A/N: Okay, guys! Here it be! THE chapter! I know how long all of you have been waiting for this (I've been getting requests since TSOTSC!). So, without further ado, here is THE chapter.
But, before that (yes, yes, I know, I ruined the excitement)...
Thank you to everyone who as reviewed! The amount of fantabulous feedback I'm getting is lovely. Thank you all. :D
Okay, NOW, let's try this again...
Random Disclaimer: (I don't own Buffy).
Readers: Well, it's about time!
Me: Yeah, yeah, I know, I know. I had to get through seasons 4 and 5 first ya know.
Readers: You could have skipped right to it. After all, you're the one rewriting the show!
Me: (pause) This is true.
Angel: Wait, wait, wait...what are you guys talking about?
That Vision Thing Part Two
"A demon, an icky, boil-covered demon."
Cordelia shuddered, but more than anything tried to hide her own icky, boil-covered face with her hair. Buffy sat on one side of her and Angel sat on the other, while Fred, Gunn, and Wesley stood hovering around the doorway.
"A storefront downtown on the corner of fifth and something," Cordelia continued describing her vision and hoping that none of her friends noticed how she wasn't looking directly at any of them, rather devoting the majority of her attention to a little black speck on her wall. "And there was a key!" she remembered. "I should probably draw you a picture," she said, beginning to get to her feet to fetch some paper.
"Cordy," Angel called her back softly, but seriously. Knowing that she'd been caught and cursing those with superior senses, particularly an ensoulled vampire's, Cordelia obeyed.
Angel gently brushed back her hair from her face, revealing the boils that she'd been trying, apparently fruitlessly, to hide.
"Oh, god," Wesley stammered, shocked at the sight.
"Cordy we should talk about this," Angel said sternly, and Buffy was nodding her head in agreement.
"We can't ignore it this time," Buffy spoke up seriously, glancing at Angel nervously as he stiffened at her words.
"This time?" Angel repeated, anger building in his eyes. "It's happened before?"
"My last vision," Cordelia interrupted. "And don't get all growly at Buffy, okay?" she defended her friend. "I made her promise not to tell."
"Are you saying that your visions are physically manifesting themselves?" Wesley asked, taking a step towards her.
"Yeah, pretty much," Cordelia said as she lifted up her shirt to reveal the scratch marks she'd received from her earlier vision.
"Good Lord," Wesley murmured, earning glares from both Buffy and Cordelia. "Sorry," he apologized. "And did this new one have anything to do with…" he trailed off, not knowing exactly how to nicely describe Cordelia's face at the moment.
Luckily, the Seer saved him the trouble. "The yuck monster?" she asked as she pointed to her own face. "Yeah," she answered, growing somber as she stared past Angel to her reflection in the mirror. Taking a closer look, she stepped towards her reflection. "This must be a mistake," she stated, though it sounded more like a question and she was hoping that one of them had an answer. "The Powers wouldn't do this to me on purpose," Cordelia said to herself. "I mean, I'm on their team. Why would anyone do this on purpose?"
"I don't know," Buffy spoke up softly, coming to stand by her friend. "But we'll find out."
"Yeah, 'cause we're the best, right?" Gunn said, giving a little life back to the room. "And I say it's time we kick some major demon ass."
"Yes, well I suppose we should hit the books." Wesley gave Cordelia the most reassuring look he could, before leaving the room, Fred and Gunn following him.
Cordelia and Buffy were left with Angel, and he was not too happy that he'd been lied to. He gave them both a disappointed, angry glare. "Angel," Buffy began, but he cut her off.
"No more lies," Angel said bluntly. "None. This team depends on trust. Without it, we're dead."
"Technically, we didn't lie per say…" Cordelia tried, but Angel was having none of it.
"Lying by omission counts," Angel said seriously. "I trust both of you with my life," he said, though his gaze lingered on Buffy who saw the hurt that he was hiding behind his anger. "I would like to think that that kind of trust goes both ways. I'm your friend, Cordy," he said as he focused his attention back on the Seer, who was looking appropriately guilty. "Don't hide things from me—either of you."
Buffy and Cordelia couldn't help but share a glance, each of them trying to keep the excess guilt off their face. They definitely had another secret. A big secret. A life-changing, theoretically impossible secret.
And in that second they decided that they were going to keep it a little bit longer.
"Okay," Cordelia agreed.
"Deal," Buffy nodded, though she crossed her fingers behind her back.
Angel narrowed his eyes, knowing that Buffy was lying. He also knew that she knew that he knew she was lying. So why would she still lie anyway? After all they'd been through, did she not trust him? Angel quickly banished the thought, knowing that it wasn't true. Maybe a few years ago he might have believed that, but not now. They'd simply been through too much, and they were solid. Yeah, he and Buffy were solid…so what wasn't she telling him? What was so important that she didn't think she could tell him? Angel resolved to wait her out. Buffy would tell him, eventually.
Angel nodded both accepting his course of action and their promise, before exiting the room, his mind focused on how he was going to help Cordelia. Although, in a tiny corner of his mind, Angel was wondering if he was hearing things because he was sure that a soft, fluttering sound had been following him around all day…
"We have to figure this out, and now," Angel said as he entered the living room, his mind completely putting aside personal worries and fluttering sounds. "Anybody? Gunn?"
"I had this auntie who used to get this nasty, crusty stuff on her back every summer," Gunn offered, ignoring everyone's distasteful frowns. "Turns out she was allergic to shellfish."
Angel processed Gunn's little anecdote, and decided sarcasm was needed. "That was helpful."
"Why would the Powers decide to communicate with Cordy this way?" Wesley asked, completely sidestepping Gunn's tale and getting back on task.
"Maybe we could ask them," Fred offered logically, prompting everyone to look at her, which made her even more nervous that she already was; but Fred reminded herself that these people were friends and that they were helping her. It was time that she started to return the favor, if she could.
"Y-you used the word 'communicate'," she explained to Wesley. "And it got me thinking—everything's made of energy, right? Light waves, radio waves, x-rays, even brain waves are all electrical energy. If Cordelia is receiving visions from the Powers That Be they're being communicated somehow."
Fred paused, wondering if she was just babbling nonsense, even though it made perfect sense to her. "Maybe we could figure out the frequency and trace the calls?"
To her relief and pleasure, Wesley smiled at her. "Yes, of course. Well done, Fred," he praised sincerely as he quickly assessed everything he would need. "Gunn, I need you and Fred to go to the hotel and get some books. I'll make a list. We need to research that Chinese coin," Wesley told them before looking at Angel. "Angel, you find that demon and get the key."
Angel looked torn, but after a moment he nodded, knowing he couldn't do anything for Cordelia if he stayed here. However, he did have a question. "What are you going to be doing? If I get the key, how does this help Cordy?"
"If the Powers That Be are taking such extreme measures we have to assume that the coin and the key are of great importance," Wesley explained his thinking. "You'll have to trust me. I have an idea."
Angel and Buffy were silent in the car as Angel drove to the key shop Cordelia had mentioned. Angel didn't like the silence, and neither did Buffy…though both of them refused to be the first to break it. Finally, due to her guilt, Buffy spoke, "I'm sorry for not telling you."
Angel just nodded, knowing it would prompt Buffy to say more.
"It's just she made me promise, and I can't break a promise," Buffy began to babble, guilt coming off her in waves. "It's a best friend thing, ya know? Keeping secrets…it's right up there with eating ice cream and talking about boys…"
"Chill out, Buffy," Angel sighed as he turned down a street. "I get it. I just don't like secrets between us."
"I know," Buffy whispered before she couldn't bear to look at him anymore and turned to look out the window.
"You can tell me anything," Angel said softly.
"I know."
When that didn't get him an answer, Angel got frustrated. "I know you're keeping something else from me."
"I know."
"And you're still not going to tell me?"
"No," Buffy shook her head, still refusing to look at him, knowing that if she did she'd crumble and spill the beans the moment she looked into his warm, chocolate brown eyes she knew were screaming 'trust me.'
"I won't tell you," Buffy said softly, daring to glance at him for a moment before returning her gaze to her window. "…not yet."
Not yet. Angel mulled the words over in his mind. It was obvious that this was taking a toll on Buffy as well. She didn't like hiding things from him anymore than he did. She just needed time…or at least, Angel thought that was what she needed—hoped that was what she needed.
Seeing the key shop, Angel parked along the curb and he and Buffy got out of the car. Swords in hand, Buffy and Angel silently decided that the direct approach was best suited to the situation. Angel kicked open the door, practically tearing it off its hinges.
"We want the key," Angel told the terrified store clerk, who remained frozen and silent.
"Now would be great," Buffy told the little man with a smile.
"Oh?" the clerk finally found his voice, though it was shaky. "W-which key might that be?"
The clerk turned on a few more lights, illuminating the many keys that hung on the walls. "Did you lose the original?" he asked.
Angel took out the drawing Cordelia had made of the key and gave it to the man. "It looks like this."
"Ah, yes, of course," the clerk said and Buffy got a sinking feeling that something was about to happen. "It should only take a moment," he said as he slipped one hand under the counter.
Angel spun around first, raising his sword to block the demon's stroke that had been meant to take off Buffy's head. It was definitely a bad first impression. Angel really didn't like it when people tried to kill the woman he loved.
The demon learned this lesson—quickly.
Buffy didn't even flinch as the icky, boily demon's head rolled by her on the floor. She casually put the blade of her sword to the clerk's throat. "Key, please? Thanks."
Angel knocked on the door of Cordelia's apartment, and almost immediately it was opened, revealing Wesley. "How's Cordy?" Buffy asked quickly, even though she didn't even bother to stay for an answer, brushing by Wesley and heading towards Cordelia's bedroom without another word.
"How is she?" Angel asked as his eyes followed Buffy.
"Ah, we're finding that out now," Wesley replied. "Did you get the—," he trailed off as Angel dropped the key in his palm. "Great," Wesley finished.
Angel nodded before following Buffy into Cordelia's room. Upon entering, he saw Lorne and Buffy both sitting on the bed beside Cordelia. Lorne looked up, "Ah, his royal badness. Just in time." Lorne glanced from Buffy to Cordelia. "Could you and your little cupcake talk some since into this young lady?" he asked. "She's resisting the process."
"Process?" Angel questioned confused.
"Oh, that's my idea," Wesley said, appearing behind Angel. "The host reads people's auras to set them on their path. In some shape or form that connects him to the Powers That Be. I'm thinking—"
"Sure," Angel interrupted, nodding as he followed Wesley's line of thought. "He might be able to reverse the process—he might be able to use Cordelia to trace back the call to the Powers."
"Way outside my area of expertise," Lorne told them, but then added with a chuckle. "But then again, who knew William Shatner could sing?" he joked, before seeing their looks. "Okay, bad example."
"Buffy said you found the key," Cordelia spoke up. "Which is good because I'm really not liking this 'Phantom of the Opera' look," she said as she pointed to her face.
"It was right where you said," Angel assured her, before asking. "Why don't you want Lorne to trace your visions?"
"It's not like I'm morally against letting a demon into my subconscious for a little lookee-loo," Cordelia answered blithely. "Hey, it might be fun. But with the Powers That Be doing this whole 'book of Job' thing, the last thing I want is more noise in my head."
"Maybe Lorne can make it stop," Buffy suggested.
"Excellent idea there, sugar," Lorne flashed Buffy a quick smile.
"Isn't that what you want?" Angel asked Cordelia, who looked at him wide-eyed.
"No!" Cordelia immediately answered, but then shook her head. "Yes, I mean no…" Taking a deep breath, the Seer tried to explain. "I mean, sure I hate feeling like this, but if I didn't get visions anymore then you guys wouldn't need me—"
"Cordy, we talked about this," Buffy interrupted gently. "We need you. Not your visions."
"Buffy's right," Angel nodded. "You're important. The visions are like aftermarket extras like Hurst shifts or Krager wheels."
"Did you just compare me to a car?" Cordelia deadpanned.
"It was a very nice car," Angel replied with a small, charm smile he rarely used…but it always worked.
"I guess that's better than a dog," Cordelia muttered, knowing that she was going to let Lorne inside her head and take a little peek. "Okay," she sighed. "I'll do it."
"Alright princess, just like we talked about earlier," Lorne told her. "You shouldn't feel a thing. You ready?"
Cordelia nodded before lying back on the bed closing her eyes as Lorne placed both his hands on either side of her head, closing his eyes as well. "Now, I want you relax," Lorne ordered calmly. "Picture yourself outdoors, in a field or on a mountain," he suggested.
"I like the mountains," Cordelia said slowly relaxing due to Lorne's words.
"Beautiful," Lorne replied. "Say you're on a mountaintop, and it's warm. The sky is blue, full of big, fluffy clouds. You're Julie Andrews in "The Sound of Music" and you're relaxed and you're spinning and camera is swirling—ouch!" Lorne recoiled from Cordelia like he'd been burned. "Careful honey, you've got some power of your own!"
"Sorry, all that spinning and swirling was freaking me out," Cordelia explained somewhat sheepishly.
"My fault, my fault," Lorne shook head. "It's just I love that movie so much!" he gushed for a quick moment before getting back on task. "Okay. Ready to try again?" he asked as he placed his hands back on either side of Cordelia's head. "Now, let's go looking for the Powers That Be, see if we can reach out a touch someone."
Suddenly, Cordelia began to thrash. Buffy tried to calm her friend, but it was like Cordelia couldn't hear her—too wrapped up in her vision. Lorne was trapped in her mind as well, and finally, in a blast of energy, Lorne was thrown back into the wall, the sound of breaking glass telling Buffy that the lamp had broken.
"Cordy? Cordy!" Buffy cried worriedly, seeing her friend's now burnt arms due to her vision.
Cordelia came to then, and blinked wearily. She looked down at her arms in dismay and shock before looking from Buffy to Angel. "What's happening to me?" she asked fearfully.
Buffy sat on the couch in Cordelia's living room, giving her friend some much needed time alone. Wesley, Angel, and the rest of A.I. were all milling about. Fred had found the peanut butter again, and Buffy was resisting with all her might not to cross the room and snatch it from her. Occasionally, she couldn't help but glance longingly at it. Finally, Fred seemed to notice and in an uncharacteristic move, went to sit right beside Buffy so she could share in the peanutty goodness. However, after a few bites, Buffy realized how tired she was. She glanced at the clock, expecting it to be sometime in the early morning, but it was only eleven o' clock. What was this? Buffy was used to long days and even longer nights. She shouldn't even be thinking the word tired for about another three hours.
Buffy glanced around the room and met a pair of suspicious brown eyes. Wordlessly, Angel left the room, moving into the kitchen. Buffy sighed, handed the peanut butter back to Fred, and got up to follow.
She had barely stepped into the kitchen before Angel started talking, quietly, yet fervently. "Buffy, what's going on?"
"I thought you were giving me time," Buffy defended weakly, crossing her arms over her chest. "I need time."
"Time is something we don't have," Angel pointed out, knowing that she knew that. "Why aren't you telling me? What's the real reason?"
"It's not the right time."
"It's not the right time," Angel repeated. "Why can't now be the right time?"
"Because it just can't be," Buffy shook her head, tears forming in her eyes. "It's not the right time…"
"Buffy," Angel said softly, lifting her chin up with a finger. "What's wrong? Tell me, please."
Buffy was torn. Part of her wanted to shout it from the rooftops. Buffy had never considered children. She hadn't wanted to bring a child into this world, knowing how much danger they would be in. He or she would be a weakness for her enemies to exploit, and Buffy wouldn't allow her child to be used as leverage. Only recently, since learning of Shanshu, had Buffy even begun to think that maybe—far, far, far, into the future maybe—maybe she might have a child. Angel's child… Their child…
Now though, now that reality had sunk in, Buffy was terrified. She was going to have a baby. She had to tell Angel. Buffy just didn't know how. It could be very simple. Two words would suffice. 'I'm pregnant.' It wasn't that difficult. Just two little words—two little words that would change their lives forever.
How could she tell him? The nagging fear that he wouldn't believe her still gave her pause. It was impossible…well, they'd always been told it was impossible. Buffy didn't know how to tell Angel, but she did know one thing…
Now wasn't the right time. Cordelia was in trouble. They had a bad guy, somewhere, to catch. All that came before herself.
But this isn't just about me, Buffy thought to herself, once again torn.
It was about Angel…and the life they had created. This was so much more than herself.
It wasn't the right time…but would there ever be a right time for this?
Finding her resolve and pushing back her fears, Buffy opened her mouth to tell Angel that they were going to have a baby. "Angel, I'm—"
"Angel, I really think you should hear this," Wesley interrupted, stepping into the kitchen, knowing he was probably breaking up a critical, lovey-dovey, soul mates moment, but found it hard to care knowing the information he now did.
Angel sighed, frustrated, and looked from Buffy to Wesley before nodding. "Later," Angel whispered in her ear, kissing her temple before following Wesley.
Buffy stood in the kitchen a moment, torn between overwhelming relief and disappointment. Pulling herself together, Buffy followed Angel and Wesley back into the living room.
"This better be important," Angel said irritated.
He'd been so close to getting Buffy to tell him what was wrong. She'd been about to tell him, she'd been leading into it. He'd been about to find out what all the mystery was about…and Wesley had interrupted.
Angel looked to see that Lorne was awake, lying out on the couch. "Did you make contact?" he asked.
"The visions aren't from the Powers!" Fred blurted unable to contain herself.
"Oh, sure sweetheart, steal my thunder," Lorne said wryly, wincing as he sat up. "Next time you can be the one who gets thrown across a room."
"Who's sending the visions?" Buffy asked, her brows furrowed as she wondered who could possibly send Cordelia visions.
"I don't know," Lorne admitted. "But they're local, earthbound, and pretty authentic. I can see how a layperson could mistake them for the real deal."
"Are you saying someone's hacked into Cordy's head?" Gunn asked dubiously.
"Transmitting false data through the celestial pipeline," Lorne confirmed. "I know it's probably a mile-long list, but I'd start looking at enemies. Who wants to get to you, who has sizeable resources, and who'd be willing to mess up a pretty face like Cordelia's?"
Angel's eyes narrowed, and Buffy knew that he had just realized who was responsible.
"Lilah?" Buffy assumed.
"Lilah," Angel agreed before turning and going out the door.
Buffy didn't follow, even though she wanted to. As far as she and Angel knew, Wolfram and Hart were still in the dark about their relationship. If Buffy just waltzed right into Lilah Morgan's office with Angel, she doubted the woman would be blind to the obvious feelings between Buffy and Angel. And then now that Buffy was pregnant…she didn't want her baby within a hundred miles of the entire firm.
Lorne studied the blonde Slayer as she watched Angel leave. The poor little thing was just radiating distress and resolve at the same time, and Lorne didn't need Buffy to sing to know that something was troubling her greatly.
Reading auras may be his specialty, but Lorne had a few other tricks up his sleeve. Nothing fancy of course, he simply used the gifts he was born with. One of those gifts was really, really good hearing. As good as any vampire's if not better, and Lorne was pretty sure that there was a speedy thumping going on in the Slayer's stomach that just didn't make any sense at all.
Using 'getting some ice' for an excuse, Lorne rose from the couch and passed by Buffy, casually taking her arm and leading her into the kitchen with him. Buffy followed silently, feeling like she was getting led around a lot without her permission, but she let it go for now.
Buffy knew that Lorne knew something was up. She'd known he'd pick up on it. It was Lorne for cryin' out loud! Buffy just didn't know how much Lorne knew. Judging by his expression, she was about to find out.
"So, sweetheart, the apple of Angelcakes' eye," Lorne began as he rifled through the freezer, finding a tray of ice cubes. "What has you all tied up it itty, bitty, worrisome knots?" he asked as he dislodged some of the cubes, wrapped them in a cloth, and placed it against his throbbing temple.
Buffy laughed nervously, avoiding the green demon's gaze. "Oh, it's nothing."
"So it's definitely something," Lorne said, and when Buffy glared at him, he merely shrugged. "I'm sorry honey, but you're a terrible liar."
"How much have you already figured out?" Buffy asked, knowing that Lorne was trying to ease into the conversation, but she didn't want to beat around the bush.
"Oh, I have a theory, and boy does it just have me all befuddled," Lorne replied. "You've got some explaining to do."
"I have no idea what to tell you," Buffy finally admitted as she twisted her Claddagh ring absently.
"Alright, so I'm assuming that your vampire honey doesn't know what you're not telling," Lorne said knowingly. "Judging by the guilt that's pouring off you…"
"He doesn't know."
"Ah, well isn't that just troublesome," Lorne sighed as he shifted the ice pack a little. "Afraid Angelcakes won't believe you?"
"So…your theory…" Buffy began, and Lorne nodded.
"Yeah…I believe the expression is that you've got a 'bun in the oven,' there gorgeous," Lorne shook his head. "And don't ask how because I've got nothin'. I might if you'd just sing me a little tune—"
"No," Buffy shook her head. "Too many people already know…"
"And your Prince Charming doesn't?" Lorne questioned, sighing. "Oh, my, my, my…"
Angel had returned within the hour, a vampire on a mission. It turned out that Lilah had indeed been pulling the strings the entire time in order to lure Angel into freeing someone from a hell dimension. If Angel did this, Lilah would stop the physical manifestations of Cordelia's visions. Naturally, Angel had agreed to do Lilah's bidding in order to save Cordelia—exactly like Lilah had expected.
Needing weapons and any information Wesley might have about the coin and the key, Buffy and Angel had left Cordelia's apartment in favor of the Hyperion where they'd been told Wesley had holed himself up in since Angel had left for Wolfram and Hart. Fred and Gunn were keeping Cordelia company.
As soon as they walked through the doors, Angel was asking questions. "You figure it out?" he asked, cutting to the chase.
"I think so," Wesley answered as he took off his glasses. "You probably won't like it, but it appears that both the key and the coin are objects of good…"
"Oh," Angel replied, understanding. "So the Chinese guy and the boil guy…"
"Were also aligned with the forces of good," Wesley finished.
"Damn," Angel cursed. "So hard to tell these days," he said dryly. "You know, they should wear lapel pins or something."
"Well, in the mean time, the inscriptions on both the coin and the key match," Wesley told them. "They actually work together in order to transport you to and from the dimension."
"I don't suppose we know what this other dimension is like," Buffy spoke up, glancing at Angel and then Wesley. "Aside from fortress-y and demon-y."
"Well, based on the burn scars from Cordy's last vision, I'd imagine that fire is not out of the question," Wesley answered logically.
"Fire," Angel repeated, not sounding too thrilled.
"And if the young man is imprisoned, I'd assume there would be guards," Wesley continued.
"Guards," Angel sighed before turning and leaving the room, heading for the weapons cabinet with Buffy and Wesley following.
"I don't need to explain to you that if Wolfram and Hart is behind this then this mission can't be good," Wesley pointed out as Angel sorted through the weapons. "Just because Lilah tells you this man is wrongly imprisoned doesn't make it so."
"You're right," Angel agreed as he held up two different swords, deciding.
"Or that helping them totally goes against everything you are," Buffy added.
"Right again," Angel said as he chose the sword on the left.
"Good, so then I don't need to convince you to let me go with you," Buffy said quickly, knowing that Wesley had been about to offer.
Angel spun and pierced her with a look that had Buffy wanting to avert her eyes from his intense gaze. "No."
"But—"
"No."
"I could—"
"No." Angel shook his head. "You're not going to Hell," he said seriously, and Buffy finally looked away, already knowing that this was a lost argument.
Angel looked at Wesley. "Show me how it works," he ordered clipped.
"It's actually fairly simple," Wesley said as he inserted the key into the hole in the coin and gave it a twist. Then, he spun it like a top on the floor, and slowly a portal began to form amidst the smoke that was emanating from the spinning object.
"Take care of Cordy," Angel ordered before stepping closer to the spinning key so that the smoke and light included him. Then, in the blink of an eye, he vanished.
There was a metal clanging that caused Wesley and Buffy to look down at the floor where Angel had disappeared. Buffy cursed at the sight of Angel's sword, dagger, and mace. "Of course, it'd just be too easy if he had weapons," Buffy muttered. "Of course."
In another dimension, Angel was thinking the exact same thing.
With a sigh, Angel picked up the discarded key and coin off the dungeon-y floor and went out into a hallway. A little way down the hall after a small flight of steps, Angel noticed a door to a room lit by fire. Fire. There was his first breadcrumb.
Cautiously, Angel made this way towards the fire room and stepped inside, his senses on high alert. The first thing he noticed as a great cube of fire, and held within its clutches was a blackened, soot-covered man. Angel figured this was the guy he was supposed to fetch.
Angel felt someone's presence behind him, and turned to see a bronze-faced demon looking at him curiously. "Hi."
"Hi," the demon returned. "You know you're not supposed to be here, right?"
"Yeah, what about him?" Angel asked, gesturing with his head in the direction of the fiery cube and the man within.
"Oh, him?" the demon asked, following Angel's line of sight. "Oh, he's supposed to be here. Do you have any idea how monstrous a guy has to be before he gets sent to us?" he asked. "We're a very high-end institution."
"And it's your job to keep him here," Angel assumed.
"Yeah," he answered, extending his hand. "I'm Skip."
Angel shook the demon's hand. He liked the guy. "Angel. So, uh, you live here Skip?"
"No, I commute," Skip shrugged. "It's not too bad, only twenty minutes."
"Uh, what keeps him in that fire?" Angel asked as he patiently worked the information he needed out of Skip. Even if Angel did like the demon…that didn't mean it was going to prevent him from doing what he'd come to do.
"My will."
"How come he's not screaming in pain?" Angel inquired, genuinely curious.
"Oh, he is," Skip answered quickly. "My will prevents him from being heard," he explained. "There's only so many 'Oh my gods! Please! The pain! Make it stop!' that you can listen to before it starts to bug the crap out of you."
"I see your point."
Skip suddenly sniffed him. "You're a vampire, right?" he asked and Angel nodded. "How come it smells like you work for the Powers That Be?"
"Cause I do," Angel answered simply.
"And you're here to try to…rescue this guy?" Skip asked, slightly confused as Angel nodded. "But we're on the same side," he argued. "Shouldn't you be helping to keep him in there?"
"I know, I know, long story—involves a friend," Angel explained. "I don't like it any better than you do."
"So I really can't talk you out of this," Skip stated, and Angel shook his head.
"Sorry," he apologized. "But I guess we just have to agree to—"
Skip's fist connected with Angel's jaw causing the him to try and rub the pain away. "…disagree."
Angel returned the favor, punching Skip full in the face. Skip launched himself at Angel, knocking him to the ground. Angel rolled and threw Skip off of him, jumping back to his feet wearing his game-face. He sent a flurry of punches at Skip, who bobbed and weaved and blocked his way around them before dealing his own punch that hit Angel in the temple. Off balance, but using it to his advantage, Angel spun and kicked Skip into the flaming cage, where he was promptly grabbed by the cage's prisoner.
Skip screamed in pain as the flames licked his back. He struggled to get free, but the prisoner's desperate need to repay the favor to his captor was giving him a strength he hadn't known he'd possessed.
Angel ran forward, his face now human, and pulled Skip away from the fiery cage. "Skip, are you okay?" he asked, and the demon nodded. "Good. Sorry about this," Angel apologized before punching Skip in the face, knocking him unconscious.
Angel set Skip on the ground and looked up, seeing that the fiery cube was no more. With a reluctant sigh, Angel went to collect the soot-covered man at the center.
Angel and Buffy were both tired as they entered the hotel. Wesley, Gunn, and Fred were behind them, plus a newly recovered Cordelia. All of them collapsed in the lobby. Wesley and Gunn both plopped down in chairs, and Fred opted for the floor in between them. Cordelia sat on one end of the couch while Buffy and Angel occupied the other side, Buffy choosing to sit in Angel's lap and rest her head on his shoulder.
"So, it's been a hell of a day," Gunn said as he propped his elbow on the table and supported his head in his hand.
"What an ironic choice of words," Wesley said dryly.
"I'm just glad I'm no longer 'yuck', 'ugly', and 'unclean,'" Cordelia said and saw their looks. "What? You know you were all thinking it."
"Well, I just know that I've had enough surprises for one day," Gunn sighed wearily.
They all sat in silence for a moment, before Angel spoke up. "What is that fluttering noise?" he asked exasperatedly.
Gunn and Wesley both looked at him oddly. "I'm not crazy," Angel defended quickly. "Seriously, do none of you hear it?"
Buffy, Cordelia, and Fred were quiet and studiously avoiding each other's gazes, something that the men in the room picked up on.
"They know what it is," Gunn stated.
"Yes, they do," Wesley agreed.
Angel listened hard. It was a thumping sound, very quick. It seemed to be close to him, but he just couldn't figure out where it was coming from. He heard Buffy's heartbeat clearly, which was always a reassuring sound…except that now it was going a mile a minute.
Frustrated, Angel took a deep breath and Buffy's scent hit him like a freight train. It was strong, at least five times as potent to him as it usually was—except something about it was off. Something was different.
Thinking back over the past month or so, Angel realized that this wasn't new. Buffy's scent had been this strong for a while now. He'd noticed it, of course, but hadn't thought much of it. He'd thought it was just hormones.
Hormones…
Fluttering sound…
Strong distinctive scent…
Buffy felt Angel tense, and noticed how his hand had come up to palm her still flat stomach. "Angel," Buffy began nervously. "I-I'm—"
"Pregnant," Angel finished dazed.
Silence fell over the room, until…
"What?" Gunn exclaimed. "How? I mean I know how…but, wait, no I don't! How?"
"I-It's impossible," Wesley stammered.
"Oh, that's what we thought," Cordelia said off-handedly. "But don't worry, I've got a positive test in my bathroom that proves it! Fred and I are witnesses!"
"I'm going to be an aunt!" Fred chirped excitedly.
"Angel, I-I'm just as shocked as you are…" Buffy said nervously, feeling awkward and self-conscious. She tried to get up to move away from him, but Angel's arms tightened, keeping her in place.
Angel met Buffy's eyes and he read the fear there. She was terrified…well, so was he. Angel was actually feeling a lot of things at the moment. Admittedly, fear was on the top of the list. He feared for Buffy. What would this do to her? Could she survive it? What were the risks? What about Wolfram and Hart? Other enemies they'd pick up along the way? Angel refused to have his child exploited as a weakness, to be used as leverage. Danger. This whole situation was dangerous.
Confusion definitely secured a top spot on the list of what he was feeling. For a moment, for a tiny, tiny, so-short-it-had-barely-existed-moment, the idea that Buffy had cheated on him had come to mind—even though the thought had been extinguished as soon as it'd been formed. This child was his. This was his and Buffy's child. There was simply no other explanation.
How? How was Buffy pregnant? It just didn't make sense. Vampires could not have children. It was one of the rules. It just didn't happen…except it had. There had to be an explanation somewhere...but it could wait.
The last emotion he was feeling was an emotion that was slowly bubbling to the surface, temporarily usurping all the others. It was a strange, almost giddy feeling. A mixture of excitement, astonishment, and wonder—he was going to be a father. Buffy was going to be a mother. They were going to have a baby.
"Angel—," Buffy began again, but Angel silenced her with a passionate, happy kiss.
"Okay, you two, break it up," Cordelia scolded, but it was pointless as the brunette couldn't stop smiling.
Buffy and Angel heeded her words nonetheless and broke apart. Buffy looked into Angel's warm, loving, chocolate brown eyes, and felt a small, hopeful smile pull at her lips. "So…what do you think, dad-to-be?"
Angel smiled; a wide, bright smile that Buffy had never seen before. "I think I'm looking forward to it."
Aw.
The moment has arrived.
Connor is officially in the story and my own psuedo-Buffyverse.
For those of you who may think that Angel should have figured it out sooner, especially since Lorne figured it out so quickly, let me explain my reasoning. First off, Lorne has his aura-reading mojo going on. Second, he is nowhere near as biased in the situation as Angel is. After all, Angel is the very last person who would ever even think to make the leap that Buffy was pregnant. I mean he's been a vamp for so long, the thought wouldn't even cross (hehe, pun) his mind.
So that's my reasoning. That, and I really enjoyed picturing his frustration trying to figure out what the 'fluttering noise' was. :D
So...next episode we go to Sunnydale! Well, actually, the next chapter we're still in L.A. I had to split "Tabula Rasa" into 3 parts. :D
Lots of love,
ArthursCamelot