The Future is Black

by Country fan 7

Sequel to "Future Complications" - The time has come for Liam to finish what came to the past to do. The apocalypse is about to commence unless he gets his family, Buffy and Angel, to help. Throw in an Archer, a Swordsman, a Goddess, a Slayer, a Destroyer, a Demon, and an Angel and you have one good recipe for an apocalypse. And it's a good apocalypse.

14. Him

Chapter 14: Him

Ok, back to the canon. I kinda liked this episode and I wondered what it would be like with Liam. Now you get to see. Remember from last time, Buffy isn't following the Hoods anymore, Liam is back with Delia for the time, and everyone has gone back to Sunnydale. Including the White Hats. Now we get to the chapter. Enjoy.

After the incident with Liam's team and Buffy, the family decided to go back to Sunnydale. Buffy and Angel went ahead first, followed by Liam and Delia in Liam's car. The White Hats got themselves a van and they drove in that one behind Liam. Several hours later, they all entered Sunnydale. Liam didn't want to live to near Buffy in case she started to listen in on his conversations with his team so he opted for a more familiar and secluded place.

Liam led his team down a flight of stairs and stopped right outside of his father's old apartment. The same one he used when he first arrived in the past. "OK, here it is." Liam said and opened the door to reveal the room with the same bed, couch, coffee table and everything else that hadn't been touched since his departure. "It's not much but it'll due."

"And why couldn't we go to the mansion where we were when I first came back?" Delia asked setting down a light bag.

"Because I don't want to take the chance that my parents go there and find us. We already have gone through too much to keep them from finding us." Liam explained and set down his bags. His shoulder ached and he rubbed it.

"Shoulder ok?" Bill asked sitting down on the couch.

"Yeah. Still hurts from when you shot me."

"I said I was sorry."

"And I said I forgave you. After all, I'm the one that told you to shoot me."

"I'm just glad he shot you nowhere near any vital organs." Collin said going to the small kitchen and looking in the refrigerator. "Don't want to have to play doctor again. And you have absolutely nothing in here." Collin observed.

"I wasn't planning on grocery shopping while here." Liam said.

"What exactly did you plan on doing?" Danni asked.

"Well, Delia and I were going to spend time with my parents. You guys can do whatever. Just don't do anything that'll draw attention to us. And don't go revealing yourselves to your parents. See, but don't be seen."

"We got it." Collin said.

"Just like the last few hundred times you've told us." Bill said.

"Just making sure." Liam said.

…

Not too far from them, the Scoobies were moving in a member of theirs into a new home themselves. Spike was finally getting out of the basement at Sunnydale high. They were at Xander's apartment building.

"You're gonna live in that small room over there. I know it looks like a closet, but it's a room now." Xander said as Faith and Buffy followed Xander into the apartment. "You're not gonna touch my food. I take the first shower in the morning, and if I use up all the hot water, that's your tough noogies." Spike walked up to the door and looked in. Xander turned to Buffy and Faith and said, "And I hate this plan." To Spike. "Are you keeping up, or do you need some kind of English-to-Constant-Pain-In-My-Ass translation?"

"Invitation." Buffy said.

"Is there something more emphatic than hate? Can I revile the plan? Fine. I invite you in." Spike entered. "Nimrod."

"Don't want your soddin' food anyway." Spike said.

"I just don't understand when his problems became your problems… more specifically mine."

"The school basement is making him crazy. We can't just leave him there." Faith said.

"Why not? Crazy-Basement-Guy is better than Stalking-Slayers-Guy. Besides, you have an apartment!"

"I, uh… I don't want him there. Not yet."

"It's true. You guys aren't..? You're not starting up again with the whole..?" Buffy asked.

"No. A thousand gallons of no. Ok, it's just... things are different now. He has a soul."

"I'm sure that'll be a real comfort when he soulfully attacks you again." Xander said.

"Yeah, what does that mean exactly... that Spike is all soul-having?" Buffy asked.

"I don't know, but he's been through a lot, Ok, and nobody's attacking…" Faith jumped and spun, ready to hit someone when Spike touched her arm.

"Faith. Sorry." Spike said.

"No, it's me. I-I just…"

"I'll go. This can't work."

"It will. I-it already is. Ok, you know, you've been out of the basement for half an hour, and you've already stopped talking to invisible people."

"Bollocks."

"Ok, so there was that one episode in the car, but…"

"No, bollocks to the whole thing. I don't need your mollycoddling."

"It's not coddling. Now go to your closet." Faith walked out. Buffy shrugged at Xander and Spike and walked off with Faith.

Outside of Xander's window, across the street on a roof top, Bill was crouched and looking through his 'zoom in' on his glasses. He focused on Spike. He watched as Spike just went into his 'closet' and closed the door. Bill came out of his zoom and took off his glasses. His eyes were watery just from watching his parents. It had been so long since their deaths, but just like the rest of his team, the pain of their deaths haunted them all. Bill could still remember that day clearly.

…

The next day, Buffy, Angel, and Dawn were getting ready for school. Dawn was eating her cereal. Angel was with Connor, watching him feed himself. Connor had really grown up in the past 11 months. His hair had started to grow in and it was a very light blonde. His hand eye coordination was developing as he was now trying to feed himself using his own spoon, but he missed his mouth more than he ate.

Angel chuckled and cleaned up the mess Connor made. "I cannot wait until is old enough to play hockey. I think he could be a real player." Angel said.

"You really want him to go out for hockey?" Dawn asked.

"Yeah. Why not? It's always inside and they play at night. I can go to his games." Dawn nodded at Angel's statement, finding it valid for his case. Buffy came into the kitchen, putting on an earring.

"Ok, Dawn have you eaten?" Buffy asked.

"Just finished." Dawn said and put her bowl in the sink. The doorbell rang. "I'll get it."

"It might be Xander. Get ready to go, or we'll be late." Buffy called back to her. Buffy grabbed her own bowl and poured some cereal in it. She started to eat it fast. Liam came into the kitchen.

"Hello." Liam said to all of them.

"Liam." Buffy said happily and went over to hug him with one arm and the other holding her bowl of cereal.

"Hey Connor." Liam said after seeing Connor. Connor squealed and smiled at seeing Liam. "Hey, how's my big brother?" Liam asked crouching down to Connor.

"He's doing very well. He's missed you a lot." Angel said, taking away Connor's breakfast.

"Well, I've missed him." Liam picked up Connor and held him close. "I probably shouldn't have been gone for so long."

"Maybe you should stick around here for a little while longer." Buffy said.

"Can't. Duty calls."

"Well your duty stinks." Buffy admitted. Liam and Angel both looked at her with raise eyebrows. "Well, I meant that I don't like that you have to do all of this saving the future thing on your own."

"Mom, you and dad have already done so much for this world already. I don't want to add something else to the list. Besides it's my fight. My mission. You guys should sit this one out."

"Ok." Buffy said not liking that her son was doing something dangerous on his own. Buffy put her bowl in the sink as the doorbell rang. "That's Xander. Dawn Xander's her!" Buffy called up to her. "Liam, what are you doing today?"

"Just hanging out." Liam said.

"Why don't you bring Delia and Faith to the school and we can all hang out afterwards."

"That'll be great. I'd really like to know how Uncle Spike and Aunt Faith are doing these days."

"They could be better." Buffy checked her watch. "Damn, I got to go. I'll see after school."

"See you." Buffy went and kissed Angel, Connor, and Liam before rushing out of the house.

…

Willow was in class listening to the lecture being given. She was busy writing down notes and keeping up with class.

"Pop quiz." The teacher announced and the entire class groaned, including Willow. The papers were passed out and Willow began her quiz. She estopped writing and looked up. She felt something, a presence of some kind. She didn't know what it was. She looked around the class and only noticed the students and the teacher. No one else. Willow shrugged and went back to her quiz. Unknown to her, sitting a few rows behind her and all the way to the right of the class, Danni was sitting in a seat with an already completed quiz. She looked at Willow doing her quiz and a few tears cascaded down her cheek. She was actually looking at her mother again for the first time in a long time. She wouldn't even care if students looked at talked, she would have gone down there then and hug her mother, telling her everything.

…

Buffy, Faith, Dawn, Liam, and Delia were out on the football field watching the football players practice. Liam had come along to be with his mother for a bit. It had been way to long since they even had any sort of normal conversation or social outing.

"Were you ever a football player?" Buffy asked Liam.

"Nah. Dad didn't let Kathy and I join any after school activities. It was always go to school and come home. He was very protective of us." Liam answered.

"And looked how that turned out." Faith said.

"Hey, I think I'm better off than most others my age."

"Of course you are honey." Delia said patting his knee.

"I am. I got a wife, a kid on the way, and financially stable. I'm set for life."

"Hey, how is it that you have money? Do you have a job?" Dawn asked.

"Nope. Pickpocket. Real good at it."

"You're a thief?" Buffy asked surprised.

"I was a troubled child. I did a lot of bad things. Being a thief was actually one of my better talents."

"Do we even want to know about the others?" Faith asked.

"Let's just say when compared to you, you're the saint." Liam explained.

"But I nearly helped destroy Sunnydale."

"And I whored around and did drugs for a year with a lot of jail time for theft. Who's worse here?"

"Can we please not talk about you being in jail for crimes of the past? Or future?" Buffy pleaded. Liam smiled and went back to watching the football players. "So, what is it?" Buffy asked Faith.

"What's what?" Faith asked.

"Last night, you said you weren't helping Spike out of pity. What is it?"

"It's a good question."

"Is sitting there drinking soda some kind of a Zen non-answer?" Delia asked.

"No, I just... I don't know what I'm feeling. I think I can't stand him, but sometimes..."

"You love him?" Liam asked.

"Like none other. But now, I feel for him."

"Feel what, exactly?" Dawn asked.

"Dawn..." Buffy warned.

"No, I'm... I'm just trying to understand. I mean, none of it makes sense. First you both say you love each other and Spike's saying he'd die for you, but he tries to rape you. Then Liam reveals that happened to Buffy and it still turned out ok."

"For the record, Spike knew how wrong it was. That's why he went away." Faith said.

"Then why did you?"

"I needed to get away. Take a break that wasn't behind bars."

"Spike leaving to get a soul? Like that would make him a better man? Xander had a soul when he stood Anya up at the altar. And now he says he still wants her? I just don't think it's the school basement that's making people crazy."

"It's a lot deeper than that." Liam said.

"I should really get back. You comin' with?" Buffy asked.

"I'll come. Bored with football anyway." Liam said getting up with Delia.

"I just don't see why people bother. I mean, you put all this energy into chasing and having and brooding and I just don't understand these relationships where you all do insane things."

"Bye rant girl. Later Faith." Buffy walked away with Liam and Delia.

Dawn kept talking to Faith. "Well, you could, like, paint a beautiful mural on every ugly wall in the world, and then you could paint a beautiful mural on every ugly mural in the world." Dawn stopped talking as she spotted the quarterback, a tall, slender, athletic blonde teenager, putting on his letterman jacket after practice. She was mesmerized as he drank from a squirt bottle and then doused his face with water from the bottle and walked off. She watched him so intently, that she leaned after him as he left, causing her to lose her balance and fall off the bleachers.

Faith laughed at her as she helped her up. "Dawn, you're such a teenager!"

"God, I hope he didn't see."

"I'm sure he didn't." Faith helped Dawn walk off. From across the field, Collin was leaning on a tree, wearing jeans, boots, a plaid shirt and white under shirt, his favorite white ball cap and looking at Dawn. He was using his sixth sense to see her from far away. She looked younger then when Collin lasted saw her but he could clearly see that it was his mother. He had a sullen face as he watched her walk away. He'd give anything to just go up to her, tell her the truth, and hug her.

…

Liam and Delia were back at the apartment, talking to the White Hats. They were all having pizza together and talking about Sunnydale.

"So what do you guys think of Sunnydale?" Liam asked as he took a bite of pizza.

"I can see why our parents talked a lot about it. It seems nice, until you feel that hell energy coming up from down below." Danni said.

"If it wasn't for the hellmouth, I'd live here." Collin said.

"I speak for everyone when I say: I agree with you." Delia said.

"I saw my dad last night." Bill said. Everyone went silent and listened. "It was kinda weird. I mean, there he was. Like how I saw him in pictures during his vampire days. Beach blonde hair and everything. Missing his coat though. What was strange was that he was with Uncle Xander instead of my mother."

"It's his soul." Liam told him. "He got his soul a while back and it's weird now between your parents. They're just trying to get used to it."

"How did he get it?"

"Same as last time. He went to that demon." Liam said and took a sip of beer.

"What provoked him? Did you tell him?" Liam stop sipping his beer as the thought occurred to him that he never told Bill the truth as to how Spike got his soul. Yes they all knew that he got it after nearly raping Buffy in the original timeline, but Liam didn't have the heart to tell his best friend that he planned on Spike raping Faith in order to get his soul.

"I uh…I told him that if he and Faith were to stop their constant fighting, that he would need to be a little bit more human to work it out." Liam lied through his teeth.

"Oh…so my parents are just getting used to it?"

"Yep." Liam said not looking at Bill. Delia gave Liam a look that meant that he couldn't keep the secret forever. Liam nodded to her and drank his beer again.

"I saw my mom." Danni said after a minute. "I followed her around school and stayed in one of her classes. I just watched her taking a quiz, just watching. It seemed like nothing had happened. Like she had never died. She was as young and beautiful as she was when I last saw her." Collin walked over and sat down next to her, putting an arm around her and her head resting on his shoulder.

"I saw my mom today too." Collin said. Everyone now looked to him. "It was so weird. I feels like yesterday we were fighting together. Now she's younger than I am and she looks….she still looks as beautiful. She looked…" Collin sighed. "If my parents had, she might have looked like a sister of mine."

"Did you see your dad?" Danni asked him.

"No. But I'm hoping to see him before we leave this place."

"We will. I promise. Everyone will get a chance to see their parents before we leave." Liam said.

"So what are we going to do while we're here anyway?" Delia asked. "I mean, Liam and I will be with Buffy some of the time. What about the rest of you all?" Nobody really had an answer to that. Liam thought about it and got an idea.

"You know, there is a place that everyone goes to here that might be perfect for us." Liam said.

"What is it?" Collin asked. Liam looked to everyone and smiled.

"Get your music on boys."

…

Collin started playing on his acoustic guitar. Liam played a little back up on his drums. The whole team was at the Bronze playing for the crowd there for fun. Bill was waiting on his electric guitar to show off his skill. Delia had been asked and accepted to play the keyboard while Danni went up the mike and sang while playing bass.

"County road 233, under my feet. Nothin' on this white rock but little ole me. I've got two miles 'til, he makes bail. And if I'm right we're headed straight for hell." Danni sang to the crowd. After the first part of the song, everyone started to pick up the tempo and rocked out.

"I'm goin' home, gonna load my shotgun, Wait by the door and light a cigarette. If he wants a fight well now he's got one. And he ain't seen me crazy yet. He slapped my face and he shook me like a rag doll. Don't that sound like a real man. I'm going to show him what a little girls are made of,"

"Gunpowder and lead"

"It's half past ten, another six pack in, And I can feel the rumble like a cold black wind. He pulls in the drive, the gravel flies. He don't know what's waiting here this time…"

"I'm goin' home, gonna load my shotgun, Wait by the door and light a cigarette. If he wants a fight well now he's got one, And he ain't seen me crazy yet. He slapped my face and he shook me like a rag doll, Don't that sound like a real man. I'm going to show him what a little girls are made of,"

"Gunpowder and lead"

"His fist is big but my gun's bigger, He'll find out when I pull the trigger,"

"I'm goin' home, gonna load my shotgun, Wait by the door and light a cigarette. If he wants a fight well now he's got one, And he ain't seen me crazy yet. He slapped my face and he shook me like a rag doll, Don't that sound like a real man. I'm going to show him what a little girls are made of,"

"Gunpowder and, gunpowder and lead"

"Gunpowder and lead"

"Hey!"

The team finished the song and everyone in the Bronze clapped and cheered. Every one of the team smiled. They had really missed singing and playing songs like they did back in the future. Everyone had such a fun time that they started up another song to play.

...

The next night, Buffy was standing outside of the bathroom door. Dawn had locked herself in the bathroom to hide from the day's events. Dawn's sobbing was loud behind the door.

"Come on, Dawnie. Come out. Dawn, sweetheart, it's not that bad." Buffy called.

"How would you even know? R.J.'s never gonna notice me now." Dawn said, opening the door.

"From what you said, I'm sure he already noticed you, I mean with the falling and the…" Dawn squeaked and closed door. "Spirit. Spirit. They said you were spirited, right?"

"Go away!"

"Dawn…"

"Things are a lot better, I see." Angel said, coming up the stairs with Liam.

"She opened the door and I think I said something wrong."

"What's going on?" Liam asked.

"Apparently Dawn went to try out for cheerleading to impress a boy and she humiliated herself." Buffy explained.

"It's times like this where I'm glad dad kept me and Kathy from doing high school anything." Liam commented.

"I did?" Angel asked.

"Oh yeah. You were oh so protective of us you barely let us out of your sight. It was because mom died and you all were still fighting Wolfram and Hart."

"I promise I'll try not to for the new future." Angel turned to Buffy. "Shall I order a pizza? Don't teens in a snit like pizza?" Angel asked Buffy.

Dawn opened the door angrily. "It is not a snit! I-I finally met him... they guy of my dreams, ok? And I blew it. R.J. hates me now."

Buffy saw her old cheerleading outfit on the bathroom floor, shredded. "Dawn, what is that?"

"Just the end of my life." Dawn ran off to her room.

Angel walked to the bathroom door and saw Buffy picking up her old outfit. Buffy sighed and walked to Dawn's room. "You shredded my outfit."

"I'll buy you a new one."

"That's not the point. I don't want a new cheerleading outfit." Buffy handed Angel the outfit and walked over to Dawn's bed and sat down. "Dawn, I'm sorry that you feel so bad. Ok, but in the morning this won't seem so terrible. You don't even know this R.J. Not really."

"I do know him. I know his soul."

"Really? Dawn, he wasn't even on your radar yesterday."

"I'm sure this crush will blow over soon and you'll find some other guy you like." Liam said, trying to comfort Dawn.

"It isn't a crush. It's love. I love R.J." Dawn said.

"Sure." Liam said doubtfully.

"Again, since yesterday. Dawn, it's awfully fast." Buffy said.

"What? You're telling me I don't feel what I feel?"

"No, of course not. I believe that you think it's real. It seems real... to you."

"You know what? Maybe I don't want advice from the Dysfunction Queen. You have no idea how I feel. You have no idea what real love is. Maybe if you did, you wouldn't make fun of me this way."

"Dawn, I'm not making fun of you. And please! I do know what real love is. Standing right there."

"So? And then you tell me that it's all so sudden! Buffy, you said that you were in love with Angel and you two hadn't even been going out for more than a week."

"It's different. We had known each other longer." Angel said.

"Just go. Leave me alone." Dawn said, flopping back down on the bed. Buffy sighed and left. Angel and Liam followed her to her room, dropping the cheerleading outfit in the garbage. Buffy slumped onto the couch and sighed, looking up the stairs.

"She's never acted like this before." Buffy said.

"She's young. She's got a crush. It'll pass." Angel said, sitting next to her and massaging her neck.

"What if it doesn't? What if she does something drastic?"

"Like what?" Liam asked.

"Like, she decides to sleep with him just cause she thinks she loves him and then he leaves her and hurts her and then he follows her around and tries to kill all her friends and family and then…"

"Mom/Buffy." Angel and Liam said at the same time.

"Sorry. I guess I was channeling some fear of what happened to me when I was that age."

"She's 16. You were 17." Angel said.

"Doesn't matter. She's so like me at that age it's scary. I just don't want her to get hurt is all I'm saying."

"She's not going to get hurt."

"Doubt it." Liam muttered.

…

"Wait. So my mom is in love with some jock?" Collin asked. Liam had explained the whole situation to Collin and the rest of the team once he got back to the apartment.

"It seems like it." Liam confirmed. "She apparently went out for cheerleading and humiliated herself and she can only think of the guy, RJ."

"Can I drive an arrow through this guy?" Collin asked angrily.

"No. remember, this is high school. You all know what it was like for everyone." Every one of the team nodded and looked uncomfortable. High school was a nightmare to everyone that went. Including them.

"So what is Aunt Dawn going to do?" Danni asked.

"Don't know. Teenage love is so freaking crazy."

"We all fell in love with someone when we were teenagers." Bill commented.

"Yes, but thankfully we all knew each other then and didn't need to embarrass ourselves."

"Speak for yourself man-whore." Delia said smiling. Everyone snickered and Liam shot them all dirty looks.

…

Buffy stood in the principal's office staring at Dawn. Her little sister had gotten called in for hurting some football player. Apparently Dawn had pushed the guy down some stairs.

"It all happened so fast. I mean, one minute he was walking, and the next he stumbled, and then he fell." Dawn said.

"Why would he say you pushed him down the stairs?" Principal Wood asked.

"I don't know. Maybe he was just embarrassed. It's hard being clumsy, especially when you're popular and athletic. I'd bet."

"Yeah, well, to be candid, it wouldn't be the first time I caught O'Donnell in a lie."

"It'd be nice if his lies didn't involve my sister, though." Buffy said.

"Anyway, I'm gonna have to call Coach Wheeler and, uh, tell him the bad news. Not a conversation I really want to have."

"At least you still got R.J. to take over." Dawn said.

"Yeah. Well, I think we have everything we need for now. I'm sorry you had to get involved in this, Dawn."

"That's ok. I'm just really sorry it happened." Dawn stood up and walked out. Buffy stared at her as she walked out. Principal Wood stood up and turned to look at Buffy.

"Sorry you had to get dragged into this." He said.

"It's ok. At least she's off the hook."

"Pampered football players. Can't ever take the blame for themselves." Buffy nodded and walked out. She sat at her desk and picked up the phone. Angel picked up on the fourth ring.

"Busy?" Buffy asked.

"Not really. What are you doing?" Angel asked.

"Being severely bored. Well, now anyway. Dawn and I just got out of the principal's office."

"What'd you do?"

"Angel…"

"I was kidding."

"Dawn pushed some football player that was going to replace that boy that she likes down the stairs."

"She did what!?"

"She pushed him down the stairs. I told you she might do something drastic and it can only get worse from here." A student knocked on Buffy's cubicle. "I'll talk to you later. A student just came in. Love you."

"Love you too."

Buffy hung up and looked at the student as she sat down.

…

Later that night, Faith, Buffy, Angel, Willow, and Xander all sat at the Bronze. There were listening to a pretty decent band and people were dancing and talking all around. The band was actually Liam and his team. Liam had anticipated that Buffy and the rest would show up tonight so Danni whipped up some glamour charms and everyone was in disguised looking another version of themselves. Liam was a red head with blue eyes, Bill had gone with brown hair and green eyes like Kathy, Delia darkened up her skin tone to look like a tan and her eyes were grey instead of their natural darker color, Collin was wearing his white ball cap and had on a thick beard, and Danni changed her hair color to blonde and was wearing a white cowgirl hat.

"Katie's sittin' on the old front porch, Watchin' the chickens peck the ground. There ain't a whole lot goin' on tonight, In this one-horse town. Over yonder comin' up the road, In a beat-up Chevy truck. Her boyfriend Tommy, he's layin' on the horn, Splashin' through the mud and the muck."

"Her daddy says he ain't worth a lick, When it comes to brains, he got the short end of the stick. But Katie's young and man, she just don't care. She'd follow Tommy anywhere,"

"She's in love with the boy. She's in love with the boy. She's in love with the boy. And even if they have to run away, She's gonna marry that boy someday."

Katie and Tommy at the drive-in movie, Parked in the very last row. They're too busy holdin' on to one another, To even care about the show. Later on outside the Tastee Freeze, Tommy slips something on her hand. He says my high school ring will have to do, 'Til I can buy a wedding band.

"Her daddy says he ain't worth a lick, When it comes to brains, he got the short end of the stick. But Katie's young and man, she just don't care. She'd follow Tommy anywhere,"

"She's in love with the boy. She's in love with the boy. She's in love with the boy. And even if they have to run away, She's gonna marry that boy someday."

"Her daddy's waitin' up 'til half past twelve, When they come sneakin' up the walk. He says young lady get on up to your room, While me and Junior have a talk. Mama breaks in, says don't lose your temper, It wasn't very long ago, When you yourself was just a hay-seed plowboy, Who didn't have a row to hoe."

"My daddy said you wasn't worth a lick, When it came to brains you got the short end of the stick. But he was wrong and honey you are too. Katie looks at Tommy like I still look at you,"

"She's in love with the boy. She's in love with the boy. She's in love with the boy. What's meant to be will always find a way,"

"She's in love with the boy. She's in love with the boy. She's in love with the boy. What's meant to be will always find a way, She's gonna marry that boy someday,"

"She's in love with the boy"

Liam and his team finished up their songs and the crowd cheered. Buffy and the gang did so as well, thinking they were really good. The team decided to take a break and some music on the stereo started to play. The team walked off the stage.

"God, do I miss doing this." Collin said as they all got a table together.

"Maybe once we're done saving the future, we can go back to Summer Shine and just be the band there. Maybe hire a few more employees." Danni confessed.

"Wouldn't that be unfair to them? You know, us being all having fun and playing music while they're working?" Delia asked.

"How about we hire musicians and they could sing and play on some days and we take it other days. Get little more genres into the mix and get more people coming." Liam suggested.

"Could be rather fortuitous." Bill said as their round of beers and Delia's coke came to the table. "It be better than going all over the world and nearly dying."

"Amen." Liam said and they all clang their glasses together.

Buffy smiled at Angel who smiled back and took her hand. Dawn was at the library studying because she was still in trouble for pushing that boy down the stairs.

"Well, Spike definitely seems a little more cogent, less bl-bl-bl-bl-bl. I'm just saying... once you get back the soul, doesn't that mean you start, like, picking up your own wet towels off the floor?" Xander asked.

"No, but you start to feel really bad about leaving them there." Angel said.

"At least he's showering, and that's a refreshing and delightful change." Buffy said.

"Buff." Xander motioned towards the floor. R.J. was there dancing with some slutty girl that reminded Buffy of Faith back when she and Buffy had first met.

"I think that's the guy." Buffy said.

"What guy?" Willow asked.

"The one who, according to Dawn, is the quote smartest, funniest, coolest, hottest, and having the thickest boy eyelashes boy in school unquote." Angel said.

"He don't seem so tough." Xander said.

"Check out the fan club." Willow said.

There a girl dancing with R.J. had long light brown slightly wavy hair. She was slim and wore tight hip-hugging blue jeans and a tight, sheer blouse that was off one shoulder and bared the midriff. She was dancing with him very sexily, gyrating her hips and running her hands through her hair.

"Daddy like." Xander said.

"What is that shirt made of? Paint?" Buffy asked.

"Buff..." Faith said.

"Glad Dawnie isn't here to see her precious boyfriend getting all thrusty with some slut-bag hussy..." R.J.'s dancing partner turned around where Buffy could see her face. It was Dawn. Buffy stared, slack-jawed, in disbelief. "Oh."

"Oh. Oh! No! 'Daddy'... No, I wasn't... When I was looking, I wasn't... Oh, God!" Xander said.

"Right there with ya." Willow said.

While Dawn continued dirty dancing with R.J., Buffy and Angel were still staring in disbelief, while Xander looked like he's going to gag, and Faith and Willow seemed ashamed of Dawn's behavior.

Across the Bronze, Liam had been observing the crowd while laughing at something that someone said. His gaze landed on Dawn who was sexually dancing with RJ and Liam's eyes grew the size of tennis balls. He spat out his beer and coughed a little.

"Hey, relax Liam. It wasn't that funny." Collin said.

"Right. Uh…Collin, whatever you do…don't look behind you." Liam warned.

"Why not?" Collin said and looked behind him. He saw Dawn dancing and smiled, until he saw that it was his mother and dropped his beer. It smashed on the floor and the rest of the table looked to see Dawn dancing.

"Oh my god!" Danni said.

"That's Aunt Dawn?!" Bill asked.

"This is so many kinds of wrong." Delia said.

"It's one thing to know what your parents did as kids. But seeing it and knowing it are too very different things." Collin commented looking so appalled at seeing his mother practically mating with this boy.

"She said she was going to be at the library!" Angel said.

"I can't believe she lied to us." Buffy said.

"She is definitely grounded for life."

"You better believe it. I've never seen anyone dance that slutty since senior year."

"Hey!" Faith said. "Well, ok. No 'hey', but still… Hey!"

"Sorry. But Dawn is definitely dancing dirtier than you. Where did she get that outfit? Sluts-r-Us?" Buffy and Angel got up and walked over to the bar and sat down.

A few minutes later, Dawn walked to the bar, but Angel caught her off guard.

"So, do you have plans later, or are you just gonna go down to the docks and wait for the fleet to come in?" he asked.

"What?" Dawn asked, turning to Buffy and Angel.

Buffy grabbed Dawn's arm and hauled her to a post. "Where do we start with the bad? First, you told us you were going to the library. Second, you do not go out on a date without informing Angel or me first. Third, Anna Nicole Smith thinks you look tacky."

"Yeah, well I think I look hot, and so does R.J."

"Oh, I bet he does. Maybe I should go have a little word with him." Angel said.

"No!" Dawn grabbed Angel's arm. "Don't you dare embarrass me in front of him."

"I don't like this. This boy has you acting crazy. And don't you dare talk to Angel like that." Buffy said.

"It's my life. I'll do what I want to."

"I don't think so."

"Oh. So, what… suddenly you're Mom now?"

"No, I'm not. But I am one and I am glad she's not here to see you like this. Look, I'm sorry. I just…"

"You just can't handle it."

"What?"

"You've always been the special one. Hot little Buffy with her boyfriends. The Slayer. And now someone likes me, and you just can't stand that I'm getting the attention."

"That is the farthest thing from true."

"No it's not. And I'm sorry, but I like the way R.J. makes me feel, that song that just played is an expression of how I feel, and if you think that makes me a slut or whatever, I don't care."

Dawn started to walk away, but Angel grabbed her by the waist and brought her back. "Oh, no, no, no. You are not going back out on that dance floor."

Dawn stared at both of them and then grabbed her coat, storming out the door. Buffy groaned and Angel growled dangerously in his chest. Buffy walked over, grabbed her and Angel's coats, and apologized to her friends before walking out the door with Angel. As soon as they were outside, they found Dawn and some girl in a major catfight. Buffy broke it up and stood between the two girls.

"Ok, first with the lap dance, now with the cat fight." Buffy said. "Hey, you wanna get drunk and barf next?"

"Let go of me." Dawn said. She turned to the other girl. "This isn't finished."

"I'll never let you have him, bitch." The girl said. She kicked Buffy in the shin then ran off yelling, "R.J. is mine. I mean it! Stay away from him!"

"Well, at least someone agrees you shouldn't be dating this guy." Angel said, staring after the girl and then turning back to Buffy and Dawn. "You ok?"

"Yeah. I'll be fine." Buffy said.

Back with Liam's team, Collin was drowning in a beer trying to get the image of his mother dirty dancing out of his head. The image was rather disturbing to them all. They knew Dawn but only as a grown up and a parent. Never as a teenager. Seeing her tonight was something they were never going to forget.

"What I saw is something that can never be unseen." Collin complained as Danni rubbed his back.

"We all know." Danni said.

"That was her? That was Dawn? I mean, it looked like her but she wasn't anything like how she was in the future." Bill said.

"None of our parents are." Liam said.

"They're all so….us." Delia said. That revelation made everyone shiver.

"I'll tell you one thing, that guy she was….dancing with," Collin had a little bit of trouble saying that last part. "Is gonna get an ass whooping from me." Collin said and started to get up but Danni stopped him.

"Collin, if you start throwing punches at somebody for no reason you're gonna get into a lot of trouble." Danni said.

"It's not for no reason. He was dirty dancing with my mom."

"And how many people are gonna believe that besides us?" Liam asked.

"Collin, why don't I go and deal with him. If he's seen getting his ass kicked by a girl, they leave it alone."

"Alright." Collin relented. Danni got up and walked over to RJ who was by the bar. The rest of the group watched with anticipation. Seeing Danni kick someone's ass was a show worth paying to see.

Danni walked up to RJ who had his letterman jacket on. "Hey buddy." Danni said with a serious pissed off tone. RJ turned around to see her. As soon as he did, he was impressed with Danni's beauty. Danni looked pissed but then she looked impressed with RJ. "Look, um….I was gonna tell you something about that girl you were dancing with."

"Yeah?" RJ said smiling.

"Yeah, I was gonna say…she…isn't really your type." Danni told him

"You think so?"

"I know so. You see, she's just a kid and kids are emotional and lost in the clouds and don't really know what they're doing most of the time."

"Well she seemed to know what to do on the dance floor."

"Maybe, but I think that you don't need someone like her. I think you need a woman." Danni said and winked at RJ.

"What's she doing?" Collin asked to the group.

"Where's the arse kicking? The 'don't mess with me'? The Danni?" Bill asked.

"Do you have a woman in mind?" RJ asked Danni.

"As a matter of fact…" Danni said and slid a hand up RJ's torso. Her other hand was moving way down below RJ's belt. Before she could make contact, her hand was grabbed away by Liam who saw the situation getting out of control.

"I think you had a little too much to drink cousin." Liam told Danni. "So sorry." Liam said to RJ and led Danni back over to the table. "Ok, what the hell was that?"

"What was what?" Danni asked innocently.

"That! With the whole flirting with that kid and you about to grab his balls."

"Oh, Nothing. I was just messing around. Actually I was hoping Collin would come over. It might have seemed better for two men to fight over a women." Danni explained.

"Oh." Liam said.

"You could have told us." Collin said.

"Without it, it wouldn't have seemed more real." Danni said.

"Whatever, I think we should head in for the night." Bill said.

"Agreed. It's getting rather uncomfortable in here anyway." Delia said. Everyone left a tip on the table they were at and left the Bronze.

…

Principal Wood was talking to R.J. outside his office door, near Buffy's cubicle. Buffy was listening to the conversation. R.J. was wearing a gray t-shirt, and holding his letterman jacket by the collar.

"How bout if you try doing your own homework for a change? No more getting these young, impressionable women to do it for you. Avoid detention, R.J. Sound good?" Principal Wood asked.

"Whatever." R.J. said.

"Oh, sweet infectious enthusiasm." Principal Wood walked back into his office, while R.J. started to go back to class. Buffy interrupted him.

"Whoa. Hang on there, slappy. I'm not done with you yet." She said.

"Oh, man. Like it's not bad enough I got that guy riding my back all the time. Now I gotta deal with you, too?" R.J. said.

"Actually, I'm a bit more formidable than Mr. Wood. You might come to look fondly on his back-riding."

"Yeah, but come on…"

"Sit."

He plopped down into one of the office chairs. "Hey, I told him I was sorry about the homework."

"Mmm… not the homework, Mr. Wizard. The girls. What you're doing to them. In specific, my sister."

"Hey, I didn't do anything to your sister. And you saw how hot she looked last night. I think that proved that she…"

"Aah! No more with the talky." Buffy turned away, hands up, to avoid the conversation. "Look, I know how guys like you work. You turn on the charm, you get whatever you want, no matter who gets in your way, right?"

"Ok, look, it's not like that." R.J. started putting on jacket. "I just..." Buffy pushed him back into the seat. "...get along really well with girls."

"Oh, I see how you get along." She turned to pace while she ranted. "Oh, look at me, I'm Mr. Quarterback. I crush little girls and all their little feelings. All I have to do is..." Buffy turned back, facing him now, and suddenly changed to a more pleasant tone. "Lead a team of high school athletes trying their best to do a good job. Everyone depending on me. That is a lot of pressure. But it doesn't mean you get to disregard other people's feelings."

"It's not like I meant to hurt anyone."

"I know. I know that. It's just... you're a leader, a captain, ok? People look up to you. You need to keep that in mind when you... I bet you run a lot, huh? I mean, they work you pretty hard, don't they?"

"Yeah, I guess so."

"I get that. I do. I'm there. Or at least I was there when I was still in high school. Which I was, just a couple of years ago, really. You know, I just realized that I'm basically the same age as you. I'm not really older at all, actually. Just like you, but with the sexual experience and stuff."

"I think I hear what you're saying." A colleague came into the office lobby area. Buffy stood and cleared her throat, changing the tone of her conversation to seem more professional. "Um, right, I'm… I'm really glad that w-we had this talk, so, uh, I think you'd better to get back to class."

"Ok. Thanks." R.J. left. Buffy watched longingly, grinning like a lovesick fool.

…

"How'd your talk go?" Angel asked Buffy as she sat on the couch watching TV.

"Hmm... Fine." Buffy said distractedly.

"Dawn'll be home soon."

"I know."

"Are you gonna talk to her about what you and R.J. talked about?"

"Sure." Dawn came through the front door as quietly as she could, but Buffy was sitting on the couch waiting for her. "Dawn. You wanna come talk to me?" Dawn walked in and sat down next to Buffy. "I wanted to tell you that I talked to R.J. today. He's ok. I think he likes you."

"Really? Tell me what he said about me, every word, including intonation and facial expressions." Dawn said.

"Well, he thinks you're-you're funny and-and pretty and interesting. Didn't have a thing to say against you." Buffy avoided eye contact with Dawn.

"Yes, he did. I can tell."

"The tiniest thing. He might have said that you came on a little strong."

"Oh, my God! I'm the pushy queen of slut town."

"No, honey, honey, not at all. No, no. It's just… you know, lay back a little. Let him come to you."

"I'm just scared that while I'm laying back, some other girl's gonna come and sweep him up."

"But we have inside info. We know he doesn't like being swept. He likes to be the sweeper. Dawn, you're gonna come out the winner here, with me looking out for you."

"Yeah, I guess so. Thank you." Dawn said, hugging Buffy. "So, um... Am I not punished for that thing with the girl?

"Not really."

"What!?"

"For now. I'll let you go out, but only when Angel, Liam, or me is with you."

"Oh. Well, that kind of works. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" Dawn bounced upstairs happily.

"What was that all about?" Angel asked.

"Hmm? Oh! Well, he seemed like a good kid. Dawn is just a little pushy. It wasn't R.J.'s fault at all." Buffy said.

"What!?"

"Oh Angel, don't get so upset. I'm going to bed. Night." Buffy flounced up the stairs.

…

Liam walked into the Summers house that day. He wanted to talk to see his parents while the rest of the team were doing their own things around town.

"Hello?" Liam called.

"Hey Liam." He heard his father's voice. Angel came out of the kitchen with Connor in his arms. "What are you doing here?" Angel asked as they both enveloped each other in a hug with Connor in-between.

"I just came to see you all. Delia's out doing her own thing and I thought I'd come to see how my brother and parents are doing."

"Were doing alright. I'm little worried about your mother though."

"Why? What's wrong?"

"She left here wearing a short shirt that she usually wears for…"

"Stop." Liam said with a raised hand. "Don't need a visual. Got plenty of those for this week."

"What?"

"Nothing. Do you have any idea as to why she would be wearing something like that?"

"No. I can't go out right now, but could you go and see if everything is alright with her?"

"Sure. I'll meet up with Xander at the school." Liam turned and left the house.

…

When sixth period rolled around, Buffy bounced into R.J.'s math class wearing a black satin shirt and a short skirt. "Sorry to interrupt, but we need to see R.J. Brooks down in the guidance office." R.J. got up and followed Buffy to an empty classroom. She let him in first and then shut the door behind her.

"There's no one here." R.J. said.

"Yeah, there is. There's one of you, and there's one of me." Buffy walked up to him, touching his back. "You were the one in math class. Tell me what that adds up to." Buffy pushed R.J. back onto a desk gently. "I've always been fascinated by football. So, what's it like to lead a team?"

"The thing of it is: the time. Nobody gets how much time goes into it, with practices and games."

"I totally get it. I was kinda juggling some stuff when I was in high school, too… which was also very recent. Principal Snyder was always on me."

"I still say Wood's the worst. You haven't seen the way that guy rides me. I wish somebody'd get him off my back."

"Yeah, that would be cool."

"And sometimes, I didn't even do anything wrong..." Buffy grabbed R.J. by the collar and kissed him passionately. They kissed for a moment, then he pulled back. "You're like a teacher!"

"Not really."

"And aren't you married?"

"Does it bother you?"

"Not so much." They kissed again and leaned back on the desks.

…

Dawn ran out of the building and sat down outside on the edge of a large planter. She started to cry when she looked down and saw Xander's work boots and Liam's black boots standing there. They both seemed concerned and sat down beside her.

"Dawn? What's wrong?" Liam asked.

"Is this… Did that guy in the jacket..." Xander asked.

"Uh! I don't even want to hear his name anymore!" Dawn cried.

"I just called him 'that guy in the jacket.'"

"That's what I used to call him in my head before I knew his real name!"

"Dawnie, honey, you seem extremely perturbed. Maybe I should go get my mom..." Liam said.

"No! I don't ever want to see her again."

"I thought that was about that guy in the... um, that guy with the thing." Xander said.

"No, it's about both of them."

"What do you mean?" Liam asked.

"Find out for yourselves." Liam jumped up and ran off. Xander followed him. Liam followed Buffy's scent to an empty classroom. Xander caught up to him and opened the door.

"Buffy, I think Dawn needs y… Uuh!" Xander said. Buffy was straddling R.J.'s hips while he was lying on top of a desk. Her top was pulled half off, baring her shoulders. R.J. was still fully clothed and wearing his jacket. They didn't get up when Xander and Liam walked in.

"Xander! Liam, hi. This is R.J." Buffy said innocently.

"Oh my god! I'm blind!" Liam said.

"Hey, guys. It's called knocking." R.J. said.

"I'm sorry. It's just: checkout time was an hour ago. We were hoping to make up the bed. Also, it's a classroom, you chowder-head! Now get off the boy, Buffy. We're going home." Xander said.

Buffy hopped down and fixed her shirt. She breezed out as if Liam hadn't just walked in on her and another guy. Liam's face was nothing but a mask of disgust and horror. Seeing your parents or even one of them doing the nasty with someone isn't something you can get out of your head.

…

Angel, Liam, Willow, Xander, Delia, and Anya stood in the dining room looking at Buffy and a crying Dawn. Liam was still mortified, but he knew it wasn't Buffy's fault. There was something making her do this. Angel was angry and knew that this wasn't Buffy as well.

"It's a spell." Liam said. "It has to be. There's no other explanation for the horror that I saw."

"Are you ok?" Delia asked.

"Ok? I am beyond all repair. I just saw my mom dry humping a kid. A kid! That's not something you get rid of easily!" Liam said with a raised voice.

"Ok. Just asked."

"I'm gonna kill him." Angel growled.

"Why? Just call it even." Liam said.

"What?"

"You kissed another girl. Mom kissed another guy. Makes it even between you two." Angel was going to retort but fell silent as the thought dawned on him that Liam might be right.

"Dawn, please stop crying. Please? Crying isn't going to make his love for me go away, you know." Buffy said.

"Listen, you're under a love spell." Xander said.

"You're right." Buffy turned back to Dawn. "He's right. You're under a spell. Oh, poor little Dawnie."

"But we're working on it. It'll be better soon." Willow said.

"Yes. Soon neither one of you will be in love with this boy." Anya added.

"He's not a boy." Buffy said.

"What do you know about our love? It's true and real. This isn't magic. This is my heart." Dawn said.

"Fine." Anya said.

"We'll be working." Xander said.

"Look, I know this feels terrible, but it isn't real. Try to hold onto that." Willow said.

"Did you hear that? It isn't real. You're just crazy." Buffy said to Dawn.

"It is so real! I love him. You knew how I felt... like I finally found something, and you betrayed me." Dawn said.

"I betrayed you? You're the one that constructed this elaborate fantasy about you and my lover."

"I can't hear this." Liam said and clapped his hands over his ears.

"Your lover? You're lover! You're married!" Dawn yelled.

"Guys… Guys..." Willow said.

"I tried to get you to back away." Buffy said.

"That's right! You lied to me!" Dawn said.

"Did you want me to tell you that he's in love with me? That your little crush is hopeless?"

"It's not a crush! Stop. You're not supposed to do this."

"Why? Because he's younger than me? You know, I'm extremely youthful. And peppy."

"No, because you were the one I trusted." Dawn ran upstairs and slammed her door.

"Dawn, wait!" Buffy ran up after her. Xander, Angel, Willow, Anya, Delia, and Liam walked into the dining room and started to page through old tomes. Willow booted up her laptop and started researching on the net. Buffy and Dawn yelled at each other upstairs for a little while before stopping.

"Crazy little lust puppies, aren't they?" Anya said.

"Well, at least the yelling went away. It was starting to sound like Christmas morning with my family." Xander said.

"Love spells. People forget how dangerous they can be." Angel said, without looking up from the book he was reading.

"Thankfully I learned when I was quite young. Never used it before." Liam said.

"What happened?" Xander asked.

"Don't ask." Liam and Delia said at the same time.

"Gotcha. Bad experience." Xander said.

"Like you wouldn't believe it." Delia said.

"Actually I think I would. I've been there." Xander went off into some little dream world. He came dreamily back with, "Good times."

"Here. Something." Willow said, turning her laptop around. Angel looked up just as Buffy came in.

"She's locked her door. That spell has her good and loopy." Buffy said.

"Info on one R.J. Brooks."

"Oh, lemme see. Is there a picture?" Buffy asked. Liam groaned and put his head on the table. Hearing his mother going lovesick over any guy was practically torture for him.

"Family stuff. Hey, I knew his brother. He was a big jock at Sunnydale High too. Couple years ahead of us. He used to stick chewing gum in my hair. Huh." Xander said.

"What're you thinking?" Willow asked.

"Well, I think my relationship with R.J.'s brother was complex at best, but... maybe he's a way in."

"Now, look for a picture." Buffy said to Willow.

"Ok, that's it!" Angel stood up. Buffy squealed as Angel lifted her over his shoulder. "Xander, go check out this guy's brother."

"Angel, put me down!"

"Buffy, shut up. Willow, keep looking up spells. I'm taking Buffy upstairs."

"What are you gonna do to her?" Delia asked.

"Try and break this spell myself."

"Oh."

"I'm going with uncle Xander! I don't want to be around for that." Liam said, putting his coat on and heading out after Xander.

"I guess Anya, Delia, and I are stuck here researching and watching out for the lust puppies. All three of them." Willow said, eyeing Angel.

…

Xander and Liam were standing in front of someone's house and Xander was talking to Liam.

"I'm just saying, we're—we're tangling with a powerful spell here." Xander said as they walked up to the house. "We don't know what the deal is so—so keep an eye out if this guy looks twitchy. And don't let this guy charm you, either. He had everyone around him practically kissing his ring back in high school."

"Got it." Liam said. They were standing on the front porch now, ringing the doorbell. An angel decorated the door jamb, and Liam avoided its glare. A tall, ungroomed, unathletic guy answered the door in a pizza delivery uniform. Xander and Liam both stare at him in disbelief.

"Yeah?" the guy said.

…

Danni was sitting on the couch on Liam's apartment and humming to herself while writing on a notepad. She had the same lovesick look that Buffy had. Collin walked into the apartment and closed the door.

"Hey." He said to Danni.

"Hey." Danni said and sighed happily.

"What are you writing?" Collin asked as he went to the refrigerator to get a beer.

"Nothing." Danni said and kept writing.

"Ok." Collin used his sixth sense and his eyes turned electric blue. He saw through the pages of the notepad and saw the page Danni was writing on. She was writing the same type of line over and over again. Danni and RJ. Mr. and Mrs. RJ. Danni and RJ forever. That blew Collin's top. "You're writing his name?!" Collin yelled. Danni held the notepad to her chest and looked appalled.

"Collin, that's called invasion of privacy." Danni said.

"What you're doing is called cheating. Danni you just met the guy. Besides you would never do anything like this with any boy you liked before. And he's from the past. You're from the future."

"I can work around that."

"Not to mention the most important fact, you're with me!"

"But RJ, he's just so…." Danni sighed happily again. "He's a man trapped in a boy's body."

"I'm gonna kill him." Collin went over to his suit case and pulled out his bow and quiver. "I'm gonna find him and put an arrow through him.

"No." Danni jumped up from her seat and planted a hot, steam, magic filled kiss on Collin's cheek. The mark burned and Collin was overcome by bliss that he fell over. Danni looked down on Collin's unconscious body that had a smile on his face. "I'm so sorry. Please forgive me. Now to dress for my lover." Danni went to her suitcase and pulled out a few seductive articles of clothing. She stripped down naked and put on a mid-thigh black skirt and a white blouse that was almost see through and black high heels. She wasn't wearing any undergarments and didn't plan it. Just in case of anything, and maybe something kinky, Danni took her belt whip and wrapped it around herself. She looked herself and a mirror before leaving the apartment with Collin still unconscious on the floor.

...

The guy that Xander and Liam met at the door was sitting slouched in an overstuffed chair. Xander and Liam were sitting across from him on the couch. The room was lovingly decorated with pale ivory colors, soft lighting and lace, and there are knick-knacks everywhere. Each guy was drinking a bottle of beer.

"Construction, huh? That's awesome." The guy said.

"Yeah." Xander replied.

"So, what's up with R.J.? How's he doing at the old alpha mater?" Liam stood up and started walking around the room.

"Good. It's just….I know a girl that might be going out with him and I was wondering…"

"God, and you want to know if he's a good guy. Truth is, he's the best. Following in my footsteps. You might not know it now, looking at me with a couple of extra pounds, but back then, I was quite the guy." Liam was standing at the back of the room now, near a curio cabinet full of statuettes.

"Yeah, I gather that R.J. is pretty popular, too."

"I gotta tell ya. There was a time I was worried about R.J. He was into comic books, Model U.N., geek stuff—no offense, Harris." While the brother was talking, Liam was inspecting the figurines on the curio cabinet. They were all angels. Dozens and dozens of angels. He looked at them and gave them all weird looks.

"One time, I found all this poetry under his bed. Turns out, he wrote it. Then he, uh—what do you call it? Blossomed. That's what it was like." Liam was still walking around the room, looking at things.

"And do you have any idea why he, you know, burst into a flower all of a sudd—?" Liam was standing in front of the mantle and looking at the pictures that adorn it.

"You're wearing your brother's jacket. Here, in this picture." Liam said.

"Oh, no, dude. He's wearing mine. That jacket was with me all the way through high school. Gave it to him when I graduated, right before I started over at the Pizza Barn. I'm in the management program."

"So, Lance, where did you get the jacket?"

"Oh, dad gave it to me. Made a big deal about it, too. How he met mom wearing that jacket. She was a former Miss Arkansas. Very hot in her day." Lance explained.

"Wow, that's wonderful. Boy, it's getting late." Xander said getting up.

"Hey, you guys don't have to take off if you don't want too. I got sort of a rumpus room set up in the basement. There's air hockey and a mini fridge. We could party."

"Lance? Do you have guests down there? There's little boxes or raisins if you want snacks." They all heard Lance's mom say.

"We really gotta go." Xander said.

...

Willow, Anya, and Delia were still working in the Summer's dining room.

"Damn love spell. I have tried every anti-love spell spell I could find." Willow said.

"Even if you find the right one, the guy would probably just do an anti-anti-love spell spell... spell." Anya said.

"And what's after that? Anti-anti-anti-love spell spell spell….spell?" Delia asked.

"You said you and Liam had a history with a love spell before." Anya said.

"Please don't ask." Delia begged.

"Just tell us what happened. Maybe it could help with everything here."

"Long story short, I'm not the only girl you fell for Liam's drop-dead gorgeous looks. And there are some crazy girls out there."

The doorbell rang and Willow stood up. "I'll get it. Maybe it's Xander with some answers from the brother." Willow went to door it. R.J. was standing there, wearing his jacket. "Oh, you have to be…"

"I was looking for Buffy. Mrs. Summers." RJ said.

"Buffy's not here. Go away!"

"Are you sure?"

Anya and Delia walked up to the door, standing beside Willow. "No Buffy for you." Anya said.

"Leave now, please." Delia said.

"Uh-huh. OK. Tell her to call me." RJ said.

"Man..." Willow said.

"Good thing Buffy and Dawn are upstairs. If they knew he was here..." Anya said.

"Things could have gotten…" As R.J. walked away, Anya, Willow, and Delia stared at him intently, watching him walk away. Clearly, they were getting excited by this sight.

…

"But you don't even know him!" Willow yelled.

"Yes, I do. I looked into him and saw his soul." Anya yelled back.

"He was walking away, so unless his soul was in his ass..."

"Guys, please. We can't argue over my lover. He could be distracted from loving me." Delia said.

"A.J. is my best friend and my dearest darling..." Anya said

"It's R.J. And what you were picking up on was his deep caring and devotion to me." Willow said.

Buffy came downstairs with Dawn in tow. "What's going on?"

"Willow and Delia think that they're in love with my boyfriend, R.J." Anya said.

"What? No! You all can't do this." Dawn yelled.

"Willow, you're a gay woman." Buffy said. Willow shrugged. "And he isn't."

"This isn't about his physical presence. It's about his heart." Willow retorted.

"His physical presence has a penis!" Delia yelled.

"I can work around it!"

"This isn't fair! How can you all be doing this to me?" Dawn whined.

"Ok, wait. Everyone wait. Just calm down, ok? I-I think I know what this is. Clearly, you all have been affected by the same love spell that got Dawn." Buffy said.

"Uh! This isn't a spell. He owns my heart. He can't own yours! You're hearts already owned. What happened to Angel?"

"He's… asleep."

Upstairs:

Angel yanked on the handcuffs, but Buffy had locked his arms in a weird position and he couldn't get enough leverage to break the cuffs. He had had Buffy locked to the bed with the handcuffs and was talking to her about how much he loved her when she tempted him to come over to her. He had gotten on top of her and grasped one of her hands as he started to kiss her. That was when Buffy had locked his wrist in one cuff. She flipped him so he was on bottom and she overpowered him, pulling his other wrist into the other cuff.

"Buffy?! Anyone!?" Angel called, yanking again on the cuffs.

Back Downstairs:

"Now Dawn, be quiet. We're trying to work this out. We don't need you interfering." Buffy said.

"There's a simple answer to this. Just think about who loves him the most. Clearly I do, since I'm willing to look past the whole orientation thing." Willow said.

"I need him." Dawn said.

"Well, you're gonna have to do better than that." Anya said. "I'd kill for him."

"You'd kill for a chocolate bar." Willow scoffed at Anya.

"No. Yes! Kill for him." Buffy said. "I'm the slayer. Slayer means kill. Oh, I'll kill the principal."

"Ooh, that is hard to top." Anya said.

"I can. I'll kill my husband and sleep with RJ once. I'm already pregnant so when I tell him, he'll believe it's his and he'll marry me."

"Ooh, that's harder to top."

"Yeah, well I have skills. I can prove my love with magic." Willow said.

"Yeah, right. What're you gonna do... use magic to make him into a girl?" Delia asked. Willow's eyes widened. "Damn." Willow went upstairs, Anya went out the front door, Buffy went to the living room, Delia went to the kitchen, and Dawn stood still, leaning against the wall. Buffy came back, turned around to get her jacket from the foyer, and stopped to talk to Dawn.

"Sorry, Dawnie. You're never gonna get him." Buffy said.

"No. Never." Dawn said.

…

Bill walked into the apartment and flipped on the lights. He walked into the apartment and tripped over something. He flipped over and saw Collin lying on the floor unconscious with a shit-eating grin.

"Eagle Eye?" Bill said getting up. "Collin." Bill went over to Collin and shook him. "Mate, come on. Wake up." He shook Collin more but he didn't stir. Bill checked all over Collin and noticed the kiss mark on Collin's cheek. "Bollocks." Bill went up to his suitcase and pulled out an air horn. He placed it right by Collin's ear and pressed it. The horn let out a loud sound and Collin woke up immediately. He jumped to his feet.

"Danni?" Collin said.

"No. Bill. Where is she?"

"Possibly trying to bang a guy from the past." Collin said furiously and gathered up his equipment.

"Our Danni?"

"Yeah. I have no idea why, but she's head over heels in love with this guy."

"Think it could be a spell?"

"No other explanation. Suit up. I'll contact Midnight and tell him."

"Copy that." Bill went back to his suitcase and pulled out his twin swords and sheathes. They both put on their equipment and left the apartment.

…

"Guys?!" Xander called, coming in with Liam behind him. Spike had stayed at the apartment while Faith had been out on patrol and nowhere to be found. "Anyone here?" Xander heard the sounds of banging against the wall upstairs. "I guess mommy and daddy ain't done."

"No, they are. Cause mom's not here." Liam took off up the stairs and into Buffy and Angel's room. "Dad!"

Angel laid on the bad rattling the cuffs against the bars on the bed. "Hey Liam."

"Is this your way of saying I love you?" Xander asked.

"No. Buffy was originally the one chained to the bed, but she managed to escape and chain ME to the bed. Can you get me out? The keys are on the dresser over there."

Xander went and got the keys and undid Angel. "I don't even want to know where you got these things."

"Not mine."

"Please for the love of god, don't tell me." Liam said.

"Willow's doing a spell. I can smell the incense."

They walked into Willow's room. Willow sat on the floor doing some spell. "Oh, Hecate, I call on you. I humbly ask your will be done. Hear my request, a simple change, create a daughter from a s..." Her words were cut off by Xander's hand clamping over her mouth. The crystal's stopped glowing and dropped out of the air. "Oh, man! Now I've gotta start all over. Hecate hates that."

"What the hell are you doing?" Xander asked, taking the cowl of crystals away.

"Proving I love R.J. the most!"

"Will, honey… R.J.'s a guy."

"I did notice that, yeah. That's why I'm doing my spell, cause, you know, he doesn't have to be. Now, hand me back my crystals. I don't have much time."

"Much time before what?" Angel asked.

"Before Buffy and Anya and Dawn and Delia have a chance to prove that they love R.J. the most."

"And how are they gonna do that?"

"Wait, wait, wait. Delia?" Liam asked. "Delia's under the spell too?" Willow nodded. Liam's phone began to ring. "Hello….what…it's some spell….find her." Liam hung up the phone and put his hands into his hair. "I'm going crazy here."

"Who was that?" Xander asked.

"Not important."

"What does Buffy plan on doing?" Angel asked Willow.

"Well, Buffy's gonna kill Principal Wood, Anya..." Will said.

"Fine, ok, let's start there." Xander said, grabbing Willow and heading downstairs.

"Liam?" they heard Delia's voice. Delia came out from the kitchen. "Liam can we talk?" she asked sincerely.

"Yes. You guys go get mom before she does something insanely stupid. I need to talk to my wife." Liam said.

"Don't let her lead you on with kisses." Angel warned him before they all headed out the door. Liam turned back to Delia.

"Ok, Delia…" Liam was cut off by a right hook from Delia. Liam leaned on the door. "Delia…" Delia punched him again and he fell to the floor. Delia straddled Liam and punched him over and over again until Liam was unconscious. She took Liam by the arms and dragged him through the hallway.

…

Angel, Willow, and Xander were at the high school.

"Willow, do a locater spell and find Dawn." Angel said. "I'm going after Buffy."

Angel walked around to where the Principal's office was. Buffy was there lining up a shot at the window with her rocket launcher. She aimed it, but Angel tackled her before she could shoot, and they fell to the ground. Angel tried to walk away with the rocket launcher, but Buffy tackled him, and again they fell to the ground. Angel ran away with the rocket launcher, and Buffy ran after him. Angel stopped when he got to Xander and Willow. Buffy stared at Willow, who was sitting on the ground doing magic.

"Hey! What are you guys doing?" Buffy asked.

"Locator spell. Human variety. Almost done." Willow said.

"Well, I've got a principal to kill. What's going on? Who are we looking for?"

"Dawn." Angel said, disarming the rocket launcher. "I didn't know you still had this thing. Where've you been hiding it?"

"Somewhere. Can I please have that back? It'll just take a sec."

"Buffy, you are not killing the principal."

"Why not?"

"Because it's wrong! You can't tell me you're that so stupidly love struck with this spell that you've lost your judgment."

"I have not lost it. I know perfectly well what I'm doing."

"Got her." Willow said. "She's at the Sunnydale Train Yard."

"What's she doing there?" Angel asked.

"Heck if I know." Willow stood up and climbed back into the backseat of Angel's convertible with Xander. Buffy and Angel climbed into the front seat. They sped off towards the train yard. The car stopped and they all piled out.

"You realize that Anya or Delia are probably seducing R.J. even as we speak." Buffy said.

"My God. You think so?" Willow asked.

"Well, I wouldn't put it past them. Anya's recently evil, you know."

"Well, so am I. Why should I miss out?"

"Well Delia's crafty when it comes to killing someone. Liam might be in trouble."

"Hey, crazy chicks…look." Xander said.

"Dawn? Dawn!" Buffy ran towards Dawn who was lying on the train tracks awaiting the oncoming train. A train was in the train yard now. Buffy ran alongside of it, in the same direction towards Dawn. Another train was coming into the yard from the opposite direction. It was on the track Dawn was on. Buffy jumped onto the train beside her and climbed up to the top of the train car. Dawn could tell the train was close to running her over, so she turned her head away, clinched her eyes shut, and waited. Buffy jumped off the train, landing near Dawn. She stood up and grabbed Dawn, pulling her off the tracks just in time, as the train rolled down the tracks where she was only moments before. Buffy and Dawn stood up as Angel got to them. "What were you doing? I mean, what is this?" Buffy asked.

"It doesn't matter." Dawn said.

"This is the plan? You're gonna steal R.J. by being trisected?!" Angel asked.

"What am I… gonna compete with you? You're older and hotter and have sex that's rough enough to kill people. I don't have any of that stuff. But if I did this then his whole life he'd know there was someone that loved him so much they'd give up their life."

"Dawn…" Buffy said.

"And it would be true forever."

"No guy is worth your life. Not ever."

"R.J. is. And don't say he isn't. Look what you were willing to do."

"Dawn, I would give him to you in a second if I could. That's how much you're scaring me."

"But I-I thought you wanted him for you."

"Nah. I got Angel. Well, yeah. My God, that boy is hot. Sorry. I think I might be under a spell here." Buffy smiled apologetically at Angel.

"I hear ya." Dawn said.

…

Collin and Bill were searching for Danni through the darkened streets of Sunnydale. They hopped from rooftop to rooftop of the low buildings and stopped on one roof. Collin's eyes were electric blue and searching for Danni. He could see the blue auras of people through the walls of buildings. He gaze landed on a yellow aura that was walking through an alley.

"There." Collin said and led Bill off the rooftop.

Danni was walking through an alley searching for RJ. She had on a seductive hungry predator look. Bill dropped down from above and landed in front of Danni.

"Bill. What are you doing?" Danni asked innocently.

"Getting you home so that you can put on some pants." Bill replied.

"What's wrong with a skirt?"

"The fact that you don't have panties on." Collin replied. Danni looked behind her and saw Collin standing there with his bow in hand.

"What I wear is none of your concern." Danni said.

"It is when you're dressing up for some other guy and intending on sleeping with him."

"I'm sorry that you feel this way. But Collin, RJ is my love. If you ever cared about my happiness, you would let me be happy with him."

"Oh blow me, Dan." Collin replied.

"I'd like to blow RJ, thank you." Danni countered.

"Ok, this is becoming gross." Bill said and withdrew his twin swords from under his leather coat. "Why don't we just haul her skanky arse back to our apartment and tie her down until this love spell is taken care of."

"You wouldn't dare." Danni said facing him with an angry look. Bill connected his swords together at the pommel and twirled them around.

"Try me." Danni shot a blast of magic at Bill and Bill caught it by spinning his swords in front of him. The magic gathered and Bill redirected the blast to a group of trashcans that blew up.

"Damn. I forgot about your weapons able to collect magic."

"You know Kathy was the cautious type. Didn't believe you should be all powerful without a failsafe."

"Luckily I can get around it."

"Don't try it." Collin said and fired an arrow at Danni. The arrow stopped in midair inches form Danni's head. Danni turned around to face the arrow and it broke into tiny pieces.

"Tried, won." Danni said.

"Not yet." Bill ran up behind Liam with his swords ready. Danni whipped out her whip and it stiffened up into her staff. Bill and Danni fought each other. Danni stuck her staff into the ground and swung around it like a pole hitting Bill into a wall. Collin fired arrow after arrow at Danni. Danni blocked the arrows with her staff. She barely was able to duck Bills attack as he came from the side. The two fought again before Danni tossed her staff into the air. Bill was more focused on the staff that he didn't notice Danni's round house to his head. Bill landed in a pile of garbage. Danni caught her staff.

"Should be more aware of your surroundings." Danni told him. Collin fired an arrow at Danni and Danni redirected it into the wall. "I thought you never miss." Danni taunted.

"I don't." Collin replied. Danni looked confused and then looked at the arrow that was in the wall. It had a device on it and it blew, shining at light at her. It was a flash bang arrow. Collin took the opportunity and fired another arrow at Danni. The arrow's head was replaced by a cylinder like device. It broke in half and was connected by a thin string. The string caught onto Danni and the two arrow pieces started wrapping around her. The two split arrow heads connected to each other and Danni screamed as she was shocked by electricity from the arrow. The shocking stopped and Danni fell to the ground unconscious. She was still tied up from the arrow. Bill got out of the garbage and looked at her body.

"You should be more aware of your surroundings." Bill told her.

…

Liam sighed and groaned as he came to. He opened his eyes and saw that he was in the basement of the Summers home.

"Good. You're awake." Liam heard is wife. Liam looked up and his vision became clear. Delia was standing over home with an apologetic look. "I wanted you to be awake for this."

"Awake for what?" Liam tried to move but he realized that his arms were chained to opposite ends of the walls. "Delia, what's going on?"

"I want you to understand that I'll always love you." Delia said.

"And I'll always love you. Now why am I chained up?" Liam demanded.

Delia kneeled before Liam. "I will always love you and our baby. But I love someone else. And I don't want there to be anything between me and my lover."

"What?"

"I'm going to prove my love for RJ by killing you. Then I will seduce him and have sex with him. Since I'm already pregnant, it just has to be the one time and he'll believe it's his. He'll want to marry me."

"And they say I'm crazy."

Delia stood up. "I just wanted to tell. I thought you deserved to know." Delia turned around and went to a table with her sword in a sheath on it and Liam's equipment belt. She took it and unsheathed it. "You gave this to me as a testimony of your love for me. It only seems fitting that I give it back to you." She turned around and Liam wasn't there anymore. Delia's eyes grew wide and she held her sword up ready. "Please Liam, I don't want to have to hunt you down."

"No need." Delia turned around, just in time to see Liam hit her in the head with a baseball bat. Delia fell down out cold. Liam lifted up the bat and looked at it. It cracked and broke where Liam hit her. Liam sighed.

"Please god, let mental trauma not affect my baby." Liam said to himself and picked up Delia. He need to take her to the hospital. He took Delia over his shoulder and lifted up his sleeve to contact his team on his I.W.M.D. "Shepard to Lost Sheep. Shepherd to Lost Sheep. Come in Lost Sheep." Liam said. Lost Sheep was the call sign for two or more of them in a group together. Shepherd was for one of them, usually Liam calling Bill and Collin.

"Shepherd, this is Lost Sheep. We have Bo Peep." Liam heard Collin's voice. Bo Peep was reserved for Danni as she was a female.

"Nice job. Now I have another task for you guys. Look for RJ Brooks. You guys remember him. Get the jacket. I repeat, get the jacket. It's cursed or something. Makes girls crazy."

"We've noticed." Bill said.

"Ok, find the guy. I got to take Delia to the hospital."

"Is she alright?"

"I hit her with a baseball bat as she tried to kill me. Meet me at the hospital when you're done."

"Copy that. Lost Sheep out."

…

Collin turned the call off and grabbed his bow again. "I'm gonna go jock hunting. You get Danni back and keep her tied down." Collin told Bill.

"No way, mate." Bill said sounding shocked. "I don't want to be on the other end of Danni when she wakes up and sees herself tied up."

"Well I don't either and we need to find this RJ guy." They both looked at Danni's unconscious form.

"How about we leave her here and come back afterwards."

"That works." Both of the men started going out of the alley.

"So where the hell are we gonna find this guy?"

"Don't know." They both reached the entrance of the alley and saw RJ walking along the street with his letterman jacket on and with a cheerleader on crutches.

"What luck? How you wanna play this?"

Collin took a stand and aimed an arrow at RJ. "I'm thinking of shooting an arrow and splitting his jacket in half from it.

"Twenty bucks says you won't do it." Bill betted.

"You're on." Collin took aim. Before he could do anything, RJ was tackled to the ground by Xander. Spike came up behind and took the jacket off. They both ran off with the jacket. Collin lowered his bow and arrow. He and Bill looked dumbfounded. "Was that just…?"

"Our fathers?" Bill said. Collin nodded. "Yup." Bill patted Collin's back. "You owe me twenty bucks." Bill went back in to the alley. Collin looked after him, surprised.

…

Delia was lying on a hospital bed and hooked up to several hospital equipment. A heart machine was beeping a normal pace. Delia was still unconscious and a bandage was wrapped around her head. Liam was sitting next to her and watching her intensely.

"Ok, she's gonna be fine, though I recommend that she stays in bed for the next week to be on the safe side. Mental trauma is a very serious thing when it comes to pregnancies. How far along is she?" The doctor said.

"About three months." Liam answered.

"And who is your regular doctor?"

"Dr. Hodgins. In LA. We're here for family."

"Ok, if you want, our pregnancy doctors can look at you fetus and see if everything is going ok."

"Please do." Liam jumped to it immediately.

"Ok, we'll have a nurse come in in a little bit to take her to observation."

"Thanks, Doc." Liam said.

"Tell me again how she got that injury to her head."

"Oh, she fell." Liam said.

"Right." The doctor said though didn't look all that convinced. He left the room and Liam went back to looking at Delia. He felt really guilty for hitting her over the head. What if it affected the baby in a way? What if it causes a miscarriage? It would have been Liam's fault. He couldn't take that. A nurse came in and started wheeling Delia away. Liam followed until he couldn't o further. He looked through a window as doctors started looking all over Delia and examining her and the baby.

"Liam." Liam heard and turned to see Bill, Collin, and Danni, now wearing appropriate clothing, walking towards him. Danni went up to Liam and hugged him.

"I am so sorry. This must be all my fault." Danni said.

"It's not your fault, Dan. Are you ok?"

"Little shocked. I'll get over it." Danni said.

"The jacket destroyed?" Liam asked.

"Would expect it to. We saw our dads tackle the guy and take the jacket." Collin replied.

"Then it's gone. The spells broken." Liam looked back at Delia being examined.

"You alright, mate?" Bill asked.

"No. I hit my pregnant wife and I could have caused something serious with the baby. What if something happens? It would be all my fault." Liam started to tear up. Danni turned him so that he was facing her.

"Liam, Delia is strong. You're strong. So your baby is going to be really strong. Both of them will make it through this. I promise." Danni said sincerely. Liam's tears fell down his face as he enveloped Danni in a hug. He was so worried about his wife, it could kill him.

A doctor came out of the examination room Delia was in and walked over to Liam. Liam let go of Danni and went over to the doctor. "Mr. Summers, your wife is going to be fine. We haven't found any evidence of permanent damage." The doctor said.

"And the baby?" Liam asked.

"She's going to be fine to."

"Ok, good. Wait…she?" Liam asked. His team behind him looked as stunned as he was.

"Yes. You'll be having a baby girl. Congratulations." The doctor smiled and went back to the room. Liam was on the verge of fainting or breaking down. One of the too. His wife was ok. His baby was ok. And he was having a girl. He turned to look at his team who had smiles on their faces, and in Danni's case, tears.

"I'm having a girl!" Liam hollered. Danni rushed at Liam and he hugged her, spinning her around. Danni squealed in delight. Collin and Bill clapped for Liam and gave him hugs when he let go of Danni. Liam was now crying from joy at the news.

"Congratulations mate." Bill said.

"Way to go. A girl." Collin said.

"A girl. A girl." Liam repeated as he couldn't believe the news.

"Mr. Summers?" the doctor came back out again. "If you would like to see your wife, you may now." Liam didn't say anything as he went passed the doctor and into the room with Delia. He hovered over her and rubbed his knuckles over her face. Delia stirred and opened her eyes.

"Hey. Hey, hi." Liam said.

"Hey." Delia said and groaned. "What happened?"

"You were under the spell of RJ's jacket. You nearly killed me and I knocked you out with a bat."

"Where am I?"

"Hospital. The doctors checked on you."

"The baby?" Delia asked caring more for her unborn child.

"She's fine too." Liam told her.

"She? It's…"

"Were having a girl." Liam said happily. Delia smiled widely and they both hugged each other in delight. They were having a daughter together. They would be parents and they were as happy as they could be.

…

"That, my friends, is the smell of sweet, sweet, victory." Xander said, watching the letterman's jacket burn in the fireplace.

"Also, burning cotton-poly blend." Anya said.

"Xander, be honest. You didn't, you know, think about slipping that jacket on just a little bit?" Buffy asked.

"I refuse to answer that on the grounds that it didn't fit." Xander said.

"Man, this tool gets his jacket from his brother, who got it from their father, and we'll never know where he got it. That bites." Anya said.

"Yeah, welcome to the Hellmouth, where even outerwear isn't safe."

"I can't believe I almost…" Willow said.

"I can't believe I almost…" Buffy said.

"It was a spell. You were helpless. We're not responsible for anything we did morally or, you know, legally..." Anya said.

"True. You fell for a mystical, ancient curse. Who hasn't made that mistake seven, eight times?" Xander asked.

"You hear that? Not your fault." Buffy said to Dawn.

"I'm just so… the way I acted, the way I talked to you. I feel so stupid. All over a spell." Dawn said.

"Get ready to feel even stupider when it's not."

"Hey, Anya, you never told us what you can't believe you almost." Willow said.

"Almost who, now?" Anya asked.

"No, you can't be the only not embarrassed one. What did you do?"

"I, uh, wrote a poem. An epic poem… comparing him to a daisy and a tower and a lake…"

The radio announcer cut Anya off. "And now the latest on Sunnydale's late- night bandit who is still at large. A masked thief held up a number of large businesses..."

Anya cut the radio off. "Ok, great, ice cream. My treat."

"Oh my god!" Buffy said standing.

"What? Don't like ice cream?" Dawn asked.

"Liam. Delia. Delia was planning on killing him."

"Oh my god." Angel said standing.

"We have to find them." Before anybody made a move, Liam entered the house, holding Delia and guiding her in. "Liam!" Buffy said and went over to help Delia. "Are you all ok? What happened?" Buffy asked as they led Delia to the couch.

"Spell got Delia. Tried to kill me. Knocked her out. Got her to the hospital." Liam replied.

"Is everything ok?"

"It is. It's better than ok." Delia said with a smile on her face.

"Is she still under the spell?" Willow asked.

"A different one. Love. Love for my daughter." Delia said.

"Well at least it's not…wait. Daughter?" Buffy asked. Everyone looked to Liam for confirmation. Liam looked at them all with a smile.

"I'm having a girl." Liam said. All of the girls in the room squealed. Connor laughed form his bassinet. Dawn hugged Delia and Buffy ran to hug Liam. Everyone congratulated Liam and Delia on their having a daughter.

That's it. Liam and Delia are having a girl. Yay. The team got to see their parents since they came back to the past. It'll be sometime before they get to see them again and will be a while longer before they reveal themselves to them.

The songs played in this chapter were Gunpowder and Lead by Miranda Lambert and She's in love with a boy by Trisha Yearwood.

Comment and Review. Stay tune.