PART SIX

"Preparations"

"Dum, dum, duh-dum. Dum, dum, duh-dum. Dum, dum, duh-dum, dum, duh-dum, dum, duh-dum." Buffy giggled as Spike trailed a red rose down her naked body, humming the bridal march as he did.

He grinned back up at her, pressing a gentle kiss just below her navel, nuzzling the soft flesh with his nose.

Carefully, so as not to cut herself on the thorns, Buffy retracted the rose from Spike's loosened grip and brought the bloom up to her nose, inhaling its sweet scent deeply.

She sighed happily exerted. It was 4pm on a lazy Saturday afternoon and the sun was just starting to crest the horizon.

"Spike?"

"Mmmm?" He didn't look up at her as he continued to softly kiss her body, also too tired to do anything else.

"Do you think the only...reason that mom isn't freaked about the whole marriage thing is because I'm the slayer?"

"Any particular thing you think she should be freaked about?" He enquired, his voice light.

"Umm, the age thing." Buffy admitted.

"You mean me being about two hundred years older?"

Buffy laughed, "That's weird too, but it wasn't what I meant."

"What did you mean?" Spike sat up a bit, propping himself on hand, moving so her body was trapped under the bend of his arm.

"I mean....I'm like only just eighteen and I'm already engaged."

"Lots of people get engaged at eighteen, even now...." Buffy nodded, her eyes still troubled. "Are you not ready...to get married I mean, I can wait if you-"

"No! No, no I want to. We've done the vampire bit so we can do the human bit, that’s not what’s bothering me."

"Vampire bit?"

"You know..." Buffy indicated her throat where Spike's mark was visible.

Spike grinned at his claim. "Oh..." Spike face softened, "What's bothering you then?"

"I just...you're gonna live forever and I'm already living on borrowed time and pretty soon I'm gonna di-"

Spike cut off her sentence with his lips, his mouth devouring hers, trying to take back the blasphemous words, trying desperately to retract the truth behind the words.

Hours later Buffy sighed as she cuddled up to her sleeping fiancé unable to sleep herself.

It was nearly six am when she was finally able to close her troubled eyes and slipped into slumber.

Only to be haunted in her dreams.

-----

"Buffy, are you certain that this is what you want?"

"Giles, I've thought about this and it’s the only way. I don't think I would ever handle being a vampire - even if I could keep my soul permanently." Buffy lowered her voice, stealing a quick look back into the library, where her mate sat, arguing with Xander yet again.

Buffy stared imploringly into her watchers eyes. "I really do love him, Giles. I couldn't bare to loose him now, just because some demon gets lucky one night."

"I understand, Buffy." Giles smiled at his ward, not wanting to put her through unnecessary pain, especially after the last year. "However, I must ask a-as your watcher that you allow us to research this spell a little more. Not that I don't trust Willow's find, but I would simply rather-"

"I get it, Giles. I totally agr-" Buffy was cut off by a yelp sounding very Xander-like coming from the other room.

She darted from the office to the main library, to see Spike brandishing a wooden staff, pretending to aim for Xander, while Willow surreptitiously giggled behind her hand.

"Spike!" Buffy chided, hurrying over to him. Spike grinned at her unabashedly as she scowled at him, and pulled her into a kiss. She broke it off, tapping him on the nose as she took the staff from him. "Xander! Get down from there!"

-----

"Buffy are you sure about this?"

"I've never been more sure of anything in my life."

"You know that you can change your mind at anytime."

"I know." Buffy nodded and took a deep breath. "Lets do it."

With a determined look in their eyes, the two girls wove their way back to the over-zealous, rather harried shop-assistant and prepared to tell her for the twenty-fifth time that they didn't like this dress either.

----

"Giles! I've found something!" Willow called out and the group put down their respective books and sighed in hopeful relief. They'd been researching into Buffy's request for nearly four hours now and hadn't gotten anywhere.

"I found this section that talked of a slayer who was also mated to a vampire. I don't think her watcher was quite as okay with the match and they...well, 'eloped' is pretty much the word."

Giles felt his heart constrict at the thought that if he'd been less supportive of Buffy then he might have lost her forever.

Willow continued. "It looks like they used the same spell. It says here the spell can be broken. But only by the one who cast it - so I guess it means you're gonna have to be the one who does it...you know, just in case."

Buffy nodded. "Why did she break it?"

"Her...husband (?) was killed and she well..." Willow trailed off at the obvious.

"So! Is it safe for her to do it, watcher?" Spike asked and Giles looked over at the spot where both the vampire and slayer sat together.

"Yes." Giles answered simply. "I believe that this is the only way to do it yourself and if the slayer lived to seven hundred and change, I can't see why Buffy shouldn't be able to."

Xander rubbed his hands together and sat up. "Okay, Buff. Ready to get immortal?"

----

"Do you feel any different?" Willow asked, once she'd cleared away the last vestiges of the spell. She was still feeling a little shaky. They knew that Buffy would have had to have given an offering. But that’s why she'd taken into the circle a priceless Sumerian artefact....however, the deity had wanted something a little more....potent.

Slayer blood.

Spike still wouldn't let her out of his arms and still hadn't come out of game face; his demon furious and scared at the pain his mate had just suffered and nothing Buffy could do seemed to calm him.

Buffy and Giles had been the only ones NOT concerned when, once the spell had ended, the vampire had grabbed the slayer through the candles, slipping his fangs into the mark on her neck. Not drinking. Just marking.

And he'd still yet to remove them.

"N-no, I don't think so." Spike growled at her shaky words, his arms tightening around her. "Just feel a little...."

"Wobbly?" Giles suggested, sitting as close to his ward as the protective demon would allow.

Buffy nodded and sniffed, a tear in her eye. Not that she was in pain - just shaken. She wasn't used to having all that witchy power flowing through her. Give her stakes and fists any day.

"Why don't you two get home. I'll call Joyce. Tell her to expect you."

"Thanks, Giles....do you think you could take us home...I don't think Spike can drive."

Giles nodded and smiled softly, "Of course."

-----~~~~~~********~~~~~-----

Chapter Seven

"The Big Day!"

"What the hell are you doing?" Buffy screeched at the offending four robe-clad demons. "I'm getting married tomorrow! Couldn't you have waited a week?!"

The demons didn't look up, didn't stop.

"Ugghhh!" Buffy threw up her hands in frustration. Spike and her had been counting on a brief, secret meeting ( since Joyce had said that they couldn't see each other before the wedding) but they'd happened upon Willy, who told them he had some information.

After a little...persuading, he liberated said information. He'd heard some warlock-types talking about raising some hell beasts in time for the slayer's big day.

Retracting her sword, Buffy raised it above one of their heads, ready to descend and stop the spell, as Spike did the same. However, they were pushed back by an invisible barrier as the demons chanted on.

"Son of a..." Spike growled as he and Buffy had to wait for them to finish.

A few moments later they both felt the barrier disappear and they fell forward...into nothing.

The warlocks had vanished.

"Did they complete the spell?" Buffy asked.

"I think so pet." Spike nodded.

"Ugh! This is SO not funny!"

Spike reached out to put calming hands on her agitated shoulders. "Its okay, pet."

"Spike, its NOT-"

He interrupted her. "Yes it is. We'll just get the witch to put up some protection thing, we get married, have some cake then go kick demon arse."

Buffy scowled at him, her scowl slowly dissolving into a smile...then finally to laughter.

Spike grinned at her, bringing her closer so that he could kiss her.

"I love you." She murmured against his lips.

"Show me how much." Buffy suggested, pulling him in the direction of the mansion.

----

"We are gathered today to witness the union of William Windsor and Elizabeth Summers...."

Joyce sniffed, clutching her hanker-chief to her face as her tears dripped on to it as the ceremony continued.

Giles was torn between being happy for his ward and concerned for the witch's in the background.

Tara and William sat in the background, surrounded by candles, their hands joined as they muttered fast-spoken Latin under their breath.

They could feel the demon's outside, battling against the barrier around the building.

The official's voice wavered as a loud roar erupted from outside. He glanced fearfully to the couple in front of him; an obviously pissed-off fake-blonde pair.

"Uh, should I continue?" He asked them.

"Please." Buffy nodded, trying to smile reassuringly at the Judge through gritted teeth.

"Do you William..."

"I wish he'd get on with it!" Xander muttered in the background.

Cordy kicked him, "Ow! What?" He whispered harshly, earning a disapproving look from Giles in front.

The cheerleader just glared at him.

Spike smiled down at Buffy as he spoke. "I do." He started to lean down to kiss her but the Judges words stopped him

"And do you, Elizabeth..."

Willow and Tara continued to mutter their curse, praying that it was still strong enough to guard the registry office they were in.

"I do." Buffy finished, smiling at her almost-husband.

"By the power invested in me, I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride." The judge announced, smiling at the couple.

In the background, Joyce sniffed lightly and even Giles was hard pressed to withhold his happiness at the euphoria on his wards' face. Spike squeezed Buffy's hands as he leant down to claim his kiss.

His lips brushed slowly over hers and time seemed to stand still as the slayer and vampire slowly deepened the kiss.

CRASH!!!

They all jumped at the loud bang from outside and the newly weds reluctantly broke apart.

"Damn it!" Spike swore under his breath.

"Okay, Giles get my mom and Judge Peterson outta here! Xander get ready to move Willow and Tara out of the line of fire." They all nodded and Buffy turned to the cheerleader. "Cordy: help me out of my dress and Spike-"

His arms wrapped around her waist, tugging her back against him as he nuzzled her neck, "How’s about I help you out of your dress and the-"

Buffy detached herself, laughing, "No Spike! You wait here, I'll be a minute - make sure nothing gets through."

"If I must." Spike rolled his eyes and smiled at her.

"Love you."

"Love you too, pet."

"Ugh, can we hurry it up?" Cordy snapped.

"Look-" Spike started.

Buffy interrupted. "We're gone." Spike smirked as the cheerleader pulled the slayer away from the vampire.

---

Buffy and Spike looked out at the ten or so demons that were raging against the barrier outside.

The slayer nodded at Cordelia who had switched places with Xander so that he could help fight, and she nodded back.

"You ready, pet?"

"Ready." Buffy nodded, smiling as he leaned down to brush his lips over hers.

"Bring it on." He whispered against her lips.

Buffy pulled back and pushed herself into slayer-mode. "Willow - if you can hear me - we're ready, let the shield down."

Thirty seconds later the shield was down.......and all hell broke loose.

---

"What’s all this?" Spike asked as he slowly sat up in bed, his body still aching from last nights fighting....both in and out of bed.

"Breakfast in bed for my hubby!" Buffy explained, placing the tray on his lap and curling up next to him. "Feeling better?"

Spike swallowed the gulp of blood in his mouth and answered, "Yeah; what about you...I remember you were a bit...knocked up last night too." He smirked at her and she scowled.

Buffy flicked him, "Pig."

"Yeah." He grinned at her, taking another sip as he glanced around the tray. There were a couple of pieces of buttered toast, scrambled eggs, OJ and a single flower in a thin vase. "I see you like the kitchen."

"Mmmm - me and kitchens are not mixy usually but I really love yours-"

"Ours." Spike corrected.

Buffy smiled. "Ours. Has a great ring to it, huh?"

"I think so." Spike smirked at her, lifting the tray off his lap and pulling Buffy on to it. "You like the house, right? I mean if you don't, we can move."

"I love it." She quickly reassured him. She looked around. "I can't believe its the same place, it must have cost you a fortune." She re-iterated, in reference to the recently redecorated mansion.

"Yeah, but fortunes we got." Spike reminded her, impressed himself with the new decor. Buffy hadn't been all that fond of the darker tones around the place. Now all of that had been replaced with soft beiges and creams.

"Hmmm - I love you." She whispered.

"Pfft! You only love me for my money!" Spike grinned.

"Well duh...why, did you think I'd married you for something else?" Buffy teased.

She squealed as she was suddenly flipped on to her back, "Maybe my sexy body?"

"Who told you it was sexy?" Buffy asked, appearing all innocent.

"You, pet." Spike replied confidently and Buffy grinned.

"It's shocking what I'll do for money!"

He growled playfully, swooping down to kiss her.

---

"So, who's sexy?" Spike asked, a few hours later when they were both too tired to move.

"Okay, fine you were right!" Buffy agreed, moaning as he nuzzled her neck.

"Obviously. Who?" He demanded.

"Ooooooooh!" Buffy as his talented fingers roamed her skin, moving down between her legs.

"Whoooo--oooooh!" Spike sang, his request turning into a moan as his wife's hands warm began unconsciously moving over his flesh.

"SSSSPPPPPPIIIIIIKKKKKKEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!" Buffy screamed out her husbands name as she came.

Spike pressed gentle kisses across her sweating brow, holding her close as she came down from her high.

"So, you gonna answer?" Spike grinned down at her and she licked her lips, still panting.

Buffy nodded violently.

"Brad Pitt."

Chapter Eight

"Surprise!"

"So are you ready for graduation?" Joyce asked as she absently collected the various coffee-making ingredients from Buffy's cupboards. Sometimes she felt like she knew her daughter's home betters than she knew her own!

"Ugh. No. I can't believe I'm actually going to university." Buffy pouted as she watched her mother mill about. "I'm too little!"

Joyce laughed at her daughter. Saviour of the world. Married for three months. But still her little baby inside.

"You'll be fine." Joyce soothed, pouring the fresh coffee in the two mugs that were on the side. "College is a big step, but once you're there you'll get used to it. And you have Willow and all your friends with you, so you can all go through it together."

"Yeah, go through the torture. Can't I just stay on holiday forever?" Buffy tried to wheedle, but Joyce shook her head and took a sip of her coffee.

"Mmm, how's Spike? I haven't seen him in a few days."

A glazed look crossed Buffy's eyes as she thought of her husband, and Joyce smiled knowingly behind her cup. "Oh, he's being all lazy lately, not doing anything but sleeping and-"

"Buffy?" Joyce frowned when her daughter suddenly cut off. "Buffy!" The older woman darted forward as she watched the cup fall from Buffy's hands, her own slamming on to the counter.

The slayer's cup hit the floor at the same time as she did. It smashed upon impact, shards of porcelain and splashes of coffee marred her face. Joyce dropped to her knees, ignoring the coffee/shard mix as it soaked in to her trousers.

"Buffy, baby, can you hear me?" Joyce tapped her daughter's cheek as she tried to rouse her.

"Mommy?" Buffy blinked as she woke, and Joyce helped her into a sitting position, leaning her against the counter-side.

---

"Mom, this really isn't necessary. I'm fine." Buffy repeated for the sixth time as the sat in the sterile hospital room, awaiting the arrival of the doctor.

"Humour me." Joyce smiled maternally, but Buffy could see she was concerned.

"Seriously mom, I probably just haven't eaten enough or something."

"Mrs. Windsor?" The doctor glanced up from the chart he was holding.

"Yep, that’s me. All fine and dandy." Buffy laughed self-consciously.

"She fainted a few hours ago. I just wanted to have it checked out. She never usually gets sick, so I was worried." Joyce spoke up.

"But I'm fine." Buffy reasserted.

The Asian man smiled at her reassuringly. "Well, how about we just give you a quick, routine check-up just to make sure?"

"Please Buffy."

Buffy took a deep breath at the pleading look in her mother's eyes. "Okay."

"Okay, a nurse will be along in a minute to get you started." He smiled, then pulled the curtain open and left, closing it once more behind him.

---

"Buffy, you here, pet?" Spike called as he threw his keys onto the coffee table. He shifted the groceries in his hand as he walked to the kitchen and stopped dead in the doorway at the shattered cups and spilt mess he was greeted with.

"Buffy?!" He called again, a bit more worried. He knew she wasn't here. He couldn't sense her. But the rational part of his brain wasn't working, the rest of his mind seemingly content to mull over the hundred horrific possibilities that could explain the mess. That was when he spotted the note, pinned to the counter.

Spike barely had time to digest the turn of events before he'd grabbed his keys and was speeding towards the hospital.

---

"Mrs. Windsor? We have the results from your check up."

"Is there a problem?" Buffy frowned, looking over at the doctor who had just entered.

"No. You're a very healthy lady."

"I...uh, work out." Buffy hedged.

"There is something that we found, however. Is there a way to contact your husband?"

"My husband? Why, what's wrong?"

"Buffy?" Buffy looked up as Spike suddenly appeared from behind the curtain and moved swiftly to his wife's side. "What’s wrong?"

"That’s what we're about to find out. Dr. Patel, this is my husband, uh, William." Spike reached out for the obligatory handshake.

"So, Doc, what's up?"

"I have some good news for you both. Buffy, you're pregnant."

----

*BANG*

Everyone laughed and cooed as the champagne cork hit the ceiling, the overflow of bubbles briefly splashing Giles in the face before it was poured into seven glasses.

The watcher passed the nearly empty bottle to Joyce who put it on the side out of the way, and then he raised his glass.

"To Buffy and Spike. Congratulations for giving me yet another thing to worry about!"

The group laughed and spoke in unison, "To Buffy and Spike!"

Everyone sipped from the bubbly glasses, except Buffy who had orange juice in lieu of champagne.

"Thanks guys. Wow, this is really..."

"Weird?" Xander suggested and Cordy elbowed him.

"Thanks, Xand, I was gonna go with special. But surreal is another good word." Buffy smiled, to happy to let Xander’s flippant remarks go to heart!

"Well, I think its cool. Just think of all the shopping we've got to do!" Cordelia said, in an unusually generous mood.

"Oooh, yeah. Baby clothes. Oh, we have to throw you a baby shower!" Willow smiled, her green eyes sparkling with happiness for her friend.

"Looks like your bank balance is in trouble again." Buffy smirked at her husband.

"You'll just have to make it very worth my while." Spike suggested with a wiggle of his eyebrows, leaning down to kiss her.

---

"What you thinkin'?" Buffy eventually asked after he'd been silent for way to long.

"Hmm, what was that, pet?"

"What you thinking about? I can hear your brain moving!" She sat up slightly, rolling so that she could fold her arms over his chest. She rested her head of them, watching him as he spoke.

"Just thinkin' 'bout the baby, pet." Spike admitted.

"What about it?" Buffy asked warily.

"Just silly stuff." He absently brushed a lock of hair out of her eyes.

"No, tell me."

He sighed, "Sunlight and stuff I'm never gonna be able to do with him."

"Oh."

"Yeah." Spike sighed, then frowned as he felt something wet drop on to his chest. "Hey, what’s this?"

"I was thinking about that slayer whose mate died and then she.....Sorry, not helping here, am I?" Buffy murmured as she lay her head down. "Pity there's not some magical invincibility thingy for vamps, huh? Solve both our problems..."

Spike froze. "Say that again?"

"What? Oh, just thinking you know how I'm all-immortal....pity there’s not something like that for vamps, but with sunlight perks etc. I know just wishful think-"

"No, pet, I think you may be on to something." Buffy sat up as Spike slid out from under her and walked out of the room.

"Spike?"

"Where is it?" Spike muttered, as he skimmed the numerous titles in their library. "There." He retracted the book, flicking through it until he found what he wanted. "Fuck."

"Spike, what you got?" Buffy padded naked into the room and peered down at the book in his hands. "The Gem of Amara? What’s that?"

"A magical invincibility thingy for vamps, pet." Spike said smugly, pulling her into his arms with a smile.

Chapter Nine

"Daywalker..."

Buffy smiled, her hand rushing to the phone as the words <<Spike Mobile>> flashed on the caller ID screen.

"Spike?"

"What are you wearing?"

Buffy shivered as the almost growled words shot straight through her body, resounding deep in her womb. "Too much." She answered huskily, curling up on her old bed. "I can't wait for you to come home and take it all off."

Her body shock again with ill-repressed lust at the low chuckle that escaped her husband's lips.

He'd been gone nearly four whole weeks. The first had been spent crawling around LA's backwaters beating, maiming and killing various demons until he'd finally got a lead on someone who might know the gem's whereabouts in New York. Once there, said Javerlock demon had taken surprisingly little persuading to talk. So now he was on a excruciatingly slow trip to Mexico on said tip.

Joyce had offered Buffy her old room back, just for while Spike was gone, but her daughter had refused.....for all of two days, until the loneliness started to overcome her and with the persuasion of both her mother and her husband she's relented to moving back home till Spike returned.

"Where are you..." *Yawn.* "...oh, now?" Buffy asked mid-yawn.

"Somewhere in the middle, love."

"Oh." The disappointment in her voice was clear. "How long till you get there?"

"I'm thinkin' another week, that’s it baby. It's the damn sun. All the long days and all that."

"Yeah..."

"I miss you guys."

Buffy smiled, absently rubbing her hand over her protruding belly. "We miss you too."

"How's he doing?" Spike asked, with a grin almost hearing the slayer's words before she spoke them.

"She's doing fine. Been kicking up a storm today, though." They had decided they didn't want to know the sex of the child, but both were absolutely certain in their predictions!

Spike sighed, "I can't believe I'm missin' it."

"Hey, you'll be home soon right? She'll still be practicing her football skills when you're back!"

"Yeah..."

"Don't go all broody vamp on me." She teased lightly.

"Hey!"

----

"Just a couple more days, pet." Spike soothed down the phone as he continued to drive down the high way.

"Tell me again."

"I'm gonna go in, all quiet and non-offensive like. Carefully remove the gem from the stone. Then politely leave again." He recited.

"Then..." She prompted.

"Then high-tail it back home."

"Okay, just so we're clear. No fighting, no injury, no death, no dust, no nothing but the gem."

"I promise, love. Everything will be fine."

----

"SPIKE!"

Buffy jumped awake at the sound of her own scream. Sweat poured down her back, soaking her nightdress.

"Buffy, honey, are you okay?" Joyce's caring voice filtered down the hallway as she opened her daughter's door.

"Yeah, mom." Her heart pounded in her chest and her breathing was still erratic as she spoke. "Just a bad dream."

"Oh, pudding, want me to get you a hot drink, help you and baby sleep?"

Buffy forced a smile to her troubled face at the sympathetic look on her mother's and nodded

Joyce returned the smile and left.

"Just a dream." Buffy whispered to herself.

The images came to her, unbidden.

The room swirled and spun as the memories flashed inside her mind.

Her hand groped for the phone on her bedside, speed-dialling Spike's mobile.

Two rings and then a sleepy voice came from the other end, "Baby, what’s wrong?"

Buffy let out a little sob, when she realised he was fine.

"Buffy?" The voice was completely awake now. And completely concerned. "What happened? Are you okay? Did something happen to the baby?"

"NO...no, I'm fine." Buffy sniffed, quick to reassure him. "Just a bad dream."

"Oh, love..." The relief was evident in his voice.

"Just wanted to check."

"I'm fine, ducks. Big bad and all that."

"Yeah, right!" Buffy rolled her eyes, his playful tone making her feel a bit better. She yawned.

"Try to go back to sleep, baby. You sound tired."

"Yeah....okay.....love you."

"Love you too."

With a sigh, Buffy replaced the phone just as Joyce came in with her hot drink. She put it on the bedside table.

"There you go."

"Thanks, mom."

Joyce took in her daughter’s countenance. Her tired but scared eyes. The way her hand rested protectively over her stomach, as though she didn't quite believe the threat was over yet. "Do you want me to stay awhile?"

"No, its okay. I'll just try and sleep some more."

"Okay, sweetie. Night."

"Night."

"Just a bad dream." She repeated to herself and prayed that’s all it was. She began to close her eyes again, only to relive the horror once more.

----

"What is it, Willy?" Buffy stormed into the deserted bar, smashing the glass in the door as she slammed it shut.

"Hey, slayer, I'm helpin' you out here. There's no need to be destroyin' all my property!" The barkeep objected loudly, backing up as she advanced on him.

"I don't have time for your bloody games. I haven't heard from my husband in a week and a half, tell me what you know or I'll rip something off!" She growled, slamming the little man against the numerous bottle on the wall, destroying them all.

"O-okay!"

"Talk!" She grabbed him by the lapels of his shirt, shaking him.

"I heard something, some vamps in here a few nights ago."

"What did they say?" She enunciated her words dangerously slow.

"S-somethin' about Spike in Mexico..."

"And? Come on Willy, you're not helping your survival chances any."

"A-and he's come across some trouble."

"Who?" She demanded.

----

"AAAAGGGGHHHH!!!!!!" Spike screamed as the holy water tipped metal spike slid effortlessly into his skin once more.

Manic laughter lifted into the air, joined by the scent of sizzling flesh.

"Oh, my pet, such pretty colours." The vampiress' dark brown eyes twinkled as the knife slid down his chest, and the screams began a-fresh.

Chapter Ten

"Hell Hath No Fury..."

"Buffy you don't even know where in Mexico they are." Giles tried to reason with her as she paced the library floor.

"I can't just sit here and do nothing, Giles. I told you the dream."

"It could just be a-"

"When is it ever just a dream?" Buffy interrupted angrily.

"There m-might be a way." Willow put in.

"How?" Buffy demanded.

"A locating spell. It's a long shot, but it would give you a better idea where to look."

"What do you need?"

"Just something of his." Willow explained. "And a map."

"Here." Buffy reached inside her top and pulled out a gold chain. Undoing the catch she let the red signet ring fall into her palm and then passed it to Willow. "Giles, map?"

"I should....here." Giles quickly rummaged through a box and managed to produce a map of Mexico.

"This should only take a few minutes." Willow murmured, her eyes tight with concentration.

---

"They're talking too me, my love." Dru whispered, her voice barely heard by her captive over his own screams.

She dipped a cross hanging on a chain, inside a dish of holy water, letting the water swish over the edge, burning Spike's skin. He shook, causing the chains holding him up to the wall to jingle violently.

"They laugh at me. Taunting me. I can see her." She growled loudly.

Her eyes teared. "Laughing and hurling and twirling and screaming and taunting....." She seemed to calm, lifting the pendant and dangled it over Spike's face, watching as single drops formed individual bubbles of pain on his cheeks. "My pretty..."

"D-dru..." Spike's voice was hoarse as he tried to remain conscious. Blood dripped from his innumerate wounds, the smell of burnt flesh was thick in the air.

"Shhhh, I can hear your thoughts..." She ran the cross over the top of his hair, watching it sizzle away. "...you only think of her." Her eyes lost their childe-like stupor and hardened.

"Aaaaahhhhh!" The blonde vampire lost consciousness as the holy-water-treated knife ripped his stomach open.

----

Willow's eyes flashed black and a spot on the mat lit up.

The spell ended and the witch lifted her head, her eyes green once more.

"Found him."

----

"BITCH!"

The dark vampiress flew across the cave. She rose slowly, her yellow eyes seeking out the source of her pain. Dru growled when she came up with the slayer.

"Hello, Buffy." She smiled ferally as she took in the slayer's enlarged figure, absently licking a drop of blood that escaped the gash on her forehead.

"It's a pity you ran after I killed your sire. I recon I could have done one of those 'Kill one, get one dead for free' deals for man kind." Buffy lifted the bowl that was next to Spike and threw it at the vampiress’ face. "Ah, well, now’s as good a time as any!"

----

"Uh oh, better take a look at this G-Man."

Giles took the book from the boy, scowling at him simultaneously. "Xander, I've asked you repeatedly not...to...call...uh, oh."

"What's wrong? Is something wrong with Buffy?" Willow sat forward in her seat, letting the book in her hands drop to the table.

"N-no, not exactly. But it would seem that Spike's trip was in vain. It would appear that the gem of Amara is actually here in Sunnydale." The Watcher explained, and the group looked downtrodden at the news that all their slayers...and vampire's pain had been for nothing.

"What are we gonna do?" Willow asked.

"We find it."

----

Buffy gasped as she hit the wall, only her speedy hands out in front of her saving her stomach from being squished.

She heard a swishing noise behind her.

She reacted immediately and only just avoided decapitation. She turned and narrowed her eyes at the laughing vampiress. "That’s it Dru, no more Miss. Nice Slayer."

With a growl to rival either vampires the slayer attacked. Kick, block, punch, spin, slam, duck. The routine was second nature to her and within seconds had the vampiress on the floor, a stake in her hand.

"Bye Dru." She swung down, the stake slamming into the older woman’s' chest.

She frowned when the vampiress smiled at her, and Buffy yelped as she was pulled down to her level in a flash. "A child for a childe, love." She whispered.

The knife appeared into Drusilla's hand, sliding into the slayer's stomach as easy as a hot knife through soft butter. Buffy gasped, her eyes filling with tears as she collapsed on the floor as Dru dusted beneath her.

Buffy lifted her arms, dragging her numb body to where her husband lay chained to the wall. Heavy fingers undid the catches, Spike's falling body pulling Buffy to the cold stone below.

She tried to move, to think...to do something - anything. But the darkness was already enveloping her, pulling her in.

Together the three lay.

In dust and flesh and bone.

Blood pooled around the fallen lover's.

An the silence was deafening.

Epilogue

"Welcome To Heaven..."

"Wwwaaaaahhhhhh!"

"Congratulations, Mrs. Windsor, you have a beautiful baby girl." The midwife smiled at the still-panting slayer, speedily snipping and tying the umbilical chord with years of practice under her belt.

Wrapping the baby, she handed her to Spike, smiling at the look of gentle awe on his face as he carefully took the baby from her.

"Bloody hell..." He murmured as he took in the red mass of baby-mush. He walked back to sit next to Buffy, placing the baby into her outstretched arms.

"Oh...." Buffy gasped as the baby quietened, tears filling her eyes as she watched her daughter yawn for the first time.

"She's perfect." Spike whispered, carefully reaching out one gem-of-Amara-covered-finger to gently stroke one chubby cheek, gasping himself as the baby sighed, her eyes flittering open and closed.

"Would you like me to take a picture?" The nurse asked quietly, holding up the camera she'd found peaking out of the bag.

"Would you mind?" Buffy whispered back, looking up for the first time.

"Not at all, smile." The nurse snapped a few pictures before her buzzer went off. "Someone will be back to help in a few minutes."

The couple barely noticed her departure, too enamoured with the now sleeping child in their arms.

Spike tore his eyes away from the wonder that was his daughter, to take in the amazing view of his child and mate together.

"I love you both, so much." He sighed.

Buffy looked up at the wealth of emotion in his voice and pressed a gentle kiss to her husband's chizzled cheek. "We love you too."

Then the slayer giggled cheekily, "Told you it was a girl!"

-----

Buffy smiled at the euphoric feeling that filled her as she watched her vampiric mate swing their four year old daughter round and round in his arms.

Their search was over.

This was heaven.

The End