Cleveland, Ohio 2005

Halloween

Harris Residence

Master Bedroom

"Buf-fee!"

Xander's voice carried into the room from the bottom of the stairs where he stood impatiently.

Ignoring him, Buffy stared at herself in the mirror and fixed the large gold hoop earring into her ear. She then adjusted the rim of the red silk scarf around her head.

She ran her hands down the front of the multi-layered pirate dress for this years Halloween costume. Buffy tugged the ends lacy white undershirt to show off her tanned shoulders.

"Buf-fee!" Xander called up the stairs for her once more.

Buffy turned the buckle of the brown leather belt around her waist to the side and pushed her blonde hair over her shoulders. Her eyes glanced down at the black high heeled boots on her feet.

Satisfied with the costume, Buffy walked out of the bedroom and flicked off the light.

A moment later, she ran back in and reached for the set of wedding rings left on a small plate on the vanity.

"Buf!"

Coming down the stairs, she was met with a serious impatient look set on her husband's face.

Unthreatened by his look of annoyance, Buffy smiled at him finding the white shirt with a frilled front tucked into a pair of black breeches and a matching long frock coat sexy on him because it shaped around his toned body. He had a toy pirate pistol tucked into the red sash around his waist and a weathered black leather brimmed tricorn hat seated on his head.

"About ti—Holy…" Xander's eye moved up her body stunned. He quickly removed his tricorn hat and bowed, "… Captain Harris at ye'r service." He slipped into a phoney pirate accent. "Aye, ye're the sweetest thing me eye ever beheld, bonnie lass."

Buffy played along and stepped to the bottom stair. She ran her hands flat over his chest. With a sultry voice, she said, "That's Mrs Captain Harris to you, Captain Harris."

"Aye, Mrs Captain Harris ye say?" Xander took her hand and examined the wedding band set around her left-hand ring finger. "I see, argh."

"Isn't it customary for the pirate Captain to have a parrot on his shoulder?" Buffy asked with a playful squint.

"Aye, that tis true. Every good pirate Captain needs his trusty parrot." He helped her down the steps and led her into the living room where their two-year-old dressed as a colourful parrot, played with his trains on the coffee table.

Buffy wrapped her hand around Xander's arm, "Seems your trusty parrot should've been a train conductor for Halloween instead."

"There's always next year." Xander shrugged and stepped into the living room, picking the two-year-old up and buried his face into the giggling boy's neck, kissing him. "Shall we go my trusty parrot, argh!"

"Argh-y!" Josh grinned a toothy smile.

Stepping over towards her boys, Buffy adjusted the parrot hood on top of Josh's head and brushed the tip of her finger over the bridge of his little nose. "Who wants candy?" She asked.

Xander took Josh's pudgy arm and raised it high up, "We do! We do!"

"Let the Halloween festivities begin!" Buffy grinned and picked up an orange bucket with a pumpkin face on it.

"Go! Go, Daddy!" Josh laughed with excitement.

Xander carried Josh in his arms and headed for the front door with Buffy following behind.

He was the first to step out onto the porch. Buffy turned back into from the doorway and reached for Mr Pointy, her trusted wooden stake on the small table nearest to the door, beside the car keys.

Later

Neighbourhood

Standing only a few feet away hand in hand, Buffy and Xander watched their little boy run up to the door with the other kids trick-or-treating around the neighbourhood.

Xander turned his eye from Josh running to the door to Buffy. She hadn't noticed his heavy gaze on her. He watched as she smiled lovingly at her son then quickly scanned the darkness for anything less than human.

Despite Halloween being the quietest of the holidays, Buffy still tended to go a little overboard with the deploying teams—especially if her two-year-old was going to be out and about in the wide open. She wanted as many Slayers patrolling the city as possible.

"Do you ever miss the Halloweens when we all turned into our costumes or that time when our worst fears came to life?" Xander asked suddenly.

Buffy raised a high brow and slowly looked at him, "Huh? Why would I miss those times?"

"It was exciting..."

"Are you bored of parenthood already?"

"No! Absolutely not!" Xander quickly defended himself.

Buffy frowned, "Then what's with the sudden nostalgia for an overactive Hellmouth?"

"No nostalgia, it's just..." he began, "... Are we ever gonna tell our son the truth—about us; You, Slayer and me... a Slayerette?" He frowned at himself for coming up with the stupidest way to describe his role in the supernatural world.

"A Slayerette?" She corked a smile.

"You know what I mean... a Scoobie..."

With a deepening frown, Buffy felt a little blindsided by this conversation they've had numerous times before. "Xand, we've talked about this..."

"Yeah, I know."

"And we agreed to wait until Josh was older. I want him to have a childhood that's as normal as possible."

Xander agreed, "That's the plan."

"I want him to experience normalcy that I—we never did." Buffy watched her son accept the candy from the older woman living in the home. "Josh deserves a chance for normal. I wanna give that to him." Her heart soared seeing Josh's wild grin as he ran the short distance back towards them.

Xander eyed his wife carefully, more than anything he wanted to give her what she wanted despite her desires being a little delusional. She wanted normal, which was something they would never have. But he'll do his damnedest to give her 'normal' for his son or any other children they ever decided to have.

He watched Josh run straight into Buffy's arms and Xander memorised this moment. It was times like this when he often asked himself just how in the world he's gotten so damn lucky. Not only was the woman of his dreams his wife but through their love, they created this curious and happy little person, who he loved with every inch of his heart. He only wondered what would happen next and he had ideas.

2 Hours Later

Harris Residence

Master Bedroom

It had been tough to finally get Josh to drift off to sleep after the excitement of Halloween. He wanted to stay up and talk about trick-or-treating and then sing Halloween themed songs he learned at the daycare centre at N.W.C Academy.

When Buffy entered the master bedroom, looking forward to taking off this costume she saw Xander sitting on their bed, sifting through the Halloween candy their son had collected from the night.

He looked up with a wide-eyed, caught red-handed. "This isn't what it looks like." Xander swallowed.

Eyeing him suspiciously, Buffy cocked a highbrow and said, "It looks like you were going to eat that Reese's."

"Oh, then, it's exactly how it looks," he popped the mini peanut butter cup into his mouth.

"No fair!" Buffy crossed the short distance and climbed onto the bed, taking off her shoes. She then rummaged through the candy and found a pack of M&M's. She ripped the package open.

"Does this take away any parenting points 'cause we're eating our son's best candy?" Xander asked.

Buffy frowned with a thoughtful look on her face as she chewed on the chocolate candy. "No… I-I don't think so… I mean… Josh doesn't understand the perfection that is chocolate… yet… So, I think our parenting points are still intact."

Thinking about her words, "Yeah," Xander nodded his head pinching his brows together, "that's good thinkin', honey. He doesn't understand." He bit into the candy bar and gave her a smile.

Shaking her head at his ridiculousness, Buffy searched through the scattered candy spread between them.

Quiet for a moment, Xander watched the love of his life closely, psyching himself up for a conversation he wasn't sure she'd want to have. "Josh is pretty great, isn't he?"

"Yeah, we did good—so far. There's still time to mess him up." She teased.

"Impossible," Xander's mouth twitched into a smile. "He's part 'Buffy'. That makes him partly perfect."

Rolling her eyes in an effort to cover her blushing cheeks, Buffy looked down the unwrapped piece of candy in her hand.

Chewing on the candy, Xander felt another sense of urgency to talk to her. In what he wanted to talk about had harped on him for—well, at least two years. He just didn't want to rush and he wasn't sure how she would feel about it.

Everything in their chaotic, busy lives had fallen into place. They kept a steady routine that seemed to work. And what Xander wanted to discuss with her could—will put a wrench in their steadily paced routine.

"Um…" looking down at the half-eaten bar in his hand, Xander mindlessly toyed with the flimsy wrapper needing a distraction. "… Buf…" he began feeling terrified, "… I, uh, wanted to, um, ask you, uh… something…" he looked up at her.

She chewed on the chocolates and waited patiently for him to say whatever he seemed to be struggling with.

"We're doing good with Josh, right?" He asked then continued before she was able to reply, "I mean, Josh seems like a pretty happy kid. So that tells me that we're doing a good job being parents. We're in a good place."

"I agree," Buffy said, still patiently waiting for him to jump to the punchline. He was rambling, which told her he had something more important to say and he was afraid of her reaction.

Nodding his head, Xander swallowed and said, "What, uh… um… would you say—and feel free to tell me I'm completely, uh… out of line… um, but, uh… What would you say to another?" He lifted his eye to her.

"Another?" She knew what he meant but wanted to hear him say it.

"You know, another, uh… baby." He nervously waited for her reply.

Buffy sat silently, looking down at the candy in her hand.

Xander felt helpless, unable to read her expression.

She didn't appear happy or annoyed by the question. Her brows pinched together, Xander knew she was coming up with a response, possibly to soften the blow when she rejected this idea.

"I mean," he began to say, "I'm happy with everything we have now—I was just thinking…" he hated her silence that created anxiety within him and he felt the need to keep on talking. He couldn't get a read on her and it was freaking him out.

"I'm happy, too." She lifted her green eyes to his face. "Xand…" he let out a breath trying to cover his disappointment, "… I'm really happy. Happiest I've ever been in my life. You and Josh are everything I've always wanted. But,"

Xander prepared himself for the deep cut of disappointment.

"I want more."

He looked at her with surprise. With every fibre of his being, he just knew she'd reject this idea of more children. His shock was evident on his face when she proved him wrong.

Buffy knew she took him by surprise. Xander liked to think that he knew her so well, that he could complete her thought before she even finished thinking it. But more times than not, she threw him a curve ball.

"This family needs another baby." She told him with a smile and popped a piece of candy into her mouth.

Blinking from his stupor, Xander smiled, "You wanna start trying?"

"You mean, right now?" Buffy asked with a growing smile.

He shrugged, "Yeah, why not? Let's make a baby —or at least practice making a baby."

"We do need to practice." Returning his smile, Buffy dropped the half-eaten candy bar on the bed and crawled on her knees towards him. She straddled his lap and twined her arms around his neck. "I really love you, Captain Harris."

Pushing her long blonde hair off of her shoulder, Xander smirked, "And I really love you, Mrs Captain Harris."

3 Months Later

It's been three months since Xander and Buffy agreed to try for another baby.

And they've tried constantly. Ever since Halloween, they went at it like bunnies. For Buffy, it seemed to ignite this newfound need and desire to have her husband no matter the time of the day or what they were doing, which Xander was more than happy to oblige her.

They've spent months imagining what their lives would be like with another baby running in the house.

But for three months, they've been met with dismay when the pregnancy test turned out to be negative.

Xander was never one to give up hope but he could see the toll it was beginning to take on his wife. She never outright said it, but Buffy wanted another baby badly. And it wasn't turning out as easy as it had been the first time around. Buffy was starting to think something might be wrong with her.

N.W.C Academy

Construction Site

Surrounded by three of his best guys, Xander explained the plan for adding another building for the Coven. The rooms would be better disguised as science classrooms.

He took the clipboard and handed out assignments.

Watching his employees walk off to their respective groups to relay his instructions, Xander rolled up his sleeves and fixed the hardhat on his head when he noticed Andrew standing at the construction site entrance waiting impatiently.

A frown set on Xander's face with immediate annoyance for his wife's executive assistant hanging in the background.

"Oh, Xander," Andrew sang his name with a smug smile. He loved the role of Buffy's main liaison when she was busy. "Buffy wants to see you in her office immediately."

"Can't it wait? I'm two days behind and I need to oversee the—"

"—No, no," Andrew wagged his finger, "this cannot wait. Buffy said immediately not whenever you're available." He waved his hand accompanied by a snobbish eye roll.

Releasing a heavy breath, Xander looked at his second senior manager for him to take over while he had to step away for a short period.

Buffy's Office

Standing outside Buffy's office door, Xander looked at Andrew sitting down at his desk opening a comic book.

A few students wandered into the main office and knocked on Willow's office door.

Xander wrapped his hand around the doorknob and twisted it open.


He barely stepped into the office when Buffy pulled him inside by the front of his shirt and closed the door behind him.

"Uh—" Xander was met by Buffy's mouth, that had crushed against his. Her tongue plunged into his mouth, kissing him aggressively. Holding his hands around her shoulders, Xander broke the kiss and stared at his wife with confusion, "What's going on, Buf?" The shock of her demeanour was evident on his face.

She began to unbutton the front of her blouse and looked at him, "Take off your pants."

Pinching eyes brows together, Xander was thrown off by her demanding request, "What? Buf, really?—Now?"

"Yes, take off your pants." She finished the last of her blouse buttons and left it open, showing off her black lace bra covered breasts.

"Can't this—"

"—No, I'm ovulating now." She told him simply and removed the hardhat from the top of his head. She began to unfasten the buttons his flannel and ignored the baffled look on his face.

"Why can't this wait until tonight?" Xander asked.

"Because," Buffy pushed the flannel down his well-built arms and pulled him across the large office towards the tasteful medium-sized, black leather couch, "we don't have time later. We never see each other during the day, then you have to pick up Josh, it's my night to take out the Slayers-in-training and by the time I get home," she unbuckled his jeans and opened the front, "you're sound asleep. So we have to do this now. Xander, please, take off your pants and have sex with me."

Without needing any further explanation, Xander hurriedly pushed his jeans and boxers down his thighs and wrapped his arms around Buffy. His mouth covered hers, kissing her deeply.

Buffy's fingers were immediately in his dark hair and pulled him closer towards the couch. She manoeuvred them, breaking the kiss so he'd fall back, sitting on the couch.

She hiked up her pencil skirt and straddled his lap, gripping his cock in her hand.

He let out a moan when she lowered herself over him. Buffy cupped his face between her hands, kissing him and began to roll her hips.

2 Months Later

Harris Residence

Looking forward to a quiet night, Xander rubbed a hand over his face exhausted from the long day on the construction site, that was nearly complete.

Stepping out of the truck, he took a quick glance around the quiet suburban street, knowing that somewhere in the large city, the N.W.C Academy had Slayers on patrol.

Clicking the button to lock the truck, Xander followed the pathway up the house and entered into his home.


He closed the door behind him with the heel of his boot and placed his keys into the bowl and his hardhat on a hook.

"Xand, is that you?"

Xander picked up his head to the sound of Buffy's lispy voice calling out his name from another room, he couldn't tell which.

He smirked, "Honey, I'm home." Xander was immediately met by Buffy in the foyer as she came charging towards him with a small smile.

Xander recognised that look twinkling in her green eyes. He wasn't sure what he wanted more; dinner and a beer, sleep, or sex with his gorgeous wife.

At the rate that she was approaching him and amount of strength, her petite body possessed, Xander was powerless.

He caught her as she jumped into his arms, threaded her fingers into his dark hair, and kissed him passionately.

Xander fell into the vortex of her lips and deepened the kiss with his tongue.

The dinner, beer, and sleep were long forgotten the harder he fell for her kiss.

"Mm," he moaned against her mouth and broke the kiss to look at her, "what about Josh?"

"He went to bed about an hour ago." She whispered against his mouth and unfastened the front of his jeans. She reached her hand inside of his boxers, taking a hold of his cock.

"Oh," his mouth bobbed up and down aroused by her aggressive behaviour, "o—kay." Xander shoved his jeans down and watched she pushed down the black gym pants down her legs.

Xander stumbled backwards slamming his back against the door as he caught her legs that wrapped around him.

With his jeans still caught around his ankles, he shuffled his booted feet into the living room only to stumble onto the ground with a hard thud.

"Oof!"

They listened closely to hear if loud thud woke their son. When it hadn't, Buffy and Xander busted out into a fit of laughter.

Digging the heels of her bare feet into the backs of his thighs, Buffy urged him on. Xander covered her mouth with his own and inserted himself into her body with a single thrust.

1 Month Later

Harris Residence

Master Bedroom

Going through the nightly routine before going to bed, Xander made sure all of the doors were locked, the magical protection herbs Willow had given them were in place, he walked into Josh's room to watch him sleep for a minute then closed the door behind him and cottoned down the hallway into the master bedroom, where he knew Buffy would be.

He took off his button-down shirt, leaving on the white guinea tee. Xander then toed off his work boots and kicked off his jeans.

Tossing the button-down shirt into the laundry hamper, he noticed the bathroom light on and the door cracked open.

"Buf?" He asked, wondering if she had taken her bath as she said she was going to.

Pushing the cracked open door wider, Xander's face brightened when he saw Buffy sitting fully clothed on the toilet seat staring at a white stick in her hand.

He felt his hope rise, "Buffy?"

She lifted her eyes to his face and Xander felt his hope deflate into disappointment as soon as her sad eyes reached him.

"Its negative," she told him quietly, dropping her eyes to the pregnancy test stick in her hand, "again."

Quickly masking his dismay, Xander crossed to her and crouched down in front of her. He took the pregnancy test from her and set it on top of the counter. "Hey," Xander took her hands, "look at me."

Begrudgingly, Buffy lifted her gaze to his face.

"It'll happen."

"How do you know?" She said meekly, trying fight back her tears threatening to spill from her eyes.

For seven months they've been trying to get pregnant. She's taken this test too many times and all those times she was left discouraged.

"Because," he looked at her hands then to her face, "I believe it will."

"What happens if it doesn't?" She asked. "What if I… can't? What if this body is too messed up from all of the fights and the near deaths and the actual deaths…? What if I physically can't carry a baby?"

Xander looked at her, hating the sadness she deeply felt. "You did it before." He told her gently.

"Then what if Josh was a fluke?" A tear slipped from the corner of her eye as she spoke. "And now I'm just closed for business—One and done."

Shaking his head in disagreement, Xander began, "Buffy—"

"—What if your visions were wrong?" Her throat tightened with emotion. "What if we're not supposed to have another baby?"

Xander wished he could wipe away her every insecure thought, her sadness, and worries. "The visions are just... guidelines. And guidelines are transparent. They can change. Nothing about those visions were set in stone. If we can't have a baby the old fashioned way, then, sweetie, there are other ways. We can adopt or we can see a doctor or do whatever you want. And if we decide that Josh is just enough… then fine. Perfect. I'm more then okay with that. I just want you to be happy." He pressed his lips against her fingers, "I would do anything to make you happy. But," he wiped away her fallen tear from under her eye, "baby, I really think its gonna happen. Especially, when we least expect it." Xander gave her a small tugging smile.

Pulling her hand free from his, Buffy cupped his stubbled cheek then slid her fingers into his hair. "I love you," her voice was hardly above a whisper.

Xander brought her other hand to his mouth and kissed her palm, "Kiss me."

Buffy gave him a faint smile at his request and leaned forward, tenderly brushing her mouth against his.

She cupped her hands around his neck, deepening her kiss.

Xander's hands slid up her jean cladded thighs and around her back, pulling her closer into him.

He began to stand, taking her with him and held her against the front of his body. Xander's hands that were on her hips than around her back.

Her hands moved from his neck to his chest finding the hem of his guinea tee. Xander's skin burned at her touch, as she snuck her hands under his shirt to feel his lean stomach.

He broke the kiss and looked down at her, "Come with me." Xander whispered and pushed back the fallen strands of hair from her ponytail behind her ear.

Buffy responded by crushing her mouth against his. He lifted her slightly from the ground to move them into the bedroom.

With impatience, she lifted his sleeveless undershirt up his body and over his head. Her mouth was on his chest, kissing and licking his skin. Her hands ran flat, over his lean stomach.

Xander pulled the hair tie from her hair and watched her long blonde hair cascading down her back. His hands were in her hair, revelling in its softness. He buried his nose into her hair, as she followed the happy trail of dark hair to the brim of his boxers.

She looked up at him and felt desperate for his kiss again.

He held her face between his hands and kissed her.

Without him realising, his Marvel superhero boxers were around his ankles.

Her hands were over his muscular biceps then around his shoulders.

Xander lifted her top up her body and over her head. He released a rigid breath into their kiss as her hand stroked his hardening cock.

Their kiss was wet and open, listening to each other's breath.

Xander unzipped her jeans and snuck his hands into her pants, clenching his fingers around the cheeks of her butt.

He pushed her jeans and lacy panties down her legs and unsnapped her bra, removing the last article of her clothing from her body.

Holding his hands at the backs of her thighs, Xander lifted her up and laid her on the bed, without ever breaking their kiss.

They pushed all thoughts of making a baby and focused on the desire to be with each other. Taking comfort in the genuine love they have for one another.

He settled between her legs and used his mouth to re-explore her body, though he knew it like the back of his hand.

His tongue swirled around her pinkish nipple and moved his attention to her other breast. Buffy moaned and her hands, that was tangled in his hair tightened.

Xander's mouth moved upwards between her breasts, over her collarbone to her neck and his fingers caressed her damp centre. Buffy arched her back to his fingers, aching to feel him completely fill her.

He shifted to hover over her face, rubbing against her until she moaned.

Xander opened his eye to watch her release a sharp breath when he entered her.

He never grew tired of hearing that sound of her breath hitching her throat.

Rolling his hips at a steady pace, Xander whispered words of love into her ear. Buffy's hands roamed his strong back. She kissed his throat then looked at him. Her fingers wrapped around his biceps tightened.

They moved slowly, hardly working towards a release. All they wanted to do was relish this moment in a cloud filled with their love.

Xander listened to her breathing and smirked every time she moaned his name. He just hoped they weren't being too loud for Josh sleeping down the hall.

He moved in and out of her welcoming body at a leisure pace.

His eye was open and concentrated on her, watching her every movement. He loved the way her lips were parted softly and the way her painted fingernails gently scratched his skin.

Buffy opened her eyes wide and focused on him.

She rolled them, so he was on his back. Riding at him at a steady pace, Buffy took his hands and held them over his head. His fingers laced through hers.

Lifting his head from the pillow, Xander caught her kiss and his hands then went to her hips, offering her guidance as she rode him. His hands were magnetic to her body as they freely roamed over her skin, to her soft breasts. Buffy threw her head back with a moan.

Xander sat up, taking her nipple into his mouth, and rolled his tongue around it. His hands, now clutching her butt cheeks; squeezing a bit tighter.

Switching positions of dominance, Xander rolled her onto her back and his slow-moving thrusts hastened as the build of release edged closer towards the imaginary cliff. She let out a moan and weaved her fingers into his hair.

Reaching between their bodies, Xander caressed her sex, holding out his own pleasurable release until she achieved hers.

Never needing to wait long, Buffy cried out a moan, which Xander caught in a kiss before she woke up their son in the next room.

Unable to holdout after her power muscles pulsating around him, Xander moaned into their kiss and spilt his seed deep inside her before he collapsed.

Breathing hard, Xander buried his face into her neck as she combed her fingers through his dark hair, holding him against her.

Pulling his head back slightly to look at her, Xander cupped her cheek, caressing her cheekbone with the pad of his thumb. Buffy held him tightly and gently kissed his lips.

2 ½ Weeks Later

Night

Josh's Bedroom

Drying off his son, Xander helped Josh into his underwear and pyjama pants. "What are you gonna dream about tonight?" Xander asked as he did every night he bathed and tucked his son into bed.

Holding his little hands on Xander's shoulders, Josh thought carefully about the question as he stepped into his pyjama pants. "Um…" he chewed his bottom lip and his brows pinched together in a manner that was identical to Buffy, "… scuba diving!" Josh answered brightly.

Xander chuckled, "What sort of fishes are you gonna scuba dive to?"

"Big fishies!" Josh exclaimed. "And sharks!" He pumped his tiny fist into the air.

"Sharks?" Xander pretended to be surprised. "Aren't you gonna be scared of the sharks?"

"No," Josh shook his head, "they're nice sharkies!"

Shaking his head at his son's wild imagination, "Nice sharkies? Are you gonna swim with these sharkies?"

"Mm-hm!" The three-year-old nodded his head with excitement. "We're gonna explore the ocean!"

"And the shipwrecks?"

Josh threw his arms up as Xander helped into his shirt and grinned, "All pirate-y shipies!" Josh ran over to his toy chest and took out a plastic pirate sword. "Argh-y, matey!" The toddler climbed on his bed and jumped up and down.

Watching his boy with a smile, Xander couldn't help but wish to have another child. He hadn't mentioned his deep desire for another baby to Buffy, not wanting to put any more pressure on themselves than they've felt already.

Since the mini breakdown in the bathroom two and a half weeks ago, Buffy and Xander hadn't mentioned anything more about the baby they so desperately wanted. They made love regularly but left talking about having a baby at the door. They agreed to give it more time before they decided to go see a doctor.

"Under the covers with ye, argh!" Xander squinted his good eye and gritted his teeth in a pirate fashion.

Laughing, Josh jumped on the bed and landed on his butt. He crawled under the covers and looked at his father. "I don't wanna sleep, Daddy," Josh pouted.

Running a hand over Josh's face, wiping his pout away, Xander smiled, "Every good scuba diver needs his rest. It gets tiring swimming with sharks and exploring pirate shipwrecks." He leaned over the small wooden bar at the side of the bed and pressed his mouth against Josh's forehead and pushed back his shaggy brown hair. "I love you."

"Love you, too, Daddy—and Mommy," he added matter-of-factly. "I love Mommy a lot."

"Me too," Xander chuckled and kissed the toddlers forehead once more before standing to leave the bedroom.

Master Bathroom

Meanwhile, Buffy stood at the sink with her arms crossed over her chest, staring anxiously at the pregnancy stick.

She hasn't blinked or moved or taken a breath for nearly five minutes.

But like all the countless pregnancy tests she's taken in the last seven months, Buffy prepared herself for the worst. She's tried so hard to believe Xander when he said with such sincerity, that it would happen—she'd be pregnant soon and that there was nothing wrong with her. But she wasn't quite so sure anymore.

Four days ago, when she was patrolling with the Slayers-in-training and few of her Slayer staff, had gotten jumped in a cave looking for a Lohesh demon, and were ambushed by another group of nameless demons. Buffy had been repeatedly kicked and punched in the stomach leaving her with very little hope that a baby survived after the violent attack.

She checked the watch set on the counter and took a deep breath.

Finding the courage to look at the pregnancy test, Buffy reminded herself to not break down when the test read negative. She had spent all the time waiting for the test to convince herself that it was going to be negative.

Releasing her breath, Buffy picked up the pregnancy test, only her eyes were closed, not ready to deal with another disappointment.

C'mon, you can do this. You already know what's gonna happen. She told herself. Open your eyes in 3… 2… 1… Buffy opened her eyes and looked down at the pregnancy stick.

She felt heart stop and dropped to the pit of her stomach. Her lips parted stunned. She couldn't breathe, she couldn't think. Buffy stood frozen in place staring at the stick.

"Oh my God," she muttered.


Entering the master bedroom, Xander closed the door behind him. He ran a hand over his tired face trying hard to think of a time he's ever felt as tired before in his life.

Wanting to do nothing more than to sleep, Xander pulled his shirt up his body and tossed it away into the hamper.

He sat down at the end of the bed, toeing off his boots, followed by unbuttoning his jeans.

The bathroom door opened. Xander looked up to see Buffy step out staring down at something in her hand.

He didn't pay it any mind as he continued to undress for the night.

"Josh is asleep. He was a scuba diver in the bathtub." He chuckled and reached for his cell phone in his jeans pocket. "He was wearing his pool goggles… I took a video of him…" with a frown, Xander noticed that she was uncharacteristically unresponsive to his story. He looked at her. "What's up?"

Swallowing her shock, Buffy let out a breath and lifted her eyes to his. It was then Xander noticed the pregnancy test in her hand.

He waited for her to tell him and quickly mentally prepared himself for disappointment.

"Looks like we're gonna have another deep-sea diver." A small smile tugged at the corners of her mouth.

Xander's mouth fell open. His shock was evident on his face. He couldn't believe his ears. "Really?"

Buffy tearfully looked at him nodding her head.

Xander got up to his feet and crossed the short distance to her. He took the plastic stick from her hand and eyed the pinkish plus sign.

He looked at Buffy and a boyish smile swept across his face. Xander cupped her the back of her neck with his free hand, bringing her closer. He lowered his head and joyfully kissed her.

They smiled into their kiss.

Buffy's hands cupped his neck and her forehead pressed against his.

Xander moved them to the bed and laid her down on her back.

Still holding the test stick in his hand, Xander cupped her cheek, unable to keep the grin from his face. "A baby… I told you. I never stopped believing." He kissed her passionately.

Buffy reached down to the hem of the oversized shirt she wore and lifted it up her torso, revealing her naked body that was hidden underneath. Xander pushed down his boxers and settled himself between her legs.

Gripping his shoulders, Buffy slid her fingers into his dark hair, "I love you."

"I love you," he responded and kissed her once more. "We're never sleeping again, just so you know."

With a small laugh, Buffy shrugged, "Sleeping is overrated anyway."

Kissing her neck, Xander's mouth trailed over her collarbone, then between her breasts, until he placed a tender kiss on her stomach, just above her belly button.

Holding his head in his hand, Xander gently touched her flat stomach, still reeling with disbelief and happiness. "Hi, little bean," as he had whispered to Josh while in Buffy's stomach, Xander whispered to their newest addition that was still the size of a bean.

Smiling, Buffy wiped away her fallen tear and combed her fingers into Xander's dark hair.

"I'm your daddy… and I can't wait until I get to meet you." He placed his hand over Buffy's flat stomach, "You better come quick, 'cause your mommy is gonna drive me crazy until you come."

"Hey!" Buffy pouted, "I'm not that bad."

Lifting his eye to her face, Xander cocked a highbrow, "Do I need to remind you of the peanut butter situation."

Rolling her eyes, Buffy shook her head, "Well, if you came home with the crunchy peanut butter like I wanted then you wouldn't have to have gone back to the store."

Waving his hand, Xander returned his attention back to the 'little bean' inside of his wife. "Anyway… little bean," he continued, "I can't wait for you to come." Xander brushed his mouth over Buffy's stomach. "We're gonna have so much fun and you're also gonna have a big brother, Josh-y. He's a lot of fun, too." He kissed Buffy's flat stomach, once more. "You're entering a family that loves you so much already."

Sliding her hand from his hand, Buffy touched under his chin, drawing his attention back to her.

Xander moved back up her body, hovering his face over hers. She held his head between her hands and gently pulled him closer, to kiss him passionately.

The happiness radiating off of her was something he couldn't describe, but he felt it. All that he ever wanted to do was to make her happy.