Disclaimer: I own nothing yadda yadda yadda, just playing with Joss' creations and all that.

A/N: So here it is, the final instalment of this fic. I would like to thank everyone who has joined me in what was supposed to be a one shot and turned into a much longer adventure. Thank you for all of your wonderful reviews and comments, I am very grateful for the wonderful readers I have!

Not Your Shoe Size Part Ten

Utilizing Dawn's blood had been an effective tool in returning them home, and the mood was evidently sombre on their return to Sunnydale. Dawn would have usually been ecstatic at the discovery that she was still in possession of powers, but Spike's current state and the realisation that her stupid mouth was mostly responsible for the situation they were in, left her morose and quiet.

Buffy's thoughts were a jumbled mess as she carried the still tiny body of Spike back to Revello Drive. Everything that had happened, the clarity with which she had understood her feelings as a child, and the revelation that she was, in fact, immortal, had left her ready to break. More than ever she needed him, as she had done since crawling from her grave, but for the first time, he was unable to help. She could feel anger at her sister for her part in all this, but in truth, all she felt was tired and a bone deep sorrow.

Returning to Revello saw Willow and Tara restored their memories and adult selves. The blonde witch immediately excused herself, her anger with Willow too intense again as she remembered everything that had happened. Willow had almost broken then, but quickly concentrated her energies on Xander, who had yet to return to normal. Anya changed back not ten minutes after returning, her silence as an adult uncharacteristic. It was obvious she was angry at Dawn, but she too, stayed with Xander and bit her tongue. For once she understood that grievances should be held until the appropriate time.

When everyone was okay again.

Buffy and Dawn took Spike upstairs, and an hour later, as the sun rose to find him on Buffy's bed, it also found him back to his adult self; but he did not wake.

In the dining room, Wesley and Fred were packing away the books, all demon researching done. Giles sat with a cup of tea, watching, his thoughts on the Slayer he loved as a daughter. Fred spared a glance to the living room, where Xander remained small, and glued to the television.

'Why'dya think he hasn't "grown up" yet?' She pondered and Giles looked up, his gaze following hers. He made a noise in his throat.

'Maybe because he never matured in the first place.'

Fred's eyes widened a little at his snarky statement and she said no more, returning to her books.

Upstairs, Spike lay still on Buffy's bed, no sign of life within him. No movement, not even his characteristic habitual breaths. Buffy sat beside the bed, her hand resting on the linens, her eyes maintaining a steady gaze directed at the blonde vampire.

Angel and Cordelia entered the room, minus Connor, who was sleeping in the master bedroom after all the excitement of the previous few days.

'Buffy?' Angel asked. The Slayer spared him a brief glance. 'Is it okay if we stay until Spike wakes up?' She nodded, her eyes still on Spike. Angel frowned, having never seen the Slayer in such a state.

'Erm, Angel?' Cordelia whispered, her own face masked in a concerned frown. 'What if he never wakes up?'

Buffy's face crumbled and she burst into tears. 'He will. He has to. He's not dead. He's not dust.' She sobbed as she laid her head on the side of the bed, her body shaking with the force of her grief. Cordy moved forward, regretting her words and her bluntness for a change, and she put her arms around the tiny form of the Slayer as she sobbed.

'Buffy, you're beat.' She said quietly. 'Go get some food. We'll call you if anything changes.' Buffy raised her head, ready to protest, but she stopped as she saw Cordelia's face. It was similar to Willow's resolve face. She knew not to argue and to be honest, she was hungry. So she acquiesced and moved to leave the room, stopping to gaze back at the prone vampire.

As she made her way down the stairs, the tears gathered in her eyes and she sat on the bottom step with a thump, her head falling into her hands. Her sister emerged from the kitchen and saw her sister in distress, immediately moving to her side. Giles heard the sobs from the dining room and appeared in the hallway, concern covering his face at her tears.

'Buffy?' Dawn asked, kneeling in front of her sister. 'You okay?'

Buffy shook her head, looking up at her sister with red rimmed eyes. 'He won't wake up, Dawnie.' Tears flowed down her cheeks as the dam broke. Giles frowned.

'Buffy, I don't wish to sound callous, but, this is Spike we're talking about.' Buffy and Dawn both looked at him sharply, but Giles remained stalwart.

'What do you mean by that?' Dawn asked, a threatening edge to his voice. Giles levelled his gaze on her.

'I mean, that he is a vampire. He is not a person. Your concern for him is unreasonable.'

'No!' Buffy shouted as she sprang to her feet. 'You're unreasonable!' Giles made to speak again, but she stopped him. 'No, Giles. You listen to me. I love you like you're my dad, but seriously? He fought beside us last year, beside you all summer and still you speak like this? He didn't have to stay. I was dead.' Giles flinched at the reminder. 'But he stayed. He fought. He got Dawn to school - he PROTECTED her.' Giles had the decency to look abashed. Buffy took a deep breath and lowered her voice. 'I wasn't alive when I came back. I was still dead inside. Without Spike, I still would be. I remember being little, Giles. I loved him without reserve.' Her voice broke a little. 'He's my family. He's Dawn's family. He loves me. And,' she looked her watcher dead in the eye. 'I love him.'

Giles sighed. 'Buffy, I understand that you have formed some attachment, it is understandable, but you have been here before. A relationship with a vampire is unwise.' He held out his hand, and showed her the small piece of metal contained within. 'Gunn found this in the playground. Spike no longer has the chip. There is nothing to hold him back.'

'He's not like me.' Angel announced from the top of the stairs, having heard Buffy's raised voice. 'He loves deeply and he's nothing if not loyal. If he says he loved Buffy, he'll dust before he sees her hurt.'

'He's been able to hurt me since I came back.' Buffy stated, shrugging. 'The chip doesn't work on me. I'm different. Immortal apparently.' Giles reeled with the information. 'That's how I could kill Zant.' Her tears had stopped now. 'Those bruises he had Giles? I did that.' Dawn gasped, her eyes wide. 'He tried to stop me doing something stupid, and I beat him to a pulp and left him in an alleyway to die.'

Everyone was looking at her now and she hung her head in shame. 'I hate myself for it.'

Giles softened. 'You have had a difficult time, Buffy.' He sighed heavily. 'It is likely I will never approve...but I will support you in whatever you decide.'

Buffy smiled and stepped forward, hugging her watcher. A little too hard. He squeaked and she relented the pressure.

'Thank you, Giles.'

A few hours had passed, and the sun was hanging low in the afternoon sky, rain clouds threatening a downpour into the evening. Buffy sat on the back porch of the house, contemplating the overcast sky. She sat in shadow, and before long, she felt Angel approach, the gurgling Connor in his arms as he sat down next to his former paramour. Buffy smiled gently, holding out her hands as Angel offered her the child.

She took him into her arms, looking down at the rosy cheeked infant, holding a finger out to him. He grabbed it with his chubby little fist, giggling and gurgling as he played with her hand. She smiled widely, and looked up at Angel.

'He's gorgeous.' She whispered. 'You're very lucky.' Angel smiled back.

'I am.' They sat in silence for a moment, both watching Connor. 'You are too, Buffy.'

'I'll never be this lucky.' She said sadly, her gaze still on the boy she held.

'Maybe, maybe not. But you have something most would never have.' He paused, looking out onto the sun patched lawn, noting the small drops of rain starting to fall. Buffy looked up at him quizzically. 'You have someone who would go to the end of hell and back to make you smile everyday. I know I've professed my hatred for Spike on more than one occasion. But I watched him for twenty years with Drusilla. She treated him awfully, Buffy, did things to him that he never deserved. Well, maybe some he did. But still, he was devoted to her. He loved her without reservation, knowing she could never love him back.'

'I've done bad things to him.' Buffy admitted quietly. 'And he still stood there, just taking everything I threw at him.' She shut her eyes tight. 'I don't deserve him.'

'Actually, I think he's exactly what you deserve.' Angel said, smiling gently. 'It won't be an easy road, Buffy. Spike can be a pain. But you will never find someone like him. As much as I am pained to say it, Drusilla was always right about him being a knight. Maybe he was her black knight, but to you,' he sighed, 'to you, he's a white knight and he will treat you exactly how you deserve.'

Buffy smiled softly, blinking away the tears. 'Do you think you and Cordy will give it a shot?' Angel baulked, then chuckled.

'You caught that huh?'

'She loves Connor. It's pretty obvious she feels something for you. How about you?'

'Yeah.' He smiled, looking down at Connor. 'She's not the same girl we knew here.'

Buffy shook her head and handed him back Connor. 'No she's not.' They sat in silence, until Buffy cleared her throat.

'I'm still prettier though.'

Angel smiled.

Xander opened his eyes, remembering everything in a single hit. He looked down, relieved to be his regular size again. Looking around, he saw Willow sat on the sofa, her nose in a book, and Anya snoring softly in the recliner by the fireplace. He smiled at her, and then got to his feet. It caught Willow's attention and she put the book down quickly.

'Xander! You're all, Xander sized again!' She smiled, and hugged him. He smiled tightly and extricated himself.

'Thanks Wills. Kinda thirsty. Gonna go fetch myself a drink if that's okay?' She nodded.

'Yeah, of course. Now you're all non-needing of the supervision, I can find Tara. I think she's kinda angry at me.' She pouted and Xander rubbed her arm, offering a sympathetic smile.

'Is a bit of a rush to the ole brain, Willow. She'll come round. Again.' He nodded and turned, waiting for Willow to disappear into the dining room, where Tara sat reading. As he heard voices between the two, he snuck up the stairs, remembering that he'd seen Dawn disappeared up there alone and knew she was with Spike. He saw her in Buffy's bedroom, sat beside Spike, and he knocked on the open door, making her jump slightly.

'Xander!' She yelped, running to him and hugging him. 'Oh, I'm glad you're normal. You were an irritating kid.'

He grinned. 'Yeah, I got that a lot. When I was actually a kid. You okay?'

'Yeah.' She nodded. 'Aside from Spike sleeping the sleep of the really dead, and waiting to be chewed over poor choices of words in front of strangers...I'm good. You?'

'I'm fine. I was just...I wanted to talk to Spike.'

'Well...' Dawn looked over at her surrogate brother. 'He's a bit preoccupied.' Xander nodded.

'Trust me, it'd be easier to talk to him like this.' Dawn smiled.

'Fine. But no dusting. Buffy would not be happy.' Xander nodded and drew a cross over his heart with his finger. 'I'll just be next door.' She said, leaving him with the unconscious vampire. The brunette carpenter sat down in the chair Dawn had vacated and looked at the blonde man on the bed, sighing heavily.

He'd heard everything Buffy had said to Giles. He'd learnt, when he was actually a child, to ignore arguments when they happened between his parents, but he'd also taken every word in. Part of what terrified him was how much he had absorbed from his parents marriage. He would have to sit down with Anya and speak about his worries at some point. But first, he had another scary hurdle to overcome.

He looked at the still vampire, feeling bad for his part in encouraging the others that everything was an adventure. He wished he hadn't followed so blindly. But it was a constant problem really.

And it was no good saying all this to himself - he needed to say what he had to say.

'I know we don't like each other.' He started. 'But...I've come to realise something.' He took a deep breath. 'I've blamed the whole of your species for what happened to Jessie. I'm not saying I should have judged each vampire on a case by case basis, but I've know you were different. You stayed all summer. You hated us, but you stayed for Dawn, all because Buffy asked you to. I don't think I could have done that.' He rubbed a hand down his face and pinched his temples. 'I don't think I'd have the strength.' He squeezed his eyes shut. 'I loved Buffy for a long time. I think I always will but I know I truly love Anya. And Buffy...turns out she loves you. So I'm not gonna try and get in the way. And I'm sorry for making you run out in the sun.'

'That's...real...touchin'.' Spike groaned, attempting to roll onto his side, his blurry gaze levelled on the carpenter. ''Preciate it, mate.'

Xander blinked, his eyes going wide. 'Holy crapola - you're awake!' He yelped, jumping backwards. Spike groaned again, rolling back onto his spine. 'Dawn!' The younger Summers' bedroom door slammed open and she bolted into the room, screeching when she saw Spike was awake. Her yelling alerted the rest of the house, as they heard the back door slam and seconds later, footsteps thundered up the stairs. Spike ignored all this as he attempted to pull himself into a sitting position.

Within milliseconds of pulling himself up, he was barrelled to the mattress by a blur of blonde, and his face was peppered with kisses as Buffy wrapped her arms around his neck. 'I told them, I told them you weren't dust so you weren't dead, I thought you'd never wake up!'

Then she pulled back and popped him in the nose. He made a noise of indignation and then moaned as she kissed him hard. She broke the kiss, looking into his cerulean eyes and smiling. 'Don't you ever do that to me again.'

'We're leaving soon.' Angel spoke quietly as he stepped out onto the front lawn of Revello Drive, Connor asleep in his arms. He'd been reluctant to put the boy down since getting him back from his little "adventure". Spike looked over, his mind still reeling from the sight of Angel as a father. Then his gaze drifted to Connor and his chest tightened. He still felt that feeling he'd had during his brief stint as a kid - Connor was family. And he'd protect him until the end of the world. Just like Dawn and just like Buffy.

''K'. Spike said, stubbing out his half smoked cigarette.

'Feel free to come and visit.' Angel prompted and waited for a response. Spike had been avoiding him since he had awoken. He didn't say anything in response and the elder vampire rolled his eyes. 'You know, I won't tell anyone.'

'Damn right you won't.'

'I know you don't like to-'

Spike cut him off. 'I as good as rolled over and showed you my soft belly, then begged for a pat. So no, don't be spreading that about, Angelus.' He turned to face the brunette full on. 'But thank you. I appreciate what you did. Sticking up for me in front of Giles, making me feel like I belonged somewhere.' Angel's gaze softened.

'You will always belong somewhere, Spike. Right now, you belong here, with Buffy.' His admission made Spike smile.

'Did that hurt?' The blonde asked and Angel shrugged.

'A little.'

Without warning, Angel thrust the bundle of sleeping baby in his arms over to his childe, and Spike went wide eyed as he held the child gingerly. He looked down at the sleeping babe, his blue eyes a mixture of emotions, and Angel just watched. The vampire grew more comfortable within seconds, holding Connor closely as the child slept.

'You saved my son, Spike. You risked yourself for him.' The blonde didn't look up, his eyes riveted on the life he held.

'How could I not?' Spike whispered. 'He's my brother. Not by blood. But where it matters.' I promise you now Connor, I will always protect you. He stared at the child in awe, then blinked and smiled gently, handing Connor back to his father. Then he coughed, rolling his shoulders as if putting his "man" coat back on. 'Not a word.'

Angel nodded in agreement and headed back to the house.

It was near midnight when the fang gang had left. Willow and Tara had retreated back to the master bedroom for their long overdue chat. Xander and Anya had gone home, and Giles had declined another night at Revello, opting for a hotel instead. Buffy stood in the kitchen, looking down at the coffee in her hand, and smiling as Spike entered the kitchen.

'Feeling better?' She asked, coyly, putting the coffee mug down. Spike swiped it and stole a sip, smiling back at her as he replaced the cup on the island.

'Much.' He said, standing before her, leaning onto the side slightly.

'I meant what I said.' She blurted out suddenly and he tilted his head to side in that manner she found adorable. He waited for her to finish. 'I meant, about, when we kids, I said that, what I meant was-'

'Spit it out, Slayer.' Spike whispered. Buffy glared, then pulled him to her, kissing him hard.

'You're my vampire.' She whispered back, kissing him again. Moments passed as they enjoyed each other's embrace. A cough from the doorway interrupted them and they turned to see Dawn stood there, a big grin on her face.

'So is this official?' She asked, and Spike looked to Buffy, who rolled her eyes and nodded. Dawn squealed so high that Spike had to cover his ears. 'Oh my god! This is awesome. Can I borrow your duster? It'd look awesome for school. And can I come patrolling? Where are you gonna sleep? You won't be noisy will you?' She made a face and Buffy laughed, whilst Spike smirked.

'Calm down, Nibblet.'

'We'll figure it out, Dawn.' Buffy looked at the clock and frowned. 'Hey, it's really late. You have school.' She raised her hand and pointed towards the stairs. 'Bed, now. No arguing. No more missing school. And we'll be discussing wishes with fake guidance counsellors and the fact that you've been carrying knives tomorrow, missy.' Dawn stuck her tongue out at her sister, and turned around, a big smile on her face as she obeyed her sisters orders, knowing there was a full on kissfest going on in the kitchen.

Things would be better now.

So here it is, the end is here.

Actually, I've just drawn the final curtain. Please let me know what you think and I hope you all enjoyed this fic!