A/N : Big thanx to all the latest reviewers; SpikesDreamer, u2fan2005, RoleModelGirlie, Spuffyfan4eva, Moonjava, Ape18, PltmnDancer, Demonica Mills, Freezyboncoolipants, Moluvsnumber17, spuffy4eva, Girl version of Chandler, SpikeAngel-Lover, and wow, some of those reviews were huge! Kind of a big chapter and a lot happening, but would I kill Spike or Becky or any of the other characters? Read on to find out!
(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)

Chapter 17

"It had to be that" Buffy laughed humourlessly as tears ran unchecked down her face.

Giles and her mother had just told her of Spike's fate, the fact the only cure to the poison that infected him was her own blood, or that of Becky or Faith. She wouldn't risk her daughter or ask her friend to do this, she must do it herself.

"I have to go" she said, swinging her legs out of the bed and looking around for some clothes.

"Sweetheart, no" Joyce shook her head as she moved towards her, "You can't just..."
"He needs me Mom" Buffy snapped, locating the clean outfit her family had brought, for when she left the hospital. She pulled her pants on over the rapidly healing wound on her leg, though she still winced a little from the pain of it.

"Buffy, you cannot risk yourself in this way" Giles told her, blocking the exit as she forced her feet into her shoes and stood before him, "Would you seriously want to leave your own daughter potentially an orphan if this doesn't work?"

"Giles" Buffy said desperately, "It's Spike" she told him and her mother too, as if it were explanation enough, "You know it will work and you know I should be okay, I was after I saved Angel"

"But you're injured, sweetie, you lost a lot of blood already" Joyce remind her, Buffy shook her head once again.

"The doctors fixed that" she explained, "My healing powers have kicked in, they would've discharged me from here in a couple of hours anyway" she sighed, "Giles, please, you have to let me go" she told him, "I don't want to make you get out of my way" she added seriously and her Watcher sighed, sharing a look with Joyce.

"You're a grown woman Buffy, and a Slayer also" he conceded, "It is your decision to make, I suppose" he nodded, "But we're coming with you. I'll drive you back home, that way we can get you back here if..."

"Okay" Buffy nodded her understanding without him even finishing the sentence.

As they walked down the corridor they ran into Cordy as she emerged from the ladies room.

"Buffy, what's going on?" she checked, "Is Becky with you?"

"No, I thought she was with you?" the Slayer glanced back at Giles who looked bemused.

"She slipped off to the bathroom when we were discussing Spike" he frowned.

"She never came back" Cordelia pointed out, "And she's not in there anymore"

Buffy had the most horrible feeling that she knew what might've happened.

"Excuse me" she called as she hurried over to the reception desk, "Did my daughter come by here? She's blonde, sixteen years old, she might've been upset"

"There was a girl" the receptionist nodded, "She ran out of the door before I could check if she was okay..."

"Oh God" Buffy gasped realising she'd been right in her suspicions, "Giles, go get the car" she said heading for the door, "Meet me at home!" she yelled as she ran through the doors and bolted across the parking lot.

Becky had gone to save her father, Buffy just knew it. It would've been sensible to think she might just have gone to see him, say goodbye before he died, but she just knew her baby girl had heard the only cure to her Daddy's ailment was the blood of a Slayer. Tears blinded Buffy as she ran, knowing if she didn't make it in time she was bound to lose one of them - her lover or her daughter. She couldn't bare the idea of living without either of them, she held them both so dear, and these thoughts made her speed increase as she pounded the pavement towards home.

Willow and Tara were surprised when the front door swung open and Becky came into the house. She was breathing a little too heavily, her face streaked with the tracks of tears she'd cried almost constantly for hours.

"Sweetie, what are you doing here?" Willow asked her as she met her in the hallway, "You should be at the hospital"

"I needed to see my Dad" the blonde explained as Tara joined them, "He's still...please tell me he hasn't..." she rambled. The kindly witch took her hand.

"He's holding on" she assured the young girl, "But not by much" she admitted, her voice shaking with emotion. The look she shared with Willow confirmed they both thought the same thing, they were fairly certain Becky had not been told about the cure for her father.

"I need to see him" the girl said quite calmly, realising her aunts had no idea what she was about to do, but then why would they assume such a thing. She wasn't supposed to know about her blood being the antidote to the Joh'ran's poison, nobody had told her. She'd overheard that which should be a secret from her, but she was glad she had. Someone had to save her Dad, and she was going to be the one to do it.

The witches said they'd make some tea as Becky went upstairs, moving cautiously across the landing towards her parents bedroom door. The curtains were tight shut against the harsh light of the sun that would be even more harmful to the vampire on the bed than the poison that flowed through him.

Rebecca felt sick as she looked at him, in so much pain and so weak. Her father was always the strong one, even more so than her Mom sometimes. She guessed it was because of the supposed evil streak he possessed, he was always willing to fight that bit harder than her naturally good mother.

"Daddy" the word came out as a shaky whisper and she was certain he wouldn't have heard, "We found a cure" she went on anyway, "I..I can help you"

"Bit?" Spike forced out, his whole body aching, muscles hot like they were on fire and eyes so heavy he could barely open them, but he had to see his little girl one more time before the fates took him out of this world for good.

"It's gonna be okay" she told him softly, tears falling from her eyes like rain onto his burning cheeks as she leant over him.

Turning away she went to her mother's weapons chest and lifted the lid. Buried amongst cross-bows and axes she found whats he needed, a small but particularly sharp knife.

Taking a deep breath and steeling herself against the oncoming pain she sliced her own skin near her wrist, a river of deep red immediately seeping out and dripping onto the floor. The insane thought passed through her mind that Mom would go crazy when she saw the stain she'd left on the carpet.

Spike was oh so very aware of the scent of blood in the room, and human blood at that. He was far too out of it by now to realise it was his own little girls vital fluid that was being spilt within the room and in too much pain to fight back when his demon came to the surface. His game face was prominent when Becky turned to look at him again, hand under her bleeding arm so as not to waste a drop, she walked across the room and let the blood fall into her fathers mouth.

He growled at the taste, a part of him knowing that what he was doing was incredible wrong. This was the blood of a human being, a person. He was better than this, he'd promised Buffy he'd never drink from someone again, but the need for this intoxicating liquid overtook him in his weakened state and he reached out for the bloody limb that hung above his face. Unknowingly he pulled his daughters wrist toward him.

"No!" a voice yelled from the door, startling Becky who was already getting woozy. A mixture of her exertion in running home, stress of the last twenty-four hours and now blood loss were taking there toll. Her mother was just a blurred figure as she came towards her and hit Spike in the face to make him let go.

Of course she didn't blame her lover for what he was doing, he wasn't in his right mind and she was having serious doubts as to whether Becky was in hers, but that would all have to wait til later she realised as Willow came into the room behind them.

"Get Becky out of here!" the original Slayer ordered and the witch did as she was told, dragging a barely conscious Rebecca from the room.

"Spike?" Buffy checked he was still with her. His demon visage was in place but his eyes were swirling between gold and bright blue, telling her he wanted to push it back but was finding it incredibly difficult to do so, he was so weak.

"Buffy" he said painfully, "What...?"

"You have to drink from me" she told him, taking hold of him by the shoulders and getting him up to a sitting position.

"No" he refused, pulling away, mind as yet unable to process what was going on but a little more coherent from the little blood he'd already drank.

"Yes" Buffy protested, smacking him in the face again and making the demon within growl deeply.

"Drink" she ordered, pulling his head toward her neck. She gasped from the strange mix of pleasure and pain as his fangs pierced her neck and he drank deep of her blood. Her head spun as life drained from her into him, her heartbeat slowing to a lazy thump, greatly reduced from the pounding it'd been doing as she ran home.

A moment later, just as the darkness overtook her, he pulled away and she fell limply on top of him.

"Bloody hell" Spike gasped, his human features returning as he realised what he'd done, all that had happened.

"Buffy!" someone called, he wasn't sure who and several pairs of feet could be heard hammering up the sitars.

"In here" Spike yelled back as he got out of the bed, lifting the woman in his arms, "Watcher, you've got to get her to the hospital" he begged, eyes filling with uncharacteristic tears as he handed his lover over to Giles.

He nodded his understanding and left the room carrying Buffy down the stairs to the car. Spike breathed unnecessarily deeply and stared at the floor. Memories and mixed-up feelings ran through him, a million sights and sounds assaulted him and he realised precisely what had happened.

He'd vaguely heard the witches talk about a cure for the poison that bloody demon had pumped into him. The Killer of the Dead, he'd heard that. Cure for it was blood of a Slayer, he remembered hearing about the run in Angelus and Faith had years back. His grand-sire had drunk from Buffy in order to carry on existing, and though they'd all got over that event and moved on, Spike always hated that Angel had done that one thing he hadn't, had been connected to Buffy in a way she would never allow him to be.

Now it had happened, he'd tasted her as he'd often wanted to, but he never wished to feel her blood in his mouth again. As sweet and powerful as it was, it was her life and he'd been taking it away. That thought didn't give him a feeling of power or connection or anything like he thought it would. It filled him with rage and revulsion and nausea. Now her life hung in the balance because of him and what he was, and he couldn't even help. With the sun high in the sky a trip to the hospital was near impossible for several hours. He only hoped she'd forgive him when he had a chance to apologise for all he'd put her through.

"Spike" said a cautious voice from the door and he turned to glance at Tara standing there, "Oh thank god" she gasped as she came towards him and hugged him tight.

He surprised her by not only hugging her back but refusing to let go. She hesitated for a moment, but soon realised what his problem was as his tears soaked through the shoulder of her blouse.

Spike had almost died, the relief of surviving would make anyone cry, the witch realised. Now his 'wife' was in danger and he couldn't help, another reason for tears. What Tara didn't realise was that Spike was really crying for his daughter. The girl had been prepared to give up her life for him and that was a whole different scenario. He now saw clearly what was blurry and uncertain before. She'd cut herself and offered up her life's blood to him. It was her arm he had held in his hands and prepared to drink from, never quite getting the chance as Buffy took over, forcing his mouth to her neck. Becky had tried though, offered to die so he might go on existing. Silly, stupid little girl she was, but she was his little girl and he loved her deeply. The fact she loved him enough to do that, her and Buffy both, it touched him beyond anything else. He couldn't believe he had been so fortunate to have these two amazing women in his life, or that he was so unlucky to be possibly losing them now.

As soon as the sun went down, Spike declared he was leaving for the hospital. Willow and Tara were already there having swapped with Faith and Angel who were eager to see their little girl. They'd stayed with Spike at Revello Drive until the sun went down, during which time the bleached blond and his grand-sire had one of their most civil conversations to date.

"She's an incredible woman" Angel had said as he stood in the bedroom doorway.

"One thing we'll always agree on" Spike had answered without turning at all. The whole conversation was conducted like this, ex-vampire in the doorway, grand-childe sitting on the bed with his back to him. Buffy had saved them both from almost the same thing and both the same way. Yet another thing they had in common now.

"How did you bear it?" Spike had asked, "Knowing what you'd done to her..."

"You can't blame yourself" Angel sympathised, "When someone loves you so much, hell-bent on saving you...it was her decision"

Spike nodded absently, knowing it was true, but not feeling any the less horrible about drinking from both his woman and his little girl. How he felt these emotions without a soul, no-one had ever been sure, least of all now. Angel had his suspicions, in fact he'd had them since way before either he or Spike had come to Sunydale.

Drusilla was more than a little crazy and famous for starting something and not finishing it properly because she got bored in the middle and changed the game. Angel often wondered if William had been turned properly, if there wasn't some loophole or something that meant Spike possessed a little of his human soul as a vampire. He never mentioned it, not certain whether the response of the vampire, Buffy, or any of the gang would be good or bad, but he thought about it, every time this kind of thing happened. Everytime Spike looked guilty or affectionate or sad, or any of the emotions a soulless creature should not feel.

Now as they sat in the back of the cab, headed for the hospital, Angel shared a look with Faith and she smiled at him, holding Mandy on her lap. Despite his history with Buffy, he was no longer jealous of the relationship between his ex and Spike. A long time ago he had accepted their love and realised just how much he cared for Faith. The day they'd got married and he'd spoken words of love to her as they exchanged rings and kissed before the congregation, he knew she was the only woman for him, for now and forever. Mandy had been a wonderful gift and their second child would be adored just as much as she was.

"Your friend's in a hurry" the taxi driver commented and Angel came back from his daydream, realising they'd arrived in the parking lot of the hospital and that Spike was already to the doors of the building.

"In his situation, you would be too" he sighed as he got his little family from the cab and pulled out some money to pay for the ride.

Spike was shaking as he pushed open the door he knew he'd find Buffy and Rebecca behind. He felt ridiculous for it, but these two peoples good opinion was just about all that mattered to him, and he was so afraid to have lost that. His fears of hate and rejection were quashed as he entered the room and Becky jumped up from her seat, running into his arms and hugging him so tight he was grateful not to need breath.

"Hello, baby" he said softly, his hand stroking her blonde hair down her back, "I am so sorry" he told her.

"No" she shook her head against his shoulder, "You didn't do anything wrong" she promised him, "I tried to make you drink" she said, tears welling up in her eyes once against as she pulled away enough to look at him, so glad to see him at all.

"What did you do to yourself?" he muttered, as he gently lifted her bandaged arm and studied it. He knew very well what she'd done and he didn't like it at all.

"What did I say to you about putting yourself in danger for me you silly girl" he scolded half-heartedly. He was incredibly grateful for what she'd tried to do. The love she'd proved to have for him was beyond anything he could ever hope to comprehend, but she was his precious girl. If she'd have seriously damaged herself or worse just trying to save his worthless hide he never would've forgiven himself.

"Guess you get your insane loyalty from your Mum and me" he sighed, "Your bloody stubbornness and stupidity too" he smiled slightly as she flung herself at him and hugged him tight once again.

"I love you, Daddy" she told him tearfully, "I couldn't just let you go"

"I love you too, pet" he promised her, holding her close, "And I'm not goin' anywhere, not for a long while yet"

Buffy was by now crying openly as she watched her 'husband' and daughter happily reunited. They were both okay, as was she. It was a minor miracle they'd come through all that they had and relatively intact.

"Mind if I have some time with your Mum now, Bit?" Spike asked as he glanced between the two blondes.

Becky nodded, sniffing back further tears of joy and relief.

"I should go see the others let them know everything's okay now" she said headed for the door. She paused there and looked back.

"Everything is okay now, right?" she checked. Buffy and Spike shared a look that answered more than one question.

"Yes, luv" Spike told his daughter, "Reckon it is"

Becky left then and her father moved to take the seat she'd recently vacated.

"Not so far away" Buffy told him, reaching for his hand. She pulled him down to sit on the edge of her bed, as she herself sat up straight. Tears welled in her eyes as she looked at him, a hand reaching out to his face tracing every plane.

"When they told me, and I thought I was going to lose you" she said shakily, "Spike, I didn't know how I was going to go on"

"Hush, baby, it's alright" he told her, pulling her into a hug as she took her turn at sobbing into his shoulder, "I'm okay" he remind her, "I'm just so sorry I had to...do what I did"

"No, Spike" she said almost angrily as she pulled away, "I made you bite me. I forced you to drink, I don't want you to blame yourself"

"I might've killed you" he pointed out too seriously and she glanced away, "Might've done for the Little Bit too if you hadn't..."

"I know" she interrupted softly, "I had to take the chance though, I had to try to save you. We'd be so lost without you now" she told him.

"Oh Buffy" he sighed, running a hand through her hair, fingers lingering near the gauze that covered the wound on her neck, "I was so afraid you'd...that it'd be different" he tried to explain, "That I'd look in your eyes and not see it anymore" off her confused look her explained further, "Love, Buffy, I was afraid it'd be less maybe even gone after..."

Her lips on his took away words she couldn't bear to hear. She could hardly believe he would think she might ever stop loving him. Truthfully she didn't know how to. She needed him to know it but the words wouldn't come so instead she was showing him. The kiss went on for some time, as she fought to prove that which she couldn't say, and he responded in kind. She was forced to gasp for air when they finally broke apart.

"Did that poison scramble your brain, dumbass?" she joked, "You really thought I could ever stop loving you?"

"Dunno 'bout the poison, luv" he smirked, "Just one kiss from you and I don't know which way's up"

She giggled like a teen at that. This was how it was supposed to be, the two of them joking and loving each other and being happy. All the horror in the world, all the pain and suffering they must endure and demons sent for them to fight, it all meant nothing. In special moments like these, the rest of the world just slipped away and nothing mattered because they knew everyone they loved was safe and that they were loved unconditionally by the person before them. It was like some kind of heaven on earth.

"Er, knock, knock?" Xander imitated rapping on the door that had been left open.

"Who's there?" Buffy smiled as if it were a joke.

"Enough flowers to start a florists shop" came Cordelia's answer from beside her husband, "If you're not too busy playing tonsil-hockey to accept gifts?" she smirked.

"Come in, you guys" Buffy grinned, still holding onto Spike's hand as the Scoobies bent the rules of the hospital by all piling into the room complete with gifts as promised.

"I spoke with the doctor, honey" Joyce told her daughter, "He says he needs to run some more tests but you should be able to go home first thing tomorrow" she explained, "Personally I think they like to clear a lot of beds on a Saturday, prepare for all the drunk young things on a Saturday night" she said in full mother tone.

"Saturday" Buffy said with sudden realisation, "Oh my God, Becky, sweetheart, it's your birthday tomorrow"

"I'd almost forgotten amongst all the mayhem" the young girl admitted, "It kinda wasn't important in comparison"

"Well it's bloody important now" her father told her, "The way I see it, some of us came close enough to death these past couple of days, 'bout time we celebrated life"

The rest of the gang seemed to agree and Buffy was quick to send everybody home to get some rest.

"I need you all at the house tomorrow morning" she told them, "As soon as I'm out of here I'm calling an emergency Scooby meeting" she announced, "We've got a party to finish organising"

To Be Continued...

A/N2 : So yeah, next chapter is the last one with the party and everything which was the point of this fic waaaay back at the beginning before the demon and the near-deaths and everything. Reviews are wonderful things you know, so maybe you'd all like to press that little button down there and tell me what you thought of this chapter, whilst I hammer out the finale!