CH2-Disclaimer: I don't own the BtVS cast, I just manipulate them:)



"What do you need?"she asked her parents, "I'm waiting for a call from Cassie" she said. "I think it will wait," Xander said, unplugging the phone. Mir began to protest when a huge book was sat in front of her. "What's this??"she asked. "This is going to be hard,"Willow said, "We're not your parents, Miranda. Your real parents were tragically murdered. We were your mother's best friends when she was your age and when she died, so we took over as parents. You're a very special child, Mir." Mir looked at the two adults. "Mir. You know there's mystical powers out there. Vampires and demons and magic. Your mom, Buffy, was a vampire slayer. Your father, William or Spike, was a vampire." Xander said. "Kidding right?"Mir rolled her eyes. "No, not kidding Miranda. Look at the pictures, read the journal. She was killed when you were only 6 months old, a Vampire lord captured her and Spike and killed them both. He's still out there, the vamp-lord. He's searching for you, Mir. You could be a very special child. That's why we're doing this."Willow told the confused girl who she loved like her own. "It's not safe here anymore. Dawn, your mother's half-sister of sorts, has warned us that she can't hide you much longer. Dawn is a demi-goddess, she's pure energy. She was a child like you, and she had a revalation after being nearly killed. She protects your every move, she keeps the other kids from noticing how different you are. You're half slayer, half vampire Miranda." "No, no you're lying..."she cried, throwing her chair back. It shattered on the floor. She looked at it stunned. That had never happened before. "She's uncloaked it, Mir. This is your strength now, it's also your weakness. You've got the path of good or evil to choose from now. Your mother had another vampire friend, Angel. He's good, and he has volunteered to re- educate you so to speak. He can protect you. My magic is only temporary, he'll be here forever. Pack a bag, we've got a trunk of your parent's things which are yours now. You leave at dawn for L.A."Willow pronounced. Mir felt hot tears falling down her cheeks, angry for all the past lies; be them good natured. She ran towards her room and slammed the door. "I hate you!!"she screamed to the girl in the mirror, the pale, flickering image. In the kitchen, Willow began to sob.

Mir rose early, shaking her head free of the restless slumber. A heavy knock on the door slammed her into reality. She ran her fingers through her fine hair and shouldered her duffle. "Mir?" Xander asked. "I'm ready."she replied. Her 'parents' ushered her to the car and drove off towards to bus station. She let them help her load, although it was clear she could heft the heavy trunk. She said her goodbyes coldly, and left the two adults standing on the terminal, tears sliding down their cheeks. Once on the bus, Miranda slipped on sunglasses. It had always bothered her hazel eyes to be in the light. She now knew why.

The ride was long and sombre. She slet nearly the whole time, till the bus lurched into the station. Her cell phone began to jangle. "Hello?"Mir said gruffly. "Hey, Mir! Where are you??" Cassie asked, emphatically. "Can't talk now. Sorry." Mir hissed as a tall and beautiful woman flounced towards her. "Miranda?"the lady asked. "Uh yeah?" "Oh good! I'm Cordelia Chase, a friend of Angel's. I'm going to take you to his house where you'll be staying. He's busy working now, but tonight you two will start your sessions." Mir nodded and was led from the station to the car and then to the beautiful townhouse home of Angel. "He said you have free range over the house, but I'd stay out of his quarters, he gets pissy. You'll have your own room, and there's a pool and sauna, and some really good restaraunts nearby..."the words flew through Mir's ears. The house was immaculate, filled with wonderful art from another time and world. She was in awe of the sprawling home. She drew herself together and thanked Ms. Chase. Mir lugged her cases to the room and began to unpack. It held a lovely wardrobe and canopy bed. The wooden floors gleamed up at her and the ceiling held a mural of faries and angels, elfs and dragons. It was full of etheral mysticised creatures. She stared at it for a few minuets and moved towards the trunk with shaky hands. After lifting the intricate trunk's lid she stood in an awed horror. Large wooden stakes, a crossbow and crosses and holy water were lying amidst journals and annals of slayers and magic and lore of demons. A beautiful portrait of her mother lay staring at her. Haunting green eyes and lovely honey hair, she was beautiful. Mir glanced in a mirror. She had her mother's face and hair, she thought. Mir placed the picture on her nightstand, and continued to dig through the mess. Another picture, this one of a bleach blond haired man, was near the top. She flipped it over. It's description read "Spike, 2003". It had been her father, the horrible monster as some would call him. She was half of that horrible monster. Peering in the mirror, she saw him in her as well' her smile, her sarcastic expressions, her lanky body. Who was she?? She growled and slammed her fist into the mirror with a shriek of angst. It shattered to a thousand pieces, and her hand oozed crimson blood. She collapsed into the trunk and began to weep bitterly.

Angel entered his home to hear the crash of glass shattering. He sensed the girl and ran towards her quarters. Angel looked at the small body, balled up on the floor crying. It was a child of Buffy's allright, she smelled like her mother: brave and sweet, with a hint of fear buried underneath. "Miranda?"he asked. The teen looked around cautiously. "Yeah?"she answered, clutching her bleeding hand. "I'm Angel. What happened?". She looked at him boldly, yet with a shy tinge, "I got angry." she said. God, she was her father's child allright. "Are you hurt bad?" Angel asked. "It's bad..."she began, uncurling the hand. She stared in surprise, "It's-it's better"she said. Angel grabbed her small hand in his, and sure enough it was completly healed. It was only dry blood on it now. "That was fast," he commented. "What? What does that mean? Fast?? I'm supposed to do that???"she yelled. "Please, you've got to calm down, Miranda" Angel said. "Calm? What am I?"she sobbed, "You, you're a monster, a vampire! Me, I'm stuck between the two! I'm a freak!!Go Away!!" Mir screamed, pushing him out the door.

Angel was stunned when the door slammed behind him. She was a fireball, certainly

Spike's little girl. That wasn't the only stunning thing, however. The little 16 year old had literally

pushed him 7 feet with one shove. He hadn't let her. She just did it wit her anger. Angel

decided the smart thing would be to let her come to him. He couldn't deal with her teen angst

right now. Frankly, she reminded him of the times spent with her mother, and that was painful

enough. He went to his study and began to think of things he could tell Miranda to help ease her

pain and fear of the mystical world she was caught in.