Chapter Two

Buffy's consciousness slowly approached. Her head barely moved as she was arousing from her comatose state. Her eyes fluttered open and she took in a slightly blurry vision of an unfamiliar room. She tightly shut her eyes to adjust them and rubbed them with her right hand. This time the white walls and white bedding were clearly visible but no less confusing.

She felt something on her left hand and instead of moving it she slightly tilted her head to see what had occupied it. It was another hand, pale with black nail polish. Thankfully it was connected to the body of her boyfriend whose head was resting on the edge of the bed. How long have I been out? She turned her head to the window and saw that the blinds were tightly shut. Must be the flammable time of day. She placed her other hand on Spike's gently but he still rose from sleep.

"Buffy." He leaned in and kissed her on the forehead then ventured to her lips for a soft kiss. "Feelin' better pet?" He cupped his hands around hers, taking in the warmth her still beating heart provided.

"I didn't know that I was feeling bad."

"'Cause faintin' is an everyday thing."

"It was just dehydration."

"Doc thinks different."

Buffy pushed herself up to sitting position, which made Spike stand up to be of more help. He went to put his hands on her waist to lift her up but she was already erect. He sat back down and took her right hand in his. "What'd they say?"

"Just that it ain't dehydration that's makin' ya scare ya boyfriend to death if he actually had a beatin' heart."

"That is so sweet. And weird for anyone who isn't me." They shared a smile. "Does my mom know I'm here?"

"Yeah. Should be here soon. Sent her home a few hours ago so she could rest up. Yer scoobies are outside though."

"All of them?"

"The whole lot," Spike said.

"Can you get them?"

"Not good enough for ya pet?"

"You know that's not true." Buffy looked at him and could clearly see the worry that had plagued him for the past however many hours. "I love you."

"Love you too pet." Spike stood up and rested his lips on hers. "Be right back." He held onto her hand until the last possible second when their fingers slipped away.

Buffy took a look around the room of nothing. She had a needle in her arm and she was hooked up to one of those beepy things she had seen on ER that one second she watched it. She hated hospitals. No good came from these places as far as she was concerned. Her thoughts were disrupted when a storm of balloons and flowers paraded through the door.

"Hey Buffy," Xander said.

"We brought you balloons," Willow added.

"I brought you some flowers. I just pointed to one of the jars." Giles placed them on a table across from her bed.

"They're beautiful. And the balloons are lovely too. Thanks you guys."

"Only the best for The Chosen One," Xander said as he walked around to her right side. "How ya doin' Buffster? You look good. Not in the I'm-checking-you-out sense, in the you're-no-longer-unconscious sense. Which would be a good look for me right now."

Buffy laughed. "I'm fine. I just wish I knew what was going on."

"You fainted last night," Willow said.

"That I remember. I was talking in the doctorial sense."

"We're in the dark as much as you."

"And as much as someone should be," Xander said as he looked at Spike who was currently leaning against the wall by the door.

"Referin' to me, git?"

"That's where I'm looking. And what's with all the British words."

"They tend to speak'em there."

"How about we don't argue in front of the girl who's lying in the hospital bed," Buffy stated.

"Buffy," Joyce said when she saw her daughter sitting up right. "Thank God." Willow moved so that she could hug Buffy tightly. "I've been so worried. How are you feeling?"

"Good. But we can easily turn that into great if we could get me out of here."

"I know sweetie but we still need to know what's going on." She brushed a stray hair from Buffy's face and rested her hand on her cheek. "I'll go find your doctor." She gave her a kiss on the crown of her head and left the room.

"I can't wait to be out of here. I feel like killing something."

"That's the spirit," Xander remarked. "We'll get the detailed report and have you outta here by rise and shine vamp time."

After about five minutes Joyce re-entered the room. Her look of relief had been replaced. Buffy didn't know what happened but she had never seen this look from her mother. It was sad yet happy, with a side of worry. In other words: not good.

A man with short brown hair and a white coat walked into her room. He had a stethoscope and a card with his name and picture on it around his neck. "Good morning Buffy, I'm Doctor Jordan. Nice to see you awake."

"That seems to be the consensus."

"Buffy," her mom said in her scolding voice.

Uh oh, not even a time for small jokes. Not good. "So what's wrong? Why'd I faint last night?"

"I'd actually like to talk to you alone." He looked at everyone that occupied the room. They caught the jist and left the room. Spike gave Buffy a kiss on the head before exiting. It was just her and the doctor and she was more nervous and scared than she had been in the past three years, since she learned she was the Slayer. "Buffy, I'm not sure how to tell you this. There's always two different reactions to this kind of news and the percentage is 50/50 at your age."

"You could tell me and we could find out which of the fifties I am."

"Of course." He took a breath. "You're pregnant Buffy."

Buffy's skin started to tingle as goose bumps erupted on her body. Her jaw was quivering as her mind ran through the sentence word by word, seeing if there were other words to replace "pregnant." Maybe he said you're irrelevant. Or epileptic.

"Buffy?"

"Yes. Uh." She closed her eyes and put her hands to her head. Pregnant. He said pregnant. She looked up at him and said, "Like, pregnant pregnant?"

"Yes."

Without warning she started to smile and laugh a little bit. Good news? Now her eyes started watering. "You're sure?"

"One hundred percent."

She looked off to the side. Pregnant. Me. Me pregnant. "Um, could you let in the guy with the really blonde hair?"

"Certainly." He walked out, shutting the door behind him.

A couple seconds later Spike slipped in. "Avoidin' sunlight in a hospital ain't easy." He walked over to her bed and sat by her side. "What'd the doc say?"

Buffy put her hands on his this time and looked deeply into his eyes. "Spike. I'm pregnant."

His eyes grew wider and she could see his jaw unclench. "Pregnant pregnant?"

"Pregnant pregnant."

"That's amazin'," he said with excitement. "Is that amazin'?" Now less excited.

"It's amazing." Spike smiled and now kissed her deeper. He put his hands on her face and held her close. Her hands rested on his arms as their tongues twisted around each other's mouths. They parted and held their smiles. "We're gonna have a baby." Here were the tears again.

"Best lookin' baby at that."

"Well of course."

"Gonna tell the others?"

"Actually I was planning on hiding my growing stomach and then moving away once the baby's born," Buffy said sarcastically.

"Works for me."

"Could you bring them in here?"

"Could."

"Will you?"

"Like ya have to ask."

"Clearly I do."

"I just want ya to myself. That's all."

"I know. And I will be all yours later."

Spike looked at the bed. "I dunno, is it gonna start rollin'?"

"Would you just get them?" Buffy said with a smile.

"All right." He stepped out the door and waved everyone in. Xander pointed to himself but caught on when everyone stood up from the uncomfortable chairs.

"What'd he say?" Willow asked, taking no time for pleasantries. Giles and Xander shared the inquiring look of dread.

"I'm pregnant."

"What?" The three of them went through the same facial motions she had seen Spike display earlier and had herself.

"Pregnant pregnant?" Xander asked.

"Exactly the kind of pregnant," Buffy answered.

"That's so great for you guys," Willow said. Giles also smiled and held back a leap in the air. The red head moved in for a hug and did it tenderly so she had no chance of hurting the baby.

"Thanks."

"Mazel tof," Xander said, hugging her as well.

"Congratualtions Buffy. And Spike as well."

"Thanks for not leavin' the vampire out Giles," Spike said.

Buffy put off asking her mom about her thoughts on the subject in case there was yelling that would occur. She looked all right with it though. Then again she thought her mom would think the pictures she drew on her faxes from work when she was seven would be seen as creative expression as opposed to getting her locked in her room for an hour.

It was fine though. For now, everyone was happy and she was pregnant. She put her hand on her stomach as she thought of the mini human growing within her.