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Five

Happy Ending’s On the Hellmouth


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Late Spring

A warm, insatiable, thin cool breeze blew over the ankle high, dewy green blades of grass, May was almost over and the weather was beginning to show it. It was clear, the sun shone all over, for no clouds dared interrupt it on this day of all days, and the warm rays spread a nice warmth over cold, pale and now bare arms that had for so long known windy, dark snow-less winters. The heat of the sun beams began to burn the light flesh of some, and they shifted uncomfortably. Others wore light, semi long sleeved garments, and their arms were just the right temperature.

A young, tall, well molded blonde stood near a white, wooden arch, nervously glancing off, fiddling with the flowers that draped the high structure, her white clothing billowing in the breeze. Suddenly a man, also blonde but more brightly so began to run toward them from a distance, he wore a dark, crisp tux with a red rose for a corsage. He gazed at her painstakingly and with the pleading look of guilt. She laughed at him, knowing he had slept in and had to hire a new driver. She reached to him and he quickly ran under to join her.

Breathless he gazed at her, she was beautiful, basking in his embarrassment as he had known she would. She took his hands gently and he sighed, catching his quick, harsh breath as the alerted pastor approached. She squeezed the warm, pale flesh, her soft, green eyes meeting his, then moving to the old, vested man as he began to speak. Before she could even realize what was happening the cold, dull weight of his ring on her finger became obvious, and she watched as her hands slipped another band onto his.

She finally heard his words, even though he had uttered them moments ago. She blushed, looking away, gazing at the widespread meadow as the pastor finished the ceremony and as he gave her new husband permission to kiss her she slowly turned back, quivering with both anxiety, the sensation of a new beginning and the wild beating of her heart. She wished so badly to reach into herself, grab and contain the pulsing organ.

He smiled at her expression, one of uncertainty and fear and so he brought her into his arms and kissed her, gently but with all his love for her, promising her the world or whatever she wanted in it, but for her, the kiss was enough to make her sure, with a sighs he fell into it, completely ignoring the applause from all around.

From a chair on the lawn Willow Rosenburg clutched her girlfriend’s hand, biting back tears, her bottom lip gripped by her teeth, she glanced next to her and felt a small grin tug at her mouth as she saw Giles’ anxiety, he sat oddly slumped and he nervously tapped his foot, it seemed, almost that he was about to get married himself. Willow laid her free hand upon his tightly balled one and he gazed at her, she smiled.

“Stop worrying so much, she’s a big girl!” She gestured to the glowing Buffy, tightly wrapped in her husband’s arms in an emotional hug.

“Well yes but- No! She’s just a little girl playing house Willow, I really think they still should have waited a bit before they went and...”

“They love each other too much to wait, she knows what she’s in for and she’s ready for it, believe me she’s thought all of this through more than us.”

“Are you sure? I mean is she ready if the time came for them to have a child? She wouldn’t be able to go out slaying because she might get hit and a child is such a responsibility I’m not sure Spike is ready for, spoiling a baby is not exactly being a parent and...”

“Giles?”

“Yes?”

“Shut up and mellow out, babies are still a long way away from them, Buffy has had the birds and the bees talk.” Willow gently smiled and leaned into Tara’s ear, whispering something, causing Giles to be all the more upset.

“Willow this is hard enough, I don’t need you teasing my lack of knowledge of Buffy’s thoughts and actions!”

Back by the arch as Buffy moved from Spike’s embrace she rubbed some tears from her face, gazing at him as he chuckled. “Hey, guess what?”

She smiled and clasped his hands in hers. “What?”

He leaned in close, brushed his nose against her cheek as he whispered. “We’re married.”

She grinned. “Yeah.”

To her surprise, he in his glee lifted her into his arms and began to spin her, both laughing, and as her nausea was built he set her down. She laughed a bit then swayed forward and so he grabbed her shoulders, steadying her. He brought her into a breathless kiss, short but lacking nothing a good kiss needed, both looked at Xander as he stood and clapped his hands together.

“Ok, let’s get this party started!”

Anya covered her face with a hand in embarrassment only to have Xander yank her up and began to dance randomly. Buffy and Spike laughed at them and commenced to leave the field for the reception hall, followed by their guests.


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Rome, Italy. Six months later

Vive Roma, city of history and eternal mystery, as cheesy as that sounded. And also of evil, sinister dictatorship and hated figures, but they were needed here. Really Buffy was needed here but he needed to be near her, so he had come, it wasn’t his first time here, and he remembered his last and the one before that, who could forget, felt like sunshine indeed! No matter, this was now, that was then. Buffy was his future.

“Ciao signor William!”

“Ciao Cino, what’s new?”

“Nothing is ever new in Rome signor. But what of you, how is your wife?”

“Good, she’s good. We really haven’t brought anything new I suppose.” At Cino’s puzzled expression he added. “From Sunnydale.”

Realizing it was meant a joke the old, fat Italian grinned lightly and shook his head. “You try too hard.”

Spike sighed. “S’pose I should be going. I’ll be seeing you.”

“Si signor, aribederchi.” (If someone could get me the real spelling for ah-ree-buh-dair-chee, it would rock)

With a sigh he took one last drag from his cigarette then tossed it and began his way home. Buffy would be in bed, he was sure, she always went to bed before six a.m. It was quarter to, and even if at this moment she wasn’t in bed, she was probably getting ready. He took a shortcut through an old alley, smiled as dawn’s first rays began to spread, it was bliss, not having to worry about staying out of the light, bliss which he enjoyed with his wife by his side, and at this thought, his mind strayed to his marriage.

Though not perfect, married life was the heaven he’d always dreamed of. Mainly because he could share it with Buffy. She was the light he woke up to every day, and the soft darkness that sang him to sleep, they often sang to each other, softly so the world couldn’t hear, personal, tuneless songs of desire and love, loss and gain, life after resurrection. Just the feel of her breath on his ear could make him swoon with his love for her, the feel of her against him, her warm, satiny skin beneath his hands as he stroked her arms. He closed his eyes and sighed, soon he would be home and could hold her again.

Opening his eyes he grimaced at the down sides. They did occasionally fight, as most couples do. At first the fights were little teases on days when either was in a really bad mood but of late it had been worse, lately it had been serious. Though he knew she was needed to fight here he had openly shared his desperate desire for them to have a baby, and she had at first gently reminded him she couldn’t fight at any point of pregnancy, all’s it would take was one hit . . . He had let it go, then brought it back up and practically begged her but this time she had lashed out, her emotions exposed more than she had liked.

“Look, William, I just . . . I’m not ready!”

He stepped into the hotel and shook his head, he couldn’t force her, and he certainly couldn’t hurt her anymore, so he had dropped it. In his dreams they could have a baby, and at least for now, that was more than enough. Making his way up to their room he opened the door with the little gold key and stepped in, threw his coat onto a chair for now and went to the bathroom, washed up and came out. With a deep sigh he made his way into the bedroom and gazed upon her, curled up in the bed, her cheek cradled against her hands, she was awake, her eyes open and teary, and so concerned he stripped to his boxers and climbed in next to her, took her arms and brought her back against him. She turned, buried her face in his chest and wept a bit, he remained silent until she calmed.

“Buffy, what’s wrong, pet?” He whispered, rubbing her shoulders and nuzzling the top of her head with his chin, she drew in a shaky, sob racked breath and whispered.

“Nothing, it’s nothing, I was just . . . I was thinking about Mom.” Without his vampire senses, he couldn’t tell if she was lying between her sobs, the stuttering could be emotion caused.

“Aw, it’s ok love. You’ve done your mum right proud.” He laid back and brought her to lay against him. “She loves you, she watches over us and I’m damn sure she wouldn’t want you crying over her. Death isn’t something to cry over, you know that.”

“Bull, you’ve done it!”

“That I have, (and it was SO sad when he did!) but I felt better when I got to hold you again, you’ll feel better when you meet up with her.”

“You don’t meet up with people in heaven, it’s just a bunch of souls mingling.” She scoffed lightly.

“And one of them probably was and will again be your mum. You said there was no pain there.” he told her simply, snuggling closer to her small form.

She paused against him and laughed. “You’re right! It probably was her!”

“See? Allllwwaaaays trust daddy!”

She gasped and laughed as his mouth found her shoulder. “Oh m . . . William, oh God, stop . . .!”


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His deep blue eyes shot to the phone as it rang, God he hated that bloody thing! Never any good calls, he wanted to have a J-O-B, not sex with a minor! He sighed and strolled over to it, stretched then picked it up, not rushing to speak into the receiver. “Burger King, what’s your beef?”

“Uh, right, hello. May I speak to William Crichton please?”

“This is him, who’s ‘is?”

“My name is Wesley Wyndham-Pryce, Mr. Crichton. I work at Wolfram and Hart, here in LA.”

“Wait a second, aren’t you the poor English bloke Angel’s got crackin’ codes?”

“You . . . Might say that, I do more than crack codes. Listen, I’m calling to offer you a job here.”

Spike leaned against the wall and shook his head. “No candoozles, can’t leave Rome.”

“You, can’t? Why not?”

“Well see the wife’s working here and no way in hell am I leaving her, and no way in hell is she ever gonna come with me there. Sorry.”

“You’re married?”

“Aye.”

“To whom?”

“Well her name’s Buffy. Why?”

“Oh dear God if Angel found out . . .”

“Oh bloody hell what does he care? Point is she’s happy. Tell that old codger. . .”

“Listen, Spike, Wesley’s offering you a once in a lifetime opportunity and if you plan to support Buffy I suggest you take it.”

“Um, Angel? Don’t eavesdrop, please?” Wesley inquired.

They heard Angel hang up and Wesley finished. “Interested or not?”

Spike sighed and rubbed his eyelids. “What kind of a job are we talking?”


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He heard her come out into the room and he flinched, terrified of telling her but knowing he had too. She smiled and bent down, kissed his lean throat and murmured an ‘I love you’. He sighed and turned, stood from his chair and enveloped her in his arms, burying his face in her downy hair, she could tell he was keeping something from her and curious, she brought him away and asked a question with her eyes. He frowned and his face contorted with pain. “Buffy, this isn’t easy, so you’d better sit down.”

He sat next to her and explained everything, Wesley had inquired on him to experiment with some stuff, work in the lab with him and his partner, Fred Burkle. He would be paid, a small amount but money none the less. After he finished, once she knew when he was set to leave and when he could visit she stood and moved to a window, crossing her arms over herself. “It’s all wrong Spike.”

He frowned, she never called him that, and her words disturbed him all the more. “What makes you say that, love? And what do you mean, what’s wrong?” He looked at her tear stained face, and followed her own eyes to her hand. “You mean you think . . . You think the marriage is wrong?”

She sighed. “Spike ever since we got married something has come to tear us apart. It just, it isn’t meant to be.”

“Hey!” He moved to her and aggressively took her arms. “Now I know this is hard, I know we’ve had problems and I know you’ve tried. But I am not about to let you stand there and try to end it all. Buffy I love you, I haven’t stopped and it hasn’t become any less, it’s become more. Do you really want to just end it?”

“No!” she said almost too quickly. “But what do we do?”

He loosened his grip and brushed some hair from her face, kissed her gently. “We leave Europe, go to L.A and help save the world there, this isn’t where we belong, pet.”

She looked down at the street below, then back at him and in a cracked, soft voice she gently agreed. “You’re right, we don’t.”


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Late, why the hell were people coming into the picture always late!? He gazed at his watch again and frowned, Angel wouldn’t like this. But what could be done, have the ex-vampire and his wife transported by the beam aboard the Starship Enterprise? No, they hadn’t been able to afford it, but soon, very soon. This was, after all, Wolfram and Hart.

“Not here yet, Wes?”

He gazed up at Fred, she smiled softly at him as he sighed and shook his head. “No, not yet. Finished with the ballord demon?”

“Yeah, took a little longer than I had planned, they’re slippery little suckers.” she giggled girlishly and he smiled softly to himself at the sound.

“Hey Wes, that Crichton guy is out front, he just pulled up.”

“Thank you Harmony.” He stood and followed by Fred went to the front and opened the door for them. “You’re late.”

Spike looked up at Wesley, agitation in his eyes. “A wizard is never late, master Dorkins, nor is he early, he arrives precisely after teatime.”

Wesley’s expression remained passive, only until Spike’s wife stepped forward, he had forgotten about Buffy, luckily not in accommodations. She looked tired, and he could tell it wasn’t just jet lag, something was seriously wrong. This girl had something on her mind, and her bombshell husband was either too blonde to notice (A/N: I have nothing against blondes just so you know) or he knew and didn’t want to push it.

She smiled weakly at him and mumbled a little ‘hello’, then they allowed Wesley to guide them inside. They were silent, mostly, other than occasional throat clearing. Finally, just as they approached the lab Wesley asked. “I trust your room suits your tastes?”

“Oh, yeah. It’s good, we don’t plan on being here permanently.” Spike grumbled.

Wesley froze just outside the door. “But you said . . .”

“I said I’d take the job until we found a decent place to live, far away from L.A. and Sunnydale, which will be God only knows when, but hopefully not long.”

“You don’t have to be so short with me!” Wesley opened the door. “You aren’t the only one in a bad mood.”

He led them in and gave them a basic tour, as Fred went back to work with the ballord demon, then the two left to go back to their hotel and rest. Minutes later as Wesley tried to calm down Angel strolled in, file folder in hand. “Wes did Spike ever show?”

“Oh, yeah he just left.” Wesley rubbed his temples. “And I’m beginning to regret having called him.”

Angel nervously scraped his shoe against the ground, watched it and looked up, asked. “Was . . . She with him?”

“Yeah, and she didn’t look so great. Ill, fatigued.” Wesley shook his head. “She’s got something bothering her and she obviously doesn’t want to tell him, and he obviously is getting frustrated with her.”

Angel bit his lip. “But other than that, you think they’re ok?”

Wesley sighed and nodded. “Yes, they seemed very much happy and in love, both of them. Don’t worry Angel, I don’t think he’s using her.”

Angel smiled lightly and shook his own head. “That’s just what I hate, he just may love her, and she him.”

Wesley frowned and stood, patted his friend’s shoulder, Angel looked at him, then around and left quickly.


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This was getting ridiculous. Every bit of it; her not talking to him and becoming so tied up, he often would catch her crying, and the past couple of weeks she’d been ill, by her own doing, he suspected. She was punishing herself for something, and he was going crazy trying to figure it out. She was very tired, all of the time, and she often snapped at the simplest of his questions, but the line was drawn, he didn’t start working until tomorrow and he was determined to find out what was going on, even if it killed him.

When she awoke he was waiting for her in the kitchen/dining area. She entered cautiously as if waiting for an attack, but he was silent, just drank his coffee and read his paper, when she drew near he looked up and smiled at her genuinely. “Good morning sweetheart.”

“Good morning.” she said softly. She bent down and kissed his cheek, he kissed hers and so she sat, poured herself a cup of coffee and he began to slowly address the situation.

“Buffy I know lately questions have been absurd to you but I also know you aren’t yourself. Love, what’s wrong?” she looked steadily away. “You can tell me, I’m your husband. Do you think I’ll get mad?”

She shook her head, obviously holding back tears.

“Buffy,”

“I’m scared.” she whispered with a shudder.

“Why? What’s wrong?”

She looked up at him, those huge green eyes he loved so much overflowed with tears and she whispered ever so lightly. “William, I’m pregnant.”

He was death after she uttered those words. Life drained from his ears as he exploded with happiness and he ran over, swept her up and ran kisses over her delicate throat. “Oh Buffy, Buffy! It’s gonna be ok I’ll protect you, both of you, oh pet!” She sobbed and he sat, held her against hm as the shock wore off. “Oh I promise, it’s going to . . . To . . . How far long?”

“Almost three months.” She stuttered.

“Are you upset?”

“No, just scared. I don’t want to disappoint you.”

“You could never do that.” He kissed her eyelids softly. “Just think Buffy, a baby! Our very own baby! With a little face and little hands and crying and feeding, diapers, playing, bathing . . .”

She laughed and nodded. “It will be great, won’t it?”

“Oh Angel’s gonna be pissed but I don’t care!” He wiped her tears away. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I wasn’t sure how and I wasn’t sure how I was going to do this but you suggested we leave and it was perfect, I would have miscarried there for sure.”

He rolled up the bottom of her tank and kissed her belly lovingly. She giggled and whispered. “I hope she looks like you.”

“HE will look like me,” he grinned in triumph. “I want a son first.”

“Too bad, bad ass. I know it’s gonna be a girl.”

“Oh really?”

“Yup.”

“How?”

“It’s instinct.”


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Angel hadn’t taken to the news well but soon he would be bringing gifts and not long after that he would come by and help Spike select a boy’s name, along with Buffy’s input, even though she said it was useless. The months flew by and they rented an apartment, readied a room for the baby, which it was now apparent Buffy was carrying. Dawn came to stay with them so Buffy wasn’t ever alone while he worked, and the sisters tossed up two girls names, and agreed with Spike that the final selection would be made at the child’s birth.

She was due any day now, and had the jitters about the actual childbirth, even though she’d experienced more than her share of it, she wasn’t a big fan of pain. In fact, she feared nothing more than the idea of giving birth to this child. She had expressed this with her husband and both had agreed that it would be a natural childbirth, but with lots and lots of ice and water. And she could injure and scream at him as much as she pleased during it.

The big day was a foggy morning, there was a slight chill and the sun was hidden behind the clouds, but their child would not wait for sunshine to appear. Buffy was admitted at around 6:00 in the morning, and she was in labor all throughout the afternoon, and it wasn’t until early in the evening when they took her into the delivery room. Excited Spike rushed in to be at her side, and around 40 minutes later their daughter was born. Unlike most men the sight did not bother him and he looked up at his wife after he had cut the cord, glee spread over his face like butter on bread. She smiled back at him, exhausted, weeping as the little girl was laid on her stomach.

She only was allowed to hold her for a moment, then they took her to check her out, put eye-drops in her eyes and clean her up. Around a half hour later, once the afterbirth was taken care of and Buffy had gotten to rest with her husband nearby, holding her hand as she dozed when the baby was brought back, Spike gently woke Buffy and she looked at the nurse, smiled and whispered. “Let him hold her.”

The nurse obliged, handed the infant to her father and showed him how to properly hold her, then she left and Buffy turned on her side to watch him with his newborn daughter, she smiled softly as he gazed down at the new life he had helped to create. William the Bloody had only ever taken life and now, he had created it, with her help of course. He was glowing, she remarked to herself, and tears were beginning to spill from his eyes. He turned to his wife and whispered softly. “What shall we call her?”

She thought back to hers and her sister’s chosen names, and she smiled more, shifted a bit in the uncomfortable bed and asked him. “What about Ann?” Her eyes sparkled with her liking of the name, despite her own affiliation with it.

“Ann, Ann, yes I like that. Well my beautiful little Ann,” he kissed Ann’s little forehead. “Welcome home.”

Buffy laughed. “She isn’t home yet.”

He sighed and sat back, looked from the baby to his wife. “She is as long as she’s in my arms.”


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Epilogue, 3 years later

Winter had set in several weeks earlier, causing the sky to darken and it’s usual clouds to thicken and multiply. By the first week of December it was nonstop rain every day, all day long in Los Angeles, which meant the faster you ran form your car the sooner you got inside where you were safe, warm and dry.

This was one of many reasons Buffy wasn’t letting her husband take their toddler to work to show off, as he always did on Saturdays, and though he was upset at his wife’s gentle, persuasive kisses and whispers he had relented, kissed his wife and daughter goodbye and left for another boring day in the lab, or so he hd expected. After Angel, Wes, Fred, Spike and a now deceased Lorne, Gunn and Lindsey had fought and banished Wolfram and Hart, Wes and Fred had started an open relationship, and today they had announced that they planned to marry in the summer.

As foretold in the prophecy of Shanshu, Angel was made mortal, and had started a anything but private relationship with Nina, causing much of a stir, considering Nina was a werewolf. No matter, Angel didn’t care.

Buffy and Angel had sorted things out a few months after Ann was born, much to both’s relief and her husbands too, now she wasn’t hiding from Spike’s sire continuously. He had become an uncle to Ann, often over just to play with her and whenever they needed a sitter he was willing to drop anything (including Nina) to come watch her.

Buffy fixed herself some tea, Ann was still asleep and Spike had left ten minutes ago, so she thought she would spend some down time with herself for a change, it had been years since she’d actually been able to sit down and assess her life, see all the changes for good and bad that she’d gone through. She smiled as she looked out the window at the already busy L.A. streets and found within that it had all been worth it, and given the chance, she would do it all again.

She sighed as William came to mind, he’d begged Angel relentlessly to stay home today, it was their third anniversary and he hated that he couldn’t share it with her, but that’s how it had to be to keep food on the table, and even though it upset her, she understood and had urged him to go so he could be home soon enough and they could at least spend the evening together.

Spike’s newly assigned job was Illyria, whom had taken the form of Gunn, she was an ancient being, once the ruler of the earth and Spike’s main job was to study her, everything about her. Her habits, her strength, the way she spoke, moved and most of all how she studied him. He had fun with it, just the thought that she was a female in a male body would send him to laughter and she would go off, rambling about how his kind used to fall on their knees before her, and he constantly reminded her of the changes time produced.

She sipped the tea and moved to put her cup in the kitchen when a cool, mellow voice sent her flesh to goose-bumps. She turned to the door, and gazed upon it’s owner with a sparkle in her eyes and a soft, surprised smile. He moved closer as he sang, but never touched her as his words moved through her, sending her to a blush.

“You know, you really have me spinnin’. And it looks like you could have me forgettin’ all my sins. And while you do I’m telling you this is the happiest I’ve been. We fin’ly live in peace! I know, I should go. But I’m drunk with love, and just cannot blink, you got me startin’ to think, I was not a beast. And that burns me more, than any water blest, since my heart can beat it swells up my chest, and I’m so glad, you’ve done your best so stay with me. And we can be in peacem we can speak our needs, we can take our love and bury it, let it grow a family tree, we can lay our bodies down and fin’ly find our sweet release. We fin’ly live in peace, and now we fin’ly live in peace.”

She finally sighed and met his gaze. “I told you to go to work, William.”

He sighed and shrugged. “I will, but I needed to finish that, better than watching ol’ blue all day.”

“William you’re going to be late . . .”

“But as long as I show close to being on time they don’t care. Listen, just for a moment.” She steadied and he embraced her, placed a gentle kiss to her pursed with worry lips. “I just want you to know, Angel’s watchin’ little Ann tonight, I’m taking you to dinner, so be ready by six, he’ll come straight up while you run down. I love you.”

She smiled and relaxed, shared a quick kiss with him. “I love you too, now get lost before I throw you out.”

He laughed. “Yes ma’am, happy anniversary.” he began to move out when she smiled devilishly and turned back to call out to him.

“Oh William, let me walk you to the car.” He nodded and she hurried to walk with him down the stairs (baby monitor in hand) and out to the front of the building. Once he was safelt in the car and ready to go she smiled, leaned into the window and said. “Don’t get wine ready for tonight, it won’t be good for the baby.”

Confused he slowly nodded and saluted her and once she was in he drove off, he pondered her meaning and it wasn’t until he reached Wolfram and Hart that he understood. “I’M GONNA BE A DADDY! AGAIN!”


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Ok, that’s it. Hope you liked it, sorry it was so long. R&R.





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