Partner in All Things
by: Gibberish
Rated NC-17
Email: Gibberish
Disclaimer: Not mine, Joss would never go there.
Spoilers: Everywhere.
Summary: The Council gives Buffy her birthday present. You thought 18 was bad.
Rating: NC-17 just to be safe. Sex and dark subject matter. B/G
Distribution: Solo, Jessica, Sai, Cassandra and Sal. Anyone else, just ask.
Comments: I know, I'm a sick puppy. Too much medication? Not enough? Notes: Parker didn't happen. Oz and Willow are still a pair and Doyle ain't dead.
Prologue
Buffy went to bed on the night of her 19th birthday with a relieved sigh. Nothing bad had happened. The birthday jinx was over.
Three men stood around her bed. One gently placed a handkerchief over her nose and mouth. He looked at the other two, "Are you certain that we should do this?"
One glared at him. "Do as you're told."
The other leveled out a needle and looked down at her. "Happy birthday Slayer."
Two months later...
Mornings were never the best time for Buffy, but this was getting pathetic. She was tired, she didn't feel well and it wasn't getting any better. She went to put on her favorite pair of snug jeans, only to find that she could barely button them. Terrific, on top of everything else, she'd gained weight. Buffy managed to stay awake through History by sheer force of will, then went to her Mom's for lunch.
Joyce found her asleep with her head on the kitchen table. This had gone on long enough, Buffy was going to the doctor.
"I don't want to go to the doctor." Buffy protested weakly as her Mom drove her to the doctor.
"Honey, I talked with Mr. Giles." Joyce told her. "You shouldn't be so tired."
"I know." Buffy said quietly. "I don't know what's wrong with me. Giles went into overdrive. He thought it might be an incubus."
"Incubus?" Joyce echoed blankly.
"Trust me, you don't want to know." Buffy told her. "It wasn't. I almost think he was disappointed. It would have been something new. It would have been over." She leaned her head back. "I'm so tired."
Joyce reached out and took her hand.
The doctor, Dr. Wilson, and his nurse, Sharon, both did some tests and asked embarrassing questions. Sharon even drew blood. When they finished, Dr. Wilson sat down with her.
He looked at his notes and the notes of his nurse, then looked at Buffy.
"Well, Miss Summers, you're the healthiest sick person that I've ever met."
"You don't know what's wrong." Buffy said flatly.
"Maybe the blood tests will tell us." Wilson told her.
"When will you know?" Buffy asked.
"Depending on the results, maybe this evening." Wilson told her. "Sharon will call either tonight or tomorrow. After that, we'll just have to see."
"More tests." Buffy stated.
"If necessary."
Buffy decided to stay at her Mom's that night, in case they called. Giles also stopped by to wait with Buffy and Joyce.
When the phone rang, Buffy jumped up to answer it. "Hello." She stopped to listen. "This is Buffy Summers." Listened. "What?" Listened. "Well, the test is wrong. It's not possible." Listened. "I don't care, it's wrong." Listened "I think I will see another doctor." She hung up and looked at her Mom. "God, Mom, where did you find that doctor?"
Giles and Joyce joined her. "What did they say Honey?" Joyce asked.
Buffy rolled her eyes. "Well, their brilliant conclusion is that I'm pregnant."
"What?!" Joyce and Giles exclaimed in unison.
"It's not possible." Buffy assured them.
"Are you positive?" Joyce asked.
Buffy looked from her Mom to Giles, then back to her Mom. "It's been two years Mom."
Joyce sighed in relief, but Giles remained impassive. "I guess mistakes happen." Joyce commented.
The second doctor said the same.
Several nights later, when Giles returned home from work, he found Buffy sitting on his couch. She stared at nothing and was so still that for one horrible moment, he had a flashback to Jenny. He froze, then Buffy took a shuddering breath. "Buffy?"
Buffy started, then looked at him blankly for a second before her eyes focused. "Giles?"
Giles went over to her and sat next to her on the couch. "What is it, Buffy?"
"How Giles?" Buffy asked. "How could this happen? Is it a Slayer thing?"
Giles looked at her, she was upset and frightened, but he hadn't a clue as to why. "Buffy, I don't have any idea to what you're referring."
"I'm pregnant Giles." Buffy told him, her voice devoid of any emotion.
"What? Buffy, you said that it wasn't possible." Giles said helplessly.
"It wasn't! Isn't!" Buffy cried out. "Giles, you have to believe me. I swear there hasn't been anyone since Angel. Angel couldn't even have kids, him being a vampire, not that it matters 'cause it's been two years." She rambled. She looked at Giles with wide pleading eyes. "You believe me, don't you?"
"I ..." Giles stood and walked away.
Buffy watched him and her heart sank. "Mom didn't believe me either." She said softly. Buffy stood and walked to the door. "I don't know what to do, Giles." She opened the door and walked out.
Giles looked at the closed door and finally came out of his shocked state. Unfortunately, when he went after her, he couldn't find her.
Buffy walked, she walked until she couldn't walk any longer. Then she sat on the ground and cried. Then, she threw up.
She was just sitting there when the vampires found her. Three of them and they had a hold of her before she realized they were there. Buffy narrowed her eyes. "I give you fair warning, I'm in a really bad mood." She was flanked by two of the vampires, each had a strong grip on her arms. The third, the leader, stood in front of her. He sneered and backhanded her across her face.. "Warned you." Buffy used the leverage of the two vampires holding her to lift herself and double kick the one in front of her.
They relaxed their grip in surprise and Buffy broke free. She hit one and sent him flying. "You picked the wrong girl." She hit the other. "On the wrong night." She turned one to dust. "Because I feel a serious need to vent." She alternated between the remaining two for a while, then there was one.
Buffy's shirt was torn and there was blood on her face from a cut high on her cheek. She was distracted by an odd twinge low in her stomach and the vamp sent her to the ground. Then, she was really pissed.
Buffy was beating him to a bloody pulp, when he was staked from behind.
Giles looked down at her, "I'm sorry." Her knees went weak and he caught her up in his arms. "We'll find out how this happened, I promise."
Giles took her to his flat and cleaned her up. He didn't call the others until she was tucked up in bed. When he finished the call, he looked at her again and saw her wide questioning eyes. "If they're to help, we'll need to tell them something."
"Tell them." Buffy told him dully. "Doesn't matter."
"It does matter." Giles told her gently as he sat on the edge of the bed.
"It matters a great deal. It was shock, Buffy. A million different thoughts and emotions all tangled up, but I do believe you. Now all we have to do is find out how it happened."
"You believe me?" Buffy asked uncertain, yet hopeful.
"Of course I believe you." Giles responded. "I know this is difficult. I can't even to begin to imagine what's been going through your mind, but we'll handle this together. As always." Buffy nodded. "Buffy, have you had any black outs? Time unaccounted for in your mind?"
"No." Buffy whispered. "Giles, how did this happen?"
Giles looked at her sadly. "I don't know. I'd like your permission to call Wesley. The Council has resources that we don't and I think that we can trust him."
"All right." Buffy said softly.
"You rest now." Giles told her as he stood. "I'll talk with the others when they arrive. In the meantime, you should eat something. And have a glass of milk."
Buffy almost smiled. "I'm scared Giles." She told him in a small voice. "I know. So am I."
Giles fixed Buffy a sandwich and a glass of milk, then took them up to her. After that, he called Wesley. With him, he brought up several possibilities that he hadn't with Buffy. She was frightened enough without hearing about demons or rituals.
By the time he finished his call with Wesley, Willow, Oz and Xander had arrived. "Where's Buffy?" Xander asked after they were seated.
"She's upstairs resting." Giles told them. "Actually, she's why I called you."
Willow caught the underlying tension in his voice. "Is she okay?"
"Actually, she's quite a ways from okay." Giles told her. "She's ... Well, she's ... Um ..." "She's pregnant." They stared at him.
"She's what?" Xander asked.
"Pregnant." Giles responded. "She doesn't know how it happened ..."
Xander snorted. "Even I know where babies come from."
Giles glared at him. "This is quite serious Xander. There is a very real danger to Buffy."
"'Cause she's the Slayer?" Willow asked concerned.
"That is certainly part of it." Giles said. "However, our main concern for the moment is that ... Well, Buffy hasn't been with anyone for more than two years." They all looked at him blankly. "There has been no one since Angel."
"Are you saying it's Angel's?" Xander asked in disgust.
Giles sighed in frustration. "I'm saying that Buffy is pregnant, but that she hasn't had sex in more than two years."
Willow paled. "That's not ..."
"...Possible." Xander finished."
"And yet, she is pregnant." Giles said.
"How?" Oz asked worried.
Giles shook his head. "We don't know. That's what we have to find out. Buffy's scared, Joyce doesn't believe her and ... And we live on the Hellmouth." He finished unwillingly.
"You mean it might not be human?" Willow asked timidly.
"We can't rule it out." Giles said gently. "I haven't mentioned this to Buffy as of yet, but it's in the back of her mind. I could see it in her eyes." He sighed sadly. "I've called Wesley, he's promised to do what he can with the Council's resources."
"Uh, Giles ..." Xander began.
"Don't worry Xander." Giles told him. "I warned him to keep quiet. Threatened to tell Cordelia that he was heir to a dukedom." Xander laughed a little at that. "Though, in all honesty, I don't believe it was necessary."
"What can we do Giles?" Willow asked.
"Research." Giles told her. "I've half a mind to call Ethan."
"Ethan?" Xander echoed. "Ethan Rayne?"
"If there is a spell that can do this or a demon that can impregnate a human woman, Ethan would know of it." Giles explained.
"How do you know he isn't a part of it?" Oz asked.
Giles shook his head. "No, Ethan's not a part of this. I know it's hard to believe, but Ethan does have a code. What's happened to Buffy is nothing less than rape and that is a line that Ethan will not cross." Giles' mind drifted to years ago. "No, he's not a part of this."
Giles tried, but could not reach Ethan. He left several messages in various places, however.
Buffy came downstairs for a while and helped, but Giles wouldn't let her stay long. He ushered her back upstairs and in to bed, admonishing, "You need your rest Buffy."
One by one, they fell asleep. They laid Willow down on the couch and covered her. Xander was next. Giles simply covered him where he slept on the floor. Oz asked for a sleeping bag and rolled it out in front of the couch. He researched there until he, too, fell asleep.
Giles made himself comfortable in a chair in his bedroom. He read and watched over Buffy until he dozed off.
The gang woke up to the sound of Giles in the kitchen. They sleepily made their way to him and found breakfast on the bar and Giles fixing a tray. "Good morning." Giles said quietly.
"Morning." Willow responded for all of them. She looked at the tray. Scrambled eggs, lightly buttered toast and a large glass of milk. She also saw the small vase with daisies. She smiled at the attempt to cheer Buffy.
"She likes daisies."
Giles smiled, "I know."
"How is she?" Oz asked.
"A little better, I think." Giles answered. He looked at Willow. "Would you go with me to Buf - Mrs. Summers'? Buffy's left a few things there, but she isn't up to dealing with Joyce at the moment."
"What happened with her Mom?" Xander asked.
Giles' mouth tightened and he took a calming breath. "She didn't believe Buffy. She's scared to death and that woman didn't believe her. Again. Basically chased her off. Again." His voice was strained with control.
"I'll go with you Giles." Willow told him. Someone would have to keep him from killing Mrs. Summers.
"Thank you, Willow." Giles responded and then left with the tray.
"What did he mean - 'Again'?" Xander asked.
"He meant when Buffy ran away." Willow clarified.
"I thought she ran away because of Angel." Xander commented.
"So did I, at the time." Willow said. "Looking back, I don't even think is was the main reason. Before Buffy left to go face Angel, she and her Mom had a fight. Mrs. Summers told her that if she walked out the door, not to come back."
"But that was before she knew, right?" Xander asked. Willow shook her head.
"I didn't know that." A look at Oz told him that he hadn't known either.
"We were all hurt, her Mom had thrown her out." Willow said. "She really believed that we were all better off with her gone."
"How do you know that?" Xander asked. "She never told me."
"I asked her." Willow gave Xander a significant look. "And then I stopped accusing her long enough for her to tell me." Xander flushed.
Joyce got home and opened the door to find Giles and Willow on their way out with some of Buffy's things. "What are you doing? Where are you taking that?"
"To Buffy." Giles told her coolly.
"Where is she?" Joyce asked.
"That didn't concern you last night." Giles commented. "However, she is safe now."
"With you." Joyce stated flatly. "You win, again."
"Win?" Giles echoed in disbelief. "Your daughter isn't a prize."
"She always picks you." Joyce said.
"Perhaps that is due to the fact that I have never turned her away." Giles said harshly.
"I say things when I'm angry ..." Joyce began.
"Yes, you do." Giles concurred. "Quite often, I've noticed." He looked at Willow, who watched them warily. "Go on to the car, Willow." He said gently.
"Uh, Giles ..."
"Please, Willow?" Giles' voice was still gentle, but his eyes were angry. Angry at Buffy's Mom and he didn't want her to witness this discussion. Willow nodded and went to wait in the car. Giles turned furious eyes back to Joyce. "How dare you? Buffy was terrified, still is, and you send her away?"
"Don't tell me that you believe her?" Joyce asked incredulous.
"As a matter of fact, I do." Giles answered. "However, whether you believe her, or not, is not the issue. You sent her away when she needed you most."
"Buffy doesn't need me." Joyce said bitterly. "She has you."
Giles stared at her for a moment, unable to believe what he had just heard.
"Do you think that makes it all right? Yes, Buffy has me. She always will." He gave her a cold look before he turned and left.
Willow stole glances at Giles' set profile as he drove in stony silence.
"Giles?" She ventured.
"Yes, Willow." Giles responded.
"She does love Buffy." Willow said quietly. "And Buffy loves her."
"I know." Giles returned. "She hurt Buffy terribly. You didn't see her Willow, when she asked me to fetch her things. She started crying at just the thought of facing her Mother." He glanced at Willow, then back to the street. "She wouldn't even tell me everything that woman said to her. It must stop."
When they returned to Giles' flat, they found Ethan watching Xander and Oz as they stood at the bottom of the stairs. They blocked the way and watched Ethan warily.
Ethan looked at Giles. "I got your messages Rupert. Can't imagine what would lower you to ask for my help, but here I am."
"So I see." Giles responded drolly.
Ethan saw the suitcases. "Been on a little trip with the witch?" He couldn't resist asking.
"You know better Ethan." Giles said calmly, as Willow moved to stand between Xander and Oz.
Ethan indicated the gang blocking the stairs. "Who, or what, are they protecting anyway?" He got a very odd expression. "Where's the Slayer?"
"Upstairs." Giles told him significantly.
"Why would the Slayer need protecting?" Ethan asked. "What's happened to her? It must truly be horrific for you to call me."
"Sit down Ethan." Giles told him. He looked at the others. "Go visit with Buffy, give us a few minutes." He watched them until they reached the loft.
"Rupert, you know the healing magicks better than I do." Ethan commented.
Giles looked Ethan in the eyes. "If word of what I am about to tell you gets out, I'll kill you."
Ethan looked at him a minute, then, very seriously, nodded. "What is it?"
"Buffy's pregnant." Giles said bluntly.
Ethan stared at him blankly. "I didn't do it."
When the gang came back down, they brought Buffy with them. They were quite surprised to find a furious Ethan. Oddly though, when he looked at Buffy, his eyes gentled. "How are you?"
Buffy was confused, and looked it. She didn't feel up to a fight, even with Ethan, so she shrugged.
"We'll get to the bottom of this." Ethan assured her.
"Giles?" Buffy called. A solicitous Ethan wigged her.
Giles rushed in concerned. "What is it?"
Buffy indicated Ethan. "Why is he being nice to me?"
Giles smiled. "Can you just trust me that it's all right?" He asked.
Buffy looked skeptical, but nodded. "How did it go with Mom?"
Giles face hardened for an instant. "It went." Was all he said.
"She didn't believe you, either." Buffy said in a small voice.
Giles, no matter how angry he was at Joyce, wanted nothing more than to reassure her. To tell her that it was all right, but it wasn't and he wouldn't lie to her. "No, I'm afraid not. I am sorry Buffy. It's difficult for her ...."
"For her?!" Buffy exclaimed. "God Giles, I don't even know what this is. What if it's not even ..." Suddenly, she put her hand over her mouth and ran for the downstairs bathroom.
Giles followed Buffy. He wet a wash rag and when she finished, he knelt on the floor and tenderly washed her face.
Buffy looked up at him with frightened eyes. "What if it isn't human?"
"Then we'll deal with it." Giles told her. "You aren't alone in this. I'm right here."
Buffy threw her arms around him. "I'm so scared."
Giles wrapped his arms around her awkwardly. "It will be all right."
"How? How can it ever be all right again?" Buffy asked.
Giles held her tighter, he didn't know the answer to that.
They researched, even Ethan, all day, to no avail. Ethan even made several phone calls, but found out nothing. Buffy fell asleep around 9 o'clock and Giles carried her upstairs. After he put her in bed, he turned to leave.
"Giles." Buffy said sleepily.
Giles turned back. "Yes, Buffy."
She smiled, not really awake. "Thanks. Some lady will be the luckiest woman in the world to have your baby." Then, she was asleep again.
Giles watched her sleep for a few moments, glad that he didn't have to respond. He knew the unlikely possibility of him ever having children. He was already 46, that chance had, in all likelihood, already passed him by.
He returned downstairs and couldn't help but smile at the sight that greeted him. After last night, Xander, Willow and Oz piled blankets on the floor and continued to research there. He shared a look with Ethan.
It was quiet for a while. Then Ethan started muttering. "No blackouts. No missing time. What about ...?" He flipped through a few pages.
"Did you find something Ethan?" Giles asked.
Ethan looked up to find them all watching him. "What? No, not yet. Just a thought." They continued to look at him expectantly. He looked at Giles. "Do you remember the spell of Morpheus?"
Giles grinned. "The one we used on Philip?"
Ethan laughed. "Remember his face when he woke up?"
"Do you want to explain to those of us that didn't raise demons in our youth?" Xander asked.
"It's a sleeping spell." Giles said thoughtfully. "We put Philip out for the tattoo."
"You think someone used that spell to put Buffy out ..." Willow said. "And then, ... To ..." Willow couldn't finish.
"Or a similar spell." Giles said thoughtfully. "It's possible. But Philip knew that something had happened."
"As I said." Ethan commented. "It was a thought."
"Hmm." Giles replied.
The pounding on the door woke them at 4am. Giles stumbled down the stairs and looked out. "Wesley?" He opened the door and Wesley stumbled in.
"They've gone too far." Wesley said. "Where's Buffy?"
"Here." Buffy said from the stairs. "Who's gone too far? What are you doing here?"
"The Council." Wesley told her. "Oh God Buffy, I am sorry."
"Wesley, what are you talking about?" Buffy asked.
"Wesley, are you saying that the Council did this to Buffy?" Giles asked. "Why?"
Buffy sat down on the stairs, hard. She tried to talk, but couldn't.
"Th-they decided to breed her." Wesley said haltingly. "To a W-Watcher."
"A Watcher?" Giles echoed. "Dear God."
"They talk about it quite openly." Wesley told them. "They're very proud of themselves. To breed the perfect Slayer."
"Who?" Buffy asked, her voice barely audible. "Wesley, tell me it wasn't Travers."
Wesley shuddered. "No, it wasn't Travers." He swallowed with difficulty.
"Do you know who it is, Wesley?" Giles asked.
"Well, uh ... Um ..." Wesley stuttered, unable to look at Giles.
"Wesley?" Giles asked again, his tone harder.
Wesley looked at him steadily, but sadly. "It's you."
"What?" Giles asked blankly.
"You." Wesley repeated. "You're the baby's father." He said bluntly. They all stared at Wesley stunned, then turned almost as one to Giles, who exploded. "The bastards! The bloody bastards! How did they do it?!" He demanded.
"B-Buffy's birthday, after you went to sleep." Wesley said quietly. He, himself, was horrified by what the Council had done. "A sleeping spell, some chloroform. They extracted samples from you and put them in Buffy."
"My birthday." Buffy said weakly, but no one heard her since Giles exploded again.
"How dare they?!" Giles shouted. "They've gone mad."
"I think they intend to take the baby." Wesley said.
"No!" Buffy screamed. She ran upstairs and threw herself on the bed and sobbed.
Giles shut his eyes in pain.
"How do they justify the rape of two people?" Ethan asked.
"I wouldn't exactly call it rape." Wesley commented weakly.
"What would you call it then?" Ethan asked harshly. "Genetics and breeding my arse. This was nothing more than a show of control. Of power. With a touch of vengeance thrown in."
"What kind of monsters are they?" Willow asked.
Giles punched the wall. "This was meant to tear us apart." He stated.
"How?" Oz asked. He didn't think anything could tear those two apart.
"A father's love." Giles said with a harsh laugh. "What a bloody joke." He looked up the stairs, lost. "I-I should go to her."
"No." Ethan stopped him. "Not like that." He looked at Willow. "Go to Buffy." Willow looked startled, then went. Ethan looked at the two boys. "You as well. This is apt to get quite ugly."
Xander moved to protest, but Oz pulled him along. Ethan looked back to Giles. "Rupert ..."
"I'm going to kill the bloody bastards." Giles said coldly.
"Rupert!" Ethan said harshly. "You listen to me. She needs you, but you're not going to be a bloody bit of good to her like this."
"They can't get away with this." Giles said coldly.
"They won't." Ethan said, his voice just as cold. "You going after them though would play into their hands. They'd have you separated. That would just about kill her at this point, I think."
Giles gave a frustrated growl and began to pace.
Wesley watched him warily. He thought about the sword through the Mayor's heart and wondered if the Council had any idea of what this man was truly capable. To protect Buffy, he would do anything. And now that she carried his child as well ..."
"I can't just do nothing, Ethan." Giles said through gritted teeth.
"Of course not, but we have to think this through." Ethan looked at him.
"They will not get this baby."
Buffy cried for the longest time. When she had cried herself out, she just laid there. "It'll be all right Buffy." Willow told her. "Giles always makes everything all right."
"How can Giles fix this Will?" Buffy asked. She looked at her hands. "At least we know the baby's human."
"That's true." Willow agreed.
"That's good Buff, look on the bright side." Xander said. "You're having Giles' baby."
Buffy started to cry again, Willow and Oz glared at Xander.
"Buffy," Oz began. "It's true, the circumstances leave a lot to be desired. But, Giles loves you. And you love him. You know that he'll always be there."
Buffy nodded. "How could they do this? Why?"
"To hurt you." Oz answered.
"Haven't they hurt us enough?" Buffy asked.
"More than enough, I'd say." Giles said from the top of the stairs. "Oh Buffy, I'm so sorry."
"What are you sorry for?" Buffy asked. "You didn't do this. You're as much a victim as I am."
Giles moved aside as the others went back downstairs. "I should have seen it coming. I knew the Council wouldn't just let you leave."
"So did I." Buffy told him. "But neither of us could have expected this."
Giles sat on the edge of the bed and looked at his hands. "There are options." He said quietly.
"Yeah, but I don't think blowing up the Council like we did the library is really viable." Buffy commented.
"I meant about the baby." Giles glared at his now clenched hands.
"I won't get rid of it." Buffy stated quietly, but firmly.
Giles released the breath that he hadn't even realized he'd been holding.
"Buffy ..."
"Giles." Buffy sighed. "I can't." She put a hand over her stomach. "It wouldn't make what they did go away."
"No. No, it wouldn't." Giles responded. "But is it fair to a child? Will it forever be a reminder?"
"I don't know." Buffy said honestly. "I hope not. It's a baby. Your baby."
"I would think that would just make it more difficult for you." Giles said.
"No, Giles." Buffy said. "It makes it easier. A baby couldn't ask for a better father."
"I'd given up on children of my own." Giles said. "But like this ..."
"I never thought I'd get the chance." Buffy said sadly. She shrugged and gave him a half grin. "At least we're in this together." She put a hand over one of his clenched fists.
Giles relaxed his hand and held her lightly. "Always."
The next months flew by in a haze for Buffy. Back at the dorm with Willow, she hadn't spoken to her Mother. She had talked with her Dad and found him surprisingly supportive. She hung up the phone with her Dad as Willow walked in. "Dad comes through in a crisis. Who knew?"
"You're Mom still hasn't ...?" Willow asked.
Buffy shook her head. "Nah. I'll be gone when you get back from class. Giles is taking me for my doctor's appointment."
"Ooh, ultra sound?" Willow asked excited.
Buffy smiled. "I think it's too soon, Will." She told her friend.
"Oh." Willow picked up a couple of books. "You'll be okay? I could go with you ..." She offered.
"I'll be fine." Buffy assured her. "Giles is going."
Joyce stared at nothing, as people moved around her Gallery. She had been like this for weeks, since Mr. Giles had called and told her that he was the father ... He had tried to explain what had happened, but she didn't really remember anything past that. How could he?
Furious, Joyce had exploded at him. She couldn't even remember what she had said. All she knew was that he had taken away her daughter.
Giles sat uncomfortable in the examination room with Buffy. "Are you certain that you want me here?"
"Yes." Buffy told him.
"You do know that he's going to examine you?" Giles asked. "I mean, completely examine you." He finished weakly.
"I know." Buffy said quietly. She looked at him with big eyes. "I don't want to be alone."
Giles nodded. "All right."
"Just, don't look." Buffy said with a small smile and a blush.
"Hadn't planned on it." He responded.
Dr. Bradford knocked and came in. "Good morning, Buffy. How are you feeling?"
"Better." Buffy told him. "I'm not sick all the time. Although, I still can't go near coffee."
"Bad for you anyway." Bradford told her with a smile. He looked at the older man sitting next to her uncomfortably. "Buffy, it might be better if your father waited outside."
Giles winced and Buffy tensed. "This isn't my father, Dr. Bradford. He's the baby's father, Rupert Giles."
"Sorry." Bradford said, embarrassed, as he shook Giles' hand.
Giles felt himself redden as he shook the doctor's hand. He knew what the other man must have been thinking.
Giles kept his eyes on Buffy's face as the doctor examined her. He was startled when she grabbed his hand. He reached out and tenderly brushed back her hair from her face. Buffy forced a smile and Giles could have sworn that he felt his heart melt. Later, he knew without a doubt, that that was when it began.
***