Parenthood

Summary: Willow shows up in Angel's room instead of Darla. A month and a half later . . . The next chapter should be coming soon.

Chapter 3: Reunion

"Willow, honey, you have to get out of this bed. It's been two months." Angel said to his fiancé. He pulled the blanket off her, but she pulled it back on herself.
Willow Rosenberg shook her head under the covers, her scarlet locks messy and tousled. "No!"
"You can't stay in this bedroom forever." Angel reasoned.
"Yes, I can." Willow sniffled. "And I will." Angel pulled the covers off of her again, this time throwing it across the room. She whined in protest. "Angel!"
"No. You're gonna get dressed and get out into the real world." Angel said. "Besides, I told Buffy and Cordelia that you'd go shopping with them today."
"No-o!" Willow whined. "I can't. It's too soon!"
"You'll be fine." Angel assured her. He sat down on the bed next to her and held her in his arms. She snuggled into his embrace. "It's been so hard on you for a while now. And you've been so brave. I'm very proud of you." He kissed her forehead. When he looked at her face, he saw that she was sleeping.
Gently he slid her out of his arms and laid her on the bed. He gave her a gentle kiss on the lips before putting his shirt on and going downstairs.
In the lobby, he found Buffy having breakfast.
"How's she feeling?" Buffy asked.
"Usual." Angel answered. "She's asleep right now."
"Angel, listen. Dawn and I have to get back to Sunnydale." Buffy said.
"Okay-" Angel said.
"It's just, Dawn's been out of school for awhile, and she needs to get back to a normal routine. And with Glory gone, we're free."
"I understand." Angel said. All they'd really done the past two months was re-clean the hotel and sit around. Cordy hadn't even had a vision.
"You do?" Buffy said.
"Yeah. We aren't really doing anything here anyway. And I think you should take Willow with you, just for awhile." Angel said.
"Are you sure?" Buffy said.
"Yeah." Angel said. "She needs to get out of Los Angeles for awhile. Go back to classes, get back to normal."
"You're probably right." Buffy said. "But I think Dawn and I will go back first and get Tara's things out of the house. We'll take it to Xander's for now. When we're finished, she can come with Xander and Anya."
"Good." Angel said. "Now, we just have to convince Willow to get out of bed."

Willow walked over to the crib, quietly as to not wake him. She peered over the railing at the sleeping baby. Connor's fist was firmly planted inside of his mouth, and he seemed perfectly content on it. Willow giggled at how adorable he looked. She slowly picked him up and held him in the crook of her arm. She rocked him a little, hummed a lullaby, and all the while just stared at him. A stray piece of hair fell in her face and she moved it out the way, temporarily not focusing on her son.
When she looked back, Connor was gone. "Noooooooo!" She screamed. "Connor!"

Dawn shot out of bed. She had awoken when she heard someone scream. After a few seconds, she realized it had been Willow. She raced to Willow and Angel's bedroom. She knocked on the door, pounding on it with her fists.
"Willow! Willow are you okay!" Dawn shouted. The only answer she got was a bloodcurdling shriek. The kind like on tv when a girl screams and one of those 'cliched' screams echos and you know it was a computer. Except Dawn was pretty sure this one was real.
She pushed on the door with all her strength, but it didn't budge. She tried again, but no such luck.
"Come on, monks." Dawn muttered, "Show me some of that Key power."
She tried again, and . . . failure. Finally on the seventh try the door burst open. Her eyes searched the room, looking for some kind of struggle.
She glanced at the bed and saw that Willow was thrashing and flailing and screaming.
The teenager ran toward the bed, straight to the red head's side.
"Willow, what's wrong?" Dawn whispered. Willow was still asleep. Dawn shoot the redhead's shoulder. "Willow wake up!"
"No, no, no . . ." Willow said over and over. "Angel!"
"Willow, wake up!" Dawn said again. The redhead kept mumbling. Dawn went right into Willow's ears and shouted, "WAKE UP!" Willow jerked and sat up.
"What's wrong?" Willow said. "What's going on? What's happening? Where's Connor?"
"Sssshhhh." Dawn said. "You were having a nightmare."
"Where's Connor? Where's my son?" Willow said.
"Don't you remember?" Dawn said. "Connor's gone. He was kidnaped two months ago."
"No. That's not true, it's a lie. Stop lying!" Willow shouted.
"I'm not!" Dawn said.
"B-but . . ." Willow burst out crying and fell on Dawn's shoulder.
"Sshhh. It's okay." Dawn whispered.
"Where's Angel?" Willow sniffled.
"Do you want me to get him?" Dawn asked. Willow nodded.

The next night Angel crept out of the hotel and headed for someone he knew who could help him.

Lilah sat at her desk, waiting for her next client to arrive. It was late, almost one in the morning, but those were her usual hours.
She was about to call the main desk and see if her client had arrived, but a man appeared in front of her. She knew who it was.
"Took you long enough." Lilah said.
"Yeah, well, I was a little busy." Angel said.
"What do you want?" Lilah said coldly.
"Information." Angel said. "Two months ago you were at the same abandoned field where my son was kidnaped. What I want to know is, why? Why were you and your operatives there?"
"Linwood. He sent us out to collect the kid." Lilah replied.
"Where. Where can I find him?" Angel said anxiously.
"His office is on the fourth floor, room 426." Lilah told him. "Now, tell me, what do I get for telling you this?"
"You get to live." Angel said. She blinked, and then Angel was gone.
She picked up the phone on her desk and dialed the right number.
"Security." Lilah said into the phone. "There is someone, a vampire, going to attack Linwood. I need security to his office right now."

"Okay, Wil." Xander Harris called into the hotel. "Time to go." He packed in the last of his, Anya's, and Willow's luggage into the van. Anya, his fiance, was already seated in the front passenger seat. Willow, however, was still in the hotel's lobby with Angel. Buffy, Spike, Giles, and Dawn were already in Sunnydale, clearing Tara's things from the Summers' home. Cordelia, Wesley, Fred, and Gunn were outside with Xander.
"She'll be right there!" Angel called from inside the hotel. Someone shouted and Xander was pretty sure it was Willow. He couldn't really understand what she had said, but he caught the gist of it.
"No!" Willow shouted. " . . . will not . . . go . . . leave . . . here . . ." Was all Xander really understood. There was a pause, probably Angel saying something, Xander thought. Willow shouted again. This time Xander heart it loud and clear. "I WON'T LEAVE UNTIL CONNOR IS HOME!"
Everyone who was outside kind of stared at nothing in particular as if they felt very awkward by Willow's words.
Anya, as if she didn't hear any of this at all, said, "XAnder, can we go now?"
"In a minute, Ahn." Xander said.
A few seconds later Angel came out, carrying a kicking and screaming Willow over his shoulder.
"No!" Willow protested, trying to get free of Angel' s embrace.
Come on, Willow!" Xander said. "We're gonna have us a load of fun at home."
Willow stared at him as if he had just told her to jump off of Mt. Everest. "I am home!" Willow shouted.
Willow, honey, be nice." Angel said.
Angel, with Willow still in his arms, went over to the van and set her in the back seat. She pouted and crossed her arms. Angel gave her a kiss on the lips and shut the door.
"Now can we go?" Anya whined.
"Yes." Xander said. "All aboard, because the train is leaving."

"Dawn!" Buffy called up the stairs to her sister. "They're here!"
"Coming!" Dawn shouted back. "I just have one thing to do quick."
The doorbell rang and Buffy opened the door. It was Xander, Anya, and Willow.
Buffy hugged Willow, but the redhead didn't retaliate. Buffy just figured she was tired.
"Welcome ho--" She looked up and saw that Xander was signaling for her to stop. "Welcome back." She said instead.
Willow just kind of stared into space. There was dark circles under eyes. Her hair wasn't the same shiny red it had once been. In fact, Willow looked horrible.
"Well, Ahn and I should get going. It's late." Xander said. They turned to leave. About halfway down the path, Xander turned back to look at Buffy. "We'll call in the morning, see how you all are doing."
"Thanks." Buffy said. She led Willow inside to the couch in the living room. "Do you want anything?"
Willow shook her head.
"If you need anything, I'll be in the kitchen." Buffy said. She quietly tip-toed into the kitchen and started the dishes. They hadn't been done in a while, and Dawn refused to do them, so Buffy just did them.
She knew Dawn would be coming down with the present she had made for Willow. Buffy didn't even know what it was, but she was sure it was something nice.
As if on cue, Buffy heard Dawn run down the stairs.
"I've got it!" Dawn shouted.
"I'll be in there in a second!" Buffy shouted.
"Hurry up!" Dawn shouted back. Buffy turned off the faucet and dried her hands off. She went into the living room to find that Dawn was sitting next to Willow, and Willow was kind of back away from Dawn.
"I'm here." Buffy said.
"Good!" Dawn said excitedly. Buffy sat down across from her sister and her best friend. Dawn handed the gift to Willow. The redheaded Wicca took it somewhat reluctantly and held it in her lap.
"Well, open it!" Buffy said.
Slowly, Willow peeled back the paper. After a few minutes, it was finally opened.
"What is it?" Buffy asked.
Suddenly, Willow just immediately started weeping out of nowhere.
"What's wrong?" Dawn said nervously. "Don't you like it?"
Buffy took the present from Willow's hand. It was a scrapbook. On the front cover were pictures of two people. One was of Tara, and the other was of . . . Connor. Decorating the front cover and edges gold and blue stars and symbols Buffy guessed to be Wiccan symbols., baby pacifiers, and pieces of Connor's mobile. Buffy flipped through the pages and saw various pictures of Tara with Willow and the rest of the gang, and also of Connor. Which amazed Buffy because she didn't know there had been any pictures of Connor that had been taken. There was a picture of Connor in his crib. Of Connor with Angel holding him, and of Willow and Connor. On the last page was a picture of Angel, Willow, and Connor, all asleep on Willow and Angel's bed. And on the back cover was a picture of Tara. A rainbow framed the edges of the back cover, as well as clouds and beautiful angels.
Buffy looked at Dawn. "It's beautiful!" She said. "When did you do all of this?"
"While I was watching Connor before Willow woke up. I had a camera with me. I didn't plan on bringing it, but it had just been in my bag."
Willow was still crying, and Buffy couldn't understand why.
"What's wrong Willow?" Buffy asked again.
"Nothing." Willow sobbed. "Nothing it wrong with it. It's wonderful. I just miss them so much." Buffy pulled her friend into a hug.
"Of course you do." Buffy said. Willow sobbed into Buffy's shoulder.
"I miss them too." Dawn said, and Buffy knew her sister wasn't just talking about Tara and Connor. Dawn was talking about their mother.

In Los Angeles, Angel was sitting in Lilah's office, waiting for her to come through the door. Lilah didn't know he was there, but she would soon find out.
As if on cue, the door opened and Lilah Morgan stepped through the threshold.
"Hello Lilah. Remember that conversation we had, just last week?" Angel said. He walked over to her desk chair and turned it around so Lilah could see the person tied to it. It was Linwood.
"I see you got rid of security." Lilah said smugly.
"What security?" Angel said innocently.
"Fair enough." Lilah said. "So, what do you want?"
"Your boss here," Angel said, indicating Linwood, "Won't tell we what I need to know. But, what he has said, is that you know a way to fix this."
"I don't know what you're talking about." Lilah said.
"Come on, Lilah. There's no need to keep any secrets." Angel said.
"I don't know anything." Lilah said.
Through the bonds on his mouth, Linwood mumbled, "Tell him!" Lilah seemed to understand because she shook her head no. "Tell him!"
"Lilah, Lilah, Lilah. I know you to tell me." Angel said.
"Fine!" Lilah shouted, exasperated. "There's a ritual, a dark one. But, we'll have to do it at your hotel."
"That's all wanted." Angel said. "Was that so hard?"

Now at the hotel, Angel did everything Lilah said would be needed. He painted the pentagram on the lobby floor with red paint. He got Lilah a knife. Now, he stood aside watching Lilah perform the ritual.She cut her palm and let the blood drip into the middle of pentagram. She chanted in Latin, but Angel wasn't paying attention to the words.
Angel watched in anticipation as Lilah's blood puddled on the lobby floor. He looked up at the ceiling as mystical lightning flashed and imaginary thunder sounded.
But that's all that happened. After a few seconds the lightning and thunder stopped. Lilah stopped chanting. The hotel was silent.
"Why isn't anything happening?" Angel snapped. "Where's my son?"
"I don't know. That spell should have worked." Lilah said.
"Do it again!" Angel shouted.
"I can't." Lilah said. "Once it starts, it can't be done again."

One month later
"Angel, when are you going to tell us why there's a huge star, sorry, pentagram, in the middle of the lobby floor?" Cordelia said.
She crossed her arms and tapped her foot on the floor.
"I already did." Angel said without stopping picking up the debris from Connor's old room.
"Yeah. You told us that you tried to get Connor back and it didn't work. What you didn't give us was specifics. What exactly did you do?" Cordelia said.
"It doesn't matter." Angel said. "It didn't work. Connor's still gone. Willow's still in Sunnydale. Nothing's changed."
"You're changed." Cordelia said softly. "What happened?"
"I don't want to talk about it!" Angel snapped. Cordy jumped.
"Come on, Angel. You now that line doesn't work with me. You know that I won't give up until you tell me." Cordelia said.
"Where's everyone else?" Angel said abruptly.
"They went out to eat and do not change the subject." Cordelia said.
We should be downstairs, working on a case!" Angel said.
"Angel, we don't have any cases. We haven't had any for over a month."
"What about walk-ins?" Angel said. He put down the scorched and ripped stuffed bear down and went out the door.
"Angel!" Cordelia shouted. He didn't answer. She groaned in frustration and laid back on the bed.

When Angel got downstairs, there was a teenage boy standing the middle of the room, his back facing Angel.
"Can I help you?" Angel said.
The teen turned around and look at Angel, but he didn't say anything.
"Can I help you with something?" Angel repeated.
"We have to go." The teen said matter-of-factly and walked toward the door.
"Is it the pentagram? 'Cause that's an old case. Don't be scared by it!" Angel shouted.
The teen didn't stop, just kept going.
"Okay then." Angel said. The door slammed shut as Cordelia came down the stairs.
"Who was that?" She said.
"I don't know." Angel said. "I think the pentagram scared him off. Could we get rid of it?"
"Sure." Cordelia said.

Five minutes earlier.
Jack Miller walked in the doors of the place called the Hyperion Hotel. He had a problem, a . . . supernatural . . . problem. Or, that's what he thought it was. His fiancé, Katie had been dead for a week and a half, but his sister said she'd seen Katie just the other night in an alley. His sister gave him a business card with the number for a detective agency called Angel Investigations on it. So, here he was.
"Hello!" Jack called out. "Is there anyone here?"
There was no answer, so Jack stepped further into the room.
Hello!" He called out again. Again, no answer. "Okay then, I'm just gonna go." he turned around and was about to leave when something crawled into his mouth and nose.

Jack Miller was no longer in control.

"Can I help you?"
Jack's body turned around. It just stared at the man who had asked the question.
"Can I help you with something?" The man said again.
"We have to go." The thing controlling Jack said.
It went across the street to the smoothie shop.

Sunnydale, California
The phone on Willow's side table ran and she picked it up.
"Hello?" She said dispassionately.
"Hi honey." Angel said. "How are you?"
"Fine." Willow said flatly.
"That's, uh, really good, sweetie. Things here at the hotel are fine too. So, how are your classes? The last time Buffy called, she said you'd started them again." Angel said.
"Yeah. Classes are . . . fine." Willow said.
"Good. I was thinking I'd come down this weekend and visit you." Angel said.
"Whatever." Willow said.
"Honey, do you feel okay? Are you sick?" Angel asked, concerned.
"No, I'm not sick. Listen, Angel, I've gotta go." Willow said.
"Wait! Do you want me to come down this weekend? 'Cause if you don't want me too, I won't." Angel said.
Willow sighed. "It's up to you."
"I love--" Willow cut him off by slamming the phone back on the receiver.

Los Angeles, California.
" . . . you." Angel said. He sighed and put the phone down. Something was wrong with his fiancé, and it was killing him.
He got up from the desk and went out into the lobby. Fred and Gunn were sitting on the couch. Fred was reading a book and Gunn was cleaning the weapons.
Fred looked up from her book and smiled. "How was your phone call with Willow?"
"Yeah, man. How's Red?" Gunn said.
"I'm not sure. She still seems so . . . sad. And angry." Angel said.
"She'll come around. She just needs some time to--"
"Sorry Freddles, but I think we may have more pressing issues." Lorne said as he came in.
"What's wrong?" Angel said.
"Guy across the street. Has you guys written all over his thirsty forehead." Lorne said.
"What's wrong with him?" Fred said."Follow me and see." Lorne said, walking back outside.

"We're thirsty." The body that had once been Jack Miller said. He held up the empty cup and gestured toward the clerk.
"We're out of smoothies!" The manager said.
"Man, you haven't peed in hours!" The clerk said.
The thing that had been Jack Miller pulled cash out of Jack's wallet and threw it on the table.
"Water then!" It urged.

Angel and his friends: Fred, Gunn, Cordy, Lorne, and Wesley, walked in the door of the smoothie shop.
The only people in the shop were a clerk in a red uniform, a man, and another guy in a gray suit.
"More!" The man shouted. The clerk jumped. "We're thirsty."
"Here!" The clerk said, giving the man a glass of water.
"What seems to be the problem?" Angel asked.
"This guy's a freak!" The clerk said.
"Get out of here, both of you." Angel said to the clerk and the guy in the suit. They just stared at him. "Now!"
The two nodded earnestly and left the building.
Angel took the man's wallet off the counter.
"Alright, Mr. Miller." Angel said. The guy turned around. "Hey, I know you!"
"How?" Cordelia said.
"He was the guy who came to the hotel this morning. Never did say what he wanted." Angel said.
"What's wrong with his face?" Fred said. Jack's face was dry and cracked.
"I don't know, but let's get him back to the hotel and figure it out there." Gunn said.

When they reached the hotel, they put the now unconscious Jack Miller on the couch in the lobby.
"Fred," Wesley said. "You and I will begin research. Cordelia, you look on the computer. Gunn, Angel, you two see if there is anything on his person that might help us identify what is happening to him." They were standing about two feet away from Jack, near the counter.
Angel turned around and saw Jack standing on the floor.
"It was you! You have caused us great pain." Jack said. He walked forward, but collapsed into a pile of dust.
"What the--" Cordy said.
All of a sudden, a small, transparent, slug-like creature crawled out from Jack's clothing and slithered on the floor. A threw the sword he had been holding at it, but the creature dodged it.
"What is it?" Gunn said. Everyone shrugged, even Wesley.
It crawled beneath the counter and out of sight.
"Is everyone alright?" Angel said. They all nodded.
"Ah, Angel," Cordelia said. "Look." She pointed at what remained of Jack Miller. Angel did. The dust was directly in the middle of the pentagram.
"Everyone, grab something sharp and spread out in the hotel.. Find it, then kill it." Angel said. "Fred, Wesley, I want you two to research this. Cordelia, grab some flashlights."
"Flashlights?" Cordelia said.
"It's easier to see the slugs in the dark." Angel said.
"Oh." Cordelia said.
Two hours later, they found that the slug had multiplied and now there was a whole bunch of them underneath the hotel, in the sewers. They learned that the slugs craved water, and that they didn't like fire.

In the office, Wesley and Fred were in research mode. By the light of a single lantern, the read countless books about different reasons the slugs had appeared and what they were.
Fred found something about something called 'thaumogenesis.' But before she could tell Wesley, something crawled up her mouth and nose.

Winifred Burkle was now controlled by the slug.

It, using Fred's body, leaned on the desk and held it's head. It panted.
Wesley turned around from facing the office door to look at Fred.
"What's the matter, Fred?" Wesley asked.
"We're thirsty." She/It said.
"Fred?" Wesley said.
"We're thirsty!" She/It shouted.
"Dear God." Wesley said.

Angel, I can't see anything! Where are they?" Cordelia yelled over the noise of all the slugs.
"They're everywhere!" Gunn shouted. They backed into the kitchen and shut all the doors.
"We're trapped!" Lorne shouted.
All of a sudden, the doors behind them burst open. They all turned around.
Wesley stood in the door, Fred at his side, heavily chugging a bottle of water.
"No man!" Gunn said. "Not my girl!" He went over to them and pulled Fred into his embrace.
"She's been infected." Wesley said, stating the obvious.
"What're we gonna do?" Cordelia said.
"We've gotta get Fred to a hospital." Gunn said.
"No." Angel said. "No one is going in or out of this hotel. I can't risk the innocent lives who will die because these things spread out over the city."
"But you'll risk Fred's?" Gunn threw back.
"Listen, Gunn, if we leave the hotel and take Fred with us, these things will infect others. Would you risk thousands of lives just for Fred? She wouldn't want that." Angel said.
"No, she would not." Wesley said.
"And neither would you if you were in her position." Cordelia said.
"But, how are we gonna save her?" Gunn said.
"I'm not sure." Wesley said. "We don't even know what these creatures are."
"I know a way to find out." Angel said.
"What?" They all said.
Angel went up the ovens and turned them on, as well as the heaters. Fred started screaming bloody murder and Angel went up to her and took hold of her shoulders.
"Fred! Fred, can you hear me?" Angel said.
"The pain! The heat! It burns us!" Fred/It moaned.
Angel took the water bottle away and Fred shrieked.
"No!" Fred/It shouted.
"What are you? Why are you here?" Angel demanded.
"We're thirsty! The flames, they scorch us!" Fred/It screamed."ANSWER ME!" Angel commanded.
"We're here, because of . . . because of you! The Destroyer is coming for us!" Fred/It said and looked up at Angel. "It really doesn't like you."
"That doesn't sound good." Cordelia said.
"What do you want?!" Angel snapped, his eyes fixed on Fred.
"To live," Fred/It said raspily. "To live, to drink . . . and be merry!" It laughed in the most evil voice Angel had ever heard.
"Fred! I know you're in there. I know you can hear me. Fight it! Don't let it win. You're strong." Angel said.
Gunn took her in his arms. "Come on, baby. Fight it. You can do it. I know you can."
"Charles!" She/It said.
"Yes, Fred, keep fighting." Gunn said.
"I've found it!" Wesley said from behind them.
"What?" Angel and Gunn said at the same time.
"What's happening." Wesley said. "It's called taumogenesis."
"Taumo-what?" Gunn said.
"Taumogenesis. It happens when such a dark spell as the one Angel performed occurs." Wesley said.
"So, what is it?" Cordelia said.
"It's like a . . . price. Angel did the ritual to get Connor back, and because of it, there were consequences." Wesley explained.
"The Destroyer?" Cordelia said.
"Precisely." Wesley said.
"How do we fix Fred?" Gunn said.
"Alcohol." Wesley said.
"Yeah, I could use a sea breeze right about now." Lorne said. Cordelia punched him on the shoulder. "What?"
"Not for drinking." Wesley said. "For dehydration."
"Huh?" Cordelia said.
"The creatures must have water for survival in the host. If we dehydrate Fred, the creature can not survive inside of her." Wesley said.
"So, let's get some." Gunn said.
"Yeah." Angel said.
"Then let's get out of here. This place creeps me out." Cordelia said.
"Diddo on that, sweetcheeks." Lorne said.
When they got downstairs, Gunn, who had been carrying Fred, set her on the stairs. Wesley went to the fridge under the counter and pulled out a bottle of vodka. He handed it to Gunn. Angel held Fred up while Gunn opened the bottle.
"Come on, baby." Gunn said as he poured the drink down Fred's throat. The slug inside of her grabbed a hold of the bottle and lustily began chugging it down. "That's it, baby. Drink up."
After a few moments, Fred/It spit out the alcohol and dropped the bottle. She leaned forward and started to retch. The slug crawled out, leaving Fred to slump in Angel's arms. Gunn grabbed a dagger from on top of the counter and threw it at the slug, causing the slug to stop moving. He took Fred from Angel and laid her on the couch.
"She'll have one hell of a hangover when she wakes up." Lorne said.
"What was it talking about?" Cordelia said.
"The Destroyer?" Wesley said.
Fred suddenly shot up, her eyes wide open. "The Destroyer! I remember him!""What is it?" Angel asked.
"Oh! It's horrible! It, oh, it really doesn't like you." Fred said, pointing to Angel.
"Me?" Angel said. Fred nodded.
"When is the Destroyer arriving?" Wesley said.
Fred looked up at Angel in horror. "Now."
Mystical energy cracked and a bright light filled the room. They all turned around and looked at the pentagram. From out of nowhere, a large and hideously ugly monster fell from a mystical crack. Angel and crew just stared at it in disbelief.
Two seconds later, a teenage boy dressed in animal skins and leaves jumped out from where the monster appeared.
The teenager turned to the demon and struck it with his armored wrist. The demon fell to the floor and stopped moving.
The boy faced Angel, pointing his weapon at him and said, "Hi Dad."

Sunnydale, California.
Buffy watched from the dining room as her best friend knelt on the couch, looking out the window.
"Have you every heard the expression 'A watch fiancé never comes'?" Buffy said, trying to lighten up the mood.
Willow didn't say anything, just stared out the window.

Los Angeles, California
"Connor?" Angel said. The teenager stood in front of him, a stake-gun aimed at Angel. But Angel didn't notice the stake. He just stared in fascination at the boy in front of him.
"My name . . ." The teenager snapped. He pulled the trigger on the spring-loaded stake-gun and a stake flew at Angel. But again, Angel didn't notice. The stake missed his heart, but went into his shoulder. ". . . is Stephen."
Angel fell to his knees, his face wide with pain. The boy ran passed Angel and the others and went out the door. Cordelia knelt at Angel side and held him in her arms. She looked at Wesley and Gunn.
"Go!" She said. "Find him!"
They nodded and ran out the door. Cordelia looked at Lorne. "Call Willow. Tell her to get her butt down her. Fred, help me with Angel."
Fred and Lorne nodded and went to their respective tasks. Cordelia pulled the wooden stake out of Angel's shoulder and he grunted in pain.
"Sorry Angel." Cordy said.
Fred came over with the First Aid kit and pulled out a gauze pad. Cordy took it from her and pushed on the hole in Angel's shoulder.
"Aaahhh!" Angel shouted.
"Ah, Cordy?" Lorne said, "What should I tell Willow?"
"Just tell her that Angel got hurt, nothing else. Not until we know more about what's going on." Cordelia said.
"Got'tcha." Lorne said. Fred poured an anti-infectant on the would. Angel winced. "No, sweetcheeks, he's fine." Cordelia heard Lorne said. "Just a little scratch." Fred taped a piece of gauze onto Angel's shoulder.
"Are you gonna be okay?" Cordelia said.
"Fine." Angel said. "Let me up. I need to find my son."
"No, Cordelia said. "Gunn and Wesley are doing that. You need to rest."
"Cordelia, I'm fine. Now move!" Angel snapped. He got up and started to walk toward the door.
"Angel!" Cordy called after him. The door slammed, leaving Fred, Lorne, and Cordelia alone."Okay then, we'll see you in a few hours, rose blossom. Bye, bye then." Lorne said and set the phone down.
"Is she coming?" Fred said.
"Yeah." Lorne said.
"Alone?" Cordelia said.
"Double yeah." Lorne said. "Dawnie has school, so Buffy can't. And Xander and Anya have to work. Giles is in London again. So, yeah, it's just gonna be Willow."
"She's driving by herself?" Cordelia said.

6 hours later
Stephen ran through the strange place. He didn't know why he was here. Everything was different from the place he had grown up in with his father, even the smell. But his father had told him of a place, a place where his real father was. So just by what his father had told him, he knew he was where his real father was, in Los Angeles.
Around him were just open fields and trees. None of what his father called 'trees.' There was a long, gray strip of hard rock going down the grass. And one red metallic thing was coming towards him.
He stood in front of the metallic thing and stopped. The thing came to a screeching halt about two inches in front of him. It opened on the right side and a woman appeared and came to stand right in front of him. She had long red hair and green eyes. She looked very familiar to Stephen.
"Excuse me, but could you move out of the way? I'm kind of in a hurry--"
Stephen shot out his hand and grabbed the woman's throat, literally choking her.
Her smiling face turned to panic, and in desperation she clawed at his hands with her own. She didn't succeed because he was much stronger than she was.

Angel was in the sewers, trying to find his son, when a whiff in the air caught his attention. It was of strawberries and fear.
"Willow!" He said. Willow was in the city limits, and she was in danger. He quickly raced out of the sewer and followed his beloved's scent.
The scent led him to a back road that lead out of Los Angeles and southward. He saw two figures in the middle of the highway, a teenager and a woman.
"Willow . . ." He whispered. When he reached the two figures, he pulled the teen away from Willow.
She fell to the ground, holding her throat with both her hands and was coughing. Angel looked at the face of Willow's attacker. It was . . . Connor.
"Stay away from me!" Connor said.
"Connor . . . what are you doing?" Angel said. Willow looked up in disbelief.
"Stop calling me that! My name is Stephen!" Connor said.
"A-Angel, what's going on?" Willow said raspily. Angel helped her up and pulled her into his embrace.
"Who's that?" Connor said.
Angel kissed Willow on the top of the head and said, "She's your mother."
"No." Connor said. "My mother's dead. My father said she died in childbirth."
"Your father?" Angel said.
"Yeah, that's right. His name is Daniel Holtz. My name is Stephen Williams Holtz." Connor said.
"No." Willow said firmly. "Your name is Connor Alexander Rosenberg. I named you myself."
"Listen, lady. I don't know who you are, but you're not my mother."
"Yes . . . Connor . . . she is. And I'm your father. We're your parents." Angel said.
"You're lying!" Connor said."Is he really--" Willow stammered.
"Yes, it's him. It's our son." Angel said.
"No!" Connor shouted.
"Connor?" Willow said. She reached out and pulled him into a hug. She cried on his shoulder. He pushed her away.
"Get away from me!" Connor said.
He ran off, leaving his mother crying in his father's arms.

Stephen ran as far away from those . . . those people as he could. When he was convinced he was far enough away from them, he stopped. He looked around and saw red brick buildings and dirty stone.
There were colored marks in the forms of pictures and words all over the buildings. He saw another of those metallic things. Only this one was white. It was open on the side and a man was standing looking into it. A woman was inside of the metallic thing.
The man was yelling, the woman was crying. So Stephen went over to them and pulled the guy away from the girl.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" The man said.
Stephen stood back, not understanding why the man had reacted that way. Stephen pushed the man out of the way and grabbed the girl's hand. She followed behind him, not keeping up with him.
All of a sudden Stephen heard a strange sound, almost like a clanking of metals. He stopped and turned around. The man was pointing something at him.
Stephen dodged out of the way as something came out of the thing the man was holding and came towards him. Stephen let go of the girls hand and went up to the man. He punched the man hard in the nose.
"Aahhh! My nose!" The man groaned.. Stephen pushed the man and he landed on top of the car. He turned back the girl and ran toward her, but instead ran back to the man. He pulled a knife out of his pocket and cut off the man's ear. He cried out in pain as Stephen put the ear in his pocket and ran after the girl.
"Why'd you do that?" She said.
"Trophy." He said simply.

". . . then I caught your scent and followed it to where you and Connor were." Angel finished recapping what happened to Willow.
She was sitting in his lap, in their bedroom, holding his hand. There were bruise marks on her neck where Connor had choked her. There were tears running down her cheeks and Angel wiped them away with is thumb.
"Is it really him? Was that really Connor?" Willow said.
"Yes." Angel said.
"How could you tell?" Willow said. She turned her head to look at him.
"He has your eyes." Angels aid. He gave her a quick kiss on the lips and then on the forehead. "How does your neck feel? Any better?"
"Yeah. I'm just a little shaken up, that's all." Willow said.
"What's wrong?" Angel asked, concerned.
"Nothing." Willow said. "It's just, you should have seen the look in his eyes. All I saw was pure hatred. Does he really hat me that much?"
He doesn't hate you. He doesn't know you. Or, if he does, he doesn't remember knowing you." Angel said.
"Where was he, Angel? Who took him?" Willow said. Angle looked down at their hands. "Angel, tell me, please?"
"Our son was in a hell dimension." Angel said. "Holtz kidnaped him. The night he disappeared and Glory was killed." By now, Willow was crying and sobbing. "I did some research and found out that the dimension he was in is called Quortath. The book said that it's the worst king of hell imaginable, and that most humans wouldn't be able to survive there."
"B-But he did!" Willow sobbed. "H-He was right there, right in front of me!"
"Yes, yes he was." Angel said.
"So, h-how did he survive? How did he make it, even as a little baby?" Willow said.
"Because he's his mother's son. And because he's strong." Angels aid. He stroked her flame-red hair.
"Angel, do you think he'll come back?" Willow said.
"I don't know, Willow. I just don't know."Angel said."So, what's your deal? Are you from out of town?" The girl, who said her name was Marissa, asked him. Stephen stared at her, not understanding the question. "Have you been here long?"
"Uh, no." Stephen said.
"Cool." She said. "So, d'ya got anything ta eat?"
"No. I don't have any food." Stephen said.
"I'll got get some, you stay here." Marissa said.
Stephen waited in the strange building until Marissa came back, arms full of things Stephen did not recognize.
"What's that?" He said.
"Food, of the junk variety." Marissa said. She plopped down beside him and putt all the food on the table.
She grabbed something and pulled in apart. Then she reached inside and pulled something out. Then she put it in her mouth.
Stephen looked down at the 'junk food' and picked up one of the things. The packages said something that was spelled 'T-W-I-N-K-I-E.' He had never heard of it, nor did he know how to pronounce it, but he ate it anyway.

"Buffy!" Willow yelled into the phone. "He's back! He's really back!"
"Who?" Buffy said on the other side, in Sunnydale.
"Connor! He's really and truly back!" Willow said.
"How? Why?" Buffy said.
"We don't know. Angel said he jumped out of a portal." Willow said.
"Is he okay?" Buffy said. "Is he hurt?"
"No. He's fine. Although, he almost choked me to death." Willow said.
"What! How can he, he's only a baby!" Buffy said.
"No, he's not. Somehow, he grew up wherever he was." Willow said.
"How old is he?" Buffy said.
"I don't know for sure, but he looks to be about eighteen or nineteen." Willow said.
"Wow." Buffy said. "Does he remember you or Angel?"
"No, well, not me anyway. Angel, he seems to remember. But me, I don't exist." Willow said.
"He'll come around. Listen, Dawn's home and I've gotta chew her out for skipping school again. I'll call later, around seven." Buffy said.
"Okay Buffy." Willow said. She put the phone down.
The door to her and Angel's bedroom opened and Angel stepped through.
"Who was on the phone, honey?" He said.
"You heard that? I thought you were downstairs?" She asked.
"Vampire hearing, remember? I could hear you loud and clear. Who were you talking too?" He said."You tell me." Willow said smugly.
"Come on. I would never listen in to your private phone calls."Angel said.
"It was Buffy. I told her about Connor being back." Willow said.
"Oh." Angel said. "What did she say?"
"She had to call me back because she had to yell at Dawn for skipping school." She said.
"Ah," Angel smiled. "I seem to remember when Buffy would skip school to stay at my mansion all day."
"So that's where she was!" Willow said, finally getting it. "She told me she was stuck patrolling and stayed home to sleep!"
"No. She would stay at my mansion and we would just hold each other in the other's arms." Angel said.
"Angel!" She squealed and giggled. "No talk of past relationships! I really don't need a visual."
"Sorry sweetie." Angel said before grabbing her by the waist and kissing her full on the lips.

"What's that?" Stephen asked Marissa about the object in her hands.
"Oh. It's, ah, medicine." Marissa said.
"You're sick?" Stephen said.
"Um, no, but it does make me feel better." Marissa said. "When I feel sad."
"So, you're sad right now?" Stephen asked.
"A little. Do you want some? I know that Carlos can get you some." Marissa said.
"Who's Carlos?" Stephen said.
"That guy who's ear you cut off." She said.
"That guy?" Stephen said. She nodded.
"So, I'm gonna go in the bathroom and take some okay?" Marissa said.
"Okay." Stephen said.
Much later on, Stephen went to go check on his new friend. "Marissa!" He called out.
He wandered through the house, trying to find the bathroom. Until he reached a room with the door half open. He pushed it open and saw Marissa leaning over a big white thing in the shape of an oval. She wasn't moving.
"Marissa?" He asked.

Willow jerked awake as she head a loud banging noise. After waking up a little, she realized that it was the door. Someone was pounding on the door.
"Who is it?" She called out.
"It's me, Cordelia."
"I'll be there in a minute!" Willow said. She sat up and pulled the blanket around her nude body. She got up, holding the blanket around herself and went over to the door. She opened it a little and saw Cordy.
"Oh, I'm sorry I interrupted!" Cordy said, a wicked grin on her face.
"We were just sleeping." Willow said, knowing Cordelia would want full details.
"Right. You know, that's the sixth time since you got back three weeks ago." Cordy said. "Anyway, there's someone down in the lobby for you and Angel."
"Who?" Willow said.
"Oh, I don't know. Tall, teenager, was just a baby a few months ago." Cordy said.
"Connor's here?!" She said.
"Ah, actually, I think he just goes by Stephen now." Cordelia said.
"Okay. I'm gonna go get Angel up and we'll get dressed. Don't let him leave, we'll be right down." Willow said, fidgeting with the blanket so it would stay up.
"He says it's an emergency." Cordelia said.
"I can't go down like this!" She pulled the blanket up again."Hurry up!" Cordy said. She started down the hall.
Willow shut the door and went over to the bed. "Angel, wake up! Connor, ah . . . Stephen's here." Angel instantly sat up and jumped out of their bed, not bothering to cover his own naked body. Willow shivered in pleasure of what they had just done a few hours earlier. "Please, Angel! We have to get downstairs!"
"Oh, sorry baby." he said, picking up his pants off the floor and slipping them on. He smiled at her as if he could sense her arousal.
"Don't laugh at me!" she whined, pulling on her clothes.
"I'm not!" he said. She wasn't impressed. He gave her a wicked grin. "I just know what you're thinking about."
"Stop thinking about what I'm thinking about and let's go talk to our son." Willow said as they went out into the hall and down the stairs.
Once they reached the lobby, Willow anxiously searched for the boy who tried to kill her just hours before. She saw Cordelia on the computer. No one else was around.
And then, she saw him. Connor was pacing back and forth in front of the doors that led outside into the courtyard.
"Stephen." she called out. He whipped around and sneered at her. She frowned, saying, "And the sneer's genetic, who knew?"
"You're the woman pretending to be my mother." Stephen snapped.
"I am your mother." Willow said harshly.
"Stephen, mind your mother." Angel said beside her.
"Why did you come?" Willow said.
"You don't want me here?" Stephen said.
"No. Yes, of course we do. It's just, we don't' know why your came." Angel said.
"I have questions." Stephen said.
"And, we have answers." Willow said. "What's your first question."
"Why . . . why did you give me up? Why did you let him take me?" Stephen said.
"It's complicated, sweetheart." Willow said.
"Then make it easy!" Stephen shouted.
"Stephen, do not speak to your mother that way!" Angel snapped.
"Angel, I'm sure he's just . . . confused." Willow said cautiously. "There's really no reason to--"
"No, Willow." Angel said. "I will not here him speak to you like that. You deserve better."
"Angel," Cordelia said. "He just wants an answer."
"There isn't one." Angel said coldly.
"Yes, there is." Willow said. "Tell him. He deserves to know." Willow looked in her fiance's eyes, fake tears threatening to fall. "Please?" she said in her most innocent voice. She stood up on her tip toes and kissed Angel softly on the lips. "Come on Angel, don't make me stake you." she whispered in his ear. She look into his eyes again and saw them soften.
"All right, all right." Angel put his hands on Willow's waist. "I give up."
"Yeah!" Willow said again, kissing Angel again.
"Okay you two, get a room." Cordelia said. Willow giggled and she and Angel continued going down the stairs and went over to Cordelia and Stephen.
"Okay son," Angel said. "Sit down." Angel indicated toward the couch in the living area and Stephen did and sat down. Cordy, Willow, and Angel did as well. Cordy across from Stephen. And Willow and Angel across from Cordy, but to the right of Stephen. Willow took Angel's hand and their finger's entwined. "Let me tell you about the night you were kidnaped." Angel said. "It was three days after you were born. Your mother," he pointed to Willow, "had just woken up from a sort of coma. The three of us: you, your mother, and I, were in the nursery. I had just asked your mother to marry me, and she accepted. Now, there was someone, a woman, who wanted to hurt you and your mother. Her name is, was Glorificus. She was a god, who your mother had gotten very angry because she was trying to protect . . ." he looked at Willow as if to say, "How should I explain this?" ". . . to protect a very special friend from Glorificus. And, in the process, ended p hurting Glorificus and not saving her . . . friend. Well, that night I, your uncle Spike, and your aunt Buffy killed Glorificus." he stopped to clear his throat. "Before Buffy and Spike had come up, I sent you downstairs, with your mother. Then Buffy, Spike, and I fought Glorificus and defeated her."
"What happened to me and . . . her." Stephen pointed to Willow.
"Hold on, son. I'm getting there." Angel said. "Now, where was I? Oh, yes. While Buffy, Spike, and I were upstairs, your mother and our friends were fighting a different kind of battle. They--"
"I think I can take over from here, Angel." Willow cut in.
"Right. Sorry, honey." Angel said.
"It's fine." Willow said. "I came downstairs, with you in my arms, and told Buffy and Spike to go up and help your father. Two seconds later, men came crashing in and started fighting us. I hid in the corner, holding you tight to my body, trying to get you to stop crying. Then, Holtz came up to me and hit me across the head with what looked like the butt of a gun. The last think I remember before waking up later was you screaming and Holtz ripping you from me. Then someone screamed, and the world went black." Stephen looked at his parents, wide-eyed.
"What happened next?" Stephen said anxiously.
"I came downstairs and found that the lobby was trashed and none of my friends or family could be seen. Then I saw your aunt Cordelia here," Angel pointed to the ex-cheerleader. "Her legs were being crushed by some fallen debris and she was really out of it."
"Yeah. I still limp around because of it." Cordelia said.
"Then I found your aunt Dawn, then your mother. Who, I might add, was sporting a very nasty cut on the forehead. The blood was intoxicating. Spike came down with an unconscious Buffy in his arms. Dawn told me what happened and I immediately flew out the door to find you. And I did find you, just too late. Holtz jumped into a mystical portal to a place called Quortath." Angel said.
"Is that were I was?" Stephen said.
"Yes, it was." Willow said. Angel could see tears running down her pale cheeks.
"I tried, for weeks, to find you. Going through every book and contact I could think of. But I never told your mother or our friends because I didn't want to get their hopes up. I did a spell, and it was supposed to work, but it didn't. Two months later, three weeks ago, a client came in. We later found out that he had been possessed by a slug-like demon. Your aunt Fred was infected too, but we saved her. The man, though, he died. The slugs disappeared, though we don't know how, but they did. Then, you and that demon came out of a portal right above the place where I had performed the spell. Well, you know the rest." Angel said.
"I-Is that everything?" Stephen said.
"Yes, honey, that's what happened." Willow said, tears flowing freely now.
"Why is she crying?" Stephen said to Angel.
"She's . . . ah, just really happy that you're back." Angel said. He put his arm around her and kissed her on the forehead.
"I'll just give you three a moment. I'll go see if Fred and Gunn are back." Cordelia said. She got up and went out the door.
"Stephen, there's something you need to know." Angel said.
"What?" Stephen said.
"That man, the one who kidnaped you," Angel said."You mean Holtz?" Stephen said.
"Yeah, . . . Holtz." Angel said. "He's a, . . . ah, how do I put this?"
"He's a bad man. A horrible, evil man." Willow said.
"Y-You don't even know him!" Stephen shouted.
"He tried to kill your father!" Willow yelled back.
"Holtz is my father!" Stephen replied harshly.
"No!" Willow fumed. "Angel is your father! You ungrateful little--" Angel immediately cut her.
"Willow, honey, calm down. Both of you, cool off. Yelling isn't going to help." Angel said. He put himself between his fiancé and his son. Willow stopped and stepped back. Stephen, however, still glared at his mother, fist blared.
He lunged at her, pushing Angel out of the way. He grabbed her by the throat and pulled her up. Stephen pulled a knife from near his ankle and put the blade about an inch from Willow's neck.
Angel was about to do something when the front door came open and Cordelia ran through.
"Hey guys. How's it going?" Cordy said. She stopped when she saw what was going on.
"Move, even flinch, and she's dead." Stephen snarled.
"Hey guys! We're back!" Fred called in a heavy Texan accent as the front door opened again. She and Gunn stepped in. "Oh my--" They stepped forward causing Stephen to push the knife against his mother's skin.
Willow hissed and a drop of blood was drawn from her neck. Then the blood began to come out a little faster. Stephen took the knife away from her skin, only to stab her again, making two puncture wounds on her neck.
"Fred, Gunn, Cordy, don't move!" Angel commanded. Faster that Stephen would be able to realize, Angel lunged at him. He blocked the knife from Stephen's hand and pulled Willow to himself. She had her hand on her neck, where it was bleeding, and her skin was pale and clammy to the touch.
Stephen ran out the door before anyone could say anything. "Angel!" Willow gasped. "My neck, i—it won't stop bleeding!"
Angel put his hand on the twin marks and pressed down. He could feel her heartbeat beat faster, and faster, until it started to slow. He looked in her eyes. He could smell her fear, her terror. She was fighting to stay alive and Angel knew it.
"Cordy, get me a towel." Angel said. "Now!" Angel lowered Willow to the ground and laid her down flat. "When I find that kid, he's definitely grounded." he mumbled as she put more pressure on Willow's neck.
Willow's breathing was beginning to become shallow, and her pulse was weakening. She looked into Angel's eyes. "Angel, it hurts." she rasped.
"Willow, honey, stay with me. You're strong. You can make it, I know you can." Angel said.
"I-I . . ." she whispered ever so softly. ". . . . I c-can't breathe!"
"You're gonna be fine, baby." Angel said. "Cordelia! Where's those towels!"
"I'm coming!" Cordelia called back.
"Angel . . ." Willow whispered.
"Hold on, sweetheart, please. Just stay with me." Angel begged.

She was cold, colder than she had ever felt in her life. And once more than that, she was terrified. Terrified of what was to come.
And yet, she was . . . at peace. She was content and satisfied with the way her life had gone. She knew it was her time and that everyone she loved would be okay. And although it saddened her to leave her friends and family behind, she knew that one day they would be together again.
"Willow, honey, hold on. We're almost there. We're almost at the hospital." Angel said.
"I-I can't . . ." Willow gasped.
"Cordelia, faster!" Angel shouted.
"We're about a block away." Cordelia said.
"Good." Angel said. He squeezed Willow hand. "Just hold on, baby."
Her skin was pale now, paler than Angel's own. Her breath was shallow, her pulse weak. There was blood everywhere, her blood. It was intoxicating, taking over Angel's senses. The smell of sweet strawberries filled the air.
"Angel, we're here." Cordelia said. The car stopped right outside the front doors and Cordy got out.
"Go," Angel said. "Get a doctor, now!" She nodded and ran into the building.

It was almost time, Willow could feel it with every fiber of her being. She could not feel her body, and yet she knew it was there. She could not feel her heart beat, yet she knew it was beginning to slow. She could not see Angel's face, yet she knew that he knew the end was near.
In fact, she couldn't see anything but a never-ending blackness. Almost as if she had stumbled into a black hole. She knew she had eyes, she just couldn't use them. It was as if she had gone blind. She strained to see beyond the blackness, but only saw more black.
But then . . . then she saw a shower of blue and white light. If she could have used her hands, she would've used them to shield her eyes from the blinding light. And when the light disappeared, a figure emerged. The figure became clearer and clearer until . . .
Tara? She thought to herself. But it wasn't possible. Tara was dead, had been for over four months.
"Yes, Willow. It's me." the figure said. "Don't be afraid. It's really me, and I'm not here to hurt you."
Willow wished she could say something aloud, but she couldn't. She merely stared at the woman before her.
"I know you must have questions, but there isn't time for that now. What I will tell you is that yes, I did die. And no, this is not a dream. I am now what is called a 'whitelighter'. What that means it that a sort of guardian angel. I look after witches and future whitelighters. I'm afraid there isn't time for much more. I know what is happening to you now, and I know what you've gone through with Angel. I'm not here to tell you that I'm angry with you, because I'm not. I could 'never' be angry with you. I know you must be wondering why you're here. Do you remember the day I died? Well, it wasn't supposed to happen that way. Willow, you know I was never supposed to come back to normal, right? I was never even supposed to wake up, but rather die in my sleep. But, I wished to hear you tell me that you were okay, and the Powers That Be granted my wish. They allowed me to see you as I once was one last time. After you told me, they brought me home, to where my mother was. I was allowed to say goodbye to her, then they made me a whitelighter. They gave me a second chance at life. But now, I help my charge, a fourteen-year-old witch who is new to her powers. Anyway, I'm here now to say goodbye to you. And I'm here to tell you to not give up, it's not your time, yet." If Willow could feel her eyes, she knew tears would be falling. "Goodbye, Willow. I'll always be watching over you."

"Tara?" Cordelia jerked awake and lifted her head. "Tara, don't leave me!" Cordy saw Willow thrashing her head against the hospital bed, but her eyes were still closed.
"Willow, what's wrong?" Cordelia whispered.
"Angel, please!" Willow whimpered loudly. A horrible beeping sound filled the room. It was Willow's monitors. Cordelia pressed the doctor call button.
"What is your emergency?"
"My friend's monitors are beeping!" Cordelia said."Which one?" the operator said.
"I don't know. But the green lines are going from up and down to a straight line." Cordy said.
"A doctor will be in shortly." the operator said. The remote clicked and turned off. Willow wasn't crying or whimpering anymore, she was just lying there, her eyes closed. Cordelia looked out the hall to see if the doctor was coming. She didn't see anyone.
Angel was off trying to find Connor again. Wesley and Gunn were with him. Fred was in the cafeteria, getting coffee for herself and Cordelia.
"What's going on?" Cordelia turned around. A male doctor in a white lab coat and green hospital scrubs came up to her.
"S-She's freaking out!" Cordelia said.
The doctor went behind the button and pressed a big blue button that was captioned 'code blue'. "Miss, I'm gonna have to ask you to step aside." he said. Cordy went to the corner where she'd be out of the way.
Before she knew what was happening, nurses and more doctors were running into the room.

Stephen," the young teenage boy stopped and turned around at the harshly spoken tone of his 'father's' voice. "Stephen, come here. Now."
"Why should I?!!" Stephen yelled.
"Because I said so." Angel snarled.
"You can't make me do anything!" Stephen sneered.
"Oh yeah . . ." Angel said. The 200-plus vampire ran at superspeed and went of Stephen. ". . . watch me!"
"Hey," Stephen said in surprise. "Don't do that!"
"What are you gonna do about it?" Angel pushed Stephen lightly, causing the teen to stumble back a little bit. "Try to stake me again? 'Cause you know, you're supposed to hit my heart instead of my shoulder." Angel said.
"I know. My father taught me how to kill you." Stephen snapped.
Angel chuckled. "Your 'father' is a homicidal maniac who doesn't care about anything but vengeance." Angel retorted. "Now, you're gonna come with me to the hospital."
"Why should I?" Stephen said again.
"Because, your mother is there. That's where I'm going. Therefore, it's where you'll be going." Angel said. He grabbed the teen's shoulder and dragged him out of the warehouse they were in and in the direction of the hospital.
"Why is she in the hospital?" Stephen said after some time.
"Because you put her there." Angel said.
"No. I couldn't have. I barely pricked her." Stephen said in disbelief.
"Yes, you did. You wouldn't have, but your mother's been under a lot of stress for a long time. Her body's just using what you did as an excuse to get some rest. She's strong, your mother is." Angel said.
"Is my mother going to be okay?" Stephen said.
"Finally accepting that we're your parents, huh?" Angel said.
"I guess. I mean I love Holtz like a son loves his father, but you and Mom, you're my real parents. I see that now." Stephen said.
"Well, Stephen. It's good to have you back." Angel put his arm around the teen's shoulder.
"And Dad?" Stephen said.
"Yes, son?" Angel said.
"I'm really sorry that I hurt Mom." Stephen said.
As they walked into Willow's hospital room, Angel said, "Why don't you tell her your-" he saw doctors and nurses hovering around Willow's bed. He scanned the room, not knowing what to do. Cordelia was standing in the corner crying.
"Angel!" She called out to him.
"Dad, what's going on? What are they doing to Mom?" Stephen said.
"Calm down, son. I'm gonna figure that out." Angel said. He went up to the doctors. "What's wrong with my fiancé?"
"Sir, please step back and let us do our job." A nurse said.
"Just tell me what's wrong!" Angel shouted.
"She collapsed.." a doctor said. She's not breathing. We're trying to locate anything that would cause that. Just please, step aside."
Angel pulled Stephen back by Cordelia. The doctors were shouting out medical commands and different medicines to try. The monitors were still beeping irregularly and Angel knew that that was not a good sign.
The doctors kept trying things until the monitors stopped beeping so fast and one of the doctors shouted, "She's stable! Let's bag her!"
Another doctor said, "I want an ultrasound machine. She may be bleeding internally."
"Okay." a nurse said and left the room. She came back not one minute later with what Angel guessed was a portable ultrasound machine. She gave it to the doctor who asked for it. He pulled up Willow's hospital gown just above her stomach. Then he turned on the machine and spread a jelly-like substance with some kind of attachment that was connected to the machine.
"Is she okay?" Angel asked anxiously.
"Ah, Mr. Angel, I'm gonna have to ask you and your friends to step out for a moment. Nurse Abbie will take you outside." The ultrasound doctor said.
"But--" Stephen said, but Angel cut him off.
"No, son. Let's go." Angel said. He, Stephen, and Cordelia followed the nurse outside the door.
"You can wait here until Dr. Monroe is finished with his examination." Nurse Abbie said. She disappeared back into Willow's room.
"Angel, can you hear what they're talking about?" Cordelia said.
"Ssshh!" Angel said, listening in to the conversation. He could only hear some of what the doctors were saying. What he could understand, he didn't like.
"'What does her chart say?'" someone said.
"'Name's Willow Rosenberg. She just had a baby a few months ago. She's been in and out of the hospital for multiple injuries. Neck wounds, fractured hand, head trauma, internal bruising. Neck wounds and head trauma being the most recent.'" someone else said.
"'You thinking what I'm thinking about?" the first voice said.
"'You think the fiance's beating her?'" voice number two said.
"'We won't know for sure until we have more evidence.'" the first voice said.
"'Is she on anything?'" voice number two said.
"'Tox screen came back negative. She's not bleeding internally either. But the ultrasound picked up something else. She's--" Angel cut off the first voice by bursting in the doors. "Mr. Angel, it's going to take a few minutes longer. If you could just--"
"No. You're gonna stop suspecting me of abusing my fiancé and tell me what the hell is going on!" Angel snarled.
"Mr. Angel, please calm down." The first doctor said.
"I'll come down when you tell me what's wrong with Willow." Angel said.
"Please, let me consult with my colleague first." The first doctor said.
"Make it quick." Angel snapped.The two doctors left the room at the same time Stephen and Cordelia came in the room. Willow was still on the bed, a ventilator tube down her throat. Angel went over to Willow's side and sat down. He took her hand in his own and put his forehead on her hands.
"She's gonna be fine, Angel." Cordelia said.
"It's just, she's been in and out of the hospital so many times, I'm afraid that I'm gonna lose her. I just wanna put her in a bubble and keep her safe."
"She's a big girl, Angel. She knows how bad this world can be." Cordelia said. "Just look at all she's lost. Oz, Tara, . . . and Connor."
At the mention of his other name, Stephen flinched. He went over to his father and put his hand on Angel's shoulder.
"Dad, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to hurt her." Stephen said.
"It's not your fault, son." Angel said, looking at Willow's closed eyes. "I knew how hormonal your mother's been lately. I should have stopped her."
The doors opened and the three of them looked over at them. The two doctors from before came back in . Angel looked at them expectantly.
"What's wrong with her?" Stephen said.
"Mr. Angel, may we speak to you in private?" One of the doctors said.
Angel looked at Cordelia and Stephen. "Could you?"
"Sure." Cordy said. She looked at Stephen. "How about a snack from the cafeteria?" She grabbed his arm and dragged him out of the room.
As soon as the doors closed, one of the doctors said to Angel, "The ultrasound we took picked up on something--" his face was grim.
"Is she sick? Is she dying?" Angel said.
"Let me explain." the doctor said. "When we did the ultrasound, we were looking for any signs of internal bleeding. What we found, however, is that your fiancé is pregnant." Angel's jaw dropped.
"What?" he said. "How is that even possible?" he mumbled to himself.
"We've taken some tests from the amniotic fluid, and the results are quite unsettling." the second doctor said.
"Is the baby okay?" Angel said, still trying to process what the doctors just told him.
"The results show that because of the trauma your fiancé has sustained, your baby has suffered from trauma." The first doctor said.
"What does that mean? What kind of trauma?" Angel said.
"Head trauma. If your baby makes it to full term, if being highly unlikely, it is entirely possible that he or she will have mental disabilities." the first doctor said.
"But there's a chance our baby will be fine, right?" Angel said.
"Ten percent, maybe less." the second doctor said.
"And you're sure about this? I mean, you're positive?" Angel said.
"Yes." they both said. Angel put his hand through his hair.
"And what about Willow?" he said.
"She will have to be monitored and hospitalized throughout the pregnancy." doctor number one said.
"I mean, will she suffer any damages?" Angel said.
"No. Aside from her current injuries, she should be fine." the first doctor said.
"When will she wake up?" he said.
"In a few minutes." doctor number two said. "We'll give you some time with your family." they turned and left.
Angel went over to Willow's side and sat down. He kissed her on the forehead and on the lips. He put his head on her chest and smelled her sweet strawberry scent. He heard movement from outside the door and sat up. Cordy and Stephen came in.
"What did the doctors say?" Cordelia said.
"Stephen, please stay with your mother while I talk to Cordelia." Angel said. Stephen nodded and Angel led Cordy just outside the door. Stephen nodded and Angel led Cordy just out the door.
"What's going on Angel?" Cordelia said.
"It's Willow, she's, uh, she's pregnant again." Angel said.
"Angel that's wonderful!" Cordelia said.
"You don't sound very surprised." Angel said.
"What? You two have been tucked in your room since she got back, what else is there to do? Besides, you've been apart for months." Cordelia said. She looked up at his face. It was dull and expressionless. "Is something wrong?"
"Yes." Angel said. He looked through the window at Stephen holding his mother's hand. "When Willow got hurt, this last time, it affected the baby."
"What? How?" Cordy said.
He told her what the doctor had told him. By this time, unwanted tears threatened to fall. "Our baby . . . our baby could die."
"Are they sure? Are they positive?" Cordelia said. She too, was crying.
Angel nodded. "They said that if the baby comes to full term, he or she might have mental problems."
"Oh my god." Cordelia said. "Angel, I'm so sorry. You must feel so awful." She put her arms around him and gave him a long, friendly hug.
"It's . . . it's all my fault." Angel said.
"No!" Cordelia said. "It's not your fault, not at all."
"I-I should have protected her. I should have kept her safe. I promised I would--"
"Angel, calm down." Cordy said. "It's not your fault. It's not anyone's fault. It just happened, and it's gonna be okay. I promise."
"What am I gonna tell Willow?" Angel said.
"The truth." Cordelia said. "She deserves to know. Stephen too. That's his little b