Chapter Ten

The clinic was full of families, and it was making Buffy miss her mom. Young girls sat looking worried in the corner – the victims of youth culture in the city. Some were discussing babies, others discussing the recent events in Los Angeles. Buffy just sat in silence, with Fred next to her. Fred was a nice girl, a little naïve, but nonetheless a lovely young lady would could do nothing but be a good friend. Right at this particular moment, she was nattering on about babies and how Buffy would be alright because she'd have her friends to back her up.

Buffy sighed, thinking that everyone would treat this like another Big Bad had rolled into town. Back up. She didn't need back up for this. She needed Spike.

If she was pregnant, and it seemed highly likely, she wouldn't get rid of it. She knew it was Spike's; there hadn't been anyone else. And she wasn't going to destroy the last piece she had of him.

Fred aimed a question at her and she blinked.

'What?'

'I asked if you were a natural blonde.' Buffy frowned and nodded. 'Oh. Do you know what colour Spike's hair was naturally?' She giggled. 'Naturally?'

Buffy looked at her feet and shook her head. It was silly, she had never asked. 'When he was being crazy in the basement, his hair had grown out a little and it looked light brown. But I'm not sure. I'll ask Angel. He'll know.' Fred nodded.

'This is situation is weird huh? I mean, if you and Spike only…you know…did it, about a week ago, you shouldn't be able to hear a heartbeat. But Angel was insistent?' Buffy nodded. Fred made a noise. Buffy looked to the smaller woman and frowned.

'I did have a stomach bug about two months ago. Shortly after Sunnydale. I didn't think anything of it.' Fred nodded and placed a hand on Buffy's arm.

'Maybe it's a mystical pregnancy.' She said, quietly. Buffy shrugged.

'Anything is possible in this world.' The Slayer looked up as Angel approached them. 'What do you want?' She asked; her tone a little harsh. Angel flinched visibly at the remark and he kept a short distance from the blonde.

'Have you seen a nurse yet?' He asked. Buffy shook her head. 'Right, I can't stay. I have to get to London. Something I have to deal with.' Buffy gave him a look.

'What?' She asked. He frowned.

'I'm not sure yet. But I'll ring you when I am. You have to stay at the hotel. There could still be consequences from the destruction of Wolfram and Hart. From what the Powers are saying…it could go on for a while.'

Buffy frowned at him. 'Did they say anything about this?' She asked, motioning to her stomach. He nodded.

'They said it was a gift.' Buffy looked down at her shoes briefly before looking back up at her ex. Angel looked to Fred. 'Take care of yourselves alright? Make sure she doesn't patrol alone.' He said to Fred and Buffy stuck her tongue out at him childishly.

Fred giggled. 'Don't worry Angel. I'm sure we can handle it.' He nodded and left in a swish of coat. Buffy turned to Fred.

'I don't like this. What could be in London?' The nurse came out of a side room and called her name. The London subject was forgotten as the two women got up and headed in for their appointment.

As soon as the plane touched down in London in the early hours of the morning, Angel jumped from the cargo hold. It was now he did realise the benefits they had enjoyed at Wolfram and Hart and missed the fast private jet. But this was the path they had taken and it was back to hiding on planes and boats to get from country to country. As he walked through the streets of London, the memories of what he had done here made his stomach turn and he gladly blocked out the flashes of his counterpart.

His first stop was a police station to report Spike missing. He'd spent the whole night coming up with a cover story. They were tourists, on holiday from America and his "brother" had gone missing. He only hoped Spike's appearance had not altered at all. The officer at the desk eyed him suspiciously as he walked in through the automatic doors of the Metropolitan Police Station. He sided up to the desk, planting a look of worry on his face for good measure.

'Hi. I'm wondering if you can help me.' He put on his best tourist impression and leant on the desk as the officer looked at him, the suspicion replaced by curiosity. 'I'm on holiday with my brother. He's disappeared, haven't seen him for three days. I was waiting to see if he would turn up at our friend's house, where we had been staying but I haven't heard anything from him. He's turned off his phone and everything. I'm really worried he's been hurt or something.' Angel could have given himself an Oscar. The cop nodded sympathetically and grinned helpfully.

'Of course, sir.' He said. 'If you can give me a description, I'll have a look through the reports of any tourists being picked up or something.' He winked. 'Let's just hope he met some nice girl or something sir.' The man turned and tapped at a computer. 'What does your brother look like?'

'He's about five eleven, bleached blonde hair, short hair.' Angel frowned. 'Last I saw him, he was wearing black jeans, a t-shirt, this long leather jacket he's always got on and boots.' The officer nodded. 'His name is William. We're actually English but were born in America. He's over here all the time; I can't see him getting lost.' Angel wrung his hands like a concerned relative.

'Right. I haven't got anything in the jail reports, so at least he hasn't been arrested.' The cop smiled as if it were funny. Angel frowned. The man realised his inappropriate behaviour and coughed, turning to the screen once more. 'Ah, we had a report of a man found unconscious near King's Cross underground station. He's in the hospital over that way. No name, no id, looks like he'd been mugged. Beaten up, badly. I can't tell you any more than that but you could go over and see if it was him. That's all the help I can give you I'm afraid. If you have no luck, I suggest you contact missing persons.' Angel shook the officer's hand.

'Thank you for all your help. I hope it's him. Don't know what I'm gonna tell his girlfriend.' Angel left the station as quickly as he possibly could, heading for the nearest tube station. It didn't take ten minutes to get to King's Cross and he located the hospital without difficulty. He walked in, knowing that the sun was dangerously close to rising and he couldn't hang around outside.

The receptionist gave him an appreciating look over her copy of Hello! and greeted him in an overfriendly manner. Angel tried not to notice the incredibly low cut top she had on.

'I'm looking for my brother. The police said an unidentified man was brought in here the other night. I don't know if you can tell me what he looks like or something…' Angel waited while she tapped at her computer.

'I can't give you any details but I can send you up to the fourth floor, where Dr. Gavin knows more about it. He's treating him.' The reception smiled at him again, and Angel smiled, making his escape as quickly as possible. He jumped into the elevator, rushing up to the fourth floor, consciously aware that the sun was rising, and making a mental note to avoid sunny patches. He'd have to stay here for the day, unless he could find a sewer access, but from his memories of London, their sewers were not as largely constructed as LA's.

He wandered around the fourth floor until he saw a nurse.

'Excuse me. I'm looking for Dr. Gavin?' He asked and the nurse nodded, motioning for him to follow. She knocked on an office door down the hall.

'Dr. Gavin, this man wishes to speak to you.' She smiled at Angel and left. The doctor emerged from his office and looked up at the large brunette.

'Can I help you?'

'I was sent here from the police. My brother went missing a few days ago. They said a man was brought in here from the tube station – badly beaten?' Angel raised his eyebrows in hope. The doctor nodded and looked at him curiously.

'Blonde hair? Blue eyes? Vampire?' the doctor said. Angel looked at him, shocked but nodded nonetheless. 'It's ok. We have him in a back room. He is healing quickly but not waking up I am afraid.'

Angel frowned. 'Why is he up here if you know he is a vampire? If they had found him at the station, they would have called the coroner.'

The doctor chuckled. 'Your brother has a heartbeat. The only reason I know he is a vampire is because I am not ignorant like the other inhabitants of this city. Also, when I gave him a transfusion due to the immediate amount of blood he had lost; his demon visage came into view. Gave my nurses a bit of a fright.' He led Angel along a corridor. 'I am used to dealing with demon injuries and occurrences. You see a lot in this business. Some unexplained injuries and happenings. Miracle cures.' He opened a door and motioned to a still figure in a bed in the corner of the room. Angel peered in.

'We have kept the blinds shut just in case. He may have a heartbeat and all that but the demon may still have an aversion to the light.' The doctor said quietly. 'Is it the vampire you are looking for?' He asked. Angel nodded and walked into the room, standing over his childe's body.

'He isn't my brother…it's complicated but he means a lot to someone I know. Someone I should probably call. She thinks he is dead. I don't even know how he ended up here. But thank you.' The doctor nodded and left him alone. Angel pulled out a cell phone and dialled a number.

'Gunn? It's Angel.'