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Author's Chapter Notes:
Sorry this update is late, but my internet connection was playing up.
For those following 'Older But Closer Together' a combination of RL and writer's block has stopped me from updating it. I have got most of the chapter finished, it's just under the quota for this site.
Chapter 2 (Meet The Family)

When the nasal voice announced over the PA that the plane that Buffy and Katie-Beth were on had landed and that the passengers would soon be disembarking from the plane, he got up to go over and stand near the gate to greet them. However, he didn’t think of the possibility of being in charge of looking after a wayward little girl until her parents came looking for her.

“Hey, Nibblet,” Spike greeted. “I don’t think your mum would like it if you were running about here on your own. What do you think?”

Upon hearing Spike’s voice and him calling her ‘Nibblet’, Katie-Beth’s eyes widened in surprise and excitement. “You’re the funny man who phoned my mommy when I was watching Sponge Bob. You made me miss my favorite part. Mommy said your name was Spike.”

Spike had to suppress a chuckle. The girl was forward, had to give her that. “That’s me. So, that must make you the little monkey called Katie-Beth?” she nodded her head. “Let’s wait for your mum and then we can go and get your bags.”

Spike and Katie-Beth continued their conversation about Sponge Bob, although he had to stand up as crouching down was hurting his knees. However, in standing up, he never saw the petite blonde running towards him, obviously in her own world, who smashed into him.

The first thing that assailed him after he had steadied both himself and the petite blonde was the all-too familiar scent of vanilla, of Buffy. Looking down, he looked into the brightest green eyes he had ever seen. “Hello, cutie.”

“Hi, mommy,” Katie-Beth innocently smiled as she looked up at the two adults. “I found Spike.”

Buffy crouched down to Katie-Beth’s eye level and frowned at her daughter. “Yes you did. But I told you before we left the plane that I didn’t want you to run off. Anything could happen. But I’m glad that Spike saw you first, I know he would never hurt a little girl.” Buffy stood up and smiled at Spike.

“Ruin my ‘big bad’ image, why don’t you, pet?” Spike smirked before he bent down to pick up Katie-Beth. Buffy smiled at how Katie-Beth automatically snuggled into Spike. “Shall we go and get your bags? Your mum an’ Dawnie are desperate to see you and meet the monkey.”

Buffy giggled, but agreed with Spike and followed him, noticing the flowers and stuffed toy. “Um, Spike?” she asked. Spike turned to look at her. “Have you forgot something?” she motioned to the flowers and toy.

“Oh, I forgot. These are for you,” Spike said as he handed Buffy the daisies. “And this, my pretty princess, is for you.” He pulled the toy out of his jacket and handed it to the smiling little girl. “Her name is Daisy, see. Daisies for both beautiful girls.”

The compliment made Buffy blush, but it gave Buffy the hope that Spike felt the same way about her as she felt about him.

Soon they were back to collecting the luggage and heading back to 1630 Revello Drive.

S***B

Joyce Summers was having a good day. She wasn’t sure if it was the drugs the doctors had prescribed, the good weather, or the fact that her daughter and grandbaby were coming home. In all honesty, she hoped it was because of the last thing on the list. Although she had Dawn, Joyce had missed Buffy for the past four years and she was desperate to meet her granddaughter. She was the only one who knew who Katie-Beth’s father was and wanted to see how much she looked like her parents, she already knew she was quite intelligent from talking to her on the phone.

Dawn had arranged the sofa so that it would be comfortable for her if she fell asleep, but she tried her hardest to stay awake. However, just after Spike had left to go pick up the girls, she fell asleep. She only woke up ten minutes before Spike arrived back with Buffy and Katie-Beth.

The door swung open and in ran a little girl with the same features and hair Joyce had admired and adored when Buffy was a little girl, but the thing that caught her eye was the striking blue eyes that looked at her in a curious way. Those eyes were Spike’s eyes, there was no denying it. Yes, there was blue eyes in the Summers’ side of the gene pool, but those eyes were the type that you saw once and know whose they were the minute you got a glimpse of them. That was for sure.

Joyce sat up and opened her arms to the little girl. “You must be Katie-Beth,” she greeted. “I’m your gramma Joyce. Remember we’ve talked on the phone a few times.”

“Hello, gramma,” Katie-Beth greeted in response. “I like your house, it’s very pretty. Like my house in Boston.”

“I know, sweetie,” Joyce said, encouraging the little girl to come over for a hug. “I decorated both houses because that is where your mommy and aunty Dawn would spend their Christmases with me and your grampa Hank.”

“It’s just been me and mommy,” Katie-Beth said sadly as she climbed up carefully onto Joyce’s lap. “And mommy’s artwork. She has a special room that I’m not supposed to go in unless she’s there. That’s where she does her painting. A lot of the pictures are of that funny man called Spike, but he doesn’t look like the pictures in mommy’s room.”

“That’s a lot of information for such a little girl,” Joyce said as she pressed a kiss to Katie-Beth’s forehead. “I see you have the same babbling nervous tendency as your mommy...”

“What about her mommy?” Buffy interrupted as she entered the house with one of the bags. “Hey, mom.”

“Babbling when nervous,” Joyce replied. “She told me all about your artwork, to be more specific, your paintings of a certain someone,” Joyce raised her eyebrow inquisitively, but then changed topic. “Hi, sweetie. You don’t look like you have changed at all in the past four years.”

“Well, I have,” Buffy replied. “I got fat. Lost the fat. Became a mom. Became an artist and fell in love.”

Joyce smiled knowingly. “Dawn has set up the camp bed in her room for Katie-Beth to sleep on, or Dawn if Katie-Beth wants the bed,” Joyce explained. “And Spike’s in the basement as you are in your old bed. However, you may be in my room as we’ve had blackout curtains fixed in your room for Spike during the day.”

“Thanks mom,” Buffy said as she hugged Joyce. “But why your room, mom?”

“Spike has been converting the dining room into another bedroom for me,” Joyce explained. “Plus, my room connects with Dawn’s in case Katie-Beth has a nightmare or something.”

“What mom’s saying,” Dawn began as she threw her schoolbag on the floor as she came in. “She has been spending the odd night at Giles’ for the past two months and I’ve heard them talking about mom moving in with him and leaving me and Spike here.”

“Dawnie!” Buffy squealed as she saw her little sister for the first time in about five years. “Come here and give me a hug. I’ve missed you.”

Dawn walked over to Buffy and hugged her. “I’ve missed you too, Buffy,” Dawn replied. “Now where’s my gorgeous niece?”

Katie-Beth jumped down off of Joyce’s lap and walked over to Dawn. “I’m Katie-Beth. Are you my auntie Dawn?”

“Yes, I am,” Dawn replied bending down to the little girl’s eye level. “Why don’t I take you up to show you where you’ll be sleeping. We’re going to be sharing a room.” Dawn took the small hand in her hand and began to lead the way to her bedroom, looking back to see a grateful smile on her sister’s face.

Once Dawn and Katie-Beth were upstairs, Buffy turned back to face her mother. “So, you and Giles?” Buffy asked. “I guess it’s more than just twice on a police car then?”

“Now, now, pet,” Buffy heard Spike saying, not realizing he had come in from finishing his smoke. “Leave your mum alone and let her have some happiness in her life. Just like you with Katie-Beth and whatever guy you’re seeing.”

Buffy sat down on an overstuffed armchair and curled herself up into as small a ball as she could. She tried hard not to cry, but silent sobs wracked her body making her shake. Joyce looked at Spike and he realized she wanted him to talk to Buffy, after all, Joyce knew of how Spike felt for Buffy. Spike just nodded and lifted Buffy into his arms, carrying her up to her room.

Buffy looked up as she felt herself being lowered to the soft silk sheets below. “I like what you’ve done with the place,” she muttered barely loud enough for Spike to hear, even with his enhanced ears.

“Enough of tha’,” Spike said as he sat down beside Buffy and enfolded her in his arms. “ Don' try changing the subject. Let’s talk about what jus’ happened down there when I mentioned a guy in your life. The bit’s Da’s got to be around. You haven’ raised her all by your own, even I know she has to be a handful and I’ve barely known her an hour.”

“I... I left Sunnydale to avoid her dad,” Buffy whispered as she snuggled closer to Spike. “After... after it happened, he treated it like it was a mistake. I did, too, just so that my friends wouldn’t hate me.”

“Come here, kitten,” Spike soothed as he pulled Buffy closer. “Mind if I ask who her Da is. ‘Cause if it’s that Parker guy or the soldier boy who was sniffing around you...”

“It’s you,” Buffy whispered pulling away from Spike.

“What’s tha’, pet?” Spike asked, not sure if he had just heard Buffy right.

“You’re Katie-Beth’s dad, Spike,” Buffy repeated. “You just have to look into the deep blues and the full bottom lip. She may pout like me, but it has more effect with your lip. I’m sorry I ran, Spike, I just didn’t know what to do. All I knew was I was keeping her. I ran to protect her.” Buffy finished her speech with a pout, unknowingly, and Spike groaned.

“Look at that lip,” he said as he leaned in closer to her. “Gonna get it, gonna get it.”

Just as Spike was about to pull Buffy’s bottom lip into his mouth, Buffy burst out laughing causing Spike to look at her like she was an idiot. The look on his face obviously said ‘what the bloody hell are you on woman? Give a guy a complex.”

“The last time you said that to me,” Buffy said through her laughter. “We ended up sneaking off to Giles’ bathroom and that was when Katie-Beth was conceived. Remember?”

“That I do, pet,” Spike replied. “But just so things are clear. You feel the same way about me as I feel for you? You still want me?”

“Of course I do, William,” Buffy replied placing a soft kiss on Spike’s lips. “I never stopped wanting you. But I think we have enough with one just now.”

“That’s good,” Spike said as he leaned back against the headboard and pulled Buffy back against his chest. “Now, when do we tell Katie-Beth? ‘Cause your mum’s got a get together party arranged for tomorrow and I don’t want the bit to find out through one of your chums telling her tha her eyes look just like mine, or something like that.”

“Why don’t we wait for the morning,” Buffy yawned. “We got a late flight here and I’m tired. Can I sleep in your t-shirt and the boxers I know you own?”

“Sure, kitten,” Spike smiled handing her a t-shirt and a pair of boxers from the closet. “I’ll just go an’ bring your mum up to be and I’ll see you in the morning.”

Buffy wasn’t in an agreeing mood with Spike saying that he wasn’t going to sleep in the same bed as her, so she opted for her ‘trump card’. Her pout. “Why?” she asked in a petulant child-like voice. “I want to sleep in your arms.”

“Alright, kitten,” Spike agreed. “Want me to check in on the girls while I bring your mum up to bed?”

“No,” Buffy said as she pulled Spike’s t-shirt over her head. “I need to talk to Dawn about something anyway.”

The newly reunited couple shared a brief, yet passionate kiss then left the room. Spike heading down the stairs and Buffy towards her sister’s room, where she stopped, knocked and waited for a response.

“Come in,” Buffy heard her younger sister call and she entered. “Hey, Buffy. She’s Spike’s, isn’t she? Don’t worry, Katie-Beth went back down to talk to mom about your paintings.”

Buffy smiled her thanks. “You’re fast,” Buffy commented. “But, yeah, Spike is Katie-Beth’s dad... Hey, stop changing the subject. Why did you come in after sunset?”

“I was studying at Janice’s ,” Dawn shrugged off, knowing that she was lying straight to her sister’s face. She had, in fact, been at the mansion that Buffy once spent copious amounts of time at. “We’ve been paired up to work on a bio project.”

Buffy eyed her sister suspiciously. “No, you weren’t. You’re acting like I was for the few months after Angel came back and I was the only one who knew,” Buffy said matter-of-factly. “This is about a boy. Now, ‘fess up.”

“Mom doesn’t know,” Dawn said in her defense to keep her secret a secret. “She thinks I was at Janice’s, but I use that as a cover to go to my boyfriend’s. But that’s all I’m telling you. No more. What you don’t know can’t hurt you.”

“Now, Dawn,” Buffy chided. “I had that same attitude once, alright, twice,” Buffy amended when she saw Dawn’s ‘I wasn’t born yesterday’ look. “And look where that got me. My friends felt like they couldn’t trust me after they found out I was keeping the fact that Angel was back from them. And now I’ve kept father and daughter apart for five years. I’ll give you an out for just now, but I want to meet this guy and his folks. Soon!”

Dawn just sighed in resignation. “Alright, but it’s just his dad,” Dawn amended. “His mom died while giving birth, so, you might want to bring Spike along. That way his dad won’t get the wrong idea.”

Buffy thought about it for a minute until her eyes lit up with an idea. “Invite them to dinner tomorrow night. You can work on telling mom about this ‘mystery man’ during the day.”

Dawn was just about to protest to Buffy’s plan when the door burst open and a small blonde menace burst in, stopping said protest before it could happen. Buffy looked at Dawn in a threatening way that told her she had no choice but to accept, causing Dawn to reluctantly nod her acceptance.

“Is it time for bed, mommy?” Katie-Beth asked as she came back into the room.

“Yes it is sweet girl,” Buffy said as she scooped Katie-Beth up in her arms. “What bed are you sleeping in sweetie?”

“Auntie Dawn said I could share a bed with her with it being my first night in a new house,” Katie-Beth said as she kissed Buffy on her cheek. Night, night mommy.”

Buffy handed Katie-Beth to Dawn and kissed both girls on the forehead. “Night sweet baby girl, night Dawnie.” Buffy backed out the room and closed it quietly only to find Spike waiting for her and wrapped his arms around her waist.

“Time for bed, pet?” Spike asked as he placed soft kisses on Buffy’s neck. “The bit and Katie-Beth settle okay?”

“Time for bed,” Buffy agreed arching into Spike’s touch. “Dawn’s letting her sleep in with her to get her used to being in a different house overnight...” Buffy trailed off as she tried to suppress a yawn.

“Time for all princesses to be in bed,” Spike said as he scooped Buffy up into his arms. “No matter how late the princess is used to being awake. Got a big day tomorrow with all your chums coming over an’ all.”

Buffy was too tired to say anything so she just snuggled into Spike’s neck relishing the scent that was purely ‘Spike’.


Chapter End Notes:
Please times five, can I have some reviews. Milk and cookies for all.
Also, both my stories are unbeta'd, so if anyone thinks I need a beta, let me know if you are willing to do it, or know someone how is. Thanks.



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