Notes: Thanks again for all the feedback…please keep it coming. Someone asked in a review how, in chapter 1, Spike found Maggie in the afternoon? It was late afternoon…you know like when the sun's gone but it's still sort of daylight? That's how he found her then (remember how I said he noticed that he "watched the sun sink to a nice, non-fatal level" before deciding to walk to Buffy's?" I just thought I should clear that up, b/c I figured if someone asked, then there were probably others out there wondering too :)  Sorry this chapter took so long to get out, but a 20 page midterm sort of got in the way…Here we go to chapter 3….

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"Spike…Maggie is your daughter. Yours and mine."

Spike sat there at Buffy's kitchen counter and just stared at her, slack-jawed, with a sheer look of disbelief. *"well, that's ok" Buffy thought "I knew that he wouldn't believe me at first. But, really? Can't I have some sort of reaction?" *

Buffy reached across the counter, and touched Spike's hand. "Spike?? Are you ok?"

He blinked his eyes a couple of times and took a deep, although completely unnecessary breath. "Buffy, you know that's impossible. Vampires can't…"

"Well, you can.  And you did. I promise you I'm telling the truth Spike."

"Right Buffy. I've been gone for five years. So was this some sort of immaculate conception on my part? Did my thoughts from across the world create her?"

Buffy rolled her eyes. "Spike, do the math. You left Sunnydale in April. Maggie was born in August. Now, call me crazy, but the last time I checked a pregnancy lasted a little longer than five months. And trust me, I know. I went through it."

"Well, pet, that still doesn't tell me anything. Other than the fact that I must not have been the only one you turned to for comfort back then."

Buffy walked around the counter and stood right in front of Spike. "Spike, please stop. I will not have you ruin what precious few memories I have of that time by accusing me of cheating on you. Spike, I'm telling you the truth, and if you would calm down long enough to listen and try to believe me, I can show you I'm telling the truth."

"There is absolutely NO WAY this is the truth Buffy. As much as I would like to believe it, I know that it can't happen. It never happened in almost 125 years, why would it suddenly happen now? And besides, that precious child upstairs told me all about her father while I was bringing her home, Buffy. So, aside from the fact that I KNOW it couldn't be me, the fact that that little girl practically described Captain Cardboard to a tee confirms for me that I AM NOT HER FATHER!"

"Shhh! Will you keep your voice down? She will hear you and I DO NOT want her to hear this fight. Spike, if she heard you denying that you're her father it would break her heart. And for the record, I resent the fact that you think I slept with Riley Finn while he was here that time. He's married, for goodness sake. And still, do the math. It's impossible."

"Not as impossible as ME getting you pregnant."

Buffy rolled her eyes. "And besides, what on earth did she say to make you think Riley is her father?"

"Plenty. She told me that he didn't live with the two of you, because he had to leave for "work". And she went on and on about what a great guy he was, how he was some kind of hero. Oh, and the kicker was when she told me how much her Mommy loved her Daddy, and how she would talk about him all the time. Now, pet, I know that you of all people would not use any of the above phrases to describe me."

"You know, Spike, I think I've dreamed about the day you would come home even more than Maggie has. I always wondered how you would react, but I never, ever thought you'd be this stubborn. I knew that you'd probably not believe me at first, but I at least thought you'd give me the chance to explain and show you what we found, and then I had all these high hopes that you'd tell me you'd stay, and I could finally have my whole family together." Buffy's eyes clouded over with tears, as she turned to walk away from him.

Spike saw the tears forming in her eyes. He could only remember a couple of times when Buffy had let herself be so vulnerable that she'd let him see her cry. Then it hit him. He'd come here, hoping for a chance to explain to her why he left all those years ago, and where he'd been, yet he wasn't even giving her the same chance. And, she wasn't even demanding an explanation from him, she just wanted him to trust her. He reached out and caught her hand, turning her back to face him.

The phone rang, startling Buffy. She pulled away from Spike's grasp to answer.

"Hello? Oh, hi Anya. Yes, she's home. I'm sorry I didn't call you and Jane to tell you, I just got so caught up in taking care of her and getting her settled down. How's Alex? Anya, I am so sorry…are you sure he's ok? Yeah, well Margaret has some serious apologizing to do tomorrow to everyone she hurt in this little fiasco." Buffy's call waiting beeped. "Anya, that's my other line. I'll call you in the morning, ok?"

Spike figured Buffy was engrossed in her phone calls, so he took the opportunity to slip out of the kitchen and upstairs. Buffy answered the other line, and turned around to find Spike missing.

"Hello?? Buffy, are you there?" Dawn's voice crackled through the phone.

"Huh? Oh yeah, Dawnie, I'm here. Sorry was just a little distracted."

"I'll say. You sound so lost in thought that if I didn't know better I'd think either Spike was back and sitting in your kitchen or that Riley showed up with yet another super-hero wanna-be wife."

"Uh-huh," was all that Buffy could think of to say.

"Oh, Buff, I'm sorry. I know that was a low blow. Listen, I just called to tell you that I'm running a little late from my lit class tonight, and I didn't want Maggie to think I'd forgotten our weekly storytime. I should be there in about 30 minutes, though."

"Right Dawn. Oh my gosh, I'd even forgotten that you were coming over tonight. You wouldn't believe the evening I've had. Maggie ran away from Chloe's this afternoon. Just be careful coming over and I'll explain everything when you get here."

"Buffy, is something else wrong?"

"Let's just say you weren't too far off earlier. I'll see you soon Dawn. Bye."

Buffy hung up before Dawn could respond, but her mind was reeling nonetheless. Knowing that the chanced of Riley being back again were slimmer than the chance that Spike had come home, Dawn made up her mind to get to her sister's house as quickly as humanly possible.

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Upstairs in the hallway, Spike stood beside the doorway to Maggie's room. She had several coloring books scattered out around her, and she had retrieved the little Count doll from the place on the floor where she'd left it earlier that day. Spike gazed at her as she flitted around her room, playing and singing some song that he assumed was from Sesame Street. He tried to stand at the very edge of the door frame, so that he could see her without her seeing him. He kept playing Buffy's words over and over in his head. *Maggie is your daughter, Spike * Then, he remembered Buffy calling Maggie by her whole name after finding out she'd bitten little Alex Harris. Margaret Anne Sinclair. What kind of game was Buffy playing, calling the child by *his * last name? Surely she wouldn't go so far with this joke that she would confuse the child. Spike's mind was still reeling as he stared at Maggie in wonderment. She did remind him of his own sister. He had felt some inexplicable pull toward her, even before he knew who she was. She had his cheekbones, and Buffy's eyes. Spike knew that he still needed the whole story, but the more he stood there and watched her play, the more he wanted to believe that she was his. He'd never even imagined that he'd have a family, other than the messed up, dysfunctional version of a family he'd had with Angel, Darla, and Dru.

Buffy walked slowly up the stairs, not wanting to disturb Spike. He looked like he was  deep in thought as he stood in Maggie's doorway watching her. Spike felt her presence, though, and turned toward her, motioning her forward. He was so filled with emotion at that moment that he could barely speak around the uncharacteristic lump that had formed in his throat.

"She's really mine?" He managed to whisper to Buffy when  she reached his side.

Buffy reached out and took his hand in hers. "Yes, she's really yours. Spike you have to know that I would not lie to you. Not about this."

"But, how? I mean, I have it on very good authority that vampires are not…um, set up to have babies."

"I'll explain it all to you after dinner… that is, if you'll still stay. Dawn's on her way over to spend some time with Maggie, so we can talk while Maggie plays with Dawn. Ok?"

"Ok. Buffy. Nibblet is coming over? Gosh, I can't even imagine how much she's grown up in 5 years…" he trailed off.

The two started back down the stairs to check on dinner before retrieving Maggie from her room. Just as they reached the kitchen, the front door swung open, and Dawn breezed in, calling for Maggie.

Maggie rushed down the stairs, and jumped into Dawn's arms. "Auntie Dawn! You're late," she said, matter-of-factly.

"I know sweetie, I had to stay at my school a little longer tonight. How was your day? I hear you ran away?"

"Yeah, I did. I also bit Alex. That's how I ended up with this cut on my head." Dawn tried to hide a giggle as she listened to Maggie describe her afternoon as if it were a normal everyday occurrence. Maggie frowned, then smiled again when she remembered the rest of her story. "But I made a new friend!"

"You did?" Dawn asked as she put Maggie down.

"Yes, he helped me when I fell and he brought me home. I think he's still in the kitchen with Mommy. You have to meet him." Maggie took Dawn's hand and dragged her into the kitchen much like she'd done with Spike earlier.

"Mommy?" she called loudly down the hall. "Is Will-yum still here? I want him to meet Auntie Dawn!"

Just as they reached the kitchen, Dawn realized that Maggie had just said her new "friends" name was William at the same time that she saw a familiar blonde head turn toward the door way.

"Will-yum… this is my Auntie Dawn! Auntie Dawn, this is Will-yum. He has a friend who used to live in our house, and he likes the Count, just like me!" she beamed.

Spike grinned. "Hello Lil'Bit"

Dawn couldn't speak. She just stood there, holding Maggie's hand, staring at Spike, and feeling very much like she might faint.

TBC….

More notes: Ok y'all, sorry to leave it hanging there, but this chapter was starting to ramble on a bit too much. Chapter 4 is going to be a bit of a flashback chapter, where Buffy recounts her memories to Spike and explains to him the mystery that is how Maggie came to be :) I'm writing it as fast as my fingers can type, and hopefully I'll have it up much sooner than this one came out…. Thanks for being patient and sending such nice reviews!