A/N: Just a note I forgot to mention in the prologue, the rating's just for safety. I do deal briefly with child abuse, but nothing explicit. Don't worry, the story won't be a complete angst-fest.

Hope you like …

5 years later. . .

"Shit!" Buffy Summer's cursed as she fumbled for her cell phone. She had been expecting a call from her manager, and was impatient to hear what news the woman had to give her.

She located the phone and flipped it open just in time to hear Anya Jenkins bellow at her, "You never told me you had a father!"

Buffy raised her eyebrow in surprise and amusement. "I sorta assumed that was understood –"

Anya cut her off with the beginning of a long rant," No! You never said you had a father who was in jail, and is currently dead. And what more –"

It became Buffy's turn to interrupt Anya as she processed that last bit of information. "Wait. What? Hank's dead?"

"Yes," her manager replied in an impatient tone, "dead. As in no longer living. Now …"

Buffy didn't hear anything else as her thoughts drifted back to Sunnydale …

Flashback

She ran as fast a she could, hoping that she would get home before her father did.

It was all her fault. She hadn't paid attention to the time, and the play rehearsal had run late … she hoped Dawnie was alright.

Rounding the corner, she ran up the walkway, but jerked to a halt just before entering, remembering to open the door quietly in case Hank really was there.

As she slipped in, she heard a muffled scream and then a crash from the living room. An icy cold dread crept over Buffy as she dropped everything and ran towards the noise, dreading what she would find.

What she saw made her angry enough to forget her own safety and any rational thought. Dawn was curled up in a corner, already beaten and bruised, while Hank continued to rain harsh blows on her.

Before Buffy realized what she was doing, she had picked up a vase – one that somehow managed to survive Hank's many drunken rampages – and crept up behind her father, smashing it on the back of his head …

End Flashback

"Buffy!" Anya's harsh call brought her back to the present. "Are you even listening to me!"

"Sorry, Ahn. I spaced. What were you saying?"

Anya huffed noisily, but repeated her words, "I was saying that you should go back to your hometown – Sunnydale? – and hold a funeral for him. Or at least attend the funeral."

Buffy frowned. "Wait. What? Hank's funeral?"

Her manager sighed impatiently again. "Where is your mind today, Buffy? Yes, Hank, your deceased father, remember?"

"No way am I holding a funeral for that bastard! You know my history!"

"What would the public think," Anya asked, referring to the many fans the now-famous blonde actress had, "if you won't even hold a funeral for your own father?"

"I don't care what the people think! I'm not doing anything for that abusive jerk – even if he is dead!" Buffy exclaimed. "No one would attend the funeral anyways," she added as an afterthought.

Anya knew her friend and client well enough to know that this was not her only issue. "When was the last time you spoke to anyone in Sunnydale?"

Flashback

Once Hank had collapsed, Buffy forgot about him, and went to Dawn – who was still shivering, scooping her into a protective embraced. "I'm sorry, Dawnie … I came as quickly as I could," Buffy cried for her sister.

This was what she had been afraid of. Hank had never hit Dawn before, generally preferring to ignore her, except to tell her she was worthless. It had always been Buffy, that he had hurt – and she had learned to deal with it. But Dawnie …

Buffy forced herself to stop crying as she reached a decision about what to do. She made sure her sister had no broken bones and told Dawnie to get ready to go to Willow's.

She herself had ran upstairs and thrown a few essential thing into a backpack. Dawn was waiting for her at the foot of the stairs, and when she saw her sister come down, she pointed to the living room, "Buffy, look …"

Buffy looked at her father's inert form. There was blood on the back of his head. Oh, god, I didn't kill him, did I? was her first thought. Horrified, she whispered to Dawn the first reassuring thing that popped into her mind, "It's OK, Dawnie. I'll come back and deal with it later."

Then, the two walked out the door, and Buffy unknowingly began the path that would lead her away from Sunnydale.

End Flashback

Buffy knew better than to lie to Anya. "Not since I left," she admitted.

"Buff, you can't avoid them forever. They're still your family, you know?" Anya asked anxiously.

"Yeah, I know. It's just been so long …"

Anya grew chipper once more, "Good. It's settled. I'll arrange you flight to Sunnydale, and get things in order for the funeral."

Buffy started. "What! I didn't agree to that!"

"You have to, Buffy. People will find out that your father died, and then they'll want to know why you didn't attend his funeral and why you're so separated from whatever relatives you have. And I know how hard you've tried to keep your history and your family out of your whole acting career, so you wouldn't want reporters digging up the past …" Anya stopped, knowing that she had made a point that her mulish friend couldn't argue with.

Buffy fumed, also knowing that she had lost, "That's low, Anya."

"But true," the manager quipped, not the least bit upset. "I'm only watching out for you and your career."

"Yeah, and all the money you make by representing me," the blonde joked, knowing that Anya really did care about her.

Anya smiled, even though she knew Buffy couldn't see. "Why, Buffy, I'm shocked that you would think I only care about the money," she said in mock distress.

"Right, whatever," came the retort, accompanied by a laugh. After a pause, Anya heard Buffy groan, "You really sure I have to do this?"

The young manager remained firm. "Yes, you really have to," she replied. "Look, I gotta go. I'll talk to you later, 'k?"

"Yeah," Buffy said, "bye, Ahn."

"Bye."

Buffy closed her cell phone and groaned again.

If she really went through with this, the next few weeks would be very interesting …

Now press that pretty blue button in the corner and tell me what you think …

le faye