Joint Post

Olivia & Cordelia - TEMPED

Buffy, Cordelia, Angel, Olivia, Cassandra, Jade, Riley

Cassandra was sitting on her bed with the phone in her hand, trying to decide to use it or not. she sighed and dialed. Waited as it rang on the other end, waited for her sister, Cordelia or father to answer.

Jade was hanging out in her room, bored out of her mind. All of her animals were taken care of, fed and watered, all of her homework was done, and she wasn't supposed to go out hunting for another few hours.

When the phone rang, she jumped for it, praying it was for her. "Angel Investigations," she said, trying to sound professional.

Cassie was sniffling, blinking back tears, and wiping some away as she answered, "Jade?"

"Cass?" Jade said, surprised. "Is that you? What's going on. You sound funny."

She bit her lip, "Yeah, it's me... So, how are you?" she asked, trying to make conversation, or mask her internal pain.

"I'm okay," Jade replied, absently petting Fawn as the huge dog jumped onto the bed, making the whole thing creak and sag. "How are you?"

"I'm.... Great, couldn't be better," she said, lying through her perfectly white teeth.

"Please, Cass," Jade replied, rolling her eyes. "This is me. I've known you forever. Tell me the truth."

"Dad isn't in the room, right?" she said in a whisper, like that would make it better so he couldn't hear her if she was quiet.

"Uh, no," Jade said, starting to get more and more worried. "He doesn't make a habit of hanging out in my bedroom. Just spit it out, Cassandra."

She hated when Jade called her by her full name. She sighed, "Riley and I got into a terrible fight and had words. He stormed out. Grounded me, called me... things and... I... I hate it here, Jade!" she yelled in a whisper.

Jade had never been a big fan of Riley's, anyway. He tended to treat her like she didn't exist on the few occasions she was actually around him. But the fact that he was picking on her beloved big sister, well... that wasn't going to be tolerated.

"Then come live here," she said. "We have more than enough room, and everyone would be super excited to have you."

"Mom would never go for it and Cordelia.... I'm not her daughter, Jade... I know things aren't perfect for Dad and your mom and I wouldn't make them any better...."

"Oh, who cares?" Jade said, frustrated. "Mom would be cool. It's not like she's a jerk, Cass. She likes you, it's Buffy she doesn't really get along with. And yeah, she and Dad are having problems, but... well, they're married. It happens. All that matters is what's best for you. You're the kid. They'll deal."

"Is... Is Dad there?" she asked, hestinestly. "I'm not sure how to ask. How do I ask without telling him why because if I tell him why he is going to want to come here and kill Riley and then there is going to be a fight between him and Riley or him and Mom or all of them and.... ugh...."

"Yeah, he's here," Jade said, getting off her bed to go look for him. She had the portable, and she figured he was probably down in his office, so she headed that way.

"Just... just tell him that you think you could do better work or something in LA. Tell him that you need a change of scenery, or something, and a new batch of demons to fight. Oh, oh, I know! Tell him you miss him! That gets him every time."

She smiled, this was why she loved Jade, amoung other things, she was so damn smart, "Gotcha!"

"Okay, hold on," she said, then lightly knocked on Angel's office door. "Dad? Are you in there?" Jade opened it without waiting for a response, and smiled cheerily at her father, who was seated behind his desk. That immediately alerted him to the fact something was up.

"Hey, Dad, how's it going?" she asked. "Fine... what's behind your back?" Angel questioned her, wondering why she was being so dodgy. "Oh, it's the phone," Jade replied, holding it out to him, almost tripping over Fawn on her way to his desk. "Move it, dog. Here, it's Cassandra. She wants to talk to you." Handing him the phone, she sat in one of the chairs before his desk, wanting to hear this conversation.

"Cassandra? Hey, honey. How are you?" he said into the reciever.

"Hi Daddy!" she said, cheerfully, a sign something was up as she only called him Daddy when she wanted something or when something was wrong and the cheerfullness was faked for anyone to hear. "I'm great! You?"

"I'm getting more worried by the second, thanks," Angel replied, adopting his own sticky-sweet falseness. "Now what's really up, Cassandra Jane?"

She sighed, why did he have to do that? "Must you use my middle name, Dad?"

Jade snorted with laughter, then tried to stifle it as her dad shot her a look. But Cassandra Jane? Wow, he's getting nasty... she started laughing all over again.

"Must you worry me more and more all the time, Cassandra?" Angel said, ignoring his youngest child. "Tell me what's going on."

"Nothing! Really! I just wanted to call, see how you were, how Jade was, ask to move there, ask how Cordelia was, how the business was going, you know, the usual!"

"Ask to move here? As in, from Cleveland, to LA?" Angel asked, sitting up straighter as she caught his attention. "Is something going on there, Cassandra? Because I can be there in a few hours, just give me the word."

"No of course not! Nothing! Just..." What had Jade said, damnit! "Change of scenery, new demons to slay, school, boyfriend trouble! I just broke up with a guy dad and I'm heartbroken... It was.... just awful," she said. Rolling her eyes and silent gagged, she was a terrible liar, especially to her father.

"What's his name? Did he do something he shouldn't have?" Angel said, voice dark and dangerous.

She grunted, okay, go with this or tell the truth? Better go with the lie than the truth, "Um, I took care of it, its fine," she said in a rush. "Just, you know, want a change, no places we'd see each other at, things like that!"

"Hmm..." Angel said, deciding to ask Jade what she knew about this boy later. "Well, what does your mother think about this?"

"I.... She... We kind of haven't spoken to each other lately. She's been busy with Riley and I've been busy.... with the guy, school and slaying."

Boy was she digging her hole of lies here.

"I don't know, then, Cass," he said. "You're more than welcome to come for a visit, but if you're planning to stay for a while, I really think I should talk to Buffy first."

"But.... but... Dad! Daddy! Jade said! Daddy........" she started, "You always said if I needed you...."

"Do you need me, Cassandra? Because it sounds to me like you just need to get out of Cleveland for a while, and those are two very different things," Angel replied.

She sighed, "Forget it then, I'm sorry I called, tell Jade I love her.... Bye," she said with tears in her voice and she hung up the phone and flung her head into the pillow.

"Cass-- Cassandra! Oh, she better not have hung up on me," Angel snarled, dialing her number again, punching the buttons so hard Jade was afraid he was going to break the phone.

The phone rang but she continued to cry and ignored it. Riley, downstairs, picked it up, "Hello?"

"Hello, Riley? This is Angel. Get Cassandra on the phone for me," Angel said, then, at a warning look from Jade, finished with a grudging "Please."

He sighed, "Yeah okay, I'll get the brat on the phone... You know Angel, why don't you just... nevermind, Cassandra! Angel's on the phone!" No answer. "Hold on," he said as he went upstairs and opened her door, "I SAID, your father is on the phone." Cassandra sat up, tears streaking her face, "Tell him I don't want to talk to him and get the HELL out of my room!"

"Did you just call my kid a brat?! Ang if I ever hear you talking to her like that again, Finn, and I'm going to suck you dry! Do you hear me?!" Angel shouted into the phone. Jade became suddenly very still, wondering if she should go get her mother, or just let her dad take care of this.

Riley laughed into the phone, "You don't scare me, Angel and your kid doesn't want to talk to you either, as she just slammed her door in my face but thats okay since I've already grounded her for three months, now it can be four...."

"You did what?" Angel said, voice dark and dangerous. "You have no right to do anything like that to my daughter, Finn. Now, put her on the phone. Just open her door and stick the phone in. She'll talk to me."

"Alright, whatever and while she lives in MY house, I'll do whatever I want to her, you remember that," he said as he pushed open her door and put the phone on the bed. "Take it, or else." Then he left. Cassandra's eyes widened but she took the phone, "Hello?" she whispered.

"Cassandra, get your things together and get on a plane," Angel said. "Now. Jade and I will meet you at the airport. I don't care if you say anything to your mother or not. I want you out of that house, tonight."

Jade couldn't believe what she was hearing. Her father was beginning to scare her; she had never heard Angel sound like that before. "Let me talk to her," she said suddenly, holding out her hand for the phone. "You're probably freaking her out."

"I... Dad.... It's fine, I'm fine... Remember, it's a guy and you are right, I should stick it out, take care of it, make it work, for Mom's sake and all and... you are right..."

"I don't care, Cassandra," he said. "It's no longer about a guy. It's about the fact that I don't want you in that house with that man anymore. Now, here's your sister. Start packing while you talk to her." Angel thrust the phone at Jade, then stood up began pacing, wishing he could hit something.

"Cass?" Jade said. "What happened? Dad's freaking out. Just get your stuff together, okay?"

"I totally screwed up, Jade! I thought if I used a guy as a decoy, it would be better but this! -- worse! Much worse and now my door is back open and Riley is giving me dirty looks! What is my mom going to say?"

"Um, I don't know, Cass," Jade said, watching her father nervously. "But I would suggest shutting your door and getting your stuff together, before Dad snaps and drives all the way to Cleveland."

"He wouldn't!" she yelled.

"Yes I would!" Angel yelled. "Tell her I would, Jade!" He could just barely hear her voice as she yelled.

"Did you get that, Cass?" she asked. "Believe me now?"

Buffy head the yelling and wondered what was going on. She walked up the stairs to Cassandra's room. "What in the world is going on?" she asked.

"Dad says I am moving in with him.... Riley grounded me for four months!" she yelled, the phone still on. Riley smirked, "She has a smart mouth, like you actually, Buffy."

Buffy glared at Riley then turned to Cassandra. "Why did he ground you?" She asked her daughter.

She mutterd, "How should I know, I did nothing wrong!" Riley grunted, "Oh really, telling me I could shove me when I told you to clean this mess of a room and that slaying wasn't your life like your mothers, that you needed a new hobby and get off the power kick?! Disrespectful!"

"What's are they saying, Jade?" Angel asked, worried by his daughter's sudden silence. "If anything's happening, I want you to tell me. Now."

Jade tried to give Angel a reassuring grin. "Uh, no, it's fine," she lied. "Just waiting for Cass to uh... get back from the bathroom!"

"Riley you had no right to ground her 4 months" Buffy said to him putting her hand on her hips. "If she doesn't want to clean her room I don't care she is the one that has to live in it."

"And if she doesn't want to slay thats fine with me we talked about this" Buffy gave Riley a look. "Cass honey you aren't grounded."

She shook her head, "No mom, I WANT to slay, but he said I couldn't! That slaying is.... Well, its nothing but trouble and I'm not even any good at it!" she yelled the last part in his face. Riley barely kept himself in check from backhanding the girl.

"Honey if you want to Slay you can do it. I think you are amazing if you want we can train to together and I can teach you some moves" Buffy smiled gently at Cassandra.

"And Riley will not say a word about it" Buffy shot Riley a look. "I want you to be happy if slaying makes you happy you do it."

"And slaying isn't trouble Riley Fine it made me the woman I am today" Buffy glared at Riley and shook her blond hair. "You will never speak to my child that way again."

Riley shook his head, "No, she can't and I don't wan't Olivia doing it either... It will get them killed... Look what it makes you... I swear its made you a magnet for vampires and I'll not have OUR daughter

sleeping with a vampire!" though he wasn't speaking of Cassandra. Cassie just sighed, "Can I go now? This is lame.... " Riley turned, "You can go when I say you can go and its not now...."

Buffy slapped Riley hard, she was pissed off at him. "Riley never talk about me or my children. MY final word is she can and Cassandara you can leave me and Riley need to have a talk." Buffy was trying to stay calm.

"Cassandra! Answer me! Or hang up this phone, because I'm coming to Cleveland!" Angel shouted, hearing the crack of the slap and Buffy's voice.

She didn't want to go crazy with Cassandra in the room. "Go get something to eat honey. Riley if you ever talk about me my children that way again you will get slapped agian."

Cassandra's eyes widened, "Whoa, Okay.... Gonna go.... the other room now, and take the phone with me before Dad comes and kills someone," she said with a nod. "That was Mom, getting physical with Riley, Dad."

Riley blinked, "Don't EVER raise your hand to me again, Buffy, or you'll regret it and Olivia isn't just yours and if you don't like what I have to say about the other, send her to the fucking bloodsuckers."

"She hit him?" Angel asked, sinking back down into his desk chair. "She hit him in front of you? I really want you to come here now, Cass. And I want you to get your mother on the phone, as soon as possible. Understand?"

"I... Not sure that's possible, Dad, they kinda are arguing right now about Olivia and I and what not and yeah she kinda just hit him, like wham..."

"We might all go Riley I can't stay in this marriage with you" Buffy said to him. "I don't even love you the only good thing that came out of you is her. And Spike and Angel treated me better then you ever did."

"Then why did you ever marry me, Buffy? Because I was there?" he asked. Cassandra came back into the room. "Sorry to interupt but Dad wants to talk to you, Mom."

"She hit him? Cool..." Jade mumbled to her dog, pretending to ignore her dad's conversation so she could stay in the room a bit longer. "Bet he deserve it."

"I married you because I was pregnant" Buffy said before taking the phone from Cassandra. "Hello Angel" Buffy said into the phone.

"Buffy? What is going on? Do I need to come get Cassandra? Because I will, you know," he said seriously.

"Because you were pregnant!? I thought you got pregnant AFTER we got married, you lying bitch!" Riley exploded.

"Angel, Riley said something that upset me about me and my child so I reacted" Buffy said slowly.

Buffy glared at Riley when called her a bitch.

Cassandra went back into her room and got a suitcase to start to pack. Either way, she knew she was leaving, one way or another.

"Riley told me he didn't want either of the girls slaying so they wouldn't turn out like me and have sex with vampires, like I did the lowest thing in the world" Buffy said calmly to Angel.

"Did you miss the part where I. Don't. Care?" Angel asked. "I want Cassandra out of there. Now. Or else I'm coming to Cleveland and getting her myself."

"I want you to allow all of us to stay with you, me, Casandra, and Olivia" Buffy said into the phone. "I am leaving Riley."

"Whatever," Angel said, frustrated. "Just get out of there. Hop on the next flight. I'll meet you at the airport. And there had better not be one hair harmed on either of those girls heads, or I'm going to kill Riley myself."

"Fine you can kill him if you want" Buffy said. "I will see you soon and I will call you back with the flight number" Buffy said heading to the girls rooms.

"MOM!" Cassandra screamed from her room as Riley flung clothes out of the suitcases. "You aren't taking those, I paid for them."

Buffy barged in the room. "Riley back away from her we are all leaving" Buffy said glaring at him. "So get away from my daughter."

"I paid for the clothes, they are staying... Go if you like, but the clothes and Olivia stay."

"Olivia is going with me" Buffy glared at him. "Cassandra pack your clothes."

"Fine. Good. See you soon," he said. Angel hung up the phone, then looked at Jade. "They're all coming here. Buffy, Olivia, and Cassandra. We need to get some rooms ready."

"Forget that," Jade replied, about to laugh she was so relieved. "You need to tell Mom!" Angel visibly paled. "Um, well... couldn't you do that?" he asked pitifully.

"Hell no," she replied. "I'm not stepping onto that hornet's nest." "What a wonderful daughter you are," Angel grumbled, knowing she was right.

"I..." Cassandra swallowed. Riley blocked the doorway, "Olivia is not leaving this house, Buffy."

Cordelia walked into the office, "What is all the noise in here?"

"Riley move or I will make you" Buffy glared at him. "You all packed Cassandra or we can buy you new things we when get to LA if you want."

Her gaze shifted back and forth. "Riley, can you move so I can go and get sick, please?" Riley laughed, "And let you get Olivia, nice try."

"Riley move or I will make you" Buffy glared at him. "You all packed Cassandra or we can buy you new things we when get to LA if you want."

Her gaze shifted back and forth. "Riley, can you move so I can go and get sick, please?" Riley laughed, "And let you get Olivia, nice try."

"Fine Riley I guess I have to make you" Buffy said stepping up to him.

"Mom! Don't, he isn't worth it, really!" she said, just as Riley tried to smack Buffy and instead hit Cassandra in the jaw. "Owwww, what'd you do that for - you... you... jerk!"

"Hey Mom," Jade said, smiling at her, trying to give her dad a few seconds to gather himself. "Uh... what noise?" It was a pathetic attempt, she knew, but there wasn't much else to do.

Buffy saw red and punched Riley right in the mouth. "You ever touch my children agian and I will hurt you worse. Cassandra go get Olivia and go outside" Buffy said calmly.

Her eyebrow raised, "The voices and such, I see you were on the phone... With whom may I ask?"

Cass was rubbing her jaw but did as she was told, leaving the room. "I'll fight you on this in court, Buffy, you are an unfit mother."

"No one?" Jade said, then, seeing Cordy wasn't buying it, sighed. "It was Cassandra and Buffy, Mom. They're--"

"Let me handle this, Jade," Angel interrupted. "Buffy and Riley are having problems, and it's infecting the lives of the kids, Cordy. So she's leaving him, and they're all going to move in here. With us."

"I am not the one that hit the children" Buffy said going into her bedroom and grabbing her purse that had all her money and credit cars and keys in it.

"With us.... ALL of them.... Including.... Buffy? One big... happy family then," she said, her smile fake.

"It was an accident!" Riley yelled, following her.

"I don't care" Buffy said walking past him. "You have anger issue you think the courts would let a ticking time bomb have children? I don't think so. Cassandra, Olivia are you ready to go."

Cassandra nodded. "Olivia is outside, waiting. I just... need to go to the bathroom.... again."

"Go on sweetie" Buffy said stroking her daughters hair and smiling at her. "We are leavng and never coming back."

She went in and peed before coming back out, "Ready... Bye, Riley, I'd say it was nice growing up here but that would be a huge... well... lie?"

Jade rolled her eyes. That smile wouldn't fool a blind man. "It's no big deal, Mom," she interjected. "It's not like we don't have enough room for all of them or anything.

Besides, Cassandra is my sister. Riley's messing them up royally, Mom. I want her here. Please be okay with this."

She waitBuffy put her arms around Cassandra on the way out she picked up a box of baby stuff of the girls that she saved. "This is the only stuff worth saving" she led Cassandra outside.

She sighed and nodded. "Of course, sweetheart. I would never want the children to be in danger... and you, Angel.. what about... Buffy being here?" she asked, her voice suddenly small.

Buffy unlocked the car doors. "Get in girls we are out of here"seh said putting the box in the trunk. The girls didn't know that Buffy had some of their stuff in storage that meant alot to them.

"Hey, we gotta call Dad back and let him know it went okay, Mom... He'll worry..." Cass said, as she got in. Olivia was silent. They were leaving her father. What was she suppose to say?

Buffy handed Cassandra her cell phone. "Here call him back tell him we are on the way to the airport and will aslo be having some stuff shipped to the hotel and it will be there in a few days."

"Jade, could you leave for a minute?" Angel asked her, sighing as he rubbed a hand over his face. "But I want to know-- yeah, sure, Dad," she said, noticing how old and tired he suddenly looked.

"And no listening at the door, okay?" "Whatever," she replied. Angel turned to Cordy. "Look, just because we're having problems doesn't mean I'm going to run to Buffy as soon as she shows up," he said.

"I love you. I don't know how else to tell you that. I love you, Cordy, and even though things are a mess right now, that's not going to change. Got it?"

Buffy pulled out of the driveway and headed for the airport. She suddenly thought of Spike wishing he was the one she was running to for help.

Cordy turned away for a minute. "Can you tell me you don't love her, Angel? That if it wasn't for the curse, you wouldn't be with her?" Just then the phone rang. "You answer it," she said as she took a seat next to him.

Pissed because they had been interrupted, and Cordy was doubting him, Angel picked up the phone and snapped, "What?!"

Cass blinked, "Uh, is it a bad time? I ... I can call back," she squeaked out.

"No, sorry, I was just in the middle--- what's up? Have you guys left yet?" Angel said, sighing again, disgusted with himself for yelling at a kid that had already been through too much that day.

"Yep, we're on the interstage, be at the airport in 20 minutes and Mom says we're gonna ship some stuff to you if that's okay?"

"Yeah, that's just fine, sweetheart," he replied. "We'll be waiting for you at the airport, okay? Call us when you know what flight you'll be on."

She nodded before remembering he couldn't see her, "Yep, will do... I... I love you, Daddy."

"I love you too, Cass. Be safe," he said, then hung up the phone. "Now, where were we?" Angel said, turning to Cordy. "Ah, you're making assumptions about the way I feel again, right?"

Buffy turned to Cassandra and smiled. "Girls I am sorry if the times me and Riley fought hurt you I didnt' mean to" Buffy said with tears in her eyes. "I am sorry if I have been a bad mom."

He leaned down in front of her, placing one hand on each arm of her chair so he dominated her space. "I would choose you," Angel said quietly. "Every single time, curse or no curse. In fact, I'm pretty sure I did choose you. So I would really appreciate it if you would stop telling me how I feel."

Cassandra and Olivia shook their heads, "You aren't a bad mom, Mom... Riley just sucks, sorry, Liv..." Cass said.

Cordy smiled, "Okay... I won't tell you how to feel if you promise to try to.... be around more.. so we can work on our marriage?"

"I just feel I could of did better" Buffy said softly. "I am going to promise you this I am divorcing your father so we can be a happier healthier family."

Olivia didn't say anything, he was afterall, her father.

"Deal," Angel said, smiling at her. "It's going to be okay, Cordy. I promise. Now, we better stop before we get too mushy, and freak out our daughter, who is listening at the door. Aren't you, Jade?"

Pushing the door open, Jade and Fawn were wearing identical guilty expressions. "Maybe... how else would I find out anything around here?" she protested.

Cordelia laughed, "Like me when I was younger and in high school.... But not so ditzy, which isn't a bad thing either!"

Jade went and sat on the arm of Cordy's chair, slinging her own arm around her mother's neck, capturing her in an akward hug. "Whatever. You know you love me," she teasingly replied, at that moment supremely happy with the world and all of its inhabitants.

"Against our better judgement," Angel replied, smiling as he quickly kissed her cheek. "Now, let's go figure out where they're going to stay in this rat warren."

"I am sorry Olivia if this hurts you but I can't stay married to your father. I don't love him and he doesn't make me happy" Buffy said gently.

"You know, Dad is going to freak when he sees my jaw, Mom?" Cass said.

Olivia nodded, "I know ... but.... what about me? Angel isn't my dad and... Besides you, I'll have no one..."

Cassandra gasped, "What am I? Chopped liver now?"

"And girls, we are staying with Angel for the time being and maybe when we get on our feet we can get our own place." Buffy smiled gently at both of her girls.

Cassandra and Olivia looked at each other.... "That'd be awesome, Mom!" Olivia said. Cassandra was a little quiet. She loved her mom and sister but she loved her other sister and dad too.

Cordelia smiled, "Alright, so... are we putting them together, or Jade and them together, or seperate, or what, Angel?"

Watching as Jade frantically mouthed, "Separate, all separate! No togetherness! Togetherness bad!" Angel abstractedly replied, "Uh... all separate, I think. Yeah, separate. All together would just be a mess." They headed up the stairway into the east wing, the family wing.

She smirked, "I'd have thought you'd want your sister with you, Jade, but I believe them being seperate would be better too," she said, following.

Cassandra got out of the car as they parked at the airport.

Buffy carried the box in and had it added to the stuff they were having shipped from the airport. Buffy smiled at the girls. "Here is money go get something to drink while I get the tickets."

"Uh, you saw that?" Jade asked, sheepish. "Woops. But it's true! I take up two and a half rooms, with all my animals and stuff, anyway. Cass can have the room across the hall from me, though, and Olivia can have the one next to her. Since Ewan is already next to me, and all."

She handed each girl five dollars. "Get a magazine for the plan to" she suggested.

"Sounds fine to me," Angel said, pushing open the door to the room across from Jade's. "Let's see... good god, when's the last time we dusted in here?"

Cordelia wrinkled her nose, "Never?" she said.

Olivia paid for drinks while Cass got magazines. They went to board the plane and waited for their mom.

Buffy came back with the tickets. "Call Angel and let him know we will be at the airport in few hours" she reminded the girls.

Cassandra called with her cell. RING.

"How about I go get the kitchen ready for them?" Jade said, trying to sneak out the door.

Angel snagged the back of her shirt and yanked her back into the room. "Not so fast, slick," he said. "She's your sister, too. Go grab some dust cloths, and see if you can find some of the others to help."

"Fine, whatever," she grumped. "I'll get that!" She took off like a shot for her room, wanting to get away from the dust. "Hello?"

"Daddy?" Cassandra asked. Cordelia picked up some clothes and started dusting.

"Fat chance," Jade said, smirking. "He's busy cleaning. What's up, Cass?"

She rolled her eyes, "We're be there in like....3 hours or something..."

"Okay, cool," Jade replied. "Anything else?"

"You had better hurry it up, Jade Katherine!" Angel yelled from the other room. Then he picked up some rags and started to help Cordy.

"Err, nope, you better so, I know that tone," she said with a wince.

Cordelia just laughed at him.

"Sweetie we have to board now" Buffy said to her daughter Cassandara. She had one of her arms around Olivia.

"Okay, later," Jade said quietly, then pretended to still be on the phone, hoping to get out of KP.

"Fat chance, Jade," her father called again. "Get in here."

"Alright, alright, I'm coming," she sighed, then headed back to the room, resigned to her fate.

Buffy led the girls on the plane. "Okay which one of you wants the window seat?" She asked them.

Cordelia giggled like a young girl, "Better listen, might.... nevermind," she said.

Cassandra boarded the plane and took a seat as in the middle so that her sister could hve the window and her mom the aisle as the plane took off into the air.

Buffy smiled at her girls and closed her eyes. She was exhausted but happy she was finaly free and could be happy and be happy with her girls.

"Might what?" Jade said, half-heartedly rubbing at some dirt. "Oh, and that was Cass. They should be here in about three hours,"

"Fine, and don't answer her, Cordelia," Angel said. "Just keep cleaning."

She just smiled, wickedly and a secret smile between her and Angel. Something that only married couples could have. She kept cleaning.

Faith walked into the Hyperion Hotel with a black duffel bag on her back. She looked around seeing that it was the same as she had remembered it from the last time she had been there.

"Anyone here?" Faith called out.

She heard some talking upstairs so she followed the noise. She called out again asking if anyone was there so she didn't catch anyone by surprise.

Willow: Willow pulled herself out of bed, and smiled down at Kennedy. They had been together for so long, and she counted herself among the lucky that she'd found someone she could spend her life with. She never thought it would be possible after Tara died. She shook the unhappy thoughts from her head, and got dressed quietly so that she wouldn't wake her up. Willow was always the first one of them to get up, and usually the first in the house. Xander and Willow usually slept in, especially on Saterday mornings. Willow made her way quietly down stairs to start making breakfast. She had quickly becoming the 'mother' of the house. Anya was good around the house, but definitly left the mothering chores to Willow, and Kennedy wasn't really the mothering type either. Willow on the other hand enjoyed it. It gave her other things to think and worry about than magic.

Anya: Anya laid in bed, awake, but not up. She glanced over at Xander who was still snoring softly, and smiled a little. She couldn't imagine her life without him, or Genny, even though their relationship was...weird to say the least. Anya still didn't understand the scope of human emotions, how they can cross over, relate to each other, and change in an instant. It made it hard for her to connect with her daughter, and it made her sad everyday. Most of the time she thought Genny hated her, and as her style, Anya pretended that it was just fine and didn't bother her. She couldn't show her weakness for her daughter, even though it was there. She laid there, watching Xander sleep, and stayed lost in her thoughts...

Joint Post

Olivia, Cordelia, and Rob -- TEMPED

Buffy, Cassandra, Jade, Angel, Fred

"Where are they?" Angel said, pacing before the gate. "They should have been here..." He checked his watch for the fiftieth time. "Fifteen minutes ago!"

Cordelia placed her hand on his shoulder to stop his pacing, "Honey, planes have been known to be late...."

Cassandra looked at her watched, "We almost there yet?" she asked, getting air-sick.

"I know, I know," he replied. "But I just want to see her, make sure she's okay. It's been half a year since I saw her last. That's too long."

"Yeah baby soon we are just 15 minutes behind" Buffy said to Cassandra. "Then we can get settled in the hotel."

She covered her mouth and made a gagging noise, "I hate flying...." Cordelia sighed, "I'm sure she is perfectly healthy. Buffy... wouldn't have let anything happen, right?"

"She's fine, Mom, she told me so. And I want to see her too, Dad. But pacing isn't going to make her get here any faster," Jade pointed out, iPod in her ears; she was getting the Led out. "So just sit down, please."

Angel shot his daughter a look and kept on pacing, more to irk her now than because he was still nervous.

Jade smiled to herself, mission accomplished as her dad went from apprehensive to annoyed.

"I've got to go to the bathroom," she announced, suddenly, springing into the air and hurrying towards the back of the plane. Cassandra hated flying and her stomach wasn't cooperating.

"Jade Katherine, don't toy with your father," Cordelia scolded.

Jade's grin just got bigger. "Toy with him? Whatever do you mean, Mom?" she asked, eyes innocent and wide.

"You know EXACTLY what I mean, young lady," she said with a twinkle in her eye.

"Worked, didn't it?" she said, then switched from Led to the Sex Pistols.

Angel just rolled his eyes as he listened to his wife and daughter. He knew they both manipulated him all the time, probably for his own good. He just didn't know how to stop it.

She laughed hard, "Aww, sweetheart, you know you love us, what would you do without the women in your life? And look, you just invited more into it..."

Buffy looked after Cassandra and bit her bottom lip. She hated seeing her daughter sick like this. "Olivia you okay?" She asked her other child gently.

"Oh god," Angel groaned. "Well, at least I still have Wes. But he probably doesn’t count. Oh, I have Lorne. But he's a demon... Oh, haha! I have Connor! And Ewan. I'll just hang out with them when you guys are being all... girly."

"Hey, who's girly!" Jade protested loudly. "I can kick ass just as well as Connor. Okay, maybe not just as well, but I'm definitely better than Ewan!"

"I think Connor and Ewan know better, Angel, dear, than to mess with women when we are on a rampage, we you lovely men like to call them..."

Cassandra slowly returned to her seat as the plane touched down on the ground and landed finally. "Ugh."

Buffy followed her girls off the plane and put her arms around each of them. "Lets go find Angel, Cordy and Jade" she said as they stepped inside the airport.

"You just keep thinking that, slick," Angel said, rubbing Jade's head, dislodging her iPod. "And no one said anything about a rampage, just... Buffy! Cassandra!" He walked swiftly to his daughter, catching her up in a giant hug.

Jade stood and popped her music into her back pocket, then walked over to Buffy and Olivia. "Hey," she said, smiling. "Welcome to LA."

Cassandra cringed slightly, due to the fact her jaw hurt from Riley's fist, and her stomach was churning. "Hey Dad, missed you too," she said, patting him on the back.

Olivia smiled back, "Hi...." she said, giving a small wave.

Buffy smiled at Jade. "Thanks its great to be here and away for clevland" she said to Jade.

"Sorry, sorry," he replied, sensing her was holding her too tightly. "I'm just so happy to see you. Stepping back now. Hey, Olivia, Buffy. How are you?"

"We are good now" Buffy said smiling at Angel. "Hi Cordy" Buffy said to the brunette.
"How have you been?" she asked her. "I am glad you and Angel agreed to allow me and the girls to stay with you."

"Hey, Cass," Jade said, swiftly hugging her sister, a lot less intensely than their father had, then stepping back. "How's it going? Got any stuff you want me to carry?"

Cordelia nodded, "Buffy...." Then she saw Olivia, "Nice to finally meet you, Olivia and hey girl!" she finally said to Cassandra...

Cass looked at Cordy and smiled, "Hiya... Hope we aren't intruding and stuff, you know.... and nope.... Just a few things, I can manage, probably," Cassandra said to Jade, moving her hair to hide the growing bruise so her parents wouldn't fight already. "So, can we get out of here or what?"

Buffy knew Angel would see the bruise soon and dreaded his reaction. He could go and get rid of Riley if he wanted it would save her a divorce. "Yeah we are all tired" Buffy said to Angel, Cordy aand Jade.

"Yeah, Dad brought the company SUV," Jade said, leading the way to the exit. "He woulda brought the Mstang, but there are just too many people. As it is, I'm gonna have to sit in the back."

"I can sit in the back! Especially if I have to puke again!" she announced, a little too loudly. Olivia turned to give her an old look.

"Puke?" Angel asked, worried. "What do you have to puke about? Are you sick?" He took her bag from her, and walked more quickly towards the doors, wanting to get them home.

"I don't mind setting in the back either" Buffy said walking with the group.

"I... Flying, didn't agree with me, I guess," she said. "Though I've flown before and wasn't sick but who knows.... Maybe I'm catching something? Though I am NEVER sick being a slayer and all....."

"She's not sick," Olivia mumbled. "I think she might be-- oh what does it matter, no one listens to me anyway." She really wasn't looking forward to living with her half-sister's family. And she missed her dad. He was always nice to her, no matter how he treated Cassandra.

"No, MOM, I think I should," she said, giving her a direct look, like, hey, he might not notice if he can't see me clearly. Course she was forgetting he had vamp vision and all that.

Cassandra spun around, "I might be what?" she asked Olivia, perplexed.

"Girls don't fight right now" Buffy sighed and ran her hands through her blond hair.

"Nothing," Olivia said. "Go back to ignoring me, as usual." She slung her pack higher on to her back, determinedly ignoring her sister. "Whatever, Mom," she finished.

"Hey, I don't ignore you!" she yelled, pushing through the doors to the outside. "Come back here!" she said to Olivia's back.

"Olivia I know your not happy about this okay" Buffy said to her youngest. "But you have to deal."

"Wow, tense, huh?" Jade asked no one in particular, snickering.

"Shut up, Jade," Angel said, then unlocked the SUV, waiting for everyone to pile in.

Cassandra clenched her jaw before gasping, "Fuck!" she said, forgetting that it hurt to do that. She hurridly got into the SUV and piled into the back.

Cordelia watched the conversation silently, "Jade...." she said with a tone of warning in her voice.

"Back off, okay, both of you," Olivia said, frustrated. "I'm not unhappy, I'm tired and sick of being in a moving object. I don't want to get into a car, I just want to walk, and I want some sleep. So just leave me alone until we get to the hotel!" She slung her backpack into the car and got into one of the middle seats, snapping her belt on and looking out the window, face showing her sulking.

"Cassandra language" Buffy said to her daughter.

"I know, I know," Jade said, getting into the car next to Olivia. "Don't mind me. Let's just get home already." This reunion was not how she had envisioned it.

"Fine!" Cassandra yelled, half to her mother and half to her sister and turned the other way, away from both of them.

Cordelia sighed, "This is going SO well, Angel," she whispered.

Buffy sighed and rubbed her forhead as she took her seat. She knew how hard this was on Olivia but when her youngest had kids she would understand.

"Yeah, I can just imagine all the campouts and late night chats we're gonna have when we're all living together," he whispered back, then gunned the engine. "Everyone in?" Not waiting for an answer, he roared out of the parking lot.

Cassandra managed to bite her lip to suck back tears that had formed in her eyes as she watched the lights of the airport dance by.

Cordelia managed a smile, "Yeah, I can just imagine all the lovely screaming we're going to get to hear... I wonder if they did all this fighting back home before?"

Buffy leaned her head back and closed her eyes. Her mind going over all she had to do here in L.A., first she had to find a job and start a savings for her and the girls.

"Probably, from the sounds of things on the phone," Angel replied, stopping at a light. "But it'll get better, once everyone's settled down and they're away from the asshole Riley."

Then pay Angel back for their hosptiality. Buffy knew both her children were upset. "Cassandra" she whispered. "You okay baby?"

"My father is not an asshole," Olivia yelled, supremely pissed. "You don't even know him, so keep your mouth shut! God!"

"Olivia don't yell at Angel and Cordelia they are nice enough to let us stay with them" Buffy said automatically.

Cassandra was about to answer her mother when she heard her sister, "Oh right! Like he's the perfect gentleman, sure! He didn't hit YOU! His precious little angel! God! Like your the freakin Queen of the Planet over there!"

Cordelia's eyes widened, "Wow.... This is.... more than we expected... or I did."

"Whatever," Olivia replied, tears welling in her eyes. "You're both right and I'm wrong. Just go back to worrying about Cassandra. Pretend I never talked... as usual." She mumbled the last, too low for anyone to hear.

Buffy looked at her daughter. "Olivia I love you okay I worry for you to. Don't think I don't I worry for you both everyday." She reached over and touched Olivia's cheek gently.

Rolling her eyes at all of them, Jade sat forward and clicked on the stereo. Celtic music poured out. "Oh god, Dad, what do you listen too, geez," she said, switched it to her favorite rock station, then cranked it up. "Can we all just not talk until we get back to the hotel now, please?"

"I know you love your father Olivia and I know he loves you" Buffy said thinking Olivia is the only person he did ever love. "But I can't be with him anymore you can see him if you want." Buffy said that to appease her youngest daughter knowing that would make her happy.

Turning it down slightly, Angel agreed with his daughter. "We should be there in just a minute. We all need a rest," he said.

"I don't want to talk about this right now, Mom," she said, pushing Buffy's hand away. "God, why don't you just dump more bullshit on top of me right now? Leave me alone!"

"Someone better open a window," Cassandra warned, right before she threw up all in the SUV.

"Awww, gross!"

Cordelia closed her eyes, "This just gets better and better..... and you seriously think this is still a good idea, Angel?"

Buffy's emotions over the last 24 hours was starting to get her and she leaned her head back and refused to cry even though she wanted to.

Angel said, "What in the hell!" Then pulled the car over, cutting off about two lanes of traffic. "No," he replied to Cordy. "Are you okay, Cassandra? We're almost home."

Buffy turned to look at Cassandra a worried look on her face. "We will be at the hotel soon" she assured her daughter.

"I... You're gonna have to clean out the car... there is ... puke all in it now," she said with remorse. Cordelia's nose wrinkled, "Ick."

"Will you be fine for just a little bit longer?" Buffy asked Cassandra gentely.

"Yeah, sure."

Angel sighed, then pulled back into traffic. Minutes later, they were at the hotel. He parked in the back alley, where it was usually dark, then got out. "Let's go, out everyone," he said, then went in through the back doors.

Buffy climbed out and looked at the hotel. "Its bigger then I remember" she commented.

Cassandra dragged herself out, squinting against the bright lights. "Think the lights can get any brighter for Gods Sake?" she asked, grumpy. Cordelia looked at her, boy she shifted moods fast. She shrugged and followed Angel. "We've expanded some, Buffy.... so everyone fits."

"Cool it, Cassandra," Angel replied, then opened the back and got our their stuff. "Jade, take Buffy and the girls up to their rooms. Your mom and I are going to take care of the SUV."

"Sure, Dad, whatever you want," Jade said, suddenly agreeable, then took the packs from him. "Come on, follow me."

Cassandra just rolled her eyes at her father behind his back and went with Jade.

"I am sorry for us intruding on you really after I get a job and save up some money me and the girls can get our own place near by" Buffy said to Angel and Cordy. "I don't want to over stay our welcome."

Cordelia went to help Angel. "Angel... I.... They are more messed up than we thought, hun...." Then she heard Buffy's words, so she turned and faked a smile, "Not a problem, Buffy... Anytime..."

Buffy knew what was wrong with Cordelia. She had to make her see she didn't want Angel back if she wanted anyone back it was Spike.

"You're not," Angel said. "Just go get some rest, okay? We need to talk later." Thinking Buffy had followed the girls, he turned back to Cordy. "This is a mess," he said, talking about more than the SUV. "What are we gonna do?"

"Cordelia can I talk to you about something quick?" Buffy asked her biting her bottom lip. They had to have this converstation now so things wouldn't be tense.

Olivia followed Cass and Jade, looking around the hotel. It was a beautiful place, she grudgingly admitted, and it would be cool to live here. Under different circumstances. Tired, she sighed and went up the stairs, keeping silent.

"Trash it and just get a new one?" she asked, hopefully. Cordelia looked at Buffy... She sighed, "Sure.... I'll be right back, love," she said as she went over to Buffy... "Yeah?"

"You're across from me, Cass," Jade said, pushing open the door to her now clean room. "And Olivia, you're next to her, that door there."

"Listen I know you don't want me here because of me and Angel's history, which is what is it history and will stay in the past." Buffy stared right in Cordelia's eyes.

"Thanks," Olivia said, then went into her room and shut the door behind her. Collapsing onto the bed, she put a pillow over her face and cried.

"I am not here to mess up what you and Angel have I am glad you two have each other." Buffy said continuing.

"Yeah, just trash the SUV, it's not like everything else isn't shit right now," Angel said, cleaning by himself, worried about what Cordy and Buffy were discussing.

"Right... Like you wouldn't just fuck him if you had the change, right, Buffy? I mean.... Look, I accept you two have a kid together, and Cassie is a darling... Olivia obviously has issues but... I've always known where you two stood."

Cassandra tried to catch up, "Wait up, Jade!"

"Yes me and Angel share Cassandra that is only thing I truely cherish that came of what we had in the past. He is married to you and the only man I love and will ever love again is dead."

Buffy wasn't going to try and hide her feelings from Cordelia since they would be living together and they needed to understand each other.

She laughed, "Spike? You gotta be kidding me, right? Spike was .... a demon... the only good thing he did was the world..."

"He may have been a demon but he the only man that ever treated me like what I said matter what I did mattered. And he saw me as more then the Slayer" Buffy said her mind going back to the memories of him.

"Right, well, you might wanna go tell him that at Wolfman and Hart then sometime... I'm sure he'd get a kick out hearing it... Look, we got the SUV to take care of and I think you got a messed up kid upstairs... " she said, going back over to Angel.

Jade turned, surprised to see her sister was behind them. "Geez, you're getting slow in your old age," she joked. "Here, there's your room. It's a decent size, I think, and you can do whatever you want with it as far as decorating goes."

"What was that about?" Angel asked quietly, hoping Buffy hadn't said anything to upset the tenuous truce he had with Cordy.

Buffy walked into the hotel in shock and up the steps looking for Jade and her girls.

"Not care much about decorations, Mom will probably make us move soon anyway," she said with a whisper... "I'm not old, just ... sick or something.... Jeez..."

Cordelia looked at him with a glint in her eyes, "Oh the whole, "I don't want Angel, I'm in love with Spike" speech... You know, the peacemaker speech deal..." she said absently.

"You mean like the flu?" Jade asked, sitting on Cassandra's bed, swinging her feet. "That thing in the car... dude, I'm sorry, but that was nasty."

"What?" Angel said, shocked. "She brought that up... now? What did you say?"

"Cassandra, Olivia, Jade" Buffy called out hoping to locate them.

"I've never been sick since I got my full slayer powers though, which is the weird thing," she said, sitting on the bed, ignoring Olivia as she was pissed at her sister.

"I told her Spike would probably get a laugh from that and she should go tell him... I told her the truth," she said.

"I didn't know she knew Spike was alive," Angel commented, leaving the doors to the SUV open to air it out. He walked into the kitchen, searching the fridge for a bag of O-neg. He needed a drink.

Buffy heard voices and walked toward them. "Hey; you two is Olivia already i here room" she said smiling at Cassandra and Jade.

"She didn't look like she did actually... Looked like a shock... What was I suppose to do, sugar coat it? I'm sorry Angel but she dumped her mess on us... Don't get me wrong, I don't have a problem with Cassandra coming here, she's your daughter.... and Olivia, if she has to.... but.... Buffy fucked up and and now the mess is on us and I don't have to be happy about it..."

"Yeah, she is," Jade said. "Right next door." Then she clammed up. She wasn't exactly comfortable with Buffy. "Do you want to go to your room now?"

"Yeah we should get some sleep. You feeling any better Cass?" Buffy asked her oldest.

"I know, I know," he said, nuking his drink. "I just want everything to be okay around here, more for the girls sake than Buffy's."

"I'm just not sure that's going to happen... You saw tonight, it was like fireworks times 10... I don't know what goes on there, but... even when we get heated, our lives are never like that, nor do we let our kids act like that with each other...."

Cassandra looked up at her mom, "Not really but... I'm sure it will pass, go ahead and see Olivia, I'll stay with Jade..."

"Okay if you need anythign come get me" Buffy left the room and knocked on Olivia's door. "Liv its me can I come in."

Angel took a gulp of blood, then wiped the residue from his lips with the back of his hand. "I know, Jade and Ewan have always gotten along so well, like two peas in a pod," he replied. "And Jade learns a lot from Connor, so that's good. But it's not like we can give Buffy parenting advice."

"No," Olivia called out, voice muffled by the pillow. "Go away!"

"Liv we need to talk about this" Buffy pointed out. "And I would rather do it now then later."

"Yeah well.... Maybe grounding the both of them might help or something... or couselening... or...I don't know.... Something..... What do you think is wrong with Cassandra, anyway?"

"I'm tired, Mom!" she yelled, yanking the pillow away so Buffy got the full power of her voice. "And I'm sick of talking about all of this, anyway! Leave me ALONE!"

"God, think she is a whiny brat?" Cassandra asked, being mean on purpose, to Jade about her sister.

"God, I wish I knew," Angel said. "She shouldn't be getting sick. Slayers never are. So if it's something power related, well... that's just another mess to deal with. We'll ask Wes in the morning."

Buffy found a couch in what looked like a living room upstaris and just laid down on it and wept out all her emotions.

Jade laughed uneasily. "Yeah, kind of," she said. "But I mean, I wouldn't be happy either if I was just yanked away from Dad and flown halfway across the country. Plus, your mom is kind of... weird." Then she winced. "Sorry. That wasn't exactly nice, I know, but... that's what I think."

"Apparently Olivia thinks she knows what is wrong with her though, notice the little dig in the earlier conversation, like, "I bet she is.... " or something like that?" she said, offhand, remembering.

Cassandra stood up, "So... why aren't I bunking with you anyway, huh?"

"Well, if she knows something, I doubt she'd tell," he said, laying his cup down on the counter. "She hates all of us already, I think."

"Oh, dude, you know," Jade said. "I've got all of my stuff and stuff. Want to come check out the animals? I should be finding Fawn soon, anyway, before she goes nuts."

"Oh, I don't think she will either but... Hey! What if Cassandra sings for Lorne?!" Cordelia asked, her face, brightened with the thought.

"Sure... I thought it was because you know... you had something against me being there...."

"That's not a bad idea," Angel mused. "Do you think she would, though?"

Buffy felt like the walls were pressing against her and just felt like no one wanted her here. And that hurt knowing that she lost friends because the past few years have been a mess.

"Oh, no, I just have too much crap," Jade replied, walking across the hall to her room. Fawn was laying on her bed, but quickly got up as the door opened, and jumped at her mistress. "Hey, pup. Plus, the animals take up too much space now."

"Well, she is your daughter and if you asked her... or... you could do the father bit and tell her...." she said, "Course, not sure how'd that work, considering when you try doing that, Jade walks all over you unless you use the "tone"."

"Oh, the tone," Angel said, deepening and darkening his voice. "This tone? Cassandra Jane... Cassandra Jane... maybe it would work."

She laughed and went over to put her arms around him, "Maybe.... if you don't laugh while doing it."

"Fat chance, then," he said, voice the same. "Fat chance, Cassandra Jane! You will sing for Lorne! Do you hear me? Yeah, we're sunk."

Wandering out of the library, glasses perched on her nose, Fred was buried in a book when she heard sobs. She saw Buffy sitting on the bench, and snapped her book shut, surprised. "Buffy? Hey... what's wrong? When did you get here?"

"Here," Jade said to Cassandra, pushing open the connecting door from her room to The Zoo. "These are my babies. See this little guy?" she pointed to a raccoon. "His name is Gangsta. Some dogs attacked him one night in the back alley. He was pretty messed up."

"What isn't wrong" Buffy said glancing at Fred. "No one wants me here, my children hate me , and noone told me spike was alive."

"Cute... how long you had them?" Cassandra asked her sister.

Cordelia laughed hard, "Why don't you just have a heart-to-heart with her and see how that turns out?"

"It depends," she said, going around, giving water to everyone. "Some of them are never going to leave, cause they can't go back out in the wild. But some I've only had for a week or so. Like Cracker Jack, the squirrel over there."

Angel groaned. "I hate heart to hearts," he complained. "They're just so... mushy. But I will, I guess. If I have to."

"Hey, she's your daughter.... And when was the last one you had with her? Maybe she'd want to talk about the whole situtation to you that she can't or won't with her mother? Or maybe she'd want to cry on your shoulder... big as it is," she said, pushing herself into his arms.

"Um, well," Fred said, looking around for someone to save her. She didn't know Buffy all that well, and was unsure what to say. "I'm sure your kids don't hate you. And if they didn't want you here, Angel and Cordy would never have asked you to come." Fred avoided mentioning Spike.

"I should just ask everyone if they want me to leave" Buffy said misrably. "Sorry to dump this on you Fred."

Angel sighed and pulled her in closer, resting his head on top of hers. "I feel like I don't know her anymore, Cordy," he said quietly. "Maybe I should have tried
harder to get custody when she was born, but... I thought Buffy could take care of her, and it would be wrong to pull them apart. Now I'm not so sure."

"Oh, it's okay, honey," she said, sitting next to Buffy, resting a hand on her shoulder. "Everyone's allowed to feel down sometimes. You just need some rest, and everything'll look brighter after."

"So," Jade said, still moving around the room, playing with Bosco now. "What's new, Cass? Anything fun and exciting?"

She sighed against him, "You did what you thought was best and thats in the past and now you just gotta try... If you dont know her, then get to know her now... Take her out, go slaying with her, talk to her, something... Even ask Jade for advise.. They talk a lot, she might have ideas.... You just can't give up... She's half part of you, don't forget..."

Cassandra grinned, "Wellllll....... I do have news...."

"I saw how Angel and Cordelia looked at me. They see me as a terriable mother I made mistakes yes it seems like that I am not allowed to at times."

"Spill!" Jade cried, spinning around to face her sister. "And this had better be big and juicy, or I'm sicking Fawn on you."

Buffy sighed and looked down at her hands.

She laughed, "Shhh! Mom doesn't even know!"

Angel kissed the top of her head. "You're right," he said. "I'll talk to her in the morning. I guess we should go up and see how everyone's doing." Taking her hand, he headed for the stairs.

"Doesn't know what?" Jade asked. "Come on, spit it out!"

Cordelia pressed her hand firmly in his and followed him up. Cassandra smiled wickedly, "Well, for awhile... I was kinda slaying but I'd sneak away sometimes... because I was seeing this guy..."

"Everyone makes mistakes, Buffy," Fred replied. "It's the nature of parenting. But really, wouldn't you like to get some rest, now? You've all been through a lot.'

"Oooh, covert ops," Jade said, grinning wickedly. "Nice. What's his name? Are you still seeing him? Does he know you left Cleveland?"

"I don't think I can sleep" Buffy admited to Fred.

Angel saw Buffy and Fred, then shot a worried look at Cordy. "Everything okay?" he asked them.

Fred looked up, relieved. "Yup, Buffy was just letting some of the tired out," she replied.

"No, he doesn't know and no.. it's...." she turned cold. "Way over.... His name is Robert, Rob for short... Nice and normal..."

"Is he... nice and normal?" Jade asked hesitantly, not wanting to just ask if Cass had a thing for vamps, like her mom.

"Why don't you just ask what you want to ask, Jade...." Cassandra said, her tone low.

"Is he a vampire, sis?" she said quickly. "Not that there's anything wrong with that. I mean, Dad's a vamp, and he's cool. But still...I mean, it would make sense, if that's why you broke up with him."

"No, he isn't a vampire, which is why I got involved in the first place. I wanted something that wasn't supernatural... He doesn't even know who I am... or rather, WHAT I am... That I'm a monster and I kill other monsters..."

Cordelia looked at Angel and then at Fred, "Everything better?"

"You're not a monster!" Jade protested. "And if you are, what does that make me? I'm half vampire and half demon, remember? I mean, well, not demon exactly, but my visions are a demon power. Am I a monster, Cass?"

Fred looked at Buffy. "Um, yeah, I suppose so," she said. "I think we all just need to get some shut eye."

Buffy just let them talk about her like she wasnt even there. She was so cold she felt like she could fall over.

"Of course not! But.... I'm half vampire, half human/slayer and its been known that slayers are more monsters than human.... I mean, we kill without remorse and .... I haven't told Mom but... my kills, its like... its just like I'm not there anymore... I just... DO IT... I just kill them and their dead now. A kick, a snap, ..... usually I snap their necks... What kind of human does that, Jade? Huh?"

Cordelia sighed, "Buffy, you are more than welcome here..."

"Cordy maybe I should of let you and Angel raise Cass sonce I messed up" Buffy whispered for the first time.

"You're not more monster than human, Cass," she said. "Killing, well... it gets to be robotic for all of us, after a while. Sometimes I find myself pumping arrows into demons, and I'm not even sure how I got there. Maybe it's not normal, but... that's our family. It's our heritage. There's nothing we can do about it."

Cordelia looked over at Angel with a glance, "Of course not, Buffy, your her mother!"

"Yeah...." she said, looking into her sisters eyes, "But do you find yourself liking the kills? Sometimes I think the vampire in me is taking over.... and I'm scared...."

"Buffy," Angel said, wanting her to look at him. "I wouldn't have left Cassandra with you if I didn't think you could take care of her. She's fine, Olivia's fine, you're fine. You just need some sleep."

Jade thought for a minute before replying. "I think that I've always liked the kill," she said slowly. "Angel, Connor, and Gunn taught me that way. There's nothing wrong with it. It's just... the way you have to be not to go insane. Because if every kill rips you to pieces inside, you're not going to be sane for long."

She swallowed, "No.. I mean, I enjoy killing them, Jade... I like it... Watching them die... or bleed if they are vampires, sometimes if I don't dust them right away... The blood.... it makes me... wild...." She'd never told anyone that before.

"But it seems like you and Angel did a better job with yours. They get along as much as I Cass and Liv can't" Buffy jumped up and started to pace. "Maybe I should just go back to Riley it might be best for the girls if they are here and I am not."

Cordelia's eyes widened, "What about Spike?" she asked quickly, to distract her.

"He proably moved on by now" Buffy shrugged. "Its true you never realize what you had till you lost it."

"He's not with anyone," she said... leaving the ray of hope there.

"No, Cordy, she doesn't want to hear this. She just wants us to feel bad for her, don't you Buffy?" Angel said, pissed. "This is the little Buffy pity parade, and we're all just the adoring crowd."

"You know I wish Liv could of been Spike’s instead of Rileys. I only married Riley after I found out I was pregnant with his child." Buffy said aloud to someone other then Riley.
Buffy glared at Angel. "Oh come on Angel you said the same things to me in the past so I guess its time I admit the truth.

Jade's eyes widened, but she wasn't truly surprised. "It's the love of the kill, Cass," she replied. "I've seen Dad and Connor get like that. They've never let me get deep enough into a hunt to feel it myself, but it's there, in their eyes. There's nothing wrong with it. Really."

"I am not the mother you wanted for your child I see the way you look at me. You wished you rasied Cass instead of me" Buffy said feircly.

"Maybe... I just don't want to start wanting to drink the blood some day or something, you know?" Cassandra said.

"Of course I wish that! She's my kid! I wanted to raise all my children myself!" he exploded. "But that doesn't make you a bad mother. The self-indulgent crap you're wallowing in now, that makes you a bad mother, but not anything else!"

Cordelia sighed, "Guys, is this really helping anything, fighting like children when the actual CHILDREN need us, ANGEL - dearest...." she said.

"You won't," Jade said fiercely. "You won't. Hey, look at Connor. Both his parents are vamps, and he eats regular food like it's his job." She tried to lighten the mood, not her best attempt but still... better than nothing.

"Well Angel I haven't had the life you have you have been married to someone you love I married out what I thought was duty. And i lived everyday being called a slut." Buffy pointed out.

"Thanks," she said, hugging her sister suddenly.

"Then fight, Buffy," he said, ignoring Cordy. "I don't know what happened to the Slayer, but this isn't her. So do something about it."

"Its hard for me to see myself as someone that is a good mother, a good wife. A good anything. Heck Riley had me believeing I was bad slayer its hard to turn off those thoughts now that I am gone." Buffy sighed.

"Alright, enough you two! God... You act like you both should be..." she stopped and looked at Angel. "Married." One word was all it took. She turned and spun, leaving them alone.

"I am going to my room I am going to talk to Spike tommrow" Buffy headed for the door. "Or I would if I knew where it was. And I would perfer Fred to show me."

"Fuck," Angel said, quietly. "Fred, can you--- I need to take care of Cordy." He walked away from them, following his wife. "Cordy! Cordelia!"

Cordelia kept walking, ignoring her husband, blinking back sudden tears, when suddenly she doubled over in pain as a vision hit her.

"Sure, Angel," she replied. "Follow me, Buffy." Fred was rather pissed at the Slayer now. One hour in the hotel and she was disrupting the peace. Still, it wasn't all her fault, and she seemed so sad. "Here you are, one hall away from the girls and two rooms down from me and Wes. Let us know if you need anything."

"I will be fine I just need sleep to gear myself up to see Spike. Fred how is he Spike I mean?" Buffy asked tentavily.

"Oh my god, Cordy!" Angel yelled, running to her side, holding her up. "Just breathe, honey, breathe. They're getting worse, aren't they?"

Jade hugged her sister back, smiling, then pushed away. "So, what's wrong with this guy that you're not going out anymore?" she asked. "Not wanting to bring up another bad subject or anything. But sometimes it helps to get it out."

She gritted her teeth, "Cassandra.... a vampire.... biting her... and someone else...." she managed before collapsing fully into his arms.

"He's definitely still Spike," she replied, laughing as she thought of the vampire who had become one of her best friends. "Oh, and he's corporal, has been for a few years, if you were worried about that."

Cassandra sighed, "We... I... We... and.... then he did the usual guy thing and left thinking it was just a thing... and it wasn't...." she said.

"Shit," Angel said, picking her up and carrying her to their room. He laid her on the bed, then went to the bathroom and got a cold washcloth. Putting it on her forehead, he said, "Rest a bit, Cordy. Then you can tell me about the vision. Please just rest first."

"I am scared Fred of what he will say when he see's me" Buffy bit her bottom lip. "I wonder if he remembers me telling him I loved him before the collapse of Sunnydale."

"What kind of thing was it? Or wasn't it?" Jade asked, confused. She didn't have a lot of experience with guys.

"Well, I don't know, Buffy," Fred replied, even though she really did. "But you've got nothing to be scared about. Spike's not going to turn away from you, I'm sure."

She shook her head and sat up, seeing little birdies, "Can't... need to find out what is going on with her, Angel... There was vampires, and one bit her and she drank its blood, Angel and then someone else was there, looking horrified..." she whispered, her gaze not with him, like she was seeing something else.

"I know I shouldn't ask this but I have to. Has he mentioned me" Buffy said putting a hand on the door knob of her room.

Cass looked at her sister, "We had sex, Jade and I thought it was more than he thought it was."

"She... drank someone's blood?" Angel asked, surprised. "That's impossible. There's no way that--- it's just impossible.”

"Is it? Because doesn't that happen when you do the whole becoming a vampire bit?" Cordelia managed to get out.

"That bastard!" Jade said, raising a fist. "I'll take care of him for you. I dare him to show his face around here!"

She shook her head, "Forget it... Doesn't matter. He doesn't matter. It's fine.. I mean, he's probably right, I was navieve."

"She's not a vampire, Cordelia," Angel said repressively. "She's a human. Okay, a Slayer, but definitely not a vampire. She wouldn't drink anyone's blood, ever. Your vision must be wrong." He was scared to death.

Cordelia opened her eyes, "I'm not saying she is a vampire, I'm saying don't you have to drink a vampires blood to become a vampire, Angel?"

"If what happened matters to you, he matters, Cass," Jade said, quieting down. "You can't just keep repressing everything."

Cass' eyes misted over, "It was great though, romantic... flowers, sunsets... sunrises...."

"Well, yeah," Angel said. "But she wouldn't do that, either. She's not that stupid... is she?"

"I wouldn't know," Jade replied, suddenly uncomfortable. "Romance isn't my forte."

She looked at her husband, "Maybe not stupid, but there are spells, and she is half-vampire... does she have a blood lust or something?"

"He'd bring me roses, white, because I like white.... And we'd stay up till the sun rose... and make love... and then sometimes I'd sneak out so we could see the sun set together and picnic..."

"Every Slayer does," Angel said. "And hers might be increased from being the daughter of a vampire, too, but... Connor's isn't impossible to control, and neither is Jade's."

"But she is different.... And she hasnt had you around to help her... Has she?" she asked, pointetly.

"Well, yes," Fred replied to Buffy's question. "But I don't know if I should be the one talking to you about this. You really need to talk to him."

"No," Angel sighed. "Well, we'll have to do something about this, I guess. I'll tell Wes, maybe he can find something."

Buffy's smiled suddenly. "You just made me realize that Spike will be there for me. He is the only man that I can truely count on." She admited to Fred. "I hope no one tells him I am here I want to suprise him."

"That does sound nice," Jade told her sister. "He doesn't sound that bad. It's too bad he acted like he did."

"We don't want her a full vampire with the strength of a slayer... God knows how we'd stop that... Curse her? I wonder who the other guy was I saw in the vision. He looked horrifed at what was going on... He was calling out to her and reaching out... "

"Well, I won't," Fred said. "He should be over here to work before too long. He and Angel actually work together now, can you believe it?"

Cassandra sighed, sad. "Yeah, me too.... but life is life, sis."

"I don't know, probably just an innocent," Angel commented. "They pop up all over the place, so... I'm more worried about the blood drinking than the guy."

"So him and Angel actually work together" Buffy laughed. "Listen I am sorry if I upset anyone I am still getting use to this feeling of being able to breath."

"Yeah.... I think that heart-to-heart better to sooner rather than later, don't you? And don't think I'm not still pissed at you either..."

"I understand, honey," Fred replied, smiling. "It's hard to be a mom, and a wife, and having an abusive husband just makes everything a billion times worse. You just breathe for a while, and let us take care of the rest."

"Hey now!" Angel said, hands in the air. "I didn't do anything for you to be pissed about! I was just angry, and trying to talk to her, and then you said what you did-- come to think of it, I'm pissed, too. What was that, Cordy?"

"You were both acting like you were married! I mean, the way you were fighting! I just.... I.... Oh, forget it!" she said, throwing up her hands.

"I'm not dating anyone but a vampire," Jade decided suddenly. "That way, if he's an asshole, at least I can dust him and not feel bad about it."

"I can't just sit back I need to take care of my mess to. I need to make things right with my girls" Buffy said honestly. "I am ready to get back on track wit them."

She giggled, "ARE you dating anyone?"

Jade blushed. "No... never have, probably never will," she replied. "It's hard when you've never been to school, and the only people you hang out with outside of your family are either wanting to suck your blood or kill you."

"You gotta get out, meet people... Go to the local bars, sneak in, dance.... have fun...."

"A night's sleep will help you achieve that goal, I'm sure," Fred said. "Everything looks bright and fresh the morning after a good night's sleep."

Cassandra stopped, "Ugh, I feel icky again, maybe I'd better sleep this off or something...."

"Dance... meet people?" Jade squeaked. "Um, no, I don't think so. That's not for me, thanks. Too much pressure."

"Thank you Fred and tell Cordy thank you for me to. She didn't have to be nice to me but she did" Buffy said and walked into her bedroom. She put her purse on the dresser and collapsed on the bed.

"Yeah, sounds good to me, too," she said. "I'm exhausted. Get out of my room!"

She laughed and headed back into her own room, shutting the door and collapsing onto the bed, asleep as she hit the pillows.

"I will," Fred replied. "Good night." She couldn't wait to get back to her room and tell Wes all about what had happened.

"I'm married to you, Cordy," Angel said. "I thought we already talked about this. I have no interest in Buffy. Now, let's get some sleep, and we'll deal with all of this in the morning."

She nodded, "Okay, okay... I'm sorry...." She walked over and got into their bed that their shared, staring up at the ceiling before falling asleep.

Buffy fell asleep still wearing her clothes and she dreamed of Spike and what kind of future they could have together.

Angel sighed, changed into his pjs, which constituted stripping down to his boxers, and got into bed. "I love you, Cordy," he whispered to her sleeping form, then fell asleep himself.

THE NEXT MORNING...

"God, just do it, Rob, you asshole. Come on, press the button. Press it!" he said, psyching himself up. Rob finally reached out and rang the doorbell, then pulled his jacket tighter around himself against the early morning cold.

iPod in place, as usual, Jade jogged up the street, finishing her habitual morning run. "Ain't no mountain high! Ain't no valley--- hello," she said, hitting the front door. "Who are you?" She took the headphones out of her ears to listen to his answer.

Buffy woke up later then usual and rushed and showered. She blew dry her blond hair and did her make up. She pulled out a pair of jeans and a white tank top and pink button up shirt out of the bag and put on her boots.

"Um, hi," he said awkwardly. "I'm Rob... do you live here?"

Jade smiled and replied, "Yeah. You looking for Angel Investigations? Come on in." She opened the unlocked front door and walked on in, towards the office. "Wait in there, I'll get Angel."

Rob followed her, wondering what the heck Angel Investigations was. "Actually, I-- hello?" But she had already disappeared.

Angel snorted and turned in his sleep, whacking Cordy in the head. "Was that the doorbell?" he mumbled, then burrowed deeper into the pillow.

Cordelia awoke with a headache and a whack to the head, "Ow! Jeez! And I think so.... Watch it..."

Jade ran up the stairs and started pounding on her parent's door, knowing what Angel was like in the mornings. "Dad! Dad, wake up, there's a client downstairs!"

Cassandra heard noise and finished her shower, listening, she went out of her room, "Jeez, are you always so loud in the morning?"

Buffy headed downstairs trying to locate the kitchen finaly she found it and fixed herself a bowl of cereal.

Olivia groaned she heard the voices. She hoped last night was a nightmare and she was hope in her bed and her dad would be there. She just wish her mother wouldn't be so stupd and realize how good dad was for her.

"I'm loud all the time," Jade said proudly. "Get used to it. Dad! Wake up! Mom! Come on, guys. I'm not dealing with this one, he looks like a lost little frat boy. Wake up in there!"

Cordelia groaned, "We're coming!"

Cassandra laughed, "Lost little frat boy? Nice visual there..."

Angel rolled over again and said, "Remind me why we thought it was a good idea to have her?" But he got up and got dressed.

Jade shrugged. "That's what he looks like," she replied. "All awkward and nervous. Must be a big case. Either that or he grew a tail or something."

Cordelia smacked him on the butt, "Cause, sex happened to equal a kid at the time and we thought it was a pretty good idea then... We had lots of time for sex back then, remember?"

"I gotta see this!" Cassandra said, excited, she had never got to see her father in action before.

Rob stayed put down in the office, but wondered at all the loud voices he heard. And at the weapons in the case on the wall. And the weird books with pictures of snarling animals scattered everywhere. But more than all of that, he was wondering what it would be like to see Cassandra again. "She's gonna hate me," he mumbled to himself. "But I can handle that. I love her. Remember? Love for Cassandra, that's why we're here. Okay."

"Not so loud, the kids are right outside," Angel replied, laughing as he pretended to be shocked. He went and opened the door. "Okay, what's the crisis, Jade Katherine?"

"There's a client downstairs in the office waiting for you," she said. "Like you didn't hear me shouting about it."

"Ooooo! He used your middle name.... Naaaaaahhhh...." Cass said.

"You shut it too, Cassandra Jane," he said. "It's too early to be taunting your sister. Cordelia, you coming?"

Jade grinned and stuck her tongue out at Cass. "You got it too," she whispered in a singsong tone.

She giggled like a little girl, "And miss you three, yeah right...."

Cassandra stomped her foot like a 5-yr-old... "No fair..."

Olivia muttered "forget it" and woke up for the day. She pulled her hair up in a pony tail and slipped on sweat pants and a long sleeve shirt and sneakers. "Try not to be so loud anymore" she said when seh walked out of her room.

"Ooo, the ray of sunshine is awake," Cassandra said.

"Girls!" Angel said to the sky. "You had to curse me with a gaggle of girls! And Cass, be nice to your sister. Now, everyone that's going, let's go." He went down the stairs.

"Bite me" Olivia bit out to her sister. She hated this place and hated the people in it. She couldn't belive her mom moved her here. She rolled her eyes at Angel and walked down the steps.

"Fine, fine..." she said, respectfully, following downstairs. Cordelia put her hand in Angel's.

Jade followed her dad, jogging to catch up until she reached his side.

"Did you get his name?" he asked.

"Yeah, it's Rob or something," she replied. "He looks like a total innocent. Much trouble for Investigations, if you ask me."

Buffy came out of the kitchen when the group came downstairs. "Hey" she said smiling at everyone.

Cassandra's eyes perked up at the name, "Rob huh? Nice name...."

Rob heard footsteps coming down the stairs and stood up, nervously adjusting his coat again. "You can do this, no big deal," he said, then pasted on a smile that only made him look like he wanted to be sick.

"Morning, Mom," Cass said, passing her.

"As long as he has an interesting case, I don't care what his name is," Angel said, squeezing Cordy's hand. He and his posse finally hit the bottom of the stairs, and then tried to squeeze into the office.

Cordelia smiled at the boy. He looked about... Well, she wasn't sure, older than the girls but still young, scared and ... sick? "Hello, I'm Cordelia... Cordelia, well.... I'm the boss' wife."

Buffy followed behind and wondered what was going on. She saw the glare Olivia gave her and sighed. She had to be happy one day.

"Nice to meet you," Rob said absently, eyes fixed on Cassandra as the rest pressed into the tiny room. "I thought that-- maybe we could-- well, anyway, hi." His gaze never shifted, locked with hers.

Cassandra shifted around till she locked onto him. Her eyes widened and her mouth opened, "Robert.... What the hell are you doing here?"

Olivia watch the procceding and saw where this Rob was looking and smirked. So big sis must have a secreat she laughed to herself.

Buffy looked at her daughter then at the young man. "Cass who is he?"

"I'm here to see you," he said. "Well, obviously that's why I'm here. Actually, it's more of a getting down on my hands and knees to beg your forgiveness kind of thing. Do you-- mind?" “She looks tired," he thought. "I never should have done what I did. God, I'm so stupid!"

"This is him?" Jade asked, voice frosted. "This is the asshole?"

Her mouth worked, opening and closing till it just shut, no words coming out. She hadn't answered anyone's question.

Cordelia looked bewildered, "What's going on, Angel?"

Buffy was so confused. "What is going on and who is this boy?" She asked Cassandra again.

"I don't know, Cordy. What is going on, Cassandra?" Angel said, worried about the look on his girl's face. "Come on, honey, snap out of it. Who is he? Do I need to hurt him?"

Her face paled and her stomach lurched, "I'm going to be sick!" she murmured, her hands going to her mouth as she ran from the room.

Olivia had a feeling this boy was the reason why Saint Cassandra was so sick. She smirked and leaned back and watched everything.

"I am going to check on her" Buffy said leaving the room.

"Wha--- hurt me? Is your dad?" Rob said, blood draining from his face. "Oh god, I didn't know I was going to meet the parents!"

"Cass" Buffy said gently knocking on the bathroom door.

Then, as she ran from the room, he looked at them all helplessly. "Excuse me?" he asked, knowing it was unlikely they would move.

"Fat chance, bucko," Jade said. "You're not getting out of this room. In fact, you're not getting near her at all. You've done enough, I think."

Cordelia watched, worried more by the second, "Maybe you should explain to us, who you are and what you doing here, EXACTLY and HOW you know Cassandra?" she suggested, hoping to lessen Angel's mood.

Cassandra could be heard getting sick in the bathroom.

Buffy opened the door quietly and knelt by her daughter. "Oh baby" she whispered and stroked Cassandra's hair. "Let it all out."

Angel snarled. "Jade," he said. "What do you know?" He ignored the boy, hoping to get more truth from his daughter than this Robert character.

Able to tell he was seconds from vamping out, Jade quickly replied, "This is Cassandra's EX- boyfriend. He broke her heart, Dad. And now it looks like he's popped up to do it all over again."

Rob paled even more at the sound of the snarl. "Hey, whoa," he said. "I'm not here to break her heart! I didn't even mean to do it in the first place! I lo-ugh---"

Angel had grabbed him by the throat and slammed him into the back wall. "So you're why my little girl has been so upset," he growled, eyes starting to turn yellow.

"Dad..." Jade said, worried. "You probably shouldn't, um, change in front of him. He doesn't know, and Cass doesn't want him to. Just-- just back off? Please?"

Cassandra sniffled, "He... he... left me... We... I.... Sneaking around behind your back, Mom..." she admitted.

"Oh honey" Buffy said and hugged her. "I did the same thing when I was with your father. I understand you love him don't you?" Buffy asked quietly.

Cordelia put a hand on her husbands shoulder, "Honey... Relax and breath and let the boy down...."

She nodded, tears streaking her cheeks as she hugged her mother back.

"You're lucky they're here," Angel said to Rob. "Very lucky." But he dropped the boy, let his feet sink back to the floor, and turned away as the kid collapsed. "Happy now?" he asked his wife and daughter.

"He broke your heart" Buffy said sadly. "Is ther anything else you want to let me know?" She asked knowing ther had to be more."You two were intiamte weren't you."

Cordelia sighed, "Not really, no but... you can't just kill him... He IS human... I mean, right?"

Cassandra turned her face away but nodded.

Rob's knees gave out, and he sunk to the ground, hands rubbing his bruised throat. He was gasping for air, lungs wheezing. "Oh great, on top of everything else I'm having an asthma attack," he thought. "And I didn't even bring my inhaler! He's scary. Maybe this was a bad idea. No, no, we love Cassandra. We're here for her."

Buffy held her tighter. "I am sorry baby you didn't deserve that from anyone."

She rubbed her eyes furiously, "It doesn't matter... I'm fine," she said, getting up. "Let's go back in...."

"Mom's right, he's human," Jade said. "And you can't go around killing all of our bad boyfriends. It's just not feasible. Plus, look at him. He's pathetic." She gestured to where he was sitting on the floor, gaping like a fish out of water.

"Honey I am pulling a Joyce Summers here but did you use protection?" Buffy asked one last question.

"I know, I know," Angel said. "But Cass has been--- and after everything else the past few days. It's just too much." He reached for his wife, wanting at least to hold her hand for comfort.

She mumbled under her breath that they hadn't, well, not the first time anyway. She walked back into the office, her eyes took on a whole new color, lighting up as they did, the vampire in her starting to rise.... "So, what are you doing here and how did you find me?"

Cordelia put her hand in her husbands and squeezed tightly to give him if nothing else, a life line of moral support.

Buffy walked in and put a hand on her daughters shoulder for comfort.

Rob scrambled up from the carpet, still having a hard time breathing. "I-- I-- I went to your house," he wheezed. "Your step-dad, or something, told me to come here, so I did. I wanted to see you. I need to talk to you, Cassie. Privately. Please?"

"Wonder if he knows" Olivia mused outloud and smirked at her sister.

"Olivia Finn you be nice this isn't your buisness" Buffy said repremanding her daughter.

"Whaterver" Olivia rolled her eyes. "I am staying for the entertainment."

Jade stepped closer to her dad's other side, between him and Cassandra, and linked her arm with her father's. This Rob was going to learn something about their family, at least.

Rob scrambled up from the carpet, still having a hard time breathing. "I-- I-- I went to your house," he wheezed. "Your step-dad, or something, told me to come here, so I did. I wanted to see you. I need to talk to you, Cassie. Privately. Please?"

Buffy looked at the young man then her daughter. She would allow Cass to make that decision.

Her heart did a little flutter at him calling her Cassie, since few did but it still ached. "You can say whatever you have to say here.... in front of my family..... if you really want to see me that badly...."

"She is right Rob is that your name? If you have anything to say to my daughter you can say it in front of us" Buffy said speaking up.

Cordelia leaned over and whispered into Angel's ear, "He's the one I saw looking horrified in my vision..."

Angel looked at Cordy. "Are you sure?" he asked quietly. "Cause if you're not, I could just kill him right now, no harm done."

"I'm sure," she said with a nod.

"Um, well..." Rob said, looking at everyone, eyes ending on Angel. "I don't know how to start." He laughed nervously. Rob, like most guys, had never been the best at expressing his feelings, and all these people staring at him wasn't making it any easier.

"Why your here..... would be nice... You said, to see me but.... why? I thought we had said everything before..." Cassandra said.

"Maybe I did, I don't know," he replied. "But it was all bullshit, Cassie, complete and total bullshit. I have no idea why I did what I did. I was just... scared, I guess. Or something. Oh hell, I don't know."

She bit her lip and looked down, the light in her eyes dimming slightly. "So.... what are you saying?"

"I'm saying-- I'm saying-- What am I saying?" he said, trying to focus, trying to make this as perfect as possible. But he just couldn't get it right in his head. "Damn it to hell, Cassie, I love you!" There. It was the worst way to say it, probably, but at least it was out there.

Her eyes widened, "Wow... But... You... You don't even know me... I mean... not the real me, not really," she whispered, quite miserable. It'd have been perfect if he had said that knowing who and what she was and what she did but... He didn't and so she couldn't accept it.

Cordelia's eyes widened and her hand pressed into Angel's.

"Cass..." Jade whispered to her sister. "Are you sure you want to do this?" She couldn't imagine anything harder than trying to explain their family... issues to the man she loved.

Angel wanted to say something, but just didn't know what to say. He looked at Cordy, eyes troubled, but kept his mouth shut. Cassandra would have to work this out on her own.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Rob asked, then looked at her sister. "Cassie, what is she talking about? What don't I know?" She was definitely not reacting the way he expected.

She turned to her sister, "He can't love me unless he loves me for me, Jade... not for the fake he knows...." She looked at her father, hoping for some kind of support there. Cordelia pressed her body into Angel's, snuggling into him, hoping for the best.

Hugging his wife closer, he smiled at his daughter. "We're behind you, sweetheart, no matter what. Do you want us to leave you alone for a while now?" he asked.

"What about you is fake?" Rob asked, getting angry. "Jesus, Cassie, tell me what's going on!"

She nodded, her eyes haunted, when suddenly she turned around, her eyes lighting up brightly, a yellowish color, unnatural. Walking over to the desk, you could see it was made of oak, so it was heavy.... VERY heavy but without any effort she picked it up and tossed it to the other side of the room with a flick of her wrist.

Rob froze, eyes wide and unblinking. He couldn't believe what he had just seen. "Did you-- you just tossed that like it was a loaf of bread!" he said. "What the fuck, Cassie? What's going on?!"

Her voice was calm, almost devoid of emotion even when she replied. "I'm a slayer... a Vampire slayer but I kill other things as well.... I'm half human and half vampire because my mother is a slayer and my father is a vampire... I've got the strength of over ten men and its almost impossible to kill me...."

Laughing hysterically, Rob doubled over, eyes tearing up. "That's a good one, Cassie," he said. "Tell me another."

"She's telling you the truth, you idiot," Jade snarled. "What's it going to take for you to believe her? Want to see Dad go vamp?"

"Be quiet, Jade Katherine," Angel said quietly. "She'll take care of this."

She sighed and turned to Jade, "Get me a dagger, Jade."

Turning, Jade plucked one off the wall and tossed it to her sister, not bothering to worry if it was going to hit her or not. She knew Cass could catch it, just like she would have if it had been thrown at her.

Cassandra pluked it from the air and before he could move, she threw it straight at Rob, but purposely missed him, hitting the wall right next to his head. "If that doesn't work, I can always cut myself and you can watch how slow I bleed... I don't bleed like everyone else, nor do I heal the same, I heal much faster...." she whispered.

Cordelia hugged Angel harder, her heart aching for the poor girl.

Surprised enough when Jade just shot the dagger at Cassandra, he jumped about a foot off the floor as it twanged next to his head. "Fuck Fuck Fuck. Fuck," he said, turning to stare at the vibrating blade. Rob just couldn't believe it, couldn't process what was going on. "Just-- be quiet for a minute, Cassie. Please."

She swallowed hard but went silent, hoping he could process what she was saying.

Jade stepped up to him, smirking when he flinched, and yanked the dagger out of the wall. "You should see what she can do when she's really pissed," she commented.

"Jade...." Cordelia said.

"He might as well know it all at once, Mom," she replied, but then fell silent, waiting for his reaction.

"Okay," he said, drawing a deep breath. "I'm dreaming, or you have the place rigged, or something. But I'm going to go along with it, because eventually this will make sense. Right?"

Tears crystalized in her eyes, "Do it, Dad...." she said, taking a deep breath.

"If you're sure..." he said, then let go of Cordy. Shaking his head a bit, Angel snarled then went completely vamp, bumpy forehead, glowing eyes, the whole shebang.

"Unhhh," Rob breathed, then fainted dead away, body hitting the floor with a loud thunk.

She let out a curse, tears coursing down her cheeks as she bent over him to check for a pulse. "He's alive.... Must have fainted..."

"Are you shitting me?! What a wuss!" Jade said, laughing.

"Shut up, Jade," Angel said, reverting back to his regular face. "That happens more often than you might think."

"Jade! You aren't helping here!" Cassandra yelled, suddenly, and for the very first time, her own face transformed into that of a vampire. Her eyes widened, "Uh, what is wrong with my face?"

"Oh my god," Jade said, not laughing anymore. "You don't want to know..."

"It's nothing, sweetheart, don't freak out," Angel said, going to crouch at her side, shooting a worried look at Cordy. "It'll go a way in a few seconds."

Her lower lip trembled, "Daddy...." she said in a squeaky voice.

Cordelia's mouth opened, "Wow... Um, half-vampire... Wow... Maybe because she was very mad or upset?"

"Fix it!" she said, freaking out.

"Try, uh, breathing deeply," Angel suggested.

"Then shake your head a bit," Jade added. "What, it works for you?" she said when her father looked at her.

She breathed deeply... Nope, nothing. Cordelia thumped Angel on the shoulder, "Hug her or something... Distract her..."

"Hug her? Um, okay..." he said, then reached out for his daughter and pulled her awkwardly into his arms. Rocking her back and forth, he asked Cordy, "How's this?"

She pointed and as she did so, Cassandra's face reverted back to normal... Her hands went to her face, "Is it fixed? Huh?"

"Yeah, sis, you're good now," Jade said. "That was weird. Don't do it again."

Coming back to, Rob saw Cass and Angel above him, and blinked. "What's going on?" he asked, voice thick and funny. "What happened? Why am I on the floor? Hey... your face was funny." He pointed at Angel, a sleepy smile spreading across his features.

"You fainted you... you... JERK!" Cassandra yelled, smacking him upside the head.

Rob's head hit the ground and he passed out again, for only a few seconds this time. "Jesus, you hit hard," he cursed, just laying there, feeling like he never wanted to move.

She rolled her eyes, "Well, duh, I SAID that... already, keep up..." she said, her hormones rollercoasting back and forth all over the place.

"Can I just go to sleep for a while?" he asked, eyes drifting shut.

"NO!" Jade yelled, jumping forward. "He might have a concussion. Just keep him awake, sit him up."

"Maybe if I hit him again?" she asked, her eyes lighting up again.

Cordelia's face wrinkled with worry, "Um, Angel... notice her agression is just a TAD high?"

She pulled him into a sitting position.

"Back off, Cass," he said, listening to his wife. "You're blood lust is up right now, that's all. Let me and Jade take care of him."

Her eyes moved to his, unnatural and unearthly in their persuit.... "I don't know what your talking about," she said, lying.

"Just back off for a while, sis." Jade crouched down on his other side. "Want to know what I am?" she asked, wanting to see if he would freak out again.

"Jade..." Angel warned.

"I'm trying to keep him awake, Dad," she quickly covered.

She licked her lips, she could hear his pulse raising at the base of his throat. The vampire in her roaring to life. She got up suddenly and flattened herself to the wall.

Leaning his head back against the wall, Rob said, "Sure, why not? Nothing more could surprise me now, I don't think, anyway."

"Well," she replied, supporting him. "I'm half vampire, of course, but I've also got demon blood! Isn't that cool? That means I have visions and things like that. No big."

He just turned his head to look at her. "Right," Rob replied. "No big. Cassie?"

Jade looked up at her sister, then at her dad. "Get her out of here," she said quietly. "I'll stay with him."

Angel stood up and went to Cassandra. "Come on, Cass," he said, taking her arm and trying to lead her from the room. "Let's go outside for a little bit."

She shook hard, tremors moving throughout her body. "I.... I.... Dad... His blood.... Is calling to me..." she said, looking at him, her eyes turning wild.

He yanked at her arm, dragging her from the room, then slammed the door behind him. Hustling her down to the basement, Angel debated about whether to lock her in the Angelus cell or not, then decided against it. She wasn't evil, she was just... a bit screwed up right now.

"Fuck," Jade said, sitting back against the wall next to Rob. "This is one fucked up day."

"I second that," he said, warming up to Cassandra's sister. She seemed cool. Of course, the world seemed cool right now.

She swallowed, turning around and slamming into his chest. Her eyes hazed over, her fingers clawed at his chest. "I.... What is wrong with me?"

"It's just the blood lust, baby," he said, pulling her into his chest, wrapping his arms around her. "You've got to fight it. Just fight it back, Cassandra. You're stronger than this."

Cordelia watched the scene with worry, "Think I should go down there after them, Jade?"

"You drink blood though!" she said.

"Probably not, Mom," she said, looking up at Cordy. "If her blood lust is up, well... you've got blood, and you're not half as strong as she is. But if you want me to, I'll go."

"Right, so then your father has to worry about you too, no... I think not...."

"It's not the same, Cass," Angel replied, searching for a way to explain. "You're not a vampire. You don't need it to live. Your body is just fighting with you right now. Don't let it win."

"He would worry about you too," she pointed out. "She's got to do this herself, I guess. Dad can help her, but only so far. Cass has just got to control it."

She moved away, slamming back into the wall, her head crashing into the stone. Good thing she had super healing or that would have been real bad. "He won't ever accept me, will he?" she asked, trying to take in breaths.

Cordelia smiled, "So... Robert.... Do you really love her, still?"

"I don't know, baby," Angel said, wanting to help her but knowing he couldn't. "You've got to give him a chance, though. People are more adaptable and open minded than you think."

She started to cry... "I'm sick... And I just realized why...." Her body had stopped trembling finally, her emotions tying into her control.

"Cassandra, what are you talking about?" Angel asked. "How are you sick?" He reached out for her again, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "Talk to me, Cass."

"Yeah," he replied, eyes closed. "I really do. A lot. A hell of a lot. Why else would I be here, flying across the country on the red eye, not showering, just coming to the house? I don't think she loves me anymore, though. I fucked it all up."

Cordelia exchanged a look with her daughter.

Cassandra sighed, "Promise you won't yell or go up there and kill him?"

Jade shrugged. "You didn't screw it up, Rob," she said hesitantly, unsure of how much to say. "Cass is just... different. You'll have to get to know her all over again."

"Even seeing what you saw... you still want to be with her....?" Cordelia asked, wanting to be sure.

"No, I don't," Angel said. "So just tell me what's going on." He was sick of playing games, sick of seeing his daughter hurting.

She lowered her head, "I think I'm pregnant...."

"Oh, that," Rob said, waving a hand in the air. "Who cares? I mean, I'm not sure I believe it anyway, so it's no big deal. Jade-- you are Jade, aren't you? Jade's probably right. I just need to talk to Cassie."
Cordelia sighed but there was nothing more she could do.

"HA!" Angel said, turning and heading for the stairs. "I'm gonna kill him! I'm going to rip out his throat! Just try and stop me!"

"Dad! NO!" she yelled, running after him. She tripped over a step and fell, "I love him!"

"Yeah, I'm Jade," she said. "And trust me, this is all real. We were born into it, and so were our parents. There was nothing any of us could do. And I wouldn't trade it for the world. It's who we are, who Cassandra is. There's no changing it. Can you handle that?"

Beginning to believe because she talked about it as if it was old hat, Rob opened his eyes and looked at her. "Yes," he said. "For her, yes. Besides... it's kind of cool."

"Well, Angel wasn't born into it, love and neither was I.... I aquired it from Doyle and your father...." Cordelia said.

"Cram it, Mom," Jade said. "It was working. Besides, I meant more like it was your destiny than you were born to it. Just go with it, okay?"

She laughed, "Yeah okay, its our destiny, happy? And you were ALL born into it..."

Angel stopped and turned, helping Cassandra to her feet. "You love him?" he asked.

She nodded, "I love him..... Its stupid and... He's not like us but... I do... You can't kill him anyway, he's the father... You'd be killing my babys.. YOUR grandchilds father for no reason besides fatherly ... something or other..."

"There, see?" Jade said, smug. "I was right. And it is cool! I'm super strong, not as strong as a full-Slayer, but still. And I get to have visions, which, okay, kind of suck the energy from me, but they're useful and usually interesting."

Rob laughed at Jade, enjoying the way she just ran on and on. He was beginning to feel a lot better. Now, if he could only talk to Cassandra without everyone around, life would be perfect.

Cordelia laughed, "I get visions and thats about all I get... Doyle decided to give me that parting gift before he died...." she said with a sigh, remembering. A night she'd never forget.

"Fine," Angel replied. "I won't kill him. Today. But if he puts one toe out of line, I'm gonna be right there with the ripping of the throat. Now, you're going to talk to him, and tell him what's going on. Because he deserves to know. Besides, there's no telling what Jade has told him by now."

She nodded, completely doing the yes-sir nods, "Okay... Okay..."

Cassandra went back upstairs and entered the room, looking around... "Hi..."

"Hey, sis," Jade said, standing up, looking at her critically. "Everything okay?"

She nodded, "Yeah, fine... Can you both kinda, well... leave us alone for a bit, please? That or Dad is going to have both our asses..."

"Sure," Jade replied. "Come on Mom, I'm hungry. You can make me breakfast." She grinned at Cordy and headed out of the room.

"Hey," Rob said, finally opening his eyes to look at her. "Are we gonna talk, Cassie? Finally?"
He was so tired; he hadn't slept in days. He just wanted to fix things, then go to bed.

"Yeah, we're gonna talk.... Finally but... I got to tell you something first... Something even bigger than everything else..." she said, sitting down beside him. Cordelia laughed and smacked Jade on the shoulder lightly, "I can, can I? Maybe try your Dad.... He is a great cook!"

Jade wrinkled her nose. "I don't really feel like blood for breakfast today, but thanks..." she said, voice trailing off as she got farther away from the office.

Rob groaned. "Okay," he said. "But I'm staying right here, with my eyes closed, because if it's anything else huge and I pass out again, I'll be safe. Now, what is it, Cassie?"

She decided to just say it, "I'm pregnant....."

Laughing weakly, Rob looked at her. "That's impossible... isn't it?" he asked, shifting uncomfortably. "I mean, we
were careful. I was careful. At least most of the time... oh. So that's how that happens. Huh." He didn't know what to think.

She shook her head, "The first time... We weren't so careful, remember? We... didn't use anything...." she said quietly. Cordelia was pressed against the door, trying to hear, forgetting breakfeast.

Angel came up from the basement and spotted his wife with her ear pressed to the door. "Cordy? What's going on?" he asked quietly. "Are you eavesdropping on them? Cordelia..."

"Yeah," Rob replied. "Yeah, uh, wow. Huh. Huh... a baby. Are you-- are you sure?"

She let out a squeak and spun around, "SHhh! They'll hear you! I can't hear when people are talking! How are we to know the juicy details otherwise?" she said, turning back around, with a smirk. Cassandra nodded, "Pretty sure... Haven't... well, had my period and I keep being sick and all.... and I was a virgin with you so its not like its someone elses!"

Buffy stared at Cordelia and shook her head. She knew she wanted to know whta was going and chuckled. She drank her coffee.

"Oh god," he groaned, covering his face with his hands. "I never thought it was. I just-- I don't know what to say Cassie.

I mean, a baby? I'm 23! You're freaking 18! You shouldn't have ever--- what I mean to say is that-- I just don't know, Cassie. Are we ready to be parents?"

"She'll tell us what we need to know later," Angel said repressively, though he was desperate to know as well. "We should give them some privacy."

"I have a feeling Cass will let us all know in her own time" Buffy said leaning against the counter.

Jade wandered around the kitchen, getting out a pan, eggs, bacon, bagels, all the normal breakfast fixings. "Hey, Olivia," she called out to the girl. "Want to help?"

She smiled and shrugged, "Who knows... not like life is giving us much of a choice... but I'm not getting rid of it... or giving it up, so forget it, on both counts," she said suddenly. Cordelia turned, "Oh really, then YOU must know something already... "

Olivia smirked. "I have a feeling I know what it is" she laughed. "Come one she is always sick duh." Olivia looked at Jade. "Sorry I only help out my dad at my house."

"Me?" Angel asked, stepping back, hands in the air. "I don't know anything."

She rounded on him, "Hmmm.... Maybe I should tickle you and see if that works... or.... kiss it out of you?" she said, going over to him.

"Olivia do not talk to Jade like that" Buffy scolded her daughter from her place at the kitchen doorway." She and her parents are nice enough to let us stay here so I expect you treat her with respect or else you will be grounded.""

"Oh, no... oh god, no!" Rob said, sitting up, shocked. "I would never want you to give up the baby. Or get rid of it. I mean, okay, so it wasn't exactly planned, but... it's our baby, right? So... so we should probably take care of our own mistakes. It's just that-- you're so young, Cassie. I never meant to ruin your life, or screw it up, or anything."

"Torture will not work on me, woman!" Angel said, laughing. "I am a rock!" Then he groaned, hearing Buffy's voice from the kitchen. "Sounds like Jade and Olivia are fighting. Again."

"Whatever I hate it here Mom I want to be with dady" Olivia pouted.

"Young lady we will talk about this in private later on" Buffy said giving her daughter a look. "Till then you will respect everyone in here."

"Whatever" Olivia rolled her eyes and left the ktichen and pushed passed Angel and Cordy. "She is pregnant that is why she is always sick" she called over her shoulder.

Jade slapped the pan down on the stove, then jogged after Olivia. Grabbing her arm, she spun the girl around and gave her a hard stare.

"Look, bucko," she said. "You're here, that's it, that's the end. So you migh