The petite blond stood before him, hands on her hips. "So you're going?" She asked him unhappiness clearly etched on her pretty face.
Riley leaned over and kissed the top of Buffy's head. "Yes, I am going. We've talked about this Buffy. Graham needs me on this mission, it's six weeks tops."
"You won't change your mind?" She asked with her trademark pout.
He stopped packing long enough to stand beside her and place a hand on both sides of her face, "Buffy nothing you say is going to change my mind. I'll be back soon. It will be okay." He smiled at her and brushed his lips softly across hers.
*Nothing? I wonder.* She looked up at him and forced a small smile. "You'll call whenever you can."
"I promise." He hugged her tightly to him. He was going to miss her more then he wanted to let on. But this mission gave him some work of his own to do, it was good that Graham needed him and it was only six weeks.
"So when do you have to be at the airport?" She asked batting her eyelashes at him.
"And hour, it's a fifteen minute drive." He grinned as she circled him, then finally leaned up against him wrapping her arms tightly around his waist.
"Oh my, forty five minutes." She whispered seductively as she took him by the hand and led him to the bedroom. Soft laughter soon turned to soft sighs.
Riley made it to the airport with ten minutes to spare. Buffy kissed him one last time and he was off. She stood at the terminal window and watched as his plane taxied down the runway. She sighed as she watched it dissappear into the clouds. She was glad she hadn't told him about her suspicions, if they were true, six weeks wouldn't matter much.
**********
Graham met Riley at the airport and they caught a flight to South America. They were to do some recon work there for the next few weeks.
Graham laughed good naturedly as he waited for Riley at the pay phones as he fumbled with his phone card and called Buffy.
"Hello." He smiled into the phone.
"Hey. You made it okay?" Buffy asked.
"I'm fine. Can't talk long. I just wanted you to know I love you and I miss you already."
Graham rolled his eyes at Riley and pointed to his watch.
"I love you and miss you too. When can you call again?"
"I don't know. A couple of days, gotta go. Love you." He hung up the phone and followed Graham to their connecting flight.
*********
Buffy hung up the phone and took the package from the drugstore bag. She pulled out the directions and read them again. She would do it first thing in the morning. She lay the pregnancy kit on the bedside table and got ready for bed.
Willow was gone with Tara on a class trip for biology. Buffy was enjoying having the room to herself. She had just fallen asleep when there was a knock on her door.
*******
Spike tapped his foot nervously as he waited for Buffy to answer the door. He had been checking on her from time to time. He didn't even ask himself why he cared anymore, he knew he loved her, knew he had no chance, so he let himself savor the occasional moment with her, even if they spent most of the time bickering back and forth, any time he spent with her was good time.
Buffy answered the door sleepily. "Spike?" She yawned as she let him in, "Is something wrong?"
"Uh, no. Well I knew that Captain.....uh Riley left today. I was just checking to see how you were handling him being gone. You haven't gone off the deep end have you?" He grinned at her as he went to sit on Willow's bed.
She sighed as she closed the door and followed him to sit down on her own bed. Her eyes drifted to the pregnancy test sitting there. She slowly reached her hand out to take it, when Spike noticed the plastered smile on her face and where her hand was going. He was quicker.
He grabbed the box from the dresser and quickly read the contents. She stared at him wide eyed. He raised his eyebrow at her, "Have you run the test yet?" He asked his tone serious.
She shook her head, "No. I thought I would in the morning."
"So you aren't even going to try to deny it?" He asked shaking his head. "Buffy how could you even let this happen? A pregnant Slayer , you'll be a sitting duck." He raised his voice then and stood up pacing around the small room.
"I haven't even taken the test yet, it could be a false alarm. And this is my business, my choice to make. " She stood up and walked towards him reaching out to take the box from him.
"Do it now. Run the test now!" He demanded as he shoved the box in her hand.
"Why? Why should I?" She retorted.
"Because we....you need to know." He said softly. "The sooner you know the better for you and everyone else."
"Fine. It only takes five minutes. I'll be right back." She rolled her eyes at him as she stomped into the bathroom. She used the tiny dropper to measure out three drops of urine into the device. She carried it carefully back into the room setting it on the bedside table. She and Spike watched it carefully as the the small plus sign showed up. Buffy picked it up to look at it more closely. She took a deep breath and handed it to Spike.
"It's done then. You're going to have a baby." He sighed then and leaned back against the headboard.
Buffy looked very pale and she hadn't spoken since she handed him the test. "You okay, Pet?" He asked as he stood and walked across to the other bed where she sat.
She nodded, "I'm going to have a baby." She said softly then tears rolled down her face, "What was I thinking? You're right, I will be a sitting duck. I can't do this, can I?"
He put a tenative arm around her, "You are having this baby, Buffy. Don't worry. I was wrong you'll be fine." And as he patted her back comfortingly he vowed to himself that he would personally make sure she had her baby safe and sound.
"I will be okay, won't I?" She smiled a tiny smile at him. "Riley, I need to tell him."
Spike shook his head, "Yes, he needs to know. Why didn't you tell him before he left?"
"I didn't want him to feel obligated to stay because I was pregnant." She explained.
"I think I understand. Right now you need some rest, okay?" He told her as her tucked her back into bed. He stood and walked to the door.
"Spike." She called softly.
He turned "Yeah."
"Please don't tell anyone."
"I won't." He told her as he closed the door to her room. He walked the streets for the rest of the night barely making it back to his place before sunrise. He was angry at her for putting herself in such a dangerous position, yet a small part of him was happy for her, and deep down inside a part of him wished that somehow it was he was the lucky father. He shook the impossible thoughts from his head as he lie down to sleep.
***********
"Riley. We catch the plane to South America tomorrow. Tonight is our last night before a few weeks of roughing it. Let's go get a steak." Graham told him as he put his suitcase on the foot of the hotel bed.
"Sure. Let me call Buffy and then we'll go. Probably won't get to talk to her for awhile."
"Okay, I'm going to get a newspaper downstairs." Graham told him as he left the room.
He dialed the number and was surprised when she picked up the first ring. "Hey. I've got one last night of freedom before we go out on recon. How are you?"
"Riley, I've got some news. I hope you'll be happy. But if you aren't I'll understand." She told him apprehension heavy in her voice.
Her tone of voice scared him, he swallowed a lump in his throat. "What news?" He asked as the line began to crackle.
"I'm pregnant." She blurted out through the static on the line.
"Pregnant?" Riley asked shock in his voice. He didn't get a chance to hear Buffy's reply because the line went dead as two very large men in uniform came through the door ripping the phone from his hand as a syringe was plunged into his arm. Everything went black for Riley Finn, his last coherent thought was that he was going to be a daddy.
"Riley, Riley?" Buffy called into the phone, but it was no use they had been disconnected.
*********
LA
Angel had been boought some very old volumes of different prophesy, he'd been combing them carefully for anythng about Slayers. The book dealer had no idea what he held in is hands, thinking it a bunch of fictional drivel. He'd only been able to translate a little bit but had laughingly explained to Angel they seemed to be in part about vampire slayers. Angel had quickly paid the man and took his find home. He had just come upon a very interesting chapter, very interesting - it talked of a pregnant Slayer, she would be in immense danger while pregnant, but once the baby was born it would only enhance her strength.
If he understood everything correctly this should be happening about now. Buffy was going to need him, but how do you go about asking your ex if she could be pregnant? He closed the book and rubbed his eyes. He was going to have to make a trip to Sunnydale.
**************
Buffy tried not to worry about Riley. They were just cut off, a bad connection it happened all of the time. She went to bed that night and tried not to think to much about it. He'd call back when he could, everything was going to be okay.
The next day came and went without a phone call. Buffy went to class and tried to concentrate.
**********
Graham returned to find his room a mess and a armed man sitting on Riley's bed. "Where is Riley?" He demanded, "Who are you, we are here with the US Marines and you are disrupting our mission."
The man stood, "You completed your part of the mission, soldier. You got Finn here. We need to analyze Mr. Finn some more, we want to run a few more tests on him then we did you and the others. He was Walsh's favorite, we just want to check him out. He'll be fine. And if you want to keep your career, you'll go along with this, understand?" He said menacingly.
Graham shook his head and gritted his teeth. He'd give them a few days to watch him and see that he wasn't going to tell then he would call Buffy. She might be Riley's only hope at this point.
*********
Angel stared at Buffy through the dorm window she appeared to be studying although he wasn't sure she had turned a page in over a hour. He was caught off guard by someone flicking a cigarette butt on his shoe. He looked up to find Spike standing beside him.
"What are you doing here, Peaches. You becoming a peeping tom?" He nodded towards Buffy's window.
"Spike, Buffy could be in some serious trouble, I've been reading some interesting text. Anything new in her life?" Angel asked hopefully.
"What kind of trouble?" Spike asked anxiously.
"Might be nothing, but it mentioned, well it said something about a pregnant slayer." Angel told him girding himself for whatever smart remark the blond would throw at him.
Spike was quiet for a moment, then he spoke softly, "Is it bad?"
"It could be." Angel answered shocked at Spike's reaction.
"She is, she just found out. No one knows except you and I. I promised not to tell, but if she's in danger." Spike explained as he lit another cigarette.
"I need to talk to Giles." Angel said as he turned to leave.
"I'll go with you." Spike told him falling into step beside him.
"Why do you care?"
"I just do." Spike spit out the words.
Angel looked curiously at him as they got into his car and drove to Giles.
********
Giles opened the door with a questioningly look. "Hello, Spike, Angel. What's wrong?" He asked immediately.
"Buffy's pregnant and in danger." Spike blurted out the words. Angel turned and glared at him.
Giles mouth dropped open. "What?"
"You better sit down." Angel told him as he explained the situation to the Watcher.
Giles lookd thoughtfully at Angel and then at Spike, "I have an idea how to keep her safe during the pregnancy. But I'll need your help." He looked from Angel to Spike then added "Both of your help."
He quickly explained his idea, "Now we only have to talk Buffy into it. And when Riley comes back he can join her at the safe house or safe cabin as it may be."
The three men looked at each other and let out a collective sigh, talking Buffy into this would be the hardest task any of them had ever faced.
*********
TBC
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