Difficult Directions: Side Effects
by Kaoz
{Some parts have been inserted from the original ATS scripts}


I took great pains to hide the runes on my body, particularly the one on my wrist. So far, no one had noticed anything different. Especially Angel, he worried me because he spent more time with me now that Cordelia had her Groo not to mention the training. Yup, so much fun, mhmm. Angel was a strict teacher and I blamed it all on her. I could see he liked her though I was loathed to consider he might be in love.

Not all the runes had burned like the first one though they all looked the same. The one on my wrist, Strength, had burned like a mother f-! The spell had recommended linking the War rune since they were counter parts but after the painful experience of the first I wasn’t too sure about it. In the end I figured it was worth the pain and I knew for sure no one would see it. Not unless there was a reason for me loose some clothes.

The Wisdom rune was just above the back of my neck, I rarely put my hair up so I figured nobody would see it. That one had given me a head ache that lasted about two days. It wasn’t one of those annoying head aches you can live with nor was it so bad it put me down. No, this head ache was always there, pounding just behind my eyes and going from the back of my head to my temples. I was a very grumpy woman.

The last one was for Protection.
Hey, I wasn’t about to go out there thinking I was invincible; I made sure my ass was covered.
This one though, was harder to hide and it was all my stupid fault, too. I had always wanted to get a tattoo on my back, low enough to hide with my jeans but just high enough that if I bent down any one could see. Well, I got my wish and now I spent most of my time looking for long shirts or standing up really fast whenever any one came in unexpectedly.

Weird things kept happening as well. Little things, things I wouldn’t normally have noticed except…

««««« »»»»»»

I sat with Angel in the pediatrician’s office hearing all the women complaining about their babies. The first woman whined about her baby screaming and crying all night, the second one about colic and the first one kept saying nothing worked, not walking him or holding him…nada.

‘Jesus! You wanted the kid now deal!’ I grumbled. Efren had been a good baby, at least I thought so. He only cried when he was wet or hungry and if he was hungry he wouldn’t stop crying until he had his bottle and even then, sometimes he’d still keep crying just because it took a little longer to heat up.

The women were staring at Angel where he sat holding Conner. Wesley sat next to him looking totally rumpled, then again he had spent the night going through books researching God knows what. I was extremely curious about it too.

Angel was giving the women advice as I watched. I had to give him props. He was the only man I’d ever seen who tried to learn anything he could about parent hood. Shit! I hadn't read any books!

(+)
"I should have thought of that!” the woman smiled at Angel. “Mr. Dad to the rescue!"
I could see Angel begin to grin which in itself was sort of weird but nice to see, when the nurse came out calling her name. The woman left and Angel turned to Wesley gushing.
"Mr. Dad! Check me out! I'm Mr. Dad.” Something about Wes’s look got his attention and mine. “You okay, Wes?"
"Well, just a bit tired, is all." He replied with some effort.
"Probably good you got out of the office. We haven't seen you for the last couple of days. You've been holed up with all those,” he glanced around and whispered, “prophecies and books."
"Yes, I've been working on a - particularly difficult translation." He surreptitiously glanced in my direction and I quickly lowered my eyes to the magazine in my hands with a shrug.
"Is it about Connor? Anything we have to worry about?"
I pretended to read my magazine though I strained to hear everything they were saying. Twice I caught Wes glance in my direction and I was afraid they would stop. I really wanted to know what they were talking about and since Cordelia was off com-shucking her Grooselaug there was no one else left to spill the beans.
"Mr. Angel?"
(+)

Just my luck! “Stupid nurse.” I mumbled looking up at Angel.

I could see he was surprised Wesley got up to go in with them. He said it was just incase he forgot to ask any thing. Angel turned to look at me and I shrugged.

“Don’t think you need a third set and those exam rooms are barely big enough for three, including the doctor, let alone four.” I smiled up wishing I had heard something more informative.

“Okay then.” Angel turned happily to the nurse and followed her.

“We won't be long, Phade.” Wesley smiled tiredly before following them.

‘Yup, I’ll just wait here.’ I thought looking around the waiting room. Seeing the women holding babies kinda made me nostalgic. I started thinking about my experiences with Efren as a baby, all those times I missed out holding him because my dad said he would get so used to it I’d never get any thing done. As I surveyed the room and each mother with a baby I mentally criticized everyone.

Some of the baby’s looked like they needed to be there. One had a runny nose but his mother was too busy comadreando with the lady next to her to notice the baby had a huge booger bubble about ready to burst. There was this one lady sitting two rows away hoisting her overly fat little girl onto her lap. I mean really! What were these women thinking? I could understand a grown woman deciding to let herself go and gain some pounds but a kid? I never heard a child say; “Mommy, I wanna be fat. Feed me.”

‘She looks like some overgrown cow .If you really love her STOP FEEDING HER!’ I thought.

“What!” the woman’s head snapped up looking around the waiting room once before she settled on me, the only one staring at her with a reproving frown.

“Huh?” I glanced to my left then right and turned to look behind me in surprise. Other women in the waiting room were staring at her now. I could see her face go redder as she pursed her lips. The woman next to her whispered something and I took the opportunity to look down at the magazine. I pretended to read though in reality I was freaking out!

‘What the hell was that? I can’t believe she heard me! Did she hear me? Did I say it out loud? I don’t remember speaking…’

Something was definitely wrong. This hadn't happened before.






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