A/N : Well, here we are again with more of this strangely popular fic! First off, I want to thank the reviewers - libraflyter, freezyboncoolipants, Katie, spuffyfan-1, Princess Consuela, wicked-angel3, SinisterChic Heather Martin, MikiBaby, sunnyhell, electrucgurl, ms trick, samica, Screeching Dragon, pixiecorn, MaidenRo, Lucky-112, rubi-elektra, Rachel, Moluvsnumber17. Was it one of you lot that nominated me and this fic for three different awards at Loves Last Glimpse Awards? Whoever it was, thankyou very much :-) I firstly write for myself and secondly for all you avid readers, the nominations and awards are a nice little bonus though. With all that said, I hope you enjoy the new chapter!
(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)
Chapter 17
"I hope you all got a good nights sleep, we do have rather a lot to get done today" Giles called the Scooby meeting to order, though the gathering of young people looked far from official, and with no Slayer in charge they were rather a depleted bunch.
"Before you start, Giles" Willow looked at her feet then back up at the Watcher, "I have to tell you something important" she looked at Tara who placed a hand on her girlfriends shoulder, giving her a small smile and nod of encouragement.
"Yes, Willow, what is it?" Giles was eager to know and the red-head took a deep breath before she replied.
"I know how come Spike could get Buffy pregnant...it was my fault" she said sadly. Xander shook his head.
"Old news, Will" he pointed out, "We knew yesterday that your wacky spell made them get all...with the straddling, and I really don't want to be thinking about this"
"I think it goes without saying that we all feel the same about that" Giles agreed, but Willow hadn't finished.
"No, you don't understand" she shook her head, "Spike's a vampire and that means he can't make kids, 'cept my spell kinda meant that he could...I'm so sorry" she looked like she might cry, but still the rest of the gang were at a loss as to know exactly what she meant. Tara put her arm around Willow and explained herself.
"W-when Willow said Buffy should m-marry Spike, she also said sh-she should h-have his children" the other witch said quietly.
"Oh, well, yes, that does explain a great deal" Giles nodded. The biggest mystery in all of this had been how Spike, a seemingly sterile vampire, had come to father a child. Now they had one explanation at least, and following vast amounts of reading the night before Giles had news to share about Slayer pregnancy too, "On a similar theme" he continued, clearing his throat as he picked up two books from the table, "I have read the Watcher's Diaries of Bernard Crowley more closely, concentrating of course on all reference to the pregnancy of the Slayer, Nikki Wood"
"So what's the story, G-man?" Xander was eager to know. The Watcher looked decidely annoyed at his choice of phrasing.
"Xander, how many times must I ask you not to call me that?" he rolled his eyes, "In any case, it appears that the pregnancy of a Slayer is not wholly different to that of any other ordinary human female" he explained, "During the early stages there is morning sickness, general nausea, and some fainting mentioned, later general fatigue and muscles cramps though less than the average woman one would imagine since the endurance and strength of a Slayer are increased. There is also mention of odd food cravings, which I understand to be fairly common in later stages, and then comes the, er, labour obviously"
"So Slayer pregnancy, basically just like everybody else's pregnancy" Anya said matter-of-factly, "No big deal"
"Well, there is one fundamental difference" Giles continued, referring again to the notes he had made whilst reading the other Watcher's writings, "It seems that Nikki came to term, as it were, one and a half times faster than average"
"You mean, she had her baby in six months instead of nine?" Willow frowned slightly, it didn't make much sense.
"Yes, that does appear to be the case" Giles nodded, "Here we find out that the Slayer is pregnant" he pointed in the book before turning to another marked page "and two entries later that a doctor has confirmed her to be at two months along"
Next Giles opened the second book near the beginning.
"The date here, the day Robin was born, is July 27th" he pointed out, "Back here, the entry is marked April 21st"
"Two months pregnant in April, means six months in July" Xander nodded, doing the simple math that even he could cope with "but what's to say the kid wasn't just early, I was" he remarked. Giles shook his head.
"There are references to doctors comments and Crawley himself postulates that Slayer pregnancy's probably come to term a degree faster than that of the average woman" he explained, "It does appear that Nikki's baby was indeed due to be born as if it had been growing for nine months, despite the fact it took just six for this to occur"
"Have you told Buffy?" Willow wanted to know and Giles shook his head again as he closed the books and put them back on the table. His glasses were soon in his hand and he was polishing the lenses with his handkerchief.
"No, not yet" he admitted, "but she does need to be told, I also think perhaps I should mention Riley to her. I understand she might be upset but I do hate to keep secrets from her, I've found she doesn't take kindly to it"
"Oh God, she's all alone, wherever she is" Xander looked pained on the Slayers behalf, "She's gonna be crushed"
"Nevertheless" said Giles, placing his glasses back on his face, "she should know, although I think perhaps it would be wise to avoid mentioning this Adam creature until we know more about it"
The gang nodded their agreements and the Watcher said he would call Joyce later to get the phone number of where Buffy was staying. The conversation he must have with the Slayer was not one he was looking forward to, but as he'd told her friends already, she had to know.
- - - - - - - -
It was several hours since Buffy had laid down and gone to sleep. Spike hadn't meant to stay in the bedroom so long, but there was a lot on his mind and sitting there in the chair by the bed, just watching the Slayer breathing in and out, hearing her heart and their child's beat steadily in the otherwise silent room, it was the most peaceful thing in world. Sitting there, just watching and listening, his mind had time to wander back over the events of the past few hours, days, weeks.
A chain reaction of insane incidents seemed to have occurred, starting from Willow's spell or maybe even before, possibly it all began when those commandos had shoved a chip up his brain? Whenever it had started, it didn't look as if it planned on ending anytime soon, and Spike knew now more clearly than he ever had that he was in love, and that at least was a forever deal.
Buffy sighed in her sleep and turned over so she was facing him. The room was dark save for a slight shimmer of moonlight that came through the gap between the curtains that grew wider every time the soft breeze jostled them. Still with his sharpened vision he could see her almost as clearly as in the light of day. God she was beautiful, and he longed to touch her. When they'd kissed in the kitchen it had been different to before, under that spell. This was real, one hundred percent under their own control, and Spike wanted more of it. But Buffy had made her feelings quite clear on that subject, just friends was all they were to be, for now at least. Spike was holding on to the shred of hope she'd given him, that maybe someday he could mean more to her than just a friend. For now that would have to do, but one day...
The demon within him growled, cutting his thoughts off sharply. It was almost twenty four hours now since he'd fed and he was starting to feel the effects. Carefully and quietly so as not to disturb his own Sleeping Beauty, Spike got up from the chair, crept out of the bedroom and closed the door behind him.
He grabbed one of the blood bags from the counter where he'd left them, ripped it opened with his teeth and poured the contents into a mug so he could warm it in the microwave. His demon visage slipped unnecessarily into place as the smell of the plasma hit his sensitive nose.
Two mugs of blood later, the demon was sated and his human features settled back onto his face as he washed the mug in the sink and put it away, shoving the rest of the blood in the fridge. It was easier said than done, but he managed to find a space between the cottage cheese and low fat spread.
Spike realised now that he was more desperate for sleep than he had been for the blood. Despite his demon status and a usual abundance of energy, he hadn't slept properly for weeks, constantly overly aware of other demons that might decide to kill him in his sleep for daring to work on the Slayer's side. Here he figured he was safe enough, so long as all the blinds were closed before he settled himself on the sofa.
He removed his coat and laid himself down, trying to find a comfortable position on a piece of furniture that was clearly a foot too short for his body. Still, when one was used to sleeping on a stone coffin, a well padded sofa was luxury, even if he did have to squash himself up some to fit on it.
A part of him, a rather large part actually, vaguely considered making good use of the other half of the double bed Buffy was currently using. He could slip in, catch a few hours sleep and sneak out again, or better yet stay and in the morning wake her up in a fashion that was guaranteed to get her attention. He smirked to himself as his mind wandered again, it was a nice idea and it'd almost be worth getting staked for afterwards, but he didn't fancy being forced off this plane of existence right now. He was going to be a father, a completely remarkable idea, but nonetheless true. He wanted to be there when his child came into the world, and for every moment after that for as long as his un-life would let him. So far from dreams of blood and pain, it was with thoughts of the family he hoped he would one day have that Spike finally fell asleep with a smile on his face.
- - - - - - - -
"But Daddy..." the little girl pouted, golden curls of hair falling in her blue eyes.
"No buts now Little Bit" Spike told her in a decidedly fatherly tone, as he walked over to the bed and encouraged her to lie down. She conceded and snuggled back down under the covers as he came to sit on the edge of the bed.
"But I'm not at all tired" she tried one final time to convince him but the large yawn that escaped straight after gave her away.
"Well, maybe you're not" he said, despite knowing for a fact she was lying, "but Mummy and Daddy are so you stay right here until Mickey Mouse here rings his bell" he told her, gesturing to her alarm clock on the table by her bed.
"Okay Daddy" she grinned, closing her eyes immediately and feigning sleep. Spike placed a gentle kiss on her forehead before puling the covers up tight around her and heading for his own bedroom.
"I've been waiting for you" Buffy said in a sultry tone as soon as he came through the door. There she was laid out on the bed in a short and revealing silk night-dress and nothing else, "I was getting lonely without you" she told him with a sly smile as he climbed onto the bed beside her.
"Well, now I'm here" he told her in a whisper, kissing her briefly on the lips before continuing, "So whatever it was you wanted me for..." his sentence was left unfinished as she reached over and kissed him hard, making her intentions even more obvious than they had been before.
"Buffy" Spike sighed as he covered her with kisses, at the same time allowing her to help him undress, "God I love you so much"
"I love you too Spike" she gasped as he ran his hands all over her body making her shiver in a delicious way, "Take me, please" she begged, unable to wait any longer. Naturally he complied and set about making love to her...
Ring! Ring!
The harsh sound of the telephone shattered Spike's beautiful dream into painful shards and he groaned, for more than one reason, as he rolled over and fell straight off the couch with a thump.
"Oh bloody hell!" he cursed, dragging himself up just enough to reach for the phone that continued to ring on the coffee table, "What do you want?!" he said sharply into the receiver, the reply to which was an audible gasp on the other end of the line.
"Oh, I, um..." an English voice stumbled over what he meant to say and Spike frowned from his position sprawled on the carpet.
"Giles?" he guessed.
"Good grief, Spike?" the Watcher finally realised who he was speaking to, "What the bloody hell are you doing with Buffy?" he asked in a decidedly Ripper tone.
"I'm not doing anything with Buffy" the vampire told him tiredly, "mores the bloody pity" he added to himself, finally gaining control of things that had risen to the occasion, so to speak, during his rather vivid dream.
"Look, you stupid git" Giles said fairly angrily, "Is Buffy there or not?"
"She's sleeping" Spike explained, rolling his eyes, "and so was I til you bloody interrupted. What's with the frantic phoning anyway?" he asked, feeling more awake now and puling himself up to sit on the edge of the sofa. He was hoping Buffy was still asleep as he'd said, she needed plenty of rest in her condition.
"I have some news, regarding her child" the Watcher told Spike uneasily.
"Our child, mate" the vampire took great delight in reminding him, "The sprog's mine too y'know"
It was now Giles' turn for a roll of the eyes and a shake of the head.
"Yes, yes, we're all quite aware of your...capabilities" he told him, "Although I must tell you it was entirely temporary and caused by a certain bad choice of words on Willow's part during that confounded spell of hers"
"Well, gotta give Red her due" Spike smiled, "When she starts mixing up her mojo she does a thorough job"
"I'd rather not discuss this with you" Giles snapped a little, "but I do concede that given your status as the child's father you do deserve to know what we've discovered"
"Go on then" Spike held his unneeded breath, "Give us the bad news fast"
The Watcher on the other end of the line was slightly surprised by the apparent fear in the vampires voice. Was it possible for Spike to care for the child, and possibly for Buffy, in any kind of real way. Right now he did not have time to dwell on it.
"The news is not entirely bad" he assured the vamp, "Only of some interest..." he began to explain, telling Spike all about a Slayer's pregnancy lasting six months instead of nine.
"Well, bugger me" the bleached blond was surprised but pleasantly so to find his child would be arriving in the world much quicker than presumed, "Is that all?" he checked, still worried there would be something bad, despite the fact Giles had already told him otherwise.
"Well, there was one other thing" the Watcher finally admitted. Spike could practically hear him take off his glasses and fiddle with them in his free hand.
"Spit it out then" the vampire urged, a lesser known feeling called panic rising in his chest.
"Riley is dead" he said simply, "as is Professor Walsh"
"Well, can't say as I'm sorry" Spike said calmly, "Never cared for that Initiative lot, what with them shoving this lump of silicon into my head and all" he explained, "but I don't love the idea of telling the Slayer her ex-honey just bit the big one...Demon was it?" he added with a curious tone. Giles coughed and spluttered a little before he answered.
"Yes, a demon of some kind, nothing that can't be dealt with" he lied. Spike nodded to himself.
"Right then, if that's all, I best go check on the Slayer"
"Spike?" Giles called, hoping the vampire hadn't hung up yet. He was in luck, he hadn't, "How on Earth did you come to be staying wherever Buffy is?"
Spike smiled as he looked over at the bedroom door that his Slayer had just appeared in, yawning and dishevelled from sleeping in her clothes.
"Silly bint can't seem to look after herself" he told the Watcher on the phone, "It's a nasty job but...someone's gotta do it" he hung up a moment later, barely registering the fact that Giles had warned him not to harm Buffy before saying goodbye.
"What are you doing out of bed so soon?" Spike frowned a little as he walked over to her.
"There was ringing in my dream" she said sleepily rubbing at her eyes, "and banging too"
"I know what you mean" Spike smirked to himself, before shaking his head to remove the thoughts in it. For a second Buffy looked at him strangely and he was slightly worried that she'd learnt how to mind-read. It was a relief when she laughed and slightly puzzling when she reached a hand out to his head.
"Your hair's all crazy" she giggled, flattening it out a little for him, before suddenly realising what she was doing and taking her hand away, "You're a mess" she said more seriously.
"Yeah, well" he shrugged, momentarily confused by the mixed signals, but finding it was fairly easy to be serious when you're faced with the prospect of having to tell the woman you love that one of her mates has snuffed it.
"Buffy, I think you should come and sit down" he said slowly, gently taking hold of her hand and leading her over to the couch.
"What is it?" she asked with panic in her voice, "Is it my Mom? Is it something about the baby? Oh God Spike, please just tell me if it's bad"
"Ssh now Slayer, calm down" he urged her, "It's not all bad" he promised, still holding onto her hand and not wanting to let go yet. She didn't seem to be arguing the point so he decided to leave it be and just tell her what he must.
"First thing is about the nibblet" he explained, gesturing with his other hand towards her stomach, "Seems you Slayers pop out kids one and a half time faster than the average" he told her.
"Well, can't say that's a bad" Buffy agreed, "The less pregnancy I get has to be for the better, I guess" she reasoned.
"Now we come to the less nice part" Spike said quietly, shifting a little closer to her on the sofa, "Buffy, your boy Riley and your Professor...they died, pet" he said as gently as he could. It felt like a knife in his heart as he watched her face crumple and tears ran down her face in waterfalls.
"No" she protested, pulling her hand away and standing up, not knowing where to go once she was on her feet, "No, they're not, you just...you're lying!" she cried, putting her hand to her face and sobbing loudly.
"Sweetheart, you know that I'm not" Spike said sadly, standing up beside her, unsure yet whether touching her was a good idea. He really wanted to hold her and tell her it'd be okay, they'd agreed to be friends so he might get away with it but...
"Oh Spike, why do they always die?" she cried, throwing herself against him and almost knocking him over with the force. His arms went automatically around her, holding her tight and rocking her gently as he comforted her.
"I don't know, luv" he whispered against her hair, before kissing the top of her head, "but I'm not going anywhere" he swore to her, "You hear me?" he checked, pushing her away just enough so he could see her face, "I'm never leaving you, hear that?" he repeated, making sure she understood. She stopped crying just long enough to look him in the eye and nod like she meant it.
Knowing her tears were far from over he pulled her back into his arms, gently rubbing her back and promising it'd all be okay. Over and over he swore to her that he wasn't going anywhere, that he'd always be there for her and their child, adding silently in his own mind, that he loved her and their unborn child more than anything else in the world.
To Be Continued...
A/N2 : Still like it? Review please and let me know. I was little a unsure about how good this chapter really was, although my beta reader assured me it was fine. I'd still like your opinions please! :-)