destructo-girl.com

Author: Michelle
Email: michellabella52478@yahoo.com
Notes: Check it out, another AU fic from me! Surprise surprise. A big thanks to Jo, Pamela, August, Carrie, Shannon and Krystal for being my unoffical beta-readers.
Additional Notes: The song that Buffy's singing is Faith Hill's "Piece of My Heart."

Buffy made it home from L.A. by four o'clock. She had decided to make the most of her trip by actually doing some maternity shopping. That way, if Angel asked, she would have proof she'd gone there to shop. Not that she expected him to suspect anything different.

She was cooking dinner when he returned home from work shortly before five. Angel walked into the house wearing a smile on his face. "Hey, sweetie. How was your day?"

"Uneventful, just like always. How was yours?" Buffy asked.

"Pretty good. I love the first day of school. I get the biggest kick out of watching lost freshman try to make their way around the school,"

Angel laughed. "Reminds me of myself at that age."

"Yeah, you always were kind of a nerd when you were in high school," she teased. Off his offended look, she added, "But you were my nerd. How are your classes? Any of your students give you a hard time?"

He shook his head. "Not one. But it was only the first day, it usually takes a week or so for the memorable students to make their presence known."

"Like me. I was every teacher's worst nightmare back at Sunnydale High."

"Yeah, you definitely were a handful. One thing I have to say about your antics back then, you certainly prepared me for becoming a teacher," he told her. "Now I know what to do with the social deviants I teach."

Buffy playfully swatted him with the towel she held in her hand. "Real funny. You'd better watch it, Mr. Brennan. This social deviant can make your life miserable."

"Okay, okay. Did you have fun on your shopping trip?" he wanted to know.

"Yep. You know me, I love to shop. Although I'm not a huge fan of shopping by myself, so I didn't buy a lot of stuff. I mainly just walked around and did some window-shopping."

"You should have invited Willow or Anya to go with you so you'd have some company," Angel suggested.

'That would have gone over real well,' she thought. 'Not with what I did today.' "Should've, could've, didn't. Besides, you know how busy Willow is with work, and Tara and all that stuff. And Anya? No way. She may be Xander's wife, but she's a little too out-there for me. We didn't even get along that well in college, much less now."

He wrinkled his brow in confusion. "I don't get it. The two of you always seem to get along really well when she and Xander come to visit."

"We fake it really well. Something about her just rubs me the wrong way. Some people aren't meant to be bestest buds, I guess."

"You don't have to tell me. So, what did you get during your little shopping spree?"

"Just some blouses and a pair of pants. Everything is on the bed if you want to take a look," she said, stirring the now-boiling pot of spaghetti.

"Maybe I will. I have to go in there and change my clothes anyway. I hate being forced to dress like some guy who just walked out of the pages of GQ Magazine."

"But it looks so good on you," she complimented. "I'm sure you broke the hearts of every one of your female students."

Angel made his way into the bedroom they shared, Brandy trailing behind him in hopes of some one-on-one time with her owner. As soon as the door was opened, the dog made a beeline for the bed and hopped on top of Buffy's denim jacket.

"You'd better get off there, Brandy," Angel admonished. "I don't think Buffy wants you shedding on her jacket."

But the dog didn't move. With a groan, he grabbed a hold of the jacket and yanked it out from under his pet. Brandy growled at him.

"When did you suddenly become Buffy's dog instead of mine?" he asked, petting Brandy's head. "I guess I know who your favorite is."

He placed the jacket on a nearby chair, bending down to pick up a piece of paper that had fallen out of the pocket. When he read where the paper originated, his curiosity was piqued. Wanting answers, Angel walked back toward the kitchen to his fiancee.

Buffy looked at him with questions written all over her face when he came back into the room, dressed in the same clothes he'd left in. "I thought you were changing your clothes."

"What did you do while you were in Los Angeles today, Buffy?" he demanded.

"Huh? I already told you, Angel, I went shopping," she answered.

"Didn't you see the clothes on the bed?"

"Oh, I saw them all right. But I also saw this." He held up a visitor's pass for the set of Days of Our Lives, her name written in black marker on it. "I thought you were going shopping."

She swallowed hard. 'So much for Angel not finding out.' "Where did you find that? Were you going through my things?" she accused. "Because Griffin did that, and that's part of the reason why I left him."

"I wasn't going through your things. It fell out of your jacket pocket. What were you doing on the set of Days of Our Lives today?" He shook his head, coming to a realization. "Never mind, don't answer that. I think I already know the answer. Cordelia works there; you went to see her."

"I had to. I needed to know what went on with you two," she started to explain.

"Why? I told you what happened that night. Why didn't you believe me?" Angel questioned.

"I did believe you. I mean, I *do* believe you."

"Then why did you have to drive two hours to L.A. to talk to Cordelia Chase? You don't see me hunting down that Parker guy to find out what happened between you two the one time you slept together," he stated. "I slept with Cordelia Chase one time six years ago. It's so in the past, it's ancient. And I've never regretted it more than I do at this moment."

Buffy sighed; she knew she'd hurt him by visiting his former lover. "It's not easy to explain why I did it. On second thought, it's not hard. I went to hear her side of it. Angel, I felt like you were hiding something from me, holding something back or trying to protect me or something."

"I didn't hold anything back," he informed her.

"I know you didn't. Cordelia told me the exact same thing you did. I guess a part of me was afraid," she admitted.

"Afraid of what? That something more happened?"

She nodded her head. "Yes. I was afraid that maybe that night Cordelia might have…might have gotten pregnant."

"That's absurd!"

"No it's not. It can happen; hell, it happens all the time. Angel, it happened to us. I'm pregnant."

"I know it happened to us, but it doesn't happen to everyone. There are no babies with my DNA running around in the world. I'd stake my life on it."

"I had to find out for sure. I wish you'd understand it."

"I do. But I can't help wishing you had told me what you were going to do. We can't keep secrets from each other. It's not healthy."

"Got it."

Angel smiled at her, relieved that they'd made it past this roadblock. "Do you feel better now that you know?"

"Yeah, I do. Cordelia even told me it wasn't her you were making love to that night. She said you were saying my name, not hers. That makes me feel much better."

"No way. That can't be true."

"What does she have to gain by lying?"

He turned a bright shade of red. "Oh my god. How embarrassing."

With a smirk, Buffy made her way to his side. "I don't think it's embarrassing. I think it's sort of sweet. And very sexy. And quite a turn-on."

Before classes began two Mondays later, Drusilla Martin poked her head inside Angel's classroom. She found her former boyfriend standing in front of the chalkboard, writing problems on it. With a hesitant sigh, she knocked on the door.

Angel looked over, seeing Drusilla in the doorway. Despite their breakup, the two remained friendly. "Morning, Dru."

"Hi, Angel. How are you doing?" she asked in her faint British accent. She'd lived in England until she turned ten years old, and hadn't fully lost her accent.

"I'm doing great. How about you?"

She shrugged her shoulders. "Not bad. Although I can understand why you're great. I read about your engagement in the paper this weekend."

"Oh, really." Angel was afraid Drusilla had come to demand an explanation. After all, they had broken up over his refusal to get married.

"That's why I stopped by; to congratulate you. Your fiancee must be very special if she changed your mind about marriage."

Drusilla harbored no ill will towards Angel. She long-ago accepted that he didn't want to marry her. He'd told her how he'd proposed to his high school sweetheart and she'd turned him down. Given the circumstances, she understood his hesitation to go down that road again.

"She *is* special. And I love her a great deal."

Nodding her head, she smiled. "I'm glad to see you happy. I always sensed you were still in love with Buffy while we were together. It's about damn time you two figured it all out."

"How did you know…?" he questioned, his face contorting with confusion.

"About Buffy being your high school sweetheart? I read the article, Angel. It said that you two have known each other since high school, and I put two and two together. Believe me, I'm not upset," she said, seeing the look of dread on his face. "I am thrilled for you. We were never meant to be together, I know that. And I knew if I lost you to anyone, it would be her. On that note, I wish you two all the happiness in the world."

"Thank you. It means a lot coming from you."

"Have you set a date yet?"

Angel shook his head. "Nothing written in stone. It'll probably be soon, though. We're waiting for her annulment to be finalized. Once that's done, it will be full steam ahead."

"Not going with a big wedding, are you?" Drusilla deduced.

"Nope. Buffy and I decided on a small, intimate gathering of family and close friends. She already had a big wedding, and I don't really have any desire for one. We contacted St. Joseph's chapel and they have the next three Saturdays available for the ceremony."

"Will they be holding those three Saturdays for you?"

He laughed. "I wish. We have to let them know by tomorrow which Saturday we'll need. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for this Saturday. Buffy is supposed to be signing the final annulment papers this afternoon."

Drusilla frowned, knitting her eyebrows together. "Isn't that awful short notice? Doesn't leave a whole lot of time for preparation."

"We have everything already. Buffy has her dress, I've got my tuxedo. The reception is at the mansion and my mom is making the cake. Willow is the Maid of Honor, Tara is her only bridesmaid. Xander is my Best Man, and Spike is my groomsman. Emily and Steven will be Flower Girl and Ring Bearer."

"Sounds like you two *are* ready," she noted.

Angel nodded. "Trust me, we are. So try to keep this Saturday open if possible."

"You're inviting me?" she asked incredulously.

"Buffy's dying to meet you. Of course you're invited."

"In that case, I'll be there. Just let me know when."

Several students walked into the classroom. One of them, Anthony Nelson, smirked at his Math teacher and gave him the thumbs-up sign. "I saw your picture in the paper on Saturday. Way to go, Mr. B. You nailed yourself a hottie."

Exchanging amused glances, Angel and Drusilla laughed.

Buffy paced back and forth in Spike's office while she and Angel waited for her lawyer to enter. They'd been waiting for five minutes, every additional second making her more antsy for his arrival.

"Buffy, would you please sit down?" Angel requested. "If you keep pacing the way you have been, you'll wear a hole through the carpet."

"I can't help it. I'm nervous," she admitted quietly.

He shook his head at her. "You have nothing to be nervous about. Spike said that this meeting is just a formality."

"Griffin will be there. What if he changes his mind?"

"He won't," Angel promised his jittery fiancee. "Griffin Montgomery has had numerous opportunities to change his mind, and he hasn't. We're in the clear. He's not going to stop this from happening."

Buffy bit her lip. "I suppose you're right." She pulled at the hem of her skirt. "I look like a cow in this."

"You do not."

"Yes, I do. Griffin is going to take one look at me and know I'm pregnant," she said.

"Stop worrying so much," he ordered. "You aren't showing that much, Buffy. You're only four months along. He will never know."

Before Buffy had a chance argue with him, Spike walked into the room. "Sorry I'm so late," he apologized. "How are you guys doing?"

"I'm nervous," Buffy told him.

"Don't be, Pet. This is the last leg of it. By the end of this meeting you'll be a free woman."

"Promise?"

Spike held up his hand. "Scout's honor."

Angel lifted his eyebrows. "You were a Boy Scout, Spike?"

"No, but I could have been if I'd had any interested in that outdoors-y stuff. Are you ready, Pet?" he wanted to know.

Gulping, she nodded. "As ready as I'll ever be. Let's go."

Angel stood up, walking them to the door. "I'll wait here until it's over. Good luck." He leaned over, giving Buffy a kiss on the cheek.

"Thanks."

Closing the door behind them, Spike led his client to the conference room. "I don't think I've told you how smashing you look today."

"Really? I don't look enormously pregnant?" Buffy asked him.

"Not at all. You'd never be able to tell."

"Good. Spike, I don't want Griffin to know." She knew Angel had told his friend the whole story behind her pregnancy.

He nodded. "I know. Angel already filled me in. Okay, let's do this."

Griffin and his attorney got up when Spike and Buffy entered the room. Buffy avoided making direct eye contact with her estranged husband; she hadn't seen him since the day they met in the park. But Griffin did the exact opposite; he looked her up and down. He noted her slight weight gain, and the diamond ring on her left hand. It wasn't his. Inside, he fumed.

"Good afternoon," Spike greeted Edmund Parsons, Griffin's attorney. "How was your flight?"

"Fine. I believe I speak for my client when I suggest we skip the small talk and get straight to business. Mr. Montgomery isn't contesting Ms. Summers' demands. This should be a quick meeting," Mr. Parsons stated.

"The quicker the better," Spike agreed. "Let's begin with the distribution of property."

After an hour of bargaining, Buffy and Griffin signed the final annulment papers. Neither of them looked at one another during the meeting, but couldn't keep themselves from watching the other sign the papers. While Spike and Mr. Parsons shook hands at the end of it, Griffin glared at his ex-wife.

"I see it didn't take you long to find someone new," he commented, pointing to her engagement ring. "Let me guess…a gift from Angel?"

"Not that it's any of your business, but yes."

"Tell me, Buffy, did you screw him while we were still together?" he demanded. "The night of the reunion, I'm guessing."

"Yes, I did."

Griffin shook his head. "I knew it. This is all his fault. If he hadn't been at that fucking reunion we'd still be together."

"No, Griffin. Don't go blaming this on Angel. If you hadn't hit me, we *might* still be together. You treated me like an object, and I don't think I could have stayed with you for much longer, even if I hadn't met Angel again. You have no one to blame but yourself."

The wedding was set for Saturday at one o'clock in the afternoon. As soon as Buffy and Angel left Spike's office they called St. Joseph's and reserved the chapel for the ceremony. They spent the rest of the night calling family and friends, informing them of the date and time.

On Monday night, their wedding day seemed like a lifetime away. And before they knew it, it was the day before the wedding.

Friday evening they had the rehearsal dinner at the Brennan's home. It was an intimate gathering for family and members of the wedding party. Alexis and her family flew in from Oregon on Friday morning for the nuptials, Willow and Tara took off of work and Spike postponed an important trial date Friday afternoon to make his final tuxedo fitting.

After the rehearsal dinner, Angel returned to the mansion alone. Mrs. Brennan insisted that it would be bad luck for Buffy to spend the night with him the night before the wedding. The bride-to-be agreed to sleep over his parents' house, sharing a room with Emily.

"Can I ask you a question?" Emily asked Buffy shortly after Angel left. The remaining family members – Mr. and Mrs. Brennan, Steven, Emily, Buffy, and Alexis and her husband – sat in front of the television.

"Sure, Emily. What do you want to know?"

"Well, you're gonna be marrying Uncle Angel tomorrow," she said. "That means you'll be my aunt. And Steven's, too. Do you want us to call you Aunt Buffy now?"

Buffy saw the expectant looks on Angel's niece and nephew's faces. "You know what? Only if you want to. Actually, I think it'll be pretty cool if you call me that. I've never been anybody's aunt before."

"Really? You haven't?" she asked, surprised by Buffy's answer.

"Nope. When I was married to the other guy before your uncle Angel, his sister was really young and didn't have any children. And I'm an only child, so you and Steven will be my only niece and nephew."

"Wow. We're special."

She smiled at the nine-year-old. "You bet you are. I think I'm going to like being your aunt. And just think, in a couple of months you'll have a new cousin to play with."

Alexis dropped the newspaper she'd been reading when she heard what Buffy had told her daughter. "What did you say, Buffy?"

"You mean they haven't told you the good news yet?" Mrs. Brennan asked her daughter. "Buffy is pregnant."

She raised her eyebrows at the news. "Really? I didn't know." "Congratulations," Brad told the expectant mother.

"Thank you." It didn't come as a surprise to her that Alexis did not offer her congratulations.

Emily jumped up and down with excitement. "That is so cool! I get to be a cousin again. When is the baby gonna be here?"

"The doctor says by the end of March."

'The end of March?' Alexis asked herself. 'That means she got pregnant around the end of June. Hmm…'

"Are you gonna have a boy or a girl, Aunt Buffy?" Steven wanted to know.

Buffy shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know, Steven. The doctor can't tell yet. I have to wait a little while longer."

"Do you plan on finding out?" Mr. Brennan asked.

"Angel and I haven't given much thought to it. I never really saw myself having children, at least not with my ex-husband; this is all sorta new to me."

Steven pointed to her belly. "Is the baby in there?"

Emily slapped her younger brother on the arm. "Of course it's in there, you dork. I told you where babies come from."

He looked at his soon-to-be aunt with a quizzical look on his face. "It doesn't look like there's a baby in there. How does it fit?"

"Well, Steven, the baby is still growing. I only got pregnant almost four months ago. Here, give me your hand." He gave Buffy his hand just as she had asked and she placed it on her slightly-protruding stomach. "That's where my baby is. In a few more months, I'll be really big and he or she will start to kick."

His face lit up like a Christmas tree. "Cool. Will I be able to play with your baby?"

"You bet. But we have to wait until the baby is big enough."

Alexis was getting sick of hearing about the baby; it was a subject she definitely need to have a talk with her brother about.

"Okay, guys. I think it's time for bed."

"Aww…" the two complained in unison.

"Whining isn't going to work tonight. We all have a big day tomorrow and you have to get up really early in the morning. Now say good night to Grandma and Grandpa and Aunt Buffy."

Pouting, the two did as their mother told them to.

"You know, Alexis has the right idea," Buffy stated. "I'm beat. Bed sounds like a good idea to me."

"It's only nine-thirty," Brad pointed out.

"Yeah, but I need my beauty sleep. And I'm exhausted. This has been a very stressful week. Night, everyone."

The wedding went off without a hitch. The weather was sunny and warm, and Buffy and Angel couldn't have asked for a more perfect ceremony. St. Joseph's chapel barely held the fifty people who were in attendance, including friends and family. The only disappointment for Buffy was the absence of her mother. Instead, she had asked Angel's father to walk her down the aisle.

"Well, little brother, you did it," Alexis said as everyone stood outside the chapel after the ceremony concluded.

"It's about time," he agreed. "I've only been looking forward to this day for fourteen years. And now it's finally here. I can't begin to tell you how overwhelming it is."

"I understand Buffy's pregnant."

Angel nodded his head. "You understand correctly. Her due date is at the end of March."

"Yeah, so I heard. You know, I was doing the math last night and determined that she must have gotten pregnant around the end of June. Wasn't she still married to her ex-husband at that time?" she asked pointedly. "Interesting, isn't it?"

"What are you getting at, Lexie?" he demanded through gritted teeth. He didn't like what she was implying.

"Oh, I think you know what I'm getting at. The kid isn't yours, is it?"

He gave her an icy glare. "This isn't the time or place for this. I just got married."

"I was there, remember?" she reminded him sweetly. "Which is a nice segue into my next question. Is that baby the reason you married Buffy? Is she trying to pawn her ex's kid off as yours?"

"Go to hell, Alexis."

"It's an honest question. Look, I don't want you to get hurt by her. All Buffy has ever done is hurt you."

Grabbing his sister's wrist, Angel yanked her away from the rest of the guests so that they couldn't hear them. "I want you to listen to me. This is my wedding day and I won't let you ruin it by making accusations about my wife. The child she is carrying is mine; I don't care if my blood is running through its veins or not. He or she will be raised as a Brennan and you will treat the child as such. If you have a problem with that, tough shit. Get over it."

The wedding reception was in full swing by the time Xander stood up to make his toast. When he clanked his fork on his champagne glass, everyone looked at him and sat back down in their assigned seats.

"As best man, I'm told that one of my duties is to give a speech," he began. "God only knows why the bride and groom are letting me do this, since I suck at giving speeches. But for Buffy and Angel I'll muddle through it.

"What can I say about these two crazy kids that everyone here doesn't already know? They've been in love since they were fourteen years old, which is half their lives. And they have waited until now to finally make it official. Buffy, Angel, I think I speak for everyone here when I say it's about freaking time.

"I've known Angel since I was five years old. We met on the first day of kindergarten and we've been the best of friends ever since. We've told each other everything, including some things we wished we'd kept to ourselves. But one conversation sticks out in my mind. It was the day after our freshman Homecoming Dance and Angel told me about this date with Buffy. It was their first official date, and I remember his excitement when he talked about their first kiss on her front porch after the dance ended. That was the day Angel told me he was in love. One look in his eyes and I knew he was gone.

"Now here we are, fourteen years and hundreds of broken hearts later. Despite ups and downs, heartbreaks and long separations, the two of them are husband and wife. Congratulations and best wishes."

Buffy and Spike were standing off to the side of the garden – which was serving as a makeshift dance floor – when Alexis approached them.

"Hi, Spike," she said to her brother's college buddy.

"Lexie," he drawled, looking her up and down with appreciation.

"You get more gorgeous every time I see you. When are you going to dump your husband and run away with me?"

She laughed at the banter they'd shared over the last ten years.

"You're beneath me, William."

He clutched his heart in mock pain. "You're breaking my heart."

"Sorry. I love my husband. Besides, you're way too young for me and too much a pain in the ass."

"Now I'm hurt."

"You'll get over it in a few minutes, I'm sure. Do you mind if I steal the bride for a little girl talk?" she asked sweetly.

"Sister-in-law stuff."

Spike shrugged his shoulders. "Whatever floats your boat, Lexie. Buffy, congrats."

"Thanks, Spike." Buffy turned her attention to her new sister-in-law. "What's up, Alexis? I love your dress, by the way."

"Yeah yeah. I didn't come over here to make idle chit chat, Buffy. I came to warn you not to hurt my brother."

Buffy raised her eyebrows. "Again? I figured you would have come up with something more original than that. So, what did I do this time?"

"If I have to tell you, you're not as smart as I thought."

"I've had a stressful week. Humor me."

Alexis chuckled, but there was no humor in it. "Yeah, I can see how your week might have been quite stressful. Getting divorced from one guy and marrying another, and being pregnant on top of that. What a rough week for Buffy."

"What are you getting at?"

"Oh, I think you know what I'm getting at. Whose baby are you carrying? Or aren't you sure yet?"

"It's Angel's baby," Buffy stated, her heart pounding from the confrontation.

"Are you one hundred percent sure about that?" Alexis asked.

"Because I was doing the math last night and something just doesn't add up. If you got pregnant at the end of June, then it could be your ex-husband's baby, isn't it? You and Angel didn't get back together until early July."

"I know when I got pregnant, thank you. The night of the ten year reunion, my ex-husband left me there because he was jealous; upset that he'd seen me with Angel. Your brother was kind enough to let me stay with him after Griffin abandoned me. I'm not gonna go into all the details, but we *did* sleep together that night. Angel is the father of my baby. I can feel it in my gut."

Her sister-in-law smirked. "Unfortunately, gut feelings aren't quite as scientific as a DNA test."

"Thank you for stating the obvious. If you think you're telling me something I don't already know, you're wrong. Angel and I have already been through this. We are going to raise this baby as if he or she is his. Down the road, if our child wants to know for a fact, we'll find out."

"Ignorance isn't always bliss, sweetie. It'll kill him if that kid isn't his," Alexis told her.

"I hate to say this, Alexis, but Angel had a choice. He could have told me to take a hike when I told him he might not be the father. But he didn't. He agreed to love this child like his own. And not just because of me. Because he loves the baby I'm carrying; because he wants to be a father to it. Believe it or not, I've given him every opportunity to leave and he hasn't."

Alexis shook her head. "What happened to that sweet little girl fourteen-year-old girl my brother used to be in love with? The one who was so concerned about not turning out like her mother. The one who wanted my little brother to be her one and only."

Buffy looked her dead in the eye. "She grew up."

"We are out of champagne," Angel said to his new bride. "I'm going to the store to get some more."

Buffy grabbed the keys from him. "You stay. I'll go get more booze. I have to get some candles for tonight."

"Buffy…"

"No arguing with me. It's my day and what I say goes. Go inside and start shooing away some of our guests so we can celebrate in private."

He kissed her gently on the lips. "Okay. But you'll have to take my car; it's blocking yours in."

"I don't mind. See you in a little while."

She walked into the garage and got into Angel's car. The liquor store closest to the mansion was three miles away. Hating to drive in silence, she turned on the radio and sang along to the song that was playing.

"Come one, come on, come on, come and take it. Take another little piece of my heart now, baby. Break another little piece of my heart now, baby. Break another little piece of my heart now, darling. Have another little piece of my heart now, baby."

Buffy was so engrossed in singing that she never saw the other car run the STOP sign until it was too late. She screamed when it barreled into the driver's side door.

Angel ran into the hospital like a bat out of hell, followed closely by his parents, sister and Spike. By the time he reached the Nurse's Station he was out of breath. He waited until he could breathe again before speaking.

"My-my wife was just admitted about twenty or so minutes ago," he said to the attending nurse. "She was in a car accident. Where is she? Is she okay?"

Spike put his hand on his friend's arm. "Calm down, man. Let the nurse answer your first question before tossing more her way."

"Spike is right, Angel," Alexis agreed. She saw how upset her brother was, and knew of his tendency to act rashly when upset or angry. They'd all been celebrating when the phone call from the Sunnydale Police Department came in, advising Angel that his wife had been in an accident. Millions of thoughts ran through his mind during the ten minute ride to the hospital, none of which he liked. All of them showcased Buffy in a severe amount of pain, or worse. It was something Angel didn't even want to think about. He couldn't stand it if she had been fatally injured. He couldn't lose her, not so soon after getting her back.

"Are you talking about Buffy Summers?" the nurse asked.

"Yes. Buffy Summers-Brennan," Angel replied shortly. "The police called me and told me she'd been sent here after the accident. Where is she?"

The nurse looked over her charts. "I'll call Doctor Zimmerman for you."

"What's wrong with her that you can't tell me yourself?" he demanded.

"I think it might be better if the doctor talks to you rather than me," she told him. Instead of calling for the doctor over the intercom, the nurse went off in search of him.

Angel's lower lip trembled and he felt his knees buckle from under him. Spike and Mr. Brennan saw him falter and they helped him to the waiting area. Alexis sat next to him, gripping his hand while their mother poured him a cup of water from the nearby fountain.

"She's going to be okay," Alexis promised him. "That girl is tough. And there is no way she'd wait ten years to marry you and leave you like this."

"You hate her. You probably hope she doesn't make it," he muttered spitefully.

She shook her head. "No way. I may not like some of the choices she's made, but that does not mean I hate her. I can't hate someone you obviously love beyond reason. She makes you happy, even I see that. I'd never wish harm upon her."

Mrs. Brennan handed her son the water she'd fetched for him. "Here, honey. Drink this. It'll make you feel a little better."

With trembling hands, Angel took the cup from his mother and brought it to his lips. Unfortunately, the cold water did nothing to soothe him. "Thank you."

"Buffy is going to be fine, Angel," his father reassured. Even though Alexis had told him the same thing only minutes before, he knew his son needed to hear it again.

"The baby," he choked out. He hated the thought of even saying what he was about to say next. "What if the baby doesn't make it?"

They all looked down, unable to make eye contact with him. None of them wanted to think about the possibility of it being true. It would break Angel's heart.

Dr. Zimmerman walked into the waiting area, seeing the five people sitting near one another. Looking at the shell-shocked man in the tuxedo, he knew exactly who he needed to talk to. With a frown, he approached the group. "Summers?"

Angel immediately jumped up, even though his legs felt like they'd give out at any given moment. "I'm Angel Brennan, Buffy's husband. How is she?"

"Your wife is a very lucky woman. Thanks to the side impact air bags in the car she was driving, she suffered only minor injuries. Some bruised ribs, a bump on the head and a sprained ankle. Given the damage done to the car, it could have been much worse," Dr. Zimmerman informed him. "She never even lost consciousness. Which is a good sign. She'll be fine a few weeks."

He breathed a sigh of relief; his wife was okay. But it was time for the hard part. "Doctor, Buffy is pregnant. What about the baby?"

"She told me of her pregnancy and I have already examined the fetus, and everything appears to be normal. Of course, we can't be a hundred percent sure until the pregnancy progresses further. I'd suggest a sonogram and an ultrasound at your wife's next appointment."

"Can I see her?" Angel wanted to know.

"Go ahead. I want her to stay overnight for observation. With her pregnancy, it's only a precaution."

"I understand." He turned to his family. "She'll be okay, guys. I'm going to visit with her for a little while."

"We'll wait here," Spike said to him.

Leaving his family in the waiting room, Angel followed Dr. Zimmerman down the hall to Buffy's room. His heart thumped upon seeing her sitting in bed, machines hooked up to her.

"Not too long, if you don't mind," the doctor requested. "I realize it's your wedding day, but Buffy needs her rest."

"Okay. Thank you, Dr. Zimmerman." Angel took a step into the room. "How are you feeling, Buff?"

She glanced up, seeing her husband standing in the doorway. "Angel," she whispered. "I thought I'd never see you again." He walked over to her, gingerly wrapping her in his arms and kissing the top of her head. "I'm right here, baby."

"I was so scared. The car came out of nowhere, I didn't even see it. Then I heard crunching metal and glass breaking and I thought for sure I was a goner; that both of us were."

"You're a trouper, Buffy. It's part of the reason I love you. And if our son or daughter is anything like you, that kid will be one tough cookie."

Buffy took a deep breath and wiped the building tears from her eyes. "This is all my fault."

"No it's not. It was an accident; some idiot wasn't watching where he or she was going and ran a STOP sign. That isn't your fault."

She shook her head. "But it wasn't an accident, Angel."

"What are you talking about?"

"He admitted it; said he did it on purpose."

"Who?" he asked.

"Griffin."

"He's in the last cell on the right," the police officer directed Angel an hour later.

"Thank you."

"You got five minutes, buddy."

Angel frowned, gritting his teeth in anger. "Five minutes is all I'll need with that son of a bitch."

The officer made a face but didn't say anything. The angry-looking man in the tuxedo looked like he was out for blood. Not that he cared, as long as no blood was shed during his shift.

Angel moved swiftly past the other men in their cells, ignoring the various names they were shouting in his direction. He was a man on a mission; a mission to get to the bottom of his wife's attack.

"Montgomery," he said venomously when he reached the cell holding his wife's ex-husband. Seeing him, Angel had the sudden urge to slam another door into his nose.

Griffin turned his head, seeing Angel Brennan standing on the other side of the metal bars. 'I knew he'd show up eventually.' "What do you want?"

He glared at the man responsible for putting his wife in the hospital. Angel had never hated anyone before, but he hated Griffin Montgomery. Hated him for marrying Buffy; hated him for hitting Buffy; hated him for trying to kill her; and hated him for possibly being the father of her unborn child. The child he would raise as his own. Red-hot rage ran through his veins instead of blood. Controlling it would be very difficult.

"Oh, I think you know why I'm here. And let me say that you are damn lucky these bars are separating us, or I'd kill you with my bare hands."

"This is all your fault," Griffin accused. "You know that?"

Angel raised his eyebrows in interest. "My fault? You run down my wife and it's my fault? That's some seriously twisted logic you've got there."

"Everything was perfect until you came along!" Griffin yelled. "You had to be at that damn reunion and steal Buffy away from me. You always were a ghost in my marriage; she never forgot about you. Do you know what it's like to compete with a memory? It's next to impossible."

"That gives you the right to try to kill her?!" Angel raged, grabbing a hold of the bars separating them and shaking with all of his might.

"I wasn't trying to kill Buffy. I was trying to kill you!"

If he weren't so angry, Angel would have laughed at Griffin's outburst. "What did you think? That you'd get rid of me and Buffy would come running back to you with arms wide open? Nice try. You should try pleading insanity, you've got a really good shot at it."

"Go to hell," Griffin spat.

Angel smirked. "See you there."

Life returned to normal, or relatively close to it, for the couple. Buffy was released from the hospital the following day under strict orders from Dr. Zimmerman to take it easy for a week. It put a crimp in her plans for her honeymoon weekend with Angel, but he surprised her a month later with a long weekend in Las Vegas.

Griffin pleaded guilty to vehicular assault and was given a sentence of six months in prison and a permanent restraining order against Buffy and Angel. He apologized to Buffy during his sentencing, stating that he had been misguided and insanely jealous; he never meant to cause her any harm. He asked for her forgiveness but she wasn't able to give it at that point in time. It would take a long time before she'd be able to do that, considering what Griffin's jealous rage had almost cost her.

The baby was fine. He or she survived the ordeal without any complications. A sonogram several weeks later showed that the baby was in perfect health with no lasting damage caused from the accident. Both Buffy and Angel breathed a sigh of relief when they heard the good news. Even more good news came their way when they were told the baby was a girl.

"Wake up, birthday girl," Angel whispered in Buffy's ear on January nineteenth, tickling the back of her neck.

Buffy groaned, forcing her eyes to remain closed. "No. Don't want to wake up," she complained.

"It's your birthday. I took off from work so we could spend the whole day together. And I don't plan on spending it in bed."

"I'm too fat to move. I'm gonna stay here until I give birth," she told him.

Angel laughed; it was a conversation they'd been having every day for a month. "You are not staying in bed for another two months. You'll get bed sores."

"I don't care."

"I do. Come on, I've got the whole day planned for us. We're going to take Brandy for a walk, then we'll go shopping for something nice for you at the jewelry store and go to my parents' house for dinner. My mom baked a cake and everything," he said. "It'll be fun."

"My birthdays are never fun."

He smirked at her, prompting his wife to shoot him a dirty look. "I seem to recall a rather fun birthday you had. I believe it was your eighteenth."

Buffy sighed, recalling it. "Yeah, that was a good time."

"If you stop complaining, I'll give you a repeat of it this year. Think of it as deja vu, only eleven years later."

"Eleven years. God, I'm twenty-nine. I feel so old."

"Old? Twenty-nine is hardly old, Buffy."

"Sure, twenty-nine isn't old. But what happens next year when I turn thirty? It all goes downhill from then on."

Angel shook his head; he'd never seen Buffy act like this. "You are overreacting."

"Spoken like someone who isn't twenty-nine yet," she stated. "You don't know what it's like. Just wait until May when you turn twenty-nine and see how you feel."

"Is it your hormones acting up again?" he asked. He'd seen her do and heard her say some crazy things over the past few months when her hormones were in overdrive.

Buffy scoffed. "Bite me. You try being twenty-nine, seven months pregnant and thirty pounds overweight and see how you feel."

He rolled his eyes. "Do you want me to wear the belly again?"

Buffy shook her head. "As amusing as it was the last time, no. I want to be eighteen again. That was my best birthday ever."

// "Happy eighteenth birthday, sweetheart," Buffy's mother said to her, handing her daughter a small, gift-wrapped box.

Buffy looked at the present curiously. "Mom, what's this?"

"Open it and you'll see."

"But you already bought me so much stuff. A CD player, which probably cost you a fortune, and a VCR. Now what did you do?"

Ms. Summers sighed; her daughter was always asking a million questions. "As I told you before, open it and see."

Looking at her boyfriend for some sort of clue, she groaned when he didn't give her one. "Okay. But you've already bought me too much stuff."

She slowly tore away the wrapping paper, finding a jewelry box. 'What on earth did she get me?' Opening the top portion of it, Buffy gasped at what she found inside: a gold claddagh ring with a heart-shaped emerald. "Oh my god, Mom This is way too much! You shouldn't have."

"My baby girl only turns eighteen once," her mother told her, a proud smile on her face. "Do you like it?"

Buffy nodded vigorously. "I love it. Hell, I've loved it since I first saw it at the store. But how did you know I wanted it?"

Angel raised his hand guiltily. "That would be my fault. I saw you staring at it last time we went to the mall. And I know your mom was looking to get you something special, so I told her about it."

"You little sneak!" she hissed, slapping his arm playfully. "I told you how badly I wanted this ring and you kept saying it was way too expensive."

"It was, for me. But not for your mom."

Buffy stood up and crossed the living room to give her mother a kiss and a hug. "Thank you, Mom. It's the best present ever."

"You haven't seen Angel's gift yet," Ms. Summers informed her, a half-smile playing on her lips. "If you think I spoiled you, you're in for a big surprise."

"Ooh. What is it?" She turned her head and wiggled her eyebrows at Angel.

He looked at her mother. "Do you mind if we go over to my house for the present? I sorta wanted to have some privacy for it."

"Sure, go ahead. I'll clean up here. But I want Buffy home by nine o'clock. It's a school night." Even though she knew Angel's parents were out of town helping Alexis move back into her dorm, she completely trusted the couple. Buffy had told her time and again that she planned to wait until after high school before entering into a sexual relationship, and that Angel respected her decision.

Buffy sat down on Angel's bed, giddy as a schoolgirl. "Where are my gifts? Come on, give them to me."

Angel laughed at her. "You're awfully greedy. Besides, what make you think you are getting more than one present?"

"Mom said you spoiled me," she reminded him. "That usually entails more than one present."

"Well, that's true. I actually got you two gifts, but she only knows about one of them. The other one is private."

"What are you waiting for? Gimme!"

He reached over and grabbed the box sitting on his dresser, handing it to his girlfriend. "If you don't like it, it can be returned."

She knew she'd like it. Angel always bought her the most thoughtful gifts. What she found inside, though, completely blew her away. "Angel…"

"What do you think?" he asked hopefully.

"It's beautiful." He had purchased a gold necklace with a diamond pendant for her, the three diamonds below one another from smallest to largest.

"Each diamond is symbolic," he began. "The small one represents yesterday, the one in the middle is for today and the largest one represents tomorrow. When I saw it in the store, I knew I had to buy it for you."

She gazed at it in awe. "It must have taken you forever to save up enough money to pay for it."

"I did some extra tutoring and my parents raised my allowance a little bit. But it was worth it."

"Well, I love it. I'll never take it off." She paused for a moment. "You mentioned something about two gifts. What else did you get me?"

Angel blushed slightly at what he was about to tell her. "It's not exactly something you can gift-wrap. It's more personal than that…much more personal."

"Such as?"

"I love you, Buffy."

She grinned at him. Hearing Angel say it wasn't exactly new to her; he'd first told her on Valentine's Day of 1989. "I know you love me. I love you, too."

Gulping, he took a deep breath. "That's why, for your birthday, I want to show you."

"Show me?" she repeated. But the look in his eyes said it all.

"Angel, you know how I feel about sex. I want to wait until after were are out of high school. I thought we decided on graduation night to be our first time."

"Yeah, I know. I'm not talking about sex. This will be about me showing you exactly how much I love you and want to be with you. It's nothing that will result in a pregnancy. I swear. No exchanging of bodily fluids."

Buffy knew what he was getting at; it was something she'd been thinking – and fantasizing – about for some time. But thinking and doing were two different things. "Angel, I don't know…"

"How about this, if you're uncomfortable, or don't like it, we'll stop. I just wanted today to be special for you and for us. It'll be my gift to you."

Looking into his brown eyes, she saw all the love he felt for her. In her mind and in her heart, Buffy knew Angel would never hurt her. And with that thought, she gave herself over to the only man she'd ever love. \\

Buffy woke up with a start, the pain reverberating through her body. Biting her lower lip, she stifled a cry so as not to wake her sleeping husband next to her. The last thing she wanted to do was wake him up, especially not in the middle of the night; not after the last time. A few weeks earlier she had suffered through false labor, sending Angel into a panic. He'd all but berated her obstetrician when she explained to them it was a common occurrence in women nearing their ninth month of pregnancy.

She patted her belly once the pain subsided. "What's the matter with you? Don't like what Mommy had for dinner?"

Rewarded with a kick from her unborn daughter, Buffy smiled and went back to sleep.

"Holy crap!" Buffy yelled two hours later, awoken by yet another pain.

Opening his tired eyes, Angel rolled over to find out why his wife woke up yelling. "What's going on?"

She groaned for having woken him up. "It's nothing, Angel. Just an upset stomach. Seems our daughter is rebelling against last night's dinner."

The look on her face didn't leave him one hundred percent convinced. "You look like you're in pain."

"It's nothing," she repeated. "Just go back to sleep." Angel shook his head. "Now I'm wide awake. Let me boil some water for a hot water bottle. It'll make you feel better."

"I'm sorry for waking you up," Buffy apologized. "You've got class in the morning."

"Don't worry about it. Lay back down while I'm getting the hot water bottle ready," he ordered, climbing out of bed.

She looked at him and smiled; she couldn't have asked for a more perfect. "Thank you."

"You're welcome."

He padded into the kitchen, rubbing the sleep from his brown eyes when he turned on the hall light. The light practically blinded him, and woke up Brandy in the process. From her makeshift bed under the kitchen table she growled at him.

"It's only me, Brandy," Angel said to his furry companion. "No need to growl."

Hearing her master's voice, Brandy got up and walked over to him, nipping at Angel's heels while he searched for a saucepan to boil water in. He couldn't help but laugh at the dog, realizing she probably missed the constant attention he gave her before Buffy arrived. But he wondered how Brandy would react once the baby was born.

As he filled the pan he found with water, Angel heard a piercing shrill come from the bedroom he shared with his wife. Dropping the half-filled pan in the sink, he ran to her side.

"What's wrong? Are you okay?" he asked.

Buffy shook her head. "I don't think so. I think I'm in labor."

"It's probably false labor, just like the last time," he reassured her. "I'm sure it'll pass in a few hours."

"This isn't false labor, Angel." She lifted up the blankets for him to see. "My water just broke."

"How are you feeling, Buffy?" Dr. Albertson asked when she entered her patient's hospital room.

Buffy shrugged her shoulders. "I'm okay now. Much better since the drugs have kicked in."

Dr. Albertson laughed at the comment. "You wouldn't believe how many times a day I hear that. Let's see how much you've dilated since the last time I checked on you." Putting on a fresh pair of rubber gloves, the doctor examined her. "Six-and-a-half centimeters. That's good."

"How long before hard labor starts?" Angel wanted to know.

"It all depends on how quickly she dilates. Pushing usually begins at nine centimeters, but Buffy has to get there first. She could get to nine in an hour, or it could take three hours. The best I can say is relax and let nature take its course."

Buffy released her husband's hand. "You should call your parents and let them know what's going on, Angel," she suggested.

"No way. I'm not leaving your side," he disagreed.

"Go. This baby isn't going to be born in the next five minutes. Go call your family and give them the good news."

Sighing, he relented. There was no arguing with her. "Okay. I'll be back in a couple minutes." After quickly planting a kiss on her forehead, Angel left the room.

"Thank god," Buffy whispered once he left. "I thought he'd never leave."

Dr. Albertson chuckled while going over her chart. "I assume your husband is getting on your nerves."

"Big time. I would kill to have five minutes to myself. I love him to death, but I'm about to kill him with my bare hands."

"It comes with the territory. You're not the first expectant mother to say that. And believe me when I say you won't be the last."

Buffy smirked. "Is it possible to give him an epidural?"

"When you feel your next contraction coming, I want you to push as hard as you can," Dr. Albertson told her.

Buffy had reached nine centimeters an hour-and-a-half ago. It was four in the afternoon and she'd been in labor for thirteen hours. It was beginning to take its toll on her; Buffy was too tired to push. She was about to give up.

She nodded her head. "Okay, Dr. Albertson."

"I know you are exhausted, but in a couple of minutes you'll have a little girl," the doctor said.

Angel gripped her hand. "Squeeze as hard as you want, sweetie. I'll be right here."

She didn't have a chance to respond to him, as another contraction ripped through her body. Gritting her teeth, she squeezed Angel's hand and pushed with all her might.

"Remember to breathe," Angel reminded her. "Like in Lamaze class, hee-hee-hoo, hee-hee-hoo."

"I do *not* need to be reminded how to breathe, thank you," she hissed at him. "I've been doing it longer than you have."

"I'm just trying to help."

"You've helped enough. Now just shut the hell up before I see to it that you never enjoy sex again," threatened Buffy.

The contraction ended and she laid her head back on the pillow, completely drained of energy. Angel wiped her sweaty brow with a warm towel.

"You're almost there, Buffy. Another two or three more pushes and you will be able to hold your daughter in your arms," Dr. Albertson encouraged.

"Good. I can't wait for this to be over."

Just when Buffy felt relaxed again, another contraction came. Bearing down as hard as she could, she screamed her way through the pain, willing the whole ordeal to be over.

"I see the head!" the doctor announced. "Come on, Buffy, push her out!" "I'm trying!" she screamed, still pushing. Unable to go on, she dropped her head to the pillow.

"Her head is out," Dr. Albertson stated. "I need you to give me one more really big push. Can you do that?"

Buffy wanted to cry; wanted to give up. "I can't."

"Yes you can," Angel said. "Just push."

She whirled on him, ready to gouge his eyes out. "You fucking push her out then!"

Another contraction swept over her and, despite her exhaustion, Buffy pushed. And she was rewarded with the sound of her daughter crying.

"It's a girl," Dr. Albertson announced. "And she's absolutely beautiful."

"Would you like to cut the cord?" the doctor asked Angel when he glanced back up after tenderly kissing his wife on the lips.

"I'd love to," he responded, walking the two feet to the doctor's side. Gazing upon his newborn daughter for the first time, Angel's heart was filled with such love for the tiny human being. One look at her left him with the desire to protect her for the rest of his natural life. She was his and Buffy's daughter; equal parts him and her, a life the two of them created. Never in his life did he ever believe he would be part of something so perfect.

"W-Where should I cut?"

"Right where I'm pointing," Dr. Albertson instructed.

Doing as she told him to do, Angel took the scissors from her and cut the baby's umbilical cord.

"Angel? What does she look like?" Buffy wanted to know, straining her neck to see what was going on. She had yet to even see her daughter.

"She's beautiful, just like Dr. Albertson said," he informed her. "She perfect. I'm so proud of you, Buffy. You gave birth to our daughter."

"Can I see her?" All she wanted to do ever since she heard the baby cry was hold her in her arms and never let go.

"You sure can," Dr. Albertson stated, wrapping the little newborn in a blanket after having weighed her in. "You'll be happy to hear she's a healthy seven pounds eight ounces."

Buffy took her in her arms, holding her daughter close to her. Her tiny eyes were closed, her chubby cheeks rosy, little sniffles coming from her nose every time she inhaled. Opening the blanket, Buffy counted out ten fingers and ten toes. The mere sight of her made Buffy want to cry.

'Dark brown hair,' she mused. 'She is Angel's. I just know it. No one in Griffin's family has dark hair. Hers is the exact same color as Angel's.'

"My two girls," Angel commented.

"You're right, she's beautiful," Buffy agreed. "It's hard to believe she's finally here with us." She paused for a moment, recalling the awful things she said to her husband while in the throes of labor. "I'm so sorry, Angel."

"For what?"

"For being a total bitch while I was in labor. I didn't really mean those things I said to you," she apologized.

Angel shook his head, smiling. "Don't worry about it. I've seen enough movies to know what is said during labor. Besides, our daughter more than makes up for it."

She sighed with contentment. "She does. I think it's time we pick out a name for her."

"Any suggestions?"

"As a matter of fact, yes. I think I've got the perfect name for her."

"How are you feeling, Buffy?" Mrs. Brennan asked her daughter-in-law the following morning. The hospital wouldn't allow Buffy any visitors the night before, so everyone had to wait until the next morning to see Buffy and the baby.

"Like I gave birth to a monster truck instead of a seven pound baby," Buffy said with a laugh. "I'm so sore."

"The first time is always the hardest. The second goes much smoother. I was in labor with Alexis for eighteen hours and Angel only ten. Hence, his name."

Buffy shook her head vehemently. "After going through that experience, I don't want to go through it ever again. Once was enough. The only miracle of birth is the miracle that I didn't die doing it."

"That's what all women say," Alexis added from her spot next to her mother. She'd flown up with the kids when her parents told her Buffy was having the baby. "But in a couple of years you'll miss having a newborn around and you'll want another."

"Let's see how I feel after a couple months of breast feeding and getting three hours of sleep every night."

Mrs. Brennan raised her eyebrows in amusement. "Three hours? You really haven't been around newborns, have you?"

The new mother whimpered. Motherhood was going to be harder than she thought. 'How did my mom ever do it by herself?' she wondered.

"Don't worry, sweetie. You have Angel, and we'll be there if you ever need us."

Angel popped his head through the door, seeing his wife, mother and sister in the hospital room. He'd gone home for a few hours to sleep, then picked up his father, niece and nephew to bring them to see the baby. "Is it safe to come in?"

"Why wouldn't it be?" Buffy wanted to know when he entered.

"I didn't want to walk in during the middle of a conversation about breast milk, hormones or whatever other stuff mothers tend to talk about," he told him.

Alexis groaned in mock disgust. "Men are such babies. We were *not* talking about breast milk, thank you very much. Did you bring the rest of my brood with you?"

"They're in the waiting room with Dad. And dying to take a look at their new cousin."

Mrs. Brennan glanced from Buffy to Angel and back again, a confused look on her face. "Don't tell me you two haven't chosen a name for that little angel of yours."

"Actually, we did. We decided on Christina Grace," Buffy said. "But I think we'll just call her Gracie. It means 'blessed'."

Both Alexis and her mother smiled with approval. "I like it. Gracie Brennan has a nice ring to it," Mrs. Brennan complimented.

"I'm going to bring her in here," Angel let them know.

"Oh, I'll go with you, Angel," his mother stated. "I want to see her right now. I can't wait another second to see my newest granddaughter." She followed her son out of the room.

An uncomfortable silence fell over Buffy and Alexis. The two of them hadn't really spoken since the day of the wedding. Alexis, Brad and the children returned to Oregon the next day. Neither had had much to say to each other since then.

"I'm sorry, Buffy. I really am."

Surprised, Buffy looked at her. "You're sorry? For what?"

"I haven't been all that friendly towards you since you came back in Angel's life. All I could think of was how hurt he was last time you two were together. The breakup was devastating to him and I lived through it with him those first few days. I saw what it did to him. I swore to myself I'd never forgive you for breaking his heart the way you did. Even though, technically, he walked away from you.

"But now I see how happy he is, having you back in his life. It's put the twinkle back in his eyes and replaced the spark that's been missing since you left. And now, seeing him with you…well, I know when I'm wrong and I admit it. You've given him his dream of being a father. He loves that little girl so much, I don't think it even remotely phases him at all that he might not be her biological father. Because in his heart, he already is her father."

Buffy grinned. "He is. Lexie, you should have seen him the first time he held Gracie in his arms. There was this instant connection between them. It was like whatever had been missing in his life was suddenly there."

"I could see it in his eyes just a few minutes ago. I hope we can be friends again, Buffy. Like we were back in high school; like sisters. I want to make up for being such a rude bitch to you when you first came back to Sunnydale."

She nodded her head as Angel returned to the room with Gracie in his arms, flanked by his parents, Emily and Steven. "I'd like that a lot. I've missed having an older sister."

"Are you going to be okay by yourself all day?" Angel asked Buffy a week after the baby was born. He'd taken a week off following Gracie's birth and he had to return back to work.

She narrowed her eyes and smirked at him. "Gee, I think I can handle it. It's just me and a week-old baby. I wonder who'll win…"

"You know what I mean. The first time alone with a baby can be a little overwhelming. I remember Alexis told me she was in tears with Emily the first day Brad went back to work. I want to make sure you're feeling up to it before I leave."

"Don't worry about me. Everything will be fine. Just go to work and educate the next generation."

Angel sighed, picking up his briefcase. "As long as you're sure. But if you need anything–"

"I know, I know I can call the school and say it's an emergency, and both of your parents are home; they'll be here in less than ten minutes if there is a problem. Go to work."

"All right. I'll call during my lunch break."

Buffy rolled her eyes. "I will be looking forward to it."

Two hours after her husband left for work, Buffy laid down on the bed they shared, hoping to catch a few minutes of sleep while Gracie napped. No sooner had Angel walked out the door when their week-old daughter began crying. She'd never admit it to Angel, but being alone with Gracie was harder than she had expected. It seemed like nothing she did would calm her down.

But Buffy wouldn't trade her daughter for anything. Despite the crying, dirty diapers, midnight feedings and mood swings, she loved every minute of it. She relished motherhood, knowing ten years earlier she never thought it would be possible to have the life she had with Angel. As she drifted off to sleep, her mind wandered to one of the most heartbreaking nights of her life.

// Joyce Summers heard the front door slam shut from where she sat in the kitchen going over inventory for the gallery. She wasn't expecting Buffy to be home so soon from the graduation party she had been invited to.

"Honey? Is that you?"

She heard muffled sobs. "Yeah, it's me. I'm going to bed."

"You're home early. Aren't you going to that party you mentioned earlier?" she wanted to know.

"No. I'm tired."

Buffy bounded up the stairs to her room, doing her best to hold in her tears; she didn't want to cry until she was in the privacy of her own bedroom. Once she'd shut the door behind her, she only hoped her mother didn't follow her, asking question after question. When her mother knocked on her door, Buffy knew she could never be that lucky.

"Go away!"

"No. Let me in, Buffy," her mother ordered. "I'm not going anywhere until you tell me what's wrong."

She opened the door, hiding behind it. "Nothing's wrong, Mom. I'm just really tired and decided to call it an early night. I'm fine, really."

Buffy's mother entered the room, finding her daughter's hiding spot. The tears in her eyes didn't come as a surprise to her, having heard Buffy's crying. "I beg to differ, young lady. Something is definitely wrong. Did you and Angel have a fight?"

Hearing Angel's name caused the dam to break. The tears she'd fought to keep inside overflowed her eyes, streaming down her cheeks. Joyce saw this and wrapped her arms around Buffy, leading her to her bed.

"So you did get into a fight with him," she deduced.

Buffy shook her head. "N-Not a fight. He left me there. It's all over, I know it is."

"Left you where?"

"That creepy old mansion on Crawford Street. Mom, he just walked away and ignored me when I called after him. He didn't e-even left me ex-explain," Buffy stammered.

Her mother was confused. "Let you explain what? Buffy, tell me exactly what happened, because you're not making any sense whatsoever."

"O-Okay." Sniffling, Buffy waited until her emotions were under control before beginning. "After Angel picked me up, he drove me to the mansion. I didn't know what was going on or what he had planned. Then he started telling me the story behind the original owner and how it was built for his true love. It sounded so romantic, especially the way Angel told it.

"He told me how much he loved it and wanted to live there with his family. I'd never heard him so much as mention the mansion to me before tonight. I didn't even know why he was telling me the story until he got down on his knee and held out the ring for me. It was an engagement ring, Mom. Angel asked m-me to marry h-him."

By the look of devastation on Buffy's face, Joyce knew exactly how things turned out. "And you said no, I take it."

Biting her lip, Buffy nodded. "I had to. I'm only eighteen, Mom. I can barely take care of myself, much less someone else. There is no way I'm ready for marriage. When I tried to tell Angel that, he didn't want to hear it. He thought me saying no was because I didn't love him. But I do love him."

"You should tell him."

"I tried. His mom said he didn't want to see me when I stopped over there." She began rocking back and forth like a small child. "He's never gonna forgive me for this. He's never gonna forgive me. I ruined everything."

"I'm sure you didn't ruin everything, honey. It'll take Angel a few days to cool down," her mother reassured. "Then things will be back to the way they used to be."

"But I *did* ruin everything!" Buffy exclaimed. "Don't you get it? Tonight was supposed to be special. Graduation."

"Graduation is a special occasion. I know that."

A fresh stream of tears poured down her cheeks. "Not just because of graduation. Tonight was *our* night. We'd been planning it for months. It was supposed to be tonight."

"What was?" Looking at the sorrow and loss in Buffy's green eyes, Joyce finally understood what tonight would have been. "Oh. I'm sorry, Buffy. I didn't realize."

"It was going to b-be perfect," she sobbed into her hands. "He got reservations at this beautiful hotel in L.A.. And I bought a-a…a nightgown I knew he'd love. We were going to make love for the first time and now it'll never happen."

Joyce took her crying daughter in her arms. "Sure it will. You just have to be patient and things will work out for the best. If it's meant to be, you two will get through it. It may not happen overnight, so you'll need to be patient."

Buffy looked up, gazing at her mother. "What if it doesn't happen? What if Angel doesn't ever want to speak to me again? How will I go on?"

"Don't think like that. Be more positive. Just remember that Angel loves you and that everything happens for a reason." \\

Gracie's cries woke Buffy from her nap. Jumping out of bed, she groggily padded into the nursery with Brandy silently following her. She picked up her crying daughter, holding her to her breast.

"You were right, Mom," she said. "Everything *does* happen for a reason."

"Wah!"

Through the baby monitor sitting on the bedside table, Buffy and Angel woke up to the sound of their daughter's crying. Neither one of them made a move to get off the bed, despite the consistent piercing cry.

"How long before she starts sleeping through the night?" Angel questioned with a loud yawn.

"Not soon enough," Buffy answered. "I think we have a few more months left to go until we're out of the woods. I'll take care of it this time."

Her words weren't very convincing to Angel as he watched her pull the comforter over her shoulders. "Just stay there, Buffy. I'll see what's wrong with the baby."

"I'm getting up. Really."

Too late. Angel was already climbing out of bed. "Sleep. You're home with Gracie all day long. Go back to sleep, you deserve it."

"Thank you. If she's hungry there are bottles of breast milk in the fridge," she informed him, closing her eyes again.

'God, I hope she's not hungry,' he thought as he made his way across the hall to the baby's nursery. 'Maybe she's only wet and all she needs is to have her diaper changed. That way I'm done in five minutes.' He groaned when he reached Gracie's room; the cries got louder the closer he got to her. "What's the matter, pumpkin?" he asked, picking her up from her crib. When all he got was another sob in response, Angel shook his head. "I should have known better than to think you'd actually answer me. Are you wet?"

Probing his fingers inside the diaper, Angel was greeted with nothing but dry cotton. "Well, I guess that answers my question. You must be hungry then. Figures. Why is it that every time your mom gets up you're wet, but when I get up you're hungry? Is it some kind of conspiracy, Gracie?"

He carried her out to the kitchen, careful not to trip over anything in the process. The last thing he wanted to do was wake her up even more by turning on the lights. In almost complete darkness, he found his way to the refrigerator and reached for one of the bottles Buffy left in there. The sound of the microwave door being closed after he'd put the bottle inside caused the baby to resume her crying.

"Everything sets you off, doesn't it?" he commented, a sarcastic edge to his voice. "Okay, okay. Will you quiet down if I sing to you? It's worth a shot. Hush, little baby, don't say a word. Daddy's gonna buy you a mockingbird. And if that mockingbird don't sing, Daddy's gonna buy you a diamond ring. And if that diamond ring don't shine, Daddy's gonna buy you…"

Angel didn't know the rest of the words. 'Dammit!' he swore. "Let's try something different, something your dad knows the words to. Twinkle, twinkle little star, how I wonder what you are. Up above the world so high, like a diamond in the sky–"

The buzzer for the microwave went off, letting him know the bottle was finished being heated. Taking it out, he tested it on his hand. Pleased with the temperature, he put it in his daughter's mouth.

"Chow down, chubby," he joked when Gracie greedily began drinking.

He walked into the living room and sat down in the reclining chair facing the gardens, gently rocking back and forth. Holding the bottle in his hand for Gracie, Angel closed his eyes and felt himself drifting off to sleep.

// "I got it, Buffy!" Angel called when he heard a knock on the back patio door. "It's probably my mom dropping off more clothes for Gracie."

"Okay. Tell her I'll be out as soon as I'm done with diaper duty," Buffy replied.

Taking a deep breath, he opened the doors expecting to find his mother waiting on the other side. Who he found instead enraged him. "What the hell are you doing here?" he demanded.

"I've come for what's mine," Griffin Montgomery stated.

"Get out. Get off my property before I call the police," threatened Angel. "I mean it."

From the baby's nursery, Buffy could hear her husband's raised voice. Picking up her daughter, she went to the living room to find out what the problem was. "Angel, what's going on out here?" She stopped dead in her tracks when she saw her ex-husband at the door. "Griffin."

"Give her to me, Brennan. She belongs to me."

"Stay away from Buffy. She isn't your wife anymore. Technically, in the eyes of the law and God, she never was."

Griffin narrowed his eyes, glaring at Buffy and Gracie, who was laying in her arms. "I'm not here for Buffy. What I want is what's rightfully mine. My daughter."

Buffy shook her head. "She's not yours, Griffin. Angel is her father, not you. So just go away. We can pretend you never came here."

"Did you think I'd give up that easily? What do you take me for, some kind of idiot? That kid is mine!"

Pushing Angel out of the way, Griffin barged through the doorway toward Buffy and the baby. Before Buffy had a chance to react, he closed the gap between them and reached for Gracie. Just as he was about to rip her from her mother's arms, Angel grabbed Griffin and yanked him away from the two women.

"You touch them and you're a dead man, Montgomery," Angel said. "Buffy, take Gracie someplace safe."

Nodding her head, Buffy exited the living room, opting for the second floor rather than their bedroom.

"Get your goddamn hands off of me," Griffin ordered. When Angel let him go, he smirked. "Gracie. It's a pretty name."

"I think so. What gives you the right to think you can walk into my home and take my daughter?"

"*Your* daughter? There's just as much of a chance of her being my daughter as there is of her being yours. I don't know if it slipped your mind, beefcake, but I was married to Buffy when that kid was conceived."

"She's mine. You never wanted kids with Buffy, so don't try to claim Gracie as your own. Now get out of my house before you regret ever laying eyes on me. Or my family."

"Sure. Just let me say goodbye to my daughter first."

Not about to let Griffin near his wife and daughter, Angel gripped the back of the other man's neck tightly, pulling him toward the door. "I said get out."

Once he was free of Angel's grasp, Griffin took a swing at him. The punch landed squarely on Angel's chin, knocking him backward from the force of it. Eager for retaliation, Angel fisted his right hand and connected it with Griffin's left eye. Though he'd never been one for violent outbursts, he couldn't stop himself from hitting him. He wasted no time in throwing another one, this time in his wife's ex's stomach.

Lifting Griffin by the collar of his shirt, Angel threw him out the door onto the cement of the patio. "If I catch you within five feet of my home again, I'll get a restraining order."

"This isn't over!" Griffin shouted.

"Yes it is." \\

Angel awoke with a start when he felt a hand touch his shoulder. Looking up, he saw Buffy standing over him. "How long have I been out?" he wanted to know.

"A few minutes, I think. When you didn't come back to bed after ten minutes I started wondering what happened to you. Now I know."

He motioned to the sleeping baby in his arms, the bottle still between her lips. "She was hungry. And tired, too."

Buffy smiled lovingly at him. "So were you, apparently."

"A little." He paused for a moment, recalling the dream he'd just had. "Buffy, I had a dream just a couple minutes ago. I dreamt that Griffin came here and tried to take Gracie from us."

"Oh."

"It scared me."

"Angel, it was just a dream. Griffin is in jail, he won't be coming anywhere near us for a very, very long time. Come on, let's go back to bed."

Angel shook his head. "No. He's going to get out someday. And when he does, he'll want revenge, I just know it. If he finds out about Gracie and does the math, he might just take her. I couldn't stand it if that happened."

"It won't. You're worrying for nothing."

"You don't know that for a fact. Buffy, I want to have the paternity test done. I want – no, I need – to know if Gracie is my biological daughter. It's the only way I can protect her; protect us."

"Is that what you really want? I mean, think about it, Angel."

"I have. And yes, I do want it. I want to find out as soon as possible."

"How are things down in Sunnydale?" Alexis asked her younger brother several weeks later. She'd given him a call after returning home from work in hopes of catching up on the local gossip.

"It's going okay, nothing too exciting going on. You know not much happens in a one Starbucks town like Sunnydale. Spike has been seeing Harmony Kendall, a girl I used to go to high school with. They're a match made in heaven, let me tell you. And Xander's wife just found out she's pregnant," Angel informed her.

Alexis raised her eyebrows upon hearing the unexpected news. "You've got to be kidding me. Anya is having a baby? That will be one screwed up kid."

"You sound like Buffy. Anya isn't bad. I don't know why the two of you don't like her."

"Something about her just rubs me the wrong way. Maybe it's because she doesn't think before she speaks, I don't know."

He shook his head. His sister sounded exactly like his wife. "Well, I'm happy for them. Xander has wanted kids for a long time."

"Just like another young man I know," she commented. "How is fatherhood treating you?"

"It's going great. I'd very much recommend it." Cradling the cordless phone between his head and shoulder, Angel carried Gracie over to her baby swing and gave it a gentle push.

"Thanks, but I've already got two rugrats of my own. No recommendations are necessary. Is Buffy coping well with the baby?"

"Yeah, she doesn't complain about it at all. Having a baby is something she wanted more than anything. I'd let you talk to her but she's in the shower right now. After being with Gracie all day by herself I like to give her an hour or so of alone time."

Alexis found herself amazed at what a caring husband her brother turned out to be. "I envy Buffy, and you can tell her that. Brad never did what you're doing. Trust me, she appreciates the time away from the baby, no matter how much she loves her."

"You don't have to tell me," Angel agreed. "She thanks me every night."

"Tell me, how is my little niece? Walking by now, I bet."

He laughed at his sister's joke. "Walking? Yeah right. She's only two months old, Lexie. Right now, I'd settle for her sleeping through the night. But you wouldn't believe how big she's gotten; you'd hardly recognize her. Gracie has this tuft of curly brown hair that sticks up like a corkscrew, and green eyes just like Buffy. She's going to be beautiful."

"I don't doubt it. That kid has some great genes."

"Yep." He gave the baby swing another push, eliciting a tiny giggle from Gracie. "Speaking of genes, Buffy and I decided to have the paternity test done."

Alexis did not respond right away. "Really? I thought the two of you didn't want to know."

"Buffy wanted the decision to be mine. She said it was a choice made out of concern for me and my feelings. And I wasn't ready to find out until now."

"What changed your mind?"

"A dream I had about two weeks ago. Her ex-husband Griffin showed up at the house and wanted to take Gracie away from us. Even though it was just a dream, it scared the hell out of me. I mean, it could actually happen. And I don't want to take that chance. So we had the test taken a few days later."

She digested the information, imagining the hell her brother must be going through awaiting the results. "I don't want to sound rude or bitchy or pessimistic, Angel, but what if the tests show that you aren't Gracie's biological father? What will you do?"

"Nothing. I consider her to be my daughter no matter what a stupid blood test tells me."

"Then why have it done?" she questioned. "Ignorance is bliss as they say."

"Not in this case, Lexie. I'm not doing it for me; this is for Gracie. Griffin may not have known Buffy was pregnant but that does not mean he won't find out eventually. And when or if he does, he could easily do the math and figure out that he might possibly be her father. I don't want to take that chance with my daughter. I hope you understand that."

"I do. You have more courage than I do."

"No, it has nothing to do with courage. It's about me loving and wanting to protect my family."

Buffy swallowed hard as she and Angel entered the doctor's office, holding Gracie in her arms. Today would be the day they would find out if he was her baby's father.

"The doctor will be right with you," the nurse told them.

"Thank you," Angel replied.

'How can he be so calm and cool and collected?' Buffy wondered. 'I feel like I'm going to throw up the last three meals I ate.' "We can still back out of this, Angel."

"We've already come this far, Buffy. I want to find out. Don't you?"

She nodded. "Yeah, I do. But I'm afraid, too. What if it doesn't turn out the way we want it to?" she asked fearfully.

"Then we go on the way we have been. I'm not going to love you or Gracie any less if she's not my biological daughter. I'll still be her father in every sense of the word."

"I love you."

"I love you, too."

As they were leaning in for a kiss, Dr. Valenti entered the room. "I hope I'm not interrupting a private moment."

Buffy looked up in embarrassment. "No. Hi, Dr. Valenti."

"Hi, Buffy, Angel. How are you doing today?" she wanted to know.

"Very nervous," Buffy answered.

Dr. Valenti held the envelope containing the results in her hand. "Yes, I'm sure you are. Why don't we get right down to business. Are you ready for the results?"

Angel gripped Buffy's free hand. "As ready as we'll ever be."

"Good." She opened the envelope, reading it over. Looking at the family in front of her she grinned. "Congratulations, Angel. You're the father."

"I am?" he asked incredulously.

"To an accuracy of ninety-nine point nine percent."

Closing his eyes and sighing with relief, Angel hugged his wife. "Thank God."

"I will give you a couple minutes." The doctor left the room.

"I can't believe it," he said. "She's my daughter."

Feeling her eyes burn with tears, Buffy rested her head on his shoulder.

"I always knew, Angel. In my heart, I always knew. It was always you."

The End