No sex in this chapter, you voyeuristic maniacs! Lots of fluff, though. Enjoy. Thanks for all the lovely reviews!

Chapter Two-Facing up to the truth

Buffy's palms were sweating.

It always happened when she was nervous, ever since she could remember. She wiped them on her jeans and tried to compose her expression.

Tara had looked up a spell that should explain whether she really was... Buffy didn't even want to think the word.

"Okay, well, if you stay still...Then I should get an accurate reading." Tara told her reassuringly from behind a large spellbook.

"If it's a spell...won't it..."

"It'll come out negative, although we're pretty certian it isn't a spell. Uh...Willow said she hadn't cast any...y-y'know, fertility spells or anything like that." Tara whispered the last part of the sentence, looking around fearfully, even though the house was empty except for them.

Buffy nodded, her heart sinking.

"Okay, here we go...I-it's effective as long as you stay still." She explained as Buffy yawned. She cleared her throat. "Confuto."

A blue-green ball of light hovered in the air for a minute or two, twinkling in the light. It sparkled and glittered around Buffy's head, then disappeared.

"W-what did that mean? Why did it disappear like that?" Buffy demanded anxiously.

"W-well...It should have ejected any spell." Tara said slowly. "If there was one." She added uncertianly.

"Was there? Is it gone now?" Buffy asked again.

"I-I...It's positive." Tara said quietly.

"Positive?"

Buffy didn't eat anything at dinner.

"So, how was Buffy's health check spell?" Willow asked cheerfully. Buffy stared at her and said nothing.

"I-it was fine!" Tara sounded overly-cheerful.

"So Buffy hasn't got a disease?" Dawn asked jokingly.

Buffy opened her mouth to speak, but Tara said quickly:

"S-she's got a cold, because of...magical fumes from some spell or other. So she'll just sneeze stars for a while."

Willow looked sympathetic.

"Aww, it's okay, Buff, I've had one of those before. Not good in public, but great as a party trick." She said, while Dawn laughed.

Buffy stood up.

"Where-?"

"Patrolling." She said quickly, pulling on a jacket.

"Buffy, I don't think-" Tara began, looking concerned.

"See you all later!" Buffy called, and left, crying only when the door was shut behind her.

Spike was sat at a twenty-four hour restaurant, drinking coffee at an outside table. It was only seven o'clock, and it was dark already.

There was a woman with a small baby sat at the table next to his, and he couldn't take his eyes off it. He watched the way it laughed and dribbled yoghurt down it's chin, smiling to himself.

He shook himself mentally, downed the rest of his drink, and went back to his crypt.

Buffy was on his doorstep,the tears streaming down her face.

He ran over to her and held her as close to him as possible.

"Shh, pet, it's okay." He murmured, kissing her forehead.

"It's not okay!" She said, trying to push him away. "I'm...pregnant and it's all your fault!" She pushed him again, but this time, he just ignored her and held her tighter.

She pounded her fists on his chest, realising that he wasn't going to let her go. She rested her head on his chest, suddenly feeling exhausted with the effort.

"It's all your fault." She sniffed weakly, looking up at him.

"I should soddin' well hope so, luv." He grinned, and she laughed in a watery sort of way. "How-"

"I don't know. Tara did a spell, and that was positive, and then..."

"She knows?"

Buffy inclined her head slightly, sighing and leaning her head on his shoulder.

"Have you told...the rest of them?"

"No. I think Xander might come 'round and stake you if he knew."

Spike raised an eyebrow.

"Seems to me like you'd be better off without the Big Bad around to screw stuff up, pet."

Buffy smiled.

"I think it's a bit late for that, Spike. After all, it was the screwing that got us here in the first place."

Spike looked surprised at her choice of words.

"Besides, it wasn't that bad. You're not that bad." She looked up at him and traced the yellowing bruise around his eye with a gentle finger.

"Not that bad? Is that it?" Spike said quietly, melting into her touch.

"What did you expect? 'Oh, Spike, you're amazing, take me now!'" She laughed. "I'm not the BuffyBot."

"'Take me now'?" Spike said, raising an eyebrow again.

"Yeah, 'Take me now.'" Buffy repeated, raising her eyebrow straight back at him.

"If you say so, luv." Spike said, grinning wickedly.