The next day Buffy starts looking for a job in LA so that she can buy the things like food and clothes that she needs. One of the first places she spots is a gym only two blocks from her new home at the Hyperion. They have a sign in the front window "now hiring martial arts instructors." Feeling like this would be right up her alley Buffy goes in and applies for the job. An hour of paperwork and one audition later Buffy has a job. She even gets to teach her first class that night.

Over the next week the classes go well and Buffy likes the other trainers on staff. She is able to keep up her workout routine and patrols for a couple hours each night. The vamps in LA aren't used to having the Slayer to deal with and Buffy is able to start putting a dent in their population. Overall, Buffy's attitude and demeanor have improved from deeply depressed to just plain sad. She puts on a good front at the gym by always staying upbeat, but even then she never smiles or laughs. A week after starting at the gym Buffy begins getting sick in the mornings. She also gets nauseous at work twice and fearing something is wrong the other instructors convince her to see a doctor.

At the doctor's office she in for the surprise of her life. The doc insists on a full work up and the next day she calls Buffy back into the office to talk about the results. "Buffy we have your results and I would life for you to prepare yourself for some news that I believe is going to be rather unexpected," the doctors say's calmly. Buffy takes a deap breathe having no clue as to what the doctor is about to tell her. The doc continues, "Buffy you're pregnant." Buffy hears the words the doctor says and understands what they mean but beyond that she's lost for the moment. Buffy listens to everything the doc has to say, thanks her, and leaves. Class that night is fine, but Buffy was just going through the movements by habit and instinct. All her thoughts were concentrated on the life she would now be responsible for and how it came to be.

Lying on her mat at the Hyperion that night Buffy goes over everything in her head. She knows, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that Angel is the father. After all, he's the only guy she has ever been with. But she's confused since he's a vamp and technically dead and vamps aren't supposed to be able to have kids. Buffy decides to keep working until she has enough money saved to fly to Ireland. She feels drawn to go there and believes this feeling exists because she wants her and Angel's child to know about the land where Angel comes from. Before she leaves she writes a letter to her mother, one to Willow, and one to Giles.

Willow,

I know that "sorry" doesn't make up for me leaving without saying anything to you, and I know that I should have written before now. But, I am sorry – for how I left things, for how I dumped the Hellmouth without a slayer into your lap, but most of all for not being the best friend to you that you have been to me. I know that you would never have told Xander to tell me to kick Angel's ass. I have had hope that one day Angel (I sent Angel to hell not Angelus) would return to me but I am moving on and beginning to believe that he will only survive in my heart. I hope that's good enough for me someday. I'm telling you this so that you can begin to understand why I ran. I also hope that one day you will be able to forgive me and be my best friend again. I promise to write or call on a regular basis and that I'll come home again one day. Please promise not to look for me and find me as long as I don't want to be found – I need to do this on my own for a while. If I get into too much trouble I'll let you know.

Love always,

Buffy

Giles,

I'm alive and well, I need for you to know that. I also need for you to try and understand that I need to be on my own right now. One day I will return but it won't be soon, so don't look for me – at all. I ran away because I was expelled from school and my mother's home, and I sent the love of my life to hell. You know how it feels to lose someone you love that much – please use that experience to begin to understand what I am going through right now. In the fight that ended with my mother kicking me out of the house I tried to explain to her that I am the slayer and that no matter what I cannot change that. And just so you know – I no longer want that to change. I understand now that this is what I have to do, but I also understand why all the slayers before me were alone. Without people around you that you love it's harder to be hurt when the innocent people around you end up dying. That's part of the reason I need to be alone right now. Okay, enough ramble about that, back to my mom. I need you to talk to her and better explain things to her than I did. She deserves to know the truth about my life. She will probably even let you finish the "Into every generation" speech. I also want you to know that I am going to continue fighting evil to the best of my ability wherever I am. And I know this probably won't mean too much, but I'm sorry.

Thanks for everything and for being you!

Buffy

Mom,

I really don't know what to say here. I know that you probably didn't mean what you said about "if you leave now don't ever come back," but in the moment you said it you meant it. I love you and never wanted to hurt you. Talk to Giles – he'll be able to explain things better than I did that day. He knows about everything because he too has a secret identity. He was (is) my watcher. Please don't be mad at me forever. I'm sorry that I can't let you help me, but I really am okay and doing much better than when I first left Sunnydale.

I love you – never forget or doubt that Mom!

Buffy