***Part Five***
Word Count: 3,285

Over the next few weeks they fell into a routine. He didn't mention her living in New York full-time again and she didn't bring it up either. Not that she was opposed to the idea, but she had Dawn to think about, too. Though her sister was growing up to the point where she could live wherever she wanted without Buffy's say-so.

They spent their evenings together, sometimes at her hotel to take advantage of the pool or the room service. Most of the time they ended up at his house, though. She wasn't sure how it happened, but she was spending more nights there than at her hotel room about a month after meeting him.

He was at her room for the night when she went out for a patrol. Robin went along who was full of advice on what a good cop Mike Logan was. She ended up calling it a night early, though, because she wasn't feeling well. She didn't really get sick, but it appeared she'd succumbed to the flu just as everyone else did once in a while.

"You're back early."

"I know. I feel like crap so Robin and I called it a night early."

"All part of the vampires' nefarious plan."

"Yes, I'm sure," she said. She shed her clothes and got into bed with him, glad it was warm and cozy under the covers. "Warm me up?"

"Gladly."

The urgency from their lovemaking had lessened somewhat. Both seemed to be getting used to the fact that they were able to get some regularly. It didn't mean they had sex less just that it wasn't as intense as it was at first.

Their first night. God, Buffy still remembered. He satisfied her, that wasn't the problem, but she just needed something more base than simply sex. He hadn't balked at giving her the fucking, for lack of a better term, she needed that night. It seemed now that she was getting it regularly that urgency wasn't quite as bad. Not to say she didn't enjoy it when he was aggressive and hard on her. He knew she could take it and it seemed as though sometimes he needed that, too.

A week went by and she wasn't feeling any better. It seemed like anything she ate came right back up. It was the worst case of the flu she could remember having because it just never let up. Every day.

It wasn't until midway through the second week of being sick that another thought occurred to her.

She was late.

Not hugely late, but one thing she could always count on was being pretty regular where that came. So, it was one evening when Mike couldn't be with her that she went to a neighborhood market and bought a home pregnancy test. They'd used condoms. Could she say without a doubt that they used one every time? Well, no, especially towards the beginning when they were having sex three or four times a day.

She debated about using it, but she had to know. She wasn't much of an instruction follower, but for this she did first thing the next morning as it suggested.

She felt sick to her stomach as she waited. The past couple of weeks seemed to be so obvious as to what the problem was now that she thought about it. She hoped she was wrong. She knew condoms weren't one hundred percent effective, but they hadn't failed her when she was with Riley.

The positive result had her sitting on the hotel's toilet, staring at the little stick.

Now what?

She stood, glancing at herself in the mirror. A hand at her stomach slid along the skin there. A baby. She'd never thought about kids, always assuming they were out of the question. She wouldn't want a child to end up like Robin.

She'd beaten the odds, though. Defied them really. She still wasn't sure about her faith in God, but maybe this was her sign from Him. Pushing her into a more stable, meaningful life.

She almost didn't answer his call. Would he know? Impossible.

"Hello."

'Miss me?'

Oddly, she had missed him the night before. She wasn't going to admit that outright. "Maybe," was the closest she got.

'Better than an outright 'no'.'

"Did you get your confession?"

'Yes. Lennie and I worked our magic.'

"Good."

'Are you feeling any better?'

"Not really, no," she said softly.

'I'm sorry. It's not contagious obviously, so I'll make us dinner tonight.'

"Sure."

'Okay then. I'll talk to you later on, Buffy. Try to get some rest.'

"I will."

She showered and dressed, then crawled back into bed. She dozed off, waking hours later. In time to make a phone call she couldn't make earlier due to the time difference. She hadn't talked to him in a while, but knew he'd tell her the truth.

"Hi Angel, it's me."

'Well, hey you,' he said and she could hear the smile in his voice.

"How's LA?"

'The usual. Never a dull moment. Rebuilding.'

"I'm sorry."

'It's okay. Connor's actually been helping me. So I guess if there's a bright side to all of this it's that he's functional in a good way. And we're getting along.'

"Well, that's good."

'So, what's up with you? Not that I don't welcome the call.'

"Thank you. You, too. And well, I need to talk."

'I'm all ears.'

She filled him in on the last six weeks.

'So, you like the guy?'

"Yes."

'I see.'

"I don't know that it's a long-term thing. He mentioned my staying in New York."

'Do you want to?'

"I'm really not sure. I'd kind of planned on working my way west."

'Me, too. Hoped you would, I mean.'

"I know. I mean I wasn't presuming or assuming."

'Buffy, it's okay. So, New York?'

"Well, I'd have to leave anyway when I'm done here. I figured we'd see how it went when I was in the next town and the next after that. He may not feel the same way."

'Right, not everyone can take someone being gone weeks to even months at a time.'

"And it's only been six weeks. It's not a lifetime or anything."

She sighed heavily.

'But?' he asked.

"Is it that obvious?"

'Only because I know you.'

"I haven't been feeling well the past week or so. The flu."

'You haven't been sick since.'

"Yeah," she said, knowing full well the last time she'd been sick was when she was seventeen. Angel had been without his soul.

"I even stayed in a couple of nights I was going to go on a patrol with Robin."

'Wow. Are you better now?'

"Well, that's the thing. No matter what I did I couldn’t shake it. Chicken soup, hot tea, and lots of sleep. It dawned on me yesterday in all my efforts to make myself kick the flu that it may not be the flu at all. I was late."

'Late?'

"You know," she said. "Late, late."

He was quiet.

"Angel. I missed a period."

'Ah, oh. Sorry. Darla, well, was different. Vampire and not with me when she found out she was pregnant. Being late never entered the equation.'

"So, I took a test this morning."

'And it's positive I'm guessing.'

"Yes."

'So that changes things.'

"If I have it."

'You don't think you will?'

"I don't know. I mean what kind of mother would I be?"

'Buffy, you'd be a great mom. You're done slaying every night, and for the most part no longer in danger. Look at what you did with Dawn, thrown into it like that with Social Services breathing down your neck.'

"I suppose. I also wonder how he'll react."

'Did you do it on purpose?'

"Of course not! We used protection every time. At least I thought we did."

'So there may have been a time or two?'

"Maybe."

'I'm sure he'll realize the same thing. If he's a good guy as you say he is he's not going to think you did it on purpose.'

"I hope not."

'And if you need a place to live, there's always LA.'

"Thank you."

'I'm always here for you, Buffy.'

'Thank you."

'If you need anything, just let me know.'

"I know, thanks. I'll talk to you soon."

'Thanks for telling me. Have a good day. Stay relaxed, it's important for the baby.'

They hung up. She wasn't sure she felt any better, but at least she'd told someone.

Over the course of the next month she took three more tests, all positive. Angel called to check on her a few times. She downplayed her nausea as much as she could to Mike.

Faith knew something was up the weekend she saw her, but didn't press her on it.

"So what are we celebrating?" Buffy asked Mike discreetly at the bar where a bunch of them had gathered.

"Tony there made sergeant."

"Oh," Buffy said. "Good for him."

"Yeah, he's a good cop."

"And you?"

"What about me?"

"Any sergeant plans for you?"

"I like working the streets, helping people too much."

"Understandable."

"You're not drinking tonight?"

"No."

"You haven't been much recently I noticed."

"I'm not really a huge drinker."

"And I suppose if you're still getting over being sick. Some hot brandy might help."

"I'm fine, really, Mike, thank you, though."

"Okay, I'll stop pestering."

"You're fine. It's nice to have someone pester me."

"Hey you two," Lennie said. "Stop whispering sweet nothings to one another and join in the fun."

"Yeah, yeah, Lennie," Mike said.

The night was fun. Mike even danced with her a couple of times on the super tiny dance floor. It was nice. Too nice, considering she'd been withholding a huge piece of information from him for a month now.

"Can we talk for a minute?"

"Sure," he said. "Let's step outside."

He took their being outside as an invitation to hug and kiss her. Of course he would, they were very good that way.

"Mike," she said, breaking the kiss.

"Hmm."

"Mike, I have something to talk to you about."

"You really wanted to talk? I thought you just wanted me alone for a few minutes."

She giggled a little, kissing his jaw. "Yes, I really wanted to talk to you."

"Okay, sorry." He offered her his hand and they walked a little ways away from the bar.

"So," he prompted.

"God, I've had this conversation in my mind and it's never been this hard."

"What conversation, Buffy? You're obviously ahead of me."

"Last month?"

"Yes."

"I didn't have the flu. I mean, I thought I did, but I found out it wasn't."

"Okay. Is there something wrong? Buffy? Are you sick?"

"No, I mean, nothing's wrong. I'm okay. I'm not sick."

"Then what?" he asked, obviously confused.

"The flu stuff was a symptom."

"Of? Buffy, just spill it."

"A baby."

Silence. He didn't let go of her hand, though.

"A baby?"

"Yes."

"My baby?"

"Well, mine, too, but yes."

"And you've known for a month?"

"Yes, I was deciding I guess."

"I see," he said, dropping her hand then.

"Actually, you may not. My life is dangerous and I wasn't sure how you'd react."

"React?"

"Well, come on we've known one another less than three months. We picked one another up in a bar."

"I haven't been seeing anyone else, Buffy."

She smiled a little at that. She knew that even if he hadn't told her that before now. He just wasn't that type of guy.

"That doesn't mean you're ready for a baby. Or the possibility you could be solely responsible for it if something happened to me."

"The same could be said in reverse."

"Yes, but I have people I'd trust a baby with."

"Yeah, I'm kind of short on that."

"Listen, we didn't plan this. We weren't expecting anything permanent."

"I mentioned you staying here."

"Mentioned, yes. I just don't want you to think I expect anything from you."

"Well, of course, I'll help any way I can."

"Thank you."

"I'm not going to run away, Buffy. Presuming you still want to see me, I have no intention of bailing on you."

"Okay. Good," she said, more relieved at that statement than she realized she would be.

"You weren't sure?"

"Well, I know how it looks."

"How?"

"Like I did it intentionally."

"You're not the one who was supposed to be sure the condom was on right."

"I just assumed you'd forgotten once."

"I may have. You do have a habit of distracting me some nights more than others."

"Sorry."

"So what? Six weeks?"

"I assume, yes."

He hugged her then, kissing the top of her head before kissing her full on the mouth.

"You were always going to have it?"

"God, yes. I admit I thought about it the first day, and had it been two years ago."

"When it was just you?"

"Yes."

"Understandable," he said, starting to walk them back toward the bar.

"I never thought of being a mom, single or otherwise. I have a friend who never thought he'd be a dad. It hasn't gone smoothly for either of them, but I see the way he looks at his son and lights up at the mere mention of his son. I want that."

"Fair enough."

"You're handling this surprisingly well. I expected some shouting at least."

"I never thought I'd get a second chance to be a father."

"Second chance? You're a dad?"

"No, she decided not to have it."

"And you wanted it?"

"I believe every life God creates is a blessing and for a reason. I may not go to church, but I still have my beliefs I guess. Can't completely take the Catholic out of a lapsed Catholic. I would've raised it without her if she wanted, but maybe she thought with my upbringing our child was better off not being born."

"I'm so sorry. I didn't know."

"How could you have? I don't walk around broadcasting it. I feel guilty about it to this day."

"I'm glad I know now."

"You going to find a doctor here?"

"I guess I should. I'll be here for a while yet."

"I'll come with"

"You don't have to."

"No have to about it. I want to."

"All right," she said.

They returned inside. A few had left in the time they'd been gone, but there was still a good number of cops there.

Mike sat at his spot at the table, Buffy sitting next to him. He glanced at her as he slid his arm around the back of her chair.

"So, it looks like the next round is on me, guys."

"What's the occasion, Mikey?" his partner Lennie asked.

"A guy can't just buy his fellow officers a drink?"

"Not you," someone Buffy didn't know said from another table. Everyone laughed at that.

"I'm going to be a father."

Lots of congratulations went out around the bar. Mike kissed Buffy's cheek.

"You going to make an honest woman out of her, Mike?" someone said from another table.

"I'm at least going to get her out of her hotel room, Perez."

"I thought you liked my hotel room."

"Oh, I do. A lot."

"Obviously," someone said followed by a chorus of laughter. Buffy felt herself blush.

"Are you asking me to live with you?"

"I am."

"Mike."

"We'll talk about it later. Just sit back and enjoy."

"All right," she said, taking a sip of her 7-Up.

The night went much longer than most probably thought because of Mike's announcement.

"Congratulations, you two," Lennie said once the three of them were outside privately.

"Thanks, Lennie," Mike said.

"Are you feeling all right?"

"Yeah, some days are rougher than others."

"My ex-wife was sick the entire time, but that's not common. It'll pass," he said, sliding the collar of his coat up, sliding his hands into his coat's pockets. There was a definite chill in the air tonight.

"All right, you two, have a good night."

"Good night," they both said.

"So, your place or mine?" he asked?

"Yours," she said.

He smiled a little at that, opening her door for her before going around to the driver's side.

He turned the light on once he'd unlocked the door and let her pass through the threshold.

"Long night," she said, shutting and locking the door behind them.

"I'm sorry. Are you feeling all right?"

He closed the distance between them after he hung their jackets in the closet, sliding his hands around her waist.

"I actually feel pretty good."

"You look really good."

"Thank you."

"Thank you."

He slid his hands lower as he brought his mouth to hers. She groaned softly as he deepened the kiss, sliding his tongue against hers. Her hands worked his tie off and his shirt open as he slid the hem of her skirt higher. Hands stroking along her thighs as she worked the zipper of his trousers down and his belt unbuckled.

"God, I love you this way," he said, as she wrapped her legs around his waist.

"Me, too," she whispered as he slid inside of her. She cried out, clutching around him tightly. Those muscles of hers he loved so much worked wonders on his cock as he moved in and out of her.

She found his neck with her mouth and kissed him there, quickly changing to sucking. He groaned as he felt her marking him, and one that would no doubt show. He didn't care. Lennie would only laugh.

It wasn't as urgent as their first time together months ago now against her hotel room's door. He wasn't any gentler with her, though. She liked him in her hard and fast, as deep as he could go. More than once he'd had scratches on his back and shoulders from her enjoyment of when he did that over and over again.

Once, she'd crushed the door knob to her room's bathroom. It was after he knew her secrets or he probably would've left there and then for good. It was still a little odd to think how strong she was.

They ended up on the marble floor of his foyer, his back against the door with her pressed against him.

"Wow," she said softly and he chuckled.

"Bet you wish you'd told me sooner."

"Ha ha."

"At least I know now I didn't forget a condom."

"What?"

"I would remember if I'd been inside of you that way before. So, one broke, tore, had a hole, or something because there's no way I've been in you without one until now."

"I see. You can always keep using them if you'd prefer it."

"No."

"You're sure," she teased.

"You're teasing me, right?"

"I am," she said.

"That's good, because I never want to use another one again."

"I'm not going to be pregnant forever, Mike."

"Then we'll find other means. Obviously better working ones."

She slid onto his lap, tilting her head a little as she settled herself there.

"Hmm," she said, kissing his jaw. "I like that idea."

"Me, too."

"I've never used anything else."

"Really?"

"No reason to."

"Now it's my turn to like that idea."

They grew quick, kissing and touching.

"I can tell," she whispered.

"Our bed would be more comfortable."

"Our bed?"

"Sounds better tonight than my bed."

"I guess it does."

He stood, picking her up and carrying her to his room. His house wasn't huge or new, but it was solid, well-built. Big enough to raise a family in? He'd never thought about it until now. He'd have to tomorrow. Right now, he had more important and enjoyable things to worry about.

Story ©Susan Falk/APCKRFAN/PhantomRoses.com