A quick Thanks to everyone who has reviewed. You keep me going!
**********
Chapter 3
Angel could only stare in stunned silence at Spike for several moments before his brain finally started working again and he finally replied.
"Impossible."
Spike seemed to consider this a moment then started laughing.
"Funny word that...impossible" Spike began. "'Specially coming from you, concerning Buffy no less."
Angel crossed his arms and waited for Spike to continue.
"Impossible....hmm...you mean, like two vamps havin' a kid together? Oh, here's one...a vampire, no make that TWO vampires, falling in love with a slayer. Or, how about a slayer coming back from the dead...twice. Or making a whole day disappear...." Spike was counting off on his fingers.
"OK, ok, you made your point Spike." Angel interrupted. "That still doesn't mean Bella belongs to me."
"Have you actually looked at Bella? REALLY looked at her? I don't know how we didn't figure it sooner." Spike finished quietly.
"Of coarse I've seen her, I'm up there all the time. I don't know what Dru said to you Spike, but Bella is your daughter, not mine."
"Yeah, 'cause it makes SO much sense for two blondes with blue and green eyes to have a kid with dark hair and brown eyes. Not to mention, she's a good few inches taller than Will. Dru said she was yours, and we both know she's mad as a hatter, but her visions are spot on." Spike pointed out.
"Spike, neither of you are exactly blondes." Angel hesitantly stated, drifting off toward the end. He really didn't like the idea of pointing out at the moment that he knew Buffy's true hair color. Spike didn't need encouragement in the direction he was already going. "And besides, I'm sure William will catch up to her. She's just had a growth spurt." Seeing that this didn't appease Spike at all, Angel decided that maybe Spike knowing about the missing day couldn't hurt. "Look Spike, that missing day happened a long time ago. A few years before Buffy was even pregnant with the twins."
"When" Spike demanded without actually looking at Angel.
"1999.....Thanksgiving. I had gone to Sunnydale to help Buffy without telling her. She found out, came to LA and confronted me." Angel said.
"What happened?" Spike was still staring at the floor in front of his boot.
Angel let out an exasperated sigh, but answered. "I fought a Mohra Demon. Our blood mixed. I was human for a little less than a day." Angel quickly added, "but, I found out that if I stayed human Buffy would die sooner than she should. I had the Oracles turn me back and they erased the day. They left me with the memory so it wouldn't happen again."
Angel looked up as he finished the story and noticed that Spike was staring at him. He saw a multitude of emotions flicker across Spike's face..shock, confusion, and finally anger. Before Angel realized what Spike intended, Spike had closed the few steps between them and caught Angel with a full force left cross that sent Angel across the room and into the wall. Angel looked up very confused at a very angry Spike.
"You had the nerve to judge me for sleeping with Buffy as a human, and you'd done the same thing? I was out of my head and half starved, and you kicked my arse for doing the same thing you did?" Spike shouted incredulously at Angel.
Angel stood and wiped away the blood he felt trickle from the corner of his mouth. "I'm not the one who got her pregnant Spike, remember?" Angel bit out angrily.
"Oh, and I suppose you were real careful to take care of that, right? Or were you so damn happy, all you could think about was just, just.. holding her, touching her, feeling her.....being with her?" Spike asked. When he saw the guilt cross Angel's face he knew he had hit the mark. "That's what I thought." Spike paused a moment the softly asked, "So you still convinced Dru was wrong about Bella?"
"Yes" Angel answered.
"And the prophesy, it would finally make sense." Spike said, more statement than question.
"Spike, I don't know what it'll take to convince..." Angel started.
"Those Oracles, I want to see them. Got a question or two." Spike interrupted
"You can't. They're dead." Angel answered, more than a little angry that Spike had interrupted him again.
"What about that one that gave you and Red the prophesy. We'll go see him." Spike said.
"We tried that remember, right after the twins were born, he wouldn't tell us anything more. ." Angel said.
"Then we'll TRY again, and THIS time, I'm going with you. So's Buffy, so I suggest you find a way to explain your little secret to her, cause as soon as I find that chant, we're taking that trip to see the oracle boy." Spike said, then not waiting for a reply from Angel, he stormed out of the room. Leaving Angel to his own thoughts and Spikes command.
**********
Angel knocked softly on the door to the room that belonged to Spike and Buffy. He had paced the training room ceaselessly for over an hour before he finally worked up the nerve to go talk to Buffy. Now he was sure that if he had a heart it would be pounding out of his chest. He had gone so long without having to tell Buffy. He had hoped he would never have to tell her. Why was he even doing what Spike had told him to anyway? Because if he didn't tell her, Spike would and it should come from him. So again, he knocked on the door.
Buffy opened the door slowly. Stepping aside to let Angel in, and Angel wondered if Spike hadn't already told her.
"Spike said you needed to talk to me." Buffy began after shutting the door, "and judging from the mood he was in, I take it whatever you have to say isn't of the good. But hey, it can't be much worse than his theory that Bella's your daughter instead of his." Buffy finished a little too cheerfully. Then seeing the look on Angel's face added, "or it could be." She sat in the chair in by the bed and sighed heavily. "OK, out with it."
Angel told the entire story to Buffy from start to finish, including his reasons for not telling her before. He paused several times to offer Buffy a chance to speak, but she never did. Now he had been sitting there staring at his hands for what seemed like forever and Buffy still hadn't spoken. She just sat there staring into the space in front of her. Just when Angel was going to get up, Spike entered the room. He glanced a moment between Angel and Buffy and then up at the ceiling.
"It's all set. Wes is watching the tots." Then he walked back out in the hallway and left the door standing open.
Buffy got up and followed, leaving Angel still sitting in the chair. She suddenly stopped just behind him. "I...I understand. Why, I mean. I mean, don't expect me to forgive you just yet, but I do understand." And with that, she left the room.
**********
By the time Angel and Buffy had made it downstairs, Wes, Connor, and Spike had the circle ready and the room prepared. Spike held a small piece of paper in his hand and was standing just outside the circle. Wes directed then all where to stand and Spike began the incantation Willow had used previously to get to the oracle.
With a bright flash of light, the two vampires and the slayer found them selves back in the cavern that previously only Buffy, Angel, Giles and Willow had seen. They had tried before to get the oracle to explain the prophesy to them, but the boy had refused to clarify. The three looked around seeing no one else in the cavern.
"I had wondered how long before the right ones would come." A voice spoke. The three people suddenly turned to find the young looking boy standing less than a meter from them.
"What do you mean the right ones?" Angel asked.
"The two souled ones and a slayer." The boy answered in a voice that indicated Angel had asked a rather silly question. "You previously only came to me alone, or without the others. You must work together if the lines are to continue." The child explained.
"Well, we're here now. Tell us what the prophesy means." Buffy requested.
"You already know within you what it means." The child answered, but was looking at Spike. Who simply closed his eyes and clenched his jaw.
"Then she's his?" Spike asked in broken voice.
"In her heart, she will always be yours. But yes, she is of him." The boy answered.
The trio each stood in shock at the news the boy had confirmed to them.
"How?"Angel asked.
The boy looked at Angel a moment then started. "The day that was taken back. We can fold time, change memory, influence destiny. But we can not grant or take life. That day, life was made and the fulfilling of the prophesy began. When the others took back the day, we were forced to hold that life until the vessel was again ready."
"William" Buffy whispered after a moment.
"Yes," the child responded. "Once the other was created, we simply restored to you that which we had held." The boy paused as though sensing that the three each needed to process a moment what had been said.
"Now, your questions have been answered. You have much to do to ensure that they will fulfill their destinies, for without you all, the lines will surely end. Now, leave me. I can help you no more on this matter." With another blinding flash, Angel, Spike, and Buffy found themselves back in the hotel. The three found themselves standing stunned as they digested the information the oracle had given them.
"Daddy!" a voice chimed as Bella popped up from her spot on the floor next to Connor and ran up to Spike and wrapped her arms around his legs. Spike threaded his fingers through her dark hair and held her tightly to him a moment, closing his eyes and reveling in her warm touch. Then pulling her arms free, he simply turned and walked alone out the hotel's doors and into the night.
**********
Chapter 3
Angel could only stare in stunned silence at Spike for several moments before his brain finally started working again and he finally replied.
"Impossible."
Spike seemed to consider this a moment then started laughing.
"Funny word that...impossible" Spike began. "'Specially coming from you, concerning Buffy no less."
Angel crossed his arms and waited for Spike to continue.
"Impossible....hmm...you mean, like two vamps havin' a kid together? Oh, here's one...a vampire, no make that TWO vampires, falling in love with a slayer. Or, how about a slayer coming back from the dead...twice. Or making a whole day disappear...." Spike was counting off on his fingers.
"OK, ok, you made your point Spike." Angel interrupted. "That still doesn't mean Bella belongs to me."
"Have you actually looked at Bella? REALLY looked at her? I don't know how we didn't figure it sooner." Spike finished quietly.
"Of coarse I've seen her, I'm up there all the time. I don't know what Dru said to you Spike, but Bella is your daughter, not mine."
"Yeah, 'cause it makes SO much sense for two blondes with blue and green eyes to have a kid with dark hair and brown eyes. Not to mention, she's a good few inches taller than Will. Dru said she was yours, and we both know she's mad as a hatter, but her visions are spot on." Spike pointed out.
"Spike, neither of you are exactly blondes." Angel hesitantly stated, drifting off toward the end. He really didn't like the idea of pointing out at the moment that he knew Buffy's true hair color. Spike didn't need encouragement in the direction he was already going. "And besides, I'm sure William will catch up to her. She's just had a growth spurt." Seeing that this didn't appease Spike at all, Angel decided that maybe Spike knowing about the missing day couldn't hurt. "Look Spike, that missing day happened a long time ago. A few years before Buffy was even pregnant with the twins."
"When" Spike demanded without actually looking at Angel.
"1999.....Thanksgiving. I had gone to Sunnydale to help Buffy without telling her. She found out, came to LA and confronted me." Angel said.
"What happened?" Spike was still staring at the floor in front of his boot.
Angel let out an exasperated sigh, but answered. "I fought a Mohra Demon. Our blood mixed. I was human for a little less than a day." Angel quickly added, "but, I found out that if I stayed human Buffy would die sooner than she should. I had the Oracles turn me back and they erased the day. They left me with the memory so it wouldn't happen again."
Angel looked up as he finished the story and noticed that Spike was staring at him. He saw a multitude of emotions flicker across Spike's face..shock, confusion, and finally anger. Before Angel realized what Spike intended, Spike had closed the few steps between them and caught Angel with a full force left cross that sent Angel across the room and into the wall. Angel looked up very confused at a very angry Spike.
"You had the nerve to judge me for sleeping with Buffy as a human, and you'd done the same thing? I was out of my head and half starved, and you kicked my arse for doing the same thing you did?" Spike shouted incredulously at Angel.
Angel stood and wiped away the blood he felt trickle from the corner of his mouth. "I'm not the one who got her pregnant Spike, remember?" Angel bit out angrily.
"Oh, and I suppose you were real careful to take care of that, right? Or were you so damn happy, all you could think about was just, just.. holding her, touching her, feeling her.....being with her?" Spike asked. When he saw the guilt cross Angel's face he knew he had hit the mark. "That's what I thought." Spike paused a moment the softly asked, "So you still convinced Dru was wrong about Bella?"
"Yes" Angel answered.
"And the prophesy, it would finally make sense." Spike said, more statement than question.
"Spike, I don't know what it'll take to convince..." Angel started.
"Those Oracles, I want to see them. Got a question or two." Spike interrupted
"You can't. They're dead." Angel answered, more than a little angry that Spike had interrupted him again.
"What about that one that gave you and Red the prophesy. We'll go see him." Spike said.
"We tried that remember, right after the twins were born, he wouldn't tell us anything more. ." Angel said.
"Then we'll TRY again, and THIS time, I'm going with you. So's Buffy, so I suggest you find a way to explain your little secret to her, cause as soon as I find that chant, we're taking that trip to see the oracle boy." Spike said, then not waiting for a reply from Angel, he stormed out of the room. Leaving Angel to his own thoughts and Spikes command.
**********
Angel knocked softly on the door to the room that belonged to Spike and Buffy. He had paced the training room ceaselessly for over an hour before he finally worked up the nerve to go talk to Buffy. Now he was sure that if he had a heart it would be pounding out of his chest. He had gone so long without having to tell Buffy. He had hoped he would never have to tell her. Why was he even doing what Spike had told him to anyway? Because if he didn't tell her, Spike would and it should come from him. So again, he knocked on the door.
Buffy opened the door slowly. Stepping aside to let Angel in, and Angel wondered if Spike hadn't already told her.
"Spike said you needed to talk to me." Buffy began after shutting the door, "and judging from the mood he was in, I take it whatever you have to say isn't of the good. But hey, it can't be much worse than his theory that Bella's your daughter instead of his." Buffy finished a little too cheerfully. Then seeing the look on Angel's face added, "or it could be." She sat in the chair in by the bed and sighed heavily. "OK, out with it."
Angel told the entire story to Buffy from start to finish, including his reasons for not telling her before. He paused several times to offer Buffy a chance to speak, but she never did. Now he had been sitting there staring at his hands for what seemed like forever and Buffy still hadn't spoken. She just sat there staring into the space in front of her. Just when Angel was going to get up, Spike entered the room. He glanced a moment between Angel and Buffy and then up at the ceiling.
"It's all set. Wes is watching the tots." Then he walked back out in the hallway and left the door standing open.
Buffy got up and followed, leaving Angel still sitting in the chair. She suddenly stopped just behind him. "I...I understand. Why, I mean. I mean, don't expect me to forgive you just yet, but I do understand." And with that, she left the room.
**********
By the time Angel and Buffy had made it downstairs, Wes, Connor, and Spike had the circle ready and the room prepared. Spike held a small piece of paper in his hand and was standing just outside the circle. Wes directed then all where to stand and Spike began the incantation Willow had used previously to get to the oracle.
With a bright flash of light, the two vampires and the slayer found them selves back in the cavern that previously only Buffy, Angel, Giles and Willow had seen. They had tried before to get the oracle to explain the prophesy to them, but the boy had refused to clarify. The three looked around seeing no one else in the cavern.
"I had wondered how long before the right ones would come." A voice spoke. The three people suddenly turned to find the young looking boy standing less than a meter from them.
"What do you mean the right ones?" Angel asked.
"The two souled ones and a slayer." The boy answered in a voice that indicated Angel had asked a rather silly question. "You previously only came to me alone, or without the others. You must work together if the lines are to continue." The child explained.
"Well, we're here now. Tell us what the prophesy means." Buffy requested.
"You already know within you what it means." The child answered, but was looking at Spike. Who simply closed his eyes and clenched his jaw.
"Then she's his?" Spike asked in broken voice.
"In her heart, she will always be yours. But yes, she is of him." The boy answered.
The trio each stood in shock at the news the boy had confirmed to them.
"How?"Angel asked.
The boy looked at Angel a moment then started. "The day that was taken back. We can fold time, change memory, influence destiny. But we can not grant or take life. That day, life was made and the fulfilling of the prophesy began. When the others took back the day, we were forced to hold that life until the vessel was again ready."
"William" Buffy whispered after a moment.
"Yes," the child responded. "Once the other was created, we simply restored to you that which we had held." The boy paused as though sensing that the three each needed to process a moment what had been said.
"Now, your questions have been answered. You have much to do to ensure that they will fulfill their destinies, for without you all, the lines will surely end. Now, leave me. I can help you no more on this matter." With another blinding flash, Angel, Spike, and Buffy found themselves back in the hotel. The three found themselves standing stunned as they digested the information the oracle had given them.
"Daddy!" a voice chimed as Bella popped up from her spot on the floor next to Connor and ran up to Spike and wrapped her arms around his legs. Spike threaded his fingers through her dark hair and held her tightly to him a moment, closing his eyes and reveling in her warm touch. Then pulling her arms free, he simply turned and walked alone out the hotel's doors and into the night.