Co-Written with Scribes1015!

Buffy woke the next morning, with Angel spooned tightly around her. His hand still splayed across her abdomen, as his finger rubbed lightly tracing invisible patterns. Moving her hand down to cover his own, she groggily told him good morning, a smile instantly lighting up her face. Trying to turn in his embrace, he stopped her from turning fully towards him, not wanting to break the contact he'd kept with her tummy all night.

Shifting to get comfy on her back, she turned to face him noticing how utterly exhausted he looked. "Oh my god, Angel. Have you even been to sleep," she asked him a hint of worry in her voice.

She was right he was exhausted, and he hadn't slept, not a wink. He had spent the entire night, thinking, talking, praying, to whatever Gods or Powers that might listen. "Mmm, I'm deliriously happy," he told her his voice husky and deep, kissing her temple, he laid his head against her own. "I just couldn't sleep, everytime I tried to close my eyes I would picture you or her, I would think of something we would need to get or have done before she gets here…" Buffy looked at him strangely from the corner of her eye.

"Her?"

"Hmm-mmm, she's a girl," he stated matter of factly.

Buffy couldn't help but chuckle, she had never seen this side of him. "Is that what you were up all night trying to figure out? What if it's a boy? He's going to be hella offended whenever I tell him that his Dad was convinced he was a she."

Angel returned to lightly tapping across the bottom of her belly, "I'd be fine if it were a boy, but she's a girl… You'll see. By the way do you know how soon you should see a doctor? Do you even have a doctor for this?".

Sometimes he really let himself get carried away, worrying about everything all at once. She should have known he wouldn't be able to sleep last night. "Yes Angel I have an Ob, most girls do," she sighed stroking his hair back from his forehead. "I'll call first thing Monday and set an appointment, I'm sure they deal with this all the time. I mean it is kind of their specialty."

Angel pulled her closer to his side, "I love you," he whispered as he adjusted them so that he was once again spooning her, his hand still not moving from its perch on her belly.

"Angel, you do realize that you're going to have to let me up eventually, I kind of have to pee."

Just as she was about to disentangle herself from his arms, a loud pounding sounded from their door.

"I swear to God, he better fucking know or I'm telling."

"Really Linds? Angel grumbled in annoyance at the racket.

Buffy sighed, hurrying to set up. She groaned as she saw the gears turning in Angel's head as she got out of the bed.

"Wait. How in the hell does Lindsey know?"

"We will get to that," she told him a rush. "First, I'm so not joking about the whole needing to use the bathroom stuff." Buffy sighed again as she could hear on the other side of the door Angel having put some clothes on quickly and gone to open the door. She could perfectly picture Lindsey's annoyed face that had to greet him.

"How in the hell does Lindsey know that you're pregnant?" was the first thing she heard stepping back into the bedroom.

"You didn't tell him?!"

"I told him that I was pregnant. Not the rest, I didn't exactly get to it."

"What rest?" Angel asked.

Lindsey made a very annoyed noise. "You shoulda had this shit handled, Summers."

She glared at him before looking at Angel. "I... I kind of told Lindsey on accident last night. When you two got back with the food and everything."

Angel's eyes narrowed, trying to put everything together. "How exactly would that happen?" His face and tone were confused.

"You two left and I took the pregnancy test. I was all excited and I heard someone and I wasn't paying any attention... I ran toward the body and I thought it was you and I announced the news."

"You confused Lindsey for me? Seriously?"

"No. Yes. I wasn't paying a lot of attention! I was excited and tears were there and I was looking more at the test than anything else. I just went toward the figure and assumed it was you."

"And that wasn't even the worst part!" Lindsey broke in. Buffy rolled her eyes and Angel just turned to look at him. "All I wanted to do was show her those giant donuts and cheesecake wheel thing and instead I got pee shoved in my hand and in my pocket."

Angel only looked more confused. "I have no idea what is happening."

"She decided it wasn't such a good idea to just blurt the news out after all and goes shoving evidence into my damn hand and has to hide in my pocket."

"I didn't think it would be the best time given everything..."

"So. I had the damn stick in my pants and all this information and it wasn't my information to fucking have and.. it all made for a terrible fucking time."

OoOoO

By the time everything was out in the open Buffy was never more thankful for her short time at the preschool. Here she'd thought her training would help her when the time came for her own children but really she figured it might be better for the adult males she surrounded herself with.

"So. Here's what's going to happen. You're both going to go lay down for awhile since it doesn't look like either one of you had a good night. You're going to actually sleep and not worry about who knew what when, you're not going to worry about every possible thing about the baby... you're going to sleep. And when you wake back up there will be food and coffee and everyone will just be happy about this little bundle of joy. Alright? And then you two can make it to your appointment for the tuxes. And all will be okay in the world again."

OoOoO

While the boys caught up on their beauty rest, Buffy let her own mind run wild about everything. She knew Angel would get over the fact of Lindsey's having known before him and everything soon, if not by the time he got some rest in. Lindsey would eventually use it to his advantage to tease him and it would all be a funny story one day.

Her face lit up as she thought about the baby, about the journey they finally found themselves on. She danced a little on the stool as she ate a bite of eggs. Her mind went to wanting to call Willow but she wasn't sure if she wanted to just shout it from the rooftops and tell everyone she came across or if she wanted to wait. She thought about ways to perhaps announce it with the wedding - maybe at the restaurant when everyone was gathered afterward - but she just couldn't make up her mind right now.

She was just too excited to settle on anything right now. She thought about shopping, the nursery, baby showers, announcements... everything. She loved every bit of it.

Finally daring to, Buffy went and grabbed the set of journals she'd bought a few weeks ago and tore the plastic off. One was for pregnancy, one for after the baby was born to keep track of their milestones and such. There was also two more for mom and dad to fill out about their lives, it had places to fill out questions or put photos in and such. Her hand smoothed over the pregnancy one and she flipped the cover over and began looking over the first few pages.

In the back of her mind she knew something could happen, but her heart wouldn't let those dark thoughts cloud her as she grabbed the closest pen and began filling a few lines about what had happened last night on the page before her.

OoOoO

After waking up, Angel was still too groggy at first. He grabbed the phone and called Buffy - who was just downstairs - and asked her to come join him in the shower to help boost his energy. A few minutes later she was in the door frame and as expected he quickly found new life pumping through him.

He had to admit he wasn't overly thrilled with the whole Lindsey situation but it wasn't as big of a deal as he was certain they expected it to be. He was just happy there was the news at all.

After getting something quick to eat, he and Lindsey bid his favorite woman goodbye for a few hours so they could finally get their outfits for the wedding. Lindsey spent the entire time explaining how he fully planned to wear his cowboy boots with his tux and was absolutely not cutting his hair just for their wedding.

Getting out of the car, Lindsey told him to go ahead and he'd join in a few. He pointed to the small donut shop across the road.

OoOoO

Lindsey watched the people inside flock to Angel for a moment once he entered the store before turning the opposite way and walking with purpose as quick as he could. He swore he'd seen Darla a few streets back and he was about to go confront the fucking witch. He'd never once laid his hands on a woman but thought when it came to that certain one he might change his mind. And it would be justified.

The car and she were gone by the time he got back there, though. He said a few curse words under his breath before hurrying back to the little shop to rejoin Angel.

It wasn't hard for either of them to find the perfect tux, unlike shopping for a wedding dress there really were only so many options when it came to a tuxedo. The longest and most arduous process was the tailoring, Angel dreaded the ordeal, standing still for nearly an hour with straight pins stuck every which way through his arms and legs.

Lindsey on the other hand seemed to be more than enjoying himself. The seamstress that was helping him, some young brunette, was the first girl he had ever seen cause Lindsey to go speechless. He could almost swear he'd seen a blush creep down the man's neck.

When they were finally finished, and had changed back into their normal clothes, Angel was beyond anxious to get back to Buffy. She basically had to force him out the door this afternoon. Reminding him that she was pregnant, not dying and she didn't need a sitter.

Angel stood at the front counter waiting on Lindsey, per usual. When he finally emerged from the fitting rooms, his hair was disheveled, and it certainly wasn't from changing clothes. "It's about damn time," Angel grumbled once he was in hearing distance.

Lindsey simply looked up, and shot him a quick wink, "Sorry man, Faith decided she needed to make a few last minutes... adjustments.".

"Faith huh," Angel raised a brow curiously. Why wasn't he surprised, "You know one day you're going to catch something.".

Lindsey let out a hearty laugh as they stepped out the doors, walking over to Angel he patted him on the back, "Nah, cause unlike you brother, I know how to wrap my shit up.".

OoOoO

Thankfully with it being a Saturday, traffic was light on their way home. When they were about half way back to the house, Angel glanced at Lindsey in the passenger seat. "What?"

Returning his eyes to the road, Angel just shrugged his shoulders not really knowing how to bring the subject up. "No if you've got something to say then say it," Lindsey grouched.

Sighing, he had been trying to figure out the best way to say this for days. " I need you to do me a favor."

Lindsey crossed his arms over his chest, this was never a good start to their conversations. "If it involves sneaking around or lying to that babymama of yours, consider me out." He'd already been in the middle of their bullshit once this weekend, no way in hell he was going to willingly sign up for it again."

"It's nothing like that, why would I ask you to lie to Buffy," Lindsey glared at him pointedly from the passenger seat, "I don't know Angel, why would you ask me to lie to Buffy?".

"Look I need you to ask around," taking a deep breath, he briefly took his eyes of the road to look at his friend, his expression serious. "About Darla."

Lindsey ran a hand through his long locks, "Man," he blew out a deep breath before turning once again to face Angel. "What the fuck. I take time off work to come out here, play the roll of the best man, get my tux, and get the fuck out of this God forsaken town," his voice continued to rise, as he further twisted within the confines of his lap belt. Angel never amazed at how much of a flare he had for dramatics just sighed.

Shaking a finger in his direction, Lindsey continued,"Instead I'm violated by your damn wife, my favorite jeans are ruined, I have to adjust to the idea of being a damn Uncle with absolutely NO warning, and now you want me to go hunt down the fucking wicked witch of the west!?".

Flicking the glove box open, Lindsey pulled out the pack of cigarettes he had stashed there the night before. He looked at Angel as he lit one just daring him to object.

"I wouldn't ask if I had another option. She was at our house Lindsey, and like you said, Buffy's pregnant now. I can't risk something happening to her, and I can't go asking around about Darla myself either."

He knew that Angel was right, the bitch needed to be squashed and it was too risky for him to go seeking her out. No telling what Darla would do if word got back that O'connor was asking around about her. Taking a long drag, he slowly exhaled before answering."Fine, I'll fucking ask around. But I swear to God that bitch better not come after me, and if she does, you better be there to bail me out, woman or not, she's been asking for a beating."

OoOoO

After the boys had left, Buffy had ran to the grocery store to get the things she needed to prepare dinner for the night. She didn't think she could handle another night of take out, even from a restaurant. Instead she had decided to prepare what she remembered to be Lindsey's favorite, hoping that he would forgive her for ruining his pants.

Lindsey had to fly back out tomorrow, and after all the stress of last night, she just wanted tonight to go smoothly. She felt as though she'd been standing in the kitchen for hours when she finally placed the last dish into the oven. Glancing at the clock she noted that the guys should be arriving back home soon. Setting the timer on the oven, she untied the polka dotted apron from her waist, before grabbing a water from the fridge, and making her way to the couch to rest for a few minutes.

Turning on an episode of a baby story, for the first time she felt a sense of excitement seeing the reality show flash across her screen. As she watched the happy couple bring their very own tiny miracle into this world, she couldn't help but imagine the day her and Angel would do the same.

OoOoO

Angel and Lindsey pulled into the driveway, as they walked in the front door panic immediately coursed through both of them. The alarm from the oven could be heard from the door, and there was the distinct smell of something burning. Racing to the kitchen, they had to fan the smoke from their eyes, as Angel made his way over to the oven pressing buttons to silence the alarm and turn the machine off. Opening the oven door, he jumped back, whatever had been cooking was now consumed in burning flames. Instructing Lindsey to grab the fire extinguisher from the pantry, he turned to go find Buffy.

A wave of relief washed through him as he ran into the living room, and spotted her curled up under her favorite blanket sound asleep. Crouching next to her, he gently stroked the hair back from her face, kissing her forehead in an effort to wake her.

OoOoO

Darla sat in her car parked a few houses down, furious that her plan had been a failure. She had spotted Angel and Lindsey in town earlier, driving around contemplating her options, it suddenly dawned on her that if they were both there, then Buffy must have been at home. Alone.

Just as she was preparing to exit her car and make a move, she noticed the headlights of Angel's old car slowly pulling into the driveway. Totally thwarting her devious plans.

Darla growled under her breath as she watched the two men talk for a few moments more inside the car before starting to climb out. Her eyes lingered on Angel while she tried to think of her next move.