Chapter 25

Buffy, Ville, and Bam all sat around a booth at an intimate restaurant in Manhattan laughing and chatting. They had spent all day shopping and talking and having fun. Out of sheer boredom, they had ordered one of everything on the menu, and two of everything on the desert menu. They had worked their way through the appetizers and were now working on the entrees.

"I don't know about you two, but this chicken isn't the best I've ever had." Ville said.

Buffy reached over to Ville's plate and took a bite of chicken. "Yeah. Not half as good as this chicken alfredo." As if to prove her point, she took a forkful of the chicken alfredo and shoveled it into her mouth.

"Damn!" Bam laughed.

"What?"

"I still want to see you and Phil in an eating match."

"Shut up. I'm eating for two."

"I'm so stoked that you're having a boy!"

"Why?" Ville asked.

"Because I can teach him to skateboard."
"Yeah, turn him into a little you? I don't think so." Buffy said. "And besides, even if I was having a girl, why couldn't you teach her to skateboard? Girls can skateboard."

"I always figured if you had a girl, you would teach her to ice skate."

"You know what? I'm not going to force my kid into anything he doesn't want to do. Just like all of us, I'll let him decide what he wants to be."

"I wanted to be the bassist in the group, but that didn't happen." Ville said.

Buffy laughed. "You were destined to become the lead singer of HIM. Get over it."

"I'm over it. Trust me, I'm over it."

"Where the hell is dessert?" Bam asked.

"We haven't even finished with all of this!" Buffy said.

"I have."

Ville chuckled. "Well, you're going to have to wait because Buffy and I are still eating."

Bam shrugged and looked at Buffy. "Have you talked to Angel lately?"

"No. I called his office this afternoon, but no one picked up. I figured I'd at least get to talk to Cordelia and see if she's talked to him. Guess he's still pissy about that fight."

"Well, you were right." Ville said. Bam and Buffy had filled him in on everything. "He needs to spend more time at home helping you out and less time worrying about what he's missing out in bachelor-land."

"And if not…." Bam said, causing Ville to glare at him. He just shook his head and kept going. "And if not, we'll be there to help raise the baby."

Buffy smiled. "Thank you guys." She sighed.

Ville took her hand. "He'll come around…. Or I'll throw a flowerpot at him. I'm good at that."

She was laughing as she said, "That's really not that funny."

"Fuck yeah it was!" Bam said, almost choking on his wine.

Ville shook his head, laughing with them. "I'm so funny, it's killing Bammie."

Angel sighed as the old man at the front desk of Buffy's apartment building said for the third time, "No, sir. She didn't say where they were going. They were laughing so much they barely had the breath to say hello to me."

"Thanks." Angel said, sighing again.

"Would you like to wait in her apartment, sir? I'm sure she'll be back."

He shook his head. "No. I have a hotel room. Could you call me when she shows back up?" Angel handed him a business card.

"Of course, sir."

"My cell phone number is the last one."

"Thank you, sir. I'll be sure to let you know the instant she comes back."

Buffy hunched over her stomach in pain. "Buffy?" Ville jumped up from the table and rushed over to her just as Bam was coming back from the bathroom.

"What's wrong?" Bam asked.

"I don't know." Buffy said, wincing. "My stomach hurts."

"You wanna go to a hospital?" Ville asked, knowing she didn't want to, but knowing she probably had to. She nodded and both men helped her to her feet. Bam threw a couple $100 bills on the table and helped Ville maneuver Buffy through the restaurant to the back exit.

Angel picked up his cell phone and glared at it. He had finally managed to get to sleep. The caller ID said it was Buffy's apartment building. "Yeah?"

"Sir, Mr. Margera came back without Miss Summers…."

"Mrs. O'Donnell."

"Sorry, sir. Mrs. O'Donnell. He came back without her and when I asked where she was, he said she was at the hospital."

"What's wrong?"

"He didn't say, sir."

"Which hospital?"

"He didn't say that either, sir. He just said she was at the hospital. I reckon it's the one that is only a few minutes from here." The old man gave Angel the address and wished him luck.

Buffy sat in the hospital bed holding Ville's hand as they laughed at her prognosis: Severe indigestion. "I guess I should've passed on that last bite of Cajun chicken."

"Probably." Ville laughed.

"I don't see why I need to stay over night, though."

"Well, I'm sure they want to make sure you're really ok. They know what they're doing."

"I know." She sighed and looked around. "Where's Bammie?"

"He went to get drinks for us." There was a knock on the door and Ville got up. "I'm sure that's him." He opened the door, but Angel was standing on the other side. "Or maybe it's not. I'll just leave you two…." And with that, he slipped out the door.

"Hi." Buffy said, her eyebrows knitting in confusion.

"Are you…. Is the baby…."

"We're fine. Just a little severe indigestion, but I'm still at a loss why I have to stay the night. What are you doing here?"

"I wanted to apologize."

"Funny. The last time you apologized to me, I was in the hospital then too. Guess you're the type of guy that it takes a hospital scare to get you to apologize."

"I'm not." He walked over and sat on the bed next to her. "Really I'm not. I've been here for almost two days now looking for you." Buffy lifted an eyebrow, but kept quiet. "I realize I haven't been the best husband. But…. I was terrified."

"I know, but this is happening. We can't stop this."

"I know."

"So, what's holding you back? And please don't say your job."

"My male ego. I told you: I've been a bachelor for years. I got used to it and now…."

"Now you've got a family to take care of."

"And I'm going to. I really am going to try my damndest."

"Good." She smiled. "I already forgave you."

"Really? Then why haven't you come back?"

"Because I'm staying here until two months after Connor's born."

"Connor, really? Why?"

"Because it's Irish and pretty and…."

"No, I meant why are you staying here? I like the name. No, I love the name."

"Well, not HERE here. In West Chester."

"Again: Why?"

"Because it's safer. Bam's house is practically impenetrable. And there's someone around to help me out. My mom's not that far away in Memphis, so if I get scared or confused, I've got April right there and mom and Lynn a phone call away." Angel nodded. "And I don't want to have our baby in a big hospital in LA where anyone can walk in off the street and pay a doctor a few bucks to take a couple of pictures and before you know it, said pictures are circulating the internet and Connor's not even 2 hours old."

"Wow, you've seriously thought this out."

"People in West Chester know me. I practically grew up there with Bam. I saved a lot of the people there from his crazy pranks. They would never betray me like that."

"And you're sure about this?"

"Not completely."

"What's wrong?"

"I want you here. I want you to be here the rest of my pregnancy and…."

"I can't."

"Why?"

"Buffy, I can't just drop my clients on their asses all of a sudden. I've got two cases on the brink of being finished. I…."

"No, I get it. You're work should be important to you. I know how much you love it because I love mine so much."

"But….?"

"But what?"

"There wasn't a but."

"You're a horrible liar."

"Ok, I'm just saying…. I've given up my career for the next year and a half for our son and you've done nothing BUT work."

Angel nodded. "It's because I was running, but I'm not anymore."

"God, I didn't meant to sound like such a brat."

"You didn't, but I need to finish some things and then I'll come out here."

"Really?"

"A month before Connor's due, I'll be here with you until after he's born."

"Really?"

"Yes. I promise."

Buffy hugged Angel tightly. "Good. I love you so much."

"I love you back more."

"Oh, don't make me sick." Bam said, walking in with Ville in tow.

"Sorry. I tried to keep him out here, but you know Bam." Ville said.

"It's ok." Buffy and Angel said.

Bam smiled slightly. "So, you two all made up or do you need your privacy?"

Buffy shook her head. "You're impossible."

"Did you talk to him about West Chester?"

"Yes."

"And?"

"I think it's a good idea." Angel answered. "You just make sure she's taken care off. I don't want to have to be the cause of the infamous Bam Margera's death."

"Trust me, he'll be his own death." Ville said. "You won't even have to raise a finger."

"I've been saying that for years." Buffy said.

"So, do we need to pack anything for you to bring out here?" Angel asked Buffy.

She thought for a moment. "No. I think I pretty much have everything I need in West Chester."

"When will you leave?"

"Probably tomorrow." Buffy paused. "When do you leave?"

"Well, I wasn't quite sure."

"Well, I think you should come to Castle Bam and help me get settled."

"Really?"

"What else would you be doing? Leaving me?"

"Never." He took her hand and kissed her palm. "So, Connor, huh?"

"Connor Brandon O'Donnell."

"Brandon?"

"After Bammie. Connor Ville didn't sound right."

"Don't worry, I'm not offended." Ville said.

"But you have a very beautiful name. Maybe the next one."

"I give you full permission, milady."

Buffy giggled. "Thank you, kind sir. I shall never forget your gratitude."

"Anytime."

"Hey, have you settled in to the tower yet?"

"It's still got a lot of boxes lying around, but it's getting there."

"I'd love to help after Connor's born."

"It'll be finished by then…. I would hope."

Buffy yawned. "Well, just leave one box for me to do. I need to feel useful."

"You're always useful." Angel said.

"Coming from you, that sounds like a naughty phrase."

"Naughty phrase?" Bam asked.

"It was the only thing I could think of. Shut up."

The next day, Angel was helping Buffy pack a few things from her apartment and loading them into Bam's Hummer. She and Angel slept in the backseat all the way there while Ville and Bam talked up front. After a week together, Angel had to fly home to finish up business and get things cleared up in time to be out here when he promised. Ville decided to stay for another week and Buffy told him everyday that his dark and gothic songs were going to turn in to dark and gothic lullabies.

The papers went wild that Buffy and Angel were a whole country apart and started the rumors up full force that they had split up and she was having an affair with Bam once again. It finally got under Bam's skin that he devoted an entire episode of Radio Bam to Buffy and Angel's relationship. He called the paparazzi "vultures that call themselves photographers" and told them all to fuck off, that Buffy and Angel were fine. Things went smoothly for the next two months with only a few major attempts to get pictures of Buffy with Bam.

A/N Hopefully the next one won't be so jumbled. (Was this one jumbled, or was it just me that seemed to be thrown off by it?)