Title: Normal? Why Not?

Author: dear one

Email: swt_dear_1-chosen@yahoo.com <mailto:swt_dear_1-chosen@yahoo.com>

~~*~*~***~

Part 8

*After a long days work*

~~*~*~***~

As soon as work was over, and after she let Giles know she had talked to the new slayer in training, and that everything was taken care of; Buffy made a mad beeline to her car. She wanted to get to the supermarket and pick up the chocolate ice-cream, along with a few other sundries, and then finally hurry home.

While at the supermarket, she couldn’t help but feel the nagging eerie feeling that she had earlier.

Feeling like something was either missing or something was out of place. She began to roam her mind for what could be the possible reason for the feeling.

And because she was in such a hurry to get home, she didn’t bother to call the house before she left work.

*Just great* She thought.

After she paid for the items, she made it to her car and back on the road again in record time.

Unfortunately, driving is no easy task for Buffy, and nonetheless when she can’t control her mind from wandering to images of dreadful scenarios. From point a to point b; hard, making it from point a to point b alive; harder still.

As she rounded the corner to get to her house, she swerved out of the way of a bicyclist, and nearly took out the trashcan as she parked into the driveway.

Getting to the doorstep with bags in her arms, and finally opening the door; she laughed at herself *This is ridiculous, everything is fine. It's probably nothing. Everything is fine* was her last thought before she stumbled into the house.

The first thing she heard was the staggering silence, *Everything is fine, everything is in it's place... except where's Spike? Why isn’t he here greeting me, he always greets me....Oh God Alex. Where's Alex? Sheeesh get a hold of yourself woman, he's probably outback and didn’t here you come in. And Alex is probably resting, he is fighting an illness, you know?* She took a breath to relax her nerves. Then finally she let her presence be known, "Honey I'm home." as the age-old announcement goes.

She walked to the kitchen and set down the groceries on the kitchen island, threw the cartons of ice-cream into the freezer, and waited for them to respond. When nothing came, she called out again, hoping that an answer would come, dreading if their wasn’t.

And when no response came, she bolted up the stairs, "Ohgodohgodohgod" she said, over and over like a mantra to herself. When she finally got to the threshold of Alex's door, and peeked in, the sight in front of her rendered her speechless.

Alex, tucked in and sleeping...well, like a baby.

Not at all that different in describing the state Spike was in. Spikes arm was draped protectively over Alex, his other arm was splayed out and falling over the side of the bed, a foot hanging out from the foot of the bed, and the other leg seemed to have fallen off the bed so that his foot had to rest on the floor.

Smiling at the scene, Buffy sat on the rocking chair by the window as quietly as she could, so as to not wake them from their stupor.

But like always, Spike stirred from his sleep at her presence.

"Sweetness, you're home." Spike said, in a dry sleep induced whisper, and giving Buffy one of his best smiles.

"Yeah got home a bit early. Sorry for waking you."

"Nahh. Wasnt really sleeping."

"Right." Buffy whispered back. *Like snoring suggests your awake* "How's Alex… feeling better?"

"Yeah. I took his temp. in the middle of the story, he's back to normal." Spike said, as he got up from the bed, "But he zonked out at I got to the end." and pulled Buffy up from the chair. "How was work?" Spike asked as he kissed her temple, and wrapping an arm around her shoulders.

"It was fine; I would rather have stayed here with you guys though." Buffy said as she wrapped an arm around spike's waist, and before wrapping her other arm to join the other, she bent down to run a hand over Alex's forehead, brushing the soft brown curls from his eyes. "I've been feeling a bit off all day. All I wanted to do was get home. I mean Alex hasn’t been sick since...well since our little voyage to L.A.”

Spike sighed, "Yeah I know how you feel... come on," Spike nodded towards the door, "let him sleep."

~~*~*~***~

"So he fell asleep on you, huh?" Buffy stated, as she spooned out a glob of chocolate ice-cream.

They were sitting on the porch waiting for the sunset. And they had a good hour or so, to talk till then.

"Yeah..." Spike replied, as he grabbed the spoon from Buffy's hand after she licked off the ice-cream.

"How far didja get?"

"Up to the 'I do,' and when I noticed his eyes start to droop... I brought it to the 'happily ever after.'" Spike said, as he took in a spoonful of ice-cream. He then quickly dipped it back into the carton to get another spoonful for Buffy.

"So… no reception?"

Spike smiled, enjoying the sight of Buffy lick off every trace of ice-cream, as he fed her. As if a drip would be a waste, far more disastrous and momentous than wasting a redwood, to a freak fire. "No reception." Spike confirmed.

"So this explains the drifting off to sleep part. I'm sure if you…" Buffy paused for a moment to take another bite of ice-cream, "told him about the after party he'd be giggling to no end, and sleep would be the last thing on his mind."

"Yeah but lucky for him, he understood that rest was needed to fight the fight. So being the smart boy he is, he went ahead and saved me from going on, and having to explain the sordid details."

"Sordid?" Buffy asked, astonished at his choice of words. Then giggled when it came to her, at what he was referring to, "But baby that was your finest hour."

"Haha.." Spike said, dryly. "Which probably explains why you all won’t let me live it down? And tell it every chance you get."

"Exactly." Buffy playfully nudged his arm.

"Well I don’t see a reason for Alex to know."

"Why not?"

"Well for obvious reasons." Spike said, trying to keep a straight face. He had to admit, if the tables were turned he wouldn’t want to forget, and would have already told Alex the story. "For one, telling it would be a bad example for the boy."

"Why?"

"You know why."

"Is it because you don’t want him to think of you as anything but the burly champion, or the passionate, sweet, romancer that swept his mother off her feet, or the wonderful father you are.” Buffy listed, as if ticking it off a checklist. “Don’t you want him to know about your irresistible charm?"

"Charm? Charm," Spike let out a chuckle at that, "is that how you put it?"

"Well I don’t know how to put it in any other way."

Spike rolled his eyes at that, "Well how bout making an ass out of myself."

"Hey now," Buffy stopped him with a look that told him to not go any further with that statement. “I fell in love with you all over again, because of that irresistible charm of yours.”

Spike looked at her as if she had grown a second head. “You have got to be kidding me. That was not at all what I describe as charming, and if it is then, that’s not why you fell in love with me.”

“No? Then please do tell me, why? Why did I fall in love with you?” Buffy asked, as is she were asking him, why were the clouds white.

“Well, because of my sinister—"

"Mom, your home?" Alex said, inadvertently interrupting, as he stretched the sleep away from his body.

~~*~*~***~

TBC...

~~*~
Part 10
*No laughing matter *
~~*~

When the wind had started to pick up, they decided it was time to go inside.

Buffy was the first to enter, as Spike went to give Alex a piggy back ride. "So what do you guys want for dinner?" When she didn’t get a reply, she turned around, only to see nobody there, "Come on guys, where are you?" Buffy asked, as the sinking feeling she felt from earlier, started to her. "This is not funny guys, come on out." *Fine you wanna play?*

"Now come on... you know, I'll find you." Buffy tuned out her surroundings, she knew they were close by, she could feel it. Though she could not pinpoint their exact location, since her senses got muddled with the apprehensive feelings that she couldn’t shake off, and because she was pregnant it was times tenfold. Where can those two be? She started to walk back to the door, but thought better of it. *Think they could scare me? I think not.*

She tiptoed close to the doorway, and jumped over the doorstep, to beat them to their game. "Boo!" She yelled out, hoping to have scared the two that were behind the door, but was surprised to find nobody there. As she was about to turn around, she felt something along her leg, and she couldn’t do anything to stop it, but scream.

And scream met laughter. Alex was holding onto her leg, as he sat on the floor.

"Why you little..." Grinning at her son, who looking up at her with the most innocent face she has ever seen, iridescent blue eyes, and cheeks that begged to be pinched, "where's your father?" Buffy asked, letting relief roll down her spine. She bent down to try and pry her sons arms from the calf of her leg.

And as she bent down, she quickly knew she would soon live to regret it. For in the corner of her eye, she saw Spike hastily sweep behind her.

"Attack!" Spike commanded, as he grabbed Buffy around the waist bringing her to the floor.

As soon as she was on the floor, Alex started tickling her as planned.

Spike, who got her around the middle, tortured her, as he tickled her most ticklish spot; just along and below her ribs on her sides. "Face it babe, we got you good."

"Okay, okay. But you do know Spike... this cant be good...for the baby...I mean, me... not being able to breath... and all..." Buffy said in between her giggles.

Once it registered what she just said, Spike froze.

Then at his stupefied expression, Buffy started laughing even harder, and showed him her crossed fingers.

“Why you—“

"Charge!" Buffy called out, before Spike could finish.

Alex, who had caught her wink from earlier, followed her command.

And in a matter of a split second, Buffy had reversed their positions, so that Spike was lying flat on his back, and Alex and Buffy both were tickling him. "Oh you both... are so going to pay... for that one. That's mutiny I tell you...mutiny!" Spike said, while trying and failing to get the advantage once again.

And laughter, chuckles, and giggles continued to fill the room.

Then all of a sudden, Buffy and Spike both sat bolt upright. *Oh God* They thought in unison.

Alex also stopped laughing, but not for the same reason as his parents, his reason was just out of curiosity of why they stopped. "What--"

Spike put a finger to his lips, to tell Alex to be quite for a moment. Then he stood up to head for the  still opened door.

Once there, he looked outside, scanning the lawn and the streets. He turned back to Buffy, who was also already on her feet, stepping in front of Alex, with a protective stance. "There's nobody there."

With a sigh of a relief, "Good."

"Guess again." Came the reply from just outside the entry.

Spike, who had only pushed the door so that it would close on its own, was already walking back into the house when he heard the voice, then quicker than a blink of an eye he was back at the door and tried to slam the door shut, *Fuck*

"Uncle Angel!"

"Alex get to your room." Spike said, as he used his weight to try and close the door.

"But--"

"Oh come on all he wants to do is see his Uncle." Angel replied, as he also put his weight on the door.

"Alex do as your father tells you!" Buffy ordered, and was already at Spike's side, trying to help close the door. "How is he getting passed the door, without an invite?!" Buffy asked Spike.

"Oh come on, Buff. Have you forgotten? I don’t need one, when one of it's owners is already dead." Angel sneered.

"Fuck!" Came Spikes reply. "Buffy you too, get upstairs."

"No, I'm not leaving you with Angelus!" Came Buffy's reply.

"Yes! You’re pregnant, and there's no way--"

Just then they both somehow got the door closed. Without saying another word, Buffy rushed upstairs to check on Alex. While Spike went to block all the doors and windows.

~~*~

TBC...

~~~~*~

Part 11

*Point of Perspective*

~~~~*~

Stupid ponce of a git.

I cannot believe this is happening. Hopefully Alex…hmm he’s probably going to be hungry, we didn’t even get to eat dinner. Bloody hell, Angelus, make my son feel hungry…

Grabbing a box of animal crackers and a carton of milk, I block off all the windows and doors with the steel reinforcements, which he and Xander had installed. That should hold ‘em out till I get back down.

~~~~*~

“What’s wrong mom?” I don’t know what’s happening, dad wont let me see Uncle—why did Uncle look at me like that?

Mom’s pacing—I’ve never seen her like that before.

Well there was this one time, when dad let me eat a whole big bag of M&Ms, but then mom said I would get sick and starting walking back and forth talking to herself, and then, and then dad said, it was just that one time, and besides I really wanted too, and then mom and dad started saying stuff to each other, and then I threw up, and then they stopped arguing—well that’s what I think they were doing, cuz my friend says that’s what his parents does. But I don’t know because, I don’t see them doing that so much, but sometimes when I hears them talking back and forth and sometimes, mom gets mad at dad and dad gets sad, or dad says stuff and mom doesn’t talk to him, but they tells me that’s what happens when people loves each other…Anyway mom doesn’t look like she’s mad, just like she’s sad. She stops walking now.

“Well baby, remember what we talked about? All vampires are different, they can have different personalities like people do…Now listen, don’t open the door for anybody, except…?” Buffy waited for Alex to finish her sentence.

“You or daddy.”

“That’s right honey.”

I hear a knock on the door, but I don’t answer it because mom tolds me not to. We did this before, mom and dad and me would play this game, where I go to this room. They always tell me not to open the door to anybody, only to them or grampa Giles, or Uncles Xander or Auntie Willow. And then they ask me questions like, like where is the food or the secret weapons, I’m not suppose to play with.

 “Baby, it’s me.” That’s dad, he told mommy so. But I don’t open it, because mom’s already there.

~~~~*~

This can’t be happening. This can’t be happening. I knew something like this would happen--I felt it.

I open the door, which can only be opened on the inside. The hidden room only has two doors, one entrance way, but two exits, one leading to Spike’s and my room the other to Alex’s room.

As soon as I open the door, I look into his eyes. They tell me everything I already know.

Spike then goes to Alex and I see him kneel in front of him so that he can be at eye level. He’s talking to him, and Alex is nodding his head. I don’t hear a thing Spike’s saying, because how can I? Not when my mind is on overdrive and screaming at me to do something.

When Spike stands back up, Alex goes to the side table and opens the box of animal crackers, and separates a handful into two groups; be eaten, and not to be eaten. He doesn’t eat the whole crackers; he plays with them, but he eats the broken ones-- says that he has to eat them before they feel hurt. I turn to open the drawer that I was leaning against, to pull out some solid food, and place it on the table. I know Alex will be hungry for more than animal crackers and milk.

I feel Spike behind me; I can feel him watching me, thinking-- he’s always thinking…

I feel him come up behind me, and for a moment I think that he’s going to put his hands around my waist to hold me—he always does that, and when he does, I just melt. But he doesn’t do that now, there’s no time for that. But I know he knows what I’m thinking, and thinks it too.

I feel his cool soothing breath on my neck, he doesn’t need to breath, but does it anyway, sometimes I think he breaths because of me, because he thinks I need to feel it, hear it…but he tells me, he breaths for me--he knows…I never told him, but he knows, knows that I love just the idea of feeling anything from him, to tell myself he’s there. He’s just inches away, only inches away.

I feel him dip his head and press his lips to bend of my neck. He’s whispering now. “Please don’t come down.”

I put a hand to the slight curve of my belly. And I feel his hand covering my own, but it leaves as soon as I felt it, making me wonder if his hand ever touched mine.

“Just stay here for Alex, and this one.”

I only nod.

~~~~*~

I know better to trust that nod. I know she could never lie to me. The nod proves just that.

I hear the house start to reverberate, the product of vampires trying to get in. The steel reinforcements are working like a charm, but it’s not going to last long. So I know I have to get back down.

I get to the hidden wooden chest, carrying the weapons. But instead I just grab something hanging from a hook on the wall. I feel her facing me now, watching me. “I mean it Buffy.”

She’s walking over to me now. But never answers, I don’t see it, but I know she nodded. “He’s got a lot of company with him?” She says in more of a statement than question.

“20, just about.” I answer, I look at her now. “Did you call Red?”

“Yeah, she’s making her way to Giles’s.”

“Xander? And the slayers?”

“He and Andrew are getting to the dormitory as we speak.”

She’s mere inches away, and puts her hands on me; she’s running her hands down the lapels of my jacket, she doesn’t meet my eyes, and so I take her hands into my own, and I give each a kiss.

“There not just a bunch of fledglings, you know that.” She looks up at me. I see her lip tremble.

“Hey I got this. I’ll be back right quick.” I flash her one of my grins. With that I turn and open the door.

~~~~*~

TBC...

A/N: This turned out a lot more serious than intended...

~*~~~*~

Part 12

 

*Pancakes*

~*~~~*~

 

Spike casually stepped down the stairs, as if he was just going to grab a bite to eat in the kitchen. Letting his leather coat billow around him, he was almost glad for the spot of violence just waiting for him outside.

 

He knew that if alerted, the slayers could be here within minutes, and kill the vampires for him, and he wouldn't have to lift a finger, but if by waiting and the vamps get inside, he wasn't going to allow the risk of putting Alex in danger. *Best do it myself. besides there is the factor of Angel to deal with*

 

Looking at door number one; the front door, as he came to the foot of the stairs; he took note of the damage. *Not much there. Windows number one and two; damage? close to zero.* Spike smiled, and honed on his senses, to pick up Angel's location, *Angel must be behind door number two; the back door. But first things first.*

 

Walking to the front door, he waited a beat before punching the code to release the safety reinforcements for the front door. As the slightly damaged steel slid back up, Spike smiled as he saw the original door already gone, which gave him his next sight; his smile grew even wider as he was greeted by five vamps standing around dumbfounded.

 

Spike stepped over the threshold, and made quick haste to dust the five vamps. *Gits..." He shook his head at their idiocy.

 

 

~*~~~*~

Buffy picked the phone up at the first ring.

 

"Yeah?"

 

"Were here at the dorm, just give the word and we'll alert the slayers."

 

"Kay, Just cant be too careful, ya know?"

 

"Yeah. Giles called saying Willow has everything for the spell."

 

"She called not a minute ago, but we hafta see if he actually lost his soul first."

 

"Gotcha, well just call, if need be, I don't wanna be cause for a false alarm. Over 30 irritated slayers in training.'nough said."

 

"Yeah...thanks again Xander for getting there. I'll talk to you later."

 

"No prob."

 

~*~~~*~

 

Not wanting to leave an entrance to the house, Spike went back in and sealed the entryway. Spike thought about going to the windows next, but thought it easier and faster to just go ahead to the backdoor, and deal with them later. *Wait a mo. opening the backdoor would lead to having an entrance to the house.* Spike tsked, "well I guess I'm just gonna have to hurry up then."

 

He walked to the backdoor, and noticed the significant damage to the door. *Angel, really, you could have done better than that.*

 

Opening the safety net like the he did with the front door, he was greeted not by Angel, but by six more vamps. *Hmm musta hit it once and let his cronies have a go at it* Like the first time, the vamps looked at him for a second. *Probably to admire my sensational good looks* Spike smirked, as he caught a glimpse of Angel standing under the tree in the backyard.

 

"Oh look you brought me some friends to play with, thanks Angel." Spike said while staking the vamps one by one as he stepped outside.

 

The other vamps who were at the windows, circled the house to get to the action. But like the others, as soon as they made their advance, they ended up as dust. As for the remaining three, they actually put up a fight, trying to best the vampire. They didn't even have a chance to feel their humiliation of actually thinking of such a thought, before they joined their dusty friends.

 

As Spike twisted the head off the last vamp, Spike turned his head and grinned at Angel.

 

~*~~~*~

 

TBC.
 

~**~~~*~

Part 14

*All in a Blink of an Eye*

~**~~~*~

Bounding down the stairs two-- three steps at a time, then circling round the banister in record time, was no easy feat for Buffy. Not when her body is protesting to stop, to slow down, that all her body wants to do is shut down, because just maybe it would be better not to see. See what? She doesn’t know. She just let her instincts take over, and her instincts told her to run.

However her instincts, though loud in its own way, did not drone out her inner thoughts, that kept telling her, that she would be too late, and there is nothing that she could do about it.

And she saw it; she saw everything that happened not a second ago, she saw him turn, as she got to the kitchen. She saw him take a step towards the house, towards her, as she got to the end of the table. Then she saw the arrow come out of thin air and pierce him in his chest, as she got to the back door.

And she sees everything now.

The arrow did not pierce his heart, it's an inch-- maybe two inches away--she mentally assures herself. But for some reason she knows this is worst than seeing him turn to dust.

She saw his expression as he looked up at her, like he wasn’t hurting, like he wasn’t surprised by the arrow, just concern and worriment written all over his face. Concern and worriment for her, as if she was the one who was hit.

But here she is, standing awestricken, willing, trying, wanting to make the image disappear, and waiting to wake up from the horrible dream.

But once it all came crashing into her, that this it is real, utterly surreally real, the impact was so great-- she felt nothing. No emotion, no pain, nothing. Just a mind numbing numbness that crept from her hair follicles to the very tips of her toes.

Although through it all she screamed nonetheless, or at least she thinks she did, because she doesn't recognize the scream she hears, or isn’t sure when it started, but the resonant ‘no’ does not leave her ears. Not until she looked to the side for a split second and saw Angel standing just the same, as if he didn’t know what happened.

*how dare he?*

Her heart is pounding so hard she thinks that it would somehow stop. Her ragged breathing cuts painfully through her lungs, and when she looks back at Spike he’s running towards her, with a look she's never seen before and for some reason, for the life of her, she just stands there, like a deer caught in headlights.

When he catches the arrow that was aimed for her heart; she hears him say her name, but there was no sound, just air. Then he starts to collapse. Buffy catches him before he falls forward, but a second later she has to gently lower him to the floor; her legs can no longer support her weight let alone his. Not anymore, not when her body isn’t functioning, isn’t responding.

But she knows this is not the time for that, one look into his dazed eyes she knows she has to get moving, because there is something that still has to be done.

She looks at the floor and sees the stake straight away. The stake Spike was using. She quickly makes a move to grab it, and has to leave Spike's side to do so. Once there she tightens her slim hand around the hard wooden stake and looks at the culprit.

She sees her sees her swaying form, hears her mad giggles and incoherent mumblings and somehow they are crystal clear. But she has no time to listen to her babbles. They mean nothing to her. 

But before she could raise the stake, something catches her eye. Angel has moved and darted for Spike. Buffy hears Spike groan in protest, and her already wounded heart, shatters at the sound.

“Get the fuck away from him!”

She makes a grab for Angel’s arm, and yanks him back one-handedly. Angel hits the tree with a thud causing leaves to fall while the tree house rattles above. The hit wasn’t nearly hard enough, and it was too late, because he had already got to him.

Buffy glances at Spike, and she notices the arrow is gone.

She turns back just in time to see Angel snap the thin twig in two with his thumb and index finger, and throws it into the distance-- not missing the center of Drusilla’s cold dead heart, and the arrow doesn’t hinder to collect dust, as it kept on its way to where her eyes can not follow; all in a flicker... but even that took an eternity.

She doesn’t say a word to him, not a single word. She doesn’t even look into his face to acknowledge what he's done. In her mind, he doesn’t even deserve a moment’s glance of gratitude.

“Buffy—“

She hears him start, but she doesn’t let him, “Just shut the fuck up ‘n stay away!”

Then she made her way back to Spike's side.

“Spike--baby," When she sees his eyes are closed, "open your eyes baby, look at me.” When Spike's eyes flutter open and meet her eyes, she smiles. She whispers, "That's it, just stay with me." as she lets her awaiting tears sting her eyes and fall down her cheeks, she thinks, *How the hell could an arrow bring him down?*

But she knows there is more to it than that, which is what caused her to run down in the first place.

~**~~~*~

TBC...

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