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Chapter 15


Buffy rubbed her aching back as she waited on the endless line of
customers. She was in her fifteenth week of pregnancy, and her belly
was already beginning to swell. Although the doctor’s bills were practically
bleeding her dry, considering she didn’t have maternity insurance, Buffy found
herself getting more excited by the day. At least on the days that she
didn’t have to go to work at the DMP, that is.

The doctors told her that she would be able to feel the baby’s
movements in a few weeks, and Buffy found herself looking forward to it
and always concentrating on her stomach, hoping to feel any type of sensations.

Buffy glanced at the clock as she served yet another customer. Only
a few more minutes, and she would be free to go home. Manny the Manager had
been putting her on double shifts for the past three days since she didn’t
have to go to classes like other employees that were taking summer classes at the university.
Buffy was really regretting dropping out of college after her mother died.
She had limited so many of her options, and working sixteen hours a day
was making body parts that she didn’t even know she had ache with fatigue.


She was planning on going back to school, hopefully after the baby came. She knew that she would have to provide for both of them and she wasn’t about to ask for help from anyone. Buffy knew that Giles would offer whatever assistance he could and when she told Spike, he would want to be involved, hopefully. But, she didn’t want to be dependent on anyone. She would make a life for herself and her child.


Her life was finally coming together, despite the fact that she worked at a fast food restaurant, she wouldn’t be there forever. The only gaping hole seemed to be Spike and her mother’s absence. It was still felt everyday, but Buffy was beginning to move on. She wasn’t over Spike, but she knew that she could be her own person without him. She was getting emotionally stronger everyday and she knew part of that was due to the fact that she was going to be a mother in a just a few months. Buffy didn’t need a man to survive and she clung to that belief during the hard times.


Buffy smiled in relief as the next shift of workers replaced the
existing ones. She quickly clocked out, ripping the stupid hat off her head
and pulling her long hair down from its elastic holder. She took a deep
gulp of the warm spring air, trying to get the aroma of grease and meat out
of her body.

Buffy began walking home, pausing when she got to the edge of the
parking lot, and saw a car parked in one of the last spaces in the area. She
smiled when she saw Angelus O’Shea step out of the car. Angel was a pre-med
student at UCSunnydale, doing his internship at the hospital when Buffy
had a doctor’s appointment a few months ago. The two had struck a fast
friendship when Buffy confided her problems to Angel, telling him
everything from her relationship with Spike, to her pregnancy, to
having to work at the DMP. Angel had been a sympathetic ear and a shoulder to
cry on, all rolled into one. It was good for Buffy to be able to talk to someone
who wasn’t directly involved with her life. Someone who didn’t know
Spike and have any preconceived notions of their relationship together.

Buffy was greeted with a hug as she got closer to Angel. This had
become an almost nightly occurrence that he would pick her up after work. Angel
didn’t like the idea of Buffy walking home alone in this town, let alone
after being on her feet for several long hours. Buffy was quickly turning
into his best friend, and he cherished that fragile friendship, giving
her rides to her doctors appointments and making sure she was eating
properly.

Buffy was grateful to have a new friend at this time in her life. Someone who didn’t judge her based on her unmarried and pregnant status. She was
thankful for the support that Willow and Xander gave her-they were
truly her family. And she had received at least two phone calls a week from
Giles, asking about her and the baby. But she knew it was difficult
for all of them. Spike was Giles’ son and Willow’s friend. He had even
struck a chummy friendship with Xander, once Xander began dating Anya and his
attention was off of Buffy.

Buffy found it hard to talk about her problems with any of them,
knowing it was just as awkward for them to sit and listen to her.

“How are you doin’, Buff?”

“Aside from the pain in my back and feeling like my feet are going to
fall off at any moment? I’m doing good.” Angel smiled as he helped her
into the car. “You know, Angel, I’m not made of glass. I won’t break.”

Angel nodded. “I know, Buffy. But you’re pregnant, and that means
‘handle with care’ in my book.”

“I’m barely even showing yet. Just a tiny bump that you can’t even see.”

“Buffy, let me be your friend and do this, okay?”

Buffy let out a sigh and nodded. “Thank you. I know I’m being a first
class brat these days.”

“No, you’re just carrying someone twenty-four hours a day.”

Buffy smiled. The more she got to know Angel, the more she wished she
could have romantic feelings for him. He was a wonderful man who always put
her first, but the sparks just weren’t there.

Buffy settled into the comfortable leather of the car seat and let her
eyes fall shut as Angel began the short drive to her house. Before she knew
it, she felt gentle pressure on her shoulder and let her eyelids flutter
open, realizing that they were in front of her house.

“Sorry,” Buffy mumbled as she gave a little stretch. “Didn’t mean to
doze off.”

“That’s okay, you need the rest,” Angel said, helping her out of the car.

“Is that a nice way of telling me I look like crap?” Buffy asked with a
smile.

“Not at all,” he reassured her with a smile of his own as he walked her
to her front door.

“Thanks for the ride home, Angel,” Buffy said, giving him a hug. “I
really appreciate it.”

Angel returned the hug and gave her a kiss on the forehead. He felt protective of Buffy, and the urge to make sure she was safe was overwhelming at times. “It’s no problem, Buffy. I’ll
pick you up tomorrow night, too.”

“Angel, it’s really not necessary. I don’t mind walking.”

“I’m not taking no for an answer. I want you to be safe.”

“Thank you,” she said quietly. “I’ll see you tomorrow night.”

“It’s a date. Bye, Buffy,” Angel called as he walked off the porch as
Buffy unlocked the front door and stepped into the house, neither noticing
the man standing in the shadows of the house, observing the tender display.

Spike watched as the hugs and smiles were exchanged. Heard the ‘It’s a
date’ that the poofter had said when he returned to his car and seen
the affection that poured from both of them. After several months of
having no contact with Buffy, Spike had been taking a walk and ended up in front
of her house. He decided that he should at least try and talk to her since no
one would tell him where she was working. Spike had waited on her
front steps when Buffy didn’t answer the door. He had felt his heart drop
when she had stepped out of the car with tall, dark, and forehead. Quietly
slipping into the shadows, close to the corner of the house, Spike felt
sickened by the fact that this man could be so close to her and Spike couldn’t.

Spike began to walk home, feeling worse than when he’d shown up.





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