Part 17



After collecting weapons at the Magic Box, Giles drove everyone but Dawn and Anya - who got to stay behind as babysat and babysitter - to the mountains. Spike figured that the Initiative caves were the most likely to be the ones where the evil were hanging out.

Suddenly, Spike flinched as though something had hurt him.

"What is it?" Willow asked.

"I don't know," Spike said, in an odd tone. "It felt like something was hurting me, from the inside. Odd, really."

"Maybe it's the baby," Tara suggested.

The group stared at her as they continued their way through the woods. Giles had parked the car a couple of minutes ago, and they were continuing on foot, with flashlights turned on and weapons ready.

"Maybe Buffy is starting to give birth," Tara continued at the confused stares. "Spike probably has a s-strong connection to the baby, and to B- Buffy too for that matter. I-it wouldn't be too odd to say that he would feel her pain in labor."

"If she's in labor we better hurry," Giles said. Spike just kept going, speeding up even more, but quiet. In his mind though, he screamed out for his love that he was coming.



* * *



"Why is she not giving birth?" the Dark Lord yelled. "She is just screaming like that again and again, yet I see no baby!"

The Twins bowed their heads. "We do not know," they replied.

On the bench, Buffy continued to twitch back and forth. Sweat drops were running down her forehead, her face was a pale white. It felt like something was ripping her in half. One power that kept pushing something inside her one way, and another power trying to push the other way. She did not know which side to fight with, and either way, she could not do anything about it. She had no strength left inside, and whatever happened was up to the two powers.

She screamed again, as one power got the upper hand.



* * *



They entered the caves minutes later, and began the journey downwards. Neither knew exactly where they were going, though Willow had gotten a map out and located Buffy through a locator spell. The spell had only shown that Buffy was indeed in the Initiative caves - but not how to get there.

Spike, who had been in the caves the most, had decided they should just go there. He had insisted they would find a way to get to Buffy once they were there.

The caves felt chilly, and Willow and Tara were both glad they had brought sweaters.

Suddenly, Spike twitched again, and from somewhere in the dark, a scream could be heard. Everyone in the little group knew who that scream belonged to - the Slayer. They all began running down the damp holes, towards the scream.

"Illuminum," Willow muttered and a small ball of light appeared. She threw her flashlight to the side to be able to hold her balance on the slippery ground. The others did the same; the ball of light gave more light than all the flashlights together.

Another scream was heard, and this one was closer.

Spike increased his speed to one the rest could not follow. He had only one thought in his mind: Save Buffy and the baby.



* * *



"This is not right!" the Dark Lord yelled. "She is supposed to give birth now, not lay there and scream."

As another one of Buffy's screams echoed through the cave, a figure came running into the room.

"Stop that!" Spike screamed. "Stop hurting her!"

"I am not hurting her," the Dark Lord replied. "See, I am not touching her."

Buffy's screaming got to Spike again, but this time it gave him strength. Strength to fight what was hurting her. He launched at the Dark Lord at the same time as the rest of the group came flying into the cave. Giles and Xander both stood shocked for a moment at seeing Buffy, writhing back and forth in pain, lying on something that looked like a sarcophagus and clad in a black gown. It did not take a genius to see that she was in labor, and it did not take a genius to see that something was wrong either.

Willow and Tara stood still for a moment, taking in the scene. Seconds later, they joined hands and ran towards the twins on the other side of the caves.

Spike threw blow after blow at the black clad figure, his whole body filled with rage at this creature that was causing Buffy so much pain. Nothing he did, no blow or kick he delivered did anything though; the ancient being did not seem like he had an actual body.

Giles and Xander both ran towards Buffy, lying in the middle of the room. Giles got out a pocketknife from his pants, and began working on the ropes holding the girl down. Xander began talking to the Slayer, trying to connect with her. She did not seem to have even noticed they were there.

"Buffy? Buff?" Xander stroke her forehead and shook her shoulders slightly, but all the Slayer did was scream in pain once more. Her pale face was scaring Xander.

The Wiccas on the other side of the room were following the twins. The identical demons were throwing spells at the witches, but Tara and Willow protected themselves easily, and were throwing and equal lot back at them.

"Who are you?" Spike screamed at the creature he was fighting, another one of Buffy's screams giving him inhuman strength.

"You do not know me?" the Dark Lord asked, dissolving and appearing again, behind Spike. He kicked the former vampire in the back, landing him against a wall.

"I am the Dark Lord, and you do better to remember that," he said, lifting Spike up by the neck.

The creature made Spike look into the hood, made him see the fog an midst it really was, in the attempt to scare him. No human, including the Slayer, had so far escaped from seeing that with their minds still intact.

As Spike watched the fog swirl around where the Dark Lord's head should have been, memories that were not his came at him. The memories were Buffy's; how scared she had been when she saw the midst, and how fog still clouded her mind as the Dark Lord tried to bring her into labor.

"No!" Spike yelled at him, breaking free of the contact with the fog and the dark cloak. "You are bloody well not going to get her."

Then he began throwing blows and kicks at the creature again, with strength he did not know where it came from.

"W-what should we do? I think t-they are stronger," Tara said, holding her hands up to help the protective barrier put between the witches and the twins.

"I don't know… Knives don't hurt them, and they play with snakes. We've tried everything," Willow replied, holding her hands up in the same fashion as Tara.

"Ma-maybe not everything," Tara said. "We've tried dark magic - maybe we should go the other way around. Maybe we s-should do really 'light' magic, like the ball of sunshine spell a-and that kind."

"You know what, I think you're right," Willow almost smiled. "I can do a ball of sunshine."

She began chanting under her breath, and Tara soon fell into the rhythm.

Meanwhile, Giles was just getting through the second of the four ropes holding his hurting Slayer down. Xander had still not gotten anywhere closer to her; she still moved around and screamed, tossing back and forth as much as the remaining ropes would allow.

Spike, fighting with the Dark Lord, seemed to finally have gotten the upper hand. The creature seemed to be tiring, though he was still holding his own.

Suddenly, everything stopped. The last few words of the ball of sunshine spell were said, and up to the ceiling of the cave flew just that - a ball of sunshine. After a moment of silence, screams filled the room.

The Dark Lord was falling backwards and a sort of black light was shining from his insides. The ball of sunshine was pulling everything evil out of the people and demons in the room, and neither the twins nor the Dark Lord stood a chance against it. The twins were reacting in the same way as their Master to the light.

Just seconds later, it was all over. The twins had disappeared, turning into nothing and the only thing remaining of the Dark Lord was a black cloak, lying on the floor.

Spike did not spend any time wondering what had just happened. The second the cloak fell empty to the floor, he ran over to the bench on which Buffy was lying.

Buffy had suddenly quieted down. She was no longer twisting and turning back and forth, though by now Giles had freed her and no ropes were holding her. No, now she was lying as still as death on the sarcophagus.

"Buffy?" Spike cradled her in his arms. "Buffy, can you hear me?"

A quiet moan escaped from the Slayer's throat, and she moved in his arms. Spike had never in his life - or unlife for that matter - been more relieved. He placed a kiss on her forehead, but as he did that, she moved again. Her head bent backwards and a pained cry came out.

"Guys, I seriously think she's in real labor," Willow said. "We need to get her to a hospital fast."



* * *



No one needed to be told twice. In no time, Spike had picked Buffy up in his arms and was carrying her back through the caves. The ball of sunshine followed them, in a slightly smaller version now. Tara and Willow held onto each other, both tired from a night holding so much magic.

How Spike found his way out of the caves, nobody understood. But he did, and soon, they were out in the moonlit woods again. The air was calm, but offered no comfort to the distressed former vampire with his pregnant fiancé in his arms. The others struggled to keep up with him, and when they reached the car, Spike almost threw them inside. He placed himself in the back with Buffy lying down, her head in his lap. Willow and Tara jumped into the far back of the car, Giles drove and Xander took the other front seat.

"Can't this thing go any faster, Watcher?" Spike asked as Buffy moved once more in pain.

Giles did not reply, but the three other Scoobies could feel the car fly just a little quicker down the road.



* * *



"I bloody need someone here," Spike yelled into the emergency room. "She's in labor, she needs help."

Nurses were already running towards him, and he got to put Buffy on a stretcher. Then they ushered him to the reception desk, where he got a ton of paper to fill out.

"I don't want to write sodden papers," Spike exclaimed, "I want to be with my friggin' fiancé, who just happens to be in labor. Watcher!"

Giles came over, and Spike handed him the papers. "Here, you know this stuff better than I do. I'm going to find Buffy." Spike was already on his way when he seemed to remember something. "Whel- Xander, will you go to the house and pick up Dawn? I'm guessing she wants to be here."

For once, Xander did not argue with the bleached one. Instead, he got the keys to the Summers' van and walked off. Willow and Tara sat down on the couches in the waiting room; both were exhausted.



* * *



First there had been something light. With that, the pain had stopped. Then she had heard voices - one in particular. Spike. He had been calling to her, and she had tried, so hard, to answer. But she was so tired, and her body would not do what she told it to anymore.

Then the hurt began again, though it was different this time. It was not two powers pulling one way each now; it was just a pain that seemed to split her down the middle nonetheless.

For some reason, her mind told her that it was 'good' pain though.

That something good would come out of it. She could not understand how anything good would come out of such pain, but she was ready to endure it if the results were good.

Spike, something inside told her suddenly. Spike is not with me anymore. Where is he? She could not feel him.

"Spike…" she mumbled. Quietly at first, but as she became more aware that he was not with her, the screams became louder.



TBC…

Title: Child of Light

Author: Camilla aka Cosmic

Email: bananacosmicgirl@hotmail.com

Rating: R to be on the safe side. Some language/sex/violence, but none more than what you would see on the show, really.

Feedback: I love feedback!!

Distribution: Death Marked Love, ff.net. Anyone else, just ask.



AN: Sorry this took a while to post, but my internet has been down… Hope you enjoy this anyway!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



Part 18



Spike had no clue of where he was going, but at the same time it felt like he did. He knew the second he turned the right way that it was the right way, just like he knew the second he turned a wrong corner, that it was wrong. His gut and heart told him how to get to Buffy.

Then he heard her scream his name in reality, not only in his heart and mind. He sped up his steps, going on pure adrenaline by this time.

He stormed into the room where his Buffy was lying, and nothing any of the nurses told him could stop him.

"Really, you can't be here," a young female nurse told him.

That was the first time since he became human that Spike really wanted to get into game face; just to show the nurse that nothing stood between him and Buffy now.

A doctor walked over to him. "We are doing a c-section on her; she's too weak to go through labor," she told him.

Spike nodded, and returned his attention to Buffy, whose eyes fluttered open just then. "Spike?" she asked in a small voice that did not sound like hers.

"Yes it's me love, I'm here… Sh… We are going to have a baby soon. They are going to do a c-section on you though, because you don't have enough power to go through labor."

"No…" Buffy whispered. "I want… real… No c-section…"

"Buffy, it's for your own good."

"No," she said, her voice sounding only slightly stronger.

Spike called the doctor over, and she walked there. "We are ready to perform the c-section," she told the two.

"No…" Buffy mumbled again. "Real…"

Spike made a try at a smile for the doctor. "It seems the lady doesn't wish for a c-section. She wants the real thing. Is that possible, doctor?"

"Well, it is possible, though I'm not in any way recommending it. She's very weak already, and going through real childbirth won't be what she needs right now."

"I don't care…" the Slayer mumbled, then turned again as the pain from another contraction shot through her.

"All right, if that is what she really wants. I am going to give her pain medication though. I believe it won't be more than ten minutes until she is ready to give birth, by the way things are looking. She's moving through the steps very quickly."

"Well, what can I say? She's always been impatient," Spike said, and this time, he managed a smile.



* * *



"Come on, one more," the doctor and Spike cheered at the Slayer. Buffy screamed through the pain and pushed with more strength than she thought possible. She could not really feel the baby going through - everything around her was just pain, pain and pain. Though above, she could see Spike's smiling face, and that made her want to continue.

Then it felt like something just slipped out of her, and she heard the doctor:

"Congratulations! You have a baby girl!"

"She's so beautiful, pet… Just like you… You are both so beautiful," Spike said as he cut the cord between mother and child. The baby's screams echoed through the room, and to Spike, it was one of the most beautiful sounds ever.

The baby was put in a pink blanked after having been weighed and dried. Then a nurse put her on Buffy's chest so the baby could feed for the first time. Spike watched, so proud he could not put words to it.

"She's so beautiful…"

Seconds later, Buffy lost consciousness.



* * *



Spike walked into the waiting area and the whole group who had been waiting anxiously, stood up. Dawn walked over to Spike.

"Is she okay? Is the baby okay?" she asked, her eyes pleading.

He looked sad. "The baby is good, she's so beautiful…" he mumbled, almost to himself.

"Oh my god, she had a girl?!" Dawn threw herself on Spike. "That is so cool… Can we go see her now? Please?" She stopped in her tracks as she noticed Spike did not look happy. "Spike, what's wrong with Buffy?"

He lifted his eyes, meeting Dawn's. Tears were forming in hers. "She… She's unconscious," Spike said, almost as though he was trying to convince himself of the fact. "They call it a coma," he continued quietly. "She just… disappeared… from me."

"Oh god…" Dawn mumbled, tears now falling down her cheeks. "She-she's gonna be okay, right?" She led the broken man to the couch, and made him sit down. Then she sat down next to him.

"They don't know, Nib. She lost a lot of blood, and she was in so much pain… They don't know."

The rest of the gang were just standing there, neither had said a word since Spike came back. Willow was crying quietly with Tara holding her. Dawn looked over at Xander, and for the first time, he looked old to her. Tired. Giles was looking down on the floor; Dawn doubted he was crying. He had not when Buffy died a year earlier, though he now seemed not too far from it.

"I want to see her," Dawn said to Spike. "Can I see her?"

"I-I think so, Bit. Talk to the doctor."

"Come with me please," she begged. "She needs you in there. She'll come back if we want her to."

She turned to the rest of the group. "I don't mean to sound rude now," she told them, "But maybe you should go home. Sleep some. We'll call if something… changes here." The others, to her surprise, nodded, and one by one they left.

"Spike, let's go," Dawn said, making him get up. He looked at her, his eyes red, and followed.



* * *



It was warm.

Not the kind of heat that Sunnydale was hit with every summer, no, it was a nice warmth that just surrounded her. The gentle breeze she felt was like the feel of feathers on her skin, and she smiled to herself.

Buffy enjoyed the feel of the sun on her face, and how the grass tickled her feet. Far off, she could see the outline of mountains, white snowy mountains. She wondered for a second if she should walk there and play with the snow. It seemed like a nice idea, yet she sat down instead, right by the little river gently purling off between the hills.

She could feel a presence behind her, but did not turn around. She could tell it was not there to hurt her.

A small child sat down next to her. It was a girl, looking slightly younger than Dawn. She was wearing jeans and a white, light button-down shirt and her dark hair flew freely behind her.

"Why am I here?" Buffy asked. It seemed like something she should do.

"We need to tell you some things, Buffy," the girl told her. She looked up and caught Buffy's eyes. The girls eyes were clear blue, and looked inhuman. But for some reason, Buffy did not care.

"Where is she?" Buffy asked, a slight worry tugging on her mind as though it was something she should remember. She did not know who the 'she' she was referring to, but it felt important.

"No need to worry, Buffy. She is fine." The girl fell silent again, and the two women watched the dark blue water for a while. It could have been just seconds; it could have been years. Buffy could not tell.

"We took you here so that you could know why she was given to you, Buffy," the girl said. "To take her into the future, you need to know."

"My baby," Buffy breathed, finally remembering.

"Yes, your baby. But you know as well as we do that she is more than that, don't you?" Buffy nodded at the girl, and the girl continued.

"She was made out of evil turned good - the vampire turned human - and from the good influenced by darkness. That means you, Buffy, and Spike. The Slayer and her Vampire."

"What is she?" Buffy asked. She was no longer looking at the girl; she only followed the water's calming motions.

"That we can't tell you. We are only telling you why the things that have already happened did happen."

"So tell me."

Buffy's voice was not bored, neither was it interested. It just told the girl to go on, and she did.

"The night your baby was created, we had sent a special sort of demon to your world. Uriels are Angels of Love, and they are immortal. They in their turn sent Gearys, Change demons. Spike killed them, but he let their blood mix with his. Shortly thereafter, you found him.

"This is where the Uriels really went into work. They cast their spell on you to make love that night, because the time was for Her to be created. Also, to make the Vampire a Human again, your blood needed to mix with his."

"My blood during the act, the Gearys' blood from the fight and the Uriels' spell made me pregnant and Spike a human?" Buffy asked, this time a slight bit surprise in her voice. Then she said to herself, "And he told me it only took two to tango."

A thought hit her. "Is everything we've felt these last few months just a result of the Uriels' spell then?"

"No, no, definitely not. It only lasted that night, to make you have sex. The rest is completely real. We are sorry that we could not wait for you to figure out your love by yourself, Buffy, but the timing was crucial. We had to do it."

Buffy nodded slowly. "No wonder we couldn't find anything about this in the books, if you decided that the time was suddenly up. No one could have foretold that."

The girl sat silent for a second and then shook her head slowly. "There are many prophecies about your child. She is special. She is the Child of Light, and she will influence the world greatly."

"Why did the Dark Lord want her?" Buffy asked quietly. Even in this place of calm and quiet could she feel the fright of seeing the fog that had been the Dark Lord.

"The Child of Light would have been turned in his hands. He would have made her restore him, he would have made her his. Your are lucky your Wicca friends both have cool heads, Buffy."

Silence followed, as Buffy remembered Willow and Tara's great rescue spell. She smiled slightly at the thought.

"Why did it feel like two powers were ripping me apart though? He tried to induce labor, didn't he?" Buffy asked.

"Indeed he did. The powers you felt were fighting, where the powers of good versus evil. He cast an evil spell of dark magic, and such magic could not create life. It could not make you go into labor, yet it tried and tried. The Dark Lord would have eventually succeeded though, because you would have gone into real labor. Until then, good would have been stronger. Then he would have won."

"So Will and Tara saved my baby."

"Yes, they did."

Silence followed, as Buffy thought back on the events of the day.

"Who are you?" she asked finally. The question had not hit her until right that very second.

"Don't you know me? I guess you don't, and it is not too odd. We met a year ago, when you died, although it was only briefly. We were sending you back, because you were not supposed to die back then. You had not fulfilled your destiny."

"You are not answering me," Buffy said, still only watching the river.

The girl was silent, and watched the water flow with Buffy for a moment. Finally, she let out what sounded like a sigh, and said,

"I am the Powers That Be. I think you know that, Slayer."

Buffy's head shot up at the last word. Slayer. It reminded her of Spike; when they were enemies, he would never call her by name even if he knew it very well - to him it was always 'Slayer'.

"When can I go back?" Buffy asked, suddenly feeling like a part of her was missing. She turned around to face the girl, but she was gone. She turned back to the river, but suddenly, that had disappeared too.

A moment later, she was surrounded only by a white haze.



TBC…

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



Part 19



Spike and Dawn sat down on one side each of Buffy. Spike took her hand in his, and mumbled to her, "Come back to me, Buffy."

Dawn thought it felt unreal. It reminded her of the last time her sister had been in the hospital, but then she had been awake. She knew that back then, Buffy had only been unconscious when Spike brought her in, but that she woke up fairly soon.

Now she did not look like she was about to wake up at all.

"She's gonna wake up, Nibblet," Spike told her as though he had read her mind.

"Yeah," Dawn said, trying to sound hopeful. "She will."

Silence fell over the room, and only the soft beeping of the pulse machine was heard.



* * *



Several hours had passed, but time in the small hospital room seemed to stand still. Spike watched Buffy's chest rise and fall slightly with every breath she took. In his arms, he held a small bundle. The little baby Buffy had delivered to the world, just before she fell into the coma.

The little girl was sleeping contently in her father's arms at the moment, with no clue of the commotion she had brought on, or the danger her mother was still in. Her eyes were closed and she had a finger in her mouth, sucking on it happily in her sleep. She had thin, blonde hair, a teeny nose and ten tiny toes. Spike thought she was nothing but a small wonder.

"You see her, pet?" he asked quietly to not wake the other sleeping girl in the room - Dawn. The Nibblet had fallen asleep an hour earlier, exhausted. But she had refused to leave the room, and finally a nurse had brought an armchair into the room and she was now sleeping in that.

"She is so beautiful, the Nibblet agrees with me, you know." He changed position in the chair slightly, and the baby made a sound but continued to sleep.

"You need to come back and see for yourself, Slayer," Spike told her.

Suddenly, Buffy stirred. It was not much, but it was enough for his enhanced senses to feel it, and he took her hand with his free one.

He felt her squeeze it.

"Buffy, come on, you can do it. Come on, wake up, pet. Come back to me," he urged her. The baby in his arms woke up, but she did not scream. In some way, it felt like she knew something important was happening, and she just watched as Spike urged her mother to wake up.

Buffy's eyelids fluttered, and opened half way.

"S-Spike…?" she mumbled quietly, disoriented.

"I'm here, pet, I'm here. Shush, don't talk, don't do anything, you're okay, love." He touched her face with his free hand, but when he bent over to do so, the baby in his arms made a sound.

"Look, love, there is someone else here who's happy to see you."



* * *



It was a happy afternoon in the hospital. Once Dawn had sprinted to the phone and called everyone about Buffy waking up, the gang returned. Spike had been in the room the whole time, holding his daughter and sitting by his fiancé. He refused to leave either.

Buffy herself was feeling better by the minute, and only minutes after she had first woken up, she had said, "I want to hold her… Can I, please?"

"Yeah, you can hold her," Spike had told her. He placed the precious cargo gently in Buffy's arms, though he still held her. He was not sure she had enough strength. The baby laid still in her arms, seeming to know that this was her mother.

"Hey little one," Buffy had said gently, her voice revealing she was still tired. "Guess if I'm happy to see you."

Dawn had come back from phoning the Scooby Gang, and she had told Buffy, "I know this is gonna sound cheesy, but she looks just like you. Same eyes."

When the gang arrived at the hospital, the baby had fallen asleep again. She was once more in Spike's arms, Buffy too having drifted off once more.

Willow and Tara both 'oohed' and 'aahed' at the little girl and Anya told Xander, "I want one of those too." Giles just watched his Slayer and her child proudly. She truly did feel like a daughter to him. The best daughter he could have ever wished for.



* * *



A day later, Buffy was allowed to leave, though with orders on lots of resting. Buffy promised, though she knew it was a lie. Between the still upcoming wedding and her baby, she would not get much rest.

The baby did not prove to be too much trouble though. She slept most of the time, cried only a little when she was hungry or when she needed to get changed. Also, both Spike and Dawn quickly learned how to change on her, though it was a task neither did willingly.

It was five days before the wedding and their daughter was three days old when Spike and Buffy were both on their bed in their room. Buffy had the baby in her arms; she was feeding. It was an odd sensation, she still thought about feeding her child from her breast. But good odd.

"We still haven't decided on a name for her," Buffy said, after a few minutes of silence.

Spike looked down at her. He was sitting behind her, his arm around his fiancé and wife. "No pet, we haven't," he said.

"I know we were discussing those normal names. You know, Caitlin, Anna, Mariah… It's just that I've been thinking more about it. And…" Her voice trailed off.

"And what, love?"

"Well, not to run you and any of your suggestions over -" Buffy looked slightly guilty "-but I want a name that means something to me. A reminder of how close we were of losing her."

"You have any name or meaning in particular in mind?" Spike smiled gently down at his daughter.

After hesitating for a second, Buffy said, "I want her name to mean light. Because it was light that saved her. And I've been looking on the internet to find a name I like and I did find one."

When she paused again, Spike asked, "What name, pet?"

"Eleanor. It means light."

Spike thought for a second, then decided. "It's a nice name. I like it."

"I still think we should run it by Dawn - not that she should decide, but I would like it if she liked it too," Buffy babbled nervously, not really hearing what Spike had just said.

"Pet," Spike interrupted, "I said I like it. And I'm sure the Niblet will too."

Buffy smiled at him happily. "You think so? I mean you really think you want that name for our baby?"

"Yeah. I really think I do."

Buffy leaned over and kissed him. Eleanor protested slightly when her mother moved, and Buffy smiled at her daughter.

"There is something else, Spike." She looked up at him. "Something I've been meaning to tell you."

"What, pet?"

"Well, it's kind of hard to explain, a-and I'm not sure you'll believe it."

"Try me, love, I think that as a former vampire, I can take quite a lot."

Buffy gave him a small smile. "Actually, it's about that. Among other things." She paused, and Spike let her collect herself. "When I was in a coma, I was… taken somewhere. It was a very calm place, that is all I really remember about it…" She looked thoughtful for a second, but then remembered what she was supposed to tell Spike about.

"I met someone there. And she… she told me about a lot of things. About Eleanor, and about us. Why you became human again." By Spike's surprised look, she could tell she had his attention. "This girl, she said that they had sent Uriels, Love Angels, here that same night that when we first… made love." She wondered if it was the correct term, if it had been spell induced. Maybe it should just have been 'had sex'. She decided not to ponder it. She wanted to believe Eleanor was made out of pure love.

"And she said that the demons you killed earlier that night - Geary Demons - were the demons of change. T-they are what brought on the whole back-to- human-thingy. That and I think my blood had to do with it too."

"Buffy, love, who was this girl? Geary Demons… I haven't heard of those in a bloody century, they are very rare, and always called by the Powers."

Buffy looked down at her daughter. "That's just it, Spike. The girl I met was the Powers."



* * *



They had been talking into the morning hours. Buffy had told Spike every word the girl had told her, and to her surprise, Spike had believed her. She had told him about Eleanor being the Child of Light, and how he was the "evil turning good" and that she was "good influenced by darkness".

"It's because you are the Slayer, love. Though you fight for the good side, your powers are rooted in darkness, and it is darkness you fight. Nothing to be scared of, just fact."

She was thankful she had such and understanding boyfriend, and for the first time, she also appreciated the knowledge he had from being over a hundred years old.



* * *



The next morning, Spike left for work and Buffy was left with Dawn and Eleanor. The baby was screaming her lungs out, and Buffy found herself wondering where the quiet, sweet child of the night before had gone.

Dawn came walking down the stairs. Buffy had called her in sick from school, so she could come with Buffy and try on her bridesmaids dress and come with Buffy to a new fitting for her wedding dress, which would now have to be redone since she had already had her baby.

Also, Buffy wanted to spend some time with her little sister.

"Good morning," Buffy greeted over the noise of the screaming baby.

"Morning," Dawn muttered. "Can you get her to stop doing that?" Dawn's fascination with Eleanor had gone down quickly after she found out her lung capacities.

Buffy ignored her comment. "There is cereal and I think Spike made pancakes before he left for you. I'll join you in… a second," she finished with a sigh. When Dawn had disappeared into the kitchen, she sat down and pulled her shirt up. "Fine, eat then, little one," she told the baby. Eleanor did not need to be told twice; she sucked the milk greedily. Buffy was happy to have the baby quiet, and wondered why she had not begun eating the last time she had offered it.

When Eleanor had finished feeding, she promptly fell asleep. Buffy put her in the crib in her room, and then joined her younger sister in the kitchen.

"Ready to go soon?" she asked as she entered.

"Give me half an hour, okay?" her sister replied. Buffy nodded, taking out a bowl for herself and filling it with cereal.

"Spike and I discussed names for the baby yesterday," Buffy told Dawn after a few moments of silence.

"Come up with anything good?"

"We decided on her first name, actually. Her name is Eleanor." Buffy looked up nervously at her sister, hoping she would like it as much as Buffy did.

Dawn seemed to think for a second, deciding if she wanted her niece to be named Eleanor or not.

"Okay," she said finally. "I like it. May I ask why?"

"Well, Eleanor means light. And I wanted a name that reminded us how close we were of losing her, and of what saved her. So we chose her name to mean light."

"It's a pretty name. Any second names?"

"We thought she'd get to have one, yeah. You are the one who gets to decide what that name is."

"I get to decide? That's so cool." Dawn said excitedly. "Can I think about it?"

"Yeah, you can," Buffy told her, finishing her cereal and walking out of the kitchen. "You have another couple of days. Now, finish your breakfast and get ready to go."



* * *



Eleanor had been surprisingly quiet in the shop. Dawn had guarded her carriage while Buffy got her dress fitted for the last time, and the baby had slept through the whole deal. Then it was Dawn's turn to get her brides maid's dress corrected, and the baby girl slept through that too.

"You look gorgeous, Dawnie," Buffy told her sister.

The brides maid's dresses Buffy had chosen for Willow and Dawn were light blue, down to the floor with a straight cut neckline and no arms. Both Willow and Dawn were in love with the dresses, which made Buffy happy.

Her own dress was a little more detailed and bridal looking. It was creamy white, with the same kind of neck cut as Willow and Dawn's. It went down to the floor, some of it was going to be flowing on the floor behind her. She had small gloves, a veil falling softy in front of her face and behind her, and on top, a tiny little crown with stones in it.

"You didn't look too bad either," Dawn said and twirled around in her dress. "Have I told you how much I like this?"

The sisters smiled at each other, both glad the other one was happy.

A while later, they were done in the bridal shop. After another couple of errands, Buffy decided that the three should eat lunch. They sat down in a small café. Buffy fed Eleanor before her and Dawn's food came, and the baby had fallen asleep again by the time the two grownups began eating.

"This is nice," Buffy commented. "Sitting here, with my sister, eating lunch. Very normal."

"Don't forget your daughter," Dawn smiled.

"Well, I still haven't decided on whether she goes into the 'normal' category, you know. Not saying that I don't love her with all my heart, but I'm not used to having her around yet."

"I know," Dawn admitted. "It's weird for me too. I mean, yeah you've been pregnant for like forever, and I've had time to get used to it, but still - it's a baby. You're a mom. Still on the unreal side."

Buffy was quiet for a moment, watching her sister. "Do you think I'll be a good mom?" she asked.

Dawn looked up, not ready for that kind of question, yet knowing the answer to it. "Yeah, B, you will. Just look at me. You've taken care of me for over a year now, and I'm still intact, aren't I?"

Buffy smiled and looked down in her food as Dawn continued.

"You're gonna be great. Elle -" Dawn had already decided on the baby's nickname "- is gonna have the best parents around here, cause she has you and Spike. You love her, both of you, and you love each other. And I'm thinking you are going to continue to do that for quite a while, you know what I mean?"

Dawn watched her sister, who looked like she was going to cry. "Now, now," Dawn said, "None of that. I didn't say all that to make you cry."

"Sorry," Buffy smiled. "It's just… thank you."

"You're welcome."

Buffy sat silent for a second, then she said, "Now, Spike told me something about you and Richie and the night I was gone…"



TBC…

Title: Child of Light

Author: Camilla aka Cosmic

Email: bananacosmicgirl@hotmail.com

Rating: R to be on the safe side. Some language/sex/violence, but none more than what you would see on the show, really.

Feedback: I love feedback!!

Distribution: Death Marked Love, ff.net. Anyone else, just ask.



AN: Okay, this is the last part of this story. I wanna thank *everyone* again and again for reviewing so nicely, I am glad you all liked the story. Of course, there will always be those who hate the "picket-fence-fics", but that's up to them…

I have begun writing the sequel to this, so keep a lookout… If anyone wants to beta-read for me, then email me, cause I’d like a beta or two.

So, I hope you like this last chapter (I hope it's a 'worthy' end or this fic :-) ) and feel free to review even more if you want to, lol.

Enjoy!



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Part 20



The reception was to be held in a small chapel fairly close to Buffy's house. On the day of the wedding, it was filled with people.

"I didn't know we knew this many people," Willow said to Dawn as they were walking around in the lobby.

"Me neither," Dawn said. "Let's see… Those are some of Spike's friends -" she pointed at some demons talking in the corner "- those are a couple of Buffy's friends from school."

"Yeah, I recognize one or two of them from my classes," Willow said. "And let me guess that those are some of your friends?" She pointed at a group of young teen girls standing by the table with the presents.

"Yeah, Buffy told me to invite a grand total of five," Dawn smiled.

"Well, it is her wedding." The two continued to walk, heading for the changing rooms where Buffy was holding up. Spike was on the other side of the building, in another room with Xander, getting himself ready.

"Is your dad coming?" Willow asked.

Dawn looked down at the floor before meeting Willow's eyes. "No. We sent him an invitation, but he hasn't replied. I think we're gonna stop trying now. He didn't come for mom's funeral, he doesn't want to see his grand child and he doesn't want to see his daughter get married. What a dad, huh?"

Willow smiled sadly at the teen. "I'm sorry, Dawnie."

"What do you have to be sorry for? It's no one's fault but his. Besides, I've stopped caring."

Something in the teen's voice told Willow that that was not the truth, but did not press the subject any further. They reached Buffy's room and knocked. "Come in if you are Willow or Dawn, if not, go out and mingle," they heard Buffy's voice.

"It's us," Dawn said, walking inside. There was Buffy, clad in her wedding gown, looking more beautiful than either of the girls had ever seen her.

"Buffy… Wow… You look so good!" Dawn exclaimed.

The petite Slayer blushed, and checked herself in the mirror. She had a small amount of make-up on - some eye shadow and mascara, light pink lip- gloss and a hint of pink on her cheeks. Though Dawn did not know if the latter was just embarrassment from Dawn's comment.

"Thank you," Buffy said finally.

"So, are you ready to get married?" Willow asked, at the same time bending down and straightening Buffy's dress out.

Buffy was silent for a second, seeming to ponder the question. "You know what," she said, "I think I am."

The three girls smiled and the room was quiet for a moment.

"Elle is out with Tara, just so you know," Dawn told her sister. "When the ceremony starts, I will have her so she's close to you if she gets… unhappy."

The redhead, the brunette and the bride were all now ready to go. Tara was going to come by when the people had taken their seats, and Spike had entered. So for now, it was just a small wait.

Somewhere between five and ten minutes later, there was a knock on the door. Buffy's thoughts, which had been on the vows she was about to give, were interrupted by Tara's voice.

"It's a-all ready. Spike's entering in a second, so y-you should get going too," she said, handing Eleanor over to Dawn. The baby was asleep, and with any luck, she would stay that way throughout the ceremony.

Buffy took her daughter from Dawn. She placed a gentle kiss on Eleanor's forehead, and whispered her, "Now mommy's gonna get married, sweetheart."



* * *



The music began playing, and Spike felt nervous. It was a feeling he had not felt in a long time, but right now, that was the only way to describe it. He changed his weight from one foot to the other. He locked eyes with Xander, who was standing a few feet away, acting as his best man. The younger man looked almost as fidgety as Spike himself. Then Spike felt the people's gaze wander from him to the back of the room when footsteps were heard.

Willow entered first. She was holding a little bouquet of flowers, similar to the one Buffy had, but smaller. The light blue gown swayed gently as she walked down the isle.

After her came Dawn, clad in the same sort of light blue dress, but instead of a bouquet of flowers, she held her niece in her arms.

When the bridesmaids had entered and sat down, the bride came.

Buffy looked as though she was floating down the isle, a huge smile on her face. Several 'oohs' were heard from the audience.

"You look…" Spike whispered to her as she reached him. He did not finish the sentence - he could not find a word that was appropriate.

"Thank you," she whispered back.

The minister began talking, but Buffy could not hear. She was standing here, in a chapel, with all the people she loved - and some more - around her, and she was getting married to the one she loved the most. He looked gorgeous. He had a dark blue tuxedo on, a white shirt underneath. His hair held gel, but only a little. It was gently tousled into small curls.

She began listening again when the minister said; "William Walthrop, do you take Buffy Anne Summers to be your lawfully wedded wife, to honor and to hold, in sickness and in health until death do you part?"

The look in his eyes when he met her gaze had never been more honest, nor had it held more love, when he replied, "I do."

Xander stepped forward and gave the small gold ring to Spike, whom placed it on Buffy's finger.

"And do you, Buffy Anne Summers, take thee William Walthrop, to be your lawfully wedded husband, and to honor and hold him, in sickness and in health until death do you part?"

She looked up at him, met his eye with a smile, and the words formed easily on her tongue.

"I do."

Willow handed her the ring, and she placed it on her love's finger. He grinned happily at her.

"And so I now pronounce you husband and wife," the minister said, "You may now kiss the bride."

Spike placed a gentle finger on her face and lifted Buffy's chin up. He bent down and was about to kiss her, when a scream was heard.

Buffy looked up, and met her sister's eye. A second later, Dawn came rushing forward with the angry baby in her arms.

"I'm sorry," Dawn said to her sister, "She just woke up."

"It's okay Dawn…" Buffy smiled. "She just wanted in on the action."

The little girl had settled in her mother's arms, and Buffy turned to Spike. "Now, where were we? I think you were about to kiss me in public without anyone interrupting."

"Oh yes, I think I bloody well was…"

He bent down, and with their daughter in between the two of them, they kissed.



* * *



"I think I'm gonna turn in," Dawn admitted with a yawn.

It was three in the morning, and the gang were all the Summer's house. Tara and Willow were sitting on the floor, the redhead leaning against the blonde. Xander and Anya were not sitting together - they occupied a chair each - though Dawn thought that if they were indeed sitting together, they would not be aware of much else than each other in the room.

Giles had left earlier in the evening with the rest of the people in his age. He had given the newly wedded his blessings, and told his Slayer that he was proud of her for following her heart. At that, Buffy had cried and hugged her Watcher.

The couple in question was occupying the couch together, with Eleanor in Buffy's arms. The baby was sleeping, but her parents were still awake.

"Okay Dawnie," Buffy said with a smile at her sister. "We'll see you tomorrow. Thank you for a wonderful day."

Dawn went ahead to the couch and hugged her older sister. "I'm glad you had a good day, B. And you too, Spike," she added.

"Thanks bit."

Buffy and Spike had decided not to go on a honeymoon right away after the wedding. They were going to wait for at least a couple of months - until Eleanor was big enough to be left behind. Dawn had been forced to promise she would baby-sit for a week when they went away.

Dawn fished up the camera she had had hanging around her neck all afternoon and night, and she quickly snapped some pictures of the couples in the room. Then, after another set of good nights, she walked up the stairs in her room.

She closed the door after her, and went over to her drawer. From it she took a small box, and with the box in her hands, she sat down on the bed.

"Look mom," she said as she opened the box. "I got them developed now. I don't have the ones from the wedding just yet, but I think they'll be great."

She took out two pictures from the box. "These are my favorites, but you already know that."

The first one showed the pregnant Buffy, lying in Spike's arms, both fast asleep on the couch that night when they were supposed to watch a movie.

"It was so typical," Dawn continued to talk for herself. "You know mom, she's just like you, I should expect it. You fell asleep during movies, then of course she does. But Spike? He doesn't usually."

Dawn put the picture aside and took her favorite out.

"I wish you were here, mom. I know you'd be so happy to see Elle. She's got a very loud scream, but you'd love her. Definitely. And you'd love to see Buffy so happy…"

She trailed off, lost in thought. Then she seemed to hear a question in the air. "If I'm happy?" she asked quietly. "I don't know. But, Spike makes me happy, and Buffy makes me happy, and they are both happy, so I'm surrounded by the happy really."

She sat quiet again. "Everything would be different if you were here. I don't know if-if I would be happier, but… Actually, you know what, I am happy. Buffy is happy. Spike is happy. They love me, I love them, I love Elle, and yeah, for the first time in a-a very long time, I am happy."

She put the picture down on the bed.

"We're family now, you know. Hopefully you'll always watch over us, but now, we are family."

She turned the light above her bed off. On her nightstand, the picture taken just a couple of hours earlier - before the wedding - was lying. It showed a smiling quartet. The former vampire Spike, the Slayer named Buffy, the Child of Light named Eleanor and the key turned human who was Dawn. For the first time in many long months, the picture showed the truth - it showed happy people.

Maybe it was not the normal family, but it was a family none the less.

Not normal.

Odd.

But nice.





1 End - of this story at least…





This was the answer to Challenge no 23 on Death Marked Love. Here's the challenge:

1) Buffy and Spike spend the night together (if you know what I mean).

2) Buffy becomes pregnant and has to tell Spike its his and Spike turns

human.

3) Spike asks her to marry him and they get married and the kid is

born

Optional: Buffy can have a miscarriage before the wedding but gets pregnant again

Include three or more of the following:

The color orange

The song Reflection by Christina Aguilera

A golf club

A kitten

Buffy dancing and Spike watching (she catches him staring)

Dawn getting engaged(AU)

Spike in a candy store

The video game Zelda

A can of Sprite

Simpsons the tv show

Spike wearing a pink shirt and Buffy laughing at him