All week, Buffy had bustled around, getting things ready. Giles was far too unskilled to be of much help putting the baby furniture together, so Buffy and Angel had spent several days setting up the nursery's furniture. Buffy had gotten together the few baby clothes Joyce had purchased, and put them away. Then Joyce had given her a list of other essential baby clothes she'd need, along with diapers, bottles, and other supplies. The week had gone by quickly, but Angel was sure Buffy had everything perfect, despite his pleas that she take it easy.

Checking his watch, Angel saw it was a quarter after nine. Buffy and Giles had to get dressed and make the final preparations for the homecoming in time for Giles to pick Joyce and the baby up at the hospital at half past twelve.

Reluctantly, he shook both their shoulders. They both stirred awake, Giles leaned forward and pulled off his glasses, rubbing his eyes. Buffy stretched and yawned. "Angel? I thought you went back home?"

Angel smiled at her confusion. "I did... last night. It's Friday morning, I came to help you get ready for the welcome home party."

"Oh yeah." Buffy yawned again.

Giles looked at his watch. "Oh dear, I have to leave to pick Joyce and Tobias up in about two and a half hours!"

"We still have to get the food ready for the party." Buffy told him.

"Don't worry, between the three of us, we can do it. You two go take your showers and get dressed, I'll..."

"We need vegetables chopped." Buffy suggested.

"You got it." Angel smiled.

"Thanks sweetie." Buffy purred as she stood up and kissed him softly on the lips.

As she headed up the stairs, Giles arose from the couch. "Yes, thank you Angel."

"No problem."

"Oh, Angel, wait until you get to hold him! He's so perfect!" Buffy grinned as she finished frosting the cake and handed him the knife she'd used.

Angel dunked the knife in the sink and began washing it as Buffy put the cake in the refrigerator.

"You know... It makes me even more excited for when our baby comes." She smiled as she cuddled up against him.

Angel leaned down to kiss her. They wrapped their arms around each other and kissed more deeply.

"All right, break it up you two! Now! We're going to have a kid here, this is not time for another porno from you two!" Xander teased as he and Cordelia walked into the kitchen.

His girlfriend smacked him in the arm. "Is everything ready? It's getting close to one so your mother and Giles should be getting here soon."

Buffy reluctantly pulled away from Angel. "Yeah, except Willow and Oz still aren't here."

"Well, they should be here soon." Cordelia replied, then held up some gifts. "What should I do with these?"

"Oh, we're putting the presents in the living room. I'll show you where." Buffy told her, leading the taller girl out of the kitchen.

They two males exchanged dirty looks before following the girls.

"Buf-fy, what kind of cake did you bake?" Xander asked, in his most annoying voice.

"Yellow with chocolate frosting."

"Ooh... yummy!" Xander grinned, rubbing his hands together.

Buffy ignored him, Cordelia rolled her eyes, and Angel flopped down on the couch. "Buffy, sit down and relax for a minute... remember not to overdo it."

"Yeah, Buffy, remember the icky time you had to go to the stinky hospital and get stitches and all?" Cordelia added.

Sighing, Buffy sat down next to Angel, only to have Cordelia and Xander sit on the other side of her.

"We were wondering if you two had picked names for your baby?" Cordelia asked, a mischievous grin on her face.

"We've been to busy with the wedding. Besides, I'm not due until December." Buffy replied, laying her head against Angel's chest.

"I'll let Buffy pick them, and give my input when necessary." Angel added.

Buffy smiled sweetly at him. "You're so great! I really haven't thought about it much. I do have a few girls' names I like, for instance, Colby or Caylee or maybe Samantha. But I didn't put a lot of thought into it."

"We can help!" The other couple chimed together.

Buffy and Angel exchanged cautious looks before looking at the other two.

Cordelia waved her hand in the air. "Those names are *okay*, but you need something that will really stick out. Nothing very common and... something regal. I'll let you use *my* name if you like. Wouldn't Cordelia be a great name for their baby, Xander?"

Xander waved her off. "You need boy names. I bet you'll have a boy. Did you know Alexander means 'defender of men'? I couldn't think of a better name for your baby!"

"It does?" Buffy replied, genuinely interested. Angel nudged her. "Oh, well, that's cool, but we're not sure if we want to... um..."

She was saved by the sound of the doorbell.

"Willow! It's probably Willow and Oz!" Buffy told them all, jumping up and rushing towards the door. Xander and Cordelia took off after her.

"You won't name the baby Willow if it's a girl, right?"

"Or if it's a boy? He'll hate you for naming him after that midget from that movie!"

Angel took a deep breath. It was going to be a *long* afternoon.

Willow and Oz came in, successfully distracting Cordelia and Xander enough to keep Buffy and Angel off the hotseat. A few moments later, Joyce walked in the front door, holding Tobias in her arms, and followed by Giles carrying her bag.

The girls ran to see the baby, while the guys hung back. Giles set the bag down near the stairs and joined Angel, Xander, and Oz in the living room.

"I've never been so nervous in a car. I was worried someone might hit us and I'd have to bring the baby right back to the hospital." Giles told them as he pulled out a handkerchief and wiped the sweat from his brow.

Oz and Xander gave him a supportive smile while Angel had a shocking dose of reality. That would be him in six months, a real father, with a real baby that could get hurt. Feeling like Giles looked; he plopped back down on the couch as the other guys sat down as well.

The girls passed the baby around for a few minutes before placing him in the bassinet Buffy had set up in the living room. Joyce sat on the couch as the rest of the girls went and got the little sandwiches, chips, vegetables, and drinks that Buffy and Angel had prepared.

Xander brightened as soon as he saw the girls carry out the food. As they ate, Giles explained to Buffy that the doctor had given him a big speech about making sure Joyce and Buffy both relaxed. Angel promised to help force Buffy to relax as much as possible, causing Buffy to roll her eyes.

When they were all done eating, Cordelia and Xander argued whether they should open gifts or eat cake next.

Cordelia won.

Joyce got several cute outfits from Willow and Cordelia, a stuffed doll from Xander, and a toy guitar from Oz. Angel gave her a book of Irish Faerie Tales. Buffy bit her lip and handed her the last gift, the one from her.

Joyce unwrapped and opened the box and gasped. Everyone stared in intrigue as she pulled out a beautiful patchwork quilt. "Oh Buffy... it's beautiful... where did you get it? It looks like your grandmother made it!"

"Oh, she didn't... I did." Buffy replied quietly, a nervous smile on her face.

"*You* made it? I didn't think you knew how to sew!"

"Grandma taught me when she came to visit when I was thirteen, and I called her a few months ago and she talked me through the basics... to jog my memory. You really like it?"

Joyce wiped a tear from her eye. "It's so sweet, honey."

Giles gasped. "Post-partum depression?!"

Everyone, including Angel, laughed at him as Buffy hugged her mother.

"So, did I do good?" Buffy asked Angel as they sat on the couch later that night. After they had opened presents, they had eaten the cake and her friends had gone home. Giles had forced Joyce to go upstairs to rest, and Buffy had forced Giles to go with her, convincing him that she and Angel could take care of the baby.

"You did great. Fabulous, fabulous party." Angel replied, kissing her on the forehead. "Not that I'm surprised. My Buffy is the best at everything. I didn't know you knew how to sew... you'll make a nice little homemaker!"

Buffy playfully jabbed him in the chest. "I *so* don't think so!"

The baby started crying, and Buffy moved over to the bassinet, carefully picking Toby up. "Oh, are you hungry, Toby? Let's go make you a bottle." She said as she walked the baby to the kitchen, then stopped and looked at Angel. "Wanna come with me?"

Angel stood up and smiled. "Of course, I'd follow you anywhere."

The End

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