…
Buffy sat in the confinement cell they'd moved Angel into as a precaution.
They didn't need him getting lose and tearing up the Med-Ward as he did shortly after Liam's birth, when after a fight with Buffy and getting thrown though a glass wall his demon side went nuts.
She watched her spelled husband as he slowly awoke. The black orbs shifted in her direction, even without pupils she knew he was staring right at her.
"Hey." She smiled at him, "Feeling better?"
He growled, a hateful scowl marring his face. "Let. Me. Go." He spat, each word growled out one at a time as he forcefully yanked on the enchanted cuffs.
"Your not really in a position to make demands, but I happen to be, so Where. Are. My. Kids." She demanded, husband or not, motherly instincts wanted to beat the info out of him.
A cold smile crossed his lips, "Now, now, that would be telling." Inside he was laughing at the tiny flake of power he held over her.
"Damn you!" she yelled, turned and punched the door. It was a thick steel door but it shook with her force, but didn't dent. She vented out her frustrations then turned to look back at him, forcing herself to keep a neutral face. 'It's not his fault he's under a spell, he can't control the darkness in him.' She reasoned.
He was tugging at his bonds again, the repeated motion not allowing his wounds to heal quickly and re-opening the wound on his shoulder and in his gut, making them slowly trickle blood again.
"Stop it, you're reopening your wounds." She said quickly, not being able to fully mask her concern for him, hurrying beside him to try and keep him from moving.
"Can't." He growled out, the hex buzzing about in his head full throttle. Just as he'd expected, he felt an overwhelming compulsion to kill. Fighting that compulsion was getting harder and harder. He had little gaps of clarity, but there were equal gaps of 'kill the bitch, kill the bitch!'.
"You can, just stop moving." She countered, trying to hold him still.
As her hands touched him, he sat up with a roar, "Don't touch me!"
His arms and legs were still tightly cuffed, but his chest was free, giving him just enough give on the chains to allow sitting almost fully up. The wound in his gut tore again, quickly soaking blood into the bandage.
"Get away from me! I can't…" He shook his head, fighting for control, "…I can't think straight…I feel myself slipping…couldn't let them stay…too much danger…danger from me…loosing control." His breath was coming in fast pants now, the strain and pain conspiring against him.
Buffy stood pole still as he'd spoken, her heart constricting as she realized her husband was still there, fighting with all he had.
"Angel…we'll find a way to fix this, to break the spell. Just keep fighting for me, ok?" She spoke softly to him, wanting with all her heart to wrap her arms around him and make his pain go away. Before her mind realized it, her lips spoke, "I love you."
He paused in his struggles as his black eyes turned towards hers, "Why don't you try saying it with your pussy? Until then, GET YOUR STUBBORN CUNT THE FUCK OUT OF HERE AND BREAK THIS F*CKING HEX!" He screamed, wildly yanking at his bonds.
She gasped a little, not used to that kind of language from him, especially not directed at her. She backed away at his outburst, a little afraid of the sudden out pour of hostility. She quickly pushed the button on the IV machine that Cass programmed to inject a sedative.
A moment later, Angel's thrashing and screams decreased as the sedative rushed through his system, relaxing his muscles and clouding up the rage in his mind. "Bitch." He mumbled out as he flopped back onto the bed, his stomach now covered with blood from the seeping wound.
Tears threatened to roll down Buffy's cheeks at his condition, but practice made her able to force them away.
"Get away." He mumbled out, his black eyes glassy, half-unconscious. "Not safe."
She stepped forwards after a moment, seeing he was now in a restless drug induced sleep, and placed a light kiss on his brow. "We'll figure this out Angel, I promise." She turned and quickly left to find Cass to treat his ripped open wounds.
…
It had been an hour of pacing and staring and not knowing.
Giles was exhausting every resource he could get his hands on, either looking for the missing children or finding a way to break the hex on his son-in-law.
The rest of the gang was doing the same; taking turns going out looking or calling hospitals and police stations for found toddlers.
Buffy paced without pause, her mind whirling. 'He said it wasn't safe, that he was a danger, that they couldn't stay…did he take them someplace because he knew he'd try to hurt them?' She wondered, her mind not allowing her to even consider that he'd stolen their children just to kill them.
"Giles…you said the spell was feeding and growing off his emotions right? In his case, anger." She asked her watcher.
He turned and nodded to her, "Yes, the hex was designed to strengthen with his darker side's rage, resentment, irritation, frustration, annoyance…any negative emotions really."
"So what would happen if he wasn't angry anymore? Would it break the hex?" She asked, having a thought run through her mind.
"I don't see how you'd manage that…he's rather irate at the moment." Giles countered.
"I think I might know how this started, the 'root cause' of his aggression. He said some things when we argued that…well they didn't jive with what he'd said only a day before. I think it was the spell getting to him, he was telling me things that were happening to him."
"Such as?" The watcher inquired, interested.
The other in the room stopped their paging though books to listen too.
Her cheeks tinted, "Ahh...well…um…It's private." She stuttered out, embarrassed to discuss her sex life, or lack-there-of for the past months with everyone staring at her. She knew them not making love for the last few months had weighted on him, but the hex coupled with the 'almost sex' in the past few days what was really threw the spell into full gear.
"It's the not having sex thing isn't it?" Dawn asked, not bothering to blunt her words when she realized only her, Faith and Willow knew that details and the other two weren't present to address the issue.
Buffy sighed heavily, "Yeah, just go ahead and blurt that out why don't you..."
Xander nodded his head, "Well that would make any guy edgy." He agreed lacking sex could cause aggression, especially with someone who usually had a steady flow if it regularly. "Wait." He said quickly, his brain catching up, "Are you saying you're going to what…hump the happy back into him?"
"Not my choice of words." Buffy sent him a bland expression, "But if I can ease the pent up sexual frustration…it's just a theory."
"A bad one!" He countered. "Have you noticed Angel's a little on the side of out-of-his-mind? You can't seriously be thinking of sleeping with him like that!"
"He's my husband, I'm a slayer…that gives me clear morals and the strength to knock him out of he's too aggressive." She defended.
"It's a bad idea!" Xander shook his head. "He's vamped! How gross is that?!"
"Rayne had been spelling me to keep us from being together, if he wanted us apart, then getting together seems the most logical path to breaking the hex." Buffy reiterated. "It's all I've got at the moment." She sighed, trying to avoid eye contact with anyone.
"And if it doesn't work?" Xander pressed.
Buffy shrugged, "Maybe I can sweet talk some info out of him, make him blurt something while his attention is diverted?"
Giles stood, "Well it's not exactly a traditional plan…but you said it yourself, we've got nothing else. Your theory has merit, if the hex is feeding off his frustrations, removing it might break it or a least lessen the effects. Please do be careful Buffy, he's not in control of his actions."
"You're keep the handcuffs on right?" Dawn asked, a little nervous for her sister's safety. She'd seen Angel's rage, she knew what he was capable of.
Connor chose for that entire conversation to be deaf.
"I'll deal with the hex, you guys keep looking for my kids." She said to end the uncomfortable conversation and headed off to change into something more seducing.
…
Buffy slipped back into Angel's solitary confinement room, grateful for the privacy. She wasn't sure exact how this would turn out, but either good or bad, she didn't desire witnesses.
He was heavily sedated still, Cassidy having re-sewn the torn stitches from his earlier outbursts and loaded him up with antibiotics to eliminate infection from a gut injury and given him more replacement blood.
Her hand slid under the sheet and pulled it back enough to expose the new bandage. Peering under it, she found his healing had finally gotten the chance to catch up. There was only a minor laceration and some diminishing bruising to indicate where he'd been shot. She checked his other wounds and found them either completely healed or nearly there.
'Well at least he's physically fit for duty.'
Taking advantage of him still being unconscious, she removed the catheter as Cass had shown her and slipped the IV from his arm. Now all she had to do was wait for him to awaken.
'Then the real fun begins.' She muttered nervously in her head, still trying to decide if this really was a good idea or not. She knew her husband was was an excellent lover, but she knew nothing of his darker side's tastes. With this spell in place, she'd more likely experience Angelus in the raw. She wasn't sure how she felt about that. It's not like she never had rough sex with Angel before, but she had a gut feeling this wouldn't be similar in the slightest.
…
Ten minutes later Angel's cold black eyes slid open, it only took a moment for them to hone in on Buffy sitting calmly in the chair across the room.
"Come to take me up on my offer?" He asked with an empty smile, figuring it would push her buttons.
"Actually." She said, standing up. "I did." At those words, she let the robe she was wearing fall, revealing her tanned skin and nothing else.
His reaction would have been comical if his eyes hadn't been completely black curtains of malice. However, she had to admit the way his jaw fell open did send an internal chuckle through her funny bone.
"Uhh…what?" He stuttered a moment, completely taken off guard, but then the hex controlled anger surged back in. "You're bluffing." He snapped out, pissed as ever.
"No bluff, just buff." She punned.
"Nice try bitch." He glared daggers at her, wanting to feel her blood running down his throat for teasing him so bluntly. There was no way in hell he was letting her jerk him around again, as soon as these cuffs were off, he was snapping that whore's neck...maybe after a quick f*ck or two.
"Keep calling me that and I'm leaving you here with your hand, and since it's handcuffed to the railing right now it won't help you much." She shot back, coming closer. 'This isn't going to be fun is it?'
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" He growled out as she climbed up on the bed, slowly crawling up over him.
"You." She purred out, leaning down to whisper in his ear, "unless you'd rather be alone." She was nervous being within biting range, but was relying on his attention being someplace else.
He glanced at her neck as she closed in, thinking it would be easy to just grab a mouthful...but those bare breasts were just hanging there...looking so suckable..."You've been leaving me out to dry for months, jerking me around, using me for your selfish desires, why the sudden change of heart? Why should I believe you?" He questioned, too intrigued by the sudden reversal (and all the exposed skin) to bother paying attention to the rage.
"Funny, you don't usually talk so much when I'm naked." She mused, trailing a finger down a cuffed muscular arm and leaning in to use her position to attract his eyes more.
He scowled, "I swear Buff, if you're f*cking with me…" He started to threaten before she cut him off.
"That's exactly what I'm doing." She finished before taking a gamble and plunging her tongue into his fanged mouth.
He bit down hard on her tongue, amputating it before she could even blink, spitting the bloody stump in her face and laughing at her.
It's what went though her mind for a second anyways, but thankfully it's not what actually happened.
His mouth devoured hers, welcoming her tongue as a long lost lover.
Almost instantly she felt him reacting to her. Lust, pure and raw and hungry for more vibrated off him. She was sure if his hands had been free, he would have taken handfuls of her bare skin into his palms, greedy for more.
She'd kissed him with fangs before, that wasn't new, but her tongue did feel at risk dancing over the sharp teeth. She almost pulled it out when he purposely nipped it.
Her hand slipped down under the blanket, her fingers quickly bringing him the rest of the way up.
"Suck it." He hissed into her ear, starving for her touch, screaming for it.
She'd known this wasn't going to be like their usual lovemaking, she knew he'd be crass. She hadn't thought he'd be that ballsy with the phrasing.
Figuring she'd swallow her pride for this, and probably something else, she obliged him. She was determined to break the hex, and if that meant enduring some harsh language for a few hours…she would.
…
"Uncuff me." He ordered once she was done cleaning his pipes, his release still hot in her mouth.
"Not happening." She denied, sliding back up his body and straddling his waist.
He felt her hot core moist on his stomach, he wanted to reach out dominate it, her. He wanted to invade her juicy folds with his tongue and eat her alive, suck every bit of wet honey from her depth.
He rattled his immobilized hands, "Uncuff me or go find a vibrator to shove up your tight cunt. I'm not acting as your personal jerk off machine again."
A defiant expression crossed her lips, "Unless you haven't noticed, I'm the one in charge." She slid down his body and rubbed herself against his groin. "And you don't have the ability to say no."
His traitorous body reacted to her pleasure against his will, his member rising like helium filled balloons in desire of sinking into her heat.
He growled out a low tone of disapproval of her actions. Or maybe it was approval...he wasn't sure himself.
"You know the growls only make me hot." She teased, rubbing against him more.
"Fuck me." He commanded, pushing his hips up against her bottom, dying to feel her tight heat around him.
She grabbed something off the small table beside the bed and unwrapped it.
"What is that?" He asked, straining to see.
"Something you won't like." She teased, palming the condom and slipping in over him, taking her sweet time.
He growled but said nothing.
Planting her hands over his pecks, she sank her nail in and leaned forwards, finally granting him entry. "You better hold on." She grinned out, and took him for one a hell of a ride.
…
She hadn't even realized he'd snapped the chains binding his hands until they were around her throat.
A shot of panic raced over her as he flipped her onto her back, using his body placement and weight to pin her down.
His black eyes glared down at her, the fangs in his mouth looked especially sharp. "Now what?" He grinned, trying to decide whether to just to snap that pretty little neck or sink his teeth in...or maybe something more erotic first?
"You tell me." She seduced out, trying to get his focus back on sex and less on killing her.
His dark eyes wandered over her a moment, still trying to decide whether to f*ck her into oblivion of just eat the manipulating slut.
She lifted her leg, running it teasingly along his. "I'm at your mercy…you could do anything to me…and I couldn't stop you." She acted scared, bad porn acting, but still.
That swung his vote.
His lips took place of his hands on her throat, nibbling roughly at his mark. She tensed a little when she felt his fangs graze the scar, drawing a little blood which he eagerly lapped up.
Angel's now free digits wandered over her chest, taking greed handfuls of breast and kneading the soft flesh, taking special interest in the peaks in the center. Tugging and pinching them into attention. His mouth moved down to replace his fingers, sucking in a mix of pleasure and pain at her sensitive tips. Once again he took a small sample of her blood as he 'played'.
When he'd had his fill of her chest, he wandered down lower, sampling the flesh every few inches, leaving little hickeys along her stomach. She was glad her express healing would get rid of those in a few hours.
She spread her legs invitingly as he slid down between them, looking at her naked flesh like a thirsty man looking at a glass of water.
She moan in a mix of pleasure and pain as he did as he pleased to her body. He wasn't exactly a gentleman down there, but he certainly couldn't be called selfish when it came to pleasure.
When he finally came back up for air, she let out a small cry at the loss of his mouth on her exposed flesh. Evil or not, he could please a woman.
Once he finished dominating her body, he was about to get to the main attraction when she held up another condom under his nose.
"No." He denied instantly, not willing to have anything between him and his flesh.
"Yes." She insisted.
"I said no!" He growled, daring her to disobey him.
She didn't disappoint. "I said yes because if you remember I threatened to give you an at home vasectomy if you knocked me up with a child in diapers still and so help me I will make good on that threat!"
He glared back at her, black eyes boring into her.
She took that brief pause as close as she would get to consent and ripped the package open, slipping it on very slowly and doing it a pleasurably as possible.
He groaned in response, then the second she was done, she found herself being hammered into the mattress.
…
'Has it been hours?' Buffy wondered, feeling the pain in her body after giving him nearly free range for so many rounds she lost count. Other then forcing the issue of protection, she'd not said no to anything he'd wanted, and he'd wanted a lot. She wasn't exactly comfortable with everything he'd done, but if it meant breaking the hex, she'd endured.
She turned her head and noticed his eyes were shut. 'Did I finally wear him out?" She wondered. The exciting thought of 'Did the hex break? Rushed her brain.
"Angel?" She called lightly, brushing her finger's though his hair and looking into his face, hoping to see the yellow eyes that accompanied his demonic visage, not the blacken hex filled orbs.
It was the later she saw when his eyes fluttered open.
Her heart fell in her chest, "But…I don't understand…I thought if I relived the sexual tension, it would break the spell." She blurted out, not understanding why it didn't work.
"So you only f*ck me to break my hex? You selfish bitch!" He growled, once again wanting to just eat her and get it over with.
"No you stupid bastard! I 'f*cked' you because I love you and want to break the spell on you! Why would I bother if I didn't love you?" She yelled back, angry at him and the spell and the world in general right now.
"Because you want me to tell you were your brats are…" He realized, anger flooding back again. She'd just used him again, for information, for her own person needs. He was going to kill this bitch once and for all.
"Yes! Of course I do!" she yelled out, but her tone lowered as she continued, "Because I want us to be a family again…I want my husband back, I want us to raise our children together and have our life the way it was…" Tears were streaming down her cheeks, the salty drops soaking into the sheet as they fell from here eyes. "I want you free from this darkness, so you can love our children, so you can love me…so you can be happy again…and if that makes me a selfish bitch, then fine, I'll wear the crown with pride."
He stared at her a long moment, unable to move at her tears.
Tears of love she was shedding for him.
A small hole appeared in the wall of rage and anger, and Angel jumped though it.
She suddenly felt his weight atop her again, his body pressing her back down into the mattress. She figured he got turned on by her crying and was giving her a last quick f*ck before he ripped her throat out.
Except his touch was different.
Gone was the raw sexual hunger, the lust and the roughness.
He wasn't f*cking her, he wasn't even have sex with her…he was making love to her.
His lips were soft on her throat, kissing his mark on her neck. His hands were gentle as they cupped her breasts and eased into her growing heat, bring only pleasure and no pain. His tongue was sweet in her mouth, lightly exploring.
Her legs wrapped around his waist, giving him silent permission to enter her. She noticed for the first time that night, he'd been waiting for it.
Gone was the near violent crashing as they coupled earlier, now he was slow and steady and passionate. They moved together, letting love not lust direct them.
It had felt like hours before they finally went over the edge together, that release far greater and stronger than any they'd had all night.
He rolled off her, panting slightly at the exertion of so much sex in so little a time span.
"Are you ok?" She asked worried for him, seeing his breathing elevated she feared maybe he hadn't been fully healed yet.
He pulled her close, hugging her against him. "Perfect." He smiled, his black eyes no longer reflecting hate and anger, only love.
It was then she noticed his face had finally shifted back to human.
She smiled back at him, leaned down. "I love you." She breathed against his lips and captured them again, flooding his mouth with the words.
When she finally let him draw a breath, he repeated the words to her, running his fingers along her cheek and brushing a wild lock of blond behind her ear.
The moment was ruined as he gasped as if socked in the gut, the breath forced from his lungs.
"Angel!" She yelped, not understanding what was going on.
He rolled away from her, clutching at his head and retching as if he'd hurl. A moment later his body stiffened as he threw back his head and yelled in pain.
Twin tendrils of smoke seeped from his eyes, black tears running down his cheeks and joining with the mist. From the swirling smoke two snakes formed in air, the small duel ghostly bodies writhing in agony as the hex was broken.
Anger killed by love.
Within seconds the smoke dissipated and Angel collapsed back onto the bed, shaking with the effects of the spell lifting.
She watched as the snakes vanished, then quickly moved to her husband's side. "Angel? Are you ok?" She asked, running her fingers along his cheek.
Slowly his eyes opened in response to her touch, and she nearly wept at the sight of those beautiful chocolate brown orbs. He had to shut his eyes again as she rained kissed over them, celebrating the spell breaking.
They embraced as he caught his breath again, glad the spell was broken.
'So it wasn't just relieving the sexual frustration, he needed to feel my love.' She realized as she held him. A smile crossed her lips as her remembered that last round, how wonderful if felt to make love again. It had been months since they'd last shared that closeness.
The smile vanished when she realized he hadn't been wearing protection that final time. They'd forgotten.
She pulled away, worry creasing her brow.
"Buffy?" He called, feeling her tense and move away.
"We forgot protection." She said quietly, a little mad at herself for remember every other time but then.
He wrapped an arm around her and pulled her back again him. "Not a problem." He assured.
She looked at him, "What do you mean?"
He chuckled, "After all that? There is no way I'm not shooting blanks by now." he confessed. He just knew he'd used up all his sperm reserves at least three rounds ago.
"Are you sure? Or are you just saying that so I don't try and give you a vasectomy here and now?" She countered.
"If you conceive from that...I'll let you. How's that for confidence?" He offered.
After a moment she nodded, "I believe you." A second later she added, "And I'll be accepting that offer if your wrong."
He nodded and kissed her cheek.
After a moment Angel spoke, "549 River Crest Ave, apartment 19."
Buffy pulled back and looked quizzically at him.
"The kids, it's where they are." He explained.
"Oh." She understood, ready to get up and run out the door.
"Wait, they're being guarded." He warned.
"Not a problem." She stated, willing to kill anything they stood between her and her babies.
He shook his head, "It's a Mu-onna demon. They're spirits created from the pain a mother feels when she loses a child. They are fiercely protective of children, and nearly impossible to kill. As their biological mother, she'll give them to you, but don't bring anyone with you, they'll be killed on sight." He'd seen it before, over a hundred years ago, Mu-onna's would even kill the father to get to a child.
"Is that why you brought them to her? Because if you tried to hurt them she'd stop you?" Buffy asked.
He nodded. "She wouldn't think twice about ripping me or anyone else who tired to touch them in half."
"I could have protected them from you." She countered; still mad he took them to begin with, even if he was under a spell and trying to protect them.
"I know, but Buffy, I couldn't take that risk, that I might've hurt you first…or that you could've hesitated in stopping me for a second too late…plus you were under a spell too, I couldn't trust either of us under the circumstances." He addressed his reasons. "Plus if you were busy fighting me, Thorn or Rayne could have come for them while we were distracted."
She nodded, understanding his reasoning, but wouldn't truly forgive him until she had her children safe in her arms again.
"You're ok now?" She asked him, noticing how tired he looked.
He nodded, "Yeah, just tired."
"Typical guy, give him some attention in the bedroom and all he wants after is to roll over and sleep." She joked, feeling some relief for the first time all day. She wouldn't be fully relieved until she had her kids back.
He snorted, "Add in having a hex scrambling your brain for a week and healing from multiple gunshots and you'd be exhausted too." He defended back.
She leaned down and kissed over his still racing heart.
His arms wrapped around her and held her close, them both just letting their bodies slow back down.
"Later, we need to talk." She muttered against his skin.
He nodded, "Yeah, we do."
She wanted to get up to go get the kids, but she also just wanted a few minutes of this...just being close to him again.
Under her ear she heard his heart rate slow and felt his breathing even out. Sitting up she smiled down at him already sound asleep.
"I love you." She whispered, leaned down and pecked his cheek, giving him a warm smile as she gathered her robe and went to get the kids.
...
His eyes slip open not long after she left.
He laid there for a few minutes, letting his mind filter over the hours of dark memories. He remembered the look of horror on her face when he'd killed Heather Thorn in the alley and when she'd seen Ethan's body. He thought about their time together in that very bed under 30 minutes ago, the things he'd made her endure.
He shivered in revulsion at what he was capable of.
He tossed and turned but found no position that would allow him sleep. Without Buffy here, his body just wouldn't settle.
Exhausted, but unable to rest, he searched the floor for the clothes Buffy had discarded hours ago.
Then he remembered, he hadn't been wearing any. His only clothing had been the sheet covering him in bed. The pants and shirt he had worn were soaked in his blood from the gunshot wounds and cut from his body while Cass was repairing his injuries. They'd been tossed hours ago.
Reminded of the forgotten injuries he explored the now healed but still red marks. His shoulder was a little stiff, but his gut and leg were good.
The one in his hand had left a faint circular scar he knew wouldn't fade. In truth, he was surprised he'd regained function of it completely at all, once again he sent thanks to his demon for supplying him with such a lifesaving healing ability.
It was then he noticed his wedding band was missing. He ran his right hand over the naked digit, wondering where it had gone. He couldn't remember taking it off, unless he'd lost it in the fight. With a heavy heart he turned his attention back to finding garments.
Seeing nothing else, he wrapped a sheet around his waist and snuck from the confinement room, he headed towards the elevator, wanting to get to his office and change into a clean set of clothes before anyone spotted him.
He didn't know if Buffy had informed the gang he wasn't evil anymore, and he really wasn't in the mood to be tackled and chained up again.
Getting in the elevator his hand pushed for the ground floor instead of the penthouse offices. As his bare feet carried him towards the cafeteria he realized why. He was starving.
He'd been there for ten minutes just picking on half a dozen ingredients before he finally quelled the hunger enough to actually make the sandwich he came in for.
Under a minute later said sandwich was gone.
He quickly made another and grabbed a bag of chips while he was at it, stuffing then in a to-go box and heading upstairs.
"Oh crap! How'd you get out?" Xander yelped when Angel came through the back door out into the café, he'd been heading down to raid the fridge too.
"I'm not evil." He sighed out, not even bothering to pause.
"Where are you going? Where's Buffy?" Xander insisted, unsure whether he should knock Angel out and tie him up or let him go.
"My office. Picking up our kids." He answered the questions as he walked down the hall, Xander following at a healthy distance.
"How do I know you're not lying?" The younger man countered, puzzled at seeing him wrapped in a sheet and holding a food box.
"If I were evil, I'd have eaten you just to shut you up." He replied, annoyed from exhaustion...and Xander in general.
Xander paused and thought that over, "Huh, true."
While Xander was contemplating, Angel pushed the elevator call button and entered the car when it arrived.
Xander looked at if he were going to follow, but quickly decided being trapped in such close quarters with a possibly evil Angel was near the top of his, 'how not to die' list.
Leaving the younger man behind, Angel made it back to his office without encountering anyone else.
He shut the door and leaned against it a moment, feeling drained. He forced himself to change into the clean clothes he had stored in the closet and expand the loveseat out into a bed. He grabbed a blanket and pillow out of the closet and proceeded to drop into a restless sleep.
…
Buffy stood outside the door of the address Angel had given her. 'Ok, he wasn't evil anymore, right? I'm not walking into a trap.' She told herself, but felt unease standing in the hallway looking at the door. 'My kids are in there.' She justified as she knocked on the door.
A moment later the door opened, but she saw no one. Cautiously she entered, glancing around the small kitchen she entered into and looked across the studio apartment to the living room. She instantly focused on Katie sitting on the floor with a stuffed bear in her hands, laughing.
"Katie?" she moved forward to grasp her child.
Without warning she was tossed across the room with incredible force, an ear bleeding screech issuing from something she couldn't see but could defiantly feel.
She hadn't realized she'd closed her eyes, but when she opened them she gasped. There was a woman holding her against the wall, a woman with no face.
"You have such sorrow…the pain of loss heavy in your soul." The Mu-onna whispered, though Buffy didn't know how without lips to move.
"You have my kids…you'll feel the pain of loss heavy in your arms of you don't give them back." The blond slayer countered, shoving the creature off her, ready to fight to the death if need be.
"Such grief…I want it…give it to me!" The demon rushed her, a black hole-like mouth forming on the blank face.
'So staking Angel's ass when I see him." Buffy thought madly as she dodged the grief spirit.
Suddenly Buffy was struck still, immobile.
'Oh shit.'
The Mu-onna hovered around her in a circle, the mouth making a sucking noise all around her.
Buffy struggled to move, but she was completely paralyzed.
"So much…so full…I can take no more." The creature muttered as her mouth disappeared again, leaving a blank nothing no face once again.
Buffy found herself free, collapsing to her knees at the sudden release. She popped to her feet and looked around, seeing nothing.
"Mommy!" She heard duel voiced call and felt small arms wrap around her legs.
Taking the opportunity she grab her kids and quickly left the creepy apartment.
Once back in the SUV she checked them over carefully, kissing and hugging and letting go of the fears she'd felt over their safety. They were in perfect shape, not a scratch or a bump or even a frown.
On her way back to the office, she realized she felt lighter, and not just because her children were safe. The soul crushing pain from her miscarriage was nearly gone.
'She sucked out my grief…fed off it…I can't tell if I'm relieved or pissed.' She thought as she drove.
A horn beeped at her and she swerved back into her lane. "I hate driving, almost as much as it really hates me!"
…
Buffy was on her way down to the Med-Ward to find Angel when Xander came running down the hall followed by Connor.
"Buffy?" The dark hair man paused, looking surprised to see her and with the kids.
"Xander, Connor." She greeted back, "What's up?" She asked seeing them rushing.
"Ahh…well…um…" Xander stuttered.
"Xan thought dad was evil and did something to you, we were grabbing a dart gun." Connor clarified Xander's lack of words.
The darker haired man looked embarrassed, "What was I supposed to think? You could have told us the hex was broken…it is broken right?"
She winced, realizing she forgot to tell them he was normal again. "Yes, it's broken. Sorry, but when he told me where the kids were...it became priority #1."
Connor nodded, "They ok?" he asked, both for their concern and to keep off the subject on how the hex was lifted. He loved having siblings, he didn't love thinking about where they came from.
"They're perfect." She assured, kissing each on the cheek.
"Eww." Katie smiled, wiping at her cheek. Liam copied.
"What! Mommy kisses are not Eww!" She scolded at the idea.
Looking up and seeing the room her husband had been in was empty she asked, "Where's Angel?"
The boy turned to Xander.
"Umm, he was in the café, said he was going to his office." He supplied.
Buffy shook her head, "Should have known he'd go for food first."
"Daddy?" Katie asked, looking around for her father. Liam joined in too.
"Let's go find him, ok?" she asked, taking her kids to the elevator.
When Buffy was gone, Connor punched Xander in the arms.
"Ow! What the heck!" Xander yelped, rubbing his bruising arm.
"Don't tell me my dad's evil when he isn't."
"How should I know?" He countered.
"He was eating food and not people." Connor stormed off, pissed at himself for believing Xander.
...
Connor spread the word Angel was hex free and the kids were back so his parents wouldn't need to be disturbed.
…
Buffy slipped into Angel's office and saw him stretched out on the sleeper sofa. Katie wriggled from her grasp and she put the two toddlers down so they could run around and explore.
"Daddy sleeping?" Katie whispered, knowing the drill by now.
"Yeah, go play, ok baby?" She told her, running her fingers through the dark brown locks.
She kept an eye on them as they pulled toys from the toy-box, Angel had made for Katie's birthday, in the corner.
She glanced towards her husband and sat on the edge of the bed. He was lying on his stomach, face buried in a pillow, the blanket half covering him.
He had been tossing when she entered the room, he seemed settled now.
Out like a light.
She adjusted the blanket and rubbed her hand over his back, feeling the tension in the muscles. 'Brooding in his sleep.' She figured. She leaned down and lightly kissed his head.
She glanced over and saw a box sitting on the table, peeking inside she found a sandwich and chips. 'Well, he's sleeping…I'm sure he won't miss this too much.' She grinned and stole the food, feeling her belly rumble for it.
Letting him rest, she sat on the floor with the kids, eating and playing with them, catching back up on family time.
…
She was a little worried when he was still asleep two hours later. By then Katie was getting cranky, needing a nap and Liam was asking for lunch.
Angel awoke abruptly as Buffy rolled him onto his back and placed a near tantrum stage Katie on his chest. "She need a nap, you're napping. I'm bringing Liam down to the café, Ok?"
He nodded, wrapping his arms around his daughter. "Can do." After a second he looked over at the table and saw the to-go box gone. "You ate my sandwich?" He accused to his wife.
She shrugged, picking up Liam, "Don't leave food you intent to eat outside your belly."
With that said she slipped out the door.
He chuckled and shook his head, then glanced down at his teary eyed child. "Shh, no tears baby girl." He told her, wiping them from her eyes.
"Daddy nap?" she asked, looking at his heavy lids.
"Yeah, daddy nap. You?" He asked, rubbing his hand up and down her back soothingly.
She shook her head but couldn't stop the yawn from escaping.
"No huh? Well I hope you don't mind if I do. I'm tired." He spoke to her, feeling her relax despite her denial.
He shut his eyes and waited, feeling her pout over being left out of the sleeping loop.
She lowered her head down onto his chest and closed her eyes, mimicking him.
He felt her fall asleep less than a minute later.
Grinning he kissed her crown and let himself fall back to sleep too.
…
Buffy fed her always hungry son and made up a little care package for Angel and Katie.
Dawn came into the cafe while Liam was munching a cookie and the sisters talked for a while, staying a healthy distance off the hex and everything that surrounded it.
When the resident slayers began pouring in for lunch, Dawn hugged her sister and nephew goodbye and headed back home to catch up on some lost sleep and Buffy retreated back to the privacy of the upper offices.
When Buffy opened Angel's office door the first thing she noticed was the sofa bed was empty. "Angel?" She called, picking up Liam in case there was trouble. "Katie?" Looking around she saw no sign of them. She felt around the room with her senses but felt nothing back. "What the heck now?" She mumbled aloud. Really hating when people weren't where she left them.
She headed out and paused in front of the nursery room door, hearing a cry from inside she quickly opened the door and found the missing persons she was searching for.
Angel looked up as he finished changing Katie's clothes, the tot's eyes streaming tears. "She had an accident." He said quietly to Buffy as she came over, Katie was really upset about it. The little girl liked to think she was completely potty trained already, but sometimes she slipped. She was only 2.
"It's ok sweetie, you're still my big girl." Angel smiled, picking her up off the changing table. They'd tried putting her in pull-up diapers, but she hated them. When they weren't looking she'd discard them and run around commando. Thus when an accident happened, a change of clothes was in order.
Buffy relaxed, seeing everything was getting back to normal.
He put Katie down as she wigged and she ran off back to Angel's office to where her toys were. Now that she'd napped, she was eager to get back into some hard core playing. Buffy put Liam down and he followed his big sister.
"Sorry, didn't mean to worry you." Angel apologized once the kids were off, seeing she'd been a little freaked when she opened the door.
As they walked back to the office to supervise she shook her head, "Don't be sorry, just be where I left you."
"Ok, next time you change the pee pants." He countered.
"You need to change your shirt too." She pointed out, seeing the wet spot over his stomach.
He groaned and opened the closet for another shirt, then unbuttoned the soiled shirt and tossed it in a bag to take home to wash.
While he was shirtless, Buffy slid up beside him and looked over the healed wounds. "No scars this time?" She asked, only seeing fading red marks.
He held up his left hand, "Just this one."
"Looks like a car cigarette lighter burn." She commented, taking his hand and examining the healed bullet hole. Her fingers trailed over his ring finger, a little strip of untanned skin marking where the jewelry usually sat. "Cass removed it, in case you're hand swelled. She didn't want to have to cut it off." She explained why the wedding band was missing.
He nodded, having wondered where it went.
She pulled her necklace from under her shirt and he saw his ring dangling from the chain beside her claddagh charm.
"I was wondering where that went." He smiled as she unclasped her necklace and removed the ring.
"Didn't see it earlier, huh?" She teased, knowing while she was nude he hadn't been looking at her necklace.
At that, the brooding brow appeared on his forehead again. Those dark memories resurfacing.
"It's not your fault Angel, you were under a spell." She began, not wanting him to go down that road again.
He shook his head, "I know, it's...I...that's not what's bothering me."
"Then what?" she asked, leaning against him while putting her necklace back on and holding his ring.
He pulled away and sat on the sofa bed, looking over at the two toddlers playing on the floor.
She silently sat beside him and rubbed her empty hand along his back, waiting for him to talk to her.
"I killed two people Buffy." He said quietly, he turned and met her eyes, "And I don't regret it."
"I'm sure you don't mean that..." she started.
"But I do." He continued, still watching the children play. "I still believe in good vs evil and right from wrong...but a line was crossed. Thorn and Rayne, they tried to kill you and they tried to get me to do it. That was bad, but it wasn't punishable by death.
But they went further, they wanted to take our kids. There is no redemption for that, there is no mercy or forgiveness. Someone comes after my kids...I'm going to kill them...and I'll sleep like a baby afterwards."
He glanced over at her and saw the indecision on her face, she was unsure about what he'd said.
"I've lost so much in this world...I'm not going to lose them. I understand we have responsibilities to the forces of good, the powers that be, whoever they are...I know that we walk a fine line everyday between life and death.
But they don't. They're innocent. If that means I need to taint my soul and bloody my hands to keep them safe, I will. No one is ever going to touch one hair on their heads while I still draw breath.
Maybe that's my possessive side talking, maybe it's the champion...I don't really care where the sentiment comes from. All I care about is they will grow up and have normal lives. They will stay safe and I'll gladly drag anyone who threatens their well being to hell with me."
"I don't believe in killing humans...but if one goes after my babies...I'll rip them apart too." She spoke after a moment. "That's called being a parent."
She leaned closer and he wrapped an arm around her as they watched their children play.
They were silent a while before he spoke again, "I'm sorry for how I treated you."
She shook her head, "You were under a spell, I can't blame you for how you acted so I can't accept an apology."
"Accepted or not, I'm still giving it." He placed a light kiss on her shoulder as he sat behind her.
"Then I have to apologize for being so cold towards you, for being a tease."
With a minor grin he repeated back, "You were under a spell, I can't blame you for how you acted so I can't accept an apology."
She turned her head and looked up at him, "Well you're getting it anyways smart-ass."
"Ok, so we're both sorry, we've both apologized...what's left?" He asked.
She took his hand in hers and slipped his ring back in place. "Everything goes back to normal and we live our lives?" She suggested.
He smiled and kissed her cheek, "I like that plan, let's go home."
She turned and captured his lips, wrapping her arms around him and running her fingers though his hair.
He leaned closer, deepening the kiss and pulling her onto his lap.
"Mine!" Katie yelled to her brother from behind them, pulling her stuffed pig from his hands and causing the younger boy to burst into tears.
The moment was ruined and broke the kiss.
"Well you did say everything back to normal." Angel mused.
Buffy rolled her eyes, "Shut up." She muttered hiding a grin, getting up to comfort her bawling son.
Angel grinned and went to scold his daughter and re-teach her the word 'share'.
...
End, for now.