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Make sure you read the previous chapter! I updated twice today!
Chapter 30

“Oh my God,” Buffy murmured, looking at herself in the mirror. “I’m a planet! A red and gold planet!” She turned sideways, examining herself in the mirror. She was wearing her maroon-colored cap and gown which had a tassel of yellow with gold flecks in the string.

“You look great, Buffy,” Cordelia offered, as she came walking over to the mirror. “We all look big in these gown anyway.”

“Oh get away from me,” Buffy groaned, disgusted. “I know you’re a supermodel underneath it, so don’t even go there.”

“She’s right, Buff,” Willow pointed out, coming into the room from the hall wearing her own cap and gown. “You look great. Just think, in a little under a month, we’re graduating!”

“Yeah! That gives me a little under a month to go up about three more sizes.” Buffy tossed her cap and gown onto the bed. She peeled the robe off and hung it up behind her door before going over to collapse on her bed. Cordelia and Willow shared concerned glances. Buffy pulled a pillow over her head and groaned before tossing the pillow aside. “I wasn’t expecting to look sexy or whatever, but I didn’t think I was going to get this huge. I mean, look at me! This baby’s still got another month and a half to go, and I look like I’m about to burst at the seams. Literally!”

“How’s that stretch mark cream working for you?” Cordelia wondered.

“Thank God for small miracles.” She frowned. “Sorry. I’m sure my complaining is bumming you guys out. It’s a happy time. Yay for graduation.”

“You miss Spike.”

“Well, he’s been gone a week. Of course I miss him,” Buffy pointed out.

“If it makes you feel any better, I miss Oz,” Willow murmured, lying down on the bed next to Buffy. “But he called last night and told me that they’re just about done settling the deal on their album. Looks like it might be out by Christmas.”

“Yeah,” Buffy said with a nod. “That’s what Spike said.”

“You don’t sound so happy about this, Buffy,” Cordelia said quietly, removing her own gown and tossing it aside. She pulled a chair up next to the bed. “What’s going on?”

“I don’t know. I mean, one minute I’m excited for him, and the next I’m terrified that I’m gonna lose him.” She caressed her swollen stomach.

“He’d never leave you. He loves you too much,” Willow assured her friend.

“Yeah. And according to Xander, you’re all Spike talks about when you’re not together,” Cordelia pointed out, getting a little smile out of Buffy. “This album might not even work out. I mean, have you looked through the CDs at the store lately? A lot of them, I haven’t even heard of the bands.”

“Well, I don’t want that for Spike. I want him to be successful. This is what he wants, and it’d be great, because it’d mean that I could quit that crappy job at the grocery store. But…I just…I hate being away from him. We’ve been attached at the hip since we were in elementary school, and being without him….especially now…it sucks.”

“It’ll be ok, Buffy,” Willow promised. “They’re coming home tonight, and they don’t have to go anywhere again until after graduation.”

“Yeah,” Buffy said with a nod. “It’s after graduation that I’m worried about.” She frowned. “What if he’s not here, Wil? What if he doesn’t…I mean…I don’t want him to miss the baby being born.”

“Hey,” Cordelia said quickly, tugging on Buffy’s hand. “Get up.”

“What?”

“Get up. We’re not gonna sit around moping. We’re almost high school graduates. We’re going out and having fun.”

“You’re forgetting that I’m the size of…”

“Uh-uh,” Cordelia shushed her. “You’re not doing this. You’re not saying bad things about yourself anymore tonight. Now put on something sexy. We’re going out.”

“Sexy? Have you seen my maternity clothes?”

“You have sexy maternity clothes,” Cordelia reminded her.

“Cordelia…”

“Oh, fine. What do you wanna do, Buffy?”

“I don’t know. I just…I’m so tired.”

“Well, then let’s get you some air. We can go for a walk in the park.”

“What? You? Walking in the park?”

“Well, it’s warm. There’ll be shirtless guys.”

“Fine. Wil, you’re coming?”

“Sure,” she shrugged. “We can go and not think about our boyfriends and how they’re not here together, right?”

“Right,” Buffy grinned.

“Ok, come on. Let’s go have some fun!”

***

Spike yawned as he pulled up in front of the house. The lights inside were all off, so he figured he’d just slip in quietly and head up to bed. However, when he got out of the car, he heard footsteps scraping along the sidewalk. He turned to see the slender form of Drusilla coming toward him. He glanced at his watch. It was after midnight.

“Dru? What the hell are you doing out here?”

“Couldn’t sleep,” she breathed. “Didn’t expect to see you.”

“Yeah, well, I’m going up to bed, so…”

“I don’t sleep much anymore, William.” Spike sighed heavily. He hated it when she used his name like that. He knew he was in for a painful conversation. Looking around, he knew he should just let her walk home, but he couldn’t let her just walk around at night, not when she looked dazed out of her mind like that.

“What are you on, Dru?”

“Parker gave me something to help me sleep,” she whispered. Spike sighed and shook his head.

“You’re shagging him now?” He saw the pain in her eyes.

“I can’t sleep at night, William.”

“You already said that, Drusilla.” He turned to walk away from her, but he heard the choked sob that escaped her throat. “Bloody hell. Get in the car. I’ll drive you home.”

“He comforts me.”

“Fantastic. I hope you two will be very happy together. Now if you don’t mind, I have some sleep to catch up on.”

“Aren’t you going to ask me about the baby?”

“There is no baby, Dru. Buffy told me.”

“Your baby…it’ll be here soon.” She smiled sadly, looking past him. “My baby should still be here. He should be kicking. He should be…”

“Dru,” Spike said, softer this time, “I don’t have time for this. I’ll take you wherever you need to go. Just…take my advice. Stay away from Parker Abrams. The bastard…”

“They don’t see me like you did. You’re the only one, Spike. You’re the only one that really saw me.”

“I don’t think I did, Dru. I think…”

“I’m sorry,” she cried. “I’m sorry I hurt you. I’m sorry I did those horrible things.” Spike frowned and shook his head.

“It doesn’t matter. None of that matters now. I’m happy, Dru. For the first time, I’m happy, and…I think that’s partly because of you. If you hadn’t done those things and opened my eyes, I wouldn’t have…” He looked away. “I love her, Dru. She’s everything to me.” He saw the pain growing in her eyes. “I’m not sorry.”

Dru started to walk away, but he reached out to her, actually touching her voluntarily for the first time in almost a year.

“Hey. I’m not sorry, because this is the happiest I’ve ever been. Ever. You knew when we were dating. You had to have known I had feelings for her.” Dru looked away, shaking her head. “Yes you did. That’s why you hated me spending time with her. You knew.”

“She’s not the one for you, William.”

“She’s exactly the one for me.” He watched as she crumbled a little more. “I’m sorry for what you lost, but you can’t come running to me anymore. I can’t clean up your mess or pick up the pieces in your life anymore, Dru. I can’t help you. You have to help yourself. I have a family to take care of now.” Dru sighed and nodded her head.

“It’s wrong.”

“You might think it is, but it’s not wrong for me.” He looked down at his keys in his hand. “I can give you a ride.”

“No you can’t,” she said with a sad smile. “Your family’s waiting, William.” She turned and walked away, wrapping her arms around herself as if it were a cold day. He watched her for a few minutes before he turned and walked up the sidewalk and into the comfort of the place he was beginning to call home.

***

“You’re home!” she exclaimed in an excited whisper, sitting up in the bed as he came through the door. Spike grinned at her and came to meet her at the bed, wrapping his arms around her.

“I’m home, sweetheart,” he whispered, stroking her hair. “Bloody miserable without you.”

“Me too,” she whispered, holding him tight. “I hate it when you’re not here.” Spike kissed the top of her head.

“I know,” he agreed, “so do I. But it’s gonna get better, luv. You’ll see.” He stroked her belly. “How’s the baby?”

“Not moving around as much. I asked the doctor, and she said that’s normal. He’s running out of room.”

“So…it’s a boy?”

“No,” she chuckled. “I mean, I don’t know. It was hard to tell. She isn’t really sure at all, but I told her it’s ok. We don’t have much longer to wait.”

Spike got up and took off his duster and his boots. He smiled, watching her lay back in bed, getting into her comfortable position. Spike crawled in next to her and took her hand in his.

“It’s late, luv. Let’s get some sleep, and we can catch up in the morning, yeah?”

“Yeah,” she smiled. “I like that plan.”

Spike brought her hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles gently.

“I love you,” he murmured.

“Mmm,” she smiled, “I love you too.”


Chapter End Notes:
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