Spike was right about the bath. It did wonders for her. Hard to be Worry Girl when you're sitting in bubbles.

She came out in her robe, and found Spike sitting on the bed. "Hey, where's my soup."

"Oh, Buffy, luv, I'm sorry. I distracted myself with the album." He held up the photo album as proof. "Putting in the new pictures you had developed last week. But I'll make it now, while you relax in bed."

"No, it's okay. I wasn't that hungry." She got in bed with him, cuddled into his side.

"Are you sure? It won't take long to heat, just a few minutes."

"I'm sure. Settle down." She smiled at him, leaned in and kissed the side of his chin softly.

"You been skippin' a lot of meals lately, haven't you? You don't tend to eat at lunch, when you do you're like a bird pickin at bits, not finishing things off."

"I don't need to. I'm an inactive slayer. I have more energy than I can work out which makes me anxious and fidgety."

"Doesn't seem healthy to me pet."

"I can take care of myself Spike. Don't be such a worry wort." She sat up, slowly straddled his hips. "I'm perfectly fine. Should I show you?" She made sure to make her point by pressing herself against him as she kissed him deeply.

"Buffy..." Her name on his lips was slow, a cross between warning and wanting tones.

"You know I wouldn't do anything that would hurt me when I need to be here for my family." She held his face in her hands, looking him in the eye. "Right?"

"I s'pose so. I don't particularly like it though. Get any smaller and the wind will carry you away from me."

"Doubtful. Feel better if I promise to eat and extra big breakfast?"

"Alright then. Just want you feelin' well."

"I know you do." She kissed him again, deeper, longer and enjoyed him kissing her back just as passionately, pulling her closer to him. "And I do want to show you just how good I feel here with you." She smiled at him, and leaned over to reach for the lamp switch, and her robe shifted...

He saw her reach for the lamp, and before she got to it the robe fell off her shoulder. He grabbed her arm as she kept reaching for the light to stared. "Buffy... What's this?"

The scar was huge, from the top of her shoulder down nearly to her elbow. Not just that, but there were marks along at least the front side of her ribs. The edges were jagged, and, bloody hell, in some places the skin was uneven. Bit's of the flesh in her arm were gone.

He looked at her, her posture had gone slack and she was looking at her arm, surveying the damage he'd been inspectin'. Her face was nearly blank, but he could see a bit of fear and sadness there too.

"It's nothing. Battle scar. It's from the last fight I was in, just before I found out I was pregnant. You don't need to make a big deal about it."

He pulled her hand close again so she wouldn't go for the light, then hes slowly traced the scar with his fingers. "Something took a bite outta you..."

"Yeah. But the other slayers killed it quick when it was on me."

"Is this... Buffy, is this why you always want the lights off?" He looked her in the eye as he waited for her answer, watched her heave a sigh.

"I didn't want you to see me, how ugly these scars-"

"Hold on there pet. Don't you use that word about anything that's apart of you. Silly Buffy. You should know battle scars are a turn on for a guy like me, hm?" He leaned forward and kissed the top of her scar softly, and she practically shivered in response, she leaned into him and he held her close.

Never before could he remember feeling such conflicting emotions at one. He was upset that she felt ashamed enough to hide what had happened to her. He was completely pissed he wasn't there to help her, though if she hadn't known she were pregnant yet he probably couldn't have been there anyway... And there was a complete relief in knowing she hadn't turned the lights because she didn't want to see him.

It had made him feel ill each time they were together to think she couldn't stand to see him when he was with her.

"You're just saying that to make me laugh." She still sounded sullen, but she held onto him, her head against his shoulder.

"You know me too well, eh pet? It's true I can't like the idea of something hurtin' you bad enough to leave a mark. But scars mean more than bein' Buffy. They mean you're stronger than what it was that hurt you, because you're still here. You're so strong Buffy.

She held him tighter and he could feel her face against his neck, her warmth seeping into his skin.

"I know I shouldn't have hid them, I just... It's like I wanted to pretend they didn't happen. And that would be harder to do once you knew.

"Them? How many are there Buffy?"

"Just two more..." She sat up straighter, and he watched her slowly pull off her robe and discard it on the floor. "This happened... When you left for Africa." She held her hand to her chest and tapped her finger beside a small mark, no bigger than a dime, right near her heart. "Warren shot me. You kinda knew, because we told you he killed Tara when he tried to kill me, remember?"

"I remember. You didn't say how close he'd come..."

"Well things were awkward then... didn't seem like you needed to know since I was fine. Willow got the bullet out with magic, healed me. I would have been gone if she hadn't."

"Thank the powers for Red then."

"Last one is a cesarean scar." She shifted back a bit, enough so he could see the long thing scar on the underside of her belly.

"Trouble maker right from the start eh? Joy get all turned around in there?"

"No." She shook her head slightly. "And yes. No to getting turned around, big yes to trouble maker. It was really tough Spike. She drained me, made me sick. I couldn't have her naturally because I was in a coma when she was born."

"Bloody hell... I'm so sorry Buffy, for not being there with you. I'm sorry everything is always so hard on you, when I should be making it better, easier."

"That's what you're doing right now." She leaned in and kissed him deeply, grasping his shoulder and pressing her chest to his.

He kissed her back, feeling real passion in their bed for the first time since they had come here.