Summary: In August, nine months after the events of 'I Will Remember You', Angel is given, by the Powers, the baby girl supposed to be born from that day.

Disclaimer: The characters relate to both 'Buffy, the Vampire Slayer' and 'Angel – The Series' belong to Joss Whedon (a.k.a. God/Primer Evil, depending on the episode), FOX, the WB, Mutant Enemy and Kuzui Inc. The baby is mine.

Disclaimer: My profile at The version in Portuguese will be available at Nanna O's profile at the same site and at MIPS.

Spoilers: To the whole B/A story, from 'Welcome to the Hellmouth' to the second crossover, 'Sanctuary'/'The Yoko Factor'.

The Daughter

Chapter III – Bliss

Cordelia stared openly dumbfounded at her goddaughter.

"You can't be serious!" She exclaimed.

"Aunt Delia…" Katharine said patiently. "Daddy wouldn't be happy to see me sad".

"I know, but she wanna take you away!"

"No, she doesn't", Wesley cut in. "Calm down, Cordelia. Buffy and Katharine are not leaving LA, just moving out. And Buffy promised me we'll be welcome to visit them whenever we feel like".

"But I… Angel…"

"Angel wouldn't be glad to see the shadow Katharine was becoming, Cordy", Buffy said softly. The blonde met the brunette's gaze and held it. Finally, Cordelia held up her hands in surrender.

"Fine. But please promise me you'll still be my kid?"

Katharine smiled.

"Okay!"

Two days later, Katharine's belongings were all boxed up. Hank had offered his former bachelor's apartment for his daughter and granddaughter, the place being empty since his wedding to a painter a few years back, and Buffy had said yes, thankful that she didn't need to pay rent.

After setting up the last decisions with Cordelia about Katharine's custody, Buffy called Giles and asked him to pack up her stuff and send it to Los Angeles with Dawn. The youngest Summers was dying with curiosity to know her niece.

The night before the big move-out, Katharine was sitting on her daddy's old bed. She was edgy, and her supernatural instincts were telling her something was up to happen. She had commented it with her mom and with aunt Faith, but the two women had brushed her off.

Rubbing her eyes, Angel's daughter got up. Something was pulling her. A power, older than time and than humanity, called out for her. Somewhat in a trance, Katharine left the bedroom and started paddling towards her and daddy's secret place, a hidden room they used to hang out.

Unexpectedly the power started to whisper at her.

Come to me, baby girl.

Angel was talking to her, calling her with that velvety voice.

Come. Meet me at the place.

As she started to run faster and faster, sentences started to fill her mind.

Shanshu.

Shanshu death.

Angel's gonna die?

No. She shook her head, her daddy wasn't supposed to die. He was supposed to live.

Shanshu death, life. Resurrection.

The blue being that usually appeared in Katharine's dreams showed up in front of her.

"Hello, Katharine", she said with a little smile. Katharine stopped abruptly and looked up at the Oracle.

"Hello. I see you in my dreams, don't I?"

"You do", the Oracle said. "You've met your mother, right?"

"Yep", Katharine said.

"Do you love her?"

"Yep", Katharine said. "Can you please give me my daddy back? I miss him".

The Oracle smiled.

"I know you do", she started to slowly fade away. "Go ahead".

Katharine beamed at him as the creature vanished completely, with a frown. The Powers had done their part. Now it was up to both the Warrior and the Slayer to make their love work.

Hopelessly romantic as she was, she simply expected them to see they belonged together, for their sake, Katharine's and the world's.

With a sigh, she turned to watch the following events.


Katharine slipped into the comfortable secret living room she and her daddy loved so much. Something was going on there, she could sense it. Magic was in the air, so strong it made her skin tingle.

Katharine… Daddy's voice again.

"Daddy?" She called out, confused. I'm not insane, she thought. Daddy's here. But where?

What do you want more than anything?

"You back, daddy!"

You sure of that?

"Of course I am!" Tears filled Katharine's eyes. "I miss you, daddy!"

Close your eyes…

She did that, willingly.

With a smile, Angel stepped off the shadows, dressing denim pants and a light green t-shirt. He knelt behind his baby girl and whispered into her ear:

"Hi there".

Katharine turned around abruptly, surprised by the voice sounding so close to her. Her nose hit the hard wall of her daddy's chest, and she looked up, the now green eyes sparkling with tears.

"Daddy…" She whispered. Angel smiled and she tentatively held out her hand to his cheek. Her chubby palm touched his face and he leaned into her feathery touch.

Tears started to run down her cheeks, as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

"You're back", she whispered. "You're back…"

"I am, baby girl", he whispered, tears filling his eyes as well. "I promised you nothing would tear us apart…"

She nodded against his neck.

"I love you, daddy".

Angel smiled between his tears.

"I love you too, baby girl".


Buffy woke up to the feeling that something was happening at the Hyperion. She put her robe de chamber on and tightened it around her thin waist, walking out of her rooms. Across the halls was Angel's old bedroom, where Katharine had insisted to spend the night alone.

The blonde slayer opened the door and peeped in. At the sight of the empty bed, she started to panic.

"Katharine?" She called. "Katie? Where are you?"

Cordelia and Wesley showed up, their eyes full of sleep.

"Buffy?" The former May queen asked. "What's wrong?"

"Is Katie with you guys?" Buffy asked frenetic.

"No", Wesley replied, fully alert now. "Why?"

"She's not at Angel's rooms!" Buffy's eyes filled with tears. "Oh, God, where's my baby?"

"Calm down!" Cordelia demanded. "Katharine wouldn't just vanish into thin air. It's not like her to disappear in the middle of the night – well, it is, but she usually went to Angel's bedroom".

"Have you checked the kitchen?" Faith asked. She and Gunn were exchanging concerned looks.

Buffy didn't reply, running down the stairs with the two couples behind her. As the blonde headed straight to the kitchen, Cordelia checked Angel's office, Wesley went to the library; Gunn looked at the work-out room and Faith the bathrooms.

The five adults met at the living room. Buffy looked terrified.

"So? Any luck?" She asked her friends. The four shook their heads sadly. "God!" Buffy fell on the couch sobbing. "Where are you, kiddo?"

"There must be any room we haven't checked", Wesley said aloud. Cordelia had an insight.

"The secret room!" She exclaimed, jumping up. Before anyone could stop her, she ran out the living room.

True to her thoughts, the oak door to the secret room was open. Sighing and sending a quick prayer of thanks to the Powers, Cordelia pulled it open and shrieked.

Katharine was really there, soundly asleep.

Angel's very solid, very real chest was acting as mattress for her, and the supposedly dead vampire was sleeping as well.

The rush of people running was heard and, quickly, Cordelia closed the doors behind her. She couldn't let Buffy see Angel, not yet. A slow smile spread around Cordelia's face.

Now, Katharine wasn't going anywhere.

The grin vanished quickly. With Angel back, Katharine wouldn't go anywhere, but Buffy now knew she was a mother, and would fight to have her daughter with her. And that Angel would never agree with; after all, Buffy was likely to want to take Katharine away with her.

Damn, their fight would be hell to put up with.


The minute Cordelia stepped back at the living room, Buffy rushed to her.

"Did you find her?" She asked in a rush.

"Yep, I did".

"Oh, thank God", Buffy whispered. "Where's Katie?"

"At her and Angel's secret room. Don't go there. Give her time to say goodbye. It's not like your new apartment will disappear soon", Cordelia said. Faith noticed something with her friend, and Cordelia glared helplessly at her.

"Why don't we go shower, get dressed, have breakfast and then we go retrieve Katie from wherever she is?" Mrs. Gunn said with a smile. Buffy nodded reluctantly and was the first to leave. Gunn and Wesley were about to leave as well, when Cordelia whispered:

"Sit down. I have something to tell you guys".

The two men and Faith said as so. They looked curiously at the brunette, who looked anxious.

"I found Katie at the secret room", she said quietly. Faith rolled her eyes and got up.

"We know it already, Cordy".

"Angel's with her", Cordelia finished, her eyes glued at the floor. Faith fell back on the couch, and she, Gunn and Wesley stared dumbfounded at Cordelia.

"Cordy, love…" Wes started to say. Cordelia got up and walked towards the room. They followed her, and she showed them Angel and Katharine asleep. "Oh, God", the former watcher whispered.

Faith was crying softly, a bittersweet smile at her lips. Gunn grinned.

"Angel won't let Buffy take Katie away", Cordelia whispered closing the door silently behind her. The friends went back to the living room and sat back down.

"Damn", Gunn scratched his head. "This isn't gonna be easy. Buffy knows now about the girl and will want Kat with her. Angel's never gonna let Kat leave his supervision".

"Maybe B will stick up with the life-in-LA plan", Faith suggested hopefully. Cordelia glared at her skeptically.

"Buffy still works for the Council. How long will it take for Giles to call her on mission? She'll want to take Katie with her and Angel'll never agree with it", she sighed and ran her fingers on her short, raven hair. "Hell, I knew we should've stuck to Angel's will".

"This hotel is gonna become hell on earth", Faith whispered. A few moments later, Angel walked in, Katharine comfortably resting on his arms. He looked around and noticed the boxes. One eyebrow shot up.

"Are any of you traveling?" He asked his friends. No one said anything. Faith got up and hugged her friend.

"Man, it's good to have you back", she whispered. He smiled and said:

"It's good to be back. Now, answer my question? Who's moving out?"

They all looked guiltily to the floor.

"Mommy and I are moving out", Katharine said innocently. Angel stared her, perplexed.

"WHAT!" He squeaked. "Your mom?"

"Yep", she nodded. "We were moving out to live at grandpa Hank's".

"How the hell Buffy knew you were her daughter?" Angel asked on a dangerously low voice. His friends cringed.

"She felt when you were gone and came here to check up on us. Katie was around and then…"

Angel understood that, and was happy that, finally, Buffy had learnt that they had a daughter. Feeling happiness at that was a thing. Agreeing that Buffy took his adored girl away from him was another entirely different. He put Katharine on her feet and bolted upstairs.

Katharine wanted to run after him, but Cordelia didn't let her.

"Leave them alone, honey. C'mon, let's have breakfast".


Somehow, Buffy felt the tingle on the pit of her stomach, but shrugged it off. Angel was gone for more than two weeks. There was no way he was around.

The door slammed open and Buffy turned around, her mouth dropping open at the sight of Angel standing in the doorway.

"Angel…" She whispered. Her voice's softness warmed his heart, but he ignored it.

"You're not taking my daughter away from me!"

All happiness and wonder she was feeling at his return disappeared.

"What?"

"You heard me, Buffy. You're not taking Katharine out of this house. She's my daughter, only mine, and there's no way on earth or hell that you're tearing us apart".

"She's my daughter too!" Buffy yelled.

"She hasn't been for the last six years!"

"Gee, I wonder whose fault is that!" Buffy remarked sarcastically. "I'm taking that girl with me to my home today, Angel, you want it or not".

"No, you're not. You wanna live with her? Fine, you can, but here. I'm not leaving my little girl with you. And don't dream on taking her to Europe. She's not leaving USA".

Buffy stared at him, perplexed. Sure she had dreamt of him coming back like he came back from hell, but it sure didn't include a fight over Katharine. Her dreams included a wonderful session of making-out, their life as a family, maybe a wedding and another baby.

"Angel, what happened to you?" She asked in a whisper.

"Katharine did. She's my redemption, and I promised her – and myself – that no one would tear us apart. Death didn't do it and it won't be you who will do the trick".

"Why are you so…?"

"Protective? Angry? Well…" He tapped his finger against his chin. "I've been dealing for six years with my daughter, a living portrait of the woman I love more than anything. Said woman doesn't remember the day we made said daughter, and never thinks of coming to visit me".

"Angel, it was too hard!" Buffy exclaimed. "It was too painful!"

"And you think it was easy for me, to go in your aid and all the time thinking, 'Katie is so like her, Katie is so like her…'?" He yelled. "Do you think it was easy to me notice the pain in Katharine's eyes every important day at school, when the other kids have both their parents with them, and she only has me?" His eyes were now tearing up, but he kept talking. "No, you don't! So, don't come arguing that it was too hard and painful, because nothing is harder, nothing is more painful, than living with your shadow and your absence over my daughter's heart!"

They both stared at each other mutely, tears streaming down their cheeks.

"Angel… Give me her".

"I can't", he said simply. "I can't. Katharine is all I have and I'm not letting anyone tear us apart. I let your mother do the trick for us all those years back, and am not doing the same mistake".

She looked at him confused.

"My mother? What the hell are you talking about?"

Angel sighed. Joyce's visit was yet another secret he had and didn't want Buffy to know. Signaling for her to sit down, he took a seat at his bed. She obeyed him.

"You remember prom morning?"

"Sure", she said bitterly. Even if she lived a thousand years, she'd never forget it. She had been so happy, hopeful, peaceful that day… And in the matter of minutes he had torn her life apart, with that thing that she needed light, children…

"Well… I had thought of leaving you, but it wasn't something I had spent hours brooding over. It was just an idea, something I'd discuss with you".

"Let me tell that I like that plan more. Why didn't you put it into action?"

"Your mother came to visit me that morning", Angel said sincerely. Buffy's eyes grew large. "She said that you were a young girl and had to grow up very fast, but in some matters you still were a girl – and I was the center of one of those matters. She said there were some difficult decisions ahead of us and, if you weren't able to make them, I should".

"I can't believe it".

"It's true", Angel said quietly. Even after almost eight years, the memory still hurt. Buffy shook her head.

"I didn't mean I don't believe you. I meant I don't believe her. That was so typical of her. She knew nothing of my life back then, never wanted to know, and then suddenly she knew what was best for me?" She jumped up and started to pace around. Then, she turned to him with a glare. "And you? Why did you have to listen to her?"

Angel sighed. It was a thought that had occurred to him a lot over the years.

"It was just too soon after the Mayor's words. I was afraid", suddenly, he was angry that he was apologizing and stood up as well. "Sorry if I feared that being with you, just being, would be the trigger to lose my soul. Sorry for not wanting Angelus to destroy everything I have and love! Sorry for not wanting to burn in Hell again!"

They were yelling to the top of their lungs, both putting out the years of pent-up frustration. Downstairs, Cordelia, Faith, Wesley and Gunn were giving Katie breakfast. She was looking at them with wide eyes.

"Aunt Faith, why are mommy and daddy fighting?" She asked Faith. Cordelia shrugged.

"They're just like that kid. They'll yell, and they'll cry and then finally, they'll make up and then make out", she resumed. "That's Buffy-and-Angel saga for you".

Meanwhile, upstairs, it was Buffy's turn to talk.

"And, of all people, you chose to listen to my absent mother?"

"Buffy, she caught me at the top of a major guilt-trip!" Angel defended himself. "If that happened a day or two earlier, I'd never have agreed with it!"

"But you left anyway, even knowing that was killing me!"

"It was killing me too!" He said. "You'll never know how much I cried at each step that took me away from you. But then, you never made a movement to stop me! If you didn't want me to go, you'd have stopped me. But, no, you just let me walk away!"

"Don't turn this on me! It was not my fault that you left! I never wanted you to leave! I wanted my life to be with you, but you didn't want yours to be with me!"

Angel stared at her, shock stunning him into immobility.

"You think I didn't want to live my life with you?" He whispered.

"I don't think, I know. You said it yourself".

"God, when did we start to misunderstand each other?" He said and sat back down. Buffy did the same.

"What do you mean?"

"I always wanted my life with you. I just didn't want you to waste yours with me", he explained, his voice soft. Buffy's eyes widened. "You were so young and had so much to experiment. I just didn't want you to wake up one day and hate me because I was keeping you from doing whatever you wanted to do".

"Oh, Angel…" She whispered. "That'll never happen", she said softly. "You gave me the most wonderful feeling I had all my life. With you I knew true love. Damn", she wiped her tears, "you gave me daughter. Sure, I lost six years of her life, but she's my daughter anyway and in two weeks I learnt to love her".

Angel smiled.

"That's Katie O'Connell for you".

"She's so much like you. She broods even!"

"No, she's just like you. You have met her when she was grieving my supposed death. Now that I'm back, you'll see she has all your mannerisms".

"Your 'death'… Angel, what happened?" Buffy asked trying to ignore the ache in her heart at the distance between her. She just wanted to jump in his arms and kiss him with all her might. But now it was talk-time. Maybe later… after all their issues were discussed…

"I needed to die. I'm like a phoenix. I was reborn from the ashes. Time is slower where I was. I stayed for two days there, and when I came back I found out I had stayed 'dead' for two weeks".

"Katharine was broken-hearted. She was dying slowly. That's why we were leaving, Angel. Staying here wasn't doing her any good".

"I know. I know. But, Buffy… Please try to understand me. I have nothing to lose, Katie's all I have. Imagine that you raised a baby of ours all on your own. One day, out of the blue, I find out we have a kid, and want to take it with me. How would you feel?"

Buffy nodded slowly, understanding. A warm feeling filled her heart. Angel was perfect with kids, as she had pictured him to be. Just the depression his 'death' had thrown Katharine into was more than proof of that.

"I'm not going anywhere", she whispered. He smiled thankfully at her. Buffy looked warily at him. "Well, you're alive now, from what I see", she said acknowledging the fact that they were sitting under the sunlight and he looked comfortable where he was. "And we both still love each other… right?" She glanced at him for confirmation, smiling when he nodded. "And we have Katharine. Where do those things leave us?"

"Well…" He got up slowly and took a seat next to her. "We can have a wedding. Or move in together, without a wedding at all. You pick".

She cuddled into his embrace.

"You're really letting me choose? Wow!" She whistled and kissed his cheek. "I'm having you anyway I get. A wedding would be wonderful. But Willow, Kennedy and Xander won't make it in time. Why don't we have a ceremony with the guys down there and our baby, and then later we give this big party to our friends?"

He smiled.

"That's a good idea".


Six months later…

A party was happening at the huge Hyperion Hotel. Katharine was turning seven and, to celebrate Buffy and Angel's daughter's new age, her uncommon family gathered together.

Willow and Kennedy flew from Canada – Willow four months pregnant with her and Kennedy's first child, a boy; Giles came from London, where he was running the new Council; Dawn drove from San Diego, where she was going to college.

Deanna and Kate were there too, along with Kate's new boyfriend wannabe, a policeman whose name was Lincoln. Angelina, Lincoln's daughter, was there as well, playing with Deanna and Katharine, who she knew from the daycare.

"Katie, honey, it's cake-time!" Buffy called as Angel walked in the living room with the pink and white strawberry cake that was their daughter's favorite. The adults and the children – five or six, not counting Angelina, Katharine and Deanna – got together around the table and started to cheer happily, singing the happy-birthday.

"Blow the candle!" Faith said over the noise. Katharine nodded and blew off the candle without hesitation, under her friends' and family's catcalls. Buffy started cutting the cake, Angel's arms firmly wrapped around her waist. Deanna approached her best friend with a frown.

"You didn't make a wish", she pointed. Katharine smiled, her green eyes fixed at her parents.

"I have everything I ever wanted", Angel and Buffy's daughter said in a whisper.

And, in her timeless room, the female Oracle smiled.