Title:	Suprises (A New Beginning - Prologue {1/?})
Series:	New Beginings
Author:	Kathryn Merteuil
Disclaimer :	The characters used are owned by Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, WB, Fox and probably some other people. I'm just borrowing them for a while.
Copyright :	All parts not copyright to another entity (see disclaimer) -- including content, presentation and xHTML -- are copyright Kathryn Merteuil © 2000.
Spoilers :	Shortly after the end of S4. No reference made to episodes after "Where the wild Things Are" except Riley has gone back to Iowa to see his folks and Willow and Tara are together.
Notes :	Buffy has a bit of a suprise.
Feedback :	Yes please.
Rating :	PG-13, for now. Later installements may get higher ratings. This deals with late-teen/adult issues.

June 3rd 2000

Joyce Summers heard her daughter singing along to the radio as she came downstairs. Entering the kitchen she saw Buffy hunched over a cereal bowl skimming the morning paper. She had seen Buffy return from patrol the previous night tired but unbruised.

"Morning. How are you this morning?", she asked picking up the news section and leaving Buffy with the funnies.

"Fine, felt a bit off when I got up but I’m feeling better now. Maybe there’s a bug going round."

"Could be. Any plans? We’re doing inventory at the gallery, I could use a hand", Joyce wanted to spend more time with her daughter and, despite her protests, thought Buffy enjoyed helping out at the gallery as well.

"Huh", Buffy said distractedly, "I’m meeting Willow around 10, we’re going round the mall then having a girlie night at the Bronze. Me, Willow and Tara."

"Willow, Tara and I", corrected Joyce automatically.

"Well you’re welcome to come if you like but I thought the Bronze wasn’t really your scene.", said Buffy with an impish grin.

Joyce laughed and batted Buffy with the paper. She noticed that Buffy was eating Corn Flakes with Strawberries, but the milk looked wrong.. "Is that milk off?".

"Not milk,", Said Buffy, "Mayonnaise.".

"what?".

"I know sounds strange, don’t really know why I thought of it but it’s quite nice actually. Wanna try some?", Buffy responded offering Joyce the bowl.

"No! I haven’t heard of that since", Joyce froze for a moment and went pale.

"Something wrong?".

"Uh, I’ve just got to go out for a while. Don’t go anywhere!", said Joyce hurrying to her room to get dressed.

"No problems!", Buffy finished her breakfast, expertly tossed her spoon in the dish washer then placed her bowl in the rack before ambling into the living room. she collapsed on the sofa and turned the television on. Shortly Joyce hurried passed.

"Don’t move."

"Sure thing", said Buffy as she surfed through the Saturday morning TV fodder.

 

 

 

When Joyce returned Buffy had not moved and appeared to be engrossed on a rerun of ‘Dawsons Creek’. She put a plastic carrier bag on the coffee table.

Buffy read the name on the side of the bag, "Gregors Pharmacy. Is something wrong? Are you ill?", suddenly concerned.

"It’s for you.".

"Ooh", Buffy opened the bag and looked in, "Clear Blue!".

"Corn Flakes, Strawberries and Mayonnaise! I had cravings for that when I was carrying you.".

"No, I can’t be It’s a mistake.", Buffy pulled her purse from beside the sofa and extracted her diary. she quickly located the day encircled in red. "I’m a week late. But you know me, I’m not that regular anyhow.".

"A few days either way.", Joyce replied with a firm voice, "Take the test.", handing Buffy one of the boxes.

Buffy went upstairs to the bathroom then returned a few minutes later with the tester in one hand and the leaflet in the other, "So it’s blue line yes, white no.".

They both stared at the little window. Before their eyes a blue line clearly appeared.

There was a knock at the door. A few moments later Willow and Tara came into the living room.

"Hi!".

"The, uh, door wasn’t locked." said Tara, "Whu..", she noticed the box one the table..

"Whu".

Willow stepped forward and looked at the item in Buffy’s hand, "Oh? What?". She realised what it was and looked from Buffy to Joyce. "Congratulations Mrs Summers!".

Joyce looked at Willow then Buffy. Buffy looked at Willow, "Not her, Will, me.". she collapsed back on the sofa, her face a picture of shock.

"Oh.", was all Willow could say.

"Oh.", echoed Tara.

"Riley?"

"Must have been.", said Buffy still not fully functioning, "We must have forgotten the condom one time when we were under the influence of those ghosts.".

"Must have.", echoed Willow and Tara in synchrony.

"Giles!", Willow suddenly said.

"Urgh. No Will. I never would.could!".

"I meant what are you going to tell Giles. I mean, you’re the slayer! His slayer. I mean he’s practically your father!".

"Wow.", Tara’s mind caught up, "Wow. Congratulations!".

Willow looked at her lover, "I don’t think slaying and motherhood really mix.".

"Never happened before, Will. I mean slayers don’t usually live past 17.", Buffy began, "We’d better phone Giles.".

 

Giles arrived 30 minutes later. In the mean time Buffy retook the test, twice. Three blue lines were layed on the coffee table for inspection.

"I got here as quickly as I could. what seems to be the panic?"

Willow pointed to the table. Giles took in the parade at attention, he looked from woman to woman. Joyce indicated her daughter who grinned with a blush.

"But it’s not possible!".

"Didn’t you ever have the conversation about the birds and the bees?", Buffy asked him.

Giles squirmed, "But the slayer cannot get pregnant. Her immune system will kill any erm any erm.".

"Sperm?", Willow supplied helpfully.

"Yes, quite. the fact is it’s not possible.".

"Well maybe those drugs Professor Walsh was feeding Riley weren’t just improving his bodily strength!", Buffy put in, "Oh, Gods! Riley.".

"Yes He’s gone back to Iowa?"

"U-huh. What am I going to do?".

"Well. I’m not sure. I hate to suggest but there’s always".

"No! I’m not doing that. Who knows if I’ll ever be able to again?".

"Buffy.", Giles said gently, "We don’t know if you can carry to term. Your immune system, the damage you might have taken in your duties".

"Willow, Tara. You’ll be able to help me? This might not be planned but by gods I’m not letting go without a fight.", Buffy turned to her bestfriend and her bestfriends lover.

They both nodded in unison, "Whatever. If we can do it, we’ll help.".

Buffy turned to her mother, "Mom?".

"You know I’ll support you whatever you decide.", Joyce hugged Buffy tightly.

"Don’t worry about the slaying.", Giles was ever practical, "We’ll sort something out. You know you’ll always have my support, and my love.".

"Thanks, all of you", Buffy, "I love you all. But now", She leafed to the R section of her address book and headed for the phone, "Better let Daddy in on the secret".

 

To Be Continued!