Chapter One Hundred and Twenty One

What in the Wishverse!

A/N they're not actually in the Wishverse but it makes for a nice title don't you think? I physically could not make this 2k words, sorry.

San Francisco, the world without shrimp - May 2005

As Buffy walked through the open doors of the Bronze she saw the bunting lazily strewn over the upper balcony and a table of gifts waiting for her. It was the middle of the day so the lights were up and the place basically deserted. Still an odd place for a baby shower though. She had expected to see her friends sitting around smiling creepily like Angel and chatting excitedly about the baby she was supposedly having. But there was nothing, just a room of a blank faces. She didn't know any of the people sitting around the big table.

Angel grinned at her again, "ok you've gotta stop smiling like that, it's so creepy." His face fell like she'd just slapped him. He was like a golden retriever today, not his usual brooding self at all. Did she like it more when he was miserable, racked with guilt? This whole situation was beyond weird. Angel sat down in one of the chairs and began to talking to Scott Hope, who was here apparently wanting to talk to her about something. The phone call must've meant something. Buffy's head was spinning, what even was this? Did she want this life? Did she want Angel back? And where was Spike, where was her actual boyfriend? Why wasn't she dreaming about him?

"Hey B," a voice called from behind her. Everything faded away then. The Bronze disappeared into the back of her mind as Faith walked towards her. "Can we talk?" She asked politely before touching the blonde's arm lightly. Buffy nodded, the world round them blurring. She could see it now - not everything had disappeared, it was just out of focus.

"I still love you B." Faith said, her voice stinging with emotion Buffy hadn't seen from her before.

"Do you really?" She replied, picking at her nails, looking down at the baby bump she was still sporting. She felt bad, in this world she was supposed to be loyal to Angel. Her head was beginning to believe this, it was spinning but it was believing, she felt herself being pulled along by the gravity of her fantasy. Was this her fantasy? Was this what she truly wanted?

"Yeah," Faith looked down and pulled Buffy to her. A move she had used several times in their short lived relationship.

"I can't. Faith, I'm with Angel, we're having a baby together!" She said pointing at her belly and peeling herself away from the darker girl.

"No you're not Buffy. Wake up! Angel's not even here. This is you and me, this is our baby." Faith took a step forward and held the bump too, "we concieved of this baby together and I'm not going to stand around and let Angel take the responsibility from me."

"But he told me-" Buffy started, then wiped her forehead with her palm. "I've been so stupid, he was following me, making sure I was so focussed on him. He was trying to trick me. Faith I'm so sorry." She said, leaning into her and letting their lips meet softly. She tasted sour. Buffy pulled away and brushed a fingertip over her lips. She looked up at Faith who was smiling kindly. Nothing was wrong. Was it? She kissed the woman again, the same taste filled her mouth. It was like biting into a lemon. Something definitely wasn't right about this.

"No, no I can't do this. Sorry about this," Buffy said before lunging at Faith. A crunch sounded as her fist collided with her face. She fell to floor defeated, everyone in the room suddenly clicking back into view, they were crowding her, stumbling over her. All for a close up of the action. They swarmed, a hundred invisible faces. Buffy could no longer see the ceiling, the decor or the door. She was trapped. Her eyes gently closing, she brought her hands up to cradle her head so she wasn't trampled. The world got a little smaller, her view closing, the chaos depleting, the world descending into madness. A guy with cheese was standing over her singing.

The table was still cold. Buffy's eyes squinted as she forced herself awake. There was only wood facing her. She heard voices coming from elsewhere in the building but nothing she recognised. Dawn must still be at college, she thought rubbing her eyes aggressively. She peered around her and pried her cheek from the tabletop. It was daylight outside the window, a pink sunset glazing the sky. Her cell phone lay abandoned beside her palm, there were a few unread messages quietly buzzing away inside the motherboard.

went back to Leos c u tom x

It was from Dawn. Great, Buffy thought sarcastically, in her overprotective way she still saw Dawn as a fourteen year old who needed babysitting. But she was a young woman, she could make her own decisions. So she scraped herself off of the table and tried to work out the dream she'd just had. It was madness. Was she missing Angel? Was she missing Faith? Was this just transference because Angel really was having a baby, but with someone else? Did she even want kids? Ok the latter was a discussion for a later day, but the former? Angel hadn't really been in her life for a long time, she still loved him. Deep down she'd always love him, wouldn't she? And Faith, well. That was probably just random memories floating up to the surface.

There was a sudden sharp knock on the door. Buffy stood up and walked over cautiously, each step was weighted, like she was expecting certain doom to be knocking on her door. It was Spike. So not quite as doomy as she'd anticipated. "Hi," she said quietly, allowing him into the apartment. "What's up? There a demon that needs a slayin'" she continued, not looking him in the eye.

He shook his head, "no, Dawn told me to swing by because she was gonna be out. She was looking out for you Buffy." Buffy made a face that could only be described as 'oh.' "Are you ok?" He asked, tiptoeing around his words. He wasn't sure if he should hug her or take her hand so he hung by the open door.

"I'm tired, even though I just woke up." She replied, rubbing her eyes then reaching for his hand. "Thank you for coming over," she pulled his arm around her waist and kicked the door shut.

Spike smiled as she wrapped her arms around his neck and played with the short stubs of hair at the back of his neck. "I'm always free for a fan," Buffy rolled her eyes but pulled him a bit closer.

"You're the only one I want you know, I don't think I could be with Angel anymore." Buffy said and then kissed him, her neck twisting around his as their lips locked.

"Moody old sod," Spike replied, smiling then returning her kiss.

San Francisco, the world without shrimp - August 2005

Dawn beamed. Her robe swinging behind her as she floated down the hallway. The Watcher's Council building was a labyrinth of twisting corridors that she often found herself lost in. She was sure that it was personally oversaw in the blueprints that the building be as complicated as it could possibly be. Or was this just how they built things in England? She swept through the empty air and up to the huge door leading to the Watcher's courtyard. She paused, halting her stride in front of the handle and taking a deep breath. She shook out her hands and tried to contain her excitement before grabbing hold and opening the door.

The crowd went wild at her entrance. Well, the smallish crowd of her family; Buffy, Giles, Xander and Anya (who'd driven up for the occasion), Willow and Tara, her friends from college, and Leo's mom Eve. She thought she even saw Spike hiding under a tree. Leo himself was standing on the platform in front of them beside Mrs Jamison-Smythe. Dawn approached in the neat and tidy way she'd been advised to, walking up the tiny staircase. Helen handed her a certificate, shook her hand and then she waved to her mini crowd. Who waved and cheered back with glee. "Yay Dawnie," Xander cheers proudly beside Willow.

She had just graduated from the Watcher's Academy in just under a year, having completed her five case studies and fast tracked through the program due to her first hand experience. It was her proudest achievement, and in a way she finally felt important. Being a watcher made her feel important. Being in Leo's world instead of Buffy's helped sometimes, the uselessness she felt as a child didn't matter anymore. She was a person, and she was helping people.

They went for drinks at a local bar and Xander let her have a sip of his beer even though she's been drinking it since the start of the year. "Three cheers for Dawn," Giles said lifting his glass, then lowering it when everyone looked at him like he was a total dork. Which he was.

"Happy graduation," Buffy said proudly, giving Dawn a hug and a genuine smile. Tara gave her a winning smile and everyone said such sweet things. It was a moment of newness, of hope and pride.