Ch.5 A little thing called Fate

"Um, the cleaners are upstairs finishing your rooms, they should be done soon. I'll have the guys put your stuff upstairs, then you guys can pick which room you want. If-

"Angel." Buffy interrupted

"- you don't like any of the ones finished we-

"ANGEL!"

"You're babbling."

"Sorry." He looked sheepish and looked down.

She looked at Erin who dropped her gaze then back at Angel.

"Erin, honey why don't you sit down, we'll be back in a sec."

Erin sat on the strange round couch in the lobby.

' Honey.' She is already a mom.' Angel thought.

They went into Angel's office.

Angel stood near the door, while Buffy paced. She stopped and turned to face him.

"Angel….this is weird."

"I know."

Buffy felt bad. He didn't ask to have his home invaded. He didn't ask for her and a kid. He didn't deserve this baggage.

"I'm sorry."

His head snapped up.

"I know you didn't ask for this. I mean we were fine in Sunnydale, and here Whistler comes in and tells you we are moving in with you and you have a daughter from another dimension you have to raise."

Angel didn't understand. She thinks I don't want her here? That I don't want to raise a daughter with her?

Hmmm. Let me see does "I don't, mean anything to you? (Angelus)

FLASHBACK

"I want my life to be with you!"

"I don't."

END FLASHBACK

"I mean we were-

"Buffy I want you here."

Her face suddenly clouds with confusion and a little bit of anger.

"Oh, that's funny. I could of sworn that you DIDN"T want your life to be with you!"

The guys and Faith come into the lobby.

"Hey 'Rin, where's B?"

Erin looks up and just points to the office then looks down.

Faith frowns.

They guys seem to catch on and leave the room. Connor looks back, leaving reluctantly. He wanted to comfort her.

' Wait a minute, I've known her for two minutes and I'm already wanting to hold her. This is not good.' Especially now that Faith has enlightened us as to why they are here, with suitcases.

They were moving in.

And he was interested in Angel's daughter.

"Buffy-

"No! You told me that you didn't want your life to be with me! You can't just-

"Buffy I meant that I didn't want your life to be with me!"

"What?"

"What's wrong E?"

"He doesn't want me here."

"What?"

"He doesn't want me here."

"E, I think he is just in shock. I mean he is a vamp. He thought that he couldn't have any kiddies of his own. Then all of a sudden he does. I mean you're from another dimension, but you're still his kid. Still his flesh and blood."

"Oh."

"He is really different."

She continues at Faiths look.

"My dad, he was always at least content if not happy. He and Mom were always like…they just were happy."

"E honey, in this dimension, your dad doesn't have either of you. Your dad in the other dimension, never lost his soul and hurt his girlfriend. Your dad has always had you and you mom."

"So he is depressed because we weren't with him."

"Yeah, I guess."

"Then why is he still depressed if we are here?"

"NO! YOU TOLD ME YOU DIDN'T WANT YOUR LIFE TO BE WITH ME!"

"BUFFY I MEANT I DIDN'T WANT YOUR LIFE TO BE WITH ME!"

"Was that mom?"

"Yeah, and she sounds pissed."

"I meant I didn't want your life to be with me. In darkness. I wanted you to meet someone else. Someone who could take you into the light, someone could make love to you, someone you could have children with."

"I have a child with you."

"Yes," he smiles sadly. "But I can't give you anything else. I didn't even give you Erin. She is from a different world."

" You know what Angel, all that stuff you mentioned," she said as she walked to the door and opened it, " Doesn't mean anything if you don't love that person." She finished without turning around.

She walked out.

And he stood there thinking.

"Hey, you got all the bags taken care of?" She asked Faith.

"Yeah … you okay B?"

"I'm fine."

"Okay."

"Where did Erin go?"

Just before Angel was going to open the door and go try and talk to Buffy, it opened.

"Hi." Erin said quietly. Standing in front of him she was almost as tall as him.

"Hello."

"Um, heh, Whistler and Mom probably told you about me. I'm Erin." She held out her hand."

"Angel." He said and shook her hand.

'This isn't right, I shouldn't be introduced to my own daughter like I am some stranger at a party.'

"Wow, this is very weird."

He gave her a very small smile. "Yeah it is."

In my daughters eyes I am a hero

I am strong and wise and I know no fear

But the truth is plain to see

She was sent to rescue me

I see who I want to be

In my daughters eyes

"I just wanted to um," she laughed, "Meet you."

'God her laughter is beautiful'

"I'm gonna get back to mom."

Your ignoring her, she thinks you don't like her!

"Wait!"

She turns around with an unsure look on her face.

"Tell me about yourself."

"I think she went in to talk to Angel."

They turn around.

"Hi, who are you?" asked Buffy.

"I'm Connor."

"Nice to meet you."

"Do you live here?" Faith asked.

"Yeah, so do the other guys, the Gunn brothers."

Erin went around Angel and sat down on one of the chairs.

In my daughters eyes

Everyone is equal

Darkness turns to light

And the world is at peace

This miracle God gave to me

Gives me strength when I am weak

I find reason to believe

In my daughters eyes

"Whistler probably told you everything."

"He just told me what I needed to know. Not what I would like to know."

"Um, I was born October 14th, 1998. Which must be really weird considering that was just a year ago to you, but it was thirteen years ago in my dimension."

And when she wraps her hand around my finger