Editorial note: Title borrowed from Shawn Colvin. All characters created by Joss Whedon, etc, etc.
This fic is a direct sequel to Lies My Lover Told Me *this contains spoilers for that fic*, in which Buffy takes a holiday in England and finds that her life is in danger from the evil Angelus group. Her mother sends the mysterious Spike to protect Buffy, they fall for each other in a big way but Buffy leaves and comes home to Sunnydale when she believes that Spike has betrayed her. Eventually he comes back to her, the misunderstanding is rectified, and there are hugs and kisses all round. Aww, bless.
That was last night. This is this morning...
Prologue
Joyce Summers peered at her reflection and scowled at the wrinkles around her eyes. It was all Buffy's fault: finding out she was going to be a grandmother had sent overnight wrinkles to Joyce's face. Every morning she surreptitiously pulled out grey hairs. Any more and she'd be bald.
Not that she could begrudge Buffy anything: her daughter was working so hard at the moment, taking that course so she could hopefully get herself a decent job and support the baby. Joyce only wished Buffy would give up this stupid stubborn refusal to contact the father. It was ridiculous. He had a right to know, and the baby would need a father. Buffy was one of the strongest people Joyce knew, but was she strong enough to be a single parent for the rest of her life?
No, it just wasn't good enough. Joyce's dreams of fat grandchildren had always come hot on the tail of a pair of beautiful weddings. A rich, handsome man for Dawn and a strong, clever one for Buffy.
Spike was strong, and clever, even if he was a bit odd. Joyce's conversations with her old friend Giles had left her in no doubt that Spike had very strong feelings for Buffy. But Buffy refused to speak to him.
Well, if she was going to be a parent then she'd quickly learn that sometimes a parent has to do what's best for her child, even if that child doesn't want it. Like measles shots. Eating cabbage. Exams. Calling Spike.
Joyce nodded decisively at her reflection, and her reflection nodded back. She'd call Giles as soon as she got to the gallery and ask him for a contact for Spike. And then she'd tell Spike to get his British ass over here and see Buffy. Once they saw each other, it would all be resolved, she was sure.
Dammit. If she wanted to be decisive she really needed some of her new lash-building mascara. Now where the hell was it?
She knocked on Dawn's door. "Are you nearly ready, honey?"
"Yeah, just give me five minutes."
"Have you seen that mascara I bought the other day?"
"Uh, I think Buffy has it," Dawn said, and Joyce was sure she heard a slight snigger in her daughter's voice.
"Right," Joyce said, and crossed the hall to Buffy's room. She tapped on the door and opened it. "Buffy, do you have that - penis!"
Buffy's eyes slammed open in horror and she stared at her mother, who was staring back, her eyes rooted on Spike. He quickly pulled the covers over himself and offered a weak smile.
"Joyce - Mrs Summers..."
"I, er, I'll just," Joyce was turning pink and backing away, "I'll just be, er downstairs..."
She pulled the door securely shut behind her and ran away.
Buffy buried her head in Spike's shoulder. "Oh God, oh God," she wailed. "I can't believe she saw that!"
Spike was laughing. "Come on, love, it was sort of funny..."
Buffy looked up at him. Her face was as pink as her mother's had been. "Sort of funny? Spike, we were going to be all adult and polite about this, and she, she was not supposed to see-"
"Oh, she's a grown-up too, Buffy." He stroked back her hair. "Look. We'll go downstairs and talk to her and it'll all be fine. Your mum's very open-minded."
"Not that open-minded," Buffy grumbled as she shoved back the covers and cranked herself out of bed, but Spike grabbed her arm and pulled her back to face him. He ran his hand over her big pregnant belly in some awe, and looked up at her with eyes full of disbelief and love.
"I can't believe-" he began, unable to find the right words. "You're amazing..."
She smiled and ran her hand over his. "You're pretty unbelievable yourself," she replied, and reached for her nightgown.
Spike pulled on his jeans and shirt and kissed Buffy's neck as she tied her gown over her big bump.
"Ready to face the music?"
Buffy nodded and sought out his hand as he opened the door. They met Dawn in the hallway, grinning slightly slyly.
"Hey, you guys," she beamed. "Did you see Mom?"
"Well, she saw us," Buffy said. "You didn't tell her, did you, Dawn?"
"No. Why would I do that?" Dawn said, but she was grinning just a little too knowingly for Buffy's liking.
Spike insisted on helping Buffy down the stairs, although she assured him she'd been managing it perfectly well for months. His concern for her was adorable, she thought. Although it could get annoying if she was never allowed to walk anywhere without help. She hoped he'd let her visit the bathroom by herself.
Delicious cooking smells came from the kitchen and Buffy gripped Spike's hand a little tighter as they walked through and found Joyce manically cooking pancake after pancake.
"Are you two hungry?"
"Uh, I could eat," Buffy said.
"Great! I made you some tea, Buffy, but it's the last of your special stuff."
"Special stuff?" Spike enquired, as Buffy took a mug full of greenish liquid from her mother.
"Anya got it for me," Buffy explained. "She has an alternative health store. It has herbs to stop my ankles swelling and herbs to keep my blood pressure down and herbs to stop the herbs tasting icky... Want some?"
Spike took a sniff and hurriedly shook his head. "No. Thanks. You shouldn't be wasting it."
"Wuss."
Spike rolled his eyes at her but refrained from saying anything else on the subject. Joyce, still flitting around the kitchen like a giant hummingbird, barely looked at Spike as she asked, "Would you like some tea? I have some English, uh, Earl Grey."
Spike, who was more of a coffee person, nodded and smiled. "That sounds great. Thanks, Mrs Summers."
He watched her carefully. Still avoiding eye contact, she said, "No, call me Joyce. After all, you are going to be, er, going to..."
"Going to be your son-in-law," Spike said gently, and added when Joyce went very still, "with your blessing."
Buffy looked nervously up at Spike. He put his arm around her shoulders and held her back against him as Joyce slowly put down the teapot and turned to face them.
"You're-"
"Gonna get married," Buffy said. "Surprise!"
Joyce felt for the table and chair and sat down.
"One of these days I'm going to die of a heart attack," she said. "Spike - William-"
"Spike," Spike said firmly.
"When did you even get here?"
"Last night. Thought it was time I mended a few things. Didn't know Buffy was, er..."
"Big surprise for everyone," Buffy said wryly. "Mom? Are you okay?"
Joyce nodded weakly. "I think I need that tea."
Buffy moved to make it, but Spike got there first and pushed her gently towards her mother.
"Mom," Buffy sat down and touched her mother's hand. "Look, I know it's a shock, but we worked everything out. I know I kept saying I didn't want Spike to know and he was evil, blah blah blah-"
"Evil?" Spike raised an eyebrow.
"But I was just being stupid. We love each other. We're going to get married."
Joyce's head was down and her shoulders were shaking. Buffy cast a horrified look at Spike. "Mom? Are you crying? Hey, look, it's not that bad, I mean, we'll still be here all the time, and you'll see the baby, and, and it'll work out so much better this way, because Spike'll be here too and-"
Joyce lifted her head. "I'm not crying, Buffy."
"You're laughing?" Buffy said incredulously.
"I was going to call Spike today. I wanted you two to get back together."
"Duh," Dawn said from the doorway, "she's only been going on about it for months. Mom, we need to go, or I'm gonna be late for school."
"Never thought I'd hear you say that," Joyce said, standing up. "I'll see you two later?"
Buffy nodded and hugged her mother, and then Joyce hugged Spike and Buffy laughed at his surprised expression.
"Bye, Mom. Bye Dawn. Mom, let go of Spike."
Blushing, her mother withdrew, and she and Dawn left the house. Spike drew Buffy to him and kissed her, and she stretched her arms around him happily, and then she pulled back from him, wincing.
"What?"
She took his hand and put it on her belly. "It's kicking."
Spike felt it, and Buffy watched a smile come over his face. "Got a right little Beckham in there, love."
"Does it have to be a boy to kick?"
"No, could be like that Keira Knightly girl. She could kick. And she was hot."
"Hey, less of the 'other women are hot' talk."
Spike ran his finger along her lips. "Not as hot as you," he said. "No one is. Now come on, breakfast, before it goes cold." He started piling them onto a plate for her.
"I don't think I can eat all those pancakes," Buffy eyed the stack doubtfully.
"Come on. Bit of maple syrup and you'll - you don't like maple syrup?"
Buffy shook her head, making a face. "Well, yes, I love it, but I can't eat it right now." She reached into a cupboard and took out a bottle of soy sauce and poured it all over her pancakes.
Spike went pale.
"You think this is gross, it's a good job you weren't here when I had morning sickness," Buffy told him, tucking in. "I know it's disgusting and I cannot believe I'm actually eating this, but I guess that's hormones for you."
Spike pushed his plate away. "Suddenly I'm less hungry."
He helped her dress and was so distressed at the state of her wardrobe of mostly second-hand maternity clothes, that he insisted on taking her shopping.
"Well, only if you stop twisting my arm," Buffy said. She felt at his forehead. "Seriously, taking me shopping? Are you sure you're alright?"
"I'm not having my fiancée wearing second-hand rags," Spike said firmly. "And you need some more of that tea. And you have to help me choose a ring."
"What for?"
"For you, you silly bint. An engagement ring?"
All Buffy's tiredness seemed to vanish as she set off in Spike's borrowed car. For months she'd been not just physically exhausted from carrying the baby around, but emotionally drained, too. For the rest of her life she'd be a mother, a single mother. Part of her had wanted to contact Spike, but her pride hadn't let her. If his sisters hadn't made him come around and see her, then he'd never have known.
"This is it," she pointed out of the window at an alternative health store.
"Anya has a health food shop?"
"Yeah. She's really good at it. She can give all kinds of advice about diets and exercise and what to use on all kinds of stuff, like Dawn had this skin thing and Anya got her some cream for it and it cleared up in about a week. And when Mom started getting these headaches, Anya found her some tea that just stopped them."
"This stuff really works?" Spike looked doubtful.
"Does for me." Buffy pushed open the door and a bell tinkled. Anya was behind the counter, her hair longer and blonder than it had been last time Spike saw her. But then last time Spike had seen her they'd been chained in a cellar being tortured...
She stared at Spike.
"Buffy, I know you miss him but did you need to go out and find a Spike clone? And isn't it the height of bad taste to date when you're pregnant?"
Buffy laughed. "Anya, this is Spike."
Anya stared a bit more.
"William the Bloody?"
Buffy raised her eyebrows at him.
"It's just a nickname," he said. "Where did you even hear that?"
"In the cellar," Anya said, and added to Buffy, "he was trying to distract me from the fact that he was naked."
"I do not need to hear this," Buffy held up her hands.
"Not naked on purpose, love, I had just been kidnapped, if you recall?"
"Anya, do you have any more of that tea blend for me?" Buffy asked loudly.
The door at the back of the shop opened as Anya was weighing out the tea, and Xander came in, wearing a tool belt. "Hey Buff... and Spike... Buffy, did you know Spike is standing right there?"
Buffy nodded and beamed and put her arm around Spike's waist. "I want you guys to be the first to know."
"Well, second, really, after your mum and Dawn," Spike looked at her.
"Shut up, honey. We're getting married!"
Anya squealed and ran over to hug them both. Xander was more reticent.
"Married? Since when?"
"Last night. Spike came over and we talked everything out, and we're going to get married. In England, probably."
"After the baby's born?"
"No, before. You see, Spike needs a legitimate heir, so we need to be married before it's born."
"Heir?" Anya asked. "Why, is he secretly the king?"
She laughed, and Xander attempted a smile, but it faded when Spike grinned and said, "No, but my dad is an earl. It's not a big thing, doesn't mean anything really, but I have to carry the family line on."
"So you're marrying Buffy to get a legitimate heir?" Xander asked.
"No," Buffy said, but she looked slightly uncertain.
"No," Spike said, not looking amused. "I'm marrying Buffy because I love her. I'm marrying her soon because of the baby."
"But you'll be going to England soon?" Anya asked. "Because pretty soon you won't be able to fly."
Buffy frowned. "That's true. Spike, should we just wait, and maybe get married later? Or do it here?"
"You don't want to go to England?"
"Well, yes, I mean I do, and I want to meet your family and - oh, did you guys know Harmony Kendall is Spike's sister?"
Xander shook his head. "Valley girl Harmony?"
"Half-sister," Spike said. "My mum died when I was little, and my dad remarried. Harm's lived over here a lot. She puts on the English when it suits her."
"She comes in here looking for wicca remedies," Anya shook her head. "She likes tasteless unicorns."
"Yep, that's Harm," Spike rolled his eyes. "Okay. Well, Buffy and I have some shopping to do. A suitcase, huh, Buffy, if we're going to elope?"
He paid for Buffy's tea and took her out of the shop, and Xander and Anya stood together, watching them drive away.
"Did anyone else think that was slightly wrong?" Xander said.
"He said he loves her," Anya said doubtfully.
"Yeah, An? Guys say that whenever they want, to get whatever they want."
"Even you?"
"Well, what I want is to be with you. So that works out okay. But didn't it seem to you that maybe, he's just doing this to get that heir?"
"It is a bit sudden," Anya agreed.
"Too sudden. I don't trust him."
"Xander, you don't trust lavender oil, and its properties have been proven over and-"
"I just don't trust him," Xander repeated, looking annoyed. "Can we leave it at that?"
"Oh, this is one of those thriller movie things. I get it," Anya said. "Don't trust him. Right. No. We don't."
"Anya?"
"Yes?"
"Shut up, honey."