[Disclaimer: I do not own what Joss Whedon has created]

Author's Note:

And, 'Surprise!' draws to a close.

I hope you'll like the ending I'm giving it, it amused me.

Surprise!

Epilogue: History Always Repeats Itself

by Adele Elisabeth

"Anna!" Cordelia Giles cried, racing towards her daughter.

But she was just a second too late. Annabelle toppled backwards into the portal, the demon who summoned it laughing heartily, before vanishing.

Cordelia crumpled to the ground, sobbing. Giles caught his wife in his arms, whispering comforting nothings into her ear.

"Where is she, Rupert? Willow? That's all I want to know." Cordelia beat her fist on the table, startling those still researching Annabelle's vanishing act. "Just tell me my baby's okay."

"Cor," Giles murmured, wiping his glasses, "I want her back, too. We just can't--"

"My little girl vanished through a portal, Rupert, I don't want to hear 'can't'." Cordelia was getting nearer and nearer to hysteria. "She's just a little girl!"

"I know, Cor, I know,"

"She could be anywhere! There are hell dimensions out there, Rupert, I don't want my baby trapped in a hell dimension! She's sure as hell not likely to last that long!"

"Cordy, we have to be optimistic." Buffy told her friend reassuringly. "We'll find Anna, and she'll be fine. Right, guys?"

Xander nodded. "Right. Anna'll be a-okay. That kid has a frightening knack of coming out on top no matter what. Though, that may have a lot to do with the fact Giles has a soft-spot for puppy eyes."

"What he said, minus the crack about Giles." Willow nodded, too.

"I'm just..." Cordelia trailed off, not sure how to say it.

"Your daughter just went AWOL through a portal. You're allowed to be a bit...y'know. I'd be kind of confused if you weren't, really, because then what sort of a mother would you be? But you're a great mother, so it makes sense you'd be really upset, and...and now I'm babbling." Willow blushed.

Cordelia gave a faint smile. Willow almost always managed to cheer her up, if only a little.

Giles resisted the urge to punch a wall.

Cordelia Liam stood staring at the little girl who'd appeared in her living room. She looked...well, she looked just like Genevieve looked at that age, which Cordelia estimated to be about five or so. She looked much like Cordelia would imagine Genevieve did when she landed on the bed of alternateCordelia, all those years ago. Frightened, uncertain, unsteady, and untidy. She saw the relief in the little girl's face as she looked up at her, latching on to the first familiar face.

"Mommy? Where am I? I fell in the big bad demon's nasty hole. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to, he moved it. Big nasty demons are bad, aren't they, Mommy? I hope Aunt Buffy kicked it's butt. Oops! I know I'm not supposed to say butt. Don't tell Daddy?" Annabelle rambled. Cordelia steadied her.

"Sweetie? What's your name?" she asked, gently.

Confusion, again. "Mommy?"

"Humor me, babe."

14-year-old Genevieve stared, open-mouthed, at the little girl. This seemed all very familiar...

"Anna. You know that, Mommy. Is this a game? I don't like it."

"Humor me some more. What's your whole name?"

"Annabelle Elizabeth Giles. Mommy...?"

"Can you say, deja vu?" Genevieve interrupted.

"Yes, actually, honey, I can." Cordelia narrowed her eyes. "Annabelle, have you ever been told about something that happened, oh, lots of years ago, when a little girl named Genevieve Liam turned up on your mommy's bed?"

Annabelle nodded, slowly. She didn't think she was going to like where this was going.

"I'm her mommy."

Annabelle fainted.

***

Author's Note:

I left it kind of open-ended there for a reason, y'know, room for a sequel at some point. Let me know if you think I should do a sequel. If not, ah well, just means less work on my part.

So, what did you think? Review, people, review! This was one of my favorite stories to write, and I wrote it purely for the fun of writing it, but it'd be nice to get some feedback, too.