FIC: These Roads We Travel (4)

["Kimber" <feralspirit@xxxxxxxx>]

TITLE: These Roads We Travel 
AUTHOR: Kimber (kimbertvs@xxxxxxxxx)
DISCLAIMER: All BTVS characters belong to Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy. 
SUMMARY: The long awaited next story in "The Road Series". 
SPOILERS: Everything is fair game.
DISTRIBUTION: The usual suspects. Anyone else, e-mail me please.
AUTHOR'S NOTES: This comes because I've had so many great responses to the series and many people begging for another. Be careful what you wish for.

{{{Indicates Flashbacks}}}

-----------

"She's gonna get into big trouble, Xand. I just know it." Willow paced in front of him again. "I mean, she's my daughter and Buffy's. . .how could she not?"

Xander smirked. "Will, I'm sure she'll be fine. And besides, there's really not a lot you can do right now."

She stopped and thought for a moment. Her expression suddenly turned serious. "Xander, she's planning on trying to bring me back. She has it all worked out and has been researching it for months. She went through my drawers and papers and even liberated a few of Giles' books *I* wasn't even allowed to look at until I got back from England." She paused and took a deep breath, knowing that getting upset now wouldn't help matters any. "She could do it, Xander." Willow whispered. "That's the scariest part. She has the ability and knowledge and. . .she's a natural."

"Will, if she can bring you back then why isn't she telling us? I thought she'd at least tell Faith or Lisa or. . ."

"Giles? Oh yeah, and he was so helpful when I wanted to do dangerous spells." She smirked. "There's nothing we can do about it, Xand. She'll be okay. Angel and Cordy are helping her, though I worry about her little crush on him."

"On Angel???" Xander's jaw dropped. "What *is* it with that guy? Let me tell you, Will, if he lays one clammy appendage on her I'll. . ."

"You'll do nothing, Xand." She said seriously. "He knows how to handle her, trust me I've seen it. He loves Cordy. I know." She smiled, a little sadly perhaps. "Xander, you have to promise me. If Laurel can pull this off, you have to tell Giles and Buffy everything."

"Everything? I have to tell Buffy?" He gulped. Keeping secrets from Buffy was hard. But telling Buffy you've been keeping secrets, well, that required armor and something to defend yourself with. . .and quite possibly a Slayer-proof cage.

"Yes, Everything I told you about Jesse all the way up till now. Everything. It may just be the only way for them to help me. I don't exactly know what condition I'll be returning in. . .if at all."

-------------

Laurel made her way to the center of Breakers Woods. Everything she needed for the spell was packed tightly in her backpack. Thank goodness her mom didn't cancel the running credit they had at the magic shop or she'd never be able to pull this off.

She'd been out most of the morning and day preparing for this. She felt a small twinge of guilt over not being around when Lisa woke up, but she knew she'd understand how important this was.

Lisa. The computer, the things she wrote in it. Somehow, Laurel knew everything she'd written was true because that's how she felt herself. She just wasn't able to put it into words. Being articulate wasn't one of her stronger points but what Lisa had written, that just summed everything up for her. Sure they'd only kissed a handful of times so far, but that wasn't really important. What was important was their ability to communicate with each other and rely on the bond that had been formed between them. The bond that was quite possibly there from before either of them was born. That should have been a scary thought but it wasn't really. It was oddly comforting to her, and she could imagine it was to Lisa also.

Laurel's last thoughts before she set to her task were of Lisa. <Hold on, Li, we'll make it. . I'll make it. I promise.>

------

"She never leaves without telling us where she's going. Don't you think that's weird?"

"Lisa, I told you Buffy and Faith were here this morning to talk to her. She may just need some time to digest everything. I wouldn't worry." Giles smiled up at her.

"Papa," Lisa sat next to him and took a deep breath. "I think there's something you need to know. . ."

---------
<<Hold on
Hold on to yourself
for this is gonna hurt like hell>>

Willow was shelving the books in Xander's library when she felt it. Her stomach lurched and she lost her balance. "Xander!" She yelled out.

"Will! What is it?" He reached for her but he knew it was no use. He couldn't touch her. Helpless wasn't even close to how he was feeling right now.

She closed her eyes as another wave of dizziness hit her hard. "Laurel." She managed to whisper. A few moments ticked by then she looked up at him. "Get Buffy and Faith. . .Breakers Woods. . .go!"

-------
<< Hold on
Hold on to yourself 
you know that only time will tell>>

Laurel sat cross legged in the middle of a pentagram circle. She'd been there nearly an hour mixing herbs and different ingredients together. She'd been in such a deep concentration, she didn't realize it was becoming colder out. . .bitterly cold. The ingredients were mixed and placed accordingly, the charms she bought dangled from the bare tree branches. . the incense was lit and a warm, comforting smell filled the air.

Laurel took one last look around and began to walk around the pentagram counter clockwise. She remembered the words had been indelibly marked in her brain for weeks now, the words she hoped with all her heart and soul would bring her mother back to her. . .to all of them.

"Let the body join with the soul. Let her once again be whole."

"Let the body join with the soul. Let her once again be whole."

"Let the body join with the soul. Let her once again be whole."

"Let the body join with the soul. Let her once again be whole."

She began to chant faster and faster as she sank deeper into a meditative state. The winds picked up and blew her hair around and the sun was close to setting. Thunder claps could be heard in the distance.

-----------

<<What is it in me that refuses to believe
this isn't easier than the real thing
My love
you know that you're my best friend
you know I'd do anything for you>>

"I'm sorry, Papa. I should have told you sooner."

Giles placed his free hand on hers. With his other hand, he steered the beaten up old red convertible towards Buffy's home. "It's okay, Lisa. You didn't know she was planning to do it so soon. I just pray she's alright."

They both startled as a streak of lightening flew across the sky.

Giles stepped on the gas pedal harder and Lisa prayed to whatever gods were listening at the moment to keep Laurel safe and have her hold on till they got there.

------------

<< My love
let nothing come between us
My love for you is strong and true
Am I in heaven here or am I...
at the crossroads I am standing>>

"You think she'll come?" Faith was looking out on the woods from Buffy's back deck. It was a beautiful night, although uncharacteristically chilly, and all the stars were out. She could hear the wind blowing through the trees.

Buffy came up behind her and wrapped her arms around the dark Slayer's waist. "I don't know what my daughter is thinking these days, Faith."

"You think Laurel understood what we were trying to tell her? About us I mean."

"I hope so." Buffy turned her around so they were face to face. "I don't even think we understand it sometimes, but that's okay. At least we were able to work through it to where you and I are okay. That's what matters. My daughter is important to me, Faith, but so are you. If the three of us aren't okay soon. . ."

Faith placed a kiss on Buffy's forehead. "I know, B. I know. We just have to hold on." They both hugged a little tighter as a sudden wind picked up from no where. "Where'd that come from?"

"I don't know." Buffy walked away from Faith's embrace and looked out off of the deck. She opened her Slayer senses and didn't like what she felt. "Come here, Faith."

Faith walked up next to her and took Buffy's hand in her own. Noting the look of concentration on her face, she opened her senses also and a chill went right through her. "I don't like this, B. Something big is going down."

"As much as I'd like to say you're wrong," Giles said from behind them. They turned around and he continued. "You're not."

Buffy and Faith looked at Lisa, who was clinging to Giles' arm with the most terrified expression on her face.

<< Oh god if you're out there won't you hear me
I know that we've never talked before
oh god the one I love is leaving 
won't you take them when they come to your door>>

---------

"What can I do!" Anya yelled over the sound of the wind blowing through the trees. Scared wasn't the word for what the ex-vengeance demon was feeling. Especially since she was standing in Xander's library where there weren't any trees. . .or windows for that matter.

Willow shook her head. There was nothing Anya could do, or anyone else for that matter. She knew what was happening. The cell explosion process she went through was reversing itself. . .only much slower this time. She was becoming whole again.

Willow laid on the floor curled up in the fetal position. Pain shot through every limb, every fiber of her being. Her nerves screamed out in sweet agony. . and all she could do was hold on.

--------

"Why are you doing this!? She's gonna die!"

"It's not my doing, Alexander. You must realize that there are things that are even beyond *my* control." She smiled.

"I never should have agreed. I never. . ."

"You know the consequences." Her expression grew serious. "You must let it be and allow the cards to fall where they may. It is fate."

He grabbed his head and fell to his knees, sobbing. "This never should have happened."

She knelt beside him and stroked his hair, attempting to comfort him. "You didn't do anything to help or hurt the situation any, you've merely been an observer. She was meant to do this, you must understand. Realizing how to become whole again was only the beginning. Yes you helped, but inadvertently."

"She has a destiny, I know." He wiped the tears from his eyes and became calm again. Her voice was always able to do that. "But why does it have to be so damn hard?" He gave her an impish grin. "I love her. She's my best friend. I worry."

"You'll understand in due time. I promise everyone will." She rose and walked away, lost in thought for a few moments. "I just hope she's able to forgive us." She looked up into the mirror that hung on the marble wall in her chamber. In almost twenty years, she hadn't changed. Hadn't aged or gotten gray hairs; not a wrinkle could be seen on her face. Her hair was still a soft blonde and her eyes were as blue as the day she was born, and they were the only part of her body that betrayed her. There was a knowing there, an infinite knowing of everything and so much more that she couldn't even hide from Willow all those years ago.

------

Laurel knelt in front of the circle. She was rocking back and forth in a trance. The wind whipped around her and screamed through the trees. She didn't even notice. 

Thunder cracked above her and lightening streamed across the sky. A darkness descended upon the small clearing in Breakers Woods, and the only light that could be seen was the one that shone from her eyes.

"Gods above, Gods that save, into the arms of the babe. Give her safe passage back to me, hear me now, so mote it be."

Laurel took a small bottle and threw it into the middle of the pentagram. A blinding blue light erupted.

"Gods above, Gods that save, into the arms of the babe. Give her safe passage back to me, hear me now, so mote it be."

She took another bottle and did the same. This time a purple light erupted and merged with the blue. They both hovered in the air.

"Gods above, Gods that save, into the arms of the babe. Give her safe passage back to me, hear me now, so mote it be."

---------

Willow's entire body went rigid and she gasped for air. Anya rushed to her side. She was solid, but not moving. Her eyes were fixated and she was sweating. Suddenly a loud thunder clap sounded inside the room and a blinding blue/purple light engulfed Willow. Anya fell backwards startled. 

When the light cleared, Willow was gone.

--------

"Giles. . ." Buffy looked over at him in shock.

He just kept on driving. "I know."

"But, Giles. . ."

"Buffy, I know. And believe me, it's not normal." He looked up as snowflakes began to fall on them in the car.

Faith looked over to Lisa. "You okay, kid?" Lisa nodded somewhat stiffly and Faith put her arm around her. "Don't worry. She'll be okay." She whispered. "After you're done yelling at her for being so incredibly pigheaded and stupid, B and I will take you out for iced cream and you can tell us all about your relationship." 

Lisa looked up at her in shock, but smiled a little. "If the weather keeps up, I think we'd prefer hot chocolate."

Faith took her leather jacket off and put it around Lisa's shoulders. "Deal." She looked up at Giles. "You sure you know where you're going, G-man?"

"Yes, Faith. Breaker's Woods."

"Where we lost Willow." A shiver ran through Buffy's body. "God please don't let me lose my daughter too." She whispered.

------

Laurel slowly came to consciousness. She opened one eye, then the other and looked around at her surroundings. She was covered in snow and freezing. Slowly she lifted herself off the ground and blinked once. . .then twice. . then three times. There must have been three feet of snow on the ground. <Wow. Did I do that?> She shook her head as if to clear the cobwebs then decided that wasn't such a good idea since it felt like it was going to explode. . .she could feel the pounding in her ears.

Slowly, with every ounce of strength she had, Laurel crawled to the center of what she thought was the pentagram circle and collapsed. 

Willow was no where in sight.

"It didn't work." She sobbed. "I'm sorry mom. I'm so sorry."

-------

Buffy and Faith raced ahead of Lisa and Giles to the clearing in Breakers Woods. 

"Laurel!!" Buffy screamed out. "Answer me!"

Faith came up beside Buffy a few moments later. "Nothing by the caves."

"She's not here either." Buffy broke. "God, Faith, if I lose her. . ."

Faith grabbed her by the shoulders. "Listen to me, Buffy. You're not going to lose her, *we're* not going to lose her. She has to be here somewhere. We're just not looking hard enough." Faith walked away a few paces and called out. "Laurel! Where are you? Come on, kid. . it's not time for hide and. . ." She didn't finish her sentence. Faith fell head first into the snow. She turned over. "What the. . . ?"

Buffy rushed over to her and they both noticed the mound of something Faith tripped over. They began digging and saw some red hair poking out in stark contrast of the white snow all around them. "Laurel!! God, Laurel, no!!"

Lisa ran over towards Buffy and Faith and knelt down beside them. She felt helpless. Looking around she noticed a green backpack. . .Laurel's backpack. She crawled over to it and found Laurel face up next to it with snow all around her just five feet away from where Buffy and Faith were. She pulled Laurel up gently and began rocking her. "God, Laurel, no. No! What have you done?" She stroked the Slayer's face. "Papa, come quick!"

Buffy and Faith froze when they turned Laurel over and wiped the snow off of her face. They didn't notice Lisa close by. . .didn't hear her call out for Giles. Didn't see her cradling Laurel in her arms.

"Oh my God." Buffy whispered, taking the lifeless body into her arms and holding on with all her heart and soul. "Willow."

------

Pace. Pace. Pace. Pace. Stop. Turn. Pace. Pace. Pace. Pace. Stop. Turn. Pace. Pace. Pace. Pace.

"Lisa! You're gonna wear a track in the carpet if you don't stop." Buffy smirked at her.

Lisa shrugged, took two steps to the left, and continued to pace.

"She's as bad as you. Ya know that?" Buffy looked over to Faith.

"You know, B, we've been here for almost an hour, and no one's come to tell us about Red or Laurel."

"And?"

"You're taking it kinda well. I mean, you're calm. It's new." Faith shrugged.

"Right now all I know is that my daughter and my Willow are being taken care of. . .and they both have pulses. That's what counts." Buffy rolled her eyes when she saw Faith's disbelieving look. "Okay, okay. . .freaked isn't the word for what I am right now," Buffy stood up and looked down the long white corridor again. "But turning psycho isn't gonna help matters. . .not yet anyway. I'm trying to be level headed here. And so far it's working so don't rock the boat."

Faith nodded and looked up at Lisa who was still covering the length of the waiting room like a champ. "Li, come sit, will ya? You're makin me dizzy."

Lisa shook her head no and continued to walk.

Faith got up and stood in her path. The girl literally ran into the dark Slayer. She looked up at Faith with unshed tears. "Tell me she's okay." She said in a tiny voice. "Tell me she'll be alright." She wiped at her eyes in annoyance. "I don't cry, ya know. It's just not something I do. I mean, things tend to not effect me much and as far as effects go . . .God, Faith, what if she's not okay? What if. . ." Lisa was unable to finish the sentence. She leaned into the Slayer and began to sob.

---------

Giles walked over to where Buffy was standing in the hallway. She looked up and gave him a weak smile. "You okay, Giles?"

He nodded and smiled warmly. "I was about to ask you the very same question."

"I think I've been better." She was quiet for a few moments. "Yeah, I've given it a lot of thought. I've been *so* much better than this."

"Have you had time to digest everything? A lot has happened, Buffy, and I'm just concerned you'll. . ."

"Ignore it till it goes away like I do everything else?"

He smiled. "Well, I wouldn't have put it that way but, yes."

She turned to him in shock suddenly as if noticing where she was for the first time.

"Buffy, what is it?"

"She's not dead, Giles." She covered her mouth in shock. "Willow's not dead. Oh my God! She's in there. . .not twenty feet away from me. She's not dead."

Giles sighed and hugged her. "I know, Buffy, I know."

------

Faith looked up over Lisa's head and saw Giles comforting Buffy. She smiled at him as she stroked the young girls hair. It was strange, being needed, being a comfort to someone, but Faith decided she kind of liked it. It felt nice that she could do this with Lisa. . .be there for her. Poor kid had a rough life as far as she knew. Raised by her father, doesn't know who her mother is or where she is for that matter. And just as she and Laurel found each other and were just starting out, Laurel gets hurt.

"Is the Rosenberg family here?" A doctor walked into the waiting room.

"Yes!" Buffy rushed to him, followed closely by Faith, Lisa and Giles. "I'm Willow Rosenberg's partner, and Laurel is our daughter. What's going on? Are they okay? What's taking so long?" She folded her arms in front of her. "Well?"

"Buffy, give the man half a chance." Giles placed his hand on her shoulder then turned to him. "Well? She asked for an answer, man."

"Willow is doing as well as can be expected. I don't know what she's been through. She has hypothermia and frostbite, we were able to save her limbs, though she will have to go through extensive physical therapy because of the rigidity that will have set in when she wakes up. That is if she wakes up at all."

"If?" Buffy said in disbelief. "If she wakes up? Be straight with us. What do you mean if?"

"There was a lot of damage done by the frostbite, but that's not even the worst part of it. There is some brain swelling and her bones are brittle so we had to be very careful in trying to treat her. What ever this woman has been through, it's amazing she's come this far. She's malnourished and severely dehydrated, her white count is almost unreadable and she could quite possibly be in a coma for some time. All of her systems have shut down."

"But she's alive." Buffy stated.

"She's alive." The doctor nodded. "And so is your daughter. She's very weak, but there isn't any physical damage that we can tell right now. I've seen this before, it's almost as if she's been up for a week straight without sleep. She'll be fine, she just needs some rest."

"Can we see her? Them? Both of them?" Buffy asked hopefully.

"Willow is in ICU right now. We have an oxygen tent on her and she's in a private room with a nurse stationed there round the clock. I can let you in, but not for long. As for Laurel, she's in a regular room and you can see her, but visiting hours end at nine."

--------

Buffy walked into Willow's hospital room and looked over at the nurse who walked over to her and smiled. "If you need anything I'll be right outside. There's a zipper on the side of the tent where you can go in and sit on the bed with her. Be sure to zip it up behind you." 

Buffy nodded at the instructions and began to walk over. From behind her the nurse commented. "She's a lucky woman. We almost lost her a few times but she's a real fighter."

"I know." Buffy whispered. She turned back to the tent and unzipped it slowly, then stepped inside. She zipped it back up and sat down on the bed.

Willow had a breathing tube in her mouth. Her whole head was wrapped up in a white bandage and there were cuts and bruises all over her face. She looked like she lost at least twenty pounds, and Willow was petite to begin with. Her hands were a bluish color, probably from the frostbite, and you could almost see the outline of the bones in her arms. Over all she was a mess, but Buffy didn't care. Buffy cared that she was home, safe and alive and as far as she was concerned, Willow looked as beautiful as the day they vowed to love each other for the rest of their lives.

Gently, she reached over and picked up Willows hand. She brought it to her mouth and kissed it and all the anger and frustration and sadness rushed out of her. She was touching Willow, Willow was *right* in front of her, Willow would get better, *had* to get better.

Buffy reached up and touched Willow's cheek. "Hey. . ." she took a deep breath. "You know, that's the part where you usually say, 'hey, yourself'. . .but I can wait for that. I can wait for everything. The only thing that matters is I've got you here in front of me and I'm never letting you out of my sight again." She smiled. "That's some daughter we've got there, Will. I told her recently that I thought I had found the love of my life in you, but I was wrong. She's the love of my life too in so many ways. She's the only thing that kept me going when you were dea. . .gone. So now you have to get better really quickly, okay? This mom stuff is a lot harder than it looks. You always made it seem so easy, but then again you are such a natural at taking care of people." She paused a moment, then. "Look, I'll make you a deal; wake up and let me see those green eyes and I'll take you and Laurel to England. Remember we always said we wanted to take her to where we fell in love? But we kept putting it off. Well, no more. The minute you're okay to fly we're going, and that's the end of it." Buffy kissed her hand again. "God, Will. . .I love you so much it hurts, and when I lost you. . .I lost a part of me. Wake up, Will. Please wake up soon." Buffy laid her head on Willow's chest and sobbed softly, then smiled. Her heartbeat. . .she could hear Willow's heart beating steadily and feel her chest rising and falling with every breath. It was the sweetest sound in the world.

-----

"Are you alright?" Giles asked gently.

Faith shrugged. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"Well, we've all gained something tonight. But you've lost something too."

"It's five by five, G." Faith managed to smile and turn to him. "Red's back, Laurel's going to be okay. . .well, I think she will be until Lisa gets her hands on her. Then she's in trouble. And me? Well, I'll be just fine by myself." She turned back and continued to look out the window. "I always am." Faith heard Giles walk away down the hall. She waited till she knew he was gone, then pulled a picture out of her back pocket. It was the same picture she kept on her bookcase at home. She smiled at it fondly and played with one of the tattered edges. "Or maybe I'm not okay by myself anymore. What do you think, little one?" She sighed and closed her eyes. "Maybe it's time I find you." She opened her eyes again and smiled at the picture. "My Hope." She whispered.
----

Laurel opened her eyes slowly and tried to adjust to the light. She knew she was in a hospital because of the annoying 'fluorescent bright eye hurting' light. "Ungh. . ." she blinked a few times. She looked down and saw Lisa slumped over forward on the bed. Her top half was across her lap, and her bottom half somehow managed to stay in the chair. She smiled and reached over to touch the girl's face. <She must have been here all night.> Lisa stirred a bit and yawned. Slowly, she opened her eyes and looked up at Laurel. "Hey you."

"Hey yourself danger-girl. What's your next trick gonna be? Pull a rabbit out of your ear?" She sat up and smirked. "Or maybe have lightening shoot out your. . ."

"Lisa, please," Laurel rolled her eyes. "Slayer in pain here? Coddling and cooing, not finger shaking and berating. Who taught you your bedside manners?"

Lisa sighed. "I can't believe you did that last night." She got up and began to pace. "Do you have any idea how dumb it was? You could have gotten hurt," She stopped and put her hands on her hips, "What am I saying? You *did* get hurt and it could have been worse than a bump on the head and being tired." She began to pace again. "Do you have any idea what you put everyone through?"

Laurel sat up. "Li, come here." She patted the side of the bed. "Come on." Lisa sat down and crossed her arms in front of her. "Look, Li. . .I don't expect you to understand what I did last night." Laurel thought for a moment. "Or maybe I do. What would you do if you knew there was a chance you could get your mother back? How far would you go and how much danger would you put yourself in if there was even a possibility?"

"That's not fair. . .and how do you know I'm not looking for my mother?"

"I don't. You never told me."

"You never told me either. I can't believe you kept something so important from me."

"I told you about it. . .after I was sure about what I was gonna do."

"You forgot to include the life threatening danger parts of it."

Laurel sighed. "Yeah, I did. And I'm sorry." She reached for Lisa's hand.

"You don't know how crazy I went, how crazy your family was." Lisa looked up at her. "I could have lost you." She whispered.

Laurel tugged on Lisa's arm until she gave in and scooted over next to her on the bed. She wrapped her arm around her and gave a soft squeeze. "But you didn't." She kissed her on the head. "I'm here. If I have anything to say about it, I won't be going anywhere for a long time."

Lisa looked up at her. "Promise?"

"Promise." Laurel looked down at her. "Hey. Is that Faith's jacket?"

"Yeah, why?"

Laurel smirked. "She never even lets *me* wear her jacket. What'd you do to get on her good side?"

Lisa smiled. "Well, we found some common ground."

"Yeah, what's that?"

"We both care about someone very special. . . .speaking of Faith, I should go see how she's holding up. Along with Papa and Buffy too. God, Laurel, what you did last night. . .it was just amazing. . .incredibly stupid, yet amazing. You're amazing. I don't think I would ever have the courage to do that. I mean, I don't know the first thing about magic but you. . .you seem to know everything. You just. . .God, I can't even begin to tell you how great you are and how much I care about you. Do you have any idea?" Lisa sat quiet for a few moments and then looked up at Laurel. . .who was fast asleep. She sat up quietly and kissed her on her forehead. "Figures. I wanna tell you everything I feel for you, everything that's been running around in my brain these past few weeks. . .and you hit the snooze button." She shook her head then quietly slipped out the door.

------

"It's the second sign of the prophesy."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. I know it. . . .her strength, stamina, her magic center, they're all increasing. It's only a matter of time now."

Giles turned to him and studied him for a few moments. "And how would you know about her strength and stamina?"

Angel paled. . .if that was at all possible. 

Giles nodded. "I see. How long?"

"A few months."

"Really? Care to calculate that again? Because according to my records it's been almost a year now."

"How did you. . .?"

"I'm retired, Angel, not dead. . .as much as I disapprove of your methods, it seems that you've worked out a solid arrangement in training Laurel. . .minus the, um, kissing of course."

"Giles, I. . ."

"Save it." His face grew more serious, then he turned around to look out the window. "You hurt her, you distract her, you put her through even one one-hundredth of what Buffy went through with you and I swear I'll stake you myself. Are we clear?"

"Yes." Angel responded solemnly. 

"Good. Now get the hell out of here before anyone sees you." When he turned back around, Angel was gone.

------

Lisa was standing in front of the vending machine trying to make a decision. Health bar or chocolate. <What am I thinking? There's no competition.> She smiled. Realizing that she didn't have any change on her, she started fishing through the pockets of Faith's jacket. "I'll pay her back later." She mumbled. "Chocolate should never be denied to. . ." She stopped when she pulled out a bunch of papers from the inside pocket. 

Lisa leaned against the wall and tried to keep upright. She couldn't believe it. In her hand she held her past, present and possibly her future. There was an envelope and it was addressed simply to "J" with her house address on it, and no return address.

She closed her eyes and remembered when she was very small and the postman handed her the mail like a 'grown up'. It was a game she would play with her father to see who could get to the mail first. As she grew older, she realized that at the beginning of the month, one letter came with her father's name on it, in the same handwriting, with no return address. That's how she started calling him J, because of the mysterious letter. After she asked him about it, the mail game stopped and her father met the postman at the door.

Lisa had gotten hold of the envelope one more time and looked inside it. There was a money order made out to her father and on the memo line was written, "For Hope."

Slowly, Lisa opened the envelope she'd found in Faith's pocket. She knew it was wrong but it wasn't going to stop her. She pulled out the exact same kind of money order she remembered seeing all those years ago. . .and it had the same words written on it. "For Hope."

Giles turned the corner and Lisa practically ran him over. "Lisa, what's the rush?"

"Papa, I'm sorry. . .I just. . .I have to get home. Like *now*."

"Is everything okay? Laurel, is she. . ."

"Fine, Papa. I can't talk. Laurel is sleeping. . .I gotta go see. . ." she took a deep breath and wiped the tears away from her eyes. "I just gotta go." She took of down the hallway at top speed and through the double doors leading to the street.

-----

Lisa was on her knees in her attic. There were papers strewn everywhere from one end of the room to the other. She'd been there for about an hour and a half and came up with nothing. She heard her father put his keys on the table and she launched down the stairs to see him. "Dad!!"

"Whoa there, Princess. Where's the fire?" He smiled at her.

"Where's my birth certificate?"

He shrugged and began to walk towards the kitchen. "I'm not really sure. Why?"

"I need it."

"Mind telling me what for?"

"School project. I need to know what my mother's name is."

Jason turned around and looked at his daughter. "Now why don't I believe that?"

"Dad. . ."

"What's going on, Lisa?"

"What's my mother's name?" She crossed her arms in front of her and put on her best resolve face.

"You've gone seventeen years without knowing. Why is it so important now?"

Lisa looked at her father disbelievingly. "You're not going to tell me. . .are you?"

Jason thought for a moment. "No. No I'm not. It's not important."

"Dad. . ."

"No. Can we not? We've been through this before. I raised you, I took care of you and your mother left you. The only thing she ever did for you was send money."

Lisa stormed out of the house.

"Lisa wait!"

She turned around and looked at him for a moment. "I'm going to see Laurel. She got hurt last night and she's in the hospital." She paused a moment. "If you care at all that is."

-------

"Hey there kiddo." Faith sat on the edge of Laurel's bed and smiled. "You gave us a big scare. . .you know that?"

"Sorry."

"Well, your safe now so." She shrugged. "Where's Lisa?"

"She was gone when I woke up."

"She really cares about you. You know? She was wicked scared something bad happened to you."

"I know." Laurel pulled at her blankets. "Faith, can I ask you a question?"

"Sure. Shoot."

"Well, say you like this person a lot and you hang out without anyone knowing cause some people just wouldn't understand the relationship you have and you've kissed a few times, but that's all. So the relationship changes and you're friends now, which is cool, but then this other great person comes into your life and totally changes it for the good. Should you tell the second person about the first?"

Faith shook her head a few times. "You do have your mother's gift of babble. Do they know each other?"

"No."

"Did they overlap?"

"You mean was I with them both at one time?" Faith nodded. "Then yeah. But that doesn't mean anything. . .right?"

Faith took her hand. "Well, the new person might feel like you were just using them if it wasn't working out with the first."

"But it was never gonna work out with him, he's a . . ." Laurel looked up. "Never mind."

"He? He's a what?" Faith looked at her curiously.

"Nothing."

"Laurel. . .if you're anything like either of your mothers, there's something supernatural involved." Laurel's eyes widened and Faith shook her head. "God. What is it with you three? So what is he? Demon? Werewolf? Robot?"

"Robot?"

"Never mind about that. Red was young and. . .oh no." Faith looked at her in shock. "You wouldn't." She stood up. "He's a vampire, isn't he?"

Laurel's head dropped. "Well. . ."

"Nothing but trouble there, kiddo. Soulless bastards every one of them. I can't believe you got involved with a vampire!"

"Faith. Don't 'mom' me. Please. This is why I tell you these things and not momma. She's been 'momming' me double time this past year and you two may be involved but that doesn't mean you and I have to change. Does it?"

Faith immediately realized something as soon as Laurel said that. No one told her about Willow. No one told her the spell worked and her mother was two floors away from her in ICU. "I gotta go, Lau."

"Why? Did I say something wrong?"

"No. I just. . .I have to go get Buffy. I'm sure she wants to see you. We'll be right back. Okay?"

"You won't tell her. . .will you?"

Faith shook her head. "No. It's between you and me. Promise. I'll be back."

------

Buffy woke and blinked a few times. She looked up and saw Willow there and almost started to cry all over again. "It wasn't a dream." She whispered.

"No it wasn't."

She turned around and Giles was on the other side of the tent. She unzipped it carefully and stepped out to stretch. "Giles. How long have you been here?"

"Since about the second time the nurse came in to wake you up. I decided to stick around and make sure you weren't disturbed." He smiled. "How is she."

"The same but," Buffy looked back at the bed. "She's here."

"Yes she is." He nodded.

"B. We gotta talk." Faith stood in the doorway.

"What's wrong? Did something happen to Laurel?" Buffy walked over to her.

"No, nothing like that. It's just, well. . .in all the excitement, have you told her about Red being here?"

Buffy gasped. "Oh God, no. I haven't even seen Laurel yet." She turned to Giles. "What am I gonna do?"

Giles rose from the chair and walked to them. He placed his hand on her shoulder and smiled. "You're going to go tell your daughter that her mother is alive."

-------

He stood in the hallway and immediately spotted who he was looking for. Rupert Giles, the watcher that legends were made of. While he was a delinquent in his youth, he was rumored to be the bravest of all the watchers in the council. He fought next to his Slayer in almost every battle. . .not cowering behind a tree letting her fend for herself.

He took a deep breath and walked up to him. "Mr. Giles."

Giles looked up and nodded. "Yes."

He put his hand out. "I'm Jason, Lisa's father."

"Yes. Oh, well, it's quite nice to finally meet you. Lisa speaks very highly of you." Giles took his hand. "Are you looking for her?"

"No, I know she went to visit Laurel. I was actually looking for you. I think it's time you know a few things. I'm tired of the lies."

"Well, um, why don't we go to the cafeteria then. For coffee."

Jason nodded and followed him down the hall.

----------

"I need your help. Badly." Lisa walked into Laurel's room lugging her laptop with her.

"Um, yeah. Nice to see you too, Li. I'm fine. Still a little sore." Laurel smirked.

Lisa put the laptop down and sat on the bed. "I'm sorry. I just. . .I found something out a few hours ago. Something about my mother, and it's really got me freaked, I mean, if it means what I think it means then it'll be okay. . .I think, but if it doesn't mean what I think it means or what I want it to mean then. . ."

"Li, slow down." Laurel chuckled. "You're going at warp speed here."

"I need to see my birth certificate. I have to know my mothers name and my dad won't tell me. Can you get to it? On the net I mean?"

Laurel grabbed the laptop off the chair and booted it up. "Birth certificate? Piece of cake." She smiled. 

Lisa sighed in relief. "Good. If this is what I think it is. . ."

"This is big. Isn't it?"

"Yeah. Like life changing big."

Laurel connected the phone line and typed a few commands onto the keyboard. In a flash she was on the net. "Just give me a few minutes."

The minutes ticked by like hours for Lisa. Each second was torture. "Anything?"

Laurel shook her head. "It's odd. You're here, but," She furrowed her brow. "Your mom's name isn't on here."

"What?" Lisa scooted over next to Laurel. "Lemme see." She checked the screen. "I can't believe it. The records are sealed!"

"The only way they'd be sealed is if you were adopted or," Laurel shook her head. "No, that can't be it."

"What?"

"Well, if you were adopted, which we know you weren't or, if your name was changed. If that's the case, then the records can't be opened until you're eighteen."

-------

"She was all fire and brimstone when I arrived. There was a huge chip on her shoulder, though from what I understand, not as big as in her youth." He smiled. "We clashed immediately and fought constantly but that wasn't going to stop me. The council wanted to make amends for what they'd done to her and I was there to do a job. Well, in the beginning it was a job."

"It was about a year after I'd arrived. She really opened up about you, Buffy, the 'scooby gang' as she called them. There was so much hurt inside of her. . .all I wanted to do was take it away. That's when I realized I'd fallen in love with her. I fell in love with everything about her, even the badness, because if that wasn't there, then it wouldn't be her. We're all made up of good and not so good things, you have to learn how to accept it as a whole, and that's exactly what I did. Accepted her for who she was. I'd refused her advances before because of our working relationship but. . .I'm only human I suppose. . .and she's got such a fire within her."

Giles nodded. "Yes, yes she does."

"There was such passion there. I gave in and nothing was the same after that. She moved in shortly after we got involved, the council found out and fired me. It didn't bother me that much, you know how it is working for the Watchers Council and I was probably better off without them." He took a sip of his coffee and shook his head sadly. "I really thought it would work out. You know? I thought I'd finally reached her and that she'd worked through all the issues from her childhood and her time in prison. I wanted a life with her but. . .she didn't want one with me."

"I was careless. . .she was careless and we got pregnant. It was hard at first but we finally agreed that we'd keep the baby. Abortion was never an option. Hope was born, my family was ecstatic. . .but something was missing for her. Something I don't even think she could describe or put her finger on. I think everything came rushing at her at once from her past and how she was raised. She was afraid that she'd turn out to be just like her own mother. The night we had Hope christened, she left. No warning, no clue, no nothing. She packed up and walked out of our lives and I haven't seen her since. My daughter is seventeen now and every month like clockwork, I get a check in the mail from her."

"I moved to England of all places when she was four months old. The council gave me my job back, and I changed her name to Lisa when she was six months old. I suppose I needed to make her just mine. . .not mine and Faith's but, there are some things you can't change. I can't change the fact that she's her mother and she gave birth to her. That will be there for the rest of our lives. Lisa is starting to ask questions now and I can't put her off any longer. If I don't tell her, she's bound to find out and I don't want it to happen like that. If it's going to happen, if Faith is going to see her daughter again, I wanted to have some control over it."

Giles thought for a few moments about everything Jason told him. He'd known through the council files that Faith had a child, but the details were vague and now he knew why. She'd had a child with one of the council's psychologists. "You want Lisa to know Faith is her mother?"

"No, but. . .there's no avoiding it now. Lisa has been with Laurel for months now and sees Faith practically every day." He shrugged. "Maybe it's for selfish reasons I didn't want her to know. I've had Lisa to myself for seventeen years. . .I don't want to lose her to Faith. . the way I lost myself."

"You really love her. Don't you?"

"Yes. I'm married now. Jenna is wonderful and loves Lisa as if she were her own. And I love Jenna with all my heart and soul. . .but Faith gave me my daughter and because of that she'll always have a piece of me."

"I understand. I had no idea, really. I know Lisa's been looking for her mother, but the last person I thought it would be is Faith."

"J."

Jason looked up and saw Faith standing right behind Giles. He stood up. "Faith. It's been a long time."

"What the hell are you doing here?"

Giles stood up and turned to her. "Faith. . ."

"No, Giles. You don't understand. . ." Her voice cracked. "He's. . .he's. . ."

Giles put his hand on her shoulder. "I know, Faith. I know."

She looked at him with tears in her eyes then looked back at Jason. She grabbed onto Giles' arm for support. "I want to see my daughter." She wiped at the tears. "I want to see Hope."

--------

"Am I interrupting?"

Laurel looked up and smiled. "Mamma!" She put her arms out and Buffy walked up to her and hugged her.

"God, you feel good." Buffy stroked her hair. "I thought I'd lost you, Lau."

"I'm sorry, mamma, I'm so sorry." 

"It's okay." Buffy pulled away and looked at her. She tucked some hair behind Laurel's ear and smiled. "God, you look just like Willow."

Laurel smiled. "I love it when you say that. It makes me feel like she's still here."

Buffy looked over at Lisa and smiled. "How are you holding up, kiddo?"

"I'm okay." She shrugged. 

"Good." Buffy turned back to Laurel. "Lau, I have something to tell you and there's no easy way to do it."

"Oh no. What's wrong? Did something happen to Faith? Or Papa? Did Papa get hurt again?" She got a panicked look on her face.

"No, no. Nothing like that. They're both fine." Buffy took a deep breath and took her daughter's hands in her own. "Lau, it's about Will---"

"Daddy?" Lisa looked to the door where her father was standing with Faith and Giles behind him. She stood up. "What are you doing here?"

Faith gasped and reached over for Giles. "Oh my God." She whispered.

-----

Lisa was sitting on the edge of the couch in a private waiting room. Giles had made arrangements with one of the administrators so they could all have some privacy. Next to her, holding her hand was Laurel. Her father was sitting across from her and Faith was standing at the window.

"Daddy, what's going on?" She gripped Laurel's hand tighter. "I've seen that look before. Something terrible is gonna happen, isn't it?"

Jason shook his head. "No. Not at all, princess. There are just some things that I need to tell you. I think it's time." He sat back and gathered his thoughts carefully. "You've questioned me about your mother ever since I can remember. I want you to know that there are reasons I've kept information from you, very important reasons, but it seems to me that those reasons are of no consequence now." He sighed and finally looked up at her. "Are you sure you're ready for this? Because this. . .this is everything. It's everything you ever wanted to know. . .and maybe even some things you didn't. To tell you, I'd have to tell you everything."

Lisa looked over at Laurel and the Slayer smiled at her. "It's up to you, Li."

She turned back to her father and nodded her head.

Jason sat forward and took a deep breath. "No matter what, I did things the way I did them for your own good. You need to understand that. I was scared and young and I may have made mistakes but, my intention was always to keep you safe." He glance over to Faith, who had not moved since they arrived. "I was twenty-five when I was working in England as a psychologist for a private firm. That's how I met your mother. She was one of my patients. I was sent to the states to take care of her, help her heal and get a second chance at life, the chance she so desperately deserved and needed."

"It was strictly business for the first year, but slowly I fell in love with her. How anyone couldn't is a mystery to me. She was so full of life and her eyes. . .well, in her eyes you could see to the soul of her if you looked close enough. We decided not to get married but still raise you on our own without anyone's help. I was almost twenty-seven when you were born. . .right in this hospital on the eighth floor. As soon as the firm found out about us, I was fired. It was difficult in the beginning, but I got a great job at a local hospital and we were making due - we were okay." He smiled. "But then your mother got a phone call on the night of your christening. She was called away on business and wasn't sure if she'd make it back alive. She was in a very dangerous line of work. So the night of your christening, she left and I haven't seen her since."

Jason closed his eyes and tried to keep his voice steady. "I didn't know about the phone call until recently. I didn't know she got called away, that she *had* to go. All these years I thought she left you and me and didn't think twice about us, but now I know the opposite was true. She cared and she loved and she went off to work in order to protect us - to protect everyone." He sighed. "All those years I didn't know."

Lisa watched her father as he spoke. She saw the subtle changes in his face, the rise and fall of his voice, the hand gestures he made when he was nervous. She'd never seen him cry until now. "Daddy. . ."

Jason opened his eyes and smiled at his daughter. "I'm okay, princess. I need to do this." He sat back and continued. "After your mother left, I moved you to England where I was accepted back at the firm. I was hurt and angry and bitter. I wanted to erase any sign of her in your life, so I changed your name and burned all the pictures of us. We stayed in England until you were ten years old and I met Janna, who was a friend of your mothers. You know the rest of the story from there. We moved back to the states, to Sunnydale, and here we are."

Tears fell silently from Lisa's eyes. "You burned the pictures? Is that why I could never find any?" Jason nodded. "Daddy, how could you?"

"I was angry, Lisa. Angry and hurt and I wanted to start my life fresh with you. It was us against the world, kiddo." He reached into his back pocket and pulled out his wallet. "I burned them all to try and get rid of her. I thought that if I erased any trace of her in my life, that I'd feel better but," He shook his head. "Every time I looked at you, all I'd see was her." He opened his wallet and pulled out a dog eared picture. He handled it reverently and stroked the faces that looked up at him. "I burned them all but one. This was taken the day you were born. The first time your mother ever held you." He whispered.

Lisa looked at the picture in his hands. That was it. That was what she'd sought out for sixteen years. Proof of who her mother was, of what she looked like, how she smiled, how she wore her hair. . .everything. Her father held the key to all her questions in his hand. She stared at it as the tears fell from her eyes, but didn't move.

Jason held out the picture to her. She could almost make out the tiny baby in the faceless woman's arms. She could almost see her face and the pure joy that was radiating from her. Almost.

"Lisa." Jason pleaded. "Take it, it's yours."

She looked up at him with a sadness in her face that can't be described. It's the kind of sadness that puts a lump in your throat, makes your voice hitch in your throat and sends a shiver down your spine from simply looking at the person who has been afflicted with such an expression. She shook her head no.

Jason looked at her quizzically and was about to say something, but stopped when he saw his daughter rise from the couch and walk over to Faith.

Faith continued to stare out the window at nothing in particular. She knew Lisa was standing next to her but didn't dare turn around. Her face never changed, she never moved a muscle and the only way you could tell there was a real person standing in front of the window, was through the tears that flowed freely from her eyes. Tears she shed without shame and without hiding. She simply stood there and let them stream down her face. Finally, she took a deep breath. "Did you ever feel like you needed something, but wasn't sure what it was? I mean, you'd feel empty and hollow in this one spot deep down, but didn't know why? I searched and destroyed, I fought and I cried, I screamed until my voice was hoarse, but I still couldn't find that one thing that was missing from my life. I beat the hell out of every demon and vampire that crossed my path and on the inside, maybe I felt like they had what I wanted. . .like they were keeping it from me or they knew the secret to getting it. I didn't even know what it was until," Faith's voice cracked and she paused a moment gathering all the courage she had. Slowly she turned to look at Lisa. "Until I held her in my arms," Faith reached up and touched her cheek. They both gasped at the initial contact. "Until I touched her baby soft skin and looked into her eyes. I didn't know what I was missing," Faith unclenched her other hand to reveal a faded baby picture and held it up to Lisa. "Until I held Hope."

Lisa let out the breath she was holding in one loud sob. She collapse into Faith's arms and they both went to the ground, crying openly. Faith stroked her daughter's hair and rubbed her back. "It's okay, Li." She whispered and looked up at Jason. "It's finally okay."

-----

Buffy stood in the doorway and watched the scene before her unfold. She looked to Laurel, who was also a bit weepy and smiled. 

Laurel got up and walked to Buffy, putting her arms around her waist. "I love you mom."

Buffy kissed the top of her head. "I love you too, kiddo. More than I can even say sometimes."

Laurel looked up at her and smiled sadly. "I miss my mom." She whispered. "I miss her so much and it never gets easier or better and that's why I did the spell and I'm sorry that I made you scared and that you thought something happened to me but you have to understand that I'd do anything to get her back." Laurel sobbed. "I'd even risk my life if there was a chance she could be here with me, with us." She buried her head in Buffy's shoulder and cried.

"God, Laurel." Buffy whispered. "Come on." She took her daughter's hand and began to lead her out of the room. "There's something we need to do."

"Wait. What about Lisa?" She looked back at Faith and Lisa who had since stopped crying and were whispering to each other. "What if she needs me?"

"I'm okay, Lau-Lau." Lisa looked at Faith then at Laurel. "Really."

"Maybe we should go with them." Faith said to her daughter as she wiped the tears away from her cheeks. She gave Lisa a 'knowing' look.

Lisa nodded and they both got up off the floor. "Okay. Family trip." She walked over to Laurel and hugged her. "We're in this together. Everything, all of it, I'm here for you, Lau. You know that, right?"

What are you guys being so cryptic about?" She looked at the three of them. "What's going on?"

"You'll see." Buffy smiled and tucked some hair behind Laurel's ear. "Soon enough, you'll see. Come on." 

-----

"How is she?" Xander walked up to Giles in the waiting room.

"The same." He smiled wearily. "She's bruised everywhere, malnourished, frostbitten. . ."

"Wait. Frostbite? From what, the complete lack of snow we have in California?"

"I don't know, Xander. All I know is that she's alive. . .barely." Giles looked up as Faith and Lisa entered with Buffy and Laurel trailing behind. "Faith, I trust everything is,"

"Everything is fine, G-man." Faith smiled and put her arm around Lisa's shoulder. "Right as rain."

"Everything's so not fine." Laurel pouted and walked over to Giles. "Something's going on, Papa, and they won't tell me what it is." She leaned up against him. "And it's very annoying."

Giles looked up at Buffy. "You haven't, I mean you didn't. . ."

Buffy shook her head. "No. Not yet."

"You too?" Laurel looked up at him. "Geez, it's a conspiracy."

"Hardly." Lisa smirked at her. She looked over to Buffy who nodded her head, then looked at Laurel again. "Lau, you were with me during the most important time of my life just now. And now, I'm going to be there for the most important time of your life." Lisa put her hands out in front of her and Laurel grasped them. "I want you to come with me, I want you to *not* ask questions, "She smiled. "and I want you to promise me you're not gonna pass out or anything."

"That's a tall order despite the fact I have no idea what's going on."

"I know but. . .trust me?"

Laurel smiled and leaned her forehead against Lisa's. "With my life. You know that." She whispered.

Lisa reached up and cupped Laurel's face with her hands. "I love you." She whispered.

Laurel smiled. "I love you too, Li." She leaned in and kissed her softly.

Lisa kept her eyes closed after Laurel broke away. "I can't believe we just did that in front of our parents."

"Uh huh. Me either."

"They're still standing there. Right?"

Laurel opened one eye then quickly closed it. "Uh huh."

"We'll talk about that later." Buffy looked at them. "After you two get back from where you're going. Now."

Lisa took Laurel's hand and ushered her out of the room quickly.

Buffy watched them leave and turned to Faith. "I can't believe. . ."

"It was like we weren't even in the same room." Faith smiled. " That was so. . .amazing, B. Do you realize what we just witnessed? Wow, Laurel's got it bad."

"And so does Lisa." Buffy smirked at first, then her expression changed to one of shock. "Oh my God. . . oh my God."

"What is it, B? What's wrong?"

Buffy shook her head as if she were trying to get rid of the cobwebs. It wasn't working. "the first 'oh my God', well, that was for the fact that our daughters are dating and the second one was me actually realizing you have a daughter at all."

"What?" Xander looked at both of them.

Faith smiled broadly. "Yeah. . .our daughters are dating." She laughed. "That's wicked cool."

-----

Jason watched as the two girls walked down the corridor hand in hand. He sighed to himself and smiled. Finally, after all these years, things just might be okay. Everything just *might* work out in the end the way it was supposed to.

After all, this was what he'd worked for all his life. . .to ensure that the prophesy would *never* come true.

"Things are beginning to look up." He whispered to himself in his native British accent, then turned his attention to the group of people in the waiting room, focusing on one in particular. "But not long for you." He smiled widely, and reached into the collar of his shirt. He pulled on his skin and literally pulled it off. He threw the face mask in the trash on his way down the hall and chuckled to himself. "Well now, isn't this an interesting twist of events?" He pushed through the double doors leading outside, snickering to himself all the way.

-----

Lisa stood at the end of the hall, away from Willow's room. This was a private moment for Laurel and she didn't want to intrude. She'd taken the news very well. At first she was shocked, then elated, then she couldn't stop talking and crying. Lisa smiled at the thought of Laurels fondest wish coming true - she had her mom back. 

And so did Lisa. It was all so much to take in at once. She felt like she was living in a dream and never wanted to wake up. She had begun to suspect Faith being her mother not too long ago, but before she got a chance to look into it further, her father came to her and told her the truth. That was a shock itself because her father had always been so guarded about any information about her mother. It struck her as being odd that he was suddenly so forthcoming, but wasn't about to question it.

Lisa was brought out of her silent musings when she saw the door to Willow's room open and Laurel emerge from it. She watched her walk down the hall with a smile on her face and decide that, for as long as she lived, she'd make sure Laurel smiled like that at least once a day. If anyone deserved it, she did.

Confusion set in when Laurel walked right past her. Lisa got up and turned around, noticing for the first time that there was a tall man in a black trench coat leaning against the wall about ten feet from her - and Laurel fell into his arms.

"She's alive, Angel." Laurel sobbed. "Really alive."

"I know." He stroked her hair. "I'm proud of you, Slayer." 

"Thanks, Vampire." She looked up at him and smirked. "But what are you doing here? Mom would have a cow if she knew."

"I know, but I was worried." He leaned down and kissed her on the forehead.

"I don't believe it."

Laurel and Angel looked up to see Buffy, Faith and Giles standing in the corridor.

"Oh, no. Mom." Laurel whispered.

"How long?" Buffy looked at them both with anger in her eyes.

"Buffy, listen. It's not what you think. We train together. Nothing more." Angel protectively placed Laurel behind him and stepped up in front of her. "You can't ignore a prophesy, Buffy. We both know that." 

Buffy looked at Laurel then to Angel. "How long?" She said evenly.

"A year." He shrugged. "Maybe less."

"Wait a minute." Faith walked up next to Buffy and looked at Laurel, then settled her gaze on Angel. "A year?" She looked back at Laurel who had the most frightened look on her face.

"Faith, please." Laurel pleaded.

"Oh, God." Lisa watched the whole exchange and was finally putting two and two together. "You've got to be kidding me." She looked over at Laurel. "Tell me you didn't."

"Li. . ." Laurel approached her. "Please."

"Tell me you did *nothing* with him in the entire time that we've known each other. . .or even been together, at least tell me that." Tears were falling silently down her cheeks. "Tell me."

Laurel looked over at Angel then back to Lisa. She couldn't speak, the words were caught in her throat. She pleaded with her eyes, pleaded with Lisa to let this go for now so they could talk alone. 

Lisa shook her head then broke into a sprint down the hall before anyone had a chance to do or say anything.

"Lisa!" Faith ran after her.

"God, no." Laurel finally broke down and cried openly. "I can't loose her, I can't." She turned around and instead of going to Buffy for comfort, she fell into Angel's arms. "I didn't want to talk about this now, I didn't want her to know." She hiccupped and sniffled. "I have to make her understand, Angel."

"I know, Lau." He cradled her in his arms. "I know." He looked up at Buffy. "Nothing happened, Buffy. . .you know I'd never jeopardize mine and Cordy's relationship. She. . .she needed to train, she needed to fight and I helped her. But she also needed a friend and someone to talk to. I'm sorry we went behind your back, all of you, but it had to be done. You weren't training her and there was no other way. Not if she's to survive this."

Buffy was at a loss. Normally, she would have flown off the handle and screamed at him, at both of them, but that wasn't going to help matters any. She knelt down beside Angel and reached out to stroke Laurel's hair. "You need to go after her." Buffy whispered. She waited until Laurel's sobs subsided some before continuing. "I let your mom go once and I thought I lost her for good. It took us a long time to get back to where we were suppose to be in the first place. It was time that could have been spent happy together, and we'll never get it back."

Laurel sniffled and looked up at her. "You're not mad?"

"Well, I wouldn't say that." Buffy smirked. "But I think you need to get your priorities straight and you're first priority is to have no festering in your relationship. You need to be fester free." Buffy squeezed her daughter's hand. "Go after her. Before it's too late." She whispered.

"Thanks mom." Laurel hugged her. "I love you." She got up and took off down the hall.

-----

"Hey there, Will. You look. . .well, you've looked better." Xander whispered to his best friend.

He took her hand gently and rubbed it with the pad of his thumb. "I need you to come out of this, Will. I need you, Laurel needs you and Buffy. Besides, if you don't wake up soon they're all gonna have my hide for sure this time. This is big, Willow, really big. I kept your secret. I didn't tell anyone you were around and I helped you. Now you have to keep your promise to me. Come back to us." Tears fell from his eyes. "I love you. You're my best friend."

Giles stood in the doorway and observed Xander talking with Willow. True, they should all be mad at him for not coming forward sooner. But it was more important to him to keep his word to Willow. It was a selfless act, and he risked all of their wraths to keep that promise. It truly proved how much he valued her in his life. So as not to intrude further, he slipped away silently.

-----

"Well?"

"They bought it."

He rose from his chair. "Are you sure?"

"Positive. They were all riveted to their chairs by my wonderful tale of selflessness and how I was looking out for my 'daughter's' best interest." Ethan smiled. "Fools."

"No!" Jason screamed hoarsely.

Ethan crossed the room and back handed him across the mouth. Blood trickled down and stained his already blood stained shirt. "Shut up, shut up, shut up! Haven't you learned by now that we cannot be stopped? We cannot be defeated? There are forces at work here boy that were put into place even before you screwed that whore of a Slayer."

Quentin walked over and put his hand on Ethan's shoulder. "Take it easy. We still need him for the last part of the plan." He looked down at the beaten man and smiled. "Then you can kill him."

-----

"Faith." Laurel approached the Slayer cautiously. 

"She disappeared." Faith turned around and looked at the girl in front of her. "He's who you were talking about last night. Isn't he? When you said you had feelings for two people at the same time."

"I never said. . ."

"Save it kid. Hypothetical or not, we both know you were talking about him. How could you, Laurel? He's your mom's ex-boyfriend for Christ sake!"

"Don't yell at me! I didn't do anything wrong! I can't help the way I felt about him any more than you can help how you feel about mom."

Faith approached her. "That's not fair and you know it. Your mom and I have a history."

"You save it, Faith." Laurel bit out angrily. "You think I want to feel this? Don't you think I considered the total ick factor of liking my mom's ex-boyfriend? Do you think I expected to feel the way I do about Lisa? She just came into my life out of no where and everything got turned upside down and backwards and I don't know what I'm doing anymore! I never asked for this. I never asked to like Angel or be the Slayer who's to save the world by sacrificing my life, I never asked to fall in love with Lisa. Do you know how much pain and anguish I went through over our first kiss? Do you?" She took a deep breath and wiped the hot tears away from her face. "Most kids my age don't have to go through that."

"I know, Lau." Faith approached her. "Believe me, I know. But you have to understand that this is new for her too. Everything in the past twenty four hours is new. I'm not claiming to know her, though I wish I did, but I do know what you're going through." Faith touched her cheek to make Laurel look up at her. "I just want to help you, and Lisa, and I don't want either one of you to get hurt."

"I'm not sure how possible that is at this point." Laurel responded sullenly. "She must hate me for sure now."

"She doesn't hate you, kiddo, and neither do I. You need to talk to her and explain things. Don't let it go."

"I know." Laurel looked around. "So, where'd she go?"

"Try the roof. I'm gonna head back and see if I can't do some damage control with your mom."

"Thanks, Faith."

"Anytime."

-------

"Buffy. . ."

"Don't." She turned to him. "Don't try and convince me that it was anything other than it is, Angel."

"And what do you think it was? A game? A chance to get even with you? Because it wasn't any of those things. It was training. Pure and simple. And you of all people should know that you can't control your feelings for someone, even though you know how wrong it is and that it will all just go to hell in the end." Angel shoved his hands in his coat pockets and walked away a few paces. "Above all, she needed someone to talk to and before you even ask, I don't know why she didn't go to you in the first place. I care for your daughter, Buffy, and I would walk into the sun before I hurt her intentionally. She's like a daughter to me and I know that's probably not what you want to hear right now, but it's the truth."

"Am I interrupting?" Xander walked up to the group.

"No." Angel looked at Buffy. "I think we're done here." He turned and walked out the double doors towards the exit of the hospital.

"Looks like I missed something."

"Plenty." Buffy sighed and smiled at him. "Did you see Willow?"

"Yeah." He said quietly.

"She looks like hell. But at least we can look at her. She's right there, Xand, not thirty feet away from where we're standing."

"I know, Buff." He nodded. "Look, there's something you need to know."

"Xander, why don't you go get us all some coffee and tea? It looks to be a long night and we could all use the refreshment." Giles interrupted and pulled some money out of his pocket.

"Sure, G, I just want to talk to Buffy first."

"I know, Xander." Giles looked at him for a moment and smiled sadly. "I know, but I think it can keep. Don't you?"

Xander was dumbstruck. He took the money from Giles' hand and nodded. "Yeah, sure, what ever you say, Giles." He walked off to find the cafeteria.

-----

Lisa was standing on the roof of the hospital looking down at the town below. "God, what am I gonna do?" She whispered to herself.

"Shouldn't I be asking that question?"

Lisa startled and turned around to see Laurel standing behind her. She tried to walk past her, but Laurel just sidestepped and got in her path. They went on like this for a few minutes until Lisa relented and turned her back to the slayer.

"Look, I know you probably don't want to see me right now, but. . "

"You've got that right." Lisa bit out angrily.

Laurel sighed. "I deserved that. Look, it's not what you think, or maybe it is, I don't know. I'm gonna explain things right now and you can either accept my explanation or not, that's up to you." Laurel waited a few moments to see if she'd protest, then began to speak. 

"All my life, I've known I was different. Hell, I've known that this town is different. It was kinda hard not to when you're mom is a slayer of vampires and your other mom was, is, a witch. I accepted a lot of things without question and I thought that I was better off for it. I know my family life is different than most, even in this day and age. I have two moms, which isn't that uncommon now, but it's still not fully accepted and that hurts me. That makes me all the more different than I already was, never mind not having a dad. Try explaining that one at school." Laurel sighed and walked up next to Lisa.

"When I met you online, it was like. . .it was like a part of me that I was always afraid existed was given validation. It wasn't something that was easily ignored or pushed to the back of my mind any more. I was scared and that was about the time I started training with Angel. I didn't want you to be someone that understood me, or got what I said as convoluted as it came out half the time, I didn't want you to say sweet things to me and encourage me and flirt with me. I didn't want it because it made me feel good, special. . .like I've never had anyone my age make me feel before, so I started to flirt with Angel. I knew it was wrong, I mean. . .he's mom's ex-boyfriend, that fact alone could have sent me into therapy till I was fifty." 

"You scared the hell out of me, Lisa. You really did. So I did the only thing any sixteen year old would do, I rebelled against what I was feeling and pushed Angel more. I even kissed him. All of this was before we met. Sure I think he's a great guy, I mean he's legendary for gods sake. . .he's in the watchers diaries for the past two hundred fifty years. . but I don't love him and I can't be with him, even if I wanted to - which I don't."

"What's your point?" Lisa looked over at her angrily. "You expect me to feel sorry for you? 'Poor, Laurel, look at all she's gone through.' Well excuse me if I don't have an ounce of sympathy for what you're going through with this. Think of what I'm going through and what you've put me through for the past few months, Lau. Think about that."

"I have." Laurel raised her voice. "Don't you think I have? I've been stand offish and running hot and cold with you since we met. I'm scared, Li, I really am. If I acted on my feelings alone then I'd never be able to let you go. . .I'd never be able to live without you and that scares me. I'm acting totally opposite of how I feel because I'm afraid that you don't feel the same way, I'm afraid of you leaving me, I'm afraid sometimes to wake up in the morning because I'll find that you're not there." 

Laurel paused and wiped the tears away from her eyes. "I don't want to be any different than I already am and I'm sorry if my insecurities hurt you, sorry that you had to find out about Angel this way but I'm not perfect. I'm sixteen and I almost died trying to save my mom and do you know what I thought about when I first woke up? You. If you were okay and not too worried about me and when I'd get to see you. All I think about is you and as scary as that is I don't wanna stop. I don't wanna stop loving you. . .it's the one thing that I've been really really good at in a long time."

Lisa continued to look out at the city below. Everything looked so peaceful from up there. She knew as well as anyone else that it was anything but peaceful sometimes. She sighed and turned to Laurel. "I hate how I felt when I put everything together about you and Angel downstairs, I hate that you still can't trust me and I hate that you got hurt and I felt so helpless. With all of those things I hate, and all of them have to do with you. . .I just can't stop myself from loving you either. And maybe that's the one thing I hate most of all. . .not being in control of how I feel and how I hurt right now. It hurts so badly, Lau, because I love you so much. Do you get that at all?"

Laurel nodded. "I do." She whispered. "I really do." She took a tentative step towards Lisa and put her arms out. Lisa hesitated only a moment then allowed herself to be enveloped in a hug. "We'll make it, I promise."

------

"Hey, Red." Faith whispered. "Been a while." Cautiously, she took Willow's frail hand and clasped it between her own. She took a few moments to study her condition and sadness overwhelmed her. "Looks like you went through hell and back a hundred times to get back to us. People say that when someone's in a coma, you should talk to them. You know, make like they can still hear ya. I know you can hear me, Red, so you gotta listen close. Buffy needs you and so does Laurel. They've both practically fallen apart since you've been gone and I don't know how much longer I could have tried to keep them together."

Faith sighed and squeezed her hand. "I love, B, sure. . .I mean, you've always known that, right? You gotta know that I've done my best, but now's the time for you to take over. I have my own stuff goin on that needs to be taken care of. Things like getting to know my daughter. Yeah, that's right, me, a mom. Can you believe it? I can't, not yet anyway. So we need you to come back to us real quick. There's a lot of people around that love you and need you. I kinda got a soft spot for ya myself." Faith smiled. "Just come back." She bowed her head down to Willow's hand and placed it against her cheek.

"Faith?"

Faith looked up and was met with a very confused pair of green eyes. Willow's eyes. "Uh, not to sound ungrateful or anything but, did I miss something? I mean, you're practically kissing my hand and while that's nice and all, don't get me wrong, I just think it's really kinda strange, not that you're strange of course but, well. . .there was that whole leather pants phase you went through. . . "

"Red!" Faith yelled. "You're up and awake and. . ." She stopped and laughed. "And just as babbley as ever! I have to go get, B!" She got up and ran towards the door but turned back and pointed her finger at Willow. "Don't go *anywhere*. You hear me, Red?" Willow nodded, which seemed to satisfy Faith and she took off out the door and down the hall.


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