Life Changing: Sympathy
by Sinister


Buffy had no idea how she had actually managed to get dressed, do her hair and makeup, and walk to the high school library. She had been in complete shock through her morning routine. She was extremely relived that her mother had already left. Buffy knew that her mother would know that something was wrong and that she wouldn’t be able to hide it. So for now, Buffy decided she just had to avoid her mother at all costs. She had to figure this whole thing out first.

God she’s going to flip. As if I’m not a big enough screw up as it is. I burn down the gym of my last school and I still get in trouble and don’t get very good grades in my new school. I’m a complete disappointment as it is. Now what is she going to think of me?

Buffy couldn’t stop her mind from racing. What was she going to tell her friends? How would she tell Giles? He promised that he wasn’t disappointed in her when he found out that the reason Angel lost his soul was because they made love. But how would he take this? Slayers didn’t get pregnant, especially not from vampires. This was impossible. This wasn’t happening.

She felt numb as she stood outside the double doors of the library. She felt as if she would stop breathing at any moment. She didn’t have a mirror handy but she was pretty sure she was pasty pale at this point. Giles would know that something was wrong the moment she walked through the doors.

As Buffy peered through the little window to the library she saw that Xander, Cordelia and Oz were already assembled with Giles. Willow was the only one missing besides herself. Buffy took a deep breath and prepared to enter the library.

Before she could open the door she heard a voice coming from behind her. “Hey Buffy,” the voice said. Buffy turned around. It was Willow. The gang was all here.

“Hey Will. How are you feeling?” She looked surprisingly well for someone who had just been in the hospital the night before.

Willow shrugged her shoulders. “I’m ok. I’ve got a little head ache but other then that I actually feel pretty rested. I slept like a baby last night with the nice drugs the doctors gave me,” she added with a small smile.

Buffy forced a smile back. “Good. I’m glad you’re ok. I don’t know what I would have done if…”

“I know Buffy,” Willow cut in. “You got there in time. That’s all that matters.” She gave Buffy a reassuring smile.

Buffy tried to keep a strong face but she nearly broke down. The father of the child growing inside of her had just tried to kill all of her friends. This was just too much.

It looked as if Willow could see it in Buffy’s eyes. She knew that something was wrong. “Buffy is everything ok? I mean I know things have been pretty messed up lately but your looking like something else is going on. Are you ok?”

Buffy shook her head as she tried to fight back on coming tears. “Nothing’s ok Will. I’m in trouble and I don’t know what to do.” Willow walked closer to her and enveloped her in a hug. The next thing Buffy knew she was letting herself go in Willow’s arms. She just let the tears flow like a rushing river. She just couldn’t hold it in anymore.


* * * *


Willow felt so bad. She had no idea what Buffy was talking about or what was going on but she knew it wasn’t good. “It’s ok Buffy,” she reassured her friend. “Whatever it is we’re going to figured it out and make it better.” Willow knew that was a stupid thing to say. It was something that everyone said when they were trying to make people feel better but it wasn’t necessarily true. There were lots of things in the world that just couldn’t be helped.

Willow wasn’t sure how long Buffy had been in her arms crying but after a while she began to slow and compose herself. Willow waited patiently, just being there for her friend. Buffy slowly pulled away and began to dry her tears. “I’m sorry Will. I just…I just couldn’t hold it in anymore.”

“It’s ok Buffy,” Willow reassured her friend. She tried to figure out what was going on. It was entirely possible that everything that had happened with Angel was just finally becoming too much for Buffy but Willow didn’t think that was it. This was something else, something very not good.

As if Buffy had read her mind she told Willow, “I know you’re probably wondering what’s up. I wanted to tell you first Willow. You’re my best friend and I always tell you everything first. But…I don’t know if I can bring myself to say it multiple times.” The slayer took a deep breath and proceeded. “Let’s go into the library. That way I can tell you all at the same time.”

Willow nodded her head empathetically. She understood that whatever this was, it was definitely big. She hoped that no one had died. After her and the others having they’re near death experience last night she didn’t know if she could handle it. She tried to give Buffy a comforting smile and then she led the way through the double doors.

Giles spotted them and walked towards them. “Willow. Xander and the others told me what happened. Are you alright?”

“I’ll be fine Giles,” Willow responded with a caring smile. He seemed very concerned about her. It was sweet. Giles was kind of old but he was still a very dear friend.

Then the watcher turned his attentions to his slayer. “And Buffy. How about you? Xander said that you had been feeling dizzy after fighting with Angel. Then Oz told me that again you felt dizzy in the hospital and they had you checked out. Is everything alright?”

Willow looked to her best friend. She looked like she was going to begin crying again. Willow felt so bad. She just wanted to make everything better. Buffy could barely even look Giles in the eyes. When she finally was able to she began to explain. “They gave me a routine check up. They said I was perfectly healthy but that they would need to take a blood sample just to make sure there was nothing seriously wrong. They…they called me this morning.” She looked down to the ground and didn’t finish.

Oh no Willow thought to herself Buffy’s sick. Something must be really wrong. This can’t be happening. What if it’s cancer? I know so many people who have died from cancer. Cancer is by far the worst. What if she has a heart problem? Heart problems are really bad too.

Giles had a look of severe worry on his face. Willow imagined that the same things going through her mind were going through his. “Buffy what is it? What did the doctors say?”

Buffy finally brought herself to look back up at Giles. Then she turned her look to Willow, then Xander and then to Cordelia and Oz. Everyone was silent waiting to hear what she had to say. Everyone looked worried and at the same time dying in anticipation. Finally Buffy looked back at Giles and pursed her lips. “I’m pregnant. They…they told me that I’m pregnant.”


* * * *


Giles was pretty sure that for a moment his heart stopped beating completely. He couldn’t take his eyes off of Buffy. He was aw stricken and for a moment couldn’t find words at all. He could hear Cordelia from behind him, “Wow.” That was the only word spoken for at least two straight minutes.

Finally, Giles was able to snap himself back into reality. “Umm…are you…I mean…are you sure?”

Buffy nodded her head in shame. It was clear that she thought he was disappointed in her which he certainly wasn’t. If anything he was baffled. As far as he knew the only man his slayer had slept with was Angel and Angel was a vampire. Vampires were incapable of creating a child weather it be with another vampire or even with a human. It just wasn’t physically possible.

“The doctor I talked to on the phone said that they’re tests are never wrong,” Buffy continued. “That’s why I’ve been nauseous lately and tired and sore when I normally wouldn’t be after patrolling. It wasn’t the stomach flu after all.”

Giles didn’t want to ask but he had no choice. It was a very personal question and he almost wished the others weren’t around but he had to know. If Buffy had somehow gotten impregnated by Angel then they may have more problems to worry about then a simple teen pregnancy. They could be dealing with a supernatural child. “And…I’m very sorry to ask this but…Angel? He was the only person you’ve ever umm…been with?”

Buffy looked him square in the eyes and said, “Yes,” very clearly and steady so as if to make sure that Giles wouldn’t think she was lying. “Angel’s the only man…he’s the only one I’ve ever slept with. And it was only the…it was only that one time.”

“I’m sorry for being dumb guy here but…is that even possible?” Xander asked as he stood from his seat around the table.

“According to science, past experiences and all of the research ever collected by the Watcher’s Council…no,” Giles answered.

“Right,” Xander responded as he sat back down. He looked even more confused then he had been before asking questions.

“Giles.” Buffy looked at him pleadingly. “I don’t understand this. I don’t understand how this happened.”

Giles looked back at his slayer with defeat in his eyes. “I’m afraid I don’t understand it either Buffy.” Then his expression changed. “But I can assure you…I will do all I can to find out how this happened.”

Willow walked to Buffy and put her arm around her. “Me too.”

Then Xander stood again and added, “We all will.” Oz and even Cordelia nodded sympathetically to Xander’s comment.

Buffy looked around at her friends and a small smiled appeared on her face. Willow smiled back at the slayer. “We’ll figure this out Buffy.”


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