Disclaimer: Buffy, Angel, Willow, and all the characters recognized from BtVS, belong to Joss Whedon and everyone else who was rights to them. I made up Lynn, Jade, Daniel, Melody, Angelica, etc. I am not making any profit for this. This is just for my enjoyment and other's as well.
Distribution: My site. http://gethzerion.tripod.com/index.html. Anyone else, please ask. I'll probably say yes.
Author's Note: This story is in first person POV. You'll find out who's as you read. This idea's been in my head for months and I finally decided to sit down and write it. Please, tell me what you think!

The Bronze was especially crowded that night. Or maybe it was the fact that I felt claustrophobic in the booth. My two best friends, Jade and her twin brother Daniel, had brought along two of their friends, Melody and Angelica, who were visiting from their old school and they kept talking among themselves, making me feel left out.

"You remember Mr. O'Mally?" Jade was saying to Melody.

Melody laughed. "That witch?" she said. "My goodness, I'm so glad he's gone."

"Kinda reminds me of Mrs. Johnson, right Lynn?"

Jade turned to me with a smile that quickly faded as she noticed that I was spaced out.

"Lynn?"

I blinked myself out of my reverie and turned to Jade. "Yeah, sure."

Jade frowned. "You know, I was thinking of dying my hair green with blue streaks. What do you think, Lynn?"

"Cool," I replied, back to staring across space.

Daniel leaned over into my ear. "I think vampires could be taking over the world right now and you'd still be staring into space," he whispered to me.

I quickly snapped out of it and hit him lightly in the arm. "Not in front of the guests," I hissed at him.

"I'm sorry, Lynn," Melody said with an apologetic smile. "Are we leaving you out?"

"No, it's okay, really," I answered. "Maybe I should just head home."

"Don't," Jade said as she grabbed my arm and pulled me back down to sit.

I suddenly noticed that her glance had gone past my shoulder. She let out a low whistle of admiration. "Hottie, twelve o'clock," she told me.

"Jade," I said with some irritation. "I have a boyfriend, you know."

"So do I!" she answered. "There's nothing wrong with looking."

I sighed in defeat and turned my head to look where she told me. There, at the entrance of the Bronze, stood a man who looked to be about thirty years old. He was tall and was dressed in a white tank top with a knee-length leather jacket and long black pants.

What called my attention, though, was the dark brown hair and chocolate brown eyes that searched the room anxiously. I reached up to touch my own black hair unconsciously before Jade grabbed my arm and turned me the other way.

I glanced at Melody and Angelica. "So are they!"

Jade nudged at Melody. "It's not polite to stare, guys," Jade teased.

"Look who's talking," Angelica answered.

"He was looking at you, Lynn," Daniel told me.

I risked another glance at the man... only to find him gone.

"Where'd he go?" I asked. I turned my head to look around the Bronze but he was nowhere in sight. Melody's voice brought my attention back to the table.

"Man, the guy over there is wearing last decade's style," she said. My attention once again left the table and I looked at the man she was pointing at. It was a medium-height kid, about seventeen, who was hitting on a blonde girl. "Someone should tell him that this is the year 2013, not 1998."

My eyes widened as I noticed that he was taking her outside.

"You know what guys?" I said, standing up and gathering my jacket and bag. "I'm really all partied out. Mom's probably waiting for me. I'll just head on home." I started for the door. Jade and Daniel looked at me knowingly. "See you guys tomorrow. Nice meeting you, Melody. Angelica." I nodded to both of them in farewell and jogged my way out.

I remembered what my mother told me often. Some vampires lived underground for a long time and never even bothered to change fashions as time changed. She had told me once of a vampire dressed in a 1970s outfit that she had caught hitting on Aunt Willow way back before I was even born.

As I finally reached the dark alley on the side of the Bronze, I noticed the strange man I had seen in the Bronze earlier that night standing in front of the vampire and the blonde girl, Melissa something from my History class. The vampire was leaning over into Melissa's neck.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk..." the man said. "And here I was, thinking you were past necking."

The vampire straightened his head and Melissa saw the horrible face for the first time. She screamed and ran to my direction.

"Gang member on PCP," I said to her distractedly. "Run and don't even think about this. Be careful who you go out with."

She nodded and ran past me back into the Bronze. I stood at the distance and watched the interaction between the man and the vampire.

"The all-mighty Angelus," the vampire said to the man. "You don't remember me? James..."

The man... Angelus, it seemed his name was, laughed. "One of Spike's ex-minions, I suppose."

James narrowed his eyes. He whispered something I couldn't hear clearly, but sounded like, "yours..."

Angelus apparently heard, though. He lunged forward and punched the vampire. I was amazed at his strength.

"I hear the Slayer's still around," James said.

That seemed to catch Angelus off guard and gave James the opportunity to attack. I watched in amazement as the fight continued. Angelus was strong, but not strong enough, because several minutes later he was knocked on the floor with the vampire on top.

I snapped out of it and ran to the scene. Quickly and efficiently, I brought out a stake and the vampire was dust in seconds. Angelus looked up, surprised to find someone there.

"I could've handled it, but thanks," he said.

I narrowed my eyes. "You were getting your ass kicked from where I was standing.

He smiled a handsomely crooked smile and took my extended hand to stand up gracefully. "Are you the Slayer?" he asked me.

I shook my head. "Naw," I replied. "There hasn't been a new Slayer in a long time.

He nodded. "So why do you do this?"

I shrugged and then frowned. Why did I? "For fun, I guess."

He raised an eyebrow. "Fighting vampires isn't exactly easy, you know. And I can think of a lot more things that are more fun that this.

He held a faraway look in his eyes, as if remembering something.

"Whatever," I said. "Who are you to come and ask questions like that, anyway?"

With a shrug, he pointed the other way. "You can leave if you want to."

I started to walk away and then hesitated. "So, your name's Angelus?" I asked him as I turned back to face him.

He laughed. "It's my birth name, and what I am known among the vampire community," he answered. "I usually go by Angel."

Sure fits, I thought. The name sounded familiar, but I dismissed it quickly. "Evelynn," I introduced myself and held out a hand to shake. "But I usually go by Lynn."

"That was my sister's name," Angel said, taking my hand. "Pleasure to meet you, Lynn."

"So what brings you to Sunnyhell?" I said and then covered my mouth. That was what my mother usually called the town. "I mean, Sunnydale."

His smile faded into a slight frown. "Not sure, actually. I guess I wanted to see how it was after all these years."

"How long as it been?" I asked.

"Fifteen years," he muttered.

There was an uncomfortable silence. I laughed nervously. "That's how old I am..."

He glanced at me but said nothing.

"So, uh, why are you known around the vampire community?" I said, trying to make conversation. I hadn't noticed that we had started walking and were almost at the cemetery.

He opened his mouth as if to answer, but closed it again. "I, uh..." he started again, but sounds of a fight interrupted him.

We exchanged glances and took off running into the cemetery. At first glance I just saw a blonde woman fighting a vampire, but as I reached into my bag to get a stake, my mind registered the fact that the only blonde woman I knew who fought vampires in the cemetery was my mother.

Angel joined the fight with my stake and staked the vampire who had cornered my mother. Finally, he looked into her face and his eyes widened. And as I turned my gaze to my mother, I saw her eyes were wide too.

"Buffy," he said.

"Angel," she said at the same time.

Part 2

"Lynn," I said with raised eyebrows.

Mom tore her eyes from Angel's face to look at me.

"Lynn, what are you doing here?" she asked me. "Weren't you at the Bronze?"

I shrugged. "It was a drag. Plus there was some vamp trying to eat Melissa, and I went to fight him," I added, "Angel beat me to it."

Mom glanced at Angel and then back at me.

"What?" I asked in confusion.

******

"And so, after I left LA, I decided to come see how things were," Angel finished his story. "To tell you the truth, I didn't think you'd still be alive." He turned to look directly at Mom. "I'm glad you are. And hey, you have a daughter." He looked at me with a smile.

Mom looked away from both of us. She seemed slightly angry at Angel, but at the same time hurt. It made me wonder what the story between them was.

Taking a steady breath, Mom turned to look at Angel. "Do the math, Angel," she said.

Angel looked confused. "Pardon?"

"Damn it, Angel, do the damn math!" Mom cried out and stood angrily. She pointed an accusing finger at Angel. "Ask her how old she is."

"She told me she's fifteen," Angel said, still confused.

"And how long ago did you leave?" Mom asked, tears threatening to spill from her eyes.

Angel opened his mouth to answer and then shut it immediately. He glanced at me and then back at Mom. "Fifteen years ago," he muttered.

It was my turn to look confused. "What does that have to do with anything?" I asked Mom.

She turned to look at Angel and pointed at me. "Why don't you tell her," she told him.

Angel shook his head. "So you were pregnant when I left," he said, more to himself than to anyone else in the room. He glanced up at Mom. "Who were you seeing?"

Mom shook her head. "No one, Angel," she said, more calm now. "You've always been the only one for me."

She let the words sink into the room. Almost immediately, both Angel and I stood up.

"Are you implying...?"

"Do you mean to say...?"

We started speaking at the same time and stopped. Mom was smiling sadly now as she glanced at me.

"Do you mean to say that Angel is my father?" I asked incredulously in a hushed whisper. "How old was he when you had me? Fifteen?"

Mom and Angel glanced at each other and then back at me. Angel sat down again and shook his head. "You know I couldn't have children, Buffy," he said, looking at Mom.

With a wave of a hand towards me, Mom spoke. "This little souvenir you left me is living proof that you were wrong, then." Then, as an afterthought, she looked at Angel, startled. "What do you mean by 'couldn't' and not 'can't?"

Angel, or maybe I should refer to him as Dad, stood and walked to my mother. Gently, he took her hand and put it at his heart. The room was dramatically quiet for several moments and then Mom gasped. She glanced up at... Dad... with wide eyes and jumped up from her chair abruptly. She grabbed him in a tight hug and cried into his shoulder.

All the questions that clouded my mind were forgotten for the moment as I watched my parents reunite. I truly had never seen my mother this happy, and I liked it. She really did have a beautiful smile.

The question of what they had been together was answered, though. I rose from my chair and quietly made my way up the stairs. It was late, I was tired, and it was a school night after all.

Part 3

I woke up the next morning and got ready for school quickly. Taking the stairs two at a time, I made my way downstairs in record time, eager to talk to my mother. What I found in the kitchen, however, was Angel... Dad... with his arms around Mom's waist, kissing her neck tenderly from behind. They were both in robes.

"There are children in the house," I announced as I entered the kitchen and grabbed a chair.

They both had the grace to blush.

"Did he stay here the night?" I asked casually. It didn't exactly bother me if Mom was sleeping with him. I was obviously a product of that, anyway. And I was happy that she was happy. Mom hadn't dated anyone for as long as I could remember. What I did find strange was that just last night Mom had seemed extremely angry at Dad and now they seemed all... lovey-dovey.

Mom nodded. "Yeah, he did," she said and left it at that. "I made pancakes for break-feast."

"Thanks," I answered and started to eat. There was an uncomfortable silence between all of us for several moments until I could no longer stand it.

"What happened?" I said. As Mom and Dad both looked up at me from their food, I realized they had misinterpreted my question. "I meant," I hurried to amend, "did you guys work things out? Mom seemed kinda angry last night."

I looked pointedly at Mom as I took a bite of my food. "We talked," she said simply.

"We worked things out," Dad added.

When neither one chose to say anything else, I sighed. "Care to share?" I said. "Look, if we're gonna be anything remotely close to a family, I wanna know why the father I never knew I even had suddenly shows up and is all 'googly' with my mother. And why he looks too young to be my dad."

"Lynn!" Mom scolded me. "I will not tolerate..."

Dad put his arm on Mom's hand and she trailed off. "It's okay, Buffy," he said. "She's right." He turned to look at me. "You're right. But I don't think we have time for questions now. You have school."

Ilooked from Mom to Dad and back again. With a grim face, I grabbed my jacket and bag and left the house through the kitchen door. I don't really know why I suddenly got angry, but I just did.

******

"Hey, Lynn," Daniel said as he caught up to me that day.

I ignored him as I opened my locker. "Earth to Lynn?" he said, almost afraid.

I sighed. "Sorry, Dan," I apologized. "Hard night."

"Did that vamp give you trouble?" he asked me.

"Sorta," I replied.

"How can he sorta give you trouble? Either he did or he didn't..."

"Look," I interrupted. "I'm sorry, I'm in a bad mood. See ya later."

I slammed my locker shut, my strength making it resonate over all the other lockers, and stalked off. Daniel, along with everyone else there, was left to stare after me.

I remember thinking that I didn't really want to take it out on my friends. And that's why I almost turned the other way when I saw Jade headed my way. Almost.

"Hey, Lynn," she said when she reached me. "What's up?"

I took a deep breath and reminded myself to apologize to Daniel later. "Hey, Jade."

"Did you take out the vamp that was giving you trouble?"

"Yeah," I replied.

"So why are you so sad?" she asked me.

I stopped walking and turned to face her. "You remember that strange guy at the Bronze yesterday?" I said.

Jade nodded. "Duh," she answered. "How could you forget a face like that?"

I smiled a little and we started walking again. "You'll never guess what about him.

"Is he a relative of yours or something?" she joked.

I turned to face her with a serious expression. "Yeah."

She let out a small squeal. "You have to introduce me to him."

I raised an eyebrow. "He's my father, Jade."

******

Her eyes fluttered open slowly and she shook her head. "Where am I?" Jade asked.

"Library," I answered, then turned to the stacks. "Giles, she's up!"

Several seconds passed before Rupert Giles, my mother's watcher, appeared from the stacks. Even after about seventeen years, he still worked as librarian of the school. Some things never change, my mother said every time she stopped by.

"Oh, good," he answered as he came down the stairs. "How are you feeling, Jade?"

"What exactly happened?" she asked.

"You fainted when I told you the hot guy at the Bronze was my dad," I said with a smile. "You've only been out for..." I glanced at my watch, "ten minutes."

Giles sat down next to me. "This um, 'hot guy,' as you so kindly phrase it... what is his name?"

I turned to look at him and was just about to answer when another voice interrupted me.

"Angel."

Part 4

I turned at the new voice. "Hi," I said quietly.

I saw Dad step forward with a small half-smile on his face. "Hi." He turned to look at Giles. "Hello, Giles."

"Angel," Giles said, surprised. "This is... quite a shock." He stopped and looked out the window. I scrunched my forehead, wondering what was out there. "It's daylight," Giles commented.

I shrugged. "So?"

Giles turned to look at me and then at Dad. "She doesn't know?"

I slammed my hand down on the table. "I am so sick of hearing that phrase! Know what?!"

Dad turned to face me and sighed. "I, uh, I wanted to talk to you," he said, dodging my question. "When you left this morning I got the feeling we were on bad terms and I wanted to explain everything to you."

"You mean like, who you are, what you were to my mother, how old you are, why you show up all of the sudden, why did you leave my mom when she was pregnant...?"

I didn't get a chance to finish all of my questions. Dad held up his arms in a sign of surrender. "Whoa!" he cried. "Calm down. I'll get to all of that, but you have to listen to the whole story."

I plopped down on a chair, crossed my legs, and looked to him with an expectant expression on my face. "I'm listening."

With a sigh, Dad sat down in the chair across from me... just as the bell rang. He glanced at me and I told him I had a free period now.

"Hey, guys, you know what?" Jade's voice reminded me that she was still in the room. "I think this is a family thing. I should just go... somewhere that's not here."

"No," I told her before she could leave. "I'm gonna tell you anyway, so it'll save me the trouble. Stay."

Before she could answer, a new voice was heard. "Hey guys..."

It was Daniel.

"You're just in time to hear the story of how and why I was born," I informed him.

The poor kid looked confused, especially after what I had done this morning, but he sat down anyway.

Dad glanced at both of them for a second and then at Giles. He sighed and nodded. "I guess I should start by saying that my full name is Angelus McKellan. And that I was born in Ireland 257 years ago."

I was standing up immediately. "What are you?" I asked with a menacing tone.

"A human being," he answered. "Sit down and listen. Don't interrupt."

I set my face to a hard expression and sat down carefully again. At a glance at Giles, I realized that he must've already known this, for he didn't seem at all surprised.

"I was turned into a vampire at age 27 and for decades I brought terror upon Europe," my father continued. "That was until early twentieth century. I made the mistake of feeding on a young girl of a Romani gypsy clan. Beautiful girl, dumb as a post, but a favorite among her clan. The elders decided to take revenge so they conjured up a punishment... they restored my soul."

I let out a sarcastic laugh. "What a punishment," I muttered.

Jade put her hands on my shoulder and gave me a warning look. I sighed and turned back to my father to listen to the rest of the story.

"A vampire lives with a demon inside of him or her," Father continued. "No soul, no conscience, no regrets. Suddenly the deaths of the hundreds I had killed, tortured, raped, drove insane..." he let out a sad chuckle, "started weighing on my mind and heart. I spent years trying to make amends but nothing I did eased the pain. So eventually I just gave up and ended up roaming the streets of New York as a homeless guy.

"Whistler, demon sent the even the scores between good and evil, was sent to help me. He picked me off the streets and told me he'd show me something. He showed me Buffy. Took me to L.A. and showed me the beautiful fifteen year old girl destined to be a Slayer. And even though I knew I shouldn't, I fell inlove with her.

"When she moved to Sunnydale, I finally revealed myself to her. She eventually fell inlove with me and even though we knew we shouldn't, we started dating and getting closer. It came to a point where we got too close."

"You had sex," I interrupted.

"Yeah," he answered. "And it's not that it made the relationship worst. In fact, it made everything better. But a bit more than a year later, I started realizing that she was eighteen and that she'd be going to college soon. And she really didn't need some old guy tying her down. So I decided to leave. Like a coward I know I was... am, maybe... I left a note and took off. That was April of 1999, she was two months pregnant and I didn't know it. I didn't even consider it a possibility since I was a vampire and vampires can't have children..."

That's when Giles interrupted. "I think I can explain that."

I turned my head to look at him. I had forgotten everyone else was there as I heard the story of my parent's life. Never in a million years would I have imagined that my father had been the very thing I had been taught to hate and kill.

"Buffy came to me with the news one month after you left. She swore that Angel had been the only one for her and that the baby had to be his," Giles said. "I think she must've spent five years researching this subject. She never found out, so she gave up. But I wouldn't rest until I had the answer to this mystery. I stayed up late nights reading and asking until I finally realized what was going on."

Everyone in the library leaned forward, waiting in anticipation what Giles was going to say.

"Vampires and Slayers have rare blood and genetics overall. Since vampires are dead, they can't produce offspring in the way humans do. You see, Slayers' blood has a component never before known that..."

Giles stopped when he noticed we were staring at him blankly.

"Alright," he said with a small smile. "The actual explanation is very complicated. But the, uh, 'cliff notes version,' as Buffy would say, is that vampires can only have children with a Slayer... and vice versa."

"Whoa!" I exclaimed as I stood once again from my chair. "You've got to be kidding me... only children with a vampire??"

Giles nodded. "This is why your mother is the only Slayer in history to, first of all live the longest, and second, to have children."

I sat down, shocked.

"It was probably made that way so that Slayers wouldn't have to deal with children," Giles continued. "I doubt They imagined it would actually happen."

"So this means that if Buffy wants to have more children she wouldn't be able to have them with me..." I heard Dad say. I was slightly shocked that he wanted more children, but waited for Giles' affirmation anyway.

It didn't come.

"I was going to ask you, Angel," Giles said. "Do you still have any of your vampire qualities?"

Dad shrugged. "My strength, my hearing and eyesight. That's about it."

Giles smiled. "Then I'm not quite sure, but I think you might still have that... component that enables you to father the Slayer's children."

"Wait a second!" I cried suddenly. "You haven't finished the story. So, you left... then what? What'd you do? How'd you get your humanity? And why'd you come back?"

"I went back to Ireland for a year," I said. "But I couldn't handle the memories, so I went to Spain for a while, and France, and finally I went back to L.A. where I still have my things.

"I regained my humanity because I made amends. After years of selflessly helping people, I guess They decided I could use a break. I wanted to come back to Sunnydale after I got my humanity, but I didn't think I could bear seeing Buffy moved on and with her new life. I spent two years working up the courage. In a way, I guess leaving was for the best."

I couldn't help but give an unladylike snort. "Sure, I guess," I said.

Closing my eyes, I processed everything I had just learned about my parents. I'd been an accident that came along at the wrong time. I felt a pair of hands on my shoulders and opened my eyes to find Dad standing there. Everyone else had left.

"You anchored your mother to Earth, Lynn," he said quietly, walking around to crouch down in front of me. "I'm sorry I wasn't here for the first fifteen years of your life. But I am willing to be here for the next fifteen and for the rest of your life... if you'll let me. I'll make it up..."

I leaned forward and put a hand to his lips. "So you don't think it would've been better if I was never been born?"

"No, of course not!" he said as if I had just insulted him. "You are the best thing that every happened to your mother... and now to me. So you weren't planned... big deal. Like I said, you were the reason your mother kept on going. She told me that last night. She told me that if it wasn't for you, she might've lost the strength to go on. And she told me that you were all she had left of me. Her little souvenir..." He smiled.

I laughed. "I really want to get to know you... Dad."

His whole face lighted up at the sound of that word. I had never realized that Mom did the same thing whenever I called her "Mom."

Part 5

"I present to you Mr. and Mrs. McKellan."

The church erupted in cheers as everyone stood and clapped vigorously. I grinned and joined in the clapping and cheering. Then, to my surprise, Mom turned and enveloped me, one of her bridesmaids, in a hug.

"I love you, sweetie," she whispered in my ear.

"I love you too, Mom," I answered.

I looked over Mom's shoulder to see Dad gently taking her by the waist. "Come on," he said. "We'll get all the hugs we want at the reception."

Mom nodded and with one final smile at me, allowed herself to be lead down the aisle.

From my place at the altar, I watched as Dad led Mom away from the crowd. Mom's smile actually reached her eyes now. I loved the way Dad could make her smile like that. And I loved the fact that maybe now, after so many years, I would get a happy family like the one I'd always envied my friends for having.

******

"The wedding was so beautiful!" I heard Aunt Willow tell Mom and Dad later that day at the reception. "I'm so happy for you both. See, Buffy? Things did work out for the best."

I jumped back, startled, when I felt a figure brush past me to my parents. "And how's the Buffster doing?"

It was Uncle Xander. Well, Uncle Xander dragging Aunt Cordy behind him.

"Oh, and hey, Dead Boy... er, not so Dead Boy..."

Mom squealed. "Xander, you made it!" she cried as she grabbed him in a huge bear hug. "And Cordy, I didn't think your new movie would allow you some time to come visit the little people."

Aunt Cordy smiled and hugged Mom and Dad respectively. "Don't get used to it!" Aunt Cordy said. "And you... you were afraid to come down here, Angel. You owe me so big for that talk we had..."

Dad clamped a hand over Aunt Cordy's mouth. "You're right," he said. "Lets leave it at that."

Uncle Xander turned and seemed to notice me, standing there to the side watching the interaction between the old friends, for the first time. "Lynn," he said as he put an arm around me and brought me over to the circle of friends. "How's it feel to have a mom and dad now currently married." He held a fist to his mouth, as if it were an invisible microphone.

I giggled. "Nice, I guess..."

"And how does it feel to be the daughter of a Vampire Slayer and a vampire... er, former vampire?"

"Well..."

"Xander," Dad said in a warning tone. I could tell that he was used to talking to Uncle Xander like that.

"No, no," I said. "Um... it feels weird. You know, knowing why I have that extra strength and stuff. It's good to know I don't come from a normal family."

"Here, here!" Xander said, raising his glass of wine. "Welcome to the Hellmouth!"

Everyone laughed.

"Room for one more?" a voice behind me said.

I turned in time to see Uncle Oz behind me. His and Willow's ten year old son, Alex, standing kind of awkwardly at his father's side.

"Oz!" Aunt Willow exclaimed as she ran past me to hug Uncle Oz.

"I decided to take a small break to come be with my family and friends," he said. "Hey congrats, Buffy, Angel."

"Thanks, Oz," Mom said.

Suddenly, a sound of metal clicking against glass was heard through out the room. Uncle Xander cleared his throat and held up a hand. "Excuse me?" he said. Everyone stopped what they were doing and turned to look at Uncle Xander.

"Um, I'd like to say something," he started. "I met Buffy seventeen years ago. I swear... I'll never forget that day. I guess it has something to do with the fact that I kinda fell for her."

There was laughter in the room.

"But she wasn't meant for me," Uncle Xander continued. "She turned down my offer for a date, but thankfully, she didn't turn down my offer for friendship.

"And, okay, so I held a grudge against Angel for months after that because he managed to get the girl I had wanted so badly. But really, I think he's a great guy, and I can't think of anyone better fit for the Buffster over there. And I got over her anyway. My movie star wife kinda helped, too..."

Once again, laughter filled the room and I saw Aunt Cordy slap his arm lightly.

"And now look how great it turned out," Uncle Xander said. "They had a beautiful daughter." He gestured at me and I know I must've blushed. "I mean, come on, is that Buffy and Angel's kid, or what? Buffy's face, Angel's hair..."

I motioned for him to stop talking about me and he smiled. "Now she's embarrassed," he said. "They have a beautiful daughter, and who knows, maybe another one on the way?"

"Xander!" Mom hissed at him.

Uncle Xander held up two hands in surrender. "The point of all my rambling is: I'm happy for you. I know I disapproved of Angel for a long time. And I know I seemed like a jealous idiot for the longest time... which I probably was, by the way. But putting all that aside, I can't think of anyway else better for you than Angel. And I couldn't be any happier for both of you. You know what? You deserve all the happiness in the world."

"Here, here!" The words echoed throughout the reception hall.

As everyone took the toast and got back to the talking and dancing, I saw Jade and Daniel go up to my mother. I got close to see what was going on.

"I'm really happy for you, Buffy," Jade said. "This all turned out really weird, but I'm really happy."

Mom leaned forward and enveloped both Jade and Daniel into a hug. Ever since they had moved to Sunnydale four years ago, Mom had treated them both like her own. "I'm glad you're both here," Mom told them. "But, hey, I know you're all probably bored out of your minds in here with the old people. Go, do something fun."

"No way," Daniel said. "I'm great here. I just met one of your cousins and I'm having a great time."

Mom laughed as Jade slapped Daniel lightly on the arm. "Behave," she told her brother.

Finally, I stepped forward. Dad was holding Mom around the waist, his chin resting on top of her head. It looked like the most natural thing in the world to me.

"Congratulations, guys," I told them.

"Thank you," Dad said. "For being understanding and accepting of me. I know it was hard, but..."

I shook my head. "We already had this talk."

He smiled. "I promise, as soon as Buffy and I get back from Ireland, you and I are going to have one of those father/daughter things and just talk."

"It's a deal," I said sticking out my hand. He shook it dutifully and then pulled me in for a hug.

"May I?" I heard a voice say behind me. I turned to see the photographer standing there.

I nodded and he snapped the picture. When he was about to take another one, I held up a hand. "Wait!" I said. "This picture is missing something."

I took Mom's hand and pulled her stand to my other side. "Say cheese!" Mom cried.

I smiled to the camera, feeling truly happy. Here we were... mother, father, and daughter; a small, happy family together forever. This was the new start Mom and Dad so wanted and deserved.

Yeah, so maybe I was her little souvenir. But at least it got Dad to come back. And I think we will live happily ever after.

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