I have not worked on this in awhile so let me know what you think.

A buzzing in her ears brought Eva out of the hazing dream world, part of her clung to the truth there. She tried to bring a hand to her ear to push away the insect making the awful noise but her hand felt strangely heavy. Why was there a bee or a wasp in her room. Truthfully she was quite terrified of the little beings, but her body refused to cooperate. Slowly she slid into complete awareness. The buzzing clarified into the murmuring of voices. Voices she did not recognize. Opening her eyes the view was also unfamiliar. She laid on the backseat of a van covered with a blanket. One of the side doors at the front was open. Panic welled in her throat.

Angel left the gym wiping a towel across his face. From the fourth floor he could hear the thunder of screaming voices. Balling the towel into a fist he took the stairs five at a time. On his first glance of the Hyperion's lobby he saw a tall blond man slam a fisted hand on the front desk. Behind the desk Fred was shaking her head back and forth, as if denying something.

"May I help you with something?" Angel slowed his pace taking the last steps one at a time with a genial smile.

The face that turned to him was not one he had ever expected to see again.

"Riley?"

"Damn you Angel, if you—"Riley advanced across the tile towards Angel, raising the fist at his side.

One of the front doors open.

"STOP!" The entering figure bellowed. Both men turned towards the voice, this time confusion crossed both of their faces.

"Giles?" Angel gaped. He had not seen his ex-wife's watcher since that night.

"We all need to talk," Rupert Giles nodded wearily.

The scene in his office was not one Angel could ever have dreamed up. Riley Finn stood behind a chair in which his wife Samantha sat. Giles had lowered himself into its match while Angel leaned on the bookshelf, also refusing to sit.

"Our daughter is missing, and he is the one who took her." Riley demanded.

"Riley, you need to let me explain." The old man's hands were shaking as he wiped at his glasses sighing.

"Angel, I never told you who we gave Aveline to, to protect her."

Angel just stared.

"Eighteen years ago I asked Riley and Samantha if they would take your daughter; raise her as their own to protect her. They left their life, changed their names and raised her with their two sons."

"And now she is missing?" Incredulous Angel sat down.

Samantha nodded "A man approached me two days ago at my office; he told me his name was Angel. He was asking after our daughter…" Her voice broke.

Riley squeezed his wife's arm "Sam asked him to leave, refusing to give him any information. We immediately called Eva…"

"Eva…that is Ave backwards" Angel whisper.

"Giles told us that is what you and Buffy called her." Sam nodded.

"She just graduated, she lives in D.C. now. She would not pick up her cell; we couldn't get a hold of either of her roommates, so we drove to the city. By the time we got there it was almost 8am, and she was already gone," Riley looked at Giles.

"Well obviously the man who came to see you was not me. I had no idea…" Angel turned his gaze towards Giles. "You told us that if we gave her up, you would keep her safe."

"Do you think I do not realize that Angel?"

Sitting on the dirty steps in the shadows of the alley Eva began to rethink her plan. She had absolutely no idea where she was, no money and her head was pounding so badly that she wanted to throw up. Humiliated she slumped over the railing and pitched forth the contents of her stomach. The pain lessened an ounce; still she laid her head on her knees taking shallow breaths.

Concentrating on the pain Eva was not aware of the thick footsteps moving her way. She thought the halting breaths were her own until a voice joined them.

"Need help my pretty?" The wheezing got louder.

Slowly Eva turned her head to the right. What stood in the shadows froze the screams in her throat. The figure was tall, dressed in a black suite that is where all familiarity stopped. The face was grey with sunken eyes the color of old blood. One look was all it took for Eva to turn and run towards the road. Her body hit what felt like a brick wall, sending her sprawling into the tarry black water beside a giant dumpster.

"Now, now," the wheezing turned to manic laughter "no need to leave so soon."

Above her a second creature, just as disgusting as the first was reaching down with black hands.

Light pulsed across her face, blinding light. Foot steps were running in the water. Eva pushed herself up on one elbow, wincing at the pain that exploded in her muscles. In the dimness she could pick up a second pair of shadows, running towards the creatures. Theq one over her lifted his head looking in the same direction she was. He licked his lips but took a steqpq back.

"Quick, find her." A maleq voice commanded.

Strong hands were lifting her up out of the black water. Finally the terror was just too much. Eva shut her eyes, gathered was strength she had left and pushed against her attacker.

Shouts interrupted the angry conversation in Angel's office, causing everyone to pause and look towards the door.

"What the hell is it now? Angel growled crossing to the door.

In the lobby his youngest son, Lucien was helping Xander's daughter Gabriella sit down on one of the sofas while her brother Shane stood at the desk waving his hands at Fred. Angel had to take a second look before he noticed how pale Gabriella was, and all three were covered in black mud mixed with blood.

Connor burst through the double doors almost stumbling down the steps, cradling a figure in his arms. Angel did not who to approach first.

"Oh, my god." Samantha Finnegan's sharp gasp broke his trance when she pushed by him.

"Dad!" Lucien was shouting.

"Oh god, oh god." Gabriella mumbled leaning into Shane's dark shirt. Shane put his arms around his sister.

"My baby…" Samantha said rushing towards Angel's eldest son. Angel was right behind her.

Samantha was trying to tug the figure out of Gabriel's, who was sitting on the steps, arms. Closer Angel realized the body was that of a young woman. Her light hair was soaked with black water, blood smeared her pale cheeks and torn, soaked clothing. She was unconscious.

"Is she?" Riley reached the other side of Angel.

Connor, with heaving breaths, shook his head.

There could only be one person who his son held. Keeping a few steps back Angel stared straight into his son's eyes.