Before the doorbell could finish its chime, a vibrant, smiling Willow opened the door and held her arms out for a hug. "Oh my, it's so good to see the two of you!" she said, embracing each of them. "Come in, come in!"
Willow opened the door wider to let them pass and closed it behind them. Hiding behind her linen skirt was an angelic looking toddler with a halo of auburn curls and sparkling green eyes like his mother.
Buffy noticed him right away. "Hi, Lewis. I see you hiding behind Mommy. Do you think you could come out and give your Aunt Buffy a hug? I think I might even have something in my bag for you." The child's eyes brightened at that, and a smile lit his face. "Would you like that?"
He nodded his head enthusiastically and ran toward her. Buffy scooped him up in her arms for a hug and kiss. "Wow, Lewis! You're getting to be a big boy! Soon, I won't be able to pick you up," she said, using the teasing voice Lewis liked.
"Who's that?" Lewis asked, pointing at Spike, the present forgotten for a moment.
Turning to Spike, Buffy said, "This is my friend, Spike."
The boy looked curiously at Spike, then whispered a little too loudly, "That's a funny name, Aunt Buffy."
"Oi, are you making fun my name mate?" Spike grinned to show he was teasing. "It's not my real name, but it's what my friends call me. Would you be my friend, Lewis?"
Lewis looked at his mother as if to get her approval.
"It's all right, sweetie. He's a good guy. I promise." Willow smiled and squeezed Spike's arm.
Lewis seemed to take his mother at her word. "You sound kinda like Kipper. Wanna watch him and Tiger with me?" Lewis said, scrambling down from Buffy's arms.
Spike looked to Buffy as if he might be in over his head.
"Wait Lewis, don't you want to see what Aunt Buffy brought for you?"
"Yes, please!" He laughed and began to jump up and down clapping his hands.
Buffy knelt down and handed him a gift bag from her large purse. "Here you go. I want you to open it right now, so I can see if you like it."
Lewis took the bag from her and ripped the tissue away to get to the prize at the bottom. His eyes grew wide as he reached inside and pulled out a plush Kipper and Tiger. Holding one in each chubby hand he hugged her around the neck.
"Thank you, thank you! This is the best present ever!" He looked to Willow. "Mommy, see what Aunt Buffy got me! Aren't they cool?"
"Yes, I can see Aunt Buffy's made your day. Why don't you take Spike to the den, and you guys can watch Kipper? Aunt Buffy and I will be in the kitchen. Okay?"
Buffy could see the wariness in Spike's features. She walked over to him and put her arms around him.
"What? Are you afraid of a two, almost three-year-old boy? He doesn't bite you know. He only does that on rare occasions." Spike's brows arched almost to his hairline. "I'm kidding. He's just a little kid, so there's nothing to be nervous about. Just be you, and he'll love you."
"Thanks for the vote of confidence, but not before you nearly scared the pants off me! Have I told you lately how much I love this feisty new you? Not that I didn't love you before, but Jesus, you do know how to keep me on my toes now!" He kissed her sweetly and went to take Lewis by the hand, ready to be led to the den.
Buffy turned to see Willow grinning ear to ear.
"Come on into the kitchen. I want details, missy! You two couldn't look happier! Lewis should keep him busy for a while," Willow said, putting her arm around Buffy and ushering her into the kitchen.
As they came into the kitchen, Willow motioned for her to have a seat on the small sofa overlooking the deck.
"Oh Wils, we are happy! I don't think I've ever been this happy in my life!" Buffy said, her face radiating the happiness she felt.
Willow poured them a glass of wine and came to sit next to her on the sofa.
Handing Buffy her wine, she said, "I can tell. You're practically glowing! Now that the boys are busy, I want all the yummy details, Miss I-Barely-Find-The-Time-To-Call-My-Best-Friend."
"Well, I really don't know where to start. I took your advice and went over the next day, and things were kinda awkward at first, but the minute I saw him I knew I still loved him, and that scared the hell out me. I wanted to turn and run screaming in the opposite direction!" Buffy laughed as she laid her head back against the sofa, taking a sip of wine.
"I already know that part, but what's been going in the last few weeks? I've barely heard from you until you called to say you were coming. You told me he said he loved you, and that you and Joyce had it out, but I don't know much more than that. I'm feeling all neglected." Willow put a pillow under chin and stuck her lip out in a pout.
"I'm sorry, we've just been getting reacquainted, and I've been working. We've spent a lot of time planning this trip...among other things." Buffy blushed and lowered her lashes.
Willow laughed. "I'm sure it's the latter that's taken up so much of your time. Buffy, I'm glad you've been enjoying yourself. No one deserves it more than you, but have you thought about after all this is over? I mean, what's going to happen? Are you just going to go your separate ways?" Willow reached out and put her hand on Buffy's knee, her eyes shining with worry.
Buffy sat up and took her friend's hand, rubbing her thumb across the top.
"Oh, sweetie, don't worry. Whatever happens, Spike and I will be together. He says he's not leaving me, and we're going to make a life together. We haven't decided where, but maybe in New York. We've both decided Sunnydale is not the place for us."
Willow's green eyes grew wide, and her whole face beamed with a smile. She put her arms around Buffy, careful not to spill their wine.
"Oh my God! That's the most amazing news, and I'm so happy for you!" Willow said, wiping tears from her cheeks.
"Wils, you're kinda cutting off my circulation," Buffy said.
"Oh, sorry. I'm just so thrilled for you! When are you getting married?"
Buffy's eyes widened and her brow furrowed.
"I don't think I said anything about getting married. Did I?"
"Well no, not exactly, but that's what people usually mean when they say they want to make a life together. Isn't it?" Willow tilted her head to the side and smiled. "I mean haven't you given it the tiniest bit of thought?"
Buffy pursed her lips and tried not to smile. "Maybe a little…but I think it might be too soon to go rushing into things like that. Will's never mentioned it, and I'm certainly not going to bring it up!"
"Oh, I think Will is thinking the same thing you're thinking. He just doesn't want to scare you. I saw the way he looks at you. I may be an old married woman, but I'm not blind. That man worships you! And too soon? You've known each other since you were five for goodness sake! You've been in love with each other forever! Need I go on with exclamations?" Willow waved one of her hands and rolled her eyes for emphasis.
The phone rang, and Willow got up to answer it.
Buffy could hear peals of laughter coming their way. Spike entered wearing a fireman's hat, a bit too small for his head, with Lewis slung over his shoulder. Buffy's shoulders shook with laughter at the sight before her.
"Mommy, Aunt Buffy! Look at me! Spike's a fireman, and he's rescuing me!" Lewis said, in a voice so loud and excited he was nearly shouting.
"Wow, Lewis! What's Spike rescuing you from?" Willow asked as he righted himself in Spike's arms.
"He saved me from a fire! And I jumped out a window!" Lewis' eyes were wide, his cheeks rosy from all the laughter.
"Not exactly a window, more like a chair. I had to talk him out of trying to climb up to the mantle. He's like three for the price of one, Red." Spike put Lewis down and wiped his brow, walking over plop down beside Buffy.
"He certainly can be at times, especially in the late afternoon and early evening. Did you two have fun?" Willow propped her elbows on the counter and grinned cheekily.
"Oh yeah, he's a great kid! Very smart, funny, and certainly verbose, unlike his father. I've never been around kids, so I was a little apprehensive, but we got on brilliantly. What have you two been doing in our absence?" He put his hand on the back of Buffy's neck and pulled her in for a kiss, but his hat got in the way.
"Not that I don't love fireman Spike, but I think that hat's a bit small for you. Maybe we could buy you one of your very own," Buffy said, taking it off and kissing him as chastely as possible.
"Ha, bloody, ha. You think you're so clever don't you?" He tapped her on the end of her nose. "I might just do that. You never know when there might be a damsel in distress." He arched his eyebrows and gave her a sexy smirk.
"Okay, guys, honestly, I might go into a diabetic coma if the sweetness doesn't stop." Willow rolled her eyes. "I've got bad news and good news, which do you want first?"
"Bad," they said in unison.
"When the phone rang earlier, that was the babysitter cancelling, but the good news is Oz will be here in about fifteen minutes, and we can order in. Sound good?"
"Great," said the two on the sofa.
"All right, that makes it easy then. There's a great specialty pizza place not far from here that delivers, and I've got their menu, or we could do Chinese or Thai. What do you think?"
Buffy and Spike looked at Lewis, who was bouncing on his toes calling for pizza.
"I think pizza sounds like a great idea, Red, and you know the place, so you choose the pizzas. We're good with anything but anchovies. Aren't we, love?" He pulled her closer and kissed her temple.
"Sure Wils. Is there anything I can help you with? I feel like a lump just sitting here, not doing anything." Buffy smiled and squeezed Spike's thigh.
"Nope. I've got everything under control. I'll open another bottle of wine, and I'll order dinner. Spike would you like a glass?" Willow got out the menu and another bottle of wine.
"I'd love one, thanks. Hey mate, why don't you come tell Aunt Buffy about all the fun things we did?"
Spike noticed Willow was beginning to look a little frazzled as Lewis continued to dance around her and hang on her legs, demanding attention.
"Okay," he said.
Lewis came bounding over and into Spike's lap. He began to talk animatedly about all the fun they had together, the video they watched, and how Spike played fireman with him.
Buffy's eyes twinkled, and she smiled at him. "I'm glad you like Spike, Lewis, but you never play those games with me." She pouted.
"That's 'cause they're boys' games, not girls'. Girls don't want to play that stuff."
"That's not true, Lewis. A girl can be a fireman if she wants to be, and I'm sure your mommy and daddy would agree with me." Buffy had a look of defiance on her face, but her tone belied it.
"Girls just want to be mommies and play with dolls or be princesses." His tone brooked no argument.
Buffy looked defeated.
"Cheer up, Buff. He's just at that age. That's what he thinks, and no amount of talking will change his mind. Believe me. I've tried, and it's a lost cause." Willow shook her head and handed Buffy and Spike their drinks.
Willow sat down in the chair near the sofa and dialed the number to the pizza place. About the same time, they heard the click of the lock on the front door, announcing Oz's arrival. He came in looking much the same as he did in high school, minus the various hair colors, dressed in jeans, an indie rock t-shirt, and jacket. Lewis abandoned Spike and ran for him.
"Hey, little man. Had a good day?" Oz carried him into the kitchen, seeming to take in every word he said. "Hi, all. It's good to see you Buffy, Spike. I was sorry to hear about your mom, man."
"Thanks, I appreciate that, and it's good to see you too. You've hardly changed." Spike stood to shake his hand.
"I'm still me," he said, leaning down to give Willow a kiss. "So what are our plans?"
"We're staying in and having pizza delivered from ZaZa. Sound okay?" Willow smiled up at him and stroked his cheek.
"Yep." Oz sat on the arm of the chair with Lewis still in his arms.
"Hey, Lewis, why don't you go play with your toys until the pizza gets here, so Daddy and I can visit with Aunt Buffy and Spike? Okay?"
He smiled and hopped down from his father's lap, running off to play, and Oz stood to get himself a glass of wine.
Oz came back, and Spike began to ask him about his job in Artists and Repertoire for an independent record label. Soon they were talking about music, and Willow and Buffy were lost.
They seemed thankful when doorbell rang, announcing the pizza delivery.
While Spike insisted on paying for the pizzas, he and Oz brought them into the dining room. Buffy and Willow brought plates and forks in from the kitchen, and by then Lewis was already in his seat at the table.
Everyone dug in, enjoying the meal. Willow asked Spike if he was looking forward to their trip.
"Yes, I think we both are. It will give us some time just to be alone with no worries, and it's a beautiful country with lots things to see and do." Spike brushed his thumb across Buffy's knuckles underneath the table.
Buffy squeezed his hand in reply. "I agree, but I also can't wait to visit New York. I want to meet Spike's friends and see what it's like." She looked at him and smiled.
"Yes, Buffy was telling me you two are going to make a life together. Do you think it will be in New York?"
Spike was surprised by Willow's boldness, and he thought perhaps it was the wine talking.
Spike tried to be as concise as possible. "Yes, we do plan on spending our lives together, but we haven't made a decision as to where yet."
At the end of the table, Lewis asked the question no one dared ask, "Spike, are you and Aunt Buffy getting married?"
Silence, a beat, then Oz spoke, "Out of the mouths of babes."
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Author's Chapter Notes:
So sorry for the delay in posting, but here it is for your reading pleasure. Beta'd by Abby, Dawnofme, and Diebirchen. Banner by Tanit. Thanks, to all you wonderful ladies. Also, I truly appreciate each person who takes the time to read this story. Thanks!
Chapter End Notes:
If you feel inclined to share your thoughts, you'd make my day. :)