|
Title: Kiss and Tell--Volume III--A Timeless Kind of Love
Author: Desdemona
Rating: R for course language, etc. Must be some NC-17 bits in there
somewhere.
Summary: A challenge from Amy. AU. After An Ordinary Affair, life
continues, and brings a new adjustment with it.
Spoilers: As I said AU. However, you'll need to read Kiss and Tell,
as well as, An Ordinary Affair, first.
Disclaimer: They aren't mine. If they were mine, you think anything
after season 3 would have happened. Well...yeah, IWRY would have
happened but that's it.
Distribution: Want it? No, don't joke with me. You want it? Fine,
take it! It's yours, just tell me where it's going. Hopefully, will
get up on my site eventually, and is open to Land of Denial.
Author's Note: Hah! I have returned again, and as I promised things
are getting posted. For those of you who were asking, I'm sorry but
as always, RL is being a bitch.
**********************************************************************
-1-
"How was your first day of maternity leave?" Angel asked as
he stepped into the chilly house he'd grown accustom to over the past
weeks. "Boring" she yelled back from the living room. Angel threw his
things down by the door and went to find her lying on the couch
dressed in a tank top and shorts. `How she could ever be warm enough
to wear that I will never know.' "How's Aidan?" he asked perching on
the side of the couch to look down on her. She had been reading some
trashy magazine but was now staring up at him. "We're both fine" she
replied with ease, already interpreting the next question would be if
she was okay. This was a frequent question and answer over the last
weeks. She was due in two weeks and Angel was still clamouring to
have every one of her needs met. "Can I get you anything?" he asked
anxiously. Buffy smiled, "No. I'm fine." "I have to go shower" he
started. Carefully, Buffy lifted herself up onto her elbows on the
couch. "I'm not going to hold you back" she told him with a
grin. "Care to join me?" he teased. "We both won't fit," she
replied, "besides I've been liking my showers decidedly cooler
recently." Angel carefully pressed his face into her neck, kissing
the warm flesh there. "As have I" he returned smugly. She cracked a
wry grin at his response. "I'm thinking it's been for different
reasons" she replied though the thought ended in a moan as he sucked
on her neck. "Are you sure about that?" he asked. "Not anymore" was
the reply as she pulled his face down to hers. Mutual molesting of
mouths resulted for a few moments before Angel pulled away. "I really
have to shower, and then I can make you dinner" he stated. She pouted
but nodded her head. "I'll be back before you know it" he whispered
in her ear before kissing her cheek and bounding up the stairs. `At
least two more months of celibacy may be hard pressed to accomplish
at this rate.'
It was Friday, and as such, they traditionally watched the
old movies that ran on television that night. Buffy was sprawled
along the floor using a pillow to support her head as Angel walked in
with their popcorn. Angel lay beside her pulling her into his
arms. "Mmm" she moaned happily snuggling back against his body. Angel
flipped on the movie which happened to be Dirty Dancing. Far from one
of his favourite movies but it would keep Buffy happy so he
watched. "Can you believe Oz and Will are getting married tomorrow?"
Buffy asked pressing herself against him more fully. "They've been
grinning like idiots for the last week" Angel replied feeling his
body respond to her actions. "Yeah, but we'll probably grin for
months after Aidan is born" she returned oblivious to her effect on
him. He didn't answer her, merely enjoying her scent and feel flow
over him. "He's going to have so many pictures taken it's not even
funny" she continued. "Aidan will be fine" Angel answered finally.
His girlfriend was too far along her pregnancy to force the issue,
even if they'd agreed to start sleeping together again, but God did
he want to fuck her right now. "When are Cordy and Doyle getting
here?" she asked. With only a few weeks left to go, Cordelia and
Doyle were heading down to California. They were the only family
Angel truly had, so she was grateful to have them. "Another week"
Angel replied tersely. Buffy's eyes flashed wicked as she felt him
press his rampant arousal into the small of her back. She gently
pressed back against him again, hearing his soft hiss of
pleasure. "So, I was thinking maybe we should let Cordy and Doyle
stay here, I mean their practically your family. They could have one
of the extra bedrooms or even the apartment downstairs." Buffy
continued babbling as she ground back against him. Angel had lost
coherent though patterns a while back and was now just making
agreeable noises. "Maybe they could stay a while, I'm sure Cordelia
and I will get along fine and well I don't know much about him, but
Doyle could be hot. I really dig the accent" she murmured. He pressed
back against her soft flesh for a moment before the statement broke
his lustful haze. He stiffened causing Buffy to laugh softly and give
him a teasing smirk. "Just checking to see if you were actually
listening" she told him. "You have no idea how not funny that truly
was" returned flatly. "I thought it was funny" she returned with a
grin. Angel didn't answer just rolled her onto her back before
kissing her fully. His lips made their way down her neck and along
her collarbone. Teasingly, he traced her delicate bones with the tip
of his tongue. "What I would give to fuck you right now" he whispered
against her heated flesh. She moaned her approval of the statement.
Angel slowly worked his way back up her neck and returned to her full
flushed lips before pulling away. "How long after you have Aidan?" he
asked. "Six weeks" she replied brokenly. "We're going to be taking a
lot of cold showers" he predicted.
-3-
A week passed slowly but without incident. Buffy steadily
getting less and less sleep which was making her more and more
irritable, which was making Angel get less sleep and more irritable,
ultimately making Angel's employee's and colleagues hope that baby
came sooner than later. Which was the case when late Thursday morning
Angel answered his phone. "Hello, Angel speaking?" he answered with
half his attention on the phone and half on the layout on his desk.
If he'd glanced at the caller ID he might have had less of shock when
he heard her voice. "Angel, I kind of think I'm having some serious
contractions" Buffy replied, point blank. "What? Since when? How far
apart?" Angel rushed as he stood from his desk to grab his
stuff. "Since just after you left for work and about every...uh..."
he heard her grunt as a contraction came over her, "ten
minutes." "Okay, I'll be home in fifteen minutes okay? Call me on my
cell if anything changes. She made a sound of approval she hung up
the phone. Grabbing his bag and telling his secretary where he was
headed Angel took off from the office as fast as he could.
Speeding, Angel got home in just over ten minutes. He found
her spread on the couch, panting harshly and whimpering pathetically.
He stopped and crouched beside her. "You okay?" he asked softly. She
nodded though her body was tense with pain. "I'm going to get your
bag and then we'll be out of here. Just hold on, sweetie" he
whispered pressing a kiss to her forehead and then dashing upstairs.
As the pain ebbed her body relaxed and she sank into the couch she
listened to Angel's heavy footsteps on the floor above. Returning
mere seconds later with her black duffel bag tossed over his
shoulder, Angel gently lifted her from the couch and walked her to
his car parked haphazardly in the driveway. "And you complain about
my parking" Buffy muttered to him. He made a non committal grunt
before helping her into the passenger seat. He threw her bag in the
back seat and then after locking the door to the house returned to
the car."This really isn't a family car" she told him running her
hand over the leather interior. "We'll get you a nice family car" he
teased. "Oh thanks" she quipped before her face turned to a pained
scowl again. Grabbing her hand in one hand and keeping the other on
the wheel, Angel backed the car out of the driveway and navigating it
quickly to the hospital.
Buffy smiled happily as she glanced at the drugs in the IV
beside her. `I love the guy who invented epidurals.' "Feeling
better?" Angel asked with a small smile lighting his face. "You have
no idea" she returned. He chuckled softly at her statement. "You look
tired" she told him. After waiting ten hours excruciating hours at
her side, who wouldn't be. For someone so small she was very strong
when she was in pain, and the deep red gouges in his hand where her
nails sunk in could prove it. "Go get a coffee" she persuaded, " the
doctor said it would be at least another hour before any of the
action started." A soft knock interrupted his answer. Giles pushed
the door open slightly, and looked into the room. "Buffy, how are
you?" he asked. "I'm fine Giles, but we're getting down to the wire
now" she informed him. Giles stepped farther into the room, nodding
his hello to Angel who was perched beside her bed. Buffy stopped and
took a few deep breaths as she felt a contraction come over her. The
epidural was beginning to wear off, but since they were expecting her
to deliver within a couple of hours there was nothing they could do
about it. The contraction lessened and she opened her eyes to see
Angel hovering over her intently. "Go get a coffee," she
whispered, "Giles is with me and you will be back in five minutes.
Besides, Aidan can wait at least that long. I don't want him spoiled
even before he's born." Angel cracked a weary smile and slowly left
the room to get the coffee she insisted, and the one he sorely
needed. "A little anxious, I take it" Giles surmised. "We both are"
she replied. Buffy glanced down at the long string of computer print
out pilling beside her. She saw another contraction building slowly
and mentally prepared herself for it. Gritting her teeth and
breathing through the pain was all she could do now. " Are you sure
you're quite alright?" Giles asked tensely, ready to spring into
action if necessary. The life long bachelor had no experience in
delivering babies, not that she was any better. " The doctor checked
me about fifteen minutes ago and thought it would still be another
hour" Buffy told him. Giles nodded relaxing enough to sink into one
of the chairs beside her bed. " How was work today?" she
asked. "Faith threw away another of our top clients while on one of
her rants" Giles answered with resignation coming into his
eyes. "Could you pull them around with another exec?" she asked
hopefully. "Actually, they'd been hoping to work with you. They saw
the campaign you did with Angel in England, and wanted to hire the
two of you to advertise their new chain of stores" Giles reported to
her. "Really, what store?" she asked excitedly, almost forgetting she
was in labour and would be on maternity leave for the next eleven
months. " It was a chain opening in Paris, I believe it was
called `Verre Noire.' They sold antique jewellery and such" he
explained. "I'm not exactly going to Paris any time soon, now am I?"
she remarked dejectedly. "They settled for Faith, rather unhappily.
Then, for her to react as she did. Well, needless to say I doubt
they'll be coming back even for you or Angel" Giles finished. Buffy
groaned in pain as another painful contraction swept over her, this
time unannounced. As the drugs wore off the contractions were getting
progressively stronger. As she took deep breaths through the pain
Angel returned with his coffee and with his free hand took one of
hers. Giles at the same time slipped from the room, telling Angel
that he'd be in the waiting room if there was any news.
"Congratulations, a healthy happy baby boy" Dr. Montero said
over the sounds of the squalling baby and Buffy's exhausted sigh. The
doctor quickly placed the baby on Buffy's chest and nurses surrounded
him, cleaning him and trying to keep him warm. The anxious parents
took their first look at their child. "He's beautiful" Buffy
whispered as she stroked his cheek happily. Angel bent down and
pressed a quick kiss to her cheek before examining his son
again. "He's got you're eyes" Angel told her. "And the rest of him
looks like you" she surmised with a smirk on his face. Angel looked
at the tiny baby that was finally settling on his mother's chest, he
had a wet mop of dark head, and his dark green eyes were squinted
shut as he tried to adjust to the light room. "We're going to have to
take him for just a moment so he can get weighed and checked over by
a doctor but he'll be back in a few minutes" a friendly nurse told
them as she lifted the baby into her arms. Buffy nodded, looking
delighted but utterly exhausted. "Does he have a name?" the nurse
asked before leaving the room. "Aidan Brynn O'Leary" Angel supplied
for nurse, already acting every bit the proud father. The nurse
smiled politely and left the room cooing softly to baby Aidan. Angel
looked down at his girlfriend and smiled, she was fast asleep. He
pulled a chair up beside the bed once more, and took a seat. Gently
he pushed a strand of hair off of her forehead. She groaned and
opened her eyes slightly, "just so you know, Aidan will not be having
any siblings for quite a while." Angel chuckled, pressing a soft kiss
to her crown, before replying "we'll see."
-4-
Angel pushed open the door to their home as Buffy carried the
precious bundle that was their son. Aidan was happily dozing in his
mother's arms. His tiny fist was curled up by his mouth and his head
of dark hair was nestled comfortably in his mother's cleavage. A few
friends were crowded in the front hallway. "He's beautiful" Willow
whispered as she came closer and gently traced the side of Aidan's
face. Buffy smiled happily at the compliment. Angel was busy setting
down both Aidan and Buffy's things. He watched as all the women
surged at Buffy, `oohing' and `awwing' at his son. "He's already a
ladies man" Doyle commented to his long time friend. "Did you expect
anything else?" Angel mock boasted. Doyle laughed. "I just hope my
princess doesn't set her mind on a wee one of her own" Doyle remarked
as he watched his girlfriend hold the tiny boy and coo to him in his
sleep. "Our Cordy? I think you'll be safe for a while. She'd rather
play with my children until they're wet or dirty, then she'll give
them back." Angel assured him. Sure enough, Aidan soon realized he
was no longer with his mother and promptly wailed until he was passed
back. The baby's dark green eyes shifted uneasily around the room, he
wasn't used to this many people at once. He was only three days old
and this was his first adventure outside the hospital walls. "I think
he's hungry, excuse me" Buffy stated before carefully climbing the
stairs to the nursery. " Congratulations, Angel. He's quite a
handsome little boy" Giles commented. Angel nodded his thanks. "He
looks just like his father" Cordelia announced. "Don't say that,
you're insulting the poor lad" Doyle returned. Everyone laughed for a
moment. "We should go, I know Buffy probably wants to settle in
again" Giles interjected. The group of friends nodded and started
heading towards the door. "We'll see you later, daddy" Cordy teased
as she kissed Angel's cheek then breezed from the house, dragging
Doyle with her. Giles left at that time as well. "Congratulations,
Angel. Tell Buffy I'll call her tomorrow" Willow requested before she
and Oz left the house.
Angel closed the door after them then picked up the bags at
the foot of the stairs and headed for the nursery. Buffy sat in the
rocking chair they'd purchased, with Aidan at her breast. "What was
that about?" he asked her softly. She looked up at him, "Nothing. He
needed to be fed." "He would have been fine for a little longer, and
you know it" he stated. She didn't reply, and returned her attention
to her son. "They just wanted to see Aidan, and welcome you home" he
reminded her as he moved to crouch in front of her. "I know" she
mumbled, finally glancing up at him, " I want them to see Aidan, just
why did thy have to come today when I'm all ugly and dirty and fat...
Can't they wait a few months until I look better?" she ranted, ending
with a pout on her lips. Angel smiled softly at her dismay. "You look
beautiful, and even if you didn't, you just had a baby, I think they
can understand" he returned. She scowled. "Why don't I put Aidan to
bed once he's finished and then you can go take a long hot bubble
bath. I'll bond with him while you're having your bath" Angel
suggested. A grin split her face, "This is why I love you. You're so
thoughtful" she exclaimed. Angel leaned in and gave her a gentle
kiss. "I try" he whispered against her lips.
Once Aidan had finished feeding and had been placed securely
in his father's arms, Buffy hurriedly headed for the bathroom to
enjoy her first taste of alone time in days. Angel watched her leave
before glancing back to his son. " I'm going to take good care of you
and your mommy," he whispered to the infant. Aidan stared back at his
father with sleepy green eyes. "You and your mommy mean everything to
me and I'll always make sure that you two are okay. Forever." Angel
made this solemn pledge to his son while rocked him to sleep. The
baby seemed reluctant to drift off, trying to take in everything
around him, the sound of his father's voice, the warmth of his
father's arms, the very feeling of security and love that surrounded
him. "Sleep my sweet Aidan," Angel whispered to his son before
placing him in the bassinette and turning on the baby monitor. He
left the room, leaving the door just slightly ajar, and crossing to
the master bedroom.
Aidan wasn't a fussy baby, but he had tended to enjoy the
constant lavish amount of attention he'd received over the past few
weeks. " Ugh, I'm coming Aidan" Buffy called down the hallway as she
walked toward her son's room. The crying continued only getting
louder as her son waited for his lunch. Three weeks had passed and
Buffy had given up trying to do everything around the house and take
care of Aidan. Her first week she'd run herself rampant and nearly
had a breakdown. What little got done each day was as good as it was
going to get. Aidan was ten times more important than if the house
was spotless. Finally Aidan spotted his mother coming through the
door and the crying subsided to mewls as he was lifted from his crib
and was given his mother's breast. "There you go, buddy. It's all
better now, isn't it" Buffy murmured to her son, as he sucked happily
getting all the sustenance he could want. She heard the front door
open downstairs before Angel called for her. "In Aidan's room" she
called back. She listened as her boyfriend climbed the stairs and
walked down the hall towards them. "Hey, sweetie" Angel greeted as he
stepped into the softly lit nursery where she sat in the rocker
feeding Aidan. "How's my little guy?" he asked as he came closer and
ran a finger along the baby's cheek. "Hungry," Buffy answered, "but
we're fixing that." Angel watched as Aidan's tiny hand came up and
caught his finger holding it in a tight grasp. The baby's eyes cut to
glance at his father quickly before returning his attention to his
meal. "How about you? Are you hungry?" Angel asked. Buffy smiled
gratefully, "I could go for a sandwich." Angel smiled back, "I'll fix
that for you then madam. As you feed our hungry boy up here, I'll
prepare our lunches downstairs." Angel gently pulled his index finger
from his son's grasp, "Enjoy it while it lasts, little man. It'll be
a while before you get these kind of privileges again" Angel
whispered to his son. Buffy mock glared at him, "He's not even a
month old yet, don't start teaching him about foreplay" she
chastised. "It's never too soon, my love. Or so I've heard" Angel
returned before leaving her with their son. "Ignore you're father,
sometimes he forgets he's supposed to think with his brain" she told
her son.
TBC...
|
