“Ug, I feel like a whale,” Buffy complained as she waddled around the kitchen. She was nine months pregnant and due any day. Her back and feet hurt, and she was exhausted. Little One kicking had kept her awake most nights. It was nearly impossible to get comfortable. She sank into a chair.
Joyce smiled in reassurance. “I was at least as big when I was pregnant with you,” she said.
“Okay, now I feel guilty,” Buffy said with a laugh. “I’m sorry for anything I put you through during pregnancy.”
“You were forgiven long ago,” Mrs. Summers replied.
Buffy smiled. She might
complain and whine sometimes, but she never once regretted her decision
to have this child. Okay, maybe once, when the gang had found about
Angel and dragged her off to LA to confront him. But that hadn’t
been regret having to do with the pregnancy. That had been situational
regret.
As soon as Buffy was let out of the hospital, the lot
of them (minus Spike) formed a parade to LA. In the lead was Mrs.
Summers’ car, Buffy in the passenger seat probably having the worst time
of her life. Willow rode in the back seat and none of them spoke.
Xander and Anya rode with Giles in his car following them.
Why they had all insisted on coming to LA was beyond her. She had barely managed to call Angel and warn him that they were all coming. So at least he had some warning before they all descended on him.
The car ride was silent except for the directions Buffy gave. It did not help her situation that she was so familiar with the route. Never had the drive seemed longer. When they finally reached their destination, Buffy jumped out of the car and ran inside before anyone else could move.
Angel was alone in the office when Buffy entered, sitting and nervously tapping a pencil on his desk. He stood as soon as the door opened. His face had the slightest expression of panic.
“They’re right behind me,” Buffy said out of breath as she rushed into the room. She went to stand beside Angel, and he pulled her into a quick embrace.
“I’m sorry you had to go through that alone,” he said softly.
“It’s okay, as long as we’re together now,” Buffy replied honestly. There were so many things that she never wanted to go through alone – the rest of her life was one of them.
Angel seemed to understand and placed a soft kiss on her forehead. Buffy smiled. “You’re warmer than usual,” she whispered, pleased.
By way of explanation, Angel replied just as quietly, “It’s been a good week.” He was prevented from saying anything more as the rest of the brigade entered the office.
For a moment the amassed group stared at each other in silence – Buffy’s friends and family on one side, herself and her love on the other. No one knew what to say. It was Angel who spoke first. “Why don’t we all go downstairs?” he suggested. “I think everyone would be more comfortable.”
No one protested and the party continued downstairs. Offers of coffee and tea were declined and everyone took seats where they could find them. Everyone but Buffy and Angel, that is, who stood as though before I firing squad.
Giles, who seemed to have been designated group speaker, looked at them both seriously. “You know we all have a lot of questions,” he said.
Angel nodded. “Perhaps it would be best if we told you the whole story and then you can ask any questions that we didn’t answer.”
At Giles’ nod, the two of them began. Buffy told how she had run into Angel while visiting her father. Angel explained his new half-vampire situation and the resulting change to his curse. Buffy explained her decision not to break up with Riley immediately. Finally the explanations ran out and they waited for questions.
“I understand how Angel being, uh, vampire-leaning-towards-human now means he can have children,” Willow said once, “but how do you know for sure that Riley’s not the father?”
“Riley’s an idiot,” Buffy replied. “You really think I would have unprotected sex with him? Angel, on the other hand….” She smiled at him affectionately. “We’re not used to this being an issue,” she explained with one hand on her abdomen.
Willow blushed slightly and nodded.
There were several more questions. Giles asked things that were more technical in nature. He wanted to know what Angel’s constantly altering state could mean for him and his child. He used a lot of words like ‘unprecedented’ and phrases like ‘I’ll have to consult my books,’ which made Buffy fight a chuckle. Xander did some yelling early on that he hadn’t gotten out of his system yet, but was silenced when the glares momentarily turned to him. It seemed to be unanimous that Buffy and Angel had made some poor choices, but that was over and all they could do now was deal with their effects.
When hours had passed and the apartment fell silent once again, the tension grew instead of dissipating. Everyone simply looked at each other, until their gazes fell upon Mrs. Summers, who had yet to speak.
“Mom?” Buffy asked nervously.
Joyce raised her gaze to
meet her daughter’s. She looked back and forth between Buffy and
the man she obviously loved “What I want to know,” she said at last,
“is what the two of you plan to do now?”
Acceptance came relatively easily that day, but welcome
and trust had to be worked for. With Buffy no longer able to patrol,
Angel accompanied them back to Sunnydale. He made himself useful
quickly, fighting monsters in the evening and helping Giles research during
the day. Somehow he managed to constantly stay ahead of the Initiative
at the same time. Yet another reason to be thankful for his growing
body temperature and ability to move around in the daylight…
As if the thoughts had summoned him, Angel’s voice rang out from the front room. “Hello!” he called.
“We’re in the kitchen!” Buffy called back. As her due date neared, Angel had been spending every possible moment with her. She loved every minute of it. To her surprise, her mom seemed to be enjoying having him around as well. At least, she hadn’t kicked him out yet.
Angel entered the kitchen, smiling. “Good morning, Mrs. Summers,” he said in greeting, then stopped next to Buffy and kissed her cheek. “Good morning, love.”
Buffy smiled back. “Morning.”
“Good morning, Angel,” Mrs. Summers said, smiling as well. “I’m making breakfast if you want some.”
“No, thank you,” he replied politely. “I already ate.”
Buffy looked at him with raised eyebrows, wondering if he meant normal food or…not. She wasn’t sure with him these days. He just shrugged in response, though, and took a seat next to her at the kitchen table.
Buffy quickly changed her seat for his lap. He looked at her in surprise and wrapped his arms around her as best he could. “Nice,” she sighed, “but still not comfortable.”
Angel laughed slightly at that. “Well, thanks,” he said sarcastically.
“Just wait,” Joyce said with a grin. “Any day now and you’ll be the one who has to deal with all of her complaining.”
“I’m not that bad!” Buffy defended herself.
“I know,” her mother said, “but add a crying infant and Angel’s life is about to get a whole lot more exciting.”
“I look forward to every minute of it,” Angel replied sincerely.
Buffy smiled. One of the first things they decided when they stopped reacting and began planning was that Buffy would move into the mansion with Angel as soon as the baby was born. Not before that, though, because the mansion was in need of some serious clean up and repairs. The two of them had quite a laugh together when they decided to turn what was once Drusilla’s room into the nursery…
Joyce put down a huge plate of eggs in front of Buffy. Angel’s eyes went wide and Buffy laughed. “Hey, I’m eating for two here!” she defended herself. Everyone laughed slightly at that.
When the meal was done the three of them relaxed around the kitchen table. Buffy smiled, content for once. Angel and her mother were getting along. No one (except for Riley, who she hadn’t seen outside of class since) blamed her for her actions when she had gotten back with Angel. Sure, people looked at her oddly as they would any very pregnant 19-year-old. It didn’t matter. Hey, even Xander and Angel were getting along. So everything was great.
Suddenly a strange – and rather painful – sensation passed through Buffy’s stomach. No, definitely not her digestion. “Uh, guys?” They both turned to look at her. “So, who’s driving to the hospital?”
Oh baby when I feel this
feeling
It’s like genuine voodoo
hits me
It’s been too long since
somebody whispered…
On to the Epilogue
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