Chapter 17

“You love me?” he asked, swallowing hard as he drew in a ragged breath.

He knew that she cared for him of course, but he had been starting to think that hell would freeze over before she would admit to it. That she had said it first meant so much more. It meant that she had finally trusted her heart and happiness to his keeping and he could guess how much it had cost her to say those few words.

“Yeah, I didn’t want to, but I just did,”

Spike grinned at her. “If you’re trying for flattery luv, let me tell you that you suck at it,” he said teasingly.

Buffy laughed and thumped him on the arm. “Spoil the moment much. How do you feel about me?”

Spike’s smile faded as he looked at the hope shining in her eyes. “Have you any idea how long I have loved you?” he asked.

“You love me too? Dawn said you did, but I wasn’t sure,” she said in wonder.

“Not the sharpest pencil in the box are you luv? Maybe I married the wrong sister,” Spike laughed aloud at her expression before continuing. “I tried to show you with actions as you didn’t seem ready for the words at the time. When we made love, I used touch instead, which if I remember rightly, you seemed to enjoy,”

He smiled at her as her face turned red.

“I did sort of wonder…I knew you wanted me,” she replied.

“Buffy, as corny as this sounds, I have loved you almost from the first moment I saw you. When Ethan suggested you as my bride, I was against it. Not because I found you repulsive, like you thought, but because I read the pain in your eyes and it mirrored my own. I didn’t want to be the cause of more suffering for you,”

“You haven’t been. Spike, I couldn’t imagine living here for one moment without you now. Having you here felt so good and I was so afraid that you would leave. I kept my distance at first, it was easier, but then you drew me in. The few short weeks you have been here have been the happiest since I can’t remember when,”

Spike continued to stroke her hair.

“I hated myself when I found out your reasons for marriage. You were at your worst, but you showed your true nature in sacrificing yourself for your sister. Both you and Dawn restored my faith in the female sex,” he sighed.

Buffy cupped his face with one of her hands. “Ah, I don’t know, looking back it doesn’t seem such a sacrifice now. Spike I want you to know that I know about Drusilla,”

Spike looked at her sharply. “How?”

“I kinda found the photo and then I asked Angel. Don’t be mad at me,” she pleaded.

“Then you know the story. I didn’t realise I still had that picture and it wasn’t kept out of any lingering affection for her,” he replied.

“It’s okay I didn’t get jealous…well maybe a little, but I know she didn’t deserve you and that her loss is definitely my gain,”

“I just need to tell you about her and then we will think on her no more,” said Spike.

“Okay, I’m listening,”

“I met Dru when I was studying at uni. I thought she was what I wanted, but I can see now looking back that it would have been a real disaster. Even if she hadn’t run off with someone else on our wedding day, it would have just been some other guy on some other day. What I felt for her, is nothing but a pale shadow of what I feel for you,” Spike looked at her intently before continuing. “How about you, I was shocked beyond belief that I was going to be your first…pleased…but shocked,”

Buffy took a big breath before speaking. “I dated guys, but not long after my sixteenth birthday my parents split and then we moved here and I guess I didn’t stray far from home because my mom was in such a state after it all happened. I started seeing this guy called Parker…and we nearly…ya know slept together until Willow saw him with someone else. Apparently he gets girls in bed for the fun of it and dumps them the day after,”

“I’d like to meet him sometime,” growled Spike.

“Rein the inner caveman. He’s not worth it. Getting back to caveman mentality what to do about Hank,”

“Buffy, he came here didn’t he? He deserves a few points in his favour for that. He was pretty shook up about Dawn,”

“And so he should be. We’ll have him at the hospital first thing in the morning to have him tested. Don’t expect a big reconciliation scene between him and I Spike, okay?”

Spike looked at her, poking the tip of his tongue between his teeth. “How do you feel about you and I reconciliation scenes?”

She sat up on the bed and launched herself at him, knocking him back onto the mattress and straddling him.

“If all you wanted to do was jump my bones you only had to ask….pet,”

Buffy lowered her head and whispered in his ear “This time, it’s my turn to shut you up with a kiss,”

Their mouths met hungrily, both of them sure of their love for each other as the kiss deepened and blazed out of control. Buffy pulled her t-shirt up over her head and lifted the edges of his shirt to run her hands over his flat stomach. She fumbled with his belt buckle and un-zipped his jeans.

Spike took a hold of her hands and stilled her movements. “What about your dad?” he asked.

Buffy got up from the bed and Spike cursed himself for possibly saying the wrong thing at the right time, but he heaved a sigh of relief as she walked over to the door and turned the key in the lock.

“Hank can take care of himself for tonight. I intend to take care of you,” she replied as she removed the rest of her clothing on the way back to the bed.

Spike watched her impromptu striptease as he threw his jeans and boots off, left wearing nothing, but his shirt.

“You are still dressed, not fair,” she pouted.

“Ah, but I wanted you to finish the job. Any good a sewing shirt buttons back on?” he asked, reminding her of their first night together.

Buffy joined him on the bed. She took the edges of the shirt in her hands and pulled them apart. The buttons popped satisfyingly as she removed it. “There that’s better and with Christmas coming, I think I owe you a new shirt at least,” she grinned as she ran kisses up along his throat.

Spike flipped her over on the bed and covered her body with his own. “I am sure you can think of a way to make up for it,”

“You bet ya,” she grinned as she pulled his head down to her breast.

Buffy woke to brilliant sunlight flooding the room. She winced at the brightness, but it was nothing to the inner warmth she felt from the knowledge that she loved and was loved in return. Her whole body felt languid and achy at the same time, but in a very good way, she decided. She turned her head to look at Spike. He was still fast asleep an arm wrapped tightly around her waist, the other resting on her naked breast. It felt wonderful to be held and loved so. Now she had Spike she would never let him go. She snuggled down into the quilt, not wanting to break this wonderful moment. Buffy felt sleep begin to claim her once more and she welcomed it. “I love you William,” she breathed as she drifted off.

Spike kissed her shoulder. “I love you too,” he replied sleepily.

An hour later, they were both awoken by the harsh trill of the bedside alarm clock.

“Okay, back to reality. Which by the way is a pretty good place to be right now,” giggled Buffy.

“Oh, yeah,” Spike replied as he turned over in the bed to kiss her.

Buffy pulled away. “I have morning breath,”

“So do I,” he grinned at her before kissing her again.

It was another forty-five minutes before either of them left the bedroom. Buffy belatedly remembered about her unwanted house guest as they scrambled off the bed together to get a shower. Eventually they made their way downstairs to find Hank sitting in the lounge reading the morning paper.

“Morning,” Hank muttered before hiding his face behind the newspaper once more.

Spike looked from father to daughter. “I think I’ll go brew some coffee,” he said, slapping Buffy firmly on the rear before leaving them alone.

“Thanks Spike,” Buffy looked daggers at him before he disappeared into the kitchen.

Hank lowered his newspaper to look at her. Buffy noticed for the first time, the slight swelling on his nose and the faint shadow of a black eye. He noticed the direction her gaze had taken. “Like the shiner? You can thank your new husband for that,” he smiled self depreciatingly.

“Don’t worry I will,” said Buffy as she walked over to the window, preferring to look anywhere, but at her father. “Look, Hank as we are both adults let me be straight with you…you decided to do the fatherly thing for Dawn, for that I am grateful. You want anything more than that from me, I don’t know if I can give it right now,”

Hank sighed and got up from the sofa. “Buffy I’m not asking for forgiveness here. I know you are mad at me and rightly so, but I can wait. I have no real excuse for how I behaved towards you both. I‘ll go to the hospital with you this morning and do the test and hope to God I am a match. After it’s all over I can go back to LA and if you chose, you never have to see me again,”

Buffy spun round on her heels. “Yeah that’s right Hank run back to LA. All I ever did see when I was growing up was your back. Why change a habit of a lifetime?”

Spike heard the raised voices from the lounge and hurried back in. “What the bloody hell is going on here?” he demanded, walking over to stand next to Buffy.

“It was a mistake for me to come here. I think it’s best if I check into a motel somewhere,” sighed Hank in defeat.

“No, you are staying here,” said Buffy firmly. “Trying to take the easy route again?”

“No, I just thought it would be for the best,” he replied.

“Best for whom?” asked Buffy.

“Fine, I‘ll stay. You always were a mass of contradictions young lady,”

“Great, now that’s settled, maybe we can focus on what’s really important here…Dawn,” Spike emphasised.

Hank and Buffy both looked at Spike shamefaced.

“I’ll go get my jacket,” she replied.

“I’ll go get in the car,”

Buffy leaned up on tiptoe to kiss her husband as she walked off to the closet. Spike took the keys to Angel’s car and Hank followed him outside.

“That didn’t go too well,”

“You think mate?” asked Spike sarcastically. “She is hurt and angry, those things don’t just go away overnight any fool could tell you that,”

Spike unlocked the car and got in while Hank sat in the back. Buffy joined them a few moments later. The trace of a scowl was still marring her face as Spike drove out of their driveway and headed for the hospital. The awkward silence in the in the car stretched out before them, broken only by the sound of Spike’s cell phone as it rang. He took it out of his pocket and passed it to Buffy to answer.

“Hi Angel, yeah he is back and the car is just fine, thanks for asking,” Buffy replied dryly, rolling her eyes at Spike.

She ended the conversation and replaced Spikes phone, almost tempted to keep her hand inside his jacket if it wasn’t for the presence of her erstwhile father in the back seat.

“Angel is meeting us at the hospital. Apparently he has grown tired of public transport,” Buffy informed him.

“I really need to get us some wheels. Have to see into that at some point,”

Thankfully the journey to the hospital was soon over and they were walking across the parking lot to the entrance. Buffy turned to her father before they entered it. “If you say anything to upset Dawn…” she warned him.

“I’m not heartless Buffy,” Hank snapped.

“The jury is still out on that one,” she replied airily as she walked ahead of him. They stopped outside Dawn’s hospital room. “Let me go in and talk to her first,”

Hank let out a heavy sigh and nodded in agreement.

Buffy opened the door and walked in. She was surprised to see that her sister was not alone. Willow was napping in the chair in the corner. Dawn was awake and sitting up in bed, listening to her CD player. She pulled out her earphones as she saw Buffy. “Hi sis,”

“Don’t hi sis me,” said Buffy.

Dawn swallowed visibly. “So you know,”

“Yeah I know. I’m not mad at you Dawn. I should have thought of it myself, I guess I would have if I wasn’t so angry with Dad,” she sighed as she sat down on the bed with her sister.

“So he’s here then?” asked Dawn.

“Yeah, he’s right outside,”

“I want to see him,” said Dawn eagerly.

Buffy tried to control the resentment she felt at her sister’s happiness, but being a few years younger than Buffy she hadn’t really experienced or understood a lot of the circumstances of their parents break-up and his subsequent absence. She got off the bed and walked over to the door and opened it. “You can come in now,” she told him.

Buffy walked over to her sleeping friend and woke her. “Huh,” asked Willow, disorientated for a moment. “Buffy hi,” she smiled at her sleepily.

Hank walked in the room. “This is Hank,” Buffy told her.

“Hank? Isn’t that your father’s name?” asked Willow.

“Yeah,” said Buffy.

“How’s my little pumpkin belly?” asked Hank as he saw Dawn.

“Dad!” she grinned happily.

Buffy saw her sister hold out her arms to their father and looked away.

“C’mon I’ll explain it all over some icky hospital coffee,” said Buffy as Willow followed her and she left her sister alone with their father.

Spike was still waiting for them in the corridor. “Hi red,” he smiled at her.

“Hi Spike, so you were responsible for Hank?” she asked.

He nodded and closed the door on Hank and Dawn and the three of them made their way to the hospital dining hall. Buffy and Spike’ hands were tightly linked, they walked so close it would have been impossible to wedge a postage stamp between them. Their actions were not lost on Willow.

“Is there something you two aren’t telling me?” asked Willow.

“Um let me think…Spike?” asked Buffy teasingly.

Spike turned to Willow. “Buffy and I love each other. We’ve decided to make it a real marriage,”

Willow gasped before wrapping her arms around her best friend and then to Spike, awkwardly giving him a quick hug.

“I kinda hoped you two would see sense. So is this the end of all those sad puppy dog eyes I’ve been seeing around here lately?” grinned Willow.

“It sure is, nothing but happy Buffy from now on,” she replied as she kissed Spike and they continued down the corridor.

“Good, because I missed her,” said Willow.

Dawn’s hospital room was on the nearside of overcrowded as Buffy, Spike, Angel, Faith and Willow and Hank all waited for the news of Hank’s blood test.

“What can be taking so long?” asked Buffy edgily. She was perched on Spike’s knee due to the lack of available seats, something that she had no problem with at all.

Angel and Faith had found Spike, Buffy and Willow in the hospital dinner hall after they had arrived at the hospital. They had been quick to share their good news with everyone. Buffy mused that it would have been pretty hard to ignore anyway due to the way Faith had been deliberately using her left hand for everything to show off her ring.

The occupants of the room shifted around restlessly, wishing the time away. They all sucked in a collective breath as the door opened and a nurse entered the room. She frowned disapprovingly at seeing so many people crammed into the little room, but softened as she saw their looks of hopeful anticipation.

“Which one of you is Hank Summers?” she asked.

Hank rose up from his seat. “That would be me,” he replied.

“I have the results of your test,”

“Well give em’ to us already,” snapped Faith impatiently.

“Okay, okay. Mr Summers, you’re a match,” she informed him.

The cries and the whoops of laughter and joy coming from the little room could be heard far down the corridor.

TBC

Chapter 18

The noise died down in the hospital room, but the occupants still wore huge smiles on their faces, but none of them as much as Dawn. Spike shook Hank’s hand in the euphoria of the moment before turning to Buffy and picking her up and kissing her soundly. Hank looked at Buffy expectantly for her reaction to the news, but she was studying the floor. He sighed and walked over to his younger daughter and put his arms around her.

“Well Dawnie, it may not be much in the way of making up for my past transgressions, but it’s a start,” said Hank swallowing emotionally. He looked at the nurse who was still in the room with them. “How soon can the operation be performed?”

“The doctor said sooner would be better than later. He will need to explain what’s involved for the procedure and if all goes well how do you feel about the day after tomorrow?” asked the nurse.

“I’m not going anywhere,” he replied.

Buffy had to bite her lip at the sharp retort that hovered on the tip of her tongue after Hank had spoken, but not wanting to be the one to ruin the moment. Him staying put anywhere was a miracle, she thought to herself.

“I feel like a celebratory drink coming on,” said Angel.

Buffy glanced at her watch doubtfully “I don’t know…”

“You go ahead Buffy. I’ll stay here with Dawn. I have a lot of lost time to make up for, your sister will be fine,” said Hank.

“Yeah by the looks of you and Spike you have a lot to celebrate,” grinned Dawn innocently.

“What do you mean?” asked Hank.

“Nothing big dad, but sis knows what I’m talking about,” said Dawn conspiratorially.

Spike laced his fingers through Buffy’s “C’mon luv,” he said pulling her gently from the room.

After saying their goodbyes to Dawn, Angel, Faith and Willow joined them in the corridor. Spike and Buffy were oblivious to their arrival for several moments until they heard a discreet cough behind them.

“You guys coming up for air anytime soon?” asked Angel.

“Looks like someone else is trying to make up for lost time too,” said Faith archly.

“Can I help it if I love my wife?” asked Spike.

Buffy looked up at him, her expression melting at his words before she leaned up on tiptoe to kiss him again.

“Oh God,” said Faith rolling her eyes before leading Angel down the hall with Willow trailing after them. “I need a drink,”

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Somehow after a couple of drinks, they had ended up at the diner after Buffy had suggested that they should fill in the others on the good news concerning Dawn. They entered their workplace and sat down at one of the larger tables. Anya saw their arrival and walked over to their table.

“I hope you are going to order something,” she said waspishly as she got out her note pad.

Giles came out of the back. “Ah Anya staff don’t have to pay as long as the order is within reason,” he informed her.

Anya looked at him disgustedly. “I don’t know how you hope to make any real money around here,”

“Keep your panties on Anya we just want a round of coffees and maybe some pie,” said Faith.

Giles sat down next to them and removed his glasses. “So how did the tests go?” he asked.

Buffy looked at him, a big sappy grin on her face. “They went just fine. My father is a match,” she informed him. “Hopefully they can perform the operation in a couple of days and then it’s just a matter of keeping our fingers crossed,”

“Well you and Spike could make a baby if that doesn’t work,” said Anya as she walked off.

“That girl really has no idea what’s coming out of her mouth does she?” asked Faith.

“Unfortunately, no,” sighed Giles “But Xander is more than 50 more productive with her around, so it makes sense to keep her,” He glanced down as the light caught Faith’s engagement ring. “Good lord is that what I think it is?”

“Yep, he proposed to me right here in the diner after some rough and tumble,” grinned Faith. She enjoyed the shock on her employee’s face for a moment before continuing “And I have the naughty mind? Not that kind of rough and tumble, well maybe a little,” she finished, looking at Angel.

They were all interrupted by the sound of Spike’s cell phone going off. He reached inside his jacket and answered it. “Hello?” He begun a one sided conversation with the caller and the others continued to talk quietly among themselves. He put his phone away and looked at Buffy.

“What is it?” she asked.

“I’m sorry luv I have to be somewhere,” he sighed apologetically.

“Where? Can’t I come with?” she asked.

“Not really gorgeous. I have an appointment with my agent. Don’t want to get my hopes up too high,” he told her.

“Is it to do with your writing?”

“Yeah,” he replied getting up from his seat “Want to walk me out?” he looked at Buffy.

“Of course,” she smiled at him.

“Always knew those crazy kids would make it,” said Faith, satisfied.

“What about us?” asked Angel.

“Now you were another matter altogether,” she teased him.

Giles wiped his glasses before replacing them, and he looked at Willow. “Feel up to starting your shift an hour or two early?”

“Sure, all this sentiment is getting to me. Kinda makes me wish Oz wasn’t touring at the moment,” she sighed sadly.

Giles and Willow walked down the aisles to the main counter. “So when does he get back?”

“Christmas eve…boy does he have a lot of changes to come home to. I didn’t even think to tell him about Buffy what with everything going on,”

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Buffy went back to the hospital after her prolonged goodbye with Spike. She touched her hand to her lips, still able to taste him on them. Her heart ached for every moment that they were apart, just going through the motions of life until she could be back with him again. She was definitely still in the honeymoon phase of her marriage she mused and she would work hard to keep it that way.

Buffy had her fingers and toes crossed mentally for the outcome of his meeting. He had been cagey about the details as he hadn’t wanted her to get her hopes up about it all, but she could see the hope in his eyes, that same hope she had read when she had told him that she loved him. Suddenly Anya’s suggestion of having a baby didn’t seem like a bad idea after all. Maybe one was already growing inside her at this moment? She touched her flat abdomen almost instinctively. Surely not, she thought as she shook off her fanciful thoughts, besides it was way too soon to tell.

She opened the door to her sister’s hospital room and walked in. Her father was on the bed, holding Dawn in his arms. Buffy was alarmed to see tears pouring down his cheek. “Oh my God…Dawn is she okay?” asked Buffy fearfully.

Hank wiped at his face. “Calm down, she is just fine. She’s sleeping,”

Buffy breathed a huge sigh of relief at her father’s words. “You just about scared the life out of me, I saw the tears and I thought…” she said slumping down in the bedside chair.

Hank moved from his position on the bed to sit up and look at Buffy. The awkward silence filled the room, making them both uncomfortable.

“Buffy,”

She looked at her father. “Hmm?”

“They scheduled the surgery for the day after tomorrow. I have had the risks explained to me, apparently there is always a margin for risks in any procedure, but I want you to know that if anything should happen to me…that I have left provision for you and your sister in my will,”

“I don’t want to hear that kind of talk. No one else is dying in this family, no matter how dysfunctional it is,” she snapped as she got up from her seat and slammed out of the room.

Hank sighed; it seemed he had said the wrong thing again.

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Buffy stood at the bus stop, wiping at the angry tears that streamed down her face. Hank’s talk of dying had made her as mad as hell, as to why she wasn’t really sure, she just knew that she had had to exit that hospital room before she’d made a fool of herself and broke down in front of him.

“Hi sexy wanna ride?” drawled a familiar voice.

Buffy looked up in surprise as she saw him grinning from behind the wheel of a black Cadillac. “Spike? Oh my God is that yours?”

“No it’s a hire model, but I am thinking of getting one. Thought we needed to be mobile with all the travelling back and forth to the hospital and such. Well, woman you going to get in or just stand there with your mouth open all day?” he asked.

Buffy hurried round the passenger side and Spike leaned across and opened the door. “I am going to ruin my ruin my reputation,” she giggled.

“Why so?” asked Spike.

“You are the second man to give me a ride from that stop. Angel picked me up from there the other day,”

“You can ruin yourself all you want, as long as it is with me,” he purred in her ear, as he kissed along the line of her throat.

Buffy thrust her fingers into his hair. “How quickly can you get us home?”

Spike’s head snapped up as he turned round and pulled away from the kerb. “Is five minutes quick enough for you?”

“No, but I would like to get there in one piece,” She grinned, placing a hand on his inner thigh before sliding higher.

Spike sucked in a breath “Naughty touching will definitely get us a bed in ER love, not really the place I want to make love to you,” he replied, gently moving her hand to rest on his knee.

“So how did the meeting go?” she asked.

“Damn I forgot all about that, one look at you and all rational thought left me,”

“Really?” she asked.

“Can you doubt it?”

Buffy licked her lips. “Drive faster,”

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“Well that was embarrassing,” said Buffy as they both got back in the car and waited for the cop to ride off on his motorcycle.

“Yeah, being pulled over for speeding did kind of dampen the mood. Might as well tell you about what happened at the meeting while we are at it. Or even not at it, unfortunately,” he amended. “I had a meeting with my agent. He touted my manuscript to a friend of a friend and some big cheese at a film studio is interested in it. I mean when I wrote that I was hoping for a play in some back water theatre company, but they want to make it into a movie,”

“Oh Spike that’s wonderful!” she cried.

“What makes it even better is that I have you and Dawn to share it with,” he told her seriously.

“I have no complaints with that,” she sighed. “I don’t deserve to be this happy, it’s like I am expecting some bad karma to come along or, wake up and find this has all been some dream,”

Spike smiled at her. “You do deserve this happiness, and I aim to make sure that it lasts for a lifetimes worth. We will have our ups and downs Buffy, but I want you to know I will be right there with you, through the good and the bad,” he said, squeezing her hand gently.

She returned the pressure of his hand. “I know,” she replied softly. “Let’s get home, I am suddenly in the mood again, but without the police escort this time would be a big bonus,”

“Your wish is my command my lady,” he replied in his best proper English accent.

“Good because when we get home the first thing I want to do to you is get you in bed,” she replied cheekily.

“Oh, that is very do-able, and so are you Buffy Sutton,”

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Two Days later

“Well I’m all set,” said Hank as he took his holdall and waited by the front door.

“I’ll just see what’s keeping Buffy,” said Spike as he went off upstairs.

Spike arrived outside her bedroom door; it was deathly silent, so he turned the handle and walked in. He was surprised to find Buffy sitting cross-legged on the bed, staring into space.

“Sorry to rush you love, but we do have to get Hank to the hospital. Today’s the big day and all,”

Buffy looked up at Spike, unshed tears glistening in their depths. “I’m scared,” she replied.

“It will be okay, you’ll see. Once this is all over all we have to concern ourselves with is Dawn’s speedy recovery and a new life for the three of us,”

“I was thinking of my father actually. I know this sounds dumb, but I have been so busy hating him, that I only realised that I still love him. I mean I don’t like him, but all the same, good or bad he is my father,”

Spike sat next to her on the bed and put an arm around her. “Buffy, love is a funny thing; we can’t always choose whom we love, but what we do with that love is the more important thing. I really think you should be having this conversation with your father. Hank doesn’t expect instant forgiveness, but you have to give him a chance to start somewhere, no matter how tiny that may be or not,”

“I want to, but I’m scared of letting him back in just to be hurt again,” she admitted.

“Well do it on your own terms then, you set the markers,”

Buffy turned to him and smiled. “I love you,” She leaned in and kissed him.

Spike pulled away and growled at her.

“What?” she asked innocently.

“Now we are going to be another five minutes, before I can go back downstairs,” he sighed.

“Why, what’s the problem…oh!” she giggled as she looked downwards to where his gaze rested. “I didn’t mean to turn you on,”

“Like hell you didn’t and isn’t that the name of a song?” he asked.

They both turned at the sound of the doorbell.

“Damn, who can it be at this time of the morning?” said Buffy, checking her watch. “It’s only seven-thirty am,”

“Well whoever it is, it sounds like your father has taken care of it,” said Spike.

Buffy glanced at him. “Well you look like you have returned to normal, we’d better go see who our early morning caller is,”

They both got up to leave, Spike hung back for a moment.

“What is it?” she asked.

“Well I don’t know if I am hearing things, but that other voice I can hear downstairs sounds rather familiar,”

“Like whom?” she asked.

“Try Ethan bloody Rayne,” Spike replied.

“Oh, no and he’s alone with my father,” gasped Buffy.

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Hank opened the door to the well dressed man. “Hello can help you? It’s not a good time right now, we have to be somewhere,” He explained.

“Don’t worry this won’t take a moment. I’m Ethan Rayne, by the way. Close friend of the family,”

“Funny I don’t remember my daughter ever mentioning you, or my son in law for that matter,”

Buffy and Spike ran down the stairs to stand at their base, both of them out of breath.

“Ethan, how nice to see you,” said Buffy with false brightness.

“Buffy dear girl you are looking marvellous, which brings me to why I am here, good news children,” said Ethan.

“Yeah?” asked Spike, looking as nervous as Buffy. “Maybe we can talk about it later over coffee at the diner?” he suggested.

“Sorry no can do, I have a million things to sort out since I skipped town, so I’d better come out with it,”

“Really don’t” said Buffy.

Ethan looked at them both in confusion. “I thought the news that immigration won’t be on your back after all for your arranged marriage would have been the best news I could give you. You and Spike don’t have to live together anymore as the happy couple. Seems it was just a rival of mine that put about that nasty rumour about immigration investigating me. So it’s green cards ahoy Spike,”

Hank looked at Spike and Buffy before turning to their visitor. “Thank you Mr Rayne, that is interesting news, thanks for stopping by,” said Hank as he showed Ethan out the door.

Hank turned back to Spike and Buffy. “Anyone want to tell me what’s really going on here?”

Buffy bit her lip. “Umm Spike?”

TBC

Chapter 19

Spike looked at Buffy, took a deep breath and turned back to face his father in law.

“If I ever get a hold of that Ethan Rayne again, I am gonna personally re-arrange his face,” he sighed.

“You seem to be good at that,” said Hank rubbing at his nose in remembrance. “But neither of you have answered my question, what was that man talking about?”

“None of your damn business is what,” Buffy snapped back at him. “It stopped being your business the day you walked out on mom, Dawnie and I,” Buffy held her hands by her side; they slowly curled up into fists as she felt her anger rise, having gotten over the initial shock of Ethan’s unexpected appearance.

“Am I right in assuming that your marriage to Spike was some get rich quick scheme?” he demanded.

“As you’re so keen to hear the truth then I’ll tell you. I had to marry this man here to pay Dawn’s medical expenses. He married me because he wanted a green card to stay in the country. Ethan, whom you just met, arranged it all. Somewhere along the way it got very complicated and we had to live together, but before you go and do the outraged parent bit, save yourself the bother,”

“God how much you must hate me,” said Hank, as realisation hit him of the sacrifices she had made.

Bright spots of colour burned on Buffy’s face, she ignored his softly spoken words as she looked back at him, her eyes sparkling with unshed emotion.

“I love Spike, and he loves me, so it wasn’t such a terrible price to pay after all. Everyone wins. Now enough of dragging up the past, we have a hospital to get to and Dawn is more important than anything I did or didn’t do,” she snapped as she grabbed her bag and stormed out of the house.

Hank looked at Spike.

“Don’t look at me mate; Buffy wouldn’t have been in this situation, if you had taken care of you and yours. So don’t go holding it against her,” said Spike.

“I don’t blame her, I blame myself. Poor kid was just trying to get along like you said. After this is all over I am going to go back to LA. Buffy doesn’t really need me now. I will try and straighten myself out and get a decent job, so I can provide for them,”

Spike shook his head. “You just don’t get it, she does need you, and more than she will ever admit,” Spike mumbled under his breath, and sighing at the hard-headedness of the family he had married into.

He walked off, closely followed by Hank. Hank got in the back seat; Buffy’s eyes met his in the mirror as they drove off. Hank could see that she was holding back her tears as she looked away. He knew she was right, Dawn was the only thing that really mattered right now, so he closed his mind off to all else as he thought of how he could show his daughters how wrong he had been to leave them in the lurch. The past couldn’t be changed, but at least the future wasn’t set in stone.

Buffy sat in the hospital room, holding Dawn’s hand as she stared into space.

“Earth to Buffy,” said Dawn.

Buffy was jolted out of her thoughts, by her sister’s voice. “Huh?” she asked.

“Nothing, just checking you were still with us,” grinned Dawn.

Spike glanced at his wristwatch. “It must be about time for Hank to go in now. I’ll go see if he wants a bit of moral support,” said Spike.

Buffy smiled at him vaguely and nodded, before turning back to her sister.

Dawn frowned at her. “Aren’t you going sis?” she asked.

“No, he’s got Spike, he doesn’t need me there as well,” said Buffy.

Dawn arched an eyebrow at her sister, but decided not to push any further on the subject as she could see the set expression on her face as she looked back at her.

Buffy squeezed Dawn’s hand. “There is something I should tell you, I think you are old enough to know and I learned from experience that these things have a way of coming out on their own,” smiled Buffy wryly.

“What is it?” asked Dawn.

“I want to tell you the real circumstances surrounding my marriage to Spike,” Buffy took a deep breath before continuing. “Dawnie, it was an arranged marriage, when Spike and I walked up the aisle we were barely more than strangers. You see I had allowed your medical cover to lapse and I needed money fast, can you forgive me?”

Dawn smiled at her sister through watery eyes. “Buffy, I love you, I’m sorry to be such a burden to you,” she cried as she leant her head against her sister’s shoulder.

“Oh Dawn, you are never that. In fact in a way I have you to thank for meeting such a wonderful man, and finding a love so deep that many search their whole lives for and never find,” sighed Buffy as she stroked her sister’s cheek.

“Talking about me again?” asked Spike.

Both sisters jumped at the sound of his voice. “Spike, you almost gave me a heart attack,” grinned Buffy. She looked up at him, seeing her last words had moved him as he gazed at her intently.

He walked over to the bed and put his arms around his wife and sister-in-law as they all held each other in perfect silence.

Buffy was the first to break it as something occurred to her. “I thought you were gonna wait with my dad,”

Spike smiled at her slip, she almost always called him Hank, but for that moment he had been her dad. “He’d already gone in luv,”

He felt the sisters tense against him, and held them both a little tighter.

“I’m sure there will be some news soon,” said Willow.

“Yeah, but it should all be over by now,” fretted Dawn.

A nurse entered the room. “Can I speak to Mrs Sutton?” she asked.

No-one responded for a moment.

“Er Buffy that would be you,” Spike smiled at her.

Buffy looked at apologetically at the nurse. “Sorry, what can I say, I’m a newly wed, still getting used to the new name. Spike come with?”

Spike took her hand and followed her out of the room.

“Mrs Sutton, the operation was a success,” she informed her.

Buffy let out a huge sigh.

“But…Mr Summers developed a reaction to the anaesthetic, there were some complications…”

“He’s not dead is he?” Buffy whitened.

“No, but it was touch and go for a while. Mr Summers was clinically dead for several minutes, we’re not sure if there was any neurological damage,”

“Then I have to go…be with my father,” Buffy ran off down the corridor.

“Buffy…luv,” Spike called after her.

He would have gone with her, but there was a younger daughter waiting on the outcome of the operation. Spike turned away and re-entered the hospital room.

“Where’s Buffy?” asked Dawn.

“She’s gone to see your father. It went fine, your dad is in recovery,” Spike saw no reason to distress the teen any further. He looked at Willow. “You’ll be okay with the nibblet?” he asked.

“Yeah sure,” nodded Willow.

Spike left the room and headed off in search of his wife. After asking around he finally found her in a private room with her father. He looked as pale as the sheets he lay on. Buffy sat in the chair by his bedside holding his hand and wiping away the tears that fell down her cheeks. He walked over to her and put an arm around her.

“You okay love?”

“No, I’ve been sitting here thinking about how horrible I have been since he came back into my life. What if he hadn’t made it today Spike? How could I live with all those things I said to him? What if he doesn’t wake up?” she asked.

“That’s a whole load of what ifs pet and Hank understands better than you think,”

“How could he? I never told him that I loved him…or thanked him for helping with Dawnie,”

“Buffy he never wanted your thanks; he just wanted to do the right thing no matter how belatedly. I should have told you…when I went to his apartment, he had just one picture in the whole place…it was a framed photo of you and Dawn. He may have been the absentee father, but he loves you and he loves your sister,”

“Then why didn’t he just tell me?” asked Buffy.

“Because he was afraid you would tell him where to shove it little lady,” croaked a weak voice from the bed.

“Dad, you’re okay?” she cried.

“Hello there, sorry for giving you a bit of a scare seems I am good at that. Takes a lot to kill off this old man,”

“Don’t talk, there is plenty of time for that later,” Buffy placed a finger on his lips.

Hank smiled at her tiredly before closing his eyes again and drifting off.

“C’mon let’s leave your father get some rest. He’s gonna be just fine and so is Dawn, and we need to tell someone that he came round,” Spike re-assured her.

“You have a lot of confidence,” she replied as she took his hand and they left the room.

“Of course, I am a firm believer in happy endings since I met you,”

“You are making me a believer in them too,” Buffy smiled up at him.

TWO WEEKS LATER

“Spike did you find that box of tinsel? It’s the third one from the right next to the dryer,” Buffy called out.

“Ow,” came the muffled reply, followed by a crashing sound. “Damn, bugger,”

“Spike? You okay?” asked Buffy as she put down the box of Christmas baubles.

There was no reply and she ran to the basement door. It was quiet and dark inside.

“Spike?” she asked fearfully. What if he had fallen? She ran down the basements steps, hardly able to see a thing in the dark. “Spike?” she called out again. “This isn’t funny if you are playing games,”

A pair of strong arms wrapped themselves around her waist and lifted her off the ground. She knew it was Spike, but she screamed, and turned around in his embrace and thumped him on the chest.

“Hey, that’s some right hook you have there,” he groaned.

“Aww baby, sorry, I didn’t mean to hurt the big strong guy,” she teased.

Spike reached out for the light cord and pulled it. They both squinted at the harsh light as it illuminated the room.

“There, that’s better, now I can see what I am looking at,” he grinned at her.

Buffy felt the heat creep into her cheeks, she was beginning to understand that look very well, and with her father staying in the house there had been little time for fun and games the last couple of weeks.

“Spike, we can’t,”

He pouted at her. “Why not? We have the house all to ourselves,”

“Because my father is at the hospital collecting my sister as we speak and we have a tree to decorate before they get back. I want it to be perfect for Dawn’s homecoming,” Buffy told him sternly.

Spike slipped his hands underneath her t-shirt, and she slapped them away half-heartedly. Spike could see her resolve wavering in the depths of her eyes. He grinned knowingly, as he hands crept back up her top.

“We have plenty of time for both luv, and I’ve wanted to try the basement for some time. Look there’s even a comfy old sofa in the corner,” he urged, taking her by the hand and leading her towards it.

“What’s in the basement that’s so sexy?” she asked as Spike lay down on the sofa and pulled her on top of him. She landed on him in a giggling heap.

Spike ran kisses along her throat before nibbling at her ear. “I am,” he grinned at her saucily.

“Ego much?” she asked as she succumbed to his touch.

“Only when I’m with you,”

“Dammit, was that a car door I heard?” asked Buffy as she scrambled off of Spike.

“Wha-at,” he asked still half asleep.

“Way to go Spike, getting all horny just before my dad and sis were due home. Great way to meet them, in the nude,” She grabbed her jeans and t-shirt off the basement floor and quickly pulled them on.

“If remember correctly, someone else was right there with me…getting horny,” he reminded her as he sat up and she threw his jeans at him.

“That’s neither here nor there,” she told him haughtily.

“Buffy,” called her father’s voice.

“Coming dad,” she answered.

She looked at Spike, seeing his mind working overtime at her innocent words.

“Buffy? Spike?” Dawn called out.

“Spike get your things on before my sister sees more of you than I would want,” hissed Buffy.

Spike pulled his jeans on and buttoned up the fly just in time as Dawn came bounding down the stairs.

“Where were you two?” asked Dawn.

“Er, uh, Buffy and I were looking for the Christmas decorations,” said Spike.

Dawn looked at them both. “Uh huh, it’s the usual thing to look for them shirtless?” asked Dawn.

“Yeah, it got hot down here,” said Spike, looking at Buffy meaningfully.

Buffy looked away, blushing. “Oh Dawn it’s great to have you home again. We wanted to have the tree done before you got back, sorry,” she said apologetically.

“It’s no big sis, we can do it together later,” said Dawn, as she ran back up the stairs.

“Think she suspected anything?” asked Spike, grinning at her.

“I don’t know, maybe the shirtless decoration hunting, kinda gave it away,” said Buffy sarcastically as she located his shirt peeking out from under the sofa.

“You loved every minute of it woman, admit it,” he replied before lowering his head and kissing her softly on the lips.

After a few moments, Buffy pulled away, she had suddenly turned very pale. There were beads of perspiration sticking to her upper lip. She swayed unsteadily on her feet, looking at Spike in horror before she bolted up the stairs towards the nearest bathroom.

“Buffy luv, what is it?” Spike called out as he followed after her.

He found her in the bathroom bent over the toilet bowl. He held her hair and stroked her back while she dry heaved. After a few moments she sat down on the bathroom floor. Spike put his arms around her.

“You feel any better?” he asked.

“Yeah, I skipped breakfast and with Dawn coming home and all the other excitement that followed I kinda skipped lunch too,” she replied, sagging against the warmth of his chest.

Spike got her gently to her feet, she still looked too pale for his liking. He surprised her by lifting her into his arms and carrying her to their bedroom.

“Spike, what are you doing?” she asked.

“Taking care of you,” he replied firmly as he deposited her on the bed. “Now don’t move until I have brought you up a tray of food young lady,”

“Yes sir,” she replied mockingly, knowing there would be no use protesting on her part. She felt glad that she had stayed put as she settled back against the fluffy pillows.

She was awoken by Spike re-entering the room, with a tray laden with goodies. She smiled at him sleepily as he set it down on the bed.

“Hello cutie,” he returned her weak smile.

“Bet I look far from cute right now,” she replied as she struggled into a sitting position.

Spike passed her some toast.

“Oh, peanut butter, extra crunchy, just how I like it,” she replied as she bit into it, her earlier bout of sickness forgotten.

The next morning, Buffy groaned as the alarm went off. She wanted nothing more than to stick her head back under the covers and sleep the day away. She sighed as the buzzer continued like an angry swarm of bees. She switched it off and got out of bed, the nausea of the previous day returned with a vengeance, she ran to the toilet before she disgraced herself in her own bedroom.

She returned back to her room several minutes later, feeling slightly better. Checking her watch in horror, she quickly slipped on her uniform and crept downstairs, not wanting to wake anyone. Her stomach was still churning, so she settled on some plain toast and a glass of milk before exiting the house.

She was surprised to see Spike sitting behind the wheel of their new car. In the end he had settled on a good second hand Cadillac.

“Spike,” was all she could think of to say.

“Gave you a shock did I?” he asked.

“What are you doing?”

“Giving my wife a ride to work, you think I would let you go alone after last night’s episode. You shouldn’t be going in at all, but I know your stubborn streak,” he sighed.

He leaned across and opened the passenger seat and Buffy got in.

“Thanks,” she replied.

“All part of the service,”

They took the journey to the diner in comfortable silence, neither of them particularly chatty first thing in the morning. He pulled up outside and she turned to him and smiled. “Looks like it’s my stop,”

Spike studied her intently; he still didn’t like her colour. The skin around her mouth was almost white. They were both startled as someone knocked on the window of the car.

Faith smiled at them both. “You lovebirds gonna keep on making out or are you gonna let your wife come in and make some money? Jeez I am I starting to sound like Anya or what? Somebody shoot me,”

“Bye, love you,” sighed Buffy as she leaned over to give Spike a swift kiss on the lips.

“Love you,” he smiled at her.

Spike watched Buffy enter the diner with her friend, but he was reluctant to move off. He stayed where he was for several minutes, surprised when Buffy re-emerged from the diner, being led out by Faith and Anya.

“Looks like someone shoulda stayed home today. Poor kid tossed up her cookies the moment she entered the diner,” said Faith sympathetically.

“Yes and vomiting employees really isn’t good for business,” said Anya, hastily trying to bundle Buffy into the car.

“Hey, slow it down there,” said Faith as she saw Buffy grow pale again. “Lady with a baby,” she added before she closed the door on Buffy and Spike and walked away.

Buffy’s eyes flew to Spike’s, seeing the shock on his face as he turned almost as white as herself.

TBC

Chapter 20

They continued to look at each other for several moments, both afraid to speak of what the other would say. Spike looked at her piercingly as she looked away. He lifted a finger to raise her face back towards him. She had lost a little of her previous pallor, bright spots of colour stained her cheeks.

“Buffy? You okay?”

She looked on the verge of tears.

“Oh Spike, do you think Faith is right? I mean there was only that one time we were not so careful,”

Spike chuckled. “I don’t know what they teach you about the birds and bees this side of the pond luv, but once is all it takes,”

“You don’t have to sound so pleased about it,” she pouted.

“And you’re not?” asked Spike, looking a little hurt.

“I just don’t wanna count my chickens-er chick before they hatch,” said Buffy

“Well there’s only one way to know for sure,” said Spike as he started the car and drove away from the diner.

“What do you have in mind? It’s too soon for a doctor’s appointment,” she asked.

Spike turned into the parking lot of the mall and turned off the engine, getting out of the car, he opened the passenger door for Buffy. She smiled at the charm of his manners, used to doing most everything for herself, but she found she enjoyed the pampering he was giving her. It was a refreshing change from other guys she had spent time with. They walked into the giant glass constructed mall, hand in hand, Spike pulled her along until they came to an all purpose drugstore.

“C’mon we’re getting you tested,” he answered her questing gaze.

She followed him without argument inside the huge store. Five minutes later they stood outside, pregnancy kit in hand as they searched for the nearest washrooms.

“Well this is where we part company, unless you want to get thrown out by security,” she smiled weakly at him.

“You know where I am if you need me,” he reassured her.

Buffy squeezed his hand and leaned up on tip-toe to kiss him before turning to enter the women’s restrooms. Spike hung back and leaned against the wall earning him several strange looks from women coming to use the facilities.

Buffy, took a deep breath and removed the kit from the foil pack and after following the instructions she sat back and waited for the longest two minutes of her life to pass. Unable to take it no longer she left the stall and went outside to find her husband arguing with a security guard.

“He’s with me, he was waiting for me,” Buffy explained, leading him off.

“Well?” asked Spike, looking at her anxiously.

“I don’t know, I haven’t dared look yet,” she answered, nibbling at her lower lip.

“Where is it?” asked Spike.

Buffy took the plastic stick out of her coat pocket and passed it to him.

Spike frowned at it. “How the bloody hell do you read one of these, it’s just a couple of pink lines,”

“Wha-what?” she asked, as she thrust her hand in her pocket for the instructions. “It’s a baby,” she gasped, reading the leaflet.

“No offence luv, but I hope any offspring of ours is prettier than that…bloody hell,” he exclaimed as her words sank in. “You’re going to have a baby,”

The wonder in his eyes was evident, and she smiled up at him tearfully.

“I won’t pretend this is the best time it could have happened, but I want this baby very much,” she told him emotionally.

Spike picked her up and kissed her soundly on the lips. “I love you,” he whispered in her ear.

“I love you too. Well I guess this is the season for giving, and you certainly gave me a little something I won’t forget,” she giggled as the joy bubbled up inside of her.

“Hey I wasn’t the only one,” he answered in mock outrage. “Buffy, you’re having my baby,” he smiled as he lowered her back down until her feet touched the floor.

Buffy looked serious for a moment. “What are Dawn and dad gonna say?” she asked.

Buffy lay asleep in the bed, Spike leaned over to kiss a shoulder before getting out, it was two in the morning, but he knew Angel would still be awake.

They had still not shared their news with Dawn and her father, enjoying the privacy of their secret to themselves for a while longer. He pulled on his robe and crept down the stairs to use the phone. He dialled his best friends number, after a couple of rings, Faith picked up.

“Hi, you’d better only be calling for reasons such as death, fire or flood,” came the husky voice on the other end.

“Faith, it’s Spike,”

“Hi Spike, and how’s the mother to be, she is a mother to be, right?” asked Faith.

Before Spike got a chance to answer her, angel had taken the phone from her.

“Spike, who’s been a busy boy then?” asked Angel, not able to resist a chance to tease his friend.

“Oh very bloody funny, I shall laugh if it happens to you as well mate,”

“Not a chance, what did you want daddy?” said Angel smugly.

“Bastard,”

“Thank you,” replied Angel, his voice laced with amusement.

“I need some help with arranging a wedding,” Spike replied waiting for the witty comeback.

“Who’s getting married?”

“Me,” Spike answered.

“Hate to break it to you, but you already been there and done that,” laughed angel.

Spike sighed impatiently. “Yeah I know, but I want to do it right this time, marry Buffy or at least have a blessing of some sort in a place we are both comfortable with,”

“Does she know?” asked Angel.

“No, I wanted to surprise her, that’s why I am asking you to help me. Well will you or won’t you?” asked Spike.

“So, when do you want this second wedding?” asked Angel.

“Two weeks today, on Christmas Eve,”

Angel whistled, “You certainly don’t let the grass grow under your feet. Well you got Buffy knocked up in record time, so why am I surprised,”

Spike heard some tussling for the possession of the phone on the other end, before Faith came back on the line. “So you’re planning another wedding, does this mean I get to be flower girl as you cheated me out of it last time?” she asked.

“I hadn’t thought that far along, but the job’s yours if you want it,” Spike replied.

“Sweet, Willow Dawnie and I…maids of honour,” said Faith.

“There’s nothing maidenly about you,” Spike heard Angel whisper under his breath to Faith.

“Look the whole bleedin’ female population of the US can be in on it as long as it remains a surprise,” said Spike impatiently.

“Grouchy, someone’s not getting any, but that can’t be you, especially with a kid on the way,” laughed Faith.

“It’s me that’s not getting any,” growled Angel, as the phone went dead.

“Buffy?”

“Yeah?”

“What’s up with you lately?” asked Dawn.

Buffy looked at her innocently. “I don’t know what you mean,”

“Well, not that it’s a big compliment, but you usually hate my cooking and that’s the third mini anchovy and peanut butter pizza of mine that you’ve finished off,” said Dawn raising a sceptical eyebrow at her sister.

Buffy shrugged. “These are good, got anymore?”

Dawn rolled her eyes and switched on the TV, settling down to watch MTV.

“Has there been any news about the test results?” asked Dawn, suddenly remembering.

“Test? Who’s been tested? I haven’t had any tests,” said Buffy, confused, wondering if Dawn knew something she wasn’t admitting to.

“Where’s your brain today Buffy? I was talking about the tests to see how my bone marrow transplant was taking, duh. What kinda tests were you talking about?”

Hank walked in the room and looked at both his daughters. “We have an appointment to see the specialist next week Dawn and I am sure Buffy will tell us what she is talking about when she is ready,”

“I get it, more secrets,” huffed Dawn.

“Don’t worry, Buffy’s secret isn’t the kind that’s easily hid,” said Hank, winking at Buffy.

Buffy’s mouth dropped open. “H-how did you know?” she asked.

“Look, I may not be father of the year, but I am a father, I’ve been through this twice before already,” said Hank.

“Look can you two stop talking in another language and tell me what is going on here?” asked Dawn.

Buffy sighed, she and Spike had wanted to tell her family together, but it seemed the secrets had a way of letting themselves be discovered. She just hoped that Spike would understand and not be disappointed that she had told them all, although it seemed her father had guessed for himself.

“Okay, okay…Dawnie, I’m gonna have a baby,”

“There that wasn’t so difficult was it?” asked Hank.

“Oh my God,” squealed Dawn as she got up from the sofa and hugged her sister,

“Not so tight sis, unless you wanna be re-acquainted with your cooking,” said Buffy, feeling a little nauseous. “I think I may have over done it on the pizza,”

Hank walked over to Buffy and patted her on the shoulder. “It’ll pass honey. Your mom was as sick as a dog for the first three months then she sailed through her pregnancy,”

Buffy looked up at him. “So how do you feel about becoming a grandfather?” she asked him.

“Proud,” he answered simply.

Buffy felt the sting of tears in her eyes as she blinked them back, she was saved by further embarrassment as she heard the key turning in the lock. Spike threw his keys in the dish and headed straight for his wife.

“Hey,” she smiled getting up from the sofa.

“Hey yourself,” he replied before lowering his lips to hers and kissing her.

“You guys have a room for that,” smirked Dawn. “Oh, but then maybe you have been getting a little too much alone time of late,”

Spike and Buffy broke apart and he looked at his sister in law. “And what’s that supposed to mean?” he asked her.

Buffy looked at Spike and flushed guiltily. “Seems our secret wasn’t so secret after all, Dad had us figured from the start so it seems, and little-miss-have-to-know-everything demanded to be let in on it all,” said Buffy.

“That figures,” said Spike as he grabbed Dawn and tickled her until the tears were nearly streaming down her face. “That’ll teach you,” he grinned, hugging her to finish. “So, you up for a spot of babysitting when the newest member of the family arrives?”

“Will I get paid?” Dawn asked hopefully.

“I am sure we can arrange something,” Spike replied.

“I’m just gonna put your dinner in the microwave,” said Buffy as she got up to leave.

“I love that your homemaking skills lie in other areas,” grinned Spike.

Buffy looked at him indignantly. “One day I am gonna make you eat your words Mr Sutton and cook you a meal like you never tasted in your life,” she d told him.

“Now that I would like to see,” he whispered to Dawn, making her giggle. “Talking about secrets, she still has no idea about Christmas Eve right?” asked Spike.

“Nope not a clue,” Dawn replied smugly. “As far as she knows you are booked for a romantic meal at a restaurant in town,”

“Let’s keep it that way,” Spike answered.

CHRISTMAS EVE

“Buffy you really didn’t have to help out today, I am sure that there are things you need to do at home,” asked Rupert.

“Look I am pregnant, not made of glass Mr Giles,” she snapped. “Sorry I’m a little tired that’s all,”

“Which is exactly why you are going home,” said Willow handing Buffy her coat.

“And look Angel has just turned up to drive you,” said Faith.

“What’s really going on? You’ve all been acting weird for the last couple of days,” said Buffy suspiciously.

“We just taking care of you,” said Angel as he took Buffy by the arm and led her out of the diner.

After Buffy had gone, Faith peeked out of the window to make sure Angel had driven away, and she turned over the open sign to closed and locked the door.

“Right that’s Buffy outta the way, we have a wedding to prepare for,” said Faith as she collected her own belonging and they shut up shop quite literally.

“Angel you notice anything strange back there?” asked Buffy.

“Nope,” he replied noncommittally before leaning over and switching on the radio and turning it up, making all conversation impossible.

Buffy sighed and sat back in the seat. Maybe she was sensing something that wasn’t there after all. A smile came to her lips as she thought of Spike and their planned dinner together. It would be the first real date they had been on since their marriage and she was looking forward to it as if it was a proper date and they were not already married. Angel dropped her off at the house and after a hasty goodbye was off again.

Buffy let herself in the house and was surprised to see her sister, looking rather flustered.

“Hey Dawn, I thought you were going to spend the evening at Jenna’s until I got back from my dinner,” said Buffy.

“Yeah I am sis, Just had to pack my bag,” said Dawn picking up her holdall.

“That’s a big bag for one evening, you know you can’t stay overnight its Christmas day tomorrow,” said Buffy.

“I can read the calendar like everyone else,” said Dawn rolling her eyes. “I er took a few DVDs as I couldn’t decide on which, as well as some snacks, I have a real case of the munchies,”

Buffy took her sister’s hand and looked at her. “You know what the doctor’s said, just because the test results were good doesn’t mean you still have to take things easy,”

“I’ll be fine,” said Dawn as she kissed her sister and ran out the house.

Dawn glanced behind her as she turned the corner and got into Angel’s waiting car.

“All set?” he asked.

“You bet ya,” grinned Dawn conspiratorially.

Spike placed his rented tux in the trunk of his car, whistling happily to himself. He patted the diamond and ruby engagement ring safely installed in his jacket pocket. He just had one more stop off at the bridal shop before getting himself home and preparing for the big event.

When he arrived home the house was in silence, he took the dress and suit upstairs and hung them on the rail in the wardrobe before heading for the bathroom, almost jumping out of his skin at the sight of Buffy up to her chin in bubbles.

He smiled at her, aware they were alone. “Room in that tub for one more? I’m very dirty,” he smiled as he removed his clothing and dropped it to the bathroom floor.

“Yeah, that’s what I am afraid of,” she arched an eyebrow at him as he got in the bath with her, causing the water to slosh over the sides and onto the floor.

More water was spilt as he manoeuvred her around until he was on the bottom of the bath and she was straddling him.

“Hey this was my bath,” she pouted. Spike pulled her head down for a long deep kiss, when they parted, both were breathing raggedly. “But I guess sharing is good too,”

Half an hour later, the water had grown quite cold, what was left of it that hadn’t ended up on the floor. Spike slapped her naked behind, before she got up out of the bath while he watched her.

“Now there’s a sight I could never grow tired of,” he grinned as he followed her.

“Say that when I am at term. Well we’d better get moving the dinner reservations are for seven and it’s six-thirty now,”

“Oh bugger, you’re kidding me right?” he asked.

“Nope,” she replied as she wrapped herself in a fluffy white towel and left the bathroom, with Spike hot on her heels.

Buffy walked into the bedroom to see a dress bag hanging in the open wardrobe. “What is it?” She asked.

“Pretty dress, most women like them or so I am told,” he smiled. “It’s an early Christmas present. Open it,”

Buffy walked over to it and unzipped it. She smiled in pleasure as she touched the silky material, before taking it from the hanger. It was a beautiful floor length dress in warm red. There were beads on the bodice, which sparkled as they caught the light.

“Oh Spike it’s so beautiful,” she sniffed, close to tears.

Spike walked over and put his arms around her. “Don’t cry, we can have you looking all red eyed for our date now can we?” he teased kissing the tip of her nose. “We’d better get moving, I want everything about tonight to be perfect,”

He moved away and began to dress in his tux; it was a perfect contrast to hers, the cummerbund around his lean waist the same colour as her dress. She turned to fix his necktie, standing back to study her efforts. The breath caught in her throat as she looked at him. She turned away to sit at the dressing table to fix her make-up and hair, piling it on top of her head in a halo of curls.

Spike walked over to her, his hands resting on her bare shoulders. “Hmmm, not bad, but you are missing something,” he reached inside a bag, that had been lying unnoticed on the floor. He took out two small diamante combs and fixed them into her hair.

Buffy smiled at him before throwing her towel away, and putting on her underwear, before stepping into the dress. He turned her around and zipped her up. They were both surprised by the sound of a car horn blaring in their drive way.

Spike handed her the red wrap that came with the dress and smiled at her. “Your carriage awaits Madame,”

“But I thought we were taking the car?”

“Well, let’s just say you were wrong,” he grinned as he led her down the stairs to the limo that was waiting outside.

She settled back into the luxury of the seats and held his hand. “Thank you,” she sighed.

“For what?” he asked.

“For making this evening so special,”

“Well hopefully it will just get better and better,” he smiled.

“Spike?”

“Yeah, luv?”

“Didn’t we just miss the turning for the restaurant?” asked Buffy. The car came to a stop outside city hall. “Why are we here?”

“Don’t worry, all will be revealed,” he winked at her.

“And why are Dawn and Willow and Faith waiting on the top steps?”

“Every bride should have her bridesmaids Buffy,”

She sucked in a breath. “Just what are you up to William?”

“Marry me Buffy…again?” he asked.

Tears started to fall down her face.

“What is it love?” he asked, wiping them away.

“Sorry, I’m hormonal girl at the moment. It’s the best thing anyone has ever done for me. What made you think of it?”

“I was having a chat with the nibblet at the hospital one afternoon when you were at the diner and she told me about the dream wedding that you had always wanted,”

“Interfering brat,” joked Buffy. “For a change this is one time I’m glad she piped up, I believe we have a wedding to attend,”

Spike took her hand and helped her out of the car. All of their friends were waiting outside for them. Buffy looked at them. “I am so gonna kill you guys later,”

Dawn handed her sister a bouquet of red roses, a smug grin pasted on her features.

Hank smiled down at Buffy, “Mr Giles is ready to give you away…if you want…I didn’t want to presume,”

Buffy linked her arm through his. “C’mon Dad, Christmas is the season of families and I am all for second chances,” she smiled at him. He returned her smile, patted her hand and led her inside the building.

TBC