FUTURE IMPERFECT
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters except for the ones that I created like Hope, Liam, Christopher, and Nick.
CHAPTER 14-THINKING THINGS THROUGH
"Faith…," Angel shouted in alarm with a shocked look on his face as he and Gwen shot away from each other, leaving Faith to only stare at the two with an eyebrow cocked up in confusion and a bored looking Hope in her arms.
"Okay…not exactly what I expected to find but…who am I to judge…," Faith said softly with the edges of her mouth curled up in a restrained smile. At Faith's words Angel found himself unable to come up with an answer, but Gwen answered for the both of them, however with her usual lack of tact around new people.
"Fuck off…," Gwen mumbled angrily before she stormed past Faith and out of the barn, leaving Angel standing like a statue before he made an attempt to try to quell the tense situation.
"Gwen wait…," Angel shouted with a great amount of nervousness in his voice as he started to rush off after Gwen but halted when he got to the door and remembered that he didn't have a blanket to hide under.
"Was it something I said…," Faith asked softly with a quickly growing grin on her face as she casually walked further into the barn before setting Hope in the playpen up against the way and throwing her a teddy bear.
"Don't start Faith…," Angel tried to say with some authority in his voice, but it ended up sounding more like the two and a half century old vampire was begging.
"What…I'm not able to crack a joke when the fuc…bitch queen…," Faith started to say back with her usual could care less appearance as she sat down on a nearby bale of hay and crossed her legs. She stopped herself abruptly when she remembered that Hope sat nearby, seemingly hanging on her every word.
"Stop it Faith…it's not what you think…," Angel said with a frustrated scowl on his face as he ran a nervous hand through his hair but didn't turn around.
"It's not what I think…hmm…you mean my little angel and I didn't walk in her and catch you and the bi…Gwen…making out…," Faith quipped with a sporting smile on her face as she leaned back up against the wall and set about cleaning some dirt out from underneath her fingernails.
"We weren't…making out Faith…we kissed…but that's all…," Angel grumbled with an angry look on his face as he finally turned around and looked over at Faith. In the back of his mind he could hear Angelus begging to be let out and rip Faith's throat out before feasting on Hope, but Angel forced back his inner demon and stared at his shoes.
"If you say so Angel…if you say so…," Faith said with an almost bored look on her face as she stopped cleaning the dirt out from underneath her fingernails and brushed some dirt off of her shoe.
"Was there an actual reason why you came in here Faith or…," Angel asked with an impatient shrug of his shoulders as he tried to keep his gaze locked on Hope playing happily in her playpen instead of the formerly rogue slayer.
"Well as a woman in my condition I'm supposed to be taking it easy…so we let daddy take the groceries in…didn't we Hope…," Faith started to say with an almost tired smile on her face before she finished in a voice that Angel had never heard her use outside of when she talked to Hope, or to Wesley late the earlier night when she didn't think that anyone could hear.
"So I was right then…," Angel asked with a rather smug smirk on his face as he backed up to a chair that was set near the wall and sat down, grinning merrily at Faith.
"Yes Angel you were right…I'm pregnant…again…but…," Faith replied softly with suddenly an almost worried look on her face as she idly poked at the bale of hay that she was sitting on.
"Wait…there's a but…," Angel asked with a quizzical look on his face as he picked his head up and looked across the barn entrance at Faith.
"Well not about the baby…the baby's fine…but when Wesley and I were getting groceries I was holding Faith and this little boy walked up and mostly just stared at me…," Faith said with an uncomfortable frown on her face as she looked over Hope and let her left hand dangle over the rim of the playpen.
"Okay Faith…that's a little weird but not…," Angel started to say with a slightly confused frown on his face before Faith interjected.
"He wasn't there Angel…only I could see him…Wesley thought that I was going crazy there for awhile…but then the kid tried to say something to me but I couldn't hear anything other than Wesley," Faith replied with a nervous and slightly scared look on her face as Hope stood up in the playpen and grabbed her fingers, using them to stay standing.
"Did you recognize the boy…," Angel asked as he leaned forward and put his hands on his knees.
"That's the part that got me all wigged out…I felt like I did…but I still can't figure out how or from where…," Faith answered with a scared look on her face before Angel walked over and sat down beside her. As best he could he put his arm around Faith and tried to ease her anxieties.
* * * * * *
"Ah…New York City…the Big Apple…home of the Yankees…the Mets…and…," Xander started to state proudly as he puffed his chest out before taking in a deep breath. Seconds later he doubled over in a fit of coughing. "Not to…mention the rainbow of pleasant aromas and…," Xander added as he waved his hand in front of his face to try to dissipate the cloud of car exhaust that had wafted his way.
"Ooh…don't forget the alligators in the sewers and the…," Anya started to add with a more than chipper smile on her face as he held onto Christopher's hand before Gunn interrupted her.
"That's an urban legend Anya, there aren't any alligators in the sewers…," Gunn interjected with a good natured grin on his face as he looked around for their rental cars.
"You mean like that movie that we watched last night…," Anya asked with an innocent look of wonder on her face as she turned to Xander.
"Kind of…," Xander replied with a slightly unsure of what to say frown on his face before he took Christopher's other hand and helped Anya lead him across the busy street.
"So what did Buffy say when she called…," Cordelia asked softly as she turned to Willow, who smiled and shrugged her shoulders before answering.
"Just how to get to their hotel…and that she already hates being pregnant…," Willow replied with at first a calm look on her face before she finished with a slightly frumpy frown.
"That's the part that I'm having so much trouble with…," Xander said with a bored look on his face as Anya spotted their car.
"Xander you knew that Buffy…," Cordelia started to say with a frustrated scowl on her face as she pulled a tired Liam along behind her.
"I didn't mean Buffy I meant Faith…I just can't picture her pregnant…," Xander said with a confused look on his face as he let go of Christopher's hand and used the key to open the trunk of their rental car.
"Let's just hope that they took pictures…," Lorne added with a nervous frown on his face as a few passersby began to stare at him.
"If they didn't I brought forty rolls of film…we can take many…," Anya nearly shouted with delight, completely ignoring the shocked looks of everyone else.
"This is going to take forever…," Connor mumbled with an angry frown on his face as he leaned back up against a nearby van and shook his head.
* * * * * *
Spike had stayed longer that he had planned at Dawn's dorm room and would be bolting for the door had her two roommates not come charging back through the door, chatting loud enough to wake the dead. From nearly the moment that the two walked in the door Spike could almost see the years of his life ticking away as he bet that the two would want to know everything about him and once Dawn got started talking it could take forever. But remembering a promise that he had made to Buffy during a late night on the road, one in which he promised to be nice to Dawn's roommates and friends no matter what, Spike gritted his teeth and turned around, showing off his best smile and preparing for the onslaught of questions to commence.
"You don't know what you're talking about…," One of the two said with a rather defiant look on her face, almost instantly reminding Spike of Dawn.
"Oh and you do…," The other replied with a bored and frustrated frown on her face before the two noticed Spike.
"Whoa…," Both mumbled under their breath as their eyes grew wide, causing a nervous Spike to look down and stifle a short chuckle. Dawn remained immobile for a few seconds, taking in the whole situation with a worried look on her face, before she shook her head and rushed to Spike's side.
"Alyson…Sarah…you remember I told you about Buffy's boyfriend…," Dawn mumbled out with a nervous look on her face as she patted Spike lightly on the shoulder. Alyson and Sarah did their very best to not act outwardly like what they were, two young women staring at one of the hottest men they'd ever seen.
"Y…yeah…," Alyson stammered out with a nervous smile on her face as Spike smiled politely and shook her hand.
"You forgot to mention that he's gorgeous," Sarah whispered to Dawn under her breath before she to shook Spike's hand.
"So you two are the Nibblet's roommates," Spike asked with a good natured smile on his face, completely ignoring the angry glare that Dawn was sending his way.
"Yeah…," Alyson said with a nervous look on her face as she kept her eyes glued to Spike. The former vampire could see the two young women looking him over from top to bottom with more than a little amount of interest in their eyes but decided not to say anything and play it cool.
"That all you can say luv…," Spike asked with a sly grin on his face as he shifted his weight from one foot to the other.
"Y…yeah…I mean no…," Alyson stuttered softly before she clenched a fist in frustration and shook her head.
"You're British," Sarah exclaimed with almost a look of awe and wonderment on her face as she shoved her hands into her jeans pockets. Almost instantly after finishing her statement Sarah mentally smacked herself for sounding like a child.
"Bloody right I am…but Dawn and I really should be going," Spike replied with a slightly cheesy grin on his face before he turned to Dawn, begging her with the look in his eyes to agree.
"Right…Buffy will probably get worried, c'mon Spi…William, let's go," Dawn started to say with a slightly confused look on her face before she got what Spike was trying to hint at and grabbed his arm on her way out the door. Spike was able to get out a short wave to Alyson and Sarah before Dawn shut the door behind them.
* * * * * *
After the incident in the barn Gwen had stormed into the house and locked herself in the bathroom. Wesley had watched her storm through the kitchen looking like she was trying to hold back a sea of tears as he was finishing up in putting the groceries away. He wanted to rush right out to the barn and almost outright demand an explanation. But after living with Faith for the past few years he'd learned better. Checking the clock he noted that it was getting close to the time when Faith would have to leave to go do her radio show. Just as he was about to leave the kitchen he stopped by the refrigerator and grabbed a bottle of juice for Hope.
The walk to the barn was slow and peaceful, allowing him the time to watch a squabble between two squirrels. They appeared to be fighting over an acorn. With a light laugh Wesley shook his head and continued on his way. He slipped into the barn and found Faith lazily leaning up against one of the walls while Angel was holding Hope on one of the bales of hay and using a teddy bear to keep her entertained.
"All I'm saying is that I'm not going to get in the middle of this Angel, if Cordelia and Gwen want to rip each other eye's out then I'm going to let them…," Faith said with a serious look on her face as she leaned up against one wall and looked over at Angel.
"Faith please…I, Wesley, can you please talk some sense into her…," Angel replied at first with a serious look on his face before he noticed Wesley walking in out of the corner of his eye.
"Sorry Angel but I know better than that," Wesley said with a slightly mischievous grin on his face as he walked over to Faith and put an arm around her shoulders. "Besides…she never listens to me anyway," he added with a sly smirk on his face, one that got him a sharp elbow in the ribs. With his smile growing he leaned down and planted a soft kiss on Faith's lips. Reluctantly pulling back from the kiss Faith grabbed Wesley's wrist and twisted it until she could get a good look at his watch.
"Shit…," Faith exclaimed with a look of shock and worry on her face before she broke out of Wesley's embrace and rushed out of the barn.
"What was that about," Angel asked with a slightly confused frown on his face as he looked up and over at Wesley.
"She has to be at the radio station in an hour to do her show," Wesley replied with a soft sigh as he pushed off of the wall and walked over to Angel before sitting down beside the vampire. As Angel nodded his head and smiled he handed Hope, who was now trying her best to reach the bottle of juice in Wesley's hand, back to her father.
"So are you ready for tomorrow…I don't think that I have to tell you that it's going to be crazy…," Angel asked with a concerned and slightly somber frown on his face as he leaned back up against the wall and stared up at the ceiling.
"Honestly…no, I doubt that Faith and I could ever truly be…ready…for tomorrow, but we've put it off long enough," Wesley trailed off with a calm and somewhat tired look on his face as he let a happy Hope have her bottle as he held her.
"I don't know what I'm going to do with Cordelia and Gwen…," Angel asked, very nearly out of the blue, as he turned his gaze back towards the former watcher.
"This wouldn't have anything to do with Gwen rushing into the house and locking herself in the bathroom by any chance would it…," Wesley asked with a grim frown on his face as he helped Hope keep the bottle at the right angle to reduce the amount of air that she took in. Angel noticeably winced at the comment before he looked away.
"Yeah…she…Gwen and I…we kissed, right before Faith walked in and caught us…it all went to hell after that," Angel said with a worried tone to his voice as his shoulders slumped a bit.
"Are you going to talk to her sometime…because," Wesley started to ask with a concerned look on his face as he stared out through the barn's open door.
"I don't really have much of a choice do I, I have to figure out exactly where Gwen and I stand before Cordelia arrives," Angel answered with a slow and somber nod of his head as he turned back to look at Hope and Wesley.
"You'd better, because if Cordelia's still the same…," Wesley began to say with a worried frown on his face as he tilted his head slightly to one side and gave Angel a knowing look.
"Then this will all explode in my face, won't it…," Angel finished with a deadly serious look on his face before he stood up and walked to the door of the barn.
"Probably…," Wesley replied softly as he looked towards the door, but Angel had slipped out before he had a chance to reply. "Tomorrow's going to be a big day Hope…so you need to help daddy and go to sleep on time so that mommy can get her beauty sleep," Wesley cooed softly to Hope with a cheesy smile on his face as he shifted his daughter around in his arms a bit.
"Aw…now this is a Kodak moment if I ever saw one…," An unfamiliar voice said softly from a ways away, making Wesley snap his head up and glare, eyeing a strange man that stood near the doorway.
"Who are you…what do you want…," Wesley snapped with an angry look on his face as he stood up and turned away slightly from the oddly dressed stranger, trying his best to use his body as a shield for Hope.
"Whoa…easy there…I'm not going to hurt you…or your daughter…and as for a name…just call me Whistler," Whistler replied with a shocked look on his face at first before he broke into a wide grin and leaned up against the doorway.
* * * * * *
Buffy had taken the time given her by Dawn taking Spike to see her dorm room to get to talk to Giles about a few things that were bothering her. She was still having a hard time trying to work through the fact that not only had Faith been alive the past three years but that she had gotten married, had a child, a home, and a great job, all without letting any of them know. And to have accomplished all of that in such a short time, and with Wesley, that fact was still bothering her. She hadn't seen Wesley since he had helped her and the others stop an apocalypse three years earlier and it hadn't seemed that there was anything going on between him and Faith, but she had been wrong about her observations before. From across the room Giles sat reading the newspaper, but kept an observant eye constantly on his slayer.
"Are you feeling okay Buffy," Giles asked with a sincere look of concern on his face as he folded the paper and laid it on his lap.
"Physically yeah, but I guess that I'm just nervous about tomorrow," Buffy replied with a nervous and apprehensive look on her face as she leaned back up against the bed's headboard and closed her eyes.
"I'm sure Faith has changed since we last saw her, motherhood is something that changes every woman," Giles said with an optimistic smile on his face as he sat straight up in his chair and leaned forward a bit.
"Let's hope…because I don't want to fight her anymore," Buffy replied with a tired yawn before she shook her head to try to keep herself from falling asleep.
"Well if I had to hazard a guess I think that all of the fighting between you and she is in the past," Giles said with a tired yawn of his own as he stood up and walked over near the bed, intent on staying with Buffy until Spike and Dawn got back. Had he stayed near the window a bit longer he might have noticed the pair of reptilian eyes staring up at the window.
END OF CHAPTER 14
