Hello everyone :) So sorry this took a little longer than I expected but I finally adjusted it enough to please me. I hope it doesn't disappoint... it IS mostly what I had in mind, just not very sure if it flows as properly as I intended it too. But as always... :) I hope you let me know. Please review... I LOVE to hear your thoughts.
I thought I would have been done with this story now, but I think the characters still have a couple of things to get out of their system... I say One more chapter and that's it, but who knows. Anyway... onto the reading...
Chapter 16
That had been the plan… it should have been perfect. Spike was out of her life unknown to her how. She'd signed her contract with the Dance Association and the wedding plans were almost all set. Xander had moved into town with her sister who was more than excited to be close to her now, and the moment the California Police Department heard that Xander was related to the future Mrs. O'Donnell… many doors had been opened for him.
The first couple of months had been a whirl wind of fun in connection to her dance career and her relationship to Angel. It was as if she was living in a fairy tale, but like in those children's books based of off fiction… it all began to fall apart fairly quickly.
Needless to say, reality set in…
The moment it had been leaked that the young O'Donnell was to be wed outside of his home land… the family began to be attacked by the press. The senior O'Donnell hadn't been happy to have heard the news from the media or that his only son was getting married elsewhere; which is why… four months into the whole drama, a wedding was now being planned.
Angel's mother had been on their side since the beginning… whatever her son decided she was behind him. But that didn't sit too well with the senior O'Donnell. He'd clearly expressed that he liked Buffy, but he argued plainly no O'Donnell wife went off dancing in another continent while putting her civic and social duties to the family name on hold.
Liam had tried talking to his son about the unheard of circumstances of O'Donnell's wives going off to have a career. He'd told him that yes, it was something admirable but the position that she should hold by his side required of all of his attention and there was just no space for her to have her own thing.
It had been a big surprise to him when Angel told his father he'd appointed an interim boss to act on his behalf while gone, but that he'd be making all the decisions in the background.
Angel and his father had had an argument that night… he'd told him that he was still hung up on old times and that he wasn't going to force his future wife into a life of servitude to him and bearer of his children. They'd stopped talking for a couple of days then until Isa had talked to Buffy into getting married here...
A show for Angel's father and all the press to calm everything down and no more issues to arise.
Buffy had had no objection to that, but Angel hadn't been pleased that his father had talked his mother into convincing Buffy of getting married here before she had to leave to the dance company. They had had to host events, make public appearances, and promise their return to the business world of California.
During this time, Angel had insisted to Buffy that they could still follow through with their original plans, but if there was one thing Buffy understood was that family was important. Especially one as caring as his, even if he didn't see it that way at the moment… so she'd told him that she wanted to get married here, to him, the sooner the better. Angel, not being able to deny her anything… had reluctantly agreed to his parents plan.
A couple of months later now, Buffy gazed at herself in the mirror… in the most beautiful white dress that she could have ever pictured herself wearing on her wedding day.
The last couple of months had been more stressful than she could have had to handle… giving her a taste of what this family and being married to Angel, was going to be like. Worth it… she thought; Angel was the perfect man, if such a thing existed and he was completely worth it all.
"Buffy…" asked Dawn opening the door of the small room in the church with Xander behind her, "you ready…?" she smiled.
Buffy placed her veil over her face while turning around to face them, huge grin on her face…
"Yes…" she answered. Being apart from Angel one whole day had been enough to almost driver her mad. But being superstitious and all… it wasn't right for them to spend the night before their wedding together and he wasn't allowed to see the bride before the wedding.
As Xander gave her his hand to walk her down the aisle… he said, "You look beautiful Buffy…"
She linked her hand in his while saying a quiet thank you… Dawn had already made her way down the aisle with Lindsey, one of Angel's groomsmen. It'd seemed they actually known each other in high school. Willow, as the maid of honor was almost at the altar when she spotted the most beautiful pair of smoldering brown eyes… gazing back at her. Riley as his best man, was by his side, the music was queued in at her appearance… signaling to everyone else the arrival of the bride…
"I, Buffy Anne Summers…"
"I, Liam Angel O'Donnell…"
"Do solemnly swear…"
"Do solemnly swear…"
"… in sickness and in health… for richer, for poorer…"
"… in sickness and in health… for richer for poorer…"
"to love and to cherish… all the days of my life!"
"to love and to cherish… all the days of my life!"
/'/'/'/'/'/'/'/'/'/'/'/'/'/'/'/'/'/'/'/'/'/'/'/'/'/'/'/'/'/'/'/'/'/'/'/'/'/'/'/'/'/'/'/'/'/'/'/'/'/'/'/'/'/'/'/'/'/'/'/'/'/'/'/'/'/'/'/'/'/'/'/'/'/'/'/'/'/'/'/'/'/'/'/'/'/'/'/'/
So yes… a couple of minor adjustments here and there and their plans had almost worked out the way they'd wanted. They had taken a small honeymoon… soon after their return they'd packed and taken off to start her dance association duties and they were on track.
Except… that two weeks ago… Angel had had to leave her side to deal with some business associates refusing to deal with his appointed guy. They were threatening to not go through with the business, if they could not deal with him directly.
And on top of all that… now, here she waited for the owner and the rest of the panel, who asked to speak with her.
"Mrs. O'Donnell… we're ready for you…" Buffy looked up to the woman, bringing her out of her thoughts…
She smiled giving her a small nod and followed her into the main office…
As Buffy took a seat in front of the owner and dance coaches, she waited nervously. They were giving her and apologetic look that she did not care for. The main coach and one of her now closest friends spoke…
"Buffy…" she gave her a small smile, "you know we adore having you here and it has been an honor to share all of my experience with you…"
"But…" Buffy chimed in…
"But…" one of the other coaches said, "the' you getting ill, missing some practices, and the ones that you do attend you faint in… is just not good…"
"I understand that I've been a little off lately but…"
"A little is an understatement, you're the prima ballerina Buffy… the reputation of this company lies mostly on you, but not only that… we care for you and we're worried…"
"There's nothing to be worried about…" Buffy argued, "I'm feeling much better now and I had all the medical tests done that you asked of me…"
There was silence and then the main coach opened a file and walked over to her…
"You're not going to miss us anyway…" she said.
Buffy's eyes filled with tears, she knew where they were getting at… they were either letting her go or she was getting replaced.
The coach handed her a record of her blood work where the interpretation clearly stated POSITIVE for pregnancy.
She froze…
Pregnant…?
Oh my God… she smiled, "I'm pregnant?"
The coach grinned, "Yes…"
The owner finally decided to put his two cents in and stood…
"And as it's stipulated in your contract… that shall you fall ill for an indefinite amount of time or become pregnant… you forfeit position and bonus agreed upon."
The last of my worries, she thought.
"And… we obviously, have to let you go. Usually… you wouldn't even be compensated for the performances that you've worked on, but a replacement was found, so there's not need to get dirty with the legal financial stuff."
"I thank you for the opportunity…" she stood, "it had not even crossed my mind that I could be… had fallen… that I…"
"We know…" the coach smiled.
"Great…" the owner said, "then meeting adjourned… we can… schedule a flight out in a couple of days…"
"No… thank you…" she smiled. I have other plans… surprising Angel, being the main thing.
/
Angel held a glass of whiskey in his hand against his forehead as this stupid deal his father had begun… was taking its time being closed. Meetings with lawyers and associates had consumed all of his time and the only thing that he looked forward to was his daily phone calls to Buffy. Time change was a pain but they'd made it work. He hated that he hadn't been able to keep his promise to be away a week tops. Two weeks and a half later… they were nowhere closer to being done.
He looked at the time… he needed to call Buffy… something to brighten up his day, though he was sure that there was something wrong that she wasn't telling him, but he didn't want to push. He dialed the number… it rang… it rang… and it rang… nothing.
Okay… as if his day could not get any worse… his wife wasn't answering. Maybe she'd fallen asleep… maybe…
"God it's late…" he chugged the rest of his drink after looking at the time. He shoved some papers into a briefcase and had his driver finally take him home.
/
Buffy's plane had just arrived, her luggage consisted of just clothes since they moved a lot with the company and she'd called ahead to have a driver picker her up. Somehow she'd arrived in the late hours of the night… completely exhausted. Well at least she knew it was normal to feel this tired. A driver with her name, Mrs. Buffy O'Donnell, on a board was waiting at the end of the baggage claim aisle and the familiarity of it all had her feel pleased.
"Jeffrey…" she greeted him warmly, "I'm glad it's you…"
"Of course mam…" he grabbed the luggage from her, "what brings you back so soon if I may be so bold as to ask…"
She grinned walking next to him, "Oh you know… life…" they arrived at the waiting limo and he opened the door for her…
"Um… Jeffrey…?"
"Yes Mrs. O'Donnell…" he answered.
She gave him a disapproval look and he rephrased, "Sorry… Mrs. Buffy…"
She shook her head, she'd asked him to drop the Mrs. But he felt disrespectful doing that… at least he was trying.
"Do you know if Angel has been staying at the house or the old condo…?"
Jeffrey, the driver, had finished loading her luggage and turned to face her, "I believe the young Mr. O'Donnell had been staying at the condo, since the new house didn't have many memories of the two of you…"
She grinned… how cute of him…
"I could call to see where he asked to be dropped off tonight if you'd like?" he added.
"Thank you, Jeffrey…" she smiled and stepped in.
/
Angel made a face… the new house was nice. He liked it because Buffy and him had chosen it to move into after they got married, but they had not had time to break it in properly. He would have stayed at their old condo tonight, but he'd run out of suits since they both moved the larger part of their wardrobe to the house. That meant, spending the night here… instead of there, at a location in which he could not picture them together because there hadn't been enough time to make new memories.
He quickly discarded his clothes, slipping his pajama bottoms and laid on their bed… he would just wait a couple of minutes and he'd try to call Buffy again…
Yet the second his head hit the pillow… he was out…
/
Buffy crept into the large big home that they'd chosen to have a family in… she could see it now… a little boy as gorgeous as his father, or a little girl with her father's hypnotizing looks. Running around the house calling for his or her mommy and daddy… the thought melted her heart.
How would she tell Angel? she wondered.
She peered into the bedroom of theirs to glance at a sound asleep Angel… GOD, she had missed him. She crept quietly in… slipping into her PJs and made her way to the bed… she nuzzled up against him quickly needing to be close to him and he instinctively… wrapped his arms around her, pulling her closer.
Buffy smiled pleased… the long trip had her completely tired and she was also out within seconds.