Chapter
Thirteen
Shelter
You from the Storm
Faith sat by Buffy’s side
wiping her forehead with a damp cloth, diligently watching over her
friend. For two hours she sat there and
watched as her friend was plagued with drug induced dreams, no doubt reliving
memories that were better off forgotten.
It was hard for Faith to
watch. Buffy’s demons were Faith’s
demons as well, and she didn’t want to resurrect them. But she did what she had to do for her
friend. And there was nothing that could
take her away from her side.
Paulina would have described
it as a mother tigress watching over her young.
When she walked over to adjust the blankets around Buffy’s sleeping
form, Faith actually growled at her. Her
eyes were fierce and protective. A warning to stay away and she did.
She didn’t blame Faith nor
was she shocked by her reactions. She remembered a time, when she was the one
that cleaned Buffy up after Parker, or Adam for that matter, had roughed her
up. She knew the guilt and protective feelings that Faith was feeling now so
she understood. There was nothing she
could do but sit and watch over both of them.
Faith closed her eyes trying
to shut out the images of the room when she walked in but she couldn’t. To see Buffy half naked and stumbling to her
feet had been horrifying. She knew she never should have let her go with
him. She knew that something bad was
happening to her friend, but she had been too late.
She silently sobbed her
frustration and grief. Her tears fell
freely and landed on her hand that held Buffy’s in a death grip.
“She’ll be okay Faith.
Buffy’s strong.” Paulina whispered to the brunette, her heart breaking with the
other girl’s obvious pain and guilt.
Faith looked up at her. She was
angry with Paulina just as she was with herself. “She’ll be okay? She was raped Paulina! Do you have any idea how that feels?”
Paulina’s eyes hardened as
she looked back at her. “Yes Faith I do. I know how it feels to be raped. I
know how it feels to have your power and your dignity taken away from you.”
Faith’s eyes softened and
she looked away. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to yell at you. I guess I should
have realized. I mean, we’re all victims of the Brotherhood.”
Paulina smiled slightly at
her. “I know what you’re feeling. Back
in the day, it was me sitting right where you are now. It’s not your fault Faith. It’s no one’s
fault but Parker’s.”
“Is it? I left her alone with him. I knew it was a
bad idea but I did it anyway.”
Paulina shook her head,
“Faith you know as well I do that you did the only thing you could do. In the eyes of Parker, Buffy is his property
and no one can stand in his way when it comes to what’s his.”
“I know, I just…I thought
we’d left that behind us you know. Both
of us have struggled and worked so hard to start over. To become a person
again, you know. And now all of this
happened. I’m afraid for her. I’m afraid
she won’t be able to come back from this.”
Paulina smiled at her,
“That’s just your own fear talking. Look
Faith, I don’t know exactly what Buffy’s life has been like these last two
years but I know one thing, she’s become stronger and more self-grounded now
than she has ever been. And she’ll get through this just fine. Plus from what I understand she has someone
now that loves her. Someone who treats her like a person and not a dog, she has
that to hold on to. Someone she can talk to and who will actually understand.”
Faith smiled, “Yeah she
does. How did you know?”
Paulina shrugged, “Parker’s
got a big whiney mouth.”
Buffy lay there quietly, her
eyes closed and listening to them talk, feeling nothing but shame and a deep
sense of sadness. It was her
fault. She never should have put herself
in that situation. She should have known
that Parker would take whatever chance he got to do something degrading to
her.
She was seething mad at
herself. A complete turn around from the
way she use to feel after he forced himself on her.
Back then all she felt was self loathing and humiliation. Of course she was still humiliated but it
came from her own stupidity and not the deed itself. And the shame and sadness
she now felt was the product of the guilt that Faith felt and the foreseeable
guilt she knew Angel would feel. And
while she would love to take comfort in the arms of her Angel she knew she
never could. There was no way in hell she was going to lay this down at his
feet.
“No…Angel
can never know…never.”
Faith and Paulina looked
down at Buffy who was wide awake. Her eyes were clear and bright and she looked
back at them unwavering in her statement.
“Buffy, are you okay?” Faith
asked.
“I’ll get you something to
drink sweetie.” Paulina wanted to leave them alone she knew they had a lot to
discuss.
“Paulina?”
She turned around, “yes
sweetie?”
“Thank you.”
Paulina looked down at her
clasped hands. “Don’t thank me honey, I…didn’t do anything.”
“Yes you did. All the times you use to help me, I never
really thanked you. You were always kind to me, a true friend, and I’m ashamed
that I never said it before.”
Buffy’s heartwarming
gratitude made Paulina’s eyes tear and her face reddened slightly from
embarrassment. “Nonsense honey, you don’t owe me a thing. That’s what sisters
are for.” She smiled at her and then quietly left them alone.
“Are you alright B?” Faith
asked, her voice was quiet…hesitant, and it made Buffy
feel awful.
She squeezed her hand,
“Faith there wasn’t anything you could do, Paulina’s right. Please don’t feel
guilty.”
Faith bowed her head, “I
can’t help it. God I’m so sorry
Buffy.” She cried as she laid her head
down on their joined hands.
Her misery made Buffy start
to cry and she placed her hand on top of Faith’s head. “It’s okay Faith please
don’t cry. Look I’m alright. I’ve got a
slight head ache but beyond that I’m fine.”
Faith looked up at her.
“Trust me Parker’s dick is
too small to cause long lasting pain.”
She smiled at her and Faith
chuckled. “Yeah, I couldn’t help but notice that.”
They laughed together at Parker’s
expense, their tears drying with their gaiety.
“Faith, I don’t want Angel
to know about this. He’s already feeling guilty for sending me here I don’t
want him to feel guiltier. You have to promise me that you won’t tell him. Not
even Spike. No one can ever know.”
Faith nodded, this was one
secret she had no problem keeping.
Nothing good could come from Angel knowing. She squeezed her hand. “I’ll
take it to my grave.”
“Okay two cups of tea, hot
and ready to be drunk.” Paulina came in
carrying the cups and placed them down on the table. She went to leave again,
but Faith grabbed her arm. “Please
stay.”
Paulina looked at both of
them, they were smiling at her warmly, and Buffy was nodding her head. “We have
a lot to catch up on, you and I.”
Paulina smiled back and sat
down on the edge of the bed. “I’d like that.” She quietly said.
The three women sat there
and talked quietly. They had a kinship
together. They shared the same
experiences and the same emotions so their conversation flew freely and
honestly.
Time flew by for all of them
and before they knew it two hours had passed.
After Buffy took a shower
and blew dried her hair, she and Faith stood by their car ready to leave as
they said goodbye to Paulina. “Please
talk to Charlie about what we discussed. Promise me.” Buffy said.
Paulina shook her head. “I
will, I promise.”
They hugged each other and
as Buffy and Faith drove away Paulina waved goodbye.
***********************
Angel stood outside in the courtyard
of the hotel, breathing in the night air and staring up at the stars. It had been hours since Buffy and Faith left
the loft, and he was getting extremely agitated, again.
He checked his watch for the
hundredth time. Time was moving way to slow for his tastes. With the girls gone and Spike in
Of course his newest concern
was Giles. He went over their
conversation again and again, and the more he thought about it the more he
thought that Giles might be right.
There was a small pang in
his heart that he was betraying Buffy.
But if he was protecting her from something that would be painful would
it really be betrayal?
It was a very thin line and
he knew that. That’s why he needed to know why Giles was so adamant about Buffy
not stealing the diamonds? Angel knew
the answer had to lay with the mark.
Giles didn’t want Buffy to go into that house, but why?
There had to be a way for
him to protect Buffy but still let her do her part, or at least, make her think
she was doing her part. That wouldn’t be so bad, would it?
His thoughts were
interrupted when he felt a pair of warm hands circle his stomach. He smiled,
relief flooding through him until he looked down and saw blood red nail
polish.
His eyes crinkled with
annoyance and he sighed loudly. Unwrapping the hands
from his body he turned around to confront her.
“Kate.”
Kate smiled, her body moving
forward and her arms once more wrapping around Angel’s torso. “I was beginning
to wonder when you were going to call me.”
She leaned in and kissed his
lips before Angel could pull away.
“It’s been almost a year
Angel, one very long year.” She smiled sensually at him, her body on fire for
his.
Angel gently grabbed her
arms and pulled them off of him as he took a step back. “I’ve been busy.”
She took another step closer
to him, not giving up in her seduction that easily. “So I’ve heard. She’s…pretty.” She said bitterly.
“I never made any promises to
you Kate, you know that.” He walked around her and out of her reach.
Kate relented. “I know. But
still a girl can hope. So what’s up?”
“I’m ready to hand
everything over to you.”
Kate’s demeanor changed
instantly. The seductress was gone and replaced with the cold FBI Agent that
she was. This was good news, a little
unexpected but good. She had been trying
to get Angel to give her everything he had on Uncle for years but he always
held back, saying that he wasn’t ready or the time wasn’t right. But it seemed that the last year had indeed
been a busy one. “Should I ask why?”
“Does it matter?”
“Well I’d like to know who I
have to thank for your change of heart, the new girlfriend?”
She couldn’t resist asking. She was down right curious about the girl.
Angel’s eyes hardened. This
was what he wanted to avoid. Kate was
extremely nosey and tenacious. If
everything worked out the way he wanted it, then his future looked extremely…profitable. Angel wasn’t even trying to kid himself into
thinking that when this was over, business would stop. No he knew that once the
Order was returned to its roots, that business would thrive. With Buffy at his
side there was no job they couldn’t pull off and he was excited to get started.
That was the reason he never
wanted to involve Kate. It was one thing for Kate to know what he did because
she couldn’t touch him and she knew that.
But Buffy was a different story.
Kate walked the straight path.
And in her eyes, Buffy would be just another criminal. Someone she was supposed to put away not
help.
It was imperative that she
never find out and Angel was determined to make sure that she never did.
He ignored her question.
Leaning down he picked up a fat folder that rested against the bench and handed
it to her.
Avoiding
the question, interesting. Kate reached for it but
Angel still held it. “You better get
this right Kate. I would be very, very unhappy if I had to look over my
shoulder for the rest of my life. Do you understand me?”
“Insults
then threats? Gees
Angel, where’s the trust?” She pulled it out of his reach.
Angel smirked at her,
“Trust? That’s never been a part of our
relationship Kate. You know that.”
“Touché’. Don’t worry we’ve been waiting years for you to hand this
over we’ll get it done.”
“Good. Now I have an extra bonus for you, if you’re
interested.” Angel knew he wouldn’t have
to wait long to hear her answer. She
jumped right on it.
“I’m listening.” Excitement
coursed through Kate. She had been
hounding Angel for information in the underground world for longer than she’d
been hounding him for Uncle’s information.
He had contacts and information into that dark world that no government
agency has ever been able to get. If she
was able to get something now her career would skyrocket.
“Of course the bonus comes
with strings. Still
interested?”
Kate grinned, “What bonus
doesn’t?” she nodded and Angel grinned. She was like a puppy waiting for her
treat.
“Good come inside and I’ll
fill you in.”
***********************
“You ready?” Faith asked as they stood outside the doors
of the hotel.
Buffy turned and smiled at
her. The shower and the pensive drive
back to LA helped to clear her mind and she did feel better. “Yeah.”
They took a step Faith’s
hand reaching for the doorknob when Buffy stopped her.
“What?”
“Look.” Buffy pointed inside
the glass doors and to the counter.
Faith looked inside and saw
the entire gang, except Spike, huddled around the counter.
“Gees, don’t these people
ever sleep.”
There was some blonde woman
that was standing next to Angel, practically glued to his side. Their heads
were close as they looked down at something on the counter. It was obvious that there was some intimate
history there and she turned to Buffy.
“Who is that?”
Buffy watched the blonde
woman as she moved closer to Angel. Her hand came up and rested on his shoulder
as she leaned in closer and said something to him.
“I don’t know.”
“Where’s Spike?”
Buffy was getting extremely
green with jealously as she watched the interloper say something again, and
this time afterwards she smiled as her hand moved to the center of Angel’s back
and slowly rubbed it.
“Let’s find out shall we?”
Buffy said bitterly.
She had to stop herself from
kicking open the door. Instead she opened it quietly. They walked inside and
stood on the threshold with no response from the gang, so she kicked the door
shut.
Everyone at the counter
turned toward the door, each one drawing their weapons.
Faith and Buffy stood there
with six guns pointing at them, neither one looked scared. “Gee B I guess we’re
not invited to the party.” Faith commented as she looked at Buffy.
The gang relaxed and put
their guns away. Angel quickly stepped
away from Kate and walked over to them.
He wasn’t in the best of moods, it was almost five in the morning and
they were just now getting back from the compound. Plus he had to deal with
Kate and her wondering hands all night.
So as he approached them, he had a scowl on his face. “What took so
long?” he asked gruffly.
Buffy’s eyebrow rose, “Gee
honey I missed you too.” She answered him just as ornery as he was.
Angel stopped when he was in
front of her. His hands automatically reaching for her as he roughly pulled her
into his embrace. With her body pressed
tightly against his and his nose buried deep in the silken strands of her hair,
all his anger and worry dissipated. He
took a deep breath, breathing in her scent and hugged her harder. “I’m sorry. I
was worried.”
Buffy’s eyes closed as she
hugged him back. She felt her eyes get misty as she let him engulf her in his
overbearing presence and it was the greatest feeling in the world. The blonde disappeared, Parker disappeared
and as usual she was left with nothing but his essence surrounding her inside
and out. “It’s okay, I’m sorry too. It’s
been…a long night.” Her voice was muffled against his chest but he still heard
her.
He leaned back and took her
face in his hands. His deep brown gaze searched her features looking for any new
marks or abrasions on her face. “Are you alright?” he asked.
It was a simple question one
that held more then simplicity in it’s asking. It sought truth and honesty, and
she responded with denial and lies. “I’m
fine Angel, really don’t worry.”
“Are you sure?” He looked
deep into her green eyes and it took all of her strength not to just bawl her
eyes out.
She smiled at him, her hand
reaching up and caressing his wrinkled worried forehead. “I’m sure.” She leaned
in and kissed him.
Faith watched the couple and
listened quietly. Knowing how hard it must be for Buffy to stand there and act
as if nothing was wrong, she cleared her throat wanting to get Angel’s
penetrating gaze off of her friend, if only for a minute. “Where’s Spike?”
Angel turned and looked at
her, “He had something to do. He should be back soon.”
She nodded and headed over
to the counter and went straight for the blonde. The open hostility that was
coming off of this woman and directed at Buffy was pissing her off. She wasn’t in the mood for any more threats
aimed at her friend.
“Who are you?” she coldly
asked.
Kate smirked back at her and
answered her with her own question. “Who are you?”
“Someone you don’t want to
know honey.”
Gunn chuckled only to be
slapped by Fred on the arm. He looked at her and shrugged.
Angel kissed Buffy on the
forehead smiling at her lovingly. “I’m glad you’re home.”
“Me
too.” She smiled back and took his hand as he reached for her.
“Faith, Buffy this is Kate.”
Buffy followed him her eyes scathingly
staring at Kate. She nodded her head at the other woman as she gripped Angel’s
hand hard.
“Kate’s here to help out,
Faith.” Fred said.
Faith didn’t respond nor did
she move from her spot. She just stood
there with her arms crossed against her chest, blocking the other woman’s gaze
from Buffy and Angel.
Kate held her gaze then
walked around her and up to Angel. “I should be going. You’ll call me?”
Angel nodded.
Kate looked at Buffy, her
eyes raking down her body and to their clenched hands. When she looked back at
her she smiled into a pair of angry green eyes.
There was something about the petite blonde that reminded Kate of
something but for the life of her she couldn’t put her finger on it. “Have we
met?”
Angel held his breath. His body tensing with unease as his hand
squeezed Buffy’s hand harder. Buffy
took that as a sign of guilt instead of what it really was which was
protectiveness, and she squeezed back…harder.
“I don’t think so.” She
coldly replied.
“Are you sure? You seem very
familiar to me.”
She was about to reply when
Angel stepped in front of her and answered for her. “You’ve probably seen her
in some magazine Kate.”
Kate looked at Buffy again
who was coldly staring back at her then back at Angel. He was definitely hiding something from
her. “Yeah, I guess you’re right.”
She headed toward the door,
she’ll find out what he was hiding sooner or later. “I’ll wait for your
call.”
She opened the door and
bumped into Spike. “Hello Spike.”
“Kate,” Spike looked at her
with open hostility, they hated each other and it was no secret to anyone.
“Leaving so soon?” He reached for the door, “Here let me help you…leave.”
She grinned at him as he
held the door open for her. “Always the gentleman.”
She walked through the door
and he slammed it closed. “So long slutty.”
He hopped away from the door
and headed inside. “Glad to see I didn’t miss anything…good. Morning
all.” He grabbed Faith and kissed her soundly on the lips. “Morning vixen.”
The moment Kate left Angel
instantly relaxed. He looked down to see Buffy looking at him knowingly and he
couldn’t help but swallow nervously.
She smiled at him and then
took mercy on him. Reaching up she whispered. “If she touches you again, I’ll
kill her.” She kissed him on the ear then licked the rim sending shivers of
lust down his spine.
She pulled back and winked
at him.
Angel scowled. Did she know
that her bloodthirsty words did nothing but turn him on? By the way her saucy hips were swinging back
and forth he would say yes.
“Where were you?” Faith
asked as Spike sat down on the couch and pulled her along with him.
He kissed her neck breathing
in her scent, “Just taking care of a little business. Nothing
to worry about luv.”
Angel looked at Spike,
“Fadhbanna?”1
“Ceann ar bith.”2
Buffy knew they were
speaking Gaelic but that was only because she had heard Angel talk in that
language numerous times when they made love. And just like then, she had no
idea what the hell he was saying.
But he seemed pleased with
Spike’s answer as he nodded then turned his attention back to Buffy. “So what
happened?”
She gulped as his intense
stare landed on her, and she fought the urge to go run and hide under a
rock. “Adam moved the date up. He wants
it done tonight.”
Why, was he not
surprised? “Did he say why?”
Buffy snorted, remembering
the sharp slap that question got her. “No. Adam doesn’t explain himself unless
he wants to.”
“Alright. Gunn, Wes, you got everything we need right?”
“Everything is ready to go
Angel.” Wesley answered.
“Good.” He took Buffy’s hand
and started to walk to his office. “We’ll be right back.”
He pulled her inside his
office and then pressed her up against the closed door. Slowly he leaned into her his head resting in
the crook of her neck as he nuzzled her skin.
His nostrils flared with her skin’s perfumed scent. His fingers touched
the softest silken flesh of her shoulders and his body shuttered with the
intense emotions that raged inside of him.
He wondered if he would feel
this way every time he sent her out to do a job. This frenzied need to reassure himself that
she was really back with him, safe and unharmed. But he already knew the answer to that as he
felt The Beast stirring, almost pawing at his slacks to be free.
Buffy encircled his strong
frame with her arms as she closed her eyes.
She felt his hardness pressed against her and she breathed deep. For a brief second last night’s events returned
to her, the humiliation and shame. But as he nuzzled her further, and his
gentle lips started a slow and sensual path down her neck, it disappeared.
She realized in a blink of
an eye, that it didn’t matter if she was raped by Parker. It didn’t matter if
it happened again. All that mattered was
this…him…them. All that mattered was
protecting what she shared with this man.
She felt no guilt in not telling him what happened, she only felt
reassurance that she was doing what was best for him.
His lips left her skin and
he looked into her eyes and she into his. They were turbulent filled with so
many different emotions at the same time that she couldn’t pinpoint just one.
She reached up and caressed his face. “What’s a matter baby?”
He took her hand and kissed
it. “What could be wrong? I have you safely back in my arms,” He kissed her
lips. “Just where you belong…always.” He gruffly said.
Buffy smiled at him, “Did
you think otherwise?”
He scoffed, “If you hadn’t
shown up in the next hour I would’ve went to get you.” He ran hand through her hair, loving the way
it glided through his fingers. “Are you sure you’re alright…Parker…”
“Parker,
didn’t do anything but whine like a baby.”
She said. ‘Well that was true. He did whine and cry like a three year old.’
He continued to gaze into
her eyes. She looked so beautiful and so open that for some reason he
questioned it. It had occurred to him while he spent the night brooding, that
there was the slight possibility that something could happen to her and she
wouldn’t tell him.
Now he wouldn’t blame her for
not wanting to talk about something that was painful and wanting to just forget
about it. But for him, personally, he needed to know. Just like he needed food and water to live,
he needed to know that nothing happened to her.
He wanted to rip her clothes
off and inspect every inch of her body. He wanted to demand that she tell him
the truth. But he couldn’t do any of those things. He’d asked and she gave him her answer, and
he was just going to have to believe her and live silently with his own demons.
She leaned up and kissed him
again. “Angel, don’t worry please. Everything went fine. The reason we got back
so late was because I wanted to spend some time with Paulina. She’s a friend, a
good friend and I wanted to hang out with her for a little while.”
It never occurred to him
that there were people from her past, good people that she might have missed
when she left
“For
what?”
He shrugged, his fingers
toying with a strand of her hair. “I’m sorry that you had to sacrifice the few
people that you loved to escape the prison that you were in. And I’m sorry that
I never asked you about them.”
Tears welled up in her eyes
and this time she didn’t try to hold them back.
“Angel, you don’t have to be sorry.
I was never open about myself. I never wanted to talk about any of it.
Honestly, until the other day, I’d forgotten about them too.” She looked down
at his chest, her hand coming up and playing with the button on his shirt. “I just couldn’t see anything beyond what
made me miserable.”
Gently he took her chin and
lifted her eyes to his. “And no one blames you for that. Listen when all this
is over I want you to keep in touch with her and anyone else that you want to
from the Brotherhood. If
they’re your friends then their mine too.”
She smiled broadly at him.
“Do you know how much I love you?”
He grinned, “Not as much as I
love you.” He pressed her back against the door. Then he leaned down and kissed
her neck.
Chuckling, her hand flitted
through his hair as she leaned her head to the left, giving him better access.
“Mmm…are we always going to be this sappy?” she asked teasingly.
“I hope so.”
They leaned into each other,
their lips touched and Buffy’s body immediately became enflamed with desire.
“I want to make love to you
so bad right now.” Angel huskily said in her ear.
His proclamation sent
shivers down her spine and she moaned low in her throat. She wanted to feel him
inside of her but she knew that it was probably not a very good idea to get
intimate with him tonight.
He had a habit, which she normally
loved, of just sitting quietly as he stared at her naked body. He could sit there for hours doing that. But
she didn’t want to take any chances of him seeing the slight yellowish bruise
she had on her inner thighs. Not to mention the bruise on her upper arm and the
tiny needle mark. It didn’t matter how small it was, his keen eyes would see
it.
She didn’t have to worry
long though because Angel suddenly pulled back. “But I have some things I need
to take care of for tonight and you…” he kissed her nose, “have to get some
rest.”
She sighed with relief and
disappointment at the same time.
He pulled her away from the
door and tugged her into his arms. “I want you to go home and sleep. I’ll be by
later today.”
She reached up on her tippy toes, her arms encircling his neck and she kissed him
back. “I’ll miss you.” She whispered.
They clung to each other as
they hungrily kissed. Sharing with each
other every emotion they felt. And like
every other kiss they shared it rattled them to their very cores.
They walked out of the
office, holding hands to see the gang sitting around the lobby talking and
laughing with each other as Spike told Faith how Oz got his nick name.
“It wasn’t that funny.” Oz
said.
“Mate, if the tables were
turned you’d be laughing at me right now.” Spike said.
“Faith,
ready to go?” Buffy asked as they neared them.
Faith jumped up and pulled
Spike along.
“I’ll meet you in the
tunnels at six.” Angel said and Spike stopped and looked at him.
“Meet us?”
“Yeah, I have something I
need to take care of first.”
Spike walked away from Faith
and Buffy who were now talking to Fred and up to Angel. “Are you doing
something that I need to know about?” he whispered.
“No. It’s just something that
I need to take care of.” Angel said looking him straight in the eye. He hated
to lie to Spike but it was better to not let anyone know what he was going to
do.
Spike looked at him,
remembering his own words to Angel just last night. He nodded at him. “You’ll
call me if you need me.”
“Of course, just go with
them and watch them. Put Bubba on the door to Buffy’s loft. Make sure he
doesn’t let anyone in but us.”
Spike nodded and walked away
and back up to the girls that waited for him.
Buffy looked at Angel and smiling she blew him a kiss. He smiled back then watched them leave.
“Guys, why don’t you make
sure everything is set for tonight then take whatever time is left and do
whatever you want. I have something I need to do.”
He left them in the lobby
and headed upstairs to his bedroom with thoughts of Buffy in his mind. He adjusted the semi-hard Beast, he would
really like a little R and R time himself. He was pressed for time, but if he
played his cards right, everything would go off without a hitch and he’d be
back at Buffy’s by four.
*************
1Fadhbanna, rough translation meaning ‘problems’
2Ceann ar bith, rough translation meaning ‘none’