Buffy Summers looked out at the vast spread before her, fifty acres of cows, horses, and none of her friends. Being stuck in Texas on your summer break was nothing to look forward too, especially when the house you are staying at is your grandparents. Buffy was the type of girl to shop till you drop, drive in her daddy's new BMW, and just party till the early hours of the morning. The last item is what got her in trouble in the first place and now here she was...stuck for the summer with her grandparents. No Riley, no Cordelia, and no Angel, her hearts desire. Just her aging grandparents, grandparents that believe hard work is what she needs. Mucking out stalls all day, giving the horses their workout, learning to cook, cleaning the house from top to bottom, and being at her grandparents every whim.

When she first had gotten out of her grandpa's aging pickup, a rusty white Chevy, she thought this might be a not too bad summer, but then her grandpa had told her how things were going to be and she knew she entered hell. Who goes to bed at 8 pm anyway? No cellphone was allowed, and she even had to leave her laptop at home too. The biggest rule was no speaking to any of the ranch hands...especially the boys. What did her grandpa think? She was going to become pregnant by one of them? Sure Buffy let people think she was experienced, but she was still the innocent virgin...well virgin none the less. She might have gone to third base with Angel right before she left, but she had been planning on waiting at least a couple weeks before losing her virginity. So much for that. Her parents had walked in on her and Angel in her bedroom doing some heavy petting after she was out all night the previous night at Cordelia's party, and the next thing she knew, she was being sent to Angus and Regina Summers. No wonder her dad moved away from them. She would have in a heartbeat.

Here she was now, only two hours into hell and 58 days, 12 hours, 14 minutes, and 32 seconds till freedom. So far none of the ranch hands would talk to her...well the cute ones that is. The foreman of the place, David Shows, did come up to her when she first arrived. He was a man in his fifties and never married. Who would anyway? He was a plump short looking man, whose clothes had seen better days and lets not get into his boots. eww. David had basically told her to not even look at the men because he didn't need any distracted cowboys. Like she would look at anyone older than 30. She was only 17 and 30 was ancient to her.

Buffy had of course looked over the cowboys when she arrived and only one looked like he was even remotely attractive. He was the newest of the bunch, a college boy in the english major. She didn't know his name yet. Grandma wouldn't tell her afraid her granddaughter was up to no good. So instead Buffy just pretended to go back to her dusting and quietly watched him out the window. She could tell he was a blond like her since he took off his cowboy hat and dusted it off on his jeans. Now that Buffy thought about it, he sure could fill that pair of jeans in.

Knowing some one was watching him, William Pratt, otherwise known as Spike to all the guys around here, looked up and rested on the most beautiful girl he had seen in awhile, Her blond hair hit the sunlight and made her look like an angel. When he smiled at her, she smiled back and all of a sudden she was gone. It looked like Mrs. Summers took away the girl. He was still staring up into the window when David walked by and hit him on the head. "Get going!" he heard. Later, Spike promised. He was going to find out who she is.

Buffy had been looking out the window at the blond english major cowboy when her grandma spotted her looking and not dusting. It took about an hour for the lecture to be over about cowboys and innocent little girls. Who was she calling little anyway? She was almost an adult. Just 5 more months till the big 18. Buffy decided tonight when her grandparents were sleeping, she would escape and find her cowboy. She knew all the cowboys slept in the bunkhouse..well the ones that didn't have families. And since he was a college boy, she didn't think he had one. At least she hoped not.

When her grandpa had come in for dinner that night she overheard her grandparents talking about the new guy "Spike" and how he might not work out since I already had my eye on him. How could they tell that? It was a smile, not a come wither look. At least Buffy knew his name now. Spike. What a funny name. 8 cannot come fast enough. When the door to the back door opened after Buffy was doing dinner dishes, there he was talking to her grandpa about some kind of cow or something. When he turned to walk out, he spotted her and mouthed creek with a sexy little smirk. She quickly looked at her grandparents to see if they noticed, but thank god they were talking about moving the cows.Maybe this summer won't be that bad after all.

When eight rolled by, sure enough she was sent to bed like a good little girl and expected to stay there till morning. Her grandparents didn't know her enough to know she would just go out the window. When nine came and went she wondered if her grandparents would ever go to bed. Thank god at ten, the house was quiet. Still dressed in her gucci top and pink skirt, she climbed down the ladder that was conveniently outside her window. She walked toward where she thought the creek was and came to face with the most gorgeous blue eyes she had ever seen.

"Hi." "Hi."

Oh yes, this was going to be the best summer.


Should I continue with this? Let me know what you think.

Chapter One

""Took you long enough. I was about to give up on you."

"Did you put the ladder in front of my window?" Buffy questioned, raising her own eyebrow at him. Spike smirked the hottest look Buffy had ever seen. "How else would you get past your grandparents and meet up with me?"

"Names Spike." "Buffy"

Shaking hands, both felt electricity pass through them. Spike thought Buffy looked like a princess with her clothing, definitely not a cowgirl. She came out in high heels. Who does that? Even though the clothing told him rich girl, he was still fascinated by her. Even with her little pink skirt, pink high heels, and the shortest and tightest black top, he was still wanting some of her. The college women he hung around with were nothing like her. They all wanted to talk about saving the fish or something odd, except for Cecily. Sure he was an english major, but that didn't mean he was stuffy. He liked poetry, simple as that, and also Cecily went there,

Cecily was a girl he knew back in England, the hottest thing in Notting Hill. He started to go out with her in the 11th grade and when they graduated she had told him she was going to go to America to school. So here he was. And now here he was working on a ranch just so he could afford to go to college with Cecily. Which reminded him, he hadn't heard from her in 2 weeks. She had decided to go to a friends house in Dallas for the summer.

"I brought us a blanket to sit on while we sit by the creek." "A superman blanket?" Buffy wanted to laugh so hard, but he looked too cute looking all sheepish. "I was hoping it would get darker so you wouldn't see that." Finally Buffy couldn't contain her laughter and it came out in little giggles. Spike sat there and smirked at her. She could see the playfulness in his eyes and went toward her with the intent to dunk her in the creek. She could tell what was on his mind and ran behind the big willow tree next to the creek. She screamed "Spike" when he snuck up on her and lifted her in the air, ready to drop her.

"Who is there? Buffy is that you?" David was shouting. He came out of the fields and spotted both of them. He didn't even look surprised to see them out there together. "Your grandma went to check on you and noticed you were gone. She is having a fit and your grandpa was about to come out here in his underwear to look for you. You better get back." Spike put Buffy down on the ground and whispered, "another night." Buffy smiled and walked back to the house.

"Damn it Spike. Didn't I tell you to stay away from her." not as harshly as Spike expected. "What can I say, I love beautiful women." smirking as he walked away. "David whispered into the air, "Don't we all, but why is it always a Summers girl."

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"Where the hell have you been, missy?" Grandpa looked like he was a red tomato and like he was going to blow.

"I went out swimming, didn't think anyone would mind." Buffy tried her best to look like she was telling the truth. Grandma must not have believed her because she put her hand to her heart, like a sin was being committed just by being near the creek. "Cowboys lurk everywhere. They are no good except to work. Don't want anymore near my kin. You got that and if you think for once I didn't miss that interlude between you and that cowboy then you don't know Angus Summers." She didn't think she has ever seen her grandpa shaking his finger at her. He wasn't dumb either. She had thought Spike and her were safe, but apparently not. And what was this about cowboys and his kin anyway? Maybe it was best to ask grandma in the morning when she calmed down.

"Get on up to bed. You will be woken up at 4;30 to begin chores so that gives you 5 hrs of sleep." Her grandparents sure meant business. She started for the stairs when her grandpa stopped her again. "I took away the ladder as well. Good Night." Buffy grumbled under her breath what a horrible family she had as she walked up the stairs to her room.

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When David came back to the bunkhouse, Spike was already sleeping with just a sheet so he took the spiderman blanket and laid it down on him. David chuckled as he walked away. Just as he was about to leave the bunkhouse and walk back to his house, which was the small guest house on the spread, when Angus walked in. "So did any of the cowboys leave the bunk tonight?" Angus asked. "Not a one." Angus then had a smile come over his face. "Good."

When both men walked out the door, neither saw Spike's smile take over his face and his eyes opened listening to the whole thing.

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At exactly 4:30 am, Buffy knew Hell had officially began, yesterday was nothing compared to what they were doing to her today. She was expected to throw on descent clothes and come to breakfast, When she came down wearing her favorite black dress, her grandma marched her up stairs and gave her the baggiest shirt she had ever seen and jeans that were way to big to her. A belt was needed just to keep the pants on. Then her grandma took her dress downstairs and threw it in the fire place. She had wanted to cry, but she wasn't going to show them how much they were affecting her. Since she spent an extra 10 minutes getting dressed, then they gave her 10 minutes less to eat and no warming up the food. She was expected to eat it cold,lumpy, plain oatmeal.

After the horrible breakfast then she was expected to go see Juan about learning how to collect chicken eggs. Juan couldn't even speak english. He just pointed on what to do and if she didn't understand, then he grabbed her hand and forcefully showed her how to do it. She had managed to get chicken poop on her clothes and was expected to wear it all day. "We don't change our clothes 20 times a day just because of some dirt." Grandma had said. Some Dirt?!? It was shit.

After the egg collecting then she was expected to help her grandma do the breakfast dishes. That wasn't so bad unless you count how many dishes there were. Plates, cups, bowls, silverware for 10 cowboys plus her grandparents and her. She will definitely have dish pan hands after this. At least today her grandma was washing and gave Buffy the job of drying.

Now that Buffy thought about it, Spike had ignored her all through breakfast. Take it, she was in between her grandparents, but he could have at least tried smiling or playing footsie, something to tell her she was liked.

"Buffy? Buffy? "Buffy, that dish is clean!" Apparently grandma had been trying to get her attention for awhile because she looked quite peeved. " Sorry." Buffy put the cup away and grabbed the next one, hoping to be done soon so she could sneek away to see Spike and make sure everything was ok with them.

Chapter Two

At 2:30 pm, Buffy was again doing the dishes, only this time she was stuck washing them. She still hadn't had time to talk to Spike since her grandma kept an eye on her all day. She had tried to bring up why grandpa didn't want any cowboys near any of the family, but her grandma refused to answer saying it was "none of your business.'" Buffy hated putting her newly manicured hands in the dirty water. She had already chipped two nails and her hands felt like prunes.

As Buffy was looking out the window, washing the sticky and gooey pan used during lunch, Spike walked by the kitchen window with another ranch hand Buffy had yet to meet. Well technically more like being put to work and this guy looked like he was 250 pounds solid and worked out in the fields, Spike had just kept on walking by without a glance in her direction even with the quick knock on the window since her grandma had gone to the bathroom. Tears were slowly going down her face, and Buffywiped them away not wanting her grandma to see them or Spike.

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"Hey Spike. That girl is trying to get your attention." Brutas said.

He was Spike's best mate here on the ranch. He was the first guy to help him when he looked around amazed at what was expected on the ranch. He even helped him dress in his new duds. Of course, sometimes he thought he looked like an ass without his black tight shirts and black jeans. Plus here he had to cover up his bleached hair and he didn't even slick it back like he did when he was around Cecily and Drucilla. Drucilla was a mate of both of theirs that came out here for the summer. She was trying to decide if she should move here, so Cecily decided to take Dru with her while she visited someone named Liam. While Spike needed a job, he wasn't able to spend the summer with them in Dallas. Maybe during some days off he could drive there and see them.

"Ignore her. Angus is watching us from the barn." When Brutas looked sure enough there he was giving both men the evil eye and watching them. Spike tipped his hat in welcome and walked past the barn. "He was never like that until that girl came." Brutas said.

:That girl is Buffy, their granddaughter. I met her yesterday and almost got caught if it wasn't for David."

"Caught doing what?" Brutas was trying not to smile as he looked at Spike asking the question. Spike just looked at him and smirked.

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While Buffy was still distraught over Spike not responding, the phone rang. Her grandma went to the phone and answered, "Summers Ranch, how can I help you?"

"Can I speak with Buffy please?"

"And may I ask who is calling?"

"Angel"

"i am sorry, but she is not aloud to speak with you. You caused enough problems. Go find someone else. Good Day." and she hung up. Buffy looked at her grandma wanting to know who had called. She could tell that whoever it was wanted to talk to her.

"Who was that?" Buffy asked.

"Someone who won't be bothering you any more."

"Who grandma?" Buffy was pleading.

"Someone named Angel." Her grandma said like it was nothing. Buffy was crushed. She just lost two guys in one day thanks to her grandparents. Buffy had enough and huffed as she walked out of the room and up the stairs, slamming her bedroom door shut. Tears now streaming her eyes, she cried into her pillow. She needed to get out of hell, now.

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"Buffy, phone for you?" Grandma screamed up the stairs.

She had let her granddaughter cry. Sure she did the right thing by letting that man go away, but she still felt sorry for her granddaughter. After all, heartbreak is still painful. She remembered when basically this same thing had happened to her daughter Susan. Susan was 16 when she fell in love with one of the ranch hands and she remembered how Angus had dealt with it. Susan was sent away to boarding school in Switzerland. Susan never came home. Nobody knew where she was now and now the same thing was happening with her grandaughter.

Buffy came down the stairs looking red eyed, like she just had a good cry. Buffy grabbed the phone from her grandmother. "Hello?"

"Hi baby. How is my girl going?" Joyce Summers asked.

"Oh, mommy," Buffy started crying again. "I wanna come home. I can't handle this. I never sleep. I am sorry for whatever I did." Buffy rambled into the phone.

"You know your father. He said it is good for you to be there and there is no stopping him when he thinks it is the right choice." Joyce was one of those women who pleased their man. She was always perfectly dressed, not a hair out of place, especially when she went with Hank to his parties. Hank was a very respected lawyer in Los Angeles. It seemed like everyone bowed down to him. Especially Joyce.

Her grandma took the phone away from Buffy as she stated sobbing into the phone. "Go relax hunny. No need to tell Angus about this." Buffy slightly smiled at her grandma as she started up the stairs again.

"Joyce, We have to do something before Angus turns Buffy into another Hank." Regina told Joyce.

"What did you have in mind? I don't like hearing my baby girl in so much pain?"

"Well there was an Angel that called earlier and wanted to talk to Buffy. Maybe we can invite him out here so she has someone her age here."

"Anything but him. He caused my baby to do things she would never do."

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Later that day, Angus walked into the house to see how things were going and found Regina all by herself. "Where is Buffy?" He seemed mad that Regina was giving her time off already.

"She needs time alone. Some guy named Angel called and got upset that I told him to go away." Regina was showing signs of weakness and Angus didn't like it.

"Buffy Anne Summers! Get your ass down here now!" Angus roared. Buffy could be heard running down the stairs, eyes still red and puffy from crying. "Start helping your grandmother cook dinner. I don't like seeing babies who can't take a ligttle work and disappointment. Life is full of disappointment. Get used to it." His hand raised and hit Buffy on the cheek. A hand print was visible on her cheek, as she tried her best not to cry.

Regina tried to go to the freezer to get her an ice pack, but Angus stopped her, twisting her arm. Regina screamed in pain.

"Grandpa stop it, you are hurting grandma." Angus quickly stopped and looked at the damage he had caused. The next thing Buffy heard was the door slam and her grandma crying.

"Don't cry grandma. Its alright, Let me get us some ice packs," Opening the freezer, Buffy took out two packages of pees and gave one to her grandmother to put on her wrist. The other she put on her cheek.

"I am so sorry Buffy that you had to witness your grandfather doing that. He has been like that ever since Susan was caught with Da..." Her grandma shut her mouth quickly, not finishing her sentence.

" So Aunt Susan and David?" Buffy asked. Now this was starting to make sense.

Chapter Three

Spike had been busy moving the cows out of the east pasture all day and had no time to explain to Buffy on why he snubbed her. He couldn't afford to lose this job and not see Cecily again. Being here near Buffy was like having Cecily with him, well except having the romantic part. He wanted to become good friends with Summers and hoped she knew that. Why else would a 17 year old be wanting to spend time with him?

"Spike, I need your attention over here. The cows have a mind of their own today." David said.

"Sorry." bringing his thoughts back to business. He could find Buffy later, now was time to get to work.

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"Buffy, please don't tell anyone about this. Your grandfather hasn't been the same since Susan left." She seemed to let the words sit there, not confirming what Buffy had said earlier.

"Why not? Grandpa needs help. I mean he hit me." pointing to her still red welted face,

"You can't tell me your father has never hit you or your mother." Buffy looked down guiltily.

"He usually just hits mom when she doesn't listen to him or she talks back. I have learned to shut up around him and disappear."

"So that is why you started this partying last year because you didn't want to be near the violence." Her grandma looked like a light bulb went off in her head. "I need to ask you something. Are you sexually active?"

Buffy turned beat red before saying, "No Grandma. I swear." Thank god her grandma nodded her head and turned away to continue dinner like nothing ever happened. Buffy decided she better help before her grandpa came back in and started yelling some more. If he was anything like her father than he will come back in here and act like nothing ever happened.

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After cooking the roast, potatoes, and homemade rolls, Buffy was told to ring the dinner bell. "Make sure you yell it to or your grandpa might start in again."

Buffy nodded her head and walked to the front porch where the god awful bell hung. It was a rusty old thing that probably had been around awhile. Buffy picked up the metal stick and rang the bell. "Dinner!" she made sure to yell it so her grandpa could hear her behind the barns. At least that is where he was an hour ago when David had come inside to get papers out of her grandpa's office. He didn't even seem to care when he saw her imprinted cheek or her grandma's iced arm and yet again he probably witnesses it all the time, especially if he was involved with Susan.

Buffy went back into the house waiting for the house to become filled with the cowboys of the ranch. She had only actually met three, and her grandfather made nothing to change that, She wasn't even have supposed to have met Spike and since Spike was still working here, she didn't think her grandpa knew.

David and her grandpa were the first to walk in to the kitchen. Buffy's face quickly changed from happy to a face hiding fear. It seems David noticed the change and looked Buffy over. When Buffy met his eyes, he showed sadness in his eyes and his smile didn't quite shine the way it did before. He pointed to her cheek and silently asked if she was okay. Buffy smiled weekly. So maybe David did care. Maybe he was just so used to seeing her grandparents fight that he became immune until he saw the look in her eyes. She still needed to talk to him about Aunt Susan. Maybe he knew where she was and hopefully her aunt could help her get out of this family, like she did.

"Start serving Buffy." her grandpa snapped to get her out of her daydream. Buffy just jumped from being startled, but quickly went to get her grandfather some food before he did anything in front of anyone.

----------------------------

When Spike walked into the house, he noticed everyone was in sour moods including Angus. What had happened while he and Brutas were checking fence? He figured it out as soon as Buffy brought him his dinner. Her face contained a palm print of what looked like a large man, a man the size of her grandpa. Spike was getting angry, Was this why everyone was mad? Because this time he took his anger out on his granddaughter, a granddaughter who was doing everything he asked. Spike looked around the room to where Regina Summers sat. Her right arm seemed to be bruised where it wasn't before. Why couldn't someone teach Angus a lesson that involves not hitting women.

"What are looking around for boy?" Mr. Summers seemed to now directing his anger at Spike. Spike just smiled and said, "salt." With that Mr. Summers nodded and went back to his food. A salt shaker appeared to the right of him. He looked up and met her gorgeous green eyes, except this time they were dull. He smiled at her, but she refused to smile back. Something was definitely going on in this house when nobody else was around.

---------------------------------

Spike seemed to be eating slow tonight, but Regina didn't seem to mind. Once her husband had left to go back outside with David, the rest of the table was able to breath again. The men even took their plates to get second and third helping and took the plates to the sink. No body had bothered Buffy or herself for anything. It was like they knew that Buffy and herself needed sometime to themselves and eat their meal in peace.

Buffy had begun doing the dishes as soon as she was finished eating, which wasn't much, not even a quarter of her food. Her granddaughter sure did look pale after her encounter with her grandfather. Regina watched Spike pick up his plate and bring it to the sink. He whispered something to Buffy and left. She watched as Buffy got a smile to her face before it disappeared again when Angus had walked by the window. Regina thought, 'Maybe Spike will be good for Buffy while she is in this hell I live everyday.'

"Buffy?" Her grandma asked. Buffy turned around and looked at her grandma. "I will let you go meet him tonight for an hour as long as it stays platonic. Please be back her by 11 or your grandpa will have both of our heads." Buffy smiled shyly then ran to her grandma giving her a big hug. "Thank you so much."

"What are grandma's for" Regina returned the smile to her granddaughter. "Now lets finish these dishes so tonight can come faster for you."

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At exactly 10 pm her grandma stuck her head into the room. "Buffy your grandpa is asleep. Remember one hour." She reminded.

"Thank you so much." Buffy said as she slowly walked down the stairs and out the door, making sure to take a light jacket. She was so busy concentrating on not getting caught, she didn't even notice a strange black car parked out by the bunks. She just kept walking to the creek until she heard voices. Quietly approaching, she looked between two trees and saw spike, her spike, with two other women. One had dark hair and one was a blond. When she tried to get closer, a branch broke and cracked, letting the group by the creek alerting them.

"Who's there?" Spike asked. Buffy came out of the shadows trying not to show how crushed she was. "Buffy." Spike sighed in relief. "Buffy I would like you to meet my girlfriend Cecily and good friend Drucilla." When Buffy heard the word girlfriend, there was no stopping the tears. She turned and ran back to the house, not even hearing Spike yell her name.

Chapter Four

When Buffy awoke the next morning, she looked at her alarm clock. "Damn, its 7! I am going to be in so much trouble from grandpa." Buffy quickly dressed in Levis jeans and a UCSD t-shirt. The shirt could have been used as pajamas since it hung down past her knees, She decided to tuck the shirt in to at least look somewhat presentable. When Buffy walked down the stairs, she realized it was quiet. She searched the whole house and found no one, Then she looked outside and saw her grandma walking back to the house with a basket of eggs.

"Hi, Buffy. How did things go last night?" Her grandma looked at her knowing something was wrong. Her granddaughter didn't look so good. She looked like she had a good cry last night. She thought she had heard her crying, but didn't want to alert Angus.

"I''m fine. Why was I allowed to sleep in?" Buffy looked around out the window looking for her grandpa. She saw him in the far away pasture with Spike. Buffy's anger surfaced again. "UGH!"

Ignoring her granddaughter's ugh she said, "I told your grandpa that you were not feeling too well so he let you sleep in just so you can help tonight with the branding." "Yuck! I am so not hurting cows or horses." Buffy looked horrified at hurting animals. Grandma, I don't think I can do that?"

"You better little girl!" Her Grandpa had walked in the door and had heard her whining about branding, "Now that you are up and feeling better, go see Spike and he will help you with your riding skills."

Buffy wasn't too happy about having Spike teach her, but she didn't want to alarm her grandpa about Spike and she didn't feel like getting a beating either,

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"Spike." Buffy whispered when she walked into the horse barn looking at Spike rubbing down the black horse named Midnight. Spike turned around with a huge smile on his face. "Buffy. Thank god. I wanted to talk to you since you ran last night." "Shut up" Buffy screamed. Spike looked at her stunned. " I don't understand. I thought we were friends or at least trying to be. Then When my girlfriend showed up, you turned into a bitch."

'A bitch?!?" Buffy screamed. "You haven't seen me as a bitch yet." Buffy was trying to hold her tears in. "And friends? I wouldn't be friends with you if you were the last man on the planet." The barn became silent. "Just teach me to ride and then you can stay away from me after this." Buffy said tiredly.

"fine!" Spike said as he threw a brush at her and told her to rub down the white horse named Alfonso.

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"Put your feet in the damn stirrups." Spike yelled again for what seemed like the 10th time. "I am doing just fine the way I am. Thank You very much." Buffy snipped back.

"Why do I even bother with you." Spike rode off leaving Buffy in a cloud of dirt. "Hey! How do I get off this thing?" Buffy screamed back at him. He just kept riding off. "Fine then! I will do it myself!" Buffy tried tp get off the horse, but forget to put her feel in the stirrups causing her to fall flat on her ass in the muddy dirt. "I am so gonna kill him."

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When Buffy walked into the house, she was dragging mud inside as it dripped off her boots and shirt. "Buffy what on earth happened to you?" Her grandma looked astonished at the mess her granddaughter was in. "Go upstairs and change before you get more mud everywhere."

Regina Summers just chuckled after her granddaughter went upstairs. Spike and her granddaughter sure had the same spitfire attitude toward each other as Susan and David. Just thinking about Susan made her sad. Her daughter disappeared when she was 18 and never heard from again. Susan would be 35, probably have a husband and family who knew nothing about their grandparents. Not that she didn't blame her daughter for Angus's behavior. Regina was not going to have the same thing happen to her granddaughter.

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When Buffy came downstairs, Regina was mopping the floor to get rid of the mud her granddaughter brought in. "Let me help grandma. Its my mess."

"You never did tell me why you got muddy?" Regina said with an eyebrow lifted, giving Buffy her curious look.

'Spike and I were fighting and he took off without telling me how to get down so I tried to jump and landed on my butt in the mud by the troff." Regina then laughed deeply. 'Its not funny grandma." Buffy looked embarrassed yet mad at the same time,

"You know your grandpa still expects you to help him brand today and if you can't help gather the cows on horseback how do you expect to help?" "I don't know, I will think of something." Her grandma still chuckled as she started mopping again.

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"Buffy!" Angus yelled inside the house. "Get down here and get ready to start branding."

Buffy came down the stairs, dirty from dusting Susan's old room. The room had at least 6 inches of dust on everything and had not been touched till this day. Her grandma thought it would be a good idea to finally clean the room as a spiritual thing asking for forgiveness thinking maybe Susan would finally home.

"Hurry it up. We are losing daylight here." Angus went outside to the horse barn and got his horse ready. He had the biggest horse on the ranch. His name was Stallion since the horse thought himself as one. As Buffy was coming out, she noticed Alfonso was waiting for her. Someone must have saddled him up already for her. When she walked over to the horse she kept chanting, "Do not fall off. Do not fall off."

She walked up to the horse she remembered Spike's words about using the stirrups. One foot in and the other goes over. " I did it!" Buffy shouted.

"Good to see that NOW you listen." Spike said as he put the horse into a trollop. "Come on Princess." Spike yelled.

Buffy was getting furious. " I will show him a princess." Buffy then kicked the horse a little too hard which sent the horse running with Buffy screaming "Stop you damn horse."

Spike and Angus just laughed until Buffy was thrown from the horse. Angus rode over to her and saw her bleeding and not moving, "Spike, go get help!"

Spike tore off to get back to the house.

Chapter Five

"Call 911, Mrs. Summers!" Spike was shouting all the way from the pastures to the house. Regina ran out of the house in a state of despair. "Who's hurt? Spike, answer me!" Regina was now running to Spike, screaming at the top of her lungs. "Buffy!" was all he could get out before tears were rolling down his face, sobbing uncontrollably. " Oh My God!" Regina started for the house again. As she was running toward the house, she saw David coming out of the cow barn.

"David, Buffy is hurt! Go help Angus. Spike will show you where to go." David came running. When he reached Spike, he asked, "What happened?" "Fell" was all he could make out before he had Spike show him where Angus and Buffy were.

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"911 emergency. What is your emergency?"

"My granddaughter is hurt. She needs medical assistance."

"What happened, ma'am?"

"I don't know. All I was told is that Buffy was hurt and needed help."

"And Buffy is your granddaughter?"

"Who else would she be? I did say my granddaughter needed help!" Regina's voice was starting to raise.

"Calm down ma'am. What is your address?"

"Summers Ranch off of Highway 12, just north of Dallas."

"Help is on the way."

"It's about time!"

------------------------

Angus was sitting next to Buffy on the ground, careful as not to move her. She seemed to be bleeding from the back of the head and Angus knew more damage could be down if moved.

"Oh Buffy, What have I done?" A single tear rolled off of his cheek. In the distance, he could here David yelling for him and the sound of a horse. Which could only mean that Spike brought back David.

"i am here, David." Angus wiped the tear away so no one would see it. David was out of breath by the time he made it to Angus and Buffy. "Is help on the way?" "Regina was calling." David said. Angus nodded, never taking is eyes away from his granddaughter. Spike hung back, still tears running down his face.

-----------------------

It took 30 minutes for the ambulance to arrive on the ranch and another 30 minutes for Buffy to be transported to Dallas General. She still hadn't woken up and was lying lifeless on the hospital bed. Joyce was on her way down from Los Angeles. Her flight due in an hour. Hank decided to be kept informed through his wife. He was due in court today for a very high society case and wasn't going to give that up even if his daughter was in the hospital.

"That damn boy of mine should be here, watching over his daughter. Not in L.A. for some damn case." Angus grumbled, his eyes teary eyed over his unconscious granddaughter. So far the doctors were doing tests upon tests to see what injuries she sustained. All the doctors would tell them is that she would wake up when her body heals.

"He is just like his father." Regina smiled, knowingly. Angus smiled too. "I may be a workaholic, but I do know when family is important."

------------------------

"Any news yet?" Spike asked David once he hung up the phone from Angus.

"Not yet. She is still unconscious, but the good news is she has stabilized from when she left here. They also stitched up her head. So now more bleeding. She just has a big bump on the back of her head and looks like she is sleeping peacefully." David replied. Spike nodded, still looking like he hasn't slept in days, eyes puffy and red.

"Why don't you go get some sleep and I will let you know any more news." Spike nodded and walked away.

'Poor Spike. He's got it bad and doesn't even realize it.' David thought.

--------------------------

"How's my baby?" Joyce asked running into the room.

"Hello Joyce." Angus stood up and gave his daughter-in-law a hug. Joyce stood motionless, not sure on what to do. "Hello Angus. Good to see you." Angus smiled.

"Joyce. Good to see you." Regina said, hugging her daughter-in-law. This time Joyce returned the hug.

"Has she regained consciousness yet?" Joyce asked, while walking over to her daughter and kissing her bandaged head. "Nothing."

Angus stood up and said, "I am going to let you girls talk for awhile while I go get a cup of coffee." and he walked out.

Joyce looked at Angus wide eyed. "Did he just change like this overnight?" Regina smiled at Joyce and said, "Just happened ever since Buffy's injury. He was scared to death."

---------------------

"Hey Spike. I am on my way to the hospital to pick up Angus. Do you want to come with." David asked, knowing Spike desperately wanted to see Buffy.

"You bet I do." Spike jumped at the chance. Buckling his seat belt, Spike looked better than he had in hours. He was finally going to be able to see how Buffy was himself and have a chance to say he was sorry.

-------------------

"I think I am going to stay with Regina, if you don't mind." Spike said as he got out of the car. "I wasn't expecting anything different." David said.

On his way inside the door of Buffy's room, he tried to regain composure. Taking deep breaths, he walked into the room and greeted Regina and Buffy's mother, Joyce.

"Can I have a few moments alone with Buffy?" Spike asked. Both knowing that he desperately needed to, they nodded and stood up and walked out. Before Regina walked out, she stopped to give him a hug and whisper, "She will forgive you for what ever happened between you two. How could she not, she loves you." She winked as she closed the door.

Spike sat on the side of the bed, holding Buffy's hand. "I am so sorry Buffy. Come back to us. Come back to me." Spike kissed her hand, tears rolling down his face and onto her hand.

"Spike?" Buffy asked.

She was awake.

Chapter Six

"Spike, Is that you?"

"Sure is luv. You scared me for a moment." Spike's face lit into a blinding smile, but Buffy wasn't even looking at him. Her face was still in the same position it had always been. Spike's smile diminished. "What's the matter, Buffy?"

"Spike, I can't see anything." Buffy started sobbing.

"Nurse!" Spike roared.

Joyce, Angus, and Regina both ran into the room in a frenzy, white as ghosts after hearing the yelling from outside the room door. "What is wrong, boy?" Angus yelled. "This is a hospital meaning no yelling."

"Angus dear, practice what you preach."

While Angus and Regina were going at it, Joyce had walked over to her daughter and saw her crying. "Buffy?"

"Mommy?" Joyce wrapped up her daughter in the biggest hug of her life. "You're ok?! oh thank god." Joyce was rocking her daughter back and forth in a comforting way.

"Buffy's awake. Well why didn't you say so boy?" Angus tried his hardest to whisper at that remark, but his overpowering voice won out which earned him a smack from Regina.

"Grandpa? Grandma?" Buffy was surprised that Angus had left his ranch and let Spike near her. 'Hopefully this will change him for the better.' Buffy thought. Buffy wiped her tears away from her face and was concentrating really hard to get her eyes to work, but nothing. She couldn't tell where they were. Buffy started sobbing again.

"Buffy dear, what is wrong?" That was definitely her grandma's voice and touch on the hand.

"I can't see anything!" Buffy sobbed outloud, cuddling into her mother once more.

"Nurse!" Angus yelled just like Spike.

--------------------------------

"After tests upon tests to see all the damage Buffy sustained during the fall, all it looked like was her eyesight was damaged. It was yet to be determined when and if her eyesight would come back. And if it did come back, would she need glasses to see?" Dr. Ramon told the family in the family waiting room. Dr. Ramon was of Spanish decent. Six feet of muscled spanish decent. He had a handlebar mustache and a light beard growing in. He must be in his forties. Joyce thought.

"So what you are saying is that my granddaughter may be blind for life." Angus was not a very emotional man, but when something bothered him, the emotions got the best of him. Angus tried wiping away the tears that fell down his cheek, but there was no stopping them, They kept on falling. "This is all my fault. If I wasn't so hard on her then she never would have been on that horse and fell off." Regina walked over to her husband and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder, causing him to look up at her.

Joyce made sure to call Hank right away and let him know of the new circumstances, but he still didn't want to fly out and miss his case. "Damn, man!" Joyce slammed down the phone in the waiting room. "He still won't come out, will he?" Angus asked.

"Nope. He thinks everything is fine and I am exaggerating on her condition. How can I exaggerate on blind."

"I am sorry Joyce, He is only the product of me." Angus tried to smile lightly at Joyce. "At least you are here with her and concerned." Regina said as she patted his shoulder.

Angus stood up and started walking to the door. "Where are you going dear? Don't you want to hear more from Doctor Ramon?" Regina asked.

"I am going to relieve Spike from Buffy watch."

-----------------------------------

Spike and Buffy had been sitting in silence for a good fifteen minutes already. Both uncomfortable with the other after what had happened.

"I don't need a babysitter Spike. Go back to your girlfriend." Buffy whispered into the air.

"I told your family I would watch you and I keep my promises." Spike gritted through his teeth.

"I don't need a damn sitter. Leave me alone." Buffy said right back.

"Get off your high horse and let me help. It is because of me that you are here anyway." after moments of silence Buffy could swear she had heard "please" come from him.

"Fine. You can sit there and watch me. Not like I have to see you watch me anyway. With me being blind and all."

"Don't joke about this Buffy. I thought I had lost you. And I need to tell you this before anyone comes in and I lose my nerve." Spike sighed before continuing, "You are something special. I haven't even felt like this with Cecily. I would like to see what we can become."

"Like hell you will!" Angus roared coming fully into the room. Apparently he had been listening. "Get away from her!"

"Grandpa! please." Buffy tried to yell over her grandpa's voice which was kind of hard since she was still weak. After hearing Buffy's voice, Angus stopped yelling and walked over to her. "He isn't hurting you is he?" Angus gave Spike the 'I'm going to kill you look if you harm one hair on her body' look.

"Of couse not. He was just feeling guilty about me falling off the horse is all. You know how emotions get the best of you in danger." Buffy new there was more tension in the room since Angus had walked in and she wanted to defuse it before the rest of the family came in.

:If you say so, baby girl." He bent down and kissed his granddaughter on the forehead, something he hadn't done since Buffy was five. " And you" he said pointing to Spike, "Harm a hair on her head and see how mean I can get." Buffy tried to laugh at her grandpa at what he was saying, but was scared for Spike on the inside,

"So Spike. Friends right?" Buffy put her hand out and hoped Spike would play along and defuse this with Angus. "Of Course luv. Friends." He shook her hand and gently put it back to her side.

"More like it boy. Go ahead and take a break. I am here now." Spike just nodded and walked out. "You get some rest now. I am going to make a phone call while you sleep. Buffy shook her head ok and tried to drift off, but not before hearing the call

"Dammit Hank, Get you ass out here or I will disinherit you. Do you hear me?"

"Fine. I will be on the next plane out. " Hank said snidely before hanging up.

Chapter Seven

At exactly 7:37 am, Buffy knew she had officially entered hell. Sure she thought being being with her grandparents were hell, but that didn't compare to the hell she was in now that her father had arrived. She wanted to gag when Hank had walked in and hugged her pretending to care. If she could see, she would have walked out of that room and out of that hospital. So here she was, having her family around her in an awkward silence, nothing but the clock ticking to stop the full silence.

"Time now?" Buffy asked, hoping time would go faster.

"Still the same as when you asked before." Hank's voice boomed.

Buffy shrank from the voice hoping her father would just leave all together, but she knew that was never going to happen since his inheritance was on the line.

"Ugh, I can't stand this. I know everyone is just staring at me and this silence thing is killing me." Buffy felt a sting across her cheek. Someone just hit her across the face. The nerve of whoever it was.

"Hank! Don't hit that girl. She was been through enough." His mother scolded him.

"She needs to know not to talk that way to people." Her father said back, not even caring that his voice was raising to his own mother. "You better not be yelling at your own mother." Her grandfather gritted between his teeth. Buffy was enjoying enjoying every moment of this. It was about time someone put her father back in his place.

Finally she could here her father getting up from his chair and walking out of the room. "What am I going to do with that boy?" Angus groaned. Buffy felt her mother's touch now, rubbing her hand in calming circles on her head. No need to complain about her mother ruining her hair since she was sure it looked like crap anyway. "I better go see where he went. Be back in a little bit sweetie." Her grandpa kissed her forehead then she heard the door open and close.

"Mommy? Why can't father just go home?" Buffy asked in an almost childlike voice. Regina's heart was cracking just a little bit by seeing her granddaughter in so much pain. Maybe not physical pain, but emotional.

"Your father cares in his own way. Give him a chance, at least for me?" Joyce had asked her daughter.

"Why should I when he is only here so he doesn't lose any inheritance. I want him to go home. Please send him home. I don't want to be hit constantly while he is here. Please." Buffy was begging that Joyce couldn't say nothing but " I will try my best to get him to call down and go home. No promises though."

"Thanks mom."

-----------------------------------------------

"Hank Gerald Summers! Stop right now!" Angus roared in the hallways of the hospital not caring who heard. Hank turned around, looking at his old man. His hands became fists and his face bright red with anger. No body called Hank by his full name. He was more important than his old man and was not about to be treated like a little kid. When Angus had gotten a little closer, he started lecturing Hank. "Now you listen here. There will be no touching of my granddaughter. You sent her to me to take care of."

"And what a great job you are doing old man. Making my daughter blind. I sent her here for some discipline, like what you used to do to me when Susie left. I learned right from wrong." Hank yelled.

"I disagree. You don't know what is right from wrong. Like hitting your blind daughter in the head or working nonstop when your daughter is hurt."

The next thing Angus knew was Hank swung at him. Luckily Hank missed and hit the wall making a dent. Hank's knuckles bled. Angus shook his head in disgrace at what his son had become. "I don't even think you deserve to be in this family. I may have been hard on you when Susan left, but I know when family is first." Angus walked off to go back by his granddaughter, wife, and daughter-in-law leaving Hank.

"Damn it old man. You can't leave me bleeding like this with a damn hole in the wall." Hank yelled after Angus. Angus turned back around facing Hank one least time. "I can and I will."

The last thing Angus heard before he walked into the room again was "Security" over the loud speaker.

----------------------------------------

"Where is Hank?" Joyce asked causing Buffy to get anxious again. She did not want her dad to even come back in this room.

"He decided to go back to Los Angeles. Well he better have until he knows what is good for him." Angus spoke with sincerity, making Buffy settle back down.

"Thank You grandpa."

"Anything for my granddaughter." Angus said with a smile, before taking Buffy's right hand and holding it while she slept.

-------------------------------------

"You can't arrest me. I didn't do anything." Hank said causing an even bigger scene in the hospital when hospital security approached him.

The bigger and muscular officer of the two said, "You damaged hospital property and if I am not mistaken, I could swore I heard that you hit your blind daughter. Now come with me before I have to use force." Hank walked with them, meeting up with the sheriff of Dallas County, the same sheriff who had a problem against him for years.

"So we meet again, Hank. Lets go." Sheriff McColster said. Sheriff McColster wasn't buff by any means. He looked like he was now approaching his sixties with graying hair.

---------------------------------

Buffy slept through most of the afternoon. Joyce, Angus, and Regina had left to eat some lunch in the cafeteria and when they had come back in the room, there was a vase full of daffodils by the window sill. They all thought it was from Hank and when Buffy was told about them she had thought they were from Spike. When Regina finally had noticed the card, she read it and turned pale white.

"Regina. Are you ok?" Angus asked, concerned for his wife. She shook her head no and handing the card to Angus to read. There is said Get Well Soon. I hope to meet you soon. Love, Susan.

"Good God. Susan is here." Angus then turned white also. It looked like daughter was ok after all and back just in time to see the change in him.

Chapter Eight

"I don't want to do anymore tests! Please?" Buffy pleaded with one of her nurses. She could always tell when a new nurse was in her room. One of them stomped in the room, one sounded like they were on tip toes, and this one had a rhythm to her steps, like she calculated her steps every time.

"It's all right Buffy. All we need is just to do a CAT scan and you are done. I promise. We won't touch you anymore today. You can have the rest of the day to relax...well, as best as you can." She sounded sincere so Buffy decided she was telling the truth.

"Thank You." Buffy said, trying to smile at the nurse hoping she saw that Buffy was grateful.

"Here you go Susan. Your next patient, all ready for her CAT scan." the nurse said. She gave Buffy's hand a pat then footsteps could be heard walking away.

"OK, Buffy. All ready to hopefully find out why you can't see?" Technician Susan asked.

"I kinda do want my sight back."

---------------------------------

"All done, sweetie." Susan said, coming out of the second room.

"Thank God. That sure was noisy. I didn't want to lose my hearing as well."

"Think positive, Buffy. We don't know if your sight is gone forever." Buffy could tell she was smiling as she said it.

"We'll see. I guess." Buffy wasn't so sure about her sight returning. She wanted it back now.

"Come one sweetie.Lets take you up to your mother and grandparents."

"How did you know who was in my room?" Buffy was curious about this tech. How did she know so much about her?

"Well.....umm......I was in your room earlier. You were sleeping."

"Oh."

-----------------------------

"Did you hear anything yet on Buffy's situation?" Spike asked David as they were riding fence on the west side of the ranch.

"Nothing yet. You will be the first to know as soon as I hear from Angus."

"I can't believe they all spent the night in the hospital." Spike was amazed at what Angus was like when a family member needed him.

" Me too. I never thought I would see the day where Angus was brought to his knees. He has been evil since Susan left that I had gotten used to his demeanor."

----------------------------

"Let me out of here, Sheriff." Hank boomed inside his jail cell.

The sheriff could be heard laughing. "You need to be taught a lesson and I am the one who will do it." Sheriff McColster yelled so it was heard inside the jail. A few of the inmates there looked at Hank and laughed as well. If the Sheriff thought someone needed to be taught a lesson, the inmates now knew that the sheriff had a reason.

"Hey buddy. What did you do to make the sheriff mad?" The imate next to his cell asked.

"Just your trap and mind you own business." Hank snapped. The inmate smiled knowing it was his behavior that got him into trouble in the first place, along with his temper. "Sheriff, I want to call my wife, dammit."

"Not when it is asked like that you won't."

Hank grumbled, knowing he was going to be here for the night.

-----------------------------------

"Here we are. Your room." Susan whispered, She sounded nervous. When they were nearing her room when all of a sudden the bed was stopped.

"Oh shoot. My pager just went off. Excuse me, Janice. Can you put Buffy back in her room?"

"I didn't hear it go off." Buffy said. Her hearing seemed to be getting better and better, even better than before her accident.

"It was on vibrate dear." and with that Susan walked off.

"But I didn't even hear it vibrate." She whispered, hearing Susan walk off.

"Come on deary, lets get you to your room." Nurse Janice whispered. Janice had been Buffy's nurse last night, the one that stomped into the room.

"Are you my nurse tonight?" Buffy asked, hoping she wasn't. She wanted to sleep. Not listen to stomping every hour.

"Sorry deary. You have Nurse Jill." Buffy just Thanked God, Janice was the one who tippy toed.

------------------------------------

"Oh Good. Buffy's back." Angus said, giving Buffy a kiss on the cheek.

"Why is it good that I am back?" Buffy asked curiously. She wasn't to sure on her grandfather's new mood lately. He became good from his evil mood in seconds. She wasn't to sure it would last.

"It is nothing dear. I just need to go bail out your father from jail." Joyce said, giving her daughter a hug.

"What did he do?" Buffy groaned.

"Sheriff McColster called the room and said come and get the pain in the ass. He damaged hospital property."

"Mom, please make him go home. I can't have him keep damaging hospital property, especially since I am in it."

"Don't you worry dear. Your dad won't be back here." Joyce said, making her daughter believe her. Buffy knew that when Joyce made a promise, she kept it.

"Thank You mom." Buffy smiled.

---------------------------

"Where is my pain in the ass husband?" Joyce asked, after walking into the station.

Sheriff McColster pointed to in back just as "Damn it Sheriff! I want to call my wife,"

"How much to bail him out?" Joyce asked.

"He just has to pay for the wall he damaged at the hospital and a $500 fine."

Joyce wrote the check out and gave the Sheriff a note to deliver to Hank.

----------------------------

"You are free Hank. Lucky you."

"I am going to see that you are fired after this." Hank yelled, walking out of his cell.

"Not so fast. Here, from your wife."

Hank opened up the letter and read it.

Hank,

Leave and never come back. I want you out of the house when I get back to L.A.
And YOU better get anger management classes too.

Joyce

"Damn her! She will not do this to me!" Hank roared, as he walked ot of the jail. All that could be heard was the inmates laughing as well as Sheriff McColster.

Chapter Nine

"Hey Susan. You wanted information on the Summers girl? Can I ask why?" Buffy's nurse for the A.M. shift asked. Nurse Lanna had just met Buffy when she came in today picking up the shift. Buffy was a little quiet when she was in there checking on her, but that probably had to do with not being able to see now for three days. It also could have to do with the CAT scan results from yesterday. Her head had shown no injury to the brain or eye areas, so the doctors were stumped on why her eyesight had vanished. All they could tell the seventeen year old and her family was that it would come back when it was ready.

"If I tell you, you have to promise to keep it between us."

Not seeing where her friend was coming from, she agreed. Susan and her had been friends in their early nursing program days. Of course that was also when Susan was trying to raise her now thirty four year old son. Susan never did talk much about her family besides to say that she was shipped off to boarding school to finish school because of an incident. The incident being she became pregnant.

"Buffy is my niece. Those people in there are my family. Though, they are acting differently when I knew them." Susan said while thinking the last part of the statement aloud.

"Now way! Now that I think about it though, there is resemblance between you and Buffy."

'Thank goodness Buffy couldn't see me yesterday or she would have seen it also.' Susan thought, smiling as she thought of her seventeen year old niece.

"So, I think you need to tell me more about this family of yours. I am on break." Lanna laughed.

Susan smiled and continued telling her about how well she got along with her dad.

--------------------------------------------

"Flower delivery for a Miss Buffy Summers." a delivery guy from Flowerama came in with a dozen roses.

"I will take them." Joyce smiled at the pimple faced kid and walked over to Buffy with them. "Smell how wonderful they smell, sweetie." Both Joyce and Buffy smelt the roses as Angus was curious as to who they were from. Was this another delivery from Susan.

"Who are they from deary?" Regina asked for Angus. She could see he was just as curious as she was, if not more.

Joyce put the flowers by the others and took out the card. Opening it she smiled. "They are from the ranch hands. Everyone has even signed it for you. Wasn't that sweet?"

"I am going to have a talk with those boys when I get back. I said no flirting with my granddaughter and I mean it." Angus barked, not really meaning it. Buffy could tell he didn't either. 'I think I am going to get something to eat in the cafeteria. Regina would you like to join me?" Angus held out his arm for his wife to join. "I certainly would."

When they were out of the room, Joyce took out the card again form the flowers and smiled over it. There is read:

Luv,

Sorry about everything. Get Well Soon.

Love,
Spike

P.S. The ranch hands say Get Well too.

It looks like Buffy might be over Angel after all. Now she needed to meet this Spike.

---------------------------------------

"I will show that bitch not to mess with Hank Summers!" He said while walking into the hospital. He kept an eye out just incase security stopped him. He felt his coat pocket and there he could feel his pistol. Joyce was going to be sorry she ever messed with him, but for her it will be too late. Hank snickered, almost devil like. Once he was in the elevator, he made the mistake of taking the gun out in front of the security camera and kissing it for good luck. Heck, Hank new he didn't even need the luck.

"Security. Code Green" The loud speaker came through.

'What the hell is a code green?" Hank thought. Just before he hit his daughter's floor, he put away his gun. 'Can't be discovered with that?'

Hank was pretending to be 'normal' when out of the corner of his eye, he spotted the security cameras.

"Damn!" He prayed as the door was starting to open, that the security call wasn't for him. Boy was he wrong. There waiting for him was Sheriff McColster again.

"Boy Hank! Can you get any dumber?" He laughed as handcuffs was being placed on Hank. "You won't be making bail this time."

----------------------------------------

Regina and Angus were walking back from the cafeteria when out of the corner of both of their eyes, they spotted a more mature Susan.

"Susan? Is that you?" Regina asked. Sure enough her head turned and eyes rounded as Susan looked at her parents.

Susan walked over to them. "HI mom. Hi dad." Susan whispered.

"Oh my baby! You are alright!" Regina hugged her daughter tightly.

------------------------------------

Spike hoped Buffy liked the roses he sent her. Not having her here was killing him. He needed to know everything was alright. After this day number three, he was starting to think that he would never know what was going on. Getting back on his horse, he rode to meet up with David at the stables. More mucking the stalls.

"Hey Spike.! Glad you are here." David said with a smile.

'Why? What did I do?" Spike was sure he did nothing wrong unless David found out about the flowers.

"Joyce wants you to come and visit Buffy in the hospital." David smiled when Spike finally smiled for the day. Oh yeah, the poor guy had it bad and he didn't even know it yet.

"Really?" Spike squeaked.

"Really. Now get out of here!"

Spike ran out of the stalls, not even managing to remember to put his horse away. He just ran into the Summer's home and grabbed the keys off the ring for the ranch truck. He ran to the truck, jumped in, and he was off. He didn't even notice Cecily and Dru getting out of their car and walking to the stalls he had just vacated nor did he see them try to wave him back as he drove on by.

Chapter Ten

"Spike! Get Back here!" Cecily screamed at the dust that was left as the truck went by. "You will regret this!"

"Oh cut it out Cecily. You have been cheating on Spike for months and lets not forget that you came here to break up with him. hmm?" Dru pointed out. Cecily wasn't to happy about that. To Cecily, she did nothing wrong. The others involved was who did wrong. Like Spike for instance, he had been distant for months, which caused her to look elsewhere. She had even paid for Dru to visit, thinking the three would begin where they left off. That never happened. Instead Spike goes and got a job at a disgusting ranch.

"Oh, shut up!"

---------------------------------

"Where have you been all this time?" Angus asked gruffly, before giving his daughter the biggest hug she had ever received. Well, that she could remember.

"You know, dad. You sent me to that school to give up my baby. I just couldn't. So I ran as soon as he was born." She sniffled.

"What baby?" Regina asked. It had seemed that Angus was keeping secrets from her.

"Dad sent me away because he found out I was pregnant."

"Oh, Angus! How could you?" Regina looked over at him, with disappointment in her eyes. She then looked on to her daughter. She had missed so much of her daughter's and grandson's life. How was she ever going to make it up to her. "Can I ask, who is the father?" Regina thought she knew already and Susan's sheepish grin said it all. David's baby.

"Here is a picture of him." She always carried a picture of her son in her pocket. No matter where she went. "This is the recent one. This is David. That is his wife Maggie and daughter Sophie. They live in New York."

Regina started crying and even Angus teared up as well. "I am a great grandma." with more sniffs.

"David looks just like me." Angus spotted instantly.

"I know." She smiled at her father.

------------------------------

A small knock sounded on the door to her daughter's hospital room. Joyce walked over to the door and looked outside. There she could only imagine was Spike.

"Hel'o. I am Spike. I mean William, ma'am." Spike put out his hand for a shake, but Joyce grabbed him into a hug.

"Why don't you come inside and tell me about yourself. It has been a little lonesome since Buffy went to sleep." Spike looked at Buffy. Her face looked like an angel. You couldn't even tell there was anything wrong with her. Joyce watched him with interest. He sure did keep his eye on Buffy, looking up and down her body. Joyce was trying her hardest not to laugh at him.

Spike looked back at Joyce and sheepishly blushed. "I am from England, ma'am."

"England. Why did you come here to the states then, especially Texas?" Joyce was curious.

"My girlfriend decided to go to college here, so I followed. I am an English major. Poetry mostly."

Joyce frowned at that. "So you have a girlfriend then?" She didn't want her baby girl hurt.

"Technically, yes. But lately I am not sure how I feel about her."

"I see." Joyce nodded. "Hurt my baby girl and die." Joyce got up from her seat and excited the room.

Spike looked at the closed door. "What was that about?"

Buffy must have heard him talking because she began to stir. Spike walked over to her and lightly touched her head.

"Spike?" Buffy asked, opening her eyes on what he thought was just instinct. "Oh My God! I can see light!" She screeched causing Joyce to run back into the room, with looks to kill.

"I didn't do anything." Spike screamed before running out the door.

---------------------------

"Thank God. Are you sure she is alright for sure?" Joyce asked again.

"Positive." He beamed at her then at Buffy.

Buffy looked around the room. She saw her grandparents. 'Wasn't grandpa wearing that the day of the accident?' Her mother was right by her bed. She saw Spike in the doorway of the room, ready to run again. But in the corner of the room was a female she didn't remember ever seeing. 'Must be one of the nurses or technicians.' she thought.

"If everything goes well tonight, I don't see why we can't send you home in the morning." Buffy was greatful to hear that. She hadn't liked hospitals since she witnessed her young cousin die in one. Thinking about that made her get the creeps.

Buffy leaned into her mother and whispered in her ear, "Who is that woman?" Joyce smiled, before answering, "Your missing aunt."

Buffy looked at the woman well for the first time. "Hi Aunt Susan. Nice to meet you."

Susan smiled before she said "hi" back.

Buffy then looked at Spike and smiled at him, a wide smile. After seeing this, Spike smiled back.

Having witnessed their moment, Joyce had ushered the rest of the group out. Much to her grandfather's dismay. Joyce stuck her head into the door one last time, before whispering, "Behave you two." She winked then closed the door.

------------------------------------

Spike slowly walked over to the bed, unsure of how Buffy might react if he came too close. "Get over here Spike." Buffy said.

Spike practically sprinted the rest of the way before the two were in a hug, Spike crying into her shoulder.

"I am sorry, Buffy. so sorry."

"Shh, Spike. None of us had any idea what was going to happen." Buffy tried comforting Spike. It was a good ten minutes before Spike's tears began to stop. He finally lifted his head of off her shoulders five minutes after than. Buffy looked at him. Spike looked at her. They slowly began to inch their way toward each other. Lips finally meeting.

Outside the door, a "YES!" could be heard form Joyce. Spike and Buffy just looked at each other and smiled. Then went back to kissing.

Chapter Eleven

Two days later, Buffy was finally released from the hospital. Spike hadn't left her side since she had woken up and she was the happiest girl in the world at the moment. Her mom even let Spike come and pick her up, just as long as he picked up Susan from the hospital as well. Buffy didn't see much of Susan since she had woken, probably since neither knew what to say to each other. Susan had agreed to spend the weekend at the ranch, catching up.

"Spike? I think you can go faster than 30 mph on this road. Isn't the speed limit 60?" Buffy looked at Spike. Susan was laughing in the passenger side. Buffy was in the middle.

'I promised your mom I would get you home safe and I will. Please your grandfather said if I harmed another hair on your body I was dead. He looked like he meant it too." Spike turned white just thinking about Angus' wrath. Both Susan and Buffy started laughing hard, but when Buffy looked at Spike she could see he was upset by this.

"I am sorry. Grandpa isn't going to do anything to you because you would never hurt me." Buffy looked lovingly at him. Spike's face went from scared to sad.

"But I did hurt you in many ways. One, I made you fall of your horse. And Two, Cecily." Spike's face turned into a smile and he looked at Buffy. "As soon as I can take care of Cecily, you and I will be together." Spike leaned over and kissed Buffy lightly on the lips, before concentrating back on the rode.

Susan just stared out her window, smiling.

"Spike, let's at least go 50?" Buffy looked at him lovingly. Spike smiled and stepped on the gas to 45 mph. Buffy could only thank god that they weren't on a freeway.

----------------------------

'When am I going to get out of here? Damn it!" Hank was getting tired of the treatment he was getting. Didn't anyone know that he could sue everyone's ass.

Sheriff McColster came into the cells and stopped outside Hank's. "Don't you worry. Your trial is tomorrow and then you will be off to your brand new home in prison." The sheriiff laughed as he walked off.

It was just like Hank to think he could get out of it just by thinking he was tough shit and represent himself. Nope, he was going to go away hopefully for a long time, which reminded him that he needed to get in touch with Joyce again.

When Joyce was told what had happened to Hank yesterday, she just shook her head, not wanting to be part of Hank's life anymore. Just wait until Hank finds out Joyce will be testifying against him. He couldn't wait to see the bastard's grin be wiped off his face.

---------------------------

A drive that should have taken an hour and half ended up being almost three hours. Susan had fallen asleep about an hour in. Buffy had snuggled up into Spike's right side and he had put his arm around her. Buffy would lean over and kiss his cheek every once and awhile. Spike would just turn to her and lightly kiss her lips. Sighing, Buffy would look back out at the scenery before the scene would play out again.

--------------------------

"Where the hell are they?" Angus roared. They just have been home hours ago. Shaking his fist he said, "When I get a hold of that boy.." Regina cut him off.

"Oh you stop it. There has been no phone call, which means they are alright. And besides they have Susan with them to be their chaperone."

"But why isn't Spike answering the cell phone. I gave him mine for a reason."

"Umm, dear. Yours is still on the charger. You never gave him yours or any." Regina smiled at him. Angus looked dumb founded before turning to the charger. Sure enough, there sat his phone. Still being charged.

"God damn it! Call Susan's number."

"Can't either dear. We didn't get her number either." Angus screamed before walking out of the house cussing at his stupidity.

--------------------------

"Joyce, they just pulled up." Regina walked into the kitchen to tell her daughter-in-law. "Angus went right for the truck. You should have seen him. He practically ran when he spotted the truck." Joyce turned around laughing.

"Good thing. Everything is ready to be served when they get in the house." Joyce then went to the oven and took out the cake, waiting for it to cool before decorating it. Regina and Joyce both took out all the food into the dining room. Regina couldn't remember the last time they actually used the dining room, instead of the kitchen. But Buffy's and Susan's homecoming was worth it.

Buffy walked into the front door, while Spike carried Susan's bags for her. Susan was busy looking around the ranch, noticing that nothing had changed. Angus walked up to Susan.

"You going to come in Susie girl?" Angus had reverted to calling her what he had since she has little, but had stopped when he found her with David.

"Just a second, dad. I just want to see if anything has changed." Susan smiled and so did Angus. It was looking like they could make amends before the weekend was through. He nodded and walked into the house, just behind Spike and Buffy.

Just as she was about to go inside as well, that all familiar voice was there. "Well if it isn't Susan." the man said.

Susan turned around looking the man in the eye. "Hello David." Susan was getting uneasy. She had a major secret and it involved this man in front of her.

------------------------------

"Mom! Grandma!" Buffy yelled in the house.

"In here, sweetheart." Buffy could hear her mom yelling from the dining room. When Buffy walked into the room, there was a banquet set up with the whole Welcome Home Buffy and Susan banner. Buffy teared up a little. It had seemed her family had come around and was acting like a real, true family. Plus, she had Spike. Life couldn't get any better.

"Spike, There is someone here for you." Angus called, while opening the front door to a strange blonde. Spike walked into the room. There stood Cecily and she was smiling. Spike couldn't remember when the last time he actually saw her smile. But for some reason Spike thought the smile was forced.

"Hi Cecily. What can I do for you?"

"I have the most wonderful news."

"And...."

"I'm pregnant!" Spike fainted.

Chapter Twelve

Buffy kept looking at Spike throughout the day. He was quiet and white as a ghost. She had noticed when they had found him unconscious with a woman looking down on him with disdain, that something was wrong. If he had feelings for her, why wasn't he telling her what was wrong? Instead he had sat through Susan and her welcome home party without a word.

Leaning over,Buffy asked, "What's wrong?" Spike just looked at her with a slight smile. He was still white as a ghost. It was driving Buffy crazy.

Finally, Spike leaned back over and said, nothing that you need to worry about right now, Luv." Spike kissed her on the side of the cheek before sitting back up and continued listening to the stories of the family. He had felt like he belonged here. Angus hadn't even made him go out to finish his job like the rest of the ranch hands had to. Of Course, what would they think of him when they find out his girlfriend was pregnant and he wasn't sure if it was even his. He didn't get a lot out of her after he had woken up on the floor. Cecily had been mad that he hadn't jumped into her arms, all excited.

He had asked questions like, "How far along are you?" "When did it happen?" "Are you alright with this?" She just sat there with an angry look on her face before she got up and said that she was going back to Liam's since Spike didn't care bout her and the baby. How could she just expect him to just back up and leave. He needed the money, now more than ever. Still he had the doubt. She has been spending a lot of time with Liam. He couldn't even remember the last time he slept with Cecily. It had to have been more than four months and if she was that far along, Why wasn't she showing?

"Spike what about you?.....Spike" Spike was so far in his day dream...more or less nightmare, he hadn't heard Angus speak to him. He felt a pinch in his side and yelped.

"Why did you do that for?" Spike looked at Buffy who was trying to hold in her laughter. It didn't stop the rest of the group to burst out in laughter.

"Grandpa was trying to talk to you, but you were millions of miles away it seemed." Buffy looked at him, now her laughter spilled out. Spike looked around the room, quite embarrassed,

"Sorry about that." Spike sat back, feeling his face go red. Buffy leaned closer kissing his cheek. "Don't worry about it." She leaned even closer to him and whispered, "We'll talk later." Spike nodded.

"So." Spike looked back at the family. "What did you say, Angus?"

----------------------------

"Where are we going, pet?" Spike thought they had already walked miles past the first meeting spot at the creek.

Buffy looked back and smiled that smile. He was going to follow her anywhere, even of it was miles. "I found this great spot, secluded. Perfect for us to talk." Buffy grabbed his hand and tugged at Spike to keep going. "We are almost there." Why hadn't Spike known about this spot. He rode that horse so much that he should now ever detail of this place. "I found this place when I was twelve and I thought I would run away from home. No body found me for days. I eventually finished the snacks I had brought with me and was hungry, so I went back home. Last time I ran away. My dad was furious. I couldn't sit for weeks." Her smile faded.

If Spike had anything to say about it, she would never see her old man again. From what the family had said when Buffy left the room was that we was being sent to prison for ten years and no body was going to tell Buffy. He just "ran away".

Spike saw the clearing out of the woods and he finally realized they were miles off Summers land. He heard water and looked around, but couldn't find any. Buffy knew what he was looking for.

"We followed the creek, without you knowing. It is through those trees and then there will be the creek." Buffy said, smirking while tugging his hand. Spike was carrying a blanket for them to lie on when they got to wherever they were going. They reached the creek in a few feet and Spike looked around. Nothing for miles. No people to find them. No cows or horses. Just them. Spike put down the blanket and sat down tugging Buffy to him. Giggling, she sat by Spike. Both sighing, they looked out at the creek which had turned into a little pond before going back into the creek. Spike looked at Buffy. Buffy looked at him. Both inching closer till their lips met. A slow sensual kiss which soon had turned into desperation.

“What the hell are you doing?“ Spike asked when her hands grabbed his crotch and slowly rubbed it.

“I got horny,” she informed him in a breathless little voice that had his already hardening length swelling against his zipper.

”Luv, this is a foolish—“

He was cut off by her lips attacking his. She’d pushed him down on the blanket, her hands firm on his chest, her lips firm against his and her tongue demanding entrance. He granted it and reciprocated, his tongue dancing with hers, pulling her inside his mouth and stroking her tongue with his own. Buffy moaned quietly, and when he turned them so that she was pressed down on the blanket, she didn’t object.

Spike prepared himself to pull back from her soft warmth. Then she did the bit where she wriggled her hips and moaned into his mouth, and he was lost in her again. He was hard and ready to go, and even though he knew that there would be no going of that sort, he couldn’t help but slip a hand beneath her top and feel the smooth skin beneath it. Even her stomach was perfect—curved every so slightly, smooth, and soft as silk. She shuddered under his touch, making him smile into her lips as he thrust his hips towards hers, pinning her more firmly against the blanket.

“You like that, pet?” he asked, stroking her stomach in tandem with the strokes of his tongue. “My hands…all over you…” he slipped a hand behind her, squeezing her bottom; she gasped and, to his delight, thrust back at him.

“Please…” she whispered, the pleading sound lost almost as soon as it left her lips.

“Buffy, If you wanna get screwed right here, then keep going.” Buffy gave him a dirty smile and got up from her spot. Before Spike knew what was happening, Buffy had removed her clothes and was trying to remove his top. "Buffy, sweet. We need to stop this." Spike pleaded. He wasn't sure he could stop if she went any further and when he felt her push him down on the blanket and then rub his crotch. He knew he was a goner. In his frantic manner, he had managed to take off his jeans. Buffy's left eyebrow raised. "Thats right luv. Commando." Spike grabbed her and there on the blanket, they made love.

Chapter Thirteen

"That was amazing!" Buffy whispered, getting a whimsical smile on her face before turning to Spike. Stroking his chest and moving down had Spike on alert. He didn't know if he could do anymore. She had tired him out. He wasn't even sure he could concentrate enough to tell her what he had to about Cecily.

"What happened? All of a sudden you were ready then you got this look on your face and that was it." Buffy looked at him funny. "DId I do something wrong?" She looked panicked and Spike couldn't have that. He pulled her close and gave her a hard kiss, one that gave away all his feelings for her. Passion.

"You could never do anything wrong, luv." He quickly kissed her again before sitting up and sighing. "I am the one that is the idiot." Buffy shook her head in disbelieve. "and you can do nothing wrong." She smiled at him and it seemed like his heart felt ten times lighter. "I think we should get our clothes on before I tell you this."

"OK." Buffy wasn't to sure she wanted to hear what he had to say. The day had been amazing and she didn't want anything to ruin it. After putting on her clothes, she turned back to Spike to see his mind somewhere else. "I should be insulted that you aren't thinking of me after making love."

"Spike tried to smile. "Sorry luv. Come here." He grabbed her giving her another hard kiss that left them both panting and wanting more. "Let's go sit by the creek and talk." Spike grabbed Buffy's hand and led her to the creek. After sitting down Buffy looked at Spike waiting for him to dump her. She was sure that is what he wanted to tell her. He got in her pants and that was going to be it,

"Its about Cecily." Spike looked at Buffy, with tears in his eyes. "She's pregnant and she says I'm the father." Buffy went stiff.

"You knew this and didn't tell me before we..." Buffy choked on her tears. 'He was just using me.' "I've got to go." Buffy quickly got up and ran back toward the house, leaving Spike trying to call after her.

'You deserved it you stupid ponce.' Tears ran down his face. Wiping his tears, he got up and dusted himself off and grabbed their picnic stuff. "The first thing I am going to do when I get to the ranch is call Cecily and get that damn paternity test before I lose Buffy all together."

-----------------------------------

She knew she couldn't walk into the house crying. They would be after Spike so fast. 'Why should I care what happens to him? He betrayed me.' Buffy knew that answer. She loved him. 'Thank god I never told him that.' Buffy tried her eyes once more and opened the door. The house was silent.

"Anybody here?" Buffy yelled out. No one answered. 'Good. I have some time to get my emotions under control.' "A shower is just what I need."

-----------------------------------

When Spike finally made it to the ranch after following the creek for miles, he noticed that no one was around. Did they all take Buffy away from here, from him? Where were all the ranch hands , even David was gone. As Spike was walking toward the bunk houses, a black car seemed to appear. 'Damn it, Cecily is back. Buffy cannot see her here.'

"He baby." Cecily winked at him and got out of her car. "Did you make up your mind yet if you want to leave this place."

"Where's Drusilla?" Spike asked, finally noticing that Dru had seemed to vanish after her visit here.

Waving her hand downward, "Oh, don't worry about her." Spike was getting mad. Gritting his teeth he asked, "Cecily, Where is she?"

"I made her go home. She was getting on my nerves."

"You sent our good friend home. Are you really that cruel you daft bint?" Spike yelled.

"Don't you dare call me that. You are beneath me." Cecily had a dark look in her eyes that Spike had never seen before.

"Since I am beneath you, you can just leave. And tell Angel congratulations." He sneered back at her.

"Why should I thank Angel? for being the best lover that you never were? for actually paying attention to me? which one is it?" Cecily was screaming so damn loud that is caused Buffy to look out the window and see what was going on.

"For getting you out of my hair. I have a girl and she means the world to me." Spike said proudly.

"You mean that teenager. She isn't even legal yet here." She laughed.

'Get out of my yard!" Both looked around startled to see Buffy at the door way in nothing but a towel.

"I am leaving. Cecily got into her car, but before she left she said, "I expect child support for this baby." The car roared out of the driveway.

:"Like hell you will. I don't take care of another man's baby. Tell Angel to take care of his own." Spike yelled after the car.

All that remained was a trail of dust behind the car and pulling into the driveway was the Summers with their pickup and behind them was Susan and David in the ranch truck.

Angus took one look at Buffy in just a towel and Spike knew there would be in trouble.

"Get in the house now and put some clothes on!" He yelled at Buffy causing her to go white before running into the house. He then turned to Spike, "As for you, you are fired! I trusted you with her and you violate her. You have 15 minutes to get out of here." Angus was red in the face. There would be no way to talk to him. Spike just nodded and went to get his belongings before seeing if David could get him a ride into town.

---------------------------------

"Why does grandpa ruin everything? I had just got out of the shower and heard yelling. I just thought I would help." Buffy sniffed into her mother's shoulder. Joyce just rubbed her daughter's back, trying to calm her down.

"Sweetheart look at me. I know you to did more than just walk before." Buffy looked like she didn't understand. So Joyce just pointed to the hickey Buffy had on the left side of her neck. Buffy's face turned red, dark red. "I just hope you used protection." Joyce said before walking out of Buffy's room.

'Oh know! We didn't' Buffy screamed on the inside.

Chapter Fourteen

"Are you sure you want to leave town before you know if Buffy is pregnant?" David looked at him, while driving into town. David had that knowing look. He also had experience. He may not have been the one to leave, but he did know that leaving quickly costed you and your partner. "Look at me. I didn't even know I had a son until a couple of days ago. I missed his entire life. Maybe it would be better if you just got a room close by until you know for sure."

"How do you know is anything happened to me and Buffy?" Spike raised his eyebrow.

"Come on Spike. It's me you are talking to. Those Summers women are hard to resist." David looked over at him.

"Ok, YES, I slept with Buffy. Happy now?" he grumbled.

"Not even close. What happens if Buffy finds out she is pregnant and you are gone?"

"It won't happen!" Spike grumbled, praying the bus station could come fast enough.

-----------------------------

"I knew we shouldn't have trusted him with her. The minute we turned our back, he violated her." Angus was still roaring twenty minutes later. The dust from the ranch truck had fell back to the ground, leaving no trail that Spike had left. Buffy just sat up in her room, looking out at the window, praying Spike would come back. It never did. Forty-five minutes later David come back with no Spike. Tears streamed down her face. He was gone out of her life for good.

Sobbing harder than she ever had, Buffy fell on the bed putting a hand to her stomach. 'Did we make a baby? God I hope so, then I will have something to remember him by.' Sniffing harder, she knew she wasn't ready for a baby, But having a miniature Spike around would be the next best thing. 'Maybe I should run away and find him? Then we can live happily ever after.' "Happily ever after my ass. I will never have a happy ending." She sniffed into her pillow.

"Can I talk to you for a minute?" David asked. Buffy quickly wiped the tears from her eyes, looking at David hopefully. "He gave me this to give to you." A Letter. She held it in her hands, tracing her name in the blue ink. She looked up at David hoping he could tell her what was in it. "I don't know what is in that letter, but he wrote it before getting on the bus to San Antonio." He winked and left the room.

Buffy tore into the envelope, finding a letter written on an old receipt. All it said was,

I love you and always will.
I will write to you when I get settled.

Love, William

The letter making her cry harder, she through herself back onto the bed. Joyce walked into the room, hoping to calm her daughter down. "Come here sweetheart. Mommy's here." Buffy went right into her mother's arms and cried on her shoulder. After crying for ten minutes, she finally quieted to whimpers. "Now, why don't you tell me what David did to make you cry so hard." Buffy just handed her mother the letter. Joyce read it before going back to rubbing her daughter's back. "He did say he will let you know where he is. That's a good thing." Joyce's smile always used to calm her daughter down, but not today. "I have a great idea. Let's you and me go back home. Then spend a mother-daughter outing."

"Are you crazy? Dad is probably there ready to yell some more and hit me."

"No need to worry about him dear. He is in jail, hopefully to stay for a good while." Buffy's eyes widened in surprise.

"What did he do?" Buffy was shocked. Her dad always got away with everything.

"He brought a gun into the hospital, hoping to get rid of me." Joyce laughed. Hank was a fool and he deserved to be where he is,

"Since daddy won't be there, I guess it is safe to go home." Buffy talked into her mother's shoulder, making it hard to understand, but Joyce got the most of it. 'Go home.'

"I will make the reservations tomorrow." Joyce smiled at her daughter and Buffy smiled back. There will be no more beatings, no more name calling, and no more Hank. Life was almost perfect. All Buffy needed was Spike and he was on his way to San Antonio.

"Mom, do you think we can make a stop in San Antonio and see if we can find Spike." Buffy looked pleading. She wasn't going to upset her daughter anymore than she already had.

"Of course." Joyce kissed her daughter's cheek and walked out of the room again. This time there was silence. Angus had stopped yelling it seemed. Now it was time to tell the Summers that she and Buffy were leaving to go back home.

---------------------------------

"Do you see him anywhere, mom?" Buffy asked, keeping her eyes on the lookout for Spike.

"Sweetheart, we have been driving around for two hours now. I don't think we are going to find him." Buffy started her sobbing again. So Joyce kept on driving, not aware that inside the diner they had just passed held the man in question.

------------------------------

"Do you know of anyone who is looking for some seasonal work?" Spike asked the waitress. He might as well start looking for another job. He might even end up going out of state for the month just to come up with the money needed for schooling. Just thinking about going back there gave him thoughts of Cecily. 'maybe I should just transfer,' he thought.

Looking out the window, he thought he saw Buffy and Joyce in a red truck driving past the diner, Taking a second look, Spike knew it was Buffy. She came for him. Running out of the diner, he quickly tried to catch the truck as it turned the corner, but the truck sped out onto the highway towards the freeway. Buffy went out of his life for the second time today.

------------------------

"Mom", Buffy said looking at her mother with tears still in her eyes, "I just want to go home." Joyce looked at her daughter and shook her head yes. Joyce turned toward the airport to drop of the rental and get the next available flight out to Los Angeles.

Chapter Fifteen

*One Month Later*

"Spike! The fence is down on the southern pasture. I thought you said you took care of it yesterday!" Mr. MacNeil boomed. He was a short plump man who thought the world revolved around him. Sure, he was the boss, but he expected everything to get done at that moment.

"I told Higgins I couldn't get to it since I was still working on the east fence. I said he would go look at how bad the south fence was and said not to worry since no cattle was over there." Spike wondered how he could have found out about him not doing it yesterday, He never got on a horse to check out his own spread. He always had someone tell him what looked in need of fixing and then he just snapped out orders.

"That isn't what Higgins told me. He said you refused to do it last night after the east was done." Higgins could be seen in the back of the barn, smirking. Spike should have known. Higgins was MacNeil's right hand man.

"I'll go right now and fix it." Spike knew not to make a scene. He needed this job. MacNeil was the only ranch that would take on Spike since h refused to five references. Spike didn't want Angus to find out where he was and come hunt him down for being with Buffy.

'Buffy." Just thinking of her brought back such heartache. He had called David and asked how Buffy was. David had said that as soon as he left, Buffy went home with her mother. He hadn't heard from her since. Spike then knew that he had blown it with her. She wasn't going to wait for him to get his life back in order. He had nothing to offer her. Here he was stuck on a ranch with the worst crew and boss. Everybody hated the new man. Half the time, he just wanted to back and go back to the Summers ranch on hands and knees.

------------------------------------

"Are you feeling any better today, baby?" Buffy had been sick this past week. Joyce had a suspicion, but wouldn't voice it to her daughter just yet. Joyce wanted to think she was wrong. Her baby was 17 and still had one more year of school. She wasn't ready to be a parent, and a single parent at that.

"No. I thought I was over it yesterday night when I felt great, but now this morning it is back again." Buffy said with her face looking down the toilet bowl. She looked pale. Joyce knew she hadn't been sleeping well since coming home, but with this "illness" she is getting more worn down. "Mom?" Buffy finally looked up at her mother with tears in her eyes. "What if I'm pr...preg...pregnant?" A loud wail filled the room. Joyce hurt for her little girl. Sitting on the floor, Joyce took her daughter in her arms and slowly rubbed her back, while Buffy cried in her mom's shoulder.

"Everything will be ok. I will just go to town and get a test and.."

"How is everything going to be ok? I am 17 years old and pregnant!" Buffy wailed again.

"We don't know that yet. Let's try to think positive. That you have a stomach bug." Joyce tried to smile at Buffy, but when given the yeah right look from her, Joyce knew life was going to change again. And here she thought life would be easier now that Hank was sentenced to prison for 5 years. Joyce even filed for divorce the day she got back home. "Well, I guess I will go get that test." Joyce rose to go get her purse and find out if she was about to be a grandma.

"Thanks mom." Buffy said looking down at the floor again.

As Joyce was pulling out of the driveway, she took out her cell phone and made a call hoping he had called.

"Summers Ranch."

"David, we got a problem."

---------------------------

It was coming on midnight and Spike was still out in the southern pasture. Out of spite, Higgins had moved the cattle to the southern pasture and Spike had to scramble to put some type of barricade between him and the cattle. He had spent hours trying to keep the cattle away from the barricade since they seemed to just knock it down. Finally, he was putting the last nail in the fence. It may have taken all day, but the fence was now complete and he beat those pesky cattle.

As Spike was getting on his horse, his cell phone started ringing. He knew whoever it was must think it was an emergency, to call someone at this time of the night. Of Course his phone was ringing all day and he thought it was Higgins trying to distract him. So he just let it ring and ring. Spike picked up the phone and snapped, "What?" thinking it was just Higgins.

"Spike?" It was David and if David was calling then something was wrong.

"David?"

"I have been trying to call you all day. Why didn't you answer?" David had an edge to his voice. One that said he had something very important to tell.

"Sorry man. I was fixing a fence and the cattle kept trying to escape." Spike was happy to hear from David. He had become somewhat of a friend before he left the Summers ranch. "So, what's the problem?"

"Buffy's pregnant!" The air in his lungs escaped him. He got dizzy and before he knew it, he fainted and fell off the horse.

David's voice could still be heard, "Spike? You ok?"

------------------------------------

Buffy could still be heard crying in her room. Ever since the test came back positive, she hadn't stopped. Joyce knew she needed to find Spike and fast, He was probably the only one who could help Buffy accept her new fate. Joyce had tried all afternoon, but Buffy kept saying that she had been married when she came along. There was two of them to raise her. Of course that was before Hank went all abusive. The first five years of Buffy's life had been a fairytale.

Along side he bedside, the phone rang. 'Who could be calling at this time of the night?' Joyce picked up the phone, surprised and happy at who was on the other end.

"Hello Joyce."

"Spike?"

Chapter Sixteen

"Hello Joyce."

"Spike?"

"Yep. It's me." Spike grinned into the phone.

"Oh, Thank God. Buffy has been going crazy with grief. Where are you?"

"I am on a spread just south of San Antonio. The MacNeil Crossing. Its just about 20 miles from the city." Spike whispered into the phone,. He saw Higgins shadow from behind the door. 'Stupid spy'

"Good. Can you get into town and go to the bus station? I will have a ticket ready for you to pick up and come here to L.A." Jpyce could still hear Buffy's sobs through the wall, but they were slowly quieting down.

"Umm, Joyce? I don't have a way to get to town. No car and all." Spike felt bad, but a car was an added expense he didn't need. Here on the ranch, if you use a vehicle, then you were expected to fill it up with gas and clean it. Money and time, Spike didn't have.

"Fine!" He could hear Joyce getting frustrated. "I will be there in 2 days. Be ready." Joyce rambled off before hanging up. Spike didn't even have a chance to ask how Buffy was holding up.

The shadow suddenly opened the door. Yes, it was Higgins. "Well, Well. What do we have hear? Wasting precious phone minutes, are we?" Higgins had a smug look on his face, like he was going to get Spike in trouble again.

"Now you stop it right there. I always pay for the minutes I use." Spike boomed loudly, causing the other cowboys to wake. 'Damn, Grouchy cowboys are even worse.'

"Dammit Spike. We have to be up in two hours. I need my sleep." Cowboy Andrews bellowed. He was a big looking brute and Spike tried to stay away from him as much as possible.

'Sorry man. Just Higgins scared me." Spike lied, hoping the angry glare would get off him. It worked for a second.

"What the hell happened to your nose?" Andrews asked, now with concern in his eyes. He went from Spike to HIggins and looked ready to pummel.

"I fell off a horse. I just got a call from my ex's mother. Seems I'm gonna be a dad." Spike went for the truth hoping Higgins would just drop this whole thing. 'Over stupid phone minutes.'

Andrews got out of bed and walked toward Spike. "I know how that is. I have three kids from different spreads I have worked. Never get to see them though." Andrews looked at Spike. 'What are you gonna do about it?"

"Joyce, that is Buffy's mom, said she is coming to get me and bring me out to their home in L.A. So looks like I have some thinking to do." Spike walked out of the door and into what was left of the night. There would be no sleep for Spike. Spike looked back at the bunkhouse and saw it go dark. Looked like Andrews was going back to sleep and Higgins was walking back to his room in the main house.

-----------------------------------------

When six o'clock finally came, Joyce decided enough was enough with just lying here not sleeping. She got up and went to check on Buffy. Opening the door, Joyce saw Buffy wide awake just staring in space. "Would you like some pancakes this morning?" Joyce asked, with a smile on her face. Buffy smiled back and shook her head yes. "Breakfast will be in 10 minutes them." Closing the door, she heard what sounded like a muffled sob. 'Don't you worry Buffy. Everything is going to get better. I promise.'

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Buffy looked back at the wall she was staring at after her mother closed the door. She tried to keep the sob in, but she knew her mom had heard her. Wiping the tears from her eyes, Buffy sat up and looked around her room. She still had pictures of Angel up. That seemed so long ago too. Getting out of bed, she walked to her vanity and took the pictures off the mirror. She ripped them in half and through them in the garbage. Looking around her room, she noticed how much this looked like a normal teenagers room, not a room for an expected mother. She was definitely going to do something about that.

"Buffy! Breakfast is ready." Joyce yelled from downstairs.

Buffy started walking to the door, but turned around giving her room a last glance over. She definitely was going to talk to her mom about a room makeover. Something both of the Summers women loved to do.

------------------------------

Spike awoke, with his head on a stump, still out in the fields. Telling by the sun, it was way past nine o'clock. Boy was Spike in for it. Getting up, he noticed his sore neck from sleeping the way he did. Also, his nose hurt like hell. He better have it checked out, meaning he was going to have to use a truck.

When he got to where the vehicles were locating, he found them all locked and the keys missing. 'What the hell is going on?'From behind a bale of hay, came Mr. MacNeil and he looked angrier than Spike had ever seen him.

"Someone tells me that you are stealing from me?" Spike was speechless. What did he mean by stealing? SPike hasn't touched anything. All of a sudden Higgins could be seen on the hill with binoculars. 'Damn that asshole!'

"I don't know what you mean? I have not talking anything." Spike finally got his voice, said.

"You cheating everyone on their minutes." Spike could not believe it. This was about phone minutes. Spike always paid his part of the bill.

"I always pay my bill sir. I used some extra last night, but it was a family emergency." Spike was trying to reason with him.

"You don't have any family here boy. Give me another excuse." MacNeil looked like he was about to punch Spike right in the nose.

"When his hand fisted and swung back, Spike whispered, "Yes I do. I am about to become a daddy." He waiting for the strike that never came.

When Spike opened his eyes again, he saw Andrews holding MacNeil's fist from even moving.

'Come on Joyce. Those two days can't come fast enough.' Spike thought to himself.

Buffy could not believe that her mother was going back to her grandparents. Just when she was getting excited about being home again and about to spend the day with her friends, her mother had told her yesterday morning that they were headed back to Texas. She wasn't ready for her grandparents to find out about the pregnancy yet. She had begged and begged her mother to stay home with a promise of never leaving the house and not letting anyone in. Her mom just laughed and patted her cheek saying, "Nice Try."

"We are almost there, sweetie. Are you still feeling sick?" Joyce looked over at her daughter, concern in her eyes. Buffy had her first morning sickness incident just three hours into the drive. Buffy had demanded that they turn back so she could be sick in her own home, not on the road. Joyce was thinking about heading back too, but the thought of how much better her daughter would feel when Spike was back with her kept her going.

"If this is supposed to be morning sickness, then why doesn't it stop after the morning is done?" Buffy groaned from the back seat of her mother's blue BMW. Joyce laughed.

"I was sick all the time with you. Mine didn't end until 5 months into it." Joyce laughed some more as Buffy groaned more. Buffy hadn't seen anything yet. She just had a sick stomach. She hasn't dealt with the vomiting or unusual cravings yet.

"How far yet till we get to the ranch?"

"What ranch dear?" Joyce smirked.

"Mom! Grandma and Grandpa's. duh!" Buffy was getting mad. Why was her mother playing dumb all of a sudden.

"Did I say we were going there?" Joyce looked back at her daughter, as Buffy's mouth dropped.

"You did say we were going back to Texas. I know you did because I was talking to Willow on the phone when you dropped that bomb that made me cancel all my plans."

"There are many things to see in Texas." Joyce turned back to the wheel. Buffy's grumbling could be heard about why does she want a bonding moment there after we just left the damn state.

'If only you knew.' Joyce thought.

"Are we there yet?" Buffy was getting impatient with her mother. Why was she being so damn secretive.

"We have only been in the car for 5 hours sweetheart. Texas is a 22 hour drive."

"Well, why couldn't we just fly there? And when are we going to eat? I am so hungry right now, it is making me more sick." Joyce knew Buffy was going to be happy when they arrived at their location. It was just keeping her occupied right now.

"You had me stop 2 hours ago, Buffy. And that is when you starting feeling sick. You really want more food?" Joyce was glad she added on the extra day to the trip if Buffy was going to be doing this the entire way.

"YES!"

"Fine. Next grocery store we come to, I am going to go in and load up on snacks for you."

I don't want snacks. I want a big mac..... and those cheese fries...... and a chicken sandwich and a large diet coke." Buffy rattled off, not even noticing Joyce going pale with all that food being mentioned.

"I would have to stop at 3 different places just for that. One place and that is it. And look at the time. It is only 10 am. Breakfast only."

"Fine. grocery store it is." Buffy grumbled.

-----------------------------------

"Let's get this done with." Joyce hurried into the grocery store. She was sure she was about to pay two times what the food was at any other store since they were at some mom and pop store. Buffy slowly got out of the car and stretched her legs. They had become stiff from being cramped in the back seat. "Now Buffy!" He mother yelled from inside the doors. Buffy huffed before walking into the store.

"Grab a basket and lets go." He mother really seemed to be in a hurry. Buffy grabbed a cart and started walking the aisles. She bypassed all the fruit and vegetables and made her way down the junkfood aisle. Throwing bags of chips and cookies into the cart.

"Buffy!. One bag of chips and one bag of cookies. Then go grab some fruit and vegetables." Here Buffy thought her mom wanted to stop making stops. If Buffy only got the one bag each, she was going to be hungry again in a few hours. She always ate when she was nervous and this pregnancy wasn't helping either.

Buffy quickly chose sour cream and onion chips and a bag of oreos. Walking over to the produce aisle, she looked it over and decided an apple would be the best. Joyce looked at her and raised her eyebrow.

"Only one?" she questioned.

'Yep" and then Buffy walked to the checkout.

Joyce shook her head and walked after her daughter. She knew she would be stopping again.

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"How much closer now? I need to pee." Buffy huffed at her mother. She knew she shouldn't have gotten the Biggy Slurpie at the last gas station, but it was so good, and now she had to pee again. Ever since consuming it, she had to pee every half hour.

"Can you hold it? We only have 35 minutes left till we get there." Buffy looked around, noticing they were no where near her grandparents.

"Where exactly are we going?" Buffy asked, hoping to finally get an answer.

"I am going to a place called the MacNeil Ranch." Joyce had a smile on her face, one Buffy was sure was of a secret she had yet to share.

"And you had to bring me on this trip for grandpa? Checking out some cows or something?" Buffy was really annoyed. Right now she could be sitting on her chaise in her room, with the tv tuned on MTV.

"I didn't say I was going there for your grandfather, did I?" Joyce said, matter of fact.

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"Are we there yet?" Buffy asked for the seventh time in a half an hour.

"Buffy! Really. I just stopped not ten minutes ago to let you pee. All I ask is for you to be quiet while I find this address," Joyce yelled.

"Sorry, but..." Buffy tried to speak as Joyce interrupted.

"Buffy please!"

"Fine, but if we are looking for a MacNeil ranch, we passed a sign over a driveway." Buffy said smugly.

"Damn It!" Joyce yelled as she put the car in reverse. Thank god no one was on this road.

---------------------------

Going down the driveway, Buffy looked at the scenery. 'Not much for a ranch, at least not like grandpa's.' Her mother came up to a white stucco house. It didn't seem like it fit a ranch home. 'Maybe these people need a designer and since mom is a gallery owner, maybe they want real art.'

Buffy wasn't even looking at the corral, otherwise she would have noticed a certain british riding a black stallion. Her mother got out of the car and walked toward someone. Buffy didn't care. She kept looking at the awful house. The next thing Buffy knew was her door was being opened and she saw the most wonderful sight.

"Hello cutie."

"Spike? Is that you or am I just dreaming again?" Buffy whispered. She reached out and touched his face. A smile lit both of their faces.

"It's really me, luv." Tears starting running down Buffy's cheeks before she through herself into his waiting arms. Joyce watched as her daughter finally was happy after days of sadness.

"What the hell is going on out here?" Mr MacNeil screamed, coming out of the house, close behind was the rat Higgins. Now that Spike thought of it, he did resemble a rat. Spike, holding Buffy close, walked up to his boss.

"Sir, I would like you to meet my girl, Buffy, and her mother Joyce. I QUIT!" Spike yelled before lifting Buffy up and twirling her around.

"Spike!" Buffy laughed before suddenly going green. "Get me down." Spike put her on the ground and walked as Buffy ran to a tree and lost her lunch. Spike quickly ran to her to make sure she was alright.

"You better be cleaning that up, boy!" MacNeil screamed. Joyce walked over to him.

"Hi, Joyce Summers. And I do believe he said he quit. So you pick up my daughter's morning sickness." She smiled and walked toward her daughter and the man she was slowly calling her son. "Get your stuff Spike and let's get out of here." Spike smiled at Joyce then grinned widely at MacNeil and Higgins. Walking to the horse shed, he grabbed his suitcase that was already stashed and walked to the car. Climbing into the back with his luggage, he watched as Buffy gave the middle finger to the guys and walked toward the car, not before turning around again and saying, "have fun cleaning that up." as she pointed to her sickness. Spike just laughed. Joyce chuckled before telling Buffy to get into the car.

As the drove off, Spike saw Andrews wave to him on horseback. Spike waved back and smiled. His life was going to get better.

"There will be rules you two." Joyce looked at Buffy then in the back seat where Spike was sitting, making Spike turn red. "Rule number one is Buffy is to finish school even if it is through tutors. Number two is you tow will have separate rooms until Buffy turns 18 then there is nothing I can do about it. And rule number three is no hanky panky since she is underage. Got it?" Joyce had one eye brow lifting, making sure everyone understood.

"Got it." Spike said quickly.

-----------------------------------------------

* One Month Later*

Spike walked down the stairs grumbling. Iit was now 2 am and he still hadn't fallen asleep. 'Damn pregnancy hormones.' Walking into the kitchen, he went to see if there was hamburger in there, hoping he didn't have to make a run to the store. "Thank god." He said, as he pulled out a package.

"Spike? What are you doing up?" Joyce said, walking into the kitchen flipping on the lights.

"Your daughter wants the works cheeseburger." Spike went back to finding all the ingredients. Joyce came up behind him and waved him away.

"You go get some sleep. You will need it once the baby comes." Spike smiled in relief and walked back up the stairs to get some sleep. Joyce went to work on taking care of her daughter's latest craving. At least this one didn't require going to the nearest fast food place and order chicken strips so she could mix it with ice cream and pickles. Joyce still had to shudder at that one. Making sure the burger was medium rare, she loaded up the burger with everything imaginable. Cheese. Bacon. Mayonaise. Ketchup. Lettuce. Tomatoes. Pickles. Mustard. Green..."Shoot." Joyce said, looking in the fridge for green peppers. 'Maybe she won't know.' Finishing the burger, she walked up stairs and into her daughter's room.

"Where is Spike?" buffy grumbled. "I ask him to do one thing and he gets you to do it." Joyce knew a mood swing was coming. They came more and more lately.

"He looked exhausted. I toild him to go back to bed." Joyce looked her daughter in the eyes hoping it would calm her down. She just grabbed the burger and took a bite.

'You forgot the green peppers mom." Buffy said, as Joyce sighed and walked out of the room. A trip to the store was needed.

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*Three Months Later*

A five month pregnant Buffy waddled into the room plopping onto the couch as Spike was reading his History 203 book, American Indian Culture. He had officially transfered to UCLA two months ago. Buffy was working on getting her diploma through private tutors that would come to the house every other day.

'I am fat." Buffy cried, leaning into Spike's shoulder. Spike put his arm around her. "You are not fat, luv, Just pregnant with our soon to be wonderful child." Kissing her on the forehead, her cheek and then her lips, he made her feel tons better. She had recently seen Angel last week and he said he thanked god he didn't get involved with her. A hoe is what she was called. Even all her old friends laughed at her. Now she spent her days with her mother and Spike. Sighing, Buffy lightly kissed Spike's lips.

"Are you ready for your appointment today luv?" Spike said, while still looking down at the book.

"I just want this thing out?" Buffy cried.

"Thing, luv?" Spike did his famous eye brow lift. Buffy could never be mad at him when he does that.

"You know what I mean."

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*Three Months Later*

Trying to get comfortable was impossible for a now eight month pregnant Buffy. Joyce finally let Spike move into Buffy's room since she had turned 18 two months ago. The rule still stuck about no sex. At least that is what they let Joyce believe. As soon as Buffy turned 18, Buffy and Spike were at it like rabbits. As soon as Joyce left, the clothes flew off. Right now watching a sleeping Spike, Buffy is even more horny then the last few months.

Reaching over she reached below the sheet and grabbed Spike's manhood. Spike groaned in his sleep, but didn't wake. Buffy huffed. Nibbling on his ear, kissing him down his body, and even taking his manhood into his mouth did nothing to wake him.

When Buffy was about to get out of her pajamas, a cramp overtook her. "Damn it." Finally Spike opened his eyes and looked at her.

"You alright luv?"

'Sure, now you wake up." A grumbling Buffy said, as all of a sudden her water broke.

"Shit!" Both of them screamed at the fluid all over the bed.

"Buffy? Spike? Are you two ok?" Joyce was heard outside the door.

"Mommy! Help me!" Buffy screamed as Joyce ran through the door.

"Time to go have your baby." Joyce tried to sound calmly, as she watched her daughter in pain.

"God damn you Spike. You did this to me!" Buffy screamed after Spike as he ran down the stairs to wait in the car. Joyce can take car of an irrational Buffy.

*5 Years Later*

Spike was so proud of her. Here he was watching his wife finally graduate college. His wife. He still never got over saying that word...wife. They married six months after Chloe was born. To this day he still could chuckle when thinking of his daughter's quick birth.

"Mom? Can you help put this border up in the nursery? Spike refuses to let me climb a ladder." Buffy asked her mother, as she walked out into the living room. "Oww!" Buffy grabbed her back.

"Are you ok, sweetheart?" Joyce asked, concerned for her daughter. She knew Buffy was due in three weeks and babies had no sense of time.

"Luv, was that you I heard?" Spike ran into the house concerned.

"You two are horrible. I just have a backache from little one here." She said, rubbing her tummy with a smile on her face. Buffy then directed her smile on Spike. "Are you ready to see a movie tonight, babe?" She walked over to him, hugging him.

"Are you sure we should go out with you in pain?" Spike was concerned. He didn't like to see his luv in pain.

"We are going out." She grumbled.

---------------------------

"Why see a movie called Knocked Up, pet?" Spike wasn't to sure about this one. He had heard from a classmate that they show graphic delivery with the head showing. He didn't think he could handle that right now. He was already to close to the main event as it was. Buffy's look at Spike said it all. They were going in.

----------------------

During the movie, Buffy kept grabbing her stomach. "You ok, luv?"

Buffy just smiled at him and nodded. "I think it is just gas." Spike raised an eyebrow at her in question. She smiled back and went to watching the movie.

Half way into the movie, Spike could tell she was getting uncomfortable. "Do you wanna go, pet?" She tried to smile, but a cramp had overtaken her body causing a low moan of pain. "Time to go to the hospital." Spike said as he picked up their belongings and escorted his girl out the door. 'At least I didn't have to see the birth on screen.' Spike thanked god, but then he knew the real birth was coming and he had better be prepared.

When Spike and Buffy got to the hospital, she was already 8 centimeters dialated. After only a half an hour in the hospital, Buffy was already pushing the new life into the world. Joyce had come to the hospital as fast as she could get there and made it just in time to see her new granddaughter enter. The whole labor and delivery only lasted 2 1/2 hours. She was a beautiful 7 lbs 2 oz, 21 inches long baby girl who they named Chloe Joy.

Looking at his five year old daughter was like looking in a mirror. She had his cheekbones, his eyes,his nose, and even his curly hair. At least Spike tried to hide his with gel. Buffy laughed the first time she held their daughter saying, "No one will deny who her daddy is."

Spike had graduated three years ago with an English degree. He wasn't to sure that was what he wanted, but now teaching middle school student s the art of poetry and how to speak proper english suited him. Plus being a teacher gave him summers off to spend with his daughter.

"Daddy?" Chloe said in her seat next to him. "I got to go potty."

"It is I have to go potty, Chloe." Spike said automatically.

"Daddy!" Chloe looked at him, with her arms crossed, trying to imitate her mother these days. Spike could do nothing, but laugh causing the pout to form on her cute little mouth.

"I'm sorry, luv." Spike kissed his daughter on the cheek, causing her to giggle.

"Daddy! I really need to go." This time his daughter seemed to have done what Buffy had called the pee-pee dance.

"Don't worry,Spike. I'll take her." Joyce said from the other side of his daughter. Chloe took her grandmother's hand and Spike thanked Joyce. The ceremony was lasting forever and the mayor was still giving his speech.

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*Two hours later*

They had finally begun the names a half an hour ago. Chloe was passed out in her father's arms. He had promised her, he would wake her up before he mommy's name was called. With that promise, she had fallen asleep.

Amy Hennen was called on the speaker. 'Only on the H's'

*One hour later*

Thomas O' Neil "Finally on the O's meaning P's are next' Spike thought.He better start trying to wake his daughter. She took forever to wake up when she was tired.

"Luv, time to wake up. Mommy should be soon." Spike whispered to his daughter, rubbing her back. Hearing a whining from his daughter, he looked into her beautiful blue eyes. "Hi, luv." He smiled at her and she whined. "Do you want to see mommy graduate?"

"Yes." came a tiny voice.

Latoya Palet

"Let's sit you up and we can watch together." Just as he was sitting Choe, he saw his wife's row finally stand up and move to the podium. Chloe's eyes went wide as she watched her mommy.

Bryce Picklet

Natasha Piote

Mary Plum

Thomas Plummer

Tanner Ponet

Finally his wife was next.

Buffy Pratt

"Yay mommy!" Chloe screamed causing Buffy to look out into the audience and smile at her daughter. Waddling on stage, Buffy collected her degree and rubbed her eight month stomach.

"Yay mommy!" Chloe screamed causing Buffy to look out into the audience and smile at her daughter. Waddling on stage, Buffy collected her degree and rubbed her eight month stomach. She hoped this one was a boy,

Looking out at her husband, Buffy couldn't help but smile wide. Her life was perfect and all because she didn't listen to her grandparents and stay away from the cowboy and he didn't stay away from her.

She then looked at her mother who looked proud of her. It may have taken seventeen years for Joyce and Buffy to get along, but it was worth all the pain and agony.

And then her water broke.

The End!