Family

A Buffy the Vampire Slayer Fanfiction Story

Author: Jason Thompson Pilamsega@worldnet.att.net

April 11, 2001

Disclaimer: Once upon a time there was a guy he wrote a story with

characters and settings he didn't own, but he put a disclaimer on his story

and that made it a little less illegal. BTVS and Angel are owned by Joss,

Fox, Mutant Enemy, and the WB. I don't own anything except the situation

characters are in.

Category: AU: It's a surprise but implied Xander/Anya

Spoilers: Angel Season two/Buffy Season 5

Warnings:

Summary: Xander meets his daughter's imaginary friend

Rating: PG

Distribution: Ask First.

Notes:

Dedication: Dedicated to Bri, Mary, Duchess, Dale, Nate, Stone Cold,

Aslan, Vega, Jen Zimmer, Grace Fonseca, Louise, Sairs, and Queen Angel who have

allowed me to bounce my ideas off them, and Krac, cause she has the evil bunny slippers.

Family

Xander pulled his truck into the drive and put it in park before killing the

engine. He grabbed his bag and hopped out of his car. He walked by Dawn's

car and trotted up the stairs, it was after dark and he didn't want to waste

time getting inside. He pushed the door open and stepped inside, dropping

his bag down next to the door and shrugging out of his jacket. He pressed

the button on the answering machine.

> Hey boss, It's Bill. I forgot to tell you that I'm gonna be a lil' late to

the site. Gotta drop off my kid. You know how that is…<

Xander pressed the delete button and shrugged when the machine beeped

signifying that there were no more messages.

"Yeah Bill, I know how that is."

He walked into the living room and found Dawn sprawled out on the

couch.

Xander grinned and crouched in front of her, "Dawnie?"

Dawn snored loudly and waved Xander away.

Xander shook her and she jumped, "Wha? I'm up."

Xander smirked, "I'm home Dawn, why don't you go home. Thanks for watching

Grace so attentively."

Dawn blushed, "Sorry Xander, but she's a four year-old. I don't have the

energy to keep up."

Xander nodded placatingly, "Yeah, you're twenty-two, an old woman."

Dawn sat up, "Yeah, I got classes in the morning, I'll see you later."

She and Xander stood up and Dawn gathered up her book bags before leaving out

the front door.

Xander laughed and looked around the living room. "Grace?"

He trotted up the stairs and checked Grace's bedroom. "Gracie?"

Grace wasn't in her room, he walked across the half into his bedroom, "Puddin'?" She wasn't there, and Xander went from playful to concern.

He knocked on the bathroom door, "Pooder?"

There was no answer and Xander was an inch from frantic.

He charged down the stairs yelling Grace's name, "Okay Sweetie, Daddy's

getting worried now! Come on out!"

Xander stopped in the kitchen when he heard laughter bubbling in from the

back porch, Grace's laughter.

Xander ran to the back door, he heard Grace talking to "Mummy." Mummy was Grace's imaginary friend. Xander had heard her talking to her in her room most every night.

Xander smiled, he remembered all the fun he and imaginary friend, Mr. Williams used to have when he was Grace's age. He walked to the back door but his blood ran cold when he heard Mummy talk back.

Using a far too familiar voice, "Mummy likes your drawing very much. You are such a good artist Sweet Pea…"

Xander stumbled backwards at the sound of Drusilla's voice, he couldn't lose

Grace. She was all he had.

All he lived for since she was born.

The only piece of the life he was building for Anya that didn't turn to ash. When he lost Anya in childbirth, he was destroyed. He and Anya were just starting to build that normal life with everything on her list. Then he lost her to bleeding. He couldn't lose Grace.

Xander looked around frantically for a stake. He couldn't remember where he

kept it, finally he just grabbed a stool from the kitchen and broke it over

the counter, leaving a broken leg with a sharp point, which would be good in

a pinch.

He charged out the back door but stopped when he saw Drusilla sitting with

Grace in her lap.

They were both so caught up in Grace's drawing "Who's this Sweet Pea?"

Grace smiled, "That's me and my daddy in our house, and that's our puppy Oz…

and that's Mommy in heaven."

Drusilla pointed to something else in the drawing, "Who's that outside?"

Grace smiled, "That's you Mummy." Grace frowned, "You can't come in because

Daddy won't let me invite you in, and that makes me sad."

Drusilla cooed and smoothed Grace's hair back gently, "Shh, shh Precious.

You know Mummy loves you very much, and you know Mummy would never hurt you

or let you get hurt. Yes?"

Grace nodded, "Yes Mummy and I love you too, but Daddy says I can't invite

anyone in, even you."

Drusilla smiled and pressed her lips into Grace's hair, "You should always

do as your Daddy says. Mummy didn't always listen to her Daddy and when I

was bad it made my Daddy very sad, so Mummy wants you to mind your Daddy,

always."

Grace nodded, "Yes Mummy."

Grace and Drusilla both looked up when they heard Xander's stake drop from his fingers, which had gone nerveless with shock. Grace beamed at Xander and jumped out of Drusilla's lap and ran to Xander, "DADDY!"

She leapt into Xander's arms and Xander held her tight.

Xander looked over Grace's dark locks directly into Drusilla's eyes.

He looked down at Grace, "How was your day Puddin'?"

Grace smiled and pulled out of Xander's embrace, "I played with Aunt Dawn

and I drew with Mummy. “Look Daddy, it's my friend Mummy."

Grace pulled Xander towards Drusilla. "Say hello Daddy."

Xander stopped out of range of Dru's reach, wary of the vampire and wishing

he hadn't dropped his stake. "Hello Dru."

Drusilla smiled, "Hello Kitten."

Dru looked at Grace and Xander was shocked to see her eyes so full of affection, "Your baby is very beautiful."

Xander looked at Grace, "Yes… yes she is. She looks just like her mother."

Grace watched the exchange with confusion.

"Daddy, Mummy visits me every night and she tells me bedtime stories and sings me to sleep and we draw pictures."

Xander smiled down at Grace, "That's great Puddin.'"

He knelt down in front of Grace, "It's getting time for bed, let's go inside and have a Hot Chocolate then wash up huh? I'll read you one of the Elmo books."

Grace smiled giddily, "Okay!"

Xander stood up and held onto Grace's hand and led her to the door. Grace turned around and waved to Dru, "Night-night Mummy."

Xander watched Dru smile at Grace and wave back, "Night-night Sweet Pea."

Xander led Grace inside then stopped he turned around and walked back out.

Dru had started to walk away, Xander called out to her. "Dru?"

Drusilla turned around, "Yes Kitten?"

Xander stammered for a moment, "Why?"

Drusilla smiled and walked back to him, "I protect her."

Xander shrugged, "Why?"

Drusilla looked over Xander's shoulder at Grace then back at him, "Because,

she needs a Mummy. So I watch over her, just like I watched over you

Kitten."

Xander's jaw went slack for the second time that night, "You watched over

me? For how long?"

Drusilla smiled and closed some of the distance between them, "When you lost

your pretty young woman. I heard your heart breaking and it hurt me so

much… I came back here to be near you and watch over you…"

Drusilla took another step, "You didn't know Mummy was here, I sat outside your window and watched you cry, and it hurt me to see it."

Another step and she was close enough to reach out and wipe the tear that Xander hadn't been able to hold back away.

"You loved her so much, didn't you Kitten?"

Xander nodded and closed his eyes feeling more tears burn their way down his

cheeks. Even after four years, the wounds hadn't healed. "Yes."

He was surprised when he felt Dru's arms wrap around him, but he was just as

surprised when He sank into her embrace, "My poor Kitten… Shh… Mummy's

here."

Xander silently cried into Dru's shoulder until he heard Grace, "Mummy, why

is Daddy crying?"

Xander pulled away and wiped his tears, "It's okay Pooder. C'mon, let's go

get some Hot Chocolate."

He led Grace back inside. He stopped at the door and turned back to Drusilla, and smiled, "Dru, do you… would you like to come in and join us in some Hot Chocolate?"

Drusilla looked at Xander in surprise, Grace reached her free hand out to

Drusilla and smiled. Drusilla took Grace's hand and followed them inside.

--End--