A/N : Y'know I've yet to figure out how this story got so popular! Not that I'm not totally grateful for the 111 reviews! But there have only been 3 chapters and I don't think I've ever gotten so many reviews so fast! Thank to; adpi24, kori hime, little-lost-one, rubi-elektra, Bunny, Moluvsnumber17, SweetBitter, Hieiko, Selena Style, fischergirl, JadedxVampire21, Rachel, tink36, msu, roxxanne, nimacu, helaine, Kim, MaidenRo, Kari Mouke, hmm, cynthia, Freezyboncoolipants, SinisterChic Heather Martin, Moonglow13, artemis moonshine, ms trick, sammie, Bridget, hells child, julkat007, Spuffyfan4eva, Samolly. I really appreciate all the comments, and hope you continue to enjoy the story. Here's chapter 4...

(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)

Chapter 4

Buffy went out patrolling again the night after her little meeting with Spike, not really for the staking of undeads but more just to see the one vamp that was proving to be so different to the rest, and without the aid of a soul.

Buffy had felt so bad for Spike as he'd talked about his mother when he'd been human, and the loss of his baby sister who barely lived to be a day old. It made her think more seriously about the vampire, and the man he used to be. It also made her think about her own child differently.

At first, when she'd found out she was pregnant, the Slayer had serious doubts. Surely it was a bad thing to be having a child at nineteen, after a one night stand with a louse of man. She still believed it wasn't the smartest thing but she had a life inside of her now, a being that was a living part of her, that would one day be a person. It was incredible when she thought about it that way, and the idea of being a mother, although scary, was also a beautiful thing. More than that, it was a thing that not every woman would get to experience.

Buffy had to admit that what Spike had told her made her worry too. Life was fragile, and not just hers, but the life of her child too. What if the fate of William's little sister befell her baby? That thought seemed to scare her more than any demon, vampire, or apocalypse she'd ever faced.

For reasons she didn't understand at all, Buffy felt that if she could just talk to Spike again, maybe they would both feel better about their situations. It couldn't make things any worse, she reasoned, and he really was the only one she could talk to about her pregnancy right now, the only one that knew the truth.

"Spike?" the Slayer called as she let herself into his crypt. She'd stood outside the door for a while, wondering whether she was supposed to knock or whatever, or even if she should be doing this at all. Eventually she just decided to walk in.

"Slayer" he looked dubiously at her as he got up from his newly-stolen arm-chair, "Wondered how long you'd stay standing outside that door before you got the courage to bust in" he smirked, sensing her there for the past ten minutes. Buffy immediately regretted coming here.

"Why did I bother?" she said more to herself than to him, before speaking more loudly, "Y'know I actually came here cos I felt bad for you, because I thought..." she stopped short and sighed "It doesn't matter, I should've known better" she turned to leave, frustatred by behaviour that she should have expected from him and would have done, if not for last night.

"I don't need your sympathy, luv" he called after her, "anymore than you need mine"

She turned back from the door to look at him, anger subsiding slightly. He was such a liar.

"It's not all about sympathy, Spike" she told him. He looked at her strangely then.

"So, what is it all about?" he wanted to know, "Tell me the reason why the mighty Slayer is hanging around her mortal enemies digs on a Saturday night"

"First of all" she half-smiled as she slammed the crypt door closed and headed back in, "you're not a mortal, second you're not so much an enemy these days, and third..." her voice trailed away as she took her gaze from his, looking down at the floor, "I don't really know why I'm here"

Spike just stared at her as she in turn stared at the ground by her feet. He didn't know why she was there either, not really, and more than that he had no idea why he was glad she'd come back.

"Maybe you're here cos no-one else knows what I do" he guessed and her head snapped up at that. He was right of course but she hated to admit it.

"Maybe" she grudgingly agreed, a hand going to her stomach of it's own accord, causing her slight bump to become much more obvious as she pressed the fabric of her baggy T-shirt against it.

"Can't hide it forever, pet" Spike commented, "Sooner or later little sprog's gonna make itself known, in more ways than one"

"It's getting harder to hide" she admitted, "The worst part is I don't really know what to expect" she sighed, "I found a book in the library but I was too scared to check it out...I don't want anyone to know how stupid I've been..." her voice cracked as tears flowed down her cheeks. Her hormones were getting the better of her lately and she'd cried a couple of times for no real reason.

Her hands came up to wipe her face free of tears, but no sooner were they gone but more replaced them. It only took one small thing to set her off crying but then it was like a tidal wave as everything seemed worthy of tears.

Spike looked over at her awkwardly, wondering what he was supposed to do. What were you supposed to do when someone was crying like this? He used to like watching girls cry, used to like to be the cause of their tears, but all he felt now as he watched the Slayer sob was a sharp pain in his heart.

"Hey, come on now, Slayer" he said awkwardly, "No need for that" she continued to cry as if she hadn't even heard him and tentatively he stepped forward and reached one arm around her to rub her back. Needing a little comfort from someone who seemed to understand, Buffy stepped forward, till his arm was completely around her. Without thinking he wrapped his other arm around her too, holding her against him as she cried into his chest.

Spike did feel a little ridiculous, standing there in the middle of a crypt, his arms wrapped around a sobbing pregnant Slayer, but it also felt strangely right and very familiar. Of course, his mind was taking a trip back to that spell, when all he'd wanted to do was get as close to this girl as possible and she'd wanted the same thing. To love and to be loved, it was a wonderful feeling that he hadn't really experienced until then and all the time it had been a soddin' spell! Now though, this girl was willingly in his arms and he was strangely happy to have her there.

They stood there a while, not moving at all, and even when Buffy's tears subsided she didn't pull away. Spike carefully manoeuvred her further into the crypt towards the chair but there was no way she was gonna let go of him. With no other choice, he sat down himself, taking her with him and seating her on his lap.

This was way too much like that spell, not just the situation of her sitting on top of him but the feelings she was causing in him. He had this strange need to protect her from the world, the baby too, and he almost thought he...liked her?

"What am I supposed to do now?" she asked flatly, her head on his shoulder.

"I dunno, luv" he admitted, only half aware that she'd asked a question, he was so wrapped up in being confused by his own thoughts and feelings, "Maybe you should tell your Mum or something?" he suggested.

He'd always liked Joyce. The woman had spirit and fight in her, which he assumed was why Buffy was the same. The first time he'd met Mrs Summers she smacked him over the head with a fire axe! But then she was the motherly sort too, talking to him, giving him hot chocolate and sympathy, after Dru had dumped him for that bloody Chaos Demon. Spike thought she'd probably go a little crazy when she found out her nineteen year old daughter was just over three months pregnant by some wanker she'd only slept with once, but after the initial shock, he was pretty certain she'd be supportive about it.

"I can't" Buffy answered eventually, "She's away, at a gallery thing, til next Saturday"

"So, you'll tell her when she gets back" Spike suggested, "It won't be that bad, luv" he assured her as he made her sit up straight and look at him, "Your Mum, she's the decent sort"

"I guess you're right" she sighed, wiping her face with her hands, brain still not registering that she was sitting on Spike's knees, "I mean, she wasn't too shocked when I told her I was gonna marry you" she actually laughed at that thought, plus the look of shock on the vampire's face.

"You called her when we were under the spell?" he gaped and she nodded, really starting to giggle now, even when he tipped her off of his lap and stood up.

"She's my Mom and I was so thrilled to be engaged to you" she explained, "I just thought she should know, y'know"

Spike wasn't sure whether to be more shocked that Joyce knew about it, or that she hadn't hit the ceiling about it. Obviously she had a little respect for him too, as he had for her. Surely if she could accept her daughter marrying an evil vampire, she could handle a pregnancy spawned from a one night stand with your average college boy.

"Well then" Spike said eventually, "I s'pose after next weekend, we won't have a secret anymore" he thought aloud "No more reason for you to keep on hassling me"

"Me hassle you?" Buffy scoffed, "Oh yeah, like you haven't done your fair share of following me around like a lost dog"

"I bloody well do not!" Spike yelled, suddenly wondering why the hell he'd wanted this stupid bitch anywhere near him never mind in his arms.

'Because you like her' a voice in the back of his head sang, 'Because even when you're fighting with her you still like her, still want her'

Buffy looked at him strangely as he seemed to battle with voices only he could hear. She thought about how much her relationship with him had changed over the past months and wondered if that's what was bothering him too. From enemies to almost-friends that shared a secret she couldn't tell to anyone else.

"I should go" she said eventually, deciding it was best. He didn't look as if he was comfortable with her being there any longer and she really wasn't at all happy there right now.

Buffy headed for the door, but didn't make it past Spike as his hand shot out and caught her arm. She turned back slowly and looked down at his fingers at her elbow as he did the same.

"Next Saturday, when you tell your Mum" he said, not looking up until now, "Good luck with that" he finished, eyes meeting hers as he let up his grip on her arm.

She looked touched by his concern and for the unlife of him Spike wished he knew why he cared. Feeling as if the green of her eyes were burning his own retinas with their brightness he turned away and waited for her to leave, but she didn't move at all.

"Would you be there?" she asked, almost inaudibly. Spike frowned as he turned back, thinking he surely must have heard her wrong.

"When I tell my Mom about the baby" she started again, still very quiet, "would you be there for me, please?"

She looked genuinely scared, something that should have thrilled Spike. He was a vampire, she was the Slayer. She was terrified and he should be pleased to see her suffer...but he wasn't. Maybe it was that spell when he'd thought he loved her, maybe it was because of the chip in his head, maybe it was something else entirely but he didn't love to see her fear or pain anymore, he hated it, and he'd do anything to make her feel better.

"Sure, luv" he shrugged, "Got nothin' else planned" he said, sounding nonchalant but feeling nothing like it. It was a long time since anyone had needed him for anything genuine, but here was this girl, to whom his presence seemed essential as she told her mother her biggest secret that so far only he shared with her.

Buffy had a small smile on her lips as she nodded once.

"Next Saturday, I'll come and meet you here, at sundown" she told him.

"It's a date" he agreed, with a nod of his own.

No sooner was it arranged than she was gone and Spike returned to his arm chair.

The evening was as it had been an hour ago, no evidence that anything strange had occurred at all, except for the Slayer's scent that hung in the air around him, and the slight warmth in his unbeating heart that he just couldn't explain as he thought of her.

To Be Continued...

A/N2 : If you love Spike (like I do) check out my newly re-vamped site - Spike 1880-2003 - details on my profile page!