Xander arrived just as the ambulance pulled up at the house. By the time he had shut off the car engine and got out the technicians were already wheeling out a gurney with the blonde Slayer on it looking pale and frail under the blankets. Willow walked beside it, also looking pale, and he rushed to her side.
"What happened? What's wrong with Buffy?" he asked, panicked.
Willow turned a tearstained face to him. "Buffy . . . she-she fell. Down the stairs. I-I couldn't wake her."
"You go with Buffy and I'll wait for Giles," Xander instructed, feeling strange at being take-charge guy for once. "I'll bring him as soon as he gets here."
He gave Willow a quick hug and she smiled gratefully at him as she climbed in the ambulance with her best friend.
Willow felt useless on the ride to the hospital. Her best friend was injured and all she could do was watch and hope she came round. The worst part was the nagging worry that this was not right. Buffy was the Slayer - she shouldn't be seriously injured from a short fall down some stairs. She shouldn't have fallen down them in the first place. The only times Willow could remember her falling down stairs Buffy had had help, usually of a supernatural variety.
As the ambulance drew up in front of the hospital Buffy stirred and moaned softly. Willow grabbed her hand, trying to reassure her, and said softly, "It's ok. We're at the hospital. You're ok. Giles is on his way."
Then the technicians were pushing her out and wheeling the gurney through the double doors of the emergency room leaving Willow standing alone beside the vehicle. She rushed to follow them in but a nurse stopped her at the doors of the room where they were working on the Slayer and led her to the reception desk. There were forms to be filled in and contact numbers to give so it was a few minutes before she realised that no one had thought to let Mrs Summers know what was happening.
The phone call was short but Willow almost felt as though she heard the blood rush from the older woman's face and she hoped there were no policemen out patrolling tonight who would try to stop Mrs Summers. Then all that she could do was sit in the waiting area and worry.
It seemed like hours later but it could only have been a few minutes when Giles rushed into reception followed closely by Xander and Anya. Catching sight of Willow he almost ran over to her.
"Where's Buffy? Have they said anything?" His face was pale and his eyes wild with fear.
Tearfully Willow said, "I don't know. They won't tell me anything."
Joyce arrived as Willow finished and went straight over to the reception desk. "Where's my daughter? She was brought in by ambulance. Her name's Buffy Summers."
The lady at the desk looked at her computer and shook her head. "We don't have a Buffy Summers here. Are you sure it's this hospital?"
"Of course I'm sure! Willow-"
She finally noticed the small gathering in the chairs nearby and hurried over to them.
"Willow, what's going on. Is Buffy here? Is she alright?"
Willow had seen the problems Joyce was having and said, "I registered her as Buffy Giles 'cos that's, uh, her name now. You know, being married to Giles-"
"What happened to Buffy?" Joyce insisted.
"I don't know. She-she fell down the stairs," Willow replied.
"I know about the Slaying. You don't have to hide it."
"I'm not. She fell down the stairs." Willow explained as much as she knew.
Joyce and Giles both tried to get information out of the receptionist but the poor woman knew no more than they did. So they were all left to sit in the waiting area, worrying collectively. Finally a doctor emerged from a room and walked towards the group stopping in front of Giles and Joyce.
"I'm Doctor Avery. Are you Buffy Giles' parents?" he asked.
Giles' eyes narrowed but he simply replied, "I'm her husband and this is her mother. How is she?"
The doctor looked at him curiously but this did explain a few things. "Your wife will be fine. I think she's been asking for you, if your name is Rupert. Would you like to follow me?"
Giles smiled reassuring at the rest of the Gang and walked in the direction the doctor indicated, but when Joyce began to follow Avery turned to her.
"Mrs?"
"Summers. Joyce."
"Mrs Summers, it would be best if you waited here. I need to talk to Mr Giles first. I'm sure you'll be able to see your daughter soon."
Joyce glared at Giles but sat down next to Willow again.
Outside the door to Buffy's room Avery stopped. "Has your wife been ill lately? Maybe having bouts of nausea or fainting?"
"Until today she's just been extremely tired." Giles replied getting worried again. "She's been under a lot of stress lately. This morning we thought she was coming down with the flu. All her friends have had it. Is something wrong?"
Avery made a non-committal grunt and opened the door. As soon as Buffy saw Giles her eyes lit up and her smile seemed to flood the room with joy. That was all it took for Avery to realise that he was dealing with an extraordinary couple and more importantly a couple deeply in love. Giles crossed the room in several long strides and carefully pulled Buffy into his arms. For a long moment they simply clung to each other. Then he pulled back to examine her. There was a large bruise on her temple, there were dark circles under eyes, one wrist was swathed in bandages and she was attached to a drip. It was the most wonderful thing he had seen all day. She was still with him.
Avery cleared his throat. "Buffy."
Reluctantly Giles stood up, although he kept possession of her hand. "Doctor Avery, what's wrong with me? I fainted! I never faint. Well, except for one time and then I had flu."
"How has your health been lately? I understand you were sick this morning. Was that the first time?"
Buffy flushed guiltily. "Nearly."
"You've been ill and haven't told me?" Giles exclaimed.
"I didn't want to worry you. And it's only been once . . . a couple . . . a few times."
"I know you must be very concerned," Avery interrupted. "But I have good news. Buffy isn't ill."
"I'm not?"
"You've never been healthier. Buffy, you're pregnant."
Shock reigned.
"But-but . . . how . . . wh- . . . I can't be pregnant!"
Avery hid a smile at her outrage look. "Then you and Mr Giles haven't-?"
Buffy blushed at his implications. "Y-yes but we've been careful."
"Love, i-if I recall w-we weren't very careful on our h-honeymoon," Giles stuttered, blushing also at discussing this in front of the doctor.
"Oh yeah. The . . . honeymoon. How far am I?"
"I'd say about two months," Avery replied.
"Right time then," Buffy concluded. "I'm pregnant. I'm gonna - we're gonna have a baby."
Giles was - well, gobsmacked was the only word that came to his mind. She was going to have a baby. His baby. The thought made him want to sing and shout from the rooftops, but at the same time he was filled with dread. The joy beginning to dawn on her face allowed him to put the dread into a quiet corner of his mind for a while though.
"Are you sure?" he asked her.
She knew immediately what he was asking. Not 'are you sure it was then?' or 'are you sure it's mine?' but 'are you sure you want this?' Buffy knew her answer immediately. Nothing was going to stop her having this baby. She drew his hand to her lips and kissed the knuckles.
Avery looked at the couple in amazement. They barely spoke yet it seemed as though they were communicating without words. At first he had not been sure what their relationship could be, despite their apparent marriage. They seemed to be total opposites - she was tiny while he was tall, she was young and American while he was the epitome of older, stuffy Brit. But in that moment of communication he could see that on some level they were two halves of the same soul. For a long moment he wished he could follow them through to see what made their relationship so special, and he felt a twinge of envy too.
Then Buffy was looking at him, her hazel eyes wide with worry. "The baby is alright, isn't it? I didn't hurt it?"
"Your baby is fine," Avery quickly reassured. "It's as tough its mother apparently."
"I guess this would explain the sickness and tiredness," Buffy grinned at him. "But why did I faint?"
"You were sick this morning?" Buffy nodded. "And you haven't eaten much today?" Buffy nodded again. "Well at this stage the baby needs energy and nutrients, and it will take them even if you don't have them to spare. You don't need to eat for two quite yet but you need to eat for one. Try to eat something even if you don't want to."
Giles kissed the hand he held and said, "I'll make sure she does."
"I know you will," Avery replied. "Now, I believe you have a herd of people waiting outside for you. Do you want to see them?"
Buffy nodded eagerly and he left the room. When he had shut the door behind him Giles sat down on the edge of the bed.
"Are you sure about this? You're still so young-"
"Rupert, I may never get another chance. I want this baby. I want your baby."
Perversely the words sent a surge of masculine pride through Giles, but he firmly squashed it. "Buffy I-"
"When we decided to make this marriage work I said that only reason we shouldn't was if you didn't want me. The only reason I can see for not having this baby is if you don't want it. Do you?"
Giles reached out and placed a hand over her still flat stomach. "With all my heart."
"Good." Buffy grinned at him. "Do you wanna tell the others now? I mean, they'll start to notice when I'm the size of a small elephant and this seems like as good a time as any."
The Gang took the news well. Anya was confused, but Willow knew how much Buffy wanted a baby and Xander trusted in her happy expression. Joyce was a different matter.
"How could you do this to her?" she raged at Giles. "She's too young for a baby! She's too young to married at all!"
"Mom, it takes two to make a baby. If you wanna blame someone don't just blame him."
"Buffy, honey, what about college, and your friends, and the Slaying? How can you cope with a baby as well?"
"Her friends are right behind her," Xander retorted. "We'll help her. I'm not going to be in the delivery room, but we'll be there in every way we can be. That's what family does."
Willow and Anya nodded their agreement. 'That's what family should do' was unspoken but they all knew that was what Xander meant.
***
The argument continued until a nurse, curious about the noise, looked in and shooed everyone out apart from Giles. He and Buffy had been sitting quietly, not entering the argument, and still feeling overwhelmed by their news. Buffy smiled gratefully at the nurse.
A little while later Buffy was taken up to a ward for the night where Giles sat by her until she fell asleep.
***
It was still dark when Willow woke. The house was quiet and even Amy-rat was asleep in her cage. Feeling thirsty she got out of bed and pulled on her robe.
As she walked past the basement door with her glass of water she noticed light spilling from beneath the door. Gizmo and Button bounded up to her, but while Button mewed and beckoned for a cuddle Gizmo began to scrabble under the door. Willow scooped up Button and opened the door. Gizmo immediately scampered through and down the steps. She tumbled down the last two but landed on her feet and scurried across the floor to the table were Giles sat reading. Imperiously she demanded to be picked up and Giles absently complied, placing her on the table so he could stroke her as he read.
As soon as she saw him Willow knew something was wrong. He looked terrible, there were books and papers strewn across the table and a half-empty pot of coffee stood on the counter behind him. Obviously he had not been to bed yet and had no intention of going. He had been quiet all evening and Willow had assumed he was simply struggling to come to terms with events, but what if it was something more?
Giles did not notice as she walked towards him and stopped by the table. "Hey," Willow greeted quietly.
He just managed not to jump at the sudden intrusion. "W-Willow. I didn't hear you. What are you doing up at this hour?"
"I was going to ask you the same thing."
"I-I have work to do," Giles lied, not very convincingly.
"At three in the morning?"
"It's, uh, important-"
"It's to do with Buffy, isn't it? That's why you're looking so worried. Anything else and you'd be it leaving until morning. Something bad is happening and its got something to do with Buffy. What is it?"
"Willow, I-"
"Uh-uh. You're not getting out of this. Xander called us a family today and that's what we are. Families share their problems, so spill."
"Willow-"
She put on her most impressive resolve face.
Giles sighed and gave in.
"No Slayer has ever survived a pregnancy," he announced sadly.
*finis*