The next morning Willow found Buffy at the kitchen table with the paper and a cup of coffee.

"Wow. You're up early. I never figured you'd ever rise before 10 a.m." Willow teased.

"Yeah, it took some getting used to on my part as well. But I find that I can't sleep past 7 a.m. any more, irregardless of how little sleep I get. Besides, it's the only time of day I get to myself any more." Buffy laughed. "God I'm starting to sound like my mother."

Willow cringed at Buffy's statement and quickly changed the subject to cover her awkwardness at a subject she wasn't willing to bring up just yet.

"So, where are the coffee cups?"

"Cabinet above the coffee pot. Help yourself. There's cream in the fridge and bagels in the pantry if you're hungry. We aren't big breakfast eaters around here. The munchkin usually sleeps late enough that lunch is the first meal of the day, in the summer anyway."

"So, do you have to go to work tomorrow?" Willow asked as she settled herself and her coffee at the table across from Buffy.

Buffy smiled as she answered. "No, I have the summer off. I guess we still have a lot of catching up to do. I still work part time at the coffee shop with Frank and Marie during fall and spring semesters but they give me the summers off since Katie isn't in school then."

"You're back in school?!" Willow squealed.

"Yup, I have one year left to go at B.U. then I am an official college graduate. It's taken me a bit longer than I anticipated but it's worth it. It's mostly Jackson's doing. He really helped me get back on track once Katharine was about a year old. Showed me how to apply for grants, scholarships and even work-study. The school has a great daycare/preschool program and I can still work at the coffee shop for extra cash. It gets a little hectic at times but we manage to make it through. I haven't had to take out any loans yet and my grades are good enough that I earned a full scholarship for my last two semesters, and there was enough left over that I can take the entire summer off." Buffy took a sip of her coffee waiting for Willow's response.

"Oh Buffy I'm so happy for you! What are you majoring in?"

"Psychology if you can believe it. I guess years of slaying and learning to deal with demons really prepared me for dealing with the weirdoes out there in the world. I really like it though. Jackson's been trying to convince me to apply for graduate school so that I can teach part time as a T.A. but I don't know. I mean I love it but teaching? I just don't see myself doing it."

"I think you'd be great at it. Professor Summers.er, I mean Donnelly. I guess." The two girls erupted into giggles at Willow's statement.

"So how long are you in town for Will?" Buffy asked once she was able to form a sentence without laughing.

"A week."

"Only a week? That's not much time to find a place to live, but I think we can do it." Buffy dug through the paper looking for the classifieds as Willow shifted uncomfortably in her seat. She didn't want to tell Buffy that a week was all that she and Oz had decided they could spare for her to be away right now. She dreaded having to tell her the news that she deserved to hear, especially since Oz informed her last night that things had gotten worse. Willow summarily brushed the thought aside to concentrate on the day ahead, the bad news could wait at least a few more days.

"What?" Willow asked, realizing that she had missed what Buffy just said.

"I said if you could spare a day, the munchkin and I could you show our favorite places and we could start the great house hunt bright and early Monday morning since nothing will be open today anyway. Sundays aren't good for getting things done."

"Sounds great to me."

"Good, I'm going to go rouse sleeping beauty and run her through the tub. The guest bathroom should be completely stocked but let me know if you need anything okay?" Buffy stated as she stood to make her way upstairs.

"Okay." Willow replied as she sipped her coffee and dug through the Sunday paper. She was really looking forward to the day ahead.

"My God she's fast." Willow replied as she watched Katharine scramble up a large tree with no effort at all.

"I know. She's strong too. She can fall down and skin both her knees and just get up and keep going without missing a beat. She doesn't cry very easily either so you know when something reduces her to tears it's serious." Buffy answered while keeping a watchful eye on her daughter.

"Buffy, um, what if she's a Slayer? I mean considering her strength and coordination and."

"Who her parents are? I know. Believe me I know. I've thought about it a lot. I almost drove myself insane worrying about it when she was younger but then I realized it's not something that I can control, you know? If she's chosen then she's chosen we'll deal with it if it comes. All I can do right now is be the best mother I know how to be and to keep her safe and free from what goes bump in the night for as long as I can so that she can have a normal childhood. One filled with sunshine and flowers and not death and misery. I left so she could have it and I won't let it be stolen from her yet, not if I can help it."

"I understand." Willow replied quietly.

"Hey are you hungry? I'm starving. What do you say we coax the wild one out of the trees and I'll make us dinner? We can eat out back since it's nice out and that way the little terror can run herself ragged while we sit in the shade."

"I think that it is the best plan you've had all day."

Willow felt like the next few days went by in a complete blur. Buffy knew the city well and Willow loved the time she got to spend with Katharine. The little girl was irresistible and she found it hard to argue against any of her requests. Unfortunately they weren't getting anywhere on the apartment front. Nothing decent was available or affordable for that matter and she was starting to get discouraged though Buffy assured her that they would find something and it would be perfect. She even promised to keep her eye out for places after Willow returned to California to start packing for the big move.

"C'mon Will cheer up!" Buffy threw a pillow in her direction to make her point. "If worse comes to worse, you and Oz can stay here while you search for a place. It's not a big deal."

Willow threw the pillow back at her. "No, we couldn't do that to you. It would be a big imposition!"

"Yeah because we always have company over here and I see way too much of you two already." Buffy quipped back giggling as the pillow hit her in the head. "I was just letting you know that you don't have to get all stressed out about it."

"Still. We should keep looking, I mean there has got to be an apartment in this city that needs me!"

Buffy couldn't help but laugh at her friend's frustration and nearly fell off the couch with the blow from the pillow that Willow aimed at her in protest. She was still laughing when the shrill ring of a phone interrupted their comfortable afternoon.

"Whose phone is that?" Buffy asked sitting up.

"It's my cell phone." Willow answered as she furiously dug through her bag to locate the offending device. She managed to fish it out before the voice mail picked up and answered quickly.

"Hello? Oz? What's wrong? Slow down. Oh. Oh no. I see. Yes, I'll be on the next plane. I'll call you from the airport so you'll know which flight to meet. I love you too. See you soon." Willow hung up quickly and turned to face a very concerned Buffy while trying earnestly to conceal the dread that was settling like a boulder in her stomach.

"What's wrong?" Buffy didn't try and mask the worry in her voice. "Will? Talk to me. What's going on? Why do you have to leave?"

Buffy stood face to face with her friend who would not meet her gaze.

"Willow what's going on?" Buffy watched as Willow slowly raised her eyes to meet her own and swallowed hard.

"I don't know how to tell you this and I hope you will forgive me if it is something that you'd rather have not known but.I, uh, I think it's best if you at least have the chance to choose whether or not you want to be involved." Willow hesitated for a moment.

"What? Willow what is it? Tell me please!" Buffy was frantic and the look on Willow's face was doing nothing to assuage her fears.

"It's your mother Buffy. She's dying."

Buffy mentally ran over the reasons she was doing this for the fifteenth time that hour as the plane hovered over Middle America. Katharine was sound asleep in the seat to her left and Willow fidgeted nervously to her right. She closed her eyes and tried to steel her nerves and the anxiety that flared up in the pit of her stomach when she thought about seeing everyone again, especially having to face her parents.

Willow had given her the short version of events in between phone calls to locate the next flight to L.A. Her parents had gotten back together in the aftermath of Buffy's disappearance and death. Her mother had sold the house in Sunnydale and moved both herself and the gallery back to L.A. She started seeing more of Hank and eventually they moved in together and were remarried. Buffy still couldn't quite picture that one. Her parents in love. It was unbelievable. Willow had said that she got a call a year ago from Giles saying that Joyce was sick. Brain cancer. The group had come together for her when she went through the chemotherapy, even Xander. It seems that all went well and the cancer was in remission. Joyce improved and everyone went on with their lives until two months ago when Joyce suddenly passed out at the gallery. She had a relapse. The doctors said it wasn't treatable this time around and that there was nothing they could do but wait. Joyce refused to be admitted. Willow said she figured why spend the rest of her life in the hospital when there was nothing they could do there for her anyway. The doctors gave her 6 months at the most. Oz and Willow had taken an apartment in L.A, Cordelia and Doyle were recently married and also were there to lend a hand when needed. Willow said that when she left to search for an apartment Oz had stayed behind to help Hank. Giles had flown in as Joyce seemed to be getting worse by the day and they figured it wouldn't be long. When Oz called today it was with the news that Joyce had been admitted to the ICU that morning. She had blacked out at the breakfast table and didn't regain consciousness until several hours later. Things did not look good. The doctors didn't even think she would stay conscious this long but when Willow had called Oz to tell him what flight to meet he said that she was awake and coherent which was unexpected but a good sign at least. He said everyone was there and waiting. Hank, Giles, Cordelia, Doyle and even Xander who had just arrived when she phoned.

Buffy's stomach had tied itself in a knot when she thought about the scene she would cause walking into the room with everyone she had hurt so long ago. Well, almost everyone. Willow hadn't said anything about Angel. All she knew was that he had returned to L.A. and kept the agency open with Cordelia and Doyle for the past few years. Nothing else was said and she didn't ask if he was there as well. She knew Willow wouldn't have kept it from her. Not when she would be walking in there with Katharine in tow. It wouldn't be fair to either of them. As it was she was a nervous wreck about showing up to face her friends and her parents with her daughter to explain, though she knew Willow would be there to support her and look after Katharine should she need it.

Buffy sighed audibly and Willow squeezed her hand in a show of support. She knew this was the right thing to do. It was her chance to see her mother for the last time and give her the chance to say goodbye for once. But just because it was the right thing to do didn't make her dread it any less. The rest of the flight was a nightmare for Buffy. As they circled L.A. she seriously considered never leaving the plane.

Katharine was now wide-awake and more than excited at this unexpected adventure. Buffy was doubly glad for Willow's support as she couldn't seem to find the strength to put up a brave front for her child. She was terrified. Willow took the lead in answering Katharine's myriad of questions while Buffy dug through the overhead bins for their bags. She slung them over her shoulder and turned to pick up her daughter to keep her from being crushed in the swarm of passengers pressing to exit the non-stop flight from Boston to L.A. She was exhausted and she wished that she had been able to sleep on the plane.

She carried Katharine protectively down the walkway behind Willow as her child chattered on and on about her first plane ride. Buffy knew that there was no way she was getting her to bed before dawn. She saw Willow break out into a run as she hit the end of the walkway and took a deep breath before following quickly behind her. She found herself standing awkwardly behind Willow as she hugged Oz manically.

Buffy waited quietly and heard the gasp as Oz's eyes landed on her.

"Uh, hi there I think." He frantically looked from Buffy to Willow and back to Buffy waiting for some sort of explanation.

Buffy swallowed nervously as Willow started to explain.

"No Will, let me." Buffy stepped up to Oz and offered her hand. "Hi Oz, it's nice to see you again."

Oz warily returned her handshake and waited for Buffy to continue.

"I hear congratulations are in order. I am so happy for the both of you." Buffy smiled over at Willow.

"But, how?" Oz stammered.

"Remember that old friend I told you I ran into in Boston?" Willow stated as Oz nodded in response. "Well, here she is."

"Mommy?" Katharine whispered into Buffy's ear.

"Yes sweetie?" Buffy answered in her normal voice.

"Who is that man that Aunt Willow was hugging?" Katharine whispered, her eyes glued to Oz and his fire engine red hair.

"That is your Uncle Oz." Buffy answered grinning over at Oz as Katharine squealed with delight and jumped down to greet him.

"Hello Uncle Oz! I am Katharine Angel Summers Donnelly but you can call me Katharine if you want." She smiled up at him as he laughed and knelt down in front of her.

"It's nice to meet you Katharine. Would you like a piggy back ride out to the van?" Oz asked as he shook her hand and she nodded enthusiastically in answer. "Good, then hop on and we'll go."

Both Buffy and Willow watched him in surprise as he lifted Katie to his shoulders and turned to face them.

"I know that there is a lot that you need to explain and it's okay, I don't need to know right now. It can wait. Right now we need to get you three to the hospital."

Buffy smiled and nodded at him in appreciation as she and Willow turned and followed him out to the van.

The ride to the hospital was filled with tense silence broken sporadically by Katharine's excited chatter. Oz pulled the van into the parking lot and Buffy silently cursed the fact that the traffic wasn't heavier at that time of night. Where was the typical L.A. traffic when you needed it?

Buffy reluctantly exited the van and stood holding Katharine facing the glowing neon sign that read 'Emergency Room' and she suddenly felt like a little girl. So small. She hugged her daughter close to her and sighed as Willow patted her on the shoulder reassuringly.

"It's going to be okay Buff. Well extremely awkward and weird at first but I'm sure it will be okay after that." Willow offered.

"Gee thanks Will." Buffy answered her eyes still glued to the sliding glass doors in front of her. "Are you guys sure that I'm not just going to make it worse for her just showing up like this. I mean I've already caused her so much pain."

She looked warily over at them for some reassurance.

"Put yourself in her place for a moment Buffy. What if Katharine had to do what you did and she came back to you like this? Would you not want to see her then?" Willow paused while Buffy considered her words.

"No, there isn't anything she could do that would make me stop loving her." Buffy answered quietly studying her daughter's face intently as she fought to keep from crying right there.

"What's wrong Mama?" Katharine asked seeing the worried look on her mother's face.

"Nothing baby. Nothing's wrong. Will you do something for Mama, Kitty Kat?" Buffy waited as her daughter nodded in agreement. "We are going to go inside this building and there are going to be a bunch of people running around making a lot of noise. Mama needs you to hold on tight to me until we get where we are going and then I need you to stay with me or with Aunt Willow at all times. Do not wander away from either of us. Can you do that baby?"

Katharine nodded her head and clung tightly to her mother's neck as she turned to her friends.

"Well, it's now or never." Buffy forced a weak smile as the three of them made their way into the building.

Oz deftly led the way through the maze of sterile white hallways up to the ICU and paused just outside the waiting room doors.

"You sure you're ready for this?" Willow asked.

"No, there's no way I'll ever be ready for this, but I don't have a choice. I can't run away from this. It's too important. I'll be fine, just promise me you won't let anything happen to Katharine."

"I promise." Oz and Willow answered in unison.

Buffy smiled her thanks at them immediately.

"Well, there's no sense in delaying the inevitable. Let's go Oz." Buffy dug deep to pull out every ounce of composure left within her as they made their way through the double doors and headed into the waiting area. Oz and Willow led the way and as they rounded the turn at the end of the hall she saw them.

All of them. A huddled mass of concern and worry. Their tense bodies betraying the fact that their nerves were beyond frazzled. She noticed Xander right away, pacing back and forth behind the couches. Giles was speaking quietly in the corner with Doyle while Cordelia was curled up asleep in a chair. She didn't see her father anywhere and was silently relieved, hoping that it meant she wouldn't have to endure everything all at once.

Buffy stopped and just stared at them. Her family. She suddenly felt so alone, so much like an outsider as she watched them comfort one another. Oz and Willow had continued walking hand in hand to join the group unaware that Buffy wasn't with them.

"Willow!" Xander made his way over to hug his friend. "I'm so glad you made it back. I." He stopped as his eyes landed on the solitary figure standing in the hall holding a small child. It took him a second to process what he was seeing and he took a step back from Willow.

"Buffy?" Xander hadn't meant to say it aloud and the tone of his voice caused the others, except for the sleeping Cordelia, to turn in the direction where he was fixated, a look of slack jawed amazement on his face.

"Buffy?" Giles took a step toward her as the others continued to stare at her in disbelief. "Buffy could it possibly be you?"

"Mama? Why are all those people staring at us?" Katharine asked.

"Shh. It's okay honey, they are Mommy's friends but Mommy has a lot of important things to talk to them about right now. Remember how I told you that you needed to stay with me or Aunt Willow while we are in here?"

"Uh-huh."

"Well, Mommy needs you to be a big girl and go over and stay with Aunt Willow right now. Can you do that for me Kitty Kat?"

"Yes Mommy." Katharine slid down from her mother's arms and ran happily into Willow's waiting ones as the others regarded her with extreme interest before turning their attention back to Buffy.

The silence in the room crackled with the weight of the tension that fell between the small group and their long lost friend. She took a deep breath and then walked forward with purpose until she was in front of Giles. A gasp circled around the group as they saw her face.

"Bu-Buffy? I don't understand, how?" Giles was at a loss for words as were the others with the exception of Willow and Oz who were engaged in the task of distracting Katharine from the confrontation that was about to occur.

"Hello everyone." Buffy replied wishing that she had somewhere to hide, that the earth would open up and swallow her whole, anything to end the desperate tension that swirled around her and the dread that threatened to choke her. No one moved. No one spoke. Buffy was grasping for some way to break the silence and opened her mouth to say the first thing that crossed her mind.

"Why is everybody looking at me like I just died or something?" She winced at the pain that flashed across the faces of her friends and hastily backpedaled. "Sorry. Nervous humor." Buffy stared awkwardly at the floor, the scrutiny she was under too much to bear.

"Is it? Could it possibly be? Buffy?" Giles managed to stammer.

"In the flesh. Okay, that sounded gross. How about 'live and in person'?" Buffy answered silently praying for someone or something to bail her out of this nightmare.

"You're not a vampire are you?" Xander managed at last while still eyeing her suspiciously.

"Um, that would pretty much preclude the whole 'live' part of the 'live and in person' comment, but feel free to check if you don't believe me." Buffy offered her wrists for inspection.

The others stood in stunned silence watching with rapt attention as Xander made his way towards Buffy and placed his fingers on her outstretched wrist.

"Ladies and gentlemen we have a winner. This one's got a pulse." He said flatly and quickly released his grip on Buffy's hand.

"But how? I mean what?" Giles faltered as he worriedly replaced his glasses.

"I found her!" Willow chimed in. "Er, well sort of I mean.it was more like I stumbled upon her by accident when I wasn't even looking for her but you get the idea." She sat back and returned to entertaining Katharine while Oz patted her proudly on the shoulder.

"Found her? Where? How?" Giles forged bravely onward in his role as spokesperson for the remainder of the group who were consequentially still flabbergasted at this turn of events.

"C'mon on guys! It's Buffy! Really!" Willow protested seeing that no one was going to make the first move.

Buffy stood awkwardly still, the center of attention, as everyone scrutinized her carefully. She turned to check on Katharine and jumped as she suddenly found herself unexpectedly tangled up in Hurricane Xander.

"Oh my God Buffy! I can't believe it's you! You're alive! We missed you! I missed you! What happened to you?" Xander babbled on as he smothered Buffy.

"Uh, Xan? I can't answer you if I can't breathe." Buffy choked out as Xander released his grip on her. "I mean, not that I didn't enjoy the Xander lovin'" Buffy grinned up at her friend.

"Sorry Buff. It's just.you're here and alive and I still can't believe it."

"I'm still not quite sure about it myself actually." Giles added before they were all drowned out by another voice.

"Quit shaking me Doyle! Ow! What do you mean be quiet? If you wanted me to be quiet you could have left me asleep. What's.hey who's the brunette? Why is.? OH MY GOD IS THAT BUFFY?"

All eyes turned to Cordelia who sat straight up in her chair.

"Buffy? How on earth are you even alive?" Cordelia asked not bothering to lower her voice.

"Uh, Delia darlin' we were just about to find that out which is why I wanted you to be awake." Doyle said quietly trying to dissuade Cordy from any further comments. She ignored him as her eyes landed on Katharine.

"Hey, who's the little person?" She asked as Katharine peeked over at her from the back of Willow's chair.

"She's my daughter." Buffy answered causing all eyes in the room to land back on her.

"She's your what??" Four voices replied in unison.

"My daughter." Buffy replied as she smiled over at her child who was regarding Cordelia curiously. "I." Buffy started to explain but was distracted as a door at the edge of the hall opened and her father appeared and began walking wearily towards the group.

Buffy studied his features as he approached. He had aged considerably since she had seen him last and she had to swallow hard to hold back the twinge of guilt that arose with the knowledge that she was more than likely the cause of most his suffering. He looked like he hadn't slept in a good week. His hair was tousled and his shirt and khakis irreparably wrinkled. His absentmindedly rubbed at his eyes, which were bloodshot and swollen from crying, as he shuffled nearer the huddled group.

Seeing her father in this state caused the reality of the situation to come crashing down on Buffy all at once. Her mother lay dying in that bed and she hadn't been here for any of it. Truth be told she probably contributed to it. What was she doing here? Trying to ease a guilty conscience by breaking a dying woman's heart? She had to fight the urge to grab Katharine and run. To just keep running and never look back. It sounded good in her head but her heart knew that was what put her in this position in the first place. Besides, she would never be able to forgive herself if she left now and denied her mother the chance to say goodbye. The chance to see her granddaughter. No matter what the reception she received, she felt she at least owed it to Katharine to see this through.

Her father didn't seem to register the extra additions to the group and everyone watched him anxiously.

"How is she?" Giles inquired softly.

"The same. They gave her some more medication for the pain but the doctors just keep shaking their heads and walking away. They've just given up on her and I.I." Hank shoulders slumped under the weight of his grief as he fought back the tears that surfaced as he spoke.

Giles moved to comfort him but was stopped by Buffy's hand on his shoulder.

"No, let me." She said softly as Giles stepped back in deference.

Buffy took a step toward her father and gently touched his shoulder.

"Daddy?" She choked out, silently cursing the quiver of emotion that surfaced in her tone.

At the sound of her voice, her father stiffened. His head snapped up and his eyes went wide with shock as his gaze landed on her face. His mouth opened but no sound emerged. He closed it abruptly and looked to the others for reassurance that he wasn't just hallucinating. Giles met his pleading stare and nodded his head in agreement. She was really there. He could see her too.

Hank slowly let his eyes return to the face of his only child. Buffy stood rigid with fear before him. Her hand still on his shoulder and her face pale as her eyes locked on his. His eyes looking back at him. His little girl come home. Not dead. Alive. Life standing in front of him. Death hovering in the room behind him. He struggled to take it all in, the weight too much for a mind already consumed by grief, by regret, by fear.

For brief instant the air shifted in the room. The strain and grief that choked them all seemed to crack audibly leaving only silence and the echo of release in its wake. Hank seemed to snap back from the despair he was drowning in and fell forward clutching at his long lost child, a tangle of tears, sobs, pain, joy and relief. A million years of regret and forgiveness all embodied in that one moment.

Buffy hugged her father back fiercely. Hot tears stinging her eyes as she allowed herself to let go and open the door to those places she had long since learned to push aside and relegate to the recesses of her heart.

It was quiet in the wake of the heart-wrenching scene. No one dared speak as father and daughter pulled away to regard each other curiously. Hank studied his daughter's face intently, smiling slightly as he touched her dark hair, before a look of complete bewilderment settled across his
features.

"Buffy, I don't understand. How are you here? What happened to you? After all this time, you're alive?"

Buffy could feel all eyes focus intently on her in anticipation of her explanation. She knew they deserved one. They deserved much better than the feeble attempt she had to offer. The time had finally arrived. The day she thought would never come was staring her in the face but she couldn't deal with it now. There was something she had to do first. Someone she had to see before she could give these people their reprieve from the curiosity gnawing at their insides.

"As horrible as it sounds, it's a long story. One that I fully intend to share with all of you. But right now, could I just see her, just for one second?" Buffy pleaded, sounding more like a little girl that the mother of one.

Hank regarded her seriously for a moment before solemnly nodding his head in affirmation.

"She's in Room 217. Some times are better than others. Most of the time she doesn't recognize anyone. Don't take it personally, the doctors say it's a result of the pressure from the tumors pressing down on her brain." He sighed gravely and slumped back into a chair.

Buffy regarded him sadly and turned in the direction of the door her father had just exited. She sucked in a deep breath in a vain attempt to steady herself for whatever awaited her on the other side of that door and went to take a step forward but was halted by a sudden and insistent tug on the left leg of her khakis.

"Mommy?" Her child whispered up at her and Buffy bent down to her eye level.

"Yes baby?" She whispered back.

"Where are you going?" Katharine asked and studied her mother's face for some clue while she waited for an answer.

"Oh sweetie. Mommy's just going to go into that room over there." Buffy pointed to the door that loomed just a few feet away. "There's someone who is very sick that Mommy needs to talk to because I haven't seen her in a very long time."

"Does she have an ear infection?" Katharine answered staring at the door in wide-eyed curiosity.

"No baby, I'm afraid that she is much sicker than that. I need you to stay with Aunt Willow until Mommy gets back."

"No. I want to go with you." Katharine protested.

"You can't sweetie. Not right now. Don't you want to stay here and play?" Buffy asked in a desperate attempt to distract her daughter.

"No."

"Buffy?" Her father's tentative voice penetrated the furious workings of Buffy's mind as she was trying to come up with some tactic to dissuade Katharine from coming with her.

She picked up her daughter and turned to face him. To face all of them as an idea came to her.

"I promise that I will explain everything in a little while. But in the meantime, can I ask you to do something for me Daddy?" She trained her gaze on him, unsure what his response would be. He kept his eyes fixed on Katharine and nodded slowly in response.

Satisfied Buffy turned her attention back to her daughter.

"Hey Kitty Kat do you want to know something special?" She asked trying to make her voice display an enthusiasm she couldn't quite seem to muster. If it showed, Katharine didn't seem fazed by it in the least as her little eyes widened with wonder.

"Uh-huh."

"Okay. Do you see that nice man sitting right there?" Katharine nodded. "Do you want to know who he is?" More furious nodding. "He's my Daddy." Katharine turned her face back to her mother's, her small brow furrowed in confusion.

"You have a Daddy?"

"Uh-huh. And you know what that makes him for you?" Buffy waited as her daughter looked towards her father and then back to her for an answer.

"He's your grandfather." Buffy finished.

"I have a grandfather??" Katharine asked in disbelief. "Like Ashley and Colby's grandpa?"

"Mm-huh. Would you like to meet him?"

"Yes!" Katharine jumped down but still held tightly to Buffy's hands as they approached her father, who watched them closely, still at a loss for what exactly was going on.

"Daddy." Buffy began softly. "This is my daughter Katharine. Katharine this is your Grandpa. Can you say hello?"

Grandfather and granddaughter regarded each other curiously and Hank lifted his eyes to meet Buffy's questioningly.

"Not now. I'll explain everything soon, I promise." Buffy replied and smiled weakly.

Hank nodded in agreement and turned his attention back to the little girl that stood and stared up at him in amazement.

"Well now, who do we have here?" Hank said as he mustered all the remaining strength within him to smile down at his grandchild.

Katharine studied him carefully for a second before grinning up at him as she answered.

"I'm Katharine." She said proudly.

"I see. Now, someone here tells me that you are my favorite granddaughter, do you know how we can tell for sure if it's true?"

"How?" Katharine answered intensely interested in this new development.

"There's a secret test. Do you think you are up to it?" Hank smiled down at her.

"Uh-huh." She replied, still holding onto Buffy's hands while her eyes never left Hank's face.

"Well, my very favorite granddaughter is the only one who knows how to give the biggest and the best hugs. Do you think that you could do it?"

Buffy smiled down at them both. It was an old game he used to play with her when she was young. It usually ended with her excitedly jumping into her father's arms for a hug, trying desperately to fit her little arms around him. She waited for Katharine's response.

Katharine looked back at her mother for reassurance and then grinned as she jumped up into Hank's lap for a giant hug filled with her three year old laughter. Buffy watched them and fought back the tears that surfaced. She smiled appreciatively at her father and patted him gently on the shoulder as she turned to head back towards the room where her mother lay.

She steadied herself and walked forward one step at a time, concentrating on putting one foot in front of the other until she found herself facing the offending door. Buffy hesitated as the sound of her daughter's laughter echoed down the corridor. She smiled to herself and took that as her cue to push forward.

She reached for the doorknob and turned it slowly. The door gave way with a modest click and she entered quietly closing it behind her.

Those that remained behind in the waiting area continued to watch as Hank and his grandchild got to know each other. Cordelia studied the little girl intently, trying desperately to ease the knot of apprehension that tightened in her stomach as her suspicions were gradually confirmed with each passing second. She glanced over at Doyle whose expression indicated that he was thinking the same thing.

Cordy stood and moved over to the seat next to Willow, knowing that she, if anyone, would have the answers she sought.

"Hey Willow. How was Boston?" Cordy stated trying to ease into the area of her interest.

"Oh, uh - unexpected I guess." Willow answered uncertainly. "I didn't find a place to stay yet, but I saw a lot more of the city than I anticipated." The redhead grinned at Cordelia.

"I see." Cordelia frowned, wanting to get to the point already. "So, how did you happen upon our long lost formerly blonde Slayer?"

"Oh, well, I was walking through the park and thought I saw her out of the corner of my eye, but wasn't sure, you know.since she had brown hair and well, the fact that she was dead. So I walked over to where she was and when I saw her face I just said her name without thinking and it was her. Buffy was alive and in Boston of all places. I couldn't believe it. She was just as surprised to see me and we spent the rest of the day catching up and she asked me stay with her and Katharine so I did. We spent the next few days searching for apartments until Oz called and we came here." Willow stopped and looked down at the floor, not wanting to go into too much detail, knowing that Buffy would have to fill them in.

"Hmm. So, Buffy has a daughter? Did you meet the father while you were there?" Cordelia asked, trying to sound nonchalant, but wanting the mystery to be resolved already.

Willow hesitated, knowing that it wasn't her place to explain everything. She was suddenly aware that all eyes were on her as Cordelia wasn't exactly quiet in her interrogation. She swallowed nervously before she answered.

"It's not for me to discuss Cordelia. Buffy deserves the chance to explain everything when she returns. You'll just have to wait until then." The tone in her voice left no room for argument and Cordelia relented, albeit very reluctantly, and returned to Doyle's side with a knowing glance, as the others went back to their nervous tasks.

Buffy stood near the door and stared uncertainly in the direction of her mother's bed. She lay very still and attached to numerous monitors whose steady beeping pierced the otherwise unnerving silence that settled in the room.

Buffy hesitantly approached the side of the bed and stared down at the sleeping face of her mother. She looked so tired. Her features were drawn and pale. She seemed to have lost a lot of weight and there were dark circles under her eyes. Buffy nearly broke down at the sight of her mother's broken form lying so still, so small, in the cold, sterile room.

She gently stroked the side of her mother's face and turned to pull a chair up beside the bed. Buffy sat next to her mother, holding her hand gingerly in her own. She struggled to maintain her composure but was overcome with such grief that she could only put her head down on the bed and weep.

Buffy was so lost in her pain that she didn't notice her mother stirring in the bed until she spoke.

"Who's there?" Joyce's weak voice invaded Buffy's grief. She raised her face to meet the concerned eyes of the woman who gave her life.

"Mommy?" Buffy's voice sounded so small and fragile to her own ears.

"Buffy?" Joyce's eyes widened with shock and she struggled to sit up in the bed.

"No, don't hurt yourself." Buffy tried to keep her mother still.

"Buffy? Is it really you? I'm not.you're not.are you real?" Joyce waited expectantly for an answer.

Buffy choked on her own voice and wiped at the tears that ran uncontrollably down her face.

"Mommy, I'm so sorry. I didn't know you were sick. I didn't know." She started sobbing again, unable to meet her mother's eyes.

Joyce studied her child warily, still uncertain if she was real or simply a drug-induced hallucination.

"Buffy, please tell me what's going on? I don't understand." She watched as Buffy regained some semblance of composure and grasped her hand.

"It's really complicated. I have a lot to explain and even more to apologize for, but I don't want to tire you out. Please, if you need to rest I'll understand, I.I just wanted to see you." She started crying again and her mother struggled to prop herself up against the pillows.

Buffy stood to help her into a comfortable position and was taken aback by how thin her mother was. She struggled to mask her shock but could tell her mother saw it though she said nothing.

Joyce patted the bed next to her and Buffy carefully climbed in next to her. Joyce wrapped her arms around her daughter as they both cried. Buffy laid her head on her mother's chest and felt so much like a lost little girl finally coming home. Things had quieted down and she took a deep breath before starting the explanation she knew her mother deserved to hear.

It seemed an eternity had passed between the time that Buffy had disappeared into her mother's room till the moment she opened the door and made her way to the edge of the waiting area.

She looked awful. Her face was red and blotchy and her eyes were puffy from crying. It had taken a good deal of effort and time to explain things to her mom. Joyce had had to take frequent breaks to rest and Buffy found herself just lying in the bed next to her mother while she slept. Somehow she had managed to get it all out and much to her surprise, Buffy found that far from being angry with her, Joyce understood why she had left. She didn't hide her obvious hurt at the situation and the amount of lost time between them, but as a mother she understood.

Buffy felt as if a huge weight had been lifted off her shoulders, though as she faced the eager faces of her family, she realized that there was still a long way to go. She shrugged the thought aside for now, as there was one last thing she had to do before she would face them.

She scanned the room for her child and found her sprawled out on the floor coloring with Xander. She smiled at the sight. Her father was dozing uncomfortably in the same chair she had left him in, though all other eyes were focused intently on her.

"Katharine?" Buffy said softly, not wanting to disturb her father, who from the looks of things desperately needed any sleep he could get.

She waited as her daughter's eyes landed on her and the little girl jumped up and ran happily over to her waiting arms.

"Mommy! Grandpa told me stories about when you were a little girl and Uncle Xander is coloring with me! You should come color too."

"Not right now baby. There's someone that I want you to meet first. Okay?"

Buffy picked her child up and addressed the rest of the group quietly.

"We'll be back in a second. She just wants to meet her first." She turned back to her mother's room leaving everyone staring tiredly after her.

Buffy was exhausted physically, and especially emotionally, as she led her daughter from her grandmother's side back out into the sea of worried faces that greeted them in the waiting area. She was very proud of how well Katharine seemed to be handling everything and smiled as she remembered how excited her mother was to meet her.

She sighed as she sank down onto the hard vinyl chair and released Katharine to return to her drawing. No one said anything for a moment before Giles spoke up.

"Buffy, how is she?"

"Tired, but coherent. She had to rest a lot during our conversation but she didn't seem to be in a lot of pain. She's sleeping now." Buffy closed her eyes against the tears that threatened to surface before smiling warily over at her friends.

"Thank you guys for being so patient with me. I really appreciate it, and I know you are all waiting for some sort of explanation for what has happened these past five years." Buffy began and glanced meaningfully over at Willow who took that as her cue and stood.

"Hey Katharine?" Willow knelt down next to the girl.

"Hmm?" Katharine didn't look up from the paper in front of her.

"Would you like to come with me for a little while? We could go explore the hospital. Oz told me that they have lots of toys and other neat things in the gift shop, and they might even have ice cream!" Willow tried to make her voice sound upbeat and cheerful despite how tired she was.

Katharine's eyes went wide at the prospect of ice cream and she glanced over at her mother for permission before happily grasping Willow's hand as they made their way over to the elevators.

Buffy mouthed the words 'Thank you' to her friend as she left and Willow nodded her response. They had decided on the plane that Katharine shouldn't be present when Buffy went into detail about her father and her birth and Willow offered to watch her while Buffy explained.

Buffy waited until Willow and her daughter were safely on the elevator and the doors closed behind them before turning back towards those that remained in the room.

She looked nervously over at her father, knowing that this would be hardest for him to understand being that he had had no clue as to her Calling before she disappeared and she was uncertain as to how much he knew even now.

She took a deep breath and requested that no one interrupt her until she was finished and for the third time in less than a week, Buffy found herself reliving the past five years of her life.

"I knew it! I knew it! Didn't I tell you?" Cordelia was the first to react once Buffy had finished her account. "I knew she was Angel's." She glanced over at her husband and Doyle nodded his head in agreement.

"Speaking of Deadboy, what are you going to tell him about Katharine?" Xander questioned.

Buffy studied her hands nervously before answering. "I honestly don't know. I never expected to be in this position so soon. I know he deserves to know but I just couldn't bring myself to tell him and burden him with the guilt. I know he would blame himself and go into super-brood and I just couldn't do that to him, to either of them." She answered softly. "I don't know. Please don't anyone tell him anything about her just yet. Please, it has to be my decision. I have to be the one who tells him."

Buffy met Cordelia's gaze as she finished, the other girl nodded her understanding and Buffy visibly relaxed.

Everyone else remained quiet in the wake of Buffy's explanation. She knew her father must be reeling from all the information she had just dumped on him at once, but at the moment he remained quiet and seemed to be processing what she had revealed.

Xander walked over and gave her a reassuring hug.

"Glad to have you back Buff. Things just weren't the same without you." He said it quietly and she held onto him tightly in appreciation of his support.

"Thanks Xander. I've missed you all so much." She replied and pulled away as she noticed Giles standing away from everyone else studying a flyer on the wall intently.

Buffy walked over to stand next to him and gently placed her hand on his arm.

"Giles?"

"Hmm?" He answered but did not face her.

"Are you.alright?" Buffy bit her lower lip, waiting for him to respond and wishing she knew the right thing to say.

Giles sighed and turned toward her, pain evident on his face.

"No. I'm not alright. Part of me understands why you did what you did Buffy, but another part of me feels horribly hurt and betrayed that you had so little confidence in me. There's never been anything that you kept from me before.I just, I just wasn't expecting it that's all." He wavered in his answer and turned back to face the wall.

"Giles, I'm sorry. I know that I could have come to you but I was scared, irrationally scared, and I couldn't handle things then. I couldn't wait for all of you to deal with the shock and disbelief once I told you what was going on and then wait some more for you try and find answer to my dilemma, I just couldn't. I had to leave. I had to." Buffy cringed at the sound of her voice and she knew she must sound like a whiny little girl. If Giles minded, he didn't show it.

"I know you are Buffy and I also know that you did what you thought was best at the time. I'm not mad at you, it's just an awful lot to take in all at once." Giles turned back toward her as she stared nervously at the tile on the floor. "Buffy, listen to me. It doesn't matter now, really, all that matters is that you are alive and that you and your child are safe. Okay?"

Buffy regarded his face hesitantly before reaching out and hugging him in response.

"I'm glad that you're back Buffy. Very glad." Giles replied as he hugged the girl he'd regarded as his daughter for so long and the two turned and made their way back to the rest of the group to resume their vigil in uncomfortable silence.

Buffy was jerked from her dreams by a constant shrill whining. She hadn't remembered falling asleep but the cramp in her neck from sleeping in the hard chair told her otherwise. It took her a moment to remember her surroundings and instinctively she searched out her daughter who was curled up asleep in the chair next to her. She then turned her attention to the source of the noise and noticed that everyone else was awake and standing at the edge of the room nervously staring in the direction of Joyce's room. She stood and hesitantly made her way over to them.

"Giles? What's going on?"

Giles turned to her and she saw the fear and pain etched across his face grow as he answered.

"It's Joyce, your mother, she's.she's." He faltered not wanting to give voice to the words he knew would break her heart.

Buffy's eyes went wide with fear as the realization hit her.

"But they're in there helping her, aren't they? They'll bring her back.Giles?"

"Yes, well, they are in there but they are just keeping her comfortable until."

"Why aren't they helping her? How can they?"

"Buffy, your mother, she wanted.she signed a 'do not resuscitate' order the last time she was admitted. She didn't want to suffer any longer than necessary and she didn't want to prolong it for us. She said she wanted to die with some dignity." Giles lowered his head and rubbed his weary eyes as he finished and felt Buffy collapse into him crying. He replaced his glasses and held onto her as she continued.

The nagging beeping of the alarm was silenced and a few moments later a young doctor made his way toward the weary group. Buffy watched in horror as he swallowed nervously and delivered the words she dreaded. Her mother was gone. Gone. She fought against the tears that burned at the back of her eyes as she crumbled to the floor next to Giles' legs.

"Mommy." The word clawed its way from her throat to greet the air in an explosion of pain. It was a horrible sound. The sound of her heart breaking mirrored in the grief that consumed her friends. Buffy cried until she was empty. She had no idea how long she sat there on the cold tile floor but the next thing she recalled was Willow's soft voice speaking to her.

"Buffy? Buffy, we need to get you two home." Willow reached down and helped her friend up.

"Oh Willow, we don't have a hotel and." Buffy protested as Willow interrupted her.

"You and Katharine are staying with Oz and I, we insist." She smiled weakly as she used the same argument Buffy had in Boston. "There's more than enough room, we have a two bedroom apartment. Oz has already loaded everything back into the van."

Buffy smiled over at her friend and turned to say goodbye to those that remained. Her father and Giles. The two men sat next to each other speaking quietly, they paused and looked up as Buffy approached.

"We're going to go with Willow. Is there anything you need me to do? To help with.things."

She watched as her father shook his head and Giles answered.

"It's all been arranged before hand. Joyce wanted it that way. Willow has all the details, now go and get some rest."

She leaned down and hugged them both before turning and following Willow, who held a still sleeping Katharine, to the elevators.

Cordelia took a solid breath to calm her nerves as she reached her hand up and knocked hesitantly on the apartment door. She waited as she heard shuffling on the inside and a few moments later the clicking of the locks as they were released while the door swung open granting her admittance. She entered without a word as the door closed soundly behind her.

Inside the apartment she sat her bag on the table and plopped down onto the couch leaning her head back and closing her eyes. She heard movement in the kitchen and waited as the sound died down and she felt the couch shift as her companion lowered himself down next to her. She didn't open her eyes but heard him set a coffee cup in front of her as he leaned back into the sofa waiting for her to speak.

"Thanks." She mumbled as she opened her eyes and leaned forward for the cup. Taking a sip she settled against the cushions and glanced sideways as her companion spoke.

"So are you going to give me a hint as to why you are waking me up at this hour of the morning or do I get to guess?"

"Sorry." She took another brief sip from the cup trying to collect her thoughts before she continued. "I haven't been home yet. We've been at the hospital for a few days, and I wanted to stop by and tell you the news before I went home and crashed." She sighed and turned her body to face his. "It's Joyce. She died this morning. The funeral is in two days. I thought you might want to know so you could come.if you wanted to that is."

Cordelia studied his face carefully, but as usual he showed no emotion. He sighed as he answered.

"I see." He took another sip from his cup and stared off into space.

"Well, I'm going to go, I'm exhausted. I just wanted you to know, in case.well, I thought you should know." She leaned forward and sat the cup down on the table as she rose to leave. He stood with her.

"Thank you Cordelia. I appreciate it."

She smiled briefly at him before reaching for her bag. He walked her back to the door and she hesitated with her back still to him.

"Angel?"

"Yeah?"

"There's something else that happened last night, and I.I think you should know about it." She bit her lip waiting for his response.

"What is it Cordy?" He replied softly as she nervously turned to face him, her eyes studying the ceramic tile of the entryway, pointedly avoiding his gaze.

"I know it's not my place to tell you, but no one else is going to and I don't want you to be the only one who doesn't know. I hope that you will forgive me if it's something that you'd rather not have heard but I wouldn't be a friend if I let you walk into the funeral not knowing." She rambled anxiously as he struggled to grasp her meaning.

"Cordy, I'm not sure I understand. What happened?" Angel searched her face intently, trying to glean some sort of clue as to what was going on.

Cordelia sucked in a deep breath and raised her eyes slowly to meet his.

"Buffy." She flinched as a wave of pain settled over his features and he looked away. "Angel, she's alive. She's here. She arrived with Willow last night at the hospital and."

She didn't get the chance to finish as he was gripping her by the arms firmly shaking her.

"What do you mean Buffy's alive? This isn't funny Cordelia." He searched her face for some sign that this was some sort of cruel joke, that it was a dream. She shook him off of her and faced him, anger replacing the sadness that previously blanketed her features.

"It's not a joke. How could you even think I would try and pull something like that on you? It's the truth and I thought you should know if you chose to walk into the funeral and saw her there. I thought you should be prepared. I guess I was wrong. Sorry. I won't make the same mistake twice." She turned to go and he stopped her, still too shocked to comprehend what she was saying.

"No Cordy, wait. I'm sorry. I just.I wasn't expecting this, how could I? Please wait."

She turned back to him reluctantly, impatiently waiting for him to continue.

"Please, I'm glad you told me. I just.I don't.I mean, how? How is she alive?"

"That's something that she'll have to explain to you."

"But Cordy, she died, dead.the next Slayer.oh God." Angel looked up at her, his face awash in confusion and pain.

"Look, I don't know why it happened, but she died and now she's back. I mean honestly, neither of you have ever been able to stay dead for very long."

She realized the inappropriateness of her last remark when she saw the look on his face, like she'd punched him in the gut.

"Sorry." She said quietly before continuing. "Look, Angel there's a lot that I don't know about what happened, but I wanted you to know she was here. I'm sorry for dropping it on you like this but I didn't know what else to do. Doyle tried to convince me that I shouldn't tell you but I think he's wrong. What if princess sunshine decides to visit you unexpectedly? It isn't fair for her to have the advantage. I mean, she's already." Cordelia abruptly shut her mouth, realizing that she had almost said too much. No matter what her history with Buffy, she had promised she would not tell him about his child

"What Cordy? She's already what?"

"Nothing. Look, I'm going to go. I'm going to claw my eyes out in a second if I don't get some sleep soon. We'll see you at the funeral if you decide to show." She reached for the door as a thought suddenly occurred to Angel and he grabbed her arm.

"Cordy, you didn't tell her." He looked frightened, which was a new one for him.

"No, we didn't talk about you, us or anyone else at all. There was way too much going on as it was with Joyce. Besides, it's not my place to tell her what you have been up to all this time. If she wants to know, she'll have to ask you herself."

"Thanks Cordy." Angel gave her a small hug as she turned to go and he watched the door close behind her. He sighed and leaned his head back against the wall.

Buffy is alive. Alive. And in L.A. Oh God, Oh God, Oh God.

Angel felt his legs start to give out on him and let his body slide down to the floor in a heap. He buried his head in his hands struggling to process what he had just heard. So many emotions flooded his brain at once he wasn't sure he'd be able to make sense of anything. He was numb. Too shocked to move. He couldn't think. He needed to think. He was having a hard enough time recognizing single words much less comprehending what it was that Cordelia had just dropped on him. Everything was just one gigantic tangle of unintelligible syllables as far as his head was concerned but one word kept screaming at him over the rush of emotion in his ears.

Buffy.

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