Chapter 17

Katherine had a wonderful day with her new Grandma and Grandpa. They had lunch at a restaurant where the staff dressed as storybook characters. Never having heard the stories, Katie didn't recognize most of them. So, throughout lunch as each new character appeared, Grandpa would tell her that story. He was surprised how much he was able to remember from when Fred was a little girl. Story time had always been his specialty and he was happy to have an opportunity to do it all over again with Katie.

After lunch, they were off to the circus. Katherine was a little afraid of the loud horns on the clown cars and she climbed into Grandpa's lap when the lions appeared, but overall she was enthralled. She was mesmerized by the trapeze artists and held her breath as the tightrope walker made his way across on a unicycle. She had a snowcone and popcorn but Grandma, experienced in the area of children's digestion, cut her off there.

After the circus, they took her to the airport where Grandpa attempted to explain the aerodynamics involved in keeping the planes in the air. Katherine wanted to go for a ride on one of the planes and Grandpa promised he would ask her father about letting her come for a visit to Texas by plane sometime.

They had dinner at a hamburger shop in the airport and then headed back to the hotel. It was after 8:00 when they returned. Katherine bounced into the lobby looked for her father. Not finding him there, she went into the office to look. She found Wesley there instead.

"Where's my daddy?" she asked him.

Wesley looked up from the book he was studying and smiled. "Hello there. Um, your father had to go out for a bit. Did you have a nice time at the circus?"

Katherine proceeded to recount the events of the day. As she talked, the Berkles came into the office.

"…see them in Texas sometime if Daddy says it's okay," Katie finished.

"I'm sure that would be lovely," Wesley told her.

"Where's that daddy of yours?" Grandpa asked Katie.

"Wes…I mean, Uncle Wesley said he had to go someplace," she answered.

"I really couldn't say what time he'll return," Wesley told the Berkles. "I suppose I could try calling him," he said, reaching for the phone.

Mrs. Berkle waved him off. "No need. We'll manage just fine, won't we darlin'?" she asked Katherine. "I'll go start her bath."

Grandpa picked Katie up. "While she's doin' that, how about I tell you the one about the girl who had hair made out of gold?"

Katherine nodded enthusiastically and the three of them made their way upstairs.

Wesley stared after them. He wondered how things were going in Sunnydale. Angel hadn't said much, only that he had decided to go and see Buffy in person rather than calling her. Wesley supposed they must have had a lot to talk as since Angel had been gone since morning.

After Katherine had finished her bath and coaxed Grandpa into three more bedtime stories, the Berkles kissed her goodnight and closed her door. They decided to make a pot of coffee and relax in Angel's apartment until he got home so they wouldn't be too far away in case Katherine woke up.

Katherine closed her eyes and tried to fall asleep. Her mind was still racing with the days events. She decided her favorite part of the circus was when the lady and man walked on the tightrope. She wanted to learn how to do that, too. Deciding that there was no time like the present, she crept out of her bed and quietly opened the door that led from her room to the hallway. She tiptoed down the hall and peeked over the railing into the lobby. The coast was clear.

She carefully climbed up onto the railing and stood up straight. Slowly, she began to make her way across to the other side. She was doing pretty well, too, until Cordelia and Fred came in from the garden and saw her. The two women screamed in unison, bringing Wesley running from the office and the Berkles from Angel's room. The commotion startled Katherine, who lost her balance and fell to the ground with a sickening thud.

"Oh my Lord!" exclaimed Mrs. Berkle as she and her husband made their way down the stairs.

Cordelia was frozen, petitioning God in her own mind to please not let Katherine be dead. Fred and Wesley were kneeling in front of the girl and Cordy couldn't see if she was moving or not. There was no crying. She prayed to hear crying.

Forcing herself to get moving, she walked toward them. As she got closer, she could hear Wesley's voice.

"…you sure? You don't hurt anywhere?" he was asking Katie, amazed.

Cordy could see Katherine's face now and it was smiling.

"I feel fine, Uncle Wesley. It was fun!"

Cordelia pushed her way through to Katherine and threw her arms around her. "Oh, my God, I thought you were dead."

Fred raised an eyebrow. "Not that I'm not grateful and all, but…Why isn't she?" She looked at Wesley. "I mean she did just fall 25 feet onto a marble floor."

Wesley looked up at the railing. "More like 30, I'd say."

Cordy stopped squeezing Katherine long enough to look at Wesley. "Then how…"

Wesley met her gaze with a look that told her that she already knew the answer.

As the five of them looked down at the little girl, they all realized they knew the answer. Katherine was no ordinary child.