Balance

by NutMeg

rating: PG-13
Time line: Starts end of Season 4, projected into Season 5
Spoilers: possibly middle to end of Season 4
Summary: Buffy's expecting, but the man who starts out as the father doesn't end up that way.
Disclaimer: None of the characters, settings, etc... from Buffy or Angel belong to me. They belong to Joss Whedon. Only the plot and any made up characters are mine.
Distribution: This list, and eventually Cynamin's page. Anyone else who would like to post it please ask me.
Feedback: Absolutely! There's nothing I like better than feedback!
Author's Notes: This fic is NOT the usual B/A fic. It WILL have the required happy ending, but it doesn't start out that way. My goal was to write a piece of fiction that fit as seamlessly as possible into the existing Buffy world on the show, and STILL manipulate Joss's world to create a happy Buffy/Angel one! So don't worry about the fact that Buffy and Riley are still together in the beginning of this story. All will end well and Riley-less.

Part One

Buffy collapsed onto her bed as the string of curse words died on her lips. She had already used every bit of foul language in English, and the ones in Gaelic she had learned from Angel. Damn it! How could this have happened? Not like the question took much thought to answer. I'll kill Riley! She wanted to strangle him. How could he do this to her? She glanced up as the door opened. "Hey, Will."

"Hey, Buffy," the red-head smiled as she pulled her Psych notebook out of her pack and wentover to the fridge. "Want anything?" she asked, grabbing a Strawberry Snapple.
 
"No thanks," the Slayer sighed. "Will, what did you get on the Psych test?"
 
"An A -minus," the witch replied. "Why?"
 
Buffy flopped over on her stomach and tossed the paper at her friend. "I got a C! I actually studied, and I still got a C! Riley knew I was tired cause of that Knydok demon! He could have cut me a little slack!"

Willow smiled sympathetically. "Come on, Buffy. That's not really fair. Riley can't give you preferential treatment just because he's your boyfriend and he knows you're the Slayer. Especially not with the temporary teacher watching us all like a hawk does mice."
 
Doc Gelder. Geldar the Barbarian. He was worse than Walsh had even been as a professor! Buffy hadn't been able to catch a nap in that class in weeks. Fortunately school was out in less than two weeks, and then they were free for the summer! "Yeah, I guess," she sighed.

"You okay?" her roommate queried. "You look tired."
 
Buffy swung her legs around so she was sitting on the edge of the bed. "It's been a long semester. I think I'm just brain-fried."
 
"Yeah. I think freshmen's brains are supposed to get all frazzly before summer," Willow curled up on her bed and opened her drink. "Where are you patrolling tonight?"
 
"I thought I'd head over towards The Strip. Dead Week, there's going to be lots of kids drunk and stupid. Perfect demon chow. Dead week, what a name for the week before finals. " Buffy pushed herself up and began changing out of the days' flowy skirt and cute knit-top. She grabbed the black pants and red tank-top that lay across the foot of the bed. She slipped the pants on. "Will, you didn't put these in the dryer did you?" she asked.
 
The witch glanced up, then looked abashed. "Oops! Sorry, I didn't see them in the laundry until after I took them out. I forgot to mention it this morning. Did they shrink at all?"
 
Buffy sighed. "Just a little. That's okay. They were getting worn anyway." No wonder the stupid things are snug! She pulled her hair back in a ponytail and grabbed mister pointy out of her weapons bag, slipping it into her boot. "Back later." she said, heading out the door.

The cool night air was refreshing as it brushed softly across the Slayer's face. It was nearly two in the morning, and not a vamp or demon to be found. Very unusual for Sunnydale, and usually would have made Buffy bored stiff. But tonight she didn't mind for some reason. Maybe it was the exhaustion of slaying and getting ready for finals. She couldn't afford to fail any classes. Whatever it was, she was glad for the respite.

"Hey, cutie."
 
Buffy spun and nearly broke Riley's nose, stopping the stake only centimeters from his nose. "Riley! Don't do that!" she glared at him, holding Mister Pointy menacingly for another moment before putting it down.
 
He put his hands up defensively. "Sorry, Buffy. I thought you'd heard me. Usually I can't sneak up on you. Are you all right?"
 
Buffy sighed. How could she be angry at those puppy eyes? She smiled. "I'm fine. Just a little off lately. Not happy with a test grade."
 
The blonde TA smiled. "I'm sorry, Buffy. Doc G was watching while I was grading. He doesn't trust TA's. He thinks we're all a bunch of useless frat boys."
 
"And you're not?" Buffy asked with wide, innocent eyes. She moaned as he pulled her up in a warm kiss, his arms tightly around her. Mmmmmmm.....good.

"You want to take this someplace more private?" Riley asked when they reluctantly parted lips.
 
Buffy leaned against him.  "Not tonight. I've got a review session early." She sighed in regret. "Maybe later though. I'm free all weekend."
 
"Now you're talking," the tall blond grinned. "I'll walk you home, then."
 
"Sure," the Slayer allowed him to wrap one arm around her shoulders as they walked. She liked these moments of non-vampire slaying normalcy. A somewhat normal boyfriend. Fairly normal, boring teachers. Cafeteria food and college parties. Except for saving the world every couple of weeks life was fairly humdrum.

It didn't take them long to reach Stevenson. Riley kissed her good night and left her at the door. Buffy slipped into the room to find Willow still awake, pouring over a book of spells. "Hey. Slay anything interesting?" the witch asked.

Buffy shook her head. "Nope. Everything was in an unusual state of normalness tonight. Not even a little homework stealing demon." She changed into pajamas and curled up under the covers. "Just a sexy blond guy in camouflage that wouldn't leave me alone," she grinned.
 
Willow smiled back. "Sounds like quite a night. That might explain why you were late tonight. Probably--"

"Will!" Buffy flung her pillow at her roommate. "Why do you always assume we're...doing something...whenever I'm late?!"
 
"Well, after the incident with the sexually starved dead kids..."
 
"Don't remind me!" she groaned. In fact, they'd only slept together a couple of times since then, and the last had been over a week ago. With being busy destroying Adam, and dealing with Angel and Riley, and Angel and Faith, there hadn't really been time for romantic moments. "So," shecasually changed the subject. "Have you and Tara picked out one of those new apartments they just finished on the other side of campus?"
 
Willow nodded and closed her book. "Yeah, but they're built for four people. If we don't come up with two more roommates we'll have to pay twice the rates. Are you sure you don't want to join us?"
 
Buffy sighed. "I don't know, Will. I guess I just don't want to think about it. Maybe I just assumed that we'd always room together."
 
"I know," the witch agreed as she turned out the light. "But you could still be my roomie this way."
 
"No," the Slayer shook her head in the dark. "You two should be able to spend time together. I'd just get in the way."
 
"You would not!" the red-head objected. "Buffy, you're my best friend. And if you change your mind there'll be room for you."
 
"Thanks," the blonde replied as she began to drift off. "That means a lot to me."


"This is what we're searching for," Giles announced holding up a book that contained a large woodcut image of a very ugly demon. Or so Willow thought. She glanced around the room to see what everyone else thought of it. Anya was making a face of disgust from where she was perched on Xander's lap on the couch. The dark haired boy had a similar expression. Tara looked like she recognized the creature, and Buffy leaned casually against the wall by the kitchen counter, apparently more bored than anything else. Riley stood just behind her in the doorframe that led to the stairs, his arm resting around her waist. He simply waited for more information as he had been taught. "The Vei-rogk demon isn't particularly big, or strong, but it is intelligent," the former Watcher continued.
 
"Then it should be fairly easy to take out," Buffy commented. Giles shook his head. "Unfortunately, no. It is extremely difficult to locate a Vei-rogk's lair because of its ability to reason. It hides its tracks and moves fairly regularly to avoid leaving a trail or regular pattern that can be discerned."
 
"Great, a brainiac demon, just what we need," Xander moaned. "So much for just having to out-muscle them."
 
"There's more," Giles spoke again. "It has an extremely hard shell impervious to any form of wooden or metallic weaponry."
 
"I find that a little hard to believe," Riley looked dubious. "What about something diamond tipped?"
 
"Again, no," Giles sighed. "That leaves,"
 
"Magic."
 
Everyone glanced at Tara, who smiled nervously down at Willow. "Go on," Giles encouraged. "Do you know of something that might help?"
 
Tara nodded slightly. "The Vei-rogk are also almost impenetrable with magic, but there... is one spell that I think can work." She had everyone's attention now, and Willow could see that it made her nervous, but a little pleased. The campus Wicca group had never been so encouraging. "It takes a Vei-rogk demon about three seconds to adjust to a magical attack. Usually though, they expect it... I think that if it wasn't expecting it, then we might have an advantage."
 
"And, how would we keep it unprepared?" Anya asked.
 
"With a physical attack as a distraction," Buffy suggested. "I can keep whatever beastie we come up against busy until you can cast this spell. What does it do anyway?"
 
"It's an enhancement spell," Tara explained. "It...lends...magical strength to any regular weapon, making it capable of penetrating the Vei-rogk's shell."
 
"So we'd have to have timing down," the Slayer looked thoughtful. "How much of an advantage would surprise give us?"
 
The blonde witch shrugged. "Two, maybe Three seconds."
 
"Six seconds isn't very much time," Giles commented. "Could it be done?"
 
Willow knew the answer to this question. "It can if Tara and Buffy are linked. I can be that link. That way they can concentrate on what they need to do without worrying about holding up a supernatural bridge at the same time."

"Good," the Brit nodded agreement. "Fine idea."
 
"Great," Buffy stood up from her space on the wall, walking forward into the group. "Riley, Xander, I want you with me. I know I can count on both of you to be distracting. Anya, you and Giles will help Tara and Willow. And guard them in case something decides to try and stop them."

Everyone nodded as Buffy took on her role as Slayer and leader. It always amazed Willow how this group of people, so completely different, could simply fall into a team at a moment's notice. "We'll go after them tonight. Any questions?" When no one spoke up, Buffy continued. "Good. See you in a few hours. Right now, I have something a little more dangerous to face."
 
"And what might that be?" Giles queried.
 
Buffy's look of impending doom made Willow chuckle. "My first final."


Buffy crawled silently through the bushes outside the empty apartment building in front of her. The place had once been fairly upscale, like, in the fifties. Now it was just creepy central. The condemned sign that had hung across the doorway since before Buffy moved to Sunnydale sagged, creaking on its chain in the bluish light of the full moon. The Vei-rogk had been tracked, sporadically, by Tara and Willow over the past few hours, not giving the demon time to realize it was being "followed." Now let's hope Mr. Scaly doesn't have any friends over tonight. Grateful once again for what Riley had managed to stash of the Initiative's equipment, Buffy spoke quietly into her headset. "Riley, Xander, come in."
 
"I'm here," Riley's voice came across, also whispered.
 
"Xander here," her friend said in a more nervous near-whisper.
 
Buffy sighed. "Have you seen anything?" Both men had negatives. Good, no surprises. Yet. "Okay, I'm moving in the front. Riley, take the back door. Xander, the fire escape. The windows are all boarded up so this Thing will have to exit through a door."
 
"Gotcha, Xander out."
 
"Buffy, be careful."
 
The Slayer sighed, but smiled to herself at her lover's concern. "You too. Or you'll have worse things to worry about!" As the headset went silent, Buffy turned inward as Willow had been teaching her ever since the binding spell that allowed them to destroy Adam. Slowly she reachedout, and yet in at the same time; a weird sensation to say the least. She waited for a moment, then felt what seemed like a familiar "hand" grasping her consciousness. *Willow?*
 
*Here.* The witch's mind-voice was much like her speaking voice, but firmer, almost more mature in a way Buffy couldn't explain. She wondered what she sounded like to her friend. *Ready?*
 
*Going in.* Buffy opened her eyes and once more spoke into the headset, "Now," and charged. She flew up the steps, hurdled the condemned sign, and kicked in the front door. She tore through the settling dust, coming to a stop at the base of the stairs, crossbow in hand. No one, nothing to be seen. "Come on out, Scaly!" she called into the pitch-black recesses of the gloom. "I've got a test to study for. I don't have all night!" Still nothing. Wow, a patient demon. Or he tripped over Xander and broke his own neck. The silence made her nervous. She still hadn't heard anything. Not even Riley or Xander. But that could be a good thing. Especially if it meant they hadn't beenattacked and brutally killed. *Sense anything, Will?*
 
*Nothing from here,* came the mind-voice. *But Tara said they could sometimes shield themselves.*
 
*Great. I have finals and we're dealing with Mr. Mistoffelees.*
 
*Who?*
 
*Don't tell me you haven't ever heard the music from CATS, Will.*
 
*Oh right.....the magical cat!*

Buffy shook her head, amazed that her Wiccan friend hadn't remembered the "original conjuring cat." Her Slayer senses alerted her to danger at the same time the demon tackled her from behind. Spinning with tiger-like reflexes she slammed her back -and thus the demon- into the wall behind her as she shouted into her headset "I could use some help here, guys!" The slam loosened the Vei-rogk demon's grip enough for her to rip him off and slam him over the head with the crossbow. It wouldn't be much effective against anything other than a Vei-rogk. Unfortunately, all too soon she had more targets than she really cared to handle. This demon had friends. There were three vampires, a slime demon, and a couple of ugly brutes that were low on brains but high in brawn. Buffy shot off one wooden bolt that slammed into one vampire, dusting him on the spot. She took down another vampire and the slime demon before the Vei-rogk was up again.
 
Hitting the wall, the Slayer realized she was cornered. The Vei-rogk stood in front of her, the Brutes -Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum she had dubbed them- flanked her, towering on either side. The last vampire -a female- glared at her from the doorway, holding a big axe, and blocking any escape. "Xand, Riley. Help. NOW!"
 
"Sorry, Buff," came a strained Xander. "I've got five vamps and a couple of other unfriendlies up here."
 
Riley didn't respond.
 
Buffy faced the Vei-rogk and sneered at him in her best I-am-the-Slayer-don't-mess-with-me face. "What, you couldn't handle me yourself? You need these two goons to make it a fair fight?"
 
The Vei-rogk glared at her with its orange eyes glowing in the gloom. The dust they had kicked up floated down between them, giving him -or so Buffy surmised- an ethereal appearance. "You are the Chosen One. It would be much a mistake to take you lightly," it spoke in gravely, though surprisingly clear, English. "I found good reinforcements."

Fantastic, Buffy sighed. *You hearing this, Will? Tara?* she asked, keeping Mr. Pointy as out of site -and hopefully of demonic mind- as possible. They had picked the stake as the weapon of choice because it could be easily concealed, was small enough to coat magically without any huge work, and was also easier because it would be in contact with Buffy -and thus Tara and Willow- at all times. Being a traditional slaying weapon, it reacted well to spell casting.

*We hear you,* the red-head replied. *Get ready. When we say `now'...well, do it!*
 
*Gotcha,* Buffy focused on the demon once more. "Glad to know my reputation's been getting around. Looks like a really great party was going on before I got here. So let's get this over with and I'll get out of your hair. Or I would if you had any." Indeed, the Vei-rogk was as bald as a grapefruit. "By the way, I don't think I got your name."

The intelligent demon snarled. "Names hold power, Slayer. You know this. I will not give you power over me."

*He has a point,* Willow said inside the slightly surprised blonde's brain. Buffy had forgotten that little fact. *Get ready with yours.*

"Wow, aren't you smart for hell spawn," Buffy quipped back, cocking her head to one side. The movement was used to distract all eyes to her head and not the hand holding the stake. It worked, almost. Dum wasn't quite the way his name made him out to be and lunged forward, grabbing Buffy's other shoulder and wrenching hard. The normally calm Slayer screamed as thousands of tiny splinters jabbed her from fingers to collarbone. Jerking free she leapt at the Vei-rogk, stabbing at him just as Willows call of *NOW!* echoed through her quickly fogging brain. Her vision was going blurry as the stake struck the Vei-rogk, then slid smoothly into his body, penetrating his heart. Buffy barely had time to recognize that Mr. Pointy was glowing a bright ice green, or the entrance of Xander and Riley kicking serious demon butt, before she continued past the now dead demon and crashed onto the old tile floor, and blacked out.

Bip. Bip. Bip. Bip.
 
Cool. Smooth. Pain! Owwwwwww. Let me die! Contrary to her preference, Buffy found herself floating on the edge of the realm of consciousness. The void in which she had rested was a hazy charcoal grey instead of its previous black. Slowly, and miserably, sensations of her physical body returned to her. First was feeling in her limbs. Why can't it ever be my appetite! Or something else useful. Below the mass of agony she could feel the gentle caress of what she assumed were fresh sheets in a hospital bed. She had felt them enough times to know by now. Next to return was smell. Oh goody, bleached plastic. My favorite. Slowly hearing returned, bringing with it the creak of wheels and footsteps in the corridor outside somewhere, and the Bip Bip of the heart rate monitor they obviously had her hooked up to. Also audible were the quietmurmuring of voices. Down the hall a baby was wailing. Buffy felt like crying herself for the burning sensation that ate at the whole left side of her body. Maybe if she woke up she could get someone to find her a pain medication. Or a hammer. Anything to knock me back out! But she had a feeling that wasn't happening.

With a mental sigh, the Slayer began the agonizing task of taking stock of her injuries. The arm was....to be left alone. Other than that all her other limbs, and the according digits, worked fine though a little stiff. Her head was thumping dully with the last twinges of a minor concussion. There were plenty of scrapes and bruises to go around.
 
"Buffy?"
 
Riley, her mind registered sluggishly.

"You awake?"
 
No, now go away and let me sleep! But her conscience got the better of her. Silently screaming, Buffy forced her eyes open the merest crack. Thankful that the curtains were drawn and she wasn't immediately blinded. The room was painted a pale rose, which glowed from thelow lamp light. Seated by her bed, looking anxious and bandaged, was her boyfriend. "Barely," she croaked out, almost not recognizing her own voice. The effort made her head throb a little more.

The one word seemed to be enough. The tall blond smiled. "Thank God. I've been worried sick. They all have."

"How long have I been out?" Buffy asked. And how long before I can go back?

He gently caressed her cheek. "Twenty-two hours. After that slime demon smashed my headset it was all I could do to get downstairs in time to finish the last ones off."

"So that's what happened."

"Shhhh," he murmured. "Rest. The doctors were amazed you're doing as well as you are."

Buffy looked up at his blood shot blue eyes. "What's wrong with my arm?"

"It's not just the arm. Though they did an ugly number on it. The shoulder was just dislocated and the muscles wrenched badly. A couple were severely pulled. You had a concussion when we brought you in, but they say it'll be completely gone in a couple of days. You took a couple of good hits after that. The last vampire was taking pleasure in stomping on you when Xander staked her." Riley looked disappointed that he hadn't been the one to save her. "She managed to crack a lower rib before he stopped her."

Buffy nodded ever so slightly. Which explains why my stomach hurts too. Though that could be from hunger. Then she looked pointedly at the sling her lover's right arm was in. "Are you okay?"

Riley smiled, putting on his "brave man" face. "I'm okay. It's just cracked. Not even a full break."

She let him play the strong male. His bleary eyes testament to his vigil at her bedside. "You should have gotten some sleep."

"Not without knowing you were going to be all right," he said tenderly. Carefully he leaned down and brushed his lips across hers. "I would have had nothing but nightmares."

"That's sweet," Buffy smiled. "The staying by me part...not the nightmares."

Riley chuckled. "Thank goodness. Now get some rest. I'll let the doctors know you're back among the non-comatose and see that they get you some more pain killers. You don't look so good, if you don't mind my saying so."

"No, I don't mind." Thank the Powers that Be, she thought. Relief was on its way.


It was daylight when Buffy awoke for the second time in as many days. This time Riley was not beside her, but Willow was. The Slayer smiled at her friend. "Hey, Will."
 
"Buffy!" the witch brightening. "We were so worried when you blacked out. I was completely cut off from you and we didn't know what was going on anymore. There was just this creepy-ouchy feeling. Tara and I kept trying to contact you again, and Giles and Anya went to find you, but the next we knew we got a call from the Emergency room from Xander saying you were hurt and knocked out, and Riley was injured, and we rushed over as fast as we could. And we tried to call your Mom but she was already on her way and beat us here. Then we waited and waited and–"

"You're rambling," Buffy chuckled. "So the Vei-rogk is dead?"

"Yep," the red-head smiled. "He's dead as our senior math class."

"That's really dead," the Slayer couldn't help but feel better with her best friend there to be upbeat. Her head had almost stopped hurting. And the bruises and cuts were all freshly treated while she had slept for another ten hours. Finally her Slayer powers had kicked in and begun working toward healing her battered body. Her arm was still in agony, but was dulled by whatever pain killer they had her on. "Where are the others?"

"In the lobby. They wouldn't let more than one person in here at a time while you were unconscious or sleeping. Riley wouldn't leave you before the doctors made him after you woke up the first time. Then your mom came in, then Xander, and now me."

"Thanks," Buffy responded, but was nearly drowned out by a loud rumbling. She blushed slightly. "Sorry. I'm starving."

"Well it has been two days," Willow chuckled. "I'd have the munchies too by now. Your mom and Giles made us all eat breakfast this morning."

"Then they can feed me too!" the petite blonde declared. "I think the hero deserves at least some basic royal treatment."

The Wicca girl laughed and hit the call button above Buffy's bed. "Then breakfast will be served shortly."

"It can't be fast enough," Buffy replied as a woman in a hospital jacket walked into the room. Well that was quick.

The slim, dark blonde woman who entered smiled brightly. "Good morning, Miss Summers. It's wonderful to actually see you with open eyes. I'm Doctor Emily O'Rourke, and I'm in charge of all the trauma cases we get here. I'm fairly new to Sunnydale, and I must say I was a little startled at the number of gang beatings there are in such a lovely town," she chatted in a friendly manner as she looked over the readings on the monitors attached to the Slayer, and checked the amount of liquid in the IV bag.

Gang beatings? That must be what Riley and Xander told the Emergency room, Buffy realized.

"You were lucky though," Doctor O'Rourke continued. "Another few inches and your arm might have come off entirely." The sunny woman shuddered. "Anyway, your arm should be fully healed in a couple of weeks, and I'm sure you can go home before the end of the week. We just need to do a couple of sonograms and some tests to make sure the little one's okay."

What's that? She thought, confused. "What?" was all she said aloud.

The Doctor looked a little startled, then smiled. "Well, since you had so many open cuts -and they were awfully dirty when your friends brought you in- we did some blood tests to make sure that you hadn't gotten any infections or illnesses, and discovered your condition. So we just need to run some extra tests to make sure that you're both doing fine as far as that's concerned."

"I'm still confused," the Slayer stared at the physician as if she were from another dimension.

Doctor O'Rourke blanked, eyes widening slightly. "You mean you didn't know?"

By now Buffy was getting very frustrated and testy. "About what? Obviously I'm completely in the dark here, so please enlighten me."

A little taken aback, the doctor nodded. "Well Miss Summers...Buffy....as of this morning you're approximately one month pregnant."

"Pregnant?!" she exclaimed aloud. "Does anybody else know?" She glanced over at Willow, who was sitting there, looking just as stunned as Buffy felt.

"No one outside of myself and the staff who performed the blood tests," Doctor O'Rourke replied. "Patient confidentiality keeps us from telling anyone without your consent."

Praise the powers for small miracles, Buffy sighed. One month put it.....fantastic, and that wasn't even entirely our doing! Stupid ghost children.

"I take it you know who the father is?" the doctor asked, reading the expression on her patient's face.

Buffy nodded. "Without a doubt. I've only been with one guy for the last several months."

The doctor looked a little relieved. "Well then, that makes things easier on you and on us. We won't have to perform any paternity tests in the near future." She took Buffy's blood pressure. "Well you're definitely doing much better. I'll send a nurse up with some food while I get you all lined up for a full pre-natal exam."

Now that sounds like a load of laughs, Buffy grumbled to herself. When the doctor left she met Willow's gaze. "Well, aren't you going to say something?"

Willow seemed to think it over for a few moments more, then smiled and leaned over to hug her friend. "I'm a little stunned, but I'm happy for you. I get to be the godmother right?"

Buffy chuckled. "You can be his or her fairy godmother if you want to. You can cast spells to keep her amused when you babysit."

The red-headed witch laughed. "Sounds like fun. But are you really okay? You were looking pretty deer-in-headlights for a few minutes there."

The blonde sighed. "I sure felt that way. I really wasn't prepared for this. We were careful. But that one night with the ghost children when we...." she couldn't even say it out loud, but her friend just nodded, so she kept going. "What am I going to tell him? What am I going to tell my mother? She'll have kittens....or a goat or something. And what about school? And where am I going to live? There is no way they'll let me stay in the dorms with a b– I can't even say it! How am I going to be a mom?"

"Now you're rambling," Willow smiled. "One question at a time. First, you'll keep going to classes. Second, you'll move in with Tara and me in the new student apartments. There are four bedrooms ,so there's be plenty of space."

"And Riley?"

"You'll have to tell him some time. In another couple of months it'll be impossible to hide it from him. And you don't want to do that anyway. Do you?" she looked a little worried, as if she had just thought of that possibility.

"No," Buffy replied. At least, I don't think I do. She shoved down any of her recent doubts about their relationship. "And I can't get rid of it." She had too much respect for life to ever do that. Her job had given her more of an appreciation for living than she had ever had before.

"Well, that's good," the witch smiled. "You should probably tell him when he comes in soon. I think he'll be happy."

"Really?" she asked. She and Riley had never even talked about children, so she had no idea of his feelings on the subject.

"Absolutely," Willow replied, just before the door opened again and in came a male orderly with a meal tray, followed closely by an eager Riley.

The food was basic hospital fair: some oatmeal, orange juice, and a banana. Oh yum, Buffy thought sarcastically. The orderly adjusted the bed so Buffy was sitting up enough to eat, and left.

Riley kissed her softly on the lips as soon as the other man was gone. "Good morning. You look better this morning."

"Thanks," Buffy's mouth quirked in a small smile at the sort-of compliment. She took a bite of the plain, and thus not too appetizing oatmeal and forced it down. Her nervousness, and the gloppy texture of the food, made it hard to swallow. Well, no point in putting it off. "Umm, Riley."

"Yes, love?" he asked, attention totally focused on her.

Buffy swallowed again. "I have something to tell you."

Her tone must have alerted him to the fact that something was up because a look of concern came immediately to his face. "What is it, Buffy? Is it something the doctors told you?"

"Yes, it is," she replied to her lover's question. "Riley....I'm pregnant."

For a moment she was afraid he would storm out of the room, though some part of her almost wanted it, but it didn't happen. Instead, a look of wonderment appeared on the Iowa boy's face, and he smiled, stunned. "Really? Buffy that's....incredible."

"Then you're not upset?"

"Of course not!" Riley laughed, kissing her again. "This is wonderful, love. Unexpected, but still....a baby. Part you and part  me." He held her good hand tightly.

Buffy smiled, a little overwhelmed by her lover's enthusiastic response, and still a little stunned by the whole situation. It felt like she was dreaming. Only the pain in her left arm and shoulder reminded her that she wasn't asleep. She reached for her spoon but Riley scooped it up.

"Just relax. You need to save your strength now."

"I can feed myself," she insisted. "I'm not an infant."

"No, but you're taking care of one," Riley said as he spooned up the oatmeal. "And so I'll take care of you. I love you."

Buffy sighed but, not wanting a confrontation -that could wait for her mother to find out about this- and opened her mouth as her former-military boyfriend tenderly fed her. There would be time for talk later. Right now all she wanted was to finish eating and go back to sleep where none of this would annoy her until later. "I love you, too."

Go to Part Two