Disclaimers: Nnothing but Dylan is mine.
Rating: PG–13
Explanation: Almost four years has passed since The Perfect Day. Buffy has a child, 3 years, named Dylan, which Riley and she raises. But, she knows who the child truly belongs to, now she must face the reality.
Packing her things together, Buffy glanced absently at the red door. It lead into the office to her boss, Mr. Keegan. Sighing dramatically, trying to get the strange feeling of fear out of her system. Walking calmly towards the door she reached for the doorknob and closed her eyes as she knocked twice with her right hand. A silent second passed.
"Yeah. C'mon in." the dark voice of her boss said demandingly. She could hear by the tempo in his voice that he was in a hurry.
Not unexpectively his whole office was a mess. Paper, ash, pictures and other unidentified stuff. A thick fog of the smoke from his cigar lay around him and he raised his glance.
"Oh, Summers." He said, hurrying to clean off his desk. Buffy strolled carefully towards the desk. He made a sign with his hand to make her sit. "Look, to get a long story short, we have a problem with money. You're fired."
"Again, please." Buffy said surprised. How could this be? She needed the money for her and Dylan! He couldn't do this!
"Look, you don't have a job here anymore. Leave." He didn't care about her anymore, so he ignored her confused look and lighted another cigar.
"But, Mr. Keegan, you don't understand…" she began, totally upset. She needed to keep this job.
"I understand perfectly. You need a job, to get money. Well, get over it." He said, cynically and watched her rise up and out of the chair.
"Mr. Keegan, I need the money for my…" Buffy began explaining, Mr. Keegan rolled his eyes and interrupted her once again.
"Look, Summers, I couldn't care less what you need the money for, you're still fired." He watched her close her eyes. "Now, contact Martha and get this months salary."
Hushing Buffy out of his office, she walked calmly to the personal room. Sitting silently down at the old couch it was like the truth came to her for the first time. Her loud sobs were heartbreaking and pierced through the other workers. But, afraid to say anything, the let her cry, alone and confused.
~*~
Never had her life been so messed up. Not since she dropped out of college. Her pregnancy, school and slaying was too much to deal with, so she decided to end one of them. As she felt a deep connection to her child, she never even considered abortion. Slaying was not even a question or an option. So, school had to go.
Her child? A lovely boy, now two years, with the name Dylan. He had dark hair, brown eyes and the smile of Buffy.
And the father? Complicated. Just read on.
Buffy, ironically enough, was out on a date with Riley when she found out. She suddenly had to throw up, and felt dizzy all night. Waking up it suddenly stroke her. She'd hurried to the 7eleven and bought a pregnancy test. It had turned positive. Dazzled by the fact that she was going to become a mother, she began pondering on who the father could be. After awhile she just figured that it had to be Riley. The only one except him she'd slept with was Angel, and he was not capable of having children.
Telling Riley this, he got exatic and arranged it so he would get a job and help her with the child. Buffy, though, wasn't as happy with the idea. She didn't love Riley, but understood she wanted to give it a shot. Her relationship with her father never became the same after he left Joyce and she, and she didn't treat her kid like that.
But, as she gave birth to the child, which was a tough birth, she floated on into a coma. In her coma she experienced the Perfect Day, the day where Angel had been a human. She knew, as she woke up, that the dream was true, and that in one way or another that Angel was the father of the child.
Buffy's slaying had to increase the 5 last months of her pregnancy, where Willow, Xander, Riley and Giles took over. Spike Left with Dru to Prague, after getting his chip removed.
~*~
Angrily she threw her bag with such power towards the couch that their cat, Moffat, who'd slept peacefully there a second before, leaped away and hid beneath the kitchen table.
Riley came humming out of the kitchen. He paused as he spotted her.
"Dear, what's wrong?" he asked her caringly.
"I got fired." She explained sadly and reached for a hug. He fetched her and she got lost in loud sobs. "We won't make it, Riley. We have no money – at all." She cried.
"I know. But we'll get along." He said assuring and smiled supportively. He lay a bent finger on her cheek and kissed her lips.
"Mom!!" a tiny voice came from beneath them. they glanced down at the little boy pulling her skirt. Buffy's face enlightened and she picked him up.
"Dylan. I missed you." She kissed him lovingly and sat him down again.
"Dinner!" Riley exclaimed and they went to the table.
–
"Mom, who's Co… Co… Corn…" Dylan began stuttering, obviously having troubles with pronouncing the word.
"Take your time, Dylan." Buffy told him. He relaxed and tried again.
"Who's Cordelia?" he managed to say. Buffy froze and almost lost her fork. Riley noticed the expression on his fiancée and raised an eyebrow.
"Why is that, hun?" Buffy muttered calmly.
"A woman told me to give you a letter… she said I should say that it was from her." Dylan explained carefully.
"A letter…?"
"Yes." Dylan said nodding his head up an down. He jumped off the chair and ran out of the kitchen, returning two seconds later, with a brown envelope in his hands. He handed it to Buffy, who looked confused at it, but put it away. She could open it later. But this had to be important. Cordelia hadn't spoke to her in almost three years, no contact at all. Nor Angel and she, not after they separated after a deal of not meeting again. What could it be?
–
part two
After finishing the meal, she put Dylan to bed and sang softly for him until he closed his eyes and fell asleep. Turning off the light as she left she paused by the door. Sending him a final glance before closing the door.
She walked past the living room, where Riley sat completely into a game of football, and into the kitchen. Reaching for the letter she sat down and looked at the white envelope. It had a beautiful handwriting on it, saying her name. Buffy Anne Summers. Closing her eyes and taking a deep sigh she smelled the precious letter's back. It smelled of soft flowers, jasmine, she was sure. Cordelia's perfume.
With a firm move she slid it open and gently pulled the letter out. The same handwriting at the white paper. Buffy unfolded it and leant back, preparing to read.
'Dear Buffy,
I know you might hadn't expected anyone of us from L.A. to contact you – ever again. He told me about your decision and I respect it, but there is something you need to know. For weeks now I have wondered how to tell you. I just couldn't phone you and say it, that would've been too hard, and, I wanted to take a look at your son, so I drove to L.A. and handed it to him while he was in kindergarten. I hope you do not mind.
Back to what I was saying. About four weeks ago He began feeling an intense pain in his lower part of the neck, after a assignment. As He fainted and woke up with the pain he does not know what caused it. Anyway, we got a special doctor to take a look at him, and he concluded that he'd gotten something injected to his head and neck. What it was we don't know, and probably wont either. My point here is that this not just the pain. The doctor explained that the liquid, in one way or another, causes His sight to each day increase. So, we're left here, helpless, watching him suffer. At this time he can see, but soon he will lose his sight permanently. My wish for you, please come and see him. Though this is never mentioned by him, I know this, He asks for you in his sleep, his one wish is to see you once before he becomes blind. Please fulfill this poor man's desperate dream. Come and see him. It'll please him more then you'll ever know.
With love,
Cordelia.'
Buffy was without words. How could this be? How could Angel lose his sight? He was on the good side, for God's sake, this wasn't fear!
Confused and totally paralyzed she suddenly remembered. Dylan. His son. He'd never seen him, and he'd never get the chance either, if she didn't bring him.
Quickly she rose up and ran into Dylan's room. She woke him gently up and carried him out tothe living room. Riley raised an eyebrow.
"Where are you going?" he questioned, taking a sip of his cold beer.
"Never mind, Riley. It's important. We must hurry." Buffy said shortly and dressed Dylan firmly. Grabbing her keys she noticed Riley watching them wondering. She strolled over and paused in front of him. "Look, don't worry. We'll be fine. You know me, always something important. I always make it."
He nodded silently and peered at Buffy and Dylan leaving out the door. Buffy jumped into the car and placed Dylan in the back with a soft and warm blanket over him. While driving as quickly as she could towards L.A. the only thing passing through her mind was one phrase of Angel's.
'If I were blind I would see you.'
–
Part three
Angel gazed out of the window. He liked it, it made him fell like he could take a last look of L.A. before he couldn't see again. Cordy wandered into the room, she was humming a happy tune, but as she noticed his presence she paused and looked about.
"Oh, Angel. I didn't see you when you stood by the window." she muttered anxiously. He turned to her and smiled weakly.
"Instead of living an eternity in sin, I got my soul back. Now I help people, but what will that do me, when I'm not able to see?" he more stated then asked. she sighed and nodded her head.
Not once as they'd had a conversation had the name 'Buffy', or anyone else from Sunnydale's for that matter, been mentioned. They didn't want to rip up old scars, maybe he wanted to suffer alone, but Cordy knew, she knew very well that he longed to see the Slayer once more before he lost his sight.
Suddenly Angel reacted, he strolled over to his jacket and grabbed it. Cordy looked puzzled at him.
"I'm going out for a while." He announced shortly and left the office with quick steps. When she couldn't hear him she exhaled dramatically and sat exhausted down in a chair.
"I can't deal with him. It's too hard." she whispered to herself.
-
Angel turned the corner and just as he walked out of sight Buffy came around the other corner. She pulled the car over and walked out of the vehicle. Closing the door carefully she let her glance stop on her beloved son. He was still fast asleep. Pondering for two seconds she made a decision of not taking him with her this time. She needed to have some time alone with Angel.
Buffy closed the door gently and locked it.
-
Walking carefully up the stairs she could smell the soft smell of aftershave. Angel must've passed through lately. Just to sense the smell made her get goosebumps all over and she smiled by the thought of being close to him again.
Entering the outer office she paused. With a sigh she too three steps closer to the door, laid a heavy hand gently on the knob and opened the door. Easing it open she poked her head inside. Cordy was the only one in the office, and she lay in an exhausted position, breathing heavily.
"Um." she whispered carefully, afraid to startle the brunette. Cordy opened her eyes and peered intensely at the slayer. "I just." Buffy began muttering.
"BUFFY!!" Cordy whined and rushed quickly over to her, gave her a bear-hug and smiled form ear to ear. "I can't believe you got here! I never thought you'd come! Did you bring Dylan? Oh, he's such a heart breaker!" Cordy babbled without pausing.
Buffy smiled by the recalling of Cordy's everlasting chatting, it made her comfortable. It was the way things used to be, the way she liked it.
"Where is he.?" Buffy questioned cautiously. Cordy, with her mouth wide open, just about to start another sentence, immediately frowned and closed her mouth. Buffy knew it hurt. It hurt her, too.
"He's out. Brooding. I guess he'll be back soon, but I don't know. Usually he stays for a while, some hours. And he just left." Cordy noted her with a sad face.
"Oh, ok. Well, Dylan's in the car, sleeping, I'll wake him and we'll wait here." Buffy concluded. Cordy nodded agreeing.
-
Buffy strolled casually over to the car, played with her car-keys, found the right one and stuck it into the keyhole to the back-door. Just as she twisted it, she noticed that the door was already opened.
"Huh. that was." exactly then she pulled the door open and screamed. Dylan was gone.
-
part four
A pain flew through Buffy's body; the shock of her son missing was enormous. She didn't breathe, she didn't think and she didn't act. Everything stood still and she knew if she lost him she would lose herself too.
Feeling an overwhelming dizziness she stumbled, but managed to slightly grip around the open car door. The grip was too weak and she slipped. Falling into Cordy's hands was not even in her mind. Cordy had heard the scream and came to see what had happened.
"Buffy! Buffy!" someone slapped her carefully on the left cheek. Batting her eyes open she noticed a blurry Cordelia.
"Dylan." was all she managed to say.
"I know, but we'd better get you inside. It's getting dark and I couldn't defend you from any vampires."
She helped the slayer stand and lead her into Angel's apartment and lay her in his bed.
"I can't sleep now, not now that my baby is gone." she whispered.
"I know, but try to. Once Angel gets back we'll all look for him," Cordy assured her and Buffy drifted off to dreamland.
-
He didn't even notice the loud sobbing at first, but as he passed by the alley he could hear it loudly. Small, heartbreaking sobs.
Walking carefully into the alley he shouted out. "Hello? Who's there?" the sobbing stopped and he heard small sniffles. Suddenly he remembered that he had some matches in his pocket, got them and lighted one.
He stood face-to-face with a child. They gazed confused at each other, with only the light of the match contouring their faces. The match went out and Angel lighted one more.
"Why are you crying, little child?" he asked kindly. It took some time before the child answered.
"I just wanted to take a trip out of the car. my mom didn't even notice. but then I got lost." he whispered with a runny nose and tears streaming.
"Aw, that's too bad, but you know, you can come with me, I'll find your mom." He said, gently and soft. Dylan hesitated. He had been told to never trust strangers. And, his mom had taught him to feel either their pulse or show them his cross-necklace.
Quickly he reached for the man's hand and felt his pulse. He remembered his mother's words. 'Feel this, Dylan' had she said, putting his hand to her wrist. 'That's my pulse. If you meet someone without a pulse, then run. Run as fast as you can.'
Dylan began shacking of fear. He also noticed that the man's hand was icy-cold. Releasing him he backed and met the eyes of the dark man.
Angel suddenly understood. He knew about vampires. He thought he was a bad one.
"Look, child." he began, taking some steps closer to him. Dylan backed even more.
"No, get away from me. You're evil." Dylan backed into the wall of a house. He gasped by the impact. Trapped.
Angel walked carefully closer and reached for him. Dylan slid his hand under his skirt and gently pulled the necklace off his neck. Quickly he put it to Angel's hand and tied it with a knot.
Angel amazedly screamed of pain and his hand began extending smoke. The fizzling sound astonished Dylan and he watched Angel vamp out. Angel got the necklace off, and by that time Dylan had disappeared.
He ran after him, knowing that the streets were too dangerous for this lectured 3-year old. He turned the corner and watched a vampire close up on Dylan from behind. Quickly he ran to him, but the vampire had already attacked, lifted him up and got ready to bite the poor child.
Angel pulled his stake and killed the vampire with a firm movement, reached for Dylan and put him gently down at the ground.
"There you go." he said, watching Dylan raise his eyebrow.
"You're not mean?" Dylan asked carefully, Angel shook his head. "I'm sorry about your hand." he whispered. Angel showed him his hand. The scar was gone.
"I quickly re-heal." He explained. "Now, lets find your mom." Angel was not only obsessed with finding his mom, but also to find out who taught her son so well about how to deal with vampires.
Just as he'd said that Dylan smiled of joy. All the time Angel had been convinced Dylan reminded him of someone, and now, that he smiled, he knew who that had to be.
-
part five
Buffy was fast asleep and Cordy sat besides her. It had taken a few minutes before she drifted off into dreamland, it must've really got to her that her son was missing.
As Cordy heard the door slam she immediately rose up and ran to the door. The door opened at the same time and she stood face to face with Angel (more face to chest, actually). Glancing down at his left she saw a little, dark boy, holding tightly on to his hand and clutching to his leg for protection.
"Dylan??" Cordy cried out amazed. She recognized him with once. Just mentioning his name, Buffy batted her eyes open, jumped out of bed and looked confused around.
"Whe." she began, but then she saw Him. Not surprisingly, he saw her, too. They were left, gazing completely silently at each other
"Mo-om!" Dylan shouted, let go of Angel and ran over to her. She picked him gently up and kissed his cheek. "I just wanted to find you. then I got lost." he began, afraid to get in trouble.
"I found him." Angel's voice shot in. By the sound of his dark and beautiful voice she got an electric feeling up and down her spine. She felt warm inside and her desperate longing to touch him was overwhelming.
"And first I thought he was a baddy, but then, after I felt his pulse and burned his hand with my cross-necklace, and I ran away, he saved me from this other baddy, and I understood that he wasn't a baddy after-all." Dylan said proudly, explaining to his mom eagerly about his adventures.
Buffy smiled weakly.
"Um. Dylan." Cordy began, sensing the hostile atmosphere. "Why won't you come with me and leave your mom and Angel alone." Cordy reached for Dylan and they walked towards Angel by the door. Dylan glimpsed up at him.
"Your name is Angel? Wow."
Angel grinned and watched the cute boy leave with his secretary. As he turned his head back he looked straight into Buffy's face. She'd approached him closely without even him hearing it.
Looking into her eyes was like looking straight into paradise. The desire to let his hand slip through her hair gently was unbearable and he longed for her touch. Just to imagine to hold her felt like a distant dream, to kiss her soft, red lips was as much of a longing as to become human was.
Buffy knew, that by looking into his brown, deep and dark eyes, she looked into his soul. The same contoures, the same smile, the same eyes. everything was as in her Dylan. He was the father, not a doubt about that. Funny, she thought, how the two loves in my life look the same.
"Buffy." he began whispering. Buffy got goosebumps by listening to his soft voice so close. Every cell, every little piece of her wanted to kiss him. She didn't care. But, something, a feeling, kept her from not.
"Angel." she interrupted him with her voice. Angel felt the warm and soft wind from her breath reach his neck. It tickled and he felt how he could almost not resist anymore. "I need to tell you something." she continued, peering into his eyes.
"Tell me." He replied, moving his hand unnoticed towards her. He needed to touch her. "Tell me what it is," he continued, making a movement with his hand, making it unpredictable, and he let it swift past her, gently touching her arm.
Buffy felt how her feelings ran around inside of her. His touch burned and she wanted him to touch her more.
"D. Dylan." She muttered slightly. He raised an eyebrow.
"What about him.?" Angel questioned, he knew Riley was the father, what could she ever have to tell him about Dylan?
Hesitating Buffy made a choice. A stupid choice.
"Thank you for saving him." She finished. Angel grinned slightly.
"Anytime."
Buffy felt how the pressure told her to give in, and without thinking she leant towards him. At the same time Angel did, too. Their lips closing up, she closed her eyes and waited for the soft impact. Soon they were lost in a passionate kiss.
-
part six
She could feel the adrenaline rush through her, her body felt warm and her mind was dizzy. It was like she floated, just to be in touch with him was heaven. Suddenly he gasped by pain and she withdrew herself. He had his face locked in deep pain.
He held his hand to his neck and groaned.
"Your neck, huh?" Buffy questioned, he nodded silently, sending her a confused glimpse - wondering how she knew. "Look, I didn't come back here just to watch you go blind." She began, sitting down at his bed, waiting for him to join her. He did.
"Then why did you come?" he replied with a frown. Obviously he didn't want to be reminded of what his future had for him. Knowing the future was hard.
"I came because the minute I read the letter, I knew this was not supposed to happen. I was supposed to be with you, and vice versa. And, I actually do not care whether you're blind or not. I still love you eternally."
They held hands and she saw a tear falling down his chin. With the pad of her finger she dried it away and kissed him softly. He sighed deeply.
"It's gonna be hard, Angel. But we'll make it." She assured him. He glanced up at her.
"What about Riley? And Dylan?" he said, showing he'd spent a lot of time pondering this very question. She swallowed and felt an inner pain when he mentioned Dylan's name. He wasn't supposed to pronounce it the way he did, with a normal voice, he was supposed to have a fathers love in his voice when saying it. And as he didn't, she knew it was wrong.
"Riley? I couldn't care less." She paused, searched for the right words, then continued. "Dylan. well, there's something you should know about." she began muttering.
"Angel! Come quick!" Cordy suddenly interrupted. Angel and Bbuffy turned their heads to his secretary. "We've maybe found a cure!"
With a running Cordy in front, they walked up the stairs together. Angel sometimes peered intensely at Buffy, she noticed it, but let him.
Suddenly he stumbled, Buffy shot out an arm and reached for him. Exchanging 'nough saying glances, they continued the walk.
"I seem to calculate difference of how close things are. Stairs is one of them." Angel explained shortly. Buffy knew she couldn't imagine how horrible it had to feel to lose her sight, and now Angel was experiencing it.
Buffy felt her pity and sorrow build up by looking at his sad face. It wasn't fear. It wasn't. it was a deep feeling of being a helplessly victim of her lovers pain. And it hurt.
Just as they were about to enter the inner office Angel paused. He glanced at her, then down at his pants.
"Look, you'll make it. We'll make it. Together." she reached for his hand, he kissed her softly and they walked together into the office where Cordy and Dylan were.
-
part seven
Cordy, wearing a tight mini-skirt and green sweater, sat with her legs crossed, tapping her fingers quickly towards the keyboard. Dylan sat next to her, watching in amazement.
Buffy took a step closer to Angel and held around him. Together they entered the room and walked towards Cordy.
"Look," Cordy began, spinning her chair towards them, leaving the computer alone with Dylan. "We all know that the doctor said that the sight-loosing could come quickly or gradually."
Buffy frowned, glanced up at Angel's face, also frowned in a concerned look, they hadn't told *her*. Kind of surprised, shocked and disappointed she looked back at Cordy, who was busy printing something out from the computer.
"I found this." She handed it to him. "It came from a wicca-online-book."
Angel fetched it with a firm grip, cleared his throat and read out loud.
"Rebuilding senses." He stated with a sigh, peered intensely at it as he read through it. "But, to do this we need a wicca." He declared to both Buffy and Cordy.
"I happen to know one," Buffy said with a grin. Leaving the room to make a call from the outer office, she left Angel with a feeling of hope inside.
-
The night fell and Willow was on her way. Buffy and Angel shared his bed and Dylan slept beside them. He'd been very acceptive to Angel. Though neither of them knew about their relative yet.
Waking up, in the middle of the night, as awake as it should be in the middle of the day. Assuring herself that Dylan was ok, she climbed past Angel, carefully, so she wouldn't wake him.
She grabbed a blue silk robe of Angel's and put it gently on. She left the room and walked up to the offices.
Up there she turned a computer on and waited for it to load. If it was intuition or just boredom she didn't know, but she actually went into Angel's computer and went through it's insides. suddenly she noticed an icon on the desktop saying 'Diary'.
Curiously she double clicked it and waited for the text to appear, but, it was passworded. With a frown she wrote 'Buffy'. It worked.
Bowing towards the screen she began reading of his diary.
-
part eight
Outside the hard wind blew and made hollow screams into the night. It was cold in the room and only the forever ticking of the clock behind her was making a sound, as she silently read the words.
Though she knew perfectly well that this was wrong, she just did it.
"I just woke up, I stepped into the shower and tried to relax. Nightmares again. Of her. I can't seem to get her out of my head, no matter how hard I try, in a way I think my attempts only makes my longings greater.
Time to time I find myself wondering on how and why I left. In this moment I can't see how I possibly could've gotten myself to leave her, and the life I had, behind. In a way, I haven't."
Buffy exhaled in amazement. She kept on reading.
"Knowing of the day we didn't spent, the perfect day, I can't bare to see her. Sometimes I just wish she knew, so I hadn't been forced to live - alone - with this horrible (?) secret. To know that she knew how she felt, how we had our day, how it was to feel my beating heart, would be heaven to me. But, I know this is not possible."
Closing her eyes and swallowing she sniffled. Could she tell him about Dylan? Would he understand?
"I don't know whether I will ever become a human again, but I know, deep within my not beating heart, that I love her, and I always will."
Letting a tear drop, she suddenly heard an 'ahem' from behind her. As in a reflective movement she turned off the computer before she whirled around. Angel.
*Oh crap* she thought and tried to act as innocently as possible. He sent her a harsh look of disappointment.
"I thought I could trust you." He stated, causing Buffy to feel as dirty as she was. She glanced guilty down at her pants. "Why?" he asked.
"I didn't mean to read your diary, but I just."
"Look, Buffy, I can accept that you read it, but I thought I could trust you. That's all." He looked upset at her.
"I'm sorry." She bent her head. He strolled towards her, bowed down and held her hand. She gazed into his deep brown eyes.
"It's all right." He assured her with a half-smile and leant towards her. They kissed. In the moment of their lips meeting she decided to tell him. Straight out.
She backed from the kiss and sighed.
"Dylan's not Riley's." she stated. Angel raised his eyebrows.
"He's not?" though the question was unnecessarily asked, he just asked it in pure reflexes. Buffy shook her head.
"He's not." She explained. A second she decided not to tell him, but put the thought away as she felt a deep pain in her chest.
"Then who is the father? Some accidentally guy or something?" Angel asked, obviously surprised and confused.
"No, Angel." She replied, peering into his eyes. "He's your son."
-
Part nine
Angel felt a cold stream of confused feelings rush through him. Though it was what he'd always wanted, this could not be. He couldn't be the father of Dylan. He couldn't.
Buffy, clearly noticing his change, reached out for him as he stumbled dizzily and gasped for air.
"Angel, you ok?" she asked, trying to make him stand straight.
"Yes." he whispered and sat down. Swallowing carefully, raising his glance and taking a deep breath he began to speak again. "Buffy, you can't mean that." he began, his voice shivering.
"Angel." She laid a hand on his shoulder. "First I thought it was Riley's. But then, while giving birth to him, I got these visions. I saw the whole 'perfect day' we spent together, you being human. And I understood that it had to be you."
"But, the day never happened, and you weren't supposed to know about it neither." he whispered stunned.
"I know." she agreed, kissed him and sighed. "And I still love you." She assured him with a grin and grabbed his hand gently. "Lets pay PTB a visit, ey?" she demanded with a smirk and Angel nodded.
-
"Why do you come before us, Warriors?" the male of the oracles said, with irritation in his voice.
"And what did you bring?" the female shot in and looked at them. Buffy held a gold necklace up in the air. The woman made it float over to her. "Nice." She stated with a pleased smile.
"Why do I remember?" Buffy questioned quickly, going straight into business. The oracles exchanged quick glances. "And, my son." she added.
"You both fought for us, we thought you deserved something in return. For the child's matter, you were already impregnated when we turned back the clock. We just let you have him." The male explained, waiting for a response.
Buffy smiled thankfully. She happily hardened the grip around Angel's hand.
"My sight." Angel began carefully.
"There is nothing we can do. You've fought a battle, you pay the price." The woman said, obviously having pity for him, in her voice.
"Nothing?" Buffy questioned loudly.
"Haven't you got enough?" The man replied with a raised eyebrow and minimized eyes. Buffy and Angel stood silently watching the oracles leaving. Suddenly they were shot back at the entrance and they lay silently at the ground.
"Angel." she whispered suddenly. He didn't answer. "We'll make it work," she continued whispering, tears streaming down her face. He turned to her; his tears had also begun to shape in his deep brown eyes. He sniffled.
They eased together and held each other. Sobbing towards each other they just sat there, feeling safe and sad. Trying to figure out ways to make it work. Though every attempt, every thought felt useless. Their only hope right now was Willow.
-
Dylan opened the door to the office; he walked inside and glanced about. Where was his mother? And Angel?
He'd grown fond of the angelic saviour of his; his voice was so cool and calmed him down. And his deep eyes made him feel secure and protected. Those strong arms could hold him and keep him safe from all the dangers in the world, he felt.
"I wish he was my dad." Dylan said to himself. But, quickly took it back. He bit his lip. Something inside of him told him that it wasn't fair towards his real dad, Riley. Riley loved him. But, Dylan had never felt a strong feeling towards him, like he did with his mom. And, he could not deny that the first time he'd seen Angel, he had felt somewhere the same feeling he got when his mother was around. A sort of electric feeling, up and down his spine, telling him that he was safe and protected.
Suddenly he heard someone behind him. Quickly he spun around and watched a man close up on him. Watching his every step closely, Dylan backed a few.
"Hello, lad." The man said. He wasn't especially tall. Cordelia had to be some inches taller.
"Who're you?" Dylan questioned sceptically, wondering if he could trust this Irish man or not.
"Don't worry, lad, I'm a friend of yer mother and Angel." He said with a grin. "They don't know I'm here, though." He said, bowing down. He looked straight into his eyes. In a way Dylan relaxed by the new position the man had, he didn't seem as intimidating as before.
"What do you want?" Dylan asked curiously. He stepped closer to the man.
"I want you to help Angel," the man said, whispering. Dylan moved closer to hear him better.
"With what?" Dylan wondered, exhaling. He was tired. It was the middle of the night.
"You'll know after a while." The stranger of a man assured him truthfully.
"Who are you? How do I know I can trust you, and why are we whispering?" the young boy asked. The man sighed half-way and thought hardly. He cleared his throat with a cough and continued speaking, in normal voice, like he'd forgotten earlier how to raise it.
"I am a friend, I told you. Now, tell your mother that she has to heal him in the way she is going to, but that she must remember the never ending circle."
"Never ending circle." Dylan repeated. "I'll remember it." He assured the man, which stood up and walked towards the door.
"Thank you." He said, with his Irish accent. He turned and was just about to close the door behind him when Dylan interrupted him.
"Hey," the boy said, irritated. The man paused and looked at him, waiting for the continue. "You didn't tell me your name!"
"You don't need to know it, lad." The man objected.
"I do, too!" Dylan said, not giving up on his case.
"Oh, this is why I don't deal with children." the man said to himself.
"I heard that!" it came from thigh-height.
"Doyle. My name's Doyle. You happy, kid?" Doyle questioned with a smirk. Dylan nodded eagerly. "Bye." Doyle whispered and closed the door behind him.
Just as Doyle's shadow disappeared in the door-glass, Cordy bursted into the room. She sighed happily and exhausted by the sight of Dylan, staring confused and innocently at her.
"There you are, little brat," Cordy said with a smile. "I've been looking all over for you! Jeez, your mom would've staked me if I'd lost you." She picked him up and he smiled charmingly, showing how much he reminded Cordy of Angel.
"That's one of the plusses of having a mother who's the slayer," he said, with a smirk.
"Yeah, I know. What were you doing up here, anyways?" Cordy asked, walking down the stairs.
"Meeting Doyle." Dylan explained simply.
"Doyle?" Cordy stopped walking and looked seriously at him. "You talked with Doyle?"
"Uhu. He told me to tell my mom something. Why?"
"No, nothing. So, he doesn't only show himself to me, then." The last part she mumbled under her breath.
-
Part ten
The four people sat quietly in the inner office. Buffy held tightly around Dylan, who was almost asleep. Cordy wrote something at the computer, which she'd moved into Angel's office, and Angel documented some files.
Angel arose and walked casually towards Cordy, suddenly he stumbled and placed his hands to his head, screaming. Buffy quickly let Dylan go and ran to him. Helping him stand he calmed down and glanced confused around.
"Angel.?" she asked carefully. He turned to her with a mutt face.
"I can hardly see." He stated sadly. Buffy got tears in her eyes and embraced him while sniffling.
Suddenly Willow rushed into the office. She looked about and coughed to draw the attention to herself.
"Um. I'm here." she announced with a grin. They turned to her.
"Good! He's worse. We need to do this quickly!" Buffy demanded, Willow nodded agreeing.
"Well, I got all the ingredients you asked for, hand me the formula and I'll look through it. In the mean time, go downstairs, Angel, undress and go to bed. Wait for me there." Willow explained. The lovers nodded.
Dylan walked over to his mom, pulled her skirt slightly, getting her attention. He peered confused up at her.
"Mom. what's going on?" he asked, trying to hide his confused self.
"Nothing, hun. Come with us downstairs." She said, held his hand and turned to walk. But, before leaving the room she turned to Willow. They exchanged glances.
"Nice to see you, by the way." Buffy said sadly. Willow didn't hesitate a second. Going into best friend position she ran over to her and hugged her supportively.
"It's gonna be all right," Willow told her. Buffy sniffled. "We'll make it work, we will."
-
Angel lay under the covers, Buffy and Dylan sat besides him. Buffy let her hand softly glide up and down his jawbone, while Willow prepared the séance.
"Now," Willow said, dusting off her pants. "I'm just gonna mix these, they you'll drink it and we'll know after some time. he'll go unconscious and then we'll give him another dose. When he wakes, we'll know for sure." she explained and began mixing some herbs. Cordy watched closely from behind her. Buffy held tightly around Angel's hand.
Willow arose and handed Angel a glass with some water-alike liquid in it. They all watched in excitement.
"Here goes." he mumbled and swallowed it. They held their breaths for a response. "Nothing." he mumbled. Suddenly he screamed. "My sight! It's fading!" he screamed.
Buffy clutched his hand harder.
"Dylan." Angel whispered. "I want to see him at least one last time." He begged. Dylan crawled his way towards Angel. Angel clamed down and looked at him.
"Dad." Dylan said. All the people present gasped.
"Dylan.?" Buffy said amazed. "How'd you.?"
"I just knew." Dylan replied with a smile.
"Son." Angel said proudly and embraced him while crying. Buffy leant towards him and kissed him the last time before he became unconscious.
"No." Buffy cried and lay sobbing onto of him. "No." she whispered.
The others left her there, crying, afraid that he'd never be able to see her again.
-
As Willow prepared the last dose, Dylan watched. Cordy sat next to the table, studying her every move.
"It's gonna work.?" Cordy asked out of the blue. Willow sent her a hesitating glance, trying to get away from the answer.
"Um. well, it's a complication that he seemed to loose his sight just when the serum worked. so we can't really know. And, there's something missing I think, something which will make him stronger, more resistant for the poison rushing through his body, killing his vision." Willow mumbled. "But, I don't know what." She added with a sigh.
"The never ending circle." Dylan suddenly said. Willow paused her movements and turned to him. "Just something Doyle told me to say to my mom. Something about healing an angel or something."
"Healing Angel?" Willow repeated. Dylan nodded.
"Never ending circle, ey?" Cordy said enthusiastically. Dylan nodded eagerly. "Hah! And who said I was a stupid bitch? I may be a bitch, but stupid? Nah!" With that Cordy disappeared down the stairs.
When she reappeared the held the claddagh ring of Angel's in her hand.
"A never ending circle."
"All circle's are never ending, Cordy." Willow added.
"I know. but this resembles his strength."
"Ok. it can't hurt to try. I hope." the last part Willow added under her breath.
Putting the claddagh into the liquor and letting it be there for three seconds, the chanted some words. Pulling it back, giving it to Cordy she smiled.
"I hope this'll work."
-
Helplessly Angel lay in the bed, Buffy helped him swallow the last drops and waited impatiently. She loved him so much. It hurt just to think about not being with him her whole life. No matter what happened. If he turned blind they just had to make it work, get past it and live with it. As long as they had each other nothing else mattered.
"He should get conscious any time now." Willow informed them.
Three seconds later he began to move. He opened his eyes.
"Angel, can you see?" Buffy questioned, afraid of the answer. They leant over him, waiting for the answer.
-
Part eleven
Angel opened his mouth to speak, the others held their breath.
"No. Nothing."
"Then I'm sorry, Buffy. He'll never get his sight back." Willow whispered.
"NO!" Buffy cried and held around Angel. "No. no."
~*~
one month later
Buffy (of course) dumped Riley in favour of Angel. Though he couldn't see anymore, they knew they would make it. He'd proposed to her, and she'd said yes. It was time for their wedding.
Everyone had showed up, all her friends from Sunnydale and all their friends from L.A. everything was perfect. As Buffy walked up the aisle she had tears in her eyes and couldn't take her eyes off Angel. He had his face towards her, though she knew he didn't see her.
As she reached him they turned to the priest and he began his speech.
"Now, Liam, you had some words.?" the priest said, to Angel. Angel nodded; he turned t Buffy and cleared his throat.
"We've been through a lot, we will get through a lot too, and I promise you that I'll stand by your side, all the time. My sight is not something we should connect with bad, but good, because it shows us, it proves us, that we're strong enough to stay together, even though we meet permanent changes. Even if I'm blind, I can see you." He said. Sniffles and sobbing was heard all over the church.
The priest began talking again. Soon he got to the part they all waited impatiently for.
"Do you, Liam, take Buffy?" the priest said finally. Angel said I do. "Do you, Buffy, take Liam?" Buffy nodded, said 'I do' and sniffled. "Put your rings on your partners hand."
Dylan stepped up and handed Angel the woman-claddagh. Inscripted inside it said: 'Forever, that's the whole point.' Buffy had taken the first claddagh over at her right hand. Angel slid the new on her left hand. It had a diamond in the heart.
"I give you this ring, everlasting, just like our relationship." He said and kissed her hand. Buffy took the ring her beloved son handed her and put it on Angel's finger.
"I give you this ring, everlasting, like our relationship." She repeated and kissed his hand. Angel suddenly blinked twice. Buffy raised an eyebrow and looked confused at him.
"I can see." He whispered. Buffy's eyes widened. "I can see." He repeated.
"Oh, mom I forgot." Dylan began whispering to her. "I was to tell you, from Doyle, that to cure dad you needed an everlasting circle."
Buffy cried of joy and kissed Angel. Dazzled of the sudden rush the priest hurried to announce: "I now announce you husband and wife. you're now kissing the bride."
And, do I even have to add that they made it work?
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