---C.J.'s Office---

 

    C.J. sat on the edge of her desk.  Willow and Sam when in chairs in front of her.  Toby was standing behind them, by the door.

    "So let me make sure I've got this right."  C.J. looked at Willow. "You're pregnant.  And you," C.J. glared at Sam, "are the father.  You slept together, even though you hated each other.  Now just weeks later you no longer hate each other, and in fact Sam thinks that maybe you two should date."

    Willow couldn't meet C.J.'s glare. "Yeah, that's right."

    C.J. shrugged her shoulders. "Hey, you know what I'm going to do?  I'm going to quit my job, right now.  My god, we have enough going on without this.  What the hell is the matter with you two?"

    "I'm sorry, C.J.  I didn't mean for any of this to happen." Willow genuinely felt bad. She knew C.J. hated having to deal with scandals like this.  It would just end up taking away from real news.

    C.J. softened a little.  She could tell Willow really was sorry. "Well, whatever may happen as a result of this mess: congratulations.  You'll be a great mother.  And Sam, can I just request that you don't sleep with anyone at all until we're out of the white house."

    Sam started to speak, then thought better of it.  Willow looked over at him and squeezed his hand reassuringly.  Seeing him, really looking at the man who would be her child's father, she couldn't figure out why she had hated him so much.  She certainly didn't hate him now.

    C.J. let out a sigh.  "Well. I guess Leo should be told.  We also need to decide the best way to announce this to the press.  I want it to be us breaking the story."

    "I'll write something up." Toby said.

    "Good.  Willow, have you told anyone else yet?  Do your parents, or your friends from home know?"

    Willow shook her head. "I haven't told anyone. We have that fundraiser in L.A. next week.  I thought I'd see if I could get sometime off drive to Sunnydale. I'd really like to do it in person."

    "All right. I think we could hold the story until after that.  I'll announce it in a press conference as soon as we get back."  C.J. smiled at the young redhead.  She didn't want to make this any harder on her.  "It actually shouldn't be all that bad.  You and Sam will get attacked, but it's not like it's something that you'll lose your job over.  Now, I have work to do.  Go talk to Leo."

 

-One Week Later.- Air Force One

 

    Willow sat in her plane seat, gripping the armrests tightly.  She hated flying; even in a plane as nice as the one she was one.  Adding to that tension was the fact that she would be letting her friends know that she was pregnant.  She knew she shouldn't be nervous about it.  But she was.  On the other hand, it would be good to be with her friends again, especially Buffy and Xander.  She knew that they would comfort her.  She knew that they would always be there for her.

    "Willow?"

    Willow looked up to see the President's assistant standing by her.  "Hi Charlie.  What's up?"

    "The President would like a word with you."  Charlie answered.

    "Right now?"

    Charlie nodded.  Willow got up and followed Charlie down the aisle.  He opened a door and motioned for Willow to go through.

 

    President Bartlet sat with his back to the door.  Willow could tell he was looking through some papers.  She cleared her throat.

    "You wanted to see me Mr. President."  Willow stood in the doorway.

    Bartlet turned around and smiled. "Yes, Willow.  Please have a seat."

    "Thank you, Sir. Willow sat down across from him.  She was a little nervous.  She had no idea why he wanted to see her.

    "How are you doing?"

    "I'm doing well, Sir. Thank you for asking."

    Bartlet smiled fondly. "I remember when Abby was pregnant with Liz.  I was a nervous wreck.  I was worse than she was."

    Willow grinned.  "Did it get any easier the second or third time?"

    He shook his head. "Not really.  So Leo tells me your going to your hometown to tell your friends and family."

    "Yes, Sir."  What could this be about, she wondered.

    "And Sam's going with you."

    Willow rolled her eyes.  "He's insisting.  He's afraid to let me out of his sight."

    "Well, you be careful.  We wouldn't want anything to happen to you or the baby. Or to Sam.  You'll keep them safe, won't you?  You'll be careful in Sunnydale?"

    Willow had an odd feeling in the pit of her stomach.  "Of course, Sir."

"I just think that you'd do a better job or protecting him, then he would of protecting you."  President Bartlet starred at her meaningfully.

    Willow swallowed hard. "Mr. President...."

    "Those weren't muggers that attacked Josh and Sam a few months back, were they.  I know that's the story they told.  That you and your friends saved them from a couple of thugs.  I also know that's not the truth.  What I want to know is, did you tell them what they had really been attacked by?"

    Willow looked at him, surprised. "How do you...." Then she figured it out. "The Initiative."

    Bartlet nodded. "Yes.  I know about The Initiative.  In fact, I was studying their file on you and your friends when you came in."

    Willow didn't really know how to react.  She wanted to know how detailed those files were. She wanted to know how much the President knew about all of this.

    "How long have you known about what I did in Sunnydale?" She asked.

    "Since I became President.  The information on your group in Sunnydale was one of the first things I was told about.  Between them and the information from the Watcher's Council, I know a lot about you."

    "Like what?"

    "Well, I know you didn't get those scars from a car accident, like you've told everyone else."  Bartlet said gently. "I know that it was a vampire named Spike."

    Willow looked at the floor. "I really don't want to talk about that."

    "I understand that Willow. And I wouldn't ask you to. But you should find someone here you can talk to about it.  You should talk to Sam."  He looked at her, trying to gage her response.

    Willow shook her head. "I don't think I'm really that close to Sam, not yet anyway."  Though I would like to be, she thought.  As worried as she was about Sam coming to Sunnydale with her, she was kind of glad too.  She hoped that the time together would bring them closer. She really had started to like Sam, and she was happy that he would be a real father to their child.

    "Do you have a named picked out yet?" President Bartlet asked.  Feeling it was best to change the subject.

    Willow smiled.  "Yeah.  Jesse if it's a boy, Joyce if it's a girl."

 

 

TBC