Author Note: Make sure you've read Snapshot and Slayer Unleashed before reading this, otherwise some of the plot won't make much sense. This chapter repeats the second half of Slayer Unleashed's last chapter, and then follows on from there. Just a short bit to get you started. More soon!

The Next Adventure

They shared a vision.

In an instant they saw the First Slayer receiving her power, and it was swiftly followed by a firm declaration from Buffy that it was wrong.

Spike was worried she'd reverted back to her heavily ingrained stance of thinking anything that came from darkness was evil, but his fears fell away as she continued.

"Chaining her down like that? Against her will. It was wrong!"

"Indeed, it was not the best way for the first watchers to work," the guardian admitted. "But then they always seem to find the worst ways of doing things."

Buffy couldn't disagree with her there.

"Had you not gained power from uniting with your Vampire Mate I would have offered you further strength, via similar means, but it is not now necessary. You have everything you need. But I do bring you something more."

Moving to the side, the guardian revealed a scythe implanted in a big rock that stood behind her. "Call it an extra. To help you with what's to come."

"And what's to come?" Buffy asked, with wide eyes, as she reached out to touch the weapon that was calling out to her. She hadn't really expected an answer, and definitely not one that wasn't cryptic, so the Slayer was pleasantly surprised when the guardian told her outright.

"Ahead there is a girl that you must protect. And a hellgod that you must defeat. When you find the dagonsphere you'll know the later is on her way. This is to be your shared destiny."

"The girl, who is she?" asked Spike.

"An innocent. Her name is Dawn, and you are to treat her as a daughter, for that is what she shall believe herself to be. Your memories will be altered, so you know the past as she will recall it, but you will also keep your awareness that it is false. Whether you chose to reveal reality to the girl is your choice."

Spike nodded as he tried to process all of what he'd heard. He knew without question that he and Buffy were going to accept the responsibility, and the thought of being a dad – even by mystical means – worried him. Buffy was still distracted by her scythe, however.

"Bloody hell, jus' take it out already," he exclaimed. "We gotta get back and meet the sprog."

"Sprog?" she questioned, as she removed the weapon with ease.

"British slang. Means kid."

"Kid? There's a kid now."

Spike grimaced, suddenly realizing she'd zoned out while listening to the last part the guardian had told them.

"Bloody good thing I was here," he muttered. "Got a bombshell to drop on you, on the way home."

Spike hesitantly slid his key in the lock and slowly opened the door to find a girl – Dawn, he assumed – stood there, with her arms crossed, tapping her foot.

"Where were you?" she asked, in a huff.

"Bloody hell," the Vampire exclaimed. "She's a bitty Buffy."

The girl gave him an odd look in response, then stomped off towards the kitchen.

"I was expecting a baby," said the Slayer.

"Me too," admitted Spike. "She's like, what? Five?"

Before Buffy could answer the extra set of memories they were promised were downloaded to their brains. "Three," she could say, then, with certainty. "Four in two weeks."

There was silence as they took it in. Then they looked at each other.

"Ready for the next adventure?" Spike asked his Mate.

"I think I would have preferred the yearly apocalypse," replied Buffy, only half jokingly.

Buffy followed the girl into the kitchen, where she found her rooting through the fridge – pushing bags of blood aside, like it was perfectly normal – in search of yoghurt, apparently.

"Yes!" she declared, in triumph, as she waved her find in the air.

"Mommy, can I have a spoon?"

Gulping at her new title, Buffy mumbled, "Uh, sure," as she retrieved the item from a drawer Dawn couldn't reach and handed it to her.

Spike was stood doorway, staring at the simple exchange. After a deep breath in through his nose he silently asked his Mate to join in the other room.

"This is totally weird," she said, once out of earshot of the toddler.

He nodded.

"What's up?"

"Dawn. She's…"

"What?" said Buffy, with a worried expression.

"Well, that's the thing, init? We don' know."

The Slayer frowned, and he continued.

"She, uh… Bloody hell. Yeah, this is beyond weird. She smells like us."

"What does that mean?"

"Dawn was made genetically ours. Bit's got our DNA."

"Oh, God!" Buffy exclaimed. "I really am a mom."

"Yeah," said Spike, finally shaking off the last of his shock and allowing a grin to cross his face. "That you are, pet."

She began to say something, but Spike pulled her against his chest and reassured her fears before she got them out.

"We can do this," he said.

"But-"

"We can do this."

Buffy nodded, took a deep breath, and said, "Okay."

She was going to ask what they should do first, but was then interrupted by the little girl.

"What's wrong?" Dawn asked them.

"Nothin'," Spike assured her, crouching down to her level. Buffy couldn't help but laugh at the look on his face when Dawn reached up and put her arms around his neck and buried her head against the curve of his neck. He stood up again, holding her to him, and wrapped his free arm around Buffy.

Overwhelmed by the deep sense of family in that moment, the Slayer affirmed her mate's earlier words with a small smile.

"We can do this."

To be continued...