Forever, Always, and Then SomeChapter 125
Saturday, November 30, 2002 Buffy steps off the elevator, Caitlin’s carrier gripped in her hand. She pauses at the nursing station but turns as Willow walks out of a door down the hall. She heads toward the red-head. Willow: Angel felt you arrive. Buffy: How is he? Nurse: Miss, you can not take the baby with you. Buffy turns in shock toward the voice. Buffy: What? Nurse: The infant. Too many germs. Willow: Buffy, I’ll take Caitlin. Room 521. Buffy relinquishes the carrier and turns toward the door. She pushes it open and looks at the two figures curled up on the bed. Angel looks over. Angel: Looks who is here. Conner begins struggling to get up. His father holds him back. Conner: Mamamamamamama Buffy moves quickly to his side. Angel slips off the bed so she can wrap the toddler in her arms. She holds him to her and curls up on the bed Angel: Buffy…….I…….I……..I am so sorry…..I didn’t. Buffy hold out her hand and takes his. Buffy: Shh. It is not your fault. Angel: But it is. I was not watching. Buffy: Shh. She turns and looks at her son’s face. The large purple bruise covers one side. Buffy: Got quite a shiner there kiddo. But I have seen much worse. I have worn much worse. (glances at Angel) Daddy has too. Angel: The doctor said nothing is broken. He just wants him to stay overnight for observation. Buffy: A sleepover in the hospital. Now that sounds fun. Conner buries into her chest. Angel: They said one of us should stay. Buffy: Of course. Conner, is that okay? You and daddy have a sleepover here? Conner looks at his mom then up a the cartoons on the TV. Angel: Me? You want me to stay? Buffy: Of course. I will go home with Caitlin. I will come back before sunrise and we can switch. Angel: You trust me? Buffy: With my life. Will you quit beating yourself up. It was an accident. Nothing else. He leans over and kisses her cheek. Buffy: Why don’t you go see Caitlin why I visit with Conner. Angel: She is here? Buffy: Willow has her down the hall. They won’t let her around the sick children. He kisses her softly and walks out the door.
Sunday, December 1, 2002 5 AM Buffy steps off the elevator. She pauses at the nurses station. Nurse: Little early for visiting. Buffy: Just relieving my husband. He has to be somewhere early. Nurse looks down at her clipboard. Which patient? We like to know which parents are here. Buffy: Conner Summers. Nurse: Thank you. Buffy turns a walks to room 521. She slowly opens the door. Conner is sleeping. The sides of the bed are now up. She glances at the large bulk on the cot. She feels his eyes following her movements. Buffy: You ready to go? Angel: I guess. Where is Caitlin? Buffy: Dawn is with her. She was not happy with getting up early though. Angel: Then I better get back there. Buffy looks at the small bed as he extracts his large form. Buffy: How did you sleep? Angel: I didn’t. Buffy: Poor baby, bed too small? Angel: No, I just couldn’t close my eyes. Buffy: Angel, go home and sleep. This self flagellation is getting old. He looks at her in shock. Buffy: I mean it. I think you thrive on feeling guilty. You have to keep punishing yourself. Angel, you are not a bad person. Angel: I am not a person. She takes a deep breath. Buffy: I am not going to listen to this. I think you need to go to Caitlin. I will bring Conner home as soon as he is released. Angel looks at her confused but slips out the door and heads home. Buffy lays down on the cot and sighs.
10 AM Angel sits in his room feeding Caitlin. Cordy walks in. Cordy: Hi, Conner not home yet? Angel: No. Cordy: Do you need anything? Angel: No thank you She turns to leave. Angel: Cordy? She turns back. Angel: Do you think I thrive on feeling guilty? Cordy: Yes. Angel: Oh Cordy: That is you. You always act as if you are responsible for all the bad things that happen to everyone. As if you alone are to blame. Angel: I have done a lot of bad things in my time. Cordy: Not you, Angelus. He did a lot of bad things. The worse thing Angel ever did was fire me. Angel: But I am Angelus. He is me. Cordy: No he is not. I have met you both and he is not you. Angel is my best friend. But Angelus I would kill in a heartbeat. Angel: Oh. Cordy: What brought this on? Angel: Buffy. She says I keep punishing myself. Cordy: Is this about Conner’s accident? Because that is all it was. An accident. Angel: I was suppose to be watching him and I let myself get distracted.
Angel: I was suppose to be watching. Cordy: And when you and Wes started talking, I should have kept an eye out. I was not even in the conversation, but I was too busy listening to you two argue. So I am to blame even more. Angel: He is my child. Cordy: But we all love and care about him. You need to stop blaming yourself all the time. Buffy: That’s what I said. Angel and Cordy look toward the door. Buffy stands holding a sleeping Conner wrapped in a blanket. Angel: Buffy. Buffy: Cordy can we have a minute? Cordy: Sure. Is Conner okay? Buffy: Yes. Cordy steps out of the room and Buffy pushes the door close. Angel: What is wrong? I was just talking to Cordy about what you said. Buffy: I heard. Can we talk about it later? There is something more important now. Angel stands up and walks toward her. Angel: You said he is okay. Buffy: He is. He is perfect. Angel: Thank god. Buffy: I mean perfect. She walks over and lowers the sleeping toddler on the bed. Trying not to wake him, she gently moves the blanket. Angel looks down at his sleeping form. Angel: What’s wrong? Buffy: Look at his face. Angel stares at the child. Buffy: What does this mean? Angel: I’m not sure. It does not mean something bad. Buffy: I know but I think it is important. Angel: Me too. Buffy: I’m calling Giles. Angel: Giles? Buffy: He is the only one I know who may have access to the answers. Angel lays Caitlin in the cradle. Angel: What about Wesley? Buffy: He no longer has access to Watcher records. Giles does. Angel: You are not calling the Council. No way. Buffy: Not the Council. Giles. He can check the records. Angel: And what is he suppose to look for? Buffy lifts her gaze from the child’s face to his father’s. Buffy: I want to know if any other slayer has had a child. She lifts up the phone and dials. Angel steps up behind her and rest his hands on her shoulders. She leans back against his chest as the phone rings. Giles: Rupert Giles here. Buffy: Hi Giles. Giles: Buffy? Is there something wrong? Buffy: I don’t know. I hope not. Giles: What is going on? Buffy: Giles, do you know if any slayer before me ever had a baby? Giles: Not that I am aware of. Buffy: Oh. Giles: Buffy are you going to tell me what is wrong? Buffy: It’s Conner. He fell down the stairs yesterday and hit his face on the railing. Giles: Lord, is he okay? Buffy: He is fine. Actually too fine. Giles: Pardon. Buffy: Last night he had a bruise on the side of his face that rivals most I have seen. And this morning he looks perfectly normal. Giles: Are you saying the bruise is gone.? He healed overnight? Buffy: Yes. I….We need to know what it means. Giles: I’m not sure. Buffy: Caitlin is a slayer, I expect her to heal fast. Not Conner. He is suppose to be a normal child. Giles: He is. Buffy (sob): Giles…. Angel takes the phone and she turns and buries her face in his chest. He wraps his arm around her as he lifts the phone to his ear. Angel: Rupert. Giles: Hello Angel. Is Buffy okay? Angel: She will be. Do you have any idea how this can be? Giles: Actually I don’t. I know of no other slayer having a child. Most don‘t live that long and well…….. Angel: I know. But we need to know. Giles: I agree. It could be just hereditary. Angel: An inherited gene? Giles: That is the only thing that makes sense. We know he is not a slayer or a vampire. Angel: But he may have inherited traits from Buffy. Giles: It is possible. Let me make a few calls. Angel: We are in LA. Giles: Okay. I’ll call back. Angel: No Council. Giles: Of course not. They hang up. Angel tilts Buffy’s face and looks into her eyes. Angel: He is okay. Being a fat healer is not a bad thing. Buffy (sniff): I know. But I am just scared. I know how it is to feel not like everyone else. Angel (smiles): Me too. But hey if he is a fast healer like you, we won’t have to worry when he takes up skateboarding or football. Buffy attempts a smile. Angel: So let me put him in his crib and we snuggle until Giles calls back. Buffy nods.
2 PM Cordy is sitting at the desk. Her foot is propped on the edge while she paints her toenails. The phone rings. She looks at Wesley standing on a stool stuffing books on the shelves. Cordy: I guess you want me to get that? Wesley: It would be nice. She leans over and grabs the receiver. Cordy: Angel Investigations. We help the helpless.
Upstairs. Buffy sits nursing Caitlin when they hear the phone. Angel: I bet that’s Giles. Buffy: It better be. From downstairs Cordy’s voice is heard. Cordy: ANGEL!!! Angel: Be back. He rushes down the stairs. Buffy sits rocking the baby, biting her lip. Five minutes later he enters the room. Buffy: Giles? Angel: Yes. Buffy: And? Angel: He contacted a friend of his in Chicago. A doctor. Buffy: He wants us to go to Chicago? Angel: No. She is flying in tomorrow morning. Buffy: Good. Angel: It will be okay. Buffy: I hope you’re right. Angel: I am. Now is she asleep? Buffy: Yes. Is Dawn still watching Conner? Angel: Yes. You want to lay down? Buffy: With you? Angel: Yes. Buffy: Lock the door. Angel raises an eyebrow and turns toward the door. He closes it and flips the lock. He turns to watch her leaning over settling Caitlin in the cradle. The look on his face mirrors the lusty thoughts running through his brain.
Monday December 2, 2002 11 AM Cordy walks in the lobby followed by a tall thin woman with light brown hair. Buffy stands up. Cordy: Dr Welsh, this is Buffy. Buffy: Walsh? Barbara: Welsh. But you can call me Barbara. Buffy shakes her hand. Barbara: And you are the mother? Buffy: Yes. I am not sure what Giles told you. Barbara: Giles? Oh you mean Ripper. I am not sure I have ever heard him referred as Giles before. Buffy: So you know him from his college days. Barbara: Why yes, did he tell you? Buffy: No, but the only ones who ever called him Ripper were from back then. Barbara: Oh. I was not aware. Angel walks in with Caitlin. Buffy: Dr….uh Barbara, this is my husband Angel. Barbara: Hello. Angel: Hi. Barbara: I am sorry. I was under the impression we were talking about an older child. Buffy: Oh…oh we are. This is our daughter Caitlin. The test are for our son Conner. He just turned one. Barbara: Oh good. I would not be able to do the tests on one has tiny as her. Fred comes down the stairs with Conner. Buffy steps over to take him. Buffy: Fred, he is too heavy for you. Barbara watches as the smaller blonde sweeps the toddler into her arms. Conner: Mama Barbara: Oh he is a adorable. Buffy: Thank you. Barbara: Well I guess we can get started. Angel: What do you need? Barbara looks around. Is there a room I can set up in? Buffy: I think we can find a vacancy. Angel: Maybe more than one. Barbara: The hotel not doing well. Angel: Oh this is no longer a hotel. It is our company’s office and a few of us live here. Buffy leads her upstairs. Barbara: What kind of business? Angel: Investigations. Buffy: Uh what has Giles actually told you? Barbara: Well he said you possess certain physical anomalies and are wanting to discern if they may have passed to your son. Angel open the door to an empty room. Barbara looks around. Barbara: This will do. She steps in. Angel: I will have your stuff brought up. He walks away. Buffy: We have also set up a room for you to stay in. Well if you want to stay with us. Barbara: That would be marvelous. If I know me, I will get working and lose track of time Buffy: Well the room is just down the hall. Barbara: Buffy, I want to understand what Giles has told me. Buffy: Okay. She sits down in a chair. Conner begins struggling to get down. Buffy: No. Now sit. Conner: Dan. Buffy: No. Conner continues to wiggle. Barbara: He is a handful. Buffy: At times. Gunn appears in the doorway with a number of large bags. Barbara: Just set them on the bed, please. He unloads them as Wesley walsk in with more. Buffy: So much? Barbara: After what Giles said, I want to be sure a document everything. Buffy: Uh, why? Barbara: No, no……….It is strictly for me. I will not share it with others without your permission. Buffy: Thank god. Angel walks in. Buffy: Can you take Conner? He won’t sit still. Angel lifts the baby. Angel: Do you need him yet? Barbara: No. I need to work with Buffy first. Angel: Then we are going to go play. Conner: Pay. Buffy: Have fun. Hey and no I.C.E C.R.E.A.M. Angel: How did……….. Buffy just looks at him. Angel: Fine. Mommy is party pooper. He leaves. Barbara: He has his daddy wrapped pretty tight I see. Buffy: Oh yeah. But I think it has to do with him so little of him. Barbara: Pardon. Buffy: Oh the kids and I live about two hours from here. We were here for the holidays when all this happened. We were suppose to leave yesterday . Barbara: Oh. Well let me ask you some questions. Buffy: Okay. But nothing leaves here. Barbara: You can trust me. Buffy: I hope so. |
© 2005 Tara