Rating: PG
Summary: Takes place a five months after Darla stakes herself (again).
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters… It all belongs to Joss Whedon and co.
A/N: Heehee. Thanks for the reviews! And the one very strange one…
Chapter 4- Faith
"Buffy?" Angel popped his head through their bedroom door.
"Yeah?" Buffy looked up from her spot on the bed.
"I gotta go take care of some vamps. Can you take Connor for a walk in the park? I know it's late but…"
"Yeah, sure." Buffy stood up.
"And don't take him to the swings because, trust me, he'll never want to leave."
Buffy laughed and nodded.
"Right then… I'd better go."
"OK." Buffy gave Angel a kiss on the lips. "See you later."
Buffy pulled her coat off the hanger. She picked up Connor from his cot and placed him into the pram.
"Let's go for a walk." Buffy smiled down at Connor.
Connor however, chose to ignore her. Buffy sighed and pushed the pram out.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Darla walked head down into the park. She found a bench in a secluded area and sat down.
"You know it's not safe to be out here all alone at night."
Darla looked up to see a big bunch of vampires smiling evilly down at her.
"I can do what I want, fledgling." Darla growled.
"Fledgling?" The largest vampire moved threateningly towards her.
Darla stood up.
"You can't be more than twenty."
"Then how old are you my pretty?"
"I stopped counting at 400."
The vampires muttered to each other.
"Join us."
"No." Darla started to walk away.
"We can keep you safe."
"I don't do safe."
"Then come with us anyway."
"I said no." Darla punched the nearest vampire.
"You will regret that."
Darla shook her head and charged off.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Buffy strolled through the deserted park.
"Shall we go home now Connor?" Buffy leaned into the pram.
"Oh, but it's such a beautiful night. Stay a bit."
Buffy's head snapped up.
"Who are you?"
"You're a pretty little one aren't you?"
"You didn't answer my question."
"How about a late night snack, boys?" A large vampire swaggered over to the pram.
"You obviously haven't been doing your research."
"Oh yeah?"
"Do you know who I am?"
"A snack?"
"Quiet you." The large vampire barked.
"I'm the slayer."
"And?"
"I'm going to kill you."
The large vampire turned to his companions.
"Well, I think we have ourselves a challenge."
Buffy looked down at Connor. She took a breath and walked out from behind the pram.
"Bring it on." Buffy swung a punch.
The vampires charged at the small slayer. She blocked their kicks and punches.
Buffy looked around at the retreating vampires. That was quick. Well, that's what you get for trying to-. Buffy swallowed. Connor's pram was gone.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"What do you mean you swaged the baby?" The large vampire growled.
"But I thought we could eat it, Sire."
"A baby is no use to us, dimwit."
"Sorry."
"I'll have that baby if you want."
The vampires turned around. A figure clad in leather stood before them.
"Well, well, well. Our night just got better."
"I don't think so."
"Yeah? What's your name?"
"I don't think that's any of your business."
"Then what are you gonna do?"
"Stake your sorry asses."
Darla peered out from behind a tree. She smiled as one by one, each of them got staked. Serves them right.
Darla stepped out from the shadows of the tree when the last vampire had turned to dust.
"You fight well."
"I'm the slayer. Of course I fight well."
Darla smiled.
"I like you. Another slayer huh? Well, you're certainly…"
"Different?"
Darla laughed.
"So are you going to turn me or what?"
"No. I think I like you as you are."
"Cool. So… what's you name?"
"Darla."
"Oh, Angel's Sire."
"Yes."
"I'm Faith."
"The slayer that turned to the dark side."
"Yeah. That's me."
"So… what are we going to do about the baby?"
"What baby?"
"This baby." Faith stepped aside to reveal a large navy pram.
"Oh." Darla curiously walked up. "Promise you won't stake me?"
"Cross my heart and hope to die." Faith drew a cross across her heart.
Darla peered over the top of the pram. She knew instantly who it was.
"What's wrong?" Faith asked when she saw the frown on Darla's face.
"He's mine."
Connor babbled happily.
"He's your what?"
"My son." Darla whispered. "God he's so beautiful."
"Uh, hello? Vampires can't have children."
"It was a prophecy."
Faith raised her eyebrows. "I guess we'd better take him back."
"You do it."
"What? No way. They're gonna kill me if they find out I've busted out of jail."
"Well I'm not taking him back. The slayer nearly killed me."
"What? B's here? OK, we'll take him back when she's not there."
"They'll be looking for him." Darla gently stroked Connor's face.
"Yeah."
"So…"
"Let's go." Faith inhaled deeply. "Face the music."
Darla took hold of the pram. Her knuckled turned white from holding the handle so tightly.
"You might wanna loosen your grip on that."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"Angel?" Buffy ran through the hotel. "Angel?"
"What is it?"
"A bunch of vamps in the park. They…they got Connor." Buffy gasped for breath.
"What?" Angel nearly fainted.
"I'm sorry. They just started attacking me."
"I'll go find him."
"Do you want me to come?"
"Yeah." Angel grabbed some stakes off the table. "I'll probably need back up."
"I'm so sorry."
"It's OK." Angel marched out of the bedroom, closely followed by Buffy.
Wesley looked up from the desk when he heard heels clicking again the marble floor.
"Buffy, Angel's back and-." Wesley turned pale.
"Hi Wes." Faith grinned.
"Faith… how did you get out?"
"I busted out."
"Oh did you?" Wesley swallowed. "I'll um… go get Angel."
"They can't have gone far with a baby." Angel charged full speed to the desk that Wesley was sitting at.
"Um… Angel…"
"Can you-." Angel looked at Faith. "Please tell me you didn't bust out of jail."
"Well I can't stay in there all my life can I?"
"Yeah, but still…"
"And I think we have something you're looking for."
Faith looked towards the door where Darla was struggling to get in with the pram.
"Oh fine. Just leave me with the pram why don't you." Darla said sarcastically.
"Hey, chill out D. Besides, I thought you'd have the 'mothering instinct'."
"Vampires aren't meant to have 'mothering instinct'. And don't call me that."
Faith rolled her eyes. Angel rushed up to the pram.
"Oh thank God."
"Like he still wants you." Darla muttered.
"Where did you find him?" Angel chose to ignore her little comment.
"In the park." Darla crossed her arms over her chest.
"Actually I found him."
"What ever. I saw them first."
"Faith?" Buffy frowned.
"B, good to see you again. So you finally decided to shack up with soul boy over there then?"
"Hey!" Angel looked offended. "Don't call me soul boy."
"Whatever soul boy."
Angel pushed the pram into the hotel.
"God D! Even soul boy's got more mothering instinct than you." Faith smirked. "Now I know what Spike meant when he called you a po-."
"I'm not gay." Angel glared at Faith.
"Yeah. He's not gay."
"That's right B. Stick up for your boyfriend."
Buffy opened her mouth.
"And don't even try to deny it."
"Get out Faith. And you." Buffy glared icily at Darla.
"Yeah, well that's gratitude for you." Darla returned Buffy's icy glare.
"Wow, B. It seems like some things never change." Faith turned towards the door.
Darla looked at Angel and shook her head.
"Well it's obvious who's wearing the trousers in this relationship." Darla grinned evilly.
"Wha-. Hey. Look, you can see Connor whenever you want if that's what you want."
"No. I'm leaving town. Tomorrow night."
"Good riddance." Buffy rolled her eyes.
Darla shook her head in disbelief.
"Don't they teach you kids manners?"
"I'm not a child." Buffy said indignantly.
"Could have fooled me." Darla turned towards the door. "Faith, you wanna take my place when I go?"
"Yeah, cool." Faith grinned.
After Darla had left, Angel felt an overwhelming sense of loss. She's back. She's really back. The first time he saw her, he didn't really want to admit it to himself then. But now…
And she hasn't changed a bit. Angel smiled to himself. Good old Darla. But what about Buffy? He didn't want to hurt her. Angel looked over at Connor sleeping in his cot. Now there's even more reason for him to know his mum, now that she's here…
"Did she hurt him?" Buffy pulled the towel from her wet hair.
"No." Angel looked away from Buffy. "That's not how she does things."
Buffy rolled her eyes.
"Let's just go to bed, yeah?"
"OK." Buffy smiled and snuggled into the bed.
Angel lay awake for some time. Thinking about Darla. He couldn't get her out of his mind. Maybe it was only because she was near him. Angel gave up trying to sleep and got out of bed.
To Be Continued…
A/N: Phew! That was a long chapter. I'm gonna go sleep now… Next chapter will be up soon.