Chapter 17

A couple of weeks later, Buffy and Angel walked into the Hyperion's lobby and were greeted with silence. "Hello?" Buffy called.

"Where is everyone?" Angel asked.

"Surprise!" Xander, Willow, and Dawn popped out from behind the reception area and Faith, Spike, and Connor, came down the stairs opposite Buffy and Angel. Dawn held a big cake with Congratulaions Buffy and Angel on it, Xander bent down and pulled out a big bowl of punch, Faith laid down plates, napkins, and utensils on the reception counter next to the cake, and Connor turned the settee around to reveal presents stacked around it. Willow said somthing in Latin and party decorations appeared.

"What's this all about?" Buffy asked.

"Well, since Shy's in remission and the Powers That Be-Loosin-To-Us have nothing else to throw at us, we figured... Party in baby's honor." Xander said. "An early baby shower if you will."

"Plus, we all wanted to see the baby pictures first and this was the only way for all of us to see them first... after you guys... and the doctor... of course." Willow said. Buffy began to cry. "Oh, we didn't mean to hurt your feelings. Or are those happy tears?"

"No." Buffy wiped her face. "My hormones are out of control. I don't remember having them this bad with Connor." Everyone shifted and looked away. Buffy started to cry again. "You guys said it wasn't that bad! Why did you lie to me?"

"Awe, Buff, we just didn't want to set you off." Dawn said, hugging her sister tightly.

"Well, you shouldn't have LIED to me!"

"Deep breaths." Angel said. "The doctor told you to be careful. No stress, remember?"

"Yeah, yeah. I remember."

"Hey, how about that cake!" Faith said.

"Cake..." Buffy nodded. "I could go for some cake."

"And punch." Spike said. "There's punch. And I made it."

"Then I think I'll settle for some tea."

Spike scoffed. "I make damn good punch."

"There's probably rum or something in it. Pregnant people can't have alcohol."

"I didn't put much in it!"

"Dawn, drop the ladle." Angel said as she started to pour herself a cup.

"So, where are the pictures?" Willow asked.

"Yeah I wanna see my baby brother." Connor said.

"Well, there's something we need to tell you." Angel said.

"Oh no..." Willow gasped. "Is the baby ok?"

"The babies are fine."

"Oh thank God." It took a minute for it to sink in.

"Babies?" Xander asked.

"As in, more than one?" Faith asked.

"You're having twins?" Dawn squealed.

"Oh my God!" Willow bounced up and down. "You're having twins!"

"I'm gonna have two little brothers?" Connor asked.

"Since when did you decide that they're boys?" Angel asked.

"Well, I decided it was going to be a boy, but then you told me twins. So, about five seconds ago."

"Congratulations!" Willow said, hugging Buffy tightly. "I can't wait to tell Giles."

"Actually, he already knows." Buffy said. "Angel and I talked to him on the way here. He's planning on flying in on Thursday for a couple of days."
"That's awesome!"
"Am I interuppting something big?" A male voice said from the front doors. "Cause, I was invited."

"Elijah!" Dawn ran over to the boy and hugged him tightly. "My sister's having twins!"

"Who is that?" Buffy asked Connor.

"That's Dawn's new boyfriend. They met a few weeks ago and started dating last week." Connor explained.

"Dating? How come she didn't tell me about him?"

"She said she meant to, but things got crazy."
"Buffy, Angel, this is Elijah Ardmore. Elijah, this is my sister Buffy and my brother-in-law Angel."

"Interesting names." Elijah said. "I've heard a lot about you."

"How much?" Angel asked.

"Angel." Dawn warned.

"Just checking you didn't reveal any deep, dark family secrets, that's all."

"Well, I'd just like to say congratulations on the baby... whoops, babies." Elijah said. "That's always happy news."

"How old are you?" Buffy asked.

Elijah chuckled. "Twenty two."
"Twnety two, huh? Dawn's nineteen."

"Buffy, chill." Dawn said.

"Hormones won't let me."

"You can ignore her." Dawn said to Elijah.

"It's cool. I don't mind being grilled by the big sis guardian."

"Well, the grilling will have to wait." Buffy said. "I want cake."

"Cake is always good."

Buffy stood in the corner watching her sister hug and kiss her new boyfriend. There was something off about Elijah and she couldn't place her finger on it. The party had wound down and they were all quiet and off in their own little worlds. Angel walked over to Buffy and took her hand. "Are you ok?" Buffy just made a noise and kept staring. Angel glanced at what she was looking at. "Oh. I see."

"There's something not right about him." Buffy said quietly.

"Baby, it's just your hormones. He's a nice guy and Dawn seems to like him."

"I know, but... It could be a spell. Like with that guy and the jacket!"

"It's not a spell."

"Well, how do you know that?"
"I smelled the magicks on that guy's coat. I don't smell anything but AXE body spray on him."

"Maybe it's the AXE! Maybe it's enchanted."

"Buffy."

"It's just, that's my little sister and I don't like that guy."

"It'll be ok Buffy. She's growing up."

"She needs to stop."

"Do you want to go home?"

"No. I want to go shopping again."

"Are the stores open?"
"It's only four o'clock."

"And why do you want to go shopping again? We've already got all the furniture we need for the baby. Whoops. I guess we need to double up on that."

"Besides, my boobs are popping out of this shirt. I need clothes that will fit me. And I need... God, I hate this, maternity clothes."

"Why do you hate that?" Connor asked, walking over to her.

"All those frills! And pastel colors! Bluck!"

Connor laughed. "Dad told me you used to wear that kind of stuff all the time."

"Not all the time. Sure, I went through a small phase, but that was only because I was trying to convince mom that I was going to be ok." Buffy perked up. "Hey Connor, do you want to go shopping with us?"

"Can't. I have a late afternoon class coming up. Wish I could though."

"Darn." Buffy perked up again and headed over to Dawn. "Hey Dawnie, do you wanna go shopping for the baby with Angel and I? We've gotta get more furniture and toys."

"Nah. Elijah and I have a date tonight." Dawn said.

"Oh." Buffy's face fell. "Well, ok. Where're you going?"

"The movies and then TGIFridays. Elijah says the Jack Daniel's chicken and shrimp is really good."

"If that's all right with you, Mrs. Summers." Elijah said.

"I guess so... Don't call me Mrs. Summers. Makes me feel old." Buffy said.

"You're not old at all."

"Yeah, ok. I guess you guys should go ahead and go then."

"Are you sure, Buffy?" Dawn asked. "You seem kind of upset."

"I'm sure your sister's just fine." Elijah said. "She's just got those crazy pregnancy hormones spinning out of control."

"She's standing right here." Buffy said.

"Buffy!" Dawn said. "Be nice."

"What? I am being nice."

"Come on, Dawn. Don't want to upset your sister anymore than she already is." Elijah said. "It was nice meeting everyone." He and Dawn waved and then headed out the doors.

"Boy, that Elijah is a nice guy." Willow said. She saw the look on Buffy's face. "But if you want me to turn him into a toad for you, I'll be more than happy to." Buffy glared at Willow. "Just saying."

"I don't know. I just think he's being too nice."

"Awe, give him a break. He was meeting the future in-laws for the first time." Xander said. Buffy delivered his arm a hard punch. "Ow!"

"That's really not funny."

"All I'm saying is he was meeting the people that care about Dawn the most and that's always nervewracking. Especially if the in-laws just so happen to be demons." Xander sighed dramatically. "Ah, the good old bad days."

"I just think there's something off about him."

"Not to get hit or anything, but I think Elijah was right." Willow said. "Maybe it's just your hormones going haywire."

"I'm kinda with B on this one." Faith said. "The guy was just too nice for my tastes."

"Thank you." Buffy said. "Hey, do you wanna go shopping with me and Angel for the baby?"

"You know what? I think I do."

"You want to shop for baby things?" Spike asked Faith.

"Yeah. As long as I don't have to try on anything frilly, I'm five by five."

"Girl scout's honor. No frills." Buffy said.

Dawn smiled at Elijah dreamily. "You're so awesome." She said. "I can't believe how lucky I am."

"I can't believe how lucky I am." Elijah said, making Dawn's heart melt. "You're the most wonderful woman I've ever been with."

"Really?"

"Really, really."

Dawn almost let out an insane fangirl giggle, but managed to stop herself. "Excuse me."

"Where're you going?"

"The lady's room."

"I'll be waiting."

Dawn smiled and scrunched up her nose the way Elijah said he thought was totally cute on her. "I hope so."

Elijah watched her walk away to the restrooms and then stopped smiling. He thought Dawn was a cool girl, but he wondered how much longer he had to keep this charade going for the Powers That Be. A few months ago, he had been hit with a mind blowing (and he meant that literally) vision of this pretty blonde chick and then another, darker haired chick that looked a lot like the first one. Then the Powers came to him in a dream... Well, actually, he had been more like standing in a pit of gray smoke that smelled like sulfer... And they told him about the Slayer and their plans to destory her to get their evil plans back on track. They had asked him to woo Buffy's little sister Dawn over and get her to tell him everything. So far, Dawn had withheld the fact that her sister was the Slayer and that her brother-in-law was a vampire. He needed to gain her trust. Unfortunately, the night hadn't gone like he'd planned. When Dawn had invited him to come to her sister's baby shower, he had thought it would be the perfect opportunity to get in good with the Slayer herself, but it hadn't been that easy. Apparently Buffy wasn't that easily wooed like her sister. The nice-guy act hadn't worked on her. He could tell that she was wary of him. The comment about her hormones hadn't gone over well with her either.

Dawn came back from the restroom and sat down. "I see you're still here."

A burning sensation at the back of his brain stopped him from saying anything sweet to her. Instead he said, "Not for long."

"What do you mean?"

"I gotta go to the bathroom now."

"Oh. Ok. I'll be here."

Elijah went to the bathroom, checked to see if there was anyone in there with him, and then locked the outer door so no one else could come in. The burning sensation was the Powers telling him they wanted to talk. As soon as he locked the door, the room turned into the fiery pit again and the shadows in the smoke surrounding him began to move. "I don't have long. I'm with the Slayer's sister."

"Yesssssss, we know." One voice said.

"You are making progresssssss with her?" Another voice asked.

"Yes. Today she ditched the Slayer to go with me. Didn't even offer to cancel with me."

"Thissssss issssss very good." The first voice said.

"Yesssss." A third voice piped up. "When the time comesssss, the Sssssslayer'ssssss ssssssissssster will choosssssse you over her."

"When is the time coming anyway?" Elijah asked.

"In due time. Have patience child." The second voice said.

"Go back to her now." The first voice said.

The room returned to normal and there was a pounding on the door. "Is there anyone in there? Is there anyone hurt?" A voice yelled through the door.

Elijah opened the door. "Sorry, I'm just really shy about going in public restrooms." He ignored their stares eh recieved as he headed back to Dawn. "Hey gorgeous, let's get outta here."