The past two weeks had been pretty crazy and Buffy was glad everything was finally settling down. After spending the evening reconciling her differences with Spike, she'd woken up the next morning to find the world was a whole different place. For a while she'd wondered if she'd dreamt Jonathan's time as a superstar, but Spike assured her she hadn't, and when they called the gang in Sunnydale the whole situation had been explained to them - it was all a spell.

"Do a lot of bloody damage these spells" Spike had cursed, though he had to thank the little geek to certain degree. His advice had helped Spike and Buffy to become friends again, even if the vamp would never admit he needed any help in fixing things, "These pratts shouldn't be allowed to mess with mojo that they can't control" he had complained anyway, but Buffy had just smiled.

"I dunno, sometimes even when spells go wrong, good things come out of it" she'd told him, the hand on her stomach giving away her meaning.

It was moments like that, when both Spike and Buffy hurt the most. Both of them wanted the other, that much was clear, and he definitely loved her. She liked him, as a friend at minimum, but she'd never admitted to anything more than that and the fact she found him physically attractive. Words of love had never passed her lips and Spike was getting to the point where he was almost certain they never would, but a tiny corner of his heart, the part that remained of that ponce William that he used to be, that part would never give up hope of the happy-ever-after ending he so craved. For now he could deal with the set-up they had. During the day it worked just fine and he could almost pretend they were a real little family, it was only his sleeping on the sofa at night they spoilt the effect and the fact he couldn't be closer to her in the ways he really wanted to.

"Oh, look at this" Buffy pointed to something in a baby magazine she'd bought and Spike moved closer to her on the couch to see.

"Very nice, pet" he smiled and nodded like always, though he really could not see the difference between this fuzzy pink baby outfit and the last one, "Though if it's a boy it's gonna look like a bloody poofter kid"

"Well, obviously we'd get a blue one for a boy" she rolled her eyes at him, "Has that chip fried your brain completely?" she joked.

"I'm not even gonna dignify that with an answer" he told her with a look as he got up from the sofa and headed for the kitchen, "You want anything to eat?" he asked her as he went. It was starting to get dark out and he fancied some blood before he popped to the shops. He figured Buffy would be hungry again by now too.

"Right now I think I'm in a sandwich kind of a mood" she considered, "Maybe tuna-fish...oh, and some of that pancake syrup please"

Spike made a face but made no comment about her dodgy eating habits of late. He knew it was all something complicated to do with the baby, cravings were just a normal part of pregnancy, but the vampire had a new respect for any ordinary human male who could stand to prepare the foods their women asked for. He was lucky in that he didn't have to breathe around any concoctions that smelt bad, and he was hardly ever made queasy by the thought or sight of the dishes. He'd spent the past century and more around mutilated corpses and the nastiest looking demons you could imagine. A tuna and golden syrup sandwich was nothing to him, and at least Buffy had never craved blood after that one incident which he'd sooner forget.

"One sandwich" he said, handing her the plate. She thanked him, before grinning as she tucked into her food with vigour.

Spike warmed up some blood in his favourite mug and came to sit with her again.

"You think everything's okay in Sunnydale?" Buffy asked him as he did so.

"Why'd you suddenly ask that, pet?" he frowned, hoping she hadn't overheard any of his 'secret' conversations with Giles. The Watcher wouldn't tell him much just that a Big Bad got loose from the Initiative and they were dealing, but they both knew if Buffy found out she'd want to go back and save the day and neither were willing to let that happen.

"I was just thinking" the Slayer sighed, picking up the remaining crumbs off her plate, not wanting to waste any, "I mean, it's May now, and something always goes wrong in a major apocalypsey way in May. I mean, the Master killed me, I had to kill Angel, the Mayor attacked us, I guess I'm just wondering what awful thing is happening now and how will the gang deal if I'm not there"

"Contrary to popular theory, luv, you're not the centre of the universe" Spike smirked, "Maybe the centre of mine" he admitted quietly, knowing he shouldn't bring all that stuff up again but having trouble stopping himself, "but the Scoobies, they're not completely stupid, well, maybe Xander, but they can deal. If they couldn't they'd call"

"I guess you're right" she admitted, putting her now empty plate down on the table, "I hate that" she joked.

"So you tell me, and very often at that" Spike smiled, finishing up his blood and putting the mug down beside her plate.

"You going out tonight?" she asked, as he got up and walked to the window, peaking through the blinds to see how far the sun had gone down.

"We need a few bits from the store" he told her, "Why'd you ask?"

"No reason" she shrugged, and was glad when he believed her lie. In truth she'd found she liked spending evenings with Spike, a lot in fact, and when he went out he was often gone for several hours though she had no idea what took him so long. Sometimes she felt like asking but then she reasoned it was none of her business and she didn't want to seem too interested, besides they were trying to keep their relationship platonic...trying being the operative word.

When Spike stayed in they'd watch TV for hours. Sometimes it'd be one of his shows like Passions or Dawson's Creek that he'd have to explain to her, and usually they'd sit close with his arm around her as he explained who the characters were and all their complex relationships. Other times it'd be stuff she liked to watch and he'd spend his time making fun of it til she yelled at him to shut up, but it was still fun, just to share time with someone, with each other specifically.

Tonight if Spike was going out, Buffy would probably head off to bed ridiculously early, because at least when she was sleeping she wouldn't feel so alone. She had no idea that he went out like this because being so close to her, knowing he'd never be closer, was slowly killing him.

- - - - - - -

The past two weeks had been pretty crazy and Faith knew it was not likely to settle down just yet. The whole Jonathan thing had really pissed her off, making her think some stupid geek was a god amongst men, still no real harm had been done, much to her disappointment. Faith had so wanted to beat the little idiot into submission, but he was already so pathetically sorry and, as Angel reminded her, she was trying to atone for past crimes, she didn't need to add anymore to the list.

Faith had to admit she was grateful for one thing about Wonder-Jonathan's trip. During his time as the resident Superman he'd come to some useful conclusions about Adam, the most important part of which was that Adam's power came from a resevoir of uranium that was located in the centre of his body. This meant he could technically live forever and that simply beating on the hybrid, removing a limb, or chopping off his head wasn't going to cut it. He needed completely obliterating or they had to find away to get to his innards without him noticing - yeah, because that wasn't impossible at all!

Angel had headed back to LA a week ago. Cordelia had called with a crisis in the city that she and Wes just couldn't handle without the vamp, and off he'd run like the big hero type that he was, and though she'd never admit it Faith was sort of missing having him around.

The Scoobies really did not like her, and only put up with her presence because she was going to help beat Sunnydale's latest Big Bad. She couldn't really blame Willow after her attempts to kill her during the whole fiasco with the Mayor, or Xander since she was his first ride and she wouldn't let him forget it, just because it made him squirm in front of that Anya, who therefore also didn't like Faith. The new girl, Tara, she seemed decent enough but she was Willow's girl so by association she saw Faith as an enemy. That just left Giles, and he was far from the second Slayer's biggest fan either.

She'd been in favour when she defeated the beast that broke Jonathan's spell, and she'd got bonus points for rescuing Xander and Anya from a possessed house that was running all it's scariness off of the power of their sex have-age! But when it came to Adam, there was very little anyone could do and it was putting them all into a bad mood.

The Initiative records were all very helpful, and Jonathan had a couple of break-throughs two weeks ago when he was all-powerful, but since then the Scoobies had been struggling to know what to do next. That's what this latest meeting was about.

"I'm been investigating what Faith told us about the decrease in other vampire and demonn activity that is not linked to Adam" Giles told the assembled Scoobies and the Slayer, "and I have come to the conclusion that it may be to do with him after all"

"Okay, rewind there for a sec" Xander frowned, "The stuff that isn't connected to Adam is weird because it is actually connected to him?" he checked he'd heard that part correctly, since it seemed to make the kind of sense that's not.

"That's more or less it, yes" the Watcher nodded, "I've managed to translate some of the more complicated passages that were stored on Maggie Walsh's computer" he told them, "Her ultimate aim seemed to be to create a whole army of creatures just like Adam. If this were the case there would be facilities in the Initiative for such a plan to be carried out"

"What does that have to do with less vamps and stuff around?" Willow asked with confusion evident on her face, "Are the other demons afraid of what Adam's trying to do?"

"Quite the opposite actually" Giles shook his head, "Adam is like a God amongst demon society, and if he is talking of carrying out his creators plans of making a complicated race of his kind, I imagine the other demons would learn of this and clearly want to be one of these higher beings"

"So they're lettin' these commando guys catch 'em and lock 'em up in the place when Adam will make his plan happen, right?" Faith took a shot and hoped she'd got it right. She was sort of pleased when Giles smiled and told her she was correct.

"There is abundance of both humans and demons now in the Initiative" the Watcher continued to explain, "I have a theory that Adam plans to start a war down there. There would be so many casualties, both of the human race and many demon breeds, forming his new army of hybrids would be a simple task"

"Th-that's horrible" Tara look scared and disgusted at the thought of a whole army of creatures like Adam. The rest of the gang sympathised, since they all felt much the same, except Anya who had seen so much carnage and so many kind of demons, even been one herself for a thousand years, that these kind of topics had little effect on her constitution.

"So the big question now is how do we stop Frankenstein the Second from creating mayhem in the GI Joe camp?" Faith wanted to know. Of course when they hit that point, no-one had an answer. It was going to be another long night.

- - - - - - -

"What are you still doing up?" Spike frowned as he came in the front door at almost midnight and found his heavily pregnant house mate still lying across the couch where he'd left her.

"Just thinking" she shrugged, not really even paying attention to the fact he was there. Spike rolled his eyes as he dumped the groceries he'd bought on the counter and took off his coat.

Since he and Buffy had taken up temporary residence in this Santa Monica apartment, the Slayer had partaken of several bouts of 'thinking' and none of them ever led to good things. Usually her thinking was a disguise for feeling sorry for herself because she considered her pregnant self to be fat, ugly, and unattractive, which he always assured her she wasn't. The other option was thinking that led to panic, all what-if's about the pregnancy and the labour or bad things that could happen once the baby was born. Either way it meant calming her down and reassuring her for a few hours before either of them would get any sleep.

"Come on then" he said, moving her feet to make room himself on the couch, holding her ankles on his lap since there was nowhere else for them to go, "what have you been thinking about that's got you all sleepless?" he wanted to know. She looked at him seriously when she answered.

"Our baby doesn't have a name"

Spike looked thoughtful and then he frowned.

"Luv, our baby isn't born yet" he pointed out, "Why does she need a name right now? At midnight" he said pointedly, but Buffy didn't notice the time reference so much, she'd stopped listening before then.

"She?" she repeated and he looked at her strangely asking what she meant, "You said she. She isn't born yet. How do you know the baby is a girl?" the Slayer wanted to know.

"I don't know" Spike shrugged, starting to wonder himself why he'd said it. Maybe because whenever he dreamt of a perfect future it was always him, Buffy, and a daughter, but he didn't know why it was that way, "Just got this feeling we're havin' a girl" he told her.

"Well, she'll need a name if she is a girl, or if he's a boy" she considered, "and it got me thinking is all"

"You don't wanna name her Buffy?" he asked, trying to stifle a smirk. He knew she'd defend her name no matter what, it was her mother's choice after all, but she'd never subject her own child to such a title.

"A world of no" came her response, "I think one of me is enough...and that means if it's a boy we don't call him Spike" she added quickly, just in case he was getting ideas.

"Given how I came by this little nick-name of mine, pet, I promise you the thought never entered my head" he told her honestly, making for an awkward pause in the conversation as they were both forced to remember the violence of his past.

"I could maybe deal with having a son called William though" Buffy said after a while, "I mean, that is your real name, right? William..." she stopped when she realised she didn't know the rest, "That's so weird" she almost laughed as she said it and Spike looked at her with confusion.

"What's that then?" he wondered.

"All this time I've known you" Buffy smiled still, "and we've fought and been friends and...everything" she said awkwardly, "and I don't even know your last name"

Spike knew she was correct. He really didn't use his last name for any purpose, he didn't need to. Vampires rarely used their real names. Sure, he'd been William the Bloody, but Spike soon caught on and his old title was lost in time. Drusilla wasn't her human name, and of course Angel was not his, Spike suspected not even Darla was her true name. He was surprised that after a century of no use he could still remember his old last name!

"Vamps don't have last names" he told the Slayer, really not wanting to get into this with her. His time as a human he would mostly like to forget, he certainly didn't want Buffy to know what a ponce he used to be.

"Everybody has a last name" Buffy rolled her eyes, "Just cos you don't use it doesn't mean you don't have one"

He sighed as he saw the determined look on her face. She was not going to let this one go and if either of them were going to sleep at all he'd have to answer her.

"Back in my human days" he gave in and told her, "I was William Blackwell"

"Blackwell" Buffy repeated it in her own voice, "William Summers-Blackwell, wow our son is gonna sound really stuck up" she laughed.

Spike was more than a little surprised to notice he got two parts in the title, but it was pleasant enough to hear his old name beside Buffy's own.

"And if we have a girl?" he asked so softly he wondered if it was really him that spoke, but he couldn't help but feel moved by her wanting to include him in this.

"I dunno, something different" Buffy considered, "How about Serenity?" she suggested, "Like the ship in that weird space-cowboy show. That's pretty"

Spike's eyes looked like they would pop out of his head.

"No kid of mine is gonna be named after a soddin' space-ship in a TV show that some bloke with a daft imagination wrote!" he protested and Buffy burst into fits of giggles. Truth was she did think Serenity might make a pretty name, but she'd never seriously consider calling a child of hers that, she just knew Spike would go crazy if she suggested it.

"Relax Spike, it was a joke" she told him between fits of laughter, before the giggles subsided into a large yawn.

"Well, I think that's enough jokes for one night" the vampire told her, "Even super-Slayers need some shut eye of a night, especially the ones carrying kids around all day" he told her, expecting her to take the hint and move.

"But I'm all comfy here" she told him, pouting like a child. God he wished she'd stop being so cute, it was bad enough trying not to grab her and snog her face off half the time anyway without her being all adorable like that.

"You'll be more comfy in bed" he pointed out, moving her legs a little so he could vacate the couch, "Come on now Slayer, off you go" he urged her when she didn't move a muscle.

"You can't make me" she said, still in her sulky child's voice, forcing her eyes shut as if she were asleep. Spike wondered what to do next, then he had an idea. He crouched down to her level and leaned in close to her ear, her heart-rate speeding up audibly because she could feel him getting closer..

"Don't bet on it" he whispered as he slipped one arm round her back ad the other under her legs. He stood up swiftly, sweeping off the sofa in one move but careful not to drop her. Instinctively she wrapped her arms round his neck and leaned her head on his shoulder as he carried her to the bedroom and laid her down on the bed. He pulled the covers up around her and the Slayer sighed contentedly as she snuggled down beneath them.

"You wanna stay?" she asked as he went for the door, and he glanced back with a strange look on his face. It was only then she realised how much it would hurt him, to be so close to her and yet be denied what he really wanted. Deep down she really wanted to be so close to Spike, and yet it was over-ridden by her common sense and practicality telling her it would never ever work, it hadn't before after all.

"I'm sorry" she shook her head, "We already deja'd this vu and it doesn't end well, right?"

"Right" Spike nodded, smiling just slightly at her special way of phrasing it all, "Goodnight, pet" he said as he closed the door.

"Goodnight" she replied only when he was gone, "William Blackwell"

"We have just two days before Adam's plan takes effect and we still have no idea how to defeat him" Giles sighed, cleaning his glasses for the umpteenth time.

"Don't sweat it, man" Faith told him, absently flicking the pages of a book she really didn't understand, "You guys always deliver in the end, we can handle, right?"

"Of course we can" Willow surprised herself by agreeing with the brunette, but she knew they would figure this out eventually, they just had to.

Anya and Tara had long since gone home to rest, but the core Scoobies and the Rogue Slayer worked through the night and day, knowing they could not let the Initiative's hybrid beast wreak the havoc he intended. It was bad enough that the soldiers of the government-run organisation would mostly perish, or be re-built as semi monsters, but it was worse when one imagined the terror and destruction a whole army of Adam-like creatures could inflict upon the town, the country, or even the world.

"This is ridiculous" Giles suddenly slammed shut the book he was reading, "There is no end to the resources we have, and yet we still have no clue how to defeat Adam with them!" he complained, removing his glasses and polishing the lenses furiously yet again.

"It's going to have to be magic, I guess" Willow said nervously, "I mean, if his power core is so far inside him, there's no way to get it out or destroy it without a spell, right?" she tried, "Maybe there's a power-core extracting spell somewhere?"

The gang gave the witch looks of disbelief and she sighed, admitting she was being stupid but really not knowing what else to suggest.

"Perhaps a paralysing spell" Giles said suddenly a thought springing to mind as he re-opened the book he'd previously been reading and found the correct page, "Oh, the problem is that I can't perform the incantation for this" he admitted with annoyance. He passed the book over to Willow and Xander and the boy frowned.

"What is this language?" he asked, looking over at the unfamiliar characters.

"Sumerian, I think" his friend told him, looking to Giles who nodded she was correct. "That's not the problem though" he told them "Only an experienced witch can incant it, and you'd have to be within striking distance of this object"

"So no problem" Faith finally spoke up after a long bout of uncharacteristic silence "All we need is a combo Slayer - my strength, Giles' multi-lingual know how, and Willow's witchy power" she joked.

Giles looked at her strangely and she rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, I know" she sighed "don't tell me, jokes not wanted right now, huh?"

"No, that's not what I was going to say at all" he shook his head, "Faith, I do believe you may have just had a splendid idea"

"Even if we could pull this off, we still have to get into the Initiative?" Willow pointed out, when Giles had finished explaining his plan "I mean, they have security and stuff right?"

"I don't think we'll be getting in the conventional way" the Watcher shook his head, "but at least we know the location of an entrance from when Buffy visited"

"Seems a little breaking and entering is called for" Faith smiled, "and that I can definitely help you with"

- - - - - - -

Buffy was half asleep in the bedroom when the sound of music hit her. It wasn't very loud but enough that she could make out it was something in the realms of rock. She smiled as she pulled herself up to sitting position, preparing to get off the bed. At the equivalent of eight and a half months pregnant now, a feat she'd managed in five and a bit, it was far less easy to get up and down from chairs or the bed. Still, it'd all be over soon, and that worried Buffy more than she would've liked.

Being pregnant had it's upsides, Spike was so attentive and helpful and she had an excuse to let him be closer to her, which she was finding she more than just liked. Once the baby came they'd have to go back to Sunnydale, they couldn't hide out forever, and things would be different then.

With a sigh the Slayer pulled herself to her feet and headed for the door, the pounding rhythm of Queen's Another One Bites The Dust getting a little louder as she entered the living room. Kinda ironic for a vampire to like that particular song, she thought.

Spike was in the kitchen with his back to her, seemingly preparing lunch and bobbing along to the music at the same time, occasionally stopping to play air guitar. Buffy stood there for a couple of minutes just watching him and trying not to laugh. The supposed Big Bad of Sunnydale had changed so much over the last few months, and it really had been months that she and Spike had been in Santa Monica. Truth was in a lot of ways it didn't seem half that long, and Buffy found she wished they had more time together like this, but when her pregnancy was finally over in less than two weeks time she would have no real excuse to stay away from the Hellmouth.

As the song on the radio came to a huge crescendo of an end, Buffy could no longer keep quiet and started to applaud the vampire's performance. Spike turned round so suddenly he almost knocked himself over. He'd really had no idea she was standing there, it was hard to tell when they lived in such close quarters anyway. To be able to tell whether she was in the bedroom, the bathroom, or the living room by vamp sense alone was impossible.

As was Spike's way, he attempted to cover his embarrassment with bravado and petty insults.

"Enjoy the show did we, luv?" he asked with a smirk, as she walked over to him "I mean, if you're such a fan of watching blokes shake their asses there are clubs you can go to y'know"

"Eew, Spike" the Slayer swatted him across the arm as she reached his side, "Do you have to make everything sound so gross" she complained, "and what was that music, if you can even call it that"

"That, little girl, was a classic" he told her pointing a finger at her sternly, "You want to talk about rubbish music you look in todays charts, all that so-called bloody pop music, it's a load of kids making a lot of noise"

"Y'know most of the time" Buffy told him, stealing a piece of the tomato he was slicing, "I forget that you're not just one of us ordinary people, and then you say this kind of stuff and I remember you're majorly old"

"Cheeky cow" he shot back, though he smiled when he said it, flicking her across the backside with the tea towel as he walked past to the stereo and turned the dials "This more to your taste then, perhaps?" he asked her, referring to the melody flowing from the speakers. Buffy knew it was familiar and a song she liked but for the life of her she couldn't remember what it was.

"Yeah" she nodded, "I like this better" she absently swayed to the music and Spike walked back over to her and reached for her hand, lifting her arm over her head and turning her around. She giggled as she came to face him again and he awkwardly got them into the correct position to waltz her into the living room. It was times like this when she wondered why she couldn't just admit how she really felt about him, and also how they could be the same people that wanted each other dead just a few months ago.

- - - - - - -

"This is it" Giles told Faith, as they plus Willow and Xander arrived in the room in Lowell House. Before them was a glass door to what seemed to be a closet but was in fact the entrance to the elevator shaft leading down to the Initiative.

The Slayer nodded once and signalled for the gang to get back as she delivered a spinning kick to the glass.

"Great, seven years of bad luck" Xander mumbled as they started to rig up the ropes and pulleys to get themselves down to Commando Central below.

"S'not like I have the best luck right now anyway" the Slayer told him as she clipped the line to the harness she wore and prepared to go over the edge of the drop and climb down the elevator shaft.

Soon they were all abseiling down the wall together and Xander looked across at Willow.

"You okay, Will?" he checked and she smiled nervously.

"Sure, no problem" she lied, "I mean, hey, why did I bother with stairs all this time" she laughed slightly, before making the mistake of glancing down and swallowing hard.

"Kinda scary, huh?" he agreed, not daring to look in a southern direction.

"Not as bad as it's gonna be when we get down there" Willow shook her head, "I know it's awful" she whispered, "and I know Faith has been helping and doing good stuff but...I just keep wishing Buffy was here"

"I know" her friend nodded as they came to the bottom of the shaft and joined Faith in unhooking their ropes, Giles was still just a few feet up, "but y'know if she was here, I don't think the whole abseily, demon-fighty adventure would be too easy for her, what with the whole pregnant thing and all"

"I hear from Giles us Slayers pop the kids out faster than the average" Faith commented, "I guess it can't be long now right? Then she can come home, play Head Slayer again?"

Xander and Willow shared a look and were both glad that Giles arrival at ground level prevented them from having to answer. When Buffy came back they wouldn't have much need for the extra Slayer, and then where would she go? As crazy as it was, as much as they used to hate her and rightly so, it seemed so cruel to tell her to get lost after all that had happened.

"Now" Giles called their attention to him, "If those plans we found are correct, it is likely that Adam is somewhere in or around Room 314" he reminded them, "Once we're there it's a case of doing the spell and hoping all goes to plan"

"What are we waiting for?" Faith shrugged, picking up the crowbar and straining until the doors opened. Thankfully no-one had realised they were breaking and entering but then that wasn't much of a surprise when they all climbed out of the elevator into the Initiative building.

"What's going on?" Xander wanted to know as red lights flashed in the dark.

"Some sort of emergency, an alert" Giles assumed as Willow ran for the nearest computer and checked the screens.

"It must be Adam" she called to the gang who rushed over to see, "All the locks of the containment cells have been disengaged...he's started his war Giles" she said, more than a little panicked.

"And we're gonna finish it" Faith said confidently as she made for the door, "Let's go!"

Demons and soldiers fought at every turn and the gang were forced to fend off various attacks on their journey through the winding corridors towards Professor Walsh's old secret lab. Once there it wasn't hard to notice the door that led into Adam's own hide-away.

"Once I'm in, barricade the door behind me" Faith told the gang, reaching to open the door, "This place okay to be Mojo Central?" she checked before she went it.

"As long as we don't get blowed up or nothin'" Willow nodded, a nervous smile stuck to her face.

"How long before the ritual kicks in?" Faith needed to know as Giles began unpacking herbs, candles and cards, whilst Xander and Willow moved a heavy shelving unit in front of the entrance they'd come in through.

"Five minutes, give or take" the Watcher called over the noise beyond the door and the Slayer nodded as she opened up the door.

"Looks like this is it!"

As Faith disappeared into the room, Xander and Willow pushed the door closed and moved the other shelving unit in front of it.

"You think she'll be okay in there alone?" Xander asked, surprising himself by being a little worried about the Rogue Slayer.

"She won't be alone" Giles pointed out as he gestured for the pair to come and sit on the ground with him, around the ingredients and candles he'd set up. He handed the spell book to Willow and lit the candles as they all sat there cross legged preparing themselves for what was about to happen.

"You guys ready?" the witch checked and when she received twin nods she began to chant "The power of the Slayer and all who yield it. Last to ancient first, we invoke thee. Grant us thy domain and primal strength. Accept us in the power we possess. Make us mind and heart and spirit joined. Let the hand encompass us. Do thy will"

Beyond the door Faith advanced on Adam who currently had his back to her, still he knew she was there.

"I was sure you would come" he grinned in a frightening manner as he turned around.

"Then you're not disappointed" the Slayer said nonchalantly, taking up a battle stance, "Come on, guys" she whispered to herself as it looked as though Adam was about to attack.

The gang had almost completed their spell and Willow held four cards in her hands.

"Spiritus...Spirit" she said, placing a tarot-like card down in front of herself. She handed a card to Xander who did the same thing.

"Animus...Heart"

Giles followed suit with another card that the witch passed to him.

"Sophus...Mind" he said, laying it down.

Taking a deep breath Willow laid the final card and she uttered the words;

"And Manus...the hand"

- - - - - - -

"I think I could stay here forever" Buffy sighed, her head resting on Spike's chest as they continued to sway to the music that came from the stereo. Two songs had come and gone and still they hadn't moved from each others arms. Spike didn't care so much, he loved any opportunity to be close to her and the fact she seemed so perfectly comfortable made him feel even better.

"Forever's a long time" he smiled, "but I know what you mean, pet"

The song ended and a third one came on, clearly Spike had inadvertently picked a whole station of non-stop love songs as Elvis' voice filled the room.

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

Buffy couldn't take much more of this. She'd known for a while now that her feelings for Spike ran deeper than maybe they should. These past two weeks, being so comfortable around him only proved to her how great things could be between them, if she would only dare to take a chance. The song was right, she'd tried to play it sensibly, but she really was falling hard for him and it wasn't fair to hide anymore.

"Spike" her voice came out much more quietly than she meant it to as she looked up at him with tears in her eyes. She should have down this sooner and not been so worried, what exactly was she afraid of anyway?

"Somethin' wrong?" he asked her when he saw the look on her face and she shook her head slightly.

"Not wrong" she promised him, "I just...tell me again, how you feel about me" she asked him and though he wasn't sure why she wanted to be told when she was usually so weird about it, he told her precisely what she meant to him.

"I love you" he declared, "you know that, I love everything about you, everything you are and everything I know you can be" he explained, "I want to fight the good fight at your side, I want us to raise this child together and be happy...I just want to be allowed to love you" he ended even more softly than he'd begun and Buffy swallowed hard.

"Why did you ask?" he said uncertainly, trying to search her face for an answer but she glanced away. When she finally looked back up at him she was smiling.

"Because I'm starting to think that..." she frowned, "that I..." she couldn't say anymore as a pain shot through her body, from her head to her feet and she staggered back.

Vaguely she heard Spike call her name as the room faded out and her surroundings spun. Pictures flashed madly behind her eyes that she shut tight. Pictures, images; the First Slayer, herself, Faith, her friends...and a monster that wanted to kill them all.

To Be Continued...

Faith ducked down behind a large computer console as Adam's arm sprouted a mini gun and began firing at her. She'd though she was so smart snapping off that bone skewer he had but right now she'd prefer that to the bullets that flew all around.

"Come on, Red" she whispered to herself, wishing the gang's spell would kick in. Dying didn't scare her but she knew if Adam got past her it was the end for Sunnydale as it was now and for some weird reason she cared about that.

"We enjoin that we may inhabit the vessel, the hand" Willow chanted beyond the door "daughter of Sineya, first of the ones" she breathed erratically as the force of the magicks she was envoking pulsed through her, her eyes turning black as she gripped Giles and Xander's hands tighter "We implore thee, admit us, bring us to the vessel, take us now"

Suddenly a huge surge of power shot through all three of them, and Faith felt it too. She felt strong, stronger than she ever had before, and like she could do anything. She rose from her place behind the console as Adam's firing ceased. Her eyes glowed eerily orange but the hybrid was unphased.

"You can't last much longer" he scoffed.

"We can" said a voice that came from Faith's mouth but was not truly hers "We are forever" she told him, before beginning to chant in Sumerian. Bored by this now, Adam raised the gun again and fired. With a flick of her hand and further foreign words a force field appeared repelling the ammunition that few toward Faith. Then, the battle got interesting.

- - - - - - - -

"Buffy!" she heard her name being called again and finally managed to open her eyes. The electric light in the room seemed too bright as she tried to focus and found herself to be on the sofa now with Spike hovering over her, "What happened, luv?" he asked her, clearly more than a little worried. Buffy shook her head slightly, mindful of how dizzy she still felt.

"I don't know" she admitted, trying to pull herself up to sitting position, her back against the cushioned arm of the couch, "One minute I was up, the next, I wasn't" she said, trying to remember why she'd passed out like that.

"Was it to do with the baby?" Spike was still worrying, "Are you in pain or anything?"

"My heads a little woozy" she told him, as her eyes finally focused and she realised how worried he looked. She reached a hand out to his and found he was shaking, "I didn't mean to scare you, Spike" she assured him, "and it's not the baby, I don't think, nothing hurt or felt different, not really"

The vampire let out a breath he didn't need but had been holding all the same. Buffy smiled slightly as she placed his hand and hers on her stomach and the baby kicked, just to remind them it was still there and just fine.

"Don't ever worry me like that again" Spike told both Buffy and her bump, "I know you're the mighty Slayer" he continued to her only, "but that doesn't mean..."

"The Slayer" she echoed, interrupting him, her vision rushing back into her mind but now just a memory of the pictures and feelings, "Oh God Spike, they're all gonna die"

"Die?" he repeated, "Who's gonna die?"

She didn't answer, and she looked so stunned by the revelation.

"Buffy, talk to me" Spike begged, trying to get her attention back as she stared at a blank spot on the wall and tears filled her eyes.

"We have to go back to Sunnydale" she said suddenly, eyes shifting to lock onto his, "I have to save my friends" she started pushing her legs over the side of the couch to get up but he gently held her down.

"Buffy, you cannot go back there and fight" he reminded her, "Not in your condition...and how do you know they even need you"

"They're my friends, Spike" she shook her head, "and I...I don't know how I know, I just, I saw it"

"What? You had like a vision or something?" he checked, frowning at the idea, since he didn't remember anything like this happening to her before. Prophetic dreams, yes, Slayers had been having those since the dawn of time, but visions? This was new.

"You were holding me" Buffy tried to recount, "We were dancing and I was just about to tell you..." she stopped herself from making the admission, now was not the time or place, not anymore, "and then I saw it, this monster, and my friends, and Faith...and this other girl, who somehow I knew" she paused as she thought about it for a moment, "She's a part of me, Spike, she's the Slayer. The very first one"

"Why would you see all that? I don't get it" Spike shook his head as Buffy pushed herself up into her feet.

"Because I was supposed to, obviously" she said, almost yelling now, "My friends are in danger from some robo-demon beast and I'm supposed to save them!"

"Adam" Spike sighed as he took her place on the end of the couch and Buffy turned to look at him.

"What?" she asked, wondering where that name had come from and why.

"The beast you saw" he told her, "The robo-demon or whatever, they call it Adam. Your Professor at the Commando lab built this hybrid, don't rightly know what for but it revolted, it's what killed her and the Soldier Boy you used to be so fond of...before it escaped and wreaked a little havoc"

Buffy's face went through eight different expressions of horror and shock before it settled on angry.

"You knew all this and you didn't tell me?!" she exploded, arms waving emphatically. Spike jumped to his feet and stood just inches in front of her.

"Now hold on a second" he protested, "Your Scooby pals told me, and then made me swear not to tell you!" he yelled, "God, even your mother knew it was best to keep bloody quiet!"

"My mother knows?!" the Slayer shouted back, incredulously, as she flung her arm around some more. She soon stopped when the action made a muscle in her stomach pull awkwardly and it pinched a little. She lowered herself into the armchair, so confused still and Spike tried to calm himself down before he explained anymore.

"Buffy" he sighed, crouching down in front of her, "We wanted to protect you, pet, it's all any of us wanted"

"Whilst you were all protecting me" she said sadly, "no-one was protecting them...they're gonna die, Spike" she was crying again by now and he felt desperately sorry for her.

"They're stronger than you think, luv" he said more confidently than he truly felt as he reached out a hand to her cheek and wiped away a tear, "They told me they could deal with this thing, and they've got the second Slayer in to help...You have to believe they'll be okay"

Buffy swallowed hard, leaning her face into his hand.

"I know" she admitted, "I just so wish I was there to help them"

- - - - - - - -

Right now Faith felt stronger than she ever had as she channelled the essences of Willow, Xander, Giles, and the First Slayer. Adam fired a rocket from his newly adapted arm but it was no challenge for the combo-Slayer. Faith raised her hand as the rocket careened towards her, causing it to burst into three white doves, that fluttered up over her head.

With a further flick of her wrist and a few Sumerian words, Adam's gun disappeared inside his arm once again. For a moment he was too shocked to react and a moment was all Faith needed as she readied herself for his next attack. Every punch and kick he threw at her she blocked with ease.

She brought up her leg, delivering a perfect kick square in his stomach, and with enough force that the beast fell to the ground. Rushing forward she grabbed his head and wrenched it back.

"How can you...?" he tried to ask but his power was failing and Faith spoke in a combination of voices as she answered.

"You could never hope to grasp the source of our power"

She delivered a punch that sent him flying, and he landed in a heap on the opposite side of the room. In seconds she was by him again, picking him up and kicking him against the wall. In one swift move, her hand punched a hole through his chest, ripping out the uranium core than he ran on.

"But yours is right here" she announced, as Adam fell to the ground, dead.

As more Sumerian words were chanted from Faith's mouth, the uranium began to rise into the air above her hand, before disappearing altogether.

As soon as the battle was over the spell gave way, having lasted just long enough. Faith fought to stay conscious as her extra power drained from her body like the tide going out. Her eyes no longer glowed as she scrambled for the door behind which the gang waited.

With some effort she made enough noise that the gang responded, and Willow and Xander managed to shift the shelving unit away from the door to let her out.

"That was fun" the Slayer gasped for breath as she fell into the room.

"It was incredible" Willow grinned, "I mean, the feeling, like we were all really there"

"It was cool" Faith agreed, before shaking her head, "but it's not over yet. We still gotta get out of here"

"Are you sure you have the strength to fight?" Giles checked as he gathered up the magic supplies into his bag.

"Man, I always got that" Faith told him, smiling once again as she reached for the battle axe at her feet, "You guys ready?" she asked Willow and Xander who both nodded with more confidence than they felt.

"Let's rock 'n' roll"

- - - - - - - -

"I can't believe I let you talk me into this!" Spike complained as he drove his DeSoto down the highway and past the sign that stated 'You are now leaving Santa Monica'

Buffy shifted in the seat beside him, trying to get comfortable but finding it almost impossible, plus she was getting these little twinges in her stomach, she guessed they were either side effects from the vision thing or maybe just gas from the concoction of weird things she'd eaten the day before.

"They're my friends, Spike" she stated as if that were all the answer required "You know I can't let them die without trying to help!"

He gripped the steering wheel as he tried to stay calm. If he got worked up so would she and that was not good for her or their child.

"Buffy, we agreed this already" he reminded her, "I said I would take you back to Sunnydale, but you are going nowhere near any fights. Now you promised me" he said, glancing over at her before back to the road, "You said you'd stay with your mother and let me do the fighting with the gang"

"I know what I said" Buffy grumpily folded her arms over her chest and Spike rolled his eyes. Sometimes he forgot how much of a child the Slayer could really be.

There was silence for many miles, as Buffy's mind, and indeed Spike's, went into over-drive, wondering what awful things could be happening to the Scoobies and Faith. For all her sister Slayer had done, Buffy could not wish such a gruesome death on her as she knew this Adam could undoubtedly cause.

In a similar way, Spike couldn't really say he had a great liking for the Slayer's friends, well maybe the little witch was okay sometimes, but he'd rather them not all be dead when they arrived back in Sunnydale, and not just for Buffy's sake.

Without thinking he pressed his foot down just a little more firmly on the gas pedal, glad his vision was just as good in the dark as it was in the daylight, since the sun had just gone down when they left the apartment and the moon was steadily rising.

Buffy shifted in the passenger seat again and he glanced over to see what was wrong.

"You okay, luv?" he checked, wanting to pay more attention to her but also knowing the road ahead was a priority.

"It's probably nothing but..." a pain in her stomach took her breath for a second before she could continue, "I just keep getting these little kind of...aches" she told him. Spike looked suspicious but she didn't want to admit how much it was starting to hurt when it was probably nothing.

"Aches?" Spike checked, "Or pains?"

"Maybe little pains" she admitted, "But we probably don't need to panic...ow" the latter half of her last word disappeared into a shout of pain as her hand went to her stomach.

"Bloody hell, Buffy!" Spike cursed, having trouble keeping the car straight, "You've gone into labour"

"It's probably just a false alarm" she tried to convince herself as well as him, the thought of giving birth was actually what scared her most about the whole pregnancy thing, so much could go wrong.

"And it might not be" the vampire shook his head, "those dates you got from the Watcher were only estimates" he reminded her, "You never saw a doctor, but I think we need one now, luv. I'm taking you to the hospital"

"Really, Spike, it's probably just..." Buffy's sentence disappeared as she winced a little, before a strange whooshing sound occurred and a less-than-pleasant smell hit Spike's nose. He glanced over at her again and she looked a little panicked as she spoke.

"You may be right" she admitted "I think my water just broke"

Chapter 30

Faith and the Scoobies were making a valiant effort to escape the Initiative. Adam had been defeated but a war raged on beneath the college, with many casualties on both the demon and human sides. As awful as it was to know they were leaving so many behind to suffer and die, the gang could not worry too much about it. Their priority was getting themselves out of there and they were so close now, just one more corridor and they would be back in the room they'd started from, and the plan was for Willow to activate there nearest exit on a timed system so it'd close and lock behind them before anyone or anything could follow them out.

The problem was two rather nasty demons were taking down four soldiers with ease right by the door they needed entrance to. They waited around the corner, glancing out every so often to see what was happening.

"I think I can take them out but, element of surprise would be kinda crucial" Faith told the other three.

"You need them distracted?" Xander checked he understood and the Slayer nodded, "One distraction, coming up" he said and before anyone could react he bolted around the corner, waving a piece of broken pipe he'd been using for a weapon before.

"Stupid son of a..." Faith cursed at his stupidity, though she wondered at how brave he was too. Just an ordinary boy throwing himself into all kinds of danger and for what? Because he knew it was right.

As the Slayer followed on into battle, Giles and Willow fell in behind to back her up. The first demon was soon dead, the battle axe slicing it's head clean in two as the second monster was still busy dealing with the diversion, aka Xander. Willow shrieked in panic when she noticed the demon, which was a good two feet taller than any of them, lift her friend clean off the ground by his throat. Faith literally leapt into action, using the dead body of the first demon as a step up to head height of the other. She swung the axe at his head, but the large beast moved and the blade got embedded in it's shoulder.

"Faith!" Giles yelled below her, throwing a sword upward. She caught it with ease, still balancing on the carcass of the demon's ally. She took a well-timed swing, completely decapitating the beast. Xander fell to the floor and Willow ran to him as Faith climbed down and followed. He was unconscious but breathing and that was something to be thankful for.

"Get that exit open" the Slayer told Willow, gesturing towards the door to the room that held the computer systems they needed, "I'll bring Xander"

For a moment the witch was unsure but decided it was for the best. Giles covered her as they ran into the room and she frantically hit at the keys of the computer. Faith got Xander in a fireman's lift and followed, finding the run to the exit after that was a little much for even her.

"We have just two minutes left until it locks behind us" Giles informed them as he got the three younger people through the door and up onto the stairs. It was awkward with Xander unable to help and the important bag of magic supplies and weapons also to be transported. The Watcher scrambled through the door a moment before it closed and bolted itself shut again, the heavy steel muffling the pained cries and shouts within.

"We did it" Willow said breathlessly as they paused for a moment on the staircase. The three looked at each other and their unconscious friend in wonder - they really had managed to pull it off, and without Buffy.

- - - - - - -

"The hospital's in the opposite direction to Sunnydale!" Buffy complained as Spike told her to hold on because he was going to get her there, "We'll never make it!"

"We don't have a choice, luv" he told her, trying to stay calm but finding it almost impossible, "What other option is there? You can't give birth in the car"

Buffy's only response was to scream as the pain of another contraction shot through her. It had gotten much worse since her water broke and she knew that despite all the books she read telling her labour could take many hours, this kid was eager to be out in the world.

Spike wanted to scream himself only his would be out of pure frustration. He wanted to help her, but he didn't know where to begin. Pregnant women these days belonged in hospitals, with doctors and nurses and medical facilities. Back in the day when he was human it was true that many children were born quite healthily in the mother's own home with just a doctor and a maid present and no pain-killing drugs or sterilised instruments, but there was a lot of death back then too. Both mothers and babies perished through people's ignorance or lack of resources, he couldn't stand anything like that happening to Buffy or their child.

As the Slayer let out another cry of pain, Spike almost crushed the steering wheel, his grip was so tight on it. These contractions were getting longer and closer together much quicker than they could have anticipated. Whilst there was the upside that the labour should be shorter and therefore contain less pain in total, it meant there was no chance of making it to the hospital on time.

"Buffy, luv, I think you're right" he said worriedly, "Even pushing the car to the max and breaking every speed limit from here on out, I don't think we're gonna make it to the hospital before..."

The rest of his sentence was drowned out by another painful cry and he couldn't take it anymore. Whilst he was driving he was useless to her, unable to give her very much of his attention at all. He was going to have to pull over, get her into the back seat if he could and work out how one was supposed to deliver a baby! There was no-one else to do it after all.

- - - - - - -

"Take small sips" Willow told Xander as she sat down beside him on Giles' couch and handed her friend a glass of water. His throat was very sore, made evident by the bruising all around his neck. Still, both he and his friends were very well aware it could've been so much worse if that demon hadn't have let go of him when it did, and that was all thanks to Faith.

"Hey, buddy" the same brunette half-smiled as she perched herself on the arm of the sofa beside Xander, "You feelin' better?" she'd hidden in the bathroom from when they'd arrived until now. She felt completely wiped after the battle, terribly sick ever since that spell ended, and strangely disappointed to know that this was it. Buffy would be back soon, and despite the fact she'd been the one to help defeat the big bad, the one that saved Xander's life, it didn't really make a different. Everyone would still se her as the bitch she really was, or so she thought.

"Better" Xander croaked out his reply to her question, a slight nod accompanying the sound, "Not dead" he smiled and she nodded back at him. It was true, if the demon had tightened it's grip, Xander could either have choked to death, or been killed instantly if his neck snapped.

"Thankyou" he said solemnly, looking up into Faith's eyes.

"Hey, it's all part of the job" she shrugged, trying to make light of it. she made to get off the couch but Xander grabbed her hand, "Really, thankyou" he repeated in a hoarse voice, wanting to say so much more but unable to right now. Faith nodded once again, lost for words for one of the first times in her life. She never did anything to gain real gratitude from a person. She'd saved lives, sure, but never on such a personal level, never someone she, and here was the really weird part, someone she cared about. Spending so much time with the Scoobies had certainly changed her. Without Buffy around she was depended on and needed, and she was happy in her role. She decided to make the most of these friends she'd managed to acquire, because when the real Slayer returned to Sunnydale there would be no place for her.

"Indeed Faith, you did a splendid job in defeating Adam and in saving Xander" Giles told her as he polished his glasses and she kept her eyes averted from everyone. She hadn't cried in years, not counting that little moment in LA with Angel, but no-one really knew about that except him, her, and Wes. People being kind to her seemed to upset her more than abuse - that she'd learnt to deal with at least.

"Yeah Faith, you did real good" Willow agreed, standing up and walking over to her, "I know we never got along. I'm too smart for you and you're too skanky for me" she smiled to show she was at least half-joking, "but I think we've both kinda changed since the whole killing thing and I'm not saying I wanna be your best friend but...non-enemies at least?" she tried holding a hand.

Faith eyed it suspiciously before taking hold of it and shaking on the obscure deal.

"Sounds good" she nodded once, keeping words to a minimum in case her voice cracked. A moment later she swallowed hard and Willow went to sit with Xander again, the emotional moment over.

"Er, Giles, you got anything I can eat?" Faith asked, turning to the Watcher, "I dunno about you guys but I am starved" she announced, beginning to rifle through Giles' kitchen cupboards.

"I must confess I could quite happily partake of a cup of tea" he told her as he pulled himself up from the armchair and joined her, leaving Willow and Xander alone.

"You too, huh?" he croaked, sipping at his water some more straight after.

"What?" Willow didn't understand.

"Buffy" was all he need to say and his friend nodded.

"Yeah, I just can't help wondering what's happening with her" the red-head sighed, "Wherever she is, I hope she's happy right now"

- - - - - - -

"Oh my...!" Buffy screamed as another contraction ripped through her body, "I swear to God this baby is trying to kill me" she declared a minute or so later when the pain subsided and Spike leapt from the car, running round to the other side. He opened the passenger door and carefully tried to get Buffy out without causing her any more pain or making her anymore uncomfortable than was necessary. He'd explained to her before, it would be easier if she were in the back of the car, that way she could spread out and hopefully he would be able to help get their child out of her. Spike had to admit this was not quite how he'd imagined his next visit to the space between the Slayers legs but to see his child come into the world, it was worth it.

Buffy was just so glad she'd worn a skirt today and not her maternity pants, it would only have made things more complicated in the long run. As it was her skirt meant much less awkward manoeuvring was needed and she was soon propped up along the back seat of Spike's car, with the vampire at the end, checking what was going on down there. If she were not too busy concentrating on breathing and battling against pain, the kind of which she'd never experienced before, she would probably be highly embarrassed or possibly calling Spike a pervert by now.

"Oh God" she groaned, "Dying was easier than this"

Spike had to smile at that one. His own passing hadn't really been so much unbearable suffering as it had been a thrilling sort of rush, but this was no time for reminiscing he realised as Buffy seemed to be constantly yelling about the pain and he glanced down, only to realise there was a small child's head visibly emerging from the woman he loved!

"Bloody hell" he cursed, before realising he had to try to help somehow, "Er, Buffy, luv, I'm no expert, but I think this is the part where you start pushing, pet"

"I don't think I can" she said, finding breathing to be hard work even when the agonising contractions weren't trying to cut her in half.

"No choice, sweetheart" Spike shook his head, though she couldn't see that, "This kid wants out and, much like it's father, lack of patience is a factor" he told her with a smirk, his hand rubbing her ankle, trying to comfort her somehow.

A further shout erupted as the next contraction hit and for once doing as she was told Buffy pushed as hard as she could. The exertion was so much that when the pain finally subsided a minute later she fell back against the seats and cried.

"Spike, you bastard!" she yelled, "How could you do this to me?!"

Far from being angered by her words, he just rolled his eyes. Trust the woman to find a way to make all this his fault.

"Will Be Done spell, remember?" he muttered mostly to himself, "Weren't exactly fighting me off either..."

"I think I have to push again" the Slayer realised as the pain started again, Spike immediately snapped back to the task in hand.

For almost half an hour the Buffy attempted to push her child out into the world and Spike did his best to encourage and help her. He found the sight and smell of blood did nothing for him in this instance, he was just so thrilled to be there, watching his baby come into the world, the whole time willing the Powers That Be to let both his woman and his baby be okay.

He knew it was ridiculous but every time Buffy screamed he could hear his mother doing the same over a century ago. Her labour went on for hours and all to no good end since the baby was lost after just a few hours. Spike was determined not to lose his own child.

"Come on, Buffy" he urged her, "Just one more push, I think the job's done"

"I can't" she whined, suddenly wondering how she ever had the strength to do anything. She was supposed to be the Slayer with incredible stamina and endurance, but this was like nothing she'd ever been through before and if she didn't know better she'd think it was trying to kill her.

"Slayer...Buffy, I know you can do this" Spike told her much more calmly than he felt, "You are the strongest woman I have ever met, and you can do anything, luv. I believe that and you need to believe it too" when she gave no response he added one final thing, "and I love you" he reminded her.

Closing her eyes and concentrating hard, Buffy waited for the next contraction and pushed as if her life depended on it. The final effort was just what was needed as the baby slipped out and into Spike's waiting arms.

As Buffy collapsed back onto the seat in exhaustion, the baby made it's presence known, mouth wide open with enough high pitched squealing coming out to deafen the average person. Spike couldn't help the grin that covered his face. Here was his child, his daughter it seemed.

"Buffy" he said, completey stunned by what he'd just experienced, "We've got a little girl" he told her as he grabbed his previously discarded red shirt, wiped the baby off and wrapped her up in the material.

A few moments later, Spike managed to get himself into the car, sitting along the floor by the backseat where Buffy lay, the baby in his arms.

"Hey, little pet" he said to the now quiet child, "Say hello to Mummy"

"Oh God" Buffy gasped, tears streaming down her face as she managed to pull herself up a little and take the baby from Spike, "She's beautiful"

"Course she is" he agreed with a smile that wouldn't shift, "She looks just like her mother"

Their eyes met briefly before they both turned their attention back to their tiny daughter.

"With those eyes there's no mistaking who her Daddy is" the Slayer commented as the little girl's bright blue orbs shone up at her, "She's so perfect" she added breathlessly almost unable to believe she and Spike had created this wonderful, tiny, fragile little person.

"She can't just be called she, pet" the vampire frowned slightly, "S'not right for such a special little one to not have a name"

Buffy smiled as she looked over at him, she'd had an idea a few days ago but hadn't dared ask yet, now seemed like the perfect time.

"I was thinking maybe Rebecca Joyce Summers-Blackwell" she suggested, watching his face carefully for some kind of reaction. He looked at her wide-eyed for a moment, completely speechless for he first time in a long time. Eventually his voice cracked slightly as he answered.

"I think it's perfect" he told her, looking down at the newly named Rebecca, "But I have to ask why?" he said, not wanting to ruin this moment but really needing the truth here, "Why would my sister matter to you?"

"Because you matter to me" she told him, immediately gaining his attention as his eyes locked onto hers, "Spike, I was about to tell you before" she confessed, "I love you"

For a second the vampire could not believe it was all real. This night, this woman, his own child, and the love he felt. Careful not to crush the baby, he leaned over and put his lips to Buffy, kissing her tenderly.

"Y'know as crazy as it is" he whispered not far from her ear, "I don't even care that you probably don't mean that" he told her, before kissing her again. When they pulled apart for a second time, and Spike took another moment to marvel at the sight of his daughter. Buffy was close to tears. After all she'd put him through, she did sort of deserve for Spike not to believe her, but she really did love him so much, she just had to prove it.

Cradling the baby carefully against her chest with one arm for just a second, she reached the fingers of her left hand up to her throat and pulled the chain that rested around her neck, til her pendant was visible. Spike wondered what she was doing until he realised it wasn't a pendant she was wearing at all.

"My ring?" at least that's what he thought it seemed to be. It hadn't occurred to him before but when he'd proposed marriage under that spell and slipped his silver skull ring onto Buffy's finger, even when the magicks had ceased their hold he'd never gotten his ring back.

Buffy could only nod he was correct as more tears sprang from her eyes. She'd not had it in her to throw the ring away, even after the spell was over. It seemed like such a waste of jewellery, even if it wasn't the prettiest piece in the world. It had resided in her trinket box for weeks and when she travelled to Santa Monica it had gone with her, still in that box. Later when she and Spike had started getting closer she'd threaded it on her favourite chain and fastened it round her neck, grateful that in some small way he'd always be with her.

"I wanted it close to my heart" she whispered, fatigue and emotion over coming her, "because that's where you are, Spike...I don't know how we're going to make it work, but we have to try" she told him, glancing between his face and their baby "I love you, and I love our little girl. We can do this, I know we can"

"I'm not going anywhere, pet" he smiled first pressing his lips to hers and then gently to Rebecca's head "You just said everything I ever wanted to hear"

--The End--