Finally!!!!
Here you go, part 12 is operational.
Happy reading everyone.
Part 12. Adios, Amigos!!!
Once they got back to the Hotel, Jondy and Bling had immediately begun to treat the worst of the injuries, namely the gunshot wounds to Krit's shoulder, thigh and arm, the burns suffered by Ty, Riley and several members of his team, and the glass filled wounds on Zane's and Gunn's backs and legs.
Willow, Tara, Giles and Wesley used whatever magic they could to heal minor wounds and other injuries. Even Anya helped in that regard, requiring only that people wished for each others ailments to be healed.
Buffy lay on the sofa, Elissa in her arms, cushioned comfortably against Angel's chest.
"So," Angel began, "You said that when this was all over..."
"I'd tell you who Elissa's father is." Buffy finished for him.
He nodded.
Everyone turned to listen to what she had to say.
"Elissa was born two weeks overdue. So I was pregnant with for her nine-and- a-half-months." she began. "Nine-and-a-half-months-ago I was dead. So even if I wanted to tell you who her father is, I couldn't. Because I don't know myself." she chuckled. "Irony. First I'm told I'll never had children of my own, then the baby I do have is conceived when I'm dead."
Everyone stared at her.
"Well that's rather, interesting to say the least." Giles stated. "Do you have any ideas on how Elissa was conceived, or who her father is?"
Buffy chuckled, "Divine intervention comes to mind a lot. I still don't have a clue about her father though."
Max leaned over the back of the couch, and brushed her fingers over Elissa's hair, dark, like Max's. "She's like a gift from God." Buffy smiled, remembering the times that they had gone to Church together as children. Max's adopted mother Rosalia, was a devout Catholic.
"I think she's more of a gift to the world. That I'm supposed to protect her." Buffy answered.
"Why do you think that?" Giles asked, sounding interested in her idea.
"It's like she's my purpose now. When I was first called, it was to fight vampires, after I died the first time, it was to stop Angel from Becoming and to stop the Ascension, and Adam. And to protect Dawn. The second time I died, my purpose became to take care of Elissa, and now..." Buffy answered, she curled herself around Elissa, and against Angel's chest and closed her eyes. "It's been a really busy week."
Angel smiled down at her, stroking her hair. "I know what you mean."
Buffy opened her eyes sleepily. "Giles, how many more times do you think I can die?"
A smile played at the corners of his mouth. "I don't know, Buffy."
Angel brushed his hand over her hair. "Don't worry about now."
He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close, and holding her gently.
They stayed there like that, the three of them.
As they looked on, awed by the picture of normalcy they painted, everyone pretended not to notice how much Elissa looked like her mother. And somehow, she looked so much like Angel.
It pained Giles to realize that Angel would never realize just how much the little girl looked like him. Angel hadn't seen his reflection in 243 years.
The idea that the Powers That Be had sent Elissa to Buffy, as a gift for her, for all of the brave and wonderful things she'd done, in the likeness of her first love played across his mind.
The more he thought about it, the more possible it seemed.
**********
The soldiers cleared out the next morning, but Max and the rest of her team stayed for a few days.
They had become fast friends with just about everyone.
Angel had noticed that the relationship between Buffy and Max was more like that of sisters than that of friends, Max even treated Dawn like a much loved younger sister.
He wasn't really surprised. From what he could remember Buffy saying, her and Max had been very close. It was evident that not even time could do anything to tarnish their friendship, and for that he was glad. Buffy needed someone who was a constant in her life, she'd found that in Max, and he was glad.
**********
It was early when everyone began packing all of the equipment into protective cases, then carrying it out to stack it neatly in the rental cars.
As everyone packed Angel, with the help of Dawn, cooked a huge 'good bye breakfast' for everyone, which people ate on the run, in a hurry because they didn't want to miss their flight back to Seattle.
Once all of the equipment was safely packed up and stored in each of the rental cars they had hired, everyone gathered in the entrance hall to say goodbye.
Buffy and Max hugged each other tightly. "Don't be a stranger." Buffy said to her friend, "Whenever you need a vacation you can always come to Sunnydale."
Buffy raised her voice for everyone to hear. "Any person here is welcome in Sunnydale, and in my home should any of you choose to come. You will always be welcome."
Angel nodded. "The same here. Any of you is always welcome in LA and in this place. The invitation is always open."
Max smiled. "If ever you need help, you know that you can always count on us. As friends, and as allies. If any of you are ever in Seattle, look us up. Everyone will always be welcome."
All of the X5's nodded, indicating that anyone who chose to visit the various cities in which they lived would always have an invitation.
People swapped hugs and kisses, and phone numbers, and finally everyone was still.
Max clapped her hands. "I guess that's it then." she said.
Buffy shook her head. "In a couple of weeks Elissa is going to be Christened. I've already asked Giles and Angel to be her godfathers, and Willow to be one of her godmothers, but Maxie, I've been meaning to ask you if you'll be another of Elissa's godparents."
Max threw herself on Buffy. "Of course! Do you even have to ask?"
Buffy smiled, "Anyone who would like to come will be most welcome. I think I speak for all of us when I say that we'd love to see you."
Finally Buffy and Max hugged goodbye, and everyone stood on the front steps to wave the Seattle Team off.
Here you go, part 12 is operational.
Happy reading everyone.
Part 12. Adios, Amigos!!!
Once they got back to the Hotel, Jondy and Bling had immediately begun to treat the worst of the injuries, namely the gunshot wounds to Krit's shoulder, thigh and arm, the burns suffered by Ty, Riley and several members of his team, and the glass filled wounds on Zane's and Gunn's backs and legs.
Willow, Tara, Giles and Wesley used whatever magic they could to heal minor wounds and other injuries. Even Anya helped in that regard, requiring only that people wished for each others ailments to be healed.
Buffy lay on the sofa, Elissa in her arms, cushioned comfortably against Angel's chest.
"So," Angel began, "You said that when this was all over..."
"I'd tell you who Elissa's father is." Buffy finished for him.
He nodded.
Everyone turned to listen to what she had to say.
"Elissa was born two weeks overdue. So I was pregnant with for her nine-and- a-half-months." she began. "Nine-and-a-half-months-ago I was dead. So even if I wanted to tell you who her father is, I couldn't. Because I don't know myself." she chuckled. "Irony. First I'm told I'll never had children of my own, then the baby I do have is conceived when I'm dead."
Everyone stared at her.
"Well that's rather, interesting to say the least." Giles stated. "Do you have any ideas on how Elissa was conceived, or who her father is?"
Buffy chuckled, "Divine intervention comes to mind a lot. I still don't have a clue about her father though."
Max leaned over the back of the couch, and brushed her fingers over Elissa's hair, dark, like Max's. "She's like a gift from God." Buffy smiled, remembering the times that they had gone to Church together as children. Max's adopted mother Rosalia, was a devout Catholic.
"I think she's more of a gift to the world. That I'm supposed to protect her." Buffy answered.
"Why do you think that?" Giles asked, sounding interested in her idea.
"It's like she's my purpose now. When I was first called, it was to fight vampires, after I died the first time, it was to stop Angel from Becoming and to stop the Ascension, and Adam. And to protect Dawn. The second time I died, my purpose became to take care of Elissa, and now..." Buffy answered, she curled herself around Elissa, and against Angel's chest and closed her eyes. "It's been a really busy week."
Angel smiled down at her, stroking her hair. "I know what you mean."
Buffy opened her eyes sleepily. "Giles, how many more times do you think I can die?"
A smile played at the corners of his mouth. "I don't know, Buffy."
Angel brushed his hand over her hair. "Don't worry about now."
He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close, and holding her gently.
They stayed there like that, the three of them.
As they looked on, awed by the picture of normalcy they painted, everyone pretended not to notice how much Elissa looked like her mother. And somehow, she looked so much like Angel.
It pained Giles to realize that Angel would never realize just how much the little girl looked like him. Angel hadn't seen his reflection in 243 years.
The idea that the Powers That Be had sent Elissa to Buffy, as a gift for her, for all of the brave and wonderful things she'd done, in the likeness of her first love played across his mind.
The more he thought about it, the more possible it seemed.
**********
The soldiers cleared out the next morning, but Max and the rest of her team stayed for a few days.
They had become fast friends with just about everyone.
Angel had noticed that the relationship between Buffy and Max was more like that of sisters than that of friends, Max even treated Dawn like a much loved younger sister.
He wasn't really surprised. From what he could remember Buffy saying, her and Max had been very close. It was evident that not even time could do anything to tarnish their friendship, and for that he was glad. Buffy needed someone who was a constant in her life, she'd found that in Max, and he was glad.
**********
It was early when everyone began packing all of the equipment into protective cases, then carrying it out to stack it neatly in the rental cars.
As everyone packed Angel, with the help of Dawn, cooked a huge 'good bye breakfast' for everyone, which people ate on the run, in a hurry because they didn't want to miss their flight back to Seattle.
Once all of the equipment was safely packed up and stored in each of the rental cars they had hired, everyone gathered in the entrance hall to say goodbye.
Buffy and Max hugged each other tightly. "Don't be a stranger." Buffy said to her friend, "Whenever you need a vacation you can always come to Sunnydale."
Buffy raised her voice for everyone to hear. "Any person here is welcome in Sunnydale, and in my home should any of you choose to come. You will always be welcome."
Angel nodded. "The same here. Any of you is always welcome in LA and in this place. The invitation is always open."
Max smiled. "If ever you need help, you know that you can always count on us. As friends, and as allies. If any of you are ever in Seattle, look us up. Everyone will always be welcome."
All of the X5's nodded, indicating that anyone who chose to visit the various cities in which they lived would always have an invitation.
People swapped hugs and kisses, and phone numbers, and finally everyone was still.
Max clapped her hands. "I guess that's it then." she said.
Buffy shook her head. "In a couple of weeks Elissa is going to be Christened. I've already asked Giles and Angel to be her godfathers, and Willow to be one of her godmothers, but Maxie, I've been meaning to ask you if you'll be another of Elissa's godparents."
Max threw herself on Buffy. "Of course! Do you even have to ask?"
Buffy smiled, "Anyone who would like to come will be most welcome. I think I speak for all of us when I say that we'd love to see you."
Finally Buffy and Max hugged goodbye, and everyone stood on the front steps to wave the Seattle Team off.