Created on: 1/05/98

Revised on:

All the usual legalese: nothing here is of my own creation.  Goliath and his crew belong to Buena Vista and Disney.  It's a really great show and I am just showing my enthusiasm by writing about it.  In no way will a profit be made from this.

WARNING!! May not be suitable for younger readers.

Castle Wyvern - Monday, 1/5/98

 The day had been dark and gloomy, the sunshine hidden behind a thick cloud cover.  Still, David Xanatos knew that the sun had set as he saw the cracks start to form on Goliath's stone form.  Pulling his trench coat closer, unconsciously trying to ward off the brisk chill of the evening air, Xanatos watched as the great winged being stretched from his stone sleep, sending stone particles flying in every direction.  As Goliath turned to face him, Xanatos knew immediately that this wasn't going to be good.

 "Xanatos, any word?" Goliath asked eagerly, hope lighting up his face as he climbed down from his daily perch.

 "No.. nothing yet," Xanatos said automatically, watching as the hope fell from Goliath's face.  Every day since their return on Christmas Eve it had been like this.  The nights were spent desperately searching the city for Elisa and Thailog, the clan looking for any sign of her.  From the start there had been nothing.  Each morning, Xanatos had to watch as his ally climbed dejectedly to his perch, always the same expression of longing captured on his stone face.  Then, the day was spent trying to run business as usual while on the sidelines running every search possible for the missing detective.  Xanatos owed her so much.. Fox wouldn't be alive if it wasn't for her, it was the least he could do.  Still, all of his contacts and all the possible leads always amounted to nothing.  It was as if the Detective and her winged captor had disappeared off the face of the Earth.  No one knew where they could be.  Still, Xanatos didn't have the heart to tell Goliath not to bother looking anymore in the city, even though Xanatos knew deep down that by now Thailog had taken her from the country... far away from the ones she loved.  He understood that even if it was useless at least they were doing something.. at least it was something.

Every evening, Xanatos would make the long walk up to the highest tower a few minutes before sunset and wait for Goliath to awaken.  And every night Goliath would ask the same question.. and David Xanatos would give the same answer.  Would he ever have the privilege to give Goliath another answer?  Xanatos hoped so, because it was surely breaking his heart, having to watch the clan leader's face fall every night for the past thirteen nights.

 "Then I better get to the clan so we can patrol the city.." Goliath trailed off, turning to face the city, hoping to hide the tears from his friend.

 "Wait, Goliath.. we have to talk."

 "What is it Xanatos?" Goliath asked wearily, controlling his emotions once more and facing his one time enemy.

 "It's about her family and Bluestone..."

 "I told you Xanatos.. tell them that we will talk later..."

 "But I received another phone call from Bluestone demanding to see you guys.. he wants to know where Elisa is."

 "I told you.. just stall him!!" Goliath roared, his eyes glowing brightly as he advanced on Xanatos threateningly.

 Holding his ground, Xanatos bravely met Goliath's stare and said, "Goliath, when are you going to follow through with your promise?  Elisa told you to tell her family that she was..."

 "But she's not dead!"

 "Think Goliath, what would be worse for them?  Ignoring them and not telling them anything, driving them crazy with the what-if's?  I've had to side step Bluestone, the Maza's, and Talon's clan ever since we returned.  You can't expect to hide this.. not when she never showed up for Christmas day!!  Or would you rather tell them the truth?  That she was taken by Thailog and leave it to their imaginations what's happening to her?  Would you like that?" Xanatos yelled back at Goliath, not caring what he said or how Goliath took it.  "She's been missing for almost two weeks now.. you have to tell them something!  And I think that you should do what Elisa asked you to.. follow through with her last request of you, tell them that's what happened.  At least then they'll be able to grieve and get on with their lives.. that would be better than not knowing!" Xanatos yelled, his voice becoming horse.  Breathing heavily, Xanatos stared at Goliath.. how could he have done that to him?  Goliath had lost his love.. but the Maza's needed to be told something.

 Suddenly, the glow left Goliath's eyes at he stared at the man before him.. he was right.  Sighing, Goliath steadied himself and faced Xanatos.  "You are right... tell them.. tell them that I will meet with them tonight.. at the labyrinth.  Get Peter and Diane Maza.. and Bluestone there.. I'll tell them there," Goliath said quietly as he turned away from Xanatos to face the night sky.

 Nodding his head, Xanatos said, "I'll call right now.." as he walked down the stairwell.

 Sighing, Goliath stared at the dark and gloomy night, Elisa on his mind as always.. his beautiful Elisa.  Where was she right now?  Was she even alive?  What had Thailog done to her.. what had he done to his beautiful Elisa.. *his* Elisa..  It was all his fault.. her capture.. everything.  Thailog would never have met Elisa if it wasn't for him.. for it was his blood that spawned him.  If only he would have never taken Elisa with him to that abandoned oil tanker so long ago.. why did he take her?  Why did he get off to such a bad start with Thailog?  Thailog had even said that he was going to give him a chance.. but because of his temper, he got Elisa and him chained in the tanker.  Then again, if Elisa wasn't there, they never would have gotten free and he'd be dead.. but Elisa would be alive and with her family.  Even then, Goliath had seen the look in Thailog's eyes as he touched Elisa in the tanker.. stroking her cheek.  To this day, Goliath still didn't know what happened after he was gassed.. did Thailog say or do anything even then to Elisa?  And then, because of him Elisa was taken along with Angela.. because of him.  It was because of his decision that Elisa was given the option of either dying or doing what she did.  But he couldn't have let Angela die.. she was his daughter, his only daughter... but she was his only love.  Elisa chose her fate.. because of him and because of who she was.  She decided that she would endure the fate she was giving herself.. going with Thailog, just so she could save another life.  God, Elisa always put herself before others, even then.  Elisa... and now he would have to tell her family that she was gone.. to follow through with her last request of him.  It was the least that he could do.. the very least.  But what would he tell them?  What could he possibly say to make her imagined death easier for her loved ones... he'd just have to stick as close to the truth as possible... for Elisa.

 "Father?"

 Quickly Goliath wiped the tears from his eyes and faced his daughter.

 He wasn't quick enough, for as Goliath turned to face Angela, she saw the tears in his eyes, breaking her heart once more.  Without even having to ask, Angela knew that her father had been thinking of Elisa again.  "Father?  Are we going on patrol?"

 "Ah.. yes.  I want the clan to go without me tonight.. I have other business to attend to."

 "You're going to talk with her family, aren't you?" Angela asked quietly.

 "Yes.. Xanatos has reminded me of my promise... one that I need to follow through with."

 Nodding her head, Angela stepped forward and took her father's large hand in hers.  "Would you like me or another member of the clan to go with you?"

 "No Angela.. this is something I need to handle on my own," Goliath said with a small smile, running his talons carefully over her brow ridges.

 Smiling, Angela quickly threw her arms around Goliath's neck and hugged him tightly.  "I love you Father."

 "I know Angela.. I love you also."

 "Goliath.. do not blame yourself.. I know that Elisa doesn't.  She knew what she was doing.. it was a gift to us, to save us."

 Smiling, Goliath pulled his daughter closer and buried his head in her soft hair.  "Thank you," Goliath murmured as he pushed her away gently.  Without meeting her in the eye, Goliath, turned on his heel and jumped from the tower, letting his wings do the work as he headed towards the labyrinth, his thick skin protecting him from the cold, a single tear freezing on his cheek.

Labyrinth

 In the inner sanctuary of the labyrinth, things were not as life usually went.  In the small room dubbed as the living quarters, five souls occupied the domain.  Sitting on the couch was Diane and Peter Maza, both sitting beside each other, wrapped in one another's arms.  Sitting opposite them was Talon and Maggie, much in the same position.  In between them, in the small space there paced Detective Matthew Bluestone.

 "Would you quit pacing?  It's making me nervous," Talon growled from his position, sending an impatient glare at Matt.  Ignoring the look his parents sent him from across the small space.

 "Well I am nervous!" Matt retorted angrily, not pausing once in his pacing.

 "What did Xanatos say exactly?" Peter spoke up, trying to break the tension in the room.

 Sighing, Matt finally stopped his pacing and plopped down in an armchair that was facing the two couches.  Running his hands wearily through his short red hair, Matt faced the elder Maza's and said, "Xanatos called me at the station and said that I had to get you two and bring you both down to the labyrinth.  He said that Goliath would be there shortly to tell us what's going on with Elisa.. where Elisa was."

 "So they did know what happened to her," Talon said angrily, his posture rigid.

 "I'm sure that they had a good reason for not telling us until now," Diane said quietly, looking into her husband's eyes for reassurance.

 Suddenly, all conversation died off as the door to the living quarters opened.  Quietly, Claw stepped into the room and gestured for Goliath to follow.  As soon as Goliath was in the room, Claw left and closed the door behind him.

 Jumping up from where he was sitting, Matt quickly ran across the room and said, "Goliath, it's about time!  How come you've been avoiding me?  Where's Elisa?"

 "Matt, I.." Goliath began hesitantly as he took in the confused and angry looks being directed at him from around the room.

 "Goliath, where's my sister!" Talon said angrily as he jumped up from where he was sitting, pushing Maggie roughly aside as he walked up to Goliath as well.

 "Talon.."

 "WAIT!" Peter roared from his position on the couch.  "We're not going to get any answers this way.  Everyone come and sit down so Goliath can tell us exactly what happened and where Elisa is," Peter said in a tone that left no room for arguments.

 Doing as told, everyone quickly took their seats, leaving the armchair opposite of Matt free for Goliath.  Walking slowly, Goliath stood behind the chair and looked at the group assembled before him.  He couldn't help but wonder if it was really wise to come alone.

 "Goliath, where is my daughter?" Diane asked quietly, breaking the expectant silence that had fallen over the group.

 "She.. she.. Elisa...... Elisa is dead," Goliath said slowly, tears building behind his eyes as Goliath tried desperately to keep them down.

 "What!?"

 "No, not my baby.." Diane sobbed as she quickly buried her head in her husband's chest.  "Please, not my baby.."

 "No.. she can't.." Matt said, a dazed expression on his face.

 "No... no.. NO!  You lie!" Talon roared, standing up slowly, his fists clenching and unclenching as he stared at Goliath, fury on his face.

 "What.. happened..." Peter broke out slowly, trying to calm down as he watched the gargoyle's face.

 "It.. it was Christmas Eve day... Fox and Alexander Xanatos were kidnapped... we, we tried to help and went patrolling.. trying to find them," Goliath stuttered slowly, trying to get the words out.  "While patrolling, Brooklyn and Angela were ambushed... Thailog took Angela... then he took Elisa at her apartment..."

 "Who is Thailog?!" Peter broke in, his features taught.

 "Dad, he's the one who created all of the clones," Talon reminded, "but I thought that he died.. we SAW HIM DIE!!"

 "That's what we thought," Goliath admitted.  Xanatos and I were told to come to an abandoned oil tanker that night at midnight... he had Elisa and the others in glass tubes.. we were made to pick who would live and who would die... Thailog made Xanatos pick either his son or his wife.. and Xanatos picked his son..."

 "But Fox is still alive!  I just talked to her today on the phone!" Matt said angrily, not sure if he wanted to hear the rest of the story.

 "I know.. then I was made to pick.."

 "You picked my daughter to die?!" Diane broke in, sobbing as she stared in hatred at Goliath.

 "I.. I had no choice... Elisa told me to pick Angela and to get her out of there... then, then she gave her life so we could all live.." Goliath stuttered, the tears now noticeable in his eyes.

 "YOU LET MY SISTER DIE!!" Talon roared as all of his anger boiled within him.  It was so unfair.. his sister was dead.. his sister was dead!  And all because of Goliath.. all because of Goliath!  "NO!" Talon roared as he raised his fur covered hands and pointed them at Goliath.  Then, all of his fury poured out of his hands in the form of a stream of electricity.  Goliath didn't have time to dodge and took the full force of the blow in the chest.  Groaning, Goliath fell to the ground, barely holding onto consciousness.

 "Derrick!" Peter yelled in horror as he jumped to his feet and shoved his son back onto the couch.  As Talon stared at his hands in confusion and horror, Maggie quickly took him into her arms and tried to comfort him.  Matt and Peter quickly ran to the fallen gargoyle.

 "Goliath?  Goliath, are you alright?" Matt asked as he kneeled beside his friend.  From what he could see, there didn't appear to be any injuries.. the visible kind anyway.  Leaning forward, he saw that Goliath's breathing was slightly uneven, but his eyes were open as he stared at the ceiling.  "Goliath?"

 "I'm... I'm fine," Goliath said weakly as he sat slowly up.

 "Goliath.. I'm sorry," Talon said from his seat on the couch.

 "It's okay.. I understand your anger," Goliath said as he pulled his aching body into a sitting position.

 "Is it true.. is Elisa really dead?" Diane asked of Goliath from her position on the couch.

 "I.. I wish I could tell you otherwise," Goliath said quietly as he finally pulled himself up until he was once more standing, holding his hands on the chair in front of him for balance and support.

 "How did it happen?  How did that animal kill my daughter?" Peter asked quietly as he backed up to the couch and fell heavily back on it, once more wrapping his wife in his arms, letting her cry out her tears on his chest.

 "It was some sort of gas..  She wanted me to tell you all that she loved you... I wanted to tell you earlier.. but I couldn't, I couldn't accept it either."

 "No!  Not my baby!  You must be mistaken.. this couldn't have happened to my Elisa, not my Elisa!" Diane sobbed as the tears streamed down her cheeks, her head turning from side to side in denial.

 "I.. I'm sorry..." Goliath stammered, forgetting his own pain as thoughts of Elisa once more crowded his mind.

 "This is your fault!  It's all your fault!" Diane said fiercely as she broke off of her husband's embrace and ran up to Goliath.  "It's all of your fault!  You killed my baby!" Diane yelled as she started to pound her fists on Goliath's chest, all the while her words cutting deep into his heart and soul.

 Goliath didn't know what to do.  So, he sat there and took it, letting Elisa's mother vent her fury and grief on him.  What she said was true.  Even though Elisa may in fact not be dead.. it was his fault.  All of this mess was his fault.  It was because of him that Diane Maza was quickly losing control.  It was because of him that they lost a friend and partner, a sister, and a daughter.  It was because of him that Talon and Peter had to pry a sobbing Diane away from Goliath and ease her back onto the couch.  It was all because of him.

 "Goliath, maybe you better leave," Peter said quietly as he held his sobbing wife.  Even Peter thought he was to blame, Goliath thought to himself as he nodded in agreement and started heading for the door.

 As he stepped outside of the living area, he was surprised to see Matt following him out.  "Goliath, wait," Matt said quietly.  Sighing, Goliath turned to face his friend, noticing the tears in Matt's eyes.

 "What is it Bluestone?"

 "She.. Elisa's mother didn't mean it, she was just upset."

 "No, what she says is true... it's all my fault."

 "No!  Goliath, you can't believe that.  Listen, Elisa was my partner and I think that I know... knew, her pretty well.  I know what kind of a person she was, and she was definitely the type of person that would have sacrificed herself to save you guys.  I know that she cared for all of you more than she ever would have admitted.  You can't blame yourself for something that you had no control over.  If anything, you should blame Thailog."

 "I know Matt.. thank you," Goliath said quietly as he walked past his friend and headed out towards the open air.  Sighing, Matt shook his head sadly and turned to enter the room once more.  "But do you really know Goliath?  Do you truly understand?" Matt said quietly as he slipped inside the room.  He had many things left to do tonight... he had to work out a story of what happened to Elisa.. how she died.. the truth never worked in situations like this... he had to tell the captain that one of her best detectives was dead and that they didn't have her body.. he had to start helping the family to plan her funeral.. but most importantly on his list of things to do: he had to find the time to grieve for his lost partner and friend.  How could he live without her?  How could any of them live without her?