Within nights there was no trace what so ever of Selene, only vague rumors of her continued existence occasionally popping up around the world. Mana spent her time sulking around the building, the only time anything one could even consider a smile crossed her face was when she was alone with her lover. She had her baby back and just as quickly as she had lost her again.
It was nearly six months later that word of a rouge vampire wandering L.A. reached their ears, a feral whose feeding patterns had yet to be picked up.
The teenage immortal spent her days roaming the halls, listening to gossip around the office, in her advanced and delicate state Spike looked over her like a hawk, ready to be at her aid at a moments notice.
One cool October night a young woman could be seen kneeling in a park over a dead body her lips crimson red as she lifted her head looking through the lovely creeping fog, her eyes transfixing on the lone figure approaching her kill, causing her to hiss violently and defensively over her meal before slowly coming to realize there were others coming through the fog behind the original figure causing her to lower her head and body in a submissive, protective, position, her voice very soft and humble, "Please I mean no harm. I just seek a meal and I will leave your city at once." Two lone tears had pricked the corners of her eyes which were a strange sight, almost solid gold in color with what appeared to be ice covering them, her long black hair very straight and shiny as she kept her head low careful not to meet anyone's eyes. The stranger was dressed in a skin tight white sweater and a long loose red and a pair of dark red high heel boots, a white and red hooded cape tied around her neck, covering her back, a gold crucifix around her neck, her stomach budging softly.
Slowly Selene raised her eyes, "Oh fuck it couldn't just be a pack of rabid ferals could it, it couldn't be something I could slaughter! Damn it all to hell!" And with speed only age could bring she seemed vanish, reappearing in the back of a parked car not even seeming to notice the driver who was putting groceries in the trunk and got back in his own seat without seeming to notice her, in an exhausted voice she finally knew she couldn't keep running, or fighting, she had to face him, as she reached to tap the blond on the shoulder all color drained from her face, "What the fucking hell? Don't any of you have a damn life?" Slowly she gave a defeated sigh, "I can't out run you....just...just take me…," slowly she began to break down in tears hugging herself. "Take me to a hotel, please Spike, any hotel. I'll get the first flight out of L.A."
The Brit seemed in awe, shocked at the sight before him, "What the hell?!" He frowned, "Oh no missy. You are going to the firm." He peeled out without giving her a chance to respond, within minutes he was parked and dragging her to the elevator. "Your mother is worried sick about you!"
Unlike before Selene didn't seem to put up any struggle what so ever, "Please Spike don't do this. I cant face him."
"You have to. Even I can't stand to see the sodding git mope around any more. Not to mention you broke poor Mana's heart." he said firmly to the broken ancient.
"I had to. I made a promise to Angel that I wouldn't put you all in danger because of my history and I kept that promise. I had to lure Marius away, a-and then I found out and I couldn't come back! Please if you care about me at all you'll let me go." the woman pleaded starting to cry.
"Listen to me. You are going up there and you are facing your demons. We all have to do it and it's your turn now." The doors slowly opened onto the firm's main lobby.
"Do I have to break your arm again to get loose?" she asked grabbing the arm, "I hurt him to bad to ever face him again!"
"Believe it or not, he's a stupid git." Spike said detaching her, "Never learns Kitten, he'd forgive you a million times over."
Tears began flowing in earnest down her face, "I don't want to do this Spi..." she trailed off as her eyes fell on him, her Guardian Angel, and she lowered her head solemnly.
Angel's back was turned, as he talked to Harmony, but turned at the look of absolute shock on her face. He froze for a moment before slowly walking across the floor and throwing his arms around Selene, crushing her to his chest. "Don't you ever do that again!"
Shaking in his embrace all of Selene's struggles were long gone, and she just began sobbing like a lost child seeking a chance to come home, "I-I had to keep my promise. I had to protect all of you." Slowly she pulled away. "I can't stay Angel. I cant risk hurting you again."
"If you leave you'll hurt me." The Irish vampire said softly, stroking her cheek.
"If I stay I may kill you." She admitted honestly.
"That's a risk I'm willing to take." he said pulling her close again.
"But I'm not." Selene said staring into his deep chocolate eyes, "How can you just open your arms and usher me back in? I tried to kill you!"
"I don't recall you trying to kill me. I recall myself willingly trying to protect you." Angel recalled.
"And if I try it again? How can you be so damn stupid to trust me again?" The pregnant female raged at him.
"Because you do stupid things when you're in love." He said ignoring the false furry in her voice.
"I'm a murderer Angel, vampires, werewolves, demons, humans, whatever got in my path I slaughtered them!" she confessed waiting for the blow.
"Oh just shut up and kiss me," he drew back and covered her mouth with his own causing her to groan lightly before she pulled away, running towards the elevator.
Suddenly from the direction of the kitchen came a loud crash, followed by a piercing scream. Mana was on her knees in a puddle of blood and broken ceramic, clutching her middle, sobbing.
Selene's head snapped upwards at the sound, her voice low, "Momma...." Instantly she broke into a weakened sprint before falling to her own knees.
The world spun around the teen, going black then coming back into focus again, after one such episode she saw Spike and Selene in front of her, reaching out of her lover, not caring who else was around her now. "The...the baby. What's wrong with my baby?" She cried, clinging to him as he cried out for the medics.
Slowly Selene stumbled her way to the room, moving aside so the EMTs could take her to a hospital. "H-he said he wouldn't hurt her..." Selene said, tears trickling down her cheeks.
Mana held fast to Spike's hand, her nails biting viciously into the flesh. "I want Fred, no one else better touch me," she whimpered and he nodded, trying to sooth her.
"Not even a bitch from your past love?" he asked softly as Selene dropped back to her own knees encircling her waist lowering her head.
The teenage laboring mother had stopped listening, only moaning now as the loaded her into the ambulance, which Selene followed, the older woman peeking in the window.
Inside the vehicle Mana's head lolled to the side as she phased in and out of consciousness, causing her daughter to whimper finally ripping a door open kneeling by her with her hood raised. "M-Momma." Selene whimpered, tears prickling her eyes.
The world was dark around the teen, but she felt the cold touch of her lover's hand around her own and heard a voice, she could have sworn it was Selene but she was gone, she must be hallucinating again.
"Momma open your mouth I'll make you better." Selene whispered, gently tearing at her own wrist just letting the dark old blood flow through her mother acting as a pain reliever, while the heavy mound of her mother's pregnancy heaved violently, her limp body shaking from the force of it. Biting down on her lip Selene a small dagger from her belt, digging it deep into her wrist, pressing it firmly to her mothers mouth, her own color rapidly vanishing as the pain relieving blood flowed.
Spike clung tight to her hand, smoothing his hand over her hair gently, pressing light kisses to her forehead as he murmured soft words of endearment and beg her not to leave him. Promised to take care of her. He was terrified.
"S-she wont die Spike...I-I wont let her!" Selene growled, growing yet another shade whiter, the color of pure white snow before they reached the hospital and she finally pulled her wrist away.
Fred She met them at the doors of the hospital, rushing the EMTs into the operating room without delay. She had tended to Mana through out the long duration of her pregnancy and had worried on the last few visits that this might happen, she was at high risk of early labor. "Spike you two will have to stay out here. We can't contaminate the O.R. I'm sorry."
"I deserve to see what's happenin' and Selene need a medic herself!" Spike yelled even though Selene had already out the door, if anything the loss of blood seemed to make her luminescent as she stumbled through L.A.
Quietly Selene knelt on the sidewalk, her head bowed in prayer, "Please Lord, just make my mommy and her new baby ok, please. You can take this unholy wretch if you just make them ok. Please, pretty please. Amen." There she stayed praying until just before dawn, shaking, feeling hands along her shoulders causing her to tense and whimper weakly, "I have nothing of value worth stealing, I will give you very little sexual satisfaction and I would not be suitable prey." she said curling up tighter to continue her prayers for her mother and the child. "Please let them be ok." she whimpered, pressing the cold cross to her flesh.
Back inside Fred had scrubbed and gloved up faster than she ever had in her life, true she was a scientist not a doctor but when the time called for it she stepped up and stepped up well. She placed one hand on the still woman's abdomen, feeling for the baby within, she didn't think they'd be able to do this natural and called for a scalpel. She took a deep breath and pressed the blade into the milky skin of the woman's stomach, slicing through the layers of tissue and muscle, through the wall of her womb. She found the lack of blood disturbing, until the womb opened and the blood flooded out, revealing the small pale form of the child hidden within. had to work quickly, the nature of a vampire's body was to heal and even as she thrust her hands into the cold innards of the woman she could see the edges of the incision drawing together and closing, She pulled the child from it's bed and made quick work of riding the woman's body of the remaining waste of a birth then turned to the silent child, he was small, but it indeed was a he. She turned the boy onto his stomach and delivered a sharp slap to it's rear and was thoroughly surprised that this actually worked as he released a piercing wail and squirmed in her grasp.
"Oh my..." She stated as she cleaned him up and turned back to the mother, one sapphire eye opened slightly.
Mana smiled weakly as her eye settled on the small infant. He was alive. "Name him...William." She murmured before her eyes rolled into the back of her head.
Back in the waiting room, Spike lifted his head at the sound waiting to see his wife and child, his mind solely on them, no longer thinking of the one who escaped.