Chapter 3


“She’s WHAT?”

“Pregnant”

“Who by?”

“Well duh, Spike of course!” Wesley said with exasperation. Angel was having none of it.

“Shyeah, right! Hello, he’s a soulless vampire!”

“Er…you haven’t exactly been kept up to speed on things, have you?”

“’Bout what?” Angel sat back in his leather office chair, he hands clasped behind his head.

“Spike isn’t soulless anymore” Wesley poured himself a brandy and seated himself opposite Angel’s desk.

“Oh gods! Don’t tell me the PTB are giving away a ‘two for one’ offer, get the slayer knocked up and grab a free soul into the bargain!”

“No, nothing like that…last year, he went to Africa, and did The Trials, and won through” Angel frowned, his hands slowly loosened from behind his head as he sat forward slowly.

“He what?”

“Went to Africa.” Wesley said, nodding

“And did…

“Did The Trials of Shalimar, yes. And amazingly, he won through”

“But, well I thought…well, it was said nobody had ever completed the tasks before…they were…impossible! This can’t be true Wesley. I mean, I know he’s a good scrapper, but those trials are-“

“Phenomenal, involve immeasurable pain and suffering…he did it Angel. As much as you don’t want to believe it, he did it. And surprisingly enough, he did it for Buffy”

“I don’t believe it!” Angel said quietly.

“Well, there you go, whether you want to believe it or not, what can’t speak can’t lie” Wesley tossed a disc file onto the desk in front of him.

“S’all on there, you can see for yourself” Wesley drained his brandy, and left the office. Slowly, Angel took the disc out of the cardboard sleeve and inserted it into the computer, and then he began to read the information…After reading everything half dozen times, he popped the disc out, and slipped it back into it’s cardboard sleeve, he sat brooding, lost in a reverie, tapping the disc cover against his lips.

“Oh, you are in. Only I knocked, twice actually, but you didn’t…Angel, ANGEL” Gunn said, putting his head around the door..

“Hmm?”

“Are you ok, man?”

“Oh, erm…I’ve been better…what do you want?”

“Want to watch me mediate on behalf of Wolfram and Hart on this…” he didn’t finish the sentence. He’d been preening himself, but knew by the look on Angel’s face, that he didn’t.

“You carry on, Charles…I’m sure you’ll do a great job”

It wasn’t very often that Angel called him by his first name; he must have something on his mind…………Gunn thought as he made his way to the lifts.

“Wait for me!” Gunn held the doors open and Harmony joined him.

“Fourth please…so, you off somewhere nice – you look very spiffy”

“Oh, just putting our case to some big demon corporate thing…not that the boss seems much bothered” Gunn said moodily, looking at his shoes.

“Well you might know why………Wes has told him something about the slayer, and that slayer loving freak…always puts him in a mood”

“Any idea what it’s about?”

Harmony shrugged and said,

“I have NO idea, and no wish to either – well, here’s my stop – good luck!” She got out, and Gunn continued to the ground floor.

The truth of the matter was, Harmony had tried every which way but loose to find out what Wesley had been so excited over – she’d heard him talking animatedly on the phone to that Giles bloke – Buffy’s watcher – and even nosying around Wesley’s desk didn’t reveal anything. She needed Angel to be in a good mood – huh, FAT chance of that now if what Wesley told him had upset him……………

*************


“So, we reckon it’s due roughly two months before my birthday, around September the 15” Buffy said, and Giles nodded, and then said seriously,

“I’d like a friend of mine to have a look at you, Dr Moss, ex-Watchers council”

“Why?”

“Because, well – I thought that you’d need to see somebody, to monitor how the baby is doing and-“

“But I have my own doctor for that, Dr Edmonds – they do a special pre-natal clinic, ante natal classes and everything – they even do them in the evenings so the dad’s can be there without having to have time off from work, so Spike will be able to come with me” Buffy said.

Giles stood and took off his glasses, turned and faced them both. Spike was holding Buffy’s hand reassuringly.

“Buffy…this – this baby you’re carrying…we don’t know what it is” Giles said

Both Buffy and Spike frowned, and Buffy said,

“What do you mean ‘don’t know what it is,’ it’s going to be a baby for the gods sake!”

“Keep calm, babe, Giles what exactly do you mean? Spike said, trying himself to keep calm.

“Well, you’re a vampire – we don’t know if the infant will be a – a hybrid of some sort, half human, half vampire – where it’ll need to feed on blood – these things ned to be checked before hand” Buffy looked worriedly at Spike, and shook her head, but said nothing

“It’s okay babe…” Spike whispered to Buffy, giving her hand a gentle squeeze

“No Giles, the scroll said the union, OUR union, was blessed – basically for good deeds done, a – a reward if you like – it didn’t say anything about the baby being different – which I assume, as it was from the PTB, it would have said, so we’re going to do this exactly how Buffy wants to do this”

“But-“ Giles began

“But nothing! Besides which, I’m not having my girl treated like some bloody lab-rat for your lot to experiment on, you got that – right, come on pet, let’s go before I loose my temper” Spike held the door open and Buffy followed him out.

“Buffy…is that what you want?” Giles stood behind his desk and slipped his glasses back on.

She turned in the doorway and said,

“Yes Giles, my life is weird enough, I want everything as normal as possible for my baby” she was absently rubbing her tummy while she spoke.

“Very well – oh, and just one other thing, Spike said you’ve agreed to stop slaying – for the duration, is that right?”

“And a few months after” Spike chipped in, and Giles nodded

“I’ll give you a hand, don’t worry” Spike said

“Well, we shouldn’t have to worry too much, because in three weeks time, we’ll have another slayer”

Both Spike and Buffy, still standing in the doorway frowned at each other, and then looked at Giles.

“Faith is due out the Greenvale Correctional Facility for Women in 20 days time”

“FAITH? – Terrific!” Buffy said, looking disgusted.

“What – whose Faith?” Spike asked

“Long story – tell you when we get home – um baby, can we stop off at the store, I need to get a few things…” Buffy and Spike left.


*******


The following evening


“Well, it’s officially three days after my first missed period, so I’ve made an appointment with Dr Edmonds, I could only get a morning appointment baby, I’m sorry, but I was thinking of asking Willow to come with me, do you mind?”

Spike soaped and rinsed her back, leant forward and kissed her shoulder and said,

“Course not, I think she knows something is up, it’s been a fortnight now since we found out, and you haven’t been out patrolling once!”

“Come on Kitten, this water’s cold, lets get ourselves dry”

Chapter 4



“Well, come straight from lectures and have dinner with us, Spike’s going to do pasta”

“Yummy – okay then, see you around five-ish, bye!” Willow put the phone down.

Spike’s body-clock was in sync with Buffy’s now, and he slept most of the night, and was awake during the hours of daylight, but sometimes he needed an afternoon nap. It was one of those times today, he’d been out patrolling with Giles and was a little jaded. Buffy smiled at his sleeping form and went to do a little light housework.

Spike woke, yawned and stretched, he sensed Buffy in the room and tuned to see her with a yellow duster in her hand, she was polishing the photograph frame, the one that held the picture of her mother. She been rubbing the same side and staring off into space for a while now, lost in her reverie………

“Penny for your thoughts?” Spike came and cuddled her up from behind, slipping his arms around her middle and he dropped a soft kiss on her neck.

“Oh…I was just thinking…mom would have been over the moon at the news” She turned her head and smiled at him

“Annoyed at being a granny at her age mind, but well – you know”

“Yeah, I know pet…but she might have come after me with that bloody axe again, for getting HER baby into trouble!”

“No, she really did like you – she told me how you saved her getting scammed over some supposed Victorian prints once at the gallery…”

“Are you okay pet– not too sad or anything?”

“No, I’m fine” Buffy put the frame down back on top of the bookcase. Spike kissed her cheek.

“Good, want some tea?”

“Hmm, please – oh, I phoned Willow, she’s coming for dinner – straight from lectures, I told her we were having pasta”

Spike shouted ‘okay’ from the kitchen.

Buffy went and joined Spike in the kitchen. She sat on one of the stools at the breakfast counter and watched as Spike made the tea.

“Babe, I was thinking…I know I jumped in and sort of stuck my oar in with Giles, but, well, if you decide you want to let that Dr friend of his have a look at you, I won’t be mad at you – if it’ll give you peace of mind” He placed a steaming mug in front of her.

“Nope – like you say, I’m not a lab-rat – I’m happy with the way we’re going to do things” Buffy grinned at him

“Okay pet, but you know, if you want to change your mind, just say…right – pasta you said, – well, it just so happens………I went to that Italian deli and bought some fresh stuff, and what sauce do you want with it?”

“That chunky tomato one you do with basil…it’s yummy – and mushrooms in it too!”

“Good girl! – Nice and healthy - you look tired pet, why don’t you go put your feet up and have a rest until Red comes”

And Buffy did just that!

***********


“Hmm – goodness Spike – all those afternoons watching the cookery programmes certainly paid off – this sauce is amazing!” Willow relished every mouthful.

“Glad you like it Red, more salad?”

“Thanks…so, what’s this news you’ve got to tell me then?”

“Um…well, just make sure you’re not chewing anything first, I would hate for you to choke!” Buffy said, grinning at Spike, who reached for Buffy’s hand.

“O-okay………there, all gone, you’ve got me worried now…what’s up?”

“I’m having a baby - me and Spike we’re having a baby” Both Buffy and Spike were grinning their head’s off.

“You’re – oh goddess – that’s just…I – sorry, congratulations!” She jumped and put her arm around both of them, giving them a squeeze.

“Well, you don’t seem surprised – I thought you’d ask how first!” Buffy said

“How – Buffy – I know how!”

“No, I mean, you know, how come Spike can – you know – father children him being a vampire n’all!”

“Hey, Hellmouth – not that I’m saying it’s a demon or anything, don’t get me wrong, but strangeness and odd things happening – goes with the territory – nothing fazes me now! A baby – that’s so…fantastic! Who else knows?

“Well, Giles of course, Wesley told him, but you’re the first person we’ve told”

“I’m honoured – Wesley you say, huh? – Does that mean, um, you-know-who might know too?”

Buffy shrugged and said,

“Don’t know, don’t care, it’s none of his business…it, well, it’s a prophecy – reward for services rendered, if you like – and I’m due around the 15th of September”

“Wow…Buffy – you’re having a baby! – Oh! I’m SO happy for you both!”

“Thanks Will…are you busy tomorrow morning?”

“Um, let me think…Friday, no – I’ve got one lecture after lunch, why?”

“Come to the doctors surgery with me – I could only get a daytime appointment”

“Wow – course I will!”

“Thanks Red – that’ll be a load off my mind…oh, are you going to tell her the bad news now?” Spike said, picking up the empty plates. Willow immediately looked worried and looked at Buffy

“Bad news?”

“Well, you know I haven’t been patrolling…”

“Yes, oh, don’t tell me you’ve lost your slayer powers?”

“No, nothing like that…it’s Faith, she gets let out of the Correctional Facility in three weeks, she’s coming here to take my place”

“Oh god – has it been four years since she…”

“Let out for good behaviour – just as long as she keeps well away from me and Spike, that’s all!”

“Yeah, me too – do you think she’s better now?” Willow asked, frowning. Buffy shrugged, and then sat up delightedly as Spike bought in a tub of real Italian ice cream.

“Dessert, anyone?”

“Ooooohhhhh yeah! Me, me, me, me, me!!!” Buffy waved her spoon in the air.

“Well, I’ll leave you to it, don’t let her be greedy with it Red, there’s a pint there – make sure you have your share – ay-up bang on time, that’ll be Giles – I’ll see you later kitten, and thanks for saying you’ll go with her tomorrow, Red, I appreciate it!”

Spike dropped a light kiss on Buffy’s head as she was eating, and went to meet Giles in his car outside so they could go patrolling.



Friday lunchtime came, and Buffy came back from the doctors, with armfuls of literature, and some bottles of vitamins.

“Everything ok, love?” Spike looked worried. Buffy kissed him.

“Fine baby, just peachy, don’t worry – dying for a cuppa though!”

“Right on it”

Ten minutes later, Buffy and Willow wandered into the kitchen as there was no tea……… Spike was sitting at the breakfast counter, engrossed in reading one of the booklets she’d bought home.

Both girls smiled at each other, then at him.

“Er, baby, tea?”

“Hmm? – Did you know, it says here, that in the first trimester, the baby grows at a fantastic rate, and you use vitamins up at…sorry, what did you say?”

“Tea?”

“Oh, um, yes, sorry – got side tracked.” Grinning sheepishly, he put the booklet down, re-boiled the kettle, and made tea, went to get the milk out of the fridge.

“Right, this can go, and this, and you’re not eating this, or that…that’s out too” Buffy watched a mounting pile on the counter, Cola, Seven Up, Squeezy Cheese, leftover pizza and Baloney………

“Why not?”

“Coz it’s full of sugar and salts and colours and additives…you’ve got to have Whole milk and cereals, fresh fruit and vegetables, salads, lean meat, poultry and fish, wholemeal bread, so it say’s here” Spike indicated the book. Willow smiled. Buffy had her brows raised, pulled a brown paper bag out of her bag, and delved in, ate a cherry.

“Are those washed?” Spike asked sternly.

“Uh huh. Missing something, though” She went to the cupboard, took out the mayo.

“Ah-ah, no” he took the jar off her, put it back into the cupboard.

“But…” She frowned

“I said, no!” Spike said firmly.

“Why not?” Buffy blinked big eyed at him. In a softer tone, he said,

“Because it’s raw eggs, can be bad for the baby, look” He ran his finger under the ‘Foods to be avoided during pregnancy’ section, along with things like unpasturised cheeses, pates, raw fish and offal. She pouted. Willow knew, despite this ‘you’ll do as you’re told’ attitude, secretly, they both loved it, it would make Buffy feel all protected and loved, and let Spike feel he was caring for her even more than usual.

“Oh, Miss Pouty…Look at that lip…gonna get it…gonna get it! (Spike pounced and kissed her gently) What do you want for dinner?”

“Er, Pizza?”

“No, I was thinking chicken. With fresh veg.” Frowning, Buffy said,

“Chicken………okay stir fry?” She asked, hopefully, eyebrows raised.

“Homemade – coz you don’t need the MSG in take-out stuff?” Spike asked

“Hmm, yeah – with bell peppers and mushrooms and green onions?” Buffy salivated.

“Sure, I can do that for you, soft noodles, or brown rice?” Spike asked.
Buffy smiled and shrugged,

“Don’t mind…Spi-ike…”

“Ye-e-e-e-s?” He sing-songed back.

“Make me an omelette for lunch, please?” She looked at him big eyed.

“Ok baby, you got it”

Willow watched the pair bemusedly. She’d never seen two beings more steeped and happy in domestic bliss!

“Er, sorry to interrupt folks, but I have to go, I’ve got a lecture at 2pm”

“Okay Red, thanks for going with her today” Spike said, kissing Willow on the cheek.

“I’ll ring you sometime this weekend – take care, bye!”

“Bye Will, and thanks!” Buffy waved her friend off.

Chapter 5


The first three months whizzed by in domestic bliss – Faith was settled as the resident slayer, and thankfully kept away from them – she knew Spike, and what he was, and knew he wasn’t the ‘enemy’ any more. Spike still kept a wide berth from her though, and rarely went out patrolling anyway.

Well into her fourth month, Buffy had started to get moody.

“Buffy…love, open the door!”

“No!”

“Why not pet?”

“Coz I’m hideous! I’m all fat, and nothing fits, and I look yukky and-”

“Babe, first off, you’re not fat – you’re pregnant, you’re full of our little bundle of joy – and I personally, think you’ve never looked more beautiful – radiant in fact…now open the door kitten, please?”

The door was unlocked, and a very sorry looking Buffy stood in baggy jogging pants and a big baggy tee shirt, her normal everyday stuff no longer fitted her, and was thrown all around the room.

“Come here pet…what’s wrong, huh?”

“Nothing fits! How can you love me when I look like this?” Buffy raised one arm indicating herself in the mirror. She sniffed and buried herself into his embrace.

Spike held her close and started to laugh.

“You are a funny little one…look – I was going to give you this tomorrow, when Red comes over here, but…here you go, I sold a couple of my books – my first editions to that bookseller – I got a good price for the Dickens – go and buy yourself something pretty to wear – it’ll make you feel better” Buffy’s eyes went huge as Spike handed her $500.

“SPIKE!”

“What babe?”

“You sold your – oh Spike! You’re SO good to me…but your beloved books!”

“No worries pet, they were only gathering dust – I don’t mind”

“But, well…we need this to do the spare room up as a nursery” Buffy offered the money back, but Spike gently closed his hand over hers, and pushed it back towards her.

“Don’t you worry about that Kitten, it’s all in hand…now, gonna give me a smile?” Spike coaxed

Buffy did more than that, she threw her arms around his neck and kissed him passionately.

“Steady on there kitten – you’ll get me all………” Between kisses Buffy mewled that was precisely her goal.

For comfort, they found it best if Buffy went on top. Her breasts were fuller now, and her nipples darker, and the slight swell of her belly had Spike filled with manly pride – she looked magnificent, rising and falling on him, head thrown back as she cried out her love for him –

Lying in his arms, Buffy felt safe and protected, nothing could touch them, they had their own little world.



***************


“Well, I did try asking them once, at the very beginning, but they both were having none of it, they said that they wanted everything to be as normal as possible for the baby, and Spike also said he wasn’t going to have Buffy treated like a lab-rat by the Watchers Council” Giles said to Wesley


“But Liz Moss is EX Watcher’s Council”

“I know, I know, but like I say, they were having none of it – so what have you found out, anyway?”

“Not me, Angel actually………could be something and nothing, part of a prophecy, about a ‘Wunderkind’, a ‘wonder child’ – super human strength, born for the good –“

“I see, and you say that it’s Angel that found this out?”

“Uh huh, why?”

“Because telling them, well………it’ll be like a red rag to a bull if you say Angel found out the information, given how things are between them – and Spike would definitely want to know what Angel was doing, sniffing round stuff that was absolutely none of his concern”

“To be fair Giles, Angel still cares for Buffy, despite what he thinks about Spike”

“Then if that’s true Wesley, Angel should know when to keep his nose out”

“So you don’t think they should be told?”

“I didn’t say that, I just said that it would probably be a lot better if the information hadn’t come from Angel. Where did he find this stuff, any ideas?”

“Hmm, not sure – I could ask”

“Do you think he’d tell you?”

“Don’t see why not – leave it with me, okay?”

“Will do old man – how’s my old charge getting on?”

“Faith? – Oh, you know, she has her own quirks, does things very much her own way, but she’s getting the job done I’m glad to say”

“Good, good…well then Giles, I’ll see what I can find out for you, and let you know, okay?”

“Thanks – see you”

“Bye”

Giles had just put the phone down, when Buffy came into the little office area of the shop.

“Buffy, how lovely to see you – I was just – tal-um think, thinking about you!” Giles thought it prudent to not let on he’d been talking about her.

“Really? So, how are you – golly, it’s been a while since I came in here, it all looks quite strange!”

“I’m fine, more to the point, how are you?”

“Here, look at this – it’s the sonogram…see, there’s his head, and that’s his little back…those are his legs…that’s his arm” Giles stared at the fuzzy white picture, it looked like a snowstorm against a windshield to him…Buffy was beaming.

The picture suddenly became clear, and Giles grinned too.


“Oh yes! Wow…things they can do…He – you know it’s going to be a he?”

Buffy nodded, because she was delving into her purse, and chewing.

“Uh huh, Pearl, that’s the nurse that did the scan asked us if we wanted to know, and we both did – he’s fine and dandy, growing just the way he should be, I’m fit as a fiddle, blood pressure normal – and you can keep that picture – Spike went and had about two-dozen copies made”

Buffy said grinning, popping another grape into her mouth.

Giles smiled at this, and put the picture down on the desk

“I see, proud daddy, huh?” Buffy grinned and rolled her eyes,

“Like you wouldn’t believe – he’s even – oh”

“GILES! Did you get that – oh – Hey, B – how are you?”

“The smile went from Buffy’s face, and she just said, ‘Fine’.

“That’s five by- um good – Giles, the location for this Remalak demon, you said you’d find – thanks, okay, well, I won’t keep you…um, you know, look after yourself B…thanks for…(she held up the slip of paper Giles had written the info she’d wanted on it) and left the office.

“Well, I better be going Giles, Willow and Spike were painting when I left them – I’m dying to see what they’ve done”

“I’ll give you a lift, if you like”

“Oh it’s no bother, I can-“

“Actually…there’s something I’d like to run past you, if you don’t mind?”

Buffy popped another grape, and shrugged

“Okay”

“Good, I’ll just get my jacket and keys, you can go sit in the car if you like, it is open”

Buffy did just that.