Chapter 23: Shopping and More Trouble


A week later. (Saturday)


"That dress looks just great," Cordelia tilted her head and gazed at Buffy who
was standing in front of a mirror in a very expensive boutique in L.A.

The ex-slayer grimaced, "The only thing is, I won't fit in this in about five or
six weeks. I tend to grow big soon." She sighed, loving the dress already. She
and Angel had driven to L.A. this morning where she had a date with Cordelia for
a shopping trip. Her future husband had insisted on it and just pressed his
credit card in her hand. With a sigh she had finally given in. She didn't like
spending his money for expensive clothes, but he'd told her he wanted her to
enjoy herself and she had to admit it was great fun.

At least for her. Once or twice she had caught Cordelia looking at her with a
hint of envy, although the former mayqueen covered it quickly. It was no secret
that the brunette loved expensive designer clothes, but it wasn't a secret either that she could no longer afford them, at least not as regularely as she used to buy them while she was in Highschool and before the IRS had found about her father's tax-practice.

"But you'll fit in again it as soon as you've got the baby," Cordelia interrupted her thoughts. "Nobody would believe that you've got two of them already. You're still as slim as ever."

"Yeah, and I can still eat as much as I want and don't grow fat. I always wonder
if it's a slayer thing too. I mean, I'm not *really* a slayer anymore, but Giles
told Willow that the ex-slayer thingy just changed my strength, not the rest and
he once told *me* that slayers have a high energy burn rate."

"I'm sure all the women in the world envy you," the brunette sighed. "All of us
who starve themselves to look nice and attractive. If I just remember about the
huge ice-cream-cone you ate an hour ago. I'd have to skip lunch and dinner after
something like that."

"That's just hormones. In the early stages of pregnancy I had always cravings for food. First comes the ice-cream-period, later it's chocolate and so on," she
grinned evilly, "Angel's going to hate me being pregnant in no time."

"No, he won't," Cordelia replied simply and both knew it was true. "Nothing in
the world could spoil this for him. He's finally gotten the woman he always loved and now you're even pregnant with his child. He'll never get tired of this."

"Probably not," Buffy sighed happily and looked at herself in the mirror again.
"I'll take it. It's terribly expensive and all, but I love it."

"Good for you. It's the perfect dress for you," the brunette smiled genuinely.
The dark-green, strapless, knee-length and body-shaped dress was just smashing.
Angel would loose it. "And don't feel bad about the price, your fiancée wanted
you to buy something nice for yourself and I have a feeling he can aford it."

"Yeah," Buffy agreed looking at the diamond engagement ring she was wearing.
Angel had bought it on Monday and she'd almost fainted seeing it. She didn't even want to know about the price.

"That ring," Cordelia pointed at the blonde's finger, "is a rock."

"Uh-huh," she said, then suddenly grinned wickedly, "well then," she shrugged,
"don't you think you need a dress too. Just say it's some bonus for effective
work."

The brunette looked stunned for a moment, then began to smile, "If you put it
that way," she replied while her eyes were already scanning the shop.

*****

"I still can't believe you bought Cordelia a dress as well," Angel shook his head and laughed as they passed the Sunnydale-sign.

"You should have seen her eyes when we were walking into that shop. Cordy just
loves clothes and I thought the way you feel about her - like the older brother - you wouldn't mind." She gave him a sweet smile and he reached out and took her
hand.

"I don't mind. Her eyes were shining like gems when she showed the bag to me. And you are right, I really feel as if I'm her older brother."

Buffy saw a flicker of pain in his eyes but it was soon gone. She squeezed his
hand and he flashed her a quick smile while pulling into the driveway
of their house. The former slayer had her eyes closed against the sun and was
thinking about her appointment with the dressmaker on Monday. They'd set the date for the wedding on Sunday in three weeks and she had to hurry to get everything ready. At the moment she was trying to decide which colour the bridesmaids should wear when she felt Angel squeezing her hand.

Looking at him she saw him nod towards the entrance. She turned her head and saw
a woman standing there. She was tall and willowy and was marching up and down,
obviously waiting for somebody. Buffy raised a brow and gave Angel a questioning
gaze when the dark haired woman suddenly looked up and waved towards someone.
Only seconds later the door at Buffy's side of the car was pulled open and she
came face to face with her fuming ex-husband.

"Hi, Brent," she said frowning. What the hell ... She couldn't even finish the
thought because he almost spit into her face.

"Do you really think I'm going to leave *my* children with you and this, this,"
his gaze flew to Angel, an expression of pure disgust on it, "this bloodsucker."

*

"Would you please calm down now," the former slayer stood in her living-room,
her arms crossed in front of her chest and watched her ex-husband pacing,
throwing his hands in the air from time to time, while Angel was in the
kitchen preparing tea, accompanied by the dark-haired woman they'd seen in front
of their door before who appeared to be Danielle.

"Calm down!," he snorted and stopped his pacing. "How the hell would you react to the news that your children are living with a vampire." He lowered his voice
because he'd never told his new girlfriend about that part of his past.

"For the hundredth time, he isn't a vampire, not anymore that is and how did you
find out at all?"

"That's not the point here, is it? The point is that my two children are living
under the same roof as a mass murderer."

*

"Do you prefer regular tea or green tea?," Angel asked looking into the cupboard. The question was directed towards Danielle who was sitting on a chair in the kitchen, studying her perfectly filed and red painted nails.

"Sorry, what?," she looked up and smiled.

"Nevermind," he replied and took a box containing some new Darjeeling. He'd just
figured out that this woman didn't look like someone who'd know different kinds
of teas.

"You sure have a nice house," she commented, letting her gaze wander through the
spacey kitchen. "Quite big."

"Yeah. We like it." Intelligence didn't seem one the qualities Brent had looked
for when he'd decided to date Danielle, Angel thought.

"I never thought Brent's ex-wife would look like that. So, so ordinary."

The former vampire winced inwardly. This woman had no idea what she was talking
about. To use the word ordinary in connection with Buffy ... he shook his head
and chuckled.

"I mean ... hey, I didn't mean to offend you or ... her for that matter,"
Danielle added quickly, thinking she'd said something horrible. "I'm sure she's
nice and all."

"She is," Angel agreed, the way he pronounced the words cleary telling how deeply he felt for his lover.

"When I met Brent I couldn't understand that she let him go. He's so attractive," her eyes were full of admiration when she spoke and Angel had to suppress the urge to tell her that attractiveness was in the eyes of the beholder. When he turned around he was taken aback by the open display of lust in her eyes, and this time it wasn't directed towards her current boyfriend. Her eyes were roaming his body and with a hoarse, throaty voice, that was clearly seductive, she added, "But now, that I've met you, I can see the reason."

*

Buffy sighed and leaned against the doorframe, "Angel isn't a mass murderer.
There was a demon in his body that ... hell, why am I trying to explain that to
you. You already know the facts."

"I still can't believe you slept with a vampire. He might be human now, but he
clearly wasn't before," he looked at her as if he'd never seen her before. "Just
to think that I touched you after ... after," he shook his head, "I wouldn't have gone near you at a mile's distance if I had known."

"Oh really," she was smiling now. Knowingly. "I remember the first time we ...
well ... you could hardly wait to get my clothes off. And anyway. Angel is human. When his demon killed people he wasn't in control. The Powers That Be thought he earned his reward. Do you really think you can judge him now?"

"I'm not letting my children stay with him," he repeated his former demand
stubbornly.

"Your children love him," she shouted, getting angry now. "Ashlynn adores him.
And do you know why? Because he's a wonderful man, because he loves her and is
there for her. You are never there for her. In about three months you came once
and never called. I think you're hardly in a position to judge Angel's qualities
as a step-father for your children."

"He has blood on his hands," Brent insisted.

"You know that line is getting old. Just tell me what you intend to do and let's
get over with."

End Chapter 23