Buffy looked out the window as the rain poured from the sky. It hardly ever rained in Sunnydale so this was probably a sign that this was a bad idea. She had gotten the phone call from LA last night after she had put Faith to bed. She knew it would have come eventually, Angel and Faith had been more than close, and somehow it had skipped her mind to let him know what was going on. He had found out though. He always had a way of knowing what was going on, so he had called and asked to see her, and Buffy wasn’t even sure which her he was referring to. She hadn’t seen him since she had been resurrected, he had been busy with his own apocalypse and she had just been trying to make it through the next day. It was going to be difficult seeing him, it always was, the two of them shared something that most people can’t even comprehend and those feelings would never go away. She looked up as Willow walked into her bedroom carrying Faith who was wrapped up in a fluffy bath towel.

“There’s my girl,” she said smiling.

“And we’re all clean, no more cereal in our hair,” Willow said readjusting her hold on the baby.

“Well that’ll teach us to let her feed herself,” Buffy said going to the cupboard and pulling out a pair of grey tracksuit pants and long sleeved purple t-shirt for Faith to wear.

“The book said that she should be starting to do it by herself but maybe we should help her a bit more before we totally let her fly solo,” Willow said handing Faith over so Buffy could get her changed.

“I think our kitchen floor would probably appreciate it,” Buffy smirked lifting Faith back up off the bed once she had gotten her changed.

“So are you nervous about seeing Angel?” Willow asked handing Buffy a pair of socks.

“It’ll be weird, I haven’t really spoken to him since we had the big fight when Faith was in LA,” Buffy said putting a pair of Egg

“ Boots on a wriggling Faith, “You know every time I see him it’s like I’m seventeen years old again and all these feelings come rushing back to me.”

“It’s only natural you feel that way. Angel was your first big love there’s always going to be some residual feelings creeping their way back in,” Willow said.

“Well they can creep their way back out I’ve got enough on my plate at the moment I don’t need to get all swoony at the sight of my ex,” Buffy said standing and resting Faith on her hip.

“Are you guys going now? Is Dawnie going with you?” Willow asked as the two headed downstairs.

“No she said she wanted to avoid the broodfest and her and Cordelia have never gotten along,” Buffy shrugged.

“Good an extra set of hands we can put to work,” Xander said coming through the front door, tool belt attached to his waist and umbrella dripping rainwater all over the floor.

“You guys really don’t have to do this now, you can at least wait till I get back and I can help,” Buffy said.

“No, Faith needs her own room and besides it will be fun and you helped pick out all the colours and stuff so it’s not like you completely skipped out in helping,” Willow said bouncing a little.

“I’ve got the paint in the back of the car,” Xander said, “Don’t you worry Faithy your Uncle Xander won’t let you torture yourself by staying in with the Buffster any longer, I’ve got you covered kiddo,” he said taking the baby from Buffy.

“Uncy,” Faith said.

“Yes, Uncle Xander! Will you owe me ten bucks I told you she would say my name first,” Xander said turning to face Willow triumphantly.

“Uncy is hardly your name, until I hear a definite Xander no money will be passing hands, no sirree,” Willow said shaking her head.

“Come on Faithy, Uncle Xander needs the cash, say Uncle Xander,” he said holding Faith out in front of him so they were at eye level.

“Uncy Der,” Faith said with a proud smile, “Uncy Der.”

“There was definite Xanderness in that, cough it up Will,” he said handing Faith back to Buffy.

“Next time you get cereal in your hair I am so not washing it out,” Willow grumbled to Faith begrudgingly handing the money over to the carpenter who held it over his head like a prize.

“Are you sure you don’t need me to stay and help set up her room?” Buffy asked as Xander handed her the overnight bag that sat by the doorway.

“You can’t get out of going by offering to help. All the furniture has been ordered we just have to go and pick it up and when you get back she’ll have a brand spanking new room,” Willow said pushing Buffy towards the door.

“Yeah nothing like a bit of manual labour to kick off a great weekend,” Dawn said sarcastically coming in from the kitchen.

“You could always come with us Dawnie, I’m sure Angel would love to see you,” Buffy said.

“And watch the two of you make lovesick eyes at each other, I’ll pass,” the teen said. They all said their goodbyes at the door and Xander opened his umbrella again to help the girls get out to the car without getting completely soaked.

“You sure you don’t need me to help,” Buffy said sticking her head back in the door.

“GO!” was the reply and she grumbled heading off into the rain.

The Wolfram and Hart office building looked more than intimidating, it was plain frightening. Buffy sat in the car park her hands clenched around the steering wheel. She could feel the tingles that let her know that there were demons around and somehow it just felt wrong going into the law firm.

“Beebee?” Faith asked from the backseat.

Buffy looked at her in the rear view mirror and smiled. The infant was looking back at her questioningly and had Mr. Gordo firmly tucked beneath her arm. Buffy had all but lost the stuffed pig to the baby who had taken a liking to the toy.

“I know baby we’ve gotta go inside but trust me when I tell you that this is going to be all kinds of awkward,” she said unbuckling her seatbelt and slinging her back over her shoulder. Opening Faith’s door she put the Ugg Boot that had fallen off back on the baby’s foot before unbuckling the car seat and lifting Faith out, making sure she had Mr. Gordo with her.

The inside of the law firm was bustling with humans and demons alike. The open planned foyer was nicely furnished and no one gave a second glance to the Slayer walking through with a baby held firmly in her grasp. She whirled around when she heard an unfamiliar voice call her name and before she knew it she was pulled into a tight hug while Faith gave out an indignant cry as she was squished between two bodies.

“Harmony?” Buffy said completely shocked to see the blonde cheerleader, “Aren’t you evil?”

“Yeah, but who isn’t nowadays. I have it on very good authority that Miley Cyrus has hexed the entire world to think she has talent and don’t even get me started on Angelina Jolie, you think a regular human would have that skin, I don’t think so,” Harmony said, “Wait, since when did you have a baby? Does Angel know about this because if he’s going to go and get all depressed and lock himself in his bedroom well, there’s only so much a girl can do to cover for her boss ya know and if I have to take one more angry phone call from then Glagorak demon leader well I’ll stake myself. Actually I probably wouldn’t because ow, but I’d at least ask for a raise or something.”

“Angel is your boss, you actually work here. Wait, you actually work?” Buffy asked incredulously.

“He calls me his secretary but I prefer personal assistant, see I even had these business cards made,” Harmony said excitedly pulling a few from her jacket pocket, “I think the glitter just gives them an extra something.”

“Yeah definitely something,” Buffy said raising an eyebrow, “Anyways is Angel here I kind of need to see him.”

“He’s in his office. If you want I can look after your baby while you go and speak to him,” Harmony said reaching her arms out to take Faith who shrunk back against Buffy.

“You’re still evil right?” Buffy asked.

“Yes but I’m strictly animal blood these days, except for that one time that I slipped up, except that I didn’t because I was totally set up,” Harmony said.

“Yeah, it’s okay I’ll just take her with me,” Buffy said knowing there was no way she would let a human Harmony be left in charge of a baby let alone a vampire version.

“No worries, but if you ever need a baby sitter here is my card,” Harmony said handing Buffy one of the glitter covered business cards.

“Thanks, I’ll make sure I keep that safe,” Buffy said fully intending to lose it at the first possible opportunity, “So you think you could take us to Angel?”

“Right, sorry I’m always forgetting what I’m supposed to be doing. Sometimes when I’ve forgotten to do something Angel gets so mad that his face sort of goes all crumpley. Anyways good to see you Buffy and congrats on the baby and all,” Harmony said turning to walk back up the stairs.

“Harmony! You’re meant to take us to see Angel,” Buffy said.

“Oh right sorry, come on he hates to be kept waiting,” Harmony said ushering them up the stairs.

Buffy shook her head wryly, was it possible the former cheerleader had become more of a ditz after she had been turned? The closer she got to Angel’s office she began to feel more and more apprehensive, as if sensing Buffy’s uneasiness Faith began to squirm in her arms.

“He’s in there,” Harmony said, “Oh and just a massive favour that the staff wanted to ask of you. If you two could try and not get with the loving that would be great because well, didn’t end so well the last time did it,” the blonde vampire said before turning and walking back in the direction they had come from.

She could feel him on the other side of the door and she was sure that he knew she was there as well. He was letting her make the first move.

“You can do this,” she said raising her hand and delivering a short knock before opening the door quickly afterwards, not giving herself a chance to back away.

He was there in the centre of the room already facing the door and Buffy felt her heart speed up just looking at him. He looked the same, one of the advantages of being immortal and once again she was back in senior year, her heart squeezing at the sight of him.

“Buffy,” he said quietly his face showing that he was going through the same thing she was.

“Hey,” she said stepping further into the room and closing the door behind them.

“Faith?” he asked stepping closer.

“Yeah,” she said.

“May I?” he asked holding his hands out.

“Of course,” she said handing the baby over to him.

He took her expertly resting her against his hip and Buffy raised an eyebrow as he rocked her slowly. Faith’s eyebrows came together as she appraised him silently, Mr. Gordo still held tightly in her hands.

“Beebee?” she asked turning to the blonde girl.

“It’s okay,” Buffy smiled, “This is Angel.

“Agel,” Faith copies and Angel smiles.

“You want to sit down?” he asks motioning for the seat at his desk.

“Uh sure,” she frowns.

Angel took the seat behind his desk and sits Faith down so she is sitting in his lap.

“Agel no,” the baby said trying to pull herself up so she was standing.

“She’s kind of bossy,” Buffy smiled as Angel held onto Faith’s waist so she could stand on his lap.

“Why am I not surprised,” Angel smiled as the infant bounced on his knees, “So are you sure about this Buffy? I mean it’s a huge responsibility and it’s not something you can decided two years from now that you are sick of.”

“I know, I’ve had the lectures already and I am sure, I need this, Faith needs this. Angel when I came back, it was hard and I was so distant my friends didn’t know what else they could do to try and reach me but when she was turned into a baby it was like my heart restarted, I could feel things again,” Buffy said.

“It can’t be about you Buffy; this has to be about her. You’re basically rewriting her entire life not because it makes you feel better but because it’ll make her life better,” Angel said.

“You don’t think I know that! You don’t think that every time I think of how we treated her my heart breaks because I know we only made her life that much worse. I have to make that better, no one deserves what she’s been through and she should have the chance to be happy. I know what I’m giving up, I know my life will never be the same but I am willing to do anything if it means she will be happy,” Buffy said a few tears leaking from her eyes at the sincerity of her statement.

“That’s all I needed to hear,” Angel said his face brightening, “She deserves this Buffy, it is more than I could have ever wanted for her.

“I know,” Buffy said softly.

Faith looked between their serious expressions for a moment before her face split into a grin and she giggled. Just like that, whatever tension they had been feeling disappeared and Buffy watched on as Angel spent several minutes speaking to Faith in baby talk. Faith babbles back as if the two of them are having an actual conversation and Buffy has to press down on her chest to make sure that her heart is still beating and hasn’t turned into a big pile of mush.

“You want a tour?” Angel asks sometime later as if he had completely forgotten she was even there.

“Sure.”

He shows them around holding onto Faith like she is the most precious thing in the world. He introduces them proudly to his employees and everyone takes time to coo over the brown eyed baby who watches on amused as people make faces at her. For those who had met Faith as an adult they look on fascinated at the tiny bundle of energy who crawls across Wes’ office intent on discovering everything this new place has to offer. When it is time to say goodbye Angel looks heartbroken when the blonde Slayer takes the sleeping baby from his arms and it is all she can do not to cry at the sadness of his expression. He promises to come and visit and she promises the same, their lips meet as they say goodbye acting on pure habit and both smile almost embarrassedly as they pull away. He runs a hand longingly over the slumbering infant’s head and she can tell there is more he wants to say. His silence speaks volumes and she nods her head promising that she will take care of the precious bundle in her arms. He hands her an envelope and makes her promise not to open it until they get home and then they are on the road back to Sunnydale, to family and she is happy because for now things are okay.