Part 2 - disclaimer on first part.

The next morning Buffy woke early. She untangled herself from Kyles warm embrace and got dressed quickly. He stirred and looked up at her. "I'm going to the hospital to see Willow. Okay? I won't be long. Stay in bed awhile!"

Buffy found Willow's small office on the lower floor of the hospital. She helped run a clinic there. "Dr. Rosenberg?" She asked as she entered the room. Willow looked up from a chart and smiled. "Buffy."

"So this is where you work. It's nice, I'm so proud of you, Will. I need to ask a professional favor." Buffy said softly.

"What do you need? Are you okay?" Willow asked concerned.

"I'm more then six weeks late, and I think I might be..."

"Pregnant!" Willow finished the sentence for her.

"Um...yeah." Buffy smiled a nervous smile, "Do I need to pee in a cup?"

"No, we'll draw some blood, if it's positive we'll do a quantative, so we can tell how far along you are."

"I'm not fond of needles, Will. Can't I just do the pee thing?" Buffy asked unsurely.

"It won't hurt a bit and we can measure the amount of HCG in your serum if we do a blood test. Urine will say yea or nay, blood can give me a quantity of HCG so I can give you dates. When you get pregnant your body releases human chorionic gonadtropin, and it increases so much at a time, so we can measure the amount and give you an approximate value of how far along you are." Willow explained.

Buffy shook her head "Whatever you say, your the Doctor."

Willow took her to the exam room, where she drew two tubes of blood. "Why two tubes?" Buffy asked her suspiciously.

"One for the pregnancy test and the other for a routing CBC, just to check on anemia."

"How long is this going to take?" Buffy was impatient as ever.

"I'm taking th blood to the lab now, this tube has to clot and then be spun down, then the pregnancy test takes about 5 minutes, if it's positive, the quantatative will take about 20 mins. The CBC will be done in about 5 minutes. I'll be right back."

Buffy looked at the pictures of Willow's children that sat on her desk. Willow had looked so cute pregnant. And she was a great mom. Buffy bit her bottom lip, she hoped she would be a good mom, she knew Kyle would make a great Dad.

Willow came back with reports in her hand and a huge smile on her face. "Congratulations! You are going to be a mommy!"

"I am?" Buffy said excitedly.

"Yes you are, and we'll know when in another few minutes. Does Kyle know you suspected anything?"

"No, I didn't mention it to him. And I'm not going to until we get this vamp business taken care of. He won't let me stay, if he knows." Buffy told her with a sigh.

"Buffy, are you sure? I mean he loves you as much as Ang... I can tell he loves you alot, he's gonna be so happy!"

The phone rang, Willow picked it up "Yes, thank you." She hung up the phone. "Mrs. Weldon, you are approximately 8 to 10 weeks pregnant. Let's do an ultrasound!" Willow said excitedly.

"Relax, Buffy." Willow instructed her friend.

"Willow, you made me drink three glasses of water. It's hard to relax, when you feel like you are going to pop." Buffy complained good naturedly.

"You had to fill your bladder so it would raise the womb and I can get a better look. Cold and wet" Willow told her as she put the jelly on her tummy,as she moved the wand around she showed Buffy her baby on the screen, "See the little hand and thats the heartbeat."

Buffy stared at the screen in awe. That baby was inside of her. Kyle was going to be ecstatic!

Willow helped Buffy down off the table. She got dressed and hugged Willow whispering in her ear "Thanks". Willow handed her the black and white photo from the ultrasound, "Don't forget this, the baby's first picture. And remember dinner at my place tonight, 6pm."

Buffy nodded and headed back to the hotel. Kyle was in the shower, she let herself in and debated with herself to tell or not to tell. He came out smiling at her, he put on his clothes, "Want to get some breakfast?"

"Yeah, I'm really hungry, let's go to the restaurant in the lobby." He took her hand and led her out.

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The phone rang in the hotel room rang as they tried to leave. "Buffy" Giles voice came over the line, I got the book from Willow that you and Angel found. I thinkI know what's going on we can all meet at the library about 8 if that's okay with you" Buffy agreed and hung up the phone. She and Kyle went to the restaurant, Buffy ordered a huge breakfast, Kyle laughed as he watched her eat. They went downtown to her Mom's former gallery and Buffy showed him all of her old hangouts.

They went back to the motel and Buffy took a nap. Kyle watched her sleeping and once again thanked God for his luck in his finding her. He stroked her hair and watched some tv. When Buffy awoke it was time to go to Willow's and then another patrol with Angel.

Buffy and Kyle arrived at Willow's in time to find Oz setting the table and the two children running around the livingroom. Buffy watched them play and subconciously put her hand to her tummy. She smiled as Kelsey showed her the picture she had colored and Ian smiled a sticky smile at her , he had found a sucker and Willow had just taken it from him.

When everyone was corraled to the dining room they sat down to eat. They all enjoyed each other s company and Kyle felt comfortable with Willow and Oz and he decided the kids were great. "They must be a real adventure?" He asked Willow .

"They are, but worth every minute." She replied smiling at Ian as he fell asleep in his dinner.

Buffy and Willow cleared the table, while Oz and Kyle cleaned up the kids. Soon it was time for them to meet Giles and Angel. They said their goodbyes, Willow said to call if they needed her. Kyle pulled up to the library and sat for a minute. "What's wrong?" Buffy asked.

"Nothing, it's just this is all so new to me. I just worry about you, please be careful tonight." He told her softly as he dropped a soft kiss on her pert little nose.

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Angel and Giles were waiting in the library. "Buffy, Kyle, I'm glad you are here. I think these vamps are from the circle of Clayus they needed this book to perform a ritual that will give their leader a power boost. They also need an amulet to finish the spell, you need to find it, it's probably in the same crypt.

"Okay, we'll get it now." Buffy told him as she headed for the door. Angel followed her.

"Be back soon" She told Kyle sweetly.

"Kyle, could you help me with some more research? This probably won't take them very long?" Giles asked him as he went to start the electric kettle.

Buffy and Angel met no less then five vamps on their way to the cemetary. Angel was tired and he noticed Buffy kept holding her stomach when she fought. He was worried about her. "Buffy, are you okay, you keep holding your stomach. Are you sick?"

"No, no I'm fine." She answered quickly changing the subject "How about you? Is your age finally catching up with you? You seem to tire easily." Her teasing masked her concern for him.

"No, I'm fine."

"Okay, lets see if we can get to the cemetary in one piece."

Once at the cemetary, they went back to the mausoleum, a lone vamp was searching the open crypt. Angel surprised him and he backhanded him hard against the wall of the mausoleum, running off with an ivory amulet in his hand. Angel slumped to the ground, Buffy watched as the vamp ran off , she crouched beside Angel. "What's wrong with you, Angel? This isn't you."

"Nothing, Buffy. Okay nothing is wrong, even one gets away from me sometimes. We'll find the amulet." He said grumpily.

"Angel, right now I don't care about the amulet. I care about you. What's wrong, let me help." She said softly as she helped him up.

"No, Buffy. You can't help this time. You have a life, don't worry about me. Let's go back to the library."

'"Angel, don't you trust me anymore." She asked her voice breaking.

"Of course, I trust you. I said don't worry." He ran his hand through her hair and hugged her softly.

The walk back was quiet. Giles and Kyle were waiting, Giles thought he had figured out where the circle of Clayus were holed up. Caves on the outside of town. They made plans to go the next night. "You know what, I think I can handle this alone." Angel told them.

"Right, you're not at full power for some reason, Angel, and I'm not letting you go alone." Buffy said barely containing her anger. Kyle looked at her uneasily "Let's go to the motel, Buffy."

"Okay, we'll meet at sunset tomorrow. We'll both go, do you understand?" She looked pointedly at Angel.

"Tomorrow" He replied solemnly.

Buffy and Kyle went to bed quietly, when she was sure he was asleep she got dressed and snuck out. She would take care of this problem, Angel obviously didn't want to work with her anymore, that was fine. She went to Willow's and knocked on the door. A sleepy Willow answered "Buffy?"

"I just wanted you to know what's going on Willow. I'm going to the caves and take care of these vamps. Angel is acting weird, I know something is wrong, and he won't tell me, so I'm going alone. Don't look at me like that. If something happens, tell Kyle I love him with all my heart." She turned and got into the car leaving Willow standing on the doorstep.

Buffy had not been gone ten minutes when Angel showed up at the door. "Willow, I'm going to go to the caves tonight and take care of these vamps. I think Buffy's sick, she kept holding her stomach all night. And she wouldn't tell me what's wrong. If something happens to me tonight, tell her I love her and to be happy."

Willow had to smile when Angel mentioned the tummy holding < that maternal instinct to protect had kicked in > She then turned serious "Angel you just missed Buffy she's taken off for the caves, and Angel, I shouldn't tell you this, but Buffy's pregnant. You need to help her!"

"Pregnant?" He barely got out the word before he was gone.

Buffy walked the last couple of hundred yards to the cave. She was crouched outside listening to the vampires inside making plans. She heard someone approaching from the path. She held in a sigh when she saw it was Angel. "What are you doing here?" She asked him angrily.

"I could ask you the same thing" He answered just as angry. "Got a plan?"

"We charge in, there are three of them, I'll take two, you take one."

"Why just one for me?"

"Because I'm younger and faster." She hissed.

"Buffy, go back now. Willow told me."

"She what? I'm gonna kill her."

"You don't need to be doing this." He said tenderness in his voice.

"Sorry, it's still my job" She told him as she got ready to enter the cave.

Angel followed her in, Buffy startled the first one staking him easily.

She turned around to find the second one coming at her with a sword, Angel watched from the corner as he battled the third, finally staking him. As the dust coated his jacket, ht turned to Buffy she had tripped and fallen back against the wall. The vamp aimed the sword directly at her abdomen and went forward to plunge in, Angel ran in front of the sword in the nick of time. He fell to the ground, the sword in his chest. Buffy looked griefstricken for a moment, then regaining her balance used a broken shovel handle to dispose of the vamp. As the dust settled she knelt beside Angel.

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"I can't believe she did this." Kyle repeated for the third time as he.Willow and Giles drove to the caves.

"Believe it." Giles told him exasperatedly. "This is just like Buffy."

Willow just looked ahead afraid of what lie there.

They entered the cave to find Buffy kneeling beside Angel a sword in his chest. Willow quickly went to them. Giles and Kyle hung back. Willow removed the sword. "It's time, Willow. This and the poison, it's time." Angel whispered. Willow silently shook her head yes, a tear running down her cheek. She looked at Buffy.

"What poison?" Buffy asked tears forming in her eyes now.

"Angel was poisnoned a few weeks ago, a slow poison with no cure. The sword wound hasn' t helped. I'm so sorry, Buffy." Willow explained in a broken voice.

"No, no, he's gonna be okay. DO SOMETHING, WILLOW!" Buffy cried out, cradling Angels head in her lap.

"I can't this time, Buffy" Willow said sadly and she walked back to Kyle and Giles. Kyle was watching his wife intently as she cried and stroked Angels face tenderly.

Willow spoke to him, "Kyle she loves you, but she needs to say goodbye to him. Please understand.

"Actually, I do. I know she needs to say goodbye. And I think he deserves to die in the arms of the woman he has always loved. He loved her enough to give her up. I'll give him this last gesture." Kyle said without wavering his eyes from Buffy.

"You are a good man, Kyle." Giles said and placed his hand on Kyle's shoulder.

Angel looked at Buffy through painfilled eyes. She was smoothing his hair off of his forehead and whispering soothing words to him. "Buffy, I love you. And I am so sorry for any sadness I ever caused you."

"Shh...you don't ever have to apologize. I' m sorry, sorry that we couldn't be together. I love you Angel" She said softly tears flowing freely.

"I can hear it, Buffy." He said with a smile.

"Hear what, Angel?"

"The baby, your baby has a strong heartbeat. You are going to be a great mom." He told her smiling softly.

Kyle looked up startled "Baby?" He looked at Willow. She shook her head to confirm it.

"Angel, you need to be quiet now. Save your stength," Buffy told him as she placed a light kiss on his lips.

"I love you." He said in an almost whisper and then in an instant he was gone. A fine ash covered Buffy and the floor, she lay her head down and sobbed heavily. Kyle was at her side in an istant. She had not registered that he was there. She looked into his sympathetic face and put her arms around his neck pulling him into a tight hug. He just held here silently for what seem like hours. Giles found an empty urn in the cave to put Angels ashes in.

"We need to go now, Buffy." Willow said as she placed a hand on Buffy's back. Kyle stood up with her, he picked her up gently in his arms and started to carry her to the car. She looked up at him and suddenly smiled. It was Kyle, Kyle who had a beautiful reflection, Kyle who could run in the sunlight with her and their child. Kyle who loved her, despite everything. "We're going to have a baby." She said softly leaning in closer to his chest as he carried her tightly. She was where she was supposed to be - with the man that she loved, the father of her child. Angel was gone, maybe he was at peace now.

"I heard" he said with a smile. Looking down at her, he knew it would all be okay.

Giles and Willow drove Kyle and a sleeping Buffyto the motel. On they way over, Giles told Kyle he was taking a trip to England in a few weeks, he would take Angel's ashes back to Galway while he was there. They said their goodbyes and Kyle lifted Buffy out of the car. He carried her in and gently lie her on the bed. He started to take off her boots and she stirred and opened her eyes. He took off the other boot and lay beside her. Putting his arm around her she lay her head on his chest. "I'm sorry about Angel, Buffy. I know you cared for him...you loved him."

"Yes, I did love him. But I love you." She said as she yawned. "I'm going to miss him so much, but he told me to be happy. And I intend to do just that. We are going to have a baby, Kyle. A baby! And when you carried me out of that cave, it dawned on me that you are my life now. I'll never forget Angel, but it's time to go on"

He kissed the top of her head, "I'm all for that. I'm sorry that your first trip home in three years turned out so badly."

She cuddled next to him, knowing there was no place she would rather be and then she spoke. "Kyle, this isn't home anymore, home is where you and I and our baby are going to live." Buffy was thoughful for a moment and then added "And Giles is taking Angel home, too, right?"

He nodded "Yes, Angel's going home too. Get some rest, Sweetheart, because tomorrow we are going back home. I love you."

"I love you, too. It will be good to get home." Buffy said sleepily as he pulled her even closer.

The end

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