Disclaimer:
The characters of Charmed,Buffy – the Vampire Slayer, and Angel – the Series do not belong to me.
Summary:
AU Crossover between the Charmed and Buffy universes. In the aftermath of Dark Willow, Willow discovers she's adopted. Her biological father comes to Sunnydale to retrieve his daughter.
Author's Note:
This story is distinct and separate from my other AU stories. I'd like to thank River Blackstone for the great idea and all the brainstorming sessions.
Chapter Two – Father and Daughter
Part One
Tempus had decided that he had to be careful with his young daughter. He didn't enjoy seeing his own offspring like this. So... so... human. He suppressed a shudder. He wanted better for his daughter. After all, she was descended from the most powerful of demons. She had the power. He knew this. She had used it. And now, she was regretting that. She was remorseful, she wanted... ugh... redemption. The word stuck in his craw. But he had to take care. She had been raised as a human. She seemed ashamed of her actions. Telling her she was a demon, well, that had to be done carefully.
He looked into her hooded eyes. It was apparent from her appearance that she had been crying for some time. He bit back on the anger and bile that erupted from within him. But she was intelligent. That he could see, even hidden back behind the emotion. She had intelligence and power... what more was needed? He looked kindly at her and lifted her chin with a long outstretched finger. "Willow."
Willow looked up tears filling her eyes. There was something about this man that said he was her father. It wasn't that she doubted it was just she had never thought of another in that role. He was taller than her adoptive father, and much more handsome. He really didn't look old enough to be her father. He was very intelligent, you could see it in his eyes. But, for all that, he seemed hard. Not that he had been anything but kindness to her. But, still, there was something there. A ruthlessness. Perhaps it was from his job. He had said he was in the security business.
She smiled at this new man in her life. After all, he had showed more affection for her in one afternoon than Julius Rosenberg had done in her entire life. "I'm... I'm sorry, sir."
Sir? Damn it all! He wanted a child with more backbone than this. But she did have it. He was sure of that. She wouldn't have hunted down and killed that human boy if she hadn't. "Now, Willow, I don't know what's happened. I know I've been gone all of your life and you're not sure if you should trust me. But, I want you to know that you can. And, I won't be leaving, okay? I want to be your father – your daddy. Please?"
Her lower lip trembled. She didn't deserve this. She was evil and horrid and hateful. Just look at what she'd done. When he found out... well, he'd... She took a deep breath and calmed herself. He mustn't find out – he mustn't! She'd do whatever she could to avoid that. First she had to figure out what to do about Giles and the others. She knew that Giles had plans for her. Plans that she knew she could never hope to explain to her father. So, she knew that she had to make sure to stay in control of her own life. She sat up straight and smiled at her father. "I'd like that. I really would."
Tempus smiled, a genuine smile this time. Good. Yes. She seemed to have found the strength in herself. The strength he knew was there. "Wonderful, sweetheart. Now, I'd love to hear all about you. I know so little. I want to get to know my little girl."
"Are you two ready?" The waitress had just come to their table, her pad and pen ready to take their order. Willow and Tempus looked at her and then at each other and laughed, all the bitter feelings dispelled to the ether.
Part Two
Xander wasn't sure what bothered him the most about Mr. Tempus. Maybe it was the name. It sounded like the name of a supervillain from the Superman comic books or maybe even from the Fantastic Four. It just had that feel. Maybe he shouldn't have let Willow go with him. But, he'd been so worried that Buffy and Giles were putting too much guilt on her. Willow had tried, she really had. If Giles had paid more attention when she was picking up the magic. If he hadn't left town when he had. If Buffy and he had spent more time with her. If they'd only helped. If. If. IF!
Willow was a victim of her circumstances. Sure, you can blame her for a part of it. But not all, not surely. Plus Buffy let old perfect brooding Deadboy off the hook for his crimes, his murders. And Willow had only killed one! Sure, sure, she tried destroying the world. But, so did Deadboy! Xander just couldn't blame Willow completely. She needed them.
So he'd been happy when that Mr. Tempus showed up and taken her out to lunch. It had surprised him that he claimed to be Willow's father. Hmmm. And there was something about him. He really didn't need a piece of paper. Xander really felt that he was Willow's father. First there was the way he'd watched everybody. It had really reminded him the way Willow would listen to everything before making her decision. Then there were the eyes. They weren't the same color as Willow's. Hadn't Tempus said that she had her mother's eyes? No, it was more the way he looked at you. The way you could almost see his thoughts, his mind turning. They were a little harder, his eyes. But he did say he worked in security, didn't he? He'd probably had to deal with a criminal element. Plus he said he'd worked in Hong Kong. That was China. That's where those tongs were. They were a lot worse than the gangs here in the good old U S of A. Funnily enough, the thing that put the capper was the guy's hands. They just reminded him of Willow. The way he motioned with them. The way he put his hands over hers.
Xander was glad she'd have a new chance. Damn! What he'd do to have a new mom or dad. That pair he'd got were always drunk. Never really noticed what Xander was up to or where he'd gone. Not that Willow's were much better. They were never here. They believed that Willow was responsible and reliable and didn't really need them hovering. He snorted. He was sure that Willow would've traded her eye teeth to be hovered over. He looked over at Buffy who was still head to head with Dawn. They'd really managed to bond over the last year. That was good. Those two didn't really have good parenting models either.
Well, Joyce was wonderful. But, still, even she hadn't known what her daughter had been up to until the end of Buffy's junior year. And, even then, she couldn't stop Buffy from running away. If she'd been more aware... if they'd been more proactive... they could've stopped this whole Angel thing. Or could they? Maybe it was as Buffy believed – even though she never mentioned it anymore – maybe he really was her soul mate.
"Xander?" He looked up at the sound of Giles' voice penetrating his inner argument.
"Yeah?"
Giles came to sit down next to Xander. He'd come to have a lot more respect for the boy. Xander was in some sort of inner turmoil. And he needed to know what. "Xander, what is bothering you? Please let me in. I know that I've failed Willow, I don't want to fail you as well."
"Just worried about Will – this guy, you know."
Yes, so am I, Giles echoed Xander in his thoughts. "Yes. You think he falsified the records?"
Xander looked up sharply at Giles and shook his head. "No. I believe he's her father. The way he looks at you, the way he moves his hands. I don't know why but I just feel he's telling the truth about that. No, something else bothers me about him. I just can't figure out what. I'm afraid for her. And I don't know why."
Giles nodded his head seriously. Now that he thought about it, he did see a lot of Willow in the older man. But was Xander right about the other? Xander had always been overprotective of Willow. He hadn't liked her dating Oz at first. Still, he had a point. Also, they had to protect Mr. Tempus from Willow. Giles knew they still had to do something to deal with the aftermath of her dark self. They couldn't just let that slide. She had to be taught control, if not something extremely dire could happen. "We still have a problem. We can't just tell her... father... about Willow's... well..."
"Witchiness?" Xander put in. "What do you want to do about that Giles? You've been treating Willow like some kind of criminal. It really isn't her fault. Well, it is... and it's not..."
Giles smiled and nodded in sympathy with the young man. "Yes, I realize it's not wholly Willow's fault. However, unfortunately, Willow is the one that will have to pay the piper, so to speak. Regardless what you think, Xander, I do not want to punish her. I just want her to learn the control and discipline that she will need in the future."
"But how? You? You haven't done that good so far." Xander cringed at what he had just said. "Giles, hey... I didn't mean that... it came out all..."
"No, Xander, no. It's nothing I haven't been thinking." Giles interrupted. Xander was right. He should've been doing something. "And I've been thinking. Maybe it shouldn't be me. There are covens in England we could send her to. People that understand her power and could teach her, could train her. I'm just worried about how this latest development with her... father... will affect things."
Xander nodded in thought. Yes, how will her father affect things? And what if anything should they do about him?
Part Three
Willow had had a wonderful lunch with her father. They had talked the entire time. About, well, about everything. They had a lot in common. A lot. Her father had said that he, too, had been considered a nerd at school. He loved computers and tried to keep up to date on the latest developments. He had been surprised to discover that his daughter actually hacked. She'd been embarrassed to tell him that. But he'd laughed and told her a secret, too. He'd been a pick pocket! She couldn't believe that. He seemed so... well, so... respectable. To think he'd been a common thief. She giggled at the thought.
Tempus looked up at his daughter's giggle. He'd thought he'd have to tell her some lies. But, he hadn't really. No, just the one lie of omission. He hadn't told her of her true heritage... yet. But everything else... that had been true. He did like computers. He had been a pick pocket. Sure, not a very violent skill to have. However, he enjoyed the skill of being light-fingered. He was thrilled to find out she hacked. He had tried a couple of times. However, he could only do it with the help of the dark arts. It was gratifying to discover that she'd always had a sense of the devious about her. Perhaps it wouldn't be so hard. It was just that frustratingly "good" code of ethics he had to deal with. That was going to cause problems.
That, and those friends. They would surely try and keep her from him. One was a Slayer, that had to be handled delicately. She was strong enough to kill him. And, he certainly didn't want that. Not after his last run-in with those damned Charmed Ones. No, this had to be done carefully. He looked into his daughter's smiling eyes and smiled in response. She really was wonderful. It was incredible, he had a child. He'd never wanted one, but now... He'd kill before he gave her up.
"Willow, I am so glad I looked for you. I've never felt like this. I never knew I wanted a child."
Willow smiled at his words. They warmed her. She was his only child? For some reason, that filled her with pride. She was so proud that he wanted her. "I'm... glad too. You're so different from my... well, my other father. I just wish..." She hesitated. She knew they couldn't stay together. She'd never be able to completely give up the magic or witchcraft, and when he found out...
He frowned. Those damn human feelings again! He took her elbow and led her to a stone bench in a cemetery they were passing. There certainly were a lot of cemeteries in this town. Sitting down, he took her hand and looked into her eyes. "What? Willow? You just wish what? I promise, I'll make whatever it is better. I love you, baby. Please, just tell me. Whatever it is, we're stronger if we face it together."
She looked into his eyes. Could she? Could she, really? She wanted to believe that, she did. But, she didn't want him to look at her the same way that Giles, Buffy, and the others looked at her. She wanted to keep that love. Still... She wanted to confide in him. She wanted to see acceptance, forgiveness for her actions. If truth be told, she really didn't feel what she had done was so terribly bad. Well, it was but still... Warren had killed Tara. He deserved to be punished. And, she'd been angry. What wouldn't Buffy or Giles have done when they were angry. Willow was sure that Buffy would've killed anyone... mortal or non-mortal... who would've dared to hurt Angel. Hadn't she put Faith in a coma for that? And, Faith... slayer or not... still had a mortal soul. Wasn't that against the rules?
The rules. That was what condemned her. These so-called rules. Where were these rules? Who wrote them down? But, Giles was using them to judge... and to sentence. Oh, yes, Willow knew that Giles had some punishment in store for her. She just wasn't sure what it was. She thought some more about her father. She had a strong feeling about him. That maybe, just maybe, he'd understand. "I've done some things... Things you might not understand."
Tempus felt a thrill go up his spine. She wanted to talk to him! It was a major step forward. Oh, yes! He smiled at her and nodded. "Baby, don't worry. It'll be fine. Just let it out and we can move on from there. Okay?"
Willow nodded happily. Yes! Oh, please, let him understand. She took a deep breath and began her story. "Well, first of all, do you believe in magic? Or witches?"
Tempus smiled and nodded. "Of course I do, baby. Your mom was a witch."
She froze for just a minute. That was way too easy. But, still... If they'd been together, he might have known... she might have told him about being a witch. For just a moment, she was unsure about him. Still... She took a deep breath to expel her doubts and moved on.
So, she told him everything. About the Harvest and finding out about Buffy being the Slayer. She told him about Malcolm and Oz. She told him about the Master and the Hellmouth, about Spike and Drusilla. And about Angel, Angelus, and the Curse. Oh, yes, the Curse.
"You gave him back his soul?" Tempus was very impressed. Ensouling anyone was difficult. But a vampire? Unheard of. Of course, it was gypsy magic. Should I tell her? It sounded like she didn't realize the true outcome of that spell. Witches performing gypsy curses... well there was a precedent there.
She nodded. "Yes, I had to. Angel... well, he wasn't responsible for his demon's actions. I knew that I could do it... I wanted to do it."
Tempus nodded, but inwardly he was seething. Souls... they could only lead to disaster. Look at what had happened to Belthazor because of a soul. Or still could. The soul was still within the Source. He didn't want that weakness for his child. He looked back up at her. She was looking at him expectantly. He smiled. "Well, surely there's more. That sounded like it was the right thing to do." He grimaced inwardly at the sound of that. "That can't be what you're upset about."
"No, it isn't. It wasn't. There is more." Willow agreed and moved on. She told him about Faith and the Mayor. She told him of how Buffy fought Faith and fed Angel to cure him of the poison. She told him about Graduation Day.
"You blew up your high school? Incredible! Now, that's something for your c.v." He chuckled.
"Well, technically, Buffy blew it up. But, yeah, we helped. The worst part was when the Mayor decided to give a speech on good civics before he started to eat us. Ugh!" She laughed along with him at that. Although scary at the time, now that she looked back at her high school graduation, she did find it very funny. So, she moved on to her post-high school years. Oz leaving her. Tara. The Initiative. Adam. Riley. Xander and Anya. Joyce's death.
She cringed at the memory of that. In memory, she realized that this was the end of her youth. This was when she became an adult. This was the end of her carefree days. She could feel the tears well up. She looked at her father and smiled weakly. "I'm sorry. I just miss Joyce. She was really great."
He nodded, he did understand this. He remembered when his own mother had been killed. He hadn't cried, oh, no. Of course not. But it had affected him. He missed her. He still did. And he had hunted down and killed those responsible for her death. "I understand, baby. I'm glad you had someone. Someone you could talk to."
She nodded. "Yeah, she was great. For girl stuff. For the witchy stuff, I really couldn't talk to anybody. It upset Xander and it made Buffy nervous. And, Giles... well, he hadn't wanted me to get involved in it. He even hid his books on it. But, I... I found them. I just ate all that stuff up."
Tempus nodded and smiled. How could anyone doubt that she was a demon? She knew of power she could have and she sought it out. She'd even been underhanded in seeking it out. Excellent. Everything was very encouraging. This soul wouldn't be as big a problem as he had thought. "I understand. It's knowledge. I've always been like that. If there was something I wanted to learn... computers, cars, whatever... I just ate up all the information I could get my hands on. I'm sure witchcraft was probably the same for you."
Willow's eyes opened wide at that. He understood! 'Cause that was exactly what it had been like for her. She'd always just eaten up knowledge. It had been her way to escape from her limited and boring world. And, it was the one thing her parents didn't discourage. And that's what witchcraft had been at first. Just more knowledge to learn. She hadn't known until later that it was a living thing. It grew and grew inside her until it frightened and seduced her. "I'm so glad you understand. I thought you'd be horrified and angry and.. and..."
Tempus gathered her into his arms and kissed the top of her head. "Hush, baby, hush. Of course, I'm not. It's a skill, sweetie. Just something to be learned. It's nothing to be ashamed of. Nothing."
She calmed in his arms. Her daddy. Her daddy's arms. And he loved her, and understood her. She didn't even really have to explain things, he just understood them. If she'd taken time to think, she'd have realized that this was odd. She would've been suspicious. However, she just soaked up the love. It'd been too long since she felt this kind of love from someone. Completely without judgment. Xander was the closest, really. But even he still judged her. Everyone did. She looked up into his eyes. "Can I... Can I call you Daddy?"
She felt him chuckle from beneath her. She smiled happily and burrowed further into his arms. That was a yes! She closed her eyes and, for the first time in many days, had a dreamless sleep. He tightened his arms around her and held on. Yes, she could call him daddy. Soon, he thought, very soon, his daughter would learn of her heritage.
