The Future Is What We Make

FANDOM: Buffy the Vampire Slayer/Angel the Series
TITLThe The future is what we make
AUTHOR: Willie J (aka Lemonychocolate)
EMAIL: wmj166@yahoo.com
ARCHIVE SITE(S): http://parrot.nearheralways.com/index.php, http://www.brain-insan.com/beyondcanon, http://www.adult-fanfiction.org
PAIRINGS: Multiples
RATING: R now now
DISCLAIMER: I don't own any part of Buffy et all, not Angel the Series.
FEEDBACK: Oh please sendfeedfeedback, privately or through the list
DISTRIBUTION: List Archives
SPOILERS:
BETA'D BY: By two fabulous, wonderful people Kris and James
SUMMARY:


Epilogue-50 years later

Two dark heads peeked around the door and Angel was wearily amused at the fierce whispering going on outside the door.

“Go axed them...” came one voice.

“Nuh uh, you go axs, 'sides I axed da las' time...” replied another voice smugly.

“You're such a liar...” exclaimed another voice in a fierce whisper.

And then there came the sound of scuffling outside the door, muffled grunts as the two combatants tried to fight silently.

Why me lord...? Angel wondered before nudging Xander awake.

“The kids are up,” he muttered sleepily to his mate.

“I know, but I’m gonna ignore them until they actually decide to come inside and harass us,” Xander mumbled back without moving from his comfortable position.

There was sudden silence outside their bedroom, then quiet footsteps padding over to Angel’s side of the bed. He tried to burrow closer into the warm back for protection and felt Xander shaking with silent laughter.

At the repeated pokes, he sighed and turned over in the bed. And he resignedly regarded the two dark-hair children. They looked exactly like their father, he thought fondly.

“Granpa, uhm…me and Jessi was wondering if...uhm we could go to the mall later…maybe even tomorrow...cause…uhm you and Granddad and mom and dad promised us…that you…would take us if…uhm we was good,” Giles whispered, making his eyes as wide as possible.

“And you think waking me and your Granddad up at 7 am is considered being good?” Angel questioned, trying to hold on to his stern expression.

Giles and Jessi glanced at one another before she answered, “Uhm...yeah?”

Angel shook his head and tried again, “Then why don’t you go wake up your mom and dad? I’m sure they would be equally pleased at seeing you at this time of the morning.” And the bed was beginning to shake with the force of Xander’s stifled laughter.

Jessi had a disgruntled expression on her tiny face, “We tried but dey told us to go ‘way and ax you first.”

“Give it up Angel, you’re not gonna win,” Xander snickered as he tried to turn over.

Jessi climbed into the bed, ignoring her Granpa’s wordless protests as she placed her hands over Granddad belly, smiling as the baby prodded her hand softly. She loved touching her Granddad’s stomach, to feel the baby touching her, if only from within.

Xander inhaled softly and smiled at the absorbed look in Jessi’s eyes, then looked up into Angel’s softening eyes.

Angel leaned down and kissed him softly, ignoring the open door until a low ‘Ewwwww’ came to his ears.

“Michael...” he groaned, resting his head on Xander’s pillow. “Michael Patrick Harris, please explain to me why your children are in our bedroom at this time of morning?”

“C’mon Dad, with Pop pregnant it’s not like you two can *do* anything,” Mike snickered at the expression on his stepfather’s face as he hugged his laughing wife closer to him.

Angel's turned gold and he looked up with a low snarl. “OUT.” He snapped his teeth at his son, who merely laughed as he ushered Monica and their protesting children out of his parent’s bedroom. He definitely was gonna tell his mom about Dad and Pop. Faith always got such a kick out of the two.

“Tell me again why we decided to have more kids,” he pleaded to Xander. “Could it be that we need replacements for Jocelyn and Michael?” He asked hopefully with a mischievous look in his eyes.

“Ha ha...funny man,” Xander deadpanned, pulling his mate down for a long kiss good morning, groaning as the door opened again.

“Oi Peaches, what time are we supposed to be leaving for the bints’ Queening thing?” Spike asked as he threw himself into a chair.

“Have you ever heard of knocking?” Angel growled, looking over at his irritating childe with angry eyes.

“Yeah. Now what time is we supposed to leave?” Spike repeated, pulling out a cigarette and simply placing it, unlit, in his mouth. He’ll smoke it later, he thought, eyeing Xander’s stomach.

“Spike, what are you doing in here?” Willow asked, looking scandalized at her mate as she appeared in the open door. She threw an apologetic glance at Xander and Angel. She blinked at Angel's bare chest before turning a stern look on Spike. Then Tara came and stood at her side, narrowly eyeing their husband.

Spike looked sheepish for a brief moment before growling at them, at which their faces shifted and they growled back at him with hot golden eyes. They ruled their household, not him.

Tara marched over, grabbed him by the ear and pulled him angrily from the room while Willow made their hasty apologies before shutting the door. Xander could still hear the two women's raised voices yelling at Spike about disturbing them.

Angel simply waited. He was eyeing the door for the next intruder.

“Well, aren’t you gonna kiss me?” Xander demanded, pouting over the laf kif kissing.

“Yeah, but I’m waiting until all the interruptions are over,” Angel replied still regarding the door suspiciously.

Xander rolled his eyes and muttered a quick spell. “Okay there! The door is sealed so no one can get in, now kiss me dammit!”

“Oh, yes master,” Angel smirked down at his beautiful husband and obeyed, thoroughly enjoying himself. Mikey was wrong, they may not be able to make love right now but they could still have plenty of fun, Angel thought hazily as he settled into a long early morning loving. Lots and lots of fun!

Then he sighed angrily at the hammering on the door. And ignoring Xander howls of laughter, he rolled out of bed and grabbed his robe. Flinging open the door with angry golden eyes, he snarled, “WHAT. IS. IT. NOW?”

Cordy blinked. “Excuse me?! Did you just growl…at me? Because Xander is the one pregnant not you, bucko!”

Angel rubbed his hand wearily over his face. “Sorry Cordy, it’s just that….oh
nevermind.” He peered down the hall, seeing her usual assortment of bodyguards leaning against the walls.

“Fine,” she snapped. “I just came in to tell you that the ceremony's been moved up to around 12, so it’ll be less of a strain on Xander. Taryn was wondering if maybe you guys would like to be there earlier?”

“Not a problem, Cordy. How are all the girls handling things?” Angel smiled at the fond look in Cordy’s eyes.

Cordy shook her head, thinking of her two stepdaughters. “Angel, they are about to drive me and Taryn insane! If they change their minds one more freakin' time about what to wear, I swear to God I’m gonna force them to walk buck naked down the aisle.” Though her words were fierce, Angel knew that Bronze and Uhura had no better stepmother than Cordelia Chase. With her demon DNA giving her an extended lifetime she would be around for long time.


Their alliances and bonds had migrated over the years, but the core of their extended family would always remain Xander, Angel, Taryn, Jennes, and Lourdey. And all marriages and bonds enedened within that context, with the clear understanding that Xander was First Mate to all four males.

And while the Jaztars were still reeling in shock over Xander producing five daughters, somewhere in the year after Taryn married Cordy. And between Xander and Cordy, they had knocked the Jaztars on their collective asses. Especially Taryn’s fathers.

Poor things still had a shocked look on their faces after going head to head with first Xander and then Cordy. And both Xander and Cordy had proven more than capable of holding their own against the males, especially when protecting their daughters and their position within the Jaztar society.

Taryn's fathers, the King and his consort, had assumed that *they* would be in charge of the Jaztar nation. And in charge of bringing up Taryn and Xander’sghteghters. They had arrived at the house with a horde of bodyguards to take the children in hand ‘for their own protection’. Conveniently coming at a time when neither Jennes or Taryn were present.

The king had gotten snippy with Xander, calling him a few nasty names in Jazta. And while the humans didn't exactly know what the words meant, they kinda got the feeling that it wasn't exactly compliments being handed out. Especially considering that Spike and Angel had to practically sit on enraged, snarling Lourdey.

Xander threw the king, the consort and bodyguards so high in the ahat hat it took almost five hours for them to return to terra firma. And they never came back or insisted on taking the girls. Jaztars respected power and Xander had plenty of it. The five little queens were surrounded by a cadre of fierce and deadly people.

However, it was still a bit of a shock to see Giles married to Lourdey and actually teaching the generally sober Jaztar how to ‘loosen up’.

Lourdey’s pursuit of Giles still had everyone in stitches. You would have thought he was discussing an impersonal subject the way he courted Giles. The former Watcher, of course, had no idea until Taryn told Xander and Xander hesitantly asked Giles how he felt about the matter.

They didn’t see the two for a week after that. And then they returned….and married.

Which didn’t set too well with Cordy, Dawn, or Anya. Yelling and screaming the girls got their way and a horribly embarrassed Giles was re-married to Lourdey. Who quite frankly didn’t care since as far as he was concerned he had what he wanted: Giles. And Giles made a wonderful stepfather to Kris and Nico. He had always treated them like his own and with the spell Willow and Tara concocted, he would live for a very long time with his Lourdey.

Unfortunately, poor Jennes almost got himself killed when Dawn turned 21 and started pursuing him. Everyone made it very, very plain that if he hurt her, he was dead. And it seem like there was nothing he could do to deter her interest except one thing: he slept with Buffy. He tried to apologize to Dawn, Buffy tried frantically to apologize to Dawn but she wouldn’t listen and she wouldn’t talk to either for months. And when she did, it seemed like Jennes, at last, recognized what he had thrown away and began chasing a seemingly disinterested Dawn. But her battle campaign was worked out by General Cordelia Chase, General Buffy ‘Grovel-At-The-Feet-Of-Her-Sister’ Summers and Captain Anya. And she was married within six months with Jennes’ daughter Jamie as her ring bearer.

And eventually Buffy found herself a nice human male to settle down with. One that didn’t become too spastic when he met her assorted family: a pregnant male friend, vampires, demons, and witches. Needless to say Richard was a little more comfortable with Wesley and Anya. Though, of course, Anya had made him blink a time or two with her comments but he shrugged it off.

Surprisingly enough, Anya and Wesley got along incredibly well. Anya pulled the ex-Watcher into the 21st century and Wesley held her feet firmly on the ground. They seemed to be made for each other.

They had only one child, a daughter named Melissa. The final Slayer assigned to the Hellmouth before it was finally sealed. And Melissa became the third Slayer to enjoy a extremely long life. And considering just who she could call on for help, Sunnydale truly became a wonderful place to raise a family. She married Marcus, Fred and Gunn's oldest son.

And Xander finally convinced his mates to allow him to see Faith. All four of the demon men were jealous and extremely afraid that they would lose their husband to her so they refused to let him go by himself. But their fears were groundless. And they began to ease the rigidness that filled them with each visit.

It took some talking and years before Faith was finally let out on parole. And she was welcomed eagerly into the family. And it was her idea...something that she presented solely to the demon mates for their approval....to being a surrogate mother for Xander. And if they were lucky, maybe time would repeat itself and Xander would have his other two children back again. It did and they soon welcomed first Michael Patrick Harris into the family and two years later they welcomed Jocelyn Rose Harris.


They arrived at the Great Hall and were immediately pressed into service getting the girls ready for the ceremony. Despite the number of years, the girls looked only about 18 years old and acted it, Angel thought ruefully. He and the rest of the male part of the family clan stood well away from the giggling bunch of females.

His eyes fell on his stepdaughter, Joce and he smiled.

Joce Osbourne was an international fashion designer. She had her her own fashion House in Paris and she rubbed shoulders with the rich and famous. She had hundreds of lackeys at her beck and call daily. And yet her she was, darting back and forth, twitching at a hem, then at a folds of cloth on her sisters' dresses.

She had pitched a royal, screaming, hissy fit when it was casually tossed out that the girls were going to wear store bought dresses. No sisters of hers was gonna wear a fuckin' off-the-rack dress. This was way to important to be left to someone else's hand.

And it was times like that had Angel wondering if HE had managed to get Faith pregnant instead of Xander.

Joce growled softly at her three children when they began to wander too close to her with their sticky hands. And she threw a grateful glance at her husband David when he and her father-in-law took the kids in hand. She sighed in resignation when all five wolfed out over in the corner and began playing. Their barks and growls just added to the din of confusion in the room. Well, as long as her husband and Oz just kept the kids away. And she went back to frowning in concentration as she adjusted the lines of the dresses.

Faith snickered at how much her daughter looked just like Angel right now. Despite the fact the fact that she was Joce and Michael's biological mother, her daughter was totally Angel and Taryn child temperment. While Michael was almost solely Jennes and Lourdey son in his mannerisms. It was still so fuckin' funny the way her children were duplicates of the four demons. Something that still caused Xander endless aggravation.

Buffy rapped her cane smartly on the floor and hoarsely yelled for everyone to settle down. “We don’t want them wondering about us crazy humans now do we?” And she glance over at Faith seeing a twin smirk was on the other's withered face before as she looked at her beloved friends, all still young and beautiful. Except for four precious lives lost to time. And simple human fraility.

Anya and Wesley. Gunn and Fred.

Those four had determinedly resisted everyone's cajoling to allow them to make them immortal. But it was Anya reply that stopped everyone from nagging them further.

“All of you have a reason to remain immortal, you have mates and lovers to live for. But I've come to far and fought to long for the chance to remain human. I've come a full circle. I was born a human and I will die with my humanity still intact.”

Buffy blinked rapidly, feeling her eyes fill with tears as she remembered her lost 'sister'. She knew that soon, she would be joining her beloved Richard in the afterlife, along with Wesley, Anya, Fred and Gunn. And from there they would be able to keep an eye on their sizable family. Her eyes settled fondly on her daughter, Monica and Michael and her grandchildren, before her eyes drifted over to Angel and Xander.

Well, at least she and Angel had finally been joined together. Thankfully, not the way her foolish teenage self would have imagine, but they were both happy and had love in their lives.

And she smiled at the sight of Xander's anxious husbands trying to get her stubborn friend to sit down.

“Xander, sit down immediately and stop trying to give your husbands heart attacks,” she said testily. Not in the least bothered by the annoyed glare he shot her. She was old, so what the hell could he do to her anyway?

Huffing impatiently, Xander allowed them to ease him into a chair. He angrily crossed his arms and rested them on his belly.

Bronze smiled at him and quickly darted over to him. “Daddy, how do you like this dress?” And she twirled around, as her sisters darted over as well. Each had on a different dress that their sister, Joce, had designed for them. All five of the dresses were awe iringring and they couldn't decide which one to wear for the ceremony. They wanted their family to be proud of them.

“Sweeties, why don't you each wear a different dress? You're individuals, so act like individuals,” Xander said with a smile.

Cordy hit banged her head against the wall when the girls immediately looked happier. “God, the Tums I could have saved if I had thought of that,” she muttered, then hit Taryn in frustration.

“Why did you hit me?!” Taryn shouted angrily and rubbed his arm.

“Because I can't hit Xander!” Cordy growled, ignoring the laughter from the others.


Riley and Graham wandered in and carefully took seats among the rest of the family. Beaming proudly up at the five beautiful girls up on the platform. After all this time, they still could hardly believe it when Buffy contacted them years ago.

Both former Initiative soldiers had become increasingly dissatisfied with their military lives and the 'ideals' they were supporting. Especially now that his wife was dead, things weren't the same for Riley, he wanted a real place to belong. Something to believe in.

He and Graham had at first thought it merely a joke when they were offered positions with Angel Investigations. Riley, at least, definitely remembered the last time he and Angel met. And considering what was done to Spike, they had a difficult time accepting the offer at face-value.

But they did. And the offer was sincere...not that things weren't stressful what with the growling and posturing from Angel over what had been doo hio his grandchilde. However, what had made Riley take a step back was when Xander...XANDER smacked Angel across the back of his head...and Angel didn't rip his head off! He had a bad feeling that maybe he had been hit too hard in the jungle or maybe was having an nasty side effect from one of the demons he had been fighting.

And he hadn't been too sure whether to be relieved or simply frighten of what they told him. Or what they were offering to him and Graham. A place to belong.

And in over 40 years they never once looked back. Never.

They had been far too busy fitting into their new lives. Being able to use the skills that the Good ole U.S.of A had spent thousands of dollars instilling in them. It had been so fuckin' long since they had both been proud to use their abilities.

Saving lives...protecting peoples. All sorts of people. Whether their skin was brown, white, yellow or green it didn't matter. His eyes had finally been opened...they were all people.

Riley came out of his reverie with a tiny start as a broad hand covered his. He looked into Graham's familiar blue eyes and smiled, leaning in for a kiss from his husband. And pulling back, he silently mouthed a 'Thank you' to Spike. Smirking at the annoyed look on the vampire's face.

“Stop teasing him,” Graham rumbled softly to Riley.

“I can't help it...it's too much fun!”

The ceremony started and Cordy quickly handed tissues to everyone as their eyes became wet at the poignant ritual. A liturgy that hadn't been performed for thousands of years.

And Sourd presided over the events with shaky hands, tears of gratitude pouring down his face. He was unashamed to stand before his people showing such emotion. He was just thankful that he lived long enough to perfohe rhe rite. And blessed that he survived the Cleansing when Saln and some of the other kings moved against Taryn and the others.

And all Jaztars bore witness when Prime Warriors went on the hunt. Bombs, fires and bodies were reported all over the world as Taryn and Jennes lead teams of warriors and humans on a relentless campaign to exterminate the threat to his family clan.

Then it was revealed that Saln had hired human to kill the tiny infant queens. And that was the final straw. The court Jaztars turned on him and pulled him screaming from the throne. And Alvn and Janek could only sit, frozen in terror as the one-time High King was ripped to pieces before their eyes. While Taryn and Jennes watched them with cold, hard expressions, their arms folded across their chests.

Their judgment was final and none, save a queen, could or would gainsay their verdict.

Except for Xander. He had enough of the killing. And he exercised his Voice as the father of the queens to stop the execution of Janek and Alvn. He wanted no more lives on his conscience. And reluctantly, the men gave way to him.

But Sourd had no problem with ignoring the plea. He simply waited until everyone was distracted and personally sliced Alvn's throat while his fellow shamans dealt with Janek. He had seen the look in Alvn's eyes and he knew one way or the other, the deposed Prince would try to strike back at that newly formed Clan. Their people had been through enough, his way was far better. Though he suspected that Lourdey and Spike knew what he had did, however, they never spoke of it.

He held out the enameled collar to place on Bronze, smiling helplessly at the merry laughter in her eyes. By a vote of four to one, she was forced into the role of High Queen.

But she was definitely Xander's daughter.

She agreed to be High Queen only for 10 years, then the office would be rotated to Jamie the Eastern Queen, Kris the Northern Queen, Uhura as the Southern Queen and Nico as the Western Queen respectively. With each taking the other's title as they shifted ranks.

The shifting of the offices was twofold. One, by rotating the ranks, each sister got a feel for the others spheres of influences. What was familiar and easily missed would have a fresh set of eyes watching a developing situation. Plus, Bronze happily escaped being the High Queen for 40 years. It was a win-win situation in her eyes.

Xander grunted softly as pain flared brightly in his abdomen and silently begged for the baby not to come right now. Can't you see your sisters are being collared? He admonished the baby and was rewarded with a knife shard of pain that had him doubling over with a gasp. This definitely had to be Taryn's child, apparently neither one could listen very well.

Angel and Jennes glanced at Xander in wild disbelief before the vampire swung their husband in his arms and headed determinedly for the small room just off the throne room.

Nico and her sisters immediately gathered up their skirts and ditched the ceremony to rush after their parents. There was no way in hell was daddy gonna be having a baby without THEM present.

Taryn and Lourdey took the time to swing Buffy and Faith into their arms before they rushed after their husbands

“Xander, why didn't you tell us,” Angel exclaimed, trying to make their husband comfortable on the couch.

“Like I fuckin' knew,” Xander managed to grit out. Then his head went back and he arched upwards with a harsh cry of pain, then rested back down with panting breaths.

“I'm telling you all right now, NO MORE KIDS!” He glared angrily at his husbands. “After this, you damn well better have protection on if you even think about me and sexxxxxx...” and he arched with a wail of pain.

“You're the one that bought the condoms and they broke, remember,” Taryn yelled angrily as he settled behind Xander, then began crooning softly.

Cordy smacked him and growled, “Stop yelling at him!”

Jennes snickered softly despite his fear as he eased Xander's pants down. A quick glance at Riley and Graham had the two men ushering the protesting children out of the room, with backwards looks of worry.

Xander moaned low in his throat as he pressed back againsryn ryn and his birthing slit widened rapidly.

Why on earth did he agree to having more kids...was his brief panicky thought before he became consumed by the need to push...

His breath came in ragged spurts as he strained…every muscle concentrated on pushing…

...aware of nothing but pushing out this demanding creature...

Feeling something slip free of him...and started pushing again…straining against Taryn before collapsing back….

Again…pushing…straining with all his might…

Taryn held onto Xander, his eyes wide with disbelief. Then exchanged a proud smile with Jennes as he felt the call of his son as it emerged from the womb. And Cordy smiled through her tears as she gathered the baby up, unmindful of her attire as she waited almost impatiently for Angel to finish cutting the cord.

And Jennes looked up at Dawn with awestruck eyes, feeling the call of his son....and daughter as they slipped free of their warm nest. They hurriedly wrapped the children up, crooning softly to still the distressed whimpers coming from babies.

Angel hurriedly eased the bloody child out and cut the cord and turning, he gave this last child...this fourth child to Giles, smiling through his tears.

And Giles tenderly wrapped his son up, singing softly to still the frantically squirming baby, feeling Lourdey's arms enfold him at their precious gift.

He struggled to keep his eyes open and he was firmly convinced that this was the last child that he was going to be having. No more puppy eyes from his husbands, let THEM get pregnant and see how they like it.

Willow, Tara and Spike smiled through their tears at the sudden increased in their Clan.

“So, who gonna tell Xander,” Spike whispered in Willow's ear, sending her into a fit of giggles that even had her demon snickering.

Riley and Graham came back in and regarded the cooing people with dropped jaws...

“FOUR?!”

And Xander's eyes popped open.

He looked around at the es wes wrapped in their fathers and mothers' arms. “Oh for God's sakes, can't I do anything normal?!” he exclaimed hoarsely.

For a few seconds there was silence except for the tiny squeaks from the babies. Then the room exploded with laughter at the disgruntled look on his face.