Forever, Always, and Then Some

Chapter 120

 

Monday November 12, 2002

9AM

 

Angel walks into the kitchen. Looks at Buffy feeding Conner

Buffy: Morning.

Angel: Morning. Where is everyone?

Buffy: School.

Angel: So we are alone until this afternoon?

Buffy: No, until tomorrow. Dawn is going home with Janice and Willow is staying at Xander’s.

Angel: Leaving us all alone?

Buffy: Just the three of us.

Angel: Well for one more day.

Buffy: I know.

Angel: You sound scared.

Buffy: I am.

Angel: You know what to expect. We went to the classes.

Buffy: Not scared of the birth, it is the afterwards. I am not sure I can do this.

Angel: You can do this. I told you once before you are strong. You will figure it all out and it will be okay. And you won’t be alone.

Buffy: I know. But Conner just started walking. How am I going to keep up with him and take care of a newborn?

Angel: You will be okay.

Buffy: I wish I had your confidence.

Angel: Buffy, I know you can do it.

Buffy: I hope you are right. I will have two lives in the balance.

Angel: You have had the whole world at risk at and look, we are all here.

Buffy: An apocalypse or two is easy compared to taking care of ……….babies.

Angel: What’s wrong?

Buffy: Nothing just a little upset stomach.

Angel: You sure?

Buffy: Yes. I am fine. So what do you want to do today?

Angel: Your call.

She walks up and slides her arms around his neck.

Buffy: First I think you should change your son’s dirty diaper, while I take a shower. Then we can spend the morning with him.

Angel: And then?

Buffy: Well after lunch, Conner will take a nap. I am thinking a little grownup play is called for.

Angel: I do like the way you think Mrs. Summers.

Buffy: I thought you would, Mr. Summers.

She turns and heads toward the stairs. Angel reaches for Conner as Buffy stops and grips the railing. After a moment she moves on.

 

12:30 PM

Buffy is loading the lunch dishes in the dishwasher. She lets a glass slip from her hand as she grabs the counter. Angel walks in at the sound.

Angel: What happened?

Buffy: I am a real klutz. I dropped a glass.

Angel: Well don’t move. I do not want you cut.

Buffy: I am not going anywhere. My floor vision is obstructed.

Angel slips in and picks her up. He carries her out of the kitchen.

Buffy: Conner asleep?

Angel: Yes. Why don’t you go lie down why I clean this up.

Buffy: Thanks.

She heads up the stairs and he sweeps up the glass. He finish the kitchen before heading upstairs. He slips in their room.

Buffy: Hey.

Angel: You okay?

Buffy: Yeah. I just think I may have ate too much.

Angel: You have picked up an appetite.

Buffy: I am eating for two.

Angel lies beside her.

Angel: Why don’t we both get some rest? Tomorrow is a big day.

Buffy: But adult fun.

Angel: Can wait till later.

Buffy: Promise.

Angel: Of course.

He pulls her close and they close their eyes.

 

 

2PM

Conner wakes up and begins fusing. Buffy tries to slip out of bed.

Angel: Stay here. I’ll get him.

Buffy: But.

Angel: Rest while you can.

Buffy: I guess I should.

Angel walks out the door. Buffy buries her face in her pillow.

 

Angel walks down the stairs.

Angel: Mommy needs her rest. She has a big day tomorrow. I know you don’t understand yet. But your new sister will come tomorrow.

Conner: Dada.

Angel: What son?

Conner: Dan.

Angel: What?

Conner begins wiggly.

Conner: Dan.

Angel: Oh, down. Here ya go.

The little boy heads to his toys as soon as his feet hit the floor.

Angel: You thirsty?

Conner: Fursty.

Angel: Thought you would be.

Angel: Fixes them each a drink and settles down on the sofa. He picks up a book and begins reading. A crash is heard. Angel jumps up and scoops up Conner.

Angel: You okay?

He looks a the lamp that had been on the desk. He returns it to it to the desk

Angel: It is okay.

Conner: Dan.

Angel set him down. He sits on the floor and watches the boy play.

Angel: Good thing mommy did not hear that. Daddy would be in so much trouble.

 

 

4PM

Angel is sitting on the floor with Conner when his cell phone rings. He reaches in his pocket.

Angel: Hello

Giles: Angel?

Angel: Hello Giles.

Giles: I did not expect to get you?

Angel: It is my phone.

Giles: No I mean I thought you would be with Buffy. Buffy said Willow would have your phone today.

Angel: No that is tomorrow.

Giles: Huh. Buffy said Willow would have your phone to let us know about the baby

Angel: She will.

Giles: But the seer just called me and said the baby is almost here.

Angel stands up with Conner.

Angel: What are you talking about?

Giles: The seer for the Watcher’s Council just called and said that the child is almost here.

Angel: But he said the thirteenth and this is the twelfth.

Giles: It is the thirteenth here.

Buffy: AAAANNNGGGEEEEELLLLLL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Angel: Oh hell.

He dashes up the stairs. He enters their room to see her sitting on the edge of the bed.

Angel: What is it?

Buffy: They are wrong. We got to go now.

Angel: Where? The hospital?

Buffy: Yes damn it. They said tomorrow.

Angel: It is tomorrow in England.

Buffy: What? Oh god, you need to call.

Angel drops Conner in his crib. He reaches for the bedside phone and sees the cell phone in his hand. Lifts it to his ear.

Angel: (into the phone) Got to go Rupert.

He hangs up the cell and tosses it on the bed. He picks up and dials the phone.

Angel: Buffy, lie down.

Buffy: Just…..make….the…….call.

Angel: (into the phone) Hello. My wife is having a baby………1630 Revello Drive………(to Buffy)…..Buffy, how far apart.

Buffy: Nooooot Stttooppping.

Angel: What? (into the phone) She says they are not stopping. (to Buffy) Buffy, continuous?

Buffy nods.

Angel: (into the phone) Yes. Okay is someone coming?

Buffy lies back.

Buffy: No time.

Angel: What?

Buffy: Now.

Angel: Now? Oh god. (into the phone) Tell them to hurry.

He helps her lie back. He slides her panties off.

Angel: (into the phone) I can see hair. Lots of brown hair.

Buffy: Brown? Oh god.

Angel: Do the breathing. Remember.

Buffy: Shut up! Just get them here.

Angel: They are coming. Relax honey

Buffy: Urgh!

Angel: (into phone) What should I do?………….I can’t……………oh god………….okay, just tell me……………..yes…………Buffy, you need to push on the next contraction.

Buffy: They coming?

Angel: Yes, baby. Are you ready?

Buffy: Do I have a fucking choice? Oh god.

Angel: Push baby. You can do it. That’s it. I can see. Oh god. Come on baby. Relax. Deep breaths. (into the phone) Anything else?……………..Oh here we go. Push honey. I can see her. Oh god it is her head.

Buffy: She okay?

Angel: Just keep pushing…………….Come on love………………….I know you can do this. Now breath.

Buffy: If ……I …..had ………..a stake.

Angel: You’d be all alone. Now push.

Buffy: I can’t. No more.

Angel: Yes you can. She needs you.

Buffy: I am so tired.

Angel: I know you are, now push…………….that’s it………..almost here…………….little more.

Buffy: Ohhh.

Angel: (into the phone) She’s out……………no…………come on Caitlin.

Buffy: She okay.

A cry is heard.

Angel: She is perfect.

He grabs a blanket as a voice calls out from below.

Angel: Upstairs!

The paramedics rush in.

Paramedic 1: I see we missed the fun.

Buffy: Fun?!

Angel picks up Conner and slips into the hall he watches from the doorway. One examines Caitlin while the other checks Buffy.

Paramedic 2: Let’s get the stretcher.

The paramedic hands Buffy the baby and they head down stairs. They carry up the stretcher and place it out side the door.

Paramedic 2: Mrs Summers, We are going to help you into the hallway.

Angel: What? Here.

He hands Conner to a paramedic and lifts Buffy gently. He carries her into the hall and lies her down. She looks up and smiles. He leans in and lightly kisses her.

Angel: We have a daughter.

Buffy: I know.

She runs her fingers into his hair and pulls him into a deeper kiss.

Paramedic 1: Now we know why they have two kids.

Angel takes Conner and they head down the stairs.

Paramedic 1: Mr. Summers, you will need to drive. We can not take the boy with us.

Angel: I know.

Buffy looks out the open door into the sunshine

Buffy: But Angel.

Angel: I know. I will be there soon.

Buffy: Just call Crystal.

Angel: I will. Do not worry about me. I will be there soon.

She reaches for his hand and brings it to her cheek before she is rolled out the door. She grips his hand until he has to pull it back or get burned. She looks at Caitlin in her arms.

Buffy: Daddy is coming. He is. I promise.

 

 

Angel runs to the phone and dials.

Angel: Hello, Mr. Matthews? This Is Angel Summers. I really need Crystal to come over the house. ……….Okay thanks.

He hangs up and dials.

Anya: Magi

Angel: Is Crystal there?

Anya: What?

Angel: Anya, is Crystal there?

Anya: Angel? Yes.

Angel: I really need her at the house.

Anya: Is it the baby?

Angel: Yes, they are on the way to the hospital. She had it here.

Anya: Oh my. She is in the way.

 

Five minutes later.

 

Anya burst into the house followed by Crystal.

Angel: Thanks for coming.

Crystal: No problem. Now go.

Anya: I can drive ya.

Angel looks at her car parked at the foot of the steps. He grabs a blanket and runs for the open door. She gets in the drivers seat and takes off.

Angel: Go to the parking garage across from the hospital. I can take the tunnels through the basement.

Anya: Good.

She turns it and stops. Angel jumps out and slips in a manhole. Anya parks the car.

 

In the hospital.

 

Doctor: Well Buffy, you missed it by one day.

Buffy: I know.

Doctor: Well everything looks fine. They will take you both upstairs in just a moment.

Buffy: So no problems.

Angel: Hi.

Buffy: There you are.

Doctor: Hello. I here you took my job.

Angel: Not my idea.

Buffy: Not mine either. It was suppose to be tomorrow.

Angel: It is tomorrow in England.

Buffy: What?

Angel: Giles had just called before you screamed for me.

Buffy: And they were on England’s clock.

Angel: Yes.

Buffy: Now the tell us.

Doctor: So this psychic you have been talking about lives in England. So she came when he said she would.

Buffy: I guess so. I need to call Giles. Oh god and Willow and Dawn and…………

Angel reaches in his pocket.

Angel: The cell phone is on the bed at home.

Buffy: Figures.

Doctor: You can call form your room. And I think these ladies are taking you up know.

Angel: Where is Caitlin?

Doctor: She is already upstairs in the nursery. They will bring her as soon as you are settled.

Buffy: Angel.

Angel: On my way.

He heads for the nursery.

 

Later.

Buffy is nursing while sits on the edge of the bed watching. He keeps smiling.

Buffy: Hey you. Not too happy. Do you hear me?

Angel: I’m not. But she is so beautiful.

Buffy: Sure, brown hair, brown eyes, I get that.

Angel: She is almost as beautiful as her mother.

The door opens and the room quickly fills.

Willow: I can not believe you two. Can you ever do things the normal way?

Buffy: Is my life ever normal?

Xander: Not really.

Dawn: Can I see?

Buffy: Yeah. I think she is done.

She turns Caitlin around.

Willow: Oh lord. She looks even more like Angel than Conner if that is possible.

Buffy: I know. At least Conner got the blonde hair. This one is all daddy.

Willow: I bet she will be Daddy’s girl too.

Buffy: I know she will.

Oz, Cordy, Gunn, Fred, and Wes walk in.

Cordy: Hey. We got to the motel and they said to get over here.

Dawn: So we are all here tell, tell. You promised after she was born you would tell her full name.

Buffy: Oh yeah. Angel?

He leans down and takes the baby.

Angel: So you wanted know?

Anya: Of course.

Angel: Well folks. This little lady is Caitlin Rose Summers.

Willow: What? But you can’t.

Buffy: Huh?

Willow: You are breaking the pattern.

Buffy: What pattern?

Willow: The A’s. Everyone on of us has an A in there name.

Buffy: Huh?

Willow: Buffy Anne, Angel Liam, Conner Alexander, Alexander Lavelle, Anya Christine, Daniel Anthony, Willow Abigail, and even Cordelia

Cordy: Don‘t

Willow: Anastatia.

Cordy: Damn it.

Gunn: Anastatia?

Cordy: Yes.

Gunn: You said…………

Cordy: I know what I said.

Dawn: Well I like the name.

Willow: Anasatia?

Dawn: No. Rose. It was mom’s name.

Anya: Your mom was Joyce.

Buffy: Joyce Rose.

Willow: Oh. All right then. I guess it is okay. But you still broke the pattern.

Wes: I have no A.

Fred: Me either.

Everyone looks at Gunn.

Gunn: What?…………oh alright its Augustus.

Buffy: Never realized all the As. Sorry Will.

Willow: Its okay. Not in stone.

Nurse comes in.

Nurse: Sorry folks but some of you need to leave.

Willow: I think we al should. Let Mom and Dad have a little time. They had a rough day.

Cordy: What was rough?

Dawn: Oh you guys didn’t hear. Buffy?

Buffy: You tell her.

Dawn: She had the baby at home. Angel delivered her.

Cordy: What? Are things ever simple around you two?

Buffy laughs.

Angel: Willow and Xander said just about the same thing.

Everyone leaves. Buffy reaches up her hand.

Angel: No, I am not giving her back.

Buffy: I don’t want to take her. I want you.

Angel: You want me? Where?

Buffy points to her lips. He smiles and leans over and kisses her. Her hand strokes his cheek as he sits down.

Buffy: We missed our grown up time.

Angel: I think this is pretty grown up.

Buffy: I guess it is.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

© 2005 Tara