A/N- I don't own these characters. If you are still with me read and review as another surprise is in this chapter...
Buffy woke up early the next morning and caught Joe stirring so she went and sat by him. When he woke up Buffy picked him up, changed his diaper and took him downstairs for breakfast. She laid him in his play area as she went to get a banana and mash it for his breakfast. As she turned away from him he crawled up to the fence, used it to stand up and called out "Mommy". Buffy turned around in shock with tears coming to her eyes. Riley walked down the stairs and just missed what Joe had said.
"Good Morning, How are you?" Riley asked kindly.
"Um, I'm okay, I just need... I need to go" Buffy said with her eyes getting heavy with tears as she ran out the back door and sat on the outdoor seating to get some fresh air. Five minutes later after he fed Joe, Riley came out the back door.
"What's wrong?" He asked in a gentle voice.
"It's Joe, I put him in his play pen and as I went to get his breakfast he pointed at me and yelled 'Mommy'" Buffy answered sadly.
"What's wrong with that? You basically are, he doesn't know his mother and I wanted to ask if you wanted to be his mother figure but I didn't know how to but I think you already are. You treat him like your own child and you treat me like we're still together" Riley replied.
"Okay I guess it is a good thing, it just... feels a little weird. Also I don't want to take over Sam but do you think we will work?" Buffy asked.
"Yes, I think we will work. And don't worry about replacing Sam because we were about to get a divorce before she died. I found out some secrets she was hiding from me and I guess it hurt that she didn't tell me or do it in the first place. I don't want to get into the details of the secrets but one of the secrets caused me to find out if Joe was my baby which thankfully he is and it caused me to hit a soldier and get kicked off the squad" Riley said sadly.
"Okay, Good. I mean not good about Sam and getting kicked off the squad I just mean it's good that there is less awkwardness now" Buffy said a little happier.
"Ha-ha, it's okay I know what you meant" Riley replied as he opened his arms allowing Buffy to lean on him as he hugged her, then kissed her and helped her stand up.
"Would you like to go play with Joe?" Riley asked kindly.
"Sure, it would be some good family bonding" Buffy answered trying to hide that she was nervous to become a mother. They entered the house to see Dawn, Willow and Xander having breakfast in the kitchen.
"So what's going on guys? I ask because you look so cuddly together" Willow asked curiously.
"Well we have been talking and we have decided to try again to be together and see where it takes us and I am going to be Joe's mother figure" Buffy answered proudly but nervously.
"Wow, Buffy a mom. Wait does that mean that I'm Aunty Dawn?" Dawn asked.
"Yes, and I have something else to add but I want to wait until Giles is here" Riley said smiling. Willow smiled widely and everyone knew that she had read Riley's mind and knew what it was about.
"Willow, that's cheating. No telling anyone" Buffy said sternly but laughing. Willow just smiled. Buffy and Riley went and played with Joe while Dawn, Willow and Xander stayed in the kitchen.
"What is it? What is he going to say?" Xander asked suddenly wishing that he had telepathy.
"Sorry Xander but I can't say. Giles should be here in ten minutes so you will find out then" Willow answered smiling as she continued her breakfast. Dawn went and peaked around the corner and saw Buffy and Riley making out on the couch while Joe played with blocks.
"Hey guys, come and look at this" Dawn whispered to Xander and Willow and they came over and they looked like three heads stacked on top of each other as they peaked around the corner. There was a knock at the door causing them to swing their heads back and they head butted each other. Buffy answered the door and it was Giles.
"Hi Giles, Everyone, lounge room, now" Buffy said to everyone. They all gathered into the lounge room and took a seat.
"Okay, now that I have all of you here I have something I want to say. I would like all of you to be the godparents of our child" Riley said with his arm around Buffy.
"I, well... I'd be honoured" Giles said proudly.
"Me to" Willow pitched in with the biggest smile.
"And me three" Xander added a little surprised. They all sat there smiling and looking at Joe as he sat there laughing having no idea what was happening.
"Excuse me, I need to go to the toilet" Buffy said walking off.
"Now that I have you here without Buffy, since you are basically her family and you Dawn, are her sister so I wanted to ask for your blessing to ask Buffy to marry me" Riley said nervously as his cheeks turned a light shade of red. They all gave their blessings and Giles even added that he preferred this much better than when Spike proposed to her.
"Are there any good wedding ring shops around here?" Riley asked still nervous.
"I have a better idea" Dawn said running upstairs. A few moments later Dawn came running down the stairs and handed Riley a ring.
"It was Mom's ring. Now hide it because Buffy isn't far behind me" Dawn whispered to him. Just as she finished they heard Buffy's footsteps at the top of the stairs.
"Thanks Dawn" He whispered back.
"Why is it so quiet in here? What happened?" Buffy asked curiously.
"Oh, Um... We thought that Joe was trying to say something so we were trying to be quiet to hear him say it again but I guess not" Willow answered, proud that she had thought of that and that she kept her voice even.
"Mommy" Joe screamed to her as she came into eye sight of him.
"Hi cutie, this is your Aunty Dawn, this is Aunty Willow, this is Uncle Giles and this is Uncle Xander" Buffy said happily. Xander smiled as he loved being called Uncle Xander by Buffy's child. Joe seemed to like Xander and smiled when he played with him. They spent most of the day playing with Joe and trying to get him to say their names which was unsuccessful as he kept saying 'Mommy and Dada'. As it approached dinner time Giles remembered that Riley wanted to propose.
"Let's go out for dinner on me, so we can let the parents have some time together" Giles said standing up and pushing the others to the door. They all left and Buffy sat there next to Riley watching Joe.
"We should probably put him to bed now" Riley said kindly.
"Okay I'll do it" Buffy said picking him up and taking him to Riley so he could give him a goodnight kiss and then she took him upstairs, gave him a kiss, tucked him in and went back downstairs to Riley. As she came into the lounge room there were lit candles around the room with the lights dimmed and Riley kneeling in the centre of the room.
"Riley, what's going on?" Buffy asked a little worried.
"Well I know we haven't been together long but the way you have treated me and Joe since we arrived has made me love you. I love you with all my heart and I would like to ask you if you would do me the honour of becoming my wife and the mother of Joe" Riley said exposing Joyce's ring. Buffy automatically recognised the ring and felt a wave of love wash over her and she looked at Riley with eyes full of love and remembered being with him three years ago and she walked over to him.
"Yes, I would love to be your wife" Buffy said and Riley put the ring on her finger and hugged her standing at full height so her legs didn't touch the ground. Buffy went and made dinner, lit some candles on the dining table and poured some wine. They took their seats and ate their meal.
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Giles and the others were at a little restaurant a few streets away. They were up to desserts now and they were all thinking about what could be happening back at the house.
"Can we go home now?" Dawn asked because she was so bored.
"No, I know you'd like to but Riley needs to propose and then they need to have dinner and then they need to spend time alone like all people do after they get engaged, they need to process what has happened and discuss their future and what they plan to do from here. They received a huge pot of ice cream with topping and they started eating that while trying to avoid getting a brain freeze.
"Should we get them a gift for getting married?" Willow asked.
"It's a good thought Willow but all the shops are closed so we may have to come back tomorrow" Giles answered.
"I have a good spell that will open the shop for us. The shopkeeper will be there to and we will pay and then he will forget about any of it so it's perfectly legal" Willow responded.
"Okay, let's go then" Giles said happily as they picked up their ice creams and walked into town looking for a suitable shop.
xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo xoxoxoxoxoxoxox
Buffy and Riley had finished their dinner and were sitting at the table talking.
"So, we're alone and together so maybe we could do that thing" Buffy said nervously.
"That thing?... Oh, that thing" Riley answered as he stood up and held Buffy's hand as she got up and he put his arm around her hip as they headed to the bedroom.
As they entered they started kissing at first and then slowly moved on from there.
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Giles, Dawn, Willow and Xander were still looking for a shop and they came across a shoe shop.
"Buffy pointed out two pairs of shoes in here that she liked so two of us could get her present here and I am one of them" Dawn said happily.
"I will do the spell. If we are shopping at different stores then please hurry so I can keep enough power to open the other shops" Willow said nervously as she cast the spell. Dawn and Xander went and got Buffy and Riley a new pair of shoes each. Then they walked down the road a little further they found a pet shop.
"I am so buying them a present here" Willow said as she cast the spell again and walked inside. She ended up getting a kitten and a puppy because if they are brought up together then they won't fight and the best pets are the ones brought up with children. Then they walked further so Giles could get a present.
"Giles, not that I'm complaining or anything but where is Andrew?" Xander asked.
"Oh, hey came to my apartment this morning to tell me that he was going out with friends and that he wouldn't be back until late" Giles answered.
"So Giles, what are you going to get them?" Willow asked. Giles thought hard and then saw a baby shop with playgrounds advertised.
"I will buy them a playground for Joe to put in the backyard" Giles answered as Willow cast the spell yet again and Giles picked one out and bought it. Giles looked at his watch and was surprised by how late it was.
"It's getting late so we should probably head back now" Giles told the group and they started their journey back. As they got to the house the lights were dimmed and they couldn't hear anything.
"Give me all the gifts and I will hide them under the stairs and we will give them to her at her engagement party" Dawn said leading them to the door under the staircase.
"Well, I'd better get back to the apartment, Faith and Robin will be arriving in the middle of the night and I will have to get up and show them their room" Giles said and then he walked out the door. Willow, Dawn and Xander walked upstairs and Dawn ran over to Buffy's door first and listened.
"Eww" She whispered and then walked to her room to go to bed. Xander and Willow listened through the door and smiled.
"I guess that means she said yes" Willow said happily.
"Yep, I hope this doesn't last all night because I may need some sleep at some point" Xander joked.
"Oh well. Goodnight" Willow said yawning.
"Goodnight Will" Xander replied going to his room. The phone rang in the middle of the night and Willow quickly answered hoping that it hadn't woken anyone else up. It was Giles saying that in the main foyer of the apartment building was dozens of slayers that needed to stay somewhere.
"Buffy booked lots of rooms under her name but she said that she gave them your name so that you can access them" Willow told him. After the phone call, all the slayers had somewhere to sleep and Willow went back to bed. She had nightmares about the big battle that she had foreseen and right before she woke up she saw Angel in the middle of the fight although she was unsure which side he was fighting on.
A/N- Please review:) I will add you to my favourite authors list and if you have any stories I will review them for you:)