Chapter 13

 

 

William stared down at the vampiress currently puffing determinedly for Faith.

 

She’d finally quit reminding them that she was a vampire and therefore didn’t need to breathe, instead seeming to realize that they, the human they, needed the normalcy that panting pregnant woman lent to this absurd situation.

 

“I should have gone with them,” he muttered dragging a hand through his hair, glaring down at the cell phone he sighed loudly.

 

“What?” Faith queried absently as she flipped through the pages of the ‘What to Expect When You’re Expecting’ book that Gunn’d had in his backpack.

 

“Do you really think that book is going to tell you what to do?”

 

“Have to do something… if Buffy and the others don’t make it back with help…”

 

“Then you’d be better off looking for ‘How to Deliver Babies for Dummies’ then because I have no experience in this stuff,” William retorted.

 

“Now children…” Darla started then bit back a groan, back arching as another contraction raced through her body, tears leaked from her eyes as she fought to stay above the pain.

 

“Breathe Darla,” Faith leaned over the distressed vampiress, retuning to her coaching duties.

 

When the contraction ceased, Darla panting unnecessarily glared at the brunette female. “Stop telling me to breathe! I don’t need to breathe!”

 

Faith shook the book at her while William crossed his arms over his chest. “The book says you’re supposed to breathe…”

 

“Well your damn book is for humans,” the blonde snarled. “Show me the book on where it tells you what to do with pregnant vampires.”

 

“Darla…”

 

“There isn’t one,” she snapped. “You and I both know that this baby isn’t going to be born normally. I can’t deliver him naturally; the only thing you’re going to be able to do is rip him from my womb or stake me.”

 

“What are you talking about?” Will glanced between the two women confusion etched on his features.

 

“My body is dead Slayer… no life can come for it, there’s only two ways this can go down and they both end with my being dust. Why do you think Buffy took Gunn with her?”

 

“Buffy said she found another way…” Faith started weakly.

 

“Buffy’s hoping for a miracle,” Darla said quietly her eyes locked with the blue of the Slayers, she could see the moment when realization hit him and he understood. “But people like us, vampires… we don’t get miracles. We only get death… and destruction.”

 

“I won’t stake you,” William stated stiffly. Buffy’s voice ringing in his ears. She’d known what Darla had planned… and she was counting on him to keep her from doing it.

 

“Don’t let her do anything stupid.”

 

“It’s the only way,” Darla whispered. “We can’t let this baby die… and the only way to make sure…”

 

“Don’t,” he said sharply, his eyes flew to Faith’s understanding flooding the brunette as she discreetly moved the stake that had been by Darla’s hand out of her reach. “This is not under discussion… we’ll wait, until Buffy comes back with help…”

 

“And what if she doesn’t? What if Angelus gets to her first?” the vampiress muttered.

 

“Then Faith and I’ll figure out how to deliver this baby… I mean how hard could it be really… cavemen were doing it.”

 

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Dru paced the length of the hotel, every few seconds her eyes would fly to the digital clock on the table and her posture would once more stiffen.

 

They had no way of getting in touch with William and they hadn’t seen hide nor hair of him since he’d gone to talk to Buffy.

 

“Are we sure that she just didn’t kill him? I mean she might have been pretty pissed,” Xander commented.

 

“She wouldn’t have hurt him,” Dru said quietly.

 

“Gee… could you say that with a little less conviction,” the male muttered glaring at her from where he sat. He had tried pacing but in the tiny room the two of them kept running into each other. With Dru’s growling, and the fangs and the fact that she kept rippling into gameface as her agitation grew he opted to sit and watch.

 

It was more amusing then being dead.

 

“I’m still not exactly sure what William said to cause Buffy to leave in the first place…”

 

“I thought…” Xander started, he’d thought that Will and Dru had talked about this before he’d left.

 

“I know that he used me, threw me in her face. But that alone shouldn’t have been enough to do it. Other things must have been said, and since he was trying to get her to back off…”

 

“He would have said just about anything,” Xander sighed. “God… and Will’s got the whole snark thing down, sometimes he’s better then Cordy at it.”

 

“Yes I know,” Dru clenched her hands into fist at her side then jumped when the phone rang. The two eyes met and both raced for the phone at the same time. Dru beating the human by seconds.

 

“William?!”

 

“Dru?” she could hear the confusion in his voice even through the static. “God this connection is bad, should have called before we went underground.”

 

“Underground? I thought you were going to see Buffy?”

 

“Did that, made up, things are good. Got some problems though… whatever you do don’t go back to her apartment…”

 

“Will I can barely hear you,” Dru shoved the phone closer to her ear, concentrating on the sounds coming from the other end.

 

“I know… connection sucks… Angelus found us…”

 

“Angelus? Is everyone okay?”

 

“We’re good. A little…” he started as a scream broke his train of thought.

 

“What’s that? Will?” she asked harshly. She could hear screaming, a female screaming… so familiar though she couldn’t quite place it. “Will what the hell is going on?!”

 

“That’s one of our problems,” Will said shortly.

 

“What…?” she began her eyes widening as words from the screaming female filtered through the static into her ear and she finally recognized the voice. Shock rocketing through her. “Is that…?”

 

“Darla… yeah… it’s kind of a long story but…”

 

“William.”

 

“She’s pregnant… went into labor… Buffy took Riley and Gunn to get help…”

“She’s a vampire William, what kind of help could she possibly need?”

 

“Don’t know, Buffy acted like she had it worked out somehow…”

 

“Where are you William?”

 

“Underground somewhere… don’t really know…” she could hear another female’s voice, words hushed and indistinguishable. “Listen I’ve got to go… I’ll call back as soon as we know something…”

 

“William… William don’t you dare…” she began as the phone clicked off in her ear. “Hang up on me.”

 

Pulling it away from her ear she glared at it, as if the Slayer could see her anger through the disconnected phone.

 

Part of the prophecy, the one that had sent them running after Buffy was going to come to pass… and she wouldn’t even be there to see it.

 

“When one of the undead, creates life from nothing,” she whispered. “Two Warriors will be bound to protect it, the Slayer and the Poet for life.”

 

“What?”

 

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Buffy peered around the corner of the building, Riley had been gone for no more than a few minutes but she could feel the fear of impending doom throughout her entire body.

 

Next time around she was going to tell Whistler to shove his prophecies and assignments up his ass and leave her the hell alone.

 

“I can’t believe you gave the Slayer our only cell phone,” Gunn muttered next to her as he relaxed in a decidedly unrelaxing pose of nonchalance.

 

He was wound as tight as she was.

 

“He needed to call Peaches and the Whelp… make sure they didn’t go the apartment,” she murmured absently as her eyes scanned the street.

 

“I can’t believe you gave him the cell to warn people that you hate.”

 

“Don’t hate ‘em… just don’t care for ‘em that much,” she shrugged.

 

“That’s the same thing,” Gunn grumbled as he moved the few steps to stand next to her. “Nothing yet?”

 

“He knew it’d be any day now, something must be wrong.”

 

“Yeah he could be on duty at the hospital.”

 

“I know his schedule; he doesn’t work ‘til tomorrow…”

 

Gunn was rubbing her shoulders in an effort to ease her agitation and that was the only reason that he felt every muscle in her body stiffen, her back becoming ramrod straight as her eyes glazed over.

 

“Rena?” he asked softly turning her to face him.

 

The terror on her face reminiscent of the apartment.

 

“Where is he?” he asked quietly his eyes scanning the street before them, the alley behind them, the buildings above them.

 

He couldn’t see him but he knew that Angelus was close.

 

Was so close that Buffy was fairly trembling with the effort it took to keep from answering his siren song. “Don’t listen to him, whatever hold he has over you…”

 

“What’s going on?” Riley asked breathlessly as he raced up to them. Beside him was the young male doctor that Buffy had enlisted to help with Darla’s labor. He’d been told that due to religious beliefs that Darla couldn’t have her baby in the hospital.

 

And for some insane reason he’d bought it and agreed to help with the delivery when the time came. Gunn didn’t think that it had ever dawned on him to mention that it might be quicker and easier to just have a midwife on duty.

 

“Angelus,” Gunn said simply as he gripped Buffy’s arms.

 

“Where?”

 

“Close… Buffy we need to go,” he said sternly, releasing her arms he was prepared for her sudden movement and latched onto one arm, keeping her from racing away from them and straight into Angelus’ waiting grasp. With a motion of his head Riley moved forward to grab her other and together they pulled the fighting, silent vampiress to where the motorcycles were hidden.

 

“What’s going on?” the young doctor asked his eyes flickering warily between the three. Buffy looked terrified, but determined. The two men, Riley the only one that he’d actually met of the two, looked equal parts determined and fearful. What the hell had he gotten himself into?

 

“Ex-boyfriend. Possessive, has some violent tendencies,” Riley muttered as they continued to force Buffy along, the doctors eyes widened and he rushed along beside them.

 

Violent ex-boyfriend probably shouldn’t be standing so far apart from them then.

 

“Buffy get on the bike,” Gunn ordered.

 

“I…” Buffy met his eyes, Gunn flinching from the pain coursing through them. “I have to go to him.”

 

“No you don’t,” he said softly, raising a hand he touched her cheek gently. “You need to get on the bike; William and Darla are waiting for you, they’re depending on you.”

 

“William,” Buffy murmured softly, the glassiness of her eyes fading as memories of her Slayer raced through her, replacing the demands of her sire.

 

“Okay now?” he asked. With a brisk nod she swung her leg over the bike, quickly going through the motions to start the motorcycle up, Gunn climbed on behind her, a glance next to them saw Riley and the doctor that Buffy had chosen going through similar motions.

 

“I can’t believe you’re letting her drive that thing,” the doctor muttered. “She doesn’t look strong enough to handle both your weights on that bike.”

 

“Looks can be deceiving,” Buffy said quietly as she maneuvered the bike out of the alleyway. Her eyes scanning the street for any sign of her sire. She could feel Gunn’s hands wrap around her waist, more to hold her in place on the bike than any need for balance.

 

“Plus she’s a better driver than I am,” Gunn smirked.

 

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