"Immortal Beloved..." XCIV...

A shortie..

PG-13

Disclaimer: No, Joss, no...I make no claims, put that thing down!

It's all yours and ME's...

Spoilers for Angel to the bitter end...Flee at once!...

Summary: The usual-One of (95 now) multiple versions of the outcome
from "Girl in Question" or further in Angel S5 to "Not Fade Away..."

This is actually a short...And somewhat different version of what will
be IB100...

'Fraid I couldn't resist trying it this way first...

Archived at the 'Normal' Buffyverse page of the Buffy Rebecca verse at
https://www.angelfire.com/zine2 -/buffyrebecca/index.html , scroll down to
"Immortal Beloved" series...

***

"Ok...So...The baby, saved from its terrible fate as the holy vessel
of the cruel, if excellent-prenatal-care-provid -ing demons...Was taken
to safety, under the protection of his rescuer, Prince William..." A
woman's voice, perhaps a tad weary...

"Who killed all those guys, right?...The ones who were gonna hurt the
baby?..."

"Well..." a man's voice cut in... "They didn't plan to hurt
the kid per se...At least not for a while...Lets not be unfair to
them..."

"But the Prince got 'em all, right...?" "Well..." a slight
hesitatation...

"Oh, yeah..." the woman's voice hastily cut in... "He took out
all of them...And they will never bother the baby again...Ever..."

"Never..." the man's voice agreed...

"And so, at last, the noble, beautiful, and loving Prince was freed
from his dark curse by his beloved...And became a Hero and Champion in
arms with the gallant Prince Angelus, fighting courageously for all
that's good..."

The rather exhausted-sounding woman, by appearance just into her late
twenties, eyed the boy tucked away in his bed...

"Beautiful?..." the man's voice questioned... "No doubt about
it..." the woman's smilingly replied...

"Yeah, yeah...But you can't end it there...What about the brave and
handsome Princess?...What was she doing sittin' in Europe with that
other guy?...Who's no good, right?..." a nervous look with the
plaintive tone... "I mean, he can't be the Immortal Beloved,
right?...When did she come to LA to find the real one, the Prince I
mean?...There's gotta be more..." the eight year old eyed his
mother who sighed, wearily, lifting herself from the bed where she'd
been precariously perched... "Sure...But, tomorrow, kiddo...Mummy's
pooped..."

"Dad?..." the boy looked to his father, likewise sitting on the
bed...

"Mum's telling this one, laddie..." he smiled at the boy...
"'Sides...I don't know this part of the story so well..."

Though am kinda curious to hear it myself...he grinned at 'Mum' who
frowned at him...

"See...Dad wants to hear too...Mom?...Please?..."

Urghh...Thanks, sweetheart...she glared at her slight, blonde mate...

"Ok...One more chapter and that is it...I mean it..."

"Ok..." the boy nodded...Deal struck...

"All right...Where were we...?"

"Prince William and Prince Angel...The vamp heroes...And the others,
Queen Illyria and Prince Charlie, were about to clobber the big-bad
guys...the Old Partners..."

"Senior Partners..."

"Right...Were those guys like...Bad cowboys?..."

"Oh, yeah..." the father grinned... "A regular demonic crew of
gunslingers...Ridin' in after their hired aces, the Black Thorns, bit
the dust to try and send the boys to their long-belated ash-heaps..."

Cool... "And the Princess was about to help them, right?...After
takin' out the Immoral Asswipe?..."

"Hey!..."

"Soory..."

"You taught him that, didn't you?..." "Me?..." an innocent
look... "You..."

"Guys..." the boy frowned at his parents...Who looked at him...

"Ok...But no more swearin', got me?..."

The boy eyed his dad who gave a careful eye roll...If you want more
from her tonight...

"Yeah, sorry..."

"Anyway, the Princess wasn't about to 'clobber' the
Immortal..." the woman began...

No?...A disappointed chorus from father and son...

Ummn...Well...The mother looked a tad sheepish...

"She still kinda thought..."

"Oh, no...No...The Princess is not in love with that creep...Anybody
can see he's the bad guy...Workin' for the Pardners...She's not
that dumb..." the boy noted confidently...

Dad eyeing his wife...Well?...

"Wasn't a question of being 'dumb', Will..." she informed her
son, frowning at Dad... "The Princess was still very sad over losing
the Prince before she could make him see how much she loved him...And
she was trying to find a little consolation..."

Had been for a...very...long time...

"Something or someone to make her feel better..." she explained to
the boy's puzzled look...

Really?...Dad noted dryly...

"And the Prince having been so gutless as not to trust the Princess
with his heart again ...Although she had been made aware of Prince
William's return...And had worked on her own valiantly to lift his
horrible curse...She didn't know if he could love her
again...Enough..."

It had been a while...she sighed...

"And there was the burden of his horrible curse..."

"... 'But on hearing of the battle coming, she had to go to LA and
save him...And Prince Angelus'..." the boy prompted... "After
she dealt with the other guy..."

"Who's telling this, Will?..." Mom eyed him...

Sorry... "But I know this part...The Princess learned the
Immortal...Whatever...Was about to go to LA with the Evil One...The One
who'd cursed him and now would destroy Prince William forever..."

And she got 'em both first...a grin...

"Will..."

"Well she did..."

"Ok, she did..." Mom conceded... Ya...the boy and Dad chorused...

"Though of course she didn't hurt the Evil One too much..." she
carefully noted... "Just made her a friend...And helper..."

"And then she went to LA...And freed Prince William and Prince
Angelus from their curses..."

And then, after she was sure of them, helped them gore and slaughter
the Partners...the boy beamed...

"So, even she suspected him of selling out to the Other Side?..Even
with ...?" a frown from Dad...

"No...Never..." Mom insisted... "But she couldn't be
sure...Maybe the Evil One was still holding him somehow..."

Or, worst of all...Maybe he truly didn't love her anymore...

"Ridiculous..." Dad snorted...

"Well, she didn't know...He'd never called her after he came
back...From the magic amulet...The guy who'd let his demon be driven
back to Hell for love, won his soul back voluntarily for a
Slayer?...What was she supposed to think?..."

"He shoulda called her..." the boy agreed... "Absolutely..."
Mom nodded...

"And even now he was gutless about...Didn't even try to face her
after the fight..."

That was kinda gutless...the boy nodded...

"So whaddid she do?...And how did she clobber the bloody stupid
guy?..."

"She didn't hurt Prince Angelus..." Mom looked puzzled...

"I mean the other guy, 'His Benevolence'...Bloody stoopid if ya
ask me..." the boy grinned at Dad who returned grin...

"Don't say that when Uncle Liam's around..." Mom hastily
noted... "Ok, well the Princess was visiting in Rome, Italy..."

A knock at the door...

"Told you it was late..." Mom sighed... "Come in..."

A wan-looking Buffy in nurse's outfit entered
carefully...Ma'am...she nodded...

"Is it feeding and bath time already, Buffy?..." Dru eyed her
kindly...Soulless Spike smiling at her as well...Hey, Slayer...

"Yes, ma'am..." Buffy came over... "How are you feeling,
ma'am...?"

"'Bout as good as a pregnant vampire can feel, Buffy, thank you...I
do wish Grandmother were still on Earth to help me through this..."

"Now, Dru...Angelus and I reviewed the entire Wolfram-Hart spell
catalog...It will be fine, you know that..." Spike patted her...
"And Buffy can always call her friends Willow and Giles and get some
advice with a little careful manipulation by us...Right, Buffy?...You
could speak to them without getting them all upset about you?..."

Yes, William...a wan nod... "Like after I helped Dru kill the
Immortal in Rome...And stole the Angelus curse disk for her so she
could help you and Angelus...They still think I went to be with you in
LA..."

"Well, love you did..." he patted her... "In a manner of
speakin'...Anyway we're all one big happy family now, eh?...You and
the Nibs are very happy with us, right?..."

Yes, William... "I don't think Dawn should be fed on again for a
few days yet, though...She's very weak..." she noted...

"Absolutely...Maybe we'll take her over to LA General for a
transfusion later..." he nodded... "Though of course we don't
want to wait too long to give Will Jr and the new one an older
sister..."

No, William...Buffy nodded...

"Well...Will Jr, since it's feeding and bath time...We'll
continue the story later, ok...?" Dru patted the boy who took demon
face...

"You promise?..."

"Ok..."he sighed... "Hi, Auntie Buffy..."

"Hello Will..." Buffy nodded, with vague smile... "Ready for
dinner and your bath?..."

"Yeah..."

She knelt and exposed her well-marked neck to him...He sinking fangs...

"Could you do more of the story after I finish, while I get my
bath...?" he looked up from Buffy's neck...Blood smeared on his
lips... "Auntie Buffy wants to hear the story too, don't you Auntie
Buffy?..."

Ohhh...Yesss...Buffy whispered faintly...

"Tomorrow, tomorrow...Mom and lil' sis here..." Dru patted her
swelled middle... "...are for bed..."

"Best to let it go, lad...Your mum'll continue it tomorrow...And
every day, til it's done...For now, it's bedtime for Mumso and your
sis...and you, after your bath..."

"O...K..." a sigh...

"Not too much, William...Auntie Buffy is a little tired these
days..." Dru cautioned...

***