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Chapter 8


Spike stood outside Buffy’s front door a few days later, holding two large
pizzas and a two liter of cola. He heard the thud of little footsteps
running through the house and saw the living room curtains flutter.

“Mommy! It’s for you!” Caitlyn’s muffled voice shouted from inside the
house. A minute later, a flushed-looking Buffy answered the door. Spike
took in her loose-fitting white cotton pants and her long-sleeved black
shirt. Frowning, Spike raised an eyebrow at her shocked face.

“You came back,” she murmured.

“Told you I would. I also come bearing pepperoni and cheese…may I come in?”

“Oh, of course,” she said, stepping out of his way. Spike was then assaulted
by a blur of blonde hair and bouncing movements.

“Uncle Spike! Uncle Spike! You’re back, and you brought pizza!”

Spike laughed at the rambunctious child and handed the pizzas to Buffy.
“That’s right, Little Bit,” he said, bending down to her level. “And guess
what? If you’re a good girl and mommy says it’s okay, we’ll go out for ice
cream later.”

“YAY!!”

As Caitlyn took off for the kitchen, her mother and Spike followed at a
slower pace.

“What can I say? The girl loves her ice cream.”

“Apparently,” Spike agreed with a smirk.

Buffy quickly fixed her daughter a plate of the gooey substance and settled
her in the dining room before rejoining Spike in the kitchen.

“You didn’t have to come back, Spike,” she said quietly. “I would have
understood. Truth be told, I didn’t really expect to see you again.”

“Told you I’d be back, didn’t I? Besides, I didn’t get a chance to get to
know the Little Bit the other night, and I thought tonight would be just as
good as any.”

“Thank you.”

“For what, luv?”

“For making an effort. For letting Caitlyn know that she’s important to
someone other than me.”

“That’s because she is important, just like her mommy is. Now…I don’t seem
to recall getting any kind of welcoming kiss,” he finished with a smirk.

“Well, since you requested one so subtly, I guess that can be arranged,”
Buffy replied with a smile of her own. Leaning forward, Buffy lightly
brushed her lips to his in a teasing peck.

Spike reached out, wrapping his arms around her waist and dragging her
forward until she was pressed against his chest. “Now, you can do better
than that, luv.”

Sealing his lips to hers, an electric current almost seemed to buzz through
them as they got reacquainted with the sensation of the other.

“Eeeeeeww!”

Buffy and Spike broke apart to turn and stare at the smiling little girl in
the doorway.

“Can we help you?” asked Spike in a teasing tone.

“I’m thirsty.”

Buffy extracted herself from her lover and went to get a glass of milk for
her daughter. After returning to the kitchen to collect her own plate,
Buffy caught Spike’s glance across the island. “The price of dating a single
mother.”

Spike simply smiled and nodded before accepting a plate and heading into
the dining room.

* * * * *

Spike sat in Buffy’s living room later that night, waiting for her to finish
with Caitlyn’s nighttime routine. It had been an eventful night after
taking them both for ice cream- Caitlyn had proceeded to bounce all the way
home from the sugar rush. It had already taken Buffy nearly an hour to get
her to go to sleep, and Spike had been patiently waiting for her to return to
him.

“Sorry,” a soft voice said from the doorway. Spike turned to the voice and
smiled at the vision in front of him. Physically, she looked no different
than she had all night, but on the trip downstairs, she seemed to switch from
‘Mommy-mode’ to ‘Woman-mode.’

“Spike, I think we need to talk.”

“Well, no good conversation ever starts with that phrase,” he said as Buffy
made her way to the couch. Spike flipped off the TV and turned to face her.

“Look, Spike, I think it’s only fair that if you’re going to leave, it
should be now.”

“What do you mean, luv?” he asked with a confused look on his face.

“I mean, I don’t want Caitlyn to be getting more attached than she is
already if you’re not going to be there.”

“Buffy, have I given you any indication that I don’t want to be here?”

“Not yet,” she said softly.

“Buffy.” He turned her chin up to look at him. “What are you worried
about?”

“I’m worried that I’m going to get too attached, and one day, you won’t be
here. I can get over it- I’ve been there before- but you didn’t know what
you were getting yourself into when you came to find me. How did you find
me anyway?”

“That’s for me to know,” he said with a playful smile.

“Willow blabbed,” she said with a nod.

“Hey! That was my informant. You weren’t supposed to guess her that quick,”
he said indignantly.

Buffy laughed at the look on his face. “I’m sorry, but unless you were able
to track down my mom, that pretty much left only one option.”

“Yeah, I guess you’re right.”

Buffy’s expression suddenly turned serious. “It was just a fling, Spike. It
wasn’t supposed to mean anything.”

“It did, though.”

“I know. I’ve been trying to deny it, but I can’t. Spike, you need to know
that first and foremost my daughter is my number one priority. If you can’t
handle that, then I’ll understand. I know there aren’t too many guys who
would want to be in that kind of relationship.”

“Buffy, I’m not most guys.”

Buffy smiled at the admission. “I’ve learned that much already. At least
you’ve been honest with me so far.”

Spike sighed. “In that case, I think now would be a good time to let you
know something.”

“This doesn’t sound good,” she said with a nervous little half-smile.

“It’s not bad. It’s just you may not like the idea at first.”

“So tell me.”

“I have a friend in L.A. Known him my whole life, and I gave him a call
after I left the other night. I asked him to come here and keep an eye on
you when I can’t.”

“Keep an eye on me? Spike, I don’t need a baby-sitter.”

“I disagree, luv.”

“Disagree all you want to! This is my life, Spike. I can take care of
myself.”

“Why are you wearing those pants, Buffy?”

“What?”

“You heard me.”

“I have a right to wear whatever I want.”

“Buffy, what did he do?”

Buffy leveled her gaze to his, giving Spike an icy look. “I can take care of
myself.”

“Damn it, Buffy!” he yelled, jumping off the couch. “Someone’s got to put
that ponce in his place. Now what did he do to you?”

“I gave as good as I got. I don’t need to be pampered and overprotected.”

“What about Caitlyn?” he asked angrily, gesturing up to the next floor.
“What happens when he’s had enough of you and decides to finish you off and
take her with him?” Softening his voice, Spike sat down next to her and
took her hand in his, “Buffy, I just met you, and already, I can’t bear the
thought of losing you or her. Let me do this for you, please.”

“What do you want to do?” she asked in a resigned voice.





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