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Chapter 13: Waiting

Buffy stares down at the disgusting, red liquid in the coffee mug with a disturbed expression. What’s more disturbing however is that it doesn’t smell disgusting, actually it smells really good. Instinctually she knows that this is what her body needs. She finds herself salivating at the smell of it. Her brow creases and her lip curves down, then Buffy thinks what the hell and brings the mug to her lips and drinks deep. The Scoobies all stand around her looking on with disturbing fascination. Xander holds a cold compress to his head and Anya sits in his lap, Willow and Tara sit on the far end of the couch, Dawn is sitting cross-legged in the other chair and Spike hover’s between the French doors.

Buffy gulps and pulls the cup away from her lips. Everyone looks on waiting for her to say something.

“Well?” Xander probes.

“I think it’s helping,” Buffy replies and a sigh of relief can be heard through the room; relief that Buffy will soon be getting better, but it’s quickly followed by fear for what this could mean.

“I’ll go heat you up some more,” Spike says and walks out.

“So what does this mean?” Anya asks.

“I don’t know,” Tara admits, “but we know from the prophecy that the baby isn’t evil so… does it really matter?”

“I’m less concerned about the blood part and more worried about the whole Buffy has to die for the baby to be born part,” Xander says just as Spike re-enters the room with another mug of blood for the Slayer.

“I agree with the whelp,” Spike says handing the mug to Buffy.

“Guys we don’t even know if that’s what it really means,” Buffy says then takes another sip of blood. “Born through death might not mean anything more than the fact that Spike’s the father and he’s technically dead, or that hey I was too just a few months ago… We’ve got about a month and a half yet to figure this out so let’s just take it one step at a time… First, I wanna know why there was a group of vamps storming my house tonight, second Will, we need to figure out who this other child is that’s mentioned in this prophecy, and third… well okay, I’ve only got two, but we need to do that first.”

“What if more vamps come back tonight?” Dawn asks then turns to Spike.

“Well those blighters burned up everything in my crypt… I could keep watch if you’d lend a vamp the sofa?”

Xander snorts.

“Right, you stay here, like that’s ever gonna happen.”

“Right, just like I’m never gonna get anywhere with Buffy, dunno if you’ve noticed but that bun in the oven over there proves you wrong.”

“Just because one time…”

“Stop!” Buffy yells. “I don’t need this right now… Xander, Anya, go home, it’s late; Spike you can sleep on the sofa, I should be feeling better by tomorrow and we can start figuring all this out then.”

“Buffy…” Xander begins.

“Not tonight,” Buffy says then pushes her way to her feet taking the mug of blood with her. “Everyone get some rest.”

--

The sand feels colder beneath her bare feet then it did before. Buffy feels a chill rip through her as the last of the sun’s rays disappear beneath the horizon. Suddenly the ocean waves seem vicious and deadly. The cotton-candy like clouds no longer appear soft and fluffy but thin like smog. Buffy looks into Spike’s blue eyes, the young boy still clasps tightly to her palm.

“He’s not my baby,” Buffy says as if understanding it for the first time.

She looks down at the boy then and he smiles at her then turns away and looks into the distance. Buffy focuses her attention behind Spike and remembers the other figure waiting in the darkness for the first time. The man’s dark brown eyes meet hers. Buffy stares at Angel for a moment then slowly her fingers untwine from the boy’s hand and she watches as he runs up to the older vampire. Angel leans down and picks up the blue eyed boy and stands holding him against his hip.

Buffy wakes with a startled gasp. Her fingers twist in her comforter and she breathes deep and heavy trying to calm herself. After a moment her heart slows and her breathing returns to normal. Buffy rests one hand on her belly and runs her other through her hair, suddenly the pieces are starting to come together. The child in her dream was a boy because he wasn’t hers, he’s the other child mentioned in the prophecy, and that other child is… Angels? Buffy gets out of bed and dresses quickly.

--

The Slayer runs down the stairs as fast as her swollen ankles can carry her. As she moves she finds that her strength has returned. A warm glow has returned to her skin, the blue circles are gone from beneath her eyes. The blood she drank the night before has erased that sluggish weak feeling that had taken over her body the day before. The baby has gotten what she needs and now so has Buffy as the baby is no longer feeding off her mother’s health.

She can hear people talking in the kitchen and instantly makes her way there. As she walks through the dining room she sees Dawn sitting at the table working on her homework. The young girl watches her sister rush past her without even a moment’s glance and quickly stands following her into the kitchen. There Willow and Tara are doing dishes and Spike hovers by the microwave waiting for his blood to heat. They all turn to face her as she walks in.

“It’s Angel,” Buffy says and everyone’s face contorts with confusion and Spike’s eyes blaze yellow for a moment with anger.

“What?” Willow asks.

“The other child in the prophecy.”

“T-the other child in the prophecy is Angel? Buffy, I d-don’t think…” Tara stammers.

“No, the other child in the prophecy is Angel’s son.”

“Don’t think tall dark and forehead is on the up and up with producing offspring pet, last time I checked he was still a vampire,” Spike says with a bitter note to his voice.

“Last time I checked so were you.”

“Buffy,” Dawn says, “If Angel had a kid don’t you think he would have told you?”

“And... Angel can’t… you know… without going all grr.” Willow adds.

“I wouldn’t be so sure about that Red, perfect happiness and a good lay don’t always equate to the same thing.”

“Look, let’s just call him… I’ll… I’ll call him and…” Buffy thinks about calling Angel, and she completely freezes. Just what would she say to him. ‘Hi, I was just wondering if you had a son because Spike knocked me up and there’s this prophecy about my baby that I think you’re involved in because I’ve been seeing you in my dreams.’

“I’ll call him if you really feel strongly about this,” Willow says seeing her friend’s unease with the situation. “It couldn’t hurt to ask.”

Buffy gives a sigh of relief.

“Thanks Will.”

--

Spike paces in the living room waiting for the sun to set. Every step is uneasy and filled with pent up anxiety, pent up energy needing to be released. Xander watches him suspiciously from the sofa where he sits next to Willow. The vampire can feel his gaze upon him but is too focused on other things at the moment to care. He’s waiting to head out and find information on the vampires that attacked them the other night, and hoping to get the message out that there better not be another attack. Also the thought that Angel could be involved in this plays at the back of his mind; any thought that involves his grandsire is one that grates his nerves especially one that includes Buffy.

“Could you stop that?” Xander asks annoyed. “You’re wearing a hole in the rug.”

“Make me,” Spike retorts and just as Xander is about to shoot back another comment Buffy comes bounding down the stairs. It’s obvious that she has her energy back by the way she walks.

“Has he called back yet?” She asks referring to Angel as Willow had left him a message earlier because he didn’t answer.

“Not yet,” Willow says, and Buffy nods a little dejectedly.

Then Spike lets out a sigh of relief as the sun plummets beneath the horizon leaving nothing more than a dusty orange glow at the edge of the sky to show that it had ever lit the earth.

“Right, well you all can wait for the great poof to call back, I’m heading out to actually do something,” Spike says reaching for the doorknob.

“Heading out where?” Buffy asks.

“You said you wanted to know about those wankers who attacked us the other night.”

“Oh right… well I’m coming.”

Spike takes note that her usual chipper tone has returned to her voice. It makes her statement that much more absurd.

“You bloody well are not!”

“Buffy I have to agree with Spike,” Xander says then a strange look comes over his face. “I can’t believe I just said that.”

“Guys, it’s no big deal, Slayer here remember? After all that iron-y goodness I’m back to full strength. I’ll be fine, I wanna know about who’s after my baby just as much as everyone else, more actually.”

“Buff, all those guys came here the other night to kill you and the baby, don’t you think going looking for them is maybe a bad idea.”

“Listen to the whelp, pet, stay here; I’ll find out what we need to know.”

“Forget it… I’m feeling better, peachy really, and I can’t just sit here and do nothing.” Buffy’s eyes focus on Spike’s. “Either I go with you or I’m going out on my own.”

--

Buffy and Spike walk wordlessly down the sidewalk. It’s a silent night, Buffy notices as she listens to the clicking of her modest heels on the cement. Spike looks dead ahead as they move angry with the stubborn woman beside him for putting herself in danger. Buffy shoots him a sideways glance every few minutes. Then suddenly Spike stops and lets out a sigh. With a shrug he turns to her.

“You’re being bloody stupid you realize,” he says and instantly Buffy crosses her arms offended.

“I can take care of myself thank you,” Buffy says then continues walking and after a moment Spike catches up to her. It’s then that she stops and turns to him. “And I happen to think it’ll be a good thing for me to show my face, maybe beat something up… I don’t want any beasties thinking I’m incapable of protecting myself now, or no maybe I should just stay home being useless and let them think I’m all vulnerable and waiting to be killed and just…”

“Alright,” Spike says silencing her, he doesn’t want to fight. “Look, just promise me if we get into trouble you’ll toddle on home alright?” Buffy purses her lips wanting to disagree, but instead she nods.

“Fine.”





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