The Nearness Of You
Author's response: (1) somebody also wrote in asking for Dawn to be in this story. No. I dislike Dawn and would more than likely kill her off; she is just barely better than Xander, in my lowly opinion.
Thank you, to everyone who reviewed. Please continue to review and let me know how my story doing and what ideas you have.
Lots of love, Discord Marie.
-----Music of the Night-----
"Mom, this is my daughter Emma," Buffy said hesitantly. Placing her hands on Emma's shoulders she moved her child closer Joyce.
"Daughter?" Joyce asked clearly confused. Looking down at the darling child with unusual greenish-blue eyes and brown hair with natural blonde highlights. Emma was breathtakingly beautiful.
"I didn't say anything at the meeting, because I wanted you to meet her first," Buffy replied biting her bottom lip.
"That means I'm a grandmother," Joyce said after a moment of silence.
"Pleased to meet you," Emma said giving a sweet little curtsy. "My mum has told me all about you," stated the little girl before wrapping her arms around Joyce. Joyce fought back tears, she couldn't believe she had a granddaughter and Emma was such a sweetheart.
"Three generations of Summers women, the men of Sunnydale don't stand a chance," Spike grinned, pulling out chairs for the women.
"Emma Summers, what a beautiful name. Oh she is so pretty," Joyce replied fawning over her little granddaughter.
Spike had fought Emma earlier, first to get her bathed and then to brush her hair. He threatened to shave Emma's hair off if she didn't hold still. But now all the trouble seemed worth it as Joyce adored the little princess.
"Do you like Anthony Hopkins?" Emma asked taking a bite out of her grilled cheese sandwich. Spike choked on his food at Emma's conversation topic, because he already knew what she was about to say.
"The actor?" Joyce asked.
"Yeah, he's in my favorite movies; Red Dragon, Silence of the Lambs, and Hannibal. Daddy says when I'm old enough he'll read the books to me," Emma said proudly.
"Daddy said that? I guess I'll have to talk to daddy about proper bedtime stories," Buffy said glaring at Spike. Nothing like a cannibal serial killer to put a child to sleep.
"Buffy, a day in your life is more violent then any of those books," Spike replied defensively.
"Still not the right thing to read to your daughter as a bedtime story," Buffy snapped at him. Joyce watched the young couple as they argued over Emma's reading material. Emma was oblivious to the whole thing.
"What, you want me to read her lies like Cinderella? So she can grow up delusional like every other woman," Spike challenged.
"Beauty and the Beast is my favorite story that mummy reads me," Emma added into the fray. Spike grinned at the thought that Buffy wasn't deluding their daughter with crap like Cinderella; he hated that damn story. With stories like Beauty and the Beast, girls learned that men were beasts at an early age and not that prince charming poof.
"You two are arguing over your daughter's bedtime stories," Joyce said to Buffy in amazement. "So who is the father?" Joyce asked as she ate the nice meal Spike had prepared.
"I am," Spike said with a grin.
"That is so sweet of you to take on a responsibility like another man's child," Joyce said smiling warmly at Spike. He was such a great man for her daughter and granddaughter. "I meant the biological father," Joyce clarified.
"Spike is Emma's father," Buffy said after a moment of tension.
"That's impossible, vampires can't have children," Joyce said after a moment.
"What about Darla and Angel, they didn't seem to have trouble creating Connor," Spike replied snidely.
"Spike doesn't like to follow set tradition," Buffy stated with a little laugh.
"What can I say, I've always been special," Spike boasted.
"Yeah, Special Ed.," Buffy replied rolling her eyes.
"So how long have you been involved with my daughter?" Joyce asked somewhat perturbed at being kept in the dark about their relationship. Even though Spike had lived with her for the past few years, he managed to forget the part where he was involved with her daughter.
"We've been together for almost two months," Buffy said finishing off her plate before any one else and then she felt disappointed to stare at an empty plate.
"I doubt Emma was made in two months," Joyce said knowingly.
"Can't pull the wool over your eyes. About five years ago Slayer and I did x-rated things in the park, but it was supposed to be a one-night thing. It just ended up with Emma as the result," Spike replied with a forced smile.
Buffy kicked him hard in the shins for talking about their sex life in front of Emma and her mother. Spike growled at Buffy catching her foot with his legs, he began to lightly run his fingers along the bottom of her foot and Buffy struggled to suppress the laughter.
"I may not approve of how Emma came to be, but I'm glad you are her father," Joyce said after a moment of reflection. "I almost feared that Angel was her father," she finished.
"Angel is the vampire with a soul, I thought you would like him better," Buffy said clearly surprised by her mother's favoritism.
"He needs a soul to keep him in line, like a prison inmate. Look at Spike proudly taking Emma on as his responsibility," Joyce said giving Spike a brilliant smile.
"Grandma Joyce, do you wanna watch a movie with me?" Emma asked playing with her empty plate. Joyce nodded her head.
"Kid movies only," Buffy said looking at her daughter pointedly.
"Mulan?" Emma asked.
"See that's a good kiddy film," Buffy said patting her daughter on the head.
"I guess we'll talk later Buffy," Joyce said being pulled along to the living room by the eager child.
"Alone at last," Spike said looking Buffy over, "the world didn't end at dinner. So what are you in the mood for?" asked the extremely sexy blonde vampire.
"I'm starving," Buffy said eating the rest of the food off Spike's plate.
"Want me to cook you something?" Spike asked confused by the Slayer's sudden appetite. It must be nerves or something, he decided. Spike went about preparing Buffy another steak to eat. Buffy cleaned up the dinner mess and waited impatiently for her next meal.
"So how long until Emma is shown around?" Spike asked casually. Buffy could tell that he was worried about exposing their daughter and she was scared too.
"I was thinking tomorrow night if that's fine with you," Buffy replied.
"I'm not sure luv, let me check my calendar," Spike said grinning.
"Shut up, don't make fun of me," Buffy laughed out.
"I would stop making fun of you, if you didn't make it so easy Slayer," Spike replied nudging the petite blonde who was eyeing the now cooked steak. The slayer happily cut up the meat and devoured it within minutes, Spike watched in surprise at his slayer's ferocious appetite.
"Daddy! Mummy!" Emma screamed. Both parents dropped everything and ran to their daughter who was in the living room.
"Buffy," Joyce exclaimed, worry clearly in her voice. When the two parents rounded the last corner that lead to the living room they had no idea what to expect.
"Mom, what's wrong?" Buffy demanded.
"Emma," Joyce replied in wide-eyed horror. Buffy and Spike looked confused as to what that could mean, Emma looked fine.
"Bit, tell us what's wrong," Spike coaxed, kneeling in front of Emma.
"He knows," Emma replied, her voice was deeper than normal, looking past her father and strait at Buffy. The slayer felt unnerved by the look on her daughter's face.
"Who sweetie? What does he know?" Spike inquired. Emma continued to look past him as though he were not even there. Then as suddenly as it all started, it stopped and Emma fell into Spike's arms.
"My angel," was all Emma could weakly mutter. Spike tenderly laid her out on the couch, surprised at what had just happened.
"Emma had a vision," Spike said whirling around to stare at Buffy excitedly.
"No she didn't," Buffy replied sitting on the couch stroking Emma's head.
"Buffy if that wasn't a vision, what was it?" Spike demanded.
"Darmian, her angel," Buffy said plainly.
"An angel? Your daughter has her own real angel?" Joyce asked sitting back on the floor.
"That's just what Emma calls him. Darmian's her guardian," Buffy explained suddenly feeling dizzy. "He showed up shortly after I ran away from home. He never tried to get close to me, but he would watch me. After Emma was born, Darmian was everywhere that I went. Finally, after I tried to kill him, he introduced himself. I didn't trust him at first and he never pushed me to. He ended up being so helpful to me with raising Emma," Buffy replied slowly.
"So there was another man," Spike said standing and turning away from Buffy.
"He has no interest in me. Darmian's only interest in the world is Emma," Buffy said defensively.
"What just happened with Emma though," Joyce asked not understanding.
"Darmian has this connection with Emma. It's like a homing beacon," Buffy tried to describe.
Her explanation was cut short by a knock at the door. She got up from the couch to answer the door, but Spike blocked her path. Buffy tried to step around him, but he only stepped in her way again. He was making it clear to Buffy that this man would not come in.
"Darmian," Emma squealed in delight as she flung the door open. Spike growled menacingly at the man in the doorway.
"Kiddo, thought you could lose me?" Darmian asked wrapping his arms around Emma.
"Never," Emma replied pulling him into the house. "Darmian, that is my daddy," exclaimed the little girl, proudly introducing Spike.
"William the Bloody, you're reputation proceeds you," Darmian replied coolly. "Ms. Summers," he greeted her warmly, but never moved away from Emma.
"Darmian, you're here," Buffy said quietly.
"You didn't think I would just leave Emma, did you?" Darmian asked somewhat annoyed with Buffy.
"I really didn't think anything about it," Buffy replied feeling guilty for just leaving him.
"Hello, I'm Joyce Summers. Emma's grandmother," Joyce said walking up to the handsome man that vaguely resembled Keanu Reeves.
Darmian was more than handsome; he looked like he could not be human. He probably wasn't human, but Buffy doubted he was an angel either. Golden tan with perfectly groomed auburn colored hair and glowing green eyes. From looks, Darmian appeared to be in his mid twenties. He adorned his body in only the finest materials, like an Italian leather coat that was cut solely for him. Every detail of Darmian was flawless right down to his statuesque body.
"Mrs. Summers," Darmian said merely nodding his head in her direction.
"I don't know who you think you are mate, but I suggest you get out of my home. This is family time," Spike said stepping towards Darmian.
"I have no interest in you or your woman," Darmian said kneeling down in front of Emma. "Emma is my only concern. I have brought you something Emma," Darmian said reaching into his pocket he pulled out a beautiful antique silk scarf. The scarf was blue with intricate detailed patterns sewn into it. "This scarf is over a hundred years old."
"Thank you," Emma said hugging Darmian again and placing a kiss on his cheek. "I've missed my guardian angel."
"And I have sorely missed you," Darmian replied still squeezing the girl to him.
"Well it's getting late I should go," Joyce interrupted the tension that was building in the room.
"Bye mom," Buffy replied. After several goodbyes Joyce left.
"Darmian," Buffy started.
"I've overstayed my welcome. I will be back later," Darmian cut in, before leaving the small family.
"Buffy we need to talk," Spike said clearly angry.
"Em, bedtime," was all Buffy said before following Spike into the bedroom and locking the door behind herself.
"I don't like him," stated Spike after a moment of tense silence.
"He is Emma's guardian," Buffy sighed sitting on the edge of the bed and watched as Spike paced about the room. "Darmian has proven himself repeatedly."
"I'm sure he has," Spike growled.
"Are you implying that he and I?" Buffy left the thought hanging, unable to complete the sentence.
"Buffy, the man is very handsome. I'm sure that is not lost on even you," Spike snapped.
"Yes, I thought for a brief moment that he could be the man in my life," Buffy said quietly, "but he told me that Emma was his sole focus. Darmian looks at me as Emma's mother and that is it."
"So you two never shagged?" Spike asked accusingly.
"Never touched me," confirmed Buffy.
"So then there is nothing for me to worry about," Spike sighed in relief.
His fear of losing not just Buffy, but Emma as well to Darmian dissipated and he kneeled down in front of Buffy resting his forehead on her knees. The house was silent, save for three heartbeats. Three? Spike listed closely to his slayer, faintly he heard to quick flutter of another heartbeat.
"What are you staring at?" Buffy asked arching a single eyebrow.
"You have two heartbeats," replied the blonde vampire with obvious awe in his voice.
"What are you- Oh, you mean-?" Buffy asked.
"Slayer, I think we are going to be having another baby," Spike replied with wonder. Buffy feinted…
