When Buffy awoke she could feel her head pounding. The place where she had been stuck throbbed in pain and to top it off she could feel something on the side of her face. Realizing it could only be blood, she opened her eyes, fighting to focus on something. A harsh bright light buzzed above her head and everything seemed to be hazy, blurred some how. It was like she had slept for days. Buffy could feel her hands were bound above her head and what scared her even more she was laying flat on her back on something cold. Looking down she realized with some delight that her baby was still there. The fog seem to lift slowly from her eyes and she turned her head, trying to see something, anything that she would recognize.
"Hello lover." Buffy felt her blood run cold as Angelus whispered to her advancing as he did so. His eyes were burning into her lustfully. Buffy knew that look all too well. He reached out and cupped her cheek almost lovingly and Buffy tried to rip her head away from his cold touch. Everything about him made her sick. He moved his hand to her hair, patting her like an animal.
"I was waiting for you to wake up my sweet, have you missed daddy?" He cooed at her. His eyes seem to be dancing now.
"Where are we?"
"Where everything was as it was meant to be." He replied. His voice was light, happy like.
"What?" She whispered. Almost madly, she scanned the room. Still, nothing seemed to register to where he had taken her.
"Where we where the happiest." He sighed.
"The factory." She whispered, things finally looking familiar to her.
"Yes my love. Don't you remember when we first came here? I was so weak and you promised to restore me and you did... Oh Buffy. You where always looking after me, taking care of me and now I get to take care of you." Angelus whispered, his mouth now close to her ear.
"Stay away from me." she hissed hatefully. He looked back at her stung, like she had just slapped him across the face. He stood, looking at her. All Buffy could do was stare up at him feeling totally helpless.
"Oh mummy hurt daddy... That’s not nice. It’s Sunshine making you say those nasty things to me. Still he swims around you, making you weak. Not to worry my love soon everything will be as it should be, soon you will be at my side again... It’s where you belong." His eyes got a far away look in them and Buffy knew that things were about to get a whole lot more serious.
"No. I never belonged with you and I never will." She snapped her voice shaking with fear.
"Hush, hush. Such nasty words you say to me. Now you just lay there and be patient my love. I have to prepare."
"Prepare for what?" The words tumbled out before she gave them any thought. Anything to delay him was good enough for the moment.
"The birth." He said the words so simply as if they were the answer to everything.
"I won’t let you take her from me.” Buffy spat out. Angelus laughed at this leaning towards her and placing a hand on her bulge. Buffy tried to shift away from his touch, unsuccessfully. The baby too seem to try and move from his touch before going rather still.
"Not that birth silly. While you’re sleeping, while you are coming back to me, you won’t feel a thing and I’ll cut this thing from you. When you wake she'll be the first thing you will taste on your luscious lips." he whispered gleefully. He pressed his fingers into her womb and Buffy stifled a cry of pain.
"I won't, I could never hurt my child." The very thought made Buffy ill.
"Yes my love you always where different. Always a pinch of humanity in you, there was. But not a bother... you know the hunger when you first rise, the blood lust, you can't fight it... you'll feed on her and you will enjoy it." He whispered before turning and walking away. Buffy shook in terror a single tear escaping her eye at the thought of killing her own child. As much as she despised Angelus she knew he was right. If he did turn her, there would be nothing she could do to fight the demon’s initial blood lust. She knew she had to get free. Tugging her arm restraints helplessly more tears spilled down her cheeks. Looking up to the ceiling she whispered a silent plea.
*Please Spike. Help me.*
William placed the phone in its cradle, his mind spinning. Why hadn’t Drusilla called earlier, to warn him? He would of never of left the house, left Buffy alone if he knew Angelus was in town. Shaking his head, he realized this was not the time to scold himself, he had to find Buffy and fast. He reached out to the phone again, this time to call Willow as Drusilla had suggested when he was suddenly over come with a pain in his chest. It felt like fear, panic but somehow not his own.
"Please Spike. Help me." The voice seemed to float around him, filling him with urgency.
"Buffy?" He asked looking around confused. Seeing nothing, he reached for the phone again.
"Help me Spike." The sense of fear and urgency was overwhelming now. Grabbing the nearest weapons, William grabbed his jacket and headed out into the night. Buffy’s voice echoed in his mind, her pleas of help pulling him like he was attached to a cord. He didn’t question it; he just followed knowing that she was leading him to her.
After about ten minutes he felt himself be cautioned, his slayer sense going into over drive. Looking up he could see a building looming in front of him. A building he knew all to well. He should have guessed Angelus would have brought her here. The place they had lived together when they had first arrived in Sunnydale. The old abandoned factory.
Buffy’s pleas for help seem to be getting louder although he couldn’t actually physically hear them. They had been getting more frantic and without a second thought to his own safety, he ran towards the door his thoughts focused on only one thing. Buffy.
Buffy had been franticly rubbing the rope around her wrists along the sharp rusted edge of the metal table that Angelus had tied her to. Thankfully, Angelus wasn’t smart enough to bind her feet as well so she knew that as long as she could get her hands free she would have a fighting chance. She could hear him moving around in the other room muttering softly as if searching for something. The rope was giving slowly; she was about half way though she estimated. Time wasn’t on her side however when she saw Angelus come back into view with a knife clutched in one hand. She froze, trying not to give away what she was doing.
"It's time my love. Time to come back to me." He cooed at her. A smile played on his lips as he stroked the blade he was holding lovingly, lost in his thoughts for that moment.
"HEY!" A voice bellowed breaking the silence. Angelus swung around to face the intruder. Buffy didn’t move but was relieved to know that he had come. Her prayers had been answered.
"That's my girl." The voice continued. Buffy turned towards the sound, her eyes drinking the sight in. William stood there, his blue eyes blazing with anger and hate for the vampire that stood between them. Sensing danger, Angelus moved lightening fast to Buffy, placing the knife to her neck possessively. The cold steel sent panic coursing though her. William continued to advance although a little unsure on how Angelus was going to react to his intrusion. Buffy could see the fear in William’s eyes but continued to step forward, until Angelus spoke.
"Uh huh... Naughty Sunshine. I wouldn't come any closer." He warned leaning down, grabbing a chunk of Buffy's hair and pulling her head back to expose her neck. It forced Buffy to look straight into his eyes, something that she despised. He looked down at her but she could tell he was still watching William. Sensing Buffy’s caution, William stayed still.
"See my love this is our problem. The Sunshine thought it was alright to touch you, make you soft, weak and pathetic. But don't worry my love I’m going to fix that for you. I’ll make the Sunshine go away and then we can be happy again." His voice was coming out revoltingly sincere but Buffy knew that his thoughts were far from it. His eyes had gone cold and hard a look he only got when something stood in his way. Something that was in his way that he wanted to eliminate. He let go of her hair slightly and Buffy’s eyes flew straight to William. His eyes were filled with fear she could see. Concentrating, Buffy focused on their connection again, trying to send William a silent message.
*Spike, you have to kill him.* Almost instantly his voice filled her head, his lips not moving.
*I can't he'll kill you.*
*You can still save her. Please Spike you have to.* She reasoned with him. Angelus was getting impatient she could tell with the current silence and his cold words sliced though the air as he spoke.
"So concerned about that parasite squirming inside of you." Angelus hissed at her placing his hand again on her baby bump. Buffy shuttered at his touch.
"KILL HIM!" Buffy screamed loudly at William, not caring now if Angelus heard or not.
"How can I?" He asked somberly, lowering his gaze from her. She knew he was struggling with what to do, if he attacked he knew Angelus would kill her before he could stop him but if he didn't he might kill both Buffy and the baby. Angelus laughed with glee.
"Decisions, decisions. What's it going to be Sunshine? Do you think you can get to me before I cut her throat? Before I make her bleed. You know I would cut her so deep that this blade will be buried in this very table. So Sunshine, sure you’re fast enough to stop me?" Angelus taunted, pushing the blade into Buffy’s neck once again. William felt defeated. He knew he was just too far away to get there fast enough.
"Do it Spike." Buffy yelled.
"Don't ask me to. I…I can't." He whispered.
"If you love me at all you'll send this crazy bastard straight to hell!" Buffy’s words seem to echo around the room. Angelus was suddenly stuck from behind with a stern blow to the head, causing him to let go of the knife and him to slump to the floor. Growling, he spun around to face his unknown attacker.
“Watcher.” He snarled before wrapping his hand around Giles neck and launching him into the nearest wall. Buffy twisted herself to see the fallen man crumple into a heap, his breathing shallow and she knew he was out cold. William seized his chance. Before Angelus had turned back around William was standing in front of him. Smiling he pulled his fist back and hit Angelus full force, square in the jaw.
Behind her, Buffy could hear punches being thrown, kicks landing on bone and flesh. She again worked desperately to free herself rubbing the rope furiously on the rusted metal until finally the rope gave, falling off her wrists. Quickly as her body allowed her, she sat up and scanned the room for a weapon, any weapon. At her feet she recognized one of William’s wooden stakes; he must have dropped it during his fight with Angelus. Seizing it in her hands she suddenly felt empowered somehow. Turning she could see that William was about to lose the fight.
William gasped for air while trying to unwrap the strong vampire hands from around his neck that where quickly crushing the life out of him. He had been distracted when he had glanced over at Buffy and saw her desperately trying to free herself from the table. Angelus had used that moment of opportunity to gain the upper hand and it now it might very well cost him his life.
"Tisk tisk Sunshine. It wasn’t very nice of you trying to take my love from me. She belongs to me you know, with me... Silly Sunshine thinking she could be yours. Soon she'll go to sleep but don't worry.” Angelus held his free hand up to his mouth, placing one finger on his lips lightly whispering.
“Mummy will wake up again. Then we will have a party. A party for mummy oh how delightful. The first thing she will taste is the blood of her own child before me and her have you for desert." He clapped his hand over his mouth now, like a little child who had just spilt a big secret. His other hand still squeezed at William’s throat, making him see stars dancing before his eyes. Angelus then laughed loudly and William realized that this vampire was indeed a lunatic.
"I don't think so." The grip from William’s neck was suddenly released and he hit the floor with a silent thud. Looking up he saw Buffy standing behind Angelus and she wore a look of pure determination. Angelus’ hands flew to his chest where a chunk of wood protruded. He turned to face Buffy, his face to William unreadable.
"Buffy?" He whispered shock and betrayal written all over his face. Buffy said nothing as she watched him turn to ash before her eyes, the wooden stake she had embedded in him clanking to the floor. William stood rubbing his neck tenderly.
"Are you ok?" he asked touching her shoulder.
"He made me... what I was; he was my sire Spike... I spent two hundred years with him." Buffy whispered her eyes on the pile of ashes at her feet.
"I'm sorry luv." William consoled. Buffy lifted her head at his words and he could see a sense of peace lingering on her face.
"I'm not. I’m relived." She smiled softly.
"For two hundred years I thought I loved him. But now having the feelings I have for you I know that I never really truly loved Angelus. The way I felt about him is nothing compared to the deepness and wholeness I feel towards you." she informed him sincerely. William couldn’t believe his ears. Was she actually admitting that she loved him?
"Wait. What? But before...” He stuttered, mind racing. Buffy quickly stopped him.
"You stormed out of the house before I could finish. Although I don't blame you. I’ve done nothing but send you mixed signals for a long time now. I was so scared that if I told you how I felt you'd laugh at me, reject me. Coming back with this heart beat, this soul made me feel so unworthy of your love. I never thought a person like me after everything I have done deserved such happiness.”
“Oh Buffy...”
“I don’t want to muck this up by rushing into it. I want to take things slow with you Spike, like any other normal couple would do.”
"But we're not normal luv."
"This is very true... That day in L.A after we... I lied to you when I said I didn't love you. I thought you deserved more, better and I didn't want to get in the way of you having a normal life, a normal relationship... I never wanted to hurt you. I was scared that if I told you I loved you I’d lose you. Everyone I care about tends to get hurt or worse around me and I didn't want that to happen to you."
"You love me?" He asked shocked but relived that she had finally allowed herself to feel it after fighting it for so long.
"You caught that did you?" She blushed looking at the ground again.
"Buffy we're meant to be and I don't care about the things you have done in you past because when I look at you all I see is the good you have done...there is no better then you... your my everything, you and this baby. Don't think that the only reason I fell in love with you because you’re human." Buffy snapped her head back up and looked at him. How did he know that?”
"How..."
"Luv, I could always tell what you where thinking." She laughed softly at this. William continued.
"I was falling for you long before you became human... I was just so afraid of what would happen if I told you. I was scared you'd laugh at me." Buffy laughed softly again at his admission.
"Well aren’t we a crazy pair? Holding back for the same reasons."
"I don’t want to hold back anymore Buffy. I love you... you are my one and only." He whispered to her, moving closer and cupping her cheek. She leaned into his touch willingly a soft sigh of gratification escaping her lips. She looked into his loving blue eyes and felt a tear escape from her own eye.
"I love you too William." William felt his eyes glass over at her admission and he leant forward and kissed her passionately. Buffy’s response was just as fierce and passionate. In that moment as they pulled themselves towards each other, all their fear and hesitation seem to just melt away. Breaking their passionate kiss they rested their foreheads against each other, staring into each others depths and breathing heavily. A groan interrupted them, a groan of pain. Whirling around they could see Giles trying to sit up and trying to fix his glasses on his nose. They raced to his side, their moment of passion forgotten for the time being. Feeling more then a little guilty, William helped his watcher into a more comfortable sitting position.
"Oh Giles are you alright?" Buffy asked, her eyes immediately scanning his head wound. She noticed that it had stopped bleeding but was still concerned for the man.
"Oh bloody brilliant." He groaned.
"How did you find us?" William asked, concerned eyes peering down at him.
"Well as it so happens Drusilla called to see if Willow's locator spell was successful. Of course I had no idea what she was talking about so she told me about Cordelia's vision. Willow immediately done the spell and I found you here. Actually, the rest of the gang shouldn’t be too far away by now."
"Good old Dru." William mumbled.
"Why didn't you call us before you went looking for Buffy? And how did you find her?" He scolded.
"I was going to honest but the weirdest thing happened. I could hear her calling me for help, her voice lead me here."
"I was hoping to talk to you about that William. It’s a physic link the baby has bridged between you and Buffy. Willow found it in the prophecy a few days ago she was just making sure the translation was right. It is meant to last until you face the coming darkness your daughter is meant to confront when she is older. Willow also uncovered that the reason why the attacks on Buffy have became more frequent the further she has progressed during her pregnancy is that once the child is born it will be placed under the protection of the Powers That Be."
"What?" William asked slightly confused.
"It said until the child comes of age and the end of days arrive the child will be under the protection of the Powers That Be. So in translation she'll be safe until she is to fight in the foreseen apocalypse." Giles removed his glasses from his face and started to clean them with a hanky he always kept in his pocket for such a purpose.
"That’s good news, now we just have to keep you both safe for another five weeks." William said confidently. He helps Giles to his feet and Buffy stood, grabbing onto the wall. An odd expression washed across her face.
"Spike I think you got your dates wrong. I don't think we have to worry about the next five weeks." she informed them a look of pure shock on her face. She could feel the oddest sensation running down her legs.
"Why? Buffy what's wrong?" William asked reaching out to her, his face painted with concern.
"Unless I’m mistaking and I doubt it, my water just broke." She informed them matter of factly. She felt more warm liquid gush down her thighs. Then a dull pain started to build in her abdomen, growing stronger. Her legs begun to feel weak underneath her and she gripped onto William tightly frighten she may fall. William winced slightly at the pain.
"OH GOD!" she gasped leaning forward as her first contraction over took her.