Title: Unforeseen Circumstances 5/27
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 and through beta. Great work, Wyrmie!

As Buffy woke up, something seemed wrong.

Then she realized what it was - she was alone. She hadn't woken up alone since she and Giles had become lovers. They had been lovers less than a week, but she felt strangely sad that she hadn't awakened in his arms. She didn't think anything had happened; he had probably just gone to the bathroom or gotten up before her. Still the loss of his arms was sorely felt.

"Well I'm not one to feel sorry for myself!" she said as she rose from the bed to get dressed.

"I should say not," came the British accent from behind her.

Buffy quickly turned toward the door and that beloved voice. He was holding a tray with breakfast for them.

"Now, if you'll just get right back in that bed, I'll join you. Then we can have breakfast together," Giles told her as he shut the door behind him and walked over to join her in bed.

Buffy quickly got back into bed and was equally quickly joined by her Watcher, who set the tray on the bedside table.

"I don't like waking up alone," Buffy pouted as she pulled Giles into her embrace.

"I'm sorry, luv, I thought I would be back before you awoke. I woke up about an hour ago and decided to fix breakfast for us."

"Ohh, that's sweet, but I'd rather wake up in your arms. We could have fixed breakfast together," she continued pouting.

"Well, if you would rather, you could get dressed and I will give this breakfast to Wesley and Black Raven," Giles told her as he started to get out of bed.

"Hold on Mister! You fixed that breakfast for us and we'll eat it! But after I get my morning smoochies!" she exclaimed as she took possession of his lips.

It was several minutes later before the breakfast was quickly eaten. Buffy had to rush to get ready for her morning appointment with Steven and Running Dove. Black Raven drove them, showing them where the clinic and shops were located about five miles from his home. On the way Black Raven explained that many members of the tribe worked off the reservation but a few continued to live in the old ways of his people. He himself gathered and grew herbs, which were sold in various magick and New Age shops. The main herbs he grew were sage, a variety of mints, mullein, wild ginger, yellow dock and ginseng. He explained to Buffy that ginseng wasn't a traditional herb that his people grew, but it was highly prized by healers and he had grown it for the past twenty years.

The town looked like any other small town with a grocery, the clinic and other assorted shops. The main difference Buffy saw was that most of the men wore their hair long as did the women, some with beads and feathers. Most of the people that Buffy saw wore jeans and shirts; some of the women wore long skirts with tops. A mixture not unlike what she would have seen in LA or Sunnydale. She was a little surprised. Everything looked very normal, not what she expected on an Indian Reservation.

Buffy and Giles were introduced to a few people who stopped Black Raven wanting to meet the Slayer and her Watcher. Everyone was kind and offered whatever help they could. She felt so at home, this was a very peaceful place.

As they entered the clinic, Running Dove rose from the desk where she had been writing on a chart.

"Buffy, Rupert, welcome to our clinic. Steven will be with you in a few minutes. Billy Red Bear fell and broke his arm and Steven is setting it. He'll be about fifteen more minutes."

Black Raven left Buffy and Giles to go get some supplies he needed, telling them he would be back in about 45 minutes. Running Dove went to help her husband with Billy, leaving Buffy and Giles alone.

"Buffy, I spoke with Wesley this morning," Giles started.

"What about?"

"Mainly about protecting you in the coming months. He also knows that we're lovers," he told her.

"How did he react to that?" she asked concerned, hoping that he would continue to help them.

"He took it in stride. I don't think it was a shock to him at all," he informed her.

"Yeah, now if only my mom would be as understanding," Buffy said in a defeated voice.

"Buffy, if you regret…"

"No! Rupert, don't ever think that! I love you so much, I'm just sorry that it took Buffycentric me so long to realize it," she assured him before continuing. "I just wish that this child was yours. I'm sorry for that."

Giles took her into his arms to comfort her, holding her gently. "I consider this child mine in every way that truly counts. I may not be the biological father, but if you'll let me, I'll be this child's father in every other way," he quietly told the women he loved. When he felt her nod her head yes, he continued. "I don't want you to have to raise this child alone, I want to be there every step of the way. And I would be honored if you would think about becoming my wife."

"Your wife? You want to marry me?" Buffy pulled away and looked into his eyes. She couldn't believe what he had just asked her. "You want to marry me, even though it's Parker's child?"

"Yes, I love you and your child, Buffy. I would be most honored to make you my wife," he assured her a second time.

Before Buffy could answer, Steven and Running Dove entered the room with a young boy about 7 years old sporting a red cast on his left arm followed by a young woman who they guessed was his mother.

"Mary, it was a simple break and should heal quickly. I should be able to take the cast off in about 6 weeks, but call if there are any problems. And don't let him climb any more trees until that cast comes off!" Steven joked with the mother and her son.

"I won't. Thanks, Steven. Now, Billy, it's bed for you."

The young boy, who appeared in pain, didn't argue with the Doctor or his mom. He seemed grateful to be going home and to bed. "Thanks Doc," he said in a quiet voice as he followed his mother out of the clinic, with a hand full of candy.

Buffy had watched as the child left with his mother. He had seemed so small to have a broken arm.

"How did he break his arm?" she asked.

"He was on his way to school this morning, when some of the older boys dared him to climb a tree. Billy is known for how fast he can climb, even at eight, he is very agile, but the limbs on this tree were too far apart and he fell about fifteen feet and landed on his arm. He's lucky that he landed on a pile of leaves to cushion his fall. He walked away with only a broken arm," Steven explained to them as he led them to his office.

**********

Joyce waited for Xander at her gallery. Today was the day that she had to go and report Buffy and Giles missing. She had wanted Willow to go too, but she was so terrible at lying that it was decided that only Joyce and Xander would go. Angel had sent a message to them that Buffy, Giles and Wesley had reached the reservation two days after leaving Sunnydale, three days ago. Joyce wanted to talk to Buffy to reassure herself that her daughter was all right, but knew that she couldn't. If the Council was watching, her phones would be tapped and she could lead them straight to her daughter. Joyce would have to be patient, not a trait that she was very good at when it concerned her only child.

Xander walked into the gallery and immediately went to Joyce's office. He knew how hard this had been on her. It was hard on him, missing one of his best friends, but Xander knew that it was even more stressful on Joyce. They quickly left, Xander driving Joyce to the police station. As they walked into the station, the clerk at the desk looked up.

"Can I help you?" he asked in a bored tone of voice.

"Yes, I hope you can. My daughter is missing. She and a friend went on a retreat and should have been home yesterday afternoon."

"How old is your daughter?" the man asked as he reached for a form.

"Eighteen."

"What's her name?'

"Buffy Summers."

"Who was she with?"

"Rupert Giles."

"His age?" he continued in the same bored voice.

Joyce looked at Xander with a question in her eyes. Xander answered the question. "He's in his mid-forties, I believe."

"And just how well do you know this man?" the clerk asked in a sarcastic tone of voice, thinking that they probably had just run off from dear old mommy.

"Rupert Giles is not that sort of man! I want to speak to someone in charge. And I want to speak to them now! My daughter and her friend are missing and I want to know just what you plan to do about it!" Joyce erupted tired of the uncaring way in which the clerk was treating her daughter's supposed disappearance.

The clerk looked at the woman in front of him and backed away. He didn't want to rile her anymore. He went to get the desk Sergeant who was making his way to the upset woman.

"I'm Sergeant Williams, how can I help you?" he asked in a calming tone of voice.

"As I was just telling this moron, my daughter and a family friend are missing." Joyce told Sergeant Williams with anger in her eyes.

"Mrs.…."

"Summers, Joyce Summers. My daughter is Buffy Anne Summers and her friend is Rupert Giles. They went on a retreat up in the Mount Shasta area and should have been back yesterday afternoon, as I tried to explain to the cretin who was waiting on us!"

"Mrs. Summers, please come with me and we will get the necessary paperwork completed. This way please," the sergeant said trying to appease the irate woman as he led her and the young man with her to an interview room to complete the necessary paperwork before beginning a search for the missing girl and her `friend'.

**********

"Buffy, Rupert, everything appears to be fine," Steven assured them after he examined Buffy. "Is what they gave you for nausea working?"

"Yes, I can eat now and keep it down," she answered.

"Good, I know that you are used to a very physical life style, and you can continue up to a point. If anything feels strange or not right, let me know immediately."

"I can continue training?" she asked hopefully, wanting to keep in shape as much as possible.

"I see no reason not to, however, as your pregnancy progresses, your center of gravity will change and some exercises will become hard if not impossible. You must use caution and reason, but you can continue with your training. In fact, women who continue their active lifestyles, during pregnancy, usually have easier births than those who aren't as active," Steven informed her.

"Active girl, that's me," Buffy said, the nervousness in her voice clear to her lover.

"Good! Your next appointment is in a month, Dove with give you the exact date. If either of you have any questions before then, please feel free to give me a call or drop by."

Buffy and Giles thanked him and went back to the lobby of the clinic. Buffy then asked Running Dove to use her computer to send a message to Willow, which was quickly accomplished. They were ready to leave when Black Raven entered the clinic, his shopping finished. Buffy was very quiet on the way back to the house they would be calling home for at least the next 9 months and Giles was concerned. Had he rushed things? Was she not ready to think about it? < Does she not want to marry me? > He pondered these questions as they arrived back at Black Raven's home. When he saw Buffy walk toward the stream he followed her, not wanting to disturb her thoughts, but needing to know what her plans were.

**********

Sergeant Williams looked over the paperwork he had just finished with Mrs. Summers' and Xander Harris' help. It seemed that Buffy Summers and Rupert Giles had gone on a spiritual retreat of some sort in the area of Mount Shasta in Northern California. Neither were sure exactly where the two had planned to camp, and it would be like looking for a needle in a haystack. He knew it was too much to hope for that they might be at Castle Crags, the large State Park close to Mount Shasta, even with it's 82 different campgrounds. The area was enormous. He would call the sheriff's office in Dunsmuir and ask for their help. Many of the other campgrounds in the large area were privately owned and some not even on the map, known only to those who had been there or been directed to them.

He knew that this would be a long arduous search, one he hoped was more successful than most he had heard of lately. One thing that would be easy to recognize though was the car Mr. Giles had been driving. There weren't too many gray Citroens on the road.

**********

Buffy sat beside the stream thinking. She was going to have a baby. She hadn't really thought of it as a baby before now. And Giles had asked her to marry him. The child wasn't his, but he still wanted to care for it and for her. He never ceased to amaze her, this wonderful man who loved her. He would be a wonderful Dad, much better than hers' had ever been. Dad, what would he think? What would her Mom think? She was still thinking on this when she realized that Giles was standing behind her.

"Giles," she called to him, motioning him to sit beside her on the soft grass.

"I don't want to disturb you, I was concerned," he started.

"What are we going to do?" she asked once he had joined her.

"What do you mean?"

"The baby, how is it going to change the Council?"

"I don't know, yet. Wesley and I will continue our research and if we need more books he'll have Angel get them to us."

"It scares me, a little," she admitted.

"What scares you, Buffy?" he asked, concerned. She rarely showed fear.

"Having a baby," she said, tears starting to fall. "Giles, I'm having a baby and I can't talk to my Mom. I can't even contact her or Willow."

Giles took the crying young women into his arms and whispered soothing words to her, stroking her hair until she calmed down. "I'm here, I'll help you anyway I can, my love," he assured her as she sobbed in his arms.

Buffy felt Giles' love for her and was comforted by it. She knew he would be by her side no matter what happened and that was where he belonged and she belonged beside him. As he stroked her hair, she felt a calmness settle around them. Her decision made, she turned to face the man she loved.

"Yes," she told him with all the love she felt.

Giles so intent on trying to soothe her fears, didn't understand what Buffy meant and looked at her with a question in his eyes.

"Yes, Rupert, I would be honored to marry you," she answered the question he had asked her over an hour earlier.

He smiled at his love and reached to kiss her gently, pulling her even closer into his embrace.

**********

Willow and Xander were continuing to research through Giles books trying to find whatever they could on the prophecy and on Slayers having children. The research had been pretty much nonstop since Joyce and Xander had returned from Mount Shasta after leaving Giles car loaded with camping equipment and clothes. Willow had found some information on the net and had managed to `tap' into the Council's computer network. But she hadn't found any real information there regarding the prophecy, and as far as she could tell, the Council had accepted Buffy's `death' and the new Slayer had been called.

"Xander!" Willow squealed in excitement. "We have an email from them!" she called as Xander crossed the room to the table where she had her laptop set up.

Xander quickly looked over Willow's shoulder to the screen to see the email that was addressed to her.

To: WitchyWicca37
From: Lily 119

We made it to Uncle Black's. Everything is fine here. Saw Doc and
I'm feeling well. Still reading the novels and looking for
mistakes. I'll mail you again later.

Love,

Lily

Xander and Willow quickly deciphered the message. They had gotten to Black Raven's with no problems. Buffy had seen the doctor on the reservation and her pregnancy was progressing normally. They were still researching and looking for information on the prophecy and she would send them another email in a couple of weeks.

"They made it!" Willow exclaimed as she hugged Xander.

"Yes, I'm glad you and Wesley thought to set up that code and the forwarding e-mails to disguise where they come from," Xander told his friend as he disengaged himself from her tight embrace.

"Let's get these books picked up and I'll go tell Ms. Summers," she told her friend.

Willow quickly helped him put up all the books they had used that day and left to go tell Joyce the good news. Giles and Wesley had warned them not to trust the phone lines as they could easily be tapped.

Xander, still having trouble at home, had moved into the condo to watch over everything. It was late and he didn't expect Willow to return, so he straightened up a bit more and was just heading up to the loft when someone opened the door.

"Hey Will, what did you forget?" he started as he descended the stairs back to the living room only to stop short. Coming in the door were three people, two men and a girl. One of the men looked an awful lot like Giles and was dressed in tweed.

"I don't know who you are, but I know that door was locked!" Xander said as he made his way to the weapons chest.

"Who are you and what are you doing in Rupert's flat?" the man in tweed asked.

"Rupert? You know Giles?" Xander asked as he pulled an ax out of the weapons chest to hold in front of himself, attempting to threaten the three people before him.

"Yes, Rupert is my cousin. I'm Timothy Wainwright, this is Riahannon McCallahan and her father Colin. Who are you?" he questioned.

"I'm Xander Harris. Giles asked me to stay while he and Buffy went on a retreat. They should be back in a couple of days," Xander told him, playing his role, guessing that this was the new Watcher and Slayer. Xander lowered the ax as he spoke and set it down on the top of the weapons chest.

"Mr. Harris, I have read of your exploits with Ms. Summers, but I'm afraid that I have some rather bad news for you. Could we all sit in the living room?" the Watcher asked.

Xander made his way to the chair the in front of the couch, ready for what was coming. He was glad that he and Willow had put the volumes they had been using away before she left.

**********

Timothy, Ria and Colin sat on the couch. Timothy didn't want to be the one to tell the young man that his friend was dead, but he knew that no one else would. He wasn't looking forward to this, or to the meeting with Joyce Summers tomorrow.

"Mr. Harris, I regret that I have to inform you that Ms. Summers is dead," he started.

"No, you're wrong. Buffy and Giles will be back in the next day or so. They just got caught up in something…"

"Mr. Harris, Ria was called as the next Slayer last Sunday morning. I'm very sorry. I never met Buffy, but I have read of her and had great respect for her abilities. She and Rupert were the greatest Slayer/Watcher team in the last 50 years."

Looking at the New Watcher it was easy for tears to come to Xander's eyes. "But Giles…"

"We, the Council that is, feel that he died trying to save Buffy. You can be proud of your friends, Mr. Harris. They will be missed."

"Missed! Missed by the Council who caused them nothing but pain! The same Council that made Giles give Buffy that test that almost got her and her mother killed?"

"Mr. Harris, please, I understand your being upset at the passing of your friends. But those were the actions of a small segment of the Council. Mr. Travers did not have authority to assign Rupert to give the Cruciamentum to Ms. Summers. That test was outlawed 75 years ago. The High Council knew nothing of his ordering of the test until just recently, when the true volumes of that time were discovered in his office. Please believe me when I say you have my deepest condolences. I was rather hoping that you and Ms Rosenberg would be willing to help Ria, Colin and myself in getting acquainted with the Hellmouth." Timothy finished, afraid that he had really put his foot in it.

"You even sound like Giles," Xander said slowly, as he sat back looking like he had lost his best friend.

"I have been told that, Mr. Harris."

"Xander, Mr. Harris is my Father and I'm nothing like him!" he told the new Watcher.

"Xander then. Are you willing to help us?" he asked the young man before him.

"I can't imagine doing anything else," Xander answered him. He and Willow would be able to keep a closer eye on what was happening if they stayed close to the new Slayer and her Watcher. He only hoped, they could keep Willow from giving everything away.

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