EPILOGUE: Thank you.
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A few years later…
"Dad?"
"hmmm-mpf"
"Dad, wake up, come on."
"What? What is it?" Spike asked as he sat up and rubbed the sleep from his eyes. When they focused onto his son, in pjs wearing an anxious expression, he moved with a start, but when he noticed Alex was wearing a helmet, he flopped back into bed.
"Mo-om!"
"Baby, just get up, you promise," Buffy mumbled to Spike.
"I did not promise to do it at..." Spike turned to check the clock. "At five-twenty in the bloody a.m."
"Hello? I'm right here. And you said first thing in the morning," Alex said as he nudged his dad to get up. "It's morning now."
"First thing, when I get up. And since I'm not up yet, then-" At Alex's expectant glare, Spike turned to his wife for help. But instead was met with a glare similar to the one his son was wearing. "Fine, fine, I'm up, I'm getting up." He looked at Alex, and scanned him head to toe, "Better get your shoes on then, I'll be only a minute."
At that Alex turned and ran out the door. "Thanks dad."
Spike stood up to stretch. "You know he got that look from you."
"What look?" Buffy asked, already knowing what look he meant.
"You know, the look. The look that always makes me... do stuff."
"Right." Buffy said as she got up also, slipping on her slippers. "Like you weren't going to give in anyway. Besides, you should know, he got his persistence from you." Buffy walked over to Spike and kissed his cheek. "And good morning, love."
Spike sighed and grinned at the thought of his son, then turned to his wife, "Good morning, baby." Spike said, pulling Buffy closer to him, till a voice coming from downstairs was heard.
"Da-aad?"
"Okay, okay I'm comin," Spike called back, kissing Buffy on the temple. "We're gonna finish that morning kiss later," Spike said as he pulled on his docs, not bothering with socks. And he was out the door before the laces were tied. Then an instant later, he came back in to grab a shirt. "Alex needs to concentrate... don't want the neighbors ogling and distractin' him... any other day I wouldn't mind what the neighbors think." He mumbled as he ran out the door again.
Buffy smiled and shook her head.
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"Okay, remember what I told you, just look ahead and don't worry about moving the handle bars just yet, just keep-"
"Peddling, I know."
"Right," Spike said with a firm grip on the back of the seat of the bike. They were just about to start moving when Spike heard the sound of footsteps, so Spike held the bike still.
Buffy was walking to them, holding onto the hand of their daughter, Joan.
Spike smiled, and when they got closer he bent down to kiss his little girl. "Morning, sweetness."
"Mornin' daddy."
Spike took a moment to take in the view of his family. His daughter wearing Scooby slippers and in a pale pink nightgown. His son, also in pjs, ready to fly, wearing an expression much like his own when he couldn't wait. And his beautiful wife, holding a video camera, standing in worn drawstrings and a tank top, with one of the straps falling off her shoulder.
He looped a finger under the strap and slowly put it back in its place. "Can't get any better than this luv."
"Always better with you." Buffy grinned.
Spike smiled and turned to Alex. "All systems go?"
"All systems go."
With that, Spike and Alex started to move, with Spike keeping a hold onto the bike. "That's it just keep peddling, I'm not going to let go until you say so."
"Okay," Alex said as he peddled, and then when he felt like he was picking up a bit of speed, and felt his balance, he laughed. "I think I got it dad, let go."
"You sure?"
"Yeah, 'm sure!"
"Okay..."
Alex looked over his shoulder when his dad didn't let go. "Dad, you're not letting go."
Spike, who was still running and holding onto the seat, "Do you mean to not let go? 'cause I won't till you say so."
"I know dad, I mean you can let go now, I got it." Alex laughed.
Spike, who still held onto the bike as Alex turned so they were heading back, didn't seem to hear the 'okay.'
"Da-ad."
"Okay, okay." With that Spike let go, but still kept running, alongside Alex.
"Look, I'm doing it, Dad!"
Spike laughed. "Yeah, you're doing it, you're doing great, son, just keep peddling."
"Mom, look I'm riding a two-wheeler by myself!" Alex turned the handlebars to head towards his mother again.
"I can see you, honey, you're doing terrific!" Buffy said as she recorded the event, taking a snapshot of it as well.
Spike slowed to walking as he watched Alex get used to riding. He was now taking wide circles around the open street. Without taking his eyes off the laughing boy, he walked over to Buffy. "That's it, Alex, just keep steady." When he got to Buffy side he picked Joan up and held her to him. She had been clapping earlier, enthused with the whole scene.
"You were great," Buffy said as she glanced at Spike for a moment.
Spike looked at Buffy and smiled as he put his other arm around her waist. He then turned back to watch Alex make yet another smooth turn and head in their direction. He heard Joan giggle in the background. "Thank you."
Fin!
[05.27.04]
[04.01.11]
A/N: Not sure if anyone is still reading this as it took forever to rewrite. Sorry, other fandoms and real life had gotten in the way. XD Thank you if you are still reading this. I hope you enjoyed. This Normal-verse is very special to me.
A/N: Thanks to all to those who took the time to read, and many thanks to those who sent me feedback, It really meant a lot to me on whether or not you enjoyed the fic. smiles