Willow has a date. Funny how those four little words could twist him into such knots inside. She had a date, and it wasn't some nice guy or even some nice girl that she'd met over coffee, or bumped into at one of the parks. No, this date was with one of the businessmen that she'd met while doing computer upgrades. A rich, powerful guy that was used to getting what he wanted.
Xander was pacing along the basement, which had been converted into a small gym. He felt tense, and nervous and worried. What if this rich guy wanted Willow? Like, really, really wanted her as a woman? Would this guy try... something? Would he think that his money and power gave him certain privileges?
Even though it was only a wild fear, the idea made him sick. Willow deserved someone that made her happy, not some rich perverted jerk who just sort of wanted. Well, he really didn't know if this Worthington guy was like that. Didn't really know much about him beyond he had a business, lots of money, and had decided that Willow was a computer goddess. Actually, that was pretty much almost all he knew about Emma Frost, who had also hired Willow for some computer upgrades. Ms Frost had invited Willow to her Christmas banquet, and he'd caught a look at her, and... wow. Emma Frost was gorgeous. The sort of woman that could reduce a man to drooling incoherence.
Why couldn't Willow be dating her? Dating the blonde bombshell that could probably... well, probably also have just about anything she wanted with a snap of elegantly manicured fingers. But the idea of Willow and Emma was so entirely fantasizable. Entirely wrong, and it would make Anya pretty cranky, but... Probably safer than some random rich guy.
Part of his mind was trying to offer the calming words that Willow could handle herself. They'd fought for five years in Sunnydale, even if they hadn't been very good at first. Willow knew some about physical fighting, and she had the magic, she would be able to fight if mister money tried anything. All very logical and reasonable, but it didn't make him any calmer.
"Xander, stop pacing, you're making me dizzy." Anya's voice had the faintness and annoyance that he'd learned were a feeble attempt to hide nausea.
He turned, smiling at her. They'd lived here for almost a year, being delighted in their newly-wedded bliss, and watching as Willow started her company. Anya worked for Willow, as a secretary, while Xander had a job with a construction firm. Between the two of them, things were good. And somehow, they'd managed to buy the building, a small place that had once been dozens of tiny apartments, and now had their homes, with he and Anya claiming the second floor while Willow had taken the fifth floor, with it's roof access. There was quite the little garden there now, and it was a welcome escape for all three of them. "Sorry, honey, I was just... well, worried about Willow."
"Willow is well able to take care of herself when dealing with one rich guy. If he tries anything unwelcome, she can hurt him, and make him forget all about it. Of course, she might decide that she likes him." Anya shook her head. "On the hopefully less worrying side of things, I found out why I'm not feeling well."
"Really? That's good, now we can figure out how to make sure that you're okay." Xander smiled, hugging his wife closer. She'd been feeling bad for several days now, easily tiring, feeling nauseous at odd moments, and generally listless. He was just hopign that it wasn't something terrible.
Anya giggled, her arms sliding around him, and she leaned her cheek against his shoulder. "We're going to be parents. I'm pregnant with our own little Harris spawn."
Xander blinked, his arms holding her tighter. A baby... he swallowed, feeling almost dizzy. "Pregnant? Are you... you're sure?"
"Yes. I did several tests, both those little kits that require urinating on a stick or in a cup, and a tiny magic spell that checks, and they all agree. I'm carrying the next generation of Harris spawn inside me right now. It's all... surprising and scary and it makes me sort of proud. Will I be a good mother?" Her voice was filled with tangled emotions.
"I hope so. I hope that we can be decent parents. And yeah, amazed, scared, proud and hopeful all at once. Do you want to start thinking about names?" Xander could feel himself relaxing on one count - she wasn't dying of some curse or disease, and petrified on the other. He didn't feel ready to be a parent.
It was only as they went up to their kitchen, trying to figure out if they had the ingredients for home made T'cha, something she'd gotten fond of during her demon days, that it occurred to Xander that his worry for Willow had been replaced by worry for Anya and their baby.