The next two weeks had passed with Buffy once again doing her best to avoid Spike. It just hurt her too much to see him every day, she kept thinking about the life inside of her, the fact that Spike had helped create it and it made the pain so much worse. She wanted him to be a part of this, but for him to know when he didn't want to be with her could only make the situation harder. At least if she dealt with it alone she knew she wouldn't be hurt. The moment she had decided in Willow's that day that she was going to raise her child, she had determined that she may not have a lot of money ands material things to give her child, but she would give it all the love she could. But, she wouldn't let herself go through the pain of having her and her child rejected in favour of her mother. Okay, so she didn't know that Spike would make that choice if he knew, but he had made that choice now. And if she told him, she didn't want him to decide to be with her simply because she was pregnant and he felt guilty. No, she would manage alone.
Buffy had also been a voiding Drusilla; she stayed over at Willow's as often as she could. So there had been no real beatings in a while, maybe a slap here and there. Most of the time now it was insults and cutting words. Buffy was just glad that was all, the thought of Dusilla beating her and possibly hurting the baby terrified Buffy, she didn't even like to think of that ever happening. But thus far she had been lucky. She just hoped her luck would hold up. But she never could be sure where her mother was concerned; she was very unpredictable in that manner. So Buffy kept her fingers crossed and hoped for the best.
Drusilla was still biding her time since her decision to get Buffy back at Christmas. She was trying to find out as much as possible about what was going on, or at least what she suspected to be going on. But she did make a point of rubbing her relationship with Spike in her daughter's face whenever she could. Although she wasn't around much anymore, but when she was she could see the jealousy written in her face. And she loved seeing it.
Buffy and Willow sat at their usual table in the cafeteria whispering between themselves about Buffy's pregnancy. Xander looked on silently, he still had no idea what was going on, only that they had a secret that ha had been left out off. Buffy had contemplated telling him, but at the moment she felt like the fewer people who knew the better. So, for now she wanted to keep it just between her and Willow. Just for a while, until she was ready for other people to know.
Spike didn't know what to do, he hardly saw Buffy anymore and he knew maybe that was for the best, but when he did see her he wanted her more than he'd ever wanted anyone in his life. He was trying with Drusilla, and he had noticed her becoming increasingly affectionate with him and he did try. But it was hard, being with her and knowing that all he wanted to do was go and be with Buffy. He tortured himself with his decision every day, but he had decided he couldn't hurt Drusilla; she needed him. He just hated himself for hurting Buffy. And as he walked, that was the thought that plagued his mind.
"So, have you thought about going to a doctor yet?" Willow asked as she walked Buffy home later that afternoon.
"No, I know I have to go I guess I just want to put it off as long as possible."
"It'll be okay Buffy, for starters you're 18, and the doctor can't tell your mom anything. It's completely confidential," Willow was doing here best to reassure her friend. She knew how wary Buffy was about anybody knowing she was pregnant just yet. But she also thought it was the best thing for Buffy to go to the doctor. The sooner the better, in Willow's mind it was better to get it over with.
"Yeah I know it's just weird. It's like; when I go to the doctor it's official. I mean I know I'm pregnant and I know I want to keep it, it's just that at the moment it's still like a dream. When it's confirmed I have to wake up and face all kinds of realities."
Willow stopped for a minute to pull Buffy into a hug,
"You know I'll be there for you, I'm your best friend and if you need me I'm right here," Willow reminded her as they started walking again at a slow pace.
"Thanks Wills. And I promise, I'll make that appointment soon."
"Ok," Willow smiled.
They walked the rest of the way in friendly silence.
Buffy lay on the bed reading for school, thankfully her mom hadn't been home when she got in so she had managed to get downstairs easily. Which is where she had been for the past hour. She felt ill, her sickness wasn't getting any better, and she didn't bother calling it morning sickness because that wasn't the only time she got it. She was trying to do homework to try and take her mind off how bad she felt. Unfortunately it wasn't working, she could tell the contents wanted to make an appearance so she stood up from the bed and ran for the upstairs bathroom.
Drusilla walked in the door as Buffy reached the top of the stairs. She heard Buffy start to throw up, it wasn't the first time, and she had heard her several times over the last few weeks. She had also heard Buffy and Spike a couple of weeks ago, talking in the basement. She had heard the words Spike had spoken to her, telling her that he loved her and her replying in kind. But she had also heard him tell her that he wouldn't be with her. And that had only served to make Drusilla even smugger. But it didn't take a genius to figure out what was wrong with Buffy, and that would be all the proof she needed, an admission of guilt and she could get her own back.
She waited at the bottom of the steps until Buffy came out of the bathroom, she saw her daughter visibly flinch upon seeing her. She gave her a sickly sweet smile and motioned for her to come down stairs, the minute she reached the bottom the smile disappeared and Drusilla grabbed her wrist, her nails digging into the flesh.
Buffy's eyes widened as her mother's grip tightened, she kept thinking over and over about what her mother was going to do, but she knew she had to stay alert so she could defend herself and her child if she had to.
"You little slut, what's wrong with you?"
"N- nothing," Buffy stammered.
"Liar," Drusilla screeched, lashing out and slapping her across the face.
"I'm not lying I swear."
"Yes you are you little bitch," Drusilla grabbed her by the hair, "you think I don't know what you've been up to? Throwing up all the time, only means one thing when it comes to a whore like you," Drusilla tugged herd at her hair and brought Buffy to her knees.
"Mom, please stop," Buffy begged.
"Then tell me, admit tell me you are," Drusilla commanded
"Ok, ok, I am," Buffy knew what she meant, "I'm pregnant, now please let me go."
Drusilla pulled her back up by the hair and punched her in the face, "You whore, who's the father?"
"I don't know," Buffy lied.
Another punch, "Don't you tell me lies, who?"
Spike heard yelling as he walked up the garden path, he ran up to the door but thought it would be better to enter unnoticed, so he went round to the back door and snuck in. He stood in the doorway and listened, horrified at the sight of Drusilla attacking Buffy, he wondered what she was yelling about and the he heard Buffy say those two words. He was stunned, she had never told him, and as much as he thought he should be hurt by that he was taken over by fear of what Drusilla would do. And the he heard the question,
"Who's the father?" he watched as Buffy denied knowledge, but he knew. And so when Drusilla demanded once more to be told he walked out of the kitchen, grabbed her wrist pulling her off of Buffy and looking her square in the eye as he answered,
"I am."