As Buffy and Spike settled into a comfy spot on the sofa, Buffy smiled as she felt Spike's arm instinctively wrap around her and pull her close to him. She'd forgotten how right this could feel, and how much she'd missed the feeling of safety and happiness she'd always felt in his arms, even though she'd been too stubborn to ever admit it before. Spike was also enjoying the feeling of having her in his arms again, and he was thankful that she was allowing him to be this close to her. He'd honestly thought that he would be in for the fight of his life when he showed back up in her life. They sat there in silence for a few moments, before Buffy started to wonder about something.

*He's been back for two whole days, and hasn't tried to kiss me once. What's up with that?* Buffy silently thought to herself. Her insecurities came sneaking back into her mind, and she started to wonder if he really had come back to be with her, or if he was now just tolerating her because of Maggie.

Spike could tell that something was wrong. He didn't have to be looking at Buffy to feel when the smile faded from her face and was replaced by a contemplative frown. He knew that "what's wrong" was a loaded question, and one that was better left alone. He figured that if he just gave her time she'd talk. So instead of pushing, he simply tightened his hold on her and lovingly kissed the top of her head before resting his cheek there.

The kiss to the top of her head did it. She inched out from under him and turned slightly to look in Spike's eyes. "Did you mean it last night when you said that you still loved me, Spike?" she asked, searching his eyes for an answer, and finding it before he even spoke.

He tilted his head to the side and gave her that innocent look that could turn anyone's knees to jelly. "Yes, Love, I meant every word. I'll always love you, Buffy." He started to get worried when her frown didn't totally disappear following his declaration. "What's the matter, Love?"

"Nothing" she replied, sounding less than convincing.

"Nuh-uh, pet. Something's bugging you, I can tell. Now you can either tell me what it is now so we can fix it, or you can let it bug you some more and I'll keep asking you what's wrong until you tell me and let me help fix it."

She looked a little embarrassed before she told him what was on her mind. "Well," she started a little hesitantly, "it's just that you've been back for almost two days and…" she took a deep breath, "you haven't even tried to kiss me once." She pouted, thinking she could break his resolve.

He looked partly shocked and partly amused that she was worried because he hadn't kissed her, remembering a time when she'd have knocked him across the room if he even tried to touch her. But then decided to try to make her feel a little better. "I have kissed you Buffy, twice, if I recall." He thought that the roll of her eyes was not a good sign.

"Yeah, on the forehead. I mean you kissed Maggie on the forehead Spike." She was still pouting. And it finally became too much for him to take. He crooked a finger under her chin, and lifted her face up to gaze into her hazel eyes; eyes that drifted closed as he inched closer and closer to her. When he reached her, he gently kissed her lips. She kissed him back, and brought her hands up to his neck, pulling him closer to her. Neither could have told you if the kiss lasted for minutes or hours, but they poured all of the emotion they'd been holding on to for the past five years into that first kiss since their reunion. When they finally pulled apart, Buffy's smile had returned to her face.

"I really missed you Spike. Have I told you how glad I am that you're back?" She asked him as she settled back into his embrace.

"No, but you can keep on showing me how much you missed me if you wish," he said with his trademark smirk plastered across his face. He lightly began rubbing her back as she laid her head on his chest. He looked over her and saw that the book she'd been showing him the night before was still laying on the coffee table. There was a picture sticking out of it, and he could tell that it was of Buffy but he couldn't really tell when it was from. He leaned forward and pulled the picture out of the book, and smiled when it revealed an obviously pregnant Buffy at the beach. She was wearing a light blue sundress and hat, with sunglasses and the water was just barely skimming her bare feet. "When was this picture taken, Buffy?"

"Hmm? Which one?" she asked, while sitting up to look at the picture in his hand. "Oh, that was about a month and a half before Maggie was born. Things were slow here, so Willow and Xander surprised me with a trip to LA and we went to the beach one afternoon."

Spike traced her image in the photograph and got a faraway look in his eyes. "I'm sorry I missed that, Love."

"Well, I can tell you all about it, if you want." She opened up the book and pulled out some more photos before settling in to tell him about the vacation and the rest of her pregnancy.

+ + + + + + +

Sunnydale,  June 2002

Life around the Hellmouth had been…dare they say it? Boring. No big bad's, no weirdness floating around town, no need to crack open a single volume of the ancient texts Giles left behind.  However, as Willow entered the front door of Buffy's house, she normally would have thought there was a huge demon battle being waged inside when she heard the commotion coming from upstairs.

"Ugh! This has grunt got to be crash easier sigh than you're doing it!"

"Ow! Ow! Ow! Pick it up… you're pinching my finger! Stop!"

Willow rushed up the stairs, to find Xander and Dawn attempting to put together a baby crib, while an amused Buffy watched from her new rocking chair. She had to laugh as she watched them. Dawn was trying to hold up the side of the crib while Xander attached the rails, and all they were really accomplishing was a lot of dropping and pinching and cursing under their breath.

"Willow!" Buffy excitedly welcomed her to the crib assembly fiasco. "I'm so glad you're back. Maybe you can help them so that my baby's crib doesn't fall apart the first time I put her down in it!"

Dawn and Xander rolled their eyes at her and decided to take a break. Willow walked over to Xander and whispered to him "I got everything. Can we give it to her now?" He grinned and nodded. Buffy started to wonder what was going on when the three of them gathered around her, all looking like the cat that ate the canary.

"Uh, guys? What's going on?"

Willow couldn't stand it any longer. "We got you a surprise Buffy! We're all going to L.A. on a vacation!"

Buffy was stunned. "We're going where? Are you sure that's a good idea?"

"Oh, Buffy it will be fun. Things have been so slow around here and we thought that it would be nice to just get away for a little while before the baby's born. And if you're worried about seeing Angel, you don't have to. He doesn't even know we're coming and you don't have to see him if you don't want to." Willow babbled.

"Well, I wasn't worried about seeing him until you brought it up, but now I am. What if we run into him somewhere? I haven't talked to him since, well, since that time I met him to tell him I was…back. And now I might accidentally bump into him and have to explain to him how I'm pregnant with Spike's child? This is too much. It's too stressful. Did Dr. Birch even say I could travel?"

Dawn interrupted. "Yes, Buffy. I called her and she said it would be fine for you to go on a little trip. You've got two months left until your due date, and she said you would be fine. And I'm sure Willow didn't mean to get you all wiggy by mentioning him," she said while shooting a glare at Willow.

After a little more convincing, they convinced Buffy that a vacation would be good for all of them. A chance to escape the everyday life of Sunnydale and do something fun for a change. So they all packed their bags and headed out for four days in Los Angeles. The road trip was just like any other road trip, except for the added stops for Buffy to go to the bathroom. The girls all laughed and sang along with their favorite CD's while Xander drove. Once in LA, they did every possible touristy thing imaginable. They took tours of the star's homes, toured everything connected to show business, went to a baseball game, and spent a day at the beach. Dawn was obsessed with taking pictures and took enough to fill three albums. She kept insisting on taking pictures of Buffy, despite the fact that Buffy objected and said she looked too fat to be in any pictures by herself. Dawn would just smile and say "Trust me, Buffy, you'll want these one day."  On the way home, the baby was very active, kicking and moving and constantly reminding Buffy that she was there. The more she felt her baby move, the more her thoughts turned to Spike. She took her journal out of her bag and began to write to him.

June 20

Oh Spike, we're just on our way home from a great vacation in LA. I know…LA of all places. Willow, Xander and Dawn surprised me with it, and I was a little hesitant at first, but they finally talked me into it. And it was really fun. You would have hated it. We took in every single tourist attraction we could find. Our baby girl has been extra active today. She keeps moving around and reminding me that she's there. As if I could forget- all I have to do is look down at my fat belly to remember she's there (ha!). I know that I should be mad as hell at you for leaving. You promised me you'd never leave. But I've had plenty of time to think about it. In fact, that's all I have time to do anymore. I quit my job at the Doublemeat Palace, and there's not really been anything to patrol for all summer. When there is Willow and Xander patrol. They're scared that I'll get hurt if I go out, and I know that you'd probably feel the same way. So I just sit around and think and try to get the house ready for a new baby. But mostly I think about how much I wish you were here to help me and I know that you're not because I pushed you away. I was too scared to admit that I had any sort of feelings for you and I guess it finally just got to be too much for you. But now I think I know a little of how you felt. Somedays all I want to do is come to you and feel safe in your arms, and feel loved and it almost breaks my heart that you're not there. Is that what it was like when you would tell me how much you loved me and I would send you away without a second glance? I wish you were here to feel our baby girl moving. She's a little reminder of you. She reminds me of how much you loved me, and how much I love you, and that even though I was too scared or proud to admit it, something good could come out of loving you. I hope that you will come back soon. I know that I've probably hurt you too much to hope that you'd want me again, but I want our baby to know you. I know you'll love her, and I don't want to keep you from being part of her life. I'm going to tell her all about you, and I know she'll love you too.

Buffy put her journal back into her bag, and closed her eyes to take a nap. Before she knew it they were back home in Sunnydale. Buffy managed to sneak out of the house and go to Spike's crypt in the hope that he'd come back while they were gone. But she found it just as empty as when they left. She allowed a tear to fall down her cheek as she walked back home, wondering where Spike was and if he would ever come back.

The next month and a half passed by without much action. Buffy managed to get the nursery totally set up, and everything was ready to bring the baby home. Now she just had to wait until it was time, and according to her doctor she had about two weeks left. Dr. Birch instructed Buffy to take it easy, and get plenty of rest. Five days after that visit to the doctor, Buffy woke up with a feeling that she'd never felt before. She got up out of bed, and just as she stood up a sharp pain shot through her stomach. "Oh, I think it's time," she said to herself. She went out into the hallway and started calling for Willow and Dawn. "Will, Dawn… come quick! I think it's time! Hurry!"

Willow and Dawn came running out of their rooms. Dawn looked scared. "But Buffy, the baby is not supposed to be here for  like 10 more days!" Willow managed to calm Dawn down by assuring her that babies are born early everyday. They grabbed Buffy's bag and headed to the hospital.

About 12 hours and many curses and screams later, Buffy heard her baby cry and watched in wonderment as the nurse wrapped the little child in a blanket and placed the baby in her arms. Tears streamed down her face as she looked at the child. Buffy whispered "Hey little one. You're finally here. I feel  like I've waited so long to see you, and now you're here. I love you so much, and I promise I'll keep anything bad from happening to you." Dawn and Willow had been allowed to stay in the room with her the whole time, and both girls watched from the corner as Buffy spent the first few moments with her daughter.

The nurse came over and gently interrupted Buffy. "Have you decided on a name yet, Ms. Sinclair?"

Buffy blinked her tears away and replied, "Yes. Her name is Margaret Anne."

"Buffy, you named her after Spike's sister. That's so sweet!" Dawn cooed from across the room.

+ + + + + +

Spike wrapped his arms around Buffy again as she told him about Maggie's birth. He really hated that he missed it, that he had stayed away for so long, but he knew that he really didn't have a choice. "I'm sorry I wasn't there to hold your hand, Love. I can't even imagine what it must have been like to be there to welcome her into the world."

"Well, if I'd let Dawn have her way we'd have it on video. She wanted to tape the whole thing and I wouldn't let her."

"That's probably a good thing. I mean as much as I would've liked to be there, I don't really think it would be the same watching it on the telly."

Buffy laughed and got up to go check on Maggie. Spike went to the kitchen to make some hot cocoa, and took with him a huge stack of photos that Dawn had taken of Buffy while she was pregnant. He smiled as he flipped through the photos and made hot cocoa for he and Buffy. Then he remembered that Maggie had mentioned Angel being there before. When Buffy came back he'd definitely have to ask her about that.

TBC….

A/N: Ok, this chapter is getting really long. I know that's a funky place to end a chapter, but this one is starting to ramble. More is coming soon, b/c finals are almost over! Hurray! Also, this chapter may be a little too fluffy, but after watching last night's episode I just couldn't bear to write anything that wasn't fluffy. :(