Memories
By Selenay

Title: Memories
Author: Selenay
E-mail: selenay@talk21com
Summary: Buffy has a surprise for Giles.
Spoilers: Practically every major episode (oops)
Distribution: New Buffy/Giles Relationshippers, anyone else who wants it (although let me know where it's gone please).
Disclaimer: The story is mine, everything else belongs to Joss Whedon, WB, Mutant Enemy etc.
Feedback: It brightens my day, but no flames please (my frail ego can't take it)

Buffy walked into the flat and dropped her bag on the couch. She could hardly contain her excitement about her news and hoped Giles would be home soon. While she waited, she wandered around the lounge looking at the photographs and reflecting on the memories that had brought her to this moment.

One wall was affectionately termed 'Giles' memory wall'. It had photographs from all the important moments in the lives of the Scooby Gang. There was a photograph taken at the Bronze of them all on the night of the Spring Fling, when Buffy had finally killed the Master. She was wearing the white, slightly grubby, dress and they all looked a little the worse for wear. That night had haunted her for months, and it had caused a change in all their relationships.

Next to it was a photo of her, Xander, Willow, Giles and Ms. Calendar taken a few days before her disastrous seventeenth birthday. Giles and Ms. Calendar were looking lovingly at each other and the others were all grinning madly at the camera. In spite of all that had happened since, the photo reminded her of happy times and was one of her favourites.

Above that was a photo of Xander, Cordelia, Willow and Oz, taken during the summer she ran away. Although they were all smiling at the camera, she could see the sadness in their eyes at the pain she had caused them. When she left it did not occur to her how much she would hurt them. They had resolved those issues years ago now, but the knowledge of the pain she had caused so often, particularly to Giles, sometimes made her heart ache.

During the year after that there were very few significant photos taken. There were odd photos from picnics, and occasional dances, but the problems during their final year in high school had made for few photo opportunities. There was one of the entire group, including Angel, from the Prom. Giles was looking down at her with an expression of incredible love, a look she could lose herself in. The photos from their Graduation were lost in the rubble of the demolished high school, although there was a clipping from the newspaper detailing the gas explosion that had supposedly reduced the school to ashes. She was still amazed by how determined people in Sunnydale were to deny anything unusual went on there.

There was a board of photos she and the rest of the Slayerettes had put together for Giles' next birthday, detailing their 'summer of fun'. The one she liked most was taken during a late night-video fest. She had fallen asleep on Giles' shoulder and he was gazing down at her, smiling softly.

Beside the board was one of Cordelia and Xander's wedding photos. Six months after leaving LA she had returned, and two months after that the Scooby Gang had gathered for the wedding. Although she denied it, Cordelia had missed them all and wanted to come back to her extended family. She had finally forgiven Xander, and the rest was history. Xander would be graduating from college with everyone else in a couple of weeks, and he and Cordy were expecting their first child three weeks later.

Next to that was a photo of Oz and Willow at their engagement party the previous year. They planned to get married this summer, and Buffy thought they made a wonderful pair.

The last photo was Buffy's personal favourite. It was of her and Giles on their wedding day. They were looking at each other, and the expression on her husband's face always brought a tear to her eye.

Once they had worked out their feelings for each other, they had seen no sense in delaying anything. Neither of them talked about it, but they had both been afraid that something could happen to them before they had their chance. So they had married three weeks after their first kiss, and two years later Buffy had never regretted the decision for a moment.

Buffy dabbed the tears in her eyes with a tissue, and told herself off for getting emotional about photos again. She went into the kitchen and began making a pot of tea. Giles was due home any moment and she liked having a cup of tea ready for him.

As the tea brewed, she heard the familiar sound of his key in the lock and rushed to the door. He opened the door to be greeted by a blonde bundle of Slayer hurling herself in his arms. Instinctively he put his arms around her and returned her fervent kiss. After a few minutes she broke the kiss and began dragging him to the kitchen, remembering to close the door as she went.

"H-hello," Giles said shakily. Being married to Buffy could be a very energetic and surprising life. Not that he would ever complain. "Did you have a nice day?"

Buffy would never cease to be amazed at the way her husband could say such innocuous things after greetings like that. She sometimes surprised him like that just to see what he would say afterwards.

"It was great. Wonderful! Fantastic!" she said happily handing him a cup of tea.

"Has something happened.?" he trailed off as Buffy kissed him again, almost upsetting his tea.

"Are you alright?" he asked, drawing away. Even for Buffy, she seemed unusually hyper.

"We've never been better," she said.

"Good, good.we?"

Buffy nodded enthusiastically. "Yup. We. I'm pregnant."

It took a moment for her words to sink in. "Pregnant? As in, having a baby?"

"Uh-huh."

"But.how? When? What.bloody hell." He swept Buffy up into a rib-cracking (on anyone else) hug and spun her around. He set her back on the ground and she laughed up at him breathlessly.

"First question; if you don't know how then I'll have to remind you later. Later," she emphasised as she saw his green eyes darken the way she loved. "Second, about two months ago."

She leaned up and whispered in his ear. He blushed, remembering one of the afternoons a training session had become.passionate.

"Pleased?" she asked, amazed by how nervous she was about his answer.

"You have no idea how much," he assured her.

He put his hand on her still flat stomach and marvelled at the idea that a baby, a product of their love, could be living in there. For the rest of their lives they would remember this as their happiest day. The photo they took that day and hung on the memory wall was only a Polaroid, but it was the most precious of them all.

END