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Title: Instability
Author: Desdemona
Rating: PG for now
Summary: After Dad and Wrecked this is AU. Response to the Challenge
put out by Alyssa.
Disclaimer: Not mine!
Distribution: Want it? Tell me if you're going to post it.
Challenge:
I have a new challenge! Yay! I'm already working on
two
other fics so I don't have the time to write this...
any takers? (ratings for this also don't matter so it
can be NC-17, PG, R, etc...)
------->
Angel receives an address and a room for LA's mental
hospital from Lorne after he sings at Caritas.
When Angel gets there, he finds out that the patient
he needs to find is none other than Buffy Summers.
Buffy isn't exactly normal, she has been in sort of a
catatonic state since Dawn and Willow's deaths. She
was admitted into the hospital by her father, Hank
Summers, after he received word that she was "ill" in
Sunnydale.
Angel, who hasn't spoken or seen her in 4 years,
takes her back with him to the hyperion hotel to
protect her. Apparently, her life is in danger (you
can decide why). He tries to contact her friends in
Sunnydale. The only ones that are still living in
Sunnydale is Tara and Amy, Xander and Anya moved out
to Oregon. Tara and Amy still live in Buffy's old
home. Tara gives Angel Giles' number (he lives in
England), she suggests talking to him first.
Giles tells Angel that if he believes Buffy is in
danger, then he should also find Buffy's daughter,
Emma, who is currently living with Hank Summers.
Before entering her catatonic state, Buffy had
believed that Emma, her four-year-old daughter, had
also died. She survived. Surprised, Angel convinces
Hank to give over Emma.
Angel continues to hide Buffy while trying to get her
back to being herself again. Everyone comes to adore
Emma, who looks like her mother and the little girl
even befriends Angel's son, Connor. Emma stays there
while they care for her "sick" mother.
You can decide what to do when Buffy wakes up and alsowhat evil is apparently "after them".
Must Haves:
-Emma was conceived by Spike and Buffy, much like
Connor was by Darla and Angel. Emma has never met
Spike (maybe killed after he turned on the gang?).
Emma and Connor are both at the age of four.
-Connor and Emma team up to get Buffy and Angel
together, Connor wants a mommy and Emma wants a
daddy.
-Buffy and Angel get together sometime in the story.
Basically, a good fluffy ending.
-Emma and Connor, when the AtS gang goes to Caritas,
sing kareoke together--you pick what song (I think
that would be cute) *G*.
-Angel and Buffy eventually tell about their
experiences to each other and how their kids
came to be. Buffy finds out about Darla and Angel
finds out about Spike.
Instability
Prologue
Another song, another soul. If anything could stop this he begged for it. Its not that he didnt want to save people. He did, its just even he had no illusions that he sang well. I hope Lorne finds something. Oddly, after four years of having to fight a never ending battle to protect Connor, things were slow. Angel stepped off the stage to polite but forced applause for his rendition of "Candle in the Wind." "So, what did you see?" Angel asked, sinking into a chair beside Lorne, at the bar. "A hospital?" the demon replied flatly, concentrating on the next singer. "Want to be more specific?" Angel asked again, frustrated with the demons nonchalance. "Fairhaven" Lone told him, applauding the hairy demons solo. "Thats a sanitarium" Angel commented, obviously displeased about his next adventure. "Well, thats where your headed, Angel Cakes! Room number 24C" Lorne told him. Angel sighed and left, to give the second demon a chance to have his fortune read. He ducked out of the exit and disappeared into the shadowy alley, avoiding the first rays of the sun. "I wish it were just demons" Angel muttered as he walked away.
"We dont do crazy people" Cordy objected as Angel got ready to head to Fairhaven, the next night. "Trust me, I know," Angel told her, "but if theyre in danger, I have to help them." "Oh screw your destiny" Cordy complained, "I am not playing nursemaid to some wacko, with a drooling problem!" "Ah...I have to agree" Wesley added. "Yeah, Im with English" Gunn interjected. "Trust me, we arent going to have to do that. Just let me find out whats going on and then we can decide, on how to pursue this" Angel assured them. Though, they were still against it, the rest of the crew held their tongues while Angel got his coat. "Youre watching Connor tonight, right?" Angel asked Cordelia, grabbing his car keys off the front desk. "Yeah! See you later" she called but he was already out the door.
"Can I help you?" a receptionist asked as Angel walked into the Fairhaven Sanitarium. "Ah, yes Im hear to see the patient in room 24C" Angel told her, with a smile. The woman was plump with frizzy red hair and a lot of make up. She smiled back at him, "Im sorry sir, but visiting hours are over. She will probably have been put to bed by now" the nurse explained. Put to bed? In other words, sedated "Well, I really need to see her....Marjorie." Angel said glancing at the nurses name tag. "Im her new psychiatrist" he told her, again adding a charming smile. She smiled at him, "well...I guess we could make an exception, just this once." Angel smiled gratefully, and waked through the large glass doors once she buzzed him through.
As she lead him down the hallways toward his patient, she prattled on about the addition they were adding to the building. "This really is quite a lovely facility" he told her, once they had stopped at the room. "Well, 24C, doctor" she said, sending him another smile. He watched her walk away and disappear down another hallway, before ducking into the darkened room. Angel looked around in the dark, the room was obviously expensive, as there were large windows and many lovely furnishings. Angel glanced at the bed, and noticed the tiny blonde lying on the bed, she faced away from him, but he could tell she wasnt sleeping. He could feel everything about her. He could feel her heartbeat, almost like it beat through him. He could see her chest rise and fall, in soft regular intervals, but the breath was too shallow for him to believe the girl asleep. Angel quietly opened the door once again and pulled a chart off the outside wall. He opened it and read it in the moonlight cascading from the large bay window. He didnt have to read very far down the page before his eyes caught something too familiar, he looked at the patients name. Buffy Summers. Angels heart would have stopped, if it beat at all. "Oh God" he whispered. This attracted her attention. She rolled over and was faced with a sight he never wanted to see. Deep gouges marred her arms, that were taking their sweet time to heal, and her eyes were void of anything lucid. She stared through him. The eyes of his beloved had always been something he could remember, but now he couldnt even stand to look into them. "Buffy. What happened to you?" He asked. Angel walked over and knelt beside her bed, "Beloved, what happened?" he asked again. Her eyes slowly focussed, on him. "Emma?" she asked softly. He could tell she had been slipped a sedative, he could smell it in her blood. Obviously, it took longer to work on a slayer, as she was clearly groggy, but still awake. "Emma?" she asked again, her eyes falling shut, but she had one more thing to say, "Angel."
Part 1
Angel arrived back at the Hyperion in a daze. He barely noticed that his son was still watching some movie with Cordelia at ten oclock on a weeknight. "Connor, go to bed" Angel said to his son, entering the office. Cordelia gaze him a look and shrugged innocently, "I never noticed the time." Connor sighed as his aunt shut off the video, and so he got himself off the couch. "Did you meet any scary people at the crazy house?" Connor asked innocently. The young boy didnt know how badly that hurt his father. Angel just shook his head and motioned for his son to go upstairs and to bed. Connor frowned but obeyed and ran from the room. "So, what did you find?" Cordelia asked once the young boy was gone. Angel slumped down onto the couch his son had vacated, "Buffy" he whispered. "What does the Blonde one have to do with this?" Cordelia asked, packing up the videos and getting her things together to leave. "Buffy was the wacko with a drooling problem in room 24C" Angel told her quoting her words from before he left. Cordelia instantly softened, "Oh God, what happened?" she asked him, coming to his side on the couch. "Thats what I asked, but she doesnt answer. She just sits there. She had been given a sedative but, still in her chart it said that she had only said two words in the entire nine months she had been there" Angel told his friend. Cordelia looked at him sympathetically, "Itll be okay, whoever signed her in there probably was doing the best thing for her" Cordy told him. "No!" Angel stated emphatically, "this isnt whats best for her! She should be with someone who loves her! Someone who knows what she can do! They keep her heavily sedated all the time, Cordelia. I read her chart. It doesnt effect her as much because of the whole slayer thing but it said in there that they have to keep her strapped down sometimes because she gets too anxious about this Emma person she keeps asking for" Angel explained. Cordy frowned, "so what are you suggesting? We bring her here?" Angel paused but eventually shook his head, "but there has to be somewhere else" he insisted. Cordy nodded, knowing he wouldnt rest until he felt she was safe and well cared for, even if Buffy didnt know it.
"Okay thanks" Cordelia said, hanging up the phone. Angel looked at her expectantly, but her face didnt look like she bore good news. "Its not good" Cordeia whispered to him. Angel frowned slightly, and sat in one of the chairs in the lobby. "What is it?" he asked. "Well, first off, I could only talk to Tara and Amy. They didnt know much. Tara told me that Xander and Anya had left a while ago, they moved to Oregon because Anya was pregnant and Xander had got a really good job offer there. Apparently, this was right before the hellmouth was about to blow with all these demons, mostly the ones foretold in the Niazian Scrolls. Anyway, Buffy basically exiled them from Sunnydale and so they left. The fight started and Willow and Dawn were trying this binding spell to hold the hellmouth shut permanently and it worked except the influx of power they conjured had to take energy from somewhere and it basically drained them until they were dead. So, then Buffys dad came to take the slayer who fell apart after all of that, and so he must have placed her in the institution. Tara and Amy try and visit but he put on her records only himself and the doctors can see her" Cordelia told him. "Fuck!" Angel cursed under his breath, "what the hell kind of father puts his only daughter in a home, where she gets doped up with drugs and doesnt get to see anyone she knows?" he asked rhetorically. "One hell of a bastard" Gunn answered, only hearing the last of the conversation. "I take it we figured out what the problem was?" Wes asked, heading directly to the kitchenette to make himself some tea. Angel was still shook up about the situation so Cordelia answered, "yeah, Buffys bastard dad put her in home because she went a little nuts after her best friend and sister were killed." Wesley came back into the room, "excuse me? Buffy was the one at the hospital?" he asked. "I thought I just said that!" Cordy quipped. "You mean our only active slayer is in some padded room at the moment?" Gunn asked. "Yes!" Cordy said with an exasperated sigh. "Enough!" Angel snapped. Everyone turned around only to see Angel retreating up the stairs, tiredly rubbing his temples.
The soft knocking on the door woke Angel from the fitful sleep he was having. "What?" he yelled at the door, really not caring to hear anymore about the insanity his beloved had fallen into. "Ah, Angel?" Wesley called, "I, ah, I phoned Mr. Giles in England, and I have some things I think you might want to know." Angel wearily rolled out of bed and dressed, then met Wesley at the door. "What is it, Wesley?" Wesley cleared his throat, " Cordelia told me you heard her call for an Emma?" Angel nodded and so Wesley proceeded, "Well, Mr. Giles explained that, Buffy had been expecting a child shortly after Connor was born" Wesley stated, hoping the vampire in front of him could handle this news. "Emma" Angel whispered, slumping against the doorframe. "Yes" Wesley ascertained, "Mr. Giles told me that Spike had, in fact, been bring Emma to stay with him in England during all the chaos of the demons trying to escape through the hellmouth, but was set upon by a group of demons in London. Emma was safe, and reached Mr. Giles, but Spike was killed and his ashes were sent to Buffy as a warning. Buffy never knew that Emma had survived, since Mr. Giles couldnt reach her. When Mr. Giles brought Emma back to Sunnydale, Buffy had already been sent to Fairhaven and as we know, Mr. Giles could not get in to see her. Hank is now caring for Emma, because he claims it is in her will, the same one no one has ever seen because he refuses to show. This will, happens to be within the hands of our good friends Wolfram & Hart. Then to top all of this off, Buffy knows nothing of it, as far as anyone knows" Wesley explained to the vampire whose features had become more and more harsh through out the tale. Angel was nearly shaking with rage, directed towards one man, Hank Summers. "Angel?" Wesley asked, worried about the man in front of him, he could see the rigid stance and tense aura that Angel was exuding. "Call me as soon as you know more" Angel stated with no room for objection. Wesley put a hand on Angels shoulder to stop him. "Theres more" the former watcher said. Angel waited for Wesley to continue. "Mr. Giles fears that perhaps the demons that killed Spike are still looking for Buffy, and Emma" he stated. Angel nodded and proceeded into his room once again. I cant believed I wished for demons. This is a disaster enough.
The instant the sun set, Angel headed toward Fairhaven Sanitarium. He could only hope that Marjorie was working again tonight. Sure enough she was and again he charmed his way into seeing Buffy. She wasnt lying in her bed this time. She was sitting at her window gazing out over the sprawling lawns of the complex. "She had a very good day" Marjorie whispered to him, observing her in the doorway. "She never mentioned the Emma shes always ranting and raving about, she whispered the word angel to herself a few times but it was almost a comfort thing. We thought maybe she should be able to stay up tonight since she was so good" Marjorie explained. Angel nodded and smiled softly, then went toward Buffy. He watched as Marjorie left the room, closing the door behind her. "Buffy?" he asked the silent girl. She turned to him, and looked at him, her eyes were clearer but obviously not sane. "Darling? Can you hear me?" he asked her. She nodded softly but didnt say anything. Her attention returned to the empty gardens outside, "Angel" she whispered to herself. "Im here, Beloved" he told her, clutching her hand in his own. Buffy again turned to him, "Emma?" she asked. "Ill get her for you, Darling, but right now we have to go" he whispered. She nodded again, and once again looked out to the stars. Angel put the bag he had brought, down on the bed, and quickly pulled out some clothes hed taken from Cordelias extras. Angel went back to the weak girl in the chair and silently changed her into the street clothes hed brought, and discarded the pyjamas he assumed shed been wearing regularly since she arrived at the hospital. He had spent his afternoon plotting a way to get her out of Fairhaven and had decided that the windows she looked out of now were their best bet. Angel carefully scooped her up into his arms and fled into the night, with his precious burden.
Part 2
Angel gently set her down upon his bed, and looked into her eyes. She didnt look at him, but stared at the wall behind him. "Beloved? I need you to look at me" he told her. Slowly her eyes shifted to meet with his own. "Buffy, do you know who I am?" he asked. She nodded, "Angel" she whispered. He smiled gently, "I need to tell you something. Buffy,...Emma is alive. Shes with your dad, because he put you in that home." The blank look that was all Angel had ever received from her before now, seemed to dim, being replaced by the muted idea that her daughter was in fact alright. "Emma?" she asked on a breath, a slight smile over coming her features. "Yes, Buffy, Emma is alive, but I cant get her back to you, until you get a little better. Will you do that for me? Please. For Emma?" he begged her. I dont know what Ill do if she doesnt get better. Buffy nodded again, obvious comprehending that the only way to see her daughter was to break through the fog in her mind. Angel sighed. At least, she understands "Come on. We need to put you to bed" he told her. She looked at him expectantly, holding her hand out for the medication she was accustomed to. "No, Buffy. Your just going to lie down here and wait to fall asleep" he told her. He helped her lie back against the bed, and then moved away from her, to shut off the light. She whimpered into the darkness around them, clutching at his arm. "Its alright. Im right here" he soothed, lying down beside her and pulling her into his arms. Instinctively, she curled closer to him, nestling herself against his chest. He gently stroked her hair, listening as her breathing became long a deep and her heartbeat slowed. "Goodnight Buffy" he whispered, bestowing a soft kiss against her brow, before falling to sleep himself.
"Angel? Connor?" Cordelia called checking into the offices. "Hey!" a young voice said behind her. Cordelia almost jumped out of her skin, shed never seen Connor come up behind her. "Youre just like your father" she told him, placing her hand over he still racing heart. Connor smirked, another trait hed inherited. "Speaking of which, where is your father?" Cordy asked. Connor seemed torn for a moment, "Well... hes still in his room" the young boy told her. "So why dont we go get him?" Cordelia said, offering her hand to her near nephew. "But hes not alone" Connor added softly. "What?" she asked, her face devoid of emotion. "Dad and some other lady are in his bed" Connor explained. This time emotion did show on Cordelias face, and it was thinly veiled anger. "Would this woman happen to have long blonde hair?" Cordelia asked, crouching down so she could look Connor in the eye. The boy nodded. "Is she kinda small?" Cordelia asked. Again, Connor nodded. "Did she look a little crazy?" Cordelia asked, a fake grin plastered on her face. Connors brow furrowed, and he adamantly shook his head, "she was pretty" he commented. Cordelias smile grew if that was possible, "another thing you inherited from your dad" she remarked. Cordelia stood up, "Connor, go pour yourself some cereal for breakfast, and make sure youre ready for school" she told the boy. She dismissed him at that and headed for the stairway, her false smile still spread across her face.
Angel woke up to an angry pounding on the door. Buffy was still asleep, but he could tell she was waking as her features were drawn in protest to the noise and her arm was wrapped tightly around his waist. Angel ignored the door a little longer. He gently stroked the back of his hand along her cheek, her features softened and her grip on him loosened. Angel carefully slid out of her grasp, and headed for the door. He opened it to find an extremely enraged Cordelia on the other side. "What the hell are you doing with her here!" Cordelia shouted. Angel heard the blonde slayer whimpering her sleep and so he shifted out of the doorway, closing the door behind him. "Im sorry Cordelia" he told her leading her away from the door. "Well, thats makes it all better!" she ranted, "Just like it made firing all of us and nearly turning over again, all better! Just like it made sleeping with Darla, all better!" "How much am I going to have to shell out at Neiman Marcus, this time?" Angel asked, a hint of teasing in his voice. Cordelia feigned outrage, but quickly subsided, "you know that gold card you have? Ill be maxing that out" she explained. Angels grimace was not lost on Cordy.
Connor was careful to be sure, neither his father or Cordelia saw him as he entered his fathers room. He silently shut the door behind him, though it did little to mask the sounds of the argument in the hallway. Connor looked toward the bed but found that the girl had disappeared. Connor hesitantly peeked his head around the corners of the room. He as about to go out and tell his father, the girl had disappeared, when he spotted her, huddled in a dark recess of the room. Connor cautiously walked over to her. His father had always told him that anyone he didnt know he shouldnt trust without asking someone first, but he knew deep inside he could trust this girl. "Hi" Connor whispered. Her head snapped up to see him, and she looked him over. She looked at him curiously, "Angel?" she asked in a whisper. Connor shook his head, but before he could tell her his name she began to mutter the word no over and over again, and to shake her head violently. Connors eyes widened, he knew she wouldnt hurt him but, the way she looked at him was scary. Connor backed away, his eyes never leaving her. He suddenly bumped against something, whirling around he was looking at his fathers legs. Connor sheepishly lifted his gaze to meet his dads. "What are you doing in here, Connor?" Angel asked his son. Connor smiled slightly, "I-I came to see her" he said pointing out the blonde in the shadows. Angels eyes checked over to where Buffy was rocking in the corner. "What did you say to her?" Angel asked, afraid more of what she may have said to him, though he didnt expect much from her recent somewhat catatonic behaviour. Connor shook his head, "Nothing, I didnt say anything cept hi" the child proclaimed. "Okay" Angel sighed, "Go get ready for school, Connor." Connor hung his head, and left the room. Angel watched until the door was firmly shut behind his son, before moving toward Buffy. She watched him through hesitant eyes, as he approached. He extended his hand to take her own, but she flinched away from him. "Buffy? What is it?" he asked her, more than a little scared that Cordelia was right and she couldnt handle being out of the hospital. "Buffy, its okay. Im not angry anymore" he told her, attempting to reach for her again. He assumed she had heard the fight despite his attempts to hide it. She pulled away from him again, putting herself into a corner where she could escape no farther. However, the stare she placed upon him was not filled with the fear he expected, but with something he could perceive as disgust. Angel sighed, knowing that if he pressed things further, shed lash out. As inconspicuous as she was, he had noticed her arming herself with a sharp piece of the baseboard from behind her. Angel stepped away from her and sat on the end of the bed, watching her, she stayed in the corner but she visibly relaxed. Just as Angel was about to attempt reaching out to her again, Connor flew into the room. "Im going to school now, Dad!" he exclaimed coming up beside Angel. Angel smiled at him, but still kept his eye on the slayer in his peripheral vision. She hadnt moved or tensed at all, merely watched the interaction between himself and his son. "Have fun today, Connor" Angel said, ruffling his sons hair, even though he knew hed get another ear full from Cordelia for messing up the coif she had done for his son. "Bye" Connor cheered, then turned around to face the silent girl. "Bye..." Connor exclaimed, trying to remember a name for her. "Buffy" Angel supplied. "Bye, Buffy" Connor declared. She smiled at him, "Bye" she said, in return. Connor smiled happily and ran from the room, slamming the door behind him. Angel still stared at the blonde in shock. She said something besides my name and Emma. "Buffy?" Angel called. Her attention returned from staring at the door Connor had just exited. She didnt udder anything and, Angels own thoughts disappeared as he stared into the green eyes he hadnt seen in four years. Almost unable to pull away, Angel stared into her eyes, reading everything she wouldnt say. He saw fear, grief and loneliness, but most of all he saw betrayal and the worst part was it was directed at him.
Part 3
When Cordelia finally came in to check on them, Angel was still looking at Buffy who was staring at him in return. "Buffy?" Cordelia asked the small blonde still huddled in the corner. Angel didnt look away from his beloved as he answered. "N-nothing. She saw Connor. She said bye to him, and then she was scared of me" Angel whispered. "Wait. She saw Connor?" Cordelia asked. Angel nodded still looking at the girl he loved, who wanted to be anywhere but in a room with him right now. Cordelia chuckled to herself, which finally drew his attention. "What?" he asked her. She stopped laughing, "You are so lucky shes not talking, cause otherwise youd be getting one hell of an ear full right now" she said breaking into chuckles once again. "You think shes scared of me because I have Connor?" he asked, rather confused. "No, I see a girl who just realized that the ex she thought was in forced celibacy, obviously could screw another girl long enough for him to now have a four year old son" Cordelia elaborated. Angel looked back at Buffy, and now he could clearly read the betrayal in her eyes, it was directed at him and it was because of Connor. Angel looked away from her, for the first time, ashamed of his son. "Im sorry" he whispered to Buffy. She didnt respond, but as he stepped closer she pressed herself against the wall once again. "As touching as this one sided reconciliation is...Wes wants to meet our newest psycho slayer downstairs" Cordelia uttered tactlessly. "Gee, want to yell that a little louder, in front of said slayer" Gunn said coming up behind her. Cordy didnt respond, and Gunn took in the girl in the corner. "Man, you know how to pick em, but whats with the blondes?" Gunn asked Angel. Angel stood, sighing as he heard Buffys sharp in take of breath, "Im going to go down and talk to Wesley. Will you guys bring her downstairs with you?" he asked. Gunn nodded as did Cordy and so Angel left the room, watching Buffy out of the corner of his eye. "I told you wed end up on wacko watch" Cordelia complained as Angel left. Angel used heard, due to his enhanced hearing, his loves whimper as Gunn tried to help her to her feet and take her from the room, as well as Cordelias continued remarks at her mental state.
"What is it, Wes?" Angel asked seating himself in one of the leather upholstered chairs in front of his old desk. "Cordelia told me that we have taken on a new client, shall I say?" Wesley tried to ask tactfully. Angel sighed tiredly. Why cant they understand she needs help? Wesley continued, "need I remind you that we had yet to decide how to proceed with this case?" Angel rested his head in his hands and rubbed tiredly at his eyes. "Uh Angel?" Gunn called from the lobby. Angel stood and left the office to find his friends struggling with a slightly agitated Buffy. Angel looked up and spotted Lorne standing just inside the doorway. He rushed over to the disturbed slayer and carefully soothed her. "Its okay Buffy. Hell help us" Angel whispered gently stroking her cheek. She had yet to pull away from him but she also refused to meet his eyes. Once he was settled that she would stay relaxed enough for him to leave her. "What did you need Lorne?" Angel asked, irritated not only by the slayers anger at him, and by his lack of good sleep. "Actually Angel-cakes its about the little buttercup over there" Lorne said moving to the computer in the back office. "You might want to hack into the nice lawyers files. You might find a lovely little catch in blondies will" he suggested, gesturing to Cordys computer. The brunette immediately leapt to it, as much as she didnt like the situation, she wasnt going to let Wolfram & Hart win anything if she could help it. "So were looking for what exactly?" Cordy asked the demon at her side. "Check out the part where blondies munchkins supposed to go" Lorne added. Cordy typed furiously for moment then the screen flashed then was filled with a legal document from the Wolfram & Hart files. Cordy scrolled through, her eye finally catching on the part Lorne had suggested. "Uh, Okay. Says in this, that Emma should be with Giles" Cordy stated with a perplexed looked to Angel. "But shes with her father" Wesley surmised. "Oh God, Emma" Buffy whispered over a sob, crumpling against Angels side. He carefully scooped her into his arms, "Ssh, its okay, shes okay" he soothed. "Ah, I wouldnt say that just yet" Lorne advised. Angels eyes flashed amber, "what do you know?" he hissed, his full attention on Lorne. Buffy whimpered at the negative energy crackling there, she burrowed herself deeper against his side. "I saw some nasty looking hybrids headed for this one" Lorne said, gesturing to Buffy. "You do know her kids in the same boat yours is, right?" the demon asked. Angel sighed, he hadnt thought that far into it, but it was true. They were just lucky that the demons hadnt got to an unsuspecting Hank yet. I have to get Emma out of there and fast Cordy saw the look on his face, "no! Oh no! We already have one pre-schooler and a messed up slayer we dont need to add another kid into the mix" she exclaimed. Wesley sighed softly, "as much as I agree with your reasoning Cordelia. It isnt safe to leave Emma, with Mr. Summers. Shed be..." Wes trailed off realizing the consequences his words could have on the feeble minded slayer. Cordy threw her hands up in defeat. "All I know is these arent my kids or my ex-girlfriend and I aint changin diapers, or any of that again" Gunn stated for the record. "So we get Emma tonight?" Angel asked. The three reluctantly nodded while Lorne beamed happily. "Dont worry, the munchkins practically family to ya!" he told Angel. Angel looked at him quizzically but didnt comment. "Well, Im off. Just thought Id pass the tidbit along" the demon excused himself quickly leaving the building. Once the demon was gone Buffy turned to Angel, finally looking him in the eye, whispered "Emma?"
At sunset Angel left the Hyperion Hotel armed with a copy of Buffys will that they had printed as well as Hanks address. Hed carefully put the slayer to bed, hoping shed stay asleep until he returned, but leaving Wesley and Connor to watch her, just to be sure. Connor had been bringing out a better side in Buffy all day. She was far from lucid, but at least she would speak to Connor. I just wish shed speak to me, or look me in the eye. After hed calmed her that afternoon, she had pulled away and retreated to the corner of the couch once again. She had refused to accept anything from her, even food. She had however accepted the meal when Connor had offered her part of the peanut butter sandwich he was having as an after-school snack. Though he was hurt that the objection had been to him, and not the food, he was minimally appeased that she was eating. Angel pulled himself from his heavy thoughts as he pulled up to the townhouse that Hank Summers lived in. Angel walked swiftly to the door, letting his trademark duster flap behind him as he went. He knocked heavily, anxious to have his piece of Hank Summers. However, when the door was finally opened, it was not Hank standing there. Angel looked down at the small girl who opened the door. Her honey blonde locks fell around her shoulders in loose waves, and she stared back at him with the clearest of blue eyes. Angel spent a long moment looking over Buffys daughter, there were ways in which she looked exactly like her mother, but the pale skin and blue eyes screamed another. After spending hundreds of years with him, Angel would recognize those eyes from anywhere. Practically family my ass "Emma?" he asked the little girl, crouching to be at her height. An innocent smile split her face, "hi!" Her smile was as infectious as her mothers and Angel couldnt help but smile back at the tiny girl. "Emma!" Angel heard the loud shout from farther in the house. Emma grimaced and looked back as her grandfather came to the door. "Hello, Can I help you?" Hank asked Angel, pulling Emma farther into the house and behind him. "Actually, Im here for her" Angel said with cool assurance, gesturing to Emma. "Excuse me?" Hank sputtered shocked at the boldness of the young man before him. "I said Im here for Emma. Buffy wants her" Angel told the older looking man. Hanks demeanor changed from shock to rage, "what did you do to my daughter?" he hissed in anger. "Nothing," Angel stated, "I protected her from the pain you put her in. Now, shed like her daughter and I have every intention of taking Emma with me, one way or another." "Im calling the police" Hank spat grabbing the cordless phone off the end table near by. Angel smirked at Mr. Summers, "while your at it, tell them you already kidnapped her from her rightful guardian" Angel replied coldly. Hanks face tuned into an even more violent shade of red. "Dont press me boy, I can still knock you down a few pegs" Hank warned, wrapping his meaty hand around Angels throat. "I dont think so" Angel hissed, letting his game face show. Hank backed up against the wall in fear. Emma merely giggled from her place on the bottom stair. "You have a face like Uncle Spike" she said through her giggles. Angel shifted his attention away from her grandfather. "Can I come in?" he asked the little girl. She agreed and offered him her hand. She lead him upstairs to pack her things. "Are you really going to take me to Mommy?" she asked him softly. He smiled at her and nodded, helping her put Mr. Gordo into a bag.
When Angel returned carrying the tiny little girl on his hip, the Hotel was absolutely silent. Quietly, Angel climbed the stairs and headed towards his room where hed left Buffy sleeping. Angel opened the door and glanced around the darkened room. Wesley had fallen asleep in one of the armchairs with a large dusty tome clutched in his hands. His son however was resting comfortably on the bed, curled against Buffys side with her arms wrapped tightly around her. Emma groaned softly against his side, drawing his attention back to the toddler in his arms. He carefully adjusted her against his hip to make them both more comfortable then lifted his eyes to his bed once again. Although this time, his eyes met her soft green ones, sparkling with tears, in the moonlight. "Emma" she whispered softly opening her arms for her daughter. Angel carefully shifted his burden into her waiting arms, He looked on as Emma woke due to the gentle kisses Buffy was smothering along her forehead. Angel looked on as the two girls embraced. With a soft grunt, Connor woke beside Buffy, to notice hr arms were now wrapped around a new little girl.
Connor looked around and spotted his father in the corner, "Dad?" he asked groggy from waking. Angel lifted his son into his arms and was about to wake Wesley to leave Buffy and her daughter in peace. "Angel?" he heard her call as the three men headed for the door. Slowly he turned around to face her, "thank you" she whispered.
Part 4
The sun was high in the sky before Angel woke up again, only to stare into the blue eyes he knew only too well. I need to talk to Buffy, but it can wait There was a little giggle and Emma ran out of the room, a happy grin spread across her face. She was nearly a year younger than Connor but she was smart and utterly adorable. Angel groaned, and sat up in the bed that hed quickly made last night so he wouldnt have to sleep in yet another chair. Angel turned toward the door as it opened, to reveal Cordelia offering him a mug of blood, warmed to just the way he liked it. "Here" she said handing him the cup. Angel took it and drank happily, though still mindful of his company. "You do realize, Buffys kid has already been pumped full enough sugar to keep her blasted for the rest of the year, by her new favourite Uncle Gunn" Cordy remarked. Angel smiled, well aware of how generous Gunn loved to be with candy resulting in every child in a ten foot radius ending up on a sugar high. Cordelia and Angel looked up as a panting Emma raced back into the room. "Were playing hide and go seek" she proclaimed happily, "Ill hide so good, Uncle Gunn and Uncle Wes ll never find me." Emma ran from the room again. "Think we should.." Angel suggested gesturing to follow Emma. Cordelia shook her head and shrugged, "this place has lived through the whirlwind that is your son, Im sure it can handle a slayers kid on pixie sticks."
"Shit," Gunn hissed coming back downstairs and looking under the couches. "What is it?" Angel called from behind the desk, where he poured himself some coffee. "I cant find the little runt anywhere" Gunn said, knowing Angel was going to flip on this one. "What?!" Gunn sighed, "I checked everywhere, but nothing. Either this kids invisible or eerily good at hide and go seek" Gunn said still looking wherever he could think to look. Angel was quickly joining in the search. On a whim, Gunn called out, "Emma" No answer except for a sigh at the top of the stairs. Gunn and Angel quickly turned to find Buffy standing at the top of the stairs with Cordy who was staring at the slayer, waiting for yet another mental breakdown. Instead, the slayer rolled her eyes and headed toward one of the abandoned rooms. Angel quickly ran after her, afraid of what she night do...or find. He watched as she stopped at the first door on the left. The one next to Connors room and she carefully pushed open the door, that was already ajar, as most of the doors that didnt sit well on their hinges were. "Emma" she said, a faint trace of annoyance in her tone. No sound was made. Buffy huffed, and stalked farther into the room. Angel was sure she was delusional, the room was dead silence, and he didnt feel any other living being but her, in the room. "Buffy, come back to bed" he coaxed. Still, he looked on as Buffy pulled a dresser back, away from the wall, and in the tiny slit where there had been a gap between the wall and dresser, Emma was crunched. The toddler smiled up at her mother, in apology, then pouted. "You always find me. No fair" the nearly perfect, tiny replica of his beloved, huffed. Buffy just shrugged and lifted her daughter into her arms. Emma noticed Angel in the doorway, "I got you good though, hunh?" she said, a large grin splitting her face. Her smile spread to his own face, and he nodded. Buffy smiled back at him then carried her daughter from the room. As they passed Angel, Emma looked at him and said, in a serious and unequivocal tone, "Shell be okay." As Buffy continued on, giving her daughter a strange look, he knew for certain what she was referring to and felt oddly reassured.
Angel was headed back down the stairs to retrieve his coffee when Connor came bursting in the door, with Cordy on his heels. "Hi, Dad" Connor called racing up the stairs. Hed been eager to meet his newest house guest and when his aunt had refused to let him stay home from school hed insisted he get to meet her as soon as he got home. "Hes all excited about meeting Emma" Cordy explained throwing the small boys back pack down on the couch in the middle of the lobby. Angel nodded and sipped from his coffee, glancing up at the stairs as Connor lead the smaller blonde girl down the hall towards his own room. "So, any urgent cases right now?" Angel asked, the brunette flipping through the mail at his side. "No, and even if there was, dont you think we have our hands full, right now" she remarked, not lifting her gaze from the mail. "Oh, okay. Ill be upstairs, if you need me" he said, moving toward the staircase. "Oh! And Angel?" she called after him, "try not to scare our resident slayer into an even deeper crazy spell."
Angel softly knocked on the door, but received no reply. Not like I really expected one Buffy hadnt said anything that would show she was making great progress to pull herself from her insanity. Although, Angel was certain Emma was helping. "Buffy" he called into the softly lit room. She appeared in the doorway of the adjoining bathroom. She smiled as a greeting, and Angel could tell that her eyes were truly seeing him and nothing beyond. "Buffy, can we talk?" Angel asked, gesturing to the chairs that sat in his room. She nodded and walked to one of the chairs, nervously tucking a wayward blonde strand behind her ear. She sank into the soft leather chair and watched as he did the same across from her. "Buffy I know this is going to be hard but, I need to know what happened to Willow" Angel whispered to her, resting a hand on her own, for comfort. Buffy sprung from the chair and quickly backed away from Angel, and toward yet another corner. "Buffy, you cant do this forever" he warned, standing to move after her. She shook her head and continued her retreat towards the corner. Before she reached it, he leapt forward and caught her, by the arms. Her eyes widened to enormous proportions and she struggled to get away. She didnt call out at al but thrashed against him, trying to break his grip. "Buffy, what happened to Willow" he spoke through gritted teeth, holding her tightly. He repeated this as she continually thrashed, violently trying to escape his arms. Tears began to roll down her face, and slowly her movements became laboured jerky due to her exhaustion and her grief. Soon, she couldnt even stand any longer and she collapsed against his chest, crying harshly as he rocked her in his arms. "Shh, Buffy. I need to know, so I can help you keep Emma safe" he told her, looking into her watery eyes. She shook her head, "No" she whispered, her voice cracking in sadness. Her arms wrapped around his waist tightly, and she crushed herself against him. "No" she repeated as a mantra, keeping herself against him. He cradled her against him, slowly her tears drained her of all the energy she had left and she drooped into his arms as she fell asleep. Angel carefully lay her down on the bed and drew the covers around her. Well talk some more, later.
"...And this is my favourite, Harry" Connor proclaimed, proudly showing the younger girl his favourite teddy bear. "I have a piggy, his names Mr. Gordo" Emma told him. Connor smiled, "My Uncle Wes brought Harry all the way back from England" Connor bragged, trying to show off his toy. "Mr. Gordo was my Mommys" Emma said, smiling happily at her friend. She didnt understand that he was trying to show her up. Connor pouted, realizing all his teasing was going nowhere. "Wheres your mommy?" Emma asked him suddenly. Connor looked at her seriously, then turned his attention back to arranging his toys. "I never had a mommy" he told her over his shoulder. "Oh," the little girl replied, flopping down to sit on the floor, "I never had a daddy" she confided. Connor turned back around to face her, he looked shocked, "Never-ever, never?" he asked. Emma pouted and bobbed her blonde curls in assent. "Dont you want a daddy?" Connor asked her. She shrugged her tiny shoulders. "I used to have Uncle Spike and Uncle Xander but now I dont have nobody" she told him. "Yeah," he agreed, sitting beside her, "I have Auntie Cordy, but I kinda want a real mommy too, you know?" The toddler nodded and smiled sadly. "Hey, wanna know a secret?" Connor asked, excited to tell someone. Emma perked up happily, and nodded, shaking her blonde curls wildly. "I think my daddy likes your mommy" he told her. Emma grinned, "I think my mommy likes your daddy" she told him in return. Connors smile grew even bigger, "at school, I know this boy, Davey, whose mommy really liked this guy named Kyle and now Kyles his daddy...but he doesnt like him much" Connor exclaimed, his smile drooping at the last admission. Emma shrugged, "Its okay. I like your daddy" she told him. Connors smile returned at full wattage, "I like your mommy too." "Hey, youre pretty cool for a baby" he teased. "Well," she returned, "youre okay for a stinky boy."
Part 5
Angel was still sitting on the large bed with the sleeping slayer by his side, when Emma came back into the room. She rubbed her eyes sleepily and looked up at Angel. "Hi" she whispered, then dissolved into a yawn. Angel glanced down at his watch. He knew the sun had set, but he hadn't realized it was nearly eight o'clock. "You
sleepy?" he asked the little girl. She nodded slowly, and walked toward the bed. "Did you and Connor have some supper?" he asked, getting off the bed to help her on. She nodded drowsily. Then, in a way that seemed nearly physically impossible, she fell to the bed and
curled into a ball to sleep. "Goodnight, Emma" he whispered, pulling a dark blonde strand away from her forehead. She moaned in her sleep and relaxed a little from the tight ball. Angel pulled the covers
over her then silently slipped from the room.
He bumped into Cordelia as he left the room. "Sorry" he told her giving her a sheepish grin. "Not as stealthy as you think" Cordy commented. Angel chuckled slightly, "What did you need Cordy?" "Nothing," she replied, "I just was going to ask you if maybe I could take our resident slayer and her daughter on an all expense paid shopping spree a la Angel, with Fred and I." Angel sighed, "How many people are you buying clothes for?" Cordelia beamed and raised an eyebrow, "Is the big bad vamp afraid of little old me?" she teased. "Armed with a credit card? Yes" he said walking toward Connor's room. She grinned more and chased after him, "so was that a
yes?" Angel sighed, " Do you really think it's a good idea to pull Buffy out into a big crowd like that?" Angel asked, hoping to maybe spare himself some money. "You do realize that what Emma's grandfather bought her just screams `no one will ever date me' and whether I bring Buffy or not, I will be shopping for her. I never
knew her well, but I know she has better taste than my toss outs from last year" Cordelia told him, silencing all arguments. Angel just looked at her, "Why are you so worried about Emma's love life at the age of three. I think she's got a few more years to get fashionable
and lose her baby fat before she dates" Angel commented. For some odd reason, he had the purely paternal thought, that Emma was not dating for a long while yet. Cordelia smiled softly, she had notice the glint in his eyes, at the thought of Emma dating, "Man, I swear, how
that kid will ever get any dates with three way over protective uncles like you guys, is beyond me" she muttered. Angel was still too busy wondering where the thought of beating every one of Emma's future boyfriends into a bloody pulp if they hurt her, came from. So
he missed Cordy's comment entirely. "Hand over the credit card" the brunette stated, holding out her hand for the piece of plastic. Angel grudgingly passed it over, "It's too expensive to keep secrets from you" he complained. Cordy smiled and bounced off, down the stairs then out of the hotel for the night. Angel was still thinking of how
useful his years of torture would be, as he went to check on his son.
"Daddy! Daddy! Daddy!" Connor called bouncing on the bed beside his sleeping father. Angel groaned and tied to roll over, but his son would have none of it. Connor pounced and landed sideways across Angel's chest. "What is it Connor?" Angel grumbled. "Can I go too?" he asked. "Where?" Angel grunted. Connor crawled off his father and sat back against the headboard beside him. "Well, Emma and Auntie Cordy and Auntie Buffy are going to the mall, and I want to go too!" he told his dad. Angel chuckled, "trust me little guy, you don't want
to go shopping with them, your Aunt is trying to max out my credit card on girly clothes" he explained. "So, I help Auntie Cordelia pick out clothes for her dates all the time" Connor justified, "she says I'm the only kindergartener she knows with good fashion sense." Angel
chuckled, "you're the only kindergartner she knows" he told his son. Connor pouted, "Nun-uhn she knows Davey and Jason" the little boy returned. Angel shook his head, "you can go if you want, but don't blame anyone else if you're bored" Angel warned him. Connor grinned
and bounded out of the room, yelling to his Aunt `Dad said I could come!' Angel pulled himself out of bed and quickly dressed, he wanted to make sure that Buffy really was okay before he sent her out with Cordelia to a crowded public mall. Angel walked down the stairs to
see Connor helping Emma put on a warmer sweater by the door and Cordelia, along with Fred, fiddling with her purse in the office. However, the real thing that caught his eye was the angel sitting on
the couch in the middle of the lobby. She was dressed in a white dress that had red roses printed on it. It was a classic dress and with her looks she could pull it off. As he stepped off the last stare her attention turned from their children to him. She smiled softly, before returning her gaze to Connor and Emma. "Uncle Angel!"
Emma called, seeing him enter. The toddler ran over to him, her dark blonde curls trailing behind her. He carefully lifted her up and looked her in the eye. "Have a good sleep, little princess?" he asked her. The young girl beamed, and nodded happily. "Come on, let's go!"
Cordelia cheered returning to the lobby with her keys and a couple of jackets for herself and Buffy. Connor ran up to her and took her
hand, "Bye dad!" he called. Angel rolled his eyes as his son dragged Cordelia out of the hotel. "Come on Emma" Buffy whispered, coming to lift the little girl from his arms. "I wish you could come too" Emma told him before she was passed off to her mother. Angel couldn't help
but notice the tingles that went up his spine as his skin connect with Buffy's while they shifted Emma to her arms. In the early days of their relationship he'd thought it was the vampire/slayer instincts but he soon realized they were a far better thing. They were Angel/Buffy instincts. "I'll bring you back a lollipop" Emma called over her mother's shoulder as they moved towards the front
doors. Angel chuckled and waved as they left.
Cordelia pulled up to the largest mall in LA after a half hour drive. "Okay, so let's go get Buffy, or mommy, some really sexy outfits, to knock Angel's socks off" Cordelia whispered to her accomplices. Connor who sat in the front and Emma who sat behind him. Buffy had been silent on the drive over. She'd starred out the window
the entire time. "Okay, you ready to be re-introduced to the wonderful world of shopping?" Cordy asked her silent friend. Buffy's attention returned to her, and the slayer nodded. "What's so wonderful about it?" Connor asked from the passenger seat. Buffy and Cordelia laughed, "spoken like a true man" Cordy observed. Emma giggled at that and started fidgeting to gt her seatbelt off. Buffy
helped with that and scooped her daughter into her arms as they got out of the car into the warm LA sun. "Fred can't meet us for another two hours, so that leaves the four of us to do all the embarrassing shopping while she's not here" Cordy announced as they entered the mall. Buffy looked timidly around the mall, and particularly around
the crowds of people. "It's okay, Buff" Cordy reassured her, hoping that she didn't have to bring Buffy back to the hotel and tell Angel he was right. Thankfully, Buffy seemed to adjust rapidly and then headed off into the crowd, still holding Emma close, with Cordelia and Connor near by. "I'm thinking Victoria's Secret" Cordy stated, "except this little fellow better not cause any problems. No playing around while Buffy and I aren't looking, okay?" Connor frowned and nodded, obviously having had problems with this before. "That goes for you too, Blondie" Cordy said to Emma who instantly put on her pouty, innocent face. "Don't try it" Cordy told
the toddler, "I invented that face." Emma scowled and fell back, deeper into her mother's arms. "Now, new rule, if you want something
you have to ask for it" Cordelia explained to her small assembled audience. The kids nodded and Buffy smirked down at the preschooler beside her. "That goes for you too, Buffy" Cordelia remarked. Buffy's smirk turned to a scowl. "I'll get you speaking yet" Cordy declared,
leading Connor towards the end of the mall.
Cordelia held up the pistachio coloured, silk nightgown. Buffy just shook her head, and held up some flannel pyjama pants. "Mommy!" Emma yelled bounding over to her mother. Buffy lifted her small daughter into her arms. "What?" the slayer asked. The toddler beamed, "Pretty pyjammies for mommy" Emma said, pointing
toward a shelf close by. Connor was already bored, and sitting with arms crossed in one of the chairs by the dressing rooms. "Can we go yet?" Connor called from behind the women. Cordelia snorted, "you have no idea how badly you'll wish you could stay in here, when you're older." Buffy was carrying her daughter toward the shelf, and
Cordy grabbed Connor's hand to drag him with her. Emma was bouncing happily as Buffy looked at the lacy black camisole that went with the black silk pants Emma had chosen. "Man, you're daughter has amazing taste" Cordelia exclaimed, "must come from her uncle." "What?" Buffy
asked, looking confused. "Well, obviously couldn't be from her dad. I mean, Spike was hot, yes, but all he ever wore was that duster and a red shirt with black pants." Cordelia explained while taking the outfit from Buffy and placing it with the rest of the garments she was carrying. "I-How? I- I..." Buffy babbled trying to work through the thoughts in her head. "How did I know she was Spike's?" Cordelia asked, still sorting threw some of the bras near by. She saw Buffy nodded, "please, anyone can see she's Spike's kid. Pale skin, those cheekbones, and the blue eyes? She couldn't look more like him if she
tried." Cordelia said, "Well, let's get going. I think we can stop in Baby Gap, for Emma, before meeting Fred for lunch." Buffy scooped up her daughter and followed dumbly.
Part 6
Angel looked up from the newspaper as the hotel doors open and his disgruntled son, as well as the three laughing women entered. "How was shopping?" he teased his son. "Don't ask, Deadboy" Connor mocked. Angel looked startled at his son using his former nickname. Cordelia and Buffy laughed harder. "We we're reminiscing" Cordy explained, going to set her many bags down on the front desk. Buffy set Emma on her feet before going to help Cordy sort the bags out. Emma walked over to her friend and his father. She fished into her pocket then extracted the lollipop she'd promised. The blonde little girl held her gift out to Angel. "Thank you Emma" Angel said to the little girl who beamed happily and tried to climb onto the couch beside him. Angel helped the little girl up as Connor grumbled about never going shopping again headed for his room. "What'cha reading?" Emma asked, pressing herself close to him to see the newspaper. "I'm reading about the LA Lakers winning another Basketball game" Angel told her. The toddler frowned and sank deeper into the couch, "Sports are no fun" she complained. Angel
chuckled, "Would you like to read about Charlie Brown instead?" Angel asked, remembering his son's favourite cartoon. "Snoopy too?" she asked excitedly. Angel laughed again and nodded while passing her the cartoons. Emma quietly read her cartoons for a little while before interrupting him again. "My Uncle Xander used to dance like Snoopy for Aunt Willow, but now they went away" Emma said sadly. Since Buffy didn't seem very forthcoming with details with Willow's death, Angel decided to ask Emma. "Where did your Aunt Willow go?" Angel asked her. "She went into the big bright light" Emma told him, "They went into the light and then Mommy wouldn't stop crying and Grandpa Hank said that they weren't coming back again, and then Mommy went away too..." the little girl trailed off as her tears became too much for her. Angel collected the shaken baby into his arms and rocked her as she kept crying. She lifted her head to look him in the eye, "Can you bring Aunt Willow and Aunt Dawnie back too?" she asked. He looked at her sadly and shook his head. She sniffled and nodded unhappily, "It's okay you brought Mommy back." He continued to rock her in his lap as she sat quietly. He looked down and saw that she'd fallen asleep, he pressed a soft kiss to her forehead. "Okay so I'm gone" Cordelia called only to get a reprimanding look from Angel. "She fell asleep" he whispered to the brunette. Cordy nodded and waved goodbye to him, "Buffy's in the offices." He nodded and watched as his friend left. Wes and Gunn had left before lunch since there was really nothing to do. Angel stood, careful not to jostle the little girl in his arms as he went to find her mother. "She doesn't know anything about it" Buffy said as he walked into the room. "Hmm?" he was confused, he hadn't said anything. "I'm `psycho slayer' remember, I heard you talking to her" Buffy said, it was strange to use you voice after not using it for so long. "You've always been sane, haven't you?" he stated. She shrugged but nodded slightly. Her back was still to him so he couldn't see the tears rolling down her cheeks. "Sometimes more sane, then others" she whispered. Angel set Emma down on the couch in the office. "What happened Buffy?" he asked her. The slayer whirled around to face him, he tears shimmering in the dimly lit room. "It was all for her" Buffy uttered miserably, "They were coming for her. Willow had checked the spell over and over again, and she was sure it would work. Dawn had insisted on helping. She said, she wanted to help with the wicca `cause she was lousy with a battleaxe. Spike was already on his way with Emma, to get her to Giles so I was to busy fending the demons off. Will told me that Tara was helping, but Tara wasn't, and then there was this big explosion and the light came and then they were dead." Buffy put a hand against her mouth to stifle the sobs that arouse at the painful memories. Angel looked on, unable to comprehend how he could make this any better for her. "I was falling fast, Angel. The only that kept me going was that I knew my Emma was okay, and safe. Then this note came, and it was filled with Spike's ashes, that was when my dad showed up and I was catatonic and suicidal and I don't blame him for putting me there. I guess at some point I realized that Emma had to be okay because the world was still turning and I was still alive, but by then I was so doped up on anti depressants and sleeping pills and whatever else that hell hole stuck me with that it didn't really matter anymore." Angel watched as she broke into tears again and he carefully folded the tiny slayer into his arms. "I'm so sorry" he whispered to her. Eventually she pulled away from him, "Wow, this is really a cry-fest for the Summers women today isn't it?" she quipped. Angel smiled his typical half smile. "So what did my favourite women pick up, at my expense?" he asked, distracting her attention from her sleeping daughter, to her shopping spree. "Nothing too expensive, don't worry" Buffy whispered, with a sad smile. Angel wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her against his side. "It'll be okay, she'll be safe here" Angel whispered against the top of her head. "No, she won't, that's the problem. She'll never be safe, Angel, and I can't stay. I'll just put all of you in danger" she whispered, another silent tear falling down her face. "Don't worry, she'll be safe here. And I won't let you let you leave me" Angel said turning to look her straight in the eye. "Connor has exactly the same fate as Emma. They're both wanted by all sorts groups, demon and people alike, but we'll stick together and we'll keep them safe." Angel lowered his head so his forehead rested against hers and their lips were just millimetres apart, "I promise" he whispered. She kissed him, hesitantly at first, then gradually building more confidence as he returned the kiss. Her arms came up to wrap around his shoulders as his own wrapped around her waist. When her need for air became apparent they broke apart, but still stayed within the comfort of each other's arms. Their quiet moment was broken as both their children called for them. Emma grunted and called for her mother as Connor shouted from the top of the stairs for his dad. They chuckled and pulled away, Angel leaving the room as Buffy lifted her groggy daughter rom the couch.
"I want this room" Emma declared opening the door with a little help from her mother and then running into the room beside Connor's. Buffy laughed as Emma crawled onto the old bed and began to bounce creating a huge dust cloud. "You want a little help cleaning it up first?" she teased. Emma pouted and flopped down onto the bed. Connor coughed as swiped the dust cloud away from his face. "Out of here for now, Emma. You need to let your Aunt Cordy and I in here to get it all set up for you first." Buffy told the toddler. Emma scowled and scrambled off the bed. "I get my own room, soon? And all my toys from Grandpa Hank's house?" she asked. Buffy nodded, though was a little apprehensive about the last part. "Connor, you have to go to school" Cordelia yelled at the bottom of the stairs. Connor grumbled and trudged from the room, but Emma cheered happily and ran out to wish her best friend a good day at school. Buffy was just shutting the door after the children when the door across the hall swung open. "You scared me" she exclaimed looking at a sheepish Angel in the doorway across from her. She smirked, then looked past him into the room he'd been using as of late. "Sorry about taking your room and all" she said gesturing into the room behind him. He shrugged and started to move towards the stairs. "Wow, you're real talkative in the morning, these days, aren't you" Buffy teased following him. "Uh, I was going to make up a room for Emma if that's okay" she called after him. "It's fine" he replied. "You okay?" she asked. "I'm fine" he answered. She watched from the doorframe as he poured himself a cup of coffee, "Obviously, something isn't fine" she commented, careful to control her voice, since he daughter was in the next room. "Nothing's wrong" he persisted. She huffed and shut the door after them. "I'm sorry, but I thought we were going somewhere after that kiss yesterday, but if you don't want us here then just say something" Buffy stated. Angel sat down in a chair, a heavy sigh escaping his lips, "It's nothing like that Buffy...I just....I need to know why" he said. "Why what?" she asked sitting across from him. Angel sighed again, "I need to know, why you slept with Spike" he whispered. Buffy shifted uneasily in her chair, "I could throw the same sort of question back at you, you realize" she commented. Angel nodded but he didn't back down. "I was lonely" she answered. He didn't say anything so she continued, "I had just got back and I was different. I wasn't sure I was me anymore. It was like I was on auto pilot and Spike appealed to that portion of me. It was easy, there didn't have to be heavy questions or feelings...just a good time. Or so we thought. Next thing I know, I'm expecting Emma and the only person I slept with is one of the un-dead, who supposably can't father children." "Then Giles found the prophecy" Angel supplied. Buffy nodded and smirked, "prophecies are a real bitch." Angel chuckled, "Connor's sort of the same story. I hit rock bottom, I didn't want to care anymore so I tried to lose it all...in her. In Darla." He had just uttered what he hoped he'd never have to tell her. Surprising both him and herself, Buffy stayed calm and neutral, but the betrayal was still there. "Then the prophecy is found and all the questions of why two vamps are having a baby is solved" Buffy stated. Before they could continue, "Daddy, a big green guy's here to see you" Emma announced from the doorway. "What'd you say?" Buffy asked her daughter. "A big green guy's here to see daddy" Emma repeated. "Ah, excuse me" Angel said walking past the toddler and out of the room, as confused as Buffy was, as to why Emma called him daddy. "Emma, come here, baby" Buffy said reaching for her daughter, then positioning the toddler on her knee. "Angel's not your Daddy, sweetie. He's Connor's Daddy" Buffy told the idealistic three-year-old. "I know, but you love him, so he'll be my daddy soon" Emma explained to her mother. "I do love Angel, but that doesn't mean he'll be your daddy" Buffy remarked. Emma shrugged and looked at her mother, "you'll see" the toddler said and then wiggled out her mother's lap and ran from the room.
"Hey, Lorne, anymore news of the demons you saw coming for Buffy?" Angel asked still sipping his coffee. "Yeah, they're in the city" Lorne stated monotone. "Big muscley, brownish kinda things?" Buffy asked entering from the office after Emma ran out and up the stairs. "That'd be them" Lorne confirmed. Buffy sighed and shook her head. "They're the same things that killed Spike and almost got Emma" Angel surmised. Buffy nodded tiredly. Lornefrowned, "It'll be okay, Blondie, I don't feel any death vibes comin' off anyone but the dead guy over there" Lorne assured her patting her shoulder gently. Buffy rubbed her temples, "I'm going to check on Emma" she whispered leaving the foyer and heading upstairs after her daughter. As soon as she was gone Angel hissed, "why didn't you tell me Emma was Spike's child?" "Would it have made a difference?" Lorne asked nonchalantly, while helping himself to a cup of coffee as well. "You know it wouldn't have" Angel replied. Lorne looked him in the eye, "Then don't let it bother you now Angelcakes" The vampire sighed and leaned back against the desk. "Do you have a name or location on these burly brown guys?" Angel asked. "They're called the Kyrak clan and their location would be....here" Lorne said as the doors burst open.
Part 7
Angel looked up as three large demons equipped with gleaming silver sabers stepped into the hotel lobby. Angel and Lorne were crouched behind the counter and Angel was grasping for the axe he kept on hand all the time. "Aim for the stomach" Lorne hissed as Angel jumped in to fight off the demons. He'd never seen this variety of demon before, but it was pretty damn intimidating. The skin was a putrid beige colour with pronounced brown veins running all over it's body. The demon was incased in a pair of brown leather pants and little more. "Hey ugly, looking for me?" he heard her voice call from behind him. All of the demons looked up as the slayer descended the large staircase carrying a crossbow and a larger sword. The Kyrak clan members kept their gaze upon her, the lead one spoke up, "Give us the baby and we will kill you swiftly slayer" he hissed. "What's the fun in that?" she asked firing a bolt into the gut of one of his followers and the demon promptly crumbled to the ground, and disintegrated into an even uglier mush. The lead demon leapt forward to avenge his brother while Angel kept the other demon out of the fray, just hoping that Buffy could still hold her own. The slayer and vampire fought tirelessly, kicking and punching and stabbing until Angel was finished with his demon and Buffy was still fighting with hers. "Where's Grawal, I never thought he'd miss this?"she grunted as she punched the demon once more in the stomach. The brown creature doubled over in pain and sank to his knees in front of her. "He is coming, and he will take both of them. Both your own and the vampire's" the demon promised her, coughing up his own blood. "I could kill you right now" she assured him with another swift kick to his abs, "but I won't." Angel looked on in confusion as Buffy hoisted the demon to his feet, "you would send me back as a warning for Grawal? It won't work" the demon stated. Buffy smirked at the demon, "you're not going anywhere" she hissed before cleaving his head from his body. Buffy carefully lifted the head from the floor the shoved her blade through the demon's abdomen. "What was that all about?" Angel asked coming to stand beside her. "I thought you weren't going to kill him?" Lorne asked from behind the desk. "For the all seeing demon dude you don't know much about Kayraks" she teased. Angel's gaze was pulled to the severed head his beloved still held, he watched as the demon's eyes snapped open. "You stupid bitch" the demon growled. "Hey there are children in this hotel" Buffy chastised, "and I don't think you're in much condition to be make comments like that." The demon growled again but made no more comments. Angel was still in shock as Buffy placed the head on his counter and looked it in the eye. "Start talking and talk fast" she hissed. The demon was silent. "You're dying anyway" she reminded him, gesturing to the base of his neck where he was beginning to disintegrate. "I'll never defy the order of the Kayrak, not to save to save two mortal children" the head swore. "Fine, then die as some sort of twisted hero" she told it as she cleaved it in two. "That should kill it too" Lorne commented as he stared at the two piles of demon goo. "Okay, eew" Cordy exclaimed walking in the door and looking at the demon mush at her feet. Cordelia glanced at the serious faces of the three people assembled in the lobby. A sob burst through Buffy's continence and she nearly fell to her knees with the force of her cries. "Cordelia, go check on Emma" Angel ordered as he went to comfort the slayer. Cordelia quickly headed upstairs to do as she was asked, with Lorne following closely behind her.
Cordelia looked down at the small girl on the bed. "They all deserve a break from this" Lorne whispered, as Cordy adjusted the blankets around the napping three year old. "Too bad they don't get one" Cordy remarked bitterly. Lorne ran a gentle hand over Emma's curls, "It's coming." Cordy had been absolutely shocked that the toddler had slept through the entire battle on the floor underneath her but then again the toddler was probably well adjusted to this. Cordelia and the brightly clothed demon slipped silently from the room. They walked back downstairs to find that Buffy and Angel were still cuddled on the floor but the slayer was now quiet. " So do we know what the uglies were?" Cordy asked while heading to run a demon scan in their database. "Kayrak clan," Lorne supplied, " burly. They're basically the muscle of the demon world." Buffy sniffled and shifted away from Angel. "Where's Emma?" she asked. "Asleep" Cordelia answered still surfing through the files. Buffy stood and headed for the stairs, " I'm going to make sure she's okay." Angel stood as well, watching as Buffy climbed the stairs and disappeared down the hallway toward his room. "I got something" Cordy announced, pulling Angel's attention back to the task at hand. "Kayrak clan, these our lovely mushy friends?" Cordelia asked pointing to the sketch that appeared on the computer screen. Angel and Lorne just nodded. As Cordelia and Lorne continued the research, calling Wesley to aid them , Angel distractedly cleaned his axe. The vampire was actually listening attentively for sounds on the floor above him. He could sense the steady heartbeats, and was tuned in to hear their breathing. "Hey Angel?" Cordy called, only to find the vampire dashing from the room, the axe clattering to the floor after him. Just as she started to question Lorne the shrill scream of a little girl broke from upstairs.
Angel entered his room to see Emma flung against her mother's chest. The little girl was pant heavily and her eyes were still wide in fear. "She okay?" he asked. Buffy looked over her shoulder and daughter's head and nodded slightly. Emma whimpered, "He's coming again, isn't he, mommy?" Buffy didn't answer but kissed her cheek. "He's not going to kill daddy like he did Uncle Spike, is he?" the little girl asked looking up at Angel. "No, I'm not going to die" Angel told the little girl. Emma pulled away from her mother and opened her arms to him. Angel walked to the bed. He lifted the little girl into his arms, which she clung to tightly. "Please don't go" she said. Angel rocked her slightly, kissing her crown. Cordelia and Lorne came into the room, they didn't ask any questions just sw that everything was okay and then left again, shutting the door after them. "They took Uncle Spike, they used their knives and then he was dirt and he didn't come back either" Emma said, despite her quivering lip, she didn't cry. Buffy gently rubbed her daughter's back, calming the toddler. "No one's going to die" Angel guaranteed the girl. Emma relaxed against him, "will you take care of my mommy?" she asked him. Angel looked over the girl's head into the emerald eyes of her mother. "I will" he promised, his gaze never leaving his beloved.
The rest of the evening went on without incident. Connor arrived home, he distracted Emma enough that she would leave Buffy or Angel's side long enough that they could do some real research. "Nothing" Wesley exclaimed slamming the book closed. Buffy tiredly lowered her head into her hands and sighed heavily. "This isn't looking good" she whispered to the other adults spread around the table. "So what do we know?" Fred asked trying to keep them all in pleasant spirits. "We know that they want Connor and Emma to bring forth their End of Days..." Cordy intoned. "That seems to be that they bring forth their god, who will kill anything that will give him sustenance...in other words, everything" Wesley added. "So what do they need for this ritual beside Angel's son and my daughter?" Buffy asked. "There is a ritual sacrifice to open the inter-dimensional pull and then as Emma and Connor are powerful beings they will be fed to the god to help him rebuild his power once he reaches his plain" Wes explained. "But why them, I mean why not just feed their master a plethora of demons, or a vamp fruit basket?" Gunn asked. "I believe they need to blood to be pure, and innocent, as well as powerful" Wesley answered consulting one of his tomes. "I can't take any more of this" Buffy hissed standing and throwing the chair against the far wall in her rage. "I don't want to play anymore of these games" she growled and looked at Wes, "I will kill every one of them before they touch my daughter, so you better find a more effective way to stop them before I go after them with a sword, and little else." With that comment, Buffy stormed from the room. The other's sighed and looked after her. "I'm kind of inclined to agree with her" Angel whispered. "Yes, well then, we best keep looking" Wesley remarked going back to his books.
After the sun set Angel decided to scan the area for more signs of the Kayrak clan, but found nothing. He returned to the Hyperion at midnight only to note that all of his friends have left for their homes, but a soft light spread from Connor's room upstairs, into the hallway. Angel silently headed upstairs to check on his son. Buffy sat in the corner of the room on the small chair from his desk. She looked on as Emma and Connor slept, the young boys arm wrapped protectively around the tiny girl. "Buffy, come to bed" he urged, noting the dark circles under her eyes. "I can't. That's when they came last time" Buffy answered, so softly that it strained his advanced hearing to catch her whisper. Angel entered the room and pulled the shaken slayer up from the chair. He placed his arm around her waist and lead her from the room, switching of the light as they went. "I promised nothing would happen to her" he told her. Buffy nodded against his chest still holding onto him tightly. Angel walked her to his room and waited in front for her to enter, but she didn't. "Stay with me?" she begged of him. Angel carefully opened the door and urged his beloved inside. Once they were inside the room and he'd left her side to turn down the bed, she asked, "Forever?" Angel looked back at her, "Forever's a long time, especially for us." The slayer nodded, "would you if you could?" Angel looked deeply into her eyes, "you know I would" he answered sincerely. She smiled slightly and walked to join him beside the bed. He lay down on the bed and she lay against his side. She loosely wrapped her arm around his waist and snuggled in to sleep. "I love you" she whispered groggily. "I know, I love you too" he answered, stroking her hair as she drifted off.
Part 8
Buffy woke still pressed against his cool chest. It was a familiar and comforting sensation, and she smiled lightly snuggling just a little bit closer to him. She could see the sun creeping in behind the dark, heavy curtains drawn over the windows. "That's no fair!" came Connor's yell from outside their door. Buffy groaned and looked up to see that Angel was still asleep a blissful smile adorning his face. She carefully got out of bed allowing Angel to keep sleeping as she went out to check upon their children. Buffy exited the room and headed down the hallway to Connor's room where he and Emma played a game of Candy Land. "What's wrong on?" Buffy asked seeing that Connor's face was set in a glare of annoyance directed at her own daughter. Connor looked at her and said, "she picked more then one card and then used the one that let her go farther." Emma ran over to her mother and looked up at her, a pout was in place and her eyes begged for lenience. "He did it too" she protested. Connor scowled at the little girl, "but Daddy let's me do that." Buffy cut off any further arguments, "Emma you need to only take one card and you play by the rules. Connor the rules have to be fair for both people so if you're going to do that you need to let Emma do that too." Both children hung their heads in defeat and went back to their game. "Connor, has your Aunt Cordy come in yet?" Buffy asked. Connor and Emma were concentrating on the game but the little boy shook his head. Buffy exited the room and headed down to the lobby to check for her. "Cordy?" she called into the offices but received no reply. Buffy looked down at the desk and spotted the same note Angel had read last night. She sucked in a deep gasp and headed for the stairs, "Angel" she yelled no longer caring if the children were awake or not. Said vampire promptly arrived at the head of the staircase, flanked by two startled children. "What is it, Buffy?" Angel asked. "Ritual sacrifice" she hissed and then pushed the letter into Angel's chest. She carefully shepherded the kids back into Connor's room as Angel read over the note and realized that the note neither sounded like something of his friends wrote nor was in any of their handwriting. `How could I have been so stupid?' He heard the door close down the hall and saw Buffy stalk toward him. "We have to do something" she whispered. Angel nodded but he couldn't speak. `They may already be dead because I didn't piece this together sooner' "we need help" she said and ran her hands through her hair roughly. "Lorne" he chocked out. She looked up at his and realization dawn upon her. "He wasn't here last night. he had to head back to the club. We need to reach him" she declared already running down the stairs and toward the phone. "Your dad" Angel remarked following down the stairs at a much slower pace. Buffy looked up from where she'd been skimming through the phone book, "what about him?" Angel looked at her seriously, he squelched the guilt he felt at abandoning his friends once again and tried to reason with the woman in front of him, "someone has to look after the kids." "You want to send our kids to the guy who put me in a home where I could never see my friends or any of my other family. I haven't seen my daughter in nearly a year because of him." she protested. Angel didn't reply, the point was logical, but he knew that she also realized the severity of leaving the kids unprotected with someone the demons knew to look for. She relented unhappily and left him to phone Lorne as she packed up the kids.
"Where are we going, mommy?" Emma asked as she looked on while her mother packed her things and Connor packed his own. "You're going to see Grandpa Hank again" Buffy told the little girl. Emma pouted, "but I want to stay with you and daddy." Connor paused in his packing, "I want to stay with you guys too" he complained. "I'm sorry guys but you can't. The bad men are coming and we don't want you guys to get hurt" she explained. The children nodded solemnly. `I wish they didn't know the drill this well' "What's your Grandpa Hank like?" Connor asked Emma. Emma looked seriously at her best friend, "he's mean. He's the meanest grandpa in the whole world." Buffy chuckled, she could remember times when a young Dawn would come storming into her room and complain that their dad was so mean because he said that she couldn't play with her toys in the middle of the living room while he tried to watch the football game. It was a regular occurrence while they lived at home with Dad. "You guys will be fine" Buffy assured the stricken looking little boy. They finished packing as Emma continued to complain about her grandfather. "Connor, why don't you go say goodbye to your dad" Buffy suggested once they had finished. Connor nodded nad dragged his large bag with him as he left the room Buffy sat on the small bed in Connor's room and pulled Emma into her lap. "I don't want to go" Emma insisted. "I know you don't" Buffy whispered in reply hugging her daughter tightly against her. "When will you and Daddy be back?" the tiny girl asked her mother. "Soon" Buffy whispered trying valiantly to appease her daughter's unspoken fears. "You promise?" Emma asked. Buffy looked down into her daughter's sapphire blue eyes, she nodded her assent. Emma didn't reply but hugged her mother tighter. The little girl seemed to know that this promise was one that her mother may not be able to keep. "We have to go" he mother said kissing her daughter's brow. Emma struggled to lift her bag and eventually gave up as her mother lifted both the child and the bag into her arms. Emma rested against her mother, trying to get as close to her mother as she could. This could very well be the last time she saw her mother, alive.
Buffy and Emma came downstairs to find Angel bidding goodbye to his son. Connor threw his arms around his father and then backed away to join Buffy and Emma. "Bye Dad" Connor whispered tears in his voice. `He knows too much for a four year old' Buffy took Connor's hand in her empty one and lead the boy out to Angel's vintage car in front of the hotel. Emma had fallen asleep against Buffy's shoulder, so she carefully lay the toddler in the passenger seat. Then helped Connor into the back seat, "will you and Dad be back into time for Emma's birthday?" the little boy asked. Buffy thought to the birthday that was coming up for her baby girl. "We'll try" Buffy assured him. Connor nodded confidently, and glanced over her shoulder. She known Angel had been watching them from the shadows of the lobby but didn't know that Connor had noticed. "You'll take good care of my Daddy, right?" Connor asked, some fear creeping into his tone. Buffy looked the little boy in the eyes, "you have my word" she swore. Connor accepted that with a nod then buckled himself into the backseat. Buffy closed the door after him and then head to the driver's seat. Angel watched from the doorway as the black convertible roared away. Once the car had disappeared around the corner he shrugged on his black leather duster and headed for the swear access beneath the hotel.
Buffy pounded on the white door of her father's townhouse. It was noon but she knew her father would be home. After a good long while of knocking the door was opened by a dishevelled Hank. The man's eyes widened at the sight before him then he pulled both his daughter and sleeping granddaughter into an intense hug. Buffy was shocked and didn't fight right away but she soon recovered and pushed Hank Summer's away. "I'm not okay with what you did, and I don't want your apologies and don't expect my forgiveness but I need your help" she hissed. Hank was taken a back as his daughter ushered a timid little boy in and then shut the door after them. "Dad this is Connor" she introduced. The little boy proudly suck out his hand and waited for Hank to shake it and he eventually did. "I need you to watch Emma and Connor for a while. I have some things I have to take care of" she stated. Hank nodded dumbly sinking onto the bench behind him in the small entranceway. Buffy grasped Connor's hand, "Let's go get you settled Connor" she remarked while leading the boy up the stairs still holding onto her sleeping daughter. "Oh!" the boy declared and then fiddled in his pocket. "Dad said to give this to you" Connor said handing Buffy the note once they were in Emma's bedroom. Buffy placed her daughter down on the bed before reading the letter. ~She needs you. Take care of him for me.~ "Shit" Buffy cursed under her breath. "Take good care of her for me, Connor" Buffy said to the little boy who nodded happily and smiled. She pressed a quick kiss to his crown then dashed from the room. She didn't even say goodbye to her father while she raced from the house and then tore away in the old black car.
Part 9
She blared around Los Angeles in the black convertible. The sun was sinking low in the sky before she saw the glowing marquee of Caritas. She slammed on the breaks and leapt from the car and ran into the building, pushing past many of it's patrons and running straight for the bar. She could feel the glare of many demon's eyes on her back as she demanded to see the Host. To say she was discomforted by the attention was an understatement. She was nearly ready to crawl out of her skin by the time Lorne came to meet her. "What can I help you with Blondie?" Lorne asked the petite slayer. Buffy didn't waste time with decorum or pleasantries. She slammed the demon against the bar and through gritted teeth hissed, "where is he?" The Host breathed heavily, having absolutely no desire to further enrage an incredibly pissed slayer he answered, "I heard the demons were out on the pier." Buffy's hand was quickly away from his neck and Lorne straightened and fixed his loud suit for the evening. "What the hell was he thinking?" she asked no one in particular. Lorne placed a gentle hand on her shoulder, "he'll be okay, the broody one has pulled through worse than this." Buffy sighed and swept her hair back from her face. "I have get out of here" she sighed and headed for the exit. Lorne watched as she threaded through the crowd, "Slayer" he yelled after her. She turned back to face him while the rest of the demon occupancy of the bar turned to face her. "Be careful, things aren't as clear as they seem" he warned. She smiled slightly, "they never are" she replied. Lorne could only look on as the crowd gave her a wide berth and she left the club quickly. "She gonna be okay?" the bartender asked for behind him. The Host turned and smiled at the young man, "she'll be just fine, Jason, she'll be just fine" the demon smiled secretly and glanced back at the door the slayer just exited.
The slayer pulled the car into a hasty stop in front of an abandoned concrete structure. The sun had set behind the LA skyline almost an hour ago now and Buffy noticed with a grim smile that the manhole lid was sitting haphazardly beside the hole in the dirt. She kicked the heavy cover into place as she walked past it. Taking a cue from the man she loved, she was dressed in all black a long leather coat trailing behind her. In the after rays of the sun she looked like a shadow sifting across the sand. The only thing that distinguished her as solid was the soft gleam of the silver sword she carried with her to approach the heavy iron door on the concrete structure. Once she was a foot away from the building she could hear the muffled sounds of a fight inside. The clanking of metal upon metal as two swords crossed, the grunts as another demon was dispatched of. Buffy decided to sneak in if all the demons were involved in a separate fight. She soundlessly opened the iron door and crept into the shadows of the building. She looked over the railing of the staircase to the fight on the floor below her. She noticed ruefully that this was an old missile containment centre. There was a deep chasm dug into the far side of the floor below her. Closer to her, Angel was fighting off three of the Kyrak clan. She watched his movements. He was as smooth as a panther as he leapt, kicked and spun brandishing the stolen saber of one of the other demons. She watched overhead as he rammed the hilt of the sword into the stomach of a demon coming up behind him then spun around and slammed the blade into the same spot. He looked the demon in the eye for a long second before yanking his sword free once again and watching the demon disintegrate. She happened to look over toward the cavern once again only to see a shadow break away from the rest and aim a gleaming crossbow at her lovers chest. Without hesitation she leapt over the railing as the bolt was fired. She landed to see the improvised stake slam through Angel's chest and him fall to the floor gasping in pain. She ran to his side, she gently skimmed her hands through his thick hair, cradling his head in her lap. "Oh God!" she lamented as she saw the stolen blood leak from his chest. The bolt had not pierced his heart but rather ran right through the opposite side. She noted wryly that the bolt was never meant to kill him, it was made of metal. She looked down at her beloved who was gasping painfully. "Don't" she whispered. He looked up at her, "I love you" he croaked. "You won't leave me, you can't" she whispered. Angel looked into her eyes, his pretense of breath fading, the blood still pooling around both of them. He went limp against her, "No, no, no!" she screamed at whatever would hear her pleas. The demon who had shot the arrow entered into the light. "Oh yes, slayer, I promised you once that everything you loved would be mine to destroy, and it still will be" Grawal hissed. Buffy looked up at the larger brown demon, his head adorned with a metal helmet that was cover in sharp spikes. "Did you miss the other vampire as much as you will miss this one?" he asked scornfully. Something akin to a growl tore from Buffy's chest as she lunged at the demon. Grawal sidestepped her swipe and watched as she clumsily regained her balance. "You're grief makes you stupid, and weak. It will be a true joy to watch you die" the ugly demon commented. Pulling the large sword from the scabbard on the inside of her coat Buffy beckoned him into the fight. "You can kill everyone I love but you'll never see our children" she taunted. "It is a shame that you will not be able to witness your children's demise and our master's glorious resurrection" Grawal countered. She brought her sword down hard against his. He met every one of her strokes with an equally powerful one of his own. "You fight for the wrong side, slayer, it is a pity you could help us readily" Grawal told her despite the strain it was to escape her blows. She didn't reply but kicked his legs out from under him. She raised her sword up to bring it down into his abdomen as he thrust up and embedded his saber in her own stomach. He watched as she toppled away and crumpled to the floor beside her fallen angel.
`"You can do better than that slayer" Grawal complained as he looked over her body spread haphazardly on the floor. She dragged herself to her feet and looked him in the eye. " I'm not done yet" Buffy hissed, trying to ignore the pain standing on her ankle caused her, as well as ignoring the blood that coursed for the many surface wounds along her arms and chest. Grawal smirked maliciously, and backhanded her squarely across the jaw, sending her toppling to the ground once again. "You shall miss your daughter's rise as my dark beauty. She will be incomparable, in strength and beauty, so like her mother. Yet, she shall fight for the side that will win this battle. And one day, when she is at her most lovely, I shall take her as my bride as was promised to me" Grawal. "Well, you should know in advance then, that I don't like you, and that my baby girl can and will do much better than you" Buffy retorted, hauling herself to her feet. Grawal growled at the insolence of the girl before him and reached out to strike again, but before he could a bright light knocked them both back to the ground. A knowing smile crossed her face and she looked the demon in his amber eyes, "looks like I win." The demon snorted his disgust but a slow smile spread over his face as he looked behind her to the still witch and girl by the entrance of the hellmouth. "Do not be so sure of yourself, I may have won by default" he warmed staggering to his feet and trudging away as Buffy pushed herself onto her back to catch her breath. She looked over to where Willow and Dawn should have been standing proudly against the black night, but instead was greeted with the grim visage of death in the form of two motionless bodies. Buffy crawled over to them and lay her head against Dawn's chest and then Willow's in turn. Neither body was warm or making the motions of life. Tears began to swim in her vision, while she ignored the truth of the matter. These two women, whom she loved as sisters, had sacrificed their lives for the sake of the world and for her own daughter. "It should have been me" the distressed slayer whispered, not moving from her place beside their bodies. A ragged sob tore it's way from her chest. Breaking the blanketing silence of the surrounding night. The stars continued their ghostly vigil as the slayer mourned for her lost family once again.'
"That was too easy" the hulking demon stated to the rowdy laughter of his counterparts. "Dispatch of them" Grawal directed to one of the lowlier demons. The demon quickly turned to the pair on the floor, only to find the vampire still there. "Uh, your lordship?" the minion asked. "What is it?" the older demon chastised angrily, "we have an apocalypse to plan." Before the younger demon could warn Grawal, he felt the cool metal of a sword to slide through his middle. "You forget, that wont kill me" she hissed over his shoulder. Grawal began to fall toward the ground the sword still running straight through him. The two remaining demons stared at her, "he will not like this" one told the other in a whispered. "I was kind of counting on that" Buffy interjected. She pulled her sword from the muck on the floor at her feet. The same muck that had once been their master. Her hand still covered the bleeding wound in her own abdomen. "Whose first?" she asked, casually examining the dirt on her sword. The two demons were determined if nothing else and soon charged her. Despite the nasty wound still leaking crimson onto her black top she fought them valiantly and quickly dispatched both of them. As soon as they had fallen the strain and blood loss became too much. As the adrenaline drained from her system so did the ability to stay standing. She promptly fell to her knees and crawled painfully to her angel. "Please wake up" she whispered. She glanced down at the pointed metal arrow in his chest. She couldn't stand to stare at the gory instrument of his death for long, and she ripped it from his chest. The blot made a loud clatter in the silence as it hit the far concrete wall. Her attention was drawn to his closed eyes. "Don't leave me. You promised." she whispered her voice broken by sobs. A clatter from the darkened corner of the room pulled her from his body. She never noticed the wound healing over in his chest. She climbed to her feet and staggered toward the shadows, grasping one of the demon's swords tightly in her fist. The shadow that Grawal had entered from, lead, in fact, to a separate room. Buffy pushed on the heavy iron door and it opened wider. She was no longer concerned with her own survival. The children were safe but her lover was dead, she didn't know if she could live with that knowledge that her lover had died in a battle that was her own to fight. Buffy looked into the darkened room. Her vision swam from the blood loss but she focussed long enough to see Cordelia, Wesley, Fred and Gunn attached to a wooden pike mounted in the floor. Without a word, she staggered into the room to set them free. She could tell the room was sound proofed, but never thought that she would miss the sound of her lover taking his first breath in nearly two hundred and sixty years. She crumpled beside her friends and fiddled with the knots with cold, blue fingers. She only then noticed how thick the coating of crimson blood on her fingers was. The mix of her blood along with his. Soon enough she had their restraints undone, and they were huddled around her. Wesley and Gunn were trying to stop the blood still pouring from her wound while Fred and Cordy looked on in fear. She pushed the two men away and hauled herself to her feet. Tears began to fall down her face as she struggled to reach Angel's side once again. He steps were slow and laboured as she headed for the door. The rest of the group stayed behind her, knowing she'd never let them help her. Besides, many of them had injuries of their own to attend to. Buffy reached the door before she pitched forward, falling into thetempting black
darkness. She never felt herself being caught by warm,strong arms.
Part 10
"When she arrived she had lost a lot of blood and she wasn't breathing on her own. We have placed her on a ventilator and she is stable, but we are still worried. If she can pull through the night, we may be able to take her off the ventilator tomorrow and in that case, we hope she'll make a full recovery" the doctor softly told Angel as they stood outside Buffy Summers' room at the hospital. Angel nodded painfully and ran a hand through his hair. "She shouldn't wake until tomorrow morning, and even then due to the large amounts of morphine she is on, there is little chance that she will be coherent," the ER doctor continued, "You can see her if you wish but not for long" Angel again nodded warily and sank against the wall. Everything he'd hoped his life would bring were being shattered once again. "She's a strong girl, and incredibly lucky that who ever stabbed her missed her major internal organs. If she's made it this long, another night shouldn't be too big a struggle. Someone up there must want to keep her here" the older man told him, placing a gentle hand on Angel's shoulder. `Someone down here wants to keep her here too.' "Go on in" the doctor whispered, urging him toward the grey hospital door and into the sterile room where his very life lay, possibly dying.
Angel spent the next twelve hours by her side. He couldn't take his hand from her dead grasp once he placed it there. He was so trained on feeling for any change in her grasp that he nearly missed it, when it happened. "Buffy" he whispered leaning in close to look into her green eyes as they fluttered open. The ventilator had been removed an hour ago, and now she was free to speak as she woke. "Angel?" she rasped painfully. "Ssh" he whispered grinning broadly at her and placed a gentle kiss to her cheek. Angel reached over her and hit the call button beside her bed. "Where?' she hissed, her face grimacing in pain as she hacked over her words. "You're in the hospital. You passed out after saving Wes, Fred, Cordy and Gunn" he told her still smiling. "You. You're dead" she whispered, trying to get her throat to work. "I'm very alive" he told her, taking her hand and placing against his chest to feel the steady beat of his heart and the warmth of his skin. She smiled broadly, and a tear of joy slipped over her cheek. Angel leaned forward and wiped the stray tear away with hi thumb then planted a soft, chaste kiss against her lips. "I see someone woke up" a nurse stated from the doorway, interrupting the quiet moment. "I'll just take your vitals and then I call Dr. Michaels to come check on you" she stated heading towards the EKG in the corner. "How long was I out?" she whispered to Angel as the nurse checked the other monitors and her chart. "About a day" he answered. "The kids?" she asked him. Angel smiled again, "they're fine. Cordy picked them up from your Dad's last night and took them back to the hotel with her" Angel assured her. Buffy nodded and relaxed back against the bed let her eyes drift shut and take in the moment. She stayed that way until the nurse excused herself to call the doctor. "So... human" she remarked, surprising Angel, who had thought she'd drifted off to sleep once again. "Yeah, human" Angel replied. He couldn't keep a grin off his face as he said it. "So I guess that means you're free for some picnics and walks in the park, with our kids, hunh?" she asked. "I think I can free up some time for that" he answered. A smile split across her face though she still had her eyes closed. "How are you feeling? Really." he asked. "Not too bad, it's like a day at the beach" she replied sarcastically, finally looking at him. He frowned causing her to regret her sarcastic statement, "it's pretty awful" she answered. "I'll ask to get you some more morphine" Angel told her. She smiled gratefully, "you spoil me" she remarked. He grinned, "well, that's what a true gentleman should do for a lady" he replied. "I see," she said. Before she could comment further the door swung open to reveal the same doctor from the night before. `Hello Miss Summers' how are we feeling today?" he asked cheerfully. "Like MAC truck hit me....repeatedly" sh rasped. "Well, we'll see what we can do about that" he responded jovially. She gave small smile and clasped her hand tighter around Angel's. "Janice said that your vitals were all good, so once I check out the wound and maybe administer some more morphine we can talk about what happened to you" he said. Buffy looked at Angel anxiously searching his eyes to know what his statement was.
After an hour long chat with Dr. Michaels to explain what happened with the man who stabbed her. Finally he left them in peace once again, assuring Buffy that he'd be back in an hour or two to check on her and suggesting Angel head home to get some sleep. "Do you want me to go?" he asked her, kissing the back of hand. "I'd be lying if I said yes, but you do need to go home and eat some real food, take a nap and I suggest a shower. You have to care of yourself now that you're human" she said sending him a small smile. "I should probably relive Cordy and maybe I'll bring Emma and Connor by, later" he suggested. She smiled at him, "that would be good" she whispered. "I love you" he whispered leaning in to kiss her lips. She moaned her displeasure when his lips left hers, "I'll miss you" she answered. He pressed a final kiss to her forehead and then left the room to head back to the hotel.
"Connor Patrick O'Hurley if you touch those papers..." Cordelia was warning as Angel walked into the Hyperion. There was a resounding clatter from the back office then the small boy came running from behind the large desk. The little boy was laughing hysterically, until he heard someone clear their throat by the door. The young boy slowly turned his head to see his father glaring at him. Connor tried his best to look sweet and innocent though he knew he'd already been caught. "Go help your Aunt Cordelia clean that up" Angel ordered. Connor feigned one more attempt at innocence, "clean what up?" he asked, trying desperately to keep the mischievous twinkle out of his mahogany coloured eyes. "Whatever it is that you knocked off the desk" Angel answered calmly. Connor pouted unhappily and stomped his foot before trudging back into the office. "Daddy?" a sad, tired voice asked from the top of the stairs. Angel saw Emma rubbing her tired eyes still clutching a stuffed pig to her chest, dressed in pink pyjamas, at the top of the stairs. Angel strode across the lobby and up the stairs to meet her. He lifted the drowsy toddler into his arms, "what is it, princess?" he asked her. "Is mommy hurt bad?" she asked. He looked into her clear blue eyes, "no, darling, your mommy's okay." Emma grinned happily and laid her head against his broad shoulder, "you're my mommy's angel. You always make sure she comes home" Emma whispered sleepily. "You still tired?" he asked the little girl. He didn't receive an answer because she'd already dozed off again. "I'll take that as a yes" he whispered, pressing a soft kiss to her head. Angel carefully carried her back to Connor's room, and put her in the extra bed in there, when she opened her eyes again. "Will mommy come home from the hospital soon?" she asked before he could leave the room. "I don't know, princess. I hope so" he answered in a whisper. He watched as she nodded then went back to her blissful sleep.
A week later Buffy was discharged from hospital, though still confined to bed rest to make sure that she didn't over do herself and rip her stitches. Angel was seeing to it that every possible effort had been made to make her life as easy as possible. He'd driven her home from the hospital, and carried her upstairs to his room then put her into the bed adjusting the pillows so they were just right. "God! I'm not going to break" she exclaimed as he adjusted her bedding for the fiftieth time. "I'm sorry. I just want to make everything perfect for you. I don't want you to get hurt" he explained. "Don't worry. You're here, so everything id of the good" she assured him. A smile crept across his face. She opened her arms to him, and he gingerly stretched himself out beside her, careful not to jostle her too much. She snuggled against him, grimacing slightly as the movement stung her wound. "Are you sure you're okay?" he asked, pulling back to inspect her. "Yes" she answered. "I just wanted to-" He was cut off when she forced her lips against his. He shifted to pull her against him once again as they lay in his large bed. She pulled away from him eventually. "I told you this was of the good" she whispered, snuggling herself against his chest. "And as always, you were right" he relented, chuckling softly.
Epilogue
"Happy 12th Birthday, Baby" Buffy said as she handed her daughter the box wrapped in baby blue wrapping paper. "Thanks Mom" she said take the gift and placing it on the table in front of her. "What is it? What is it?" Jackson asked, bouncing on the balls of his feet trying to see what his sister was unwrapping. "Hold on!" Emma complained pulling the box away from her brother's prying hands. "Jackson, it's Em's Birthday, she get's to open her presents" Angel told his son. Jackson sank down to his regular height and crossed his arms over his chest, "well, she should hurry up" he argued. "Oh! Thanks Mom and Dad!" Emma squealed as she revealed the new MP3 player from the wrapping paper. Emma leapt out of her chair and bounced happily hugging her cherished new item to her chest. "This is the best!" she exclaimed. Angel laughed as Emma tore out of the room to phone one of her friends, no doubt. "She left one, behind. Can I have it?" Jackson asked his parents. "No, your birthday isn't for four more months" Buffy reminded him. "Yeah, but Connor had birthday, and Emma had a birthday, then Katie get's a birthday, how come mine has to come last?" the six year old whined. "That's just the way it worked out" Buffy told. Jackson huffed his displeasure and then stormed from the room, more than likely trying to make trouble for his older sister. "Okay, so I put in family time, can I go now?" Connor asked impatiently from his place at the table. "Yes, you can go" Angel told him. "Right, thanks" he remarked. Connor bent over and kissed his mother's cheek then headed to leave the house, "I'll be home by ten, Gunn's picking me and Dave up at the cinema" Connor reminded them before he left. The only sound left was Katie's soft snoring as she slept in her high chair. "You think we'll miss them when they've all left us?" Buffy remarked still looking at the door three of her children had just vacated. "Yeah, I guess, but that doesn't mean we won't be happy when they're gone" he reminded her, kissing along her shoulder. She laughed softly, " that's true." "So, Katie's two, that means... we have about sixteen years until we're all alone again" he calculated. He continued to nibble along her earlobe. "Think we can make it?" he teased. Before she could reply, all chaos broke loose. "Mom!" "Mommy!" came two angry shouts from upstairs which startled, and woke Katie who was sleeping beside them. "We'll see" she replied, getting up to head for the fight erupting upstairs. "We'll see" Angel repeated while he picked up Katie, soothing her once again.
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