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Chapter Ten



Spike watched Buffy run around the house and give him instructions about what to feed Nate and how.

“Buffy, I know how to give him a banana.”

She stood in front of him with her arms crossed, “okay. How?”

“Unpeel it, cut it up, and hand it to him,” he said in part like a question, because now he felt that his answer was wrong.

“No,” she told him slowly, “you can only unpeel it. If you touch it otherwise, he won’t eat it.”

Spike grinned, “really?”

Buffy nodded, “yeah, I don’t get it.”

“Seems the little tyke doesn’t want his food touched. Reminds me of someone I know.”
“Yeah, his mother,” Buffy muttered under her breath as she sat down to slip on her leather, heeled boots.

Spike eyed her, “you’re wearing those boots?”

Buffy stopped zippering them, looked at Spike and then back down at the boots. “Yeah, why? Do they not go?”

“Well, they go. . . they’re just not really second date material.”

“I didn’t know that there were dating rules for shoes.”

“Oh but there is. See, those shoes? They scream loose.”

“Oh. I get what you’re saying. These are what Faith would call ‘fuck me boots.’”

Spike nearly choked on his water, “yeah, exactly.”

“Well, no need to worry, because Angel’s not going to be getting any tonight. Now where is my purse…” Buffy trailed off, in search of her purse.

Spike followed her, “not tonight? You sound as if there is a chance that he could get some another night, like you’re not sure, like you don’t know—“
“A-ha! There it is. Nate likes to hide it. I swear that boy just takes things and hoards them,” Buffy said absently as she reached behind the couch and grabbed her purse. She smiled at Spike who stood there, looking frazzled.

“Are you all right? I haven’t even left yet and you look overwhelmed.”

Spike stared at her wondering how one woman could be so frustrating. “No, Buffy. I’m not worried about taking care of Nate on my own. I’ve done it before you know,” he couldn’t help the slight defensive tone creeping into his voice.

“Sorry. I’m just used to it being me that I feel guilty if I have to ask someone to watch him.”

Spike’s stern face came back, “don’t feel guilty, Buffy. You deserve to have a night out.” ‘Even if it is with Angel,’ Spike thought bitterly.

Buffy smiled warmly, “thank you.” She sauntered into the play room where Nate was happily playing with some cars on the floor and swept him up in her arms. “I love you, have fun with Uncle Spike, okay? Be good.” She gave him a kiss on the forehead and put him back down to play. She pointed at Spike, “and you be a good boy too, okay?” The doorbell rang. “That’s Angel. Stay here.” She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. “Have fun. I love you!” She told him brightly and practically sprinted to get the door.

Spike quietly crept to the door of the playroom and craned his neck to see into the kitchen. All he could see was Buffy smiling at someone and nodding. He turned to Nate, “stay here she says. How come I’m not allowed to go out there? You’d think she want us to give her a big send off, but nooo, I’m ordered to stay here.” Spike stopped. “Well, I was, but you weren’t.” Spike picked Nate up and carried him quietly out of the room and set him down. “Go get Auntie Buffy,” Spike whispered and Nate laughed, running into the kitchen with his arms up for Auntie Buffy.

“There’s the little guy. I was just asking about you,” Spike heard Angel say warmly.

Spike rolled his eyes, “of course you were,” he muttered. He strolled into the kitchen and Buffy looked up at him, a death ray glare shooting out behind the happy smile.

“Spike, right?” Angel asked as Spike came into view.

Spike nodded, shoving his hands in his pockets.

“Uncle Spike to the rescue,” Buffy said cheerfully. “Well, we should get going.”

“Yes, I made reservations at eight,” Angel told her.

“All right,” she leaned down and gave Nate one last kiss before Spike picked him up again. “Don’t forget to give him a bath, and don’t let him stay up too late, he missed a nap today—“

“Good night, Buffy,” Spike told her, rolling his eyes.

She sighed, “okay. Good night. I have my cell if you need it!” She called out just before Spike shut the door on her face. He chuckled to himself and when he heard Angel do the same, Spike scowled. Nate looked up at him curiously. “We can see them from the window in the living room.” Spike carried him into the living room and dimmed the lights, discreetly he watched through the window as Angel opened the door for her. He sighed, “at least he’s a gentleman. What do you think?” He asked and looked down at Nate.

Nate shook his head and held out his hand, “eh.”

“I agree.”



“You’re a mystery, Buffy Summers,” Angel told her as he walked her to her door.

She smiled at him, “really? I’ve never been told that before. I kind of like it.”

Angel chuckled, “glad I could be of service.”

They stopped in front of her door and she turned to him. “Thank you for dinner and the movie. Oh, and thank you SO much for your friends business card. I had no idea where to start to look for daycare’s for Nate.”

“Willow is a good person and an excellent teacher. I have a feeling you guys would hit it off.”

“It’d be nice to maybe make some female friends.”

“You’re not friends with Cordy?”

“In a weird way,” Buffy laughed.

“So, when can I take you out again?”

Buffy was shocked. He’d spent a whole evening with her and he wanted more? “I uh, I don’t know, I. . . don’t know. Can I call you?”
Angel leaned in and kissed her softly, just a whisper of a kiss that left Buffy standing there with her eyes closed and her lips still puckered. She wanted more.

“You better,” Angel whispered and kissed her again, this time, deeper.

Dazed, Buffy barely remembered watching Angel walk back to his car and drive away. With a dreamy smile on her face, she waltzed into the house, humming a happy tune. When she entered the living room, she stopped abruptly and a sappy smile tugged at the corner of her lips. Sprawled out on the couch was Spike and Nate. Spike was on his back, his mouth slightly open and Nate lay curled up on his side, his head resting on Spike’s chest. It had to be the cutest thing she’d ever seen. Creeping across the room, on top of the entertainment center, Buffy grabbed her camera and snapped a picture of them. She had decided after Faith died that she wanted to capture every moment she could with Nate. Looking through pictures she had and Faith had lying around of their small family hadn’t amounted to much, and what they did have, Buffy combined in a photo album. She wanted to be able to pass it along to Nate one day, so she was set on filling it. This was a moment she could not pass up.

Spike stirred and Buffy stood still, not sure if she should wake him completely up, or let him sleep. His eyes slowly opened and he shifted carefully, seemingly aware that he held Nate on top of him. He peered over at Buffy.

“Hey, how long you been standing there?”
“Just got home,” she whispered. She held up her camera. “I had to capture the moment. You guys are too cute.”

Spike smiled sleepily and looked down at Nate. “I think we tuckered each other out. Didn’t tell me he loves taking a bath. Felt like a bad man when I had to get him out because he was pruning.”

Buffy smiled, “did he throw the Kermit sponge against the shower wall and laugh as it slid to the tub?”
Spike chuckled softly, “he did. Then he kept taking the cup I used to wash his hair and dumping it over his head. He sputtered each and every time, but he kept doing it.”

“He’s something, ain’t he?”

Spike met her eyes, “just like his Auntie Buffy.”

Buffy felt a warmth spread over her at his words and she suddenly felt uncomfortable. She moved to them, “I should get him in bed.”

“I’ll do it,” Spike told her and sat up easily, sliding Nate to his lap. Picking him up easily, Spike cradled him close and Nate curled right into him, resting his head on his shoulder. Spike started for the hall to bring him to his room when Buffy called softly for him to stop.

Spike turned and Buffy snapped another picture. Spike smiled at her and the two of them walked to Nate’s room together. Lying the boy down in his crib, Buffy covered him up as Spike turned on the monitor. Buffy pressed a kiss to her fingers and then laid said fingers to Nate’s head. “Night baby boy,” she whispered. Then, she looked up at Spike and did the same. “Thank you baby boy.”

“You know there isn’t a lot I wouldn’t do for you, Buffy,” Spike told her quietly, gazing at her.

There was that warmness again, spreading all over her, enveloping her. She let out a tiny sigh as the silence became thick and Spike’s gaze remained intently on her face. She looked up at him, “so, then you’d watch him again so I could go out with Angel?”





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