Author: Jill
Disclaimer: let me check ... nope, still don't own them. Sigh! I'm not making any
money off this. Several lines of this are taken from the Angel-season-three
episode "Birthday" and the Buffy-season-6-episode "Double Meat Palace". The
episodes were written by Mere Smith and Jane Espenson.
Rating: PG-13 (even though the episode was a little on the NC-17 side -
unfortunately)
Pairing: B/A (strong in this part!), and the usual pairings from the show
Distribution: my site (http://www.never-ending-love.de), Land of Denial, if you
have any of my stories, take it; anybody else tell me where it goes
Spoilers: Everything up to the season 3/6 episodes mentioned above is fair game.
Timeline: This is set into canon, in an attempt to make the whole series more
B/A-friendly. Well at least it started out like this. As B/A are together now, I
was forced to make some changes. You'll see them as soon as you read the story.
Spoilers: the whole B/A-canon to be sure, follows loosely "Midnight Angel",
"Midnight Whispers", "Midnight Rainbow", "Midnight Hour", "Midnight Memory",
"Midnight Protector", "Midnight Letter", "Midnight Encounters", "Midnight Eyes,
"Midnight Lovers", "Midnight Kiss", "Midnight Song", "Midnight Rose", "Midnight
Velvet", "Midnight Sun", "Midnight Shade", "Midnight Secrets", "Midnight Star",
"Midnight Dance", "Midnight Wind", "Midnight Storm", "Midnight Fire", "Midnight
Breath", "Midnight Wishes", "Midnight Sky" and "Midnight Crossing". You should
probably read it to understand this. And you should have seen season 6/3 or at
least read the transcripts or you won't know what they're talking about.
Summary: After Cordelia's collapse, Buffy returns to Sunnydale for her new job.
Feedback: oh yes, please - this goes without saying - pretty please?
Dedication: This goes to Phil for continuing his amazing series, Excedo Inferi. I
swear this guy's imagination is boundless.
*****
Tears were welling up in Cordelia's eyes, "I just want to say … thank you. You believed in me when no one else would. Even in my darkest hours, you were there for me, and that means more than you'll ever know. I guess what I'm really trying to say is, I love you." Looking at the scrub brush in her hands that were covered by yellow latex gloves, she beamed, "To all my fans, this is for you!"
She sighed, looking at Fred who was on her knees beside Cordy, several buckets filled with icky water standing near by.
Applauding wildly, Fred was beaming as well, "Wow - that was - wow! 'Cause … and with the tears? I got chillbumps all up my arms."
Cordelia nodded, then dropped the brush into the icky water, "Yep, that's the famous speech. Not that I'll ever use it, of course, unless they start handing out awards for Best Slime and Grime." She sighed, "I swear, next time Angel decides to blow something up, he's cleaning his own scorchmarks."
"Less yammer, more scrub." Gunn strolled in, covered in the same yellow latex gloves, but also wearing fishing boots, a shower cap, and a surgical mask, he now pulled down so that his voice wouldn't be muffled by it.
"My, Gunn," Cordelia smirked up at him, "Don't you look … sterile."
He gave her the eye, "Couple more hours sniffin' that industrial cleanser, I think I might me. Don't suppose you ladies wanna trade jobs."
"Hmm. Scraping up Wolfram and Hart entrails off the floor …," Cordy paused looked at the other woman beside her, "Fred?"
Her nose scrunching ever so slightly, Fred summoned all the politeness she could muster, "You're screwed."
Grinning inwardly, Gunn asked, "Wes back yet? And Buffy and Angel?"
Not looking up from her scrubbing, the seer replied instead of Fred, "Neither of them. Wes is still at the store getting some more extra-strength ick remover." She didn't see Fred and Gunn trade glances over her head, and went on, "Buffy and Angel should be still at the hospital. I'm so glad he finally convinced her to see a doctor."
"Hey, we're back," came said vampire's voice from the basement. As always they'd travelled via the sewer tunnels. He held up the door for his mate, who was carrying the baby. "Looks almost like new in here," he commented.
"No thanks to you," Cordy shot back, but as soon as her eyes fell on the sleeping baby, she crooned in delight, "Connor!"
Buffy looked at her lover with a little grimace, "No doubts who's her favourite person around here."
"As if you ever were in danger to become my favourite person in the first place," the seer quipped, "Now, give him to me," she urged.
"Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!," Angel intercepted, stepping between Fred, Cordy and Buffy. "Dirty people not touching the baby."
"But pig-drinking bloodsuckers are okay?," Cordy asked, then relented, "I meant that in a nice way. And when I get back, I got first dibs on the baby snuggles." With that and a last glance at the bundle in Buffy's arms she headed for the bathroom.
"Make sure you get under your fingernails," Angel called after her, and as soon as he heard the door close, he added in a whisper, "She still doesn't know?"
The same moment Wesley burst through the door, carrying several shopping bags and a huge cake. "Where is she?"
*****
"And then Cordy just went - WHAM - flying into that nice new weapon's cabinet and she was gone."
Buffy popped her feet onto the little table in her living-room, her hands crossed over the slight bulge of her stomach, looking at her friends.
A choking sound came from Dawn. "Gone? Like, dead?"
"No," her sister assured her quickly, waving her hand dismissively. "No, no, not dead. Just comatose."
"Not wanting to sound insensitive - well, actually," Xander grinned and scratched his neck, "Anyways. But not having Cordelia talk for five minutes can be a blessing, actually."
"I did not hear you say that." Willow looked at her friend with complete shock. "She suffered from terrible pain, and all you can do is joke."
Xander didn't look offended, "You never dated Cordy. So you have no idea … and I'm suddenly feeling myself in a very, very scary visual place."
"Yuck," Buffy agreed, trying to ignore how shaky Willow was looking. The witch was even more pale than usual, her red hair in contrast to her almost translucent skin, she looked remarkably like a recovering drug addict. A very slow recuperating drug addict. Buffy only hoped they hadn't done more damage by summoning her to L.A. to help protecting Connor by magic.
"So what happened after Cordy was knocked out?," Dawn wanted to know, far too fascinated by the story to take notice of anything else.
Tearing her gaze from her friend, Buffy looked at her sister, "Angel went to the Conduit-"
"The what?," Xander straightened in his seat.
"They're … ghosts … whatever. They're somehow connected to the Powers that Be."
"Whoa," Anya looked at Buffy with newfound respect, "Angel actually contacted the Powers? That's pretty strong stuff. They don't talk to everybody."
Buffy gave the ex-demon a slightly weary look as she ran a hand through her hair,
"Tell me about it. Well, anyways. Afterwards, Angel was pretty shaken, because the Conduit told him that he loved Cordy."
"Uh-oh," Xander made from his spot.
Buffy gave her friend an exaggerated look, "Duh. Of course he loves Cordy. She's like a sister to him. An annoying little sister sometimes…," she trailed off, then went on, "And I told him that. He loves Cordy, the way I love Xander."
Anya grunted at that, while her fiancée sat up straight and yelped, "You love me? Uh … Buffy-"
"Gee, Xander, grow up. I love you. So what? I love Willow, too. And Dawn. But Angel's still the only person I'm in love with."
"And it's better going to stay that way," Anya threw in.
"As if I even wanted him," Buffy scoffed.
"Hey," Anya and Xander exclaimed at the same time, but for completely different reasons.
The Slayer ignored them deliberately. "In the end, Cordy came back, a half-demon of all things. And can you believe it, she can float."
Xander could barely suppress his laughter, "Cordy, a half-demon? Must be a bummer for her acting career."
"Actually," Buffy said wistfully, "They gave her the opportunity to choose. And she came back, giving up to be a famous actress. Cordy has changed so much, you would hardly recognize her. There's nothing left of the shallow bitch she once was. Well, almost nothing," she amended instantly.
"And … uh … floating?" Xander asked.
Willow sighed loudly, "So it finally proves what I've been guessing for years. Xander always had a thing for the supernatural chicks. Makes me suddenly feel so much better." She exchanged an intimate smile with Buffy.
"I'm human now," Anya protested.
"Emphasis on 'now'," Buffy replied, "For 1100 years you weren't."
"And Angel let you come back all by yourself?" Dawn asked, with a touch of resentment in her voice, Buffy hated to hear. She knew that her sister was a bit jealous of her relationship with the vampire, but wasn't quite sure what to do. She had tried her best to include Dawn into everything, and Angel had even shipped her to L.A. for the little celebration. But Dawn still wasn't over them keeping their relationship a secret for so long. And in a way, Buffy could understand it, thinking about her mother and Ted, and the way she had reacted finding them kissing in the kitchen. She still wasn't sure if it was because she'd sensed something about him from the start or just a daughterly jealous tantrum.
Yet, she wouldn't let Dawn spoil that evening. She was feeling far too good right now, still remembering Angel's hand on her body as they said goodbye in their room in L.A. A very long, very intense goodbye. "Yes, he did. But only because I promised not to go on patrol on my own." She sighed, a happy little smile tugging at her lips, "He's so sweet."
"Can anyone hand out the tissues," Dawn groaned and rolled her eyes dramatically.
"The guy has to love you when he agreed to give you his car," Xander teased, grinning.
"Hey," Buffy exclaimed but grinned as well. "I've gotten much better driving around. Angel's given me some lessons."
"And he's still alive?"
Buffy grabbed the pillow beside her and threw it at Xander, who in return threw it back at her.
"Hey," she protested again. "No throwing pillows at pregnant women."
"Talking about pregnant women," Dawn interrupted, a slight scowl on her forehead. "What did the doctor say?"
"Everything's perfect." A content smile settled on Buffy's face as she patted her stomach. Something had changed, she realised. She'd been so afraid for their baby right after coming back from death. But now, especially today, after seeing the baby on the monitor in the hospital, she felt nothing but joy. She could hardly wait until she could hold hers and Angel's baby in her arms. Forcing herself back from her dreamy thoughts, she sighed, "Doctor Fallon made an ultrasound and … it was so amazing. Everything's there already. The head, the arms, hands. We could even see the fingers. And the heartbeat. Angel almost cried when he saw it. I think," she paused momentarily, looked at her friends, "He was a little afraid something could be wrong with the baby, you know. With him being a vampire and all. But it turned out to be perfect. I'd show you pictures, but Angel wanted to keep them all."
"Did the doctor give you a due date?," Willow wanted to know. She looked a little better, Buffy noticed, but still far too shaky, not at all like the Willow she used to be.
"I'm five months along-," Buffy began, but was instantly interrupted by her friend.
"Whoa, five months?" the redhead looked at her with concern. "But didn't you say…?"
"I know, I know," the Slayer replied, "We didn't understand it at first, too. But we talked to Wes, and he thinks that maybe because I was dead, or rather my body was … Anyways. Maybe everything was put into waiting somehow."
"You mean like being frozen?" Dawn's eyes were full of awe.
"Something like that," Buffy nodded, "but a little less … freeze-y."
"Wow," he sister breathed.
The Slayer shot her a quick grin, feeling pretty amazing herself. As long as she didn't have to think about tomorrow that was.
"It's not going to be that bad," Willow said, and Buffy realised she'd thought aloud.
"You mean we can still hope," she said weakly.
"Look at the bright side," Xander chirped, "You'll have burgers around you all day."
"Is Angel okay with you working at that place?," the redhead asked.
"Excuse me?," Buffy turned her head, "What does Angel have to do with that? He's my boyfriend, and the father of my baby. But he does not, repeat not, tell me where I'm going to work. Besides we need the money."
"Uh-oh," Xander reached for a cookie on the table, "Clouds on the happy sky already?"
Rolling her eyes at that, Buffy took a cookie herself. "So how is it going around here?"
"We're still trying to understand what's going on. I mean, I get Warren being a supervillainy type," Xander said, munching on his cookie, "But I thought Jonathan completely learned that lesson. And I never even heard of this other guy."
"You shoulda seen their headquarters," Willow sipped at her drink, "It was like, the nerd natural habitat."
"We know where they are," Anya frowned, "Shouldn't we do something?"
"I can't," Buffy swallowed the cookie, then patted her stomach, "As I said, Daddy doesn't want me to slay."
"I never saw you that obedient," Xander drew his brows together, his eyes scrutinizing her curiously. "Are you going to be like this all the time now? Because, frankly, it kinda freaks me out."
Uncomfortably under his gaze, Buffy shifted on the sofa, grabbing another cookie, "I'm seeing his point here. Plus I don't want to get the baby in danger, too." She would never tell him that she'd insisted to continue slaying, that she'd told Angel she wouldn't stop for a long time, but right now, not having to patrol came in handy. Not that she was still feeling attracted to Spike, but she didn't look forward to spending the night with him either. With Angel in L.A. she was pretty certain the blond vampire would join her the moment she went out of the house. And she could hardly forbid him to do it. Not as long as he was actually helping to slay evil demons.
"Maybe if …," Willow paused, her fingers trembling slightly at her next words, "I used magic, but," she shrugged, "just being invisible didn't do the trick."
"So I'm sensing they're still around."
"Yeah," the redhead nodded, "I went in there, but-"
"Speaking of magic, how are you doing avoiding it."
The glass Willow was holding almost slipped from her unsteady hand, but she pulled herself together quickly, "Hey," she glared at the ex-demon, "Respect the narrative flow much?"
"Please," Anya tilted her head, "Continue the story of failure."
"I went in, but they'd cleared out. I even asked Tara to come along, just in case, but …," she shrugged, "There were only some spell books and parchment." She paused for a moment, her eyes far away, then went on seeing her friends waiting for her to continue, "Which is good, of course --- never gonna need that. Plus there were, you know, razor scooters and pictures of the Vulcan woman on the Enterprise."
"Ooh," Xander swallowed the bite in his mouth, shooting Anya a quick, concerned glance, "I mean, pff, nerds."
"When I was a vengeance demon," his fiancée piped in, "I caused pain and Mayhem, certainly, but I put in a very full day's work doing it! And I got compensated appropriately. Today people expect to achieve things without doing actual work for it."
"And speaking about work. If you're going to start tomorrow," Willow looked at Buffy, "Shouldn't you go to sleep now."
The Slayer rolled her eyes, "God, and I thought getting away from L.A. would at least have one bright side. But you're even worse than Angel."
*****
"And so she's like, 'Buffy you need more sleep', or 'Buffy did you eat enough'."
A chuckle sounded from the other end of the line, "Remind me to send Willow a bunch of flowers next time."
Buffy groaned, but a smile tugged at her lips, "I knew you would say that."
"So how is the new job?," Angel asked, and his deep voice rumbled through the line right under her skin. Buffy settled herself comfortably against the pillows, her legs stretched out on the bed.
"The Job?," she asked, "Well let me see. Do the words 'you're fired' sound familiar?"
"Fired?" She almost smiled at the outrage in his voice. God, she loved this vampire. "Why?"
"You don't have to pretend, Angel." She grinned, when she heard him chuckle, "I know you worry. And I love you for it. And I know you are not sorry I got fired. Besides-"
"Buffy-"
"… I got hired again. With the help of a little blackmail."
"Huh?"
"Nothing." She reached over for the picture she'd put on her nightstand. Willow had taken it during the Prom. It showed Buffy and Angel dancing, her head resting on his chest, his chin on her crown. She traced the line of his cheek, "So, how is Cordy?"
"Much better," he told her. "She's actually pretty happy with her new half-demonic state. Who would've thought." He chuckled again, and Buffy felt herself getting warm. She wanted to sink into this feeling, wanted to forget about all the problems, but also knew that there was one thing she needed to tell him.
"Spike showed up at the Burger place."
Silence. Then, "And?"
His voice was dangerously soft, but Buffy could hear the underlying tension and anger. "And," she sighed, looked at the picture in her hand, "He still thinks I'm just pretending not to be attracted. That I've still got it bad for him." She sighed again, "He also hinted - again - that something's wrong with me, because he can hurt me."
"Buffy," Angel's voice was suddenly urgent, "Nothing's wrong with you. You are fine. Perfect, actually. Don't let him throw you off balance." She heard him pause, talk to someone in the background for a moment, "Buffy," his voice came back, "Do you want me to come? I could leave now and-"
"No," the Slayer shifted the phone to the other ear, "I'm fine. Really. There's no need. I'll be there for the weekend anyway. Dawn likes the idea of going to L.A. Dad will be there, surprise, surprise, and he's told her he can't wait to see her. So I've got that covered as well. And Spike really doesn't … I mean, I've got him covered, too. He can say all he likes. He can even try. All he's going to get is a punch on his nose."
She heard Angel chuckle, and released a breath of relief. She didn't want him to worry all the time, and even less, she wanted another blow up with Spike. Buffy was glad she hadn't told Angel how Spike had waited for her behind the Doublemeat Palace, how he'd tried to kiss her, and how she'd thrown him into the wall, telling him in no uncertain terms to leave. She was not some weakling, she told herself, she could deal with the problem herself. No need to get Angel all worked up over it.
"And Willow?" he asked.
"She seems fine," Buffy said hesitantly, glad he'd changed the subject, obviously content with the way she was handling things. She felt something warm settle around her heart at the thought. Angel trusted her to make the right decisions. He couldn't know what that meant for her. Or maybe he did, and she loved him even more for it.
"On the surface she seems well, but … I'm concerned. Whenever magic is mentioned she gets that faraway look, and her fingers start to tremble. Something's very wrong with her. Fortunately she sent Amy away. But I feel bad, Angel, that we called her to L.A. to help with Connor. What if-"
"Buffy," his voice was very gentle, like honey flowing over her guilty conscience, soothing it, calming it. "It didn't make anything worse for her. She's in a bad place right now. Addiction is … a bad thing. It's hard to fight. All you can do is being there for her, listening to her. Keep your eyes open, the way you do. Read the signs. Willow is lucky. She's got friends."
"Yeah," she said, not totally convinced, but feeling better at least. "Angel?"
"Hmmm?"
"I miss you."
"The same here."
Silence.
"Buffy?"
"Hmmm?"
"Where are you?" His voice had dropped to a sensual whisper that sent shivers down her spine.
"In my bed. Lying above the covers," she replied, licking her suddenly dry lips.
"What are you wearing?"
"A shirt," she looked down at herself, "It's one of yours. The burgundy one. Pure silk. You know how that hugs my whole body."
She heard him groan, "What else?"
"My panties."
"No bra?"
"None."
"God, Buffy." This time it was more a tortured sigh.
She giggled, then asked, "Where are you?"
*
An hour later, she was curled up contentedly, her body still slightly slick and glowing in the light of her bedside lamp, blissfully unaware of a certain blond vampire out in the tree cursing the fact that she'd closed her curtains, and shut the window before continuing her phone call.
END
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