Chapter 23
Nighttime trips in the evening had soon become a daily ritual. They kept to the more touristy areas of the city, only venturing into the city when they grew short of supplies.
Buffy and Spike decided to go to their favourite place to unwind, the bay. It was near the old part of town. Eureka had started as a small mining community in the 1800's and had quickly switched to fishing and logging. This was still evident by the many fishing boats moored at the main quay.
They parked up the car not far from the waterfront. Spike eyed the old fashioned buildings; the Victorian style of their architecture brought back stolen memories of a time long since past. He had tried to ignore that fact that they even existed on previous visits, but Buffy had expressed an interest in seeing them tonight, and he hadn't wanted to be the one to deny her what she desired.
Besides, he needed this time away from their current abode, so he just pasted a smile on his face. Unfortunately for him, Buffy noticed his feelings of unease.
"Spike, what's wrong?" she asked.
"Nothing…it's nothing, don't fret about it," he tried to sound indifferent.
"Fine," she sighed and walked ahead of him a little.
Spike picked up his pace, still amazed at the gracefulness of her movements, considering the advanced stage of her pregnancy. He caught up to her and grabbed a hold of her hand, making her stop in the street.
"Sorry, just bad memories. I didn't want to burden you with the ugliness of my past," he admitted.
Buffy looked up at him.
"It's okay, you don't have to tell me anything that you don't want to. I mean well…I hope you will tell me one day, you just don't have to right now," she explained.
"Sorry pet, it's just all this someone caring for me and how I feel…it takes a lot of getting used to," he replied apologetically.
"We are both on a learning curve here, we'll figure it out together,"
They stopped to look at the water. Spike stood behind her, encircling her in his arms. His hands splayed on her belly. She rested her own hands over his as she leaned back against him in contentment.
"What are you thinking about?" he asked her.
"How happy I am and…and…Spike do you think I will be a good mother?" she asked hesitantly.
Spike frowned behind her. She could feel his annoyance.
"I didn't read any where in those pregnancy books, where it said you should expect your partner to lose IQ points during pregnancy, and stop fishing for compliments Buffy you know you will make a great mother," he growled.
"Well, maybe I lost I.Q. points when I was mad enough to hook up with you," she teased.
Spike grinned and kissed the top of her head.
"This is our last night of it being just us. Your friends will be arriving tomorrow, I am going to miss this," sighed Spike regretfully.
"Me too, just think in a couple of days the twins could be here,"
"Then we will be knee deep in smelly diapers and baby vomit," he replied.
"I was thinking more along the lines, that we would be a family, but yeah to the other stuff too, I guess,"
Spike looked out towards the quay, watching the ferry come in.
"Will you be okay for a few minutes, I've just had an idea. A little surprise for you, to celebrate our last night alone,"
"So basically in your own way of saying things, you want me to bugger off for a moment?" she asked.
"Could you? Maybe later when we are alone, you could cuss some more? I love it when you use the words bugger and bloody and…" he whispered the last word in her ear.
She thumped his arm playfully, before glancing behind her.
"There's a couple of little antique stores across the street, might go and check those out," she replied.
They walked off in opposite directions; Buffy crossed the street and entered the first store that she came to. The door jangled loudly as she entered. An old man came in from out the back. He smiled at her warmly Buffy returned his smile.
"Can I help you with anything Miss?" he asked
"I was just kinda looking, nice shop," she replied.
"Thank you, you must be here on vacation am I right?" asked the man.
"Does it show that much? My fiancé are sort of having a little break before the babies are born, " Buffy replied.
"Children are wonderful, they make a person feel alive," smiled the man.
He sat down behind the counter, retrieving a newspaper from behind it, he began to peruse the pages. Buffy studied the shelves; some of them were gathering a little dust. She wiped her finger along the shelf as she stopped at a small leather bound volume of English poetry. Buffy removed it from the shelf and opened it.
She loved poetry she always had, although she knew that she had no talent in that direction herself. Buffy smiled as she turned the page, reading a long ago handwritten dedication to a loved one. The ink was faded and smudged in a couple of places as if tears had once fallen on it.
"Ah that's a first edition Miss, printed around 1860. It was brought over by a young couple from England, newly weds. They settled in the town, it was passed from generation to generation. The family that owned it died out around ten years ago and a distant relative sold off their estate. I couldn't resist buying it, but it seems everyone else has, because here it has sat for the last ten years,"
Buffy looked at it, and thought of Spike. A special gift should only be given in love to someone special…
"How much do you want for it?" she asked
The man smiled at her.
"For such a beautiful lady…one hundred dollars, including tax,""Oh, I don't have that sort of money on me, do you except charge?" asked Buffy.
"We may be an antique store, but we do move with the times, charge will be fine. Do you want it gift wrapped too?" he asked as he swiped the card.
Buffy looked out of the window, she could see Spike about to cross the road. She quickly signed the receipt.
"Uh, no thanks. Just put it in a bag that will be fine,"
She took the bag and concealed it inside her jacket. Spike entered the shop.
"Every thing okay love?" he asked.
"Yeah, just having a look around," she replied.
Buffy slipped her arm through Spike's.
"C'mon where's the surprise you promised me?" she asked as she led him towards the door.
"I've booked us a couple of tickets on the ferry, it's the last sailing for tonight,"
"Oh, that's great. It's like forever since I've been on a boat," she said excitedly.
"It's only a trip around the harbour love, but I thought it would be a nice end to our time alone here, before the masses descend on us tomorrow," he replied.
They walked up the walkway and took a seat out on deck. As it moved off the quay, Buffy snuggled in closer to him.
"I was talking to the captain, he says that this ferry will be 90 years old next year. It's the oldest passenger vessel in the whole of the U.S. So she's quite an old lady, still not as old as me though," he grinned.
"I must have a thing for older guys," she mused.
"Talking of older guys, wonder how Angel is going to take the news of us, and them" asked Spike as he patted her belly.
Buffy looked up at him.
"No need to look so pleased with yourself. He'll find out soon enough I guess, but I don't want to talk about that right now,"
"Sure, suits me fine," he replied.
"Talking of old things…I have a little present for you,"
"What do you mean?" he asked.
"You know, the bit where you give someone you love and care about a little token of that love," she said ironically.
"I get that part. Despite appearances I am not quite as dumb as I look," he replied.
Buffy took the bag from her inner coat pocket and handed it to him. His hands were shaking slightly as he took it from her fingers. He removed the book from the bag and looked at it.
Buffy frowned as he continued to remain silent.
"What's the matter don't you like it?" she asked.
"How did you know?" he asked quietly.
"Know what?" she asked in confusion.
"That I love poetry," he replied.
"I didn't. I love poetry myself. I just thought it would be a nice thing to sometimes do, you know read poems together. Read the dedication that the original gift giver wrote when they gave it to their sweetheart," she sighed.
Spike opened the book to read the dedication.
To My Darling Eleanor,
On this beautiful day May the 20th 1860,
You Became My Wife,
May our life together…
Always Bring a Smile to Your Face
Joy to Your HeartAnd Poetry to Your Soul
Your devoted Husband John.
Spike looked up from the book at Buffy.
"What if I can't give you all that?" he asked.
"Don't you know that you already have?" she replied.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
Giles, Xander, Anya fumbled their way through the darkened sewer tunnels beneath Sunnydale.
"Ew, disgusting and stinky…what does this place remind me of…oh I know your parents basement, that's it," Anya said to Xander.
"Thanks sweetie, you know how to make a person feel good, as always," he replied dryly.
Giles rolled his eyes as he adjusted his overnight bag on his shoulder.
"Look, we just turn left here and then up the ladder. We're almost beneath the parking lot of the mall if my estimations are correct," said Giles.
"Smart idea to give Willow the money and get her friend to hire the car. I mean she's not important so there's no chance she will have been followed by anyone," said Anya
"Ah, here we are," said Giles as stopped at a ladder.
He began to clamber up it and he slipped off the manhole cover and climbed out onto the pavement. Anya and Xander followed, all of them grateful to be breathing clean fresh air, quickly followed him.
"Attract attention much you guys! Over here," hissed Willow, they looked around blankly at each other.
They spotted Willow and made their way over to her. Xander dumped his and Anya's bags in the trunk. Tara was sitting in the driver's seat of the hired car.
She smiled nervously at everyone as she got out of the vehicle. Willow went to stand next to Tara.
"Guys meet Tara, she is my…"
"Friend," interrupted Tara, hastily.
"Friend…and she has agreed to help us or should I say Buffy," said Willow.
"Hi Tara nice to meet you," said Xander as he held out a hand.
Xander could already tell he was going to like Willows new friend, she had a kind face and a shy smile. Well they would soon cure her of her shyness if she were going to be spending a lot of time with them, he thought wryly.
They all welcomed her without question. Giles looked around uneasily.
"We have to be on our way. The longer we stand around here the more chance we have of discovery," said Giles.
"Good point, the English "men in black" have an uncanny knack of locating us," said Xander.
"I hope you remembered to bring lots of pointy weapons with you," asked Anya.
"Sure, I took most of what Buffy keeps in our dorm room," Willow assured her.
"Time is marching forward," Giles reminded them as they got in the car.
"How to make a road trip fun in one easy step, take a father figure with you," said Xander ironically.
Giles turned and looked at Xander, the irritation was plain for all to see.
"This is not meant to be fun. Buffy is out there, she needs our help. We are on our way to give that help," snapped Giles.
Xander flushed guilty.
"Sorry, I wasn't thinking, just letting my mouth run away with me as usual," said Xander quietly.
"Well Giles is right, there is nothing more annoying than people who blurt out rude inappropriate comments when ever they feel like it," said Anya airily.
Anya totally missed the look of astonishment and disbelief on the faces of her travelling companions.
"Um…er…I think maybe a little music might be in order," said Giles as he switched on the radio.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
Quentin Travers was napping on the sofa in his hotel suite. He awoke with a start at the knock on the door. His personal assistant entered the room.
"Any news?" drawled Quentin.
"I think you will be pleased with what we have discovered, we now have a location for Miss Summers. It seems that she used a credit card for a purchase in some antiques shop," said the man.
"Where?" asked Travers impatiently.
"Eureka. Seems that they are still in California Sir,"
Quentin sprang to his feet with renewed vigour.
"Have the car brought around and call in the men," said Quentin as he walked off the bathroom.
Miss Summers had given him just the opening he had been looking for. They may not have an exact location on the slayer and her vampire, but at least it was a start.
* * * * * * * * * * *
Buffy awoke to the smell of freshly brewing coffee. The smell of it no longer made her nauseous, as it had done in the earlier days.
"So you are awake then lazy bones?" teased Spike as he appeared, to stand in the doorway.
She gave a sleepy yawn and held out a hand for him to join her on the bed.
"Ah, I know you and your tricks love, anything to get me into bed," he grinned.
He came and sat on the edge of the bed, taking her hand and kissing it.
"How well you know me," she laughed.
"Sorry, but I have breakfast on the stove," he apologised.
He got up and left the room. Buffy sank back against the pillows, and stretched on in the bed. She still felt a little tired. It was very difficult to get comfortable in bed anymore due to her size.
Spike appeared a few minutes later carrying a tray laden with toast and scrambled eggs and bacon and coffee. He had the volume of poetry tucked under his arm. Buffy sat up in bed.
"Looks great," she said enthusiastically.
"It's nothing," he replied.
"You know I just realised another of the pros of having a vampire boyfriend," said Buffy.
"What's that?" asked Spike.
"Well, at least you will never expect me to cook you a fancy meal or anything. Even I can't screw up heating blood in a microwave, my cooking skills are sadly lacking," she sighed.
"Yeah, but you make up for it in other departments. Now eat your breakfast, you could do with fattening up!"
Buffy looked down at her swollen belly.
"Are you sure about that?"
Spike arched an eyebrow at her.
"Thought you might like to hear a poem from that lovely gift you gave me," suggested Spike.
"Mmmmmm," she nodded in agreement, as her mouth was full of breakfast.
Spike opened the book at the page. He already knew which one he wanted to share with her. It had been one of his favourites in life.
"This is in the words of another English bad boy, Lord Byron…
SHE walks in beauty, like the night…
"Ah, I know this one. Our lecturer read it on the first day in class…" she sighed.
Spike looked at her in annoyance.
"Sorry, carry on," she blushed.
Of cloudless climes and starry skies,
And all that's best of dark and brightMeets in her aspect and her eyes;
Thus mellow'd to that tender light
Which Heaven to gaudy day denies
One shade the more, one ray the less,
Had half impair'd the nameless grace
Which waves in every golden tress
"Golden tress? I thought it was raven tress…""Bleedin' hell woman have you never heard of artistic licence? I was thinking of you when I changed it,"
"Sorry, shutting up now," she grinned, kissing his shoulder.
Or softly lightens o'er her face,
Where thoughts serenely sweet express
How pure, how dear their dwelling-place
And on that cheek and o'er that brow
So soft, so calm, yet eloquent,
The smiles that win, the tints that glow
But tell of days in goodness spent,
A mind at peace with all below,
A heart whose love is innocent.
"That was lovely, even with my interruptions," she sighed.
Spike closed the book.
"That's enough poetry for now. It was a lovely gift Buffy, however did you afford it? I mean I have been holding on to the money ever since we got here," said Spike.
"A girl never reveals her sources," she said mysteriously.
"Buffy?"
"Yes,"
"Please don't tell me that you used your credit card," asked Spike.
"Why?" She frowned.
"Don't you ever watch the movies pet? That's the first thing the bad guys check when hunting down the runaways," said Spike.
Buffy bit her lip as tears sprang to her eyes.
"I'm so sorry I just didn't think. I just wanted to…"
Buffy burst into tears, Spike took her in his arms. He reached for the box of tissues from the bedside table and passed her one, taking one for himself.
"I wasn't angry with you, just…"
There was a knock at the cabin door. They both looked at each other, sensing as well as seeing each other's fear.
TBC
A/N Thank you to every one for reading and reviewing!