Buffy knew Willow’s eyes were on her as she hurriedly packed her bag after her last Friday class. Willow had hardly spoken to her since she’d found out about Buffy’s pregnancy. She finally made an exception, though, when Buffy slung the bag over her shoulder and made her way to the door.
“What are you doing?”
“I’m going to L.A. I want to tell my dad in person about…you know,” Buffy lied.
“Yeah, I guess that’s not the sort of the thing you say over the phone,” Willow agreed. “So, um, good luck I guess.”
Buffy nodded. “Thanks.” She opened the door to leave and found another surprise. “Riley!”
The T.A. lowered her hand poised to knock somewhat sheepishly. “Hey Buffy,” he said. “I was coming to see you…obviously…” He looked at Buffy’s bag curiously. “And you’re going somewhere.”
Buffy shrugged. “Yeah. I’m going to see my father in L.A.”
“Again?” Riley asked in confusion. Willow watched the exchange oddly.
“Yeah, um, I have some things I need to talk to him about,” Buffy tried to explain. “Listen,” she said softly, “when I get back, I really need to talk to you.”
“Alright,” Riley said softly, still confused.
As Buffy brushed past him,
she could still feel his and Willow’s gazes on her back.
“Honey, I’m home!” Buffy declared with a huge grin when
she let herself into Angel Investigations. Then she laughed.
“I’ve always wanted to say that,” she explained to the two startled faces
in the room.
Angel stood up quickly then and rushed to Buffy before she could cross the room. Out of thought of their audience he did not kiss her, but instead swept her up into a warm embrace, lifting her off the ground in the process. Buffy laughed lightly and kissed him before he put her down.
“Happy to see me?” she asked with a smile.
“Always,” Angel replied.
Cordelia cleared her throat loudly. “Could you please not get too mushy before I leave? I want to have some appetite for dinner.”
Buffy sighed and pulled away from Angel. “That’s no fun,” she pouted. Angel didn’t let her get too far, though, and Cordelia rolled her eyes.
“That’s it, I’m going!” she declared. “Please, lock the door before you do anything all over the office, okay? Don’t want to scare away the few clients we get.” With that she left the office and firmly closed the door behind her.
Immediately Buffy and Angel began kissing again.
“You know, she had a good idea,” Buffy whispered.
“Hmmm?”
“About locking the door.”
Angel laughed. He took a seat on the couch and Buffy sat herself in his lap. They were quiet for a moment. Angel wrapped his arms around Buffy’s waist and she leaned into his shoulder and sighed. “I had a bad week,” she said finally.
“What’s wrong? What happened?”
“Willow found the pregnancy test I took,” Buffy explained. “Then, instead of asking me about it, she went to Giles. So we all – and I mean all - had this big confrontation thing. Now everyone will barely talk to me. Riley’s getting suspicious. And let’s not even get into my mom’s reaction!”
“I’m sorry,” Angel said softly. Then he looked at her curiously. “Riley knows you’re pregnant?”
Buffy shook her head. “No. He’s suspicious of my busy weekends. Everyone else thinks the baby’s Riley’s, though. Well, except for Spike. He guessed the truth.”
Angel smirked a bit at that. “Good for him”
Buffy frowned.
“Buffy,” Angel explained softly, “you can’t keep us hidden forever. They’re going to figure out sooner or later. The longer you wait to tell them, the worse it will be.”
“I know,” Buffy whispered. She knew her friends. They had a tendency to find out thing in the worst possible way. “I just don’t know how to tell them anymore. Not and destroy everyone’s trust in me and loose my link to the Initiative.” She sighed. “I hate this.”
Angel interrupted Buffy’s rambling with another kiss. She returned it eagerly, and when they broke apart she was smiling again. “Okay, I don’t hate this,” she declared.
“We’ll figure out something,” Angel assured her softly.
“We?”
“Of course. This concerns both of us. Unless you want to do it alone?”
“No!” Buffy said quickly. “I don’t suppose you’d explain for me…?” she added sheepishly.
Angel shook his head. “But I’d explain with you,” he assured her. “Whenever you want me, I’ll be there.”
Buffy smiled, a great deal more at ease. She leaned back into Angel’s embrace. His words of comfort meant more to her than anyone else’s.
He kissed her lips very softly. Buffy quite deliberately deepened it until it was strong and passionate. She could never get enough of being close to him. They had spent far too long apart and were determined to make up for it. He pulled her closer, and one of his cool hands rested on the bare flesh of her stomach. This was where she was meant to be.
Angel pulled away suddenly, and Buffy let out a whimper of disappointment. She opened her eyes to Angel’s golden vampire one’s. “I’m sorry,” he whispered, his voice slightly distorted through his fangs.
Buffy said nothing, but placed a hand on the back of his head before he could pull any farther away. “Don’t be,” she whispered. She pulled his head down towards her and placed a delicate kiss on his wrinkled brow. His eyes widened in surprise. “I love every inch of you,” she explained. She placed light kisses all over his face until she reached his mouth again and he did not pull away.
She ran her tongue along Angel’s teeth, drawing her blood. Angel never fed enough, but ever since he’d been granted this half-vampire state Buffy suspected he’d been feeding even less. His small growl at the taste of her blood was all the confirmation she needed.
When she broke off the kiss, Buffy surprised Angel by titling her head to give him access to her neck. Her offer was clear; no words were spoken between them. Buffy tried to convey with a small smile all of the trust and all of the love she felt for him. She wanted him to take her blood. There was no other feeling quite like it – for both of them, she suspected.
His kisses at her neck made her shiver, and Buffy closed her eyes at the sensation. His gentle kisses almost drove her crazy until she felt the sharpness of his fangs. His bite was almost gentle, and Buffy shuddered from the sensation of his lips and tongue on the wound as he made her a part of him.
The door slammed open abruptly. “What the…” a startled male voice cried. “Get the hell away from her!”
Angel broke from her neck with a growl and Buffy whimpered. A harsh hand on her arm pulled her from Angel’s lap. The sudden movement combined with blood loss made Buffy’s head spin. She was still dazed and watched for a moment with a strange detachment from behind the intruder.
Angel looked furious but did not get to say anything before the young man rushed at him. He was unarmed and ended landing in an undignified heap in the corner at a blow from Angel. When he struggled to his feet again he was holding a wooden stake. “Not the brightest vampire, keeping this lying around,” he said.
His voice broke through Buffy’s gaze and he climbed to his feet. “Riley…” she said softly.
Neither of them heard her.
“Stop it!” Buffy yelled.
Angel and Riley turned to look at her in surprise. Riley’s eyes went even wider when he took in Buffy’s disheveled appearance. He looked back and forth between Angel and Buffy. “What’s going on here?” he said softly.
Buffy did not reply. “What are you doing here, Riley?” She meant to sound stern, but her voice came out weary.
“I wanted to see you this weekend,” he explained. “I followed…”
“You followed me?” Buffy demanded angrily. “I said we’d talk when I got back, but that just wasn’t enough for you, was it? You had to barge in here, attack my boyfriend…” She swallowed her words, but it was too late.
“So that’s it?” Riley said, quietly angry. “That’s what you had to talk to me about? I thought I was your boyfriend, Buffy.”
Buffy shook her head. “I’m sorry,” she said softly. “I love Angel, and I have for a long time.”
“He’s a vampire!” Riley cried.
“You think I don’t know that?” Buffy yelled back. “I am the Slayer, Riley.”
“You know what I think? I think you’re a slut who will sleep with anyone who looks at you,” he replied. “I mean, first Parker, and now that?”
“Don’t you dare talk to her that way,” Angel growled.
“Why now?” Riley asked, finally meeting his eye. “She cheated on me with a vampire. I can say whatever I want.”
Angel stepped forward dangerously and Buffy jumped in between the two of them. “That’s enough!” she yelled. She turned to look at Angel. “I don’t think the Powers That Be would be pleased if you tore him limb from limb.”
Buffy turned around to find Riley smirking. “And you! You know what? I liked you, and I was trying to find a way to break up with you without hurting you. But you know what? I don’t care anymore. Get the hell out of here before I tear you apart.”
“Buffy…” Riley began to protest.
“She said get out,” Angel managed through barely suppressed rage.
As soon as the door slammed behind him, Buffy slumped against Angel’s chest. She sighed. Angel held her close, supporting her in silence. She looked up to see that his face had returned to normal and she forced a smile. “Cordelia was right,” she said.
“Oh?”
“We should have locked the door.”
Come closer baby I can’t
hear you
Just another whisper
if you please
Don’t worry ‘bout the
details darlin’
You’ve got the kind of
mind I love to read
On to Part Six
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