Never Good Enough
by, T.C. Healy
Part Three
Angel strolled into the bar shortly after the sun set. He was relieved that the bartender, Trevor was working tonight. It would make his job easier. “Hi, Trevor,” Angel greeted, leaning against the bar, “Busy night?”
“Nah,” he replied, fixing a drink, “hasn’t even warmed up...” he paused, “Hey...I don’t ever remember giving you my name...”
“I got it from a mutual acquaintance...”
“Who?” Trevor asked.
“Naomi,” was all Angel needed to say. Trevor blanched, “Naomi? What did she tell you about me?”
“She told me enough to know that you might have more answers than you indicated on my last visit,” Angel leaned in closer to the nervous barkeep, “So...you work for the Triad, huh?”
****** “Are you sure you want to do this?” Cordelia asked, turning the corner of the busy street. She insisted on doing the driving, figuring that if she was going to tag along, she might as well be alive doing it. And Wesley was in no shape to drive. “This isn’t exactly the nice end of town, and that’s before the whole demon thing.”
“You didn’t have to come along,” Wesley stifled a yawn, as he stared out the window. He silently cursed himself for his lack of fortitude. When he was younger, staying up for many hours, even days, was never a problem. But, now...
When did he start getting older?
“I wouldn’t want to miss seeing you pummeled into ground round,” Cordelia quipped, “That way I can tell you...I told you so.”
“How caring of you,” he grumbled, failing to see the humor in her remark.
“Glad to help.”
Cordelia pulled the car into a spot near the club and turned off the motor. Reaching into her pocket, she handed him a few coins for the meter, “Here,” she instructed, “This is the last place I want people to know I was towed from.”
“You’re staying in the car,” Wesley said, taking the coins from her.
Cordelia looked around at the dirty streets...and the even dirtier pedestrians, littering them, “You’re going to leave me out here...by myself? Are you nuts? I’ve seen demon hangouts in Sunnydale look more pleasing to the eye, than this place.”
“As I said earlier,” Wesley snapped, “You didn’t have to come along. Now that you’re here...you’re going to listen to me. Understand?”
Cordelia grumbled and turned on the car, “Fine. But at the first sign of a hostile takeover...I’m gone.”
“Fine.”
Wesley entered the “Body Parts” club, and headed over to the bar. The club wasn’t busy yet, but Wesley knew it would only be a matter of time, before the place would be hopping with eager patrons, looking for a good time. If he was going to pump Celinda for more information, now was the best time for it.
“You’ve got to be kidding?” Celinda rolled her eyes at the sight of the slightly disheveled man, “What part of, ‘don’t come back’, didn’t you understand?”
“Look,” he sighed, hoping that a gentler approach might work better, “I’m sorry I was so...”
“Rude?” she sipped her drink, “Look, I don’t have anything else to say to you-”
“Please,” he offered to refill her drink, “I just need to know if I’m looking in the wrong place. How long have you known Frank?”
Celinda shook her head, “About eight months. I think I know him pretty well...”
“Did you know he was abusing his son?”
“What?!” Celinda hissed, “What the hell are you talking about. Frank loves his son. He would never-”
“Well he has,” Wesley’s tone became harsh, “If you only knew him for eight months...obviously you didn’t know him very well.”
“How dare you-”
“How dare I?!” Wesley’s voice began to rise, as his flesh heated up, “How dare you! You just stood by while he hurt Charlie...”
“What are you talking about?”
“Never lifting a hand. Never telling him to stop!” Wesley went on, “All you had to do is tell him to stop. That’s all!”
“Bruno!” Celinda called out to the large demon bodyguard, backing away slightly from the ranting man, “Get this creep outa here!”
“No, wait! Listen to me,” Wesley shouted, as the burly demon man-handled him outside, “He won’t stop! He’ll keep hurting him! He’ll-”
****** Cordelia waited outside, with all the doors locked and the windows rolled up. Even with that, she still felt as though she was standing in the middle of Hollywood Blvd....naked. “This is ridiculous,” she huffed, turning up the radio, hoping to drown out the sounds of the streets. “I can’t believe I actually came down here. What was I thinking?”
Suddenly she saw the door to the club open up and a large demon, half carry, half drag Wesley outside. Then she watched, as he began to knock her friend to the ground, hitting and kicking him hard, until he didn’t get back up. The moment the demon walked back into the club, Cordelia jumped out and ran over to Wesley. Helping him up, she lead him back to the car.
“I don’t want to hear it,” he muttered, painfully.
“I wasn’t going to say a word,” she frowned, seeing the cuts and bruises, “Except...can we go back now?”
He leaned up against the window and sighed, “Yes...please.”
****** They walked through the underground system that made up the LA sewers. Angel was never more than a step away from Trevor, as the two worked their way deeper into the darkness.
“I can’t believe I let you talk me into this,” Trevor shook his head, “When they find out I let vampire down here...”
“They’ll probably disembowel you,” Angel admitted, nonchalantly, “Slowly and painfully.”
“You’re not helping.”
“Sorry,” Angel grinned.
“Are you sure this kid’s in danger?” Trevor asked, still hesitant about the entire trip.
“Trust me,” Angel sighed, “I wouldn’t be risking both our lives if he wasn’t.”
“ ‘Trust me’,” the Demon laughed nervously, “those are two words that just don’t sound right coming out of a vampire’s mouth. But then again...you ain’t no normal vampire, are you?”
“You could say that,” Angel brushed it off.
“Man,” Trevor shrugged his shoulders, as he unlatched a large metal door, “A vampire with a soul. Now that’s a story, nobody’s gonna believe.”
“That’s not what I’m worried about.”
“Yeah, I know...the kid.”
Trevor pushed open another large metal door to reveal a vast underground hall. It was like another universe, living beneath the streets of the city. Angel was amazed at the complexity of the secret society that resided in the sewers. Demons of all kinds, going about their business and lives, hidden from the prying eyes of man.
“Pretty amazing, huh?” the bartender put a voice to Angel’s thoughts.
“Yeah, I guess,” Angel nodded nonchalantly.
Trevor huffed, walking into the thick of activity, “Don’t sound too enthused.”
Angel smiled slightly, “Sorry,” he replied, “Old habits die hard.”
“HOW DARE YOU BRING THIS FOUL CREATURE HERE!” a loud voice boomed, silencing the masses.
Trevor backed up slightly, lowering his head in penance, as he looked up at a large, menacing demon, “I-I’m sorry,” he apologized profusely, “I-I know that vampires aren’t allowed-”
“AND YOU STILL BRING HIM HERE?!”
“I’m here, trying to save a child,” Angel boldly explained.
“He’s not an ordinary vampire,” Trevor added, “He’s got a soul.”
The immense demon gazed down at them and clicked his hoof on the cement ground, “We know what he is. He still has no place being here!”
“Even if he is on a mission from the Powers that Be?” Trevor challenged, meekly.
This silenced the large demon...for a moment. “So the rumors are true?” he nodded, “This is the ONE?”
Angel thought it best to stick to the point, “I’m here on behalf of Charlie Stanton. He’s in danger, and I’ve been hired to help him.”
“Well,” the large demon smiled a toothy grin, “Vampire with a Soul, why should we help you? Why should we care?”
Angel took a deep breath, knowing that he had to give the right answer or face a certain pummeling from a very pissed off demon, “Because the Triad represents justice, and I’m fighting for the justice of a little boy.”
The vampire could hear a pin drop, for what seemed like an eternity of silence. He couldn’t back down, even if he wanted to. And right now...he really wanted to. But there was too much at stake. And he was running out of time.
Then, something surprised him. The demon gave a hearty laugh, “Well said,” he boomed, clasping his beefy arm around Angel’s shoulder so hard he thought it was going to break, “You’ve earn your right to seek audience with the Triad.”
“You mean, you’re not-”
“I am only a Sentinel,” he laughed, shaking him as he did, “I am here to protect the Triad...from those who would do them harm. Now come,” he instructed, “They have been expecting you.”
Angel followed the large, hoofed demon with more than his share of confusion, “They have?”
****** Wesley skulked into the office and walked over to the small refrigerator. In silence, he opened the door, took out an ice pack they had stored in there, for just such occasions, and placed it on his bruised face. His body hurt all over, but not as much as the pain in his heart. He failed again, and made a complete fool out of himself in the process. He knew the answer to Frank’s where-a-bouts were in that club, but he was powerless to retrieve it.
And he got a good walloping to boot.
If he had just kept his cool, instead of going completely insane, perhaps...
“Okay,” Cordelia looked at him, shaking her long brown curls, “Mind explaining the death wish you’re having, lately? Because, if you’re determined to get yourself killed, please warn me ahead of time, so that I’m not caught in the cross fire.”
“Cordelia, you don’t understand...”
“Oh, that’s right, I don’t understand,” she repeated sarcastically, placing her hands on her hips, and looking at her friend with an annoying glare, “Cordelia Chase couldn’t *possibly* understand what it’s like, right? I mean, I couldn’t know how much this case is wigging you out, because I’m not you. I’ve never had a rotten childhood.”
“That’s right,” he growled, turning away from her, “You couldn’t possibly understand what I’ve been through, so don’t even try!”
“Well,” she spat, coming around to face him once more, “You’re wrong! I don’t know what your dad did to you, but you’re not alone in the Sucky Parent category.” When Wesley was about to turn away, Cordelia got in his face, not allowing for this conversation to be dropped, “Do you know what it was like for me growing up? Okay, let’s put aside the fact that I lived on the Hellmouth, and was prey to just about every thing that went bump in the night...I mean look at my Prom and Graduation,” she snarled, “Two days that were supposed to be the happiest times of my life...”
“Yes I know,” he grumbled, “One was ruined by hellhounds, the other by a Mayor-snake trying to eat you-”
“No,” she shook her head, “That I could deal with. Comes with the territory. Do you know what made it the worst for me?”
“No.”
Cordelia’s eyes filled with tears, “It was the fact that my parents were too busy to be there!” she paused, trying to control the pent up anger that had been with her for far too long, “Demons, vampires and giant snakes I could have dealt with. It was being ignored that I couldn’t stand.”
Wesley looked up at the pretty young woman, and saw the tears of pain in her eyes. Tears, he knew all too well, “Cordelia, you don’t have to...”
“Yeah, I do,” she sniffed, “I was the most popular girl in school, before Buffy. I had tons of friends, and guys falling all over themselves to get a date with me. And do you know what? I felt more love...more friendship when I hung out with Buffy and her loser friends, then I ever did with my own parents. And certainly with my old clique.”
“I never knew...”
“Of course not,” she sighed, “because I felt like an idiot-loser if I said anything. Everyone thought I had it all. My parents were rich, and I was popular, and beautiful. But I would have given up the money...the popularity, for just one real time spent as a family. But, my dad was always too busy making money to bother with me. And my mom...she was too busy being tired and depressed to care if I was happy. Even when they lost all their money, they were too busy with lawyers to have time for me. Did you know why they weren’t at my graduation?”
Wesley shifted uncomfortably, “No, you never said.”
“They were too busy being in jail to be there,” she reached into her purse, the anger rising in her voice once more, “All they left was this stupid card that said, ‘Good luck for the rest of your life’! How could they wish me good luck for a life they were never a part of?! So, don’t tell me I don’t understand how parents can really screw up a kid’s life...because I do! So, get over this whole rotten past thing, and move on! Because if you don’t, you are going to get yourself and the rest of us killed!”
Wesley felt his head splitting, as the world reeled around him. He could feel his blood boil at his friend’s anger. Deep down he knew she had a right to be angry, but still...
“I really don’t need to listen you your lecture...”
“Well you better listen to someone,” she spat, “So, you dad was a jerk...”
Wesley reached out and grabbed a hold of Cordelia’s arm, holding it painfully, “Do you want to see just how much of a ‘jerk’ he really was?!” he hissed, throwing off his jacket, and tearing off his shirt. Pointing to the scar on his shoulder, he shouted, “Here! This was to teach me the finer points of concentration! And this,” he growled, pointing to several other scars, “this was during one of those splendid time in which he thought I wasn’t even worthy enough to breath the same air as he! Is this what you bloody well wanted to see! Is this what you and Angel want to hear! Because here it is, in all it’s glory! The life and times of a Watcher who would never measure up, never be good enough for the only person he ever wanted to be! Is this good enough for you!?”
Cordelia backed away, seeing the pain and emotional exhaustion for the first time, “Wes...”
Wesley stopped, suddenly realizing that he just reached the edge and crossed it dramatically, “Oh god, Cordelia,” he sighed, recomposing himself, “I’m so sorry for that out burst. I don’t know what to say...”
“Wesley,” Cordelia approached him, reaching out to try and comfort a hurting friend, “You don’t have to-”
“Excuse me, am I interrupting something?” A voice came from the open doorway, “Because I could always come back-”
Wesley turned and recognized the intruder as one of the dancers from the club. Reaching for his shirt, he quickly put it back on, “No. Please come in...Miss...”
“Daisy,” she said quickly, “You can just call me Daisy.”
“What is it with performers and one word names?” Cordelia fell right into her ‘Cordy-mode’ with ease, “I mean is there a ‘Madonna clause’ in everyone’s contracts?”
“Daisy,” Wesley directed the young dancer’s attention to him, as he finished buttoning his shirt, “What is it? Not that I’m trying to sound rude, but...why are you here?”
Daisy shook her long blue hair and explained, “No one knows I’m here,” she began, “But I was in the club when you came in, and heard everything. Is Celinda really in trouble? I mean, if she’s hooked up with a guy who would hurt his kid...”
“She might be in over her head,” Wesley admitted, “yes. Do you know anything about this?”
“Not too much,” she shook her head, “But I do know one thing.”
“Which is?”
“Where she lives,” Daisy offered, “I don’t know if that helps-”
Wesley smiled broadly, taking her hand in his, “Oh yes, it most certainly does!”
“Okay,” she said, writing the address down on a piece of paper and handing it to him, “but do me a favor?”
“Anything.”
“Don’t tell anyone I gave this to you. The club has a really strict policy on giving out dancer’s addresses,” she explained, as she turned to leave, “I’m just doing this, because you seem so sure. And no body should be hurt.”
As she left, Wesley sighed, “I couldn’t agree with you more.”
*~*~*~*~* *SMITHFIELD, ENGLAND 1985:*
The news came as both a shock and relief to the Wyndam-Pryce family. Richard was finally chosen to train a Slayer. The fact that the girl, who was assigned to him was not THE Slayer, and was quite a handful, didn’t matter to him. All that mattered was that he was finally given the chance to prove himself in the eyes of the Council.
And in Wesley’s eyes, this was a chance to get out from under his oppressive father. With Richard having his very own Slayer to train, he wouldn’t be so interested in making his son into what he could never be...his brother. Which suited the young man just fine. But what Wesley wasn’t prepared for...was the Slayer.
“This is Mi Ling,” Richard proudly introduced the perky, young girl, “She was brought over here from Hong Kong, after her assigned Watcher was killed. She’ll be staying with us, seeing as she has no family England.”
“Richard, darling,” Margaret pointed out, “Where is she going to sleep? The cellar is certainly not suitable for a young lady, and the...other room is...”
“Off limits,” Richard agreed, turning to his fifteen year old boy, “Which is why Wesley will move down to the cellar, while Mi Ling has his room.”
“Me?” Wesley protested, “But, why do I have to sleep in the cellar?”
“Because,” his father glared menacingly, “as your mother pointed out, it’s not a suitable place for a young woman to sleep...”
“It’s all right,” Mi Ling offered, “I’m used to sleeping on the ground. My last Watcher-”
“I don’t care what your last Watcher had you do,” Richard insisted, “You’re not in Hong Kong anymore, my dear, and you won’t be sleeping in dirt. Wesley was raised to be a gentleman...and he will be more than happy to give up his room for you,” Once again he gave a withering look at his son, “Isn’t that right?”
Wesley mumbled under his breath, “Yes, sir.” then waving his hand to the fifteen year old girl, he said, “Come on, I’ll show you...*your* new room.”
As the two teens trudged up the steps, Margaret turned to her husband and said, “I suppose we can set up that cot for Wesley...”
“Yes,” he kept staring at the young girl, “quite right.”
Margaret gave her husband an annoyed look, which went un-noticed, “I could use some help setting this up, Luv.”
Snapping out of his gaze, he replied, “Of course.”
****** When Wesley and Mi Ling reached the top of the landing, the girl turned to the locked door and cocked her head curiously, “There’s another room here,” she motioned, “Why can’t I just have this one?”
Wesley sighed and shook his head, “No one can go in there,” he explained, “It’s been locked for six years.”
“How come?”
Wesley hesitated for a moment, until he realized that Mi Ling was not the enemy, “It belonged to my brother.”
Mi Ling realized right away what he meant, “He died. How?” she stopped, “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t be asking this. I mean, I don’t even really know you...”
Wesley smiled at the pretty girl, “No,” he said, opening the door to his room, “it’s okay. It was stupid really,” Seeing the look of confusion on the girl’s face he amended, “What I mean is that he didn’t die as you would expect. He wasn’t fighting vampires or anything like that.”
“Then what happened?”
Wesley took in a ragged breath, recounting the fateful day, “Collin was out driving with is friends and they got into an accident. He and two of his friends died. The day after the funeral, my father locked up his room tight. It hasn’t been opened since. I was only nine then...but it seems like so long ago. I miss him. He was always there to stop-” Wesley stopped short, not wanting to go any further.
“Stop what?” Mi Ling asked.
Wesley avoided her glance, and began to pack up some of his things, “Nothing,” He smiled slightly showing off his impeccably tidy room, “I hope this is okay for you. The room, that is.”
Mi Ling sighed and shook her head, “I’m really sorry your dad made you give your room up. I wouldn’t have minded staying in the basement...”
“That’s okay,” he smiled shyly at her, “I-I don’t really mind...that much.”
Mi Ling smiled warmly at him, “Cool.”
*~*~*~*~* Wesley put his coat back on and headed toward the door.
“Now where are you going?” Cordelia asked impatiently.
“I just know that Charlie is going to be there,” he said, grabbing his weapons bag, “And I don’t think we have anymore time left, before they catch on, and move.”
“And you’re going alone?” Cordelia shook her head, picking up her jacket as well, “I don’t think so. You are a one man wrecking crew tonight.”
Wesley shook his head, “You’re staying here,” he instructed.
“But-”
“But nothing,” he insisted, “I need you to stay here if Angel calls. Plus, I want you to call Naomi. Tell her what’s going on, and to meet us here.”
“And what’s your wonderful plan?”
“Bring Charlie home."
****** “You are the one called Angel?” the hoofed demon asked, eyeing the vampire from head to toe, “We have been waiting for you to find us.”
“I was told you didn’t allow vampires to come here...” Angel began, wary of the Triad’s hospitality.
“You are no ordinary vampire,” a blue skinned, female demon corrected.
“Your coming has been foretold,” the third member of the Triad finished.
Angel sighed. This was almost like speaking to the Oracles. “Well, it would have been nice if it was foretold to me. I had no idea anything like this existed.”
“You didn’t need to know...” the hoofed demon began.
“Until now,” the female demon finished.
“Only now, can you help us,” the third demon added.
“Help you?” Angel shook his head, knowing that coming here for help was too good to be true, “actually I was coming to see you about-”
“Frank Stanton,” The hoofed demon said, standing up. His large body lumbered around the long, stone table until he reached Angel. The vampire seemed dwarfed beside him, but didn’t back down in fear. He liked that. “Things are not going well for him.”
“No,” Angel looked up, “His son is missing and so is he. We think he might have-”
“Taken the child.” The blue skinned demon shook her head.
“There are things not known to you,” the third demon said.
“Things,” the hoofed member of the Triad said, placing his enormous arm around Angel, “You must now know.”
****** Wesley stood outside the door of the apartment. He held his breath as he listened closely to the voices that came from inside. Two. Adult and child. Both male.
“About bloody time,” he whispered, as he reached into his satchel. Frank Stanton was not a very large demon. In fact, from the pictures he saw of him, he seemed slightly scrawny. But, being a demon, Wesley was not about to take any chances. The only way he was going to do this, was to take him by surprise.
But how?
He couldn’t very well knock on the door and introduce himself... ‘Yes, hello, my name is Wesley Wyndam-Price and I’m here to rescue your son.’
Breaking down the door would attract too many neighbors. Not to mention, incur personal injury.
So, he paced back and forth in front of the door, trying to get his fuzzy mind working again. Then he heard the voices grow louder. They were approaching the door! Wesley stepped back, as the knob turned slowly. Luck was finally on his side. For once, he would do the right thing, and make his father proud.
“Going somewhere?” Wesley growled, swinging the small club he hid in the satchel, and connecting it with a surprised demon’s face.
Frank stumbled backward, landing on the floor of the apartment. He placed his hand on his lip and felt the blood trickled down his chin, “Who the hell are you?!” he slurred, trying to stand on unsteady feet.
Wesley was not about to give him a chance at retaliation. He swung the club once more, striking Frank in the side of the head. The demon fell to the ground, unconscious.
As soon as he realized that Frank wouldn’t been getting back up for a little while, Wesley turned to Charlie, who huddled in the corner. “It’s all right,” he tried to soothe the frightened boy, “I’m going to take you to safety. Your mother’s been worried about you.”
Without waiting for the boy’s reply, he quickly whisked him away from his father and out into the night.
****** Naomi paced the office nervously, “Why is this taking so long?” she asked, rubbing her neck.
“I’m sure Wesley is fine,” Cordelia smiled, “And Charlie too. They might have gotten stuck in traffic.”
“Are you sure he can get Charlie away from Frank?” Naomi asked skeptically, “Without Angel, how can he face him alone?”
Cordelia sighed, knowing she was probably right, “Well...” As to finish her sentence, Wesley came through the door, with Charlie on tow, “See? No problem.”
Wesley stood in the archway of the door, studying Naomi closely as she smiled at her son. He could feel Charlie’s grip on his hand grow tighter, with every step his mother took toward them. “Charlie,” the young man soothed, “It’s all right. Honest.”
“Charlie, honey,” Naomi said in a calm voice, “now be a good boy and give mommy a hug. I’ve missed you.”
Charlie remained close to Wesley, scooting himself behind the confused man, “Charlie,” Wesley asked, looking down at the cautious boy, “What is it? What’s wrong?”
****** Angel wasn’t sure why he suddenly had a sinking feeling in his stomach...but he figured he was about to find out.
“We gave custody of the boy to his father several lunar cycles ago,” the hoofed demon stated.
“Several months?” Angel’s mind was reeling, “You gave him to Frank? But Naomi...”
“What did she tell you?” the blue skinned demon asked.
“She said that Frank kidnapped Charlie after she got custody,” Angel explained, “She said that Frank abused...” He stopped when he saw the expressions on all three demon faces. He knew at that moment that things were definately not what they had seemed. Which was at that moment he felt his stomach drop to his knees. “My god...”
****** “Charlie stop this silliness right now,” Naomi chided her son, “You’re embarrassing me. Now come here.”
“I don’t think so,” Wesley said slowly, as realization began to sink in.
“Wes,” Cordelia tilted her head, watching her friend take a step back, “Wesley, what are you doing? Naomi hired us to find her son...”
“She hired us to kidnap her son,” his eyes narrowed, turning to Naomi, “Isn’t that right?”
****** “And we played right into it,” Angel sighed, angrily, “Hook, line and sinker. It was Naomi who abused Charlie, not Frank. We thought she was this innocent, human victim...”
“Human?”
****** “You don’t know what you’re talking about,” Naomi said with a hint of threat in her voice.
“There are many things I will fully admit I know nothing about,” Wesley replied firmly, “This is not one of them.” He pulled out the same club he used on Frank, not long ago, and motioned to Cordelia, “Cordelia, take Charlie out of here.”
“But...”
“Now!” Wesley commanded forcefully, holding the club in front of him.
But as Cordelia moved to Wesley’s side, Naomi reached out, grabbing her and tossing the young woman into the filing cabinet, “I’m sorry...but I can’t let that happen,” when Cordelia crumbled to the floor, she demanded, “Now, give me my son!”
Her beautiful features transformed into her true self...
“You’re a demon,” Wesley said, backing away from her sharp claws.
“And you’re a fool,” she growled, grabbing the club with one hand, and back handing Wesley in the face with the other. He was sent spinning around with the force of the blow. Then she hit him a second time before he could react.
Wesley sank to the floor. He watched helplessly, as Naomi scooped her son up and disappeared out the door, before surrendering to the darkness that clouded his vision.
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