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Spike sat and watched as Buffy and Nigel shared their meals. He had a feeling it was going to become a common occurrence between them. Dr. Rayne had come and given her a clean bill of health about her neurological status, now they waited for the baby doctor to come and send them home.

Spike heard a knock at the door and gave Buffy a reassuring smile as he walked over to answer it. Thinking it was Buffy's famous Dr. O' Bannon.

Tara, a caseworker with the child services read the report over coffee and now stood at the door of one Buffy Summers. Her boss had called her in on her day off, stating special circumstances that he only trusted her to manage with the delicacy it needed. She knocked on the door and waited for permission to enter.

"Can I help you?" Spike asked woman who stood before him with an old worn brief case and dressed in a earth colored dress that fell to her ankles.

"Hi! I'm Tara McClay, I'm with Children Services. I've been assigned to Nigel Bledsoe's case," she introduced herself, wondering if this was Nigel's father, standing before her.

"Come in, I'm William Bledsoe, and that's Nigel," he introduced himself and his son, "And this lovely creature is my fiancé, Buffy Summers."

"Hello," Buffy said with a smile as Nigel hid his face against her leg. "Nigel, say hello to the nice lady."

"No!" his reply muffled as he started to squeeze her leg tighter.

Buffy gave Spike a worried glance when she felt wetness where his little face was pressed against her. "Spike, honey, come and help me with Nigel."

Spike moved quickly to his son's side and leaned in to kiss his ear as he asked, "What's wrong, Poppet?"

Nigel immediately threw himself in his father's arms and cried, "Gonna take me away."

Spike sat on the bed next to Buffy, feeling his own tears start when he noticed his Goldilocks was crying as well. The last thing his boy needed was to think they were taking him away from them.

"Nigel, I'm here to make it so that you live with your father from now on," Tara reassured the boy, not surprised her presence caused him so much fear, from what she had read in his file. "You do want to live with your dad, right?"

Nigel sniffled as he shook his head yes, never moving his face from his father's chest. "Well, good. I just need to take a special painting of your fingers. Then I need to tickle yours and your daddy's mouth. I need to take your picture and ask your daddy and you some questions. Then I will go back to my office and put them in a special file with your name on it," Tara explained.

"Why?" Nigel asked without moving his face.

"Why what, sweetie?" Tara asked giving his father a wink.

Nigel turned his big watery eyes and red cheeks toward her. "Why paint my fingers?"

Tara giggled as she replied, "Because I think it would be fun, and I can have a copy and you and daddy can have a copy."

"Buffy, too?"

"And Buffy, too, if she wants one." Tara gave him a wink.

"Oh, Buffy wants one, too. This sounds like fun Nige, I'm jealous I can't play," Buffy leaned down kissing his cheek and tickling his side.

Tara made a game out of all she had to do. Everyone had a copy of Nigel's fingerprints. The DNA swabs where complete and pictures were taken with a special one with Nigel, Spike and Buffy together. The questions were short and provided information that helped the caseworker make a decision.

"I see no reason why you cannot keep Nigel with you. We’ll talk later once tests results come back. As for the adoption, that shouldn't be a problem either if it should come to that, which I doubt. I have to say that if this boy isn't yours by blood, I will have to order a Big Mac. I'm a vegetarian mind you." Tara winked as she reached out and ruffled her new little friend's hair.

Spike walked her to the door and thanked her. "You did a wonderful job with him. I really do appreciate the extra time you took to make him comfortable with all of this."

"He made it easy to do. I suggest you do seek some counseling for him, just to be on the safe side," Tara suggested as she looked at how easily the blonde woman had taken to the young boy. "You are one lucky man to have a woman who loves your son without restriction."

"I count my lucky stars everyday that I have her back," Spike agreed as he watched his precious family interact in such a loving way. "I was a fool to ever leave her."

"Ah, but then again, you might not have your son right now. Don't go second-guessing yourself. Be thankful for what you now have."

"Thank you, Tara, you have been a godsend." Spike smiled as he watched her leave.

"Hey, buddy, I'm the only one of the female population you can smile at, like that," Buffy pouted, as she reached out her hand beckoning him to come to her.

"Oh, Luv, was smiling at what she said, about not second guessing and being thankful for what I have now. I'm very thankful," Spike shared as he took her hand, allowing her to pull him to her.

"So am I. He's worth the angst it took to get him with us. Have I told you how proud I am of you, putting your son before yourself, before me or us?"

"I'm grateful I didn't know you were pregnant at the time, it would've killed me to choose," Spike sighed as he nuzzled her hair taking in her scent.

"It's something we don't have to worry about. For some reason it was meant to be and we should not bring it up again. It's not important anymore," Buffy reassured him as she squeezed his thigh.

"Why are you fat?" Nigel asked Buffy as he placed his hand on her stomach.

"She's not fat, Nige, she's carrying your brothers or sisters in there," Spike explained as he placed his hand over his son's small hand. "Your mum carried you like this in her belly before you were born."

Nigel's eyes grew big as he said in awe, "Really? How does it come out?"

"Really. I think we need to take a trip to the library and get a book that tells you how it does," Buffy suggested.

"How did it get in there?" Nigel asked as he laid his head on her stomach.

"That is a story for another time when you are 40 years old or older," Spike said as he tickled his son's belly.

"Chicken," Buffy giggled, loving the sound of Nigel's belly laugh.

"Guilty as charged, ducks, guilty as charged," Spike acknowledged with a sheepish grin as he pulled his son onto his lap.

A knock on the door, followed by the young Irish doctor entering the room with a wide grin on his face brightened their day.

"Top of the mornin'. It's so good to see your smiling face there, Buttercup," Doyle teased. "How is my favorite mommy to be?"

"She’s ready to leave and play house with her man,” she answered, giving Spike a wink.

"Oh, I get it- play house," Doyle chuckled. "I think if you play nice and don't steam up all the windows in the playroom, it might be just what the doctor ordered."

Spike gave his wife-to-be a look that bordered on pissed off and disbelief that she asked the doctor about them having sex. He remembered a time when she would blush if he used the word shagged in front of her friends.

"Hey, when did you get all Victorian on me?" Buffy laughed when she noticed his look.

"I'm just not used to hearing you talk to strange men about the birds and the bees, is all," Spike snorted, as he let Nigel down.

"Well, a girl really has no secrets once she's bonded with her OB," Buffy smiled as she winked at Doyle.

"It's funny how we become like one of the girls," Doyle joked. "The wife loves to tease me the same way, when she gets in the family way and makes me go with her."

"So, I can love my girl nice and gentle like and it won't harm her or the little ones baking inside?" Spike asked, all the while looking at his Buffy with a tilt to his head and a sexy smirk on his face.

"Yes, now on that note I'm going to sign your release papers so you can go home," Doyle winked at the couple on his way out.

"Can we not do the love my girl until I'm your wife again?" Buffy asked her voice sounding anxious.

"Buffy, I told you, baby, I'm willing to do whatever you want or need, no questions asked."

"Daddy, I'm hungry," Nigel pouted.

"What are you hungry for, Poppet?"

"Chicken nuggets."

Buffy wiggled back on the bed, wanting to stretch out for a bit and said, "Then we’ll get some when the nurse comes and says we can leave, okay?"

"Okay," Nigel mumbled as he found the black crayon he was looking for earlier so he could color his father's shirt and pants.

Spike scooted up on the bed and leaned down to kiss her forehead. "Rest, baby. I'm going to see if his work would meet your mum's criteria for hanging in her gallery."

"She would hang it no matter what," Buffy muttered as she fought a yawn and her eyes closed.

Spike stood and joined his son and together they worked on their family portrait, according to Nigel. Everyone was included who mattered, even Buffy's little stick figure with the innocent drawing of her tummy. Nigel stood between them holding both of their hands.

*******





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