Joyce had spent the day at the gallery thinking very deeply about recent events. Her daughters life was certainly not heading where she had expected it would be heading. You have such dreams, such plans for them as they are growing, but vampires and slaying and short violent lives are never really on the list of considerations.
 
She returned home that night, after a quick trip to the market, to find Spike and Buffy cuddled up on the lounge together watching the TV. “Your legs are working ok now, Spike?” She greeted the couple.
 
“Yeah they are all fixed up now, good as new!” Spike rose from where he was seated to help Joyce with the bags of groceries she was carrying. Buffy followed them into the kitchen and when Spike put the bags down on the counter she started putting the groceries away.
 
When they were finished Joyce turned to the two blondes, “I wanted to talk to you two, why don’t we go sit down?”
 
Once they were all seated she began, “Spike, I would like to make you an offer and I want you to understand that you are in no way obligated to accept, I will understand completely if you do not. What I am trying to say is if you would like to move in here, you are more than welcome. The basement is a mess at the moment but if you and Buffy wanted to sort it out, throw out the junk and store the rest in the attic I thought you could make quite a nice room for yourselves down there and it is sunlight proof. And reasonably soundproof she added in her head. Like I said I would understand completely if you wished to maintain your independence.”
 
Buffy’s eyes lit up and she held her breath hopefully. She also didn’t want to pressure Spike into anything he didn’t want to do, however the thought of Spike being there all the time was a dream come true!
 
Spike’s breath hitched in his throat a look of absolute wonder transformed his face, softening sharp angles to create an look of almost boy-like innocence. “I … you would allow me to move in?” His voice was soft and hesitant, almost scared he had misheard.
 
Joyce laughed at the vampire’s apprehension. “Yes Spike I would like and I am certain Buffy would like for you to move in here with us.” Becoming more serious she added, “under normal circumstances I would not even so much as consider allowing Buffy to have her boyfriend move in here, let alone allow her to move into the same room as him. However as you are well aware there is nothing normal about Buffy’s life and I want her to be as happy as she can possibly be and from what I have seen you want the same thing for her. I have seen firsthand how much you and my daughter care for each other and it is my belief that with you by her side there is a very real possibility that she could live a long and happy life, which is all any mother could wish for her child!”
 
Buffy couldn’t contain herself any longer she jumped up and gave her mom a huge hug. “You know you are the best don’t you Mom?”
 
*****************
 
Over the next few days Spike and Buffy sorted through everything that had been just dumped into the basement when her mother and her had moved to Sunnydale, things that didn’t have a home or a use in their lives had been left boxed or shelved in the basement. Much of what they sorted through found itself in the trash, the rest was repacked carefully and moved to the attic.
 
They then spent their evenings, after Buffy’s patrol, packing up what Spike wanted from his crypt and moving it into their room. Carrying the large brass bed, in pieces over a number of trips, the several blocks from the cemetery to the house late at night. The basement was now transformed. Buffy thought it looked amazing, with their own lounge area with rugs decorating the floor Spike’s TV and leather chairs. Their bedroom area they had separated from the rest by hanging a large curtain from the basement ceiling to the floor so they could open or close it. Spike’s small fridge sat next to the washing machine and dryer. It was a work in progress and Spike assured her that once he arranged an agent and sold some property he had invested in in New York about 20 years ago that they would fix the room up like a palace. He also secretly had every intention of finalising Joyce’s mortgage for her, but he wanted that to be a surprise and knew Buffy would be unable to keep that from her mother.
 
Buffy had been astonished to find he had investments and when she had voiced her amazement he had laughed. “love I have investments all over the place. You don’t live a hundred and twenty odd years without comin’ into a windfall every now an’ then. One thing I can promise you pet is you will never want for anything, I intend to lavish you an' your Mum with everything you could ever want.”
 
Reaching up to stroke his cheek Buffy replied, “ I already have everything I could ever want and he is right here!” She reinforced her statement with a kiss.