Title: The Forgotten
Author: Kate R.
Rating: PG-13 I think
Pairings: Only Mentions of Angel/Wes, Xander/Spike and Giles/Ethan
Summary: Angel Investigations gets called on to solve a murder case more than 50 years old
Author's Notes: This is my first attempt at a fic like this. Please excuse anything I do wrong.
Disclaimer: Everything Angel belongs to Joss
The Forgotten
by Kate R.
Prologue: The Plea
"This is the place," Cordelia said as they pulled up outside the house.
Her vision had said there were demons here that ahd to be killed so the group from AI had gathered up their equipment and headed out to this old, dilapidated shack. At one time it might have been a house but it wasn't anymore.
Wesley followed Angel and Cordelia into the house and they soon found the demons. Killing them went quickly and then Wesley started to look through the house as if to see if there were any others left.
He heard the argument start between Cordelia and Angel again. About Angel sometimes-taking side cases and not focusing just on her visions.
He sighed and made his way into a room that looked like it was a children's room. There were toys scattered all over the place. He sighed and dropped to his knees and looked at the dusty, broken toys. He picked one up, a busted train, and felt a ghostly touch on his neck.
"What the hell?" He muttered. He spun around and found himself looking at a thin, dark skinned boy.
"Don't Forget Me," he said to Wesley.
There was a rush of air as Wesley felt as if he were being drowned in the element and when it stopped, the child was gone and his head was ringing like it hadn't for years. Not since that day. The Day his Father had found out what he could do and beaten him into a three-month coma for it. It was back now for some reason but he didn't know why.
"I wont forget you," he whispered as he held the toy tightly in his hand. "I wont forget you."
"FINE!" Cordelia screamed. "Just ignore the Oracles who know what's best for you!"
"Do they really?" Angel finally shouted back. "I hate to tell you this Cordelia but I'm not looking for their redemption! Not at the cost they are claiming! No loving and merciful God would demand the shit they want of anyone no matter how bad! I am not just the soul! I am Angelus! I am not all one or all the other! You ahd better take that message back to your masters, bitch, because I wont be their puppet anymore! Wes, you ready to go, luv?"
Wesley came down the steps slowly and stood next to Angel. He gave a weak nod and Angel took his hand and led him out to the car.
"I'll take you home tonight, Cordy. But tell the Oracles I quit. I think I have something---No, scratch that, I know I have a more important job to do than dance on strings for a God with an ego the size of eternity. I have things to do, much better and more important things."
He was looking at Wesley almost as if he knew and as soon as Cordelia was out o the car, Wesley showed Angel the broken toy in his hand.
"What is it?" Angel asked in all seriousness.
"A plea," Wesley told him. "A plea for help from a child long dead and dust."
"Well," Angel said. "That didn't take long to find. We start tomorrow working on this case."
Chapter 1: The Others
"I just feel like it's to be more than us, Angel," Wesley said as he stared at the train. Something is telling me we aren't all here yet. That this thing, this Mission, requires others."
"Do we wait for them?" Angel asked.
"We're here," a voice said from behind.
Angel spun around so fast he fell on his ass.
"Xander?" he asked.
Behind Xander were Giles, Ethan, Dawn and Spike. They looked like they were there for a reason.
"I told you it was here, Giles," Xander said. "Sorry, Deadboy but we've all been having flashes with our individual gifts all saying we belonged here. SO, what are we working on?"
"Ask Wesley," Angel said. "The ghosts talk to him."
"Seriously? He can talk to ghosts?" Xander asked incredulous.
Angel's eyes flashed as he stared at the boy. "He can do a lot more than just talk to ghosts. Perhaps if you'd paid attention in Sunnydale you would have seen that. Wes, it's your call as to whether or not we accept all of them."
"We do," Wesley, said tiredly from the desk where he was writing his impressions of the ghost down. "This is important. Far too important to fight about. They belong here, they get to be here."
"Fine," Angel said as he stared at Xander with cold amber eyes. "But let me make this plain to you. Wesley has my trust. Wesley Is the one I will listen to over any of you because Wesley is the one who has been here, who knows me and understands I am more than just the soul. So, get that through your heads now, I am not the Angel you knew in Sunnydale and the first one of you who insults me is going to get a painful lesson. Now, Xander, go get the books down. William, I need you and Giles and Ethan to start looking for an African American Newspaper. Wes said the child is black and this is older than integration so there wouldn't be any mentions of things like a child of color being killed in a white newspaper."
"What about me?" Dawn asked.
Angel looked at her and then sent her to Wesley. She might be able to help him with things. Wesley had her looking for information on the house he ahd found the train in. Xander and Spike and Giles and Ethan started using the second computer to look for the paper to see if they could find anything. Wesley continued to draw the train.
"Thank you," a voice said.
Wesley turned to look at the child. "You're welcome," he said.
The child smiled. "There are others," the child said. "Lots of others who will want your help."
"If they ask, they shall get it," Wesley said gently. "Now, could you tell me your name?"
"Tommy," the boy said. "I'm Tommy Freeman. I have to go back now. But thank you."
"You're welcome," Wesley said again as the child faded from his sight. "You're very welcome."
"What did he say this time?" Angel asked.
"He said thank you and his name is Tommy Freeman," Wesley said. "How did you know?"
"Your face," Angel said. "You were focusing on something. Thought it might be him. Hope you said he was welcome."
"I did," Wesley said. "Uh, he said there are others who want our help. I don't know how we can afford to do it but---"
"I have it," Angel said with a slight laugh. "Believe me I have it."
END PART 1