Disclaimer: Only the kids (and Wesley's wife) are mine. The rest (Buffy, Angel, Willow, Oz, Cordelia, Doyle, Xander, Anya, Giles, Joyce, Wesley, Spike, Faith and Tara) are property of Joss Whedon, Warner Brothers etc etc , etc
Author's Note: Denial makes the world go around. Here I go, venting again.
Distribution: Faith's philosophy: Want - Take - Have - Let me know
Feedback: Please!!!! Or I'll do something drastic

Year 2020
Immortal

We have a tradition in the summer. We always go to Playa Linda Beach in Sunnydale. Since all the permanent residents leave Sunnydale for Los Angeles or New York for the summer, so the town is nice and quiet. Only Willow and Oz, Anya and Xander and Mum and Giles stayed in Sunnydale. The rest of us got the hell out of Sunnydale.

Angel got his Shansau the Christmas Eve of 2002. He and everyone else got immortality as well. Doyle was also returned to us. We all practically have perfect lives.

Me ? Angel and I had this beautiful wedding. Very extravagant. I had a baby nine months later. Christina Gypsy Aistias. She died at three months because her heart was too small. Angel and I lived in his flat below the Angel Investigations office until then. He bought me the most beautiful house in Los Angeles. I work in Oz's record company, managing some of the bands.

Willow and Oz reunited and got married Graduation Day as a sign of independence. Willow is a doctor for the three slayers (Isia, Lauren and Kym) and Oz owns the record company I work at - Scooby Gang Records. They have three kids - Robert (15), Holly (10) and Jennifer ( 8).

When Doyle returned Christmas Eve, Cordelia insisted that he married her. So they found a priest and got married Christmas Day. Two girls - Jasmine ( 17) and Isabelle (7). Doyle works in the Angel Investigations and Cordelia is a model.

Anya and Xander never really got married. They have twins - Alexis and Annika - who are 9. Xander bought a beautiful flat in Sunnydale and got himself a proper job - he bought the Bronze. Anya doesn't work, she stays home and cleans.

Wesley left Angel's team three years ago. He returned to London and got married to a lady named Emma, who works for the Watcher's Council. He has one child, James, who is three.

Mum and Giles got married and took in the orphaned Slayer, Isia, who is 15. She came from India, her parents dead. Mum and Giles also adopted two other children - Carlo (12) and Sam (4). Giles opened a book shop, The Happy Scone.

The kids are charging around the beach, making me wish I had a child. I jam on my sunglasses and listened to Izzy order Jen around. Annika is playing with her boogie board.

"Buffy," Cordelia smiles as I join her.

"Hey Cordy. How are things ?" I ask, a bit listlessly.

"Jas wants to go away for the weekend with friends. I said no and she refuses to speak to me," Cordy sighed. "Help me please !"

How in hell am I suppose to help, my only daughter died `cause her heart was too small! I mentally scream. But I smile sympathetically and nod. "I'll talk to her," I stand up. I will. later.

The guys are sitting around, drinking beer. I wrap my arms around Angel's waist. He leans down and kisses me.

"God, do you guys ever stop ?" Xander laughed. I smile weakly.

"How are things with that new band, Buffy ?" Doyle asked.

"They're good. Very new to the business," I take Angel's beer and take a mouthful. Jasmine walks over to her father

"Dad-dy. Isabelle took the surf board," she put her hands on her hips. She looks beautiful - long brown hair, Doyle's eyes, Cordy's smile and height. I know Jasmine had a dieting problem a few months ago. I think she still struggles. Doyle spoils them rotten (Angel is roping in a lot more money these days.) Since Cora is a major model, they know how show biz works.

"Tell Belle that she has ten more minutes," Doyle said simply. Jas smiled victoriously and turned to leave. "Jazzy, please talk to your mother," Doyle requested with a pained expression.

I listen to the boring conversation half heartedly, adding comments, and tugging my top tighter around myself.

"It's two - lets have a swim and start lunch," Oz stripped down to his swimming trunks. The guys tug off their shirts and headed to the water. So did the girls. I stood on the shore, listening to the younger children squeal as their parents joined them.

"Come on Buffy!" bellowed Xander. I pretended not to hear him and went for a work around the rocks. The rocks are massive boulders, pushed up against one another against the cliff face. I love coming here in autumn and lying on them; the sun hits them 12 hours a day. The water is beautiful around there as well.

I clamber up the rocks and lie down. It's so nice and calming. I can here Annika and Jen turn against Izzy. Little girls are very funny.

I must've fallen asleep, because I am jerked awake awhile later by Angel.

"Buffy, love, you fell asleep," he lies beside me. "Oz and Xander have started the barbecue, Willow and Rob have gone to get more soft drink."

I stretch, almost discarding my bikini top. Angel chuckles softly and draws little circles on my thigh.

"Are you okay, baby ?" he whispers.

"Sometimes," I sit up. My hands go to my face. It feels hot, it must be burnt. My legs are a golden browny colour, which Cordelia will die for.

"C'mon, sexy, lets go find the gang," he helps me stand and then reties my sarong.

"Where have you been, Buff ?" Xander asks.

"Sleeping," I tease, seeing Alexis and Annika fighting over a bucket. I sigh and sort the argument out.

We then curl up under the umbrella and eat sausages, hamburgers and orange soft drink. Robert sits next to me and we chat about school and life. Apparently, he has this girl at school, Gracie, who likes him and he likes her, but she isn't allowed to date. Everyone loves me, because their kids talk to me, so I could tip Willow off when Robert tried to mix Jack Daniels and milk, when Jas brought her boyfriend back to the Doyle house.

Everyone curls up under the umbrella and sleep. I lie across Angel's chest and try to sleep. I snatch a couple of minutes, but finally Jen, Isabelle, Holly and Annika insist I take them to the ice cream parlor up the wharf, so I tug on my sarong and piggy back Jen up the beach. The four girls gaze at the flavours before deciding on strawberry, chocolate, bubble - gum and rainbow, respectively. I bought myself a bar of chocolate and walked the girls back.

I laugh as I see the gang attempting to play volley ball. I sit with the girls on the sidelines and cheer for the winning team.

A group of teenagers approach us. Rob drops the ball and jogs over to a nice looking girl, with brown hair in a bob.

"Hi Gracie," he stammers. She smiles and steps aside. We lose interest in the conversation and get back to the game.

"Buffy, take Rob's position," Anya calls. I jump to my feet and scoop up the runaway ball. On of the teenage boys hands me the ball and smiles flirtatiously at me.

"I'm Greg."

I jog back over to the game and serve the ball. I always ignore those sickos.

~*~*~*~

It' 8 o clock and Oz started a fire in the lid of a metal barrel. Holly rooted up a bag of marshmallows and we roasted them.

It got cold and I pulled on a sweatshirt over my bikini. I cuddled close to Angel and held a sticky marshmallow in one hand. After this, we'll head back to Willow's and sack out on her lounge room floor. Tomorrow morning, Angel and Oz will make pancakes for breakfast, we'll all play basketball in the backyard for a couple of hours, then Willow and I will make half a ton of sandwiches and Angel and I will drive back to LA about three o clock.

Because, not matter how alone we feel, tradition is almost deeper than culture. Sometimes even deeper.

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