*****Epilogue: What happened after....*****

Buffy still couldn't believe it, Willow was a vengeance demon. She had never expected it, but if she was honest with herself; she knew that Willow had been getting darker and darker as time went on. Perhaps it was because she really hadn't been paying attention, maybe she could have stopped Will somehow. Buffy knew that Willow claimed that it had been the only way to save her, but there had to have been another way. It was Willow's chance to be big and powerful, instead of the high-school geek she had always felt like.

Buffy was going to miss her; the confidant and best friend. But it wasn't as bad as it could have been. At least she had Spike, while Willow had only her power and Tara had no one.

Tara was understandably devastated by Willow's decision. She had been in her room for days now and the Scoobies each took turns caring for her.

Liam had settled down into a steady routine of sleeping, eating, and playing. And Buffy had to admit that for the first time in a long time she was... content? Yes, content was the word she supposed. But she was also happy too; she had Spike, Liam, Dawn, Giles... people who loved and understood her. Because of all that, the loss of Willow didn't hit her as hard as it did some of the other Scoobies. And they were still officially on vacation, no plans had been made yet as to when they would be going back to Sunnydale. Buffy didn't want to ever go back, but she knew it was necessary. Her duty being to kill undead ickies and Sunnydale was on a Hellmouth, so it went hand in hand. Unless she felt like moving to New York....nah...too scary even for her.

One other thing still bothered her though. It had been a week and Spike still hadn't told her everything about what had happened with the Watchers. Deciding that now was as good a time as any, Buffy got up off the deck chair she had been curled up in on the back porch and went inside to talk to him.

Opening the door to the basement, she walked down the stairs and found Spike watching Passions. Buffy went over and turned off the TV.

"Hey! Whad'ya do that for?"

"We need to talk, Spike."

Spike looked at her and he knew what talk she was referring to; he calmed himself and took an unecessary breath. Taking a cigarette out of his pack, he patted the sofa next to him. "Come sit down, and I'll tell you all 'bout it."

Buffy sat down and Spike lit his cigarette. He leaned back and rested an arm on the back of the couch. Looking at his cigarette, he broke the ice the only way he could think of.

"What do you think of Liam?"

Buffy wasn't really prepared for that question. "Well, uh... he's a good kid. I really like him; he's smart and sweet and I love him to pieces...where is this going."

"More importantly though, who do you think of when you look at him?"

"Who do I think of?"

Spike nodded.

"Um... I think of Liam?"

Spike shook his head and took a puff from his cigarette. "Do you know where the name Liam comes from?"

"No."

"It's a derivative of William. They named him after his father, you see."

"I thought that they created him."

"They didn't make him out of thin air, you know. The Watchers chose two people to take genetic material from."

Buffy started to get a cold feeling in the pit of her stomach; she didn't like where this was going.

"W-who did they chose?"

Spike crooked an eyebrow at her. "You and I, pet."

"Oh my God...." Buffy looked down at her hands and then back up at Spike. "You mean to say that Liam is.....is my...our..." She swallowed and somehow the word wouldn't come out. "Oh my God..." Buffy sobbed. She turned to Spike who took her into his arms gently and rocked her back and forth.

Spike didn't know how he was going to tell her the rest of it; about the serum and the...other child.

"How could they do this? I know why they did it, but I don't understand how they could...." Buffy sniffed and wiped her eyes with her hand.

"Giles knew about this, the night we all left. He didn't want to tell you because he was aware that it the last thing you needed to hear."

Buffy pushed herself back and looked at Spike out of bleary eyes. "Giles knew about this and he didn't tell me?"

"Pet, he understood that you just weren't ready yet. And I think...I think that he didn't want you to find out. It was something he wasn't able to accept himself."

"But I have the right to know damn it! He can't just keep these kind of things from me, it isn't fair!"

"I know, love. That is why I told you. I will always tell you the truth...whether you want to hear it or not, you know that."

Buffy smiled somewhat sadly and stared at the empty TV screen. "So does Liam know?"

Spike laughed briefly. "Yeah. I think that kid knew before any of us did."

'A son,' Buffy thought to herself. 'Spike and I have a son. Geez, and I didn't even have to go through the 3am feedings or diaper changes first. I think I would have liked that part though...' Buffy smiled sorrowfully to herself. 'I have missed so much...it just isn't fair. God, who knew that I would ever be here? I mean, with Spike of all people.'

Buffy shook her head to clear it and glanced up at Spike. "You know, I think I'm ok with this. I mean, I'm not saying it isn't a huge shock...I'm surprised I haven't had a stroke by now or something with one thing after another like this. But at least I can't say that my life is dull...."

Buffy smiled brightly and wiped her eyes. "Come on, lets go find the rug rat...I want to give him a big hug."

She grabbed Spike's hands and pulled him up off the couch and trotted up the stairs. Spike followed slowly, contemplating all of the things that had happened within the past two months. He had things now that he never even dreamed was possible. Spike almost felt grateful to the Watchers for what they had done. Because of them he had the love of his Slayer, a bright little chap who just happened to be his own flesh and blood son, and another surprise on the way. Almost grateful to them. Now Spike felt all soft and poncy, but it didn't bother him that much really. It wasn't as if he was about to start mowing the lawn and going to church and live in a house with a white picket fence or something....at least he hoped not. That really would be too much to handle.

"Spike, are you coming?" Buffy stood in the doorway to the basement, looking down at him.

"Yeah, I'm comin' pet. Just getting my head straight an all."

Buffy rolled her eyes. "Spike, you've had a week to adjust to this. I've only had a few minutes and I'm still better prepared than you are. Now get up here before I kick your ass."

"Yes, dear." Spike muttered somewhat sarcastically.

"I heard that. Don't push me Spike. I really feel like punching something right now, so you better stop unless you feel like volunteering for the job."

Spike crooked an eyebrow at her and grinned. "Well, pet, if you feel like letting out some aggressions, I would be happy to help you."

"Spiiiike! Not now! Come on."

Spike climbed the stairs and walked beside Buffy, both heading out to the beach where Dawn was playing with Liam.

Liam saw them coming down the back steps and ran towards them. "Buffy! Dawn and I are building sand castles! Do you want to help?"

Buffy ruffled his hair. "Sure, kiddo. What do you want me to do?"

Liam took Buffy's hand and started to lead her towards the water, but he stopped and turned back to Spike, hand outstretched. "Aren't you coming?"

Spike smiled. "Of course. Wouldn't miss it." He took Liam's other hand and the three made their way towards Dawn who was lifting a bucket of water out of the ocean.

"Come on, guys!" Dawn laughed. "We want to build a big sand mountain. I've got some firecrackers and I'm gonna blow it up when we're done."

"Oh no you're not!" Buffy corrected.

"Come on, Buffy. It isn't like its big fireworks or something...its just some little firecrackers."

"I said no. You could...blow your fingers off or something."

"Buffy!" Dawn wailed.

Buffy shook her head and Dawn grumbled under her breath. Looking down at Liam, Buffy smiled and reached down to pick him up. Liam put his arms around her neck and squeezed her hard.

"I'm glad that he told you, Buffy."

Buffy grinned, she just couldn't get over his psychic abilities, and it was kinda scary thinking about when he got older and stuff. It was also difficult to pattern her speech towards a two year old who could really speak almost as well as she could. But old habits died hard, especially habits towards children."Yeah, he told me. I was really surprised. But I wasn't mad or anything, it made me very happy."

"I know." Liam jumped down and turned to run back and play with Dawn, but he stopped and, reaching up on tiptoe, kissed Buffy's stomach and patted it with one chubby hand.

Buffy raised her eyebrows. "What was that for?"

Liam grinned up at her. "Just saying hello." He lisped out before turning again to go back to building sand mountains.

Buffy shrugged. "Strange kid."

"Not any stranger than us, pet."

"That's true. I'm can't believe I'm saying this but, I'm kinda glad that he isn't totally normal. It would make me feel....weird."

Spike shrugged. "You never will be completely normal, you know."

"Yeah, I know. But it doesn't bother me like it used to anymore. I've adjusted."

Buffy looked down at Spike's feet and started laughing.

"What's so funny?"

Buffy pointed down and Spike saw that Liam had sneaked back up to them and was building a pile of sand on top of Spike's shoes.

"Aw, crap. Not my boots..." Spike growled at Liam playfully as he ran squealing back towards Dawn.

"Not so fast, lil' nipper. Come back here." Spike chased after him and grabbed Liam, holding him aloft in the air and let his game face shift over his features.

"Grrrr....I eat little boys who put sand on my shoes..."

Liam shrieked with laughter and covered Spike's ridged forehead with his tiny hands. "Stop. You look silly."

Spike let his face relax back into human form and he lifted one eyebrow. "I look silly do I?"

With one quick movement, Spike was holding Liam by one ankle and dangling him over the sand. " 'Cos you're the one who looks silly to me."

Liam doubled over with giggles as he twisted and writhed like a wild thing. Gently, Spike lowered him to the ground. Liam immediately stood up and stumbled around unable to get his bearings before he promptly fell back on his rear. Laughing hysterically, Liam shouted. "That was fun. Can we do it again?"

Spike groaned and walked back over to Buffy who had been watching the whole spectacle. "Gaw, I think that kid's gonna be the death o' me."

Buffy smiled and kept watching as Liam poured sand down the back of Dawn's shirt. "Yeah, but you know...I have a feeling he's going to be your life, too."

Spike thought about the new life that was forming right now and the miracle of it all still amazed him. But there was time to tell her about that later; right now was a time to live.

The End