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Chapter 6

Buffy walked with Blake into his room holding him tightly to her, her face buried into the sweetness of his dark blonde curly hair. Tears stung her eyes again at the thought of him being in jeopardy. She would do ANYTHING to keep him safe. Her earlier peace had completely deserted her, leaving massive upheaval the size of a vast ocean in its place, and Buffy had to force herself to relax her grip on her son. Smothering his face with kisses, she told him goodnight gently and laid him in his crib. As she backed out of the room, she watched him settle in.

"Nigh Nigh," she heard his sweet voice tell her sleepily as he immediately shut his eyes and fell asleep. Her tears were falling in earnest when she carefully shut the door behind her. Buffy gave a small start when she caught sight of her mother standing just to the side of the door, arms crossed in front of her chest with her determined Mom look firmly in place.

"Mom. You scared me."

"How about we go downstairs and you talk to me about whatever it is that's bothering you?"

Buffy didn't dare argue, her mom was using THAT voice. The voice that Buffy knew from experience she had no chance of convincing her that there was really nothing bothering her. And truth be told, she REALLY wanted to talk this out with someone. Boy, her mom was going to be so excited to learn that there had been more secret keeping from her. Buffy had promised her, with her fingers crossed behind her back of course, that there would be no secrets between them again. Except gee... Sorry mom. Kinda forget to tell you that about that little vampire thing. But she had really been feeling totally guilty about it for some time now and was looking forward to unloading it. Her mom so deserved to know the truth though. Especially now.

Her mom turned and went downstairs with Buffy meekly following behind. Just because she wanted to tell her mom the truth sure didn't mean that she was looking forward to it. Her mom sat down on the couch and told Buffy to sit down. Joyce could tell by the look on Buffy's face that something big was going on.

"So.. what's going on that had you bursting into the house to check on Blake?"

Looking around uncomfortably, Buffy tried to think of the best way to answer that question. She must have taken too long because she was brought to attention by her mom saying a sharp "Buffy." She looked at her mom and her mind went completely blank. God, how could she do this? How could she sit here and tell her mom that her grandson's father lacks a heartbeat?

"Buffy, whatever it is, you can tell me. You're not pregnant again, are you?" Joyce was almost positive that wasn't the case, but there was always a niggling possibility.

That brought Buffy right up. "NO!" She exclaimed in horror. "How can you even have thought that?"

"Well, let's see. My daughter comes home acting all weird, won't tell me what's going on, hugs her child like it's the last day on earth.... Wait, it's not the last day on earth is it?"

Compared to the news Buffy had to impart, that would almost be preferable, than mentally slapped herself for such morbid thoughts. Ok Buffy, get yourself together. Just tell your mom you slept with a vampire. You accepted demon seed. And now? Now you have demon spawn that is asleep upstairs in his crib. Yeah, that should go over well.

"Buffy, it's not, is it?" Buffy tuned back in to see her mother's frantic look.

"Huh? Not what?"

"The end of the world!"

" Oh god no, mom. It's not the end of the world, I swear."

"Then what is it?"

"It's uh.. about Blake."

"Sweetie, you're scaring me. Is Blake alright?"

Buffy gave her an encouraging smile. "Oh, Blake's fine, mom, you know that!"

"Then WHAT is it? And this is the LAST time I am going to ask you, do you hear me, young lady?"

Buffy knew that once she entered "young lady" territory, there was no going back. She gave a sigh of relief when a knock at the door sounded, then stiffened in alarm. It was late, people knocking on doors at this hour usually resulted in a not so good situation. Her mom got up to answer it with a pained sigh of frustration, but Buffy flew to intercept her. She was the Slayer, after all.

"No mom. Let me answer it."

With an irritated sigh, Joyce gestured for Buffy to do the honors. Her stomach churned when she looked through the peephole and saw a shock of blonde hair. "Noooooo!" she wailed quietly, resting her forehead against door. "Why me?"

"I heard that, Slayer. Open the damn door."

"Go away," Buffy called back, her body tensing with coiled emotion.

"Buffy, open the door this instant!" The irritated voice of her Watcher barked at her through the closed door.

"What is going on, Buffy?" her mom asked again. "Is that Mr. Giles outside?"

Buffy ignored her as she unlocked the deadbolt, but kept the chain firmly in place. She let the door open the few inches the chain allowed and glowered through the crack in the door.

"What?" she asked surly.

"Open the bloody door," Spike ordered, his eyes narrowing as they clashed with hers.

"No."

"Open it, or I will bloody break it in. Understand?" The lethal quietness in his voice gave Buffy all the warning she needed that the vampire had every intention of following through on his threat. Mindful of her mom, she decided to give in. But just this time.

With an exaggerated sigh, she slammed the door, flicked the chain off and then threw the door open. She made sure she blocked the doorway with her body as she directed an icy glare at the man standing in front of her. She didn't notice her mom coming up behind her.

"Is that supposed to intimidate me? Please," Spike scoffed.

"What do you want?"

With a truly pained and suffering sigh, Giles intervened. "Both of you, stop this nonsense."

Buffy turned her ice queen look to Giles. "Why did you bring him here Giles?"

Ripping his glasses off in irritation, Giles replied, "I didn't BRING him here. Since I couldn't very well stop him from coming here, I figured the least I could do was accompany him and monitor the situation, make sure things didn't escalate."

"Oh, like a babysitter."

"Buffy, that is quite enough! You are behaving like a tiny prat," Giles lectured. When he caught the smirk that Spike gave in regards to his comment, added, "And you, Spike, aren't much better."
 
Joyce finally had had enough. Obviously, there was something going on here, something that was being kept from her and that angered her. And getting a good look at the man on her porch, she had a feeling she knew where this was headed. Taking Buffy by surprise, she knocked her out of the way and presented herself in the doorway. "Mr. Giles, perhaps you could let me know what is going on? Buffy's tongue seems frozen on the matter."

Buffy threw another glare in Spike's direction, which he replied to with an infuriating smirk. Giles glanced at the two, barely repressing the urge to roll his eyes at their behavior. Since that one breakdown when Buffy discovered she was pregnant, Giles had never seen her emotionally out of control before. Not like she was tonight. It was obvious the vampire was taking great pleasure in pushing her buttons and Buffy was just falling right into it. Hopefully once her mother was apprised of the entire situation, she could talk some sense into her daughter.

"Why don't we all go in and sit down? " Giles suggested, seeing a few lights turning on next door.

"WHAT!!!" Buffy shrieked. "Are you crazy, Giles?? I'm not inviting HIM in!"

"Why don't you screech that one a little louder, pet. Don't think they heard you at the end of town," Spike taunted, already gearing up for her violent reaction. He wasn't disappointed when Buffy came at him swinging. Laughing in her face, he blocked her punches with ease, but she still managed to get in one good punch before her mother intervened.

"BUFFY!" Joyce said, her tone indicating that Buffy had better not argue. Buffy turned and gave her mother a put upon look. "Invite him in."

Buffy looked at her in shock. "Mom, no way!"

"If you don't, I will."

"Mom, you don't understand, he's a vampire."

Joyce pinned a steely look on her daughter. "And he's also the father of your son."

Buffy's face paled and the look on her face was all the confirmation Joyce needed to know that she had been right on the money. With her daughter shocked into silence she turned to handsome man on her porch and said, "Come in, please."

Spike could feel the barrier lifted at those three words and he took great pleasure in sauntering in the door, deliberately knocking Buffy out of the way as he passed by her. That brought her crashing back to reality and she retaliated by shoving him, becoming increasingly infuriated at his taunting laughter. The look in her eyes was murderous and she responded by sticking her nose in the air as she stormed past him towards the couch. Maybe if she ignored him, he would go away. She tried desperately to ignore the smug smirk he sent in her direction, letting her know that he was aware of how much he was irritating her. Stupid idiot.

Joyce and Giles shared a look, both shaking their heads at the juvenile behavior being displayed. Joyce also had never seen her daughter act in such a fashion. Oh, she had a few things to discuss with her daughter's watcher, that was for sure. Turning to the blonde stranger, Joyce approached him and said, "I'm Joyce."

Spike took the hand that had been extended in his direction, his face showing his surprise before it was carefully masked. But Joyce caught it and was strangely reassured by it. Just as the cool skin clasped against hers was strangely reassuring. " The name's William."

"I thought it was Spike," Buffy said nastily from her position on the couch. "Oh sorry, my mistake. How could I forget? Mr. William the Bloody."

"Buffy, please. Do try and keep things slightly civil," Giles admonished.

Buffy looked at him in shock. "OH my god! I so cannot believe you are taking HIS side in this!"

Giles ripped his glasses off in exasperation once more. "I am not taking SIDES, I am merely trying to keep the two of you from killing each other."

"Hello? he's a vampire! So what if he gets dusted? No big." Buffy ignored the warning growls she heard coming from Spike as she looked at her Watcher.

"Buffy!" Her mom chided, throwing her daughter a hard look. Buffy looked back defiantly. She knew she was behaving badly, but somehow, when she was around HIM, she just couldn't help it.

In a low voice, Spike said to her, "I want to see him."

"Who?" Buffy replied, knowing full well who Spike meant.

"The boy."

"No."

Stalking dangerously towards the couch, he stopped in front of her and said,"Go get him."

"No!" Buffy brought her chin up defiantly as she met his angry eyes. Joyce moved to intervene but Giles stopped her, shaking his head. As much as it pained him to do this, he had to see how they interacted with each other, if Spike tried to control her using the claim.

"You will got get him or I will make you." A flash of amber added to his steely gaze.

Tossing her hair back, Buffy stood up so she was inches away from Spike. "Yeah? I'd like to see you try."

Spike shrugged, and closed his eyes briefly, concentrating. At that instant, Buffy felt him take control of her mind, of her body. It was like he had slipped in and completely taken possession. Just as quickly as it happened, it was gone and with a gasp, Buffy was back in the driver's seat. Spike wasn't disappointed by the amount of time it took for her to react and had his smug grin ready for her. Laughing in her face again knowing how much that pissed her off, he effectively blocked her punches. This was getting to be quite familiar and damned if he wasn't enjoying himself. Her anger made her sloppy, and he let her pound on him until they were both startled by a large crash.

"Good one, Buffy. Ruin your mum's house while you're at it, why dontcha?" Spike said in a condescending voice.

He laughed again at the look of pure fury on her face, ah yes, his little Buffy had definitely grown some claws. And she was so much more fun this way. He looked over at the angry look on her mum's face and he became contrite. "Sorry 'bout that, Joyce."

Joyce opened her mouth to respond when she was interrupted by a pierce wailing coming from upstairs, with shouts of "mama, mama." Spike froze at the sound, the sound of that little voice cutting deep inside of him. Buffy threw another lethal look in his direction and used his inattention to deliver a sharp uppercut to his jaw which almost flattened him before she walked away with satisfaction. She didn't see her mother's horrified look at her daughter's excessive use of violence.

Opening the door to Blake's room, Buffy found him standing up holding onto the side of the crib, his eyes wide open and fearful. "Mama, mama."

"Shh... it's ok, I'm here, baby," Buffy cooed, lifting him out and holding him to her, as she gently bounced him up and down on her hip in an effort to soothe him. She turned around, pressing soothing kisses to the side of his face as he buried his face into her neck. Her breath hitched when she saw Spike in the doorway. Buffy pressed Blake closer to her, feeling the urge to shield him from the evil standing in the door.

Spike heard Buffy's heart rate pick up and smelled the sudden flush of fear that poured from her, and that angered him. Walking slowly into the room, he growled low in his throat when Buffy turned her body so the boy was hidden from his view. "Let me see him."

Buffy didn't respond, wouldn't look at him, just kept trying to ease the panic that was welling up inside of her. She was fully prepared to battle to the death to protect her child. She noticed Giles and her mom at the door, and a small measure of relief went through her when she saw the stake in her Watcher's hand. She began backing away, her stomach tightening with dread.

Spike knew that Buffy was terrified, and emotion that he didn't even know he could feel poured into him. Just the sight of seeing Buffy standing there, clutching HIS son to her and knowing that she was scared to death.... of him. God, it was gut wrenching. She was afraid he would hurt his child, and the part that sickened Spike the most was knowing that she had every legitimate right to think that. Because he was a monster, and he knew it.

"Buffy," he said, his voice colored with this newfound emotion he was feeling. "I won't hurt him. I promise."

Buffy's head jerked up at the unexpected tender voice and her eyes bored into his, searching. Then slowly she turned around, bringing Blake into Spike's view, watching his face carefully the entire time. When Blake looked up in curiosity and looked right at Spike, Buffy wished she had a picture of the look on his face. There had been the niggling feeling that Spike or "Will" as she had known him as, hadn't had entirely evil intentions that night in Vegas. And now seeing the look of pure wonderment on his face, which completely wiped off the indifferent mask he usually wore, made that feeling she had even more likely. Vampires weren't supposed to feel, or care. But that's not what Spike was showing right now.

"Can I..." Spike whispered before his voice broke off.

Oh god, he wants to hold him. Well, here goes a huge leap of faith, as Buffy extracted Blake's arms from around her neck and held him out to Spike. Blake held his arms out expectantly, waiting for Spike to take him, and when he did, Blake wrapped his arms around his neck. Oh my god, he's got tears in his eyes Buffy thought, watching Spike with their son. THEIR son. How weird was that?

Buffy looked over at her mom, who had come into the room with Giles and they shared a tender look. Giles still looked prepared to stake Spike if necessary, but was watching the vampire interact with his son with avid interest.

"How old is he?"

"Gee, can't you do math?" At Spike's look, Buffy actually looked contrite. "Sorry. He's 15 months old."

"What did you name him?" Spike asked gruffly.

"Blake," Buffy answered.

" 'ello Blake," Spike said gently, staring into the youthful version of his own face.

"Who you?" Blake asked with a slight frown.

Suddenly Spike's face broke out in a huge smile. "Who am I, you ask?" Then, risking a look over at Buffy, who didn't seem ready to object, he answered, "I'm your daddy."
tbc....





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