Chapter 32: Kid Fears
We get back to the basement at Aunt Dee’s and I feel like I’m gonna start yarkin’ myself, and I’m not sure that’s just from the teleportin’.
Here goes nothin’, time to show the real me.
When we recover from the wooziness I take B’s hand in mine.
“How did it go?!” Will says with a smile on her face a mile wide.
Buffy looks hesitant, like she was caught doin’ somethin’ wrong. My face is stony and blank. She’s gonna bawl any second. When I feel her start to pull away I tighten my grip on her hand and bring my other hand over to ensure she ain’t goin’ nowhere.
“We’re pregnant.” I smile.
Everyone’s quiet and then suddenly, the room erupts into cheers, squeals and laughs. Giles’ got a smile on his face but he looks a bit puzzled, we didn’t tell him we were tryin’. Dawn comes up and cries her congratulations to us and then gives us each a hug and a kiss. While she’s squeezin’ the life outta B, I go over to Giles.
“What’s the matter there, Grandpa?”
“I…I…” He looks at me all accusing-like. “You knew earlier, when you called me Grandpa.”
“Uh huh,” I say sheepishly. “I had an idea, but we confirmed it with the Doc at the Academy.”
“I’m…I’m…”
“Yeah, speechless, I know.” I wink at him.
“I’m so happy for you both.” He hugs me in his British way, and then Buffy comes up and he hugs her, too.
Alicia’s lookin’ at us and she’s smilin’ then she looks up at the ceilin’ and looks like she’s talkin’ to someone. Wonder if it’s Gee Gee, she’s tellin’ that we’re pregnant.
I still don’t know how I feel about her, but that right there makes me feel kinda better. I just hope I don’t get bit in the ass for doin’ it.
After a while I come up with an idea to teleport the gang to just outside, it’s dark enough, and this way we don’t have to sneak around, we can just say they decided to visit. Aunt Dee makes a huge fuss because she’s happy to have people fillin’ up the joint, I swear she’s never happier than when she’s got 600 people crammed into the livin’ room.
B’s back to bein’ Dawn, Will teleported to see Ken, Dawn’s grumblin’ ‘cause she’s back to bein’ Andy and Andy’s lovin’ bein’ Will. He makes me wonder sometimes.
I’m sent out to make a beer run and Xand volunteers to come with me to help carry.
“So, slick, gonna be a Daddy, huh?” He says when we get in the car. I look over to him and he’s got a proud smile on his face. After about two seconds of lookin’ in each other’s eyes we hug spontaneously. I need it so bad. Still got that fuckin’ annoyin’ bit of doubt at the back of my head about the six weeks and what it could mean. And it’s not all about B possibly cheatin’. Although that fuckin’ plays right into my insecurity and I can’t help it.
When we pull back Xand sees my face isn’t all smiles. His happy look goes to one of concern instantly and for the thousandth time since the fall of SunnyD, I thank the Powers That Be that he’s forgiven me. He’s become a valuable asset in the effort to keep my sanity in check. He’s told me many times, if it ever gets too much, to give him a call before goin’ off the deep end. What sucks is we’ve had to have these sort of chats a lot more times than I would care to admit.
“I can see it in your eyes, Faith. What’s up?”
I sigh and start the car, don’t wanna keep sittin’ in front of the house, I think I saw someone lookin’ out. Probably B/Dawn worryin’ about what I’m thinkin’.
When we get a couple of blocks away I pull over and switch off the ignition. I grip the wheel and will my stomach to stop churnin’ and my fears to get the better of me.
I feel a gentle hand placed on my shoulder and it’s almost like a magic stress reliever, the tension is meltin’ away.
“The news wasn’t entirely happy?” I know he’s puttin’ that very delicately. ‘Cause he’ll probably beat me down if I say I don’t want a kid right now. He’s heard me say how much I’d love to have kids, he’s the only one I really talk about it with besides B and Will, and I share stuff with him that I couldn’t share with them.
“It was wonderful, Xand. Ya know? Everything I’ve been talkin’ about wantin’.”
“So you’ve had a ‘Mr. Meaty’ for a while and didn’t tell me?”
I laugh at that. Mr. Meaty. He’s a fuckin’ trip.
“Nah, not a while, and don’t got it anymore.”
“What happened to it?” He’s puzzled, we didn’t really talk about the spell with him.
“Fell off.” His eyes go wide and I know if it wasn’t so dark in here, I’d see his face go white.
“That’s my worst nightmare.” He looks out the windshield and speaks in a pained whisper. “I had this one dream where it came off in my hand…” He’s stopped by my laugh. “Not like that, Faith! Your dirty mind is not welcomed here.” He scoffs.
“Sorry, Xand, that was just too easy.” I continue laughin’.
“Yeah well, anyway.” He sounds annoyed at my laughter. “I was in the shower and soaping things up, and all of a sudden it just…was detached.”
“Dude, like that song by King Missile!”
He looks at me confused. “What song?”
“Detachable Penis.” I sing the title the way they do in the song.
“Oh yeah! I forgot about that. That was a good one! But…yeah, nightmarish.” He chuckles.
“So what did ya do with it?”
“Huh?”
“In your dream, ya know, with the detached penis.”
“Oh, I kept having to find places to put it that people wouldn’t sit on it or step on it. It didn’t occur to me that I should leave it home.”
I crack up again. “Xand you’re too much, dude.”
“So…so yours…man, how big was it?”
I hold up my hand about three inches apart and he chuckles, then gulps as I keep pullin’ them apart wider and wider.
“No way!” He says when I stop at about 15 inches apart.
My smile is about as wide and I wink at him.
“Uhhh, my god, uhhhh the Buffster’s a strong girl but…kinda little…”
“I’m just yankin’ your chain, Xand.” I elbow him and he looks relieved. “It was about average.”
“But, it just…”
“Yeah, dude, as soon as she was knocked up it fell off.”
“Fell off as in you still have it? Where? In a box?”
“Nah, it sort of just vaped.”
“Wow, weird.”
“Totally, man.”
“So, Will did the spell, huh?”
“Yep, it was fuckin’ angonizin’, lemme tell ya. I had her speed it up.”
“How long did it take?”
“Twenty minutes.”
“Whoah! It’s a wonder you didn’t die.”
“Kinda wish I did at one point, it was that fuckin’ painful.”
He looks at me and doesn’t say anything. We sit silent for a while.
“So you went through all the pain, only to have doubts of wanting a kid?”
“Damn, dude, I’ll always have doubts of that. Ya know, thinkin’ I’m not good enough to raise a kid and all.”
“I think everyone has those thoughts, you’re not alone.” He gestures to his face. “Who would want a dad with one eye?”
“What?!” I shove his shoulder. “Dude, you’d be the coolest dad, EVER! And not just because you could tell your kids you used to be a pirate, but because you’re a great guy.” I pat his leg.
“Thanks, slick.” He puts his hand over mine and squeezes. “You see the good in others, why do you never see it in yourself?”
I shrug. Damn, he really knows how to set me up to think differently then how I was just thinkin’.
Forget about Pam, I’ll just spill everything to Xand. Heh. Nah, I really need to go to regular sessions with her, wouldn’t want to spill all my stuff about my mom and growin’ up to Xander. He’d probably run screamin’ for the hills.
“That’s a question I’ve got to work out the answer to. But it’s not why I’m havin’ doubts right now.”
“What’s up?”
“Well…” Shit, I don’t wanna say. Guess I better start out with a disclaimer. “Don’t jump to conclusions, alright?” Don’t need him hatin’ on B. Makes me wanna slap the shit outta him when he gets all judgmental of her, that’s my job now. Heh.
“I won’t, I promise. Scout’s honor.” He holds up three fingers in the Boy Scout salute. Dork.
“We saw the Doc and she said B’s been pregnant for about six weeks.”
He stares at me and after a moment I can see the lightbulb go off.
“Nooooo! You don’t think…nooooo! The test must be wrong…right?”
“Dunno yet, we’re gonna have to research to find out. But we got more important stuff goin’ on.”
“Well if it’s right there has to be a reason, and we’ll get to the bottom of it.” He nods confidently.
We’re quiet for a bit more and he breaks the silence.
“You’re not thinking…”
I shrug again.
“Faith!”
“What?!”
“Don’t, ok?! Just don’t.”
“Dunno what you’re talking about, Xand.”
“Don’t give me that, bull. I know you pretty well now and can tell when you’re thinking destructive thoughts, so stop. Buffy would never do that to you.”
“I’d like to hope not, and really, I’m not goin’ nuts over it, so it’s a good sign right?”
“Yes, a very good sign. I’d say it’s better than a sign saying ‘Free Porn…Really’.”
I laugh, “Horndog.”
Again we go quiet, he’s probably marvelin’ at how calm I’m bein’ and maybe wonderin’ when I’m gonna blow up.
“A penis, huh?”
“You’re still thinkin’ about that?!” I punch his leg.
“What?! I’m curious.”
“About chicks with dicks, huh?” I smirk. “I bet you got a few of those movies on your hard drive right now.”
“Well, you coulda filmed it and made a fortune is all I’m sayin’.”
“Yeah, and Buffy woulda cut it off.”
He shudders at that. “Don’t say such horrible things!”
I grin devilishly, “Bobbit.”
“Jesus, Faith, cut it out!”
“Am I making ‘Mr. Meaty’ shrink back into your body for protection?”
“He’s been hibernating ever since you said ‘it fell off’.”
That makes me chuckle, “Sorry, dude.”
“S’ok.” He shrugs. “So, you still thinking she cheated?”
“Not so much anymore, it was just a little and just in my head. Mostly I wanna find out what’s the deal. But ya know somethin’? And don’t take this the wrong way…”
“Yeah?” He says nervously.
“If this kid comes out lookin’ like you, Mr. Meaty is endin’ up on my wall. Like one of those mooseheads people put in their dens.”
“Don’t even joke!!! You were in a coma, Faith. That’s…that’s…hey, you have brown hair and brown eyes.”
“Yeah?”
“Well, I have brown hair and brown eyes, what if…”
“Nah, I know there’d be other things makin’ it look like me. But I was jokin’, Xand.”
“I know I was just making sure. You never know what could happen in this freaky world we live in. Especially the one we live in, ya know?”
“Yeah, ya got that right.” I nod my head and start the car again. “Let’s go get liquored up!”
“Woop!” He punches the air.
We drive for a little while and then he says, “Why would you assume it’d be me anyway? Giles and Andrew have certain capabilities too, ya know.”
“Man, you’re freakin’ GROSS!”
We laugh the rest of the way to the store. My heart feels lighter and I feel better about everything.
My man, Xand, is a blessin’ to be counted.
Later on that night while the Scoobs are burnin’ the midnight oil researchin’ back at the hotel, me and B settle down on Gee Gee’s bed, she’s been kinda walkin’ on egg shells around me, even though I’ve been tryin’ to make her feel at ease.
She’s sighin’ and I can tell she wants to say somethin’ to me, so I break the silence.
“Buffy, what’s the matter?”
“Nothing.”
“Bullcaca.”
She chuckles.
“Spill it, B.”
“Six weeks, Faith.”
“So? You think I think you’d do that to me?”
“No…” She says unsure, which means she does think I’d think she’d do that to me. “B-but what could it be?”
“Super Slayer baby? Spell gone crazy? I dunno, but we can’t worry about that right now. We’ll let the Scoobs do their thing tryin’ to find Vi and Rona, and we’ll do the leg work, then we’ll get some guidance with our baby.” The ‘our’ is not lost on her and she sighs relieved. She snuggles in closer and squeezes me tight.
“I love you so much, Faith.” I can hear the tears in her voice.
“Love you too, B. But no tears, ok?” I kiss her head and lean back into the pillows more. Damn, I’m tired, it’s been a long, crazy and fuckin’ hard day.
“Ok…” She starts to burrow into my side but all of a sudden she sits up abruptly and hightails it outta the room. I hear a gasp in the hall and then the bathroom door slam.
“Faith!” Ash is callin’ me and I go out into the hallway.
What now?
Jules is pointin’ at the door to the bathroom and lookin’ like she saw a ghost. I’m guessin’ she’s the source of the gasp.
“Wh…what’s she doin’ here? In…in the room…with you…in Dawn’s clothes?!”
Ash rushes Jules into her room and says she’ll take care of it. I tell her not to threaten Julia and if it looks like she’ll go tell to call for me, I gotta go and help B with her yarkin’.
Shit, we gotta get back home so this doesn’t keep happenin’, but shit, I got stuff to do here and fuck if I’m gonna not let B stay with me.
I go into the bathroom and she’s just gettin’ done bein’ sick. For now.
“Wow, that burrito sure tasted a lot better going down.”
Ugh. Nine more months of this kinda stuff?!
What am I sayin’?! I’m gonna love every minute of it! I’m not the one who has to go through it all. Heh.
But still, dude! Burrito! And she packed that sucker with refried beans. I shoulda stopped her, but she pouted and I caved.
She kinda rears up and looks like she’s gonna hork again, but her body relaxes. She rests her forehead on her arm and groans.
“Was that Julia I startled in the hallway?”
“Yep.”
“Damn, I’m sorry, Faith.”
“Again with the sorry’s, B?” It’s kinda like a runnin’ joke with us, especially since she once threatened to beat me to death if I said I was sorry. I stroke her back and kiss the side of her temple. Shit, shouldn’t’ve done that. Caught a wiff of her spew and it makes me wanna gag. I suppress it though, don’t need her gettin’ all emotional over me smellin’ her barf. I reach up and flush the toilet.
“You’ve been…you’re being so…” She’s startin’ to cry again.
“What, baby?” I stroke her back more, givin’ her a squeeze on the shoulders, they’re so tense.
She starts bawlin’ at that.
“I’m so sorry, Faith…”
“Buffy, stop the sorrys, or you really will be sorry.” I laugh.
She cries even harder at that. Fuck, I suck at this shit lately.
“B…what’s on your mind, can ya tell me?”
I just wanna make all her hurt go away, and I wanna stop her from stressin’, I read somewhere if the mother is stressed durin’ the pregnancy there’s a high risk the baby could have severe asthma. Damn, I might have to get Will to help with somethin’ that’ll take the stress away for her.
“I can’t even have a normal pregnancy.” She hiccups. “And I let Ashleigh see me, and now Julia, who’s next?”
“Uncle Sal.”
That makes her giggle. “Oh, god Faith, this morning sickness thing is really bad.”
“I’m sorry you have to go through it, but I’ll be there every step of the way. Ok?”
She stops cryin’ as hard and leans back on her haunches. I get up and get her some mouthwash and a cool wash cloth and help her get cleaned up. Once that’s all taken care of I sit down and pull her to me.
“Is this gonna be our new ‘get together’ spot?” She asks in a raspy voice. Must be hurtin’ her throat to spew so much.
“Heh. Yeah, we can tell our kids their oldest sibling was born in the bathroom.”
B looks at me curiously, then decides against sayin’ what she has to say.
She probably wants to ask me how I can be so calm. Or what me and Xander talked about in the car but she doesn’t.
“You ready to go back into the room?”
She nods and starts to get up.
“Nah uh, B.” I pick her up gently and rest her comfortably in my arms. “I gotcha.”
She nuzzles my neck and places little kisses on it. That makes me smile and gives me the good shivers. Before we open the door I call out to Ashleigh. She comes to just outside the door.
“Yeah?”
“Is it all clear?”
“Yep, c’mon out.”
B turns the knob and I step back so the door opens. I rush as quick as I can without jostlin’ B too much and Ashleigh comes to the door to make sure we’re ok.
I place Buffy gently on the bed.
“Is she ok?”
“I’m good.” Buffy smiles weakly at Ash. “Thanks for your help, Ashleigh.”
“No problem, Buffy. I’m…” She lowers her voice even more. “I’m so glad you guys are still together.”
“Me too,” B says with a lovin’ look at me. I blow her a kiss.
“Ditto for me, that’s for fuckin’ sure.” I smile and Ashleigh scolds me for usin’ the F word. House full o’ fuckin’ hypocrites, but I love it.
“Do you need anything?” Ash asks B.
“Not that I can think of.”
“How about some Coke to settle your stomach?”
“That would be great,” I answer, “Can you bring up one for me, too?”
“Sure thing.”
She rushes off, and I step out into the hall to see Jules come out of her room. She stops and looks at me.
“Hey, Jules, you ok?”
She nods.
“You wanna ask me somethin’?”
She looks curiously at me and then comes to the door of Gee Gee’s room.
“You sure Gee Gee knew you two were still together before she died?” She looks deep into my eyes, kinda like she’s tryin’ to read what’s on my brain.
“Yep, we told her what was up while she was with us in New York.”
“Good, that’s all I wanted to know.” She looks in the room and whispers. “Great to have you back Buffy. We were kinda bummed. In like a huge way.”
“It’s good to be back, Jules. I’m sorry if I can’t get up right now.” She looks majorly tired.
“Nah, that’s cool. I heard you ralphin’, so I don’t wanna catch what you got.” She winks.
I laugh at that. “I’m pretty sure she’s not contagious, but it’s good to be cautious.”
“I wanted to let you know you don’t have to worry, me and Ash won’t say nothin’.” She make the lock sign in front of her lips and crosses her heart.
“I trust ya, Jules. You see or hear anything suspicious and you come tell us, quick, ok?”
“You got it, Faith.” She starts to go off and then turns back. “This mean me and Ash can get into that school with Francie?”
I smile, and go to say no, but fuck. Why not?
“We’ll see, Jules.” I slap her on the back and she flinches. “Admissions are tough though, you two better start crackin’ the books.”
“Cool!!” She hugs me and waves at B and then rushes off.
I watch her bein’ all enthusiastic and shake my head. I wish I had that energy.
Listen to me, old fuckin’ bones. I go back in the room and B’s smilin’ at me.
I smile back at her, “What’s that smile for, baby?”
“For you being so wonderful.” She puts her arms out. “Come hold me.”
“You sure? I don’t wanna rock the bed there.”
“Nah, I’m feeling pretty ok right now, just tired. It takes a lot out of a girl, this being pregnant with a certain gorgeous slayer’s baby.”
“Oh, really? So it was like one of the gorgeous slayers at the Academy, huh?”
She narrows her gaze at me. “Don’t make me upchuck in your favorite pair of boots.”
“Dude, you wouldn’t!”
“I so would, now get over here!”
“Yes, ma’am!”
B’s been sleepin’ for about an hour now, she didn’t even make it until Ash could bring her a coke. She was out like a light as soon as she burrowed herself into my side. I’ve just been playin’ with her hair and rubbin’ her back and thinkin’. She’s a slayer and has strength and fast healin’, but throwin’ up that much does take a lot outta us.
I did that last year on New Year’s. Got completely fuckin’ wasted and spent the rest of the party offerin’ a sacrifice to the porcelain gods. I think it was Andrew’s Tandoori Fish. Xand got him wasted while he was cookin’ it, and he musta put somethin’ in that wasn’t supposed to be in there.
Man I so gotta pee. I had the cokes that Ashleigh brought up for us. I pull myself away from Buffy gently and she grunts a protest. So fuckin’ cute.
I manage to get away without wakin’ her and kneel down beside the bed as she settles herself into the spot I just left. She’s mutterin’ in her sleep and kinda laughs, someone must be sayin’ somethin’ funny in her dream.
Have I said how cute she is in her sleep?
She says my name softly.
Damn. I feel tears spring to my eyes. I take my hand in hers and notice the tan line where her ring should be. I place a kiss on it and then on her lips and let go of her hand. She giggles a little more, whispers “Yes, Faith, yes.” then turns over. That makes my heart and pussy clench at the same time and I smile. Even in her sleep I’m givin’ it to her good. Heh.
As I leave the room, I take one more look at the bed and mentally slap myself for ever thinkin’ she would cheat on me while I was in the coma. I gotta fuckin’ grow up.
When I get downstairs Giles is sittin’ at the dinin’ room table with some of my family, listenin’ to their drunken stories and tellin’ a few of his own. He was a fuckin’ punk!
He catches my eye and nods his head towards the kitchen. I nod at him and make my way in there after sayin’ hello to my family.
Giles gestures towards the back door and we go out into the yard.
“What’s up, G?”
“Don’t be cross, but Xander told me of your concerns…with the baby.”
“Yeah?”
Fuck, if he tells me about a night where Buffy was vulnerable and he took her home and things just happened I’m gonna fuckin’ string him up in the tree.
“I called Robin Wood. It seems Nikki had him just shy of six months and he was nine pounds, six ounces.”
Woah, what?! “Had who? The professor got someone knocked up?”
“What professor?” Giles is puzzled.
I sigh, “Who did Robin knock up?”
“No one, what are you talking about?”
“What’re you talkin’ about?!”
“I am talking about Nikki Wood, Robin’s mother. She had Robin when she was six months pregnant, and he was in no way a premature size.”
“Damn, right! Nine pounds six ounces, she probably had to be cut. The dude was huge!”
“Yes, well I made some other inquiries.” He catches the look on my face. “Without saying why I was inquiring of course, and I found out some information I thought you would find useful.”
Phew. Don’t need it known that B’s havin’ a baby, could get into the wrong circles.
“Ok, what is it?”
“Well, it seems that many recent slayers have had children, and they’ve all had a normal termed pregnancy, with the exception of a few who, for whatever reason, have had true premature infants.”
“Meanin’?”
“Meaning they have not developed to term, and have had to be incubated. Just like any other premature baby.”
“And Robin bein’ born as big as he was at six months is different.” I sit down, straddlin’ the picnic table bench.
“Yes, it would seem that he was fully developed, just as a full term baby would be.”
“So, what’s the theory?”
“We believe it’s because during the time that there was only ‘one girl in all the world’, if she were to get pregnant, her pregnancy would have to be accelerated due to the demon populace getting a leg up while she was out of commission, so to speak.”
“You wanna dumb that down for the little people?”
He gets his panties in a wad, “Oh, nonsense, you understood perfectly what I said.”
Heh. He got me.
“So what you’re sayin’, in entirely too many words, is: B’s gonna have our kid in fast forward.”
“Precisely.”
I shake my head and look down. “She’s gonna kill me, for really real.”
“Why is that?”
“She’s gonna be at her most pregnant durin’ the worst part of the summer, and she’s gonna cry about not bein’ able to wear the bikini she got for our postponed honeymoon.”
“Yes, well, Buffy’s skewed priorities aside, we’ll all be anxious for the arrival of such a special child.” He smiles all proud like he was doin’ in the basement earlier.
That makes me stand up and wrap him up in a bear hug.
His glasses fell off and he’s gigglin’ like a girl, and it feels so fuckin’ wonderful to have such a great support system.
I can’t believe it! I’m gonna be a mom in like five months. Less, if the fact that two original slayers makin’ the baby makes a difference.
“Hey, G.” I put him down and he picks up his glasses and straightens his shirt.
“Yes?”
“You think the scythe spell is the only reason those girls aren’t havin’ accelerated pregnancies?”
“We would have to research it further, but if I were to take an educated guess, I would say that’s precisely the reason.”
I chuckle, “Damn, dude, you coulda just said, ‘Yes’ and it woulda served the same purpose.”
“Must you always make fun?”
“Affirmative, my good dear sir, henceforth I shall perchance say, I prithee thou calleth me smartass.”
“Precisely.” Giles puts his glasses on and puts his arm out for me to take. “Shall we take our leave of the garden, my insubordinate charge?”
“Indeed, my old boned watchman.”
I stop him before he starts to walk and pull him down slightly. I give him a gentle kiss to the cheek and thank him for all he’s done for me. I know sometimes I pushed him to the brink and while it was for the good of the world most of the time, a lot of the time it’s because I wanted to get on his last nerve.
He gets this small smile on his lips and I can see a tear snake down his cheek.
Shit, I better change the subject before he’s got me bawlin’, too.
“Alicia give up anything useful?”
He clears his throat before talkin’, “Yes, indeed.” We start walkin’ inside. “We’ll need to send two teams down to Washington, as soon as possible, though preferably in the day time. There’s less of a chance of running into the vampire community.”
“Awesome, when do I go?”
He stops walkin’.
“Faith, I think it’s best in Buffy’s condition you didn’t go.”
“Huh?”
“I said…”
“Heard what ya said, G, and I said what the fuck are ya smokin’?”
“You shouldn’t be involved in this mission.”
“Giles, you just said Buffy’s the one with the condition, she shouldn’t be involved. Why can’t I go?”
“It’s dangerous.”
“Never stopped me before.” I shrug.
“You’d do that to her? Upset her by rushing off to and almost certain death?”
“And if we send these other girls, what does that say about us? We can dish it but we can’t take it?”
“Faith, you have to start looking at yourself as the leader you are. Not all Generals go into the battle, they have to stay out of the fray to make the decisions.”
“Atilla the Hun do that?”
“He was off his nut.”
“And that’s different than me how?”
“You’re completely sane, with a slightly skewed way of viewing yourself. As the head of this particular operation, I forbid you to go.”
I shake my head. “You really need to brush up on dealin’ with stubborn kids, man.”
“How’s that?”
“You should have agreed with me about goin’ and then gently suggested that B would be here all alone worryin’, and I woulda yelled at you for allowin’ me to go.”
It’s his turn to shake his head. “Why didn’t I retire after Sunnydale?”
“You can’t live without me.”
“I wonder how I ever managed.”
I crack up and he sighs and we go inside.
I wonder how I’m gonna get down to DC without anyone knowin’.
