Chapter Three

Disclaimer: Life is full of disappointments. Without them, one would not be able to function. As much of a disappointment this may be, I must tell you that I did not help in any way, shape, or form (which are kinda all the same thing, once you think about it...) to create all the characters, places, and mythology contained in Joss Whedon's Buffyverse

Author's Note: I still have very few ideas on this whole concept, but I can try my hardest. Apologizing for if it's not what you had expected, but don't tell me you hate it 'cause that is rude.

"Easy there," Spike said as he guided Buffy onto the couch in her house. Dawn was annoyingly staying with her friend Janice again and was thus not home. An annoying point from his point of view, a blessing in Buffy's. "There you go, let's take a closer look at you."

Buffy opened her mouth as if to protest as Spike began moving her dark blue Superman shirt off of her shoulder. "You don't have to do this."

"Yes, I do," he told her. "If it weren't for me, Xander would not have accidentally staked you," Spike reminded the Slayer as he reached for the first aid kit he had pulled from the bathroom and began dabbing at the wound with alcohol wipes.

Buffy winced slightly but did not say anything. "So now what are we going to do?" she asked, her voice indicating that she still felt betrayed from the whole baby thing.

"Now would be the part where we put the bandages on, luv," Spike pointed out as he began doing such.

"I meant with our lives," Buffy said with a frown. "I mean, you're a father now and I am not the mother. I know, part of that is my fault because I had dumped you then. But I didn't know any better." She knew all the things Spike had felt for her, all the things he had done for her. "I don't deserve you."

"What the bloody hell is that supposed to mean?" Spike asked, looking deeply into her hazel eyes.

"You did so much for me, even though you get almost nothing in return," Buffy pointed out. "I mean, you went down to Africa and got a soul."

"Which was a choice of my own free will," Spike argued. "Nothing to do with you."

"And yet you left the night you attempted to...to do that thing," she began, still feeling very uneasy about the whole thing.

"So? It motivated me to, uh, follow my dream."

"Your dream to be like Angel?" Buffy questioned innocently.

"I thought we agreed a long time ago that you weren't going to mention that name," Spike pointed out.

"Sorry," apologized Buffy quietly. "I didn't mean it as a way to compare you to him. You are a million times better. You earned your soul."

Spike smiled down at her as he finished applying the bandage to Buffy's cleaned wound. "That I did and the adoration in your eyes is plenty enough of a reward."

Buffy smiled as she lightly kissed Spike's lips. "Your soul was given to you by a demon, right?" she asked curiously.

Spike nodded. "Yea, why?" he asked.

"Well, I mean, I don't want to bring it up, but this isn't like the gypsy curse and that whole perfect happiness thing, is it?" she asked, hoping Spike would not mind the Angel reference. She had not come out and said the vampire's name.

Spike shook his head. "Not at all. Nothing bad will happen to us if we get together," he promised her solemnly. "Well, at least, nothing from me having a soul. I'm sure there are thousands upon millions of demons, vampires, and other baddies that want the both of us dead."

"I'm sure there are," Buffy pointed out with a smile.

"But now let's see about getting you some rest," Spike told her.

Buffy smiled. "Are you trying to seduce me, Mr. Spike?" she asked as she moved closer towards the vampire, her shirt still hanging on her shoulders from when Spike had tended to her wound. "You know Dawn's not here," she began seductively.

"Yea, I know," Spike replied with the same amount of seduction.

Buffy smiled as the two of them stood up. Buffy then immediately jumped up into Spike's strong and muscular arms and began kissing him heavily as if there were no tomorrow.

"He's asleep," Anya began thankfully as she wrapped her young son in the blue blanket she had carried him over in.

Xander could only sit and watch her. Her perfect body, considering that she had given birth only a week or two ago. Her hair had been reverted back to its original dark brown. Despite the fact that she probably has not been getting much sleep, Xander still found her to be the most gorgeous thing on this dimension.

Anya smiled slightly as she picked Joseph up, holding him in her arms. "Xander, can we talk?" she asked as she sat back down in Spike's TV chair.

Xander nodded. "I think it's best that we do," he said honestly as he resumed his seat across from her. "I guess I'll start," he added.

"Alright," Anya told him as she looked up to meet Xander's eyes.

"Alright," Xander repeated. "Ok, I don't know everything that went on with you and Spike, but I do know part of it was because of me."

"Damn straight," Anya muttered. "Sorry, that was rude," she added once she saw the look on Xander's face. The slightly frustrated look that he gets on occasion, usually when she makes inappropriate references to sex.

Xander sighed before continuing. "I know that now there is a child to deal with and I'm not real sure on the specifics of that--"

"I'm the legal guardian," Anya whispered softly. "Spike's...He's not in the picture as far as Social Services and whatnot is concerned."

"So you're raising him alone?" Xander asked curiously.

Anya drew in a deep breath. "Well, Spike said he'd be there to help if I ever needed it, but--"

"I hear you," Xander said soothingly. "But, Ahn, I have to know something."

"You know I still love you and you still love me," Anya pointed out. "That is true, right?" she added with a hint of fear in her voice as Xander was not saying anything back.

"God, yes," Xander agreed. "Ahn, you are the one thing that makes my life worth living. I want to be with you and I want you to be with me."

Anya nodded. "I want to be with you too," she whispered softly, hoping that D'Hoffryn was not hearing any bit of this conversation. If he did, she was sure she would be dead.

"Good," Xander pointed out. "So, I guess we should get out of here, y'know, before Spike and Buffy start boinking here."

"They could be boinking over at Buffy's. We did it once," she pointed out.

Xander nodded. "That we did," he said with a smile. "But I really don't want to spend a whole night in a vampire's crypt."

"Good point," Anya pointed out. "All of his stuff's at my place," she said, gesturing her head down at Joseph.

"So we'll go to your place for the night," Xander said. "It's not the end of the world."

"Xander, it's a mess. I haven't done any house work since he was born."

"Ahn, I'm there to see you and Joseph, but mostly you. You're house could be an outhouse for all I care. As long as you're in it with me."

Anya smiled slightly as she stood up and began heading over to the door, Xander right behind her. They stopped, Xander opening the door before he and Anya left.

Anya gulped the second she was out of what she would be willing to call the safety of Spike's crypt. "Xander" she began nervously.

"I see them," Xander told her as he caught sight of the vampires moving closer towards them.