Buffy's First Baby

One Shot. Buffy had a baby with another man. Now Angel is bringing her home from the hospital with a plan in mind. (I Have Loved You Wrong series addition).

Sitting in the back of Angel's car, Buffy leaned her head against Wesley's shoulder. "I'm a mom."

He smiled down at two sleepy heads. "Quite right."

"Have other slayers been moms?"

"Impossible to know." In a risky move, Wesley lay his head against hers. "If other slayers had produced offspring, their watchers would have known better than to record that fact."

She shifted against him. "Smart watchers."

He looked at the precious bundle in her arms. "You are going to be a fine mother."

Sunny cleared his throat from the passenger seat. "Never any doubt."

Glancing at the rear-view mirror, Angel and Sunny shared a frown. Neither had expected this when they'd decided the seating arrangement. Their only concern had been moving mother and child somewhere safer than a hospital.

But Buffy's exhaustion had brought out her affectionate nature and both men in the front seat regretted their decision to put the smitten watcher by her side.

Angel brought the car to a slow stop mindful of fragile passengers. "We're here."

Still leaning against Wes, she squinted at their surroundings. "Where's here?"

Sunny got out quickly and opened her door. "You're new home."

As they got out, Angel and Wesley eyed the surroundings for any potential threats.

Frowning, Buffy held her baby tighter. "This isn't right." Immediately, Angel was at her side encouraging her forward. She shook her head and even that small movement made her whole body sway. "I have a home."

Sunny kept his eyes glued on the baby to catch him if needed and Wesley positioned himself behind Buffy to do the same.

"I have a - this is not my home." She squinted at the gates and the fountain. "This is big and this isn't my place."

Wesley braved a reply. "We thought it would be best if you stayed here for a few days."

Angel murmured, "Or forever."

Sunny added. "For protection."

The three men tried to shuttle her forward, but her tired feet stayed firmly planted. "I don't need extra protection. I need my apartment." She looked at Angel. "Please, I've been putting off sleep until I was . . ." Her eyes closed and she fought to have them open again. "I need my home."

Gently, Angel placed a hand on her back. "You are home."

The front door open and out came Cordelia and Lilly. Cordelia huffed, "What did you do - push the car from the hospital?"

Wesley frowned. "He drove carefully - as he should."

She rolled her eyes and followed Lilly to the approaching trio. "How's baldy?"

Lilly took Angel place at her side. "We moved all of your things here and have the baby room ready."

Buffy exhaustion made her teary-eyed. "You knew?"

Cordelia waved them forward. "Come on people let's keep this baby train moving. Inside is the whole point of a magically protected fortress."

Crossing the threshold, Lilly moved close to Buffy. "Can I hold him? You look exhausted."

"I-"

Sunny interrupted her answer, "Don't worry about your place, I'm crashing there now just to keep an eye on it."

Cordelia scowled. "And we changed the locks, so don't even think about running out in the middle of the night."

Lilly reached for the baby, and Buffy felt helpless in a fight against her most trusted friend. Her whole body stumbled forward as Lilly took her son away. "I-"

Both Sunny and Angel were there to keep her upright.

Lilly cradled her swaddled babe. "Hi there baby Vincent."

Cordelia looked at Sunny. "Are you going back to the shelter tonight? We can give you a ride."

He nodded. "Gunn is there but I should probably back him up."

Buffy craned her head to look at him. "Why? What's going on?"

Lilly shook her head and waved a hand. "It's just been a while since Gunn has been the only grown up in the room." She smiled her sweet Lilly-smile. "Nothing bad is happening I promise."

Cordelia walked to the hotel's front counter. "I'll grab my keys and we can go." Picking up her purse, she shrugged. "Setting up decor is where my baby-knowledge ends." As she headed for the doors, she surprised Buffy with a hug. "You are going to be fabulous. Good luck." After a goodbye, Cordelia and Sunny left.

Wesley walked towards Lilly. "Do you think he needs another changing?"

Lil wrinkled her nose. "I don't know but a bath would probably be good." Her fingers danced around Vinny. "Wash off all the hospital ooglies."

Still barely standing, Buffy tried finding her voice. "I don't know if-"

Lilly frowned. "You should rest. We can handle the non-feeding stuff." Her frown disappeared. "You should totally see your room! You're bed is almost the size of your old apartment."

"I-" Buffy vision of the room wobbled. "Everyone j-just needs to . . . to stop!" She held out her arms to keep her balance. "Just stop."

From behind her, Angel murmured, "Anne, it's okay."

She turned around swinging. To everyone's surprise, she had enough strength to lay him flat.

She stumbled towards Lil. "Give him to me. He should be with me."

Lilly handed him back wordlessly.

On her way to the couch, Buffy grabbed her purse off Wesley's shoulder.

For his part, Wes remained casual and calm, "Why don't we put away Vincent's things from the hospital?"

Lilly looked at the baby bag he'd brought in. "Yeah. . . okay . . ."

Wesley coaxed her up the stairs while Buffy sat on the couch and rummaged through her purse.

Sitting up slowly, Angel rubbed the side of his face. He'd expected violence. What he hadn't expected was her ability to knock him nearly unconscious with one hit. "Anne."

"I'm not talking to you."

He watched her push buttons into a phone. "Who are you calling? Everyone who loves you most was here."

"Then maybe who I need is someone who fears me."

He crawled towards her.

"I will hit you again."

He kept approaching. "Not with Vinny in your arms."

Looking at her bundle, she started feeling weepy. Catching movement in the room, she glared at him with glistening eyes. "Then I'll kick you."

"Please hear me out."

"You had no right." A traitorous tear fell down her cheek. "When you offered to take me home, I thought you were being nice." More tears fell. "I didn't th-think you'd-you'd kidnap me."

Angel knelt before warily. "I know I overstepped, but this is about what's right for Vinny and for you."

"Vinny is my son." Mindful of her sleeping babe, she kept her voice low even though she really wanted to was scream. "I know how to keep him safe."

"Do you trust me?"

She sputtered, "B-before today? Yeah."

Slowly, he took the phone from her and snuggled her hand in both of his. "Do you believe I care more about you and Vinny than I care about me . . . or us?"

Looking into his deep brown eyes, she felt his intensity. Hesitantly, she nodded yes.

"You have a child now and his father is gone." His whole being focused solely on her. "You have a job and people depending on you. All I'm asking is that you don't do this alone. Please." He willed his words into her. "Please, let me help you." He squeezed her hand. "I can watch over you at night and pick him up when he cries and make you eggs in the morning. Please stay and let me be a part of your family."

He was literally on his knees begging her to allow this. She tried to keep herself from crying; then Vinny started to fuss.

She smiled at her cranky baby. Shifting him in her lap, she commented. "He could use a bath."

Relieved, Angel felt near tears himself. "Everything he needs is upstairs."

Nodding slowly, she glanced at him. "Okay." She leaned forward and used his shoulders as leverage to push herself up and stand.

His hands immediately reached out to steady her.

Leaving the phone behind, she let him half-carry her up the stairs.

Angel murmured, "Maybe you can let Lilly bathe him while you take a nap. Are you hungry?

She started to answer, "I-"

"-You didn't really eat at the hospital. I'll put something together for you to eat later."

"That's-"

"Did the nurses tell you what would be good for the baby? What you should eat or drink?"

"Angel!" She stopped walking. When he met her eyes, she sighed, "Don't make me hit you again."

He eyed the long staircase behind them. "No fussing. Got it."

She leaned completely into him savoring the closeness. "Slow and one at a time, can we do things that way?"

Resting his chin on her head, he smiled when she didn't pull back; instead, she snuggled closer. "Yeah, we can do that."