Chapter 8
SPIKES FIRST TRUE STEPS
Dr. Martin looked at Buffy she could see how tired she was and Spike actually had dark circles under his eyes.
"Angel would you take Buffy up to her bed now I think both Spike and Buffy could use a few hours of sleep." Angel came and carefully picked up Buffy. Spike followed him upstairs while carrying his new daughter. He couldn't take his eyes off of her. She was a miracle that shouldn't exist.
After Angel put Buffy on her bed and Dr. Martin covered her up Spike came over and put Joyce into her mother's arms. Buffy held her daughter and carefully gave her gentle kisses on each eye and her nose. Buffy looked at Cordelia. "You were right Cordelia." "About what, I'm right about so many things that it's hard to keep track." Cordelia said with a smile. "You were right when you said that our love couldn't be wrong if we can produce such a beautiful and perfect baby." Giles had his camera and was taking pictures to send to Xander and Dawn, who couldn't come because of work and school.
Cordelia had stepped out of the room for a second to get Kathleen. When she came back she came over to the bed and put Kathleen on the bed. "Look who has come to live with Aunt Buffy and Uncle Spike." "Baby?" Kathleen said as she looked at the bundle in Buffy's arms then looked back at her mother. She was curious but was afraid to come to near it. "Come and see my new baby Kathleen. Her name is Joyce." All of a sudden everything seemed to be okay. Kathleen came over to Buffy and stood up while holding onto Buffy's arm. She was very careful not to touch the baby. Buffy pulled the receiving blanket to the side so she could see her. "Do you want to touch her?" Buffy asked Kathleen. She pulled out her little arm and Joyce pulled away and rubbed her nose and eyes. Angel was watching his daughter carefully. Kathleen reached out and picked up Joyce's tiny little hand. She looked in wonderment at Joyce's tiny hand against her own that wasn't much bigger. "Can I give baby kiss?" "Yes you can give her a kiss very gently." Cordelia held onto her daughter just in case she leaned on Joyce, but she didn't have to worry because Kathleen very carefully bent over and kissed Joyce on her forehead. "Goodnight baby. I see you tomorrow." Then Cordelia picked her up and got up from the bed.
Connor and Toby came into the bedroom then. "Uh Buffy and Spike I think it would be a good idea if Toby was allowed to smell your baby so he will know that she is someone that belongs here and he will know that he has to protect her also."
Buffy thought about it for a second then gave Joyce to Spike who was kneeling by her side on the floor. Spike took her from Buffy. "Open the blanket Spike so that he can smell her." Angel told him. Spike did as Angel said. Connor came over to Spike along with Toby then. Toby stuck close to Connor. He didn't understand what this new scent was. It was a strange scent that smelled something like his playmate but yet different. Connor put his hand out and touched Joyce's little hand and called Toby over, but for the first time Toby disobeyed a direct command from Connor. Somehow he knew that he shouldn't pay any attention to this new scent. He turned and went out of the room and lay down in the hallway.
Connor looked up at Angel. "Don't discipline him Connor. He is doing what comes natural to him. Well talk about it tomorrow and try it again except Cordelia and I will do it. Do you understand why he is acting like this Spike?" "Yeah I think so. No matter what it still comes down to all of us being animals, it's just that humans are of a higher order. I think he will be okay once you and Cordelia say its okay. I'll explain it to Buffy later." Everyone looked at Buffy and saw that she was already sleeping. The new mother had, had a big day and worked harder than she ever did before and she was tired.
"Okay everyone it's time to let Spike and Buffy get some rest." Dr. Martin came and took Joyce from Spike. "You two get some sleep. Tara and Willow will take care of her for the next few hours. She won't be hungry until the morning. I'll bring her back and show Buffy how to nurse her. If I'm not available then Cordelia can do it. She's an old pro by now. Good night Spike." Spike said goodnight to everyone then closed the door and removed his clothes and crawled in beside Buffy. He was beat also and he fell into a deep sleep as soon as his head hit the pillow.
It was late in the evening by the time they put Buffy and Spike to bed. Everyone made sandwiches for themselves and went to their individual suites. Tara and Willow took Joyce into their bedroom. They had brought out Kathleen's old bassinet and cleaned the dust off of it and put a new covering on along with a new blanket and sheets. She slept peacefully until the next morning. After all she had, had a big day also. Being born is hard work.
The next morning after Buffy and Spike had taken time to bathe they came looking for their daughter. Buffy knocked on the girl's door softly. "Come in." Tara said. Buffy and Spike walked in quietly. "I believe our daughter is in here." Spike said. "Yes our little Slayer is in here with her Aunt Tara and Willow. How are you doing Buffy? I'm surprised to see you up already." "You know me Willow, that Slayer healing won't let even giving birth get in it's way." Buffy and Spike went over to the bassinet to check on their daughter. "How did she do? Did she wake up at all?" Buffy asked. "No she was quiet all night. I think she needed the rest after being born. She's been sleeping now for the past 6 hours. We are going to go and get something to eat and then maybe Dr. Martin or Cordelia will be up to help me give her, her first meal." "We cleaned the other bassinet up also and stocked it so all that we have to do is bring Joyce down. That sounds funny calling her Joyce. It feels like I should be saying Mrs. Summers instead of Joyce."
"Well I'm hungry so let's get going before she wakes up and wants to belly up to the bar." Spike said as he pushed Buffy out of the door.
As the new parents came down to the Lobby Cordelia was just coming in from the patio. "Good morning Mommy and Daddy." Cordelia said with a big smile. "Sit down and I'll bring some coffee out for you." Buffy and Spike did as she said. Everyone else started to come down stairs also and greeted Buffy and Spike. Dr. Martin and Hunter went into the kitchen to help Cordelia.
Wesley and Fred came down also and joined everyone else at the table. Next it was Willow and Tara's turn. Tara was carrying Joyce. Giles asked if he could hold her. "Sure, it's about time that she got to know her Grandpa." Tara said as she handed over Joyce. She had her all bundled up in a receiving blanket and then a regular Baby blanket. Willow pulled over the bassinet that was just around the corner. She brought it over to Buffy and Spike and showed them all of the supplies to change her with.
Angel came in when he heard all of the noise. "Good morning everyone did you all have a good nights sleep." Everyone gave a reply then turned their attention back to their breakfast which Cordelia, Hunter and Dr. Martin was just bringing in. Tara and Willow went to the kitchen to help bring the rest in.
Connor and Toby were the last ones to come down. Since this was Saturday Connor had slept late to catch up on his sleep. "Late night hitting the books Connor?" Wesley asked. "Yeah they are really stacking on the home work. It's only the 2nd week and I've already had 4 tests. My brain was extra crispy this morning so I gave it some extra sleep time." Connor concentrated on his breakfast. He was shoveling it into his mouth almost as fast as Toby was gulping down his.
"Connor slow down, no one is going to take it away from you. You're going to make yourself sick." Dr. Martin told him. Her stomach was hurting just watching him.
"That will never happen Grandma. Didn't you do the same thing when you were going to school?" Connor said as he stopped long enough to drink his milk.
"Oh my goodness, I've become my mother." Dr. Martin put her hands to her mouth. "I can't believe I said that. I'm sorry Connor your right I did do the same thing especially when I was working as an intern and still taking classes. Now that I look back on it I don't know how I made it without developing a hernia."
"How many years have you spent going to school Grandma?" Connor asked.
"Well let me see. Elementary, then Junior High School then High School made 10 years." "Don't you mean 12 dear?" Giles pointed out. "No I was skipped past 5th and 9th grade. I was 16 when I graduated from High School. I started College the next school year. So I did 3 years of College, then 4 years of Medical School that merged with my internship. I then did 2 years of residency then another 2 years where I specialized in surgery. After I worked for about 5 or 6 years as a surgeon I continued my schooling in psychiatry and working at the same time. At 40 I went into the convent. That was the hardest schooling of all."
"Why do you say that?" Wesley asked. "I guess you could say that you are in school 24 hours a day, 365 days of the year. I had 6 months as a postulant and 2 years as a novice. My novitiate though wasn't the same as the other novices. Besides being much older then the other novices my knowledge was needed as both a surgeon and a psychologist. The older professed nuns were being forced to practice humility every day because I was put in control of surgery." "What's humility?" Connor asked.
"That's something your father had to practice when he had to swallow his pride and ask Gunn, Cordelia and I if he could come back to work for us at Angel Investigation. He had to submit himself to my authority. " Wesley said. "It's also one of the hardest things for anyone to learn. As you recall St. Michael had to take Angels sight away in order to make him learn humility. Well to get back to what I was saying when Mother Superior announced that I was being made head of surgery she actually apologized for doing it but that she had no choice because the sister that had been in charge had, had a nervous breakdown and was sent to stay at one of the orders convents that was in Maine. I am sure that our confessor was having a busy couple of weeks. Besides this though I was the only psychologist and took care of any mental patients or those that just had problems. Believe me when I say that I welcomed the little special projects Mother Superior would send me out on. She knew that I needed a break once in a while."
"Then good old Angel came along and took you away from all of that." Angel said. Dr. Martin just smiled at him then continued.
"I guess you can understand then how important my work was with Angel. The sisters needed me badly but God had even more important work for me to do. He had set my life path to include all of the things I needed to know and he also gave me my first husband and son then took them away. What seemed like a horrific event back then was also used by God to teach me things. Most of all it made me hunger for a family and son again. All of these things needed to happen so that I could take care of Gods Champion here in this world."
"Wow Grandma, genius must run in the family." Connor said. "Maybe it does. Your father is a very intelligent man and it looks like your sister is going to have a high IQ also. We won't know for sure though until she is old enough for us to test her." Joyce started to let everyone know that she was here now and demanded some attention.
Giles took her over to Buffy when his granddaughter started crying. "This is when it's time to turn over my grandchild to her mother. This is the best part of being a grand parent." Everyone laughed at Giles.
"Bring her over to the couch Buffy and you can give your daughter her first feeding or would you rather have some privacy." "No I guess if Cordelia can do it I can to." "Since your going to do it over here Buffy let's clear up this problem with Toby." Angel said as he got up and went over to the Lobby along with Cordelia and everyone else. Cordelia picked up Kathleen as she followed Angel.
"Why don't you sit down on the floor with her Cordelia? Spike and Buffy sit down on the floor with your daughter also. Connor come over here and sit with us and bring Toby." Every one did as he said. Buffy was still a little sore so Spike helped her to sit down on the floor.
"Okay Spike call Toby over and do exactly as you did last night. Mom do you think you could sit next to Buffy?" "Oh I think I can make my old bones bend." Dr. Martin said as she sat on the floor. "Go ahead Spike." Angel told him. "Toby come and see our new baby. Come Toby." Toby sat up and looked at Connor who gave him permission. Toby went over carefully and stuck his nose into the blankets. When Buffy took Joyce's hand out of the blankets so he could smell her Toby took one sniff and went running back and behind Connor.
"Why does he do that?" Connor asked as he looked to his father.
"Toby sees us as a wolf pack. We are all members of his pack and that is why he defended Spike when we were fighting those Vampires and Demons. One of his pack was in trouble so he helped him. Now in a real wolf pack only the alpha male and female are allowed to have pups. I believe Toby sees Cordelia and me as that alpha male and female. I don't know how he knows this but in a wolf pack the alpha female will often scold or prevent the other wolves from having anything to do with the new pups that aren't hers. Nature lets this happen because it prevents too many pups from being born. That way they can keep the amount of pups to be fed down to a manageable number. Something will often happen to the pups that don't belong to the alpha female. Sometimes though the new mother and the father of the pups will leave the pack and start their own pack. Right now I am hoping that if Cordelia and I handle the baby then Toby will accept her and we will be able to rely on him to take care of her.
"Okay Buffy would you give Joyce to me?" Angel came over and took Joyce from her. He sat down again next to Cordelia. "Take Kathleen Connor." Angel said. Connor took Kathleen and sat down again. Kathleen tried to wiggle out of Connors grasp. Angel looked at her for a minute and she immediately quieted down.
"Toby come." Angel said in an authoritative voice. This time Toby didn't even look at Connor he just came over to Angel. Toby stuck out his nose and sniffed the air. Angel then passed Joyce over to Cordelia. "Call him to you Cordelia then open the blanket so he can see her and smell her. Then you can give her back to Spike and Buffy."
Cordelia did as Angel said. She called Toby over. All the time this was happening Toby was watching this new bundle very carefully. His ears were straight up and listening for any sound that might come from the bundle. He went to sit in front of Cordelia when she called him. He sat so close that his toe nails were touching her leg. Cordelia opened the blanket and pulled Joyce's hand out of the bundle of blankets and let Toby smell her hand. This time Toby sniffed her hand and tasted it then he carefully stuck his nose in the bundle of blankets and sniffed at Joyce. Cordelia let him push the blankets to the side so he could see that this was a girl like Kathleen. Then he surprised everyone and started wagging his tail and in fact his whole body. He lowered his front down while his back was up in the air and still wagging. He gave a little whimper then.
Cordelia then wrapped Joyce up again and passed her to Spike and then to Buffy. "Let him see her again Buffy." Buffy did as Angel said. Toby did the same thing but just licked her forehead this time.
Kathleen didn't like sharing Toby's affections so she called to him. "Toby come Kateen." He came over to her and then back to Joyce then to Kathleen again. Connor let her stand up while holding onto Toby. Nobody did anything though because they didn't understand what she was doing but her Grandmother did.
"Angel she is showing her possession of Toby. Tell her that you don't approve. I've noticed that she cries when she thinks you are mad at her or that she has hurt you." Dr. Martin told him.
Angel called Kathleen to him. He stood her in front of him and gave the picture of her calling Toby and then holding onto him. "Toby belongs to Connor not Kathleen." They all saw her look at her Daddy with defiance and anger as she bundled her hands into tight little fists. Angel was surprised when she did this. He picked her up and took her upstairs and placed her in her new playpen that Cordelia had bought yesterday. He closed the door then and went back downstairs. They could hear her crying all the way upstairs.
"Wow, what a temper. I think I saw lightening coming from her red hair." Wesley said as he laughed. "I wonder who is going to cave in first Angel or Kathleen."
When Angel came back downstairs he sat next to Cordelia again and looked at her and said "I made my little girl cry." Angel put his face in Cordelia's lap and made out like he was crying. "Be strong Angel. She's in a power struggle with you right now." Cordelia told him. Angel sat up straight and looked upstairs for a minute. "She's sending me a picture of how sad she is. She says she's sorry. Should I go and get her?" He asked Cordelia. "Yes go and get her." Angel ran up stairs 2 at a time. He opened the door carefully and he saw his daughter crying so hard. The very real tears were falling down her face and her nose was running. When she saw him she reached up her hands to him. "Daddy, I sorry Daddy." Angel went to her and picked her up and gave her a hug. He went over to the nightstand and grabbed a bunch of Kleenex and wiped her tears away and her nose. Then grabbed some more and wiped his own tears and blew his nose.
"Does Kathleen understand that Toby belongs to Connor and not Kathleen? Connor lets you play with Toby. That means that you have to share Toby with Joyce and everyone else. Do you understand?" "Yes Daddy. I share Toby." "Okay then lets go down stairs." Angel wiped his face again then went downstairs.
When Angel sat down on the floor Kathleen called Toby over to her then she stood up while holding him and somehow he knew she wanted to go to Buffy. When Toby stopped in front of Buffy Kathleen went down to her knees and leaned on Buffy's leg then looked at Joyce. "Buffy." Buffy gave her, her full attention. "Buffy, I share Toby with baby." Buffy bent down and gave her a kiss. "Thank you Kathleen. You are very nice to do that." Kathleen crawled back to her Daddy then and sat herself down in his lap. She stuck her fingers in her mouth then and started sucking on them.
"You better feed your daughter now Buffy." Dr. Martin told her. Spike helped Buffy get up and they went to the couch. Cordelia and Angel followed them over and sat on the coffee table while Dr. Martin sat next to Buffy. Buffy opened her blouse and unhooked the nursing bra.
"Every time you want to feed your daughter Buffy clean your breast with one of these sanitary wipes that are made for a mother's breast. It doesn't have any harmful chemicals in it." Buffy took it from her and wiped her breast then she put her baby to her breast. "She's not taking it." "She will. Sometimes you have to put their mouth to it. Put her mouth to your nipple then open her mouth a little." Buffy did as she said. As soon as she did that Joyce started suckling eagerly. "You're like Cordelia Buffy. Put your two fingers on each side of your nipple and hold your breast so that it doesn't cover her nose. Once she starts growing you won't have to do that." Once again Buffy did as Dr. Martin said. Buffy looked at Spike and she kissed him. Spike had tears in his eyes as he watched his daughter having her first meal.
Kathleen had been watching everything that was going on. She let her Daddy know that she wanted to go to Cordelia. When Cordelia took her from Angel Kathleen started to lift Cordelia's blouse up so she could get to her breast. Cordelia unbuttoned her blouse and unhooked her bra so Kathleen could nurse. She put her mouth to her left breast and started suckling noisily. Angel tried putting his hand on Cordelia's blouse as though he was going to take her other breast. Kathleen's sharing time was over as far as she was concerned so she pushed his hand away.
"Well, I guess we still have some jealousy going on here and sharing time does not, apparently, extend to Mommy's breast. Not even to Daddy now." Dr. Martin said. She gave her attention back to Buffy now.
"Change her over to the other breast now Buffy and clean it like I showed you. Clean your other one also then you can button that side up. You don't want to give a complete show today." Buffy blushed and did as she was told. Joyce took to her other breast without any problem this time. After another fifteen minutes Dr. Martin told her to see if her baby was done. She didn't start suckling again when she pulled her nipple out of the baby's mouth so she cleaned herself then buttoned everything back up. Buffy started to put her baby over her shoulder to burp her but Cordelia gave her a little advice.
"Buffy I usually let Angel do that. It makes him feel that he is at least having some share in feeding his daughter." "I think that's a good idea." Buffy gave Spike the towel and their daughter. Spike put the towel on his shoulder and put his daughter over his shoulder and started to pat her back gently. After only a few minutes he got a satisfying burp from her. "I think she needs a change." Spike said as he got up to go to the bassinet for the supplies. He brought them over to the coffee table and proceeded to change his daughter. "How is the umbilical cord Spike? Is it red or bleeding or is it drying up?" Spike inspected it carefully. "It looks okay." Spike quickly finished changing his daughter and put her in the bassinet. He made sure that she was well covered. In the mean time Kathleen had fallen to sleep also. Cordelia cleaned herself and buttoned her clothes back up. She gave Angel their daughter so he could burp her.
"You know Angel and Cordelia you are going to have to be careful about handling Joyce when Kathleen is within hearing or seeing distance. She is very possessive of you Angel and added to that she has that famous Irish temper. I also think that Kathleen is talking to Toby in the same way that you do her." Dr. Martin said.
"I think your right it's the only possible reason for Toby to respond to her the way he does." Angel said.
"You know Dad that was the first time that I saw Toby obey someone else without looking to me for permission to go to whoever was calling him." Connor said. "Don't be angry with him Connor. Remember that I said he sees me as the alpha male." Angel got up off of the floor then and gave Kathleen back to Cordelia. "Lets go outside on the patio for a while Connor. My legs are stiff from sitting down on the floor." Connor got up and followed Angel outside.
When they went outside they found the weather had turned cloudy. The sky was turning dark with big thunderclouds. They could see lightening out over the ocean.
Angel and Connor stood outside just watching the clouds roll in. "I hope we get a good shower along with the lightening or there is going to be at least one fire started with all of the dry grass in the mountains and hills." Angel told Connor. "Yeah, I kind of hate this time of the year. I don't know why but the fires make me nervous. I mean, I know that we can get away from the fires but they still make me nervous. When I was little a fire went through the forest where Holtz and I lived. The house had a cellar where we went when the fire got close. I remember that I was scared out of my mind but Holtz made me stay. When I tried getting out of the cellar he pulled me down and hit me to get my attention. He grabbed me by the shirt and told me to use my mind to control my terror. I did what he said and I made it through the fire. It destroyed our house but we just rebuilt it again."
"Would you like to go on an overnight camping trip next weekend?" Angel asked his son. "Yeah that should be fun. I need to get out and let my muscles stretch. I've had to keep them in check so much that they hurt now. In fact I think I'll go downstairs and work out for awhile." Connor left then to go to his room and change into some sweats. Now that Connor mentioned getting some exercise it occurred to him that maybe this would be a good time to start Wesley back on an exercise program to get him back into shape. Angel laughed to himself. "This is going to be fun." Angel said as he made his way back into the Hotel.
When he went back into the Hotel he saw that everyone was gone. He could hear them in their own rooms now. He went up to the second floor and knocked on the door of his mother's room. "Come in." Giles said. Angel opened the door and went in. He found Giles and his mother sitting in front of the TV watching a movie.
"Hey Mom, is it okay for Wesley to start exercising?" "Yes but just light exercise Angel. By that I mean nothing vigorous. He can do things like sit ups but only 5 at first. Have him do warm up exercises first then listen for his heart beat. If it's going to fast for more than 5 minutes without starting to slow down I want you to stop. Tomorrow he can do it again and you can add on some time. The whole point is to get him back into shape but I want him to still be alive when he gets there. Take it slow and easy. It hasn't been that long since he was shot. Okay?" "Okay, I understand. See you later." Angel left then and went to Gunn's room and knocked on the door. "Come in Angel." Angel opened the door. "You want to go and help me put Wesley through some exercises?" Angel had a big grin on his face when he said it.
"I wouldn't miss this for anything. I'll meet you downstairs as soon as I change into some sweats." Angel closed the door and went to change. A few minutes later he was knocking on Wesley's door. "Come in." Fred said. Angel opened the door. "Hey Fred, I've come to take your husband for his first exercise session." "He heard you going to all of the rooms and he's hiding in the closet." Fred whispered. Angel opened the closet door. "I can hear you breathing Wesley so you might as well come out." "Oh hi Angel I didn't know you were here. I was looking for a mouse that Fred said she heard in here this morning." Angel went to Wesley and hung him over his shoulder. Fred was by the door with a pair of sweat pants and a T-shirt for her husband. Angel paused long enough for Wesley to take his clothes from Fred. He looked at her and said "Traitor."
Angel took Wesley all of the way down to the basement on his shoulder. Connor and Gunn were already going through some warm up exercises when Angel brought Wesley in and put him down.
"Change into your sweats Wesley so we can get started." "But Angel I'm a poor sick man. My heart can't take it yet." "Dr. Martin's orders and you don't have to worry about your heart since I can hear it. Mom told me what to listen for so let's get busy. Connor and I are going camping next weekend. If you want to go you're going to have to do some exercising so that you can at least stand to walk around out there." Wesley was putting his sweats on while Angel was talking. "Okay I guess I've been outvoted, if I die though it will be on yours and Dr. Martin's conscience."
Angel started with some warm up exercises. He went slow so Wesley wouldn't get winded too soon. After 30 minutes of exercising he heard Wesley's heart pounding in his chest for more than 5 minutes so he called an end to the exercises for him for that day. He waited until his heart slowed down to a normal rate and his breathing was under control. "Are you ready to go and take a shower?" Angel asked Wesley. "Would you carry me back up stairs?" Angel stood up. "You want to go over my shoulder or carry you in my arms like the big baby you are?" Wesley put his arms out to Angel like Kathleen did. "Carry me Daddy." Angel grabbed Wesley around the neck and rubbed his knuckles on the top of his head. "Owe! I'm going to tell Kathleen her Daddy was being mean to her Uncle Wesey. Gunn and Connor come and help me."
Gunn and Connor came and jumped on top of Angel. By working together they were able to pin his arms down. Wesley told Angel "Say Uncle." "Okay, okay Uncle, Uncle." Angel said. They let him go then and they all lay on the floor on the exercise mats while they caught their breath. "Wow Dad, we were never able to do that before. What happened?" Angel surprised them by jumping up. "I didn't want you girls to get hurt. Connor and I are going for an overnight camping trip next weekend so you guys are going to have to get yourselves into better shape if you're going to go with us." Angel left then and went back to his room to take a shower. Wesley stood up then by holding onto the table. He rubbed his back and slowly climbed up the stairs. Gunn was in a lot better shape so he just stood up. "Come on Connor you want to go for a run around the block a few times?" "Sure, let's go." Connor was out the door while Gunn was still looking at the spot where Connor had been sitting.
The next day was Sunday and Dr. Martin was up early as usual. She jumped in the shower while Rupert was making some toast and coffee for both of them. She used to be able to go all morning until lunch before she ate. Now days though she needed her morning coffee and toast to make it through the next 4 or 5 hours. The toast was for her stomach since she could no longer take just the coffee. This of course was compliments of her ulcer that she had developed during medical school.
By 8 o'clock Rupert and Dr. Martin were headed downstairs. Angel, Cordelia and Kathleen came next and were followed by Connor. The rest except for Wesley and Fred came down soon after. These days Wesley and Fred would attend Mass by way of the TV Mass. Dr. Martin would bring home communion for Fred. Everyone including Buffy, Spike and Joyce loaded up in Cordelia's mini van or Connors van. Toby was sent to Wesley and Fred's room.
After Mass everyone went to the rectory to visit with Father Barris for a while. They took him up on his offer for breakfast. Dr. Martin insisted that he let her help him since he wasn't used to cooking for so many people. As they sat talking after breakfast Father Barris asked Spike and Buffy "Are you going to have the Baptism here Spike and Buffy?" "Yes we would like to if Angel doesn't mind." Spike answered. "Of course you can. In fact we would be insulted if you didn't." Angel said.
"While we are on the subject of Baptism Angel and Cordelia Buffy and I have discussed this and we would like for you to be Joyce's Godparents." Spike asked. Angel and Cordelia looked at each other. "We will be honored to be her Godparents." Angel and Cordelia went over to Spike and Buffy. Angel shook hands with Spike and gave Buffy a kiss. Cordelia gave both Spike and Buffy a hug and kiss. Cordelia bent down to the baby carrier that was on a chair by Buffy and gave Joyce a kiss on her forehead and Angel did the same. Kathleen was watching this and didn't like her parents giving their attention to this new baby. When they came back to their chairs she immediately wanted to go to her mother. Kathleen started to lift her mothers blouse but Cordelia wouldn't let her. "No Kathleen not now." Kathleen started to cry when she couldn't get what she wanted. So she reached for her Daddy. Angel took her and held her close. Kathleen put her head on his shoulder and put her fingers in her mouth and started sucking on them. Daddy's arms were almost as good as nursing from her mother.
"I think it's time to go home now. She's tired and it's time for her afternoon nap." Cordelia said. Everyone thanked Father Barris for breakfast then filed out to the vans. Since Angel could walk out into the sun for short periods of time he had no problem with walking in the sun but Spike had to wait until Angel brought the van over and he could jump in. "Either I or Buffy will call you Father to set a date for the Baptism." "That's good Spike. You can make your first confession before we baptize your daughter also." Father Barris saw the reluctance in Spikes face. "Don't worry Spike it doesn't hurt. Talk to Angel about it, I am sure that he will tell you how much better he felt afterward." Spike just nodded to Fr. Barris then left when Angel drove up to the door.
When they got back to the Hotel everyone went into their own rooms. Most took afternoon naps but Spike had asked Angel and Dr. Martin if he could talk to them both privately. They all went up to room 412 so that they wouldn't disturb anyone and most especially so that they couldn't be heard.
"What did you want to talk about Spike?" Dr. Martin asked as they all sat down. Dr. Martin had taken her usual chair, Angel took the other chair and Spike sat on the couch.
"I told Father Barris that either Buffy or I would call to set a date for the Baptism." "That's good that you're doing it so soon Spike. Is that what you wanted to talk about?" Dr. Martin asked.
"No not really. You know that I have been talking to and taking lessons from him along with Wesley. Both of us were raised in the Church of England so it's not too hard since it's a lot like the Catholic Church. Anyway both Wesley and myself are almost ready to make our First Rite of Reconciliation and Communion of which of course only Wesley can do. Father Barris suggested that I make my confession before we baptize Joyce. What I wanted to ask you Angel is how did you do it?" "What do you mean how did I do it? I thought that, that was what you were learning." Angel was puzzled at Spikes question.
Dr. Martin listened carefully to what Spike was saying. It suddenly occurred to her why he was so troubled about making his first Confession.
"You aren't going through all of this because you want to be able to go to heaven when you leave this world, are you? You are doing all of this because you love Buffy so much that you are willing to go through anything and you know that this is something that would make Buffy very happy. Now though you are going to have to actually search your soul and confess all of your past sins." They were all quiet for a while. Spike had his head down he couldn't look at his mentor. Dr. Martin was the last person on earth that he would want to disappoint.
"Am I not correct Spike?" Spike couldn't make himself admit to what she was saying.
"Answer her Spike. Is that why you are going through this?" Angel raised his voice as he said this.
Both Spike and Dr. Martin jumped at the sound of his voice. "Yes, yes it is the reason why. I would go to hell and back for her. Now though I've finally outsmarted myself." Spike went to Angel and knelt before his chair. "Tell me how to make myself want redemption Angel. Tell me how to love Christ more than I love Buffy or myself. Tell me how to stop looking at my own daughter as an easy meal instead of my beautiful baby girl. Tell me how to stop being a Vampire." Spikes voice went lower and Dr. Martin could barely hear him. "Sometimes Angel, when I am making love to Buffy and I am giving her the Vampire special, as they call it, I want to continue drinking from her until my thirst is finally quenched. Each time though I am able to stop myself before I kill her. At other times I think that it would just be easier to turn her then I wouldn't hate myself so much for wanting her blood." Spike had his forehead on Angel's leg. Dr. Martin could see his blood red tears falling on his legs and the floor. Angel put his hand on Spikes head and started to smooth his hair down repeatedly.
"Let me talk to your demon Spike." Angel told him. "I don't know how to do it. I'm not like you Angel. I don't talk to my demon all of the time and he doesn't bother me. I don't have the same kind of relationship that you have with Angelus." "Just do as I say Spike. Mom can you give him something to make him go into a light sleep like you do with me?" "Yes I believe I can do that. I'll be back in a few minutes." Dr. Martin went down stairs to get the drug for Spike then returned to 412.
"Come on Spike come and lay down on the bed." Spike was still on the floor and kneeling next to Angel when Dr. Martin came back in. When Angel stood up he pulled at Spikes arm and only then did he get up. As Spike turned to lie down he stopped and looked out at the sun coming through the sides of the curtain. Angel saw where he was looking. "Don't try it Spike. You know that I am faster and stronger than you. Just lie down and Mom will send you to La La land as you always tell me." Angel said with a smile. Spike looked at Angel as though he was trying to read what was behind his eyes. "Spike do you trust me?" "Yes I trust you." "Then believe me when I say that one way or the other I will fix your problem. Lie down now." Spike did as he said this time and Dr. Martin gave him the shot. She gave him a kiss on his forehead and then backed away. Angel brought her chair over to the bed for her and then brought the other one for himself. He waited for Spike to go to sleep then he called Hunter and Wesley and asked them to come to 412.
Both Wesley and Hunter arrived at the same time. "What's going on Angel?" Wesley asked. "Grab one of the kitchen chairs and I'll get one for myself. Hunter you can have this one." Angel moved the chair he was using and gave it to Hunter to sit in. "Is that all you wanted me for?" Wesley asked. "Yeah you can leave now." Wesley started to leave. "Get over here and sit down." Angel said. Wesley came back and sat down as he was told.
Everyone followed Angels lead. Angel waited patiently for Spikes demon to make its presence known. They waited for another 15 minutes and nothing happened.
"Alright Billy you can speak up now. I know that Spike is sleeping and you can come out from behind him. No one will hurt you and I won't let Dr. Martin get near you."
"How do you know what my name is? I don't remember Spike telling you." "Spike didn't tell me, Drusilla did." Dr. Martin noticed that Angel was speaking to Billy as though he was a child and so he was handling him very gently. "Oh, yeah I miss Drusilla she was fun." Billy said.
"Angel can I ask you a question?" "Sure Billy." "Why does Spike want to stop killing bad people and drink their blood? We used to have so much fun when we would find someone to kill. Angelus told me that if I encouraged him to kill his wife or his new daughter then we would go back to having fun again and maybe go and look for Drusilla." Billy looked at Angel with trusting childlike eyes. It was as though he knew with out a doubt that Angel would tell him the truth.
"When did Angelus tell you to do that Billy?" "When you were busy with your new baby he came to me at night and we talked about it. You mean he used my body to come over to Spike and Buffy's room to talk to you?" "Yeah he did it all of the time after that. He came and told me what to tell Spike in order to get him to do what I wanted. Angel would you come and hold me like you used to? I sure miss those long talks that we used to have together." To everyone's surprise Angel went to the other side of the bed and sat next to Spike and held him as though he was a child. Billy started playing with Angels long fingers just like his daughter would do one day.
"Billy can you tell me if Spike has been happy ever since you have been encouraging him to kill Buffy and his daughter?" "No I don't think he is very happy anymore." "Do you like Spike Billy? Do you like being with him?" "Yes I like Spike a lot. Other Vampires I had before usually didn't last very long and I didn't like them. I gave them all the strength they needed and all of the other stuff. But they always wanted more then I could give them. They would usually make a mistake instead of listening to me and they would usually die after only a few years. I was sure happy when I got Spike though. He was so much fun and Drusilla was fun too. Spike and I never argued he was always happy for what I was able to give him. After you left, when you got your soul back, Spike was sad but then Drusilla and Darla cheered him up by going out and killing some people. I missed you though Angel, I missed you every day."
Dr. Martin and Wesley were watching and listening to Billy. If they didn't know what he was they would think he was an innocent child.
"Billy, do you like making Spike sad?" Billy looked down and started playing with his shirt. "No." "Well what you are telling Spike to do all of the time is making him very sad and sometimes he gets so depressed that he wants to kill himself. He loves Buffy and Joyce very much and he would have no reason to continue in this world if he did what you suggest. Do you understand Billy?" "Yes." "Do you know what I want you to do now Billy?" "Yes, you want me to stop telling Spike to kill Buffy by taking all of her blood when they are having sex, and you want me to stop telling him to drink his daughter's blood because it will taste so soft and sweet." "Yes Billy that is exactly what I want. Can you do that for me?" "Yes, but I want you to do something in return for me." "If I can I will. What is it that you want from me?" "I want you to sit and talk to me at least once each month, because I miss these little talks Angel." "I think I can do that but you have to understand that sometimes I may not be able to keep our appointed day. Sometimes I may need to change it to another day so I don't want you to take it out on Spike, ok?" "Okay." "Alright Billy I am going to get up now and I want you to go to sleep okay." "Okay Angel can I ask you to do one more thing for me." "Yes but this is the last one then I want you to go to sleep." "I promise I'll go to sleep after this. Okay here it comes. I want you to read me the same story's that you read to your daughter." "I promise that I will bring a book to read to you. Now goodnight." Billy lay back down and went to sleep.
Angel and Wesley put the chairs back so they could all sit and talk about what just happened.
"Well Mom what do you think about our little family secret?" Angel asked. "Angel I never would have guessed in a million years that Billy was Spikes demon. I thought that a Vampires demon was always pretty much like Angelus. "Usually they are, of course not as bad. I think that Billy though isn't a true demon. I believe, and this is just a guess, I believe that Billy wasn't born a demon. I believe that Billy was an innocent that was taken as a young boy and turned into a demon."
Everyone was quiet for a few moments. "What makes you think that?" Dr. Martin asked.
"I have never run across a Vampires demon that is so child like. Have you Hunter?" "No most, including mine, are true demons and act accordingly." Hunter answered.
"Billy does what he does because this is what he has been trained to do and Billy has told me that he has been with many different Vampires over many thousands of years. I believe he has gone through so many because he thinks like a child so his Vampires usually die early because of his inability to completely control his humans." "How did you find out about Billy?" Wesley asked.
"Apparently Angelus used to talk to him all of the time when Spike was sleeping. I also think that it was partly because of Billy that Angelus let Spike stay. I know about Billy because occasionally Angelus would become irritated with Billy because he always had to keep his conversation on the level of a child. At those times he would let me control my own body so that I could talk to Billy. As soon as Billy would go to bed Angelus would shove me back in the cage."
"Why did you want Wesley and I to hear this?" Hunter asked. "I felt that someone besides myself should know this about Spike. If Spike outlives me then some one needs to know about Billy and if there are problems then with this information you will know how to deal with Spike." "If Billy has been with so many different Vampires then why do you think he has been with Spike for so long?" Dr. Martin asked. "Billy told me once that he got along with Spike so well because Spike liked doing a lot of the things that he does. He said that Drusilla and Angelus taught Spike all of the, and I quote "mean stuff" unquote." Spike started to wake up, but instead of getting up he kicked his shoes off and reached down and pulled the quilt that was at the end of the bed over himself. Before he went back to sleep he said "And if you blokes say anything about Billy I am going to break my human blood fast and have a couple of quarts of human blood. Angel……….. thanks for talking to Billy. Now everyone get out so I can get some sleep like all good Vampires should be doing during the day."
They all got up then and left and went downstairs to the kitchen for some coffee. No one else was downstairs so they all took a seat at the dinning room table after they got their coffee.
"What brought all of this on Angel?" Hunter asked. "I want everyone to understand that none of what you have heard or anything at all about Billy is to be repeated. Spike is very private about his demon. Spike told Dr. Martin and I about his taking lessons along with you Wesley. When he talked to Fr. Barris about his daughter's baptism Fr. Barris advised Spike to make his first confession or as they call it now days The Rite of Reconciliation before they have Joyce baptized. Spike wanted to talk to Dr. Martin and I about the problems he was having with his desire for human blood. He said the thought of draining Buffy when he was giving her the Vampire special would often come into his mind and now whenever he holds his daughter the thought of her being an easy meal comes into his mind. He also wanted to ask me how I was able to make my confession after so many years of torturing and killing people.
"When Spike told me about the thoughts he was having about Buffy and Joyce I knew that they weren't Spikes thoughts but Billy's. When I questioned Billy I found that it was Angelus behind it all. When I heard this I was glad that I had asked you to come and hear this. Hunter you need to talk to Mike to see if he has been feeling anything different towards you such as he did when he saw Angelus's true form. Do you understand why?"
"Yes, Angelus could have been very busy with others besides Spikes demon. I think that we should all meet together and Mary you of course will have to lead us through this. I don't think that Angelus was stopping with Billy or Mike. He most likely was visiting everyone." Hunter said.
Angel then turned to Wesley. "How about you Wesley, any unusual hatreds or problems with either you or Fred?" "You mean besides my hating you for making me exercise everyday? No nothing unusual that I am aware of. I'll have to talk to Fred about it though." "I think that Angelus would take aim at someone that is weaker and more vulnerable Angel." Dr. Martin said. "You mean someone like Fred?" Wesley asked. "Exactly, if you want me to question her Wesley I can. I might be able to do it better since I know what the feelings are that are normally brought on by pregnancy." "Yes, I think that would be a good idea. We all tend to open up to you more easily. I think also that we will be able to get through all of this without mentioning anything about Billy. So your family secret will be safe Angel." Wesley said as he got up to leave. "Thanks Wesley I am sure that Spike would appreciate it. By the way we'll continue with the exercises after the meeting with Mom." Wesley gave Angel a dirty look as he opened the door and left. Angel just smiled.
"You know Hunter Mikes feelings towards you after he saw Angelus where probably influenced by Angelus, but his love for you was able to take him beyond what Angelus was telling him." Angel stood up then and went over to Hunter and took her hand and kissed it. "I think that, that is more then enough proof to show that he really and truly does love you Hunter. His love will help him to see beyond anything that he might see or hear that has anything to do with your being a Vampire. Just like Cordelia is able to do for me." Angel stood up then and left.
"My boy is something else isn't he. He is constantly showing me new depths to his psychological makeup." "Please don't take what I am going to ask you in the wrong way Mary but I really need to know this." Hunter paused for a moment while she gathered her thoughts.
"Mary, how can you love Angel so much that you see him as a son that you gave birth to?" Dr. Martin was pretty sure why Hunter was asking this.
"Hunter I didn't love Angel immediately. When I first came here I was, to be frank, scared out of my wits. It was only because of my daily prayers that I was able to find the courage to do what I had to each day. But each day, as I peeled away the many layers that made up the man that we know as Angel, I came to love him more and more.
"When we were in Ireland and Angel pulled that little stunt that let Angelus come through and rape me my mother's instinct took over and I protected him from what I was afraid that the men would do to him if they found out. When Angel and St. Michael stopped Angelus his body was left with the mind of a baby. That night Cordelia and I put him between us and we all slept on the floor. During the night Angel woke up and was hungry. Since he had the mind of a baby he of course wanted to nurse and my breasts were the closest ones since he had fallen asleep with his head on my chest. He was able to remove my nightgown over my right breast and started nursing. The strange thing about it though was that he knew that he needed blood so he would bite down to get what he wanted. When I started to get light headed I pushed him away and he just put his fingers in his mouth and started sucking on them just like Kathleen does. In fact when I saw Kathleen sucking on her third and fourth finger I immediately thought of when I saw Angel doing the same thing. When Angel was done nursing on my blood Cordelia asked me why I let him do that. I told her that just as she was nurturing her baby with her blood while she was in her womb I nurtured Angel and that now we were truly mother and son.
"Hunter if you and Mike choose to adopt or ask either Willow or Tara to carry a baby to term you will love that baby as soon as you hold it in your arms." Dr. Martin told Hunter while holding her hand. "You know about the tests on my ovaries to see if they were still producing eggs?" "Yes, has he been able to determine if they are still viable or not." "Not yet. We haven't actually performed the test yet." "I think that I better go and take a nap now. I need more rest these days in order to keep up with my young husband. Sex was never something that I needed frequently it was more of my husbands needs. When I was young and was first married we were usually too tired to even think about sex. I often thought that it was pure luck that we conceived our son. With Rupert he is well rested all of the time and wants it more frequently then I do. If it wasn't for the fact that he is a good lover and very attentive towards my needs I would probably have more headaches then usual." They both laughed at her admission to Hunter. Dr. Martin and Hunter got up then and went to their own rooms.
On Friday of the same week Spike met with Father Barris in room 412. Angel had spoken to Father Barris several days before about Spike. He told him about how Spike had been turned into a Vampire and what kind of person he was. Spike was nervous as he waited for Father Barris. This was going to be very hard on him because he wasn't the type to open up to anyone and let them know his true feelings. The closest he came to it was with Buffy. Buffy still didn't know as much about him though as Angel did. He had told Buffy once that he really did look at Angel like a father sometimes and it was the reason why he often called him Sire.
At 1 p.m. he heard Fr. Barris downstairs. He was getting so nervous that he had to run to the bathroom and vomit the blood that he had for lunch. He was able to finish cleaning himself up just as he heard the knock on the door. He went to the door and opened it. "Come in Father." They shook hands as Father Barris walked in and put his brief case down by the chair he sat on last time. "Are you ready to make your first confession William?" "Yes Father." "Then let's get started." They both took their seats. Spike waited while the priest opened up his brief case and prepared himself to hear Spikes confession. "You can start when you're ready William." Spike started with the words on the card he had been given. "Bless me Father for I have sinned."
Spike and Father Barris were in 412 for the next 3 hours. As Fr. Barris listened to Spikes list of sins he couldn't help compare him with Angel. Before Angel was given his soul back he was a bystander that couldn't do anything about what Angelus did. But with William he was not quite an active participant but more of a bystander that gave directions. Dr. Martin had told him about Spikes resident demon because she knew that the information was an important piece of information that he needed in order to guide Spike. Billy was a child demon that didn't know what the strengths of a full grown man were. William participated in his killings by telling Billy what to do such as when he attacked a man. The directions were in the form of advice as to how to hold the man's arm behind his back and to grab the man's hair and force his head to the opposite side so that his neck was fully exposed. William learned this by watching Angelus. Worst of all William told Billy what to do when he raped a woman before killing them.
The only thing that saved William and made it possible to retrieve his soul was his love for Buffy. Now he had his daughter to focus his love on also. Angel had chosen to fight for his redemption and was given Cordelia and a family because of his choices. Without Buffy William would still be the soulless Vampire named Spike.
Fr. Barris was going to take William though and hopefully point him in the right direction and his love for his wife and daughter would keep him on the difficult road to his redemption. When William was done making his confession Fr. Barris gave him his penance.
"William as your penance you are to pray the Rosary every day, also you are to pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy as close to 3 in the afternoon as possible. This is a very important prayer for you William because you did not choose redemption, it choose you. You are to say this prayer at 3 in the afternoon because that is the hour that Christ died on the cross for you. You are to meditate on Christ's suffering and death for at least 15 minutes after praying the Chaplet of Divine Mercy. I want you to buy a Diary. In the evening you are to examine your conscience to see if you broke any of Gods rules that day. This goes for both anything that you actually did or said or thought. In your Diary you are to write down any rules or laws that you have broken that have been set down by God or the Catholic Church. At the beginning of your Diary William you are to use your medical knowledge and write down what the physical results of what Christ went through in order to give you a chance to enter through the gates of heaven. At the end of each month you will turn over your Diary to your confessor and he will return it to you after reading the previous months faults. I know of no other way then this to teach you what you must learn. Now make a good act of contrition."
When they were done Fr. Barris put his penitential garment away and got up and went to the refrigerator and took out a can of Pepsi for himself and then warmed up a glass of blood for Spike. When he smelled the warmed blood Spike got up and took the glass from the counter. "Thank you, I needed it." They stood in silence for awhile then Spike was able to get up the courage to ask Fr. Barris something.
"Father, may I ask you a question concerning Angel and myself?" "Go ahead and ask, if it's to personnel for Angel then I won't answer it." "Angel has pretty much told us what his penance is. What I want to know is why have you given me so much more than Angel? I'm not asking because I think your being unfair or anything I just need to understand why." Spike downed the rest of his drink then carefully washed the glass and put it back in the cabinet.
"I'll answer you with this William and if you still don't understand then tell me and I'll explain further. When I listened to Angel's confession it took him 4 hours and when he was done he was on his knees beside my chair. He cried so much that his eyes were all red and swollen. When you gave me your confession it took you only 3 hours and you didn't shed even one tear. It wasn't so much the length of time that it took you to make your confession as it was the fact that you didn't shed even one tear." "So you're saying that you don't think that I am truly sorry for my sins but that everything I am doing is because I love Buffy and now my daughter so much. You have designed my penance so that it will direct me in the correct direction." "You are very perceptive William and you have taken your first step in that direction.
"Whether you can join Buffy in paradise when you leave this world all depends on you now. How long you are separated will depend on how fast you learn and put into practice what you have learned. But William it won't matter how much you memorize prayers, passages in the Bible or even if you were to memorize, word for word, the whole Bible if it doesn't open a hole in your heart that can be filled with a love for God and His Son. I have to leave now I have Saturday Mass to conduct." Fr. Barris stopped at the door and turned to Spike. "William, you have a long hard road to travel and I leave you with this saying, "The road to perdition is straight and wide, paved with gold and easily traveled and many take it. The road to heaven is long and winding, it has many rocks in it and is difficult to travel and few take it." Your love for Buffy has placed you at the beginning of that road to heaven William. I don't believe you really care about going to heaven William, but you know that Buffy will be there and you want to be there with her also. I believe you have been placed in my hands to teach you and guide you. Between Angel and I we will get you there one way or the other and when you get there you will know and understand how much our Savior loved you and how much He sacrificed to give you the opportunity to be there."
Both Spike and Fr. Barris left then to go downstairs. Angel and Dr. Martin were in the Lobby waiting for them. When Fr. Barris and Spike came out of the elevator they both stood up. Angel went to Spike and hugged him. Dr. Martin did also. "Thank you for taking care of my boy Father." Angel said as he put his arm around Spikes neck. "You're very welcome Angel. I hate to rush off but I have Saturday Mass to perform good bye everyone and goodnight." He stopped at the door and turned around. "William if you should need to talk to me just give me a call. Just as I do for Angel I can come over here or you can come to the rectory." Spike just nodded and Fr. Barris left.
"How did it go Spike, if you don't mind my asking?" Angel asked. "He saw right through me just like you did. The penance he gave you is kids stuff compared to mine. Dr. Martin if you have time tonight I need to go to a religious store for several items and I of course will need your help." "Of course Spike I would be happy to. Are you going back to your room now?" "Yeah, do you want to see Buffy and Joyce?" "Yes I would like to check on Buffy. Do you know if she is producing milk yet?" "Yeah she said she just started today." Spike said. He was smiling all of the way to the room though.
Angel went up to the second floor and went to Hunter and Mikes room and knocked on the door. Mike answered. "Come in whoever you are but keep your eyes closed when you do." Angel opened the door. "Is Hunter here?" "Yes she is in the closet hiding because she doesn't have anything on." Hunter looked around the closet door. "What do you want Angel?" "Remember last week I asked you to give me a massage and to show Cordelia how to do it also then Buffy went into labor." "Yes I remember." "Do you think we could do that now? Nothing is going on and I thought it would be a perfect time." "Yes I guess we could do that. Well be down there in a few minutes. You know the routine. If you still have some of that special oil you and Cordelia use try warming some of it up in the microwave." Angel closed the door then and Hunter went to the bathroom and grabbed her bathrobe. She grabbed Mike's bathrobe and threw it to him. "Let's go my dear. You are going to learn how to give me a world class massage." Mike got up and pulled his bathrobe on and followed Hunter to Angels room.
Hunter knocked on the door. "Come in Hunter." Angel said. Hunter and Mike went in and closed the door behind them. Angel had a blanket and sheet on the floor and the massaging oil was warmed up and in a jar next to the blanket.
"Okay Angel assume the position." Cordelia was sitting on the bed with Kathleen who was sleeping. Angel took off his robe and laid down on his stomach. Hunter took off her robe also. Neither Hunter or Angel had anything on now. "It's better if you don't wear anything Cordelia because as you know it can get very messy and it's hard to get the oil out of cloth unless it's white cotton." Hunter poured some of the oil in her hands and started to massage Angels back. While she did it she gave a running commentary as to how she was massaging each muscle and why. She asked Cordelia to put some soft music on so that they would relax more. She paid close attention to the muscles around his neck and shoulders. These were the muscles that would cause his arm to shake when he was under a lot of stress. When she was done with these muscles she got off of Angels back.
"Come on Cordelia I want you to try it. We'll go through each set of muscles like this then you will try it." Cordelia took off her robe and got on Angels back and started to do as Hunter instructed. Cordelia was almost done massaging Angel when they realized that he had fallen to sleep. Cordelia slapped his behind. She got the response she wanted except she forgot she was on her knees and straddling Angel's legs. Angel jumped up and was ready for an attack. Nothing was in the room except for Mike, Hunter and Cordelia. Angel had a sheepish look on his face as he realized what had happened. "What can I say, you girls are good. Are we done?" "No we are not done with you yet lay down so your face up. Cordelia would you get me a bath towel and hand towel please." Hunter asked. Cordelia was back in just a few seconds. "Put one over you know where and the other over his face." Cordelia did as Hunter instructed. "Okay he can't get any ideas when he has to look up." Hunter went to his head and leaned over as she showed Cordelia how to massage his shoulders and neck then she traded places with Cordelia and she did the same thing. This went on for the rest of the afternoon until Cordelia's lessons in how to massage Angel was completed. Angel was then given lessons in how to massage Cordelia. As Angel finished massaging Cordelia he could hardly wait for Hunter and Mike to leave. In fact he came close to throwing them out and locked the door then practically attacked Cordelia.
"I was wondering how long you were going to last before you lost complete control in front of them." Cordelia was laughing so hard she almost wet herself. "I have to go to the bathroom Angel." He let her go then and lay back down on the floor. He was looking up at the ceiling when he saw a little face looking at him over the side of the bed.
"Well hello my little girl. Come down here and join Daddy." Angel gave her a picture of how to swing her legs over the side while still holding onto the quilt. Kathleen carefully put her legs over the side and when she could touch the floor she let go and fell sideways on top of her Daddy. Angel took her diaper off, which was wet, and put her on his stomach then poured a small amount of Baby Oil on his chest. He put a small amount on his hand then started to rub Kathleen with it. By the time Cordelia came out she had it all over her hair and all over her Daddy's chest. Angel had rubbed it all over her body and she had taken care of his hair so that it would be like hers.
"What in heavens name are you doing?" "I'm giving my daughter a massage." Angel said as he looked at Cordelia. Kathleen had made a mess of his and her hair. They both had spiked hair. Kathleen had dark red spikes and Angel had reddish brown spikes. Cordelia got the camera out and took a bunch of pictures. They spent the next hour taking a shower and playing in the water. Cordelia bathed right away because between the oil on her and the oil on Kathleen she cold barely h
old on to her daughter. She got out of the shower and left Angel the job of cleaning his daughter while she went into the bedroom and got dressed. By the time she was done Angel was finished cleaning their daughter and called Cordelia to come and get her. By then it was time for dinner so they all went downstairs. The nights were starting to get cooler so Angel couldn't take Kathleen outside with him to the patio so she was installed in her highchair and brought over to the kitchen while he helped Cordelia fix dinner. Cordelia had put a large pot of beans on the stove earlier so that she could make chili with beans for dinner.
Everyone started coming downstairs as the smell of the chili and rice started going up to the 2nd floor and into the rooms. Cordelia had assigned Angel the task of cutting up bowls full of green onions, tomatoes and shredded lettuce for those who liked having a small salad also. Dr. Martin came into the kitchen. "Can I help with anything Cordelia?" "No Mom we have everything just about done. I'm just finishing up with the tortillas. You can start setting the table though." "Okay I think I can do that. Did you all have fun this afternoon?" "Yes we did and I got a first class massage. Hunter showed Cordelia how to give me a massage and then she showed me how to do Cordelia." Angel said as he placed the chopped tomatoes into three bowls. "Yes then you should of seen the mess he made of Kathleen. I had to go to the bathroom and when I came out Kathleen and her Daddy looked like two Punk Rockers or something. Angel had put baby oil all over her and Kathleen put the oil in her hair and his. I think you had better run some psychological tests on your son Mom because I think he has started his second childhood."
"Aww she's just jealous Mom because I wasn't playing with her." Angel smiled as he said it to let them know he was just kidding. "Cordelia what do you think about putting up a sling in the shower that we can put Kathleen in so it would be easier to bath her in the shower?" "I don't know Angel, I think it would be kind of a waste of time because she will be growing so fast that she'll outgrow whatever you put in there. Besides as fast as her mind is progressing I don't think it will be much longer before she is going to be wondering what that thing is that is hanging between your legs. Remember you mentioned something about us being more careful when she was awake because she is going to start asking about the differences between Mommy and Daddy?" "Yeah." "Well I thought about it and I think your right. I think we will have to either put up a screen or put her in a room of her own before long." Angel put the knife down and stopped and looked at his wife. "No you can't do that yet. It's too early for my little girl to have to sleep by herself. Mom tell her it's too early. She'll be afraid and start crying and you know how it affects me when I hear her crying. I'll pick out a nice screen to put in front of her crib. That way she can hear us but not see us." Cordelia and Dr. Martin looked at each other. With that one look they told each other they knew who would really be afraid and needed Kathleen to stay in their room for a while longer.
"Okay Angel she can stay a little longer but no sling in the shower I think it would be a waste of time because she will grow out of it to fast. Well I'm done how about you?" "All done, we just have to call the troops down." Angel took the last of the bowls of onions, tomatoes and lettuce out to the tables and then went upstairs.
"Dinner is on the table everyone. Get it while it's hot." Angel could hear everyone getting ready to come downstairs so he headed back down. Wesley and Fred were the last to come downstairs and join everyone at the dinning room. Dr. Martin watched Fred all through the meal. She looked real tired. "How have you been feeling Fred? You look tired. Have you been getting enough sleep?" "Yes, in fact I think I'm getting too much sleep. Maybe that's why I look tired because I'm tired of sleeping." "Be thankful for all of the sleep because you will remember these days with fondness once your boys are here." "Well that's not for another 2 months and I can sleep just so much. I think it's good that the men are going camping next weekend. Wesley needs to get away for awhile. If it wasn't for the exercises that the guys are putting him through I think he would go stir crazy along with me."
"I haven't been that boring have I?" Wesley asked Fred. "No dear you've been wonderful but I think you need to get out and get some sun. You're almost as white as Angel." "Can Fred do a little sunbathing tomorrow Mom?" "Sure, as long as you carry her the rest of the stairs to the roof."
"When are we supposed to get help to clean the Hotel Cordelia? The last time I remember anything being said about it we were supposed to have interviewed some people for the position then Wesley got shot I think." Fred asked.
"Yeah that was kind of postponed. Maybe we can take care of that this week. What does everyone think?" Cordelia put it to everyone.
"Just take care of it Cordelia we trust your judgment." Gunn said. The rest seconded what he said. "Okay then I'll contact Father Barris and tell him we are ready to interview some people. The apartment upstairs is ready for them and as long as they speak English I can take care of it, otherwise I need some help." She looked at Angel who she knew spoke Spanish. "Yes dear I'll help you if you need it."
"Well since everyone is done and I don't have that help yet maybe some volunteers can clean the kitchen for me since Angel and I made dinner. Oh I think I saw Gunn, Connor, and Giles raise their hands." "Yeah I think I saw that also." Angel said as he picked up Kathleen from her highchair. "Let's get out of here before they realize what's going on." Everyone cleared out while Connor, Gunn, and Giles started to clean up while Spike and Dr. Martin went shopping. Angel wanted to go shopping for the screen that they could put in front of Kathleen's crib when they wanted privacy. Buffy, Willow, and Tara went into Fred's room to keep her company while Wesley went to his office to do some work.
Wesley was looking thru a new 'old' book that had been delivered just yesterday. If Wesley could purr like a happy cat he would be purring now. He loved reading old prophecy books. He enjoyed the challenge of interpreting them and unlocking their secrets. This new book was supposed to have something about Angel in it so he was taking his time. The book was in Latin so it took even longer than usual to interpret. When he did find something about Angel he was disappointed because all it did was tell him what he already knew. Wesley ran his fingers over the ancient paper that was bound with string instead of glue like present day books. These ancient books usually had small pictures drawn around the edges of the page. He noticed how this one had the head of a wolf at the corners of the pages that had information about Angel on them. At the very bottom of the page and in the middle was a pair of Angel's wings. Wesley new that in ancient times Catholic monks would make their living by copying books and that was the only way that duplicates of books were made. Some monks would add a small pair of Angel's wings or a crucifix somewhere on the pages that they copied.
Wesley had been at it for almost 3 hours straight. He stood up and stretched his back muscle. He was thinking to himself (I better make sure I put some pajamas on tonight.) Everyone had come back an hour ago so he turned out the lights and made sure that all of the doors were locked and the security system was turned on. As he made his way up the stairs the pictures on the page kept going through his mind.
Next week the thoughts he was having now would be remembered.
TBC……………………………