Gift From The PastChapter FourAngel’s Apartment. Buffy looks into his eyes as he kneels in front of her. She runs her hand across his jaw. He appears calm on the outside as he waits for her to speak. He feels her hand tremble and reaches up and takes it in his own. Angel: What is it? You can tell me anything. You know that. Buffy: Boy this is harder than I thought. Willow: Buffy? Buffy: I’m okay, Will. She stares onto Angel’s eyes and swallows. He kisses her palm softly. Buffy: Okay then. Well Angel…… She looks up at the ceiling. Angel: Whatever it is, it will be okay. Buffy slowly looks slowly back down. Buffy: I hope so. She swallows once more. Buffy: Well thing is. Well when they brought me back from Galway. She pauses as he waits patiently. Buffy: Well when they brought me back, well I didn’t, well I didn’t come back alone. He looks confused but stays quiet. She moves the hand holding hers and gently kisses his fingertips before laying it on her stomach. Buffy: I didn’t come back by myself. Angel stares at his hand and then slowly looks back into her eyes. He is finally able to choke out two words Angel: Are you? Buffy nods. Tears fill his eyes once more. Angel: Are you sure? Buffy: Pretty sure. I did the home thingy this morning. Angel: When? Buffy: I think you were there. Angel: I mean how long. Buffy: Six weeks. The tears stream down both their faces. He pulls her into his arms and holds her tight. It seems like an eternity before he pulls back and looks intoher eyes again. Angel: Are you, do you, can you? Buffy smiles. Buffy: Yes, I want it. Do you? Angel: Oh god yes. Willow: I think I will go upstairs and let you two talk. She moves toward the elevator but stops and turns. Willow: Uh, what about Xander? Buffy: Oh yeah. She turns her head back to Angel. Buffy: I promised to tell him why we came here. Angel nods and turns toward Willow. Angel: We will be up in a few minutes. Willow: I will tell them. Angel: Them? Willow: Cordy was upstairs too. Angel: Oh. Willow glances at the stairs. Willow: I think I prefer the stairs. She walks over and slowly ascends. The couple are not even aware of her movements. Their eyes are locked onto each other. Buffy: Are you okay? Angel: No. Buffy: Are you scared? Angel: Petrified. You? Buffy: Not anymore.
Upstairs Willow walks into the office. Xander: Where’s Buffy? Willow: They’re still talking. Cordelia: What do they have to talk about? Why is she here? Willow: They will be up in a few minutes. Cordelia: So I guess that means you won’t tell us. Well, I will let you know, we are a team here and as such we work together. We don’t have secrets. The door opens and Wesley enters. Wesley: Hi ho. Oh my we have visitors. Uh, where’s Buffy. Cordelia: Downstairs and no I have no idea why. Wesley: Well then. Hello Willow, Xander. Xander: What’s up, Wes. You working with the vamp detective now I hear. Wesley: Why yes. Angel and I do work together. It has been quite a rewarding endeavor, I might add. Cordelia: You take home a paycheck. Big reward. Wesley: I find that helping to rid the world………….. They all stop and look at the slowly rising elevator. Cordelia moves to close the gaping blinds. The gate opens and Buffy steps off followed by Angel. Cordelia: Finally. Willow: Are you okay? Buffy: Yeah Will. Things are good. Cordelia: So you want to tell me what is going on. Buffy: Xander, you want to take a walk? Xander: Sure Buff. He stands up and opens the door. Angel: Wes, can I see you in my office a moment. Wesley: Sure. Angel and Wesley step inside and close the door. Cordelia: What is going on here? She turns toward Willow when the office door opens. Angel: Willow? Willow walks past a stunned Cordelia and into the office. Cordy stands staring at the door. She turns on her heel and propels herself into her chair. Cordelia: As if I care what (fingers making quote signs) “big” secret Buffy has.
Angel’s Office. Wesley: My lord Angel, this is well this is amazing. I guess I should say congratulations old man. Angel: Thanks. Wesley: But you’re not happy? Angel: Actually I am. And that is the big problem. Wesley: Oh I see, in your case that could be quite a problem. Angel: And one I hope to avoid. Willow: You don’t think this news will like cause you to lose it, do you? Angel: Not the news. But I am afraid of what will happen later. Willow: Later? Wesley: I think he means when the child is born. From all accounts the birth of a child is one of the happiest days of any man’s life. Angel: And I never thought I could have a child. Willow: I see. But we can help. If you lose it again, I can just do the curse again. It will be okay. Angel: I don’t want it to come to that. I can’t do that again. Wesley: You want to find a way to bind your soul before the child comes. Angel: I do and we only have seven and a half months. Willow: And if we don’t? Angel: Then I will have to do the hardest thing in my life……..again. Willow looks into his haunted eyes. Willow: You would leave her again? Angel: I wouldn’t have a choice. I can not put her and the child in danger. Willow: It will destroy her. Angel: It will destroy her more if I lose my soul again.
The Street Xander: Whoa. Are you telling me you went back and found pre-vamp Angel and did the pelvic mambo. Buffy: Yep. Xander: And pre-vamp Angel has no curse and is very fertile. Buffy: That pretty much sums it up. Xander: And you told him? Buffy: Uh huh. Xander: So what are you going to do? Buffy: We are still working on that part. It is all very new. Not a lot of time to figure stuff out yet. Xander stops and reaches for her arm. She turns and looks up at him. Xander: I know it’s not much, but I am here for you all the way. Anything you need, just ask. Buffy: Thanks Xand. I might take you up on that. Xander: I do have one question though. Buffy: What’s that? Xander: What about Riley? Buffy: Oh god Riley. I forgot. Xander: You forgot about Riley? Buffy: No, I forgot I’m suppose to meet him for lunch at one. Xander: There is no way we can make it back on time. Buffy: I know that. I can’t talk to him right now either. Now what am I suppose to do? Xander: Looks like it is time for me to do what needs to be done. Buffy: Huh? What’s that? Xander: I will call Riley and cancel your date. Buffy: You would do that? Xander: Yes. But you get to tell him the rest of the stuff yourself. Buffy: I will, just not today. Telling Angel was hard enough for one day. Xander: So you ready to go back? Buffy: Yes.
Angel’s Office Willow: I think we should call Giles. He has a few books that may be helpful. Plus we may need a lot of help. Angel: I guess. But I hate to tell him over the phone. Willow: I’ll call and just tell him what books we need. We can tell him why, once he gets here. Then we can form a plan with both teams to co-ordinate the research. Angel: You are right. Willow: Talking about teams. I think you better talk to your girl out there. Don’t you think? Angel: Yes. I just wanted to get the research going first. Willow: Well Wes and I know what to do. You go talk to Cordy. Angel: Thanks. He opens the door and steps out closing it behind him. Cordy ignores him and stares at her monitor, mindlessly taping on the keyboard. Angel: Cordy? Cordy: Hmmm. Angel: Cordy, I need to talk to you. I need to tell you what is happening Cordy looks up at him her eyes flashing. Cordy: Oh so now you want to talk to me. So now I get let in on the little secret. She leans back in her chair with her arms crossed. Cordy: So talk. Angel: Maybe we should go downstairs. Cordy’s face changes to one of concern. Cordy: Oh lord, the world is ending isn’t it. Angel: No. Let’s just go down and I can make some tea. She stands up and they move into the elevator.
Willow: Well Giles said he would come up and bring the books. Wesley: Did you tell him what we were doing? Willow: Yes, just not why. We can let mom and dad have that honor. Wesley: That will be quite the event, I imagine.
Outer Office Buffy and Xander enter and look around. Xander: Where did everyone get to? Buffy knocks on Angel’s office door. Willow opens it and Buffy walks in. Buffy: Where’s Angel? Willow: He went to talk to Cordy. I guess they went downstairs. Buffy: Uh, I think I will wait up here until he is through. Willow: Might be a plan. What is Xander doing? Buffy: Calling Riley and breaking my lunch date. Willow: Oh.
Lowell House Riley walks up and picks up the receiver lying on the table. Riley: Riley Finn here. Xander: Xander Harris here. Riley: Hi Xander, what can I do for you? Xander: Buffy asked me to call. She has well gotten a bit tied up and can’t make lunch. Riley: Oh. Why didn’t she call? Xander: No time. Listen, she will call when she gets home. Riley: Home? Where is she? Xander: Gotta go. She‘ll call. Riley: Xander. Riley stands listening as the phone clicks in his ear. He slowly lowers the receiver. Riley: What is going on? He picks back up the phone and dials. Graham: Miller here. Riley: Hey Graham can you track that last call I got? Graham: Sure, what’s up? Riley: Don’t know yet.
Angel’s Apartment Cordy sits at the table staring into her cup. She looks back up at him. Cordy: How can you be sure it’s yours? Angel: Cordy. Cordy: I mean really. Who knows who she has been doing since you left. She could just be saying it is. Angel: I think you know Buffy better than that. Cordy: I know she would have done anything in the past to keep you. Why is now any different? Angel: Cordy. Cordy: Come on. You said she hasn’t even been to the doctor. You don’t even know for sure she is pregnant. Angel: Please stop. I just told you I am going to be a father and you keep trying to take that away. Cordy looks into his eyes. Cordy: Angel, I am not trying to take it away. I am trying to be the voice of reason here. Angel: Cordy, I am not closing Angel Investigations. I am not giving up on our mission. On Doyle’s mission. We still have a lot of work to do here. I know that. But I also know that in seven and a half months, I will have one more person to be responsible for. And that means making a living for all of us. Cordy: That was not my concern. Angel: Yeah it was. Cordy: Well maybe partially, but not entirely. I have seen what happens when Buffy is around. She messes with your head. The last time she was here, you locked yourself away for days. Angel: The last time, I gave up a life with Buffy to keep fighting. I am still not sure I made the right choice. Cordy: But not this time. Angel: I gave up my life, I can not give up my child too. Cordy: So how does this work? Angel: We are still trying to decide.
He turns his head as he hears someone coming down the stairs. Buffy: I can leave if I am intruding. Angel: No. I think we are done. Cordy? Cordy: Just think about what I said. Angel: I will. Cordy: Buffy, I guess I should congratulate you on your little news. Buffy: Thank you. Cordy: I will be upstairs if you need me. Some of us have jobs to do. Cordy leaves. Angel stands up and walks over to Buffy. Angel: You okay? Buffy: Yeah I guess. It has just been a long day already. Angel: You look tired. Buffy: I am. Been kinda having problems sleeping lately. Angel: And why’s that? Buffy: Oh might be the whole, am I or am I not concerns. Add to that the whole if I am then what. Angel: I am sorry I was not there to share the worry. Buffy: How could you be. It is not like you knew about my little adventure. Angel: You want to lie down for awhile. Buffy: Here? Angel: Yes, the bedroom is through there. No one will bother you. Buffy: Promise? Angel: If any one dares try, they have to deal with me. Buffy stand on her tip toes and kisses his cheek. Buffy: Thank you. Angel: For what? Letting you borrow my bed? Buffy: No, for being you. She walks into the bedroom. He follows her and covers her with a large throw. Angel: Sleep. Buffy: Angel. Angel: Yes. Buffy: Might not be the best time to say this, but I still love you. Angel: I know and I love you too. Now sleep. |