Buffy and Dawn were in the kitchen setting up some of the bowls of food that had been bought earlier in the day for the party while waiting on the rest of The Scoobies to turn up. Suddenly, Dawn brought up the topic of her day at school.

“There’s a new councilor at the school,” Dawn said. “I met her today during trig when I was called out of class to discuss my progress in school and at home.”

“Really, Dawnie?” Buffy asked and Dawn nodded. “Must be because we’ve been assigned a new social worker after Doris’ episode.”

“Which you caused,” Dawn reminded Buffy. “That was hilarious what you told us after that whole 'blinvisible period', as Xander calls it.”

“Yeah,” Buffy agreed looking out the window noticing the sun beginning to set. “It was fun but there were some even better points to that day…”

“Really?” Dawn enquired. “Like what?”

“When I went to see…” Buffy began but suddenly stopped. “Nuh-uh. You’re not getting that outta me, Dawn.”

“So, it’s one of those ‘Dawn’s too young’ moments,” Dawn said. “So it involved Spike? Is he coming tonight?”

“It’s none of your business,” Buffy said as the pink tinge that Spike said was adorable colored her cheeks. “And I’m not sure if he’s coming, I told him about it but, you know Spike…”

Dawn just nodded and turned towards the kitchen door. “I’m going for a shower then to get changed. I’ve unlocked the back door and stocked up on the little marshmallows for Spike if he does turn up.”

“Ok, sweetie,” Buffy said. “Don’t use up all the hot water; I’ve got to go for a shower, too.”

S***B

Spike was sitting in his crypt, staring at the coffee table with the two jewelry boxes on it. For some reason he was nervous about going anywhere near Revello Drive that night and it was not because of the blond spitfire that resided there. It was that stupid Whelp that had threatened him earlier. Why did he seem scared of going? Spike looked up as the door to his crypt opened.

“Hey, Spike,” Clem greeted with a friendly wave, resulting in the extra flaps of skin to slap together. “You look glum tonight. Up for a game of poker?”

“Nah,” Spike replied. “Got a prior engagement for tonight, but I don’t think I should go.”

“Why not?” Clem asked. “And what’s the prior engagement?”

“Stupid Whelp told me not to,” Spike mumbled in reply as he picked up the two boxes. “It’s Buffy’s birthday, she invited me to a little get together that the nibblet arranged. Said Dawn asked her to invite me, but I think she actually wanted me to go.”

“The Slayer’s birthday. Well go,” Clem said. “I know how crazy you are about her. Hear enough when you’re drunk. Plus, you just called her ‘Buffy’ not ‘The Slayer’ so go.”

“Thanks mate,” Spike said as he stood up and put the boxes in his duster pocket. “I’m off to get some ‘real’ beer to take with me and then I’m going to wish my girl a happy birthday. Whether her friends like it or not.”

S***B

Buffy was getting worried. She had been sitting in the kitchen for an hour now and there was still no sign of Spike. It was well after sunset and she was sure he would come. Even if it was just to yell at her for getting her hair cut.

“Hey, Buffster,” Xander said as he came into the kitchen. “We were wondering when you were going to come through so we can start the movie?”

“I told you I wanted to wait for a while,” Buffy said, not moving her gaze from the back door. “Spike isn’t here yet.”

“Told you not to expect him to come, Buff,” Xander said as he sat down beside Buffy. “He’s a vampire, you can’t trust him.”

“I told him Dawn wanted me to invite him,” Buffy said quietly. “He’ll do anything for Dawn so he WILL come.”

Xander just shook his head. “What did you say to him?” Buffy demanded of her male friend. “I know you, Alexander Harris and when you don’t like something, you will do anything to make it not happen.”

“I just had a word with him,” Xander conceded. “I saw him in the basement at The Magic Box today and I told him that if he turned up I would tell Anya about him stealing the supplies from the store.”

Buffy sighed at the behavior of her friend and shook her head. “You didn’t have to threaten him like that,” Buffy said. “Anya knows about Spike taking the supplies for his blood as I’ve told her. I pay her $30 a month to cover it, only Spike doesn’t know.”

“I’m sorry, Buffy,” Xander sighed. At least he had the decency to look ashamed. “I just got jealous. You were showing signs of liking another vampire and I just didn’t get why you couldn’t like a normal guy.”

“I’m the Slayer, Xander,” Buffy replied. “My life is anything but normal…”

Just then the back door opened and said vampire entered the kitchen. “Too right your life is anything but ordinary,” Spike said with a smirk. “Didn’t think I’d show, did you Whelp? Happy birthday, pet.”

“Thanks you, Spike,” Buffy said with a blush as Spike pressed a kiss to her forehead. “Xander, go tell everyone that Spike and I will be though in a minute. I need to discuss something with him first.”

Xander nodded and began to head though to the living room when he heard the clink of bottles. “Is that beer?” he asked and Spike nodded. “Ok if I have one?” Spike handed him one and pointed in the direction of the living room and Xander headed off again.

“So, kitten,” Spike said as he moved to wrap his arms around Buffy’s waist, surprised when she didn’t stop him. “What was it you wanted to talk to me about?”

“I want to tell everyone that we’re together,” Buffy said as she wrapped her arms around Spike’s neck. “I’m not ashamed of us. I just wanted something that was just mine for a while, but now that Willow and Tara have their own place I want you to move in with me and Dawn. We can be a family and give Dawn some stability.”

“Nibblet know about this?” Spike asked.

“No,” Buffy said with a smile. “But I overheard her ask Willow why she and Tara moved in with her last summer instead of you. So I think you won’t hear any complaints from her. So, what do you say?”

“I say we go face the music.”

The living room fell silent the minute Buffy and Spike walked in, hand in hand. It was obvious from the looks on everyone’s faces that they had been talking about the couple.

“Hey, Spike,” Dawn greeted. “I knew you would come.”

“Hey, nibblet,” Spike greeted in return. “Red. Glinda. Anya. Whelp.” Buffy elbowed Spike at that comment. “Um, Harris.”

“Hey, Spike,” Willow greeted with a smile as she snuggled up to Tara. “What is it you and Spike were wanting to tell us?”

Buffy looked at Spike. “Do you want to tell them or should I?”

“Your mates, luv,” Spike said with a tender smile. “So, why don’t you tell them.”

“Ok,” Buffy smiled shyly, then turned to her friends. “Well, guys. Spike and I are a couple. We’ve been together since that whole episode with the singing and dancing. Even if I tried to deny it.” Buffy looked down at the floor with that final statement.

Spike noticed this and turned to face Buffy. Placing his finger under her chin, Spike raised Buffy’s face to look at him. “Hey, pet, look at me,” he said gently. “There’s no need for you to be ashamed. I’m not mad at you. Hey, it was bloody obvious to us when we were Joan and Randy when we found out what we were. So, don’t be upset.”

“I knew it,” Dawn suddenly burst out. “I knew something was going on between the two of you. So, that was where you were that night Willow and Tara took me to the cinema and you stayed out all night?”

Buffy blushed and nodded her head slightly. “Yeah, that was where I was.”

Something suddenly clicked in Xander’s mind and he jumped up and started pointing his finger at the couple. “You weren’t exercising that day, were you?”

“Yet again, I was right,” Dawn exclaimed as Buffy blushed and Spike looked embarrassed. “Earlier when you said that better things happened that day than making Doris go crazy. And you stopped yourself from saying Spike when you said you went to see someone.”

“Bit’s got smarts,” Spike commented to Buffy. “Which is why I don’t get your grades?” he directed at Dawn.

“Now that Spike’s here and we’ve established that he’s giving Buffy orgasms,” Anya spoke up for the first time since Spike entered the room, which Dawn was grateful for as it saved her having to explain the bad grades she got in school. “Can we either open presents or watch the movie?”

“Yeah,” Buffy said. “Let’s open presents first. Did you bring me anything, baby?”

“Course I did,” Spike smiled. “But I think I’ll leave part of mine until last and the other part until we’re alone.”

“Hey, hey,” Dawn said suddenly. “Impressionable youth here. Don’t need to know about my sister’s sex life.”

“Same here,” Xander chipped in. “I’ve already had a first hand show to that. Even if I didn’t realize at the time.”

“Get your mind out the gutter, bit,” Spike said as he and Buffy settled down on the sofa. “The present isn’t of that nature.”

Dawn just nodded and went over to the small pile of presents that had been set up. “This one’s from me, and mom. She gave me some money to put towards your twenty-first birthday present before her operation.”

Buffy opened the box that Dawn handed her. She gasped when she saw the long black duster like Spike’s. “I guess mom took the hint when I told her how cool Spike’s jacket was,” Buffy muttered. “Thank you, Dawnie.”

Next was a parcel from Buffy and Dawn’s father. “He remembered,” Buffy said as she stroked the red and black ice skates that Hank had mailed.

“Who remembered what, kitten?” Spike asked as he held Buffy around the waist.

“My dad,” Buffy said with a small smile. “I asked him the summer I spent with him after I killed the Master if he would get me a pair of red and black ice skates for my twenty-first and he remembered. I’ll need to email him and thank him for them.”

Next was the present from Giles. Buffy was reluctant to open this one because of her bad birthday experiences in the past.

“Come on, Buffy,” Willow encouraged. “I’m sure it’s nothing bad. Even if Giles has been the reason behind some of your bad birthday experiences in the past.”

With Willow’s encouragement, Buffy opened the envelope. First there was a letter.

***
Dear Buffy,
Since being back in England, I have been in discussions with the Council. Despite the fact that you have been an almost renegade since the Ascension I have finally reached an agreement with Quentin.
At first he was reluctant to this arrangement as he could see your relationship with Spike and did not agree with your decision to keep him undead, as it were, when he came to us after the Initiative had placed the chip in his head. But I can see I am rambling as you will know all the reasons Quentin would be a reluctant ass, so I will get to the point.
Between myself and some of the more accepting members of the council, we have come to an agreement to provide you with a large sum of money as compensation now that you are, in all sense of the word, a legal adult and have been released from your obligations to the council. We still request that you remain on the Hellmouth, at least until we have found the next in the Slayer line. I will be in touch soon, but until then; happy birthday, Buffy.
Love, Giles.
***

“Oh, my God,” Buffy gasped as she removed the cheque from the envelope. “Giles wasn’t kidding when he said ‘large sum of money’. The council has given me two million dollars. That’s like a million pounds in England, isn’t it baby?”

“Think so, luv,” Spike said as he pressed a kiss to Buffy’s lips. “Not really sure of the current exchange rate.”

Suddenly, Anya thrust a present into Buffy’s hands thus breaking the tender moment between the two. “Here, open mine now. Xander didn’t like this one so we got you one each.”

After accepting the present from Anya, Buffy opened it to find an expensive satin nightgown. It was even in Buffy’s size. “Thank you, Anya,” Buffy said. “It’s perfect.”

“Xander thought you would consider him a pervert if he got you that,” Anya said making Xander choke on a Cheesy-O.

“Ahn, that was a private conversation,” Xander whined to his girl friend. “But, she’s right Buff. That’s why I made this for you.” Xander then brought a brand new weapons chest to show Buffy and he groaned again when he saw the bright red bow on top. “Anya, did you put that there?”

Dawn giggled and put her hand up. “Actually, it was me. I wanted to get back at you for almost making me a demon bride when you summoned Sweet.”

Buffy just laughed and turned to her best friend of the human male variety. “Thank you Xander. The new chest will be great as my old one is going to be needed soon, but don’t ask why. Now time for Willow and Tara’s present.”

Willow handed over a small box to Buffy. “First of all, this isn’t really your present from us. We found it in your mom’s closet when we were packing up our stuff. So we thought it might have been your mom’s,” Willow explained.

Buffy opened up the box and gasped at what was inside. “Mom’s engagement and wedding rings. I was wondering what she had done with them after the divorce. Thank you Willow and Tara.”

“Your welcome, Buffy,” Tara said in her usual small voice. “This is your actual present.”

Tara then opened the other box that Tara handed her. “My God, it’s beautiful. I had one when I was younger that Dawn gave me and I lost it one night while I was out. An ex tried to replace it, but it wasn’t the same.”

Spike then took the charm bracelet from Buffy and helped put it on her. “Now it’s time for part of your present from me.” Spike took the long box from his pocket and handed it to Buffy while giving her a kiss. “Happy birthday, luv.”

Buffy gave Spike a soft, shy smile as she opened the box and looked down into the box to see a delicate gold chain with a drop diamond pendant in the shape of a heart and matching earrings. “Thank you, Spike. They’re beautiful, but you didn’t have to spend all that money on me. Just being here on my birthday was enough, but thank you. I love you.”

The room suddenly went silent at Buffy’s admission and everyone had a shocked look on their face. Everyone except Spike. The look on his face was far from shocked. He was sporting a goofy grin, the type of grin only a man in love can bear when his beloved returns the sentiment.

“I love you, too, Buffy,” Spike said as he held her closer to him. “That’s why I gave you that necklace and earrings set, they were my mum’s. I didn’t keep much of her stuff after I was turned, but mum gave me them to me telling me to give them to the woman who would own my heart one day. They are a family heirloom, you see, been in the family five generations before my mum.”

“But if they were for the woman who owned your heart, why didn’t you give them to Drusilla,” Buffy asked.

“Dru didn’t really own my heart, I felt,” Spike said as he snuggled Buffy closer to him on his lap. “Plus Dru didn’t like diamonds. She preferred the red gems.”

“I own your heart more than Dru did?” Buffy asked with tears in her eyes.

“Of course you do, baby,” Spike said kissing the tears from her eyes. “Why do you think I offered to kill the crazy bint for you last year?”

Buffy just nodded her head and turned to face her friends. “I know you guys wanted to have a movie night to celebrate my birthday, but would you mind postponing it until tomorrow night?” Buffy asked. “It’s just I’m really tired and just want to go to bed.”

“Sure, Buffy,” Willow said. “Dawn can stay with Tara and me tonight to give you and Spike some time alone.”

“Thanks, Will,” Buffy said with a smile. “Is that ok with you, Dawn?”

“Yeah, I’ll just go and get my stuff.”

“I’m sorry about this,” Buffy apologized. “Just today has been quite tiring emotionally and I just want to go to bed and there’s still some things Spike and I need to talk about and I don’t want to fall asleep halfway through it all.”

“No problem, Buffster,” Xander said with a goofy grin as Anya wriggled on his lap. “I’ve got an early start in the morning so heading home to bed just now seems to be a good idea. See you tomorrow night. Hey, Will, do you, Tara and Dawn need a lift to your apartment?”

“Ok,” Willow agreed. “Hurry up Dawn, Xander’s giving us a lift and he’s got an early start in the morning.”

Just then the teen came bounding down the stairs and headed to Buffy to give her a hug. “Night Buff,” then turning to Spike. “Night, Spike, can’t wait to be living as a family, but keep it down once I’m back.”

If vampires could blush, Spike would have been beet red at that point. “Night, bit, see you tomorrow.”

As Buffy and Spike watched their friends and family leave, Spike pulled Buffy back to lean against him. “I’m ready for that other present now, baby,” Buffy said and started to lead Spike up the stairs to her room.

For the second time that night, Spike was nervous. He knew Buffy loved him as she had told him in front of her friends, but he wasn’t sure what she would say to this next present. Following Buffy into her, no their, room Spike removed the second, smaller box from his pocket and sat down on the bed beside Buffy.

“Luv, like I said earlier,” Spike began, his nervousness showing in his voice. “After I was turned I kept some of my mum’s jewelry as they were family heirlooms. Got plenty back at the crypt that you can have, but the necklace, earrings and what’s in this box is what I wanted to give to you tonight.”

“Spike,” Buffy began. “The necklace and earrings were perfect, but you didn’t have to get me anything more than you just being here with me.”

“I know you said that, luv,” Spike said pressing a small kiss to Buffy’s lips. “But, you are my girl and I want the world to know that.” Spike then got down on one knee on the floor and opened the box. “I know we’ve done all this before, but this time there’s no spell except the one you’ve got me under. Buffy Anne Summers, whenever I look at you I feel as though my heart is beating again, I feel as though I’m not a soulless demon and that I’m the man you deserve. So, will you do me the honor and make me the happiest man in the world by agreeing to become my wife?”

Buffy was speechless. She couldn’t believe that Spike wanted to marry her. “Of course I will, Spike,” Buffy gushed. “Of course I’ll marry you Spike; I think I’ve wanted to marry you ever since Willow ended her spell. But as usual I was scared what everyone would think.”

Spike put the ring on Buffy’s finger and looked at how looked on there. “Was my mum’s wedding ring,” he whispered to Buffy as they moved up the bed to lean against the headboard. “Looks way better than the ring I gave you under the spell.”

Buffy smiled and leaned up to give Spike a kiss on the lips. “I’ve still got that one, it’s in my nightstand drawer,” Buffy whispered. “I’ve also got some other things in there.”

“Other things like what?” Spike asked.

“I’ve been doing research on the line of Aurealias and the papers are in there,” Buffy said as she pulled Spike’s hands over her stomach. “While researching, I found out that male vampires in the line of Aurealias can impregnate some women, but only if the woman is a relation to a Slayer or potential, is a Slayer or a potential Slayer.”

“What are you saying, luv?” Spike asked unsure whether to be excited or not. “Are you telling me that you’re pregnant?”

“Yeah,” Buffy said as she interlocked her fingers with Spike’s over her stomach. “We’re gonna have a baby. But, there is something else I wanted to talk to you about. While I was researching, I read about this demon trial thingy in Africa. If you win it, the demon will grant you one wish.”

“Sounds good,” Spike said. “But, I’ve got everything I ever wanted here. I’m gonna have you as my wife, I’m gonna be like a Da’ to Dawn and I’m gonna be a Da for this little one. I don’t need to go through any trials for what I want.”

“But what about going on in the sunlight?” Buffy asked. “Angel destroyed the Gem of Amara.”

“That’s the beauty of mating,” Spike said. “If I mate with you, our lives become linked. You get all the perks of vampire sight and hearing and I get to go out in the sunlight. Plus, the only way to kill either of us is to behead us and after the death of one, the other will just fade away, until they die. That way we will always be together. But I will make sure that we both live long enough to see this one and any others grow up.”

“But what about ageing?” Buffy wondered. “As the years go on, won’t I appear to get older?”

“Nope,” Spike smiled. “Like I said, all the vampire perks. You won’t get old. As for me, the only blood I will need to sustain myself is the small draughts I take from you whenever we renew the bond. Why do you think I suggested it for you in the brief period we were engaged with Willow’s spell? I’d be preserving your beauty and we’d live forever.”

“That sounds great,” Buffy said over a yawn. “But can we maybe talk more about it in the morning? I’m really tired.”

“Okay, baby,” Spike agreed kissing Buffy on the lips. “We’ll talk about it in the morning; you just get some rest and keep your strength up. Love you, kitten. You and the baby."

“Love you, too, William,” Buffy said. “Will you sing to me? Your voice is so sweet and it helped me sleep in the past.”

“When was this?” Spike questioned placing a hand over Buffy’s stomach in a protective manner. “Can’t remember ever singing to you other than the demon an’ that wasn’t a nice song.”

“I know,” Buffy smiled interlocking her fingers with Spike’s. “But I memorized your voice and I imagine you singing me to sleep at night when I can’t sleep. So, will you sing to me?”

“Okay, kitten,” Spike agreed and began to hum a soft tune to a song.

“In, I'm falling in
I didn't want to
Not so fast, boy
Slow,
Don't wanna hurt the girl
Give her a pretty box
You better feel it
And I get blinded when she opens the door
It's like looking into the sun, you know
And I just blink an' mumble an' stare down at my shoes
And she just looks at me
And smiles
Smiles
Smiles

Oh, there we go again
And it feels so good
We're fallin' up and down
And down, it's 2 AM again
And she kisses me goodbye
For the sixteenth time
And I'm driving home, it's 5 AM
And I look at the sun come up over the hills
And the clouds are turning pink and green
And all I can see is her eyes
Eyes
Eyes

I get blinded when she opens the door
It's like looking into the sun, you know
And I just blink an' mumble an' stare down at my shoes
And she just looks at me
And smiles
Smiles
Smiles”

A few hours later, Buffy woke with a start. Her hand suddenly shot to her mouth and she struggled to wriggle out of Spike’s arms. The wriggling brought Spike’s attention to the fact that Buffy was awake and he was stopping her from going where she wanted. Having woken up to this situation before, Spike didn’t hesitate to allow her from his arms. It was easier than having to deal with a bloody nose.

Buffy ran the minute she felt Spike’s arms loosen from around her waist, barely reaching the bathroom on time. She was getting used to the morning ritual by now, but normally it came much later than six in the morning. After she was sure her stomach was empty, Buffy stood and grabbed her toothbrush to scrub the taste of vomit from her mouth.

Spike was still sitting on the bed in Buffy’s, no their, room (that was going to take some getting used to) confused about what had just happened. Normally it was his bed that Buffy struggled to get out of, not hers. They had never spent the night in her bed before for fear her friends would find them in the morning. But then he could hear the sound of vomiting came from the bathroom and the events from the previous night came back to him and he smiled. Buffy was going to be his wife. He was moving in with her and the bit. Buffy was pregnant with his, HIS baby. That was when he jumped out of bed and pulled on his jeans on the way to the bathroom to see if his girl needed anything.

Buffy was in the process of rinsing out her mouth when Spike crept up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist once more and pressed a soft kiss to her neck, just below her ear. “I’m sorry I wouldn’t let you free,” he whispered to her. “Was thinkin’ last night was jus’ a dream an’ we were back at my crypt and you were tryin’ to leave.”

Buffy felt ashamed at that. She had never realized how much it hurt Spike emotionally when she treated him like the monster that he wasn’t. “I’m sorry about that, baby,” she said with a touch of sadness. “I never should have treated you like that. I was angry at myself, but took it out on you.”

“Why were you…?” Spike began to ask, only to have Buffy throw herself at the toilet bowl once again. Spike automatically followed and held Buffy’s hair back as she threw up the remained of the junk food that had been consumed the previous night. “You got any dry biscuits downstairs, pet?” Spike asked after wiping his girl’s mouth of the remainder of the vomit.

“Um, there should be some crackers down in the cupboard,” Buffy said, slightly breathless. “Why?”

“Because, pet, I know that’s what’s good for morning sickness,” Spike explained as he scooped Buffy up into his arms and carried her back to their room. “Plus, root beer is good, too, an’ I know the bit’s got some in the fridge.”

“Spike?” Buffy asked as Spike turned to leave. “How do you know all this stuff?”

“I do watch ‘Passions’,” Spike replied with a smirk. “Plus, me an’ your mum used to have chats and one of the topics that came up was her pregnancies an’ how she cured ‘er morning sickness.”

“Thanks,” Buffy smiled in reply. “But, when you come back up, you are going to tell me why you and my mom had a talk about her pregnancies.”

Spike just nodded and headed downstairs, humming some punk song on his way.

Buffy then smiled at the ring she noticed was still adorning her left ring finger. It truly was beautiful and she couldn’t imagine what Spike saw in her to believe she deserved such a beautiful gift. That was when something suddenly hit her. “Hey, baby,” Buffy greeted as she rubbed her still flat stomach. “I’ve never thought of this before, but I wonder what your daddy’s last name is?” Buffy smiled at that. “Hey, another thing I just realized is that I’ve never talked to you before, I wonder what you’re going to be like, are you a little girl? Are you a boy?”

“I don’t really care,” Spike said, interrupting Buffy’s thoughts. “As long as they’re healthy. But I do know that if it’s a little girl, she’s going to look just like her mum.”

“Nuh-uh,” Buffy said with a smile. “She’s going to look just like her daddy. She’s going to have his bright blue eyes, his striking cheekbones and his full bottom lip. And there is no way she will have my nose.”

“There is nothing wrong with your nose, pet,” Spike contradicted as he held out the plate with crackers and glass of root beer. “She will have your cute adorable nose, she’ll have your pout that’ll have me do anything for you. She’ll have your blonde hair that will look good in those stupid pigtails I’ve seen you wear.”

“So, are we agreed that we’re going to have a girl?” Buffy asked through a mouthful of crackers.

“Daddy’s little princess,” Spike said with a silly smile. “Do you want me to rub your back?”

“Yeah. A back rub sounds great,” Buffy said with a sigh. “While you’re doing that, you can tell me about that talk with my mom.”

Spike got in place behind Buffy and started to rub her shoulders. “It was one time when the bit had come to Joyce asking about what it was like to be pregnant as one of her chums’ big sis was pregnant and they wanted to know what to expect,” Spike explained as he moved his hands to between her shoulder blades. “I just happened to be there for my weekly gossip and hot chocolate.”

“And why did you have those?” Buffy asked as she moaned in pleasure at the relief Spike’s hands were giving her.

“To find out how you were doing,” Spike said as he pressed a soft kiss to Buffy’s neck once more. “Your mum always said that if ‘normal’ wasn’t enough for you, she would have preferred it to be me you settled down with rather than Angel. Plus, I helped her with some of the work for the gallery.”

“My mom knew how I felt about you, too,” Buffy said, though not wanting to talk. “We had a talk right before her surgery and we agreed that if anything happened to her, you should move in with Dawn and me. Sorry it’s took so long.”

“It’s ok, kitten,” Spike reassured Buffy as he pulled her onto his lap and putting his hands on her stomach protectively. “Now this brings us back to the whole reason why you were angry with yourself. There was no reason. You died to save the world, to save your sister. It was your friends’ stupidity that brought you back. You shouldn’t be angry with yourself, if anything, you should be angry with them. But I would think hard about that especially after now.” Spike rubbed Buffy’s stomach to emphasize what he was meaning.

“Okay,” Buffy reassured him. “I don’t see any reason to be mad with anyone now. Hey maybe I could ask Anya about a job in The Magic Box, the smell of Doublemeat burgers was starting to make me heave when I was at work and that’s so not of the good.”

“That sounds like an idea,” Spike said as he started to lie down with Buffy in his arms. “But as you can probably guess, I have quite a bit of cash from my family and don’t forget about that money you’ve got coming from Giles and the council.”

“Yeah,” Buffy yawned as she snuggled into Spike. “But for the moment, can we just go back to bed for a few hours?” Spike nodded and the couple dozed back to sleep, safe in the knowledge that the other would be there for them when they woke.

Four hours later, Buffy and Spike woke to the sound of voices from downstairs. Spike smiled when he realized that Dawn was one of them.

“Think tha’s the bit home,” Spike said, his voice rough with sleep. “You want to go down and make sure there’s no chance of dusty Spike for breakfast?”

Buffy groaned not wanting to get up, content to just stay in bed with Spike all day. “I want to stay in bed with you,” Buffy said snuggling into Spike more. “It’s warm here and safe and…”

“Enough with tha’, luv,” Spike said with a chaste kiss to her lips. “We just need to go down and tell your mates about everything and then you can come back up here and sleep some more.”

“Will you come back up with me?” Buffy asked.

“Alright, we can snuggle on the sofa watchin’ telly all day,” Spike conceded. “After all, someone needs to watch the bit.”

“Plus, it shows that we will just be one big happy family,” Buffy said with a smile.

Just then, Dawn called up from the bottom of the stairs. “I know you two are awake, I can hear you both talking. So get down here, the curtains are closed.”

“I guess that’s our cue,” Buffy said pressing a kiss to Spike’s lips. “We best get dressed though.”

“Yeah, don’t want to shock the kiddies,” Spike laughed picking up his jeans. “Do you want my t-shirt?”

“Nope,” Buffy said with a smile. “I stole one of yours one day at the crypt.”

“Cheeky minx,” Spike smiled. “Let’s get downstairs before I try to ravage your delectable arse, kitten.”

With that said, Spike jumped over the bed and began to chase Buffy out of the room and downstairs. Buffy squealed with joy all the way along the route to her friends and sister.

S***B

Xander, Willow, Tara and Anya were all sitting on the various seats within the living room trying to stifle their laughter at Dawn’s greeting to her older sister, well Anya wasn’t. As usual, she just blurted the first thing that came to her mind.

“What if they weren’t just talking?” Anya asked. “The other half of Spike’s present for Buffy could have been many orgasms and he was only saying it wasn’t for the sake of Dawn being in the room.”

“Ahn, how many times do I have to tell you?” Xander asked. “Not everyone’s thoughts are sex centered…”

Dawn could sense the conversation was about to enter the realm of the uncomfortable for her, so she headed to the kitchen to prepare some drinks for everyone. Including blood for Spike. She was still there when Buffy and Spike came downstairs and Buffy came to get her.

“Hey sweetie,” Buffy greeted as she gave Dawn a hug. “You okay?”

“Yeah, Anya was talking about sex again and I got uncomfortable,” Dawn smiled, but frowned as she saw her sister’s tiredness. “We didn’t wake you, did we?”

“Yeah,” Buffy said through a yawn. “But we were going to go back upstairs after we told you all what was happening between me and Spike.”

“Come on then,” Dawn said lifting the tray of cups. “I made drinks for everyone, including Spike’s blood.”

The two sisters walked into the living room with Buffy leaning on Dawn slightly. When Spike saw this, he got up and lifted Buffy into his arms and carried her over to the armchair that he had been sitting in. The gang also noticed how worn out Buffy was and Anya’s smile spread from ear to ear.

“Told you it was sex,” she muttered to Xander forgetting Spike’s acute hearing.

“An’ I told you last night it wasn’t,” Spike said as he felt Buffy snuggle closer to him. “So can we hurry this up so my girl can get some more sleep?” Spike looked around at everyone and they all nodded then Spike looked down to Buffy. “Want to tell them or should I so you can answer any questions they’ve got afterwards?”

“You can tell them,” Buffy smiled sleepily. “That way I can get more sleep.”

“Okay, kitten,” Spike said quietly as he pressed a soft kiss to Buffy’s temple and rubbed her stomach, luckily no one noticed it yet. “Well, my other present for Buffy last night was my mum’s engagement ring,” Spike informed the gang and was met with surprised gasps.

“I’m guessing she said yes,” Dawn said with a face splitting grin.

“Yes, she said yes,” Buffy said although she kept her eyes closed. “I may have my eyes closed, but I’m still awake. But yes, Spike and I are gonna get married.”

“Just have to wait a while,” Spike said.

“Why do you have to wait a while?” Willow asked having heard all Buffy’s teenaged thoughts about what she would want if she could have married Angel.

“If I remember correctly,” Spike began. “Buffy wants a daytime wedding in the park and to have that we will have to mate. But I won’t mate with her at the moment.”

“Why not?” Buffy asked in confusion. Then something clicked. “Is it because of…?” She then placed her hand over Spike’s which was still resting on her stomach and Spike smiled with a slight nod.

That was when everyone’s gaze dropped to the linked hands resting on Buffy’s stomach and then everything made sense. Spike’s reluctance to claim Buffy at the present time, the tender, loving looks being passed between the two, Buffy’s tiredness and the protective clasp of their hands on her stomach.

“Amazing,” Anya gasped. “I’ve only heard about this happening, never bore witness to it before. A Line of Aurealias vampire fathering a child with a human.”

But as always, Xander was the slowest of them all. “Buffy’s pregnant? With Deadboy Jnr’s kid?” he asked. “How is that possible? Vamps can’t be dads.”

“Xander Harris,” Anya scolded. “Haven’t you heard what I’ve just been saying? Line of Aurealias vampires can father children. I’ve even heard of some females in the line being impregnated by humans but having to stake themselves in the process of labor to save the child. The child, having a human father, fortunately goes through life like any child whose mother died in childbirth.”

“How the hell do you know all this, Ahn?” Xander asked turning to face his future bride. “Wait a minute, Buffy, you’re marrying Captain Peroxide, you want to be tied to him forever through this mating and you’re carrying his child? Where’s that ‘normal’ life you tried for with Riley and Parker?”

Before Buffy or Spike could say anything in response to Xander’s comments, Dawn jumped in with an excited squeal and threw her arms around the couple. “Oh my God, I can’t believe I’m going to be an aunty,” she said calming down. “Congratulations. By the way, I know you want to sleep some more later, so is it okay I go over to Janice’s? I told her we would hang out and if she comes over here, I don’t think you’d get much sleep.”

“Okay, bit,” Spike said after checking with Buffy. “But eight o’clock curfew so we can look over your homework. Your grades have been falling recently, plus I want the three of us to have dinner together.”

“Okay,” Dawn agreed without any fuss. If anything, she would be home before then as what she needed was the stability of a family and with Spike moving in, it looked like that would be what she was getting. “I’ve got my cell if any oogily boogily jumps out on us when we’re out.” With that said, Dawn ran to the door and left, closing it quietly.

Willow and Tara were the next to express their congratulations but soon excused themselves as they had a Wiccan group meeting to attend later that afternoon.

“If you want,” Willow began. “I could call Giles for you and ask him to come back to Sunnydale. Or even call Wesley in LA, but ask him not to tell Angel.”

“Call Rupes,” Spike said trying to hold back his snarl at Angel’s name. “Don’t want that Wanker in LA knowing anything while Buffy’s pregnant, ‘cause he’ll come here an’ try an’ talk her out of things.”

“Okay,” Willow said and she and Tara left leaving only Xander and Anya with Buffy and Spike.

“Xander,” Buffy began. “I don’t care what you think, but you are so close minded when it comes to Spike. Yeah he’s a vampire, but he’s chipped and can’t kill any more. But, no offence to you Anya, Spike’s situation is just like Anya’s. She was a vengeance demon and she spent over a century avenging scorned women. The only reason she stopped was she lost her power, so don’t go judging my choice of life partner as I have never judged yours. Not even your antics in high school have been criticized. Sophomore after the field trip, the whole ‘love spell’ that resulted in me being turned into a rat and my mom trying to seduce you, Faith. Need I say more. Oh yeah, the whole aiding and abetting that zombie raise other zombies. So don’t go telling me how to be a saint when you haven’t led a saintly life yourself.”

“I know, Buff,” Xander said in a sad voice. “I wasn’t going to say anything about that. I’m sorry I went off like that earlier, I was just trying to get my head around actually walking in on you two that day and looking at you naked, although I didn’t actually know. So, I guess congratulations are in order.”

“Thanks, Buffy said as she accepted the hug from Xander and Spike shook his hand. “Although I would like for you and Spike to get along relatively well.”

“I don’t know about that, pet,” Spike said. “Maybe my mate Clem would be more of Xander’s type. He does like comic books and I remember fallin’ over them when I stayed with him.”

“Okay,” Buffy smiled as she kissed Spike’s lips. “Um, Anya, any chance of another job at The Magic Box? The smell of the Doublemeat Palace was starting to make me heave and I don’t think that would be of the good in a fast food restaurant.”

“Sure,” Anya replied with a smile. “But not handling the money or the customers. You can stock the shelves and write down what we need to order. Oh, and you can do some light cleaning, especially if you throw up.”

“Thanks, Anya,” Buffy smiled. “I really appreciate you doing this for me. And really, it was the nerdy trio who caused all that time stuff.

“I know, but soon you won’t be able to reach the cash register and when you get to that stage, you can just sort through the stock at the table,” Anya explained, ever resourceful. “But the growth of your belly means I’m going to have to change the bridesmaid dresses. I read that peach is an all around color that looks good on pregnant ladies.”

“Thank you, Anya,” Buffy smiled once more. “But as I said earlier, I’m really tired and I just want to go back to bed. Can we get together tomorrow to talk more about work?”

“Okay,” Anya said with a smile. “Besides, all this talk about my money is making me want to go and check on it. Let’s go Xander.”

Xander stood and followed Anya. “Bye, see you two tomorrow,” he said with a smile and the two left.

Spike looked down at his precious package and smiled as she snuggled into his shoulder. “Looks like we can go back up to bed with Dawn being out,” he said as Buffy nodded slightly. He stood up and carried Buffy back up to their room and tucked her into his arms under the covers. “Sweet dreams, kitten, love you.”

“Love you, too,” Buffy muttered in her sleep laden voice. “Love you, too.”

Although he was usually asleep at this time of the day, Spike found himself wide awake, not wanting to miss a single expression on Buffy’s face in her sleep. Also, he wanted this time to introduce himself to the baby growing in his love’s stomach.

“’Ello, little bit,” he spoke to Buffy’s stomach. “I’m your da’. It might not seem like tha’ when you’re born, but I am and I will be able to do the stuff most da’s do with their kids while they’re growing up. Except, I’ll need to get some treatment for my slight sun allergy.”

Just then, Buffy stirred slightly and Spike sat up, but placed his hand on her stomach as he had in the past to settle her when she would cry in her sleep. Buffy did settle at that, but also placed her hand on her stomach along with Spike’s and unconsciously entwined her fingers with his. This action, in itself, caused a slight smile to flourish on Spike’s face, so he lay back down with Buffy and followed her into slumber.

S***B

MEANWHILE AT XANDER’S…

“Why don’t you go take a bath, Ahn,” Xander suggested as he massaged his girlfriend’s shoulders. “That way you can be relaxed for our date tonight.”

“That sounds great,” Anya smiled. “Maybe you can join me? We could have some bath time orgasms; that would really relax me.”

“I’ll think about it,” Xander said as he left to draw Anya’s bath. “I’ve just got some stuff to do for Willow.”

“Okay,” Anya said as she skipped off to get ready for her bath.

S***B

Once Xander was sure Anya had settled into her bath and wouldn’t hear what he was saying, he settled down at the desk and dialed the contact number the gang had been given for Giles.

The phone rang for a while, but eventually an irate English man answered.

“Who the bloody hell is this calling at this time in the night?” Giles asked gruffly, rather than his usual polite greeting. “This better be good. Or an emergency. Or an apocalypse.”

“Sorry, G-man,” Xander apologized. “I know it’s late in England, but I just thought you should know what the rest of the gang have learned in the past 24 hours.”

“Xander, how wonderful,” Giles muttered. “What, pray tell, did you deem important enough to wake me in the middle of the night? And, please, don’t call me ‘G-man’ it sounds so infantile.”

“Sorry,” Xander muttered. “Well, Buffy and Spike have hooked up.” Xander began. “Apparently ever since that whole ‘Sweet’ incident. Now she claims to love him and they’re gonna get married next year. Seeing as Willow’s moved out, Spike’s also moved in with Buffy and Dawn and they intend to mate next year.”

“Why next year?” Giles asked more alert since hearing Xander’s news. “If they claim to be in love, why are they holding off on the claiming? Not that I’m complaining.”

“That’s the whole shock in the story,” Xander said. “Buffy has somehow fallen pregnant to Spike. She says it’s this whole Line of Aurealias thing.”

“Ah, yes,” Giles muttered as he held the phone between his ear and shoulder as he cleaned his glasses. “I have read something about that somewhere. Xander, can you keep this to yourself, this phone call? I will try and get a seat on the first flight from London in the morning and I will call you with the details when I get them.”

“No problem, Giles,” Xander said. “I can hear Anya calling on me, so I’ll talk to you later, safe flight. Bye.”

“Bye,” Giles said on his side of the line and hung up, going immediately to start packing for his flight back to Sunnydale.

S***B

BACK AT BUFFY'S

Buffy woke a few hours later to find herself alone in the bed, but found a glass of ginger ale and a plate of crackers on her nightstand with a note.

Hey, luv. Sorry to leave you alone when you wake up, but I had to nip back to my crypt to get some stuff and let Clem know it was vacant if he wants it. Be back soon. Love you and the bit.
P.S. Let’s think about names when I get back.

Buffy couldn’t help but smile as she drank her ginger ale and ate her crackers. It was just like Spike to leave a note like that, he was impossible when it came to her and the baby it seemed.

Just then, Buffy acknowledged that there were voices coming from downstairs. Dawn’s and Janice’s. It sounded like they were discussing something that had Janice intrigued as the pitch of her voice kept rising, making it become extremely annoying.

“Keep it down,” Buffy heard Dawn say. “Buffy was really tired earlier and Spike told me to let her sleep.”

“But you’re going to be an auntie,” Janice whined in reply. “That’s got to be exciting?”

“Yeah,” Dawn said. “But I don’t like it when normal Buffy and Spike are cranky and mad at me. Never mind hormonal Buffy and scary overprotective Spike being cranky and mad at me.”

“Alright,” sighed Janice, obviously reluctant to accept defeat. “So, what film do you want to watch? Beaches?” Dawn shook her head. “Crossroads?” Again a no from Dawn. “What type then?”

Dawn made her way over to the DVD collection. “Um, what about ‘Win A Date With Tad Hamilton?”

“That sounds great,” Janice smiled and just as she was about to put the DVD in the player, Buffy made her presence known.

“How about ’10 Things I Hate About You’?” she asked the surprised girls. “I know that your English Lit text is Shakespeare’s ‘The Taming of the Shrew’ and that’s what the film is based on.” The girls weren’t too keen on doing something to do with school on the weekend so Buffy added some argument. “It’s got Heath Ledger and might help you understand it more as it’s in a modern setting. I know it helped me.”

The girls looked at one another and Dawn changed the film to the one Buffy suggested while Buffy walked to the kitchen. She had the sudden desire to eat some of Dawn’s pickled eggs with vanilla ice cream with chocolate and strawberry sauce.

Buffy had been dozing lightly on the couch for the past few hours as Dawn and Janice made their way through the collection of DVDs. Dawn had made a face when Buffy came into the living room munching on her snack. She claimed that it was way squickier than anything she had ever came up with. Then she suddenly noticed what exactly was included in the snack.

“You better not have eaten all my pickled eggs,” Dawn said to Buffy. “If you have you’re buying me a new jar.”

“Okay,” Buffy replied, then she had an idea as Janice left to use the toilet. “At least the baby isn’t making me crave blood and wheetabix like her daddy likes.”

“Her?” Dawn asked. “Does Spike know you think it’s a girl?”

“Yeah,” Buffy replied with a pleasant smile on her face as she settled down in her favorite armchair. “He says she’ll be ‘Daddy’s little princess’ and once we get into a schedule with her, we’ll try for a little brother for her.”

“Any ideas of names, yet?” Dawn asked.

“No,” Buffy yawned as she put down her bowl. “We’re going to talk about it when Spike brings his stuff over later.”

“Spike doesn’t live here anymore?” Janice asked as she re-entered the room. “I had fun last summer when he was looking after Dawn while you were away visiting your dad to let him know about your mom.”

“We didn’t tell anyone we had got together when I came back,” Buffy explained. “But we told everyone last night about us, and about the baby this morning. So, now he’s moving in with us. That reminds me, Dawn, do you want my room?”

“Sure, Dawn said with a wide smile. “But why? What’s wrong with it that you and Spike are moving out?”

“Mom’s room has a connecting door with yours,” Buffy explained. “It’ll be easier for me and Spike to tend to the baby and you won’t be woken up by her.”

“Thanks,” Dawn smiled. “But what about when you plan to have another? I don’t want to be out of a room and I don’t want to sleep in the basement.”

“Can we talk about this later?” Buffy asked through a yawn. “I’m kinda tired. Get Spike to wake me when he comes in and both of you behave.”

That conversation was a few hours ago and Buffy was being lifted slightly to lean against a cold hard surface that felt like home, so she snuggled into it.

“Hey there, kitten,” Spike greeted as he got comfortable. “We’ll need to get you to the doc’s office to see about those prenatal vitamins. Baby seems to be wiping you out lately.”

“Hey, baby,” Buffy greeted giving Spike a soft kiss on the lips. “I made one for tomorrow night. That’s why I said I wouldn’t be able to patrol tomorrow. Wanna come with?”

“Sure,” Spike smiled. “I can’t wait to see little Lizzy,”

“Lizzy?” Buffy questioned with a raised eyebrow. “Who said we were calling our daughter Lizzy?”

“Elizabeth is your given name, pet,” Spike began. “An’ it was my grandmother’s name and my mum’s middle name. So I was hopin’ we could name her Elizabeth. Why, what did you want to call her?”

“I was thinking of Katherine,” Buffy explained as she snuggled deeper into Spike. “It was my mum’s middle name.”

“How about we keep these names in mind,” Spike smiled as he rubbed Buffy’s stomach softly. “After all, we don’t know how many baby girls you are carrying. Might be twins.”

“Don’t scare me any more than I already am, Spike,” Buffy said. “It’s scary enough being a pregnant Slayer, without thinking that I could be leaving two young children without a mother.”

“What are you talkin’ ‘bout, luv?” Spike questioned, saddened by Buffy’s line of conversation.

“Well, as the Slayer, I’ve a short lifespan, or I’m supposed to,” Buffy explained to the love of her life. “And at 21, I’m already living on borrowed time…”

Spike interrupted the now hysterical Slayer. “There, there, pet,” he soothed. “You are not going to die. I’ve told you that. From now on, I’ll patrol, you are not to do anything that will risk your life until after I’ve claimed you and you’ve finished nursin’ the bit. As the mate of a Master Vampire of the Aurealias line, other vampires have no right to challenge the claim. Not even your poncey ex, his soul makes him null and void for master of the line, Dru’s insanity and being female makes her null and void, heard Captain Forehead has dusted all the vamps he sired when he got his soul and the one I remember him making after his soul kept his soul, so that leaves me. I’m like vampire royalty.”

“Thanks, Spike,” Buffy sniffed. “But you don’t have to do all that, you could just accompany me on patrol would be enough. And, ego much? C’mon, vampire royalty?”

“I will patrol for you,” Spike repeated. “Tha’ way your mates are more likely to trust me, I’ll be showing them that I’m not lettin’ you go out an’ risk your life jus’ so I can have the baby to m’self. Besides, your going to be tired with the twins. As for the royalty, I am virtually a vampire king and you, my love, will be my queen after the claiming.”

“How many times do I have to tell you Spike?” Buffy questioned. “I am not having twins. There is only one baby in here.” She rubbed her hand over her stomach.

“I disagree,” Spike said as he moved his ear down to Buffy’s stomach. “Remember, I can hear heartbeats, so let me listen.”

Buffy sighed in defeat, but the feeling of Spike’s head lying on her stomach was comforting, so she ran her fingers through his hair and sighed in contentment. “So was I right? How many heartbeats do you hear?”

Spike rose and a wide smile spread across his face. “I hear three heartbeats,” he said and Buffy’s face dropped. “One is yours and the other two are our babies’ hearts.”

“Two babies? Twins?” Buffy asked in a small voice and Spike nodded. ‘Oh God’ was the last thing she said before she fainted.

When Buffy came round, she was lying on the couch and Spike was nowhere to be found.

“Spike?” Buffy called out and Spike suddenly rounded the corner, the phone in his hand. “Hey, what happened?”

Spike held up his hand and signaled to Buffy that he was on the phone. “Got to go, Red,” Spike said into the phone handset. “Yeah, she’s awake. Thanks for sayin’ you’ll pick the bit up at nine. See you later.” Spike hung up the phone and walked over to the couch and lifted Buffy up to sit her on his lap. “When I got in, Dawn and Janice asked if they could go over to Janice’s, they were a bit restless an’ I didn’ wan’ them wakin’ you luv, so I phoned Red to see if she would pick Dawn up at nine.”

“I’m so stupid, not asking where Dawn was earlier,” Buffy said as she snuggled into Spike. “But, that’s good, Willow picking her up. We get more snuggle time. Was Dawn in a mood when you came in?”

“Not really, kitten,” Spike said confused. “But she was going on about pickled eggs and ice cream, how it was disgusting. What was that all about?”

“I got hungry earlier,” Buffy said bashfully. “And Katie and Lizzie seemed to want vanilla ice cream and pickled eggs covered with strawberry and chocolate sauce. Dawn and Janice said it was disgusting.”

“I agree with them pet,” Spike said with a funny look on his face. “An’ that’s saying something when it’s comin’ from a vampire.”

“Spike,” Buffy said with a soft slap to his arm. “You mix wheetabix in with your blood. You made spaghetti bolognaise with blood instead of tomato puree. And you offered me some before Dawn told me what you put in it.”

“Yeah,” Spike said with a smirk. “But tha’ was the demon.”

“Yeah,” Buffy said with a smirk of her own. “And I have an excuse too.” At Spike’s raised eyebrow she explained. “Your daughters. They seem to have their daddy’s appetite for strange food.”

“Whatever you say, luv,” Spike said. “But let’s watch some TiVo before Red brings the bit home, then we can go to bed.”

“Okay,” Buffy said with a slight smile. “I think there’s a backlog of Passions on there.”

“Oi.”

S***B

The next morning, Buffy woke up to Spike talking to her stomach and she couldn’t help but smile and run her fingers through his hair.

“Morning, kitten,” Spike said as he turned to face Buffy but kept an ear to her stomach. “Was jus’ talking to the bits, let them get used to my voice an’ whatnot.”

“I know,” Buffy said. “I heard. I also heard you telling them not to make me sick. Tell me; is there a history of twins in your family?”

“Um,” Spike said, thinking back to his human life. “Yeah,” a slight smile graced his lips. “My little sisters were twins and there was six years between us, jus’ like you an’ Nib.”

“That explains why you’re so protective of her,” Buffy said with a smile.

“Partly,” Spike replied. “Also made a promise to a lady that I would protect her to the end of the world.”

“Even if it’s tonight,” Buffy smiled. “You’re gonna be a great dad, Spike. I can tell with the way Dawn spoke of you that summer.”

“An’ you are already a brilliant mum, pet,” Spike said as he sat up beside Buffy. “Jus’ lookin’ at the way you care for Dawn an’ when your mum was ill. It’s amazin’ the way you are able to balance work, patrollin’ keepin’ house an’ caring for the bit. Remember the New York Slayer I told you about?” Buffy nodded. “Well, found out recently that she had a son that she left with her Watcher while she patrolled an’ she still had tha’ death wish I told you about while she had ties to the world.”

“What happened to her son?” Buffy asked, her hand on her stomach in protection.

“Her Watcher raised him an’ told him all about demons an’ whatnot,” Spike explained, linking his hand with Buffy’s on her stomach. “He’s now the Principle at the high school.”

“Principle Wood?” Buffy asked and Spike nodded. “DAWN! GET IN HERE NOW!”

Dawn ran into Buffy’s room in a panic, worried that Spike had smelled RJ at her window. “What is it, Buff?” she asked. “I’m sorry if I’ve done something wrong.”

“You’re not in trouble,” Buffy assured her younger sister. “It’s just, have some weird stuff been happening at school, like Scooby weird, and the Principle has been covering it up like we do?”

“No, why?” Dawn asked. “Is he a demon or something? New Watcher for a new Slayer?”

“No,” Buffy said. “But he is the son of the second Slayer Spike killed. So let us know if he starts asking about Spike or if weird things happen.”

“Okay,” Dawn smiled. “Anya called, she’ll be over at about one to discuss wedding and work stuff.”

“On you go now, an’ get the coffee on for big sis,” Spike said to Dawn and she got up to leave. “An’ the next time you have a guy over, he comes to the front door an’ not your window.”

“Dawn!?”

S***B

Later that afternoon, Spike snuck off to the basement to rummage through what was hiding in the Summers’ basement that would make his and Buffy’s room look good once they had moved rooms. Anya had arrived an hour and a half before and had immediately hunted Spike to the basement so he couldn’t tell Xander anything about her plans. Like he would tell the Whelp anything anyway.

Near the beginning of his hunt through boxes, he came across photo albums from Buffy and Dawn’s childhood. He knew they had all been doctored by the monk’s magic, but it was as if he couldn’t picture them any other way. A picture of Buffy holding Dawn just after she was born, might have been a picture of Buffy holding a new doll. But what the picture appeared to be was cuter than what it could have been. There were also pictures of Joyce ‘both’ times she had been pregnant.

Buffy looked a lot like Joyce when she was younger, so Spike had no problem picturing what his girl would look like in a few months time. Not that he had ever had a ‘thing’ for Joyce but what they said was true; pregnancy does make women more beautiful.

“It’s all the hormones,” Buffy said making Spike jump. He had been so lost in his thoughts about Buffy, he hadn’t realized that the real thing had entered the basement. “Mom told me once that it’s all the hormones running through a woman’s body during pregnancy that makes the skin glow and the hair shine. What have you been doing down here anyway?”

“Anya left?” Spike asked as he turned to face Buffy and wrap his arms around her waist. “Lookin’ at photos from when you were younger. Love this one of you an’ the bit.”

Buffy looked at the picture Spike held out to her and laughed. It was one of the two of them when Buffy was about seven and Dawn was about one; Buffy had got hold of one of Joyce’s eyeliner pencils and had drawn a moustache on Dawn and was trying to force Dawn into her doll’s pram.

“I had just seen Addams Family Values and Dawn was annoying me, wanting to play with my dolls,” Buffy explained. “So I got one of my mom’s eyeliner pencils and drew a moustache on her. I was just about to put her in the doll’s pram and push her down the stairs in it when mom caught me.” A smile was gracing Buffy’s lips recalling the memory. “She was so mad and asked me why I was doing that. I think I replied with telling her I had just watched the Addams Family with Kimberly and Todd, the babysitter and her boyfriend. After that, mom got us a permanent nanny and we never needed a babysitter again. For a while the nanny would call me Wednesday because of my stunt.”

“Why don’t we bring these pictures upstairs for the three of us to go through until it’s time for the doctor’s appointment?” Spike asked as he and Buffy started to put the loose photos back into the open boxes.

“Yeah,” Buffy said with a keen smile. “It’ll be good to go over all the stories with Dawn and scare you off with how wild Summers girls can be growing up.”

When Dawn came in from school, later that day, she found Buffy and Spike on the sofa surrounded by many photo albums.

“Hey guys,” Dawn greeted. “Whatcha doing?”

“Hey Dawnie,” Buffy greeted as she cleared a seat for Dawn and patted the space next to her. “Looking through old photos that Spike found in the basement earlier. Wanna come look?”

Dawn giggled and bounded into the living room and snuggled up with Buffy and Spike on the sofa. Spike handed her some photos that he and Buffy had looked through already. “What gave you this idea?”

“Anya hunted me down there earlier so that I couldn’t spill her wedding plans to Xander,” Spike explained. “Like I would, an’ I decided to see what stuff you Summers women had stored down stairs. Tha’s when I found a box of photos an’ I loved the one of Buffy forcing you into her doll’s pram after she drew a moustache on you with your mum’s eyeliner.”

“I don’t remember that,” Dawn said as she saw what picture Spike was talking about. “When was that?”

“I was seven and you were one,” Buffy explained. “I had just watched Addams Family Values with Kimberly and Todd, she was the babysitter. Mom fired her after that, mainly because she had invited Todd over when there were strict rules that no male friends were to be invited over. You were just being plain annoying as you had just learned to walk and were following me around. So I was acting like Wednesday was towards Pubert and was getting ready to push you down the stairs in the pram when mom caught me. That was when mom got Kirsten, the nanny.”

“I remember her,” Dawn said. “She was with us until just after I turned seven, wasn’t she?”

“Yeah,” Buffy said. “But dad fired her after she tried to kiss him, I caught her.”

“We are not getting a nanny,” Spike said. “My sisters had a governess and she was almost as crazy as Dru. Tried to get the three of us to call ‘er mum an’ everything. Mum spoke to Da’ an’ he fired her. She got sent to the asylum not long after for tryin’ to snatch some other kid.”

“That was one crazy lady,” Buffy commented. “Will Dru be able to sense our mating once it happens? You know through the sire/childe link?”

“Yeah,” Spike explained as he pulled Buffy closer. “But it’ll just be like whenever a new minion was added to the fold, but I’ll tell her to stay away. Same for the poof. As I said before, I’m not letting him anywhere near the three of you. As far as I’m concerned, my family is now you four girls, not the crazy vampires that have extended my existence for longer than it should have been.”

Both Buffy and Dawn could hear the bitterness in Spike’s voice, so Buffy climbed onto his lap. “But, baby,” Buffy began as she soothed him by running her fingers through his hair, dislodging the curls from their gel confines. “If you had never met Dru, our whole timelines would have been different and I definitely don’t want that. Okay, so I might not like being the Slayer much and I do miss mom, but we’re parents now. I know the babies haven’t been born but since mom died, we’ve been like Dawnie’s parents. Am I right?”

“Yeah,” Dawn agreed as she laid her head on Spike’s shoulder. “It was just like a split household where Buffy would look after me sometimes and sometimes it was you. Then, over the summer, it was like I got to hang out with my friends during the day and when I came home; my dad had made dinner and looked out for me while ‘mom’ was away on business. That’s the way I looked at it anyway.”

“Well, that household is no longer a split one, bit,” Spike said as he wrapped his arms around his two girls. “You’ve got your ‘mum’ an’ ‘dad’ living with you an’ soon you’re going to have two little sisters.”

“Two sisters?” Dawn squealed. “You’re having twins?”

“We’re not sure, yet,” Buffy said determinately. “I mean, we’ve still got to get everything confirmed by the doctor later, but Spike says he hears two heartbeats on top of mine.”

“Oh my God,” Dawn squealed once more. “I can’t believe you are having twins. “Wait, are we going to need to move? You know for when the babies are older so they can have their own room?”

“Not just now, bit,” Spike assured Dawn. “Besides, I think both are girls so they can share a room for as long as they like. But if Buffy and I decide to expand on the family after the twins we will.”

“Why?” Dawn questioned. “You can always wait until I’m at college and use up my room.”

“Not gonna happen, Dawnie,” Buffy smiled. “These babies are gonna want to see their auntie Dawn and as Spike was saying; the five of us are a family.
So you will definitely have your own room.”

“Hey, if we do get a bigger house, it might have a pool house,” Spike said. “An’ once you’re at college, whether you stay here or go away to college, the pool house can be yours. As long as you respect the fact that you have, at least two, little girls near by and behave.”

“I’ll behave,” Dawn promised. “Now, who’s hungry? ‘Coz I feel like Pizza and I ate the last of the leftover Pizza for breakfast this morning.”

“Ewww, Dawnie,” Buffy said as she covered her mouth. “Who eats leftover Pizza for breakfast?”

“Apparently the Bit does, luv,” Spike replied with a smirk at Dawn. “But yeah, I fancy some Pizza. What about you, luv?”

“I’m thinking meat feast,” Buffy said while bouncing on Spike’s lap like an excited child. “Topped with chocolate sauce.”

“I now return your ‘ewww’,” Dawn said. “And top it off with a disgusting much?”

“Now, now, Bit,” Spike scolded. “Leave big sis alone. You can bring this up with your nieces when they’re born, maybe even have someone who’ll eat some of your weird concoctions.”

Dawn just stuck her tongue out and ran to the kitchen where she placed the pizza order to be delivered in 30 minutes.

Buffy and Spike were sat in the doctor’s office waiting to be called through to the treatment room so that the doctor could confirm Buffy’s pregnancy.

“Nervous, luv?” Spike asked as he noticed Buffy pick up the same magazine she had just threw down. “Everything will be fine.”

“You don’t know that,” Buffy snapped. “How do you know that these babies aren’t going to turn out to be mini vampires that never grow up like that one played by Kirsten Dunst in Interview with a Vampire?”

“Relax, luv,” Spike assured Buffy in a hushed voice as he placed his hand on her stomach. “Remember, I’ve heard their heartbeats…”

“How do I know that you heard them?” Buffy snapped back in return. “I don’t have the same advanced hearing you do, so for all I know you’re just saying that to keep me calm?”

Before Spike could say anything in return to Buffy’s comment since the nurse called on them to head through to the doctor’s office and wait for her there as she will be a minute.

“Just calm down, luv,” Spike soothed as he took Buffy’s hand in his and led her in the direction the nurse had indicated. “You’ll get to see them and hear their heartbeats soon. There’s no doubt that you’re pregnant and that they are both human. There’s nothing to worry about.”

Buffy just nodded her head in agreement and grabbed a tight hold on Spike’s hand. Her eyes suddenly shot up to Spike’s when the nurse said the doctor would be in a moment.

“The doctor’s going to want some of your details when she comes in,” Buffy suddenly realized. “What are we going to tell her?”

“We’ll tell her the truth,” Spike said with a smirk. “That my name is William Bradford, although I prefer Spike, that I had two twin sisters, but they both died in childhood in a traffic accident, as did my father. As for my mother, her health deteriorated after the demise of my father and sisters.”

“Is that what really happened with your family, baby?” Buffy asked in a soft, caring voice. “And I’m going to be Buffy Bradford?”

“Yeah, that’s my family history, and yep, you’ll be Buffy Bradford,” Spike said with a sigh. “But that is the past and this is the future.” Spike placed his hand on Buffy’s stomach.

“Yeah, this is the future,” Buffy agreed and she placed her hand on top of Spike’s.

“Good evening, Buffy,” Dr Harrow greeted as she came into the office. “What brings you here tonight?”

“Hi, Dr Harrow,” Buffy greeted with a smile. “This is my fiancé, William, and I think I may be pregnant.”

“Congratulations, my dear,” Dr Harrow said as she shook Spike’s hand. “I do remember your mother talking about William, but the last thing I knew you were with a young man named Riley.”

“He was cheating on me,” Buffy explained. “Because he thought I was cheating on him William, but I wasn’t. You see, William and I have been good friends since he first came to town in my junior year in school.”

“Ah, so, this has been a long time coming then?” Dr Harrow asked and the couple nodded. “Just asking in case the engagement and pregnancy was the result of a one night stand.”

“Oh no,” Buffy rushed in to reassure Dr Harrow. “Spike and I love each other very much and Dawn looks up to him like a big brother so we know it’s not a mistake. We’re very ready for this.”

“Alright, Buffy,” Dr Harrow nodded. “How about you jump up on the exam table and we can press on with the examination and see if you indeed are pregnant.”

Buffy did as she was told and Spike stood at her head as the examination progressed. When Dr Harrow took some blood to be tested, Buffy grabbed onto Spike’s hand and refused to let go, not because she didn’t trust her vampire, but because she had always hated when Dr Harrow had to give her shots, so really, she was just following tradition.

“Right, Buffy,” Doctor Harrow said as she set up the sonogram machine. “When I was doing the abdominal scan, I felt something, so I thought I’d carry out a sonogram before the pelvic exam.”

Buffy nodded and watched as Dr Harrow set up the sonogram machine, although she had to suppress a smile when her acute Slayer hearing picked up Spike asking why she needs to do a bloody pelvic exam after she had done the scan anyway.

“Well, if you’re unsure about Dr Harrow performing the exam,” Buffy said with a slight smirk, but only loud enough for Spike to hear. “I’m sure Dr Garrett won’t mind performing the exam. I’ll just ask Dr Harrow to go and get him once she’s finished. I’m sure he’ll be able to check if everything ‘down there’ is fine and there’s no abnormalities.”

“Him?!” Spike exclaimed in a quiet voice. “Dr Harrow will do. If you’re fine with her doing it, so am I.”

“Well, mommy and daddy,” Dr Harrow said to Buffy and Spike. “It looks like you’re not only pregnant, you’re having twins. Look at them on the screen.”

Spike forgot all about the fact that Dr Harrow wanted to do a pelvic exam after the sonogram when he saw the two fuzzy figures on the small screen. “That’s our babies, luv,” he whispered as he pressed a tender, loving kiss to Buffy’s temple. “It feels so real now.”

“I know,” Buffy choked out through tears. “Is there any way we could find out the sex today, Dr Harrow?”

“Unfortunately, not today,” Dr Harrow said as she examined the screen in more detail. “You’re only about fourteen weeks along and it will be about twenty weeks before we can tell, but I’ll keep note in your file that you want to find out the sex in case I’m unable to take your next appointment. Normally, at this point in the appointment I would recommend an OBGYN but seeing as I am your OBGYN there is no need to do that part. Everything looks ok with the babies, so I will print out the scan pictures for you to look at while I carry out a pelvic to check everything is in order down there.”

Buffy and Spike just nodded and took the pictures Dr Harrow handed them and Buffy hardly realized the exam was happening. Buffy suddenly got a shock when Dr Harrow told her that the exam was over and that she could take a seat back at the table so they could discuss how the pregnancy would progress.

“So, have you been having any of the ‘normal’ pregnancy symptoms, Buffy,” Dr Harrow asked.

“Yeah,” Buffy confirmed, feeling embarrassed. “I throw up every morning, constantly tired through the day and I’m having weird cravings.”

“Weird?” Spike asked. “Pet, some of them are bloody disgusting. Pickled eggs and vanilla ice cream with strawberry and chocolate sauce. Meat feast pizza with chocolate sauce.”

“Well, many women get weirder cravings than that, William,” Dr Harrow explained. “Just like with the morning sickness, it’s a sign. The morning sickness is the body’s way of trying to right the hormone imbalance in the body and the cravings are the body’s way of telling you if you are low on some nutrients.”

“Alright, that I understand,” Spike accepted. “So, what about the tiredness?”

“Many normal pregnancies cause the mother to be tired due to the baby using up the mother’s essential nutrients, so that is why prenatal vitamins are prescribed,” Dr Harrow explained. “And because you are petite, Buffy, and carrying twins, there is more competition since there are more babies to support and not much nutrients. On top of the vitamins I’m going to prescribe, I want you to rest more.”

“I will, Dr Harrow,” Buffy promised. I’ve got a new job away from the Doublemeat where I can actually sit down on the job. It’s just basic inventory work.”

“An’ I’ll be there to make sure she doesn’t overdo things at home,” Spike assured Dr Harrow.”

“Right, well, I’ll see you again in three weeks at seven-thirty,” Dr Harrow said as she penciled in the next appointment in her diary. “And you can have this prescription filled at the local pharmacy. Take care.”

Buffy and Spike both bid Dr Harrow farewell and left the office to head for the pharmacy. There was no way Buffy was going to go another day without the vitamins in her system.

They both made there way back home to 1630 Revello Drive in companionable silence, although their silence spoke volumes that they knew were being said without words.

Just as Buffy and Spike got out of the car, a yellow taxi pulled up at the same time as a black convertible Mustang, which both Buffy and Spike knew very well.

“Giles?” Buffy asked as her former Watcher and current father figure stepped out of the cab and paid his fare. “What are you doing here? Oh, and thank you for getting me the money from the council, it’s going to help out a lot now.” Then Buffy turned to her other guest. “What are you doing here, Angel? I thought we’d agreed to keep out of each other’s towns?”

Angel didn’t answer Buffy’s question. Instead, he just vamped out and flew at Spike and started to attack him. Buffy and Giles struggled to pull the two vampires apart, but Buffy had to hand it to Spike. He wasn’t attacking Angel in offense; he was in pure defense mode.

“Angel?!” Buffy exclaimed. “What the hell was that for?”