Part 5: Strike of the Evil Cough

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[three and a half years later...]

"Good morning, pet."

"Morning sunshine, what are you doing up so early?"

"I dunno, I just got this weird feeling is all, couldn't sleep... I went to check on Alex."

"Is he okay?" Buffy asked, worriedly.

"Yeah, I guess, he's sleeping like any four year old should. I guess it's just me then."

"Aww poor baby, come here." She opened the covers to let him in.

Spike, not needing to be told twice did as she asked. Once underneath the covers he settled into her open arms, letting her stroke his hair.

"Luv?" Spike questioned, as he ran his hands over the bump of Buffy's belly. He smiled to himself, thinking, she's already showing.

"Hmmm?"

"What you planning for the day?"

"I dunno. After work, we can do whatever you want. What's on your mind?"

Spike sighed. "It's just... I have this feeling that won't go away... and I don't know what the hell it is."

"Describe it, maybe I can help?"

"Never mind, it's probably nothing," Spike said, as his fingers ran over the thin fabric that Buffy wore as a nightgown. "You know, maybe I just thought of something that can help me forget all about the feeling, and create...uhh new, wanted feelings." Spike's mischievous grin appears, and then came the inevitable waggle of a brow.

"Oh, is that right? Do tell." Buffy laughed.

"Well, I could, or..." He let his sentence hang as he showed her instead. Spike lifted the hem of the flimsy nightgown over her thigh, while kissing the hollow of her neck, making his way down.

"Ohh…" Buffy moaned as his hand grazed her inner thigh. "Spike, I'm sure what you have in mind will give me some very wanted feelings too," Buffy said, coyly.

"Oh, yeah?"

"Ohhh yeah. Wait!"

"What? What is it?" Spike asked, alarmed as he felt her body tense up.

"We can't, I'm sorry, baby, but I have to get to work." Then at Spike's and-that's-a-reason? look, she smacked his arm. "Hey, you have work too."

"Oh come on luv, this is way more productive than work. I promise, I'll make you-"

"Spike!" Buffy laughed as she heard and felt him give her a wet raspberry on the inside of her thigh.

He looked up as she laughed. "God, I love that." As her laugh dissolved into even breathing, Spike held her gaze.

Buffy whispered, "Love what, Spike?"

Spike shrugged. "You, everything about you."

Buffy pulled Spike up gently and kissed him chastely on his lips. Then, as if an unexpected wave hit her, she started feeling like something was off.

"What is it? Somethin' wrong, luv?" As he waited for her to respond, he decided to continue with his earlier ministrations and nibbled her shoulder.

"What you said earlier... what you were feeling... What if it's important, what if it means something… what were you thinking- Spi-ike..." The last word was said in a moan; As he was doing something very, very good to the nether region of her body.

"Pet, right now I'm passed thinking, blood is no longer anywhere near my head." Spike crawled his way back up to her, grabbing a hand on his way, and placed it to his burgeoning hardness, for emphasis. He proceeded to nibble on her ear, "See, err feel?"

And that was all it took for Buffy to full heartedly agree. At the first sight of her resignation, he had discarded all of his clothes, which was in total, a pair of old gray sweatpants.

Grinning like a little boy, who had just been given permission to be able to open a birthday present early; he made his way back to his lady love. He inched her cotton panties down, while purring sweet nothings into her ear, and anticipated on entering his very own sweet little sanctuary.

But a soft knock on their bedroom door prevented him from doing just that.

"Bloody hell," Spike bit his lip and then called out, "what is it?"

"Dad?" Alex said, and then a cough escaped his lips.

"Yeah?" Spike replied, then to Buffy, "what was that?" And then he registered the sound behind the door as a cough. "Was that a cough?" The very next moment, he was out of the bed, pulling his pants on, and opened the door. He opened it so fast that he was a millisecond away from tearing the door from its hinges.

The sight of his son tore his heart out. He was standing in his flannel Scoobie pjs and fuzzy Scoobie Doo slippers to match, and he was swaying from foot to foot, looking as if he was about to fall asleep standing. His mouth opened in a yawn. "Dad?"

Spike noticed that he was pale, and his cheeks were flushed. Spike wondered why he didn't realize this moments earlier when he went to check on him. 'Stupid git,' he thought to himself. 'Might as well just stomp on my torn heart and let it wither away.' While he berated himself, he picked Alex up and sat back on the bedside, with Alex in his lap. The next voice he heard, tore him away from his self flagellating thoughts.

"Baby, what's wrong?" Buffy said while reaching for her robe. As she put her arms through the sleeves and tightened the belt at her waist, she scooted closer to Spike. She placed the back of her hand to Alex's forehead. She thought it felt warmer than usual, but not so hot that it was unusual.

"I don't feel so good," came the weak reply.

"Then we're just going to have to fix that, wont we?" Buffy said, softly, as she ran her hand through his hair, brushing back the strands that stuck to his forehead.

Alex nodded in agreement.

"Where does it hurt?" Spike asked, while shifting Alex in his arms so that Alex could lean back onto his chest.

"All over."

"All over?" Spike repeated, looking at Buffy with eyes that said, somebody better fix this now, and even faster still.

Just then, the phone rang. Sighing, Buffy reached over to grab it before another ring could cut through. "Hello? ... Yeah? ... no, we're okay-oh, not okay, it's Alex... He's sick... It's okay, you don't have to come over, we've got it... Yeah, I know... Hmm,mmm... Okay... Might be a while... Yeah, I'm sure. I got it... I'll tell him... Okay, I'll let you know... Bye."

Spike who had heard everything, sighed. "I know, I heard." He looked at Alex. "We'll be okay, wont we? We'll show those evil germs who they are messing with, right? We'll defeat 'em and they'll never want to come back, are you with me?" Spike asked, hoping to raise Alex's spirit.

"Yeah!" Alex exclaimed, already perking up and trying to muster the strength needed so he would be able to help his Dad with their new mission.

"Spike, I'm not going to work," Buffy stated, as she stroked Alex's hair from his forehead.

"No, it's okay luv. We got this."

"Spike?"

He turned to look at her. "We'll be fine," Spike reassured.

Buffy nodded, and then looked at Alex, "Mommy's got to go, okay sweetie? But I'll call you every hour, okay?"

Alex nodded.

Buffy smiled, pulled him to her and felt his head again. "That's my brave soldier. Listen, before I come home I'll be sure to bring you plenty of ice cream and 7up. You'll feel better in no time."

"Choc-late Ice-creammmmm?"

"Is there any other kind?" Buffy smiled as Alex defiantly shook his head no.

"Come on, I'll give you ride back to your room." Spike offered, as Alex was already making a move to ride on his back. "Then, I'll just check on your mum before she leaves." Spike turned his head to look at Alex who was resting his chin on his shoulder. "All systems go?"

"Systems checked, rechecked, and 'eady fo' flight!" Alex laughed.

At the 'go ahead' Spike stood up, while holding onto Alex's legs for his support. "Then after that, you and I are going to start our mission to defeat those little germs."

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TBC…

A/N: Don't worry I didn't forget about the wedding… like that would ever happen =)