Rating: PG-14
Pairing: Connor/Pandora/Ron friendship; Willow/Angel; Cordelia/Lindsey
Summary: Problems between his parents puts Ron in a vulnerable position just when Rack returns.
Spoilers: Anything before and including Season 3 of 'Angel' and Season 6 of 'BTVS' could be mentioned.
Distribution: Please ask, I usually say yes.
Disclaimer: The characters of 'BTVS' and 'Angel' belong to Joss Whedon, 20th Century Fox, the WB, and UPN. The characters of 'Charmed' belong to Constance M. Burge, Spelling Television Inc., and the WB.
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Part One
The Slayer sprang from the roof of an old ivied tomb and dropped down between a male and a female vampire. She punched the female in the face and broke her nose and then turned and kicked the male in the head, breaking his jaw. Both creatures were dust before they could recover. Rack watched the seemingly helpless blond girl disappear through the cemetery gates, whistling a jaunty tune as she walked. Something was different. Rack had returned to Sunnydale on several occasions throughout the years and the Slayer had always been morose and mechanical - like the weight of the world was pressing down on her. She was lighter now and happy. So, what he had been hearing was true - his Willow witch had returned to her friends. She wasn't in Sunnydale though, she was much too smart for that, but she wouldn't be too far away. He would find her and finally reunite with his son. His family.
"Lovely night for a stroll." Rack blinked into existence in front of Buffy. He chuckled at the fear she couldn't hide. He knew that the fear wasn't for herself, but for her friend. He smiled. "I was wondering if you could help me get in touch with an old mutual friend of ours. I believe she has my son."
"You stay away from Willow." Buffy attacked with more desperation than finesse. Her punch flew through the air without finding its target, knocking her off balance and to the ground. Rack was gone.
"Don't worry, I'll find her anyway," his disembodied voice informed her.
Patrol was over. Buffy shook off her shock and jumped up. She ran as fast as she could back to her house. She had to warn Willow. It had been two years since she had turned up in L. A. and stopped running. They had all started to think that Rack didn't care since Ron was no longer a baby to be sacrificed. They had been wrong. Buffy ran faster.
*****
Her world was over - at least the one that was familiar to her. A dark pit of pain had opened up where her heart had been. Willow sat on their bed and watched with a numb detachment as Lindsey packed his suitcase. "Why?" she managed to whisper.
"I already told you why." Lindsey's voice was tight and he didn't turn to face her. He continued to rip through their closet instead. Jeans, shirts, blouses, pants - it didn't matter if they were his or hers, they ended up strewn around the bedroom floor. "I can't stand this mediocrity anymore. I'm better than this. Wolfram and Hart recognizes that. They've offered me what I deserve - power, money, and anything else I would care to want. I can't wear any of these rags!" Lindsey tore the last piece of clothing off its hangar and threw it across the room. He turned and stalked to his suitcase which sat beside Willow. He snapped it shut and picked it up without even glancing at her.
Willow reached out and caught his arm. She couldn't stand it. She wanted him to look at her. "You promised you would never leave me, Mac."
"My name is Lindsey." Lindsey jerked his arm away. His eyes bore into hers with a frightfully intense glare. "Promises are just words, Willow. They don't mean anything." He didn't say good-bye as he disappeared though the bedroom door.
"Lindsey!" Willow yelled and ran to the bedroom door. He had paused at the top of the stairs. "I love you."
"Those are just words too." Lindsey continued on down the stairs.
Willow recoiled as if she had been slapped and bit back a sob. She followed after him, but stumbled on the top step. She caught the railing to keep herself form tumbling down the stairs. She leaned over the side. "They're evil," she screamed. Her only answer was the hard slam of the front door. Willow slid down the railing and sat with a thump on the top step. "They're evil," she repeated much more softly.
It was all so confusing. They had been so happy for so many years and they had even continued to be happy once they had moved to L. A. and had resumed their real identities. When the record label had inexplicably dropped Lindsey, Willow hadn't been worried. She still had her job and Lindsey still sang at the local clubs - he was quite popular at P3 - and they both helped out at Angel Investigations from time to time. Willow had been optimistic that another recording contract would present itself and Lindsey's dream would become reality. This optimism just seemed to irk Lindsey lately. He started to pick stupid fights, but still she had just thought it was a temporary rough patch in their marriage. Nothing to freak out about. She never once thought he would leave her and Ron. Not until he had walked through the door this evening and announced that he had accepted his old position at Wolfram and Hart.
The soft humming buzz of the cordless phone started to ring from somewhere in the house. Willow didn't care. She stood up on shaky legs and made her way back to the bedroom where she managed to pick up one of Lindsey's flannel shirts before collapsing on the bed. Her sobs drowned out the phone as it continued to ring.
*****
The Hyperion was a welcome sight for Angel. It hadn't been a particularly difficult case - they had just tracked down magic mirror that had some society people killing each other to possess it - and he was bone tired. Infiltrating the clique had been hell - give him a Goltrok demon over a club luncheon any day. Angel pushed open the front doors. Cordelia and Fred had decided to use their 'dressing up' for the case to their advantage and had met a couple of eligible bachelors they had stayed to have drinks with after the mirror had been destroyed and the evil-fighting was over. Gunn had gone to P3 to meet Paige and had dragged Wesley with him - apparently Paige had a friend they both thought Wesley would like. Angel could hear Connor and Ron talking in the parlor while they watched television. Lorne had stayed with the boys since everyone else was occupied with the case and Willow and Lindsey had needed some 'alone' time.
"Where's Lorne?" Angel frowned. It had been two years since Lilah had attempted to kidnap his son and she hadn't made any moves or threats since then, but there was still the last Nyazian Scroll to worry about. Lindsey had confirmed that his possession of it had been a bluff and that Lilah could very well have it. She hadn't tried to use it to her advantage yet, but Angel wasn't going to be comfortable until he had that scroll.
"He's just upstairs, Dad. A client came in for an emergency reading." Connor's frown matched his father's. He was too old for babysitters anyway. He was thirteen. "We're fine."
"I know." Angel backed off. Connor was fine and he would probably be in danger his whole life. Smothering him would only cause new problems. "So, what do you guys have planned for your last weekend before school starts?"
"Nothing much," Ron answered. "Dory gets back tomorrow so we're meeting her at the mall and going to a movie."
"Mom, Aunt Willow, and Mrs. Halliwell want to take us shopping first," Connor added.
"Sounds like fun." Angel's phone rang and he reached into his pocket to answer it. "Hello, Angel Investigations."
"Angel," Buffy's frantic voice shouted into his ear. "Angel, I can't reach Willow. I called her place and the phone rang and rang. Is she with you?"
"No." Angel stepped out of the parlor and made his way to the offices. He didn't need his son overhearing this conversation. Buffy was upset and obviously worried about Willow. "She and Lindsey had plans though, they might have went out. What's the matter, Buffy?"
"Rack. He was in Sunnydale tonight. He asked me about Willow and Ron. She didn't answer the phone. If she was home, she would have answered the phone so I could warn her. What if Rack already has her and Ron, Angel? He did this blinking thing where he just appeared and disappeared. What if I was too late?"
"Calm down, Buffy. Ron's here with Connor for the weekend." Angel headed for the front door. "I'll got to Willow's right now. I'm sure she's fine - like I said, she and Lindsey planned to go out. I'll call you when I know." Angel returned the phone to his pocket. "Lorne!" he yelled and waited for the green demon to appear at the top of the stairs. "Call everyone and tell them to get over here and don't take your eyes off the boys. I have to go out for a while." The front door slammed behind him in his haste.
"What's going on?" Ron whispered to Connor. All he had caught was the distress in the yelling voice talking to Connor's Dad on the phone, but he knew his friend with the superhearing had got it all.
"That was Buffy, she's worried about your Mom. Some guy named Rack is looking for her and you." Connor looked back. Ron was so white his freckles stood out like rust on porcelain. "Who is this Rack guy? Do you know him?"
"He's my biological father."
*****
The apartment was incredible. Lilah had outdone herself with its opulence and luxurious appointments, not to mention the high-tech surveillance equipment. Lindsey didn't even bother looking for them, if Lilah wanted to watch then let her watch. He fixed himself a drink at the gleaming chrome and glass bar. The whole living room was in black and silver. Black leather furniture, black and silver accented tables, and a soft, slate grey carpet. From the large window, the lights of Los Angeles winked at him like they knew it had only been a matter of time until he was back where Wolfram and Hart wanted him. He slugged back the drink in one gulp and wandered into the bedroom. It was black and gold. Lilah had a sick decorating sense. His suitcases were stored away in the walk-in closet along with the few clothes he had brought and the new ones that had been boughten for him. He hadn't seen the person who had done his unpacking, but he was sure that they did a thorough job of going through everything. It didn't matter, he had left everything that was important.
"Here's to my new life." Lindsey saluted the empty room with the empty glass. It seemed an appropriate gesture. He set the glass on the dresser and peeled his clothes off as he walked into the bathroom. The faceless servant would pick them up. The bathroom wasn't black, which was a relief. It was pink. Dark pink marble snaked with purplish veins surrounded the copper basin sink. The gleaming copper of the fixtures reminded Lindsey of Willow's hair. On the mirror above Lilah had left a note. 'Thought I should leave a feminine touch until you get used to being a bachelor again.' Lindsey grabbed the note and crumbled it in his hand. He tossed it on the floor and turned on the shower.
A hot spray of water, not the tingling sonic pulse of the new showers, pelted against his body as Lindsey stepped in. The rich and evil obviously didn't care about conserving precious natural resources. He was grateful though, because although he doubted there were any cameras in here, if there were the water would obscure his tears. Lindsey bowed his head and let the spray hit his neck and the back of his head. He thought of Willow and Ron. He heard Willow's begging, pleading voice in his head and saw her big green eyes filled with tears. "I love you," he whispered the words he couldn't say back to her before and watched them swirl down the drain along with the water. He didn't want this, he didn't want any of this. It made him sick, but he couldn't afford to be sick. If his reaction was that severe, then Lilah would get suspicious and all of this would have been for nothing.
*****
"Willow?" Angel called out. The front door was unlocked and the lights were on. He doubted that Lindsey and Willow would have left the house this way if they had gone out. Everything seemed in place downstairs. The living room was large and comfortable with pictures of family and friends littered everywhere. Willow had made a real effort to make a home for herself and her family after so many years on the run. She had succeeded. The house was warm and cozy and empty. Angel didn't like the way it looked. "Willow?" Angel strained his vampire senses for any signs of human life. He picked up a heartbeat and snuffly breaths. She was upstairs.
The bedroom door was slightly open. Angel could see clothes strewn about the floor. He couldn't smell blood. He nudged the door open. "Willow." Angel crossed over to the sobbing woman on the bed. She was clutching an old flannel shirt and didn't seem to notice he was there. Angel sat on the bed beside her and caressed her hair in a comforting motion. The room was a mess, but there were no signs of actual violence. The clothes were all pulled out of the closet and thrown on the floor, some personal possessions were knocked down, but nothing was broken. "Willow, where is Lindsey?"
A choked sob was his answer as Willow started to cry harder. She didn't resist when Angel pulled her up and gathered her in his arms. "Gone," she finally managed to whisper. "He left us...for...for Wolfram and Hart."
Angel didn't know what to say. He had never completely trusted Lindsey when it came to Wolfram and Hart - he had seen him tempted by them one too many times - and had actually expected him to return to the law firm long before now. But he had to admit that Lindsey loved Willow and Ron and had proven himself over the last two years by helping out all he could with tracking down the last Nyazian Scroll to see if Lilah did indeed have it. Angel was surprised that Lindsey had left them now and furious that he had obviously devastated Willow while doing it. Lindsey McDonald was scum, but Angel could hardly tell Willow that. It wouldn't make her feel any better. Nothing could make her feel better, but she couldn't languish in her depression either. He had to make sure she was safe and ready to face Rack. "Willow, sweetheart, I need you to pack some things for you and Ron. You two are going to stay at the Hyperion for a while."
"It's okay, Angel." Willow lifted her head from his shoulder and wiped at her tears. Lindsey's cologne from his shirt filled her nose and she almost broke down again. The only thing that stopped her was the fact that Angel already thought she was a delicate doll that needed to be sheltered. "I'm fine. I just need some time alone to think. Ron and I will be fine."
"Normally, I would agree, but there's something you don't know. Buffy encountered Rack in Sunnydale. He was looking for you and Ron." Angel squeezed Willow's shoulders. "If Lindsey were here, I would be insisting that all three of you move in to the hotel until Rack is dealt with."
Willow nodded. She was emotionally drained and only felt a stinging coldness chilling her bones instead of a heart-thudding fear. She was in no shape to deal with Rack alone. She couldn't protect her son or herself right now, but Angel could. "I'll pack." She moved away from Angel and started to pick a few things up from the floor. She wondered if she should leave Lindsey a note telling him where they were or maybe call him. He might come back if he knew Rack was threatening them. He had promised to protect them, to love them. He wouldn't break those promises - not really. They were more than words. More than words.
"Willow." Angel caught her as her knees buckled and she passed out. "Bastard," he muttered as he carried Willow down the stairs. They would have to come back later and pack whatever Willow and Ron needed. Right now he needed Willow to be somewhere where she was safe and loved.
Part Two
Willow looked up at the soft tapping on the bedroom door. She wiped at her eyes with the heel of her hand. "Come in." She wasn't surprised when Angel stepped into the room. She hadn't been able to sleep the night before and had been aware every time he had checked in on her. "Hi."
"Hi." Angel closed the door. He stood uncertainly in front of it watching Willow where she sat at the end of the bed. Her eyes were red and her cheeks tearstained. "Are you hungry? Would you like some breakfast?"
"I don't know." Willow shrugged. She felt nothing but loss. She hadn't felt this way since she had fled Sunnydale when she was pregnant with Ron. "How am I going to tell him, Angel? What am I going to tell him? He loves Lindsey so much."
Angel sat down next to Willow. "Does Ron know about Lindsey's past with Wolfram and Hart?"
"Yes, we've always explained things to Ron as he got old enough to understand." Willow bent her head and pressed her hand to her forehead. Lack of sleep and emotional turmoil was giving her a raging headache. It felt nice when Angel put his arms around her. She let her head rest on his chest, his sweater soft against her cheek. "I don't know how he's going to understand this when I don't."
"Then you'll have to tell him that too. You can't explain Lindsey's actions." Angel rubbed Willow's back in long, soothing strokes. She seemed calmer this morning and he was less afraid that she was going to fall apart.
"Mom." Ron walked into the bedroom without knocking. He stopped short at the sight of his mother in another man's arms. "Where's Dad?"
"I'll go and let you two talk." Angel gave Willow a hug and stood up. "Do you know where Connor is, Ron?"
"He's downstairs having breakfast. We're supposed to be meeting Dory and her mom soon." Ron frowned. "Mom, where's Dad?"
"Come here, sweetie." Willow held out her arms. She gave Angel a weak smile of thanks before he left them alone. "Something happened last night...."
"I know," Ron interrupted, relieved that this was what had upset his mother. "Connor overheard his dad on the phone with Buffy. Rack is looking for us again. Is Dad trying to find him?"
"No. Your father doesn't know that Rack was in Sunnydale." Willow hugged her son close. He was going to have to deal with so much, it wasn't fair. "Ron, Lindsey had been unhappy lately. I don't know why. Last night he decided to leave. He took a job with Wolfram and Hart and he...he left."
"No, Mom." Ron shook his head and pulled away from Willow. "You're wrong. Dad would never leave us."
"I'm sorry, Ron, but he made it very clear that he wasn't happy anymore." Willow pulled her son back to her. "I think he's confused. He thinks that his old job will make him happy. I don't think this has anything to do with us. Lindsey still loves us. I know he does."
Ron let his mother hug him and continue to insist that his dad loved them and that they had done nothing wrong - he had done nothing wrong. It wasn't anyone's fault. But if it wasn't his fault, then why had his dad left them? Why had he chosen an evil law firm over his family? Did it mean that his dad was evil? His biological father was evil. Ron hugged his mother back tight. He wasn't evil. He wasn't. He repeated those words in his mind over and over, not completely sure if he was referring to his dad or himself.
*****
"I see you've maintained your fabulous work ethic, Lindsey." Lilah walked into his office without announcing herself. It was her way of showing him she was the boss - more specifically his boss.
"You know what they say - the early evil lawyer gets the demon client off on all charges." Lindsey didn't look up from the flat computer screen inlaid on his desk. It was his way of showing her he didn't care she was his boss.
"How's the apartment? Do you like how I had it decorated?" Lilah smirked, crossing her arms over her chest.
Lindsey shrugged. "It's fine." He finally looked up at her. He wasn't going to let her know that her little note bothered him. He was free and clear. He couldn't think about Willow and Ron while he was at the office. He wouldn't be able to deal with things if he did. "I'll probably have it redone soon anyway. You always did things a bit too cheaply for my tastes."
Lilah's eyes narrowed and her lips thinned. "Have you filed for divorce yet, Lindsey, or are you going to let wifey take care of that? She wasn't no time moving in with Angel, maybe there was a little something going on there you didn't know about. She might not be as heartbroken as you had hoped."
"If you had bothered to pay attention in law school, Lilah, then you would know that Willow Rosenberg and I are not legally married therefore there is no need for a divorce. I'm still married to Aria. No death certificate has been filed in her name." What he said was true, his union with Willow was dissolved that easily. On paper. She was his wife. Ron was his son. Paper didn't matter.
"You always did cover all your bases. I admire that about you." Lilah fingered the lapel of her dark suit and smoothed down her hair. "But that's enough pleasant office small talk for this morning, we have a client that I would like you to handle personally." She gestured for someone to join them in the office.
The man was large with heavy features and stringy black hair. Dark magic swirled around him. A warlock. "How can I help you?" Lindsey nodded at one of his office chairs, an invitation for the man to sit. Lilah continued to hover near the doorway like a vulture, but Lindsey wasn't sure exactly what roadkill she had caught scent of.
"First of all," the man's voice was deep and gravelly. Lindsey didn't like looking into blackness of his eyes, but forced himself to. "I would like to thank you for taking care of my son all these years, Mr. McDonald."
Rack. This man was Rack. The warlock he had hidden Willow and Ron from for all these years was sitting in his office. "You're welcome," Lindsey managed to choke out.
Rack smiled. "I'm sure you'll be just as helpful with getting me visitation rights with my son."
It was all very clear to Lindsey now. This was his test to see if he was loyal to Wolfram and Hart or to his family. He was the roadkill Lilah was waiting for.
*****
The mall was busy, but it was still early enough in the day that it wasn't too crowded. Connor followed Cordelia as she distractedly threaded her way through the other shoppers. Something was very wrong. Breakfast had been silent and grim and although Connor and Ron had both been aware that Angel had brought Willow back to the hotel the night before, she hadn't come out of her room to join them. Then his Dad had announced that Ron and his mother had things to talk about and that they wouldn't be making the planned trip to the mall to meet Dory and Mrs. Halliwell. Now, the most telling sign that things were bad, his mother was not stopping to window shop or drag him into stores he didn't want to go into. Connor wasn't even sure she realized that she was in a mall.
"Piper." Cordelia waved gratefully upon spotting her Charmed friend sitting with her daughter beside the large fountain that was the centerpiece of the food court. She really needed to talk to another woman and the fact that Piper was a witch was bonus. She would know how to help Willow with her marital and warlock problems.
"Hi, Cordy." Piper smiled. Her gaze shifted around in confusion. "Where's Willow and Ron?"
"Something came up." Cordelia shrugged vaguely, but glanced pointedly at the children. She didn't want to bring anything up in front of them just yet. It would be better if the adults had a better handle on what was happening before they involved the kids. "Why don't we fortify ourselves with coffee before we hit the sales?" Cordelia nodded toward a coffee shop.
"Hi, Connor." Pandora greeted her friend with a smile as they fell in step behind their mothers. She hadn't seen her two best friends all summer and she really wanted to give Connor a hug. She didn't want to embarrass him though by a public display of affection. He had gotten taller.
"Hey, Dory. How was your whitelighter summer school with The Elders?" Connor shoved his hands in his pockets and tried to ignore the voice inside him that wanted to shout 'Gee, you're pretty.' She was very pretty in jeans and a pink t-shirt with her long brown hair hanging in waves down past her shoulders. He couldn't tell her that though because it was lame and wrong. Pandora was his best friend, he wasn't supposed to think she was pretty. Connor sat down on a high stool at the counter with Dory while Piper and Cordelia settled themselves at a table nearby. He was pretty sure his mother wanted a bit of privacy to tell Mrs. Halliwell all about Ron's biological father showing up.
Pandora waited until they had their orders of iced coffee before she answered Connor's question, "I learned a lot about my powers and how to control them to find people who need help." This summer The Elders had insisted that she visit them an learn more about her whitelighter abilities and duties. At first, Pandora had been reluctant to leave her family and friends, but she had enjoyed exploring her empathic, passive powers and time had moved so quickly. What had been the summer for her family and friends had only been a few days to her. Still, she had missed her friends and with her heightened awareness, she could sense that Ron was in trouble. "What's going on with Ron?"
Connor sighed. "His biological father, Rack, showed up in Sunnydale. He's looking for Ron and Aunt Willow. Dad brought Aunt Willow back to hotel last night, she and Ron are going to stay with us for now, but as far as I know, Ron's dad isn't. Aunt Willow is really upset and Ron thinks that his dad has gone after Rack."
"Poor Ron." Pandora swept her hair back behind her ears and frowned in thought. "If this Rack guy is so powerful then he should be in the Book of Shadows. Ron would feel better and be more prepared to face him if he knew more about him."
"Do you think Ron will have to actually face Rack?" The worry Connor felt for his friend increased and was joined by fear.
"I don't think Rack will just go away, he's here for a reason." Pandora reached over and squeezed Connor's hand reassuringly. "It'll be okay, Ron won't be alone. He'll have us and his parents and your parents and my parents and my aunts and uncles and your aunts and uncles."
"Of course." Connor smiled and tightened his grip on Pandora's hand. She was right. Rack couldn't hurt Ron, there were too many people standing in his way.
~~~*~~~
The Source's chamber in the Underworld was cold - a deep, bone chilling cold - but feeling it was a weakness so Rack did not shiver. He also did not bow his head in submission. He did not consider the Source as his master, but rather a colleague and an ally. "You can't refuse my offer, it is your opportunity to turn things back to your advantage." Rack smirked. He eyed the hooded figure sitting on large stone throne that was chiseled from the rock that surrounded them. Ancient runic writing glowed in the ceiling above the Source of All Evil.
"You are overconfident, Rack." The voice that issued from within the cavernous hood was strong, but distorted in a hollow, hissing manner. It almost seemed to come from around the Source rather than from it. "You need my assistance to gain control over the boy."
"I don't need a lawyer from your law firm to reclaim my son." Rack brushed some dust from his suit. Why a demon with as much power as the Source held would choose to bury himself down here was beyond him. Rack wanted that power, but didn't covet the position. He wasn't a threat to the Source's reign, he didn't want to rule the Underworld and look after the myriads of demons and evil beings that claimed fidelity to the Source. Rack just wanted the raw energy of evil that the Source commanded. "He is my blood, evil will call to him. You need me and my son to stop the Charmed Ones."
"The Charmed Ones are a mere nuisance," the Source snapped.
"They destroyed the last Source." Rack stepped forward.
"They got lucky. My predecessor acted out of fear after he heard the prophecy of the Thrice Charmed Child."
"But you aren't going to make that mistake. You see the potential in the Child and not the threat." Rack's dark eyes gleamed with unholy anticipation. The Source would give him the power he craved. "I hear that my son is quite close to the Charmed Child. I can bring her to you as well." At the Source's nod, Rack smiled. He would have to thank Willow for preventing him from killing their son at birth. He was turning out to be much more valuable as a teenager.
*****
Ron sat on a bench in the Hyperion's courtyard and looked up at the clear blue sky. It wasn't fair that fluffy white clouds drifted lazily across a perfect sky when he felt so horrible. Thunder should be crashing and lightening should be ripping apart the sky just like he was ripped up inside. The dad he loved had left him and the father he was afraid of had returned. Ron shivered despite the hot sun shining down on him.
"Ron!" Pandora rushed up to her friend and embraced him. "How are you?"
"Blissful now that you've finally realized your love for me, Dory." Ron managed a grin as Pandora snorted and pushed away from him. He glanced at Connor, who had approached more slowly. "Sorry for abandoning you on the mall trip with the females."
"It wasn't too bad." Connor sat down on the bench beside Pandora. She was twisted slightly to face Ron and her hair tickled Connor's face as it danced in the breeze. "So, uh, what did your mom say? Do they know any more about Rack?"
"No, but Mom says I have to be extra careful now. I tried to use it to get out of starting school, but looks like we're taking the sewers with your dad for a while." Ron sighed. Being with his friends had calmed some of his inner confusion. They didn't seem afraid that he would go all evil on them. Of course, they didn't know that was what his dad had done.
"Connor and I thought that it might help if we looked Rack up in the Book of Shadows." Pandora squeezed Ron's hand encouragingly. She hated seeing her normally lighthearted and funny friend so quiet and dejected. They needed to do something. "We might even find a.... protection or banishing spell that could help." Pandora bit her lip. She had almost suggested a vanquishing spell. She wasn't sure how Ron would feel about that. She knew that he had never met Rack and that the warlock was evil and had wanted to kill Ron ever since he was born, but there was still a connection between them. She didn't want Ron to have to decide whether or not he should vanquish his father.
"You're not supposed to look through the Book of Shadows unsupervised." Ron raised his eyebrows. Dory must really be worried if she was proposing they break a major Halliwell rule. It was nice that she was worried about Rack though and not him. She wouldn't let him near the Book of Shadows if she thought he was evil.
"Well...Mom is here, my aunts are at work, and Dad is with the Elders." Pandora took a deep breath. She really hated breaking the rules - especially one as serious as using the Book of Shadows - but Ron was her friend and he needed to be prepared. She trusted their parents and family to do everything they could to protect him, but sometimes everything wasn't enough. Sometimes you had to take care of yourself. "If I orb us to the Book and we take a quick look and then orb back here...what they don't know won't hurt them."
"Orb?" Ron edged away from Pandora a bit, but didn't break contact by taking his hand away from hers. "You know I don't like that particular mode of transportation. Let's take the bus instead. A good solid bus."
Pandora rolled her eyes. "That will take too long." She smiled as she felt Connor's hand slip into her free one. "Quit being silly, Ron, I've been orbing since I was a baby." She tightened her grip on her friends and thought about the attic of her house. As she directed her mind to take her and her friends there, she felt the familiar tingling, fuzzy sensation of dissolving into blue light. Orbing three people was trickier than just orbing herself, she had to keep track of them as well. Luckily, there wasn't time for her mind to wander, almost instantly she felt the jolt of solidifying and landing on a wooden floor. They were now in her attic. The Book of Shadows lay open on a stand a few feet away. Pandora walked over to it before she could change her mind. Now that they were here she was nervous.
Connor and Ron exchanged a glance as they looked around the room. Old furniture and boxes cluttered the large room. A multi-paned window behind Pandora let in the only light. "It's an attic." Connor was disappointed. Ever since he had met Pandora when he had finally been allowed to attend school, he had heard stories about demons trying to steal the Book of Shadows, using the Book of Shadows to summon dead relatives, and a lot of other cool, mystical events. It was anticlimactic to find it was just an old book in an attic full of junk.
"What were you expecting?" Pandora raised an eyebrow at her friends.
"I don't know." Connor shrugged. "Something more...witchy."
"Sorry, but I wasn't expecting company. Next time you guys come over to research demons I'll make sure I bring out the black candles and etch a pentagram on the floor." Pandora smiled at them to take the sting out of her words. She held her hand over the Book of Shadows. "For now, this will have to do. Book of Shadows, hear this Halliwell speak, within your pages it is the warlock Rack whom I seek." The pages of the book flipped rapidly back and forth until they finally settled midway through the Book.
"Well?" Ron prompted impatiently when Pandora didn't start reading right away. He walked up to stand in front of her, the Book between them. He could see the drawing of a man's face upside down. Ron stepped back, he couldn't look at the cruel twist of the man's lips.
"Rack, an adept magician in the late eighteen hundreds. He gained magical power and the status of a warlock in 1910 when he..." Pandora gasped. Her eyes met Connor's and he knew that whatever it was, it was bad. He stepped up beside Ron and nodded for her to continue. At least Ron would be with his friends when he heard about his biological father's nature. "He sacrificed his son, born from a witch. He feeds on the magic of witches, using their power while giving them a feeling of false euphoria and a taste for dark magic. His weakness is his thirst for power. Novice witches who are not properly trained to control their magic are most likely to fall prey to his influence."
"Who, uh, wrote that?" Ron forced himself to look at the face of the warlock who would have murdered him. A part of him had always thought that maybe his mother had overreacted and that Rack wouldn't have actually sacrificed him, but he had done it before. His mother had never told him that. Maybe she didn't know. There might be a lot of things that she didn't know.
"I don't know who wrote it, but it would have been a Halliwell."
"We should probably be getting back." Connor glanced at his watch. "We'll be missed soon."
"Yeah." Ron agreed distractedly, but he didn't move. He stared at the Book of Shadows. There was something else that he needed to know. "I need to know who my father is. Dory, can you look up Wolfram and Hart for me, please?" Fear almost made Ron stop his friend as she held her hand over the Book again and repeated the locating spell for Wolfram and Hart. He had to know though. Now that he knew that evil had given him life, he had to know if it had raised him as well. Who was he?
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