Honorable
Sons: 35
by Josie_h
Notes
Dawn was heavily pregnant, lying back against her partner with her feet up on the arm rest of the couch. Connor did as he had for so many weeks, relaxing back behind her and stroking the drum tight, distended belly and enjoying the occasional feel of his children moving.
His fathers were out and they had taken a night off from study. The plasma screen television (Spike’s idea) was showing a DVD, ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’, not Connor’s own favorite, but there was enough action to make the romance stuff bearable, and he loved to see his beautiful partner’s reactions as much as the movie itself.
Dawn and Connor had been staying permanently at Angel and Spike’s for almost the whole of the pregnancy, and it was still three weeks until her children were due to be borne. The intention had been to find their own place yet remain in the same complex since they first announced their joining, so when an apartment only a few doors down had become available two weeks previously, the intention became reality. Some negotiation and the Aurelian funds allowed a paint and refit, and in the next few days, essential new furniture items of their own choosing, and a few lamps and one or two ‘non essentials’ of Spike and Angel’s choosing would arrive.
Dawn had been forced to take bed rest on and off for the previous month, her slight form pushed to the limit by the two bodies growing inside her. Earlier that day she had independently struggled to their new abode to investigate the nursery – the previous afternoon a brand new cot, change table and all the accessories one could think of had arrived, courtesy of Connor’s mother and father, the rest of the apartment was something Angel and Spike had gifted them. She had taken photos for her mother-in-law then returned ‘home’ to wait for her partner.
They had been to see Connor’s adoptive mother and father at home in the late afternoon for a short visit. His mother was still unwell, but allowed to return to their family abode as there seemed to be a good chance that she was once again moving toward remission. She was thrilled by the images of the new nursery and then had spent some time chatting to Dawn about her own motherhood, after which she gave the young couple a few treasured items for their babies. Two tiny, hand knitted pairs of booties, two hand stitched, minute sleeping gowns and a new picture frame containing a hand written note in her rather unsteady writing, “Connor and Dawn’s twins on day one”, with strict instructions to fill the space with the real thing and return it to her.
It was the first time Connor had felt hopeful for a long time regards his mother. He kissed his mother and wife then stood to leave the bedroom. Connor’s adoptive father was standing at the door with tears in his eyes looking at the two women chatting easily: his lovely wife so drawn and ill; and the radiant daughter-in-law, heavy with his son’s new children. He was not an overly demonstrative man, so Connor was deeply moved when his father took him into a strong hug, and whispered, “Oh son… the Doc thinks she might be on the improve, so you tell Dawn to hurry up and have those kids OK?? And I’ll get her to the mall to worry about shopping for baby things that grandparents are supposed to spoil the little ones with… alright?!”
Now, on that same evening, despite complaining of a backache, Dawn and he were lying contentedly on the couch. At least they were until, some hour or so into the movie, just as the pirates invaded the commander’s ship, Connor felt the skin under his fingers tighten impossibly then began to panic as his lovely brunette arched, cried out in pain, and sent unfettered distress through their link.
The twins were apparently on their own timetable and choosing to arrive early. Never had he been more grateful for cell phones, or more terrified.
……………………
F’Iaid, a midwife and a nurse attended Dawn within the hour, as she had opted for a home birth, spending her time in the bath, half lying on the bed and finally in a birthing chair. A car was waiting ready to transport them all should anything begin to go awry.
Only seven hours later, at four am in the morning, then again at four ten, Connor caught each tiny slippery body in awe as his children were born. Under the kind supervision of one of the nurses, he had clamped their cords in turn, and gently wrapped them as his wife delivered the placenta then was thoroughly checked over. She held them both in wonder and was kissed by a still overawed Connor, who had tears of joy streaming down his cheeks.
Connor had then shakily given the two tiny figures their first bath under the supervision of the wonderfully patient nurse named Ruth. While Willow attended the new mother, assisting her to the shower and then helping her to her bed, and the medical team cleaned up the birthing space and checked the children.
An hour later as Spike and Angel entered the guest bedroom, they paused at the door to share a heartfelt hug at the sight before them.
Connor was lying on the covers of the double bed, his lovely partner resting back on a pile of pillows, cradling a tiny girl who was already attempting to suckle. Connor was trying to coax their son to do the same but the little lad fussed for a moment then simply fell asleep. The distraught new dad was being reassured by Dawn as the rather overawed grandfathers entered the room.
Of the two, Angel was surprisingly the more emotional. He reached out and touched first one tiny figure then the other as though they might disappear at any moment. Then stroked Connor’s hair and whispered in a voice thick with tears, “You were that small once… so beautiful…” then fell into his Irish brogue without thought and continued, “Oh Mother Mary, Lady of Grace… They are *so* special… so special… An’ you’re Da now… keep them safe… keep them safe.”
Spike moved to the opposite side of the bed and gave Dawn a hearty hug then kissed the tiny figure in her arms firmly on the forehead. He then pushed the rather dumbstruck Angel out of the way with a trademark smirk and “Well c’mon ya big lump, congratulate the Bit!” before repeating the same with Connor and his charge for good measure, and eliciting smiles all around from the new parents.
Angel kissed Dawn, she felt his lip trembling as he touched the tiny grandchild again then turned to accept Spike’s embrace.
“Would you like to hold him, Da?” Connor offered up the tiny bundle, Angel quickly dropping to the chair beside the bed and taking his grandson in his arms. With his now slender form, Angel and Connor appeared around the same age, Angel having been turned in his very early twenties, but the tears and the sentiment belied his true age, being those of a joyful father and even prouder, grandfather.
Spike too gave in to his own feelings as a tiny girl was placed in his arms, the yawn and complete trust in the person holding her tugging at all manner of horrific memories that were quickly suppressed as his finger was gripped by a minute fist.
……………….
The Grandfathers departed shortly after, leaving the young couple on their large bed, two tiny figures sleeping utterly relaxed between them and both parents slipping into an exhausted sleep, their fingers entwined.
Spike and Angel presented each of the two lovely nurses with a huge flower arrangement that included a thank you note and a little additional money on top of their fee, then had the awaiting car drive them both home.
It was just after five am as they wandered out to the balcony where they found a rather exhausted F’Iaid and Willow silently sitting, hand in hand, and staring into nothing.
“You look a bit done in Red…”
Willow looked up, and smiled weakly, “F’Iaid did all the work.”
“Nah, ‘team effort’ as they say in the corporate world. Lemme make you a cup of tea… fixes everythin’ I’ve been told.”
He winked and made for the kitchen as Willow replied weakly. “That’d be nice…”
Spike dragged his partner back into the apartment and forced him to focus on selecting a few tiny gourmet cookies, and filling the milk jug, and finding the sugar. Meanwhile he loaded the tray with tea, cups and cutlery.
He pulled Angel into a tight hug and kissed his partner before they took their bounty out to the balcony, whispering, “Finally domesticated ya, ya ol’ ponce… Nice job with the bikkie arrangin’…” Another kiss… “Hmm Grandsire Angelus, then Grandpa Angel… or p’raps should you be Poppa or just Pa…”
“How about this Grandsire tans your behind and we drop the titles, Mister ‘also a grandparent by partnering’!? You could be O’Pa… or some stupid name like that… English upper classes always did that rubbish, I seem to recall!”
“Ho the comeback king!” Spike dropped into his true accent “And for your information it was always ‘Grandfather’ in our household…” Angel noted the fall in tone then the dropping of bravado, and heard the sentiment of William with Spike’s accent say, “Plus the git died afore I was even borne so pretty pointless innit.”
Angel kissed Spike on the temple, squeezed his hand, then turned to heft the tray and carry it out to where their lovely wiccan friends were sitting. The sun would be up in an hour or so, but it was still time for a good cup of tea.
Willow turned as the two brought the refreshments through, but the look on her face was one of slight worry not happiness, and her partner’s demeanor matched it. Spike ignored it until all parties had a cup of perfectly steeped and politely poured, steaming tea in their hands.
He stared intently at Willow then broke the silence, “OK Spill… Red? F’Iaid?”
“Well it seems the babies both have a magical signature… a really *strong* magical signature.”
“And in the King’s English that would mean??” He put down his tea.
“Well they shouldn’t have… at least not yet! It should only happen when they’re coming up for puberty or you know…”
Angel’s hand had slid into Spike’s free one as his Sire put down his cup also, then looked worriedly at the witch. “Alright so out with it! What do you bloody well mean? Is it dangerous? Are they dyin’? In danger? Bloody hell, witch… spell it out !”
“It means they are incredibly powerful! They’ll be targets for magical beings with black intent until they’re old enough to protect themselves…. we really *should* take them to a safer….”
Both Angel and Spike were instantly on their feet in gameface and in unison growled “*NO*!!”
But it was Angel who was most panicked and angry, moving with lightening speed he grasped the back of both wiccans’ necks and ground out, “No one takes them… No one!!” before the combined power of the two witches repelled him, pushing the vampire backwards into the apartment and half way across the lounge. After which the two women fixed their two very deadly friends in place with a hastily chanted spell.
Willow rose to her feet and took complete command of the conversation “Enough! You *will* listen… I said we really *should* take them… but not that we *would*! Now fangs in Mister… you too Angel… and listen to what we *have to do to protect the children, Dawnie and Connor and you two for that matter!”
Frozen in place unable to move or answer, the two vampires had no choice but to hear the proposal.