A/N This and the next few chapters will be written around and through the
various episodes of season 5. This one is written around the events of
Blood Ties.
Chapter Five-Happy Birthday
-Buffy-
I wake up with a strangled gasp, my hand flies to my stomach. It doesn't hurt. I pull my hand away. There is no blood, but I was certain. I felt it. I sit up and try to rubs the traces of sleep from my mind. I'm not sure exactly what I felt. I don't remember a dream, or seeing anything. I wrinkle my forehead. I didn't dream but I remember the feeling of something sharp running all the way through me and that familiar exciting tickle tingle that means Angel is near. It's like my spidey sense, but a thousand times more.
I sigh and flop back down on my bed. I've been dreaming about Angel, which ok is an every night occurrence, but these are different dreams. They are almost like prophecy dreams, but not. Besides, I think he and I are doing the whole calling and hanging up on each other thing.
I get up and brush my teeth and shower. I check out my stomach in the mirror. There is nothing marking it, not even a red spot but it still feels tender, almost like an old phantom pain might. I try to shake off the feeling and go downstairs for breakfast. I grab a glass of OJ and a bagel. I have training with Giles later and he's been hypersensitive about it with the whole Glory thing, not to mention the whole reinstatement to the Watchers Council thing.
Mom walks in the kitchen dressed to go to the gallery. She leans over and kisses my head.
"Happy Birthday, Sweetheart." She smiles at me and I groan.
"Oh, Mom, I was hoping everyone would forget and we could just pretend I didn't have one of those this year."
Mom laughs. "Of course we can't forget your birthday. You're only twenty. You can't possibly be tired of birthdays yet."
Mom has been severely sheltered against the hell that is my birthday, starting with my 16th, my first birthday as the chosen one.
"What have you got planned today?" She asks me.
I shrug. "Not much really. I've got training with Giles and then the party thing here."
"Meet me for lunch and we'll have an afternoon of shopping." Mom says.
I smile. "Okay, shopping is good."
"I thought that might lift your spirits. I've got to go; I'm running late, again. I'll see you at noon." She pecks me on the cheek and runs out the door. The house is quiet. Dawn has already gone to school.
*
I walk into the Magic Box. Willow is there bent over a table full of books. She looks up and smiles when I come in.
"Happy birthday, Buffy!"
"I really wish everyone would quit saying that." I grumble. "I'm sorry; Will, but you know what my birthdays are like."
"Maybe this one will be okay." She says, trying to sound optimistic.
I just look at her. "I don't think so."
"Did something happen?" her voice is instantly filled with worry.
I shake my head. "No, not really. Well, maybe. I don't know."
"Ok, spill." She closes the book she is reading and fixes her gaze on me.
I sit down at the table with a sigh. "You've got to promise not to tell anyone."
"Cross my heart." She makes an x over her heart.
I lean my elbows on the table and put my head in my hands. "I've been having dreams about Angel."
Willow looks perplexed. "But you do that sometimes."
"These are different. I don't know how to describe them. I'm always at the Bronze and he just shows up out of no where. He dances with me. We never say a word, not hello, not good bye not even how are you doing. The last one was even weirder. It was like the apocalypse outside and Angel and I both burned to ash." I avoid looking at her. "I called him, to make sure he was okay."
"Did you tell him about the dreams?" Willow asks
I shake my head. "No, I hung up on him."
"Do you think it was a prophecy dream?" She is already looking for books on dreams.
"I don't think so, but it wasn't a regular dream of Angel dream either, it had more realness to it. I don't know. It doesn't make sense."
"Maybe it's tied to Glory?" She offers, trying to help.
"I don't think so. I don't know, Will. It's got me creeped out though. I almost feel like he's sharing my dreams, but not. This morning something happened, sort of. I woke up with this sharp pain in my stomach. I could feel some cold and steel run all the way through me but there was no mark, no blood and hey look, not dead."
Willow knits her brows together in thought. "I'll do some research on dreams, see what I can find."
"Thanks Will. It's probably nothing, just another chapter in the freaky life of me."
*
Well, my birthday didn't disappoint this year. Although, I've got to say, my sister slashing her wrists ranks right up there with Angel turning evil. Oh, Dawn is ok, at least physically. Mentally, I don't know. I figure finding out you're a key that a hell goddess wants can mess you up pretty bad.
I sit outside on the roof next to my window. He didn't call today. I don't know why I expected him to, some girlish idea that we're sharing dreams. I wonder if he remembers it's my birthday or if I'm just an ex he doesn't even stop to consider anymore. Tears burn my eyes and I pinch the bridge of my nose trying to stave them off. I leap from the roof and land silently in a crouch on the ground. I need to pummel something.
Chapter Five-Happy Birthday
-Buffy-
I wake up with a strangled gasp, my hand flies to my stomach. It doesn't hurt. I pull my hand away. There is no blood, but I was certain. I felt it. I sit up and try to rubs the traces of sleep from my mind. I'm not sure exactly what I felt. I don't remember a dream, or seeing anything. I wrinkle my forehead. I didn't dream but I remember the feeling of something sharp running all the way through me and that familiar exciting tickle tingle that means Angel is near. It's like my spidey sense, but a thousand times more.
I sigh and flop back down on my bed. I've been dreaming about Angel, which ok is an every night occurrence, but these are different dreams. They are almost like prophecy dreams, but not. Besides, I think he and I are doing the whole calling and hanging up on each other thing.
I get up and brush my teeth and shower. I check out my stomach in the mirror. There is nothing marking it, not even a red spot but it still feels tender, almost like an old phantom pain might. I try to shake off the feeling and go downstairs for breakfast. I grab a glass of OJ and a bagel. I have training with Giles later and he's been hypersensitive about it with the whole Glory thing, not to mention the whole reinstatement to the Watchers Council thing.
Mom walks in the kitchen dressed to go to the gallery. She leans over and kisses my head.
"Happy Birthday, Sweetheart." She smiles at me and I groan.
"Oh, Mom, I was hoping everyone would forget and we could just pretend I didn't have one of those this year."
Mom laughs. "Of course we can't forget your birthday. You're only twenty. You can't possibly be tired of birthdays yet."
Mom has been severely sheltered against the hell that is my birthday, starting with my 16th, my first birthday as the chosen one.
"What have you got planned today?" She asks me.
I shrug. "Not much really. I've got training with Giles and then the party thing here."
"Meet me for lunch and we'll have an afternoon of shopping." Mom says.
I smile. "Okay, shopping is good."
"I thought that might lift your spirits. I've got to go; I'm running late, again. I'll see you at noon." She pecks me on the cheek and runs out the door. The house is quiet. Dawn has already gone to school.
*
I walk into the Magic Box. Willow is there bent over a table full of books. She looks up and smiles when I come in.
"Happy birthday, Buffy!"
"I really wish everyone would quit saying that." I grumble. "I'm sorry; Will, but you know what my birthdays are like."
"Maybe this one will be okay." She says, trying to sound optimistic.
I just look at her. "I don't think so."
"Did something happen?" her voice is instantly filled with worry.
I shake my head. "No, not really. Well, maybe. I don't know."
"Ok, spill." She closes the book she is reading and fixes her gaze on me.
I sit down at the table with a sigh. "You've got to promise not to tell anyone."
"Cross my heart." She makes an x over her heart.
I lean my elbows on the table and put my head in my hands. "I've been having dreams about Angel."
Willow looks perplexed. "But you do that sometimes."
"These are different. I don't know how to describe them. I'm always at the Bronze and he just shows up out of no where. He dances with me. We never say a word, not hello, not good bye not even how are you doing. The last one was even weirder. It was like the apocalypse outside and Angel and I both burned to ash." I avoid looking at her. "I called him, to make sure he was okay."
"Did you tell him about the dreams?" Willow asks
I shake my head. "No, I hung up on him."
"Do you think it was a prophecy dream?" She is already looking for books on dreams.
"I don't think so, but it wasn't a regular dream of Angel dream either, it had more realness to it. I don't know. It doesn't make sense."
"Maybe it's tied to Glory?" She offers, trying to help.
"I don't think so. I don't know, Will. It's got me creeped out though. I almost feel like he's sharing my dreams, but not. This morning something happened, sort of. I woke up with this sharp pain in my stomach. I could feel some cold and steel run all the way through me but there was no mark, no blood and hey look, not dead."
Willow knits her brows together in thought. "I'll do some research on dreams, see what I can find."
"Thanks Will. It's probably nothing, just another chapter in the freaky life of me."
*
Well, my birthday didn't disappoint this year. Although, I've got to say, my sister slashing her wrists ranks right up there with Angel turning evil. Oh, Dawn is ok, at least physically. Mentally, I don't know. I figure finding out you're a key that a hell goddess wants can mess you up pretty bad.
I sit outside on the roof next to my window. He didn't call today. I don't know why I expected him to, some girlish idea that we're sharing dreams. I wonder if he remembers it's my birthday or if I'm just an ex he doesn't even stop to consider anymore. Tears burn my eyes and I pinch the bridge of my nose trying to stave them off. I leap from the roof and land silently in a crouch on the ground. I need to pummel something.
