Author: Jinni
Rating: PG13
Pairing: W/A/S/C
Summary: A new addition to the 'Family'arrives, changing everyone's lives forever.
Author's Note: Never heard of the Family Matters Series? Well - I don't really blame anyone for that - I first started this series and the fics that came before it almost 2 years ago. To read them all in sequence go to my website and first look under W/S fic and read "School's Out for Summer". Then head on over to W/A/S/C fic and read "European Vacation". Finally, in that same category, you can catch up on "Family Matters"!
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~*~Part One~*~
The park was beautiful, Willow had to admit, but just being there brought her down. It wasn't because it was still winter and the trees had yet to regain their leaves. Or the fact that there were no flowers to admire and enjoy. In years past she could remember actually enjoying the park during the winter months, when there were no pressing crowds around to disturb the stillness and no heat to make one want to retreat back to the coolness of an air conditioner.
But not this year.
Things had changed in so many ways since she had last gotten to walk through a park like this, the cool air of the season biting through her jacket and invigorating her body. She had, since her last visit to a winter time park, not only found herself sleeping with a member of the undead - but also with *another* member of the undead and her childhood enemy. Not that she regretted a single second with Spike, Angel and Cordelia. They truly made her life worth living and gave peace to her soul. But, in a way, they were the reason she was so sad.
Glancing over her shoulder, the red head once again caught a glimpse of the scene that had made her heart ache - a mother and her two children, both no more than three years of age, playing in one of the park's many sandboxes. The children, one male and one female, were both bundled up tight against the coldness, their mother sitting alongside them in the sand, playing invade the castle with some small figurines they had brought with them. She turned away again, sighing to herself. She would never be in that position - she would never be a mommy. It wasn't that it was impossible. Well, okay, with her current love interests it *was* impossible. Vampires couldn't have children and unless Cordelia somehow turned into a guy.
The thoughts of being a mother and having children had been plaguing her for nearly two weeks now. She thought about it every time she went shopping or turned on the television - because everywhere she went there were women with children, happily playing the part that nature intended them to play. It was normal, she had concluded, for her to want to be a mother. Those same thoughts were what had driven her out of bed to go walking in the morning hours, though she had hoped to not come across any reminders of her plight while in the park.
She kicked at a rock on the path, sending it flying out into the grass before turning down the path that would lead her to where she had parked the car. Her lovers would be getting out of bed shortly and would no doubt wonder where she was if she didn't get home soon. She didn't want to worry them. This was her own burden to bear. For all she knew Spike didn't even want kids. It was logical to assume he didn't, with him being a formerly big bad vampire and all. The thought of Spike as a daddy brought a smile to her face. Without a doubt he would be at a complete loss in how to deal with a baby or a child. It would make for a cute scene, to say the least.
But that scene would never be played out.
Willow trudged back to the car, her feet kicking up dust along the pathway. She pushed the key into the lock on the door with a heavier heart than what she had left the house with and prayed that these feelings she was having would pass soon enough so that she could go back to being the same carefree person she had been before.
~*~*~
Cordelia had noticed when her red haired lover had left the bed. She had heard the witch get dressed and then leave the house, and had been completely confused by her actions. The only thing that kept her in bed instead of following immediately after her was the thought that maybe Willow needed some time alone. It didn't take a genius to see that she had been unhappy for a few weeks now, though Spike and Angel seemed to be completely oblivious to it. 'Men.' Cordelia sighed, sitting up slowly and disentangling herself from the arms and legs of the vampires surrounding her. She kissed first Angel then Spike on the forehead, leaving them in the bedroom, and crossed the room to the connected bathroom.
As the first spray of hot water hit her skin, the brunette tried to figure out exactly what could be wrong with Willow. The red head certainly hadn't mentioned anything to her about any problems, though it was obvious by the way she was acting that there definitely was something bothering her.
Cordelia turned her back to the water, letting the massaging action of the showerhead ease the tension in her lower back. Thoughts of Willow's problems were forced out of her head for a moment as she remembered exactly *why* she was so sore that morning. Images of Angel, Spike and Willow, in bed with her, making her scream until the early morning hours, pounded through her brain, making her tingle with renewed desire.
But then thoughts of Willow penetrated through her lust-induced mind and drove away all hints at desire. She closed her eyes, tilting her head back to let the hot water wash through her hair, her fingers working shampoo through the brown locks. Could Willow be hiding something from all of them? Was there something that she was afraid to tell them? It was completely possible, she knew, that her lover may have done something or thought of something that had disturbed her and just didn't want to talk to any of them about it. 'She should know that the four of us are close enough to work through anything, though.' Cordelia mused, puzzled. She could think of no good reason why the little red head would be hiding something that was bothering her from them. After all, weren't they her family? As far as she could tell, Willow hadn't mentioned what was wrong to anyone, including Xander. And that was the most puzzling thing of all. Willow had never been the type of person to completely hide her emotions from those she cared about. Why was she doing it now?
Cordelia rinsed the last of the shampoo from her hair then picked up a coarse sponge and began to wash her body. She scrubbed away all traces of dirt and sweat, the sweat being a product of her lovemaking the night before. When she was finally sure she was clean, she turned off the water, slipping from the warm steaminess of the shower into the just slightly cooler air of the bathroom itself. She toweled her body off quickly, slipping on a fluffy pink robe with the word 'Princess' embroidered on the back in darker pink thread. It had been a present from Spike and was one of the few things he had ever purchased for her that had showed any type of thought. She had been touched that he had gone out of his way to apparently order the item through some sort of specialty catalogue and then present it to her on her birthday.
The boys were still sleeping when she opened the door of the bathroom, the chilly air of the apartment hitting her like a slap in the face. She pulled her bathrobe tighter around her, snuggling into its warmth, and headed for the living room. There was no sign that Willow had returned yet, and the key rack next to the door indicated that her car was still gone. The brunette sighed, settling onto the couch to wait for her lover. She was going to nip this thing in the bud one way or another.
If Willow wasn't going to just volunteer the information, Cordelia would just need to pester her into giving it up.
She flipped on the television, keeping the volume low to avoid waking up anyone else in the apartment. Out of the corner of her eye she could see that Xander's door was closed tight, though Faith's was wide open, the bed not showing any signs of having been slept in. A grin crept across her lips. She wasn't sure exactly what had happened to finally cause those two to just admit they were perfect for each other and get on with it - but they definitely seemed to be making up for lost time. Not a night had gone by since that first one, more than a week before, that found Faith sleeping in her own bed. They would usually emerge by mid-morning, both looking rested, though not overly so, and at some point during the day one or both of them would be heard complaining about soreness or being tired already. It was cute to say the least.
She heard the lock on the door of the apartment click open and looked up expectantly, giving Willow a small smile when she entered the room. "Heyas, lover. Couldn't sleep?"
The red head smile ruefully, putting her keys back on their hook. She stripped off her coat, laying it across the back of a chair, and sat down next to Cordelia, sharing the warmth that was radiating off of her. "I could ask the same thing of you, Delia. It's still sorta early for you." She breathed in deeply, closing her eyes. The smell of peaches emanated from the tanned woman's skin, the scent of the shampoo that the brunette so loved to use. It was a comforting scent and it brought a smile to Willow's face.
"It's hard to sleep without you, Wills." Cordelia admitted, her voice dropping sadly. She grabbed hold of one of Willow's hands, squeezing it gently. "What's wrong lately? You seem so sad, yet you're not talking to any of us about it."
Willow froze, tensing up in the arms of her loved one. "Its nothing, really. Nothing at all."
"Uh huh." Cordelia snorted, unbelieving. " 'Nothing' got you out of bed this morning at such an unholy hour. 'Nothing' makes you look like you're crying on the inside all the time. Forgive me if I don't believe you." She turned, still holding onto Willow's hand, and looked into her lover's green eyes. "Tell me what's wrong. Please?"
The red head sighed, closing her eyes and trying to come up with the words to express the pain she was feeling inside. "Its just." She stopped, biting her lip, still striving for those perfect words that would make everything clear to Cordelia. "Have you ever thought of having kids?"
The question startled Cordelia. It certainly hadn't been anything she had expected, even though she hadn't known really what to expect at all. She thought for a moment, searching her own mind and heart for the answer to the red head's question. "Sometimes I think about it." She admitted finally. "It would be nice, you know. But it's not possible, so I don't dwell on it."
Willow chuckled humorlessly. "Maybe that's my problem then - I can't stop dwelling on it. I see kids on TV, in magazines - hell, even this morning at the park, and it makes me think of what I will never have."
"Oh." Cordelia sighed, pulling Willow into her arms. She held the red head, stroking her hair, listening to the even sound of her breathing, and understanding completely how she felt. Despite what she had told Willow, how many nights had she laid awake in bed wondering about what it would have been like to have at least that part of a normal life? It had gotten harder when Xander and Faith got together because, if things worked out for them, they would probably one day be raising kids of their own. How hard would it be then? To watch their friends do all those things they themselves had wanted?
But there were people in completely normal situations that were unable to have kids, she reminded herself. Couples where they should have been able to have that ounce of normalcy in their lives but couldn't because fate had decided to render one of them sterile. What did people in those situations do? Fertility treatments were out of the question - Spike and Angel had been sterile for centuries and Cordelia really couldn't see herself or Willow allowing another man to father a child that would come to term in their bodies. In a way it would be better to just.
"Adopt." She said aloud. Willow jerked beneath her touch, as if startled by the suddenness of the word.
"Adoption?" The red head asked, sitting up enough to look in Cordelia's eyes. "Hmm." She murmured, pondering the thought. "That's definitely a possibility. But. I don't even know if Angel or Spike would be agreeable to it. I mean - a baby is a big responsibility, you know."
Cordelia nodded. She knew that Angel would probably not have a problem with it, in fact they had once spoken about how they wished they could have a child of their own. But Spike? He was a totally different story. How would he feel about having a baby in the house? "There's no way to know unless we ask." She said finally.
Willow took a deep breath, nodding. She looked towards the door of the bedroom, giving her lover a devious look. "And there's no time like the present to wake them up and ask, right?"
The brunette grinned. She knew what Willow had in mind as a way to wake up their men, and it would definitely put them in a more agreeable mood than just springing the question on them without any preparation. She stood up, pulling Willow to her feet. "Let's go wake them up, then."
~*~Part Two~*~
Lilah didn't believe in luck, but for once the damned thing seemed to be on her side. She smiled, the expression genuine for one of the few times in her adult life, looking over the report she had just received from one of her own personal hired operatives. It was almost too good to be true, just the chance she had been looking for in fact. How could the cards have fallen so wonderfully in her favor? It was such wonderful information, in fact, and timed so perfectly, that she had spent two days checking up on it before deciding that the reports were true and not something Lindsey or one of the other representatives had schemed up to send her on a wild goose chase.
Angel and crew were looking to adopt a child.
How perfect.
From what her spy had gathered, things weren't going too well on that end for the happy foursome. He had spent the better part of the past week following the various members of the 'family' around town as they checked into adoption. Seemed they just weren't what most adoption agencies called 'quality parental material', though. She laughed. 'Wonder why that is? Two mommies and two daddies - what more could a soon-to-be-screwed up kid want?' In fact, all of the adoption agencies in town, from state-run to private, had turned them away. It appeared to be making the red head of the group quite miserable. She pulled a thin file out from underneath the report she had just been looking at. "But *look*!" Lilah joked to herself, her voice loud in her otherwise silent room. "I have just the thing to bring a smile to her little face."
The female lawyer looked at the picture on her desk, grinning wickedly. On the surface it would appear that the child in the picture was nothing more than that - a child. But, flipping further into the folder behind the picture, one found out much more than that. A rare form of shapeshifting demon, the 'child' was in fact a full-grown adult, and one of the many demons on retainer at the law firm. He would be the perfect operative to get inside Angel's building and snoop through all of their private files, something her own spies hadn't been able to do on their own. The best thing, she had found, was that the company wizards assured her that they could make it so that neither of the vampires or the little witch would be able to tell that the 'child' was anything more than a normal three-year-old human boy.
'And then, when we have learned all we can - he'll disappear, leaving poor little Angel at a loss, desperate and heartbroken.' Her laughter echoed through the office. All that was left to do was pay off someone at one of the adoption agencies to make this all look legit and then - presto! Instant road to heartache for Angel and his loved ones.
~*~*~
Willow checked her hair in the mirror next to the door for the hundredth time, eliciting a moan from the woman on the couch behind her. "He's a three-year-old, Wills. He won't care what you look like." Cordelia snickered, giving her lover an innocent smile when the red head turned to her.
"I know that." Willow insisted, smoothing down the front of her dress despite the logic her mate had just presented to her. "Is everything ready? Angel and Spike should be back with Aaron any minute now." It had been much of an internal debate on her part as to whether or not she wanted to be one of the ones picking Aaron up from the adoption agency. In the end it had been decided that they didn't want all four of them going because it would make things more confusing for the child than things already were going to be. And, since Willow wanted to make sure the house and everything in it was ready for his arrival. She had stayed home to wait. Nervously.
The brown haired woman nodded, still chuckling at the young witch's anxiety. She stood, making her way over to Willow, and placed her hands on the other woman's shoulders, gently kneading the tense muscles. "Calm down, sweetie. Everything will be fine. We're going to be the best parents ever. Think about it - between the four of us we *have* to do better than our own parents did."
Willow snorted, pulling Cordelia into her arms. "I would hope so - otherwise social services will be back to take him away in less than a week." She felt the silky touch of her lover's hands on her back, completely visible due to the low-cut back of the dress dress. She sighed in pleasure, abandoning herself to the caress. Eyes half-closed in sweet ecstasy, she tilted her head up, gently kissing the brunette's lips. It was easy to forget all of her worries when she was with her mates, easy to forget about anything else in the entire world, in fact.
And then she heard the door open behind them.
Jumping apart, both girls instinctively wiped at their mouths, making sure no lipstick had smeared, knowing it probably wouldn't be best to have Aaron's first impression of them be of them making out. Willow held hear breath, waiting for the moment when she would see her new son for the first time. He was a little older than what they had initially trying to adopt, but still not so old that she wouldn't have quite a bit of parenting left on her hands. In the end, she felt like it was truly a gift from the Goddess that they had been able to adopt at all, what with the way the local agencies had treated them like they were freaks and all. 'Gift from the Goddess.' She repeated to herself, something nagging at the back of her mind. Why did that phrase spark recognition in her? There was no time for that now, though. Not when Aaron was suddenly there, in the doorway, the picture of three-year-old innocence.
~*~Part Three~*~
“Where’s Willow?”
Cordelia looked up as her dark-haired mate entered the room, giving Angel a glance. He looked confused, maybe even a little upset about something. “She took Aaron to the park. Why? What’s wrong?”
“I can’t find some papers and some other things in my office have been moved around. I wanted to see if she had been cleaning or re-organizing or something.” He frowned. “She didn’t mention anything to me, though.”
“Is it possible you just misplaced them?” Cordelia suggested. Tension was radiating off of the vampire’s body in waves almost palpable enough to feel. She stood, coming up behind him and rubbing his shoulders. “Just stop and think. Try to remember. Willow didn’t mention anything to me about cleaning so they have to be in there somewhere.”
Angel nodded. It had been as a last result that he had attributed the loss of the files to his red haired lover. It was totally unlike her to disturb anything in his office without his prior knowledge. Though – what could have happened to the files? He sighed, pulling away from Cordelia and turning to give her a light kiss. “Thanks, Delia. I’m going to go back and try to find them. You’re right. It’s not like they just got up and walked away.”
~*~*~
Willow discovered when she got back that Angel had not, in fact, ever found his files, and he was more than a little upset about it. She had sent Aaron to his room to play and had searched the office herself for the sensitive folders, only to come up empty handed as well. The folders were sensitive only in the fact that they contained client information in them. There was nothing damaging to Angel Investigations or the client in them, though, so while their loss was disturbing, it wasn’t devastating.
“I dunno, Angel.” She said, shoving the last of his files back into the filing cabinet. “I haven’t been in your office in two days – I’ve been too busy with Aaron to even think of cleaning up or rearranging anything.”
The vampire nodded. Now that he thought of it, there was no way Willow could possibly have had time to misplace the files. Between her and Cordelia Aaron had slowly been introduced to nearly half a dozen children’s parks, museums and ‘fun places’ in the week he had been with them. He hoped that the child wouldn’t get spoiled too quickly. After all, he wanted to play a part in that and that just wasn’t possible with Willow and Cordelia monopolizing all of Aaron’s time. He sighed, motioning for Willow to get off of the floor and come to him. “Sorry I ever thought it was you, baby.”
The red head shrugged. “I didn’t take it personally. The files are definitely missing. But a client could have accidentally, or purposefully, have walked off with them, too. No matter. I have a backup of all of the information from them on the computer. I’ll print it out and put it in a new folder for you.”
Angel smiled, leaning down to kiss her lips. His tongue dove into her mouth in a further apology, showing her in his own way that he hadn’t meant to be accusatory. She moaned, parting her mouth even further for his advances. Their tongues battled within the moist, hot confines of their mouths, dueling in a dance of passion and love. Finally, breathless, she pushed back from him, grinning wickedly. She eyed the evidence of his passion and winked. “Save that for later when Spikey and Delia can play too.”
“Aw… Don’t I get some Willow love all to myself?” Angel whispered, drawing her back towards him. It was nice to have her all himself sometimes; nice to have her warm body pulled flush against him without Spike or Cordelia there wanting his attention as well. He enjoyed being with each of his mates alone at times, in fact, and had only recently cornered Spike in the bathroom for a quick moment of lust.
“I have to get back upstairs. I left Spike with Aaron…”
That was all Angel had to hear. He sighed in mock disappointment, vowing to find time with just her sometime in the near future. It was important not to leave Spike alone with Aaron for too long. For some reason the blond haired vampire just wasn’t taking to the child as well as everyone else in the household. Even Faith seemed to have more affection for Aaron than Spike. It was almost sad to see the blond try so hard to feel something he just seemed to be mentally and emotionally blocked on. He grabbed Willow one last time, pulling her back towards him, his hands squeezing her butt through her jeans. “Go on, get back up there. We’ll finish this later.”
“Promise?” Willow purred, licking her lips and giving him a leer. She waited only long enough for him to nod before fleeing the room to check on Aaron, leaving Angel staring around his office in confusion. Where could those files have gone?
~*~*~
He could see the clock in the darkness, the little hands of the Disney-encrusted item slowly ticking. Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock. Time seemed to crawl by every night at this time – when he was waiting for the ‘adults’ to go to sleep. They stayed up far too late, he noted, finally sliding from between the Mickey Mouse sheets. He glared at the cartoon character in disgust, rolling his eyes. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. Any child would go nuts having these people for parents anyway. They were too pushy, trying too hard. And the blond vampire?
He was just creepy.
The demon called Aaron shivered, morphing back to his true form in order to move more stealthily through the apartment. In the form of the child he couldn’t use any of his normal powers, had to rely solely on that frail little body to protect him and keep him safe. It was frightening. ‘Damn Wolfram and Hart. This is the last job I’ll ever take from them. Sending me to a home with a witch, a Slayer, and two vampires. ‘Uncle Xander’ is the most normal of the lot and he’s a childish freak.’
It only took the demon moments to make its way through the apartment and to the slim staircase that led down to the offices. His night vision was just acute enough to enable him to see in the tight hall without having to turn on a light – which was just as well since that would definitely bring one of the ‘adults’ to investigate. He entered Angel’s office quietly. This was only the third time he had dared to sneak down to the actual offices. From what he had heard today, with ‘Poppa Angel’ running around like a vampire in the sun, he hadn’t been too careful last time he was in the office. They had noticed that some of the files were missing. He’d have to be more careful next time and take things that wouldn’t be missed immediately, otherwise his time would be cut short. They weren’t stupid people and would figure it all out eventually. Best to play it safe for now.
In the early hours of the morning he shuffled through the files, setting a few aside that were labeled in ways that made him think they were important. It was impossible to know what kind of information Lilah really hoped for him to gain from this entire mission. She had only said to find out what he could – no real push in any certain direction for something specific. The clock caught his eye and he sighed. He was only halfway through the filing cabinets and already it was time for him to get back to bed. At this rate he’d be stuck living with these people for another week.
‘Last job for Lilah.’ He chanted to himself, dialing a number on Angel’s office phone. He waited for the pager’s beep to go off and punched in his code. There. The contact would be there in five minutes and he could hand over these files and get back to bed. Maybe he would be a little more daring and get this entire mission wrapped up a little sooner. He really didn’t want to spend another night in the form of a child. Those sheets were enough to give any evil demon nightmares.
~*~Part Four~*~
Willow watched Aaron run around the playground, his little face shining with happiness as he made his way to the top of the slide, coming down with his hands held over his head, a look of rapture on his face. How wonderful it was to get to come here, with him. To for once not be on the outside looking in at happy families. She was a mommy now. And her little boy was busy playing in the dirt. She sighed, smiling good-naturedly as she walked over to where Aaron was happily pulling up tufts of grass to get to the dirt underneath.
“No, Aaron.” She said in her sternest voice, wincing inwardly when he turned a disappointed face to him. “You got all dirty, sweetie. Now we’ll have to go home and get you all cleaned up.”
‘Good.’ The demon that was Aaron thought happily. That *had* been his entire plan all along, do something that would make the witch take him back to the apartment. At least then he wouldn’t have to run around and act like he was really happy to be here. This was embarrassing. If any members of the demon community ever found out he had done this he would be forever shunned. It had been three nights since his last attempt to enter Angel’s office and he was determined to wrap things up one way or another tonight and get the hell away from these people. He truly felt sorry for any child ever to enter their screwy household. If the kid didn’t get scarred for life from having two mommies and two daddies, they’d certainly end up with mental problems from all the smothering attention and coddling.
He sighed, playing the part of a child being told they have to stop playing early. Tonight, one way or another, he was going to get things done. He didn’t care if Lilah had gotten what she wanted. He’d make one more trip into that little office, go through the files for a few hours, and then leave with the contact when he came to get the files. Besides, the vampire was getting too suspicious with so many files disappearing on a weekly basis.
~*~*~
Spike stretched, curling his toes with the effort. He turned his head, looking over at the digital clock next to the bed. The red letters showed it was only a little past two in the morning, their glaring brightness hurting his sensitive eyes amidst the darkness of the bedroom. He could feel his demon scrambling around the back of his mind, clammering for something, or someone, to eat. He slipped off the edge of the bed, sliding Willow’s arm, which had been holding onto his waist, to the empty sheets. She mumbled something in her sleep and then rolled over, seeking the warmth of Cordelia’s body right next to her.
The vampire smiled, enjoying the sight of his two women together. If he hadn’t been hungry he would have been tempted just to crawl back in bed and wake the two of them, and even his Sire, up for a little early morning shagging. But he *was* hungry and shagging could wait for later. Maybe after his snack? He slipped on a pair of pajama bottoms, opening the door to their room without a sound and shutting it behind him. He didn’t want the sound of the microwave to wake anyone up.
‘What the –‘ Spike stopped, staring at something he knew was just wrong. The door leading between their apartment and the offices was ajar. He knew for a fact that Angel had closed it before going to bed that night. In fact, he could distinctly remember standing there, watching his Sire shut the door, and then the two of them going to bed. Faith and Xander had already been holed up in their room by that time, and Willow and Cordelia were waiting in bed for them.
So who had opened the door?
The vampire eased down the stairs, straining his sensitive hearing for any sign of noise below. Yep. There was something. A sound of papers rustling. He padded quietly past the open door of the office, staring in shock into Angel’s office.
A demon, at least six feet tall and the ugliest shade of green imaginable, was seated at Angel’s desk, rifling through a stack of files. The vampire glanced at the filing cabinet, confirming his suspicion that the files had come from there, the bottom drawer being open and nearly empty. ‘So this is what happened to Peaches’ files…’ He stepped forward, a squeak in the floor causing the demon to look up in surprise.
And then all Hell broke loose.
The demon dropped what it was staring at, baring an impressive set of teeth at Spike, and then rushed him. Spike felt his demon slide forward. He grabbed hold of the demon, slamming him up against a wall. The shudder rattled through the office, no doubt reaching the upstairs as well. Good. Maybe Angel would come investigate and help him out. The demon clawed at the vampire’s hands, its sharp nails biting into Spike’s flesh and drawing blood as the creature struggled against the wall. It only took a moment for the pain to become too much, but still he held on. Opening his mouth, the blond yelled. “Angel! Get your sorry arse down here and help me!”
Angel apparently had already been on the way, he stepped through the doorway a moment later, his mouth dropping open in shock at the sight of his Childe being assaulted by the demon. The smell of blood hit him and he growled.
It was at that moment that the demon decided to do the most damaging thing he could. He ceased struggling, his features melting and morphing, becoming that of the child they had adopted. Spike cried out, his hold on the creature releasing enough for the now much smaller shapeshifter to get free. He scrambled to the door of the office, flipping open the lock as both of the vampires stared on in shock. It was time to be getting out of here. He’d just walk to where his contact was waiting. “Bye bye Daddies…” He smirked in the voice they knew as Aaron’s.
And then he was gone.
“What in the bloody hell…” Spike muttered, sitting heavily on the edge of Angel’s desk.
“He was…that was… Aaron?” Angel sank into a chair. He could hear Willow and Cordelia moving about upstairs, no doubt waiting for them to give the all clear. But how was he going to tell Willow that Aaron had been some sort of demon who was now, undoubtedly, gone from their lives forever? It would break her heart.
“Guess we know why the files were going missing. Though, who was he giving them to?” The dark haired vampire sighed, looking to Spike for answers. The blond just shrugged.
“Dunno mate. I honestly don’t have the slightest clue.” He winced, his hands throbbing in pain. “I need to go upstairs and feed…have Red bandage me up…”
Angel nodded, standing up. He watched his Childe for a moment to make sure the blond was okay to be standing on his own and then followed him up the stairs. This was going to be hard…very hard.
He only hoped Willow took it better than he thought she would.
~*~Part Five~*~
Lilah slammed a hand down on her desk, glaring at the demon in front of her. “What do you –mean- they caught you?”
“Just what I said. I was going through the files and the blond vampire caught me.” The demon also known as Aaron frowned, giving the female lawyer a glare of his own. Who did this woman really think she was? She seemed to have no fear about pissing off the wrong people. All she really cared about was whether or not things turned out in her favor.
She took a deep breath, her eyes steadily locked on those of the demon before her. “Do they have anything to connect you to us?”
He shook his head. “No. They know that I and Aaron are the same though. I shifted during the fight with the vampires. It was the only way I could think to escape.”
“How lovely. You had a thought.” She rolled her eyes, sitting down heavily in her chair. “Fine. Whatever. It’s too late to undo what has already been done.” Her eyes were cold when they met his again. “Don’t fail me again. Ever.”
The demon stood, towering over her desk. “I won’t.” He growled. He bent down, placing his palms on her desk and putting his face only inches from hers. “I won’t be working for you anymore, Lilah. Or the firm.” He stressed her name, making it more of a taunt than a title. “Don’t call me again. Take me off your list.”
The lawyer blanked, the color fading from her face quicker than lightning. The senior partners were going to have her head for this. She watched the demon walk out of the room, knowing that she would pay, probably dearly, for alienating him. He had been one of their best operatives. They probably already knew what had happened, with their wizards watching every move that went on in the building.
Her phone rang. She felt her stomach sink to the lobby. Better to get it over with now. Maybe they’d let her live long enough to beg for forgiveness.
~*~*~
Only a week ago Aaron had slept in that bed.
Only one little week before he had been at the playground, sliding and running. Getting dirty and having ‘fun’.
And it had all been an act. The playing, the running, the joy at seeing them. Every little gesture, motion, word and look had been nothing more than an act. Their precious child had been a demon in disguise, sent by only the Goddess knew who to apparently steal files from Angel. At least he hadn’t gotten anything important during his time in the household. There was, at least, that much.
Willow sighed, determined not to cry again. A full week had passed since the night they had found out that their beloved child wasn’t, in fact, a child at all. It was heartbreaking to think on it too long, though she found that dwelling on it was all she could do. She settled her head onto the arm of the couch, yawning. The only problem with being so sad was the fact that she had no energy whatsoever. She hadn’t even wanted to make love to her mates in a week.
She was, in a word, depressed. With another sigh she allowed her eyes to shut. Angel and Spike were still out and Cordelia was in the bedroom reading. There was time for a little nap.
~*~*~
‘Willow.’
The red head opened her eyes, knowing instantly that she was in a dream state and not actually in the waking world. She looked around the interior of her living room, seeing the ghostly vapors and clouds of past emotional residue. It was as though she was not only seeing the objects, but seeing their past as well, their translucent structures little more than ghostly frames in this state. Then she remembered how she had gotten there in the first place, and her eyes turned to the woman standing in front of her.
‘Daughter. Did you forget the rings?’ The woman asked, her brow furrowed in confusion. ‘I know I put a spell on them so that you and the Seer would not think to use them before it was time. But surely you know it is time now? Can’t you remember?’
Willow jumped, both in the real world and her dream world, the memories of that long ago trip to Greece floating back to her as if through a long, hazy tunnel. Yes, she did remember, but only now that she had been told. The rings – where were they? Locked in a jewelry box at the back of the closet. Yes, she could remember it all now. ‘My Lady.’ She demurred, curtseying to the Goddess standing before her. ‘I did not remember. Thank you again for your help.’
‘You’re welcome.’ Artemis replied, waving Willow back to her body with a flick of her hand.
~*~*~
The red head’s eyes opened with a snap that was almost audible and she sat up immediately, looking around the room for any sign of the Goddess that had just visited her in her dreams. How could she ever have forgotten the rings? ‘Because Artemis didn’t want them remembered until the right time, like she just said.’ She twitted herself, sliding her legs off the couch and standing up. She stretched out her cramped muscles, noting that she could have only been asleep for maybe twenty minutes. It wasn’t even time for Spike and Angel to be home yet.
“Delia?” She called, making her way to the bedroom she shared with her three lovers. The brunette of the group was lying on the bed on her stomach, her legs in the air, as she flipped through a magazine. Willow stopped to smile at the woman. It was in Greece, where they had gotten the rings, that she had kissed Cordelia for the first time. It was inspiring, to say the least, to be reminded of that encounter.
“Hey, Wills.” Cordelia smiled, her expression changing to one of surprise as the red head’s lips descended on hers with a vengeance. She opened her mouth to the demanding kiss, her own tongue darting in and out of the other’s mouth. It was enough to make her body ache for the witch’s touch, make her moan in desire. She didn’t want the moment to end. It had been a week since the red head had shown any type of passion or hunger for her or the boys. She felt her body grow hot for the woman whose lips were slowly trying to devour her. But, just at the point when she was ready to throw her lover down and make her pay for the teasing kisses, Willow pulled away.
“There. I feel better now. What about you?” Willow grinned, winking at her lover. She slid her feet off the edge of the bed and padded softly over to the closet, throwing the doors open wide. Here, in this immense walk-in structure, was where they stored all of the things they didn’t need out and around the house. It was also where the jewelry box she needed was located. She looked up at the shelf encircling the ‘room’, her eyes roaming carefully over each and every item.
“What are you looking for?” Cordelia asked. She leaned forward on the bed enough to see into the closet, her eyes fixated on the red head that had left her panting and breathless only a moment before. Wasn’t Willow aware that she had something to finish out here? Something wet and warm and utterly delicious. “Wiiiiiiilllllooooowwwww…. Come back out here and finish what you started, lover.”
The young witch smirked. She turned her head, looking out into the room. From this vantage she could see Cordelia lying there on her back, nightshirt hiked up around her hips and legs spread just wide enough that Willow could tell the other woman wasn’t wearing a shred of underwear. “Gimme a minute, Delia, baby. I promise. This will be worth it.”
“Fine. Fine. Fine.” The brunette pouted, flipping over so that she could watch Willow searching through the various shelves and boxes in the closet. “Maybe if you told me what you were looking for I could help you find it? And then we can get back to those kisses…and your…”
”Here it is!” Willow cried out, oblivious to the sensuous turn her lover’s words had been about to take. She held up the jewelry box, laying it gently on the bed before running out to the living room to get her key chain. She returned, flipping through the keys, searching almost frantically for the one she needed. The one that would unlock not only the jewelry box, but also all of her hopes and dreams. It was almost inconceivable to think that they had, even with a spell on them, not remembered these rings. Those two little pieces of silver held the key to her happiness.
“Wait a minute.” Cordelia murmured, her eyes widening. “I remember that box. That’s where we put … “ She stopped as Willow opened the box, the rings coming into sight for the first time since they had placed them in it, back in Greece. Her face was awash in happiness, pure joy. “I remember now. The rings. They’re what we needed. Why didn’t I remember before?”
“Artemis didn’t want us to. Or – we weren’t ready to would be a better way of putting it. Or at least that’s the feeling I got from her.”
“Her? She’s here?” Cordelia squeaked, looking around the room as if the Goddess would appear at any moment. Her eyes were round brown orbs of apprehension and awe. The last time the Goddess had made herself known to Cordelia it was by physically taking over her body – not something the Seer wanted to experience again. Her hand clutched nervously for her lover’s, all previous thoughts of making love flying to the wind.
“Calm down, sweetie.” Willow whispered, lifting the woman’s hand to her mouth for an impulsive kiss. “She came to me in my dreams – to remind me. I don’t think she’s actually here.” The red head stifled a smile. Cordelia certainly was adorable when she was anxious. “I don’t think you need to worry about experiencing another round of body snatching.”
“Good.” The brunette sighed. “Not that I was not totally thrilled that she chose me… I just don’t ever want to feel like that again. I still really can’t remember what happened while she had control of me.”
“I know.” Willow said reassuringly. They had tried to get to those memories, if only for Cordelia’s sake, through all manner of spellwork and hypnosis, but to no avail. At the most all she had been able to do for Cordelia was share some of what she remembered of the night. It was like watching a movie instead of making it yourself, but it was still something. “So… What do you think?” She gestured to the box. Were they ready for this in light of everything that had happened with the Aaron fiasco? She certainly felt like she could handle motherhood, from the beginning this time. Conception to delivery. But how did Cordelia really feel about it? She held her breath, waiting for her lover to answer her question.
Cordelia grinned. “I think the boys need to get home soon so we can put these to the test.”
~*~Part Six~*~
The morning of Beltane found Willow fluttering around the kitchen, cooking something special for Cordelia for breakfast. Though her mates did not celebrate the same traditions she did, it was nice to cook for them on this, a holy day. She poured a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice, the color looking none too appealing to her at that moment. In fact – it looked downright sickening.
‘Oh, Goddess…’ The red head gasped mentally, running out of the kitchen and into the bathroom. She fell to her knees, loosing the little that had been in her stomach. She shut the lid of the toilet, flushing away her sickness, and laid her head against the cold porcelain.
“Red? Luv?”
“In here…” She whispered. Her strength was slowly returning, but it was best, in her opinion, that she not move too fast or suddenly. Her stomach felt as though it would rebel on her again at any moment and she wanted to be near the bathroom in case that happened.
“Are you okay?” Spike asked, kneeling down next to his witch. He could smell the foul odor of the purged food in the air, even though she had already disposed of it, and it made him want to gag. There were some things that not even vampires were fond of, and vomit was high on that list. Now a sewer demon, on the other hand, would have been in heaven breathing in that putridity.
“I just don’t feel good…” She whispered, wondering herself where the sudden sickness had come from. She had felt fine up to a few minutes ago – not even a little bit of tiredness or aches. Spike’s cool hand under her arm finally convinced her that getting off of the floor would be a good idea – that and the fact that her legs were getting cramps in them.
”Might have been that little Mexican place you and the Princess ate at last night, pet. She’s been up half the morning in the other bathroom. Peaches just got her back in bed a few minutes ago.” He led her carefully back to the bedroom, watchful for any signs that she would be sick again. They certainly didn’t need any odd-colored stains on the carpet. Was bad enough Aaron had spilled grape juice on it during his brief stay with them. Looking back on it, Spike had to wonder if that entire ‘spill’ episode had really been an ‘accident’. He wouldn’t put it past the demon to have done it just to spite them.
“Mexican…” Willow muttered, frowning. That wasn’t right. If they had gotten food poisoning from dinner the night before they would have felt it much sooner than this. What else had they done that could end with sickness…
“Oh, Goddess…” She whispered, pausing in the doorway of the bedroom. Cordelia was laying on the bed, safely wrapped in Angel’s arms, her face pale. “Oh. My. Goddess.”
“What is it, pet?”
“What’s wrong, Willow?”
The witch looked from one vampire to the other, a slow smile creeping across her face. The nausea was much more bearable now that she had found the most plausible reason for it. “Delia…the rings. I think they worked.”
“The rings?” Angel asked. Then it hit him and his face lit up like the morning sun lighting the sky. His brow furrowed as he did some quick mental calculations. “It’s been about five weeks. I take it you both are… Um….”
“Late?” Cordelia asked weakly, shock creeping up on her. She hadn’t even noticed it until this moment. But yes – she was ‘late’. “Two weeks for me. You, Wills?”
“One.” Willow murmured, feeling her legs weaken with the shock. “Wow. Wow. Wow. Wow.” She laughed, her stomach protesting weakly as she laid down on the bed next to Cordelia.
”So – you two are… “ Spike prompted, settling heavily on the bed with the rest of his ‘family’.
“I think so… yes.” The red haired woman smiled softly. “We won’t know for sure until we go to the doctor, get tests done. I’m sure we can get in today if we call soon.”
Angel nodded. “Do that.” He smiled. “I want to know as soon as possible.” His hand hovered over Cordelia’s abdomen, a tender look on his handsome face. A child could be in there, he knew, and it was amazing. The child would be his. And then there was Willow with Spike’s child. It was too spectacular for mere words. For most of his existence he had tried to atone for his sins without seeking any kind of reward. But here it was, handed to him on a silver platter. A child. An actual family that he could care for and love.
“Oh, don’t start, you big Poof.” Spike smirked, his voice soft and holding its own tinge of awe. He, like his Sire, found the entire thing amazing. Was his little witch actually pregnant with his child? They’d know later today for sure, he thought hopefully, as Willow picked up the phone to call her doctor’s office.
~*~*~
Willow sat, nervously; in the small room the nurse had assigned her to when she first checked in, waiting for the results of her blood test. She looked at the clock, then at the floor, then at the clock again, her stomach churning with anxiety. Cordelia was in the room next door, also waiting. They had each taken a store-bought pregnancy test before leaving for their appointment earlier, and each had shown what the girls already believed.
But that didn’t make it official.
Nope. Nothing was official until the doctor walked back in the room and said those magical words –
“Well, Ms. Rosenberg.” Doctor Harris smiled, entering and shutting the door behind her. She pulled a chair in front of Willow, sitting in it. “I think you already know what I’m going to say.”
“So – I am?” Willow asked, breathless. Her hands moved instinctively down to her abdomen, to the child she believed to be growing within her.
“Yes. You’re about five weeks along.”
The red head leaned back in her chair, a soft smile on her face. Five weeks. That meant that the rings had definitely been the reason for this. As if there could be any other. “Wow…”
“I know its big news.” The doctor smiled, reaching out a hand to pat the other woman’s arm. “I take it you are happy?”
“Very much so.” Willow smiled, her face brightening. She had to get home and tell Spike. Neither he nor Angel had been able to come to the appointments because of the sun issue. They would be sitting at home, just as anxious as she had been, waiting for the news.
”Good. Stop by the receptionist on the way out and schedule your first check up for a few weeks from now, okay?” The Doctor Harris gave her another smile. “And congratulations.”
”Thank you.” Willow whispered, standing up and following the doctor out of the room. She heard the door next to her’s open and saw Cordelia come out. “Well – what’d they say.”
“Five weeks.” Cordelia grinned.
”Me too.” They hugged, tears clouding both of their eyes.
“Come on – let’s go schedule our appointments so we can get home and tell the guys.”
Willow grinned, linking her arm through Cordelia’s. Angel and Spike were going to be daddies. This was the best Beltane ever. She sent up a silent thanks to the Goddess she ‘knew’ was looking out for both her and Cordelia. The response that came into her mind, though unexpected, was no less appreciated.
‘You’re welcome.’
~*~The End~*~
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