Chapter 22
“From the looks of this, you’re definitely measuring at eight weeks,” Dr. Bennett said with a little smile. Buffy was in the midst of her first prenatal appointment, and Spike had been brought in to witness their baby’s first ultrasound.
“Everything looks ok?”
“Everything looks great, Buffy.”
Dr. Bennett was a very pleasant woman, which was good, because Buffy wasn’t sure she’d want some stuffy, unpleasant doctor looking at her most private parts.
“The baby’s growing normally, and you’ve been taking the prenatal vitamins I prescribed for you?”
“Uh-huh. Though I think I’ve thrown almost all of them up.”
“How is your nausea?”
“It’s getting better. It comes mostly in the morning now, which is good, because throwing up at school sucks when nobody knows what’s wrong with you.” She frowned and looked at Spike. “But I think most people have a hunch.”
“Well, most people like to wait until they’re out of their first trimester to start telling people, so if that’s your plan, you won’t have to wait much longer.”
“Looks like we won’t be sending out a Christmas card with any happy announcements this year,” Buffy murmured. Christmas was a week away, and she was very much looking forward to spending it alone with Spike. Well, not completely alone. Hank and Dawn would be there, but they had places to go, people to visit, and Buffy opted out so she could spend her first Christmas as Spike’s girlfriend wrapped in his arms.
“What’s that little flicker?” Spike wondered, gazing at the screen.
“That? That’s the baby’s heartbeat. Here…” Spike and Buffy, uncertain what the doctor did, as they couldn’t pry their eyes away from the monitor, soon heard the fast swishing sound of their unborn child’s heartbeat.
“Oh my God. It’s so fast!” Buffy exclaimed.
“Everything sounds great, Buffy. Just read over the pamphlets I gave you at the beginning of the exam, and make sure you’re taking those vitamins every day.”
“Will do, Dr. Bennett.” Dr. Bennett printed off a couple of pictures for the expectant parents and then turned off the machine. She handed Buffy a towel to wipe the ultrasound jelly off with.
“So how’s school going, Buffy?”
“I’m caught up. Spike and my friend Willow really helped me out.”
“I was so sorry to hear about your mother’s accident.”
“Yeah,” Buffy said quietly. She looked over at Spike, and he gave her a little nod. Just last week, the judge had released Angel, permanently revoked his license, and he was on house arrest until his trial. Needless to say, Angel O’Connor would not be graduating from Sunnydale High School.
“Your father’s moved back home, right?”
“Yeah, but it doesn’t really matter now. I’m eighteen, and Spike and I are going to get a place together when we can afford it.”
“Well, it’s good that you have your father’s support.”
“Yeah.”
“Everything’s going alright there?”
“It’s alright,” she shrugged. “I keep telling myself it’s going to be ok, and sometimes I think it will be. Other times…” She frowned and glanced at Spike before looking at the doctor. “So is that everything?”
“Yes. Just show the receptionist your father’s insurance card on your way out, and you’ll be all set.”
“Alright. Thank you, Dr. Bennett.” The doctor handed her the first scans of Baby Summers-Pratt, and the two were on their way.
***
When Buffy and Spike arrived back at the house, Hank was rushing around, attempting to put on a tie.
“Dad? What’s going on?”
“Oh, Buffy! Thank God you’re home. Do you and Spike have plans tonight?”
“We were just gonna watch movies. Why?”
“Well, I hate to ask, but my boss called me in for an important meeting. Could you watch her for a couple of hours?” Buffy’s eyes widened.
“You mean, leave me alone with her?”
“Not completely alone. Spike’s here.” Buffy looked at Spike and then back at her father.
“Dad, I’m cool with you guys living here and everything but…I’m not sure I’m the best babysitter…”
“Sure you are, honey. She adores you. I can always take her with me. But she wouldn’t be any trouble. She’s playing with her toys upstairs, and…” Buffy sighed heavily.
“When do you have to leave?”
“Three minutes ago.” He gave her a sheepish frown, and she slumped her shoulders.
“Ok. I’ll do it. Just…hurry back, ok?” She’d never thought she’d say that to her father again, but the thought of babysitting her sister was kind of scary. Sure, they’d been sharing a roof for about a month, but she barely knew the kid. She wasn’t sure how good of an idea it had been to agree to this.
“Thank you, Buffy. I owe you one.” And then he was gone. Buffy groaned, and Spike pulled his arms around her.
“Look at the bright side, pet. We can practice for when our own bitty baby comes along.”
“Yeah, but ours, God willing, won’t come out old enough to talk back and throw temper tantrums when they don’t get a snack before bedtime.” Spike grinned a little.
“It’ll be fun, luv.”
“Yeah, because Dawn thinks you’re cute.”
“She does, does she?”
“Yeah,” Buffy giggled, as she and Spike moved into the living room and sat down on the couch. “She was playing in her room the other day, and I peeked in. She had a pillow case on her head, and she was pretending to get married. And guess what her groom’s name was?”
“That’s sweet,” Spike chuckled. “But I think I prefer her big sis. Much more my age.” Buffy grinned and rewarded him with a kiss. She curled up with him on the couch and watched as he flipped through the channels.
“Bloody MTV. Shouldn’t a station called Music Television have actual music? Sodding reality television.”
“My mom hated it too,” Buffy pointed out.
“I remember that,” Spike chuckled.
“Except she loved The Bachelorette. Probably ‘cause of all the half-naked hunks. It used to piss my dad off.” She smiled at the memory of her father playfully turning the channel when her mother wasn’t paying attention. They’d argue playfully, and then Joyce would assure her husband that he was the only man for her. God, those were the days.
“I miss watching Passions with your mum. ‘Course they had to take it off the air. Just when it was getting good, too.”
“Oh God. You guys and your soap operas. You could have found something a little less…out there. I mean, witches and living dolls? Seriously? How far-fetched is that?”
“Hey, Samantha was a witch.”
“Huh?”
“You know. Samantha. Bewitched? Hello…”
“You know her name,” Buffy giggled. “That’s cute.”
“Was classic. I used to have a crush on her.”
“You and your blonde women,” Buffy laughed. “Bet you had a thing for Jeanie too?”
“Well…”
“Well, I know what to dress up as for Halloween next year. Well, maybe not next year, because that’ll be what…three months after I have the baby? I don’t think I’ll be wearing midriffs at that point.” Buffy placed her hand on her stomach, and her smile turned into a frown. “I wish my mom were here. I was scared before, but knowing she was going to be around made me feel better, you know? She was such a good mom. I wish…I wish I’d appreciated her more, you know?”
“She knew you loved her, Buffy.”
“I said some really bad things to her, Spike. I acted out when I found out about Dawn. I accused her of lying to me…and…”
“She knew you were hurting, luv. We all say things we regret. It comes with being human.” Buffy frowned and placed her hand on his cheek, peering into his eyes.
“Are you sure you’re eighteen? You sound like you speak from experience.”
“Mmm, my regret only comes from what I didn’t say, and that’d be telling you how I felt much sooner.”
“You? I don’t recall you pouring your heart out like some blithering idiot.”
“Excuse me?”
“I’m the one that blurted out that I was falling in love with you…after I said we should just stay friends.”
“That’s right,” Spike chuckled. “That was the night your mum almost caught us.”
“Yeah,” Buffy said softly. She reached over for the remote and turned off the TV. She then peered up at him as she lay wrapped in his arms. “Do you remember when we were like six or seven, and we decided to surprise my mom with homemade chocolate chip cookies?”
“Bloody hell,” Spike laughed. “How long were you grounded for?”
“I don’t know. I think for a month, but she still let you come over and play.”
“Your mum,” he grinned, “she made the best cocoa I ever tasted. Always put those little marshmallows in it.”
“Yeah. And if you didn’t get enough, you’d scoop mine out while I wasn’t looking!”
“Did not!”
“Oh yes you did,” she laughed, tickling him. “I’d get mad at tell my mom, and she wouldn’t even take sides. I was her own daughter! Uch, sometimes I think she liked you better than me.”
“Well, up until she found out I’m the one who put you in this predicament.” He placed his hand on her tummy.
“Yeah, well, mom wasn’t exactly sure how to handle the news. I can’t say I blamed her. I mean, finding out your seventeen year old daughter’s gonna have a baby…God, she was so disappointed.”
“Didn’t change the way she felt about you, though.”
“I know,” Buffy said with a little nod. Her lower lip quivered a little. “I miss her so much, Spike. Sometimes I feel like…like I don’t miss her enough, and it makes me feel guilty. Other times, I miss her so much that it hurts.”
“I know, luv. It’s gonna take time. Don’t think these things can ever really be gotten over.”
“Daddy?” came a call from upstairs. Buffy and Spike glanced at each other, and then Buffy was hurrying over to the stairs.
“Dad’s had to go to the office, Dawnie. Is everything ok?” Dawn nodded as she descended the stairs.
“What’re you doing?”
“Watching TV with Spike.” She saw Dawn’s eyes light up.
“Spike’s here?!”
“Yeah,” Buffy chuckled, winking at Spike.
“Can I watch with you guys?”
“Why don’t you pick out a movie, Dawnie?”
“Aladdin!” Dawn insisted.
“Again? You watched it two nights ago,” Spike pointed out.
“And twice this afternoon,” Buffy groaned. “Can’t we watch something else?”
“I wanna watch Aladdin,” Dawn urged. “Please?”
“Oh, fine,” Buffy murmured, turning on the DVD player. The disc was still in the player from that afternoon. Dawn hurried over to the couch and sat next to Spike. Shaking her head, Buffy moved over to sit on Dawn’s other side. “After this, you need to get a bath and go to bed, ok?”
“Ok,” Dawn yawned. The movie started, and the three sat in silence watching Dawn’s favorite movie.
***
About halfway through, Dawn had fallen asleep.
“Should we wake her up? Put her in her pajamas?”
“Oh God, no,” Buffy warned. “If she wakes up, she’ll wanna stay up longer.”
“Ok,” Spike agreed. “I’ll take her up to her room. Can’t very well let her sleep on the couch all night, especially when I’ve already made plans to ravage you on it.”
“Bad!” Buffy teased. He curled his tongue behind his teeth, and she blushed.
“C’mere Little Bit.” He hoisted Dawn into his arms and carried the sleeping girl up to her room. Buffy and Hank had done a pretty good job decorating Joyce’s sewing room to suit the preferences of a five-year-old girl. Everything was pink. From the carpet down to the light switches. “Sleep tight.”
Buffy leaned against the door frame and watched as Spike tucked her little sister in for the night, covering her up to keep her warm.
When he stepped out into the hall, he started to shut the door but stopped before it was fully closed. Dawn sometimes had bad dreams, and if she woke to find her door completely shut, she’d freak out. It had already happened a few times since she’d moved in.
“Think she’s down for the count,” Spike offered, taking Buffy’s hand in his. She smiled a little and hugged him. “What’s that for?”
“I dunno. Just because.” She smiled at him, stood on her tiptoes, and kissed his nose. He chuckled, and nodded toward her room.
“We don’t have to go downstairs, y’know.”
“No! Are you kidding me? My dad would kill me. And Dawn’s a light sleeper, at least until she’s been out a couple hours. You’ll just have to wait.” Spike sighed but followed her down the stairs.
“Can’t wait ‘til we have a place of our own. You know you could move in with me now.”
“Your place is fine for two people, but we’re not gonna be a two-person family for very long.” She sighed softly as they made their way back to the couch. “As much as I’d love to move in with you right now, things are slowly coming together between me and my dad. I wanna try and make things work before I move out, you know?”
“Think that’s pretty mature of you, luv.”
“Yeah, well, I’m growing,” she grinned, leaning against him on the couch. Spike lay back on the couch, and Buffy curled up against him, and they fell asleep watching the rest of Dawn’s favorite movie.
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Author's Note: Thanks for the advice and the feedback! Please keep it coming!