Chapter 36

The front door was open at the Manor and party-going parents were leaving, balloons, babies, and favors in their arms. Just inside the foyer, Piper and Buffy were bidding their remaining guests goodbye as Leo and Angel stood behind them with Wyatt in Leo's arms. The baby shower/Wyatt's first birthday party had ended finally.

Piper handed a woman a package of goodies. "Here you go. Thanks for coming."

"Thanks for inviting us. It was a fun party." The woman said, walking out with her husband saying, "Bye. Thanks."

"I still can't believe that Wyatt is one already and you're due in a couple of weeks." Cindy said to Buffy.

"Oh, I know." Buffy said.

"Nice to finally meet you, Leo, and you, Angel." Frank said.

"Yeah. You, too." Leo and Angel said.

"You know, Frank and some of the other dads get the kids together on Saturdays, if you two are interested." Cindy said to Leo and Angel.

"Uh…. yeah." Angel said.

"Thanks." Leo said.

"Excellent." Frank said.

They left and Piper breathed a sigh of relief as she shut the front door. "I'm exhausted." She said.

"You!" Buffy retreated to the couch. "My feet are killing me."

"Did you have fun?" Leo said to Wyatt. "Hmm? Did you like it?"

"Yeah, he was a really good boy and only made mommy freeze the room once." Piper said.

"He was excited. It's his birthday."

"He was excited to see you. He misses you."

"I know. I miss him, too." Wyatt leaned away from Leo towards Buffy as he walked past her on the couch. "Then again…."

Buffy took Wyatt and sat him down next to her. He laid his head on her stomach and hugged her. Paige walked into the room and picked up a champagne bottle and glass from the center main hall table and offered it to them.

"Hey, you guys want any more champagne?" She asked. "Come on. We don't want it to go to waste. How 'bout it, dads?"

"I'm good. Thanks Paige." Angel said.

"Leo?"

"Elders aren't allowed to drink." Leo said.

"Oh, come on. When on earth, you should do as earthlings do."

"Sorry."

"Not that I'm complaining or anything 'cause you guys did such great work, but, um, champagne? Chocolate-covered strawberries? Oysters? Aren't the kids a little young for the aphrodisiacs?" Piper asked.

"They're aphrodisiacs? Ha! Who knew?" She sighed and held out the glass. "Bubbly?"

"Paige…."

"What? Oh, come on, there were milk and cookies here, too. You know, maybe if-if there were more kids living in this house, I would know what to get. Do you ever stop to think about that? Huh?"

"More kids?" Piper gestured at Buffy and Wyatt. "Hello?"

Paige walked out and past the dining room table long enough to grab the large bowl and dirty paper plates. She headed toward the kitchen leaving Piper and Leo staring at each other in puzzlement and Buffy and Angel exchanging knowing smiles. "She's been weird since she changed her hair color. She'll probably change it back."

Buffy sighed. "I am so tired."

Piper sat down next to her. "Get used to it. It doesn't stop once she gets here."

"I can't believe how much stuff we got."

"It was nice of you to let Wyatt help you open some of your presents." Leo said.

"Well, it is his birthday. And thank you guys for that beautiful bassinet."

"I'm glad you liked it." Piper said. "We would've given you Wyatt's, but his had blue in it, and well…."

"No worries. You might need it again someday."

Piper looked at Buffy and narrowed her eyes. Before she could say anything, Angel caught an arrow out of the air before it hit Leo in the shoulder. They all turned to see a Darklighter on the stairs pointing his crossbow at them. Piper waved her hands and blew up part of the stairway railing in several places. The Darklighter fell down the stairs, still clutching his crossbow.

The Darklighter saw Buffy holding Wyatt and heading for the conservatory. He orbed over to them, stopping Buffy in her tracks, and raised his crossbow, pointing it directly at Leo who was running towards them. Leo stopped moving at the sight of the crossbow and arrow.

The Darklighter shot and the arrow sailed straight for Leo. Leo orbed out and the arrow passed harmlessly through him. The arrow kept going past Piper and Angel, who turned to see Chris standing directly in its path. Phoebe stepped out and pushed Chris out of the way.

Paige held out her hand. "Arrow!" She orbed the arrow back toward the Darklighter and lodged it in his shoulder.

Leo orbed back into the room and stood with Buffy. The Darklighter orbed out of the room, the arrow still lodged in his shoulder.

"You're ok. You're ok." Piper said to Wyatt as she walked over to him and Buffy.

"He may be, but I don't know if I am." Buffy said. She was breathing shallowly and holding her stomach with her free hand. Piper took Wyatt and Leo carried Buffy over to the couch.

"Are you hit?" He asked.

"No. But my entire stomach just cramped up."

Phoebe used an eye drop and suctioned up some of the darklighter blood on the floor while Leo tried to heal Buffy. "Is that enough to scry with?" Paige asked.

"Only one way to find out." Phoebe said.

"At least he waited till after the party to attack. That was nice of him." Piper said, sitting next to Buffy.

"You know what I don't understand is, why would the Darklighter attack at all?" Chris asked.

"I mean, with all of us here at the same time, it's suicide." Phoebe said.

"All the more reason to find him and stop him before he tries again." Angel said, standing behind Buffy and holding her hand.

Leo sighed. "Any better?"

"Yeah, but I don't think it was from your healing." Buffy said, looking worriedly at Piper. "But we don't have time to think about it right now. It's over. Why was that Darklighter here?"

"Well, I don't think he was after a Whitelighter." Leo said. "I think he was after me. Or Wyatt."

"Well, then why don't you take Piper up there, and take Wyatt, too?" Paige asked.

"Yeah, I'll go with you." Piper said.

"But you're not allowed." Leo said.

"All right, so then we'll go to the Magic School. You'll be safe there. You can't be hurt, right?"

"That's great." Paige said. "One big happy family."

"You change him, I'll pack him." Piper stood up. "And Buffy's coming with us."

"Why?" Phoebe asked.

"Cause I want to keep an eye on her." Piper and Angel helped Buffy to her feet and they all headed upstairs.

Leo picked up Wyatt and followed her. "Come on."

Leo found Gideon in the Great Hall of Magic School talking to the librarian after leaving Buffy, Piper, and Wyatt at the nursery. "Gideon…." Leo said.

He turned to greet Leo. "Leo. What a pleasant surprise. How are you, my boy?"

"I've been better. A darklighter attacked. I think he's after me."

"Are you certain?"

"I don't know. He may be trying to get me out of the way to get to Wyatt. I dropped Buffy, Piper, and Wyatt off at the nursery. I hope that's all right."

"Of course, absolutely. Why is Buffy here?"

"Piper's worried she might be in labor."

"Oh, dear. And Angel?"

"Buffy told him to stay with Phoebe and Paige, just in case. I better get back to them and see if I can help."

"No, you shouldn't. You should go back up with the other Elders where you'll be safe."

"What about the Darklighter?"

"It's not your responsibility. That's for the sisters to handle. It's what they do."

"All right. Well, I can't just sit around while someone is after my son. I'm a father now."

"No, you're an Elder now, and it's time to start acting like one. Don't you see? You don't just put yourself at risk by staying here on earth. You put all Elders at risk, too. If they get you, they get access to us all."

"I know, but…."

"You can't justify staying here any longer not with this, not anymore. It's time to fully accept your calling, one that necessarily transcends the sins of the flesh, family, even fatherhood. One that requires you to cut the ties that bind for everyone's sake."

"I can't. At least not until I know my son is safe. I'm sorry." Leo orbed out.

Buffy was sitting in a large canopy bed, propped up on lots of fluffy pillows. She looked a Piper and sighed, "So how long does this usually take?"

Piper smiled. "A few hours."

"How many's a few?"

"Sometimes it can last 16 hours or more. Sometimes it's a lot less. How long have you been having contractions?"

"I don't know. They were just little pains early this morning. I figured it was just Alex kicking me cause she's got a hell of a kick."

"Well, look at her parents."

Buffy let out a short laugh. "Here's hoping it's a lot less for me."

"Are you scared?"

"A little." Buffy shrugged. "I mean, I'm not scared of the pain. I've been through enough in my short life. I'm a little scared of what comes after."

Piper gripped her young cousin's hand. "Don't worry. You're going to be a great mom."

The potions pot exploded and a white, smokey cloud rose out of it. Phoebe looked up from her position on the couch, crystal in her hand as she scryed for the Darklighter. "I thought you were making a love potion."

"I am." Paige said.

"Then why did it blow up?"

"Maybe I'm trying too hard."

"Or maybe it just wasn't meant to be."

"Phoebe!"

"Come on, you weren't thinking the exact same thing?"

"No. Ok, fine, but for, like, a second. The point is Chris is meant to be."

"But not if he changed too much by coming here, you know, messed up his own time line."

"We're talking about his very existence."

"Paige, I know, but there's only so much we can do, especially now with that darklighter out there. I just think that we have to face the reality that Chris' destiny might have been just to come here and warn us about Wyatt, and that's all." Paige didn't say anything. There was a small noise off to the side and both girls turned to find Chris leaning against the doorway. He'd walked in with Angel right behind him.

"Hey." Paige said.

"Oh, my god, Chris, I'm so sorry." Phoebe said.

"No, that's ok." Chris said. "I've actually been wondering the same thing."

"You have?" Paige asked.

"Yeah." He straightened and stepped into the attic. His entire demeanor was less aggressive than his normal self. "I have the strangest feeling, like…. I don't know. It's really hard to explain, but it feels like I'm…. I'm floating? Like I'm not really here, you know?"

"That doesn't sound good." Angel said.

"Well, you have to fight it. We still have time." Paige said.

"Not much." Chris said.

Suddenly, the entire crystal Phoebe was scrying with was jingling and shaking. "I've never seen it do that before." Paige said.

"Maybe that means there's more than one?" Phoebe suggested. "I'll go get Piper." She jumped up and rushed out of the attic.

Chris turned to follow her. "I'll go, too."

"No, you stay here, ok? Finish the potion. When we come back, your parents will be in the mood." Paige said. She grabbed Angel's hand as she walked out. "You, however, are coming with." She caught up with Phoebe and they orbed to Magic School.

Buffy was laying in bed on a mound of pillows with her head on Piper's shoulder. She was asleep, but they could tell it wasn't a deep sleep by any means. "Is she ok?" Phoebe asked, crawling up on the bed and trying not to disturb Buffy.

"She's in labor, but it's not too far into it yet." Piper said quietly.

"Why didn't she say anything?" Angel asked.

"She wasn't sure. She thought it was just Alex having kicking fits."

"Oh, wow." Paige said. "Piper, I really hate to do this, but we need you to vanquish that Darklighter."

"What? No. You guys are the midwives. You're needed here. The Darklighter can wait."

"Not if he's after Wyatt." Paige said. "It'll be quick. I promise."

"I'll stay with her." Angel said. "I can't go out with you guys anyway."

"Let me get Leo and tell him what's going on." Piper said.

"He's at the house waiting for us." Phoebe said.

"Oh." Piper sighed. "Let's make this quick and then we've got to call aunt Joyce and tell her."