Are We Now or Ever Were Chapter 11
Chapter 11:
You Are…Part of ME
They didn’t tell anyone about leaving for Pylea. It wasn’t like they were going to be that long. As they stood behind the Hyperion preparing themselves to open the portal Angel told Buffy,”You know what? I am getting really tired of working for evil. I’ve become a slave to it, Buffy. I want to be done with it, when we get back, I want to get the crew together, finish this whole mess. I love you and I don’t want you to have to suffer through this anymore.”
Buffy turned stricken eyes on his face. “Angel..”
“I know this has been hard for you. You’re the Slayer, dammit. You fight the forces of darkness. Not work side by side with it, writing out paychecks for them.” She sighed heavily for the both of them. “Come on Baby, Lets go.” He grabbed her hand and through the portal they went, Angel instantly thinking of all the portals he has been through in the last few years. Most recently to save Buffy. He was glad she couldn’t remember much, he didn’t understand why she couldn’t but he was still glad.
~~~~
Strangely enough, Groo was waiting for them. Angel had hoped he could call the mighty Groosaluug out, even if it was done in fun.
“The Mighty Angel and his Slayer, Welcome to Pylea!” He called out loudly. Then as he stood next to them, he quietly asked,”How is my Princess?” His large blue eyes were filled with such an amazing amount of love, Angel wondered if that’s what everyone saw in his for Buffy. He hoped so.
“Groo, we came for you. Cordelia, well, she needs you. She’s been in a coma, been asleep for nine months. You have to kiss her awake.” She sounded confident and mature. Angel briefly wondered when she grew up.
“Slayer..”
“Buffy.” She corrected.
Groo nodded. “Buffy, you should not be traveling portals in your delicate condition, it isn’t safe.”
‘Ugh, Men!’ “Delicate? Groo, I’m pregnant and the slayer. I won’t break.” Exasperated that Angel and now Groo treated her like she was spun glass, she marched away.
“Angel, how soon can we leave?” Groo inquired.
He looked at Groo then yelled over his shoulder “Buffy, turn around, NOW. Groo’s ready and the portal is still open. Let’s go.” Angel wasn’t sure he liked the portal thing either and tended to agree with Groo. He worried and that’s why he was so gruff with her. Maybe they were old fashioned but Buffy really needed to be careful.
~~~~
Buffy quietly murmured “Ta mu isc orm.” (I feel sick) and leaned down to heave her guts up. She groaned and told Angel, “I have to find something for this. I’m so done going through portals.” He knew she didn’t feel well when she let him carry her to the car. Angel waited for Groo to settle in.
“I just have to kiss my Princess awake? You are sure she will be happy to see me?” He wasn’t. ” Delia was in love with Angel when..” Groo stopped at Buffy’s laughter.
“I’m sorry. It’s just that..” Buffy snickered again and Angel looked intensely uncomfortable. “Groo, Cordy is your soulmate.” This time she put her head on Angel’s shoulder and sighed.
“Groo, Cordy and I weren’t in love. The short version.. evil lawyers. I know it doesn’t make sense. Anyway once you wake up Cordy, I’ll take you back to the Hotel. If you need to leave right away, that would be best. Buffy and I will understand. Have to keep things moving along , ya know?” He smiled down at Buffy.
~~~~~
They waited outside the room for Groo and Cordy.
“Buffy?”
“Yes Angel?”
“Is this..you’re sure?” Angel held her hand and gripped it a little tighter.
“Groo’s gonna kiss her awake like sleeping beauty and she’s gonna live. Trust me?”
He picked her hand up, turned it over and kissed her palm. “I trust you.”
“You better.” They laughed softly and heard the door click open.
~~~~~
He was nervous. He leaned down and gently kissed Cordelia’s lips.
Then for good measure, he kissed her more firmly.
He waited and waited and just when he thought he would wait some more, Cordy gasped.
She opened her eyes. “Groo!” Her vision of Groo and Angel and oddly enough Buffy made her skin crawl.
“Princess, You are truly awake?”
She laughed, “I truly am. Oh Groo, I’m so glad you’re here.”
“As am I. Oh Delia, I was worried when they told me you had been sleeping for so long. You can not keep your visions. Princess, will you finally give them to me?” He held her hands between his.
She nodded, unsure that to say except..”Let’s get out of here, we can talk more ok?” She kissed his lips and hugged him close. He was safe and he was here, everything would be alright.
~~~~~
Groo opened the door and saw Angel and Buffy stand up.
“My Princess asks if you have garments for her?”
Buffy smiled and handed Groo the pile of clothes she had brought for Cordelia. “Tell her we can go shopping later. She’ll like that.”
Angel groaned and so did Groo which made Buffy laugh.
“Oh my god!” She laughed even harder as Angel swatted her on her bottom for being a “little minx” was that what he called her?
“Cordy!” Angel gave her a hug and she hugged him back. It seemed to Angel when she went to hug Buffy that she was happier to see her than him. {Cordy seems to hug Wes more enthusiastically than Angel in You’re Welcome.}
Angel decided he and Buffy would spend the night at the Hyperion. So Buffy and Groo dropped Angel and Cordy off and went for food.
Cordy went to her old room and was looking through pictures. “Where is everyone? How’s Connor?”
He shook his head.
‘Uh oh, Angel has something face’ “Ok Angel spill it. What’s up?”
As much as it grieved Angel to do so, he explained the mess after Jasmine. How he saved Connor and her by agreeing to take over Wolfram and Hart.
“Trust me Cordy, I know you’re not happy. Buffy totally freaked when she found out. In fact she freaked so much, she left the damn universe. She doesn’t remember that now though. I’m thinking the powers took a handle on things.” He briefly explained that whole situation. “She’s pregnant, Cordelia. The love of my life, my soul mate is going to have my child.”
“You know, I’m pretty sure the Powers that be have taken a hand in this. I’m very happy for you big guy.” She hugged him. “Thank you so much for getting Groo here.” And Cordy was back, her broad beautiful grin and Angel knew why the Senior Partners had thought Angel would end up with her.
He wanted to reply back to her but the tiny hairs on his neck stood up and tingled.
‘Buffy.’
“Come on Cor. Our soul mates are back.” He winked and nudged her along.
Cordelia had known that Groo was back too. Her skin always got those little goosebumps. Maybe she should call them “groo bumps.”
She laughed aloud at herself and Angel smirked as he shook his head. ‘Love makes you do the wacky.’
~~~~~
Groo and Buffy decided chinese was the way to go. They also stopped to get some pigs blood for Angel. Weirdly Buffy thought about drinking it herself…EW! no. It must be the baby, still… gross!
She mentally shook herself out of her struggle and smiled at Groo.
“What was that?”
“I asked if you were alright? How’s your pregnancy?” Groo asked sincerely.
Surprised, she asked “How did you know anyway?”
Groo grimaced and looked uncomfortable.” It’s a smell, isn’t it?” She sighed. “That’s alright, Groo. Angel, Spike and Lorne and probably all kinds of demons can smell me. OH GOD! I didn’t mean to say that you’re a demon Groo…”
“I am the one who should apologize. It was intrusive. I am truly sorry.” He looked sorry too.
She changed the subject from her to Cordelia.
“Groo, do you think that Cordy will give you the visions?”
“Don’t you? I explained to my Princess Delia that she would die if she didn’t. Together She and I will rule all of Pylea.” He gave her a long glance. “Do you think she will give me many children?”
‘Stranger things have happened.’ “She just might. Angel told me how well she took care of..a friend’s baby for awhile and seemed to really enjoy it.” Buffy smiled at him.
~~~~
They walked into the hotel and simultaneously glanced up as they saw their mates coming down the stairs.
“Let’s eat already! I’m starved.” Buffy laughed. “I’m sure Xander would have something to say about that, if he were here, that is..”
“Where is the ol’ Scooby gang anyway?”
“Well they are trying to gather all the girls who have become slayers within the last few months and..”
“Wait, you said slayers? Besides you and Fatih? HUH? Splainy Buff, please?”
Buffy explained what she could. “There has to be a way to fix this whole mess. I mean it is a gigantamum mess. Those girls , well some of them, practically hate me. If I could help them go back to their old lives…”
“Yea but come on Buff, once you know what goes bump in the night, its kind of hard to turn away from it. First hand experience here.” She told Buffy bluntly.
“You basically choose those girls. The only way I see that they could go back is if, OH GOD! You want to do the same spell Angel has done, only in a whole world kind of deal, don’t you? God you two really were made for each other!” She ranted.
Buffy shot back “Who is it going to hurt? Those girls, the ones that hate me, they’d want to return to their lives. There’s still other girls who want to be slayers and what about the girls who have yet to be slayers? I could save them the trouble. There’s still me and Faith! And I can’t believe I’m about to say this but you are right. However, I don’t see any other way. I can let them choose, and if they choose to go home? I’d do that memory spell in a heartbeat! If that’s what it would take to fix it.” Angel wrapped his arm around her shoulder and pulled her close.
“Princess, perhaps when we get back to Pylea, we may be able to find something there, to help.” Groo looked at her and she heard him. He wanted to go home.
“You’re right. We should go.”
They got the portal opened and she turned to hug Angel. “Don’t give up yet big guy. You two are going to change the world.” She spoke as low as she could. “Keep her safe, Angel. She’s gonna need you.”
She looked at Buffy and hugged her.
“Congrats on the baby. You take care of yourself and the baby. Take care of our broody guy too.”
Groo stepped forward and hugged her too. “Slayer, Buffy, Champion, you will do what is right. I know it. Angel. Good luck.” Then they all smiled at each other and Groo and Cordy stepped through. Angel and Buffy watched the portal close up. Who knew when they would see those two again.
~~~
February 12, 2004
“Buffy, would you like to go ice skating?”
“On one condition, you skate with me.”
They talked about what had happened with Lawson. The gang seemed a little upset at Angel still. Buffy knew they would get over it.
Belatedly Angel realized that maybe being on the ice wasn’t such a good idea for someone pregnant but he figured Buffy still had to have excellent balance.
“Buffy, we should take in a hockey game sometime. I mean, a real live one.” He watched her skate around him designing a figure eight.
“Yea maybe…why not. It will help break up the mundane fighting of evil.” She said sarcastically. She twirled away and Angel almost told her to be careful when she bent over and threw up on the ice.
He heard her groan and he grimaced. He could smell it from where he was standing. Poor Buffy. She seemed to be getting more sick lately. He skated over to her and helped her over to the edge of the rink.
~~~~
Once they got their shoes back on, they went to find a janitor.
“Dunna worry aboot it miss.” His accent thick and friendly. “It isna the first time twould happen.” His smile was meant to reassure Buffy but Angel could tell she was embarrassed all the same.
He pulled Buffy over to a bench and had her sit down. Instead of sitting next to her, he took a knee down in front of her. Angel watched her face, it never changed but he heard Buffy’s heart rate pick up and he heard the slight hitch in her breath.
“Last month, we had an unspoken agreement not to celebrate your birthday. I even went so far as to not get you a gift. I, uh, wanted to do this on Valentine’s day. This seems a more fitting moment though.” He paused and pulled a flat and tiny, red satin box from the inside pocket of his jacket. The box was made to open like double doors.
He handed it to her and as she meant to take it, Angel trapped it between their hands. Tangling his fingers between hers, he spoke.”In over two hundred and forty eight years, I’ve loved only you. We’ve been through so much together. So many fights, so many tears, all through the good and all through the bad, we’ve come back together, Buffy. Mo Gra, Mo Croi {my love, my heart} I would be honored if you would except to be mo Cheile {my wife}. He let her hand go, Buffy took ahold of the box and lifted the satin flaps with both hands. Inside on a bed of black velvet, lying flat was a set of rings.
She looked up at Angel with tears in her eyes. He heard her heart racing, smelled the santaigh {desire} in her blood.
Too choked up for words, all she could do was nod. She threw her arms around his neck and he laughed.
“Is that a yes?” She nodded against his neck. Angel kissed Buffy’s cheek, tasted her tears. He knew she was happy.
~~~~~
The doctor’s office called early that morning on the 13th.
“Miss Summers, we are very sorry about this. Would there be any way possible for you to come in later today?”
“I don’t think that would be a problem. Would I need to go to the office or the hospital?”
“You would need to go to the hospital since they want to do your ultrasound. Would six this evening be too late?”
Buffy could hear the receptionist typing on her keyboard, waiting for her answer. All she could think was, Angel would be able to go. He would be able to see the baby, with her, the first time around!
“No, that wouldn’t be too late. I’ll be there this evening then.”
“We still have you scheduled for the 14th at nine in the morning here at the doctor’s office. Will you still be able to make that?”
Buffy said yes and the receptionist wished her a good day.
She couldn’t wait to tell Angel!
She also had to have a talk with Gunn. She had this dream about some sarcophagus and Gunn and a doctor..then when she woke up, it all came together and she was totally wigged out but she was going to talk with Gunn. She sent Angel a short test message.
Buffy:
What r u doing @ 6 tonite?
Angel:
Not sure. why?
Buffy:
want to go c baby w/me 2nite?
Angel:
tonight? i thought it was tomorrow.
Buffy:
had to reschedule. they want me in tonight. can u go?
Angel:
I’ll take you there myself. Wouldn’t miss it. I love you. have to go for now. later
Buffy:
ok. later. Love you too
~~~~~~~~
“Hey, Gunn, do’ya have a minute?” Buffy was standing in his doorway.
“Hey Buffy. Come in. What’s on your mind?”
She started talking. She couldn’t stop herself until it was all out. He sat quietly. “This depends on her very soul, Gunn. Fighting is strong. Be who you are, not who you think you should be or even who you think everyone else wants you to be. We want you to be happy. No actually, we want the old Gunn back. I want the old us’ back. Gunn, if you go, Fred will be lost to us. You can’t get that upgrade. I know how tempting it is… but this” She motioned her hands in a wide arch. “this isn’t who we really are. Hell even Angel has taken a back seat to fighting. He can’t go out and beat up anyone without being told someone else will do it.” She waited for him to talk now.
He got up and hugged her. “I am so grateful that you get those freaky dreams, Buffy. I really want to get upgraded. But I love Fred. I don’t want her to be a monster and if that means I have to lose all this lawyer smarts, well then I won’t be Lawyer Charles Gunn, I’ll be kicking- some- ass- Gunn.”
She was happy and confident he’d make the right decision even after she walked out of his office. However just in case, she decided to go see Fred.
~~~
She and Fred had lunch. She spoke in confidence to Fred about leaving Knox alone. She asked of her “If anything strange like oh say a huge sarcophagus shows up in your lab, don’t touch it. Let Angel or Wes know. Seriousy don’t touch it, you could lose your soul.” Fred’s eyes bugged out and she choked..”I uh, I had a dream about it. You know, a prophetic one. But not a self fulfilled one, cause we can change this one. So just let someone know ok?”
“Thanks Buffy. For being my friend, and for saving me early.” Fred smiled and Buffy thanked her. “Why? What did I do?”
“For being my friend, Fred.” They parted ways and Buffy felt really confident that things would be alright.
She was checking to see if she had missed any calls when she bumped into Wes. He grabbed her before she could fall over.
“Goodness, Buffy. Do be more careful please.” They both grimaced. He sounded like Giles. “I’m sorry. How are you doing Buffy?”
“Better. I haven’t thrown up yet. Tonight, Angel and I are going to the hospital. They are going to do the 5 month sonogram.”
Wes smiled. He knew they were going because he had been in the office when Angel received her good news. “Yes, Angel is very excited. Will you find out the sex?”
Why he couldn’t say boy or girl, it was beyond Buffy. “If Angel wants to know, do you think he will want to know?”
“Most definitely. Angel isn’t just some first time father you know. He..well I don’t have to tell you.” He actually blushed.
“It’s ohkay Wes. I’m excited too. I know being a vampire with a soul is one thing, but being that and an expectant father..definitely is new.”
They stood there for a minute longer in silence. “Well Wes, I better let you go back to work.” They said quick goodbyes and Buffy hurried to the nearest restroom. Her bladder was about to burst.
~~~~~~~
Angel was pissed. Not one single person, including Harmony, knew where the hell Spike was. It was 5:30 in the evening. He was to meet Buffy in the apartment for an early light dinner thirty minutes ago. He had been looking for Spike almost all afternoon.
He gave up. He wasn’t going to stay pissed. He got in his elevator and when it opened up to the apartment, everything was quiet.
He walked to the bedroom and then he smelled Buffy’s shampoo. She had taken a shower. Damn, he missed it. Oh well, maybe later. He quickly changed his clothes. They had to get going.
“Buffy, you ready?” He walked in and saw that she was indeed ready to leave… amazing. She looked amazing. “You’re so beautiful Ionuin.”
“Thank you Muirnin.” She grabbed his hand and they walked out to the elevator. He was standing behind her with his arms around her and the baby. They waited in silence for the elevator to stop at the car garage.
It seemed to Buffy that Angel was really quiet. “Everything go ok at work?”
He nodded.
She tried again. “You ohkay?”
He nodded again. She tried a different tactic.
“I’m really excited to see the baby. Do you want to know if its a boy or a girl?”
His whole face changed from the somber expression it was in, to a more light and happy expression.
“I’m excited too Baby! I really am. If you want to know, I want to know. If you want to wait, I want to wait. Whatever you want.”
“Angel, I asked if you want to know…”
He smiled bigger. “I really want to know.”
She smiled back. “Good, I want to know too.”
~~~~
It seemed like they had been there forever. They had said 6, it was now 6:30.
“Miss Summers?” They sighed and stood up.
“Come with me, please.”
Angel held Buffy’s hand. Even for something so simple, she still was nervous.
“You do have a full bladder, correct?” They kept following the nurse.
“Yes. They didn’t say that was necessary though.”
The nurse just nodded. “Sometimes they forget to let you know.” She said, annoyed.
‘Great, the nurse is going to be a bitca.’
She led them into a small dim room. “Lay on the table and pull up your shirt. Your nurse will be here in a just a moment.”
Angel glared at her as she walked out. “She was rude.” Buffy concurred. She sat up and waited for the other nurse to come in before she laid down or lifted her shirt.
He stood between her legs and had his hands on her belly, they were talking quietly when their nurse came in. The ultrasound tech was behind her.
“Hello Buffy. My name’s Kris. This is the ultrasound tech. Her name is Ashlee. I’m just going to do a few measurements and record them and then I will let the tech do her job.”
She helped Buffy lay back on the table and lift her shirt. She also helped her lower her pants down and laid a towel over her pants and a towel over her top. Angel liked this woman. She was nice. He hoped the tech was too. While she measured Buffy’s tummy, she asked Angel “So Daddy, you want to know the sex of the baby?” She wrote something down, measured again and recorded it. Then she stepped away from Buffy and reached behind her to lower the lights.
“If we can find out, yea, I’d like to know.” Angel smiled the whole time, genuinely happy.
Kris nodded and let Ashlee do or tech job.
They were quiet. He watched the screen and would glance at Buffy. She was in awe. Just because he had saw Connor on ultrasound did not mean he wasn’t in awe. He definitely was. The sounds from inside her womb seemed suddenly loud to him even though the tech hadn’t turn the volume up. Had Buffy already heard the baby’s heartbeat?
“Can we listen to the baby’s heart beat?” Buffy glanced at him and smiled…that had to a normal question right?”
“You mean, you haven’t heard the heart beat in the doctor’s office?” Ashlee glanced up but turned the volume up a bit.
“Angel hasn’t been able to get away from work yet. This will be the first time.”
Then they watched the screen and listened to the heartbeat. “WOW, Buffy. That’s incredible.”
She did a bunch of measuring and started telling them what she was measuring and why. Then the question came, “You said you wanted to know?”
“Yes.” They both smiled at her.
“Looks like she’s a girl.” She turned the screen even more toward them and pointed. “See there? All girl.”
Actually truth be told, Angel couldn’t tell. Even with his enhanced eyesight, it still looked like a blob to him. Oh he could see her head, her face, where her heart beat, saw her spine, her arms, fingers, legs and toes but could not make out whether or not she really was a girl. So he took Ashlee at her word.
Buffy was excited! She and Angel were having a daughter.
~~~~~~
As he waited for her to come out of the restroom, he examined the one print out of the sonogram. He couldn’t tell by a face. But this is what he knew. He loved this baby. Girl or boy, he loved it, he loved Buffy. They were going to be a family. He laughed as he saw they had put the wrong time in. He realized she had meant 6:48 instead of 2:48. At least they got the date right and how far along she was. That was what was important.
Buffy, relieved and happy, came out of the restroom and took the picture from him. She laughed as she had noticed the mistake too.
They were in the parking garage and Angel instantly went on alert. It was way too quiet. His senses felt dampened.
He felt the object almost at the same time he heard Buffy shout.
He felt himself slump forward as he assumed what he heard was Buffy struggling.
He didn’t have a chance to think anything else though. He was out.
~~~~~
He woke up to find himself in his car, outside the Hyperion. Somehow though, he knew Buffy wasn’t in there. In fact, he couldn’t detect any smell besides him and Buffy.
He saw the sonogram picture and next to it lay a brown envelope. He opened the unsealed flap and tipped the contents out. Buffy’s rings, a letter and a picture.
/This is the first of many pictures.
This one will go to the LA Times.
You keep your mouth shut and Buffy might be safe for awhile.\
He growled and vamped out. Angelus may be trapped but it didn’t mean he was completely gone, he is still a demon, a vampire, after all.
He sniffed the air but found nothing, smelled nothing but his blood.
There were no words to describe the anguish, the anger and the terror he felt.
Who had Buffy? Why?