give your immortality to me, I'll set you up against the stars

[mister_hart]

It had been several weeks since the prophecy child's, my niece, brother whom I suppose is also my nephew had his little vision and took Liliana away from the firm. He and Angel's son plaguing her mind with evil thoughts of Wolfram and Hart, the project, and well, myself. Of course the project they were perfectly honest in telling the girl she was

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[osborn_heiress]

Sophia was right. I wasn't meant to be cooped up inside all of the time. That might sit well with Tyler but it would never be okay with me. I wanted to go outside and play. Maybe I'd run into Sophia again at the beach, or maybe I could figure out where Connor had gone. I'd noticed that there were things I could do, things that normal girls can't. Maybe I could find him if I tried hard enough and ask him why he wasn't at the hotel anymore.

Hadn't gotten any further than the courtyard when I saw a sleek black limo pull up. Wow, shiny. I tilted my head a little bit to the left as a well dressed man stepped out. Ooh, I liked his suit. And his car even though I had no idea who he was.

Stepping back a little I folded my arms over my chest and pretended to be bored with the limousine that apparently my uncle was riding around in. Uncle, yeah right.

"My parents don't have any brothers." I said smartly as I looked at him. It was true. Even though they tried to convince me that Connor and Spike and Lex were my uncles, they weren't really. Daddy really only had Aunt Nicole and Mom had Aunt Gracie.

"Are you gonna offer me candy to get inside your car now? You really should rethink the limo and get a big creepy van if you're going to do that."

He was really well-dressed which meant he probably wasn't some kind of freak. Right?

[mister_hart]

I smiled at the girl when she tried to explain how I wasn't her uncle. She was something. Beyond the fact that she is my niece I can now start to understand why my brother was wanting to have her become the woman she was destined to become.

Laughing lightly, I shook my head and pushed myself away from the limousine. "No, Alexia. I don't have any candy, but I can offer you something to drink inside if you'd like."

I shrugged a little. "I guess I should have introduced myself better. I'm actually your mother's uncle and your great uncle. Your grandfather James? He is my brother."

There was no telling the stories her parents and the vampire had spun up in her head about the three of us or the firm in general. But at the very least she didn't seem likely to run inside and go tattle to mommy and daddy that her evil uncle was offering her candy and a ride in a limousine.

"My brother and and sister were able to see you and your brother at Thanksgiving dinner. I thought it was time I introduce myself."

[osborn_heiress]

I frowned when I realized that he knew my name. What the hell? Oh right, the big Thanksgiving Day blowup. That seemed like forever ago but I guess it had only been a couple of months. So he was one of the guys from Wolfram and Hart. Aidan Hart, it made sense, right? Didn't Mom tell me to stay away from there, like alot? She did, but she also told me to stay away from Sophia even though she saved my life. Go figure.

"So you're evil or whatever." I unfolded my arms and just gave him a steady look before I walked a little closer to the limo and tried to see through the dark tinted glass to the inside. It wasn't really working. It was pretty though, I bet I'd feel like a movie star in there.

"Why didn't you come with them?" I asked him earnestly as I shifted my gaze from the limo back up to him. He was pretty, I guess that made sense since he was part of the family. I was starting to think my mom was the freak of that side of the family too. Because my aunt and the people at Thanksgiving were dressed really well all the time. Maybe it wasn't too late to help her with that.

He said I could have a drink if I got in. I wondered if he could make a Sex on the Beach like they had at the club that Sophia brought me too. That was tasty, but maybe I should try something new. I dunno.

[mister_hart]

"Evil is only a matter of opinion," I told her calmly. "I would never intentionally harm a member of my family though." It was true. Mostly. As much as I disliked the idea of Tyler having the vision of Lily, I'd never lay a hand on him. He was still my nephew.

"Holidays don't normally peak my interest and I was deep in a project at the time. Although, now, I do regret not coming with James and Dominique to meet my niece and nephew."

I smiled. "Maybe I can make up for that now?" Turning back to the vehicle, I pulled open the door. "I could take you a ride around the city in style? Unless you think one of your parents would object."

And of course they would, but pointing that out might help keep her from asking.

[osborn_heiress]

He regretted now coming to Thanksgiving, but why did I have the feeling that my parents hadn't regretted it. I don't even know, sometimes I overhear things, and then they tell me what they think I need to know, which is hardly ever very much. Like I'm still just a baby or something. I'm not a baby anymore.

Object? Of course they would object. They object to everything that I do. It's like, their full time job. But like I said, I'm not a baby anymore, I can make my own decisions.

"It's not exactly a turkey but I guess it's okay. We're family." I shrugged knowing that there was some severe difference, some line drawn in the sand. I wondered if Uncle Aidan would keep secrets from me the same way that my parents did. Somehow I didn't think he would.

Sliding into the back of the limo, I looked around appreciatively for a few minutes as Aidan got into the back too and closed the door so we were alone and the limo began to move. Where were we even going?

"So you intentionally harm other people then?" I asked him curiously. "You said you wouldn't hurt a family member..."

[mister_hart]

I glanced briefly back at the hotel once Lexi had gotten into the limousine then slid back inside myself. Shouldn't her mother and father warned her about not getting into cars with strangers? Even if I was family.

Probably so, but I admired that she agreed to take a ride anyway.

As she asked her question about harming others, I leaned forward and fixed the both of us a couple of drinks. She wasn't of age, but first meetings were special occasions. Handing her a glass of champagne, I took my own glass of scotch.

"Yes, I do." There was no need to lie to the girl after all. "It's a part of my job. Just like it's a part of your mother's job as well as Angel's." The difference being Angel and Faith willing to harm and kill their own family members.

"We're just riding around the city now, but would you like to take a trip to the offices? I'd be glad to show you around. I'm sure your grandfather and aunt would like to see you as well if they're around."

[osborn_heiress]

I was amazed by the straight forward way he answered my question, although the part about Angel and Mom made me confused. They don't hurt anybody. That's the point, right? "They slay vampires, that's different." I said, easily telling him the same story that's been told to me dozens of times. Mom and Angel were superheroes, they save people. Daddy said so.

Daddy would have probably said yes to this limo ride too. A pretty boy wearing a pretty suit in a pretty limo. He definitely would have said yes. I took the glass of champagne from him and sniffed it a little bit before taking a sip. Bubbly. It tickled my throat a little bit but I liked it anyways. It was dry but sweet, nothing at all like Jim Bean or Sex on the Beach.

"The offices? Isn't that Wolfram and Hart? You're Angel's boss." I grinned a little bit at that because Angel liked to be the boss of everybody. It was fun to meet someone who was the boss of him.

I took another sip of the champagne and coughed a little bit before I got myself together enough to take another one. It was pretty good, but I think I liked the drinks I'd had with Sophia better. Offices sounded boring, I liked dancing at the club. That was fun.

"It must be really boring to be a lawyer." I said as I looked back over at Aidan. "You seem boring. No offense. And I don't know what you meant about my mom hurting people, she wouldn't do that."

[mister_hart]

Yes, they slayer vampires and if only it were that simple. I'm sure there were many stories that her parents and Angel had left out when it came down to what they do after the sun goes down.

I nodded. "Yes, Wolfram and Hart and I am Angel's boss." Gladly so.

Laughing a little at her telling me I seemed boring, I shrugged and sat my glass down after taking another sip. "I'm not a lawyer, but I'm sure my job would be boring to a sixteen year old girl. It bores me sometimes too."

She brought up her mother again. "Vampires aren't human, but slaying is still an act of killing. Justified death is still death no matter how it's twisted around. My job is making sure the offices and dealing go on as they should. And also overseeing a few special projects."

Part of which was now living in the same hotel as she was.

"Enough about me. I came here to find more about you. Tell me about yourself."

[osborn_heiress]

Hmmm. I guess he did have a point. They slay vampires cause they have to, so Uncle Aidan killed people to make sure Wolfram and Hart kept going. It's the same except different, and now I confused myself again. Oh well. I shrugged as I set the empty glass back down. Champagne was pretty good, but it didn't make me feel warm like the other stuff had.

"Am I the special project your overseeing now?" I asked him point blankly because he was at the hotel, which was weird. Was he coming to see my mother? Angel? It seemed strange that he pulled up just as I sneaked out. He did say enough about him but I can't help it, I'm always full of questions. Could you blame me? I'm only a few months old and I'm trying to act like a sixteen year old. If that's even how old I was supposed to be. I think I could totally be eighteen.

"There's nothing to really tell." I admitted as I sat back in the seat and stared idly at the seat across from me, not at Aidan but just the seat. "I was born on an island and poof a few months later here I am, all grown up. I miss the island sometimes, but you have things here like ice cream and shopping which is cool. My parents don't ever let me go out alone you know. Are you going to tell them that I did?"

[mister_hart]

"Of course not," I answered honestly. Even when it came to her relationship with James, she was never just a simple project. "I take family ties very seriously. I'd never call you a project."

She began to tell about herself and I smiled. "I'm sure you're much more interesting than just that, Alexia. I can't do much about the island, but I can help with the shopping and ice cream. I'd be happy to take you out sometime or I'm sure your aunt Dominique would be thrilled to go as well. She's my favorite shopping partner."

Tell her parents? "No, I'm not going to tell either of your parents you're here with me. That's your decision, not mine. I think you're old enough now to decide on your own, don't you?"

The limousine came to a stop and I glanced out the window to see that the office was just outside. "Do you still want that tour? Or I can have the driver turn back around and head back to the hotel instead if you'd like to go back."

[osborn_heiress]

I am way more interesting than that, but it's not like I'm just going to tell this guy everything. I won't even tell Tyler about some of the stuff I think about, or dream about. It's not like anyone's going to understand it, and I think it's just better that I keep it to myself anyways.

"I'm old enough to make my own decisions." I repeated back to him when he told me I was. I wish someone would tell my parents that but they probably wouldn't listen anyways. Why am I thinking about them right now anyways? I'm out, on my own, making my own decisions. I don't need them right now.

We pulled up in front of a big building that I remember from when I was a kid. Nobody ever let Tyler and I play in the jungle when we were kids, just like they wouldn't let us go outside by ourselves now. Maybe someone should remind everyone that if we hadn't played in the jungle we would have never found that portal and then they'd still be stuck on that island.

Sometimes I wish that we'd never found that portal. I liked it on the island.

"I'll take the tour." I finally said, figuring that I might as well see what everyone's so upset about all of the time. What could really be the big deal about a lawfirm. Aidan held the door open for me and I got out of the limo and looked around.

I followed Aidan into the lobby and looked around, it was mostly empty and dark in here. "This is where you live?" There was something about this building....I didn't know what.

[mister_hart]

Once she agreed to come inside for a while, I led her into the lobby and I smiled as she looked around. "Sort of," I answered. "I do spend the majority of my time here, but not far from the office there is a group of buildings we own with several apartments and I live in one of those. Although sleeping here at the firm has happened more than once."

Nodding forward, I led her through the building and introduced her to several people as they approached us. I made sure to avoid Angel's office since who knows if he decided to show up for work or spend time back at his little hotel worrying over what to do next.

We walked up the stairs to continue and I pointed out the lab to her as we passed by, but decided to go ahead and move on. No doubt that Norman would have loved to meet his granddaughter, but I had no interest in introducing her to him.

Coming to the end of a hall, I led her inside an elevator and I pressed the button for the floor with the three of our offices. "Would you like to see if your grandfather or aunt are available?"

[osborn_heiress]

I wasn't wrong, this place is really boring. Maybe that's why Angel hangs out here so much. Aidan introduced me to a few people and I shook hands and said hello the way that I should but I was bored. The lab was even more boring. Aidan was a little impressive but I didn't really know what to make of him. Why is my family fucking insane?

"Sure." I shrugged when he offered to see if my other family members were lurking around. My mother was going to kill me. No, really. She probably would if she ever found out about this. Daddy wouldn't be happy about it either but I hadn't heard anything about Norman so I guess he'd probably take my side.

We got into the elevator and I looked around before turning back to look up at Aidan. He was really handsome, and there was just something about him. He wasn't human, I knew that much at least. I don't really know much else though.

"You're supposed to be my great uncle, right? Shouldn't you be old? You don't look that much older than my parents do." Which I guess wasn't that strange. My parents didn't look much older than I am. Maybe everyone grows up really fast on this side of the family. I don't know.

[mister_hart]

The elevator opened to the floor with all of our offices. James would be happy to see his granddaughter I'm sure. Well. Probably either a little jealous that I was the one who managed to bring her here myself or impressed. Perhaps a little of both.

I smiled in her direction again when she asked if I should be old. I nodded. "You're a smart girl, Alexia. Yes, I am old. Very old, in fact. You've probably figured out by now that I'm not entirely human. I'm not a vampire, but the idea is the same. My appearance doesn't age just like your father and Angel don't appear to get any older."

The truth was that I could make myself appear any age that I wished, but I liked this form. The human body has its advantages, that's for sure.

We stepped out of the elevator and I led her down the hallway to James' office. Knocking lightly, I waited a second or two before opening the door. A broad smile appeared on my face when I looked at James sitting behind his desk and Lexi walked into the office beside me.

"James, I believe there is someone who'd like to meet you." Well, properly this time. The Thanksgiving dinner was anything but a proper introduction from what I'd heard.

[mr_lupus]

I looked up from a series of paperwork when a knock resounded on my door and soon followed by Aidan letting himself in with a petite girl in tow. Alexia. I narrowed my eyes at Aidan for only a moment before turning to look back at the girl. I'd yet to make contact myself save for when she was only a small child. I wasn't entirely sure whether to be aggravated or pleased with my brother.

"Alexia." I said, covering up what could possibly have been a dangerous display with a smile as I stood up from my desk and walked around it to shake her small warm hand. "I'm so pleased to meet you. No doubt you've probably forgotten most of Thanksgiving already. We seldom hang onto childhood memories. Even the most significant of ones." I smiled at her warmly as Aidan led her further into the office.

"I remember everything." She replied smartly, before turning to look around the office with some wonder. How very much like both of her parents she seemed as she glanced around.

"My apologies then." I amended as I walked over to my desk and quickly called over to Dom's office to inform her that she should immediately come to my office and see her niece.

"Aidan, how is that you had the good fortune of running into Alexia?" I asked him, smiling at him but the intention was behind my eyes anyways and my brother knew me well enough to read that much.

[ms_aries]

Yay! My niece was in the building. I couldn't wait to properly get to meet her. Oh she was a beautiful girl, and we had so much in common. I was curious as to how she managed to find her way to the law firm, but mostly I wanted to bring her a present.

Luckily I'd just returned from my afternoon shopping trip and had plenty of things that I could share with the beautiful teenager. Looking through my bags, I found the perfect Prada purse for the Osborn heiress. If there was one thing I approved of it was her father's influence on her sense of fashion.

Making my way through the halls, I knocked lightly on the door before stepping into the office with a warm smile. "Alexia, baby, it's so good to see you again." Without giving her a moment to register who I was, I wrapped her in my arms for a quick hug and kissed her cheek before stepping back. "As luck would have it, I just came back from shopping so I have a present for you. Really, we should make a date to do shopping, lunch and a trip to the spa. You should see the new herbal soaks and massages they have now. It's fantastic for the skin, and nothing takes away the aches of dealing with life quite like spending money and being pampered." I held out the purse for her. I had no doubt that a daughter raised by Harry Osborn would appreciate the quality of the handbag.

I looked at my brothers and quickly realized who was responsible for this family reunion. Oh I was beaming with pride. Aidan had brought the girl home to her family. James would have to get over his annoyance and jealousy and give the boy a pat on the head and a treat later. He had exceeded expectations had he not?