"Yeah… but what if it's a boy?" Willow asked.

Buffy rolled her eyes. "You are *such* a party pooper."

"Yeah, well I just know that if you bring that home, Riley's going to lecture you. Did you forget you promised not to look at baby clothes?"

Buffy sighed and hung the dress back up. "I know… it's just that when he and I went shopping the other day, he only let me buy some white undershirts and socks. Very boring."

"But just think, in less than a month you will know the sex and you and Riley can have a major shopping spree!" Willow said cheerfully as she half dragged Buffy from the store. It was nearly nine, a week and a half before Christmas, and they were at the mall. There were tons of people and most of them were grumpy and rude. Willow wanted out. "Are you almost done with your shopping?"

"Yeah, I just need one more gift for my mom, but Riley and I have to go to Santa Barbara next weekend to pick it up."

"So you're done?" Willow asked hopefully. She'd only needed a few more things and had finished making her purchases an hour earlier. So if Buffy was done… they could get out of there.

"Yup, I guess." Buffy smiled, apparently unaffected by the chaos around her.

"So we can go home?"

"Jeez, Will… look a little more excited, why don't you.." Buffy teased as she was dragged out the door.

---

Buffy stifled a yawn as Walsh droned on about statistics of success rates of missions, captures of demons and all the other things that so interested her. It was the evening before Christmas Eve and the Initiative was shutting down for the night. There would be a few technicians and soldiers working to observe any supernatural activity and keep the demons they had captured under control, but everyone else would be participating in a Christmas party that night and get the following two days off.

But first, they *all* had to endure the annual review of operations in a staff meeting. Buffy took comfort in the fact that almost everyone looked like they might fall asleep any second now.

Realizing Walsh was winding down, Buffy tuned back in. Sitting straighter in her seat, she hoped and prayed they were almost done. Her stomach was growling and she was bored out of her mind.

"Things will probably be slow around here for the next few weeks. For those of you who haven't been around here for a year yet, for some unforeseen reason there is always very little activity occurring this time of year." Walsh informed everyone. "Still, we will all abide by our schedules and carry our beepers."

Buffy's stomach gurgled loudly and she blushed red, wondering if everyone had heard her. Looking around, she saw that nobody had noticed... until she heard Riley chuckling in the seat beside her. She shot him a look before turning back to Walsh, intent on paying attention.

"Lastly, I have a little announcement about a new addition. Buffy and Riley are expecting their first child in..." Walsh turned to Buffy and gave her a questioning look. "the beginning of May?"

Buffy nodded and smiled. "Just over five more months."

---

Buffy smiled as she watched Riley talking and laughing with his friends. Soon after Walsh's announcement, the meeting had ended and everyone had congratulated the couple. Riley was so proud and excited about the baby… Buffy found it adorable.

"So how are you feeling?" Graham asked as he walked up to her.

"I'm great… really. Riley and I managed to find the perfect apartment with an adorable room to be a nursery. We're moving in next month."

"Are you going to need help?"

"Considering the fact that I doubt Riley will let me lift anything over thirty pounds? I'd say so." Buffy complained, with a grin that belied her disgruntlement. "Besides, I'd have to be nuts not to use the fact that I know quite a few well muscled young men to my advantage. Consider yourself volunteered."

"Sounds fun." Graham smiled. "I'm so happy that you guys are doing so well."

"We really are. We're both… so looking forward to this baby and the trust… it's there. He doesn't give me a look whenever I tell him I'm going somewhere. Sometimes I know he's thinking about… what happened with Angel and I… and I know he still hurts… but I don't know if that will ever go away and at least now it's not destroying us. We're gonna make it, Graham."

"I didn't doubt it for a minute." Graham replied, pulling her into a hug.

"Excuse me, can I cut in here?" Riley asked as he approached them.

The two pulled apart and smiled at him before he pulled Buffy to him and gave her a quick kiss before wrapping his arm around her shoulders.

"So what were you two talking about?" He asked.

"Oh… I was just telling Graham about how excited we are about the baby."

"Yeah… I'm thinking of buying him some sports gear already." Riley joked.

"What if it's a girl?" Graham questioned.

"Graham, this is the 21st century… girls can play sports too."

"Honey, you blew your cover when you referred to the baby as 'him'." Buffy informed him, then smiled at Graham. "Don't even bother trying to remind him it might not be a boy. He's horrible!"

"Oh, and who is the one who wants to buy every baby *dress* in the store?!" Riley laughed.

"Oh shut up!" Buffy replied before pulling him down for another kiss.

Forrest walked up next to Graham. "See, I told you we had no need for mistletoe. Nobody else would want to kiss anyone they got stuck with under it, and these two don't need it."

"You were right. First time for everything." Graham agreed.

Forrest smacked him upside the head. "You know… next year we really need to convince Walsh to have our party in a public place so we can bring chicks and not have to stare at *this* all night."

Buffy and Riley ignored them as they walked away, content in each others arms. It was a night Buffy had feared she would never have. They were so happy together… so in love. It was a dream come true...

---

"Mom, would you please just sit down and eat? Everything is fine!" Buffy pleaded with her mother.

Joyce breezed back into the dining room with a bottle of champagne. "This is it, I promise!"

She set the bottle down on the table and sat back down in her seat to join her daughter and son-in-law for Christmas Eve dinner. While she was preoccupied, Buffy shot Riley a look, knowing she couldn't have any alcohol. They *had* to tell Joyce right away.

"Joyce… would you mind letting me? I have a toast and a little announcement I'd like to make." Riley asked her.

Looking surprised, Joyce nodded and handed him the bottle. Riley gave Buffy a look, as if to say 'go ahead' as he uncorked the champagne.

"Mom… Riley and I have something we've been looking forward to telling you... I'm pregnant."

Riley paid close attention to pouring drinks for himself and Joyce while the couple waited anxiously for Joyce's reaction.

The older woman sat open mouthed for a moment before she laughed. "Pregnant? You're having a baby?"

"Yeah." Buffy smiled.

Joyce stood up moved to Buffy's side, bending over to hug her tightly, before hugging Riley and then hugging Buffy again. Just when Buffy felt she was about to suffocate, Joyce released her and stood with a gleeful grin on her face, her hands clasped together.

"A baby! Oh, this is so exciting! I'm going to be a grandmother! Okay, less exciting... but a baby!"

Buffy and Riley both laughed and nodded, not really knowing what to say; Joyce had reacted just as they had hoped. Looking at one another, Buffy reached under the table and grabbed Riley's hand, tuning out her mother as she fluttered about the room babbling nonsensically about how wonderful this was. All Buffy could see right then was her husband, and all she could feel was how much she loved him.

"You've made me happier than I ever thought possible." Riley told her quietly before leaning over to kiss her deeply.

"Oh, Buffy, we should call your father! Right after we eat!" Joyce said as she sat back down at the table. "Riley, have you told your parents yet?"

Riley looked over at his mother-in-law as Buffy leaned her head against his shoulder. "No, I'm planning on telling them when I give them a call later tonight."

"Oh, they will be so excited!" Joyce gushed as she scooped mashed potatoes out onto her plate. "Do you know when you are due, Buffy?"

"Yeah… the doctor said May 5th." Buffy replied, taking a bite of turkey.

"Oh my goodness! That's almost four months from now!"

"Yeah… she's four and a half months along. We just found out ourselves when she was three months… we wanted it to be our little secret for a while." Riley smiled.

Buffy nodded. "We probably would have told you sooner, but we thought it would be special to tell you tonight."

"Are you showing?" Joyce asked, eyeing Buffy as best she could over the table.

Buffy stood and proudly demonstrated how when she ran her hand over her belly in the concealing black velvet babydoll dress, there was indeed a swell.

"Oh! This is so exciting!" Joyce declared again as tears came to her eyes.

---

With Buffy's much smaller hand clasped firmly in his strong one, Riley led his wife into their darkened apartment. The drive home had been rather quiet as both of them wondered if tonight was 'the night.'

Riley had spent the previous month and a half sleeping in the same bed as Buffy. They had cuddled and kissed... but the last time they had made love was that fateful afternoon that Buffy had worn her new bikini to the jacuzzi. The day their lives had fallen apart.

The day they had conceived their baby.

Buffy was afraid to push Riley, but he honestly seemed to have moved past her affair with Angel and it *was* a special night. She knew she was an adult and she should just ask him... but she was terrified that he would say no.

Riley tried to think of ways to let Buffy know he was in the mood if she was without sounding overly horny. Besides, some pregnant women had no sexual desire. He would hate to make Buffy feel like she *had* to make love to him if she didn't want to.

Once the kitchen light was on, Buffy wrapped her arms around Riley's waist and looked up at him. Riley's arms immediately wound their way around her as he smiled down at Buffy.

Licking her lips nervously, Buffy decided to bite the bullet. "Do you think maybe tonight you would want to… be with me?"

Riley gently stroked her cheek with his fingers. "I would love to."

A smiled spread on Buffy's face before she stood on her tiptoes to plant a kiss on Riley's lips. He deepened the kiss, slipping his tongue inside her welcoming mouth as their hands moved over one another, exploring each other' s backs and buttocks.

Reluctantly, Buffy pulled away and beamed up at him. "It's nine o'clock… isn't that eleven in Iowa? You better call your parents. I need to go change."

Riley sighed dramatically as she headed towards the bedroom. "You're evil."

Buffy just laughed as she shut the door behind her. With a tingle of excitement in her belly, she moved about quickly, pulling the bag from Victoria's Secret out from under the dresser, where she had hidden it a few weeks earlier.

On a day that Riley was out playing basketball, Buffy had gone to the mall, intent on buying a very special surprise for him. She wasn't even sure when she would get to give it to him, so she had made sure to buy something she could wear no matter how big her belly got. Unless her breasts got to be a lot bigger, she would probably be able to wear the black satin bra all throughout her pregnancy, and the matching string bikini panties would be no problem. The only thing she worried about was the black satin robe. It wouldn't be nearly as fun if she couldn't tie it closed, but she really didn 't think she had gotten that much bigger. She had just barely outgrown her jeans less than a month earlier.

---

In the kitchen, Riley dialed the phone, his body abuzz with excitement. He wasn't sure which was exhilarating him more: telling his parents about the baby or the thought that he and Buffy would be making love for the first time in over four months shortly.

"Finn Reserdents."

Riley smiled as he heard his four-year-old niece's voice. "Hi Morgan, do you know who this is?"

Morgan was obviously flustered on the other end of the phone and Riley began to wonder if she was even supposed to pick up the phone; he really didn't want to have to sit there while she tried to figure out what to do.

"Um… Mommy's in the shower."

Riley couldn't help but laugh while someone pulled the phone away from Morgan. A few seconds later, he heard his father's voice.

"Hello?"

"Hey Dad."

"Oh, Riley! Sorry about that, little Morgan is still learning how to use the phone."

"That's okay, she's adorable."

"Yes, she is quite the character. And her sister is turning out just like her." Walter Finn said proudly.

Riley grinned as he listened to his father talk about how he and Riley's mother, Madeline, had taken Morgan and her little sister, Jessica, to McDonald's the other day. Before his older sister, Abby, had become a mother, their phone conversations had been only about the military, finances, and other matters of responsibility. However, once Morgan had been born, Walter often told Riley about trips to the park or an ice cream shop. Riley could tell that he adored his grandchildren and when he found out another was on the way, he would be overjoyed.

At last, Riley's father managed to get his mother on the phone as well, so the three of them could all talk together, as they traditionally did.

They talked about how much they missed each other on Christmas, but Riley vowed that he would keep his promise of spending every other Christmas with them, so he and Buffy would be there the next year. And the baby. But he didn't tell them that. He was trying to find the perfect moment to tell them, but it never seemed to happen. Before he knew it, Buffy was coming out of the bedroom in a black satin robe, her hair down and silky looking... Just the way he liked it.

"Mom, Dad... there's something I need to tell you." He finally said, his throat dry as his eyes devoured Buffy as she leaned against the doorframe and smiled at him.

"What is it Riley? Is there something wrong? Are you ill? Buffy?" his mother asked worriedly.

"Maddy, calm down... Give him a chance." Walter quieted her.

"It's nothing like that." Riley assured her. "I can't think of any great way to say it, so I'll just say it... Buffy's pregnant."

Madeline screamed so loud, Riley wondered if his ear would ever stop ringing. He pulled the phone back and winced, causing Buffy to laugh. Over the next few minutes, Riley answered questions from his extremely happy parents, promising to try to go home with Buffy for their big anniversary party the next month.

Eventually, Buffy got on the phone and grinned as she talked to her in-laws, assuring them that she was taking good care of herself and was letting Riley pamper her while Riley stood behind her with his arms around her, nuzzling her hair.

At long last, Buffy hung up the phone and turned around to face Riley. "They're *very* happy."

"Of course they are… Mom has been dreaming of this day since we got married." Riley replied.

Buffy laughed. "It certainly seems so."

Riley dipped his head down to kiss Buffy again. He wanted her so badly, putting all his desire, his love... his *need* into the kiss.

Breathless, Buffy pulled away and smirked at him. "What should we do now?"

"I think I have a pretty good idea." Riley told his wife, his voice heavy with lust.

Taking her hand, he led Buffy into the living room and had her sit on the couch. Kneeling in front of her, he brought her hand to his mouth to place soft kisses on her palm, over her fingers, and up to her wrist. Buffy closed her eyes and sighed as she felt his soft lips brushing over her skin.

After a few moments, he pulled back and gazed lovingly up at her, his eyes dark with desire. "How about I build us a fire?"

Buffy chuckled and nodded her head as she watched him get up and walk a few feet over to the fireplace to hit a switch. Within seconds, there was a flame burning the faux wood in the hearth.

Soon after moving in, they had noticed their high tech fireplace turned on with the flick of a switch. The wood wasn't real, but was instead a poly-something or other that they could use over and over again. Even if they wanted to change it, the glass covering the hearth made it difficult. Luckily southern California wasn't known for it's cold weather, because it really wasn't a source of heat.

However, it *was* romantic.

After Riley had turned the fire on, he grabbed the quilt from the back of the couch and lay it out on the floor. Buffy got up from the couch and knelt down on the blanket as Riley pulled off his shoes. He soon joined her, kissing her passionately as they wrapped their arms around each other. Together, they pulled Riley's sweater over his head and Buffy scraped her nails gently over his chest.

Pulling away for a second, Riley pulled off his pants and socks, leaving him in only his boxers. He moved back to his wife, smiling down at her as he caressed her cheek with the back of his hand.

"I feel underdressed now."

Buffy chuckled and brushed her lips over his. "We can't have that, now can we?"

Riley moaned softly and kissed her back. "No… I'll have to do something about that."

He slipped his tongue inside Buffy's mouth as his hands worked the tie of Buffy's robe. The loose knot quickly came undone, allowing the smooth material of the robe to open and expose to him what she wore underneath.

Buffy held her breath, wondering how Riley would react. The last time he had seen her body this much had been the time they had made their baby. She looked different now… and she was a bit afraid of Riley's reaction. He would never say anything, of course, but if he looked grossed out or unattracted… her heart would break for sure.

Pulling back, Riley slowly pushed the material over her shoulders, allowing it to slip off her body and pool on the floor. He allowed his eyes to lower, gazing appreciatively at her full breasts, encased so tight and beautifully in the satin bra… down to her stomach… her swollen stomach.

Riley gasped and place his hand carefully over her belly, as though afraid she could easily break. He lost all focus on making love as he became mesmerized by the sight of her growing with their child. She had a long way to go to be big… but she had always been so tiny… so to see even the smallest swell was breathtaking.

A smile spread on Buffy's face as she watched Riley move his hand gingerly over her stomach. She couldn't see his face very well, but she could tell her husband was awed by the evidence of their baby growing inside her by his little gasps and chuckles.

After a few moments of letting Riley revel in the sight of her growing belly, Buffy began to get a bit impatient. She had grown to miss him in the past few months. She didn't want to have to wait five more minutes.

"Riley… don't forget about me..."

Looking up, he smiled as he saw her passion-filled eyes. Leaning over to brush his lips against hers, Riley moved his hands around her waist and held her closer to him. "I could never forget about you… you consume my every thought."

Buffy chuckled. "I like that."

"Yeah? I have other things you might like even more."

"Is that so?" Buffy played along.

With mock seriousness on his face, Riley nodded. "Why don't I show you?"

"I think you'd better."

Gently, Riley pushed her back down onto the quilt and lay down on his side next to her. He caressed the side of her face softly with the back of his hand, smiling as she closed her eyes and moved her face into his hand, like a kitten. At an almost torturously slow pace, he moved his hand down, over her throat to her collarbone and over to her shoulder. Smoothly, he slid her bra strap over her shoulder and kissed the soft skin he had bared.

He repeated his actions on her other shoulder before moving his fingers to the clasp of the bra, nestled between her breasts. Expertly, Riley opened the bra, allowing her breasts to spill from their swollen confines.

"You're so beautiful." He whispered before lowering his mouth to suckle one of her nipples, which was already hardening merely from the excitement Buffy was feeling.

Moaning, she entwined her fingers in his hair and held his head to her, arching her back to increase the contact between her breast and his mouth. Riley studiously nipped and licked at her nipple, while moving his hand to it's twin, not wanting it to be neglected.

Buffy was overcome with an intense desire, almost out of her mind in need. As Riley's mouth pleasured her, Buffy hands moved over his bare back, scratching at his smooth skin. Slowly, his hands eased down her sides, making her skin break out in gooseflesh as he grazed over it with his fingertips.

Riley lifted his head and looked down at Buffy's face as he hooked his hands in the sides of her panties. Her eyes were half closed, and he could tell even in the firelight that her face was flushed with desire. Riley could see that her breathing was heavier and more labored in between her gasps and moans of pleasure.

Pulling her panties down her thighs, Riley placed soft kisses over her swollen belly, feeling a surge of male pride once again at the evidence of her pregnant with the child they had created. Once he had removed the last article of clothing from her body, Riley felt himself being pulled back up so he was face to face with Buffy.

"Oh God, Riley… I need you." She pleaded as she pulled his head down to kiss her.

Riley kissed her back, pouring all his love and lust for her into it. Buffy 's small hands began pushing at the waistband of his boxers and Riley appeased her, pulling them off his body. His fingers moved between her legs to her aching center. Smiling at the wetness he encountered, he slipped between her lower lips to explore her more thoroughly.

Buffy arched her back and gasped as Riley lightly stroked his finger over her distended clit. However, as Buffy began to plead for him to increase the pressure, he moved his finger to stroke the rest of her sopping center. As she begged incoherently, Riley chuckled and slid his finger inside her. She was so wet, he was able to add a second finger quickly.

Moving his fingers in and out of her, Riley moved his thumb to her clit to carefully apply the slightest amount of pleasure. Buffy's hands clutched his shoulders as she moaned and whimpered.

"Please… please… please... harder… just a little harder.." She hissed through her teeth as he fingers tightened on him.

Riley knew she was extremely close to coming and felt a moment of compassion, deciding to give her release. A third finger joined the other two as he increased the pace of his thrusting. He pressed his thumb against her harder, skillfully manipulating her sensitive nubbin to push her over the edge.

Buffy arched up as she cried out in orgasm. Riley slowed his movements, but never stopped, as he looked down at her lovingly, reveling in the beauty that was Buffy in climax.

As Buffy's breathing evened, Riley positioned himself carefully above her, even more afraid of crushing her than he had been before. Buffy found his paranoia at putting the baby at risk adorable and smiled lazily up at him, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him down for a kiss.

"I love you." She whispered against his lips.

Riley smiled and kissed her once more. "I love you too… are you sure you want to do this?"

Buffy rolled her eyes playfully and laughed. "If you don't take me now… I might have to kill you."

"Can't have that, now can we?" Riley teased as he rubbed the head of his erection against her slit. Slowly, he eased his way inside her tight heat, sliding inside her and hissing at the feeling.

Beneath him, Buffy's lips twisted into a smile, even as tears spilled from his eyes. Her hand shaking, she reached up and caressed the side of Riley's face as he slid slowly in and out of her.

Seeing his wife in such a state alerted Riley and he stilled. "Baby, are you okay? Am I hurting you? We can stop!"

Buffy shook her head and smiled up at him. "I'm just… it feels wonderful, Riley… and I missed you so much… and my hormones are going crazy."

Relieved, Riley laughed along with her before dipping his head down to kiss her. Propping himself up on his arms again, he resumed slowly sliding in and out of her. She felt heavenly, he had almost forgotten *just* how magical it felt to make love to his wife.

After a few moments, both felt their need for one another grow more urgent. Buffy bent her knees to help him move deeper inside of her. Riley groaned, slamming harder inside of her.

Buffy's hands moved to his back so that she could scratch him again, knowing that it always drove him crazy. She wrapped her legs around his waist, gasping at the new angle it created. It felt so good, feeling him inside her, completing her.

Riley knew he was close, he could feel the pressure building. One look at Buffy's face, to see the fine line of sweat coating her skin, the look of pleasure on her face as she bit her bottom lip… he knew she was close too.

He moved his face down to hers, placing a soft kiss on her lips, then repeated the action over her face and down to her neck. As he suckled the tender skin he found there.

Almost immediately, Buffy cried out, her vaginal walls clamping down on his erection and she climaxed for the second time that night. Moaning words of passion, she clutched Riley's upper arms as if her life depended on it.

Riley's hips pistoned quicker against her as he felt his own orgasm approaching rapidly. With a shout of his own, he came, spilling his seed deep inside Buffy as she lay on the quilt, recovering from her own release.

Collapsing on his back, Riley moved Buffy so that she was half on top of him. They both were silent for a while, catching their breath and calming down. Riley's hand drew lazy circles on Buffy's back while she did the same on his chest.

"That was so perfect, Riley."

Riley nodded and smiled. "Absolute bliss. I don't know how I managed to go without you for so long."

"Just don't do it again." She smiled, then yawned.

"I promise I never will." He swore, lifting his head to look down at her as he stroked her hair. "Go to sleep, Baby."

Her eyes heavy as exhaustion took over her body, Buffy simply nodded and lay her head against his chest. Within moments, Riley felt her steady breathing and knew she was asleep.

He stayed there for a little while longer, just enjoying the way he felt right then. All was right in his world. He was with the woman he loved more than anything on Earth, and they were going to have a baby. Perfection.

So why was there a nagging feeling in his gut?

Shrugging it off, since Riley was never one to take strange feelings too seriously, he carefully got up so that he wouldn't wake Buffy. When he was sitting and saw that she was still sleeping, he stood and wrapped the quilt around her, before carefully carrying her to the bedroom.

Slipping on a pair of pajama bottoms, Riley headed back out to the living room. He had work to do for Buffy's surprise the next day.

---

Buffy moaned as she slowly came awake. Opening her eyes, she saw Riley smiling down at her before he bent his head to place a soft kiss on her arm. The previous night's events came rushing back to her and Buffy returned the smile.

"Merry Christmas, Sleepyhead." He greeted softly before moving his mouth to hers.

"Mmm.. Merry Christmas." She replied.

"Come on, time to get up." Riley ordered as he got out of bed and grabbed Buffy's robe.

Buffy groaned and looked at the clock beside the bed. "Riley, it's only eight, why do we have to get up now?"

"Because we have to see what Santa left!" He replied, a mischievous grin on his face.

Buffy looked surprised for a second and opened her mouth to say something before thinking better of it. She sat up and took her robe from Riley. Once she had it on and tied around her waist, Riley lead her out into the living room.

Under the small tree they had purchased a few days before, there were quite a few presents. There had already been some, but Buffy saw that Riley had added several more while she'd been sleeping.

On the fireplace, she saw that Riley had hung the stocking she had filled for him and set where he couldn't see until Christmas morning, when he was allowed to retrieve it. He had also hung a stocking for her and a new one, with no name as of yet. In front of the fireplace sat a few boxes that held dolls and other toys.

"Oh my..." Buffy gasped.

Riley shrugged and smiled shyly at her. I sort of got excited about the baby."

Grinning, Buffy planted a kiss on his lips before tugging him to sit on the floor so that they could open their presents to each other and for the baby.

---

"What are you thinking about?"

"Next Christmas."

Buffy turned her head to give her husband a strange look as he rested comfortably in his position behind her on the couch. "Why are you doing that?"

Chuckling, Riley squeezed her gently with his arms that were wrapped around her chest. "I'm just thinking about how we'll be next Christmas. The baby will be almost eight months old… we'll be in Iowa and staying in a house with a ton of people… there will be snow…"

"You can't wait." Buffy interjected.

"You got it." He replied, kissing her cheek. "Don't get me wrong… I love being here with you… it's just that I get homesick sometimes."

Buffy nodded and patted his thigh. "I know… but don't worry… we'll get to go see your parents in less than a month."

Riley grinned as he felt a surge of excitement. "It's going to be so much fun. Everyone is going to be so psyched about the baby and all my aunts and uncles will be there… I can't wait."

Buffy felt happy knowing how blissful Riley was. He was always so relaxed and he seemed almost… younger… when he was with his family. "It'll be a blast."

He took her hand in his and kissed her palm. "This is definitely one of the best Christmas' of my life."

Buffy felt a pang in her chest as memories involuntarily swarmed inside her head. It had been six years since the Christmas on the hilltop with Angel, and each year the memories of that were in the back of her mind.

Try as she might, she couldn't make them go away.

"You okay?"

Buffy was startled out of reverie by Riley looking down at her, concern etched on his face. She had never told him what had happened that one Christmas, and she had no desire to confess when their relationship had so recently almost fallen apart because of her relationship with the vampire.

"Nothing… just tired." She told him.

"It *is* getting late… we better get to bed."

Buffy nodded and slowly got up from the couching, reaching out a hand to pull her husband up. "I can't believe you bought all those toys for the baby."

Riley grinned. "I was excited. Wait until we find out if it's a boy or a girl… then I will really go nuts."

Buffy returned the grin as she wrapped her arm around his waist and the two of them walked to the bedroom. "Can't wait."

---

"Riley, would you stop? You're starting to make *me* nervous too now."

"I'm sorry, but I can't help it!" Riley sighed as he paced back and forth through the hospital room, waiting for the sonographer.

"Well, I can help not peeing, so you can help not pacing!" She told him, sighing as she fidgeted with the hospital gown.

All morning, the both of them had been very excited about Buffy's doctor's appointment when they would get to find out if it was a boy or a girl. However, after arriving at the hospital, Riley had become increasingly nervous and Buffy had been ordered to drink a ton of water to fill her bladder up so that the baby would be easier to see.

Riley turned and looked at his wife, surprised at the way she had growled at him. Realizing it was one of what would probably be many mood swings, he calmed himself for her sake. No need upsetting her.

Just then, a middle-aged woman came in with Buffy's charts in her hand. "Hi, you must be the Finns. "I'm Brenda Richards, I'll be doing your sonogram today."

Buffy lay back on the examining table so that Brenda could apply jelly to her abdomen. Riley moved back next to his wife to grasp her hand while they looked at their baby once again.

A moment later, they could see their baby on the screen. Buffy smiled and squeezed Riley's hand as they waited with bated breath. The sonographer looked over the baby for a bit, making sure everything was okay and making little comments, before she quieted down and looked more closely.

Nodding, she looked up at the couple and smiled. "Well, I am 99% sure that you can paint the nursery blue."

"It's a boy?" Riley asked, his heart racing a mile a minute.

The woman nodded. "I watched closely and definitely saw two legs and then something else that I would be shocked to find out isn't a little penis."

Buffy laughed and looked up at her husband. "A boy!"

Elated, Riley dipped his head down to kiss his wife as the sonographer cleaned up. He was going to have a little boy around to teach baseball and driving and the way to treat a woman... It was so exhilarating.

"Congratulations… oh, and make sure you set up an appointment for next month." Brenda reminded them as she headed towards the door.

"We will… thank you." Buffy replied, before once again focusing her attention on Riley. "Now we *have* to go shopping for clothes. We can buy blue rompers and little sneakers and caps and all that."

Riley nodded, unable to wipe what had to be the goofiest grin off his face. "I love you."

"I love you too." She replied, then pushed herself up into a sitting position. "And now I *must* pee!"

As Buffy rushed to the bathroom attached to the exam room, Riley leaned against the table and sighed. Could he be any happier?

*

"I just… I can't believe it, you know?" Buffy ranted as she stuck her fork in her tortellini bruschette and popped the first bite of it in her mouth. "Ooooh... This is so good!"

Giles smiled at her exclamation. "Well, Buffy… as much as I hate to say it, and you *know* I do… Maggie Walsh is right. There *is* a first time for everything."

Buffy rolled her eyes. Giles would never stop despising her boss, she was sure of it.

"You have to put the baby first. I think that monitoring the missions and worrying about Riley's safety is far too stressful for you right now."

"But it's my *job*!" Buffy protested.

"Well, think of it this way. Being a mother is now your job as well, correct? So, you will have to juggle motherhood and your work with the Initiative from now on. Sometimes that will mean putting one before the other. So what is more important to you, your duty to keep your son healthy or your duty to observe the missions and over help?"

"Well… when you put it that way." Buffy pouted; she hated being wrong.

Giles smiled lovingly at the young woman he considered his surrogate daughter. It was so rare that they got any amount of time to talk as of late. He knew not to take offense to it; she had a husband, a career and a son on the way. Giles took comfort in the knowledge that they were still close. After all, she had confided in him about what had happened with Angel five months earlier, and he had been a shoulder to cry on many times.

"Are you all packed for the trip?" He asked, referring to the fact that she and Riley were leaving the next morning for his family's home in Iowa.

Buffy nodded. "I did it yesterday. You know how Riley gets before a trip. Now he can't drive me crazy."

"Oh?"

"Okay, he still drives me crazy, but at least I don't have to worry about packing!" Buffy grinned.

Giles returned the smile as he took a bite of his own dinner. He had to admit, Buffy had chosen a good restaurant for him to take her to for an early birthday dinner, since she would be spending her actual birthday in Iowa, three days later.

"You're happy."

Buffy smiled up at him. "Completely."

"Good… because if things had kept up the way they had before you found out you were pregnant… I would have had to *kill* Riley."

Buffy looked down and sighed. She knew Giles hadn't meant to upset her, but she hated thinking about the state of her life a mere three months earlier.

"You know, this will be your first birthday in seven years that I won't see you at all." Giles mused. "However, I am very happy that you get to spend the day with your in-laws, I am sure they are overjoyed about the baby. Riley's mother told me at your *wedding* how she was looking forward to you and Riley starting a family."

Buffy felt herself get misty eyed and put a hand to her chest. "Giles, don' t do that to me!"

Chuckling, Giles smiled apologetically. "I'm sorry… hormones?"

Buffy nodded before shoving more pasta in her mouth, fully recovered.

"Perhaps to make up for it, I should give you your birthday present?" He teased, delighting in the grin that spread on Buffy's face as she nodded enthusiastically. She was nearly twenty-four years old, but as excited as a five year old about getting presents.

Reaching into the pocket of his jacket that hung on the back of his chair and pulled out a black velvet jewelry box. Waiting with bated breath, he watched as Buffy took the box from him and opened it.

Inside the box, Buffy found a beautiful gold locket. Gasping, she looked up at Giles. "It's beautiful!"

Giles shrugged modestly, belying the happiness he felt that she liked what he had chosen.

Buffy carefully opened the locket to find that Giles had placed a picture of the two of them from her wedding day, looking so happy, on one side of the locket, leaving the other side bare.

"Oh, this is so sweet!"

Now, Giles had picked out that picture a week earlier. He had chosen it over dozens. After far too much consideration, he had decided on it and meticulously cut it out to fit in the locket, confident that it looked perfect.

So why did he feel so incredibly self-conscious now, all of a sudden?

"T-the picture was just one I grabbed. It seemed like it would fit well. You don't have to keep it in there… I just wanted to show you."

Buffy smiled at him before getting up and giving him a hug. "I wouldn't take it out for anything. I love it."

"I'm glad... Shall I put it on for you?"

"Yes, please. Buffy replied, turning to aid him in his effort. She felt so blessed, so loved, at that moment. Everything was better between her and Riley… the baby was healthy… her relationship with Giles was perfect… and she was about to visit Iowa, where she adored all of Riley's family.

So why did something feel very wrong?

---

"Oh my goodness! Look at you!"

Buffy and Riley shared amused smiles as Madeline Finn quickly examined her daughter-in-law's swollen abdomen.

"My little grandson!" She marveled, her hands now moving over Buffy's belly.

"See, I told you Buffy… she doesn't even care about *us* anymore!" Riley teased.

Madeline gave her son a mock scolding look before pulling him into a tight embrace. "You are such a brat."

Buffy smiled as she watched Riley get lipstick smeared on his cheeks as his mother gushed all over him. She'd always found his family so endearing. There were so many of them, and even when they fought, it was usually playful. It was a stark difference to her life growing up as an only child of two parents that bickered endlessly. She had rarely seen her extended family, since they had lived so far away.

"I don't know how you put up with him!" Mrs. Finn laughed as she hugged Buffy. "Oh, you're too thin, Buffy. Now once and for all, I am going to put some meat on your bones."

Buffy laughed. "What are you talking about? I'm huge!"

"Oh, it's a bump!" Madeline replied as she gestured to Buffy's stomach. "Wait until four months from now. You won't be able to *move*!"

"Yeah, the doctor said the baby will be tall. He takes after his father." Buffy smiled, looking lovingly at her husband as he took her hand and started leading her through the terminal in the Des Moines International Airport.

"Riley was *9* pounds." Mrs. Finn informed her daughter-in-law. "I swear, he almost tore me in half and I am bigger than you. You poor thing."

Buffy felt the color leave her face. Being the slayer, there wasn't much she was afraid of, and even less that she would admit to. However, labor terrified her and hearing her mother-in-law tell her how painful it was going to be was not a fun thing.

---

"Are you okay?" Riley asked Buffy as she pulled clothes out of one of their suitcases and put it away in the dresser in Riley's old bedroom, as per his mother's insistence.

After their hour long drive home from the airport, the three of them had eaten lunch and the couple had gone upstairs to settle into their bedroom.

"I'm just tired." Buffy replied as she finished unpacking the suitcase and set it on the floor in the closet.

They had gotten up extremely early in the morning in order to make their 6:15 flight. Riley had easily slept on the plane when they flew from LAX to Denver, then again from Denver to Des Moines, but Buffy had never been able to sleep on planes. Add to that the fact that she was easily tired as of late and Riley wasn't surprised that she needed a nap.

"Why don't you lie down and rest? It's only half past two and we won't be heading out for dinner until five-thirty or six. I can wake you up at five so you can get ready." Riley suggested, wrapping his arms around his wife.

Buffy smiled up at him before leaning her head against his chest. "I can't… it would be rude."

"It would not!" Riley argued. "I assure you, my mother wants you to get as much rest is possible to keep her first grandson healthy. I'm *ordering* you to take a nap, so now you don't have to feel bad."

Turning her head up to face him, Buffy rewarded him with another smile. "Love you."

"I love you too." He replied before dipping his head down to kiss her. Leading her to the bed, he helped her lie down and pulled off her shoes before covering her with a quilt that his mother had left at the foot of the bed, in case it got too cold at night. She knew how Buffy was not used to the freezing temperatures that were the norm for January in Iowa, so she would probably need it.

After he placed a soft kiss on her forehead, he pulled back to gaze down at her lovingly. When he saw her sleeping already, he smiled. She was so precious to him.

Quietly, Riley left the bedroom before heading back downstairs to the kitchen where he found his mother looking through a cookbook.

"Buffy was practically dead on her feet so I made her take a nap."

Madeline smiled at him. "Poor thing… she seems so tiny and fragile. However, I have the feeling she's a lot less delicate than one would first assume."

Smiling proudly, Riley sat at the kitchen table. "She's a feisty one, all right."

Grinning giddily, Madeline sat down across from him. "I am so excited about this baby! I mean, I have been ever since you told me, but seeing Buffy… seeing her pregnant… it made it more real. It was an image to grab on to."

"We're both really looking forward to this baby. Just three and a half more months!"

"Have you two considered any names?" She asked.

Riley mentally prepared himself to not commit to any names while not offending his mother. He and Buffy had discussed this soon after finding out she was pregnant and they were going to do their best to not let their family and friends influence them too much. "We haven't really had a chance, with the moving and everything, but we'll get to it soon."

"Riley, you really should make sure you do soon. Before you know it, the little one will be here."

"I know Mom."

"Have you considered naming him Riley Jr.?"

Riley cringed. "We're not naming the baby after anyone. We feel it's only fair to him to give him his *own* name."

"Your father is exactly the same way about that." She sighed.

"Speaking of Dad, how long will it be before he gets home?" Riley asked, a small nervous knot forming in his stomach. His father always managed to make Riley feel like he had the weight of the world on his shoulders, unintentionally. He was sure to have to hear a brand new speech now that he had a baby on the way.

"Oh, he and Uncle Phil should be home within the hour. He was so disappointed that he couldn't come with me to pick you and Buffy up from the airport. But he and Uncle Phil had already made reservations to rent some boat. Ice fishing... ludicrous."

"Oh… that's fine. Besides, you saw Buffy, she's exhausted. Too many people would be overwhelming for her."

"Is she taking it easy, Riley? I know that she has always been so energetic, so it might be hard for her to just relax."

Riley nodded. "She is relaxing. Don't underestimate me Mom. When I set my mind to something, I put my foot down. She's just pregnant and we only got four hours of sleep last night."

"I just wanted to be sure." She smiled at her son. "Especially since we're going out tonight, the five of us. I told you that, right?"

"Yeah... Speaking of, how *did* you manage to get Christian to agree to spend a Saturday night with the family?" Riley asked, amused. His eighteen-year-old brother was at the age where all he wanted to do was hang out with his friends.

"Well, he likes Buffy. Plus, I promised him we would be home by nine so he could still go out with his friends."

"Ah.. bribery. How come you never went for that when I was a teenager?" Riley teased.

"You and your sister wore me out. By the time Christian got rebellious, I got lenient."

"Well, then he owes me." Riley grinned.

Madeline rolled her eyes as she wrote something down on a pad next to the cookbook.

"Planning a meal?" Riley asked hopefully. Nobody could cook like his mother.

"Well, after church tomorrow, I thought it would be fun for the whole family to have a big lunch here. Abby promised to bring Frank and the girls over." Madeline grinned. She loved having her family together.

"Sounds great… are you making potato salad?" He asked eagerly.

Beaming at her boy, Madeline reached over and squeezed his cheeks. "Of course, my baby!"

"Mom!" Riley admonished, pulling away. "I am a grown man."

Hearing a snickering in the doorway, Riley saw his younger brother standing there looking very amused.

"I'm a man now, Mommy!" He mocked, doubling over in laughter.

"Christian!" Madeline scolded, trying not to smile.

"Good to see you're as obnoxious as ever." Riley commented even as he stood up and gave his brother the male version of a hug where the guys just hugged with one arm and patted each other on the back.

"Well, the ladies love me." Christian replied. "Where's Buffy?"

"She's sleeping. Since I got her pregnant and all, she gets tired easily." Riley boasted.

Christian gave him a disgusted look. "You give male pride a bad name."

"Shut up." Riley replied, then smirked at the younger male. "You're jealous."

"Riley, please do not even imply that my teenage son wishes to impregnate anybody." Madeline said as she continued flipping through the cookbook.

The boys grinned at each other, both missing having a brother around.

"Wanna go play my new video game? It might be fun to whip you." Christian taunted his older brother.

"I'd like to see you *try*." Riley replied as he followed the boy to the living room.

---

"Promise to give me a detailed account of Dad's new 'now that you have a son on the way' speech?"

"Why do you *care*?" Riley asked his brother as he focused on playing the video game.

"Dad's speeches always amuse me. Besides, he hasn't given you a new once since you got married, really, so I'm going through a dry spell."

"Well I am glad I can amuse you." Riley replied dryly as his game ended. He could never seem to be as good at these games as he was when he was a teenager.

Christian sighed dramatically. "It's the least you can do."

Hearing the front door open, Riley stood and prepared to face his father. Odds are it was him, and it was always best to be prepared.

His back straight, he walked with focus down the hall and found Walter Finn and his brother, Phil, pulling off their heavy winter coats.

"Hey Dad."

"Riley!" His father greeted before firmly shaking his son's hand. They never hugged.

A moment later, his uncle pulled him into a fierce hug before the three of them headed to the kitchen to get coffee.

"So where is that lovely daughter-in-law of mine?" Walter asked as he poured himself a cup.

"She's taking a nap." Riley answered. "The trip wore her out."

"She's not sick, is she?" Walter asked.

"No… just pregnant." Riley replied, taking a sip on the hot liquid in his own mug.

"It's probably from that apartment living. They are the perfect breeding environments for diseases."

Christian, who was raiding the refrigerator, despite his mother's warnings that they were going out to dinner in a little over an hour, snickered. "Riley, Dad is insinuating your wife got pregnant from the apartment."

Walter shot his son a dirty look. "I was simply suggesting that the apartment is what makes her need to *nap*, Christian!"

"Dad, it's perfectly normal for a pregnant woman to need extra rest." Riley informed his father, knowing that he knew that, and dreading what he knew was coming. Walter believed families needed houses.

"Maybe that's all it is, Riley, but I really think you should consider buying a house…"

"Walter! Leave him alone! He *just* got here!" Madeline scolded him. "Besides, Riley, didn't you say you were going to wake Buffy up at five? It 's ten minutes 'til."

---

As Riley entered the darkened bedroom and turned on a dim light, he smiled down at the sight of his sleeping wife. She looked so peaceful that he almost didn't want to disrupt her.

However, if he didn't give her sufficient time to get ready, she'd kill him.

Sitting down on the bed beside her, Riley tenderly ran the back of his hand over her face. "Buffy… time to get up."

Slowly, Buffy's eyes fluttered open, and she looked up at him. Riley could tell she was a little lost for a moment, before she remembered that they had flown to Iowa that morning.

"Is it five already?" She asked, giving him a smile. "Seems like I just laid down a minute ago."

"It's five… sorry Sweetie. You feel up to a family dinner?"

Buffy nodded as she pushed herself up into a sitting position. "I love family dinners."

"You just love dinners, period." Riley teased, getting a laugh out of her before leaning over and giving her a kiss.

"Mmm… I do." She replied, getting off of the bed.

Smirking, Riley stayed on the bed and watched her open the closet door. "You're so beautiful, do you know that?"

Buffy turned her head to smile at him as she pulled out a jumper. "You wouldn't be trying to seduce me now, would you Agent Finn?"

"Damn… you saw right through me." Riley chuckled.

"So you *were* trying to lure sweet innocent little me into your bed!" Buffy feigned surprise as she moved slowly back over to the bed to kneel on it and scoot on her knees towards her husband.

Their lips met tenderly, full of love and desire, but without any rush. There was no need to hurry. No impending disasters, or ominous threats… just the two of them.

"My God, could you two get a room?"

Slowly, the couple pulled apart and turned their heads to see Christian in the doorway.

"We have a room. You're in it. Go away." Riley glared.

Buffy grinned. "Hey Christian."

The younger boy ignored his brother's menacing looks and walked over to his sister-in-law to give her a hug.

"Should I smack Riley for ruining your girlish figure?" He joked as he sat down on the edge of the bed.

Buffy squeezed her husband's shoulder. "Nah… he's already too big with the expectant father pride."

"I know, I saw some of it earlier. It's got to be one of the most disgusting things I have ever seen." Christian laughed as Riley rolled his eyes.

Buffy kissed Riley's cheek. "I think it's cute."

"Yuck." Christian replied, standing up. "Listen, Dad says we can go as soon as you guys are ready and I am starving… so hurry up!"

Once the teenager had exited the room, closing the door behind him, the couple kissed once again. Riley's fingers ran through Buffy's silky blonde hair as her hands moved over his shoulders.

When breathing became necessary, their lips pulled apart, but Riley leaned his forehead against hers. "What do you say to a quickie?"

Buffy giggled. "Riley… we are in your parents' house… and everyone is *waiting* for us!"

"I'm aware." He replied, squeezing her thigh firmly as his hand explored her flesh. Their lips met again and Buffy lost herself in a haze of desire.

Riley pulled back, ignoring his wife's protests. "What do you say?"

Sighed, Buffy flopped back on the bed. "Make sure you lock the door so Christian doesn't walk in again."

With a victorious grin, Riley slid off the bed and locked the door. Their vacation was off to a *great* start.

---

"I always wanted a little brother."

"You did? Well, maybe your mommy will give you one." Buffy grinned at her four-year-old niece, Morgan, while pretending not to notice the look her sister-in-law gave her.

"Funny, Buffy." Abby commented as she sat down beside her on the couch. "You know she is trying to convince you to give her the baby so that she can give you Jessica right?"

Morgan smiled endearingly. "A little brother won't steal my dollies."

Buffy laughed and rubbed her stomach. "Sorry, Sweetie, but I think Uncle Riley and I are a little too attached to the baby."

"Rats!" The girl sighed before standing up and running towards her father and Uncle Riley as they drank beer and discussed sports across the room. "She said no!"

Buffy rolled her eyes as she watched her husband laugh and pick Morgan up. She couldn't wait until it was their son that was running at the family gatherings.

"Buffy, do you need anything, Sweetheart? Some milk? Maybe cookies?" Madeline asked as she rushed through the room.

"Mother, she is *not* a five-year-old." Abby sighed, then gave Buffy a curious look. "Do you actually *like* it when Mom treats you like a baby?"

Buffy shrugged. "Sometimes it's nice to know that somebody worries about you."

"Riley doesn't… I mean… you don't think Riley cares?"

"Oh, no, not that! Trust me, Riley lets me know how concerned he is about my health every chance he gets. It's just… the motherly thing is different."

"Oh…" Abby replied, quieting. She had only met Buffy's mother a few times, and she seemed nice enough, but she knew Buffy hadn't had the happiest childhood.

Feeling the need to explain, Buffy told her "My parents both worked all my life. It's just different, you know?"

"Oh, yeah, totally." Abby replied. "What do you think your baby's life will be like?"

Buffy got a far off look in her eyes as she rubbed her belly again. "Happy. I definitely know 101 ways to make your kid unhappy, so hopefully I can do the opposite. It should be fairly easy. His parents won't fight constantly. And we'll stay together. We'll love each other and make him know that he is loved."

Abby grinned, she was so happy for her brother and Buffy. "Are you going to stay home with him, or go back to work?"

"Go back to work, of course." Buffy replied, as if the mere idea of staying home was ridiculous.

Abby laughed. "Oh boy!"

"What?"

"You don't *know*?"

"Know what?"

"Buffy, Buffy, Buffy." Abby sighed, putting her hand on the younger woman's knee. "In California it is perfectly acceptable, even normal, for a woman to go right back to work after having a baby. But this is Iowa."

"I don't live in Iowa." Buffy replied, giving her a strange look.

"True… but my parents do. And Riley was raised here. Now, in California he probably goes along with you working and doesn't make a fuss. But in Iowa, he remembers his childhood and what it was like having a mom at home. He also has my mother and father breathing down his neck. And you *must* know they are *not* going to be happy when they hear their grandson will be in daycare."

Buffy shrugged. "It's a non-issue. I *need* to work if Riley and I are ever going to be able to afford a house."

"Regardless… fair warning… they are going to try to get you to quit, Buffy."

Buffy sighed, dreading *that* confrontation.

---

As quietly as possibly, Riley clicked the door shut behind him and made sure it was locked. He wanted *no* interruptions. Nobody was home, but you could never be too careful.

Moving through the room, Riley couldn't help but revel in his wife's beauty as she slept peacefully. He almost didn't want to wake her.

Almost.

Sitting on the edge of the bed beside Buffy's slumbering form, he bent down to kiss her softly on the lips until Buffy moaned. He pulled back and gazed down at her as a smile spread across her face, though her eyes remained closed.

Lifting his hand, Riley gently stroked the soft petals of the long stem red rose over Buffy's face, tracing the contours. Buffy sighed and leaned her face into hit, breathing the fragrant scent of the rose in deeply.

When he was satisfied that she was awake, he brushed his lips over her forehead. "Happy Birthday, Buffy."

Buffy's eyes opened and she grinned. "You're so sweet."

"This day only comes once a year."

"So I suppose you have something special in mind?" she giggled.

"Well... Dad is in Des Moines for the day, visiting an old friend. Christian won't be home from school until three. And Mom left for the grocery store to get all the food for tonight and she says to expect her back in two hours." Riley informed her as he set the rose down on the nightstand.

"Wow… all alone in the house. What *will* we do?" she teased.

Riley gave up the banter and covered her mouth with his own, licking her lips until she moaned and allowed his tongue to play with hers. Buffy moved her hands over his back, scratching at his skin through his shirt and sighing in contentment.

Pulling back, Riley tugged his shirt over his head as Buffy sat up a bit and pulled her nightgown off, leaving her only in her panties. Almost as quickly as they pulled apart, the two lovers returned to one another, their now bare chests pressing tightly against each other as they kissed passionately.

Riley was almost too much of a 'good boy' to admit it, but he had always gotten a kick out of making love in his parents' house, even though Buffy *was* his wife and making love to her was not at all forbidden. It still had a taste of danger that inspired such desire in him that Buffy had figured it out just a few days into their first trip to Iowa.

Kicking all the sheets and blankets away, Buffy wrapped her legs around his waist to grind her heated center against Riley's ever hardening erection. Her hands moved between then to unbutton and unzip Riley's jeans.

Pulling away again, Riley knelt beside her and then stood to remove his jeans, leaving him in his boxers. Taking a deep breath, he calmed himself. This was for Buffy. He wanted it to be perfect and wonderfully pleasurable for her.

Moving back to the bed, Riley hooked his fingers in the sides of her panties before sliding them down her legs. Smiling wickedly, he moved her legs over his shoulders and moved his mouth to her center.

After one lick over her slit, Riley spread her lips apart and slowly began to explore her wetness. He took his time in tasting his wife's center, making sure that every single lick, nibble and kiss drove her wild.

Much to his pleasure, Buffy arched up off the bed and moaned his name loudly. There was nothing like her voice when it was so full of desire, of need. For *him*.

At long last, he took her sensitive nubbin into his mouth and suckled it before licking it with his tongue. After nibbling it once again, Buffy was pushed over the edge, her body shaking as orgasm wracked through her.

As she calmed, Riley kept his mouth on her center, lapping up the evidence of her climax. Her honey was so sweet, just like her. He was amazed he had gone so long without tasting her.

Still panting, Buffy weakly tugged on Riley to pull him up her body. She needed him inside her desperately. She was sure that if he didn't fill her soon, she would die from frustration.

Unable to deny her, Riley slipped out of his boxers and positioned himself to enter Buffy. He looked down at her and caressed the side of her face lovingly before slowly sliding inside her.

As he completely filled her, both hissed in pleasure. Careful so as not to crush her, Riley rested on his elbows above her so that they were face to face as he slowly slid in and out of her.

Keeping their movements unrushed, the couple whispered soft words of love and devotion to one another between kisses. It was so nice, being with each other this way, and more than either of them would have hoped for a few months earlier.

After a while, their need for climax grew stronger and their movements increased. Riley was thrusting harder, at a faster pace. Buffy was bucking her hips up to meet him as he slid inside her, her nails digging into his shoulders as she clung to him.

With mutual cries of pleasure, they both found release at the same time, holding tightly to one another as their bodies spasmed.

As they came down from their high, Riley rolled the both of them over so Buffy rested on his chest. They needed a nap before his mother got home.

---

"So, Riley, how much planning into the future have you and Buffy done?"

Riley felt his stomach sink. This was the conversation he'd been dreading. "Well, we figure that after a few more years of saving we'll have enough to buy a house. And we are going to make a point to put money aside as often as possible in an account for the baby. A college fund."

Hopefully that would appease him.

Walter nodded and took a sip of his coffee. "Is money going to be tight?"

Riley shook his head. "Buffy makes really great money, and I'm not doing too badly either."

Walter narrowed his eyes. "Are you saying Buffy is going to work after she has the baby?"

Uh oh. He and Buffy hadn't discussed it all that much, and when they had, Buffy had matter-of-factly told him she would go back to work after her maternity leave was up. He'd told himself they would discuss it later and the subject hadn't really come up again since.

"Dad… California isn't cheap. We *want* a house and I know you want us to have our own home. If we rely solely on my paycheck, it's going to be a struggle."

"Riley, you know your mother didn't work. I was a military man, just like you. And I managed to support a family of five on my salary. Now, Buffy is a headstrong young woman. That's one of the things I like about her. But you cannot let that sway you into believing she doesn't need to stay home with the children. Do you *really* want your son being raised in one of those dreadful daycare centers?"

"Of course not." Riley replied, sighing.

"Well, then I think you had better talk to your wife."

Great, this was going to be fun.

---

"Surprise!"

Buffy put a hand to her chest in shock as Abby led her into the Finns' living room with was now filled with all the female members of the family. After a few seconds, Buffy realized it was a baby shower.

She was soon pushed into a seat where she was fawned over by cousins, aunts and people she honestly didn't know. She knew that the sentiment was very sweet, but she had not at all been prepared for it and Riley was going to get it later. He'd been the one to get her to go see a movie with Abby that afternoon, so he must have been in on it.

The next few hours were full of presents, cake and games, which left Buffy quite tired. However, it *had* been fun. Getting all the baby clothes and stuffed animals left Buffy with a feeling of excitement. She couldn't wait to meet her baby.

When everyone had left, Buffy insisted on helping with the clean up. Madeline had tried to argue, but soon gave up when she saw that Riley was very not wrong when he said Buffy was stubborn.

After the living room didn't look like a tornado had blown through it, Abby had left to go home to her own family and Buffy had joined Madeline in the kitchen to start dinner.

"So when will you stop working?" Madeline asked her daughter-in-law.

Buffy, oblivious to the fact that the woman was leading her, replied "Oh, I want to wait until the last minute. Right up until I go into labor. I have two months and I want them all to be spent with the baby?"

"Two months?" Madeline asked, feigning ignorance. She knew all about Buffy's intentions to go back to work from Walter, but their plan to get her to change her mind involved getting *Buffy* to tell her she wasn't going to be a stay at home mom.

"Yeah, you know, maternity leave."

"You mean you are going back to work after you have the baby?!" Madeline asked, pretending to be amazed.

Taken aback, Buffy nodded. "Of course."

"Oh, Buffy..." Madeline commented, shaking her head in disapproval. "Please tell me you are kidding. Don't do that to your son! I know you love him."

"What do you mean?" Buffy asked worriedly, a hand caressing her belly.

"Buffy, he *needs* you. Every day. All day. He needs his *mother*. What are you going to do with the baby if you work?"

"I'll probably get him a babysitter or something."

"Buffy, you want a *babysitter* raising your baby?"

Buffy bit her lip. She'd never really thought about it. And now she felt very guilty.

"But… I need to work. It'll make it all the faster that we can buy a house! A real house… that we *own*."

"Buffy what is more important, your son's well being or a material possession?"

Buffy felt her heart breaking. The baby wasn't even born yet and she was being a bad mother!

"Look, Sweetheart, you don't have to decide anything today. Now why don't you go ahead and rest? I'll make sure to wake you when dinner is ready."

Nodding slightly, Buffy trudged towards the stairs, doubting she would get any rest. She had too much thinking to do.

---

As Riley climbed into bed next to his wife on their last night in Iowa, he couldn't help but notice that she seemed upset. She'd been rather quiet all day… the night before too, he realized. Ever since the baby shower, Buffy had seemed to have something on her mind.

"Buffy?"

"Hmm?"

"Is something wrong? Did something happen at the party?"

Buffy looked over at him, caught off guard by his question. "What?"

"Buffy, you've been off in another world ever since my mom threw you the baby shower yesterday."

"Oh.. I've just been thinking."

"What about?" He asked as he pulled her petite hand into his, giving her a gentle squeeze.

"About what I am going to do when the baby is born." She replied quietly.

"About work?"

"Yeah… your mother says I should stay home with the baby, but I can't, right? I mean, that is not a possibility. We *need* my income." Her eyes pleaded with him to agree, to take the illusion of a choice a way. If he said she was right, it was so much easier. Then this wasn't a personal choice, but a necessity.

And Riley was tempted to do that for her. To take away her problem so that she wouldn't feel guilty. But damn him, he had to be selfish. Maybe it wasn't politically correct, but Riley had grown up with his mother always there. He grew up knowing she would be there when he got home from school. And he wanted that for his son.

Besides, they *could* make it work on his salary alone. They wouldn't be as comfortable, but then Riley could say that *he* supported his family. Ashamed as he was to admit it, he liked the idea of it.

Plus, if Buffy quit the Initiative, it would take her one step further from that whole life. It would make her a little bit safer. How could Riley not want to protect the woman he loved?

Shaking his head, Riley faked a reassuring smile. "Your income helps a lot, but we don't *have* to have it. I mean, money would be tight, but we could do it. You don't have to work if you don't want to. Do you want to?"

Buffy shrugged as tears welled in her eyes. "I don't know. Sometimes when I feel him kick, I get so excited about when he's going to be born. I imagine holding him and kissing him and I think that I will never want to leave him. That to go spend eight hours away from him while I am at work would be *horrible*. But then sometimes I imagine what life will be like if I stay home. Day after day all alone with the baby. I fear I might be bored, or lonely. And that makes me feel even more horrible, to think that I won't love spending so much time with my own son! I am so scared I am going to fail. Maybe I am not cut out to be a mom!"

As Buffy began to softly sob, Riley held her face against his shoulder and tried to calm her. He felt terrible for letting his own selfishness cause Buffy to feel such guilt.

When the tears stopped coming and Buffy was quiet, Riley lay back against the pillows, pulling his wife with him. Turning off the light, he kissed the top of her head.

"Buffy, you have the biggest heart I have ever seen. You are smart and sweet and you put others first. You will be a *great* mother. Don't let yourself think that it's wrong to feel lonely and bored staying home with a baby every day. I imagine that it would be. And don't let yourself feel bad for not wanting to do something that will make you unhappy. It may seem better for the baby, but if you are unhappy, he will be too. Why don't you just wait until he comes and then we can figure it out."

Riley felt Buffy nod before she lifted her head and kissed his cheek. "I love you, Riley Finn."

"I love you too, Buffy Finn." He replied.

"*Summers*-Finn." She corrected.

"Fine, I love you, my little tropical fish." He joked.

Buffy giggled until they heard someone pound on the wall.

Laughing, Riley called out "Sorry Christian!"

"I can't wait until we're back at our own place." Buffy whispered in his ear, her hot breath arousing him.

"Yeah?"

"Mmm hmm…" She replied, moving her hand down to his crotch. "Then we can be as loud as we want…"

---

"Promise to seriously consider getting transferred here?"

Riley nodded to his crying mother, ignoring his wife's elbow in his ribs. "I promise to *try*, Mom, but you know how the military is."

"I know!" Madeline replied, hugging Riley again. "I just hate the thought of poor Buffy being without my help when she's in her third trimester! And what about when she goes into labor? And I won't get to see my first grandson when he is born! Who will show her how to do things and answer her questions?"

Buffy smiled warmly at her mother-in-law. She really did love having someone who was so... interested.

"Mom, Buffy *does* have a mother!" Riley chuckled. "And Joyce will be there, I am sure."

"But… Joyce just had a little girl! I had *two* little boys!" Madeline argued as she moved to hug her daughter-in-law again.

"Well maybe you can come out to visit. You could come just before I am due to be there for the labor, or maybe you could come out after I have him!"

Riley shot Buffy a murderous glance. His parents *and* a new baby all at the same time in a two bedroom apartment?!

"Oh, that is such a good idea, Buffy! I will have to tell Walter!" Madeline grinned, dabbing at her tear streaked face with a handkerchief. "Riley, expect a visit from us in May!"

"We're going to California in May?" Walter asked as he approached the three of them after his trip to the men's room.

Buffy nodded. "Maddy wants to be there when the baby is born."

"Ahh, yes… we're all looking forward to our grandson's arrival. Finally someone to teach fishing and baseball to!" Walter beamed, putting his arm around his daughter-in-law. "Now, you have to keep Riley in line, Sweet Pea. Otherwise… you know how he gets."

Buffy giggled and kissed him on the cheek. "You got it, Colonel."

Riley rolled his eyes, wondering for the millionth time where they had come up with those names. Ever since he had introduced Buffy to his parents, she had been almost playful with his father, which had surprised Riley. The normally strict man was practically a teddy bear around Buffy. She had that effect on all the men in the Finn family, especially her husband.

Hearing a boarding call for their flight, Riley picked up his carry on bag and hugged his mother once more. Buffy hugged Walter and then Maddy before taking Riley's hand.

He led her to the ticket agent, who they handed their boarding passes. With one last wave, the couple headed down the ramp to the plane.

---

"Did you have fun?"

"I really really did." Buffy smiled at her husband as they settled into their seats on the plane. "If possible, being around your family and seeing how excited about the baby they are has made me even more excited. I can't wait!"

Grinning, Riley leaned over and kissed her. "Me either."

Soon after, the plane took off, which always managed to make Buffy nervous. Once they were in the air and the flight attendants did their demonstration, Riley started reading his newspaper and Buffy gazed out the window and the land so far beneath the plane.

"Goodbye Iowa." She sighed, content.

---

"Winnie the Pooh!"

"No! Come on! Baseball!"

Buffy sighed. "Riley, the baseball set isn't *nearly* as cute as the Winnie the Pooh one."

Riley gazed down at his pouting wife. He *really* liked the baseball bed set! But the Winnie one wasn't horrible, and Buffy really really liked it... and her pouting always worked wonders on him.

"Fine." He sighed.

Squealing, Buffy hugged him before she started grabbing all the pieces of the Winnie the Pooh set. She loved getting her own way!

They'd been shopping all day and Riley was amazed Buffy hadn't dropped from exhaustion. For one thing, she needed naps every afternoon now that she was six months pregnant. For another… *he* was worn out. But Buffy seemed to… gain energy from shopping.

Once they had made their purchases, they left the store and walked back out into the mall, arm in arm since their hands were occupied with bags.

"So… now we have the bedding… and the crib is supposed to be delivered in a month or so, right?"

Riley nodded. "Along with the dresser and changing table."

"What about a rocking chair? Oh my God, I forgot all about it!" Buffy gasped.

"Buffy, calm down!" Riley laughed; Buffy was terrified that they were going to forget to buy something essential for the baby. "We can look for one later."

"Well, where?"

"I think I remember seeing a store just for rocking chairs in Santa Barbara." He lied. He was prepared to do whatever it took to keep her from buying a rocking chair. Hopefully his surprise would arrive within the next week.

"Oh, okay… I guess we can wait… but we should try to get it really soon, okay?"

Riley nodded and kissed the top of her head. "How are we doing on clothes?"

"Well, I've gotten him a lot of undershirts and body suits and socks. Plus, we got several little outfits at the baby shower your mom threw for me. My mom wants to throw one for me too, and she said to not buy any clothes for now. So I figure we should wait until after that and then get whatever we need." She informed him, then grinned. "Unless we see something *really* cute, of course!"

Chuckling, Riley nodded. "We have the carseat and stroller… we need a monitor."

"Yeah! Oh, but should we wait on that? My mom 'hinted' that a baby monitor is a great gift idea."

"Okay… when *is* this party going to be, anyway?"

"It's next Saturday afternoon. Want to come?"

"An afternoon spent oohing and awwing over baby merchandise with the girls? I'll pass."

Buffy laughed. "Your loss. But don't forget, I told Giles we were taking him out to dinner that night."

"You got it Baby." He replied before giving her a hopeful look. "Does that mean we're done today?"

She bit her bottom lip and looked up at him. "I could use some new clothes for me. Maybe something new for work and a dress for the party?"

"Okay," he sighed, "where now?"

---

Riley yawned and checked his watch. Since it was nearly five and they hadn't eaten since they had stopped at Arby's for lunch at noon, Buffy would probably want dinner soon. Maybe *that* would make her hurry up.

Not that he *really* minded. It was so nice, spending this time with her. After the Hell he had put her through, she had every right to tell him to get out of her life for good.

But she didn't. She was letting him love her. Buffy was the light of his life and their baby... God, he was lucky. He had been not just mean, but outright cruel to her for three entire months. And she didn't hate him. She even was giving him her heart once again, allowing him the chance to break it all over again.

But *nothing* could make him do that again.

"What do you think?"

Looking up, he saw Buffy standing in the doorway to the fitting room wearing a short sleeve floral maternity dress.

"You look beautiful." He grinned, amazed at how she constantly managed to make his heart ache with love for her. Every time he saw her, her abdomen swollen as she carried the baby they had created… he felt a rush of excitement.

"Really? You like it? You're not just saying that so I will buy it and we can leave, right?"

"I promise. I really do like it."

"Okay!" She grinned. "Well, that was the last thing, so let me go get changed and we can pay."

"Works for me." Riley replied, standing up and planting a kiss on her lips before turning to wander through the clothes while he waited for her to come out.

Narrowing his eyes, he realized he could hear the faint sound of crying, but he could see nobody around. Riley slowly moved about, trying to find the source of the sound. He realized that someone was under one of the racks filled with dresses crying. Slowly, he pulled some dresses to the side and found a small boy sitting on the ground, sobbing.

"Hey… are you okay?"

The little boy, probably only about three, looked startled at first, but then he crawled a little bit until he was no longer under the rack. "I want my Mommy!"

Riley looked around, but couldn't see anyone at all. He had no idea where this little boy's mother could be.

"Um… is she trying on clothes?" He asked, hoping the little boy would understand.

"Want my Mama!" The boy began to wail.

Riley sighed helplessly, but then decided to hand the problem over to someone else. He could just take him to a clerk and let *them* find the mother.

Holding out his hand, he asked apprehensively. "Want to come with me to find your mother?"

The boy wiped at his tears and nodded as he stood, holding both arms up so that Riley would hold him.

Gingerly, Riley bent and lifted the boy in his arms before walking towards where he would hope to find a customer service area. As he wandered around, the boy seemed to calm down a bit and relax as he held tightly to Riley. The situation made him think of what it would be like when he got to hold his own son in just a few months.

Buffy was due in less than three months… and then there would be a living, breathing being for him to carry around. This boy just helped make it seem that much more real. Riley couldn't wait.

"Riley, there you are!"

Turning, Riley saw Buffy come up to him with an armful of clothes, a curious look on her face upon seeing the boy he was carrying.

"Sorry… I forgot to wait. I found him crying. He lost his mother."

Buffy smiled at the boy. "You poor thing. Don't worry, we'll find her. Let's go to the service desk."

Silently, Riley followed Buffy to the desk, enjoying the way the child was now resting his head on his shoulder. It felt… so natural... so right.

---

"You were really great with him."

Riley looked over at Buffy with confusion on his face as he put their packages in the trunk of her Taurus. "What?"

"The little boy… you were so good with him." She smiled. "Little kids get so scared when they get lost and when you were holding him, he was so calm… it's like he didn't even care."

Riley blushed a bit and shrugged. "Just practicing for my own boy. But *we* will never lose *him* in a store. Ever."

"Nope, never." Buffy replied firmly.

Once the last package had been put away, Riley shut the trunk door and bent down in front of his wife so that he was facing her belly.

"You wouldn't ever do that to Daddy, now would you? You're gonna be *perfect*."

Buffy laughed and caressed the back of his neck. "He's not going to be totally *perfect*, Riley."

Standing back up, Riley smiled at her. "If he's anything like his mother he will be."

"You're so sweet." Buffy murmured as she pulled his head down for a kiss. "Let's go home."

"I thought you wanted to eat?"

Buffy bit her lip and gave him a sexy smile. "We'll order in."

 

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