Chapter 14

The hospital put Buffy in a bed. Spike was allowed in the delivery room, but Angel had to wait outside. Before Spike left to attend the birth, Angel whispered, "Take care of her."

Spike smiled, an actual friendly smile. "Always, Angel."

And Angel smiled back.

It seemed like the couple waited forever for the doctor. Meanwhile, Buffy squeezed Spike's hand as her muscles slashed her to shreds.

"My dear, you are coming along quickly," commented the nurse.

"Luv, could you please fetch the doctor?" Spike asked the woman. Buffy crunched his finger bones as he did so.

The nurse gave them a sympathetic look. "I think I better. She seems close to actual labor." Then she left them.

Spike brushed sweaty hair out of his girlfriend's face. "Hear that, not much longer. Hold on, luv."

A whimper came from the slayer. "In all my years of slaying I've never been in so much pain," she told him.

He gave her a tender kiss on the forehead. "You can do it."

Just then the doctor came in . He held a clipboard, examining it. "This is very unusual," he muttered.

Buffy let out a groan. The contraction lasted a lot longer than the others.

Spike's expression showed concern. "Is something wrong?"

"Oh, no, no," the doctor answered. "It is only that most times labor takes hours. But, Buffy here seems to want to start right away." He gave a smile.

Buffy squirmed. Another contraction took her over. They hardly gave her time to recover anymore.

The doctor came over to talk to her. "How are you doing, Ms. Summers?"

"How do you think I'm doing? I'm about ready to push a watermelon out of something the size of a grape," she shot back.

The doctor chuckled. "Yes, but how do you feel at the moment?"

"I - I think I-I'm dying," she stammered.

"Very normal, having a baby makes you feel that way I'm told," the doctor joked.

Buffy glared at him. As soon as she did, a contraction came. "They don't stop." She was near tears.

Spike stroked her face. "You're doing great," he soothed.

She cried out. The pain was more intense. How worse can they get? she wondered. A lot she found out. They came harder, faster, and more powerful. She could hardly breath.

"I have to push," she managed to say.

The doctor was studying her progression. "Not quite yet."

Her back arched. "Arrrgh!"

Spike wanted to do something. Anything. But he didn't know what there was to do except let her hold his hand. Which was probably broken by now.

"Okay, push," the doctor instructed.

Immediately, Buffy pushed. She grunted and pushed over and over. She made noises she didn't know she could make.

Buffy pushed once more. It took all her strength. She screamed as something slithered out of her. The sensation of something being brought out between her legs was very weird, and intoxicating. Then she fell back, completely exhausted.

"It's a boy," announced the doctor.

Spike's eyes were wet. His vision never left his son. The baby was transferred to Buffy. She gazed at him in wonder.

"Oh God," she whispered. She had created this. Her and Spike.

"What should we call him?" Spike asked.

The new mother glanced up from her infant, lovingly. "How does William sound?"

His chest swelled. "It sounds perfect." He wrapped his arms around his precious family.

The door opened. "They said I could come see my nephew."

The three turned their heads. Dawn came over, joining the group, completing it.

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: ) How sweet. Stay tuned for the epilogue, I think it's amusing.