A/N: Ok, next chapter, there shall be some Scottish Dialogue, thanks to
Doukeshi03!!!!!
Thank you so much!
And here's the next part! And all I can post before I get the Scottish ports worked out!
~ * ~
"H-how?!"
"I don't know! I haven't known Riley for nine months! Well, I have, but we haven't been . . . . ." Willow nodded. They were on their way to the hospital. Willow had borrowed an acquaintance's car. Buffy gritted through another cramp, as Willow stopped for the red light.
They were coming stronger and closer together now, and they still had no idea how this could happen.
So, it hadn't been just stress. She had no inkling that she had been pregnant. She had thought the weight gain was from the extra late nights, not enough training and other physical activities, and bad eating habits; such as grabbing the last of the pizza instead of the low fat, low calorie yogurt. She had never thought this was possible.
A wave of pain hit her again, momentarily interrupting her thoughts.
She knew it wasn't Parker's, that had been September, almost eleven months ago. And it wasn't Riley's, they hadn't started sleeping together until only five months ago. Unless, of course, the baby was premature, but she could tell that she wasn't. She? How had she known that?
Once they arrived at the hospital, she was ushered in, and whisked away, while Willow went to call Giles.
"Giles, it's me, Willow. I'm at the Hospital with Buffy-"
"Dear Lord, what happened? Is she alright?"
"She's fine. Well, as fine as she can be- is someone else there?"
"Riley. He thought Buffy might be over here. One second, Willow." She heard him telling the T.A in the background of where Buffy was.
"No! Giles, she doesn't want him here!" Too late, she heard the door slam on his end. "Damn it Giles! She's in labor, and she had no clue she was pregnant, and it's not his!"
"Oh, I can see the problem." She could almost hear him take off his glasses and start to clean them. "I shall be right there, ok, Willow? Hold tight." The phone was placed back into the cradle, and Willow sighed. Why was it always her that screwed things up?
She didn't have time to worry about it now, as she asked directions to where Buffy was, and followed them.
The slayer did exceptionally well, Willow thought. She was allowed into the room, once she had permission from Buffy, and the birth was like nothing she had ever seen before. Her hand hurt, a lot, and it currently had ice on it, slayers have excellent grips.
The baby was a girl, and once the labor really got going, it only took two hours. Now Buffy lay in her room, tired, disheveled, sweaty, but she was holding her baby girl, and she was happy. Willow was so proud of her.
Neither had heard from Giles or Riley, and Willow hoped Giles had convinced the soldier to go home, and he would call if he found out anything. Of course, now she just had to tell Buffy.
And she did not take it too well.
"What am I going to do, Will? I have no clue who's baby this is, besides mine, and I have no recollection of her being conceived!" The slayer was close to tears.
"Maybe it's a spell, Buffy."
"She doesn't feel like a spell, Will. She feels like mine. She feels like she belongs here." She shifted the baby a bit.
"No, the memory. There are spells, that I've heard of, that can alter or erase memories, but you have to be very powerful, and assured. Messing with people's memories are tricky, and dangerous."
"Willow, I don't care what you have to do, please help me figure this out! I can't go on- not knowing!" She shook her head, dazed.
"W-what about Riley?"
She sighed. "He's gonna know something's up. What do I tell him? How's he going to react to-I've been carrying a child around for nine months, a child that isn't his..And I didn't even know!"
"We'll figure something out, don't worry, Buffy. Um, I'm gonna go check on something. I called Giles, so he's probably waiting. I'll be right back, though, ok?" She nodded and Willow left the room. She saw Giles in the waiting room and went to meet him,
"H-how is she?"
"Alright, considering. She's tired, and confused, but she's happy. I haven't seen her this happy since-since junior year, right before her birthday. Back when everything wasn't so messed up."
"Is there any clue as to-"
"The father?" she shook her head to reinforce the answer. "No. She definitely got pregnant after dating Parker, but she and Riley-not until after-after her birthday. And the baby's no help. Blond hair, blue eyes, like most babies her age."
"I-it's a she? A-a girl?" Willow nodded, and he sighed. "I guess I should, ah, go give my congratulations."
"Where's Riley?"
"I sent him home. Told him we'd call once there was news. I suspect he won't be getting that call."
"Not right now, anyway." She sighed, "Buffy has no recollection of- of ever conceiving her. I'm gonna do some research, maybe a spell or two, to try and figure this mess out. But-Giles, this is so confusing! I know Buffy well enough to know if she was lying about not knowing! She honestly has no clue! Even she wouldn't lie about something this important!" He had a flashback to a time where she had in fact lied about something similar in importance. Then he mentally shook it off.
He followed her back the way she came. "oh!" She stopped, and went to the receptions desk. "Miss Buffy Summers does not want any information given out on her condition."
"Are you family?"
"Willow thought a moment, just a brief pause, before replying, "Yes." She already felt like the baby's aunt, and Buffy was the closest thing she had to family, closer even than her parents. "Is there any way that you could put a hold on all of her information? Condition, room number, everything. She can give that information to those that need to know herself." The nurse nodded." Thank you very much. Have a nice day." Willow gave the nurse a genuine smile, and the nurse couldn't help but return it. Then she continued on towards Buffy's room.
"There. No unwanted visitors." Willow announced. "I had them put a hold on your info."
"Hi, Giles." Buffy said, after acknowledging Willow's announcement.
"How are you?"
"Tired. Confused. Ecstatic. Did I mention tired?"
"Yes, I believe you did." He smiled, a genuine smile, something he thought he couldn't manage in this situation. Everything was so confusing.
"Not to mention sore."
"I bet you are."
"Would you like to hold her? She doesn't have a name yet, and no father to help me. I was sorta unprepared."
"I'd be delighted to hold her." He carefully took the offered bundle of pink blankets. Willow peeked over his shoulder, and made little cooing noises at the bundle.
"I was sorta thinking about Jenny. Maybe not as a first name," she hastened to add, "But middle name. What do you think?"
Giles was taken aback. "Uh, well. She's your child, Buffy. You should name her as you see fit."
"You are more like my dad than my real one. Besides that I want you to be her Godfather. You're opinion really matters."
"I-uh.." He sputtered, unsure of exactly what to say.
"Will, I want you to be her aunt. And Xander her uncle. You three, we've been through so much, and you're the closest things I have to family, besides mom. Giles, if you really don't feel comfortable being her grandfather, or uncle, then you're at least her god father." She looked at her lap. "I can't expect to always be there. I need you guys, to be there, in case something happens to me."
"Don't talk like that!" Willow cried. "You're her mother Buffy!"
"I am. I'm also a single parent. And a slayer. Who's lived longer than most of her predecessors, or..the ones who came after. I'm the active slayer, with a minimal amount of time left. Nobody knows how long they're going to be on this earth. Nobody knows the future, Will. And I need you to be there for her, if I can't be."
"But you will be!"
"She's right, Willow. No one knows how long they've got, especially the slayer." Giles backed her up.
"What about Kendra Jennifer Summers?" Buffy said suddenly.
"Is it smart to name her after two murdered people? Won't that be bad luck?" Willow asked.
Buffy pouted momentarily pouted, "I was named after my great grandmother. But you're right, I guess. Both murdered by vampires, doesn't give her a good track record, does it? What about. . . . . . . Dawn Jennifer? I still want to name her after Miss Calendar. I feel I owe her something, even after all this time."
"You don't owe her anything." Willow told her.
"Dawn Jennifer Summers. I like it." Giles said quietly. "Do you look like a Dawn? Seem like a Dawn?" he asked the baby, in a not-so-Giles manner. The two girls stifled giggles.
"Whether I like it or not, she's the dawn of a new life for me."
"I-I'll be willing to watcher, while you're at class. You know how I value a good education-" he covered.
"You've got the job." She said calmly, smiling.
"We're tiring you out." Willow picked up. "And we have research to do, anyway."
"Ah, yes." Giles handed her the bundle of baby and cloth. She accepted it with obvious pride.
"It's strange to feel so much pride for something I didn't even know about four hours ago." She mused. Then she tore her eyes away from her child, and looked at her friends. "Keep me in the loop? It's not like I'll be doing a lot of research for awhile."
"I promise. You get some rest, now." Giles told her.
"yeah, I'll come by later. Bye, Dawnie!" Willow cooed the last bit. Buffy smiled and waved as they left.
Once they were gone, she sagged back against the pillows. God was she tired! How could normal women willing go through that? Even with pain tolerance from being the slayer, and endurance, she was exhausted! And more than once? Once was enough for her, that was it. She didn't want to have to go through that ever again.
But maybe, one day, a person would come around tat would change that. Not Riley, she loved him, or thought she did, but she wasn't sure she wanted to spend the rest of her life with him. He was a nice guy, but in the long run . . . . . was he really what she needed?
She switched gears, thinking about what had gone down the last time she went to L.A, with Faith, and then after that, when Angel came here. She couldn't believe that he and Riley had fought. Over her, too.
Now, Angel, she could see herself with him for the rest of her life. He was her first love, and those didn't normally work out, but there was just something about him, that made even the worst situations better. But the jealous vampire act? She wasn't dating him anymore, she wasn't his.
She held Dawn in one arm, and fingered her necklace absently. And then her fingers grazed over where he had bitten her. The one mar on her perfect skin. Well, no person's skin was perfect, but slayer healing got rid of most of the minor scars, which was good. But this one, even though the Master's had disappeared, his stayed.
Thank you so much!
And here's the next part! And all I can post before I get the Scottish ports worked out!
~ * ~
"H-how?!"
"I don't know! I haven't known Riley for nine months! Well, I have, but we haven't been . . . . ." Willow nodded. They were on their way to the hospital. Willow had borrowed an acquaintance's car. Buffy gritted through another cramp, as Willow stopped for the red light.
They were coming stronger and closer together now, and they still had no idea how this could happen.
So, it hadn't been just stress. She had no inkling that she had been pregnant. She had thought the weight gain was from the extra late nights, not enough training and other physical activities, and bad eating habits; such as grabbing the last of the pizza instead of the low fat, low calorie yogurt. She had never thought this was possible.
A wave of pain hit her again, momentarily interrupting her thoughts.
She knew it wasn't Parker's, that had been September, almost eleven months ago. And it wasn't Riley's, they hadn't started sleeping together until only five months ago. Unless, of course, the baby was premature, but she could tell that she wasn't. She? How had she known that?
Once they arrived at the hospital, she was ushered in, and whisked away, while Willow went to call Giles.
"Giles, it's me, Willow. I'm at the Hospital with Buffy-"
"Dear Lord, what happened? Is she alright?"
"She's fine. Well, as fine as she can be- is someone else there?"
"Riley. He thought Buffy might be over here. One second, Willow." She heard him telling the T.A in the background of where Buffy was.
"No! Giles, she doesn't want him here!" Too late, she heard the door slam on his end. "Damn it Giles! She's in labor, and she had no clue she was pregnant, and it's not his!"
"Oh, I can see the problem." She could almost hear him take off his glasses and start to clean them. "I shall be right there, ok, Willow? Hold tight." The phone was placed back into the cradle, and Willow sighed. Why was it always her that screwed things up?
She didn't have time to worry about it now, as she asked directions to where Buffy was, and followed them.
The slayer did exceptionally well, Willow thought. She was allowed into the room, once she had permission from Buffy, and the birth was like nothing she had ever seen before. Her hand hurt, a lot, and it currently had ice on it, slayers have excellent grips.
The baby was a girl, and once the labor really got going, it only took two hours. Now Buffy lay in her room, tired, disheveled, sweaty, but she was holding her baby girl, and she was happy. Willow was so proud of her.
Neither had heard from Giles or Riley, and Willow hoped Giles had convinced the soldier to go home, and he would call if he found out anything. Of course, now she just had to tell Buffy.
And she did not take it too well.
"What am I going to do, Will? I have no clue who's baby this is, besides mine, and I have no recollection of her being conceived!" The slayer was close to tears.
"Maybe it's a spell, Buffy."
"She doesn't feel like a spell, Will. She feels like mine. She feels like she belongs here." She shifted the baby a bit.
"No, the memory. There are spells, that I've heard of, that can alter or erase memories, but you have to be very powerful, and assured. Messing with people's memories are tricky, and dangerous."
"Willow, I don't care what you have to do, please help me figure this out! I can't go on- not knowing!" She shook her head, dazed.
"W-what about Riley?"
She sighed. "He's gonna know something's up. What do I tell him? How's he going to react to-I've been carrying a child around for nine months, a child that isn't his..And I didn't even know!"
"We'll figure something out, don't worry, Buffy. Um, I'm gonna go check on something. I called Giles, so he's probably waiting. I'll be right back, though, ok?" She nodded and Willow left the room. She saw Giles in the waiting room and went to meet him,
"H-how is she?"
"Alright, considering. She's tired, and confused, but she's happy. I haven't seen her this happy since-since junior year, right before her birthday. Back when everything wasn't so messed up."
"Is there any clue as to-"
"The father?" she shook her head to reinforce the answer. "No. She definitely got pregnant after dating Parker, but she and Riley-not until after-after her birthday. And the baby's no help. Blond hair, blue eyes, like most babies her age."
"I-it's a she? A-a girl?" Willow nodded, and he sighed. "I guess I should, ah, go give my congratulations."
"Where's Riley?"
"I sent him home. Told him we'd call once there was news. I suspect he won't be getting that call."
"Not right now, anyway." She sighed, "Buffy has no recollection of- of ever conceiving her. I'm gonna do some research, maybe a spell or two, to try and figure this mess out. But-Giles, this is so confusing! I know Buffy well enough to know if she was lying about not knowing! She honestly has no clue! Even she wouldn't lie about something this important!" He had a flashback to a time where she had in fact lied about something similar in importance. Then he mentally shook it off.
He followed her back the way she came. "oh!" She stopped, and went to the receptions desk. "Miss Buffy Summers does not want any information given out on her condition."
"Are you family?"
"Willow thought a moment, just a brief pause, before replying, "Yes." She already felt like the baby's aunt, and Buffy was the closest thing she had to family, closer even than her parents. "Is there any way that you could put a hold on all of her information? Condition, room number, everything. She can give that information to those that need to know herself." The nurse nodded." Thank you very much. Have a nice day." Willow gave the nurse a genuine smile, and the nurse couldn't help but return it. Then she continued on towards Buffy's room.
"There. No unwanted visitors." Willow announced. "I had them put a hold on your info."
"Hi, Giles." Buffy said, after acknowledging Willow's announcement.
"How are you?"
"Tired. Confused. Ecstatic. Did I mention tired?"
"Yes, I believe you did." He smiled, a genuine smile, something he thought he couldn't manage in this situation. Everything was so confusing.
"Not to mention sore."
"I bet you are."
"Would you like to hold her? She doesn't have a name yet, and no father to help me. I was sorta unprepared."
"I'd be delighted to hold her." He carefully took the offered bundle of pink blankets. Willow peeked over his shoulder, and made little cooing noises at the bundle.
"I was sorta thinking about Jenny. Maybe not as a first name," she hastened to add, "But middle name. What do you think?"
Giles was taken aback. "Uh, well. She's your child, Buffy. You should name her as you see fit."
"You are more like my dad than my real one. Besides that I want you to be her Godfather. You're opinion really matters."
"I-uh.." He sputtered, unsure of exactly what to say.
"Will, I want you to be her aunt. And Xander her uncle. You three, we've been through so much, and you're the closest things I have to family, besides mom. Giles, if you really don't feel comfortable being her grandfather, or uncle, then you're at least her god father." She looked at her lap. "I can't expect to always be there. I need you guys, to be there, in case something happens to me."
"Don't talk like that!" Willow cried. "You're her mother Buffy!"
"I am. I'm also a single parent. And a slayer. Who's lived longer than most of her predecessors, or..the ones who came after. I'm the active slayer, with a minimal amount of time left. Nobody knows how long they're going to be on this earth. Nobody knows the future, Will. And I need you to be there for her, if I can't be."
"But you will be!"
"She's right, Willow. No one knows how long they've got, especially the slayer." Giles backed her up.
"What about Kendra Jennifer Summers?" Buffy said suddenly.
"Is it smart to name her after two murdered people? Won't that be bad luck?" Willow asked.
Buffy pouted momentarily pouted, "I was named after my great grandmother. But you're right, I guess. Both murdered by vampires, doesn't give her a good track record, does it? What about. . . . . . . Dawn Jennifer? I still want to name her after Miss Calendar. I feel I owe her something, even after all this time."
"You don't owe her anything." Willow told her.
"Dawn Jennifer Summers. I like it." Giles said quietly. "Do you look like a Dawn? Seem like a Dawn?" he asked the baby, in a not-so-Giles manner. The two girls stifled giggles.
"Whether I like it or not, she's the dawn of a new life for me."
"I-I'll be willing to watcher, while you're at class. You know how I value a good education-" he covered.
"You've got the job." She said calmly, smiling.
"We're tiring you out." Willow picked up. "And we have research to do, anyway."
"Ah, yes." Giles handed her the bundle of baby and cloth. She accepted it with obvious pride.
"It's strange to feel so much pride for something I didn't even know about four hours ago." She mused. Then she tore her eyes away from her child, and looked at her friends. "Keep me in the loop? It's not like I'll be doing a lot of research for awhile."
"I promise. You get some rest, now." Giles told her.
"yeah, I'll come by later. Bye, Dawnie!" Willow cooed the last bit. Buffy smiled and waved as they left.
Once they were gone, she sagged back against the pillows. God was she tired! How could normal women willing go through that? Even with pain tolerance from being the slayer, and endurance, she was exhausted! And more than once? Once was enough for her, that was it. She didn't want to have to go through that ever again.
But maybe, one day, a person would come around tat would change that. Not Riley, she loved him, or thought she did, but she wasn't sure she wanted to spend the rest of her life with him. He was a nice guy, but in the long run . . . . . was he really what she needed?
She switched gears, thinking about what had gone down the last time she went to L.A, with Faith, and then after that, when Angel came here. She couldn't believe that he and Riley had fought. Over her, too.
Now, Angel, she could see herself with him for the rest of her life. He was her first love, and those didn't normally work out, but there was just something about him, that made even the worst situations better. But the jealous vampire act? She wasn't dating him anymore, she wasn't his.
She held Dawn in one arm, and fingered her necklace absently. And then her fingers grazed over where he had bitten her. The one mar on her perfect skin. Well, no person's skin was perfect, but slayer healing got rid of most of the minor scars, which was good. But this one, even though the Master's had disappeared, his stayed.