother, Angel took a seat in Giles\u2019 leather chair. He had never been close to Cordelia, in fact, he had never planned to, but- after what happened last night, he wanted nothing more in the world than to find her.<\/p>\n
\u201cMrs. Chase!\u201d Giles shouted, is calm British exterior crashing. \u201cThere were terrible doings at the high school last night and I fear your daughter may have been injured! She is most likely confused and hurt right now, which is why I am trying to find her.\u201d Rupert Giles could not believe the woman. She was more concerned about her and her husband resting after their long business trip, than the welfare of her daughter. The watcher could not believe her arrogance.<\/p>\n
Just then, Buffy, Xander and Willow came through the door. Angel could tell by their expressions that they had found nothing. Buffy still looked tired, but she seemed more refreshed in her yellow pants and green tank top. Angel knew how hard the last few hours had been, and felt his heart go out to her.<\/p>\n
\u201cHow you doing?\u201d He asked, coming to stand near her.<\/p>\n
Smiling gratefully at his attention, she reached out to hug him. \u201cBetter. A lot better. Any luck in finding Cordelia?\u201d She reluctantly pulled away from the embrace.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo,\u201d he said, shaking his head. \u201cGiles is on he phone with her mother right now.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhoa,\u201d Xander exclaimed, plopping himself onto Giles\u2019 sofa, next to Willow. \u201cHe\u2019s trying to get information from\u00a0that<\/i>\u00a0woman? Good luck. He\u2019ll have to waive a bottle of vodka in front of her face to get any function from her.\u201d Willow nodded in agreement. He and Willow remembered Mrs. Chase from Cordelia\u2019s twelfth birthday party- an invitation by proxy, the entire class was invited. Mrs. Chase had passed out on their luxurious, Oriental carpeting after drinking too much. It was the only time Xander had ever felt sorry for Cordelia- up until now.<\/p>\n
Trying to stifle a growl, that was not what Angel wanted hear. From what he had just found out about the Chases, it seemed less than likely they would find Cordelia through her parents. It enraged him how callous they were.<\/p>\n
As if confirming his point, Giles slammed his phone onto the receiver. \u201cSelfish, vain woman! According to her Cordelia, will \u2018show up\u2019! And this has happened before, in that Cordelia will stay out all night and eventually come back.\u201d If the woman had been in the room, Giles felt he would have slapped her.<\/p>\n
\u201cActually,\u201d Willow said, empathizing with Giles\u2019 frustration. \u201cCordelia probably would come home, but they are so immersed in themselves, they don\u2019t notice when she walks in the door.\u201d Even though her parents were like Cordelia\u2019s in their constant business trips, and least they checked in on her when they got home and called her frequently. \u201cOnce in eight grade, I overheard Cordelia talking to her best friend at the time, Robin, in how her parents had left the day before to go to Italy. They let the housekeeper tell her.\u201d<\/p>\n
Angel had heard enough. \u201cI\u2019m going there to speak to them. Willow, come with me.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy\u00a0me<\/i>?\u201d She was in shock that Angel would suggest she come with him to Chase Manor. She was never chosen for special ops like this! It wasn’t for her. \u201cWhy not Buffy?\u201d<\/p>\n
Yeah, why not me<\/i>, Buffy questioned herself, trying hard not to let herself pout.<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause the Chases know you, not Buffy. It will help to see a kind face,\u201d Angel stated, seeing that this did not sit well with Buffy. \u201cBesides, I think Buffy and Xander should go back to the clinics with Giles. There may be a different staff on now, and they\u2019ll talk to an adult.\u201d<\/p>\n
Giles did like the idea of somebody going to the Chase home, but he didn\u2019t understand why it had to be Angel. \u201cWhy shouldn\u2019t you got the clinics, Angel, and I could go to see Cordelia\u2019s parents? They might trust us more, if a teacher from the school came down.\u201d<\/p>\n
Angel shook his head in disagreement. \u201cNo, you\u2019ll do better at the clinics. If the Chases don\u2019t open up to a kind face,\u201d he continued, his voice dropping dangerously low, \u201cThen I\u2019ll have to show them\u00a0my<\/i>\u00a0face.\u201d<\/p>\n
With that, Angel grabbed his coat and gulping at his meaning, Willow quickly followed.<\/p>\n
Chase Manor<\/b><\/p>\n
\u201cWho was that, Meredith?\u201d Alexander Chase questioned, noticing how stiff his wife had become. He had just entered the kitchen when she hung up the phone.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat was Rupert Giles,\u201d Meredith Chase answered, turning around to face her husband. \u201cThe librarian from Cordelia\u2019s school. Apparently, there was an\u00a0incident<\/i>\u00a0at the school last night and he fears Cordelia may have been injured as a result of it.\u201d Her perfect lips were pursed in a thin line, as she considered what that meant. \u201cThey can\u2019t find her.\u201d<\/p>\n
Alexander bore his clear green eyes into his wife\u2019s brown ones. Any traces of the alcohol from the plane had lifted. Her face was one of grim determination and knowledge. She knew what had occurred and so did he. \u201cDo you think she came home first?\u201d<\/p>\n
Nodding, Meredith took a seat on the kitchen stool. \u201cYes, Eva informed me, just before the phone rang.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat was her condition?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cShe was hurt, but when she came down from packing and showering, her bruises were\u00a0already<\/i>\u00a0fading,\u201d Meredith could not suppress the small smile of pride that began to form on her lips. It was\u00a0happening<\/i>– just has her grandfather\u2019s mother had predicted. Until they had settled in this town, two years after their daughter was born, Meredith Chase had felt the foretelling was nothing but crap. But everything began to fall into place, causing her and her husband to believe.<\/p>\n
Alexander Chase understood his wife\u2019s smile and began to grin himself. Ever since Cordelia had been around two years old, the Chases had forced themselves to place a distance between their only child, and themselves. The knowledge of their daughter\u2019s destiny had remained well hidden, within his wife\u2019s family. It was necessary to push their daughter away, as fate was going to pull her in a direction that had nothing to do with them. Had they been the parents she wanted, they would not have been able to bear the idea of what was going to befall her.<\/p>\n
She was destined for great and terrible things. And it was going to be worth it in the end.<\/p>\n
Outside Chase Manor<\/b><\/p>\n
Angel and Willow had just stepped up to the massive, double doors to the Chase home. Both of them had thought it was strange that the iron gates had been left open. Willow knew the Chases were freaks about security.<\/p>\n
Knocking on the door, Angel braced himself for who would answer. Moments later, a beautiful woman, with almond shaped eyes answered. He knew right away this was Cordelia\u2019s mother. Aside from her eyes and her shorter height, she was the image of her daughter. \u201cMay I help you?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHello, Mrs. Chase,\u201d Willow stammered. Even though the woman was a drunk, she still held an imposing air. Not the warmest human to walk the planet. \u201cI\u2019m Willow. A friend of Cordelia\u2019s.\u201d<\/p>\n
Giving her the once over, a small smirk appeared on the corner of her mouth, telling that by Willow\u2019s appearance that she highly doubted that. \u201cAnd you are?\u201d She questioned, bringing her cold eyes to Angel, her eyes narrowing slightly. There was a faint flare of her nostrils- If Angel didn\u2019t know any better, he’d have sworn the woman was able to sense he was a vampire.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m Angel.\u201d That was all he was going to give her. A flash of respect glinted in her eyes.<\/p>\n
\u201cMrs. Chase,\u201d continued an embarrassed Willow. Even she saw the smirk on her face. \u201cWe\u2019ve come because we\u2019re worried about Cordelia. No one\u2019s been able to find her.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd you think\u00a0I<\/i>\u00a0know where she is?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re her\u00a0mother<\/i>,\u201d Angel hissed, wishing there wasn\u2019t a home barrier against him. \u201cWe figured you might have a clue.\u201d Sneering at her, he inched as close as the barrier would let. \u201cI\u2019m sorry if we were under the impression that mommy\u00a0might<\/i>\u00a0give a damn.\u201d<\/p>\n
Oh, cheese and bananas,<\/i>\u00a0Willow thought, feeling her face turn red.\u00a0There\u2019s no way he\u2019s getting in now<\/i>.<\/p>\n
Much to Willow\u2019s amazement, Meredith Chase\u2019s face brightened into a wide, honest smile. It completely transformed her. It was Cordelia\u2019s smile. \u201cPlease, come in-\u00a0both<\/i>\u00a0of you.\u201d\u00a0Was it me or did the \u2018both\u2019 part seem a little too poignant<\/i>, Willow wondered, as she and Angel stepped into the hallway behind Mrs. Chase.<\/p>\n
\u201cMake yourselves comfortable in the parlor. It\u2019s to your right. I\u2019ll get my husband, and we\u2019ll join you in a moment.\u201d Turning on her healed Gucci shoe, she proceeded up the winding staircase.<\/p>\n
\u201cOkay,\u201d Angel mused, following behind Willow into the black and gold colored parlor. It was lushly decorated with Japanese art, which complimented the coloring of the room. \u201cI wasn\u2019t expecting that.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cTotally,\u201d Willow nodded in agreement.<\/p>\n
Alexander Chase\u2019s home office<\/b><\/p>\n
Not bothering to knock, Meredith Chase entered her husband\u2019s office with a spring in her step. \u201cHe\u2019s here.\u201d<\/p>\n
Alexander glanced up from his filing, to acknowledge his wife. Her eyes were shining. \u201cWho\u2019s here, darling?\u201d It was amazing- the change that had befallen his wife in the last few hours. She was glowing and vibrant. Like the time when they had first met.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe vampire.\u201d<\/p>\n
Raising his perfect eyebrows in curiosity, he placed his paperwork to the side, leaning back in his leather chair. They\u2019d known of his coming, but so soon? \u201cReally<\/i>?\u201d<\/p>\n
Flashing another brilliant smile to the love of her life, Meredith sauntered over to him, taking a seat on his lap. \u201cReally.\u201d She confirmed bringing her arms around his neck. For the first time in sixteen years, they shared a kiss that meant something. It was all coming together.<\/p>\n
Willis-Montgomery Overnight Clinic<\/b><\/p>\n
Giles, Buffy, and Xander had just arrived at Willis-Montgomery. The clinic was strictly an evening urgent care, and didn\u2019t even open until 8:30pm. Buffy and Xander had assured him that nothing had turned up at the other two clinics in Sunnydale, nor anything at Sunnydale Memorial. This was their last hope.<\/p>\n
\u201cExcuse me? Nurse?\u201d Giles ran up to a pretty Hispanic nurse. \u201cCould you help me please Nurse- Montoya?\u201d He asked, after reading her name tag. She was quite lovely. It wasn\u2019t often you see Hispanic women with blue eyes.<\/p>\n
\u201cOf course, what can I do for you?\u201d The nursed glanced at the children behind him, trying to see if one of them was ill or injured. Instinct always got the better of her. Seeing nothing wrong physically or in their expressions, she turned back to the British man.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m looking for a student of mine, who may have come here last night with great physical injuries. Her parents have no idea where she is.\u201d<\/p>\n
Shaking her head in refusal, \u201cI\u2019m sorry. We have strict patient-doctor confidentiality rules and I\u2019m afraid I can\u2019t release any medical information to you.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI just\u00a0need<\/i>\u00a0to know if she came here,\u201d Giles tried to bite back his frustration. How hard was it to find on teenage girl in a small town? It was like a lockdown at the Pentagon for Christ\u2019s sake! \u201cI don\u2019t need to know anything about her medical files, we just need to find her. She\u2019s a brunette, about five foot nine, and extremely pretty.\u201d<\/p>\n
Overhearing the nurse speaking to the gentlemen and the two children, Dr. Anton Wakefield, glanced up from his charts to regard them. Hearing the discription of Cordelia Chase, Dr. Wakefield clenched his jaw in concern. He knew who the Englishman was looking for and probably knew why. \u201cNurse Montoya? Can you take these charts to Dr. Conley in Ward C? He needs them right away. Thank you.\u201d Handing her the paperwork, he waited until she was around the corner.<\/p>\n
Knowing that she had gone, Dr. Wakefield stepped around the front desk, coming to a stop in front of Giles. \u201cI\u2019m Dr. Anton Wakefield, and you are?\u201d He greeted, holding out his hand.<\/p>\n
Meeting his eyes, Giles took the doctor\u2019s outstretched hand into his. \u201cI\u2019m Rupert Giles. The librarian at the high school.\u201d Gesturing to the teenagers behind them. \u201cThis is Buffy and Xander, friends of the student I\u2019m looking for.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re searching for Cordelia Chase, right?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cShe was here?,\u201d Buffy asked, coming to stand by Giles. \u201cYou saw her?\u201d Buffy had never been fond of Cordelia, but she was the first one who had really tried to be-friend her, until she almost mistook her as a vampire at the Bronze. That squashed any potential there. Now that Cordelia was a slayer, Buffy felt something stirring within her about Cordelia. Like a sisterhood of sorts.<\/p>\n
\u201cI helped her.\u201d He confirmed.<\/p>\n
This was amazing<\/i>, Giles though with elation. He had not slept at all last night, as he had been worried sick about Cordelia. Instead he had stayed up, leafing through the diaries of previous watchers, trying to find a clue about any slayer that had been called the way she had. Even Buffy\u2019s first watcher, Merrick, had caught up with her right when she had been called. The council was late in finding his slayer for training, but they had found her. With Cordelia, nothing he could find in the diaries or texts could explain why she was called in such a manner.<\/p>\n
\u201cI found her in my office,\u201d Dr. Wakefield continued as they walked to a more quieter side of the entrance. \u201cShe had broken in through my window- she actually\u00a0tore<\/i>\u00a0it off the shingles, I later found. Now, I\u2019ve know Cordelia since she was a little girl and I know how her parents are with her.\u201d Shaking his brown haired head in amazement. \u201cHer nanny or housekeeper brought her in for her illnesses and immunizations. I\u2019ve maybe only seen her parents twice.\u201d<\/p>\n
This didn\u2019t sound uncommon to Xander. He couldn\u2019t even recall one time were Mr. or Mrs. Chase had come to any school function. Parent-Teacher night usually consisted of just the teacher and Cordelia.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo,\u201d the good doctor resumed. \u201cThat\u2019s why I\u2019m telling you all this. It\u2019s nice to see someone concerned about that girl, besides my medical staff.\u201d Dr. Wakefield considered himself a second father to Cordelia. There never appeared to be any concern reflected by her own father. \u201cI found her in my office, bruised and bloodied. She had lacerations- almost like\u00a0claw<\/i>\u00a0marks- on her upper right arm, and deeper cuts on the side of her abdomen. Luckily, it was only tissue damage, but whatever got at her, was only an inch away from causing severe damage.\u201d<\/p>\n
Giles\u2019 throat began to constrict, as he contemplated what that meant. She had dove from the rooftop of the school with such injuries, trying to flee.<\/p>\n
\u201cI stitched her up, and placed her on an antibiotic with a pain killer. Believe me, I wanted to call the police, but she begged and pleaded, stating there was nothing they could do.\u201d And he had complied, seeing in her wounded eyes that whatever had happened to her, was beyond anyone\u2019s control. \u201cI do hope you find her. She didn\u2019t tell me anything about where she was going. I assumed it would be home.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThank you, so much, Dr. Wakefield.\u201d Giles was able to tell that that was all the doctor knew about Cordelia. \u201cI\u2019m sorry to keep you from your patients.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s no problem,\u201d he stated, shaking Giles\u2019 hand again. \u201cThis was regarding one of my patients. You will contact me if you hear anything?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAbsolutely.\u201d He was refreshed to see that someone in this godforsaken town, cared about that girl.<\/p>\n
Waiting until the doctor walked away, Buffy grabbed onto Giles arm. \u201cWhat do you think?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAngel was right,\u201d Giles confirmed. \u201cShe\u2019s going on instincts. She\u2019s running. The only thing is- where is she running to.\u201d Gesturing to Xander, Giles led them out of the clinic. Hopefully, Angel\u2019s got some news.<\/p>\n
Chase Manor<\/b><\/p>\n
They had been going around in circles now. He\u2019d ask her about Cordelia, she would compliment on one of her Munakata Shiko wood prints. \u201cHe was an excellent artist. You should see his homage to Mount Fuji. He really put his\u00a0soul<\/i>\u00a0into it.\u201d Angel might find it annoying, but Meredith Chase was having a gay old time!<\/p>\n
\u201cMrs. Chase,\u201d he was struggling so hard not to yell. \u201cPlease forgive me for being rude, as you can\u2019t forgive yourself, but we need to find Cordelia. She\u2019s in danger.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOh, I highly doubt that,\u201d Alexander Chase interjected, his cold eyes bearing into Angel\u2019s. \u201cMy daughter is quite capable of taking care of herself. I assure you.\u201d Willow could see where Cordelia got her cold exterior from, along with her model perfect height. Her father was the most unfeeling man she had ever know. \u201cYou may think we don\u2019t care for our daughter,\u201d he continued, seeming to read Willow\u2019s thoughts. \u201cBut we do.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cProve it,\u201d Angel countered, leaning forward in the Chases\u2019 black velvet chair. \u201cTell me where she is.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe don\u2019t know where she is,\u201d said Meredith as she rose from her seat, \u201cThat\u2019s the beauty of it.\u201d Meredith went over to the bar to pour herself another glass of chardonnay. \u201cAre you sure you don\u2019t want anything, Angel? I have\u00a0red<\/i>\u00a0wine.\u201d This did not go over Angel\u2019s head.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou know what I am?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cA vampire. Yes.\u201d<\/p>\n
This was getting too weird<\/i>, Willow thought in a panic. Mrs. Chase had been making cracks about the color red and souls ever since she and her husband had come down to the parlor. Now it was confirmed that the Chases knew that Angel was a vampire, but how?<\/p>\n
Angel\u2019s face took on a dangerous look as he glared at Mrs. Chase. \u201cTell me what you know. And don\u2019t lie.\u201d He had no idea how Cordelia had been able to survive and function with people like this as her parents. His might have been overbearing, but at least they were there.<\/p>\n
\u201cFine,\u201d she agreed, coming to sit back next to her husband. \u201cI hope you can stomach the tale. We\u2019ve had to live with it most of our lives.\u201d Her countenance had finally taken on a somber one. Gone was the teasing, cold woman. \u201cMy husband and I, have been terrible parents to our daughter. For what we did not give her in love, we made up for by giving her credit cards. This was not something we wanted to do, but it was necessary.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHow was it\u00a0necessary<\/i>\u00a0to ignore your only child?\u201d Willow asked. She couldn\u2019t help the harsh tone she said it with. She did not like these people at all.<\/p>\n
\u201cPatience,\u201d Mrs. Chase replied. \u201cLet me finish. Then you can pass judgment. Our daughter is special and she is meant for astonishing things.\u201d Her face was beaming again, this time with parental pride. \u201cHer future goes beyond us. We were forced, you see, to distance ourselves from her. To deny her the love she deserved, so that we could bear letting her go when the time came. Not only that, but it also assured us that when\u00a0her<\/i>\u00a0time came, she could leave- and not have to worry about leaving the people she loved behind. We know our daughter does not love us, Angel. It was destined to be so.\u201d<\/p>\n
This was insane! Parents deliberately trying to force their daughter not care or love them, so if she did leave, she wouldn\u2019t look back!? \u201cYou\u2019re crazy.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAre we?\u201d Mr. Chase cocked his head to the side in amusement. \u201cSo is a vampire with a soul, but you\u2019re here!\u201d Point one for the cold father.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was seventeen when I heard of the prophecy for my daughter,\u201d Meredith continued, \u201cAnd I was in a rage! How could I be expected to turn my heart away from my child? And it was supposed to be for the\u00a0better<\/i>?!\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat prophecy?,\u201d Angel whispered.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe one about the strongest vampire slayer ever to live. The one about Cordelia. Tell me, Angel- was it Buffy who killed the Master or was it my daughter?\u201d Alexander Chase smiled in fatherly pride, because he already knew the answer. Had know ever since she was born.<\/p>\n
Sendai, Japan<\/b><\/p>\n
She had forgotten how beautiful it was here. There was something so clean and pure about Japan. Back home in Sunnydale, there seemed to be an ever present darkness that seeped out to all that lived there. She hoped, since she had killed a part of that darkness, that some light would shine through again.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhere to, Miss?\u201d Asked a middle-aged cab driver in Japanese. Cordelia had just left the baggage area of the airport, an had gone out to find a cab.<\/p>\n
Replying with a flawless Japanese accent, Cordelia replied. \u201cThe outskirts of Yoshino Village.\u201d She wasn\u2019t at all surprised by the shock in his expression. Most people in Japan did not go there, let alone American outsiders. \u201cIt is my grandfather-san\u2019s<\/i>\u00a0village. Will you take me there?\u201d<\/p>\n
Swiftly nodding his head, he hurried out to grab her luggage. Such a delicate beauty like her should have an army of bags, but she only had one large suitcase and a small carry on. \u201cYou are Jun Yoshino\u2019s granddaughter?\u201d He asked in amazement.<\/p>\n
\u201cActually, great-granddaughter, but he prefers to be called grandfather.\u201d Cordelia smiled at the man. He seemed humble to meet her, which was\u00a0not<\/i>\u00a0altogether unusual. Jun Yoshino was a famed samurai and friend of the people of Japan. \u201cShall we go now?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHai-hai<\/i>!\u201d<\/p>\n