Ironic

Part Seven

Disclaimer: see first chapter.

She woke to the smell of bacon and eggs. She pushed herself up, out of the bed slowly, her back, legs, chest, and stomach muscles sore. She hobbled into the kitchen, sitting down at the table quietly.

"I'm sorry I left like that," he said quietly, not turning towards her.

"It's ok, I'm a big girl. I can take care of myself."

"No, you're in a strange city, and you don't know anyone. Disappearing was wrong."

"I'm 18, I can handle myself. And what city is stranger than Sunnydale?" she joked. He set a plate in front of her, taking off his jacket and set it on a chair.

"Do you drink coffee?"

"God no, I'm short enough as it is. Tea would be nice though."

He laughed, "You are definitely British at heart." He turned to the kettle, and she gasped.

"What did you do to your back?"

"Oh, got mixed up on a bar brawl. Yentiws are clannish, and you got mixed up with the mates of the clan leader. They're very territorial and aggressive, and I had to defend your honor," he said it with a slight smile.

"T-Thanks. Sit," she ordered, "The least I can do is check it out for you. I know first aid," she tried to smile, but the thought of someone she barely knew fighting her battles for her was something new to her, even if he was her biological father.

"No, all I need is something to eat…."

"Then do it. It doesn't bother me," she slid from her chair, going to the fridge and taking out a blood packet, now hidden behind ordinary foods. She cut the top off with a flair, and poured it into a mug, placing it in the microwave.

As she handed the mug to him, he gave her a questioning look. "Whenever a big bad popped up in good ole SunnyD, I got packed away to Spike's, while everyone else fought the good fight. I guess he knew who I was…" his face was livig, "I forgot you and he have a history. A very interesting history, from what I've heard."

"He lies," he growled, sipping. She pushed him into her recently vacated chair; he didn't fight back.

"I might not be as strong as you, but do I have you force you?" She glared at him, putting her hands on her hips, and for a moment he saw her mother. He sighed, peeling off the white shirt, now probably ruined beyond repair. "And if you feel so bad about what Spike told me, then tell me your version, and let me compare and contrast the two."

He grumbled, but at her prodding, he told her the censored versions of a few of Spike's tales while she mopped up most of the dried and not so dried blood on his back.

"Bland, but that's to be expected," she said a while later, as he shrugged into a new shirt, and she put her cold breakfast in the microwave. "No blatant lies, just tweaks here and there, to show off good sides, or bad, depending on the situation."

"Like what?" he asked as she sat back down.

"Spike liked to play up your evilness, the lust, the kill, but you tell it with a detached air, almost like you were watching it unfold, but weren't apart of it."

Angel was suddenly embarrassed, "What was your childhood like?"

She shrugged, "Like any childhood, I guess. Giles was a great dad," the name sounded funny in her voice, "Aunt Willow and Uncle Xander loved to play with me when I was younger, and read to me, I excelled at school thanks to Will. I didn't even realize our little family was odd until fifth grade. I went to a birthday party, and Dad-Giles, was the only dad to come pick his child up. Everyone else had a Mommy, except me.

"I guess that's when he made up the lie that Jenny was my mum, though he didn't make up that you killed her. It never even dawned on me that Dad wasn't my Dad."

"Did you know- what were you told about me?"

"You're the soulless monster who killed my mum. I never even realized that her death was almost a year before my birth."

He hung his head.

"Don't be like that. Giles never really got over it, he was trying to get back at you through me, unbeknownst to me. But now I know the truth, and I'm glad I do. Living in the dark isn't any fun." She picked at her food, "And don't go all protective of me. That what I liked most about Spike, he'd always lay things straight with me. He's the one who taught me to fight. D-Giles didn't want me to know how, and when he learned about the lessons, he blew up!"

"It's ok, I understand, he is your dad."

They sat there in silence a moment as she ate; he sipped at his now lukewarm blood.

"Don't you miss this?" she asked suddenly.

"What?"

"Conversation. With people."

"I hadn't noticed it was missing until you brought it up," he smiled slightly. He was about to say something more, but Buffy appeared at that moment.

"Hope I'm not interrupting anything. I wanted to give you guys time to get to know each other a bit better. I know a lot about Jess, and she knows a bit more about me after last night," it was a kind smile she gifted upon her daughter, "but she only knew lies about you. At least what Giles told you."

She groaned, "Do we have to practice today? I'm sore in places I didn't know could be sore."

"I'm afraid we do. Lucy's got the girls on the lookout for him, and we think he might be going after Giles. I'm glad your so resourceful, because this guy won't play fair."

"Lucy?" Angel asked.

"Lucy Hanover, a previous slayer."

"Who is this guy?"

"We're not sure yet," but the tone of her voice told Angel she wasn't telling the whole truth, "From what we can gather, he's the servant of Janus, the god of Chaos."

"Do you mean-" he started.

"We don't know yet for sure, Angel. I'll let you know." Her eyes told him they were thinking of the same person, and he was right.

He nodded, thinking, "Let me move the couch aside for you guys."

After a week, Buffy decided both of them needed to go to Sunnydale, the threat was too great. Jessica was uneasy, seeing as this would be her first time back home since the argument. She hadn't even called home once, though she knew Dawn would tell him she was ok. Buffy said they'd have to explain to the gang, and expect water works.

"For this to work, you have to trust me. I've never done this before, and it's difficult, but if I don't have your complete trust, it won't work." She took each of their hands at that ever so comforting speech, and closed her eyes. Jessica closed her eyes as well, not wanting to see whatever was going to happen.

"You can open your eyes now," Buffy said, letting go of her hand. She found herself in a cemetery, near a solitary grave. Angel was staring at it. "I'm sorry. It's the place where I have the biggest ties to this earth."

Upon closer inspection, the stone read Buffy Ann Summers.

"We've got a ways to go before sun rise. I can only come with you half way, I can't be spotted."

They set off towards the house Jessica still considered home, the pit in her stomach gnawing at her, growing bigger as they neared until she thought it would swallow her whole. Buffy left them soon after entering the heart of town, and they continued on in silence. Jessica could almost feel her watching though, now that she knew she really was.

They got to her door just as the sun was coming up. She knocked twice before entering.

"Come in," she whispered to Angel, thinking her father would be asleep at this hour.

Giles was asleep on the couch, looking the worse for wear, and as the door opened, he started awake.

"Jessi?"

"Yeah, it's me, Dad." He hugged her tightly.

"You scared the shit out of me," then he saw Angel.

"I'll explain in a minute, I promise. Could you call Dawn, Willow and Xander? I want to explain to everyone at once."

"Of course," he looked at her for a long moment, "You look just like your mother. I never noticed it before…"

She smiled at him, "Thanks," she whispered.

Once the gang was assembled, all sitting on the couch, she stook before them, and told them about the prophecy.

"And…" she looked at Giles then Angel, "Mum told about this. My real Mum. Buffy."

"What?"

"Holy Cow!"

"Is that why…"

Jessica looked to the corner, and everyone followed her gaze to see Buffy appear slowly there. "Hi guys," she stepped slowly from the corner with a little wave.

Dawn was the first one to her, crushing her into a hug. Willow, Xander and Giles weren't far behind.

"Guys, don't get excited. I can't stay. I'm just here to help Jess with the prophecy-"

"I thought I'd never see you again!" Dawn sobbed.

"Oh, Dawnie," she hugged her, "You know I was watching you, right? All of you, when I had the time…"

"So, what's the skinny? Time for research?"

"No, Xand. I've already got a team researching, you guys are recon. But you'll always be my best researchers…"

"Just tell us what to do."

"Xan, I need you on news duty. Anything strange, apocalypsie. Giles, I need you to train Jess, as if she were a slayer. Will, I want you on the net. Check all the recent hotel and motel listings."

"Am I searching for anything or one in particular?"

"Yeah."