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Author's Chapter Notes:
Here it is! The last chapter, hope you like it. Thanks to everyone who's reviewed this story!

I don't own the characters.

Thanks to my beta, Nichole.
5 A new life


“Buffy, where the hell have you been?” Spike practically yelled as Buffy closed the front door.

“Geeze, relax, I just took an extra shift, that’s all.” Buffy put her coat on a hook in the hallway and walked past Spike into the living room where she dropped on the couch, the long shift getting to her.

“An extra shift?” Spike asked, following her into the living room. “You shouldn’t be working at all, let alone double shifts at that horrible place!”

“Oh, come on. I’m pregnant, not an invalid.” Buffy countered.

“Exactly. You’re eight months pregnant, for Christ’s sake.” Spike was pacing the living room while he was talking, and his moving were starting to make Buffy dizzy. Even more dizzy than she had been the entire day.

“I’m not due for another three weeks, and doctor Harrison says that most first time mothers go a little over time, so it’s no big deal.” Buffy closed her eyes, trying to block out the dizziness. “Would you please stop walking around?”

Spike immediately stopped, and when he noticed Buffy’s pale face, he rushed to her side.

“Are you OK, is something wrong?” He asked nervously. Buffy opened her eyes and smiled at him.

“Everything’s fine. I’ve just been a little dizzy today, nothing to worry about.” Buffy pushed herself off the couch, but before she could stand up completely, a wave of pain shot through her and she doubled over, grasping the table for support.

“What’s wrong?” Spike asked, putting an arm around Buffy’s waist. The pain had subsided and Buffy straightened.

“I think it was one of those false labor pains doctor Harrison was talking about.” Buffy said, not completely convinced.

“Are you sure? What if it’s the real thing?”

“I don’t think so. And, besides, even if it is, we have at least a couple of hours before it gets serious.” Buffy headed for the stairs and looked over her shoulder. “I’m gonna go to bed. You coming?”

They went upstairs and got into bed, and Buffy turned on the TV they had gotten for the bedroom. She found an episode of Seinfeld and they watched for about half an hour before turning it off.

Spike switched off the lights and turned a little so he could put his arm around Buffy, and she settled against him. A few minutes later he felt Buffy’s body tense, and he reached behind him to turn on the lights again.

“What’s wrong?” Spike felt a chill through his body at Buffy’s scared expression.

“It was the pain again, like downstairs before...” She gave him a nervous look. “I think I might be...”

“In labor?” He cut her off and she nodded. Spike immediately jumped out off the bed, running to the phone.

“Red?” He said into the phone as the line was picked up.

“Spike, is that you?” Willow’s sleepy voice came over the line.

“Yeah, listen, we think it’s the baby, Buffy said that... and then... and I think you should come here...”

“OK, Spike put Buffy on, I don’t understand what you’re saying.” Willow interrupted him and he gave the phone to Buffy, who was sitting in the bed

“Willow? Hi.” She said.

“Hey, Buffy, I didn’t really understand everything Spike said, but I did catch something about the baby. Are you in labor?”

“I think so. I mean, I’m not sure, but I might be.”

“Did you have contractions?” Willow asked over the line.

“Well, I don’t know. I don’t know what it feels like, but I got hit by this pain in my back and stomach.” Buffy replied.

“OK, when was this?”

“One was just a couple of minutes ago and the first I guess about half an hour earlier.”

“OK. It might be false labor, but me and Tara will come over just in case.” Willow said. “Even if you’re really in labour, it’ll be hours before anything happens, so you should probably try to go to sleep, OK sweetie?”

“OK, Wills. See you soon.” Buffy said before hanging up.

“What’d she say?” Spike asked anxiously.

“She said that it might be false labor, but she and Tara are coming over anyway.” Buffy replied, lying back down in the bed. “She also said that I should try to sleep. Join me, please.”

Spike obeyed her and they lay in silence. Ten minutes later, they heard the front door open and close, and steps up the stairs before Willow knocked on the half open door.

“Hey.” She said, walking into the room. “Any more contractions?” Buffy shook her head and Willow continued. “I’m just gonna leave some stuff up here, and Tara and I will be on the couch downstairs, OK? Call if anything happens.”

*****

Buffy managed to fall asleep, but Spike stayed awake beside her. Every now and then, her body tensed and he could sense that she was in pain, but it didn’t wake her. After a couple of hours, Spike was too nervous to stay in bed so he went downstairs to get some blood. When he got to the bottom of the stairs, he heard a soft call from the living room.

“Hey.” Spike saw Willow awake and went into the room.

“Hey. You can’t sleep either?” He asked, sitting down on the table that had been moved to make room for the sofa bed.

“Nah, too excited.” Willow replied and Spike nodded.

“Know what you mean. Another word that comes to mind is ‘terrified’.” Willow chuckled a little at his words.

“Yeah, it’s a little scary too, I guess.” She agreed.

“A little? I’m a vampire, this wasn’t suppose to happen. Definitely not in the plans.”

“Do you regret coming back?” Willow asked, a concerned look on her face.

“God no. I wouldn’t miss this for the world.” Spike replied. “But that doesn’t mean I can’t be scared to death, does it?” Willow shook her head.

“No, it doesn’t. I know Buffy’s been pretty scared, too, even if she hasn’t talked about it.” She said.

“Really?” Spike asked and Willow nodded. “She seems like she knows exactly what she’s doing.”

“Well, she has had a little more time to get used to the whole thing.” Willow replied.

“Yeah, I guess you’re...” Spike was interrupted by a painful cry from the second floor, and before Willow had time to react, Spike was flying up the stairs and into his and Buffy’s bedroom. Buffy was sitting up in the bed, clutching her stomach.

“What’s wrong?” Spike rushed to her side and Buffy leaned against him, breathing heavily.

“I think my water just broke.” She said in a small voice. “And the pain’s back, only worse.”

“It’s OK, baby, everything’s gonna be fine.” Spike said in what he hoped was a comforting voice, when inside he was panicking himself. At that moment, Willow and Tara came into the room.

“Is everything OK?” Willow asked, a concerned look on her face.

“I think my water broke.” Buffy said in a slightly pained voice.

“OK, let’s see how you’re doing, sweetie.” Willow said. She and Tara arranged some pillows and Buffy leaned back against them, Spike taking his place beside her.

“I’m gonna take your pajama pants off, OK sweetie.” Tara said and Buffy nodded. “Willow, wanna hand me a blanket?” Willow gave Tara a blanket from the closet, and she arranged it around Buffy’s legs and waist, so she could have some privacy.

“What’s going on?” The question came from a very sleepy Dawn, who was standing in the doorway.

“Everything’s fine, Dawnie, why don’t you go back to bed?” Willow said.

“OK.” Dawn turned to go back to her room, but stopped as she heard Buffy cry out as another contraction hit. Dawn was suddenly fully awake.

“Is the baby coming?” She asked and Willow nodded.

“Yeah, sweetie. Could you go call Giles and Xander, I think they want to be here.” Dawn nodded and disappeared into her room.

“OK, you’re moving along pretty fast, but I think we have about an hour or so before anything happens.” Tara said after examining Buffy.

“How much?” Willow asked.

“About six centimeters.” Tara responded and Spike gave them both a confused look.

“What’s that mean?”

“She’s about six centimeters dilated, and she needs to be ten before the active labor will start.” Willow explained.

“OK, so what do we do?” Spike asked.

“We wait.” Tara replied. “That’s all we can do. I’m gonna check the baby’s heartbeat too, just to be sure.”

“It’s fine.” Spike said and Willow and Tara gave him weird looks. “Vampire hearing, remember? I can hear it. It sounds normal.”

“Good. Let us know if it changes, OK?” Willow said.

“Did I miss something?” Dawn asked in a breathless voice as she ran back into the room. Willow laughed a little.

“No, you didn’t miss a thing. It’ll probably take a while before anything happens. Why don’t we give these two some privacy.” Willow suggested, giving Tara and Dawn a meaning look. “Just call us if something happens, and we’ll check on you in about half an hour, OK?” She said to Buffy and Spike before they left the room, closing the door behind them.

“You OK, baby?” Spike asked as the door closed. Buffy nodded a little.

“I’m fine. Hurts a lot more than I thought, though. I mean, with me being a Slayer and all, didn’t think it’d be so bad.”

“Guess there are some things you just have to do the old fashioned way, huh?” Spike said, tucking a strand of Buffy’s hair behind her ear.

“Yeah, I guess.” Buffy shrugged. “At least it’s in the goes part right now... OK, I shouldn’t have said that.” She took a firm grip on Spike’s hand as the pain rolled through her body.

“Better?” Spike asked as she released his hand. Buffy nodded. Spike left the bed and got the electric pad Willow and Tara had brought over and plugged it in before returning to the bed.

“Come here.” He got some pillows together and pulled Buffy towards him. She rolled over onto her side and leaned her cheek on his chest, and he placed the heating pad on her lower back. “Feel good?”

“Mmm hmm.” Buffy replied, eyes closed. Spike began stroking her hair with his free hand.

“I’m here, OK? Everything’s gonna be fine.” He mumbled as they both drifted into a light sleep.

*****

“Hey, guys. Everything OK?” Willow asked as she and Tara entered the room a little while later. Buffy was still lying on her side, her head on Spike’s chest, but they were both awake. “How are the contractions?”

“Painful.” Buffy responded.

“Well, that’s a given.” Willow replied. “How far apart?”

“Last one was about three minutes.” Spike said, checking his watch.

“You wanna lie on your back for me, Buffy?” Tara asked and Buffy obeyed. “I’m gonna check how we’re doing.”

“We brought you some tea for the pain.” Willow said, handing Buffy a cup. “It’s natural, been used in these situations for centuries.” Buffy took a few sips of the beverage.

“Doesn’t taste very good.” She said, wrinkling her nose before she finished off the rest of the tea.

“I think we’re almost there.” Tara said. “Nine centimeters.”

“Already?” Buffy asked. “Are the others here?”

“Yeah, everyone’s here.” Willow said, nodding. “You want me to get them?”

Buffy nodded before she squeezed her eyes shut and grabbed Spike’s hand again. He whispered soothing words to her as she endured the contraction.

“Did this one feel any different?” Tara asked as Buffy relaxed against the pillows.

“No, not really, why?” Buffy replied.

“You’ll feel when it’s time to push, just let me know, OK?” Tara said before heading out the door. “I’ll go get the others.”

“How’s your breathing going?” Willow asked after Tara had left the room. “You remember everything from class?”

“Yeah, I remember it. It’s just hard to use it when it’s the real thing.” Buffy smiled a little.

“And how’s the heartbeat, everything OK?”

Spike listened for a while, then nodded.

“Sounds just like it should.”

“Hey, guys, didn’t think we’d miss this, did ya?” Xander asked as he entered the room along with Dawn, Anya, Giles and Tara.

“Hi, guys.” Buffy smiled at her friends and family before her face once again turned into a mask of pain.

“OK, I think I know what you meant about it feeling different.” She said to Tara as the pain subsided.

“You feel like you need to push?” Tara asked and Buffy nodded. “OK, just let me check.” She pulled the blanket up a little. “I think it’s time. Willow, wanna come down here?” Willow gave Buffy’s hand a squeeze before joining Tara.

“At the next contraction, I want you to push, OK? I’ll tell you when to stop.” Willow said, smiling at Buffy across the bed. Buffy nodded and Spike took her hand in his to give her as much support as he could. He was feeling a little helpless, not being able to do anything about Buffy’s pain. He felt her body tense before her grip on his hand tightened.

“OK, that’s good, sweetie, just a little more.” Willow encouraged.

“Great, Buffy, relax a little before the next one.” Tara said as the contraction was over. Buffy leaned back against the pillows and breathed deeply. Spike took a wet washcloth that Anya handed him and wiped Buffy’s forehead.

“How’s the heartbeat?” Tara asked.

“It’s fine.” Spike responded after listening.

“Buffy, I need you to push a little harder this time, can you do that?” Tara asked, and Buffy nodded before the next contraction hit. She squeezed Spike’s hand.

“I am so gonna stake you for this!” She mumbled between gritted teeth.

“Whatever you say, baby.” Spike replied, having been warned by Willow that Buffy might say things she didn’t really mean on the heat of the moment.

“Good, Buffy, just a little more...” Tara encouraged. “That’s great, I can see the head.”

“Spike, I think you should come down here.” Willow said, looking up at the couple on the bed. “Xander, you wanna take Spike’s place?” Xander came over and sat down next to Buffy, taking her hand. Giles went to the other side of the bed. Spike gave Buffy a kiss on the forehead before going down to Willow and Tara. He crouched next to them.

“Is that?” He asked in fascination. Willow smiled.

“Yep. That’s your baby.”

“Is everything OK?” He asked.

“So far so good.” Willow responded.

“Just keep up the good work, Buffy, and it’ll be over in no time.” Tara encouraged as another contraction made Buffy cry out in pain as she pushed.

Spike watched, amazed, as the tiny head slipped all the way out. Then Tara took a light grip around the baby’s neck and twisted the body a little, letting the shoulders free.

“OK, just one more should do it.” Tara said and when the final contraction came and went, Spike watched as his son was being born.

“It’s a boy!” Willow announced and everyone cheered.

Tara went into the bathroom and returned with a large bowl of water, in which she washed the baby off before she let Spike cut the cord and wrap the little boy in a soft blanket.

Spike carefully stood up, not taking his eyes of the baby, and walked up to the head of the bed where Buffy had leaned back against the pillows. He sat down next to her and she leaned her head against his shoulder.

“You did it.” He whispered and she shook her head, taking one of the baby’s hands in hers.

“No. We did it.”





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