Title: Her Salvation: Chapter Four.
Rating: PG-13...er, R?(For now at least.)
Summary: What happens when Faith gets whisked away to prison, only to find herself pregnant? Rather than turn her child over to the system, Faith asks a favor that might take more courage than she feels she has.
Disclaimer: I do not own anything here. Save for the storyline. All characters and the like are trademark properties of Joss Whedon, Fox, Mutant Enemy and it's affiliates. If I use lyrics then they're copyrighted to their respected owners and blah, blah, blah. Please don't sue. I'm just a poor girl. Really, I am.
Pairings: Faith/Buffy later on, Buffy/Riley at the present and of course Willow/Tara and Xander/Anya.
A/N: I know I have a lot of stories out there already, or at least a few and should stay focused on them. But like I told a friend, and she told me, it's so hard to not take an idea that pops into your head and go with it. :D
- - - - -
Sunnydale, California; 1630 Revello Drive.
"Buffy and Angel are here!" Dawn declared from her spot on the sofa. Her body hadn't left peering over the back of the couch and out the window for over an hour and a half. She was the lookout girl. Although she suspected it had a lot to do with the 'adults' wanting to talk inside the kitchen without prying ears.
Jumping up and flinging herself at the door, the tall brunette rushed out of the house and down the porch steps to the car. The sound of Willow calling out after her fell on deaf ears.
"Can I hold him?" Immediately Dawn wanted dibs on baby Nathaniel. Dibs that were soon squashed by Buffy.
"Not now. He's sleeping. He just fell asleep about fifteen minutes ago, Dawnie. It's not an easy transition for him." There was a lighter air about Buffy, who spoke with a smile over at Dawn.
"Oh, I see how it is. A new guy comes into your life and I get shoved aside." Angel teased, trying to look hurt that Dawn didn't outright run up and hug him.
His pain went poof when Dawn rushed him and wrapped her arms around his waist. "I didn't mean that. I'm just really excited about the baby." She admitted.
"I forgive you." Angel grinned and placed a hand ontop of Dawn's head. "If I didn't know any better, I'd swear you're already taller than Buffy." Looking over the top of the car's hood, Angel tried to determine if Dawn was or wasn't. Clearly if she wasn't, she soon would be.
"Everyone's taller than Buffy." Dawn shot smugly.
"Hey! Not everyone." Buffy interjected before bending over and sticking herself half way into the back of the car. It seemed carseats were her thing. It had taken Angel nearly ten minutes to configure how to strap a newborn into one. It took Buffy all of ten seconds to show him the way. Now as she scooped the sleeping baby into her arms, Angel snatched the diaper bag and offered it to Dawn, who merely shrugged holding it off to run over to Buffy and keep at her sister's heels. Her face nearly inches away from Nathaniel's.
"Don't do that, Dawn. If he wakes up, he'll end up screaming from shock, and he'll throw up all over you." Suddenly Dawn getting puked on wasn't a bad thing afterall.
"Gee, soooooooooooorry." The younger Summers whined.
Shutting the doors to his car, Angel soon followed the three in.
It felt nice for him to be back. To be welcomed inside the house with open arms and to feel apart of a family other than his own back in Los Angeles. What felt best of all was the fact that Buffy and he spoke like friends, not enemies.
Or as Buffy called them, 'exes with really bad issues and baggage'.
Inside the house they were greeted by a banner stretching from one end of the walll to the next with the bold print of colored marker reading, 'Welcome Home, Nathaniel!' on it. A small batch of balloons, a tray of cold cuts, soda and a group of friends that were closer like family.
Before anyone could get a word in edgewise, Dawn shut them all up. "He's asleep." She pointed out the obvious, as Buffy now craddled the infant in both arms tenderly, "I think it's Buffy that should have taken the nap." The youngest of the group sniggers and darts off into the kitchen with the diaper bag Angel has given her.
"Remember, not everything goes in the..." Noticing he was being ignored, Angel excused himself with a hand gently patting Buffy's back to help Dawn.
When Angel left, Willow and Tara came forward. Both women looked on in awe at the baby who was as content in Buffy's arms as Buffy was with him there. "He looks so much like Faith, doesn't he?" The blonde Slayer asked her bestie.
The redhead couldn't help but nod. "He does. Oh, Buffy, he's adorable. He looks so much like an angel right now." Willow cooed, not ready yet to hold her arms out to hold the sleeping boy.
Tara stepped up behind her girlfriend to get a better look, while Xander and Anya mumbled to one another. "No, we are not having one of those yet. Remember the talk we had, An?" When his girlfriend seemed perplexed, he clarified what it was he talked of, "Baby's have dirty diapers. They can pee on you, and whereas my money would normally be spent on you, it would have to go to the baby." She seemed to not care so much.
Sighing, Xander was reduced to leaning into her ear and letting her know, "We wouldn't be able to have sex. Not whenever we wanted."
Now that had Anya's full attention, and attention that was not pleasant. "No sex!" She suddenly bursted out with, "No babies for us! I like the act that is making babies, but the actual baby making, I do -NOT- want." All eyes were on the couple. Anya looked clueless, while Xander had his face in his hands.
"Uh huh..." Was all Buffy said, walking to lay Nathaniel into the little motorized swing. Once he was safely secured in with the strap and his feet and toes covered with a blanket, Buffy set the swing on low and watched it rock.
"Where's Giles?" She had first noticed her Watcher was MIA the moment she walked inside the house. As much as she tried to make it not bother her, it did.
"He went to the h-hospital to see your m-mom. He'll be by in an h-hour or so." Tara stuttered shyly. She felt at home with the group, but once in a while found herself reverting back to her old shy ways.
"Ahh, okies." Buffy knelt in front of the swing, unable to tear her gaze away from the adorable baby. "He's so quiet. When we first got there, he was screaming. Then I held him and he shushed. Was the strangest feeling ever." The Slayer explained.
"Yeah, well, if I first saw you, I'd be scared silent, too." Dawn was in a little grumbly mood. "Plus, can you please tell Angel, I know that diapers don't go in the fridge. That bottles need to be warmed up, and that he's annoying!" The end was shouted just enough to have Nathaniel open his eyes and be greeted by over six pairs of eyes.
"Wow! He has blue eyes. Go figure. I'd've thought he'd have Faith's brown ones." Willow chimed in with.
"They're gorgeous." Tara admitted.
"He has Faith's intense and kinda intimidating stare." Xander gulped.
"The tot's not even two weeks old n'y'afraid of him? Mighty brave of you Harris." Only one name came to mind when the British accent disrrupted their quality time.
"Who invited you, Spike?" Xander snapped back.
"Buffy did. Well, last time I check she did." Spike beamed.
"That was three years ago, and believe me, I'm still regretting it." Buffy groaned.
"So, move out t'way. Lemme see the bugger." Spike shoved Xander aside to look down at the baby. It bothered him to say, actually it would kill him to say and it bothered him to admit it to himself that the kid was a cutey.
"Why, Spike, if we didn't know any better, we'd swear you look in loooooooove." Xander provoked.
"Jus' 'cos your troops are deader than mine, and y'can't get the missus there knocked up, don't..." Spike growled.
"Knock it off! God, Spike, get out." Buffy stood up and pushed the bleached blond from the room and towards the front door in which he came.
"What's he doing here?" Jealousy flared in Angel's voice.
"He is LEAVING." Buffy corrected the older vampire.
"Actually, we we're g'na go round back and have a try at makin' the tot a siblin'." Spike grinned, knowing full well Angel wouldn't be allowed to tear his head off.
"SPIKE!" Angel held it in to not put his game face on. Thankfully so, Buffy did toss the peroxide fiend onto his ass out on the porch before Angel went grump--ier.
With the slam of the front door closed, Buffy sighed in relief.
Angel still debated whether or not to sneak out the backway and throttle Spike.
Everyone else were busy making baby faces at Nathaniel, who looked as if he's scream at any minute.
That minute came when Buffy was fresh out of sight.
The moment she came rushing back into the room, his crying ceased.
"Shh, shh. I know Spike is a big, bad, ugly man. But he'll never hurt you. I promise." Buffy gathered Nathaniel in her arms, rocking the newborn to soothe his worry.
Soothe he was. All he needed was to see Buffy and he calmed instantly.
Angel wasn't the only one to notice that little bit of information.
It seemed everyone, including Dawn, was well aware of it, too.
And if they hadn't just yet, the next few weeks would show them so.
-TBC (Yup, siree, Buffy is definitely Nathaniel's choice of mommy. But don't fear! He knows who his real mother is. :D)
