Fred stared around the room then looked over at her husband as he tugged her further in, apparently quite happy with what they had done and obviously very drunk. She didn't know whether to laugh or to cry - the room was partially put together, but the color was wrong, the chair was broken...and Rupert was very drunk. As were all the others.
"I...this...you..." she started to stutter before Molly ran back in the room, still wearing Andi's onsies. She put her hand over her abdomen, her eyes widening at Rupert's comment. "You...you're comparing our unborn child to our dog?! And you made a bet about it? Rupert!"
She backed up slightly, suddenly wondering if it was possible to have morning sickness at this time in the pregnancy because she was definitely starting to feel her stomach churn. They would have to get a new rocking chair now, and the paint was a disaster, so that would have to be redone, and they didn't have any jobs, so there was still that hanging over their heads, and she didn't know what in the world they were thinking, bringing a child into a world with vampires and demons and other monsters, especially when there was a chance that Andi could end up being a Slayer.
"Fred?" Willow asked, taking hold of her. "Are you all right? You look pale?"
"I..." She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "I...need to go lie down... Can you...take that off Molly, please?"
"Of course."
Turning around, Fred left the nursery before she burst into tears and went into the bedroom, crawling onto the bed and curling up. "Your dad means well, and he loves us," she whispered, rubbing her stomach. "I just...I wish I knew what we were doing."
"Oh, no, love! It wasn't like that at all. Lorne said he didn't think the outfits would be big enough for Molly or Andi so we put one on her," Giles cheerfully said. He then looked over at Martin. "You still owe me some money! Wanker."
When he turned around again, Giles saw his wife retreating from the room. He dumbly stared at the door before looking at the others. "I do believe I should go speak to my wife," he slurred out. He started for the door but was stopped by Willow.
"You've done enough, Giles. All of you need to sober up and those who don't live here, needs to leave," Willow said with a glare.
"You can't make me leave my own house!" Giles protested.
Willow just rolled her eyes and herded all of them downstairs. She looked through Giles' magic box and pulled out a few herbs and plants. Xander tried to sneak off but was stopped by Charlotte as Willow cooked and mix the potion together, hoping it would work. When she was finished, she made all of them drink some of it.
"That was awful," Giles muttered after drinking his share. He burped and looked over at Willow. "Good job with the potion. If I remember right, I'm going to have one hell of a hangover in the morning. Unless you took mercy on us and didn't put the stink root in."
Willow grinned. "Of course I put it in," she said before Charlotte and her got the rest of them out of the house.
Taking a deep breath, Giles trudged upstairs and to the bedroom he shared with Fred. When he saw she was lying on the bed, he went over to it and sat on the edge. "Fred...I-I'm sorry. I wasn't trying to be spiteful it's just..." He took another deep breath and softly touched her cheek. "Lorne said all of us were being a bit uptight and...there really is no excuse and I'm sorry."
Giles shifted on the bed and laid down beside his wife. "I rather love you and our daughter a lot and I never want to do anything to hurt either of you," he whispered as he lightly laid his hand on her stomach. "And if it's an consolation, Willow's potion is going to give me a nasty hangover in the morning."
When Rupert came into the bedroom, all Fred wanted at first was him to leave. She was tired and achy and upset, and she really didn't want to deal with him while he was drunk. Especially not when he was drunk and dressing their dog in their unborn child's clothing.
Then he started speaking, making it obvious that something had sobered him up. She wondered for a moment if that was Willow's doing. There was a rather yucky odor drifting into the room from downstairs. She didn't look at him, though, as he touched her cheek, still upset. It wasn't even him she was mainly upset with - he was just a part of it and had been a sort of last straw.
A moment later, he was curled up with her, his hand on her stomach, telling her that he never wanted to hurt her. Fred looked up at him finally, fresh tears coming to her eyes, and the want for him to leave the room melted away as she wrapped her arms around him, burying her face against his chest.
"I'm just...I was standing there, and you and the guys were drunk, and the room color was wrong, and the chair was broken, and all I could see was everything going wrong. If we can't get the nursery right, what chance to we have getting anything else right, especially when we don't have jobs anymore and the things we do know how to do involve demons and vampires and other creatures that we could never put on a resume," she told him, her voice partially muffled by his shirt. "I'm scared, Rupert. I love you and Andi, and I want to us to be good parents, but I'm scared."
When Fred rolled over and wrapped her arms around him, Giles' arms automatically when around her body. He allowed her to speak, knowing she had to get it out. He softly rubbed her back and frowned, knowing his carelessness was part of the problem. "Oh, Fred," he whispered as he softly kissed the top of her head.
Cupping her face, Giles lifted it so he could look into her eyes. "I'm sorry. The nursery will be fixed by the end of the week," he whispered as he used his thumbs to wipe the tears from her eyes. "As for us not having jobs and being good parents - we're going to get through this, Fred. It may seem bad now but we will. We're going to love Andi with everything we have and that's going to do her more good than anything else we can give her. She'll be protected and loved."
He leaned down and softly kissed her before leaning his forehead against hers. "Money doesn't matter right now. After Andi's born, perhaps we can look into buying a shop of sorts. The Magic Box did quite well in Sunnydale and people are more open to magic here." He gave her another soft kiss and smiled. "It'll work out, I promise."
Giles was about to give her another kiss when the phone started to ring. He reached behind him and picked it up before answering it. After a few moments, he rang off and gave Fred a worried look. "That was Peter. They've found a Slayer in Devon - a young ten-year-old girl. Since no other Slayer has developed powers at that young of age, the Council is rather interested in her," he explained as he shook his head. "Peter wanted to know if we'd be willing to fetch her and bring her here to protect. I know a few protection spells we could use, but only if it's all right with you. We could both go to Devon and get her."
Fred looked up into her husband's eyes, feeling silly for crying over something as silly as the nursery not being ready yet when she wasn't due for several months, but it wasn't just the nursery. It was everything. So hearing that the nursery would be fixed helped a great deal...as did hearing that he knew they'd get through this.
"She will be," she whispered, resting her hand over her abdomen.
Leaning her forehead to his, she listened to his idea about getting a shop, like the one he'd had in Sunnydale. She smiled, quite liking the thought as she had always enjoyed spending time in small shops. Running one with Rupert would be wonderful. "I think I'd like that," she told him.
She wanted to just lay there and hold him for a while, but the phone rang. Of course it would even though they weren't working for the Council anymore. Sitting back, she watched as he talked to whoever was on the other end, frowning at the look on his face. She wanted to ask him what was wrong when he hung up, but he beat her to it, telling her about the little girl.
"Of course," she said, nodding as she sat up, sliding to the edge of the bed and straightening the dress she was wearing as she stood up. "If she needs help, then we should go."
If something were to happen to them and Andi needed help, she would hope someone would do the same for her. And if the Council wanted this girl, she knew that couldn't be good - not with who was running things now, and definitely not if Peter was worried.
"We should go now, I would think because if she's ten and doesn't know what's going on, I'm sure she could use a friendly face right about now."
Giles was glad that Fred was apparently feeling better and that she had agreed to go with him to Devon. Peter had told him the Council had yet to find where she was but one of his contacts had already given him the information. Sitting up on the bed, he slipped off the bed and ran his fingers through his hair.
"She's at an orphanage. Her parents were killed about seven or so months ago," Giles said as he went over to the dresser to get some fresh clothes out since his had paint on them. "Peter says he'll call ahead so they know we're coming." He quickly changed and looked over at his wife. "If we leave now, we'll arrive after sundown. I think that'll be best with getting her out of there without the Council seeing us in case they've found where she is."
It angered him, knowing the Council would stoop to the level of hurting a child. He went over to the closet and pulled some weapons out and placed them in his duffle bag. Giles placed the bag on the bed and stepped over to Fred. "I love you and thank you for doing this with me, love," he whispered as he cupped her face and deeply kissed her.
When he broke the kiss, Giles picked up his bag and the keys to his auto. "I think that's everything. Molly will be fine by herself for a while," he said as he slipped his wallet into his back pocket. "Ready?" He held his hand out to Fred and waited for her to take it.
"I...this...you..." she started to stutter before Molly ran back in the room, still wearing Andi's onsies. She put her hand over her abdomen, her eyes widening at Rupert's comment. "You...you're comparing our unborn child to our dog?! And you made a bet about it? Rupert!"
She backed up slightly, suddenly wondering if it was possible to have morning sickness at this time in the pregnancy because she was definitely starting to feel her stomach churn. They would have to get a new rocking chair now, and the paint was a disaster, so that would have to be redone, and they didn't have any jobs, so there was still that hanging over their heads, and she didn't know what in the world they were thinking, bringing a child into a world with vampires and demons and other monsters, especially when there was a chance that Andi could end up being a Slayer.
"Fred?" Willow asked, taking hold of her. "Are you all right? You look pale?"
"I..." She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "I...need to go lie down... Can you...take that off Molly, please?"
"Of course."
Turning around, Fred left the nursery before she burst into tears and went into the bedroom, crawling onto the bed and curling up. "Your dad means well, and he loves us," she whispered, rubbing her stomach. "I just...I wish I knew what we were doing."
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When he turned around again, Giles saw his wife retreating from the room. He dumbly stared at the door before looking at the others. "I do believe I should go speak to my wife," he slurred out. He started for the door but was stopped by Willow.
"You've done enough, Giles. All of you need to sober up and those who don't live here, needs to leave," Willow said with a glare.
"You can't make me leave my own house!" Giles protested.
Willow just rolled her eyes and herded all of them downstairs. She looked through Giles' magic box and pulled out a few herbs and plants. Xander tried to sneak off but was stopped by Charlotte as Willow cooked and mix the potion together, hoping it would work. When she was finished, she made all of them drink some of it.
"That was awful," Giles muttered after drinking his share. He burped and looked over at Willow. "Good job with the potion. If I remember right, I'm going to have one hell of a hangover in the morning. Unless you took mercy on us and didn't put the stink root in."
Willow grinned. "Of course I put it in," she said before Charlotte and her got the rest of them out of the house.
Taking a deep breath, Giles trudged upstairs and to the bedroom he shared with Fred. When he saw she was lying on the bed, he went over to it and sat on the edge. "Fred...I-I'm sorry. I wasn't trying to be spiteful it's just..." He took another deep breath and softly touched her cheek. "Lorne said all of us were being a bit uptight and...there really is no excuse and I'm sorry."
Giles shifted on the bed and laid down beside his wife. "I rather love you and our daughter a lot and I never want to do anything to hurt either of you," he whispered as he lightly laid his hand on her stomach. "And if it's an consolation, Willow's potion is going to give me a nasty hangover in the morning."
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Then he started speaking, making it obvious that something had sobered him up. She wondered for a moment if that was Willow's doing. There was a rather yucky odor drifting into the room from downstairs. She didn't look at him, though, as he touched her cheek, still upset. It wasn't even him she was mainly upset with - he was just a part of it and had been a sort of last straw.
A moment later, he was curled up with her, his hand on her stomach, telling her that he never wanted to hurt her. Fred looked up at him finally, fresh tears coming to her eyes, and the want for him to leave the room melted away as she wrapped her arms around him, burying her face against his chest.
"I'm just...I was standing there, and you and the guys were drunk, and the room color was wrong, and the chair was broken, and all I could see was everything going wrong. If we can't get the nursery right, what chance to we have getting anything else right, especially when we don't have jobs anymore and the things we do know how to do involve demons and vampires and other creatures that we could never put on a resume," she told him, her voice partially muffled by his shirt. "I'm scared, Rupert. I love you and Andi, and I want to us to be good parents, but I'm scared."
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Cupping her face, Giles lifted it so he could look into her eyes. "I'm sorry. The nursery will be fixed by the end of the week," he whispered as he used his thumbs to wipe the tears from her eyes. "As for us not having jobs and being good parents - we're going to get through this, Fred. It may seem bad now but we will. We're going to love Andi with everything we have and that's going to do her more good than anything else we can give her. She'll be protected and loved."
He leaned down and softly kissed her before leaning his forehead against hers. "Money doesn't matter right now. After Andi's born, perhaps we can look into buying a shop of sorts. The Magic Box did quite well in Sunnydale and people are more open to magic here." He gave her another soft kiss and smiled. "It'll work out, I promise."
Giles was about to give her another kiss when the phone started to ring. He reached behind him and picked it up before answering it. After a few moments, he rang off and gave Fred a worried look. "That was Peter. They've found a Slayer in Devon - a young ten-year-old girl. Since no other Slayer has developed powers at that young of age, the Council is rather interested in her," he explained as he shook his head. "Peter wanted to know if we'd be willing to fetch her and bring her here to protect. I know a few protection spells we could use, but only if it's all right with you. We could both go to Devon and get her."
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"She will be," she whispered, resting her hand over her abdomen.
Leaning her forehead to his, she listened to his idea about getting a shop, like the one he'd had in Sunnydale. She smiled, quite liking the thought as she had always enjoyed spending time in small shops. Running one with Rupert would be wonderful. "I think I'd like that," she told him.
She wanted to just lay there and hold him for a while, but the phone rang. Of course it would even though they weren't working for the Council anymore. Sitting back, she watched as he talked to whoever was on the other end, frowning at the look on his face. She wanted to ask him what was wrong when he hung up, but he beat her to it, telling her about the little girl.
"Of course," she said, nodding as she sat up, sliding to the edge of the bed and straightening the dress she was wearing as she stood up. "If she needs help, then we should go."
If something were to happen to them and Andi needed help, she would hope someone would do the same for her. And if the Council wanted this girl, she knew that couldn't be good - not with who was running things now, and definitely not if Peter was worried.
"We should go now, I would think because if she's ten and doesn't know what's going on, I'm sure she could use a friendly face right about now."
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"She's at an orphanage. Her parents were killed about seven or so months ago," Giles said as he went over to the dresser to get some fresh clothes out since his had paint on them. "Peter says he'll call ahead so they know we're coming." He quickly changed and looked over at his wife. "If we leave now, we'll arrive after sundown. I think that'll be best with getting her out of there without the Council seeing us in case they've found where she is."
It angered him, knowing the Council would stoop to the level of hurting a child. He went over to the closet and pulled some weapons out and placed them in his duffle bag. Giles placed the bag on the bed and stepped over to Fred. "I love you and thank you for doing this with me, love," he whispered as he cupped her face and deeply kissed her.
When he broke the kiss, Giles picked up his bag and the keys to his auto. "I think that's everything. Molly will be fine by herself for a while," he said as he slipped his wallet into his back pocket. "Ready?" He held his hand out to Fred and waited for her to take it.
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