Disaclaimer:  See Part 1

Summary: The hormones are raging, the hormones are raging!

Rating: PG

Author's Note:  Ahem, pardon the title.  It just seemed appropriate and I've 
always liked that song!  Anyway, just to make it clear, at no time should you 
ever think that Angel goes after Lewis with eating utencils or throws things that 
could actually do damage.  All objects are lightweight and mostly harmless!  I 
say mostly, because even lightweight things can do some sort of damage if thrown 
right.  Except, say, a ball of cotton.  Unless it somehow hits your eye and some 
fibers get loose in there.  Ouch!  My eye's watering just thinking about it!  Anyway, 
this should in no way be taken for any kind of spousal abuse.  Just an insane 
pregnant woman who mostly yells, but occassionaly picks up a pillow and bops 
her husband over the head with it. 

Angels
Part 13 - Bitch
by Ruth

Tuesday
7:42pm
Angel and Lewis' apartment

     "Oh darling!"  Angel said in a sweet, sing-song voice from the kitchen.  
"Could you come here?"  Lewis froze half way through sipping his beer, his eyes 
wide with fright. It was bad when she used that voice...very bad.  Angel's first 
trimester had gone remarkably smooth, but when her second trimester came 
around, things began to go bad.  Her moods would swing unpredictably, usually 
from good to psychotic.  The smallest thing would set her off, and when she was 
set off there was no telling what would happen.  Lewis already had fond memories 
of being hit with pillows and of small objects hurtling toward his feet.  At least she 
aimed at the floor in front of him.
     It wasn't all bad.  He particularly liked when Angel would go into fits of laughter.  
She lit up the whole state of Ohio on those occassions.  And sometimes parts of 
Michigan and Ontario.  And when she was happy, everyone around her couldn't help 
but be happy too.  But this wasn't one of those times.  The false sweetness in her 
voice said it all.
     Lewis set his beer carefully on the coaster (he had been hit over the head with a 
throw pillow for leaving bottle sweat on the table once) and slowly stood up.  His tall, 
lanky frame trembled slightly as he anticipated the verbal barrage he was about to 
endure.  Frantically, he tried to think what he could have done or forgotten to do that 
would upset her.  Left a dirty dish out, accidentally put paper in with the plastic, garbage...
garbage!  He was supposed to take out the garbage!
     "Crap," Lewis mumbled to himself as he approached the kitchen.  He carefully 
peeked his head around the corner, ready to withdraw it in the event she decided 
to throw another empty carton of milk at him.  Of course she had only done that 
because he had drank the last of it and then put the carton back in the refrigerator.  
He supposed he deserved that.  "Yes, my love?" he said in a strained voice.
     Angel was standing behind the trash can, hands on her hips, her foot tapping.  
She pointed to the can.  "Lewis, the garbage - "
     "I was just getting up to take care of it when you called," Lewis cut in quickly.  
Angel narrowed her eyes at him.  Lewis timidly entered the kitchen, quickly grabbed 
up the garbage and dashed out.  He sighed audibly as he made his way to the trash 
shoot out in the hallway.  Suddenly, a hand dropped onto his shoulder.
     "Hey, Buddy!"  came a voice at the same time.  Lewis jumped ten feet in the air 
and dropped the bag of garbage.  The sound of glass clanking came from the bag.
     "Is that glass I hear in that garbage bag?!" Angel called from inside the apartment.
     "No, Honey!" Lewis called back.  He quickly turned to Oswald, who was the one 
who had snuck up behind him.  "Jesus, Oswald!" he hissed.  "What the hell are you doing?!"
     "I just came by for a visit," Oswald said as he picked up the garbage bag for 
Lewis.  He walked it over to the shoot and threw it down.  "I wanted to see how you 
and Angel were doing."
     "Well, you scared the crap out of me!" Lewis said.  
     "You know, you seem a little tense," said Oswald.  Lewis' hands were clenched 
at his sides, his eyes bulging slightly as he looked at Oswald.
     "Tense?" he said, his head nodding up and down.  "Tense?!"  he repeated.  
"I *seem* tense?!"
     Oswald nodded.  "Yeah, a little," he said, his face innocent.
     "Would you like to know *why* I'm tense?"  Lewis asked.
     "If it'll help you feel better to talk about it, sure!" said Oswald with a smile.
     "No, it won't *help* me feel better!" Lewis said, his voice getting louder.  "But I'm 
going to share it with you anyway.  I'm tense because my best friend decided to 
sneak up on me while I was on my way to the garbage shoot, fully expecting my 
pregnant wife to come out here and KICK MY ASS!"  Lewis yelled.
     "Angel can kick your ass?" Oswald asked in disbelief.
     "Yes, she can kick my ass!" Lewis said, still yelling.  "She's been doing it to 
me for the past month!  Her hormones are completely out of control," he said in a 
whisper.  He looked around, paranoid.  Oswald shook his head.
     "I don't believe it.  Angel's sweet as...an angel!" Oswald said.  "I haven't seen 
her do anything or say anything mean."
     "That's just the thing," Lewis said quietly, looking toward the apartment door, 
"she doesn't do it around you.  You must have some sort of calming affect."  Oswald 
looked at Lewis with cynicism.
     "I'm worried about you, Lewis," he said.  "Maybe Angel isn't the problem."
     "You just wait.  I'm gonna do something to set her off.  Just wait," said Lewis.   
At that moment, Angel poked her head out into the hallway.
     "Oswald!" she said with a big smile.  She moved out into the hallway toward 
Oswald with her arms outstretched.
     "Hi, Angel!"  Oswald said, a big grin on his face as well.  He met her half way 
and threw his arms around her.  His usual look of bliss crossed his face as he held 
Angel in his arms.  Lewis watched, amused by it as always.
     "What brings you by?" Angel asked as she pulled away.
     "Aw, nothin' really," said Oswald.  "Just thought I'd check in. You know pregnancy 
is good to you.  You look prettier every day!"
     Angel blushed.  "Oh, it hasn't been that good to me," she said sheepishly.
     "No kidding," Lewis mumbled.
     "What?" Angel asked.
     "Nothing," Lewis said with a smile.  "Let's not stand in the hallway."  The three 
of them walked into the apartment, Oswald exchanging looks with Lewis along the way.
     "She seems fine to me," Oswald whispered to Lewis when they were inside.
     "Of course she does," Lewis whispered back as he closed the door behind them.  
"You haven't done anything to piss her off yet!"
     "Would you like a beer, Oswald?" Angel offered.  she had snuck up behind them.  
Oswald turned around quickly and faced Angel.  "Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you," 
Angel said.  "What were you two talking about?"
     "Nothing, really!" said Oswald.  "And I'd love a beer, thanks!"  Oswald waited 
until Angel was in the kitchen before speaking again.  He turned back to Lewis.  
"Warn me when she's behind me will ya?"
     "Sorry," Lewis said as he shrugged his shoulders.
     Angel walked back out from the kitchen and approached Oswald.  "Here ya 
go!" she said.  "Have a seat and visit for a while!"
     "Thanks!" said Oswald.  Lewis watched in anticipation as Oswald sat down 
on the sofa.  He began to set his beer on the coffee table when he noticed Lewis' 
beer on a coaster.  He stopped before the bottle touched the table, grabbed another 
coaster, and set the beer on it.  Disappointment crossed Lewis' face.  When did 
Oswald learn to be that sensitive to things?  He was doomed. Maybe it was him, 
like Oswald said.  Lewis sighed.
      Angel may have been overly sensitive but that also meant she was more sensitive 
to when something was bothering Lewis.  She felt something was wrong now and 
went to him.  She put her arms around his waist, looked up at him and smiled.  
Lewis' eyes immediately softened and he leaned down to kiss her.  Angel was 
always amazed at how his eyes changed colors with his mood.  She watched as 
his eyes changed from an almost hazel color to an intense green.  The color that 
meant he was happy.  Or horny. She was going to opt for happy at the moment.  
Oswald watched them with a twinge of envy and took a sip of his beer.  There was 
a knock at the door.  Lewis reluctantly turned and answered it.  Kate stood there.
     "Hey, Kate," Lewis said. Kate didn't say a word.  She brushed past Lewis, sat 
on the sofa, grabbed Lewis' beer and took a long drink.  "C'mon in," said Lewis as 
he shut the door.  "Have a seat.  Would you like a beer?" he added sarcastically.  
Angel lightly tapped Lewis in the stomach with the back of her hand.  She gave him 
a stern look.
     "What's wrong, Kate?" Angel asked.  She sat down on the sofa next to her.  
Kate looked pale and tired.
     "You all right, Kate?" Oswald asked with concern.  "You look a little pale."  Kate 
turned and looked into Oswald's big, brown puppy dog eyes.  She sighed.
     "I just came from visiting my Mom," she said, never taking her eyes from 
Oswald's.  "She's getting worse.  I don't think I can handle this."  
     "I'm gonna get another beer," Lewis said, a look of pain on his face.  Angel 
looked at him sympathetically and then turned back to Kate.
     "We're right here for you, Kate," she said.  "Anytime.  You know that."  Kate
nodded and finished the rest of Lewis' beer.  At that time, Lewis came back out of 
the kitchen with a beer for himself and one for Kate.  She took it from him with a 
greatful smile.  She turned back to Oswald.
     "What am I gonna do?" she said.  She sounded lost.  Oswald gathered her into 
his arms.  He wasn't sure why he was having feelings for her again.  Actually, he 
was sure he never stopped having feelings for her.  He realized that when he saw 
her walk down the aisle at Angel and Lewis' wedding.  He fought it for a week or 
so but then gave up.  He figured he was doomed to spend the rest of his life alone 
anyway so why not spend it pining away over a lost love?
     "It's OK, Katie-Bear," Oswald said, letting the old pet name slip out again.  
"I'm here.  I'll help you get through this.  I'll take care of you," he added quietly.  
He felt Kate stiffen slightly in his arms.  He was beginning to regret what he had 
just said when he felt her relax again.  After a few more moments she pulled away.
     "Thanks, Oswald," she said softly.  Her eyes looked watery and Oswald 
realized she had stiffened because she was trying to hold back tears not because 
of what he had said.  Angel and Lewis looked at eachother, wondering what was 
going on with Kate and Oswald.  Lewis shook his head on bewilderment.  He bent 
down and set his beer on the coffee table...without a coaster.
     "Lewis!" Angel yelled.  Oswald nearly fell off the couch while Kate jumped.  
Lewis froze in place, his eyes wide.  "Coaster!  How many times do I have to tell 
you!  Use a coaster!"  A throw pillow went flying by Lewis, missing him by a good 
distance.
     "Hey, I see what you mean now!" Oswald said.  Angel whipped her head around
 to Oswald and glared at him.  Oswald recoiled a little.  "I don't think that calming 
affect is working, Lewis," he said.
     "You see what he means now?!" Angel growled.  "You see what he means?!  
What's that supposed to mean?!"  She turned her attention to Lewis.  "What are 
you telling him?  You're wife's a crazy bitch?!" 
     "Angel!" Kate cut in.
     "Well, yeah..." Lewis said at the same time.  Angel narrowed her eyes at him 
and grabbed another throw pillow.
     "Angel, stop!"  Kate yelled.  Angel froze in place.  Lewis opened his mouth to 
say something but Kate didn't let him speak.  "Not a word from you!" she said to 
Lewis.  Lewis' mouth snapped shut.  He stared at the pillow in Angel's hand, 
prepared to duck.  "Angel," Kate said, her voice lower.  "Put the pillow down.  
You're raging again."  Angel turned to Kate.
     "What?" snapped Angel.
     "Hormones...they're raging again," Kate said calmly.  She slowly took the 
pillow out of Angel's hand and set it back on the sofa.  Angel looked confused for 
a moment.  The fire in her eyes died and she looked back to Lewis...and started crying.
     "I'm sorry, Lewis!" she said as she fell into his arms.  Lewis put his arms around 
her and rubbed his hand up and down her back.  "I've been so terrible!"  Lewis just 
rocked her back and forth, a look of acceptance on his face.  There was another 
knock on the door.  Kate was up so she answered it. Drew and Briana were there.
     "Kate!" said Drew.  "We didn't know you were here!" 
     "Yeah, Oswald's here too," Kate said as she let them in.  Drew looked over at 
Lewis and Angel.  Lewis lifted his head in acknowledgment.
     "What's going on with them?" Drew whispered to Kate.  She looked over to 
Lewis and Angel as a loud sob escaped Angel's mouth.
     "Oh, mood swing," Kate said matter-of-factly.  She went back to the sofa and 
sat down with her beer.  She also grabbed a coaster and set it under Lewis' beer. 
"Use coasters," Kate said to Drew and Briana.
     "Mood swings!" said Drew.  "I remember a couple of those," he said to Briana 
as she waddled into the livingroom.  She had a couple of months on Angel and the 
time was nearing.  She placed herself in the nearest chair and sighed.
     "You've had it easy, Sweetie," she said to Drew.  "At least I never threw stuff."
     "That's true," said Drew.  "I'm gonna grab a beer, anyone want anything?"
     "Whatever they have that's decaffeinated," said Briana.
     "I'll help," Oswald said, quickly following Drew.
     "I don't need help, Oswald," Drew said when they were in the kitchen.  "I can get 
a beer and a pop by myself."
     "I know, but I had to talk to someone about something," Oswald said.
     "What?" Drew said as he opened the refigerator.
     "I'm still in love with Kate," Oswald blurted out.
     "What?!" Drew said as he bumped his head on the inside of the refigerator.  
"Ow!"  He rubbed at it and then grabbed what he needed, shutting the door after. 
"Whaddya mean you're still in love with Kate?!"
     "Shh!"  Oswald said.  He checked to make sure no one was nearby listening 
and then went back to Drew.  "Just what I said!  I'm still in love with her!  I don't 
know what to do!" Oswald said.  He looked at Drew pleadingly, wanting some sort 
of guidance.
     "Geez, Oswald," Drew said as he opened his beer.  "Now probably isn't the 
best time to spring that on her, with all this stuff with her Mom."
     "Yeah, but I think she might still have feelings for me too," said Oswald.
     "She's pretty vulnerable right now, Oswald," Drew said.  "I'd wait until...well, just 
be there for her, man.  Just for right now."  Oswald nodded.  He looked defeated but 
Drew had a point.  He'd wait.
     The two walked back out to the livingroom to find everyone with their hands on 
Briana's stomach.
     "Hey, whatever's goin' on here, I want in on it!" Drew joked.
     "Funny, Drew," smirked Briana.  "The baby's kicking."  Drew and Oswald went 
over and placed their hands on Briana's stomach as well.  Everyone waited in silence. 
After a few seconds they all felt the kick.  Everyone gasped and smiled.
     "Cool!" Oswald said, a big, goofy grin on his face.
     "That's my little future Brown's player!" said Drew.
     "So, Angel," began, Briana, "what'd you find out at the doctor this morning?"  
Everyone looked at Angel in anticipation.
     "I knew there was a reason everyone came over," Angel said, moving away from 
Briana and sitting on the sofa.  Everyone sat around her, still waiting.  Angel looked 
up at Lewis who sat on the arm of the sofa.  He smiled.
     "It's a boy!" he said, beaming.
     "Another boy!" Drew said, holding up his beer.
     "Yeah!" Oswald said, holding up his beer as well.  Everyone else held up their 
drinks in a toast.
     "You realize this means we're going to be greatly outnumbered now," Kate said 
to Angel and Briana.
     "Hey, that's right," said Lewis.  "Way to go in there," Lewis said as he placed a 
hand on Angel's stomach.  At that moment he felt a small kick.  His face changed 
from amusement to wonderment.  He had felt Drew and Briana's baby kick, but this 
was the first time he had felt his own child make it's presence known.  Angel smiled 
up at him.
     "I told you you'd feel it sooner or later," she said.  Lewis got up and moved around 
in front of Angel.  He kneeled down and placed his ear against Angel's small, round belly.
     "Hey there little guy," he said.  He felt another kick.  "Oh my God," he said softly.  
"That's the most amazing thing I've ever felt."  He felt another kick and his eyes started 
to fill with tears.  Angel put her hand on Lewis' head and stroked his hair.  
     "That's your son," Angel said.
     "My son..." Lewis said, still amazed.  Drew and Briana looked at eachother, 
knowing Lewis' feelings well.
     "You know," started Kate, "maybe having one kid would be OK."
     "Yeah, Kate?" Oswald said.  Kate looked at him.
     "Yeah.  You know, if the right guy ever comes along," Kate said.  She was going 
to stop there but then added, "I just hope I didn't let the right guy get away from me."
     Oswald shook his head slowly.  "You didn't," he said quietly.  Kate lowered her 
head and smiled.  She looked back to Lewis, who still had his head on Angel's stomach.
     "OK, quit hoggin'!" said Kate as she leaned over and placed a hand on Angel's 
stomach.  
     "Yeah, give the rest of us a chance to be introduced to your son!" Oswald said 
as he placed a  hand on Angel's stomach as well.  Lewis lifted his head and replaced 
it with a hand.  Drew joined in after he helped Briana out of the chair so she could 
feel too.
     "Hey there," said Lewis to Angel's belly.  "We're all waiting for you to say 
something."  Immediately, there was a kick.  "Hey, I think he likes me!" Lewis said.
     "He loves you," said Angel.  "You're his Daddy."
     "There's a scary thought," mummbled Drew.  
     "Funny, Drew," Lewis said.
     "You know I'm just kiddin'," said Drew.  "You'll be a great Dad!"
     "Thanks," said Lewis.  "I hope so."  There was another kick from the baby and 
everyone giggled.  "Man, I could do this all night," Lewis said.
     "Let's hope *he* doesn't," said Angel.  "Otherwise I'll be extra cranky tomorrow!"  
Lewis' eyes grew wide.
     "If you love me at all, you'll sleep tonight!" Lewis said to Angel's stomach.  
Everyone laughed.  "My son," Lewis whispered.  He smiled and waited for the 
next kick.

Stay tuned for Part 14 - Lightening Crashes...