Through The Years

A/N: This story has been neglected, but now I'm going to write a little more for it. Thank you to everyone who has been waiting patiently. I haven't abandoned this fic, but the holidays and RL can be a bitch sometimes.

Cordelia looked up as she saw Buffy enter the kitchen a small smile was on her face. Buffy gave a little half smile and sat on the other side of the island.

"Buffy decides to join the land of the wake." Cordelia joked.

"Yes, I was tore out of my sleep by a two year old and her mother." She tried to joke back, but wasn't feeling it.

Giles finished up the breakfast and gave Buffy a sympathetic smile. He had a feeling that the blonde was there when the brunette said her little piece. Buffy returned the smile ten fold; even though she had a father she loved him just the same. Joyce came back in the kitchen from setting the table for breakfast.

"Table is set, let's eat." She announced.

Buffy, Cordelia, Giles, and Joyce each grabbed a dish and walked into the kitchen. Elizabeth was already in the chair ready to eat. The little girl gave the adults a toothy smile; they couldn't help but smile back. Everyone was situated at the table, Giles and Joyce sat at the end while Buffy sat across from Cordelia and Elizabeth.

"What are your plans for the day?" Giles asked.

"We're going to take Lisa to the zoo, and then maybe McDonald's, ice cream, and then we're going to go meet Willow and Xander a little later." Cordelia answered, she winked at Buffy.

"Sounds like you have a very exciting day ahead of yourselves. Buffy when are you leaving to go visit your father?" Joyce asked her daughter.

Buffy stopped chewing and swallowed, "I'm actually leaving tomorrow night. I want to spend all the time in the world with Dawn. Besides dad wants to get some quality Buffy time in." She smiled.

Joyce still felt a little ill at ease when Buffy talked about her father. In a way it seemed like Buffy was trying to punish her for sending her with her father. She thought that is was a good thing at the time, but now she realized that it wasn't. A lot of time has been lost between the two of them, her own daughter seemed like a complete stranger to her.

"I'm sure he'll be glad to see you. Cordelia, are you going with her?" She asked.

The brunette took a sip of her juice before answering, "Yeah, I want to see dad, and meet my honorary step-mother. Plus it will give me a chance to find out all about Buffy and her friends. I already met Oz and Gunn, can't wait to meet the rest." She smiled.

Giles decided that he had been silent long enough, "You met some of her friends from LA?" He asked out of curiosity.

"Yeah, they were doing a show at the Bronze. Buffy introduced us; he told us some stories about my friend." She told him.

Buffy chose this time to clear her throat and shook her head at the brunette. Her parents so did not need to know what she was up to in LA. That was something she wanted to keep hidden.

"Did he tell you about the talent show? They did a cute song, I couldn't believe Buffy actually got up there and sung." Joyce told the table.

Cordelia perked up at this, "Do you have the tape? I would love to see it." She said sweetly.

Before Joyce could answer the tiny blonde interrupted, "Boy look at the time. We need to get going if we're going to see everything at the zoo." She blurted out.

"Buffy does have a point. Take the little lady out for the day, enjoy yourselves. I will show you the tape at another time." Giles spoke up; he knew how uncomfortable Buffy was getting, especially when it came down to showing the tape of her eighth grade talent show.

Cordelia gave a slight nod, and began cleaning up the little girl. Lucky for her she didn't make a big mess with breakfast. Buffy got up from the table and walked into the kitchen, she was followed by Joyce.

"Buffy is everything alright? You seem not like yourself today." She asked in concern.

Buffy rinsed her plate off and put it in the dishwasher, "I'm fine mom, and I just didn't sleep well last night. You know dreams and all, not of the good." She smiled.

"I just want to make sure that everything with you was okay. You know I love you right?" She asked.

The blonde gave a billion dollar smile, "I know you do, and I love you too." She gave her mom a hug and walked towards the entryway between the kitchen and the dining room, she turned around, "Mom, I forgive you for sending me with dad. I'm actually glad that you did." She walked out of the kitchen.

She told Giles good bye and walked into the living room to gather her friend and her niece.

"All right, who is ready to go?" She asked.

"I go! I go!" The two year old screamed.

Buffy grabbed the girls hand and led her out the door. They were followed by Cordelia, who had a huge smile on her face. There was probably hope for the two of them after all.

"Whose car are we going to take?" The brunette asked.

"We could take yours that way we don't have to worry about moving a car seat." Buffy suggested.

"My car it is." She replied.

Buffy buckled in Lisa and got into the passenger seat, she buckled herself up also.

"I'm really glad that we are going out like this. It really means the world to me." Cordelia told her friend, as she started up the car.

"Like I said, I want to get to know my honorary niece. Besides it gives me a chance to spend some time with you also." Buffy replied offhandedly.

The brunette smiled and drove out of the Summers driveway. The ride to the zoo was made with a little conversation here and there, but mostly the quiet babbling of the girl in the back seat.

"So we're leaving for LA tomorrow night?" Cordelia asked.

"That would be the plan. That way, we will have, all day Friday to spend with Dad, mom, and of course Dawn. Then on Saturday we can have a girl's day out, you know I can show you everything. It really hasn't changed much since you've last been there." She told her friend.

The last time Cordelia visited her out in LA was the summer before 10th grade year. They spent the time shopping and going to the beach, and just hanging out with each other. It was a good time for the both of them, little did they know that it was the last time they would see each other.

Flashback

It was the fourth of July and Buffy and Cordelia were down at the beach to watch the fireworks. It had been a comfortable day to say the most, Hank grilled, and the family got together for the annual Summers barbecue. Willow, Xander, and a few of Buffy's friends made an appearance along with Joyce and Giles. It was a little awkward having both her parents with their significant others in one gathering. Everything went fine, and now the teens were at the beach waiting for the show.

"When are you two losers going back?" Cordelia asked.

"We're leaving tomorrow; Mom and dad are taking me to Disneyland." Willow griped.

"At least you'll have something fun to do. I get to spend the rest of the summer working for my uncle." Xander said desponded-ly.

"Oh my god Willow! What are you ten?" Buffy asked her friend.

The red head shifted uncomfortably, "Apparently so, my parents aren't around. I guess they forget how old I really am." She said softly.

Buffy shifted herself comfortably between Cordelia's legs, and leaned back while the other girl wrapped her hands around her waist. To them it was the most natural thing in the world, but to the other two it seemed like something more.

"Since when did you two become all couple-ly?" The boy asked.

"What do you mean?" Cordelia asked.

Xander started gesturing wildly, "You know the whole Buffy sitting between your legs, and arms around her waist thing." He replied.

Buffy glared at him, "We are not together like that. It's just a little friendly comfort." She explained, but doing a bad job of it.

Willow decided to join in, "Oh yeah, like Xander and I do that. You know since we're good friends and all." She joked.

Cordelia grew tired, "Okay, dumb and dumber enough! There will be no more joking. The show is starting." She said icily.

Both teens looked away properly chastised. They made a mental note to never tease the two of them. The fireworks lit up the sky, and nothing else was said. Cordelia leaned down to whisper in the other girl's ear.

"I'm really enjoying myself tonight. Too bad we won't get another moment like this until next year." She told her.

Buffy turned and smiled, "It'll be okay, at least we'll have something to look forward to." She whispered back.

They looked around and noticed that Xander and Willow had moved to the rocks in the front of them. It was obvious that those two liked each other, but had their head to far up their asses. One of these days they were going to get it right.

"It looks like our little ones wanted some alone time." Buffy joked.

Cordelia ran her hands through Buffy's silken strands, something she was used to doing, "They need to go ahead and fuck already; the sexual tension between the two of them is thick." She responded.

The fireworks continued to light up the sky; during the big finish was when Cordelia decided to take her chance. She turned the blonde around surprising her a little.

"What are you doing?" She asked clearly shocked.

Without saying anything Cordelia pressed her lips against the other girls. Buffy was a little surprised, but returned the kiss ten fold. Their tongues were battling for dominance, but neither one was willing to give it up. Buffy finally broke the kiss when oxygen became an issue.

"What the hell was that?" She asked a little dazed.

"I don't know, but it was hot." The brunette replied.

They both smiled and broke apart when they saw their friends approaching. They both mouthed 'I Love you' and smiled.

End Flashback

Cordelia pulled the car into the parking lot, "There aren't a lot of people here today." She commented.

"Well, yeah that's why I wanted to come. Plus they have a new panda exhibit I want to see." She replied.

They exited the car, but not without unbuckling Lisa. Cordelia popped the trunk and pulled out the little girl's stroller. Buffy went to pick her up to put her in, but the girl protested loudly.

"No stwoller!" She kicked wildly, kicking Buffy in the legs. Cordelia was about to interfere, but the look on the other girls face told her not to.

"Lisa, I know you don't like the stroller, but it's to protect you. Now, I'm going to put you in if you're a really good girl we will go for ice cream after lunch. Would you like that?" She asked the girl calmly.

Lisa visibly calmed and allowed Buffy to put her in the stroller. The brunette couldn't help but look in amazement. No amount of coaxing could ever get the girl into her stroller. Buffy buckled her in, and they began to walk.

"You are a natural." The brunette told the girl.

Buffy just smiled, "You can just call me the child whisperer." She joked. "Now let's go see some lions, tigers and bears."

"Oh my!" Cordelia couldn't help but add.

Together the three of them walked into the zoo, a picture of happiness.