Four Lives for the Price of One
by Nicola

There was a blinding white flash and Angel found himself back in his officer, perched on his desk, looking at Buffy. <…again& gt; he thought sadly. She stopped in her sentence, like she was supposed to. Angel fought down the urge to scream at her for forgetting their perfect day, to scream at the Oracles for actually carrying it through. It was his turn to fill in the void of her sentence.

“Forget?” he forced out with a shaky voice. Buffy’s eyes suddenly flew open as she let out a strange sound of pain.

“Ugh.” She wrapped her arms around her stomach and doubled over, all of this happening within a second of Angel’s muttered word. Buffy fell to the floor, and Angel was by her side in a moment. Cordelia and Doyle had heard a thump and rushed into the office. They were surprised by what they saw. Buffy was rocking on her back from side to side on the floor, her face scrunched up with pain. She was groaning slightly with the hurt, and was gripping her sides so hard her knuckles were white.

“Angel?” queried Cordelia, frightened to see the Slayer in such a bad way. He looked up with panic written across his face.

“We have to get her to the hospital,” he said urgently. His employees nodded. Angel looked back down at the Slayer…his Slayer before picking her up. Her arms flew around Angel’s neck, pulling his head down to her face. She whispered in his ear, but with the voice of the female Oracle,

“Warrior, you must decided whether her pain is worth the sacrifice. This is caused by the temporal…” she was cut off abruptly when Buffy’s back arched up in a body wrenching spasm. She flew out of Angel’s arms and landed on the wooden floor hard. The wind was temporarily knocked out of her, but Buffy continued to toss and turn. Angel put the Oracle’s words aside, concentrating fully on Buffy.

“I’m guessing the hospital’s not a choice, man,” Doyle pointed out. Angel nodded, figuring this was a supernatural event. He carefully picked Buffy up again and the L.A trio made it down to Angel’s bedroom in the basement apartment below. Buffy writhed in Angel’s grasp all the way.

“Uh huh…yeah…and she’s been fine…okay…uh huh…that’s more than I wanted to know, Will…sure…I’ll ask…” Buffy put the phone to her shoulder and looked over to Angel, who was sitting beside his bed where Buffy was thrashing about. “Angel!” Cordy called. Angel lifted his head slightly, showing he’d heard. “Willow says she wants to talk to you!” She heard Angel sigh before he stood up and reluctantly left Buffy’s side. He took the phone from Cordelia and put it to his ear.

“Hello?” he inquired with a tired sigh.

“Hey Angel,” Willow sympathetically replied “How is she?” Angel glanced into the room where the hurting Slayer resided.

“She’s not great but you know Buffy, she always comes through.” He could picture Willow nodding from her old room, not the dorm that he didn’t know.

“Giles says her fighting’s been fine, she’s been doing well in class, she’s fine out of college…” There was a long pause where Angel listened to loud voices on the other end, muffled probably by Willow’s shoulder. Suddenly he heard a new voice that he didn’t recognise very well.

“Hello?” came the voice. It was male.

“Hi,” Angel replied, “is Willow there?” The phone rattled in Sunnydale.

“No, Willow’s not available right now. How’s Buffy?”

“Who are you?” Angel asked. That tone of voice the guy had used meant he had feelings for Buffy.

“I’m the TA in Buffy’s class. My name’s Riley.” That was it. Tall, blonde, made Buffy smile while he was lurking from the shadows. Willow had told him there was a possible spark there. He shuddered with jealousy, ignoring Cordy’s questioning looks as she came out of the bedroom. “Is Buffy alright?” Riley repeated. Before Angel could reply, the phone went to a different person. Or not.

“Hello Peaches. How are you and the Slayer?”

“SPIKE!” Angel exclaimed, making Cordy jump.

“Yes, dear sire?” Spike asked innocently.

“What are you doing at Giles’ place?” Angel asked incredulously.

“I’m drinking some blood,” Spike replied in his most obvious tone of voice. Angel looked horrified. Suddenly somebody else grabbed the phone.

“Hello Angel? This is Giles. Ignore Spike. He can’t hurt anyone now, but we won’t go into that. How is Buffy?” Angel sighed with relief before replying.

“She’s in a lot of pain. I’m pretty sure it centres around her abdomen but I don’t know what’s causing it.”

“Is there anyone you can ask in the area? A supernatural healer of some sort?” Giles asked. Angel suddenly remembered the Oracles.

“Yes there is and I should ask them now. Talk to Cordelia.” Angel thrust the phone in Cordelia’s direction before sprinting for the sewers.

“What have you brought me?” the female Oracle asked. Angel held out a delicate golden chain in his hand. It flew from his palm into that of the Oracle’s.

“Why do you come before us, lower being? We have already granted your request for a temporal fold,” the male Oracle demanded. Angel was in no mood for his ‘lower being’ attitude and so concentrated fully on the female Oracle.

“You tried to tell me something through the Slayer. Finish it, for her sake,” he pleaded. The male Oracle looked at his partner in shock.

“You spoke through another to help the mortal world? Why would you feel for these lower beings?” he asked of his sister. She expelled a harsh breath in annoyance at her brother’s stupidity.

“Because our Champion adores the mortal world, fights for it day and night. And without these mere mortals and those like our Warrior that stalk the Earth, we would have no power. Without them, we are nothing. Without us, the Slayer is lost. And without her, the world is doomed. It is as a day, followed by night and by day again. It never stops.” She turned back to Angel who was waiting patiently, even though his nerves were on end. “We tried to erase the 24 hours from her mind, but her love for you is too strong for even us to overcome. She remembers as clearly as you do, but it is killing her. The day was erased, but because two minds remember it something was left behind…” Yet again the female Oracle was interrupted, this time by the entrance of the blonde Slayer, Buffy. She stumbled in wheezing and clutching her sides. She glanced at Angel before looking pleadingly at the twin Higher Powers in front of her.

“Please, I beg for the lives of two, even if the cost is my own.” She closed her eyes as she tried to stay conscious. Both the Oracles looked at her in amazement and pity. “Save Angel so that he can care for…ugh!” Buffy doubled up as she fell on the floor. Her face was cold and clammy. Angel was by her side the second she hit the floor. He looked up at the Oracles beseechingly.

“What’s happening?” he begged of them. The male Oracle gave his sister a warning look, which she chose to ignore.

“During the day that wasn’t you and she created new life. By taking the day, the temporal fold is also trying to take the life. But she is very strong she fights for you, herself, the world and that which is within her with just memories. But the temporal fold is eternal if left, and she cannot fight it forever.”

“Then what do I do?” Angel croaked, tears spilling down his cheeks. Buffy regained consciousness just at that moment, and replied for the Oracles.

“Decide if my life is worth yours and our joining,” she whispered. The Oracles stood shocked at what Buffy had just said. Could it be?

“Y…you said the words,” the male Oracle stuttered. Now Buffy was also confused, but Angel looked like his head was jamming up with the senseless information.

“What?” he asked, beyond bewildered. The female Oracle turned to her other half.

“This is all the proof we need. The prophecy says…” Buffy managed to jerk herself to a standing position.

“Prophecy?” she repeated warily. She wasn’t big on prophecies for obvious reasons. The Oracles turned to her and nodded.

“The prophecy says that the joining of north and south shall result in east and west. How opposite can a Slayer and vampire get?” the female Oracle explained. If it was possible Angel got even paler. The male Oracle picked up where his sister left off.

“The higher powers have watched the earth for two opposites joining, only us knowing what words and sacrifice would have to be made for the foretelling to come true. One of the opposites had to give up happiness for the other, and the other opposite had to offer their life and say those words for east, west and the first opposite.” Angel’s jaw was hanging open, but Buffy barely comprehended as she struggled to keep two ‘opposites’ within her. The female Oracle was not blind to the Champions pain and hastily hurried on.

“Warrior, you must decide quickly whether you wish to break the prophecy and destroy the world’s only hope for safety or regain the day and save the world. What do you wish?” Angel was silent, blind to his surroundings. “Warrior!”

“Angel,” Buffy whispered. He was immediately listening to her. “Decide whether you want us to be happy with a family, or the world to be doomed,” she wheezed. Angel nodded and turned his attention to the Oracles. He could tell by Buffy’s voice that she wanted happiness, plus it would save the world. Shakily he told his decision.

“Give us back the day.” The Oracles nodded, the female smiling in pride and happiness.

With a flash Buffy and Angel were back in the apartment downstairs clinging to each other as if there was no tomorrow. Angel gasped when he realised he was actually breathing. Slowly, the lovers pulled away from each other, but without breaking contact. Angel nervously laid one hand on Buffy’s stomach, wondering if there really were two tiny babies in there. East and west. He looked into Buffy’s tear-filled eyes and smiled with relief. They were still together, and they still remembered. But reality soon kicked in. Angel sighed as he again spoiled the perfect day.

“Buffy, the reasons I turned back time are still here, now. What’s the whole point of…” He was silenced by Buffy’s finger on his

lips.“Angel, the reasons you turned back time were good reasons. But they’re reasons only you uphold. North and south, remember? I’m the supernatural one. I’m the one who goes out there to fight for the world. You’re the one who gets the house insured, runs the business, takes the kids to school cos mommy’s had a late night. I need you here, safe at home with our children, when I come back bruised and tired from a hard night of slaying. I need you to take care of me. Cos I can’t fight for the world if the world ignores me or gives me nothing. I can’t live like that. That’s why you’re human, and that’s why I need you to stay human. I can’t do this alone.” Angel was near tears as Buffy finished her little speech. She brushed his cheek with her hand and he instinctively nuzzled its palm, before leaning down and kissing her tenderly. Everything would be okay, it really would. They had the Oracles on their side.

Nine Months Later: The Twins

Buffy O’Hara looked up at her husband as she cradled the suckling twins. One girl and one boy. The most beautiful babies that had ever graced the ward. Buffy noticed how the girl suckled quite hard. <Like her father> Buffy thought before blushing slightly. You would never have guessed, though, for she was already bright red.

“I’m very proud of you,” Angel said lovingly to his wife. Buffy grinned widely.

“You name the boy, and I’ll name the girl,” she said to him, only half suggesting it. Angel shrugged his agreement.

“Okay. You go first,” he replied. Buffy nodded.

“Tia Amber-Lynn O’Hara. You like?” Angel nodded. Tia was a pretty name. “Your turn.”

“How about Sean?” Angel asked. Buffy nodded, realising it was an Irish name.

“Sean what?” she pushed.

“Sean…I don’t know. You decide.” Buffy sighed, but didn’t argue.

“Sean Daniel O’Hara okay? Daniel’s a pretty global name.” Angel nodded vigorously. Buffy smiled at him. “Would you like to hold your son?” she asked him. Angel looked at her as if she’d just dropped a bomb on him before nodding once. Buffy disentangled the baby from her and passed him to his daddy. He looked down at the child with unadulterated love in his eyes.

“Hello, my boy,” he whispered. He looked back up to Buffy who was cradling Tia. She smiled at the picture of father son.

“Now we’re a family,” Buffy stated. The whole room radiated happiness.

Five Years Later: East and West

“Gimme back my hair brush!” Tia screamed. Sean held it just in front of her. She leaped at the item but her brother took a step back, allowing his sister to fall. Tia brushed the blonde hair from her face as she got back on her feet. Without even realising what she was doing, Tia waved her hands in front of her. Sean just laughed, thinking she was trying to make him nervous. But then Tia’s bright blue eyes turned completely black. Sean stared at her for a second before yelling,

“Mom! DAD!” Buffy and Angel heard them and came rushing in. What they witness was shocking. A white mist in the shape of Tia’s right hand reached out from her real hands and grabbed at the brush. Sean let it go and the mist took the brush back to Tia. She clasped it in her real hand and the mist dissipated, and her normal eyes returned. The parents looked at each other, agreeing on the same thing. <East and west. Normal and supernatural> Angel walked over to their son while Buffy took care of Tia.

“Y’know, Sean,” Angel said, ruffling Sean’s short dark brown hair, “you might want to avoid getting your sister angry for a couple years, cos she could seriously hurt you.”

“Dad,” Buffy called to Angel. He walked over to his two favourite girls, with Sean in tow. “Now Tia, I want you to hit daddy as hard as you can in the tummy, okay? Daddy’s very strong so don’t worry about hurting him.” Buffy gave Angel an apologetic look as Tia stood in front of her father.

“Mommy says I have to, daddy. I’m sorry.” Tia gave Angel a hug before getting into a fighter’s stance without being aware of it. Buffy nodded, ticking off yet another supernatural thing. Tia pulled back her left fist and let it go like a spring, contacting with Angel’s stomach. The force sent him a step back, and he looked down at his daughter with shock and a little bit of pity. Buffy stood by Tia.

“You did good, baby girl. You okay, dad?” Angel nodded. Buffy noticed Sean standing a little ways away, looking lonely and left out. She left Tia and stood by her son. “Hey, big man.”

“Hey,” Sean replied, without looking up. Buffy tilted his head with her hand so that her eyes met her son’s dark brown ones. He was so much like his father.

“Y’know your sisters stronger than you, right?” Sean nodded. “Well I’m stronger than your father. It’s a thing that’ll probably run in the girls of this family until the end of time. Your sister had been doomed to face the not so nice things in life. She’s gonna need someone to talk to. I’m not always gonna be there. That’s why she’s gonna need you. Y’see, if you’re strong in body, you usually cry a lot. You’re not the strongest guy in the world. Neither’s your dad. But you can be the strongest person in mind. And you’ll always be my big man.” Sean smiled up at his mom who always knew what to say and when.

“So what are the not so nice things in life?” Sean asked. Buffy looked down at the floor so Angel answered for her.

“We’ll tell you both tomorrow. So! Who’s for ice cream?” The twins squealed and raced into the closet to get their clothes and shoes. Angel put his arm around Buffy’s waist. “North and south, east and west. We knew it was gonna happen.” Buffy nodded and sighed.

“I just pity her. I know what her life’s gonna be like when she hits the teens, but she’s five years old. She can’t control that kind of power.” Angel kissed Buffy’s forehead.

“Things’ll work out. They always do eventually.” Buffy smiled up at her husband and they met in a passionate but sweet kiss, which was interrupted a minute later.

“Eew!” Tia exclaimed.

“Mom. Dad. Could you do that later? Yuck! Gross!” Sean said. Buffy and Angel laughed as they slipped on their shoes, grabbed the keys and headed for the car. North, south, east and west were laughing as they hit the road.

The End!

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