A/N : Thanx for the latest reviews - kargrif, Spuffyfan4eva, willowmouse, IceBlueRose, Screeching Dragon, Freezyboncoolipants, Slayergirl1212, Moluvsnumber17. Glad you all seem to be liking the style of this fic with the flashbacks and everything. There is going to be a storyline in the present day too, and that'll lead to more flashbacks. In the meantime here's the latest chapter...
(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)

Chapter 6

Monday morning at 1630 Revello Drive ran in clockwork fashion as it always did. Buffy was up with the lark to get ready for her early shift at work, almost always about to leave when her husband and daughter emerged from their beds.

"I hate it when you work earlies" Spike complained from the kitchen doorway, watching Buffy dump her breakfast things in the sink and take a mug from the microwave. "The beds all cold without you"

Buffy smiled as she put his mug of blood on the counter for him and walked over to kiss him. Feeling particularly unhappy about letting her go today, Spike held her body tight to his as her hands slid across his chest and all inside his unbuttoned shirt.

A cough from the other door made them spring apart like startled teens before they both glanced over at their daughter. Rebecca looked equal parts amused and grossed out by their display.

"Mornin' Bit" Spike smirked back at her finally releasing Buffy who went over to her daughter.

"Hey sweetie, did you sleep okay?" she checked and Becky nodded, returning the hug her mother gave her.

"I'm okay" she promised, "Not so thrilled about facing school today but, it's not like I did anything really wrong, right?" she checked.

"You defended yourself" Spike told her firmly, "S'nothing wrong with that luv. You made me bloody proud" he told her as he sat down on a stool by the counter and sipped his blood. Buffy pushed a plate of toast towards Becky who sat down beside her Dad.

"Well, I gotta run" the Slayer told them, picking up her purse, "Have a good day" she said going over to kiss her daughter's cheek, "You too, honey" she told Spike, deliberately kissing his cheek and not is lips, and avoiding his hands as they came towards her. If they started that again she really wouldn't want to leave!

"See ya later, luv" he called behind her as she disappeared out of the back door, "So, you really okay?" he said, turning back to Becky, who played with her breakfast.

"I guess" she shrugged, knowing it was impossible to tell anything other than the absolute truth to her Dad, "I'd just rather forget about Ryan and move on, y'know?"

"'Course, pet" Spike smiled, putting an arm around her shoulders and leaning over to kiss the top of her head before they both went back to their food.

"So, is Mark finally gonna tell Stacey he loves her today?" Becky asked after a while. She referred to her father's latest novel that he had been letting her read. For a long time he wondered what his vocation in life would be until one day when he and Buffy were curled up on the couch watching a truly dire episode of Passions. He'd been explaining to Buffy how he would re-write the story and she suggested he write it down, it was so good.

So many years of living in the world meant Spike had such vast knowledge of life, love, the universe, and everything that the fiction he wrote was inspiring and with Giles' help a publisher was soon found for book after book. Up until now, Becky had never been permitted to read them, since she was too young for some of the romantic moments and occasionally some of the more violent scenes, but after much pleading she had been permitted to be the first to read his latest work in progress.

"Guess you'll have to wait and see" Spike smirked as he answered her question, "Never can tell with these hero types what they might do next" he told her, standing up and taking his mug over to the sink to rinse it out.

"Y'know I imagine Mark and Stacey to look just like you and Mom" Becky giggled, "You guys are just so into each other, like nobody else's parents that I know"

Spike wasn't sure how to answer that.

"I love your mother and you more than anything, pet" he said eventually, "and I don't know how to love any other way than to give everything I have"

"I get that" his daughter nodded, "I guess it just makes me think sometimes" she continued, joining him by the sink and bringing her breakfast plate with her, "You two have done so much for each other, given up so much..."

"That's all your Mum" Spike sighed, "She gave up a lot for me but all I had to do was quit being an evil bugger, and that was no hardship when I had she and you to guide me out of the dark" he said, concentrating on the running water and the dishes in the sink, instead of his daughter.

"You gave up one thing at least" she reminded him, and he turned to look at her then, "She is so grateful not to have to grow old alone" she told him, kissing his cheek and picking up her schoolbag, "See you tonight" she smiled as she left.

"See ya, pet" he called behind her, shutting off the faucet and drying his hands on the dishtowel, in a semi-daze as he realised what she meant. He had given up one thing for Buffy, though he never really thought about it much. It was five years ago now...

- - - - - - -

"Buffy?" Spike frowned as he tapped on the bathroom door. She'd been in there quite some time and he'd been starting to worry she was drowning or something.

He was thankful when the door opened and she stepped out wearing her robe.

"Hey" she half-smiled, but he knew something wasn't right.

"You okay, pet?" he asked with a tilt of his head. He thought it best to give her a chance to tell him of her own free will before he pushed her on it.

"Sure, fine" she nodded, squeezing past him to head for the bedroom. Spike followed, shaking his head. After all this time, all that they'd shared, did she really think she could still keep secrets from him?

"Slayer, I know that look" he told her, following her into the bedroom and closing the door behind them, "You are not fine, pet, so save us both some time and effort and tell me what it is" he urged her, as they sat down on the edge of the bed together, "I only want to help, luv" he told her, picking up her hand in his but she drew it away.

"You can't" Buffy mumbled, looking in the opposite direction, "You can't change it...I'm getting old"

"Oh, that's the problem" Spike rolled his eyes, "Yeah, that's dire, pet, really"

"I'm going to be thirty, Spike, in two weeks" Buffy told him dramatically as if it were a life and death matter.

"Yeah" he nodded, "and I'll be a hundred and thirty" he reminded her, "actually a hundred and thirty one in a couple of months" he realised.

"But you don't look it" Buffy sighed and shook her head as she looked down at her hands playing with the ties of her dressing gown, "You're twenty four on the outside Spike, you were before, you are now, and you will always be. Nothing but young and gorgeous forever" she sighed. Spike couldn't help smiling at the compliment, despite the Slayers distress. He slipped his arms around her and pulled her close then.

"You'll always be gorgeous to me, pet, age won't change that. Another ten, twenty years even, you'll still be the most beautiful woman I know. Nothing will have changed"

"Nothing will have changed on you" she corrected, pulling out of his arms and standing up in front of him, "I'll be old Spike, in twenty years I'll be fifty. That is not young, and I won't look good. Pretty soon people are gonna start thinking I'm your mother, or that you're Becky's boyfriend instead of her father"

Spike looked away when he realised how serious she was and how much truth there was in her words. When Rebecca was born and he and Buffy were just starting out together, so in love, they didn't consider the practical elements about how life would be for them. Now the fact he didn't age had been brought up and he had no idea how to resolve such an argument as this.

"You never mentioned any of this before" he said softly, looking at the carpet between his feet.

Buffy immediately felt awful for making him feel bad, but what she was saying was true, Still, it was hardly his fault he wouldn't age as she did.

"I didn't want to have to think about it before" she told him, as she felt tears come to her eyes, "but Spike, it's happening, and you can't stop it. You're immortal, I'm not. I'm going to get old and die one day...vampires don't do that" she said as she came to sit beside him once again. She didn't want this to be a fight, but she was so angry and upset that things wouldn't be all happily ever after like she wanted.

"We could both live eternally, Buffy" Spike told her after a long silence, "All I have to do is..." his fingers brushed her hair away from her neck and she realised all too clearly what he meant.

"No, Spike" she said firmly, pulling back but not running from him. She wasn't afraid of him, not ever, not even since he'd had the chip removed from his head, but she couldn't accept what he was saying. She hated the look on his face then, so hurt that she'd backed away from him. Before his hand could be completely retracted she took hold of it in her own

"Think about what it would mean for Rebecca" she told him, "We couldn't do that to her"

Spike nodded that he understood, but he hated that this problem was so unfixable. He was the head of the family, so to speak, he should be able to solve everything, keep his girls happy.

"There has to be something" he said, almost too himself and Buffy shook her head sadly.

"I don't see that there is" she told him with a sigh, "I guess I'll just have to get used to it...we both will" she said, though she knew it would always be an issue between them.

Two Weeks Later...

"Spike?" Buffy tapped on the bathroom door, a little worried about him now. When she'd gotten home from work he'd barely said hello before he hurried upstairs. When she followed a while later, he disappeared into the bathroom and he'd been there ever since. It was unlike him to be locked away in there for so long, even when they were going out as they were tonight. Of course, there was some comfort in knowing he couldn't have drowned at all, but he seemed to be avoiding her.

"What's up, pet?" he asked with a smile as he came out of the room, all dressed for her birthday party as he should be.

"You've been in there for over an hour and a half" she frowned at how unusual that was and Spike checked his watch.

"Really? Sorry, luv" he kissed her forehand as they headed for the stairs, "At least we're not late" he added as he went down and she followed.

"No, we're not late" she agreed, "I was just kinda worried since you're never in the bathroom so long. I mean, it's not like you have a reflection to..." she looked at him strangely then as he leaned over to pick up his keys from the coffee table. He stopped half way and straightened again.

"What's up?" he asked her as she continued to look at him oddly.

"I don't know" Buffy shook her head, coming around the table towards him, "You look different somehow...did you do something different with your hair or what?" she asked, thinking it looked pretty much the same as always, but something was definitely different.

Spike sighed.

"I wasn't gonna tell you yet" he admitted, "It's sort of your birthday present"

"I don't understand" Buffy's frown deepened and Spike sat down in the armchair behind them, sitting her down on his lap. She was starting to worry now, he could almost feel her shaking in his arms and there was a slight smell of fear coming off her.

"I had a talk with Red and Glinda" he explained, "Took some work but they did a bit of mojo for me. Not so much of a fan of it always but it's nothing dangerous" he assured her, squeezing her hand in his, "S'called a glamour, luv, and it's on me...changing me"

"Changing you?" Buffy still didn't understand, "How?" she checked, still obviously worried about all this.

"I'm gonna grow old, luv, at least it'll look like I am. The Wiccas wired the spell up to you somehow. I'll age at the same rate you do, or on the outside at least it'll seem that way" he told her with a hopeful smile, he really wanted her to be happy about this. He was so sure that it was what she wanted, but so far she didn't look exactly what one would called impressed. Her hand when to his face, finger running down his cheek.

"Why, Spike?" she asked him, "Why would anyone want to look older?"

"It's for you, luv" he smiled, bringing his hand up to cover her own, "I did it for you and for Becky" he admitted, kissing her hand, "I don't wanna be an embarrassment when you and she are getting older, and I won't have you feeling bad either. This is my gift to you" he smiled, "or part of it at least. The other half is here" he added as he rached into his pocket and pulled out a small velvet box.

He passed it to Buffy and with shaking hands she opened it to reveal a gold eternity ring, studded with rubies and tiny diamonds.

"Oh Spike" she gasped "it's a beautiful gift" she cried as she leaned in to hug him tight and he smiled.

"The ring, or the spell?" he wanted to know and she was grinning and crying at the same time when she pulled back to look at him

"Both" she declared before kissing him soundly, "Both are...they're just perfect, William, thankyou. I love you so much" she told him before they kissed again.

"I love you too, pet" he promised her, taking the ring from the box and slipping it onto her finger, "Always will"

- - - - - - -

Spike sighed as he finshed off drying the dishes and filed them away in the cupboard where they belonged. He headed for the living room and turned on his laptop as he settled down on the couch to write. He skim read through the half chapter he'd already written yesterday and smiled to himself. Yes, Mark would confess his love for Stacey today, he thought, and though they might not live happily ever after, his love for her would sustain him for the rest of time.

To Be Continued...

A/N2 : Well, I did promise to resolve the issue of vampires not aging, and there it is. Hope you liked the chapter and would love to know your opinions via reviews!