*~*~*
They had made a bed in the back of the van and laid Chandra down. She was already starting to have contractions. Everyone was completely baffled as to why she was giving birth now. But one thing was for certain, the baby was on her way. And they weren't sure if Chandra would survive the birth. Her tears came freely now, the child stretching and tearing at her body.
Adriana took a moment and stepped back from the group and raised her arms. "Here me, Goddess of the Ocean! Protect your children!" As she called out, she began to glow blue, radiating her light around the cavern.
A sudden burst of energy knocked her to the ground. Angel quickly ran to her side. "Adriana? Are you okay?"
She sat up and shook her head a little, clearing her mind. "No. This place has been violated. Someone's coming. That's why the child is coming early. She won't survive otherwise."
Chandra screamed and sat up.
Olivia looked to Adriana. "She isn't even dilating. We'll have to do a c-section."
She nodded. "Alright. All the boys watch the entrance. The girls will tend to Chandra."
Angel shook his head. "I'm not leaving her."
"You're not. You're going to protect her."
Lindsey put his hand on Angel's arm. "You protect. I'll help them."
A shrill screeching sound stopped any protest. They all turned to see a giant bat like creature looming at the threshold. But it could not enter. Headlights beamed into the cavern as a car pulled up behind it. Lilah stepped out and looked with curiosity at the wall.
"It's a rock wall. You drug me all this way for a wall?" She sighed and pulled out her cell phone.
"Neryak." Adriana whispered. "She can't see us. The beast can sense us."
Chandra screamed again and Lilah looked directly at the wall. "What was…?" She smiled. "A mystical barrier." She quickly dialed her phone. "This is Lilah. I need a spell to reverse mystical barriers."
"Shit." Adriana pushed Angel to the door. "Stay there." Quickly, she ran to the van with Lindsey and shut the doors. More screams were heard.
Spike looked to the van. "You smell the blood too, right mate?"
Angel nodded and turned back to Lilah who was going back to the car and getting something from the passenger seat. A duffel bag.
Spike lit a cigarette and straightened his duster. "Let's rock."
Gunn looked at him and raised an eyebrow. "Man, you've been dead way too long."
"Really? Then what should I be saying?"
"Time to lay the smack down!" He loaded a crossbow.
Spike snorted. "What kinda of sodding BS is that? Too many words there. You need something quick and suave. Oh wait. You're seeing Faith. You're used to quick."
Gunn narrowed his eyes and aimed the crossbow at Spike's heart. "Want quick?"
Spike stared him down. "You ain't got the stones."
Giles rolled his eyes. "Will you two shut your mouths and pay attention?"
Lilah was holding up a blackened crystal and reading from a scroll that she held in front of her. The language was unfamiliar. Giles began to chant as well.
Spike looked to him. "What the bloody hell...?"
Giles held up his hand to signal Spike to be silent. All eyes gazed upon Lilah again and soon they watched as the crystal in her hand exploded. She cried out and leaped back, shocked.
Giles stopped his chant and closed his eyes briefly, stumbling a little. "That should at least prolong her from destroying the barrier." He sank to his knees. "It-it seems to have made me a bit worn."
Angel drug him back a few feet. "Rest. We're still going to need you."
Spike looked around. "Uh, Angelus?"
Angel rolled his eyes. "What?"
"It's quiet."
Gunn, Faith, Spike, Giles and Angel all held their breath. It was silent. No screams from Chandra and no baby's cry.
Faith motioned to the van. "Why aren't they..."
Cordelia emerged, splattered in blood. "Angel..."
He was to her in a second. "What happened?"
"The baby's fine. You're a Daddy." She smiled.
"But it's not crying. What happened?"
"She's fine. The baby's awake. She's just quiet. But since Chandra's labor sped up so much..."
"There's nothing for the baby to drink," Gunn finished for her.
She nodded. "Someone needs to find some infant formula and quickly. But..." She motioned to Lilah and the Neryak beast.
Angel picked up an ax. "Be right back."
"Angel no!" Cordelia grabbed on to his arm. "Angel, Chandra's... Borderline."
He swallowed. "Can I see her?"
Cordelia nodded and led him into the back of the van. Most of the blood had been hastily cleaned up. Lindsey was holding something bundled in a blanket. Adriana was using her powers, holding her hands over Chandra's belly and releasing her blue healing. But the slayer's eyes were closed peacefully and Angel couldn't hear her heart.
He kneeled next to her. "Chandra? Come back. Please?" He brushed some hair behind her ear and kissed her forehead. "Don't leave me."
Adriana stopped and sighed. "Her blood is countering everything I try."
Lindsey swallowed. "Fia." He handed Angel his daughter. "You're what she has now."
Angel took the tiny infant in his arms and stared in awe at the wonder that was before him. She looked up to him with her tiny blue eyes and smiled a toothless grin up at him. She was alive and alert and not at all fussy in her father's arms.
"Hi Fia," he cooed. "I'm your Daddy." As he spoke the sentence, he felt his eyes moisten. But he didn't cry. He didn't want to shed tears in front of them.
Adriana smiled at the two of them. "She loves you too, you know."
He nodded and looked to Chandra's lifeless body. "But the price was high."
"She was a fighter and a true warrior. She knew that her death would be noble. As did Buffy." She covered the dead slayer and slipped out of the van. "Fia is alive," she announced to the others.
Faith and Gunn smiled and cheered while Spike grinned a little. Giles looked to Olivia who came out as well. "What about Chandra?" he asked.
Olivia looked down and let a tear fall. "She gave her life so Fia could have hers."
"But what about the spring? The water that healed Cordelia and yourself?"
Angel stepped out of the van, holding his daughter. "Everyone, this is Fia." Smiles were spread and coos were made to the infant.
"Dark of peace," Giles informed.
"What?"
"Eh, her name. It, uh, means 'Dark of Peace.'"
The Neryak beast screeched loudly as it spotted the infant. Lilah looked to the wall and narrowed her eyes. "Well go get her!" She grumbled and flipped out her cell phone once again. "Look, I need help now or the baby's... What? You can't be serious. But I'm right here!" She flipped the phone closed and looked to the wall. "I know you're in there Angel and I know that the baby's alive."
Angel handed the baby to Cordelia and picked up his ax. "Be right back."
Adriana grabbed a broad sword. "I've dealt with Neryak's before. I'll help you." The barrier let them pass and sealed as soon as they were out. Adriana held fast to the sword as the Neryak beast loomed over her.
Lilah smiled at Angel. "Come on, Angel. Turn over the child and we can make it a quick beheading." She looked at Adriana. "New player. And who might you be?"
"The one who's going to kick your ass." She smiled and raised a hand. "Ardor cito!" A ball of fire was cupped in her hand as she hurled it towards the lawyer who dove to the sand.
All the others could do was watch in awe as Angel and Adriana fought the beast. Its powerful presence was almost enough to ward off any who would challenge such a beast. But Adriana was quick and began to weave through the claws as they came down to grab at her. Angel glared at Lilah but set his task on the Neryak beast. Using the ax like a pick, he drove it into the side of the beast, making it cry out and take another swipe at Adriana who dodged again. Pulling himself by the ax, Angel was able to mount the beast. Its large wings began to flap, lifting its giant body off of the ground.
"The horns! The horns are the source of power!" Adriana shouted from below.
Her words made their way into his ears, but his mind focused on the image of Chandra's lifeless body. Because of this beast, Fia had to be born before Chandra was ready. Because Lilah summoned this beast, Chandra was dead.
His demon face revealed itself as he let out an animal-like howl and swung his ax hard, striking off the horns. The Neryak beast cried out and soon vanished. Angel landed safely on his feet and in a second had Lilah by her shirt, growling in her face. "You did this."
She flinched only slightly. "It's all part of the game, Angel."
"Don't kill her." Adriana gently placed her hand on his shoulder. "We can use her."
He pulled Lilah closer and nuzzled behind her ear. "She can be food." He smiled inside as he felt her tremble. He kept his voice soft and even. "Keep her alive on bread and water; just drain her enough to keep her weak." He licked at her neck. His words sounded like that of Angelus, but he didn't care. He didn't care if Angelus came forth to destroy this woman, if she could be called that.
She must have sensed the commitment in his words. Lilah's breath sped up. "W-w-wolfram and Hart won't stand for this."
Adriana smiled. "Will they stand for you losing the baby and a Neryak beast?"
She swallowed thickly. "Kill me then."
"What was it that Holland had said? Oh yeah, contracts don't just expire because of death, or something like that." Angel grinned at Lilah and pulled her flush against him. "You're going to help us."
"I'd rather kill myself."
Adriana walked herself to the car Lilah had driven down and took a look into the little black bag. It held several herbs along with some precious gemstones. She shuffled through to gather up supplies but stopped when her hand came across a glass bottle with blood in it. She lifted it slowly and stared in wonder at it.
Angel twisted Lilah's arm behind her back and shoved her into the cave through the barrier. Spike grabbed her by the hair and smiled. "Well 'ello there, little lady."
Angel let his childe toy with the lawyer as he turned back to Adriana. "What did you find?" He started to approach her when he noted the look on her face and halted. "Adriana? What is it?"
"This blood. It's familiar. Just the essence alone calls to me." She withdrew the cork from the neck of the bottle and sniffed a little at it. "It's not human."
Angel could even tell it's potency from where he was standing. "What is that?"
"It's from some sort of elf I think."
"Elf?"
She corked the bottle again and replaced it in the bag. "It's powerful. And now we have it." She flung the bag over her shoulder and headed back into the caves with Angel.
Spike had Lilah sitting in his lap like a child. "So then," he raised a fist to imitate a move. "I clocked the sow and down she went!"
Lilah looked nothing but bored. "Okay, kill me." She said. "It would be better then listening to this."
Spike winked at Angel. "I think she's got a crush."
Adriana looked around. "Giles, Faith and Olivia. Where are they?"
Cordelia sat with Fia in her arms. "They went to the Spring to try and revive Chandra."
Lindsey was sitting in a corner, watching the ocean, silent with blood on his hands. Angel slowly approached him and spoke softly. "So you really can care."
He didn't even look up to him. "Yeah, I guess so."
Angel nodded. "She cared about you too. And I never trusted that. But… Thank you for being there for her with Fia." He turned and started to walk back.
"Angel?"
He turned to see that Lindsey had looked up to him. "Yeah?"
"She loved you. And you hurt her. She fought so hard through all this, being pregnant and knowing that the PTB's had something to do with it. And you got caught up with Adriana. Don't you see? She didn't die. She finally got away from you." Those blue eyes held nothing but hatred as they stared upon the vampire.
Angel eyes flashed amber for a brief moment as he held the demon back. "How dare you…" He took a step forward then stopped.
Gunn stepped forward. "I'm gonna go get some newborn formula."
Angel immediately calmed as he thought of his daughter. "Let me give you some cash."
As Gunn headed out, Angel sat next to Cordelia, who was cooing and smiling brightly at the smiling happy baby in her arms. She looked to Angel and nodded. "You want to hold her?"
He looked nervous. "Sure." She set Fia in his arms and a sort of calm washed over him. He wasn't angry at Lindsey anymore. He understood that Lindsey had lost someone very close to him and needed somewhere to vent how he felt. Angel looked into the baby's eyes as she grinned up at him. She was beautiful with quite a few of her mother's features. Even only an hour from birth she was calm and joyous.
Cordelia smiled at them. "You look good with her."
He smiled a little then sighed. "You should talk to Lindsey. He's… upset."
She snorted. "Over his beloved Chandra. The girl he loved."
"As a sister."
"That's why he slept with her." She stood and stretched. "Besides, if Giles can work some mojo then she'll be back, right? I mean, Olivia was saying that the water healed us. I was dead too."
Angel paused and looked up to her. "Why have you been keeping things from us?"
"Huh?"
"The headaches. They're worse, aren't they?"
She turned from him. "It's nothing I can't handle." She rubbed her arms, suddenly feeling cold. Fia broke her silence to let out a small cry, as if chastising Cordelia for what she knew was a lie.
Angel looked from his daughter to his best friend and grinned. "Can't put anything past my kid, huh?"
She sighed. "It started getting worse a little before we met Chandra. Then when the Neryak beast came…" She trailed off as she held her head. "I'm still light headed from it." She sat by him again. "You can't tell Lindsey, promise?"
He nodded. "On one condition."
She sighed and rolled her eyes. "And what's that?"
"That you tell me when it gets worse again?"
She grinned and kissed his cheek. "Yes, Daddy."
*~*~*
Lindsey stepped into the portion of the caverns where the ancient well lay. There he saw Giles cupping the water and sprinkling it onto Chandra's lifeless body. Faith was holding the younger slayer like a protective sister while Olivia watched with tears in her eyes.
"Make her drink it," Lindsey ordered as he stepped forward. "Remember? That's what Adriana did to Cordelia and Olivia." Giles nodded and cupped some water to the girl's mouth, gently pouring it in.
Faith looked up to them all. "I don't get it. I mean, how can a slayer protect life if she dies? And why is it some big ass chain of pain?"
Olivia sniffled. "It is the way of things, I am afraid. No one can tell. It is the way it has always been."
They sat in silence as they pondered over this until at last, Chandra's eyes opened and she gasped in a giant breath. Lindsey jumped to his feet and felt his heart rejoice at the sight of his little sis.
*~*~*
Fia was suckling the bottle that Gunn had bought. It was cute and dainty, fit for a girl with pink ribbons printed on it. Angel watched her in awe as she watched him. She wouldn't fuss or even make a noise since she scolded Cordelia. She just watched with patient eyes and smiled to him now and then as if to let him know it would all be okay.
Spike rolled his eyes. "This mean we can leave yet?"
Lilah looked to him. "Leave to your death maybe once Wolfram and Hart hear of this."
He snorted. "You really are full of yourself for a little tart, ain't you?" He faced her and lit a cigarette. "You know…"
"Put that out," Angel snapped.
Spike whipped his head around. "What?"
"You're not going to smoke that around my daughter."
"If she is who you say she is, she can deal or put it out herself!" Spike took a puff on his cigarette before it was snatched from his mouth. "Hey!"
Adriana flicked it to the ground and stomped on it with her boot. "No smoking." She smiled and began to laugh until she looked toward the back caves and gasped. "Chandra!"
The slayer grinned and stepped in further. "Hi…"
Angel quickly handed the baby to Adriana and ran to Chandra, taking her in his arms and hugging her close. "I thought I'd lost you."
She hugged him back. "You did for a minute there."
"But your back and everything will be okay now."
She pulled back. "Angel…"
He looked to her eyes. "Yeah?"
"I'm leaving. For good. And I'm leaving Fia with you to take care of her."
His heart sank. "What?"
"You and I both know you belong with Adriana and my duties as a slayer are far from over. You'll have a slayer here to help you. Faith is going to stay. But I've seen the future, Angel, and I'm not there."
He nodded slowly, coming to the realization that she was probably right. She had only felt pain with him and now it was time to move on.
Chandra took her baby from Adriana's arms and cuddled her close. "Goodbye my baby girl. I'll never forget you. I love you." Fia cooed up at her but did not cry. She seemed to also understand what needed to be done. Chandra placed her back in the Huntress' arms and turned to Lindsey. "I'll miss you, CJ. Take care of your Queen." She gave him a hug and turned to Olivia. "I'll no longer need the council. I think that the visions are under more control."
Olivia nodded. "It was wonderful to know you."
A few more goodbyes were said. But after a while, Chandra picked up her bag. "It's been swell, but the swelling's gone down now." She smiled and waved before heading out of the cave and out of their lives.
They had made a bed in the back of the van and laid Chandra down. She was already starting to have contractions. Everyone was completely baffled as to why she was giving birth now. But one thing was for certain, the baby was on her way. And they weren't sure if Chandra would survive the birth. Her tears came freely now, the child stretching and tearing at her body.
Adriana took a moment and stepped back from the group and raised her arms. "Here me, Goddess of the Ocean! Protect your children!" As she called out, she began to glow blue, radiating her light around the cavern.
A sudden burst of energy knocked her to the ground. Angel quickly ran to her side. "Adriana? Are you okay?"
She sat up and shook her head a little, clearing her mind. "No. This place has been violated. Someone's coming. That's why the child is coming early. She won't survive otherwise."
Chandra screamed and sat up.
Olivia looked to Adriana. "She isn't even dilating. We'll have to do a c-section."
She nodded. "Alright. All the boys watch the entrance. The girls will tend to Chandra."
Angel shook his head. "I'm not leaving her."
"You're not. You're going to protect her."
Lindsey put his hand on Angel's arm. "You protect. I'll help them."
A shrill screeching sound stopped any protest. They all turned to see a giant bat like creature looming at the threshold. But it could not enter. Headlights beamed into the cavern as a car pulled up behind it. Lilah stepped out and looked with curiosity at the wall.
"It's a rock wall. You drug me all this way for a wall?" She sighed and pulled out her cell phone.
"Neryak." Adriana whispered. "She can't see us. The beast can sense us."
Chandra screamed again and Lilah looked directly at the wall. "What was…?" She smiled. "A mystical barrier." She quickly dialed her phone. "This is Lilah. I need a spell to reverse mystical barriers."
"Shit." Adriana pushed Angel to the door. "Stay there." Quickly, she ran to the van with Lindsey and shut the doors. More screams were heard.
Spike looked to the van. "You smell the blood too, right mate?"
Angel nodded and turned back to Lilah who was going back to the car and getting something from the passenger seat. A duffel bag.
Spike lit a cigarette and straightened his duster. "Let's rock."
Gunn looked at him and raised an eyebrow. "Man, you've been dead way too long."
"Really? Then what should I be saying?"
"Time to lay the smack down!" He loaded a crossbow.
Spike snorted. "What kinda of sodding BS is that? Too many words there. You need something quick and suave. Oh wait. You're seeing Faith. You're used to quick."
Gunn narrowed his eyes and aimed the crossbow at Spike's heart. "Want quick?"
Spike stared him down. "You ain't got the stones."
Giles rolled his eyes. "Will you two shut your mouths and pay attention?"
Lilah was holding up a blackened crystal and reading from a scroll that she held in front of her. The language was unfamiliar. Giles began to chant as well.
Spike looked to him. "What the bloody hell...?"
Giles held up his hand to signal Spike to be silent. All eyes gazed upon Lilah again and soon they watched as the crystal in her hand exploded. She cried out and leaped back, shocked.
Giles stopped his chant and closed his eyes briefly, stumbling a little. "That should at least prolong her from destroying the barrier." He sank to his knees. "It-it seems to have made me a bit worn."
Angel drug him back a few feet. "Rest. We're still going to need you."
Spike looked around. "Uh, Angelus?"
Angel rolled his eyes. "What?"
"It's quiet."
Gunn, Faith, Spike, Giles and Angel all held their breath. It was silent. No screams from Chandra and no baby's cry.
Faith motioned to the van. "Why aren't they..."
Cordelia emerged, splattered in blood. "Angel..."
He was to her in a second. "What happened?"
"The baby's fine. You're a Daddy." She smiled.
"But it's not crying. What happened?"
"She's fine. The baby's awake. She's just quiet. But since Chandra's labor sped up so much..."
"There's nothing for the baby to drink," Gunn finished for her.
She nodded. "Someone needs to find some infant formula and quickly. But..." She motioned to Lilah and the Neryak beast.
Angel picked up an ax. "Be right back."
"Angel no!" Cordelia grabbed on to his arm. "Angel, Chandra's... Borderline."
He swallowed. "Can I see her?"
Cordelia nodded and led him into the back of the van. Most of the blood had been hastily cleaned up. Lindsey was holding something bundled in a blanket. Adriana was using her powers, holding her hands over Chandra's belly and releasing her blue healing. But the slayer's eyes were closed peacefully and Angel couldn't hear her heart.
He kneeled next to her. "Chandra? Come back. Please?" He brushed some hair behind her ear and kissed her forehead. "Don't leave me."
Adriana stopped and sighed. "Her blood is countering everything I try."
Lindsey swallowed. "Fia." He handed Angel his daughter. "You're what she has now."
Angel took the tiny infant in his arms and stared in awe at the wonder that was before him. She looked up to him with her tiny blue eyes and smiled a toothless grin up at him. She was alive and alert and not at all fussy in her father's arms.
"Hi Fia," he cooed. "I'm your Daddy." As he spoke the sentence, he felt his eyes moisten. But he didn't cry. He didn't want to shed tears in front of them.
Adriana smiled at the two of them. "She loves you too, you know."
He nodded and looked to Chandra's lifeless body. "But the price was high."
"She was a fighter and a true warrior. She knew that her death would be noble. As did Buffy." She covered the dead slayer and slipped out of the van. "Fia is alive," she announced to the others.
Faith and Gunn smiled and cheered while Spike grinned a little. Giles looked to Olivia who came out as well. "What about Chandra?" he asked.
Olivia looked down and let a tear fall. "She gave her life so Fia could have hers."
"But what about the spring? The water that healed Cordelia and yourself?"
Angel stepped out of the van, holding his daughter. "Everyone, this is Fia." Smiles were spread and coos were made to the infant.
"Dark of peace," Giles informed.
"What?"
"Eh, her name. It, uh, means 'Dark of Peace.'"
The Neryak beast screeched loudly as it spotted the infant. Lilah looked to the wall and narrowed her eyes. "Well go get her!" She grumbled and flipped out her cell phone once again. "Look, I need help now or the baby's... What? You can't be serious. But I'm right here!" She flipped the phone closed and looked to the wall. "I know you're in there Angel and I know that the baby's alive."
Angel handed the baby to Cordelia and picked up his ax. "Be right back."
Adriana grabbed a broad sword. "I've dealt with Neryak's before. I'll help you." The barrier let them pass and sealed as soon as they were out. Adriana held fast to the sword as the Neryak beast loomed over her.
Lilah smiled at Angel. "Come on, Angel. Turn over the child and we can make it a quick beheading." She looked at Adriana. "New player. And who might you be?"
"The one who's going to kick your ass." She smiled and raised a hand. "Ardor cito!" A ball of fire was cupped in her hand as she hurled it towards the lawyer who dove to the sand.
All the others could do was watch in awe as Angel and Adriana fought the beast. Its powerful presence was almost enough to ward off any who would challenge such a beast. But Adriana was quick and began to weave through the claws as they came down to grab at her. Angel glared at Lilah but set his task on the Neryak beast. Using the ax like a pick, he drove it into the side of the beast, making it cry out and take another swipe at Adriana who dodged again. Pulling himself by the ax, Angel was able to mount the beast. Its large wings began to flap, lifting its giant body off of the ground.
"The horns! The horns are the source of power!" Adriana shouted from below.
Her words made their way into his ears, but his mind focused on the image of Chandra's lifeless body. Because of this beast, Fia had to be born before Chandra was ready. Because Lilah summoned this beast, Chandra was dead.
His demon face revealed itself as he let out an animal-like howl and swung his ax hard, striking off the horns. The Neryak beast cried out and soon vanished. Angel landed safely on his feet and in a second had Lilah by her shirt, growling in her face. "You did this."
She flinched only slightly. "It's all part of the game, Angel."
"Don't kill her." Adriana gently placed her hand on his shoulder. "We can use her."
He pulled Lilah closer and nuzzled behind her ear. "She can be food." He smiled inside as he felt her tremble. He kept his voice soft and even. "Keep her alive on bread and water; just drain her enough to keep her weak." He licked at her neck. His words sounded like that of Angelus, but he didn't care. He didn't care if Angelus came forth to destroy this woman, if she could be called that.
She must have sensed the commitment in his words. Lilah's breath sped up. "W-w-wolfram and Hart won't stand for this."
Adriana smiled. "Will they stand for you losing the baby and a Neryak beast?"
She swallowed thickly. "Kill me then."
"What was it that Holland had said? Oh yeah, contracts don't just expire because of death, or something like that." Angel grinned at Lilah and pulled her flush against him. "You're going to help us."
"I'd rather kill myself."
Adriana walked herself to the car Lilah had driven down and took a look into the little black bag. It held several herbs along with some precious gemstones. She shuffled through to gather up supplies but stopped when her hand came across a glass bottle with blood in it. She lifted it slowly and stared in wonder at it.
Angel twisted Lilah's arm behind her back and shoved her into the cave through the barrier. Spike grabbed her by the hair and smiled. "Well 'ello there, little lady."
Angel let his childe toy with the lawyer as he turned back to Adriana. "What did you find?" He started to approach her when he noted the look on her face and halted. "Adriana? What is it?"
"This blood. It's familiar. Just the essence alone calls to me." She withdrew the cork from the neck of the bottle and sniffed a little at it. "It's not human."
Angel could even tell it's potency from where he was standing. "What is that?"
"It's from some sort of elf I think."
"Elf?"
She corked the bottle again and replaced it in the bag. "It's powerful. And now we have it." She flung the bag over her shoulder and headed back into the caves with Angel.
Spike had Lilah sitting in his lap like a child. "So then," he raised a fist to imitate a move. "I clocked the sow and down she went!"
Lilah looked nothing but bored. "Okay, kill me." She said. "It would be better then listening to this."
Spike winked at Angel. "I think she's got a crush."
Adriana looked around. "Giles, Faith and Olivia. Where are they?"
Cordelia sat with Fia in her arms. "They went to the Spring to try and revive Chandra."
Lindsey was sitting in a corner, watching the ocean, silent with blood on his hands. Angel slowly approached him and spoke softly. "So you really can care."
He didn't even look up to him. "Yeah, I guess so."
Angel nodded. "She cared about you too. And I never trusted that. But… Thank you for being there for her with Fia." He turned and started to walk back.
"Angel?"
He turned to see that Lindsey had looked up to him. "Yeah?"
"She loved you. And you hurt her. She fought so hard through all this, being pregnant and knowing that the PTB's had something to do with it. And you got caught up with Adriana. Don't you see? She didn't die. She finally got away from you." Those blue eyes held nothing but hatred as they stared upon the vampire.
Angel eyes flashed amber for a brief moment as he held the demon back. "How dare you…" He took a step forward then stopped.
Gunn stepped forward. "I'm gonna go get some newborn formula."
Angel immediately calmed as he thought of his daughter. "Let me give you some cash."
As Gunn headed out, Angel sat next to Cordelia, who was cooing and smiling brightly at the smiling happy baby in her arms. She looked to Angel and nodded. "You want to hold her?"
He looked nervous. "Sure." She set Fia in his arms and a sort of calm washed over him. He wasn't angry at Lindsey anymore. He understood that Lindsey had lost someone very close to him and needed somewhere to vent how he felt. Angel looked into the baby's eyes as she grinned up at him. She was beautiful with quite a few of her mother's features. Even only an hour from birth she was calm and joyous.
Cordelia smiled at them. "You look good with her."
He smiled a little then sighed. "You should talk to Lindsey. He's… upset."
She snorted. "Over his beloved Chandra. The girl he loved."
"As a sister."
"That's why he slept with her." She stood and stretched. "Besides, if Giles can work some mojo then she'll be back, right? I mean, Olivia was saying that the water healed us. I was dead too."
Angel paused and looked up to her. "Why have you been keeping things from us?"
"Huh?"
"The headaches. They're worse, aren't they?"
She turned from him. "It's nothing I can't handle." She rubbed her arms, suddenly feeling cold. Fia broke her silence to let out a small cry, as if chastising Cordelia for what she knew was a lie.
Angel looked from his daughter to his best friend and grinned. "Can't put anything past my kid, huh?"
She sighed. "It started getting worse a little before we met Chandra. Then when the Neryak beast came…" She trailed off as she held her head. "I'm still light headed from it." She sat by him again. "You can't tell Lindsey, promise?"
He nodded. "On one condition."
She sighed and rolled her eyes. "And what's that?"
"That you tell me when it gets worse again?"
She grinned and kissed his cheek. "Yes, Daddy."
*~*~*
Lindsey stepped into the portion of the caverns where the ancient well lay. There he saw Giles cupping the water and sprinkling it onto Chandra's lifeless body. Faith was holding the younger slayer like a protective sister while Olivia watched with tears in her eyes.
"Make her drink it," Lindsey ordered as he stepped forward. "Remember? That's what Adriana did to Cordelia and Olivia." Giles nodded and cupped some water to the girl's mouth, gently pouring it in.
Faith looked up to them all. "I don't get it. I mean, how can a slayer protect life if she dies? And why is it some big ass chain of pain?"
Olivia sniffled. "It is the way of things, I am afraid. No one can tell. It is the way it has always been."
They sat in silence as they pondered over this until at last, Chandra's eyes opened and she gasped in a giant breath. Lindsey jumped to his feet and felt his heart rejoice at the sight of his little sis.
*~*~*
Fia was suckling the bottle that Gunn had bought. It was cute and dainty, fit for a girl with pink ribbons printed on it. Angel watched her in awe as she watched him. She wouldn't fuss or even make a noise since she scolded Cordelia. She just watched with patient eyes and smiled to him now and then as if to let him know it would all be okay.
Spike rolled his eyes. "This mean we can leave yet?"
Lilah looked to him. "Leave to your death maybe once Wolfram and Hart hear of this."
He snorted. "You really are full of yourself for a little tart, ain't you?" He faced her and lit a cigarette. "You know…"
"Put that out," Angel snapped.
Spike whipped his head around. "What?"
"You're not going to smoke that around my daughter."
"If she is who you say she is, she can deal or put it out herself!" Spike took a puff on his cigarette before it was snatched from his mouth. "Hey!"
Adriana flicked it to the ground and stomped on it with her boot. "No smoking." She smiled and began to laugh until she looked toward the back caves and gasped. "Chandra!"
The slayer grinned and stepped in further. "Hi…"
Angel quickly handed the baby to Adriana and ran to Chandra, taking her in his arms and hugging her close. "I thought I'd lost you."
She hugged him back. "You did for a minute there."
"But your back and everything will be okay now."
She pulled back. "Angel…"
He looked to her eyes. "Yeah?"
"I'm leaving. For good. And I'm leaving Fia with you to take care of her."
His heart sank. "What?"
"You and I both know you belong with Adriana and my duties as a slayer are far from over. You'll have a slayer here to help you. Faith is going to stay. But I've seen the future, Angel, and I'm not there."
He nodded slowly, coming to the realization that she was probably right. She had only felt pain with him and now it was time to move on.
Chandra took her baby from Adriana's arms and cuddled her close. "Goodbye my baby girl. I'll never forget you. I love you." Fia cooed up at her but did not cry. She seemed to also understand what needed to be done. Chandra placed her back in the Huntress' arms and turned to Lindsey. "I'll miss you, CJ. Take care of your Queen." She gave him a hug and turned to Olivia. "I'll no longer need the council. I think that the visions are under more control."
Olivia nodded. "It was wonderful to know you."
A few more goodbyes were said. But after a while, Chandra picked up her bag. "It's been swell, but the swelling's gone down now." She smiled and waved before heading out of the cave and out of their lives.