Epilogue
Author's Note: I want to thank everyone for reading this story, especially those of you who have stuck with the story from the beginning. Thank you all so much! I also want to thank Kristine, jcangel, Soraya, X-identaty and Sandy-eco, I appreciate your reviews and all of your kind words.
I hope you all enjoy this last chapter! I am also still working on my other story, "As the World Turns." Hopefully there will be other stories ahead! Thanks again!
Just another note, this story takes place seven years from the last chapter.
"But Buffy, we can't start without you." Sixteen year old Dawn argued with her sister on the phone.
"Dawnie, I just got out of my client meeting, I am going to be late. Just start dinner before I get there." Buffy explained as she climbed into her maroon Ford Bronco.
"We're not starting without you. Just get here when you can." Dawn told her sister as she hung up the phone.
Buffy received her bachelor's degree in interior design from UC Sunnydale two years earlier. When Dawn had called her, she was leaving her biggest client, singer Lorne Caritas. Lorne liked Buffy but not her designs. Their forty-five minute meeting turned into over two hours. They both agreed on something loud and bright for his new bedroom. Buffy was stepping outside of her box to keep this huge star as her client.
It would be over twenty minutes until she arrived at her mother's house. Buffy was so hungry that she couldn't wait. She pulled over to a fast food drive through to buy something for her empty stomach. She had been getting cravings for food that she never liked since she became pregnant. She and her husband of exactly two years were thrilled when they found out they were expecting a child.
As she ate and drove down the high way, she was realized that she was not on patrol that night. Another slayer had come to Sunnydale after Buffy got married. Her name was Faith. She was about fifteen years old and tough. She was a tomb boy but yet had a sexy girlie quality to her. Faith would take over patrolling for good once she turned sixteen. She and her watcher, Charles Gunn worked hard together. Giles would then do research for the council. He would also train Buffy to do the same type of research.
Buffy finally pulled into her mother's driveway almost an hour and a half later than she planned. She hopped out of her car and walked towards the balloons that were tied to the porch.
"Hello, I'm here," She said as she walked through the front door.
"Hi honey," Joyce smiled as she hugged her daughter. "Long day?"
"Arg! It was the hardest! But Lorne Caritas was really nice and is offering me a good amount of money so things aren't so bad. Did you do your surprise news thingy yet?"
"No, she wouldn't do it because she wanted you to be here," Dawn explained as she gave her sister a hug. "Plus, tonight is for you and your husband too. Go, get some food, talk to your husband, celebrate your anniversary, then Mom can share her good news."
Buffy grabbed a plate from the dinning room and worked her way down the table loaded with food. She walked over to Willow and chatted with her for a bit.
"Hey you," She beamed as she felt her husband's strong arms close around her.
Her husband returned her smile. "Hey, how are you?"
"Better, you're here. How was work?"
He made a face. "It was work, lots of angry investors because their stock went down. It was long but much better, especially since I'm with you." He smiled again. "Oh, yeah, I worked on the baby cradle, I'm almost done." He enjoyed making furniture. He also made Buffy and Faith's stakes for patrolling.
"Wait a minute," Willow interrupted as she began to whisper. "Baby cradle? Buffy, you're not even through your first trimester are you?"
She nodded. "No but he's been so excited since we found out. The second trimester starts in a few days."
"Buffy, I wanted to make the announcements now, are you ready?" Joyce asked her daughter as she took her by the hand and led her to the living room.
Buffy smiled as she looked at her husband. Everyone she loved was in her mother's living room. Willow was cuddled up to her husband, Oz; Xander was sitting with his new wife Cordelia on his lap. Giles was standing by the mantel chatting with Gunn. Faith was sitting on the couch chatting with Dawn about school gossip. Yes, everyone she loved was in that room.
"Can we I have your attention please?" Joyce said loudly. "We have a lot of news to share in this room, so let's start." Joyce smiled. "I think I will go first."
"I know what she is going to say," Dawn said out loud.
"Yes Dawn you do know," Joyce paused before continuing. "Rupert and I are getting married!"
Buffy was shocked. She was extremely happy for her mother and her father figure but she was shocked. "Mom, that's great! I'm so happy for you!" She said as she went from hugging her mother then to Giles.
After a few moments, Buffy stood up as her husband's strong arms wrapped around her again. "We would like to tell everyone that we are having a baby!"
Everyone jumped up and down. Willow was the only one who knew other than Buffy and her husband.
After Willow hugged Buffy she announced her own news. "Oz and I are adopting a child. We're going to China in a few weeks to pick her up." Willow explained happily. Again, everyone jumped up and down and hugged her.
"I feel like we should be having a kid," Xander told his new wife.
"Xander, we haven't even been married for six months. Let's be alone for a while. Then when we're ready we can try. Plus, there's always fun in the trying part." Cordelia explained.
"Sometimes you do make sense. I love you," Xander said as he shared a quick kiss with his wife.
"We'll get the car in the morning. We're just walking home now. Congratulations Mom," Buffy said standing in her mother's doorway.
Joyce placed her arms around her oldest child. "Thank you Buffy. And congratulations to you too," she said as she put her hand on her daughter's stomach. "I can't wait to meet my new grandbaby!"
Before Buffy could answer, her husband asked if she was ready to walk home. She nodded as she gave her mother, Dawn and Giles their hugs.
"I'm glad we walked. I like spending time with you." Buffy said as she held her husband's hand. They walked into their house on Crawford Street. Buffy placed her keys next to the vase of irises on the kitchen island. Everything was dark in the house. He turned on the lights as Buffy made her way up to their bedroom. She wanted to put on her pj's and got to bed. She was really tired.
After washing her face and brushing her teeth, she crawled into bed. Her husband did the same thing. He wrapped his arms around her as they lay in bed.
"What are you thinking about?" Buffy asked.
"Us. Our family. Everything that has happened since-"
Buffy sat up and shook her head. "No, don't do this again, please."
"Buffy, after everything that has happened; I still don't know how I ended up with you. I don't know how I got so lucky," he proclaimed as tears fell down his eyes. "I'm so thankful to you, to your mother, Giles, everyone."
Buffy took her husband and cradled him in her arms. She loved him with all of her heart and soul, as he did her. They always had, since they first met. "Angel, what happened all those years ago is over. You're married, twenty seven years old and have a baby on the way. You are an incredible friend and an incredible lover"
"That's not the point. I feel so much remorse about what I have done, what I have put you through and our family, I-"Angel paused for a moment. "I don't understand how I got so blessed to have you in my life. I love you Buffy Anne Summers-McCarthy."
Buffy gave Angel a kiss and lay back down. She thought she lived the perfect life with the perfect people. She said, "I love you too," before curling into Angel and falling fast asleep.