A/N: This is the last chapter folks. The reason why the last three paragraphs are made of so much suckage in comparison to the rest of the story is that I abandoned this fic back in 2000 and I just wrote the last three paragraphs today. I'm a little bit of a procrastinator, sorry. Author Me 2000 and Author Me 2010 are the same in name only. I haven't written a single fanfic or any other story in 10 years so I am rusty as all get out. I'm sorry for the ending, but I'm just getting my feet wet again. Plus, I don't know how to write for these characters anymore. It was 10 years ago. Certain Spike and Willow phrases jump out at me but not like they did in 2000. I could practically hear them in my head. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this. Please check out my new profile if you get a chance; I've got a new ship now that is just as good.
He made sure she knew that he hadn't slept with Dru, could never sleep with anyone else. From that moment on, he let himself be drawn into this ideal life with Willow and their child. He bought presents for the baby and closely followed her tests. Willow laughed nonstop the day she saw the look on his face when he found out they were having twins. Then, she saw the worry this new development caused. She did her best to soothe his fears, but Spike had this nasty habit of turning into Angel when he worried about her and the babies. Truthfully, she was worried herself but she had to hope for the best. Helping to plan Angel and Buffy's wedding helped to keep her positive, making love with Spike didn't hurt either.
It broke her heart the day she had to leave Spike one last time. With her delivering twins and her now being in her seventh month of pregnancy, the doctor decided to put her on bedrest. This Sunnydale was too dangerous to have her children in, so she decided to have them in the "real" Sunndyale. After Spike had finally come around to accepting the children, she thought for sure he would come with her for good, but he didn't. He said that he would be back in time for the delivery, but she wasn't so sure. Maybe this was his way of letting her go, before...
Buffy and the rest of the gang paced nervously outside Willow's hospital room. Although the twins were okay, the delivery had been touch-and-go and Willow's condition didn't look good. She was slipping in and out of consciousness and the doctors didn't hold out much hope. Since they were halflings, the twins didn't need much more than a cursory examination of them, seeing as they wouldn't be subject to normal human infections. Xander held one and Giles held the other. Willow's parents had long since disowned her for having a child out of wedlock. Not that they would have been their for her or them anyway. Buffy begged Angel with her eyes to turn Willow. She didn't think that they were ready to take on the responsibility of raising Willow's children. She knew she wasn't ready to lose Willow again. She and Angel had talked long and hard about it. He was so stubborn. After witnessing her breakdown once again, he cradled her in his arms and slipped into Willow's room. Everyone else knew what was going on and had long since given up any reservations. They had already lost Willow once and would not accept losing her again, even if this was against her wishes. If only Spike were there. That lousy, no good...
Speak of the devil and who should appear. Before they knew it, Spike came racing down the hall. "Where the hell is she!" he demanded. "I drove all night to get here." Suddenly, he noticed the sleeping children. He could swear his heart started beating again at that moment. His voice caught in his throat. They were absolutely beautiful. They were both adorable little redheads, one wrapped in blue, the other in pink.
"Will named them already. William Winston, Jr. and Jessica Winston. She said to call them Billy and Jessi. You wanta hold them?" Xander volunteered. They were absolutely perfect. Too perfect. Spike didn't want to corrupt them somehow. He shook his head.
"Where's Red?!" he shouted.
"We didn't know if you'd even get here. You've been gone for months." Buffy started to explain.
"Where's...Red!" he yelled pointedly, staring daggers at the Slayer.
"She's, she's in there, with Angel." Buffy answered, "she's not going to make it, so he's going to try to turn her."
"Like bloody hell!" He ran into her room and pulled Angel away from her neck and punched him" You bloody bastard. You don't ever touch her, you got that. She's mine." he growled out. Angel looked up in full vamp face from the floor Spike had slammed him onto. His eyes turned back to brown and he walked out. Spike leaned over Willow's bed and inspected her for fresh marks. There were none.
"Spike!" she said weakly. "I told Angel I couldn't let him turn me and I reminded him that you would kill him if he tried." she laughed. "I knew you'd be back. Did you see them, Spike? They're beautiful. I knew they would be, just like you." she gathered her strength and leaned over to kiss the hand he was caressing her face with.
"Just like you, Red. I saw them. They're as beautiful and as perfect as you and our love are." He leaned down and kissed her slowly and full of passion.
"I love you, Spike. I'm so sorry I have to leave you." she cried, "but I know that Angel and Buffy will take good care of the babies and Buffy promised to and I quote "withhold her wifely affections" if he tries to keep you away from them." she laughed.
"That's not going to happen, Red. We're going to raise the little ones, together." he asserted.
"But, Spike, I told you, I want them to have someone who can be with them in the sun."
"They will, Red." he beamed. He lowered her bedrails and got down on bended knee. He reached into his duster and pulled out a ring. "Willow Ann Rosenburg, will you do me the highest honor of becoming my wife and wear this ring, the Ring of Amarra?" he asked as he placed the ring on her finger.
"Oh, Spike, yes, yes I will!" she cried. She hugged him with a fierceness she didn't have earlier.
3 years later, Willow pushed her two little ones on swings in the park. She looked up just as the sun was going down. Spike would be there soon. He was an amazing and attentive husband and father after he had gotten over his fear of corrupting them. Now it was quite the contrary. He wouldn't dare smoke or curse in front of them, all without Willow having to ask him not to. He was practically trying to raise them as Victorian as he grew up which was quite comical considering he was an "evil" vampire. After the children were born and she was turned, he made the move back to 'their' Sunnydale with no hesitation for the most part. He still liked to give the old not being able to have his Happy Meals with legs bluster but she knew he was just as happy just being with her and their family. Oh yeah, and he still got to kick a little demon ass as much as he wanted. Plus, it helped that they claimed each other every chance they got. The blood they got from their supplier was just food to them, but each other's blood…that was both life and love.
Willow shook herself from her thoughts and looked at their daughter Jessi and thought of her namesake and the life that he would never have. The life that her children would have because of the better world that Buffy and the Scoobies had made. Before she knew it, Spike had wasted no time in arriving at the park. He kissed Willow passionately on the lips and then once more on his claiming bite on her neck. They both looked out at all the smiling faces of their friends. Everyone had gathered for a celebration in the park. It had been one year since Buffy, the Scoobies, and the LA gang had closed down the Hellmouth. It had been six months since Angel and Buffy had gotten married and Buffy had moved to L.A. to be with him and the rest of the gang. Xander had made a name for himself in the construction business and he was finally able to provide Anya the lifestyle she so desperately craved, second only to how much she craved him. Giles had moved to England and become head of the Watchers Council but he still managed to make it back for the celebration. Wesley and Fred had gotten married one month prior and were still on their honeymoon. Gunn and Cordelia were holding down the fort at the office and playfully fighting their growing mutual attraction.
Willow thought of all the things she was able to hold onto because of her wedding ring, playing with her kids in the park on a sunny day, her college graduation, and Xander's wedding day. Then she thought of all the happiness Spike and her family had given her. It still amazed her that her life was made better because she became a vampire the first time, not in spite of it. If the Master had never turned her she wondered if she would have this wonderful life now. She turned to look at Spike and saw so much love shining in his eyes for her and for their children. Then she saw that smirk and she no longer wondered. He would have declared himself to her, eventually. She just might have had to cast a spell on him first. It would serve him right. That no-good, too good to be true loving vampire she called husband, co-parent, and eternal love.
