Title: Sins of the Father

Author: Jedi Slayer Kimmy (angel_w_bite@hotmail.com)

Disclaimer: No, wishful thinking will not make these characters mine.

Summary: Willow discovers a secret to her past that involves one of the Angel Investigations team. Everyone one else finds out that Willow isn't exactly who she claims to be. Will it tear the Slayerettes and AI crew apart? AU

Author's note: Well I got this chapter out pretty quickly. It is amazing how inspired one can get while waiting two hours for a tow truck on the side of the freeway to pick up my old Holden, which over the last few weeks has been dubbed the 'Satan-mobile.'

I'm making the assumption that the Slayerettes and the AI team have all met and know of each other. I didn't want to bog this chapter down with introductions between the two groups. I'm also introducing Faith to this little ficcie. Buffy and the rest of the crew share a strained relationship with Faith but there are no major slug-fests in the works.

Please read and review - otherwise I'll have to sic the 'Satan-mobile' on to you. You know you're scared. ;)

Kim

Part 5: The Broken Family

Angel was angry and after an hour wandering around Los Angeles he still hadn't come face to face with the source of his anger.

He slowed his frenetic pace and eventually stopped; sitting down on a bench of the park that he had been stalking through. He rubbed his face with frustration at the events that had just unfolded over an hour ago.

He thought of the smile he had shared with Buffy.

*Are we ok now? Does she forgive me?*

A smile passed over his face once more as he finally believed that both he and Buffy had healed over their lost love. Lost love, a concept that was quite familiar to Angel in his 240+ years on this earth.

He had only loved two women in his entire life and un-life. Two slayers at that, so kind, caring, yet strong. Maybe that's why he had fallen in love with them. Isabella and Buffy were so similar that they could have been the same person. How could someone so evil be lucky enough to fall in love twice, correction now it was three times? He had finally weaned himself off blonde slayers but the characteristics of this girl remained the same as the other two: kind, caring, yet strong.

"Yep, no more slayers for me. I like 'em brunette and tactless."

He sat there lost in his thoughts until a voice came up behind him.

"Cordy always said that tact just meant you weren't being honest."

"So, how long have you been standing there Xander?" said Angel as he turned around to face the young man.

"Long enough to hear your proclamation of love for Cordelia, Dead Boy." He smirked in the direction of Angel.

"Well it better stay between us or I'll pretend that your neck is a straw, got it." Said Angel with a fake threatening tone.

"Got it, keep quiet or you'll use me as a human juice box.. I'm sorry about before, I didn't mean to blow up at her like that. I've got so many secrets and she is the only one on this planet that I have told them to, why couldn't she return the favour?" He said as he stared shamefully at the ground.

Angel looked at him and thought that he looked quite like a child who had been caught with his hand in a cookie jar.

*He loves her. Xander loves Willow*

"It's not me you have to apologize to. She's really hurting over this and she didn't need you to rub salt in her wounds. I think that you should talk to her. The two of you need to sort this out before you have no friendship at all." He looked pointedly at Xander while he spoke these words.

"I think that I'm going to let this cool off a bit. Go back to Sunnydale and think about things for a while."

"Running away won't sort out anything Xander. She needs your support now more than ever."

"I can't stay.I'll just make it worse.I...I've got to go now.leave.go Sunnydale." Xander said nervously, "Bye."

"What about Buffy and Dawn, how are they going to get home?" Angel replied.

"I'm going to have to sort this out now aren't I." he said as reality came flooding back into his distressed mind. He sat down dejectedly next to Angel on the bench, all while frustratingly pushing his hand through his hair.

* No way out of this one Harris *

"No time like the present." Replied Angel as he grabbed Xander's arm and pulled him in the direction to the Hyperion.

Meanwhile.

Three concerned females were standing in the door way of Willow's room at the Hyperion. Willow has fallen asleep not long after the argument. The tearstains on her face being the remnants of the events that had transpired earlier.

"Anyone up for some chocolate" whispered Cordelia.

"Oh Yeah" was the reply of the two Summers girls.

Cordelia passed one more troubled look towards the sullen Wicca and closed the door.

The three girls trudged down the stairs, there hearts heavy at the turn of events.

"Xander is an ass." exclaimed Dawn as she angrily sat down on the bottom step of the long staircase.

"He's an ass but he loves her. We have to just accept what has happened at let the two of them deal with it in their own way." replied Cordelia as she passed the chocolate bar to Buffy.

"But with the stubbornness between the two of them we have a better chance at telling a mule what to do." quipped Buffy.

The silent thought between the three women was interrupted as three figures walked through the door.

"Have the fireworks ended or have we arrived in the middle of a war zone." Said Gunn in a serious tone.

"No war zone here, but Xander stormed out and Angel followed suit not long after." replied Cordelia as she took a bite of her chocolate."

"You don't think Angel would do anything to him do you?" asked a worried Fred from the corner of the room.

"I don't know they are both pretty touchy on the subject of Willow." answered Buffy.

"So what have you guys been up to while the drama unfolded?" asked Dawn as she walked over to the group and joined in on the conversation.

"We made sure we were damn well out of the firing line." answered Gunn.

"What he is trying to say is that we went to the prison and visited Faith." piped in Wesley.

"So how is Faith doing Wes?" asked Cordelia as she popped another piece of chocolate into her mouth.

"She has a parole hearing in a few days. If all goes well she will be out of jail by the end of the week."

"Really? They let murderers out of jail that easily." inquired a sceptical Buffy.

"As much as I'd like to be on your side Buffy, Faith's changed; she's trying to make amends for her actions. I even hear that she is a regular church goer at the prison parish." replied Wesley.

"Faith, the born-again Bible basher.that has a nice ring to it don't you think?" smirked Gunn as he began digging into the nearly finished bar of chocolate.

"It is quite a surprise. But I think that we should all endeavour to give her the help that she so desperately need to make it through this difficult period of transition. I know she threw it back in our faces the last time, but, I truly believe that she is up to the challenge and could do with a little support." added Wesley as he took off his glasses and hastily began to clean them.

Unbenounced to the others, Willow had snuck downstairs into Angel's office and placed a creamy white envelope onto the desk. Then with a mumbling of words and a flick of her wrist she was gone.

The next day

Daylight was beginning to surface when Angel walked into the hotel. The lobby was empty but remnants of chocolate bars covered the front counter.

*Everyone must be sleeping*

With nothing to do and no one to talk to Angel wandered aimlessly around the lobby before settling down in the cool leather of his office chair.

It was then that he noticed the white envelope on his desk. His named had been printed on it with his daughter's delicate hand. The letters etched and flowed into one another so gently and serenely, the complete opposite of what Willow's mood had been over the last two days.

As worry filled his mind he hurriedly opened the envelope to see what it held. He ripped out the smooth, white sheet of paper and voraciously read the words that it contained.

Dad,

It feels a little weird to be calling you that. I've decided to take a little time to myself and think about our current situation. I want our broken little family to have a chance so I'm going to find our missing piece. I received some information on her and I want to check it out. I will be back soon and hopefully I will be bringing Isabella home to meet her father. I'll be in touch. Take care of Buffy and the others.

All my love, Willow Rose Deluca.

He looked fornlornly at the piece of paper and smiled. He had one of his children back and hopefully he would be wrapping his arms around the both of them.