Chapter 22
"Is that a trick question?" she grinned, her smile faded as she read the sincerity on his face.
Spike looked at her, the hope, and the fear shining in his eyes. She was completely taken off guard by his impromptu proposal. She walked over to a nearby chair and sat down on it, feeling slightly dazed. Spike hung his head and looked at the floor, Buffy felt his disappointment and shot up off the chair, realising her behaviour had caused him pain.
She realised her mistake at her delay in answering, especially when she already knew what she wanted to say, and what she felt in her heart.
A mischievous smile spread across her face as she lifted his chin to meet his gaze. Buffy's smile almost wavered as she saw the beginnings of tears in his eyes. She took a deep breath before answering.
"It's just so sudden…I don't know what to say," she grinned up at him.
Spike looked at her and growled, before playing her little game.
"Just say yes and make me the happiest man on earth,"
"Oh, Spike of course it's yes!" she giggled before jumping into his arms.
Spike grabbed her, as she wrapped her legs around him, he kissed her soundly. Before slowly lowering her, back onto her feet. He took her hand and removed the heavy silver ring from her other hand and slid it on to her engagement finger. His eyes never leaving her face the whole time.
"You remembered my first proposal," he mused.
"Duh, how often does a girl get asked for her hand in marriage? Even if it was because of a spell, anyway you didn't seem to have any trouble recalling the incident either," she sighed.
"No, but that was because I lived it in my head a thousand times over. Buffy, when that spell ended, it was like hell. In those few hours that we were engaged I had had a million ideas of how I was going to make you happy for the rest of your life," he admitted.
"We're both dumb asses!" she groaned.
Spike grinned.
"Let's hope our offspring are more intelligent, and think about it Buffy, if I had told you how I still felt after the spell, I would have ended up on the wrong side of a pointy piece of wood," he replied.
"No, never that, but I was mad at Willow," she admitted.
"For the spell?"
"No for making me admit to myself that I had feelings for you," she replied.
Spike still held her hand in his; he looked at the silver ring as it rested on her finger.
"You deserve something better than this," he eyed it distastefully.
"I have something better than that, you. You know what else I regret about that time?" she asked.
"No, what?" he replied.
"That we never got to do that sweet love making that we talked about while planning our wedding," she giggled.
Spike patted the slight roundness of her belly.
"Think we've kind of made up for that, wouldn't you say?" he asked.
* * * * * * * * * *
They had thoroughly explored every corner of the cabin it had just four rooms. A good sized bedroom, a bathroom and a kitchen and living area. It was compact, but well stocked; the only thing missing was blood. After Spike and Buffy had spent the rest of their first day in their new home, they had waited until nightfall to venture in to the city centre. Spike parked up the car in one of the parking lots of the main mall.
They walked hand in hand to Walmart, stopping out side the store.
"C'mon should be able to get your blood here," said Buffy.
"Are you sure?" asked Spike uncertainly.
"You're in my country now Spike, Walmart stocks everything from exotic pets to toilet paper," she grinned as they entered the store.
She pulled an "I told you face" as they exited the store half an hour later with various bags. They got back into the car, both enjoying the peace after so many troubled times. Spike sagged against the leather seat as he closed the door.
"Are you okay?" she asked in concern.
"Came over a bit funny there, I think I need some blood, it's been a while," he replied.
Buffy reached over into the back seat and took one of the bags of pig's blood from the shopping bags. She passed it to him; he took it and turned away from her. Buffy guessed his reason for it. She tried to turn his head to look at her, but he resisted.
"Spike, for hecks sake, I have seen you in game face a million times before. Now you decide to go all coy about it?"
He stopped drinking, and turned back to face her. His yellow eyes shining in the dark, Spike put the bag back to his lips and carried on feeding. His eyes never leaving hers the whole time.
"It's just different now, " he mumbled.
He finished the last drops of blood, throwing the empty container on the backseat.
"Never be ashamed of what you are Spike, not any more," she told him firmly.
He felt moved by her words, searching desperately for a diversion before he made a complete fool of himself.
"Feel like going back to the cabin just yet?" he asked.
"No, not really. What did you have in mind?" she asked.
"Fancy a walk along the harbour?"
"Yeah, I'm up for it. I could do with some normal couply time where we are not being chased or on the road, " Buffy sighed.
Spike drove to Humboldt Bay, they had passed it on their way to the cabin earlier in the day, but there had been little time to enjoy its beauty. They sat in the parked car for several moments; the screeching of gulls could be heard as well as the gentle noises of waves lapping at the jetty.
"I feel so relaxed, I can hardly be bothered to move,"
"Stop that Summers, otherwise we'll never get out of the car," he said.
"Would it be so bad? Must be that sea air making me so sleepy," she yawned.
"That's it!"
Spike got out of the car, went over to her side, and opened her door.
"We are going to have a walk along the quay even if it kills me," he grumbled.
Noticing his slightly snarky mood. She got out of the car and slammed the door hard. Spike flinched at the loud bang; he knelt down to inspect the paintwork.
Buffy hauled him to his feet.
"Hey, you shouldn't be doing that. Not in your condition," he growled.
"Yeah, cos now I'm pregnant I'm helpless. I could still take you in a fight," she said challengingly.
"Whatever, it's not going to happen," he said as he started to stride off.
"Save me from chauvinist pigs," she muttered under her breath as she followed him.
"I heard that,"
"Good," she replied as she caught up to him.
They walked along in silence, with just the sound of the water; to break the stillness. The moon was high in the sky, Buffy stopped to gaze up at it.
Spike observed her.
"Wishing for the moon, love?" he asked.
"Cute Spike, actually I was thinking about that walk along the beach we shared back in England…and that maybe we should thank Travers after all," said Buffy.
"What the bloody hell for?" asked Spike.
"For this," she touched her tummy briefly. "And this time here away from everything, I mean my friends have been really good about everything, a lot better than I thought they would be. But I am still at the wanting you all to myself stage," she admitted.
"Well, maybe your friends realised that it's your life what ever they feel about it. And Buffy I'm yours no matter what distractions the future may hold,"
Buffy led Spike over to a cast iron bench. They sat down and she rested her head on his shoulder.
"I feel all sleepy, sing me a song," she asked softly.
Spike looked around the quay, apart from a few illuminated windows of some of the bigger boats; it was more or less deserted.
"Sure okay, but no Britney do you hear," he growled in her ear.
Buffy giggled at the shared memory, what little she could remember of it.
"Wouldn't dream of it," she replied.
"Anything against a little Aerosmith? He asked. "There's a song of theirs that reminds me of you," he finished.
"Sure as long as it's not "Dude look like a lady," she teased.
Several moments passed and he had still not sung. She looked up at him seeing the look of concentration on his face as he cleared his throat and began.
I could stay awake just to hear you breathing,
Watch you smile while you are sleeping,
While you are far away and dreaming,
I could spend my life in this sweet surrender,
I could stay lost in this moment forever,
Where a moment spent with you is a moment I treasure,
I
don't want to close my eyes, I don't want to fall asleep,
Cause I miss you baby, And I don't want to miss a thing,
Cause even when I dream of you, the sweetest dream will never do,
I still miss you baby and I don't want to miss a thing
Lying
close to you feeling your heart beating,
And I wonder what you are dreaming,
Wondering if it's me you are seeing,
Then I kiss your eyes and thank god we're together,
I just want to stay with you in this moment forever and forever forever
Spike stopped singing and looked down at her, Buffy's eyes were closed, and there was a contented smile on her face.
"You still awake?" he asked.
"Course I am, just living the moment, that was beautiful," she said as she opened her eyes to look at him.
"No, you're the beautiful one, for loving someone like me," he replied.
"Don't you get it yet? That part is easy," she replied.
Buffy gently kissed him, a shiver running through her.
"You're cold, maybe we should be getting back to the cabin it's getting late," said Spike.
"Yeah, maybe we should," she sighed regretfully.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Travers sat on the couch of his hotel suite. He was staying in the best hotel in Sunnydale; he had been there for three days now. Unable to leave his room, as he did not want to alert Mr Giles or any of Buffy's friends to his whereabouts. When his men had made their ill-timed approach to Miss Summers a UC Sunnydale, he had only just arrived in Sunnydale and was on his way from the airport in his chauffeur driven car.
A smug self-satisfied smile rested on his features as he studied the blurry photographs of Buffy and Spike, when they had been caught kissing outside her mother's home.
It seemed mission had been accomplished after all…but three days ago just when he had thought Buffy was in his grasp she had slipped away with the vampire, aided by her friends. He sighed, it was so much easier controlling the last slayer, she had had no friends to speak of, Buffy was different she was headstrong and independent. Neither of them qualities he admired in a slayer.
There was a knock at the door of his hotel suite; one of his aides entered the room.
"Excuse me sir, we have just got a hold of Mr Giles credit card records, they make for interesting reading. The other friends have not used theirs recently so nothing damning to report there," said the aide as he handed them to Mr Travers.
"Thank you, that will be all," said Quentin as he took them from him.
He studied the papers he had been given.
"So Rupert, been buying baby supplies for the happy couple have we?" asked Quentin out aloud.
He threw the papers down on the coffee table, and rubbed at his eyes tiredly. They may have escaped him yet again, but one of them was bound to make a mistake and soon.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
"I hate all this not knowing if they are okay," said Xander.
"Sweetie, you said they, does that mean you care about Spike too?" asked Anya.
Xander ignored her comment and turned to face Giles.
"You all know the plan, I am to join them both sometime in the middle of next week. Buffy will be in the later stages of her pregnancy by then," said Giles.
"And that will help how? Unless you intend to birth her babies," asked Willow.
Giles looked annoyed at himself.
"Bloody hell, I hadn't thought of that. I was going to go alone. Looks like I will have to take some kind of medic with me," sighed Giles.
"Outside help? Too risky," said Xander.
The gang all looked at each other, hoping one of them would come up with a solution to the current dilemma. After several minutes and discarded ideas, Willow interrupted the debate.
"Oh, I know someone that could help. She's totally trustworthy and she has actually birthed a baby before," said Willow enthusiastically.
"Who?" asked Anya, Giles, and Xander in unison.
"My friend Tara, she helped one of her cousins when they didn't make it to the hospital on time. We were talking about it only the other night, what with all the baby stuff going on around here," said Willow.
"Okay, ask your friend Willow, but at the first sign anything is not right with Buffy, we make for the nearest hospital, and damn the consequences," said Giles.
Willow nodded in agreement, and got up to leave.
"I'm on it," she said as she closed the door.
"Do you think that's wise?" asked Xander.
"What choice do we have in the circumstances?" asked Giles.
"You could have asked me," pouted Anya.
"Why would we do that hun?" asked Xander in confusion.
"I've birthed babies before, maybe not of the human variety, crotox demons, scaly little suckers, five heads, " she rambled.
"Tara, sounds a great choice," said Xander desperately, while watching his girlfriend.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
"Buffy, please we've been here a week now, I have to get out of the woods. If I see another fluffy bunny or cute little squirrel I won't be responsible for what happens," growled Spike.
"Cabin fever much?" she asked,
Buffy sighed as she too was feeling the isolation of their surroundings.
"I guess one little trip into town won't hurt," she allowed.
Spike took her in his arms, not able to get as close as either of them would like, with her ever-expanding belly coming between them. He stepped back and rested his hands on her stomach possessively. He bent his head to kiss her, his eyes widened as a tiny limb kicked against his hands. It wasn't the first time he had felt his children move within her, but it never failed to bring a lump to his throat.
"Did you feel that love?" he asked.
"Kinda hard to miss it," she smiled tenderly at him and shaking her head.
She looked at his face, the breath catching in her throat. She knew with an absolute inner certainty that he was going to make a wonderful father. Better by far, than her, own had ever been. She felt a sorrow rush over her.
"Buffy? What's wrong?" asked Spike as he felt her sadness.
"Nothing really, just thinking about my dad and how you are nothing like him thank God," she smiled.
"Flattery will get you everywhere, don't waste your heart on that poor excuse for a man. If I ever get this chip out of my head, would you like me to pay him a house call?" asked Spike jokingly.
"Tempting, but no," she giggled as her mood elevated.
"Fine, any time you change your mind…"
"Spike behave, you're too bad,"
"I'm starting to think that's why you find me so hot,"
"That and other things," she grinned as she trailed her fingers down his arm.
Spike touched the tip of his tongue to his lower lip.
"A few hours to kill until sundown, you up for it pet?" he asked motioning towards the bedroom with a tilt of his head.
"Do you need to ask? And by the looks of you, I would say you are already up for it," she teased as her eyes travelled down to his lower body.
"Always for you, and only for you love," he smiled as he swept her off her feet and carried her to the bedroom.
They kissed lovingly.
"God, you weigh a ton," he growled as he kicked the door shut behind them.
TBC
A/N Thanks to everyone for reading and reviewing. Sorry if I came over all song ficcy in that chapter, I just can't resist the idea of Spike doing a little singing from time to time.