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Chapter 26

“You did so good, baby,” he whispered, placing kisses to her sweat-coated forehead as he held her hand. Despite the fact that it was all over, she was still squeezing his hand so tightly that his fingertips had turned white. “You were amazing.” At 36 weeks, both babies were born healthy, screaming, and beautiful. First born had been the little boy that Buffy had known all along that she was having. He’d come into the world with soft, blonde hair that was so light that it was barely noticeable. His eyes were the brightest blue that Buffy had ever seen, and she didn’t want to think that his eye color might change someday. She hoped they remained as bright blue as they were now. He was going to be a charmer one day, that was for certain.

The doctor had said that Buffy was lucky that the second baby was in the right position, and a C-Section wouldn’t be necessary. Lucky? How is getting to do this twice in ten minutes lucky? She had thought. But, Spike had remained at her side the entire time, holding her hand and staring only at her as his daughter was brought into the world. She looked so much like her brother with those same bright blue eyes, only her hair was a little curlier.

“I think they have your hair,” Buffy said with tears in her eyes.

“They look like you, luv,” Spike whispered, caressing her face, kissing her all over, worshipping her for the amazing things her body had been able to do this evening.

“They have your eyes too,” she breathed.

“They’re loud,” he laughed.

“You don’t expect me to claim that as my trait, do you?” she laughed, as a nurse brought one baby over. It was the boy.

“Here you go,” she said with a smile. “Five pounds, four ounces. Big and healthy for 36 weeks.”

“Thank you,” Buffy whispered, taking her son into her arms. She’d never thought she’d be here, holding a baby, being a mom, having her boyfriend at her side, holding her hand and telling her how amazing she was. She’d always figured she’d be the friend coming in to visit and awkwardly holding the baby, though not really wanting to out of fear of dropping it or something. But the moment she held her son in her arms, she imagined what her mother felt like the moment she first held her. “Hi. Hi there. I’m your mom. I’m sorry if…if I’m not what you expected.” Spike chuckled, and he kissed her again. “And this is Spike. He’s your dad.”

“And you can’t call me Spike…not until you’re old enough to pay your own rent, anyway.” He gently touched the top of the baby’s head. “God, Buffy. Look at him. He’s amazing.”

“He is, isn’t he?”

“We need a name for him,” Spike said gently.

“Beckett.”

“What?”

“I don’t know. It’s just the first name that popped into my head the minute I saw him.”

“Beckett, eh?”

“Yeah. Do you like it? Beckett William Pratt.”

“Beckett William,” Spike pondered. His eyes lit up, and he smiled. “Bex.”

“Bex,” Buffy said softly, her mouth turning up into a soft smile.

“Well, if his mum and dad can have nicknames, he’s gotta have one too.”

“Bex and Bella Pratt.”

“Bella?”

“Yeah.”

“Where’d you come up with Bella?”

“It means beautiful. And she is.” Buffy looked across the room, where a nurse was checking on the baby. “Isabella Elizabeth Pratt.”

“That’s beautiful, luv.” He softly kissed her lips, and he felt tears stinging his eyes. This was his family. He had a family. For the first time in over a hundred years, he had everything he’d ever wanted as a human the first time around. “It’s perfect.”

“Yeah?” Buffy asked softly. “I thought so.”

“Five pounds, three ounces,” the nurse announced, bringing the baby girl over and placing her in her mother’s arms. Buffy cradled both babies at once, and Spike leaned down to kiss Bella’s forehead.

“Bex and Bella. Oh, I smell trouble already,” Spike pointed out with a wink. Buffy laughed.

“It’s nothing we can’t handle, right?” Buffy pondered, kissing each of her children. She leaned close to Spike, whispering, “I mean, we make a good team, right? An ex vampire and a slayer?” She looked around. “The world didn’t come crashing down. I’m not dead. I think we’re in good shape. Uh, though you better call and make sure the other slayers are alright.”

“Right. Uh, who do you want me to call first?”

“Actually,” Buffy said softly, “I’d like to make the calls. Would you hold them?” Spike nodded nervously. He’d never really held a baby before. He’d never really been comfortable around children at all, except for Dawn, though she didn’t really count, because his memories of her as a child were fake, and she was a teenager when she really came into their lives.

“I’m new to this, Buffy. I…”

“So am I,” she said with a supportive grin. “Just support the head.” Spike nodded, and he took Bella first, and he leaned down, taking Bex securely into his other arm. He moved to sit in the chair next to the bed, and Buffy stared in awe at the man she loved and her children. Their children.

Buffy took the phone off the hook, and she knew immediately who to call first. She dialed the numbers with shaky fingers, and after two rings, a familiar voice answered.

“Hello?”

“Andrew?”

“Buffy? Which one is this?”

“Um, Buffy…the first Buffy,” she laughed.

“Okay, I’m not saying this to joke or anything, but considering the year we’ve been through, you mean the original Buffy, and not the First as Buffy.”

“Original,” Buffy replied tiredly. “Oh. Okay, good! I don’t think the First could pick up a phone anyway.”

“The First is buried under millions of tons of concrete.”

“Right.”

“Is my sister there?”

“Dawn? Um, no. She’s out at a club with Buffy #2.”

“She’s out at a club? On a school night?”

“Relax. They’re picking up a couple new slayers.”

“Oh! Good. Good. Um, so none of the slayers have lost their powers?”

“I don’t think so. Lucia just accidentally punched a hole in the bathroom door when she knocked, so I don’t think any powers have been lost.”

“Good,” Buffy replied, placing her hand to her forehead in relief. “Well, what time do you think she’ll be home?”

“It’s hard to tell. Missions like these could last for hours.” Yeah, I’ll bet, nerd boy. She’s probably getting drunk. Her grades better still be good, or I’ll… “I’ll tell her you called. What’s the message?”

“You can tell her she has a niece and a nephew.”

“Oh my God. They’re here? Oh! I bet they look just like you. Do they?”

“Actually, I think they look like Spike,” Buffy replied.

“Oh, okay. I’m so getting you a gift. What are their names?”

“Isabella and Beckett. We’re calling them Bella and Bex.”

“Bella and Bex. Cute. I like it. I’ll tell her. She’ll be mucho excited.” Buffy smiled.

“Okay. Just, um, tell her to call me tomorrow. Or later today for you.”

“Alright. And tell Spike I said congratulations.”

“I will. Thanks, Andrew.” Buffy hung up with a sigh, and she looked at Spike.

“Andrew says congratulations.”

“The Nibblet?”

“Out at a club. What time is it over there anyway? Are the clubs even open? You know what, never mind. I’m gonna call Willow.” She looked at Spike. “While I’m talking to her, I should ask her about what she did to you.” Spike sighed, shaking his head.

“Luv, don’t worry. All she did was a little spell that gave me my strength back. I’m still me. I’m just as strong as I was before.” Buffy nodded.

“I guess it doesn’t really matter now. Seeing them. Seeing you with them. I want them to be as safe as possible.” She smiled a little. “And I know it’s easier for you like this. It’s hard losing something you’ve come to depend on. It’s harder when it’s a person you lose. I don’t ever want to go through that again.” Spike shook his head.

“You won’t, luv. I promise you that.”

***

“Have you talked to Xander?” Willow asked later that night on the phone.

“I called, but I didn’t get an answer,” Buffy replied. “I left a voicemail. I don’t really know if he’ll call me back.”

“Buffy, he’s one of your best friends. Of course he’ll call you back.”

“Xander still can’t really accept Spike, you know? I don’t know if he’ll ever be able to accept the fact that we’re a family.”

“I don’t know. I think he’d accept it a lot easier if it wasn’t for losing Anya. It was rough on him. Losing the one you love is always hard. You know that better than anyone, I think. You’re just lucky you got a second chance.”

“Wil, I’m sorry. I know talking about this kind of stuff…especially since you and Kennedy…”

“It’s alright, Buffy. Really,” Willow assured her. “I was actually going to come back and visit.”

“You were?” Buffy asked.

“Yeah. I figure you could use some help in researching and…and everything. And with the babies here, you’re gonna need it more than ever.” She paused for a moment. “It’s awkward here, Buff. Kennedy says she understands that we aren’t right for each other, but she doesn’t look at me. Even working with her, seeking out the slayers…it’s uncomfortable. She says she can do it alone, and I think she can.”

“So…so you’re moving back?” As she was saying this, Spike came walking into the room, a bag full of smuggled in goodies hidden under his coat. He mouthed the word ‘who’ to Buffy, indicating he’d heard part of the conversation. She mouthed back that it was Willow. He just nodded.

“I’m moving back.”

“This is gonna be great, Wil!”

“Um, Buffy?”

“Yeah?”

“I’m gonna need a place to stay.”

“You can stay with us as long as you need to, until you find a place of your own. We have an extra room down the hall if you don’t mind sleeping next to the nursery.”

“Oh, that’s fine. I can always do a silence spell.”

“Wil!”

“Not on the babies! Just to make the room, you know, sound proof.”

“Oh. Okay. Speaking of spells. I know what you did for Spike.”

“You do? Buffy, I’m sorry I didn’t…that I did it behind your back, but…”

“I just want to thank you, Wil. I think it was the best thing for all of us.”

“Really?”

“Really. Thanks.”

“Oh! Well…you’re welcome.”

“When will you be home?”

“Give me a week?”

“Great. Bex and Bella are gonna love you.”

“I can’t wait to meet them. I’ll see you soon, ok?”

“Okay. Bye, Wil.” Buffy hung up and rubbed her eyes tiredly, yawning.

“So Red’s moving in with us?”

“Is that ok? I should have asked, but she just…”

“It’s alright, luv. She gave me my strength back. I don’t think it’s too much for her to ask for a place for a few weeks.”

“Thank you,” Buffy said with a smile. “I didn’t want to have to argue.”

“You should rest. Babies are safe and sound in the nursery. They’re bringing a cot in for me, and…”

“Spike?”

“Yeah, luv?”

“Could you ask the nurse to let them sleep in the room with us tonight? I don’t want to be away from them. Maybe it sounds stupid, but…they’ve been inside me all this time, and after everything…well, I just want them here. Near me.”

“It’s not stupid, pet. I’ll go talk to her.”

“Thanks.”

“Anytime, luv.” He bent down and kissed her forehead, smoothing back her hair. “We’ll all be right here tonight. Together.” The way it’s supposed to be.

***

“Sir. We’ve been informed that the slayer Elizabeth Anne Summers gave birth to fraternal twins in Hollows, Ohio at approximately 8:18 PM. Both infants are reportedly healthy and have no medical conditions. Baby A is a male, five pounds four ounces 19 inches long. Baby B is a female, five pounds three ounces, 19.5 inches long.”

“And Buffy…the mother.”

“Vitals are good. She’ll be discharged in two days.”

“And the father.”

“A William ‘Spike’ Pratt. Platinum blonde hair, blue eyes, 5’11” tall.”

“Spike.” He clenched his fist, banging it down on the oak table in front of him.

“Yes, sir? Is there a problem?”

“No. And the prophecy?”

“There appears to be no validity, but the slayer’s friend is a witch.”

“She could have done a spell.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Thank you, Thomas. That’ll be all.”

“When will we make the move?”

“Not yet. Soon.”

“Yes, sir.”





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