Buffy groaned as she rolled over in bed and shut off the alarm clock that had disturbed her sleep. It was pretty late last night when the extended Scooby Gang had realised they should probably all get some sleep. A huge battle was ahead and everyone needed to be involved in one way or another. In order to be useful to the cause everyone needed their shut-eye, although sleep came less easily to some than others.

"Mornin’, pet" Spike smiled as the Slayer stirred next to him, "You sleep okay?" he checked.

"Did you sleep at all?" she replied in kind, causing him to look away, "Spike, honey, you have to get some rest" she told him, "I need you if I’m gonna win this fight"

"I know, baby" he sighed, wrapping an arm around her and pulling her close, "I just hate that I have to watch you lot go off, weapons in hand, leaving me behind"

"You make it sound like we’re never coming back" she frowned, "You have a little more faith in me and Becky than that, right?"

"It’s not a question of faith" he shook his head, "the belief kind or the Slayer" he added with a smirk, "It’s just something I’m gonna have to get over I s’pose"

"So long as you don’t ever get over me" she smiled, "then everything’s fine"

"Slayer, there is no chance of that" he grinned back at her, suddenly flipping her on her back and kissing her deeply, "You think we got time before all hell breaks loose?" he asked, one eyebrow raised and a suggestive smirk on his lips. Buffy opened her mouth to answer but the words never made it out before a scream was heard in the hall.

"I guess not" the blonde Slayer sighed as her lover rolled off her and let her get out of bed.

Mandy had woken up and decided that bolting across the landing was a fun new game. No doubt her parents were also awake by now and Becky too. The house would be buzzing in a matter of minutes and that meant sex would have to wait.

"Back to the battle plans then" Spike rolled his eyes as he too got out of bed and pulled on some clothes. Buffy forced down a smile as she walked over and put her arms around him, kissing him sweetly on the lips.

"I promise, when all this is over, we’ll find time for each other again" she assured him. He nodded, appreciating the sentiment, but his heart ached to think that there may not be a time when all this was over. One or both of them might not come through, or the world might just end and take all of them with it.

"Yo, B!" Faith’s voice came loud and clear though the door before she gave up yelling and just barged in, "You two lovebirds want breakfast?" she checked, "Angel’s kinda taken over your kitchen"

"Oh joy" Spike said sarcastically as he adjusted his T-shirt and followed the two Slayers out of the bedroom, "Peaches in charge of the food, y’know that’s not gonna end well"

Becky emerged from her room as the three adults came out onto the landing and Mandy rocketed past. The younger Slayer grabbed her as she came by, picking her up with ease.

"So it was you making all that noise?" she mock-scolded the little girl, "And here was me thinking we hand kangaroos tap-dancing in the house"

That made Mandy giggle as the group went downstairs to get some food. There was no way to know what the rest of the day held, or the rest of the week for that matter. Better to eat, drink and be merry whilst they had the chance.

-

It was an hour later when the gang met the rest of the crew at the Magic Box for more research and planning. Giles looked like he’d barely slept and Joyce was already fussing around him as he desperately muddled his way through long-winded foreign text on age-old scrolls, as Willow sat at the other table still tapping away on her laptop. Tara assissted her lover, whilst Xander, Cordy, and Josh were back on the books, though things were starting to look a little bleak in that department as the pile of useless texts steadily grew and the small group of semi-useful writings did not seem to increase in size at all.

"I am fairly certain the demon will arrive tomorrow" Giles admitted as he went into conference mode with the key players in the fight, "That should be good news, knowing when to expect a battle, but as yet we have no idea how to fight against what is coming apart from general attack with sharp weapons" he sighed, rubbing his tired eyes.

"If we can’t kill this thing straight off..." Faith considered, "so long as we keep it away from the hellmouth, things are cool, right?"

"Not really" Angel told her with a shake of his head, "It wants the hellmouth open, you’re right, but the destruction it would cause just getting to it..."

"It could kill hundreds" Spike filled in, "and we can’t risk that"

"Indeed" Giles nodded, "but I am at a loss as to know where to go from here"

"Aha!" Willow’s joyful cry from behind the computer screen caught everyone’s attention, "Giles, you were right about spells being no good against the Joh’ran" the red-head told him, "but there’s still something we can do, something that doesn’t rely on the fighty skilled people"

"I-It’s a ritual" Tara helped to explain, "The one that was used before, to freeze the demon in time" she smiled a little at the triumph of finally finding something useful after so many long hours of research.

"When you say frozen...?" said Cordy with a frown. She wanted to make sure she understood exactly what was going on and with these spells and rituals it was often difficult to seperate the literal from the metaphoric.

"You mean like ice?" Josh asked, but Willow shook her head.

"No, sweetie, not frozen that way" she told him, and everyone else, "It’s kinda like a stasis field ‘cept time doesn’t literally stop within the force-field it kinda slows it down..." she struggled to explain, the translation before her was not great but she did her best anyway "‘and for every moment passed within the world the being shall spend an eternity’" she read allowed.

"So we live for one second, demon-guy’s getting a year?" Xander attempted to translate into terms everyone would understand.

"M-more than that" Tara corrected him, "Probably more like a decade, maybe two"

"So once demon-boy’s slowed down it’s easily slain, right?" Spike looked to the witches for a response and then breifly at Giles who moved to see what the women were reading. He nodded along with them as he scanned the information, assuming the vampire’s theory to be correct.

"But that doesn’t make sense" Buffy frowned, shaking her head, "If the demon was held in time like this before, why didn’t the people that did it kill it while they had the chance?"

"Does it matter?" Angel asked her "So long as we kill it now, what went before shouldn’t be an issue"

"Maybe they didn’t have the power" Faith chipped in, "or maybe they thought freezing the thing was enough" she shrugged, Buffy still didn’t look happy.

"B, I’m with Angel on this" her sister Slayer continued, "What does is matter so long as the thing ends up dead this go-round?"

Buffy nodded, agreeing that her friends were right. What happened before was less than important. What mattered most was preparing for the demon’s imminent arrival tomorrow. They needed battle plans and they needed them now if they were going to save the world again.

"Okay, Giles" she turned to her Watcher, "I need some idea what this demon looks like so I know what I’m dealing with, also any clues about how it might be coming to town, exactly where and when it’ll arrive, that’d be a bonus too" the Slayer told him, going into total Commander-General mode.

"Xander, Cordy, Josh, you guys stay at it with the books. Anything that might be potentially useful with regards to killing or even hurting this thing. Wills, Tara, stick with the computer, get as much information on that ritual as you can. I’m gonna need you two tomorrow"

"Point me in a direction, B" Faith told the blonde, "Gettin’ restless here"

"Faith, us fighters are hitting the training room. If we’re gonna do this we need to be co-ordinated and working as one machine"

"Sounds like a plan" Angel agreed.

"What about me, pet?" Spike asked her, looking pained, "Want me to play baby-sitter is that it?" he asked, glancing at Mandy who was under the table colouring pictures.

"Of course not" she said firmly, "I want you with us. You can help us train, devise some strategy" she told him, putting a hand to his face as her voice turned soft, "I can’t do this without you"

"Wherever you want me, luv" he promised her, "I’m there"

She smiled slightly, glad to hear it.

Faith had a quick word with Joyce asking her to keep an eye on Mandy before the three Slayers plus Angel and Spike headed into the back room. Before the day was out they needed to be working as one well-oiled machine of they were going to take down the Joh’ran Katama tomorrow.

In the main part of the shop, Willow and Tara sat at the computer, trying to translate the text they’d found as well as accessing all available links from the website, desperate to find more information that’d help their friends.

Mandy came bouncing out from under the table and over to the two witches, whilst Joyce who should have been watching her got side-tracked helping Giles.

"Hey Aunt Willow, hey Aunt Tara" the little girl grinned and the red-head smiled as she leant over to talk to her.

"Hey sweetie, what’ve you been doing?" she asked and the six year old handed Willow a drawing.

"It’s my Mommy and Daddy" she said proudly and Tara smiled when she caught sight of the strange figures on the page that really looked nothing much like Angel and Faith, but just two random stick people.

"It’s a very pretty picture, Mandy" she said anyway, making her grin even more widely.

"Mommy’s slaying a vampire, and Daddy is helping" she explained, waving her hand towards the picture.

Willow suddenly had an idea and she held the paper out so both her girlfriend and her ‘niece’ could see it. She whispered a few words and waved her hand over the drawing, making the little girl gasp with surprise as the picture she’d made of her parents came to life, like a wobbly cartoon. Faith did indeed stake the vampire with Angel’s help and it was a pleasure for Willow to see how happy she’d made the little girl. A moment later she stopped the ‘animation’ and handed the paper back to Mandy. The little girl immediately tried to copy what Willow had done but of course nothing happened.

"It doesn’t work when I do it" she complained.

"It only works once on each picture" Willow told her, knowing it was a slight lie, but not a really bad one, she just needed Mandy to leave her and Tara alone for a while so they could continue their research, "If you go draw some more we’ll see if we can make them move too" she promised.

"But we need lots of pictures" Tara added, understanding what he girlfriend was trying to do.

"Thankyou Aunt Willow, thankyou Aunt Tara" she grinned widely, briefly hugging the Wiccas legs before running off.

"She’s such a sweetie" the red-head sighed, before turning back to the computer screen.

A few years ago her lover would’ve felt terribly guilty in this kind of situation but as things stood now she knew that would be ridiculous...

-

The ringing of the phone interrupted the couples romantic moment of the couch and Willow reached across to pick up the phone, making Tara pout at the loss of her lovers’ touch.

"Oh hi, Will, it’s Buffy" said the voice on the other end of the line, "I know it’s majorly short notice but I need a big favour" the Slayer said urgently as Willow pushed herself up straight on the couch.

"Is everything okay, Buffy?" she checked, getting increasingly worried by now.

"It’s just, there’s this demon" the blonde explained, "turns out it rises tonight, Giles just called from his vacation to tell me"

After a short joke about the ex-Watcher not even being able to forget the Hellmouth when away with Joyce, Buffy got to the point and asked Willow if she and Tara could come over to Revello Drive and sit with Becky.

In the background, protests could be heard from the twelve year old who swore black and blue she was quite old enough to patrol with her parents. The next voice heard was Spike’s as he told her in no uncertain times that patrolling was just one of many things that she was not old enough to do yet, followed by many curse words related to certain TV shows the girl watched and magazines she read.

"Of course we’ll come over" Willow promised her friend, and Buffy was terribly grateful to the witches.

"We’re not having our night in, are we?" Tara said sadly as her partner hung up the phone.

"Sorry sweetie" the red-head said as she kissed her girlfriend one more time, before they both got up from the couch and got ready to go out.

Less than a half hour later they were sitting on their friends couch instead of their own, Becky in the chair opposite watching the end of her favourite teen show. Buffy and Spike were picking up their weapons and discussing battle plans, as their daughter made it clear the TV was so much more interesting than them right now. She was just mad at them because they wouldn’t take her with them, and they all knew she’d be over it by morning.

Spike called her name but she continued to ignore him so he strode over and stood between her and the television to get her attention.

"Listen to me, Bit" he ordered, "You give your Aunt Wiccas here any bother and they’ll be some serious trouble when me and your Mum get home, clear?" he checked.

"Yes" Becky answered grumpily, "Can I watch my show now?"

Spike moved away from the TV and rolled his eyes as he walked towards the front door with Buffy.

"Hey" their daughter turned to call after them, and when they both looked back she was smiling slightly, "Don’t get killed" she told them.

Willow had an ‘aaww’ moment at that, snuggling up to Tara.

Five minutes later when her TV show ended Becky said goodnight and went up to bed, leaving the witches to their own devices. They soon got back to what they’d started at home, only to interrupted when the littlest Summers crept down the stairs to fetch a glass of water. Immediately the grown-ups made it look like they’d been having a conversation, and not kissing or anything at all. Secretly the young blonde on the stairs smirked to herself and shook her head. Did they really think she was so stupid she didn’t know what they did when she wasn’t around?

"She’s such a sweetheart" Willow commented when Becky was gone and Tara nodded.

"She is" she agreed, wondering where this conversation was going.

"And y’know Josh is just adorable, I love to sit for him too" the red-head continued, making her girlfriend frown. Their romantic moment seemed to have been forgotten for now.

"Sometimes I think I’d have liked to have been a Mommy" were the next words to reach her ears and she sat up sharply at that. Willow suddenly realised what she’d said and how it might have sounded to her girl.

"Oh sweetie, you know I didn’t mean..." she began, emotion taking her words away.

"Y-you wish you’d ch-chosen a guy, instead of m-me?" she stammered through her sentence, something she only ever did when she was nervous or upset these days.

"No baby, never" Willow was quick to tell her, pulling her into a hug, "You mean everything to me, how could you think that?"

"Because you just said it, Will" Tara said a little more harshly than she meant to. She knew perhaps she was over-reacting but Willow meant so much to her. She never could quite understand how someone like her had ever manage to secure the affection of someone so great as Will. Now she wondered if she’d been right all along, that maybe she wasn’t deserving enough to keep such a woman to herself, that maybe Willow would find someone she loved more, someone male.

"Tara, sweetie" her girlfriend started to cry as she made her turn to face her, "I never want to be with anyone but you, and...and yes, I’d love to have been a mother but not with some guy" she shook her head, making more tears fall from her eyes, "I just wish the world worked a different way, I wish...I wish we could have our own children, yours and mine" she explained, making Tara start to cry too as Willow took her face in her hands, "I wish it could happen because...because our babies would be beautiful" she finished, as both of them cried and held each other.

A moment later when they pulled apart Tara was smiling sadly.

"I-I’m sorry I doubted you" she apologised and Willow shook her head.

"It doesn’t matter" she assured her, "None of it does, so long as you love me"

-

"...what do you think?" Willow was asking as Tara came out of her memory-induced haze.

"Sorry" she blinked a few times and came back to the present "I must’ve zoned out"

"You okay sweetie?" Willow checked, a little worried about her girl, "What were you thinking about?"

Tara smiled, putting a hand over hers.

"It doesn’t matter" she said softly "As long as you love me"

Becky watched in amazement as her mother and aunt fought back to back against the others partner. They were so perfectly in tune with each other, and despite the fact she too was a Slayer, the young girl could not imagine ever being this good at what she did.

"Roll!" Faith yelled as both she and Buffy kicked their opponents away. The blonde bent over so the brunette could roll over her back just as Spike and Angel got back on their feet.

"Rather be fightin’ you anyway" Spike grinned, repeating words he’d said years ago.

"Mutual" came Buffy’s response as her foot connected with his chest. The fighting continued on like a dance for a while longer, ending with both Slayers pinning their guys to the floor.

"Dunno about you Angel" Spike grinned, "but I can live with losing everytime if it’s gonna end this way" he said in a most suggestive tone. Angel couldn’t help but chuckle until Faith’s tongue in his mouth silenced him. Spike wasn’t so lucky as his girl climbed off and walked away.

"Well, that’s not bloody fair" he complained, also getting up and following her.

"You really want to permenantly damage our daughter by doing...that, in front of her" she gestured vaguely towards Angel and Faith still in a heated embrace on the mats.

"Hey, you don’t need to see that either" Spike told Becky firmly, stepping round her and blocking her view of the pair.

"Really wasn’t looking" she assured him as Buffy stared off into space. Faith moaned in the background.

"Can you two please just knock it off" the blonde Slayer suddenly snapped. Immediately the kissing couple were up from the ground, both frowning as they joined the other three.

"Geez, B, take a chill-pill" Faith told her, "Just havin’ a little fun while we can"

Buffy sighed and shook her head.

"I’m sorry" she apologised to all of them, "I didn’t mean to...Becky could you go back through to the shop, see if Wills and Tara have any more information yet"

The younger girl glanced at her father who nodded in agreement with what her mother had said. Though Becky didn’t like it, she left the room, just knowing everyone thought she was too young and fragile to hear what was about to be said. Did they not remember she’d be sixteen in just a few days?

"Buffy, luv, what’s up?" Spike asked as soon as their daughter was gone.

"What isn’t?" she laughed humourlessly as she sat down on the bench with a thump, "I was fighting you just then, we used that move that me and Kendra pulled once..."

"We used that move a million times, B" Faith frowned as she sat down beside her, "I don’t get what the deal is here?"

"You should" she told the brunette, "You, all of you, more than anyone else should understand. What we go through, being champions, the others help but they’re not us. No matter what we do we can’t stop fighting, we just can’t. We’ll fight until one day it kills us for good. I think I just realised what I’ve dragged my daughter into" she said, voice cracking and tears coming to her eyes, "Because of me, she’s a Slayer. It’s her sixteenth birthday in three days and...and she might not live to see it"

"Buffy, we’re going to do everything we can" Angel assured her, "We’ll keep Becky and everyone else safe..."

"What if it’s not enough? What if everything we can do isn’t enough to keep her safe?" she wanted to know, "You were there Angel, when I was sixteen. You were there when I died" she said voice rising a coupe of decibels, "So don’t stand there and tell me my daughter is safe, because you can’t promise me that"

"Maybe he can’t" Spike cut in, "but I bloody can" he told her firmly, "Slayer, we’ve come through so soddin’ much, you and me. Our little girl is built of tough stuff, half you and half me. There’s no way in hell that kid is going down without a fight, and she is going to live way past sixteen, you hear me?"

"You don’t know..." she told him, pulling away when he tried to hold her.

"Yes, I damn well do!" he almost yelled as Faith took Angel’s hand and they slipped out the door to leave the other couple alone, "Buffy, look at me" Spike told her, taking her chin in his hand and making her turn her head, "Sweetheart, I know it’s rough, having your daughter right there in the thick of the same horrible situation you faced too many times" he said more calmly now, "but you have to believe we’re all going to come through this, we’re going to win"

"I want to believe it" Buffy told him emotionally, "but I’m tired, Spike, so tired of fighting and watching everybody suffer"

"S’alright, pet" he said gently pulling her into a hug, "Gotta keep on fighting though, it’s just the way it is. Gotta keep the world turning for the rest, those that don’t even know they’re in trouble"

"I know" Buffy said, taking a deep breath as she pulled away from him slightly, not quite ready to leave his embrace yet, "but y’know the books and the prophecy’s got one thing wrong"

"What’s that then?" Spike asked with a bemused look.

"Not all Slayer’s fight alone" she reminded him, "Everybody’s watching my back, especially you"

He smirked at that, before kissing her lips.

"Well, luv" he said softly, "That’s cos I happen to think you’ve got a ‘back’ worth watching" he smiled, hands sliding down to her ass.

"Uh-uh" she grinned, moving away, "We’ll go be heroes first" she told him heading for the door, "The rest’ll have to wait for later"

As Becky walked out into the main shop she found Willow, Tara and Giles gathered round the computer, Faith and Angel taking Mandy back from Joyce, and the Harris’ gone. She was about to ask what the next move was when the phone rang on the wall beside her.

"Magic Box" she said as she turned and answered it.

"Er, hi" said the voice of the man on the other end of the line "I was hoping to talk to Xander Harris, or maybe his wife, Cordelia" he said uncertainly.

"They’re not here right now" Becky told him, "But I can pass on a message for you"

"Oh, okay...It’s Michael Morris" the voice told her "I teach their son guitar"

"Michael, hi" she grinned suddenly "It’s Becky, Rebecca Blackwell. We went to school together for a while" she reminded him. When he didn’t answer she added "and also I almost got hit by your car yesterday"

"Becky Blackwell, of course I remember you" he said, smiling although she couldn’t see it, "I knew you were familiar before but...wow, you’ve certainly grown-up"

She coloured at that, glad he couldn’t see.

"More than you know" she said as she looked around the room, reminded of the horror she was facing, the possible deadly situation "So yeah, I don’t think Josh will be seeing you today. We’re kind of having a family crisis" she explained the only way she could.

"Oh, I’m sorry" Michael said, sympathetically, "I hope things work out okay for you"

"Thanks" she nodded pointlessly "We’ll be okay" she said with more confidence than she felt right now as her mother emerged from the training room with tear tracks on her face.

"Well, that was all so...Have Xander call me when Josh is ready for more lessons" Michael said in her ear, regaining her attention. If only she knew she was going to live long enough to see this guy again. He was still so gorgeous and he’d just complimented her, what was to stop her...

"Sure thing" she answered his previous request, before closing her eyes and turning her back on the rest of the shop, "and Michael...are you busy Saturday night?" she asked, praying for a positive answer and that the Powers That be would allow her to make it to her party anyway.

"I, well..." came the awkward reply "actually, I’m seeing my girlfriend" Michael mumbled. Clearly he was embarrassed and feeling very awkward right now. Becky could relate to that.

"Oh, never mind" she said quickly "Bye" she added, hanging up the phone with a thump and feeling so stupid about what she’d just done.

Of course Michael had a girlfriend. He was always centre of attention when they were kids, and there was absolutely no reason why he shouldn’t have hundreds of girls all wanting to date him. Besides, he’d never paid her much attention before, why should he start now?

"Earth to Becky" Spike smiled as he waved a hand in front of her eyes to get her attention, "Honestly, Bit, where’s your head at?" he asked her.

"Sorry Dad" she smiled, "My head should be in the game, right?"

"Wish it were a game, Little Bit" he told her, pushing her hair off her face affectionately, "But we could have ourselves a bloody war here. Never know if this Joh’ran might bring some mates along for the party"

"Or what might crawl out of the Hellmouth if they manage to open it" she added with a sigh, "But we have to be positive about this" she said firmly, "Doesn’t matter how bad it gets, what matters is we have each other" she said, sounding so much like her mother Spike felt quite odd hearing her, "This is our town and we’re going to fight for it. Demons, monsters, and attractive guys with girlfriends be damned!" she said strongly as she walked away, leaving her confused father behind her.

"Oh Becky" Willow smiled as the young Slayer approached, "I was just telling your Mom about the ritual. It seems pretty do-able"

"That’s great" she smiled, "but I meant to ask, where are Xander and Cordy and Josh?" she checked.

"They didn’t get an awful lot of sleep last night" Giles explained, "I told them to get some more rest and suggested they return later this evening with some food perhaps"

"Sounds like a plan" Buffy nodded, "In the meantime, I need you to go through this ritual again Will, so everybody hears" the original Slayer told the witch, "Then we’ll go over the battle plan one more time, those that need it can catch some sleep and then..." she paused, turning to her daughter.

"Then we fight" Becky said for her, "We save the world like we were born to do"

Buffy could only nod in response, she really was so proud of her little girl.

It was late in the evening. The Harris’ had returned an hour or so earlier, complete with Chinese take-out for everybody and some blood for Spike. Mandy was asleep in the training room, having tired herself out running around the Magic Box. Willow and Tara were putting the finishing touches to the ritual they’d be using against the Joh’ran Katama, whilst the others sharpened weapons and tidied books.

Everyone was getting nervous and twitchy about the upcoming battle, and though most knew now would be a good time to catch some last minute sleep before tomorrows battle, they were fairly certain it’d be impossible.

Spike was up on the balcony, fetching down the more dangerous weapons for the Slayers when he suddenly stopped.

"Hey" he leant on the rail and looked down on the rest of the gang, "Somethin’s not right" he said, clearly sensing something in the air.

"Something like what?" Angel called up to the vampire, part of him wishing he still had those heightened senses.

"Dunno" Spike frowned "Something shaking, shattering...oh bloody hell" he cursed when he suddenly realised what he was feeling, but it was too late to warn anyone.

The ground shook violently with the force of an earthquake and the Scoobies ran to doorways and dived under tables to escape falling debris. The rail Spike had been leaning on gave way and it was only his sharp reactions that kept him from falling to the ground along with it. He backed up against the book shelves, before realising he was in more danger if they fell.

"Dad!" Becky screamed as she realised that wasn’t his biggest problem. The wooden planks he stood on were cracking with the force of the quake, and it took all Buffy’s strength to hold Becky back and not let her run into danger. She knew Spike could take care of himself, and yet her heart was still in her throat as she watched planks from beneath him fall down one by one.

Mandy screamed from the back room and both Faith and Angel ran to be with her, narrowly avoiding being hit by various falling objects. Buffy was watching them get to safety too intently and Becky slipped from her grasp, bolting over to the ladder up to the balcony and climbing up, unsure what she would do when she got there but refusing to let her father get hurt or worse.

She was half way up when the central bookshelf finally gave in and began to fall. She screamed and Buffy watched in horror, stuck to the spot with fear as the shelving unit seemed to fall in slow motion. Spike saw in coming and flipped himself over the edge of the balcony, turning head over heels and landing on his feet on the ground. He reached to grab Becky from half way up the ladder, pushing her back towards her mother. All this in seconds before the bookshelf hit the balcony, taking it down also. Shards of wood flew out in all directions as Spike threw himself to the floor praying for a miracle, that none of the splinters would pierced his heart. In this instance he was lucky, and everyone felt even more relieved when the quake ended and they carefully came out from their safe places.

"Spike" Buffy called as she ran to him, Becky right beside her as they reached the bleached blond.

"What the hell happened?" Faith wanted to know as she emerged from the training room with Angel hugging a distressed Mandy to him.

"Bloody book-case tried to murder me" Spike joked as he pulled himself up from the ground, Buffy and Becky fussing around him all the time.

"Oh God I thought that was it, I really thought..." the older Slayer rambled a little as he hugged her.

"Don’t fret, Slayer" he told her, "No harm done...Though I want a word here with your daughter" he said, not looking at all amused as he turned to her, "You, young lady, might’ve got yourself killed" he said, pointing his finger at Becky, "Then how would this bleedin’ demon got beaten"

"I had to save you" she told him tearfully, but none the less angry at being told off for trying to help him.

"Lesson you should have already learnt, luv" Spike told her firmly, "Your old Dad can take care of himself" he snapped, a feeling a little bad for it when tears fell down Becky’s cheeks, "Now, none of that" he sighed, hugging her to him, "I get that you were scared for me, but I’d rather have the world take out it’s wrath on me than let anything happen to you" he said softly, rubbing her back a she cried from the shock of all that had happened.

"Not to take away from the family moment" Xander interrupted, "and obviously glad we’re all a-okay but...was that earth-quake just California-land-mass-related or seriously demon-related?" he wanted to know.

Giles looked guiltily at his shoes, keeping an arm firmly around a shaking Joyce.

"I may have might a slight error in my calculations" he admitted. The others looked naturally panicked by that.

"What are you saying Watcher?" Spike asked, narrowing his eyes at Giles "This thing gonna be here in an hour, two?"

"Possibly less than that even" Rupert told him, remembering the passages he’d read about the great power of the Joh’ran Katama "I think, it could arrive at any moment"

Before anyone else could speak, the ground began to shake again, though much less violently than it had before. Buffy held onto Spike and Becky, knowing what it meant.

"I think it’s already here"

"Faith, Angel, this is it" Buffy told them as they came forward, both of them hugging Mandy tight before handing her over to Joyce. It took every bit of willpower they had to let go of their baby. This was one of the biggest fights they would face and the fear they might not come back hit them like a physical strike.

"We can do this, we can" Becky told herself with more confidence than she felt as her mother gathered up some weapons and the rest of the gang scrambled to help with the ritual to stop the demon that was coming sooner than anyone predicted.

"It’ll be headed for the Hellmouth" Giles yelled over the noise that was rising in volume once again, the rumble of the earth as the demon’s power became all too apparent.

"Then that’s where we’re headed too" Buffy told them, a sword in her hand and a battle-axe strapped to her back just in case. Becky stood with her, as did Faith and Angel all fully armed. They shared a look before heading for the door. Buffy looked back just once, glancing at Spike, telling him with her eyes only just how much she loved him, as he did the same.

"Good luck" Joyce called behind them, holding Mandy to her as the little girl screamed for her parents.

Spike hated to be left behind, hated being stuck here when his wife and daughter were out there fighting the good fight, but what choice did he really have. He glanced over at the rest of the Scoobies who were frantically clearing a space of the floor and trying to salvage books and ingredients from the mess the earth-quake had caused.

"Where do you want me, Red?" he asked Willow. He knew a little of the magicks, but not enough to be of any use unless someone told him what needed doing.

"Er, I don’t know" Willow floundered, desperate not to lose it under the pressure but finding it difficult,

"Come on now, luv" Spike told her much more calmly than he felt as he took hold of her by her arms and looked her right in the eye, "Slayers’ are countin’ on you to do this, and we all know you can, right?"

"Right" she nodded taking a deep breath. Somehow he’d given her that little bit of confidence in herself that she needed right now, "This space isn’t big enough" she realised, "The shelving that fell has taken a lot of the space..."

"No problem" Spike assured her, leaping carefully over the debris to the edge of the fallen shelving, "Harris!" he yelled, "Give a bloke a hand would you!" he called and Xander did as he was asked.

With Spike at one end and the joint effort of the Harris father and son team at the other, they managed to heft the wooden unit over against the wall. Giles and Cordy pushed the table back on the other side and the floor space near doubled in size.

"This is better" Willow smiled triumphantly, "Now we need..." she started, only to find what she was about to ask for appeared in front of her. She and Tara often worked like one instrument, especially where spells were involved, and they had an uncanny ability to predict the others next move.

"You ready, sweetie?" her girlfriend asked her, and the red-head nodded. Both witches took a bottle of coloured sand and step forward into the space on the floor. A glance to the rest of the group told them now was the time to back off, and they all did so, barring Spike. He had a part to play in this spell, and was grateful for once to have the demon inside him, without it he would be as useless now as the humans that huddled in the corner and waited for the witches to do what they must. The thick stench of the groups fear would’ve over-whelmed him if not for the fact he were too scared himself to really notice. One error in this ritual could result in something truly catastrophic happening, and things were bad enough as they were.

Buffy was feeling a million different emotions as they headed for the Hellmouth once again. She’d fought so many battles there, not to mention she’d been to High School there too. She was so relieved when the time came to rebuild Sunnydale High finally they chose a different location. Though it seemed the residents of the small town didn’t know what really went bump in the night, nothing else was ever built atop the mouth to hell. The dilapidated school building was standing even less well these days and every fight the Scoobies had there usually caused another sector to fall. The library that had once housed the mouth to hell itself had lost it’s roof completely years ago and the four walls that remained were crumbling a little more every day now it seemed.

As they reached the remains of the School the howling of something truly frightening could be heard within.

"You think that’s it?" Becky asked a little worriedly, "You think the demon’s making that sound?"

"Don’t know" Faith shook her head, pulling her sword from it’s sheath, "Don’t care" she added as she charged towards the painful wailing. Angel, Buffy and Becky followed suit, eager to get this over with but also so afraid of the fact they might not come out of this building alive.

"Tempus, great God of time" Willow’s voice boomed as she stood in the centre of the Magic Box, coloured sand laid out in a sacred pattern at her feet and Tara at her side, their hands gripped together, "We summon thee with our voices and our hands"

"We call upon thee to bind that which should not be free" Tara took over, her voice sounding strange to Spike and the others who rarely if ever heard the kindly woman speak louder than a whisper.

"We offer sacrifice" Willow continued, picking up a knife in her right hand and laying it flat on Tara’s left as she raised it.

"The life-blood of one unclean for the stilled eternity of another" the blonde added, the slight nod of her head instructing Spike to come forward.

"We spill the blood in the name of thee, Tempus. Father of time. Brother of life" Willow said firmly and deliberately as she picked up the blade once again and sliced across Spike’s wrist that he held out for her. He winced as the blade cut his skin, and blood ran from the wound onto the floor, slowly seeping into the sand that lay there.

"Tempus constrictum, Joh’ran Katama" the witches chanted together, "Tempus constrictum, Joh’ran Katama"

Their eyes fells shut as they concentrated and their joined hands rose as if of their own accord. Spike’s blood on the ground was barely visible as the sand drew in the liquid. The symbols seemed to glow an eerie red as the witches continued their mantra and Spike backed up to the wall where the others looked on. Mandy was passed from Joyce to Cordy as the older woman tore at the table cloth and wrapped the material tightly around Spike’s arm to stem the flow of his blood.

The earth shook once again and no-one was sure if it were the effects of the demon or the ritual that was causing it. In a few moments, they would know for sure.

The near-defeaning shrieking of something unknown was only getting louder as the four fighters approached the Hellmouth. No-one was prepared for what faced them when they got there. The demon wasn’t really what they’d imagined. Perhaps just a foot or two taller than the average human but overly bulky and almost hunch-backed. It didn’t look half so dangerous as they’d thought it might, but they knew appearances could be very deceiving and the noise that emanated from the creature was enough to make them all wince with pain before the fight had even begun.

It was momentarily silent when the presence of human beings became apparent. The large, hairless, and predominately blue coloured creature stared them all down like a predator eyeing up it’s prey. The four stood strong, inching around until they had it surrounded. The Joh’ran didn’t move just stared at each of them in turn, it’s too large head bobbing around like a snake being charmed from a basket.

No-one seemed eager to make the first move, not the humans or the demon, not at first anyway. Buffy could have sworn the thing grinned before it lunged at her, sweeping it’s arm at her legs. She jumped above it’s swing, rolling away as Becky attacked the demon from behind. Faith and Angel soon joined the fray, all four of the gang hacking and slashing for all they were worth, but it seemed to do no good. The Joh’ran batted them away with a strength the like of which Buffy was sure she’d never witnessed before. It barely took any effort for the creature to send her flying fifty feet in the air and Becky screamed as she watched her mother hit the wall which such force she was instantly unconscious.

"You bastard!" the young Slayer yelled, pure rage taking over as she ran full pelt at the attacking demon. She forced her sword deep into what she assumed to be it’s heart as it used both arms to knock Angel and Faith away.

The Joh’ran let out a scream even louder than it’s previous noise and Becky was convinced she’d killed it. Angel got to his feet and looked over just in time to see the demon pull the sword from it’s chest and flick it away as if it were nothing, but still it continued to make the terrible unearthly noise. The ex-vampires attention was taken by his wife as she looked terribly unsteady on her feet. Further over Buffy was bleeding profusely on the ground and Becky was about to get severely beaten down as she faced the Joh’ran unarmed and alone.

"Becky!" he yelled throwing her his own axe which she caught easily. She stood strong, read for attack just like Mom and Dad had always taught her, but the assault never came. The demon turned away from her and Angel was worried it was coming for him instead. He’d just given up his only means of defence, but the Joh’ran ignored him, wailing still as it thundered from the building at a moderate speed.

"I don’t understand!" Becky yelled over the terrible noise, "I thought it wanted the Hellmouth open"

Angel watched in astonishment as the demon sprouted awkward-looking wings from it’s back and took off towards the centre of the town.

"The Magic Box" he realised with some horror, "I think it’s sensed the ritual happening"

Faith hissed from the pain all over her body as she dragged herself to her husbands side, "Angel, this ain’t good" she said pointlessly as she allowed him to support her.

"I know" he agreed, "but there’s nothing left for us to do" he realised sadly, "We can’t out-run it"

"I’m gonna try" his wife defied his word, taking off at much less speed than she might have if she were less beat up. As Becky ran back into the ruined building to find her mother, Angel went after Faith. They had to at least try to get to the Magic Box and help, if only for their daughters sake. If the demon cold cause this much damage to super-humans, he didn’t like to think what might happen to the others.

A sound like an unearthly scream permeated the walls of the Magic shop as Willow and Tara’s chanting increased in volume and intensity. Spike took a usually unneeded breath and every muscle in his body tensed.

"Xander" he said turning to him, "Get everyone in the training room and barricade the door" he told him.

"What? Why?" the brunette wanted to know but Spike shook his head.

"Don’t ask, just go" he yelled, "If you want everyone to live just go"

The Wiccas were too deep in their ritual to notice the commotion that went on around them. Xander did as he was instructed, bundling the rest of the gang into the training room, before he and Giles pulled equipment and furniture in front of the door. Spike had sensed what the humans couldn’t. The demon had changed tactic, probably sensed the ritual being performed, and it was coming here.

The vampire’s hand went to his back pocket, pulled out his wallet where pictures of both his wife and daughter resided. If he was going down it was with their images burned into his mind he promised himself. The chances of him killing the Joh’ran before it killed him were closer to zero than he would’ve liked but, but if he could just hold the thing back until the witches finished the ritual it wouldn’t matter.

"Here it comes" he said to himself, grabbing a large axe and readying himself for the attack.

"Tempus constrictum, Joh’ran Katama..." the chanting of the witches rang in the vampires ears as he leapt from the counter top he'd climbed onto, coat billowing out behind him as he landed atop the demon that raged in it’s attempts to dislodge him. The axe came down over and over onto the creatures head and shoulder, barely making cuts, but it didn’t stop Spike trying. His game face slipped into place, bringing extra strength with it, but his weapon was lost as the Joh’ran threw him to the ground and the blade of the axe remained embedded within it’s back.

With what could only be described as an evil grin and a war-cry, the Joh’ran flicked out one arm, a deadly looking spine shooting out from it’s fisted hand. In one swift movement it thrust the spine down into the vampires chest, making Spike scream with terrific pain, more so when the needle-like weapon was removed.

As the Joh’ran raised it’s arm to take a second strike, the ritual finally did what it should. The demon seemed to pause mid-swing and as Willow and Tara came out of their trance, completely exhausted, they were shocked by what they saw.

"Spike!" Willow called, moving to go towards him but Tara grabbed her hand to stop her, not yet trusting the stasis effect on the demon to hold.

The vampire on the ground shifted and pulled himself up painfully slowly as if the spell had got to him too. Even the slightest movement caused him agony that threatened to make him to black-out at any second, but this thing needed killing and he was the only one strong enough to do it. Climbing up onto the creatures humped back, he dragged the axe out of it’s flesh and began to hack at the Joh’ran’s neck with all the force he possessed. After ten or so swings, Tara counted, there was a terrible crunch of breaking bone and both witches turned away as the head of the demon rolled to the ground. The body slumped after it, the fact that the demon was dead, clearly ending the effects of the ritual.

The loss of blood coupled with the poisonous strike of the Joh’ran Katama had bad enough effects on Spike. Add to this the fact he had killed the demon on sheer will power alone, it was no surprise that when he fell from the back of the collapsing demon, hitting the concrete floor with some force, his world went entirely black.

Chapter 15

"Doesn’t matter how many times I end up sitting here, never gets any more comfortable" Xander sighed as he shifted in his seat in the private waiting area at the Sunnydale General Hospital. Cordy put her hand in his and gave him a reassuring smile. She hated this place too, after so many times of ending up here, waiting and wondering if people they cared for would have survived the latest trial life had thrown at them.

"You think they’ll be okay?" Josh asked his mother, looking genuinely scared. Usually these things didn’t get to him so much, or if they did he hid it well. Cordy used to call him her little warrior-man when he was a small child, always wanting to fight the big evil with his extended family. Now he knew things were so very serious. A demon that had done all that the Joh’ran had was truly something to be afraid of. The fact that it was dead was a small mercy. It’s death could not undo all the damage that had been done.

Buffy had lost a lot of blood when the creature threw her against the wall with great force. She’d hit her head which had knocked her out but she’d also sliced her leg on a piece of metal jutting out of the crumbling wall. The gash leaked out a river of blood before Becky could get her mother out of danger and to a doctor. Though they were doing their best to stabilise her, and she had the Slayer-healing powers working in her favour, there were no definite answers about her condition as yet.

Angel re-entered the waiting room, having just called Willow and Tara at Revello Drive, where they were sitting with Mandy. He came to sit down next to Joyce and Giles, his head in his hands as he replayed the nights terrible events.

Half way to the Magic Box, Faith had started to stumble and he’d caught her in his arms as she lost consciousness. Though she’d come to again just moments later as he continued to run, carrying her like a child in his arms, he knew something was badly wrong. She too was now being checked over by a doctor that so far had nothing to report.

The youngest Slayer, Becky, had been told by a nurse that she ought to be checked over, when she came stumbling in to the hospital, carrying her own mother. She was near the point of collapse, the strain of the fight, the exertion as well as distress over Buffy had taken their toll and the medical staff absolutely insisted she be admitted so they could patch her wounds and run some tests. She was too tired to argue and allowed it all just to happen.

Xander felt terrible for lying to Becky, but that was what he had done. She wanted to know where Spike was and though he’d told the truth and said he was back at home with Willow, Tara, and Mandy, he neglected to mention the vampire’s condition. She was proud to know he’d fought and killed the Joh’ran, she was ignorant to the fact that the very same demon had almost killed him too.

Spike’s life hung in the balance, possibly even to a greater to degree than Buffy’s or Faith’s did. The poison the Joh’ran had injected into the vampire was deadly to that very species and Spike had caught a fairly large dose. Nobody could bring themselves to tell the teen who was already so panicked about her mother and aunt. They all hoped the witches might find something in the way of a cure for Spike, but they were already preparing themselves for the worst.

"How are they?" Tara asked as Willow came back down the stairs.

"Mandy cried herself to sleep" she said sadly, "and Spike...if anything I think he’s getting worse" she admitted, a tear creeping down her cheek, "Oh God, why is all this happening, Tara?" the red-head cried, thinking of not just Spike, but also Buffy and Becky and Faith. So much suffering amongst their group, and all because of one demon. The world was a cruel harsh place, she’d known that for years, but it didn’t make it any easier to understand.

Tara stood from the couch and came over to hug her girl to her.

"This could still turn out okay" she sad softly, rubbing Willow’s back and trying to comfort her, "Slayers are tough and they have incredible healing powers, they should be fine" she said more positively than she felt, "and Spike...we could find a cure, it might be possible"

Willow sniffed and pulled away to look at her.

"It has to be possible" she said tearfully, "He’s one of us now, we can’t just let him..." she was going to say ‘die’ but found the word stuck in her throat.

"Come on, Will" Tara said forcefully, putting a hand to her girlfriends face, "You’re my big strong Willow tree" she told her, almost crying herself but managing to hold it together, "We’re still here, you and me, and we can do anything together"

Willow nodded fighting back the tears that threatened to take over once again.

"Let’s find that cure" she said sniffing hard as they sat down on the couch. Tara started on the next pile of books whilst Willow tapped away on her laptop, both praying they’d find something useful before it was too late.

"Mr O’Connor?" the doctor said questioningly as he came into the waiting room and looked around.

"Yeah, that’s me" Angel said, getting up, "How’s Faith? Is she okay?" he asked, looking uncharacteristically afraid. He’d come to love his wife so much, the thought of anything terrible happening to her made him feel physically sick.

"Your wife has suffered a concussion, Mr O’Connor, and she has a few cuts and bruises that’ll be with her for a while" the doctor explained, "I think her collapse may also have been related to stress and exhaustion, but she’s recovering very quickly" he said with a smile, "At present there is no need to panic, Mr O’Connor. As it stands both your wife and child are doing just fine"

"Child?" Angel said, looking dumbly at him, "but I don’t...I mean..."

"You do know your wife is pregnant, Mr O’Connor?" the doctor checked, looking down at his notes and verifying he was talking to the right man about the right patient.

"I didn’t..." Angel shook his head before continuing, "Can I see her?"

"Certainly" he was told as the doctor spoke to a nurse and he was led through to where Faith lay in a hospital bed and not looking happy about it.

"Hey you" she smiled when Angel walked in, "Sorry about the whole passing out thing, not usually my style" he smiled.

"Faith" he said, coming to sit on the edge of the bed beside her. The cuts and bruises on her face and arms would be healed in a few days with her Slayer healing, and the concussion didn’t seem to have bothered her much because she was as upbeat as ever. What puzzled him was that she was having another child and she hadn’t told him. In fact she’d gone into battle apparently knowing she was risking their unborn baby.

"Doc told you, didn’t he?" she said, looking suspisciously at him, "Son of a bitch, I wanted to be the one to do that" she complained.

"He told me you were pregnant, yeah" Angel nodded, "What were you thinking, Faith? Or were you even thinking at all?" he asked, anger rising, "You went into a fight that could’ve killed us all, knowing you were carrying our child!"

"We had to help B, you know that" she told him, getting equally angry, "If I told you about the kid, I knew you’d go into hyper-drive and make a deal out of me not fightin’ in this battle"

"Of course I would, Faith" the ex-vampire agreed, "We’re talking about you losing a baby here, our baby. If this is how it’s going to be why didn’t you just take Mandy to the Hellmouth with us and let her get killed by the demon too!" he yelled.

Faith brought her arm back and slapped him across the face, almost knocking him from the bed. He reeled from the strike but she pulled him forward by his shirt and got right up in his face, making him listen.

"You say whatever you want to me, I don’t care" she said dangerously low, "but don’t ever, ever question how much I love my kid" she warned him. She pushed him away then and tried to turn her back on him as much as she could without getting up from the bed - her head still felt a little too woozy for that.

"Faith, I didn’t..." Angel felt awful for what he’d said, and as much as he wanted to apologise he couldn’t find the words. He loved Faith and he knew she loved him. Mandy was the centre of their entire world, he’d never dream of questioning that, but she made him so mad endangering a child he hadn’t even known existed till now. "I’m sorry" he said, trying to take hold of her hand but she pulled it away.

"Sorry don’t cut it" she told him crossly, turning back to meet his eyes, "I changed for you Angel, God knows I never meant to but...I don’t say it much" she sighed, "but I love you, and I love Mandy and I love this kid inside of me...but B, and the gang, they’re like family too. You know we couldn’t let them do this alone"

"I know" Angel nodded, knowing she was right, "but I just, I wish you’d told me"

"Well, now you know" she shrugged, "You at least wanna pretend to be happy your gonna be a Daddy again?" she smirked, her anger somehow forgotten because it was Angel and she loved him too much to fight him all the time, especially now.

"Happy?" he repeated incredulously, "Faith, I’m ecstatic" he assured her, putting his hand to her face, before leaning in to kiss her lips.

"You think me finding out I’m pregnant’ll always lead to me slapping you?" she frowned a little as he pulled away.

"I hope not" Angel told her as he realised what she meant...

It was two months since Angel had got the Shanshu and been re-instated as a member of the human populous. There were so many advantages to his change, but one he and Faith had taken full advantage of was the fact he definitely could not lose his soul if they slept together. They had a lot of time to make up for and sometimes forgot that they should be careful. Faith wasn’t sure whether she was pleased or saddened by this fact as she held the pregnancy test in her hand and stared down at the the blue lines on it. She glanced up into the bathroom mirror and studied herself. She just didn’t look like a mother, and she felt like she never would. The idea of kids wasn’t repulsive to her but that was Buffy’s gig, not hers, and then there was Angel to consider. Would he even want kids? They hadn’t talked about it much.

"Faith? You okay in there?" he called beyond the door and she froze, realising now was the time to find out what her long-tern boyfriend thought about it.

"Yeah, just a sec" she called back, emerging into their bedroom a moment later, "Angel, we kinda have to talk" she said seriously, causing him to frown a little. She looked way too serious for anything good to come out of this conversation, he thought.

"What is it?" he asked as she came to sit beside him on the bed.

"Okay" she decided after several moment of awkward silence, "Really only one way to say this so here it comes; I’m pregnant"

That knocked the wind completely out of Angels’ sails. It was really the last thing he’d been expecting, not least because he wasn’t yet entirely used to the fact he was no longer sterile as he was when he was a vampire. It seemed he was definitely firing live ammunition these days and Faith was carrying the proof inside of her. Of course that meant a major boat-load of manly responsibility had just landed on him, but he didn’t mind.

"That’s incredible" he said, smiling widely, "I...well, Faith" he said, dropping to one knee in front of her and taking her hand in his, "Will you marry me?" he asked.

"Angel..." she said looking terribly uncomfortable, "Why are you doing this?"

"You’re having my baby" he frowned, wondering why she didn’t get it when it seemed so obvious to him, "I’ve been thinking this over for a while, the financial benefits of us being married alone, and now with a baby on the way..."

"You bastard" Faith interrupted, pushing him away and getting up from the bed.

"What did I say?" he asked and she laughed humourlessly.

"You don’t get it, do you?" she half-yelled, "I don’t want to marry you for money, or for this kid. What happened, Angel?" she asked, looking so angry, "Did you use up all the romantic lines on B?"

The ex-vampire tensed at the mention of his former girlfriend, already angry that Faith was being like this when he was proposing marriage.

"Maybe I did" he seethed, "Maybe she was just easier to love than you"

She brought back her hand and slapped him then, following it up with a couple of punches that almost sent him sprawling.

"You son of a bitch!" she raged at him, hating that she couldn’t stop the tears from pouring down her cheeks. She stopped hitting him when she realised it was getting her nowhere and she was sobbing as she fell into his arms. He whispered apologies over and over into her ear as he held her to him, waiting for her to stop crying before he said anything else.

"Faith, baby" he said, pulling away enough to see her face and wiping tears from her cheeks with his thumbs, "I love you, more than anything else in this world, and I want to marry you for that reason" he assured her, "The rest is valid too, but you have to believe the thought wouldn’t enter my head if I wasn’t completely and totally in love with you"

"Okay, so you saved me at least one cheesy romantic line" she said, managing a slight laugh. Angel smiled and kissed her softly.

"I can’t believe we’re having a baby" he said, still grinning when they pulled apart.

"I’m gonna be a lousy mother" she groaned, hiding her face in his chest for a moment. He put his finger under her chin and made her look up at him again.

"You will be the best mother, and we’re gonna have the most loved kid in the whole world" he told her firmly. She didn’t know if she believed that or not, but it was good to hear.

Angel was told his wife was well enough to go home so long as she did nothing to strenuous for a couple of days and any sign of change for the worse in her condition she was brought straight back to the hospital. Those terms agreed she was free to go and the Scoobies were pleased to see both her and Becky who emerged moments later looking pretty good considering all she’d been through.

"Mom’s awake" the youngest Slayer told the gathered friends and firmly, "She’s still pretty out of it, and she’s lost a lot of blood, but she’s gonna be okay" she smiled. Although the group were pleased to hear the Slayer was okay, they knew that one of them must now break the terrible news of Spike’s condition to both Becky and Buffy. It was Giles that stood up and asked Becky to take him to her mother, because he needed to speak to them both. None of the Scoobies were jealous of the Watcher as he exited the waiting room. Nobody wanted to be in his shoes, forced to impart the news that he must share.

"Buffy?" Spike asked softly, finding just moving his lips enough to form words was almost too painful to bear.

"No, sweetie. It’s Tara" the witch said gently as she pressed the cold cloth to his forehead. It was strange to her that she was trying to cool down a feverish vampire, she’d never known anything like this before.

"Demon, gotta kill..." Spike forced out, desperate to get up and move but finding his entire body felt like lead

"The demon’s dead, Spike" Tara told him, gently holding him still, "You killed it already, remember?"

His eyes were barely open and he had trouble focusing on her as he tried to remember. everything was so muddled in his head, and every part of him hurt.

"Buffy, and Becky?" he asked, knowing if they weren’t safe then he would give up fighting, let whatever the hell was trying to kill him do just that.

"They’re okay" she promised him, "Joyce just called from the hospital, they took some nasty knocks but they’re going to be just fine"

Spike nodded slightly, confirming he understood before the darkness dragged him back under. The pain was too severe to let him stay awake for very long at a time, and with his lack of breath it was difficult to know if he was still alive in there. Only the heat from his usually cool body proved he wasn’t a corpse, and although she didn’t like to think about it, Tara was certain that to be truly dead, Spike would have to be dust. So long as he had his human form, they had a shot at saving him she hoped.

"Tara!" she heard Willow scram her name and she stumbled as she hurried to the stairs.

"Will, what is it?" she asked worriedly as she ran to meet her girlfriend in the hall.

"Tara, I found something" she said excitedly, so pleased she’d found anything even semi-useful, "The poison the Joh’ran secretes is the main ingredient used in several mystical compounds that were made to kill the undead. It’s not much, but it’s a start"

Willow passed the book to Tara who skimmed down the page, realising something that her girlfriend hadn’t, the information continued further on in the book. She rapidly turned the pages and read aloud from the next relevant paragraph.

"The poison is used primarily in a mystical compound who’s Latin name translates roughly into Killer of the Dead" she recited, "the cure required for the manufactured poison will also save any undead creature infected by the Joh’ran’s venom" she paused and looked sadly at the paragraph that ended abruptly, "Now if only we knew what the cure was for this Killer of the Dead" she shook her head sadly and passed the book back to Willow who took it without a word, "Will?" her girlfriend looked worried and even more so when the red-head’s knees buckled beneath her and she landed on the floor with a thump, thankfully still conscious and in a more-or-less seated position.

"It can’t be" she said almost too quiet to hear.

"Willow, you’re scaring me" Tara told her as she knelt down beside her, "Tell me whats wrong" she begged.

"I know the cure" she said flatly, "He has to drain the blood of a Slayer"

"No, no, not my Dad, no" Becky cried, tears streaking down her cheeks as she hugged her mother. Buffy was barely sitting up in bed, her eyes staring straight ahead unseeing as Giles told her the man she loved could be dead within hours.

"I’m so terribly sorry, Buffy" her father-figure told her, obviously feeling the two girls’ pain, "We had no idea the demon would sense the ritual and when it came..."

"Is it dead?" the Slayer asked flatly, interrupting his ramble, "The Joh’ran, is it dead?"

"Yes" Giles nodded, glasses still dangling from his fingers, "Spike was incredibly brave, he killed the demon despite...despite his suffering" he explained.

"He can’t die Mom" Becky sobbed into Buffy’s shoulder "We can’t let him die"

Though she wished she could, the older Slayer couldn’t say a word to comfort her crying child. She had no words, barely any feelings over what was happening. She was numb to everything, and she wished to remain that way. If she let her emotions run wild as they’d like too, the pain would surely kill her

"...Willow and Tara are doing their best to find a cure" Giles told them gently, "We’re taking it in turns to call regularly, but so far I’m afraid there is nothing"

Buffy wasn’t truly listening, wasn’t even thinking clearly as the words sunk in. Spike could die, was almost certain to and there was nothing anyone could do to save him now. He meant so much to her, as she did to him. They’d come so far from the worst of enemies to such committed lovers. He was the father of her only child and together they were a force to be reckoned with. How life was meant to go on in any kind of normal fashion without him there beside her, Buffy had absolutely no idea.

The memory that forced it’s way to the front of her mind right now and would not leave her be was such a simple little scene she was almost surprised she recalled it as well as she did. It was a single night, years ago as she’d laid on the couch snuggled in her partners arms as they watched some movie on TV. Becky was asleep upstairs and the house was quiet, the gang had taken patrol tonight and the world seemed calm around them. With the slightest concentration Buffy could see it all so clearly and hear the words that had been spoken...

"That’s so sad" Buffy gasped as she watched the two lead characters in the movie on TV walk away from each other. The guy went back to the woman he was supposed to marry, leaving the woman he’d spent the whole movie having fun with all alone.

"Stupid wanker" Spike scoffed, "Fella’s blind if he can’t see the other bird’s a whole lot hotter than the one he’s marrying" he said incredulously as Buffy looked up at him with wide eyes, "He didn’t even shag the bint before he gave her up"

"William Blackwell, I am appalled" the Slayer told him, swatting him across the chest.

"What?" he asked, not getting it, "Just callin’ it how I see it luv. No bloke with any balls is gonna let her walk off without at least trying to..." he trailed off when he saw the look in her eyes. She wasn’t exactly happy with his point of view.

"And of course love and loyalty have nothing to do with it" she rolled her eyes as she sat up straight, pulling out of his arms. Spike rolled his eyes when she folded her arms and stared grumpily at the credits scrolling on the TV screen.

"Bloody fantastic" the vampire complained, "We have a difference of opinion and you’re gonna be bleedin’ pissed at me all night, is that it?"

"No" Buffy told him without looking at him, "It’s not like I expected you to understand romance" she muttered, but of course with vampiric hearing he heard her.

She was stupidly surprised when he got up and stormed away. She’d at least expected him to stay and argue not just leave her to be grumpy all by herself!

Buffy shut off the TV and was deciding whether to go find the gang on patrol or just go straight to bed when she felt Spike’s presence as he came back from wherever he’d been.

"What’re you doing?" she frowned as he walked passed her to the stereo.

"Not romantic, eh?" he muttered, "You, Slayer, spoil every bleedin’ romantic thing I ever plan" he complained more loudly as he put a CD into the machine and pressed play, "This was supposed to be for our anniversary next month, just got it done early is all"

Buffy still looked confused but took the hand he offered to her as music began to flow from the speakers.

"Remember this?" he asked with a tilt of his head as he put his arms around her. She was too thoughtful to remember to be angry and push him away.

‘Wise men say, only fools rush in, but I can’t help falling in love with you...’

"Oh" she gasped when she heard the lyrics and remembered all too clearly the last time she and Spike had danced to this song.

Back in Santa Monica, just moments before the car journey during which Becky was born, she and Spike had been dancing just as they were now to this song. It was as she’d opened her mouth to confess her new found love for him that she’d passed out from the spell the gang were performing back in Sunnydale. Since then it had become one of their special songs, along with a few others which she correctly guessed were on this CD he’d compiled for her.

"I do remember this" she nodded, smiling by now as they swayed together to the melody, "I also remember we had to stand a lot further apart the last time" she laughed, recalling how her pregnant belly had got in the way.

"No excuses now, luv" he said softly, "Get as close as we like"

Her eyes fluttered closed and he leaned in to kiss her sweetly. It still thrilled her when their lips met, when he touched her, sometimes just the way he looked at her made shivers run down her spine. Taking Becky’s birthday as their anniversary, they’d been together almost four years now and it seemed insane to think it’d been that long but it was.

"I could stay here forever" she sighed a moment later, resting her head on his chest.

"Forever’s a long time, pet" he smirked, "Reckon you’d get bored of me eventually" he half-joked, still so very uncertain of her affection. He never truly felt like he deserved this beautiful woman or the child they’d been blessed with, but every day he was grateful for them.

"I will never be bored of you" she told him, moving to look up into his eyes as the song changed to Wind Beneath My Wings, "I love you" she reminded him sincerely as they kissed again, "And we will be together forever, cos I don’t know if I could go on without you"

‘Did you ever know that you’re my hero, and everything I would like to be. I can fly higher than an eagle, cos you are the wind beneath my wings’

Buffy came hurtling back to the present when Giles said her name, clearly he was beginning to wonder about her mental state and rightly so. She hadn’t moved or spoken for fully ten minutes as her daughters sobbing calmed some against her shoulder.

"Is my Mom here?" Buffy asked just as monotone as her earlier question.

"Er, yes, everybody is here" her Watcher told her as he stood up from the edge of the bed, "Would you like me to fetch Joyce?"

"Please" the blonde nodded once, "Becky, honey, go with Giles" she said, patting her daughter’s back but encouraging her to get up and leave.

"Come on, my dear" the man she saw as her grandfather said gently as he led her out of the door. Buffy’s expression didn’t change, her body didn’t move, not until after Joyce had entered the room.

"Buffy?" she said cautiously as she came closer.

"Mommy" said the shaky voice of a child though it came from the mouth of a grown woman, one of the strongest the world had ever known. She fell forward into her mother’s arms and cried as if she might never stop.

"Oh my baby girl" Joyce said tearfully, rocking her daughter back and forth, "I’m so sorry, I’m so sorry" she repeated, crying for Buffy’s sake as well as Becky and Spike. They were such a perfect little family, but if a cure couldn’t be found and Spike really did die, Joyce wondered how they would all cope. He’d become such a member of the group, so much a son to her.

It was strange to think that the first time they’d met he was threatening to kill her daughter and Joyce herself had hit him over the head with a fire axe! They’d come so far, and yet it all meant nothing now. If Willow and Tara were not successful in their research Spike might not live to see his family again. The very idea of it was unbearable.

"Oh my God" Tara gasped as Willow finished telling her a story from so many years ago.

Back when Faith was the enemy, before Angel had gone to LA, and Spike had left Sunnydale supposedly never to return. The Mayor was Sunnydale’s latest Big Bad and his right hand girl was the second Slayer. Faith had shot Angel with a poison arrow, the name of that poison - Killer of the Dead, the only cure - the blood of a Slayer.

Buffy had forced her lover to drink of her to the point where she almost died so that he might go on living. This time that was not an option with the original Slayer having lost so much blood already. There was little chance of Faith volunteering or Angel allowing her to do such a thing if she did, and as to Becky, there was no way Spike would willingly risk his little girl’s life. If that much had not been apparent before, less than twenty-four hours ago it was proven as Becky risked herself to protect her father and was swiftly told thanks but don’t bother. His existence met nothing to him when bargained it against his daughters. She and Buffy were his world and he would willingly die so they might go on living. It was a beautiful if not tragic fact.

"How can we tell them, Tara?" Willow cried, "Any minute now that phone is going to ring again and one of the gang is going to ask what we know..." she panicked.

"Ssh, honey" her girlfriend tried to calm her, "W-We just have to figure this out, think about it..."

"There’s no time to think about it" Willow told her frustradely, "Spike is going to die if we don’t do something and the only cure is to lose somebody else, I don’t see..."

She was interrupted by the phone ringing into life in the hall. The shouting and the ringing combined had woken Mandy from her sleep and she cried for Mommy at considerable volume.

"Go to her" Tara told her girlfriend, "I’ll answer the phone"

Willow nodded dumbly, glancing at the ringing phone before hurrying up the stairs to calm the crying child up there.

"Hello, B-Blackwell residence" Tara stammered as she put the phone receiver to her ear.

"Tara, it’s Xander" said the voice on the other end of the line, "How’s it going there?"

"N-Not so good" she half-lied, knowing he would assume they’d found nothing, and hating not being totally truthfully. The trouble was she didn’t know how to explain what she must.

"Things aren’t so great here either" Xander sighed, "Buffy’s gonna be okay. She needs some rest but she’ll live...Giles went in there a while ago to tell her and the Beckster about Spike...I don’t envy him"

"Xander, there’s something I should tell" she said as Willow came down the stairs with Mandy in her arms, "We...we found a cure" she said as she shared a look with her girlfriend.

"Tara, that’s great" she heard him say excitedly, "I gotta tell Buff..."

"No wait!" she interrupted as she realised he was going to hang up and go back inside the hospital, "It’s not as simple as that, it’s..." she took a deep breath and closed her eyes so she couldn’t; see the pain on Willow’ face as she explained, "The poison Spike has in him, it’s like what poisoned Angel...It’s like the Killer of the Dead" she said, almost whispering by the end, feeling so sick and emotional.

"Oh God" was all Xander could say, "The only cure is..."

"Slayer blood" Tara said softly, "I know"

"Oh God" he repeated, unable to find any other words, "Oh God, how do we tell Buffy that?"

When Joyce appeared from Buffy’s room almost an hour after she’d gone in, Xander had imparted the unhappy news of Spike’s only chance of survival to the rest of the group when Becky had slipped off to the ladies bathroom. All eyes had immediately gone to Faith, though no-one meant to pressure her, especially since they knew by now that she was pregnant. The happiness over that event was short-lived under the circumstances, and after their conversation about threatening the life of their child, both Faith and Angel knew they were going to let down a lot of people today.

"You guys know we’d do what we can to help but..." the second Slayer paused awkwardly. Always one to speak her mind it was strange and unsettling to see her struggling with her words, but they’d never been in this situation before.

"If it was less dangerous" Angel chipped in, "Maybe, if Faith wasn’t pregnant but...you can’t ask her to do this, to make this choice, it’s not fair"

"Nobody did ask, Angel" Cordelia pointed out, "Nobody could expect you and Faith to risk your child that way. I know you couldn’t" she said sharing a look with the Slayer that only a mother could ever fully understand, "I know I couldn’t"

It had to be the first time ever that Cordy and Faith had said anything to each other without yelling or making nasty comments, but these were the furthest things from their minds right now.

"I suppose I must be the one to tell Buffy" Giles sighed, "and poor dear Becky also"

"We’ll tell Buffy together" Joyce sniffed loudly, trying to contain emotions that threatened to spill over and explode, "I know it’ll be hard but she has to be the one to tell Becky if she wants her to know...Rupert, she’ll want to help and we couldn’t stop her"

"Joyce is right" Xander nodded, "If we tell the Beckster she’s gonna want to rush straight home and offer up her blood to Spike"

"He wouldn’t drink it" Josh told his father, "Uncle Spike yelled at Becky when she tried to save him at the Magic Box"

"Ssh, sweetie" Cordy told him, hugging him to her. She hated that her little boy had to be caught up in all this, but these were her friends, pretty much her family and when one suffered they all did.

"He might not be able to say no, Josh" Angel told him and the rest of the group, "I remember when the poison was in me..." he sighed and Faith looked guiltily away. He gripped her hand in his and gave her a look that promised he was over that and had been for a long time, the past didn’t matter.

"I was half delirious with the pain" he explained, "When Buffy tried to help me I pushed her way, told her I’d rather die but she wouldn’t let me. Even the strongest will in the world can’t beat the demon that dwells inside a vampire, not when your brain is frying from fever and your last remaining body functions are shutting down one by one" he said sadly.

He fought a lot with Spike and neither of them would ever admit to liking the other, in fact the usual conversation between them was all threats and promises of eternal hatred, but Angel wouldn’t wish what Spike was going through on anyone, not even his greatest enemy.

"Let’s go Rupert" Joyce said, as she stood up, holding onto his hand, "We have to tell Buffy now"

He nodded in silent agreement as he followed her out of the waiting room leaving so many grim faces behind them. They didn’t notice Becky duck around the corner tears steaming down her face. She’d heard every word that had been said. Sensing the gang were hiding something she had pretended to go to the bathroom but instead waited beyond the door, ear pressed to it as she listened to all they had to say.

Her father would die without the blood of a Slayer, and her mother and aunt were firmly out of the picture. Despite his words to her just hours ago, when he told her he’d rather lose his life than see her suffer, Becky was determined on saving her Daddy’s life. She could be okay, her Mom had been when she’d saved Angel, there was no reason to think she couldn’t survive the same way. It didn’t matter if she didn’t, she had to save her Dad, he was a more important factor in the world than she was, she decided as she ran from the hospital to Revello Drive.

"It had to be that" Buffy laughed humourlessly as tears ran unchecked down her face.

Giles and her mother had just told her of Spike’s fate, the fact the only cure to the poison that infected him was her own blood, or that of Becky or Faith. She wouldn’t risk her daughter or ask her friend to do this, she must do it herself.

"I have to go" she said, swinging her legs out of the bed and looking around for some clothes.

"Sweetheart, no" Joyce shook her head as she moved towards her, "You can’t just..."
"He needs me Mom" Buffy snapped, locating the clean outfit her family had brought, for when she left the hospital. She pulled her pants on over the rapidly healing wound on her leg, though she still winced a little from the pain of it.

"Buffy, you cannot risk yourself in this way" Giles told her, blocking the exit as she forced her feet into her shoes and stood before him, "Would you seriously want to leave your own daughter potentially an orphan if this doesn’t work?"

"Giles" Buffy said desperately, "It’s Spike" she told him and her mother too, as if it were explanation enough, "You know it will work and you know I should be okay, I was after I saved Angel"

"But you’re injured, sweetie, you lost a lot of blood already" Joyce remind her, Buffy shook her head once again.

"The doctors fixed that" she explained, "My healing powers have kicked in, they would’ve discharged me from here in a couple of hours anyway" she sighed, "Giles, please, you have to let me go" she told him, "I don’t want to make you get out of my way" she added seriously and her Watcher sighed, sharing a look with Joyce.

"You’re a grown woman Buffy, and a Slayer also" he conceded, "It is your decision to make, I suppose" he nodded, "But we’re coming with you. I’ll drive you back home, that way we can get you back here if..."

"Okay" Buffy nodded her understanding without him even finishing the sentence.

As they walked down the corridor they ran into Cordy as she emerged from the ladies room.

"Buffy, what’s going on?" she checked, "Is Becky with you?"

"No, I thought she was with you?" the Slayer glanced back at Giles who looked bemused.

"She slipped off to the bathroom when we were discussing Spike" he frowned.

"She never came back" Cordelia pointed out, "And she’s not in there anymore"

Buffy had the most horrible feeling that she knew what might’ve happened.

"Excuse me" she called as she hurried over to the reception desk, "Did my daughter come by here? She’s blonde, sixteen years old, she might’ve been upset"

"There was a girl" the receptionist nodded, "She ran out of the door before I could check if she was okay..."

"Oh God" Buffy gasped realising she’d been right in her suspicions, "Giles, go get the car" she said heading for the door, "Meet me at home!" she yelled as she ran through the doors and bolted across the parking lot.

Becky had gone to save her father, Buffy just knew it. It would’ve been sensible to think she might just have gone to see him, say goodbye before he died, but she just knew her baby girl had heard the only cure to her Daddy’s ailment was the blood of a Slayer. Tears blinded Buffy as she ran, knowing if she didn’t make it in time she was bound to lose one of them - her lover or her daughter. She couldn’t bare the idea of living without either of them, she held them both so dear, and these thoughts made her speed increase as she pounded the pavement towards home.

Willow and Tara were surprised when the front door swung open and Becky came into the house. She was breathing a little too heavily, her face streaked with the tracks of tears she’d cried almost constantly for hours.

"Sweetie, what are you doing here?" Willow asked her as she met her in the hallway, "You should be at the hospital"

"I needed to see my Dad" the blonde explained as Tara joined them, "He’s still...please tell me he hasn’t..." she rambled. The kindly witch took her hand.

"He’s holding on" she assured the young girl, "But not by much" she admitted, her voice shaking with emotion. The look she shared with Willow confirmed they both thought the same thing, they were fairly certain Becky had not been told about the cure for her father.

"I need to see him" the girl said quite calmly, realising her aunts had no idea what she was about to do, but then why would they assume such a thing. She wasn’t supposed to know about her blood being the antidote to the Joh’ran’s poison, nobody had told her. She’d overheard that which should be a secret from her, but she was glad she had. Someone had to save her Dad, and she was going to be the one to do it.

The witches said they’d make some tea as Becky went upstairs, moving cautiously across the landing towards her parents bedroom door. The curtains were tight shut against the harsh light of the sun that would be even more harmful to the vampire on the bed than the poison that flowed through him.

Rebecca felt sick as she looked at him, in so much pain and so weak. Her father was always the strong one, even more so than her Mom sometimes. She guessed it was because of the supposed evil streak he possessed, he was always willing to fight that bit harder than her naturally good mother.

"Daddy" the word came out as a shaky whisper and she was certain he wouldn’t have heard, "We found a cure" she went on anyway, "I..I can help you"

"Bit?" Spike forced out, his whole body aching, muscles hot like they were on fire and eyes so heavy he could barely open them, but he had to see his little girl one more time before the fates took him out of this world for good.

"It’s gonna be okay" she told him softly, tears falling from her eyes like rain onto his burning cheeks as she leant over him.

Turning away she went to her mother’s weapons chest and lifted the lid. Buried amongst cross-bows and axes she found whats he needed, a small but particularly sharp knife.

Taking a deep breath and steeling herself against the oncoming pain she sliced her own skin near her wrist, a river of deep red immediately seeping out and dripping onto the floor. The insane thought passed through her mind that Mom would go crazy when she saw the stain she’d left on the carpet.

Spike was oh so very aware of the scent of blood in the room, and human blood at that. He was far too out of it by now to realise it was his own little girls vital fluid that was being spilt within the room and in too much pain to fight back when his demon came to the surface. His game face was prominent when Becky turned to look at him again, hand under her bleeding arm so as not to waste a drop, she walked across the room and let the blood fall into her fathers mouth.

He growled at the taste, a part of him knowing that what he was doing was incredible wrong. This was the blood of a human being, a person. He was better than this, he’d promised Buffy he’d never drink from someone again, but the need for this intoxicating liquid overtook him in his weakened state and he reached out for the bloody limb that hung above his face. Unknowingly he pulled his daughters wrist toward him.

"No!" a voice yelled from the door, startling Becky who was already getting woozy. A mixture of her exertion in running home, stress of the last twenty-four hours and now blood loss were taking there toll. Her mother was just a blurred figure as she came towards her and hit Spike in the face to make him let go.

Of course she didn’t blame her lover for what he was doing, he wasn’t in his right mind and she was having serious doubts as to whether Becky was in hers, but that would all have to wait til later she realised as Willow came into the room behind them.

"Get Becky out of here!" the original Slayer ordered and the witch did as she was told, dragging a barely conscious Rebecca from the room.

"Spike?" Buffy checked he was still with her. His demon visage was in place but his eyes were swirling between gold and bright blue, telling her he wanted to push it back but was finding it incredibly difficult to do so, he was so weak.

"Buffy" he said painfully, "What...?"

"You have to drink from me" she told him, taking hold of him by the shoulders and getting him up to a sitting position.

"No" he refused, pulling away, mind as yet unable to process what was going on but a little more coherent from the little blood he’d already drank.

"Yes" Buffy protested, smacking him in the face again and making the demon within growl deeply.

"Drink" she ordered, pulling his head toward her neck. She gasped from the strange mix of pleasure and pain as his fangs pierced her neck and he drank deep of her blood. Her head spun as life drained from her into him, her heartbeat slowing to a lazy thump, greatly reduced from the pounding it’d been doing as she ran home.

A moment later, just as the darkness overtook her, he pulled away and she fell limply on top of him.

"Bloody hell" Spike gasped, his human features returning as he realised what he’d done, all that had happened.

"Buffy!" someone called, he wasn’t sure who and several pairs of feet could be heard hammering up the sitars.

"In here" Spike yelled back as he got out of the bed, lifting the woman in his arms, "Watcher, you’ve got to get her to the hospital" he begged, eyes filling with uncharacteristic tears as he handed his lover over to Giles.

He nodded his understanding and left the room carrying Buffy down the stairs to the car. Spike breathed unnecessarily deeply and stared at the floor. Memories and mixed-up feelings ran through him, a million sights and sounds assaulted him and he realised precisely what had happened.

He’d vaguely heard the witches talk about a cure for the poison that bloody demon had pumped into him. The Killer of the Dead, he’d heard that. Cure for it was blood of a Slayer, he remembered hearing about the run in Angelus and Faith had years back. His grand-sire had drunk from Buffy in order to carry on existing, and though they’d all got over that event and moved on, Spike always hated that Angel had done that one thing he hadn’t, had been connected to Buffy in a way she would never allow him to be.

Now it had happened, he’d tasted her as he’d often wanted to, but he never wished to feel her blood in his mouth again. As sweet and powerful as it was, it was her life and he’d been taking it away. That thought didn’t give him a feeling of power or connection or anything like he thought it would. It filled him with rage and revulsion and nausea. Now her life hung in the balance because of him and what he was, and he couldn’t even help. With the sun high in the sky a trip to the hospital was near impossible for several hours. He only hoped she’d forgive him when he had a chance to apologise for all he’d put her through.

"Spike" said a cautious voice from the door and he turned to glance at Tara standing there, "Oh thank god" she gasped as she came towards him and hugged him tight.

He surprised her by not only hugging her back but refusing to let go. She hesitated for a moment, but soon realised what his problem was as his tears soaked through the shoulder of her blouse.

Spike had almost died, the relief of surviving would make anyone cry, the witch realised. Now his ‘wife’ was in danger and he couldn’t help, another reason for tears. What Tara didn’t realise was that Spike was really crying for his daughter. The girl had been prepared to give up her life for him and that was a whole different scenario. He now saw clearly what was blurry and uncertain before. She’d cut herself and offered up her life’s blood to him. It was her arm he had held in his hands and prepared to drink from, never quite getting the chance as Buffy took over, forcing his mouth to her neck. Becky had tried though, offered to die so he might go on existing. Silly, stupid little girl she was, but she was his little girl and he loved her deeply. The fact she loved him enough to do that, her and Buffy both, it touched him beyond anything else. He couldn’t believe he had been so fortunate to have these two amazing women in his life, or that he was so unlucky to be possibly losing them now.

As soon as the sun went down, Spike declared he was leaving for the hospital. Willow and Tara were already there having swapped with Faith and Angel who were eager to see their little girl. They’d stayed with Spike at Revello Drive until the sun went down, during which time the bleached blond and his grand-sire had one of their most civil conversations to date.

"She’s an incredible woman" Angel had said as he stood in the bedroom doorway.

"One thing we’ll always agree on" Spike had answered without turning at all. The whole conversation was conducted like this, ex-vampire in the doorway, grand-childe sitting on the bed with his back to him. Buffy had saved them both from almost the same thing and both the same way. Yet another thing they had in common now.

"How did you bear it?" Spike had asked, "Knowing what you’d done to her..."

"You can’t blame yourself" Angel sympathised, "When someone loves you so much, hell-bent on saving you...it was her decision"

Spike nodded absently, knowing it was true, but not feeling any the less horrible about drinking from both his woman and his little girl. How he felt these emotions without a soul, no-one had ever been sure, least of all now. Angel had his suspicions, in fact he’d had them since way before either he or Spike had come to Sunydale.

Drusilla was more than a little crazy and famous for starting something and not finishing it properly because she got bored in the middle and changed the game. Angel often wondered if William had been turned properly, if there wasn’t some loophole or something that meant Spike possessed a little of his human soul as a vampire. He never mentioned it, not certain whether the response of the vampire, Buffy, or any of the gang would be good or bad, but he thought about it, every time this kind of thing happened. Everytime Spike looked guilty or affectionate or sad, or any of the emotions a soulless creature should not feel.

Now as they sat in the back of the cab, headed for the hospital, Angel shared a look with Faith and she smiled at him, holding Mandy on her lap. Despite his history with Buffy, he was no longer jealous of the relationship between his ex and Spike. A long time ago he had accepted their love and realised just how much he cared for Faith. The day they’d got married and he’d spoken words of love to her as they exchanged rings and kissed before the congregation, he knew she was the only woman for him, for now and forever. Mandy had been a wonderful gift and their second child would be adored just as much as she was.

"Your friend’s in a hurry" the taxi driver commented and Angel came back from his daydream, realising they’d arrived in the parking lot of the hospital and that Spike was already to the doors of the building.

"In his situation, you would be too" he sighed as he got his little family from the cab and pulled out some money to pay for the ride.

Spike was shaking as he pushed open the door he knew he’d find Buffy and Rebecca behind. He felt ridiculous for it, but these two peoples good opinion was just about all that mattered to him, and he was so afraid to have lost that. His fears of hate and rejection were quashed as he entered the room and Becky jumped up from her seat, running into his arms and hugging him so tight he was grateful not to need breath.

"Hello, baby" he said softly, his hand stroking her blonde hair down her back, "I am so sorry" he told her.

"No" she shook her head against his shoulder, "You didn’t do anything wrong" she promised him, "I tried to make you drink" she said, tears welling up in her eyes once against as she pulled away enough to look at him, so glad to see him at all.

"What did you do to yourself?" he muttered, as he gently lifted her bandaged arm and studied it. He knew very well what she’d done and he didn’t like it at all.

"What did I say to you about putting yourself in danger for me you silly girl" he scolded half-heartedly. He was incredibly grateful for what she’d tried to do. The love she’d proved to have for him was beyond anything he could ever hope to comprehend, but she was his precious girl. If she’d have seriously damaged herself or worse just trying to save his worthless hide he never would’ve forgiven himself.

"Guess you get your insane loyalty from your Mum and me" he sighed, "Your bloody stubbornness and stupidity too" he smiled slightly as she flung herself at him and hugged him tight once again.

"I love you, Daddy" she told him tearfully, "I couldn’t just let you go"

"I love you too, pet" he promised her, holding her close, "And I’m not goin’ anywhere, not for a long while yet"

Buffy was by now crying openly as she watched her ‘husband’ and daughter happily reunited. They were both okay, as was she. It was a minor miracle they’d come through all that they had and relatively intact.

"Mind if I have some time with your Mum now, Bit?" Spike asked as he glanced between the two blondes.

Becky nodded, sniffing back further tears of joy and relief.

"I should go see the others let them know everything’s okay now" she said headed for the door. She paused there and looked back.

"Everything is okay now, right?" she checked. Buffy and Spike shared a look that answered more than one question.

"Yes, luv" Spike told his daughter, "Reckon it is"

Becky left then and her father moved to take the seat she’d recently vacated.

"Not so far away" Buffy told him, reaching for his hand. She pulled him down to sit on the edge of her bed, as she herself sat up straight. Tears welled in her eyes as she looked at him, a hand reaching out to his face tracing every plane.

"When they told me, and I thought I was going to lose you" she said shakily, "Spike, I didn’t know how I was going to go on"

"Hush, baby, it’s alright" he told her, pulling her into a hug as she took her turn at sobbing into his shoulder, "I’m okay" he remind her, "I’m just so sorry I had to...do what I did"

"No, Spike" she said almost angrily as she pulled away, "I made you bite me. I forced you to drink, I don’t want you to blame yourself"

"I might’ve killed you" he pointed out too seriously and she glanced away, "Might’ve done for the Little Bit too if you hadn’t..."

"I know" she interrupted softly, "I had to take the chance though, I had to try to save you. We’d be so lost without you now" she told him.

"Oh Buffy" he sighed, running a hand through her hair, fingers lingering near the gauze that covered the wound on her neck, "I was so afraid you’d...that it’d be different" he tried to explain, "That I’d look in your eyes and not see it anymore" off her confused look her explained further, "Love, Buffy, I was afraid it’d be less maybe even gone after..."

Her lips on his took away words she couldn’t bear to hear. She could hardly believe he would think she might ever stop loving him. Truthfully she didn’t know how to. She needed him to know it but the words wouldn’t come so instead she was showing him. The kiss went on for some time, as she fought to prove that which she couldn’t say, and he responded in kind. She was forced to gasp for air when they finally broke apart.

"Did that poison scramble your brain, dumbass?" she joked, "You really thought I could ever stop loving you?"

"Dunno ‘bout the poison, luv" he smirked, "Just one kiss from you and I don’t know which way’s up"

She giggled like a teen at that. This was how it was supposed to be, the two of them joking and loving each other and being happy. All the horror in the world, all the pain and suffering they must endure and demons sent for them to fight, it all meant nothing. In special moments like these, the rest of the world just slipped away and nothing mattered because they knew everyone they loved was safe and that they were loved unconditionally by the person before them. It was like some kind of heaven on earth.

"Er, knock, knock?" Xander imitated rapping on the door that had been left open.

"Who’s there?" Buffy smiled as if it were a joke.

"Enough flowers to start a florists shop" came Cordelia’s answer from beside her husband, "If you’re not too busy playing tonsil-hockey to accept gifts?" she smirked.

"Come in, you guys" Buffy grinned, still holding onto Spike’s hand as the Scoobies bent the rules of the hospital by all piling into the room complete with gifts as promised.

"I spoke with the doctor, honey" Joyce told her daughter, "He says he needs to run some more tests but you should be able to go home first thing tomorrow" she explained, "Personally I think they like to clear a lot of beds on a Saturday, prepare for all the drunk young things on a Saturday night" she said in full mother tone.

"Saturday" Buffy said with sudden realisation, "Oh my God, Becky, sweetheart, it’s your birthday tomorrow"

"I’d almost forgotten amongst all the mayhem" the young girl admitted, "It kinda wasn’t important in comparison"

"Well it’s bloody important now" her father told her, "The way I see it, some of us came close enough to death these past couple of days, ‘bout time we celebrated life"

The rest of the gang seemed to agree and Buffy was quick to send everybody home to get some rest.

"I need you all at the house tomorrow morning" she told them, "As soon as I’m out of here I’m calling an emergency Scooby meeting" she announced, "We’ve got a party to finish organising"

It was lunch time on Saturday, and everybody had been assigned a task for the preparation of Rebecca Blackwell’s sixteenth birthday party. Spike was at the house with the girl herself, finalising arrival times for the food and checking up on which guests were still able to make it, whilst Willow and Tara had been sent out to fetch the cake from the bakery and more decorations. Everyone else was lending a hand at the Bronze preparing the club with streamers, balloons and banners, as well as shifting furniture between them.

"Buffy, what did I just say to you?" Joyce complained as she watched her daughter balance precariously on the top of the step ladder as she tied balloons to a beam on the ceiling.

"Something about being careful?" Buffy said innocently as she finished her task and climbed back down to the floor. Off her mothers look she sighed.

"Honestly Mom, I’m thirty-five years old" she complained good-naturedly, "I know what I can handle"

"And I am your mother" Joyce replied in kind, "And I know what’s best for my little girl. You need to take it easy after all you’ve been through, like Spike is"

Buffy’s fingers went absently to the bite mark on her neck that had already healed, leaving a scar that hid the previous one Angel had made years ago.

"It’s weird" the Slayer said thoughtful as Joyce picked up the final banner from the pool table it rested on, "Obviously it hurt when Spike bit me but...I can’t explain it, it just felt different, even different to when Angel..." she shook her head and looked away blushing then, "And this is not the kind of thing I should be telling my mother"

"Buffy honestly" Joyce rolled her eyes, guessing what her daughter was alluding to, "You really think that Rupert and I never..."

"Please!" Buffy raised her hand in a stop signal and interrupted her mother sharply, "If I pay you will you please not finish that sentence"

Joyce smirked much like her son-in-law would as she passed the banner to Buffy.

"I’m your mother, sweetie, not a nun" she pointed out, "but I’ll spare you the details if you spare me yours"

"Deal" the Slayer agreed as she called Xander over and he helped her put up the last banner.

A few minutes later, the gang stepped back to admire their handiwork.

"It looks great" Cordy smiled.

"It’s too...pink" Josh complained, making Xander chuckle.

"I promise when you’re sixteen we’ll buy new decorations" he told his son who sighed with relief.

"Sweet sixteen, never been kissed" Faith commented, "Is that actually true about anybody?" she frowned looking around the group.

They all shook their heads in the negative on that one, though Buffy knew of two people sitting in her house who’d made it to sixteen without being kissed. One was Spike, who as his human persona William was not exactly popular with the ladies, and the other was Becky. At least she told herself the other was her daughter. She knew better in reality but it was better for her blood pressure to have Becky be sweet and innocent a while longer inside her head.

"I think we’re done" she declared, checking her watch.

There was just enough time for everyone to get home, get ready, and get back here before the party started. Demon cleanup, rebuilding of the Magic Box, it was all important, but for one more night it would just have to wait.

"Becky, honey, are you almost ready?" Buffy called up the stairs.

The party at the Bronze could not officially start without Rebecca, it was all for her after all. The guests would start arriving in ten minutes and the girl was still not ready.

"Just a sec" she called back to her mother as she rifled in her drawer for the jewellery she wanted to wear.

She had a vague memory of a locket she’d had as a kid, maybe something someone bought her for her christening or her first birthday or something? Anyway, she really wanted to wear it for her party tonight but she was having terrible trouble finding the little blue box she knew it lived in.

"Ah-huh!" she declared when she finally found it, grabbing the box from the drawer. It slipped through her fingers both the locket and little velvet cushion it sat on falling out onto the floor. As she bent down to gather them up, Becky found a piece of paper had come from the box too.

"With love from D" she read aloud, frowning hard as she tried to remember what the D stood for. She couldn’t think of anyone, as she walked down the stairs, the necklace in her hand.

"About bloody time" Spike cursed when he heard her approach, "We were beginning to think you..." he stopped suddenly when he turned and saw his little girl, looking so grown up in her ‘posh party frock’ as he called it, "Bloody hell Bit. You look stunning, pet" he smiled, eyes full of fatherly pride.

"Oh, Rebecca" Buffy smiled also, tears coming to her eyes as she felt so proud and at the same time so incredibly old knowing she had a daughter that looked so much like an adult these days.

"I wanted to wear this" she said, dangling her locket from her fingers, and trying to stop her parents staring at her in that disconcerting way.

"Here, luv, I’ll do that for you" Spike offered, taking the silver item from her and fastening it round her neck.

"Where did I get it?" she asked both her parents, "I can’t remember and the note in the box just said from D? I don’t remember knowing anybody with that initial so well"

"Sorry sweetie I don’t remember either" Buffy shook her head, "Anyway, we need to go" she said, encouraging her daughter towards the door.

The three all left, headed for the party at the Bronze, all still trying to remember who the mysterious ‘D’ might be, and coming up blank every time.

"There’s the birthday girl!" Xander grinned as his ‘niece’ came in the door of the Bronze flanked by her parents. There was much hugging and kissing and present giving as the whole group of Scoobies descended upon Becky. She loved the attention and the gifts, but then what sixteen year old wouldn’t? Many of her friends arrived soon after, and she danced and laughed with them as her parents and the gang looked on, mostly staying to the side of the dance-floor with their drinks. They felt a little too old for crazy dancing with the young people most of the time.

Cordy found it sweet and Xander just amusing when one of Becky’s friends younger sisters who’d tagged along asked Josh to dance. He looked stunned by the question and even more so by the experience of slow-dancing with a pretty girl.

The party went on into the night until finally the DJ announced it was the final dance.

Again Josh could be seen with young Emily, and Willow convinced Tara they should grace the floor with their presence. Faith dragged Angel up and Cordy and Xander decided what the hell if everyone else was going to.

"And you two are standing here watching, why?" Becky asked her parents with a fake look of annoyance.

"Same reason you are I’d wager" Spike told her, "Whatever that is"

"Dances like these are for people in love" his daughter shrugged, "That means people like you guys, and not people like me"

"But it’s your party sweetie" Buffy said a little sadly, "You should have a last dance with someone special"

"Er, Becky?" said a voice and they turned to see a young man standing behind them.

"Michael, what are you doing here?" the young girl asked with wide eyes, and Spike pulled on Buffy’s hand leading her over to the dance floor.

"Come on, Slayer. Let’s leave them be" he said pulling her into his arms and swaying to the music.

"That’s so weird that he just showed up" Buffy frowned a little, "I’m sure Becky told me he had a girlfriend...Spike?" she said suddenly noticing the smirk he was trying to hide, "Spike, what did you do?"

"Look, I knew Becky liked the boy, I heard her on the phone asking him what he was doing tonight. Little sod said he was seeing his girlfriend" he explained.

"And?" Buffy pressed, wanting the whole story.

"Kid doesn’t have a girl, Slayer, he was lying" he almost laughed at her expression, "Me and Xander do talk sometimes y’know, have a beer and such, have a natter about the kids and what-not. Turns out your boy Michael knew Josh and Becky were connected and back when they were kids he noticed her more than he let on"

"So why tell her he had a girlfriend?" Buffy didn’t get it.

"Cos he panicked" Spike shook his head, "Long story short he likes her a lot but apparently my reputation proceeds me when it comes to whelps with a liking for our daughter" he sighed.

"He was too afraid to even admit he liked her because he thought, what? You’d rip his throat out?" Buffy giggled, "Oh, Spike, that’s terrible" she said, swatting him in the chest in annoyance before hiding her face in his shirt so no-one saw the laughing fit she was having.

"I called the boy up, had a word" her vampire lover told her as they danced, "And there he is, dancing with our girl" he said softly watching the two young people swaying together.

"Our little girl" Buffy sighed as she looked over at them, "All grown up...Pretty soon she’ll be gone" she added sadly, looking down at her feet.

"Now Slayer, none of that" Spike told her, lifting her chin with his finger til she was looking at him, "Yeah, one day she’ll move out, probably get married and give us some fat grandchildren" he smirked, "but not for a long time yet" he assured her, "And besides" he said, suggestive smirk turned on full force, "Wouldn’t it be nice to have the house to ourselves a little more often?"

"Mr Blackwell, I don’t know what you mean" Buffy said innocently as she could.

"Well, Slayer" he sighed, "Guess I’ll have to see about showing you then" he told her, leaning down to kiss her soundly as the song they’d been dancing to finished.

It was the perfect end to a perfect night.

The End