Disclaimer: I own absolutely no part of the characters from Buffy: The Vampire Slayer or Angel (I wish I did but…)
Feedback: IF I DINT WANT FEEDBACK I WUNT POST THE STORY! (But if you carnt take the hint n r still saying dus she want feedback it wud be a HELL YES!!!!!)
Summary: Just a little fic that mostly centres round Buffy’s son Liam (yes it was named after Angel purposely) B/A at the end but not much done on that, only references made to it really.
A/N: Just to say if Buffy seems a bit like a bitch towards the end that wasn’t the point. She is just very upset about missing so much of her son’s life and wants to spend a lot of time with him. Plus I wud like u 2 bare in mind Riley came in with the same threat. Buffy is in fact in a better position to look after her son now anyway.
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“Buffy.” I froze. No way, it couldn’t possibly be…I turned very slowly around.
“Riley.” He knelt down.
“Hey big guy.” Liam buried his face in my leg. Riley stood and shifted awkwardly from one foot to the other. “Coffee?” I nodded and began to weave my way through the crowds. Riley followed. I sat heavily on my seat. Riley arrived a few seconds later.
“What would you like?” I looked up at the waitress.
“Cappuccino and an orange juice.”
“Coffee black.” With the waitress gone it left Riley staring at me. “How long you been here?”
“Since I…”
“What are you up to?”
“I still you know, I’m back at college, I’m working in…I’m working.”
“Where are you living?”
“I have a apartment.”
“Where?”
“Brooklyn.”
“Where are you working?”
“A bar.”
“How do you fit it all in?”
“I manage.”
“You must spend a fortune on babysitters.”
“Yeah.”
“You don’t sound very convincing.”
“Yeah well, how are you doing?”
“I’m doing great, I’m here on business, I have a place in California and I’m engaged.”
“Congratulations.”
“I searched all over. I asked your mom and your friends. I was so desperate I even went to see Angel.”
“Angel. I went there, he didn’t know. He was a little busy.”
“I want custody of my son.”
“Don’t be stupid.”
“Buffy I tracked you down over 2 months ago. I know you have no money, a bad apartment, you’re in debt and you work at Hooters. You leave my son alone when you’re working and when you’re slaying. You’re not a good mother.”
“I’m trying it’s hard. I had to start all over.”
“I want my son.”
“Tough.” I picked my son up and pushed my way through the crowds of people.
***************
I gasped in pain as the sword was pulled from my middle. I stumbled and tried to run. I collapsed into strong arms. I looked up into the face of Riley. He swung me into his arms and ran.
“Buffy come on don’t die, you can’t die I’ve only just found you.” Somewhere in the back of my mind Riley’s words hit a nerve but I was in too much pain to pay attention.
*
The black started to fade and I was able to see blurs of other colours.
“Liam.”
“Buffy!” I swallowed, or at least I tried to considering how dry my throat was. I cracked my eyes open and saw Riley getting a cup of water. He poured the cool liquid down my throat and I gulped it greedily.
“Where’s Liam?”
“He’s in the crèche downstairs.”
“How long have I been here?”
“About three days.”
“Is he okay?”
“He’s fine but he wants to see you. I thought it might not be best for him to see his mom hooked up to all these machines. It might scare him.”
“Yeah, thank you for taking care of him.”
“I’m his dad, it’s my job.”
“Riley I’m sorry, for just leaving, for not contacting you, for doing this to our son. You were right I’m a terrible mother. I’m always tired. We get up at 9 and spend the morning together then I go to college and then work. I come home at midnight check he’s okay and then go slaying. I don’t get to bed until dawn.”
“I shouldn’t have said that. Buffy I’m sorry.”
“It’s true.”
“You just need some help that’s all. My help.”
***************************
Riley had permanently relocated here 15 months ago after our talk in the hospital. I woke up and collected Liam from Riley’s. I spend the morning and early afternoon with him before college. Then I work and then slay. I drop him off with Claire before college and Riley gets home about 2 hours later.”
“Hey.” Riley stretched himself as he yawned. He grinned.
“Hey.” He stepped aside and let me past. Liam ran towards me and I opened my arms for him to fly into.
“Mummy.”
“Hey sweetie, you been good for your dad and Claire?” Today was Saturday, which meant no college and a late start at work so I got to spend almost all day with my son.
“Claire wasn’t here but I was good for daddy.” Claire’s always here. I looked round at Riley and he shifted awkwardly.
“Honey go get your stuff.” Liam ran and I stood to face Riley.
“Spill.”
“I told her I still loved you.”
“Oh.”
“Is that all you gotta say?”
“What do you want me to stay?”
“Say you’ll try again.”
“I’ll try again.” I think part of him must have known I was only doing it for Liam but his face broke out into a grin and he flung his arms round me. I hugged him back.
*
“Buff you got a customer asking for you.” The girls here never wore nametags and never gave out their names so for someone to ask for me was strange. I walked over to the table Kerrie had told me the customer was at.
“Claire!”
“When do you get a break?” I sat down.
“Kez I’m taking a break.” I turned back to Claire.
“You don’t love him. It’s for Liam right?”
“Claire…”
“Just tell me the truth.”
“You know the truth.”
“You’ll hurt him, again.”
“I know.”
“Go, just leave and don’t contact him again.”
“I can’t support Liam on my own, not again.”
“I meant on your own. It’s best for all concerned.”
“I can’t leave m son.”
“What choice do you have?” Claire slid her hand across the table and placed a wad of notes in my hand. “Go.” She was right, I knew it. I stood and took a deep breath before walking out.
***************************
I clasped my husband’s hand for moral support and pressed the bell. The door opened to reveal a boy of about 12 that strongly resembled me.
“Liam.” The boy looked confused as if he knew me and my voice but couldn’t place it.
“Dad!” a few seconds later Riley appeared.
“Buffy.”
“You’re my mom!” Tears sprung to my eyes as I looked at the son I hadn’t seen in 7 years.
“Yeah.”
“Angel isn’t it a bit bright outside for you.”
“Riley don’t insult my husband, please.”
“Husband?”
“I think we need to talk.”
“Liam go and get ready for your baseball game.”
“But dad I can’t go to the game my mom just showed up. I have to talk to her”
“No I have to talk to her first.”
“Well if you’re talking I can’t get there anyway.”
“Angel can take you. He’s your step dad.” Liam looked at me for a minute then nodded and ran off. Riley let us in. Liam appeared a second later and he and Angel left. I promised him I’d be there when he got back t answer his questions.
“After I left I went back to Sunnydale. Two years ago there was the final battle, so no more hellmouth or vampires or demons. Angel got his redemption and became human. A year later we got married. I finished college and have a good job as photographer. We have a house in LA. Angel renovated the hotel and has several others across America. We’re doing really well. How about you?”
“I’m divorced but work couldn’t be better. I’m head of department and always busy.”
“I want custody.”
“No way Buffy.”
“I remember us having this conversation before.”
“Yeah roles reversed. Then you ran off and left your son.”
“Who did you marry? Claire?”
“Yeah so.”
“She emotionally blackmailed me and then gave me money as well to leave.”
“So you still had a choice.”
“I know and I made the wrong one but that doesn’t mean I’m gonna do it again. Riley let me have my son. I’ve lived 7 years without him and I can’t and won’t go any longer.” The door opened and footsteps pounded the hall.
“Hey mom I scored a home run and won the game.”
“Wow that is great.” Angel appeared at the doorway.
“He’s a natural hitter. Could even go pro.”
“Wow you must be good to impress Angel. I’ll have to watch you next time. Do you wanna come and stay with Angel and me for a few days?”
“Really can I?”
“Sure. You can come and stay at our house and choose a room and get to know me and Angel and we can get to know you. And you can ask me all the questions you want. And you can meet your grandma and grandpa and all yours aunts and uncles and cousins.”
“Oh cool! Can we go now?”
“You better ask your dad.”
“Dad can I?”
“Sure.”
*
“Why did you go?”
“Because it was for the best. We spent four years just you and me. But I had a really bad job and no money and I couldn’t look after you. We had an awful apartment and I had to leave you alone a lot. Then your dad came and we worked out a routine. But he still loved me and by being around all the time I was hurting him and ruining his relationship with Claire. It was better to leave you with your dad cos he could look after you. Understand?”
“Did you stop loving me?”
“I wouldn’t have come back if I did. I always loved you. It broke my heart leaving. I was so close to coming everyday. But I thought you didn’t want me cos you were always busy when I called and you never wrote back to me.”
“You never called or wrote.”
“Yes I did my letters were returned unopened and everytime I called Claire said you didn’t wanna talk to me.”
“Claire never even spoke to me about you.”
“Oh.”
“I always dreamed you’d come back.”
“Well I’m back now.”
“How long for?”
“However long you want me.”
“I want you forever.” I started to cry and held my son close. He wrapped his small arms round me and held me like he’d never let go.
*
Riley went to a solicitor to see how good his chances for custody were. He was told to try and settle it ourselves. We decided I would get Liam most of the time and Riley could have him occasional weekends and at least for a few days in every holiday and depending on how long the holidays were that few days could be a few weeks. I realised that coming back like I did was a bit bitchy and I managed to fix things with Riley.
“I’m sorry for coming in like that but I thought you’d poisoned his mind against me cos he never read my letters of wanted to speak to me when I called but after speaking to him I found out that Claire obviously kept all the things I sent from him and never told him I had called.”
“I’m sorry about that.”
“Anyway I’m sorry.”
“He’s your son, besides I did the same thing.”
“I just missed him so much.”
“Buffy I already said I understand.”
“I know but I…”
“Buffy stop torturing yourself. It’s okay I swear.”
“Call whenever you want.”
“Try and stop me.” Liam and Riley said their goodbyes and I held my son’s hand as we walked towards the car where Angel was waiting t take us home. I realised now that everything I’d wanted as a teenager and thought was impossible I now had. I was married to Angel and had a son I adored and one he accepted even though he wasn’t the father. But I have a feeling that might have something to do with the Liam’s little sister growing inside me right now.