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Chapter 27: Ready or Not Cordelia burst into Angel's office without even considering of knocking. Angel raised his eyes from the book he had been reading and looked at the brunette with questioning eyes. “She's gone crazy. She finally cracked! The mommy has been running around the hotel all morning cleaning everything in sight”, she announced melodramatically waving her hands in the air as she spoke. “I know. What do you want me to do about it? She kicked me out of the kitchen because I made crumbs”, he answered looking at her helplessly and set his book down to the desk, knowing Cordelia this could take a while. He didn't find Buffy's cleaning spell as world stopping as Cordelia, his only worry was that she would exhaust herself since she hadn't stopped for more than to have a quick bite to eat. “She's possessed. That's the answer. She's possessed!” Cordelia cried out like she had just found the answer. She pointed her finger at him triumphantly. “By what?” Angel asked with a raised eyebrow, he thought she was exaggerating and that did sound a little far-fetched. “Martha Stewart?” she suggested uncertainly, but hopefully and all he could do was stare at her, not even attempting to give an answer to it. Finally he got up from behind the desk, letting out a quiet sigh. “I better go make sure she doesn't exhaust herself”, he stated and walked past her. “You're braver than I am”, he heard Cordelia's voice muttering in the office. He walked to the kitchen door and gently knocked before stepping in. “Don't mess with the floor”, came Buffy's voice from somewhere in the kitchen. He looked around, but didn't see her until he peeked over a tabletop and found her scrubbing the floor with a dust mask over her face. “Buffy?” She didn't pay any attention to him. He circled around the worktop and crouched down next to her. “Buffy. Maybe you should try to get some rest, you're gonna exhaust yourself”, he said and placed a gentle hand on her arm, stopping the movement. Finally she turned to look at him, he pulled down the dust mask from her face and smoothed her messy hair back. “I need to get this done before the baby comes. Everything is so messy and dirty and... I'm out of time. Ow!” she explained and let out a whimper of pain, her hand going down to her stomach. “What? Are you in pain?” Angel asked fear invading his whole being. “You could say that, but it's just a contraction. Ow!” She turned eyes to her stomach. “Hey! That really hurt!” “Did they just start? We better get you upstairs and we need to call Maria. Can you walk?” He made a list in his head while wondering how any father survived the birth alive, if his heart had been beating it would have been beating out of his chest like in one of those cartoons. “They've been coming for a while but... Ow! Not this strong”, she answered and at that moment her water broke. Both of them turned to look at the floor. “My water just broke”, she whispered, her voice barely audible. “Oh God”, Angel breathed out, his eyes darting back to her face. “Ow!” she cried out as a powerful contraction shot through her. “The bed. We need to get you to bed”, he said almost to himself and started to guide her out of the room. As they were on their way up the stairs, another contraction hit her and he too almost cried out in pain as she squeezed his hand, almost crushing it. Cordelia ran in from the yard after hearing the scream of pain. “What's going on?” she asked, worry clear in her voice. “It's happening, the baby is coming”, Angel said and Cordelia's eyes widened. “The baby? Now?!” “Yes, now. Come and help me”, Angel answered and lifted Buffy into his arms, quickly climbing the stairs and going to the their bedroom with Cordelia following him. “Get more pillows”, he told Cordelia and gently lowered Buffy to the bed, piling the pillows behind her back. He sat to the edge of the bed and took her hand to his, cupping her cheek with his other. She turned her eyes to his. “I need to call Maria”, he said, looking into her eyes and she nodded. He got up from the bed, loosing the confidence at the same time. Nervously he ran a hand through his hair. “I have to call Maria and... I... I...” he turned his eyes to Cordelia who had just returned to the room with her arms filled with pillows. “Cordelia, stay with her and don't let her break your hand”, he said and turned back to Buffy, not paying any attention to the high-pitched 'What' coming from Cordelia. “I'll be right back”, he said to her and quickly left the room. As soon as he was out of sight, Buffy's confidence fled the room with him and she felt like hyperventilating. “Oh God. The baby is coming. He's really coming. I can't do this. I'm not ready yet. I refuse to give birth right now”, she said trying to get out of the bed. “Hey. You have no choice. You so don't want a teenager living in there”, Cordelia said sternly and Angel chose that moment to return, immediately calming Buffy. “That was quick”, Cordelia stated. Angel rushed past her to Buffy, he sat next to her and took her hand to his. “Maria is on her way. How are you feeling?” “I'm...” Buffy started to say, but then another contraction hit her, she let out a painful cry. “You were such a good baby, why are you doing this to me now?!” she yelled to her stomach. “Maybe I should go keep a look out for the midwife”, Cordelia said and signed at the door. Angel nodded his consent and she stepped out of the room, letting out a shrilling scream when suddenly a woman appeared in front of her. “Do not be afraid, child, I am the midwife”, Maria said and gave the brunette a warm smile. “Yeah, nice to meet you. The mother's in there”, Cordelia said, keeping her hand still on her heart as she tried to steady her breathing. “Thank you”, Maria said and stepped into the bedroom. Angel had moved behind Buffy on the bed and was smoothing her hair back, trying to sooth her. “Just breathe. Maria's here. Everything is going to be alright”, he said to her with a soft, calming voice. “Aagh!” Buffy cried out, she was discovering whole new level of pain. “I hate you! You weren't supposed to be able to have children!” she yelled accusingly. Angel turned his panicking eyes to Maria, he was in agony just from seeing Buffy in so much pain and it didn't help that he was the cause of it. “Maybe she should be in a hospital”, he suggested and bit into his lip to stay quiet as she grabbed his hand with a firm grip. “No hospitals”, Buffy said through gritted teeth, she'd endure any kind of pain as long as she didn't have to go to a hospital. “There is no need. She is advancing well and quickly. Back in my day, all births were handled at home, hospitals were for sick people”, Maria stated and moved closer to the couple. “Yeah, and when I was still alive fathers didn't participate, they were drinking themselves into oblivion and now I know why. But that still doesn't change the fact that she's in great pain”, Angel answered. “I don't care about the pain”, Buffy said through gritted teeth and let out a scream as another contraction hit. The cry of pain could be heard all the way to the office where Cordelia, Wesley and Gunn were waiting nervously. “Okay, now I'm positive I'm never gonna have children”, Cordelia stated with a frown. Buffy was the slayer and could take more pain than anyone she knew with the exception of Angel, but still she could hear the agony in her voice. “My respect for women just doubled”, Gunn stated. “As for me as well”, Wesley agreed.
The gang was waiting in the lobby, all three turned to look upstairs when they heard yet another cry of pain. Wesley stopped his pacing and went straight to the cabinet where the bottle of whiskey was kept. “Anyone else want any?” he asked, raising the bottle. “No thanks”, came from both Cordelia and Gunn. Wesley poured his glass full and took a hefty gulp from it. He continued pacing with the glass in hand, he had a urge to clean his glasses, but he opted into taking another drink. “Would you stop it?! You'd think you're the father from all the pacing and drinking!” Cordelia snapped, she was nervous and Wesley was not making her feel any better. He stopped and turned to look at the brunette. “Don't be absurd, Cordelia”, he chastised. She just rolled her eyes before turning her full attention to him, staring at him with scrutiny. “You're worried about something. What is it?” “Buffy is delivering a baby nearly two weeks early, of course I am concerned”, Wesley tried but couldn't fool Cordelia, she wasn't convinced. “No. This is something else”, she stated, staring at him with demanding eyes. Then it hit her. “Has it something to do with the papers you've been working on day and night? Is Buffy 'the mother'? And the mother will what? Wesley?!” She neared Wesley menacingly, pointing accusing finger at him. God, that woman is worse than a terrier, Wesley thought to himself, taking a step back. “What are you talking about?” Gunn asked confused, he had been lost at the mother part. “Cordelia, there is not...” Wesley started to say but didn't get to finish. “Shut up”, Cordelia commanded and turned her eyes back to the second floor, the two men followed her gaze. “Do you hear anything? I don't hear anything? Why don't I hear anything?” she questioned, the frown on her face deepening. She was first to start climbing the stairs. When they reached the hallway, all stopped to listen carefully. Then there was a cry echoing through the hotel, but it was different from the ones before. “It's a baby”, Wesley stated in awe. A moment later the three burst into the bedroom finding Buffy laying on the bed spent, drenched with sweat. Angel was sitting next to her with a proud smile on his face and a small baby wrapped in a soft yellow towel in his arms. Cordelia was the first one to speak. “Is it a girl?” “Sorry, Cordy, it's a boy”, Buffy answered and smiled, her voice was happy but exhausted. Cordelia frowned, but neared the bed anyway, peaking at the little bundle in Angel's arms. “Aww”, she sighed as the baby opened his eyes and looked at her. “You have a boy”, Wesley sighed, relief evident on his voice as well as his face. “No twins, thankfully”, Buffy said and carefully took the baby from Angel, placing him against her chest. “Did we miss anything?” came Willow's voice from the doorway. Everyone turned to look as the five people tried to squeeze through the door at once. After Angel had called the midwife, Wesley had called to Giles and in less than fifteen minutes Giles, Willow, Xander, Faith and Tara were on their way to LA. Anya stayed behind stating that babies were born everyday, but her money would go to another store, it was fruitless to remind her that Giles owned the Magic Shop. “Everybody out of the way, that baby is mine!” Xander yelled and rushed inside the room. All eyes turned to him. “You're so lucky Anya didn't come along and hear that”, Willow stated with a grin and walked past him. Xander tried to get closer to the bed, but Cordelia pushed him aside and blocked his path. “Out of my way, Donut Boy”, she ordered. “Auntie Cordy wants to hold the little one”, she added more softly and looked at the now sleeping baby in Buffy's arms. “Sorry, but nobody gets to hold him till he wakes up”, Buffy answered and she could have sworn Cordelia was pouting. Xander smiled at the brunette's discomfort and stepped past her closer to the bed. He looked at the baby with awe, like he was from another world. “Wow, he really has Dead Boy's huge forehead”, he joked and Buffy frowned, turning her gaze to the sleeping baby and defensively covered his head with her hand. “It's a good thing he's a boy since he's been dipping into daddy's gene-pool. Have you decided on the name yet since I really hope you're not gonna call him Celia?” Xander continued and Buffy sent a chastising look at his way. “We're gonna name him Connor”, she answered and shared a soft smile with Angel. “And enough with the forehead jokes, I was the one that had to give birth to him so it's a serious matter. Besides, he is perfect”, she added and turned her eyes to the baby, gazing at him lovingly. He opened his eyes lazily and seemed to be staring at her. She had read somewhere that newborn babies couldn't focus on anything, but still it looked like he was looking right at her. “Okay, he's awake. Now gimme!” Cordelia said and held out her arms. “Move over, Barbie, the kid is mine. I'm practically family”, Faith said and stepped in front of the taller brunette. Buffy sighed and rolled her eyes, she knew where this was headed. “Nobody is going to hold him if you don't learn to behave and I bet he's hungry, so everybody out”, she said. “Why do we have to leave just because he's hungry?” Xander asked confused and a little hurt that she was kicking him out. “Because she's going to breastfeed, doofus”, Cordelia answered and Xander blushed, he hadn't even considered that possibility. “And no one gets to see the goodies except Angel”, Faith added and gave the vampire a wink. Giles looked towards the heavens, the children were impossible. He neared the bed, looking at the mother and child and as she turned her gaze to him, he offered her a gentle smile. “Congratulations, Buffy. And you, Angel as well. You have a beautiful baby”, he said and Buffy gave him a teary smile. “Thank you, Giles”, she said, her voice coming out as a whisper. “But now we better give you some privacy. We'll be downstairs in case you need anything”, he said and the large group left the room, leaving the new parents alone with the baby and the midwife. Angel brushed a strand of hair from Buffy's face and pressed a soft kiss to her forehead. “Thank you”, he whispered next to her ear. “He's beautiful, isn't he? But I'm gonna be sleeping with a stake under my pillow cause there is no way I'm going through that pain again”, she threatened and he let out a soft chuckle, he doubted he could go through that again either. Buffy unbuttoned her blouse and offered the baby a nipple which he took with no hesitation, suckling greedily. “Once he has eaten I'll give him a proper bath and leave you alone”, Maria said softly and Buffy nodded. When Connor had been born, Maria had wiped him clean before wrapping him into a clean towel and handed him to the parents so he hadn't had the first bath yet. Buffy wanted to be part of it, but she was too exhausted to move, once again she was thankful that she was a slayer, she had a feeling the labor would have been longer otherwise.
“Would you like a drink? You have just been promoted from a surrogate father into a grandfather, so I believe a celebration drink would be somewhat necessary”, Wesley suggested as they stepped into the office. Giles nodded with a weary smile, it was true, he did feel like a grandfather to the child upstairs. Then he wondered if Hank Summers even knew Buffy had been expecting a child, his next thought was Joyce and what a pity it was that she couldn't join them to witness the birth. But he also understood that she couldn't just leave her work in the middle of the day, he didn't find an excuse for Hank's behavior. “Yes, I believe a drink would be nice. Xander was driving like a madman all the way here and I think I am still a bit high-strung over it”, he answered to Wesley's question. Wesley took a whiskey bottle from the bottom drawer and poured it into two glasses, handing the other to Giles. “Thank you”, the older watcher said and took a sip from the glass. “I believe we can breathe more easily now. As you saw, there is only one child, no twins like the prophecy said”, Wesley stated and leaned against the edge of the desk, he was more relaxed than he had been in months.
“Yes, I certainly hope so. Buffy has no twins, no sister and Angel's soul has been bound. But there is the frightening fact that what we've seen and translated is only a part of the prophecy. But I do believe we can worry a little less now”, Giles said and let out a sigh of relief before taking another sip of the whiskey.
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