Timeline

Chapter 20

Ireland.

Buffy woke up , she looked across the bed to see an empty spot where Angel should be. She groaned and sunk back into the pillows. Buffy stretched and yawned .Finally sitting up in bed, she noticed the curtains drawn and the windows open, the flowers Angel had got her were arranged on her dresser.
Buffy heard movement and watched as the door opened and Angel walked in carrying a tray.
"Thought you would appreciate breakfast in bed" He placed the tray on the bedside table " I thought you were never going to wake up". He jumped onto the bed and laid beside her.
" A girl could get used to this " Buffy leant down and kissed him.
" Well you better had. At least until you have the baby , then you'll be chained to the kitchen , like a good irish wife" He laughed as she picked up a pillow and hit him.
"So what have I got for breakfast?"
"A traditional irish breakfast" he leant over Buffy and put the tray on her lap. He lifted the lid. " Irish sausage and bacon , tomatoes fried with potatoes and white pudding and fried eggs with Dublin cheese. It's what you need to set you up for the day" he said in his Irish accent.
Buffy looked at it and frowned " Move the tray !"
Angel lifted the tray and Buffy ran to the bathroom.He took the tray downstairs.He tapped on the door after five minutes . " Sorry!" . Buffy didn't answer. He heard a tap run and the door opened.
" I think I'll stick to toast , dry toast. I don't think junior in here liked the look of that. But it was sweet of you" Buffy climbed back into bed.
Angel handed her a cup of tea. " Is it safe to give you this"
"Mmm yep now that I can handle"
Angel walked towards the door and went down to make her toast.
Buffy sipped the hot tea , she couldn't remember the last time she felt this relaxed. " Your such a dumbass , you probably cursed yourself now" she said to herself.
Angel returned with her toast and he sat in the bed beside Buffy. She polished the toast off and drank her tea while Angel read the paper.
"Since when did you read the paper?"
" I used to get them alot , thats how I used to find the people I helped at first. I'd look for unexplained disappearances or occurances"
Angel got up and put the paper down on the nightstand. He unpacked his dark pant's and black shirt and went towards the bathroom.
"You should think about updating your wardrobe ,now that your not night stalker ,dead, broody guy"
"Blacks my thing Buff, plus it goes with everything"
"I can see you in a nice plaid or tweed like Giles " she joked.
Angel threw a towel at her before he shut the bathroom door.
Angels mobile phone rang, Buffy looked to see the caller i.d and answered it .
"Hi Wes, Angels in the shower, can I help?"
"Fred's erm , Fred's ... I don't know how to say this, Fred is on her way to the Cotswolds and the rest of the group are with her. They have the sarcophagus with them . Fred tried to open it and has inadvertantly become ' infected ' with a demon God called Illyria.They will reach the Cotswolds by approximately eight pm tonight.We need to meet them there. Willow , Liam , Faith Gunn and Lorne have a plan.
" We'll meet with you at the hotel in about an hour , I'll let Angel know as soon as he's out of the shower.Wes, I'm sorry for what Fred is going through.It must be hard for you, I know what she means to you."
" Thats very kind of you Buffy, Thanks" Wesley hung up.

Who was that on the phone?" Angel said as he came out of the bathroom.
" Wes , we need to go to the hotel and pick them up. We're going on a trip to the Cotswolds curtesy of a demon God called pliria or something . You best sit down Angel " she continued once he was sat on the bed "Fred has become infected with the demon god and I'm sorry Angel , but from what Wes said , it doesn't look good."
"Did he say how it happened?"
"She tried to open the coffin thing that I bought back from the lawyers offices."
Angel's eyes shot up to Buffy's .
"I know , I blame myself"
"Don't Buffy , you only bought it back because of Cordy's vision"
"We need to focus , we can pass the blame tank round once we get this sorted"
Angel just stood there staring . Finally he shifted his gaze to Buffy.
" When are things going to go right for us" he said.
Buffy couldn't say anything , she just wrapped her arms around him.

Spike hadn't slept at all and was feeling extremely grouchy. To make matters worse , Lilah had insisted on winding him up over Buffy and Angel. Giles knocked on the door of his room and entered.
"I trust you had an uneventful night" he looked at the lawyer who had just woken.
"Count yourselves lucky the bints still in one piece.She yapped most of the night. Should have bought me some duct tape "
"Yes well , theres been a developement at home,the rest of our groups are on their way to England as we speak.We need to meet them at the deeper well."
"So we saddle up then Watcher "
"Yes , it appears so"
"Will the love birds be joining us"
"Er Buffy and Angel will be coming here as soon as they are ready. May I suggest you freshen up as well"
Spike looked down at what he was wearing and shrugged his shoulders.
Lilah looked at Spike "I guess the absence of a reflection has given you a 'who cares' attitude when it comes to your image"
" What's wrong with my image?"
Lilah laughed " It's more a case of whats right with it" .She swung her legs out of bed and stretched , still smiling . " At least Angel has taste and a classic style" she went into the bathroom.
"Yer right , like I'd dress like that poof! I'm an individual !! I'm my own man , rough and ready , thats me! My image says look out ,I'm dangerous!"
Even Giles had to laugh. " Well , when you are ready Wesley and I will meet you in the hotel lobby" still laughing , he left the room.

Spike and Lilah came down into the hotel lobby twenty minutes later. Wesley and Giles were ready and eager to go.Buffy and Angel arrived and greeted everyone.Well except for Lilah. Spike was pleased to see Buffy and gave her a hug. Angel glared at him .
Wesley was the first to speak.
"I assume Buffy gave you the message and a briefing on the situation"
"Yes she did .So the rest are on their way there now?"
"Yes , they should be there by eight pm tonight.They have the sarcophagus with them as well. Unfortunately Fred didn't actually get to gather any data on it"
"That seems pointless now" Buffy said.Everyone looked at her . Realising that might have sounded callous she continued " the age of the demon doesn't matter. We know its a demon god and they are older" she sat down on a stool . " Demon gods came before humans, I know this because of Glory, I had to do research on her, also , the shadow puppet demon thing I had to do once said more or less the same thing. their powers are somehow stronger and more mystical than your average demon or vampire"
As if they suddenly realised where they were , they all moved into the bar and sat in a corner out of the way.
Angel went to the bar and got them all some drinks, he had said it would 'blend them in and they would appear normal'
"So this Illyria could be as strong as Glory then Buffy " Wesley asked.
"Stronger in fact , possibly " she sipped her orange juice .She was now uncomfortable
" But you said the group thats coming had a plan" Angel said.
"Yes they do , they are bringing the coffin with them, it is said that to banish Illyria back to the well , it would kill thousands as it travelled through every living thing in it's path. the only way is if the coffin travels with Fred. Keeping them together stops that from happening.Once inside the well , Willow will draw Illyria out and hopefully it will be trapped again." Wesley said.
"And we are the clean up crew if it doesn't work then" Buffy replied.
" Should it come to that , yes"
" May I remind you Buffy that when you fought Glory....." Giles halted by Buffy's intervention.
"Don't"
Angel suddenly realised what he was about to say.
"I won't have you come Buffy" . He held her hands and kissed them.
"He's right pet you can't , not in your current condition" Spike agreed with Angel
"Well thats new! And I'm not going to sit here worrying about you guys, I'm in whether you like it or not. Hold that thought " she stood up and looked around . Spotting something she walked away.
" Toilet, the baby makes her pee twenty times an hour " Angel explained.
"Another reason why she should stay " Spike said " last thing we need is a slayer wetting herself in front of a God , that'll make us lot look really tough " Spike took a gulp of his guinness, he grimaced " URGHHH and you drank this shit for years , no wonder you begged to be turned"
"Spike!" they all said in unison
Lilah sat quiet. She had been released from her cuffs and told that without fail Spike would kill her if she stepped out of line.
"If you gave me access to a laptop I could help"
"How . Your offices have caused this mess" Angel growled
"Not entirely, if you remember , your precious seer did most of the damage , and it appears still is"
Angel couldn't argue back , Lilah was speaking the truth.
"I might be able to look into the Wolfram and Hart archives and retrieve any files on Illyria .Might help you triumph if it comes to a battle,if you knew her strengths , weaknesses and the such."
Giles and Wesley looked at each other , a simple nod of agreement was all it took.
"O.K. Just don't try anything or else" Angel pointed at Spike ,who was holding his two hands in a throttling fashion and had his mouth in a mock bite pose.
" Spike thats so childish and tacky" Buffy said when she returned.
Angel smiled at her as she sat on his lap. He rubbed the bump without realising .
"We all want you to stay here , we feel it's safer ,for the baby and you. You can stay and keep an eye on Lilah." Angel said
"So you guys go and have fun , I get to stay home with that."
"I'll get you some duct tape before I leave pet, she has a nasty habit of talking" Spike said.
"I'm not staying , the baby and I will be fine, but I'm not leaving you Angel, your human now and not immortal anymore. I can't risk losing you , not now"
They kissed passionately.
"Erm .... excuse us" Spike said. "Isn't Liam coming?"
"Yes" Giles replied " Your point?"
"Give me a choice, which version of the tortured one I'd want in a battle now and It wouldn't be him " Spike nodded in Angel's direction "I fought along side him back in the day, and he was wreckless , violent and refused to quit.He could take out a bloody army on his own .I'll put a tenner on Liam being the same"
"So your trying to say that we should use Liam to fight this Illyria , if it comes down to a battle" Angel said.
"Too bloody right , then you and the Mrs can stay here safe and sound"
Wesley put the laptop in front of Lilah and sat back down.
"It's final then, Buffy and Angel stay at the house ,and we take Liam in his place" Giles said . He looked at his watch and finished his drink "Time gentlemen"
They all stood up and arranged to meet back at the house once it was over. Spike hugged Buffy and whispered in her ear. Angel still felt jealous of Buffy's friendship with him and the intimacy of it at times. Giles hugged her and kissed her cheek. Wesley clumsily shook her hand and then they all turned and left.
" I got the file " Lilah said , cutting through the tension.
"Upload it to Wesleys phone "Buffy told her.