Title: Unforeseen Circumstances 1/27
Author: Jadedragon
Rating: R
Spoilers: Season 4 up until Bad Beer, Angel Season 1, in my verse, Doyle didn't die!
Paring: B/G, B/P mentioned
Summary: Buffy has to face the consequences of her night with Parker
Notes: <> denotes thoughts
Thanks: To Wyrmbath for such a quick beta. Great work,Wyrmie!
Giles rushed into the emergency room carrying Buffy in his arms. He had no idea what was wrong with her. She had come over to his condo, upset about something, but before they could talk, she had rushed into his bathroom, throwing up violently; dry heaving long after there was nothing left in her stomach. Giles had gently held her until she stopped heaving and tenderly cleaned her face with a warm washcloth then helped her to the couch. He went to get her some water from the refrigerator, but when Buffy reached to take it from him she had collapsed on the sofa unconscious. Giles immediately picked her up and took her to the hospital.
Buffy was quickly taken from his arms once they arrived and Giles was questioned about what had happened. He quickly told them and what her symptoms had been over the last week or so. He answered all their questions as well as he could before trying to reach Joyce. She wasn't at home and he left a message for her before calling Willow and Xander. As he waited for them he remembered the conversation he had with Willow two days before about Buffy.
**********
"Giles, do you know what's wrong with Buffy?" Willow asked the Watcher as she entered his home.
"Something's wrong with Buffy?" Giles asked, concern on his face.
"Yeah, she's been sick for the last ten days or so and I can't get her to go to the doctor. She just keeps telling me that she has the virus that has been going around campus."
"What are her symptoms?" Giles asked alarmed that something was wrong with his Slayer.
"She is constantly in the bathroom, throwing up. She's not sleeping, she's irritable and depressed. I've never seen her like this. Could this be something supernatural?" Willow asked concerned for her friend.
"Do you know any reason why she would be depressed? Severe depression can lead to the other symptoms that you've described."
"Parker!" she told him in one word. Willow had already explained what had happened between Buffy and Parker when Giles had first noticed the changes in Buffy two weeks earlier.
"Is she still blaming herself for that pillock's actions?" Giles asked, hating the man for how he had taken advantage of Buffy.
"She doesn't talk about him any more. She finally realized that he was playing her as he's played other women on campus. Giles, she feels that she'll never find anyone."
"Willow, how are you doing?" Giles changed the subject, realizing that Willow also needed to talk about what she was going through. "I know that Oz leaving like he did has hit you hard, yet here you are concerned with Buffy when I know that you're hurting, too."
"Giles, I don't know. I feel so alone, so abandoned, " she told him as tears flowed down her face.
"You are not alone," Giles told her as he took the crying girl into his arms to comfort her. "Any time you need to talk, I'm here."
**********
Giles thought back to that night. Willow had been in so much anguish, yet she had seen Buffy's pain and had come to him worried about her friend. He looked up as Willow and Xander entered the ER.
"How's Buffy? What's wrong with her?" Xander asked.
"I don't know. She passed out at my condo and I brought her here. We'll find out what's wrong. Willow, do you know where her mother is? I left a message for Joyce but she wasn't at home."
"She went to Mexico on a buying trip. She's supposed to be back next Friday." Willow informed him.
There was nothing else to do but wait. It was over two hours before a nurse came into the waiting room for Giles.
"She's been asking for you," the nurse told him as she guided him to Buffy. "What do you know about her condition?"
"Nothing, that's why I brought her here. She's been sick for over a week and wouldn't go to a doctor," Giles informed the nurse.
"We ran some tests and are waiting for the results. The doctor will be in to speak with you when he gets them back from the lab," the nurse told him as she left him to attend to her other duties in the crowded emergency room.
As he entered the cubical where Buffy lay, looking very pale and fragile, Giles couldn't believe that this was the same girl who had defeated the Mayor, just months before. The summer had been hard on her, getting over Angel, moving out of her home, then having that pillock, Parker, take advantage of her so callously. The last few months had not been kind to his Slayer. She was still his Slayer, even if he was no longer her official Watcher.
"Giles?" she called to him in a small scared voice.
"I'm here, Buffy," he assured her as he went to her bedside and sat on a stool, taking her hand in his. "You had me worried," he told her gently.
"I'm sorry. I didn't want to admit it. I thought that I just had a virus and it would go away," she told him, with tears in her eyes. "Giles, I've screwed up," she told him in a small shaky voice.
"Whatever it is, I'll help you, you know that. Whatever happened, I'll stand behind you and help in any way I can."
"Why did I believe him? When I look back I see just what a jerk he really was. Now I have to face the consequences." As she finished tears streamed down her face. Giles reached over and took her into his arms, comforting her, wondering if she was talking about Parker. She was still sobbing in his arms when the doctor entered the cubical ten minutes later.
"I have the test results."
"Am I…" Buffy asked, the fear in her eyes clear to the doctor and to Giles.
"Yes, you're three to five weeks pregnant. I've prescribed something for the nausea, and you need to force fluids. Your nausea is stronger than normal, but it's not that unusual. You need to make an appointment with an obstetrician as soon as possible. If what I give you doesn't help, they can prescribe something different. Sometimes, it takes several tries to find the right medication for nausea. I've also prescribed pre-natal vitamins for you. Since this is your first pregnancy, I have a packet of information, including information on other options if you're interested," the doctor informed her as he handed her a folder filled with the information he had mentioned.
Buffy looked at the doctor still reeling. She was in shock. She had just admitted to herself that she might be pregnant and now it was confirmed. Buffy was glad that Giles was here with her.
"How soon can I leave?" she asked the doctor.
"The drip is almost finished. By the time your release paperwork is ready it should be through, then you can go," the doctor told her as he turned to Giles.
"Mr. Summers, may I have a word with you in private?"
" No, I'm Rupert Giles, a friend of Buffy's," Giles corrected the doctor, still shocked at Buffy's pregnancy.
"I'm sorry, may I speak with you?"
"Certainly. Buffy, I'll be right back," Giles told her as he left the cubical with the doctor.
The doctor led him to a small room just down the hall. He shut the door before turning the man who had been comforting his patient.
"Sir, how close are you to Ms. Summers?"
"We're friends. I've known her for four years."
"Are you the father?"
"No." Giles told him, anger in his eyes.
"I'm sorry. I'm concerned about her," the doctor said, not wanting to anger this man further.
"Doctor, I am too. Buffy means a lot to me. She came to me today, possibly to tell me about her pregnancy. She's been isolating over the past several weeks, not talking to any of her friends."
"She mentioned that the father had abandoned her. Do you know who it is?"
"Yes, I know who the pillock is," Giles told the doctor, anger again in his eyes and in his voice.
"Mr. Giles, Ms. Summers is in a deep depression and shouldn't be left alone. Is there someone she can stay with until she makes some decisions about what she wants to do?" the doctor asked, very concerned for the young woman who was his patient and thinking that this man cared more for her than he was saying.
"Her mother is out of the country at the moment. I'll take her home with me. Her friends and I will keep an eye on her until her mum returns from Mexico," Giles assured the doctor.
"I'm glad to hear that. She needs friends now. She has some hard decisions to make over the next few weeks. In the literature that I gave her are several counseling agencies if she feels the need to talk to anyone. Mr. Giles if she needs anything else, please feel free to call me. Here's my card," he told Giles as he handed him a business card. "I'll go and get her release papers ready. I'll be back in about ten minutes."
The doctor turned and left the small room to get back to his duties, while Giles went back to Buffy. He wondered what Buffy would want to do. He knew that few Slayers ever became pregnant, and of those, even fewer carried to term, most dying late in pregnancy while performing their duties as Slayer. Giles was determined that would not happen to Buffy. He would do everything in his power to prevent it, even if that included calling Angel back to Sunnydale.
As he entered Buffy's cubical, his thoughts turned to her and what she would need over the next several months.
"Giles, what am I doing to do?" Buffy asked him tears rolling down her face as he sat beside her.
"Right now, we're going to get you released and then you're coming home with me. You don't need to be alone right now. The doctor will back in about ten minutes with your release papers and we'll go to my condo and talk."
"What about Willow? She'll be worried if I don't go back to the dorm tonight?"
"I called Willow and Xander and they're in the waiting room. Do they know you're pregnant?"
"I think Will suspects, but Xander doesn't know. He knows about Parker, but not about the baby?" she told him is a voice that got softer.
"Buffy, how? Didn't you use protection?" Giles asked the question he'd wanted to ask since learning of her condition.
"The condom broke. Parker told me that he was sterile, an accident from childhood, just another lie. He's so good at lies," Buffy told him, tears again making tracks down her face.
"Well, don't worry about him right now. Let's get you back to the condo. I'll ask Willow and Xander to get your prescriptions filled and pick up some juice and other items for you, while I get you settled. Buffy, I meant what I said earlier. I am here for you, whatever you need," Giles assured the crying woman in his arms.
The nurse came in to get Buffy's signature on the release papers, giving her the prescriptions and care instructions until she could make an appointment with an obstetrician. Soon they were on their way to Giles' condo, where Buffy was made to lie on the sofa while Giles made her tea. Willow and Xander had been sent to the drug store and to the dorm to get what Buffy needed.
**********
Xander looked at the prescriptions Willow handed him. He did a double take as he realized the implications of the two prescriptions. Buffy was pregnant and it had to be Parker's.
"I'll kill him!" Xander said with a cold anger Willow would have associated with Ripper, not Xander.
"Xander, no. We have to think of Buffy. We'll deal with Parker later. Buffy needs us now, that's why the doctor wanted her to stay with someone. She's been very depressed," Willow told Xander as she tried to calm him down.
"Okay, Will. For you and Buffy, but if he hurts her again, I won't be responsible for my actions," Xander assured his friend, the anger still very apparent in his voice.
They quickly went to the dorm room Willow shared with Buffy and packed some clothes for her. Willow also picked up Mr. Gordo, feeling that Buffy would need her stuffed friend to help her through this crisis.
When they arrived at the condo, Buffy had already gone upstairs and fallen asleep. Realizing that it was getting late, Willow and Xander told Giles that they would see Buffy in the morning, left the items they had picked up for her and left.
Xander had just dropped Willow off, when he spotted Parker with his newest conquest. It was all Xander could do not to go all Ripper on the guy who had gotten Buffy pregnant. But he quickly realized that an assault charge would not help Buffy and continued to drive home. Boy, he wished that Anya still had her vengeance powers; he knew what he'd wish for.
**********
Giles had been studying one of the books that he had recently purchased from an estate in a small town twenty miles east of Sunnydale. He had been quite surprised when the auctioneer had contacted him. Mr. Crosswhite informed Giles that Angel had given him his name as possibly being interested in the library of occult texts that had been collected by Mr. Ralph Huntsby. Giles had been so impressed with it, that he had bought the entire collection on the spot. He had also purchased several occult related artifacts and a small oil painting. Most of the books he didn't have, some he had never even heard of, and only three or four were duplicates of books he already had. Giles was quite pleased with his purchases and had called Angel to thank him for his referral. Mr. Crosswhite said that he would be most happy to let Giles know whenever there were books or artifacts of the occult available at any of the estate sales he contracted in the future.
Giles was quite involved reading one of the volumes when he heard Buffy begin tossing and moaning upstairs. He had just gotten up to go check on her when she started screaming. Rushing up stairs, he found her sitting up in his bed looking around her like she didn't know where she was. He crossed over to his bed to sit beside her, reaching out to take her into his arms to calm her.
"Buffy, it's ok. You're safe at my condo," he told her, as she shivered in his arms. He stroked her hair as he tried to comfort her. When he felt her tears soaking his shirt, his heart went out to her. "Don't cry. I can't stand it when you cry," Giles whispered to her as he held her tightly in his arms.
Buffy looked up at him with tear filled eyes, "Why can't I find someone who'll love me for me? Am I cursed? First Pike drifted away when I moved to Sunnydale. Then I had to let Owen go before he got himself killed. Oh, and Angel, we won't even talk about him; besides, you know that whole pathetic story anyway. And Scott decides my life is just too weird. Then last but not least on the Buffy boy-go-round, Parker uses me and discards me like an old newspaper. Giles, am I such a terrible person?" she asked him tears trailing from her eyes.
"No, you're a very beautiful, loving and giving woman. From what I know of the men that have been in your life, most seemed more concerned with their own wants and needs rather than yours. You probably won't believe me saying this, but of the men you mentioned, only Angel truly had your best interests in mind when he left." Giles told her as he held her, loving the feel of her in his arms.
"I realize that now, but at the time it was so painful, it still hurts sometimes," she admitted.
"First loves usually do; but you learn from them and move on," Giles assured the weeping woman in his arms.
"And when I moved on I picked a real looser, didn't I?" she asked with self-loathing in her voice.
"Buffy, never let me hear you speak of yourself in that tone, again. It's Parker's loss that he treated you with such callousness. He threw away a precious jewel and never realized just what he had." Giles told her not realizing that he was giving her an indication of his true feelings for her.
"But what am I going to do? Oh, Giles, how do I tell Mom?" she asked as the tears started pouring again.
"I'll help you tell her. You don't have to make any rash decisions. Why don't you try and get some sleep. We can discuss what you want to do in the morning." Giles told her as he continued to hold her trembling body close to his.
Buffy sobbed in his arms for more than fifteen minutes before he felt her fall back to sleep. He eased her back to the bed and was just leaving the room when she called to him.
"Hey, will you hold me while I sleep? I don't want to wake up alone, again." She asked him with tears still evident on her face.
Giles looked at the woman he had come to love so very deeply that he put her ahead of everything, himself included. Although he knew just how hard it was going to be, he stretched out on the bed beside her and took her into his arms. As his arms enfolded her, he felt her relax and soon she was truly asleep. Giles felt that he would never sleep holding her so close, but he soon followed her in to the realms of Morpheus.
**********
Buffy dreamed she was with a man making love, she couldn't see his face, a mist obscured it. When he reached out and tenderly touched her, she felt his love and concern. She reached for him as he reached for her drawing her into a kiss, deeply, crushing her body to his, his hands pulling her against his hard erection. The sensations throughout her body were electric, everywhere he touched tingled, never had she felt like this. Slowly they removed each other's clothing, as he continued kissing her, stroking her body, caressing her breasts. His kisses aroused her as he trailed fire down her torso. She didn't know who the man was, but he seemed so familiar. Buffy had no idea who was making love to her, but she felt safe and truly loved, even cherished. Her small body fit into his arms so well, as if he were made just for her and she just for him. She could feel his love as if it were tangible. Buffy knew in her heart that this man truly loved her and would never hurt her. As Buffy reached the most shattering orgasm of her life, she heard him call her name as he climaxed at the same time. The voice was one she knew all too well. It was Giles.
"I love you so much, Buffy," he told her as he looked deeply into her eyes, his love and passion showing, bringing Buffy to tears.
As the dream faded, she wondered, could I love Giles, as a man?
**********
As Giles slept, holding Buffy in his arms, he dreamed of making love to her, making her forget the other man who had treated her so heartlessly. In his dream, she was so responsive to his touch that it had almost seemed real. As he pumped his seed into her body, he had called her name and told her that he loved her. As he told her of his love, there were tears in her eyes.
**********
Buffy was at that in between stage where you're not quite awake, but not really asleep either. She felt strong arms surrounding her and felt safe, she had never woken up in a man's arms before and it felt good. She felt his hand stroking her arm and almost fell back to sleep, but he started talking.
"Buffy, how can I help you this time?" Giles asked softly, thinking out loud to himself, sure that she was still sound asleep. "There's nothing to research this time and I hate to see you in such pain; I'd take it all away if I could. I'll never understand how Parker could have only one night with you and then leave. If it had been me, I would have never left your side. I would cherish the memory of that night and hope to spend the rest of my life in your arms, I love you so desperately." Giles looked down at the woman he was holding and saw her watching him.
"Giles, you love me?" she asked in an amazed voice.
"B…buffy, I…I didn't know you were awake!!" he stuttered, scared of her reactions to his love.
"Giles, it's okay!" Buffy assured him as he tried to get up, but she held him, making him stay beside her.
"I would never want to hurt you," he started to explain.
"Don't you think I know that! You're the most honorable man I know. Knowing that you love me is a gift that I don't deserve."
"Don't ever say that. You deserve so much. There are so many things I wish I could give you."
"At the moment, I just need a friend, and you've always been that. I need you to help me decide how best to tell my Mom."
"Buffy, I called and left a message on your mum's answering machine when I took you to the emergency room last night. How often does she check her messages when she's out of town?" Giles remembered, he hadn't mentioned this to her last night.
"She usually checks once a day in case there's an emergency at the Gallery or with me. What message did you leave?" she asked realizing that the shit would hit the fan sooner than she expected.
"I told her that you had been throwing up and had passed out so I took you to the emergency room and for her to meet us there. I didn't know she was out of the country until Willow told me later. Once I knew that you would be all right, I left a second message that I would bring you home with me to stay until she returned. I didn't mention your condition. I felt that it was not my place."
"Giles, Mom will be back as soon as she can get here, more than likely sometime today."
"Buffy, I'm sorry…"
"You were just doing what you felt was right. I don't blame you. I blame myself for letting Parker make a fool out of me," she stated, as the tears again crept from her eyes. "I'm so scared. I don't know how Mom will react."
"Remember, no matter what I am still here for you. Why don't you get a shower and get cleaned up while I make us some breakfast. Xander and Willow got your prescriptions filled so maybe you'll be able to keep something down. Your clothes are in the duffle bag in the corner."
"Thanks, Giles. I don't know what I'd do without you," she said as she hugged him before they both rose from the bed to start the day.
**********
As she showered and dressed for the day, Buffy thought about her dream and Giles' confession that he loved her. Why had she never realized how he felt? She could look back and see indications of his love, but she had been too Buffycentric to notice or even care at the time. Giles was the best man she knew and she wished that he were the father of the child that she carried. Buffy knew that he would never have abandoned her as Parker had. How was she going to put Parker behind her now? With that thought she realized that she would do her best to have the child and raise it the best she could. She had always dreamed of having a child and knew that this might be her only chance. With that decision made, she joined Giles for breakfast.
After they had finished breakfast and cleaned up the dishes, Giles and Buffy sat down on the couch to discuss the situation.
"Giles, have any Slayers ever had children?" she asked her Watcher, wanting as much information as she could get.
"There have been a couple who were able to carry to term. Most who became pregnant either aborted or were killed while they continued with their Slayer duties."
"The ones that carried to term, do you know anything more about them?" she continued to drill her Watcher.
"There's not much else known, they continued their duties until they died. Needless to say, the Council frowns on Slayers getting pregnant and do their best to have the Slayer abort the fetus as soon as they learn she's pregnant. Buffy, if you decide to have this child, it won't be easy, but I will help in any capacity that I can. I'm sure that Willow and Xander will offer their support, as well."
"Giles, what are the chances of my becoming pregnant again?"
"I can't answer that. Each woman is different, some more fertile than others." Giles told her, wondering what was going on in her mind.
"If I have the child, what will the Council do?"
"Buffy you're asking me questions that I don't have answers to. This is something that hasn't happened in over 150 years. And, I dare say that this is something that the Council would rather not deal with."
"Giles what will they do?" she pressured, wanting to know the worst.
"It is very doubtful that the Council will find out unless we inform them of the situation."
" I want to keep my baby," she enlightened her Watcher.
"Then we'll make contingency plans in case something happens, but you left the Council and they're no longer concerned." Giles told her trying to calm her down. "Buffy, I'll do everything in my power to keep you and your child safe," he told her as he took her into his arms. He had been holding her for about five minutes when someone knocked on his door.
Giles looked down at Buffy and she sat up, wiping the tears from her eyes. She didn't want Willow and Xander to see had been crying. She knew they planned on coming by this morning.
"Rupert how's Buffy?" Joyce began as soon as the door opened, concern and fear in her eyes.
"Joyce, come in. Buffy's on the couch." Giles directed the distraught mother to her equally distraught child.
Joyce quickly went to the couch, and sat beside Buffy. When she saw the tear tracks on her face she wrapped her arms around her daughter and asked, "Buffy, what's wrong?"
"Mom, I've screwed up," she began, tears again making their way down her cheeks.
"What happened?"
"I met this guy at school, he seemed nice and caring, but all he wanted was to get me into his bed."
"Buffy?"
"Mom," Buffy looked up at her mother, tears flowing down her face, "I'm pregnant!"
Joyce tighten her hold on her daughter as she stroked her hair. "Buffy, calm down. This isn't doing you any good. What did he say when you told him?"
"Mom, I haven't told him. He won't even speak to me. That's his pattern. He romances a girl, gets them into his bed then drops them, going on the next one."
Joyce looked at Giles who was sitting in the chair across from the couch. When he confirmed with a nod what Buffy was saying, Joyce continued. "How far along are you?"
"The doctor said three to five weeks but I was with Parker four weeks ago."
"Buffy, do you want to have this baby?" Joyce asked her daughter, scared that she already knew the answer.
"Yes, Mom. I do. I may not have a second chance," Buffy told her Mom with tears still flowing.
"Then we need to make some decisions."
"Giles and I were talking about that when you knocked."
"What have you discussed?" Joyce asked her daughter.
"Just that Giles, Xander and Willow will help and we won't tell the Council."
"Wouldn't the Council help?" Joyce asked.
"No, they would make Buffy abort the child and if she didn't they would take the matter into their own hands," Giles informed her.
"What do you mean by that?" Joyce asked expecting the worse.
"They would `reeducate' Buffy, assign a new Watcher and send her to new location. We wouldn't be informed where she was sent," he told mother and daughter in a very serious voice.
Buffy and Joyce looked at Giles in shock, neither wanting the Council to discover Buffy's condition. As they sat taking in what Giles had told them, Xander and Willow entered the condo. Seeing the three sitting down, Willow joined Buffy and her mom on the couch and Xander sat in a chair near Giles. They all discussed the situation and it was decided that Giles would teach Willow some very potent protection spells and Xander would join Buffy's training to learn martial arts to help protect her. Buffy wanted to stay in shape and continue training as long as it didn't hurt the baby. Joyce made an appointment with an obstetrician for Buffy the following week. She also asked to join Xander in learning how to protect herself and Buffy.
*********
The weekend passed quickly as they planned how to cope with Buffy's pregnancy. Buffy moved back into the dorm, wanting everything to appear as normal as possible until she started showing. They were also discussing whether or not it would be safe for Buffy to stay in Sunnydale in the latter months of her pregnancy.
Giles was consulting the books with Willow's help when he came across a reference to a Slayer's child in one of the volumes he had purchased from Mr. Crosswhite. The reference made a vague mention of the child's mother raising him, but the indication of the circumstances was so ambiguous that Giles simply marked the passage and continued searching, hoping to find more information later in the volume. Hours later, they had found nothing more and Giles went back to the reference he had found. As he opened the book for the second time that night, he discovered that it was the eighth book of a set of ten and he didn't have the last two volumes of the set. Giles called Mr. Crosswhite and discovered that there were no other volumes in Mr. Huntby's estate that dealt with the occult and Mr. Crosswhite promised to keep an eye open for the other volumes and would let Mr. Giles know if he came across them. Giles then called Angel to see if he had or could find the missing volumes. He promised to start looking immediately and would get back to them as soon as he had the information for them.