Chapter 20

Buffy walked into Angel's outer office where Cordelia was chatting to her friend Harmony on the phone. She looked up and smiled. "Harm, I gotta jet. Someone more important just showed up." Without waiting, Cordy hung up. "Hi!" She jumped up and hugged Buffy tightly. "How are you?"

"Better." Buffy said.

"What happened with Angel? He won't talk to me. He just came back and started working."

"It's…. A long story. Is he…. Is he here?"

"Yeah." Cordy sat on the edge of her desk. "He's been brooding in there all day. You want me to let him know you're here?"

Buffy shook her head. "I'll just…." She pointed to the door.

"Oh, sure! In fact, I'll give you guys some privacy." Cordy picked up her purse. "I have some errands to run anyway."

"Thanks."

Cordy smiled at her and patted her arm. "See ya."

"Bye." Buffy watched her leave and then turned to Angel's door. She knocked lightly and poked her head in.

Angel looked up from his desk. "Buffy!" He stood up and walked over to the door, opening it wide and pulling her into a tight embrace.

"Hi." She said, hugging him lightly.

"How are you? How did your thing in Australia go?"

"Oh, it was…." She paused, unsure of what to say. "It was good."

"How are you feeling?"

"Better. A little nauseous."

"Is everything ok? You seem…. I don't know."

"Um…. I'm…." She shook her head and sighed to herself. "Ville says hi."

"Oh. When did you see him?"

"He's in Australia. Had a few tour dates down there."

"Oh. Did you go to the show?"

"Of course."

"Did you tell him?"

"Yeah. But I made him promise not to tell anyone else until we were ready to announce it."

"Oh."

"It's killing him. What did he say? Oh, he said he finally gets to be uncle Ville and he can't share it with the world."

Angel laughed. "How is he?"

"Tired. He's on the never ending tour."

"Poor guy."

"They're all having fun, though. It's what they love."

"Of course." Angel took her hand. "I missed you."

"Missed you too."

"So, what are you doing tonight?"

"Oh, I was headed back to LA. I've got a red eye back to New York."

"What for? You should stay here. I'm sure dad….."

"No, I really need get back. I've got a job waiting for me that I just ran out on. I just wanted to let you know I'm back in the country." She kissed him softly.

As she was headed out the door, Angel's voice stopped her. "If you don't want this baby, I won't stop you." She couldn't bring herself to look at him. "I know why you went to Australia. I knew he was there and that you were running to him."

"Angel..."

"I know how you're feeling about this."

"Do you?"

"It's my baby too, you know. I had a part in making it. And I don't understand why you'd run all the way to Australia to talk to someone else instead of talking to me about how you're feeling." Buffy stayed silent. "Why can't you just admit that you're scared?" He walked around in front of her, but she wouldn't face him. "Buffy, I'm terrified. I'm scared shitless about this. I've never been more terrified of anything in my life. And you know why? It's not because I'm going to be a father and it's not because it's going to completely change my life. It's because I know this is terrifying you. I saw it the moment we found out. You're 24 years old. You have a highly successful career that's spanning out ahead of you. There are all these opportunities that are opening up for you. And this baby…. You think you have to give all of that up." He cupped her cheek and gently forced her to look at him. "You don't. There are millions of women out there who have successful careers and they're mothers. Good mothers. And you don't have to do it alone." Angel held her to him tightly. "I love you, Buffy. I'm going to marry you. We're just going to have kids a lot sooner than planned. You can't set this things on a schedule. They just happen."

"I'm sorry, Angel."

"It's ok."

"No, I'm sorry I ran to Ville and I didn't talk to you."

Angel sighed. "I was hoping that you'd figure out that you can talk to me about anything."

"I know, but I panicked."

"I know you did."

"I've always run to Ville or Bam or mom about things. I've never…."

"I know, sweetie. It's ok."

"You're not mad?"

"I was a little mad, but I'm over it. They're your best friends. They've been all you've known for years."

Buffy smiled slightly. "Yeah."

"Are you ok?"

"Getting there. It's just going to take some serious getting used to. I have to make announcements. I have to get bodyguards. YOU have to get bodyguards and better security around here. I..."

"Wait? Bodyguards? Secuirty? Why?"

"Angel, I'm a famous actress. In this day and age, the press is more interested in seeing couples and creating drama. The second they find out I'm pregnant... All hell is going to break out for both of us. We may have to do what Brad and Angie did and retreat to Africa to get away."

Angel slumped against the edge of his desk. "Shit."

"Welcome to my world."

"Do we have to announce it?"

"Uh... It's gonna be kinda noticable. I'm going to look like a toothpick with a HUGE olive on it."

Angel snorted. "Guess so."

Buffy sighed. "And we have to announce it to our friends and family first."

"How are you planning that?"

"A huge dinner. I was thinking of renting out a restaurant and getting everyone together. Maybe make it a theme."

Angel laughed. "I see you're feeling better about this."

"Not really, but I figure the more I try to embrace it, the more used to it I'll become."

"Ok. Where would this dinner be?"

"LA. New York. Hell, Austin where we met. I don't care where."

"How about Paris or Rome or..."

"Europe? Wow. You're thinking big."

"They're beautiful cities. Or how about Helsinki since you love it there so much?"

"Or right here in Sunnydale."

Angel blinked. "What?"

"Yeah. Why not?"

"Are you sure?"

"We can eat at that restaurant... The one we ate at when Bam came out to visit."

He smiled slightly. "I think I like that."

"We can rent it out for a week or two from now and invite everyone. I can get Element to arrange a private jet for Bam and our friends that live out there."

"Who's Element?"

"The skate team that Bam Bam skates for."

"Oh."

"I can talk to a few people and get them to make Bam think he's coming for a skate demo and he'll bring his parents and the guys. Ville already knows, so he can figure out a way to get the band out here. I've got to convince mom to take a few days off of her job and in turn convince Giles. I need to get a hold of Justin and Lynn. I'll have to call Brad and tell him over the phone cause there's no way he could make it."

"We have to make sure the restaurant will do it first."

Buffy chuckled. "Baby, I'm Buffy Summers. Seriously, do you think they're going to turn me down?"

"Good point."

"I'm not one to throw my weight around, but I'm not above using my celebrity to get things done every now and then. Don't listen to those crazy tabloids."

"I don't even look at them anymore."

Buffy smiled. "Angel, we're going to be good parents, right? We're not going to corrupt this baby too bad?"

He chuckled. "Well, I can't guarantee the corruption part, but I know we'll be good parents cause we'll be together."

"You sound like a cheesy greeting card."

"I try." Angel paused. "Hey... What about the wedding?"

"What?"
"Are we still going to have one with you being pregnant?"

"Of course." Her face lit up. "Angel, I've got the perfect plan for the wedding."

"What's that?"

She smiled mischeviously. "I know the perfect way to get married with me being pregnant."