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Buffy made a fast recovery from her ordeal and was released from the hospital the very next morning. Xander and Willow were there to drive her home, making a startling announcement along the way.
"Xander and I are going out on a date this weekend," Willow said with a smile, gazing lovingly at the boy next to her. "Isn't it great, Buffy?"
Buffy nodded, although it still perplexed her that Xander had made such a rapid turnaround in so short a time. She couldn't help but puzzle over it, but ultimately determined it was just one of life's little unsolved mysteries.
The rest of the week passed quickly, and Giles was back from his honeymoon before any of them knew it. Buffy called him within an hour of the time she figured he'd arrive at his apartment and invited him and his wife over for a chat.
While Willow and Xander kept Mrs. Calender-Giles occupied upstairs, Buffy took the time to introduce her Watcher to Stefanie in the cellar.
Giles and Stefanie shook hands, both a little nervous. Buffy quickly placated them by saying, "The way I figure it, Giles, is that you could take the time to train Stefanie to be a better slayer over the next few months... In the meantime, I'm taking a temporary retirement."
Giles and Stefanie paused, then looked over at Buffy in confusion. "Why?" they asked in unison.
Buffy smiled, deciding to break the news in her usual humorous way. "Congratulate me," she said. "I'm going to be a mom! In about seven months or so, to be exact."
Angel stepped up behind Buffy, putting his arms around her and holding her close. "Well, Giles," he said when the other man remained speechless. "What do you have to say?"
Giles removed his glasses briefly to rub at his eyes, something he always did when he felt a headache coming on. This all seemed a little too much for him to absorb all at once, but he chose not to raise any arguments about it. Buffy had a habit of ignoring what she didn't want to hear anyway.
"Well, I wish you both well then," Giles replied, assuming that Angel was the father. "I'm sure you two will make wonderful parents... In the meantime, Stefanie, how would you feel about starting our training tonight at the library? I'm sure Jenny... that is, my wife, won't mind the late-night disappearances once I explain it to her."
Stefanie smiled slightly. "That'd be great. I guess..." She had a few misgivings about taking up with another Watcher, remembering her own from so long ago. She could only pray that Linda's and Giles' methods of teaching weren't too dissimilar from each other, for that would make it easier.
And once Buffy's seven-month hiatus was over, Stefanie looked forward to sharing the limelight with her, And she knew that, working together, Buffy and Stefanie would be utterly unstoppable...