Chapter 11

When Katherine woke up the next morning, Angel was still sleeping. She got up and went to the kitchen to get a Pop-Tart. She wondered if Cordy was here yet and padded barefooted downstairs to find out. When she got to the office, she found not Cordelia, but Wesley working in the office.

"Hello there," he said, looking up from his book. "I'm Wesley."

He got up and walked around the desk and extended his hand to her. She placed her tiny hand in his and shook it slightly.

"I'm Katherine," she responded.

"I know," he admitted. "I'm very, very happy to see you again."

Katie looked confused. "Did you know me when I was a baby, too?"

Wesley nodded. "As a matter of fact,I did."

"How come I haven't seen you around here before today?" she questioned.

Wesley wasn't sure how much he should tell her.

"I've been taking some time off of late," he said cautiously, then added, "but I think you'll be seeing me around here pretty regularly from now on."

Cordelia came in the front door and Katie ran to her.

"Aunt Cordy! What are we going to do today?" she asked.

"Kill big gray slimy things, apparently," she answered.

Wesley came out of the office. "You had a vision?"

"Right in the middle of the school crossing. I nearly took out two second graders."

She looked toward the ceiling. "Nice timing there! That was great!"

Wesley grabbed a pen and paper. "What did you see?"

Cordelia closed her eyes. "A building, corner of Second and Grand. There are some homeless people living there."

She opened her eyes and looked at Wesley. "They're going to die."

"Not if I can help it," he told her. "Get Angel. Have him meet me there."

Wesley opened the weapons cabinet, grabbed a sword, and was out the door. Cordy ran upstairs to get Angel but met him coming down.

"There's a…" she began.

"I heard. I'm on it. I think I can catch up to Wes. He looked from Katie to Cordelia.

"Can you stay with her?"

"I'm here. Go."

Angel grabbed his favorite broadsword and started out the door. Katherine followed him.

"I want to go," she said.

"Sorry, kiddo. You stay here with Aunt Cordy."

She grabbed the bottom of his coat. "But I could help. Please?" she begged.

He pried her hand loose and looked at Cordy.

"Help me out here?"

Cordelia came over and picked Katherine. Angel made his escape. "I'll be back soon," he promised as he left.

Cordy carried Katie over to the counter and sat her down on it. Katherine crossed her arms and huffed.

"I wanted to go with them," she complained.

"Now why would you want to go looking for big gray slimy demons in the sewers when you could be here having frozen waffles andsyrup with me, Regis, and Kelly?"

Katherine perked up a little. "Can I have as much syrup as I want?" she asked.

"Deal." Cordy agreed.

"Who'sRegis and Kelly?"

Cordy smiled. "Have I got a surprise for you!"

Angel had gotten cable installed the previous day and Katherine now had 200 channels to choose from. She spentthe remainder of the morning with the remote in her hand flipping channels up and down. Cordelia managed to pry her away long enough to get dressed and brush her teeth.

Angel returned a little after noon, covered in slime but in one piece.

Angel walked over to the couch where his daughter was sitting. "How 'bout a big hug?" he asked, holding out his slime covered arms.

"Yuk!" she said and Angel laughed.

"Where's Wesley," Cordy asked.

Angelcarefully peeled off his coat. "He went home to shower and change. He'll be in later."

Cordelia noticed the little drops of goo falling from his coat. "Maybe you should do the same," she suggested.

"I don't think I tell you often enough how much I appreciate you," he said with a wicked smile. "Gimme a hug," he said as he started towards her.

Cordelia leaned down and picked up the broadsword. "Touch me and die," she said with an equally wicked smile.

Angel shook his head sadly and started up the stairs. "Nobody ever wants a hug anymore."

The rest of the day was a flurry of activity. Fred and Gunn had arrived with paint, buckets, rollers, and brushes. Everyone pitched in and did whatever they could.

Lorne wasn't much with a paintbrush, but he brought in a boombox and CDs and kept things lively. Katherine remembered her promise to Angel not to be rude,but she was respectful from adistance.

By bedtime, Katherine's room was finished. The walls were a cheerful shade of yellow with bright white on the trim. There was a border along the ceiling with unicorns and rainbows.

Angel and Gunn had found bedroom furniture in one of the rooms on the 4th floor that was made of white wicker and they brought it down for her.

Once everything was in place, Cordy and Fred put her new sheets and comforter on her bed and Wesley hung her curtains.

When everything was done, they all looked around and admired their work.

Angel knelt down beside Katherine. "What do you think?" he asked her.

She took a long look around. "It's the prettiest room I ever saw," she declared. She put her arms around his neck and hugged him. "I love you."

Angel froze. Did she say "I love it" or "I love you?"

He leaned his head back and looked at her. "What did you say?"

"I love you," she repeated. Angel put his arms around her and hugged her tight.

He was reveling in the joy of his daughter's pronouncement when a voice called out from down the hallway, "Where's our little girl?"

Everyone looked toward the door as Fred's parents, The Berkels, appeared with big smiles.

"There she is," the said in unison.

Fred grinned shyly and held out her arms. Mr. and Mrs. Berkle raised their arms and rushed into the room, past Fred, and sandwiched Katherine between them in a hug.

Fred pouted and looked at Angel, who shrugged and said, "If it makes you feel any better, they didn't hug me, either."