Now What?

"Wow," Fred said with a shocked face as she and the others got back from the hospital.

"I second that," Cordelia added.

Fred, Cordelia and the boys had just gotten back from the hospital. They snuck into one of the empty sonogram rooms and used their machinery to check and see if Cordelia and Fred's babies were human. None of them were really doctors or anything but Wesley knew enough about this stuff to know that both girls' babies were the shapes of normal human fetuses. Since there wasn't really any other explanation they could think of, they came to the conclusion that the prophecy they had found was in fact what explains their situation.

Gunn was looking very confused. "What are you girls looking so upset about?" he asked, "Their real, human babies…no demons."

"Sure that's definitely a good thing but…" Cordelia started, "I'm just not ready for this. I don't even have a husband…or a boyfriend for that matter."

"I just got back to this world," Fred added looking extremely worried. "I haven't even fully gotten back into the swing of things yet. How am I going to raise a child?"

Angel came up behind the two girls and put his arms around them in comfort. "Hey," he said softly, "It's going to be ok. We'll figure something out no matter what. I promise."

"Maybe you girls should go upstairs and rest," Wesley suggested.

"Yeah, you can lie down in my bed if you want Cordy," Angel added.

"I don't know," Cordelia started to say.

"Wesley's right Cordelia," Angel interrupted, "Both of you need your rest. We'll do some more research and try and figure things out."

"Alright," Cordelia finally gave in.

"Laying down sounds like that might be a good idea right about now," Fred said still looking extremely frazzled.

Angel, Wesley and Gunn watched the girls go upstairs. As soon as they were out of site all three boys breathed a sigh of relief. This whole situation was a little overwhelming and the guys were trying their hardest to keep spirits high but it wasn't easy at this confusing time.

For a moment they all just sat there in silence. Finally Gunn spoke up, "So…what do we do now?" he asked.

"We need to find the others," Angel said almost immediately. "Cordy and Fred are confused about this whole thing and their used to stuff like this. Just imagine the other six girls that this has happened to," he added.

"He has a point," Wesley agreed. "We have no idea who these others women are and what they might be thinking right now if their situations are as Cordelia and Fred's. If they feel that there is no way they can possibly be pregnant who knows what they might be thinking."

Gunn nodded his head in agreement. "So how do we find them?" he asked.

"Wesley what was it you said before about the mother's being warriors for good?" Angel asked.

"Oh yes," Wesley said understanding where Angel was going with this. "It said that the girls would each possess one of the eight qualities strongly and that each would be a warrior for good."

When Angel thought about this he could really only think of one other person who was a warrior for good and possessed more then one of those qualities. Just as he had before, he was thinking of Buffy.

"Anyone you know fit the description?" Gunn asked Angel as he saw the wheels turning in his head.

After Gunn mentioned it Wesley knew exactly who Angel was thinking of. However, before either one could say anything the phone rang. Angel looked at the others in surprise. He couldn't help but think that this might be Buffy calling to tell him that she was in fact part of the prophecy. Maybe she was calling to see if Cordy or anyone he knew was part of it as well.

After the phone rang twice Angel picked it up. "Angel Investigations," he greeted with hopeful eyes. "Hi," he responded to the voice on the phone sounding surprised. "What do you need?" he asked.

Gunn and Wes were starting to get a little confused. It seemed as if Angel knew this person but that he was surprised to hear from them. They couldn't figure out who it might be.

"Yeah," Angel continued his conversation, "I'll be right there."

When he hung up the phone Gunn and Wes looked even more confused then before. "Who was it?" Gunn asked.

"I need to go out for a little while," Angel said, ignoring Gunn's question.

"Angel who was it on the phone?" Wesley asked tried his luck.

"I can't say right now," Angel answered. "I won't be long. Just umm…do some research on this prophecy," he added as he walked out the door leaving the two boys shocked and speechless.

"Well I think it's safe to assume this prophecy we found is in fact what has happened to you all," Giles said as he, Xander and the girls walked into Buffy's house.

They had just gotten back from the doctors office where they had snuck into an examining room and used their sonogram equipment to check up on the babies. It was still a little too soon to tell but all five of their babies looked like they were the shape of human fetuses.

"So…what happens now?" Dawn asked.

Everyone was pretty much in a daze. They were all used to strange things happening in they're town and even to them but this was different. This was something that, if they went through with having the children, would affect their entire lives.

Dawn started to get nervous when no one volunteered to answer her question. Buffy saw the look on her face and walked over to her. She put her arm around her reassuringly, "Don't worry Dawny," she said to her little sister. "We'll figure something out."

Dawn forced a smile. "I think I'm going to go sit down on the couch, watch some TV and pretend my life is normal for a little while," she said as she walked into the living room.

Tara also forced a smile to Willow and started walking towards the living room. "I'll go with her."

Anya gave Tara a curious look. "What are we watching?" she asked. "I think Gilmore Girls is on," she added as she started walking towards the living room with the other two girls.

"I love that show," they heard Dawn say from the living room.

The remaining four made their way to the kitchen to sit down and talk. Willow and Xander sat next to each other on the stools at the counter while Buffy leaned against the sink. Giles leaned against the doorway with a melancholy look. He knew that Buffy was going to look to him for answers and he just didn't have them.

"How did this happen?" Buffy said, seemingly talking to herself.

"I'm not really sure," Giles answered. "The book said something about the mother's being warriors for good," he remembered.

"Makes sense," Xander commented. "If there's anyone that can be called warriors for good it's the five of you." Willow smiled at Xander's compliment and he smiled back at her.

"What are we going to do?" Buffy asked. "None of us are prepared to have kids. Dawn is only 15-years-old. We'll both be single parents. God she's just too young," she rambled as she started to realize what all of this really meant.

"Buffy don't worry," Xander attempted to comfort, "It's like what you told Dawn…we'll figure something out. We always do."

They were silent for a little while. "We'll need to find the other three," Giles said breaking the silence. Finding out what they were going to do was a very important subject to discuss and he didn't really want to change the subject but finding the others was very important as well.

"Yeah…but how?" Willow asked.

Giles raised his eye brows. "I'm not really sure."

"We'll figure it out," Buffy said as she started to snap out of her shocked state. "Tomorrow," she added. "I think we all need to get some rest."

"I believe that sounds like a good idea," Giles agreed.

It was night out now, Xander, Anya and Giles said their good nights and walked out the door. Dawn, Willow and Tara went up to bed but Buffy needed to get some air. She walked out the back door and sat on the porch. She took a deep breath in and then out. This was all just a little too much to handle even for her.

"What are you doing here Spike?" she asked. She couldn't see him, but she could sense that he was there.

Spike walked out from behind a tree looking very shocked that she knew he was there. "Just umm…out for a walk is all," he answered.

"I'm really not in the mood for this right now Spike," Buffy said sounding slightly aggravated.

"What's the matter pet?" the vampire asked noticing how upset and confused she looked.

The blonde sighed. "It's a long story."

Spike walked slowly towards her and sat next to her on the porch. "I've got time."

Buffy's face was that of shock. She knew that Spike had this little thing for her but she never expected him to actually care and want to listen to her day. When the shock wore off she said, "Alright but remember…you asked for it."

The two of them sat there for over an hour. She told him the whole story of what had happened that day and he just sat there and listened. She told him about the pregnancies and the prophecy and everything. When she was finally finished he took a few moments to process everything. It was a lot to take in such a short amount of time.

"Wow," he finally got out.

Buffy laughed a little. "Yeah…that's pretty much what all of us said."

"Well…" Spike started to say, "I'll take over the patrolling then."

"What?" Buffy asked looking extremely surprised.

"Just until you have the baby," Spike clarified. "You can't go fighting all the big nasties while you're pregnant. If you get hit in the wrong spot it could hurt the baby."

Buffy's mouth was wide open. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. Spike was acting almost as if he was…human. "Your serious?" she asked to make sure she was hearing him right.

"Yeah," Spike said with confidence. She gave him a strange look. "What?" he asked, "I can do it. I've been fighting on your side these days anyway remember?"

Buffy was speechless. This was just too weird. "Thanks," she said not sounding too sure of herself. "I'd better get to bed," she said as she shook her head trying to snap herself out of the shock she was in.

"Right," Spike said as he stood up and walked down the stairs. "So I'll see you tomorrow then?" he asked with hopeful eyes.

"Umm…yeah," Buffy said still feeling weird about this whole thing, "I guess so." She sent the vampire a quick, tired smile. "Good night Spike."

"Night then," he said as he watched her go into the house. When he was sure she got in safely he started to walk away with a smile on his face. That was pretty much the best conversation they had ever had with one another.