The Song Remembers When

"Dad?" Evan's weak voice pulled Riley from the file he was reading.

"Hey buddy, you okay?" Riley said leaving the window seat to sit on the bed next to his son.

"Where's Jordy?" Evan asked looking for his sister. Since he'd returned home yesterday afternoon, she'd failed to leave his side for more than a minute.

"I sent her down to have lunch with your grandfather. Do you want something to eat?" Riley said reaching out to check Evan's temperature. The boy just shook his head no, and leaned into his father's caress.

"Can you hold me?" He asked, suddenly frightened for the first time since the doctors and his mom had told him about his illness. He'd gotten use the idea of dying and at times when the Chemo was too much he'd almost welcome it, but now he was leaving too much behind. Evan wanted the chance to get to know his father and sisters, to see his mom happy with his dad. He didn't want to die and leave this family, not yet.

"Sure I can." Riley said, choking on his own tears, as he saw Evan's. Shifting behind his son, he crawled into bed and rested Evan against him in the fold of his arms.

"Remember I told you I was ready to go? Dad, I don't wanna die now. I've changed my mind... I can do that right?" The child whispered, closing his eyes as he felt his father's strong arms around him.

"I'm glad you have." Riley said kissing the top of Evan's head.

"I wanna be a part of this family, Dad. I don't wanna be without you or Mom. I wanna be the big brother that Tristan needs, cause Dad, you're gonna have your hands full with her." Evan smiled slightly, thinking about his baby sister.

"I think you're right there." Riley chuckled.

"And I want Hope to learn to trust me enough to let me help her." Evan said quietly

"She'll learn Evan, she's just a little shy sometimes." Riley said knowing exactly what Evan meant about his middle daughter.

"But Dad..." he started crying again, "I can't leave Jordy, she needs me, as much as I need her."

"I know, baby."

"Don't let me go, Dad."

"I won't Evan, I'll fight when you can't anymore."

"Don't let me go, Dad."

Riley held Evan in his arms and rocked him back to sleep. Riley didn't know how long he held his son like that, but the shadows of early evening were falling over the room when Buffy woke him up. He felt her warm lips kiss his, as she cuddled up to him in the twin bed.

"Hey handsome." She whispered into his ear, not wanting to wake Evan up.

"You're back. Have an nice time?" He mumbled, fighting to wake up as his eyes fluttered open and then closed again.

"I tried, but I kept worrying about you two. How's he doing?" She asked before she leaned in to kiss Evan's forehead.

"He's okay, just really tired and weak… the nurse said his fever seems to have dropped a bit." Riley looked around in his groggy state and noticed the room was dark.

"What time is it?"

"5:00."

"Damn, I've been asleep for hours then." He shifted in the bed so Buffy could have more room next to him, looking down he made sure he hadn't disturbed Evan as he moved.

"You both must have been tired." She whispered, brushing his tosseled hair out of his eyes. In the darkness she could just make out his beautiful eyes, and they looked so troubled.

"Are things okay?" She asked, pulling back slightly.

"Fine." He smiled "Only way they could be better was if I had the rest of the kids in bed with us here."

"Riley it's only a twin bed." Buffy smiled, as she laid her head down on Riley's shoulder, so she could look at her son's face, which rested on his other shoulder.

"I'm thinking, tonight… I'd like it if Evan would sleep with us."

"Tonight? Riley we're not even sleeping together, while our parents are here?" She said looking up at him surprised by his request. "What would your father think?"

"I don't really care what he thinks. When the girls were little and they couldn't sleep they'd climb into bed with Claire and me. Some mornings when I'd wake up, it was just an ugly mess of arms and legs, but Buffy, I was happy. I'd look across their little bodies and I'd see Clarie, and I'd thank God for giving me them. It was little things that I love about being a father, things that I've missed out doing with you and Evan. Tonight I want to fall asleep with Evan lying between us, I want to remember ever minute I have with the two of you…"

"Riley, we're not going anywhere." She said feeling him tremble as he spoke.

"I know, but Buffy I…" he stopped when he felt Evan shift against him.

"I'd like that, too." Evan said looking over at his mother.

"How long have you been awake?" She smiled at him.

"A while." Evan answered, snuggling deeper into his father's arms.

"Cold?" Riley asked

"Nope, just wanna be closer to you. Can we all sleep together tonight? I'd feel safe there."

"Sure we can." Riley said before he placed a kiss on both Buffy and Evan's heads.

"Is Mason back from the game yet?" Evan asked, stretching against his father.

"Yes he is, and he has a surprise for you." Buffy smiled.

"Can I go downstairs?" He asked looking from his father to his mother than back again.

"Only if the nurse checks you over first." Buffy said, sitting up next to them, and swinging her feet over the side of the bed so she could switch the bedside light on.

"Nurse…." Evan whined.

"Nurse." Buffy said, pretending to pout like Evan did.

"Ah, Dad…"

"Nurse. It's your Uncle Steve's idea, so complain to him." Riley said as Evan crawled off of Riley's chest and cuddled up against his father's side.

"That just plain sucks."

"Would you rather have him take a look at you?" Riley asked, looking down with amusement at his son's pouting face.

"I guess not, he'd have to come all the way over here." Evan sighed.

"Nope, he's downstairs." Buffy smiled.

"Actually, I'm right here." Steve said from the doorway where he'd stood for the last few seconds, watching this family moment.

"Hey, who won the game?" Evan asked, trying to sit up so he could lean his back against the wall.

"Bruins of course, and your Uncle Marc owes me $25.00." He crowed as he walked into the room and sat on Jordan's bed.

"Cool."

"Let me guess, Marc was dumb enough to bet the Bruins would lose?" Riley smiled, knowing his brother's hate for the Bruins.

"Oh yeah, even gave him and the Hurricane a 2 goal advantage."

"Oh the poor sucker." Riley laughed.

"Look, why don't you two go downstairs and visit with your guests, and when Evan and I are done here we'll come downstairs. What do you think, buddy?" Steve said looking to Evan for approval.

Buffy took Riley's hand and led him out of the room as they heard Steve say, "So, have you met the lovely nurse, Holly, she's pretty spectacular, but don't tell your Aunt Nick I said that."

Riley stopped and pulled Buffy against him hugging her like she was his lifeline holding him to this world.

"Did anything happen today you need to tell me about?" She asked as she felt him tremble slightly as her fingers ran through the hairs on the back of neck.

"Nope, just primetime spent with the kids is all." He said, letting go of her, so he could take her hand.

"Riley, you'd tell me if anything happened, wouldn't you?"

"Sure, baby." He said, lying to her. How the hell could he tell her that Steve was worried about Evan being able to wait till after Christmas for the transfusion, or that Evan was frightened? No in his mind it was best to keep this from her, she'd been through enough with Evan already.

"Come on, let's get downstairs before Nicole tries to stake Angel in front of my parents." He said, walking down the stairs.

Buffy looked up at him, and in her heart she knew he was lying to her, but what he was keeping from her would have to wait till later.

"I don't think you'll have to worry about that. Last time I saw the two of them, they were getting along famously." Buffy smiled, trying to forget the look she saw in his eyes a moment ago.

"Did you tell her what he is?"

"You mean a private investigator?"

"You know what I mean.' He laughed

"She asked me, don't worry she's cool with it. Can't wait for her to meet Spike and Dru." Buffy offered.

"Oh, she'd stake Spike alright. She'd hate him immediately on sight." Riley laughed, squeezing Buffy's hand.

"Spike's changed, wait and see."

Riley and Buffy came into den to find the whole crew watching "A Christmas Story".

"Daddy, your favourite movie is on!" Jordan said excitedly, knowing perfectly well that A Christmas Story was her father's favourite Christmas show.

"That's great Jordan." Riley said lifting Tristan off the couch so he could sit there and plopped her on his lap.

"Yeah the famous Red Rider BeBe gun scene always reminds me of your Uncle Marc." Laughed Riley.

"Cause he wanted a gun too, and Grandma wouldn't buy him one, right?" Hope finished excitedly, knowing the story of a, young Marc Finn's quest for a hunting rifle one Christmas.

"Yeah everyone kept saying he'd shoot his eye out." Kevin laughed at his younger brother's expense.

"More likely it would have been yours or Riley's." Marc grumbled from his place on the floor next to Dawn. Riley noticed how Dawn had her head resting on Marc's stomach, and looked over to Buffy to see if she'd already noticed it.

"So, does anyone want dinner?" Kate asked, as she started to get up to make dinner.

"No, Mom, dinner's on Chris and I tonight." Kevin said

"You're cooking?" His mother snorted, as the guys started to laugh.

"No, and just so you know, I can cook." Kevin said, throwing a pillow at Marc and Graham who were howling with laughter.

"Asking your intern to get you coffee doesn't count." Marc howled

"We thought we'd order Chinese food, and pizza for the kids. We've all been out all day, and we figured the last thing any of us would want to do is cook." Chris said,] hurling her own pillow at Marc.

"What was that for? I was making fun of Kevin, not you!" Marc protested, reaching for the pillow to throw back at his sister-in-law.

"I know, I couldn't resist though." Laughed Chris, ducking so Angel got hit with the pillow that Marc had tossed at her.

"This could mean war if you don't knock it off, Finn." Angel said, sending Marc a mocked glare.

"Oh, bring it on, big guy." Marc laughed.

"Is that really Angel threatening to start a pillow fight? My goodness Marc, what have you done to Mr. Broody?" Buffy asked, placing her hand over her heart.

"Hey, he isn't always Mr. Broody. No, sometimes he's Mr. Billowy Coat, King of Pain." Willow said,shifting off the couch to pick up the pillow that Kevin had originally thrown at Marc.

"Keep it up,] Willow, and I'll turn my wrathon you." Angel said, wiggling his eyebrow at her.

"Graham, he's threatening me!" She said,grabbing for his hand.

"Forget it, you're on your own here." Graham said moving away from Willow as Angel's pillow made a direct hit in Willow's face.

"Just you kids be careful of that Christmas tree!" Joyce warned as pillows started flying around the room.

"Come to Grandma, Hope." Katie said, reaching for her grandchild as a pillow landed at her feet.

"Oh now you're dead, Mister!" She said, firing the pillow at Riley.

Buffy sat back giggling to herself, yes this is what having a big family was suppose to be like.

"Hey, watch the twins!" Graham called as he lifted the girls off the floor, protecting them from the war going on around them.

"Oh yes, save the children!" Cordelia cried as her husband threw a pillow at her.

"See kids, even adults can act like children." Graham said to the giggling twins.

"What in God's name is going on in here?" Boomed Bryan Finn's voice.

The fight stopped and all participants turned to see Bryan standing there with Giles and Wesley.

"Just a pillow fight, honey." Katie said, as she threw a pillow at her husband hitting him square in the face.

"I swear, I can't believe your mother hit your father in the face with the pillow!" Cordelia laughed hours later, recalling the shocked man's expression as his proper wife clocked him with a pillow.

"My mother's not one to be underestimated." Riley promised, as Chris handed him another dish to put in the dishwasher.

"I can clearly see that." Cordelia said, wiping at her tears.

"So, where are the twins?" Buffy asked Cordelia as she came back into the kitchen from the dinning room with more dirty dishes.

"Graham's giving them their baths, I swear I'm gonna have to hire him out to baby-sit. Wills, you have a keeper there." Cordelia said, taking the glasses from the redhead whom had walked into the room behind Buffy.

"Willow, I may be biased] cause the guy's like my best friend in the world, but I second that. He'll make an amazing father, that I'll guarantee you." Riley said, looking fondly at her.

"Yeah, he will." Willow said feebly before she tried to flee the room.

"Really, Willow, I can see you and Graham living happily ever after with your 5 beautiful children. It's about time you settle down, I was starting to think I'd never get you or Buffy married off." Joyce laughed, hugging Willow and winking at Riley.

"I don't know about Graham, but if he doesn't marry this woman, I will. You know we'd have beautiful kids too,] Willow." Riley laughed as placed a kiss on Willow's cheek.

"Hey, am I getting dumped here?" Buffy said with mock fury, launching herself at her boyfriend.

"Never, I thought you'd make a better mistress than a wife, what do you think?" Riley said, wrapping his arms around Bufy's waist

"Mistress. Hmmmm…. Mistresses get all the gifts but none of the hassles of raising the kids… I could do that. Yeah, Wills, you and Riley would have cute kids."

Riley leaned back against the headboard and stared at Buffy over Evan's sleeping head. She looked so beautiful in the moonlight. He'd been so grateful when his father hadn't made a scene when Riley announced that he and Buffy were going to sleep together tonight with Evan. The last thing Riley had wanted was a full out war at the dinner table. He'd also been grateful when Graham offered to take care of the girls, so Riley wouldn't have to take anytime away from Evan. True, Jordan had been quite upset that she couldn't sleep with her brother, but understood once Riley explained to her about how weak Evan was.

Buffy lay on her side watching Evan sleep, almost like she was that afraid if she took her eyes off him he'd stop breathing. It wasn't hard to see that his health was deteriorating rapidly, and Buffy could only hope he'd have the strength to make it through to the transplant. Evan's breathing was quite shallow and she was starting to wonder if they should give him some of the oxygen that the nurse had shown them how to use earlier. Looking up,she noticed Riley's eyes were fixed on her, reaching up she tucked a piece of stray hair behind her ear.

"You're the most beautiful woman I've ever seen, do you know that?" He whispered

"No." She smiled, slightly] embarrassed by the love she saw in his gaze.

"You are. All these years, I'd lie awake in this bed trying to remember what your eyes looked like when they were full of passion. But do you wanna know the weird thing?"

"What?"

"I never realised it was your eyes I was trying to remember. I just knew that I'd seen the most beautiful thing in the world, but couldn't place it."

"You are a true romantic, aren't you, Mr. Finn." She smiled and reached for his hand, which rested across the top of Evan's pillow.

"I've been told that before." He said, entwining his fingers with hers.

"Did you ever think of me?"

"Honestly?"

"I'd want nothing else."

"I tried not to. See, thinking of you hurt. Even after all the years that Claire and I were together, I could still hear your voice in my head if I let myself go. For years you haunted my dreams, but during the days I gave myself to Claire and the girls."

"So your nights were mine?"

"I guess you could say that."

"You wanna hear something strange?"

"Sure."

"The day that Willow called… I thought of you for the first time in years while I was awake." He said caressing the back of her hand with his thumb.

"Why?"

"A song did it. Did you ever hear Trista Yearwood's song 'The Song Remembers When'?" He asked, sliding down so he was lying opposite her, separated by Evan's sleeping body.

"I know it."

"Made me think of you."

"Happy thoughts, I hope."

"I only remember the happy times, who'd wanna remember the dark days[?"

"I second that motion."

They stared at each other over Evan, both wishing that they could reach out to each other, but the reality of the situation was to obvious to them. The struggled breathing was a reminder of the sick child. Riley rolled close to Evan and pulled the child to him so that Evan's back rested against his chest, enfolded in his arms.

Seeing the look on Riley's face when he looked at Evan's face, Buffy couldn't stop herself. "You really love him, don't you."?

"More than you or he will ever truly know."

Before either could say anything else, a terrified scream shattered the silence of the house.

"What was that?" Buffy said, climbing out of bed to look for her robe.

"Tristan's having another nightmare." Riley said, gently unravelling himself from Evan's arms.

"I'll go, you stay here." Buffy said.

"No, I'll go. She won't settle down for anyone but me." Riley said, as he headed to the door.

Graham crashed into Riley as he came out of his bedroom door.

"What are you doing up? I told you I'd take care of the girls."

"Tristan's having a nightmare." Riley said, pulling away from Graham.

"Riley, I can deal with Tristan and you know it. Go back to Buffy and Evan." Graham said firmly

"She'll want me." Riley said, knowing how scared Tristan would be once she woke up. It had been months since Tristan had woken the house up with one of her nightmares, and Riley had hoped that maybe she'd outgrown them. Seeing his daughter terrified and broken out into a cold sweat was not his favourite thing, and for hours afterward, he would rock her in his arms till she'd finally fall back to sleep, clutching his T-shirt tightly.

It worried him that she'd never talk about what she saw in her dreams, but Dr. Ian had told him it was normal for children her age to have nightmares.

"Well, she's getting me. Go, I've done this before." Graham said, turning Riley around towards his room.

"Gray, she'll want…"

"Her teddy bear, I know." Graham interrupted, as he headed down the hall towards Tristan's crying.

"Is Tristan okay?" Willow asked as Graham walked back into the room tugging his T-shirt off. Since they'd taken to sleeping together every night, they also started sleeping together in the nude. Willow loved the feel of his naked body stretched out next to hers, the warmth coming off him.

"Yeah, she's fine. By the time I got there, Joyce was already with both the girls. It seems she heard them before we did. Tristan had already latched onto Grandma Joyce, and didn't want me. Seems Joyce likes the idea of having 3 new granddaughters." Graham smiled.

"Your ego's not hurt that they wanted Joyce over you?" Willow smiled sadly as she watched him step out of his flannel pants.

"Yeah, I was a little upset at first, I was always her second choice when Riley wasn't available, but I guess I'll have to get use to that. You okay, you've been upset all evening." He asked, sliding between the sheets of their bed.

"I'm okay." She said as he slipped his arms around her, carefully pulling her to him so that her cast wouldn't cause his body any more havoc than it already had.

"Don't lie to me, Willow." He said, resting his chin on her head as she snuggled against him.

"It's nothing, really. Just something Joyce and Cordelia said earlier about you."

"What did they say, something about not liking me?" His insecurities kicked in for a minute, and then he remembered how both women tripped over themselves to do things for him. He remembered Angel warning him to run while he still had a chance.

"No, they love you. They were watching you with Kelly, and they said that an amazing father you'd make." Her bottom lip started to quiver as she finished what she had to say.

"And you don't think I will?" He laughed, but his laughter stopped short as he felt her tears splash against his bare arm.

"Willow, honey, what's wrong?" Graham said turning her so he could see her tear-stained face.

"You want kids, right?" She whispered, pulling completely away from him so she could sit up opposite him.

"Of course I want kids, I would like us to have kids together." He said, reaching up to push a piece of hair out of Willow's mouth.

"I can't." She said, her eyes looking down into her lap where her hands rested limply.

"Of course we don't have to have them right away, I'm not ready to share you with anyone, yet." He smiled, reaching out with his hand to lift her chin so she'd look at him.

"You don't get it, Graham, I can't." She whispered, pulling her head away from his hand so she wouldn't have to look him in the eye when she told him.

"Can't what?" Graham asked, feeling a knot forming in his stomach.

"Can't... I can't have children. I'm sterile Graham." Willow raised her head slowly so her tear rimmed eyes met his.

"How can you be sterile? Men are sterile, not women." He said, shaking his head in confusion.

"Trust me, I am." She climbed out of bed and reached for his T-shirt he'd just taken off, and pulled it on over her head. Walking to the wingback chair she pulled her legs up and rested her chin on them.

"I don't get it..."

"I'm sterile. It's a disorder that affects women; an extra male chromosome causes sterility. I've known for a year now, and other than Russell you're the only person I've told." She whispered, her tears still falling.

Graham sat on the side of the bed for a minute and watched her cry, as her news settled in. All his dreams of him and Willow having a family shattered as her words sunk in. He'd never have that little redheaded girl he dreamed about at night or his football-playing son who'd look like him. Yet his head snapped up as he heard her last words 'only person I've told'. Graham rushed to her and pulled her into his arms, ignoring the pain he felt as her cast connected with his rib cage.

"Oh, baby." He said, rocking her as she cried her eyes out, cried for the life and children that she'd never be able to give Graham.

"I'm sorry...sorry" She cried into his shoulder as he held her.

"I can't believe you've lived with this and not told anyone. The pain you must have felt." His hands rubbed up and down her back as she sobbed.

"I thought if I didn't...didn't think about it or talk about it...that it, it couldn't be true. Ever since Evan was born, all I'd wanted was a child of my own one day, and when I couldn't get pregnant..."

"You tried with Russell?" This news shocked him; she'd never let on before the seriousness of her relationship with him.

She nodded her head before continuing. "We tried for a year before we both went for tests...I think that's why he left me. He wanted kids, and he wasn't getting any younger." She whispered, tracing circles on his back with her knuckle and sending shivers down Graham's back.

"Bastard!" He said, pulling her away from him so they looked at each other. "I would never in a million years leave you because you couldn't give me a child. I'm not that much of an egocentric asshole to leave you because you can't give me a child! I love you, Wills."

"It wasn't all Russell's fault, after I found out the news, I pushed him away. I couldn't stand the thought of him resenting me because I couldn't give him what he really wanted. We both really wanted a family so bad, and I couldn't stand the thought of not being able to give him one." She said, finishing in a near whisper.

"Wills, look at me." Graham demanded in a tender voice.

Willow lifted her head to look at him, and the love she saw in his beautiful blue eyes flowed over her, in her whole life she'd never felt so loved.

"I want children yes, but I want you in my life more. Willow Rosenberg, I love you with my heart and soul, and I could never live without you for a minute now that you're back in my life. We'll get through this, I promise you. We have other options."

Willow looked down shyly, "But I wanted so much to be able to give you a baby, Graham. I wanted you to know how much I love you."

"Sweetheart, I know you love me. You show me every day, every minute." Graham said, caressing her cheek. "And not being able to have a baby doesn't mean I'll love you less."

Pulling her towards him, Graham gave her a gentle kiss.

"I love *you*" He said licking her lower lip.

Whispering "And only you." Kissing her more passionately as he pressed her body against his rock solid chest.

Grabbing the hem of the T-shirt, he slipped it over her head and dropped it on the floor. He picked her up and turned her so she was no longer cradled in his lap, but was facing him. She rose up on her knees and snuggled close so he could lick around and in her navel.

Wanting to get more stimulation, Willow climbed up on the arms of the chair and pressed her hips against Graham's eager mouth. With his hands between her thighs, he separated the folds of her sex and ran his tongue along the silky curls of her sweet pussy.

Willow started making low purring sounds deep in her throat, much like a kitten as it's being petted.

"Yes, hmmm, a little deeper now... Yeah, just like that."

Graham ran his hands up and down her thighs and fondled the curves of her ass.

She rocked her hips slowly so his tongue would slide in and out. Occasionally he'd slip out of her and gently nip her clit.

Arching her back, Willow ran her hands up and down her body, sometimes stopping to caress her own breasts and other times to run her fingers through Graham's hair.

"I'm close, harder...touch me there…oh, yeah...oh, yeah...that's it...that's...perfect.

Willow's whole body started to writhe as she reached for orgasm.

Yes, yes...Graham, oh...Graham..Oh, GOD!!! YESSSS!!!

Collapsing into Graham's arms, she laid there content and fully satiated.

Sliding down between his legs, Willow slowly and seductively ran her hands down his chest and down his thighs, not once taking her eyes off his. Leaning down, she proceeded to place feather light kisses up one inner thigh then down the other as Graham ran his hands along her slender back.

Lifting her head again, she looked up into his eyes and asked. "How do you want it?"

Dreamily Graham answered. "Use your imagination."

Again, Willow got up on her knees. Placing her hands on his thighs she separated his legs wide then crawled half way up into his lap.

Bending down she took his cock into her little hand and licked the tip. Graham's body twitched at the sensation of her tongue as it swirled around him.

"Like that?" She asked.

"Hmmm, yeah" He said, closing his eyes.

Next she ran her tongue along its full length. Graham took a sharp intake of breath. Dropping further down, she kissed and fondled his balls. He released his breath slowly.

"Oh baby...your fingers are so soft, so gentle. Touch me..lightly stroke me."

She ran her fingers lightly along his balls and up his throbbing cock. Bending over, she took his entire length inside her mouth, swallowing him deep down into her throat.

She would raise her head and suck, then take a breath and lower herself, swallowing him again. Taking his balls into her hand, she ran her thumb along the top while fingering the underside. All the time sucking and swallowing him deep inside.

"I love it when you "deep throat me". He said, as the sweat started to form on his upper lip and brow.

Taking short shallow breaths, Graham knew he was well on his way to a mind-blowing orgasm. His engorged cock absolutely throbbed for release. Not being able to hold back any longer, his hips pumped against her body as semen shot down her throat.

Pulling her back up into his lap, the two of them cuddled in their favourite chair; just happy to be together and knowing how much they loved each other.

Chris couldn't sleep. Since her run in with Claire earlier in the day her mind had been anywhere but where it needed to be. She could still feel Claire's presence in the house, and just hoped she wasn't watching over Evan at the moment. God, she didn't know how her former sister-in-law would take to seeing her husband in bed with another woman and their child. Slowly, she managed to get out from under Kevin's arm, and climb out of bed without waking him up, the man was a notorious light sleeper. Slipping on her robe and slippers, Chris made her way to the kitchen.

Reaching for the light switch, she almost screamed as loud as Tristan had when she unexpectedly saw Cordelia sitting at the kitchen table sipping from a coffee mug.

"What the hell are you doing up at this hour?" Chris blurted out when the brunette smiled at her.

"Knew you'd be here soon, and we both know we need to talk. There's coffee waiting for you." Cordelia said, bluntly pointing at the coffee maker on the counter.

"How'd you know?"

"I have visions, that's how I found out my part in all this." Cordelia said lightly, as she watched Chris pour herself a cup of coffee and come to the table.

"Say that again?" Chris said, pouring milk into her cup.

"I have these mind shattering visions I'm stuck with, and they tell me the future. I had one the minute I touched Jordan's hand the other day in the airport, seems our dear Jordan has a full dark life ahead of her." Cordelia said, pushing the sugar to Chris who just shook her head no.

"Visions?"

"Yeah I'm Angel's connection to the Powers That Be. I know this may sound crazy and you may not believe me, but my husband and I run an agency where we protect innocent souls from darkness." Cordelia answered vaguely.

"What type of darkness?"

"You do ask a lot of questions, don't you? Are you a cop?" Cordelia snorted, thinking of Kate, who was back home in L.A. with Gunn and their children.

"Nope, just run a small business myself, a kind of clearing house for paranormal stuff. Medium, psychics, and priests who have mastered the fine art of exorcisms." Chris smiled, seeing the look on Cordelia's face.

"You, my dear, may have grown up on a Hell Mouth, but I grew up in a haunted house. When other people thought it was cute cause I would tell them all these stories about scary people living with us, well….I was telling the truth. I see ghosts."

"Oh, like that little kid in the "Sixth Sense"? I loved that movie; it's a classic. One of Bruce Willis's best in his whole career I would say." Cordelia rattled off, surprising Chris with how easily she seemed to take the news.

"You know about ghosts and hauntings?"

"Well I've only had a few run-ins with ghosts or haunting, as you call it. Our specialty is anything that goes bump in the night. Demons, vampires, witches, you name it we kill 'em." Cordelia smiled, sipping her coffee.

"Then I guess the Powers picked the right women." Chris smiled.

"Yeah, but to do what?" Cordelia asked, hopeful that Chris knew more about this than she did.

"There has to be some reason Jordan and Evan are so close, one can't stand being away from the other. I just can't put my finger on it." Said Cordelia, rolling the empty cup between her fingers as she thought.

"I agree, not to mention they look so much alike and the bone marrow match is so close, it's almost like they share the same body." Chris said, taking a sip from her cup.

Setting the cup down, Chris made a decision to tell Cordelia what she saw in the living room. She knew she had to; Claire would keep coming back if she didn't reveal what she was told.

"Cordelia, Claire was with Evan when Kevin and I were in the living room with Riley and him. She tried to warn me that Jordan and Evan are in danger. She said there's darkness surrounding them that none of us can protect them from. She also told me you were chosen by the Powers to protect Jordan, that you knew what her path was going to be."

"They told me she's going to be the next Slayer. Do you think there could be some connection? I mean, it's not like Evan could be a slayer but do you think maybe he's destined to be Jordan's watcher or something?

"More coffee?" Cordelia asked, as she got up to pour another cup. Cordy, couldn't just sit there any longer doing nothing.

"Sure. Looks like neither of us will be sleeping for the rest of the night." Chris sighed pushing her cup at Cordelia.

"So what do we know?" Cordelia asked, as she made her way to the coffee maker.

"That Jordan's the future Slayer and Evan's surrounded by darkness and it has nothing to do with the illness." Chris said, cursing the fact that for the first time in her whole life he memory was failing her.

Why couldn't she remember word for word what Claire had told her?

"Can you call on Claire?" Cordy asked, placing the coffee cup in front of Chris before she took her place back at the table.

"Hard to tell, depends on the spirit in question. Claire always had a stubborn streak in her, just like Hope." Chris said, looking around the kitchen and wondering if Claire was with them. It was weird how she could feel her, but she couldn't get a read on where she was.

"So what do we do?" Cordelia asked the question that had been driving Chris crazy all day.

"I don't know." Chris said, running her fingers through her blonde hair.

Cordelia just stared at Chris, glad now that she had a partner in this crazy mess. If Claire had chosen to show herself to Chris, then this was as much Chris's destiny as it was her own.

"Well, there has to be some connection. What if Evan was born to be Jordy's champion until she's ready to take her rightful position?" Chris asked, remembering the medieval times where ladies had champions.

"Or what if Jordan is Evan's champion?" Cordelia said, raising her head to look at Chris.

"You mean that Evan has a future that's more important than Jordan's?" Chris asked, her forehead furrowed together in thought.

"What happens if Riley's genetic reengineering and Buffy's slayer ability have created some prophecy that we haven't discovered yet?"

"Like the Second Coming?" Chris asked, almost ready to laugh at the fact that Riley's illegitimate son could be the Second Coming, wouldn't Bryan have a fit if that were the case.

"Or the protector of light? A warrior that darkness has never seen before." Cordy said slowly as the image washed over her.

"Shit, Cordy I think you've hit the nail on the head." Chris whispered in awe.

"We need Giles' help here." Cordelia said, wishing she could barge into Giles and Joyce's room this minute.

"What does Buffy's dad…."

"Step dad, and he was her watcher when she was the Slayer."

"Slayer? That's the second time you've said that, what the hell's a Slayer?" Chris said, sipping her coffee.

"Buffy was a vampire slayer." Cordelia said, but when she saw the blank look on Chris's face she explained the whole story.

"So you see, Giles will know what this is all about or he'll die trying to figure it out." Cordelia said, leaning back in her chair, almost grateful that they had some sort of plan to work from, well if telling Giles was a plan.

"We're not supposed to tell them."

"I've already told Angel." Cordy said, shrugging her shoulders.

"You do like to break the rules don't you?"