Creative Works   

Once Again (Page 4)
By Amy Mina
amymina(at)yahoo.com

Disclaimer: Characters such as Buffy, Angel, Xander and others belong to Joss Whedon and the WB. The few characters that I have made up such as Marissa and Jeff belong to me.
Note to Readers: This takes place before Becoming, there will probably be less blubbering reading this than watching that. *sob* Anyway, if you are looking for the next part to this story at any time and don't feel like emailing me (amymina(at)yahoo.com), check Chrystal's site first. She always gets it earlier than the other sites. The parts will probably be coming slower considering I am graduating from high school and then starting college in the summer. If it takes awhile for the next part to show up, don't panic, I am working on it! Thanks for all of the kind comments and interest!

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Part 4

"Do you think this was a wise choice?" Joyce asked her husband, as they parked outside of their granddaughter's house. "I know she knows us, but maybe the council was right in not letting Angel be the guardian of his daughter."

Giles turned to face his wife, and took her hand in his. "Joyce, relax. Angel will take care of his daughter, and if he doesn't want her, which I highly doubt, Xander has promised to take good care of her."

"That's true."

"Come on," said Giles, as he got out of the car. Joyce followed and they walked up to the steps of the complex they were standing in front of. Joyce took Giles' hand and tried to appear confident. They didn't even get to the door before Marissa opened it and came running out.

"Grandpa, grandma!" the girl cried excitedly. She ran to Giles' and he caught her and lifted her into the air. She wrapped her arms around his neck. Marissa was very fond of her grandparents. She had also met Xander a few years earlier, and had instantly liked him.

Marissa got down and walked over to Joyce. She understood that she could not jump on her grandmother, but she wasn't quite sure why. She just knew that it could hurt her. She held out her arms, and Joyce gave her a hug. "Claire and Dave said that I get to live with you," she said into Joyce's hair, daring her to say otherwise. Joyce pulled back and looked at the young girl.

"Of course," said Joyce. "We are going to take you back to America with us."

Marissa smiled, and Giles' watched, noticing how much her character was like Buffy. When she smiled, it was like she brightened up the whole room with her smile. "Am I going to get to meet my dad?" asked Marissa, a note of sadness showing from behind the smile.

"We're not sure yet," said Giles, bending down to the height of the child as she turned to look at him. "But, Xander has said that you can stay with him, maybe live with him if you want to."

"Is my mommy better?"

"No, I'm afraid not."

The girl looked like she was going to cry for an instant before brightening. "Yea, I'm going America! I get to see Uncle Xander!" She went running off into the house that she had lived in for the first five and a half years of her life. Dave, her foster father, came out, carrying a suitcase. He put it into the truck on the car for Joyce and Giles.

"Take care of Marissa," he said to them.

"Don't worry," replied Giles. "We'll take good care of her."

Dave nodded. "There are a few other things that we will have shipped to you as soon as we can."

"Thank you," said Joyce.

Marissa came running back out and jumped into the back of the car. "Let's go people! I want to see Uncle Xander!"

Joyce laughed at Marissa and Giles held the door open for her. She got in, and Giles soon followed on the drivers' side to drive to the airport.

. . .

Xander grabbed his keys and shouted for Angel. "Hey, Angel, we're going to be late!!"

"Calm down," replied Angel, standing only a few feet from Xander. "I'm right here."

Xander jumped in surprise and turned to look at him. "Angel, I know for over two hundred years you snuck around and tried to be as quiet as possible, but please, learn to make some type of noise."

Angel let out a small smile. "That would be too easy for you Harris, it's better when you are jumpy." Xander looked at his friend, surprised at the change from a few days earlier. Angel went through the door, and stopped at the bottom of the steps. Xander locked the door and shut it behind him, letting Angel take his arm as they walked to the car.

Xander was looking forward to seeing Giles and Joyce again. They had mentioned to him that they were still trying to get custody of Marissa. Upon hearing this, Xander said that she could stay with Angel and himself. Of course, he hadn't told Angel, and Giles hadn't called him back. He was beginning to wonder if she was coming.

He started up the car and headed in the direction of Cordelia's house. Willow and Jeff were meeting them at the airport and they were all going to go out for pizza afterwards. When he finally arrived at the more expensive part of town, he pulled into Cordelia's driveway, and she walked outside, a scowl firmly in place on her face. She got into the car and slammed the car, buckled up, and crossed her arms over her chest. Angel was the first to speak up once they were safely on the road.

"So, Cordelia, are you upset?" Cordelia sent him a look that would have melted ice, and turned back around. Xander glared at his friend in the rear-view mirror, wishing he hadn't said that. Why can't he be in one of his more brooding moods today? he thought to himself. Taking Cordelia's hand in his own, he approached her attitude more sensitively.

"Cordelia, what's wrong?"

"Daddy, what else would be the problem."

"What happened?"

"He wants to buy us a house for our wedding present. I told him that we want to survive on our own, but no. He is getting on my nerves. I can't wait to leave."

"Cordelia, if you would rather-" started Xander, before he was cut off.

"No way, I want to make a name for myself in this world on my own. I'm sick of living under my father's name." Xander had to restrain himself from smiling. This was so different from the Cordy that he had known in high school, and he liked it.

"Good for you," encouraged Angel from the back seat.

"Thank you," replied Cordelia.

"What ever makes you happy," said Xander at the stoplight, leaning over to give her a quick kiss.

"Thank you, sweetheart," she whispered.

"Now, is everyone ready to see Giles and Joyce?"

"Not really," replied Angel, still a little uncomfortable around Joyce.

"Don't worry," replied Cordelia, "everything is going to be fine."

. . .

"Where's Uncle Xander?" questioned Marissa, looking around. Joyce had to chuckle and shake her head. She may be Buffy's daughter, but she didn't look much like her. With curly black hair that was grown to halfway down her back, it was obvious she was Angel's child. The thing that really resembled Buffy was the young girl's attitude. She was always energetic and talking. The couple sitting in front of them on the plane had conversed with the young girl, and now she knew quite a bit about them. It had been interesting to watch.

Giles looked around, but the small crowd of waiters noticed them before he had a chance to spot them. Willow was the first to run over and engulf him in a hug. Quickly, Xander and Cordelia followed. He received a handshake from Xander, and a gently hug from Cordelia. Willow was enthusiastically welcoming Joyce. Only Jeff and Angel hung back. Jeff, because he wasn't "one" of the crowd, and Angel because he couldn't see the crowd.

Marissa saw Xander and ran forward, wrapping her arms around his legs and sitting on his feet. When looked down and saw the little bundle sitting on his feet, his face broke into a grin, and he bent down to pick her up. She hugged him tightly and she kissed him on the cheek.

"Hey there, Munchkin," he said to her. She smiled, and giggled.

"Can I stay with you, Xander? Grandpa said that I could."

Xander sent Giles a questioning look. He then looked at the little girl and smiled. "I don't know, Hon. I have to ask my roommate."

Her brow wrinkled as she tried to understand. "Why? Does he hate little girls?"

Xander couldn't help but laugh at that. "No, he doesn't hate little girls, he just needs to have a choice in the matter."

"Ask him then," she demanded, spelling out her simple solution.

"Well, there is something you need to know first."

"What?" she questioned.

"He...he can't see anything."

"He's blind?" Her eyes widened in surprise.

"Yes, honey, he's blind."

"Can I meet him? Please, Uncle Xander?" she questioned, giving him the lip. Xander raised his eyebrows at Giles over Marissa's head and Giles nodded. Xander put down the girl and walked her over to Angel. Angel was standing with his cane supporting a large amount of this weight, obviously feeling out of place. Marissa looked up at him in wonder. Xander though what a giant he much have looked like to the child.

"Angel," said Xander, getting his attention, "I have someone I want you to meet."

Angel turned in Xander's direction, and Marissa intervened. "He doesn't look blind, Uncle Xander." Xander could feel his face turned red, and watched for Angel's reaction. It took a few moments, but Angel smiled and bent down, trying to judge how high she stood. He smiled at Marissa.

"Hello there. What's you name, little one?"

"Marissa." Angel's face turned white, but he managed not to faint, or fall on his butt. He gave the girl shaky smile.

"She wants to stay with us for awhile," said Xander. "What do you think, Angel."

Angel still seemed to be in a slight case of shock, but he nodded his head. "Sure," he mumbled. "She can sleep in my room."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive. A girl needs to have her own room with bachelors, don't ya?" he asked Marissa.

"Thank you," she replied.

"Anytime," said Angel. He stood up and smiled at Xander. "Are we going out for that pizza?"

"Sure, let's get going."

It took awhile to get everyone's luggage and pile into the two cars, but they arrived at T-Putt's pizza, famished. Once they had ordered, Giles gave Marissa a few quarters, and he followed her over to go play some games. Everyone else except for Joyce followed to play some of their own. She sat in silence with Angel for a few minutes, until he spoke up.

"What does she look like?" he asked, almost in a whisper. Joyce turned to look at him, thinking for a few moments.

"Beautiful. She has your shade of hair, and Buffy's enthusiasm for life. She's always talking."

"Really?"

"Always. Ask about her school day, and you'll probably receive a full speech. She loves everyone and doesn't judge them."

"Does she know about Buffy and I?"

"She knows about Buffy, and she knows you are alive. But if you are asking if she knows that you are her father, the answer is no."

Angel gave Joyce a small smile. "Are you going to visit Buffy tomorrow?"

"I want to."

"May I go with you?"

Joyce looked at him in surprise. "Of course. I'll call you to let you know when to be ready."

"Thank you."

. . .

Buffy smiled triumphantly. She had just overcome her guilt for Oz. Nothing was going to keep her here now. She was going to return and meet her daughter, Marissa for the first time. She was also going to see Angel again, once she faced her biggest roadblock, his former alter ego, Angelus. That would be the hard part.

. . .

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