Summary: Post Chosen, somewhere in Angel, season 5 Buffy is in Italy, trying to find her new life when she has a Slayer dream that is nagging her more than she'd like. Especially with the weird images and the fact the other Slayers are all having a part of the dream. Meanwhile, Spike is in LA with Angel and fighting the good fight there when he finds an infant late at night. And so begins a Destiny older than spoken words, a Destiny that will bring them all together. (the summary might change)
Author's Note: I have changed Angel, season 5, a little: while they made the deal with Wolfram and Hart, they are still at the Hyperion and Spike is staying with them there after being brought back the exact same way as in the show and it is post "You're Welcome" (goes off cannon now)
disclaimer: I own nothing thanks Joss!
Story Title: Moon Spheres
Chapter 1: Shift
Buffy was dreaming. Somehow, the deep recesses of her mind, she knew that. The lush rolling hills splayed out before her were coated in gold-tinted grass from the radiant sun above her in the cloudless baby blue sky.
"Come on Buffy!" Buffy turned to see Dawn standing before her with a green-tinged glow surrounding her, almost embedded in her skin. Her eyes were also touched with the same green glow and Buffy could see hints of the beautiful woman she would be come.
"That's okay, I'll see you later."
Dawn shrugged, "Suit yourself." And pranced off. It was then Buffy noticed her friends were there too, glowing slightly but not green like Dawn. They were different, changed, but still her most beloved friends.
Buffy smiled at Willow and Xander then turned to Giles. The man she'd viewed as her father for so long. Her smiles were bittersweet, knowing that they could never be the friends they once were, but they would be forever a part of her. Buffy continued to explore the area, admiring the simplistic beauty.
"Buffy." She knew that voice. Buffy turned to see Angel standing there, glowing softly with a small smile. He was smaller some how, frailer, not as big and strong. He was still beautiful, but not quite so majestic as her young teenage mind had perceived him.
"Do you believe in destiny?" Angel asked her.
Buffy stared at him confused, "I guess so, I mean I'm a Slayer, it's kinda predestined."
Angel didn't seem to hear her, "It's strange, how things change. The world is shifting, Buffy. Changing. It's starting."
"Oh," Buffy said simply, thoroughly confused as she walked Angel walk away, melting into the sunlight.
"Hello pet," The smooth accented voice drifted to her ears and Buffy glanced at him in surprise.
"But-you're dead!" Buffy objected. Spike moved closer and Buffy took in the sight of his brightly glowing self.
"Undead," he corrected her and smirked, "Besides who stays dead around her anyway?"
Buffy couldn't help but crack a grin at that. She was now standing on top of the highest hill and she could see a dark shape in the distance. Buffy closed her eyes not wanting to see it.
"Buffy, luv, open your eyes," Spike's voice warmed her all over and she became unbearably hot.
"You have to see what's coming," Spike whispered over her shoulder and for a brief second, she felt his cool lips touch her neck. Buffy watched the dark shape and instantly was bombarded with flashes of Angel and Spike with a baby cradled in his arms. Then of Dawn crying softly, her tears the color of emeralds, and then she saw it. The clanging of swords and arches of light shooting into air.
"Are you ready Chosen One?"
And then a sword flew at her.
Buffy promptly woke with a scream on the tip of her tongue.
"Buffy? Are you okay?" Dawn was hovering over her, clearly worried.
"Nothing, Dawn," Buffy told her lightly, "Bad nightmare."
"'Kay," She responded with a slight hesitation, but headed back to her room.
She hadn't had a Slayer dream since the Potentials more than a year ago, but she sure as hell knew what they felt like and that was it. She turned on her side and stared out the window wishing for the sleep that wouldn't come.
Tomorrow, she promised herself, I'll call Giles and tell him. Even as she thought the words, a ripple of fear ran through her. Slayer dreams were never good.
Spike wanted a nice fight before bedtime. Nothing unusual, yet tonight there wasn't a single demon around.
"Bloody hell," He grumbled at the high pitch ringing of his cell phone.
"What do you want Peaches?" Spike commanded.
"Dammit Spike you left all the lights on downstairs," Angel grumbled.
"That's why you're calling me?" Spike asked incredulously.
"No," Angel admitted, "Giles called."
Spike stiffened and paused before speaking, "And?"
"He's suspicious," Angel told him flatly.
"What the hell does that mean?" Spike asked while scanning the alley. No demons.
"Some source described a new player in LA with bleached hair, average build and a black leather duster. Sound familiar?"
"Bleeding hell," Spike swore. He should have known Giles would have spies crawling all over LA.
"What did he say?" Spike demanded.
"He asked if I had heard anything about a new player. He also hinted the possibility of it being you."
Spike laughed, "Watcher actually thinks that?"
"It sounds like you Spike. Besides weirder things have happened," Angel insisted.
"Is he serious about this theory?" Spike asked.
"Didn't sound like it. I don't know," Angel told him.
Spike was silent for a moment as he started heading back.
"Did he say anything about Buffy?" He asked, trying to sound casual.
"She's fine. Dawn too," Angel said shortly, "You heading back?"
"Yeah, nothing here, besides I know how much you miss me," Spike drawled and Angel's response was to hang up.
Spike strolled through the alleys, sword swinging by his side. He moved gracefully between the cracks, when he heard a continuous scream behind him.
Spike sniffed warily and followed the high-pitched wail. He cautiously walked down a darkened alley outside of a club. The music vibrated lightly and he stared down at a bundled, squirming, little slip of a thing. Its face was squished and mouth wide open letting out that irritating high squeal.
"What the bleedin' hell are you doing out here?" he wondered out loud, reaching out, despite the odor, to pick the baby up. Its only response was to scream harder and wiggle in grasp. Spike suddenly stiffened and the baby's keen wail became sharper, obviously uncomfortable.
He turned to the shadows, "Come on out now, no use hidin'"
A vampire slinked out with a snarl, "Who do you think you are?"
"Kicker of your arse," Spike growled and swung his sword clean across his neck, sending his head rolling and bursting into dust. Not sensing anything else, Spike gripped the quieter baby in his arm and head back to the hotel.
The baby had been considerably quieter, but letting out small whimpers. Spike was at lost at how to take care of a baby, but he hoped Fred had some knowledge of what babies ate. Spike scrunched his nose in distaste, or at least knew how to change a nappy.
Spike swung the door wide open, "Peaches I'm home!"
Angel glanced up irritably from his office at the sound of Spike's loud voice, when he saw the bundle in his arm. His eyes widened and he rushed out to meet Spike.
"Want to tell me why you have a baby in your arms?"
Spike shrugged and dropped the sword with a clatter that jolted the infant.
"Found it outside of some club in an alley, dusted a vamp and took it here. Didn't know what else to do," Spike answered. He handed the baby over to Angel, "Smells like it's been sitting there for a bit."
"It's probably hungry," Angel muttered, rocking his arms slightly to soothe it.
"We should get some diapers; it doesn't look more than a few months old. It'll need wipes, a towel for now and some diaper cream so the baby doesn't get a rash."
Spike stared at Angel incredulously
"What?" Angel said defensively, "I know things!"
Spike eyed him warily, "You sure do." He set his duster gently on the back of the couch and headed upstairs, "You deal with the little sprout, I'll head to bed, night."
"Wait Spike, we need to get it-the baby- do you know if it's a girl or boy?" Angel asked.
"Didn't look. Have fun." Spike said with a wave and before Angel could say anything, he slammed his door shut.
"Great," Angel muttered and then turned to the baby, studying it in detail. He was right; it couldn't have been more than four or five months old. It had dark blue eyes and a thick head of dark blonde hair.
"What was all that noise?" a soft, feminine voice with a twang asked and he turned to see Fred standing on the stairs.
"Um-"
Fred's eyes widened, "Is that a baby?"
"Yeah, Spike found it. Hey, do you think you could watch the baby for a few minutes while I go and get some stuff for it?"
Fred descended the stairs and nodded, "Sure but-"
"Thanks-here," Angel thrust the baby in her arms and then took off leaving a very bewildered Fred behind.
"How will you know what to get?" Fred asked the empty room.
It took Angel less than 20 minutes to go to the nearest store and get formula, bottles, a couple pacifiers, diapers, diaper cream and a few toys.
Everyone had assembled down in the lobby, despite the fact it was past midnight, at the sound of the baby's wail.
Angel walked in and unloaded the various items on the front desk and rushed over to Fred who was holding the squalling baby as far as she could from her body without letting go while Wesley, Gunn and Spike stood there with pained expressions.
Fred looked exasperated, "I don't know what to do it just kept screamin' and screamin'"
"And screamin' and screamin'" Gunn finished for her.
"Here I'll take him," Angel told her and gently rocked the baby once more, cooing softly. Everyone stared at him.
"See," Spike said loudly, "He's like Mr. Mom."
Angel ignored him, "Fred could you get a bottle ready. There're directions on the back of the formula container and do 4 oz, this guy's gotta be pretty hungry. Aren't you? Aren't you?" Angel cooed, stroking the infant's cheek.
"Right, I'm on it," Fred said with a one last weird look.
"I'm gonna change the baby's diaper," Angel announced, "Wes, grab me a soft towel."
"Okay," Wesley said slowly, but complied.
Angel spread the towel out and gently as he could, pulled of the onesie and undid the diaper and his face scrunched as the foul smell hit him.
"Nasty," Spike said, backing away.
"Gunn, grab the night diapers out of the bag, wipes and the diaper cream. Fred, how's the bottle going?"
"Um, good!" Fred called, sounding slightly nervous.
"I'll check on her," Wes said and Angel nodded.
"These them?" Gunn asked and Angel glanced down, "Yeah, open the stuff."
"Well," Angel said focusing his attention back to the baby, "I guess she's a girl."
"Well that's good to know. She have a name?" Spike asked from his position far away.
"No Spike, babies don't come with name tags," Angel replied and took the diaper and wipes, easily changing her diaper.
"Okay, just a little cool stuff," Angel sweet talked and spread the diaper cream on and the baby began to make noise once more, "Oh I know, I know, it's so cold."
Angel quickly pulled her diaper on and buttoned the onesie.
"There you go! All better, now let's see how that bottle is going, Fred, Wes?"
"We got it," Fred called back and returned with a bottle.
"Test it on the underside of your wrist, if it feels hot, then we have to wait till it cools," Angel instructed.
"Um, feels okay," Fred said and handed him the bottle.
Angel guided the nipple into the baby's mouth and she eager latched on, sucking hard.
"How did you know all of that?"
Angel shrugged, "Reading I guess."
"Just what books were you reading?" Spike drawled, having had come closer since Angel threw out the diaper.
"Around I guess," Angel replied and rocked her gently as she ate, supporting the bottle.
"We should take her the doctor soon; see if something's wrong."
"I guess Wes and I could do that in the morning," Fred offered Angel gave her a distracted nod.
"I'm going to take the baby upstairs, she's gotta be tired."
The others stood there and watched Angel walk up the stairs, shutting his door softly.
"I guess we should all go back to bed," Wesley stated after a moment of silence.
"Yeah," Fred said softly, still staring at Angel's door, "I'll see ya'll in the morning."
The others murmured 'good night' and headed to their respective rooms.
Fred lay in her bed, shifting uneasily. There was something about the way Angel had held the baby that reminded her of something, something she knew…
With a sigh, Fred closed her eyes and drifted off into an uneasy sleep.