Hi, sorry about the wait, same reason, work has been busy! Thanks to everyone who reviewed/faved/followed! I hope you guys enjoy this chapter!

The next morning Liam awoke to bright sunlight coming in the window behind him. After an attempt at blocking it out he gave in and sat up. He sat still for a moment before it became clear that he was relatively alone. The others had not woken up yet. He took a moment to look around the room. This place was much smaller than the hotel and more home like. He rubbed his eyes and stretched before getting to his feet and going to investigate. He thought the chance of getting lost here was much slimmer. He crept around to the kitchen and began looking in all the cabinets. He was crouched down and peering at a stick of pans when Buffy found him.

She stopped in the kitchen doorway and watched him peer into different cabinets. He was pretty cute. And she had the sudden thought of how weird it was to think that this was Angel and even more how strange it would have been to have found the adult Angel doing the same thing. That in mind she she grinned a little before clearing her throat. "Find anything?"

He jumped a little, falling backwards. "No!"

"Well grab me a pot and we'll make breakfast."

He hurried to do so, glad he wasn't in trouble and then hovered by her side while she made him some eggs. Once he was settled down and eating she made herself something to eat and came and sat with him. "We're gonna go shopping today but first I want you to meet a friend of mine. He's gonna work on making you grown up again.

"The man from last night?" He asked curiously.

She felt a wave of irritation pass over her, not at all directed towards him. "No. Definitely not." He looked at her with puzzlement but she brushed it off. "Don't worry about him. You're gonna meet my friend Giles. He's much more fun. . . in a Gilesy kind of way. I'm sure you'll like him."

He stared at her blankly, not at all understanding before he shrugged it off and dug into his food. They ate in silence for a few minutes before Joyce and Dawn joined them both looking tired.

"Morning." Joyce said, smiling at Liam. He smiled back rather warmly and Buffy ran a hand through his hair, brushing it behind his ear.

"We're gonna go see Giles today and maybe pick up some toys." She said.

"I can see if we brought any old toys with us in the move." Joyce said.

Buffy laughed. "Mom, I don't think he's going to want a Barbie dream house."

Joyce shrugged. "I just thought I'd look."

They finished breakfast before sending Liam off to get dressed, he hurried off with Dawn to pick out some clothes and Buffy called ahead to tell Giles they would be on their way.

"Do you think Mr. Giles can turn him back?" Her mother asked.

"I don't know mom. I hope so." The worry that they might hit a dead end made her feel a little more subdued. "If not I'm sure he knows someone who could help."

"That's right. Do you need any money for shopping?"

"No thanks, Cordelia sent some."

A few moments later Dawn and Liam returned. Dawn had obviously made some attempt to comb his hair and he had resisted. It now stuck up at odd angles and he was looking rather resentful. Buffy made an effort not to catch her mother's eye.

"Alright." She said. "Let's go meet Giles."

He followed her out and she lead the way, telling him about Giles as they went. Partially she wondered if he was actually listening because he spent most of his time looking around and stopping to watch cars.

When they reached Giles house she had to pull him away from a fire hydrant he had become intensely curious about. "But what's it do?" He asked as she dragged him towards Gile's front steps.

"I'll explain later." She muttered, not at all sure how they worked or how she would explain.

Giles answered the door much faster than normally and Buffy had the suspicion that he had been waiting rather excitedly. "Good Lord." He gasped, seeing Angel. "I-I knew Willow said he was different but. . ."

"Can we come in?" Buffy interrupted, she had a feeling Giles was about to ramble and didn't want to make Liam uncomfortable.

He seemed to realize this. "Oh! Yes, of course."

They stepped in and Giles continued to gawk at Liam. She smiled a little bit to herself because it was weird and it was a shock.

"This is Liam. Liam, Giles."

Liam looked up at Giles and nodded, biting his lip good naturedly. "Nice to meet you." He said.

Giles blinked. "Even his speech has changed. He's got an accent."

Liam blinked curiously. "I have an accent? What do I sound like?"

"Well. . . Irish."

He puzzled. "But I am. You sound like an Englishman."

"Well that's because I am. Buffy do you realize that this is a world view that no one else shares? There are practically no first hand accounts of childhood from the early eighteenth century! Think about what Liam could tell us!"

Buffy glanced at Liam who looked spectacularly confused and had to resist rolling her eyes. "Yeah. . . . well we need grown up Angel back but I'm sure he can tell you lot's too,"

His excitement waned a little but he nodded. "Yes I know. I did some looking last night and I called Wesley in L.A.. He said the spell was cast by a witch demon but he couldn't pin point the type. He said Angel was rather hush about fighting her and wanted to do it himself."

"Sounds personal. Was there anything in the watcher files about. . ." She paused, acutely aware that Liam was still listening. "Liam I want to introduce you to something American kids love. It's called television." He followed her around the couch to the tv. "This is a tv and American kids sit in front of it for hours. It's a tradition." She flicked it on and began searching for cartoons.

"There's little people in there!" He cried out in amazement.

"Yeah. . . but not really. It's a recording, like a bunch of paintings and they move so fast it looks like they're moving."

"They're talking too!" He said, getting as close to the television set as he could and reaching a hand out to touch the glass. He stopped just short and seemed to think the better of it. "Is it magic too?" He asked.

She groaned. "It's. . ."

But he was already watching a cartoon cat chase a cartoon mouse in awe. She turned back to Giles and mimed her relief. "Sorry, I didn't want to freak him out any." He nodded. "I was gonna ask if there was anything in the watcher files about Angel getting into it with a witch?"

"Well. . . several actually and demon witches. Angelus was not particularly popular, even within the supernatural community. It appears he was deemed rather unpleasant."

She raised her eyebrows slightly. "Hard to believe. Do you think one of them could be the one who cursed him?"

"Most likely but then again it could be one we've never heard about. Not every detail of his life has been accounted for. He uh. . . ate a Watcher who was chronicling him around 18000."

She frowned and made a face. "Yikes."

"If the spell they used on him in L.A. didn't work then it's likely we're dealing with magic from another dimension. Perhaps even a demon from another dimension."

"Great is there anything else we can do in the mean time?"

"I can try a few aging spells and I have a few magic reversal spells somewhere. What are you going to do with him until then?"

She shrugged. "I don't know, keep him out of trouble. Cordelia said he almost got killed in L.A.."

"You know there's one person we could ask. He might not know but Spike could be able to tell us something. He might remember the witch in question."

She made a face. "Great. I guess I'll track him down tonight."

"It was only a suggestion."

She crossed her arms and shrugged. "It's the only lead we've got." They both turned to watch Angel or rather Liam laugh from his seat on the floor. He looked just like any kid like that and she found herself a little thrown to be watching him laugh and smile. There was so much pain in the adult she had fallen in love with.

He was lying on his stomach, chin propped up on his arms.

"Rather remarkable." Giles said softly. "This child has no idea how long he will live or the things he will do in life. This is Angel before he was ever even Angel. Certainly before he was Angelus. He's completely removed from time. Removed from who he is now."

She was quiet for a moment. "Do you think he would want to stay like this? He's human and he doesn't have the curse on him. He could grow up and live an entirely different life."

Giles hesitated. "I can't answer that. If anyone Buffy, you know him best."

She didn't respond and continued watching the boy.

Giles glanced at her and had to appreciate that she was so troubled by the situation. She had been privilege to more of Angel's pain than any of the others and it was as he had said, she knew him best. He cast a glance at the boy who did look just like any other boy and thought that just maybe it would be best to let him grow up again. It would have been kindest. In some ways too it would have been the safest option.

"I don't know what he would want." She said softly. "I can only turn him back to find out."

"Probably for the best. It's how things are meant to be,"

"Yeah." They talked for a while more before Liam's program ended and she rounded him up for shopping. "Wanna come along?" She asked.

"Um, no. I think I should get on with my research.."

"Right and thanks." She smiled slightly when Liam came to stand by her. "I appreciate it."

As they left the boy turned and waved. "It was nice meetin' you!" He called.

Rather startled Giles fixed his glassed and waved back, smiling slightly.

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