After the talk with Angel in the hotel

[cordys_bitch]

I made my way up the stairs after telling Dad to wait in the lobby until I got his stuff packed so I could take him to Buffy and Spike's once the sun set. Walking into their room, I felt my chest tighten, and I guess it hit me that despite our fighting I had grown to really care about Harry. He'd been my brother, and now he was gone. If he was

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[cordys_bitch]

I wasn't sure how to tell them. My chest felt so tight that I was sure I would be choking for air soon. I walked with them in silence for a few minutes until we reached the rocks by the water and I sat down on one. They were both so beautiful and when I looked at them all I could see was the best of Faith and Harry looking back at me.

"Your mother has been possessed by something. I'm not sure what yet, but until I catch up with her and help her get back to her usual self it's very important that you both stay with Dad, Spike, Buffy and Cordy."

I didn't mention their father and they would notice that. They were both really smart even if Lexi didn't think she was as smart as her brother. But then who was as smart as Tyler anyway?

God this was so hard. They had already been through so much, and it wasn't fair that they lost their dad. Especially after everything that happened so they wouldn't lose him.

"You guys have to understand that when you're possessed you can't control what you're doing. You're not in charge of your body and you're a victim to whatever has taken control of you."

Like Cordy was a victim. I didn't want to think about that right now. It would make me throw up.

[osborn_heiress]

I just watched Connor curiously when he explained that my mother was possessed by something. Possessed? Like in the Exorcist? Did we need an old priest and a young priest? Connor was acting like someone had died and it hadn't escaped my attention that he hadn't bothered to mention my dad in all of this. Where was he? Why wasn't he telling us? Granted, he couldn't be out on the beach in the sun but he could tell us inside.

"Where's Daddy? Did he go after Mom?" I demanded, my fixation on Connor totally forgotten for the moment because I didn't understand what was going on, only that it was really bad. Really bad.

"WHERE IS HE?!" I all but shouted at Connor, growing angry that he wasn't just telling us straight out what happened and now all of the worst thoughts that I could think came flooding into my head. Did Mom do something to him? Did something happen to him?

What was wrong with my parents? They're what Tyler and I count on. We need them!

[not_a_prophecy]

Everything Connor was saying made me believe my fears that something bad had happened. Why else would he call us out here like this? Why away from the hotel? And why wouldn't he just tell us straight up?

I listened to my sister start yelling at him, but I just watched Connor's reactions. Something had happened. Dad was the only one who wasn't mentioned in this equation. Mom was possessed and Dad wasn't mentioned. People aren't in control when they're possessed. I wasn't an idiot.

Looking at Lexi for a second, I grabbed her hand in mine then looked back at Connor. Dad was dead.

"He's dead," I said, studying Connor's face for affirmation. I got it immediately.

Tugging Lexi a little closer, I looked at her for a second then stared down at the sand. Dad was dead. Mom was possessed. "She did it, didn't she?"

I wanted to throw up.

[cordys_bitch]

"It wasn't her," I said in a firm tone because they needed to understand that. They needed to understand their mother would never take their father from them if she was in control of herself. They needed her just as much as she needed them.

"Whatever has control of her...yeah it killed your dad. I'm sorry."

Like sorry was going to help fix any of this. God they were just kids and they needed both of their parents. Fuck the law firm. There had to be a way to make them pay for this. Someone had to pay for this.

"I know that there is nothing that will make this better, but you have to understand something, he's gone. Whatever they bring back, if they bring him back, it's not your dad. Whatever is wearing his face is not the father that loved you and wanted to do anything to protect and raise you. It's hard to see something like that wearing your father's face, but you can't give into the illusion that he will be back. Wolfram and Hart took him from you and whatever they replace him with will be used to hurt you both and destroy this family. I'm so fucking sorry, but I know your dad would want you both to stay far far away from whatever they bring back if they bring him back. Promise me you'll stay put until I get back with your mom. I promise you, I'll get her back for both of you, but I need to know you're here and safe while Alec and I go after her."

[osborn_heiress]

"What?!" I demanded when Tyler pulled me closer and announced that Daddy was dead. No. I mean, yes. He was already dead, he was a vampire. That wasn't the same thing though, that wasn't dead dead. They made it seem like this was dead dead and that my mother was the one that killed her because she was possessed.

I could feel the tears flooding my eyes, because this wasn't happening. No. I need him! He's the only one that understands what's going on inside of me, the only one who knows my secret, the only one who drops everything to make it better. I need him to make it better right now. I swallowed hard and just stared at Connor when he started talking about that stupid law firm and how they'd bring my father back.

Connor promised he'd bring Mom back but she killed my dad! I didn't want to see her. I don't understand all of this possession talk, or Wolfram and Hart bringing back something bad where Daddy used to be. He wouldn't be evil, he wasn't evil. He was my dad.

Angrily I wiped the tears from my face and pushed Tyler away from me. "No." I shook my head as I looked at Connor. "Mom would never....NO!" I said as I shoved Connor hard, and watched as he staggered back. "I don't care what that stupid law firm brings back. I NEED HIM!"

[not_a_prophecy]

I listened to Connor talk about the firm. How they'd bring him back and Dad wouldn't be himself. Why? He was already a vampire. Wasn't that enough? Dad, Angel, Spike. They were all vampires. They weren't themselves were they? Not really. He was my dad. He could just be evil.

Lexi pushed me away from her before I was able to say anything and I could feel hot tears in my eyes as I watched her yell at Connor, pushing him back.

I didn't know what to do. Would they fight each other now? Is this how it happened? Dad was dead, Mom was possessed and missing, and now would Connor and Lexi finally have it out? I stood back and watched for a second then walked back over and tried to get a hold of my sister, wrapping arms around her.

She was stronger than I was and could push me back if she wanted, but what else was I supposed to do? Stand back and do nothing?

The tears started to fall down my cheeks and I didn't bother wiping them away yet. "Will you bring her back here?" I asked him, hating the way my voice sounded. Too young, but then again I wasn't technically that old, was I?

"Will she be... what's going to happen?"

[cordys_bitch]

I didn't fight back when Lexi pushed me. If she needed to lash out, better me than someone else, but I needed them to stay put. I needed Tyler to keep his sister under control right now.

"I love you both so much," I said in a soft tone as I looked at both them and felt tears spring to my eyes. "I promised your mother and father that I would always protect the both of you before everyone else, and I will do that."

I stepped forward and gently laid my hands on each of their shoulders. They were just kids who needed both of their parents, and now one was one and the other needed to be brought home.

"Your mother couldn't help what happened,and when she is back to herself, she's going to be so lost. She's going to need you both just as much as you need her, because she's your mom. She has fought so hard for both of you from day one, and the three of you have to take care of each other. You're safe here. Family will take care of you until I get back with your mom, but I will bring her home to you. I'll bring her home when she is herself again."

I leaned forward and kissed the top of Lexi's head and then Tyler's, the same way I used to when they were little and hurt themselves. "But you two have to stick together right now. So, please, stay put until I get back."

[osborn_heiress]

Tyler pulled me back and the tears just kept streaming down my face and I hated them, and I hated my parents for leaving me and I hated Connor for standing here and trying to make it sound like everything was going to be fine. Nothing was fine! And I hated Tyler for pulling me back and grounding me when all I wanted to do was hit Connor again.

Finally I just shrank back away from Connor and let the tears win, because crying was what I was supposed to do. I didn't know what else to do. I wanted to go back to Wolfram and Hart and demand that my grandfather and my aunt and my uncle bring Daddy back the way he's supposed to be but I knew that they'd never let me go. I wanted them to fix my mother, whatever had happened to her.

I just wanted this day to go away.

I nodded slowly at Connor when he told us to stay put until he could bring Mom back. I needed her back even if I didn't understand, even if she had killed Daddy. She had been the constant thing in our lives since the day we were born and she owed us an explanation.

"I wanna come with you." I said suddenly to Connor. "Let me come too. I wanna see what happened to her."

[not_a_prophecy]

My arms tightened around Lexi as she started to really cry and I did the same. This wasn't going to be okay. When and if Connor was able to get Mom back the way she was and back in LA, this wasn't going to ever be okay. Dad was dead. They were going to bring him back the way he wasn't supposed to be. Mom already wasn't who she was supposed to be.

I heard Lexi say she wanted to go with him and yeah, so did I. If anyone could get through to her, it would have to be us, right?

We could protect ourselves. Mom was already with Aunt Grace and she wasn't hurting her, right? Just.. Dad.

"I wanna go too," I said, but from the look on his face I already knew the answer.

"Please. She's our mother. Why can't we help you find her?"

[cordys_bitch]

I'd want the same thing if I was in there place, but I couldn't let them go with me. If something were to happen to either of them, I wouldn't be able to pull Faith back from that. It was already going to be a struggle to pull her back from what happened at the hotel.

"I'm sorry, but you both know I can't agree to that. If anything happens to the two of you and it's by whatever has your mom under it's influence, there will be no way to bring her back from that. We'll lose her forever because she just won't be able to come back from that loss."

I sighed and looked at them both helplessly. There was nothing I could do to ease their pain. All I could hope for was that they would listen to me and stay here.

"Do you guys want to go inside or should I send Lily or Dad out here for you?"

I had to go find their mom and call their Aunt Nicole, but I didn't want to just leave them out here alone.

[osborn_heiress]

"She wouldn't hurt us." I argued but I knew that it was no use and that Connor wouldn't let us come with him. Not that he could really stop me if I wanted to go. I was so tired of being treated like a kid all the time, just because I'm the baby of the family. But I guess if she hurt Daddy there was a possibility that she would hurt us too? No. I mean, she loved my father but he was a vampire and she's a vampire slayer. Me and Tyler are her miracles, she said so herself.

"I don't wanna go back in there." I finally said, and I didn't really want Angel or Lily to come out here either. I liked Lily but I didn't want her to see me like this. Tyler probably needed her though, I didn't know what was up with those two but he likes her. I just wanted to be left alone.

"I won't go anywhere." I said as I looked back at Connor. "But I don't expect to be babysat either. I just wanna be left alone. You can send Lily out for Tyler." I swallowed hard forcing the tears to be kept at bay as I pulled away from my brother's grasp.

Without another word to either one of them I walked down further towards the beach hoping that the sound of the waves hitting the shore would do something to soothe me.

[not_a_prophecy]

I nodded silently, knowing that asking to go with him was useless. Mom probably wouldn't want us to see her like that anyway. Not that I cared. I wanted to see her, to make sure she was okay and just ask her why. What was inside of her that made her do that?

Lexi pulled away from me and I hated her a little for it. I didn't want to see Angel and I wasn't sure if I wanted Lily to see me like this. I needed my sister.

I watched her and really just wanted to run after her and shake her. She wasn't the only one having to deal right now. They were my parents too.

Pressing my lips together, I wiped the tears away from my face then looked and nodded at Connor. "I don't wanna go inside. You can tell Lily to come outside if she wants to."