All eyes in the room were looking at the couple on the lounge. Faith, not having heard what Beth-Anne whispered before she fainted, was worried how this guy Liam knew who she really was and whether that was a good thing. Faith had only meet him once and that was in LA. None of Charlie's friends had met her friends yet. Part of her wanted to tell him to leave her friend alone, to rush over to the lounge and pull her out of his arms but the way he held her so lovingly and the way Beth-Anne's body seemed to curl into his even though she was unconscious. She was seeking comfort from him.
Xander and Willow were looking bewildered at each other and both asked "Buffy? Who's Buffy?"
Wes, Gunn and Doyle were all in shock. Gunn had heard all about Buffy from Liam. It was how they had met and eventually started an agency together. Liam had been searching for Buffy but in the last four years they had not been able to find anything on her whereabouts. She had seemed to disappear into thin air. In their line of business that was unfortunately how it worked out sometimes, especially if the person in question didn't want to be found.
"Get a doctor." Liam barked at no one in particular when he got no response out of the young mother.
"I'll call Dr Giles to come." Said Willow.
"Where's Dawn?" asked Liam.
Willow and Xander looked at each other then back to Liam. "Who's Dawn?" they asked in unison.
"Buffy's sister!" Liam said again to no one in particular. He kept Buffy/Beth-Anne cradled in his lap. His hand held gently to the side of her face. He couldn't take his eyes off her. It was a miracle he had found her and he would do whatever it took to make it right.
"Beth-Anne doesn't have a sis…" started Willow till Faith cut her off.
"She's at Xander's. She's fine."
"What the hell is going on here?" yelled Xander. Moving closer to the lounge where Liam and his friend Beth sat. He wasn't sure whether to try and remove his friend from this large growly man or not. This was a man Faith had asked to come and help in their situation so why was he holding her so lovingly yet possessively in his lap. None of this was making any sense.
"Let's just get B taken care of then we will fill you all in." said this while looking at Willow and Xander in particular. Looks like she would have to tell B's story to the room now whether or not she wanted to. If B's hunch was correct then these guys needed all the information they could to bring Molly home.
Liam continued to rock Buffy/Beth-Anne in his lap speaking quietly to her for the time it took for the doctor to arrive. He was amazed at how different she looked but at the same time he could still see his girl was there.
"Hello Willow," said Dr Giles letting himself in the front door. "How is she?"
"Still out to it. Giles she hasn't slept or eaten since early yesterday. That combined with everything else I think….well….I think it seems to have taken its toll on her." Willow said shakily to the elderly gentleman. Dr Giles put his arm around Willow's shoulders as a sign of comfort but didn't give her any false platitudes.
"Bring Beth into the bedroom so I can take a look at her please." Instructed Dr Giles to the large dark haired man that was sitting on the lounge with Beth-Anne tucked into his arms so protectively. Dr Giles, or Giles as he had gotten used to being known as since Beth had started working for him as his receptionist when she first moved to town, had never seen or heard her speak of a man or boyfriend so was very curious as to who this young man holding her was.
Liam stood carrying Buffy/Beth-Anne and followed Willow, Faith and Dr Giles into what must have been her bedroom.
Dr Giles motioned for everyone to leave but Liam refused. Faith got him to leave Buffy/Beth-Anne alone with the doctor and join the others in the sitting room.
"Maybe she should go to the hospital?" Asked Doyle to the group.
"No," said Liam, "she hates hospitals."
"Liam man, if it's for the best. Let's just wait to see what the doctor says." said Charles, pulling his girlfriend into his arms and hugging her tightly.
"Are you sure this is Buffy?" inquired Wesley quietly, he had not really seen the face of the young mother before she passed out. He remembered back to when he had first met the young woman quite a few Christmas's ago now and sighed at what his friend and brother-in-law had been through since then.
Liam glared at Wesley. "Of course I'm sure. She used to have blonde hair but that is the only difference."
"Plus Faith didn't seem surprised when he called her Buffy. Did you Faith?" interjected Charles.
"She's Buffy. There is a lot you guys don't know," looking specifically at Willow and Xander, "and that needs to be sorted. As soon as we know how she is I will fill you all in."
Dr Giles walked out of the bedroom. Liam pounced on him. "How is she?" He asked quickly.
"She's exhausted and dehydrated. She should really be in hospital but with everything going on with Molly and the fact we all know she how much she hates hospitals, she'd kill us. Anyway I have put her on a saline drip to help re-hydrate her. Let her rest. That is the best thing for her now."
"Thanks Doctor." They all said.
"Any news on Molly?" Asked Giles hopefully to Faith, he had delivered Molly, and maybe because he had never gotten to have a family of his own he considered them to be like grandchildren and they seemed to love him also.
"No Doc." said Faith solemnly.
"I'll be back later tonight to check on her, I can't stay I'm afraid as I have appointments all day. She can remove the drip once she wakes up as long as it is all but empty. I'll see you all later." Dr Giles took his leave.
As they were all saying their goodbyes to the good doctor Angel slipped back into the bedroom to check on her.
He walked over to her bed and knelt down beside it taking Buffy's hand in his. "Sleep baby, we need you to be alright. Now that I have found you again I am not going to let anything happen to you." He bent over and placed a kiss on her forehead, then left the room.
He walked back into the sitting room where all the others were now waiting for him.
"Now do you mind telling us what the hell is going on?" asked Xander.
Angel sat on the only vacant armchair. Lent forward with his elbows on his knees and ran his fingers though his hair. He began the story of how he had meet the only woman he had ever loved and how he had somehow ruined it.
