A/N okay I promise we are done with the most depressing parts of this fic!



The rain came down soflty as if the sky was joining in the tears shed on Revello Drive. Buffy stood at the kitchen door watching the drops splat on the backporch. She was tired, tireder then she could ever remembered having been before. Spike was still sleeping and Willow was feeding Jake his morning bottle.
She recalled guiltily that she had left Jake's care to Spike all through the night. She just couldn't seem to get up, each time the baby cried she squeezed her eyes shut hoping he would stop, wishing his mom was here for him, rolling in grief. Today she would bury her sister, no more smiling Dawn face, no more gentle teasing between them. Spike on the other hand, after realizing she wasn't moving from the bed had gotten up and taken care of whatever Jake needed. She felt numb.....but Spike was right there doing what needed to be done.


Mrs. Jameson had already called she was on her way to Sunnydale and would meet Buffy at the funeral home to spend some time with her grandson and his wife before........ The funeral would be later today.
Buffy had debated taking Jake with them but in the end Spike had told her that the baby was much to young to remember if she did take him and if for some reason he could remember then wasn't it better for him to remember his mom holding him before she put him in that car seat for the last time?


"Can I give him his bath?" Willow asked as Buffy passed through the livingroom on her way to the shower.

"Yeah, but be careful, he's slippery when wet." Buffy patted Jake's cheek before planting a soft kiss on the top of his head. So much conflict inside of her because of this small bundle of joy with her sister's eyes.
She truly wanted to take care of him....but part of her rebelled - she wasn't meant to nurture, was she?

"I'll be careful, Xander can help." Willow smiled as she bounced the baby on her shoulder.

Spike opened one eye when he heard her enter the bedroom, he reached for her hand as she walked by the bed. "You're awake?" She smiled at him as he pulled her to sit down beside him. "I know you must be tired, Jake didn't sleep well, did he?" She asked guiltly.

"No, he didn't." Spike sat up in the bed, "Maybe he could just sense things aren't as they should be."

She scooted closer to him, lying her head on his shoulder, "I'm sorry, I didn't help."

"S'okay, Buffy. I didn't mind but ...." He sighed deeply, "If this is going to work...it's going to have to be a joint effort."

She nodded her head against his shoulder, "I know."

"So when is Mrs. Jameson to get here?"

"She called and I should meet her at the funeral home in about an hour. I was just going to get ready."She scooted off the bed to stand.

"I can go with you if you'd like." He rose from the bed and stood beside her.

"No, I'll be fine. Get some rest, Willow is enjoying some Jake time, she won't mind." Buffy kissed his cheek before she went to the bathroom.


"They looked peaceful,didn't they?" Mrs. Jameson's soft voice disturbed the silence of the small coffee room of the funeral home. Her brother Aruthur was getting coffee for them all. He was quiet letting his sister lead.

Peaceful? Buffy thought, how peaceful can they be, they've been ripped away from thier infant son. She nodded in agreement though, "Yes mam. Peaceful."

"Are you ready to leave dear?" The older woman asked placing her hand on Buffy's arm.


"Yes, mam. Why don't you and Arthur come back to the house and stay until the funeral. You can see Jake."


"That's a lovely idea. I'd love to see him again." She and Arthur followed Buffy's car back to Revello.

After introductions were made, Willow took charge of lunch, "You all just sit down and visit. There is so much food in the kitchen lunch will not be a problem." Xander moved to help Willow while Giles stayed in the livingroom answering the door to more food and flowers.

Mrs. Jameson played with Jake, singing to him and telling him stories of his daddy when he was little. She fed him lunch and rocked him to sleep for his nap. She held the tears back unitl Spike had safely moved the sleeping baby upstairs, "I don't want to upset the little one, he's trying to adjust." She sniffled.

"We'll miss seeing him all the time." Arthur chimed in, "We used to have lunch on Sundays, all of us together."

"You're welcome to come anytime you'd like to visit." Spike told him as he picked up Buffy's still half full lunch plate from the coffee table.

"We appreciate that." Mrs. Jameson smiled at him.

*******

Funerals are for those left living. Buffy had been to far too many of them in her short life. The day was very overcast and the rain still fell softly as she held the large umbrella, Spike with one arm around her and little Jake nestled in the other. She stole glances at the friends and family gathered in the cemetary, not too far from where her mother lie buried. She watched Jake's bright eyes watching Spike's facial expressions, did he understand who the tears running down Spike's face were for? The words spoken at the service were generous and said much about how much Dawn and Chris were admired and loved. But they somehow seemed empty to Buffy as she lay a rose on her sisters casket before they left the cemetary. Dawn was really gone....

"You don't have to leave so quickly." Buffy hugged Mrs. Jameson when they returned home that evening and dealt with visits from friends and coworkers Dawn and Chris.

"I'm tired and I think I just want to go back to the hotel and lay down. Thank you so much for all you and William have done to make this easier for me." She hugged Buffy tighly again, 'I know you'll take good care of my great grandson." She kissed Jakes cheek before she left.

"I'll drive you to the airport, Willow, My flight's just an hour after yours." Xander volunteered as he brought his bag into the living room.

"Are you sure you don't need me to stay?" Willow asked before accepting Xander's invitation.

"Yes, you need to get back, I understand." Buffy fell into another hug with Willow and Xander, "Thank you both for coming."

"We wanted to come.....it was no trouble." Xander kissed Buffy's forehead, "You take care of her." He nodded towards Spike.

"I will."

"And Jakey too." Willow added.

"Will do." Spike smiled at her as they left out the front door.

"I believe I should be going too, I'm going to drive into LA tonight and catch a flight to Virginia from there. You take care, Buffy." Giles wrapped his arms around her in rare hug.

"Virginai? Rona! Is she okay?" Buffy suddenly remembered her job.

"Nothing you need to worry with, Buffy. Not now." Giles told her in a "that's final" tone.

"But ....I was supposed to possibly go help?" Buffy rubbed her hand through her hair tiredly.

"We'll discuss your new schedule later." Giles picked up his bag.

"New schedule?"

"Well, yes. You can't go traisping off as easily now, you have a baby to take care of." Giles smiled at her, "I'll be in touch."

Spike watched the exchange with interest, he had not truly thought about how much Jake being around would change things. They would all just have to adjust.....

****
Exhausted and out of sorts, Jake fussed for quite a while before falling asleep. Buffy and Spike took turns feeding, changing, walking, bouncing the unhappy baby before Buffy finally got him to sleep by turning out the lights and rocking him to sleep as Spike softly sang to him.

The day ended with the new, unsure parents falling into bed and just holding each other before they quickly joined Jake in sleep. The rain finally stopped in Sunnydale as part of one famiy were laid to rest - leaving a new family to start.

TBC