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Author's Chapter Notes:
Buffy and Spike welcome their daughter into the world, plus a surprise or two ; )

A huge thanks to my Beta All4spike for going over this chapter for me, thanks so much hun! Also a huge thanks to Edgehead for the awesome banner.
Chapter 21

Darkest before Dawn

If someone had told Buffy a year ago that she would be giving birth at this time, she would have laughed hysterically. She still couldn’t believe the events of the past nine months, she had been surprised at every turn.

First the discovery of the prophecy, then realizing her feelings for Spike, breaking up with Riley then finding out she was pregnant to a vampire no less. So much for them not being able to have kids, she laughed inwardly. Being kidnapped by her own council and them trying to kill her, her friends and her family, although she couldn’t really say she was surprised by that. It hadn’t been the first time they had tried to kill her and she doubted it would be the last.

The biggest surprise had been Drusilla coming to her rescue. When Angel had told her about Cordy’s vision, they had all thought Dru was there to kill both Buffy and her unborn child but when she had swept in and saved her, Buffy had been beyond shock but grateful.

As they headed to the hospital, Giles had his foot pressed flat to the floor and she was leaning against Spike in the back seat. She was sure she was pushing him into the side panel with each contraction, but all he did was mutter small comforts in her ear and stroked her hair gently. As they whizzed past houses and buildings, Spike could have sworn Giles drove though every stop sign and red light in their path.

When they arrived, Drusilla was waiting in front of the hospital along with the rest of the Sunnydale and L.A gang. Dru promised to stay close to protect them, making it clear that no one with harmful intentions would be getting past her. Buffy hadn’t been able to stop herself from hugging Dru tightly, leaving everyone stunned.

Then Buffy lay on a hospital bed as doctors and midwifes moved around her. She couldn’t believe how fast things were progressing. During her pre natal classes, the teacher had explained that labour could go for a number of hours but her waters had only broken twenty minutes before and according to the doctor she was already fully dilated and ready to push.

Buffy tried to stop herself from wailing as pain gripped her, trying to breathe through her contractions. She was grateful when she saw her mother come in to hold her free hand across from Spike.

“Mom” she whispered, her voice sounding tired.

“It’s going to be okay sweetheart,” her mother reassured her, patting her sweaty forehead gently.

"AAARRRHHH! Oh god...." She couldn’t stop herself from wailing. Spike found himself becoming increasingly worried for her. He could not remember a time or a place where Buffy had ever been in so much pain. Glancing across, he could see that Joyce’s normally comforting eyes were filled with despair.

Spike felt totally helpless. Here he was, a master vampire, strong and powerful, and he had never felt more useless in his life. He hated it. The tight grip on his hand began to ease and he knew that the latest contraction was winding down. Just then the doctor walked in to check on Buffy’s progress.

“Well how are we doing tonight?” the doctor asked, so cheerfully it made Buffy want to punch him in the nose.

Lifting her head from her pillow, she looked at him in disbelief.

“Are you kidding me?” she hissed. “Every single inch of my body is aching while this baby tried to rip its way out of me! How do you think I’m doing?”

“Doc, isn’t there something you can give her for the pain?” Spike almost begged.

“I’m afraid not. Buffy is in the active part of her labour, it’s too late for pain relief,” he explained. “How about we start pushing, Buffy?” he asked, moving between her legs. Buffy nodded at this, desperate to have it over and done with.

“Okay Buffy nice big push.”

"AAAARRRRHHHH!" Buffy screamed out, lifting her head. She pushed with the contraction, not even caring that the doctor was now staring in between her legs. When the contraction finally ended she lay her head back, breathing heavily and looking at her mother, tears in her eyes.

“I can’t do this mom,” she sighed, trying not to cry.

“Of course you can sweetheart. You’re strong, and just think, once it’s all done you can meet your beautiful baby girl,” her mother comforted her.

Just then Buffy was hit by another contraction; they were right on top of each other now with barely a break between. Taking a deep breath, she pushed again, screaming out her frustration and pain. The contraction dulled and Buffy vaguely heard the doctor start to speak to her.

“That’s great Buffy, I can see a head now so let’s try another really big push.”

Buffy nodded. Her baby girl was almost here. She could feel the last of the contraction washing away and she turned to Spike. His eyes were a sea of emotions but she knew he was trying to stay strong for her. He smiled softly at her, as if trying to reassure her that everything was going to be okay.

“Hey.”

“Hi,” she replied.

“You’re doing amazingly pet,” he said, smiling at her lovingly.

Her smiling face soon turned into a mask of pain as another contraction took hold. She started to push even though she felt as if she was being ripped apart, and that’s when she felt her baby’s head come out.

“You’re doing great Buffy, baby’s head is out. One last push should do it,” her doctor encouraged.

Buffy gave it everything she had and was rewarded with the feeling of the baby slipping out of her. Smiling when she heard her daughters first cry, she sighed in relief.

“It’s a healthy little girl,” the doctor announced, laying the baby on Buffy’s chest.

“Look what we did,” Buffy said to Spike who could only stare in awe, but suddenly the room became quiet.

Buffy and Spike looked around noticing that everyone, even Joyce, seemed to be frozen. That’s when Buffy noticed two strangers walking towards them. Buffy clutched her daughter close.

“Fear not, chosen one. We are here to bless this union and this child.” The woman spoke, her voice seeming to echo thorough the room.

Spike watched them closely as they moved towards him, placing their hands on his chest. He felt a quick burn hit him and when they pulled away, he felt the unmistakable sensation of his heart beating.

“I’m....” he began shocked, but they quickly stopped him.

“Human? In a way. This is your reward. You still hold your power, though. You will need it when the darkness arrives.”

Buffy couldn’t wipe the smile from her face; Spike was human... well kind of. The two strangers moved, placing their hands on his daughter’s forehead, chanting softly.

Buffy and Spike could hear whispers around the room. Spike only caught every other word, protected, chosen etc when he saw his daughter glow softly.

“She glows William, the little sunshine.” He remembered the words Dru had spoken when she rubbed Buffy’s pregnant belly back at the warehouse. Smiling, he now understood what she had meant.

“She is under our protection now, until the day of darkness arrives.” The two strangers spoke in union as the glow started to fade.

“She is as beautiful as the dawn,” the woman said with a smile before they both disappeared and the noise of the hospital ward returned as everyone seemed to come back to life.

“Dawn,” Buffy whispered. “I think we should call her Dawn,” she said, looking at Spike.

“I think Dawn is perfect luv,” he replied, kissing both Buffy’s and Dawn’s foreheads lovingly.


Chapter End Notes:
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