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Shadows of
Yesterday
Chapter 6
by Tami
Las Vegas, Angel Investigations Redux
After dinner the night before, Booth and Parker went back to the hotel. Around 9 a.m. the office door opened and Parker bounded in the room like he’d always been raised around the office. He immediately went to the mini fridge and got himself some juice – or tried to anyway. On her way in from dropping a file on Angel’s desk, Cassidy caught the jug before it fell on the floor. She made it seem like she was a pro at catching things that randomly fell out of the refrigerator.
“Hey there, little guy. I assume you’re thirsty. Doesn’t your dad feed you when you get up?” Cassidy asked with a glance at Booth as he came in and shut the door behind him.
Booth held up in his hand. “In my defense, he was up before I was and demanding I get dressed and get my butt over here because he had a very important date.”
Cassidy gave him a knowing wink. “Oh, Denise promised to take him out. Well, never fear; Denise never misses a shopping trip. And, when I say never – I mean never. Would you like a cup of coffee?”
“Sure,” Booth was already heading for the coffee pot. He was about to pick it up and stopped in mid-motion. “Denise didn’t --”
“No. I think Spike made it this morning. After Angel’s reaction the last time it was her turn to make it, Spike stepped in,” Cassidy explained as she got Parker a small plastic cup with handles on either side.
“So,” Booth continued to pour his coffee, “Where is everyone?”
“Frankie has a college course. It meets twice a week. Chase doesn’t come in unless he’s needed anymore because he’s too much of a target. Though, I don’t see how a hybrid can keep a low profile as a bartender. Especially when demons can smell you,” Cassidy shrugged as she poured the juice. “He has a shift tonight either way.” She crossed her fingers before replacing the juice container in the fridge. “Here’s hoping we don’t have to rescue him from another bar fight.” She handed the cup to Parker.
“And the endearing uncles?” Booth inquired as he took his first sip.
Cassidy snickered at the way Booth said endearing. “They are downstairs doing,” she quickly covered Parker’s ears long enough to say, “God-knows-what.”
Booth rolled his eyes as he sat at Denise’s desk with his cup of coffee and propped his feet up on a cleared spot of the scarred desk. Had it been new or even polished, Booth wouldn’t think of putting his feet on it.
Cassidy went over to her desk, saved her work and used the office’s DSL connection to locate an On-Demand website to find a cartoon to occupy Parker’s time. He was soon giggling at the antics of Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck outdoing each other.
“You’re really good with him,” Booth observed.
“I’d take that as a proposal, but I don’t think Drusilla would like that,” Cassidy smirked.
“Well then, if I wasn’t claimed by three vampires then you’d be in the top five on my list of women to marry in the future. I’d just have to fight Spike for it, and I have a feeling I’d lose,” Booth gave her one of his charming grins.
“You may win,” Cassidy smirked as she opened a file cabinet. “Spike is a pussycat. His flirtations aren’t serious. He and Angel are devoted to each other, even when it doesn’t seem like it.”
“So, what exactly do you do here?” Booth asked conversationally.
“Research,” Cassidy replied. “That’s how I met Angel in the first place. I used to work at the local library. He came in a lot. Finally, he just asked if I would work with him full-time. If I had known back then that I’d be working for pittance, I wouldn’t have been so eager to say yes. Now, I work here for next to nothing and whore myself out to literary magazines in hopes they buy my articles to pay my bills.”
Booth quickly looked over to see if Parker heard anything he wasn’t supposed to and found an empty chair. His feet hit the floor and he stood up, looking around.
“Where’d Parker go?”
Cassidy glanced over from the file cabinet where she was putting away invoices. Seeing that the little guy had disappeared, she looked around as well. She went into Angel’s office. The gate was closed and the lift was still on Angel’s apartment level. Parker couldn’t have gone down that way. Something in her peripheral caught her attention.
“The door to the stairs is open, Booth.”
He joined her in the office and followed her down the steps. The staircase ended in Angel’s living room.
“Parker? Are you down here?” Booth called out.
Cassidy and Booth searched the place until all that was left was the vampires’ bedroom. Oh, God. If he’d gone in there and saw something he shouldn’t have . . . Rebecca is going to kill me.
Booth carefully pushed the door open and looked inside. The bed was made – probably Angel’s doing – and there were voices coming from the bathroom that adjoined the bedroom. Booth moved closer to the bathroom with Cassidy right behind him. She leaned against the doorway as they looked inside. Spike was staring into a full length mirror admiring something.
“Spike, I don’t think this will go over well with Seeley,” Booth heard Angel say.
Booth stepped into the bathroom and saw Angel leaning against the sink, looking bemused at Spike.
“What won’t go over well with me?” Booth asked.
Angel and Spike looked surprised for a split second, as if they were caught with their hand in the cookie jar. The surprised look was gone as quickly as it had appeared. Spike turned to face Booth.
“What do you think, mate?”
For a moment, Booth thought Spike asked what he asked about his attire, but then he looked down and saw Parker.
“What have you two done to my son?!” Booth shrieked.
“Don’t you like it?” Spike asked.
“Parker came down just as Spike was doing his hair and asked how he got his hair to stay plastered to his head. So, Spike demonstrated,” Angel explained as calmly as he could without bursting into laughter.
“So, how do you explain the wardrobe?” Cassidy asked, gesturing to the boy’s outfit.
“Oh, that’s a gift from me,” Spike said, obviously proud of himself.
Parker stood before everyone with his natural blonde curls slicked back. He wore a black t-shirt under a red open-buttoned shirt, his own jeans. Over that, he wore a miniature version of Spike’s black leather duster and little Doc Martens. The only things missing were the scar on the eyebrow and the mascara Drusilla said that Spike liked to wear.
Booth stood there with a hand on his hip. He ran his other hand through his hair as he contemplated his son’s attire.
“I’m a dead man. Rebecca is going to kill me when she sees this,” Booth groaned.
“I don’t see why,” Spike said innocently as he looked over his handiwork. “What’s wrong with him?”
“He’s a miniature version of you, that’s what’s wrong!” Booth pointed out. When all he received were blank looks as to why he was upset, Booth asked, “Angel, what do you have to say about this?”
“I tried to stop him?” Angel’s reply was phrased more like a question.
Booth threw his hands in the air and walked away grumbling, “Just put him back the way you found him before we go back to D.C.”
**************************
Booth leaned back in Denise’s chair, flipping through one of her gossip magazines, not really looking at it. Instead, he was seething in silence over what Spike did to Parker. The vampire had a soul now; didn’t he think to ask first before giving his son a makeover?
He was so busy contemplating Spike’s inevitable death that he didn’t notice Denise walk in.
“Ahh, you’re here,” she said. “Then I assume Little Booth is here too?”
“Yeah, he’s downstairs with Dracula and his apprentice,” Booth said offhandedly without looking up from the magazine.
Denise went over to the staircase door and yelled down the stairs for Parker. Booth cringed at the ear-piercing sound. When Parker showed up, sans vampires, Denise marched him into the outer office.
“What the hell happened to him, Booth?”
Booth looked over the top of the magazine. “Spike decided to create a Mini-Me version of himself.”
“And you let him?” Denise raised a brow.
“I apparently have no say in how my son is dressed these days. I may have well been just a sperm donor. Between Rebecca and Spike, his life and dress code are all planned out, I just send a child support check through the mail,” Booth said resignedly.
Denise tried to run her manicured nails through Parker’s hair, but the extra-strength hairspray refused to loosen up. She heaved an exasperated sigh. “I guess it will have to do for now. We’re off to shop. If we hurry, I can make that clearance sale at Bloomingdales.”
“Have fun. Behave yourself, Parker,” Booth called out as Denise led his son out the door. Parker barely got out “Bye, dad,” before the door closed behind him.
**************************
An Amusement Park near the Shopping Center
Denise spent the morning taking Parker from one shop to the next, hitting nearly every store on the strip. He was still dressed in his Mini-Spike attire. Denise was dressed in a knee-high skirt, conservative blouse and pumps. Her arms were loaded with bags, as were Parker’s. The weight caused him to trudge after her.
They stopped for lunch sometime before noon. Denise bought deli sandwiches and they ate at an amusement park. Parker finished his meal and Denise let him go play on a nearby carousel.
Denise sat on the bench and watched the carousel as she ate her sandwich. She held up her hand when Parker waved at her when he went around. Thinking everything was fine; she got up and threw her trash away.
The carousel stopped. In the swarm of kids piling off to join their waiting families, a nondescript man in a tan trench coat and black gloves grabbed Parker from behind. Before anyone could hear his scream, a gloved hand went over his mouth. Remembering what his daddy taught him, Parker tried to squirm and kick free, but it was no use.
Denise waited patiently as the children disembarked from the carousel. She thought for sure that Parker would run up to her all excited about the ride. But then, no one came rushing up to her. Instead, another group of kids got on the ride and it started up again.
Maybe he had gotten off on the other side. Abandoning her bags, save for her purse, Denise ran around the carousel looking for Parker in the crowd. Parker wasn’t anywhere to be seen.
Oh, my God. Booth entrusted me with his son and I lost him. “Parker!” What am I going to do? I work for Angel Investigations for Christ’s sake. I can find him. “Parker!” Granted, the one time I had a problem Angel helped me out and then hired me because I needed a job. Now, he’s going to fire me for losing Booth’s son! “PARKER WHERE ARE YOU?!”
“Oh, God. Oh, God. Booth is going to kill me,” Denise said to herself as she pulled her phone out of her purse and dialed the number to the office. “Booth is going to kill me.”
“Angel Investigations,” Cassidy answered.
“Cass, oh, God,” Denise cried into the phone.
“Denise? What’s wrong?”
“I lost Parker!” Denise sobbed.
“You what? I didn’t catch a word you said. Is your connection breaking up?”
Denise tried to calm herself as sobs wracked her body. “I lost Parker!”
“What do you mean you lost him?”
“We went shopping this morning and stopped at the amusement park a few blocks from the strip mall,” Denise sniffled. “I let him go on the carousel. I kept an eye on him the whole time, I swear. I only turned around for a second to get rid of the trash and when I turned back, the carousel ride was done and Parker was gone!” Denise broke down in tears.
“Denise, calm down,” Cassidy said, though Denise barely heard her over the crying. “Tell me where you are and we’ll come get you.”
**************************
Angel sat behind his desk, his feet propped up on the desk, reading a book while Spike and Booth sat on the other side. Spike flipped through a medieval weapons catalog. Booth read a magazine article.
“Spike?” Booth finally spoke up. “Can vampires get E.D.?”
Spike glanced at Angel over the top of his catalog. “Yep. The old Sire’s lived like a monk for a century.”
Angel glared at Spike over the top of his book. “I do not have erectile dysfunction.”
Scoffing, Spike went back to his magazine, muttering, “You’re a eunuch.”
“You should know better,” Angel shot back, “Considering how you’ve been nearly rabid for my cock since The War with the Senior Partners.”
Spike smirked, replying, “I’m the reason you’re no longer a eunuch with erectile dysfunction.”
“Keep it up and you’ll be a soprano in the Vienna Boy’s Choir,” Angel half-threatened as he continued reading his book.
“You always did have a thing for the young and innocent,” Spike quipped.
“Please, tell me that was back when you were evil,” Booth said.
“I haven’t turned anyone since 1943 and that was only under duress,” Angel assured him.
“Duress?”
“World War II, Americans captured a German submarine. It took a hit. There was a German prisoner on board who stabbed one of the crew members --” Angel started to explain.
“Apparently, he’s the only one that knew how to fix what was wrong and Angel turned the poor sod to save the ship. Then, he kicked us both off the ship and made us swim twenty-five miles or so to dry land before sunrise,” Spike paused. “You were a dick then and you’re still a dick. Anyway, fast-forward sixty years and the bloke shows up at Wolfram & Hart a month or so before the war and kidnapped Fred, Wes and Gunn. After he threw a vampire’s equivalent of a tantrum, Angel dusted him.”
“You were fighting in World War II?” Booth asked curiously.
“Not by choice,” Angel replied.
“Well, yeah, there was a draft until Vietnam,” Booth surmised.
“It’s not like vampires are forced to sign up for that kind of thing. We’re dead – technically. The government decided I was the only able-bodied man they could find to anchor a cement block to and sink to the bottom of the Atlantic to get the German sub back to the U.S., so they could see how the Germans were winning underwater. When I got on board, I found out they had Spike. The dumb ass was captured at a Free Virgin Blood party,” Angel shook his head at the sheer stupidity of his childe. “I killed the other two vampires on board out of annoyance and turned Lawson – the crew member who was injured.”
“How many wars have you been through?” Booth asked in fascination.
“Fourteen, not including Vietnam.”
Booth’s brow furrowed in confusion at that statement.
“They never declared it,” Angel clarified. “Not to mention that I’ve seen more than a few revolutions.”
“Spike? Care to jump in here with your own experience?” Booth prompted.
“Killed a Slayer during the Boxer Rebellion,” Spike replied.
Booth raised an eyebrow. “Angel’s retelling all this history and your big claim is that you killed a Slayer during the Boxer Rebellion? That’s your big highlight?”
“Do you know how hard it is to kill a Slayer? I managed to kill two, fall in – what I thought was – love with one, help train a bunch of potential slayers and fight a demented one.”
Booth looked at Angel. “Is he serious?”
Angel shrugged as if to say ‘More or less’.
“All that and you never once had anything fascinating to retell?” Booth asked.
“Isn’t killing two Slayers and becoming a sex slave to another enough? It’s more than some people, who shall remain nameless, have done,” Spike said pointedly glancing at Angel.
Suddenly, the door to the office opened and Cassidy burst in. “Something’s happened.”
“We kind of figured that, luv,” Spike replied. “What’s got you so excited?”
“DenisetookParkeroutandlosthim,” Cassidy said.
“Slow down,” Angel said.
Tossing his book on the desk, he got up and went over to her. However, he was a few seconds behind Spike who was already there, sitting her down on the couch that was lined against the wall.
“Now, say it again slower,” Angel said.
“Denise took Parker out and from what I gathered: they went to the amusement park for lunch. He went on the carousel and disappeared!”
“Parker’s missing?!” Booth nearly screeched. Jumping to his feet, he started searching for his keys. Finding them, he grabbed her by the shoulders anxiously. “What park did she go to?”
“The one on --” Cassidy started to say.
“Nevermind, you’re coming with me,” Booth said as he grabbed her wrist and pulled her to her feet.
“BOOTH! You don’t have to be so rough with her!” Angel said.
“I brought my son here and now he’s missing. She’s the only one who knows where he disappeared from,” Booth snapped.
“That doesn’t mean you have to manhandle her, mate,” Spike said.
“Maybe we could --” Angel started to suggested.
“I know how to do my damn job, Angel. Now, I have to go out there and find my son.” Booth turned on his heel and walked out the door, nearly dragging Cassidy with him.
Angel and Spike exchanged looks. They’d have gone with him if it wasn’t broad daylight outside. Spike could understand Booth’s emotional state and the need to go out there now. However, he didn’t like how he hauled Cassidy out of the office. Angel’s jaw was clenched as he stared after Booth.
“Weren’t you the same way when you lost Connor to Holtz? You went on a rampage, nearly killed Wesley and even performed Dark Magic to get him back. Booth’s exactly like you in every way, Angel.”
Angel’s expression turned grim at the reminder of how he lost Connor as a baby. That wouldn’t happen with Parker. It wouldn’t have the same outcome, if he could help it.
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