Yesterdays (Part Two)
Part One
-M7/BTVS-
The morning dawned bright as Ezra awoke slowly. He had a slight headache, his brain felt tender and bruised and his muscles although better, still protested, every step but he persevered. Getting dressed as quickly as possible, Ezra’s vow from the night before was consuming his thoughts and he wanted to share it with his mother. To show her she wasn’t alone and that together they could have a new life and leave this one behind.
Practically running down the stairs, his excitement building, his thoughts darting through his mind at a frantic pace, Ezra slid to a stop in the kitchen. His mother was sitting at the banquet table, the manila envelope from his grandfather in front of her, empty of its contents as Maude started to sort through the papers.
Spying him she spoke distractedly, “Eat your breakfast, we have much to do today.”
Ezra went to the fridge and took out the milk, wanting only cereal this morning. As he did he studied his mother. She was a completely different person then the woman he spoke with last night. Once again, not a hair was out of place, her make-up was perfect, and her clothes were just as elegant as ever, but unlike the severe black of yesterday’s outfit this one was in a bright vermillion color. This was the Maude he was used to seeing, it was definitely an improvement.
Taking his bowl to the table Ezra sat down quickly eating the Cheerios and racking his brain, trying to figure out a way to bring up his plan.
“Mother?” Ezra finally spoke around his last bite of cereal.
“Don’t talk with your mouth full,” his mother spoke distractedly as she made notes in the margins of the paper in front of her.
Swallowing the bite a bit too fast so that it caused a scraping pain to his throat, Ezra winced and cleared his throat before saying, “I think we should leave.”
That got his mother’s attention, looking up she placed the pencil and papers down and, meeting his eyes for the first time, she asked hesitantly, “What do you mean?”
Squirming under the cool intensity of her gaze, Ezra felt some of his courage seep away, but he persevered, “We should leave. We could pack up and move somewhere your Grandfather couldn’t find us. You could be free and then you could do whatever you want instead of running cons all the time.”
She just stared at him for a beat before she picked up her pencil again and said dismissively, “Don’t be silly, I am not going anywhere. I like my work. Now put your bowl in the sink, we are going to be leaving soon.”
Ezra was confused; this was not how he thought this conversation would go. She liked conning people? Okay. But why wouldn’t his mother want to get away from her family? Maybe she was scared.
So he tried again his voice eager and conciliatory, “You don’t have to be afraid. I will help you, between the two of us we could make it.”
Heaving a great sigh as Maude once again looked up and said, “I am not scared. Nor am I going to leave the life I have carved out for us here.”
“But…” Ezra stammered out determined to get her to listen to him.
Maude slammed her pencil down in frustration, before she yelled, “Ezra!”
Ezra stopped speaking at once. His mother never raised her voice she was always to calm and controlled with him. For the first time that morning Ezra really looked at his mother; she had dark circles under her eyes and her hands shook ever so slightly.
Before his eyes he watched her straighten her spine and bring herself under control, “This is my life and this is how I chose to live it. I provide a good living for us. I make enough money to give you the best of everything and you should be grateful.”
Ezra listened to his mother speech as shame and embarrassment blossomed inside of him. The longer it went on the harder her tone got until he wondered if he imagined his mother’s encouraging words from yesterday.
“This is our life and we…you must accept it.” She abruptly stood up and stalked over to the counter, and grabbed a color pamphlet and placed it in front of him. “This is McAllister Academy; you will be going there for the next school year. It is located in a charming part of Boston, you will live on campus and some holidays will be spent there as well, although I will of course visit. We’ll go clothes shopping today and get everything you need. You leave tomorrow.”
Stunned Ezra picked it up and tried to read the words, but they blurred and folded in on themselves as tears filled his eyes. “Boston is all the way across the country. Why can’t I stay here with you? And go to a local school?”
Maude once again sighed but her voice was steel as she tugged on her jacket, straightening its already straight lines. “This school is infinitely better, and it will properly prepare you to get into only the best of universities. You are old enough to go to a proper school. This is how it has to be and there will be no arguing.”
Desperately trying to not let the tears fall, Ezra picked up his bowl, leaving the pamphlet unread on the table. Rinsing out the bowl, Ezra placed it in the dishwasher. By time Ezra finished the mundane task he was back under control. He turned and faced his mother.
They stared at each other across the kitchen Ezra saw a chilly resolve in his mother’s eyes; he knew he could argue from here to eternity and it would not change Maude’s mind in the slightest. He broke eye contact first.
“We leave in ten minutes,” Maude declared as she left the room, her heels clicking on the tile floor.
As Ezra slowly made his way up the stairs he felt tightness in his chest and his head was starting to hurt again; he rubbed it absently. All he could think was this wasn’t how it was supposed to be.
-M7/BTVS-
Two Years Later
Why are you making my life so difficult?
I am disappointed. I ask for so little from you.
There will be no dinner night. Don’t come down until you’ve thought about what you’ve done.
Slamming his bedroom door, Ezra still had Maude’s voice ringing in his ears. He picked up the framed picture of him and his mother and threw it against the wall. Ezra smirked when the glass shattered and the corner of the frame made a hole in the wall, a sense of satisfaction welled up inside of him at the damage.
Flopping down on the bed and placing his hands behind his head he could just make out the sound of raised voices coming from the first floor. Ezra listened as a rare L.A. summer storm that had started with a drizzle that had been off and on all day turned into a downpour. He always liked the sound of rain, it was calming.
He knew his step dad was furious that he had been kicked out of his alma mater. From the moment he had learned that Thomas had pulled strings to get him into the very prestigious boarding school, Ezra had made it his mission to get kicked out. He had managed it in record time, only took two months. It was also the third in two years. He was creating quite the reputation for himself.
The muffled yelling abruptly stopped and Ezra sat up when he heard the front door slam. He walked over to the window and watched his step dad getting soaked as he struggled to get some luggage into the trunk of his Lexus and get in and speed off.
Good riddance, Ezra sneered to himself. He figured Thomas would soon be his 4th ex-stepfather. He’s really going to be angry when he remembers he didn’t sign a pre-nup. He had never liked Thomas, he was too full of himself and so arrogant. They had clashed from day one, and every time he was home from boarding school. Thanks to what little he inherited from his mother abilities Ezra knew exactly what buttons to push to get to the man. So in the end Thomas hadn’t liked him either, not that Ezra cared, the man was only one in a long line of men that was paraded through his mother’s life.
Digging around his desk Ezra found a candy bar that had he had stashed there for just such an occasion. He knew it would be best if he didn’t show his face until morning when Maude had a chance to cool down. Finding the chocolate, Ezra did a fist pump and ate it quickly. Once done, he tried to remember if he had hidden away any other treats. After riffling through a few drawers he conceded defeat, grabbed one of his favorite books off the shelf and sat down at his desk. He allowed Arthur and his journeys to become King of Camelot draw him to another time and place and away from his troubled life.
-M7/BTVS-
THUMP THUMP THUMP!!!
Ezra sat up abruptly, his heart beating a mile a minute. Blurrily looking around he realized he must have fallen asleep whilst reading.
Riiiiiiiiiiiiinnnnnnnnnngggggggggggg
Hearing someone lean on the door bell, Ezra figured that must have been what woke him up. Moving swiftly, he managed to be on the second floor landing overlooking the entryway when his mother got to the door and wretched it open. Ezra had thought that it would be his step-dad in an ill-conceived attempt to get back together with his mother, but instead a man and woman stood in the pouring rain. The man was carrying a third, seemingly unconscious person, smaller but lanky, maybe a teenager.
His mother’s response was less than welcoming, her voice was cold and hard. “What are you doing here?!?”
The man was of average height with dark hair plastered to his head his soaked black trenchcoat hung off his body, testifying to how long they must have been out in the rain. “Please M…”
“No names!” Maude shouted out hurriedly.
The man nodded a bit sheepishly before continuing, “I didn’t know where else to take them. The boy is very sick with a high fever and I am afraid he won’t make it to Sanctuary if he doesn’t get help.”
“How is that my problem? This is not a clinic. Take him to the hospital, there is one not four miles from here,” Maude breathed out harshly, glancing behind her, worry etched in her features. Ezra froze; he knew she wouldn’t see him as the landing was dark and he was in the shadows, but he didn’t want to call attention to himself by moving.
As she started to shut the door, the man spoke again this time, begging, “You know why we can’t. They watch the hospitals and homeless shelters waiting for runaways to show up.” He paused and then simply said, “Please.”
Maude paused, uncharacteristically indecisive, and finally opened the door a bit wider, then asked, “What about their marks?”
The man seemed to minutely relax before answering, “They were new, still being processed, only the mother had one. We removed it yesterday and have been on the move since.”
Maude nodded, but then demanded, “Show me.”
The woman stepped forward and took her jacket off before lifting her shirt sleeve revealing a bloody bandage and peeling it back. Even from his vantage point Ezra could see the gaping wound.
This seemed to satisfy Maude because she stepped back, “Fine, but only until his fever breaks, then you must leave.”
She beckoned the woman in. Once she was inside, the man stepped forward before stopping just on the outside of the threshold and waiting.
Maude leaned closer to the man but didn’t lower her voice so Ezra was able to hear her words. Her tone was deadly. “Angel, if this comes back to hurt me or my family, I will hunt you down and put you out of your souled misery. Is that understood?”
Angel’s expression was solemn as he said, “I understand.”
The silence that followed had weight to it, but finally Maude stepped aside and said, “Come in.”
Facing the visitors she said, “There is a guest room to your right. Place the boy in there, I will find some clothes for you to change into,” Maude stated before turning and heading for the stairs.
Ezra swiftly made his way back to his room; he didn’t even try to feign sleep. Instead he went back to his desk and sat down. Less then thirty seconds later, Maude knocked softly, opening the door and closing it gently behind her.
Ezra knew better then to pretend not to know something was up. The way that man Angel leaned on the doorbell it had been loud enough to wake the dead, and it would be foolish to pretend otherwise. So he asked, “What is going on?”
Maude seemed a bit flustered but her voice was calm, “We have some unexpected guests. They are only staying the night. Until they leave you will stay in your room and under no circumstances will you interact with them.”
Ezra scowled, and asked, “Why?”
“Because I said so,” Maude hissed, frustration dripping from every word. “I know we haven’t been on the best of terms but I need you to trust me on this. It is safer for everyone involved,” Maude ground out, her temper near the surface. “Do you understand?”
Ezra felt the yes stick in his throat. Two years ago he could have said it but now between them stood so much anger and disappointment, a couple of years of missed birthdays and holidays. Voicemails full of empty promises of seeing each other next time, only for next time to roll around and Maude failing to show.
Instead he just nodded, resentment outlining his movements as he sat down with a visible huff and turning away. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Maude hesitate, a pained look on her face and for a moment he yearned to go to her and throw his arms around her and tell her it would be okay. But then her face once again smoothed out into the mask she seemed to wear nowadays and the moment was lost.
-M7/BTVS-
Ezra decided to bide his time and listened to the sounds echoing through the house. After putting on his pajamas Ezra turned off his light and got into bed. When Maude checked on him a bit later he pretended to sleep. He was determined to learn more about their guests and why Maude was so bent on keeping him in the dark.
After waiting a couple of hours and when silence reigned through the house, Ezra made his move. Going downstairs, he saw the only light was coming from the living room. Sneaking past, Ezra saw the sole occupant of the room was Maude, who paced back and forth stopping every once in a while looking out the window.
Ezra headed towards the front bedroom, wanting to get another look at their guests. The door was slightly open, letting a sliver of light illuminate the darkened hallway. Peeking through the gap, he saw the teen from earlier laying on his side, facing away from the door. Not seeing anyone else, he slowly pushed the door open and walked into the room. He made it halfway across the room, intent on maybe talking to the other boy, when a voice rang out, “Shouldn’t you be in bed?”
Ezra spun around in fright; his heart felt like it was in his throat. Curled up in a high chair that had blocked her from his view was the dark haired woman from earlier. She had changed her clothes to some he recognized as belonging to his mother; she also had a blue blanket wrapped loosely around her shoulders. Her hair was ebony in color, it was long, tied up in a braid which rested against her collarbone and her eyes were blue and staring kindly into his. She was beautiful.
Ezra felt himself blush at being caught. Clearing his throat, he ignored her question in favor of one of his own; “How is he?”
Looking over at her son, she sighed out, “His fever has abated somewhat but he is not out of the woods just yet.”
Ezra saw the boy shiver, which was odd as the room wasn’t at all cold. Looking back at the woman, he asked with concern seeping into his voice, “But he will be okay?”
The woman smiled gently and said with conviction, “Oh, yes, Bu…” she stopped abruptly, probably remembering his mother’s admonition of no names being exchanged, before she carried on, “my son is very stubborn, he will recover. It was because of his persistence that we were able escape from our cell and then Ang…”
“Angel?” Ezra said questioningly when she paused once again, wanting her to know she didn’t have to worry, he already knew the man’s name.
She smiled in relief that she hadn’t given away a secret, before continuing, “Yes, Angel. He helped us escape the compound we were being held in.”
Ezra’s curiosity made him ask, “How did you end up there?”
He regretted his question when the smile fell from her face and she laughed humorlessly, before bitterly spiting out, “Have you ever heard the phrase “too good to be true”
At his nod she continued, “I am a…dancer in Vegas and one night a patron said he had been watching me and thought I would make a good fit for a movie he was producing.”
Ezra felt his eyebrows rise at the anger in her voice which seemed to be directed inward as she continued almost talking to herself, “I know it was stupid and it was the very definition of to good to be true, but his offer was so tempting. It would provide a stable income for my son and we could have a fresh start. They even paid for our plane tickets; we arrived in L.A. a week ago and had a fancy car met us at the airport. I didn’t realize my mistake until we were escorted out of the car and into the compound when I was confronted with a demon for the first time. By the time I realized what I had agreed to it was too late and we were locked away for processing.”
Ezra could feel tears well up in his eyes the longer her story went on and as tears rolled down her cheeks. All of a sudden a familiar feeling crept over him and he knew what she wanted to hear, so he said in a small voice, “You were trying to help your son, at least you cared for him enough to try.” Unlike my mother, Ezra thought to himself bitterly. “It was a mistake, but it was one based on love. You just trusted the wrong people.”
She nodded and wiped the tears from her cheeks and she gave him a grateful look. “Maybe. But I shouldn’t be laying all of this on you.”
A pained moan came from the bed as the boy seemed to curl in on himself even further and the woman was up like a shot and sitting on the side of the bed running a soothing hand through his hair.
Backing out of the room as he felt he was intruding, Ezra felt a curl of envy snaking through him as the woman started to sing softly. He couldn’t remember the last time his mother had spoken to him in soft loving tones.
Closing the door behind him, Ezra made his way back down the hall. He heard raised voices coming from the living room.
“Do you know what would happen to me and my son should my grandfather even find out I am talking to you much less harboring runaways? When I agreed to help you it was on my terms. I said I would help when it wouldn’t put my family in danger!” Ezra heard his mother practically yell as he stood just outside of the doorway.
He heard the man Angel saying something in soothing tones spoken to low for Ezra to make out.
Whatever he said must have calmed her down somewhat because when Maude spoke again she sounded much calmer. “You think I don’t want to help more? I do, but I will not put my family at even more risk to do so.”
Peeking into the living room he saw Angel walk across the room until he stood right in from of his mother. He scowled at how close the two of them were standing. His expression soured even more when Angel cupped his mother’s face and, bending down brushed his lips against hers. Maude broke the kiss with a gentle push against the man’s chest but she didn’t move away.
“Please, Maude, let me help you,” Angel pleaded, softly and a bit desperately.
His mother let out a bitter laugh looking directly into his eyes and stating, “As I’ve told you before, Angel, I do not need saving. I am not a damsel in distress. Find someone else you can play savior for, I know what I am doing.” Her voice was hard but then she surprisingly stepped forward and rested her head against Angel’s shoulder and they wrapped their arms around each other, and she repeated in a low tone, “I know what I am doing.” Her voice was strong and sure but Ezra had never seen his mother look so tired.
They stood there for a few minutes swaying slightly before Maude said in a clear tone that was gentle but booked no argument, “If you truly care for me you will leave tomorrow. Take that family to Sanctuary and don’t ever come back to this house. I am not the one to save your soul; I am not your redemption. Do you understand?”
Angel’s eyes closed briefly as though in pain but when they reopened he looked resigned and said, “Yes.”
Then his eyes met Ezra’s and in that moment Ezra knew this man was not human. He panicked and ran back to his room, shutting and locking the door before diving into his bed.
Two days later the family and Angel were gone without Ezra getting a chance to see them again, leading to an argument between mother and son. Maude refused to answer any questions about them, refused once again to leave her family. Ezra tired of being stonewalled, finally stopped asking, finally stopped talking to her at all. Three days later Ezra was on a plane to New York to his new boarding school, the gulf between mother and son wider than ever.
-M7/BTVS-
When he was eight he realized Maude had a tell. Whenever she was discussing her family and she lied she had the tendency to straighten or tug at her clothing. When he was eight he met his relatives for the first time and hoped he would never meet them again. It was also the last time he remembered his mother and him being a family.
When he was ten he realized his mother was more complex then he first thought, she still followed her family’s directives but also defied them in big and small ways. Their relationship suffered because of all that Maude could and couldn’t give to him.
When he was seventeen he was arrested for the third time for a series of juvenile pranks that caused property damage. The judge gave him the options of jail time or community service. He choose community service and spent the next year helping out in libraries, museums, and what he liked to call roadside beautification. The libraries and museums sparked his love of learning and showed him the beauty in art. The roadside clean up taught him he never wanted to be arrested again. He graduated that spring and enrolled at the university majoring in Psychology, he had the burning need to try to understand people, specifically his mother, but also people in general.
In his twenties, to Maude’s horror, he went into law enforcement, first in Atlanta and then for the F.B.I., eventually landing at the ATF where he found his true calling and he finally had people around him he could trust. Their relationship had settled into a polite distant one that held a degree of disappointment on Maude’s side, but she had for the most part resigned herself that her only child was going no further in life.
Which had all led to the two of them having tea on a sunny Saturday morning. The conversation meandered on trivial subjects. Ezra was allowing Maude to lead them where she would but he was getting a restlessness from her that even without his meager gifts from his heritage he would have picked up on. There was something his mother wanted to talk about but so far she hadn’t broached the subject.
As their tea grew cold and conversation came to a halt, Maude finally set her cup down, cleared her throat and seemed ready to talk about what was really bothering her. “I am thinking of marrying again,” Maude blurted out quickly.
Ezra felt a wave of exhaustion sweep over him at this news. His mother had been married five times already and he was fairly certain she hadn’t truly loved any of them. She would use them until she had gotten what she wanted and then left them. So all he could think to say was, “Is that right?” Some of his disapproval must have slipped through because he could almost see Maude’s hackles rise.
“Yes, that is right,” Maude answered back, her own voice dripping with sarcasm and rancor, before she seemed to deflate a bit and said in an almost soft voice, “But I am not sure I want to.”
Ezra paused because this was not how this conversation usually went. Usually Maude would make her announcement and then they would argue until his mother left in a huff and they would not to speak for a couple of months. Maude never showed doubt. Unsure of what to say now that they were off script, Ezra breathed out, “Why?”
Maude’s forehead wrinkled a bit in a scowl before she answered, “Oh, Laurence is a gentleman, if a bit boring…” She trailed off, staring a bit in the distance before she returned her gaze to his. “I’m just tired of the game, of always trying to find the angle, always being on, never being myself, only being who they want me to be.”
His whole body stilled and his thoughts seemed to freeze, he could feel a spark of hope in his chest that maybe, just maybe she might be willing to lead a different life, but he knew he needed to tread lightly or else she would become defensive, “That’s understandable. Maybe you should take a vacation and think about the marriage for awhile. There’s no rush, right?”
“Well, actually, Grandfather for some reason wants the marriage to happen sooner rather than later,” Maude stated with a grimace and a look of disgust crossed her face.
“Why?” Ezra groundout, not bothering to mask the hatred in his voice for his relative.
“I’m not sure, actually. He is keeping me in the dark about it but he is pretty eager about it. Probably some deal he wants me to broker that as Laurence’s wife I would be able to persuade him to make,” she said with a sigh, shaking her head slightly. She stood up and the mask she wore slipped back into place before she continued, “I think I am in a bit of a funk and suffering from jetlag. I am sure once I get a bit of sleep and get back into the swing of things, I’ll be fine.”
Ezra could feel the moment slipping through his fingers as she smiled, wished him an early goodnight, and left the room, but he was unsure of what to say without pushing to hard. Just the fact that she would admit to having doubts to being tired of the whole ordeal was a huge step. Maybe he would just have to be patient; after all, she was staying at least till Monday morning when she was scheduled to fly back to L.A.
-M7/BTVS-
Tuesday dawned bright and early and found Ezra pulling up opposite Nathan’s house about a half-hour earlier than was normal. He shut off the engine. There was a van out front that he didn’t recognize, more than likely belonging to Nathan’s friend, so rather then going up to the door he decided to wait for Nate to come out. His teammate had taken Monday off but was supposed to come back to work today so he was here just like normal so they could carpool. Leaning his head back, Ezra felt a heartfelt weariness settle over him. It had been a long weekend. Maude had left on Monday, not being able to stay any longer; although only one quarter demon she was still effected by the city, if she stayed too long she would get migraines. He had tried to bring up her concerns about the marriage but Maude seemed determined to not talk about it. Finally as she was about to board the plane, Ezra had just asked her to at least think about getting out. She had wrapped him in a hug before stepping away and he watched in dismay as she smoothed out her collar and said she’d try. With the simple straightening of her jacket he knew she wouldn’t.
The whole situation both gave him hope and depressed him, he felt closer than ever to getting his mother away from her family but also felt like that may never happen. Just as his thoughts started to circle the drain, Nathan’s front door opened and Ezra’s mind focused back on the here and now.
The first two people out the door he didn’t recognize. They were both women, one was blonde and the other was a red head. Then came Nathan and his friend from the bar. Although across the street, Ezra could see the supernatural energy roll off of them in waves. The red-head was at least partially human but not fully, she also dealt in magic; he could practically see it swirling around her. She was powerful. He watched as they seemed to be hovering round the one-eyed man protectively.
Ezra watched as the dark-haired man gingerly gave Nathan a long hug and then climbed slowly into the back of the van. From the way he moved, the guy must be injured. He figured Nate patched him up like he did for their teammates now and then. Both girls also hugged Nathan and then the red head got into the back of the van. The blonde walked around to the driver’s side. There was something about her, something familiar. She wasn’t wholly human either. Drawing in a quick gasp as he placed a face with the name. Slayer. Not any slayer that had been activated over the past couple of years but the original. Buffy.
He had heard from his mother, about Buffy and what she had done calling, all potentials to defeat the great evil. His mother’s people tried to avoid them but they made it difficult, always breaking up many of his grandfather’s schemes. His grandfather was livid but he, like all other demons, tried to avoid them altogether.
Watching the van pull away he saw Nate give one more wave and then turn to pick up the newspaper that had been left on the front yard. That’s when he spotted Ezra’s car. Getting out Ezra walked across the street as his friend threw a glance at the direction the van had gone.
“Hey man, you’re a bit early. I’m not quite ready yet,’ Nathan said sounding a bit flustered when Ezra settled next to him. “Come in while I finish up getting ready.”
Nodding his acquiescence, Ezra followed Nathan into the house before asking, “So how was your visit with your friend?”
“Good. Good. Just really hung around and caught up with each other,’ Nathan answered as he grabbed his lunch out of the fridge and put on his jacket. He continued to talk in generalities but with out giving any specifics. Ezra was listening to his friend’s words but he was more paying attention to his body language and energy. Nate was highly uncomfortable with this line of questioning but he was doing a good job of hiding it. In any other circumstances Ezra would be very proud of his friend for being able to hide so much, but now he just was frustrated and a bit hurt, as hypocritical as it was. He knew he had no right to be hurt that his good friend was hiding something from him, because wasn’t he doing the same thing?
They were eventually back out front and once settled in Ezra’s car, Nate asked him about his weekend. Ezra explained about Maude’s surprise reappearance and was warmed by Nathan’s concern as his friend knew he didn’t get along with his mother very much. After reassuring the man that it all went very well, Ezra allowed the conversation to lapse, they were about twenty minutes out and he needed to think.
Nathan knew the slayer, so at least if he had to be involved with the supernatural it was for the good guys. But would Nathan still accept him, given his demon ancestry? He was worried because Nathan had the habit of only seeing things in black and white; there was no gray area for his friend most of the time. Whereas Ezra seemed live in the grey areas. Glancing over at his friend, Ezra saw the man who had become, for all practical purposes, his best friend. He hoped nothing would change for them.
His thoughts circled themselves as he parked the car in the ATF parking garage, around and around they went never actually getting anywhere. He jumped a bit when he felt a hand grab his for arm.
Looking over at his friend, he saw the man smile warmly at him and say, “You coming?”
Smiling back, Ezra said, “Yes,” before exiting the car and walking beside his friend into the building. Clapping his friend on the back he started to regale Nathan with what other stories he had missed out on after he left the bar and by time they hit the elevators both men were laughing. Ezra knew as the sound of his friend’s laughter bounced through the lobby that they would be okay. He would make sure of it, there was no way he was losing this.
The End
-M7/BTVS-
The morning dawned bright as Ezra awoke slowly. He had a slight headache, his brain felt tender and bruised and his muscles although better, still protested, every step but he persevered. Getting dressed as quickly as possible, Ezra’s vow from the night before was consuming his thoughts and he wanted to share it with his mother. To show her she wasn’t alone and that together they could have a new life and leave this one behind.
Practically running down the stairs, his excitement building, his thoughts darting through his mind at a frantic pace, Ezra slid to a stop in the kitchen. His mother was sitting at the banquet table, the manila envelope from his grandfather in front of her, empty of its contents as Maude started to sort through the papers.
Spying him she spoke distractedly, “Eat your breakfast, we have much to do today.”
Ezra went to the fridge and took out the milk, wanting only cereal this morning. As he did he studied his mother. She was a completely different person then the woman he spoke with last night. Once again, not a hair was out of place, her make-up was perfect, and her clothes were just as elegant as ever, but unlike the severe black of yesterday’s outfit this one was in a bright vermillion color. This was the Maude he was used to seeing, it was definitely an improvement.
Taking his bowl to the table Ezra sat down quickly eating the Cheerios and racking his brain, trying to figure out a way to bring up his plan.
“Mother?” Ezra finally spoke around his last bite of cereal.
“Don’t talk with your mouth full,” his mother spoke distractedly as she made notes in the margins of the paper in front of her.
Swallowing the bite a bit too fast so that it caused a scraping pain to his throat, Ezra winced and cleared his throat before saying, “I think we should leave.”
That got his mother’s attention, looking up she placed the pencil and papers down and, meeting his eyes for the first time, she asked hesitantly, “What do you mean?”
Squirming under the cool intensity of her gaze, Ezra felt some of his courage seep away, but he persevered, “We should leave. We could pack up and move somewhere your Grandfather couldn’t find us. You could be free and then you could do whatever you want instead of running cons all the time.”
She just stared at him for a beat before she picked up her pencil again and said dismissively, “Don’t be silly, I am not going anywhere. I like my work. Now put your bowl in the sink, we are going to be leaving soon.”
Ezra was confused; this was not how he thought this conversation would go. She liked conning people? Okay. But why wouldn’t his mother want to get away from her family? Maybe she was scared.
So he tried again his voice eager and conciliatory, “You don’t have to be afraid. I will help you, between the two of us we could make it.”
Heaving a great sigh as Maude once again looked up and said, “I am not scared. Nor am I going to leave the life I have carved out for us here.”
“But…” Ezra stammered out determined to get her to listen to him.
Maude slammed her pencil down in frustration, before she yelled, “Ezra!”
Ezra stopped speaking at once. His mother never raised her voice she was always to calm and controlled with him. For the first time that morning Ezra really looked at his mother; she had dark circles under her eyes and her hands shook ever so slightly.
Before his eyes he watched her straighten her spine and bring herself under control, “This is my life and this is how I chose to live it. I provide a good living for us. I make enough money to give you the best of everything and you should be grateful.”
Ezra listened to his mother speech as shame and embarrassment blossomed inside of him. The longer it went on the harder her tone got until he wondered if he imagined his mother’s encouraging words from yesterday.
“This is our life and we…you must accept it.” She abruptly stood up and stalked over to the counter, and grabbed a color pamphlet and placed it in front of him. “This is McAllister Academy; you will be going there for the next school year. It is located in a charming part of Boston, you will live on campus and some holidays will be spent there as well, although I will of course visit. We’ll go clothes shopping today and get everything you need. You leave tomorrow.”
Stunned Ezra picked it up and tried to read the words, but they blurred and folded in on themselves as tears filled his eyes. “Boston is all the way across the country. Why can’t I stay here with you? And go to a local school?”
Maude once again sighed but her voice was steel as she tugged on her jacket, straightening its already straight lines. “This school is infinitely better, and it will properly prepare you to get into only the best of universities. You are old enough to go to a proper school. This is how it has to be and there will be no arguing.”
Desperately trying to not let the tears fall, Ezra picked up his bowl, leaving the pamphlet unread on the table. Rinsing out the bowl, Ezra placed it in the dishwasher. By time Ezra finished the mundane task he was back under control. He turned and faced his mother.
They stared at each other across the kitchen Ezra saw a chilly resolve in his mother’s eyes; he knew he could argue from here to eternity and it would not change Maude’s mind in the slightest. He broke eye contact first.
“We leave in ten minutes,” Maude declared as she left the room, her heels clicking on the tile floor.
As Ezra slowly made his way up the stairs he felt tightness in his chest and his head was starting to hurt again; he rubbed it absently. All he could think was this wasn’t how it was supposed to be.
-M7/BTVS-
Two Years Later
Why are you making my life so difficult?
I am disappointed. I ask for so little from you.
There will be no dinner night. Don’t come down until you’ve thought about what you’ve done.
Slamming his bedroom door, Ezra still had Maude’s voice ringing in his ears. He picked up the framed picture of him and his mother and threw it against the wall. Ezra smirked when the glass shattered and the corner of the frame made a hole in the wall, a sense of satisfaction welled up inside of him at the damage.
Flopping down on the bed and placing his hands behind his head he could just make out the sound of raised voices coming from the first floor. Ezra listened as a rare L.A. summer storm that had started with a drizzle that had been off and on all day turned into a downpour. He always liked the sound of rain, it was calming.
He knew his step dad was furious that he had been kicked out of his alma mater. From the moment he had learned that Thomas had pulled strings to get him into the very prestigious boarding school, Ezra had made it his mission to get kicked out. He had managed it in record time, only took two months. It was also the third in two years. He was creating quite the reputation for himself.
The muffled yelling abruptly stopped and Ezra sat up when he heard the front door slam. He walked over to the window and watched his step dad getting soaked as he struggled to get some luggage into the trunk of his Lexus and get in and speed off.
Good riddance, Ezra sneered to himself. He figured Thomas would soon be his 4th ex-stepfather. He’s really going to be angry when he remembers he didn’t sign a pre-nup. He had never liked Thomas, he was too full of himself and so arrogant. They had clashed from day one, and every time he was home from boarding school. Thanks to what little he inherited from his mother abilities Ezra knew exactly what buttons to push to get to the man. So in the end Thomas hadn’t liked him either, not that Ezra cared, the man was only one in a long line of men that was paraded through his mother’s life.
Digging around his desk Ezra found a candy bar that had he had stashed there for just such an occasion. He knew it would be best if he didn’t show his face until morning when Maude had a chance to cool down. Finding the chocolate, Ezra did a fist pump and ate it quickly. Once done, he tried to remember if he had hidden away any other treats. After riffling through a few drawers he conceded defeat, grabbed one of his favorite books off the shelf and sat down at his desk. He allowed Arthur and his journeys to become King of Camelot draw him to another time and place and away from his troubled life.
-M7/BTVS-
THUMP THUMP THUMP!!!
Ezra sat up abruptly, his heart beating a mile a minute. Blurrily looking around he realized he must have fallen asleep whilst reading.
Riiiiiiiiiiiiinnnnnnnnnngggggggggggg
Hearing someone lean on the door bell, Ezra figured that must have been what woke him up. Moving swiftly, he managed to be on the second floor landing overlooking the entryway when his mother got to the door and wretched it open. Ezra had thought that it would be his step-dad in an ill-conceived attempt to get back together with his mother, but instead a man and woman stood in the pouring rain. The man was carrying a third, seemingly unconscious person, smaller but lanky, maybe a teenager.
His mother’s response was less than welcoming, her voice was cold and hard. “What are you doing here?!?”
The man was of average height with dark hair plastered to his head his soaked black trenchcoat hung off his body, testifying to how long they must have been out in the rain. “Please M…”
“No names!” Maude shouted out hurriedly.
The man nodded a bit sheepishly before continuing, “I didn’t know where else to take them. The boy is very sick with a high fever and I am afraid he won’t make it to Sanctuary if he doesn’t get help.”
“How is that my problem? This is not a clinic. Take him to the hospital, there is one not four miles from here,” Maude breathed out harshly, glancing behind her, worry etched in her features. Ezra froze; he knew she wouldn’t see him as the landing was dark and he was in the shadows, but he didn’t want to call attention to himself by moving.
As she started to shut the door, the man spoke again this time, begging, “You know why we can’t. They watch the hospitals and homeless shelters waiting for runaways to show up.” He paused and then simply said, “Please.”
Maude paused, uncharacteristically indecisive, and finally opened the door a bit wider, then asked, “What about their marks?”
The man seemed to minutely relax before answering, “They were new, still being processed, only the mother had one. We removed it yesterday and have been on the move since.”
Maude nodded, but then demanded, “Show me.”
The woman stepped forward and took her jacket off before lifting her shirt sleeve revealing a bloody bandage and peeling it back. Even from his vantage point Ezra could see the gaping wound.
This seemed to satisfy Maude because she stepped back, “Fine, but only until his fever breaks, then you must leave.”
She beckoned the woman in. Once she was inside, the man stepped forward before stopping just on the outside of the threshold and waiting.
Maude leaned closer to the man but didn’t lower her voice so Ezra was able to hear her words. Her tone was deadly. “Angel, if this comes back to hurt me or my family, I will hunt you down and put you out of your souled misery. Is that understood?”
Angel’s expression was solemn as he said, “I understand.”
The silence that followed had weight to it, but finally Maude stepped aside and said, “Come in.”
Facing the visitors she said, “There is a guest room to your right. Place the boy in there, I will find some clothes for you to change into,” Maude stated before turning and heading for the stairs.
Ezra swiftly made his way back to his room; he didn’t even try to feign sleep. Instead he went back to his desk and sat down. Less then thirty seconds later, Maude knocked softly, opening the door and closing it gently behind her.
Ezra knew better then to pretend not to know something was up. The way that man Angel leaned on the doorbell it had been loud enough to wake the dead, and it would be foolish to pretend otherwise. So he asked, “What is going on?”
Maude seemed a bit flustered but her voice was calm, “We have some unexpected guests. They are only staying the night. Until they leave you will stay in your room and under no circumstances will you interact with them.”
Ezra scowled, and asked, “Why?”
“Because I said so,” Maude hissed, frustration dripping from every word. “I know we haven’t been on the best of terms but I need you to trust me on this. It is safer for everyone involved,” Maude ground out, her temper near the surface. “Do you understand?”
Ezra felt the yes stick in his throat. Two years ago he could have said it but now between them stood so much anger and disappointment, a couple of years of missed birthdays and holidays. Voicemails full of empty promises of seeing each other next time, only for next time to roll around and Maude failing to show.
Instead he just nodded, resentment outlining his movements as he sat down with a visible huff and turning away. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Maude hesitate, a pained look on her face and for a moment he yearned to go to her and throw his arms around her and tell her it would be okay. But then her face once again smoothed out into the mask she seemed to wear nowadays and the moment was lost.
-M7/BTVS-
Ezra decided to bide his time and listened to the sounds echoing through the house. After putting on his pajamas Ezra turned off his light and got into bed. When Maude checked on him a bit later he pretended to sleep. He was determined to learn more about their guests and why Maude was so bent on keeping him in the dark.
After waiting a couple of hours and when silence reigned through the house, Ezra made his move. Going downstairs, he saw the only light was coming from the living room. Sneaking past, Ezra saw the sole occupant of the room was Maude, who paced back and forth stopping every once in a while looking out the window.
Ezra headed towards the front bedroom, wanting to get another look at their guests. The door was slightly open, letting a sliver of light illuminate the darkened hallway. Peeking through the gap, he saw the teen from earlier laying on his side, facing away from the door. Not seeing anyone else, he slowly pushed the door open and walked into the room. He made it halfway across the room, intent on maybe talking to the other boy, when a voice rang out, “Shouldn’t you be in bed?”
Ezra spun around in fright; his heart felt like it was in his throat. Curled up in a high chair that had blocked her from his view was the dark haired woman from earlier. She had changed her clothes to some he recognized as belonging to his mother; she also had a blue blanket wrapped loosely around her shoulders. Her hair was ebony in color, it was long, tied up in a braid which rested against her collarbone and her eyes were blue and staring kindly into his. She was beautiful.
Ezra felt himself blush at being caught. Clearing his throat, he ignored her question in favor of one of his own; “How is he?”
Looking over at her son, she sighed out, “His fever has abated somewhat but he is not out of the woods just yet.”
Ezra saw the boy shiver, which was odd as the room wasn’t at all cold. Looking back at the woman, he asked with concern seeping into his voice, “But he will be okay?”
The woman smiled gently and said with conviction, “Oh, yes, Bu…” she stopped abruptly, probably remembering his mother’s admonition of no names being exchanged, before she carried on, “my son is very stubborn, he will recover. It was because of his persistence that we were able escape from our cell and then Ang…”
“Angel?” Ezra said questioningly when she paused once again, wanting her to know she didn’t have to worry, he already knew the man’s name.
She smiled in relief that she hadn’t given away a secret, before continuing, “Yes, Angel. He helped us escape the compound we were being held in.”
Ezra’s curiosity made him ask, “How did you end up there?”
He regretted his question when the smile fell from her face and she laughed humorlessly, before bitterly spiting out, “Have you ever heard the phrase “too good to be true”
At his nod she continued, “I am a…dancer in Vegas and one night a patron said he had been watching me and thought I would make a good fit for a movie he was producing.”
Ezra felt his eyebrows rise at the anger in her voice which seemed to be directed inward as she continued almost talking to herself, “I know it was stupid and it was the very definition of to good to be true, but his offer was so tempting. It would provide a stable income for my son and we could have a fresh start. They even paid for our plane tickets; we arrived in L.A. a week ago and had a fancy car met us at the airport. I didn’t realize my mistake until we were escorted out of the car and into the compound when I was confronted with a demon for the first time. By the time I realized what I had agreed to it was too late and we were locked away for processing.”
Ezra could feel tears well up in his eyes the longer her story went on and as tears rolled down her cheeks. All of a sudden a familiar feeling crept over him and he knew what she wanted to hear, so he said in a small voice, “You were trying to help your son, at least you cared for him enough to try.” Unlike my mother, Ezra thought to himself bitterly. “It was a mistake, but it was one based on love. You just trusted the wrong people.”
She nodded and wiped the tears from her cheeks and she gave him a grateful look. “Maybe. But I shouldn’t be laying all of this on you.”
A pained moan came from the bed as the boy seemed to curl in on himself even further and the woman was up like a shot and sitting on the side of the bed running a soothing hand through his hair.
Backing out of the room as he felt he was intruding, Ezra felt a curl of envy snaking through him as the woman started to sing softly. He couldn’t remember the last time his mother had spoken to him in soft loving tones.
Closing the door behind him, Ezra made his way back down the hall. He heard raised voices coming from the living room.
“Do you know what would happen to me and my son should my grandfather even find out I am talking to you much less harboring runaways? When I agreed to help you it was on my terms. I said I would help when it wouldn’t put my family in danger!” Ezra heard his mother practically yell as he stood just outside of the doorway.
He heard the man Angel saying something in soothing tones spoken to low for Ezra to make out.
Whatever he said must have calmed her down somewhat because when Maude spoke again she sounded much calmer. “You think I don’t want to help more? I do, but I will not put my family at even more risk to do so.”
Peeking into the living room he saw Angel walk across the room until he stood right in from of his mother. He scowled at how close the two of them were standing. His expression soured even more when Angel cupped his mother’s face and, bending down brushed his lips against hers. Maude broke the kiss with a gentle push against the man’s chest but she didn’t move away.
“Please, Maude, let me help you,” Angel pleaded, softly and a bit desperately.
His mother let out a bitter laugh looking directly into his eyes and stating, “As I’ve told you before, Angel, I do not need saving. I am not a damsel in distress. Find someone else you can play savior for, I know what I am doing.” Her voice was hard but then she surprisingly stepped forward and rested her head against Angel’s shoulder and they wrapped their arms around each other, and she repeated in a low tone, “I know what I am doing.” Her voice was strong and sure but Ezra had never seen his mother look so tired.
They stood there for a few minutes swaying slightly before Maude said in a clear tone that was gentle but booked no argument, “If you truly care for me you will leave tomorrow. Take that family to Sanctuary and don’t ever come back to this house. I am not the one to save your soul; I am not your redemption. Do you understand?”
Angel’s eyes closed briefly as though in pain but when they reopened he looked resigned and said, “Yes.”
Then his eyes met Ezra’s and in that moment Ezra knew this man was not human. He panicked and ran back to his room, shutting and locking the door before diving into his bed.
Two days later the family and Angel were gone without Ezra getting a chance to see them again, leading to an argument between mother and son. Maude refused to answer any questions about them, refused once again to leave her family. Ezra tired of being stonewalled, finally stopped asking, finally stopped talking to her at all. Three days later Ezra was on a plane to New York to his new boarding school, the gulf between mother and son wider than ever.
-M7/BTVS-
When he was eight he realized Maude had a tell. Whenever she was discussing her family and she lied she had the tendency to straighten or tug at her clothing. When he was eight he met his relatives for the first time and hoped he would never meet them again. It was also the last time he remembered his mother and him being a family.
When he was ten he realized his mother was more complex then he first thought, she still followed her family’s directives but also defied them in big and small ways. Their relationship suffered because of all that Maude could and couldn’t give to him.
When he was seventeen he was arrested for the third time for a series of juvenile pranks that caused property damage. The judge gave him the options of jail time or community service. He choose community service and spent the next year helping out in libraries, museums, and what he liked to call roadside beautification. The libraries and museums sparked his love of learning and showed him the beauty in art. The roadside clean up taught him he never wanted to be arrested again. He graduated that spring and enrolled at the university majoring in Psychology, he had the burning need to try to understand people, specifically his mother, but also people in general.
In his twenties, to Maude’s horror, he went into law enforcement, first in Atlanta and then for the F.B.I., eventually landing at the ATF where he found his true calling and he finally had people around him he could trust. Their relationship had settled into a polite distant one that held a degree of disappointment on Maude’s side, but she had for the most part resigned herself that her only child was going no further in life.
Which had all led to the two of them having tea on a sunny Saturday morning. The conversation meandered on trivial subjects. Ezra was allowing Maude to lead them where she would but he was getting a restlessness from her that even without his meager gifts from his heritage he would have picked up on. There was something his mother wanted to talk about but so far she hadn’t broached the subject.
As their tea grew cold and conversation came to a halt, Maude finally set her cup down, cleared her throat and seemed ready to talk about what was really bothering her. “I am thinking of marrying again,” Maude blurted out quickly.
Ezra felt a wave of exhaustion sweep over him at this news. His mother had been married five times already and he was fairly certain she hadn’t truly loved any of them. She would use them until she had gotten what she wanted and then left them. So all he could think to say was, “Is that right?” Some of his disapproval must have slipped through because he could almost see Maude’s hackles rise.
“Yes, that is right,” Maude answered back, her own voice dripping with sarcasm and rancor, before she seemed to deflate a bit and said in an almost soft voice, “But I am not sure I want to.”
Ezra paused because this was not how this conversation usually went. Usually Maude would make her announcement and then they would argue until his mother left in a huff and they would not to speak for a couple of months. Maude never showed doubt. Unsure of what to say now that they were off script, Ezra breathed out, “Why?”
Maude’s forehead wrinkled a bit in a scowl before she answered, “Oh, Laurence is a gentleman, if a bit boring…” She trailed off, staring a bit in the distance before she returned her gaze to his. “I’m just tired of the game, of always trying to find the angle, always being on, never being myself, only being who they want me to be.”
His whole body stilled and his thoughts seemed to freeze, he could feel a spark of hope in his chest that maybe, just maybe she might be willing to lead a different life, but he knew he needed to tread lightly or else she would become defensive, “That’s understandable. Maybe you should take a vacation and think about the marriage for awhile. There’s no rush, right?”
“Well, actually, Grandfather for some reason wants the marriage to happen sooner rather than later,” Maude stated with a grimace and a look of disgust crossed her face.
“Why?” Ezra groundout, not bothering to mask the hatred in his voice for his relative.
“I’m not sure, actually. He is keeping me in the dark about it but he is pretty eager about it. Probably some deal he wants me to broker that as Laurence’s wife I would be able to persuade him to make,” she said with a sigh, shaking her head slightly. She stood up and the mask she wore slipped back into place before she continued, “I think I am in a bit of a funk and suffering from jetlag. I am sure once I get a bit of sleep and get back into the swing of things, I’ll be fine.”
Ezra could feel the moment slipping through his fingers as she smiled, wished him an early goodnight, and left the room, but he was unsure of what to say without pushing to hard. Just the fact that she would admit to having doubts to being tired of the whole ordeal was a huge step. Maybe he would just have to be patient; after all, she was staying at least till Monday morning when she was scheduled to fly back to L.A.
-M7/BTVS-
Tuesday dawned bright and early and found Ezra pulling up opposite Nathan’s house about a half-hour earlier than was normal. He shut off the engine. There was a van out front that he didn’t recognize, more than likely belonging to Nathan’s friend, so rather then going up to the door he decided to wait for Nate to come out. His teammate had taken Monday off but was supposed to come back to work today so he was here just like normal so they could carpool. Leaning his head back, Ezra felt a heartfelt weariness settle over him. It had been a long weekend. Maude had left on Monday, not being able to stay any longer; although only one quarter demon she was still effected by the city, if she stayed too long she would get migraines. He had tried to bring up her concerns about the marriage but Maude seemed determined to not talk about it. Finally as she was about to board the plane, Ezra had just asked her to at least think about getting out. She had wrapped him in a hug before stepping away and he watched in dismay as she smoothed out her collar and said she’d try. With the simple straightening of her jacket he knew she wouldn’t.
The whole situation both gave him hope and depressed him, he felt closer than ever to getting his mother away from her family but also felt like that may never happen. Just as his thoughts started to circle the drain, Nathan’s front door opened and Ezra’s mind focused back on the here and now.
The first two people out the door he didn’t recognize. They were both women, one was blonde and the other was a red head. Then came Nathan and his friend from the bar. Although across the street, Ezra could see the supernatural energy roll off of them in waves. The red-head was at least partially human but not fully, she also dealt in magic; he could practically see it swirling around her. She was powerful. He watched as they seemed to be hovering round the one-eyed man protectively.
Ezra watched as the dark-haired man gingerly gave Nathan a long hug and then climbed slowly into the back of the van. From the way he moved, the guy must be injured. He figured Nate patched him up like he did for their teammates now and then. Both girls also hugged Nathan and then the red head got into the back of the van. The blonde walked around to the driver’s side. There was something about her, something familiar. She wasn’t wholly human either. Drawing in a quick gasp as he placed a face with the name. Slayer. Not any slayer that had been activated over the past couple of years but the original. Buffy.
He had heard from his mother, about Buffy and what she had done calling, all potentials to defeat the great evil. His mother’s people tried to avoid them but they made it difficult, always breaking up many of his grandfather’s schemes. His grandfather was livid but he, like all other demons, tried to avoid them altogether.
Watching the van pull away he saw Nate give one more wave and then turn to pick up the newspaper that had been left on the front yard. That’s when he spotted Ezra’s car. Getting out Ezra walked across the street as his friend threw a glance at the direction the van had gone.
“Hey man, you’re a bit early. I’m not quite ready yet,’ Nathan said sounding a bit flustered when Ezra settled next to him. “Come in while I finish up getting ready.”
Nodding his acquiescence, Ezra followed Nathan into the house before asking, “So how was your visit with your friend?”
“Good. Good. Just really hung around and caught up with each other,’ Nathan answered as he grabbed his lunch out of the fridge and put on his jacket. He continued to talk in generalities but with out giving any specifics. Ezra was listening to his friend’s words but he was more paying attention to his body language and energy. Nate was highly uncomfortable with this line of questioning but he was doing a good job of hiding it. In any other circumstances Ezra would be very proud of his friend for being able to hide so much, but now he just was frustrated and a bit hurt, as hypocritical as it was. He knew he had no right to be hurt that his good friend was hiding something from him, because wasn’t he doing the same thing?
They were eventually back out front and once settled in Ezra’s car, Nate asked him about his weekend. Ezra explained about Maude’s surprise reappearance and was warmed by Nathan’s concern as his friend knew he didn’t get along with his mother very much. After reassuring the man that it all went very well, Ezra allowed the conversation to lapse, they were about twenty minutes out and he needed to think.
Nathan knew the slayer, so at least if he had to be involved with the supernatural it was for the good guys. But would Nathan still accept him, given his demon ancestry? He was worried because Nathan had the habit of only seeing things in black and white; there was no gray area for his friend most of the time. Whereas Ezra seemed live in the grey areas. Glancing over at his friend, Ezra saw the man who had become, for all practical purposes, his best friend. He hoped nothing would change for them.
His thoughts circled themselves as he parked the car in the ATF parking garage, around and around they went never actually getting anywhere. He jumped a bit when he felt a hand grab his for arm.
Looking over at his friend, he saw the man smile warmly at him and say, “You coming?”
Smiling back, Ezra said, “Yes,” before exiting the car and walking beside his friend into the building. Clapping his friend on the back he started to regale Nathan with what other stories he had missed out on after he left the bar and by time they hit the elevators both men were laughing. Ezra knew as the sound of his friend’s laughter bounced through the lobby that they would be okay. He would make sure of it, there was no way he was losing this.
The End