a/n-I know I am skipping ahead in this fic, but I need it on the shorter side. So if details are lacking, my apologies in advance and I'll try to make it up to you!
chapter 7
Angel's eyes squeezed shut as Spike's news washed through him. The girl he loved was going to be a mother. Fatherhood wasn't something he'd ever considered, always finding children more on the annoying side than anything. Especially since he'd been cursed with a soul. As Angelus, they had been nothing more than an amusing food source.
But this was Buffy. He hadn't realized just how much she had come to mean to him until she had disappeared, and there wasn't a day that went by that he didn't regret the fact that he hadn't allowed himself to take their relationship further. The past ninth months had been excruciating. If the price of getting her back included having to deal with a baby, then, well..., he'd do what needed to be done. This time, he'd do the right thing.
Having mentally prepared himself to accept the responsibility for the unborn child, Angel sucked in an unnecessary breath and allowed his emotions to bleed into his voice. The fact that it was Spike on the other end had lost the heated impact in the wake of his unselfish revelation.
"Tell her that's it's... ok, Spike. She doesn't have to be afraid to come home. She won't be alone in this," he offered bravely. "Her mom will be there for her, and... so will I."
Spike ripped the phone away from his ear and gave it an incredulous look. He'd always thought Peaches was slow, but this was downright pathetic.
"What part of 'being experimented on' did not penetrate that oversized melon of yours? The military isn't gunnin' for her just cos' she's the bleedin' slayer who slipped through their fingers! They want the baby they planted in her."
Demon experimentation. Cloning. Pregnant. Buffy. Those words suddenly began looping through Angel's head on continuous replay to the disturbing theme of the X-Files, and he had to visibly shake his head to clear it.
Oh god.
It wasn't a human baby. Fear struck a wide path through every cell of Angel's body, and his very devotion and resolve to be there for Buffy and her child suddenly came to question.
"What...," Angel had to pause to clear his throat before he could continue, finding it suddenly too constricted and dry to allow any type of recognizable speech. "What, uh... what did they impregnate her with?"
"Me," Spike revealed flatly.
Angel's head dropped back against the wall as he absorbed Spike's announcement, somehow anger not taking the primary role in his careening emotions. Rather, it was something almost akin to relief he felt. A vampire/slayer hybrid. No, not just that. A child of Spike and Buffy. His Buffy.
The ensuing silence snapped Spike's last nerve and he began a rambling monologue, each statement hitting Angel like a blow to the head.
"Look, I didn't know, alright? Ran into the bint in some dive in god knows where. Hardly even recognized her, you know? So I followed her outside, we scrap a wee bit, and then I went in for the kill. 'Bout nearly dusted when I soddin' well tasted me in her blood."
"You tried to kill her?" Angel's voice was suddenly cold as he processed that bit of information; even as he tried to remember the last time he'd heard Spike so unnerved.
"Well, yeah. It's what I do, you know? Bloody Slayer of Slayers here." Spike paused and took a deep breath, knowing he was rambling and not helping his case any. "Look, I only called to let you know the Slayer was safe. Don't know exactly when I'm going to be the proud papa, but she's due any day. She's been all teary as of late because of her mum, and I figured you could pass along the news."
There it was again - that unfettered hint of sentiment in Spike's voice that managed to chip away at Angel's fury, sending another wave of reassurance through him. Even Angel couldn't deny the younger vampire's devotion when taking care of those he had feelings for.
Feelings. Something he, as Angelus, never possessed.
"Where are you?"
"Somewhere safe," Spike replied, finding himself shocked at the lack of venom in Angel's voice. It was unexpected.
"Spike...," Angel growled in frustration.
"I got us set up somewhere. We're safe. I'm... takin' care of her, ok? Just tell her mum that she loves her and she's goin' to be a grandmum soon."
With that last rush of instructions, Spike pushed the end button and smashed the phone beneath his boot, hoping that he hadn't just set something in motion that would turn around and bite him in the ass.
Back in Sunnydale, Angel had yet to move as the full impact of Spike's news hit him. Then, with a heavy sigh, he picked himself off of the crate that had borne his weight and headed towards 1630 Revello Drive. He didn't need Spike to tell him that caution was necessary here.
Luckily, he was experienced in dodging surveillance techniques, finally realizing that was why Spike had chosen him to call rather than Joyce herself, or Giles.
With a short stop by his apartment to gather some necessary supplies, Angel headed over to Giles' .
He had some news to share.
It took the watcher a moment to reach the door after the loud buzz of the bell sounded throughout his flat. He was struck once more with the hope that it would be Buffy on the other side, only to be disappointed.
Tonight was no different.
"Angel," Giles greeted wearily. "Fancy a drink?"
"Maybe a little one," Angel replied as he passed easily over the threshold, his hands shoved into his pocket. As Giles turned away, Angel slipped one hand out and smoothly palmed a note into Giles' unsuspecting grasp.
Giving a slight jerk of surprise, Giles pinned a questioning look on the vampire, who feigned nonchalance. Mentally questioning the vampire's odd behavior, he turned to his sidebar and discreetly opened the note.
Don't say anything, we are most likely being watched. I have news of Buffy.
Bloody hell, even the vampire's notes were vague and cryptic, Giles mentally lamented. He could feel his heart swell at the mention of Buffy, his curiosity all but overwhelming, but he played along.
"So, Angel. Can I inquire as to what brings you out tonight?" Giles asked casually, handing a tumbler of brandy over.
Angel shrugged, taking the proffered drink. "Just out and about. Thought maybe I'd see if you wanted to go over and visit with Joyce. Figure she's a bit lonely these days."
The watcher nodded thoughtfully. "Yes, that sounds like a capital plan. I know the disappearance of Buffy has been quite hard on the poor woman."
Angel nodded in agreement and they made the pretense of sipping their drinks in a companionable silence. Not soon enough for Giles, they finally headed out the door.
Giles attempted to question Angel en route to Revello Drive; however, a nearly imperceptible shake of the head from Angel quickly silenced him. He had come to know the souled vampire rather well since Buffy had disappeared; and while always broody and morose, Angel was certainly quite a bit more so this evening. He cursed under his breath at not being able to barrage the vampire with questions regarding his missing charge.
In a tension-filled span of fifteen minutes, Angel had performed the necessary spell that had been taught to him during World War Two, the curious eyes of the two mortals present watching his every move. It was a spell that had been used to scramble surveillance equipment, regardless of the sophistication, and Angel was confident it would be effective in this instance - if indeed they were under surveillance. Joyce had watched Angel in stunned silence, not quite buying the cover story of the vampire mixing together an assortment of potpourri that he was hoping to market.
However, she was smart enough to keep her mouth shut once Angel shot her a black look when she attempted to uncover the true reason for the non-aromatic mix of herbs.
For extra precaution, Angel directed them into the bathroom where the shower and sink were quickly turned on. Only then, did he feel it marginally safe to impart the news he had.
"Buffy's alive," he announced with no preamble.
"Oh thank god...," Joyce cried, her hand flying up to cover her mouth. "Where is she?"
Angel shook his head. "I don't know, Joyce."
"How did you come by this information?" Giles asked, his relief clearly palpable in the sudden sag of his posture.
Angel heaved a brooding sigh. "Spike called me."
Giles ripped his glasses off. "Good lord. You mean to tell me that Spike called to gloat?"
Angel shook his head. "That was my assumption at first, but he...," he looked at Buffy's mother, who had aged years in the months her daughter had been gone. "He just wanted me to tell Joyce that Buffy was ok and that she loves her."
"So you didn't actually speak with her? How do we know this isn't another one of his games?" Giles asked angrily, desperation fueling him.
Angel's sigh was audible over the precautionary use of water. "Because he wasn't the one who took her, that's why."
"What happened to her, Angel?" Joyce asked, homing in with a mother's uncanny radar bullshit for bullshit that there was more to this than he wanted to tell.
"The military kidnapped her. For...experimentation purposes, apparently," Angel finally revealed. "She escaped."
Joyce's gasp of dismay was muffled by Giles' heated curse. It had not been an easy task for him to tell Joyce that her missing daughter was the Slayer and the suspected kidnapper a vampire who had come into town to with the sole purpose of orchestrating her demise. The Council had been unsuccessful in determining if she was indeed alive or deceased, the Slayer line becoming jaded once Buffy had died at the hands of the Master.
"How was it that Spike came to be involved in this?" Giles asked.
"Apparently, they've both been on the run since their escape, and they happened to meet up," Angel admitted before pinning a serious look on the Watcher. "There's more, Giles, and I don't know how long my spell is going to last. Buffy's pregnant."
"Oh..., why isn't she coming home? She could come home. She doesn't need to be ashamed," Joyce cried, unaware of the undercurrent that had developed in the crowded bathroom.
Giles carefully replaced his glasses, his face growing cold as he read Angel's body language appropriately. "Does this have something to do with the experimentation?" Angel nodded morosely. "I see. Is it...human?"
The look on Angel's face gave Giles the answer he was looking for, and he could feel his anger simmering and coming to a direct boil.
"What are you talking about? Why would you even ask if it was human? " Joyce asked in confusion. "How could it be anything but?"
"And Spike?" Giles found himself asking, ignoring Joyce's frantic questioning.
"Was apparently taken the same time as Buffy and was used as the donor," Angel replied stoically, again struck with a lack of fury at this revelation.
Giles felt a small measure of relief upon hearing that it was Spike's child that Buffy carried. At the very least, Spike was a known variable, but he feared for the baby and his slayer.
"What are you saying, Angel?" Joyce asked. "That she's having a vampire's baby?"
When Angel looked at Giles helplessly, the Watcher ripped his glasses off once more in agitation. "Yes, it would appear that way."
A hopeful look entered her eyes. "I'm going to be a grandmother?"
Angel nodded uncomfortably.
"This...Spike? He's not hurting her, is her?" Joyce looked at Angel pleadingly.
Angel mumbled something under his breath and broke eye contact, suddenly finding the running water fascinating.
"What was that, Angel?" Giles prompted, seeing the jealousy for what it was.
"I said, he actually sounded like he cared about her," Angel admitted. Seeing the needy look on Joyce's face, he elaborated. "He said he was taking care of her and that the reason he got in touch with me was because Buffy had been upset about you not knowing she was alive."
Joyce turned teary eyes in Giles' direction. "Rupert, something must be done. What can be done about this? I want my daughter home!"
The look on his face was serious. "Angel, I don't suppose Spike said where they'd been held, did he?"
"New Mexico, was all he said."
Seeing the look of grim determination enter the Watcher's face, Angel asked, "What are you planning?"
The smile he offered was like nothing Angel had ever seen, it was chilling. "I do believe I'll take this matter up with the Council."
tbc...
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Author's Chapter Notes:
Again, thank you to txjmfan, gypsy_jin, crystal pegasus, mariana, daisy, reciprocity, garah G, seraiza, whiteeagle, scarlet, jeanie, ariel dawn, cordykitten, megan, sevvy_o, buffyandspikeforever, spamamanda, tam, revello_1620, aurora, franchesca, spufette, slinkypk, buffsters1985, brat,and lauren for taking the time to tell me what they think of this story!!