About a week later Buffy was asleep in Jay's arms when something impinged on her senses and woke her. She sat up and slipped out of bed, carefully so as not to wake her husband and put on her robe. She walked downstairs and stepped into her clogs, then slid open the patio doors and walked outside into the chill air.

"I know you're here." She said quietly into the night, and an answering chuckle made her jump. A match hissed and the glowing end of a cigarette pinpointed the familiar shadow as he walked into the moonlight.

"Spike."

"Slayer."

Buffy gestured helplessly, "I didn't know…when…how?" Her eyes were confused, hesitant, remembering their last night together, then his last day.

"It's a long story luv." He moved closer and looked down at her, the woman he had redeemed his soul for. She looked even more beautiful than he remembered, and a restless ache burned in him for a moment before he remembered why he was there.

"Peaches had a vision."

"W-What?" Buffy stammered slightly.

"The poof is having visions now, but that's neither here nor there. He had a vision of your child being taken away."

He heard her gasp softly and automatically place her hand protectively across her stomach as if to protect the precious life within her.

"When?"

"That was all sort of vague." He looked away, "It hit him hard, knowing that you married and are expecting a little one now, it was why he sent me instead of coming along himself."

Buffy turned away, "He had his chance." She walked away a few steps, her pink robe swirling around her legs, her shoulders tense.

"It wasn't meant to be pet. Neither were we. What you have now fills you heart and soul, something neither of us could give you." Spike's voice was calm and she turned back around, tears in her eyes.

"I missed you so much, I though of you so much." She whispered, feeling vaguely like she was being unfaithful to Jay.

Spike smiled, "Slayer, you were everything to me, but when I died…" He shrugged, "It's a new chapter for both of us. Look at you, about to become a mum. You wouldn't trade it for all of the tea in China."

"Nope, I wouldn't." she agreed.

An owl hooted softly and Spike glanced up in the trees, "Listen pet, you need to ask for help from the stars. What that means? Blast if I know, but Peaches was very specific."

Buffy nodded, "Ok, I guess I'll understand when I see it."

"Be careful pet, and take care of yourself." Spike stepped back and walked into the darkness.

"Will you go see Dawnie?" She called softly.

A rich chuckle, "It's where I'm headed next. See you soon Slayer." And he disappeared.

Buffy stayed out on the porch, shivering slightly as she thought about the new threat that loomed over her. Behind her the door slid open, "Babe?"

"I'll be right there." She stood for a moment longer, then turned and walked by her husband into the house.

Jay was uneasy, there was a sudden wall between them and he didn't know why. "Buffy, why were you outside?"

"There was a vampire." She said and smiled at his consternation. "It was Spike, though how he's alive, and no one told me is something I'm gonna have to find out."

"Is he, good?"

"As good as he can be. He's working for Angel, who's going to get an earful in just a minute. Go on up to bed and I'll be up in a sec."

Jay nodded and gave her a kiss, then headed up the stairs. He trusted her, he did, and that was what he had to do when her past collided with their present. It didn't stop the uneasy feeling that was growing and he decided to have a chat with Jack the next day.

Buffy dialed Angel's direct line and impatiently waited for it to ring.

"Angel Investigations…"He began when she interrupted him.

"So, when were you going to tell me that Spike was back from the dead?" She demanded.

Angel felt as if he'd lost his breath when he heard Buffy's voice, "I.." he cleared his tight throat, "I didn't know we were speaking."

She huffed an impatient sigh, "You didn't think that I would care to know he was back? For goodness sake Angel, I loved him, I mourned him when he died! For that I deserve some consideration."

Angel sighed and rubbed his eyes, "I'm sorry Buffy. I figured that you have your own life now, and I didn't want to intrude."

Buffy sat and gently touched her stomach, "You sent him here, can't be more intrusive than that you idiot." She paused, then sighed, "Do you have a clearer picture about my baby?"

"No, I'm sorry. All that I know is that the baby is quite small, and you need to seek help from the stars."

"Alright, but if you keep important things like this from me again I'm flying to LA to stake you myself, got it?"

Angel chuckled, "I understand. How is everyone?"

"I had dinner with everyone last week and they're all good. Dawnie has a 4.0 gpa and is playing volleyball."

"I'm glad, tell them I said hello. Listen, I have things to do," he lied, "So you need to go to bed and get some rest Buffy."

"I know, thanks for sending Spike. Good night Angel." And she hung up the phone with a sigh. She looked towards the stairs with a smile, "This is familiar, you might as well come down babe."

Jay laughed and walked down the stairs, coming over to kneel in front of his wife, his eyes dark with concern, "Can you tell me what's going on?"

"Yes and no. There's a threat," she waved a hand, "But nothing specific until after the baby is born."

"Of course there is." Jay sighed and rested his head on her lap, feeling her fingers card through his hair. He could feel her sigh and about to speak, but stop.

Then she let out a long breath, "There is something else, but I'm going to hold it back in reserve until I know more. Is that OK?"

Jay lifted his head up and smiled, "I trust you."

Buffy's eyes got a little teary and she leaned forward and pressed her lips to his, "Thank you."

Dawn was restless, she'd finished her paper but something was off, something…. She shrugged and pulled a sweatshirt over her pajamas and headed out of the dorm to the fountain in the courtyard. She looked up at the stars, wondered how Jon was when a voice from her past spoke, "Hello Niblet."

Her head came up and she stared in disbelief, "Spike?"

"In the flesh."

Dawn shook her head, "No, you're dead. This is a trick, someone's found me and are using magic." She stood and was about to run.

Spike held up his hands, "Whoa, just a minute Dawnie, I just saw Buffy. She didn't know either, though she said she was going to call Peaches and read him the riot act." He rolled his eyes and looked so, 'just Spike', that she ran and hugged him, making him laugh.

"I missed you." She said.

"Oh Niblet, I missed you. Clem says hello by the way."

"How are you here? Buffy said that you died!" Dawn said, stepping back to view the vampire with affection, smiling at the boots and the leather duster that was so him.

"Was dead, now I'm not. Angel sent me to talk to the Slayer. Now I'm here to see you before I head back to LA."

"Not another apocalypse?" she asked.

"No pet, not quite as serious as all that." He said, she red his expression, as she always could and nodded.

Dawn moved back to the fountain and patted the seat beside her, "Sit, I have so much to tell you."

*^*^*^*^*^*^*

The next day Buffy was standing idly in the gateroom, watching Sgt. Siler futz with one of the malps. She'd walk around aimlessly, up to the ramp, idly looked at the symbols on the rings then come back and peer over Siler's shoulder.

Finally he huffed, "Is there something I can do for you Buffy?"

Buffy shook her head, "Nope, just hangin' out."

"Well do it somewhere else would you?" he asked when suddenly an image Sam appeared in the center of the gateroom.

"Sam!" Buffy said in delight.

"Hi Buffy, can someone get the General?"

Buffy looked up at Sgt. Davis who nodded and got on the phone. She turned and looked back at Sam's image, "So, how's it going?"

"It's great, I'm almost finished with the modifications to the cloning units. Your idea, by the way, has really made their day." Sam smiled.

"Oh, good. Hey before the General gets here…"

"The General is here." General Hammond said from the stairway.

"Sir." Sam said, her attention going to the General.

"Go ahead Buffy, tell her your good news." He said indulgently.

Buffy shuffled, then grinned at her friend, "You're gonna be an aunt."

"What?" Sam's eyes went wide.

"In about 7 months Jay and I are going to have a baby."

"Congratulations! I wish I wasn't up here all of the sudden."

Suddenly Angel's warning became a little clearer, 'ask for help from the stars', "I wish you were here too. Hey Sam, before Thor leaves let him know I need to talk to him."

"Ok Buffy." Buffy waved and left the gateroom, leaving Sam to make her report.

Feeling restless Buffy went to the locker room to change, then made a quick trip to Jay's office for Gabriel's sword and she headed to the gym. She looked around, noticing that the gym was empty and pulled the sword out of its sheath, swinging it through the air experimentally for a moment. She stopped, arranged her body and began to do drills. She closed her eyes and moved through the drills smoothly, concentrating so deeply that she was unaware of her fascinated audience.

SG-2 had made arrangements to meet in the gym for a sparring session and Lt. Hailey arrived first. She stopped short in the gym door at the sight of her CO's wife practicing with her sword. Buffy was, to use a phrase, poetry in motion, and it was amazing to watch. Ballard ran into her and was about to say something when she snapped her fist up and pointed. He looked over her shoulder and his eyes widened at the sight in the gym.

Hayden and Jay were talking quietly when they arrived at the gym door, Ballard turned and shushed them, then pointed. Both men looked over Hailey's shoulder to see Buffy engrossed in her training. Hayden's eyebrows went up and he mouthed, 'Wow' to Jay, who shrugged. Finally Jay tapped Hailey's shoulder and she moved aside to let him in. He watched his wife for a moment, opened his mouth and she disappeared.

"Well shit."

^:^:^:^:^:^:^:^:^

Buffy's eyes snapped open, her sword in the defensive position when she saw Thor.

"Oh, sorry." She let the sword go down, and smiled sheepishly.

"I am unharmed Buffy Coburn." Thor said, his eyes blinking curiously at her. "You wanted to speak to me?"

She rubbed her shoulder, then lay the sword on the deck, "When you had Sam, Major Carter, here I went with SG-1 to visit the Tok'ra." She cleared her throat, "I became a Tok'ra for a couple of days."

"Indeed."

"Yeah, well, while I was there I found out I was pregnant," she smiled, "Which is good. But when the symbiote found a new host and we came home Dr. Frasier said that there would be interest in my baby because of it." She looked to see if Thor understood.

"It is rare for a human to have been a host and have a child. The scientific interest would be great."

Buffy shrugged, "Yeah, well I don't mind the sciency part, but there's a threat after the baby is born." She paused, then looked at Thor seriously, "I hate to ask for help, but for my baby I will."

Thor inclined his head, "I will give you a communication device. Activate it when the child is born and we will monitor you both until the danger is over."

She sighed in relief, "Thank you Thor."

"You and Major Carter have helped us immensely, it is no trouble. Human children are usually born after 9 months of gestation, am I correct?"

"Yeah, I'm due around the first of April."

"Very well, we will see you again Buffy Coburn." And suddenly she was back in the gym, her sword at her feet and her husband waiting for her.