September 24th, 2003
Dawn looked up from her reading when she heard a loud and extremely over exaggerated sigh escape from Ella.

"Something wrong El?"

"I'm bored!"

"Bored?" Dawn asking looking down at the child who was sitting in a sea of toys. "How can you be bored, you have an entire toy store down there."

"None of the adults will play with me."

"They're all busy."

"Doing what?"

Dawn thought about how to answer the question for a second, truth was they were all in the basement talking about slaying and big evil bad things, "Doing stuff that you're too young to hear about."

Ella sighed, "That's the story of my life."

Dawn laughed, "You sure you're only three?"

"Will you play with me?"

"I just spent the last three hours playing with you, I'm sorry, I've got to get this reading done."

Ella pouted and mumbled under her breath, "No fair."

"It is too fair sweetie, we're just busy, I'm sorry."

Ella continued to grumble from her place on the floor as she struggled to hold both a Ken and a Barbie and give them each their own voices.

"Hello babe, would you like to go on a date with me tonight?" Ella said as she attempted to lower her voice to sound more like Ken. "Of course I'd love to honey bunches." Ella said making her voice even higher than normal.

Dawn burst out laughing and Ella pouted, her lower lip protruding out, "Don't laugh at me, you're the one who's making me play all by myself, I have to make the right voices, usually Xander makes Ken's voice."

"Aww, come here kiddo, I'm not making fun of you, you're just cute." She said patting the space next to her on the couch. "So you've been playing Barbie with Xander huh?"

"Yep."

"No wonder Ken called Barbie babe, think we need to find you some kids your own age to hang out with, you're going to get corrupted."

"What's irrupted?"

"Corrupted....it means... Eh never mind, don't worry about it. Now can I go back to reading?"

Ella nodded, "Will you read what you're reading to me?"

"It's just boring school stuff...." Dawn was interrupted when she heard Buffy coming up the stairs grumbling.

"Something wrong?" She asked as Buffy sat down next to her.

"YES!"

"Want to tell me about it?"

"They KICKED me out!"

"They won't let me stay around either." Ella said pouting.

"Who?"

"ALL of them, the Slayeretts kicked ME the SLAYER out, ARGH!"

"Why?" Dawn said, her voice remaining calm even though her sister was yelling.

"Because I'm pregnant, Stress isn't good for the babies, you need to rest, go take a nap, go lay down, go eat, blah blah blah!"

"Okay rant woman, just calm down."

Buffy took a deep breath, "Sorry."

"Ever think they could have a point?"

"I know they have a point it's just... I'm still Buffy, I'm just pregnant, I know my body, they're fine, I'm fine, we're all fine."

Dawn reached out and rubbed her hand over her sister's round belly, "I know, but everyone just wants to be extra careful, you've got babies on board."

"You know I wouldn't do anything to put them anywhere near harms way."

"I know, everyone's just making sure you've slowed down enough, you're not exactly good at taking care of yourself, always take care of everyone else, for once let us take care of you."

Buffy sighed, "Alright fine, I'll reduce my stress level, relax more.."

"Enjoy it, it won't last forever."

Buffy smiled, "I know, and I do, for the most part."

"Good."

"I think I upset the babies, they're kicking me like crazy."

Dawn leaned over and put her mouth closer to her sister's stomach, "You're mommy isn't REALLY this crazy, just ignore her, it's the hormones."

"Ha, very funny."

"Well, they have a right to know that their mother really isn't a completely insane woman..." Dawn saw the look on Buffy's face and added, "who's the best older sister in the world and who I love dearly."

"Yeah yeah yeah, so what are you two up to?"

"Well, I was TRYING to read, but it doesn't look like that's gonna happen."

"I was bein' bored and hungry!" Ella said sighing.

"I thought you were just bored."

"My tummy changed its mind Dawnie."

"Well, I don't know about Dawn but I'm hungry too. How does a nice trip to McDonalds sound?"

"It sounds like very very much fun."

"McDonalds?" Dawn said giving her sister a questioning glance.

"Ah, you haven't mastered the mind of a three year old yet, it's like three year old heaven, right El?"

"Yes! Good food!"

"Alright then, let's go." Buffy said taking Ella's hand. "You want to come Dawn?"

Dawn sighed and thought for a second, then closed her book, "Why not, wait for me."
The Scooby Gang all sat around a table in the Summer's basement which had been transformed into Slayer Central. All of them, Willow, Xander, Anya, Angel, and Spike, with three empty chairs that were reserved for Buffy, Dawn, and Giles.

"I feel bad for kicking her out, she was pretty upset."

"We did what was best for her Red, she needs her rest."

"She's just moody, she's over it, looked pretty happy when she came down to tell us she was taking El and Dawn to get something to eat."

Anya shook her head in amazement, "I'm not sure why anyone would be so thrilled about going to eat hamburgers that aren't even made out of meat..."

"That was the Doublemeat Palace, remember?"

"Yes Xander, but I'm sure it's a conspiracy against all Americans"

"You two don't get started.." Angel was interrupted when the phone rang, Willow jumped up to answer it.

"Hello?" she said brushing a strand of red hair out of her face.

"Willow dear?"

"Hi Giles! How are you?"

"I'm good, how are you?"

"Peachy." Willow said, a hint of sarcasm in her voice.

"Things not going so well?"

"Buffy's just moody, that's all."

"Well, I'm sure it's normal."

"I know."

"Is she there by the way?"

"No, she took your little one to get something to eat, but I can tell her you called."

"Actually, I was wishing to speak to you without Buffy being present."

"Is everything okay?"

"Actually, there's a prophecy the Council has alerted me to."

Willow sighed, "Let me guess, mass destruction, giant snakes, the most power evil on Earth...."

"Actually, I believe it's about the babies."

Willow looked shocked, "The babies?" Angel jumped up hearing the question escape from the witches' mouth and quickly came to her to try to get some information. She held her hand up to his face and silenced him, she then pushed a button and put Giles on speaker phone.

"What about the babies?" Willow asked, a hint of panic rising in her voice.

"They're going to grow up to be two very powerful women and there may be reason for some members of the demon community to try to prevent their birth from happening."

"So you're telling me they'll be in danger the rest of their lives?"

"No, no, not at all, according to this prophecy the only window of opportunity for anyone to try and stop them from entering this world will be while Buffy's in labor. Once they're here they're here and they will be safe and lead a perfectly normal life."

"But they're powerful?"

"Oh yes, they have the potential to be extremely powerful."

"Buffy powerful?"

"I'd imagine the girls will be very much like their mother, yes."

"So what do you suggest? Do we tell Buffy?"

"That's up to you lot, I wouldn't risk stressing her out too much, the fact that the babies will be safe after they're born won't prevent normal pregnancy complications."

"So what do we do?"

"This is just a precaution, but I'd like to be sure there is a backup plan incase in the end it turns out it's safer for Buffy to deliver in the house where we can better protect her."

"So you're saying..."

"I'd like you to train to be her midwife."

"Me? What? No..I don't know about this Giles. We've got three months tops. Besides, don't you want someone with experience, I've never even seen puppies being born, much less delivered two human children."

"Willow, you're brilliant and an extremely quick learner, above all else you're her best friend and she trusts you."

"And how exactly will I go about this?"

"Talk to Buffy's doctor, learn as much as you can. My flight arrives tomorrow and we'll figure something more out, alright?"

Willow sighed, "Okay."

"Oh, by the way, Dawn's 17th birthday is on the 26th right?"

"Yep, we're having a little party for her."

"Alright, I'll have to pick something up. Give the others my love and a kiss to Ella."

"Okay, thank you Giles."

"Goodnight."

Willow hung up the phone and stood looking at the shocked faces of her friends.

"Well that was a big ol' bombshell." Xander said, the first to speak.
"Prophecy's suck!"

"So do we tell her?" Willow asked.

"We have to Red, they're her children, 'sides she's a quick one, she'll figure something out."

"As much as I hate this, I have to agree with Spike."

Angel sighed, "Me too, and I think Buffy will be okay with this....in the end as long as the girls are safe and happy."

Willow nodded, "yeah, but I'm not sure how easy it'll be to turn Buffy on to the idea of a homebirth, I think she was kind of planning on drugs."

"She hates hospitals with a passion, member Will? Might not be as hard as you think."

"I was a midwife, once, a long LONG time ago. I can help." Anya offered out of nowhere.

"You were a midwife?"

"Yes, best in the town, delivered hundreds of babies, never lost a baby or a mother."

"Wow, that'll be..helpful."

Anya nodded, "Things change, but I'm sure between me and a training center you'll be ready in no time. We'll have to get some supplies.."

"She's so hot when she's smart." Xander mumbled under his breath.

"What was that?"

"Never mind."

"We'll arrange all the details later, let's just get through Dawn's birthday before we tell Buffy, Dawn deserves a something normal."

"Do we tell Dawn?"

"When we tell Buffy, she might want to help out, these are her nieces."

"Okay, so it's agreed, we keep this under lock and key until we figure out something more?" Angel said has he looked around the room. They all nodded.

"Okay then, let's go upstairs, we can talk about this again later."