Abigail Robinson sat back in her chair, watching her class. The group of five year olds seemed well adjusted, and socially aware. There were a few that still cried on and off through the day, missing their mother and father, but Miss Robinson made her kindergarten class fun.
A few children had already turned in their project: "Draw your family," and were off playing with each other by the Legos set up in the corner. A small smile graced Abigail's face when little Angel Willimina O'Connor-Bradley stood up and walked towards her desk. Mina, as she went by, was a wonderful artist; using all sorts of techniques Abigail was surprised a five year old knew. Mina patiently explained that her dad drew all the time, and taught her over her short lifespan how to shade, how to use color, how to capture her subject's soul in the portrait.
"Here, Miss Robinson," Mina smiled, handing her the paper. She smiled; rocking between her heel and her toes, waiting for the inevitable praise the teacher would give her. The child knew that she could draw.
Abigail looked down at the picture, her eyes widening. "Uh, Mina? What is the meaning of this?" she asked, almost horrified at the drawing.
Mina frowned. "What?" She walked around, standing on her tippy toes to look at the picture. "That's my family."
In the middle, the most prominent of all of the pictures, was a woman. Mina colored on her portrait, but only one of the person's characteristics. The woman had long red hair. Next to her was a man a little taller than her. He had yellow-white hair. To Abigail's shock, his eyes were yellow and he had what appeared to be fangs. The man on the other side of her mother *also* had yellow eyes and fangs, with dark brown hair. He was much taller than both of them.
Off in the background to one side were two men, one man having dark brown eyes and what looked to be a goofy smile. The other man was stocky, and had on a green outfit, almost looking like fatigues. The three people on the other side were two men and a woman, one man with a bright blue bandanna wrapped around his head, and the other man with glasses and a stack of colorful books in his arms. The woman had long flowing brown hair, and was holding the man with the bandanna's hand.
She had named the people in her portrait. The two men were "Unca Zander" and "Unca Gram". The three people on the other side of the paper were "Unca Wesley", "Unca Gun" and "Aunt Cordelellia".
The three in the middle were "Momma", "Daddy-Sire", and "Daddy-Spikey." She looked up at Mina, who was obviously proud of herself. "Why do they have fangs, Mina?"
"Oh, that's because they have them, when they get mad. They think their grr faces scare me, but they don't, cause they are still my daddies," Mina explained, like it was the most natural thing in the world for her fathers to have fangs.
"So, why do you call the taller one Daddy-Sire?"
"That's what Daddy calls him sometimes," she explained, her finger settling on the picture of Spike. "Sire." She shrugged. "I just call him that too, cause sometimes it gets confusing when I want to talk to one of them and I say 'daddy' and they both answer. And Spikey is daddy's name." She nodded, her finger brushing over the drawn face of Spike. "I love both of my daddies, and my momma, and my uncles and my aunt. I have a puppy too. His name is Jesse. Momma and Unca Xander named him. I love my puppy, but I didn't draw him, cause he's a doggy, not a person."
"Um, good picture," Miss Robinson nodded. "Why don't you go play with Johnny."
Mina nodded, turning around and scampering off to play with her friends.
*-*-*-*
"Angel Investigations, this is Cordelia, may I help you?"
Abigail looked down at her sheet of paper, seeing 'Cordelia Chase' as one of the *many* people to call incase there was a problem with Mina. "Miss Chase?"
"Yes. . ." Cordelia said cautiously.
"This is Miss Abigail Robinson, of Mainstar Elementary School -"
"Mina! Is Mina ok? Do we need to come get her?" Cordelia asked, her voice taking on a frantic tone. In the five years that the girl had grown up around them, the crew of Angel Investigations had fallen in love with the little girl and would do anything in the world to protect her.
"She's fine, she's fine. I need to speak to Ms. Rosenberg. . .would she happen to be there?"
"Hang on. Just a moment." Cordelia put her on hold, turning to Xander. "Where's Wills?"
"She went out with Wesley and Graham to find out some information on the new case." He frowned at his former girlfriend. "Is everything ok?"
Cordelia cast worried eyes towards Angel's office. She knew the older vampire was awake and flittering around his office, probably reading. Spike was downstairs asleep, having went out the night before with Gunn to battle a particularly brutal demon. "Yea, I think so. . ." She pushed the intercom button. "Angel?"
"Delia?"
"Um, Mina's teacher is on the phone, wanting to talk to Willow. . .can you talk to her?"
"Yea, transfer her call."
"Thanks."
Angel took an unneeded breath, closing his eyes. He never worried about any of his childer like he worried about his daughter, and the fact that her teacher was calling in the middle of the day. . .well, he was worried. "This is Angelus O'Connor," he said smoothly, "but you can call me Angel. . .can I help you?"
Abigail froze. < Oh, it's one of the fang guys! > She swallowed heavily. "Mr. O'Connor, we have. . .well, not really have, but we might have a situation."
"A situation?" Angel asked, leaning forward.
"I asked the children to draw pictures this morning. Pictures of their families and she did. . ."
Angel frowned. "Miss Robinson, you can't seriously have a problem with her having two fathers who love her dearly and would die for her, can you? What with the world the way it is today, some children having two mothers, or two fathers. . .I assure you, Mina is very well taken care of." It angered him when people automatically assumed things about their life, just because Willow was in love with two men.
"No, Mr. O'Connor. . .Angel. . .that's not what's bothering me. You and 'Daddy-Spikey' both have fangs and yellow eyes. She says it's your grr face." There was a slight moment of silence, then Miss Robinson winced when she heard the phone hit the desk. She could hear frantic moving around as the man grabbed the phone and opened the door. "Cordelia!" he bellowed. "Get Willow on the phone now!"
"Oh my god! Is Mina ok?"
Abigail listened curiously, wondering if they would say anything interesting.
"Mina is fine. She's drawing her daddies with grr faces, Cordelia," Angel replied.
"Oh my god! She's drawing you with the icky fangs? How eww can you get?"
"Just get Willow on the phone *now*!" The phone rustled a bit, then Abigail could tell that he had it to his mouth again. "Miss Robinson, I'm getting my mate. . .her mother. I'm getting her mother. Can we call you back?"
The teacher blinked, bewildered by Cordelia's non-shock of the fangs, and the term 'mate'. "Yea, that'll be fine. Please do."
"Thank you for bringing this to our attention." Angel hung up. He walked out of the office and sat down next to Xander, his fingers steepled and under his chin. "What if they try to take her away from us?"
Xander patted Angel on the back. "Don't worry, Deadboy. You and Spike are the biggest, baddest vampires in the whole world. Some government agency can't take your daughter away from us."
Angel looked at Xander, resting his cheek on his hands. "Thanks," he said softly. He briefly thought of going to wake Spike up, but decided to wait. The blonde was spontaneous and would probably rush down to the school and yank his daughter out, saying they weren't good enough to 'bloody educate my Princess'. He chuckled softly, imagining an irate Spike storming through an elementary school, all for the love of a pint sized five year old with long strawberry blonde hair and sparkling green eyes.
*-*-*-*
The sound of hard heels echoed through the empty halls of the school. Children were safely tucked away behind closed doors, teachers trying to instill some sort of education in their heads. Willow looked around warily. "Let me tell you how much I *don't* miss school."
Spike glanced at Willow. "I thought you were the smart one, pet."
"I am," she replied. "But Xander and Jesse were my only friends until. . ."
"You learned about us," Angel said softly. He knew she meant Buffy, but didn't want to say the name. After five years, the Slayer *still* hated Willow for everything that had happened the summer between their Freshman and Sophomore years in college.
Willow slipped her arm through Angel's. "Well, if I hadn't of learned about you, I wouldn't have the two best looking vampires under my thumb."
Spike's laughter bounced off the quiet walls. "Peaches, don't you *love* the way Red thinks we belong to her? She should know that Strawberries owns us."
Willow snickered. Because of her strawberry blonde hair, Spike had taken to calling Mina 'Strawberries'. The five year old loved it, feeling special because of his similar nickname of 'Peaches' to her other daddy. "You two," she grinned. "Come on, here's the principal's office."
The three entered the office. Willow smirked, seeing her child sitting there with a lollipop. "Now, now, Mina, did you get permission from your fathers to have that candy?" she asked sternly.
Mina looked up, her eyes lighting up. "Daddies!" she squealed. She jumped out of her chair and ran to Spike. He dropped to his knees and held his arms out. She threw her small body against his, wrapping her arms around his neck. She showered his face with kisses, causing him to chuckle softly.
"Kitten," Angel said softly, putting his hand on her shoulder.
She turned her face up, smiling at Angel. "Daddy," she grinned, stretching up to him. He reached down, pulling her out of Spike's embrace and hugged her tightly.
"And does your mother get any hugs?" Willow asked teasingly.
Mina reached out for Willow, wrapping her arms around her neck. It was amazing how much the two women looked alike, both had the same shade of sparkling green eyes and pale pretty skin. The major difference was that Willow had a dark, almost blood red shade of hair; while Mina's was strawberry blonde.
"Ms. Rosenberg," Abigail said warmly, stepping forward. She smiled at the redhead. She had met Willow previously and had a good idea that the child was very close to her mother.
"Miss Robinson," Willow grinned. "I'd like to introduce you to my mates, Angelus and Spike."
The vampires took protective stances on either side of Willow, both slipping an arm around her waist. They nodded to their child's teacher.
Abigail sighed. "Ms. Rosenberg, Mr. O'Connor, Mr. Bradley, I want to introduce you to Michael Livingston. He is the school's Social Services Director."
"Social Services Director?" Angel asked softly.
Mr. Livingston stepped forward. "It is merely a formality, Mr. O'Connor. You aren't about to lose Mina or anything. We just have to do an investigation when we get pictures that make us question the family."
"Can I see the bloody picture?" Spike asked impatiently. "Bloody nonsense, this is, I tell you. When *I* was a child, no bloody suit came in to take me away from *my* father, and he was a bloody idiot. And Peaches here," Spike thumbed towards Angel. "We don't even want to *discuss* what his father did."
Angel hurriedly continued, "But we learned from what our fathers never taught us. We've been great fathers to Mina. We shouldn't even be having this meeting."
"On the contrary," Mr. Livingston said, holding up the picture for the family to see. "Your daughter's drawing of your. . .mates. . .deems we have this meeting."
Mina reached out, running her finger over Angel's drawing. "Look, daddy, it's you." She smiled. "And Daddy-Spikey. . ." She giggled, her hand straying to the drawing of Spike. "And you are all 'grr'. Momma loves you when you are all 'grr'. . ."
Angel blinked, suddenly feeling lightheaded. It was very clear that the two vampires in the picture were drawn as vampires. < We are going to lose her, > he thought. "Oh, god, I think I need to sit down," he said softly.
"Hey, kiddo!" Spike said happily. "Great picture of me and Peaches! Daddy-Sire. That makes me laugh every time."
Mina jumped out of her mother's arms and crawled into Angel's lap. "Daddy, what's going on?"
Mina's soft voice in Angel's ear made him turn slightly. "What, baby?"
Mina giggled. "Daddy, you can hear better than any of us can. Why are you pretending you can't hear me?"
"Mommy and your daddies have to have a talk with this nice man and your teacher, because they want to make sure that you are happy at home, baby," Angel explained.
Spike grumbled, sitting down. "Can't you just ask the bloody kid if she's happy?"
Willow looked over at Spike. "No," she explained gently, "the State must evaluate the situation on a case to case basis, and because of Mina's young age, they have to interview us, because they are scared that we might have told her to say certain things to certain people."
Spike allowed that thought to rattle around in his brain. He jumped up with a roar. "You bloody think we tell our child to *lie*?"
"William," Angel said dangerously.
"Sire!" he cried, turning to Angel, his blue eyes showing the hurt and pain at the thought of hurting his daughter. "Do they think we hurt her?"
Mr. Livingston sat back. "Why do you call him 'Sire'? She calls Angelus Daddy-Sire, and says because you do."
Angel and Spike looked at each other, then looked at Willow. Their thoughts were similar. < Make up a story, risk losing our baby girl; or tell them the truth, and let them take her away right here? And even worse than that, if we lie, then what if they come back on us later? Then they can take her then. >
*-*-*-*
Willow stepped forward. "There are things that. . ." She paused, glancing at her family. She looked back at those who would take her daughter away from her. "There are things in the world that you don't know about, that you don't understand." She waved her hand to her mates. "They are some of those things."
Mina reached out, pushing Spike's shoulder playfully. "Daddy-Spikey, go grr! Show them your neat trick."
Spike closed his eyes, trying not to let his demon bleed through. "Not now, Princess. It's not the right bloody time to go 'grr'."
"So you. . .can?" Abigail asked softly. She shivered, wondering exactly what the two men were.
Angel glanced around, then sighed unnecessarily. "You can't take her away from us. We've worked too hard to be a family, gone through too much for you to do that. Does it matter what or who we are? As long as we give her a safe home and protect her from the forces that would hurt her, isn't that what matters?"
Mr. Livingston crossed his arms. "I think you should do it, do the 'grr'."
Mina grinned, looking up at Angel. She ran her fingers over his smooth forehead. "Come on, Daddy, go grr for me. Please?" She batted her eyelashes at him.
Angel closed his eyes, allowing the demon to step forward. Mina squealed happily and leaned up, kissing his ridges. She turned her head, resting her cheek against his, looking up at her teacher. "Isn't he pretty?"
Angel opened sad amber eyes, praying silently that they wouldn't take her from them. He tightened his grip on her, vowing right then and there he would pick his family up and run if they wanted to take her. He knew places in the world that no one would ever find them. Even if the group was mismatched.
Ms. Robinson and Mr. Livingston both jumped back, the fear rolling off of them in waves. "What. . .what the hell are you?" Michael exclaimed.
A slow growl started deep in Angel's chest, but Mina cut him off. "He's my *daddy*! He's the nicest daddy in the world. Well, except for Daddy-Spikey. He's nice too."
"B. . .But. . .you are. . .vampire?" Abigail asked in shock.
"Bloody hell!" Spike stood up, his vampire visage falling into place. "You act as if they don't exist!"
Abigail squealed in horror and stepped back. "Oh, my god!"
"You realize," Michael said, his voice trying to be authoritative, yet quivering in fear, "that we are going to take your daughter away from you because of this."
Spike snarled, grabbing Mina and holding her close. "Like bloody hell you will. If you do that, then things won't go well for you," he threatened.
Willow sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Spike, you can't *threaten* them. That will only get her taken away."
Mina started to cry, clutching Spike tightly. "Daddy, I don't want to leave you!" She dug her fingers under the collar of his duster, hoping that she could hold on tight enough. "Please, daddy, don't let them!" She buried her face in his neck, sobbing.
Willow glared angrily at Abigail and Michael. "Now look what you did." She reached out, stroking Mina's back softly. Angel was rooted to his place on the couch, glaring at the two of them with murderous yellow eyes.
Abigail shook her head, clearing her throat. "Mina," she said softly. "Mina, can I talk to you?"
Mina turned her head, wiping at her face with small fists. "I'm not letting go of my daddy," she warned softly.
"That's fine, Mina," Abigail said. "Now, do you know what they are?"
"Miss Robinson, you can't be *serious*!" Michael exclaimed. "You can't seriously be thinking of recommending that she *stay* with. . . those creatures!"
Abigail sighed. "Michael, do shut up and let me do my job." She turned back to Mina. "Mina, do you know what your daddies are?"
"They are grr," she said softly. "Like, Dracula grr, but real. Unca Xander thinks Dracula is funny, cause he's 'so fake'. My daddies can't turn into bats."
"Ok, Mina. Do they ever hurt you?" she asked.
Abigail could see the real horror in the five year old's
eyes. "Ms. Robinson! My daddies would rather. .
.would rather. . ." Tears filled her
eyes. "They would go into the sun instead of hurt
me!"
"Are they the only two grrs that exist?"
Mina closed her eyes, shivering slightly. "No, ma'am," she whispered. "I've seen others. They are scary. My daddies tell me never to play outside after dark by myself, and that if I ever see another grr to run as fast as I can, after I threw this at them." She fingered the tiny bottle around her neck.
Abigail reached out to touch the intricate bottle at Mina's neck, always wondering what the little girl had inside of it. She stopped when Spike growled at her. Mina turned, hitting him on the shoulder. "Daddy-Spikey, *be nice*. Miss Robinson is my teacher! She likes my drawings. If she wants to touch my bottle, she can."
Abigail glanced at Spike, then reached out again, fingering the bottle at Mina's neck. "What is it?" she asked softly.
Mina shrugged. "Water. It hurts daddies. I know, cause. . ." She blushed and looked down slightly. "I accidentally spilled some on Daddy-Sire's hand before and it burned and hurt. Which I don't understand, cause they take baths, and that's water." She shrugged. "And then I'm supposed to find one of my Daddies, or my Momma, or one of my Uncas, or my Aunt. But that would never happen, because I'm never alone at night. And I stay away from dark areas where they can hide."
"And you love them," Abigail asked.
Mina turned her head, kissing Spike's cheek. "I do. They are my daddies. Please, Miss Robinson, don't take me away from them." Tears filled her emerald eyes. "I need them. I need my family."
Abigail turned to Michael. "Well, I'm convinced. I think that this is a very healthy family for her to be in."
"You can't be serious," Michael said, slack jawed.
"I am. I've seen Mina in class, Michael. She's a wonderful child, and she's very well adjusted. So what if her fathers are vampires. They love her, and she loves them. Michael, you don't want to buck me on this. And I don't think you want to buck them." She crossed her arms.
Willow reached out and patted Abigail's back. "Thanks," she said softly.
Michael rolled his eyes. "Fine." He grabbed his briefcase and stormed to the door. He turned back to them. "But I will let you know that we will be keeping an eye on your little. . .'family'." He opened the door and walked out, slamming the door behind him.
Mina squealed, hugging Spike's neck tightly. She bounced on his hip, reaching for Angel. Angel stood up and took her from Spike, allowing the little girl's arms to circle his neck. He held her tightly for a moment until she turned, reaching for Willow. The redhead smiled and took Mina in her arms. She hugged her tightly.
Willow and Mina turned to Abigail. "Thank you," Willow said softly.
"Yes, thank you, Miss Robinson," Mina whispered, leaning her head against Willow's.
*-*-*-*
Xander glanced up. "So everything's ok?" he asked softly, snuggling deeper in Graham's arms.
Willow flashed her best friend a smile. "Yea, everything's cool. They aren't going to take her from us. They said they will keep an eye on us, but seriously, does it look like we mistreat her?" She turned her head, smiling.
Mina was giggling, running through the lobby of the hotel Angel had gotten for them to live in almost four and a half years before. "I'll rescue you, Daddy-Spikey!" she yelled, running to Angel, who was holding his Childe. She stopped at Angel's legs and hit him playfully on the knee. "Let my Daddy go, big meany head!"
"But Queen Cordelia wants him," Angel said, nodding to Cordelia who was sitting in one of the chairs against the wall. She was wearing child's costume jewelry, and a plastic crown.
Cordelia waved her arm. "Bring him to me, Faithful Servant."
"Ok, Cordelia, the Faithful Servant part is going a little overboard," Angel growled.
Spike chuckled. "I bloody like it myself. The great Angelus a Faithful Servant to the Cheerleader."
Angel rolled his eyes. "Childe. . ." he said threateningly.
Spike chuckled. "Just take me to the Queen, or let the Princess save me."
"Oh, yea!" Mina exclaimed. "I forgot I was saving you! I was too busy giggling because you are being silly!" She pushed on Angel's leg, growling at him. "Give him back! He belongs to me!"
"I'm sorry, Little One, but I can't," Angel said.
A truly devious look spread over Mina's features as she stood back. She crossed her arms, putting on her mother's resolve face. "You see this? This is my resolve face. You always do what Momma says when she puts it on, so I'm going to use it too. Now, I want my Daddy-Spikey. *And*, on top of that, I want you too, Mr. Faithful Servant. I am Princess Mina! You can't resist me!"
Angel glanced over at Cordelia and shrugged. "She's got a point, Queen Cordelia. I don't think I could resist her."
Cordelia rolled her eyes. "Fine, run off with Princess Mina."
A sparkle entered Mina's eyes. "I want your crown too, Queen Cordelia." She grinned, her small giggle filling the lobby of the hotel.