Part Eleven: He knows

Mrs Greener answered the ringing phone.

"Hello, Greener's gifts, Mrs Greener speaking."

"Hi Mrs Greener, it's Buffy."

"Oh hello, Buffy."

"Hi. I'm just calling to find out if Faith came into work today?"

"Yes dear, she's right here," Mrs Greener replied, handing Faith the phone.

Faith took the phone from her boss. "Yeah," she said into the receiver.

"Faith, are you ok?"

"What's it sound like B?"

"It's just that you didn't come home last night. I thought something was wrong."

"I'm five by five, babe. Anything else?"

"I guess not," Buffy replied, she paused. "Faith, is everything alright?"

"Why wouldn't it be?"

Buffy couldn't think of a reason.

"Well if that's all babe," Faith continued. "I gotta get back to work. Later."

Buffy didn't have a chance to reply before Faith hung up.

Stunned, she sighed before picking up a towel and heading for the shower.

Faith dropped the phone. She let her anger diffuse before turning around to see her boss about to serve a customer she knew. Faith interrupted.

"It's ok, Mrs G, I know this one," she told her boss, who then left and went to the back.

"How can I help?" Faith asked.

"We need to talk," Willow told her. "In private."

Faith nodded and called out to her boss that she would be back in five minutes. She followed Willow out into the food court. Willow sat down on the bench while Faith decided to stand.

"Ok Red, you wanna tell me what's going on?"

"I'm sorry Faith, I didn't want to be the one to have to tell you."

"What?" Faith asked. "That Buffy slept with farm boy? I already know."

"So you know about the baby?"

"What?"

Horrified by the apparent look of surprise on Faith's face, Willow tried, "Oh, er, nothing."

"Don't fuck with me Red. What baby?"

Willow looked up at the angry brunette. "Buffy's pregnant," she told her.

Faith sat down on the nearby bench.

"I'm really sorry. I thought you knew."

The brunette was speechless.

"The thing is, she thinks you don't want the baby, so she's going to have it terminated. Faith, you've gotta stop her."

The slayer thought about it before finally saying, "Tell Mrs G I had to go."

Willow smiled. "Sure."

Faith rushed out of the mall.

Dawn relieved Riley of his persistent knocking on their door.

"Hey Dawn, is Buffy here?"

"No, she's at the hospital."

"Why? What's wrong with her?"

"I dunno. She just said she was going to the hospital. She looked fine though. It's probably a check up."

"Yeah. She's gone to Sunnydale general right?"

"Yeah," Dawn replied. "Do you wanna come in and wait?"

"No. Thanks." Riley told her. "I'll see her later. Take care of yourself," he added leaving.

Dawn watched as Riley sped off towards his car. *He is so hot* she thought. She closed the door and leant against it, listening as his car started and sped off.

Buffy slowly got up when she heard her name called. She went to the reception.

"Here you go miss," the receptionist told her handing her a form. "Fill these in and you can go through."

"Thank you," Buffy told her, taking the pen and filling in the form.

When she was finished, the receptionist took it from her and pointed towards the doctor's room.

Buffy walked in to see the doctor sitting in front of the computer. The doctor stood.

"Now miss Summers, I'll need to ask you a few questions before we can start the procedure.

Buffy nodded.

"Have you taken the time to think about all the options you have, other than termination and are sure you want to continue?"

Buffy nodded.

"Are you aware of the risks of the operation? Although there are rarely complications, they can occur."

Buffy nodded again.

"Finally, is there anybody you would like to contact?"

"No," Buffy told her, her voice almost a whisper.

"Ok," she replied. "If you would sign here and we can begin."

Buffy took the document and read it carefully. She asked for a pen.

Riley rushed into Sunnydale General Hospital and found reception.

"Hello," the receptionist greeted. "How can I help?"

"Hi my name is Riley Finn, I called a few minutes ago."

"Yes," the receptionist remembered.

"About Buffy Summers. How is she?"

"I'm sorry Mr. Finn, but that's confidential information."

"But I'm family," he argued.

The receptionist typed Buffy's name into the computer. "Oh. So you are," she agreed with him. "You're the father."

"Pardon me?"

"Miss Summers listed you as the father of the baby. That entitles you to information about the operation."

Riley was stunned.

"Why don't you take a seat while I try to find out how the procedure went."

"Ok," Riley replied, taking a seat, confused.

Part Twelve: She knows

Faith arrived home in the evening. She found Dawn sitting on the couch in the living room and approached her.

"Hey Dawn. Buffy home?"

"Yeah, she's upstairs. Have you guys had a fight? 'Cause she hasn't stopped crying since she came home."

"No," Faith replied. She reached into her pocket. "Here's twenty bucks. Go treat yourself and your friends."

"Are you trying to get rid of me?" Dawn asked. "'Cause it'll cost you way more than twenty bucks."

Faith delved into her pocket again. "Ok, here's thirty, but that's it."

"Consider me gone," Dawn told her smiling. She reached behind the couch and found her shoes.

Faith waited for Dawn to leave before she went upstairs. She opened the door to her and Buffy's bedroom and found Buffy sitting on the bed staring into space.

Buffy looked towards the door to see Faith standing there.

"Faith," she managed.

The brunette was silent.

"We have to talk," Buffy told her, standing. "I'm sorry you had to find out from Willow."

Faith made no response. She walked into the room and shut the door behind her.

"Do you love him?" she finally asked.

"No," Buffy replied.

"Then this is all over?"

Buffy was silent.

Faith repeated the question.

"I couldn't get the termination," Buffy spat out.

"What?" Faith asked.

"There's a life growing inside me. I can't just kill it."

"You're carrying that bastard's child and you're telling me you can't kill it?" Faith asked.

She walked towards the blonde.

"I'm sorry," was all Buffy could say.

Faith turned around momentarily, before turning around and hitting her.

Buffy held her face and looked at the brunette, her face stinging. Growing angry she told her,

"I don't want to fight you Faith, but I will."

Faith moved closer, her expression menacing, surprising the blonde by grabbing and kissing her; the kiss both forceful and painful. Buffy was stunned as Faith pushed her onto the bed and almost jumped on top of her. With her bare hands she clawed Buffy's top open and pinned her down. Faith leant in and kissed her again, ignoring Buffy's tears. Buffy pulled away.

"You're hurting me," she told her.

Faith didn't care. She kissed her again, almost bruising her lips with the force.

Almost as if she'd just come to, Buffy forced her legs up and kicked Faith with such force it sent her across the room.

Faith got up holding her stomach where Buffy's leg had collided with it. She looked at the crying blonde in front of her, got up and left the room.

Buffy watched Faith leave and slumped down on the bed. She cried.

Part Thirteen: Sorry

Buffy came downstairs and went into the kitchen to find Dawn there having breakfast.

"Hey Dawnie."

"Buffy, what's wrong with Faith? I went into the sitting room just now and she nearly bit my head off."

Buffy was silent. She sat down.

"You guys have a row?"

"Dawn. I may as well tell you, 'cause you're going to find out soon anyway-"

"Is this about why you and Faith are fighting or are you just trying to throw me off?" Dawn asked, before the doorbell went. "Crap! I'll get it and then you have to tell me."

Dawn bounced down the hall to the front door. She opened it.

"Riley," Buffy heard. *Oh no.* she thought getting up. She reached the door in time to see Faith emerge from the living room and shove Riley through the front door.

"You bastard!" Faith screamed, kicking Riley, who was on the floor.

Ignoring Buffy and Dawn's screams, she continued to pummel him.

Buffy ran outside and attempted to grab hold of Faith who pushed the blonde away from her with all the force she could muster. Buffy landed on the concrete floor and rolled over. Responding to the sharp pain in her stomach, she screamed holding on to it.

Faith stopped and turned to see Buffy clutching her stomach. She let Riley go and ran to her. Buffy looked up at the brunette.

"The baby," she whispered.

"Dawn, call an ambulance!" Faith shouted.

The doctor came out from the examining room to meet the three people sitting in the hallway.

"Ms Summers is going to be fine. I'll allow her vistors but I must request they be family only," he told them.

"Well I'm her sister," Dawn replied.

"And I'm the father of the baby," Riley added.

Faith remained silent.

"Ok," the doctor told them. "You two follow me."

Faith watched as Riley and Dawn followed the doctor inside. She sat down and covered her face. She would have cried, had she had enough tears to express everything she was feeling. Instead she rested her head.

Dawn shook Faith awake.

"Faith, come on. Buffy wants to see you."

Faith got up and followed the brunette down the ward until she stopped and pointed to a room. The slayer opened the door and went in to find Buffy lying in bed with the doctor checking the equipment by her side.

"Could you leave us alone please?" Buffy asked him.

The doctor looked to the brunette and back to Buffy. "Ok," he agreed. "I'll be back in ten minutes to check on you two."

The doctor walked past Faith and left.

Faith walked towards Buffy.

"Is the baby ok?" She managed.

"Yeah," Buffy replied. "The doctor said it's fine."

Faith sat down on the chair next to the bed. The two sat in silence before Buffy said,"Faith, I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner."

"Let's not," Faith told her.

"We have to," Buffy argued.

"Ok B, what do you want me to say? That I'm happy you and Riley are having a baby?"

"No-"

"I hate this," Faith continued. "You let army boy give you the one thing I can't and it's killing me."

"This isn't easy for me either Faith. I made a mistake sleeping with Riley. I was drunk and upset that you weren't there. He came along and I slept with him and I'm sorry. But by killing the child inside of me I would be making another mistake."

Faith turned away.

"As far as I'm concerned, this baby is ours. If you want it to be."

"And if not?" the brunette asked.

Buffy couldn't reply.

The two sat in silence.

Part Fourteen: The Baby

Faith turned up the radio as she kept an eye on the road.

"I love this song," Buffy announced.

Faith smiled and tapped on the steering wheel along to the tune. Glancing at the road, she talked into Buffy's stomach. "Now kid, this song was written about your two mommies. It's called, 'To love a woman'."

Buffy smiled. "Are you sure you don't wanna find out whether the baby's a boy or girl?"

"Yeah. I wanna be surprised. Don't you?"

"Sure. But it'd mean having to buy less stuff. Now we have to decorate the room with both boy and girl furniture."

"That's true," Faith said. She talked into Buffy's stomach. "Ok kid. You're gonna have to help us out. Kick once if you're a boy and twice if you're a girl."

Buffy laughed.

"Anything?" she asked.

"Nope, sorry." Buffy replied. "Looks like Joel slash Joan doesn't have slayer hearing."

Faith laughed, before stopping. "Hold on, what? The baby's not being called either Joel or Joan."

"Ok, what do you have in mind?"

Faith thought about it. "I say Clay or Faith Jr.."

"Clay? I'm not naming my baby after a hunk of mud."

"Like Joan is such an amazing name. Apparently you're giving birth to an eighty year old."

"Hey, I like the name Joan, it's very-" Buffy started, before she cried out.

Faith pulled over. "What's wrong?" she asked.

"The baby. It kicked again."

"What?" Faith asked. She placed her hand over Buffy's stomach and felt for a while. "I keep missing it," she moaned.

"Aw," Buffy sympathised, before kissing her. "Maybe next-" she started, stopping when she felt the baby kick again.

"Woah, that's freakin' amazing," Faith told her, keeping her hand on Buffy's stomach and feeling the baby's faint kick.

Buffy placed her hand over Faith's. They looked at each other and kissed.

Faith broke the kiss with a smile, when the baby seemed to have stopped. "We have to get there before the store closes," she told her.

The slayer started the car, rejoined the main road and drove on to the store. Once there, Faith found a space and parked.

"I'll be right back," Faith told her, getting ready to leave the car.

"I wanna come too," Buffy told her.

"B, the store's about to close. We'll only just make it if I run and you're not exactly you're fastest."

"Fine," Buffy agreed, with a sigh.

"Don't worry," Faith called back to car. "I'll get some really cool stuff, with snakes and stuff on it."

"Don't you dare!" Buffy replied, hearing Faith's laughter becoming more distant.

She turned on the radio and put in one of her cds. She was in the middle of a song, when there was tapping on the window.

"Riley, what are you doing here?" she asked winding down the glass.

"Dawn said you'd be here. I've been waiting for you. Why haven't you been taking my calls?"

"I've been really tired."

"Because of the baby?" he asked.

"What do you want Riley?" She asked. "Faith'll be back any minute."

"I want to make sure my baby's ok."

"The baby's mine Riley. It has nothing to do with you."

"I have rights Buffy. I will fight for my child. I'm not having it raised by a couple of dykes. What will that teach it?"

"You son of a-"

"You know I'm right and I'll fight for it in court."

"No judge will award the baby to you."

"Oh yeah? Even after they find out that you and Faith are slayers and that she's done time.

Buffy remained silent.

"Think about it," he told her leaving and getting into his own car. Buffy watched him speed off. She sat alone thinking about it for a while before she heard the trunk open.

Faith loaded the trunk and came into the car.

"I got the coolest stuff. Some little bears for Faith jnr and guns 'n stuff for Clay." She noticed Buffy's lack of response. "What's wrong?" she asked.

"Riley was here. He wants to take the baby from us."

"What?" Faith asked, starting up the car. "I'd kick his ass if he came near you or the baby."

"Not physically. He's going to fight for custody."

"Yeah? On what grounds?"

"On the grounds that we're slayers."

Faith was speechless for a moment. " Don't sweat it B, army boy aint got the balls."

She sped up. She knew differently.

Part Fifteen: Out of the pan

Riley knocked on the lieutenant's door.

"Come in!" he heard.

Riley opened the door and let himself in. "Lieutenant Hammond," he said, saluting the man who was sitting behind his desk.

"Agent Finn, take a seat. How can I help you?"

Riley sat down. "I'm sorry to bother you, sir, but have a problem."

"What is it?" Hammond asked, dropping his work on the table and focusing completely on Riley.

"Sir, my ex-girlfriend is having my baby-"

"Congratulations," the lieutenant told him.

"No sir. It's complicated. She wants to stop me being able to see it. I've seen several lawyers and apparently I don't have a case against her in court. So I was wondering if-"

"There were other ways," his superior completed.

Riley nodded.

"What do you have in mind?"

"Well, the woman she left me for is a slayer and it's her fault Buffy doesn't want me near the baby-"

"A slayer? Say no more agent," the lieutenant told him picking up the phone.

Faith returned home, exhausted. She walked into the living room and dropped herself on the couch. After nine hours at her job, she wanted to get some rest before she had to patrol. A notion that was interrupted, when Buffy came into the living room. Faith opened her eyes moments before she received a kiss from her girlfriend.

"I am so glad you're home," Buffy told her, kneeling next to the couch. "Now I can tell someone my news."

Only giving Faith a split-second to respond, Buffy continued, "I got a letter from college and they said that when my family emergency is over, I can go back, take a make-up course and graduate."

"That's great," Faith told her, trying to seem enthused.

"How was work?" Buffy asked.

"Alright," Faith told her. "It was a little busy, being so close to Christmas and all."

"Uh-huh," Buffy replied, a huge grin emerging on her face.

"What?" Faith asked.

"It's just that, we're the only ones home."

Faith looked at her desire-filled eyes, before remembering Buffy's condition. "Can you?" she asked.

"I don't see why not," Buffy replied.

Faith sighed. "I'd love to B, but I can't move."

Buffy smiled. "Who said you had to move?" She took off Faith's shoes and unbuttoned her trousers. Faith arched up allowing Buffy to pull down her trousers and panties.

"Uh, no, babe, the both of us are not-" Faith started to say, before she felt Buffy's mouth on her.

She closed her eyes, her protest turning into a moan.

Buffy licked and sucked at her causing Faith's body to respond with fluid. Faith thrust off the couch and into Buffy's mouth, her movement restricted by the clothing around her ankles.

Buffy, who was kneeling next to the couch, changed her position to accommodate her stomach and continued to kiss and suck on Faith. When she felt her wet enough, Buffy slid two fingers into Faith's velvety folds causing her to arch up violently to meet them. Faith clutched at the cushion, her eyes still tightly shut, while Buffy continued to pump her fingers into the brunette slayer at a slow pace. Faith didn't have the energy to moan and her attempts came out sharp breaths. She could only respond to the things Buffy was doing to her with her mouth and fingers.

Buffy could tell Faith was close as she could hear that she was breathlessly moaning her name. She continued to work the fingers of one hand inside Faith, while using the other to rub her clit.

Faith arched her head back, her moans caught inside her throat. She took a few more minutes of Buffy's talented fingers, before she came violently. Experienced the after-wave of pleasure, she began panting hard as Buffy rested on her head on her legs. Neither of them taking notice of the ringing phone in the hall until Dawn bound downstairs to answer it.

Buffy got off Faith allowing her to pull her trousers up.

"I thought you said she was out," Faith asked, buttoning up her jeans.

"I thought she was," Buffy replied, before smiling.

"Faith!" Dawn called from the hallway.

"Yeah!" Faith replied.

"Phone!"

"Who is it!"

"Some British guy!"

Faith finished getting dressed and went into the hallway.

Dawn looked at her as if disturbed. "We so have to get a new couch," she told her before running back upstairs.

Faith shook her head in disbelief, before she picked up the phone.

"Hello."

"Hello Faith, it's Dave."

"Dave..." Faith recognised. "As in from the council."

"Yes. How've you been?"

"What do you want, Dave?"

"Not on the phone, Faith. I'm in Sunnydale at a motel near town, do you know it?"

"Yeah," Faith replied.

"Meet me in ten minutes. I'm in room twelve."

"Fine," Faith replied, dropping the phone. She went into the living room and grabbed her jacket from the floor.

"Ugh!" Buffy said, grabbing her stomach.

"What's wrong?" Faith asked.

"Nothing, I'm fine."

Faith put on her jacket. "I gotta go out for a while," she told her.

"Why? Who was that on the phone?"

"My boss. She wants to see me," Faith replied.

About to reply, Buffy got up and ran to the bathroom again, to throw-up the remainder of her last meal.

Faith shook her head and headed out of the house. She got in her car and drove towards town.

Once there, she park across the road from her destination. She got out of the car and locked it, before crossing the road to go to the motel that she knew too well. This place had bad memories for her.

"That was a different life," she assured herself.

She told the owner that she was visiting and he led her to room twelve before leaving. Faith knocked on the door which was almost instantly opened.

"Faith. It's good to see you," Dave told her, letting her inside and closing the door behind her.

"What are you doing here, Dave?" Faith asked him. "You swore I'd never have to see you again."

"Yes, but something's happened."

"What?" Faith asked.

The brunette stood up. "Drink?" he asked. "I've only got scotch."

"Yeah," Faith replied.

The slayer watched him pour the drinks before he walked over and handed one of the drinks to her.

She downed hers immediately.

"So what is it?" she asked, handing him back the glass.

"Another?"

"No. I'm driving."

Dave set down the glass.

"C'mon Dave, stop fucking about. I've gotta get home to my pregnant girlfriend."

"There's trouble coming, Faith. I wanted to warn you."

"So cut to the chase."

"I can't," Dave told her.

"You kidding me? So why d'you make me come all this way, to bullshit around?"

Dave didn't reply.

"Screw this," Faith told him getting up. About to leave, she felt her knees go weak. She moved to sit down, but was unable to, when her legs gave way. She felt the room spin as she tried to focus but couldn't. Everything went black.

Part Sixteen: And into the fire

"Didn't she say where she was going?" Buffy asked her sister.

"No," Dawn replied. "But I'm sure she's alright."

"Do you remember who the call was from?"

"Yeah," Dawn replied. "Some-"

She started before the doorbell stopped her.

"Oh. That's probably her," she told Buffy.

Buffy left the sitting room and went to answer the door.

"Riley. Now's not a good time," she told him about to close the door.

Riley caught it. "I think now's a perfect time," he told her, letting himself in.

"Hi Riley," Dawn called out.

Buffy turned to her sister. "Dawn, go upstairs."

"But-" Dawn tried.

"Now!"

Dawn rolled her eyes at Riley, before running upstairs.

Buffy sighed and turned to him. "What?" She asked. "What is it you want now? You wanna make more threats? Well go ahead, they wont make any difference."

"I'm not here to threaten you Buffy," he told her, flashing a large envelope. "I'm here to give you an ultimatum."

Buffy looked at him stunned. "What's happened to you Riley?" She asked him. "I used to think you were a nice guy. Now you're nothing but a bitter and twisted-"

"Guy who has Faith," Riley finished off.

Faith woke up to the shuddering of the van carrying her. Attempting to rub her face, she found her hands were chained. She opened her eyes and tried to make out her surroundings. She was sitting up, in some sort of van, her ankles and arms chained. She turned her upper-body to see that there was a see-through partition between her and the driver.

Dave looked into the rear-view mirror.

"Aw bloody hell. How has she's come to?" he muttered to himself. He found a part of a street that was only partially illuminated and parked the van. Taking a needle loaded with a sedative, he let himself out of the front door and walked to the back. He opened it and moved to Faith. Knowing immediately what he was about to do, Faith screamed for him to stop, causing Dave to recoil.

"Why are you doing this?" she asked him.

"I'm sorry Faith but I can't have you escaping. The only way I can make sure you don't, is by keeping you asleep."

He lunged at her and with an "I'm sorry," injected the contents of the needle into her leg.

Faith attempted to struggle, but felt the familiar loss of power and vision, as she fell asleep.

Dave watched as the drugs kicked in. He shook his head. They weren't even half-way to the transfer point and he was almost out of the sedative, that only had enough power to keep Faith out for ten minutes. He closed the door to the back and climbed in at the front. Dave turned the key in the ignition. He would just have to drive faster.

"You have Faith?" Buffy asked.

"Yes," Riley told her, his face full of sincerity.

Buffy gritted her teeth. "Why?"

Riley handed her the large envelope he was holding.

Buffy, about to open them, stopped when Riley explained what they were.

"Papers," he told her. "Handing our child over to the military, where it will be raised by me and other agents into the armed forces."

Buffy looked at him in disbelief of his behaviour. "You expect me to sign these?"

"If you ever want to see Faith alive again, you will."

Dave sped along the streets of Sunnydale. Keeping an eye on the clock, he noticed that the drugs he gave Faith should have worn out. He looked in the rear-view mirror to see her still lying dormant.

"Maybe the drugs are weaker in powder form," he told himself. He continued speeding, oblivious to the police cars following behind, until he heard their sirens blaring.

"Bugger me!" he cried. *Stay calm Dave*. He slowed down and pulled over behind an already parked car. The police car parked right behind him and Dave watched as one of the officers left the car and came to the window. He wound down the glass.

"Are you aware, that you were speeding?" the officer asked.

"Was I? I'm sorry, I was not aware," Dave told her, trying to look as innocent as possible.

Faith saw her chance. She sprung into action and began screaming for help and banging her chains on the walls of the van.

"What's that?" the officer asked.

"My dog," Dave told her. "She's a feisty little thing."

The officer stepped back from the vehicle and pulled out her gun.

"Keep your hands where I can see them and step out of the vehicle," she told Dave.

Seeing his partner pull out her gun, an officer still in the patrol car, left the vehicle and went to aid.

"Face the van," the officer told Dave, when he had left the van.

Dave kept his hands up and faced the van, aware that the officer had a gun aimed at his back.

The officer pulled handcuffs from her belt and cuffed the man.

Her collegue approached the van and upon hearing the racket coming from it, drew his gun and opened the back. Seeing a woman chained inside, he put his gun away and jumped inside.

"Oh God," he said, trying to see how she was bound. "Are you alright, miss?"

"I am now," Faith told him.

The officer picked up his radio and asked for back-up.

Part Seventeen: Loose ends

"Thanks for doing this, Xander," Faith told him as she got ready to leave.

"How long will you be? Only me and Anya kinda have an evening planned."

"I wont be long," Faith assured him. "Page me when Buffy wakes up."

Faith left the house and entered the car. She started it up and started her journey to the campus. *Room 314* she repeated to herself. She kept her eyes on the road, reaching for the glove
compartment. Faith popped it open and pulled out her knife. She slid it into the inner pocket of her jacket and sped up.

Xander turned on the television and wandered into the kitchen for some snacks. He searched through the cupboards looking for something savoury to snack on.

"Ooooh Nachos!" he said, grabbing the bag.

He opened it and went back to the living room. Xander sat on the floor in front of the sofa, not noticing that Buffy was stirring behind him.

Riley opened his room door, startled to find Faith standing there.

"So you're the one responsible for my little trip," she said. "I kinda feel like beating you up for that, but that's not what I'm here for."

"So what do you want, Faith?" he asked, leaving the doorway and going over to his desk. Faith entered the room and closed the door behind her.

"I want those papers you made Buffy sign," she told him.

"Yeah? Good thing I don't give a damn about what you want, so if that's all you came for, you can see yourself out."

"Wrong answer army boy," Faith told him, drawing her knife.

"Run Scooby!" Xander screamed at the television.

"Uh, Xander," he heard.

He turned to see Buffy sitting up with a pool of water by her feet.

"I think I'm having the baby."

"Oh no!" Xander cried, getting up. "Ok, don't panic I'll call Faith. She'll know."

Xander danced around looking for the phone. He ran towards the hallway and slipped on the rug. He jumped up.

"I'm ok!" he shouted to the living room.

"There's no time Xander, we have to get to the hospital."

"Yeah ok," he told her. He returned to the living room and helped Buffy to her feet and to the door.

"Oh I need shoes," Buffy told him.

"Right!" Xander replied. He rushed upstairs, burst into Buffy's room and found a pair of slippers. He brought them down stairs.

Buffy looked at Xander's choice of footwear, cringed and put them on.

Xander helped Buffy out onto the road. He felt his pockets for his phone and-

"Crap! Keys!"

Thankful the door hadn't yet shut, he ran back into the house and took his car keys from the floor. Xander ran back outside and opened his car door for Buffy.

Buffy got into the silver Lexus, holding her stomach when she felt a large jolt of pain course through her.

"Hurry Xander!" she begged him.

Xander started the car and set off towards the hospital. He took out his cell phone.

Faith's pager began to beep. Keeping one hand on the steering wheel, she used the other to take the pager from her belt clip. Keeping her eyes on the road at intervals, she read the message.

"Buffy's going into labour," she read. "We're going to Sunnydale General. Hurry there."

Faith accelerated, before she was forced to slow down and stop, by the traffic lights.

Graham got back to his dorm room carrying a six pack of beer. Finding blood on the carpet, he followed the trail to the cupboard. He opened the closet to find Riley's lifeless body inside.

"Fuck!" he screamed. "Fuck!"

He picked up the phone and called his base.

"Hammond," the voice that answered, said.

"Lieutenant Hammond, agent Finn is down."

Faith rushed to the reception of the delivery suite.

"'Scuse me, I'm looking for Buffy Summers."

"Are you family?" the receptionist asked.

"Yeah, lady, please just tell me where she is."

Appreciating the brunette's desperation, she took pity and looked the patient up. "Labour ward, room 14," she told her. "But I doubt you'll be allowed in," she told her.

"Thanks," Faith replied. She walked down the ward, looking for the fourteenth room. When she found it, she tried the door to find it locked. Faith checked to see no-one was watching before pressing down on the handle and breaking it in. She opened the door to find a doctor, midwives, Xander and Buffy staring at her, half-way through the preparation for the operation. The obstetrician lifted his mask.

"There's no admittance miss," he said to Faith. He turned to a midwife "I thought I asked for the door to be locked."

Xander shot up relieving his hand of Buffy's iron grip.

"Please, let Faith take my place."

The brunette walked towards Faith nursing his hand, "Good luck," he told her, leaving.

Faith walked to Buffy and kissed her on the forehead before taking her hand. "I got here as fast as I could," she told her.

Buffy smiled in response, the pain killers she was on making it hard to articulate.

The doctor replace his mask before re-taking his position between Buffy's legs.

"Ok and we're dilated to ten centimetres. Now miss Summers, I need you to push."

Buffy did as instructed and pushed as hard as she could. The pain of the head she was forcing unbearable, she squeezed down on Faith's hand screaming.

Faith gritted her teeth. "C'mon B," she told her. "You can do this."

"Alright, miss Summers, another."

Buffy pushed again, harder. She screamed, tears now emerging.

Faith could hardly stand watching Buffy in this pain. She took her other hand and wiped her face. "Can't you give her pain killers?" she asked the nearby midwife.

"Miss Summers has already been administered with the legal amount of pain killers she's allowed. Any more could harm the baby."

"We almost have the head, push miss Summers."

Buffy pushed again trying to get the baby's head out of her body.

"Breathe the way we talked about miss Summers," the midwife instructed. "It makes it easier."

Buffy took deep breaths and blew them out in intervals.

The room was filled with the baby's crying.

"It's a girl!" the doctor announced, pulling the baby out and handing her to the midwife to be cleaned up. He returned to Buffy before telling her, "Ok, miss Summers I'm gonna have to ask you to give a final push."

Confused, Faith watched as Buffy passed out the placenta. *Ugh!* she thought as the doctor wrapped it in a bag. He cleaned up before leaving the room.

Buffy lay back, her chest heaving. She shivered.

Faith looked around and located a bed-sheet. She covered Buffy with it before smiling at her. "You did good B," she told her before kissing her and smoothing back the hair stuck to her forehead.

The midwife returned with the baby. She smiled and handed her to Buffy. "She's beautiful," she told the young mother.

Faith looked at her. She had to agree, the baby was beautiful. She had gorgeous green eyes and a sweet smile.

"She looks just like you B," Faith told her. "She's got your eyes and your smile."

"And Riley's nose, thank God," Buffy replied, with a laugh.

Faith looked at the baby. "She's so small," she observed. She took hold of the baby's tiny hands.

"I wish my mom could have seen her," Buffy told her.

"Yeah. Mrs S woulda loved to make a fuss `bout her."

The doctor interrupted by entering. "How are mother and baby?" he asked.

"We're fine," Buffy replied.

"Do we have a name for her yet?" he asked.

About to answer 'Joan', Buffy was interrupted when Faith jumped in with a question.

"How `bout Joyce?" she asked her girlfriend.

Buffy smiled. "Joyce Logan," she sounded. "I like it."

Faith returned the smile and kissed her as the doctor noted the name and left. The brunette looked at the baby. "'Sup Joyce," she greeted.

"So did you talk to Riley," Buffy asked.

"Yeah. I have a feeling army boy wont bother us anymore," she took the baby's hand. "Will he Joycey, no he wont."

Joyce looked up at her two mothers, both of their faces filled with happiness and love. She beamed.