Chapter 13
William sauntered over to the bed, taking up his seat next to Buffy, who had now sat up in their bed. She punched him in the shoulder to let him know he could drop his smirk.
"Ow! Bloody hell, woman! What was that for?" he cried, shooting an angry glance over at her.
"Wipe that smirk off of your face," she said quietly.
The smirk left, but his eyes were still sparkling. He was really going to enjoy rubbing Angel's nose in their happiness. Buffy nudged him again, eyes blazing. He dropped his gaze so as to not incur her wrath later.
Angel had been standing in the doorway, arms crossed, waiting for her reaction. He started to slowly walk into the room as she began to speak.
"So, Angel. Giles tells me you had a vision that involves my daughter. Were you planning on telling me or were ya gonna wait until she turned 16?" Buffy angrily asked.
"Hi Buffy, and how are you? I'm fine, by the way, just in case you cared," Angel said sarcastically.
William lifted his head, staring at the brooding menace. "Listen Peaches, what was your soddin' vision about? It has somethin' to do with our sprog. Watcher's already told us that much. So what part of the story are you leavin' out?"
Angel sighed, glancing first at Giles, then to William, then finally to Buffy. "Fine. I was hoping I wouldn't have to tell you. Either of you."
Buffy stared at him, narrowing her eyes. "You mean like you didn't bother to tell me William was alive?"
Angel rolled his eyes and snorted. "As a matter of fact, I hadn't planned on telling you he was alive at all. We both saw you in Rome and figured you were doing fine without either of us. Then he had to go and become human. "
William snorted this time. "Yeah, like I had a choice. It was either me or them and the Mohras had it comin' to 'em. All I did was defend myself and look where it got me."
Angel waved his hand and started pacing the room. "Yeah, you got the girl and now you've gotten her knocked up. Great job!" He flashed a sarcastic thumbs up to William.
Willow finally piped up from her perch on the couch. "Listen guys. Can we quit spraying the room down with testosterone and get with it? Angel, what is the prophecy? Exactly."
Angel looked at the witch. "Fine. The exact prophecy was that the champion who helped destroy The First and twice saved the world while it was on the brink of apocalypse would be rewarded with humanity so that he may sire the Chosen One who will bring peace for 1000 years."
William furrowed his brow. "I've helped save the world more than twice. Shouldn't I have been a real boy before this?"
Angel rolled his eyes again and shook his head. "I think the prophecy was referring to taking down the Circle of the Black Thorn and then dealing with the senior partners. All of the other times were just typical Sunnydale apocalypses."
Buffy looked down at her hands, her gaze stopping at her engagement ring. "So, what you're trying to tell me, is that I was destined to get pregnant by William? That about sum it up?"
She met Angel's gaze. He didn't want to confirm his vision, but it had already come true. "Yeah, that's it in a nutshell. And that your daughter is gonna be one hell of a slayer."
Buffy chuckled lightly. "I already knew that. I just didn't think it would happen this soon."
William grasped her hand. "Of course our daughter will be a bloody good slayer. She's gonna save the world, just like her mum's done loads of times."
Buffy smiled at him weakly. She hated the thought that her daughter – "No, their daughter," she thought – was going to have to go through the same things she went through. She shuddered.
William looked at her concerned, completely oblivious to his fiancée's internal struggle. "You OK, pet? Need another blanket?"
She shook her head. "I think I just need to rest. Give me an hour or so?" She looked at him and smiled.
William kissed her on the forehead and ushered everyone out of the room to let her sleep.
Except that Buffy couldn't sleep. She lay on her back, hand on her abdomen, silent tears coursing down her cheeks. Of course she would give birth to a slayer. She just hadn't put much thought into the future of when she had children. There hadn't been a human guy around long enough recently to contemplate the possibility of children.
She looked down at her still flat belly. "Don't worry, baby girl. Mommy won't let the monsters hurt you. I'll be here to teach you how to hurt those monsters when you're old enough. And so will your daddy, your aunties and your Grampa Giles. We'll all be here for you." She rolled to her side, curled up and tried to nap.
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The assembled group downstairs took positions by the counter or on the circular couch. An uneasy silence had blanketed the group. Willow was fidgeting with Tara's hand, Giles was busy cleaning and re-cleaning his glasses, and Angel was trying to concentrate on some paperwork in his office. William was keeping himself busy pacing around the lobby. Tara had started to grow tired of his prowling.
"Listen, wh-why don't we all do something productive? W-We could finish cleaning the dining room?" She tried to sound perky, but two pairs of eyes stared back at her blankly. Willow squeezed her hand.
"It's OK, baby. Maybe you and I should go finish it," Willow suggested. Tara nodded and they walked hand in hand down the hall to the dining room. "I'll even clean the old-fashioned, magic-free way," Willow said cheerily, looking over at Tara. Tara eyed her skeptically.
They entered the dining room to find Gunn hard at work on the lights. He had been replacing bulbs throughout the dining room as well as stringing small crystal lights around. He was changing the bulbs in the chandelier when Willow and Tara walked in.
"Could you hand me those bulbs sittin' over there? Didn't think this thing needed so many, but, damn!" Gunn grinned as Willow handed him the box of bulbs.
"So what's left to do in here? We were kinda hoping for some good cleany-type distraction," Willow asked.
Gunn thought for a moment. His mission had been the lights, so he looked around from his perch on the ladder to survey what still needed to be done. "Looks like the tables still need a good wiping and the floor could use some vacuuming. Vacuum's over by the stage along with the rest of the cleaning supplies." He pointed the small stage in the front of the room.
The witches quickly began working. They barely noticed when Giles appeared in the room and picked up a rag to start cleaning tables. He and Tara shared a smile and continued on with their work.
Willow wiped her brow and smiled at Tara. She knew, however, at the rate the three of them were going it would still take a few days for everything to look bright and shiny. "I think we need some more help," she announced.
Giles straightened up from his cleaning. "I very much doubt Angel or Spike – erm , I mean William – would care to join us."
"I know, Giles," Willow said, beaming. "The Broody Twins were not on my list of cleaners. I was thinking of some Dawnie and Xander help. I told both of them that I'd pop back to pick 'em up as soon as we got settled here. Xand is probably going stir-crazy in the villa and I know Dawnie is dying to see Buffy."
At that moment, Willow's Blackberry started chirping. She checked the display and found a message from Dawn:
At LAX w Xand. Couldnt wait for Air Willow. Where r u?
Willow smiled. "Guess I get to save my strength. Dawn and Xand are waiting at the airport."
As she made her way out to the lobby to gather her things, Angel pulled her into his office. His brow was more furrowed than usual. Something was up and it wasn't good.
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William had ceased his pacing and was now perched on the edge of the desk in the lobby, swinging his legs back and forth and just generally fidgeting. "Oh sod it," he muttered and hopped off the desk. He took the steps two at a time until he reached the second floor. He strode down the hall until he reached their room. He stood outside the door for a moment before turning the handle.
The balcony doors were open and Buffy wasn't in bed. He strode over to the open balcony doors and stopped her as she was straddling the balcony, ready to jump. "What in the bloody hell do you think you're doing?" he demanded.
She looked at him innocently. "Um, going to pick up Dawn at the airport?"
He sighed and shook his head. "Did you forget there's a front door? And stairs? And the fact that you're pregnant and shouldn't be jumping off balconies?" His voice had increased in volume significantly.
She slipped back onto the balcony and looked down guiltily before looking up and meeting his gaze. His eyes had started to glisten. She put her arms around his neck. He buried his face in her hair. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "I just didn't want to bother anyone."
He pulled back to look her in the face. "Bother? Buffy, luv, this would've bothered me more. No more sneaking, no more hopping off balconies. I can't lose you. Either of you." He placed his hand on her stomach. She placed a hand over his.
"You won't lose us. I promise." She leaned up and kissed him lightly on the lips. "Can we go pick up Dawn and Xand, now?" He nodded and they walked down the stairs hand in hand.
They reached the lobby as Willow was gathering her things. "Hey Buffy! Have a good nap?" Willow asked hopefully.
"Yup," Buffy lied easily. "Where ya headed, Wills?"
"Oh, well, Dawnie sent me a text message and she and Xand are waiting at the airport. Thought I'd go and pick 'em up. I was gonna surprise you. Surprise!" Willow said cheerily.
Buffy furrowed her brow. "Dawn sent me a text message too. I thought maybe William and I could go pick them up."
"Oh! Well, sure! I'm sure she sent both of us the message to see which one of us would check their phone first," Willow reasoned. "If you guys want to go pick 'em up, I'll just head back to the ballroom and get back to the cleany and vacuumy party."
Buffy narrowed her eyes. Her best friend was acting like she was hiding something. "What's going on, Willow? You're acting all evasive-y."
Willow's eyes widened. "Me? Nothing! What makes you think something's going on?"
Buffy crossed her arms across her chest. "Oh, nothing. Just the extra perky and chattiness. Again, I ask, what is going on?"
Willow let out a deep sigh. "Something's happened to Illyria. She ran into, well, something. We're not quite sure what. Angel did some, uh, arranging, and Dawn and Xand brought her back on a private plane."
"What's wrong with Blue?" William asked, very concerned.
"Whatever she came across, it wasn't good. Angel said she's, well, hiccupping personalities is the closest way I can describe it," Willow explained.
"What do you mean 'hiccupping personalities'?" Buffy asked, obviously confused.
Willow started to explain. "Its like she's switching between Illyria and – "
"Fred," William said quietly.
Buffy was still slightly confused. She had heard a little about Fred from Willow. "So what happened to Fred?"
William sighed and went to sit down on the couch in the lobby. "Fred was a brilliant, sweet bird. Me and Angel, we tried to save her after she got infected with some ancient superbug but we failed and her body got taken over by Illyria. She still looks kinda like Fred, but she's nothin' like her. Fred was one of kind."
Buffy walked to the couch and put her arm around his shoulder. "I'm so sorry."
William snaked his arm across her waist. "S'alright. Its Wes I really felt bad for. He really loved her."
The small group stood in silence for a few moments before Willow cleared her throat. "Um, guys. Airport?"
William shook his head and wiped away a couple of stray tears. "Yeah. We should go pick up the niblet and the pirate. Shall we, pet?"
Buffy laughed. "That sounds like a really weird children's book. 'The Niblet and the Pirate.'"
William chuckled. "Yeah, it kinda does. Let's go see if Peaches has a car we can borrow. I don't think we're all gonna fit on the bike."
Willow handed him a set of keys. "Rental SUV. Plenty of room for everyone."
William grinned at her. "Thanks, Red."
Willow waved goodbye and had turned to head back to the ballroom when Angel came striding out of his office.
"Willow, this is more serious than we thought," Angel said gravely.
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Author's Chapter Notes:
And now, finally, Chapter 13 - where it belongs. I feel like a giant dope for posting this story out of order. I hope you all forgive me & are loving the story.