lizzie chap 1A

Disclaimer: see prologue

A/N:  I know some of you thought that was the end.  Did you really think I could keep Buffy and Angel apart?

A/N2: Sorry if I get the American age/grades/school levels mixed up, I'm Canadian so I go with what I know.

 September 6, 2011

Lizzie bounded in the front doors of the hotel.

"Hey Cordy is Dad busy?" She asked the woman behind the desk.

"Nope, you can go in." Cordy smiled, "and happy birthday." She wondered what Angel's daughter was so excited about, true it was her birthday but it was more than that.

There was a knock on Angel's office door.

"Come in" he called.  Lizzie entered. "Hey Pumpkin, how was you first day at school?"

"It was good.  My computer teacher is so cool.  She talks to us like we're real people and she really nice.  I can actually understand her; she doesn't go into techno babble.  And get this, I went back to talk to her after school about the homework and I saw her surfing a Wiccan website.  She's a techno-Wiccan."

"How do you know she wasn't just surfing?"

"I asked her straight out and she told me.  Miss Rosenberg is so cool and honest and nice and she doesn't treat us like kids.  I think I'm really going to like her class."

Angel thought the person had sounded familiar but when Lizzie mentioned her teacher's name he knew exactly who it was.  He had to get Lizzie out of the office so he could try and catch Willow at the school before she went home.

"Lizzie did you say you have homework?"

"Yeah, really sucks that they give us homework on the first day of school, not to mention on my birthday.  But what can you do?"

"Go get it done and then we'll go out and pick up the cake and buy some ice cream to have for dessert after supper. Ok?"

"Sure Dad, see you in a bit."  She bounded out of the office and up the stairs to her room.

As soon as Angel was sure that she was out of hearing range he dialled the school's number.

Ring, ring..

"Lincoln Middle School."

"Yes, can you tell me if Miss Rosenberg has left for the day yet?"

"No she hasn't, may I ask what this is concerning?"

"My name is Mr. O'Connor, my daughter Lizzie is in one of her computer classes."

"Just a moment sir, I'll have her paged."  The line was silent for a few minutes and then a familiar voice spoke.

"Willow Rosenberg."

"Willow, it's me, Angel."

"Angel? They said it was a parent of one of the kids in my class."

"Well I am, Lizzie came in today raving about her computer teacher.  When I realized it was you she was raving about I decided to call.  I haven't heard from any of the Sunnydale crew for a long time, except for Giles."

"Whoa, Angel, back up a minute.  What do you mean you have a daughter in my class?  I thought that was impossible."

"Remember when Buffy got pregnant freshman year of college?"

"Yeah, but what does that have to do with anything?"

"Well, I know Giles said that he had my consent and that he found a good family for her but the truth is I had him bring her to me, she my daughter after all.  I've been raising her ever since."

"Does she know what you are?"

"What I was, I'm human now, have been for almost 6 years.  But yes, she knows, and she knows about all the other things that go bump in the night."

"You're human? Wow, that is so cool.  It would be nice to see you again we should get together sometime.  You, me, Tara and Lizzie."  Willow wanted to ask why Buffy didn't know but she decided that it was better to do that face to face.

"Why don't you guys come over for dinner tonight?  It's Lizzie's birthday so everyone in the office and their families are having dinner here.  It's sort of a tradition."

"That's sounds wonderful, just let me call Tara and run it by her.  Give me your number and I'll call you back in a few minutes."

Angel gave her the phone number and they hung up.  A few minutes late Willow called back.

"Hi, Angel, it's me.  We can make it, what time do you want us there?"

"Well, dinner's at 6 so why don't you get her for 5:30 so we have some time to talk before the other get here?"

"Ok, sounds good.  Should I bring a birthday present?"

"You don't have to but if you want to."

I do want to.  How do we get to your place?"

Angel gave her the directions; they said their good byes then hung up.  Angel sighed, he hadn't spoken to any of the Scooby gang in a long time, it would be nice to catch up with the goings on in Sunnydale.  He talked to Giles periodically but he didn't really know anything except what was going on demon wise.  He put those thoughts aside and got back to work on his latest case.

A while later Lizzie came back downstairs. She stuck her head in her father's office.

"Hey Dad.  Heather's here so can we train now so we only have to do the half an hour a after supper with the others instead of the whole hour?"

"Yeah go get your work out clothes on, I'll be there in a minute. But what about the cake and ice cream?"

"Let Cordy get it.  Tell her I want vanilla ice cream, it goes best with the chocolate cake."

"Ok, I'll tell her."

Lizzie and, Cordy and Wesley's older daughter, Heather were both training to join Angel Investigations when they were older.  All the kids of the member of AI  trained in the martial arts.  They all were trained in hand to hand, and staffs.  All but Cordy's  two youngest Isabel and Ryan, ages 7 and 4, and Gunn's youngest Samantha, age 5 were trained with stakes and swords, they didn't know about vampires yet.  Because Lizzie and Heather want to join AI and patrol they were also training with crossbows, daggers and eventually they would train with battle-axes.  The two girls, ages 11 and 10, trained an hour and a half each day, half an hour before school and an hour after.  The other kids trained for half and hour after school. 

Angel got his work out clothes on and went to help the girls train.  He spent most of his time helping Heather since Lizzie had inherited her mother's strength, senses and heightened reflexes.  Once the half an hour of training was done they had just enough time to take showers before Willow and Tara arrived.

            Angel was walking down the stairs just as Willow and Tara entered the front doors of the hotel. 

"Willow, Tara, how are you?" Angel asked as he gave Willow and hug and shook Tara's hand since he had only met her once before.

"We're good." Willow responded, "why doesn't Buffy know you're human?" She didn't waste any time getting to the point.

"Why don't we go into my office and talk?" He led them to his office. "I guess the reason Buffy doesn't know is because Giles never told her.  When I got my shanshu, that is when I turned human, the first thing I thought of was to call Buffy.  Then I remembered that Giles had told me she had a fiancĂ© and was happy.  So I called Giles instead.  I told him what had happened and that it was his choice whether or not to tell Buffy because I didn't want to ruin her happiness.  I guess he didn't tell her."

" Well maybe Giles thought she was happy, and I guess she was to a degree, but never as happy as she was with you, Angel.  Anyways her and Chris, that's her husband, are getting a divorce.  He didn't know about the slaying, he sleeps like a log so she was able to sneak out of the house to go patrolling.  When he wasn't sleeping she would just tell him that she was working the night shift, she's a police officer.  She was retired from slaying officially when she turned 30 but the new slayer is a slow learner so she still patrolled a few nights week.  One of those nights, about 6 months ago, a neighbour noticed her sneak out and meet Xander to go patrolling.  He figured she was having an affair and told Chris what he saw.  Even before that night Buffy had already decided to file for divorce because she realized she could never love him the way she loved you.  She thought that it was unfair to him and she felt like she was betraying you.  When she filed he asked if there was another man and she said yes, meaning you of course.  He asked her how long it had been going on and she told him that you had started dating when she was in high school, she was going to say that she hadn't seen you in 11 years but he wouldn't let her finish.  Then he got really mad yelled at her and said the kids probably weren't even his.  He's given her complete custody and has said that he never wants to see them again.  He doesn't even say hello to them when he sees them at school, he's a teacher there.  She's living with Giles right now.  I really think she deserves to know since you are the reason she got a divorce so there's no wondering if she still loves you."

"I don't know, Willow, what if she's mad at me for not telling her?"

"Just tell her what you told me about telling Giles, hopefully she'll understand."

"Ok, I'll call her right now." Angel conceded, "Cordy's here and Wes should be here by now too.  You guys can talk to them and catch up while I call Buffy.  Cordy's at the front desk, just ask her to show you to the rec room."  The two women left the office and headed towards to front desk and a very surprised Cordelia.