AUTHOR'S NOTE This is a continuation of A Moth to the Light and the Dark Angel chapter of Wedding Bells. Quick rundown: Buffy, Willow, Spike, Angel, and Illyria used a Time Turner to go to the year 2020 on a mission for the Watcher's Council. They meet up with Max and the gang and end up defeating an ascension and the Breeding Cult. Willow cures Max of the Logan virus by using a spell to bind the virus like the protein block in "Borrowed Time." She falls in love with Original Cindy, Illyria (the demon version of Fred) hooks up with Alec, and Spike falls for Jondy. Angel's soul is made permanent as a reward from the Powers that Be and he and Buffy can be together. The two of them return to 2004, but die in the Pulse five years later. Max and Logan marry in the presence of all of Max's living siblings and friends.

DISCLAIMER I made up Keene, but no one else. Everyone else belongs to Joss Whedon and James Cameron.

…

Keene – "Wise, Learned" Celtic/Gaelic

There was a flurry of activity early on May first. A small boy ran for the door of his apartment, but didn't make it far before a hand closed on the hood of his sweatshirt. "Uh uh uh," the woman said.

"Mom!" he whined. "Max and Case are downstairs and they're waiting for me!"

Max Guevara Cale smiled down at her son. "Your cousins can wait, Keene. It's the first of the month. You know what that means."

Keene's small face screwed up. "Aw Mom, not now! I wanna go out and play!"

She shook her head. "After your check-up. Come on!"

She led the reluctant child into the master bathroom of off her and her husband's bedroom. Keene ran to his father, who had just finished dressing and was drying his hair. "Dad!"

Logan Cale picked up his son and gave him a hug. "Hey buddy!" Noting Keene's pout, he added, "What's wrong?"

"Max and Case are waiting for me, but Mom won't let me go out," Keene complained. "She says I need to have my check-up first."

Logan met Max's eyes over their son's head before replying, "Well you should listen to your mother. It won't take long and then you can go out and play with your cousins."

Keene sighed. "Okay." He scampered into the bathroom as soon as Logan set him down.

Crossing the room, Logan caught his wife's arm before she headed into the bathroom. "Max, are you sure that this is still necessary?"

"Better safe than sorry."

"Max." Logan turned her around to face him. "Keene's five years old. Nothing's happened yet. And we don't even know if you're able to pass on these things to your children."

Max looked up at him. "We also don't know that I'm not. Look at Case! Tinga…" She fought back tears. "Tinga was my sister. She passed on her genetic traits; I might be able to, too."

Logan folded her in his arms and held her. "The virus is taken care of, Max. You don't have to worry anymore."

She laid her head against his chest. "The virus is contained by binding powder that was magically liquefied, injected into my bloodstream, and reinforced by a spell. Keene doesn't have that but he could have the virus strains."

Logan smiled and looked down at Max. "Where is Willow, anyway? We could have her do that to Keene just in case."

Laughing, Max shook her head. "Nah. She and Original Cindy are living the high life in Australia for a few months."

Logan cocked his head. "Australia?"

She shrugged. "Don't know. They'll be back soon."

"Mo-om! They're waiting!"

Max and Logan laughed. "I'd better go," Max said.

Logan hovered by the doorway as Keene sat on the closed toilet seat and Max swabbed the inside of his elbow with alcohol. Keene winced as Max slid a needle into his arm and withdrew a vial of blood. Spilling a few drops on a slide, Max turned the lights off, flicked on the microscope light, and examined the blood. Logan was relieved when she smiled.

She quickly checked Keene's vital signs and reflexes. Finally, she stood up and put her hands on her hips. "All right. Last check. Let me see."

Keene dutifully stood and turned around. He tilted his head forward while Max peered intently at the back of his neck. She grinned again and turned him around. Kissing his forehead, she declared, "All clear, kiddo! Now who's taking you out to play?"

"Aunt Jace."

"Okay." Max stood up. "Go ahead."

Keene bolted from the bathroom happily. Max took Logan's hand as they left the bathroom. "Barcode-free?" Logan asked.

Max nodded. "Barcode-free. Let's just hope he stays that way."

Logan sighed and sat on the bed. "Max, you need to stop this. Keene is five years old. He wasn't born with a barcode and one hasn't shown up in any of the monthly check-ups you've given him since then. Don't you think it's time you relaxed about it?"

"This is our son, Logan!" Max snapped, eyes flashing. "If you want to be cavalier about him, be my guest. But I'm not going to rest until I'm certain that Keene has no Manticore anything inside of him."

"Whoa!" Logan stood up in surrender. "I love Keene just as much as you do! But Manticore's gone. The Breeding Cult's been quiet for years. Nothing is going to happen to him."

Max sighed and dropped down onto the bed. "It's just, every time I look at him, I'm so afraid that someday he'll end up in a gray nightgown with a military haircut."

Logan sat next to her and held her. "He won't. I promise. Why are you so worried today, anyway?"

A smile played on her lips. "I'm just not looking forward to giving two check-ups a month. That's twice the worry."

His eyes lit up. "Max!"

She blushed and giggled as she took his hand and placed it on her abdomen. Amused by his amazed expression, Max whispered, "You can't feel anything yet."

His blew eyes met her dark ones. "I love you – Manticore and all."

Max smiled and pulled him to his feet. "Come on. If we hurry, we can catch Max, Keene, Case, and Jace. Those three'll wear her out."