These Roads We Travel (5)

["Kimber" <feralspirit@xxxxxxxx>]

TITLE: These Roads We Travel (20/?)
AUTHOR: Kimber (kacoe@xxxxxxx)
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}}
-----------

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.

-----

The sun rose up into the blue sky. Birds came out of their nests, ready to face a brand new day and the world was alive again. Things have a way of changing, literally, overnight. The night holds secrets and sadness and shadows of the unknown. But when the sun lifts itself up into the sky, it all disappears and fades as if it never existed.

Buffy Summers sat in an empty room adjacent to Willow's room. The doctors had been in there for over two hours, examining her. Two hours ago, Faith came tearing down the hall screaming that Willow was awake. Since then, her family and friends had gathered in the room and waited. And waited. And waited.

"I'm gonna snap." Buffy finally said. "What the hell are they doing in there?"

"Buffy, Willow has been through a very traumatic experience. We have to be patient and let them check her over thoroughly." Giles placed his hand on hers. "If they don't come out here in two minutes, I'm going in." He deadpanned.

Buffy couldn't help but smile.

Just then, the door opened. "Miss Summers?"

Buffy rose to her feet. "Yes? How is Willow? Can I see her? What's going on? Is she okay? There isn't any memory loss, is there? Cause, I've heard about that kind of thing. Makes people devolve."

The doctor laughed. "Slow down. She's fine. As fine as can be expected for now. She's awake and alert and very evolved, I assure you." He smiled at Buffy and looked around the room until his gaze settled on one particular person. "She's asking for you and Buffy to come in now."

Laurel looked over at Buffy, and she nodded. She got up, took Buffy's hand, and they walked into the room together.

-----

"Hey."

Lisa turned around to see Faith standing behind her. "Hey back."

"How come you're not with the others? I was looking for ya."

Lisa shrugged. "Needed some thinking time. Things are moving kinda quick and I feel like I can't catch my breath."

Faith nodded in understanding. She walked over next to Lisa by the window in the waiting room and looked out. "Seems so different. Doesn't it? We live our lives in the darkness, patrolling, fighting the baddies, but then you look at something like this and it's just amazing." Faith looked over at Lisa and smiled. "It'll be okay, you know. Everything with you and Laurel. You two have been through a lot and I think that there's plenty of sunshine ahead for ya."

"Since when do you work for Hallmark?" Lisa smirked.

"Very funny. Come on. Let's go see what's going on. I hope Buffy was able to see Red by now. She was going crazy before."

"Faith?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm sorry. I mean, I am and I'm not. Laurel has her mom back and that's so amazing, but.. ."

"Hey, don't worry about me, kid. I'll be just fine. I'm not losing anything with Buffy. We have a . . .special relationship, one that Red has encouraged herself over the years. That doesn't just go away. There may not be the whole physical part of it, but, I'm not losing any of the emotional. And that's what's great about B. She's really something."

-----

Willow Rosenberg sat in silence in her bed in Sunnydale Memorial Hospital. She was bruised all over her body, and felt like she'd been hit by a mack truck that came back for more at least three times; but at least she was alive and solid. 

It was all thanks to her daughter, Laurel. Laurel, who, was being told right now that her mother was alive and wanted to see her. Laurel who had gone through so much in her sixteen years. But isn't that the way it always goes with slayers? They live an amazing and intense roller coaster ride of a life because precedence has shown that their time on this earth isn't very long.

Willow looked up as she heard the door open slowly. This was it. She finally, after all this time, would get to see Buffy and Laurel.

Buffy pushed the door open slowly and settled her eyes on the person sitting up in the bed not ten feet away. Her hair was jostled, her skin paler than she'd ever seen in her life. There were bruises evident all over her face and arms, and she could only imagine the black and blue welts that were covered by the hospital gown. She looked at her and decided that she was the most beautiful thing she'd ever seen in her entire life.

She and Laurel walked slowly over to the bed, trying to absorb the moment and savor it. Long before she even touched her hand to the door knob, tears began to stream down Buffy's cheeks, and now they were flowing even more freely.

She reached the side of the bed. Willow had much the same expression on her face as Buffy did. Tears of joy, of loss, and of immense relief coupled with the biggest goofiest grin both of them could possibly have plastered on their faces.

"Hey." Willow croaked out between tears. She lifted her arms and opened them wide.

"Hey, yourself." Buffy managed to say before falling gently into those arms. The arms she'd dreamed about for over a year. And it was so much better than she'd dreamed because it was real. This was Willow, alive. It felt like her, smelled like her, and she could hear her heart beating and it was the most amazing sound she'd heard since Willow had an ultra sound almost seventeen years ago and they heard Laurel's heartbeat for the first time. 

"Laurel." Willow whispered and reached over to her daughter, their daughter.

Laurel reached her hand out and touched her mother's for the first time in over a year. Everything hit her all at once, and she finally broke down and sobbed.

Buffy managed to catch her and put her on the bed next to Willow. Laurel looked up and reached a tentative hand out to Willow's face. As she made contact, she gasped. "Momma."

"Hey there, little one." Willow said in a voice thick from emotion. "It's been a while." She looked up at Buffy and smiled. "Too long a while."

Buffy nodded and moved around to the other side of the bed. "Much too long, Will." She climbed in gently and sat beside her. "But that's all in the past now. Now, you're here."

Willow nodded and absently stroked her daughter's hair. "Yeah. I'm finally home."


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