It was almost two in the morning when Buffy woke with a sick sensation. Her eyes snapped open, her head came up, and she looked over the dark quiet apartment she was in before sitting up with unease when she started to remember the last couple of days. Nausea ran through her, and she closed her eyes and took deep breaths as she tried to gain control of it.
The arm she slid around her stomach had her remembering her pregnancy, and she swallowed uneasily as she looked down at the slight bump under her large comfortable sweater. It was the same one she'd worn to Toys R Us, and she reached back to check for her sword. Her hand gripped the hilt, and she left it in the scabbard as she tried to figure out her next move. A moment later, she headed for the door, and heads turned when she opened it.
She stared at the vampires sitting in the hall with a sick feeling before looking at Angel with narrowed eyes. "You're all really sick." Her gaze shifted to Giles before she looked away. "I want to go back to the cell."
Angel got to his feet and motioned down the hall, and she walked past them self consciously.
She was in her cell a couple of minutes later. "Is there anything..." Angel broke off as he looked at her cautiously. "I mean, do you want to talk Buff?"
She snorted, kept her back to him. "There's nothing to talk about is there?" Silence fell, and she shifted a hand through her hair. "I'd like to talk to Giles though. Can you send him down?"
Angel pulled out his cell phone, made the call. Giles appeared.
"You wanted to see me?" he asked as he looked at Buffy, turned to Angel.
Buffy kept her back to them. "I'm cold," she stated as she stared at the bed, the duffel bag of clothes still on the floor. "I want some long sleeved shirts, and I want them to be *comfortable*. I want..." she broke off thoughtfully. "flannels, and loose sweaters in pale greens, and grays... Maybe a ribbed knit chocolate brown sweater, large wide collar, a couple of large buttons at the top."
Giles chanted, and shirts appeared on the bed. Buffy scowled at them. They'd fit comfortably for probably two or three weeks, and she gave a shake of her head.
"I want them larger," she almost hissed.
She watched as the shirts were made slightly larger before rubbing at her forehead with annoyance. "Are they okay?" he asked.
"Larger," she ordered.
He frowned thoughtfully, glanced at Angel before making them large enough for a man.
Buffy smiled. The clothes looked good, but she could almost *feel* their confusion, and she wanted to keep it that way. "I want a yarn hat, black, with a... large pink B on it."
"Bee?" he asked.
She rolled her eyes, gave him a hard look over her shoulder. "My initial Giles, and I want it outlined in rhinestones." He chanted, and it appeared on the bed. "Slippers," she ordered.
Giles watched her uneasily. "Any particular color Buffy?"
"No." She hesitated, frowned. "Soft brown leather, lined with wool. I want them to cover my ankles."
Slippers appeared, and she studied them with approval. "I need a quilt, one of the old fashioned ones that's been stitched together... and a long sleeved black shirt with snaps down the front. I want it to be light weight, and I'd like dark gray sweat pants." She stared at them thoughtfully when they appeared. "Um... I want... a fully stocked refrigerator."
"Fully stocked?"
She rolled her eyes. "Orange juice, ketchup, mustard, pickles, milk, cookie dough ice cream... crackers... peanut butter, potato chips, sour cream dip... a glass, a spoon, and a calendar." She ran a hand through her hair and watched as the items appeared. "A thermostat," she ordered as she turned to look at him before going over to pull on her yarn hat, grab the quilt to wrap around her shoulders. "Can you fix it so I can control the temperature in my cell?"
"Yes," Giles answered slowly with a frown. A thermostat appeared on the wall. "Is there anything else?" he asked as he looked at her curiously.
Buffy stared at the drab wall. "I want a picture... and music," she added on a whim.
A radio appeared, and she looked at it skeptically. "Will it work in a *basement*."
"It will play anything you like Buffy."
"I want a picture, Giles. I mean, the whole wall to be a mural of my old house," she stated quietly.
It appeared, and Buffy stared at it for a long moment. "Thanks," she finally murmured. "That takes care of it."
Giles watched with concern, glanced at Angel before looking back at her. "Yes, of course. If I can help you in any way you only have to ask." He was gone a moment later, and Angel studied Buffy intently before looking at the mural.
"I remember that house," he offered quietly.
She slowly shook her head. "No, you don't. You have someone else's memories." She swallowed, adjusted the blanket before turning back to look at the clothes on the bed. "It's late and I'm tired."
Frustration ran through him and he gave an irritated shake of his head. "Buffy... the visions are from the Powers, and I'm not in the habit of questioning them, but I questioned the last one." He hesitated and stared at her back. "The Powers consider you to be a warrior for good... and make the claim that means you work for them. The vision you were in saved a girl's life. It wasn't something we wanted to do."
She stared at the wall. "The next time you find yourself questioning a vision Angel, why don't you just kill the demon?"
He rubbed at his forehead. "It's not that simple. Sometimes people die because of what they're going to do in the future. Sometimes it's something they do on purpose, sometimes it's not, but the good always outweighs the bad."
"So you acknowledge there's bad?"
"Yes. People get hurt, and sometimes they haven't done anything wrong. It could be as simple as killing one person so they don't have a car wreck that kills eight."
"And all you have to do is pick and choose who dies," she stated quietly. Silence fell, and she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "Let me go."
"You know the answer to that."
She nodded before staring at the wall and giving a humorless smile. "The toys are in the basement."
"If you know that lover," he murmured in a low silky voice, his eyes glinting with amusement, "why do you insist on staying down here?"
"Because being family is worse."
"If you were family, they'd have a claim on you, and I can guarantee that's never going to happen." He turned away and quietly left.
Four days later:
Angel walked into the lounge, sat down, and began to carefully clean his sword.
Giles took a sip of blood as he watched. "You know I can take care of that for you sire?"
"I know. I guess I'm a bit old fashioned when it comes to my weapons."
"So," Willow started. "How's she doing?"
Angel stopped working with the blade, looked up with a frown. "She's mad, and," he shook his head, "still says she's cold."
"Isn't it usually about 72 degrees in the basement?" Wesley asked.
"Yeah." Angel started working on the sword again. "Giles even set her up with a thermostat, but she's sitting around in two shirts and wrapped in a blanket."
"Is she ill?" Wes asked.
"Doesn't seem to be," Angel answered.
Willow's lips twitched up as she watched them. "So in other words she's acting like she just broke up with a guy?"
Angel's head came up.
Cordy rolled her eyes. "What's being cold have to do with a guy?"
"She *says* she's cold," Willow answered. "But according to Harmony she's wearing clothes two sizes too large, wrapping up in blankets, and eating ice cream." Willow shook her head. "The only thing missing is tears."
Cordy froze before turning to look at them. "You're not letting her out of the basement are you?"
"Yeah," Xander answered. "Aren't we?"
"We... uh... thought we would," Wesley murmured as he looked at Angel.
"She'll ditch you," Cordelia warned.
Willow rolled her eyes. "There's no way she's going to ditch us."
Cordy snorted as she reached to pull crackers out of the cabinet. "Sounds to me like she's got a guy, and I bet she's going to want to get back to him."
"Oh I think she's got a guy," Willow answered, "but she's not getting away from us anytime soon."
Cordy gave an irritated shake of her head. "You can keep telling yourself that, but that bitch isn't going to roll over and play nice." She looked at them before walking over to sit at a table.
Buffy gripped the bars of her cell hard enough her knuckles turned white before turning to lean against the hard metal. They hadn't offered her the option of patrolling, and she'd been in the basement ten days. That would make her about three and a half months along, and her stomach was starting to show. She was definitely running out of time.
The sound of heels coming down the hall had her head coming up. It was time for supper, and she scowled at the thought of the unappealing food Harmony would bring.
"Buffy," the honey blonde called with annoyance when the slayer didn't take her tray.
Buffy rolled her eyes before pushing away from the bars and turning to look at the food. "I want to talk to Giles."
Harmony snorted. "What makes you think he wants to talk to you?"
"Just *tell* him Harmony," she hissed with annoyance.
"Take the tray, and I'll tell him, but don't cry to me if he ignores you."
Buffy frowned before reaching to take the tray.
"Harmony," Angel's voice cut threateningly through the quiet scrape Buffy's tray made when she pulled it through the slot. "If she wants to talk to us, deliver the damn message, and she won't need a tray tonight." A moment later, he walked within sight of Buffy's cell and turned to look at her coolly. "Unless you *want* to stay in the basement."
"We're patrolling?" she asked hopefully.
"We were thinking more about dinner and a movie."
Buffy looked at him uneasily. That was way too close to implying a date. "I don't think so," she answered slowly. "But tell Giles I want to talk to him." She turned away and started to walk toward her bed.
"Anything you want to say to him, you can say to me," Angel countered before turning cool eyes to Harmony, who was watching with interest.
"Alright," she hissed as she turned back to him with hard eyes. "I need more ice cream, potato chips, pickles, sour cream dip, and orange juice." She hesitated. "And I'd like a new robe and thick socks.
Dark eyes went up to hers as a silence fell. "Come upstairs," he started slowly, "watch a movie, and we'll take care of it."
Buffy hesitated, swallowed thickly. She *wanted* her snacks, but not at the expense of dealing with *them*, not to mention Angel was acting weirder than usual. "Can we patrol instead?"
"No."
"Why?"
"I don't feel like it."
She shot him a hard look before walking over to sit on the bed with the tray in her lap. A moment later, she was staring at the turkey sandwich, potatoes and gravy, corn, and carton of milk with a sinking feeling before giving a nod of resignation. "And I don't feel like... going upstairs," she answered quietly.
She looked up with tears in her eyes when he walked away without another word before looking at Harmony. "Can I have a malt?"
She rolled her eyes before turning to leave. "No."
Two hours later Angel looked up when Harmony walked up to him and crossed her arms. "She's still asking to talk to Giles."
"I'll take care of it," he answered coolly.
Buffy was crying, and he stopped in front of her cell with irritation as he looked at the lump under the blanket. "If you want to talk to Giles, let's go talk to him, Buff."
She shifted away from the wall she was curled against to look at him before dropping her eyes as she got to her feet. "Alright," she agreed quietly before tugging her knit cap more firmly onto her head, wiping at her eyes with her shirt sleeve, tugging her extra shirt closer.
Angel watched angrily before motioning her down the hall and following when she walked through the basement, past the offices, past the lounge, up the stairs. He led her to Giles's apartment before knocking on the door.
"Giles," Angel started when the door opened. "Can we come in?"
"Oh... uh... Yes of course," he answered as he looked at Buffy curiously before pulling the door wider.
She stepped in and looked at the leather sofa, the bookshelves, even a couple of pictures she remembered from Sunnydale. There wasn't a tv or computer in sight, and she couldn't stop from taking a hitching breath as a fresh wave of tears fell.
"Buffy?" he asked with confusion. "Are you alright?"
She nodded and wiped at tears. "I just want some food Giles, and um... a new robe... maybe some thick socks."
He looked at her with a frown before turning to look at Angel. The older vampire was leaning against the door with dark eyes that slowly shifted from Buffy to his childe when he realized he was being watched. "Food, a new robe, and socks. Alright. "What um... what color robe would you like?" Giles asked as he turned to look at her.
She swallowed, wiped at tears. "I'd like it long, dark green, terry... large."
He frowned curiously before giving a slow nod. "And the food?" he asked. "Would you like it to be the same as last time?"
She nodded. "Yeah, but I want some small candy bars and," she paused and looked at him with tear filled eyes. "Can I have a hot fudge sundae?"
"Certainly." One appeared in his hand, and she reached for it.
"Thank you," she murmured as she studied the ice cream with appreciation before dipping out a spoonful and savoring it. "I um..." she wiped at tears. "Can I have some Kleenexes?" A box appeared, and she pulled a tissue out and wiped at her face before taking another bite of ice cream. "This is really good. It makes me want to keep you in the basement," she murmured absently.
"I'm honored," he answered as he gave her an amused smile before noticing the dark annoyed look Angel was giving him. His smile widened.
"Can I have my robe now?" she asked, and he turned back to look at her. It appeared in his hand, and Buffy looked at it with interest before setting the sundae on the coffee table and reaching for it, slipping it on with satisfaction. She didn't bother to tie the belt before picking up the ice cream and turning back to Giles. "Do I have food?"
"I think you'll find everything in order."
She nodded before turning back to Angel and scowling at the look he was giving her. "Move," she hissed. "I'm ready to go back to my cell."
He moved out of the way, and Buffy opened the door before stepping into the hall. She stopped when she saw Willow walking down it. "We're watching movies?" the redhead asked slowly as she looked at the slayer, and the hot fudge sundae she was carrying before noticing Angel stepping into the hall, Giles watching from the open door.
Angel shook his head. "She needed food." He walked past the redhead and started to follow Buffy as she headed toward the stairs.
Cordelia stepped out of her apartment, and the slayer stopped at the look the brunette gave her. "You know Buffy," Cordelia's gaze slowly drifted over her knit hat, robe, loose shirts, sweat pants, leather slippers before looking back up to lock eyes with her, "your outfit just screams pathetic loser."
Buffy scowled and took a bite of ice cream as she looked over Cordelia's outfit just as carefully as the brunette had looked over hers. Irritation ran through her when she couldn't fault it. "You know Cord why you feel the need to wear 'fuck me' outfits every single day is beyond me. I mean, it's not like you can't have any of them whenever you want." She frowned uneasily. "I mean, except for Giles." Buffy's look became uncertain, and she irritably scooped out another bite of ice cream as she stared challengingly at the seer.
"Jealous?" Cordelia asked as she studied her intently with a dark smile.
Buffy rolled her eyes. "Of what? I mean, if you ever thought I wanted to sleep with my watchers and two best friends, you're *insane*. Angel..." she broke off when the gleam in Cordelia's eyes became vicious. And Buffy's eyes narrowed as she studied her before she took another bite of ice cream and gave a slow shake of her head. "He's no different than Riley."
"Care to explain that?" The angry growl came from beside her, and Buffy looked up into Angel's cold eyes.
She dropped her spoon into the sundae before turning to knot a hand into his shirt and pull him slightly forward. "You're both whores that don't mind people being murdered. The only difference," she pulled him closer, "is that you turn my stomach a little more than he does." She pushed him away with enough force he hit the wall before turning back to Cordelia. "I don't want them Cord." Buffy met her cool eyes for a moment longer before taking her last bite of ice cream and scowling when her dish was empty. "Giles," she called.
"Yes?"
"Can I have another sundae?" More ice cream appeared in her dish and she wiped absently at a few stray tears. "I'm *sooo* not kidding about setting you up in my cell," she stated absently before walking to the stairs only to stop when she saw Wes and Xander climbing them.
They looked at her with surprise before shifting off to the side when they noticed Angel standing angrily behind her. Buffy hesitated as she looked at them before taking another bite of ice cream and heading back toward her cell.
"What just happened?" Xander asked when they got to the top of the stairs.
Cordelia brushed a speck of dust off her skirt. "She's clearly having emotional issues."
"Yeah. The redhead looked at them with a smile before giving a shake of her head. "You could say she's taking it hard."
Wes snorted. "Taking it hard, or making it hard? Angel looked a bit tense."
"Did you think so?" Giles asked, his eyes glinting with amusement.
"Giles," Willow slowly turned to look at him. "You're playing a game that might get you in trouble."
"I have no idea what you're talking about."
Willow rolled her eyes before turning back to Cordy. "What do you think he looks like?"
"I hate to say it, but she does have some standards," the brunette answered thoughtfully. "I bet he's tall," she frowned, "hard to tell about hair color, but probably in great shape."
Willow nodded. "The way she's acting I bet he's good in bed too."
Silence fell before Cordy gave a shake of her head. "If Angel gets a hold of him, and he ends up in the basement, I think I'd be willing to spend some time with him."
"You and me both," Willow agreed before walking over to her apartment and disappearing inside.
Cordy looked at Wes, Xander, and Giles. "Harmony and I are going out to have a drink. I should be back by eleven." She smoothed a small wrinkle in her skirt before heading down the stairs.
Angel was in the lounge an hour later when Wes and Xander entered. "So... Buffy got out of her cell tonight," Wes murmured as they took seats.
Angel glanced up with dark angry eyes. "Yes. And now instead of laying in the basement and crying, she's *sitting* in the basement eating junk food and crying."
Xander looked at Angel almost cautiously. "Do you think she's..." he scowled, "I mean, have you asked her about a guy?"
"No."
"If she had one, I doubt she'd give a truthful answer," Wesley stated thoughtfully before hesitating, looking at Angel. "We know she's not interested in watching movies, but is she interested in patrolling?"
Angel snorted and leaned back in his chair. "She escaped last time we took her out. What do you think?"
They both looked at him before Xander gave a slow shake of his head. "Let's take her out. I mean, it might make her feel better."
Angel's dark eyes went to Xander's.
"He's right Sire. The chances of her escaping are... almost nonexistent. And she might *appreciate* the freedom," he stressed meaningfully.
Angel turned dark eyes to Wes before knotting a hand in his shirt and dragging him halfway across the table. "If she's got a lover I'm going to stomp him into the dirt," he hissed angrily before releasing him a moment later to drag a hand through his hair, rub at his forehead.
"We don't know she's got one," Xander answered. "I mean, Will, Cordy, and Harmony think she might, but I don't think she'd get this wrapped up in someone she met *two* months ago. She's probably just upset she got caught."
"That's entirely possible," Wes agreed. "We must remember she was only brought back from the dead six months ago. She's probably having trouble adjusting."
Angel looked at them before looking away. "If she patrols again, we're *all* going," he stressed.
Wes grinned. "I don't think that'll be a problem sire."
Buffy stood on the steps of Wolf Ram and Hart four days later. She was wearing the jeans and large soft sweater she'd been caught in but had added a loose unbuttoned shirt over the top of it, and her yarn hat. She studied the street with uncertainty. "Can we transport to Toys R Us?" she finally asked.
"Why there?" Angel almost challenged.
She rolled her eyes. "Maybe because I want to kill demons and..." she broke off. She'd only wanted to get a reference point to find her way back to The Occult Stop, but now that she thought about it, she really didn't want a rematch with the succubus dogs. Still, though it might be worth it, and she stared at the ground thoughtfully. "Why not there?" Angel studied her intently, and she slowly raised her head when he didn't answer. "That was a question," she hissed as they locked eyes. "Can you answer it?"
"No reason in particular," He stated as he stared at her with cool gold eyes. "But you'd better pick a different spot."
She gave a shake of her head and started down the steps, started an easy walk, rubbed at the back of her neck as they fell in behind her.
They were a few blocks away when she suddenly stopped and looked down an alley. A couple of demons were talking at the far end, and she started toward them at a run before falling hard when she ran into Willow's barrier. It was a shock, her head hit, and her stomach. Nausea sickened her, and she curled into a ball, pressed an arm across her face, one across her stomach, tried to calm her breathing.
"They're friends," Willow stated as they all watched Buffy with curious frowns, started toward her before backing off when Angel growled.
"Are you hurt?" Giles asked with concern after she'd laid there for over a minute.
The slayer took a couple of slow deep breaths before wiping at tears, and carefully getting to her feet. She turned to Giles a few seconds later. "Can I have gloves? Thin black ones would be good."
They appeared in his hand, and he held them out to her. She took them, put them on, before slowly walking back to the street and looking it over. Nothing looked remotely familiar, and she dropped her eyes to the ground with a sinking feeling. "What time is it?"
"Nine fifteen," Angel answered. "Why Buff?"
The question irritated her, and she turned to him. "What's the matter with you?" she asked with annoyance.
He looked at her with cool hard eyes. "That question can come right back at you lover."
She wiped at a few more tears before looking at the rest of them. Wes and Xander's eyes were almost as cool as Angel's, Willow was watching with amusement, and Giles with concern. She turned back to Angel. "Well let's see, it could have something to do with being locked in a basement."
"I'm not sure that's it," he answered, "but if it is, you've only to say the word and you could be upstairs, *pet*."
"What did you just say to me?" she asked in a hard threatening voice as she pulled her sword with a quick graceful movement.
"I said you've only to ask, and you could be upstairs Buff."
She stared at him for a long moment before sheathing her sword and turning to Giles. "I want to change the color of my hat and gloves Giles. I want them to be olive green." He chanted, and she glanced down at her gloves. "Thanks," she murmured before starting a slow easy walk that ate the blocks with steady efficiency. She stopped when she noticed a bank sign that gave the time as being 10:07. "Is there a McDonalds near here?"
"Why?" Angel asked.
"I don't know," she answered as she turned to look into his cold eyes. "Maybe I want to get something to *eat*."
"What do you want?" Willow asked with a smile.
Buffy rolled her eyes. "Something from McDonalds," she emphasized.
"There's a McDonalds a few blocks over sire," Giles broke in.
"How many blocks over?" Buffy asked hopefully.
"Maybe twenty," he answered.
"Can we walk there?"
"Transporting would be faster," Willow answered, and Buffy looked at her thoughtfully for several seconds.
"Alright," she agreed. "I just... um..." Buffy sat down and looped arms around her head before closing her eyes. "I'm ready." There was a shift in the atmosphere, and she raised her head and looked over the McDonald's parking lot, and sagged with relief when she recognized Jim's car before slowly getting to her feet. "So this place is pretty close to Wolfram and Hart?" she asked with a hint of unease.
"It's not too far," Giles answered before waving his hand to send their swords back to the lounge.
She nodded thoughtfully before heading for the door, stepping inside. There were six of them, and the slayer noticed a large area near the bathrooms that was empty. "Giles, could you save that spot?"
"Certainly," he answered before heading over to sit on the large bench that had several little tables in front of it.
"Thanks," she murmured as she watched Wesley join him before going to stand in line with Angel, Willow, and Xander. Another wave of relief ran through her when she noticed Trisha looking at her from behind the counter. They locked eyes for a moment before the brunette turned back to take an order from the next person in her line, and Buffy smiled at the brown haired boy that looked at her expectantly. "I'll take a number 3 meal."
"I want a couple of small drinks," Xander ordered.
Willow shrugged and looked at Buffy. "A hot fudge sundae."
Angel ordered two coffees before pulling out his wallet to pay the bill, and Buffy looked back to see Trisha looking at her before noticing Jim was as well. He held up a cell phone, and Buffy nodded gratefully before turning back to pick up the cup that was placed in front of her. She turned toward the drink dispenser, and Angel grabbed her arm and turned to Xander. "Keep an eye on her?" Xander nodded, and Angel released her.
"Are you still cold Buff?" Xander asked as they filled their cups.
"Not too bad right now. I guess it was the walking."
He gave her a sideways look, and she scowled. "What's with the weird looks?"
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"And I think you do."
He watched as she put a plastic lid on her cup, picked up a straw, pumped some ketchup into a paper holder. She glanced at him one more time before heading back to their table... and hesitated when she got there, looked over the small tables and bench seat before picking a spot a couple of feet away.
Wes looked up when Xander set a drink in front of him. "Thought you might like something," he offered before sitting down.
"Thanks," Wes murmured before turning to watch Buffy take a sip of her drink. "So Buff... did you make any new friends while you were out?"
She studied the table before giving a soft snort. "I met a guy that claimed to be Dracula, and I thought maybe we could be friends, but then he threw up and passed out."
Wes's eyes flashed with amusement as he watched Buffy slide off her gloves before he looked up when Angel and Willow walked over with a tray of food. He set it in front of Buffy before handing a cup of coffee to Giles and then sitting down with his own. Willow picked up her sundae and sat across from Xander.
"Meet anyone new Buffy?" Willow asked.
"Dracula," Wes informed. "but she was turned off when he threw up and passed out." Eyes turned to her, and Buffy ignored them as she dipped a french fry in ketchup and ate it.
Fifteen minutes later she watched as a blonde guy came in and looked over the tables before their eyes locked. Her eyes narrowed thoughtfully, and she watched as he walked past her table, and toward the short hall that led to the bathrooms.
When he didn't come out after five minutes, she glanced over to Angel. "Be right back... I need to use the bathroom."
Cool eyes went up to hers. "Go with her Will."
Buffy looked at him with a carefully neutral expression, and his eyes glinted with a silent challenge. She looked away and headed for the restroom, pushed open the door, entered with Willow behind her. A hand lightly touched her arm, and she looked down at nothing, took a breath, turned to Willow. "Will, would you tell Xander to leave my fries alone?"
The redhead looked over the empty restroom carefully. "Sure Buffy," she answered lightly as she stared at her with dark glittering eyes before turning to leave.
"Mike?" Buffy quietly hissed as soon as the door closed behind her.
"Yeah Buff. God, I thought you were dead."
"Can we transport out of here?"
"I don't know how to do that."
The door opened, and a middle aged woman entered, smiled at Buffy, and went into a stall. Mike did a quiet chant, and Buffy looked down at her middle aged body with a smile. "Let's go," he whispered.
She pulled open the door and moved out of the way as Willow walked past before heading for the exit with Mike on her heels, his hand splayed over her back comfortingly, and she walked to the doors before stepping into the parking lot. They were invisible a moment later as she and Mike headed toward The Occult Stop.
Cordelia listened to steps in the hall before opening her door and looking at the vampires that were walking down it. "You guys are back early."
Angry gold eyes looked at her, and she looked back curiously before her eyes suddenly narrowed. "She ditched you."
Xander shook his head. "She had help. There's no way she pulled that off on her own."
"One of these days I'm going to meet her witch," Willow breathed angrily. "If I turn them into a *rat* they're going to be lucky."
"That's not going to help *now* is it?" Cordelia snapped. "I told you not to let her out, but no, you didn't listen to me."
"It will *break* her if she stays down there," Angel hissed with gold eyes, "but I'm getting really close to considering it."
Silence fell as they stood in the hall before Cordy shook her head, and ran fingers through her freshly blow dried hair. "You'd just better *hope* her guy's up to the task of keeping her busy. I can't tell you how pissed I'll be if she finds a way to interfere with my visions."
"Cordy," Angel growled warningly.
"We don't know that she's got a guy," Wes broke in.
Willow looked at him. "She was wearing extra large shirts, wrapping up in blankets, crying, and eating comfort food. What's your excuse for that?"
"She was... upset we sent her on a vision," Wesley stated.
"And that would make her mad," Willow answered, "not sitting around her cell wrapped up in a blanket."
Cordelia nodded. "They're two different things. If she was angry she'd be pacing and glaring... maybe throwing punches. Instead, she's moping around her cell eating ice cream." She shook her head. "They're two different things." She stepped back into her apartment a moment later and closed the door.
Angel watched with angry gold eyes before abruptly stepping into his own apartment and slamming the door shut.
4 months later:
Xander looked down at the demon blood on his jeans with a scowl before taking a seat at a table in the lounge. "I hate the sewer tunnels... and daytime visions that make us use them." He hesitated, ran a hand through his hair. "And what's with Buffy being a no-show?" He turned to look at Giles. "I mean, she's still getting visions isn't she?"
"Yes," Giles answered before taking a sip of blood.
"Maybe she's getting the wrong ones," Willow spoke up. "Maybe we should give her Cordy's again."
Heads turned and they looked at her thoughtfully.
"It would hurt her," Angel answered.
"Yes, but she knows we'll stop *her* visions, and she knows we won't lift a finger to stop Cordelia's. I think that might make her start showing up."
"I don't want her to know anything about my visions," Cordelia answered with a scowl as she looked over the glossy page of the magazine on her lap.
"Come on Cor," Wesley murmured. "If she manages to stop one or two it really wouldn't matter, would it? I mean, as long as we get her back."
Cordelia rolled her eyes and flipped through another page.
"I'll think about it," Angel finally answered before he looked over at Willow and Giles. "You two are going to the annual witch's convention aren't you?"
"As soon as it gets dark enough." Willow slid a hand through her hair.
"Are you using glamours?" Xander asked.
"Yes," Giles looked at him pointedly. "If we hear anyone *mention* Buffy, we'll bring them home with us."
"Good." Angel settled back in his chair as a companionable silence fell before Cordelia gave a sudden cry of pain, her hands lifting to her head as the magazine on her lap slid to the floor.
"Vision," she got out, her eyes closed against the pain. "Groxlars... and a pregnant woman in an alley across from the Dollar General on Main street... between the drug store and donut shop. The groxlars want her baby."
"We need aspirins," Angel ordered, "and a glass of water." They appeared, and he handed them to Cordy after a few long seconds when she felt strong enough to reach for them.
"What happened?" Xander asked as he walked over with concern.
Angel ran a hand through his hair. "I don't know."
"I guess one time could be a fluke, but we may have to talk to the Senior Partners again," Xander answered.
"It had better be a fluke," Cordelia breathed before she looked up with pain filled eyes.
"When is it?" Angel asked.
"Tonight." Cordy swallowed and rubbed at her head. "The... the groxlars are supposed to cause an abortion."
Silence fell as they looked at her curiously. "We're not supposed to save it?" Xander asked. She shook her head with a frown. "That might be the reason Buff didn't get this one," he murmured thoughtfully. "I mean, we don't kill humans with the old visions."
Wes glanced at Xander before looking back at Cordelia. "How pregnant is she?"
"She's *huge*," Cordy answered with a slow shake of her head. "She can barely walk."
"Then we're supposed to make sure she lives after the groxlars are done?" Angel asked.
"No. It doesn't matter if she lives or dies."
"Then why are we getting involved?" Willow asked with annoyance.
"You're supposed to make sure she doesn't escape."
Silence fell.
"Um..." Wesley started, his eyes sparkling with amusement, "a *huge* pregnant woman that can barely walk is suppose to escape groxlars?"
"Well they only have human strength," Xander answered. "How many are there Cord?"
"Eight."
Silence fell again.
Willow frowned curiously. "How many people does she have with her?"
"She's alone."
Willow rolled her eyes before laughing. "Giles and I can go with you if you think you'll need help."
"Yes, of course. I wouldn't want them to get in over their heads," Giles answered as he looked at her with amusement.
Xander settled back in his chair and looked at them. "You guys are just so... funny."
"Aren't they though?" Wes asked as he looked at them with amusement sparkling in his eyes.
Angel snorted. "What time Cord?"
"9:40."
"You know you make a cute redhead," Mike stated as he tried to change the subject before frowning when Buffy continued to glare at him. "Buffy," he started quietly as he put his hands up in surrender, "I didn't say you were fat."
"You laughed when I asked for another bag of popcorn."
He rolled his eyes and rubbed at his forehead. "I just think it's cute... okay? I mean, there's nothing wrong with it. Um..." he looked over the dark movie theater before giving a quiet chant and trying to hand her the bag of popcorn that appeared. "Does that make it better?"
She stared at the extra large bag with annoyance. "Mike," she hissed angrily.
"What did I do wrong?" he asked with exasperation.
Buffy stared at him before getting to her feet. "I'm going to the bathroom. Is that okay, or are you going to laugh about that too?"
He didn't say a word as she walked away before he sighed, ran a hand through his hair, and turned back to the movie.
Tears fell as Buffy walked out of the theater a few seconds later, and she wiped at them angrily as she started walking back to The Occult Stop. She'd made it about 4 blocks when she decided to cut through an alley that had a couple of dusk to dawn lights in it. A quiet sound from behind her, a shifting of gravel, and she turned to look at the demons that were following. An arm wrapped protectively around her stomach, and her steps quickened before stopping when three figures stepped out of the shadows in front of her.
"You're not getting out this way," Xander stated quietly as they locked eyes.
Buffy stared at him, glanced at Angel and Wes before turning back to look at the demons behind her. They'd stopped moving forward, and she took a couple of deep breaths as she tried to figure out what to do. One of the dusk to dawn lights was in a nearby doorway, and she started toward it.
Wes blocked her. "No," he ordered, his voice as quiet as Xander's had been.
She took a few steps back and turned to look at Angel. He was watching with a neutral expression, and she slowly started to walk toward him.
"If you want out," he told her in a low voice, "you're going to have to go through them." He motioned behind her, and she took a deep breath before turning to look back at the demons. There were eight she realized with a sinking feeling before slowly starting to walk toward them.
She was still about thirty feet away when she pulled the sword that was hidden under the glamour. The sound of fast moving steps came from behind her, caught up, moved past, and she found herself facing Angel. His sword was in his hand as he looked at her curiously. "Can you use it?"
Buffy didn't reply. She could still fight, but not with the speed and accuracy she was used to, and she watched with a sinking feeling as he shifted into a defensive stance. "Not interested," she answered before trying to move around him and toward the demons.
He stepped in front of her, his blade shifting into a lazy arc toward her shoulder. Buffy blocked it. "Nice," he murmured, his eyes glinting with amusement.
"Yeah. Nice," Xander agreed before tensing when Buffy's blade abruptly went up to his throat.
"Back off," she hissed as she stared at Angel before giving a cry of surprise when Wes's arm slid between her stomach and breasts, his hand wrapping firmly around the wrist of her outstretched arm.
"Drop it," he murmured as Xander quickly moved away.
Buffy started to struggle, and his hand tightened painfully before her breathing hitched as she dropped her sword. He pulled back, shifted away, and she wrapped arms around her stomach as she watched Angel sheath his sword.
"I kind of want to keep her sire," Wesley stated as he studied her intently.
Angel nodded thoughtfully. "Cordy said it didn't matter if she lived or died, so I guess it wouldn't matter if we..." he broke off and smiled at Buffy when she gave him an uneasy look.
"Probably shouldn't give her a sword though," Xander stated as he rubbed at the back of his neck.
Angel glanced at him before letting his gaze slide over her body. "I almost regret having to give her to the groxlars."
"Have you had a pregnant one before?" Xander asked.
"No, I've never found them attractive," Angel answered. Buffy cast him a hard look, and his eyes glinted with amusement. "This one might be an exception." He looked at his childer. "Let's back off a little." They walked a few feet away before he called back to her, "If it's any consolation, I think I can almost guarantee you're not going to die."
Buffy snorted and looked back at her sword before slowly, awkwardly lowering herself to her knees and palming the hilt. She was struggling to get to her feet a moment later as she watched the demons advance. "Come closer and I'll kill you," she ground out in a low dangerous voice as she stared at them threateningly.
Xander walked back over to drop down to his knees behind her, his arm finding the same cradle Wesley's had as he pulled her back against him before running a splayed hand over her stomach. "Come on sweetheart, drop the sword," he murmured quietly as he nuzzled into her hair.
Buffy struggled against him before dropping her head forward and bringing it back with as much speed as she could. There was the sound of bones breaking, a curse, and Xander got to his feet, his broken nose covered with a hand as blood dripped through his fingers.
Wesley laughed. "I don't think she likes you."
"Yeah... I'm getting that idea too," Xander breathed as he stared at her with gold glittering eyes.
Wesley pulled his sword and walked over to stand behind her before placing the blade against her throat. "Drop the sword honey."
Buffy hesitated, switched it to her left hand, shifted the hilt out in front so the blade was pointed toward her and toward the ground. "Take it," she ordered as she held it at the awkward angle.
He sheathed his sword, circled around to reach for it, before falling to his knees when she slammed a fist into his crotch.
"Doesn't look like she likes you either," Xander stated, his voice thick and muffled.
Wes gave him a threatening look before turning it on the woman backing away from him on her hands and knees, her sword scraping roughly over gravel as she pulled it with her.
Angel watched with amusement, his dark eyes glinting with gold. "Maybe we should have brought Giles and Will after all," he murmured before stepping on her sword and giving her a smile when she looked up.
"Yeah," Xander agreed as he walked over to roughly knot a hand into Buffy's hair and jerk her head back. "And isn't that going to be fun to live down?"
Angel pulled the sword out of her hand before standing to his full height. "Let's back off," he ordered before glancing over to where Wes had climbed to his feet and was slowly limping away from her. He snorted. "She hit you that hard?"
"I think it's broke," he snarled painfully as they moved several feet away from where Buffy was struggling to stand.
The slayer swallowed thickly as she watched the demons start to move toward her. Red eyes bore into her as they moved forward with hisses and quiet growls, and she stared back before starting to crawl away. "Angel," she called desperately as they got closer.
His head came up, his eyes narrowed. He took a step forward before hitting a barrier.
Buffy crawled awkwardly toward a fire escape, flattened her palms on the fourth step as she struggled to her feet. A moment later, she turned to watch the demons press against a barrier that hadn't been there a few seconds ago. She fought to calm her breathing before wrapping arms around her stomach and looking at the unfamiliar guy walking toward her. "Hey," he breathed as he got closer. "Sorry it took me so long. Are you okay?"
She looked at him with tears in her eyes, and Mike walked over to tug her against him for several long seconds. "Let's go okay?"
She rested her forehead against him and nodded. "Alright." He shifted to her side, his arm wrapped around her back as he started to help her out of the alley. She walked slowly, with her head down until both of them froze a few seconds before Willow stepped out of the darkness.
"I can't seem to leave you guys alone without you getting into trouble," she murmured as she looked at them before narrowing her eyes when she noticed Xander's broken nose. She turned to look at the blonde man thoughtfully. "Is he that good of a fighter?"
"He didn't do it," Xander answered, his voice sounding low and thick. He glanced at Wesley. "He's also not the one that put a fist into Wes's dick."
She slowly turned back to them, her eyes shining with amusement as she looked at the vampire sitting on the gravel. "Then you've got to tell me who hurt you," she almost cooed. He met her eyes before looking away, and her grin widened before she waved a hand. Her spell broke Mike's boundary, and Wes easily got to his feet, Xander's nose healed. "I take it... you um... are trying to tell me it was her?"
"Yeah Will. She's dangerous." Xander rubbed at his nose and looked at the girl frozen a few feet away.
Angel glanced at them before walking over to look at the two humans. He studied them intently, his gaze sliding over her before going to him.
"So daddy showed up," Willow murmured as she walked over and looked at the sandy haired guy. "If she lives, I suppose he can help her to the hospital." She glanced at the redhead without interest before looking at the demons standing several feet away. "I'll lock her in a boundary with them. Is that okay?"
"No," Angel answered. "I'm not sure this vision's going to happen."
"Why?"
He gave her an unreadable look before turning to the blonde guy. "He knows spells, think you can handle him?"
Willow walked over to touch his cheek before giving a shake of her head and dropping her hand. "He's a beginner."
"Good. Then I'd like to talk to him."
"Just him?"
"For now."
She waved a hand. Mike took a step forward and stopped abruptly when Buffy didn't move with him. His head came up, and he swallowed uneasily when he found himself facing Angel and Willow. A moment later, he moved back to Buffy's side and chanted a spell. Willow's eyes lit with amusement.
"A barrier around you instead of us?" She reached out to touch it. "That's new."
"Will," Angel murmured. She looked at him, and he gave a slow shake of his head before turning back to the sandy haired guy. "What's her name?" Mike didn't answer, and Angel glanced back at Buffy thoughtfully. "How far along is she?"
Mike ran a hand through his hair. "Close to eight months."
"Your kid?" Angel asked.
He nodded before forcing a smile. "First one. She um doesn't like hospitals... so we're not sure what she's having, but I'm hoping for a boy."
Angel's dark eyes went to his. "Do you know what they are?" He motioned to the demons standing at the other end of the alley.
Mike looked. "No," he answered quietly.
"They kill babies," Willow informed as she watched him with amusement.
He looked at her appraisingly before looking away. "I guess that pretty much explains why she's terrified."
"So terrified," Angel started, "that she called my name." Willow frowned curiously at Angel, and Mike rubbed at his forehead.
"Did she?" he finally asked.
"How did she know it?"
Mike stared at the ground as a silence fell. "I don't want trouble with you. Can we just go?"
Angel's gaze slid over her again. "You might be able to, but I think I might hold on to her."
Mike slowly lifted his head. "All she wanted to do was eat out and watch a movie... and it's not like you're hard up..." he broke off when Angel's dark eyes flew to his, and Mike looked away as another silence fell.
"Wake her up Will," Angel ordered, and he watched as Buffy took a slow tired step forward before stopping and looking at Mike when he caught her arm.
"What?" she asked before noticing Angel and Willow, Wes and Xander standing off to the side. Silence fell, and Buffy tiredly dropped her head to stare at the ground before bracing a hand against her back. She looked up, turned to look at the groxlars before starting to pull Mike toward them.
"Barrier," he warned as he stopped her before she could run into it.
Buffy reached out a hand to touch it. "Yours?"
"Yeah."
She wiped at a few stray tears. "Can they break it?"
"No contest," he muttered.
Buffy turned back to the groxlars. "Break it." He did, and she took a few steps toward the demons before turning back to Angel. "Can he leave?"
The brunette shrugged. "I don't want him. He's free to go."
"But she's not?" Mike challenged.
"No."
Buffy stared at the ground as a silence fell before stepping in front of Mike and tugging his head down so she could reach his ear. "Can you spell cast a crossbow with a tranq dart?"
"I can try," he answered quietly.
"Will's the one you've got to hit."
He nodded, and she released him, let him rise to his full height before looking up to lock eyes with him. "I want you to leave."
He looked at the vampires, turned to the demons. "That's not happening."
She reached up to knot a hand in his shirt, tug him forward. "Leave," she ordered threateningly before stretching up as far as she could and lowering her voice. "I'm going to need a sword."
He leaned down to her ear. "If I can tranq her, I'll make us invisible."
"Okay," she agreed almost in a whisper. "Mike," her hand tightened in his shirt, "don't mess up."
Willow watched with narrowed eyes before suddenly walking over to them, she glanced at Buffy, before studying Mike. He met her eyes uneasily before turning to walk away... and stopped when he ran into a barrier, rubbed at his nose, his forehead, touched the invisible wall with a hand. He did a chant, and the barrier stayed in place.
Willow's lips twitched up. "I think I want you to stay, she purred. "In fact, I think I want you to get on your knees and *beg* us not to give her to the groxlars."
Mike turned before dropping to a knee and looking up. "Please let her go," he offered quietly.
Willow's dark smile widened, and she looked at Buffy. "He's not much of a mage. I bet he can barely use magic to fix his hair. " She looked back at Mike thoughtfully. "He might be fun in the basement though. I mean, I wouldn't mind spending some time with him." She reached into a pocket and drew out a set of cuffs, let them dangle in front of Buffy before doing a spell that had Mike's wrists cuffed behind his back. He met her eyes, and she studied him with satisfaction before looking up when Buffy shifted between them. "What's wrong? Did I say something you didn't like?"
The slayer shifted back, stepped into the barrier Mike couldn't cross, looked down at him. "I need to talk to you." He awkwardly got to his feet, and she drug his head down again, leaned closer to his ear than she had last time before whispering. He lifted his head, locked eyes with her, nodded, and she looked over to where Angel, Wes, and Xander were watching. A moment later, she stepped out of the barrier and turned to face Willow before saying something Mike couldn't hear. Willow's lips twitched up, and she glanced at her family before throwing out a hand that transported them several feet away.
"What the hell?" Xander hissed when he suddenly found himself on the sidewalk. Angel cursed, and the three of them started walking back into the alley before they hit a barrier.
"Will," Angel called angrily. "If it's yours, take it down."
"She's challenging me," Willow answered without taking her eyes from Buffy's.
Wesley rubbed at his forehead with irritation, and Angel frowned, his eyes narrowing. "Take it down Will," he ordered.
Willow started to lift a hand, and Buffy snorted. It was enough to stop her. "You say my mage is weak, and you're bowing to... *people* that don't even know magic," the slayer taunted.
"Will," Angel called threateningly.
"She's challenging me," Willow hissed again as she turned to look at her sire. Buffy struck. The fist she hit Willow with sending her to the ground an instant before Mike chanted a tranq gun.
"Buffy," he called desperately as he turned his back to her, the crossbow in his cuffed hands.
Buffy grabbed it and shot Willow before looking up sharply when she heard Xander, Angel, and Wes running toward her. "I can't fight them," she shouted in a voice as desperate as his had been.
Mike glanced at the fast approaching vampires before chanting a barrier. They ran into it, and he laid his forehead against the brick wall with relief. Buffy took a moment, brushed hair behind her ear, slid an arm around her stomach, glanced at Mike's cuffed wrists before walking over to break the chain.
"He's as good as dead Buff. You can't save him," Angel ground out as he stared at Mike with viscous gold eyes, "but I'll let your kid live *if* you let me out now."
"Go to hell," she snapped angrily.
"I've been there lover. It didn't want me," he answered in a hard voice.
She shot him a look before wrapping arms around her stomach and looking at Mike. "Can you get rid of the groxlars?"
"I don't know how. I mean, maybe if I could read the spell out of a book, but I just..." he shook his head, "really want to get out of here."
"You mean before Giles shows up?"
"I hadn't even thought about him," Mike muttered before beginning to tug her out of the alley.
"I can't believe she's pregnant," Xander stated for the third time as he stared out the window of the Wolfram and Hart lounge.
"Yeah," Wes agreed, "and I'd really hate to be the father."
Giles rubbed at the back of his neck before turning to Angel and Willow when they suddenly appeared in the room. "What did they say?" he asked.
Angel glanced up with irritated gold eyes. "They want the kid dead so it doesn't split her loyalty."
Wesley snorted. "Do they think killing it will make her loyal? I happen to have the opposite opinion."
"No kidding," Xander agreed. "I'm pretty sure she's serious about protecting *both* of them. I mean, she *hit*, Will."
Willow looked over to where Angel had turned to her with dark angry eyes. "If I'd known who she was, I never would have pushed her sire. I'm not holding a grudge."
"None of you had better be," he answered. "Or I'll make what she did to you feel like child's play."
Giles watched as heads around the room lowered. "Have you talked to the Partners?"
"There's no need," A new voice cut in as Marcus stepped into the lounge. "They're aware of the unfortunate situation, and have ordered me to help any way I can."
Silence fell, and Angel studied him. "Any ideas?"
"Probably none that you haven't already considered." He threw out a hand. A cup of coffee appeared on a nearby table, and Marcus thoughtfully took a seat in front of it. He took a slow sip before looking at Angel. "You do realize now why Buffy was bypassed for the last vision?"
Angel nodded. "I take it it was a one time thing?"
Marcus set back in his chair. "We didn't have anything to do with that. The Powers have been angry since we brought the slayer back, and since the vision couldn't go to her, took it out on Cordelia. I don't believe it will be a normal occurrence." Silence fell, and he took another sip of coffee before giving a shake of his head. "The Powers believe warriors should fight and die alone. They were upset when you turned your family... and upset again when you saved Cordelia from dying. As far as they're concerned death is a gift. The Senior Partners on the other hand believe life should be lived to its fullest potential and enjoyed." His lips twitched up. "And the slayer, let's just say neither side is worried about her welfare."
"That seems evident," Giles agreed as he watched the mage carefully. "But just how concerned should we be about the Power's interest in her?"
Marcus looked at him. "There's no need to be concerned about her physically. I mean, they can't kill her, not as long as my spell's intact. Her mental state though," he broke off and looked over to where Angel was watching with dark eyes. He shrugged as he met them. "Her mental state is up to you. Neither side cares about that."
"Your spell's still on her then?" Wesley asked with some confusion as he shot a glance at Angel before turning back to Marcus.
"Yes. My services are under contract to the Senior Partners for the next two hundred years. As long as I'm working for them, I can not die, and by extension, my spell will keep her reanimated."
"Reanimated?" Giles asked sharply.
Marcus nodded. "The slayer, body and soul, is original. Technically however, she's not... really... alive."
Angel's eyes glinted with gold as he took a couple of steps forward before stopping. "You need to explain that better."
"She was dead for twenty years Angelus. It would be one thing to bring back a body that wasn't decomposing, but another to bring back one that wasn't in very good condition. Reanimation will hold her together and fill in the pieces needed to make her whole. That means my spell is always there and always needed."
"The slime didn't affect it?" Wes asked.
"The slime was a coating that blocked new spells from affecting her, but couldn't stop a spell already working under it."
Silence fell, and Willow slowly nodded and studied him thoughtfully. "If she's reanimated, and not really alive..." she broke off. "Can she age?"
"No." Marcus took another sip of coffee.
"But she can get pregnant," Angel almost hissed.
"Oh yes," Marcus answered. "Reanimation spells give life Angelus. I would say she might be rather easy to make pregnant if, of course, the timing was right."
Angel turned away angrily. Silence fell, and Xander got up to heat some blood. "You know we had to use an orb to figure out we had the real deal. I mean, we thought she was a clone or some kind of demon." He slid the blood out of the microwave and turned to look at the mage.
"Yes," Marcus agreed as he turned back to Angel. "The Partners didn't want you to see her as an equal." Silence fell, and he took a thoughtful sip of coffee before shrugging. "As far as putting her in a clone's body though... we discussed that but decided to go original. We wanted to make sure we were bringing back a slayer."
"You believe a clone's body would make her human?" Willow asked.
"It's possible." His lips twitched up and he looked at the irritated brunette standing a few feet away. "I suppose we could find out... if you're interested Angelus."
"I would be as long as it wasn't a permanent decision."
"It wouldn't be."
"And of course, I wouldn't want her, or," he scowled, "the baby hurt. If we were to experiment and end up killing the child, I think she might hold a grudge."
"And that would concern you?" the mage asked with amusement.
"Concern me?" Angel asked. "She'd probably try to dust me."
Marcus's dark eyes glinted before he gave a slow shake of his head. "Any tantrums she might wish to throw could be easily managed by keeping her confined."
"Yes," Angel agreed, "but let's pretend I want her mentally intact."
"Twenty minutes out of her body will not hurt the child." He turned to Willow. "Can you give me a pattern?"
"Yes." She threw up a hand and an image of a pregnant redhead appeared on the wall.
Marcus studied it thoughtfully. "A simple glamour hides what's under it." He turned to look at Angel. "Did she seem about the right height to you?"
"Yes."
Marcus nodded. "So what we're seeing is probably Buffy's true shape with slight changes to her hair and face." He broke off as he studied the image before throwing up a hand, and a large lump of clay appeared, started to shape into a form, mold into a rough figure of the image. Clothes started to form, details of the face. It smoothed and sculpted, added small details, colors... until an identical replica laid on the lounge floor.
"I'd like to see her instead of the glamour," Angel stated as he studied the body.
Marcus chanted, and Buffy's face slowly sculpted, her hair changed color, shifted into a style she normally wore. He chanted again, and an orb of thesulah appeared in front of him. He looked at Angel. "If you're ready to do this, I'll pull her soul out slowly. It will take longer, but it should keep her from being hurt."
Angel nodded.
She wasn't sure she'd be able to sleep. It had been four months since she'd had to deal with Angel, and running into him tonight had... she broke the thought *again* and took a deep breath, closed her eyes before stepping out of the shower, toweling off and sliding into the thin sweats and light shirt she slept in. She was heading for her room when her body started to feel more tired, heavier than it had before.
Mike glanced up from the book he was attempting to read. "Goodnight Buff."
"Goodnight," she answered before walking into her room and laying down. Her eyes closed, and she laid there for a couple of minutes before making a halfhearted attempt to turn onto her side... and giving up when it seemed to take too much effort. Darkness claimed her before she shifted against a hard uncomfortable surface.
Her eyes opened, and she frowned at the white ceiling, the large bank of windows she could see along the wall. Her stomach plummeted when she turned her head and noticed the tables, the vampires that were watching.
"Hey Buff," Willow murmured as she looked at her with dark eyes.
She instantly rolled, shifted to her hands and knees, looked for the nearest chair to crawl to before going still when the thought of crawling in front of them sickened her.
Giles watched thoughtfully before picking up a chair and setting it close enough she could easily reach it. "May I be of assistance Buffy?" he asked politely.
"Thank you." She looked up gratefully before carefully using it to get to her feet and then walking to a table a few feet away and sitting down. She didn't look up when Angel stalked over to stand in front of her with angry gold eyes.
"Do you want it?" he asked in a hard voice.
She snorted before looking up. "Of course not Angel. What would make you think that?" She noticed Marcus and gave him a dark look before looking down to study the table.
"You're pushing me, Buffy," Angel breathed.
"Well isn't that special?" she hissed as she gave him a sharp look. "In case I haven't made myself clear, I don't want anything to do with you or your family."
"We got the message lover. It's just too bad for you we don't care." They locked eyes before he rubbed at his forehead. "Are you going to tell me who the father is? Or do I have to put a truth spell on you and threaten to kill the kid?"
She looked at him with a troubled frown before looking away. "I think instead of asking about the father, you should be asking about the mother."
"Come again," he asked with narrowed eyes.
Buffy shot a glance at Giles. He was watching with interest, and she turned away and stared at the table before giving a slow shake of her head. "The mother doesn't want it, the father does. It's not my baby, I'm a surrogate."
"Was it done through a hospital or spell?" Marcus asked curiously.
She shot him a hard look. "A spell."
"I'm surprised someone was able to pull that off," he murmured thoughtfully.
"She's lying," the witch growled before chanting a quiet spell and looking at Angel. "She won't lie now."
"You're only a surrogate Buff?" Angel asked.
"Yes," she answered as she looked at him with hard eyes.
"And how many times have you had sex since Marcus brought you back?" he asked in a low silky voice, his eyes gleaming and dangerous.
Silence fell. "You mean between living with Lindsey, being locked in your basement, and looking like a beached whale?" she breathed angrily as she stared at him reproachfully. "Once. When I was drugged up on kondra venom." She glanced down at her stomach before rubbing at her forehead. "God my life sucks," she stated almost to herself.
Angel closed his eyes for a moment, dropped his head to stare at the table as the tension left his body. "I have to hand it to you... you're good at throwing curveballs." He lifted his head and looked at her thoughtfully before turning to Marcus. "How long is it safe to leave her in this body?"
Buffy's head came up.
"Unless my original spell's modified around twenty minutes."
"Can you modify it?"
"Not without having access to her body."
"What are you talking about?" She stared at her hand, glanced at her stomach, frowned at the clothes she was wearing before looking up at them.
"You're in a clone." Wesley's gaze slid over her before he looked into her eyes. "We used an orb of thesulah to get your soul."
"So *this* body isn't pregnant?" she asked with irritation.
"No," Angel answered.
"Then why does it look like it is?" she hissed angrily.
Angel shrugged, his eyes locking neutrally with hers. "You *are* pregnant Buff. I didn't think you saw that as a problem."
"There's a lot of things you don't see as a problem Angel."
"Less all the time," he agreed offhandedly before turning to look at Willow. "We need a couple of swords Will." They appeared on Buffy's table, and she looked at them curiously before watching as Angel picked one up and looked at her expectantly.
"I'm supposed to be the entertainment?" she hissed.
His eyes glinted with humor before it disappeared, and he gave a slow shake of his head. "I'm just curious." She was silent as she looked down to study the table, and Angel frowned as he watched. "We don't have to, but... I mean, you really wouldn't mind taking a few swings at me would you?"
Buffy's gaze went to the sword before she slowly reached for the hilt and got to her feet, stepped back toward the windows where there was some free space. Angel shifted with her, slid into a defensive stance, and watched as her blade started to go up. She frowned and lowered it a moment later. "Am I wearing tennis shoes?"
He raised an eyebrow and glanced down at her feet. "Yes."
"Are they tied?" she asked with irritation.
"One has a double knot, the other has a single."
"That's because it worked loose," she stated angrily. "I just *hate* these shoes."
Angel smirked before dropping to his knees. He tied the shoestring before freezing when the tip of her blade pressed against his back. "Darla was my sire," he stated slowly. "The only reason I'm not *covered* in scars is because she healed me afterward."
"What I would do to you wouldn't heal," she threatened.
He slowly shifted to sit back on his heels, look up at her with gold sparks in dark eyes. "I know what you can do," he answered as he slowly got to his feet. "I just want to see if you can do it in this body."
He raised his sword into a defensive position, and Buffy raised her blade. It was heavier than it should have been, and she frowned and gave a slow shake of her head before turning to glare at Marcus. "Something's wrong."
"Show me," Angel murmured before abruptly shifting to block her blade. She pulled back, lowered her sword, watched as he did the same before suddenly lifting hers with as much speed and strength as she could. He easily blocked it with a frown before taking a couple of steps back and looking at her. He cursed a moment later. "Human."
"Does it matter?" Willow asked.
"No. But," he shook his head, "I think I'd rather have a slayer. He hesitated, turned to Buffy. "What do you say, Buff?" "Do you want to be human, or would you rather have enough strength to fight?"
She dropped the sword on a table before turning to him uneasily. "What are you talking about?"
"Leaving you in this body," Marcus answered. "Your old one would become a twenty year old corpse, but you could continue in this one."
Silence fell, and Buffy slid arms around her stomach as nausea built. This wasn't something she wanted to deal with... and she stared at the floor and took deep measured breaths before looking up when Angel walked over to stand in front of her.
"I'm willing to deal..." he murmured. "You want to give the father a child, and I'm willing to let it happen." He reached out to touch her throat, lightly brush knuckles over her arm. "You can trust me," he murmured when she looked up and met his eyes.
"And if I don't?" she challenged.
Silence fell before Angel shrugged. "Then I'll leave you in the clone Buff, the child will die, and you'll be human."
She swallowed uneasily before walking over to look out a window. Angel watched before turning to his childer. "I've got an eleven o'clock appointment with Adams. Why don't you guys take it for me?"
"*All* of us?" Xander asked with disbelief.
"Yes." He turned to Marcus. "Would you mind sticking around for a while? We might need someone to make up a contract."
"Of course," Marcus agreed as the others started to leave the room.
Angel walked over to Buffy. "I think you'll be interested in what I'm offering... but if you're not, I *might* be willing to listen to counteroffers."
She frowned before wrapping arms around her stomach. "What are you offering?"
"I think we both know I don't have to let you walk out of here tonight Buff... I mean, I'd rather have you in your own body, but I don't have to return you to it." Silence fell, and he looked her over before looking into her eyes. "If you sign a contract agreeing to let Marcus transport you're real body here tonight, I'll sign one allowing you to go back to the father for a month."
She took a breath, tucked hair behind her ear. "And at the end of the month?"
He shrugged. "You'd agree to come back to Wolfram and Hart."
Silence fell. "And if I don't?"
"The contract would be enforced by magic... If you don't come back, we can get you with a spell."
She rubbed at the back of her neck. "Why do you want to transport my body?"
"Marcus," Angel turned to the mage, "we need a contract that allows you to put her into her body tonight, and allow her to leave in the morning as long as she agrees to come back in a month."
Marcus waved a hand, and Buffy looked suspiciously at Angel before going over to take the contract and look it over. It was straightforward, and she frowned before looking at Angel. "You still haven't answered my question."
"You've been gone for *four* months," he stressed before shrugging. "I missed you."
She shot him a hard look. "What are you talking about?"
"Just that I missed you *lover*."
She studied him with irritation before snorting. "Angel," she held her arms out at her sides, "*look* at me."
His lips twitched up as he did. She was wearing a large button down shirt that tightened around her stomach, stretchy sweat pants, and sneakers. His gaze went back up to her swollen breasts before going up to her eyes. "You're hotter than hell Buff," he murmured in a silky voice.
She frowned uneasily before shooting Marcus a threatening look when he laughed. "Make it three months, and I'll sign," she ordered angrily.
Silence fell as Angel looked at her with dark irritation. "Alright," he finally agreed, "but I want her switched into her own body when the contract's signed Marcus." He turned back to Buffy. "You can leave tomorrow morning."
Marcus chanted, and Buffy read through the contract before slowly walking to a table and awkwardly sitting down to sign it.
When she was done, Angel signed it. There was a flash of light, and Buffy felt a shift around her signaling she was in her own body. She took a breath, and Angel turned to Marcus. "Put it in my office would you?"
"Of course," he agreed before the contract disappeared. "Is there anything else?"
"No. I think I can handle it from here."
"If you ever need anything you have only to ask," Marcus murmured before disappearing.
Angel turned back to Buffy and gave her a smile before holding out a hand. "Come on lover," he urged quietly.
She sat back and frowned at him for several seconds before taking it.