//"We can do no great things - only small things with great love."//
-- Mother Teresa.

We've been waiting here nearly an hour now.

{{"So, B, are you sure the kid is going to stick to this timetable of yours?"

She smacks my arm. "It's not a timetable, it's a birth plan. See?"

I flick through the pages. "A birth plan, huh? You've got it all worked out."

"Absolutely. All the-" she stops and frowns, her hand on her stomach.

"What?" I can feel the panic rising in my gut. It seems like lately I've been living one constant, drawn out anxiety attack. Anything and everything to do with the baby gets me worked up like you would not believe. It's crazy, I mean I'm supposed to be a Slayer - cool, calm, collected, able to face down vamps, demons and the forces of darkness, not this nervous wreck that a kid the size of a softball can reduce me to.

She smiles. "It's fine. She kicked, Faith, she kicked."

She takes my hand and places it on her belly.

We don't know for sure if it's a boy or a girl, B insists on not knowing 'til the day comes, but I have a feeling it's a girl and so now she's referred to as 'she'.

She kicks again and I feel it. It's amazing how this kid can send me from mindless panic to total contentment in the span of a few seconds.

I look at B and she smiles at me, I smile back. This is the most goddamned incredible thing. Sometimes I still find it hard to believe that there's a person growing in there, a real person with a life and a future ahead of her. And soon that kid's gonna be out here in the real world.

"If I didn't know better I'd say that was one of your spinning heel kicks." I grin.

Buffy groans. "Yeah... that'll be all I need going on in there."}}

Red comes up to me and puts a hand on my shoulder.

"I don't think I've ever seen you this nervous."

"I don't think I've ever been this nervous."

She smiles and goes back to sit beside Tara.

I'm kinda surprised at how much Red has thawed over the last few months. It's not like we're ever gonna be best buds or nothin', but we're getting along okay now. And that makes B happy so I guess it's cool.

{{"Willow, you're my best friend. You've always been there for me, through everything. And in a town like Sunnydale, everything's a lot."

We're sitting in Tara and Red's dorm room and I'm messing round with their cat while B has 'The Talk'.

"What I'm trying to say is... if you would do this, it would mean so much to me, to us both."

This is where I get the subtle nudge in the ribs.

"Hmmm? Oh, yeah. You'd make a wicked Godmother."

"Buffy, I don't know what to say... of course I will, I'm honoured."

Red gets up and hugs Buffy, then she hugs me too. I think she's as surprised as I am, but she smiles anyway.

"Thanks for asking."

B just looks at me and grins.

"'S cool." I mutter.}}

I think that's the first time Red ever voluntarily invaded my personal space. We were pretty much cool from then on. She's even given up on trying to get me to call her Willow. I guess she doesn't mind Red so much now.

I look up at Riley and he smiles weakly at me. I can't say I've come to like the guy, but we've learned to tolerate each other. The thing is, as much as Beefstick and I dislike each other, we care for Buffy just as much. And I guess I'm secure enough with her now not to feel threatened by that. And he, better than anyone, understands how I'm feeling right now.

{{We're sitting in the doctor's office, Buffy propped up on the bed with Riley on one side and me on the other.

All of our attention is fixed on the picture on the little black monitor at the foot of the bed. I actually kind of think it looks like a badly made alien from one of those 50's B-movies, but I keep that thought to myself. This is the first ever picture of our kid and it's amazing.

None of us say anything - it's one of those quiet moments, and then in the silence a quick rhythm starts beating.

"That's your baby's heartbeat." the doc says. "Very healthy."

Riley looks at me and he has the same stupid grin on his face that I know I must be wearing. B's starting to tear up. I squeeze her hand and we smile at each other.

"Wow." Beefstick says. And that says it all.}}

Xander looks over to where Joyce and Giles are sitting.

"So how long does this usually take?"

Joyce just smiles.

"Babies will come when they come."

{{I walk in the front door and B and Xander are sitting on the couch. He's stretched out full length with his head on a level with B's stomach.

"She's got you doing it too, huh?"

Xander nods.

"Ridiculous as I feel talking to Buffy's torso, I've made it a habit not to argue with Slayers." he says.

"That's a good habit to have." B nods to her now large stomach. "Now keep talking."

"Okay... so I'm your Uncle Xander, and as you get older you're probably gonna hear a lot of stories about me. Don't believe a word of them... especially if Willow's the one telling them. That Barbie- napping incident had nothing to do with me and she can't prove differently..."}}

This waiting is killing me. They had to perform a caesarean so we can't be in there with her and I'm going nuts out here. Trust this kid to be difficult about things. And I have a feeling she's starting as she intends to go on.

Giles is pacing again. He's a lot more nervous than he'd like to let on, I know. Buffy's been teasing him about how he's going to be a granddad, and even though he protests you can tell he's in love with the idea. I can see him trying to teach the kid Latin by the time she's four.

{{"Yes, well, ahem. Faith, I realise that in the past, we've been on very different sides. And I know when you first came back to Sunnydale, I was as suspicious as most. But you really have made an immense change and I just want to say that... well, that I'm proud of you."

Wow. I don't think anyone's ever said that to me before.

"It's taken a lot of courage and determination to do what you've done and, uh, well done."

I don't know what to say. "Thanks G-Man."

"Quite, quite. And please don't call me that."}}

I look around at everyone in the room - so many people here for one reason, for one person. The life of a Slayer isn't usually a long one and it's reassuring to know that if anything happens to me or Buffy, there's gonna be a whole lot of people to look after this kid. Riley as her dad, Giles and Joyce as her grandparents, and Xander and Willow as her Godparents. Then again, I have no intention of letting anything happen to me or Buffy. I plan to make sure this child has a damn good life, right from day one.

Everyone's head snaps up as a wailing scream from a new-born set of lungs pierces the air. We all look at each other, and no one speaks in the expectant silence for the next few minutes. Then the door opens and a relieved looking doctor in scrubs comes out.

"You can go in now."

He's nearly trampled as we all move for the door as one. I get in first, gotta love the Slayer strength, and B looks up and smiles.

She's looking tired and sweaty, her hair's a mess and her skin is flushed - I've never seen her looking more beautiful.

"It's a girl."

She's holding a small bundle in her arms, and as I sit on the bed beside her I get my first look at our daughter. She has her mother's eyes and nose, and she's beautiful, absolutely beautiful.

"Here." she holds her out to me.

Flashback to Lamaze class #4 on how to hold a baby, and I take her in my arms. I'll be the first to admit that I've always had my fair share of pride, some may say arrogance, but I've never felt more humbled than I do in this moment.

This tiny kid in my arms is quite likely to be the biggest thing that ever happens to me. And holding her now, I know that everything I do from this moment on is going to be for her.

Riley's standing beside me and I may not like him much, but right now I love him completely. I hand her over and he takes her so carefully. He's a big guy and she seems so very small in his hands.

While he shows her off to everyone else I sit down beside B, putting an arm around her shoulders and pulling her close.

"I'm so proud of you."

She smiles tiredly.

"She's perfect."

"Absolutely." I agree, kissing her on the temple. "Absolutely."

Joyce comes over, the beaming Grandmother, and hands her back to Buffy. I reach down and she grabs a hold of my finger in one tiny fist.

"Congratulations, honey. Have you thought of a name?" Joyce asks.

B looks at me questioningly and I nod. We'd narrowed it down to a few names and in the end I said the final choice was up to her.

"Danielle." she smiles down at our daughter. "Danielle Jennifer Summers."

Dani, I like it. Everyone else seems to as well.

"... probably too late."

The voices from outside announce some more visitors.

"Well I apologise if not breaking the speed limit, the law, and our necks makes us a few minutes late." a clipped English accent says.

The door opens and Angel, Cordelia and Wesley walk in.

"Sorry." Angel apologises. "We had to wait for sundown and then Wesley ended up driving." He shoots a dirty look at the Englishman.

Wes is about to protest but then he sees the baby.

"Oh... isn't she precious?"

Everyone tries to make room in the now very crowded space to let the L.A. posse through.

Wesley leans over and makes coo coo noises, and Cordelia smacks him on the arm.

"Wesley don't scare the poor kid."

"Congratulations, Buffy." Angel says. "And you too." he looks to Riley and me.

"Thanks. Do you want to hold her?" B offers.

"Um... I, well... uh..."

I have to grin. Angel - big, bad, demon of the night Angel - handling this kid like she might go off any second. I know how he feels though, it's a pretty awe-inspiring thing.

Just then the door opens... or rather opens as best it can with everyone squashed into the room.

"Okay," it's Dr. Burns, B's OBGYN, "You've got ten seconds to clear this room so that it's just baby, parents and parent's partner - go!"

The nine people not included in that statement beat a hasty retreat, which is wise considering what Burns may do otherwise. She's been totally cool since B started seeing her and right now she's smiling just as proudly as family and friends were.

"How's Mom feeling?" she asks.

"How do I look?" B retorts with a smile.

"That good, huh? Well... we're gonna keep you in overnight, just as a precaution. Everything looks fine, you did a great job."

"Yeah, I'm a natural when it comes to letting people cut me open."

"Buffy, you brought a new life into the world, I think that's a deed worthy of praise." Riley says.

I have to agree. I mean, I can't believe she went through what she did and kept her sanity, Lord knows I wouldn't have. Nine months of nausea and worry and tiredness and irritability - and that was just me, never mind what B went through. And it's all culminated in this little girl in her arms. Worth every damn minute of it.

B looks up at me and smiles, and that one smile speaks volumes. This is real.

This is our child.

//"Blessed be childhood, which brings down something of heaven into the midst of our rough earthliness."//
-- Henri Frederic Amiel

*<>*<>*<>*<>*

Three days after Dani is born we're still sleeping with her cot in our room. It may seem pointless to build a nursery and then not use it, but Faith and I both feel better knowing she's in the same room as us. Besides, it means we don't have as far to go when she starts to cry - and she does that a lot.

Everyone has been so helpful, Mom especially - unbearably so at times. But I'm grateful that she's here, I'd be lost without her. She's brought around a whole load of my old stuff for Dani, along with a whole load of new stuff that I'll just bet she dragged Giles around with her to pick out. Only he could have picked out the vampire teddy bear, which I'm sure Dani is gonna have to explain to her psychiatrist one day.

Riley comes by every day, and the difference in his relationship with Faith is amazing now. I mean, they had learnt to put up with each other, and that was about it. But I came downstairs yesterday and the two of them were sitting on the couch with Dani between them, laughing over something she had done. It seemed so relaxed, so normal, so non-violent. They've come a long way.

And so have Faith and I. We're really settling into this relationship. I realise having a child and being a family probably had a large part to play in that, but we're really good together. I put up with her shit... to a point, and I let her know when she's crossed the line. And she knows when I need to go crazy, goes there with me and brings me back safe. I trust her completely, and I love her more than ever.

Right now she's not in our bed and Dani's not in her cot so I'm guessing Faith's trying to stop her crying. She's really good at that, Mom says she has 'The Touch'. I have to agree, she can usually always manage to get her to settle down. Oh well, I'm not getting back to sleep for a while. I get up and pull on a robe.

From the top of the stairs, I can hear Faith talking quietly down below. I'm halfway down the stairs before I can make out what she's saying and what I hear makes me sit and listen. She's holding Dani in her arms as she paces back and forth.

"...didn't have much as a kid, and I know it's not like I'm exactly rolling in dough now, but I'm gonna give you the best I can, I promise you that. And I swear, I swear... that I am always gonna be here for you. And I'll always have your back.

"I know you're not technically my kid, but that don't mean I love you any less. You are so special, and you have a great, great life ahead of you. I'm gonna see to it.

"My parents didn't exactly set a good example for me to follow with you, y'know? But I ain't gonna let nothing like that happen to you. I'm not gonna let you go through what I did, I promise."

She stops pacing and looks down at Dani who, I guess, is now asleep.

"I promise."

She whispers it quietly and from the heart. From the moonlight through the window I can see the single tear make its way down her cheek and I think I fall in love with her all over again.

I get up and go to her. As I cross the room she looks up and sees me. She doesn't say anything, there are no words for this moment. I wrap one arm around her waist and rest my head on her shoulder. With my other hand I fix the blanket around my daughter. She kisses my forehead and, holding Dani in one arm, puts the other around my shoulders, pulling me close. Resting her head on mine she whispers "I love you."

She could be talking to me, or Dani, or both of us, it really doesn't matter. All that matters is what I have in my arms right now - the woman that I love, and our daughter.

My family.

//"If one feels the need of something grand, something infinite, something that makes one feel aware of God, one need not go far to find it. I think that I see something deeper, more infinite, more eternal than the ocean in the expression of the eyes of a little baby when it wakes in the morning and coos or laughs because it sees the sun shining on its cradle".//
-- Vincent Van Gogh.