Unexpected Blessings
Parts 13-14


Written by: Pattyanne
Author's Website

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Summary: What can I say...Spike and Buffy have a baby...
Disclaimer: The show Buffy the Vampire Slayer and all of it's characters belong to Joss, Mutant Enemy, & Fox Prod.
A/N: I wrote this a while ago, but the recent baby fics being posted made me want to toss my hat in, as it were. This is the "prequel" to 'Daddy's Girl', which is not finished yet.
Feedback: snapkik@yahoo.com

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Stolen Away


"Hey! Where's my daughter?"

"In here with me!"

Buffy glanced up as her husband came into the living room and scooped Katie up in his arms.

"Happy Birthday, Princess," he said, kissing the baby's cheeks.

"What are you talking about?" Buffy asked. "It's nowhere near her birthday."

"Is so," he insisted. "She's nine weeks old today, aren't you, precious?"

"Oh, brother," Buffy rolled her eyes. "Yeah, she's really getting up there, isn't she? Seems like it was only nine weeks ago that we brought her home from the hospital. Where DOES the time go?"

Spike stretched out on the sofa with the baby on his chest. "Your mother has a very sarcastic way about her sometimes," he said, patting Katie's back. "I'ts not very attractive at all."

Buffy couldn't stop herself. "She'll be asking to borrow the car any day now."

"Hmm...not bloody likely," he mumbled.

"S'cuse me?"

"No one," he stated firmly, "except for me will be driving her anywhere!"

"What about me?"

"YOU?" Spike laughed. "Least of all, you!"

Buffy knew better than to open that can of worms and run down mailboxes, so she decided to take another tack. Folding her arms across her chest, she sat down on the end of the sofa.

"All right...how about when she starts dating?" she asked, then sat back to wait for the explosion.

He didn't disappoint her.

"Dating? Are you...you're out of your...I will NOT..." He shook his head vehemently, clutching the baby closer. "No!"

Buffy had to bite her lip until it nearly bled, just to suppress a smile. "What do you mean, no?" she asked, when she could speak without laughing. "She never gets to date? Ever?"

He thought about it for about three seconds. "No."

'You know, honey," Buffy said. "I think she may fight you on that." She patted his knee. "You're being overprotective."

"Well...I don't care," he replied, stroking Katie's soft cap of light brown hair. "If you think that I'm gonna stand around and watch some..boy..put his sweaty hands on my baby, you'd best think again."

"My, my, my," Buffy said. "That is a brand new you, isn't it?" Standing up with a sigh, she reached down and took the baby.

"Hey!" he protested. "I'm not done yet!"

"Too bad," she called over her shoulder. "Nap time, doncha know?"

"It is not." Spike followed her upstairs. "You're just saying that."

"Am not."

"She's not tired."

"Is so."

Five minutes later, they came back down.

"Told you so," Buffy said. She went into the kitchen and stared balefully at a sink full of dirty dishes. "Why do we use so many dishes?" she asked, looking at him as though she expected him to answer.

"What do you mean, we?"

As she stood at the sink scraping dried food off her mother's china, Spike crept up behind her and slipped his arms around her waist. He nuzzled and growled against her throat, making her laugh.

"Hey, ya know what?" he asked suddenly. "Let's go out tonight, just you and me."

She turned in his arms. "Yeah? Like where?"

He shrugged. "You choose."

"What about Katie?"

"Dawn'll be home soon. Instant baby-sitter."

She thought it over for a moment, then smiled. "Okay, you talked me into it," she said returning his em- brace.

"Then you put on your prettiest dress," he instruct- ed. "I'm going to take you out and show you off!"

Pushing her up against the sink, he kissed her long and hard.


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


"You ready to go, gorgeous?" Spike called out, standing at the bottom of the stairs.

"I am very, very ready," Buffy said. She practically skipped down the stairs, with Dawn following behind her.

"Look," she said to her sister. "I know that YOU know where everything is, but let me give you the little speech anyway, okay?"

Dawn nodded. "Fire away."

"The number of the restaurant is on the pad next to the phone. So's her pediatrician's number. I fed her about two hours ago, and she'll probably want to eat before we get home, so there's a can of formula in the cupboard. She doesn't mind the bottle."

Spike took her hand and began tugging her towards the door. "Come on, Slayer. Night's not getting any younger."

"Okay, okay...I've got my cell phone...you know that number, right?"

"Yup," Dawn said.

"What else....Oh, I forgot...Xander and Anya might drop by later."

"How come?"

Buffy pulled her coat on. "Anya wants some diaper chang- ing practice, as long as they're just wet that is."

Spike looked surprised. "Is she...?"

Buffy smiled and shook her head. "No. She just wants to be ready for it when it happens."

He snorted. "Yeah. Good bloody luck."

Buffy narrowed her eyes at him. "What's THAT sup- posed to mean?"

Reclaiming her hand, he led her down the porch steps to the driveway. "Nothing terrible," he explain- ed. "Just that...no matter how ready you THINK you are...you're not!"

He opened the car door for her, then came around and climbed into the driver's seat. Before turning the key, he turned to look at her. "Am I right?"

Buffy opened her mouth to speak, closed it again to think, then said, "I can't argue with you on that one."

Wearing that same smirk that used to make her fingers itch to smack off his face, Spike stated the car and backed out of the driveway.


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


Dawn heard the doorbell ring as she was closing the door to the nursery.

"Shit," she muttered under her breath, descending the stairs as quietly as she could. She opened the door halfway, to find a man and woman she didn't recognize standing there.

The woman spoke first. "Hello," she smiled. "You must be Buffy's sister, Dawn."

She had a soft voice and spoke with a cultured English accent, a sound Dawn was familiar and comfortable with.

"Rupert described you perfectly," the woman added.

"You know Giles?" Dawn asked.

"Oh, yes," the woman nodded. "We're old friends. I've been out of the country for a while, but we had a lovely visit this afternoon and he told us all about Buffy's baby. I just had to come and congratulate her...oh, and I brought a little gift."

She handed Dawn a small box, wrapped in pink paper, with a white and pink bow on top of it.

Dawn smiled. "Buffy's not home right now."

The woman looked disappointed. "Oh, that's a shame."

The man cleared his throat. "Darling," he said softly. "We're going to be awfully late."

"Yes..I know, but.." The woman sighed. "Would you mind terribly if I borrowed your phone to let our friends know that we're on our way. It'll only take a moment."

Dawn shrugged. "Sure. Come on in."


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


"Did you have fun, baby?"

"I did," Buffy smiled and laid her head against Spike's shoulder. "I'd almost forgotten what it's like to eat a meal without providing one at the same time."

"Sure you don't want to go somewhere else?" he offered. "It's early yet."

She shook her head. "Uh-uh. Things are getting un- comfortable," she said, gesturing at her breasts. "I just hope she's hungry."

"Well, if she's not," he said, pulling into the driveway behind Xander's car. "I could eat."

Shutting off the engine, he slid one hand behind her neck and pulled her closer to kiss her.

After a few seconds, Buffy broke away. "I sure do appreciate all the sacrifices you make for ....the front door's open."

They opened their doors and got out of the car.

"They're probably just ready to leave," Spike suggested.

"Yeah, maybe," Buffy nodded. "But it's kind of cold out."

He reached for her hand. "I'm sure it's nothing, love."

She stared at him. "Then why do you look nervous?"

Simultaneously, they both began to walk faster.

Spike was the first one through the door, and he stopped so abruptly that Buffy ran into him.

"What's..." she started to ask, then followed his gaze to the living room sofa. "Dawn? Dawn...what happened?"

Her sister was sitting on the sofa, her eyes red and swollen from crying. Anya sat beside her, holdng a plastic bag filled with ice against the side of Dawn's face.

She turned in the other direction, and saw Xander in the kitchen doorway, punching numbers on the phone. As he hit the final number, he turned and saw them.

Before he could speak, the cell phone in Buffy's purse began to ring.

Xander hung up the phone. "I was just calling you."

Spike held up one hand. "The baby's not here. She's not in the house."

Buffy didn't ask how he knew. She felt it too. Their child was gone, and the house felt...different.

Panic began to take a stranglehold on her throat, as she did her best not to break down and scream, not to fly out of the house and start kicking down people's doors.

"B-Buffy.." Dawn's voice was soft and frightened. "I'm so...I'm so...." She began to cry.

Buffy clenched her fists to keep from tearing the house apart.

Spike sat down beside Dawn and pulled her hands away from her face. "Dawn." His voice amazingly controlled. "Tell me everything that happened."

When she lifted her head to speak, he saw the marks on her neck. Two small punctures, smeared with blood.

He closed his eyes briefly, shaking with rage.

A vampire had done this. Had come into his home, and taken his child. And it had to be someone he or Buffy knew. Dawn had to have invited them in.

"Spike?" Buffy's voice was nearly inaudible with fear.

Opening his eyes, he looked at Dawn. "What did he look like? Have you ever seen him before? Dawn, honey, listen to me...this wasn't your fault. Just try and remember...tell me everything that happened."

Anya placed the ice bag on the table, revealing a huge bruise and swelling on the side of Dawn's face.

"Oh, Christ," Spike bit out angrily. "Buffy? Come here, love."

On shaky legs, Buffy crossed the room and sat down in the armchair near the sofa. "Dawn...tell us what happened."

In a quiet voice, Dawn described everything.

When she mentioned the part about Giles, Xander went back to the phone and dialed the watcher's number. Their conversation was brief.

"He hasn't spoken to anyone, from anywhere, about you and the baby," he told them. "He's on his way over." Xander stood in the doorway, arms folded, staring at the floor.

While Dawn continued, Spike rose to his feet and reverted to old habits, pacing the room with his fists clenched.

"I...I let them in to use the phone. I thought you guys knew them. She seemed to know about you. And...and when they came in...he grabbed hold of me and started to...to bite me. But she told him to stop. She...she said that she wanted me alive..so that I could tell Buffy that she was being...being punished for stealing from her. She started to go up the stairs, and I tried to stop her! I tried to make her stop! And she...she hit me!"

"She knocked her out cold," Xander added. "Anya and I found her laying at the foot of the stairs. By the time we woke her up...God, Buffy. We didn't know the baby was gone. We went up and checked the nursery, but we thought she was with you. I..I guess we weren't thinking clearly."

Anya's voice was soft and hesitant. "We thought maybe you forgot that we were coming over. We didn't see the bite marks at first."

Buffy was almost nauseous with fear and guilt. This was HER fault. These vampires had come to punish her, to punish the slayer...and her baby was going to suffer because of it. Her little girl.

The thought of her helpless baby in the cruel and uncaring hands of a vampire, was the blow that finally brought the slayer to her knees. Sliding out of the chair, she buried her face in the cushion and began to cry harsh, painful tears that made her entire body tremble.

Spike crossed the room in three strides and picked her up off the floor, then carried her upstairs.

He sat on their bed, holding her on his lap as she cried. He didn't even try to make her stop. He knew there was no way that she could.

But, he also knew that he had little time to spare.

Five minutes crawled by, and Buffy's sobs turned to soft, silent weeping.

"Listen to me," he said quietly. "I am going to find her, I promise you. I'll bring her home."

Buffy took a deep breath. "You can't promise me that...and you know it."

"Buffy..."

"Oh, God...this is all my fault," she whimpered. "My fault.."

"What are you talking about?" He pulled back and looked into her eyes. "Baby...this is not..."

"A vampire took her!" She cut him off brutally. "They took her...because she's MY child! The slayer's child. They couldn't get me...so they took her." She began to cry again. "They took our baby, Spike...our little girl."

"Sweetheart...don't do this to yourself."

Buffy was gasping for air. "I didn't think anything could hurt this much," she said, holding her hand over her heart as her chest heaved. "I don't think I can survive this, Spike...I can't...I just can't."

Burying her face against his shoulder, she sobbed brokenheartedly.

After a few minutes, he shifted her off his lap. "I'll be right back, honey."

Buffy clutched at him. "Where are you going? Spike... please....I need you."

"I know, love," He took hold of her hands and kissed them. "I'll be right back, I swear it."

Anya spoke from the doorway. "I'll stay with her."

Spike glanced at her and nodded. "Thanks." He kissed Buffy's forehead. "I just need to talk to Dawn, okay?"

He walked quickly downstairs, briefly distracted by the sound of a car stopping in front of the house with a scream of brakes and tires.

Looking out the window, Spike watched as Giles leapt from his car and sprinted for the house.

"How's Buffy?" he asked, panting for breath.

Spike shook his head. "Not good. She's upstairs."

Halfway up the staircase, Giles stopped and turned his head. "Spike?"

"Yeah?"

"How are YOU doing?"

A little surprised, Spike didn't reply.

"I'm sorry," Giles said. "She's your daughter, too. You must be out of your mind."

Spike nodded. "Nearly."

"I should have asked."

"You did. Now...go see Buffy. Tell her I'll be up in a few minutes."

Back in the living room, Spike knelt in front of Dawn and took her hands. "Tell me what they looked like. Did they give you any names? Did they call each other by name?"

Dawn shook her head. "No. He called her darling...but she didn't call him anything. I..I thought they friends of Giles'. She sounds just like him."

Spike had been staring at the floor, but this comment caught his attention. "What do you mean...sounds just like him? You mean she was English?"

"Yes."

Spike closed his eyes. "What..what did she look like?"

"She had long dark hair...I think her eyes were brown. And she was wearing a long dress...sort of fancy and old fashioned looking."

"Oh, God." Xander had been standing by the window listening, and went pale with shock. "That's...you think it's..."

Spike looked up and met his eyes. "Yeah," he said curtly.

Dawn wiped her face on her sleeve. "What? Who do think it is?"

Spike didn't answer her. The anger that had been building in him since he had come home to find his daughter missing was fast turning into a raging fury that he was almost afraid to unleash.

PSYCHOTIC BITCH!!

He clenched his fist so tightly that his nails dug in to the palms of his hands.

Before Christ Almighty that I will kill you so slowly...so painfully...that you will BEG for the FUCKING FIRE!!>

Jumping to his feet, Spike threw open the door to the weapons cabinet, Xander right behind him.

Grabbing a monstrously huge axe, he tossed it to Xander, who caught it in one hand. They each armed themselves with several stakes. Xander took a full sized crossbow, while Spike took a smaller one that he concealed beneath his coat.

"Spike?"

He turned to see Buffy standing at the foot of the stairs, watching him. Dropping the weapons in his hands, he held out his arms. "Come here, sweetheart."

"Where are you going?" she asked, pressing her cheek against his chest.

"I'm going to get our daughter...and bring her home."

She reared back, staring at him with wide, hopeful eyes. "You know where she is? Who took her?"

Spike placed his hands on his shoulders and and lookd directly into her eyes. "I know who took her..and she won't be hard to find. She's just as stupid as she ever was."

"Who is? Who are you..."

"Buffy," he said urgently. "Listen to me. This whole thing has nothing to do with you being the slayer. That's not what it's about at all."

She looked at him, confused. "But...Dawn said that SHE said...it was to punish me."

Spike shook his head. "But not for being the slayer."

"Then for what?"

"She's punishing you...because I love you. Because I fell in love with you...and left her."

He watched the terrible knowledge dawn in her eyes.

"You..you mean Drusilla? Drusilla took our baby?"

"Buffy..."

"Spike!" She clutched his shirt frantically. "Spike...she's insane! You know it as well as I do! God...God only knows what she'll do to...." She began to cry again. "Oh...oh, no. No...please."

He felt her shaking, and knew she was about to collapse. Wrapping his arms tightly around her, he sank down with her to the floor.

"Buffy...sweetheart. Listen to me, now. I'll bring her home. I swear...I SWEAR to you...you'll have your baby in your arms again soon."

"OUR baby," she sobbed.

"Yes," he said softly, "Our baby." Spike looked up at Giles and sent him a silent message. The watcher nodded.

"Buffy." Giles' voice was calm as he knelt beside her. Placing his arms around her, he slowly raised her to her feet. "Come and sit down for a moment. Dawn needs to see you. She's..she's almost hys- terical."

"No," Buffy protested, trying to pull away. "I have to go..my baby needs me...she needs me, Giles."

"No, Buffy,' Giles said sternly. "Let Spike deal with this...with Drusilla. You're not in any shape for it and..." He frowned, hating to say such words. "..you might endanger Katie. You're not thinking clearly...and who could blame you?" He walked her into the living room.

Spike stood up and retrieved his weapons. "Are you ready?"

Xander nodded grimly. "Beyond ready."

Without a backward glance, they both walked out of the house.

---

Retribution


"What makes you think she'll be here?"

Spike stopped the car across the street from the factory where he'd once lived with Drusilla.

"Like I said...she's as stupid as ever. Dru never thought things all the way through. That's why she can't manage on her own," he replied, stepping out of the car.

When they found the back entry, Xander tested the door. "It's locked," he whispered.

Spike didn't reply. Lifting one foot, he kicked the door in so hard that it snapped off it's hinges and fell to the floor with an echoing clatter.

Xander stared at him. "Good idea. Let's sneak up on them."

Spike ignored the comment and walked into the warehouse area of the factory. He picked up Dru's scent immediately, and his demon emerged, fueled by rage and eager for violence.

"DRUSILLA!!" He stood in the middle of the cavernous room and shouted her name.

Spike felt her before he saw her step out of the shadows on the opposite side of the room.

"Spike," she said, with airy unconcern. "Come to call, love?"

"Not exactly a social visit, Dru." He approached her at a slow pace. Jacob stood a few feet away, and without thinking twice, Spike pulled out his crossbow and fired the bolt through the other vampire's heart.

"That the best help you can get these days, Pet?" Spike asked as Jacob's dust settled. "How things have changed."

"You're being very cruel, Spike." She tilted her head to one side and pouted, a gesture he had once found irrestible, but now only made him want to snap her neck.

"Tough shit," he said curtly, reloading his weapon. "I'm just getting started. Where's my...." he began, but was cut off by the sound a baby wailing miserably.

With a tiny smile on her lips, Dru scolded him. "Naughty Spike...you woke the baby."

Striding quickly across the room, Spike entered a small office and found his daughter lying on the cold, filthy floor.

Relief washed over him, sending him to his knees beside her. "It's all right, sweetheart." After checking her for bite marks, he scooped her up and realized immediately why she was so upset.

Apart from how hungry she must surely be, the room was freezing and she hadn't been changed in so long that her sleeper was soaked from the waist down.

Holding her under her arms, he kissed her little face. "S'all right, love" he said soothingly. "It's all over. Daddy's here now."

There was nothing he hated to hear more than the sound of his little girl crying. He'd kill Drusilla for that alone.

"Come on, baby," he said, working himself out of his jacket and wrapping it around her. "Mommy's home waiting for you. She'll fill up that empty tummy."

The baby recognized her father's voice and his touch, and allowed herself to be comforted. Holding her against his shoulder, he picked up his crossbow and carried her back to the main room.

Xander had Drusilla backed up against a wall, his own weapon precisely aimed, being careful not to make eye contact with her.

"Take her outside," Spike said, reluctantly handing Katie over.

Xander lowered the crossbow, and took her in one arm. "What about...?" He gestured at Drusilla.

"Just take her out to the car," Spike said. "See if there's a blanket in the back. She's cold."

With a brief nod, Xander headed for the exit. Before he walked out, he turned to look back. "Spike?"

"Yeah?"

"Finish it this time."

Spike waited until they were gone, then turned to look at Drusilla.

"I really wish you'd stayed away, Dru. You've gotta stop listening to the fairies whispering in your ear. They're giving you a lot of bad advice."

"And you should stop consorting with humans," she replied. "They've been a bad influence on you, my pretty."

He shook his head. "We had some good times, you and I. You made me what I am today and I loved you for it. For over a hundred years, I loved you. I'd have done anything for you."

"You were my prince," she sighed, extending one hand.

Spike nodded. "And you were my dark princess."

"Oh, Spike..."

"But..things change." He chuckled softly. "Angel told me that once. And...well, I told him that WE don't change. Demons don't change."

Spike smiled ruefully. "Turns out I was wrong. I changed. I don't love you, Dru. Not for a long time. But..you knew that. You knew about the slayer."

Her eyes hardened, then became slightly unfocused. "The other one you love."

"No," he corrected. "The ONLY woman I love. It's her, and it always will be."

Moving a few feet away, he turned his back. "Don't get me wrong though. I'm still grateful to you for turning me. If you hadn't...I would have died long ago. I never would have met the slayer."

Swinging around abruptly, he nailed her with a direct gaze. "And I wouldn't be her husband."

He moved one step closer to her...

"You really shouldn't have come back here."

And another step...

"It was a big mistake."

And another...

"But you made an even bigger mistake when you took the slayer's child. Because, when you stole HER child..." He paused and smiled. "You stole MY child, too."

Leveling his weapon, he took aim.

For the first time since he'd come here, she looked afraid. "Spike?"

"Now...it's your turn to be punished," he whispered, and fired the bolt.

He stayed there for just a moment, kicking his foot and smearing the residue of dust around the floor.

"You always were a stupid bitch."


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


Spike crossed the street, seeing Xander waiting by the car with the baby.

Holding out his arms, he gathered her up and held her so closely that he could feel her little heart beating.

"So," Xander said. "It's done?"

Spike nodded. "It's done. It's finally done."

Walking around the to the other side of the car he climbed into the back and buckled Katie into her car seat.

"Let's go home, sweetheart," he said, kissing the top of her head. "Home to mommy."


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


When they pulled into the driveway, Buffy was standing at the open front door, frozen by fear into immobility.

"Hey, Buffy!" Xander shouted as he climbed out of the car. "We've got someone here who could use a little motherly love."

When she saw Spike come around the back of the car with a small bundle in his arms, Buffy let out a cry of happiness and launched herself off the porch and across the lawn.

Sweeping the baby into her arms, she cuddled her close and burst into tears.

"Oh, baby...mommy missed you so much! Yes, I did." She held the baby away and covered her little face with kisses. "I'm so happy you're home!"

Holding Katie close again, Buffy looked up into Spike's eyes. "I love you," she whispered.

"I love you, too," he said, wrapping his arms around his girls.

"Thank you for bringing her home."

The baby began to fuss, then to cry.

"Someone's hungry," Spike said, stroking her soft hair.

"Not to mention wet." Buffy patted the baby's bottom, then wiped her hand down the front of her sweater.

"Let's go inside, love. It's too cold out here for her."

As they walked back to the house, Buffy looked up and saw the others standing on the porch waiting.

Dawn was sobbing and shaking, unsure of what to do or say. Buffy handed the baby to Spike and walked up the front porch steps. She threw her arms around her sister, hugging her tightly.

"It's over now," she said. "And I don't want you blaming yourself for this."

"Buffy..."

"No, Dawn. There's no way you could have known about Drusilla."

"She's right, bit," Spike added. "It's all over..and Drusilla won't be bothering us ever again."

"And thank you for THAT," Giles said as everyone filed back into the house. He closed the door, then locked all three dead bolts.


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


"Was it hard for you to kill her?"

Buffy lifted the baby from her bathtub and held her as Spike wrapped a towel around her.

"Are you kidding?" he grunted derisively. "I just wish I could have brought her back and done it again."

He carried Katie into their bedroom and laid her on the bed, drying her thoroughly.

Buffy stood in the doorway watching the tender care he gave their child. "You're a good daddy," she said, smiling.

He looked up at her, pleased by the compliment. "You think?"

Buffy nodded. "Oh, yeah."

Sitting down beside him on the bed, she powdered and diapered the baby's bottom, then zipped her up into clean sleepers.

She had been horrified at her child's condition when she'd first begun to undress her. After peeling off the wet sleeper, she had found that Katie's diaper was so wet that it had swelled to three times its normal size and was beginning to fall apart. Her tiny bottom looked red and sore.

The baby had been so hungry that she'd taken every- thing Buffy had to give without slowing down.

Now, with her tummy full and her body clean, dry, and warm, she fell asleep on her parent's bed. They stretched out on either side of her, facing each other and talking quietly.

Buffy was trying to stave off the inevitable moment of putting the baby to bed in her crib. She wanted her daughter no farther away than the reach of her hand.

Spike, as always, seemed to read her thoughts and said, "Let's keep her in here with us tonight."

Buffy beamed at him. "That's exactly what I was thinking."

The night's terrible events began to take their toll, leaving them physically and emotionally wrung out.

Spike forced himself to get up and move the bassinet next to their bed, then scooped up the baby without waking her. He tucked her snugly beneath her blanket, then leaned over and kissed her, taking in her fresh baby scent with his eyes shut tight and silently thanking whoever had been kind enough to help a vampire without a soul anywhere on him.

He undressed and crawled into bed next to Buffy. "The only positive side in all this is that she won't remember any of it."

"Yeah," Buffy said, moving into his arms. "But WE will."

They laid in bed quietly, until Spike broke the silence.

"If you thought I was over protective BEFORE...."


The End.

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