Title: Life After You

Summary: Set early season 6. Wesley shows up on Buffy's doorstep with an infant Connor. Struggling to balance her duties as the Slayer, as well as raising Connor and Dawn, help arrives in the unexpected form of a bleached blonde vampire. B/S, with some B/A.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything or anyone from BtVS or Angel. Joss Whedon and Co own it all.

Author's Note: So, here's a new story from me - but it isn't my idea. BellaVision created the plot and asked me to write it for her, so here I am. It's set early season 6, but I had to do a little changing. So far, Willow and Tara don't live with Buffy and Dawn anymore, they have their own place. And there will be connection to the Angel world, which I'm not very up to date on, so don't burn me for lack of info on that side :) Thanks, and I'll be sure to pre-warn any other changes when they come up!

The warm rays of the morning sunrise crept in through the thin curtains of her bedroom. Seeing the first light of day had always had a calming effect on her; whatever had happened when the sky was at its darkest had washed away, and she was free until the sun descended again, and the moon awoke. Everything seemed at peace, there was no sound, no motion – just utter stillness. That was why she stood there at the window, staring out at the silent city that she called home, prepared for the day ahead. Or so she thought.

Nothing could have prepared Buffy for what she would face only moments after the sun rose. After a nice cool shower and outfit selection, she had headed downstairs to start breakfast for herself and Dawn. But, she was interrupted by a knock on the door just after finishing the pancake mix.

Visitors that early in the day were... well she'd never had one.

With a curious frown, she headed to the door and opened it.

"Wesley? What are you doing here? Is everything okay in LA? Is Angel... what's that?" her questions were halted when she noticed a small bundle in his arms.

Wesley sighed. "Buffy, I need your help – Angel needs your help."

She raised an eyebrow. "My help... with what?" she asked, hesitant. He glanced down to the bundled blankets in his arms, then back to her before carefully tucking a part back. "Oh... is that a..?"

"A baby? Quite," he finished.

Buffy nodded with a confused expression. "I didn't know you were so... precarious."

Wesley huffed. "I assure you I am not. Buffy, this is not my child – its Angel's."

Buffy stood completely still as the whole world slowed down to a stop. Angel, have a baby? No, it wasn't possible. Vampires couldn't reproduce; she would know that – it made her job a hell of a lot easier without little baby blood suckers crawling around. No, it was a mistake. Wesley had to be wrong. Maybe this was all some kind of a joke.

"Buffy? Buffy, are you alright?"

Wesley's voice pulled her out of her daze and back into the world of reality. Or was it? Maybe she had been sucked through some portal while she slept and this was all just a big nightmare.

"Uh, no, Wesley, I can assure you I am not," she mocked. "I haven't seen you since... and here you are, on my doorstep with a baby you're claiming is Angel's. This isn't possible, Angel can't have kids, no vampire can. You're wrong."

"I wish I was, I really do. May I come in? I will explain everything."

Buffy hesitated before nodding. She said nothing as she moved to the side and watched Wesley step in. She shut the door and joined him in the living room where he was already seated, the baby free of blankets and resting in his arms.

"You should have a seat," Wesley advised, but she shook her head. "Very well. Some time ago, Darla returned and Angel was... well, he was once again intoxicated with her."

Buffy flinched slightly. "Skip the Darla parts and get right to the baby ones."

He nodded. "Of course. But you see Buffy, Darla is very much a part of this - she is the child's mother."

Before she knew it, Buffy laughed. What was funny, she couldn't explain. She didn't feel like laughing, if anything, she felt the opposite. "Angel knocked Darla up and tada – baby. See, wasn't that an easy and short version? Question is Wes, why are you here? If this is... their baby, shouldn't they be taking care of him? ... It is a him isn't it?"

"Yes, his name is Connor. And while I'm certain Angel would make an exceptional father, he is rather... unavailable for the time being. In his absence, I knew of no other person who would be better suited to care for little Connor than you, Buffy."

"Me? Okay now I'm convinced that you have totally lost it. I'm the Slayer, or have you forgotten that? My life is dangerous - I can't bring a baby into it. There has to be someone else, someone in LA. Can't you just take care of him?"

"There is only one person on this planet that Angel himself would trust with his child, and I believe you know who that is. If there was another option, I would gladly go forth with it and spare you the burden, but Buffy... there isn't. I can't say how long you will have him, but I know that you will manage to balance your duty as the Slayer and-..."

"And what Wesley, my duty to Angel?" she interrupted. "You're a Watcher, or used to be... would you let your Slayer raise a baby while she's training and you know, saving the world and all that jazz? I think not. I'm sorry, but I just can't. I have Dawn to think about, and bringing a vampire baby into the mix is just not a-..." Wesley cut her off when he began to laugh. "I don't know what's so funny, but you-..."

"Connor is not a vampire. He may not be fully human, but he is most definitely not a vampire. You're right, as a Watcher I would not approve of this, but I did not come here as a Watcher. I came as a friend. We haven't always seen eye to eye Buffy, but we both care about Angel. He is in a dark place right now, one that could ultimately take hold of him forever. I am needed in LA to aid in his recovery, and I cannot do that to my best ability if Connor is not with someone who can be trusted."

"Don't think I don't know what you're doing here. You're trying to play on my feelings for Angel by planting the idea in my head that his fate rests in my hands," she said.

"Perhaps... is it working?" he asked and Buffy sighed.

She looked down at the small baby boy in Wesley's arms and smiled softly. This was Angel's baby, the baby that they could have never had together. If Angel was sick, then Buffy surely owed it to him to help him, right? They had been through a lot together, and he had always been there for her when she needed him. Now, it was her turn. As hard as it was for her to imagine herself with a child, it was harder to imagine turning him away. Connor couldn't help who his parents were – he was innocent. And wasn't that her duty, to help the helpless and protect the innocent?

"He is pretty cute," she said with a smile. "If I do this, I have a few demands."

"Such as?"

"I want a weekly update on Angel's condition, and if for some reason I... become unavailable myself, I don't want the responsibility of Connor to fall back on anyone here. Not Dawn, or Giles, or Willow – no one. This is my choice, not theirs, and regardless of Angel's sanity, you're to come and pick him up and bring him back to LA."

Wesley nodded. "Of course Buffy, I understand. His things are in the car; I'll run out and get them for you now."

Buffy nodded absently. She was lost in Connor's eyes – Angel's eyes.

So, there it is, first chapter! Let me know what you think!