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Author's Chapter Notes:
Here's chapter three for you, hope you like. Thanks for all the reviews, I really enjoy them (translation : more, please).
I don't own the characters.
Thanks to Nichole for all her help.
Chapter three


Buffy walked into the dark house, not bothering to turn on the lights in the hallway. She continued through the kitchen, where she dropped the mail on the counter, to the living room. She was just about to sit down on the couch and turn the TV on when she heard a weird sound. She quickly turned around.

“SURPRISE!” Buffy almost had a heart attack as her friends jumped up from behind the couch.

“Happy 18th birthday, Buff!” Xander came up and gave her a hug, followed by Spike.

“Happy birthday, love.” He gave her a hug and a kiss on the cheek. Behind him, Willow was jumping up and down with excitement next to Tara.

“Happy happy happy birthday!!” Willow practically knocked Buffy over when she attacked her with a hug.

“OK, exactly how much caffeine have you guys let her have?” Buffy gave Xander and Spike accusing looks. They both raised their hands in the air, trying to look innocent.

“She’s only had one glass of Diet Coke, but she was already pretty excited.” Buffy smiled at Tara who came over to give her a hug as well. “Happy birthday, sweetie.”

“Thank you. I’m glad you could be here.”

“Happy birthday, Buffy.” Anya, the last of the group, gave Buffy one of her breath taking, bone breaking hugs.

“OK... breathing becoming a problem...” Buffy said in a force voiced.

“Sorry.” Anya let go of her and went over to Xander.

“What do you wanna do first, presents or cake?” Willow sat down on the couch and Buffy followed her lead, smiling.

“There’s presents? And cake?” Buffy couldn’t hide her excitement anymore. She loved birthday parties.

“Sure, pet.” Spike sat down on the other side of her. Tara took her seat on the arm rest next to Willow, and Anya sat in Xander lap in one of the armchairs.

“Yeah, Buff, it is your 18th birthday. That only comes along once.” Willow reached behind the couch and pulled out five colorful presents. “This one’s from me and Tara, the small one’s from Spike, that one’s from Xander and Anya, the blue one’s from my parents, and the book-shaped one’s from Giles.”

Buffy started opening the presents. Willow and Tara had gotten her a beautiful sweater that she had been looking at. From Xander and Anya she got the new CD with one of her favorite bands and a DVD movie. Willow’s parents gave her a portable CD-player, she had been complaining to Willow how her old one broke a couple of weeks ago. Giles book-shaped present was, in fact, a book, but not just any book. It was a first edition of Buffy’s favorite book, Wuthering Heights. She saved Spike’s present for last. When she opened the little box, she gasped.

“It’s beautiful. I can’t... this is too much...” She felt tears spring to her eyes as she picked up the thin gold chain with its dolphin-shaped pendant. She had been pretty emotional lately. She felt Spike put his arm around her shoulder.

“Don’t be ridiculous, you deserve it.” She put her arms around him and gave him a big hug.

“Thank you so much, I love it.” She pulled back and smiled at him.

“Here, let me put it on.” She lifted her hair and he put the necklace on. “See. Perfect.”

“OK, time for cake!” Willow jumped off the couch and practically ran into the kitchen, returning a couple of seconds later with a big cake decorated with Buffy’s name and 18 candles. She put the cake on the table.

“Make a wish, love.” Buffy closed her eyes for a moment, wishing for what she knew she would never get before blowing out all the candles at once.

“What you wish for?” Anya questioned.

“An, honey, she’s not supposed to tell us that.” Xander gave his girlfriend an affectionate look.

“I know that, I was only joking. So, let’s eat cake!”

“Birthday girl first.” Willow handed a knife to Buffy. She cut herself a big piece, she loved chocolate. She waited until the others had gotten their pieces as well before starting to eat. After only one mouthful, she felt her stomach turn. She put her hand over her mouth.

“I think I’m gonna be...” She ran out of the room and shut the door to the bathroom behind her.

*****

Willow looked after her, the others looking at her, confused looks on their faces.

“I’ll go check on her.” She followed Buffy to the bathroom and knocked softly on the door. “Buffy?”

“Yeah.” Came a muffled answer from the bathroom.

“You OK? Can I come in?” Buffy replied by unlocking the door. Willow opened the door and went into the small room. Buffy was sitting on the floor next to the toilet.

“Feel better?” Willow handed Buffy a paper towel.

“A little. I don’t know why they call it morning sickness. It doesn’t matter what time of the day it is.” She leaned her head against the tile wall. “I guess everybody’s wondering what the hell’s going on?”

“They didn’t say anything, but, yeah, pretty much.” Willow looked at Buffy for a second. “I think it’s time you told them.”

“I know. I just... I don’t know.” She took Willow’s outreached hand and stood up. “I guess you’re right. I need to tell them.” They left the bathroom together. Willow took Buffy’s hand as they re-entered the living room. The gang were sitting where they had left them, all looking up at them. Someone had taken the cake into the kitchen.

“Buffy, are you OK?” Tara looked at her, concern on her face.

“Yeah, I’m fine.” Buffy tried to smile reassuringly, but didn’t succeed completely.

“You don’t look fine, Buff. Maybe you got the flu or something.” Xander contributed.

“Or something.” Buffy sat back down in her old seat. “I guess I need to talk to all of you before this goes any further.”

“Love, you’re kinda scaring us here. Is something wrong?” Spike asked.

“No... or, kinda, I guess.” She answered.

“Buffy, I don’t think you’re making it any better. Just tell them.” Willow squeezed Buffy’s hand, trying to give her support.

“OK.” Buffy took a deep breath. “I’m... pregnant.”

Her friends looked at her, not able to hide their surprised looks. Tara was the first to speak.

“A... are you sure?” Buffy had used up all her courage and could only nod.

“I was with her at the doctor.” Willow gave the rest of the group a look, trying to tell them to not be too curious.

Xander finally shut his mouth, which had dropped open at Buffy’s words.

“Who’s the guy?”

“Xander, please, I really don’t...” Buffy was suddenly feeling extremely tired and week.

“Love, we just wanna talk to the bloke, we won’t hurt him...” Spike and Xander’s exchanged looks. “... much.”

“Please, I really don’t need you to... just let me handle it, OK?”

“They’re just trying to help, sweetie.” Tara squeezed in between Spike and Buffy, and put a comforting arm around her shoulders. “We’ll do whatever you want us to, OK? We just wanna help you.”

“I know. Thank you, all of you. I don’t think I can do this without you.” Buffy tried to smile at her friends. “Right now I just want to have a normal birthday... or as normal as it will get. OK?”

“Whatever you say, Buff.” Xander got up and put a bag on the table. “We’ve got a whole nighter planned. Of course, if you’re tired and would rather...” Buffy cut him short.

“No. I would love a movie night with my friends. What ya got?” She looked in the bag.

“We decided to go the comedy way, but we’ve got a couple of girlie movies too. You pick. I’m gonna get the popcorn, drinks and chips.” Xander gave the bag to Buffy and headed out into the kitchen.

*****

Buffy picked ’How to lose a guy in 10 days’ to start with. They then moved on through ‘In-Laws’ and ‘Pretty Woman’ to ‘Just Married’. By the end of the fourth movie, Buffy was asleep on Spike’s shoulder.

“You guys start the next one, I’m gonna get Sleeping Beauty upstairs.” He turned and picked her up, careful not to wake her, and then walked up the stairs.

“So, Wil you gonna tell us who it is?” Xander shot Willow a demanding look.

“Even if I wanted to, which I don’t, I couldn’t. Buffy hasn’t told me anymore than she told you. Really.” Willow gave her friends her most innocent look.

“I’m sure she’ll tell us when she’s ready.” Tara moved from the floor to the couch next to Willow. “She just needs some time.”

“I think it’s Spike.” Everyone looked at Anya, her words surprising them.

“An, honey, we’re trying to be serious here.” Xander said, patting Anya on the hand.

“I am. I mean, haven’t you guys noticed all the sexual tension between them?”

“I really don’t think so. Buffy would tell me.” Willow shook her head. Xander agreed.

“Yeah. And Spike would tell me.” Xander stated. “Besides, he looked just as surprised as the rest of us.”

“Maybe he didn’t know. Maybe they slept together but she hadn’t told him yet.” Anya let her theory sink in.

“Who slept with who?” Spike came back into the livingroom and sat back down on the couch.

“Anya, why don’t you tell him your theory?” Xander smiled at his girlfriend. “I’m sure he would love to hear it.”

“I was only saying that it was possible, that’s all.” Anya said, looking at the floor.

“She thinks you and Buffy slept together.” Xander smiled at Spike’s reaction.

“What? Where did that come from?” Spike sat back down on the couch.

“From, and I quote, ‘all the sexual tension between them’ end quote.” Xander made airquotes.

“There’s no sexual tension. We’re friends, that’s all. I mean, I love her, of course, but... would you just stop it? And don’t say a word to Buffy about this, she’s upset enough as it is now.”

“Sorry... I was only saying...” Anya got up and put the next movie in the DVD.

“So, Red. What’s the deal?” Spike grabbed a handful of popcorn.

“What deal?” Willow looked at him, confused.

“Come on, who is it? You can tell us, we won’t say a word to Buffy. Me and Xander just wanna... talk to the guy.”

“We all know how well that would go.” Willow muttered under her breath. “Seriously, Spike, I just told the others that I don’t know who it is. Buffy didn’t want to talk about it, so I didn’t push.”

“But who could it be? I haven’t seen her with a guy since... Riley.” Xander looked terrified. “God, I hope it’s not him.”

“No, she would never forgive him for what he did.” Willow took a sip of her drink. “Besides, she said it was someone special.”

“Is she really sure? I mean, doctors can be wrong.” Tara moved around a little to get more comfortable, resting her head on Willow’s shoulder.

“Yeah, the doctor did a regular test, and when they got the results, they did an ultra sound and some other tests. It’s really real.”

“Well, what did the doctor say?” Anya leaned forward and grabbed a coke from the table.

“She said that it was about eight weeks, but that was two weeks ago, so I guess it would be ten by now. It’s due sometime in the beginning of July, and so far it’s healthy. They can’t really tell a lot this early.”

“How’s she handling it? I mean really. She seemed kinda... out of it, like she wasn’t really here before.” Xander took a sip of Anya’s soda.

“She’s dealing. I think she feels lonely, though. We should all try to help her as much as we can, just be here, you know. She’s gonna need that.” Willow looked around at her friends, giving each of them her resolve face. “She’s gonna need us.”





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