4th June 2000

Buffy awoke just as the sunlight peeked through her curtains and dropped a golden shaft into her eyes. She swung herself out of bed, put on her robe and crossed the landing to the bathroom. A wave of nausea flashed through her but passed. Buffy filed a glass and sipped some water which seemed to calm the remaining discomfort in her stomach. She performed her usual morning ablutions, idly circling her belly button with a gel laden puff. the vanilla scent she favoured filling her nostrils. After showering she rough towelled her hair, 'Hmmm. Gonna need a trim soon', she thought ,'and get my roots redone.'.

Still in her robe Buffy descended the stairs and entered the kitchen. Her sister was sitting at the table dividing her attention between a bowl of cereal and the comics section of the local Sunday paper.

"Morning Buff."

"Morning Dawn." Buffy replied opening the fridge and locating a carton of Cranberry juice, "What are you doing up this early? We don't normally see you out of your pit before 11 on a Sunday."

"Sadies folks are taking her to the beach for the day and they asked me along. so how are you feeling this morning?" Dawn asked then continued with a grin "My niece not giving you any trouble, is she?"

Buffy grinned "Felt a bit sick but it passed. Anyway what makes think it'll be a girl? Could be a big strapping guy and turn into a real hunk like his father.". She poured a glass of juice and began to sip slowly.

Dawn licked her bowl clean and placed it in the dish washer before replying "Just call it intuition. She's gonna be a girl and she's gonna be really pretty and intelligent just like her aunt." she grinned and continued "And nothing like her mother!" before sprinting out of the kitchen.

Buffy shook her head in despair, put down her juice then chased after her sister before finally using her slayers moves to pin Dawn to the sofa where she began to tickle the young brunette mercilessly.

"OK. OK. I surrender." Dawn gasped between laughs.

Buffy relented her attack and sat down. Dawn pointed out the front page of the newspaper which was lying on the coffee table. "Did you see that?" she asked "They're going to rebuild Sunnydale High. Looks like I won't have such a long journey to school next year."

Buffy picked up the newspaper and read the article "Rebuilding... destroyed in an explosion.... reason still unclear. Yeah right. Like no one noticed a three hundred foot snake!".

"Well I'd better be getting ready, Sadie will be here in about half an hour." Dawn said, standing. She leant over till her mouth was a few inches from Buffys navel and said sternly "Now you be good for your mother, young lady."

Buffy giggled and swatted Dawn with the newspaper "I hope insanity isn't hereditary.".

"Only if you've got an older sister." Dawn ran up the stairs to her bedroom.

Buffy returned to the kitchen and began to prepare her usual breakfast of Toast, cereal and juice. She read one of the leaflets they had been given the day before and virtuously added a banana and an apple then located the vitamin and mineral supplements that Dr Morrison had recommended in her notes. While she ate Buffy skimmed the newspaper. A report caught her eye of incidents where a man had been leaping out at people after dark, snatching their bag or purse then running away. Reports varied but they all indicated short blonde hair and a long dark coat. 'Someone's going to have to talk to Spike' she thought remembering something Willow had said the previous week.

Dawn walked into the kitchen wearing a T-shirt and shorts. She snagged a piece of toast of Buffys plate and quickly ate it, earning herself a glare. Suitably fed and watered they both went to the living room. Buffy hit the remote and flicked through the channels. Finding nothing of interest Buffy handed the remote to Dawn and said "I'm going to get dressed.".

As Buffy reached her bedroom her mother emerged from the bathroom. "Did we wake you? sorry."

"It's fine" Joyce replied "I have to go into the gallery today anyway." and passed back into her room to get dressed.

Buffy opened her closet and selected a halter top and skirt, 'Wonder how long these will still fit me?' she thought then opened her underwear drawer to find something suitable. Once dressed Buffy returned to the sofa, it was still occupied by Dawn who was intently watching an interview with the boy band de jure. From the kitchen she heard their mothers voice.

"Who left the milk out?"

"Dawn!" she replied automatically as her sister simultaneously accused her, equally automatically.

Their mothers response was cut off by a knocking at the door.

"That'll be Sadie." shouted Dawn jumping up to open the door. Buffy heard the door open then Dawn say "Xander" in an excited tone.

'Crushville, population Dawn' thought Buffy. "I'm in the lounge" she called.

Xander walked through oblivious to the looks Dawn was giving him. A step behind him came Anya, from the look on her face Buffy could tell that she had taken note of Dawns attention and was unsure how to deal with it.

"Bit early for you to be up isn't it?" Buffy asked "It's only nine oh five."

"Thank you for that warm welcome Buff." Xander responded then turned to Joyce who had just stepped out of the kitchen with a coffee mug in her hands "Good morning Mrs Summers, and how are you today?"

"Surprised to see you this early, to be honest. Aren't you normally watching cartoons at this time?" Joyce teased.

"I can't win!"

Anya had been staring at Dawn. She turned to Buffy and said "Willow and Tara came round to the basement half an hour ago and dragged us out. They said to meet them here."

As if on cue Willows voice called "Hello!" from the front door.

"Come on in" Buffy called out.

"So what's going on?" asked Xander "Demons to slay? Apocalypse to avert? Vamps to pound?"

"Buffy's pregnant!" Dawn burst out.

All was silent for a moment until a thud as Xander dropped to the floor, his legs giving out underneath him.

"Congratulations" said Anya as she helped Xander stand again "I thought you used condoms."

"We did, they're not 100% tho'."

"How far along are you?" Anya helped Xander into a chair. "Before I was elevated I used to help with deliveries, kind of apprentice to the local Birthing Woman."

Buffy absorbed this knowledge "About six to eight weeks we reckon."

"Keeping it?" Anya fanned Xander who seemed conscious but shocked.

"Yes!"

"Well, anything I can do." Anya looked at Xander a little sternly who nodded "or Xander. We'll help you out. I know this really great massage for back pain."

"Back pain?"

"Oh yeah." Anya said.

"You'd better believe it." Joyce supplied.

At that moment there was another knock at the front door. "Dawn!" called a voice.

"That's Sadie! Bye Buffy, bye Mom. Goodbye Xander." Dawn rushed to the door. When she left Anya visibly relaxed.

"On the bright side, with the technology these days you've got a much better chance of surviving the birth."

"Thanks Anya. That's a real comfort." Buffy looked a little doubtful.

"Anytime."

"So does Riley know." asked Xander as he regained the ability to speak.

"Not yet, he's sequestered until Monday. I've spoken to his mother and she's going to have him sitting by the phone around ten tomorrow morning. She knows I've got something to tell him but not what."

"So shall we head to the Espresso pump and wet the babys head?"

"Xander," Willow said in a long suffering tone, "Buffy's only six weeks along, it's not much more than a ball of cells right now. don't you remember Health Science?"

"OK, so we'll wet the ball of cells head!"

"Fine but I'm having herbal tea. I'm off caffeine for the next 9 months" Buffy stood to get her jacket.

Whilst Buffy was getting ready, Joyce turned to Tara "Buffy said you wanted to borrow a couple of books. something about they're on your reading list for a course next year."

"Yes please. If it's OK with you. They're on this shelf." Tara took two books from a shelf by the fire place, they had been behind another row of books. She showed them to Joyce.

"'Empire of the Senseless' and 'Blood and Guts in High School'?" Joyce seemed a little shocked for a moment "Are they setting Kathy Acker on the college syllabus these days?"

"Yes, she's wonderful isn't she. Have you read 'Pussy, King of Pirates'? I read that when I was 15."

"Fifteen? Don't find her a bit... Well... Robust."

"Well I had to keep rereading passages and spent a lot of time looking words up but other than that I really enjoyed it."

"Well I've got no problems with you borrowing these. Actually I'd forgotten I had them."

"Thanks" Tara popped the books into her shoulder bag just as Buffy returned.

"Ok are we ready to go?" Buffy asked. Xander stood and everyone made a move for the front door. "Bye Mom, take care."

"And you. I'll be at the gallery till quite late. Dawn should be back between 7 and 9, can you make sure she's OK?"

"Sure thing." Buffy stepped out of the door.

Finis Part One