RATING: PG-13, a little bit of angsty fury, but nothin you bitty Angel fans couldn't
handle.
FEEDBACK: I love feedback. Hit the little review button or drop me a line at
starberrydreamer@hotmail.com.
IN A NUTSHELL: I actually wrote this a few weeks ago, but never posted
because I like to finish the story before I post (to avoid posting backups). I went through and edited it to coincide with 'Waiting in the Wings' and the relationships that flowered there. G/F, A/C, eventual W/F, but no Groo...I don't know him enough to really write him. Mostly Wesley's lament. And now, I lay my newest story upon the board...
The Gods are to Blame
Cordelia's eyelids were heavy. She let them close for only a second before they snapped back open. She blinked a few times and rubbed her eyes. Looking down, she smiled and stroked the soft hair atop the sleeping babe's head. She leaned down and kissed his forehead.
"Sleep well, kid." She stood up, grateful that Connor had gone to sleep and she could finally get to bed herself. She pulled down the corner of the covers in Angel's bed and sat, kicking off her shoes. She yawned and laid down, closing her eyes.
Angel quietly stepped into the room. He looked around, seeing Cordy in his bed. He smiled and walked towards Connor's crib. The baby boy smiled up at him and giggled. Angel lifted a finger and shushed the child. Connor's giggle was suppressed to a smile as his father lifted him from the crib.
"Let's give Aunt Cordelia a rest, huh?" He whispered as he carried Connor from the room. He shut the door behind him, making only the tiniest click.
Cordy rolled over, sleep having consumed her. She yawned again and mumbled softly in her sleep, as if dreaming.
"Wes...leave...no..." She mumbled. The words flew away, never to be heard by ears, living or dead. She rolled over again and cuddled against the pillow.
* * *
Wesley had never been the staring type, but there was something about Fred. She captivated him. Every move she made spoke volumes to him. He smiled to himself as she bent to pick up a paper that she had dropped. Fred turned and caught Wesley's eyes with hers. The two quiet souls blushed, their red faces screaming in embarrassment. Fred turned back and continued with her business, ignoring the impulse to say anything. Wesley removed his glasses and cursed himself, suddenly remembering why he was not the staring type.
The back door slammed shut and footsteps came down the stairs. Recognizing the pattern of the walk, Wesley directed himself into his office and shut the door, leaning against it. With a sigh, he rubbed the bridge of his nose and thought bad things to himself. He sat for only a moment before finally deciding it was childish to pout. Wesley stood and opened the door, his eyes landing on Fred. She was across the room, her arms flung around the back of a man's neck. The man was tall and muscular, his dark brown skin contrasted with her milky-white complexion. Charles Gunn lifted her off her feet for a moment as he kissed her, causing her to giggle against his lips.
Wesley closed his eyes for a second and took a deep breath. He remembered the first time he'd seen them together.
* * *
Fred was dressed in a beautiful burgundy gown, her hair up on top of her head. A few curls dripped from the bun on the back of her head. She sat across from him, wrapping his wound. She was almost to tears.
"...one last kiss..." Gunn whispered.
Their lips met, shattering Wesley's heart. He walked away, not being able to watch it any longer. The sword he carried fell to the ground with a metallic clamor. Then it was his turn. He fell to his knees, in a rented tux. He couldn't think, couldn't move, couldn't breathe. He had lost her.
* * *
After neither of them noticed him, he cleared his throat. His face was bright red, but this time, it was not from embarrassment.
Fred jumped first, but Gunn held onto her. His arm was draped lazily around her waist.
"Oh, hey Wes. Didn't see ya come in." Gunn smiled.
Wesley nodded with a forced smile. Ever since Gunn and Fred had started dating, Wesley had become a man of few words - with everybody. He was afraid that if he opened his mouth, every thought on his mind would fly out and he'd lose all his friends, colleagues, and Fred. He'd lost Fred's love, but he wouldn't be able to bear losing the sight of her. Her soft brown eyes, the curls of brown hair that cascaded down her back. He'd only held her in his arms but a few times, but Wesley still knew that her skin was soft as rose petals. She smelled of soft lavender and jasmine. A scent that Wesley hadn't smelled since he had journeyed as a child to Tibet with his father...his father. All of the hatred that was bottled up about his father made the heartache worse every time he saw *his* Fred in the arms of *that* man. He nodded again.
"I'll be in my office if you need me," he said quietly. He turned around and headed back into the office, closing the door behind him.
Gunn turned back to Fred and smiled, lowering his lips to hers again, brushing against them gently.
"Where were we?" He whispered.
Fred pulled from Gunn's grasp. "Charles...there's something wrong with Wesley." She wrung her hands nervously.
"Of course there is. He's British." Gunn chuckled to himself. When Fred didn't respond, he frowned. "I was kidding, Fred. I love Wes...he's like my brother. But I think maybe he's just having conflicts with his family again. You know he doesn't like to talk when he's having problems."
Fred nodded, but didn't listen. She sighed, wrapping her arms around her body. She rubbed her arms nervously.
Gunn rubbed his lover's back gently. "Believe me, he's fine. Just give him some space." He brushed some of her soft brown curls to one side of her neck. He leaned down and kissed the exposed side. "And when he's feeling better, we'll tell everyone the good news."
Fred turned around with a slight smile. "Yeah...yeah. We'll do that." Her smile brightened and she kissed his cheek.
Angel walked in, Connor in his arms. The baby boy kicked and giggled as his father tickled his tummy.
Fred sighed, leaning against Gunn's body. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed the top of her head. Fred couldn't believe how happy Angel was when he was with Connor. She'd seen many fathers with their children, but none were this happy. Like all children, Connor was a blessing. Unlike most children, this particular blessing had been born to two parents who had no pulse. No life. Connor was a miracle rather than just a blessing.
Angel looked up. "This guy gives his Aunt Cordelia fits." He hoisted the child up over his head with a smile. "Don't you?" He laughed and nuzzled the baby boy's nose with his own.
"He gives us all fits. We're tryin' to sleep on late nights out and he cries enough to wake the dead." Gunn laughed.
"He does, technically." Fred giggled.
Angel sniffed the air for a moment. "Whoa...you need changed." He took the baby in his little Notre Dame sleeper back towards his room.
Gunn watched Angel leave, wondering what Fred was thinking about. That baby had changed all their lives. They'd never be the same. Gunn didn't see how something that only cried and needed changed all day was such a big deal. It was a baby. The only thing it caused was more trouble. He shrugged and walked to the refrigerator for a drink.
handle.
FEEDBACK: I love feedback. Hit the little review button or drop me a line at
starberrydreamer@hotmail.com.
IN A NUTSHELL: I actually wrote this a few weeks ago, but never posted
because I like to finish the story before I post (to avoid posting backups). I went through and edited it to coincide with 'Waiting in the Wings' and the relationships that flowered there. G/F, A/C, eventual W/F, but no Groo...I don't know him enough to really write him. Mostly Wesley's lament. And now, I lay my newest story upon the board...
The Gods are to Blame
Cordelia's eyelids were heavy. She let them close for only a second before they snapped back open. She blinked a few times and rubbed her eyes. Looking down, she smiled and stroked the soft hair atop the sleeping babe's head. She leaned down and kissed his forehead.
"Sleep well, kid." She stood up, grateful that Connor had gone to sleep and she could finally get to bed herself. She pulled down the corner of the covers in Angel's bed and sat, kicking off her shoes. She yawned and laid down, closing her eyes.
Angel quietly stepped into the room. He looked around, seeing Cordy in his bed. He smiled and walked towards Connor's crib. The baby boy smiled up at him and giggled. Angel lifted a finger and shushed the child. Connor's giggle was suppressed to a smile as his father lifted him from the crib.
"Let's give Aunt Cordelia a rest, huh?" He whispered as he carried Connor from the room. He shut the door behind him, making only the tiniest click.
Cordy rolled over, sleep having consumed her. She yawned again and mumbled softly in her sleep, as if dreaming.
"Wes...leave...no..." She mumbled. The words flew away, never to be heard by ears, living or dead. She rolled over again and cuddled against the pillow.
* * *
Wesley had never been the staring type, but there was something about Fred. She captivated him. Every move she made spoke volumes to him. He smiled to himself as she bent to pick up a paper that she had dropped. Fred turned and caught Wesley's eyes with hers. The two quiet souls blushed, their red faces screaming in embarrassment. Fred turned back and continued with her business, ignoring the impulse to say anything. Wesley removed his glasses and cursed himself, suddenly remembering why he was not the staring type.
The back door slammed shut and footsteps came down the stairs. Recognizing the pattern of the walk, Wesley directed himself into his office and shut the door, leaning against it. With a sigh, he rubbed the bridge of his nose and thought bad things to himself. He sat for only a moment before finally deciding it was childish to pout. Wesley stood and opened the door, his eyes landing on Fred. She was across the room, her arms flung around the back of a man's neck. The man was tall and muscular, his dark brown skin contrasted with her milky-white complexion. Charles Gunn lifted her off her feet for a moment as he kissed her, causing her to giggle against his lips.
Wesley closed his eyes for a second and took a deep breath. He remembered the first time he'd seen them together.
* * *
Fred was dressed in a beautiful burgundy gown, her hair up on top of her head. A few curls dripped from the bun on the back of her head. She sat across from him, wrapping his wound. She was almost to tears.
"...one last kiss..." Gunn whispered.
Their lips met, shattering Wesley's heart. He walked away, not being able to watch it any longer. The sword he carried fell to the ground with a metallic clamor. Then it was his turn. He fell to his knees, in a rented tux. He couldn't think, couldn't move, couldn't breathe. He had lost her.
* * *
After neither of them noticed him, he cleared his throat. His face was bright red, but this time, it was not from embarrassment.
Fred jumped first, but Gunn held onto her. His arm was draped lazily around her waist.
"Oh, hey Wes. Didn't see ya come in." Gunn smiled.
Wesley nodded with a forced smile. Ever since Gunn and Fred had started dating, Wesley had become a man of few words - with everybody. He was afraid that if he opened his mouth, every thought on his mind would fly out and he'd lose all his friends, colleagues, and Fred. He'd lost Fred's love, but he wouldn't be able to bear losing the sight of her. Her soft brown eyes, the curls of brown hair that cascaded down her back. He'd only held her in his arms but a few times, but Wesley still knew that her skin was soft as rose petals. She smelled of soft lavender and jasmine. A scent that Wesley hadn't smelled since he had journeyed as a child to Tibet with his father...his father. All of the hatred that was bottled up about his father made the heartache worse every time he saw *his* Fred in the arms of *that* man. He nodded again.
"I'll be in my office if you need me," he said quietly. He turned around and headed back into the office, closing the door behind him.
Gunn turned back to Fred and smiled, lowering his lips to hers again, brushing against them gently.
"Where were we?" He whispered.
Fred pulled from Gunn's grasp. "Charles...there's something wrong with Wesley." She wrung her hands nervously.
"Of course there is. He's British." Gunn chuckled to himself. When Fred didn't respond, he frowned. "I was kidding, Fred. I love Wes...he's like my brother. But I think maybe he's just having conflicts with his family again. You know he doesn't like to talk when he's having problems."
Fred nodded, but didn't listen. She sighed, wrapping her arms around her body. She rubbed her arms nervously.
Gunn rubbed his lover's back gently. "Believe me, he's fine. Just give him some space." He brushed some of her soft brown curls to one side of her neck. He leaned down and kissed the exposed side. "And when he's feeling better, we'll tell everyone the good news."
Fred turned around with a slight smile. "Yeah...yeah. We'll do that." Her smile brightened and she kissed his cheek.
Angel walked in, Connor in his arms. The baby boy kicked and giggled as his father tickled his tummy.
Fred sighed, leaning against Gunn's body. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed the top of her head. Fred couldn't believe how happy Angel was when he was with Connor. She'd seen many fathers with their children, but none were this happy. Like all children, Connor was a blessing. Unlike most children, this particular blessing had been born to two parents who had no pulse. No life. Connor was a miracle rather than just a blessing.
Angel looked up. "This guy gives his Aunt Cordelia fits." He hoisted the child up over his head with a smile. "Don't you?" He laughed and nuzzled the baby boy's nose with his own.
"He gives us all fits. We're tryin' to sleep on late nights out and he cries enough to wake the dead." Gunn laughed.
"He does, technically." Fred giggled.
Angel sniffed the air for a moment. "Whoa...you need changed." He took the baby in his little Notre Dame sleeper back towards his room.
Gunn watched Angel leave, wondering what Fred was thinking about. That baby had changed all their lives. They'd never be the same. Gunn didn't see how something that only cried and needed changed all day was such a big deal. It was a baby. The only thing it caused was more trouble. He shrugged and walked to the refrigerator for a drink.