Xander's Basement

"I can't stand it, Xander! Why do we have to stay in your musty basement? I mean, Giles and Joyce are off in merry old England, Buffy and Spike are in L.A. and the four of us are stuck here. Do you see the problem with this? And, it's been too long since you've given me proper orgasm. A few quickies in the bathroom don't count." Anya ranted as she lounged about in Xander's orange reclining chair.

"Anya, it's not like you have to be here. Nobody knows where your apartment is, or even the fact that you actually have one since you're here all of the time anyway. Besides, Buffy and Spike were in some serious trouble and had to leave." Xander said in a more patient tone than he actually felt. Tara and Willow just watched the interaction between the two with quiet amusement.

"Sorry. It's just that it's whites day, and the bleach gets to me."

"Xander, honey? Would your guests like some fruit roll ups? I have strawberry!" his mother exclaimed in drunken happiness.

"Ooh! Strawberry is my absolute favorite! Tell her to bring down the snack goodness." Willow said.

"Sure mom!" he yelled back. Maybe Giles and Joyce would come back with good news. But was Anya right? Spike and Buffy were probably living it up in LA while they were all stuck here, bored and restless. Man, he wished he could be there...

******************

"Placenta abruption is when the placenta prematurely pulls away from the wall of the uterus, causing painful, vaginal bleeding..." Spike continued to listen with a heavy heart as the doctor droned on what was happening to Buffy and their unborn child. Wesley and Cordelia came along to offer support, but all they were really doing was driving him insane. Everyone was talking to him like he was some stupid kid who didn't understand anything. Hell, he was old enough to be their bloody great- grandfather. He understood all right. As the old saying goes, shit happens. Huh, did it ever.

Why couldn't Dru have warmed him about this? Why didn't the idiot doctors of Sunnyhell warn her, tell her about the possibility of it? But, he guessed no one saw it coming. Everything was always "fine and dandy." He needed a smoke, a drink, a kill, anything to take his mind off it all.

They were really pissing him off now. Idiot doctors. What did they know? They wouldn't let him see her, hold her hand, be by her side, something! He never felt so hopeless in his entire existence. He became accustomed to always taking charge in his unlife; doing things his way; making his own destiny. But then, he thought, what if my past choices was the cause of this? What if the Slayer and the baby were somehow being punished for his mistakes? And the child shall pay for the sins of the father. What if Buffy blamed him? What if she stopped loving him?

As a vampire, he was never religious. He decided that if he knew nothing of God or the Devil, then why worry about either? But today, first time in nearly one hundred- twenty years, he prayed. To the Powers that Be, to God, to angels, to whoever was listening, to spare his love and their child. He never prayed so hard in his entire existence. With head bowed and hands clasped, he silently cried as he continued to beseech the higher beings for help.

*******************

She couldn't believe this was happening. After everything she's been through, they were just going to rip her baby from her body. But it wasn't time! She wasn't due for another two and a half months. But at this point, a cesarean section was absolutely necessary. She was utterly terrified. What if her baby didn't make it? An innocent, little baby who had yet to experience life, taken away so abruptly? How could it happen?

She had literally given her life, her youth for the Powers. Couldn't they cut her some slack? Always sacrifices. It's not fair! she screamed in her mind. Shortly, her baby was going to be taken from her womb. There was no guarantee if it would survive or not. But maybe, maybe it would all be okay. The baby had to have inherited strong genes of some sort. But what if it didn't? What if her baby didn't even live long enough to cry, for her to hold it in her arms? Never get to see it open it's eyes, first laugh, first steps... What if she was forced to miss it all?

"No, no, nooo!" she cried out unconsciously. She was on the verge of hysterics now. The pain in her belly was now a constant reminder that she could lose the one thing that se loved more than herself. That she wouldn't get the chance to know what it would become. She decided that if she lost her baby, then she was done. No more slaying she thought. She was tired of making sacrifices.

Chapter 18

"That lousy, son of a- that lousy bastard!" Darla quickly corrected herself. "He left me, again."

"Not to worry, my sweet. He will soon have to take care of you. But now he has to help my William."

"Take care of me? What the hell are you talking about, Dru? I can damn well take care of myself, and you."

"Shh. Don't want to ruin it. Daddy's left a surprise for us all..." she said ominously as she stare at Darla's flat belly.

*********************

After much arguing and bitching (from both parties), Angel finally left a majorly pissed off Darla and headed back home. After having some time away from the whole situation, he decided to support Buffy and (although reluctantly) Spike and their decisions. He was going to feign happiness for them. Nah, that would be too hard. Indifference was his plan of action. As soon as he walked through the door, the scents of blood and fear assaulted his senses.

"Angel, where were- "

"Where's Buffy? Is she okay?" Angel said, interrupting Fred.

"Sorry man. They took her to the hospital." Gunn explained. After finding out where she was, Angel made a mad dash to his car and sped to the hospital.

********************

The doctors decided to try and stop a premature delivery. They put Buffy in a Trendelenburg bed, elevating her hips and feet in an attempt to counter the pull of gravity on the baby. But the doctors soon realized that the bed wasn't enough. The contractions were too strong. They hoped to prolong the delivery for forty-eight hours to give a drug called betamethasone a chance to peed up the development of her baby's lungs. They also gave her another drug called Brethine to slow down the contractions. It was Buffy's only hope of holding the baby in the uterus, and every additional hour improved the baby's chance of survival. Fifteen hours later, Joy Anne Summers was brought into the world.

******************

I was in a daze. I remember the doctor saying "It's a girl," and then a whole bunch of strangers taking my baby away. As I stared up at the bright, ceiling lights, I began to cry. I wanted my baby; I wanted Spike; I wanted my mommy and Giles. But I was left alone with questions of where was my baby? What were they doing to her? Is she all right? When can I see her...

There was no absolute reassurance from the doctors and nurses. It was always "We're doing the best we can." Other than that, they mostly ignored me. A few minutes later, they gave me only a brief glimpse of her to last me the next twenty-four hours. The doctor folded down the flap of the blanket for no more than two seconds before taking her away to the nursery. One of the nurses informed me that Spike would be allowed to follow. This brought me some comfort, but I wanted to be with her myself. Two seconds just wasn't enough.

********************

A girl. I had a lil' girl. They said Buffy was fine and needed her rest, and I knew she would want me to watch our baby. At first I was terrified. In addition to my own fears, my daughter was now hooked up to a bunch of wires and a tube inside of an incubator. But they were just for monitoring her and a respiratory aid.

She was so tiny. But beautiful all the same. She was pink all over, with fine blond eyebrows and very little hair on her head. But I wanted to see her eyes. I just knew that if only I could look into her eyes, then she would be okay, somehow...

********************

"Angel? What are you doing here?" Buffy asked tiredly.

"Hey. Sorry I wasn't there to- are you all right?" he said, hovering near the doorway.

"I'm okay. Just drained, tired, distressed, whatever. But you can come closer, you know. I don't bite." she said with a small attempt at a smile.

"Have you seen the baby yet, or Spike?" Angel thought about the conversation he had earlier with the wayward vampire. Never before had he seen him so weak and vulnerable. He never thought he would ever use adjectives such as those to describe Spike.

"It's all my fault."

"No, Spike. You couldn't control this."

"You're right. I can't. But see, that's the thing of it."

"What do you mean?"

"They're being punished because of me. Paying for my sins and I- I can't stop it." he finished as he turned away in what seemed in attempt of hiding his face, in shame. Angel gently grasped his shoulder and slowly turned him around. He wasn't crying, but his eyes were glazed over.

"Spike, this isn't because of you. This may not happen more often than not, but it does happen. It happens to lots of other good, decent people out there. Buffy needs you right now. She needs you to be strong." Angel said, pinning Spike with his eyes.

"But what if I can't?"

"You don't have a choice. No matter what happens- "

"I'll never leave her. Whatever happens here today... I'll always be by her side, whether she wants me there or not. I'll be strong, for her."

"And I'll be strong for you, if you let me. What's family for, right? Besides to drive you insane of course." Spike had a ghost of a smile before it disappearing altogether. Angel enveloped him in a tentative hug. Spike responded, hugging him back. After so many burned bridges, theirs was finally mended again.

"Yeah, I saw him. The doctors gave him one of those IDs and took him the the nursery. He wanted me to check on you. He'll be here, though. Just wanted someone not on hospital staff to watch over the baby."

"So, he'll be here later?"

"Yeah, he- " Angel stopped as Buffy fell into a peaceful sleep, knowing that the baby would be safe under Spike and Angel's watchful gaze. When she awoke sometime later, Spike was right beside her. He began to smile and lightly stroked her hair.

"Angel's keeping watch now. Everything's gonna be fine. She's getting stronger every minute. Literally you know- stabilized."

"I should explain."

" 'Bout what, luv?"

"Her name. I know it isn't what we discussed exactly, but, she's a person all her own, and needed her own name."

"I know. Besides, 'Joy' is from Joyce- "

"She is joy, to me."

"Me too. And Anne is you and my mum's middle name. Let's face it; Constance is a completely old fashioned name. Rightly so after nearly a century and a half."

"Yeah. And she'll be okay?"

"I promise you that. And besides, you should know better than anyone that the Summer's women are survivors by nature. Of course she'll make it."

Chapter 19

Warning: Deals with issues of rape and is somewhat graphic. I’ve decided to make this a small chapter all its own, so if you feel the need to skip it, feel free. You won’t miss anything that will confuse you later in the story. Sorry if I offend anyone.

Five Days later- Initiative

She couldn’t believe this was happening to her. After awhile, her body became numb; she physically became dead to what the bitch was making the vampire do to her. If only she could close off her mind and be somewhere else…

She pretty much accepted the fact that she was never getting out of there. No one was going to save her. But then, she thought, I probably deserve punishment of some kind. But even this treatment was extreme. She might have been guilty of murder, but never torture; it wasn’t right.

If only they would stop the drugs. If her mind wasn’t so cloudy maybe… No point in thinking of the impossible. It would go on for hours. Gotta love that vampire stamina. No problem in getting it up. Especially for a weakened Slayer held hostage. He was always rough and brutal- the more aggressive the more appreciation he got from Maggie. Bitch. She would allow him to sometimes bite her, and now only fed him human blood (which he so graciously would point out before unzipping his pants and whipping it out. As if he was giving her some sort of justified explanation).

His name was Paul. He said that if she weren’t so drugged, she would be screaming his name in ecstasy. He said it as he pounded inside of her, as she gazed back at him with tears in her eyes. Death would be a relief. Never had she thought of giving up, but she had to wonder: what exactly did she have to live for? No one cared about her. In fact, the people that she knew would probably jump for joy once they found out what happened.

Her mother would be so disappointed in her. She had wanted so much more for her, but this was not to be. She screwed up as a daughter, a slayer, a friend, and as a human being. Now she disappointed herself. She let her own weakness get to her. She was never a quitter, until now.

It was only one thought that kept her sane, that gave her hope: Buffy would come. Whether it is to kick her ass or to gain some type of retribution against Maggie and the Initiative, she had to come. At least, that was what she kept telling herself.

Chapter 20

L.A.- Hyperion

The doctors were marveled to see the immediate progress of the baby. All of her vitals were normal, her electrolytes (sodium, potassium and calcium levels) were completely stabilized and she was very healthy. But as a precaution, the doctors insisted on keeping her there another week or two. Most premature babies needed all the help they could get. But within five days, Joy was as strong as any regular baby. She could breathe on her own and feed from her mother with no trouble at all.

The only troubling thing was that the doctors were hell bent on keeping her there for further observation, which made Buffy, Spike and the LA gang all the more uncomfortable. Joy's parents were in mutual agreement that since she was very much acclimated to her environment and had no need for wires, tests, machines and the like, that they could go back home. Well, the hotel anyway. So at three o'clock in the morning, Joy Anne Summers was taken out of the hospital by her parents to the Hyperion. A few hours later, Giles and Joyce arrived there as well.

Joyce immediately fell in love with her granddaughter. She marveled at her clear blue eyes and her relatively quiet demeanor. She was an angel. Giles was struck with a silent awe, especially seeing Spike in a fatherly role. He found it disconcerting, but was highly comforted by the fact that Buffy and her baby girl would be watched over with care and love from him. He was even more shocked to see Angel in a state of elation for them.

"Has anyone contacted Xander and the others about all of this? Do they know?" Giles asked.

"Oh, I called them from the hospital. I let them know that everything is okay now. They said everything is pretty much quiet over in Sunnydale, which is like a big first." Cordelia said.

"Well perhaps Quentin has taken care of the problem." Giles said.

"Wow, it's kinda weird. Everything quiet in Sunnydale, everything quiet here-" Buffy stopped mid sentence with the entrance of Darla and Dru.

"It seems I've got a bit of a problem, lover." Darla said. Everyone took in the slight bulge of her belly.

"My daughter's got a big surprise." Dru sing songed. Damn. It's always something. Buffy thought ruefully.

England- the Council

The board members made low murmurs in their state of shock as Quentin Travers revealed a secret that he and two other members of council had been keeping secret for several months.

" As you all know, Rupert Giles has requested of me to find a solution to getting rid of the Initiative. However, what he did not know and what you, the board, also did not know was that Margaret Walsh was acting, initially, under myself, Mr. Stuart, and Mr. Grants supervision. Ever since the departure of Ms. Summers, we wanted to be sure that the demons on the hellmouth were properly taken care of. As it turns out, Buffy has continued her job and done it well. We had people from both ends closing in on the demons. But now, it seems that Ms. Walsh has lost sight of the plan- of our vision.

It is because of these reasons that I am sending out a team of five men to Sunnydale to retrieve Ms. Walsh and bring her in for immediate psychological observation. I would like to keep the Initiative in business, and I hope that in the meantime we can find an adequate replacement for Margaret. I hope you all can understand our predicament, and to handle the situation as covertly as possible."

********************

Riley never felt so good in his life. As it turned out, the girl that picked him up was a vampire. Somewhere is his drunken haze, he became curious as to what the fuss was all about. They went out into an alley together and he let her get a taste. The feel of her fangs in his flesh was intoxicating. So this is why she does it. It made him forget about everything- all of his problems and misfortunes seemed to melt away.

He finally came to his senses and pulled out a spare stake he kept in his pocket. He pressed the tip hard over her un-beating heart. She jerked her head up in shock at him.

"I don't normally do this, but I'm feeling charitable. You go back to your crypt, and I'll go back to my home, okay? Oh, and this is our little secret." He said in a slightly slurred voice. The vampire glared at him in return and silently backed away. Riley put a hand to the two puncture wounds in his neck and began to head in the opposite direction. For the first time in a long time, he thought of no one but himself.

*******************

The Initiative- Thoughts of Jonathan Levinson

I was having the most amazing time. I actually had friends, well, other than Warren and Andrew. Anyway, so I was doing a demon check, you know, classifying the new demons that came in. It was when I saw her, this girl. She was about my age I guess with dark hair. She was really out of it. I asked one of my partners why she was strapped to a gurney. He explained that she wasn't human at all. He said she was a shape shifting demon. He said it with such a straight face that I almost believed him. Almost. The thing of it is, I've seen her before. I just can't remember where. Maybe it'll come to me later.

I asked Warren and Andrew what they thought. They said not to get involved. Andrew said that if I said anything that they may try to lobotomize me so I wouldn't spill their secrets. He kinda freaked me out with that. But if she human, I'm almost certain she is, maybe I should help her. God knows what they've been doing to her.

*******************

As Maggie Walsh walked across the parking lot that night, she was accosted by two men. They drugged, bound and gagged her and tossed her into the back of the black, non descript van. They were on an important mission, and refused to have any problems. Wouldn't do for her to wake up screaming during the middle of the trip. However, at the same time, someone was awaking. He was on a mission too.

Adam opened his eyes, took in his surroundings and said one word.

"Mother?"

Chapter 21

"Sunnydale High! Geeze, it's her! It's that girl Faye or Faith. Yea, that's it! She used to hang out with Buffy, Willow and Xander!" Jonathan exclaimed.

"God, would you just calm down? So what, she used to hang with a bunch of people who more or less ignored you your entire high school education. Big deal." Warren said.

"No, don't you understand? We have to help her. She was like, apart of the old high school gang." Jonathan reasoned.

"Yeah right. You couldn't even remember her name. You guys wanna play Kevin Bacon?" Andrew asked.

"Look you guys. Let's do something good for a change. We could be real super heroes. And think of it: I'm good with magic, Andrew's good at demon manipulation and control, and Warren is like the god of electronics. We could be unstoppable, in the saving of others." Jonathan said. His two counterparts nodded their heads in agreement.

"Yea, we could be like the Super Team, or the more refined version of the Three Amigos." Andrew said.

"All right Sparky. What's your plan?" Warren asked.

"Okay guys. Prepare yourselves. Because of the high risk involved, planning must be intricate and very detailed. So here's the deal..."

******************

"I can't believe this is happening. Cordelia must be devastated. But then again, the walking swiftly away to her room to be alone might have been a big tip off." Buffy said in hushed tones as she laid a sleeping Joy in her crib, complimentary of Angel Investigations.

"I'm sure she is. But can you imagine Darla as a mum and the King of Broodiness as a dad? Damn. Poor kid'll never have a chance." Spike said in low tones. Sitting on the bed, he motioned for her to join him. She crossed the room and sat beside him, resting her head on his shoulder.

"Well, he hasn't been broody as of late. Well, up until now that is. This whole thing must've been so shocking. I mean, how is it even possible? I mean, so quickly anyway. The two of you seem to be getting along. How come?" she asked, moving her head to give him a suspicious look.

"Well, we mended fences, so to speak. I asked him to be godfather." he mumbled, fearing she wouldn't favor the idea.

"Oh, that's so sweet, honey." she said, giving him a chaste kiss on the lips.

"Oh, well. You know, technically this kid's gonna be my uncle, and Darla is our kid's aunt, since Dru resired her, and Dru would be big sis to Angel's kid, and grandmum to ours. Leave it to them to screw up the family tree even more." he said with a roll of his eyes.

"Actually, I'm not too comfortable with Dru being here. I mean, Darla's in a motherly way, so she's more or less harmless. But Dru being able to roam around here, no restrictions, it makes me kinda wigged, ya know? What if she tries to hurt Joy?"

"She won't. In her own, special insane sorta way, she cares for her too. After all, she is her grandmum. And both of us are right here. She'll be okay." he replied, gently stroking her face. She crinkled up her nose in slight disgust.

"What is it luv?"

"It's just, ewww. You're so right. Your whole entire family tree is insane, and very much incestual." He gave her a small grin in return.

"Different rules for domestics amongst vamps. You know I just realized something."

"What?"

"We haven't had some quality time since I got captured by those soldier wankers. A bloke's gotten mighty lonely." he said in his best seductive tone. Makes her melt everytime he thought.

"Yeah, know what you mean. But what about the baby?" she whispered, but was already getting lost merely in the thought of being with him.

"Can you be quiet?" he mumbled against her neck, lightly nipping and kissing his way down the column of her throat.

"I can if you can."

"That's my girl." he said as he let his hands skim the hem of her shirt, pulling it over her head. He marveled at the sight of her. After losing all of the extra water and the weight of the baby, she still was about ten pounds heavier. Her breasts were fuller, her form more curvaceous. He loved every square inch of her.

"Spike, it's still soon, you know." she said in a breathy whisper.

"I know it's just- can I see you? I just want to see you, Buffy." he said as he hovered over her.

"Why? I haven't gotten my figure back." she said in a pout.

"Hush now luv. You'll always be beautiful to me. Always." he said with utmost sincerity. She knew he meant it.

"I love you so much." she said with a small smile. He kissed her forehead, the tip of her nose, and gently on the lips in response. He then softly stroked her hair and the side of her face. She brought her hands up his sides and then around his back.

"I just want to hold you, baby. Make sure you're really here with me." he said as he gazed lovingly into her eyes.

"I'll always be here with you Spike. Invincible and eternal, remember?" she asked half jokingly. But beyond the jokes and beyond the denial, they both knew the truth of it; only one of them would live forever while the other would eventually meet the bitter end of the mortal coil. They decided to ignore the future momentarily and focus on one another's comforting embrace.

****************

Adam looked through all of his mother's files. He was on a mission. He learned of his brother, Riley Finn- an upstanding soldier, and the project closest to his mother's heart (besides him of course), her precious research of Hostile 17. He had plans for each of them... He went out exploring and learned everything he could about everything around him. He dissected demons, humans, small animals, anything he could get his hands on. He knew that if you wanted the power, then you had to obtain the knowledge.

*****************

Jonathan began phase one of the plan by systematically replacing Faith's doses of muscle relaxants and drugs with harmless, watered down versions. Faith would need her strength in order to carry out the plan completely. Plus, all of those mysterious cut up corpses around campus was really starting to freak him out. He needed to take initiative and leave the Initiative with the quickness. Soon he, Warren and Andrew would be true heroes, and everyone who mattered would know it.