Confrontation

OK ok you guys win.

"One more thing." Spike said.

"What?" Buffy asked.

"Who's her father?" Spike asked.

Buffy didn't answer, she wasn't sure if Spike was asking because he really didn't know, or if Spike was asking because he knew but he wanted to hear her say it. Buffy was saved answering when Abby came into the room with a Pepsi can and a straw.

"Mommy…the bloody machine didn't have crème soda." Abby whined.

"Complain to Harmony about it." Buffy said, turning her attention to the tiny blonde.

"I did." Abby said, smiling and sipping her Pepsi.

"Well then…why are you telling me?" Buffy asked.

"Because I wanted to." Abby said. "And I came back because Uncle Xander says we gots to go."

"Ok then." Buffy said. "Go wait with them by the car alright."

"Ok." Abby said. She gave Spike a look before looking at Buffy. "Should I say anything to the reporter man?"

"Go right ahead." Buffy said, starting to pack up some stuff.

"Ok." Abby said. Spike looked down at her. "Nice to meet you…I think."

"Nice to meet you too pet." Spike said. They stared at each other for a moment before Abby turned and ran out of the room. "Does she always run?"

"Yep. Got a lot of energy." Buffy said.

"You still have to answer my initial question." Spike said, walking towards Buffy. She stood up, flipping her hair over her shoulder.

"You wanna know…Give your dear old dad a visit tomorrow…and maybe you'll find out." Buffy said before grabbing her purse and sunglasses and leaving. Spike was left standing there, looking at the tape recorder on the table.

That night while Buffy was tucking Abby into bed, the question she had been waiting for came up.

"Mommy…why don't any of you like the reporter man?" Abby asked.

"Because…" Buffy said, thinking. She decided on the truth. "Abby…that man…Spike…he's your dad."

"Oh I know." Abby said.

"How do you know?" Buffy asked.

"I've heard you talking with auntie Fay about how much I look like my daddy." Abby said, playing with the blanket. "And I just…looked at him…and my mind seemed to click or something."

"Hmm." Buffy said. "Well…ok…get some sleep alright…we're going to see grandpa at nine."

"Alright mommy…night." Abby said, snuggling into the bed more. Buffy kissed her forehead and left the room with the lamp on. She walked down the stairs into the living room where Dawn was fast asleep on the couch. Buffy watched as Dawn rolled over and fell off the couch, waking up quickly.

"Did you see that?" Dawn asked.

"Yeah…don't worry…go to bed." Buffy said. Dawn nodded and gave Buffy a hug before heading up the stairs. Buffy cleaned up the mess before bringing whatever dishes there were into the kitchen. She decided to leave the rest of the work for the maid to do in the morning. Buffy headed up to her room, changed clothes and got into bed.

The next morning Buffy put a still sleepy Abby into the car and drove to Giles' house. He was expecting to her. Buffy always came on Saturday and Sunday whenever she was in Sunnydale. She had to carry Abby into the house and found Giles sipping tea and reading the morning paper in the living room. He looked up when she entered.

"Buffy…Abby. I've been waiting for you." Giles said.

'Why?" Buffy asked.

"I'm allowed to be excited to see my granddaughter…aren't I?" Giles said. Buffy laughed and nodded.

"Hi Grandpa." Abby said, fully awake now. Buffy put her on the ground and Giles knelt down to hug her. "I met…"

"Abby…how about helping me make some cookies?" Buffy said quickly.

"YAY!" Abby said, running into the kitchen.

"Ok…so we'll make cookies…and you just…don't be shocked if someone comes." Buffy said.

"Please…having you for a daughter-in-law…I expect newspaper people here all the time." Giles said, kissing Buffy's cheek as a greeting.

"Good point." Buffy said. She went into the kitchen. Abby had gotten most things out and was standing on a chair next to the counter with her own special little apron on. Buffy got the remaining things out and the set to work on making the batter.

Spike drove down the street, trying to stay near the speed limit. He was going to get a straight answer from her father. He already knew the answer to his question to Buffy from the other day, but he wanted someone to confirm it. There had been rumors and magazines all over the place over the last few years that Buffy had been dating one movie star or another. She showed up to an awards show with Orlando Bloom and people thought she was dating him because they were very close. That rumor turned out to be false…they were just friends.

Spike turned into Giles' driveway, taking little notice to the fancy car there as well, figuring Angel probably bought it for the old man. He killed the engine and got out of the car. He walked up to the front door and paused, wondering if he should knock on the door or just enter. Technically it was still his house so he walked right in.

Giles looked startled to see his youngest son entering the house. This must have been what Buffy was hinting at.

"William…what are you doing here?" Giles asked, standing up.

"Who is Abby's father?" Spike asked, going straight to the point. "And don't say you don't know. I know you do. The whole bloody gang does!"

"Well…" Giles said, taking off his glasses and cleaning them. He couldn't answer because there was a shattering sound and a yelp in the kitchen and next second Abby was running out of it and up the stairs. Both men watched her. She came back down carrying the first add kit. "What happened?"

"Mommy cut herself." Abby said.

"You're making cookies…how could she have cut herself?" Giles asked.

"Well…" Abby said, impatiently pushing her hair away from her face. "Mommy had the glass measure thing…and she dropped it after pouring the flour in…and she was picking up the pieces and cut her hand." She ran into the kitchen. Giles looked at Spike and Spike looked at Giles.

"Do you really have to ask the question?" Giles asked before going into the kitchen to make sure Buffy was ok. Spike followed.

"You ok now mommy?" Abby asked.

"Yep." Buffy said.

"Buffy…I need to talk to you…now." Spike said. Buffy looked up at him, saw the look in his eyes, and nodded. They went out into the backyard and Buffy sat on the porch swing. "How come you never told me?"

"Would you have left if you knew?" Buffy asked. "You wanted to be a magazine reporter for a long time…would you have stayed here if I had told you?" Spike couldn't answer…mainly because he didn't have an answer. Would he have left? Part of him said no…but part of him said yes.

"Buffy…" Spike said.

"I don't want to hear it Spike." Buffy said, standing. "Because more then likely…it's gonna be another lie."

"I don't bloody know alright!" Spike said. Buffy stared at him. "God! Part of me is saying no that I wouldn't have left…but part of me is saying yes. I tried to get you to come with me didn't I?"

"That's not the point." Buffy said.

"Isn't it?" Spike asked. "You sound pretty sure of yourself Summers. I tried getting you to come with me…but you were the one that pushed me into going…I remember it Buffy. You never mentioned anything to do with Abby…all you did was tell me to leave."

"I…" Buffy said.

"You told me to leave Buffy." Spike said quietly. "You told me that you didn't want to stand in my way. Why? Why didn't you tell me you were pregnant? Even if I did wind up leaving for some fucked up reason…I would have come back more. I would have spent a lot of time here."

"I'm not gonna lie…I have no answer to that." Buffy said.

"Then you have no bloody right to be getting pissed off at me as much as you have." Spike said. Buffy opened her mouth to reply but the door opened at the same time revealing Abby with a plate of freshly baked cookies. Buffy sighed and sat back down on the swing.

"Me and grandpa finished the cookies." Abby said. She looked between Buffy and Spike before going over to Buffy and offering her the plate. Buffy smiled and took two cookies. Abby went over to Spike and offered him the plate. "Aunt Darla used to say that the reason I love chocolate chip cookies so much is because you do."

"Well…that's right. I do love them…but…" Spike said, getting down on one knee to look Abby in the eye. "How can I know you cooked them right?"

"I did." Abby said, laughing. "Mommy eats them all the time. If it wasn't for the fact that I'm not allowed near the oven I could do it all by myself." Spike laughed and took some cookies. He bit into one then fell over like he was dead. Abby's eyes went wide and she put the plate down before looking at Buffy. She looked at Spike and poked him. Spike's eyes shot open and he grabbed Abby, who screamed and laughed while she tried to get away.

Buffy stared in disbelief as Spike started tickling Abby who was laughing and trying to get away. Buffy started laughing as well, not sure why.

"Mommy help!" Abby called. Buffy didn't think twice before jumping at Spike and pulling him off Abby. They fell off the back deck onto the grassy ground and rolled around, each trying to get in control of the other. Spike got it and knelt on top of Buffy. Before either of them could react, there was a small battle cry and Abby launched herself onto Spike's back. She put her arms around his neck and Spike took hold of her legs before getting up. Buffy sat up and brushed her hair out of her face.

It was simply amazing how fast Spike took to Abby and vise versa. It was weird too...it was as if they had known each other for the whole five years that Abby had been alive. They played as if it was all familiar to them. Buffy looked at the back door to see Giles standing there and motioning for her to come inside. Buffy rose, looked once more at the playing father and daughter, then headed inside.

Ok, so I finally got this chapter done…sorry it took so long.