Prologue

            She couldn’t sleep.  His skin the color of old wax.  The dark circles under his eyes.  How he shook ever so slightly as she tied him up.  “Ugh!” she growled and kicked the covers off her feet.  He was evil.  Period.  How many times had he tried to kill her?  To kill her friends?  To kill Angel?

            So why was she having to physically force herself from running back to Giles’ and pouring him a big glass of Slayer?  Respect.  Grudging respect.  He’d been her greatest opponent.  The one she couldn’t take down.  Secretly, she liked to think he thought the same thing of her.  The one that got away…

            Her life really sucked.  School – hard.  Angel – gone.  Mom – busy.  Friends – busy.  Giles – crisis of the midlife variety.  Commandos – interfering.  The nerve of them capturing her vampire and putting a chip in his head!  It was unnatural.  And even worse it was like cheating!  That’s all those soldier boys were – big cheaters.

            Like Drusilla.  What kind of idiot cheats on someone like him?  Someone who loves with everything he has.  He went against his very nature for that vamp’s love.  He was willing to take her back no matter how horrible she had treated him.  It didn’t matter.  Nothing mattered but the love.  Spike had said it himself; he was love’s bitch.

            Buffy really admired him for that.  It was what she’d thought Angel had been once upon a time.  Loving her despite the fact that he was a vampire and she was the slayer.  Now she wondered if she hadn’t gotten that backwards.  It was the girl he had left, after all.  The girl was supposed to go out and have a normal life.  Hah!  Normal life.  Slayers didn’t get to have normal lives.  And no matter how much everyone around her tried to pretend otherwise, there was simply no separating the girl from the slayer.

Chapter 1 Honesty

            “I’ll take it,” Buffy said to Giles as she reached out and grabbed the novelty mug from him.

            He put a hand to her forehead.  “No fever.”  He looked deeply into her green eyes.  “Possessed, perhaps?”

            “Very funny,” she grumbled, stepping away from him.  “I’m just trying to be helpful girl.”  She walked out of the kitchen, leaving her watcher to shake his head in wonder.

            She gave a soft knock on the door.  “Is it okay if I come in, Spike?”  She waited for an answer.  A ‘sod off’ or anything.  Nothing.  She pushed the door open slowly.  He was simply staring at her.  She walked in, absently shutting the door behind her.  She came over to the tub and sat on its edge.

            “You possessed or something?” Spike said eyeing her warily.

            Buffy just shook her head and gave a great sigh.  Couldn’t she be helpful?  She moved the bendy straw so that he could grasp it with his mouth.

            ‘She must be possessed,’ Spike thought as he slurped at the disgusting swill they were feeding him.  Least they could do is heat it properly.  When he was done he let go of the straw and continued to stare at her.

            “Would you like some water or something?” Buffy asked as she moved to a stand.  “This stuff probably doesn’t taste right at all.”

            Possessed.  Definitely possessed.  Another thought crossed Spike’s mind.  “What are you playing at, Slayer?”

            Buffy looked at him, a tiny line forming between her brows.  Then it smoothed out as a smile graced her face.  “Nothing.  I just realized that we weren’t very hospitable to you last night.  The whole Golden Rule thing kept whispering in my ear while I was making a pitiful attempt at sleeping.  I realized that I wouldn’t like it very much if our situations were reversed and I was the one chained up in the tub.  The least we can do…”

            “Slayer, if our situations were reversed you would have been drained by now,” Spike informed her.

            Buffy just laughed.  “I know, Spike.”  She rinsed the mug out, even the little straw, and then she filled it with cold water.  He was honest.  That was one of his strange virtues.  Even when he lied, it was an honest lie.  The kind you expected of your mortal enemy.  Not like Angelus who worked on manipulation as if it were an art form to be mastered.  She turned and offered the mug to him again.  “Water?”

            Spike nodded his head and leaned as far forward as he could to suck on the straw.  Being considerably less starved this time he was acutely aware of things as he pulled the cool liquid down his throat.  He could see straight down her blouse.  Lovely golden little mounds encased in pink lace.  He finished his water and leaned back against the tub with a groan.  Great.  He had just enough blood in his system to get a hard on.  He really hoped she didn’t notice.  Hadn’t he been humiliated enough?

            Buffy had no idea what was wrong with Spike.  She felt like she’d offended him somehow.  She stood up and walked to the bathroom door.

            “Thanks, Slayer.”  The softly spoken words hit her ears just as she had shut the door behind her.  “You’re welcome, vampire,” she said just as softly to the now closed door, knowing he could hear her.

            As he listened to her walk away he wondered what the hell was wrong with him.  Getting a woody over the Slayer of all the forsaken, okay not so forsaken, creatures on the planet.  Dru was right.  He was getting soft.  He looked down at his tight jeans.  Not soft enough apparently.

Chapter 2  Sorrow

            She hadn’t brought his mug last night.  He’d heard Willow and Giles through the walls.  Apparently she’d run off to Los Angeles with intention of telling off her ex for his part in the Thanksgiving fiasco.  She was back now, though.  He could feel her.  Funny how he could feel her.  He’d been able to sense the other slayers but not like this.  This wasn’t a sense.  This was deeper than that.  Something vibrated inside of him.  He wondered how her trip went.  Gee, he hoped they’d had a swell visit.

            The bathroom door opened.  No knocking.  So much for the ol’ Golden Rule.  He waited as she closed the door and leaned against it.  He arched his neck so he could see her eyes.  She was staring past him.  Vacant.

            “Slayer?  Gonna feed me that or just give it a cuddle?”   It wasn’t that he was so eager for the pig’s blood.  It wasn’t that at all.  It was the urge to see anything but nothing coming out of those big green eyes.

            She blinked and looked a bit startled.  “Oh, yeah.  Sorry.”  She walked over and sat on the edge of the tub.  She leaned forward and placed the straw in his mouth.

             No cleavage.  Damn high-necked shirts.  Not that he wanted to see the Slayer’s cleavage.  That would be wrong.  He finished the blood and pulled away.  He hated these chains.  The least they could do is loosen them.  Course if they did that he’d get out.  Not that he had anywhere else to go, though.  He had come to them after all.  Why did they think he wanted to escape?  Isn’t that the point of asylum?  To seek it and stay in it until one was safe?  He seriously doubted it was going to be safe on the streets of Sunnydale for demons any time soon.  Not with those commandos running wild.

            He broke out of his thoughts and realized that the Slayer was still sitting on the edge of the tub.  The blank look was back in her eyes.  He knew he should leave well enough alone, but when had he ever done what he was supposed to?  “Slayer?”

            Buffy startled, nearly dropping the mug.  “Huh?”

            “Where you at, pet?”  Spike asked, knowing exactly where she was.  Los Angeles with the Poofter.  Stupid git.  How the hell did he affect women like this?

            “I’m…” Her eyes filled with tears.  A sob tore from her throat.  “I’m really stupid.”

            “You’re a lot of things, but I’d hardly say you’re stupid.”  Spike had no idea why he was trying to comfort her.  He actually did think she could be a bit stupid at times.  Let’s not forget that she’d dated his grandsire.

            She looked at him with a nearly hysterical smile, the kind that bordered on insanity.  A harsh laugh tore out of her throat.  “Don’t lie, Spike.  Not to me.  We’re above that.  We both know that when it comes to Angel, I’m stupid.”  She looked at the mug in her hands.  “He was human.  Just for a day.  We were together.  Together, together.  But he couldn’t fight a demon.  He was just a human.  So he made a deal with The Powers.  He had the day taken back, so that he could be a vampire again.  He tried to say it was so he could keep me safe.”  She got up and rinsed the mug out, filling it with water like she’d done before.

            “I wasn’t supposed to remember,” she said softly as she resumed their feeding position.  “I let him think I didn’t.  I wish I was enough for him, that our love was enough, but it isn’t.  He didn’t take that day back for me.  If that was the case he’d be here now, helping me figure out what to do about the commandos, fighting by my side.” She gave a bitter laugh.  “Keeping skanky college vamps from beating me down.”

            Spike took hold of the moment of distraction.  “A skanky college vamp beat you down, did she?”

            Buffy gave him a genuine smile.  “Oh don’t look so eager, I dusted her in the end.  Besides, I knew you’d be cranky if I let anyone but you get the best of me.”

            Spike smiled back at her.  His first real smile in he couldn’t remember how long.  “Damn straight.  You’re my Slayer to kill.”

            “That’s just it.  That’s how I feel.  It’s why I’m so mad at those stupid commandos,” she informed him.  “You’re my vampire.  Not only did they touch what’s mine, they broke you!”  She saw him wince.  “Sorry, it’s just that now you can’t fight me.  You know what I’m saying?”

            He did.  He knew exactly what she was saying.  He closed his eyes and nodded.  “Right back at ya, Slayer.”

            Buffy laughed and stood up.  “Yeah, yeah.  Don’t go getting a bigger head over this.  Wouldn’t want you to think you’re special or anything,” she teased as she walked out of the bathroom.

Chapter 3  Bonding

            “What?  You’re going?  I thought we could have some girl time,” Willow said sadly.

            “There’s nothing I’d rather do Wills, but I have to find Spike.  He’s out there all alone.  He’s completely helpless against those commandos.”  Buffy explained as she grabbed her stuff.  “We can finish this talk later, I promise.”  She was out the door before Willow could answer.

            Buffy had made it no more than a few yards outside of her dorm when she came across the escaped vampire.  “Whoa!  That was easy.”  She came up to him and grabbed him by the arm. “Are you crazy!” she hissed.  “Do you want to be recaptured?”

            Spike looked at her with a world of frustration and desperation shining out of his eyes.  “No.  No I don’t bloody well want to be recaptured!  I just…” he fell to his knees in despair.  “I just want them to fix me!”

            Buffy came up behind him and pulled him to a stand.  “We have to go, Spike.”

            “Don’t wanna be locked back up,” he said petulantly as he let her lead him away.

            Buffy had an idea.  “Well, how about some heavy duty girl time.  Bet you’ve never sat around eating ice cream and convincing an exceptionally whiny human female that her life isn’t over!” 

            Spike just looked at her like she’d gone crazy.  “Was more of the convincing them that their life really was over type,” he sighed regretfully.

            Buffy held on tighter to his arm.  She wasn’t comforting him.  She was just making sure he didn’t get away and get himself hurt.  Yep.  She led him up the steps into the dorm hall.  “Willow’s pretty shook up about Oz.  She wants to spend some best friend time.  I thought you could join us.  The two of you can whine about the ruination of your existences and I can be the sympathetic listener.”

            Spike smiled a half smile.  The kind that doesn’t reach your eyes.  “So we’re best friends now, are we?”

            Buffy laughed and pulled him against her so that they bumped hips.  “The very best in the whole wide world.  Later we can do our nails and hair,” she teased.

            Spike put a hand up to his bleached locks and then looked at what remained of his nail polish.  “Well… as long as we’re playing pretend.”

            Buffy shrugged.  “Sure, why not.  Might take Willow’s mind off of you know who,” she said as she opened the door to the room.

            “Oz,” Willow’s voice echoed throughout the room.  “You can say his name.  He’s Oz.  Even if he isn’t my Oz, he’s still Oz.”

            Buffy gave Spike a ‘you see what I’ve been dealing with look’.  He gave the slightest of nods as he took off his duster and threw it over a chair.  He walked over to Buffy’s bed and threw himself on it.  He closed his eyes an ecstasy, letting out a moan of pure pleasure.

            Buffy felt a shaft of guilt pierce her heart.  She came over and sat down on the end of the bed, nudging his feet to make room.  “Spike, I’m sorry about the bathtub.  That can’t exactly be the most comfortable of places to sleep.”

            Willow looked at them.  “You know what’s comfortable?  Oz.  Sleeping against Oz is comfortable.”  Her eyes welled up with tears and she pulled out a tissue.

            Spike opened his eyes and looked at the heartbroken witch.  “I’m sure the Slayer’s said this to you a time or two, but it does get better.  It still aches.  Sometimes more than others, but it gets better.  One morning you wake up and you can actually see that it’s possible to have a life without her.”  He closed his eyes again.  “Course then you get captured by government goons and they take away your very existence, leaving you nothing but an impotent fool who lives in your enemies bathtub,” he groaned.  “Slayer, please, if you have any compassion just stake me!”

            Willow sat up, emboldened by the pain of another, solidarity striking her passion.  “Spike, they haven’t taken your existence.  You are you.  No one can take that away from you.”

            Buffy pulled off Spike’s boots.  She had absolutely no idea where Willow was going with her little declaration.

            Spike felt the Slayer removing his boots.  For one second he thought it might actually be for his comfort, but then he realized he was probably getting mud all over her bed.  He thought about what Willow had said.  “I’m me.  But who am I?”

            “Everyone asks that.  I mean that’s the questions isn’t it?”  Willow leaned forward; she was really starting to get into this. 

            “I suppose.  There’s always the ‘to be or not to be’ question as well,” Spike said as he turned on his side and rested his head on his elbow.

            Willow gave him a Bill the Cat ‘pffttht’!  “That question’s for wusses!  We’re above that.  We’re at the ‘who am I’ stage.  We’re two people who have to decide who we are without our significant others.  Where once we defined ourselves as a couple, we now stand alone.  It’s huge.  This is a big moment for us.”

            Buffy got up from the bed and grabbed a few dollars off the nightstand.  “I’m just going to go out and get some drinks.  I’ll be right back,” she said quietly as she quickly left the dorm.

            Spike turned to look at Willow; so lost in her own grief that she’d forgotten about that of her friend’s.  “Red, not trying to lesson what you’re feeling, but I think you just hurt the Slayer.  She knows a thing or two about losing love.  She knows better than either of us.  She sent her love to hell to save the world, and then she had to watch him walk out of her life,” he reminded her, silently adding ‘twice’ in his head.

            Willow cried, “Oh goddess!  I’m a bad friend.”

            “Not a bad friend, pet.  Just grieving.  Thought I should remind you is all.”  Spike turned back over and stared at the ceiling.  Here he was in a girl’s dorm room, lecturing them on life and love.  He really had sunk to an all time low.  Still, it was a hell of a lot better than the Watcher’s bathroom.  Now that sucked.

            Buffy came back in the room with several soda cans in her hands.  “Hey guys.  Didn’t know what everyone wanted.  Hope these are okay.”  She sat the cans down on the nightstand.

            “I’m sorry, Buffy.  When I was talking to Spike.  I should have included you.  I didn’t mean to act like what you went through wasn’t important.”

            Buffy looked at Spike knowingly.  “It’s okay, Will.  I get it.  You’re hurting.  You get a lot of ‘get out of jail free’ cards when you’ve just had your heart broken.”

            A look of horror came over Willow’s face and a sob tore out of her throat.  “You didn’t.  We didn’t cut you any slack at all.  We ganged up on you and told you how irresponsible you were.  I am a horrible friend!”  Willow broke down completely. 

            Buffy went over to Willow and pulled her into her arms.  “You are not a horrible friend.  Geesh!  Enough with the guilt.  Just work on dealing with the heartbreak.  Unless of course the guilt distracts form the heartbreak, then by all means – guilt away.”

            Spike looked at the two girls.  He wondered what the witch had been going on about.  What had those prats done to his Slayer?  The startling sound of the phone ringing in the tiny room distracted Spike from his thoughts.  He reached over and picked up the receiver.  “’Lo?”

            “Spike?” Giles asked.

            “Yeah, ‘s me.  What’s up?”  Spike picked out one of the soda cans and popped the tab.  Man, he wished he had some liquor to add to this.  He’d enjoy this bitch session a lot more with alcohol.  

            “Why are you at Buffy’s?” Giles asked.

            “Cause she found me, like always, and brought me here.  She and the witch are having a heart to heart.  I’d hand the phone to you but I think they need to do this.  There’s tears and everything.  I’ll have the Slayer call you when there’s a lull in the storm, alright?”  Spike hung the phone up, not waiting for an answer.  He spotted the mini-fridge and got up to investigate.  Sadly, there was no alcohol. 

            He turned to the sniffling friends.  “Oi!  Where’s the beer?  Or wine coolers at least.  Innit what you college girls are supposed to drink?”

            Buffy just rolled her eyes.  “You’re out of luck.  No drunken Spike’s tonight.”  Buffy jumped up and ran over to the small box.  She pulled out a gallon of ice cream.  “This is so much better than beer!  We’re done with the crying portion of the evening and now we are moving onto the eating, watching chick flicks portion.”  She looked at his nails.  “Sometime after that we usually move on to the personal grooming portion.”

            Spike just shrugged and followed her back to the bed.  It wasn’t a bathtub.  Anything was better than a bathtub, he told himself as he took a seat beside the Slayer leaning against the bed.  She had three spoons in her hand.  He tried to squash down the warm feeling that stole over his heart at the realization that she willing to dip her spoon into the same carton of ice cream as a vampire like him.  He thought about these last couple of days.  She’d gone out of her way to treat him like a man.  He took the spoon from her and dug in.

Chapter 4  Discovery

            Spike was admiring his newly blackened nails as he and Buffy headed back to the Watcher’s when out of nowhere two big demons pulled the Slayer into an alley.  He watched as she fought with everything she had.  She was poetry in motion.  Her every move sure and powerful.  Unfortunately she didn’t have the nifty little weapons the big bads were carrying.  Spike winced as he saw a blade slice across the Slayer’s stomach.  It wasn’t a deep cut, but she bent over slightly for the barest moment and that’s when a meaty fist descended upon her head, knocking her to the ground.

            Spike didn’t think.  He merely reacted.  He launched into action as he saw one of the demon’s feet raise in the air to crush her skull.  He fell upon the demon, teeth bared, claws out.  He was like an animal, instinctively protecting what was his.  The world narrowed into flesh and blood.  There was no alley.  There was no U.S. government with its handy technology.  There was only ripping and tearing and gnashing.  After what felt like an eternity and yet like no time at all, he felt a little hand rest upon his shoulder.  He immediately grabbed the hand and flung the holder over his shoulder and onto the hard ground.  “Aughh!” he screamed in pain as he fell to his knees.

            Buffy realized her mistake as soon as she felt the shoulder underneath her fingers tense.  Too late, she was flying.  She landed with a thud and had to wait for a fraction of a second as her body remembered how to breathe again.  She came to her feet and rushed to Spike’s side.  She held him against her breasts and rocked him back and forth, not having any clue how to lesson the pain in his brain.  “Shhh… it’s okay.  It’s okay.  I’ve got you.”

            Spike felt the softness underneath his cheek and heard the kind words being uttered in his ringing ears.  The pain began to lessen.  Once it receded to a dull, throbbing ache he attempted to come to a stand.  Strong arms wrapped around his waist and aided his endeavor.  “Thanks, pet,” he croaked.

            “Thank you for saving my life,” Buffy gave a glance at the mutilated bodies of the creatures who had attacked her.

            Spike looked down at the carnage.  “Funny, I don’t remember the chip firing until I threw you.”

            “Spike, I believe we just had the first bit of good news in a long time,” she said looking into his oh-so-blue eyes.  “You can hit demons!”

            Spike’s face exploded into a smile.  “I can hit demons!  The big bad is back!” he yelled, his headache all but forgotten.  He picked Buffy up and twirled her around, laughing all the while.

            “Let’s go tell Giles!” she squealed.  He sat her down and she felt an immediate sense of disappointment at the loss of his touch.  She gave herself a mental reminder that she and Spike were enemies.  Enemies who respected one another but enemies nevertheless. 

            Spike looked at the sky.  He knew dawn was coming soon.  “Wish we could patrol, but the sun’s gonna be up right quick,” he said wistfully.  “Alright, luv, let’s wake the Watcher.”

            They resumed their journey to Giles’ with renewed vigor.  They walked closely, their hands brushing occasionally as they swung at their sides.  Both hoped the other didn’t notice that there was a bit of purpose to the seemingly random touching.

            “So what time tomorrow do we meet for patrol?” Spike asked as they reached the wooden front door.  He was bouncing a little on the balls of his feet.  It was so damn cute.

            Buffy smiled at him.  “How’s eight-o-clock sound to you?”

            “Sounds like a date, Slayer,” he told her as he opened the door to let them both in.

            Buffy looked at him oddly as he shut the door behind them.  “Did Giles give you a key?”

            Spike laughed.  “As if!  I escaped, or don’t you remember?  Nope.  Opening doors is just one of my specialties,” he said suggestively.

            Buffy just shook her head with a smile.  The old Spike was shining through now that he found he wasn’t completely impotent.  At one time such a comment would have made her grimace, but now she just found it charming.  Once again she had to remind herself whom she was dealing with.

            Spike grabbed her hand and drug her up the stairs to Giles’ loft.  He jumped on the bed, pulling the slayer with him. 

            Giles was jarred awake by the pouncing.  He immediately reached under his pillow for the dagger he kept there before realizing it was Spike and Buffy.  “Oh, it’s just you,” he said in relief as he relaxed back into the pillows.  “Wait a moment,” he mumbled.  He reached out a hand to find the glasses he’d set on the nightstand.  He slipped his glasses on and looked at the pair in front of him.  “Apocalypse I assume?”

            “Nah, nothin’ like that, mate.  The Slayer and I have news ‘s all,” Spike told him.

            “Its really good news,” Buffy added.

            Giles’ pushed himself into a sitting position.  “Alright, what is it, dare I ask?”

            Spike grabbed Buffy’s hand and pulled it to his chest.  “Buffy and I are getting married.”

            Buffy tried hard not to laugh at Spike’s unexpected announcement.  She let him keep her hand and his fun, however, and managed not to break out in giggles.

            Giles immediately began to splutter.  “How?  What?  How?  It must be a spell!”

            “Calm down, old man, I’m just havin’ at ya.  No, I found out tonight that I can hit demons!”  Spike waited for the Watcher’s enthusiasm.

            “Isn’t it great!”  Buffy yelled.

            Giles placed a hand over his heart.  “Yes, it certainly… Why exactly is that so great?”  He was having trouble recovering from the previous announcement.

            “I’m not toothless!  I can fight.  I’m still the big bad!  Demons beware!”  Spike yelled, finally releasing the Slayer’s hand as he jumped off the bed.

            “See, this is how’s it’s going to be,” Buffy informed her still shocked Watcher.  “Spike’s gonna help.”

            “Yeah, I’m gonna help rid the world of evil.  Gonna make this town safe for the sake of Christmas and… and puppies!”  Spike declared, knowing damn well he would be doing it for the sake of the girl still sitting on the bed.  He caught her glowing face out of the corner of his eye.  He had to mentally will away a hard on at the site of her flushed face amongst rumpled covers.

            Giles got up out of his bed, reaching for his robe and slipping it on.  “Why exactly would you want to do this Spike?  Don’t you dare mention puppies or Christmas again.  The truth.”

            “I need to fight.  It’s a part of who I am, a part of being a vampire.  If I can’t fight for evil, then I’ll fight for good,” he told Giles.  “Besides, Slayer’s been right good to me during this whole thing.  I’d rather align myself with you lot, then Angelus’ that’s for damn sure!” he exclaimed.

            Buffy threw a pillow at him.  “Don’t even suggest such a thing!”  She came to a stand with another pillow in her grasp.  “You’re my vampire, remember?” 

            Spike watched her advance; he had the pillow she’d thrown at him firmly in his grasp.  He really hoped this didn’t give him a headache, but he could see the gleam of intention shining behind her eyes.  He knew very well when a predator was coming at him.

            Buffy saw the way Spike was watching her and she knew he realized her intentions.  Good.  This would be a fair fight.  She gave a brilliant smile as she dove forward and used her arms to haul the pillow hard against his midsection at the same time.  She loved the little ‘oof’ she heard him give as the pillow landed its mark.

            Spike lifted his pillow in the air and thought ‘here goes nothing’ as he hit it hard against the top of the Slayer’s head.  Nothing.  No pain.  He let out a war cry and the fight began in earnest.

            Giles shuffled down the stairs, still far from having enough sleep.  He sincerely hoped they’d clean up the feathers when they were done.  One tiny white speck floated gently down and landed on his nose.  “Only my slayer,” he said quietly to himself.  “Only my slayer would be having a pillow fight with a vampire in her watcher’s bedroom.”  He turned the fire on under the kettle.  Tea would be good about now.

Chapter 5  Surprise

            Willow and Xander were sitting on the couch.  They’d been griping for the last half hour about how much time Buffy was spending with Spike.  The two had patrolled together every night since Spike’s big discovery.  Giles was trying to be understanding, but really couldn’t they possibly grasp how nice it was for Buffy to have someone as equally strong as herself when she went on patrol?  He spared a glance for Anya who was happily sitting on the couch eating popcorn and ignoring the others.

            Giles was about to reach for a handful of the popcorn himself when there was a knock at the door.  Strange.  Spike never knocked.  Ever.  He saw the eyes of the young people in the room on him, and he just shrugged.  He walked over to the door and pulled it open.

            “Angel,” Giles said warily as he caught sight of the big vampire.  Angel visits never boded well.

            “Hello, Giles.  May we come in?” the dark haired vampire asked.  Beside him a small man dressed very plainly in a navy blue long-sleeved shirt and matching pants stood.

            “Do I need to invite the both of you in?” Giles asked.

            Angel stepped through the door and gently pulled the stranger in after him.  “No need.  I was just trying to be polite.”

            “Very well,” Giles muttered, shutting the door behind them.  He led them into the leaving room.  “Please take a seat.  I assume, after the way things happened the last time, that you will be consulting Buffy on whatever it is that you are about to lay upon us.”

            “Yes, of course.  It’s actually Buffy that I need to discuss this with,” Angel told him.  “Where is she exactly?”

            “Out patrolling with her new best friend!” Xander exclaimed.  He wrenched the popcorn bowl out of Anya’s hands and into his own, taking a heaping handful into his mouth.

            In the darkened cemetery, two warriors stood back to back, clad in leather, blonde hair shining.  “You ready?” the male asked.

            “Hell yeah,” the female answered.

            They’d come upon a ring of vampires and were currently surrounded.  They weren’t worried.  There was no need.  Each was a seasoned warrior, strong in their own right, but together they were a force to be reckoned with.  The vampires advanced as one.  It was a blur of kicks and jabs.  They never once moved from their place of support, their backs staying guarded.  As the fight wore on the dust became thick.

            “Oi, Slayer, need to get us some goggles for fights like this!” Spike yelled, having the time of his life.

            “Please!  As if I’d be seen in goggles!”  Buffy kicked the opponent on her right in the ribs, causing him to fall backwards with a curse.  Then she staked the one in front of her.  She waited patiently for the fallen vamp to try his luck again.  He didn’t disappoint.  Soon, he was adding to the flurry in the air.

            Buffy turned to see Spike stake his last.  “I beat you!” she yelled in glee.

            “The hell you did,” Spike defended himself.  “I had seven, luv.  You only had six.”

            “Six?  I so had seven.  How would you even know?  It’s not like you have eyes in the back of your head!” she exclaimed. 

            Spike gave her a raised eyebrow.

            She laughed.  “Eww, that would just be gross!”

            “Some demons do you know.”  He said as he looked for any stakes that didn’t crumble to dust.  They went through more stakes.  It really annoyed the lesser Scoobies who were forced to do the whittling.  Not that Spike thought of himself as the greater Scooby.  He may help the Slayer, but he sure as hell wasn’t willing to join her little club.  Plus, he’d felt some seriously negative vibes coming form her friends lately.

            Buffy picked up the last of the fallen stakes.  “Well, I say we call it a night.  If I don’t get back in time to watch a few movies with the gang I’m never going to hear the end of it.”

            “They been giving you a rough time?” Spike asked.  He knew they had.  He could always hear them, no matter how much Buffy tried to shush them.  The whelp he could care less about, but the fact that Willow felt threatened by him actually bothered him.

            “A little, yeah.  They just don’t understand why I like to patrol and stuff with you,” Buffy explained, thinking it was the ‘and stuff’ they just didn’t get.  She liked hanging out with Spike.  He was really funny.  She was learning to appreciate his taste in movies and music.

            “Maybe we should just stick to patrolling then, pet.”  Spike wished the words back in his mouth as soon as he’d said them.  He loved patrolling with her.  They were truly amazing together as fighters, but he thought they were even more amazing together as friends.  If someone had told him that he would be friends with the Slayer someday, he would have said they were nutters.  Of course Dru had said as much in her own way, but then again – point restated.

            Buffy bumped into him on purpose.  “Not gonna happen, bleach boy!”  He bumped her back.  “You are stuck with me.  You’re gonna have to admit that you’re friends with the Slayer,” Buffy sing-songed.

            Spike huffed in annoyance, “The burden one man must bear.”

            “I’ll show you burden buster,” she warned as she jumped on his back.  “Now, I’m a burden.  You’ll have to give me a ride all the way back to Giles’.  Be a good horsey!  Giddy-up!”  She made clicking noises with her mouth.

            Spike thought about bucking her off, but the feel of her legs wrapped around his waist and her sex pressed up against his back was way too good.  He gave a little neigh and took off.  He ran all the way to Giles’ with Buffy laughing hysterically the whole way.  He pushed open the door as usual and galloped on in with his rider still in place and still giggling.

            Angel had thought he felt Buffy’s approach, but it was mixed in with another feeling and coming out a bit distorted, and then the sound of her laughter had reached his ears and he’d broken out in a smile.  It was so good to hear her laugh.  He lost the smile completely, however, as soon as the door came open.  “What the hell is going on?” he yelled as he came to a stand.

            “Angel!” Buffy cried still perched atop Spike’s back.  She saw her former lover take a step forward and she launched herself over Spike’s head, coming to land in front of him, protecting his heart from any flying bits of wood that Angel might have on him.  “What are you doing here?”

            “I came to talk with you.  There’s something we need to discuss,” he told her.  He couldn’t get past the image of her on Spikes back.   “Why were you riding Spike, and for that matter what the hell is Spike even doing here?”

            “Oi, don’t yell at the girl, peaches,” Spike said. 

            “She doesn’t need you to defend her, Spike!” Angel yelled.

            “That’s what I keep saying,” Xander offered his opinion; glad someone besides Willow finally shared it, even if that someone was another member of club-dead.

            “Actually, I do.  Every night.  Every night I need him to defend me.”  Buffy moved until her back was against Spike’s chest.  Just his touch gave her courage.

            Spike had to forcefully keep his hands at his side.  He wanted nothing more than to wrap Buffy up and keep her from whatever bullshit his stupid grand-sire was about to shove on her.  Didn’t she have enough to deal with?  Was he the only one who saw what this amazing girl went through day after day?

            “No, Buffy, you don’t.  You’re the Slayer.  You don’t need anyone to protect you, let alone an evil creature like Spike.  He still is evil, right?  They weren’t handing out souls at the liquor store or anything?” Angel snarked.

            Buffy bristled at the not so hidden comment Angel was making on Spike’s drinking habits.  “That is none of your business, Angel.  Now, why are you here?  I thought we agreed not to do this again.”

            Angel actually looked contrite.  “I know, but this…” He pointed to the man still seated on the couch.  “This is Brother Brahms.  He’s a monk from…” he trailed off.  “I really need an explanation for Spike, and then I need to talk to you alone.  Please, Buffy, this is important.  I wouldn’t be here otherwise.”

            Buffy felt herself relenting.  It was the look in his brown eyes.  It wasn’t fair that a grown man have the eyes of a kicked puppy.  “Spike is here because he helps me patrol.  He’s still evil.  He doesn’t have a soul.  The reason he helps is personal, however, and it’s up to Spike to share it with you if he wants.  Just know that every night he is out there watching my back.  I do need help.  Being the chosen one just gets you dead.  It’s having friends that’s kept me alive this long.”  Buffy turned to look at her friends.  “I’m sorry, guys.  I know I haven’t been spending as much time with you as I used to, and I am going to work on that.  I really am.”

            Willow’s face lit up.  “Spike can hang out too, you know.  I just miss being your best friend.”

            Spike gave the redhead a smile.  Good.  He was glad she wasn’t mad at him anymore.  “I’d like that, Willow.  Thanks.”

            “Thank you, Willow.  That means a lot to me,” Buffy said.  “I’d give you a big hug, but I don’t trust Angel not to hurt Spike.”

            Angel felt that one deep in his heart.  How could she not trust him?  “Buffy, I still need to talk to you alone.”

            She turned to look at Spike.  “He’s not all evil again is he?” she whispered.

            “No, luv,” Spike assured her.  “I’ll just toddle off to my room.”  Giles had turned a small room that he’d used for storage into a bedroom for the vampire.  Spike looked at the rest of the Scoobies.  “You lot care to join me?  I’ve got a VCR.”

            Xander just glared at him.  Anya hopped up and grabbed the movies.  Willow stood in support.

            “Xander, it would be for the best,” Giles said.

            The young man nodded finally and got up, following the others down the hall. 

            When they heard the door shut, Angel turned to the love of his heart.  “Buffy, you might want to sit down for this.”

Chapter 6  Ability

            “Buffy, Brother Brahms is a monk from a holy order in Vienna.  They are part of a much bigger group who are sworn to protect an ancient power from being used to open a gate from our world to that of a hell dimension.  He was in Los Angeles seeking a lost text when I rescued him from a demon attack.  He saw your picture in my… well… anyway he saw a picture of you and recognized you as the Slayer.”  Angel was twisting his hands nervously.  He really didn’t know how to say what he was about to tell her.

              “Go on…” Buffy prompted.  She really just wanted to be in the other room watching movies with her friends, maybe getting in a seemingly inadvertent cuddle with Spike, their knees barely touching, elbows barely brushing, shoulders... 

           “The monks are working to turn this power human.  They were planning on giving it to you to protect.”  Angelus said.

            “Okay,” Buffy opened up her palm.  “Hand it over.”

            The monk laughed.  “It is not that simple.  In order to hide the Key, that is what we call this power, from the hell-god who would use it, we plan to turn the Key human.  We were going to make her from your essence and place her as your sister.  The world would be supplied with memories of her from conception to the present.  You would have never known the difference.”

            Buffy shuddered.  She hated the idea of someone messing with her memories like that.  It was just wrong.  Way wrong.  “Well, I’m glad you’ve tossed that idea out the window.  Messing with people’s memories is definitely of the bad.”  She pointed an accusatory finger at the very composed man sitting beside Angel.

            Angel had to shut down his guilt at the thought of what he’d done to her memories recently. “After talking with me, Father Brahms and the other monks feel that it might be best to take a more natural approach.  The one problem with inserting the Key as a fully grown human is that people with the ‘sight’, lunatics and holy men and women, would possibly be able to see her as only a green glow of energy,” Angel explained.  Here came the hard part.  “If they were to make her naturally, in other words insert the essence of the key into a naturally conceived child, the child would be seen as merely human.”

            “Okay, creepy and somehow still wrong, yet a little less wrong.  I mean so long as everyone agrees.  You know, the parents and everything.”  This was starting to make Buffy’s head spin.

            “That’s the other thing.  An average human isn’t strong enough to house so much power.”  Angel looked down at the ground.

            “You… no.  You aren’t seriously suggesting that I have some super baby or something, are you?”  Buffy came to a stand.

            “Calm down, Buffy,” Angel stood up and walked over to her.  “The Key will be made from you whether you are willing or not.  Either way you will grow to love this person.  Now, it’s up to you to decide whether you want this innocent human to have the best chance of survival or not.”

            “The sake of the world lies in your answer, Miss Summers,” the monk told her.

            Buffy gave him the evil eye.  “Like that’s something new,” she mumbled.  Buffy moved away from Angel.  He was making her feel overwhelmed with his hovering.  She started pacing.  She thought of something.  “Wait a minute.  Who would be the father?”

            Angel looked back down at the ground again.  “That’s where I come in.”

            Buffy just laughed.  “Your boys are totally dead.  Think again.”

            Angel looked up at her, offended by her wording.  “They have a potion.  Father Brahms has it with him now.  I drink it, and for a period of forty-eight hours my boys, as you so eloquently called them, are alive.”

            Buffy just closed her eyes.

            In the other room the humans were staring at the television screen in front of them.  It was some movie about a giant snake.  Spike wasn’t paying attention.  His vampire hearing had made him privy to everything going on in the other room.  His stomach sank at Angel’s words.  Fuck.  He had no chance.  No chance at all.  He’d thought with time, maybe the Slayer could grow to like him enough to think of him as a man and not just a vampire.  It looked like time had just run out.  Her true love was back and apparently armed.  Fuck.

            Back in the living room Buffy opened her eyes.  She reached out her hand again.  “Give me the potion.”

            Angel exhaled a sigh of relief.  “You’ve made the right decision.  She needs a father who can protect her just as much as her mother.  I’m really proud of you, Buffy.  You’ve turned into quite a wise…”

            “Yeah, yeah.  I know.  I’m all with the wisdom.”  She pushed Angel and Father Brahms towards the door.  “You guys can leave now.”

            Angel just looked at her.  “The potion doesn’t work on you Buffy.”

            “No, duh.  Thanks for the potion.  Thanks for handing me a child I have to worry about getting killed by a hell-god.  It’s every young woman’s dream.  Now, leave.”  She really needed them gone.

            “Buffy I have to be here,” Angel protested.

            “Somehow I don’t think Spike would like that Angel,” Buffy informed him as she pushed them ever closer to the door.

            “Spike!”  Angel yelled.  “What the hell does he have to do with it?”

            “Well, I haven’t exactly asked him yet, but I was thinking he might like to help me save the world again.  He’s really kind of good at it,” Buffy replied.

            Angel stepped menacingly toward her.  “You have lost your mind!” he growled.

            “Back off, Angel,” Spike’s warning growl sounded from the hallway.  His heart had soured at his Slayer’s words.  He wasn’t all that excited about having a child just to stop some hell-god, but one thing was for sure – no one had ever chosen him over Angel.  No one.

            Buffy realized that Spike had heard the entire conversation.  She blushed deeply.  “I was going to ask you.  I mean, I realize that you probably find the idea of having sex with me disgusting, slayer and all, but…”

            Spike walked over and pulled her against him for a searing kiss.  “Disgusting is definitely not the word I would use, cutie.”

            She smiled up at him, still blushing.  “I suppose this belongs to you then, champ.”  She slipped the potion into his hands.

            Spike held it up to the light, still keeping Buffy firmly wrapped in his arms.  “Nifty.”

            Angel felt his demon come to the surface.  He made a grab for the potion.  “Over my dead body!”

            “That can be arranged.  Again,” Buffy warned him, placing a hand against his chest.  “Listen.  I’ve seen what you do when you lose your soul.  I also know that when you were turned you sought out your family first during your little slaughter fest.  You never loved.  You weren’t capable of it.  Spike, on the other hand loves like no other I’ve seen.  He went against his very nature for the sake of his love.  Can you honestly tell me that he isn’t the better man for this?”

            Angel sobered.  His bones shifting back to his human guise.  She was right.  It killed him, but she was right.  He nodded his head and stepped back.  “You’re right.  If I lost my soul, the child is the first thing I’d go for, followed by the mother.”  It was perhaps the hardest thing he’d ever said.

            Buffy placed a comforting hand on his arm.  “I’m sorry, Angel, but I have to do what’s best.  It’s my job.  I’m all wise and responsible, remember?”

            He gave her a shy smile.  “I remember.”

            Xander, Anya, Willow, and Giles came out of the bedroom just then for a snack refill.  “So what’s the what?”  Xander asked as he reached for a bag of corn chips.

            “I’m going to have Spike’s baby,” Buffy announced.

Chapter 7  Responding

            The chips Xander had just put in his mouth spluttered right out and all over his unsuspecting girlfriend.

            “Eww, Xander, watch the regurgitation!  Humans!” she huffed as she walked over to the sink to get a towel.

            Giles smiled and reached for an Orangina.  “Very funny.  Not quite so amusing as the time you told me you were engaged, but still clever.”

            “No, seriously.  Spike and I are going to have a baby.  It’s to save the world.”  Buffy told them.  “Angel and this monk guy can tell you more about it than I can.”

            Spike pulled Buffy by the hand.  “Need to talk to you for a moment, Slayer.”

            Buffy felt a strange sensation in the pit of her stomach.  What if he’d changed his mind?  What if he didn’t really want to have a baby with her?  Not that she could blame him.  She was his mortal enemy after all. 

            Spike led her into his bedroom and shut the door.  “I have a condition.”

            A condition?  Conditions were good.  That meant he was still considering it.  “What condition?”

            “I want to be a part of her life.  Not just gonna make a deposit.  I’m not like that.  I keep what’s mine,” he warned.

            Buffy’s smile lit up the room.  “Silly, that’s why I chose you, I know, Spike.  I know how loyal and brave you are with the ones you love.  Of course you’ll be in her life.  You’re her father.  Or at least you will be once we create her.”  Buffy’s eyes grew wide.

            Spike laughed.  “Hadn’t thought about that part, eh luv?”

            Words popped out of Buffy’s mouth before she could stop them.  “Oh, I’ve thought about it.  Way too much.  I just never thought it would really happen.”  She slapped a hand over her mouth.

            Spike growled and grabbed her arms.  He gave her one hard look before pulling her roughly up against him. 

            She watched as his mouth descended upon hers.  Spike lips.  So soft.  So good.  She felt him move his lips across her own.  She felt his tongue slip inside her mouth, seeking out hers.  Finally, she realized she was being kissed and started kissing him back.  She was kissing Spike.  She let out a little moan.  She was kissing Spike.

            Spike reluctantly broke the kiss.  “As much as I’d love to just keep doing that, we’d better go out and get the details.”

            Buffy and Spike walked into utter turmoil.  There were arguments.  There were even accusations.  No one seemed okay with anything except Anya who was happily watching all of the action as if it were a favorite soap.

            Spike cleared his throat.  “Okay, people.  The Slayer and I need to know exactly how this works.  Do I just drink the potion and we have a go, or are there going to be small robed people chanting around the sodding bed?”

            Angel wanted to rip that potion right out of his hands, but he knew every word that Buffy had said was true.  Spike would fight for this child no matter what.  Nothing would stop him.  But the thought of Spike having sex, and worse having a baby with his true love was making him sick.  At this point, he just really needed to be out of here.

            Brother Brahms looked at the couple kindly.  “There will be chanting, but it will be done from our holy place.  All you need to do is wait for the Slayer’s fertile cycle and then drink the potion.  A girl child will be born.  The energy calls to female.”

            Spike rolled his eyes.  “Like I thought I’d ever have anything else in my life.”

            Angel actually laughed in agreement, and then he turned to the monk.  “Father Brahms, we need to leave now.  Well, I need to leave anyway.”  He looked at Spike.  “Thanks for doing this.  I don’t need to tell you what will happen if you hurt Buffy.” 

            Spike shook his head.  “Not gonna hurt the mother of my child, peaches.”

            Angel sighed, “I really wish you’d stop calling me that, William.”

           “Angel,” Buffy said softly.  “Thanks for being so understanding.  I…” she broke off.  What could she say?  I’m sorry.  They both knew that would be a lie.  As strange as it was, Buffy was looking forward to going on this adventure with Spike.  It wasn’t exactly what she’d planned as a little girl when she played house with her dolls, but for a Slayer it was as close to the real thing as she was ever going to get.

            Angel just gave her a nod.  He wanted to hug her, but he feared it would be too painful for them both.  He took Brother Brahms by the elbow and led him outside.  To the night.  To a place where he didn’t have to look at the traces of excitement and expectation on the face of his love and his childe.  Too much.  Sometimes the powers asked too damn much of one man.

            As soon as Angel was out the door, the yelling resumed.  Xander seemed to be the source of the disquiet.  Buffy and Spike just listened for a moment.  Then Buffy put her hands to her lips and gave a fierce whistle.  “Listen, everyone.”  She pointed a finger at Xander, “Especially you.  Spike and I have decided to do this.  We have to.”

            “You don’t have to do it with him!” Xander cried.

            “I want to do it with him, Xander.  I don’t know of anyone else on this planet more equipped to fight a hell-god with me than Spike,” Buffy explained.

            “He doesn’t even have a soul, Buffy!  He’ll eat the kid the moment that chips out!” Xander accused.

            Buffy had to physically stop Spike from attacking Xander.  “Chill, Spike.  It’s okay.”  Buffy gave everyone in the room her most serious face.  “Spike’s lack of a soul is a huge point in his favor.  He’s able to love without one.  He’s proven it.  He’d never harm his own flesh and blood.  He’s not like that.  And as for the chip… well, it’s gotta go.”

            The uproar was amazing.  Buffy inched her way back to Spike.  She let him wrap his arms around her.  She simply waited until the yelling stopped.  This time even Anya had put in her twelve cents against the chip removal.

            “We are trying to save the world here, people!” Buffy exclaimed.  “What if I’m gone?  What if I get knocked out?  Or shot?  What if the hell-god hires humans to do her dirty work?  Huh?  Spike has to be able to defend our little girl.”  Buffy felt Spike’s arms tighten around her as she mentioned the baby. 

            Giles came to a stand.  “He may not kill you, Buffy, but he will leave you just as soon as he gets that chip removed.”

            Spike decided he’d been quiet long enough.  “You couldn’t be more wrong, Watcher.  I don’t leave what’s mine.”

            “Buffy is not yours,” Giles reminded him.

            Spike laughed.  “She will be.”

            Buffy turned in Spike’s arms to look at his face.  She’d never seen him look so utterly serious before.

            “What?  You thought I’d just be partners with you in saving the world and raising a kid?  Think again, missy.  You have my baby, you become the mother of my child, and I make you mine,” he explained.

            Instinctively, something in Buffy responded to his words.  They felt right.  She gave him a hesitant smile.  “Why not?  I mean no sense in doing things by half, right?”

            “Does that mean you two will be getting married, because I have a bridal magazine with the most beautiful bride’s maids’ dresses that you’ve ever seen.  I’d look amazing in one of them.  You should have an outdoor wedding…”  Anya was stopped by Xander’s steely gaze.  He grabbed her hand and pulled her to the door and threw it open.

            “We’re leaving this house of madness.”  The door slammed loudly behind them.

            Buffy turned to look at Willow.  “Go ahead.  Say whatever you need to say.”

            “I think you and Spike will make great parents, Buffy.  If you tell me when you had your period last, I can chart out the two days you’ll most likely be fertile,” Willow offered.

            Buffy tore out of Spike’s embrace and gave Willow a near crushing hug.  “Ah, Buffy, no super strength here,” the red head reminded her.

            Buffy let go of her best friend.  “Sorry, Wills.  Thank you.  Thank you for being support-o-girl.  It means so much to me.”

            “No problem,” Willow assured her.

            “Yeah, Red, thanks.”  Spike offered the budding witch a genuine smile.  “Don’t need you to tell me when the Slayer’s fertile, however.  I can sense it.  She’ll be ripe two days from now.”

            Giles looked at the vampire in astonishment.  “How on earth can you tell?  A change in smell I presume, or have you just been keeping track of her menstrual flow?” 

            “Can anyone say ‘eww’?” Buffy interjected.

            Willow raised her hand.  “Eww!”

            Spike shook his head.  “I don’t know why.  I just can with her.  It’s like you said; her scent changes, becomes all rich and sweet, like honey.”  He looked at the two girls.  “And please, vampire here!  I know every time each of you birds starts your flow.”

            ‘Ewws’ erupted forth simultaneously from both women in the room.

Chapter 8  Creating

            Buffy was doing her best to sit through psychology class.  She kept glancing up at the clock.  Five more minutes.  Five more minutes and then she got to have sex with Spike.  She’d run by Giles before classes this morning and the vampire had immediately been all over her, telling her she was ready.  It had been the single, most sexy thing anyone had ever said to her.  Unfortunately, she had to get to class.  Spike was going to take the potion while she was gone.  His boys should be alive and jumping by the time she got back.  She looked at the clock.  Two more minutes.

            Finally, it was over.  She jumped out of her seat, giving Willow a big thumbs up and attempted to dash out of class.  No such luck.  Something big was stopping her.

            “Riley.  Hi.”  Buffy tried to move past him.

            “What are you in such a hurry for?  I was hoping we could go for coffee or something.  That is if you don’t have class,” he said.

            “I’m skipping my last class.  I really have to go.  I’m ovulating.”  She turned to leave, but found his arm on her again.

            “Buffy, I was just asking for coffee nothing more.”  Riley had never in his life been turned down for a date because the girl was ovulating.  It was the weirdest excuse he’d ever heard.

            Realization dawned in Buffy’s eyes.  “Please, like I’d… what I mean to say, Riley, is that I’m running home to my…  We’re trying to have a baby.  I’m sorry, I have to go.”  She tore away from him and ran out the door.

            Riley was stunned as he watched the gorgeous blonde leave.  A baby.  He felt a hand at his elbow.  He looked down.  It was Willow, Buffy’s friend.  “A baby?  Didn’t she just have that thing with Parker?”

            “You mean Mr. Poopyhead.  He was just a rebound thing.  Buffy and Spike have known each other for years.  They’d been fighting, but that’s over now,” Willow tried to explain.  She liked the big TA.  He was sweet and kind of cute.  So not her type, though.

            “Oh, I thought… I don’t know what I thought,” Riley admitted.  “A baby.  Isn’t she kind of young for that?  What about college?”

            “They’ve talked it over.  He comes from old money and he’s willing to stay home and be the house husband.”  Willow giggled at that term applied to Spike.  “Buffy gets to continue with school and other things.”

            “So they’re getting married?”  Riley asked.

            “Oh yeah, as soon as Mrs. Summers found out they were going to have a baby she laid down the law.  Buffy and Spike tried to run off and do the Las Vegas thing, but nope.  Mrs. Summers insists it needs to be the real thing,” Willow told him.

            “Still, a baby?  She’s so young.  Why don’t they wait until after she’s through with school, or at least until after the wedding?”  Riley was still confused.

            A sad look came over Willow’s face as she thought of something truthful to tell the nice boy.  “The girls in Buffy’s family die young.”  Willow broke away from the confused young man and made her way outside.  She decided that she’d skip her last class as well.  Suddenly, she felt like hanging out with Xander.  Things were about to change for them all and she wanted to grab a little bit of normal while she could.

            Buffy raced all the way back to Giles.  She threw open the door and was instantly met with warm flesh.  Warm?  “Spike you’re warm!”

            “I know.  Human for a couple of days.  I hate it, but then again I get to have sex with you, so what have I got to complain about?”  He began kissing the side of her neck.

            Buffy felt the back of her knees grow week.  “Wow.  It’s you.  I thought maybe it was ‘cause you were a vampire, you know?  Parker’s hands couldn’t do for me what the barest touch from you does.  But here you are all human, and wow!”

            Spike chuckled, immensely pleased that it was him and not just his undead status that got the Slayer’s buttons pushed.  “The Watcher packed his bags.  He’s staying with your mum for the next few days.  It’s just you and me, kitten,” Spike told her as he started to slip the blue tank shirt she was wearing off her shoulders.

            “Good.  Just us.”  Buffy moved her hands to push off Spike’s black t-shirt.  He lifted his hands in the air to help her.  Off it went, landing somewhere in the vicinity of the kitchen.  She ran her hands over his alabaster skin.  “You are the sexiest man alive!”

            Spike thought about that as he unzipped her skirt and pulled it down.  “Hey, I am!”  They both laughed.  When she was standing before him in nothing more than her bra and panties he scooped her up in his arms and carried her back to his room.  “This is a hell of a lot easier when you have vamp strength,” he teased.

            Buffy hit him carefully on the back of his currently human head.  “If you are suggesting that I’m in the slightest bit fat…” Buffy warned.

            Spike laid her down on his bed.  “You have to be kidding.  You’re too thin as it is.  Not for long though.  I’m gonna fatten you up good,” he promised.

            A look of horror passed over Buffy’s face.  Gone was the slayer and in her place a young woman lay, realizing that her girlish figure was in serious danger.  Spike was well versed in the emotions of the female species, however.  He unbuttoned his jeans and shimmied out of them.  “You are going to look beautiful, baby.  So beautiful.  I promise.  I can’t wait to see your belly swell with our child.”  He leaned down on the bed and worked on removing her bra and panties.

            “You’ll still find me sexy, not just beautiful,” Buffy asked spitting out the last word like it was the most useless word in the English language.

            “Yes, you daft bint!”  Spike rolled his eyes.  He was actually a bit nervous about this whole thing.  Discovering he had a heart beat an hour after he had taken the potion had been a shock to say the least.  He’d never had sex as a human.  He was worried that he wouldn’t be up to his usual performance. 

            The feel of Spike’s hands on her skin was quelling Buffy’s nerves as he removed the last vestiges of her clothing.  She put her own hands to good use by reaching around to caress Spike’s bare back.  “We’re going to do this right, right?  You’ll be here when I wake up?”

            Spike realized he wasn’t the only one with a case of nerves here.  “I meant what I said, Buffy.  I don’t let what’s mine go.  I don’t leave.  As soon as I get my bite back, I’m going to claim you good and proper.  I’m even going to go through with that ridiculous wedding your mum’s got planned.  I’m going to fight by your side and make sure you live to see our grandchildren.”

            Buffy panicked again.  “Oh gosh, no!  This is wrong.  I’m going to be all old and wrinkled.  You’re going to be young and beautiful.”

            Spike laughed again.  “Anyone ever tell you how vain you are?  When I claim you there’s an exchange of blood.  All we have to do to keep you lookin’ just as ridiculously young as you do now is keep exchanging blood ever so often.”

            “It won’t turn me?” Buffy asked in concern.

            Spike looked down.  “I suppose we should have had this discussion sooner.”  He flopped himself off of her delectable body and onto his back.  “It will eventually, yeah.  Whenever you’re killed.  You’ll most likely come across.  Doesn’t always take if the claim hasn’t been renewed properly, but most often the human mate turns upon death.”  He waited for her to jump out of the bed and take off screaming or even stake him.

            “So, what we need to do is keep me alive for as long as possible.  Definitely until my friends and family are gone.  I wouldn’t want to hurt them, and I know you’d never let me hurt our child,” Buffy said with conviction.

            Spike looked at her incredulously.  “You’re still going to go along with this?”

            Buffy turned to him.  “Those were your terms, right?  If you agree to help me save the world again by having a baby with me then I let you be a part of our lives and I become yours.  That’s what we agreed on.”

            “Yeah, but I was withholding some information.  You actually have a right to be a bit pissed at me, luv.”  Spike wasn’t sure why he was encouraging her ire.

            Buffy smiled.  “Spike.  Don’t you get it, yet?  I know you.  I know that you’ll do anything to keep what’s yours.  It’s part of what made me fall… I mean its part of what made me choose you to do this with me.  I had half expected you just to turn me after this hell-god is defeated anyway.  I know you’d never put our child in danger.  I figured you’d find someway to keep me from being too grr.”  She made little finger fangs.

            Spike only heard the fall part.  She’d just as good as admitted to being in love with him.  His nervousness over his performance was gone.  He felt his cock bob in agreement against his stomach.  He rolled over and pulled Buffy to him.  Naked Buffy.  Skin to skin.  He must be dreaming.

            Buffy had been horrified about the slip she’d almost made.  The last thing she wanted to do was to scare Spike off by declaring her love for him.  She feared she had a tendency to be a bit needy with guys.  She didn’t want this one to leave her.  Ever.

            Spike moved his hands and his lips all over her body, worshipping it.  He sucked on her nipples, lavishing each with care.  He explored the soft places like the back of her knees and the skin behind her ear.  He found her sex and delved into her folds, seeking nourishment and giving pleasure.  He left no portion of her untouched.

            Buffy just let herself go.  Her only part was to receive sensation and to send out a bevy of moans and cries.  She’d never felt so cherished before.  She wondered briefly if he didn’t already have some sort of feeling for her besides friendship.  She felt… she felt loved.

            When he was satisfied that he knew her body.  That he could recreate it in his mind when needed.  He moved up.  He looked into her green eyes as he hovered over her entrance.  He made sure she was looking back.  This was a moment.  This was something not to be lost.  Not to be forgotten.  This was a joining.  There would be no claiming.  There would be no vows, only two beings coming together.  A meeting of mind, heart, and body.  He pushed in.

            He was filling her.  He was reaching farther than any had before him.  He was reaching places she didn’t even know existed.  This wasn’t sex.  This was something else.  She had no words for this meaning.  She could not define the wholeness that stole over her.  She could only cry out, “Spike.  Yes.  Oh, Spike.  You.  Only you.  Please baby.  Only you ever.”

            Spike couldn’t agree more.  “Only me, baby. You’re mine.  All mine.  No one else’s.  No one ever gets to touch you.”  He moved in her.  He moved throughout her.  He found her.

            Buffy opened her eyes and searched out the blue depths of Spike’s.  There he was.  He was hers.  She could see it on his face.  She reached out a hand and ran it along his cheek, her eyes filling with tears.  “Mine.  You are mine William.  My man.  My vampire.  Mine.”

            Spike felt his eyes pool.  He was wanted.  She’d chosen him to be her champion.  She’d chosen him to be the father of her child.  Now she was choosing him.  Just him.  He felt his release building.  A part of him wished he could go for longer, give her hours and hours of debauchery, and yet another part of him simply wanted to spill himself deep inside of her and than hold her in his arms, whispering sweet nothings for eternity.

            Buffy felt the pressure building up inside of her.  She hadn’t orgasmed with either Angel or Parker.  With Angel it had been about first times.  There was pain and there was love and certainly there was pleasure, but nothing like this.  With Parker it had been about proving to herself that she could be with someone other than Angel.  There had been no pain, no love, and only the most mild of pleasure.  But this… this was all about love and the pleasure from it was a tight thing building up inside of her.  She felt it gain force, she felt it stretch its bonds, and she felt it burst and wash over her.

            At the first clench of Buffy’s walls Spike allowed himself to spill his seed deep inside of her womb.  He stayed there, making sure everything was where it should be, enjoying the feeling of completion.  Then he pulled out and lay down beside of her, pulling her gently into his arms.  “That was amazing, Buffy.  I don’t think I’ve ever done that before.”

            “Definitely amazing, but done what?” she asked as she nuzzled into his side, feeling completely at home for the first time in her life.

            “Connected with someone like that.  I don’t think I actually ever made love before.  I loved Drusilla, but it was not reciprocated.  She loved Angelus and Angelus only,” he explained.

            “I know what you mean,” Buffy rushed to assure him.  “I loved Angel, and he loved me, but it was never like this.  It feels right with you.  Spike, you touched something inside of me that no one else ever has.  Thank you.  Thank you for making me feel whole.”

            Spike leaned down and captured her lips in his, heedless of the tears running down both of their faces.  “Oh, my dear girl.  I love you.”

            “I love you too,” Buffy said between his lips.

            Spike moved one hand down to caress her belly while their lips kept up a gentle rhythm.

Chapter 9  Sunshine

            They had watched the sunset together on a hill overlooking Sunnydale.  Buffy had insisted they take along a thick blanket just in case the potion wore off far sooner than they were told it would.  They made love several more times throughout the day and night.  They talked.  They learned about themselves as lovers instead of just friends or mortal enemies.

            After showering the next morning they headed off for the beach.  They knew it would be windy and cold, but it would also most likely be deserted and they one goal in mind.  They wanted to make love under the sun.  It would be their one and only chance.  They borrowed her mother’s car so they could enjoy the sun streaming through the windows.  The blanket was in hand’s reach of Buffy every minute – just in case.

            When they arrived, Spike parked the SUV and insisted that Buffy wait for him to open her door.  She laughed at his mannerisms.  Everything he did was to her attention and comfort.  She made sure to tell him in word and deed just how much she appreciated him.  She caressed his cheeks.  She kissed the knuckles on his hand.  She ran her fingers through his hair.  She brushed his lips with the softest of kisses.  She constantly leaned into him.  This was her guy and she wanted to make sure that he knew it.

            Spike spread the blanket out in a slight inlet created by the steep walls of earth surrounding the water.  It was dry here this time of day and relatively out of view from people farther down the beach.  It was funny how nervous the two super powers felt about being caught.  They’d packed a picnic lunch and brought another blanket to cover them.  Buffy had insisted that they wear bathing suits just in case a beach patroller came by.  Spike indulged her and grabbed Giles’ trunks even though no one would believe that anyone would be swimming on a brisk day like today.

            The couple lay down on the blanket and pulled the second cover over their shoulders.  Spike had made little sand pillows so that their heads were slightly elevated.  They just lay there in the cool sun and looked at one another.  Their hands were clasped between them.  Little half smiles graced their faces.  Finally, Buffy wiggled a little closer, pressing Spike’s hand and her own against her sex.

            Spike felt his knuckles brush her clit.  He knew she’d done it on purpose, and he found it sexy as hell.  His smile turned into a full toothy grin.  “Want something, luv?” he asked.

            “Always,” Buffy replied.  “I will always want you,” she promised as she moved herself against his hand.

            Spike scooted closer.  He unclasped their hands and started to use his expert touch to make her squirm.  He could feel the moisture building up in her tiny red bikini bottoms.  He loved that he could do this to her.  That he could bring her to orgasm just by touching her on the outside of her clothes.  For the first time in his existence he felt like he had a power over someone instead of someone having a power of her him.  Oh, she had power of her him alright, but it went both ways, much different than anything he had experienced before.  Buffy was his responsibility so much more than Dru with her insanity and weakness ever had been.  Buffy was his to make smile, to make laugh, to make happy, to make whole.  And the best thing about it all?  He could.  With her, he had the power to do it.  To give her everything.

            He felt her nearing her climax and he purposefully stopped his ministrations.  He shimmied her bottoms down, letting her keep her top on.  For now.  Then he reached down and pulled the swim trunks to his ankles, slipping one foot out for maximum movement but still allowing for a quick pull up if necessary.  He rolled on top of his girl and pushed his way home.  He threw his head back and closed his eyes.  He could feel the sun shining down on his face as he moved inside this golden beauty.  After a moment, he opened his eyes and looked down at her as they found their rhythm together. What he saw took his breath away.

            She was awash in sunlight and her eyes...  Her eyes were lit up with a look of love and acceptance that Spike thought surely must transcend this earthly plane.  She was something more.  Something more than this lowly world could define.  She was the universe and all its stars.  She was the ocean of heaven.  She was his.

            Buffy arched up and undid the ties on her top.  To heck with getting in trouble, she wanted to do this right.  She pulled her top away and bared her breasts to the elements and at the same time she ripped the blanket sideways, fully revealing her lover.  There he was.  There he was in the sun.  She was making sure she remembered every detail so that she could savor it in the years to come.  She felt his movements inside of her, but they were a pale shadow to the feelings she was receiving from his blue eyes.  Eyes that put the sky above to shame.  Was there even a name for this shade of blue?  William blue.  It was her favorite color.

            The two lovers savored each other under the afternoon sun.  They took their time making love.  They ate their lunch.  They played in the cold surf and made really bad sandcastles.  They waived innocently when the beach cruiser finally drove by.  And when the sun started to set they packed up their day and went home.

            They showered and headed out to dinner.  Food always tasted so good after a day outdoors.  Buffy let Spike pick the restaurant.  He’d told her that human taste buds were much different than vamp.  Not better, just different.  Human food held more flavors, while he was quite certain he would taste only coppery residue if he tried blood.  He explained to her how blood tasted as a vampire.  She was fascinated.  They talked all through dinner and through the drive home.

            They watched late night TV before making love one last time.  Then they fell asleep in each other’s arms, happier than they had ever been.  The future laid brightly out before them; a likely child growing inside of its mother’s womb, a wedding to seal the approval of their friends and family, and a claiming to seal them together for eternity.

            The morning brought a bittersweet awakening.  They realized as they joined that it would be the last time as two living bodies, and yet at the same time they looked forward to Spike’s return as a vampire.  Buffy reveled in his strength, and if she were willing to admit it, she also reveled in his demon.  It struck a chord inside of her that set off a symphony of sound.  It was melody that she recognized with some primal part of her.  A familiar music that wasn’t familiar at all.

            She left for classes that day, kissing her lover goodbye in more ways than one.  It was going to be a long day.  She and Spike hadn’t had a chance to be together before he’d drunk the potion.  She was anxious to get back to him.  To have him claim her as his for all the world to see.  She wanted his mark resting upon her skin just as their child rested in her belly.

Chapter 10  Blessed

            Riley hadn’t tried to stop her this time after class.  She was so very relieved.  She had absolutely no desire to explain anything to anyone.  For once in her life she was actually getting something she wanted.  She was excited and terrified all at the same time; terrified, because when you had something you had something to lose.  In her life loss was rather the norm.

            Now her last class was over and she was finally able to go back home to Spike.  Home.  They were going to have to think about getting one of those.  She placed a hand on her stomach.  They had another nine months she supposed before it became an absolute necessity.  Every time she thought about the tiny life possibly growing inside of her she felt this warm sensation.  It was an indescribable feeling that made a smile burst forth over her face.  Like she had the most precious secret in the world.

            She opened the door to Giles’ and walked in.  It was quiet.  Too quiet.  She felt a tendril of fear mixed in with disappointment spread over her.  She’d kind of been expecting him to be waiting for her at the door.  She took several steps down the little hall that led to Spike’s room.  She could feel him in there.  He was okay.  Relief washed over her, followed immediately by a new worry.  Why wasn’t he waiting for her?  Had she upset him?  She didn’t bother with knocking; it seemed unnecessary after all they had shared.  She opened the door and walked in, shutting the door behind her.

            Complete darkness.  She could sense him, but she couldn’t see him.  She let her senses guide her.  She reached out and touched bare flesh.  He was lying on the bed.  She straightened back up and removed her clothes and then she crawled in next to him.  She wrapped her arms around him and pressed a kiss into his neck.  “What’s wrong, baby?”

            She heard him ‘sniff’.  She reached her hand up and brushed it across his cheek.  Wet.  “Oh my poor boy.  What is it?  I want to make it better,” Buffy begged.

            “Can’t.  No one can,” his voice came out cracked and dry.

            Buffy squeezed him tight.  “You’re scaring me, baby.  Please tell me you don’t have to leave.”

            Spike realized he was letting his own anguish seep into Buffy, and that’s absolutely not something he wanted to do.  He reached up a hand and wiped the tears off of his face.  “Not leaving, luv.  It’s not that.  Just I can’t ever go out with you in the sun again.  Can’t take our daughter out either.  I don’t have anything to offer you and there’s not a damn thing I can do about it.  Thought about finding a way to stay human, but then I can’t fight worth a damn.  Can’t protect you both like I need to.  I just…” An involuntary sob tore out of his throat.

            Buffy held him to her tightly.  “My Spike.  My vampire.  My man. All I want.  You are just what I want.  I don’t want a human.  I don’t want a vampire.  All I want is a Spike,” she told him, desperately searching for the words she hoped could make him see how much he meant to her.  “I’ve never been happy before.  Not even pre-slayer days.  Growing up, my parents fought.  They fought constantly.  All my dad cared about was money and status.  My mom, she just cared about me.  Things went from bad to worse, and I always thought it was my fault.  ‘Cause the fights, each and every one of them, centered around me.  Then I was called.  I hated it, and yet it was a distraction from the home stuff.  The divorce hit and we moved here.  I thought maybe my mom and I had a chance.  Slayer stuff came back with a vengeance though.  Then Angel.  It was all about the tragedy.  Never about the happy.  There were happy moments, but never just me being happy.  I want happy, Spike.  I’ve fought for so long, and I will keep on fighting.  Don’t I deserve to be happy?”

            Spike had moved into her while she talked, molding himself against her as much as he possibly could.  He wished sometimes that he could just absorb her into himself, or vice a versa he was never quite sure.  “Yes, Buffy, you deserve to be happy.  More than anyone I’ve ever known.  You deserve it,” he said emphatically.

            “You make me happy, Spike.  Just you.  I’m happy for the first time ever,” she confessed.  She waited to see if he got what she was saying.  She felt his body start to shake against her.

            “What is it?”  Had she made it worse?  Her own tears were falling now.

            “No one ever.  I’ve never been the source of anyone’s happiness before,” he whispered to her in a broken voice.

            “Well, get used to it,” she whispered back as she searched for his lips.  The ultra soft skin that screamed ‘Spike lips’ hit her own, and she begin to nibble.  She sucked and pulled at his lips, just savoring the feel of them.  She felt Spike’s tongue peek its way into her mouth, and she let the kiss deepen.  They kissed the afternoon away, bodies touching, hands grasping.  Just kissing. 

            As darkness began to fall a change came over them both; the vampire and the slayer awakening.  Stirring up.  Ready for the night, and ready for the claiming.  Spike broke the kiss and looked at Buffy with yellow glowing eyes.  “Are you sure?” his voice rumbled.

            “Never been more sure of anything in my life,” she promised.

            He moved over her.  “I want to be inside of you when we do it.  Want to be joined in every way.” 

            Buffy merely nodded.  She was ready for him.  She was always ready for him.  She spread her legs and lifted them so that she could wrap them around thighs as he lowered himself into her.  She loved this part.  Loved the feeling of him coming inside of her.  Sometimes she wished she could just absorb him, or vice a versa she was never quite sure.

            Spike started a rhythm.  There was a chant in his head.  Mine.  My Buffy.  My Slayer.  My Girl.  My Woman.  My Mate.  Mine.  Over and over the words poured through him as he moved within her.  There was no foreplay.  Only movement.  The two lovers were so far beyond the physical that foreplay would have been nothing but a distraction.  This wasn’t about climaxing.  This was about melding.  It was about becoming one.  About belonging.

            “Please, Spike.  Do it now.  I can’t wait any longer.  I need to be yours in every way,” Buffy begged.  Only he could make her beg like this.  Only for him could she so thoroughly open herself.  No pride.  Pride was trivial.

            Buffy tilted her neck to the side as she pushed it against his fangs, nearly impaling herself.  Spike realized right then with a sudden clarity that made everything click into place that she wanted this as much as he did.  Needed this as much as he did.  With that, he bit down, her blood poured into his mouth and down his throat.  He felt as if he was flying out of his body.  He’d entered a plain of existence that no one had ever been to before.  It was Buffy.  She was in him.  He was not alone.

            Buffy felt a pull.  There was something she needed.  Something she was supposed to have.  She would call it a craving, but the word was too weak to describe this.  It was as if she were missing a vital part of being.  In desperation, she let herself go.  She stopped thinking with her mind and switched to pure instinct.  Her body knew what it wanted.  She bit into the juncture between Spike’s neck and his shoulder.  She bit hard.  The blood hit her tongue.  Spike’s blood.  That was it.  That was the part of her that hadn’t been where it was supposed to be.  Now she was okay.  Now she was more than okay.  She was simply more than she had been before.

            Their orgasms hit, pulling them back into themselves, bringing them to awareness.  Spike rolled over, pulling Buffy with him, so that she lay on top of him.  He was quite sure at this moment that he couldn’t possibly stand to be separated from her ever again.  He’d been walking around for over a hundred and twenty years only half formed.  How had he survived it?

            Buffy was echoing his thoughts.  “So this is what it feels like,” she mumbled against his chest.

            “What’s that, luv?” Spike asked as lifted his languid hand to run his fingers through her hair.

            “Being whole.  This is what it feels like to be whole,” she stated.

            Spike pulled her up for a kiss.  “I love you, Buffy,” he cried into her mouth.

            “I love you, Spike,” she answered back.

            Something suddenly dawned on Spike.  He hadn’t said the words.  Not aloud, anyway.  He hadn’t needed to.  He could feel the claim.  It rested in his soul.  The one he wasn’t supposed to have, but could feel singing throughout his body.  The soul Buffy had shared with him.  “We’re blessed, luv.  So blessed,” he told her.

            She knew exactly what he meant.

Chapter 11  Telling

            “I’m telling ya, you don’t need that,” Spike said, pointing to the stick Buffy was trying to shove under what she hoped to be the pathway for her urine. 

            “So sue me for wanting something besides your freaky sense of smell to confirm whether or not I’m going to be bringing a child into the world,” Buffy groused.  Then she turned doe eyes up at her mate.  “Could you turn the water on?”

            Spike reached over and turned the taps; the lovely nickel-plated taps that decorated the bathroom in their house.  He’d surprised his little bride to be the day after the claiming.  As if he’d lived to be as old as he had without making an investment or two!  Really.  These people seriously underestimated him.  The whelp had been even more shocked than Buffy.  The look on his face was one that Spike would remember with relish well into the next century.

            “Earth to Spike!” Buffy huffed, trying to hand him the now capped stick.

            Spike took it but held it out as far as possible from himself.  He sat it down on the counter and than rinsed his hand off. 

            “Oh, as if you don’t pee.  After about three beers your anatomy functions with the best of them, baby,” Buffy reminded him as she did up her pants.  She was glad her mother had thrown the wedding together as quickly as she had.  Saturday.  The big day was Saturday, and considering that today was Thursday, that meant only two more days of expanding waistline!  Yay.  She couldn’t help it she wanted to look perfect.

            Spike stared at the lines running across the small stick.  He knew she was pregnant.  He could smell the change in her body, but somehow he suddenly felt himself staring intently at the prediction device on the stone countertop. 

            Buffy slapped him gently on the back of the head.  “Don’t look at it until it’s time!  You’re going to jinx it!”

            Spike refused to budge.  “Not gonna jinx it, you bint.  You are pregnant.  Period.  Plus, the little line thingies are showing up in both spaces.  No need to wait the full three minutes.  He pulled her in front of him and made her look.  “It’s okay, sweetheart.  Just look.”

            Buffy opened her eyes and picked up the stick.  There it was.  She was pregnant.  She turned into Spike’s arms and started to cry.

            Spike knew these were tears of joy.  He rocked her back and forth, letting her cry her joy out into his black t-shirt.  When she was settled he planned to take her back into the bedroom and celebrate the event in their own special way.  Unfortunately, she went form crying to hyper in about four seconds.  One moment he had an armful of mate, the next he had nothing.  He turned to follow the speed of movement that was Buffy.  She dove across the bed in a move he might of thought as pure Slayer, but something instinctually told him that this was the move of a woman with news.  Big news.  The phone magically appeared in her hand, her fingers dialing at a blur.

            “Mommy!” Buffy squealed into the phone.  “You’re going to be a grandmother!”

            Spike could hear the answering squeal from his position in the doorway.  Women.  They were truly mind-boggling.  Not that he wasn’t excited, but did you see him calling up Dru or Angel?  No.  He had his priorities.  Shag first.  Call later. 

            “Willow!”  Another squeal.  “I’m pregnant.  I’m going to be a mother!”

            “Oh, fuck it,” Spike groused as he walked over to the nightstand and picked up his recently acquired cell phone.  “Angel!” Spike squealed.  “I did it!  I knocked up the Slayer.  I’m going to be a father!”

            Buffy’s conversation with Willow ceased.  She turned predatory eyes onto the man standing across the room from her.  She pushed the ‘off’ button on the phone and tossed it unerringly into its cradle.  She took long, purposeful strides over to the vampire.  He was so dead.  She ripped the phone out of his hands and put it to her ear.

            “Very funny, Spike.  My amusement level knows no bounds,” Giles said drolly.

            Buffy sighed a huge sigh and handed the phone back to Spike.  He took it with a wicked grin, so she flicked his ear with all of her slayer strength.  “Bloody hell, woman!  That hurt!” Spike yelled.

            This time, Buffy could actually hear Giles as he laughed at Spike’s pain.  “Laugh it up, Watcher.  You do realize this means you’ll have a heavily hormonal slayer on your hands for the next nine months, right?”  Spike hung up, wanting to get in the last laugh.  Then he turned to his gorgeous girl. 

            She was glaring daggers at him.  “Heavily?  You used the term heavily?”

            Spike knew he was in trouble.  “I said heavily hormonal, Buffy.  I was just trying to get a dig in on the Watcher, is all.”  Spike pulled her quickly into his arms before she had a chance to respond and kissed her.

            “Mmmm, Spike lips.  My favorite,” she moaned as they broke the kiss.  “I have to pack now, sweetie.”

            “Pack?  What for?”  Spike asked, wondering where they were going with the wedding only two days away.

            “My mom thinks that you are going to have trouble letting me go, so she wants me to start the process right now, and leave as soon as I’m able.”  Buffy explained as she went over to their closet and pulled out a small suitcase.  It was one she’d had since she was twelve.  “We might need to think about buying luggage at some point in time.”  She paused.  “Oh who the hell am I trying to kid?  Like we’ll ever be able to leave the Hellmouth for more than a day.”

            Spike came up behind her and turned her around.  “You are going to be gone for two days?  I was having trouble enough with one night!”

            “I’m not leaving until the day before the wedding, baby.”  She pulled open a drawer and began to put things in it. 

            Spike watched her fill the small case.  “This isn’t making me more prepared.  This is just making me think about it.”

            “Well think about this instead – Xander invited Angel to the wedding.”  Buffy had known this little piece of information for the last three days.  She’d just been waiting for the right moment to tell him.

            “What!  That bastard runt!  When we get this chip out, I am biting him.  Don’t even try to talk me out of it!” Spike yelled.

            “Okay, honey.  If you want ‘Xander taste’ in your mouth, that’s your business.  Who am I to stop you?”  Buffy pulled out several pairs of socks and tossed them into the suitcase.

            Spike shuttered.  Xander taste.  Horrid thought.  “Alright.  So I won’t bite him.  He says one snarky comment to me, though, and he’s going down.”

            Buffy turned to look at her almost husband, the husband of her heart.  She walked over to him and wrapped her arms around his waist.  “Be my guest.  Just don’t kill him or permanently damage him.  Anya would think of something evil to do you.”

            Spike looked down at her, knowing she was trying to show him her support.  “I love you, Buffy.  I really, really love you.”

            “I love you too.”  She walked away from him and zipped up her suitcase.  Then she walked into the bathroom and brought out a fully packed toiletry bag.  The sound of a car horn being honked caught both their ears.

            Buffy picked up her suitcase and walked out of the room.

            “I thought you said you weren’t leaving until the day before the wedding!” Spike cried.

            Buffy gave him a brilliant smile.  “I know.  The wedding is tomorrow night, big bad.  Mom just told me.  She thought it would be easier on us this way.”  She walked down the hall to the front door.  She opened it and blew him a kiss as she stepped into the fading sunlight.

            ‘Tomorrow,’ Spike thought.  Tomorrow.  He looked down at his watch.  The wedding was going to be at seven due to Spike’s sun allergy.  That was only 26 hours away.  Surely he could stand to be without her for 26 hours?  He’d…  Well, he’d…  He walked into the living room and threw himself onto the couch.  He grabbed the remote and flicked on the telly.  He could do this.

            Twenty minutes later he was dialing Buffy’s cell phone.  “I can’t do this, luv.  It’s too long.”  He stared at the now dark night sky.  “I can come and get you.  At least let me be with you until midnight.”

            Buffy was going to cave.  She could feel herself caving, when the phone was wrenched out of her hands.

            “We’ll see you here, in the back yard at seven tomorrow night, Spike,” Joyce said firmly.  “Actually, Giles is going to pick you up at six-thirty.”

            “Fine,” Spike snapped as he hung the phone up.  He’d lived for over a hundred and twenty years without the little woman.  He could last a damn day.

Chapter 12  Lost

            There was a ringing sound.  Spike tried to make it stop.  His head hurt.  He’d drunk himself into a stupor and thankfully, had eventually past out.  Now there was ringing.  Evil ringing.  He reached his hand out.  He pushed a button and the ringing stopped.  Good.  He could go back to sleep now.

           A voice.  An evil voice was sounding from the previously ringing device.  It was Joyce.  Hold up.  Joyce meant Buffy.  His Buffy that had been so cruelly taken from him.  He put the phone to his ear.  “What is it?  Is Buffy okay?” he asked, immediately sobering.

            “No,” Joyce said to him.  “She won’t stop crying.  It’s been three hours.  She’s going to make herself sick, and worse, she’s going to look like hell tomorrow for the pictures.  Get your undead fanny over here and make her stop!”

            Spike clicked the phone off and jumped up to find his boots and duster.  His girl needed him.  He’d known she would.  Stupid human traditions.  No seeing the bride before the wedding.  She was already his bride.  The deal was done.  He was out the door and opening his mark to her.  He’d shut it tightly when she’d left so that she wouldn’t be inundated with his emotions.  He was a needy bastard and he knew it.

            Within minutes he was at the Summers’ residence.  He bounded up the stairs and raised his hand to knock at the door, but it swung open.  “Get in there and make her stop!” Joyce yelled.

            Spike bound up the stairs and into Buffy’s old room.  There she was lying on the bed.  Little shoulders shaking and crying like her heart was breaking in two.  He crawled on the bed and pulled her tightly to him.

            “Spike?” Buffy asked through her tears.

            “It’s me, kitten,” he affirmed.  He had his lips pressed gently to her forehead.  He wasn’t kissing, he was just being sure of her.

            Buffy let her senses back open to the marks that made them mates.  She’d closed them off to keep Spike from running to her.  She was a needy little girl and she knew it.  Her senses immediately became flooded with her love.  “You’re here.  Why are you here?  My mother is going to kill you!”

            “Your mother is the one who called me, luv.  She’s worried about you being so upset,” he told her.

            Buffy looked up at him with red, swollen eyes.  “But it’s bad luck to see the bride before the wedding.”

            Spike closed his eyes in irritation.  “You are already my wife, Buffy.  Nothing can take that away.  Luck has no place here.  This vow thing that your mum has put together doesn’t mean squat.”  Spike saw the tears starting to fill her eyes again.  “What I mean, Buffy, is that nothing could make you more mine.  Nothing could make me love you more than I already do.  Understand?”

            She nodded her head.  “I understand.  I feel the same way.  I hated being without you.  I felt so lost.  It hurt.”

            “I know.  Felt the same way.  Knew I would, which is why I’ve been so nervous about everything.  Sorry, baby,” he said into the top of her head.

            “It’s me who’s sorry,” a voice sounded form the door.  “I didn’t realize what the two of you had.  I see it now,” Joyce said in awe as she looked at the way the two super powers were curled into one another.

            “It’s okay, mommy,” Buffy told her.  “Just don’t do it again.”

            Joyce and Spike both laughed.  “I won’t.  I promise.  But, and I mean this, he does not get to see you in your wedding dress.  Agreed?”

            “Agreed,” Spike and Buffy said at the same time.

            “Alright then.  I’ll leave you two alone.  No sex,” she said emphatically as she shut the door.

            Spike laughed.  “She’s something, your mum.”

            “That she is.  No sex is not a problem.  All I want to do in all the world is just lie in your arms,” Buffy said sleepily.

            “She never said anything about not making love,” Spike whispered suggestively.  “But if all you want to do is…”

            Buffy’s mouth descended hungrily upon his.  “Missed you.  Needed you,” she moaned between his lips.

            “I know baby,” he growled low as he began to take her nightdress off.

            “You’ve been drinking,” Buffy accused.   “I can taste it.”

            “Had to,” Spike told her as he flung the dress on the floor.  “Couldn’t go to sleep without you in my arms.”

            Buffy started in on Spike’s clothes.  “Lucky.  Can’t drink when you’re pregnant.  All I had was tears.”

            Spike helped her remove the last of his clothes.  “I hate that you were crying.  I hate that you were sad and I wasn’t here for you.”

            “You’re here now,” Buffy said with a moan as he slid into her wet folds.

            “That I am.  Never gonna leave,” Spike promised as he moved inside of her.  “No one will ever be able to take you away from me.  No one.”

            Eventually the lovers fell asleep, wrapped up in each other’s arms, legs intertwined.  They were whole again.

            Morning came and with it preparations.  There were people downstairs.  Female people.  Spike could hear them.  He nuzzled his mate, trying to get pulled back into the pleasures of Morpheus.

            “Spike?  Are there people downstairs?” Buffy asked him sleepily.

            “Ignore them, luv,” he told her.

            “Can’t.  I’m supposed to be helping them make these little bird seed thingies.”  She rolled off of her vampire and placed her feet on the floor.  She stood up and walked out of the room and into the bathroom.  Spike closed his eyes.  He didn’t have to make bird seed thingies.  A sudden shriek, however, had him dashing into the bathroom.

           “What?  What is it?”  He looked around wildly for whatever had dared to invade the sanctity of his mate’s abolitions.  Nothing.  There was only Buffy, staring in horror at the mirror.

            “I’m puffy.  I’m puffy Buffy,” she mumbled.

            Spike looked into the mirror.  She was puffy.  “Still look beautiful to me, luv,” he assured her.  She hit him, one strong backhand to the chest.

            “I can’t get married like this!” she screeched.

            Spike was not going through this again.  “Today is it,” he declared as he tore out of the bathroom and down to the kitchen.

            The next thing Buffy heard was shrieking.  She realized that he had left the bathroom in haste, totally naked.  Willow, Anya, Willow’s new friend Tara, and Buffy’s mother all the recipients of Spike’s full… wait a minute.  Only Buffy got to see that!  Puffy eyes forgotten, she ripped open the bathroom door, but thanks to Spike’s vampire speed he was already back.  He held out a cucumber and some tea bags.

            She grabbed them from him and turned to start the bath.  “I don’t even want to know how you know about these things.”

            Spike just laughed.  “I forgot the knife, luv.  Best go get it to slice the cucumber.”

            Buffy whirled on him.  She reached behind the door and handed him a pink fluffly bathrobe.  “Not without this.”  She pointed to his package.  “Those are for me only.  No one else gets a peek, and on my wedding day.  I can’t believe you flashed my friends on my wedding day,” she grumbled as she added some cotton blossom bubble bath to the water.

            Spike didn’t argue.  He kissed his big bad image goodbye and slipped the robe on.  He walked down the stairs and past the women.  He held up a finger.  “Not a word.”  He got a knife and grabbed a small wooden cutting bored off the counter.  He walked back past them and up the stairs.  He would have used his vamp speed, but he felt like that was admitting to this lack of dignity.

            He opened the bathroom door and saw to pampering the puffiness right out of his bride.  By the time she was ready to put the wedding dress on she was a glowing thing.  Effulgent.  He was ushered into the basement where Giles was waiting with his tux.  It was only a half an hour before the ceremony was to begin.  Darkness had fallen.  He could hear cars pulling up.  He paced the basement floors, driving Giles nearly insane.  Finally, Joyce peeked her head down the steps.  “It’s time.”

Chapter 13  Already There

            As Spike stood at the end of a long white runner, he was for the first time in his life, utterly speechless.  Her radiance was blinding.  It was knee weakening.  He stared in absolute rapture as she glided down the isle.  He was vaguely aware that Giles was at her side.  Someone somewhere said, “Her Mother and I do.”  It might have been Giles.  All at once the world snapped back into focus as her tiny hands were placed in his.

            He looked at their joined hands.  More symbolic than the ring in his pocket.  He brought them up and placed a gentle, lingering kiss against her knuckles.

            A sob tore out of Buffy’s throat at his actions.  This man loved her.  Truly loved her.  She’d never seen anyone look at her like he just had.  Like she was the most precious thing the world had to offer.  She felt a sudden urge to take his blood again.  Needed desperately for him to fill her.  To take her here in her mother’s once backyard now transformed into a sea of white through the use of linen, Christmas tree lights, and rose petals.

            A sense of clarity stole over her.  These were human trappings.  She and Spike were only a part of this because of love and respect for her mother.  Spike was right.  They were one.  The preacher was speaking.  Heedless, Buffy took a step closer to Spike.  “I love you, William.  I really, really love you,” she whispered.

            “I know, Buffy.  You tell me in a thousand ways,” he told her.  He leaned in close and kissed her forehead.  “I love you too, baby.  You’re a vision in that dress.  Clouded my senses.  Stole my mind with your beauty,” he whispered.  “Let’s make mum happy now, shall we?”  He offered her his arm.

            “Lets,” she agreed with a blinding smile as she linked arms with him.

            They turned to listen to the slightly flustered man when a familiar presence made itself known long before it was seen or heard.  They listened on, waiting.

            “Buffy!” Angel yelled as he stood at the head of the isle.  “I tried calling, no one picked up the phone.  I got here as soon as I could, sweetheart.  I did it.  I got my soul anchored.  The monks helped.  There is no danger of Angelus ever getting free again.  We can be together now.  We can raise the baby.  I don’t care who the father is.  You don’t have to marry Spike.  I can take care of you now.”

            Buffy didn’t answer.  She didn’t turn around.  She simply stepped closer to her love, wrapping her arms around his waist and leaning her cheek on his chest.  She looked at the preacher and gave a tiny nod.  He continued.

            Spike felt himself expand.  He was light headed with delight.  There were no obstacles.  He was not just her best option.  He was her true choice.  He did his best to make the appropriate responses.  The vows were said.  The rings exchanged.  The kiss was feather light and long lasting.  Two beings melding into one another.

            They turned around.  Most of the faces were happy and excepting, but then again most of the faces had no idea that Spike was a vampire and Buffy the Slayer.  Most were family members and clients of Joyce’s.  Some faces, knowing faces, looked grimly on.  Xander’s face was pinched, like he had tasted something foul.  Giles was serious as if he was at a funeral instead of a wedding.  And Angel…  Angel’s was suspicious.

            The big vampire stood as still as death, only slightly to the side of the isle as Buffy and Spike walked past.  It hit him hard, smacking into him like a brick.  A claim.  The bastard had claimed her.  No wonder she had acted like she did.  The demon inside of Angel was mad with rage.  This human had been his mark.

            Angel walked up to Giles and pulled him by the arm.  He whispered words.  Damning words.  Telling the watcher just what he had lost, that his slayer was corrupted, irrevocably. 

            Buffy and Spike had heard the exchange no matter how low it was whispered.  Spike with his enhanced hearing, Buffy through her link to Spike.  They walked into the house and waited.

            Giles flew into the room followed by Joyce, Willow, Xander, and Angel.  He walked up to Buffy and tilted her neck.  Then he searched Spike’s.  Both allowed him his perusal.

            “It’s true then?  You’ve exchanged blood?” Giles asked evenly.

            “We’re mated.  It wasn’t meant to be a secret,” Spike answered.

            Giles turned and punched the defenseless vampire in the gut.  Giles’ punch brought for a low grunt from his victim.  Buffy’s sent Giles crashing into Xander.  The two men toppled over in a tangle on the floor.

            Giles got up, giving Buffy a look of pure disgust.  “You have clearly made your choice.  I cannot help you now.  You are one of the damned.”  He turned and left the house.

            “What’s he talking about Buffy?”  Xander demanded to know.

            “Spike and I are mated.  He claimed me.  I drank his blood.  When I die I will become a vampire,” Buffy explained.  She had really been hoping to do this at another time.

            “How could you?  How could you turn your back on everything you stand for?  I thought I knew you.  I don’t know you at all.  And what’s more?  I don’t think I want to.”  He walked out of the door, slamming it behind him.

            “Buffy, how…  Why?”  Willow asked as tears fell down her face.

            Buffy stood strong, relentless in her support of Spike and their actions.  “Willow it is my wedding day.  I don’t need to be explaining myself today.  If you want to reserve judgment and listen to what I have to say, then I ask that you wait.  I had planned to explain everything to you guys on my own time.”  She gave Angel a vicious look.

            “Okay, Buffy.  I’ll wait.  I trust you,” Willow looked at Spike.  “I trust you both.”

            “Thanks, Red.  Nice bird, your Tara,” Spike told her.

            Willow blushed.  “Thanks, Spike.”  She walked out the door as well, but left a little bit of kindness behind.

            Joyce came up behind Angel and whacked him hard over the head.  “You hurt my little girl on her wedding day.  You…” She whacked him again.

            Angel turned to toss the axe-wielding woman away from him, but found himself face to face with a snarling Spike.

            “You don’t touch, Joyce.  Ever!” Spike growled.

            Angel looked beyond him.  “You knew?” he asked Buffy’s mother incredulously.

            “Of course I knew.  It’s the best thing that could have happened to her,” Joyce declared.

            “You didn’t seem to think so when it was me,” Angel hissed.

            Joyce lowered the axe and pointed to the front door.  “You aren’t Spike.”

Chapter 14

            Buffy and Spike mingled at the tables.  Smiled for the photographs.  Answered questions.  Most questions came from Buffy’s aunt.  Spike had to hide a smile at the fairly honest answers his wife gave the woman.  Especially the one where she emphatically confirmed that she did indeed have a bun in the oven.  That one had been the most fun.  He was learning that his little lady had a mischievous streak.

            Late that night they kissed Joyce goodbye, thanking her for the lovely wedding she had put on for them.  Buffy apologized for Angel’s actions and the slip about the pregnancy.  Her mother just laughed and said the look on her sister’s face was priceless.  No one mentioned the incident in the house with Angel, Giles, and Xander.  It was too ugly for such a beautiful occasion.

            Spike and Buffy drove the Desoto, decorated by Willow and Tara, back to their home.  Just being alone together was enough of a honeymoon for them.  They pulled into their garage and immediately sensed Angel’s presence in the house.

            “There goes me carrying you over the threshold.  This is really starting to piss me off,” Spike growled in disgust.  They got out of the Desoto and walked into the kitchen.  It was worse, now they could tell that Xander and Giles were with him.  Spike looked at his bride.  “You ready, pet?”

            She gritted her teeth and pulled out a stake from the white folds of her gown.  “Oh, I’m ready.”

            Angel knew they would sense them.  He wasn’t going for the element of surprise.  He was hoping brute force would do, and pointy sticks.  He watched as Buffy and Spike came into the room, Buffy carefully guarding her vampire’s heart.

            Spike and Buffy looked at the crossbows being held by a trio of men who knew exactly just how to use them.  Buffy cocked her head to the side.  “You guys really know how to make a girl feel extra special on her big day.”  She saw the chains lying by Giles’ feet.  “Oh, let me guess.  You kill Spike.  Chain me up until the baby’s born.  Behead me for good measure, and raise our baby as your own?”

            “You have given us no choice,” Giles said with steely resolve.

            “No, you’re the ones who’ve done that,” Buffy said sadly.  She and Spike moved then as one, diving low toward their attackers.

            The cross bows were fired, the bolts all hitting Spike but missing his heart thanks to his dive.  The vampire and the slayer fell upon the aggressors, taking them down by their knees.  Giles and Xander were merely knocked out, Angel they spared nothing for.  He was hurt.  Good. 

            Once all three men were duct taped and chained, Buffy picked up the phone.  “Willow, get over here quickly,” Buffy said and then hung up in time to see Spike dialing his cell phone out of the corner of her eye.  “You are not!  On our wedding night?”

            “Have to, pet.  She’s really good at this stuff,” Spike explained, wincing at the conciliatory tone of his voice.  He was so whipped.  “Lo?  Dru?  It’s me.  Got a problem.  Daddy’s got his soul anchored and he’s being a very bad boy.  He got together with a couple of the Slayer’s friends and…” He paused to listen.  “Oh, she did.  Well tell her thanks, ducks.  About Angel…  Yeah.  He tried to kill me and steal my mate and my baby.”  More listening.  “You do?  Thanks, luv.  Really appreciate it.  We have one actually.  Let me give you the number.”

            Spike rattled off a number that Buffy recognized as their fax number.  She’d wondered when they would need the machine, but never in her wildest had she imagined this would be the night.  As the machine kicked into life, Buffy ran over to see just what it was spitting out.  She could hear Spike saying his goodbyes to his sire.  Buffy picked up the page.  A spell.  Huh.  Who would have thought? 

            “Miss Edith sends her blessings along with Dru on both the mating and the baby.  Dru said she’d be here soon to protect her grandbaby from the naughty hell-bitch.”  Spike looked down at the spell in Buffy’s hands.

            “Why am I oddly comforted by that?” Buffy asked, not feeling intimidated in the slightest by the appearance of Spike’s ex.  Then again her own ex was currently beaten and chained on their living room floor.  Life wasn’t exactly normal for them.

            “Cause she takes care of her own and that includes you now,” Spike informed her.  “You know we actually have all of the ingredients for this thing in our kitchen.  Probably especially made for us by Miss Edith.  That doll really spooks me sometimes.”  Spike shuddered.

            “Scary,” Buffy agreed.  She thought about the damage a teen could do with just a little bit of knowledge and their mother’s spice cabinet as she looked over the ingredients list.  Even more scary.

            A knock at the door brought Buffy out of her reverie.  She opened it and ushered Willow and her friend Tara into the room.  “See,” she pointed at the tied up men and then at the crossbows.  Then she turned the women’s attention to the bolts sticking out of her husband’s body.  “See what they tried to do to us on our wedding night?”

            Willow was incensed as she looked at the blood dripping onto the carpet beneath Spike.  “Why don’t you explain this claim thingy to me while we clean Spike up?”

            “Good idea,” Buffy hollered as she ran off to get the first aid kit.

            Willow stared at the ruined silk shirt.  “Good thing you talked Buffy’s mom out making you wear a tux,” Willow told him as she worked the first bolt loose.

            “Yeah,” Spike agreed.  “Shirt’s a gonner though.”  He winced as she pulled the bolt out of his arm.  “That hurt like a son of a bitch,” he declared.

            “Sorry,” Willow muttered.

            “Not your fault, Red,” Spike told the witch.

            “No, it’s theirs,” Buffy declared as she came back in the room with the kit in hand.  “I never thought Angel would be so narrow minded.  He was fine with it until he found out about the claim.”

            “No, sweetheart,” Spike corrected her.  “He was fine with it until he found a way to get his soul anchored and then you chose me over him.  He’s not exactly used to that kind of thing.  Just be glad it was him and not Angelus.  I’ve seen what that bastard can to at a wedding.”

            “I don’t think I want to know,” Tara said quietly.

            Spike gave the shy girl a smile.  “No, you don’t.”  He left it at that.

            “About Buffy possibly turning into a vampire,” Willow reminded them.  “Could maybe you explain that to me?” 

            Buffy looked at Spike, she was unsure who was the better person for this one.  Deciding Willow was her best friend she spoke first.  “It started as an agreement.  Spike was doing this huge thing: going against his nature to save the world, again.  He wanted some assurance for himself.  He didn’t just want to be a sperm donor.  He wanted more than that.  A vampire doesn’t live for a mere eighty to a hundred years, Wills.  At least not a master vampire like Spike,” Buffy added.  “He wanted a mate.  Someone who would stay by his side forever, and I have to tell you the idea was fairly appealing.  I agreed to his terms, knowing that he wouldn’t let me hurt any of you or our baby, but then I realized I was head over heels in love with the guy, and it became something more.”  Buffy looked at Willow.  “I’m happy.  I’m more than happy.  As sappy as it sounds I’m complete.  The feeling is indescribable.  The thought of him ever being alone, of being apart form him, is unbearable.  All we’ve done is sealed our love the best way we know how.”

            “Alright, I get it.”  Willow looked at the men on the floor who had awoken as the third bolt was removed.  They had heard Buffy’s explanation, but only Giles looked contrite.

            Buffy handed Willow the paper.  “It’s a spell.  If we say it just like it’s written, all knowledge of the claim will be made impossible to them.”

            Willow read the spell through.  “Two things, Buffy.  First, I thought you were adamantly against memory spells of any kind.  Second, won’t Angel just be able to re-sense the claim again, and this whole thing starts all over?”     

            “Let’s do two first, kay?” Buffy asked.  “The spell is ongoing.  It’s not just a memory spell.  The claim is simply out of the realm of possibilities for any of them.  We could tell them about it ten times a day and they would never realize its existence.  As for the first question.”  Buffy got a hard look in her eyes.  She pointed at her still bleeding husband, who was now being patched up by Tara.  “It’s either this or I kill all of three of them right now.”  Buffy saw Angel’s eyes widen.  “Well actually I’d let Spike kill Angel.”

            “Thank you, baby,” Spike said with a catch in his throat.  “That means a lot to me.”

            Buffy gave him a tender smile.  Just wait until she got all of these people out of her house.  That man was hers and she couldn’t wait to show him.

            Willow had understood the look in Buffy’s eyes.  She’d do it.  She would really kill Angel, Giles, and Xander, and the truth of the matter is that they would deserve it.  She held the spell up in the air.  “Okay, let’s get casting.”

Chapter 15  Drowning

            “What are we doing here, again?” Giles asked for the third time.

            Willow sighed.  It was like dealing with three drunken frat boys.  “I told you, Giles.  You came to try and talk Buffy into leaving with Angel.  Tara and I followed you guys to stop you. There was fighting.  I was scared someone was going to get hurt, so I did a spell.  It made you all a bit wonky.  Sorry,” Willow said truthfully, not wanting to lie to them and knowing that lying to a master vampire was fairly useless anyway.

            “Yeah, mission failed.  Get the hell out of my house,” Spike growled beside his wife.  They’d cleaned up the blood and Spike was wearing a fresh black silk shirt. 

            Angel glared at him, and then he turned pleading eyes on Buffy.  “Please, Buffy, you have to know he’s not good for you.”

            “Angel, he’s all that’s good for me in this world.  I’m in love with him.  I’m having his baby.  He’s going to help me save the world again.  This is right, and I think that somewhere inside of yourself you know it.”

            Angel looked like he was going to protest.  “Look, Sire,” Spike said, offering the respect he knew Angel was craving about now,  “I love her.  You know what I’m like when I’m in love.  Hell, you could dust me and I’d find a way back to her.”

            Angel closed his eyes.  They were in love.  How the hell did that happen?  He thought back to the night he and Brother Brahms had gone to Giles.  The way she had looked when she came into the room, riding Spike like a pony.  She’d looked happy.  He wasn’t sure that he’d ever seen such a carefree, happy look on her face before.  He got up and walked over to her his true love.  What was true love anyway?  Wasn’t any love true?  How could he have been so wrong about so much?

            Buffy looked at Angel.  Yes, she’d loved him, but the truth was she hadn’t really understood love or life when she was falling for Angel.  The big vampire had been the one to educate her on both.  Now, with Spike, she knew.  She knew what love was and what it wasn’t.  She also knew a whole lot more about life.  It was full of ups and downs.  Finding someone who could ride those with you no matter what was a great blessing, one she wasn’t about to let go of.

            Angel looked into her eyes.  “I still love you, Buffy.  This is hard for me.”

            “I will always care for you, Angel.  Love you like a friend.  Love you like family, even.  But Spike’s my guy,” she explained as gently as she could.

            “I’m starting to get that.”  Angel turned around and left the house.  It was time to head back to Los Angeles.  He’d see what he and Wesley could dig up on Glorificus.  Help from afar.  Very far.

            Giles was still confused.  He didn’t understand why he would have followed Angel over here like this, an anchored soul.  He supposed that was better than Spike’s complete lack of soul.  Though he’d never really liked Angel, and there was the whole matter of him having killed Jenny when he was Angelus.  Giles looked at Spike and knew, without a doubt, that he would never do something like that.  He may be soulless but he didn’t play with his enemies’ friends and families.  So why was Giles here?  He shook his head.  He looked at Buffy and Spike.  “So sorry to have interrupted your… uh… honeymoon.  I’ll be leaving now.”  He turned and awkwardly followed Angel out front door.

            Xander wasn’t ready to go.  He’d let the others say their piece.  Now it was his turn.  “You’re a fool, Buffy.  I hate Angel, but with his soul anchored he is the better dead guy.  Spike is going to betray you.  Betray us.  I don’t suppose you’ll be satisfied until more of your friends are dead.”

            Buffy’s heart hurt.  It was like a stabbing wound.  She closed her eyes, having to hold onto Spike’s temper through the claim and reign in her own emotions at the same time.  “Xander, I think it’s time for you to go back to civilian life,” she said sadly.  “You don’t really like me anymore.  You certainly don’t respect me.  Take Anya and go.  The two of you need to leave the Hellmouth and make a nice, demon-free life for yourselves somewhere.”

            Xander was astounded.  His mouth hung open for several seconds.  “You want me to leave?”

            “Wanting doesn’t have anything to do with it.  I want you to grow up and take a real look at the world around you.  To understand what Spike and I mean to each other, what he has overcome to fight by my side.  What I need, is for everyone on my team to be on board.  I’m going to have a baby, Xander.  My child.  I already love her with everything that I am.  I want to save the world, but my focus has shifted.  Now I want to save my child.  I need everyone behind me on this.  There is no room for prejudice or any other emotion that can compromise this fight.  So please, just go.”  Buffy clung to Spike. 

            Xander turned and left without another word.  He needed time to think about the things Buffy had said.

            Willow was crying softly into Tara’s shoulder.  She didn’t want Xander to leave, but she had to agree with everything Buffy had said.  For the first time the young witch fully realized what Spike and Buffy were going through.  For the rest of them this had been about Buffy hooking up with another vampire.  For Spike and Buffy it was steps they were taking to save the life of their child.  A child they had not asked for, but now wanted desperately.  Willow hadn’t thought of it in that way before.

            “I’ll be with you,” Tara said to Willow and to Spike and Buffy.  “I know a little magic.  I’ll be here.  I’ll help you.”

            Willow looked at the girl who was becoming so much more than a friend to her.  “Thank you, Tara.  I’d like that.”

            “Us too,” Buffy assured the young woman.  She’d seen the way the two had looked at each other all day.  She’d also heard what Spike had said to Willow earlier.  It was strange, thinking of Willow with another woman, but at the same time it seemed right.  Willow looked at home beside Tara.  Buffy felt Spike’s arms tighten around her.  Home was good.

            “What are we doing?” Willow cried.  “It’s your honeymoon night, and we’re sitting around in your kitchen.  This is wrong.  We’re going to leave now.  You two go have sex.”

            Everyone in the room laughed.  Willow blushed.  “I didn’t mean… well, actually I did.  I meant just what I said, but I can’t believe I said it.”

            Tara pulled the stammering girl toward the front door.  She gave Spike and Buffy a little smile before they left.  She also muttered a tiny little blessing as she closed the front door.

            Spike scooted off the counter and swept Buffy up in his arms.  “I believe we were just told to go have sex.”

            Buffy laughed.  “Gonna have to remember that one.  No one’s ever given me that as a direct order before.  I think it’s the kind of thing we can drag out years from now to embarrass Willow with.”

            “Always good to have humiliation fodder at hand,” Spike agreed as he carried her into their bedroom.  He laid her down upon the bed and looked at her.  There she was, his bride, sitting in a froth of white.  He bent down and started to unlace her tiny white boots.  So cute.  Then he ran his hands up her thighs.  He closed his eyes and groaned.  He was trying to be romantic about this.  Not easy.  Garters never made romantic easy.  They pretty much shot him straight to horny as hell.

            Buffy felt Spike struggling for control.  She loved that she could do this to him.  She lifted up a stocking clad foot and ran it over his bulging erection.

            “Not helping things here,” he growled.

            “Not trying to,” she teased.

            Spike took in a great steadying breath and then he expertly unhooked the garter belt from the stockings.  He pulled each delectable silk confection off of her smooth legs.  The scents coming off her body were rocking him to his core.  There was arousal.  There was perfume.  There was lotion.  And there was love.  All for him.

            “Stand up,” Spike ordered.  When she obediently complied he turned her around.  He began to loosen the ties in the back of her gown.  Then he pushed it off her shoulders and helped her to shimmy it down to her feet until it was puddle of white on the floor.  Then he lifted her over and out of it.  He groaned at what was now before him.  He leaned his head against her forehead.  “You’re killing me here, luv.”

            Buffy laughed and reached for the buttons on his shirt.  She undid them quickly.  He wasn’t the only one struggling for self-control here.  She pulled the shirt form him, and then started in on his trousers.  Only Spike could make a pair of plain black dress pants look this sexy.  When he was completely naked she pulled him flush against her skin.

            Spike could feel the silky material of her bra caressing his chest.  He opened his eyes.  “This is the most beautiful bra and knickers set I have ever seen,” he declared as he stared at the silk demi-cup bra and matching thong.  It was a creamy-white silk with tiny pink rosebuds embroidered on it.  The garter belt was a solid matching silk.  He unhooked it first.  Then he reached down to the golden mounds practically falling out of the bra.  He decided to help them come all the way out.  He used his nose to nuzzle the right one free, and then brought it into his mouth for a suckle.  He pulled her still silk clad mound against his throbbing cock as he feasted on the nipple in his mouth.

            The little mewling sounds Spike was making were driving Buffy wild.  She needed him inside of her in the worst way.  She took the initiative and wiggled out of her panties.  She heard him growl his displeasure at her actions; obviously he’d wanted to remove them himself.  “Tough, I need this,” she declared as she grabbed his penis and guided him into her warmth.

            Spike released the nipple in his mouth and threw his head back as he felt Buffy’s walls all around him.  Fuck, he loved this.  He felt his face morph into its vampire visage- all of him wanting her.  A rumbling growl sounded from his mouth as moved them onto the bed, never once leaving his place inside of her.  He began moving in and out.  Reaching down to free the other nipple.  He alternated between sucking the two pink buds and nuzzling the crook of her neck.  His fangs pierced her skin in a thousand places.

            Buffy felt a wildness pushing out from inside of her; every stab into her flesh from he lover’s mouth and claws bringing it further to the surface.  It was if some inner beast inside of her was responding to Spike’s demon.  Finally, when she could no longer take the pressure, she flipped their positions with a roar and bit into the side of his neck.  She lapped up the blood that pooled there while she road him.  She felt his fangs enter her own neck, and it was all over.  An orgasm so consuming that it felt like she was exploding.  Blackness stole over her and she collapsed on her mate in a heap of completion.

            Spike lay their panting.  He’d never had an orgasm like that before.  He couldn’t focus his eyes.  They only thing he could hear was her heartbeat.  The only thing he could smell was her arousal and blood.  He was completely overtaken by her.  He was drowning.

Chapter 16:  Fixing 

            “Sit down, honey,” Joyce told her daughter for the umpteenth time.  The young woman just turned and gave her mother the evil eye, rubbing at her slightly protruding tummy.  Joyce decided to go for the low blow.  “It’s not good for the baby for you to worry so much.”

            A look of guilt flitted over Buffy’s face, and she ceased her walking and took a seat.  “I can’t not worry, mom.  It’s been hours.  Hours!  How long does it take to remove a chip?”

            “Baby, they just want to be careful.  He may be a vampire, but it’s still a human brain they’re dealing with.  They don’t want him to have any damage.  You know this Buffy, they explained everything to you when they first approached you.”

            Wolfram and Hart had heard about Glorificus’ desire to open a gate to hell.  There were two reasons that they sought out Buffy and Spike to offer their assistance.  The first was that the hell-god was not a client.  The second was that Wolfram and Hart had their own apocalypse to attend to and didn’t want anyone beating them to it.  They of course didn’t share the second reason with the two white hatters, opting instead to give them some spiel about it being bad for business.  No world.  No contracts- yadda, yadda, yadda.  There was a third, hidden reason; one that the senior partners were unaware of.

            Lindsey looked at the beautiful blonde sitting in the chair, her hand placed protectively over her stomach.  He thought there was a good chance that he loved the swell of that belly more than she did.  Anything that shattered Angel made Lindsey a very happy man; when the field reports had come across his desk regarding the slayer and her pregnancy, especially who the father was, he’d felt like doing a frickin’ jig.  He’d settled for putting plans in motion that would see to the interests of both Wolfram and Hart and Lindsey McDonald.  Life was good.

            The door swung open and a man in blue/green scrubs came out with a purposeful smile.  He was a contract doctor to Wolfram and Hart and had learned long ago to tread carefully where his patients and their families were concerned. 

            Buffy came immediately to a stand, “My husband?  He’s okay?”

            “Your husband is just fine.  You can go in and see him if you like.  The procedure went as expected.  The chip is gone,” the doctor explained.

            Buffy would have given a response to the somewhat nervous doctor, but her feet had carried her down the hall.  She didn’t need to be told which room Spike was in; the claim took care of that and then some.  They’d both had to put up barriers so that she wouldn’t feel everything that was being done to Spike during the surgery.  She could still sense his presence, however.  It had become such a constant in her life, like the little Buddha belly, that she couldn’t imagine it ever not having been there. 

            “Spike,” she breathed in relief as she stepped through the door.

            He gave her a groggy smile.  It was more of a warble than a smile actually.  “Slayer!  My Slayer.  My Buffy.  Pretty Buffy.  All mine.”

            Buffy’s smile grew.  He was completely lit.  It was charming.  She came over to the bed and gave his brow a gentle kiss.  “That’s right. Yours.  All yours, baby.”

            “Not a baby,” he told her.  “I’m a vicious vampire!  Grrr.” He tried to go fang faced but failed, resulting in a human imitation of a vampire that Buffy dearly wished she had a picture of.  Where was a camera when you needed one?

            “Not a baby,” Buffy agreed.  She grabbed his hand and placed it on her stomach.  “There’s the baby!”

            Spike’s eyes got big for a second.  “That’s right!  There’s the baby.  Knew I wasn’t the baby.”  He closed his eyes for a second, and then he reopened them wider than before.  “That’s mine too!  My baby.”

            Buffy leaned back down, brushing his lips with her own.  “Your baby.  Now go to sleep, Spike.  I love you.”

            “Love you too.  Love both of you,” he murmured as he let sleep overtake him.

            Buffy pulled a chair beside his bed and sat down.  She slipped her hand in his and closed her eyes.  Sleep would be good.  She hadn’t slept since Lindsey McDonald had shown up at their door.  They knew better than to trust the man, pretty much figured he had his own agenda, but as long as they didn’t have to sign anything they figured the demon law firm was their best option in getting the chip removed safely.  Buffy still worried.  So many things could go wrong.  The thought of losing Spike was simply not bearable.

            It was funny how far she had come in so short a time, but then again it seemed like she had been preparing for him her whole life.  As if she was always meant to be by his side.  She liked to think that was the reason Drusilla had chosen him so long ago – to save him for her.  She held Spike’s hand and she rubbed her belly until she joined her mate in sleep.

            The door opened.  A figure appeared.  Normally, the two creatures in the room would have immediately sensed him, but exhaustion had claimed them both.  It was a good thing he was here.  They couldn’t even protect themselves right now.  Angel shut the door and found a seat in the hall.  He cringed when he saw Joyce coming through a set of double doors with a coffee in her hand.

            “What are you doing here?”  Her voice was hard with accusation.

            “I heard from a demon contact that Wolfram and Hart was helping Spike get his chip out today.  I came to make sure everything went as it was supposed to.  These guys can’t be trusted,” Angel explained.

            Joyce sat beside him.  “Neither can you,” she mumbled as she took a sip of the hot liquid.  “Why do you care exactly?  You didn’t exactly seem to be on the Spike bandwagon at the wedding.”

            Angel winced.  “That wasn’t my best moment, I agree.”  He turned to look at her.  “But if someone had answered the phone it never would have happened.  I would have been able to explain to Buffy about my soul, and then she would have been able to tell me she was in love with Spike.  I would never have interrupted the wedding then.”

            “So it’s all my fault for not picking up the phone,” Joyce said with false sweetness.

            “You have caller I.D. don’t you?” Angel accused.

            Joyce smiled a wicked little smile as she took another sip of her coffee.  “Yep.”

            Angel put his head back against the wall and closed his eyes in frustration.  “How can you honestly prefer an unsouled, and now unchipped, demon over me, Joyce.  What did I ever do to you?”

            “You want a list?”

            “No, forget I asked,” Angel told her.  “Does Giles know the chip is being removed?”

            “He knows it is going to be removed.  Buffy and Spike have been as honest as they could be with everyone.  They didn’t give them the exact date because they want Spike to have a chance to recover before Xander and Giles descend upon him with accusations,” she explained.

            “They really give him a rough time don’t they?” Angel asked.

            “Yeah, they do.  It hurts Buffy.  She’s made her decision, as you know.  It’s pointless now to harass her or Spike about it.  Supporting them is the only way to  keep things going.  To win this fight.”

            “That’s why I’m here, Joyce.  I’m honestly trying to support them.  I want to protect them and the baby.  My team has been working on this… thing.  We’re getting close to a break through on exactly how the… thing can be used.”

            Joyce looked at him, trying to gage his honesty.  “If you lose your soul?”

            Angel looked down.  “I can’t.  It’s anchored.”

            “If you did?”

            “I don’t know.  I would never have thought that the old Angelus would have tried to suck the world into hell.  That wasn’t like me.  I’d always been really careful with my family.  I was a brutal bastard, but never stupid.  I think having a soul and being oppressed has made the demon a bit crazy, and crazy people are unpredictable.  Who knows, I could lose the soul and be back to my normal evil self and fight right beside Spike and Buffy.  It’s anyone’s guess.  I’m telling you though, Joyce, it’s anchored.  My soul isn’t going anywhere,” Angel promised.

            From a monitoring system, installed and paid for by Wolfram and Hart after a generous donation to the hospital, Lindsey McDonald listened to every word that the vampire told the Slayer’s mother.  Anchored.  This was news.  Not news the Senior Partners were going to take well.  Lindsey needed to find a way to rip that soul out of this asshole quick.

Chapter 17:  Testing

            Buffy felt a low rumbling.  She tried to shake it off and go back to sleep.  No luck, the rumbling increased.  She opened her eyes.  The rumbling was coming from Spike.  He was growling in his sleep.  At first she thought he must be having a nightmare, but then she realized she could feel a distinct tingle, vampire, more specifically – Angel.  She stood up and ran out of the room, coming to a stop right outside the door.

            “Angel,” she said.  “What are you doing here?”

            “Watching your back while you two love birds sleep,” he said sardonically.

            Buffy realized how deeply asleep she and Spike had been not to have noticed Angel’s close proximity before.  “Thank you.  I think.”  Buffy looked at her mother.  “Are you okay?”

            “I’m fine, sweetie.  Angel doesn’t scare me,” Joyce informed her daughter.

            Buffy looked down at her watch.  “Mom!  You’ve been out here for hours.  Go back to the hotel.  Get some sleep.  We’ll be fine.  Spike will probably wake up in a few more hours and be ready to go.  We’ll meet you back at our rooms.”

            “I’d be happy to escort your mother back to the hotel, Buffy.  That is if you can promise me you won’t fall asleep again,” Angel told her.

            “The way my heart rate is currently skyrocketed, I seriously doubt sleep will be an issue,” she said.

            Angel looked embarrassed.  “I make you that uncomfortable.”  It was a statement, not a question.

            “Well, you did try to kill my husband the last time I saw you,” Buffy reminded him.

            “Yeah, I did.  I think the emotional turmoil of the day must have gotten to me. I can’t understand why I actually tried to kill him.  It’s a little fuzzy,” Angel admitted.

            “Probably the after effects of the spell Willow cast to stop you three.  In psychology class we read about this thing called mob mentality.  I bet that had something to do with it, too,” Buffy informed him.

            “Mob mentality?”  Angel knew exactly what she was talking about.  He’d incited a mob or two in him time.  “You think Giles, Xander, and I collectively make up a mob?”

            “Well, a small mob,” Buffy said defending her theory.  “You know, two’s a crowd.  Three’s a mob.  That sort of thing.”  She stopped her ramble.  “Angel, why don’t you escort my mother back to the hotel.  We’d really appreciate it.  No sleeping.  I promise.”

            Angel looked at her oddly.  “Okay.”  He turned to Joyce and offered her his arm.  She just raised one eyebrow and walked past him.  Angel sighed.  He shook his head at Buffy and proceeded to follow Joyce down the hall.

            Buffy turned around and went back in the hospital room.  The growling was still going on.  It was odd to watch him sleep and growl at the same time.  She reached out a hand and brushed it across his forehead.  “Hush, baby.  The big bad vampire is gone.”

            “You let him leave with your mother,” Spike accused.

            “You’re awake.”  Buffy was surprised.

            “Wasn’t until you touched me, luv.”  Spike opened his eyes and looked at her.  “Damn, you’re beautiful.”

            Buffy bent down and kissed him.  “You’re not so bad yourself; kind of like sleeping beauty.  Hey!  That makes me prince charming!”

            Spike gave her a dirty look.  “Don’t try to change the subject.  That prat is with your mum, Slayer.”

            “I thought it was better than having him hang out here,” Buffy defended herself.

            Spike thought about it.  “Right,” he agreed.  “It was funny.  I could sense him.  Knew he was out there talking to Joyce.  I felt when you got up and left the room.  Could hear you talking.  I couldn’t seem to really wake up though.  Each time I thought I had, I realized I was still asleep.”

            Buffy smiled as she took her seat and pulled his hand into her own.  “The benefits of being in a demon ward at a local hospital.  That’s what it feels like for us humans when we get drugged up, Spikey.  You’re lucky they have the good stuff here.”

            Spike wasn’t sure how lucky he was.  If Angel had been there intent on doing harm, there was no way Spike would have been able to help his ladies.  It was not a comforting thought.

            Buffy could feel the worry pouring off of her mate.  “It’s okay, baby.  We’re fine.  Angel only came to keep us safe.”

            “That’s not exactly a comfort,” Spike groused.  “No more surgeries.  No more heavy medicine.  Chip’s gone, right?”

            “The chip is gone.”  Buffy’s eyebrows knitted together.  “At least I think it’s gone.”

            “Well, call in a nurse or something.  Let’s see if I can bite her!” Spike exclaimed with mock eagerness.

            Buffy leaned in and bit him on the shoulder.  “The only woman you get to use those fangy dentals on is me, and don’t you forget it!”

            Spike smiled.  He loved jealous Buffy.  “Okay, okay.  But get one in here so I can pinch her.”

            Buffy looked around for the call button.  “Here it is!”  She gave it a push.

            Spike’s eyes widened.  “You’re really going to let me pinch some bird?”

            Before Buffy could answer a steely eyed man came into the room.  Human.  He walked over and looked at the machine Spike wasn’t hooked up to.  Habits.  This human deserved to be pinched. 

            The nurse looked Spike over.  “What seems to be the problem, Mr. Bloody?”

            Buffy gave a little giggle at the name they had registered under.  Spike tried to shush her with the bond.  “I think I have a fever.  Feel my forehead.”

            The nurse leaned over to placate the vampire by putting his hand on his cheek.  Wham!  Fangs in.  The biting didn’t fully surprise the seasoned veteran.  He did flinch, however.  “Are you satisfied, Mr. Bloody?”

            Spike looked up at the nurse and smiled.  Well, tried to smile.  He still had a mouthful of nurse hand.  He spit the hand out.  “Very satisfied.  Thanks ever so.”

            “You’re welcome,” the man said drolly as he turned and left the room.

            Buffy stared at her husband.  “You bit him!  You bit that man!”

            Spike was in too good of a mood to be put off by his wife’s displeasure.  “Man.  You said it.  If I remember correctly it was only other women I am not allowed to bite.”

            “You knew what I meant, buster.  Don’t even try to deny it,” Buffy said sternly.  She was trying to be stern, anyway.  The goofy little expression of joy on her man’s face was making it extremely hard.

            “I’d say I’m sorry, but I don’t ever want to lie to you, baby.”  Spike eyed her with sincere blue eyes; lovely, blue eyes, the ones that sucked her in each and every time.

            “Oh okay, you’re forgiven even if you can’t say the words and mean them.  Just don’t do it again.  It’s embarrassing,” Buffy said thinking of the way Spike had latched onto that poor man.

            Spike heaved a heavy sigh.  “Oh, alright.  No more biting.”

            “Except me,” Buffy hurried to clarify.

            “Except you.”

Chapter 18:  In-Laws

            “Home is good,” Buffy declared wearily while depositing her overnight bag on the bedroom floor.  They’d dropped her mother off as soon as they came into town and headed straight home.

            Spike threw himself on the bed.  “Home is good,” he agreed.  He opened up his arms and waved his wife over.

            “Unpack later, snuggle now,” he said as she crawled into his arms and turned onto her side.

            Spike placed his hand lovingly over the tiny swell of belly.  “How’s my littlest girl doing today?”

            Buffy wiggled her fanny against him.  “She’s good.  All nestled inside of mommy.”

            Spike pushed his burgeoning erection against Buffy.  “Daddy wants to be nestled inside of mommy, too,” Spike purred in her ear.

            Buffy giggled.  “He does, does he?”
            “Uh-huh.”

            “Don’t you think it might be a bit soon after brain surgery, vampire?”

            “I’m going to have to go with no, Slayer.”  Spike sat up suddenly.  “Shit,” he grumbled.  He got up from the bed and looked longingly down at his wife.

            “What is it?” Buffy asked concerned.

            “Let out your senses, luv.  Concentrate and it’ll come to you,” Spike instructed her.

            Buffy forced herself to relax; trying to feel what Spike was feeling.  “Shit!” She jumped up.  “I have to straighten.  You run the vacuum.  I’ll pick stuff up!”

            Spike just looked at her like she’d grown horns on her head.  “What?”

            “I am not having your sire see my house messy!  Now start cleaning,” she demanded.

            Spike noted the wild look in her eyes and set forth to do as he was told.  He felt like he’d entered some kind of alternate universe.  There was just no way he was running around cleaning house for Drusilla.  No way.  Wasn’t happening.  During his denial he’d managed to pull the vacuum cleaner out of the hall closet.  He plugged the noisy machine in and started it.

            Buffy ran all over the house picking things up.  The kitchen was already spotless, thank goodness.  She used some handi-wipes to go over each of the bathrooms, and then she ran to the guestroom and put on fresh sheets.  She heard the vacuum go off just as the doorbell rang.  She’d made it.

            She walked into the living room and joined Spike.  He opened the door.  “Hello, Poodle,” he greeted his sire as he leaned in and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

            Dru ran a hand lovingly over his face.  “Hello, my wicked boy.”  Then she turned to Buffy.  “Come give mummy a kiss, Dearie.”

            Buffy leaned in and kissed Dru as she had seen Spike do.  “Welcome to our home Drusilla.”  Buffy didn’t need to issue her a formal invitation.  The exchange of blood with Spike seemed to have altered her human status a bit.

            “Thank you,” Drusilla said as she followed the couple into the room.  She looked around with a pinched face.  “It’s very… nice.”

            Spike had to smother a smile.  He loved their home.  In fact, he was the one who had picked out most of the furnishings.  It was a mix of modern eclectic and the occasional big comfy chair.  He knew it wasn’t to Dru’s liking at all.  She had always preferred the dark and dramatic like Angelus.

            “We have a room ready for you,” Buffy explained as she reached down to take Drusilla’s bag.

            Drusilla put a staying hand on top of the pregnant Slayer’s.  “Tut, tut,” she shook a finger at her.  That’s what our handsome boy is for.”

            Spike cringed every so slightly at the word ‘boy’.  He really hated how Darla, Angelus, and Dru had always called him boy.  He was fast approaching the hundred and fifty mark, you’d think at some time he would grow beyond ‘boy’.  He obediently picked up the bag and carried it to the guest room.

             “Please, have a seat.  We just got back from Los Angles.  Spike had his chip removed.  Did you know he had a chip?”  Buffy asked Dru as both women took a seat in the living room.

            “As in a fried potato?” Dru asked the young woman across the room from her.

            “No, not a potato, Drusilla,” Spike said coming back in the room and taking a seat beside his wife.  “A micro-chip, courtesy of the American government, ducks.  It kept me from biting.”

            Dru’s face was awash with horror.  “That’s a terrible thing to do.  Why would anyone be so very cross?  I’m going to have to have a talk with Miss Edith.  She’s been keeping secrets.”

            “Where exactly is Miss Edith?” Spike was used to having to see to the doll’s needs whenever they made a stop, but he didn’t see nary a hair of the annoying little chit.

            “I left her in South America with my Gary.  I didn’t want him to feel lonely while I’m here,” the crazy vampire explained.

            “Gary,” Spike said, scratching his head.  “Still with the chaos demon than.”

            “Oh, yes.  He’s amusing.  I’m sure I’ll tire of him soon.  Perhaps in a decade or two,” she said absently.

            “Well, Buffy and I were just headed to bed.  We had a long drive,” Spike explained.  “Can we get you anything?”

            “Do you have any virgins?” Dru asked them.

            Buffy rubbed the swell of her belly nervously.  “We’re fresh out of virgin,” she stated.

            “Got some on tap, though.  Would you like that, luv?” Spike got up and went into the kitchen, not waiting for her answer.  He knew when Dru was hungry.  He knew every nuance there was to the woman.  That happened when you lived with someone for over a century.

            Buffy gave the vampire in her living room a nervous smile while her husband went into the kitchen to microwave one of their very few packets of human blood.  “So, how was your trip here?  We kind of thought you’d be showing up a bit later.  Like in a few months.  Not that we aren’t delighted to have you here, I mean.”

            Drusilla gave her newest daughter a warm smile.  “The trip was lovely.  It was rather nice traveling without Miss Edith.  Quiet.  As for my early arrival, something’s coming.  I can’t tell what.  Miss Edith didn’t speak a word.  The pixies tried whispering, but I couldn’t understand what they were saying.”

            Buffy’s hand went back to her belly, protectively.  Dru’s eyes followed her move.  “Don’t worry, my daughter.  Mummy won’t let anyone or anything harm the morning’s light.”

            Spike came in and handed Drusilla a wine glass with blood, in which he had indeed scented as virgin.  “What’s this about something coming, then?”

            “She doesn’t know, Spike,” Buffy said worriedly.

            He walked over and pulled her into his arms.  “It’ll be okay, Kitten.  Nothing’s going to happen to the little nibblet,” Spike promised.

            “Dawn.  The child’s name is Dawn.  She has my eyes, you know,” Drusilla told the parents. 

            Buffy and Spike just looked at her and swallowed.

********

            Angel was running.  He was running for all that he was worth.  Lindsey was hot on his trail accompanied by a Chinese vampire that sucked souls.  Souls!  This sucked.  Here he gets his soul anchored, no more happiness clause.  He can finally have all the sex he wants with whomever he wants, well, accept for Buffy, and now he was running from Lindsey McDonald.  It was sickening.

            There was only one place he could go – Sunnydale.  The Hellmouth would help to hide him.  It was hard to pick up psychic traces in an area so saturated with magic and supernatural beings.  Plus, he knew Spike and Buffy were the most powerful allies he had.  Now that Spike had that chip out he could kill Lindsey.  Angel relished the thought.  His soul stopped him from doing it, but Spike didn’t have a soul, Angel was counting on that.

            There was a loud banging on the door.  Spike opened his eyes.  Shit.  It was almost morning.  They’d only gotten to bed about two hours ago.  Dru had declared that it wasn’t her ‘sleepy time’ and had kept them up for hours.  The banging got louder.  Buffy stirred.  “Shh, luv, go back to sleep.  I’ll get it.”  Spike jumped up and went into the living room.  There was Drusilla standing in front of the door with her arms firmly crossed, a look of steely resolve on her face.  That’s when Spike realized he could feel Angel.  He’d been too tired and too overwhelmed with Dru’s presence to sense the old guy coming.  Shit.

            Spike looked at the change in light.  “We have to let him in, Drusilla,” Spike stated.  More banging.

            “What’s going on?  Who’s at the door?” Buffy asked sleepily.

            “A bad man,” Dru declared.

            “Huh?” Buffy started to ask when she realized it was Angel.  She let out a huff and went to the front door.  She threw it open and Angel practically fell onto the tiled foyer.  Buffy waited for him to get his balance, and then she shut the door behind him and locked it.

            Angel looked right at Dru.  “Why weren’t you going to let me in?”  He was shocked.  Dru would usually do anything for him.

            “Why should I?  Anchored soul!  Won’t let the pretty boy take it out of you.”  Dru stamped her little foot and gave a screech.  Then she turned on her heel and headed back to her room.  “It’s my sleepy time!”

           “Mine, too,” Buffy mumbled.  “Angel, why are you in my home?  I don’t like it when you’re in my home.  Dru’s right.  You are a bad man!”  She stomped her own foot for emphasis.

            Angel ran a hand through his messy hair and sighed.  He looked to Spike for help.  Spike just shrugged and walked over to his wife, letting her lean against him.

            “Lindsey McDonald, you know your buddy from Wolfram and Hart, is after me.  Trying to suck out my soul with some freak from China!  Some soul-sucking vampire thing!” Angel yelled.

            Buffy and Spike let out simultaneous sighs as they realized they were going to have to house Angel and Drusilla under the same roof for who knew how long.

Chapter 19: Wake Up

            “I just don’t see why you wouldn’t let me sleep with you,” Angel grumbled over his glass of wake-up blood.  He’d had to sleep on the couch last night because Buffy and Spike only had one guest room; the other room was the baby’s.  He’d tried to get Drusilla to let him in, but she’d been stubborn, and Buffy and Spike had refused to let him break the door down.

            Drusilla just daintily sipped her blood, refusing to even so much as look at him.  Spike was fixing Buffy’s breakfast as he listened to Angel grouse. 

            Buffy swept into the room, smelling like fresh rain.  She had one hand on her tummy, like usual.  “Mmm… what’s that smell?”

            “Eggs, bacon, and muffins,” Spike said proudly.  He loved cooking for her.  Loved to see how much healthier she looked now with him than she had before.  He knew how to take care of his woman.

            “Yummy,” Buffy murmured as she came up behind Spike and wrapped her arms around his waist.  “Love you, baby,” she whispered.

            “Love you too, kitten,” Spike said back.  He turned his head to capture her lips with his own.

            “Please,” Angel begged.  “Some of us are trying to eat.”

            Buffy let go of Spike and sat down at the table.  She noticed the lack of plates in front of Dru and Angel.  “You guys aren’t having any eggs and stuff?”

            Angel and Dru both shuddered and gripped their glasses a little more tightly.  “Spike’s alone in that desire, my dear,” Drusilla explained.

            “Huh,” Buffy said.

            Spike filled both his and Buffy’s plates with food, and then he took a seat beside his wife.

            “Orange juice, baby?” Buffy asked as she poured herself a glass.

            “Yes, please,” Spike mumbled over a bite of eggs.

            Angel choked on his blood.  “Orange juice?  I mean the food I sort of get, but orange juice?  Have you completely given up on being a vampire?”

            Spike just rolled his eyes as he took a large swig of the tangy liquid.  His wife wasn’t nearly so self-restrained.  “Hey!” Buffy exclaimed.  “He’s all vampire, buddy!  He gets his blood, but unlike you soul-man he gets his straight from the source.”

            Spike cringed.  He loved his little lady, and he appreciated that she was trying to stick up for him, but honestly…

            Angel got up from his chair and walked over to the sink, rinsing out his glass.  He was so angry at the way things had played out that his hands were shaking.

            Drusilla took pity on her sire and got up to stand behind him.  “It’s as it always was meant to be, my Angel.  I knew when I found him in that alley, that he was destined for this.”  She took Angel’s hand in her own.  “You were like John.  Sent to make way.  I’m sorry, Sire.”

            Angel didn’t like her words.  He didn’t like any of them.  He hated to think of himself as just a means to make way for Spike.  He hated that Drusilla insisted on reminding him of his place.  Sire.  Was he really anyone’s sire anymore?  He’d accused Spike of giving up vampiric ways, but he knew he was the guilty party here.  What the hell was he?  Man.  Soul.  Vampire.  Did he even have a place in this world?

            Dru ran a hand across Angel’s forehead.  “Hush, your thoughts.  You’ll find your place.  But you fight it, so it will take time.  So much time has gone by already, my Angel.  It hurts, but you don’t care.”  Dru pulled her hands away from him and ran back to her room, shutting the door firmly behind her.

            “Are you always going to make breakfast so pleasant?” Buffy asked him wryly.

            Angel heaved a great sigh, as he sat back down beside them.  “This is hard for me, Buffy.  I love you.  I think I always will.  Having to look at you with him.  You’re so happy, so damn happy.  I just wish it could have been me.”

            Buffy slid her hand across the table and gave Angel’s closed fist a squeeze.  “Drusilla is right, Angel, and I think you know it.  We were never happy.  Not once.”

            Angel raised his eyebrows at her and Buffy blushed.  “Okay, there was that one time.  But look what came of it!  You lost your soul.  Plus, you were the one with the big happy.  I didn’t even…”

            Spike slapped a hand firmly over his mate’s mouth.  “She’s pregnant, Angel.  Pregnant women are funny.  Shouldn’t listen to them.  Let’s talk about what we can do to keep Lindsey McDonald and that soul-vamp thing away from you.”

            Angel recognized a massive change in subject when he heard one, but he let it go.  Something told him he really didn’t want Buffy to finish that statement.  “Well, I thought I could stay here until you guys killed the thing.”

            “Us!”  Buffy squealed, pointing to her midriff.  “I’m kind of busy here, Angel.”

            “Do you really want the evil version of me running around after you and the baby, Buffy?  ‘Cause you know I will!” Angel exclaimed.

            “No, I really don’t.”  Buffy ran a hand over her swelling belly.  She smiled when Spike’s joined hers.

            “Not gonna happen, luv.  No one is going to get anywhere near you or the baby.  I protect what’s mine,” Spike stated.

            “Then let’s find out how to kill this thing,” Angel said.

            “Right.  Research.”  Spike got up and picked up the phone.  “Giles?”  He paused.  “Yeah, mate.  Time for research.  Bring whatever you have about soul sucking demons with you.”  Spike paused again.  “We can’t come to you.  Because we have company and I don’t think you really feel like giving Dru an invite into your home, so you lot will just have to come over here.”  Spike held the phone away from his sensitive ears as Giles let loose a string of British profanity.

            “Wow,” Spike said as he hung the phone up.  “That man really lets loose when he’s provoked.  Isn’t real happy about Dru staying here.  I didn’t even get a chance to tell him about Peaches.”

            “Please stop calling me that, William,” Angel growled.

            “Alright, fair enough, Liam.  I’ll stop,” Spike agreed.

            “Is Giles going to call Willow and Tara or do I need to?” Buffy asked.  She didn’t mention Anya and Xander.  They were currently taking a break from the Scooby gang while Xander tried to figure out his world-view.

            “He’ll call the witches,” Spike told her as he took their plates and started cleaning them off.  Buffy got up and helped by putting things away and wiping down the counters.  When they were done, Spike walked up and pulled Buffy back into his arms.

            “I’m gonna go shag the misses, Sire.  You might think of giving Dru a moment of happiness.  It’ll make her a hell of lot more agreeable to the humans comin’ over,” Spike told him.

            Angel just gritted his teeth and sat there, mulling over his life.  He stayed there for all of five minutes, when suddenly he could hear and smell the activities going on in the master bedroom.  He came to a stand.  It was time to seduce a reluctant childe.  He walked into the hallway and knocked firmly.  “Dru,” he called.  “Open up.  Daddy wants in.”

            Dru seriously thought about ignoring him.  She really did, but the ‘Daddy’ part always got to her.  She stood up and opened the door.  “You’d better make it damn good!”

            Angel swooped her up in his arms.  “Oh, it’ll be good.  So good you’ll scream and the neighbors will hear you calling out my name!” he growled as he slipped into vamp face.

            Dru giggled.  She loved when he got all rough.  It reminded her of his true self.  The one she was determined to have back very soon.

Chapter 20:  Research

            “Hey guys, come on in,” Buffy said, inviting Giles, Willow, and Tara into her home.

            “Buffy you should never invite anyone into your home like that.  I should think you’d know better,” Giles said tersely as he walked through the door. 

            “The giant cross you are clutching, kind of gave the whole ‘not a vampire’ thing away, Giles,” Buffy quipped.

            Giles looked down at the large wooden cross in his hands and blushed ever so slightly.  “Yes, well, there is that.  Sorry.”

            Willow and Tara each gave Buffy a big hug as they came in.  They too, had crosses, not so big crosses, but crosses clutched in their hands.  Buffy couldn’t help smiling.  It was so cute to think that they thought that would save them if Drusilla really wanted a taste of them. 

            Giles took a seat across from Spike in the living room.  He looked down at the array of appetizers on the table.  It was funny how domestic Buffy had become since she’d married Spike.  Before the bloodsucking bridegroom research food consisted largely of donuts.  Of course Xander had been the one to bring the donuts, and currently there was no Xander.  “Where is your sire, Spike?” Giles asked as he watched the young witches select several appetizers before taking a seat on the couch beside him.

            “Still shaggin’, I think.  Been awhile for the great poof.  Needs to get it out of his system,” Spike said, popping a spicy popcorn chicken into his mouth.

            Giles had no time to process this information further, because a rumpled looking Angel and Drusilla came stumbling out of a back bedroom.  “Oh, dear me.  He’s lost his soul again,” Giles cried, gripping the cross and holding it out in front of him.

            Angel ran a hand through his mussed up hair, and looked down at the ground in embarrassment.  He’d heard what Spike had said about him.  Sometimes his hatred for that boy was too much to bear.  He threw his grand-childe a dirty look as led Drusilla into the room.  They took seats beside Spike as far away from the humans as they could get.  Angel had given Dru a good dose of sire blood, and he was hoping that would help her to behave tonight.

            “Nope,” Buffy spoke up as she took her own seat on Spike’s lap, her favorite place.  “Angel’s got his soul.  That’s what the research is for.  There’s some soul-sucking vamp after him.  It’s why he’s hiding out with us.”

            “Oh, I see,” Giles took his glasses off to clean them.  “And having relations with a soulless demon is in keeping with his current path of redemption, is it?”

            A low, dangerous growl sounded from within Angel’s chest.  “Don’t overstep your boundaries, Watcher,” Angel warned.

            Buffy put a hand out to calm her ex-honey, and then she turned an accusative eye on her Watcher.  “I have relations with a somewhat soulless demon every day, Giles.”  She pointed to her rounded tummy.  “And look, here’s proof.”

            “Yes, sorry.  This isn’t easy for me.  Any of it.  I don’t approve.  I didn’t approve of you being with Angel even before he lost his soul.  I’m a watcher, as you have pointed out.  I believe in good and evil.  Either you fight for good, or you are a part of the evil.  It is that simple.”

            “What about when the evil fights for good?” Buffy asked him.  “Drusilla is here to help us save the world.”

            “Please don’t say that,” Dru begged.  “I’m here to save my grandbaby.  Not the world.”

            Angel pulled the upset vampire against his side and kissed the top of her head.  “It’s okay, sweetheart.  We all know you’re evil.”

            “Really?” Dru asked with wide blue eyes.

            “Really,” he promised.

            “I love you, my Angel,” Dru declared as she melted into her sire.

            “I love you, too.  Always have.  Always will.  Soul or no soul,” he stated.

            Buffy gave a little sniff and Spike looked up at her.  “It’s just so sweet,” she said tearfully.

             Spike swiped a droplet off her cheek and sucked it off his finger.  He looked at the humans across from him.  “Pregnancy hormones.  She gets a bit weepy,” he explained.

            Willow and Tara understood.  Love wasn’t something that followed the path of sense.  Love didn’t care about black and white.  Love cared only about love.  Both witches gave Buffy an understanding smile.

            “Yes, well…. Research?” Giles asked, getting up to pass out books to everyone.

            Hours later, food nearly gone, the weary group had a plan.  “So, we stake the soul sucking demon,” Willow confirmed.

            “Yes, it appears an ordinary stake will bring about the thing’s demise.  Our only problem is that it will suck the soul of anyone who touches it, so either Spike or Drusilla will have to do the staking,” Giles reminded the group.

            “One problem with that, mate,” Spike spoke up.  “I have a connection to the Slayer’s soul now.  Can’t explain it.  I just do.”

            Giles looked at the vampire with shock.  He’d heard the two of them say such things before but he always thought they were being figurative.  “You mean to tell me, that you really have her soul inside of you?”

            Spike looked down, clearly uncomfortable with the topic of discussion.  “Yeah, that’s what I said, innit?”

            Giles swallowed.  He’d have to record this information down when he got home.  Buffy’s record would undoubtedly be the oddest testament to slaying that anyone at the Council had ever had the opportunity to read.  “I suppose it will have to be Drusilla then.”

            Dru gave a delighted laugh.  “Oh, yes please.  I want to stake a vampire!” She clapped her hands in glee.

            Angel looked at her.  “Are you really willing to do this for me?  You hate my soul.”

            “I do hate your soul, but you are still my sire.  If you wish it, I will do it,” she said, sincerely.  Her sire was there.  Sitting beside her.  He was telling her exactly what he wanted her to do.  Dru, however, was the only one who could truly hear him.

            Spike and Angel both sensed the honesty of Dru’s statement.  She wasn’t lying.  She would do what her sire told her to do.

            “Okay, then.  Dru, stake the soul-sucking vamp,” Angel ordered.

            “As you wish, my sire,” Dru answered the demon inside the man.

Chapter 21

            Lindsey wasn’t pleased.  First, he was bunking with a guy who would suck his soul if he so much as brushed up against him.  Not cool.  Second, he hadn’t seen Angel even so much as peek his head outside of that damn house.  Wolfram and Hart had set up surveillance cameras outside of the Slayer and vampire’s home and Lindsey had direct access to it on his notebook.  He stared around the small hotel room.  They had to share a room so that Lindsey could keep his eye on the guy.

            Creepy looking.  He came from China but didn’t look Chinese to Lindsey.  He looked… non human.  He had extremely ashen colored skin.  His eyes were white expect for one elliptical black pupil.  He was also hairless.  Creepy.  What was even creepier than his looks was his addiction to television.  Lindsey had, had to book a room with not only cable access, but access to a media library.  Apparently Humphrey Bogart was high up on creepy-vamp’s list of all time favorites.  Lindsey threw his head back in frustration.  If he had to watch Sabrina one more time he was going to run out of the room screaming.  Humphrey may not have bananas but Lindsey did.

            “Hey, Lim!  You wanna watch the game?  Thought a change might do us both good,” Lindsey suggested.

            Lim looked at Lindsey.  Ugly creature.  Squat and hairy.  He gave Lim the creeps.  Plus, the obsession with American sports showed a serious lack of layers in regards to the lawyer’s personality.  The only redeeming feature the man had was his guitar playing and his pick-up truck.  Lim liked the pick-up truck.  “A game would be nice, thank you,” Lim lied.  Better to get along with representative of the company that was paying him so outrageously.

            “Great!” Lindsey exclaimed.  He reached for the remote and turned on the game.  Just as he was settling in a warning code went of on the notebook.  “Fuck!”  Lindsey got up and looked at the screen.  “They’re on the move.  Let’s go.”  He grabbed his jacket and headed out with Lim following close, but not too close, behind.

            They got into the pick-up and Lindsey tossed the notebook to Lim.  “I’ll drive.  You navigate.”

            Lim rolled his eyes.  Would it kill this guy to let him drive his precious vehicle?  Navigate.  Like Lim knew a thing about this town.  “They appear to be walking down the street.”

            “Well, gee that’s helpful,” Lindsey said with derision.  “We have cameras in all of the hotspots.  We should be able to track them almost anywhere they go.  If you click the map button at the top of the screen it will tell you where they’re at.”

            Lim did as he was told.  Huh.  That was handy.  “Alright.  They’re on a street called Lemon heading west.”

            Lindsey turned the truck in a sharp right at the next corner.  He found an open space and parked.  “Lemon’s just over that way,” Lindsey pointed. 

            Lim closed the computer and got out.  He’d been given a blood stained shirt remnant of the vampire’s to use as scent marker.  He had him now.  As long as he was within about five miles of the guy he could track him.  He lifted his head in the air and sniffed then he took off at a lope that he figured the human could keep up with.  Lim smiled to himself, keep up in a dead run.

            Lindsey was running for all that he was worth.  Stupid vampire.  He was obviously doing this on purpose.  With a pregnant woman, there was no way the other party was running all out.  Soon they were they needed to be.  Lindsey watched in fascination as Lim blended with the shadows.  Lindsey stayed back.  He didn’t want the vampires to pick up on his scent, which thanks to that run was pretty pungent.  He figured a block away would do.  He could still watch the action from here.

            About a minute later the heads of the vampires and their women came into view.  He saw Lim shift ever so slightly.  All four of the Aurelius group stilled.  They’d felt the shift.  Amazing!  Fucking amazing.  Lindsey couldn’t believe how tuned their senses were.

            Lindsey figured they’d run at this point.  They didn’t.  Lim came fully into view.  Lindsey couldn’t hear anything but it looked as if the dark haired girl, Drusilla, was coming forward.  Angel was right behind her.  Spike was keeping Buffy firmly back.  Smart man.  Angel watched as Dru did something strange with her body, it was like an undulating motion.  It seemed to entrance Lim, who came even closer to the beautiful girl.  Lindsey was just wondering if he needed to intervene somehow when he saw it.  Quick as a flash the girl’s hand appeared with a stake.  She plunged it deeply inside of Lim who crumbled to dust.  Lindsey would have been worried, the senior partners didn’t like fuck-ups, but he’d seen something else.  He’d seen how the girl’s hand reached back and brushed her sires at the moment of contact. 

            Dru turned around with a smile.  “Did I do good?”

            Wide arms opened in front of her.  “The best, princess.  Now give me a hug!”

            Dru threw herself into her sire’s embrace.  Then she crawled inside his mind.  “You must behave, you know.  I won’t have this child harmed, and no sucking the world into hell.  It makes Spike all cranky and I just got my family together again.  I won’t risk it.  Do you understand, Daddy?”

            Angelus didn’t have the psychic abilities that Dru had so he pulled away slightly and gave her a nod.  Then he turned to Buffy and Spike.  “Problem solved.  I say we celebrate!”

            “Celebrating sounds good to me.  Does it involve chocolate by any chance?” Buffy asked.

            Spike stayed silent.  That was too easy.  He’d expected a fight.  Nothing.  Just Dru working her usual mojo.  The guy had practically impaled his own self on that stake.  Spike shrugged his inner shoulders and forced himself to relax.  The demon hadn’t laid so much as a finger on Angel and Giles had assured them it required direct contact.  But still…

            “The Bronze?” Angelus suggested.

            Buffy turned her head to the side.  “No.  Not fair.  There’s nothing for you guys there.  Let’s go bug Willy.  Plenty of booze and blood, plus he makes these really yummy decaf mint -mocha thingies,” Buffy explained.

            Angelus nodded his head as he threaded his fingers through Dru’s.  He felt funny.  He didn’t want to kill Buffy.  He should.  He wanted to kill.  Killing sounded great, but just not Buffy.  Maybe it was because she was Spike’s mate.  Wait a second.  How did he know that?  It hit him then what Angel had tried to do to his own childe.  Angelus started a low growl in the back of his throat.

            Spike looked around, shoving Buffy behind him between himself and Angel.  “What is it?” he asked looking wildly around for the danger that his grand-sire so upset.

            “It’s nothing, Will.  Nothing ever again.  I promise,” Angelus said.  That soul had nearly killed his boy.

            Dru gripped Angelus’ hand, trying to lend him comfort.  “It’s okay.  It’s over.”

            Spike turned a hard look at Angel.  “You alright, mate?”

            “Fine,” Angelus answered.  “Just hungry.”

            They walked the rest of the way in silence.  Spike was worried.  Something wasn’t right.  They got into Willies and badgered him for free food.  Spike started to relax about half way through.  Things were going fine.  The food met everyone’s expectations.  The music was great.  The companionship was…. Bullocks.  Companionship?  With Angel?  Never.  Shit.  Shit.  Shit.

            Buffy sensed Spike’s sudden agitation.  “What’s wrong?”

            Spike turned knowing eyes across the booth.  “Why don’t you ask Angelus, luv?”

            Buffy’s hands immediately went to her stomach.

            “Relax, Buff.  I’m not gonna pop the little one.  Drusilla would have my hide, plus Spike claimed you.  Made you one of the family.  A Slayer wouldn’t have been my first choice for him, but the deed’s done so to speak,” Angelus explained.

            “How did this happen?” Buffy looked at Spike for answers.

            “Dru?” Spike asked.

            Drusilla looked down at her glass of blood.  “I told you I was going to do what my sire wished.  Just because none of you could hear him properly didn’t mean I couldn’t.”

            “Drusilla!” Spike yelled.  “I thought you cared about this baby!”

            “I do.  He won’t hurt her.  I know he won’t.  I knew it before.  He’ll help.  The nasty hell-god won’t have a chance against the Clan of Aurelius,” Dru said with a wicked grin.

            Spike knew she was right.  He felt somewhat chagrined at how easily he and Angel had been fooled.  It was done now, though.  There was nothing for it but to make the best of it.  “Fine.  I don’t trust you around Buffy, but fine.”

            “Listen, Will.  Dru was mine first.  She always had been mine.  What happened before… if she’d been your mate I wouldn’t have done it,” Angelus told him.  “I don’t want you to hate me.”

            Spike ground his teeth in frustration.  “It wasn’t a good time for me.”

            “Yeah, I noticed.  I also noticed how easily you ran to the Slayer for a truce.  If I can forgive you for betraying me, can’t you forgive me for what happened with Dru?” Angelus asked in his most charming lilt.  The one he knew got a smile out of the younger man.

            Spike saw through Angelus’ tactics, but he still couldn’t help the small smile.  “You promise not to hurt my mate or my baby?  You promise to help us defeat this hell-god?”

            Angelus face lit up in a wide grin.  “Hell yeah.  Dru’s right no one can stand against us when we’re united.”

            “Tha’s right.  We’re the Scourge of Europe damn it!” Spike said, finally getting into the swing of things.

            Buffy had only a slight twinge of guilt as she found herself smiling.  Then a thought hit her.  A horrible thought, or at least it should be a horrible thought.  She looked up to see the other three occupants of the table looking back at her.  “I’m now a fourth of the Scourge of Europe!” she eeped.

            “Don’t worry, dearie, we won’t ask you to kill anyone,” Drusilla said with a conciliatory pat on Buffy’s arm.

            “Gee, Dru.  That’s so comforting,” Buffy grumbled.

Chapter 22

            Four months.  Four, long months of keeping Angelus happy and entertained.  A lot of that had involved highly immature acts on the AI team.  Weird, wild goose chases where Angelus would find out about some demon hanging out in Los Angeles that died in disgusting ways.  There was the demon that exploded into a glue like substance when its head was removed.  Large amounts of solvent had been ordered.  It wasn’t pretty.  Cordelia had actually developed a rash.  Which Buffy had to admit was a little funny.  The best one was this pheromone demon.  As a defense mechanism it released pheromones to distract its attackers.  It didn’t work.  Wesley had the fortitude to kill it and fuck Fred at the same time.  He was a talented man.  Just ask Fred.  Cordelia, Lorne, and Gunn had done a three-way dirty that left them still unable to look one another in the eye.  Angel Investigations was a mess.  Angelus thought it was funny as hell.

            Most of his information came from Willie’s.  Much to Buffy’s chagrin the four of them spent a ridiculous amount of time inside of the seedy establishment.  It was made all the more unseemly by Buffy’s growing abdomen.  Pregnant women shouldn’t hang out in demon bars.  Angelus was communicating with the AI team via computer complete with web cam.  Willow had been teaching him everything she knew about modern technology.  Little did she know all of the horrid things he was using it for.  Buffy felt it was best to let him have his fairly harmless fun – well, harmless when you thought of what he was really capable of.

            Tonight was the baby shower.  Joyce was going all out.  All of the Scoobies, including a recently returned Xander and Anya, would be there.  The AI team was coming as well.  In separate cars.  Angelus hadn’t seen them face to face since the pheromone demon and he was practically bouncing on his heels at the trouble he could cause.

            “You will be good!” Buffy warned him as she slipped her moderately high heels on.  Spike wouldn’t let her wear her truly high ones because she was so off balance these days.

            “I’m always good, Buffy.  Just ask Dru,” Angelus said gamely.  He would never admit it, but he actually enjoyed living with Spike and Buffy.  It reminded him of the old days before he’d ever had that stupid soul, and he, Darla, Spike, and Dru had roamed Europe wreaking havoc.  Okay, it was a little different.  It was more like roving the streets of Sunnydale and wreaking mischief, but after several hundred years in hell he sort of needed a vacation.  The computer was a big help.  He knew they thought he was just using it to cause trouble and surf for porn, but he’d been actively researching this Glorificus chic.  The others were relying on ancient tomes.  The problem as he saw it was that this thing was only caught in their dimension about twenty-seven years ago.  What would dusty books have to say about her?  There were patterns on the net if you just knew how to see them.  He was getting close.  Then he could take his dark princess and set off to explore the modern world.  Carnage was just around the corner.

            “I look like a whale,” Buffy wailed as she looked down at her protruding stomach.

            Dru came up and wrapped her arms around the young woman, rubbing her hands lovingly over her protruding tummy.  “You’re beautiful.  Full of life, my child.  Don’t fail to appreciate that.  Not everyone was given this chance.”

            Buffy grabbed Dru’s hands and held them to her as she leaned back against the other woman.  “You’re right.  I’m sorry.  It’s just that I feel so ugly these days.”

            “You’re not ugly, just fat,” Angelus said from the couch.

            Dru turned and put her hands on her hips, giving him the evil eye.  Angelus had seen that look before.  He straightened up.  Best mind his Ps and Qs.  His little lady was not one to be crossed.  “I’m kidding, you’re glowing.  In a totally non radioactive way.  I kid because I love,” he said trying too ooze some charm into his words.

            “Really?” Buffy asked hopefully.

            Angelus gave in and gave her a real smile.  “Really.”

            Spike came into the room and pulled his wife into his arms.  “He’s right.  Annoying as hell, but right.  You are glowing, my love.”

            “Thank you,” Buffy said shyly.

            Spike pulled her in for a kiss.  “You’re welcome.”  He’d called the demon bird, and Wiccas and warned them to dress comfortably, by comfortably he meant cardigans, sweatshirts, sweaters, anything non form fitting.  His girl was getting awfully hormonal, and the bigger she got the smaller she swore everyone around her got.  He’d even told Joyce to wear something loose.  She’d laughed her ass off.  Of course she wasn’t the one who had to deal with a weepy Slayer.  He caught site of Dru as he turned to usher them all out to the car.  He gave her a warm smile.  She was wearing a Grecian style of gown, that while baring her lovely shoulders, didn’t hug a single of her sinewy curves.

            Angelus saw Spike was heading to the door and he jumped up from the couch.  “This is going to be so much fun,” he said with a maniacal grin.

            “How many times do we have to warn you to be good?” Buffy asked in exasperation.

            “Do I really need to answer that?” Angelus asked.

            The three others just shook their heads as they headed out to the waiting Desoto.  The car had undergone a complete overhaul in the last few weeks.  Spike had installed seat belts, gotten new shocks, switched from drum to disc breaks, and had reinforced the body.  It was a safety tank.  They piled in, Buffy the only one to wear a seat belt.  Something she groused heavily about because she was the only one for whom it was nearly impossible.  Big, big belly.

            They drove over in relative silence.  The occasional comment about what driver or pedestrian deserved to be eaten was heard, but for the most part each one had their thoughts focused on different things.  Spike was worried about Buffy’s emotional reactions to things.  Buffy was worried about Angelus snapping Xander’s neck.  Dru was wondering if anyone would mind if she brought home a slice of cake for Miss Edith, and if Buffy would let her try some of the new baby clothes on the doll.  Angelus wasn’t worried about anything.  He could control himself just fine.  Stir things up and then sit back and enjoy the show.

            They pulled in front of the house and saw that everyone was already here.  Buffy was relieved because she could get the greeting thing done in one fell swoop.  So much better.  They walked up the front walk and rang the door bell.  The vampires already had an invitation.  Her mother had them over for little things all of the time.  Man, she loved her mother.  As soon as the woman opened the door, Buffy flew into her arms.  “I love you, mommy.”

            Joyce just laughed and hugged her back.  Hormones.  She let her go and ushered her into the room with the vampires following close behind.  “Everyone, the new mother is here.  We can start the fun!” Joyce cried rattling a bunch of miniature baby bottles that were hung around her neck.

            Buffy smiled at the room full of people.  Everyone was here.  She loved her friends.  She scanned the crowd, giving a little wave here and there.  She got to the LA people and her smile tightened.  Cordelia and Fred were both wearing low slung pants and tight flimsy tops.  They looked incredible, the hussies.  Buffy turned to glance at Angelus over her shoulder.  “A little fun never hurt anyone,” she whispered.

Chapter 23

            Buffy would have thought that the baby shower games would annoy the bloodsucking fiends she lived with.  Nope.  They took competition to a new level.  There was even some growling.  She would have been embarrassed if it weren’t for the look on the faces of the human party goers.  Priceless.  Angelus and Spike were currently the top holders of the baby bottle necklaces.  They weren’t allowed to say baby, belly, bottle, or pregnant.  The two male vamps were tied, with poor Xander being the only one left in the room with a necklace.  He was the tie breaker.  It wasn’t a pretty situation.

            “Okay, everyone.  Time for cake!” Joyce called from the dining room where Tara was helping her cut the monstrous confection.

            Angelus had been fairly well behaved.  He’d ruffled a few feathers here and there, but that was it.  He’d been distracted by the games.  He loved games.  Especially when Spike was involved.  He walked into the dining room, utterly uninterested in a slice of cake and waited.  There she goes.  “Cordelia, you sure you should have that?” Angel asked as Cordy had a bite of cake hovering outside of her lips.

            “Huh?” she mumbled.

            “Nothing,” he looked down.  “It is a party after all.  Celebrate.”  Then he let his gaze lift up to look pointedly at her midriff and quickly back down again.  Then he turned and wrapped his arms around Drusilla’s waist, emphasizing her slim lines.

            Dru knew his game and leaned up to give him a soft kiss.  Her sire was such a bad, dog.  “Do you think we should bring a piece of cake home for Miss Edith?”  Dru asked him.

            “Of course, baby.  I’ll help you feed it to her,” Angelus said with a hidden promise.

            Cordelia looked at Wesley and made a jerking motion with her head.  Then she got up and went into the kitchen.

            Wesley followed her into the room, seriously hoping he wasn’t about to have to tell the gorgeous brunette that she was fit and trim.  Stroking her already large ego irritated him.  “Yes, Cordelia?” he asked as soon as they were alone.

            “There is no way he has his soul!” she hissed.  “Did you see the way he was holding Drusilla.  And the kiss?”

            Wesley sighed.  “Cordelia, I have known for sometime that Angel and Drusilla were having relations.  Giles told me.  His soul, as you know is bound.  He cannot lose it through a moment of happiness as before,” Wesley reminded her.  He knew damn well this had to do with the cake remark and nothing to do with Drusilla.

            “So, no curse.  What about the soul sucking demon?  Huh?  What about that?” Cordelia whispered harshly.

            “Buffy and Spike assured us that the demon was killed by Drusilla and that he never touched Angel,” Wesley said.  He was growing tired of this conversation.  He was in fact, growing tired of the day itself.  He wanted the presents opened and then to return to the hotel.  There was business to conduct.  People to save.

            “You are just going to take the word of a soulless demon and the woman carrying his demon spawn?” Cordelia cried.  A low growl sent her spinning around.  “Spike!  I didn’t know you were there.”

            “Obviously,” Spike said in a hard voice.  He walked over to the woman with slow, deliberate steps.  “Why don’t you leave.”  It wasn’t a question.  “You obviously disapprove of both me and my child.  Why are you here exactly?”

            Cordelia had been cornered by the best of them.  She wasn’t intimated.  “Listen here, blondie.  I’ve known Buffy for years.  I’m here for her even though I don’t think she made the right choice.  Angel was clearly the better man for the job.  I’ll leave when I’m good and ready.”

            “No, you’ll leave now.  You are no longer welcome in this house, Cordelia,” Joyce’s voice came from behind them.  She’d heard the whole thing.

            “Mrs. Summers,” Cordelia gasped.  Now, she was intimidated. 

            Wesley decided it would be best if he intervened.  “I apologize, Joyce.  Cordelia and I will take our leave now.”  He grabbed Cordelia by the arm and maneuvered her out of the kitchen.

            Joyce turned to Spike and offered him a warm smile.  “You know she’s just jealous, right?  And that she couldn’t be more wrong?”

            Spike smiled at his mother-in-law.  “I know, mum.  Just don’t want Buffy subject to her wasp’s tongue today.  Angel’s gonna be right pissed, though.  He wasn’t through with the ex-cheerleader.”

            Joyce laughed.  “I’ve noticed that he’s in rare form tonight.  He’s made quite a few inciting comments.”

            Spike shrugged.  He wasn’t going to lie or deliberately mislead her.  “So, do you have any blood that I could offer him and Dru?”

            “Oh, of course.  I was just coming in to get that actually.  For you, too.”  Joyce walked over to the refrigerator and pulled out a couple packets of blood.  She always kept some on hand these days.  She walked over to the microwave, intending on heating them up.

            “No, you go out and tend to your guests.  I’ve got the blood, luv,” Spike told her, shooing her out of the kitchen.

           He put the packets in the microwave and heated them up.  Then he brought out two wine glasses and his special mug.  When the timer went off, he pulled the packets out and filled the glasses.  Then he took a small vile of liquid out of his pants pocket.  He’d gotten Xander’s demon bird to mix this up for him.  He carefully emptied it into the glass intended for his grand-sire.  Those necklaces were as good as his.  What the hell he was supposed to do with a bunch of baby bottle necklaces he couldn’t begin to guess.  He only knew he wanted to have more of them then Angelus.

            He walked out of the kitchen, balancing all the glasses.  He went to Dru first and gave her the straight blood.  Then he gave Angelus his.  Holding his own mug, he walked up to his wife and sat down.  He loved the way she inched closer to him.  She didn’t even know she did it, but she always did.  His little lady.  He stretched a hand out and ran it over her stomach.  He laughed when he felt the baby move.  His baby.  It was a bloody miracle, and it floored him every day.

            He caught site of Cordelia and Wesley out of the corner of his eye.  He opened his mouth to say something, when Buffy’s hand caught his and gave it a squeeze.  “I wouldn’t hear of them leaving.  I have a feeling that Angel’s just getting warmed up,” she whispered.

            “You have no idea, luv,” Spike said under his breath as he reached out with an open mouth for the bite of cake she was offering him.

            “Present time!” Joyce informed everyone as they finished up their cake.  “Rupert, is mixing up some drinks in the kitchen, too.  For those who aren’t expecting.”

            Buffy stuck her tongue out at her mother.  Joyce just laughed.  Everyone got up and followed Joyce into the living room.  Giles walked around handing out drinks while Buffy and Spike opened their presents.  There were a lot of ‘oohs’ and ‘ahhs’ and ‘thank yous’ spoken.  Everyone seemed to be having a good time except Cordelia and Xander.  The first looked decidedly uncomfortable and somewhat chagrined.  The second was highly paranoid about his necklace.  Everyone but Buffy was imbibing in some kind of alcohol or another.

            Buffy noticed that Spike was barely drinking his drink.  Which was so unlike him.  She started to pay careful attention to his actions.  He was pretending to notice the gifts.  To say the right things.  But his true intentions were focused on Angelus.  Buffy turned her attentions to the big vamp.  He looked… he looked… sweet, relaxed.  It was weird.  Really, really weird.

            Xander had to go to the bathroom.  This meant walking by Angelus and his crazy ho.  Not a treat.  He pressed his legs together and scooted around.

            “Please, don’t be such a baby.  I can say baby.  I have already lost my necklace.  Really, there should be advanced notice sent to guests when they are required to attend such events.  I think with a lengthy explanation, some video perhaps, I could have come to an understanding of the game and played it well,” her diatribe was interrupted by more scooting.  “As I was saying, don’t be such a baby.  Go to the bathroom, Xander.”

            His manliness in question, Xander took a breath of annoyance and got up to go to the bathroom.  He walked passed Angel, fully expecting the man to say something mean.  Xander had noticed that he’d been kind of mean all night.  Nothing deliberate.  Just slyly cutting.  What he didn’t expect was an apology.

            “Xander,” Angelus said earnestly.  “I want to apologize.  I’ve always hated you.”

            Xander looked at him like a dear caught in headlights.  He opened and closed his mouth several times.  This had to be some kind of trick.  Surely, he was setting him up for a subtle, scathing remark, like he had done to the others.

            “I mean it.  I really hate you, and I’m sorry,” Angel said sticking out his hand.

            Xander looked at the hand for a moment, and then he shook it, hoping there wouldn’t be an electronic buzzer thingy in it.  When nothing horrible happened, he just gave the vampire a smile.  “No problem, man.  I hate you, too.  Not as much as I hate Spike, but I do hate you.”

            Angelus gave Xander a big smile and let go of his hand.  “Pee already, you big lug,” he said in good humor.

            “Thanks, I will.”  Xander walked away to finally use the facilities.

            Angelus looked over at Spike, completely unaware that everyone in the room was looking at him.  “I don’t hate you Spike.  Not even a little.  I love you.  Doesn’t mean you don’t annoy the hell out of me, but I love you.”

            Spike was grinning from ear to ear, despite the sharp elbow he received to the side from Buffy.  He just opened up his arms and said, “Come here, grandpa, and give us a hug.”

            Angelus looked down at the floor and back up again.  Then he lumbered over with an, “Okay.”  He gave Spike a great big hug, lifting him up in the air as he did so.

            “That’s enough.  Angel, put Spike down,” Buffy tugged at him, looking over at Dru for help.

            Drusilla was clueless.  She lifted the drink up in her hand and gave it a sniff.  Nothing.  She was sure of it.  Still, she tossed the Watcher a warning glare as she made her way across the room.  She gently pulled her sire’s arms off her childe.  Then she wrapped her own arms around him.  “Are you feeling alright, my Angel?”

            Angelus gave her a blinding smile.  “I’m feeling great.  Just great.  I love you Drusilla.  My Drusilla.  My beautiful, baby.”

            Spike shot up.  “Right, mate.  Hand it over,” he said, pointing at Angelus’ collection of necklaces.

            Angel pulled it off his head and over Spike’s, giving the smaller man a kiss on the top of his peroxide locks.  “You won it.  Silly me.”

            It was at that moment that everyone in the room leaned down to sniff their own drinks.

            Buffy stood up and walked over to him.  She reached up a hand to touch his forehead only to have it captured by his larger one. “Buffy.  Not my Buffy.  Spike’s Buffy.  I meant what I said earlier.  You are glowing.  Beautiful Buffy.  I’ve never seen a more beautiful pregnant woman.  Oops!”  He took off a necklace and threw it at Spike without even being asked.

            “Thank you, Angel. Now, could you lean down a bit for me?” she asked, getting worried about him.

            “Sure, you’re small.  Not like Cordelia.  She’s huge.  I bet if she put on a lot of make up and some of those thick tights she could look like a drag queen,” Angel said as he leaned down, ignoring the huff of indignation that came from the corner of the room.

            Buffy placed a soft kiss on his forehead.  No fever.  Normal vamp temperature.  She released him and turned to her husband.  She gave him a hard eye as she closed the distance between them.  “What did you do?” she hissed.

            “Who, me?” he asked.

            “Yes, Mr. Necklace, you!”

            “I may have done a little something.  I had help, though.  Anya,” he declared, pointing his finger.  “It was Anya.”

            Angel looked at the shopkeeper.  “I like you.  You’re honest.  Don’t know what the fuck you see in that flabby wuss you’re dating, but still, I like you.”

            Anya brightened.  “I like you, too.  And I had no idea what Spike wanted the relaxing potion for.  I figured it was because Buffy was so large and unattractive and he wasn’t getting the orgasms he was accustomed to.”

            Angelus just laughed until he caught site of Buffy’s face.  He walked back up to her and wrapped her up in a big hug.  “She’s not large.  We love the belly,” he rubbed the mound.  “She’s moving.  My great-grandbaby is moving.”

            Spike walked up and pulled a necklace off of Angelus as he removed the man’s arms from his wife’s stomach.

            “There I go again.!  Only have four left!  What was it again I’m not supposed to say?  Baby, pregnant, belly, and what else?  Oh, yeah bottle!” he said triumphantly.

            Spike looked at his grand-sire with an outstretched hand and a curled lip smile.

            Angel put a hand to his forehead.  “Silly, me.  There go all my necklaces.”  He took them off and handed them to Spike.  “You’ve drugged me, haven’t you?”

            “Yes,” Spike said as he slipped the necklaces triumphantly over his own head.

            “I’m going to be pissed later, Spikey.  Not now, though.  Now I just feel really good, you know?  Totally relaxed.  Like after really great sex.  Dru and I have really great sex.  She’s a tiger in the sack.  Speaking of which…”  He turned and eyed the Angel Investigations team.  “How was it?  Lorne!  Tell me, what’s Gunn like?”

            Lorne turned a shade of dark green that eradicated his spots.  “It wasn’t like that, Angelcakes.  I was behind and Gunn was in the front if you catch my drift.”

            Angel’s eyes got big and his mouth formed a little ‘o’ as he turned his attention to Cordelia.  “How’d ya like being the crème in the cookie, Delia?”

            “That’s it!  We’re leaving.  Wesley?” Cordelia yelled as she stood up.

            “Yes, certainly.”  The ex-Watcher said as he came to a stand.

            “Wesley!” Angel yelled, turning his attentions on the quiet man.  “You finally got Fred.  She’s pretty.  Little too delicate for my taste.  I’d of broken her for sure.  No offence,” he said as he looked around for the shy Texan.

            Fred gave him a tight smile.  “None taken, but I think I’d like to leave now, too.  Gunn?”

            “Already on it,” the big guy said dangling a set of car keys.

            “Gunn.  Gunn.  Charles Gunn.  You know I’ve always wondered what you’d taste like?  Warrior’s have a certain flavor.  Wouldn’t you agree, Spike?  It’s like the fighting seasons them or something,” Angel explained.

            Gunn pulled Fred out of the house as quickly as he could.  Still, they found themselves trailing Lorne, Wesley, and Cordelia.  He shut the door firmly behind him as they made their way to their respective cars.

            Angel just looked around the room before he started to slump to the floor.  “What did I say?”

            Buffy walked over to Spike and pulled the keys to the Desoto out of his pocket.  “Come on, Dru.  Spike can carry Angel home all on his own, don’t you think?  Mom, could you and Giles pack up the gifts and bring them over tomorrow.  I have a husband to punish tonight.”  She gave Spike a hard look.  “And there will be punishment for this Spike.”  Then the two women left the house.  As they walked down the front steps Buffy turned to Dru, “Will you help me plan something evil to do to him?  Nothing permanent, of course.”

            “Of course,” Drusilla agreed.

Chapter 24

            Spike woke up with a splitting headache.  Buffy had refused to let him sleep in their bed last night.  He’d thought of Angelus being right pissed when he was preparing the mickey, but he’d somehow forgotten all about his wife.  He needed to find away to make it up to her and quick.  He went to stretch his arms over his head but found he couldn’t move.  That wasn’t right.  He opened his eyes, wincing at the light that hit them from the kitchen.  He looked down at his hands and feet.  Bound.  Duct tape.  How the hell had he slept through that?  He looked around the room.

            “Comfortable?” Buffy asked still pissed.  Didn’t he realize how lucky they’d been that a relaxed Angelus didn’t involve massive amounts of carnage?

            “Not particularly.  Untie me, baby.  I’m sorry.  I shouldn’t have done that.  I only did it to keep him calm,” he told her.

            “Really?  You spiked his drink, no pun intended, just so that he would be calm for the party?” she asked dubiously.

            “Yeah?”  It would have had more effect if it hadn’t come out like a question.

            Buffy held up the jingling necklaces.  “So these had nothing to do with it?”

            Spike blinked.  “What’s up with those anyway?  How come everyone wants to win them?”

            “Why don’t you tell me, spell boy?” Buffy asked as she threw them at him, scattering them over his chest. 

            “I’m sorry baby.  It was stupid.  Though it really did start out as a search for a calming spell, I swear.  But then I found out what it really did and I just couldn’t help myself.  It was wrong,” Spike admitted.

            “Glad you understand then,” Buffy said evenly.

            “Understand what, pet?” Spike asked warily.

            “Understand why I have to punish you,” she answered.  She stood up and wobbled over to him.  “Drusilla suggested that I have a threesome with her and Angelus while you were forced to watch.”

            Spike immediately vamped and growled.  “Not gonna happen!”

            Buffy opened her mouth to respond but there was a loud commotion from the bedroom and then a loud, “Spike!”

            Spike started to struggle with the duct tape.  “You gotta let me loose, Buffy.  Seriously.  A pissed off Angelus is nothing to meet while you’re all tied up.”

            Buffy looked at him.  “I won’t let him damage anything permanently, but you owe him.”

            Spike was contemplating this new side to his wife as he heard the pounding footsteps of his grand-sire coming down the hall.  He didn’t bother apologizing.  Demons didn’t value that act quite the way humans did.

            Angelus reached down for Spike’s throat but a powerful hand stopped him.  He looked at the heavily pregnant Slayer.  “Yes?”

            “You can’t maim him or anything, and no touching of his dangly bits.  Those are mine and I might want them later,” Buffy told him.

            Drusilla came out of the bedroom in a swirl of black nightie.  “Why injure him at all when there are so many more wonderful things that make our Spike all cranky?” she purred.

            “You are not having sex with my wife, Dru!” Spike yelled.

            Angelus got a maniacal look on his face.  “No, Spikey.  There are worse things to do to you.  Dru, my darling, you are a genius,” Angelus said as he gave his girl a swift kiss before going down the hall to find his lap top.

            Dru clapped her hands.  “I am?” she asked as she did a little twirl.  She loved when her boys played together.

            Spike flipped himself into a sitting position and watched with growing dread as Angelus came back in the room and proceeded to set the lap top up.  When the older vamp was finished he turned to Spike with an evil smile and help up a leather bound journal.

            “No!” Spike yelled.  “No fucking way!  Buffy stop him!”

            Buffy was confused.  “Stop him from what?”

            “I’m going to rip your balls off, Angelus!  As soon as I get free they’ll be finding bits and pieces of you all over the Western Hemisphere.  I’ll chop everything up but your trunk just so you don’t dust!” Spike warned, struggling earnestly with his bonds.

            Angelus just laughed as he started typing furiously while looking into the notebook.

            “What’s he doing?” Buffy asked Drusilla, as she was growing increasingly alarmed by Spike’s response.

            “He’s being a very bad doggie,” Dru answered.

            “Once again, Dru.  Gee, that’s helpful.”  Buffy walked over to Angelus and started reading over his shoulder.  “Why exactly are you putting bad poetry onto a live journal.  Wait.  Why do you even have a live journal?  That’s weird.  You’re being weird.”  She turned to Spike and Dru.  “Don’t you think that’s weird?  Maybe he’s still being affected by that spell/potion thingy.”

            Spike’s face was green.  It wasn’t usually green.  Buffy walked over.  “Honey, you okay?”  He didn’t even answer.  That told her more than anything that something was really wrong.

            “Okay, Angelus,” Buffy said grabbing the book out of his hand.  “That’s enough.  I don’t know what you’re doing, but it is seriously wigging out my husband.  I was just going to let you punch him a couple of times and then have Dru take his duster on a site seeing trip of the children’s zoo.  But whatever you’re doing is truly upsetting him, so please stop,” she said.

            Angelus pressed a button.  “Done.”  He turned to Spike.  “That ought to teach you, childe.”

            “Which one?” he asked with a tight voice.

            “The one about the larks in spring.  It’s always been my favorite,” Angelus admitted.

            Buffy opened the book in her hand and started to read.  “These are yours?” she asked her husband dumbfounded.

            Spike looked up at her with irritation written all over his face.  “I told you I wrote poetry when I was a human!”

            Angelus laughed.  “That one’s dated, Spike.”

            Buffy flipped through the book and then sat it down on the table.  She walked over to Spike and started to remove the duct tape.  “There’s nothing wrong with wanting to write poetry, Spike.  Vampire’s are allowed to express themselves in ways that don’t involve the blood of innocents,” she said.

             When she had him free she walked over to Angelus.  “You’ve had your fun.  Now delete the entry.  Who could possibly be on your friends list, anyway?” Buffy asked.

            Angel turned back to the computer and did as she asked, hoping desperately that Cordelia had gotten a good look at it first.  She was almost always journaling at this time of day.  “Cordelia made me get it.  She made all of us get one, including the Sunnydale team,” Angelus answered in glee.

            Spike groaned and rubbed his wrists.  Buffy was just about to offer him some comfort of the sexual variety when the doorbell rang.  She walked over to the entryway and peeked through the peep hole.  “It’s my mom and Giles with all of the goodies!” she cried excitedly as she opened the door to let them in.

            “Good morning!” she yelled at them.  “Please, bring in the presents.”

            Joyce just laughed as she and Rupert lugged in as much as their arms could carry.  They walked into the living room in order to proceed down the hall to the baby’s room when they spotted the room’s occupants.  “Angel, Spike, nice boxers,” Joyce commented slyly as they walked passed.  Those vampires were too sexy for their own good.  She wondered if she could get Rupert some more band candy.

            Buffy ran out to the car to carry in whatever she could while the vampires went in search of some clothes.  Eventually all of the baby gifts were in the baby’s room and everyone reconvened back in the living room.  They chatted awhile before Joyce and Giles decided to take their leave.

            “Oh, I almost forgot!” Joyce exclaimed as she ran back out to the SUV.  She returned a minute later and handed something to Spike.

            Spike opened the box and pulled out the object inside.  “What’s this for?” he asked his mother-in-law.

            “It’s the door prize for getting the most necklaces,” Joyce explained cheerily as she led Rupert quickly out the door.

            When the humans had gone, Spike picked up his prize and carried it over to the coffee table.  He placed it down and just looked at it.  Then he turned to Buffy.  “What’s with you humans and all the soddin’ candles?”

Chapter 25

            Angelus wouldn’t admit it, but he was worried.  They hadn’t heard anything from this Hellgod chic.  He had a feeling that while the baby was buried safely inside of Buffy there wasn’t enough essence of the Key to get a reading on its whereabouts.  His worry was that as soon as the kid was born, the Hellgod would come down on them like a storm.  He’d figured a thing or two out about the bitch while doing some heavy duty Internet surfing.  The main thing being that she had to have a body to tie her to this world.  Angelus figured that her human counterpart would have weaknesses the Hellgod did not.  The human was the ticket, but he had no idea how to go about finding her.

            Spike came into the bedroom and walked over to where Angelus was clicking away on his beloved computer.  “What aren’t you telling me, grandpa?  Buffy’s going to be delivering any day now.  I need to know… Hell, I don’t even know what it is I need to know, but I need it.”

            Angelus turned the computer off and twirled his chair around to face his grand-childe.  “Sit down.”

            Spike didn’t like the sound of that, but he took a seat on the bed anyway.  Buffy and Dru were at the mall with Joyce, buying whatever they still needed for the baby.  Who knew babies needed so much stuff.  Someone had said the word ‘nursing bra’ and Spike had decided to stay home.  Plus, he’d been waiting for a chance to have a little chat with Angelus.

            “I think as soon as the baby is born, this Hellgod is going to come screeching into Sunnydale like a bat out of… well… hell,” Angelus explained.

            “So, taking Buffy somewhere else would be pointless then?  The baby is going to act as some kind of homing beam?  She’s going to be able to zero right in on us, Angelus!  How the fuck can we protect her?” Spike cried.

            “It isn’t going to work quite like that, Spike.  Clam down.  The power of the Key that resides in the baby is so strong that it can’t be precisely pinpointed.  The whole surrounding area will radiate with its energy.  Everything will appear to be the Key.  It’s going to take some time for this thing to determine what exactly the Key is.  But she will be drawn to Sunnydale immediately.  Buffy isn’t going to get a lot of recovery time.  I’m hoping those Slayer healing powers will kick in fast,” Angelus explained.

            Spike sighed and ran a hand through his hair.  “Shit.  Just shit.  All we want is to enjoy the birth of our child.  I mean, I realize I’m being irrational about this.  It’s only because of this Hellgod and her Key that Buffy and I are even being given the chance to become parents, but shit!”

            “How’s the bonding coming along?” Angelus asked.

            It was an extremely private question, even among vampires, and Spike was slightly taken aback.  “It’s going well.  We renew the bond almost daily.  Nothing much.  I don’t want to take blood that Buffy and the baby need,” Spike responded.

            “And Buffy?  Is she taking blood from you regularly?” Angelus asked the real question he was gunning for.

            “Yes, if you must know.  At first we worried about what effects it might have on the baby, but then we decided it would just make her stronger.  Something she’s going to need as the child of a vampire and a Slayer.  Not to mention this Glory business,” Spike said in disgust.

            “Good.  That’s good, William,” Angelus told him.

            “Why exactly is that good, Angelus?” Spike asked, worried at the other vampires interest.

            “Because I think this Glory person is like a parasite.  That she has to have a human host in order to survive in this realm.  We can’t kill a god, Spike.  She’ll be too powerful,” Angelus said, waiting for his point to sink into Spike’s busy brain.

            “We’re going to have to kill the host.  The human.”  Spike looked down at the floor.  Not a problem, for him anyway.

            “Not just a human, Spike.  A totally innocent being who had no choice in the Hellogod’s possession,” Angel pointed out.

            “You think Buffy taking in my blood makes a difference how exactly?” Spike asked for clarification.

           “I think it makes her more susceptible to seeing our way of things.  I’m hoping it makes her a little less human frankly.  This host, this human host, has to die as soon as we identify who she is.  The way I figure it is that we monitor any new arrivals in Sunnydale from the moment the baby’s born.  We keep a list.  We use every demon we can get under our thumbs to tail these people.  Eventually we’ll catch them out,” Angel informed the increasingly stressed out father to be.

            Spike stood up and started pacing.  “What about the Scoobies?  Can’t they be used to trail the newbies?  Not sure using demons is the best of ideas.  Too many of them would jump for joy at opening a portal to some hell dimension.”

            “I’ve figured a thing or two out about Glory, Spike.  She’s got some heavy mojo going on to block people from witnessing when she takes control of the body.  I’ve researched this type of thing and it is usually something directed at a specific being, such as a human being in this case.  I’m almost positive that demons won’t be affected by whatever cloaking spells she’s got going for her.”

            “Okay, that settles it.  The human dies.  And you and I gotta get ourselves some minions.  Any ideas on how to do that without royally pissing off the missus?” Spike asked hopefully.

            “Not a one, man.  Not a one,” Angelus admitted.

Chapter 26

    “We were thinking of going out,” Spike told his wife as he helped her put away the new baby things.

    “I’m kind of tired.  I think Dru and I would be up for a night in.  Movies or something,” Buffy responded idly.

    “Actually, that’s fine.  Angelus and I were thinking it might be fun to shoot some pool at Willie’s or something,” Spike replied, carefully putting a box of alcohol swabs in the changing table cabinet.

    Buffy wasn’t stupid.  She turned hot, green eyes on her husband.  Wife eyes.  “Just the two of you, huh?  Cruisin’ for chicks, Spike?” she said with a dangerous tone to her voice.  She knew damn well he would never look at another woman that way, but she also knew that rushing him to the defense was the best way of catching him out at what he was really up to.

    “What!  I’d like to think you know me a bit better than that, damn it!” Spike yelled, straightening up to look at her.

    “What am I supposed to think?  You and Angelus?  Just out and about, the two of you.  I caught the agenda, Spike.  Buffy and Dru are not invited,” she huffed.

    Spike looked swiftly down at the ground.  “I- it’s not that.  It’s…”

    It dawned on Buffy – his swift look away.  Dru was invited.  It was Buffy they were trying to keep out of the way.  “That’s it.  Follow me!” she yelled as she left the nursery and headed to Dru and Angel’s bedroom.  She gave three hard knocks before simply turning the knob and walking in.  “Nice ass, Angel,” she growled as she stood, arms akimbo, at the foot of their bed.

    Angelus was in no way embarrassed by his nudity, and so he smoothly turned himself to lie back on the bed.  The Slayer was obviously pissed.  Dru leaned back in his arms, equally as bare, and waited.

    “Spike!  Sit!” Buffy ordered.

    Spike was at a loss.  Was he supposed to sit on the bed?  He spotted the chair Angelus used when he was on the computer in the corner of the room and he wheeled it over by the bed and sat down on it.  He was so screwed.  She’d be like a dog with a bone.  She wouldn’t let go until she’d sussed the whole thing out good and proper.

    “Now, who is going to be the first to tell me what’s going on here?” Buffy asked, eyeing the three of them.

    Dru raised her hand with a delighted smile.  “I know!  I know!  You’re mad, Spike’s in trouble, and Angelus and I must wait to finish our play,” she declared proudly.

    Buffy had to bite her lip from smiling at the nutty, but utterly charming vampire.  “That’s true, Dru, but what I want to know is why I’m mad,” Buffy pointed out.

    “Surely, that is the type of thing only you would have the answer to, my dear,” Drusilla pointed out wisely.

    “You’d think, but uh-uh.  I’m clueless.  Angelus?  You’re being uncharacteristically quiet.  What have you got to say for yourself?” Buffy said, zeroing in what she was hopping to be the weakest link.

     Angelus took a deep breath and looked at Spike out of the corner of his eye.

    “Don’t you look at him for answers!” Buffy warned.  “You look at me, and tell me why you and Spike want to go out alone tonight?  You know, without your women.”

    Dru turned in Angelus’ arms and gave him a delicately raised eyebrow.

    “It’s not like that, baby.  Spike and I need to get some minions to help us track the human host of the Hellgod so we can kill her!” Angelus rushed to explain before he received claws to the face, or worse, his exposed manhood.

    Buffy smiled in triumph.  Her ruse hadn’t worked on her husband, but it had Angelus squawking like a bird within seconds.  And people thought she was only good for muscle!

    Spike put his head in his hands.  Everything had to be so bloody complicated with humans.  Now what the hell were they supposed to do?

    “Now that that’s settled.  You two can go out.  Just don’t turn anyone.  Try good old fashioned intimidation to get vamps on your side.  Okay?” Buffy asked sweetly.

    Spike just looked at her.  “That’s it?  That’s all you have to say on the matter of Angelus and me hooking up with a bunch of demons and killing some innocent human?”

    Buffy put her hands around her belly and a truly ferocious look came across her face.  “No one touches my child.  Innocent or not.”  Then she turned and left the shocked vampires to stare after her.

    “Guess that blood-bond thing is working then,” Angelus said.

    Dru laughed.  “No, my darlings.  Nothing so complicated.  There is no creature more vicious than a mother when her child is threatened.”

    A half an hour later, Spike and Angelus were heading out the door.  Dru had decided to stay behind with Buffy just in case anything happened.  It was the real reason she had braved the Sunnydale mall earlier.  It wasn’t exactly the kind of place that catered to her particular tastes.  She was ever so glad that Angelus had found unlimited online shopping.  Anything she could want or imagine was available on the Internet.  It was one modern convenience that she didn’t mind at all.

    Buffy blew a kiss goodbye to her husband as he shut the door.  Then she turned to Drusilla with a wicked smile.  “Go peek out the window!  See if they’re gone yet!”  As Dru went to make sure the men were not about to walk back in the house, Buffy put on the first movie.  She and Dru had picked them up at a store in the mall.  Spike and Angelus never let them watch sexy vampire movies.  There was nothing they had more cinematic hatred for.  But Dru and Buffy had each confessed a sincere lusty reaction to the fangy goodness.

    “They’re gone!” Dru squealed as she flew over the back of the couch to sit by Buffy.  “Turn it on!  Turn it on!”

    Buffy pressed the play button and pulled the cover over both her and Drusilla.  She was really going to miss Dru when she left.  It was nice having a girlfriend around who didn’t mind all the blood and serious lack of sunlight in the house.  She knew that the vampire couple had to leave, however.  They needed their own place, and they’d been more than patient with altering their natures just to suit Buffy’s morals.

    They made it through two entire movies when Buffy shifted uncomfortably.  “I don’t think I can watch a third one Dru.  I’m feeling kind of funny.  I’m just going to go lay down, okay?”

    Dru was slightly disappointed.  She’d picked the third one out herself.  She’d caught part of it years ago at hotel in Vienna.  Spike had refused to let her watch the whole thing.  “Go to bed, my dear.  We can see this another time.  Perhaps while the boys are sleeping.”

    “Thanks,” Buffy mumbled as she leaned over and gave Dru a kiss on the cheek.  Then she braced herself to stand.  Slayer powers or no, pregnancy was awkward.  She felt Dru’s hands gently push her from behind until she was fully erect.  That’s when the first pain hit.  She doubled over and fell back onto the couch.

    “Buffy?” Dru asked with worry.  “What’s wrong?”

    Buffy caught her breath and put a hand at her back.  “A sharp pain in my back.  It’s probably nothing, but I would sure appreciate a little help back to my room.”

    “Certainly,” Dru said, picking up the Slayer and carrying her with ease.

    Buffy laughed.  “This isn’t what I meant, but who am I to look a gift horse in the mouth?”

    “Who indeed,” Drusilla agreed as she carried the very pregnant woman down the hall and into her bedroom.  Dru laid her down on the bed and then went in search of a towel.  She came back to the room in time to see Buffy having another pain.  “I believe we are supposed to be timing them,” Dru said.

    “Okay,” Buffy hissed.  She saw the towel in Dru’s hands.  “Is that for something icky?”

    Dru smiled.  Humans were so funny about bodily fluids.  They could be quite nice, really.  “Yes, darling.  Now, be a good girl and lift up so I can put this under you.  It’s in case your water breaks.”

    “Do I have to stay seated on it all night?” Buffy asked childishly.

    “No, of course not.  It’s just nice to have near,” Drusilla responded as she lay down by the nervous woman.

    “I’m not going to be very good at this, am I?” Buffy asked worriedly.

    “You’re going to be great, luv.  Just don’t expect those Slayer powers to help you with this.  Childbirth is painful.  It’s painful and beautiful.  Now, try to rest.  The men should be home soon,” Dru said softly, as she rubbed a hand over Buffy’s blonde locks.

    The older woman watched carefully as the younger one was able to fall into a fitful sleep.  She kept one eye on the clock.  The contractions, if they were contractions were quite erratic.  Dru did not sense any internal bleeding and the baby’s heart beat as well as Buffy’s was nice and steady.  She was greatly relieved, however, when she heard the car pull up.

    Spike and Angelus came into the room.  The TV was on.  Weird.  “Oh, bloody hell!  Not this crap again!” Spike yelled as he caught sight of the DVDs that had been left out.

    Angelus looked over his shoulder.  “Figures.  I thought they were both a little too eager to have us leave tonight.”

    A sudden cry from the master bedroom had both vampires running down the hall, their irritation at the films forgotten.  Spike was the first to enter the room.  “What’s wrong?  What’s happening?” he yelled as he came over to his wife who was curled up as much as she could be on her side.

    “The baby’s coming,” Drusilla explained.

    “What?  Now?  Why haven’t you called the Watcher and Joyce?” Spike yelled.

    “Spike, the yelling?  So not helping,” Buffy said tightly.

    “Sorry, kitten.”  Spike looked at Dru.  “Have you called them?”

    Dru gave her worried boy a smile.  “William, my love, babies don’t come quickly.  There are hours to go before we need to call them.”

    “Do you know this for sure?” he asked.  He’d read the books, but this was Buffy.  His Buffy.  Not to mention that she was the Slayer.  Who knows what kind of birth they would be dealing with?

    “I know,” Dru promised.  She was carefully monitoring the progress of the baby.  “Everything is fine.  If it would make you comfortable to call them, by all means, do so.”

    “No, not yet.  Please.  I just need to relax.  I can’t do that with a houseful.  Giles will want Willow and Tara to come in case we need magic, and then Xander and Anya will feel left out if they aren’t invited.  I just need it to be us for awhile,” Buffy explained.

    An hour later, Drusilla found herself on the phone.  “Yes, is this the Watcher?” she asked.  “Hello.  This is Drusilla, Spike’s sire.  Buffy is in labor and Spike is growing anxious.  I think it would be best if you picked Buffy’s mother up and came over.  Don’t call the witches yet.  Buffy wants her privacy.  This call is really for Spike.  He’d acting… Oh, how should I put it?  Insane.  Yes, that’s it.  He’s acting insane.  Please, hurry,” she said sweetly as she hung up.

    “Bloody fucking hell!  Do something for her!” Spike’s scream sounded from the back room.  

    Drusilla thought that the best thing she could do for Buffy was perhaps to sedate Spike.  It was going to be a long night.

Chapter 27

    Joyce and Giles let themselves into the strange home.  Joyce was excited to become a grandmother but she was terrified at the thought of her own baby giving birth.  Giles was just down right apprehensive.  He’d practiced this.  He’d watched videos of home births.  He’d read the manual.  This wasn’t just any woman, however.  This was his Slayer.  A very powerful creature.  What would happen as she pushed?  Could the baby withstand it if she lost control and bore down too forcefully?  Was this baby more than human?  The child of a Slayer.  The Key.  Spike was human when she was conceived.  Did that make her vulnerable?

    Angelus could hear and smell the humans as they made their way down the hall.  His thoughts were similar to the Watchers.  Only he knew that Buffy had been regularly infused with Spike’s blood.  He was counting on that to make the little nipper good and strong.   He winced as he saw Spike’s hand turn a very un-vampirish shade of red as Buffy squeezed it.  

    Drusilla was checking Buffy as Giles and Joyce came into the room.  She discreetly covered the girl with a sheet even though everyone would be seeing everything quite soon.  She turned to the newcomers with a smile.  “Thank you for coming.  Buffy has progressed quite a bit since I called you.  I believe the baby will be here in another hour or so,” Dru told them.

    Giles looked at the vampire with a bit of wonder.  How could someone who seemed so insane one minute be so capable the next?  Drusilla was an enigma.  Both she and Spike.  They were vampires but they had a wealth of caring and control.  It almost made Giles rethink his mindset on vampires.  Almost.  “Yes, well.  Good.”

    Joyce gave Drusilla a warm smile, and then she turned her attention on Buffy.  “How are you feeling, sweetheart?”

    “Okay, right now.  But then one will hit and I’m suddenly really not okay.  You know?” Buffy asked tiredly, still gripping Spike’s hand.

    Joyce bent down and kissed her daughter’s forehead.  “I know, Buffy.  Believe me.”  She looked up at Spike.  “And how are you doing, daddy?”

    Spike smiled.  Daddy.  That sounded good.  “I’m doing worse than the Slayer,” he said sheepishly.  “Can’t stand to see her in pain.  I’m bloody well not used to it.  She usually takes a lickin’ and keeps on tickin’, but this is entirely different.  This is…” Spike broke off and looked at Angelus.  “This is worse than anything you and I could have come up with in our day.”

    Personally, Angelus had no idea what Spike was talking about.  It must be the claim.  His grand-childe must be feeling both Buffy’s physical pain and exhaustion in addition to his own reactions as he watched his mate suffer.  Tough deal.  Angelus was glad Drusilla couldn’t conceive.  As much as he liked bloodplay in the bedroom.  This was… different.  He glanced at Spike.  “Yes, childe.  This is different.”

    Giles gave the elder vampire a strange look.  Sometimes he could swear he wasn’t really Angel anymore.  The way he looked at his childer and spoke to them.  Before he could think any further upon it both Buffy and Spike began to pant.  Giles watched in fascination as Buffy had a contraction.  Drusilla carefully monitored the clock.  Spike coached Buffy through the breathing.  Joyce looked as if she was willing the pain from Buffy with her eyes.  And Angel… he was looking outside, protected by the UV treated glass.

    When the contraction had passed, and Buffy was being fussed over by both her mother and her husband, Giles went up to Angel at the window.  “Do you think she knows?  This Hellgod.  That she’s out there somewhere.”

    Angelus didn’t bother to look at the man.  “Not yet.  But she will, Giles.  As soon as that child takes her first breath, Glory will know.  Let’s not spoil this moment for Spike and Buffy, however.  Let them enjoy the birth of their daughter.  I’ll take care of things this day.”

    His words put Giles at ease and things into perspective.  Angel must have his soul.  Angelus would never be so considerate or caring.  Also, he was right -- Buffy and Spike deserved to have the joy of this occasion.

    An hour later they decided to call the Wiccas and Anya and Xander.  Soon the house was filled with people, chanting, prayers, and grunts.  Tara and Willow had insisted that Anya and Xander stay in the living room with them as they wove a myriad of protection, cloaking, and healing spells.  Joyce was the only one praying, but she was doing a lot of it.  Giles and Drusilla were working together to bring the baby into the world.  Spike was helping Buffy to sit up during the pushing.  Angelus was at the window.  Sensing.  All in all it was a very busy house.

    “One more time, Buffy.  The head is right there.  On the next contraction,” Giles said, concentrating on every nuance of Buffy’s muscles.  He was terrified at what could happen to this tiny being’s fragile skull.  “Now, Buffy.  Push!” Giles yelled as another contraction hit the young woman.

    “Uughh!!!” Buffy grunted as she pushed with as much control as she could muster.  It was hard because she was pushing but not with all of her might.  Giles had spoken of his worries to Spike who had gently conveyed them to Buffy.  “Ahhh!” the grunt turned into a scream as the head came out, tearing Buffy’s skin slightly in the process.

    Immediately Drusilla leaned in with a towel and a suction device to clear the fluids form the child’s precious face.

    “Another one!” Buffy yelled as her body forced her to bear down.  This time the shoulders came out and Giles was able to pull the baby safely from her womb.  He placed the child on Buffy’s stomach.

    “Oh, Spike,” Buffy sobbed as she held the tiny baby to her.  “Look.  She’s beautiful.  Isn’t she beautiful?”

    Spike swallowed hard as the tears pooled in his blue eyes and spilled over.  He leaned down and kissed the precious little girl on the back of the head.  “That she is, luv.  Most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen,” he cried.

    Joyce was sobbing openly.  It was the sight of her granddaughter coming into the world and the sight of her daughter so very happy.  She vowed then that nothing would happen to them.  Nothing would sully the happiness of this home.  She looked up to catch the eye of the large vampire.  She shared a knowing nod of the head with him.

    Once the afterbirth was delivered and both Buffy and the baby were cleaned up, everyone left the new family alone to bond.  

    Spike was curled on the bed beside his wife and daughter.  “I think this is the happiest I’ve ever been,” he whispered reverently.

    “Me, too,” Buffy agreed, leaning against him as she nursed Dawn and stroked her tiny, chubby cheek.

    Spike kissed the top of Buffy’s head.  “Thank you, Buffy.  Thank you for suffering through that to bring our child into the world.  Thank you for marrying me.  Thank you for choosing me to do this with you.”

    Buffy leaned her head back to stare into his gorgeous blue eyes.  “Spike, you have given me everything.  It should be me thanking you.  You went against your nature to join me in this.  You made something frightening, something out of our control, feel like the greatest of blessings.  You gave me a child, a home, a husband, a mate, and a life.  I was nothing before you.  Just another girl destined to die young.  Now I’m whole.  Thank you, my love.”

    Spike closed in for a kiss.  Life was good.  There was no way any Hellgod was going to touch this.

    “Jenky!  Oh, there you are.”  The golden haired Hellgod planted her hands on her hips.  “Call the airline.  I can feel my Key.”

    “Yes, most radiant one!”  The man scrambled to do as he was told.  Phone in hand he looked at her and bowed his head.  “Where to, my magnificent worshipfulness?”

    Glory held out a map.  “Somewhere near here,” she said pointing a finger unerringly at Sunnydale, California.

Chapter 28

    Life had been surprisingly good in Sunnydale.  Everyone adored the baby, even Xander who had begrudgingly admitted that she looked a little like Spike.  The new parents had been spending every possible moment just staring at the tiny creature they had created.  They were in awe.  Drusilla and Joyce were equally delighted in the baby’s arrival, playing grandmamma to the hilt.  The one who had truly surprised those who knew who he really was was Angelus.  

    “You know,” Angelus said, holding the littlest member of his family in his arms.  Everyone was gone but those who actually lived in the modern one story.  “Even if she was mine, and Angel had been too foolish to claim you, I might not have eaten her.  She’s really beautiful.”

    Spike felt his eyes tear up.  They kept doing that.  Annoying and embarrassing as hell.  “Thanks, mate.  That she is.”  Spike had Buffy wrapped securely in his arms.  There was a fire going in the fireplace.  Soft jazz played on the stereo.  They were all just relaxing comfortably on the couch.  Dru had been holding Dawn, but she’d passed her off to Angelus.  Life was good.  This moment was good.

    The doorbell rang.  Everyone just looked at the others for a moment; frozen.  Angelus was the first to respond.  It was nearly four in the morning.  This couldn’t be good.  He handed the baby over to Dru and walked over to the door.  Once there he could sense it was one of the minions that he and Spike had secured.  He opened the door.  “Yeah?”

    “One of the new arrivals we’ve been tailing went into the hospital a man and came out a woman,” the vampire said.  He was nervous coming to a house that he knew housed the Slayer, but he was more nervous of displeasing Angelus and Spike.

    “How do you know it was the same person?” Angelus asked, trying not to get his hopes up.  This was exactly what they’d been hoping for.

    “Cause he was wearing the exact same set of clothes and had the same smell.  I think he’s lookin’ to get a job at the hospital.  A were-friend of mine tracked him there during the daylight hours.  Said he went up to administration.  Allie got on the computer and did some hacking.  We got an ID on him based on the name he used to rent the apartment with.  He was doing a residency at some Hospital in New York before he just up and quit.  No notice or nothin’.”  The vampire handed some papers over to Angelus.  “Allie printed this stuff up for you.  It’s all we got so far.”

    Angelus looked the papers over.  This was it.  This had to be it.  “Thanks, Ralph.  You did good on this.  We won’t forget it.”

    “That ‘we’ include the Slayer?” Ralph asked.

    Buffy appeared behind Angelus, peeking around his great, hulking form.  “It does.  Thank you,” she told the still highly nervous minion.

    “Alright, then.  We’ll keep this guy tailed at all hours.  The chic, too,” Ralph promised.

    Angelus gave the minion a nod and shut the door.  He waived the papers in the air.  “Bingo.  We got her.  We got her before she got us!” he said excitedly.  He loved to win.  This time he was pitted against a Hellgod.  More of a challenge than anything he’d ever had to face before.  It was the kind of thing he lived for.  When he wasn’t protecting his family that it is.  When he’d been with Darla, Dru, and Spike he’d always had to play the serious one.  Those few times when he’d been flying solo he’d been able to get down and dirty.  Really kick it up.  Now he had the excuse to do both.

    Spike took the papers from his grand-sire and settled down to read, as Buffy took the baby from Dru to feed her.  Twenty minutes later Spike was picking up the phone.  “Rupes?  Sorry it’s so late, I mean early,” Spike said into the receiver.  “But we got a solid lead on this Glory person.  She’s a guy when she’s not a Hellgod.  Name of Ben.  Possibly working at the hospital.  You’ll have to come by to get a picture.  We want all of the Scoobies to have a good long look.  In either form this guy is trouble.  No, we don’t have a picture of the thing as a female.  Too risky.  She’d sense it if her picture was taken.  Alright, see you soon.”

    He hung up the phone and turned to his family.  “Giles will be here in about an hour.  He’s going to take this picture and show it to all your mates, luv,” Spike informed Buffy as he took a seat beside her.  He looked down at his now sleeping daughter.  “Here, hand her over and get some rest.  I’ll put her in the cradle as soon as I can bear to not touch her,” Spike said, taking the pink bundle from her mother.

    Buffy stretched tired muscles and yawned as she stood up.  Definitely beddy-bye time.  She bent down and kissed her husband on the top of the head.  “I love you so much, daddy.”

    Spike smiled shyly.  He liked when she called him that.  “Love you, too.  Now off to bed with you.  I’ll be in shortly.  After your Watcher leaves.”

    Buffy went off to bed and the three vampires all had nice cup of blood while they waited for Giles.  Drusilla and Angelus would be staying up while Spike and Buffy went to sleep.  It was a routine they’d developed right after the baby was born.  Up all night.  The first couple sleeping from about five a.m. until about one – with plenty of wake ups by Dawnie.  The other couple sleeping from about one in the afternoon until around seven in the evening.  Angelus and Spike took turns patrolling.  Occasionally going out with Giles or Drusilla.  It wasn’t as odd as it might seem.  Two soulless vampires patrolling the Hellmouth.  They’d openly claimed it as their territory and that made it natural.  It did, however, make patrolling with Giles a bit of a bitch.

    The doorbell rang again.  Drusilla went to open it, letting the watcher in with a smile.  She’d always fancied this one a bit.  He had more in him than he let out.  Kind of like her William.  “Hello, Rupert.”

    “Good morning, Drusilla.  How are you?” Giles asked, not completely unaware at the strange turn of events his life had taken over the last year.  He was learning a great deal about the world, like the fact that vampires were far more complex than the Council, or he, had ever given them credit for.

    “I’m well, thank you.  Buffy’s gone to sleep, but Spike and Angel are waiting for you.”  She led him the short distance to the living room and waved a hand for him to take a seat.

    Giles sat beside Spike and reached for the papers sitting on the coffee table.  He did spare a quick glance for the sleeping miracle, cradled in her father’s obviously loving arms.  He sat back and read through the documents, carefully studying the photograph.  “Well done.  Do I even want to know how you two managed to come up with this information?”

    Both men answered at the same time.  “No.”

    Giles leaned his head back against the couch and sighed, heavily.  “Spike, I owe you an apology.  You are a good man.  Soul or not.  You have come through for Buffy and for the world.  I was wrong about you, and I am sorry.”

    Spike looked at the man sitting beside him.  The same man that had tried to kill him in his own home on his wedding night.  “Guess even old dogs can learn a few new tricks, eh Watcher?” Spike asked.

    Giles chuckled.  “Indeed.”  He got up, holding the picture.  “I’ll make sure that everyone, including Joyce is made aware of this as well as the physical description of the Hellgod herself.  Tell Buffy I said hello for me, will you?” he asked as he made his way to the door.

    “Will do,” Spike promised.

    Dru had gotten up to walk the man out.  She locked the door and came back into the room with a sly smile on her face.

    “What’s with the grin, baby?” Angelus asked as he swept her into his arms.

    “That man.  He’s finally coming into his own,” Dru said cryptically.

    “Care to elaborate?” Angelus asked.

    “No,” Dru said in a tone of voice laced with just enough childishness that Angelus knew he would get no more from her.

    Spike stood up, careful not to wake his daughter.  “I’m off to bed then.  You two wake me if anything comes pounding at the door.”

    “You got it,” Angelus promised.  He watched Spike head down the hall to the master bedroom, and then he turned the woman in his arms to face him.  He bent down and pulled on her bottom lip, nibbling it with his teeth.  “Whatcha wanna do for the next eight hours?”

    Dru gave a low, wicked laugh.  “As long as you can stay quiet, my Angel.  We need to hear when the pixies call.”

    Angelus had moved his mouth down to her neck.  He bit down and released.  “Right, quiet.  I can do quiet.  Can you?”

Chapter 29

    Somehow they’d thought they’d get to Glory before she got to them.  It didn’t work out that way.  Not at all.  Buffy ran a tender hand down the side of her husband’s barely recognizable face, trying to get him to drink.  The Hellgod had beaten him to within an inch of dusting.  There didn’t seem to be any part of him left untouched.

    She’d been back at the house when it happened.  Sitting with Angelus and Drusilla.  Nursing Dawn.  Laughing even, over something Dru had said.  Then it had hit her.  Pain.  Complete overriding pain.  She barely had time to push the baby into Dru’s waiting arms before she began writhing and screaming.  Only one word escaping her lips, “Spike.”

    Angelus had torn out of the house like the hounds of hell were after him, trusting that Drusilla would be enough to keep Buffy and the baby safe.  He followed the sire bond he shared with all of his childer, letting it lead him to his childe.  There she was.  The bitch.  She was bending over Spike’s broken body, shoving a finger inside of his heart.

    “It’s so simple, but I guess you’re too stupid to get it.  Just tell me where my key is and the pain stops,” she said blithely.

    Angelus rammed her.  Lucky for him, it was straight into the side of a dumpster that turned over and spilled onto the both of them.  He fought furiously; shocked by the blows she was able to give him while she struggled to wedge herself in order to throw the dumpster off.  Finally she was able to get positioned and the metal trashcan went flying into the air.

    Angelus knew the value of retreat, and he moved the moment she pushed.  He turned with every ounce of speed he possessed and picked Spike’s now unconscious form off the ground as he did so.  He ran down the streets of Sunnydale, heedless to the gasps of passers by.  He hit their street, still running, and turned up the drive and into the opened door.

    Dru took one look at the battered body of her child and she shrieked.  She’s known it would be bad.  She’d seen the pain the Slayer had suffered, but she was still unprepared.  Spike had suffered many injuries over the years.  Had lost a battle or two.  But this… this was more than she’d ever imagined.  “Take him into the bathroom.  Get the both of you cleaned.  I’ll put Dawnie down and bring Buffy into the bedroom.”

    Angelus didn’t even speak.  He just carried his burden to the back of the house to do as Drusilla instructed.  As usual, her insanity melted away when she needed to be the strong one.  He turned the shower on and stepped in.  Icy cold.  It didn’t matter.  Not to him.  Not then.  He took off both his and Spike’s clothes without letting Spike go.  Then he just held him to him as gently as possible while he washed the blood and filth from their bodies.  When they were both clean he turned off the water and pulled a towel over into the shower stall.  He dried Spike off and himself the best he could.  Then he stepped out of the shower and carried Spike into the bedroom.

    Drusilla had taken all of Buffy’s clothes off and had her lying in the bed.  Angelus put Spike down beside his mate.  “He’ll need blood.”

    “As soon as we can wake him,” Dru agreed.  Then she took a seat on Angel’s lap in the bedside chair.  The two just sat there staring at their ruined childe.

    Buffy was the first to stir.  Instinctively she rolled towards her mate.  She gasped, her hand flying to her mouth.  “Oh, fuck,” she sobbed.  “What happened?”  She looked at the vampires across from her.  “Who did this?” she demanded, her eyes hard.

    “It was the Hellgod.  Glory.  She was too strong,” Angelus looked down in shame.  “If Spike hadn’t needed me I would have fought her, but…”

    “It’s okay, Angelus.  That bitch is mine.”  She reached over her passed out husband and opened the drawer to his nightstand.  She pulled out a dagger.  She brought it up to her wrist and drew a long line down it.  She placed the dripping appendage up to Spike’s mouth.  Nothing.  She gently ran a hand along his face.  “Drink, baby.  Please,” she begged.

    Angelus got up, Dru sliding from his lap.  He walked over and growled a command at Spike.  The broken man’s mouth dutifully opened and he accepted the proffered wrist.

    Buffy looked up at Angelus with big, tear filled eyes.  “Thank you,” she whispered.

    Angelus nodded.  He wondered what would have happened to them if he hadn’t lost his soul.  Angel would have returned to Los Angles.  Dru would have stayed and most likely gotten dusted by Glory an hour ago.  He shook off the disturbing thought.  Hating how powerless he felt when he thought about being trapped underneath that soul.  He turned to Buffy.

    “Slayer, she’s too strong.  You can’t defeat her.  We have to take out the human,” he reminded her.  “I think maybe she has some kind of warning system set up so that when Ben is threatened she’s able to come forth.”

    “So that’s what Spike was doing tonight?  Hunting the human?” Buffy asked.

    “Yes,” Angel admitted.  He’d gone out himself the night before, but neither female nor male version had left the apartment.

    “Why was he alone?” Buffy demanded.

    Angelus growled.  “That wasn’t my decision.  He felt it was best if we stayed behind in case he didn’t make it.  He wants two people with you and Dawn at all times.”

    Buffy closed her eyes tightly.  Then she opened them and peered out behind them, towards the window.  “Sun’s nearly up.”  She looked down at her broken mate who had stopped feeding.  She pulled her arm away and stood up.  She walked over to the closet and started to get dressed.

    “Take care of them for me?” she asked.

    “You can’t do this, Buffy.  It’s not what he wants,” Angelus warned her.

    “You can’t stop me,” Buffy said harshly as she turned and left the room.  She heard Angelus shift to follow her and she ran.  Down the hall.  Through the living room.  Into the sunlight.  The place that the vampires could not go.  She stopped running when she was about three blocks away from the apartment.  She’d read the files.  She knew what she was doing.  So the powerful one could sense danger.  Maybe she could only sense demons.  Slayers had a hell of a lot of defense mechanisms of their own.  One, being able to sneak up on their prey.  Not always.  Not with all demons, but Buffy was willing to give it a try.

    She walked to the apartment door and rang the bell.  She could hear a lot of skittering going on behind the door. Must be minions.  She idly wondered how many.  It didn’t matter.  She wasn’t backing off.  The thought of her mate’s battered body lending her an inner strength she’d never even known she had.  Right now she felt like she could take on a hoard of Hellgods.

    The door open to reveal a sleepy looking male.  “Yes?” he asked.

    “Hi, I woke you didn’t I?” Buffy asked with a big smile.  Sexy smile.

    Ben relaxed.  “Yeah, you did.  It’s a bit early.  Do I know you?” the confused man asked.  His whole body felt sore and tired.  He figured Glory must have tussled with that vamp that tried to attack him on the way home from the hospital.  He hated late shifts.  He really needed to think about getting a car.  At least he had his own personal built in security system.

    “It is really early.  That’s why I’m here.  I heard you get in awhile ago and I was hopping you’d still be awake.  I know everyone else around here is sound asleep and my battery is dead.  I have a charger thingy but I have no clue what ends go on what, and if I’m late to work again, I’m so very fired.  Could you help a girl out?”

    Ben’s exhaustion seemed to be melting away.  This girl was pretty.  Very pretty.  He wasn’t sure he knew which end went on what either, but he was willing to make a fool out of himself if it would buy him so extra time with her.  He was just slipping his sandals on when there was a hiss from one of Glory’s scabby minions.  “Excuse me for just one second, and I’ll be right out.”

    “Of course,” Buffy smiled again.  She didn’t hear the locks engage and she was thoroughly prepared to bust the door down if he didn’t appear in exactly three minutes.

    “What!” Ben whisper/yelled.

    “I just thought you might want to know how to charge a car, your not quite so magficentness.”

    Ben took a look at the crude drawing the creature held up.  “Got it.  And thanks,” he casually called out as went back to the door.

    Ben met up with the still smiling girl and the two headed down to the parking garage. “What apartment do you live in?” he asked.

    Buffy had been prepared for that question.  “Oh, 3E.  I don’t live there, actually.  I’m just mooching off the kindness of a friend of my parents while I look for my own place.  Preferably with a roommate to pay half the rent!” 

    Ben felt his cock twitch.  Down boy.  There was no way he could offer the girl a place to stay.  Glory and her rotting groupies weren’t exactly easy to explain.  “I’m sure you’ll find something,” Ben said, wishing he could be that something.

    They reached the parking garage and Buffy turned around.  Her hand moved so quickly, that Ben didn’t have time to register it at all.  It was a blur.  He felt Glory rouse.  Too late.  For once his watchdog had been caught sleeping.  His head fell backwards, loosely attached to his neck.  

    Buffy took the head in her hands before the body could fall to the floor.  Loosely attached and ceased heartbeat was not going to cut it.  She wrenched it from side to side, causing the body to break free and hit the wall.  She took off her hooded sweatshirt and wrapped it around the head.  She wasn’t worried about a police investigation.  Not in Sunnydale.  Ripped off heads were filed away as the acts of gangs on PCP – or demons as Buffy liked to call them.

    She walked to Willies.  She knew the weasel burned all sorts of weird crap in the alley behind his bar.  She banged on the door until a head poked out the window.  “What the fuck!” he yelled down at her.

    “Get your ass up, Willie boy.  We’ve got some burning to do.”

Chapter 30

    Spike was pissed.  He was sore.  He had a screaming daughter on his hands.  And his wife had left.  Just left.  What the hell had gotten into her!  He was too battered to pace.  Her blood had done amazing things to heal him, but he wasn’t going to be running any marathons soon.  That was another thing!  She weakens herself by donating blood and then takes off to confront a Hellgod.  Did she want to leave Dawnie motherless!

    He stopped his mental rant as felt her approaching.  She was okay.  She was coming.  She was in so much shit.  He eased himself off the bed, his squalling daughter held in his arms.  He ambled down the hallway, protesting as Drusilla came to take the child from him.  Angelus was sitting in the living room.  He saw Spike and then realized he could feel the Slayer.  She was almost there.  He got up and opened the door, careful to avoid any sunlight that might spill through.  “He’s pissed,” he whispered as she walked past him and he shut the door.

    Buffy knew he would be mad, but looking at the rage and hurt on her mates face actually made her heart stop for a second.  “Spike?” she asked tenderly, terrified she’d broken something between them.  Something that couldn’t be repaired.

    “Slayer,” Spike said back, gritting his teeth.  He couldn’t ever remember being so angry.

    Buffy held out her hands.  “Please, baby.  Don’t be mad.  I had to.  I couldn’t risk her hurting you again,” Buffy cried.  She felt a sob stick in her throat and she swallowed it down.

    Spike looked at the carpet.  “I can’t talk to you right now,” he said grimly and then turned on his heel and headed back to the bedroom.

    Buffy would have fallen to her knees if someone wasn’t pressing a loud bundle into her arms.  Almost without thinking, Buffy latched the screaming child onto her breast.  She let Drusilla lead her to the couch.  She sat down and nursed Dawn as if in a trance.  When the child was satisfied, Buffy let Dru take her to get changed and settled.

    “He loves you, Buffy.  I’ve never seen him so scared.  He doesn’t care that much about the world -- about life  -- if you aren’t in it.  Give him some time,” Angelus suggested.

    “Okay,” she whispered.

    “You smell awful by the way,” Angelus told her as he grabbed her hands and pulled her to her feet.  

    “I burned the head,” Buffy said.

    “So, it’s done?” Angelus asked.

    “Yes.”

    He gave a bitter laugh.  “Somehow I thought Spike or I would be the one to kill the human.  Possibly your mother.  It was a human, right?” Angelus asked, not wanting to think that Buffy hadn’t managed to kill something that Spike and he could not.

    “Yes, it was the human,” Buffy answered him, barely aware that he was leading her to the guest bathroom.

    Angelus turned on the water to heat up.  “You need to take your clothes off, sweetheart.”

    “Okay.” Buffy said, still trancelike.  She began to remove the garments and drop them to the floor.

    Angelus would have teased her about seeing her naked at any other time, but not now.  He just quietly urged her under the now hot water and picked up her soiled clothes.  Then he placed them inside the black trash bag that sat in the garage, holding the clothes he and Spike had worn earlier.  He walked back into the house.  He passed the open door of the nursery and gave his beloved a smile as he saw her rocking the baby to sleep.  The shower was still running and he thought this might be a good time to talk to his grand-childe.

    “Don’t wanna hear it right now, mate,” Spike said from his supine position on the bed.

    “She’s the strongest Slayer I have ever seen, William.  Fought the Master.  Fought us.  Mated with a soulless demon.  Then killed a human,” Angelus said as he sat on the bed beside Spike.  He saw Spike’s shoulders tense at the knowledge that Buffy had both killed the Hellgod and that she had done so while it was human.  “The only thing that I’ve seen come close to breaking her was loosing you.  Either by dust or by trust.  She didn’t do anything that you wouldn’t have done in her place.  Hell, that’s how you got so trashed in the first place.”

    “’S different.  I didn’t know the human would turn all godlike, did I?” Spike asked, not ready to give up on his anger – his fear.

    “Are you saying you wouldn’t have done just what she did if the situation had been reversed?” Angelus asked.  “I know I would have.”

    “Yeah, you know I would.”

    “Well, then?” Angelus prompted.  “You just gonna leave her in that shower with her heart shattered.  If so, you’re doing what no other demon has managed to do before – break this Slayer.”  Angelus got up and went to join Drusilla.  Right now, watching a baby fall asleep seemed just like the thing to do.  Things hadn’t gone down like he thought they would.  He figured either he and Spike would quietly kill the human and this thing would be over, or the Hellgod would have an entire force at her disposal and it would be all out war with some of them, if not all of them, dying.  He’d never expected it to just be Buffy.  He gave a chuckle.

    Spike didn’t move.  Angelus’ words played over and over inside of his brain.  He was right.  He would have done the same thing.  He should have known his girl would do the same thing.  The way she loved him.  No one had ever loved him like this.  Given him everything.  His girl was fierce with her love.  She was a warrior in every way.  His girl.  His Slayer.  His wife.  His mate.  His love.  What the fuck was he doing?  Punishing her for loving him and doing what she had to.  He was such a git.

    He pushed himself, painfully off the bed.  He put his feet down and headed out the room.  He heard the shower going and figured that must be where she was.  He opened the door and could tell she was crying.  Softly.  He pulled his clothes off and opened the shower curtain.  There she was.  Curled up in a ball on the shower floor.  Weeping.  Fuck.  He was stupid.  He got in and bent down, trying not to hiss in pain as he did so.  He positioned himself to the back of the shower and pulled the little ball of Buffy into his arms.

    “Hush, baby.  I’m a bad, rude man.  So sorry, luv.  So sorry.  Can you forgive me?  Please, baby.  Turn to me.  Look at me,” Spike urged her, trying his darndest to uncurl her in his weakened state.  He gave a little howl of pain, and that seemed to jolt her.

     She uncurled.  “I hurt you?” she asked as she looked up at him with puffy eyes.

    “No, baby.  I hurt us both.  I’m so sorry.  I was just scared.  Really, fucking scared.  Like I’ve never been before.  I got mad.  I was also pissed at myself that I wasn’t able to protect my family.  Shouldn’t have taken it out on you.  So sorry, baby,” he said as his own tears mingled with hers on the shower floor.  “To be honest, I’m right proud of you.  Fierce little thing.” He rubbed her cheek with his thumb.

    Buffy carefully burrowed herself into his arms.  “I’m sorry I scared you.  I can forgive you, if you’ll forgive me.”

    “Forgiven,” Spike said easily as leaned down and kissed the top of her wet head.  “Uh, luv?  Think we could get out of the shower.  It’s gettin’ cold.”

    Buffy smiled and nodded her head, just now aware that her teeth were chattering. She helped Spike stand up, and then she turned the water off.  They each dried off and made their way naked back to their bedroom.

     Pleased to see that Dru and Angelus had successfully put Dawnie down as they passed by the nursery.  They gave the vampires who were just lingering over the crib and staring at the beauty before them a smile of thanks.

    Spike and Buffy both crawled under the covers, melding themselves to each other’s bodies.  Buffy tilted her face up to Spike’s for a gentle kiss that grew more probing with each passing second.  Soon tongues were clashing and teeth were nipping at lips and jaw.

      Spike gave a low growl as he shifted into game face.  “Gonna get a taste of you, my sweet.”

    Buffy laughed and threw her head back, offering him her throat.  “Drink up, vampire.  You’re going to need your strength.”

    Spike sank his fangs in, doing just as he was told.  

    Life was back to normal in the strange household.

Epilogue

    Dawn came running into the house waiving a postcard.  “I got another one!” she yelled in excitement.  She loved getting the mail.  Her grandparents were always sending her the coolest things.  They sent post cards, gifts, and sometimes nice, fat letters.

    “Where is this one from, sweetie?” Buffy asked as she pulled the chocolate chip cookies out of the oven.

    “From Prague!” the eight year old cried as she tried to get a cookie off the hot baking sheet.  “Ouch!” she yelped, slipping into game face and sucking on her finger.

    “Here, sweetie,” Buffy said as she took her daughter’s finger and ran it under some cold water.  “You are just as impatient as your father,” she scolded.  She stifled a worry about her daughter’s bumpies.  At home such behavior was fine.  But at school the little day walker needed to keep things under control.  Buffy had no idea how Dawn’s third grade teacher would react to fangs.

    Spike walked in, paying no attention to the running water and reached down for a cookie.  “Ouch!” he yelled, vamping and stuffing his chocolate covered finger in his mouth.  “Those are hot!”

    “No, kidding,” Buffy sighed as she let Dawn go and grabbed her husband, pushing his burnt finger under the water, shaking her head.  “Like daughter, like father,” Buffy said sarcastically.

    Spike looked at his gorgeous daughter.  “Did my baby burn her finger?”

    Dawn immediately burst into tears and threw herself into her father’s outstretched arm.

    Buffy turned off the water so Spike could wrap both arms around the little girl who was so adept at softening the once big bad up.  “If either one of you could just learn some patience things like that wouldn’t happen,” Buffy said as she took a spatula and scooped the cookies off onto a plate.

    Dawn and Spike both just looked at the blonde woman, the center of their lives, and smiled.  They knew that she liked when they got boo boos.  It gave her something to fret over.  Dawn suddenly squealed, breaking out of her father’s arms.

    “I almost forgot.  My post card,” she wailed in excitement.  “Grandpa Angelus and Grandma Dru are coming for Christmas!”

    Buffy and Spike looked at one another.  Christmas.  Christmas with Angelus, Drusilla, Giles, Joyce, Willow, Tara, Xander, Anya, and all of their kids.  Oh, boy.  Christmas.  Buffy took a deep breath and squared her shoulders.  “Honey, you’ll need to pick some packets up of virgin from Willie’s later.”  Buffy liked to think of virgin blood as vampire honey.

    “Will do,” Spike responded as both he and Dawn nabbed a somewhat cooled cookie off the plate, deftly avoiding Buffy’s hands as she tried to swat them with the spatula.  

The End

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