Always Something There to Remind Me

Rating: PG13
Summery: Buffy never forgot IWRY, and she's just found out that even if she had...she would always carry apart of Angel with her...
Series: First in the Remember Me series
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Distribution: Rae, Alicia, Surena, Cavlise, anyone else, just let me know where it's going.
Feedback: I'd really appriciate some!
Notes: Takes place 4 months after IWRY.

I've always wondered why I never forgot the day Angel meant for me to. Now I know. The swelling of my abdomen tells me every day that even if I had forgotten, I'd always have a reminder. His child grows inside me and I know that I must tell him. I haven't told anyone, not even Willow. I've managed to hide it, wearing baggier clothes, only pigging out when no one's around, and making sure that I keep my hormones under control. A few more months though, and that'll be out.

I plan to tell them. There's no doubt about that, but I think Angel deserves to know first. Besides, I know that though Willow might take it as good news, some other Scooby Gang members, who shall remain nameless, might not.

I pull my car up in front of Angel Investigations and slowly climb out. I stand in the early morning sun for a few minutes, gathering my courage. I didn't wear baggy clothes today, and the evedence of that supposedly forgotten day was plainly visible. Cordelia would probably go nuts when I walked through the door. Squaring my shoulders, I opened the door and stepped in.

"Cordelia, is Angel here?" I say, not waisting my time. She looks up, and stares at my rounded belly. I hear her sharp in take of breathe, and give her a look, daring her to say a word. She gets the message.

"Um, yeah, I'll go get him." she says. I raise my hand and shake my head.

"I'll go to him." She points me to a door and I walk in, not bothering to knock. I've got to do this before I lose my courage and run.

Angel looks up from the picture of me he has on his desk and stares. I look down, suddenly conscious of my almost four month pregnancy. He doesn't say anything, but jestures for me to sit down. Greatfully, I take the prophered seat.

"Buffy, hi." he says quietly, his gaze coming to meet mine. I see the pain in his eyes and realize he thinks that the baby is someone elses. Duh, Buffy, of course he thinks that, I repremand myself.

"Angel, um, hi." I say, my voice cracking slightly. One hand instinctively rests on my swollen abdomen as I take a deep breath. I have to tell him now, or it'll be never. "Um, as you've noticed, I'm um, pregnant." I begin. Smooth, Buffy, I think. He just nods. "I know what you're thinking, Angel. You think that I've gone and got nocked up by some normal guy and you're blaming yourself. Newsflash, Angel, this baby,", I stop and breathe for a second, "is yours." The look on his face nearly makes me laugh. He's so surprisedthat the pencil he was previously toying with snaps in half as he hears me.

"Mine? No, Buffy, you're wrong, it can't be mine, we haven't seen each other,"

"Since thanks Giving." I whisper softly. Once again his face wears a surprised expressin. "That's right, I remember, Angel. You forgot how strong our love is and no damn oricles are going to take away memories of time spent with you."

"I, I don't know what to say." Angel says, his eyes glisten, and I think perhaps he might cry. Gees, if he does, then I'll start balling too.

"Say you'll come back to me." I whisper, my gaze pleeding. He doesn't answer, but instead, stands, moves around the desk, and pulls me into his strong embrace. Our lips meet in a tender kiss and I know in that moment that he will stay with me forever now. Nothing will keep us apart now.

"Angel?" a woman's voice comes from the doorway. I turn to see a stern looking woman standing there. I instantly dislike her.

"Kate." Angel says. "Is this important, because if it isn't..."

"She's kinda young for you isn't she?"

"I'm 19, thank you." I turn fully to look into her face and I hear her intake of breath when she sees my distended stomach. I smile sweetly. "Angel, honey, introduce me to you're friend."

"Kate, this is Buffy. She is my wife." he says. I stare at him, but quickly whipe the surprise off my face. I'll have to ask him later.

"I'll go wait down stairs." I tell him and leave.

A few minutes later, Angel appears in the living room. I'm pacing restlesly, wondering what he meant. His wife? I studdy the ring on my finger. I still wear it, and now that I am carrying his child, I plan never to take it off again.

"I guess you're wondering what I meant by you being my wife, huh?" he asks, reading me like a book.

"Actually, yes." I say, plopping down on the sofa.

"The claddagh ring I gave you on your birthday to years ago means more than what I told you. It's a simble of marriage, especially when the man places iton the woman's finger and then they consimmate their relationship." he says, his face, if possible, growing a little less pale as he remembers that night.

"Why am I not upset about this?" I wonder allowed. "Maybe I knew all along, somehow." Angel smiles at me and sits down next to me, rapping me in his arms.

"Maybe you did. I'm sorry I never told you, but some how I never found the time." he says.

"It's fine." I whisper. "All that really matters now is us and that we're together." Angel lands a soft kiss on my forehead.

"I think I'd better break some news to you as well, Buffy. I didn't find it out until after you left LA the morning after the erased day, and I didn't think I should tell you since you wouldn't remember that day. The oricles, they told me, they told me that I no longer have a curse." I stare at him and then scream happily.

"Someone up there finally decided we desrve some slack!" I cry and kiss him on the lips happily.

"Yeah, I guess someone did." he says, his eyes shining like I haven't seen before or after the day he was human.

"Do your friends know yet?" he asked.

"No, I thought you deserved to know first." I say, frowning. "But, I've got to tell them soon. I can't hide this forever. In fact, another month and everyone will know." Angel agrees with me.

We spend the next few hours talking. Discussing plans and ideas on how we can work things out. He promises that as soon as the sun sets, he and I will leave for Sunnydale and he will help me break the news to the gang. We decide that he and I will find an apartment in Sunnydale and once a month, he will return to the agency. He will leave the agency in the hands of Cordelia and Doyle and if they need him, he will leave to help. I tell him that maybe I can help some how too, but he shakes his head and tells me that he doesn't want me in danger at all during my pregnancy. Perhaps afterword, we might be able to work something out.

We call Cordelia and Doyle down and explain the whole thing. Cordelia is, surprisingly, thrilled for me, and, more surprisingly, loves the idea Angel and I thought up. Doyle, whom I hardly know, seems happy with the arrangement too. As the sun sets, we climb into my car and begin the hour long drive to Sunnydale.

We pull up in front of Giles house around 9 and I know, somehow, that the entire gang is there. We walk up to the door and in. Our sudden appearance stops all talk in the room.

"Hi, guys, I'm home." I say lamely. All eyes turn to first, my protruding stomach, and then, to Angel. "Two things, one, does that bulge mean what I think it does? And two, what's Dead-Boy doing here?" This comes from Xander who I glare at.

"Xander, his name is Angel, and yes, I'm pregnant." I brace myself for the oncoming tirade. As I expected, bvoices explode all over the room: "What?" "How?" "Who's the father?" "Buffy, do you realize the problems this imposes." I decide that it's time for Angel and I to speak. "Everyone, shut up!" The room goes silent. "Thanks." I say and nudge Angel to begin.

"The baby, is mine. When she came to LA at Thanks Giving..." As he ends the story, everyone is in awe. For once, even Xander is silent.

"This is, ah, happyy news, though I'm not sure what we shall do about the Slaying while you're away." Giles begins.

"I can handle it, with help from you guys." Angel says helpfully.

"Ah, very good then."

"So, Angel has finally nocked you up, huh?" Xander says. I know he's joking, or I'll prefer to think he is, but I walk over and wack him in the face lightly as a warning. He takes the hint. Willow stands and comes over to hug me. The others follow, even Anya. Angel and I sit and we dicuss the plans we worked out, then we tell them about the rings. Xander, again, freaks out, but not to badly. Then we tell them that we've decided to perform a real wedding ceremony, at night of course. They all seem happy for us both. Xander too, as the night goes on, seems to agree with the others.

All is right with the world, or at least it will be until we tell my mother. Oh well....I'll worry about that later. For now, I cuttle with Angel and think about our future.

On to Telling Mom