Chapter 10
"So, Angel's just as wigged as you are about this dream, huh?" Faith asked. Buffy had asked Faith to go on patrol with her. It had been a while since she had gone on a patrol. To be more precise it had been seven and a half months, two weeks, three days, and sixteen hours. Angel had forbidden her patrols after three and a half months into her pregnancy. He said that one kick in the stomach could kill the baby. At first Buffy hadn't argued, but after a while, things got boring and she had argued with Angel to let her go on a couple of patrols with him. Each time Buffy had asked, she had been declined firmly and sent to the living room to watch more TV. Ever since then, Buffy had lightened up a little on Dawn. She knew now how Dawn must feel.
"Yeah. I mean we have every right to be. In some form or another, my prophecy dreams have come true. Now that it has to do with Conner, we're extra super wigged." Buffy replied.
"Wow. I mean, you have every right to be. It's your son B. If I had one, I would protect it with my life."
"We are. Angel's got him now. Conner had a doctor's appointment this afternoon and Conner wasn't too happy about all those strangers poking him with needles."
"Needles?"
"Yeah. Conner had to have some blood work done to make sure he wasn't hurt or sick from that explosion a few days ago."
"Have you heard anything from Holtz?"
"Not too much. He popped up a few weeks ago while I was still pregnant and out of it. We were at Caritas and Angel and I were in Lorne's room. I don't remember any of it, but apparently Holtz came in whistling some lullaby and Lorne read him. Then Lorne and the others came in the room and told us to get down. Then there was an explosion and the wall to the club had been obliterated. The place was on fire and we had no way out, but Lorne said that the place had once had a place where trucks unloaded everything but he had boarded it up. Cordy and Fred took hold of me and Angel, Gunn, and Wesley tore the wall down as best they could. We got outside and it was raining, we're soaked then Holtz and some demony guy comes out of nowhere and Holtz is pointing a crossbow straight at Angel, who's now holding me again. Then Holtz gets this look across his face as Angel stare at him and then he lets us go. We heard from him again a couple days ago when he blew up the hotel."
"Did you ever find out about that demon?"
"No. Wesley is on that and Willow is net girl in Sunnydale looking for him."
"I'm glad you called me up here." Faith said suddenly. "After all I did to you, you had the heart to forgive me. You didn't have to, but you did."
"Faith, to be perfectly honest with you, I haven't forgiven you completely. I probably never will. I'm not saying this to be mean, but I was taught to always tell the truth to my friends."
"I understand. And actually, I accept it."
"You do?"
"Yeah. You said that you were taught to tell the truth to your friends and you were telling me the truth."
"I've always considered you a friend. Even when you were psycho murder bitch, you were still my friend. I don't give up on the people I care about."
"Thanks, for caring I mean. I'm usually never open like this, but with what's been going on lately, I think I should at least try to be."
"It's good to be open."
They laughed and went a little ways further. Buffy stopped abruptly, but Faith hadn't noticed until she started to talk and got no reply. Faith had passed a school building, but Buffy hadn't. Faith walked back to Buffy.
"Hey B, you ok?"
"Yeah, it's just. this is Hemery High School."
"Whoa."
"Yeah. I haven't been here for about six years. It's. different."
"Yeah, I mean, they do have that new gym and everything."
"I know, but. it just seems different. It's not the new gym either. There's something, sinister about it."
"Oh, I know! It's a high school. You know, home of the teen angst and heartaches."
"Maybe."
They started walking again and Buffy kept glancing back to look at the building. Finally they gave up hope of ever finding a bad guy and decided to go back to the Hyperion. It was 2:30 by the time they got back and everyone was long gone. Except for the people who lived here.and Wesley.
"Hey. What's Wes doing here? I thought he was leaving about an hour after we left." Buffy said.
"Beats me. I'm going to bed. See ya in the morning B." Faith said, heading upstairs.
Buffy walked to the office door that was open a crack and knocked. She heard papers rustle and fall frantically. Buffy guessed she had startled him. He opened the door and looked out at her.
"Buffy." He looked rumply and disheveled.
"Hey. What are you still doing here? Go home." Buffy said.
"Yes, yes. I was just finishing up here. What do you want?"
"To come see what you were doing. I mean you did say that you were going to leave an hour after Faith and I left, or was that all a hallucination?"
"Hallucination, yes. I mean, no. I did say that I was going to, but.. something.. came up."
"Oh. Can I help? I haven't been able to sleep much since that dream I had."
"It's understandable."
Angel walked in holding Conner and Buffy walked to Angel and took her son.
"Hey there. You're up way past your bedtime. Did daddy let you stay up to watch Conan again?" Buffy asked Conner as he gurgled and giggled.
"I did not. He couldn't sleep cause his mommy wasn't here."
"Are those new PJs?"
"Yeah. Cordy bought them this afternoon. She went on a case that took her near Rodeo Drive and she said she saw it in a window and couldn't resist. He's so cute I could just eat him all up." Angel noticed Wesley standing in the office doorway. "Hey Wes, what are you still doing here?"
Wesley looked stricken. He just stared at Angel in a half dazed half horrified look.
"Wesley, you ok?" Buffy asked.
"Hmm, oh yes, fine. Just looking at the wonderful little family standing before me." Wesley replied.
"Hey. Go home. You look like you could use the rest." Angel said. "Wait! Before you go, you have to see this." Angel took Conner from Buffy and held him up so Angel's face was right there by Conner's neck. Then Angel turned Conner around and made his arms punch at Angel's face. Angel dodged the tiny blows and then turned Conner back to face Wesley. "Wasn't that cute? He punches like a real man should."
"Yes. That was adorable. I'm going to go collect my stuff and go now." Wesley said as he walked back into the office and gathered up some papers to put in his briefcase. He came back out, said goodbye to Angel, Buffy, and Conner, then left. All he could think about was the passage that he had translated earlier. It had read in every language that he could try to turn the scroll into: The father will kill the son.
"He was definitely acting weird." Buffy said as they headed upstairs to their room.
"Yeah. I've never seen him act like that!"
"You sure?"
"Positive."
"Hmm, maybe he's coming down with something." Buffy cooed at Conner. He giggled and smiled at his mommy. "Yeah, maybe he's coming down with the Conner's-too-cute-for-words flu."
"Yeah, that's definitely it." Angel joked.
"Hey. I was humoring my son."
"Did you get anything tonight?"
"Nope. Everything was quiet."
"It was that way the last few nights is what Gunn said."
"That's really strange for LA."
"Yeah it is."
"What time did Dawn go to bed?"
"About 11:00. She was tired. I don't see why though, it's summer vacation. Shouldn't she be up all hours of the night reeking havoc?"
"Not my little sister!"
"I know. I'm just kidding."
Buffy laid Conner down in his crib and then changed out of her patrolling clothes into some big PJ pants and a spaghetti strapped tank top. Angel opted for his usual, gray sweat pants. Buffy loved that look on him though. No shirt, just pants. Buffy checked on Dawn before she went to bed. When she came back in, Angel was in bed, but not asleep, and Conner was sleeping soundly.
Buffy slipped under the covers and into Angel's arms. "He's so quiet."
"I know. He gets that from us. He's not like other babies."
"I know. It kinda makes me want that whole colic thing with Conner. At least he would cry like a normal kid."
"Well, he's not exactly normal."
"I know."
"Parents would find Conner a blessing and a half. Did you hear that lady at the doctor's office this afternoon? She wanted to trade Conner for her son."
"I heard."
Angel rolled onto his side and looked at Buffy. She smiled up at him and Angel saw Conner's smile there. Buffy reached up and kissed Angel. He kissed back eagerly and slipped his hands under her shirt. He got rid of that, then the pants followed, followed by the underwear, and finally his pants. They lay there in bed, under the warm covers, kissing and naked. Angel rolled on top of Buffy and trailed kisses everywhere he could reach. Buffy arched to meet his lips. For hours they made love. They hadn't done it in a while and it was exactly what both of them needed to release some tension. They stayed as quiet as possible so not to wake Conner. Finally, they lay, bodies entwined, and dozing off to sleep content and satisfied.
The next morning, Buffy woke to the smells of food. Angel was in bed with her, but unfortunately he was dressed.
"Morning Sleeping Beauty."
"Morning." Buffy stretched and yawned, Angel holding the covers so they wouldn't reveal too much. Then she sat up and held the covers to her chest. Angel handed her one of his sweaters and she put it on. "That was fun."
"Yes, it certainly was."
"Can we do it again?"
"Later. Now, you get to eat and then we're going to go with Cordelia and Gru to the park."
"Is Conner coming?"
"Of course."
"So, what did you make me?"
Angel lifted the lid off a silver platter and revealed a plate full of yummy things to eat. "I mage eggs, went out to a bakery and got you a croissant, some orange juice, and fresh strawberries."
"You are gonna spoil me!"
"Too late." Angel kissed her and then picked up a strawberry and fed it to her. She smiled and he licked the juice that trickled down her chin.
"Angel?"
"Yeah?"
"Where's Conner?"
"He's in his crib."
"Bring him here please."
Angel got up and went to get Conner. He gently lifted Conner up and carefully brought him to Buffy. She scooted the tray away enough that Angel could sit in the bed with her. He accepted the invitation and sat down, handing Conner to Buffy. Conner laughed and cooed at his mommy. She made a couple of funny faces at him and he giggled even more. Buffy situated Conner so that he sat in her lap and laid back on her stomach.
"Aren't you glad mommy got her tummy back?" she asked Conner, not expecting an answer. Buffy bounced him slightly and he squealed with delight. Angel laughed and leaned over to kiss his son.
"Daddy is." Angel said.
"I bet."
"Come on, get dressed. I'll take Conner and put him in that little blue outfit you like so much."
"Do I have to? I haven't finished breakfast."
"Finish it and then we'll go."
Buffy drank the orange juice and ate some of the eggs and the croissant. Then she hopped out of bed, put on a pair of blue jeans and a baby blue peasant top. As she slipped into her boots, Angel came out of the bathroom holding Conner in his little blue outfit. Angel was dressed similar to Buffy in a blue silk shirt and black jeans.
"Wow, we look like the Brady Bunch from Sunnydale!" Buffy said. She took Conner from Angel and they walked downstairs.
Dawn was waiting for them with Cordelia and Gru. Dawn had on khaki capris and a black shirt. She looked cute in her new half sneakers Buffy had bought her a while back.
"Ready?" she asked.
"As we'll ever be." Buffy answered.
Buffy strapped Conner in his stroller that Willow had gotten him and they were off to the park. Little did they know it would be the last happy moment in a long while.
"So, Angel's just as wigged as you are about this dream, huh?" Faith asked. Buffy had asked Faith to go on patrol with her. It had been a while since she had gone on a patrol. To be more precise it had been seven and a half months, two weeks, three days, and sixteen hours. Angel had forbidden her patrols after three and a half months into her pregnancy. He said that one kick in the stomach could kill the baby. At first Buffy hadn't argued, but after a while, things got boring and she had argued with Angel to let her go on a couple of patrols with him. Each time Buffy had asked, she had been declined firmly and sent to the living room to watch more TV. Ever since then, Buffy had lightened up a little on Dawn. She knew now how Dawn must feel.
"Yeah. I mean we have every right to be. In some form or another, my prophecy dreams have come true. Now that it has to do with Conner, we're extra super wigged." Buffy replied.
"Wow. I mean, you have every right to be. It's your son B. If I had one, I would protect it with my life."
"We are. Angel's got him now. Conner had a doctor's appointment this afternoon and Conner wasn't too happy about all those strangers poking him with needles."
"Needles?"
"Yeah. Conner had to have some blood work done to make sure he wasn't hurt or sick from that explosion a few days ago."
"Have you heard anything from Holtz?"
"Not too much. He popped up a few weeks ago while I was still pregnant and out of it. We were at Caritas and Angel and I were in Lorne's room. I don't remember any of it, but apparently Holtz came in whistling some lullaby and Lorne read him. Then Lorne and the others came in the room and told us to get down. Then there was an explosion and the wall to the club had been obliterated. The place was on fire and we had no way out, but Lorne said that the place had once had a place where trucks unloaded everything but he had boarded it up. Cordy and Fred took hold of me and Angel, Gunn, and Wesley tore the wall down as best they could. We got outside and it was raining, we're soaked then Holtz and some demony guy comes out of nowhere and Holtz is pointing a crossbow straight at Angel, who's now holding me again. Then Holtz gets this look across his face as Angel stare at him and then he lets us go. We heard from him again a couple days ago when he blew up the hotel."
"Did you ever find out about that demon?"
"No. Wesley is on that and Willow is net girl in Sunnydale looking for him."
"I'm glad you called me up here." Faith said suddenly. "After all I did to you, you had the heart to forgive me. You didn't have to, but you did."
"Faith, to be perfectly honest with you, I haven't forgiven you completely. I probably never will. I'm not saying this to be mean, but I was taught to always tell the truth to my friends."
"I understand. And actually, I accept it."
"You do?"
"Yeah. You said that you were taught to tell the truth to your friends and you were telling me the truth."
"I've always considered you a friend. Even when you were psycho murder bitch, you were still my friend. I don't give up on the people I care about."
"Thanks, for caring I mean. I'm usually never open like this, but with what's been going on lately, I think I should at least try to be."
"It's good to be open."
They laughed and went a little ways further. Buffy stopped abruptly, but Faith hadn't noticed until she started to talk and got no reply. Faith had passed a school building, but Buffy hadn't. Faith walked back to Buffy.
"Hey B, you ok?"
"Yeah, it's just. this is Hemery High School."
"Whoa."
"Yeah. I haven't been here for about six years. It's. different."
"Yeah, I mean, they do have that new gym and everything."
"I know, but. it just seems different. It's not the new gym either. There's something, sinister about it."
"Oh, I know! It's a high school. You know, home of the teen angst and heartaches."
"Maybe."
They started walking again and Buffy kept glancing back to look at the building. Finally they gave up hope of ever finding a bad guy and decided to go back to the Hyperion. It was 2:30 by the time they got back and everyone was long gone. Except for the people who lived here.and Wesley.
"Hey. What's Wes doing here? I thought he was leaving about an hour after we left." Buffy said.
"Beats me. I'm going to bed. See ya in the morning B." Faith said, heading upstairs.
Buffy walked to the office door that was open a crack and knocked. She heard papers rustle and fall frantically. Buffy guessed she had startled him. He opened the door and looked out at her.
"Buffy." He looked rumply and disheveled.
"Hey. What are you still doing here? Go home." Buffy said.
"Yes, yes. I was just finishing up here. What do you want?"
"To come see what you were doing. I mean you did say that you were going to leave an hour after Faith and I left, or was that all a hallucination?"
"Hallucination, yes. I mean, no. I did say that I was going to, but.. something.. came up."
"Oh. Can I help? I haven't been able to sleep much since that dream I had."
"It's understandable."
Angel walked in holding Conner and Buffy walked to Angel and took her son.
"Hey there. You're up way past your bedtime. Did daddy let you stay up to watch Conan again?" Buffy asked Conner as he gurgled and giggled.
"I did not. He couldn't sleep cause his mommy wasn't here."
"Are those new PJs?"
"Yeah. Cordy bought them this afternoon. She went on a case that took her near Rodeo Drive and she said she saw it in a window and couldn't resist. He's so cute I could just eat him all up." Angel noticed Wesley standing in the office doorway. "Hey Wes, what are you still doing here?"
Wesley looked stricken. He just stared at Angel in a half dazed half horrified look.
"Wesley, you ok?" Buffy asked.
"Hmm, oh yes, fine. Just looking at the wonderful little family standing before me." Wesley replied.
"Hey. Go home. You look like you could use the rest." Angel said. "Wait! Before you go, you have to see this." Angel took Conner from Buffy and held him up so Angel's face was right there by Conner's neck. Then Angel turned Conner around and made his arms punch at Angel's face. Angel dodged the tiny blows and then turned Conner back to face Wesley. "Wasn't that cute? He punches like a real man should."
"Yes. That was adorable. I'm going to go collect my stuff and go now." Wesley said as he walked back into the office and gathered up some papers to put in his briefcase. He came back out, said goodbye to Angel, Buffy, and Conner, then left. All he could think about was the passage that he had translated earlier. It had read in every language that he could try to turn the scroll into: The father will kill the son.
"He was definitely acting weird." Buffy said as they headed upstairs to their room.
"Yeah. I've never seen him act like that!"
"You sure?"
"Positive."
"Hmm, maybe he's coming down with something." Buffy cooed at Conner. He giggled and smiled at his mommy. "Yeah, maybe he's coming down with the Conner's-too-cute-for-words flu."
"Yeah, that's definitely it." Angel joked.
"Hey. I was humoring my son."
"Did you get anything tonight?"
"Nope. Everything was quiet."
"It was that way the last few nights is what Gunn said."
"That's really strange for LA."
"Yeah it is."
"What time did Dawn go to bed?"
"About 11:00. She was tired. I don't see why though, it's summer vacation. Shouldn't she be up all hours of the night reeking havoc?"
"Not my little sister!"
"I know. I'm just kidding."
Buffy laid Conner down in his crib and then changed out of her patrolling clothes into some big PJ pants and a spaghetti strapped tank top. Angel opted for his usual, gray sweat pants. Buffy loved that look on him though. No shirt, just pants. Buffy checked on Dawn before she went to bed. When she came back in, Angel was in bed, but not asleep, and Conner was sleeping soundly.
Buffy slipped under the covers and into Angel's arms. "He's so quiet."
"I know. He gets that from us. He's not like other babies."
"I know. It kinda makes me want that whole colic thing with Conner. At least he would cry like a normal kid."
"Well, he's not exactly normal."
"I know."
"Parents would find Conner a blessing and a half. Did you hear that lady at the doctor's office this afternoon? She wanted to trade Conner for her son."
"I heard."
Angel rolled onto his side and looked at Buffy. She smiled up at him and Angel saw Conner's smile there. Buffy reached up and kissed Angel. He kissed back eagerly and slipped his hands under her shirt. He got rid of that, then the pants followed, followed by the underwear, and finally his pants. They lay there in bed, under the warm covers, kissing and naked. Angel rolled on top of Buffy and trailed kisses everywhere he could reach. Buffy arched to meet his lips. For hours they made love. They hadn't done it in a while and it was exactly what both of them needed to release some tension. They stayed as quiet as possible so not to wake Conner. Finally, they lay, bodies entwined, and dozing off to sleep content and satisfied.
The next morning, Buffy woke to the smells of food. Angel was in bed with her, but unfortunately he was dressed.
"Morning Sleeping Beauty."
"Morning." Buffy stretched and yawned, Angel holding the covers so they wouldn't reveal too much. Then she sat up and held the covers to her chest. Angel handed her one of his sweaters and she put it on. "That was fun."
"Yes, it certainly was."
"Can we do it again?"
"Later. Now, you get to eat and then we're going to go with Cordelia and Gru to the park."
"Is Conner coming?"
"Of course."
"So, what did you make me?"
Angel lifted the lid off a silver platter and revealed a plate full of yummy things to eat. "I mage eggs, went out to a bakery and got you a croissant, some orange juice, and fresh strawberries."
"You are gonna spoil me!"
"Too late." Angel kissed her and then picked up a strawberry and fed it to her. She smiled and he licked the juice that trickled down her chin.
"Angel?"
"Yeah?"
"Where's Conner?"
"He's in his crib."
"Bring him here please."
Angel got up and went to get Conner. He gently lifted Conner up and carefully brought him to Buffy. She scooted the tray away enough that Angel could sit in the bed with her. He accepted the invitation and sat down, handing Conner to Buffy. Conner laughed and cooed at his mommy. She made a couple of funny faces at him and he giggled even more. Buffy situated Conner so that he sat in her lap and laid back on her stomach.
"Aren't you glad mommy got her tummy back?" she asked Conner, not expecting an answer. Buffy bounced him slightly and he squealed with delight. Angel laughed and leaned over to kiss his son.
"Daddy is." Angel said.
"I bet."
"Come on, get dressed. I'll take Conner and put him in that little blue outfit you like so much."
"Do I have to? I haven't finished breakfast."
"Finish it and then we'll go."
Buffy drank the orange juice and ate some of the eggs and the croissant. Then she hopped out of bed, put on a pair of blue jeans and a baby blue peasant top. As she slipped into her boots, Angel came out of the bathroom holding Conner in his little blue outfit. Angel was dressed similar to Buffy in a blue silk shirt and black jeans.
"Wow, we look like the Brady Bunch from Sunnydale!" Buffy said. She took Conner from Angel and they walked downstairs.
Dawn was waiting for them with Cordelia and Gru. Dawn had on khaki capris and a black shirt. She looked cute in her new half sneakers Buffy had bought her a while back.
"Ready?" she asked.
"As we'll ever be." Buffy answered.
Buffy strapped Conner in his stroller that Willow had gotten him and they were off to the park. Little did they know it would be the last happy moment in a long while.