Chapter 32

Part II



William jumped up as soon as the doorbell rang, wanting to let Buffy in before Angel could. He wanted to let her know a little of what she was going into.



"Hey, luv; before Angel shows his ugly face, thought I should tell you that I didn't tell him anything about Sam. He's sure you're going to stay with him so she can be with her father, but I didn't tell him anything. Figured that was your place."



"Thank you for that, William." He was glad she still saw him as William—it meant a lot to him that she could see who he really was.



"Sure, was the least I could do. You want me to wait out here while you talk? I'd understand."



"Actually I'd much rather you came with me. I don't really want to be alone with him right now." She knew she should have asked and not told, but she didn't think she could take it if he said no. She really didn't want to be alone with Angel.



The both made their way into Angel's office, Spike resisted holding Buffy's hand—he didn't really think it'd help the situation.



"Good of you to join us, Buffy. I think you and I need to have a talk without William here."



"I'd rather he stay," Buffy adamantly declared.



"He can come back, but there are a few things I need to tell you in private."



"No. We'll go in the living room or something and he can sit across the room."



"Well isn't little Buffy taking charge today." Angel tried to mask his bit of insecurity at moving the conversation out of his office, somewhere that he was comfortable and held all the power, to go to the living room, somewhere that they would be on more equal footing.



None of them said anything as they made their way into the living room. Buffy sat on the sofa, she was most comfortable there, while William sat in a chair across the room and Angel, grudgingly sat down across from her.



"Buffy," he said quietly, wanting to get right down to it, "You know you're not going to leave me. You need the money, the stability, the image, the family. Let's face it you need me."



"Oh, you think so, do you?"



"Buffy, we both know you're not going to give all this up," he swept his arms around—indicating the house she figured. "And you certainly not going to break up Samantha's family, you care about family too much to do that." He continued condescendingly "Youre not going to take her away from her father."



Buffy was unable to hold back her grin. "William, do you think you could come over here now. I'd like you to be over here when I tell Angel this."



Angel looked decidedly nervous, "Tell me what?"



"That you're right." She noticed William's face fall and put her hand on his knee tPying to reassure him, but she c
uld feel how he was drawing in -n himself. "I'm not going to take Sam away from her father." She hoped the fact that she'd emphasized the word father would let William know what she wa up to. And he did relax a little, but he was still tense.



"I knew you'd see it my way," Angel said smugly and started to continue, but was interrupted by Buffy.



"You see Angel, Sam is not going to be taken away from her father, but she is going to be taken away from you"



"Have you finally gone insane?"



"Nope. See, the thing is, and God have I been wanting to tell you this for a long time. You're not Sam's father."



They all just sat there in silence until Angel nearly roared up, knocking the chair back, "You slut!" he said dramatically. "You were screwing around on me? You fucking slut! I'm going to-"


William knew it wasn't the best idea he'd ever had, but as he'd already learned, he didn't deal well with people calling Buffy a slut. Add to that, that this was Angel…and well, before Angel ever registered that Spike had stood up, he was clutching his face in agony.



"You fucking hit me! You asshole." Angel said, sounding more shocked than anything.



"Don't. Call. Her. A. Slut. Then." Spike ground out. "Or anything meaning even remotely the same thing."



"Angel, I wasn't 'screwing around' on you. I slept with one person, once, before we got married. You've done way worse so don't even start with me."



"You think any judge is going to give you custody? Over me? You can't even prove who the brat's father is. I know you don't know much about law, sweetheart, but that's not going to go over real well."


"But you see, when I can prove who her father is. And that he'll support us," she looked over at William for confirmation, realizing she hadn't discussed this with him yet, "When I can do all of that, then they most certainly will give me custody, especially over you—her adulterous pseudo father."



"Fine, I'll ask. Who's Samantha's father?"



"William."



"William, what?" Angel asked, not understanding.



"I'm her father, you stupid git," Spike helped him out.



"What? But..you..she…just…..paying….how in the hell is that possible?" Angel sputtered.



"Well you see, mate, guys and girls have certain 'parts' and.."



"Not that you moron! When did you two know each other to sleep together?" he asked before he thought of something else. "Oh! I get it, you've been doing something this entire time, the working here was just a front. Oooh, you're good."



"No, we have not been together this whole time," Buffy was getting tired of this. "We slept together once before we got married and that was it. We didn't even make the connection until just recently, we both looked a lot different then….and there was a bit of drinking involved."



"So here's what you're going to do: You're going to grant Buffy a divorce and you are going to give her, no disputing, full custody of Sam. And then you're going to leave them alone for the rest of their lives, unless Sam wants to see you, in which case you'll do whatever she wants and you'll be great."



"So I'm just supposed to let the two of you go? I'm supposed to just let you take them from me?"



"What would you really care? I mean honestly?" Buffy asked him softly, "Angel you know that you wouldn't miss us. All you have to do is come up with some way that it's my fault—I wanted to go back to work or something stupid like that. Everyone will forget about it in a few months and you'll still be Liam O'Connor, city's best attorney.



Just let us go. I don't want your money, I don't want anything you bought me. All I want is Sam's stuff and Sam, that's al. I'll be out of your life—unless Sam wants to see you—after that."



"How are you going to deal without the money? Where are you going to live? How are you going to pay for Samantha's schooling?" He thought he had her.


"I'm going to stay at my mom's while I finish school. I still have enough money saved up to pay for school. And once I finish, I'm going to teach somewhere around here and then I'll pay William back."



"So, you're going to what, do this out of the goodness of your heart?" he asked William.



"Exactly."



"You really want to leave me Buffy?" Angel asked, really starting to believe her for the first time.



"Yeah, Angel, I want a divorce." Buffy almost, almost felt sorry for him. He obviously hadn't seen this ever happening. "Are you going to make this easy on me, please?"



He didn't answer for several minutes, but just sat back in his chair, showing Buffy his human side for the first time in a long time. Seeming to forget himself, Angel really looked at his wife. He saw how close she and William were sitting, the relaxed, unconscious intimacy between them—her hand on his knee, him leaning into her ever so slightly. He took all of that in and knew that even he, as much as his reputation and appearance mattered, couldn't hold her there.



"Yeah, Buffy, I'll give you the divorce."



TBC………………