Summary: Angel's trying his best to deal with the loss of Buffy, when a small child enters his life.
Timeline: 5th BTVS and 2nd Ats. Season finale!!!
Rating: Same as the show. I hope...
Disclaimer: Don't own them, so don't sue cuz my grammy's sick and all I have to give is some lint and two pieces of double mint gum!
Notes: I had this weirdo dream... this is the fic which came from that dream.... (gosh, phiolsiphical much?)
Notes2: ~dates/dreams~ <thoughts> Plus, be surprised, cuz I'm just making this up as I go along!
Notes3: Basically, 5th and 2ns season finales, its totally AU after that stuff. I'm probably gonna do another one of these. I've got tons of ideas for the whole solution to season finale prob. This will probably one of many. The situation Joss had brought up just intrigues me.
Notes4: I will get on the Rewriting series, chill! All right?

Part 1

Daniel Osbourne hoped out of his, now zebra striped, van. He had changed it back to something that was familiar after he had left her. It was the way his beat up old van looked that second time he saw her on Halloween. He was strong enough to say that he missed her. More and more as time went by, but there was nothing he could do.

Standing across from the welcome sign, Oz's thoughts wondered forth. He now knew why Angel had left his only love. <Because he was a danger to her. Like me with my Willow.> Oz sighed as he walked toward the sign. He lightly placed his hand on the `S' and wondered what
could have happened to good old Sunnydale in his absence. Most of his thoughts stuck around Willow.

But he wasn't back for Willow. He was back because of Buffy. The news of her . . . death had spread through out the country, in little less than a week. When he had heard of her death in Florida, while walking down the street one night, he didn't believe it. From what he had seen of Buffy, she was a strong, independent girl.

Though there were times he, and maybe he alone had seen her weaken during a class. See her glance at the window, or talk sadly with Willow. She didn't enjoy her life as much as she would have wanted to, but he figured it was the same for him when he became a werewolf.

Again, the thought struck him. Why had she died? The world was still in the same shape it had been before. Why would fate allow her to die? His one true love's dear friend was now dead, six feet under...

He looked sadly at the sign. He knew the old gang was probably mourning, and that Willow would be crying madly, but he had to come, as if he were drawn here. In many ways, Buffy was his best friend, too. She had taught him, as well as the others so much. Not only in
combat, but also in life. He owed it to the girl who saved him millions of times from killing others in his wolf form.

He owed it to her to come here this night. He was about to head back into his truck, when he heard tiny footsteps treading up the road. His senses came up, as he felt something... something filled with power. Taking proper care, Oz went toward his truck and hid. Watching
from his rolled up window, as the sight finally came into view.

She scurried to stop in front of the big sign. Her little dress hanging around her loosely. Oz watched as she spoke softly to herself, his preternatural hearing homing in.

"Ooh. This is Sunnydale." She said, "So, that's where we are. I know you were scared, too, piggy. But, we gotta be strong. We'll find mummy! You'll see!"

He frowned, and watched as the little barrel of sunshine ran off into the town of Sunnydale. Something in her struck him as odd. She had a strong aura, an essence that demanded respect. That willed power as if it was made from pure energy.

Oz frowned, starting up his van.

Since when did a six-year-old admit so much power?

Part 2

Willow Rosenberg was curled in a ball. Her new love, lay beside her, fast asleep.

<How can she sleep?> Willow thought, watching Tara breathe in and out. <How can she when Buffy's gone?>

The question had plagued her mind ever since her death.

How?

How.

How!

How could they take her? She didn't have to die. It wasn't fair. Willow balled her hands into angry fists as she curled more into the pillow she was choking with her death grip embrace. It was true. Fate was cruel.

<Not only cruel.> Willow thought, <But heartless and stupid. Stupid, stupid fate!> She scolded as if fate was a child who had done something wrong. It wasn't suppose to be like this. It was suppose to be better.

They saved the world again. <Buffy saved the world again.> Willow corrected. They were suppose to be tired afterwards. Not from tears, but from their injuries. They were suppose to gather everyone together and go to ER. They were suppose to make up some lame excuse,
that they were mugged again. They were suppose to make dry jokes as they waited for everyone to be done getting casts, stitches, or slings. They were suppose to go home and get a good night's rest. Then celebrate their success the next mourning with talks and laughs. With Xander's usually, "We saved the world," speech. With Giles' usually correction, that there were going to be other threats too. With her optimistic outlook on the situation...

And Buffy. Just *being* there.

Just being alive.

That's all Buffy was suppose to do the next day...

But, instead, Willow spent it on the way to Los Angeles. Being the only one who was capable of moving, of living Sunnydale, if only for a while. Being the only one to be the bearer of bad news, of grief to Angel's group.

She remembered the way she could hear them laughing. Their laughs made her want to sob. How could they laugh while Buffy was dead? How could they?! Buffy was dead! Didn't they care?!

<Of course they did,> Willow's logic kicked in, <Angel most of all.>

She had been scared of what Angel would have done. But she had been brave. Her heart sobbed horribly when Angel had said those words...

"Its Buffy..."

How he had known, she didn't care. She had simply let out a sob, before sitting back down. Shockingly, Cordelia had been the first person to rush to her side, asking what had happened.

And then, it had just came out. Like a volcano's running lava. The mass of raging hot words poured out of her as her anger and sorrow rose again. She had looked up to see Cordelia crying, and Wesley comforting her. The two people she did not know, had slowly sunk into
the background, leaving the room.

Angel's actions had not surprised her at all.

He had quietly turned, and like a zombie, climbed the stairs up, and wondered out of sight. She had wondered around the hotel while waiting for Angel, and her best guess was that he had gone to the roof. She had sniffed and excused herself so that she might be able to help the souled vampire in his time of pain.

Telling someone, anyone, that a loved one had was dead, was not easy. Telling Angel, *Angel*, that Buffy was gone, was something she herself never expected she could have done.

She had gone to him, seeing him on the roof. He was standing on the very ledge of his hotel, and Willow wanted to shout at him to get down. But then again, this was Angel.

~ "Angel," Willow had started, "Please come down from there."

She took a few steps toward him, "Angel, please. Talk to me."

"I felt it," He said softly, his voice choked with emotion.

"What?" Willow walked toward him, resting her hands a bit to the side, but close enough to see if he would fall.

"I felt her die, Willow." He said hoarsely, "I felt her die... and I didn't even think about what it had been... what it was that I had felt."

Willow watched sadly as Angel went on, starring down at the street below, "I felt her die, and it didn't even hit me that it could have been her."

Willow inhaled, trying to control her emotions, "Angel... I told you that we... we buried her... we're not gonna have a funeral, not a tradtional one, anyway. It be too painful, and we don't want to spend it, knowing that no one who really knew her, is going to show up. We don't want some priest there, some guy who didn't know her." Willow touched Angel's pant leg, gently tugging at it so he would look down at her.

"But we are going to have a small ceremony..." She went on, "We're going to gather around her, each one of us talking to her privately, and then Tara, my girlfriend, and I are going to hold a memorial of her. Gather things from her friends that had special meaning to her and them... Dawn and I really want you to come."

She waited, watching as his eyes glazed over with pre-tears, the way his eyes shined in the moonlight. The way his battered soul was screaming out in pain, though he was as silent as death.

"It's next week Tuesday." Willow smiled faintly, "Y'know, Buffy's favorite day of the week... will you come?"

Angel turned to her, his body stiff, "I'll come," He said, and with that he jumped off the hotel.

And Willow cried out.~

Willow sniffed, remembering how Angel hadn't even tried to land on his feet, which she knew he could. He had simply fell....

Cordelia had come rushing out, cursing at him for being so stupid while the tears still fell. Wesley and that other man she did not know took him inside. They took him to his bed, and helped clean up most of his wounds from the fall.

Willow told Cordelia about the funeral, and Cordelia promised Willow that she would do everything in her power to make sure he went. "Even if it means tying him up and dragging his undead ass down there!" She had joked, even as the tears fell, smudging her make up.

For the first time in her life, Willow had reached out, and gave Cordelia one of the biggest hugs of her life. She had said her goodbyes, and left.

Willow turned over in bed, wiping at her tears frantically.

It wasn't fair, dammit, it wasn't fair! Buffy didn't ask for any of this! Why did they take her?! Why? Why? Why?! WHY?!

Her anger surged through her, and like a bolt of lightening, her mind struck out, and broke the glass vase in the corner of the room. Awakening both Tara and their kitty.

Part 3

"I've got a lovely bunch o' coconuts.... there--there they are, a standin' in a row. Big one's, small one's, some as big as ya `ead!" Spike slurred as he tossed another empty bottle of whiskey over his shoulder.

Seated in the shadow of a tall gravestone, Spike burped loudly before glancing around himself. His lap was covered in bottles of liquor, and he licked his lips as he looked around for that damn bottle. He glanced around again, before grabbing the nearest bottle and taking a swing.

He tried it again.

He squinted at it, bringing it up close to his face, then turned it over so the bottom stood up. Nothing came out.

"Damn," He slurred.

Empty.

"Ah..." Spike slowly started to stand, yawning on the way. He blindly reached for the stone behind him, getting his balance as the world spun, being a real bitch.

<What the bloody hell are you talkin' about?> Spike managed to think in his wasted state, "The world bloody took `er away."

After her death, he cursed the world enough times to last his undead lifetime in killings. He had once told Buffy, that he liked this world. That it had everything he could ever want.

Now, he hated. Almost wished that bleedin' Angelus had taken the friggin' world and buried the world in hell.

<Isn't....> Spike wobbled forward, <Isn't that where I bloody am?>

"Ah, hell," Spike scorned, leaning against a tree, then slowly slumped down onto his knees, "Stupid friggin' world... taking my Slay... my Slay... my Slayer..." He fell forward, landing face first on the souled earth, "No good wanker of a bloody world...."

"That's not a nice thing to say," He heard a tiny voice murmur.

"What the bloody hell..." Spike looked up, his vision still blurry. From what he could see was something entirely pink, with massive high blond pigtails. Holding a plushed pig...

"That's not a nice word either," The little girl said, holding her pig to her chest. She looked at him with wide eyes, all the ribbons that went around her pigtails bouncing when she turned her head. They did nothing, but annoy his eyes, glittering in the moonlight.

"You shouldn't be out here, pet," Spike mumbled, turning his face to the side, his nose in the grass.

The child giggled, "You're a funny old man!"

"Old man?" He started, getting up, then falling down again, "Who you callin' ol' man?"

She giggled again, "You're funny! Are you a clown?"

"Clown?!" Spike snarled, "I ain't no bloody clown!"

The child shrugged, "Okay. Me and piggy have to go now. We're looking for mommy."

"Hell if I know where she is..." Spike groaned as he fell back to the ground, "All I know is... is... is."

"You talk funny. Bye!" She tossed over her shoulder before speeding down the graveyard, huffing as her pigtails flew behind her.

"Like friggin' Mary sunshine..." Spike murmured before falling asleep.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Giles growled at the loud insistent banging at his door. He had just gotten to sleep, after finally putting Dawn to bed upstairs, and the couch was fairly uncomfortable. And with Buffy's funeral tomorrow night, he needed the rest. Who the hell would be knocking at this
hour? He wouldn't expect this from anyone, but Buffy...

Almost in a moment of insanity, hoping she was there, he hurried toward the door and threw the it open.... Only to see a face he hadn't seen in ages...

"Oz?" Giles started, "Ah, what are you doing here?"

"I heard," Oz said simply, "I'm here. Paying my respects."

Giles nodded, taking that in seriously, "Thank you, Oz. But, couldn't this wait until morning?"

"I was gonna go see my parents, but something happened." Oz explained, "I'd figured you could help."

"What is it?" Giles asked, placing his glasses on.

"I saw this little girl near the entrance of town." Oz started as he came in, "She looked alone. I'd figure I'd track her. I'm worried she's gonna get herself into trouble."

"A little girl you say?" Giles went over to his couch and turned on a lamp, "What would a little girl be doing out at this hour?"

Oz frowned, "I heard her say something about looking for mommy."

"Yes, well, perhaps she is looking for her mother," Giles thought, "Nevertheless, we should go and search for her. I best contact Angel and the others." He moved toward the phone.

"Angel's in town?" Oz questioned, surprised.

"Yes, for Buffy's funeral tomorrow night." Giles said, grabbing the phone, "Dawn wanted him here. She said he was apart of her..."

"How is Dawn?" Oz asked, concerned for the girl who used to look at him while practicing guitar around Buffy, and tell him how cool he was.

"She's...." Giles dialed the number, "She's living... that's all any of us could ask for."

"Yes, Tara, hello... no, it is not that. I need you and Willow to get here as soon as possible..."

Part 4

"Ooh, that looks like a good place to look." The little girl told piggy as she ran into the large mansion. It was so big!

As quietly as she could, she crawled under the small gate, dragging piggy with her. She let out a tiny noise as she fell forward, with piggy. She shook her head, standing back up, and dusting off her dress.

"It looks big, piggy," She said softly as she wondered through the strange and foreign garden, and inside. She avoided the large drape that covered the area around the entranceway and walked into a large room.

It looked like it was made out of stone. With a large couch, a fireplace, and some other strange things.

"It.. it doesn't look so big," She said, "It... its not scary... is it piggy? No... not scary." The little girl jumped at the sudden sound of people.

"Uh-oh!" She squeaked, running toward the empty fireplace and crawling inside, to the farthest back.

She watched from the safety of the dark as four figures walked inside. One of them wore a skirt, so that had to mean one of them was a girl.

<I think.> Her heart pounding as she crushed piggy to her chest.

"We looked all over for this girl," A sharp girl voice spoke up, "For three hours, and the sun's gonna rise soon!"

She winced. The little girl didn't like the sound of her voice. She bet piggy didn't like it either.

"Let's not jump to conclusions, Cordelia," A softer, yet strict voice said, "This is a small child we are talking about. She could be hurt, or worse."

<Huh?> She opened her eyes, and watched the one in the skirt shift from foot to foot. <Does she have ants in her shoes?> She wondered, then looked down, <No... those are big shoes! She has big feet! She could be a clown, too! Just like that old man!>

"The point is, we looked, right?" Another voice sounded, "Now, can we get some rest, man?"

"I guess we should do that." Another voice said.

She tensed, <Why does that voice sound familiar?> She wondered as they talked.

"Hopefully, who ever she is, she's safe..."

<Wait.> She thought, <Are they looking for me?> She gasped loudly, then Immediately clamped her chubby fingers over her own mouth.

"What was that?" The girl asked, glancing around.

"What was what?" That more loud voice asked.

"Don't tell me you didn't hear it." The girl said.

<Oh, please don't find me.> She hoped, holding onto piggy.

"Heard what?" He asked again, "Cordelia...."

"Shh!"

The little girl watched as they all walked out of sight. She waited for a minute, listening if they were around. <Nobody around, now.> Quickly she hopped out of the fireplace, only to be grabbed by snaking hands and lifted up.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Aah!" She shrieked, her voice a shrill, "Mommy!"

"Isn't that the missing child?" Wesley questioned.

"Damn right it is!" Cordelia snapped while the tiny child wiggled in her arms, "And the little fungus has been hiding here all this time!"

"No," The little girl wiggled, "Let me go!" She gasped as he slowly slipped from her arms, "Piggy!"

"Not until you tell us what you're doing here." Cordelia snapped at her.

"Cordelia." Angel spoke again, in a warning voice. He didn't like the way she was handling that little girl. She was so tiny. She looked about the age of five, maybe even six. She wore tiny black shoes, frilly socks, and pink skirt, with a matching shirt, almost as if she wore a dress. Her hair was a dark blond, tied up with bright red ribbons and bows, in high pigtails that reached down to her shoulders. Her hair slightly curly at the ends, strands of ringlets
running by her ears. Her short arms reached for stuffed pig with a vengeance, her chubby hands making grabbing motions in the air.

"What?" Cordelia nearly snapped, holding the girl by her waist a little ways away from her.

"No." The girl grunted, wiggling, "Mommy! Daddy! I wanna go home! Let me go! I wanna go home!" In seconds, she broke into sobs, loud and painful. Her crying was so loud that she had not noticed the strong beams of light that began to circle her. The brilliant hot light, so
bright that it nearly blinded Cordelia.

"What the--"

"Cord!"

"I wanna go home!" The girl sobbed, even as that beam formed together and bolted upward like lightening, breaking the sky light above.

Cordy shouted as the sharp pieces glass fell down. And promptly put the girl down and ran toward Gunn. She stood behind him, watching the brilliant hot light begin to die, as did the girl's horrible sobbing.

"Mommy... daddy..." She sniffed, sitting on the ground with her knees together. Her hands wiping at her tears, "I wanna go home...." She let out two more sobs.

The four from Los Angeles stood stunned as the little girl drew her pig toward her, her sobs so quiet you couldn't even hear it.

Angel was about to walk forward, when a shrill laughter gave out. He looked up to the ceiling, and saw a skinny white haired women dressed in a light blue robe. Her hair was back in a braid, "What's wrong little princess? Can't find you're way home anymore? Don't you worry. I'll take you home."

The little girl gasped, even as the weird women went on, "I saw the beam." She slowly moved to the ground, in front of the girl, "Don't think about running, you little brat."

"What do you want?" She asked, shaking, "You're scaring me. Please, just go away."

"Oh, how sweet, I'm reduced to tears," The women sneered, she  took a step toward her, and in a quick flash, Angel grabbed the little girl in his arms. She let out a tiny yelp, before she clung to him.

"You're not taking her anywhere." Angel said, his voice harsh.

"Oh, wonderful." She rolled her eyes, "It's the vampire.... she warned me about you."

Angel's angry face turned into a frown, even as the women went on, "It's a shame I can't hurt you, but she did say that she wanted the little brat, so hand her over before I blast you back into the eighteenth century."

"No." Angel said, even as the girl snuggled into his embrace, her eyes never leaving the strange women.

"Fine, then," She smiled, brought her hand up, and suddenly, Angel was sent flying back into his garden, the dark magick of this women sending him.

"Angel!" Cordelia shouted as the creepy woman walked toward him.

"Stupid vampire," She hissed.

Angel got to his feet, the child still in his arms, now crying softly, "Don't let her take me." She cried.

"I won't." He said.

She was about to attack him, when a sudden coming presence stopped her. She turned slightly, her ear listening, then cursed, "Until we meet again, brat!" And with that, she vanished.

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