My One and Only

Chapter 18

Holding onto the red headed demon tightly she peered over his shoulder. "You didn't bring another vampire for me did you?"

Whistler chuckled. "No, kid, I didn't. Rumor has it you've got your hands full with the one I sent you."

Buffy pulled back and patted her stomach. "You could say that."

Whistler grinned, his green eyes warmly meeting hers. "That was a surprise."

"You're telling me!"

"And where is the papa to be now?"

Buffy looked down. "He's uh, incapacitated right now."

"Buffy, who is it?" Joyce and Giles came up to them, hesitantly. When Joyce saw the short demon she hugged him immediately.
Whistler, Buffy could swear, was blushing under all the attention. When Joyce released him, Giles shook his hand, smiling warmly at him."

"What brings you by?" Giles questioned.

Whistler glanced over at Buffy. "Buffy brings me by."

"I didn't send for you," Buffy said, confused.

"Not in the technical sense, no," he looked at Giles and Joyce. "Uh, I don't know how to say this but—"

"You want to speak to me alone?" Buffy supplied for him.

He nodded, pulling his brown leather jacket tighter around him.

Buffy acquiesced immediately. She trusted Whistler wholly; he'd done
everything he could to help her when she had first discovered her power. He'd fought with her until he'd brought Spike to her. And though at times she wasn't sure if she should curse him for that or thank him, she felt she owed Whistler anything he asked of her.

"Should we go out, get a milk or something?" he asked, grinning.

"Sure, let me just grab my purse."

"I'll spot. Don't worry about it."

Buffy grinned and then turned to Giles and Joyce. "Will you check in on Spike for me?"

"Of course Buffy," Joyce agreed.

"If he wakes up tell him . . . tell him not to worry. I'm in good hands," she smiled up at Whistler and the pair left.

"So, you say I sent for you?" Buffy asked as she and Whistler sat down on a park bench, overlooking a duck pond and a huge Willow tree.

Whistler nodded. "How's that milk?"

"Good. Are you getting shy on me now?"

Whistler grinned sheepishly. "What I have to tell you Buffy . . . it's going to come as a surprise."

"Whistler, my life is so not anywhere near normal . . . I don't think you could surprise
any more than I have been since . . . well, since you brought Spike into my life."

"How is that by the way? Happy with him?"

Buffy looked down and tried to keep images of Tara and him in their heated embrace
from flitting across her mind. "Yeah."

"That didn't sound convincing."

"Well, it's been a rough night. Rough kind of month."

"Did it come to a head?"

Her head popped up and she looked at him curiously. "Why do I have a funny feeling
you know more than I think you know?"

He grinned, "because I do."

"Like?"

"Everything Buffy. Starting with your immortality."

Her eyes popped out. "My immortality? You know about that? How I'm becoming
immortal?"

He shook his head. "You're not becoming immortal Buffy. You already are. You were
born immortal."

If she hadn't been sitting on that park bench she would have dropped to the ground.
She looked up at the passerby's idly walking past and ducked her head. "What do you mean
I already am? I was born immortal?" she whispered.

Whistler nodded. "You're what's called a Light Bringer Buffy. Your essence isn't
actually human, it's just a ball of light."

"Don't say that. Don't say I'm a ‘what'. I'm Elizabeth Anne Summers. I'm human and I
have super powers –" She welled up in tears and Whistler grabbed her hands in his.

"You are Elizabeth Anne Summers, born to Joyce and Hank Summers. You are. But it
wasn't who you were before. You were born into a human family, but you are not human."

"Wh—what is a Light Bringer?"

Whistler smiled gently, "a being pure, innocent and full of love. You're from a plane
below the Angels."

She blinked, "I am?"

He nodded. "An Angel's job is to serve the Higher Powers –God, Goddess,
Buddha—whatever you want to call the Creator. In accordance with that an Angel's job is to
guide humans. To protect them. Where an Angel might not be able to attend some areas, a
Light Bringer comes in. You are the whisper in the ear of a man getting in his car not to take
Summer Street that day for an accident would happen and he could die. You are the instinct
of a woman meeting a man not to let him take her home for she would be raped. You help
humans in the little things; you help the Angels do their job, the ‘small' jobs that mean so
much to the Angels and the humans on this Earth."

"Are you--?"

"One of them? Part of you? Yes." He grinned, "You could say I'm your brother. You
protect the humans and I guide the lost souls to their purpose."

"Like Spike," she whispered.

"Like Spike," Whistler agreed.

"And my parents?"
"In your plane, there is no such thing as parents. You just are. You have been since the beginning of time."

"Why didn't I ever know?" She started waving her hand, trying to move the thought
from her mind. "I've been having dreams of – of light! Is that what I've been dreaming of?
My . . . home?"

"Yeah, kid. You've been dreaming of home."

"I keep hearing voices telling me that I'm here for a reason. That I have a job to do –
What is it?"

"To stop the Darkness."

The Darkness? What is it?"

"A being created at the beginning of time just like you. There has to be a balance of
all things. Where there is light, there is dark, where there is good—"

"There is evil. And this evil is—"

"You know where it is."

"Tara. The Slayer."

"Yes and no."

"Yes and no? Explain that one," though she was starting to put the pieces together.
However, her brain was beyond trying to place it all. She needed it spelt out this time.

"Tara is the Slayer, but she is not the evil one. Her body has been possessed by the
Darkness. Your job, Buffy Anne Summers, is to release that Darkness."

"I don't think I'm getting it all."

"You cold?"

"No, I'm fine," though she felt as if she weren't in her body any longer. Was surreal
the right word for what she felt?

"Good. I've got more to tell."

Chapter 19

His eyes rolling open, Spike felt as if he'd been drugged. Heavily. He sniffed the air around him. Joyce. He was at Joyce's. What the sodding hell had happened to him and why was he here?

"Buffy!" he shouted. "Buffy!"

The door opened and Giles and Joyce came through. They looked worried.
This did not bode well. Spike sat up, his head slightly thudding. "Where's
Buffy?" he demanded. The urgency to see her was overwhelming. He felt . .
. discord. Something happened, he knew it, he just wasn't sure what.

"She's fine, Spike," Joyce said calmly.

He looked at her. "Where. Is. She?"

"She's with Whistler," Giles told him matter of factly. "How do you feel?"

"Whistler you say? What's that old man doing in these parts again?"

"He's come to see Buffy."

"For?"

"We're not sure. They left together. He wanted to see her alone."

That got Spike out of bed. "Let me get this straight. Whistler comes here
and asks to take Buffy –" he pointed to the window – "out there and you
just let her? Do you know all the baddies that are out there that would love
to just take a piece out of my wife?"

"She's in good hands Spike. Whistler will take care of her," Joyce told him
soothingly.

"She's my wife and my mate to take care of!" Spike shouted.

"Don't yell at her," Giles told him angrily. "You're not in any state to help
Buffy right now anyway. The girls been through a lot tonight and the last
thing she needs is you putting your demands on her."

"I don't put – what's happened? Is she all right?" Spike's body was tense,
poised for flight or flight. Or both.

Giles ran a hand through his hair. "You don't remember anything?" he
asked on a sigh.

"Why don't you tell me what I'm supposed to remember?" Spike
demanded.

"God dommit! Just tell me what you remember!" Giles shouted.

Spike sighed heavily and flipped back in his mind. "I was home today when
Buffy went out with Joyce. I was worried about her and I didn't want her to
go. I was doing some work to take my mind off it when she came back. She
uh –" he glanced at Joyce, "she was uh, kissing me."

"So you don't know what really happened," Giles muttered.

"Apparently not because I don't remember coming here."

Joyce and Giles exchanged looks.

"Out of all due respect, I think somebody better start telling me what's
going on before I crawl out of my skin," Spike said in deep, dark voice.

"Giles, you want to take this one? I'll get some blood. You're going to need
it." Joyce scurried out of the room and Giles faced Spike.

"You might want to sit down for this."

Spike sat back on the bed, fear gripping him. "How bad is it?"

"Bad."

"Is Buffy all right?"

"Physically, she's fine. The rest of her . . . I can't say."

"Tell me Rupert. Tell me and get it over with so I can figure out how to
make whatever it is up to my mate."

"The Darkness possessed Tara's body. Why?" Buffy asked, dazed.

"To mess with the Slayer line, throw it off balance and essentially create
hell on Earth. The Slayer line is something that was set at the beginning of
creation, just like you, me and the Darkness. It can't be altered or
changed."

"Obviously, it can be," Buffy pointed out dryly.

"Not the order. Not who is called. The plan was to possess a Slayer and
throw the line off so that the Slayer fought on the side of evil instead of
good, giving free reign to the demons."

"Is that why her Watcher never showed?"

"Right. Having a Watcher would only complicate matters, make it that
much harder to fight with the Council breathing down its neck. Tara needed

to be alone for the Darkness to strike, to make it easier for her to take her
vampire mate and make hell on Earth."

"A vampire mate? Who—Oh God. Tonight. She said . . . Oh god. She said
that Spike was meant for her. Is that true?" The desperation she felt was
apparent in her voice.

Whistler nodded apologetically. "Yes, Buffy. Spike was meant for her. He
was supposed to have been the soulless one mated to the Slayer and
together they were to have ruled."

"What happened?" she asked softly.

"By some twist of fate, he was given the soul instead of the one who was
intended to fight by your side."

"I was meant for another vampire?"

Whistler nodded.

"Who?"

"Does it matter?"

"I guess not. But Spike was given the soul instead? Why was I supposed to
be brought a vampire?"

"To have two creatures suited fully suited for each other. A vampire with a

soul on its way to redemption fighting on the side of good and living in the
dark."

"What happened to the other vampire? Was he ever given his soul?"

"Yes."

She stared at Whistler. "So then . . ."

"When you chose to come to Earth Buffy, it was decided that you would
have a souled vampire to fight with you. It was never decided that you

would have to love and mate with them." He looked at her sheepishly. "I
chose him for you. Out of the two, I knew Spike was better matched for
you. In ALL areas."

"So you played matchmaker."

"Right."

"And my baby?"

Whistler smiled broadly. "A miracle. That was never even thought of."

"And do you happen to know what my baby is?"

"A mix."

"You're saying my baby is mutt?"

Whistler laughed, "Something like that yeah. She—"

"So it IS a girl!"

"But you already knew that didn't you?"

Buffy grinned.

"She's part vampire, part light bringer and part human."

"And where I came from—are they pleased?"

"Yes Buffy. You were one of the favorites. It was a sad day when you left."

"You said something about choosing to leave?"

Whistler nodded. "You volunteered. When rumors got out about what the
Darkness was planning, you volunteered yourself to go."

"How is it that I have no memory of this place I came from?"

"It's easier that way. To remember where you came from and then to
come to Earth . . . it would have been too hard an adjustment. You chose
this way."

"I was rather decisive wasn't I?" Buffy said rhetorically.

Whistler chuckled. "Still are."

"How did the Darkness inhabit Tara's body?"

"At the point of her becoming the Slayer. An essence, residing on the ether containing
the spirit of the Slayer enters the body. The Darkness was able to enter at
the same time the spirit of the Slayer did."

Buffy jumped up. "So that's why Willow said she changed once she became
the Slayer! Why she sought Spike out, why she tried to get everyone
against me . . . "

"Exactly."

"And the smell I kept smelling whenever she was around was part of the
spell she was using to turn them against me. God, they thought I was
psychotic bitch!" Buffy exclaimed.

"Plus part of that was the scent of the Darkness. It was in you to be able to
detect it."

Buffy sat back down. "And here I had no idea what my purpose was
anymore. Turns out I had one all along. Was Tara the definite candidate?"

"We had a rough estimate. . . between now and the next few years."

Buffy narrowed her eyes as Whistlers muttered answer. "Define next few
years."

"Fifty."

"Good thing I'm immortal!"

Whistler grinned. "It's got its perks doesn't it?"

"Is it possible for me to die at all?"

"Yes."

"How?"

"Stake through the heart."

"Like Spike? How is that possible?"

Whistler grinned. "A Light Bringers whole shtick is love Buffy. The energy
and the essence of what you are is in the heart. It's what allowed you to
fight demons and vampires when you didn't have to. You could have chosen
to leave it to the Slayer or ignore it. But you didn't. You fought to protect
the humans you cared for at home. Once your essence is pierced from the
shell its residing in, you depart and return home."

"Thanks for referring to my body as a shell," Buffy told him dryly.

Whistler chuckled.

"How do I fight Tara?"

Whistler grinned devilishly. "I can't have all the answers now can I?"

Buffy narrowed her eyes. "You should! You've been able to tell me all this!"

"The rest is up to you in how you do it. It's why you're here, remember?"

"That's just it. I don't remember." She sighed heavily. "But I'm sure it'll be
fun to figure it out."

"You're not alone."

"No, I am Whistler. No one else can help me."

"They can. Now that you know the truth, you can use their help. They too
were part of the plan."

"Oh God, what is with beings from other planes! Can't they let anything
happen naturally?" Buffy exclaimed, throwing her arms in the air.

"Giles and Willow are part of an elite group of humans that help the heroes
fight the forces of evil."

Buffy looked up at him, "So that's why I was brought to Giles at such an
early age."

Whistler nodded.

"And why Willow came along? However, that doesn't make sense because
she's been helping Tara."

"Before Tara changed she and Willow were lovers. Just as we direct the
hands of fate and destiny from time to time, so does the Darkness. It did
bring Tara and Willow together so that Willow could do its bidding, but you
do need Willow. She is a formidable force on your side."

"I need to get her away from Tara," Buffy sighed heavily and put her face
in her hands. "She probably already got there."

"You'll be able to get her back if she has."

"You have extreme faith in my abilities don't you?"

Whistler grinned. "It's why you're here Buffy."

Buffy stood on a cleansing sigh. "And now I have to go home and see the
other half. I feel like I've lived a year in one night."

"I'll help."

"Took you long enough to get here," she teased him.

"Hey, had a couple missions on the way myself. I rushed when I heard
things were spiraling out of control."

"Better late than never I guess."

"How do you think Spike will handle all this?"

"I honestly don't know."

Chapter 20

Entering the apartment, the first thing Buffy noticed was the eerie silence. Fear coiled inside her. Had Tara gotten to them while she'd been gone?

"Hello!" she called.

Then, there was Spike, at a full gallop into the kitchen to greet her. Joyce
and Giles were right behind him.

"Buffy, we were starting to get worried, you've been gone for so long,"
Joyce said, wringing her hands together.

Buffy was trying to avoid the intense gaze Spike was directing at her. It
was making her nervous. She'd learned a lot and seen a lot, and was still
trying to process a lot. She felt as if she were going to collapse. And having
to face Spike and what happened. . .

She looked at him. And he crumbled. Sobbing, he came over to her and fell
to his knees, wrapping his arms around her. She stood, frozen, unsure of
what to do and unable to move.

"Spike," she started.

"Buffy, please luv, forgive me. I thought it was you. . . I didn't know. You
tried to tell me and I didn't listen. I failed you. Please luv, don't leave me.
Please…Please…" he was sobbing so hard she could barely understand the
words.

"Spike—"

"I'd never leave you or the baby. Never. I love you so much, more than
anything in this world," now he was leaving kisses on her belly. In a roomful
of people. She pushed him away, more forcefully than she had intended, but
she couldn't think of any other way to knock him out of the daze he was in
sobbing against her. His eyes widened as he knocked back on his elbows
and beheld her. His face wet and his eyes red. He'd been crying for a while
it seemed. His body was tense, waiting for what she was going to do and
say.

"Spike," she started again. "We've got a lot of talking to do." She looked up
at Giles and Joyce. "All of us."

"Will you be staying Whistler?" Joyce asked the demon behind her who
didn't seem to know what to do with himself either. She could feel the
uncertainty in him.

"Uh, yeah. I can always find a hotel though, Joyce. No need to worry about
me—"

"Nonsense. The couch pulls out. We'll set you up in there. Why don't you
uh, come with me. Giles, what are you doing?"

"I'm uh, I'm helping you," Giles said nervously and the three of them
practically ran from the room.

She didn't even have it in her to make a sarcastic remark. Spike stayed
where he had fallen, still staring up at her, waiting. Keeping her eyes on
him, Buffy sank to her knees before him and held out her hand. With a
shaking hand, he took it and brought himself back to his knees, facing her.
She let go of his hand and looked down, unable to meet his eyes.

"Buffy, talk to me. Please, tell me. . . "

Her head popped up. "What do you want me to tell you?"

"That you still love me. That you're not . . . you're not leaving me."

She shook her head, "I'm not leaving you."

"And you still love me?"

She nodded, "I still love you,"she whispered.

"Except you can't look at me."

She stood then. "Spike I'm not going to lie to you. What I walked in on
wasn't the easiest sight to behold," she drew a shaky breath, giving in to
her own tears. "And I know that it wasn't you. That she put a spell on you
and her and that you thought it was me but I can't lie that every time I
close my eyes, I see you with her."

Tears leaked from his eyes silently.

"Please get up; I can't stand to see you like that on your knees."

Spike stood, facing her. "Tell me what I can do to make it better," he
whispered.

"Can you trust me? Have faith in me?"

He nodded. "Anything."

"There's a lot I need to tell you."

"You look so tired baby. Let me take care of you. How about a bath? A
bath, you need a bath. Let me, please?"

"Spike just stop with the over compensating. You know I don't do well with
smothering."

He took a full step back. "You're right."

Suddenly the distance she thought she needed was too much. She burst
into tears. "But I really need you to hold me right now."

In a second, she was in his arms and he was holding on to her as tight as he
could without hurting her. He was murmuring words of love in her ear as
he held onto her and she clutched at him, crying. She started to feel the
tension of the day start to release through her tears. It felt like the whole
day had been leading up to the moment where she could release the
tension, the worry and the fear of what was going to happen to them.
Everything she'd learned tonight was all coming out in her tears, a whole
new set of worries were taking place over the ones that were dissipating.

"I love you Buffy. I always have and I always will," Spike whispered as he
nuzzled her cheek and started dropping kisses along her jawline. He cupped
her face in his hand and gazed at her tenderly, adoringly. "You're mine
baby. You always have been. Made for me, you were."

She couldn't help the laugh, the nervous ironic laugh that escaped at that.
"Oh, you don't even know the half of it."

He looked at her in question and she shook her head. "Soon. I want to tell
you everything—"

"Is that why Whistler is here? He had something to tell you?"

"Yes. He did. But, I'm about to drop. Pregnant women can only stand so
much. Even Light Bri—Even Slayer-like pregnant women like me."

"Bath then, yeah?"

She nodded, "but maybe not with—"

"I'll draw it for you. Help you get ready."

She nodded. "Okay."

Wrapping his arms around her and bringing her into his side, he walked
with her to the bathroom, seeming unwilling to lose any contact with her.
Even bothering her mother for some night clothes, Spike still stayed by her
side.

Spike helped her undress, even though she didn't need him to do it. It
made him feel better, she could tell. It was if he was reassuring himself that
she was there as he uncovered her body. She could see the bulge in his
jeans from the act but knew it was just his body reacting to hers and that
he wouldn't try anything. And as the last article of clothing was discarded
and she stood naked before him, steam seeping from the running water and
the fragrance of the bath being lifted and curling around them, Spike stood
in reverence of her. He placed a hand on her belly and then leaned in and
kissed it tenderly. "Love you nibblet," he whispered.

"Girl."

He looked up, eyes wide. "Girl?"

She nodded.

"How do you—"

"Like I said, lots of things."

"Buffy, just tell me pet. Tell me that you're not going anywhere."

"Spike I already told you—"

"No, I mean. . . you're not dying are you?" he looked positively terrified at
the idea.

"No," she shook her head, a wry smile on her lips. "I'm going to be around
for a long time."

"So you're healthy, the baby is healthy and you're not turning into a
demon?"

"No."

"Buffy, I'm dying to know."

"I know. I just . . . I need it to settle for right now. My brain needs to shut
off."

"Okay, baby. Come on, in with you." Taking her hand he helped her into
the tub. He knelt by her and dunked the washcloth in the tub. Buffy
watched him as he lifted the wash cloth and ran it up her legs.

"Just . . . just come in with me," she finally blurted out.

"What about--?" he nodded toward the door.

"I don't care anymore. Please?"

His clothes were off in record time and he slipped in behind her, pulling her
against his chest. He held her close and between soft words and silence,
they rested and bathed. When they were done, they dried off and made
their way to the bedroom they'd be sharing. Slipping under the covers,
Buffy's limbs felt like weights. She watched as Spike slid in next to her,
naked, and immediately brought her into the circle of his arms.

"You're my girl?" he asked tentatively, hopefully.

"Yes, Spike. I'm still your girl."

"And you'll tell me everything tomorrow?"

Her eyelids had weights on them. "Everything."

"And you're healthy?"

"Mmmm…"

"I love you Buffy."

"I love you too."

She never heard Spike cry one more time from the fear he'd held since
he'd learned of what he'd done. In his arms he held his world: Buffy and his
baby. He'd once condemned Buffy for running away from her problems—
namely her problems with him. Now he felt from her that she was fighting
for them and had been all this time. She was his mate in every sense of the
word and he was going to make it up to her, going to make up the fact that
he'd failed her.

Chapter 21

Buffy opened her eyes reluctantly. She didn't want to face the day or its responsibilities. She just wanted to shut it out for a little while longer. Her dreams had been full of bouncing ball of lights and whispers of congratulations. She took that as a good sign. However, she wasn't sure what the congratulations was for. The fact that she knew the truth or that she was ultimately going to defeat Tara?

"I know you're awake," Spike rumbled groggily next to her.

She popped an eye open. "I don't want to get up."

He slid in closer to her and wrapped his arms around her. "Then don't.
Stay and rest."

"I can't," she sighed and wriggled free, sitting up against the headboard. A
look of hurt passed over his face that she had moved and he sat up next to
her.

"Did you sleep well?" he asked softly.

"Yeah," she said absently and now slid off the bed. How was she going to
tell them everything? Should she and Whistler split up and she get Spike
while Whistler got her mom and Giles. Her mom was going to take it hard.
She was still trying to come to terms to the fact that while she was her
mothers daughter, in a way she wasn't. And Spike. . . there was no telling
how he was going to take it. She looked over to him and found him watching
her, sadly.

"What?" she asked.

He shook his head. "Nothing."

"No, what? It's something by the way you're looking at me. So tell what it
is."

He frowned, "You left my arms."

Her heart just about melted at that. She gave him a weak smile. "I'm sorry
baby. I've got a lot on my mind. Just trying to figure things out."

He crawled out of bed and rested his hands on her waist. "Care to share
now?"

"That's what I was trying to figure out," she chuckled nervously. "How to
share."

His grip on her hips tightened. "This is big innit Buffy?"

"Yeah," she nodded.

"Am I going to not like it?"

"I'm not sure. I think some parts you might like."

"Tell me before I go out of my mind wondering what it could be," he
pressured, jostling her a bit.

"No, I think it might be best if I tell you all at once. It affects all of us."

He frowned again. "Okay."

"Don't worry. I'll tell you everything and then . . . then comes the fun part."

"And that is?"

She sighed heavily. "Saving the day. Isn't that what it always comes down
to."

"You're not going into battle."

"I don't have a choice this time."

It was time to tell all. Spike, she could tell, was nearly crawling out of his
skin to find out. He was especially worried by her cryptic words and the
presence of Whistler only added to that. He was, quite literally, by her side
all morning. Giles and Joyce were quiet, which meant they were silently
contemplating what was happening.

"Ready kid?" Whistler asked after breakfast.

She nodded. "Ready as I'll ever be."

"Shall I start?"

Letting out the air between her teeth, she shook her head. "I think I
should."

"Would someone please bloody tell me what the hell is going on?" Spike
demanded, frustrated.

Buffy reached across the table and squeezed his hand. "Remember how I
thought I was becoming immortal?"

Spike and Giles nodded; Joyce paled.

"Well, as it turns out, I was born immortal."

It was like waiting for a hand grenade to go off. The blank stares would
eventually give way to –

"What?!" Spike roared, standing up.

"Bloody hell!" Surprisingly that was Giles.

"Oh my." Joyce.

"Guys, we've got a lot to get through. Do you think you could listen and
hold all comments to the end so I can get through this?" Buffy asked,
mostly directing that question to Spike.

He sat back down and nodded quickly, taking her hands in his and kissing
them. Giles and Joyce fell silent and waited.

"I'm what they call a Light Bringer and my job is to . . . " she relayed the
whole story that Whistler had told her, and the demon jumped in and
helped a few times. Spike's hands were gripping hers tightly and she could
see a myriad of emotions playing in his eyes.

"You're not really my daughter?" Joyce whispered tearfully.

"Mom, I am. I chose you. I lived inside you and you gave birth to me. We
always knew there had to be some reason for why I had all these powers.
Now we know," Buffy explained, trying to assuage her mother's
discomfort—as well as hers.

"How do you feel?" Giles asked curiously.

Buffy grinned slightly. "The same Giles. Except now I know a whole lot
more about myself and where I came from and what I am."

"You're not a ‘what'. You're Buffy. My mate, my wife and the mother of my
child," Spike half growled.

"Yes, Spike, I am," Buffy reassured him.

"You're not leaving once this mission is over are you?" he demanded. "Is
she?" he now demanded of Whistler.

"No, honey, I'm not going anywhere. Not unless I'm killed."

Spike was nearly crushing her hand now.

"Spike, honey, need the hands kay?"

He loosened his grip.

"How do you die?" Spike asked.

She smirked. "Stake through the heart."

His eyes widened. "Like me?"

She nodded. "My essence is in my heart. That gets released, I go."

He shook his head, eyes glittering with tears. "You don't leave me. Ever.
You go, I go."

"Don't say that, Spike. If anything happened to me, you'd need to stay and
take care of our child."

His eyes closed and tears fell as he took in an unnecessary and shaky
breath.

"Spike, nothings really changed."

He looked at her incredulously. "How can you say that?"

"Okay, you're right a lots changed, but like you said, I'm still Buffy. The
Buffy that fought demons and vampires. The Buffy that still risked her life
before. The Buffy that still needed your help and protection. It's still me,
there's just another added part to me. And hey, our child? Not prophesized.
Our baby is a miracle. Literally."

"Before I could keep you safe. You weren't supposed to fight. You were
supposed to be . . . to be. . ."

"Barefoot and pregnant?" she raised an eyebrow.

"Yes," he said guiltily.

"The Darkness is my fight now. Course, it's all of ours, but mainly mine. It's
my mission, it's the reason I'm here."

"And me. You're here for me," Spike said, his voice cracking with emotion.

"I always told you that I wanted us to be together because it was our
choice. Now we know it was," Buffy said, keeping her voice light though her
eyes were filling up with tears.

"You were meant for someone else," Spike choked out.

"That's one way of looking at it. Or, you can look at it as the one that I
could only fall in love with was you."

Spike got up and sat next to her, taking her in his arms. "I love you so
much," he murmured into her neck. "I can't ever lose you."

"And you won't."

"Promise me."

"I promise."

"I think we should give them some time to themselves," she heard
Whistler say to Giles and Joyce. "Let's say we get out of here for a bit? I'd
be happy to answer any questions."

Buffy focused all her attention on Spike, wrapping her arms around him.
"Why the tears? It is hard to swallow, but it's really good. It's still sinking
in, but it's good isn't it?"

Spike cupped her face in his hands. "It's just a shock. Its relief that you're
not dying, that you're safe and that our baby is okay. Its just –after
everything that's happened—what if she would have succeeded? What if I
had lost you? What if she had killed you? What if she would have won and I
would have had to spend the rest of my existence without you?"

"Ssshh…Don't think like that. You'll drive yourself crazy." She smiled then,
trying to lighten the mood. "I'm a powerful being Spike, I would have
figured it out eventually. I work for angels!"

Spike smiled then, "Always knew you were my angel."

"I'll try not to groan at how clichéd that was," she laughed.

He kissed her softly, then passionately. "Need you. Now. Need to be inside
you, feel you all around me," he whispered frantically.

Buffy nodded, her need for him overcoming her and making her frantic as
well.

Standing up, he swept her up in his arms and carried her into the bedroom,
placing her on the bed.

"No foreplay," she whispered and yanked his shirt over his head. "Just
inside me, please."

He captured her lips in his and tugged on her pants, nearly tearing them
off and tossing them away. Stepping away, he dropped his pants and kicked
them aside. She knelt before him on the bed and pushed him down so that
he lay on his back. Straddling him, she sank onto him and in unison they let
out a moan of mutual satisfaction.

He met her thrust for thrust, his movements becoming more frantic as
their coupling continued. He sat up and lifted her shirt off her body,
nuzzling her breasts. Wrapping her arms around him, she felt her orgasm
coming.

Needing even more of him, she bent her head and buried her face in his
neck and bit down. "Mine!" she nearly shouted and then felt his fangs
pierce her skin as he returned the claim. They came together, the force of
their mutual orgasm nearly causing them to black out. They rolled
themselves to spoon position, Buffy's back to his front. They murmured to
each other in only words they could understand, stroking each others skin
and reaffirming to each other that they were well and together.

Chapter 22

Spike propped his head on his hand and watched Buffy sleep. He gazed down at her, stroking her arm as she slumbered, taking her in. He was still trying to wrap his mind around all that she'd told him. His eyes traveled to the bite marks on her neck, assuring himself by the sight that she was still his. He was going to have to thank Whistler when he saw the demon again. Spike couldn't even wrap his mind around the idea of never having entered her life. What the hell would he have done with himself? Would he had ever found someone to love like he did her? He shook his head. The answer was no. She touched places in him that he was sure no other could touch. It was apparent to him from the start that she'd have him wrapped around her little finger in no time. Granted it took longer to convince her, but stubborn was her middle name. He'd known though, and that's why he'd fought for her so hard. And what was more, he knew she knew.

And now she was a Light Bringer, a descendant of Angels. Could she amaze him even more? He was so proud of her for how she was taking it. All in stride. She was the one who'd just found out she wasn't exactly human and she'd ended up comforting him. After what he'd done, he didn't expect anything from her.

"What's wrong?"

He hadn't noticed he'd been crying until she reached up and brushed his
tears away, studying him. "I was just thinking about . . .about what I did."

She shook her head. "Don't. It was a spell. I know you wouldn't ever cheat
on me like that baby."

"Never," he promised. "You're the only one for me. Always have been."

"What about Dru?" and her nose wrinkled at the thought.

He shook his head. "Buffy, kitten, if I had seen you while I was with Dru . . .
I'd still be here."

She smiled and caressed the side of his face.

"Unless of course you staked me first," he chuckled nervously.

"I don't think I would have. Something tells me that when you put your
mind to something, you inevitably get it."

He snorted. "Can't imagine where you got that idea from pet."

She rubbed her belly. "Neither can I," she giggled.

"I love that sound," he told her fondly.

"What sound?"

"You. Laughing, giggling. Haven't heard that in a long time."

She sighed heavily. "I know. I suppose that's what happens when the shit
hits the fan."

He chuckled and rested his head next to hers, biting gently on her earlobe.
He grinned when she shivered.

"Are you sad that it wasn't fated for us?" she asked gently.

"In a way yes. I like the idea that you were meant for just me."

"Well, the way I see it, that's how it really is. I mean, sure there was no
prophecy that said we HAD to be together, but according to Whistler, it was
never said that I had to love the vampire I was to be matched up with.
Only that he was my match when it came to fighting The Darkness. Our
hearts decreed that you and I were meant for each other." She rolled to her
side, facing him. "Spike, before when we were ‘just friends', I felt you with
me all the time. You were always more, in here," she placed her hand over
her heart, "I just didn't realize what it meant. I was too busy wanting to fall
in love that I think I was really in love with the idea of it. I didn't see what
was right in front of me. As clichéd as that sounds, its true. We were made
for each other because no one else can complete me the way you do. It's
like you finish me. You pick up where I left off and vice versa. And I mean,
you got your soul… you weren't supposed to get it. You were supposed to
be soulless and ruling the world with The Darkness. Someone up there,
aside from Whistler maybe, knew that not only were WE meant for more,
but YOU were. You were meant to be a hero, a champion, a savior."

His eyes were filled with tears.

She smiled. "You're blubbering like a girl," she teased.

"I'll show you girl," he growled and grabbed her against him, mindful of her
swollen stomach, and raised her leg over his hip. Teasing her entrance with
the tip of his cock, Buffy moaned at the sensation. The familiar feeling of
longing and need building inside her. Moving just right, she took him in, this
time surprising him.

They moved together, fluidly and yet languidly, building up the pleasure.
Murmuring to one another their love, Buffy held onto him, feeling her love
for him crash over her like a tidal wave. Without him by her side, she
wasn't sure she could have done any of it without giving up out of sheer
exhaustion and strain. When she fought, she fought for him, for them. Her
heart felt near bursting with the love she felt for him and she wondered if
there would ever be words enough to tell him.

"Buffy!" he exclaimed, halting his movements.

She blinked at him.

"Look!" he exclaimed and nodded his head to what little space they had
between them. What she saw made her eyes widen. From her heart and
extending out to meet Spike, appearing to spread over him was a brilliant
golden light with what looked like silver speckles in it. In a flash it hit her.

"I know how to get The Darkness out of Tara's body," she gasped.

Chapter 23

Spike stopped his movements inside her, unsure of what to do.

"No, keep going!" she exclaimed, "don't stop."

He started to thrust again, her sudden stopping had stopped him cold, but as soon as he started to move and her walls started to clench around him, he felt that his orgasm was approaching, and if
he knew anything about his girl, and he did, hers was fast approaching as
well. He was fixated on the light that coiled out from her breastbone and
was spreading over him, encompassing him. It warmed him, caressed him
and caused the need to thrust faster urgent within him. His own dead heart
felt as if it would start beating again.

"Buffy," he gasped. "What is it doing?"

"It's my love," she whispered and then moved, moving her leg up more on
his waist, causing her to open even more for him. "I was thinking—oh
God—of you and how I love you and it came out of me."

"Christ Buffy!" Reaching frantically between them, he flicked her clit and in
seconds her walls were fluttering and she exploded. He let himself go and
still felt that brilliant light cover him. She held onto him tightly, her nails
digging into his shoulders, her breathing ragged.

"Buffy, are you all right? Are you in pain?"

She looked up at him with tears in her eyes. "No, it feels so good. You and
me, we created this."

"You created it. You're the Light Bearer remember?" he grinned softly at
her.

"No, you did too. I was thinking of YOU. Without you I wouldn't have been
able to do it."

Leaning in, he kissed her gently. "I feel warm," he whispered against her
lips.

"You do. Does it hurt at all?"

"No. I feel . . . I feel like I'm in a warm cocoon and you're all around me."

"I think I really like what I am," she said tearfully.

Spike smiled, "I do too. But then, I've always been fond of you."

She smiled sappily and kissed him. "This is how to fight the Darkness."

Spike's brow furrowed. "By loving it?"

"In a manner of speaking. By encompassing it with this light."

"That means you'd have to get it to stay still first. It's going to be all over

you the minute you show your face."

"I'm thinking I could encompass at least a room. We'd need the gang. . . "

"The gang?"

"You, Giles and Willow."

"Ah, the other chosen ones."

"Yep. Which means we have to get to Willow before she's taken completely
under."

"Baby, we should have a plan first before we go storming in there."

She pulled her head back. "Since when do you come up with plans? I
thought you were all action guy."

"When it comes to my family, I'm all about the plans."

"You won't lose us."

"You know how to defeat it now. Don't you think it knows how to defeat
you?"

"I guess I never really thought about that part."

"How could you not?"

"I didn't think I was going to lose."

"I think at this point Buffy, Willow might be a moot point," Giles pointed
out later on as they all congregated in the living room. Buffy sat with Spike
at her side, his arm around her. Joyce sat across the room, perched on her
rocking chair, and Giles and Whistler paced.

"You're probably right," Buffy sighed. "Tara's more than likely gotten to
her. Willow's a powerful witch, of course The Darkness is going to want to
use her. Especially now since I foiled its plan to get Spike and turn
everyone against me."

"Now it'll just be out to destroy you," Whistler said matter of factly.

"Hey!" Spike burst out warningly. "My mate and my wife, not to mention
the mother of my baby you're talking about here."

"It's okay, baby," Buffy patted his knee. "He's, unfortunately, right. The
Darkness will now be out to get me with even more a vengeance than
before. It has to know I've gotten to you all, so it's probably going to be
after all of us now." Her head jerked to a fearful Joyce. "Shit," she
muttered. "I really need to start thinking things through."

"You had to pull resources Buffy. You did what you could at the time.
Besides, at least here we're united. If anything, it gives us the added
advantage," Giles pointed out.

"Buffy, you said that you were able to encompass Spike while hugging
right?" Joyce brought up.

Buffy fought the blush that was coming on at that lie. It didn't help when
Spike smirked. She elbowed him gently. "Yeah, what are you thinking
mom?"

"So, if you're thinking that by encompassing The Darkness with your light,
which is full of love, it will force The Darkness out of Tara's body?"

"Right."

"Do you think if it can do that, then perhaps it can be used to protect as
well?"

Buffy bolted up. "Mom! You're genius!"

"Like a force field?" Giles asked.

Whistler nudged him. "Give her a minute would you? The girls on to
something."

"All right, all this time The Darkness has used its magic to control you all.
It turned you against me and made you side with Tara instead. Well, if I
my light can reach out and ‘touch' others, that is, if it can encompass others
as The Darkness' mojo encompassed all of you, then if I work my little light
magic, you guys will then be immune to what she'll be dishing out. And if I
know The Darkness, which I don't—" she broke off and laughed at that "—
then it'll be pulling out the heavy artillery. Most definitely with Willow

there. If I can cover all of you at least, then a room."

"Do you think Tara will want to come to you? If you can sense her
Darkness, won't she be able to sense your light?" Spike pointed out.

Buffy looked over at Whistler who nodded. "Well, I don't think that The

Darkness is going to just walk away with its tail between its legs either. It's
probably itching to throw down with me as much as I'm itching to throw

down with it. It'll come after me."

Spike grabbed her hand, tugging on her and bringing her back down to
him. "I don't like this at all," he told her.

"Neither do I. But it's the only way."

"I believe my house should be the place in which we lure it in," Giles
offered. "Too much to explain if it were here. If we have to confine it, then
it should be there. We can use the magic room downstairs and set up our
supplies there."

"I'm thinking tons of Rose Quartz for this one," Buffy suggested.

"Rose Quartz?" Joyce questioned.

"The love stone," Spike explained.

Joyce nodded. "Will I be part of this?"

"No mom, I don't want you to get stuck in the crossfire."

"However," Spike started. "She also shouldn't be left here alone. If Tara
gets wind at all that she's alone, she'll go for the jugular, Buffy."

"Right. Good point. Then she can stay in Giles' bedroom."

Giles turned beat red and Joyce looked away, blushing.

"At the rate they're going, it'll probably be the only way she'll actually get
to see it," Spike muttered, but loud enough so that everyone heard. Giles
started furiously cleaning his glasses and Joyce bolted up to get snacks.

"Spike!" Buffy swatted him. "That's still my MOTHER."

Spike chuckled.

"So your plan is to get Tara and Willow to the house and for you to work
your Light?" Whistler asked.

"Yes. Not the most elaborate plan, but I believe it's the only way. If I can
just get Tara in there long enough to surround her and drive The Darkness

out of her body, we'll be fine."

"We better get going then, make sure we have back up just in case," Giles
put in, putting his glasses back on.

"Right," Buffy nodded, suddenly feeling nervous.

"Ready to practice your magick, sister?" Whistler asked, grinning.

"I think so bro."

"You think so?"

She smiled. "I know so."

Chapter 24

Buffy bustled about the ‘magic room' with Giles, charging Rose Quartz stones and chanting. She made herself a vessel of which only good things could flow through, and sought to do the same for the room. Spike and Whistler followed behind them and Joyce stayed in Giles's room, no doubt a deep purple now from the shades of red she was changing when Giles brought her in the room.

Whistler tapped her on the shoulder. "And when do you plan to work your
mojo?"

Buffy smiled, "Now." She stood at the far end of the room and closed her
eyes. Concentrating on her need to protect them, to care for them and love
them and of course the desperate need to protect her child and keep her
world as safe as possible, it wasn't long before Buffy FELT herself glowing
with the light. It wasn't until she heard Giles gasp that she opened her eyes
to see if she was able to encompass the room. She was pleased to find she
had. Even more pleased to find the glowing golden light seeping up the
stairs. She smiled and Spike, whom she didn't realize was next to her,
grabbed her hand and squeezed.

"All right?" she asked him.

He nodded. "I can't help but still worry."

"It'll be all right honey. I promise."

"Sure bout that?"

All heads shot up to see Tara coming down the stairs. "Your disgusting
scent is practically all over the goddamned neighborhood. You reek!" Tara
said, disgustedly.

"Not as much as you sweetheart," Buffy drawled. "Where's Willow?"

Tara smirked. "I took what I needed and left her."

Giles gasped. "You—you—"

"Drained her power?" Tara asked, "Yes."

Giles started to creep toward her.

"One more inch High Priest and I will kill you."

Giles stopped in his tracks.

"I didn't smell you coming this time. A first. Guess my magic is stronger
than yours," Buffy said and she crossed her arms in defiance.

Tara tilted her head to the side, "You think so? We going to duke it out
now Buffy? Want to see whose magic is stronger? All this?" she gestured
around the room, "not doing anything for me at all." To make her point, she
pointed at a large rose quartz crystal across the room and it burst into
shards. Spike lunged in front of Buffy and covered her as best he could with
his body. When the crystal settled, Spike spun and roared his anger at
Tara.

"You bloody fucking bitch!" he snarled, game face on.

Tara's face softened—softened? Buffy pondered that for a second.

"You were supposed to be mine," Tara said almost mournfully. Almost
immediately, she went from raving bitch to the sweet, shy, insecure Tara
that had fooled everyone. "Spike, don't you miss it? The hunt? The kill?
The slide of warm blood from a delicious vein—the smell of fear as you
drain them?" She started gliding towards him.

"I don't think so," Buffy announced and marched in front of Spike. "He's
not falling for it anymore. You're done. Besides that you freaking moron he
has a SOUL!"

"You sure about that? I almost had him the other night didn't I Buffy? In
the bed you share with him--"

"You feel this?" Buffy asked and slammed her fist into Tara's face, sending
her flying back against the wall. "I'm sure. He's not your toy anymore."

Spike's growl behind her confirmed her assessment that it wasn't working
this time, despite the fact she could now smell the foulness radiating off of
Tara.

"Get out of her body," Buffy commanded. "Leave her."

"Leave me!" Tara screamed, and Buffy stumbled a few feet backwards
before reining her power and grounding herself.

"I TOLD you my magic was stronger!"

"Spike, how can you let her do this to me? To us?" Tara whimpered. "She's
trying to turn you from me."

"Would you save it al—" and then she was pushed, forcefully to the ground.
She fell on her rear end with a menacing looking Spike growling at her and
baring his fangs. Her eyes widened. "Spike, no—"

He roared at her and grabbed her by the arms, lifting her like a rag doll.
This couldn't be happening. It couldn't be. Out of the corner of her eye she
saw Whistler and Giles spring into action—how was it not affecting them
and only Spike?—before Tara turned with the flick of her hand they stood,
frozen.

Buffy felt much the way they did. Spike was turning against her. His amber
eyes that often times gazed at her adoringly in game face, were now blank
and cold. She pushed at him, but he gripped her tighter. He sniffed at her
neck and Tara was there, suddenly, beside them.

"Taste her. Drain her. Feel it again, Spike. Feel her life drain away. Then
she'll have no strength to fight me anymore, no strength to fight us."

"Shut up!" Buffy screamed.

Tara opened her mouth to speak and no sound came out. Clearing her
throat and glaring at Buffy, she yelled. "DO IT SPIKE!"

Spike chomped into Buffy's neck and Buffy immediately had flashbacks of
the first bite he'd ever given her. The claim he'd taken without asking. It
had been brutal and demanding and not at all the pleasure she'd since
derived from his bite. She struggled against him and then . . . she heard his
voice speaking to her. "Fall to the ground. Fall as if I've drained you. Trust
me."

"Huh?" she whimpered. But his fangs were still embedded in her neck
only—only he wasn't draining her. He wasn't sucking.

"Do it Buffy," she heard him say in her head. "Fall to the ground and I'll
secure her."

Not having time to ponder this new development, a facet of the claim he
once told her would occur in time, she pretended to fall completely limp in
his arms. She dropped to the ground.

"My Darling," Tara cooed at him and Spike purred.

Buffy's eyes opened to slits as she looked up to see Tara wrapped around
Spike like a second skin. His demon purred and nuzzled her, holding her
tight. Quick as a cat he spun her so that her back was against his front and
shouted to Buffy, "Do it now!"

Buffy jumped to her feet and placed her hand over Tara's heart, pouring
her essence into Tara's body as quickly as she could. "Leave her!!" She
shouted at The Darkness. Tara freed herself from Spike's arms and flung
him across the room and grabbed Buffy's hand, attempting to twist it. Buffy
instead grasped her hand tightly and flung her over her head, Tara landed
with a ‘thud' on the floor and Buffy lunged on her, slamming her hands over
her head and straddling her. "Leave her!" she shouted and taking a deep
breath, shot that golden light right out of her chest, focusing on it and what
it represented. Images of Spike, her mother and Giles flashed through her
mind and she poured it all into Tara. Tara flailed and screamed, smoke
coming from her body and then out jumped a dark shadow from Tara's
wide open mouth. It hovered about them as Tara's body went limp and
then, in a flash of black, it disintegrated.

Feeling as if she'd used every source of energy in her body, Buffy collapsed
to the side of Tara's unconscious body and gasped for air. In a flash, Spike
was above her, game face gone. "Buffy, baby, are you all right?"

She nodded. "Is it gone?" she asked sleepily.

Giles came in her vision along with Whistler. "Gone," he confirmed.

"Good," Buffy said and then promptly passed out from sheer exhaustion.

Waking slowly, Buffy became aware of a body—more specifically Spike's
body—holding her against him as they lay in a bed—Giles' bed. He was
purring soothingly in her ear and stroking her swollen stomach.

"Take your time, luv," he said gently. "Feel all right?"

She nodded and yawned. "Did I dream it?"

"No, you didn't. It's well and truly over."

"It didn't infest anyone else did it?"

"Nope. Tara's wounds are being tended to—"

"Oh God. I hurt her. I should have known that if I used full force on her
real body wouldn't have been able to handle it." Her eyes welled up in
tears. "Did I kill her?"

"No kitten, you didn't kill her. She's still a Slayer, remember?"

"God, no, I forgot about that part in all the . . . Darkness."

Spike chuckled and gently turned her so that she was facing him. She
buried her face in his chest and cried. "She's grateful Buffy. She doesn't
know what happened to her. She has no memories of anything that
happened after she was called. Giles and Whistler, they explained to her
what happened."

"Did anyone get Willow? Is she all right?"

"She's right as rain. Whatever the Darkness depleted from her, she got
back when it was released from Tara," he told her gently. "Giles went to
find her and brought her back here to Tara. The girls are having
themselves a chat downstairs with Whistler and Giles to try and
understand what happened to them. I'm sure they'll want to see you once
you're ready."

Buffy nodded and burrowed deeper in his arms. "Not yet okay? I just want
to be here with you."

Spike stroked her hair and back. "Bloody scary that was, pet," he
whispered. "That crystal—all I could think was it was going to pierce my
girls heart and when she pushed at you—thought you were going to go
flying. All I kept seeing was you and the baby," his voice choked with tears.
"I wouldn't be able to go on without you and our child Buffy. I'd dust
myself."

"Don't say that," she told him firmly. "You can't do that. My mom needs
you, Giles needs you. The world needs you—"

"And I need YOU."

"You have me. Forever."

He held her tighter and she felt her neck getting wet with his tears. "I'm
sorry I bit you."

"No, what you did—you saved us Spike."

"I didn't do anything---"

"Spike. I couldn't have done it without you. Tricking her the way you did—
it was just what we needed."

"What YOU needed."

Buffy pulled her head back and looked up at him. "What WE needed. And if
you keep saying that you didn't do anything and that I did it all, I won't be
responsible for my actions. I'm pregnant, hormonal, exhausted and
starving. Don't piss me off."

Spike started to laugh, "I give!"

She smiled, "Thank you," and she cuddled back into him.

"How bout some food kitten?"

"Sounds good. Just want to hold you for a little bit longer, okay?"

"Take as long as you need kitten."

"How's forever sound? Does forever work for you?"

"Funny you should mention that. Forever was just what I had in mind."

Chapter 25

"Why do you feel weird about meeting Tara?" Spike asked as he watched his wife brush her hair and tie it back.

"What do you mean why do I feel weird about it? If you recall, she wasn't
Tara. She was something else entirely. Something we drove out of her
body—"

"You drove out of her body," Spike clarified.

"Whatever. The only thing I really know about Tara is what I learned
from her mother."

"Which were all good things."

"Right. But still. I mean the girl was possessed. She was evil. She was on
top of – so yes, I feel weird," she finished on a mutter.

"On top of me," Spike said quietly.

"She doesn't remember it at all?"

Spike shook his head and sauntered over to Buffy, running his fingers
through her hair gently. "No, she doesn't. She was pretty horrified when
she was told what was done. And I can tell you she's most definitely NOT
into me at ALL."

Buffy smirked, "Oh? Her and Willow making up for lost time?"

"If the kiss they shared when they saw each other for the first time since
the whole mess started, yes."

Buffy studied him, a smile tugging on her lips. "I think if you could blush,
you would be right now."

He grinned boyishly, "Yeah, probably right."

She wrapped her arms around him, resting her head on his strong chest.
"Love you."

He ran a hand down her back and nuzzled her neck. "Love you too baby.
You ready to face them?"

"Yup. I think I can face anything with you by my side."

"Remember that."

"I will."

Gripping Spike's hand, he and Buffy made their way out of the room
finally. They were greeted by Willow, Tara and Whistler in the living room.

"Where are Giles and my mom?" Buffy asked immediately. Yes, the threat
might have been over, but the memories were still fresh and panic was
quick to come.

"They're outside. Talking," Whistler smirked knowingly. He jumped up
from his spot in the overstuffed olive chair. "I'm going to uh, poke around.
Excuse me," and off went the sharp dressed demon.

Buffy squeezed Spike's hand and he gave her a squeeze back for assurance.
She faced the lovers and smiled weakly. "Hi. How are you feeling?" she
asked Tara quietly.

Tara stood, smoothed her clothes and stalked over to Buffy. Mindless of
Spike's presence next to her, she hugged Buffy. "Thank you," she said.

Buffy, slow to awaken from her shock, let got of Spike's hand and hugged
Tara. "You're welcome."

Tara pulled away and Buffy noticed the unshed tears in her eyes. "I'm so
sorry about what I did. I didn't know, I—I would never have done that—"

Buffy held up her hand, stopping her. "You're right. You didn't know. The
Darkness had hold of your body, it possessed you. You weren't responsible
for what you did and I don't hold it against you."

"Spike told me what we—Buffy, I like girls," Tara told her red-faced.

Buffy smiled and glanced at Willow who was now standing patiently to the
side, waiting for her opportunity to speak. She smiled gently at Buffy,
letting her know that things were as they should be now.

"I know," Buffy nodded. "How do you feel?"

Tara let out a little nervous laugh. "Uh, not sure. Physically I feel sore and
bruised—"

"I'm sorry I didn't—"

Now Tara held up her hand. "No, please don't apologize. You did what you

had to do. Besides, I hear this Slayer healing I have works wonders. I think
a few of my bruises have already faded."

"Good," Buffy nodded curtly.

"As for the rest of me . . . I feel lost. Like I lost my head somewhere and
now I'm back only to find that I did things I had no knowledge of and things
I would NEVER do." She looked at Spike. "Not that I don't think you're, you

know, good looking, but I just don't swing that way."

Spike nodded and took Buffy's hand again. She squeezed it gently, letting
him know that everything was okay.

Tara turned her full attention back to Buffy, "So yeah, I feel a little
disoriented and I can't stop apologizing, but I don't know what else to do to
make it better."

"There's nothing you personally did that you have to feel responsible for
making better. All you have to do now is focus on being the Slayer and
coming to terms with that. You know what evil is capable of now. You can
use that to your advantage by not letting those evil things take over. The
Darkness is something that always was and always will be and it infests
itself in those things that walk this Earth with the intent to destroy. It's
your job as the Slayer to fight it. And," she took a deep breath, "it's our job,
meaning Spike and I," to help you fight it."

"Buffy—" Spike interrupted, his tone suggesting he didn't like the idea.

Buffy looked up at him. "Honey, it's okay. Immortal remember?"

He didn't look pleased still, but he didn't argue. "AFTER the baby is born,
got it?"

Buffy smiled, "Of course."

That seemed to pacify him at the moment and she turned back to Tara.
"Hopefully your Watcher will make it now too. Spike knows a lot about
Slayers, all I've learned about them, I've learned from him."

Tara's eyes darted back and forth between the two. "If you don't mind my
asking . . . How did you two end up finding each other?"

Buffy smiled, "Got a while?"

"Not that long, pet," Spike said in mock defense.

Buffy chuckled. "Well, see, it all started with Whistler . . . "

Epilogue

"You can all come in now," Spike told the crowded waiting room.

"Is he glowing?" Joyce asked Giles. "I think he very well may be glowing.
Do vampires glow?"

Giles chuckled at his fiancé, entwining her arm through his and pressing a
kiss on her forehead. "Spike is unlike any vampire I've ever known, so I
think he very well may be glowing."

Joyce smiled and rested her head on Giles' shoulder as they followed Tara
and Willow. Whistler trailed behind.

Spike was already at her bedside, still glowing, and gazing at his newborn
baby daughter. Their daughter was completely bald and had Spike's baby blue eyes. Blue eyes that could change as she got older, the nurse told her.
Buffy hoped not. She hoped her daughter had her fathers blue eyes.

"She's so beautiful," Willow breathed.

"She is," Tara cooed.

"What did you name her, sweetie?" Joyce asked, peering at her
granddaughter with tears of happiness in her eyes.

Buffy smiled, "Dawn Hope."

"Beautiful," Joyce breathed.

Spike looked up at Spike who was gazing at her and Dawn adoringly.

"I'm sorry I said I'd never let you touch me again," she whispered to him.

"I don't think you need to whisper, kitten," Spike said jovially. "I think they
all heard you. I think everyone in the hospital heard you."

Buffy blushed profusely and everyone chuckled quietly.

"You ready to hold your daughter?" she asked him and Spike nodded, his
eyes widening.

"I'm afraid to break her," Spike admitted fearfully.

"Do you plan on crushing her?" Buffy giggled. "You won't break her Spike.
You just saw what she went through to get out of me. She's not going to
break."

Spike nodded and held out his hands. Buffy instructed him in how to hold
her and tears of joy slipped from his eyes as he held his daughter.

He looked up at Buffy, "Thank you so much for giving me her."

"Thank you too," she countered.

Whistler stepped forward. "She's a special one," Whistler murmured,
touching her forehead.

Buffy looked up at him. "Isn't she though?"

"Half Light Bringer, half vampire. Part human."

"Are you saying my daughter's a mutt?" Spike hissed warningly.

"Honey, we knew that," Buffy told him gently.

"She'll be a force to be reckoned with when the time comes," Whistler told
them.

"There will be no fighting for this one," Spike cooed at Dawn. "None at all."

Whistler chuckled. "She won't give you much of a choice."

"Whistler, can something be a surprise?" Buffy reprimanded him.

"What uh, sorts of things can she not do?" Joyce asked. "Can I take my
granddaughter to the park? During the day?"

"Yes Joyce, you can," Whistler assured her. "She'll need blood on a regular
basis like her father, and she'll have powers like the both of them. However,
she'll be able to go into the sun and she won't easily be harmed."

"How?" Buffy asked, not wanting to ask something like that about her
newborn.

"Like you, and Spike," Whistler told her.

"Heart," Buffy nodded. "Okay, enough of that! Isn't she beautiful?"

"Gorgeous," Spike murmured, caressing his daughters face.

"I want one," Willow whimpered sappily.

"Maybe one day," Tara assured her.

"Giles? Do you want to hold your granddaughter?" Buffy asked her
surrogate father.

Giles took off his glasses and cleaned them. "Uh, maybe later my dear."

Buffy giggled.

"Well I want to hold her!" Joyce asserted herself and marched up to Spike,
holding out her arms expectantly.

Spike looked up at her as if to ask if he really had to give up his daughter.

"Spike honey, we get to take her home," Buffy assured him.

Reluctantly, Spike handed Dawn over and Joyce cried softly, tears of joy, as
she held her. Spike gathered Buffy in his arms and kissed her forehead. "So,
when I'm allowed to touch you again, we'll make more?"

Buffy grumbled. "We'll talk. Let's give it a couple years okay?"

"You know, if she had been a boy, I was thinking of the name Connor. So,
next time . . . "