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Author's Chapter Notes:
The case that Wesley thinks is happening… I went with a tort case, because, even though I studied a bit of law, it was business law, and a NIED (Negligent Infliction of Emotional Distress) case is the closest I could come up with for a plausible case for Buffy's "situation" according to Wes. That and also because CA is one of the only states that allows that kind of case in it’s court room and, here you can sue just about anyone for just about anything.

Also, I know that the sonogram pictures contain the number of weeks the woman is into her pregnancy. But for the sake of the plot of this fic, I'm taking creative liberties and saying that for this, the sonogram just shows her name, the date and time it was taken, and the actual picture of the baby.

Enjoy the chapter and don't forget to review :P
Stepping out of the elevator on the 6th floor of the Wolfram & Hart building, Buffy made the slightly familiar trek to her husbands office.

Looking into her purse for the compact mirror she kept there, Buffy didn't notice the young, brown haired man coming her way until it was too late and they collided, his papers and her purse falling to the grown, contents scattering.

"I'm terribly sorry."

Buffy's eyes snapped to the man's face, hopefully, when she heard his English accent. She smiled sadly as she met his gaze and started to crouch to gather her belongings.

"No, I'm sorry, I wasn't paying attention." She explained.

"Please," the man spoke again and reached for her elbow. "Let me," he said and crouched down as she stood up.

Picking up her belongings and handing them to her, he spoke again.

"I'm Wesley Wyndham-Pryce. Were you, oh..." he trailed off as he noticed Spike's business card in between her belongings. "You're here to see William Pratt?" He inquired and proceeded to pick up his papers.

"Oh.. uh... yeah. Yes. You know my--" She paused and sighed quickly. "You know William?"

Standing up, he handed her, her mirror and lipstick case before turning to walk with her back to Spike's office.

"Yes, I was just... I just left his office," he said, brow furrowing as he looked back at his papers and noticed something small sticking out from in between them.

He went to grab it just as they were once again entering the open door of the office of his colleague and friend.

"Uh, William?" He inquired absentmindedly as he picked the sonogram picture from his papers and deduced it belonged to the young woman seeking his friends services out. 'NIED case?' He wondered. "This young woman is looking--"

"Buffy." William interrupted and Wesley looked up.

'Oh.' Wesley looked at the sonogram picture again as Spike made his way towards them. 'Proof then?' He thought since his friend seemed to know the young woman already.

"Buffy, love," William resisted the urge to pull Buffy into his arms as he reached her, "what are you doing here?" He asked instead.

Buffy looked up, meeting Williams gaze and felt the guilt she was feeling start to lessen.

'Has she been crying?' Spike thought, noticing the redness to her eyes. He took a step towards her and seeing the... hope, shining in her eyes, reached for her hands.

Buffy ignored his hands and walked into his arms instead, wrapping her own around his waist and letting her head rest against his chest, her body sagging in relief when he hugged her back, the sound of his heartbeat helping to calm her down somewhat.

Buffy didn't know why, or... she didn't want to know why William made everything easier. Why when she was around him she could forget everything that was wrong in her life.

She didn't want to know why, in his arms, she felt like she was nothing more than a woman in love with her husband, and why being in his arms made her forget that the child she carried wasn't really theirs.






Wesley looked on, brow furrowing. He could understand a client being emotional and needing support. Hell, Wolfram and Hart had a floor of just suites for clients that needed their support, but the blondes were standing too close, literally, for him to be comfortable.

As lawyers, there were client/counsellor rules they needed to follow, and as Spike rested his head on top of Buffy's, eyes closed and subtly sniffing her hair, Wesley worried his friend was close to crossing a line. If he hadn't already.

"Uh... William?" He spoke and both blondes turned to look at him. It was a shame she was a client because even he was forced to admit they did make a stunning couple. "A word, please?"

Spike met Buffy's eyes, silently asking if she would be alright alone for a moment. At her slight nod and small smile they stepped away from each other, arms falling to their sides, before taking a few steps away, Buffy walking towards a soft leather chair and sitting there, and William stepping into the conference room conjoined to his office.

Closing the door behind him, he turned to his frowning friend.

"Alright, mate?" He asked.

"No, I'm afraid not." Wesley replied and Spike frowned, brows furrowing in confusion.

After a few moments of quiet, Spike hesitated for a second before his curiosity got the better of him. "Well, gonna tell me what's wrong?"

"What's your relationship with Ms..." Wesley's eyes drifted to the closed door. "With..." He pointed generally at Spike's office, "the young lady in there?"

The question caught Spike by surprise.

"W-what?" He inquired, eyes wide. "Why?"

Wesley mistook his panicked look for guilt. He sighed. "I must advice, Spike. I don't think it wise for you to be getting involved with a client--"

"Buffy's not a client!" Spike interrupted, vehemently.

Wesley's eyebrow rose in question. "She's not?"

"No!"

"What is she then?" Wes inquired and Spike froze.

'Shit.'

Spike's eyes darted around the room, trying to figure out what to tell the other man what Buffy was to him.

Wesley sighed, frustrated. Spike's body language and eyes betrayed his friend's thoughts, whatever they may be. He leaned back against the wooden, conference table to wait for the blond's explanation and looked down to the papers in his hands. His gaze landed on the sonogram picture he still held.

"Oh," he whispered, "oh." He looked up at his friend's still panicked face. "Oh."

Wesley stood from his leaning position causing the blond to look up at him.

Spike frowned, pausing in his thoughts, and followed the older man's gaze down to the papers clutched in his hand and the sonogram picture there. He smiled, realizing the reason for Buffy's impromptu visit and reached for the black and white picture.

Liberating it from his friend's grasp, he brought it close to his face to study, as blurry and unidentifiable as it was, the image there.

Spike grinned, forgetting that his colleague was there until the older man spoke again.

"You got your girlfriend pregnant." He stated more than questioned and Spike wondered as to why any hint of animosity tainted the man's voice.

"She's not my girlfriend," the blond said and turned around to walk back into his office.

"Oh, so, one night stand then?"

Spike's hand stilled on the doorknob.

"No!" He growled, wounded by the truth of Wesley's statement. 'It doesn't matter, that's in the past. She's here now. We're having a family.' "Buffy is... she's my..." He swallowed, "...wife."

Wesley scoffed then. He would have known if his friend had gotten, or was married. "For how long now?" He asked mockingly.

Spike sighed, looked down at the picture he now held in his hand, and turned his face sideways to address his friend over his shoulder.

"About six weeks," he said, opening the door and walking into his office, leaving his friend in shock to stare after him as he walked over to the still sitting figure, and pulled his wife into his arms.





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