Buffy walked into the kitchen and found Spike stirring marshmallows into two cups of hot cocoa. She smiled when she saw that he was looking through the rest of the photographs he'd found earlier, but she noticed that he had a bit of a contemplative look on his face. She walked around the island and stood across from him. He looked up at her when she reached out and touched his hand.
"You're wondering when and why he was here, aren't you?"
"Who's that, pet?" he replied, trying to act nonchalant.
"You know who… you're wondering about Maggie mentioning Angel before. You want to know when he was here and why he was here."
"Well…"he hesitated a little, " I guess I was a bit curious about her mentioning the great poof earlier. She didn't seem too impressed by him though. Did he brood too much for the Lil'Bit?"
Buffy suppressed a giggle, and picked up her cup of cocoa while leading Spike back into the living room. "It really wasn't a bit deal," Buffy said as she sat back down on the sofa, motioning for Spike to sit with her, " In fact it was quite a surprise. For me and for Angel. Maggie was about three when he came here, looking for help with some big case they were working on in LA. I hadn't seen him since, well… long before you left. The last time I'd seen him was when we met just after I came back. Anyway, he just showed up here one night thinking that we might have some information that would help with his case. Maggie and I were playing in her room, and Willow answered the door. She was trying to find out what he wanted before she told me he was here, but before she could I came downstairs, carrying Maggie, and practically ran right into him.
"Maggie demanded to know who he was around the same time Angel was wondering who Maggie was. And you were right. She was less than impressed with him. I think she didn't like it that he wouldn't give her his undivided attention and dote on her like everyone else does. And he was more than a little confused about her. I didn't even bother to try and convince him that you were her father. I told him the truth, and if he chose to believe it fine; if he didn't that's fine too. He didn't stay very long. Willow helped him dig around in the research books and find some stuff to help with his case, and then he left. He hasn't been back."
Spike looked a little enlightened. "That must be why he tried to contact me a while back then."
"He tried to contact you? How'd he know how to find you? I mean we tried everyway we could think of and couldn't find you."
"It's that vampire family connection thing. Anyway, he tried to contact me, but I wouldn't acknowledge it. I figured that he was just trying to stir up trouble with me, so I ignored him. I guess he was going to tell me about Maggie. Or get my version of the story to see if they matched up. Who knows…"
"Spike, what are we going to tell Maggie? I mean, do you want her to know that you're her father?"
"Of course I do! Buffy why would you wonder about that?"
There was no way Buffy could really explain all of her thoughts and fears to him. She got nervous and started to ramble again. "Well, I mean, I just didn't know how long you were planning on staying, or if you wanted her to know, and if you're just planning on leaving again soon I just don't know how she would take it. I mean she already thinks you hung the moon and you've only been here two days and if I tell her that her Daddy's here and then you leave I think it might crush her because she's waited so long for you to come back and…"
He interrupted her by kissing her. She was still mumbling at first, and then realized that he was kissing her, so she stopped trying to talk and kissed him back. He trailed little kisses along her cheeks and down her neck. Buffy was totally lost in the moment when he whispered, "I have to go."
"What? You're leaving us? Just like that? I can't believe you!"
Spike smiled and held her closer, despite her efforts to wiggle out of his embrace. "Not for good, pet. But look out the window. Sunrise is almost here, and if I don't go soon you'll have to explain the big pile of dust on the front sidewalk to Maggie."
"Oh." Buffy said, only then realizing that they'd sat up and talked all night. "You know, you could stay here." Spike's eyes got wide and she could tell he was about to protest, so she continued. "Dawn's room is all made up, so you could stay there. The curtains are pretty thick in there so you'd be safe from the sunlight, and you can get some sleep, and then later this afternoon we'll figure out something to tell Maggie."
"She's going to wonder why I was here all night, pet."
"I know. We'll tell her the truth. We were having such a good time talking and catching up that we lost track of time and you didn't have enough time to get back to your place. She knows that you can't be out in the sunshine."
"Ok, you talked me into it."
The two walked quietly up the stairs and peeked into Maggie's room before going to their own rooms. She was sleeping so soundly, and they thought that she must have been dreaming when they saw a smile tugging at the corner of her mouth. Buffy tucked her blanket back around her and smoothed her hair back from her face. Spike leaned down and kissed her forehead before whispering " Sweet dreams, little one."
Spike went into Dawn's room and noted how much it had changed since he left. All traces of the fifteen year old that lived there were gone, and there was plenty of evidence of the young woman who now only came here for school breaks and holidays. He lay across the bed and contemplated the little family that lived in this house, and how much he hated having to be away from them for so long. He drifted off to sleep remembering where he'd been the past five years and why it was so important that he stay away. Now that he was back, though, he intended to do everything he could to make sure that Buffy and his daughter were as happy as they possibly could be.
+ + + + +
A few hours after Buffy and Spike had gone to sleep, Maggie woke up. She decided to creep into her mom's room and wake her up again, but was distracted in the hall way when she noticed that the door to Dawn's room was closed. Well, mostly closed; it was actually just barely open. She went over to the room, and peeked inside. It was a little bit dark, and even though Maggie was usually afraid of the dark she was feeling pretty brave this morning. She ducked inside the room and saw Spike sleeping in Dawn's bed. Suddenly, waking Spike up seemed much more fun than waking up Buffy.
Maggie crept over to the bed, and climbed up beside Spike. She reached out and touched him, giving his arm the slightest little shake. He didn't budge. She patted his cheeks, and he still didn't budge. Her mommy was usually awake by now. She leaned over and cooed in his ear "Will-yum…Spike. Wake up. Wake up wake up wake up. Please?? Pleeaasse?" She saw his eyes twitch, but he didn't wake up. She immediately went to her last resort, and started jumping on the bed. The sudden jarring woke him up, and when Maggie saw his eyes fly open she stopped jumping and flopped down beside him. "Good morning!" she gleefully said.
Spike looked at her from the corner of his eye, trying to figure out what time it was and how long he'd been asleep. He saw Maggie staring at him with a big grin plastered on her face, apparently very pleased with her efforts to wake him. "Morning, Bit. What time is it?"
"Time to wake up. Why are you here? It's light out side."
Spike explained to her about staying up too late talking with Buffy and not being able to get back to his place before sunrise. She was excited at the prospect of spending the entire day with Spike, not really caring that he'd only slept a few hours. Spike glanced around the room and found Dawn's clock. It was 7 am. "Maggie, you didn't wake your Mum, did you?"
"No. I saw that you were here and woke you up first." She smiled coyly at him, and he smiled back, amazed at how much this child could wrap him around her little finger every time she was with him.
"Well, let's let her sleep for a little while then. What do you say we go downstairs and get some breakfast?"
The unlikely pair ventured down the stairs, being careful to be very quiet so as not to wake Buffy. When they reached the kitchen, Maggie announced that she wanted ice cream and cookies for breakfast. Spike talked her out of it, and she settled for a bowl of cereal and some toast. Spike was a little surprised to find containers of blood in the fridge, but took out a packet and poured it into a mug to warm in the microwave. After breakfast, Spike and Maggie turned on the TV and watched it in the background as she talked him into playing her favorite games with her.
Later, Buffy woke up and looked at her alarm clock. She sat straight up in her bed when she realized she had slept until 11. Rubbing her eyes and putting on her robe, she rushed into Maggie's room only to find that she wasn't there. Buffy started to panic until she also found that Spike was missing from his room. When she got downstairs what she saw caused fresh tears to spring to her eyes. Spike and Maggie were sitting in the chair; Maggie was curled up in his lap with her head on his shoulder. He was reading her a story, but she had fallen asleep. Spike kept reading to make sure she was asleep. Buffy walked into the room, and he motioned for her to be quiet. She walked over and sat on the side of the chair beside them, and took the book from Spike as he closed it.
Buffy leaned over and whispered to Spike "How long has she been asleep?"
"Just a few minutes. I was reading to her, and she just tuckered out. I guess we just had too much fun this morning and she was worn out," he whispered back.
"Too much fun this morning? Spike how long has she been up?"
"We've been up since 7, Luv. We had breakfast, played some games, watched some TV, colored some pictures, and read some stories. She fell asleep during the third story."
"You've been up with her since 7? Spike you didn't even go to bed until 5! You should have came in and got me up."
"Nonsense, pet. You looked so tired when you turned in last night, I thought you could use some extra rest." Spike tried to stifle a yawn as he said "we really did have fun this morning."
Buffy smiled. "Spike, you look exhausted. Why don't you put her down on the sofa and go get some sleep. I'll make sure she doesn't wake you up again."
Spike smiled back at Buffy. "Can I just hold her for a little while longer? I really don't mind. She's ok…"
"Ok. Spike. I just didn't want her to bother you. I'm going to get some coffee. Stay there as long as you want." Buffy turned and went to the kitchen to put some coffee on. When she returned to the living room, this time she couldn't stop the unexpected tears from falling from her eyes. Spike was still holding Maggie, and he had also fallen asleep in the chair. Buffy took the blanket off the sofa and lightly covered them up, and kissed them both on the cheek. "Sleep well, my loves." She whispered, before returning to the kitchen to start making Maggie's lunch, leaving Spike and Maggie to their sweet nap-time dreams.
