Everyone soon found, however, that Buffy was exaggerating when she said sunrise was right around the corner; it was still a good three hours away.
While Xander conked right out in the bedroom down the hall, Willow spent the first hour tossing and turning restlessly. Finally, she became aware her stomach was growling. With a moan, she sat up, shortly heading downstairs to the kitchen for a 3:30 AM snack.
Rubbing at her right eye, Willow opened the refrigerator and started looking for something she thought she might like. She had just gotten a loaf of rye bread, Swiss cheese, and a jar of pickle slices when she became aware someone had snuck up behind her.
Startled, Willow straightened up and turned, nearly dropping the pickles. She breathed a sigh of relief when she saw it was just Angel. "You hungry too?" she asked casually, going to the counter to lay the food down.
Angel said yes, grabbing one of the bags Buffy had thrown in there earlier. He watched Willow prepare her sandwich a moment, wistful at the memory of what it was like to be human. Then, Willow caught him staring and asked if he was alright.
"I'm fine," Angel said, going to the nearby table and sitting, laying the bag down (he had no intention of eating in front of her). He waited until Willow came to sit across from him before he spoke next. "Have you ever wanted something you know you can't have?" he started.
Willow took a quick bite of her sandwich, chewed, swallowed, and said, "He's sleeping upstairs."
Angel cracked a smile. "That's right. Buffy told me you have a thing for Xander... How come you never act on your impulses?"
Willow laughed softly. "Oh, I've acted on them," she said. "They just tend not to turn out that well." With that, Willow went on to tell him what had happened between her and Xander in the library. "He's so dense sometimes, it's irritating."
Angel nodded, glad to be holding a civil conversation with her. He and Willow rarely found time to talk, so it was a welcome change. "Well, I hope it all works out for you someday," he told her.
Willow smiled slightly, taking another bite. "In the meantime, what do you want that you can't have? I thought things were going so well between you and Buffy that..."
"To be mortal again," Angel interrupted. "To be able to grow old with the woman I love. After 244 years, you tend to miss that stuff."
"Well, I can't really relate," Willow said quietly, growing somber. It was new for her, knowing that Angel felt this way. She had always assumed it didn't bother him that much.
Willow finished eating in silence while Angel looked outside through the window, then stood and placed her plate in the sink. Pulling her robe tighter around herself, she started back to bed, then stopped and turned.
"I hope it works out for you too," she said as an afterthought. "Miracles do happen, Angel. As long as you keep holding out hope, anything's possible."
Angel smiled, grateful for her vote of confidence. He quickly told her so, watching and listening as she made her way upstairs. Then, he picked up the plastic sack before him, baring his fangs.
When he was finished with his "meal", Angel didn't return to the cellar right away, as he gave what Willow had told him a lot of thought. Finally, he too made his way upstairs, soon standing in the doorway of the room where Xander was sleeping.
There may be little chance of his dream coming true, but the least he could do was speed things up for her. With this in mind, Angel planted a few subtle suggestions in Xander's head that would give him a push in the right direction. Then, he left before the other boy could wake up and start screaming at his appearance...
The next day, Buffy witnessed one of the most interesting events in her life. Xander and Willow were cooking some scrambled eggs to eat, but both were distracted by the fact they were kissing. Buffy gave them half a minute before she cut in. "Eggs are burning," she informed Willow.
Flustered, Willow looked towards her friend. "What?" she asked, then realized what Buffy had said and quickly turned off the stove. "Oh, right," she said, moving to get three plates from the cabinet.
Xander looked just as rattled as he went to sit down, as if he couldn't quite figure out what he had just been doing. Buffy sat across from him, eying him with a silly smile.
Finally, she couldn't resist checking his temperature. "How're you doing, Xander? Feeling okay?" Buffy said.
Xander reached up and removed her hand from his forehead in annoyance. "I'm fine," he said, looking at Willow as she approached. She blushed when she realized he was staring.
At any rate, Willow still managed to serve breakfast, then started to sit next to Xander. But, he surprised her when he pulled her into his lap and started kissing her again.
Since Angel hadn't told her what he had done, Buffy couldn't help but wonder at this sudden change. But, she said nothing, simply digging into her eggs. After a moment, she stood, going to the cabinet for some peanut butter as part of her weird cravings.
At the rate they were going, Xander and Willow looked as if they would never stop. So when Buffy finished with her own eggs, she waited a few moments before stealing their plates. After an hour (Buffy was surprised anyone could kiss that long), she tired of waiting for them to come up for breath and promptly cut in.
"What is with you guys today?" she asked with a brief laugh. "I've never seen you like this."
Xander looked up at Willow. "I don't know," he said. "Something just came over me this morning. All of a sudden, I began to see this little fox in a new light."
Willow was flattered, as she had yet to notice her food was missing. She went to stroking Xander's hair, elated that he felt that way.
After a few more minutes of conversation, Buffy left the two lovebirds alone and went upstairs to change, glad it was finally working out for them, but not truly understanding why.
Oh, well, Buffy thought as she removed her robe and opened the closet. I really shouldn't question a good thing...
Waiting for sunset, which occurred around nine o'clock at night, seemed to take forever. But for the hour before, Buffy took to making sure Angel was prepared for the coming fight.
"I think I can handle Stefanie's brother, no problem," Angel finally said when it became clear Buffy was worried that she was missing something. "Don't forget that I'm way older than him."
Buffy sighed. "So naturally, he's no match for you," she finished. "Yeah, I remember. The younger they are, the more cocky they get and think nothing can stop them." She paused, handing him a newly carved stake and stepping forward to kiss him. "Good luck anyway, Angel."
He smiled, brushing her hair lovingly. "I'll be back with Stefanie before you know it," he replied. "And then, things can get back to normal, so to speak."
It took another ten minutes before Angel could even safely leave the basement. Buffy then escorted him to the front door and waved goodbye as he hurried away on his mission.
Sighing, Buffy closed the door and went to join Willow and Xander in the kitchen for a game of Monopoly, hoping it would pass the time a little faster.
Forty minutes went by, with absolutely no word from Angel, and Buffy couldn't help but worry continuously that something had gone wrong or that something would. Either way, her mind was anywhere but on the game, and she hardly noticed that she was losing miserably.
"He's going to be fine, Buffy," Willow said finally, noticing the mood her friend was in. "He could be on his way back even as we speak."
Buffy looked up, taking a moment to collect her thoughts. But he should have been back by now. How long could it possibly take him to find this Arnie guy?" She shook her head, standing and beginning to pace back and forth. "Something must be wrong."
Willow stood also, taking a step closer and leaving Xander to put the board game away. "Buffy, you're overreacting," she said softly. "So it's taking a little longer than usual. It's no big deal. It doesn't..."
At this point, Buffy suddenly faltered in mid-step, crying out as she tripped. Panicked, Willow hurried to catch her from falling. Held in her friend's arms, Buffy looked around with wide, frightened eyes. "Oh, God," she said fearfully, looking up at Willow and Xander. "He's here! Stefanie's brother is here!"
Xander quickly rushed around to the front to check outside, while Buffy yelled after him to stop. Concerned, Willow looked down at her. "Buffy, it's okay. There's no way Arnie can get in..."
Buffy shook her head violently. "You don't understand," she said, hearing Xander shouting in the distance and knowing what she herself said was impossible. "He's already in!..."
When it became clear to Angel that Arnie wasn't out hunting (or anywhere above ground for that matter), he knew the only possible location was in the tunnels. Searching the entire underground complex was hard, even for a vampire, as Angel got turned around several times. Finally, he got close enough to the passageway Stefanie was in to hear her psychic cries for help.
Stefanie had been bound in chains, making escape hopeless for her, and her mouth was gagged with a long white piece of cloth. Angel hesitantly set down the crossbow, quickly freeing her. Tears staining her cheeks, Stefanie sat up, thanking him. Then, he stared at her intently. "If you're here alone, where's Arnie?" Angel asked.
Stefanie shook her head. "I don't know," she said. "But I know he'll be back... He said he was gonna kill me, Angel! We have to get out of here."
Angel helped her to her feet, leading her swiftly towards the nearest exit, which opened into the center of a power plant. The two of them walked to the fence and leaped over it quickly, making their way back to Buffy's house.
Three minutes later, Stefanie's statement began to bother him, although Angel couldn't quite figure out why. Then, he remembered what she had said about why her brother had condemned her to this life. What Arnie himself had stated when he had come to claim her last night.
He stopped in his tracks, making Stefanie turn to look at him in confusion. "What?" she asked, a quiver in her voice.
Angel looked back at her, dark brown eyes filled with alarm. "Stefanie, I need you to think," he said. "Did Arnie outright say he wanted to kill you? This could be important, so please try to remember."
She thought long and hard, a bead of sweat forming on her forehead, then shook her head. "No," she said, blue eyes widening. "Now that I think about it, he simply said he was going to do away with at least one slayer tonight. But he was rambling, talking to himself. I was sure he meant me!"
Angel started to panic, then realized that Buffy had enough sense to stay inside where she'd be safe. Calming himself, he told Stefanie that his concerns probably meant nothing, and the two continued on their way, much too slowly...
Upon hearing Xander hollering, Willow barely caught Buffy's frightening words as she rushed from the room. She found her childhood friend and love of her life cowering in a corner of the front hall, and she looked up to see Arnie descending the stairs.
Willow grabbed Xander by the arm, aggressively pulling him to his feet and back to where she had left Buffy. "He's right behind us," Willow yelled. "Get one of your stakes!"
Snapping out of her trance, Buffy bent down to retrieve the wooden stick hidden in one of her brown leather boots. But Arnie was already on her, restraining her before she could act. "Don't get any ideas," Arnie told Willow and Xander. "Or I break her neck right here."
That kept both of Buffy's friends from coming to the rescue, and kept them quiet as Arnie ushered all three into the living room and held them at gunpoint.
Despite the terror she felt, Buffy's only hope was to delay him until Angel got back. "How did you get in?" she asked. "We didn't invite you."
Arnie smiled arrogantly. "Really, slayer. You should keep track of Cordelia's dates... Who do you think was here the night when you brought Steffi home with you?"
Arnie continued without letting her answer. "I could have made a meal out of Cordy if you hadn't returned when you did. She'll never know how close she came. Or you, by the way... Stefanie was the only thing I hadn't counted on. But I must say, it was a nice surprise to see her after all these years."
Buffy paused, suddenly feeling glad that Angel was living here now. That must have been what had prevented Arnie from coming here the nights in between then and now. "Cordelia doesn't invite just any boy over," she said bitterly. "But one she's known a few weeks... That's a different story. Explain it to me, Arnie."
He shifted his weight, looking bored at having to explain all the details. "I came to Sunnydale solely to seek you out, Buffy," he said. "For the unique pleasure of being the one to do you in... Killing slayers has become a favorite hobby of mine. I can even boast that I had a hand in doing in the three before you, four if you include my sister."
Buffy shrugged. "It's good to have a hobby," she cracked, finding her own jokes oddly comforting at this point.
Arnie lost his smile, infuriated by her cavalier attitude. But then, he brought up the very subject he knew would unnerve her. "I see your mother's elegance was lost on you... She made a very good meal by the way."
Buffy felt as if he had just punched her in the stomach, and she had trouble breathing. It took a while for the shock to wear off, then she looked up at this vampire fiercely. Had she not been pregnant, had he not been holding a gun, she would have killed him right then and there.
"You son of a..." Willow said from beside Buffy, seeing how badly her friend had been wounded.
Satisfied, Arnie raised the gun, prepared to start shooting when he heard a key turning in the lock. Caught off guard, he watched the front door open a few inches, then launched himself towards it.
Cordelia shrieked as Arnie grabbed her and hurled her inside, her body hitting the wall so badly it hurt. Before she could react, he then seized her by the nape of the neck, pushing her towards the coach in the other room.
He had only taken one step when he saw something that made him freeze, In a matter of only a few seconds, Buffy had vanished from her spot, leaving a gaping hole in between where Xander and Willow were sitting.
Raging, Arnie dropped Cordelia to the floor, where she remained crouched in a fit of pain. "Where is she?" he growled, not expecting either of the friends to answer. But Willow surprised Arnie when she pointed. Directly behind him.
Too late, Arnie recalled that Buffy could easily circle through the house to come up behind him. It was over in an instant, as a stake exploded out the front of his chest. Buffy kept a tight grip on it, intent on keeping him standing for the last words he would ever hear.
"That was for my mother," she said in an intense whisper, watching as he turned to dust a split-second later. Then, Buffy collapsed to the floor, whatever had fueled her moments ago lost in the flood of tears that came. Willow went to her, holding her friend while her body shook with sobs.
Xander, meanwhile, checked on Cordelia, making sure she was alright. Nevertheless, he still went to call an ambulance, fearing that all the stress may cause Buffy to lose the baby.
Angel and Stefanie ran in a few minutes later, expecting the worst from hearing the approaching sirens. They had to take only one look around to guess what had happened.
Angel stayed with Buffy the entire time, fearing for her and his child. But it all proved for naught. The doctors declared they were both fine, but advised that Buffy be kept overnight just to be safe.
Lying in a hospital bed, Buffy looked more vulnerable than Angel had ever seen her, her face covered with tears. He reached for her hand, kissing it gently, and waiting for her to look at him.
Finally, she did so, the grief in her eyes causing an ache in his heart. "Arnie was the one who killed her," Buffy whispered, in a tone that made Angel understand who 'her' was.
"I'm sorry," he whispered back, his hate for the other vampire running a little deeper. "And that's why you couldn't wait."
His statement wasn't meant to be accusatory, and Buffy picked up on that right away. She nodded, bringing his hand to her face and relishing the feel of his skin against hers. "It's all over now," she murmured, then perked up. "By the way, how's Stefanie?"
"She'll be fine," Angel assured her. "Although she'll probably be mourning her brother's death by now, or at least the memory of what Arnie used to be."
"And Cordelia?"
She has a sprained wrist from where Arnie threw her against the wall, but that's as serious as it got. It'll heal in no time."
Buffy smiled. "I'm glad," she said. "But be sure to tell Cordy never to invite one of her boyfriends into our house again... And at least everything turned out for the best." She patted her stomach. "For you, me, and Angel, Jr. here."
He laughed. "There's the stubborn girl I know talking," he said, leaning over to kiss her forehead...
Buffy made a fast recovery from her ordeal and was released from the hospital the very next morning. Xander and Willow were there to drive her home, making a startling announcement along the way.
"Xander and I are going out on a date this weekend," Willow said with a smile, gazing lovingly at the boy next to her. "Isn't it great, Buffy?"
Buffy nodded, although it still perplexed her that Xander had made such a rapid turnaround in so short a time. She couldn't help but puzzle over it, but ultimately determined it was just one of life's little unsolved mysteries.
The rest of the week passed quickly, and Giles was back from his honeymoon before any of them knew it. Buffy called him within an hour of the time she figured he'd arrive at his apartment and invited him and his wife over for a chat.
While Willow and Xander kept Mrs. Calender-Giles occupied upstairs, Buffy took the time to introduce her Watcher to Stefanie in the cellar.
Giles and Stefanie shook hands, both a little nervous. Buffy quickly placated them by saying, "The way I figure it, Giles, is that you could take the time to train Stefanie to be a better slayer over the next few months... In the meantime, I'm taking a temporary retirement."
Giles and Stefanie paused, then looked over at Buffy in confusion. "Why?" they asked in unison.
Buffy smiled, deciding to break the news in her usual humorous way. "Congratulate me," she said. "I'm going to be a mom! In about seven months or so, to be exact."
Angel stepped up behind Buffy, putting his arms around her and holding her close. "Well, Giles," he said when the other man remained speechless. "What do you have to say?"
Giles removed his glasses briefly to rub at his eyes, something he always did when he felt a headache coming on. This all seemed a little too much for him to absorb all at once, but he chose not to raise any arguments about it. Buffy had a habit of ignoring what she didn't want to hear anyway.
"Well, I wish you both well then," Giles replied, assuming that Angel was the father. "I'm sure you two will make wonderful parents... In the meantime, Stefanie, how would you feel about starting our training tonight at the library? I'm sure Jenny... that is, my wife, won't mind the late-night disappearances once I explain it to her."
Stefanie smiled slightly. "That'd be great. I guess..." She had a few misgivings about taking up with another Watcher, remembering her own from so long ago. She could only pray that Linda's and Giles' methods of teaching weren't too dissimilar from each other, for that would make it easier.
And once Buffy's seven-month hiatus was over, Stefanie looked forward to sharing the limelight with her, And she knew that, working together, Buffy and Stefanie would be utterly unstoppable...