Second Chance: Little B
by Slayer Tash
Rating: PG-13
The months passed quickly, still nothing had been heard from Angelus and I had had the dream a few more times. Faith didn’t think it was anything to worry about as she had only had the one. She seemed to think it was just my fears with the impending birth.
I had been patrolling by myself for the last couple months. We thought once she started showing too much that patrolling would be a bad idea, plus I didn’t want her to get injured in anyway. It was a battle to get her to agree but after a close call one night she changed her mind pretty quickly.
She was almost 8 months gone now and she was starting to get edgy and moody.
Will and I wanted to surprise her we had been turning my old room into a nursery while Faith was at the gym during the day. Faith was under the impression that Will was still living with us but at night after she had gone to bed she went back to the apartment and just came back every morning to keep up the surprise factor.
“Buffy are you sure about the colour, I mean what if it is a boy” Dawn asked.
“It won't be.”
“How do you know when did you become psychic.”
“Dawn, the baby is going to be a slayer.”
“Yeah and?”
I waited a few seconds while she thought about it. “Slayers are always girls.” She blushed.
“Glad we spend the hard earned dollars on your education” I put an arm around her shoulder.
“You think Faith will like it?”
“I hope so. I am gonna take her out shopping this afternoon. Get the crib and car seats and a few things just so it doesn’t look so bare.”
“Wouldn’t it have been a better idea to make my room the nursery? It is closer to your room.”
“Yeah it would have but that would have been too easy now wouldn’t it!” I smile at her.
“Glad we spent the hard earned dollars on your education.”
“I am going to pick up my lovely girl and spend some money. I will see you later tonight. We will bring dinner home with us okay.”
“Okay.”
I kissed her forehead and headed off to pick up Faith.
I carried the crib frame upstairs and put it in our room ready for assembly later on. Faith followed me into the house carrying about 20 bags full of baby clothes. I came downstairs to find her going through the purchases with Dawn and Willow.
Faith looked at me and smiled “Someone went crazy at Baby Gap I don’t think our kid is going to need new clothes till College.”
Dawn and Willow looked at me “No matter who you buy for you go crazy” Dawn said.
“I wasn’t the one who went crazy, it was momma Faith.”
“Oh we got you two the cutest thing at this t-shirt store at the mall. We even got Xander one” Faith hunted for the bag and found it she held one up that said Aunty Dawn.
The dead were woken and every single bit of glass was shattered within a 20 mile radius was shattered with the squeal that came out of her mouth.
“Oh my god this is the coolest.” She said grabbing it and putting it on over her top.
“Will this is yours” Faith threw it to her.
Willow read hers then looked between both of us, she had tears in her eyes.
“What’s wrong?” Dawn asked.
“My shirt says Aunt Willow then in brackets it says P.S. I am god mommy too.”
I went over and we hugged “So you will be her god mom?”
“Of course.”
“Xander’s say pretty much the same except insert male terms” Faith said.
“He will be her Godfather…once we ask” I said going over to the couch sitting next to Faith.
“I have a craving” Faith said.
“What for baby?”
“Your beef stroganoff.”
“They weren’t kidding when they said pregnancy gave you weird cravings, this is Buffy’s cooking” Dawn said laughing.
“Hey I have improved the last couple of months.”
“The baby is lucky that it will make it first her first couple of years without having to incur the wrath of you cooking.”
“I think Dawn won’t be eating tonight.”
“Suits me, I will order pizza.”
“I don’t think so squirt. It’s what we are having or nothing at all.”
“Jesus you slipped into Mom role easily” Dawn said to Faith sticking her tongue out.
“Fuck she is playing soccer tonight” Faith said leaning back on the couch.
I ran my hand over her belly “Are you kicking Mommy?” I say kissing her belly a few times.
“You know what I realised today they have the crappiest fucking range of maternity clothes.”
“What you mean you didn’t see the expectant mothers leather range Sears?” I say jokingly.
“I am tired of overalls or a tank with sweats B.”
“What I think those dresses were nice.”
She rolls her eyes and sticks her finger down her throat.
“I am gonna get dinner started, Dawn you wanna patrol with me tonight?”
“No I am going to Janice’s.”
“Since when?”
“Since Faith said it was ok.”
“I told you when we were shopping B and you said it was fine.”
“I did?”
“Yeah mid debate over cloth or disposable diapers.”
I think for a second “Whatever.”
“I can go?”
“Sure can.”
“Cool I will call her and see if I can go for dinner as well.” She ran out grabbing the cordless.
“Hey!”
“Smart move kiddo” Faith chuckles.
“Will you are staying? You don’t have plans?”
“I told Xander I would meet him for a quick bite.”
“It’s just us three then baby” I leant over and kissed Faith quickly on the lips before getting up.
“I will be back in time for you to go on patrol.”
“Cool.”
I am mid battle with a vamp when my phone starts beeping, I am distracted for a second and he gets me square in the jaw sending me back a few feet.
“You so just crossed the line” I say flipping up and sending him stumbling with a quick kick to the midriff. I quickly move in and stake him.
I check the phone ‘Faith in labour meet us at the hospital’ read the message.
“Shit” I say bolting out of the cemetery I was a good half hour away.
I stopped and called Xander.
“Hello.”
“Xander! Faith is in labour and I am on the outskirts of town in the Pine Retreat Cemetery could you come get me?”
“Sure thing.”
”Xander hurry.”
“Will be there in 5 Buff.”
I hung up and tried dialling home but there was no answer so I called Faith’s cell.
“Where are you?” Dawn answered.
“Out by Pine Retreat. Xander is coming to get me.”
“Okay well we are almost at the hospital.”
“How many minutes apart is she?”
“About 6.”
“Why didn’t you call earlier?”
“I only just found out they picked me up from Janice’s.”
“Okay I will be there in about 10 minutes okay, don’t have the baby without me.”
“Hang on let me see how Faith feels about that.”
“Get your fucking ass to the hospital now B, don’t fuck around I am not in the mood” I hear in the background.
“Thanks Dawn” I hang up the phone.
I made Xander break the land speed record to get to the hospital.
I run into the entrance and Dawn and Willow meet me.
“Where is she?”
“They took her straight to the delivery room, we weren’t allowed to go in.”
“Shit what do I do now?” I yell.
“Calm down, you have can go in.”
“Where?”
“Come with me.”
I followed Willow and a nurse took me away and made me change into the hospital scrubs for ‘sanitation reasons’ according to her. I even had to wear one of those gross paper caps over my hair. None of the cool ones you see them wear on ER or Chicago Hope.
“Now when we took her in she was almost fully dilated so she shouldn’t be too far off pushing.”
She led me into the room and I saw Faith, she looked pissed. Her face was red and her hair was clinging to her face.
“God B, tell them to stop.” She was crying.
“Sweetie I am so sorry I wasn’t with you” I go over and take her hand.
“Man this kills, I am never ever doing this again.”
“I know baby.”
Another nurse handed me a cloth “For her forehead.”
“Thanks” I gently wipe down her face.
“Fuck slayer powers B, this is hell.”
“Calm down baby just breathe okay, just like they showed us in class.”
“Fuck the class B, I have a watermelon trying to get out of me through a hole the size of a fucking pea.”
“Faith calm down please” I lean down “And there is no way it is the size of a pea” I whisper smiling at her.
“Not funny.”
“Faith, this baby is ready to come out. When you feel your next contraction I want you to push with everything you have okay?” Our doctor said.
“Do I have to?” She whined.
“Get ready Faith.” He smiled at us.
“Doc can’t you just give her something that makes her stay in there.”
“Come on Faith we all know you are stronger than that. Just one or two big pushes and it will be over.”
“OH JESUS!” She scrunched her eyes up and I took her hand.
“That’s it Faith, keep pushing.”
“I AM GONNA KILL YOU BEEEEEEEEEEEEE.” She relaxed a little.
“Good work Faith, we have a head one more push and we have a baby.”
If I didn’t have slayer strength I am pretty sure that all the bones in my hand would have been shattered with the effort she put into the last push.
A string of expletives and a whole lot of stuff I don’t think any of us understood came out of her mouth.
Cries fill the room and Faith falls back into the bed.
“Oh god.” She closes her eyes.
I peer over and see our daughter for the first time, okay can’t say it was the prettiest of sites but just hearing her cry was amazing.
“Buffy you want to do the honours?” Dr Aaron handed me scissors.
“Will it hurt her?”
“Not at all just between where we have tied it off okay.”
I cut the cord and I watch as a nurse takes her away.
“Where is she going? Why is she taking the baby?”
“She is just going to weigh her and check her over. Clean her up a bit.”
“Faith is going to be okay?”
“She will be fine. Sore for a few days but I can talk to you about that a little later.”
I move back up to Faith and take her hand again.
“You did it Fai, we have a little girl.”
“Is she okay?” She asked opening her eyes.
“Yeah she is perfect.”
She had tears in her eyes “That was wicked painful B. You are having the next one.”
I smile at her “Anything you want.”
“Okay Mommies here is your little girl.” The nurse came over and placed her in Faith’s arms.
I watched Faith’s face as she looked at her. It was amazing at the look of love that washed over her and it was all it took to start the tears from both of us.
“Hey there little bub, I’m your Mommy.” She smiled and the tears fell.
She cried out a little.
“This is your other Mommy” Faith said showing her to me.
“Hey beautiful” I took her hand and she curled her fingers around my index finger.
We got Faith into her room and while the nurse had taken bub to be measured and weighed and checked out I helped her in the shower.
“Is it real?” She said leaning against me.
“Yeah baby it’s real” I held her to me.
“We have a kid.”
“We do.”
“What are we gonna name her. I want her to be a Summers.”
“You sure, we could hyphenate it.”
“Nope she is a Summers.”
“I think we take a look at her when she gets back then we decide.”
“Whatever you say B.”
“Once we have done that we better put the others out of their misery.”
“Can we stay like this just for a bit? Just you and me okay.”
“Sure thing.”
The water ran down over us as we just stood holding each other.
“Fai?”
“Hmmm?”
“You think maybe you would like to be a Summers as well.”
She looked at me “You mean married?”
“If you want.”
“Marriage is just a piece of paper.”
“So you don’t want?”
“I want my life to be with you and our baby. That is what I want.” She rested her head on my shoulder.
“Okay.”
We stood silently again for a few more minutes before getting out and drying off.
“I hate that I have to wear PJ’s” Faith said holding up a pair of mine.
“Well you could always walk around nude, I won’t mind.”
She smiled at me and pulled them on while I put my clothes back on.
I went back out into the room just as the nurse was wheeling her in.
“Hey, Faith should be out in a minute she is just getting her pyjama’s on.”
“Does she have a name yet?”
“No, we were kinda gonna have a look at her and then decide.”
She placed the crib by her bed.
“Can I?” I asked.
The nurse picked her up and handed her to me.
“She officially came into the world at 2.07 am September 8th 2004 weighing 6 pounds 2 ounces and is just shy of 20 inches long. Fighting fit for a few weeks early.”
“She is amazing” I said not taking my eyes off her “She’s got Faith’s lips and ears.”
“We will let you guys bond, then in a few hours we will come back and try her first feed.”
“Okay.”
She left the room. I gently closed the door behind her.
“Faith?” I called out to her.
She stuck her head out of the bathroom door.
“Look who I found.”
She smiled at me and came out over to us.
“Hi Precious.” She leant down and kissed the baby's forehead.
“This might sound strange but I love her already.”
“Know what you mean B. I saw when they put her in my arms and I was gone.”
“You can hit me but I like the name Bailey.”
“She looks like a Bailey doesn’t she.”
“I think so” I smiled at Faith.
“Well it's settled Bailey Joyce Summers.”
Tear stung my eyes again “I like that.”
“She was a top woman B and if our little girl turns out like half the woman Joyce was we will be blessed.”
“Thank you” I rested my head on her shoulder and cried.
"Oh hey B, I didn’t mean to make you cry."
“It is a good crying not a bad one.”
“B not to spoil the moment but if I don’t lay down soon I think I am gonna pass out.”
I looked up at her “Sorry.”
“Don’t be sorry.” She leant down and we kissed softly.
I got her settled into bed then I went to find the others they were where Willow had left me, Dawn was asleep resting against Willow and she was chatting with Xander.
“Hey guys” I waved at them.
They both looked at me excitedly.
“I have managed to allow the nurses to let you guys in for a quick sneak peak.”
“She had the baby?”
“No she just delivered a fridge” I say kneeling in front of Dawn “Dawn honey wake up.”
I gently shook her and she opened her eyes.
“Hey Aunty Dawn” I smile.
She smiled at me.
“You wanna come see your niece?”
She nodded sleepily.
I led them into Faith’s room. She was sitting in bed holding Bailey softly talking to her. She looked up and smiled.
“Hey guys.”
“Hey” they all replied.
I sat on the bed beside her and they all moved over to get a better look.
“We are proud to introduce to you Bailey Joyce Summers. Born at 2.07 am this morning weighing a healthy 6 pounds and 2 ounces” I said.
Dawn who had sat on Faith’s other side looked at her “She is so tiny.”
“Hey Little B this is Dawn she is your Aunt.”
“Hey Bailey” Dawn said softly running her finger over her cheek.
“You wanna hold her?”
She nodded and Faith moved and placed her gently in her arms.
“Was there anyone you wanted us to call, or anything that needs doing?”
“We want to call Giles together. We are gonna call Wes and Cordy in the morning.”
“Do you need clothes?”
“No she has some in the bag we brought in.”
“Are you going to come home with us?” Xander asked.
“No I am allowed to stay. This is a special room where the partners can stay together instead of having to go home each night and then trudge back in the morning.”
“Cool” He smiled at us.
‘My family’ I smiled as I looked at the 4 people and new baby in front of me. It seemed so normal and perfect. We were all happy, exhausted but happy but for some reason I had gnawing feeling in my stomach. I don’t think things were going to stay perfect for long.
...continued in Happy Family?...