Hi to everyone! Longtime… no see! I know. I told you I broke an arm and when I got ok I have to go back to work. There was a loooooot of things to do and I couldn't sit down to right this chapter sooner. But no fear… here it is.

Have fun!

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Buffy just looked at Angel… for a long moment. Then, she opened her mouth and closed it and opened it again. Angel had to suppress an amused grin when she shook her head to make her mind work properly again. Finally, she spoke.

"Huh?"

Buffy was wearing a completely chocked face.

"Did you say…? Have I heard…? I mean… my biological parents?"

"Yes."

Buffy's heart squeezed and her eyes welled up. She had never thought she would know of these peoples. After Dawn's arrival and the change in her adoptive parents' behavior towards her, she often found herself daydreaming of her them. How they were? Where did they live? Did she have a sister or brother? Why did they abandon her? Was she so unlovable that her own parents didn't want her?

Angel could not avoid giving some sort of comfort to the small woman beside him even if this life depended on it. He approached Buffy and just held her hand, which he squeezed gently.

"But, but… what do they want with me now?"

As soon as the tears came, she repressed them… and anger took over. Who they thought they were? She was not going to cry for people who haven't wanted her. Before Angel could give her an answer, Buffy got up of the couch.

"I don't want to know."

Buffy didn't give two steps towards the door when Angel made his announcement.

"They think you are their stolen daughter."

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Buffy froze in place and hang her head lower. When all of his words made complete sense, she started to tremble and the tears came again. She was so tired. The last months had been the worst of her life, but since Angel and his family entered her life she felt like everything was going to be ok. Could this be the first ok thing in her life from now on? For a moment, she allowed herself to hope because these people were trying to find her; these people didn't abandon their baby girl. She was wanted.

Then, the rational part of her, the one who usually protected the side of her able to feel, love and be hurt, reminded her there was no confirmation these people could be her parents.

Buffy was so caught in her pain, loneliness and silent tears that she didn't realize Angel had turned her around and enveloped her in his arms. Then, she heard it. His heart beat against her hand. It is calming for some reason. She instinctively snuggled against the soft fabric of his suit and a strong sense of safety spread in her shocked and turned off mind.

Angel held Buffy against his chest while she silently shook and cried against him. Before, he could even realize what he was doing he lifted her up and walked back to the couch, where he sat and put he in his lap. Buffy just snuggled close to him with her face still hide in his chest and stayed like this for several minutes. He didn't mind.

And also, didn't realize his mother was at the door appreciating the lovely scene.

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When Buffy calmed down enough, she pulled back and looked at Angel. He gave her a small smile, although when he looked at her red and puffy face from crying, he had the strongest urge to just kiss her senseless, what he couldn't do to a client. What were those thoughts coming from? He needed to find a girlfriend.

His mind immediately rejected the idea of him and any other woman. Bad Angel. Bad Angel.

"Sorry."

"No. That is… that is ok."

"How did these people find you?"

"They saw a picture of you with me in one newspaper. You know… the famous lawyer and all that. So, they came to me."

"What happened to their daughter?"

"They told me she was stolen from them in the hospital."

Buffy gasped when she realized the baby girl, who could be her, was taken from her mother and father just after being born. Neither of them realized the intimacy of their position with Angel gently caressing her arms while she was running her finger in the lapel of his suit.

"Why me? I mean… why would they think… the mother held her little girl just for what… a day or less? How could they be so sure?"

"Well. I'd be."

"You would."

"Yes. She is just an older version of you. She also showed me a picture of her mother. You are a carbon copy of her. Do you… do you want to know them?"

Buffy head shot up. Fear was written all over it.

"I don't know. Did… do they want to meet me?"

"Yes. They menaced to find you with or without my help anyway."

"I don't know. I… I mean. Maybe I am not their daughter, Angel. I don't know if I can deal with another… dream… that won't come true."

"This can be solved with DNA testing."

Buffy frowned and bit her lower lip. Angel felt yet again another violent wave of lust for her lips. Oblivious to the reactions she was causing in the male she was sitting in, she was thinking of meeting these people. She wanted to meet them, but her practical side knew it was no good if they weren't really her parents. It was a pain she was putting herself up to.

"Can I do this testing without knowing them? I mean… we could go, do the tests and only meet if our parentage were confirmed. So, if… if they are not my parents, I and they can go on without having known them."

"Ok."

Angel kissed Buffy's head. After a while, she had fallen sleep. After all, it seemed he was going to care her back to her bedroom.

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Angel gently laid Buffy on the bed and covered her. After verifying her pills and water were around, he turned to leave the room. When he reached the door handle, he had the strongest urge to turn around to look at woman in the bed. He thought he couldn't understand his feelings towards her. She was beautiful, yes she was, but it was her strong spirit which called for his attention. She had endured a lot in the last six months. Betrayed by a friend, the death of another one, her parents' abandonment, being ridiculed in court and out of it, being shot, losing her place to live and her job, and a lot more was coming when the things with her assailants worked up. She had told him she was planning to start over somewhere else, which made his stomach do ridiculous somersaults and his heart constrict in something akin to pain. It just showed how much stubborn she was, how much she wanted to have a normal life, a good life. It was almost as if she was telling Fate she could throw anything at her that she would deal with it, but mainly she was not going to give up that normal and happy life. That strong spirit was what made him ache to protect her. That strong spirit was what attracted him the most. It was what he loved.

When the words attraction and love flashed in his mind, Angel's eyes got wide and he bolted from the room like he had seen the devil himself. He closed the door behind him, propped himself against it and breathed hard. Then, he distractedly walked to the kitchen in his mother house. He was so shocked with his discovered that he didn't recognize his mother's presence.

Angel just sat in a chair. He finally realized consciously what he was feeling. It could not be. How could he fall in love with his client? Faith was just like her, why hadn't he fallen for the brunette instead when they knew each other? What did Buffy had that called so strongly to him?

Angel put his head in his hand and a thought of another blonde occurred. Cordelia was his girlfriend and another junior lawyer at Wolfram & Hart just like him. She was sensual, flirtatious, and hot in bed. He thought he loved her, although today he doubted it. He bought a ring and was going to propose to her during the end of year's party on the main salon of Wolfram & Hart. They went together to the party, but they got separated. When he finally caught her, she was in one of the offices screwing Mr. Hart, the fifty five years old son of Mr. and Mrs. Wolfram. An argument happened and he discovered they were together behind his back and the other man's wife for over a year. Angel discovered George Hart had ended his marriage of thirty years to marry Cordelia, who was wearing a big diamond ring. Cordelia showed her true face and said that she would have made everything for him to marry her to add his money to hers and he was going to be a really good trophy, but when George showed his interest she shifted in favor of the old, much more rich, man because "she wanted big fishes in the sea". George seemed to be ok with it because he said he was man enough to provide "his delicious blonde" what she wanted.

However, the divorce and family scandal didn't sit well with Mr. Wolfram. George Hart was forced to go to the Italian branch of the firm taking Cordelia with him, while Gabriel Hart assumed the presidency of the firm.

"So, did you figure it out?"

"Figure out what?"

"Buffy."

Caroline gave her son one of her pointed looks and he realized she knew his feelings. Mom knows better.

"You knew?"

"Well, you didn't hide it very well."

"What? How…?"

"At first I thought it was because of the whole being shot, but then I realized you were being too, and I mean too, overprotective of the girl. Your anguished look that first night when Buffy thought you brought her here with not so good intentions. That is a dead giveaway, son. Thinking of it… even you should have seen it first. Well, Drusilla saw it too as well as Spike and Faith.

"What? Everyone knew but me?"

Caroline gave him a bright smile.

"Pretty much. We just agreed that would be better if you find out by yourself. There is a bet going on about how much time you would get to realize it?"

Caroline grinned amused at her son.

"What?"

Angel gave his mother an offended look.

"Faith told me that if you didn't see it soon, Spike would throw it at your face. I mean you gave him the hard time when he got interested in Faith with the whole "she was a client". You are so dense sometimes. How are you?"

"Shocked. I never thought… after…"

Angel gave his mother a half smile and Caroline smiled back. She sat in a chair in the other side of the table and grabbed his hand.

"Angel. I know you were hurt pretty badly because of what Cordelia did, but that was never a real reason for you to just close up your heart. You are a good man and I was always sure there was a real good lady somewhere that would be just perfect for you."

"That is a little biased?"

"What? I am your mother. I'll always be biased."

Caroline winked at her son and caressed his hair.

"But you never liked any of the girls I dated after Cordelia."

"No. I didn't. I am sorry Angel, but I am your mother and I want what is best for you… which excludes seeing you with some bimbo that only cares about the size of her breast or her Prada boot or bag. I wanted a real girl for you. One such as Faith or even Buffy, who I don't know much really, but I have a feeling she is a real person with a good heart."

"I love you mom."

"I love you too. So, what are you going to do?"

"Nothing. Buffy is my client. I can't get involved with her. I knew her just today practically… I can't be… I can't have…"

"Fallen in love?"

Angel gave a funny look to his mother.

"Remember me and your father? Well, what you do with it is up for you. That girl is not going to wait around."

Caroline caressed Angel's hair for the last time and left the kitchen. If she had looked at him, she would have seen his face darken with the thought of Buffy with somebody else. Angel was pulled of his thoughts by his cell phone ringing.

"Angel. This is Kate."

"Hey. Kate. Give me good news."

"We are going to their house. Want to tag along?"

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AN.: Ok. I know I promise to update soon and never do it. I finally put my work together and can write more often, but I won't promise again. However, I can say that next chapter, Mr. Lavelle and his friends will have a really good surprise.