Chapter 22: Table Manners and Ex-Boyfriend-troubles
"I don't want to spoil the mood or something," Xander after swallowing the last
bite of his Fettuccine and licking his lips, "but I somehow got the idea that this dinner had a reason." He looked at Angel and wiggled his brows.
"I th-thought that t-too," Tara nodded and put her fork down.
"Uhm ... well," Buffy began and exchanged a glance with her lover who smiled at
her warmly.
"Come on Buffster," Xander grinned. "Tell us!"
"You're still behaving like a teenager," Oz shook his head at the dark haired
man. He would never really understand Willow's childhood friend. Just too weird.
"Maybe Ashlynn wants to tell the news," Angel suggested with a smile at the girl
who was sitting beside him.
Her eyes shot open, "You mean ...," she swallowed hard, "uh... yeah," she smiled
a bit shyly. Her mom had told her that she mustn't talk about the news and she
hadn't expected they would leave it to her. Pride and joy filled her heart and a
huge smile was on her face when she finally said, "Mom and Angel are getting
married and I'm going to get a new brother or sister."
The first reaction was silence, but then everyone talked at the same time.
"I told you he'd pop the question."
"Th-that's w-wonderful."
"Well, well, well, you really didn't lose time, did you."
"Congrats."
"I thought vampires couldn't have children. I never met one that ...," Anya's
voice trailed off when she realised that everyone was looking at her. "What? I've got experience here. And I'm absolutely sure that vampires can't have kids."
"Angel is human now," Xander reminded his wife. "And besides it doesn't really
matter, because they are expecting one."
"Who says it's Angel's?", she asked mercilessly.
"Anya!" Tara exclaimed, truly shocked by such bluntness.
"Honey, maybe you should just keep quiet here," Xander gave Angel and Buffy an
apologetic look.
"Actually," the former vampire said with a smile twitching his lips, "Cordelia
thought the same."
"She did?"
"Really?"
"See, I told you!"
"Why?" Tara's eyes rested on the couple who was holding hands under the table.
"Uhm ... well," Buffy began to explain, "it seems that vampires or ex-vampires
can only have children with slayers or ex-slayers. It never occurt before
because they are mortal enemies of course. I mean Angel was the only one with a
soul."
"You mean, you could've become a teenage-mother?," Xander grinned.
The blonde shot him a nasty look, but his grin didn't fade. "We didn't know then, okay? But Angel thought he couldn't ... I mean ... well, but fortunately it's wrong and so we're expecting a baby in about eight months."
"That's so great," Willow beamed. "I'm still so excited. When you told me
yesterday I ..."
"Wait, wait," Xander frowned, "Will knew it yesterday already?"
"Uh-huh." Buffy nodded.
"And Cordelia got the news today, right?"
"What's this all about, Xander?," Willow asked, clearly confused.
"They knew it all before I did," he stated and crossed his arms. "We're your
oldest friends Buff, and you told Cordelia first?!"
"Oh, get over yourself," his wife hit him on the shoulder. "Just ignore him," she added and grinned. "But I'm glad my information about vampires were right. I really thought that wizard lied to me when he told me. Although it would've been surprising, considering that I was about to pull out his brains."
Xander closed his eyes and shook his head, his wife was much better then years
ago, but 1100 years in the vengeance business were sometimes shining through.
"Hello, children at the table," Willow said with a glance at Ashlynn who had
listened curiously and of course asked.
"Aunt Anya didn't really pull out someone's brains, right?," there was an
expression of disbelief in her eyes.
"Of course not, little one," Angel told her, giving the former demon a warning
glance, "that was just a term to describe that they were ... uh ... fighting. You know arguing."
"Uh-huh," Ashlynn grinned. "I have to remember that expression, it'll be fun in
school."
"Uhm ... honey," Buffy stroked her daughter's hair, "Maybe you shouldn't use it.
It isn't all that common and maybe the teachers won't like you using it."
"Okay," the girl nodded with a smile. "Can I go now? I want to read."
"Sure, honey," her mother said and Ashlynn was gone in a flash.
"Anya really," Willow looked at the former demon.
"Sorry," she replied and gave Buffy and Angel an apologetic look. "Sometimes it
just happens."
"It's okay. At least none of the little ones were around." Willow checked her
watch, "Talking about kids, I think we need to call it a night soon. They have to go to bed, it's almost nine."
"Tomorrow is Sunday," Xander said with a shrug, "We can all sleep late."
The red-head gave him a pointed look, "*We* would sleep late, but unfortunately
our little monsters won't. They're up and running at six sharp."
"Oh no," Buffy grinned at her best friend, "Will that's horrible."
"Do tell!," the former witch shook her head, "and they're awfully awake,
demanding breakfast and stuff and above all attention. Now you try to be
attentive at six o'clock in the morning." The pure look of horror in her eyes
made the others laugh.
With a sigh Tara stood, "W-willow is r-right. W-we n-need to g-get going. Amy?
Emily?," she called for the girls.
"I suppose they are all crawling around in David's room," Buffy stood as well.
"Why don't we just have a look."
The women walked together up the stairs while the three men stayed in the
dining-room.
"Now Oz, still not tired of living with two women at the same time?," Xander
asked.
The former werewolf rolled his eyes and sighed, he would never be able to figure
out why Willow was so fond of him.
******
"This was a wonderful evening," Buffy said while she was putting the plates into
the dishwasher.
"Yeah," Angel replied packing the leftovers for the fridge. Their friends had
left half an hour ago and after getting the children in their beds they were now
busy cleaning everything up.
"They all took it well," she thought aloud, then shrugged, "but why shouldn't
they. Even Xander seems to like you now. Who would've thought."
"I'm just a likeable guy," he joked and closed the fridge.
"Oh yeah?," she turned and grinned at him, forgetting all about the plates still
standing on the counter.
He grinned as well, "Yeah. Or don't you think?"
"Hmmm?," she said and tipped her chin with her forefinger, "likeable? I wouldn't
go that far." Narrowing her eyes, her voice took a seductive note, "Sexy,
attractive, good kisser, but likeable ... "
He turned and walked towards the dining-room to get the glasses, "Well, it's a
good thing then," he said not stopping.
"Good thing?," she gave him a suspicious glance when he returned. "What's a good
thing?"
"That I'm too tired to do anything but sleep. If you don't like me, you won't
mind," he told her with a mischieveous glimpse in his eyes, "On the other hand,
*if* you'd like me after all, I could probably manage to recharge some energy."
He grinned at her now.
"Angel," she said, her voice a mixture of amusement and warning, "don't tease
me."
"Why not? You're so easy to tease."
"Am I now?," she abandoned the dishwasher and stepped closer to him. "Are there
any other things I'm easy with?," she asked, putting her arms around his neck and gazing deeply into his eyes.
"Hey," he grinned, "I thought you don't like me."
"Maybe I've changed my mind after all," she whispered and kissed him.
"So you do like me," he whispered back.
"Hmmm," she made and nibbled at his jaw. "You could probably convice me."
"Maybe ... we ... mmmh ... could ... clean ... mmmh ... up ... tomorrow," Angel
suggested between kisses. "So ... I ... can ... show you ... mmmh ... just ...
how likeable ... I am."
She smiled at him, "Good idea."
No words were spoken afterwards and when Ashlynn entered the kitchen the next
morning the dishwasher was still open.
******
Riley Finn hated New York. Other people didn't like the city, they didn't like
the fact that they had to live here, but Riley hated it. It had nothing to do
with the city itself and he knew it. When he and his new wife had moved here he
had been thrilled. There was a new job waiting for him, a new apartment, a new
life. After the hellmouth hand been closed and all demons and vampires banished
from the earth he had met Carla and they'd married after only two months.
And now after four more years they were divorced. And she was living in the
apartment that had once belonged to both of them. And their little son was with
her, she had full custody because the judge - a woman of course - had decided
that Riley's job was too hectic to take care of a two year old. Screw her, he
thought. She had looked like a bitter old maid and certainly hated men to the
core.
That was when he'd first started to hate New York. As good as it seemed at the
beginning, now it was full of bad memories, of lost dreams. He had wanted a
family and now he got to see his son only once a month. He shook his head, these
thoughts were leading nowhere. He couldn't just leave and move somewhere else. He had a good job here with a security company and he needed the money, for himself, but also to pay alimonies for Carla and Graham. They'd named his son after his friend who'd died fighting in Brazil.
Riley sighed and drove his car into the parking space in front of the restaurant. Usually he liked his job, but today he hated it. Business lunches on Sundays, talk about suck. But this law firm had problems with the security his company had installed lately and today he was meeting with one of them to discuss the problems and hopefully find solutions. He was just hoping it wouldn't take too much time, he and some friends would be playing Basketball in the afternoon.
He entered the restaurant and told the approaching waiter he had an appointment
with a client. With a nod the waiter led him to a table where a guy about his age was already waiting for him. He stood up when he saw Riley and held out his hand, "Mr Finn? Good to meet you, I'm Brent Davenport."
End Chapter 22.
"I don't want to spoil the mood or something," Xander after swallowing the last
bite of his Fettuccine and licking his lips, "but I somehow got the idea that this dinner had a reason." He looked at Angel and wiggled his brows.
"I th-thought that t-too," Tara nodded and put her fork down.
"Uhm ... well," Buffy began and exchanged a glance with her lover who smiled at
her warmly.
"Come on Buffster," Xander grinned. "Tell us!"
"You're still behaving like a teenager," Oz shook his head at the dark haired
man. He would never really understand Willow's childhood friend. Just too weird.
"Maybe Ashlynn wants to tell the news," Angel suggested with a smile at the girl
who was sitting beside him.
Her eyes shot open, "You mean ...," she swallowed hard, "uh... yeah," she smiled
a bit shyly. Her mom had told her that she mustn't talk about the news and she
hadn't expected they would leave it to her. Pride and joy filled her heart and a
huge smile was on her face when she finally said, "Mom and Angel are getting
married and I'm going to get a new brother or sister."
The first reaction was silence, but then everyone talked at the same time.
"I told you he'd pop the question."
"Th-that's w-wonderful."
"Well, well, well, you really didn't lose time, did you."
"Congrats."
"I thought vampires couldn't have children. I never met one that ...," Anya's
voice trailed off when she realised that everyone was looking at her. "What? I've got experience here. And I'm absolutely sure that vampires can't have kids."
"Angel is human now," Xander reminded his wife. "And besides it doesn't really
matter, because they are expecting one."
"Who says it's Angel's?", she asked mercilessly.
"Anya!" Tara exclaimed, truly shocked by such bluntness.
"Honey, maybe you should just keep quiet here," Xander gave Angel and Buffy an
apologetic look.
"Actually," the former vampire said with a smile twitching his lips, "Cordelia
thought the same."
"She did?"
"Really?"
"See, I told you!"
"Why?" Tara's eyes rested on the couple who was holding hands under the table.
"Uhm ... well," Buffy began to explain, "it seems that vampires or ex-vampires
can only have children with slayers or ex-slayers. It never occurt before
because they are mortal enemies of course. I mean Angel was the only one with a
soul."
"You mean, you could've become a teenage-mother?," Xander grinned.
The blonde shot him a nasty look, but his grin didn't fade. "We didn't know then, okay? But Angel thought he couldn't ... I mean ... well, but fortunately it's wrong and so we're expecting a baby in about eight months."
"That's so great," Willow beamed. "I'm still so excited. When you told me
yesterday I ..."
"Wait, wait," Xander frowned, "Will knew it yesterday already?"
"Uh-huh." Buffy nodded.
"And Cordelia got the news today, right?"
"What's this all about, Xander?," Willow asked, clearly confused.
"They knew it all before I did," he stated and crossed his arms. "We're your
oldest friends Buff, and you told Cordelia first?!"
"Oh, get over yourself," his wife hit him on the shoulder. "Just ignore him," she added and grinned. "But I'm glad my information about vampires were right. I really thought that wizard lied to me when he told me. Although it would've been surprising, considering that I was about to pull out his brains."
Xander closed his eyes and shook his head, his wife was much better then years
ago, but 1100 years in the vengeance business were sometimes shining through.
"Hello, children at the table," Willow said with a glance at Ashlynn who had
listened curiously and of course asked.
"Aunt Anya didn't really pull out someone's brains, right?," there was an
expression of disbelief in her eyes.
"Of course not, little one," Angel told her, giving the former demon a warning
glance, "that was just a term to describe that they were ... uh ... fighting. You know arguing."
"Uh-huh," Ashlynn grinned. "I have to remember that expression, it'll be fun in
school."
"Uhm ... honey," Buffy stroked her daughter's hair, "Maybe you shouldn't use it.
It isn't all that common and maybe the teachers won't like you using it."
"Okay," the girl nodded with a smile. "Can I go now? I want to read."
"Sure, honey," her mother said and Ashlynn was gone in a flash.
"Anya really," Willow looked at the former demon.
"Sorry," she replied and gave Buffy and Angel an apologetic look. "Sometimes it
just happens."
"It's okay. At least none of the little ones were around." Willow checked her
watch, "Talking about kids, I think we need to call it a night soon. They have to go to bed, it's almost nine."
"Tomorrow is Sunday," Xander said with a shrug, "We can all sleep late."
The red-head gave him a pointed look, "*We* would sleep late, but unfortunately
our little monsters won't. They're up and running at six sharp."
"Oh no," Buffy grinned at her best friend, "Will that's horrible."
"Do tell!," the former witch shook her head, "and they're awfully awake,
demanding breakfast and stuff and above all attention. Now you try to be
attentive at six o'clock in the morning." The pure look of horror in her eyes
made the others laugh.
With a sigh Tara stood, "W-willow is r-right. W-we n-need to g-get going. Amy?
Emily?," she called for the girls.
"I suppose they are all crawling around in David's room," Buffy stood as well.
"Why don't we just have a look."
The women walked together up the stairs while the three men stayed in the
dining-room.
"Now Oz, still not tired of living with two women at the same time?," Xander
asked.
The former werewolf rolled his eyes and sighed, he would never be able to figure
out why Willow was so fond of him.
******
"This was a wonderful evening," Buffy said while she was putting the plates into
the dishwasher.
"Yeah," Angel replied packing the leftovers for the fridge. Their friends had
left half an hour ago and after getting the children in their beds they were now
busy cleaning everything up.
"They all took it well," she thought aloud, then shrugged, "but why shouldn't
they. Even Xander seems to like you now. Who would've thought."
"I'm just a likeable guy," he joked and closed the fridge.
"Oh yeah?," she turned and grinned at him, forgetting all about the plates still
standing on the counter.
He grinned as well, "Yeah. Or don't you think?"
"Hmmm?," she said and tipped her chin with her forefinger, "likeable? I wouldn't
go that far." Narrowing her eyes, her voice took a seductive note, "Sexy,
attractive, good kisser, but likeable ... "
He turned and walked towards the dining-room to get the glasses, "Well, it's a
good thing then," he said not stopping.
"Good thing?," she gave him a suspicious glance when he returned. "What's a good
thing?"
"That I'm too tired to do anything but sleep. If you don't like me, you won't
mind," he told her with a mischieveous glimpse in his eyes, "On the other hand,
*if* you'd like me after all, I could probably manage to recharge some energy."
He grinned at her now.
"Angel," she said, her voice a mixture of amusement and warning, "don't tease
me."
"Why not? You're so easy to tease."
"Am I now?," she abandoned the dishwasher and stepped closer to him. "Are there
any other things I'm easy with?," she asked, putting her arms around his neck and gazing deeply into his eyes.
"Hey," he grinned, "I thought you don't like me."
"Maybe I've changed my mind after all," she whispered and kissed him.
"So you do like me," he whispered back.
"Hmmm," she made and nibbled at his jaw. "You could probably convice me."
"Maybe ... we ... mmmh ... could ... clean ... mmmh ... up ... tomorrow," Angel
suggested between kisses. "So ... I ... can ... show you ... mmmh ... just ...
how likeable ... I am."
She smiled at him, "Good idea."
No words were spoken afterwards and when Ashlynn entered the kitchen the next
morning the dishwasher was still open.
******
Riley Finn hated New York. Other people didn't like the city, they didn't like
the fact that they had to live here, but Riley hated it. It had nothing to do
with the city itself and he knew it. When he and his new wife had moved here he
had been thrilled. There was a new job waiting for him, a new apartment, a new
life. After the hellmouth hand been closed and all demons and vampires banished
from the earth he had met Carla and they'd married after only two months.
And now after four more years they were divorced. And she was living in the
apartment that had once belonged to both of them. And their little son was with
her, she had full custody because the judge - a woman of course - had decided
that Riley's job was too hectic to take care of a two year old. Screw her, he
thought. She had looked like a bitter old maid and certainly hated men to the
core.
That was when he'd first started to hate New York. As good as it seemed at the
beginning, now it was full of bad memories, of lost dreams. He had wanted a
family and now he got to see his son only once a month. He shook his head, these
thoughts were leading nowhere. He couldn't just leave and move somewhere else. He had a good job here with a security company and he needed the money, for himself, but also to pay alimonies for Carla and Graham. They'd named his son after his friend who'd died fighting in Brazil.
Riley sighed and drove his car into the parking space in front of the restaurant. Usually he liked his job, but today he hated it. Business lunches on Sundays, talk about suck. But this law firm had problems with the security his company had installed lately and today he was meeting with one of them to discuss the problems and hopefully find solutions. He was just hoping it wouldn't take too much time, he and some friends would be playing Basketball in the afternoon.
He entered the restaurant and told the approaching waiter he had an appointment
with a client. With a nod the waiter led him to a table where a guy about his age was already waiting for him. He stood up when he saw Riley and held out his hand, "Mr Finn? Good to meet you, I'm Brent Davenport."
End Chapter 22.