| Angel: Adventures in Babysitting By Kuzibah |
| Part 14 of the Summer Vacation Series Disclaimer: Angel and the situations relating to "Angel" (the series) are the full property of a bunch of corporate types who will milk this cash cow until they drain it dry, if they don't screw it up with "improvements" first (*cough*Dawn*cough*). I'm in it for the love, baby. Author's Note: It's been pointed out to me that I am writing these stories as though Angel's apartment was never blown up in the season finale (thanks a lot, you know who you are). This person is correct. However, I'm going to continue ignoring that fact. Deal. Also, Uaine is pronounced (and this is a rough pronunciation, only, it's Gaelic and that doesn't translate well): OO in yeh. It'll make sense later. Go with it. Archive- Sure, but email me and let me know where it�s going. Feedback- Absolutely. ******************* Angel was in his apartment, mercifully, blessedly alone. There had been that brief excitement a few days ago, and Cordelia checked in from time to time. Wesley, amazingly enough, had only sent a postcard. From Las Vegas, God save them all. It had taken a bit of time, but Angel now found himself relaxing, nearly brood-free, for up to half-an-hour at a stretch. He had even bought a book to read for fun, though he found that given its subject matter, he hadn't escaped his work entirely. He was well into chapter twelve, "The Mirror of Erised," when he heard a sound in the building above him. "It can't be," was his first thought, then he heard it again. It had been a very long time, by his own design. He hesitated as long as he could, until the internal struggle between what he desperately wished to avoid and what he knew had to be done tipped over into self-sacrifice. Reluctantly he started upstairs. The sound was louder in the office, a high, keening wail, and there was no more denying what it was. At the door, Angel hesitated again, his heart like a stone in his chest, then opened it. In the hallway, in a basket, wrapped in a flannel bunting, was a crying infant. In true pulp detective fashion, a handwritten note was pinned to the blanket. But unlike the foundlings on those yellowing pages, this one had pale bluish-green skin, mottled with a darker blue pattern like light through water. Angel covered his face with his hands. "I don't believe this," he muttered. - - - - - - - - - - Angel was reading the note for the third time, while the child, a girl, apparently, played with her toes while she lay in the basket on the desk. "Dear Angel Investigators," it read in large, looping handwriting, the "i"s dotted with little circles. "Please forgive me for abandoning my baby. I thought the demon lifestyle was for me and I thought I loved the baby's father, but I realize now I was wrong. I am leaving L.A. and going home to New Mexico, but my parents would never understand about Auchin, and I don't think they could deal with the fact that we have a baby girl together." Re-reading that last sentence, Angel wished again he could have talked to the girl. "I've heard about you," the letter continued, "from some of Auchin's clan and some of the other humans attached to them. They say you are good and honest. I know you'll find a good home for my baby. Please don't try to find me, I'm no use to her. And don't look for her father. I don't want to hurt him any more." It wasn't signed. Angel looked at the baby again. She was fussing, now, and Angel remembered enough about his own young sister, so long gone now, to know she would begin crying any second. Angel found the prospect profoundly terrifying. Despite the late hour, he sprang for the phone. "Angel, do you realize it's after 1 a.m.," Giles answered sleepily. Damned caller I.D., Angel thought. "You know I wouldn't call if it wasn't important," Angel said, and he gave Giles the highlights. "Alright," Giles said. "I'll make some contacts. See if I can find some kind of... demon adoption agency, I suppose. It may take a few days, you'll have to care for her in the meantime." Angel didn't answer, couldn't answer. "Are you there?" Giles said. "I... I can't," Angel said softly. "Don't be so eighteenth-century," Giles said. "Caring for babies is not the purview of women only, anymore. You said she left nappies and baby things. Just get started. Babies are remarkably resilient..." "It's not that," Angel interrupted, his voice rising. In the basket, the baby was whimpering, gearing up to cry. "Babies are... before I..." Angel was stammering, agitated by the outburst he knew was imminent. "I liked infants in particular," he blurted out. "To eat, I mean." There was a long, heavy silence, before Giles finally said, "Oh." "Yeah," Angel agreed. And the baby let out a full-throated howl. "Oh, God," Angel moaned miserably. "Listen," Giles said calmly, "you're going to have to comfort her. I know it's hard, and I know it's going to stir up bad memories, but she doesn't have anyone else. She has to count on you. You aid those in need, and she's the most helpless of all. Now hang up the phone and pick her up. I have faith in you, and so does she." "I'll call back later," Angel said, setting the phone down. He approached the basket as though it were a live bomb, ready to detonate. The child was thrashing around, agitated and screaming, tangled in her clothes and bedding. Using every bit of his will, Angel reached into the basket, carefully untangled the clothes, and lifted her up. He held her at arm�s length, petrified at the very thought of holding her closer, cradling her tiny body, a body whose warmth burned right through to his cold hands. She was sobbing now, staring at him with large, dark, liquid eyes. Angel felt his heart close to breaking, and almost without thinking, without even being aware, he had gathered her into his arms and was rocking her gently. �Shh, don�t cry,� he whispered. �Please.� She quieted down almost immediately, and Angel sank into his desk chair, relaxing himself. As he watched her he noticed the patterns on her skin subtly changing, the mottling becoming less pronounced. Curious, he reached to undo the ties on her bunting, to see her face and skin more clearly. With one small hand she seized his forefinger and squealed with delight. At the same time her skin lightened to a brilliant robin�s-egg blue shot through with rippling streaks of indigo. Angel gasped with astonishment. The baby laughed again, and Angel answered with a disbelieving laugh of his own. He undid her heavier outer garment, really much too warm for summers in L.A., and lifted it off her. She wore soft, white pajamas underneath, trimmed with bobbin lace. Angel smoothed her sweat-damp hair, emerald green and feather-fine, back from her forehead. It seemed her skin grew even brighter, almost glowing in the dim office. Angel found himself grinning at her with open-mouthed wonder. �Well, little one,� he said softly, �I should give you a name, I think.� - - - - - - - - - - �How are you doing?� Giles asked when Angel called him back. �I�m fine,� Angel answered. �I�m really fine.� �I�ve been doing some research,� Giles said, �and I�m fairly certain she�s an Elda demon. They�re peaceful, if secretive; they�re water-dwellers, actually, able to breathe either water or air. Apparently it�s not uncommon for the males to take human brides, passing on their ability to breathe underwater, and from all accounts the women are treated well. I�m sorry there isn�t more,� Giles added apologetically. �Opportunities to observe them are quite rare.� �They sound like good people, anyway,� Angel said. �How is the child?� Giles said. �It�s Uaine,� Angel said. �I beg your pardon?� �I�m calling her Uaine,� Angel explained. �It means, um� green. Not very original, but�� �Oh, yes,� Giles said. �Very good.� �And she�s good,� Angel said. �I rocked her a little and she went right to sleep.� �Wonderful,� Giles said. �I�m going to call some demonologists I know in the morning. See if we can find a place for her. Are you going to be alright?� Angel glanced at the child sleeping soundly in her basket beside his bed. Her skin was now a pale, opalescent green, and the patterns on it seemed to almost shimmer in the darkness. �Yes,� he replied, �we�re fine.� - - - - - - - - - - Angel checked the temperature of the baby bottle for the sixth time during his walk from the kitchen microwave to the bedroom. It was amazing to him that they actually made baby bottles with thermometers right on the side and a helpful arrow to indicate the optimum temperature. A five year old could have prepared it. Uaine was lying in the middle of Angel�s bed, the coverlet gathered and bunched around her like a nest. She waved her arms enthusiastically at the sight of her breakfast, and Angel couldn�t help smiling at her. He sat on the edge of the bed and lifted her into his lap. One hand cupped her entire head, supporting it as he gave her the formula. She began to eat, her hands reaching up to rest on the bottle, and Angel leaned back against the headboard and lifted his legs onto the bed. He was grateful to the child�s mother that the bag of supplies she�d left had included a copy of �The First Six Months,� a sort of baby care primer. At least he wouldn�t accidentally starve her or set her on fire or something. She was amazing, the vampire marveled as he watched the patterns of green and blue moving over her flesh. She seemed so alien already, and yet she was half human. Her father must look even stranger, he thought. He brushed his thumb in little circles over her cheek, so warm and soft. She was watching him, her clear, black eyes fringed with fine, perfect eyelashes. Half human, Angel thought. Or half demon, depending on one�s perspective. He wondered what kind of life she would have. He feared the prospects weren�t very encouraging. �I had a friend who was half demon, too,� he told her, his voice gentle. She was still watching him, her eyes filled with perfect trust. �I haven�t held a baby like this since�� he cast back, searching his memories. �I guess since my sister was small.� He felt a sudden stab of guilt. �Not to say I haven�t held babies,� he added, almost to himself, �just, not like this, with affection. I didn�t think I ever would again.� Uaine had finished her bottle, now, and Angel set it aside, then lifted her onto his shoulder. He patted her back until he heard her bring up a bubble, but he held her there a moment longer, stroking her gently. �I�ll tell you a secret, though,� he whispered, �but you can�t tell anyone.� Uaine cooed, and Angel smiled fondly. �I�m told there�s a possibility I may have children of my own, someday,� he said. �I don�t expect it, really. I don�t even want to hope for it. But sometimes, when I�m alone, in the most secret part of my heart, I let myself dream about it.� Uaine answered with a sleepy yawn, and Angel put her back down on the bed. He touched her cheek, and she smiled. �Don�t forget,� he said, �it�s our secret.� And he gave her a wistful smile of his own. - - - - - - - - - - �I�m not alone� was Angel�s first thought as he snapped awake, and he turned immediately towards Uaine. The infant was still sleeping as soundly as when Angel had drifted off himself. Beyond the door he again heard the movement that had awaked him. He sprang lightly to his feet and moved towards the doorway, ready to attack whatever had come. He flung open the door. In the darkness beyond were two tall, slender beings, their skins a marbled, glittering green. �I am told,� said the larger one, his voice warm and low, �that you are caring for my granddaughter.� - - - - - - - - - - Angel brought the baby to them, holding her protectively against his chest. �I�ve been calling her Uaine,� he said. The two Elda demons nodded politely. The smaller of the two, who was indeed Auchin, the baby�s father, took a tentative step forward. �Kayla never told me if she�d chosen a name,� he said. �I searched for her. For weeks I searched for her. But she didn�t want me to find her.� �Kayla,� Angel repeated. �The mother?� �Yes,� Auchin said, and his skin darkened and dulled. �Acquaintances of your friend, Mr. Giles, informed us of the situation,� Auchin�s father said. �Mr. Giles supplied the rest. A most fortuitous circumstance that fate brought the child to your door.� Auchin stepped even closer to Angel and extended his arms. �May I have her now?� he said. Angel lowered her slightly, then bowed his head to gently kiss her brow. �Be good, little one,� he said, then laid her in Auchin�s arms. The boy demon gathered her close, and waves of seafoam green rippled over his body to match the colors and patterns on Uaine�s skin. Angel stared at them, his face open with wonder. �I thank you most kindly and sincerely,� Auchin�s father said, inclining himself slightly in Angel�s direction. �And don�t be troubled. Among our people, there are no half-breeds. Our children are our children. All are cared for and loved.� Angel was still watching the lines of color mirrored between Auchin and his child. �I have no doubt of that,� he said softly, then turned to the older demon. �And should you ever need my help�� Auchin�s father gave a small smile. �Yes, I will,� he said, then touched his son�s arm to move him out the door. �Thank you, Angel,� Auchin said, and then they were gone, leaving Angel, once again, to the silence. Part 15- Faith: And the Greatest of These... Main Menu ~ Summer Vacation Series |