After getting thrown out from the building…and he meant literally thrown out Angel had taken a few hours to walk around and calm himself down.
Since the car he had driven to work in was a company car he was left without a ride to get home in.
Sighing he walked towards the closest bench and took a seat, his head falling into his hands with the utter hopelessness he was feeling, his thoughts were mostly consisting of the future and what he should do next. He knew it was pointless in looking for a job in Sunnydale since Darla's father was very close friends with the other men whose job it was to hire and fire people.
So that left him without a job, he had thought about picking up the phone and getting in contact with Darla but each time he was about to press the button he stopped himself knowing she didn't want to hear from him, not that he could blame her.
So other than being jobless and single he would also be facing the fact he would become homeless, there was no way he could afford his apartment without his job or another that paid as well as that had. He hadn't been living cheaply and now in a way he regretted it.
The only thing that would help him at the minute was the bank account he set up when first getting the job, he had some money saved back in case of emergencies…and this was defiantly an emergency.
That would last a couple of weeks while he sorted himself out…but not for long if he didn't watch how much he was spending each week.
Lifting his head from his hands he watched the people pass him by, each of them seeming to have their own problems and for a moment he wondered if any of theirs was worse than his own.
Knowing it was a possibility he blinked several times while looking around, his eyes coming to land on a couple walking side by side, a pink pushchair between them, they looked happy, each of them wearing a smile while they looked at their baby.
Would he ever be that happy with a child?
He honestly didn't know, he had never wanted to be a father at least not yet but it seemed fate didn't take that into consideration.
Was it really fare to bring a child into this mess, its parents wouldn't be together, he wouldn't be very rich…the only thing he did know was that it would have a fantastic mother who would be there for it.
Sighing Angel pushed himself up from the bench, speaking of his kids mother, he really should let Buffy know what had happened to him, she deserved to know he wouldn't be able to financially support their kid for very long, what a crap father he was turning out to be already.
Walking through the small town he eventually made it to hers, the natural light the sun offering burning his back with the heat it was producing and Angel found himself wishing for his car.
Knowing that wishing wouldn't do any good he entered the building and climbed the stairs, taking his time about it, after all he didn't have to be anywhere anymore.
Reaching the top of them Angel stopped, his eyes landing on her door, was it really a good idea just showing up at her door, she might be busy or even in work…maybe he should have texted her instead.
He took a moment to debate his options before deciding to just see her face to face; he had walked all the way over here after all.
With his mind made up Angel walked towards her door before knocking on it.
He could hear the faintest sounds of voices through the door and he instantly regretted coming here. He was about to turn and walk away when her door swung open.
"Angel." Buffy said, slightly shocked to see him stood there, it was only early afternoon shouldn't he still be in work?
"Hey…I hope I'm not disturbing you." He said to her, his hand lifting to point behind her where the sounds of voices could be heard.
"Uh, not really." She quickly said, stepping out into the hallway and closing the door slightly, hoping Xander wouldn't come and see who she was talking to.
Seeing she had tried to be discrete Angel cursed in his head, he knew he should have left and called instead. "It's ok Buffy, I'll go." He told her before turning and walking away.
Buffy waited for him to finish before reaching out a hand which caused him to stop, "You don't have to…it's only Willow and Xander."
No wonder she had tried to shut the door Angel thought to himself, she wanted to keep him hidden, which he was fine with, if they saw him here they would have questions and they would have to tell them the truth.
The silence fell between them, causing the hallway to become quiet…that was until Xander shouted her name.
Wincing slightly Buffy quickly turned towards the door, "I'll be right there."
Angel watched her, he could see she was just as lost as he was, deciding to make the decision he spoke, "I'll call you later…"
"I told them." Buffy said, knowing the reason he didn't want to stick around.
Slowly Angel turned to look at her, his face emotionless, "How did they take it?"
Shrugging Buffy looked towards the door before back at him, "They took the pregnancy quite well…I haven't told them you're the father, I know you said I could, I just…" she said, letting the last part fade into nothing as she tried to think of what else she could say to explain why she hadn't told them.
In return Angel nodded his head in understanding, "I understand…you don't have to explain." He told her and he did understand, the fact she was pregnant was a big enough shock without them finding out the father had been an old high school jock who did have a girlfriend at the time.
Letting that bit of information dissolve Buffy simply stood there, torn between asking why he was here and sending him on his way…not that she wanted to.
"What happened?" she asked him, noticing for the first time the mud stain on his shirt and the small rip in his trousers.
Following her line of sight Angel noticed the stain, "Oh…well that's an interesting story." He told her, his eyes lifting up from his ruined shirt towards her, "I got fired."
Buffy's eyebrows went up at that bit of information, "Why?"
For a moment Angel stayed quiet, should he tell her the truth or make something up, it wouldn't be good to build a relationship on lies, "I pushed Darla's father into a wall." He told her truthfully.
Surprised by that Buffy had to admit she hadn't seen that one coming, Angel needed this job, for him to do something as stupid as that must have been pretty big, "Well, that would get you fired." She said, her voice holding a light tone to it.
In return Angel smiled slightly at her, "Well technically, I quit but either way I put it I'm out of a job…I thought you should know."
"You didn't have to tell me." She said to him, it didn't bother her if he did or didn't have a job, she wasn't expecting anything from him, she didn't expect him to stick around and she hadn't been counting on him to give her money…she would have somehow found a way to support herself and their child.
Stepping closer to her Angel looked her in the eye, wanting her to understand he wasn't going to go anywhere when their child was born, "Buffy I want to help out as much as I can."
Smiling gently at him Buffy replied, "I don't need your money for that Angel, I only ne…"
She had been planning on saying she only needed him to be around when Xander opened the door, "Hey, Buffy where did you put the…" he said before looking up and noticing Angel stood there.
Instantly the hallway fell into silence, the two men looking at each other.
Ever so slowly Xander shook his head, "You've got to be kidding me."
Angel just continued to stare at the other man, it wasn't a secret that they didn't really get on, they never had done, mainly because Xander had always been mocking and jealous of Angel.
"Xander…" Buffy began to say before he spoke up, his eyes turning to look at her.
"Him?" he asked in disbelief, his finger pointing towards Angel as if he wasn't there, "The father of your child is him?"
Buffy felt like she was being criticized, it wasn't her choice that Angel was the father, it had just happened.
"Anyone in the world and it turns out to be him?"
Fed up with standing there and being referred to as him Angel crossed his arms, "I'm standing right here."
Turning sharply to look at him Xander frowned while lifting his finger once again, "I'm not talking to you…I'm talking to Buffy."
Feeling his anger rise at the other mans actions Angel glared back, his muscles tightening with his emotions, his day had already started off bad and here he was getting talked to like shit from Alexander Harris.
Having had enough of it Angel moved closer to Buffy, not understanding why she was letting Xander talk to her as if she was nothing, he had seen her hit that guy last night for being an asshole yet here she was taking it from her friend.
"What were you thinking…or weren't you thinking at all?" Xander asked her, his voice getting louder.
Looking around his shoulders Angel checked to see if any nosey neighbors had opened their door for the free entertainment. "Want to keep your voice down?" Angel asked, making the fact Xander was getting mouthy obvious.
Tearing his eyes away from Buffy, Xander rounded on Angel, "Want to shut up huh?" he asked stepping closer to the other guy, "Why are you even here, haven't you done enough?"
Angel could feel his lips tightening as well as his eyes, that usually happened when he became angry, "I suggest you back off Harris."
"Or what?" Xander asked laughing, his arms spread out wide in an invitation.
Admitting to himself Xander had grown a pair Angel in return smirked, "Let's find out."
Seeing there was tensions running high Buffy finally found her voice, stepping in between them she made sure to look at both of them, "Please stop…this isn't helping anyone."
Knowing she was right and not wanting to upset her Angel reluctantly nodded his head while stepping back, moving so his back was pressed up against the wall.
But Xander was having a little more trouble letting it go, he had been waiting for an opportunity to hit Angel, the guy had made his life a living hell for years when they attended school, not only had Angel picked on him along with the rest of the jocks but he had captured Buffy's attention and never did anything to gain it…he had just arrived at the school and wham half the girls had been smitten…god how he hated the man stood across from him.
He got everything he wanted, he was handsome, muscular, talented, could get any woman he wanted without trying and now got his own high school crush pregnant.
"Xander…please." He heard Buffy say, her eyes pleading with him to calm down and let it drop.
Forcing a breath to enter his body he looked away before looking back at her, "You've got some explaining to do." He told her before walking into the apartment and leaving the two of them alone.
Buffy waited until he was gone before closing the door and turning towards Angel, who was still lent back against the wall. "I'm sorry about Xander, he just gets a little over dramatic at times."
"You don't have to apologize for him Buffy, that wasn't your fault." Angel told her, his arms uncrossing while he let his head fall forwards, "I guess now they know the truth."
"Yeah, it looks like." She said sounding a bit disappointed about it which caught Angel's attention.
Was she ashamed of him, was it embarrassing her to be pregnant with his child?
With that thought he pushed away from the wall, "Why does that make you sad?"
Looking up Buffy watched him come closer, "I thought if I kept it a secret it would make things easier for you."
Angel hadn't expected that to come out of her mouth, she had wanted to keep it hush hush for him, she was always thinking of others before herself. "I appreciate the thought but its fine Buffy, people would have found out some time…it's just now the news is out I'm not sure how Darla will react."
Buffy kept quiet for the moment, she had forgotten about that fact, personally she didn't know the other blonde but she had a reputation of taking no shit from anyone, she just hoped Darla wouldn't cause Angel too much trouble. "What will she do to you?"
The question was a surprise when he heard it, he hadn't been talking about what Darla might do to himself he had been thinking what she might do to Buffy, knowing Buffy needed to know what Darla was like he swallowed before saying, "Buffy…I'm not worried about what she will do to me I can handle that, I'm worried about what she might say to you…she can be such a bitch to the people she doesn't like…I don't want you to go through that."
Buffy had to admit it wasn't nice knowing Darla would most likely say something to her but hell she was a grown woman herself who could more than handle herself when it came to people like Darla, smiling slightly Buffy shrugged, "I'm not worried…I've seen what she is capable of."
Laughing as if he knew something she didn't Angel closed his eyes, "That was in high school, she's changed quite a bit." Seeing Buffy was going to say something Angel quickly held up a hand, "But I've also seen what you can do…and I have to agree your be fine."
Happy with his confidence Buffy slowly turned her head towards her apartment door, knowing she had to get back inside and sort some stuff out with Willow and Xander, "Do you want to come in?" she asked, Xander knew about Angel so there was nothing to hide anymore.
Angel took that time to think of an answer, he didn't have anything else to do but at the same time he didn't want to over crowd Buffy, he had been seeing her quite a lot these past couple of days.
Maybe it would be better to give them some space, "I think, I better be going, I've caused enough trouble as it is."
"Ah that was nothing." She said with a smile, letting him know she wasn't bothered by what had happened between him and Xander, to be honest it probably would have happened some point even without Buffy being involved, the two just didn't like each other.
"I'll call you?" he said to her, still feeling like he needed her permission to get a hold of her.
Buffy smiled before nodding her head, letting him know she was fine with that, after a moment Angel disappeared from sight, Buffy waited another couple of minutes before opening her apartment door, knowing the rest of the day would feel like forever.