[Reviews - 202]
-
Table of Contents [Report This]
Microsoft Word Chapter or Story | ePub eBook Chapter or Story | Printer Chapter or Story

Has been viewed 1493 times

- Text Size +




Author's Chapter Notes:
Partially inspired by the song "Run" by Snow Patrol. Some dialog from the chapter "Two" is included here. (No,you aren't going crazy.) Please review,
OCTOBER 16, 2005

He put his hand to the glass, afraid that the tiny bundle of pink on the other side would evaporate if he touched her. Or was it that he was afraid to touch the little ray of sunshine, for fear that he would disintegrate? He wasn't sure. He did know that that little girl had been through more in her first forty-eight hours of life than most went through in fifty years.

She'd fought her way here, and now she was fighting to stay. She had no idea how cruel this world had already been to her. It had taken her Daddy and her Mum before she had even been born. She was new to this world, and already an orphan.

Seeing that painfully small bundle of life wriggle in her incubator made him feel his true age, perhaps for the first time. He remembered that, when he was human, infants that small didn't survive. Now looking at the wires and the machines that aided her, he was saddened by the intrusiveness of modern technology. He wouldn't have blamed the little thing one bit if she decided that the world she had crashed into was too cruel and too hard to stay. Spike wouldn't be surprised if she chose to leave, because something in him said that she knew there was no one to protect her here.

No one, that is, except for him. And, he wasn't sure he could do it.
*************************************
IN THE INTERREGNUM

He spun her around again, "Joyce, how did you do it? I'd given up. Really, I had. I knew it belonged to Angel. Didn't much care for the idea, but I knew what I'd given up when Drusilla had Buffy. I would have given up anything to have her. My eyes were open. I knew that I'd never be with her," his voice was overcome with emotion, "Especially after what I did to put things right. I'd accepted it."

Joyce was swept along with Spike's emotions, "I know you did," she choked, "That's why I couldn't leave you there. Buffy was so lost without you, even here. She hurt. I couldn't let that happen," she shrugged, her eyes twinkling, "What can I say, I couldn't wait."

Spike raised an eyebrow, "Joyce, you have no idea how much I love you."

"Spin me around one more time and I might start to have one," she laughed.

He shrugged. He could never resist a Summers woman, "If you insist," he smiled, whirling her once more. When he'd set her an her feet again, he asked, "Where is that beautiful wife of mine?" he sighed, "It really has been forever. I miss her so much."

Joyce smiled and shook her head, "Not half as much as she missed you," Joyce stepped back and pointed off into the distance, "She's been waiting for you. I think you had better make an appearance. She still doesn't believe it. Neither does your daughter."

He smiled, "Well, seeing is believing, isn't it," he winked at Joyce and gave her a kiss on the cheek, "I'd better go. Thanks again," he said as he walked toward Buffy.

"You're welcome," she sighed as she watched her family reunite.

Buffy had waited so long for this. Even though there was no such thing as time here, it seemed like years since she had seen the soft brown curls that framed the angles of his face.

It had been so long that she couldn't wait to be in his arms again, as he slowly crossed the distance between them, she rushed up to meet him and was enclosed in his strong embrace. She felt her feet float up, as he spun her in wide, happy circles. She didn't want it to stop, and now that he was back with her again, Buffy knew it never would.

"I missed you, Spike," she said, choking back the tears, "I never wanted you to leave. I understand why you did what you did, now. But I didn't then," she looked at the infinite patience shining in his eyes as he looked at her, " I wish I'd paid more attention to you. Maybe then, I could have spared you some pain."

As he listened to her cry, he whispered soothing words to her, "Hush, Love," he smiled at the beautiful emerald glow of love in her eyes, "I don't ever want to leave you again."
*********************

Buffy hadn't wanted to leave him there. Talitha's death had been a shock for them both, and it truly was a miracle that the baby, tiny as it was, had survived this long. Spike had refused to leave the baby's side so she didn't want to leave his. After all, she'd argued, they were a team, and a team doesn't work if there's only one member. It also doesn't work if her teammate collapses from hunger and exhaustion. But he had insisted that she go home and get some rest. Spike told he to come back at sunup, explaining that her arrival would keep him orientated as to time.

She had reluctantly agreed. She had done this for two days straight.

As she stepped off of the elevator onto the neonatal unit, she was glad she'd remembered to pack two thermoses of coffee. One thermos was filled with black coffee; the other was filled with coffee that was laced with pig's blood. She was glad she was here now, because it looked like Spike hadn't moved a single muscle in over twenty-four hours.

Buffy waved at the charge nurse at the desk, she remembered that her name was Tara, as she walked by. Buffy saw the concerned look that passed over the nurse's face as her eyes drifted toward the haggard man who stood at the nursery window. They were fleeting glances that Buffy wasn't meant to see, but she did. Buffy heard the whispers too. The staff had begun to murmur that they had never seen such devotion in a father. They were starting to worry about his health. Buffy sighed as she came up beside him, gazing down at the little warriors in their bassinets. They were all warriors. Every baby in this unit was fighting to stay alive.

Buffy silently poured the thermos contents into a cup, and handed it to Spike, "Here," she handed him the cup, letting her fingers brush lightly against his but never taking her eyes off of the window, "breakfast is served."

Spike felt a shock of warmth shoot through him at her touch, but couldn't afford to take his eyes off of that little baby he'd only just realized he'd loved from the moment he saw her. His eyes remained fixed on the window, "She's so tiny, Love," he whispered, "Her skin is translucent. It's as thin as paper," he gasped involuntarily, the fact that he did not need to breathe forgotten completely. Buffy noticed his slow, regular breathing. It was almost as if he was trying to teach her how to do it, willing her to live, "She's a paper doll. So delicate," he looked at Buffy in agonized wonder, "How can she trust me?"

"She's new, Spike. They all are. Trust is the only thing they know. It's all they can do," Buffy brushed her fingers against his as he held the cup, "Now drink up. You're starting to worry the nurses," she lowered her voice, "And me."

He acquiesced and took a small sip from the warm cup, "Better?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Tons," she sighed as they walked the short distance to the parents' lounge area on the unit. She took his hands in hers as they sat down on the old sofa that was trying to make the antiseptic hospital seem a little less antiseptic, "Giles finalized the paperwork. By this afternoon," she pointed to the glass enclosure, "That little bundle of pink fluff in there will have a home to go home to," Buffy smiled shyly, "She'll be a 'Dustin,' officially."

"If she makes it home," Spike said grimly.

Buffy's eyes flashed with fury, "Don't you dare give our little girl a death wish! Hasn't she been through enough?"

Spike's eyes were downcast, "Certain sure, Pet. May be she's been through too much for someone so little."
*************************************

IN THE INTERREGNUM

Spike gave her one last hug before letting her fly, "Well Dove," he said with pride, "it's show time. Remember what I used to sing to you when you got scared?"

Jonina tilted her head, trying to pull the memory up into her conscience mind, "Yes, Daddy. I think I do."

"Well it still applies. Whether you hear me, or not, I'm right here," he nodded firmly, grasping her tighter, "Know that."

"I do, Daddy," she said as she melted from his sight.
**********************************

Buffy tried to soothe his nerves, "Don't worry Spike, we'll find out exactly what killed Talitha. Giles is working on it right now. He flew her body all the way back to Rome. Everyone in the Council is working on it. Dawn has all her people working on it," she drew his eyes up to her and marveled at just how blue they were, even though they were clouded with worry and weariness, "She's just like you Spike," for an instant Buffy saw his eyes flash with horror. Buffy knew that he worried about her. And now, with Dawn's new position working in the Council's laboratories, he worried for her even more than usual. She shook her head, trying to clarify, "No, not like that. She just loves to sink her teeth," as his eyes widened, Buffy realized the comparison wasn't helping at all, and she spoke faster, "Not literal teeth, Spike! She just loves a challenge," she smiled at him, "And she loves bossing Illyria around, too."

"Doesn't surprise me," he smiled weakly at her, "She always was a bossy bint. Just like her sister."

"Hey!" Buffy gave him a playful slap on the arm.

"Sorry Love, but it's true," he smiled a playful smile, "It's what I love most about the both of you. You know what you want, and you know how to get it."

Buffy's face scrunched in confusion, "You did know of me three or four years ago, didn't you?" she looked down bashfully, "I wasn't exactly known for my communication skills."

Spike chuckled, and rubbed his thumbs along the back of her hands affectionately, "Might have heard of you, yeah. My nose certainly remembers you."

Buffy winced. She often wondered just how many times she had broken Spike's nose over the years, "Sorry about that."

"Think nothing of it," he nodded toward the empty plastic cup that once again rested on top of the thermos jug, "Thanks for this."

"I knew you'd be needing it," she said as she strolled with him back to the nursery window.

Buffy saw how small the baby was. She looked like an astronaut floating in space with only wires and tubes to keep her company. To Buffy it seemed cold and unfeeling.

Suddenly an idea struck her. She knew how tactile Spike was, and she knew that this was something that they all would need if they were going to be a family.

"I'll be right back," she said as she left to get the nurses' okay to go ahead with her plan.

As Spike watched her talking softly with the nurses, he looked back at the glass and wondered if he would be a good father. He wondered if he could be tender enough to care for her, yet tough enough to protect her from this world that had already dealt her such devastating blows.

He didn't know if he could do it, but he knew that if he didn't try, he would be letting her down. So he promised her that he would do his best. And he promised her that promise with his whole heart.

Just as he made that promise, his ears picked up a slight jump in her heart rhythm just before the machines started to beep and click, and whirr alerting the doctors and nurses of the change. The nurses swarmed in with stark looks on their faces, ready to give whatever help the child required.

At first, Spike was alarmed. But then a strange sort of calm seemed to settle over him as he whispered to her, "That's it baby. You light up. You let them all know that you're here and that you're strong. Daddy's here now. I'll be right beside you. I'm never leaving you," he smiled to himself, "I even have a name picked out for you. I'm sure your Mum will agree. I think I'll call you Jonina. I'll call you Jonina Irene," he nodded, as it seemed to fit her, "You're my little 'Dove of Peace."

He held Buffy close as she came back to stand beside him, saying, "Come on, 'Daddy,' let's say hello to our daughter."
*********





You must login (register) to review.