Title: A Very Special Christmas part 6/?6
Author: Michelle
Summary: It's Christmas Eve in Sunnydale. What could possibly go wrong?
Disclaimer: These are not my characters. They belong to Joss, Twentieth Century Fox, UPN, WB & Mutant Enemy. This is purely for fun.
Spoilers: This story takes place in season four, but I did use some elements from season five.
Author's notes: See part 1
Thanks to Katy and bookishwench for help with finishing this.
Buffy had been in labor for almost an hour when Angel and Cordelia arrived. It took a while for them to sneak past the vamps and demons in the street and get into the house. Once inside, Angel went to find Giles while Cordelia rushed to help Joyce, Dawn, and Kathryn tend to Buffy.
"What's up in there?" Cordelia asked, pointing toward the dining room. "There's so much magick floating around. I'm surprised my hair isn't a great big fuzz ball."
"They're doing every protection spell they can find," Dawn said. "Giles said he doesn't want to fight the demons if he can keep them away instead. But if you ask me, I think some of them really want to kill something."
"Dawn," Joyce warned.
"She's right," Kathryn said. "I've seen Edward like this before. He wants a fight, needs it. I can see it in Rupert, too."
Cordelia nodded. "So. Can I help?"
"Pillows," Buffy muttered. "This couch is hard as a rock."
"Pillows. Got it." She scurried off to find pillows. By the time she returned, the house seemed to be glowing with a multitude of colors.
"Are all those spells being used together really safe?" she heard Dawn asking. "I mean, won't they cancel each other or something."
"I'm sure I'd have a vision about it if that was true," Cordelia said as she tossed the pillows next to the couch. It took a bit of work, but they arranged a few pillows under Buffy.
"Better?" Joyce asked.
Buffy made a pleasant sound that soon turned into a growl.
"Contractions," Dawn whispered to Cordelia.
"They're much closer together now," Kathryn said. "It shouldn't be much longer."
Joyce pulled Buffy's hair back as Dawn wiped a cool, damp cloth across her brow.
* * * * *
Angel found Giles in the kitchen surrounded by a rainbow of lights. Giles acknowledged him with a curt nod.
"He can't talk while he's keeping the spells going," Faith said from behind him. Angel turned and started to take off the amulet, but she stopped him. "I wouldn't. No tellin' what might happen to you. It seems safe enough for us, but you . . . I don't know."
Angel glanced toward the living room before asking, "Can I help?"
"Grab a weapon," she said and pointed to the weapons chest.
"Why's it so quiet in here?" he asked. "The vamps outside were pretty loud."
"One of the spells they did. Buffy threatened to kill everyone in the house if they didn't block out the noise." Faith adjusted her grip on her sword. "She was all quiet until she started having contractions."
"She's in labor?" Angel asked. "I thought -"
"Hey. Look who it is?" Xander interrupted by smacking Angel on the back. "We really don't have time to chat, Angel. Maybe when this is all over and we've saved the world again, we can fill you in on all the little details. Right now, we need to protect Buffy and the baby."
Angel clenched his jaw. He really hated the way Xander spoke to him, but he knew Xander was right. They didn't need distractions.
The house rattled with the force of the magicks being wielded and from the creatures attempting to enter. Giles wasn't sure he could maintain his hold much longer, even with help from Willow, Tara, and his father. There was no way they could defend against the number of demons present.
Before long, the demons and vampires began fighting among themselves. "That'll make things easier," Faith said, watching as a vamp was dusted by a large green demon.
"That happens a lot, you know," Anya said as she joined them near the window. "At least when you get a lot of demons together. Most are loners, really. They'd sooner kill each other than cooperate."
* * * * *
At midnight, they heard the bells from a nearby church begin to ring. No one would ever be able to say what truly happened during those moments, but at each peal many of the demons vanished. When the sound died away, all the enemies were gone.
"What happened?" Faith asked.
"Yeah," Xander said. "Where'd they go?"
Giles sagged against the counter top. "I suspect they are all dead."
Willow, Tara, and Anya walked into the kitchen. "Did we do that?" Anya asked.
"No," Tara said.
"It was too easy," Willow said. "Another Christmas miracle?" she guessed.
"Possibly," Giles said. "My father?"
"He's alive. He's just checking on Buffy," Anya told him.
"Buffy. I need to -" He was interrupted by the sound of a baby crying loudly. Running to the living room, he cursed himself for missing the birth of his child.
Buffy smiled at him as he knelt by her side. "Hey," she said.
"Buffy, I'm sorry."
She shushed him with a finger to his lips. "I always imagined you'd be killing demons while I was having the baby. You kept us safe."
"Rupert, would you like to hold her?" Joyce asked.
He was momentarily confused. Then he realized she meant the baby and nodded, too emotional to speak.
As he took his daughter in his arms, Buffy spoke. "I'd like to name her Emily Elizabeth."
A tear rolled down his cheek as he looked at her in surprise. "After my mother?"
"Seemed appropriate."
"I love you, Buffy."
"I love you, too, Rupert."
* * * * *
Everyone gathered in the dining room to give Buffy and Giles some time alone.
"Did anyone else think that was way too easy?" Xander asked. "Magic church bells? When does that happen?"
"On Christmas apparently," Dawn answered. "So, what now? What happens with the amulet?"
"Giles will want to study it," Anya said. "He loves to research old things like that."
"What about Wolfram & Hart?" Tara asked.
"We'll research and make sure it's not an issue," Angel said.
"Is Sunnydale always like this?" Kathryn asked.
"Pretty much," Willow told her. "We do live on a hellmouth."
Edward smiled as he peeked into the living room.
"Everything okay?" Kathryn asked.
"I just never thought I live to see a grandchild."
Kathryn wrapped her arms around him. "The Giles family has a history of persevering through even the worst of times, if what you've told me is true."
"Quite true, but I have a nagging suspicion that we are about to embark on the worst of them."
* * * * * *
The End
* * * * * *