Ch. 2 Waiting

Since their arrival a week ago, the Wyndam-Pryces had been staying in a spare room at the hotel. The routine became habit. Sight-seeing and work at Wolfram & Hart in the morning, followed by lunch, a nap for the elder pair, then dinner and tea.

Wesley stretched as he finally had the chance to sit down and get comfortable. Sleeping on the couch was making his back stiff and the fatigue from being complained to was getting to him, but he wouldn't dare say anything.

He raised the teacup to his lips and smiled. "How long are you staying?"

His father frowned. "Sadly, only another week or so."

With a sputtering cough, Wesley choked on his tea. Fred quickly patted his back and went to get a towel.

"Can you excuse me for a moment?" Wes asked, rising from the table.

Fred was wringing her hands in the tiny kitchen.

"Fred, what are we going to do? We can't keep this up for another week! Someone will blow it any time now. We've got to make sure to tell the others the story we've been telling, or they'll screw things up." Wesley nervously rubbed his nose.

Fred's eyes grew wide as Wes spoke, then she pointed towards the table.

Cordelia and Gunn were both chattering lively with Mr. and Mrs. Wyndham-Pryce.

Both rushed out towards the tea party, towel in tow.

"...yes, the fire was awful, but at least they all got out safely."

"Cordelia?" Fred asked, "What is it you were saying?"

She grinned. "Gunn and I were talking about that awful fire that destroyed all of your wedding pictures. As well as your rings." She winked.

Wesley sighed in relief.

"It's a miracle, you know, " Gunn chimed in, "that Wesley managed to save the baby like he did."

Fred sat down quickly and Wesley simply gripped the back of the sofa tighter. "Baby?" She asked.

Wesley's mother grinned from ear to ear. "Oh! First you're married and don't invite me to the wedding, then you have a child and don't tell me for a whole week! Where is it? Oh, what is it? What's its name?"

"Apparently, you're not the only one who didn't know..." Wesley took a seat next to Fred. After a minute, he tried to make it look more convincing by draping his arm over her shoulder. Surprisingly, she leaned towards him. He glared menacingly at Gunn.

"Yes," Cordy continued, "but Gunn, you forgot that Fred doesn't like to hear about little...Con--Carson while he's away at Boarding...Nursery School?" She bit her lip and tossed an elbow into Gunn's stomach.

Wesley shook his head.

"That's my boy," Wesley's dad chimed in, "A young boy should to go Boarding School, teaches character. Surprising, though...I thought you hated Boarding School." He reached for his cup of tea.

Wesley simply nodded and cast another glare at Gunn. He smiled in return, signaling that this game was too much fun to give up. "Oh, forgive me, Fred. I know I shouldn't mention Carson when you're so stressed out from trying to have another one."

Fred passed out into Wesley's arms.

-

A warm, wet feeling on Fred's forehead woke her up. The lights were dim, but she knew she was in Wesley's apartment.

"There you are, dear." A woman's voice said calmly.

Wesley's mother smiled down at Fred. "Feeling better, love?"

"Yes, thank you, Mrs. Wyndham-Pryce."

The older woman waved a hand. "Grace. Call me Grace. We're family."

Fred sniffed the washcloth she had just removed from her head and wrinkled her nose. It smelled like rotten fruit.

"It's an old remedy of mine. I'll give it to you just before I leave. There are a couple of secrets that should just drive Wesley wild. As long as you can cook. You can, I assume?"

Fred nodded. "Where is Wes, by the way?"

"Gerald wanted to see the new law firm. He's never been so proud of him. You have no idea. I haven't seen Gerry this happy since...well...It's just a shame that we can't meet little...what was his name?" Grace collected the washcloth and basin as she stood.

Blank. Fred couldn't think of the fictional kid's name for anything. She began talking to cover her loss of memory. "Oh, little..." She coughed into her sleeve. "Oh, he's just a darling boy...you'd love him. Looks just like his Daddy."

"Well...yes, of course." She looked around, slightly suspicious of Fred. "But I must say, this flat seems a little too...bachelor pad. It needs a woman's touch. You must have been busy with sending the child off to school and...well...making the," she thought better of that comment, "...with trying to have a new baby and all. Gunn said you're both trying very hard for this one. The last was a surprise, but now you want a girl. Is that right?"

Fred didn't know what to say. She simply shrugged.

Wesley knocked quietly on the door and walked in. "Everyone feeling better?"

"Yes, she's been telling me all about how you've been trying so hard to get pregnant again...you know when you were six and we decided to try for a girl..."

Wes cringed and headed for Fred, kissing her lightly on the forehead. She wrapped her arms around him and he interrupted his mother as quickly as possible. "One of your strange cures, Mother?"

Grace Wyndham-Pryce stopped talking and looked at her son. "Pardon? Oh, yes. She was awake in no-time." She grinned, then looked towards the door. "Where's your Father?"

"You've got to tell me what those remedies do. He wanted to go back to the hotel. Just let me know when you'd like to go back." He squeezed Fred tightly and awkwardly planted a light kiss on her lips. Automatically, his whole body was on fire. He found himself just staring at her.

A smile crept across Grace's face. She heard her cab outside honking. "I've already called a cab," she whispered, backing out of the room. "Good night."

"Wesley," Fred whispered, swallowing hard. "Wesley, what's going on?"

He blinked his way out of the stare. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have." He let go and tried to stand, but his knees wouldn't work.

"No...you should." She pulled him close, wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him passionately. Her body shook as she kept trying to get closer and closer to him. There was no way she could get any closer. He gently stroked her hair as they laid back on the bed.