Normal? Why Not?

~**~

Part 15b

*Spilt Milk*

~**~

*Buffy? Sorry if I'm interrupting but, Alex wants to come down.* Willow sent her thoughts downstairs to Buffy, not knowing whether of not it would be a good idea.

*Just a minute Will*

"There is always something we could do." Buffy looked at Spike. "He needs to heal, and if his blood isn’t going to do the trick then-"

Her eyes drifted down to the heavy gauze that was already soaked with blood. She thought of all the blood that had pooled around him in the backyard. The blood that soaked his coat, the blood that made the green grass red. *So much blood, lost* She said to herself. Buffy looked back into Spike's eyes, and she saw the dazed look disappear. As if he read her thoughts.

"No Buffy, I won't, I'm not doing it."

"Buffy we don’t know what it could do." Giles added, already knowing what was on her mind. "Suppose it will speed the healing process, and close the wound up--stop the blood lost. But what if that's all it can do. Not to mention you are pregnant... I don’t mean...." Giles left his sentence hanging.

"Buffy we can't risk... we just won't okay?" Spike said softly.

"I know this isn’t my place to say, but I agree. It might not even help."

Buffy quickly met the statement with a glare, "You're right Angel." Buffy said. "It's not your place."

"Giles?" Was all she said, she knew Giles would know what she was asking.

"We'll be in the living room." Giles simply said in reply, he made a motion for Angel to head out first. "If you... just call out if you need anything. And I’m not at all sure, but I think whatever you plan to do, you best do it quickly." With that he left the room and closed the door.

When she heard the door close, she opened her mouth to explain, but Spike hushed her with a sigh. "Buffy there's nothing... you can say or do to make me change my mind."

With a seriousness that even startled her, she stated. “Spike, I trust that you’ll only take what you need. You’re not going to hurt me or the baby. I trust you Spike, you know that.”

Spike was about to tell her, he still wouldn’t do it, but Buffy hushed him with a kiss, and when she pulled away she whispered, “Baby, I’m not going to lose you, and that’s not up to debate. Now Alex will be down, then after a minute, it’s happening whether you like it or not.”

*Will? Tell Alex he can come in.* Buffy said, alerting Will upstairs, as she met Spike’s set look, with a look of her own.

When a knock was heard, Buffy stood up to open the door. She bent down and pulled Alex in her arms and took him to his dad. “Baby, listen, daddy is having trouble moving. But I don’t want you to worry about it okay?”

Alex nodded, and cautiously crawled up the bed, when Buffy let go of him.

Buffy left the room, and closed the door. She thought of anything else that could be done. Bringing in the SiT's was a thought, but she knew it wouldnt be a good idea to ask them to donate blood. And besides there could be a possiblity than ANYTYHING can happen, so that idea is not a likely one; it did not sit well with her. *No,* she thought, *It has to be me*

A minute later she knocked on the door, to let them know she was coming in.

Alex came to her side.

“Alex, why don’t you go to your Aunt Willow, and your Grampa Giles.”

“Okay.” Alex simply said, and as he moved to leave he looked back at his dad.

Spike looked back and assured him. “I’ll be fine, you’ll see.”

At that Alex walked out the room.

Buffy watched him leave, and closed the door once again. Before she turned back to look at Spike she heard him whisper.

“Buffy I’m not…” Spike let his sentence float in the air as he took in her expression. An expression he saw many times, and exactly that many times he could not change her mind. A trait he loved, but at the moment hated that she possessed such a quality.

When Buffy got to his side, she sat next to him, she bent down to whisper in his ear, “I trust you baby, take what you need. We’ll be fine. This is more than I could say if you don’t do this for me; for us. Now let me see the beautiful face that I can never get enough of.”

~**~

TBC…in part c

A/N: So who guessed it? *grins* Yup knew you were all smart… Krispy Kremes for everyone, the crème filled kind…

Just so you know I do not own or have anythig to do with Krispy Kremes, nor their affiliates.

(2) the next part may take a while, seeing how my home comp is down (using the schools right now)

so i hope you 'njoy this part

(3) n forgive me ont hat part mentikoning the Sit's, I just sorta didnt wanna bring 'em into the fic, not yet, thqat is...

'Angel watched both Buffy and Spike's reaction to his statement. "Look if we are going to do this now, we'd better do it fast. Waiting will probably make things worse--it's spreading."

'Spike looked at Angel, then at Buffy. He kept his eyes on her. He felt the pain slowly course through his body. He still feels the slayer blood in him, coursing through him--doing its best to try and kill the poison in his dead body. But the whole time he knew that the aphrodisiac blood of THE slayer won't act like a panacea, as much as he wanted to believe it, it just wasn't.

'Buffy didn't need to ask Spike what he was thinking, she already knew. So instead she turned to Angel, "I was planning on giving you hell, after I knew Spike would be okay. But since after all that's happened, and what you say could work, I'll just…Look, you should know--you can't put the milk back into the carton, once it spills--who would want to anyway?" Buffy stated her voice even, then added in the same tone, "The only thing you can do is... clean it up, and hope it won't happen again."

'Angel nodded with an expressionless face, understanding what Buffy meant about the spill. He would take full responsibility for what happened, even if it was Drusilla's plan to begin with; he was just the doll she used to distract Spike. But nonetheless all the while he knew that he could have done something to have stopped it even as Angelus, but the demon in him didn't do a thing to do just that. For that he knew Spike was right. He's more of a man because he changed the demon in him, all I did was try to hide the demon. Angel left the thought as soon as it presented itself in his mind. He would later brood over it later, but now was not the time.

'"You know if the situation wasn't so serious, I would probably get a kick out of this." Angel said as he walked to Spike.

'Spike grinned at that. "Who are you kidding Angel? I actually got a kick once you took your first step closer." Spike tried to chuckle but the pain made him grimace instead.

'It wasn't like pain that you feel from arrows and swords, or anything of the sort. No, it felt like combustion from the inside out. But Spike made a move to sit up nonetheless.

'And next thing he knew, Angel was inches away. "Mate, I gotta tell you this time around a whole new set of thoughts are runnin' through my mind, than the set I had with my wife."

'And before Spike knew it, Angel was at his neck with his fangs already breaking skin.

'"Buffy why don't you have a seat, you want me to make you a cuppa?" Giles asked as he watched Buffy pace the expanse of the living room.

'"Then you'd understand that I'm a bit anxious to say the least." Buffy paced a few more sets, then plopped herself onto the couch. "Giles this better work' 'cause if...." Buffy wasn't able to complete her sentence because the thought of it already caused her to break down.

'Giles moved over to the couch next to Buffy. "Buffy...I can't say what could or what..." Giles was at a lost for words, and didn't bother to say anything that could be considered as comforting words, because he knew that words wasn't going to help Buffy.

'Buffy just couldn't take it anymore, and all the tears that she did not allow to fall earlier, came streaming down without relent, sure she knew she teared up out of the frantic commotion, but she just now let everything sink in and take over. She let Giles pull her closer to him, and sobbed into his offered shoulder.

'Spike morphed just the same, as he felt the penetration of Angel's fangs. He had not felt a vampires bite in ages, and for a hell-of-a-lot-longer than that he had not felt Angel's bite. And the bite was no different than the times before.

'Spike tilted his head, and tried to move his hand to move Angel's collar away so that he can get a clean bite, but couldn't; every part of his body felt heavy to move.

'Angel who was already taking deep pulls of blood, stopped for a second--something was missing. Then it donned on him, Spike's lack of movement. With a sigh, he noticed why. Angel yanked the collar away from his neck, making a tearing noise. Then assumed his position and sank his fangs again into Spike's neck.

'Spike, not taking another moments hesitation sank his fangs into flesh as well.

'"Mommy?" Alex who saw his mom crying, quickly put the slice of pizza he was holding, down and went to her.

'Buffy turned to look at Alex, and brought a hand up to brush away the tears. She held out her hands and Alex moved closer, when close enough, Buffy pulled him up onto her lap.

'Angel's blood was no blood of a slayer, but it has its own qualities that made Spike greedy for more. Angel may not be his sire, but from the same bloodline nonetheless. And the fact that the blood was offered, did not take away from the want of it all.

'Angel was dizzy from the mix of blood he was taking from Spike. First and foremost was the blood of Spike. Just his blood alone made him crazy to want to take control of him. Then there was the blood of Buffy's, the strong taste, made him dizzy with want, need, desire. Then there was the taste of the Anpanaea blood that made Angel just plain crazy. He could feel the effects of it in his own body, he felt his body getting warmer by the second, and felt his body start to cave in, something that he didn't plan on. Since if he completely caved he'd be in a position he didn't want to be in; on top of Spike. But then a thought quickly passed through his mind, at least I wouldn't be the one underneath. All thoughts aside, he turned them both so that he was no longer leaning over Spike but rather beside him but still facing him.

'Spike was the first to stop; he felt the strength slowly creep back into him. He didn't know whether or not if it would last because, the same thing happened when he took the first sip of Buffy's blood, but in a matter of minutes he felt some of the strength leave. But something in him told him that this time was different.

'Angel stopped a moment after. He quickly wiped the blood from his lips and sat up.

'Angel turned to lean back onto the headboard half sitting. Spike just fell back since the headboard was already behind him. "Ya think it'll work?"

'Buffy assured her son, knowing she needed the assurance just as well, "Everything will turn out okay, you'll see."

The wait was the most difficult part of the day, anything else Buffy could put an answer to. But the wait was just out there, there was nothing solid about it.

Her eyes fixated on the door; willing Spike who was behind the closed door, to be okay. There is nothing in the world she wants more than for him to open that door and walk out of it, as if nothing happened, as if he was just taking a nap, and none of this day ever happened. Then everything would be how it should be, because anything else isn't right, not to her; not for them.

"So I feel like a truck just ran over me...and the driver forgot to do the 'over' part and the truck is still very well on top of me..."

"I think so, too. Swapping blood, did the trick after all. Guess it gave me, well now us, the time to fight. Kind of like having to fight a cold," Spike grinned at the thought of how he told Alex that they were going to fight his cold just hours before. "Vampire style."

"I don't even remember what it was like to have a cold. But I remember hating it when I learned I caught it from someone."

"Glad I was able to pass this on to you then." Spike said, with a grin. "So how long have we been sittin' here for?"

"Two minutes away from my family; a record I don't want to top." Spike made a move off the bed.

"Look, there's something Buffy and I don't do anymore, and that's what you are about to do, so don't." Spike said, knowing that Angel was about to explain everything, and frankly Spike just wanted to walk out the door and be with Buffy and Alex. "Words pretty much mean shit. Just show me, yeah?"

When Buffy saw the door open she thought she had only imagined it. But when Alex exclaimed, "Dad!" and got up from her lap to run over to him, she very well knew it was true, and let out a sigh, Spike is okay.

When Spike first walked out, his first sight was Buffy and Alex on the couch. Next thing he knew Alex was running to him, and was in his arms. He lifted Alex up, "See I told you, I'd be okay." Spike looked over and watched Buffy stand up; a sight he would remember. Her cheeks were tear streaked, and eyes that were yet again filled with new tears, ready to drop and follow the path of the others. And her lips that broke into a smile; he'd never seen her so beautiful.

Buffy ran over to Spike, and threw her arms around him, Alex who was still being carried by Spike, was caught in the middle. And one thought seemed to run through all three of their minds, Now this is right

After a few moments passed by, Giles who had stood up, walked over to the scene. Willow walked over as well. She was the first to get there.

Spike kept his arm around Buffy's shoulder and in the other he still held onto Alex, while he turned to regard Willow, "Thanks Red."

"Glad to here you say that. So I guess we're all glad then?" Spike said with a grin. "You know I always knew that I was the reason that made everyone feel all fuzzy inside."

After all things settled, and Angel, Giles, and Willow went home, Buffy, Spike and Alex walked up the stairs.

Alex turned into the bathroom to do his bedtime ritual. Buffy and Spike waited just outside of the door, when there eyes met.

When they reached Alex's bedroom, Spike watched him get into bed and quickly gett under the covers.

While Buffy adjusted the covers to tuck Alex in, Spike brushed the light soft brown curls from his forehead, "Nothing like a goodnights sleep after yet another battle won."

"You think when he grows up, he's gonna think back and say, 'whoa, what kind of life is this? This is sooo not right'" Buffy reflected as they got to their own room.

"Nah..." Spike shrugged, as they walked into the master bathroom, "he's gonna think back and say, 'glad I lived a life such as this.'" Spike looked at Buffy who was already brushing her teeth. He did the same.

"I bet--" Buffy started, as she walked out of the bathroom with Spike closely behind her, "I mean, what's normal anyway, right?" Buffy got underneath the covers, and Spike did the same. "This is right, right?" Buffy said, not needing an answer, as she snuggled into Spike's side. "We're okay."

"What?! What is it?" Spike said as he sat up and rubbed the sleep from his eyes, and when they focused onto his son, in pjs wearing an anxious expression, he sat up, but when he noticed Alex was wearing a helmet, he flopped back into bed.

"I did not promise to do it at..." Spike turns to check the clock "at five-thirty in the bloody a.m."

"Hello?! I'm right here, and you said first thing in the morning, dad," Alex said as he nudged his dad to get up. "and it's morning."

"First thing, when I get up. And since I'm not up yet, then--" At Alex's expectant glare, Spike turned to his wife for help. But instead was met with a glare similar to the one his son was wearing. "Fine, fine, I'm up, I'm getting up." He looked at Alex, and scanned him head to toe, "Better get your shoes on then, I'll be only a minute."

"Right." Buffy said as she got up also, slipping on her slippers. "Like you weren't going to give in anyway. Besides you should know he got his persistence from you." Buffy walked over to Spike and kissed his cheek. "And good morning love."

Spike sighed and grinned at the thought of his son, then turned to his wife, "Good morning baby." Spike said pulling Buffy closer to him. Till a voice coming from downstairs, was heard.

"Okay, okay I'm coming." Spike called back, kissing Buffy on the lips, "we're gonna finish that morning kiss later." Spike said as he pulled on his docs, not bothering with socks. And he was out the door before the laces were tied. Then an instant later came back in to grab a shirt. "Alex needs to concentrate…don't want the neighbors ogling and distractin' him....any other day I wouldn't mind what the neighbors think." He mumbled as he ran out the door again.

"Okay, remember what I told you, just look ahead and don't worry about moving the handle bars just yet, just keep--"

"Right." Spike said with a firm grip on the back of the seat of the bike. They were just about to start moving when Spike heard the sound of footsteps, so Spike held the bike still.

Spike smiled, and when they got closer he bent down to kiss his daughter, "Morning sweetness."

Spike took a moment to take in the view of his family. His daughter wearing Scooby slippers, wearing a pale pink nightgown; his son, also in pjs, ready to fly, wearing an expression much like his own when he couldn't wait; and his beautiful wife holding a camera and standing in worn drawstrings and a tank top, with one of the straps falling off the shoulder.

He looped a finger under the strap and slowly put it back in its place, atop her shoulder. "Can't get any better than this luv."

With that, Spike and Alex started to move, with Spike keeping a hold onto the bike. "That's it just keep peddling, I'm not going to let go until you say so."

"Okay." Alex said peddling, and then when he felt like he was picking up a bit of speed, and felt the balance, he laughed. "I think I got it dad, let go."

Spike who was running now still holding onto the seat, "Do you mean to not let go? 'cause I won't till you say so."

Spike, who still held onto the bike as Alex turned so they were heading back, didn't seem to hear the 'okay.'

Spike laughed. "Yeah you're doing it, you're doing great Alex, just keep peddling."

"Mom, look I'm riding a two-wheeler on my own." Alex said as he turned the handlebars to head towards his mom again.

"I can see that honey, you're doing terrific." Buffy said as she took yet another snapshot of the event.

Spike, upon seeing Alex getting used to riding and was now taking wide circles around the open street, he walked over to Buffy, his eyes still locked onto Alex. "That's it, just keep steady." Spike encouraged. When he got to Buffy and Joan's side, he picked Joan up and held her to him; she had been clapping earlier, and was totally enthused about the whole scene.

Spike looked at Buffy and smiled as he put his other arm around her waist, and then turned back to watch Alex make yet another smooth turn and head in their direction, and listened to Joan giggle in the back ground. "Thank you."

A/N: Thanks to all to those who took the time to read, and many thanks to those who sent me feedback, It really meant a lot to me on whether or not you enjoyed the fic. smiles