Chapter 22
Over the last three months, Angel had moved from Sunnydale to Buffy's house in LA. The press hounded Buffy and Angel everywhere they went, so they didn't get out much anymore. After Buffy had wrapped with Alice, she had cancelled any movies she had planned to be in over the next year and wouldn't be doing any more until further notice. Mandy, Buffy's PA, was doing their grocery shopping and anything else they needed so they didn't have to go out. Buffy had bought Angel his old office building that had an apartment underneath it for his private lawyer's office. Cordelia had followed her job to LA and now lived in a swanky apartment that Buffy had helped her buy.
Married life for Buffy and Angel wasn't as easy as they'd expected. Buffy was used to being away all the time or having something to do, but now all she could really do was hide in her house and learn to be domestic. Angel worked just as much as he used to and sometimes he would get so busy, he would end up having to stay at the office. Angel was worried about Buffy traveling to see HIM perform, so to make him happy, she didn't go. All of it caused them to fight more than usual, but they still loved each other and didn't regret getting married.
Thankfully, the band was in LA for a couple of gigs, so Ville had been keeping Buffy company. Bam tried his hardest to stay in LA so he could be there for Buffy, but he had things to attend to, so he couldn't always be there. But, at the moment, they were both in town and Buffy sat with them and happily showed them the latest ultrasound. "It's a boy." She said proudly.
"Are you sure it's not a sea monkey?" Bam asked, turning the ultrasound upside down.
Buffy snatched it back. "Yes, I'm sure." Ville held out his hand and Buffy handed him the ultrasound. "Next month's ultrasound, I'll get to bring home a DVD of it. It's one of those 4D ultrasounds."
"Have you picked out a name?" Ville asked.
She shrugged. "We've tossed a couple around, but nothing too solid. I like Landon, Connor, or Macon."
"What if you have a girl?" Bam asked.
Ville shook his head. "It's not a girl, Bam. See, there's the proof." He pointed to a spot on the ultrasound that made it clear the baby was a boy.
"These things have been known to be wrong."
"It's not wrong." Buffy said. "We're having a boy."
"Where is Angel?" Ville asked.
"He's at work as usual." She sighed and set the ultrasound down, slumping back on the couch.
"Pissing you off?"
"A little. You know, I'm starting to worry that mom was right. We should've had more time to get used to each other. I think I'm driving Angel crazy with my wacky hormones and the constant hounding of the paparazzi every time one of us steps out the door."
"Well, he knew what he was getting into." Bam said.
"It is annoying, but he seems like he's holing himself up in his office."
"You didn't ask him to move to LA. It was his idea."
"You're not helping." Ville scolded. He took Buffy's hand. "Listen, you need to talk to him. That's where Jonna and I went wrong. We didn't talk to each other. I don't want to see you lose this relationship."
"I don't either." Buffy said.
"Well, when he comes home tonight, talk to him."
"But I'm coming to the show."
"I know you want to get the band more press time..." She laughed. "But Buffy, you need to work this out with your husband. You two can't let this stuff build up and then explode. I know you too well. When you finally do explode, it's like watching Hiroshima go. And by the time the bomb drops, your son will have already arrived and it's never good for the child to go through that."
"I can speak from experiance."
"Exactly."
"Can I please come to the shows? Angel and I can talk after you guys are gone." She made a pitiful face and teared up her eyes.
"Don't pull that crying bullshit. I hate it when you do that. Makes me feel like I've killed your puppy or something."
"Awe, come on, Dad! Let little sis go to the concerts." Bam said. "She's been a good girl and she hasn't left the house in so long!" He gave Buffy a little dramatic hug and pouted at Ville with her.
Ville laughed. "Fine. Damn it, you two make me need a cigarette!"
Bam gave Ville a stern look. "Go outside with that, then."
Ville rolled his eyes and stood up. "I don't know why you insist on saying that every time. I know I can't smoke around her." He placed his hand over his heart. "I have not and will not smoke anywhere near the lovely and pregnant Buffy Summers." He gave them a devilish grin and headed for the back door.
"How's your mom?" Bam asked Buffy. "She hasn't seemed too thrilled about this."
"Well, actually, she's getting more and more thrilled every month. She's bought all these books about being pregnant and childbirth and taking care of the baby after it's born... She even got me the cliche book What To Expect When You're Expecting."
"Have you read any of them?"
"I read part of the cliche book. I couldn't stomach the childbirth book." She shuddered. "I really just don't want to think about that."
"That bad?"
"The videos they show you in school, you know the graphic ones that do the close up shot? I think I'd much rather watch that than think about how I'M going to feel. All I'm saying is: They better load my ass up with drugs."
Bam laughed. "Have you been to any breathing classes or baby yoga?"
"Hell no. That's stupid. And baby yoga? Please! That's for celebrity moms who want the attention."
Bam feigned being shocked. "You're saying you don't want the attention?"
Buffy laughed and shook her head. "I don't understand the fixation on celebrities and every little detail. Ninety percent of the time, it's fiction! Just the other day, Mandy brought a magazine that said mine and Angel's marriage was falling apart because this baby wasn't his. That the reason Jonna and Ville broke up was because the baby was Ville's." She rolled her eyes. "And my doctor told me that some reporter came in and tried to pay her for my medical records and updates on any future doctor's appointments. They had to kick another reporter out because he tried to pay her to give him copies of the baby's ultrasounds."
"Damn."
"I know. It's annoying as hell. You think the paperazzi would follow me to Finland? I'd love to hide out there until after the baby's born."
"I think you're not safe anywhere. They followed Brad and Angie to Africa and they're still stalking them even after Shiloh was born."
"Angie's been giving me helpful hints too. She suggested that if it came to it, I should head over to Africa with her and Brad until the baby is born. They have great security."
"Are you going to do it?"
She shrugged. "Who knows? If it stays this bad, I'll never get any peace anywhere I go."
"True."
Ville walked back in. "Well, gorgeous, if you're coming to the concert, we should go now." He took her hands and helped her to her feet.
"Hey, is Aiden still you're opening act?"
"No, their last show was in Vegas. Fireball Ministry is opening for us."
"Awe, that sucks about Aiden. I wanted to see wiL. He's a sweet guy."
"He said to tell you hello and good luck."
"See? Sweet. But Fireball Ministry's a good band." The phone rang. "Hold on." She rushed over to the counter and picked up the phone. "Hello?"
"Hey Buffy?" Angel asked.
"Yeah?"
"I'm going to be running late tonight. Don't wait up for me, ok?"
"I won't be here."
"Where are you going?"
"The HIM concert. I'm leaving now."
"Are you sure that's a good idea?"
"I'm not going in the mosh pit. Bammie and I will stand on the side of the stage."
Angel sighed. "I just don't want you getting hurt."
"How would I get hurt?"
"I don't know. There are all kinds of ways."
"I'll be fine."
"You said Bam's with you?"
"Yes."
"Ok." He sounded wary. "Have fun."
"Thanks. Cause I really needed your permission."
"Don't be that way."
"What way? I'm pregnant, not three years old."
"I know that. I just worry."
"Angel, I've been taking care of myself for years. I've been to a zillion concerts and I'll be at a zillion more."
Angel sighed. "Fine. Have fun. Love you."
"Love you too." Buffy hung up and looked at Ville and Bam. "See?"
Bam shook his head. "I don't know why he's so worried about you."
"Because he's her husband and she's five months pregnant going to a rock concert. I see where he's coming from on this." Ville said. Buffy and Bam started to protest, but Ville held up a hand. "But Buffy's right. She's been to a lot of concerts and she knows how to handle herself."
"And I'll be there." Bam said.
"Precisley."
"I won't leave her side." He wrapped a protective arm around Buffy's shoulders.
"Good to know." Buffy said. "Can we go?"
"Of course." Ville held open the door for Buffy and Bam and they headed out. Luckily, Buffy's house was surrounded by a large privacy wall and an automated gate. If you didn't have the passcode, you weren't getting in. She was thankful that the press were on the other side of the wall, but there had been a few that were stupid enough to climb over. Brad had hired security guards for Buffy, so those photographers had been quickly escorted off the premisis and into a jail cell.
As Bam backed the car up, Buffy sat in the backseat and watched as the press swarmed the car when the gates opened. Security officers pushed them back and out of the way. Buffy didn't worry about having her picture taken because the windows on her Range Rover were tinted so no one could see in the backseat and barely see in the front seat windows. She was small enough to hide behind the seat, too, when they started taking pictures through the windshield.
Outside they screamed out questions like, "When are you due?", "What are you having?", "Is the baby Angel's or Ville's?", and "Where are you going?" Buffy just shook her head as they drove off. Outside the House of Blues, even more press was staked out, talking to HIM fans that were waiting to get in the venue. When they saw Buffy's Range Rover pull up, they all ran over. Thankfully, the House of Blues security was efficient and warded them off. There was a huge barricade out back that kept the fans and the press back. Buffy, Ville, and Bam were able to get through the backstage entrance without any trouble. As the night progressed, Buffy noticed that none of the boys touched any alcohol. Ville didn't even drink on stage. Which was why Buffy was down right confused when Ville called her name and motioned for her to come out on stage with him. She shook her head, but he beckoned more. Finally she gave in and walked out into the glaring lights and thunderous roar of applause.
"Sweethearts, this here is Buffy Summers." Ville announced in the microphone. The crowd screamed louder. "Oh, I see you've heard of her." He motioned for them to get quiet. "She's one of my best friends. Fuck, I'd even go so far as to say she's my little sister." The crowd went crazy again. He waited patiently. "And in case you didn't know it," Ville wrapped his arm around Buffy's shoulders and gently touched her growing abdomen. "I'm going to be an uncle!" This time the crowd went absolutely nuts. Buffy could feel the stage shaking from the noise. He settled the crowd down again. "So, in honor of Buffy and her baby, I'm going to play..." He scratched his chin and thought a moment. "What do you want me to play?" He asked her.
"I don't know." Buffy shrugged. "'Your Sweet 666?'" The crowd screamed. "That's always a good one."
Ville smiled and kissed the side of her head. "Beautiful, sweetie. 'Your Sweet 666' it is." The music flared up and Ville grasped her hand, not letting her leave the stage as he sang the words and the band played. He shared the mic with her as she happily sang along. The rest of the night flew by. The concert ended and Buffy and the boys hung out backstage for a while. Buffy, Ville, and Bam didn't creep into the house until almost 4 in the morning.
Buffy giggled slightly. "Tonight was awesome."
"You feeling all right?" Bam asked.
"Perfect. Why?"
"You're five months pregnant and you've been out all night."
"I'll sleep all day until it's time to head to the concert tomorrow."
"Hey, I didn't see Angel's car." Ville said.
"He probably didn't come home." She shrugged. "Oh well."
"Buffy..."
"Seriously, I'm not worried. He said he was working late and probably figured since I wasn't going to be home, he should just stay at the office. His apartment is nice down there."
"As long as he's not mad."
"I don't care if he is." Ville started to protest. "Look, just because we're married and I'm pregnant doesn't mean that I have to completely give up my life and everything I love about it. I can still go see my friends perform, I can still stay out all night and sleep all day... not like I don't already... and I can still travel. God, I miss travelling! I miss New York."
"You would have NO peace in New York." Bam said. "I think their paperazzi are worse than LA's."
"I miss West Chester."
"And West Chester misses you. Why don't you come back? Stay for a few days... You'd be taken care of and besides, I wanna see you and Phil get into an eating contest."
"Why?" Ville asked.
"Please? You haven't been around this girl long enough. When she gets a craving, there's NO stopping her. I saw her go through a whole quart of Reeses ice cream."
"Oh, do we still have some?" Buffy asked, headed off to the kitchen.
"Hey! What about West Chester?" Buffy asked, following after her. Ville followed both of them. Buffy stood in front of her large freezer debating over which flavor of ice cream she wanted. "You don't have a lot of time. Don't you have to stop travelling after a certain point?"
"Yes." She decided on the Moose Tracks ice cream. "I'll see how I feel, but the answer is probably yes."
"Are you gonna share?" Bam started to open the container for her, but the death glare she sent his way stopped him in his tracks.
A Word From the Author:
As far as any of my other fics go, they're up in the air. I've had a lot on my mind lately that's really inspired this story. (Which is weird, because it has nothing to do with getting married or being pregnant directly.)
A Charmed Slayer is going to be on the back-burner for quite some time because I have a LOT of chapters written that are stuck on my old, decrepid computer that I recently found out was stuffed in the back of the attic and I can't get it down without help and THAT won't be happening.
A Long Time Coming is kind of stuck in a rut in the story line. I want to get Buffy and Angel together, but it's complicated to do at this point in the story and it's kind of... well, in a rut it seems doomed never to come out of. I'll work it out. I just need some inspiration. shouts at the Elders to send me a Muse or a freaking Cupid as hot as Coupe!
I don't like the way Tipping the Scales: Back to the Future is looking. It's upsetting me, so I've stopped writing on it. Just like A Long Time Coming, I'll get some inspiration and it'll be back full scale.
ponders What else...?
OH! I've been thinking about bringing a couple of my previously written stories from my website over here to 'em out, let me know what you think.
That's all for now. Looking forward to your comments.
-BuffyL