Fred spent most of the afternoon in her old room, pouting and scheming. Whenever her mom came to the door, Fred pretended not to hear her or pretended to be asleep. It was late afternoon when she finally had to leave the room because she was hungry. Going downstairs, she went to the kitchen and started to make herself a sandwich.
She looked out the back window and saw her dad bringing the tractor back in. With a sigh, she slipped out the backdoor and walked toward the barn. Fred looked through the door and stopped in her tracks. Wesley was working without his shirt on and she couldn't help but to stare. He was the most beautiful man she'd ever seen.
Slipping inside, Fred walked over to him and took the rake from his hand before dropping it on the floor. "God, you're hot," she purred as she hooked her fingers in the loops of his jeans. "My parents go to bed around nine and are sound sleepers. I'll be up in the attic shortly after they go to sleep." Leaning up, she gave him a quick kiss before her dad walked in.
"What's going on in here?" Roger asked, eyeing the both of them.
"Just asking my wonderful fiancee if he wants anything to drink. Want anything, daddy?" Fred asked, giving him a sweet smile.
"Just some water," Roger said, smiling at his daughter.
"Got it," she said as she started out of the barn. She looked over her shoulder and gave Wesley a wink before going toward the house.
Wesley was pretty sure he never done this much manual labor in his entire life. The Council had insisted on physical fitness, of course, during the academy - something that most Watchers let slack once they were in the field. But this...the exercise regiment they had gone through had nothing on this.
After a few hours of raking out the hay, Wesley had been forced to pull his shirt off since it was sticking to his skin with sweat. It was thankfully a bit cooler, but still, he found himself sweating rather profusely.
Roger had just left with the latest load of hay when Fred appeared, pulling him to her. He groaned slightly as she pressed against him and told him she was going to be sneaking up into the attic after her parents were asleep. There was something rather...naughty and forbidden about the idea that Fred was planning to sneak around behind her parents back, almost like they were teenagers and not the adults about to be married and have a baby that they were.
He wanted desperately to kiss her, but when Roger walked back in, Wesley took the rake and stepped back a bit. After Fred had left, his soon-to-be father-in-law looked at him for a minute before shaking his head.
"All right, I think we can do this in one more load, then we'll scrub things down."
By the time the sun started to go down, they finally finished, and Wesley gratefully went into the house to take a shower before dinner. Once they had eaten, they spent some time downstairs with Fred's parents before it was time to head to bed. Since it was clear that Roger expected both of them to go to their own rooms at that point as well, Wesley bid them goodnight and headed upstairs to the loft to find that Trish had done it up quite nicely. Lying down on the bed, he closed his eyes for a moment, wanting to stay awake but feeling quite knackered after all the work he had done...and there was more to do tomorrow.
He just wanted Fred to arrive though so he could hold her in his arms and be with her. He was used to sleeping with her.
After spending a few moments with Wesley, and knowing they would be together later, Fred was finally happy. She went back inside and helped her mother fix supper. By the time it was ready, her dad and Wesley were done and cleaned up for the evening. Once they'd finished supper, Fred sat next to Wesley and cuddled against him, not caring if her dad kept looking over at them.
When it was time to go to bed, Fred made sure her dad saw her going into her bedroom. Shutting the door behind her, she changed into her pajamas and laid on her bed. After waiting for almost thirty minutes, she quietly opened the bedroom door. The house was quiet and dark, and Fred smiled as she slipped out of the bedroom and down the hall.
Climbing up the steps to the attic, she grinned when she got to the top and saw Wesley. "Hey you," she whispered before quietly moving across the floor, not wanting it to squeak under her feet. When she got to the bed, she tugged the blanket black and climbed into the bed with Wesley. She then snuggled against him and sighed contently.
"I missed you today," she said with a small yawn. Between being pregnant, the plane ride there, and the drama of the day, Fred was starting to feel tired. "I remember a time when I could stay up all night. I think that was a few months ago." She softly laughed. "Being pregnant takes a lot out of you but I wouldn't change anything about it. I love you, Wesley."
With another yawn, she snuggled closer as her eyes started to flutter shut.
When Wesley heard Fred then felt her getting into the bed with him, he cracked an eye open, smiling at the sight of her cuddling up against him. "I missed you too," he told her softly, kissing the top of her head.
As badly as he wanted to be able to touch her and show her how much he loved her, he felt the activities of the day taking their toll. Obviously, Fred was just as tired. "I think we're both exhausted, love," he told her. "Just rest."
He ran his hand through her hair gently as he felt himself starting to drift off to sleep, something that was quite unusual for him normally. And he thought demon hunting was hard work. "Goodnight, Fred. I love you too."
The next thing Wesley was aware of was the very loud sound of someone clearing their throat. Opening his eyes, he jumped a little when he saw Fred's father standing at the top of the attic steps. He then looked down at Fred the back over to his soon-to-be father-in-law.
"Thought we said that Fred was to stay down in her room 'til the wedding," Roger said, his arms crossed.
"Well...she...she came up to see me before bed, and I think we both were so tired, we just fell asleep," Wesley stammered. It was true - they had been so tired, they had fallen asleep.
Roger raised an eyebrow. "Under the covers? That takes some situating."
Fred was in the middle of a wonderful dream about babies and Wesley and a big house when she heard someone clear their throat, and felt Wesley jump, she opened her eyes. Her dad was standing there, practically yelling at Wesley. And Fred wasn't too happy about it. Especially when her dad called Wesley a liar.
"He's not lying," Fred said as she sat up on the bed. "And you need to apologize for calling him a liar."
"You weren't supposed to be up here and--."
"I don't care! We didn't do anything! Besides, Wesley is the father of my child so I think we shouldn't be treated like little kids!" She said, placing her hands on her hips.
"If you were so mature, you'd waited until after the wedding to get pregnant!" Roger retorted.
That was it. Fred loudly growled and got out of the bed. "Let me tell you about the day your grandchild was conceived. First we had to deal with the news Angel and the rest of them were going to Wolfram and Hart. That's an evil law firm and the place that owns the dimension I was stuck in for five years. Then Wesley and I went to help someone in the sewers and he almost drowned," Fred said, her eyes filling with tears. "I almost lost him but instead of losing him, we created new life and I think that makes our unborn child pretty damn special! Things happen but I love Wesley more than I've ever loved anyone and we're going to sleep in the same bed from now until the day we die. Understood?"
"Oh, Fred," Trish whispered from the doorway, after hearing what her daughter said.
Roger took a deep breath and looked at his daughter. "I know not to fight you when you become stubborn. I...get some more rest. Your cousin is coming today and he'll help me with the rest of the barn. Why don't you take Wesley out for the day? Show him around. I'm sure he'll want to see the town you grew up in," he said as he leaned over and hugged her tight.
Her parents turned and walked out of the attic, while Fred watched them leave. Once they were out of sight, she turned and looked at Wesley. She then climbed back into the bed and cuddled close to him. "That went...well," she said with a small giggle.
When Fred got up from the bed, Wesley wanted to reach out and get her to sit down, stay calm. He didn't want anything to happen to her or the baby because she was upset with her father. But as she stood up to him, telling him exactly what happened and seeing understanding dawn on Roger's face, Wesley felt pride swelling in his heart.
This was the woman he was going to be lucky enough to call his wife.
And she was right - their child was pretty special.
Once Roger and Trish had left, Wesley reached out and pulled Fred back to him, holding her tightly. "It rather did. You're an amazing woman, Fred Burkle," he told her before kissing her deeply.
The next couple of days went by without any more comments from Roger. Fred's speech had quite obviously swayed him. The plans for the wedding unfolded with decorations going up and everyone getting ready. Finally, the day arrived. The barn was ready for the reception, and the weather had cooperated for the wedding to be held outside under a group of trees.
Wes stood in the attic, straightening his tie for what must have been the millionth time. The wedding wasn't strictly formal due to the fact that they were holding it on the farm, but he still wanted to look his best. After one last tug, he decided it was fine and picked up his jacket to put on.
"You know, when your only child's your little girl, you want to give her the world," Roger's voice came from behind him. "Ended up that she went out into it instead. But I'm glad to know that she's found someone like you to protect her in it."
Smiling, Wesley turned around and walked over to the attic entrance. "She does a fair job of protecting me as well."
"I noticed. She gets it from her momma." Clapping his hand to Wesley's shoulder, the older man grinned. "C'mon, son. Fred's gonna be ready soon, and we shouldn't keep her waiting."
Nodding, Wesley headed downstairs and outside to wait under the trees for his bride.
"Are you sure?" Fred asked as she chewed on her bottom lip.
"I'm sure, baby. It zips up just fine now," Trish told her daughter.
Fred turned and looked into the full-length mirror. The dress she was wearing was bough several weeks before. She'd been in such a rush that she had forgotten to get a size bigger in case she was showing by the time of the wedding. That morning, when she went to put it on, Fred noticed she was showing and after locking herself in the bathroom, Trish told her she'd fix the dress for her.
"Are you sure I don't look fat?" Fred as she as rubbed her slightly swollen belly.
"I'm sure." Trish smiled and then glanced out the window. "Your father and Wesley are waiting for us. We should get downstairs."
Fred nodded and followed her mother down the steps. Her dress, which was simple and white, finally fit and she was happy about that. But, there still the matter of if Wesley would think she was fat or not. She was almost afraid of going out there.
When they stepped outside, Roger came over to them as Trish went to sit down. "Ready?" he asked.
"Yes," Fred said.
Fred took her dad's arm and walked down the makeshift aisle. When they got to Wesley, she stood in front of him and looked up at him. "My dress didn't fit," she said as tears came to her eyes. She then pointed at her belly. "Was it that big when I went to bed last night? I don't remember it being that big. What if there's something wrong?!"
The longer Wesley stood out by the pastor, the more antsy he became. He wanted this to go well. After everything that had happened in their life, he wanted this to a perfect day for Fred and himself.
And he couldn't wait for the moment that Fred became his wife legally. In his heart, she already was.
Finally, Trish appeared, taking her seat at the front and giving him a smile. A moment later, Fred and her father appeared, and Wesley felt his breath catch as he looked at her. She was so beautiful. Reaching out, he took her hand as she joined him, giving her a soft smile that dropped in concern when he saw the tears in her eyes.
"Oh, love," he whispered softly, lifting his hand to gently wipe away the tears. "There's nothing wrong." He rested his hand over their unborn child before leaning over to kiss her on the lips then resting his forehead to hers. "You look absolutely beautiful, and from everything I've read, this means our child is growing, healthy and happy. Right now, I feel as though I must be the luckiest man in the world because I have both of you."
"Ahem," the pastor cleared his throat. "Usually the kissing occurs after the ceremony. Shall I begin?"
More tears came to Fred's eyes as Wesley reassured her it was okay. Deep down she knew their child was all right but she was just worried about her. She didn't want something bad to happen before they even had the chance to meet her. Fred wouldn't be able to live with herself if she caused injury to their unborn child.
"I love you," she whispered before the minister cleared his throat.
She looked over at him and nodded. She was really marrying Wesley. After everything they'd been through - Billy's blood, her making the mistake of picking Gunn, him being tricked into kidnapping Connor, Jasmine and then losing their friends to Wolfram and Hart - they were finally there and getting married. And, to make things even better, they'd created life on the day Wesley almost lost his.
Fred had been so caught up in looking at the love of her life, she hadn't heard a word the minister said.
"Fred?"
She looked over at him and then brightly blushed. "I, um...I wasn't listening," she sheepishly said, her cheeks burning even more when she heard a few people snicker.
"I asked if you took Wesley as your--."
"I do!" She loudly said before the minister could finish his sentence. She then leaned forward and kissed Wesley again, only stopping when the minister laid a hand on her arm.
She looked out the back window and saw her dad bringing the tractor back in. With a sigh, she slipped out the backdoor and walked toward the barn. Fred looked through the door and stopped in her tracks. Wesley was working without his shirt on and she couldn't help but to stare. He was the most beautiful man she'd ever seen.
Slipping inside, Fred walked over to him and took the rake from his hand before dropping it on the floor. "God, you're hot," she purred as she hooked her fingers in the loops of his jeans. "My parents go to bed around nine and are sound sleepers. I'll be up in the attic shortly after they go to sleep." Leaning up, she gave him a quick kiss before her dad walked in.
"What's going on in here?" Roger asked, eyeing the both of them.
"Just asking my wonderful fiancee if he wants anything to drink. Want anything, daddy?" Fred asked, giving him a sweet smile.
"Just some water," Roger said, smiling at his daughter.
"Got it," she said as she started out of the barn. She looked over her shoulder and gave Wesley a wink before going toward the house.
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After a few hours of raking out the hay, Wesley had been forced to pull his shirt off since it was sticking to his skin with sweat. It was thankfully a bit cooler, but still, he found himself sweating rather profusely.
Roger had just left with the latest load of hay when Fred appeared, pulling him to her. He groaned slightly as she pressed against him and told him she was going to be sneaking up into the attic after her parents were asleep. There was something rather...naughty and forbidden about the idea that Fred was planning to sneak around behind her parents back, almost like they were teenagers and not the adults about to be married and have a baby that they were.
He wanted desperately to kiss her, but when Roger walked back in, Wesley took the rake and stepped back a bit. After Fred had left, his soon-to-be father-in-law looked at him for a minute before shaking his head.
"All right, I think we can do this in one more load, then we'll scrub things down."
By the time the sun started to go down, they finally finished, and Wesley gratefully went into the house to take a shower before dinner. Once they had eaten, they spent some time downstairs with Fred's parents before it was time to head to bed. Since it was clear that Roger expected both of them to go to their own rooms at that point as well, Wesley bid them goodnight and headed upstairs to the loft to find that Trish had done it up quite nicely. Lying down on the bed, he closed his eyes for a moment, wanting to stay awake but feeling quite knackered after all the work he had done...and there was more to do tomorrow.
He just wanted Fred to arrive though so he could hold her in his arms and be with her. He was used to sleeping with her.
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When it was time to go to bed, Fred made sure her dad saw her going into her bedroom. Shutting the door behind her, she changed into her pajamas and laid on her bed. After waiting for almost thirty minutes, she quietly opened the bedroom door. The house was quiet and dark, and Fred smiled as she slipped out of the bedroom and down the hall.
Climbing up the steps to the attic, she grinned when she got to the top and saw Wesley. "Hey you," she whispered before quietly moving across the floor, not wanting it to squeak under her feet. When she got to the bed, she tugged the blanket black and climbed into the bed with Wesley. She then snuggled against him and sighed contently.
"I missed you today," she said with a small yawn. Between being pregnant, the plane ride there, and the drama of the day, Fred was starting to feel tired. "I remember a time when I could stay up all night. I think that was a few months ago." She softly laughed. "Being pregnant takes a lot out of you but I wouldn't change anything about it. I love you, Wesley."
With another yawn, she snuggled closer as her eyes started to flutter shut.
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As badly as he wanted to be able to touch her and show her how much he loved her, he felt the activities of the day taking their toll. Obviously, Fred was just as tired. "I think we're both exhausted, love," he told her. "Just rest."
He ran his hand through her hair gently as he felt himself starting to drift off to sleep, something that was quite unusual for him normally. And he thought demon hunting was hard work. "Goodnight, Fred. I love you too."
The next thing Wesley was aware of was the very loud sound of someone clearing their throat. Opening his eyes, he jumped a little when he saw Fred's father standing at the top of the attic steps. He then looked down at Fred the back over to his soon-to-be father-in-law.
"Thought we said that Fred was to stay down in her room 'til the wedding," Roger said, his arms crossed.
"Well...she...she came up to see me before bed, and I think we both were so tired, we just fell asleep," Wesley stammered. It was true - they had been so tired, they had fallen asleep.
Roger raised an eyebrow. "Under the covers? That takes some situating."
"Erm..."
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"He's not lying," Fred said as she sat up on the bed. "And you need to apologize for calling him a liar."
"You weren't supposed to be up here and--."
"I don't care! We didn't do anything! Besides, Wesley is the father of my child so I think we shouldn't be treated like little kids!" She said, placing her hands on her hips.
"If you were so mature, you'd waited until after the wedding to get pregnant!" Roger retorted.
That was it. Fred loudly growled and got out of the bed. "Let me tell you about the day your grandchild was conceived. First we had to deal with the news Angel and the rest of them were going to Wolfram and Hart. That's an evil law firm and the place that owns the dimension I was stuck in for five years. Then Wesley and I went to help someone in the sewers and he almost drowned," Fred said, her eyes filling with tears. "I almost lost him but instead of losing him, we created new life and I think that makes our unborn child pretty damn special! Things happen but I love Wesley more than I've ever loved anyone and we're going to sleep in the same bed from now until the day we die. Understood?"
"Oh, Fred," Trish whispered from the doorway, after hearing what her daughter said.
Roger took a deep breath and looked at his daughter. "I know not to fight you when you become stubborn. I...get some more rest. Your cousin is coming today and he'll help me with the rest of the barn. Why don't you take Wesley out for the day? Show him around. I'm sure he'll want to see the town you grew up in," he said as he leaned over and hugged her tight.
Her parents turned and walked out of the attic, while Fred watched them leave. Once they were out of sight, she turned and looked at Wesley. She then climbed back into the bed and cuddled close to him. "That went...well," she said with a small giggle.
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This was the woman he was going to be lucky enough to call his wife.
And she was right - their child was pretty special.
Once Roger and Trish had left, Wesley reached out and pulled Fred back to him, holding her tightly. "It rather did. You're an amazing woman, Fred Burkle," he told her before kissing her deeply.
The next couple of days went by without any more comments from Roger. Fred's speech had quite obviously swayed him. The plans for the wedding unfolded with decorations going up and everyone getting ready. Finally, the day arrived. The barn was ready for the reception, and the weather had cooperated for the wedding to be held outside under a group of trees.
Wes stood in the attic, straightening his tie for what must have been the millionth time. The wedding wasn't strictly formal due to the fact that they were holding it on the farm, but he still wanted to look his best. After one last tug, he decided it was fine and picked up his jacket to put on.
"You know, when your only child's your little girl, you want to give her the world," Roger's voice came from behind him. "Ended up that she went out into it instead. But I'm glad to know that she's found someone like you to protect her in it."
Smiling, Wesley turned around and walked over to the attic entrance. "She does a fair job of protecting me as well."
"I noticed. She gets it from her momma." Clapping his hand to Wesley's shoulder, the older man grinned. "C'mon, son. Fred's gonna be ready soon, and we shouldn't keep her waiting."
Nodding, Wesley headed downstairs and outside to wait under the trees for his bride.
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"I'm sure, baby. It zips up just fine now," Trish told her daughter.
Fred turned and looked into the full-length mirror. The dress she was wearing was bough several weeks before. She'd been in such a rush that she had forgotten to get a size bigger in case she was showing by the time of the wedding. That morning, when she went to put it on, Fred noticed she was showing and after locking herself in the bathroom, Trish told her she'd fix the dress for her.
"Are you sure I don't look fat?" Fred as she as rubbed her slightly swollen belly.
"I'm sure." Trish smiled and then glanced out the window. "Your father and Wesley are waiting for us. We should get downstairs."
Fred nodded and followed her mother down the steps. Her dress, which was simple and white, finally fit and she was happy about that. But, there still the matter of if Wesley would think she was fat or not. She was almost afraid of going out there.
When they stepped outside, Roger came over to them as Trish went to sit down. "Ready?" he asked.
"Yes," Fred said.
Fred took her dad's arm and walked down the makeshift aisle. When they got to Wesley, she stood in front of him and looked up at him. "My dress didn't fit," she said as tears came to her eyes. She then pointed at her belly. "Was it that big when I went to bed last night? I don't remember it being that big. What if there's something wrong?!"
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And he couldn't wait for the moment that Fred became his wife legally. In his heart, she already was.
Finally, Trish appeared, taking her seat at the front and giving him a smile. A moment later, Fred and her father appeared, and Wesley felt his breath catch as he looked at her. She was so beautiful. Reaching out, he took her hand as she joined him, giving her a soft smile that dropped in concern when he saw the tears in her eyes.
"Oh, love," he whispered softly, lifting his hand to gently wipe away the tears. "There's nothing wrong." He rested his hand over their unborn child before leaning over to kiss her on the lips then resting his forehead to hers. "You look absolutely beautiful, and from everything I've read, this means our child is growing, healthy and happy. Right now, I feel as though I must be the luckiest man in the world because I have both of you."
"Ahem," the pastor cleared his throat. "Usually the kissing occurs after the ceremony. Shall I begin?"
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"I love you," she whispered before the minister cleared his throat.
She looked over at him and nodded. She was really marrying Wesley. After everything they'd been through - Billy's blood, her making the mistake of picking Gunn, him being tricked into kidnapping Connor, Jasmine and then losing their friends to Wolfram and Hart - they were finally there and getting married. And, to make things even better, they'd created life on the day Wesley almost lost his.
Fred had been so caught up in looking at the love of her life, she hadn't heard a word the minister said.
"Fred?"
She looked over at him and then brightly blushed. "I, um...I wasn't listening," she sheepishly said, her cheeks burning even more when she heard a few people snicker.
"I asked if you took Wesley as your--."
"I do!" She loudly said before the minister could finish his sentence. She then leaned forward and kissed Wesley again, only stopping when the minister laid a hand on her arm.
"The ceremony isn't over with."
"Oh," Fred said with an embarrassed look.
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