Baby Blues

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Title: Baby Blues
Author: Tracy
Email: tracy172_2000@y...
Spoilers: I Will Remember You of course. What else would it be :)
Pairing: B/R for a little bit, B/A.
Disclaimer: Sadly I have to admit I own nothing. How devastating?
Authors' Notes: This is a reply to a challenge from Leonie. I found the challenge when I was looking through the BA_Fluff archives. The challenge is at the bottom of the email.
Authors Notes2: I've changed a few things for this story. Instead of living in the dorms, Buffy and Willow share an apartment and Buffy and Riley got together a couple weeks before IWRY. The story starts about two weeks after IWRY.

Buffy stared at the small plastic stick in her hand as she leaned her back against the bathroom door of her and Willow's apartment.

Positive. The test was positive. A small tear trickled down her cheek as she sled down the door until she was sitting on the floor with her knees hugged to her chest.

She couldn't believe it. She was pregnant. With Riley's child. How was that possible. They had been so careful. Riley was like Mr. Boy Scout. Always prepared.

Buffy brought a hand up to her mouth to muffle the sobs that were starting to rack her body. What was she going to do? She was 18 and a freshman in collage, she wasn't ready for a baby.

*Oh God,* she thought. *How do I tell my friends? My mother? What will Riley say?*

There was a soft knock on the door behind her causing her to jump to her feet. "Buffy, are you okay?" Willow's voice called. "You've been in there an awful long time. I'm starting to get worried."

"Uh, I'm fine, Will," Buffy lied, wiping the remainder of the tears from her face and smoothing her hair behind her ears.

Buffy pulled open the door hoping that Willow wouldn't notice how horrible she looked. Her eyes were red and swollen and despite her efforts to smooth it, her hair was probably sticking out it all directions.

"Oh, my gosh, Buffy, you look horrible," Willow gasped, grabbing Buffy's arm and pulling her into their living room so they could sit on the couch. "What happened? Did you have a fight with Riley? Do you want to talk about it?"

"It's not Riley... Well, actually in a way it is Riley," Buffy said in a shaky voice, trying hard to explain. She handed Willow the pregnancy test, that was still clutched tightly in her hand, to Willow. "What am I going to do, Will?"

"Oh, Buffy," Willow pulled her friend into a hug. "Why didn't you say anything?"

"Because I didn't want it to be real," Buffy answered tearfully. "I'm not ready for this. I'm not ready to be a mother."

"Buffy, no matter what happens, and what you decide, I'm here for you. I'm sure the same goes for Riley when he finds out."

"See, that's the problem. I'm not sure that's what I want."

"I don't understand. I thought you liked Riley."

"I did.. er, I do, I mean..." Buffy stammered. "I like Riley, I really do. Before Thanksgiving I thought I was falling in love with him, but then I saw Angel and all these old feelings came rushing back. I've been trying to make it work with Riley but it's not fair to him if I'm in love with someone else."

Buffy chuckled softly. "I was going to break up with him but now..."

"Buffy, just because you're pregnant doesn't mean you have to stay with him if you don't want to," Willow told her.

"I know. I'm not sure what I'm going to do. I have to talk to Riley before I decide anything for sure."

"You're absolutely right." Willow jumped up from the couch and went to the hall closet. She grabbed Buffy's coat and tossed it to her. "Go talk to him. You'll feel much better after."

"Ooh, do I have to? Maybe I can just send him card on Father's Day?"

Willow's brow wrinkled in confusion. "But you just said... Never mind. Go. Get Shoo." She pointed to the door.

Buffy smiled and obeyed her witchy friend, stopping on the way to hug her. "Thank you. You a good friend. I don't know what I'd do without you."

Buffy walked quietly through the graveyard. She'd gone to Riley's first but he hadn't been there. On her way out she had ran into Graham who had told her Riley was out on patrol.

She was glad for the delay in seeing Riley. It had given a little more time to plan what she was going to say to him when she did see him.

Buffy stopped walking. She thought she heard sounds of fighting coming from the other end of the cemetery. She heard someone yell and took off running towards the voice.

The vampire had him pinned to the ground and its mouth was descending onto his neck.

*Oh God, this is it. I'm dead,* Riley thought, struggling to push the heavy vampire off him.

Suddenly the vampire exploded, sprinkling ash over him. He looked up to see Buffy standing over him, a stake in her hand.

She held out a hand to him. He grabbed it and she pulled him to his feet. "It's dangerous out here at night," she said.

"Yeah. Thanks." Riley leaned in to kiss her but she turned her head and he ended up kissing her ear. He frowned in confusion. "What are you doing here? I thought we agreed this was your night of so you could rest."

"It is but I need to talk to you. It's important."

"Uh, sure. Okay," Riley agreed uneasily. He could tell something was wrong.

Buffy walked over to a near by gravestone and sat on top of it. "This isn't easy to say so I'm just going to come out with it. I'm pregnant."

Riley's eyes nearly popped out of his head. "You're what!?" he gasped.

"Pregnant," Buffy confirmed.

Riley walked over and set next to Buffy on the gravestone. He dropped his into his hands. "Oh, boy."

"Or girl," Buffy joked with a small smile.

"Are you sure that.. that you're pregnant? When did you find out? How"

Buffy held up her hand. "Whoa! One question at a time please. Yes, I'm sure and I just found out to night."

Riley turned slightly and took her hand. "I'm so sorry this happened. I want you to know that I'm going to be here for you through this whole thing. I'm not going to be one of those jerks who takes off and leaves his pregnant girlfriend."

"There something else. I think we should just be friends."

"What? Why? I thought things were going great between us."

"They were... er are.. It's just that..."

"Is there somebody else?"

"No!" Yes! "At least not in the way you're thinking."

"Care to explain?"

"Not really. It's a long, painful, confusing story that I really don't want to get into right."

Riley nodded. "Alright. I understand."

Buffy jumped up off the gravestone and turned to face him. "So... friends?"

"Yeah," Riley reluctantly agreed. "Friends."

"Good." Buffy looked at her watch. "Well, I'd better get going. Um, I'm going to make a doctor's appointment. Do you want to come with me when I go?"

"Sure. I'd like that."

"Okay. "I'll call you." With a small wave Buffy turned and walked toward the cemetery gates.

Part Three
*two weeks later*

Buffy reached into her bag and pulled out the keys to her apartment. "Thanks for coming with me," she said to Riley who was standing next to her. They had just came from the doctor's office and Riley had insisted on walking her to her door. "I know it must have be kind of awkward for you."

"It's fine, Buffy. I promised I'd be here for you, and I will, even if it is just as a friend."

"Thank you. It means a lot. Really." Buffy stuck the key in the lock and turned it. "So, uh, I'll see you tomorrow in Physiology." She pushed open the door and stepped in the apartment.

"Yeah. I'll see you." Riley shoved his hands in his pockets and disappeared down the hall.

Buffy shut the door and shrugged off her coat, tossing it onto the coat tree next to the closet.

"You know, that's supposed to be for guests," Willow said stepping out of her room.

Buffy walked past her and flopped down onto the couch. "Do you really want to get into with me over where I hung my coat?"

"Fine," Willow pretended to huff. "I'll let it go this time but it better not happen again." Willow set down next to Buffy on the couch. "How'd the appointment go?"

"Good. The doctor said I'm about 4 weeks along, so the baby must have been conceive around Thanksgiving. She gave me all these pamphlets to read."

"And Riley went with you?"

"Yeah. He won't admit it but he's taking the just friends thing kinda hard. He keeps giving me these sad puppy eyes."

"He'll get over it," Willow assured. "Don't worry."

"Yeah, well, I hope it's soon. I mean, I know he's hurt, but I can't help the way I feel. I just wish I could have figured it out before I slept with him."

"Don't worry about it, Buffy. Everything will work out fine."

"I guess you're right." Buffy yawned.

"I know, I'm right," Willow smiled. "Now, go take a nap. You're tried. I'll wake you up before your afternoon class."

"Yes, mom," Buffy grumbled getting up from the couch and heading into her bedroom.

//Buffy awoke in a white room with two figures, one female and one male, dressed in white.

"What's going on?" Buffy asked them. "Why am I here?"

"You are here to learn the truth Warrior," the male figure answered.

"The truth? About what?" Buffy demanded. "Who are you?"

"We are the Oracles," the female answered. "We brought you here so could learn the truth about your child and give you a glimpse of your future.

"The truth about my child? Is something wrong with my baby?" Buffy panicked.

"Relax, young warrior," female assured her.

The male waved his hand and a portal appeared behind Buffy. "Step into the portal and all will be revealed. When you wake from this dream you will understand everything."

"Okay," Buffy nodded. She turned around and looked at the portal, then looked at the Oracles over her shoulder. "Are you sure this thing is safe?"

"Go," replied the female with a wave of her hand.

"Alright, but if I end up in some freaky dimension, I'm gonna be pissed." Buffy hesitantly stepped in the portal.

In the background she could hear her voice chanting, "I'll never forget. I'll never forget," over and over again.//

Buffy awoke suddenly from the dream. "Angel?"

Part Four
"Buffy? Are you all right?" Willow yelled as she ran into Buffy's room. The Slayer was sitting on the bed, her legs hugged to her chest, staring at the wall.

Buffy blinked and shook her head. "What?"

Willow sat on the edge of the bed. "You yelling in you sleep."

"Oh. I, uh, I had this dream.."

"About Angel? You said his name."

"Yeah." Buffy put her hand over her stomach. "Will," she said looking up at her best friend. "This baby is his."

"What?" Willow exclaimed. "How is that possible?"

"I... I can't explain it now. I need to talk to him first." Buffy jumped up from the bed and left the room.

Willow followed her and found her putting on her jacket. "You're going to LA?"

"I have to, Will. I have to tell him about our baby. Tell him that the Oracles let me remember what happened that day."

"The Oreo's?" Willow mumbled to herself as Buffy opened the door the to leave. "Wait, Buffy, what about classes?" she yelled desperately.

Her answer was the sound of the door slamming. She hoped Buffy knew what she was doing and that she wouldn't get her heart broken again.

Buffy nervously pulled open the doors to Angel Investigations and walked in. Cordelia, who was sitting at her desk, engrossed by something on the computer, heard her.

"It's about time you got back. I'm hungry. Where's my donuts?"

"Sorry," Buffy joked. "I guess I forgot."

"B-Buffy!" Cordelia jumped up and walked around to the other side of her desk. "It's so good to see you," she said as she gave Buffy a hugged.

"It is?" Buffy asked, confused. She couldn't remember a time when Cordelia was happy to see her.

"Of course it is." Cordelia walked over to the coffee machine. "You want some coffee?" She asked pouring some into a mug for herself.

"No," Buffy answered, rubbing a hand over her stomach. She'd read one of the booklets the doctor had given her on the way there and it had said that caffeine wasn't good for the baby.

"So, what brings you to LA?" Cordy asked, sipping her coffee. "Anything demony?"

"No, I, uh, I just need to talk to Angel. Is he in?"

"Yeah, he's downstairs in his apartment. Do you want me to get him?

"No, that's okay. I'll just go down, if that's alright?"

"Of course. The stairs are over there." Cordelia pointed in the direction of the stairs.

"Thanks. I'll see ya later." Buffy waved and headed off toward the stairs.

Angel wiped the last dish and put it up in the cupboard. He was in the kitchen cleaning the mess from the afternoon snack Cordelia had attempted to make for her and Wesley.

Hearing footsteps on the stairs, he yelled, "You better not be coming down here to make another mess," thinking it was Cordelia.

"I, uh, wasn't planning on making any mess," Buffy replied, confused, walking into the room. "Really I wasn't."

"Buffy," Angel said shocked, turning around to face her. "I thought you were Cordelia. What are you doing here?"

"Um, can we talk?" Buffy asked fidgeting with the bottom of her shirt.

"Sure. Is everything okay?" Angel voice was filled with concern as he took her arm and lead her to the couch in the living.

"This really isn't easy to say." Buffy looked down at her hands, which where folded in her lap, then back up at Angel. "I'm pregnant and I'm pretty sure the baby is yours."

Part Five

"You're pregnant?" Angel asked in a hurt voice.

"Yes," Buffy answered, "and the baby *is* yours." Angel opened his mouth to protest but she cut him off. "Angel, I remember. I remember everything about that day, every touch, every heartbeat, everything." A tear slide down her cheek as she thought about everything they had and lost.

"You remember?" Angel shook his head. "Buffy, everything about that day was erased. There is no way your baby can be mine. I wish more than anything it was but it's not possible."

"Angel, I know this sounds wacked but its true." Buffy turned slightly so she could look at Angel. "The Oracles told me."

"You saw the Oracles?" Angel asked, surprised.

"They came to me in a dream this afternoon. They let me remember that day and they showed me a glimpse of my daughter... our daughter. She has your eyes."

"Buffy, I wish I could believe what you're saying, I want nothing more then to believe it, but it's just not possible," Angel said. "That dream you had, that's all it was. A dream."

"Look, Angel," Buffy argued. "I am telling you the truth. Go to the Oracles if you have you. They'll tell you it's true."

"Buffy, the Oracles are the ones who erased the day. They'll only confirm that it's not possible."

Buffy groaned. Angel really did have a stubborn streak a mile wide. "Please, just go to them," she begged. "If you love me, you'll go to them."

"Fine." Angel grabbed his leather duster from the closet and started up the stairs. "Wait here. I'll be back in a little bit."

"I'll be here," Buffy smiled sweetly. "Waiting to say 'I told you so'," she added with a smirk.

"I'm fine, Will. I'm sorry if I scared you earlier." Buffy was curled up in the corner of Angel's couch, with the telephone in her lap, taking to Willow. "I just really needed to talk to Angel."

"You still haven't told me what's happening," Willow reminded her.

"Willow, this baby isn't Riley's. It's Angel's. I now how it sounds, but it's true," Buffy explained. "The Oracles told me in that dream I had earlier today. When I was here during Thanksgiving, Angel was made human by a Morha demons blood and we spent the day together. Then demon came back to life and Angel realized he couldn't protect me as a human so he asked the Oracles to turn back the day."

"Wow!" Willow said in awe. "That's amazing."

"Every thing about that day was supposed to erased but somebody goofed somewhere. I wasn't even supposed to remember but the Oracles gave me back my memories in the dream."

"What did Angel say when you told him?' Willow questioned.

Buffy rolled her eyes. "He's so stubborn. He's convince that is not true. That it was just a dream. I sent him off to the Oracles for proof. He should be back soon."

"Buffy, what if he's right? What if was just a dream?"

"No. It wasn't just a dream. It's true. The baby I'm carrying is Angel's. I can feel it."

"Okay. Good. I'm glad you're sure. I don't want to see you get hurt again. And I really find Riley annoying," Willow admitted.

Buffy laughed. "I did do." She heard a door slam upstairs and the elevator start down towards the apartment. "Oh, I gotta go Will. Angel just got back."

Angel couldn't believe what the Oracles had told him. He *was* the father of Buffy's baby. It was a miracle. Something he'd never dreamed he'd be able to share with Buffy.

As he stepped out of the elevator, he saw Buffy getting up off of the couch, a hopeful look in her eyes.

"Well?" she asked, fidgeting with the hem of her shirt. "What did they tell you?"

Instead of answering, Angel walked to her and gently pulled her to him. "I am so sorry I doubted you," he apologized as his lips met hers in a passionate kiss.

Part Six

Buffy was shocked at first, but soon wrapped her arms around his neck and eagerly returned the kiss.

She pulled away a few minutes later, breathless. "Wow," she breathed. "You can doubt me all you want as long you apologized like that every time."

Angel smiled and gave her another small kiss before leading her over to the couch. She set next to him with her legs curled under her and her head resting on her shoulder. "I'm sorry I forgot. I promised I wouldn't but I still did," she whispered quietly.

"Buffy, you have nothing to be sorry about. It's not your fault. It's mine."

"Hey," Buffy scolded. "If I don't have to apologize neither do you."

"Alright," Angel agreed, resting his head on top of hers.

"So, where do we go from here?"

"I don't know," Angel admitted. "What do you want?"

"I want to be with you," Buffy said, turning to look at him. "I want us to be a family and raise our baby together."

"I want that too," Angel confessed. "But, Buffy, there's-"

Buffy groaned. "Oh great, here it comes. The 'I'm a vampire and you deserve someone normal' speech. Angel, I don't want normal. I've tried it and I don't like it. I want you."

"Actually, I was going to tell you that my soul is permanent."

"Oh," Buffy said, slightly embarrassed by her outburst. "What!? When? How?"

"It happened about a week ago. The Powers That Be decided that I deserved to be able to be happy, so they removed the loophole," he explained.

"And you never told me?" Buffy punched his arm. "You big jerk!"

"Ouch," Angel winced, grabbing his arm where she had hit him. "I'm sorry. I thought you were happy with Riley. I thought you had moved on."

"Oh. I'm sorry I hit you."

"I am too."

"I broke up with him, you know. Three weeks ago. The same night I found out I was pregnant."

"Why?"

"Because I didn't love him. It wasn't fair to be with him when all I thought about was being with you."

"So, he still thinks the baby is his?"

"Yeah. I have to talk to him when I get back to Sunnydale.

"Who knows about the baby?" Angel questioned.

"Just you, Riley and Willow. I hadn't told anybody else yet," Buffy told him. "I was hoping you would come with me when I tell my mom."

"Of course I will,' Angel smiled. "I wouldn't let suffer the wraith of Joyce alone."

Buffy laughed. "Ohh, you made a funny." She leaned forward and placed a soft kiss on his lips. "So," she said, placing another kiss on the tip of his nose, "you say your soul is permanent?"

He nodded as she kissed down the side of his face, back towards his mouth.

"So we can.." She raised her eyebrows and looked towards his bedroom. "... you know?"

Angel looked surprised. "Only if you want to."

"Oh believe me, I want to." Buffy cupped his face in her hands and brought his lips to hers. Angel swept her up into his arms and carried her bride-groom style into his room.

"I am so glad we did that," Buffy sighed happily, wrapped up in Angel's arms.

"Me too." Angel placed a gentle on the top of her head and pulled her closer to him. "When do you have to be back in Sunnydale?" he asked as kissed down the side of her neck.

"Well, today is Friday, so I'd have to be back by Sunday night because I have classes on Monday. Why?"

"I was just wondering how long I had you all to myself." He kissed his way back up her neck, to her mouth. "I have plans, you know."

"Oh, really?" Buffy teased, rolling over to face and wrapping her arms around his neck. "And just what would those plans be?"

"I think you know," he growled playfully, rolling them over so he was on top.

Part Seven

"You're sure Willow won't mind me staying here for a few days," Angel asked Sunday night as Buffy unlocked the door to her apartment.

"No. She's on the Buffy/Angel home team, so she won't mind." Buffy pushed open the door and dropped her keys in the dish on the stand in the hall.

She saw Angel hesitate at the door and was about to ask why when remembered that he couldn't enter without an invitation. "Oh, sorry, I forgot. I invite you into my humble home," she said with an exaggerated bow.

Angel smirked as he entered the apartment. "You're a nut."

"Why thank you kind sir," Buffy giggled as they walked into the kitchen. She noticed a folded piece of paper sitting on the table with her name on it. "Hmmm... I wonder what this is?"

Buffy picked it of the table and unfolded it. Angel wrapped his arms around her waist and nuzzled her neck as she read it aloud:

Buffy,

I've have gone to Oz's for the weekend so don't worry if I'm not here when you get back. I'll be back Monday when my classes are over. Call me,

Willow

"Looks like we have the place to our selves this weekend," Buffy commented, setting the paper back on the table.

"Whatever will we do," Angel tease playfully.

"I don't know about you but I could go for a nice long shower," Buffy said slipping out of his arms and running into the bathroom.

Angel watched her go, a small smile playing on his lips. He heard the water start up. A few seconds later she stuck her head out the door. "Wanna wash my back?"

Buffy woke up Monday morning with Angel's arm draped over her stomach and his legs tangled with her. She turned her head to look at the clock next to the bed. 9:00. She had a class at 10:00. She tried to carefully left Angel's arm off her and untangle their legs without waking him up.

Angel felt her trying to leave and rolled over, pulling her tightly to him.

"Angel, sweetie," Buffy groaned as he started to kiss a path up her neck. "As much as I like that, and as good as it feels, I have to get up. I've got class."

Angel reluctantly let her go. He watched as she walked over to her closet and pulled out a ankle length black wool skirt and a baby blue tank top to wear. "You going to talk to Riley today?"

"Yeah," Buffy answered as she walked into the bathroom to change. "I'm gonna try and talk to after class lets out." Buffy emerged from the bathroom fully dressed. "How do I look?" she asked as she twirled in a circle.

"Beautiful, as always," Angel answered.

"Oh, you have to say that," Buffy scoffed, sitting on the edge of the bed.

"I wouldn't say it if I didn't mean it," Angel replied pulling her down for a sweet kiss.

Buffy smiled and hoped up off the bed. "I better get going." She grabbed some books of the desk in the corner of the room. "Love you. See ya later," she waved as she ran out the door.

"Riley," Buffy yelled, speed walking down the halls, trying to catch up with him. Psych. class had just let out.

Riley heard her calling and stopped to wait for her. "Buffy, hi," he smiled. "How's my baby today?" he said sweetly, putting his had on her stomach.

Buffy winced slightly at the comment. "Riley, we have to talk."

He frowned. "Is something wrong?"

"It's about the baby."

Part Eight

"The baby? What's wrong with the baby?" Riley panicked.

"Nothing." Buffy assured him. "There's nothing wrong with the baby, I promise." She grabbed his arm and pulled him into an empty classroom

"What is it then?" Riley asked, leaning against the desk in the front of the room.

Buffy began pacing back and forth in front of the desk. "Riley, I want you to know that I never wanted to hurt you. I never planned for this to happened... exactly, it's not supposed to be possible for this to happen..."

"For what to happen?" Riley asked, confused by Buffy's babbling. "What's going on, Buffy?"

"Riley, I'm sorry, but the baby isn't yours."

"What?" he yelled. "Whose is it then?"

Buffy hesitated. She wasn't sure what to tell him. "An old boyfriend's. You don't know him." It wasn't exactly lie.

Riley got up from where he had been sitting on the edge of the desk and turned his back to her."I can't believe you would do something like this. I thought you were different."

"Riley, I sorry. I never-"

"You don't want to be with anymore, or even want me around, so you make up some lame story about the baby not being mine." Riley shook his head in disgust. "You're trying to keep me away from my baby. That's just cruel, Buffy."

Buffy just stood there, shocked. He thought she was making it up? "What?" she gasped. "Riley, I am not making this up. I would never try to keep you or anyone else away from there child, but this baby isn't yours. I wouldn't never lie about something like this."

"You can't keep from my baby, Buffy. No matter how hard you try." Riley told her. "I will do whatever it takes to stop you from taking away my baby. I'll sue for custody if I have to." With that he turned and walked toward the door.

"Riley," Buffy yelled. He paused at the door. "You can believe whatever you want, but the truth is this baby is not yours. It's mine and Angel's. So don't waste your time or your money."

"Angel? Is that the imaginary father's name?" he mocked before leaving the room.

Buffy walked into her apartment half an hour later to find Angel and Willow sitting at the kitchen table, talking. They looked up when they heard her enter the room.

"Hey," Buffy greeted, crossing her arms in front of her chest and leaning against the door frame. "What are you guys chatting about?"

"You," Willow said, getting up from her chair and walking over to Buffy. "Angel's filled me in on what's happening. I'm so glad you two are back together." She gave her friend a hug.

"Me too," Buffy agreed, smiling at Angel over Willow's shoulder.

Angel smiled back at her. Buffy walked over to him and sat on his lap. "Did you talk to Riley?" he asked, resting his chin on her shoulder.

Angel felt her tense up at the mention of Riley's name. "Yeah, I did." Buffy answered.

"What's wrong? Did something happened?"

"I'll leave you two to talk," Willow said as left the room.

"Angel, he didn't believe me when I told him that the baby wasn't his. He thinks I'm lying."

"He thinks you're lying?" Angel repeated, stunned. Why would the boy think Buffy was lying about something as important as this.

"Yeah. He said that I was making it up because I don't want him around and that I was trying to take his baby away from him." A tear ran down the side of Buffy cheek.

"Shh, don't cry, sweetie." Angel turned her around to face him, wiping away her tears with his thumb..

"He obviously doesn't know you very well if he thinks you're lying."

"Angel, there's something else."

"What, love?"

"He said he do anything to keep me from taking the baby away from him, even sue for custody." Buffy buried her head in Angel's shoulder. "What he tries to take our baby from us?"

"Buffy, look at me." She lifted her head from his shoulder. "He is not going to take our baby from us. If he tries to sue for custody, a simple blood test will prove he is not the father and he won't be able to do anything. Everything is going to be fine."

"You promise?" Buffy whispered.

"I promise."

"Stupid bitch," Riley mumbled pacing angrily around his room at the frat house. "I'll show her. She won't take my baby from me."

He violently grabbed the phone book off his desk, knocking books and pictures to the floor in the process. He flipped through it until he found the number he was looking for. He pick up the phone and started dialing.

As he waited for someone to answer, he heard a knock on his door. "Come in," he yelled.

Forest opened the door and stuck his head in the room. "What's all the banging in here?" He noticed Riley was on the phone. "Who are you calling?"

"A lawyer."

Part Nine

"Do we really have to do this?" Buffy asked nervously wringing her hands, as she and Angel stood in front of her mother's house that same night. "Can't we just call her up after the baby's born and say 'Hey, you're a Grandma'?"

Angel shook his head, a small smile playing on his lips. "I don't think that'll work. Besides the sooner we tell, the easier it will be for her to accept it and us."

"All right, here's goes nothing." Buffy reached out her hand and knocked on the door.

After a few second the door opened, and Buffy's sister Dawn stood in the doorway. "Buffy!" she cried, throwing her arms around her older sister. "And Angel," she said, when she noticed him standing behind Buffy.

Dawn let go of Buffy and threw her arms around Angel. Angel was a little shocked by her welcome, but hugged her back.

"What are you doing here?" Dawn asked. "And with Buffy?" She gasped and smile spread acrossed her face. "You guys got back together, didn't you?"

Buffy laughed at her sister. "Yes, Dawn, we did. Now, are going to late us or do we have to stand out here all night?"

"Oh, sorry. Come in." Dawn stepped back from the door, and let them into the house. "I knew you guys would get back together someday. I'm glad Buffy decided to come to her senses and dump the loser Riley."

"Dawn," Buffy scolded. "We've talked about this. No picking on Riley."

"Right, sorry." Dawn led them into the living room. "So, what are guys doing here?"

"We, uh, actually wanted to talk to Mom. Is she home?"

"Oh, yeah. I'll go get her." Dawn walked to the foot of the stairs. "MOM!! BUFFY'S HERE!" she screamed.

Buffy winced and whispered to Angel. "She's a little high-strung."

"A little?" Angel whispered back and Buffy giggled.

"Buffy?" Joyce asked coming into the living room. "What are you doing here?" she asked as her oldest daughter walked up to her and gave her a hug, Joyce noticed Angel standing in the corner of the room. "Angel. What a surprise." She looked at her daughter. "What's going on?"

Buffy walked over to Angel and took his hand. "Mom, we have something to tell you and probably won't like it." Buffy looked at Dawn. "Do mind if we talk to Mom alone?"

"Oh, sure, kick the kid out," Dawn grumbled. "Nobody ever tells me anything anyway."

Buffy smiled gently at her. "I tell you what, how about you talk to Angel and I'll talk to Mom. Angel will tell you all about it, okay?"

"All right," Dawn agreed with a smile.

"You don't mind, do you?" Buffy asked, looking up at Angel.

"Nope, as long as you're sure you can do this yourself."

"I'll be fine," Buffy assured him.

"All right." Angel kissed Buffy on the cheek before leading Dawn out of the room.

"Are you back together?" Joyce blurted out. "What happened to Riley? He was such a nice boy. I thought you were happy with him."

"I tried to be, mom, I really did, but the truth was, is, I don't love him. I love Angel. Always have, always will. Nothing will ever change that."

"What happened to having a normal? I thought that was what you wanted. Angle can't give you normal life."

"I tried normal. I don't like it. Besides, I'm the Slayer, normal is something I'll never be."

"So, was that all you wanted to tell me?" Joyce asked.

"Uh, there's more," Buffy admitted. "Maybe you should sit down for this," she suggested.

"Uh, oh. That bad, huh?" Joyce set down in the armchair next to the mantle.

"Well, that depends on how you look at it. We, Angel and I, are really happy about it. I hope you will be to."

"Well, if you're happy about it, why wouldn't I be happy it too?"

Buffy walked over to where her mother was sitting and knelt on the floor in front of her. "Mom, I pregnant. Angel and I are going to have a baby."

"Where do you want to go to talk?" Angel asked Dawn, once they had left the room.

"How 'bout outside on the deck? We can sit the swing."

"All right," Angel agreed, following Dawn outside, and taking a seat next to her.

"I'm glad you're back with Buffy," Dawn told him. "She always seems so much happier when you're around."

"I'm glad I'm with her too," Angel smiled. "I'm glad I can make her happy."

"So, what's this big secret you guys have?" Dawn questioned. "Please don't tell me that it's that it's you guys being together, because I already knew that."

"It's not that," Angel assured her. "It's the reason we're back together."

"Which is?" Dawn pressured.

"Buffy's pregnant."

Part Ten

"Pregnant?" Dawn gasped.

"Yes," Angel answered.

"As in having a baby kind of pregnant?"

"Uh, yes."

"Wow! This is big."

"Yeah, it is."

"Pregnant?" Joyce yelled.

Buffy winced and bit her lip. "Yes, pregnant."

"Please tell me it's Riley's and not whose I think it is even it's impossible for it to be his."

"It's Angel's."

"How?"

"How?" Dawn asked.

Angel looked at her strangely. "Uh, maybe you should talk to your mother about that."

"Funny." Dawn smirked. "You know what I mean. You're a vampire, you're not supposed to able to have children."

"Do you remember Thanksgiving when I came to town because of my friends vision and didn't want Buffy to know about it?"

"Yeah. Didn't she end up finding out anyway because of Xander?"

"Yes. She came to yell at me for sneaking around behind her back," Angel told her.

"That's sounds like our Buffy," Dawn commented.

Angel smiled and continued, "While she was there we were attacked by a Morha demon. It got away and we went after it."

"The demon escaped into the sewers and we went after it," Buffy told her mother. "After awhile we split up and I went to the surface and Angel stayed in the sewers."

"Why did you split up?" Joyce asked.

"Morha demons need salt to regenerate them selves and Angel knew of this dive near the beach, so I went to search it."

Joyce nodded and motioned for her to continue.

"Angel found the Morha demon in the sewer and they fought. Sometime during the fight Angel's hand got cut and when he killed the Morha demon, its blood mixed with his and...." Buffy paused.

"And what?"

"It made me human," Angel replied, looking at Dawn.

"Human? Wow! That is so great! You're human!" Dawn threw her arms around his neck and hugged him.

"No, I'm not."

"You're not? But you just said..."

"I was for a day," Angel corrected. "Buffy and I spent that whole day together, we were just like a normal couple. She was so happy, we both were."

"I'm sensing a major but here," Down said.

"Somehow the demon wasn't dead. Doyle, Angel's friend, had a vision of it at some salt factory thingy, regenerating its self. I was sleeping and Angel didn't want to wake me so he went after it himself." Buffy rolled her eyes.

"That was a bad thing," Joyce asked.

"Very bad. He nearly got himself killed," Buffy answered. "I woke and a little while later and Cordelia told where he went. I went after him and killed the demon."

"I realized then that being human I wouldn't be able to protect Buffy and she would take risks trying to protect me. One or both of us would end up dead. The next morning, before Buffy woke up, I went to see these people called the Oracles."

"Oracle?" Dawn asked. "Isn't that a person who you get to ask one question and they have to answer it?"

"What?" Angel brow crinkled in confusion.

"Uh, nevermind," Dawn mumbled. "Something I saw on Aladdin a couple years ago. Continue."

"Okay. Anyway, I asked the Oracles to change me back. They said they couldn't, the only thing they could do was turn back the time twenty-four hours, so they did."

"The whole day was erased, Angel was the one only allowed to keep his memories of the day, so he could prevent the same thing from happening again."

"If Angel was the only one allowed to remember how do you remember it? And if the day was erased, now could your baby possibly be his?" Joyce questioned. "How do know it's not Riley's?"

"It's not, Mom. I had a dream the other night, the Oracles gave me my memories and told me the baby is Angel's." Buffy smiled. "She's a little girl, Mom. They gave me a glimpse of her. She's beautiful."

Dawn looked at Angel in awe. "You gave up your humanity for my sister?" She sniffled. "That is so sweet."

"You're not gonna start crying on me, are you?" Angel asked.

"No," Dawn shook her head. "What I don't get is if the day was erased, how is Buffy pregnant with your baby?"

"I honestly don't know. The Oracles confrimed that it is my baby, but they never said why we were allowed to keep it."

"Maybe that Powers That Be decided that you two have suffered enough and deserve some happiness."

"Maybe," Angel agreed with a smile and a small nod. He looked through the window behind the patio swing, into the living room where Buffy was still talking to her mother. "I wonder how Buffy's making out."

"Mom, I don't why we were allowed to keep this baby, but I'm happy we were. Angel and I have been given a second chance to be with each other, and I'm not going to pass this up," Buffy told her mother. "I know he's not your most favorite person in the world but I love him and he makes me happy, so I hope you can and will be happy for me."

"I want you to be happy, Buffy," Joyce replied. "And if Angel is what makes you happy, then I will have to learn to accept it."

"Oh, thank you, thank you," Buffy threw her arms around her mother. "I'm so glad you're okay with this."

"Have you told Riley yet?" Joyce asked.

"Yeah," Buffy frowned. "He is not handling it well. He thinks that baby *is* his and I'm trying to steal his child away from him." Buffy sighed. "He said he would do anything to keep from taking the baby from him."

"Don't worry about him Buffy," Joyce assured her. "There is nothing he can do now. After the baby is born you can have paternity test done to prove he isn't the father. Everything will work out fine. You'll see."

Buffy smiled sadly. "I hope you're right."

Part Eleven

It was two days before Christmas, two weeks since they had told Buffy's mother about the baby and that they were back together. Everything had been really quiet, no encounters with Riley, no big-bad demons that needed to be killed.

Angel had bought them a nice, three bedroom apartment, halfway between Sunnydale and Los Angeles, that way he could still run Angel Investigations and Buffy could still attend classes and they wouldn't have to do the long distance thing.

Since it was the first Christmas where they were really together, they decided to spend it alone, in their new apartment. So there they were, on the couch, Angel with his feet resting on the coffee table, Buffy with her head in his lap hugging a small pillow, playfully bickering over baby names.

"I really like Isabella," Buffy told him. "I've always wanted to have a little girl and name her Isabella, just so I could call her Belle for short." Her nose wrinkled in frustration. "Ooh, but if we called her Isabella, then we wouldn't be able to call her Theresa and I really like that name." She looked up at Angel. "We're just going to have to have two babies."

Angel smiled softly at her. "Uh, Buffy, I don't think that's going to happen. Still a vampire, remember?" he reminded her gently, wishing that he wasn't and that he could give her all the babies that she wanted.

Buffy slapped his arm lightly. "Shh, I'm fantasizing here. Besides," she shrugged, "you never know what could happen.

Angel chuckled. "Why are so confident it's a girl? It could be a boy," Angel pointed, absent-mindly running his fingers through her hair. "We could call him Hugh."

A horrified look spread over Buffy's face, before turning to a smile as she began to giggle. "Oh, that was funny. You scared me. For a minute there, I thought you were actually serious." She was quiet for a minute before asking, "You weren't serious, were you?"

"No."

"Oh, thank God!" she breathed in relief.

"Because if we had a boy, even though I know it's a girl, there would be no way in hell I'd let you name him Hugh!"

"So, how DO you know it's a girl?"

"Because it is, silly," Buffy scoffed. "I just know, motherly instinct I guess... and the fact that the Oracles showed her to me in my dream."

"Now, that's not fair, it's like cheating! You've got to see her already, but I have to wait."

"I think it's plenty fair, considering I have to carry her around inside of me for nine months..."

"Eight months, now," Angel corrected.

Buffy pretended to glare at him. "Eight months and go through hours of painful labour."

Angel pretended to contemplate that for a minute. "I guess you have a point," he admitted with an exaggerated sigh.

Buffy faked a scowl and tossed the pillow she was clutching in his face. "Jerk."

"Ooh, you'll pay for that," Angel threatened playfully.

Buffy giggled as she scrambled to her feet and stood in front of him, her hands on her hips. "Ya promise?"

Angel dove for her, as she took off running. He chased her into the bedroom, where he finally caught her. He grabbed her from behind and began tickling her ribs.

Buffy squealed and doubled over in laughter.

"Ack! Angel, stop!" She turned around in his arms and wrapped her leg around his and gave a pull, knocking them backwards.

They landed on the bed in a fit of laughter, slightly out of breath.

Angel stopped laughing and rolled them over so that she was beneath him. He looked down at her. She looked so beautiful, her hair fanned out around her face, and her eyes sparkling with tears from having laughed so hard. "I love you."

"Love you, too," Buffy smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling his mouth to hers.

"This is nice," Buffy sighed as he kissed a trail down the side of her neck, sending tingles down her back.

"What is?"

"Laughing and goofing off with you." She smiled at him, a twinkle in her eye. "You're so much fun when you not brooding in the dark."

"Ha ha, funny girl," he grumbled. "I'll have you know, I'm fun all the time."

"Really?" Buffy smirked. "Prove it."

"We never did decide on a name," Buffy whispered, her head resting on Angel's shoulder, her hands running up and down his chest.

"Sure, we did," Angel replied, pulling her closer. "Hugh, remember."

Buffy rolled her eyes. "Funny. Which do you like better? Theresa or Isabella?"

"You do realize that we have eight months left to decide this, right?"

"Yeah, but I don't want to be referring to the baby as she or it or her. I want her to have a name, so pick. Which do you like best?"

Angel thought for a minute. "I like them both. Why don't we use both of them? We could call her Isabella Theresa..." He saw Buffy's nose crinkle at that. "Or Theresa Belle, since you like Belle so much."

"Theresa Belle," Buffy smiled. "I like that. That's what we'll call her." She slide her hand under the covers down to her still flat stomach.

Angel's hand followed and rested on top of hers.

"Theresa Belle..." Buffy stopped short.

"What's wrong?" Angel asked.

"I just realized… I don't know your last name."

"O'Conner."

"Theresa Belle O'Conner," Buffy looked up at him. "Our baby."