Spike glanced at Buffy who was sleeping soundly beside him. She had been so exhausted that he had commanded her to go to sleep. She had protested at first, telling him that she didn't want to sleep until they'd found Anne. He'd told her that she would be no use in finding Anne if she was too exhausted to think straight.

Then he had dumped her in bed, removed all her clothes and tucked her in. He lay down next to her, curling his body round her side protectively.

He himself hadn't been able to sleep. Anne meant the world to him and he wasn't going to just wait around. He was sure that Angel knew more than he was letting on.

Making sure that Buffy was indeed fast asleep, he climbed carefully out of the bed and got dressed.

He glanced back at Buffy, went back to her and brushed a light kiss over her lips.

"I love you" he whispered.

Then he left their room to explore the hotel.

After searching for a couple of hours, Spike approached a staircase which led to the basement. He detected the smell of blood in the air.

'This must be where Angel stores his blood,' he thought. His stomach rumbled loudly. How long had it been since he'd eaten?

He whistled as he went down the stairs, in search of a midnight snack.

Spike came to a locked and bolted heavy iron door. 'Key key where's the key?' he sing-songed in his head. Angel really didn't like to share with others, keeping his food locked away with this much security.

"Spike? What are you doing up?"

"Gaaah!" He whirled around. "Give a bloke a warning before you do that!"

"Sorry," Angel apologised.

"Don't suppose you'd have the key would ya?"

"Key? No. I don't think I've ever been down here," Angel said, unemotionally.

Spike raised an eyebrow: Angel was acting rather strangely.

"Well in that case, let's open her up," he rubbed his hands together and grinned. "I'll go on the left, you go on the right. I'm sure two master vampires can shoulder this thing open."

He and Angel worked together to shoulder open the door. It completely flew off its hinges with their combined vampire strength.

Spike blinked, trying to get his eyes accustomed to the gloom. He got fed up waiting and vamped out.

His demonic golden eyes looked clearly into the dank basement. He didn't notice anything at first, until his eyes settled on a large pile of rags in the corner of the room. A pile of rags that was moving.

"Angel, someone's down he..." he managed to get out before he felt a sharp pain at the back of his head and everything went black.

When he came to, he found himself chained to a pipe. He gave his bindings an experimental tug to test their strength, to his dismay he realised that he wouldn't be able to break free.

He felt a hand at the back of his head and winced when it prodded he sore spot on his head.

"Watch it would ya!" he grumbled and opened his eyes.

"Sor-ry, just trying to help you know! Next time I won't bother."

He turned and faced his fellow captive. He had to do a double take, as he didn't recognise her at first.

"Cordelia?" he said incredulously.

Her clothes were torn and her hair matted. She was covered in dirt, face grubby but clear in streaks that her tears had left behind. Spike could clearly see her ribs through a rather large hole in her shirt. There was no telling how long she'd been there. Though he was sure it had been quite a while.

"The one and only." She managed to give him a weak smile.

"Whats going on?" he whispered.

"Angel's gone mad. One minute he's fine, but the next..." She drew in a deep breath. "And you don't have to whisper. He won't be back for a while," she told him shakily.

"Jesus! The eternal torment, demon constantly fighting against his humanity. The things Angelus did years ago, let's just say that I'm a cuddly bunny compared to him. It must have been tearing him apart for too long."

She crawled round to sit in front of him so that he could see her better, given his restrictive confinement, he couldn't move as much as her.

That was when he noticed the sleeping bundle she carried in her arms.

"Anne!"

Cordelia was about to protest when he reached out and took the baby from her, but she could soon tell that he wasn't going to do anything to harm her.

Cuddling her tiny form to his chest, he carefully checked her over for any injuries.

"I swear, if that bastard has hurt her in any way, he's going to wish he's dead!"

Satisfied that his daughter was in one piece, though slightly grubby, he tucked her in the crook of his arm and wrapped the edge of his duster around her.

Cordelia had watched in awe at the tender, gentle way that Spike cared for the baby. It was a strong contrast to the last time she had seen him. Torturing Angel for the Gem of Amara.

Spike looked up at Cordelia and was about to inquire as to what she was staring at, when she fell backwards clutching her head in pain.

"Cordelia!" he cried worriedly. Spike couldn't do anything but watch helplessly as she writhed around on the floor in agony.

She was in the midst of a vision. Different images flooded through her brain.

She sat up gasping, got herself under control and looked up into his eyes "You... you got your soul back?" she asked in shock.

Spike narrowed his eyes in suspicion.

"How did you know that?"

"I get visions, from the Powers That Be, it's my gift. Shame they didn't warn me about this though," she gave him a sad smile. "A soul? Why?" she prodded gently.

"Because I love her," he said simply.

"I saw what happened, and I saw your vow to change for her. What you did took a lot of courage," she told him.

"I'd do anything for her."

"I know."

"Is that right?"

"Spike, how do you know the baby?" she asked curiously.

Spike glanced down at his still sleeping daughter with pride. "She's my little girl."

"Yours? Your daughter?" Cordelia asked, wide eyed.

"Yup, mine and Buffy's."

"Yours and Buffy's?" she echoed. "But. how? I didn't think it was possible for vampires to have children."

"She's our miracle. She was kidnapped, Buffy and I came here after finding no trace of her in Sunnyhell. I went looking for food, got knocked out, The End."

"Buffy? Buffy's here? Where?"

"She's in bed, sleeping. She was so tired."

"She'll come looking for you though? Right?"

"Yeah. but how will she know to look down here?" he asked.

Cordelia thought for a moment. "I think I have a plan," she smiled. Buffy awoke early the next morning. She reached out for Spike but discovered that he was missing. The next thing she noticed was how hot it was.

Angel must not realise how high he's got the heat on, she thought.

She decided to wait for Spike or Angel to wake up. She sat on the couch near the front desk of the hotel and absently flipped through a magazine.

Ten minutes later she took off her jacket. The heat was increasing by the minute.

Back in the basement, Cordelia was getting more and more light-headed. She felt like she was an ice lolly in a microwave. She had turned the thermostat up to its highest level.

Turning to Spike she asked, "Are you sure this plan will work?"

"Should do, pet. Angel won't notice the heat 'cos it doesn't affect us vampires. Buffy should come straight down here to figure out how to turn it down. Besides, it was your plan."

"It's alright for you," she grumbled.

Anne had woken up and was fussing, making Spike more and more frustrated. He held her close to his cool body so that she wouldn't be so hot.

"Do you have another suggestion?" he snapped.

"I think..." Cordelia started.

"Shhh, I think I hear something," he interrupted.

He could hear approaching footsteps, but he wasn't sure if it was Angel or Buffy.

Then he heard someone whistling 'Wind beneath my wings' and knew it was her.

"BUFFY!" He shouted at the top of his lungs, causing Anne to let out a squark of protest. "BUFFY!" he tried again, this time covering his daughter's ears.

Then Cordelia joined in too. They shouted for about a minute until a loud banging was heard at the blocked doorway.

"BUFFY!" Cordy shouted.

"You can stop now pet, she's coming."

"Spike?" came a muffled shout.

"Love I'm stuck in here," he called back

"OK! Hang on, I'll get you out."

Two really loud bangs were heard.

"That poor door," Cordelia said.

"Shut up! You stupid bint," Spike told her.

She was about to argue back when the door burst off its hinges for the second time.

Buffy rushed into the room. "Spike are you OK? Cordelia, what happened to you?" Her brow creased with worry.

"Hey Luv, look who I found." Spike took Anne out from the folds of his duster.

"Anne!" Buffy let out a cry of joy and took her daughter into her arms.

She held her for a few minutes, just happy and so relieved to have her baby back in one piece, while Spike filled her in on how they'd gotten into the basement. She didn't question Spike's story and just looked grim when he told her about how Angel had lost his mind.

"Buffy, don't mean to interrupt, but could you get us the hell out of these chains?" Cordelia complained.

"Right! Of course!" She handed Anne back to Spike and snapped the chain tying Cordelia to the pole in half.

"Wow! She's way stronger than you," she told Spike.

He just raised an eyebrow at her.

Buffy was struggling with Spike's chains.

"This one is made of stronger stuff," she complained. "I think I'm gonna have to look for something to break it with. I think I saw a saw in the other room, I'll be right back."

She got up and left the room. In her haste she didn't notice Angel standing in the doorway.

"Hello Lover," he said before he picked her up and threw her back into the room. She hit the wall hard and slumped to the floor. She didn't get back up.

Spike could only look on in horror.

He handed Anne to Cordelia. "Get her out of here when you get the chance," he instructed.

He looked over at Buffy's still form and felt a burning rage go through him. He let out an inhuman roar and with a sudden burst of strength managed to snap his bindings.

He lunged at Angel who ducked the blow and kicked Spike in the stomach.

"Oof! You hurt her. I'll kill you for that."

Spike unleashed all of his anger on Angel. They fought with fist and fangs. They were both evenly matched in strength, but Spike had a wilder, more emotional fighting technique that let him get the upper hand. Spike kicked Angel in the crotch and Angel collapsed to the floor in agony.

Spike stared down at Angel with pity and disgust.

"What am I going to do about you then, mate? I don't think I can let you go this time."

"Spike! Go to hell!" Angel glared back, eyes flashing with madness. "You won't kill me!"

Angel gasped and turned round in disbelief before he crumbled to dust.

"He won't. But I will." Cordelia stood weilding a sharp stake, and still holding Anne carefully.

She turned to Spike who had crawled over to Buffy. She opened her mouth to say something, then decided that it was best to leave them alone.

Buffy lay on her stomach on the floor, unconscious.

Spike cradled her head in his lap and stroked her hair.

"Buffy... Buffy wake up," Spike whispered gently.

"Spike?" she murmured, her eyes fluttering open.

"It's alright Luv. Angel's gone, it's all OK," he comforted her.

"It hurts."

"I know Kitten, but you'll get over him..."

"No... It hurts."

She rolled over slowly and indicated the metal rod embedded deeply in her side.

Spike looked at her, eyes wide with shock and fear.

Her eyelids started to flutter closed.

"Buffy! No! You're going to be OK, just stay awake, I'll get you to the hospital!" his eyes filled with tears.

Cordelia ran out of the room to phone an ambulance.

"Spike. Take care of Anne," she whispered, grasping for his hand.

He covered her hand with his.

"Buffy, please. Don't talk like that, you're going to be fine," he said desperately.

"I love you."

Her eyes closed and she became still.

"Buffy! BUFFY! No! Don't go, I need you, I love you so much please, please wake up."

He began to sob, tears spilling freely from his eyes.

"Please," he uttered his final plea.

He pulled her into his arms and held her as his sobs wracked through his body. He knew that he didn't want to be alive in a world that she wasn't in. But he knew that she would want him to heed her final words. He had a daughter to take care of, she was going to have to be raised without a mother and Spike knew that he was going to be around to make sure that she was raised right.

It's what she would have wanted. The End