Existence

DISCLAIMER: All the characters in this story belong to Joss Whedon, David Greenwalt, the WB, FOX, Kuzui Enterprises, Mutant Enemies and whoever else owns the copyrights. I'm merely using them for the fun of writing and reading, and because I MISS B/A DAMMIT!!!!!!

SUMMARY:Angel comes to Sunnydale to save Buffy from the brain-powers of a 12 years old boy from another dimension.

AUTHOR'S NOTE:This story is a sequel to my AtS FIC "The Chosen One" (can be found in http://www.crosswinds.net/~cookiesm/tco.html), and it's based on the lost but not forgotten "I Will Remember You", 3 years later.

DEDICATION:To Michelle, Alex, Kim, Steph, Vivien and all the great true B/A shippers out there, keep the faith!

"Being a "hard core shipper" during the good times isn't hard - what counts is to be a hard core shipper through rocky times!" -- Alex

Part One

"This outfit is totally wrong!" Cordelia said, looking at the wide screen. Angel looked up in the direction. "Actually, this is pretty accurate to the fashion of the late 18^th century". He remarked.

"No, I meant my outfit, it's itching. I didn't even like it, why did I buy this thing, remind me?" she bitched.

"'this is perfect! It makes me look thinner' comes first to mind", Wesley said, grabbing handful of popcorn and stuffing it in his mouth.

Cordelia gave him a stern gaze and returned her stare to the screen. "This movie is boring", she said. "Who even wants to see a tragic 18^th century forbidden love, we get that here all the time", she huffed.

Outside, in an alley near the theater, a woman screamed. She was attacked by two vampires. They started closing in on her.

She started to run and they got a hold of her after a few blocks.

A bright light blinded them and they roared, letting go of the woman.

She fell to the ground, shaken.

A child, wearing all white, walked out of the light and the light started to fade away.

He looked at the vampires. "What are you doing?" He asked.

The vampire growled. "Who are you?" he approached the kid, while the other one grabbed the sobbing woman on her feet.

"Are you hurting her?" the child showed no fear.

The woman cried, and the vampire grabbed her by the throat.

"No, we're just going to kill her", the first vampire laughed, he was inches away from the boy and lashed out at him, the kid jumped aside and the vampire hit a parking car.

Angel, Wesley and Cordelia walked out of the theater. Cordelia sniffed, wiping her eyes with a tissue. "That was so sad", she sobbed.

They heard a woman cry out for help. Angel and Wesley started running in the direction of the shouting.

They saw the vampire drinking from the woman, and another vampire facing a boy.

"Hey! Why don't you fight someone your own size", Angel called.

The kid didn't even look at the people that came to his rescue, he watched intensely as the vampire sinking his teeth in the woman. Angel started to run towards them, when the kid sent out his hand and the vampire along with the woman burst into ashes.

The vampire, Wesley and Angel looked stunned at the boy.

The vampire ran away.

The kid looked amazed at the pile of dust.

"You killed the woman!" Wesley said, stepping forward, Angel held him by his chest.

The kid turned to face them. "I'm going to kill you too", he smirked, then ran away.

Angel started running after him and jumped over the rolling trashcan the kid threw in his way. He felt something was very wrong with the boy. Not necessarily evil, but unfitting.

Part Two

The kid stopped running to check out his pursuer, when suddenly a hand covered his mouth and lifted him. He started kicking in the air, but the strong person that held him didn't seem to care.

"I won't hurt you", Angel said quietly, putting the child down, still holding him firmly.

"*I* will hurt *you*!" the kid threatened.

"You won't hurt nobody", Angel hissed.

He pulled the kid by his arms, until he met again with Wesley.

Cordelia came into view. "Oh poor kid," she said looking at the ashes. "Were you attacked by big bad fanged monsters?" she asked, reaching her hands over to him.

He looked up at her.

"Cordelia, move away from him", Angel said loudly.

"Where are your parents, little boy?" she ignored him and looked into the child's brown eyes.

"I don't have any parents", he said, saddened.

"Aw, come with me to our office and we'll find out how to help you", she said and he nodded.

Angel and Wesley looked amazed as she sent out her hand to the kid and started walking away with him.

"They are afraid of me", he told her as they walked by them.

When Angel and Wesley walked into the office, Cordelia and the boy were already there. Cordelia was standing by the espresso machine, watching them enter the office. The child was covered with a blanket and sat possessively on Angel's chair.

"So who are you?" Angel stepped forward, looking at the kid.

"God", the kid said, not dropping his eyes.

"Are you", Wesley chuckled.

The kid turned his head over to Wesley. "You got any doubts?"

"In point of fact", Wesley started to say, but the kid interrupted him.

"You think I'm evil", he said nonchalantly.

Angel folded his arms. "How old are you?"

"Older than time".

"How old is time?" Wesley sat down in front of the kid.

"Do you think you can challenge me? Time is something beyond your comprehension", the kid said.

"You're just a spoiled little brat", Wesley said and got up furiously, moving closer to the boy.

The kid huffed angrily and Wesley froze in his place.

"I can't move", Wesley whispered.

Angel moved over to him and touched his arm. "You're cold as ice", he said.

Cordelia walked inside with two boiling mugs.

"Set me free", Wesley hissed, gritting his teeth.

"What's going on?" Cordelia asked, putting the mugs on the table.

"Let him go", Angel said.

The kid looked up at him. "What if I don't want to?"

"Prove to him you're not evil", Angel said quietly.

The boy reached for the mug and took a sip. He grimaced. "Eww, that's yucky!"

"We just got a new espresso machine", Cordelia said, taking a sip from her own cup. "Mine is great".

"I don't want coffee. I want hot chocolate!"

"I don't have choco-"

"Could you release me first?" Wesley asked.

"You don't like me. You want me to be a demon so you'd have a good excuse to kill me".

"No one's gonna kill anyone", Angel said. He looked at the boy. "Release him".

The kid sighed and Wesley fell to the floor.

"My legs! I can't feel them!" He groaned.

"Don't be such a wuss, you'll get the feeling back soon". The kid said while Angel helped Wesley back to the chair.

"Stop harassing the kid", Cordelia said, moving over to the child.

"In the meanwhile it seems like the kid is harassing us", Wesley muttered.

"They're after me", the boy said, looking around.

"Who?"

"Them!"

Part Three

They heard loud noises getting closer and closer.

"What is it?" Wesley perked his head to the sounds.

"I don't think I want to find out", Cordelia said, looking over at Angel. He nodded. "Take the kid and go", he said, motioning outside with his head. "Wesley, you go with them", he said.

"And leave you here to fight these creatures alone? I rather not", Wesley said, folding his arms.

Cordelia took the kid's hand and started running outside, while Wesley and Angel grabbed weapons.

Cordelia was heading towards the elevator.

"No", the kid pulled Cordelia's hand. "Don't go there", he said.

"This is the best way out", Cordelia said.

"We better go from there", he pointed at the front exit.

"Don't you think the sewers are the best way out?"

"No. They are waiting for us to go there".

"Okay, let's go to my house then". Cordelia pulled him and they ran outside into the street.

The kid stopped and looked at Cordelia, who walked inside the house. She stopped, looking over at him. "What's wrong?"

He didn't speak. "Are you sensing Dennis or something? He's a friendly ghost. Have you ever seen Casper?"

The kid took her hand again, still not talking and lead her inside the apartment.

She followed him quietly.

"Sleep", he said, as she sat down on her sofa.

"But-"

"Hush", he put his finger to her mouth and she lay down, looking frightened at him.

"Sleep", he said quietly and put his hand on her forehead.

Her expression turned bleak.

"I'm sorry", he whispered. "You've been nothing but nice to me..." he covered her eyes with his hand for several seconds. When he moved his hands her eyes were closed.

He got up and walked through the door.

Part Four

"What are these things?" Wesley asked as a few flying monsters lunged at him like balls.

"I don't know... never seen these kind of demons..." Angel answered as he was trying to kill a monster with his sword. "...Before", he cut through the demon, only to realize he was cutting the air.

"What is it? It's not real, it's a hologram of some kind". Wesley said, when one of the creatures hit him, cutting his arm.

"Or maybe they are real". He flinched.

"There must be a way to kill them", Angel said, ducking another demon-ball attack.

"You just push this button", they heard the kid's voice and turned around. He was holding a little black chip, that resembled a remote, the flying monsters squealed and turned into little balls, jumping into the little bag the kid was holding.

"You sent these things to attack us!" Wesley looked at him angrily.

"Where's Cordelia", Angel asked.

The kid walked inside the office.

"Nice place. Better than the one that got blown up", he said, his hand lingering on the silky chair.

Angel watched the kid complete his circle around the room and standing in front of him.

"You know what he is?" Wesley asked behind.

"I know what he is and I know who he is", the boy didn't even turn around.

"So what is it that you want of us?" Wesley asked, moving closer.

"Don't get any closer, lower being", the kid said and turned around.

"If you kill me, you wouldn't be any better than the fiends you fight".

Wesley opened his mouth, shocked. "How do you know that's what I was thinking?"

"Wesley", Angel said quietly. "Leave us alone".

The kid turned back to Angel, a worried expression floated on his face for a brief second. Wesley left the room.

"You can't read my mind, boy".

The kid looked down. "Maybe not, but I can still hurt you".

"Why are you being so resentful?"

"Because you're a liar! You're not a warrior, you don't help people!"

The kid shouted.

Angel scanned the boy's face. "Have I ever done anything to hurt you? I don't know what you're talking about".

"I needed your help a long time ago, but you let me down".

"I don't..." Angel looked at him confused. "I don't remember having met you before".

"You don't... well, that's fine. You will remember how I hurt your friends!"

The boy turned to leave. "You hurt them, and I won't have mercy on you boy", Angel growled behind him.

"I will destroy you". The kid said quietly and walked out of the room.

Part Five

"Where did he go?" Wesley faced Angel as he walked out of the room, Angel froze in his place and sighed.

"Wesley", he looked at him. "Are you all right?"

"Yeah, the little brat seemed upset as he stormed out of here".

"It's Michael, Wesley". Angel said calmly, looking away.

"Who?"

"My son".

"What are you talking about?" Wesley asked confused, after a bit.

"Remember last year? We saved Michael when he was a baby from that demon Zadon and brought him to the oracles?"

"Oh, yes. The baby from the other dimension". Wesley took off his glasses. "But, how can it be? He is supposed to be about two years old now".

"I don't know. I just know it's him. Maybe he can travel in time. He has powers. It must be him".

"But he seems so evil", Wesley protested.

"He's not evil. He's just confused. He's full of hatred".

"Well, how can it be? You gave him to the powers that be, to avoid having him misusing his powers, and I think that's just what he's been doing".

"Maybe the pantheon is not that safe".

"Maybe, and we have to find the little brat... sorry, child, before he does more damage".

"Where's Cordelia?" Angel curved his mouth, and they headed towards the exit.

"Cordelia!" Angel called out as they entered her apartment.

"There!" Wesley spotted her on the couch.

Both Angel and Wesley rushed to her side.

"She's not dead, is she?" Wesley asked as Angel touched her.

"No, she's alive..." Angel pondered quietly.

"Is she sleeping?" Wesley leaned forward. "She seems like she's in some sort of a coma".

Angel got up. "Stay with her".

"Where are you going?"

"I'm going to find Michael and wake Cordelia".

Finding the boy wasn't hard. Not many young boys were walking the streets that late at night.

Angel walked stealthily behind the kid. The boy sensed him and turned around but Angel grabbed him, before he could run.

"Let me go!" the kid shouted.

"What did you do to Cordelia?" Angel held him by the lapels.

"Let me go!" Michael kicked Angel harder, making him drop him to the ground. Angel growled, showing him his game face.

Michael just stared at him.

"Michael", Angel started talking.

"Get away from me!" Michael took a step back.

"Hold it right there!" both Angel and Michael moved their heads to see Kate, the blonde detective, pointing a gun at them.

"Kate", Angel transformed back to his human face.

"I'm tired of you popping up everywhere!" kate didn't lower her gun.

Michael stepped forward. "It won't make you a better cop if you kill him", he said. She looked at him. "What the..." she moved her gun to the boy's face. "What are you?"

"Nothing will bring your father back. You're just being irascible because he died before showing you that he cares about you".

"Shut up!" she waved the gun, almost touching his face.

Angel pulled the kid back.

Part Six

"He's just a human boy", Angel told kate.

"You mean if I pull the trigger he could die? Good". She said, not lowering the gun.

"You are jealous of Angel. You want to kill him to prove you're better", Michael said, throwing Angel's hand away from him.

"If you read my thoughts one more time I will put a big bloody hole through your annoying little head, you're not human. Humans can't read people's mind". She said, moving her other hand to the gun, so she was holding it with both hands.

"Kate, he's just a little boy, you want me. Take me", he said and without any warning, kicked the gun out of her hand.

"You bastard. I got just the thing for you!" she said taking out a cross.

"I encountered two vampires tonight. Dusted the bastards". She said.

"Well you know how it goes", Angel ducked her punch then hit her hard across the face. "Third time charm".

She recovered quick and kicked him away.

"Kate, come on, I don't wanna do this", he said, ducking another kick. "No? Why not?"

"You need therapy". He grabbed her fist. "It's been almost 3 years since your father died".

"And you and your kind still walk free, ignoring our laws. You think you can do whatever you want because you're immortal? Guess what?" she grabbed another stake that was shoved in her sheath. "Even immortals can die".

Angel let out a sigh, getting ready to block her stab, but she thrust the stake with full power into her own chest. A small stream of blood splashed on Angel's clothes. He looked at her confused. She had a glossy stare in eyes and tried to mumble something as white foam filled her mouth. She dropped down to her knees and fell to the ground.

Angel kneed in front of her. "Kate!" he called, checking her pulse. He moved over to Michael.

"What have you done?!" he was truly angry.

The kid looked down in shame. "I only wanted to help..." he half-whispered.

"You can't go around killing people!" Angel said angrily, though softer than before. "No matter how... how..."

"Bitchy?" Michael offered.

"... They are", Angel said, turning around to look at kate's body again.

"Now I need you to bring Cordelia back", he moved around just to see that Michael was no longer there.

Part Seven

"Come in", Lindsey called. The demon entered the office, pushing Michael inside.

"Thank you Alegra. Now leave us alone", Lindsey told the demon and it turned around and left the room.

Michael's cheeks were red with anger, and his light brown hair was messier than usual.

"Hi Michael", Lindsey smiled at him.

"Who are you?"

"My name's Lindsey. I'm a lawyer". Lindsey moved over to his desk and leaned on the table.

"Have a seat please", he motioned with his hand to the chair.

Michael walked forward, but instead of sitting in the chair Lindsey offered he walked to the other side of the table and sat in the big black armchair.

Lindsey smirked. "I see that you like my chair".

"It's comfortable". Michael raised his legs on the table.

"Do you wonder why we brought you here?"

"Because you're a bunch of demons who want me to use my powers for your benefits?" Michael played with Lindsey's sign.

"I'm not a demon", Lindsey smiled genuinely.

"If you were human I would have heard your thoughts. I can tune to people's thoughts. It's like radio".

"Yes, we know that. That's why we protected our -channels-, Michael. You can't hear our thoughts".

"Why not? Because they're evil?" the boy remained careless.

"So how did you find your way to the passage of time?" Lindsey ignored his remark.

"I ran away. I heard two guards talking about it. But it won't help you. You can get there only within the pantheon. And you can't go there".

"Don't worry. We've had the pantheon surrounded for a couple of years now".

"It doesn't matter for the powers that be".

"You don't like the powers that be, do you Michael?" Lindsey looked at him.

Michael huffed quietly, slamming the sign against the table.

"It's okay, you can talk about it with me".

"Don't I have a right to an attorney before I say anything?" he asked. Lindsey smiled. "It's hard being the chosen one, isn't it so?"

"More like boring". Michael tailed his finger on the carved letters in the sign.

"You're 12, right?" Lindsey moved over to the large window.

"Yeah".

"I still remember when we heard you were born".

"It wasn't that long ago in your time". Michael said.

"Right. We got the news from the other dimension. In this dimension your daddy didn't even want to give you a chance to be born".

"The powers that be make all the choices. He's only a player".

"Then why do you hold so much rage against him?" Lindsey moved over to face the boy. "You don't believe that, right Michael?"

"I tried to make him choose... but he didn't accept it. He just gave me back. I hate the pantheon". Michael whispered.

"And now you want to revenge. Because you had a chance for a life in this world, and a little family..." Lindsey said.

Michael looked down. "And he took that away from me"... he said almost unheard.

"I can help you, Michael. You can have anything you ever wanted".

Michael got up from the chair and paced towards the window. "I already have everything. I got powers".

"Then what are you still doing here?" Lindsey asked.

Michael looked at the rising sun on the horizon.

Lindsey walked over to him and put his hands on the kid's shoulders.

"You want to have fun like every other human boy. You want to sit on your butt watching TV. You want to run outside and play with the other children. You want family. You want to play catch with your father. You want to destroy Angel for taking that opportunity away from you, and you want our help". Lindsey removed his hands from the boy. They both were quiet for a moment.

Michael turned around and looked up at Lindsey. "Will you help me?" he asked.

"We want to help you".

Part Eight

"Where's the boy?" Cordelia asked, raising her head from the couch.

Wesley and Angel both rushed to her side.

"Cordelia! You're awake!" Wesley called. "My spell worked!"

"It was the weirdest thing", Cordelia said, propping up on her elbows. "He told me to sleep and just put his hand on my forehead and I couldn't move, but I felt calm". She looked over at Angel. "What is he? Some kind of a Jesus?"

"Something like that..." Wesley said.

"And now he's gone and we have to find him", Angel said, looking at the rays of light which penetrated through the blinds.

Lindsey walked down the street with Michael.

They entered a sports store. "Now we'll dress you in something more casual", Lindsey said as he looked down at Michael's white clothes.

Michael smiled and walked over to the clothing line.

"Perfect. You looked great!" Lindsey applauded as Michael came out from the changing room wearing jeans, t-shirt and Nike.

"Just one more thing", Lindsey said, moving closer to the boy. Michael looked up at him with a question look. Lindsey put a L.A Lakers cap on the boy's head. "Perfect". He marveled again.

They went out with the bags of the other clothes they bought.

"That was fun!" Michael smiled.

"And we just started. Do you want to eat something? Or you rather play video games first?"

"Video games?" Michael raised his eyebrow.

Lindsey watched pleased as the boy wasted coin after coin on the machine. He was pretty good for a newbie.

"That was so fun! Can we do this again?" Michael asked when the screen said 'Game Over'.

"Sure. But first let's go eat. I'm getting hungry". Lindsey said. They walked out.

"What's this?" Michael looked puzzled at the triangle thing Lindsey gave him. "That's a slice of pizza".

Michael sniffed the slice and darted out his tongue to taste it. "Is that food?"

"Yeah, give it a bite", Lindsey smiled as Michael slowly and carefully took a bite from the pizza. His face brightened. "I love it!"

"It's fun having a real life in the real world, eh Michael?"

"Yeah, I should have come here a lot earlier!"

Lindsey smiled, patting the kid's shoulder. "You can stay here with us for as long as you want".

"Wait you say this boy is Michael, the baby from the other dimension we saved last year?"

"Yes, the same one I'm afraid". Wesley nodded.

"I hate to break this up to you, but Michael was a baby. This boy is at least 10 years old".

"He's 12", they heard another voice and turned around.

"Whistler", Angel looked at him surprised.

"Michael stole the codes for one of the time passages, that's how he got here". He said.

Part Nine

"Hello Lindsey", Holland smiled when Lindsey entered his office.

Lindsey greeted him back and sat in front of him.

"How's Michael doing?"

"He's fitting in. He likes sports and cartoons".

"You like him".

"He's different. He's very special and everything is like the first time with him".

"Does he like you too?"

"I think so".

"Good. You think he's ready?" Holland opened his drawer and took out a file.

Lindsey swallowed, looking down at the picture his boss took out of the case, with the text- "Buffy A. Summers".

"It wasn't suppose to be this way", Whistler hummed, pacing back and forth in Angel's office.

"But he seemed so sweet and naive... definitely not the 'I'm gonna destroy the world' type..." Cordelia said, looking over at Wesley who checked his books.

"No, he's not gonna destroy the world", Whistler stopped walking.

They all stared at him. "Well, not now anyway... his powers are still evolving. He will destroy the obstacles in the way first".

"The obstacles in the way?" Wesley grimaced. "Meaning us? Angel?"

"They're giving him guidance".

Angel didn't look at Whistler, he was busy examining a shiny sword.

"Is there anyway to bring him back to our side without killing him?" Cordelia asked.

Wesley rubbed his eyes. "I'm not sure Angel would be capable of killing his own son..."

"What??" Cordelia gazed at him. Angel looked up too.

"The kid is your son? How can that be?"

"Well... when Buffy was in L.A, the first time... you know... about 2 years ago...-"

"Oh yeah, when you were human for a day and asked to turn back the time and didn't check the lottery numbers. I remember".

"You do? How's that possible?" Angel looked at her surprised.

"Doyle told me... so in Michael's dimension you remained human?"

"Yeah... for a while..."

"Wow, and what did you-"

"Um, excuse me for cutting this nice little chat, but we're kind of wasting time?" Whistler interrupted.

"You're right. We have to find Michael. Where do you think he'd want to start?" Wesley asked.

"Most likely where it hurts the most", Whistler said, looking over at Angel.

"Buffy". Angel said, his expression remained bleak.

"Buffy? What kind of name is that?" Michael chuckled when Lindsey gave him a file. He opened it. There was only a picture inside.

"Hey I seen her before", he held the picture, then gazed back at the TV screen.

"Those pokemons thingies are dumb... you know I got something like that too.. Only I use it for trainings", he said.

"Where did you see her?" Lindsey asked.

"I saw her in my dreams. And there's a reflection of her aura in the hall of ta-krim... I think she works for the high powers".

"Well, in any case, she's the weak spot of our friend. And we're gonna exploit that, right buddy?"

"She must be important", Michael said quietly, looking at her picture.

"Yeah, there's nothing more important than your enemy's softest spot", Lindsey smiled and straightened Michael's cap. "C'mon, let's go out and play catch".

"Yeah!" Michael smiled happily and got up.

Part Ten