Chapter 19

"Why don't we find somewhere comfortable to sit and we can explain," Buffy suggested.

"No, not here....listen, you should go," Boon advised,"It's not safe here."

"Why's that?"

"Downstairs...there's some vampires. I'm here to kill them. I've been...been watching them come and go for a while."

"A nest?" Spike inquired,"Could go for a spot a violence, you don't mind do you, precious?" Buffy sighed and gave his back a little rub.

"Go have your fun, I'm gonna go hang out in fiction." Spike pulled her to the side a bit to speak with her.

"I'd feel a bit better if you'd go find Andrew, I don't want you alone."

"Spike, I am the Slayer, remember?"

"I know, I know. Just......nevermind, I'll stay here."

"Don't be silly, you know you wanna see this girl in action. We're the only ones in the world who can help her, teach her. Why don't I come with?"

"No bloody way!"

"I'll hang back, watch you be all feral and stealthy. Come on, lemme watch my Big Bad vamp be all noble good guy and sexy.You know you wanna play."

"I've got an idea." They turned back to the girl,"Up for a bit of a lark, girl?"

"Huh?" the younger Slayer questioned.

"That's old British guy speak asking if you want to humiliate the vampires horribly before you dust them?" Buffy supplied.

"What the hell."

Down in the lowest part of the building, which housed the children's books, old magazine archives and washrooms, a group of six vampires had hoarded around a pile of loot - nothing that was of an value or use anymore in the new world, but simpleton fledgling demons weren't able to appreciate that little irony. From the moment William awoke after his turning he saw the richness of the world before him as few vampire do, the Order of Aurelius bred a special kind of demon.

Boon had a pack of cigarettes and for this little foil, Buffy didn't mind him partaking, truth being that she kinda liked the subtle scent lingering on him, and would allow it just this once. Of course he still had the zippo and the flame flickered to life after a commanding din of metal on metal. The perfect circle of burning ash that stood in the darkened stairwell immediately commanded the attention of the half dozen vampires.

"You lot from 'round 'ere?" Spike asked, leaning back against the wall, inhaling and letting out a white billow of smoke. The ones that weren't perennially in game face changed into demons without volition, showing themselves to be the dogs they were. Spike rolled his eyes.

"We gonna argue 'bout who's got the bigger lumpies? 'Cause I'm telling you here and now that the champ of that contest always turns out to be me."

"Who are you?" one of the snarled.

"Name's Spike, might've heard a me?"

"Just one, from Sunnydale." Spike groaned.

"Do I sound like a bloody southern Californian? Hail from Merry Olde, but yeah, I'm coming by way of the land a sunshine..."

"Weren't you the Slayer's lap dog?" one of the others asked. Spike chuckled to himself.

"The lap part a that being the operative word. Sure, she kept me in blood n' beers for a while, I didn't get staked, she got serviced. Little tart liked thinkin' she had herself a pet vampire, but I always knew how to take her down." Spike heard Buffy gasp from around the corner where she was hiding. He cringed inwardly, knowing he'd pay for that little comment later,"But that chapter's over...funny, chapter - bookstore.....heh...." No one ever got his humor, Spike carried on,"On the trail of a new girl now, 'eard there's a fresh baby Slayer in these parts. Seen 'er 'bout?" Only one of the vamps was a woman. She was dressed simply in jeans and a flannel coat, long hair, small.

"I've seen her, I know all about her," she seethed.

"That right, tell us, pet, does she come 'round 'ere much, trying to suss out what you lot want? There's not many fresh meals left to this town."

"The Slayer's here."

"Which is why I'm here, if you've heard of Spike then you know that Slayers are a specialty o' mine."

"We know, every vampire knows about you," the first vamp said,"William the Bloody, the Slayer of Slayers." Buffy rolled her eyes, that had probably puffed her husband's chest up like the Incredible Hulk's.

"Good on you, now pony up, where's the little bint at this time of day?"

"Don't know...she's out on the street every night, never comes in here though, she's chicken."

"Oh so she knows about this little family of yours? Funny that, a Slayer being afraid of a bunch a limp fanged wankers!" It took a few for the vampires to clue into the fact that they'd just been insulted, but when they did they all turned to Spike with fangs gleaming and ready for a fight."You know what's even funnier? That she's standing right behind you." Like lemmings over a cliff, the vamps all turned to see Boon standing on top of a low bookshelf, stake in hand, smirk on her face. Spike used the distraction to jump into action. He took the rest of the steps in one leap, slid the stake out from his belt and stuck it into the heart of the closest vamp.

Boon was a little slower to the take, but sharpened up in time to kick a one of them in the face when he came for her. She jumped clear over him and landed behind, thrusting the stake into his back and rendering him to dust. She'd never taken on more than one random vamp at a time, once there was two and she'd barely managed. This situation would have had her scared witless if it weren't for the fact that Spike was laughing and Buffy looked somewhat amused from her position of watching in the doorway. They were having fun with this. Spike was rambling on about Manchester United and how it was a real shame Beckham didn't survive the apocalypse.

The young Slayer's attention was captivated by another vampire when he struck her hard across the face, sending her staggering back into a bookcase. She struggled with him until he was suddenly pulled off her. Spike staked him good and proper."No worries, Slayer. We'll get you trained," he said before going back to the two remaining vamps. Spike was fighting them both off at once, more like playing with them. Good old fashioned slaying had him adrenalized. Boon locked eyes with the one female in the group, a cold angry stare and the Slayer felt compelled to take this one on herself. The vamp showed fear at seeing that steel predatory glint that only came from the source of a Slayer's power. The vampire decided now was not the day to die and took off up the stairs.

Buffy luckily watched the exchange and was ready, but unfortunately didn't expect the vampire to not try and pass her, instead she went on the attack. Buffy deflected the vampire's punch and returned it immediately. The vampiress slammed into the arch of the door and was after Buffy again in seconds. Buffy's motility was as sharp as ever, but she caught her heal on a stray book on the floor and slid a little, this giving the vamp a open window of attack. The vampire's foot landed square in Buffy's chest, knocking the wind out of her and straight into another shelf.

Buffy struggled for breath and deftly heard the sound of a vampire exploding into dust before Spike was rushing over her in a manic state,"Love!? Love? Buffy??!" he cried, falling to her and searching for injuries on her body.

"What the hell was up with that accent?" she wheezed,"Could you be any more cockney trash? It's like your IQ dropped fifty points every time you dropped a consonant!" She touched his face and smiled, trying to put him at ease by making jokes.

"How badly are you hurt?"

"Not at all, I'm tougher than that bitch. Get me up." He reluctantly complied and once he had her on her feet he crumbled, shaking as she hugged him.

"Told you to stay back."

"I did, she came after me. I'm okay, okay?"

"Okay...just...I get scared you know?" She kissed him and rubbed his back.

"How'd your new Slayer do?"

"Pretty good, she needs training, needs a Watcher."

"Well she's go two now." Buffy looked down into the basement where Boon stood kicking about some of the vampires' possessions, looking very sullen.

"I think her pride's a lil' hurt, she did get knocked about."

"I think she'll be good, she's got good instincts and reflexes, she just needs our help to make her into a real Slayer."

"I don't know about you, but I could use a little bit of rest after this latest adrenaline infusion. You scared me half to death, pet. More to death, rather."

"Why don't we have lunch then, you go find Andrew and get the stuff, I'm gonna go find a bathroom. Baby, foot, bladder, you know the drill."

"Alright, pet, be back in a jiff." Buffy went down to Boon's level, but winced and had to pause, there was a sting in her abdomen, but it passed quickly. She came over to the young Slayer, but was shocked to find tears in her eyes.

"Are you okay?" Buffy asked.

"Huh? Oh, fine, fine...just a little...I've never really been in a fight like that before."

"It's okay, you did great, even got a vamp. I totally missed the first time I even tried to stake one. You'll get a lot better, I promise. Spike and I will help train you, teach you."

"Really?"

"Of course. Where have you been living, we can go with you and get your stuff."

"Around...I don't have much stuff, I had to abandon my pack one night - I think it's here with with all this other junk. Buffy?" Buffy had closed her eyes and her lips were pressed tight,"You okay?" Buffy exhaled the breath she'd been holding in and gave the girl a smile.

"I'm fine...just need a washroom."

"Um...I think it's over there." Buffy nodded and headed to where the girl pointed, quickly.

"Where's my lovely wife gotten to then?" Spike asked when he returned some ten or so minutes later, setting down a couple of boxes with food and the stuff to prepare it with. Boon was alone, sitting on the bottom step, Andrew walked down and gave the girl a little wave.

"She went to the bathroom," the young girl replied.

"Right, poor lamb, the little tyke's getting bigger each day it seems. Boon, this is Andrew, friend of ours."

"Hi," Andrew said.

"Hey," Boon replied.

"Buffy been gone long?" Spike inquired.

"Yeah actually, since you left." Feeling decidedly uncomfortable by this bit of news, Spike immediately followed after his mate. Buffy knew it was him before he even opened the door. She quickly finished cleaning herself up and exited the stall. The tears that were still streaming down her cheeks spoke a grave story.

"Sweetheart?" he asked quietly,"What's the matter?" She showed him her hands before she went to the sink to wash away the stains of blood,"Oh no..."

"I'm sorry...I thought I was fine...but then I had a couple of cramps...I came to check just...just...in case.....and......and...." She started to sob, hanging over the sink and barely able to draw in breath. He went to go to her but she held him at bay, too afraid to take the comfort he had to offer. There was something that had to be done first. "I'm sorry...but, I, Spike could you please....heartbeat? Listen to hear if there's still a heartbeat?"

Chapter 20

An intense wave of nausea followed her words, the very thought of him putting his ear to her belly to hear if the baby had died made her sick. She'd have done anything to save him the anguish of having to do it, to go down on his knees before her and perhaps find that their miracle was no more.

"Isn't it moving?" His voice cracked and it was a dagger to her heart. His bottom lip trembled violently and tears already spilled from his eyes. His hand hovered over her stomach, unable to take that last inch and feel what might be a lost child, dead inside Buffy.

"I don't know...not for...for a while now...I don't know, I can't tell. Could you please just hurry!!" He gave her a sharp, pained look, sharing her panic and horror, but unable to do anything but spiral down into the same abyss of despair and fear. He fell to his knees as if his legs had suddenly been sliced off. Angrily he pushed her shirt up, without the inherent gentleness he'd always treated her with, put his ear to it. He was quiet for a few moments, the only sound in the room was Buffy's hard breathing through her mouth. Spike let out a wounded sounding cry and Buffy shattered,"No...no...."

"Strong as ever...little heart's going a mile a minute!" He gave her roundness a full, open mouth kiss, arms flying around her thighs, a litany's of thanks yous to god flowing from his mouth with his sobs of pure joy and relief. Buffy held on to his shoulders just to keep herself upright, her own tears coming hard and fast. The fear had gripped them for only the expanse of a few minutes, but in that time every hell they'd seen in the last two years seemed like a circus by way of comparison."Don't you dare leave us! You hear me in there? Never scare mummy and daddy like this again!" His demand was affirmed by a sudden kick from inside right against his cheek.

"Spike, don't yell at your child." She was caressing the back of his head and holding him firmly, her voice soothing but still a little shaky.

"I don't mean to, pet, m'sorry. Still, something's not right if there's been blood. It's to bed with you until we're certain you're fine, let whatever's wrong heal. No arguments."

"I'm not going to argue...just hold me, please." He rose to his feet and encircled her with his arms, rocking them gently as their tears took time to recede. Afterwards he carried her back out to the basement and told Andrew to set up camp . An hour later they had their own private space, separated by several shelves of books from Boon and Andrew. Settling her down on her back, he propped several pillows under her feet to alleviate any strain on her abdomen, then piled several layers of blankets over her. He sat down cross legged on the floor in front of her, resting his chin near her shoulder, his hand stroking the top of her head. He'd given her the baby blanket he'd gotten for her and it laid over her chest and stomach under the covers, just the corner peaking out. He was singing Greensleeves to her in an effort to lull her to sleep. Buffy tried, but her mind was still too overwrought, so she turned her head and watched his eyes and listened to his voice until he finished the song and he joined her in bed.

His head came to rest on a corner of her pillow, lips just touching her shoulder. Under the sheets they'd linked hands and Spike's thumb stroked the back of her hand,"I'm scared, Spike," she whispered.

"So am I, pet."

"But we're together, so we can do this, right?"

"Keep faith, precious."

"I'm trying, I've never been so scared in all my life."

"Me neither...how's he...she....how are they?"

"There's a hand, I think, pushing up top, like they're testing how much room they've got, it kinda hurts a little, but it's nice. Hold us, k'? I don't think I can sleep." Spike moved cautiously so not to jostle her much until he was on his side and his body was pressed against hers. He slipped his arm underneath her neck, so her head could rest back against his chest, while his other hand laid splayed over her middle, the gentle movement of tiny bones tapping against his palm. She was crying and trying very hard to hide it from him, but he knew.

"What do you think of the name Anne?"

"It's my middle name."

"Yes, I know dear. Do you like it?"

"I guess, yeah...I think mom gave it to me because she felt the need to give me something plain after the debacle that is Buffy."

"I think your name is lovely. Anne was my mother's name."

"Oh! You never said before. You told me all about her turning...but you never said her name."

"Just a thought."

"Good thoughts, tell me more good thoughts. What was your dad's name?"

"Nothing too exciting, it was William also."

"I think that's been my choice since the beginning. I'd like the baby to have a family name."

"Joyce then?"

"Maybe....that would be nice, mom would like that."

"Tara, Willow, Anya and Dawn...all beautiful names."

"We'll have to have lots and lots of babies to fit all those names."

"There's Rupert and Xander to think of too."

"Suddenly we have a soc...football team?"

"Yeah, half a dozen little Spikes to terrorize mum? Sounds good to me."

"Of course it does, you just have to sit back and be the proud papa. I have to do all the work."

"Not bloody likely! You know I'll be right in the thick of it, teachin' 'em, keeping them well fed and warm, making sure they're protected and loved."

"I know you will, you're going to be an amazing father and you'll never leave, like mine did."

"No, I won't. I couldn't bare to be separated from my child, not for a second."

"I know that too. You're unique, Spike, I think, in all the world - that's why we could make our baby, that's why you can walk in the sun. Because you've earned these gifts."

"You shouldn't put such praise upon me, pet, I'm not deserving."

"I believe you are."

"Then I'll let it be, because you're the only one I believe."

"Then believe that I love you and that we deserve to have our baby."

"I do."

"Good, because if you really do, then I can too, then I can fall asleep safe in your arms and not worry that we'll lose them." He saw now what this little conversation was about, if he exuded the same blind confidence he always did, if he was strong, then she could find it in herself to be that way also.

"We'll not lose our family, I promise." She nodded and clung to him and let herself slowly come to sleep in her mate's embrace.

TBC...

 

 

Chapter 21

Buffy awoke the next morning, having slept all afternoon and night feeling very well rested. The fact that Spike hadn't left her side had ensured a deep, rejuvenating sleep. In the hazy, sloped place before she was fully aware or her surroundings she discerned equally as soft and light movements from her baby and the presence of the father with them. There was a vampire sitting next to her, his hand cool against the naked warmth of her tummy.

"Am I going to have a permanent hand print there?" she mumbled, keeping her eyes closed.

"How are you feeling?" he asked in a whisper, ignoring her question entirely.

"My butt's numb, I really have to go to the bathroom and my spine is feeling like there's a steel rod through the center, if you must know. And my neck hurts. And I'm hungry."

"Is there any pain? From..." She knew what he meant.

"Nothing. It's like yesterday never happened."

"It happened." She reached out and grasped his forearm, commanding his attention.

"Spike..." She wasn't quite sure what to say to him, how to reassure him. Especially considering how frightened she was herself,"I love you."

"I love you too, Buffy, so much." There wasn't anything else to say. He helped her up and to the bathroom and waited by the door until she returned and brought her back to bed. He was going to insist she stay there all day and she acquiesced without a word to the contrary. There was no sign of anything wrong this morning, thankfully. Once back in bed Spike was fussing over her with breakfast, juice and vitamins. Afterwards Buffy lay on her side and snuggled down under the covers, while he lay next to her reading from a textbook. One among many collected.

"Anything interesting?"

"It's all interesting."

"Yes, but anything about what happened?"

"Not exactly, just a few horrible worst case scenarios that have us......." He couldn't finish and Buffy understood, she didn't particularly want to hear it. She reached out and caressed his cheek with her fingertips."Anyways, there's a couple of reasons...if the placenta's too close to the cervix....or if the sex we've had's been too rough..."

"It hasn't, you're always slow and gentle, and we're both careful."

"So, there could just be a little tearing away of the placenta from the uterine wall...from getting knocked about like you did...just something that needs time to heal."

"That doesn't sound like anything except total alarm inside my head."

"It's not good, Buffy, not at all....if the, um, plancenta tears....I think we need to stay here a bit longer....a week or two at least. I'm going to keep reading, until I know all there is. Andrew's been a good lad, went n' got them for me so I wouldn't have to leave your side."

"A week in bed, that almost sounds perfect, if the circumstances were different."

"There's enough books in this place, at least you won't get bored."

"Remember that I'm the non-ready all action Buffy, I'm gonna get cranky and very bored, so promise me you'll spend lots of time here with me and not give all your attention to your new Slayer."

"Don't think like that, precious, I'm not going to be anywhere but here - after I unload the Hummer with all our vitals. I don't want to chance any wayward demons nickin' our things or food."

"You'll still take my blood won't you?"

"Not for a good while, but yeah, I'll not fight you on it anymore."

"Thank you. Put the book down for a little bit, okay?" He put it aside and turned so he too was on his side. He inched ever closer until their lips could meet. Their kiss was soft and affirming at first, but then Buffy opened her mouth and slipped her tongue between his lips and sought inside. He leaned into her, moving until he was over her slightly her, his own tongue curling around hers. It was all wetness and warmth as they infused the other with comfort and love. With eyes closed, the pair relaxed completely and submersed themselves in the indulgence of his the dueling of tongues, the pressure of lips and the gentle running of fingers through hair and down backs.

"See?" Andrew whispered as he and Boon peered around from behind the bookcase where they were hiding,"Isn't it beautiful? They're so in love. " The young Slayer tugged at his jacket and took them away from what had suddenly become a very intimate scene. She didn't want to spy.

"Okay, so let's hear the rest of the story!" They went back to where their camp was, sitting on their sleeping bags and eating from a bag of chocolate chocolate chip cookies.

"Well, as it turned out, the Principal was evil, just as Buffy had originally suspected. Forming a plan with an overbearing and slightly unhinged Mr. Giles, due to the loss of all his fellow Watchers, not to mention the intense accumulation of jet lag from travelling all over the world to collect Potential Slayers. Spike was lured to a garage - a garage of pure evil!"

"I thought you said it was filled with crosses?"

"Yes, but they were evil crosses because of the Principal's tainting them with his thirst for unholy vengeance!"

"But Spike killed his mom, right?" Andrew sneered, trying to copy Spike's patented glare.

"The demon had changed, and now a man lived within Spike, a good and noble man called William. He wrote poems n' stuff. The man Robin Wood wanted to kill no longer existed."

"Sorry, go on."

"Thank you. Giles led Buffy away, where she would be unable to protect her noble vampire lover from harm and dusting. Meanwhile using the lullaby once sung to him by his own mother, Principal Wood used the trigger to bring forth the demon. A rousing battle ensued and both men were left battered and terrorized."

"Terrorized?"

"Quiet, a tale is being told, an epic."

"Okay, geez, keep your shirt on. I guess Spike won, huh?"

"Oh yes, oh yes indeed. In a dramatic and emotionally arduous flashback sequence, Spike relived the terrible memories of turning his dear, ailing mother into a vampire, intent merely easing her suffering and not creating the monster that befell him. In a fit of anguish, William, sweet William, staked his own mother, thus putting her soul to rest. You see, this was what the First Evil had used to brainwash the newly souled vampire. In the end, Spike broke The First Evil's hold over him, coming to realize that he was loved by his mother and forgiven for his trespasses. He allowed Principal Wood to live, but with an outstanding threat to finish the job should the Principal step out of line again."

"What about Buffy?"

"She arrived too late, coming upon the tragedy as Spike left the scene of the crime. Being true to her man, Buffy echoed Spike, if Wood did not give up his vendetta, he would die!"

"Good, I'm glad she stood up for him. Is that when they got together? What about Giles? Did Buffy forgive him?"

"Those are great notions aren't they? Love and forgiveness? But alas now was not the time, for something terrible was about to occur! The arrival of someone none of us were expecting, someone that would change the very fabric of our beings!"

"Oh, was it that Caleb guy?"

"No, just Faith, she macked on Spike....Buffy got jealous, it was a thing."

"Then Caleb?"

"Yeah...then stuff got bad...."

"But Buffy and Spike were falling in love even then right?" Andrew looked down and smiled to himself.

"They were falling in love."

Chapter 22

"Keep your shoulders relaxed and you elbow hugged down at your ribs, fist comes out straight - elbow down." Spike instructed as he and Boon circled around each other. Andrew and Buffy stood on the sidelines, watching the vampire train the Slayer,"I can see you projecting every move before you make it, so will any other vamp, gotta learn to be the one in control of the fight. A vamp is always searching for your weakness, any split second opening to get a strike in. If you're distracted by anything, you're dead."

"I've done okay you know!" Boon shot back, getting increasingly annoyed with the vampire who'd taken on the role pf pseudo Watcher. For the past two weeks they'd done nothing but train while Buffy rested. If Spike wasn't caring for his wife, he was sparring with his new student. Buffy could see a little bit of a spark come alive in both of them. Despite Boon's complaints and Spike's hard edge, she could tell the two of them were enjoying it.

"Against fledglings, sure. Humans can take down fledglings, but come up against a seasoned fighter and you're dinner. I've taken out two Slayers in my time and Buffy'll tell you I never got the upper hand our fights, but there were times when I'd have had my third." Boon tried punching with the techniques Spike had shown her, the improvement evident.

"He's totally full of himself, he'd have never beaten me," Buffy noted. Spike stopped moving and stood erect, half annoyed with Buffy, who innocently munch on cashews from a tin with Andrew.

"Do you mind, love?"

"Not at all, did he tell you about the time he fell into an open grave?"

"Slayer!!" Boon started giggling and Spike snarled, throwing on his game face and lunging for the girl. The attack was not predicted and she panicked. She took a chance and popped him in the nose. Amazingly enough she got him and Spike, instead of falling down his with his usual spectacular merely backed away, walking over to Buffy and leaning down.

"Why do they always go for the nose?" Buffy placed a kiss on the tip and passed him the nuts.

"My poor baby." She patted his bum and took over the lesson.

"Be careful Buffy."

"I'll do it very Matrixy, all slow mo'." Fact of the matter was, her body was so stiff from lack of movement she felt the need to run a marathon and battle a Fyarl, but she'd suffice with imparting only the wisdom of a seasoned warrior. She put her hand on Boon's shoulder and led the girl away,"Let's go for a walk."

Then ended up near the religion section, chock full of books about God, Gaia and every other notion of the universe,"Can I ask you something, Buffy?" Boon asked. The two girls sat down on a bench that lined one book end.

"Go ahead."

"Spike said that all vampires were monsters, just animals....but he's not?" Buffy smiled to herself, this wasn't something easy to explain,"And then he started mumbling something about sodding poofs. What's a sodding poof?" That was even more complicated.

"Uh, well...okay, here's the thing. I'm a great big freak."

"Pardon?"

"I am, really, totally not normal. Always been a little bit kooky, insano Buffy. Yep. Vamp fetish, Faith said." She was confusing the girl."The sodding poof was Spike's grandsire. Angel made Drusilla, who made Spike...or more precisely Angelus made Drusilla, who made William. Angelus was the cruelest most wicked vampire there probably ever was. He murdered a gypsy girl and it cost him, her people cursed him with a soul. After that he was on his own and William became Spike and Dru - Sid and Nancy of the vampire set. Angel....he brooded for a century and ate rats. In a nutshell."

"Ew."

"Then he met me, and to cut a long story short, he was my first boyfriend and it was very dramatic and all that Shakespearean kinda stuff. To cut the story even longer, Spike and Dru got into the mix, Angel lost his soul....and then well, it got so bad I nearly lost myself."

"Is that where Spike came in?"

"No, not for a few more years....and then...then he became everything. Didn't Andrew tell you all of this?"

"Just the past three years or so...after Spike's coming home from Africa, with his soul."

"Which he got for me. The demon went against his nature, went against everything he was supposed to be, all because he loved me. That's what makes Spike more than a monster or an animal. There's things about Spike and mine's relationship that's going to stay private, suffice to say that the two of us have done each other a lot of damage and it's been ugly, but we got through it, fought to stay together and now it's amazing. So, no, Spike's nothing like any other vampire out there, he never was, not since the moment he was sired. When he was a human he was quiet and sentimental, a true Victorian gentleman and even as a vampire, living for blood and mayhem, his core never changed.....I don't know how else to explain it. You can trust him. Andrew can fill you in on the early years if he wants."

"I think it's more complicated than I can understand."

"That's probably true. There's a reason you're asking, those vampires that first night?" Boon was about to try and avoid answering, but there was something about Buffy, the fact that she really seemed to understand that prompted her to reveal the truth.

"My mom and brother....they were two of them. This is where we were living, trying to escape the stuff above, and the demons. Some vampires came....it was then I found out what I could do...but I ran after. They got turned."

"And Spike killed them."

"I'm glad he did....I don't think....."

"That you could've done it. I get that, it's a hard thing, making a sacrifice. They weren't your mom or brother anymore, you know that right?"

"I guess. But if Spike could be good...maybe then....."

"I don't know, Boon, but I know Spike has a destiny, or something. The Powers That Be have been screwing with our lives for good and bad for years. I don't know why Spike's made it this far, why we got to be together, or why we're having a baby when it's completely impossible. No vampire can be in the sun, but he can.....I don't have answers, just experience and that's telling me that there's a bigger picture here."

"Something to do with Seattle?"

"I hope so, I hope it's what we need."

"What did you see?"

"The woman in white....the demons and people all around her.....she was holding something, something familiar, important."

"That ball of green energy?"

"Yes." Buffy sighed, feeling a swell of emotion, and so much hope. The Key. Dawn?

TBC...

 

 

Chapter 23

Portland to Seattle was only a four hour drive and as each mile was behind them, Buffy was growing increasingly uneasy. She was curled right up against Spike with her head on his chest and an arm around his waist. He had his arm around her shoulders, giving her many comforting squeezes and saying sweet things under his breath for only her to hear. Like typical teenagers, Andrew and Boon were in the back listening to discmen and playing video games, laughing together. After all this time, finally getting to Seattle had her frightened. Everything was about to change. She pushed it to the back of her mind and concentrated on the things that wouldn't change, like holding the man she was now. She kissed his collar bone through his shirt and coat and he gave her another hug. Buffy closed her eyes and hugged him back.

There was laughing this time, there wasn't usually laughter, just a predominant ethereal feeling of peace and supernatural presence. Buffy had the vague notion of feeling lethargic, but in the manner when people have had too much good food and wine. Spike was with her, leaning up against her and gently sucking blood from her neck. Oddly, the fact that he was using a straw to do it didn't seem out of the ordinary. At the same time he was playing with her hair, shaping tendrils into a vignette that turned into the scene from Genesis of the snake offering Eve the apple.

The woman, or the being, of white light was there and the orb of glowing green energy was dancing around and over her hands like water over a rock surface, Buffy was laughing. Then, just as when a clock's knell of midnight shifted one world from peaceful night to the hours of the Devil, the scene changed. An unseen hand took the Key and hurled it at Buffy. Spike was incinerated, his dust blown away by the hurricane force of the energy crashing over her. Inside her, the baby was in panicked fits, thrashing madly in her womb as the pair of them were burned from the inside out.

Buffy shot awake with a violent jolt, screaming. Spike pulled the car to a halt and took hold of her. Boon and Andrew scared also, looked at each other in the back seat."Buffy?" Spike said, looking her in the eyes and pulling her out of her dream the rest of the way.

"Nightmare," she whispered. Her hand went down to her middle, just making sure the baby was still there. All seemed suddenly normal. Spike cradled her in his arms and kissed the top of her head.

"Was it very bad, sweetheart?" She nodded her head and hugged him closer,"Tell me."

"Later...just wanna let it go for now. Where are we?" Spike sighed and let it be, but she still cleaved to him in fear.

"We're here, pet, Seattle, or the edge rather. Now we just need for you to tell us where to go."

"I don't know exactly, there's a lake?"

"Lake Washington."

"Go there." The circled around the neighborhoods of Lake Washington until Buffy and Boon both felt a pull to one direction. At long length, after months of journeying and struggling to reach this place, they were there. It stood vast and palatial hugging the shores of the majestic lake.

"Bloody hell!" Spike exclaimed, dumbfounded,"We come thousands of miles to this?!"

"What?" asked Buffy.

"Pet, that's Bill Gates' house."

"No!"

"Oh yes!"

"Really?"

"Yes, love, really. Your prophetic portents have led us to the magic dream home of a tech mogul."

"You think he's still alive?"

"God only knows. If he is, I'd wager he's probably got Melinda n' the kids cryogenically frozen in the Batcave."

"Fabulous. So?"

"Well we did come all this way. We should at least say hello, and I have a bone to pick with him about Office XP."

"You're very strange."

"Take weapons, Bill always seemed a bit shifty in my opinion." They parked the Hummer and descended to the immaculately landscaped drive, trees and flowering bushes decorating the place like an Indian palace. Which for all intents and purposes this likely was, a paradise. The house and all its surroundings were seemingly unfazed by the ravages of the recent apocalypse.

"Looks nice enough," Buffy commented, taking Spike's hand in hers, watching as he slipped a knife into a sheath and affixed it to his belt.

"Looks too good to be true if you ask me."

"The Powers didn't give both Boon and I these dreams for this to mean nothing. There is something here for us, I know there is."

"You're meaning the Key, aren't you? It won't be our Dawnie, love, as much as we want it to be."

"I know, I do, really...but there was something in her that was this Key thingie and that makes her not quite so gone." He gave her a smile and nodded in agreement.

"Come on, love, we'll find our answers." Boon and Andrew walked beside them, keeping an eye out, on guard as much as the vampire and Slayer.

The man guised in a monk's habit came on to the path approximately ten feet ahead of them, carrying with him a large woven basket with a knife dangling at his hip from a braided leather strap. Buffy and Spike exchanged a look and then she spoke."Hello?" He turned and looked at them, his face weathered and kind. He gazed into each of their eyes, a somewhat unsettling action, then nodded and motioned for them to follow.

Spike guided Buffy's hand around his waist and held her protectively close, the monk seemed harmless enough, but he wasn't taking any chances until he knew the score. The monk led them around to the side of the house and through a pair of glass French doors into what looked like a part of a kitchen. Down a short hallway was a larger room filled with stoves, refrigerators and counters covered in fresh vegetables and bread that had just come from the oven. The monk put down his basket full of vegetables and fruit and scurried away. The place smelled divinely and the growling in Buffy's stomach told Spike that already this place was a haven for her. The monk then returned with more of his brothers. They each took reverent bows to their guests. One more monk joined them, this one considerably younger than the others.

"You should eat something," he said,"You all look hungry. Take anything you want." Andrew practically dove for the food, but Spike caught him and held him back.

"In a minute," Spike began, feeling suspicious. He looked over the boy, likely barely out of his teens, if that. There was a vague familiarity about the kid, and something Spike didn't like about him,"Who are you?"

"My name is Connor, you're welcome here. We're used to newcomers, you'll find a few other humans are here already, and some demons.....like you, you're not entirely human."

"Good on you boy, no, vampire here."

"But you're out in the day..."

"Not just a vampire, then, am I?"

"Are you the father?" The young monk looked over at Buffy and Spike fought back a growl.

"Yeah, I am."

"Then I suppose I should tell you, my father was one. His name was Angel, he died two years ago in Los Angeles, protecting me. It wasn't until he sacrificed himself like he did that I believed he loved me." Buffy and Spike locked eyes and gave her an encouraging smile and whispered 'sorry, pet' to her.

"We knew him. We can talk about this later."

"Then eat."

"No, there's more important matters at hand. There's a reason people are coming, isn't there? There's a woman."

"You can see her whenever you wish."

"Now, then."

"Come this way." The other monks stepped aside and Spike ushered Boon and Andrew on, the boy giving a whine at having to leave the tray of sticky buns he'd been eyeing. The end of the kitchen exited into a large foyer. From there they ascended the grand staircase, which seemed to go up forever until finally they came to the top which opened to a spacious hall and there in the center she waited.

"Oh my god!" Buffy gasped. Andrew dropped to his knees in reverence.

"She's beautiful!" the mouse cried.

Chapter 24

"Bloody hell, mouse, get to your feet, it's just Cordelia!" Spike groaned,"Hey, love, you look ravishing what with the floating and the glowing."

"Oh! Hey Spike," Cordy replied, then turned to Buffy,"Buffy! Wow, you look um...you're...wow..."

"Knocked up? Happily. How are you Cordelia?" Buffy asked. It was as if two years of strife were slowly pooling at Buffy's feet and flowing away. Of all things she'd imagined, she would never have predicted Coredelia Chase was to be their salvation. She tilted her head to rest on Spike's shoulder and the vampire took notice of how relaxed his wife was, feeling it too.

"Pretty good, higher being here, but only about 6 feet higher, as you can see. You?"

"The usual, apocalypses, still sleeping with vampires." There was pause, an uncomfortable silence, the two women smiling and nodding their heads. Spike watched the exchange with his brow furrowed until he couldn't take it anymore.

"What is it with you women, always havin' to skirt around things? Cordelia, pet, come on, what the hell's happened here?! Where are the others from Los Angeles?" Cordy sighed. If it was possible to make a higher being depressed, Spike had just succeeded."Why has Buffy dreamt of you, why have we come all this way?"

"I don't have the answer to that one. Nice soul, by the way."

"Sorry, pet, I didn't mean to snap. It's just been hard, on all of us."

"Maybe so you could have somewhere safe to have your baby? We've got farms here, magic and medicine. This is a good place, a safe place. Maybe this is supposed to be home? The monks were already here when I arrived and have made this place sacred, I'm here because they needed a beacon for the others. They're coming from everywhere for something, but I don't know what and if the monks do they're not saying. Well, most of them have taken vows of silence, but still. Guys, I'm clueless and not the I'm too wrapped up in my own thing kind of clueless. I've been watching for over three years now to all that's going on down here, the whole pod-Cordy fiasco in LA is one hell of a story. It wasn't until it was all over that I was allowed out of my really borning heavenly cage and now I just hover here like a balloon that's lost half its helium greeting newcomers. Hi I'm Cordelia and I'll be your very pretty but useless heavenly being today. I had to watch as one by one each of them died or went missing...and then Angel...what happened to Angel..." Her voice trailed off and there were tears in her eyes. Connor reached out to touch her, to offer comfort, but his hand passed through her."So here I am, I don't know why. The Powers just sent me here, but now you guys are here too so this must be it right?"

"Cordelia?" Buffy said, approaching,"You loved him, didn't you?" Cordy sighed.

"Yeah, I really did. Angel had kept himself locked down and closed until he met you Buffy, he really fell hard....yeah, well, we were all there. But once you guys were over and he did the whole deep broody thing again....we got to be the best of friends and it was coming on really slowly, but we got there in the end and it was about to be as epic and sweeping as you and Spike. Then, you know, stuff happened."

"I'm sorry Cordy."

"It's okay, I have a feeling this all happened for a reason. We have destinies....the Powers just like making stir fry outta them. You know what? That's enough depresso stuffs for now, go relax in your own rooms, pig out, we have Playstation!" Spike cast a quirky smile in Andrew's direction. The boy looked liked Parasifal when he'd found the Holy Grail."And Spike?"

"Yes, Cordelia love?"

"Get a haircut."

***

"I know it's Cordy, once Queen Bitch of All Time, but it's Cordy, Spike! We're not all lost, we're not all gone...there's still Scoobies in the world." She wrapped her arms around his neck, which wasn't so easy anymore given how big she was getting, and tilted her head back under the hot spray from the shower. The water was divine and washed away all her inhibitions and cares, heating her entire body and his as it traveled down to her heels.

"And it's got you happy, so I'm happy for you, love." He worked a lathering of shampoo through her hair, from roots to tips, while she did the same to his own.

"Aren't you happy for you too? Fresh blood, from very nice monk people who Cordy said would gladly donate! Big bouncy fluffy bed. Hot showers. Doctors, real actual doctors with drugs. Epidurals for Buffy!" He turned them around once her hair was rinsed to do the same to his own. By now there was a heaviness to the air from all the steam, leaving them both hot and supple.

"Yeah, yeah, love...I'm glad for all that, but I won't be letting my guard down. I'm still waiting for a snake to offer me an apple. There's one thing I've leered in these past two years is that I trust no one and nothing except you n' the mouse." She nodded her head and after vigorously scrubbing soap into a lather in her hands she began to wash Spike, in a rather arousing manner. Her hands worked the suds over his chest and arms, around his back, over his shoulders, down to his rear, then across his abdomen. When his erection rose up despite not being touched in the least, Buffy curled her slippery hands around it and worked it clean also.

"That thing has a mind of it's own doesn't it?" She tugged at it, pressing down over specific veins, her finger toying with the head.

'Actually...fuck, pet......we were both thinking the same thing." He put his palm to the tiles to steady himself as her hands continued to pump him with increasing ardor.

"It's been a while for us? I really need you, Spike." He kissed her, closing his eyes and kneading her bottom lip with with his. He turned off the water.

"Let's go to bed, then, nice and comfy like you said." They dried themselves off quickly and made their way to the beautiful, spacious and sunlit bed. They fell back on to the many layers of white quilts, the air poofing out under their weight and settling back as if they lay on clouds. Their mouths met for fiery, wet kisses, with Spike rolling her on to her back and cupping her face in his hands and smiling throughout."Bloody hell, I love you so much woman! I love you!" She wrapped her arms under him and around his back, squeezing him tight as she laughed and kissed him. This was perfect, this was everything they both needed. With the knowledge that one of their friends was protecting this place, they could allow this time to connect.

"Make love to me for the rest of the day..." She asked when he allowed her a breath,"Then all night."

"Anything my precious desires." He moved down to her breasts, teasing the tips with his tongue, the suckling one nipple as he rolled the other between his fingers. Buffy made soft murmurs of approval as she held him to her breasts and ran her fingers through his newly shorn hair.

"She only desires exactly what she has now....maybe another steak later, dinner was so yummy."

"I'll see what I can do about that, but hey, if you want meat..." She cuffed him behind the ear,"Sorry, pet, sometimes you just can't miss the opportunity..."

"Be. Romantic. Or. Else."

"Yes, dear." He encouraged her to roll over so they face each other, then he took her hand and placed a kiss upon her palm,"Shall I tell you of how beautiful I know our child will be? How the love between us will only deepen as we hold them in our arms, kiss the top of their little head, tell them we love them? But also how until they're ready to be born, you and I, oh Buffy love...."

"I rather you show me." With a grin he kissed her, then slipped away. He kept a hand on her as he rose and crawled over to the other side, easing down behind her. He gathered up her hair away from her neck, laying the thick blanket of damp golden locks over the pillow.

"I want us close like this." She nodded in agreement and bent to kiss the forearm across her upper chest, loving the feel of his torso against her back, so warm from the shower,"Slow...quiet...alright?"

"Mmm hmmm." His free hand slid between her thighs to open them up for him to press his hardness into her. As he parted her moist folds and eased inside, both let out deep moans satisfaction at being joined together again. He nudged in closer, until he was completely enveloped in her heat, his stomach pressed to her backside. He kneaded her thigh and lay his cheek against hers, his chin anchored in the crook of her neck.

"This nice pet? You like this?"

"Love this, love you. Don't move, hold me." Using her well practiced inner muscles she tensed herself around his cock until he let out a small, nearly painfilled cry. She relaxed and did it again. And again.

"Buffy....." His eyes squeezed shut and his tightened his hold on her, his breath ragged and erratic.

"You watch me when we make love, watch for every reaction. We've almost never do it like this...can you open your eyes?" She tensed again and he growled.

"No......" He shuddered when she did it yet again,"God, Buffy!" She eased off and he exhaled.

"Your turn."

"You're gonna pay for that, Slayer."

"I should hope so, but take your time, we've got hours and hours." He began thrusting, slow and deep, making her flesh sing for him. Her insides were fluttering, melting around him. She'd primed herself perfectly with her little game. He rubbed his cheek against hers like a cat, giving little grunts and growls as he moved inside her. Buffy closed her eyes and abandoned herself to his love making. He loosened his arm from around her shoulder and gripped her chin, angling her face to his to claim her mouth. As with all their kisses it was passionate and teeming with love.

The coupling did indeed go on for hours and hours, a never ending sequence of climaxes and words of nothing but love and devotion. Laughter and tears and cries of orgasmic heights, naughty words that make them both hot, then they lay still and rested and marveled over Buffy's pregnant belly when Spike put his hands on her and felt their child stretching and kicking.

Come nightfall they were under the covers, wrapped in each others arms, warm and safe.

TBC...

 

Chapter 25

Buffy's first thought upon waking the next morning was that she was trapped in a giant marshmallow. She quickly shook that dreamy notion from her mind and pulled the heavy white quilt down from over her head. The first thing she saw was dawn's first light behind her illuminating Spike's yesterday bleached head. He was hugging his pillow and smiling in his sleep. Buffy sighed and reached up to lay her hand on his cheek.

"Spike, baby?" she whispered, trying to coax him out of sleep. He murmured something unintelligible and curled up into a tight fetal position,"William?"

"Mmmmph?"

"Wake up."

"Huh? No." She reached under the covers and brought his hand to her stomach and watched and waited for the smile that appeared on his face when he felt the baby moving.

"Open your eyes." He didn't open his eyes, but instead snuck under the covers until he'd commandeered her round tummy as his new pillow. Buffy sighed and pouted and finally relented, drifting off back to sleep.

When she woke up again, Spike was gone, replaced with a pink rose on the pillow. She took it and brought it to her nose and inhaled the scent. She hadn't smelled a rose in so long she couldn't remember when had been the last time. She'd missed it. She sat up and looked for her husband, but he was no where in sight. She didn't like waking and not finding him with her, but nor did she think anything was wrong. He'd probably just gone exploring. She got out of bed, marveled at how the sun filled the entire room, everything looked like it came from heaven. She padded her way on the cushy carpeting to the bathroom. She emerged half an hour later from a bath, wrapped in a thick terrycloth robe. This place was better than a five star hotel!

Spike had returned and to see him standing outside on the terrace put her at ease, even more so to see the sun on his naked back. He was wearing a pair of sand colored linen pajama bottoms, looking exceptionally sexy with them riding low on his hips. Even after their hours making love the day before she was in want of him again, but she was in want of something else just a little bit more. Namely, the breakfast displayed in an appetizing array on the table outside, half a dozen silver domed plates with bowls of fruit and a pitcher of juice. She came on to the spacious, private deck and touched his back. Spike turned and embraced her warmly.

"Morning, lovely, brought you breakfast," he said, bestowing a kiss on her forehead,"Got 'em to make up the works - pancakes, bacon, eggs, fruits, cereal."

"And I'm supposed to eat all this? There's not much room left in this Buffy body."

"Take your time, pet, we're on permanent vacation." He led her to the table and held the cushioned chair out for her to sit. He piled food on to her plate and let her drench it in syrup. He took his place across from her and poured himself a wine glass of fresh blood, to which Buffy's curiosity was raised,"Some of the people, uh, donated. Cordelia asked them to, some of her monks I suppose."

"This doesn't mean the end of you taking my blood I hope?"

"It doesn't have to, love. It's become something between us, I don't want it to stop." He took a sip and put his glass down, looking across the table at her,"Buffy, I've loved you for a long time, I think maybe the whole time I've known you. God, since you were sixteen! We've done just about everything in bed imaginable, everything out of bed too. There were times when I imagined there was more..."

"There was."

"Thanks for saying, love, but you could never take any happiness from it. Then, as one by one the others left us, you let me love you and to help save yourself from misery you let yourself love me back. We found something good in all that death and despair and then we learned we were having this baby of ours and I think for the first time, I really felt it - what I'd been searching for all my decades, that intimacy that went deeper than bodies, deeper than words. So, when you let me be what it is I am, a vampire, when you let my fangs inside you like you do the rest of me, that means more to me than making love. Understand?" There were tears brimming Buffy's eyes as she listened to his words. He'd spoken with such emotion that it overwhelmed her. He smiled timidly at her then nodded towards her plate,"Now eat up."

She wanted to say something in return, but he'd rendered her speechless. They ate in comfortable silence, looking out over Lake Washington. When breakfast was finished they went inside and got dressed, finding that the monks had brought in everything they owned from the Hummer. Every article of clothing had been cleaned.

"Wanna go for a walk?" Buffy suggested,"Try and work off the fifty pounds of food I just consumed?"

"If you like, maybe a bit around the lake?"

"Or the forest a little, I wanna see where it is we're living now."

"You've decided we're stayin' then?"

"I thought maybe, yeah. I mean, Cordy's here and those nice protective valet like monk guys...and Angel's son. We have to hear that story. He's kinda family in a distant, weird way. It's so nice here, and easy, I just want to be somewhere I know is safe. At least until after the baby's born, please?"

"I wasn't going to say no, just wanted to know you were sure."

"I am. Let's go get Andrew and Boon too." New clothing for the mother to be in the form of a summer dress and other garments of woven hemp, had been graciously provided by the monks, along with sandals of braided leather. It was a comfortable form of maternity wear that Buffy very much approved of. Spike decided to forgo the clothing given to him, mumbling something about not liking Kool-Aid that much and sodding' cultists. With their hands twined, they proceeded to Andrew's room, but Spike stopped them short of the door."What?"

"Er, nothing...let's go alone. Rather be alone."

"Don't be silly." She went to knock, but he grabbed her wrist.

"Don't."

"Why not? You're being weird."

"I think he, um...he rather not be disturbed." Buffy gave him a curious look and went to try and knock again."Buffy, he's not alone."

"Yeah, I gathered, he and Boon were going to play video games all night and day they said. I wanted to ask her along too."

"Well, she's in there...but...um..."

"What?" Spike tried very hard to think of something other than the truth to tell her about what his vampire's hearing told him, but failed.

"I'm pretty sure it's just snogging."

"Snogging? Snogging!"

"At this point."

"She's a Slayer! What if she hurts him?" Spike gave a little growl and pulled Buffy away from the door before they were noticed."Spike!"

"Slayer, he's not a pup, he can take care of himself. He's been keeping us alive post-Apocalypse if you recall. He's barely had anything for himself in two years, let him have some peace and you will not ask him about it later, you hear me?"

"But..."

"I mean it, Buffy. Promise me."

"Okay, okay....but it's Andrew, Spike." He saw the emotions well up inside her,"It's our Andrew."

"Pet, I know....I know what he means to you, but he's not a child. Come on, love, let's go for our walk."

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