FUTURE IMPERFECT
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters except for the ones that I created like Hope, Nicholas, and Callie.
CHAPTER 17-PRESENTS, AND NOT HIM AGAIN
Shit, meet fan. That lone solitary thought kept railroading itself through Wesley's head as his gaze flickered back and forth between the two slayers as a nervous Buffy slowly walked towards them. For her part Faith remained motionless but from the frayed look in her eyes Wesley half expected her to hand Hope off to him before taking off as fast as her legs would carry her. But just as the two slayers neared each other, standing only a foot or so apart, Wesley's attention was pulled away elsewhere as an impatient Dawn pushed Spike away from the car and towards Buffy.
"B…," Faith said with a well hidden voice that was full of worry and fear as she tried her best to smile as Wesley took a step closer to her.
"Faith…," Buffy replied with an equally nervous and anxious look on her face before Wesley and Spike gave each other the once over with their eyes before the two shared a common look. Both tensed up to be ready in case anything happened between Faith and Buffy.
"Here Wes take Hope…," Faith said abruptly with a tired smile on her face as she handed Hope to Wesley before turning back to Buffy. The two slayers stared at each other for what seemed like an eternity while Giles tried his best to get around the front of the car so as to help pull the two slayers apart if it came to that. Before anyone, even Buffy or Spike, could react Faith stepped forward. But instead of aiming a fist at Buffy's jaw or a well placed kick to her stomach Faith wrapped her arms around the blonde slayer in a tight hug. Despite the looks of shock from everyone involved Buffy nervously returned the hug.
"See…I told you that she'd changed…and you guys were worried that they'd fight…," A frustrated and impatient Dawn exclaimed with a triumphant smile on her face as she elbowed Spike hard in the ribs.
"That went better than expected…," Wesley thought with a concerned frown on his face before Hope began to fuss up a storm, causing Faith to pull away from Buffy and turn her gaze back towards her daughter. "I think she wants her mommy to hold her," Wesley said with a nervous smile on his face before he handed Hope back to Faith.
"Of course she does…daddy carries you around like a sack of flour…doesn't he," Faith whispered softly with a sneaky smile on her face as she shifted Hope to her left arm and picked a small leaf out of Hope's hair. While that act was going on an overly nervous Buffy turned her head to look over at Giles, who responded with an optimistic but yet nervous smile.
"See luv…," Spike started to say with a relieved smile on his face before he ran out of things to say and finally ended up just continuing his smile and laying his hand on Buffy's shoulder.
"I think that perhaps it would be best if we all moved to the barn before everyone comes out wondering where we are…," Wesley interjected with still a nervous smile on his face as he copied Spike's move and laid a hand on Faith's shoulder. It was an act that really seemed to help Faith to calm down as she leaned back against Wesley's chest slightly before she nodded her head in agreement.
"Yeah…," Buffy added with a nervous shrug of her shoulders before wincing slightly with a queasy frown on her face. Without another word from anyone they all headed towards the barn and slipped through the crack in the doorway.
* * * * * *
Faith and Wesley let Giles and Willow go in first with Buffy, Spike, and Dawn behind them. When if finally came time to face the music that they had been dreading for the past three years Faith looked up to Wesley with a rare terrified look in her eyes and a slight quiver of her bottom lip. The look on her face was one that seemed to say that she wanted to go run back into the house and crawl back under the covers with Wesley and Hope and never come out. Wesley replied at first with a kind and loving smile before he leaned down and captured her lips with his in a kiss that he had initially intended to be short and sweet but snowballed into a long and passionate one, with their tongues battling for dominance. As the kiss wore on Hope almost seemed to understand what was going on and momentarily looked away and sighed before turning back and slapping Faith's cheek with all of her power.
"Looks like someone has a problem with her mommy and daddy kissing…," Faith mumbled softly with a confidant smile on her face before she gave Hope a mock dirty look.
"Just wait till she's seventeen and catches us…," Wesley started to say with a sexy smirk on his face before Faith rolled her eyes and shook her head. Before Wesley could respond Faith walked into the barn and left Wesley standing outside. With a nervous laugh Wesley followed his wife into the barn and closed the door behind him. He had barely taken a step inside of the barn before the maelstrom struck.
"Wesley," Fred nearly screamed out with delight before she rushed forward and gripped him in the tightest bear hug that she could must. Over her shoulder Wesley was able to catch Gunn smile slightly and nod his head before shrugging his shoulders and mouthing the words, "Sorry English…but you're on your own."
"Hello Fred…," Wesley said with a surprised smile on his face before the Texan finally released her death grip and wiped away a tear.
"Fred…nice to see you again," Faith stumbled through with a nervous smile on her face before Fred started to make baby noises to Hope, who seemed to like the attention.
"Looking good watcher man," Xander shouted with a joking smile on his face before he knelt down quickly to keep the food on Christopher's plate from falling to the floor.
"Thank you Xander…you to…and Anya," Wesley replied with a nervous smile on his face before Anya frowned impatiently at Xander and then walked up to him.
"You don't look weak and nosy…," Anya declared with her usual total lack of tact smile on her face before everyone yelled her name collectively as Xander blushed a deep crimson and shook his head. "What…," Anya asked with a confused and slightly hurt frown on her face as she shrugged her shoulders and looked around. Wesley tried to think of something to say to calm the former vengeance demon down but his thoughts were interrupted by Cordelia stomping up to him.
"You've got a lot of nerve pal…skipping town like that and only leaving a note…never telling us where you were or if you were okay…," Cordelia said with a very angry scowl on her face as she poked Wesley in the chest with her finger and glared at him. Out of the corner of his eye Wesley could see Faith looking around for a place to sit Hope down before laying the smackdown on the former cheerleader. But before Faith could hand Hope off to a startled and obviously nervous Willow Cordelia's angry visage shattered and a tear strolled down her cheek. "Don't ever do that again or I'll…," Cordelia started to add with a stern frown on her face before her look changed to an excited smile and she wrapped her arms around Wesley's neck and kissed his cheek. Barely audible was Faith's relieved sigh at not having to snap Cordelia's neck. Sullen in the back Connor barely looked at either Faith or Wesley, occupying himself with splitting a piece of hay lengthwise.
"Can I…," Fred asked with a slightly overwhelmed smile on her face as she was almost begging to hold Hope. For a moment Faith hesitated but then relented and let Fred take Hope, lest she hurt the Texan's feelings.
"Liam's gotten big," Wesley said with a slightly startled look on his face as Liam came running up with a full glass of water in his hands, spilling it everywhere.
"Yeah…Liam," Cordelia said softly as she started to agree before her son dumped what was left of his glass of water out onto her shoes. Unable to hold in a laugh Wesley pressed further on into the barn and away from Cordelia, finally finding a seat beside a bored looking Angel on a bale of hay.
"Nice party…," Angel mumbled with a nervous smile on his face as he tried to keep his eyes off of Buffy, who at that moment was standing on the opposite side of the barn perusing the beverage table with Spike at her side. The former vampire had an arm around Buffy's waist and held her close.
"Thanks…she's happy Angel…I know that it's killing you to see them together but it's happened, somewhere along the way you lost her, and now if you're not careful you might do even worse," Wesley said at first with an overly happy smile on his face as he leaned back up against the wall before he turned his head towards Angel and followed the vampires' gaze.
"I know…it's just that…but Spike…," Angel mumbled out with a look of total disbelief and confusion before he ran his hands through his hair.
"Would you rather have had her wind up with that bloody wanker Riley…or God forbid that ponce Parker," Wesley interjected with a sincere look of concern on his face as he clasped his hands together on his lap and smiled as Gunn sat down next to him.
"Don't have to worry about him…slime demon got him a few weeks ago…I even took pictures," Angel replied with a restrained look of glee on his face before he and Wesley shared a laugh.
"What's so funny, Cordelia switch Angel's O-positive with fruit punch again," Gunn asked with a good natured chuckle as he leaned his shoulder into Wesley's.
"No…Angel's just catching up on some of the brooding that he missed," Wesley answered with a joking smirk on his face before Angel turned his head and glared at the former watcher.
"We should open the presents now," A very chipper Anya declared with a huge grin on her face as she picked up one of the presents that she had brought for Hope and turned to Faith.
"Ah crap…," Faith muttered under her breath with an angry scowl on her face as she rolled her eyes and jammed her hands into her pockets.
"Yeah…presents," Dawn cheered with a broad smile on her face through a mouthful of cake as she looked up from her seat near where Xander was trying to keep a rambunctious Christopher under control.
"Dawn…," Buffy said with a motherly scolding tone to her voice as she glared down at Dawn while Spike filled her glass with punch.
"What…," Dawn mumbled back, her mouth still full of cake, and a slightly hurt frown on her face.
"Anya…you really didn't have to get us anything, we're fine…seriously," Wesley interjected with a nervous smile on his face as he ran a hand through his hair and tried to keep from blushing.
"You sure…because I read that in mass gatherings of this kind consumer goods are exchanged as gifts…," Anya asked with a nervous and sad pout on her face as she turned to look at Xander, as if asking for help.
"Why don't we just let Wesley and Faith open the presents and we'll worry about consumer goods later okay," Willow exclaimed with a very nervous smile of hope on her face, one that she kept until her cheeks began to hurt.
"Fine…let's just get this over with," Faith mumbled with a bored frown on her face before she walked over and squeezed down in between Gunn and Wesley, leaning her head on Wesley's shoulder and laying her hand on his hip.
"Goodie," Anya squealed with delight as she picked up a couple more bags and rushed over to set them down in front of Wesley and Faith. At Wesley's side Angel looked about ready to bolt for the exit but since every eye in the barn was pretty much on him he couldn't go anywhere. He got a bit of relief when a nervous and bored looking Gwen squeezed in to his left, draping her legs lazily over his lap. That action brought a raised eyebrow of concern from Buffy and a thinly veiled glare from Cordelia. But other than that most of those in the barn barely paid the act any heed.
"Here…open this one first…," Fred said with a look of extreme excitement on her face as she shifted Hope from one arm to another before carrying a blue box with a nice pretty pink bow on it over to Faith.
"Here dear…you open it," Faith said with a fake smile plastered across her face as she handed the package to Wesley.
"Thank you honey," Wesley said back with an equally fake smile plastered across his face before he took a quick look over at Hope and then ripped through the wrapping paper.
"It's a sweater…," Anya exclaimed with an overjoyed smile on her face as she jumped to her feet and looked around the room.
"Uh An…you're supposed to let them open the present first and see for themselves…hence the whole…surprise aspect…," Xander said with a totally embarrassed frown on his face as he pulled Anya down beside him.
"Thank you…Anya…really," Wesley said with a frustrated and overwhelmed smile on his face as he opened the box and pulled the dark blue sweater out.
"Yeah…thanks," Faith added with a forced chipper smile on her face as she took the sweater from Wesley and looked it over, a part of her mind already thinking on what to buy with the money that she'd get after returning it. The next hour was spent with an overly anxious Anya handing one gift after another to Faith and Wesley and almost having to be knocked unconscious to keep from telling what was inside. A few of the presents were clothes for Wesley and Faith, with Angel's gift being a new set of mystical monogrammed daggers and an amulet of protection for Hope. Hope's pile of toys had started to reach an astronomical height before Wesley and Faith looked at each other with concerned looks on their faces. The unspoken question between them was where they supposed to put all of the toys. By the time that all of the presents were done being presented Wesley breathed a sigh of relief and thanked his lucky stars that Anya hadn't gotten Hope something like a pony.
"That's the last one right…," Wesley asked with a hopeful but tired smile on his face as Faith sat back down beside him, after getting something to drink for herself, and passed him his glass of lemonade.
"Almost…there's one more," Giles said with a sleepy smile on his face as he walked towards Wesley and Faith with a large box in his hands that had what looked like breathing holes cut into it.
"What's wrong with the box G…it's got like a million holes…," Faith asked with a confused and somewhat worried laugh as she looked up at Giles.
"You'll see…I had this specially delivered…," Giles replied with a kind and excited smile on his face as he set the large package down on Wesley's lap.
"Watch out…it might be a poisonous snake," Anya exclaimed with a hesitant look on her face before Xander shook his head and dropped his head into his hands.
"It's not a poisonous snake Anya…or else there wouldn't be holes," Buffy said with a slightly annoyed look on her face before Spike butted in.
"Besides…you'd better stop now, before the Whelp has a heart attack," Spike added with a daring smirk on his face that quickly became an almost cocky grin.
"Hey," Xander shouted with an angry scowl on his face as Spike tried his best to keep from laughing before Buffy loudly cleared her throat and glared at Spike.
"That's enough you two," Giles exclaimed with a frustrated and tired look on his face as both Wesley and Faith were eyeing the package on Wesley's lap with confused looks and Fred had brought Hope a little closer and sat down beside Gunn.
"Guess something things never change…," Faith muttered softly under her breath to Wesley with a cheesy smile on her face as she kept an eye on the package.
"So open it already," Gunn said with an excited smile on his face as he leaned back up against the wall and crossed his arms.
"Okay…Faith could you get the other…side, and…," Wesley said softly with an uncertain look on his face as he and Faith slowly pulled the lid off of the box.
* * * * * *
"Please tell me that you haven't been here all day," Callie asked with a nervous and almost pitying smile on her face as she leaned up against the doorway and aimed her gaze directly at Nick.
"Uh…not exactly…," Nick replied with a meager smile on his face before he became aware of the five empty Styrofoam cups of coffee sitting haphazardly around him.
"Nicholas…," Callie moaned with a short laugh as she walked into the room and wrapped an arm around her boyfriend.
"Okay…I've been here all day, but you know how I told you that I've been having a hard time deciphering this appendix to the Dringogen texts that Ms. Summers has," Nick said with an embarrassed sigh before he took a sip of cold coffee.
"Yeah…so what, she has the texts and Ale…Wesley can decipher anything that she need deciphered…so how about this…you put down that stuffy old book and come with me," Called asked with a bored frown on her face before she wrapped her arms loosely around Nick's neck and rested her chin on his shoulder.
"And do what, I have a lot of work to do and…," Nick started to say with a nervous smile on his face as he turned another page in the appendix.
"And I'm not wearing any underwear…," Callie whispered with a seductive tone to her voice as Nick's eyes grew wide.
"Well…I think this appendix can stay un-deciphered a bit longer without hurting anyone," Nick said with an overexcited smile on his face before he closed the appendix with authority and stood up before turning around to take Callie in his arms.
"Thought you'd see it my way," Callie said with a sexy grin before she pulled Nick down into a steamy kiss. Before long the ancient librarian loudly cleared her throat and glared at the couple.
"Sorry Ms. Greenwalt," Nick said with a very embarrassed smile on his face before he quickly picked up his coffee cups and ushered Callie out of the corner of the library, never seeing the nondescript man watching them from across the room. The man waited until he saw the couple outside before he rose out of his seat and crossed the library, finally stopping at the table that Nick had been working at. After looking around to make sure that no one was watching him he started to flip through the book before slamming it shut angrily.
"This is Finn…I've got a situation here, I'm going to need the whole team…maybe more," The man said with a very frustrated scowl on his face after taking a cell phone out of his pocket and dialing a number.
END OF CHAPTER 17
