The Daughter Trilogy part 5/5

Recap:  Giles' cleared his throat, letting the Watcher and mum
comments slide by him.  "Let's split up and meet at my house and
process this information we now have on Glory."

Jenny and Angelus quietly worked on the computer, while Willow
prepared a video disc so they could watch it on the television.
Jenny's face twisted in pain for a moment, the vampire beside her
didn't pause.  "Call Mrs. Rayne, she'll help when you go into birth."

Cordelia heard him and ran for the phone, making the call as Giles
walked in with Ethan.  "Xander, Ethan, move the furniture.  I think
we're going to need a lot of room.  Giles. Angelus thinks that Jenny
is about to go into labor, where do you want her to give birth?"

He hesitated for a moment, then gathered himself.  "The family room
would be the best."  Giles moved to Jenny while Cordelia finished the
call.

"Buffy and I will be by to pick you up.  Wait for us inside, okay?"
With that, the two women left the house.

Xander and Ethan moved one bookshelf in front of the window, surprised
when Spike and Riley helped each other to move the second one.  Those
two had never gotten along-even after necessity forced them together.
With the four men working together, the room was cleared in moments.

Dawn and Dru came downstairs, attracted by all the noise.  "What's
going on?"  Dawn asked.

"I'm about to be a sister!"  Willow squealed, then gasped as she
banged her wrist in her excitement.  "Stupid wrist."

Dru went to the linen closet and got blankets ready for the baby and
to help cushion Jenny.  "Little bit, go start some water boiling."
She said to give Dawn something to do.  She sent everyone else
upstairs, knowing they'd just be in the way.

Ethan was in the kitchen already, getting the instruments from his kit
ready for sterilization.  He gave her a grateful smile when she
started to help him.

When Joyce Rayne arrived, Jenny was in the middle of a very painful
contraction and Dru handling everything to the best of her knowledge.
She smiled at the vampire, kneeling down to help her.  "Very good,
Drusilla.  Girls, go upstairs and see how everyone is doing."

Ethan smiled at his wife and strengthened the barrier around the
house, they couldn't afford to let Glory catch them on this night
especially.  Giles gave him a grateful look from his position on the
floor, but continued to coach his wife.  Ethan marveled at how well
they had repaired their friendship, then realized that it was more
Willow's doing than their own.

"You got it."  Cordelia said, pulling Buffy up behind her.  They
entered the room and took stock of the situation, which didn't look
very pleasant.  "You get movies, I'll dig up some snacks, though I
doubt that will help Willow."

Buffy nodded, then looked at her sister.  Dawn went with her to
Willow's room where she kept the movies.  In a few moments, all three
had walked back into the room.

Which was a good thing because Willow was pacing, nervous and jumpy at
every sudden noise, until Angelus got tired of watching her and
everyone started to get dizzy.  He reached out when she passed him,
caught hold of her waist and pulled her onto his lap.  She didn't
think to object, recognizing the looks on her friends faces.  "Sorry.
But I've never been in this situation before."

"That's all right, Will."  Xander said from the bed.  He took the
popcorn from Cordelia and moving to the side so that she could sit
down.  "Put in "The Princess Bride", that movie rules.  What?"  He
exclaimed at their looks.  "It is and if you had any taste, you'd
agree with me."

"All right, Xander.  We never thought we'd ever hear you say that."
Cordelia soothed as Spike put it in.  Soon they were all absorbed in
the tale of 'true wuv'.

Five hours later, Jenny gave a final push and a baby boy greeted the
world with a powerful cry.  She reached out and held her little boy.
"My little Tyler."  Giles squeezed her hand, signaling his approval of
the name.  Jenny let Dru take him away for cleaning, but watched her
through tired eyes.

Joyce was worried and pulled Giles and Ethan to the side, away from
Jenny's hearing.  She confided her fears about the color of the blood
around the baby.  Dru joined them, quietly offering her opinion on the
situation.  After a quiet discussion, it was agreed that Willow would
need to come down to help them do a spell to protect Jenny from dying
because she gave birth to a Night World baby and didn't belong to that
world herself.

Giles looked at his wife sadly, he was angry with himself for not
thinking of this situation happening.  Willow came down the stairs,
pale with shock.  Her hand grasped her father's, granting him peace of
mind.  She, Giles, and Ethan moved into the library and performed the
ritual.  Jenny fell into a peaceful sleep, cradling her baby close.
His power was innocent and healing, the final touch in helping her in
this battle for her life.

The morning passed peacefully and they decided it was time to watch
the disc Angelus had made.  Imagine their horror when they saw that
Glory was one of the most gifted doctors in town.  Cordelia turned off
the disc.  "What do we do now?  I mean, this town needs him.  We can't
just kill him."

Angelus thought for a moment, then it hit him.  Of course, it would
mean that he'd have to live with the stupid chip in his head
but..."Could you separate the two of them?"

Ethan nodded.  "It would have to be right as she's changing back
because she'd be weakened and unable to stop it from occurring."

"Would it be dangerous?"  Was the next question.

"No more dangerous than other spells."  Giles mused.  "It is
unprecedented, we would have to reverse the spell they used.  It could
work."

Angelus took a deep breath, gathering his courage.  "Then let's do
it."  He bid a silent farewell to the life he knew, the one he
could've regained easily.  Upon reflection, it wasn't as hard as he
thought it would be.  This time, he was choosing it, not some stupid
curse.  It was his choice alone but he knew that his children would be
with him, they had changed as much as he had.

The next few days were busy ones, they were gathering the supplies and
working when Dawn didn't come home.  As they prepared to search for
her, they realized there was only one place she would be taken.  To
Glory's.  The battle began after the sun went down, the Night Worlders
set their stuff up as Buffy and the vampires exhausted her.

Xander and Cordelia fought her minions.  They were able to separate
the two, but a slight miscalculation gave Glory her own form.  Glory
laughed in triumph and tossed the spell casters to the side.  Then she
climbed quickly up the shaking edifice where Dawn stood tied and ready
for the ritual.  She pulled the knife from its sheath, it rose and
slashed through the Key's skin.   Buffy followed her as fast as she
could, grabbing the railing when the tremor occurred as Dawn's blood
hit the open air.

Taking a deep breath, the slayer let go and ran straight into the
Goddess, knocking her into the vortex.  Dawn snatched her sister as
she passed by, the bonds the held her helped her keep them both safe.
Glory fell, unable to stop and her body plugged up the hole she'd
opened.  "At least she's gone home."  Buffy said as she untied her
sister and they made their way down the structure, that collapsed once
they were down and away.

Angelus made his way over to Willow, helping her up from the spot
Glory had tossed her.  With an arm slung around her shoulder, they
moved to join the others.  Before they could see them, Willow stopped
him.  "That was a brave thing you did, choosing to live with that chip
in your head."

"It wasn't much."  He denied, wondering what she was up to.

"Yes, is was."  She reiterated, studying him.  'You know, just when I
think I have you pegged, you go and do something like this.  But give
me time, I'll figure you out.  Then, you won't have any defenses
left."  Then she kissed him with the passion he remembered so well.

His arms moved fast, pulling her flush with him.  He did let her
control the kiss, relaxing his hold only when he heard how fast her
heart was beating.  "You do realize that I'm not going to let you go
anytime soon, princess."  He whispered as he rested his forehead
against hers.

Her laughter rang out into the calm night.  "You're weird, you know
that, Angelus?  As if you could keep me if I didn't want to be kept."

"Oh, I'd find a way."  He smiled devilishly.  "Let's go meet the
others before your father stakes me."

"Yeah.  I don't want to be dating a big pile of dust.  That could
really put a crimp on a few things."  Her face was blank, but her eyes
twinkled merrily up at him.

"Minx."  He breathed appreciatively as they walked away.

"Party at Giles'!"  Xander shouted, dancing with Cordelia happily.
"We are unbeatable!"

"As long as you don't jinx us, Xander."  Buffy teased him.  "Remember
Parent's Night?  Spike's gate crashing was your fault."

"Can I help it if I've got a gifted tongue?"  He shot back as they all
disappeared into the night.

The End, really this time.  I promise.

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