Chapter 4
Reunion
A/N: Thanks to everyone who reviewed. Also, in my little Angel universe Faith was let out of jail around the time the sun was blocked out....not when Angelus got loose on the show. She still left with Willow though.
"HE has some explaining to do? HE does? You freaks kidnaped me. I think you owe us the explanation you Pirates Of the Caribbean wannabe reject! And FYI that was a really bad Ricky Ricardo." Sarai yelled at Xander.
"Nice kid, Deadboy" Xander said to Angel.
Before Angel could say something back, Sarai picked up a chair and threw it at Xander. Angel was going to try and stop her but if he knew anything about Sarai it was that when she was pissed, she was pissed and no one could do anything about it, Darla was the same way. Well that and Angel didn't want to stop her. Xander really did bug him.
"That was uncalled for" Giles stated.
"So was you kidnaping my daughter!" Angel argued.
"How is she your daughter" Buffy demanded.
"Well ya see, when a man and a women are together, horny and naked sometimes the guy will stick his di-" Sarai's graphic, detailed version of how babies are made was cut short by Angel covering her mouth.
"Language, Sarai, watch it." Angel ordered.
Before anyone could say anything else, Spike came barging through the door with Cordy; both holding weapons. When they saw the scoobies they both stopped short, Spike started to loose his balance and also caused Doyle and Gunn to knock into Spike, sending him face-down into the floor. Wesley stood in the doorway. "Bloody hell" Spike swore.
Sarai removed Angel's hand from her mouth "smooth moves, slick" she commented.
"Hey, I was trying to save you!" Spike defended.
"What the HELL is going on!" Buffy yelled.
"Hello Buffy....long time no see." Spike said weakly.
"Coughsissycough" Sarai muttered.
" Yes, Spike's not dead anymore and he's been working for me, now can we please get back to the matter at hand? Why did you take her?" Angel asked.
"We needed too, She isn't safe where she is." Giles answered.
"She's perfectly safe with me." Angel responded getting more and more aggravated.
"No, she's not. There are prophecies. One says her father, which you claim is you is going to..."
"Kill me" Sarai finished. "Yeah, yeah, yeah old news already. You wanna handle the explanation Wes or should I?"She turned to ask Wesley causing Buffy, Giles and the others to realize he was there as well.
"Wesley, will. You and I need to talk. I want the whole story, from you, of how they got you here and then I am going to talk with Buffy and Giles." Angel instructed.
"You can use the room I stay in when I am here. It's the last door at the end of the hall on the left" Faith offered.
"Thanks. Lets go."
"Ok daddy" Sarai agreed giving him her most innocent smile. She was happy it was just going to be the two of them. Her emotions have been trying to get the better of her since Andrew first started to take her but she was suppressing them, which only started to make her feel worse. Sarai didn't really feel comfortable being vulnerable around people, she didn't like to show her emotions(namely fear and sadness) which is one reason why she spends most of her time being the one who sits on the sides and makes the wise-cracks. Except with Angel. If there's one thing Sarai learned since being in this dimension is that she can feel/say/be anything she wants around him and feel completely safe and comfortable doing so. Angel and Sarai headed to Faith's room. Wesley and Giles started talking, Cordy, Faith Gunn, Spike, Xander and Doyle went in another room to talk and Buffy couldn't help herself; she listened in on Angel and Sarai's conversation. She still didn't get how Angel could have a child and not tell her, she didn't get how Angel could have a child and not have it be with her.
Sarai sat on a bed and Angel stood in front of her. "Ok so what happened?" Angel asked Sarai gently. Sarai didn't answer, instead her started to tear up. "What is it princess? Tell me baby" Angel said sitting down next to her.
"Everyone's always trying to take me from you" she managed to answer between sobs and sniffs, "why?"
"Shh...its ok. I am right here. I am right here with you. Your with me, and you're safe. There's no way you'll ever be away from me like before." Angel said. Buffy was confused, she had no idea what 'like before' meant.
"But I was" Sarai argued. "Sort've. I was taken from you today. Again. And you didn't stop them. You're here now, but you weren't there then." Sarai argued on the verge of sounding mad at Angel. She really didn't even realize she was until she started to speak. She didn't want to but she felt some resentment and blame toward Angel for the fact that she was taken by Andrew and the Slayers, which started to stir up the resentment she still had inside her from being in Quor-Toth with out him. "Story of my life I guess. But why? Why do these things keep happening. I didn't do anything wrong, did I?" she added.
Sarai's pain hurt Angel more then any torment that the devil himself could cook up for him. He really couldn't stand it. He tried to pull Sarai into his lap but she resisted a little. That's when Angel became really, really pissed off, and also terrified. He'd seriously kill someone if this incident caused Sarai to go back to the way she was when she first returned to Angel; distant, depressed, cold, traumatized. He'd worked to hard and come to far to loose what they how had. And that fact that it could happen, that she could go back that way terrified him. He couldn't loose her like that agin because odds are if he did, he might not ever get her back. Angel would be damned if he let that happen. He forced Sarai onto his lap anyway and held her close. Something inside said to him that with a little reassuring she'd be ok. "Don't do this princess, please don't. I know you never should have been taken in the first place, I am here now. I am right here. I am not going anywhere. You're right though, you did nothing wrong and I don't ever want you to think you did. I don't know why you keep getting taken from me and I'll be honest I can't guarantee you it won't happen again. But I can guarantee that if it does, I'll get you back. I'll always get you back, you're mine and incase you haven't noticed I don't like to share." Angel said soothingly.
"I know" Sarai said softly. Sarai needed to hear exactly what Angel said. She was starting to feel a little better.
"You how much I love you right?" he asked. Sarai nodded. "Good no more of this, then" Angel added referring to her crying as he wiped tears off her face and smiled at her. "So you're better now?" Sarai just shrugged. Angel wanted for at least one second to completely take her mind off what was going on and he knew he had to turn to drastic action to do it. He got a mischievous look in his eyes. She knew exactly what was about to come, it was what he always did to pull her out of a mood.
"No, daddy don't" she begged. He didn't listen before Sarai knew it she was pinned to the bed being massively tickled. She couldn't stop giggling, eventually she tried to tickle him back but she was squirming to much to make contact. Soon Angel stopped and Sarai was smiling, so was Angel. "There's my girl" he said. "Tell you what, when we get home I'll take a few days off and we'll do stuff, just the two of us."
"Really?" she asked.
"Yeah, one day we'll get movied-out and watch movies all day. Your choice."
"Even if its 'Crossroads' and "My Best Friends Wedding?" Sarai questioned. Angel really hated those two movies.
"How come when your with Gunn you watch 'Bad Boys' and 'Independence Day" and I get 'Crossroads' and 'My Best Friends Wedding'?" Angel wanted to know.
"Because I enjoy bothering you. I really thought you knew that by now. But tell you what, as a personal favor I'll add 'Final Destination' to the must-watch list. Cause Devon Sawa and Kerr Smith are hot."
"Sarai" Angel moaned. He really hated 'boy talk'.
"Well, they are" she insisted. They talked, and argued for a few more minutes. Sarai also told him what happened at the penthouse.
Buffy was still watching them. She couldn't believe the way Angel was acting. To Buffy even when they were hanging out talking or at The Bronze he always seemed so tense and far away. That wasn't the guy she saw in the room. The Angel that was there was, lighter, more relaxed (despite the fact he still had all that inner rage he was waiting to unleash) even playful and...silly at times. Buffy always wished he was a little less uptight and serious all the time when they were dating. Buffy saw their conversation was coming to an end so she headed back to the conference room before Angel could find out she was listening in.
"Wes, will you watch Sarai for me? she doesn't want to be alone." Angel asked entering the conference room not long after Buffy did.
"Sure" Wes replied leaving.
"So you wanna tell me what's going on" Angel demanded to Buffy and Giles.
"I should ask you the same thing" Buffy said.
"No, you shouldn't not now. You kidnaped my child, you..."
"I didn't know she was yours! You never told me you had a child! I was kept completely in the dark about her." Buffy cut in saying rather selfishly.
"Kept you in the dark? You say that like I went out of my way not tell you. Between all the apocalypses there was just never time to tell you. Plus I've been busy actually rasing her. Thatis what happeneds when you have a chld, your main focus is on them. Plus I though Faith or Willow might've told you." Angel defended.
'Willow knew! How could she not've told me?' Buffy said to herself rather annoyed, then she came up with an answer that satisfied her 'Faith must've told her not to tell me' she conclueded. The fact that Faith knew annoyed her even more.
"We thought she was in danger, we didn't know the prophecy was false" Giles said going back to the other topic.
"Did you bother to check?" Angel challenged. "You saw a prophecy and you heard she was living at Wolfram and Hart so you took her. You didn't bother to investigate further, hell you didn't even go to LA yourselves. Speaking of which, if there was a child in danger from a prophecy in LA don't you think I would've been handling it?"
"Oh that's right LA's your city" Buffy said referring to what he had told her once.
"That's right, it is. Just like Sarai's my daughter, my responsibility."
"And I was trying to protect her." Buffy replied, half-heartedly.
"You were curious. Just like everyone else. You heard she was born from two vampires and you want to experiment, investigate how that's possible, why she's human."
"Well Giles said that there are several references to the child being dangerous or possibly evil"
That comment from Buffy made Angel almost hit the wall. "She ISN'T evil! And what the hell, first you're saying you were trying to protect an innocent girt and now you're trying to say she might be evil? Make up your damn mind"
"We're trying too. That's why we brought her here." Giles answered.
"Who's her mother" Buffy demanded.
"Can we please talk about all that after Buffy? First, we need to get this settled." Angel answered.
"I want to know." she continued to insist not caring about the bigger kidnaping issue.
"Well, this isn't about you."
"Oh, don't pull that on me again."
"Its true. Its not about me either. Its about Sarai. Giles, you said there were prophecies and in plural, what else about her have you found."
"That's not your concern" Giles said.
"Not my concern? NOT MY CONCERN? Everything about her my concern! I want to know!" Angel yelled.
"What's going on?" Faith said entering the room. "We can hear you guys from down the hall."
"Fine if must know the prophecies reefer to some demons that only she kill can kill apparently. One named Sahijhan..."
"I dealt with him already" Angel cut in.
"Ok...well there are several others that we need her to..."
"Not gonna happen" Angel cut in again.
"Excuse me?" Giles asked.
"She's not fighting any demons. If they must be killed, I'll do it."
"That's not the way it goes"
"Too bad!"
Faith could sense there wasn't a knife sharp enough to cut the tension in the room so she tried to intervene "look, why doesn't everyone just chill for a sec?" she suggested. "I am sure we can all settle this rationally"
"Stay of this Faith" Buffy snapped.
"What's the deal?" Gunn asked with Wesley, Sarai and everyone else coming into the room.
Giles went on with what he was trying to tell Angel "The prophecies are very specific that it has to be..."
"I DON'T GIVE A FLYING FUCK WHAT THE PROPHECIES SAY!" Angel yelled causing Sarai to jump out of shock. She's never seen Angel livid like this and the only time she's ever heard him use the F-word was one time when he was arguing with Spike and didn't know she was listening. Normally he hates that word and used to have a policy of Sarai having to give him a dollar every time she used it, until he realized it was pointless because then a few minutes later she'd ask him for 10 dollars causing her to make a nine dollar profit.
"Well you don't have a choice"
"Like hell...c'mon we're leaving"
"You can't take her" Giles stated.
"WHAT!" Sarai yelled.
"Don't worry I am not leaving here with out you" Angel said.
"Then I guess you're not leaving" Giles told him.
"Oh yes I am"
"Angel look you shouldn't be a part of this, you can't be objective" Buffy said.
"This is the girl you both like? You two can do so much better" Sarai said to Angel and Spike. But there was to much arguing for people to respond to what she said.
"Your wrong Buffy. I need to be a part of this because I can't be objective. Someone needs to be on her side and protect her. And now you can't honestly tell me you can be objective." Angel said.
"What are you talking about?" Buffy asked.
"Well, now you know she's my child and your pissed..."
"Yes I am pissed" she confirmed, even though it wasn't her business.
"How do I know you won't do something rash, hell how do I know these prophecies are even real. You already acted rashly on the other one"
"They are...take a look" Giles said handing Angel a book.
"I don't get it, what are these marks?" he asked looking at a picture of two bones crossed to make an 'X' with a sword going through the center.
"WE don't know yet. Its some sort of clue as to where to kind a certain sword, because only the sword can kill what is called an Azacall demon. Its very dangerous. The prophecy states 'the created by the vampires will discover the coveted weapon and slay the Azacall.'" Giles said quoting the prophecy.
"Not that she'll actually be slaying but where is this sword?"
"We don't know. I can't figure out where that symbol comes from" Giles admitted. Sarai got closer to the books to look at the symbol, she knew she'd seen it before and she knew exactly where it was she saw it, she also knew what could happen if she spoke up and told them so she kept her mouth shut. "She needs to stay here so she can find the weapon and face the Azacall..."
"I already said she isn't" Angel stated again.
"Its not your choice" Buffy said.
"Of course its his choice" Faith said.
"And of course your taking his side"
"No, Buffy don't start this again. It has nothing to do with what's going on. Now, I am leaving, with Sarai. If you find out more about this demon and it must be slain then call me and I'll do it, otherwise your on your own."
"You can't take her out of here." Buffy said.
Before Angel could argue Giles asked a question "Just what was she doing at Wolfram and Hart?"
"She lives in the apartments there with me, I am the new CEO."
"You're the CEO of the most evil place on earth?" Giles asked suspiciously.
"Its not like that anymore, I am changing it"
"Are you?"
"Yes. Now we're leaving."
"No your not, not with her. The girl should be here." Buffy said coldly.
"Don't do that, don't talk about her like she's just some prophecy, some case. She's not. She's my daughter and she belongs in LA. With me."
"I won't let it happen"
"What? Buffy what the hell are you talking about? This isn't your..." Faith started to say.
"SHUT UP FAITH!" Buffy cut in.
"No, Sarai will be fine in LA. Angel keeps her safe." Faith said. While she was in LA fighting the Beast and tracking Angelus her and Sarai worked together a lot. Even though at the time Sarai wasn't the Angel fan she is now, Faith still got along with her for the most part. They're a lot alike and they had a crappy childhood in some form of hell.
"Oh, that's right, you knew" Buffy said jealously.
"Yeah ya know what B I did know. I was in LA and I knew. And I never saud anything because it wasn't my place."
"Whatever" Buffy answered sarcastically.
Faith had, had enough. Buffy wasn't the same girl she knew when they were 18. She could tell from the moment she arrived in Sunnydale, Giles too. "Yo Angel, you got another seat on the plain?" she asked.
"Yeah."
"You got ten minutes for me to get my stuff?"
"Yeah, we'll be outside in the car"
"I'll be quick"
"No, faith your not leaving, no one is" Giles stated.
"Watch us" Sarai answered, feeling a bit guilty. She knew she should tell Angel about the symbol, but she just couldn't. Not with the possible result being what she thought it would be.
Angel, Sarai, Faith, Gunn, Cordy, Spike, Wes and Doyle left London. When they got on the plain Cordy and Doyle sat together, Gunn and Wes sat in another row, Faith and Spike in another and Angel and Sarai were in the back of the plain.
"So you and Buffy didn't talk much" Faith said to Spike.
"Yeah, I am kinda glad we didn't. I don't know what to say. If I did then I would've contacted her by now."
"I get that"
"Really could you explain it to me then?" Spike asked. Faith chuckled.
"Are you OK?" Sarai asked Angel.
"Are you OK?" he asked back.
"Yes" she answered.
"Then I am OK"
"Liar. You still seem mad"
"I am I guess, but its not for you to worry about, got that? As far as your concerned everything's fine."
Sarai rested her head on his shoulder "If you want to brood, that's cool with me" she informed him. "In fact I was thinking of brooding myself."
"You brood?" he questioned raising an eyebrow.
"Well I kinda don't have a choice. See remember how I told you once how I know all about genes and how they're passed down to their kids? Since you're like the master and inventor of the brood, I am forced to do it by default. Its in my blood. And I will pass it down to my kids to further spread the 'Broody Bunch'."
"The Broody Bunch? You watch far to much TV."
"You don't watch enough."
Sarai and Angel spent the rest on the flight doing what they do best; brooding.
TBC
A/N: What'd you think? Where has Sarai seen the symbol? When will she tell Angel? All will be known soon and we haven't seen the last of the scoobies either. The next chapter should be up in about a week. I'll try for sooner but in the meantime you can review to pass the time.