Disclaimer: All the characters belong to Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, Fox,
etc... except of course the ones I make up.
Summary: Spike and Buffy are going to have a baby together!!! I know, I know, it's been done about a million times but I promise that this one is different. Anyway, it also deals with all different types of families that could exist in the Buffyverse.
Spoilers: None really
Continuity: It's the sequel to "Apocalypse now... Again". However, you don't really need to read it to understand this fic. It picks up a few weeks after where "Apocalypse Now... Again" leaves off. Also, I just thought I'd point out that Tara is alive and with Willow, both witches are living with Buffy. Also, Xander and Anya are married.
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FAMILY
Chapter 25: Choler
Buffy banged on the door so hard she though she would damage the wood, and that was her holding back. She pulled her arm back for one final blow but stopped herself just before she actually put her fist through the door. Angry tears streamed furiously down her flushed face. The betrayal she felt was hot on her skin and deep in her bones and she thought she was going to throw up. When the door was pulled open anxiously it took all of Buffy's strength to keep from sending her fist straight into the jaw of the person standing before her.
"Dear lord! Buffy, what's wrong?" Giles asked as he reached out to place a gentle hand on her shoulder which she forced away violently.
"How could you?' She asked, gritting her teeth so hard that she was barely understandable.
"What? Buffy, I don't know what you-"
"Don't lie to me! One person who I thought I could..." Buffy trailed off as she became too angry for words. The hatred she felt for someone she loved and relied on so much made her feel sick.
"Buffy, I don't understand," Giles told her, his eyes and voice all full of concern for his charge. The bastard.
Buffy took a deep breath, calming her nerves as well as her maternal instinct to pummel her Watcher. But the little bit of rational that still dwelled in her was telling her that that surely wasn't the way. Buffy knew that this was right and that she needed to hear what Giles had to say. This was a more passive approach than Buffy would have liked to take, or had intended to take for that matter, but he was Giles. She did love him after all.
"Can I come in?" She asked, her voice eerily steady.
Giles stepped aside and pulled back the door a bit farther so that she could pass. "Of course."
Buffy walked in and the scent of Giles surrounded her. It was the familiar smell of old books, scotch, and the hint of leather, which was usually a calming, soothing scent. But at that moment, it made Buffy's blood boil. Her heart started to pound violently in her chest and she thought she could actually hear the beats blasting in her ears. She was startled by a sudden kick in the abdomen from her unborn child. She placed her hand over her stomach protectively and took a few more deep breaths. She knew it wouldn't and wasn't doing her or Kat any good to get so upset.
Giles walked up behind Buffy and carefully placed his hand on her elbow. He was shocked and hurt when she flinched away from his touch. He drew back his hand and ran it through his hair before pulling off his glasses and setting them on his desk.
"Buffy. Please, will you tell why you're here and acting so strangely. Whatever it is I-"
"Was it you?" She asked abruptly.
"What? I don't-"
She swirled around with such force that her long blonde hair bounced elegantly on her shoulders. Giles was distracted for a brief moment by her grace. He wondered if maybe her true calling was to dance. He had to keep himself from laughing at the ridiculousness of his mental-tangent, and then remembered Spike one time calling Buffy and a dance. Maybe that was it...
"I just..." Buffy began before trailing off sadly, "I need to know if it was you who told the council."
"Told the council? About what?"
"You mean... you don't know?"
"Buffy, I think I've made it perfectly clear to you that I have no bloody clue of what's going on since you nearly broke down my door!"
Buffy shook her head in confusing. She was so sure it had been him. Who else would have... "But I thought... I mean... don't you know that the council's here?"
"The council is in Sunnydale?" The look of shock on Giles's face told her everything she needed to know as pangs of extreme guilt swept through her body.
Buffy nodded. "Yes. And they know about the baby."
"Oh my- and what on earth makes you suspect that I would ask them to come here? What reason do you have to think that I would go behind your back like that? Honestly, I can't believe that you would think that I..." Giles stopped mid-sentence and sighed.
"I don't know. I mean, it made the most sense... I guess? It's just, you have the greatest connection with them. You worked for them and all I just assumed..."
"Buffy, I cannot believe that you would even suspect me as betraying your trust like that. If you had any idea how that makes me feel-"
"I do know!" She insisted as her stomach tied itself into another know. "I know because that's exactly how I felt when I thought that you told them. Giles, I am so, so, so sorry about this. I just... I thought that you had told them about Kat and I went crazy. I trust you more than anyone in this world. I didn't mean to be all accusey, really."
Giles sighed and nodded. "I understand, Buffy, I do. But as you know, I've never been one for your whole 'shoot now, ask questions later' approach to things. But I do understand why you would be so upset and I suppose I also understand why you would think it was me, even if it certainly was not."
Buffy put her hands up to her mouth as her guilty feeling boiled over the top and poured down her cheeks in the form of tears. "Oh Giles!"
The watcher took a few steps forward and put his arms around his slayer. "I know, Buffy. You're afraid, and with perfectly good reason and don't worry about it. You've done worse, really you have."
Buffy choked a short laugh. "That helps, Giles."
"I try," he told her as he let her go and placed his hands on her upper arms. "All better now?" He asked in an overly patronizing tone.
Buffy nodded and Giles led her to a seat on his couch. She sat down heavily, feeling like if she wasn't careful her belly would cause her to completely topple over and possibly break his coffee table. Buffy reflexively placed a hand on her stomach and Giles smiled and did the same.
"Look at you," he cooed softly, "I so happy for you, I really am."
"I know, me too," she smiled. "But I can't believe this! I mean, I thought that a bunch of freaky cultish vampires was all I had to worry about, but now the council? And that may be the least of my worries! Who knows what else is out there with a jonze for some baby of slayer."
"You'll get through this, Buffy. I have faith in that if nothing else. You're the strongest person I have ever met and you have never failed to take care of the ones you love."
Buffy stroked her perfectly manicures fingertips over the area just above her bellybutton. "I don't know Giles. I'm just so tired and there's so much going on all at once. And now with the council here, I just don't know how strong I really am."
"Buffy, I understand that this must be nerve-wracking-"
"Well duh! But what I really need to know now is who the hell told the council about my pregnancy?"
~*~
Dawn kissed Dave one last time, this being the tenth time she said it would be the last one. It was a quarter to one and the Slayer knew that she needed to go. She could still get in at least three hours of patrolling before the baddies started going in. Maybe she could even stop by for a visit with Clem. She pulled back, put two fingers gently on her boyfriends lips and pouted.
"I really have to go, David," she insisted reluctantly.
He smiled, kissed her fingertips and nodded understandingly. "Yeah," he agreed, "I know."
Dawn put a gentle palm up to his face and smiled warmly at him. God, she loved him so much! Her eyes told him every thing as he gave her a playful shove when she stepped out of the car. She approached the porch steps when she heard Dave calling softly after her.
"Hey, Dawnie! Wouldn't wanna forget this," he told her as he held the gift bag up out of the driver's side window.
Dawn smile thankfully and trotted over to the car to take the bag. "Thanks, cutie."
"Anytime, anytime."
Dawn giggled pleasantly as she backed away from the car. "I can't wait for Spike to get this. Too perfect!"
"My mom has good taste," Dave shrugged.
"No kidding."
Dawn turned and finally made her way up the porch steps and to the front door. She turned the key as quietly as she could so as not to disturb anyone who may be sleeping. When she entered the foyer she took off her coat and hung it gently on the coat rack. She was startled to see Willow, Tara, and Spike all sitting in the living room wide awake.
"Hey guys, what's wrong? If it's demony let me know because I'm about to go on my oh-so-fun Friday-night-slash-Saturday-morning patrol."
"Not a demon," Willow informed her, "it's the council."
"The council? What are they doing here?"
"They know," Spike said with a slight growl audible under his breath, "they knew that she's pregnant."
"Oh god," Dawn whispered as her eyes traveled down to the floor.
Tara tried to explain as best as she could with the little information that she had. "We're not sure how they knew. Buffy called a little while ago, she went over to Giles's to see if he knew anything but-"
"He didn't," Dawn shook her head as she spoke matter-of-factly.
"No," Willow assured her, "how did you-"
"I-" Dawn began but wasn't able to complete her though. "I need to get ready," she told them as she turned and ran briskly up the stairs. They could hear the door slam shut as they looked at one another with confusion.
Willow shook her head. "Well that was-"
"It was her," Spike stated just loudly enough for the others to hear. "It was Dawn who told the council."
"Spike, you can't know that," Willow argued for the teen's sake though she could already see where Spike was coming from.
"Yes, I can. Why do you think she was acting that way when we told her? Besides, if not Giles and if not Buffy, then who else would be talking to the council besides the other slayer. I should have known. But why would she..." Spike trailed off as he stood, staring angrily at the stairs, "I'm gonna kill her."
"Whoa! Hey! You wanna slow it down for a second there?" Willow asked as she walked over next to him and grabbed his upper arm, "we will be doing no killing of any literal or figurative kind. We are going to go about this calmly like mature people and NOT lose our heads. Understand?"
Spike shook the witch's hand violently from his arm. "No."
The vampire ran at the stairs and took them three at a time with Willow chasing after him. Dawn could hear him coming before he even reached the stairs but she didn't bother locking her door. She knew that he would probably break it down even if she had. God, he was so angry. He had never been this mad at her before. Guilty tears poured down her face as she braced herself for the inevitable.
Spike stepped over the threshold of her room, eyes flaring with anger. Dawn could see his anger from the way he moved, and the way his jaw was clenched so that the line of the bone was even more defined than usual. She felt overwhelmed and intimidated, her body tensed, preparing for battle though she knew that he was no physical threat. He couldn't touch her, wouldn't touch her in a way that might cause her any type of harm. But that wouldn't stop him from unleashing his anger upon her.
"Spike, before you-"
"Shut up," he commanded her coolly, his harsh and cold tone sent a chill down Dawn's spine and she obeyed. Whatever he had to say to her, she probably deserved it. "You... I don't think I have EVER felt this angry in my entire life. How could you, Dawn? How could you betray your sister's trust like that? The problems that you have now caused for us all are almost unforgivable. How could you be so bloody stupid as to-"
"Spike!" Willow called his name to get his attention as she entered the room at last. "That is enough. You can't just barge in here like some kind of god and say these things to her, things that you are going to regret if you don't watch yourself."
Spike took a step back and looked at Dawn who was crying relentlessly. Her face was bright red and tear-streaked. Her lower lip quivered as she wiped more salt water from her face. She avoided Spike's eyes at all costs and he sighed heavily before looking back at Willow.
She looked up at him and put her fingertips gently on his elbow. "Why don't we hear what she has to say?"
Spike nodded, his rational self beginning to set in and take control once again. He took a deep and unnecessary breath before speaking again. "Right, then. Dawn, why don't you tell us what happened."
She nodded, and made a mental note of how much she owed Willow one. "Okay," she said, as calmly as she could though she felt like she was choking on tears. "The other day while everyone else was out Travers called. He said the council wanted to just check in on their slayers and stuff but I tried to be careful anyway. I know they can't be trusted, I'm not a complete idiot! I don't even really remember what we talked about but I... I let it slip that Buffy was pregnant and by the time I realized what I had told them, it was too late. They knew and it's all my fault! If anything happens to the baby, Spike, if the council hurts her or takes her or anything... then it's all my fault!"
Dawn broke down into tears again and Willow quickly wrapped her arms around the slayer. "No, no, sweetie, it is not all your fault. You made a mistake, yes, everyone does but believe it is not your fault. Everyone knows how much you love your sister and this child. Besides, they may have already known and-"
"And what?" She asked through her sobs, "I confirmed it? Either way, it's my fault I let the information slip! God- Buffy is never going to forgive me."
"Yes, she will. She loves you Dawn and she knows that you would never do anything to hurt her." Willow looked up at Spike and urged him with her eyes to say something.
"Yeah, Dawn, look," he sighed, "I know that you didn't mean to, all right? I just-" He sat down on her bed and was startled when he felt something firm yet flexible press up against his back.. He stood back up quickly and looked at the object in question: a small, red gift bag with a bit of tissue paper sticking out of the top. Her picked it up and held it up to Dawn.
"Hey, Dawn, what's this?"
Dawn wiped a few more tears from her eyes and cheeks as she looked at what the vampire was holding. "Oh, that's for you and Buffy. Actually, it's for the baby. You can open it if you want."
Spike shrugged. "All right."
He carefully pulled back the tissue paper and took out the Count. He stared at it for a moment before his recognition of the character kicked in. The hint of a smile played at the corner of his lips as he pressed his fingers into the soft creature.
"It's from Mr. and Mrs. Levitz," Dawn informed him.
Spike shocked everyone when he began to chuckle softly. "Buffy's gonna love this," he informed everyone.
Willow began to laugh. "It's perfect."
Dawn felt laughter rising in her throat and she didn't hold back as she stated, "yeah, that's what I've been saying."
~*~TBC~*~
Summary: Spike and Buffy are going to have a baby together!!! I know, I know, it's been done about a million times but I promise that this one is different. Anyway, it also deals with all different types of families that could exist in the Buffyverse.
Spoilers: None really
Continuity: It's the sequel to "Apocalypse now... Again". However, you don't really need to read it to understand this fic. It picks up a few weeks after where "Apocalypse Now... Again" leaves off. Also, I just thought I'd point out that Tara is alive and with Willow, both witches are living with Buffy. Also, Xander and Anya are married.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
FAMILY
Chapter 25: Choler
Buffy banged on the door so hard she though she would damage the wood, and that was her holding back. She pulled her arm back for one final blow but stopped herself just before she actually put her fist through the door. Angry tears streamed furiously down her flushed face. The betrayal she felt was hot on her skin and deep in her bones and she thought she was going to throw up. When the door was pulled open anxiously it took all of Buffy's strength to keep from sending her fist straight into the jaw of the person standing before her.
"Dear lord! Buffy, what's wrong?" Giles asked as he reached out to place a gentle hand on her shoulder which she forced away violently.
"How could you?' She asked, gritting her teeth so hard that she was barely understandable.
"What? Buffy, I don't know what you-"
"Don't lie to me! One person who I thought I could..." Buffy trailed off as she became too angry for words. The hatred she felt for someone she loved and relied on so much made her feel sick.
"Buffy, I don't understand," Giles told her, his eyes and voice all full of concern for his charge. The bastard.
Buffy took a deep breath, calming her nerves as well as her maternal instinct to pummel her Watcher. But the little bit of rational that still dwelled in her was telling her that that surely wasn't the way. Buffy knew that this was right and that she needed to hear what Giles had to say. This was a more passive approach than Buffy would have liked to take, or had intended to take for that matter, but he was Giles. She did love him after all.
"Can I come in?" She asked, her voice eerily steady.
Giles stepped aside and pulled back the door a bit farther so that she could pass. "Of course."
Buffy walked in and the scent of Giles surrounded her. It was the familiar smell of old books, scotch, and the hint of leather, which was usually a calming, soothing scent. But at that moment, it made Buffy's blood boil. Her heart started to pound violently in her chest and she thought she could actually hear the beats blasting in her ears. She was startled by a sudden kick in the abdomen from her unborn child. She placed her hand over her stomach protectively and took a few more deep breaths. She knew it wouldn't and wasn't doing her or Kat any good to get so upset.
Giles walked up behind Buffy and carefully placed his hand on her elbow. He was shocked and hurt when she flinched away from his touch. He drew back his hand and ran it through his hair before pulling off his glasses and setting them on his desk.
"Buffy. Please, will you tell why you're here and acting so strangely. Whatever it is I-"
"Was it you?" She asked abruptly.
"What? I don't-"
She swirled around with such force that her long blonde hair bounced elegantly on her shoulders. Giles was distracted for a brief moment by her grace. He wondered if maybe her true calling was to dance. He had to keep himself from laughing at the ridiculousness of his mental-tangent, and then remembered Spike one time calling Buffy and a dance. Maybe that was it...
"I just..." Buffy began before trailing off sadly, "I need to know if it was you who told the council."
"Told the council? About what?"
"You mean... you don't know?"
"Buffy, I think I've made it perfectly clear to you that I have no bloody clue of what's going on since you nearly broke down my door!"
Buffy shook her head in confusing. She was so sure it had been him. Who else would have... "But I thought... I mean... don't you know that the council's here?"
"The council is in Sunnydale?" The look of shock on Giles's face told her everything she needed to know as pangs of extreme guilt swept through her body.
Buffy nodded. "Yes. And they know about the baby."
"Oh my- and what on earth makes you suspect that I would ask them to come here? What reason do you have to think that I would go behind your back like that? Honestly, I can't believe that you would think that I..." Giles stopped mid-sentence and sighed.
"I don't know. I mean, it made the most sense... I guess? It's just, you have the greatest connection with them. You worked for them and all I just assumed..."
"Buffy, I cannot believe that you would even suspect me as betraying your trust like that. If you had any idea how that makes me feel-"
"I do know!" She insisted as her stomach tied itself into another know. "I know because that's exactly how I felt when I thought that you told them. Giles, I am so, so, so sorry about this. I just... I thought that you had told them about Kat and I went crazy. I trust you more than anyone in this world. I didn't mean to be all accusey, really."
Giles sighed and nodded. "I understand, Buffy, I do. But as you know, I've never been one for your whole 'shoot now, ask questions later' approach to things. But I do understand why you would be so upset and I suppose I also understand why you would think it was me, even if it certainly was not."
Buffy put her hands up to her mouth as her guilty feeling boiled over the top and poured down her cheeks in the form of tears. "Oh Giles!"
The watcher took a few steps forward and put his arms around his slayer. "I know, Buffy. You're afraid, and with perfectly good reason and don't worry about it. You've done worse, really you have."
Buffy choked a short laugh. "That helps, Giles."
"I try," he told her as he let her go and placed his hands on her upper arms. "All better now?" He asked in an overly patronizing tone.
Buffy nodded and Giles led her to a seat on his couch. She sat down heavily, feeling like if she wasn't careful her belly would cause her to completely topple over and possibly break his coffee table. Buffy reflexively placed a hand on her stomach and Giles smiled and did the same.
"Look at you," he cooed softly, "I so happy for you, I really am."
"I know, me too," she smiled. "But I can't believe this! I mean, I thought that a bunch of freaky cultish vampires was all I had to worry about, but now the council? And that may be the least of my worries! Who knows what else is out there with a jonze for some baby of slayer."
"You'll get through this, Buffy. I have faith in that if nothing else. You're the strongest person I have ever met and you have never failed to take care of the ones you love."
Buffy stroked her perfectly manicures fingertips over the area just above her bellybutton. "I don't know Giles. I'm just so tired and there's so much going on all at once. And now with the council here, I just don't know how strong I really am."
"Buffy, I understand that this must be nerve-wracking-"
"Well duh! But what I really need to know now is who the hell told the council about my pregnancy?"
~*~
Dawn kissed Dave one last time, this being the tenth time she said it would be the last one. It was a quarter to one and the Slayer knew that she needed to go. She could still get in at least three hours of patrolling before the baddies started going in. Maybe she could even stop by for a visit with Clem. She pulled back, put two fingers gently on her boyfriends lips and pouted.
"I really have to go, David," she insisted reluctantly.
He smiled, kissed her fingertips and nodded understandingly. "Yeah," he agreed, "I know."
Dawn put a gentle palm up to his face and smiled warmly at him. God, she loved him so much! Her eyes told him every thing as he gave her a playful shove when she stepped out of the car. She approached the porch steps when she heard Dave calling softly after her.
"Hey, Dawnie! Wouldn't wanna forget this," he told her as he held the gift bag up out of the driver's side window.
Dawn smile thankfully and trotted over to the car to take the bag. "Thanks, cutie."
"Anytime, anytime."
Dawn giggled pleasantly as she backed away from the car. "I can't wait for Spike to get this. Too perfect!"
"My mom has good taste," Dave shrugged.
"No kidding."
Dawn turned and finally made her way up the porch steps and to the front door. She turned the key as quietly as she could so as not to disturb anyone who may be sleeping. When she entered the foyer she took off her coat and hung it gently on the coat rack. She was startled to see Willow, Tara, and Spike all sitting in the living room wide awake.
"Hey guys, what's wrong? If it's demony let me know because I'm about to go on my oh-so-fun Friday-night-slash-Saturday-morning patrol."
"Not a demon," Willow informed her, "it's the council."
"The council? What are they doing here?"
"They know," Spike said with a slight growl audible under his breath, "they knew that she's pregnant."
"Oh god," Dawn whispered as her eyes traveled down to the floor.
Tara tried to explain as best as she could with the little information that she had. "We're not sure how they knew. Buffy called a little while ago, she went over to Giles's to see if he knew anything but-"
"He didn't," Dawn shook her head as she spoke matter-of-factly.
"No," Willow assured her, "how did you-"
"I-" Dawn began but wasn't able to complete her though. "I need to get ready," she told them as she turned and ran briskly up the stairs. They could hear the door slam shut as they looked at one another with confusion.
Willow shook her head. "Well that was-"
"It was her," Spike stated just loudly enough for the others to hear. "It was Dawn who told the council."
"Spike, you can't know that," Willow argued for the teen's sake though she could already see where Spike was coming from.
"Yes, I can. Why do you think she was acting that way when we told her? Besides, if not Giles and if not Buffy, then who else would be talking to the council besides the other slayer. I should have known. But why would she..." Spike trailed off as he stood, staring angrily at the stairs, "I'm gonna kill her."
"Whoa! Hey! You wanna slow it down for a second there?" Willow asked as she walked over next to him and grabbed his upper arm, "we will be doing no killing of any literal or figurative kind. We are going to go about this calmly like mature people and NOT lose our heads. Understand?"
Spike shook the witch's hand violently from his arm. "No."
The vampire ran at the stairs and took them three at a time with Willow chasing after him. Dawn could hear him coming before he even reached the stairs but she didn't bother locking her door. She knew that he would probably break it down even if she had. God, he was so angry. He had never been this mad at her before. Guilty tears poured down her face as she braced herself for the inevitable.
Spike stepped over the threshold of her room, eyes flaring with anger. Dawn could see his anger from the way he moved, and the way his jaw was clenched so that the line of the bone was even more defined than usual. She felt overwhelmed and intimidated, her body tensed, preparing for battle though she knew that he was no physical threat. He couldn't touch her, wouldn't touch her in a way that might cause her any type of harm. But that wouldn't stop him from unleashing his anger upon her.
"Spike, before you-"
"Shut up," he commanded her coolly, his harsh and cold tone sent a chill down Dawn's spine and she obeyed. Whatever he had to say to her, she probably deserved it. "You... I don't think I have EVER felt this angry in my entire life. How could you, Dawn? How could you betray your sister's trust like that? The problems that you have now caused for us all are almost unforgivable. How could you be so bloody stupid as to-"
"Spike!" Willow called his name to get his attention as she entered the room at last. "That is enough. You can't just barge in here like some kind of god and say these things to her, things that you are going to regret if you don't watch yourself."
Spike took a step back and looked at Dawn who was crying relentlessly. Her face was bright red and tear-streaked. Her lower lip quivered as she wiped more salt water from her face. She avoided Spike's eyes at all costs and he sighed heavily before looking back at Willow.
She looked up at him and put her fingertips gently on his elbow. "Why don't we hear what she has to say?"
Spike nodded, his rational self beginning to set in and take control once again. He took a deep and unnecessary breath before speaking again. "Right, then. Dawn, why don't you tell us what happened."
She nodded, and made a mental note of how much she owed Willow one. "Okay," she said, as calmly as she could though she felt like she was choking on tears. "The other day while everyone else was out Travers called. He said the council wanted to just check in on their slayers and stuff but I tried to be careful anyway. I know they can't be trusted, I'm not a complete idiot! I don't even really remember what we talked about but I... I let it slip that Buffy was pregnant and by the time I realized what I had told them, it was too late. They knew and it's all my fault! If anything happens to the baby, Spike, if the council hurts her or takes her or anything... then it's all my fault!"
Dawn broke down into tears again and Willow quickly wrapped her arms around the slayer. "No, no, sweetie, it is not all your fault. You made a mistake, yes, everyone does but believe it is not your fault. Everyone knows how much you love your sister and this child. Besides, they may have already known and-"
"And what?" She asked through her sobs, "I confirmed it? Either way, it's my fault I let the information slip! God- Buffy is never going to forgive me."
"Yes, she will. She loves you Dawn and she knows that you would never do anything to hurt her." Willow looked up at Spike and urged him with her eyes to say something.
"Yeah, Dawn, look," he sighed, "I know that you didn't mean to, all right? I just-" He sat down on her bed and was startled when he felt something firm yet flexible press up against his back.. He stood back up quickly and looked at the object in question: a small, red gift bag with a bit of tissue paper sticking out of the top. Her picked it up and held it up to Dawn.
"Hey, Dawn, what's this?"
Dawn wiped a few more tears from her eyes and cheeks as she looked at what the vampire was holding. "Oh, that's for you and Buffy. Actually, it's for the baby. You can open it if you want."
Spike shrugged. "All right."
He carefully pulled back the tissue paper and took out the Count. He stared at it for a moment before his recognition of the character kicked in. The hint of a smile played at the corner of his lips as he pressed his fingers into the soft creature.
"It's from Mr. and Mrs. Levitz," Dawn informed him.
Spike shocked everyone when he began to chuckle softly. "Buffy's gonna love this," he informed everyone.
Willow began to laugh. "It's perfect."
Dawn felt laughter rising in her throat and she didn't hold back as she stated, "yeah, that's what I've been saying."
~*~TBC~*~