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Author's Chapter Notes:
So, here we are. The end. I hope yoy've enjoyed reading the story. Thanks to everyone who's reviewed.

I don't own any of the characters.

Thanks to my beta, Nichole, for all her help.
Chapter Six

Buffy stared after Spike, she wanted to follow but couldn’t. All she could do was drop onto the couch and bury her face in her hands.

“Oh, I’m sorry, Sunshine. Did I let our little secret slip?” Dru acted surprised.

“What’s going on here? I met Spike in the door, he practically ignored me.” Willow came into the room. “Buffy what’s wrong?” She looked at Dru. “What did you do?”

“Me? Nothing... I just let a little secret out of its bag.” She looked at Buffy. “Well, Sunshine. I can’t sit around here all day. I’m sure William will be on his way back to me before the day is over. I’ll be sure to give him your best.” With that she left the house.

Willow sat down next to Buffy on the couch and put an arm around her.

“What happened? What was she talking about?” Buffy put her head on Willow’s shoulder.

“She told him.”

“Told who what?” Willow gave Buffy a confused look.

“Spike. She told him about Catie.”

“What about Catie?”

“That he... he’s her... that he’s her father.” Buffy avoided her friends eyes as the last word left her lips.

“He’s what? But... when? Why? How? OK, I don’t need the how, but the rest.”

“I don’t know, really. It was that night that Dru broke up with him, you remember that?” Willow nodded. “I went to Xander’s frat party, and couldn’t find you or Xander, but Spike was there. He was really drunk, so I thought I should get him home. I got him into his room and was about to leave when he grabbed my hand and asked me to stay. I did, and then he... and we... well, you know. Then, the next morning, he acted like nothing happened, and I thought he was pretending to make it easier on me. And then...”

“Why didn’t you say anything? To any of us?”

“I was going to. The day I got the result from the pregnancy test, I talked to him, but when I realized he really didn’t remember what had happened, I just couldn’t. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you, I just...”

“Hey, is this a private party, or can anyone join in?” Xander and Anya stood in the doorway. Anya noticed that Buffy was crying.

“Buffy, sweetie, are you OK?”

“Is something wrong?” They both sat down, Xander on Buffy’s other side on the couch and Anya on the coffee table in front of her. Willow patted Buffy on the back.

“Do you want me to tell them?” Buffy nodded against her shoulder.

“Tell us what?” Xander looked from Buffy to Willow and back again.

“Well, I know this will be a surprise, but Catie’s dad... is Spike.”

“Spike who?” Xander looked confused.

“Spike Spike. Our Spike. Also known as William.”

“No. You’re joking right?” He looked at Buffy to get reassurance. “You’re not joking.”

“I could have told you that.” Everyone looked at Anya. “What? It’s not like it hasn’t been obvious. Anyone outside your little foursome could have guessed it.” Willow chose to disregard Anya’s little statement.

“Anyway, apparently Dru knew and decided it was her duty to tell him.” Willow voice hardened at the other woman’s name.

“That can’t be good.” Xander looked around the room. “Where is he?”

“I don’t know. I met him in the door when I came home. Buffy, you know where he went?” Buffy shook her head at Willow’s question.

“He... he looked so hurt... and then he just left... I don’t know what to do.”

“He’ll be back.” Anya patted Buffy’s knee. “He’s too in love with you to stay away too long.” The others looked at her in surprise. “What? None of you noticed that either? And you’re supposed to be friends.”

“Spike’s not in love with me.”

“Oh no? We’ll see. Why did Dru tell him now, anyway. She must have known all along.”

“I don’t know.” Buffy shook her head. “I came down because I heard raised voices, and they were here...”

“Raised voices? Maybe he was breaking up with her?” Xander looked pleased at the possibility.

“Maybe... she did say something about him coming back to her... but why would he break up with her?” Willow pondered.

“How many times to I have to say it? Because he’s in love with Buffy!” Anya declared once more.

“Even if he was, and I’m not saying I believe you, he’ll never forgive me.” Buffy felt tears on her cheeks again. What if he never forgave her?

“Oh, of course he will. He loves you, and he loves Catie. We’ve all seen him with her, he adores that child. He’ll be mad for a while, but he’ll get over it.” Anya said knowingly.

*****

Spike kept running until he couldn’t run anymore, and then he walked. Without knowing it, he ended up at his Dad’s place. He knocked on the door before opening it.

“Dad? You here?”

“Will? What are you doing here?” Rupert came into the hallway. “You look like hell. What happened?”

Spike started pacing around the hallway.

“She didn’t tell me. She knew all along and she didn’t tell me. How could she not tell me?”

“Son, I don’t understand a word you’re saying. Let’s sit down.” He lead Spike to the kitchen and pushed him down on a chair. “Now, let’s start from the beginning. What happened?”

“Dru, she said that... and Buffy didn’t deny it, she just...”

“OK, you’re rambling again. Dru told you what?”

“She said that I was Catie’s father.”

“Oh.” Giles took off his glasses and started cleaning them.

“You don’t seem surprised.”

“I’m not. I’ve been suspecting this for a while, actually.”

“What?” Spike stood up so fast that he tipped the chair over. “And you didn’t tell me?”

“I didn’t feel it was my place. And it most certainly was not Dru’s place, but she seemed to have made it hers.” The anger was obvious in his voice. Giles had never liked Dru.

“But I had a right to know, didn’t I?”

“Of course. But have you asked yourself why Buffy didn’t tell you?”

“I don’t know...”

“And you didn’t suspect anything?”

“Of course not, how could I? We’ve never...” He cut himself off. “But I guess we must have, since...”

“But you don’t remember being... um... intimate with her?”

“No. I would remember... oh, no.” He buried his face in his hands.

“What?”

“She was crying in her room one day, a couple of weeks before she told us about the baby. I asked what was wrong and she said that she wanted to talk to me... and then she asked about the night that Dru and I broke up and I went to Xander’s party and got drunk... I told her I didn’t remember anything, and she asked if I really didn’t or if I was just saying that, and I asked if there was something I should remember... damn, that must be it. It fits with the timing, too.”

“Let me get this straight. You told her that you didn’t remember anything?”

“Well, I didn’t. I still don’t. And she wasn’t there the next morning, I know that, because Dru came over in the middle of the night.”

“How do you think it made her feel that you didn’t remember?”

“She must’ve felt awful.” Spike winced at the thought of how much he must have hurt her. “But she still should have told me.”

“True, she should have. But are you going to let that get between the two of you?”

“There is no two of us. She’s not... she doesn’t care about me like that.”

“Are you sure about that?”

“Damn! I’m not sure of anything anymore. Except that I love her, and I love Catie.”

“Then, what’s the problem?” Spike looked at his Dad.

“You know what? Nothing. I have a beautiful daughter who I love. The rest... I’ll just have to work for it.”

*****

Buffy was lying on her bed, hugging Mr. Gordo. Willow and Tara had taken Caitlin out for a little while and Xander and Anya had gone over to her place to give her some time alone. She heard footsteps in the stairs, but chose to ignore them thinking it was Willow or Tara.

Spike stood outside the open door to her room for a while, looking at her. He could see that she had been crying. ‘It’s my fault’ he thought ‘I don’t ever want to be the reason she cries’. He took a step inside the room.

“Buffy?” She sat up on the bed, looking at him, confused.

“You’re back...”

He walked further into the room and sat down at the bottom of the bed.

“Yeah. I’m sorry I took off like that, I just needed some time to think...”

“I understand that. And I understand if you never want to talk to me again, too.” She looked down on the bed, avoiding his eyes.

“What? Why would I not want to talk to you?”

“I lied to you. Or I didn’t tell you the truth, which is just as bad.”

“I know. And I’m still mad, don’t think I’m not. But I understand why you did it. At least, I think so.” She cautiously looked up at him.

“You do?” He nodded.

“That day... when you asked me about the night when Dru broke up with me...”

“I had just gotten the result back from Student Health. I was going to tell you, but...”

“I told you I didn’t remember. Which is true. I still don’t.” She winced at his words and he moved closer, pulling her to him. “I’m sorry I don’t remember. I’ve tried, I really have.” He let go of her and pulled back a little. “Do you want to tell me what happened?”

“OK... I came to the party at about eleven, I think. I looked around for you and Willow and Xander. I found you in a room, drinking beer. We started talking, and I realized you were drunk, so I asked where Dru was, since she usually kept you away from drinking. You said that she had left. I decided to get you home. I managed to get you into your room and onto the bed, and when I was leaving you asked me to stay, so I did. And then... well, you can figure out what happened.”

“OK... but why weren’t you there when Dru came over?”

“You were sleeping, but I couldn’t sleep, so I was just lying there. After a while, you mumbled something in your sleep. I didn’t hear what you said at first, but then I did.”

“What?”

“Dru.” Spike saw the pain in her eyes. “I just had to get out of there. And then the next morning, Dru was there and you where acting like nothing happened. I thought you were pretending to make it easier on me. So I decided to let it go. I didn’t know then... I’m so sorry that I didn’t tell you, I know I should have, I just felt so... and I know that I don’t have the right to feel like this, but I felt betrayed. You said that you loved me and that everything would be OK, but it wasn’t and I was so scared that I would lose you completely if I...” She started crying again, and he pulled her onto his lap, holding her close.

“Shhh. It’s OK. You don’t have to be afraid, you could never lose me. Never. I love you. And I love Catie. And I’m glad that she’s mine, even if it didn’t seem like it before. I just need a little time to get used to everything, OK?” She nodded, her head resting on his shoulder. “I love you. I think I’ve loved you from the moment I saw you, I just didn’t want to admit it to myself, because then I would risk losing you as a friend, and I didn’t want that. Does that make sense?” She nodded again, and lifted her head up to meet his eyes.

“I love you too. So much.” She could see the desire in his eyes before his lips met hers. She twisted in his lap so that she was straddling him. They tugged at eachother, trying to get closer by ripping the others clothes off. When they both were completely naked, Spike lifted her off the bed to remove the cover before putting her down on the sheets and joining her, pulling the cover over them both.

“Care to try to make me remember?”


Epilogue

“I can’t believe we’re graduating tomorrow.” Buffy was leaning back against Spike, who was sitting against a tree in their back yard. Caitlin was running around, trying to catch butterflies. “And I can’t believe she’ll be three next week.” Spike laughed.

“I know. Time just flies by, doesn’t it?”

“And I can’t believe we’ll be working together next year.” Buffy had gotten a job at Sunnydale High teaching English, and Spike was going to be helping the kids by being a guidance counselor.

“Yeah. It’s too bad Willow got that job in LA, though, or they could have stayed here.” Willow and Tara were moving to LA the following week, Tara studying at UCLA and Willow working at a software company. Xander and Anya were also moving, but not for another two months.

“I know. The house will be so empty.” Buffy looked at the big house, overflown by memories.

“Well... we could always do something about that...”

“In your dreams, mister!” Buffy laughed. It was a standing joke that Spike wanted the house full of kids. Secretly, Buffy wouldn’t mind, but had decided to let him sweat a little while longer. She watched Caitlin, who had gone from chasing butterflies to blowing bubbles. Yes, she wouldn’t mind a couple of more kids. Someday.

“Well, I hope you don’t have anything against this.” Spike held up a small, velvet box in front of her.

“What’s this?” Buffy turned to look at him.

“Why don’t you open it to find out?” She did. And found the most beautiful ring she had ever seen.

“Oh... my... God... You’re not...” Spike got up and kneeled in front of her.

“Yes. I love you. I always have, and I always will. And I don’t ever want to lose you. So, Buffy Anne Summers. Will you marry me?”

“Are you kidding? Of course I will!” She threw her arms around his neck.

“Mommy?” Buffy turned around in Spike’s arms and pulled her daughter into her lap.

“Yes, sweetie?”

“Are you sad?” Caitlin looked confused.

“No, sweetie, why?”

“You crying.”

“They’re happy tears, honey. Happy tears.”





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