PART 4

Emma and Trisha were on their way back to the manor after the movie, escorted by Andy. Trisha was having a great time watching her cousin squirm as she tried to break off her and Andy's relationship, it was like he something was wrong and was hence forth avoiding having much of a conversation with her. They were just one block away from the manor, when they were jumped by an ugly demon. The demon looked at Emma and somehow it recognised her.

"It's you" it hissed, "I'm going to enjoy killing you again."

Emma momentarily froze as she was confronted by the memories of her… of Buffy's death… at the hands of this very demon. The demon used her distraction to swipe at her with its razor-like claws and slashed her side. The pain snapped her away from the bad memories and back to the present situation, she knew that she had to protect her cousin and Andy from this creature. She fought past the intense physical pain that she was in and used all the energy that she had remaining to orb them all to the manor and safety.

Leo had just gotten everyone settled when his daughter, niece and his daughter's boyfriend suddenly appeared in the middle of the room. He was about to yell at Emma for orbing, when she passed out at his feet. "What in the hell is going on?" he demanded.

"We were like a block away, when some skanky, gross, slimy, horny-thing…" Trisha started.

"It was a demon" Andy translated, knowing that some people had trouble speaking Trisha's language.

"Yeah, it like jumped us. Then it said something… umm… Andy?"

"That he'd enjoy killing Emma again and then it attacked her" Andy finished.

"That is *so* totally what happened" Trisha agreed.

Leo looked down at his daughter and saw her injury; he lay his hand down over the wound and healed her. Unfortunately she was unconscious from the energy she'd expanded to save the others and herself, but she'd wake up when she was ready too.

Angel couldn't take his eyes off the unconscious girl in the centre of the room; there was just something about her that drew him. Suddenly he realised why that was… she was Buffy. He didn't know what to do should he tell the others, they all seemed to be uncomfortable at the thought of Buffy in another body… all except Dawn. Angel knew that she would want to know, so he tried to subtly get her attention.

"What?" Dawn hissed at Angel after her jabbed her in the ribs with his elbow, "That hurt."

Angel paused for a moment trying to figure out how to put it delicately. When he couldn't he just whispered, "That's her."

Dawn took her attention away from the ensouled vampire and looked at the unconscious girl. As hard as she tried she just couldn't picture this girl being her sister, they were opposites physically, where Buffy had been blonde and petite, this girl was athletic and a brunette. "She looks different… shouldn't she look the same or at least similar?" Dawn whispered to Angel.

"Dawn… she's a different person" Angel tried to explain. "You can't expect a carbon copy of Buffy… I mean you look more like your dad, while Buffy took after Joyce. Why shouldn't this girl look like her parents?"

Dawn hated it when Angel was reasonable. "Fine" she grumbled at him.

The others noticed Dawn and Angel having a private conversation and Joyce still being mad at being forced to spend time with Angel went to break it up. "Dawn… stop talking to him" she hissed at her daughter.

"Mom, back off" Dawn hissed back. She was just so sick of Joyce and the other Scoobies, except for Willow and Tara, treating Angel like some sort of leper, it wasn't his fault that Buffy died… she was the slayer; it was bound to happen sooner or later. "Angel doesn't deserve this treatment."

"But…" Joyce started to say. Dawn cut her off, "Besides if you had been nicer to Angel for the last twenty or so years he might've told you instead of me that, that unconscious girl is Buffy."

They all took in Dawn's words; a mixture of emotions ran through the Scoobies anger, guilt and excitement. None of them apologised to Angel, they just stared at the girl in wonder. Dawn squeezed Angel's hand as a sign that she thought everything was going to be all right, Angel squeezed back allaying Dawn's fears that he'd do something stupid because of them and Wesley stood there whispering something inaudible to Cordy. All of them keeping busy waiting for the time the girl would awaken and they'd get some answers.

Andy stared at the strange group in the living room; he didn't like them around because they were kind of weird. Besides they were staring at Emma and whispering, and they looked like they didn't even like each other. Then there was the broody guy, who seemed to have this unnatural fascination with Emma and Andy didn't like that, Emma was his girlfriend, they'd been together for almost four years. He'd helped her get through all sorts of crap… dealing with her powers as they increased in intensity and gained new ones, he'd even helped her through her anger at being called as the watcher's council's active slayer. He knew that Emma loved him as much as he loved her and that no broody, mysterious guy was going to come between them. Wondering who those weirdoes' were, Andy went over to Prue and asked her.

"Sorry kid… I just got here before you arrived" Prue told him shaking her head.

"They have something to do with a prophecy in the book of shadows," Phoebe told them as she came up to them.

"Okay" Andy mumbled, staring at the guy again. He had a bad feeling that the guy was going to cause him trouble.

Phoebe looked at Andy, "You okay?"

"Sure Mrs Turner… Halliwell" Andy babbled never sure what to call Phoebe or Piper.

"Either one is fine Andy" Phoebe told him. She turned to Prue and asked, "Have you seen Cole?"

"Nope… it's been a good night so far," Prue answered.

Phoebe ignored her sister, "Maybe I should go look for him?"

Prue was about to say something sarcastic, when they heard a noise from the couch where they'd laid Emma. All of them rushed over to her, except Angel who hung back unsure whether this girl would want to see him. According to Willow before Buffy died she'd been having some major dreams about him, but what exactly about him he wasn't sure because Willow never even knew… what if she'd decided she hated him or something.

"Sweetie?" Leo said gently shaking her.

"Just five more minutes, daddy" Emma mumbled.

With that comment everyone relaxed, she was going to be all right. Now all that remained was for them to wait for her to wake up and then discuss the battle… not to mention how much she wanted to do with her past life and the appearance of the people from it.

Emma started to come to full consciousness about twenty minutes later and tried to sit up, but felt dizzy and nauseous. She lay back down and settled for slowly opening her eyes and scanning the room, at first she didn't see anyone and then she saw Angel standing in the corner. Emma quickly closed her eyes again, figuring that she was hallucinating Angel's presence… there was no possible way that Angel was standing in her living room, was there? But then again hadn't her father told her that her friends were coming for the battle? It was entirely possible that this really was Angel. She opened her eyes again and saw he was still there and he was staring at her.

"Hi" she said.

"Hello" Angel replied. From her vague greeting he had no idea whether she remembered him or not, for all he knew she could think he was some strange guy who broke into her house.

Emma slowly and carefully raised herself into a sitting position and stared at Angel. He still looked perfect, just like he had all those years ago… just like he had that thanksgiving, but something was different about him. It wasn't just the clothes, even though he had apparently discovered that there are more colours available in clothing than black or grey… there was something else, she couldn't figure it out.

"Where is everyone?" she asked him.

Angel was still standing there nervous and unsure of himself. "They're upstairs" he replied figuring that she was referring to her family and not the others. He kept waiting for her to offer some sort of evidence that she recognised him or something, but she just sat there passively.

Silence descended upon them. Emma sat there desperately wanting to say something to him about this situation, but couldn't… after all he'd given no indication that he knew she had once been Buffy Summers, his friend, his lover and his soul mate. What if he didn't know and she somehow upset him by saying it, she didn't want to cause him any pain. Angel finally decided to take a chance.

"They should be back soon… Leo and Giles are comparing prophecies" he told her, willing her to answer with something that would give him hope.

"Nice to know he hasn't changed… What's with him and prophesies anyway?" Emma answered.

"Who?" Angel asked needing just a bit more.

Emma realised he knew and decided to throw him a bone. "Giles" Emma replied, "The guy who lives to decipher cryptic prophecies of the slayer's life."

"Buffy" Angel said happily.

"Not at the moment… but I used to be" she answered him. Then she asked, "So what's new? Since I… you know… died." Angel seemed to be a little uncomfortable around her, but she was too. She realised things weren't just going to fall back into place… even if they did, twenty years ago she and he weren't even on speaking terms.

"What do you want to know?" he asked her hoping that this unsettling feeling would go away. He wasn't sure what he was supposed to do… even if what he was feeling was normal? All he knew was that although this girl before him was Buffy… part of her was a totally new person and maybe this lifetime she wanted something other than him, maybe she wanted that guy she'd appeared with he had looked nice and normal. So what if his very presence made Angel want to rip him into tiny pieces for Spike to consume… as long as she was happy.

Emma saw how uncomfortable Angel looked (almost as much as she felt) and decided that she'd settle for the basics, "Anything you want to tell me" she said.

"Well… Cordy married Wesley" he said nervously. There was something's he didn't want her to know about just yet, like the Darla episode… especially the *Darla* episode.

Emma stared at him like he'd grown another head. "Wait… the May queen married the bookworm."

Angel relaxed; talking to her was just like talking to the original version of Buffy. "If you think that's weird… wait until I tell you the rest."

At that moment Giles was saying how the prophecies were identical. "This battle is going to happen and I believe it will happen soon" Giles finished off. He was nervous about being here, what if the information that the host had given them was wrong? Or Angel's Buffy sense was way off and that poor girl down there was about to be put through an emotional roller coaster for nothing.

Leo was trying to listen to what Giles was saying, but they suddenly called him, with new information. He turned to the group and said, "Excuse me… business." Before anyone could say anything Leo orbed away in the same manner as the girl had arrived.

"What the…" Xander started to say.

"Oh… how did he?" Giles asked in a strangled voice. He didn't know what was going on and Giles just didn't like that sensation.

"He's a white lighter" Piper told them, all the time wishing that Leo wouldn't orb in front of strangers leaving her to deal with their questions.

"A what?" Xander asked. He was also confused, but mostly by the fact that only the disappearing guy freaked him, Giles, Cordy and Wes.

"Honey" Anya said, "White lighters guide witches."

"How do you know?" Xander asked suspiciously.

"Well, once I took vengeance on one who had dallied with his witch and then dumped her… yep, the boils on his genitals were a nice touch" Anya told them.

"Great" Phoebe whispered, "We now have a vengeance demon to deal with as well."

"*Ex*. I lost my power centre because of Cordy and her stupid wish… Buffy free Sunnydale, huh" Anya informed the charmed ones.

Andy watched the goings on and asked that Xander guy, who was the most normal looking to him, whom that guy downstairs was.

"Oh, that's Angel… vampire with a soul" Xander replied.

"Vampire?" Piper asked. She hoped that was some sort of sick twisted joke and that her only child was not downstairs with some bloodsucker.

"Don't worry" Giles said. "He does have a soul. In fact he is…" He stopped unsure about how to inform this woman that her daughter's intended was a demon.

"What Giles is trying to say is that Angel is Buffy's soul mate" Dawn said, "And now that Buffy is Emma…"

"He's her soul mate too," Piper said sinking to the floor in shock. Her baby was destined for a vampire; just what this family needed… it already has witches, slayers, white lighters and demons… {Well what's one more in the mix?} Piper thought, {Oh, boy… Leo's going to freak.}

"What do you mean his soul mate… she's my girlfriend" Andy grumbled. There was no way that guy was having Emma, she was his no matter what these weirdos say.

All the Scoobies looked at each other, none of them wanted to break this young man's heart with the news that there wasn't any choice in this, sooner or later Angel and Buffy (in whatever form she may be) will be together.

When the others came downstairs, they were all shocked to see that Angel was talking to the girl. The Scooby and A. I gangs exchanged looks; from their point of view it was total déjà vu… Buffy and Angel were back together, although not as they would normally be. The charmed ones and assorted others were shocked. There was Emma, an extremely shy individual and the current slayer, conversing with the vampire that was her apparent soul mate and intended according to those strangers.

"Are we interrupting anything?" Piper called out. She was disturbed that her daughter was so comfortable around this man… she wondered why that was so and vowed to find out the reason as soon as possible.

"Angel was just filling me in" Emma told her mother. "Where's daddy?"

"*They* called" Piper replied coming the rest of the way down the stairs. "What was he filling you in on?"

"Stuff."

"Oh… what kind of stuff?" Piper asked in her sickly sweet 'I don't believe you' voice.

"You know… who got married, who turned lesbian… the usual" Emma said.

Piper eyed Angel suspiciously; she had a feeling that he had an interest in her daughter. "Okay."

By this time everyone else had come down the stairs also and they seemed to have formed sides. All of Emma's family and friends were standing behind her and all of the Scooby gang; Cordy and Wes were in front. Another noticeable fact was all of the people in front were staring at her… waiting for her to say something to prove that she had indeed once been their Buffy.

"Hi Guys" Emma said nervously. "So where's chip-head?"

Meanwhile Leo was standing before his bosses and trying to convince himself that what he was hearing was a giant mistake on the PTB's part. "But he's a *VAMPIRE*!" Leo finally exploded, "My baby girl is not in love or going to fall in love with that… thing."

"It is already written… the star-crossed lovers shall be one, once more," a voice told him.

"But…" he started to object.

"Be still white lighter. If the ensouled one survives the battle, he will no longer be the undead" another voice replied trying to calm Leo down.

Leo sighed in relief over that. It seemed that the monster would at least be human before he laid a hand on his daughter. If he was honest with himself that is what bothered him and not the fact that Angel was a vampire… just that Angel was a vampire with a very personal interest in his daughter.

"However with the clause gone, the warriors will most likely consummate their relationship before the battle," the first voice added.

Leo paled with shock; he couldn't believe that they were discussing his daughter sleeping with that darn vampire in front of him like it was no big deal. "Are you sure that they really are… soul mates?" Leo asked praying that there was a mistake.

"Fear not white lighter" the second voice, said, "They belong together, as do you and the witch."

"Be gone," the first voice said.

Leo nodded and orbed back to the manor to tell everyone some of the information he had just found out. When he returned he found everyone was waiting for him in the living room, minus Emma. "Where is she?" he asked his wife concerned.

"She's changing her clothes… something about blood sticking to her, half her body being exposed and a room full of perverts" Piper replied.

"I have some information and she needs to be here to hear it," Leo said.

"I'll get her," Willow volunteered. She was desperate to get the girl alone and talk to her, to find out if she really was who they thought she was.

"It's upstairs… third door on the left" Piper told her.

Willow stood outside Emma's door nervously for a few seconds, not entirely sure how to react to this young woman. Even though they had all told her she was Buffy, she wasn't sure she quite believed it. She knew that Spike hadn't believed it and had volunteered to patrol the Hellmouth while they were away, instead of heading off on a fool’s errand… apparently it might not quite be what Angel, or anyone else had expected. Willow could sense that although Angel and this new girl weren't together… in any way, that her having a boyfriend in her new life had wounded him deeply. She took a deep breath, gathered her courage and knocked.

"Come in" a muffled voice came through the door. Willow entered the room and found a room that was tastefully decorated, a lot of it antiques. Emma came out from behind a dressing screen and saw Willow staring, "It was grams room before she died… she had great taste."

"Yeah, it's beautiful. Did she give it to you before she died?" Willow asked curiously.

"No after."

"She left it to you?" Willow questioned. "No… mom told her that she was pregnant and grams said that I, the first great-grandchild, simply must have her old room" Emma replied.

"Grams is a ghost?"

"I prefer to think of her as a free spirit" Emma answered, "She shows up occasionally to help us out."

"Whoa" Willow said sitting down on the bed, freaked out by the whole ghost thing, she didn't like ghosts. "So how are you?" Willow said changing the subject.

"Fine… Are you okay, Wils? You seem kind of nervous," Emma said sitting down next to her.

"It’s not every day you meet the best friend you ever had reincarnated" Willow replied.

"That's true," she said trying to understand. "So tell me what's happened to you…start with college."

"It's a long, boring story," Willow warned her.

"I'm not going anywhere… this time."

"Okay…" Willow said beginning to tell her story.