A/N: Oh my, my, my! Seriously? I'm over 100 reviews already!
Gasp.
You guys are so totally amazing. I am shocked (and humbled). :D
I'm glad all of you liked the pregnancy! Of course, I'd known you would, but still, it's nice to hear it in very wonderful reviews! I remember writing Two Sides and already making future plans to introduce Connor so I've been waiting forever to finally write him into the story.
Okay, this chapter is when I introduce my first OC since Adronikos way back when. Don't worry, this OC is definitely NOT evil. :D I really hope you guys like her. I think she's...hmm...how could I describe her?...bubbly?...spunky?...combo of the two?...Anywho, point is that I like her and I really want you guys to feel the same way.
So...here we go!
Random Disclaimer: (I don't own Buffy).
Me: So, guys! What do you think of your storyline so far?
Buffy: I'm pregnant!
Me: Yeah...I know...kinda made that happen for you, ya know...writer/author almighty will and stuff...
Angel: Yeah, about that...mind using that 'almighty will' and telling me how this is going to turn out?
Me: Aw, are you worried? (looks at him fondly) I knew you'd make a good dad!
Angel: Yeah, thanks, but can you answer the question?
Me: Honey, there are so many different answers to that question. "How will this turn out?" Really? Do you even know everything that I have planned for the rest of this story?
Buffy: I think that was the whole point in him asking.
Me: Well, it's not like I'm actually going to tell you. Where would the adventure be in that?
Buffy: (glares, frowning) Well, then can you at least give us a hint at what's going to happen this chapter?
Me: Okay, okay, you got me. I'll give you one little spoiler...ready? Snow globes.
Buffy: How does that help me?
Me: (grins deviously) It doesn't. I never said that the spoiler was going to make sense.
Angel: (looks at Buffy) You should have let me ask. I'm the one with centuries of manipulation experience.
Buffy: Oh, shut up.
Tabula Rasa Part One
Angel and Buffy walked into Caritas with the rest of the A.I crew following—even Fred had agreed to brave the throng of people and noise in order be with Buffy, and by extension, the little life that was growing inside her. Fred was not the only one who had developed an almost instant attachment to the idea that Buffy and Angel were having a child. Gunn hadn't stopped talking about being an uncle for the past three days, and Cordelia was already thinking of baby shower plans. Wesley, the quieter of the bunch, but no less excited, had thrown himself into research saying, "There has to be a prophecy about this child somewhere."
Buffy smiled as she thought about everyone's excitement, but it couldn't even begin to compare with her own—or Angel's for that matter. Buffy had seen Angel happy. She'd seen him sad. She'd seen him angry. She'd seen all the emotions in between.
Three nights ago, she'd seen pure joy.
After revealing the news, everyone had drifted away. Fred had gone up to her room. Cordelia had left for her apartment. Gunn and Wesley had left for some extremely late night take-out (after all, Cordelia had thrown away the Chinese food they'd had). This left Angel and Buffy by themselves, on the couch, staring at each other. Angel had been the first to look away, his gaze dropping down to her still flat stomach.
"It's impossible," he murmured.
"Not so much apparently," Buffy returned quietly with a soft smile.
Angel looked back up at her. "How do you feel?"
"Excited," Buffy answered truthfully. "A little scared, wait, scratch that, I'm terrified," she corrected with a worried smile. "How do you feel?"
And that's when Angel had smiled. It was a smile that lit up his whole face, and Buffy found herself unable to fight the huge grin that appeared on her own face in turn. "I'm happy," Angel stated simply.
Buffy's grin faded slightly as her brain fought against her happy daze, worry taking its place. "Angel, I don't know what to do. What are we going to do?"
Angel reached up and caressed her cheek. "I don't know," he admitted. "But we'll figure it out. We're in this together."
"Together," Buffy repeated in agreement before halting further conversation with a kiss that grew so passionate that Angel swept Buffy into his arms and carried her to their room. He'd laid her on the bed and…
Buffy was brought back out of her memory when she felt a tug on her hand. "Buffy?" Angel asked, for what she assumed to be at least the third time. "Are you alright?"
"Fine," Buffy replied with a smile to ease his nerves. She had a feeling she'd be hearing 'Are you alright?' a lot in the coming nine months. "Just bought a ticket on a particular train of thought," she added to further assuage him as they took seats at the bar.
Cordelia settled onto the barstool on Buffy's right and looked around. "Where's Lorne?"
"Right here cupcake." Lorne popped up from below the bar, holding a bottle in each hand. Quickly and efficiently he began to mix a drink. "You'll have to wait just a minute," he said glancing at Buffy and Angel. "She's a little busy with her prior appointment—nasty case of bulbous."
"What the hell is that?" Gunn asked, raising his eyebrows.
Lorne made a face. "You get these nasty little puss-filled—"
"Okay, I can live without knowing that little factoid," Buffy interrupted, raising her hand to stop Lorne from finishing the sentence. "I'm discovering that morning sickness lasts all day."
"Ah," Lorne nodded. "I've been thinking about that," he said as he placed the drink he'd been mixing in front of her. "Drink that," he ordered as he placed a little umbrella in the glass.
Buffy looked down at the drink. It was a lavender-colored liquid, and it seemed to constantly fizzle—like a recently opened soda. Buffy sniffed at the drink experimentally, and then looked at Lorne. "There's no alcohol in this, right?"
"Of course not," Lorne shook his head. "Now, stop stalling, honey, and try it."
Buffy glanced at Angel before taking a tiny sip of the drink, which then turned into another sip, followed by another. "What's in here?" she asked as she took another sip of the fruity drink.
"Oh, you don't wanna know," Lorne answered quickly. "Just drink it."
Buffy was all too happy to oblige.
"That is supposed to help with morning sickness?" Wesley inquired curiously. "How did you guess?"
Lorne shrugged. "I know Buffy," he explained. "You know a person, you know what they drink."
"Where is the doctor?" Fred inquired shyly from her seat in between Wesley and Gunn.
"Oh," Lorne checked his watch, before he suddenly looked up and smiled. "Ah, she'll see you now."
"How do you know?" Angel questioned, not having heard or seen anything.
"Well, she's telepathic," Lorne explained as if it were common knowledge. Stepping out from behind the bar, he began to lead them downstairs towards his room. "It took her a while of course, a few centuries, but she learned how to project her own thoughts. She tells me it comes in handy quite often."
"How do you know her?" Angel asked as they followed Lorne, more protective of Buffy now than ever—something Buffy found both sweet and annoying.
"Oh, we met when I first came here," Lorne told them as they entered his bedroom. "Here, help me move this," he said as he gestured to the bed.
Wesley and Gunn obliged and moved the bed to reveal a door. "Ooo, neat," Buffy said as she took an unconscious step forward, but she was halted from any further progress by Angel, who tugged on her hand and stepped slightly in front of her.
Buffy rolled her eyes. "Angel, it's just a door."
"We don't know what's on the other side," Angel returned easily.
"I'm slightly offended," Lorne sniffed, but he was smiling. "I knew you'd make a great dad, Angelcakes."
"Seriously, what's with the secret door?" Cordelia asked as she glanced at the door in question.
"Oh, it's an old loading dock door," Lorne explained. "I had this place converted." Lorne opened the door to reveal an elevator, the doors open and waiting for its passengers. "Usually, it just leads out into an alley, but I called Cassie and she had a little portal made so you could get to her office."
"My doctor's office is in another dimension?" Buffy asked with raised eyebrows.
"Cool," Gunn grinned.
"Fascinating," Wesley mumbled as he looked into the little elevator. "An intriguing use of transfiguration magic."
"Yes, yes," Lorne said quickly. "Now, up you go lovebirds," he gestured them into the elevator.
Angel glanced at Buffy warily. With a roll of her eyes and a sigh of exasperation, Buffy gently shoved him aside and stepped into the elevator. "Are you coming, or not?" she asked.
His mouth set in a frown, Angel followed Buffy into the elevator, the doors automatically shutting behind him. I'm not going to survive this pregnancy. Angel thought to himself wryly as the elevator took them up to wherever their doctor was.
A few seconds later, the elevator stopped and the doors dinged open to reveal what looked like a living room. Without hesitation, Buffy stepped out of the elevator and began to look around. "Could you just wait a minute, Buffy?" Angel asked as he hurried to follow her.
"Relax, Angel," Buffy said off-handedly as she picked up a snow globe of the North Pole. "Lorne wouldn't send us to a baddie."
"But..." Angel gestured to the entire room, amazed that Buffy hadn't noticed yet. "Buffy, look around. What sane person has this many snow globes?"
Buffy's brow furrowed and she looked around, really seeing the room for the first time. Angel was right. Snow globes were everywhere. They adorned the mantle of the fireplace, they functioned as bookends, they were on the coffee table, they littered the room and yet somehow it still managed to look neat and orderly. Buffy gave Cassie kudos for such a feat.
"Huh," was Buffy noncommittal reply which prompted Angel to hang his head.
Angel was about to say something, but he was cut off by a woman with coal black hair and bright green eyes. She was tall and slender, nearly as tall as Angel and she wasn't even wearing heels. In fact, her shoes (at least Angel guessed they were shoes) resembled socks more than anything. The woman wore a white lab coat, but it was unbuttoned, revealing a feminine pink top paired with charcoal grey dress pants.
All of this information combined translated into only one thing. She was absolutely, inhumanly beautiful.
"I like snow globes," she smiled stating the obvious, revealing straight, pearly white teeth. "Humans do seem to come up with the most fascinating little things."
"Now," she looked at Angel. "I may not be able to read your mind, but yes, I do realize that humans have created things aside from snow globes. I also have a slight obsession with Pac-Man," she admitted, ignoring Angel's surprised look. "It's a good thing my husband likes to play too, otherwise we'd be in a world of hurt," she shook her head and closed the distance between them. She offered her hand to Buffy, "Hello, Buffy. I'm Cassie."
"You're my doctor?" Buffy asked, and Cassie nodded. "Okay," Buffy agreed with a shrug.
"Fantastic!" Cassie grinned. "Well, let's take you on back, and see what's going on in that tummy."
Cassie led them to a door, and an anticipatory smile lit her face. She couldn't wait to see their reactions. This never got old. People were sometimes the most comfortable in the oddest of settings. Her examination rooms liked to surprise her with what they learned within her patient's minds. With a grin, she opened the door and led them into the examination room. Her smile broadened when she saw Angel and Buffy's dumbfounded expressions.
Buffy stared into the room in front of her. It was an exact replica of the master bedroom in Angel's cottage in Ireland. The same big bed, the same green comforter, the same blanket folded at the end of the bed, the same furniture, the same pictures hung from the walls—it was all exactly in its place. The only thing added was some medical equipment.
"What do you think?" Cassie asked excitedly.
"How?" Buffy asked as she reached out to touch the blanket she'd wrapped herself up in more times than she could remember. "How do you know?"
"It's in your mind," Cassie explained. "You're not the only one who hates hospitals. I've found that if I can make patients forget they're at the hospital, then they're more relaxed and it makes my job easier."
Buffy sat down on the bed, and Angel moved with her though he didn't sit down. Instead, he chose to subtly place himself between Buffy and Cassie. The doctor noticed, but did not comment. In fact, it eased her mind a great deal. Her husband had told her that this vampire would protect Buffy with existence, and of course, Cassie knew that he was a great warrior for the Powers, but she'd still been a little dubious.
"This is my home," Cassie smiled as she snapped on some rubber gloves. "That really is my living room out there," she continued to explain. "Snow globes and all."
"How did you know about the cottage?" Angel asked curiously, though it was laced with suspicion. "You said it was in Buffy's mind…but how did you create it here?" he looked pointedly around the room.
"An illusion charm," Cassie explained. "I may look human, but I'm a fairy." Seeing Buffy's wide eyes, Cassie smiled and gently tucked her hair behind her ear, revealing the pointed tip. "We're a peaceful race, dedicated to healing—doctors to those in your world," she continued. "Magic comes easily to us, though we can only use it for good. The only time I'm ever capable of dark magic is when one of my patients is threatened."
"This particular illusion charm," Cassie trailed off as she grinned proudly at Buffy. "My very own, that I'm quite proud of," she couldn't help but add. "The spell is linked to my telepathy…in a way it reads the mind of my patient and creates the environment most comfortable for them."
Angel looked at Buffy curiously. "You really liked the cottage this much?"
"Yeah," Buffy nodded with a small smile. "Even though the majority of the time we were there I was… messed up—it was still the most peaceful place."
"Okay, do we want to get started?" Cassie asked, subtly moving things along. She loved Buffy and Angel already, but she had more patients to see.
"Yep," Buffy said as her stomach began to tie itself in nervous knots. "Let's get this show on the road."
Cassie smiled, not understanding the phrase, but feeling no need to ask what in meant (though she could guess). She took a step forward and immediately Angel moved to Buffy's side, and sat down next to her. It seemed natural, but Cassie wasn't fooled. Angel's posture was still tense and ready to defend Buffy at a moment's notice. Cassie knew that earning this vampire's trust would be critical to help care for her patient.
"I'm not going to hurt your girl," Cassie said calmly. "Just going to run a few tests, ask a few questions."
Angel didn't relax, and Cassie shook her head wryly. "You are a protective dad, aren't you?"
"Yeah, and it's really starting to annoy mom," Buffy spoke up as she placed a hand on Angel's thigh. "Relax, Angel."
With one last look at Cassie, Angel allowed the tension to drop from his shoulders.
"Okay," Cassie smiled. "Let's see…well, we'll start off with an easy question. Why are you here?" she asked even though she knew the answer. This was just a way to get the ball rolling.
"I'm pregnant," Buffy answered, before nodding towards Angel. "He's the dad."
"Well, I must say, this is a first for me," Cassie said. "Now, I once delivered a baby that had a Blurb demon for a mom and a Kanack demon for a dad…but a Vampire Slayer and a Vampire comin' together and making a baby?" Cassie shook her head and glanced at Angel. "Kudos to you."
Before Angel could find a way to defy the impossible and blush, Cassie moved on. "So," she clapped her hands together. "How far along are you?"
Cassie heard the answer when it popped into Buffy's head, but let the Slayer answer.
"Eight weeks, but closer to nine actually," Buffy replied.
"Any Slayer dreams?" Cassie asked as she motioned for Buffy to lie back against the plethora of pillows resting against the headboard.
Buffy remembered could only think of one dream that might possibly have forewarned her about her pregnancy. "Um, I had one. I think it was the Slayer's version of a home pregnancy test."
"You were pregnant in the dream?" Cassie asked as she sat in a chair next to the bed.
"Yeah," Buffy answered softly. "It's a boy."
Cassie didn't doubt that for a second. Moms-to-be just seemed to know these things. "Oh, I bet he'll look just like his father," she said glancing at Angel. "Those looks have to have dominant genes."
"I hope so," Buffy whispered dreamily as she squeezed Angel's hand.
"If he looks like me then he better have your eyes," Angel replied with a soft smile, causing tears to well in Buffy's eyes.
"Gah, hormones," Buffy laughed as she blinked the tears away before they could escape.
"You two are just too cute," Cassie cooed indulgently. "Okay, so I'm going to do a little spell," she warned them both. "I know that human doctors draw blood, take a urine sample, all that yuck, but I don't have to do all that." Cassie smiled, more to herself than anything else. "I like being a fairy."
"No needles?" Buffy asked hopefully.
"None," Cassie shook her head. "Now, I'm just going to lay my hand on your wrist, like I'm taking your pulse. You'll feel this really tingly sensation and it'll go right up your arm and spread throughout your entire body until you're giggling because it feels so weird," Cassie smiled. "At least, that's what everyone else has always said. Anyway, it will tell me all I need to know."
"Ready?" she asked.
"Ready," Buffy confirmed and Cassie laid her hand on Buffy's wrist.
Not a second later, Cassie's hand seemed to be surrounded by a golden glow and Buffy felt a tingly sensation in her wrist that travelled all the way up her arm and spread throughout her body, exactly as Cassie had promised. Buffy looked at Cassie, but her eyes were closed, so she looked at Angel.
"Are you alright?" Angel asked as he glanced from Cassie's golden hand to her closed eyes and then back to Buffy.
"I'm all tingly," Buffy giggled. "It is weird."
Buffy continued to giggle until Cassie's eyes popped open and she withdrew her hand. "Well, that is one strong baby," she seemed to say to herself.
"He's okay?" Angel asked with a hesitant smile.
"He's absolutely fine," Cassie answered before blowing out a stream of air. "I will tell you this though—he's going to be an extraordinary being."
"Well of course he is," Buffy said as though the thought any child she and Angel created could be anything less.
Cassie smiled. "I know. What I'm referring to is the high probability that this child will have supernatural powers."
"Like what?" Buffy asked anxiously.
"Oh, nothing terribly exciting," Cassie assured them. "It's too early for me to tell for sure. I probably won't be able to say anything definite until you're about five or six months, but I'd guess that he'll have supernatural strength and speed."
"So he'll be like me, but without the whole Slayer part?" Buffy asked, and Cassie nodded.
"I think so," she continued. "I'm getting strong magical vibes from him too—although I think that's more due to how he was created in the first place."
"It was definitely magic," Buffy said with a reminiscent smile. She knew on what night their child had been conceived. It had been their last week at the cottage, the first time she'd slept with Angel since being pulled out of Heaven.
"I don't think she meant it that way, Buffy," Angel said with a smile. He was glad that he couldn't blush, because he knew that if it were possible, his whole face would be red.
"Oh, I know," Buffy replied smartly with a smirk. "I'm just sayin'."
Cassie laughed lightly. "You two are just as cute as you can be," she grinned as she shook her head. Knowing that her bubbly self was starting to overwhelm her logical, rational, doctor side, she sobered slightly. "I've lived a long time," she said glancing between the two of them. "Your love is one of a kind—very few are lucky enough to ever find it."
Buffy smiled in thanks. "Do you have any clue how this might have happened?"
Cassie sighed. "Well, the magic I sense from the womb is definitely of the good."
"So the Powers did this?" Angel questioned.
"That's my guess," Cassie replied. "They are the only one's capable of such a feat, I think," she told them.
"Well, they owe us," Buffy shrugged. "Right, Angel?"
Angel didn't answer immediately; instead he was staring off into space. Buffy's words rang in his head. They owe us. The Powers owed him. During the Trials, he'd won a life, but Jeeves had been unable to bestow it. What had happened to that life?
Angel looked down at Buffy's stomach. The life had been the catalyst used to create his son.
"Angel," Buffy called, but Angel was still in too much shock. "Angel," Buffy squeezed his hand and he finally looked up at her.
"The Trials," Angel explained. "It's because of the Trials."
"You completed the Trials?" Cassie raised her eyebrows. "Whoa, all three trials? I didn't know anyone had ever made it past the first one."
"I was the first," Angel answered quickly. "Buffy, don't you see? I earned a life, but they couldn't give it to Darla."
"So, what…it was just in limbo all this time?" Buffy asked. "Angel, I was dead for five months."
"What?" Cassie asked shocked.
"Long story," Buffy replied absently.
"I don't know," Angel shook his head. "But the Trials are the only explanation I can come up with."
"Hmph…well, I'm not going to question it." She was just happy to be having Angel's baby, their baby. Buffy placed a hand on her stomach before turning to Cassie. "Anything else?"
"Well," Cassie said slowly as she tried to wrap her mind around the fact that her patient had been dead for five months and yet was here, in her office, pregnant. Michael had a lot of explaining to do when he got home. "If you want, you can hear his heartbeat."
Buffy's eyes lit up. "Please?" she asked almost shy.
Cassie smiled and glanced at Angel. "You can probably already hear it."
Angel nodded, a proud smile on his face.
"Okay," Cassie rubbed her hands together. "I'm going to place my hand on your stomach, and it'll basically function as a stethoscope, except you'll be able to hear it with the rest of us."
"Okay," Buffy said excitedly, masking her nervousness. "Do it."
Cassie placed her hand on Buffy's stomach and once again it was surrounded by a golden glow. Then, a second later…
Thump,thump,thump,thump,thump,thump,thump,thump,thump,thump,thump,thump…
Buffy didn't even bother to fight the tears that welled in her eyes at the sound. Angel squeezed her hand, and Buffy squeezed back, both of them reassuring themselves that this was real—it was official.
They were having a baby.
Aw, now isn't that sweet?
SO...what do you guys think about Cassie? If you guys are wondering about the nature of her magic, I kinda of imagine it like a young wizard in the wonderful world of Harry Potter. You know, when they're real young and they just make things they want happen. Like 'wish magic'? That's how I imagine Cassie's magic to work. It's just that some things (like the illusion charms on the examination rooms) are trickier than others.
Also, what about Cassie's husband? He won't be in the story for a long time, but he's important. That's all I'm saying. I want it to be the biggest surprise twist ever. :D
I know that this says Tabula Rasa Part One even though we didn't even begin to touch the actual episode. Don't worry. Thursday we'll be in Sunnydale! :D
Reviews give Cassie a new snow globe and Buffy and Angel cute, little baby clothes,
ArthursCamelot