Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters in this story. They are the property of Joss Whedon or other writers from the Angel television show. Some of the incidents in my story also originally happened on the show and may just be changed around a bit here.

Author's Note: In this story, Angel had a baby girl instead of a boy. After that, all original events are the same up until the part where Holtz and Connor come back and Connor is 16. In my story, when the monster falls out of the ceiling of the Hyperion followed by Holtz, he is holding a six-year-old girl named Katherine – Angel's daughter.

Lost and Found

Chapter 1

For a moment it was as though time were standing still. Angel heard only silence, though in reality the noise made by the monster that had just fallen from the ceiling was quite deafening. Angel was aware that those around him were frantically fighting off the beast with whatever they could lay their hands on. His instincts told him to move, to fight. But Angel was frozen where he stood. His eyes were locked with the eyes of the second being that had fallen through the portal. Eyes he had stared into before. Eyes he had watched grow heavy with sleep many nights. As his mind groped desperately for an explanation, his gaze shifted ever so slightly to the left and everything became clear. Holtz. Those were also eyes he would never be able to forget for they held unimaginable hatred. Righteous hatred. Justified hatred. And if this truly was Holtz, then his eyes hadn't deceived him. The child he held was…

Just then, Angel was knocked backward against the wall behind him. Suddenly, reality came crashing back. He grabbed the sword that was lying next to the motionless body of his friend Gunn. Quickly, instinct took over and he rushed forward and rammed the beast through the neck with the shiny blade. Angered, the monster turned to Holtz and the little girl. Holtz quickly dropped the child, ordering her to hide. She ran behind the counter and ducked down as far as she could. Holtz drew his sword and attempted to charge the beast. Just as he got close, the giant monster sank his enormous teeth into Holtz's side. Blood poured out in streams as Holtz screamed in agony. Angel moved in and sliced the blade of the sword cleanly through the neck of the great beast, severing it's head. With an ear-splitting screech, the beast dissolved into a gooey puddle in the middle of the lobby floor.

For a long moment, no one moved. Fred spoke first. "Gunn, are you all right?" "Say something."

Slowly, Gunn sat up. "Damn," was all he could manage.

Everyone else began to take stock as well, first of themselves then of the others and the room. Everyone that is, except Angel. He was looking for only one person. A very small person. A very small person with very familiar eyes. He caught a glimpse of blond just around the edge of the counter and walked very slowly towards it. As he rounded the counter and looked down a tiny voice asked "Is it dead?"

Angel squatted down so that he was eye level with the child. "Yeah, it's dead."

"Is Daniel dead?" the girl asked.

Angel immediately noticed that the child had said "Daniel". Not "Dad" but "Daniel."

"I don't know. You sit right here for just a sec and I'll go and check on him." The girl nodded.

Angel went to where Holtz lay bleeding. Gunn and Lorne were already kneeling beside him. "How bad is it?" Angel asked.

"Too bad," Gunn replied.

"Or not," added Fred.

Angel looked toward the counter where the girl was still cowering. "Guys. I know what Holtz did and I know how much we all hate him but right now we have to do whatever we can to help him." He nodded toward the counter. "For her sake."

"Why should we?" asked Fred. "Who is that little girl?"

"My daughter," Angel answered.

Fred and Gunn stared at him. "Say what?" Gunn was floored. "Man, I know you been missin' her and it must seem like she's been gone forever but Angel, Bro', it's only been a month. Even out here in the California sunshine, kids don't grow that fast."

"Maybe not in California, but apparently they do in Quor-toth," said Cordelia. "It's that whole other dimension time thing. A day here could be like a year or whatever there."

"Katherine?" It was Holtz. He had begun to rouse.

Angel kneeled down next to him. "Lie still. Don't try to move. Katherine's fine. You kept her safe. Again. Thank you. For then and for now."

Holtz struggled to sit up, but could not. "I need to talk to her. I have to tell her. Katherine!"

A small figure emerged from behind the counter and walked across the floor to Holtz. "Daniel? Are you all right?"

Holtz could barely speak. "No, child."

The girl looked at him hopefully. "But you will be, right?"

Holtz shook his head and motioned to Angel to come closer. "Katherine, this is your father. This is where you belong. It is where you have always belonged. Please forgive me." That was all. Holtz closed his eyes and died.

The girl looked at Angel. "Is he dead?"

Angel didn't want to upset her. In fact, it took every bit of restraint in his body not to reach out and grab her and squeeze her close and never let go. But he knew he was a stranger to her. He didn't want to frighten her on top of everything else. He had no choice. He had to be gentle but honest. He placed his hand softly on her back. "Yes. He is. I am so sorry."

Katherine stared at Holtz for a long moment and then turned her eyes to Angel. "Is it true? Are you my father?"

Angel met her searching gaze with tears in his eyes. "Yes."