Chapter 6

Buffy walked laps around the hotel room gripping her stomach. She knew she was in labor, but it was too early. She wasn’t due for another three weeks. Willow had gone out sightseeing and had accidentally left her cell phone in the room. That had been a few hours ago. Buffy was hoping that Willow would return soon and take her to the hospital. She didn’t want to go alone.

There was a loud knock on the door and Buffy jumped. She rushed over to the door and opened it. It wasn’t Willow. “What are you doing here?”

Angel shifted his weight to his other leg. “I uh, I came to….” Buffy breathed out heavily and pressed against her stomach. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. What do you want?”

“Buffy, something’s wrong.” He looked at her. “What is it?”

“It’s nothing. Why are you here?”

“I came to apologize.”

“Apologize?” Buffy let out a strained laugh. “Get away from me Angel. I don’t want anything to do with you.”

“Please, hear me out.”

“Oh god….”

“You’re not going to give me a chance to explain myself?”

“No. I mean ‘oh god, my water just broke.’”

Angel looked down at the now wet carpet. “Holy shit!”

“Shh! She can hear you.” Buffy rubbed her stomach.

“We’ve got to get you to the hospital. Where’s Willow?”

“She went sightseeing. I didn’t want to leave until she got back.”

“Well, Buffy, we’ve got to go now.”

“But Willow….”

“We’ll leave a message with the front desk.”

“Ok.” Buffy nodded her head. “Ok. Leave a message.”

“Do you have a bag you want to take with you to the hospital?”

“Yes. It’s by the door in my room.” Angel headed for the bedroom on the left. “No. Other one. That’s Willow’s.”

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

Buffy was all set up in a delivery room and waiting for the doctor to come back. Her contractions were only three minutes apart now. Buffy had waited too long to get to the hospital, so they hadn’t had time to administer an epidural. She was going to have to give birth without any drugs.

Angel walked in carrying a glass of ice water. “Here.”

“Thanks.” Buffy took it and then nearly dropped it when another contraction hit her.

“Listen…. I really need to get this out, Buffy.”

“Angel, now is not the best time.”

“I think now is the only time you’ll listen to me. Buffy, I love you. Ok? I’m head over heels in love with you. And I am so sorry for the way I treated you. You were right. That guy I used to be…. He was a sham. He was a terrified kid holding on to a life that didn’t suit him anymore. But I’m not that guy anymore. I want us to be a family. I want to be there for our child and for you. Buffy, I want to marry you and have more babies with you. What do you say? Can I have another chance?”

Before Buffy could say anything, the doctor walked in. “How are we?”

“We’re in pain.” Buffy growled.

The doctor nodded patiently. “Let’s see how far you’re dilated.” Angel watched the doctor stick her hand under the sheet covering Buffy. “Ok, the baby’s crowning, so we need to get this show on the road.” She looked up at Angel. “Are you the father?”

“Yes.” Angel said.

“Ok, I’m going to need you to put some scrubs on if you plan to stay in here.”

Angel nodded and followed the nurse out.

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

Angel sat in the chair in the corner and watched Buffy sleep. Willow had come in while Buffy had been giving birth and kicked Angel out of the delivery room. Now it was mid-morning and she was down in the cafeteria and Angel had gone in to watch over Buffy. The door opened and Angel stiffened, ready to defend his place at Buffy’s side to Willow, but it was the nurse. She wheeled in Buffy and Angel’s daughter. She would have wheeled her back out again, but Angel assured her that Buffy would wake up soon and he’d watch over the baby. The nurse stared at him skeptically, but left anyway.

Angel looked down at the tiny perfection of his daughter. She looked just like a miniature Buffy with dark hair. She was wrapped in a little pink blanket and she was sound asleep just like her mother. Angel reached down and picked her up. She was so tiny in his large hands. Buffy had named her Madison Amanda Summers-O’Connor. Madison woke up and looked up at her father.

“Hey there.” Angel whispered. “I’m your daddy.” He held her in his arms and gently stroked her chubby cherub’s cheek and perfect little rosebud mouth with his forefinger. “God, you are so beautiful. I know it’s a little early for favors, but you’ve gotta help me out here.” Behind Angel, Buffy was waking up and starting to sit up. “I love your mommy more than I can put into words, but she’s not happy with me. I can’t blame her though. I hurt her pretty bad. You can hit me for that later and I’ll allow one curse word directed at me. That’s a promise. But you’ve gotta make her see that I love her. You’re got to convince her that I want to marry her and make you some brothers and sisters. I was so stupid before she came along and told me she was having you. Madison, you and your mommy are the best things that ever happened to me.” He leaned his head down and kissed her baby soft hair.

“Can I have my daughter?” Buffy asked.

Angel turned. “Oh, yeah. Of course.” He gently handed Madison over to Buffy.

“Hey there little one.” Buffy kissed Madison’s cheek. “My little Maddy. What are we going to do with your daddy?”

“Give him another chance.” Angel said in a high pitched baby’s voice. When Buffy looked up at him, he looked confused and pointed at Madison.

Buffy chuckled. “Madison, you don’t have to do anything.” She looked up at Angel. “Because my answer’s yes. I will marry you, Angel. On one condition.”

“Anything.”

“You have to promise me that you will never hurt me again.”

“I’ll rip my own heart out before I ever do that again.” Angel reached out and stroked Buffy’s cheek before leaning down to kiss her gently.

“What’s going on in here?” Willow asked from the doorway. She had a scowl on her face.

“It’s ok, Will.” Buffy said. “Angel apologized.”

“Oh.”

“And proposed.”

“Oh! Wait, did you say yes?”

“Yes.”

Willow smiled. “Wow.”

“I know.”

“Is that ok?” Angel asked.

Willow stared at him for a minute. “Yeah. That’s ok. Just don’t you ever hurt her again. I’ll make sure they don’t find the body.”

Angel looked at Buffy. “That’s the second person to tell me that.”

“Who was the first?” Buffy asked.

“Your sister.”

“Speaking of,” Willow said. “She’s on her way out. She was on her way to the airport just now.”

“Good.”

“Willow, I have an errand to run.” Angel said. “Can you stay with Buffy?”

“Yeah, sure. What kind of errand?”

“An important one.” Angel kissed Buffy gently and walked out of the room.

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

Cordelia walked in with Xander in tow. She’d left the kids with Xander’s parents since they had school to attend. Angel was sitting in the bed with Buffy and Buffy was holding her daughter. Willow sat in the chair next to the bed. Everyone looked up as Cordelia let out a little squeal of delight.

“Hey sis, come meet your niece.” Buffy said.

Cordy leaned down and stroked Madison’s hair and kissed her forehead. “Hi, baby. Hi Madison. Oh. She’s perfect, Buffy. What the hell in on your finger?” Cordelia grabbed Buffy’s left hand, making sure that she didn’t disturb the baby.

“That would be an engagement ring.”

“That’s not just a ring, that’s a freaking boulder! When did you get this?”

“This morning while you were getting on a plane.”

“Are you serious?” Cordy looked at Angel. “Are you serious?”

“Very much.” Angel said.

Cordy squealed and jumped up and down. Xander smiled and kissed Buffy’s forehead. “Congratulations.”

“Congrats little sis!” Cordelia hugged Buffy tightly, still avoiding disturbing the baby.

“Angel deserves some too.” Buffy whispered.

Cordy turned to Angel with a smile. “You didn’t bribe her into this with that boulder on her finger, did you?”

“No. Cross my heart.” Angel said.

“Then congratulations daddy.”

“That’s just not something I want to hear you say to another man.” Xander said.
Cordy turned and rolled her eyes. “Can I hold her?”

“Sure.” Buffy gently lifted Madison up so her aunt could hold her.

“Oh, Xand, we’re going to have another one. We’ve got to.”

“I’m getting fixed.” Xander said with a smirk.

“No. No. We’re going to have another one. Hello little Madison. Oh, you are so precious. Look at you. God, Buffy, she looks exactly like you.”

“She’s got her daddy’s dark hair and eyes.” Buffy said.

“What’s her full name?” Xander asked.

“Madison Amanda Summers-O’Connor.” Angel and Buffy said.

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

Buffy and Angel broke apart from their heated kiss when they heard their daughter let out an excited squeal. “Mommy!” Buffy turned and scooped Madison into her arms as the crowd applauded.

“Ladies and gentlemen, may I introduce to you Mr. and Mrs. Angel O’Connor.” The priest said.

Buffy carried her one year old daughter in one arm and held Angel’s hand with her free hand as they walked up the makeshift aisle. They had gotten married under the gazebo in Cordelia’s backyard with only their closest friends and family in attendance. Buffy was wearing a wedding gown of her own design. It was form fitting and flared out gracefully from mid-thigh to create a fuller skirt and a small train. The top of the dress was strapless with little chiffon cap sleeves on her shoulders for decoration.

Madison was wearing a little white flower girl dress with a red ribbon around her waist that tied in a big red bow on her back. She had been the flower girl for the ceremony, but she had been walked down the aisle by her mommy. Buffy had been wearing a veil, but Madison kept ripping it out of her hair, so Buffy had taken it off.

Over the last year, Buffy and Angel had moved in together in her apartment and raised Madison together. When Angel had flown out to New York with no notice, Wolfram and Hart had fired him. So, Angel had opened his own firm and it was extremely successful since most of his clients had stayed with him. Buffy’s line at the New York Fashion week had been a huge success. She was practically a household name now. Especially since she was expanding her line to kids and baby clothing. And on top of that, Buffy and Angel were trying for their second child. Buffy was waiting until the honeymoon to tell Angel that they were going to need a bigger place since their efforts had been successful.

THE END