After all their guests had left for the evening, they both snuggled up on the sofa and stuck on a movie, just happy to be in each others company. This was the first weekend since buying the property that they were able to just sit and do nothing, not having to travel back to Sunnydale.

They had moved in slowly, doing the place up room by room as they wanted to make it their own. Due to the pregnancy, they didn't want Buffy around when there was workmen busy drilling and hammering away from day break to sunset. This week they had finished all the extra touches and managed to ship all the furniture in for them to officially move in.

Angels hand rested gently on her bump, rubbing small circles to her delight. He was working through his thoughts on Kate, he knew on way or another that she would make an appearance and he didn't want Buffy to be in a position where she would be blindsided again "Damien called earlier…"

Buffy shifted so that she could face him, she leaned back and nodded carefully. Things between her and his brother were still a bit strained, although she was happy that they were trying to mend bridges, she found it awkward that they had kissed. Angel had eventually got over it but she could tell whenever Damien spoke to her in a husky voice that it would rile him up.

Angels hand continued to rub her bump lovingly "He wanted me to know that my uh, my ex is back in town" when her eyebrows knitted together he continued "Kate, she was sort of my girlfriend… we hooked up every now and then, we loosely dated for around six months and we ended right before last summer break "

Buffy shrugged "Okay?!…"

"She's older and we broke up because she was wanting to settle down and I didn't want a serious relationship" he gave her a knowing look then continued "…At first things were good between us, we got on and uh, we did hook back up a few times before she left to travel" he cringed when he felt her tense "Just before she left she saw me on a date with someone else and she didn't take it well"

Buffy placed her hand on top of his to stop it from moving "What do you mean she didn't take it well?" He had that look on his face, like he was wanting to not talk about this at all and it didn't make her feel any better.

Angel sighed "She got obsessive and she threatened my date"

Nodding slowly "She only threatened your date?" After a pause she burst out into a giggle, her mind had been swirling but that? Oh she could handle that "That's all? Angel, I'm a big girl, I can handle myself" she smiled and linked her fingers through his "Seems a little dramatic" after a tense pause she continued "…Wait, how does Damien know who she is and that shes back in Sunnydale?"

With a sigh, he thought back to the weeks before they had ended "When I started getting distant, she somehow found my mom, my dad and Damiens numbers and would call them constantly, she didn't know that we weren't on the best of terms… she'd show up wherever I was, like I said, obsessive"

Angel half shrugged "As for Damien in Sunnydale, although he didn't want to come here, he's meeting with mom and dad tomorrow" wasn't just that he didn't want to come to theirs, he had mentioned in passing about the shindig but it would also be good for him not to show, on account of their still strained relationship.

Buffy relaxed against his chest and smiled weakly, she had a feeling that Damien hadn't turned down the invitation, it was probably Angel who had rescinded it after offering "It is okay for Damien to come here, I get it but he's still your brother and this is still his niece or nephew" she tipped her head to her bump and looked at him.

"Buffy, I just want you two to be safe. I don't want to have to worry about anyone, especially Kate, trying to upset you" he wrapped his arms around her gently and buried his face into the crook of her neck "I love you" she whispered that she loved him too, then closed her eyes with a smile on her face.

Oooooooooooooooo

Whilst Angel went off to the Gallery that he worked in, Buffy decided to head back on the hour or so drive back to Sunnydale. It had been almost two weeks since she had seen Willow and had missed her, also whilst she was still able to drive, she may as well make the trip.

The journey was uneventful, just the usual traffic and thankfully no accidents, arriving twenty minutes earlier than normal she made her way to The Bronze and ordered a soda before spying an empty booth that she could wait in. Pulling out her phone she text Willow to let her know that she was here and another to Angel to keep him updated on her travels.

Glad you made it safe, I can always catch a train out and drive back if you want? Xx

It was cute and annoying just how much he was beginning to mother her. He said that he fully trusted her to keep safe but he couldn't help but be irrational, coming up with weird and wonderful ways that she may get hurt just doing mundane activities. Replying that it was fine, that she would leave a little earlier than normal, she sat the phone face down and took a sip of soda.

"Well, if it isn't the mother of my future nephew or niece" Damien tilted his head to the side and gave her that half smirk that the O'Connors seemed to naturally favour.

Buffy licked her bottom lip and cleared her throat "Damien. What brings you back to Sunnydale?" As far as she knew, he had headed back out East with his parents a couple of days after their barbecue. She watched as he slid into the booth and came close to her. She stiffened at the move but deep down she knew he wouldn't be silly enough to try anything now.

The smirk on his face faltered as he looked down to the table then back up to her "Guess I'm getting softer in my old age Buff, came out here to meet up with a pretty little blonde quite like yourself" in the past he would never have admitted to travelling across the country for a girl, but this one, well she was like an itch he couldn't scratch.

Buffy raised an eyebrow at him and deadpanned "You came all this way to meet a girl?!" When he frowned at her she giggled, it must have been infectious as not before long Damien let out a laugh too. When she went to excuse herself to go to the restroom, he slipped out the booth and helped her "Uh, thanks…" she smiled weakly at the kind gesture and headed off.

After taking care of business, she walked back to the booth, a frown marred upon her face as she saw Damien in a tense conversation with a blonde. She hoped that it wasn't who he was here to see, although they were on unsteady ground, seeing him happy would make her happy. As she neared she heard her harsh words she was saying to him, about how dare he treat her like this.

The blonde cocked her hip to the side, her hand planting firmly on it "Well Angel, aren't you going to answer me?!" When she saw him look behind her she spun around and fixed her glare on Buffy, she took one look at her extended abdomen and raged further "Angel? What in the hell is this?!"

Buffy froze, clearly this wasn't Damiens date and from his warning previously, this must be the infamous Kate that she had been told about. Seeing the disgust on her face she frowned "You must be Kate"

Kate folded her arms over her chest and threw her hair over her shoulder "And you must be the new flavour of the month. Don't let him fool you, you might have tricked him into this" she waved her hand towards Buffy's belly "But it won't last, they never do and its me he wants and comes back too"

Having quite enough of this bitch wave her hands around at her she laughed "Obsessed much? Angel doesn't want you… and neither does Damien" she smirked and tipped her head at him, seeing he was fully amused by the situation "You claim Angel comes back to you, what does that say when you can't tell him apart from his brother?"

Kate looked back at Damien and her jaw ticked, damn, she should have known it wasn't Angel, his self-righteous grin was not it. When they had started dating she had searched his family online when she heard someone mention that he was rich. So rich that she would do anything to be his and his alone, feeling her cheeks flame due to her error, she growled in frustration "You think you're so clever don't you, we'll see about that!" She jerked her hand so she could slap Buffy as hard as she could.

Damien saw it before it was about to happen so he leapt from his seat but unfortunately he was too late, Kate belted Buffy across the face, hard. When Kate tried to go for round two, he snatched her wrist back and twisted her arm. Kate cursed at him, warning him to let her go.

Buffy stumbled back from the blow and caught an uneven tile with the heel of her shoe and fell. She twisted her body as best as she could but still landed awkwardly, letting out a terrified cry. The barman ran out from behind the bar towards her but before he could, Damien pushed Kate out the way and came by her side.

"You okay Buff?" He could see the tears rise in her eyes as her head slowly shook from side to side, her cheek turning red. He could see the panic as she began to hyperventilate and hold her belly tight. Running a hand through his hair, he bit down on his cheek, trying to think what to do.

Looking behind him, he saw the barman warn Kate to leave or he would call the cops. Turning back to Buffy he felt unease as he watched her wince "Can you get up?" When she shook her head no again, he slipped his arms under her legs and let her grip onto his neck as he picked her up. Walking out to his rental, he whispered everything was going to be okay in an attempt to calm her down.

He sat her in the passenger side and clipped her belt before jumping in himself and peeling away, although he had been here a few times now he was still learning where everything was. He looked to the blonde beside him who was trying her best not to breakdown and asked her to tell him how to get to the hospital "L-l-l-eft, d-d-down to th-the bott…om of the…" losing her battle she cried out and covered her eyes with her hand.

Thankfully he saw the sign at the side of the road stating the hospital was nearby and he put the foot down on the gas. By the time he had pulled up to the entrance Buffy had stopped crying but was trying to calm herself down with even breathing, he scooped her out of the seat and followed the signs to the maternity unit. The nurse at reception frowned and called for a wheelchair, she looked at the pair calmly "Tell me whats wrong"

With no response from Buffy, Damien filled her in on what had happened and that she had fallen and she seemed like she was in pain. He cleared his throat and stuttered when the nurse asked how far along she was "Seven, maybe eight months or so?" Seeing her frown again he added "I'm not sure, she's my brothers girl…"

A wheelchair was brought out but she refused to let go of him, Damien sighed and followed the nurse down to a private room and being told that the doctor would be along shortly. He managed to get her to lie on the bed so that he could pull his phone out and call his brother. Once the line connected he cleared his throat, trying to sound even "Angel, get down to Sunnydale Memorial asap, Buffy's hurt" understanding, however still annoyed by the twenty questions he groaned "Just get here"

Ooooooooooo

His boss had offered up her car for him to make the journey back to Sunnydale, he put the foot down and thankfully made it within the half hour mark despite the heavy traffic that was beginning to pile up. He had tried to call Damien back but the phone just rang and rang.

Running his way through the long corridor he made his way to the nurses station and asked where Buffy was. The nurse done a double take then paused for a moment "Down the hall" at the blank look on her face she winced a little, this must be the brother and not the man from earlier "Sorry, Miss Summers is in room 18"

Making his way down to the room he stopped at the door when he saw the pair of them laughing away, he could see her eyes were red from crying but her smile was wide "Buffy?" They both looked over to him, frozen in the break of their conversation. He look down to the straps over her belly and frowned.

Damien got up from the chair and slid by Angel to leave the room, to give them some space. Walking closer to her he leaned down to kiss her softly "What happened?"

Buffy ran her hand over her belly and stopped short of the monitor straps "I tripped and fell" seeing the fear in his eyes she added "Damien brought me straight over, I've had a scan and we've to be on this monitor for the next half hour but so far they're not concerned" the doctor wanted the baby to be monitored to make sure movement was still happening.

Angel let out a ragged breath and slumped heavily into the seat that his brother had just vacated, his fingers linked with hers "When that call came in, I can't begin to tell you how worried I was" before he could say anything else a doctor came back in and read the charts that were being printed from the foetal monitor.

He looked round to the couple and smiled "You must be baby's father? Either that or I'm seeing double" he quirked an eyebrow at them and chuckled "Just another little bit on the monitor Miss Summers and then we can discuss letting you go… would you like to hear the heartbeat today?" When they both nodded, he grabbed the gel, squeezing a healthy amount on her belly and ran the wand over.

The sound of the heartbeat fluttering away filled the room, making them both smile. Angel felt that pang, that excited little twitch that he always felt whenever he got to hear or see the baby. The first time they had went for a scan, seeing that little bean on the screen he felt his world change, it became real. The doctor handed Buffy some tissue before leaving them alone in the room.

"Are you, or have you been in pain?" He kept his gaze on her, wanting to make sure she wasn't playing down what had happened, she had a tendency to do that.

Buffy rolled her eyes at him playfully "No, I think it was more just shock, I was really scared" her smiled dropped as she replayed what had happened, neglecting to tell him about being hit "All I could think about was what if something bad had happened… I'm just glad Damien was there, he brought he straight here"

Angel leaned in and kissed her to settle her nerves, he leaned his forehead against hers and sighed "Me too, I'll just be a minute" he have her hand another squeeze before stepping out of the room and facing his brother. When he nodded they stepped further away from the room, so that she couldn't overhear them "What really happened?"

The gold flecks in Damiens eyes shone brighter as he replayed the incident and felt the anger rise "She fell but that's cause Kate hit her" seeing Angels eyes darken in similar anger, he added "I grabbed her before she could go for round two but Buff tripped and I didn't catch her" he wanted to kick himself, when he saw her topple his heart leapt into his throat.

Angel clenched his fist, of course it wasn't just an accidental stumble, whether it was coincidence or not, he didn't like the fact that as soon as Buffy came back here, Kate was on the attack. Both brothers glared at each other, thinking of how to sort this situation out.