To Faith-Catherine, I'll try to keep updating everyday. This story only has about 3 or 4 more chaps left, then I'll post the sequel. Hope you'll keep reading.
On with the story...
Chapter 10
When the girls entered the Hyperion lobby six hours later, each with several bags in each hand they found Buffy and Willow in the lobby with the rest of the gang.
Dawn looked at the watch on her wrist and saw that it was only 7:15 pm. Racing down the last few steps she threw herself into her sister's arms. "Buffy, you're early."
Buffy smiled and hugged her back. "Traffic was pretty much non existent so were got here earlier than expected. Did you have fun shopping?"
Pulling back Dawn grinned. "I didn't think it was possible, but Cordelia is worse than you, though Faith isn't far behind." Her grin got even wider when she heard both girls yell "Hey."
Buffy couldn't help but return her smile. "So you had fun?"
"Yep." as she suddenly remembered she spun to look at Angel.
"I didn't tell her Dawn, I thought I would leave that for you."
Buffy looked between the two nervously. "Uh, tell me what?"
Dawn glanced back at her sister. "You're never gonna believe this." Running back to where she dropped her bags, she rummaged though her purse and came up with what she was looking for. "Check this out Buffy?" This time a smile of pure happiness fell over her beautiful features.
Glancing wearily between her sister and her ex-lover Buffy slowly unfolded the paper and looked down.
After nearly a full minute, Willow started to get worried. Taking a step forward she looked at Buffy. "Buffy, are you ok?"
When Buffy finally looked up everyone could see the tears that had formed in her eyes. Focusing on Dawn, she couldn't help the tremor in her voice. "Is this for real?"
"Yeah Buff, dad's been putting money in there since we moved to Sunnydale, well he did split it up between our accounts but I moved all but my birthday money into yours. Out debit cards and your cheque book should arrive in the mail sometime next week. He said he's put money in there every year for our birthdays too, he just thought we knew about it, obviously mom forgot to tell you before she died."
Throwing the paper on the ground, Buffy pulled her little sister into her arms and nearly sobbed into her shoulder.
Rubbing her back Dawn whispered softly into her ear. "It's gonna be ok Buff."
Everyone in the lobby looked away and gave the longest lived Slayer in history time to compose herself.
Pulling back Buffy wiped the tears from her eyes, took a deep breath and bent down to pick up the statement from the floor. "I can't believe it." She murmured, her eyes reading the total amount over and over again.
Willow, unsure of what exactly was happening, walked over and placed her arm around Buffy's shoulder and giving her a quick hug. "What's going on Buffy?"
Buffy handed her the bank statement. "Check it out Will."
The red head witch quickly scanned her eyes over the page trying to find what had caused her best friends near breakdown. When she reached the bottom her eyes near bulged out of their sockets. "Whoa"
A full blown smile came over Buffy's face. "Yeah a big whoa. Guess what this means."
Willow looked up, slightly confused. "What?"
Meanwhile Dawn had a good idea of what her sister was talking about. "No more Doublemeat?" She ventured.
"No more Doublemeat" Buffy agreed. All three women grinned at each other, until they heard Angel clear his throat softly reminding them they were there.
Spinning around Buffy grinned sheepishly. "Sorry, forgot where we were for a moment."
Angel returned her smile. "No problem. I was thinking if you girls didn't wanna leave right away maybe we could all go out for dinner, there's a Chinese restaurant down the road and from what Cordy says there one of the best in town. What do you think?"
Buffy nodded. "I want to call my father first, if that's ok, but yeah I'm good with that, Dawn? Willow?"
Both girls nodded.
"Ok good, Buffy there's a phone in my office" He pointed out the door. "You can call your father from there, is everyone else good to go?"
"I've gotta go put this stuff away boss." Faith said holding up the bags in her hands.
"Yeah me too" Cordelia said before giving Angel a quick kiss and walking upstairs, Faith right behind her.
Dawn went over to talk to Willow. "So how was your trip?"
Buffy pulled the piece of paper that had her father's phone number out of her pocket and dialed the number. Putting the phone to her ear she waited for him to answer.
"Hello?"
"Dad, it's Buffy."
"Hi Buffy, what can I do for you?" Hank asked.
"I just called to say thank you, you have no idea what you've done for us today." Buffy replied.
"Really it's no problem. I may not have been there Buffy but it doesn't mean I never thought about you or that I stopped caring. I've made a lot of mistakes, and I know that I may never be able to make them up to you and Dawn, but I do love you both."
Buffy took a deep breath and tried to stop the tears that were threatening to fall. "Why didn't you come when mom was sick, when everything fell apart and I needed you, when we both needed you. I didn't know what to do, I couldn't help myself let alone Dawn and we needed you daddy." Buffy voice cracked on the last word and she lost the battle, her tears falling down her face.
Hank could feel his own eyes filling up with tears as his eldest daughter wept over the phone. "I swear Buffy, I didn't know Joyce was sick until after she passed away, and I wanted to come back, I did, but I was scared. I know it's no excuse but it's the reason."
Buffy tried to swallow the lump that was in her throat. "Scared of what?"
"Scared that you wouldn't want me there, or that you wouldn't need me. That you would hate me for not being there sooner." He pleaded, trying to make her understand. "It was cowardly I know, but it was easier staying away and believing that you were ok, then to come and know that you hated me as much as I hated myself."
Buffy's breath caught. "We never hated you dad, we were upset, yes, but we never hated you. We just wanted you with us."
"I'm sorry" It was all he could say.
"I know." Buffy sighed. "And we're ok now, things still get hard sometimes but we make it though, and our friends have been there every step of the way." She wiped the remaining tears from her eyes. "I didn't call to talk about this anyway, I just wanted to say thank you for the money, it will be a huge help at home."
Hank smiled. "I'm glad Buffy, and know if you need anything all you have to do is call. I'll be going back to Spain on Wednesday, I have to finish up things there but I'll be back in the states in about two weeks. I have no plans to leave again anytime in the future, call and I will do everything I can to help."
"I will" Buffy replied. "I gotta go now, we're going out for dinner before we head back to Sunnydale. But I'll talk to you soon maybe?" She left it an open question.
"You will." He promised.
"Alright, Goodbye daddy"
"Goodbye sweetheart." Buffy smiled as she put the phone back in it's cradle, it was the first term of endearment he'd used since she was 16.
She knew that there was allot of things that needed to be discussed, and needed to be sorted out, but for the first time she believed that everything will be ok.
She was jerked out of her thought's by Dawn screaming her name from the lobby. "Thought too soon" She muttered before running out of the office..
She entered to find Cordelia cradled in Angel's arms holding her head in pain. She looked around quickly, seeing no demon's she assumed the problem was Cordelia. "What happened, is she ok."
Angel glanced up quickly before looking back to the woman in his arm's. "She'll be fine, she's just having a vision."
Buffy suddenly found herself admiring Cordelia slightly, the vision's looked like they hurt an awful lot and by the reaction's from the L.A team they happened pretty often.
Cordelia groaned and sat up slowly. "Vampires, about 30, and a dozen demons, not sure what species, they're planning on attacking the nightclub on 21st avenue, if you're fast enough you can get them before they get there. There in vacant store 3 shops down, you've got about 15 minutes"
Angel looked up at Buffy apologetically. "I'm sorry, looks like dinner's off."
Buffy gave him a light smile. "No problem, demon fight's just as fun."
"Alright, Faith, Buffy, you're with me. Gunn, you can go get dinner, Cordelia's gonna need something to eat and then rest, pizza again?" He asked. Everyone nodded. "You know what to get." He said to Gunn.
"Got it boss" Gunn replied and left.
"Good. Fred, Wes, get a description of the demons from Cordy and find out what we're dealing with. Call me on my cell phone and let me know." The both nodded, helped Cordelia stand and went to Wesley's office where most of the books were kept.
Willow faced them. "I'll help in the research, without my magic, I won't really be a whole lotta help in the field" Her face showing her guilt at not being able to help but before Buffy could say anything she'd already disappeared into Wesley's office.
"What about us?" Connor asked.
"I want you two to stay here."
"What?" Both teens cried.
"You heard me, you're staying here."
"But dad" Connor argued. "I know how to fight, and you'll need more than just the three of you."
Buffy raised her eyebrows. "Dad?"
Angel gave her a look that said clearly 'Not now' before turning back to his son. "Yes you do, but Dawn's doesn't and I'm not leaving her here by herself."
"So let me come with, I'll use the crossbow and stay behind you all the whole time, no hand to hand fighting." Dawn suggested hopefully.
Angel looked to Buffy. She sighed and nodded her head. "We don't really have time to argue, but you stay behind us ok."
Dawn grinned at her sister and nodded her head. "The entire time."
"Alright people, grab you weapons and let's go." He pulled open the weapons cupboard and pulled out his favorite axe. Faith grabbed a sword, as did Buffy. Connor grabbed an axe like his father and grabbed a container of bolts and the crossbow for Dawn.
Each person also grabbed a few stakes and they all headed for the door.
End chapter 10.
