Chapter Twelve: Ideas
Buffy walked into the house, followed by Tara, Willow, Xander and Anya. She had invited them over to discuss what they were going to do about patrolling. She heard laughter coming from the kitchen and quietly walked to the kitchen doorway.
"How is it possible to ruin pizza?" Dawn giggled. "Even I know how to make that."
"I've never had to cook in my life," Spike said, waving the smoke away from the oven door. "Besides the idiots who put the instructions on this frozen dough with tomato sauce are bloody incompetents."
"Really," Dawn said. "Then how come I've never had trouble making frozen pizza?"
Spike glared at her and said, "That's why blood's better. It doesn't have to be cooked."
"No but you make a big fuss if the blood's not warmed to just the right temperature," Dawn teased. "You're worse than a little kid."
"Am not," Spike snapped.
"Are too," Dawn retorted.
"Stop that," Spike told her."
"Make me," Dawn teased.
"Okay," Willow broke in, entering the kitchen. "Break it up you two. Buffy's already having one child. She doesn't need two more."
"She started it," Spike said pointing at Dawn.
"Me?" Dawn said. "You're the one who burned the pizza."
"You burned the pizza?" Buffy asked. "What were you doing using the oven in the first place."
"I thought I'd make dinner," Spike said.
"Well don't," Buffy snapped. "Don't touch the oven or the stove. Just don't touch anything."
"That's not what you told me to do this morning," Spike said.
"Okay, guys, break it up," Willow said. "How about I order us a couple pizzas?" Buffy nodded at Willow so she went and called in the order.
Everyone went into the living room and sat down to wait for dinner to arrive.
"So um how was school today, Dawnie?" Willow asked.
"Good," Dawn said. "I ah finished my homework."
"Fine," Buffy said. "Any problems?"
"No," Dawn said.
"Good," Buffy said.
"Before I forget, here," Dawn said, handing Buffy a bag.
"What's this?" Buffy asked.
"Spike had me pick up some pre-natal vitamins after school," Dawn explained.
Buffy glared at Spike, "Why did you have her do that?"
"You need to get started on those. This next few months are very critical," He said calmly.
"Since when did you become such an expert on pregnancy," Buffy snapped.
"I did some checking on the computer," Spike said. "And someone has to make sure this child is being taken care. I don't see you making any effort on your own."
Buffy was so furious she could hardly speak, "What are you talking about? I'm having this child, aren't I? I'm doing to best I can."
"Right," Spike said. "You haven't seen a doctor, you're still training.."
"How did you know that?" Buffy interrupted.
"I can smell you," Spike snapped.
Buffy made a face at him, "You are disgusting. Besides I'm fine. Training is not going to hurt the baby."
"How do you know that?" Spike asked. "You haven't asked a doctor or done any kind of research."
"I'm the one having this baby," Buffy told him. "I think I know what feels right and what doesn't and right now everything's fine."
Spike and Buffy's fight was interrupted by the arrival of the pizza. By the time the pizza had been divided up tempers had cooled down and the discussion had turned to Xander and Anya's wedding.
"Spike, I need your measurements," Anya said.
"Sure," Spike grinned. "Why don't we go upstairs and we can get them in…private."
"Shut up, Spike," Xander warned.
Spike rolled his eyes at Xander and asked Anya, "So who do I get to walk down the aisle with?"
"My friend, Hallie," Anya said. "You remember her. She locked up in the house at Buffy's birthday party."
Spike's face went rigid, "No, put me with anyone but her."
"Why?" Anya asked. "After the party she couldn't stop asking about you. I think she likes you."
"Tell her that she can…" He glanced over at Dawn and amended what he was about to say to, "Tell her to find someone else. Tell her that I said she's beneath me."
Everyone stared at Spike in shock. Spike was a lot of things but one thing he had never been was a snob. In fact Buffy had always noticed that Spike held a lot of contempt for people who thought that they were better than others.
"What do you have against Hallie?" Anya asked, surprised. "You hardly know her."
"I know her better than you think," Spike said. "And I am not waking down any aisle with her." He glanced at Dawn, "How about you, Nibblet? Wanna walk down the aisle with me?"
"Sure," Dawn said eagerly. Buffy started to protest but she knew that if she objected to Dawn's being paired with Spike then she'd wind up being paired with Spike herself.
"Okay," Anya said. "That'll work although it would be nice if Spike and Buffy were paired together."
"No," Buffy said, smothering a yawn. She was exhausted, from training and she noticed that her pregnancy was making her tire easily. Spike noticed this and slowly put his arm around her and pulled her down to his shoulder. Both he and Buffy were surprised when she didn't protest. She just leaned against him and sighed, with her hand resting on her stomach.
"Hey, Buffy," Willow said, being careful about what she said. Right now Buffy's moods were all over the place and Willow didn't want to upset her. "I have an idea. I was thinking about your baby today and I was thinking that instead of a doctor maybe you should use a midwife instead."
"A midwife?" Buffy said, surprised. "Why?"
"Well, even though this baby did technically have human parents, since you're the Slayer and Spike's well a vampire this baby might be a little different and a hospital would ask questions, and wouldn't be as well protected," Willow pointed out. "If you used a midwife then you could use this Wiccian one that I know and she would be discreet plus if you had the baby here then it would be protected from vampires entering."
Buffy looked up at Spike, "She does have a point. I think it would be a good idea."
Spike hesitated, "I don't think so."
"Why not?" Buffy asked. "It makes sense."
"It's too risky," Spike said. "Doctors are quacks but having a baby in hospital makes more sense than having some bloody stupid midwife delivering our child."
"She's perfectly qualified," Willow said. "She told me that she's delivered more babies than most doctors. She believes in doing everything natural and letting mother and child set their own pace."
"Great," Spike said, sarcastically. "Sounds like fun."
"I think we should use her," Buffy said.
"No," Spike said.
Tara looked at Spike and understood, "Spike, this is not 1880. Midwifes are trained now. They know what they're doing. Buffy's probably safer having this baby here than in a hospital."
Spike sighed. He knew how to pick his battles and in the case he wasn't going to win, "Fine, we'll talk to her."
"Good," Buffy said. She knew that she could get her way with Spike when she really wanted to. "Will, can you get us the number of that midwife?"
"Sure," Willow agreed. She looked at Buffy and saw how tired she looked. "Why don't we go out and patrol. You look tired."
"Okay," Buffy agreed grudgingly. She hated not being able to patrol but she knew it was either that or Spike would chain her down in his crypt again.
Everyone said their good-byes and left, leaving Buffy with Spike and Dawn. "Okay, Lil Bit," Spike said, standing up. "It's late, get to bed." Dawn made a face at him but she said good night to Buffy and Spike and then went upstairs.
"You're good with her," Buffy said, leaning back on the couch as Spike stood up and began to gather up plates, cans and pizza boxes.
"Practice," Spike said, looking off in the distance.
"With who?" Buffy asked, hoping she wasn't getting into dangerous territory. "Your brother and sister?"
Spike nodded, "I was ten when they were born. Father died shortly after so I was their father and their brother." He continued to stare off into space. Buffy didn't want to say anything more.
"Anyway," Spike said standing and picking Buffy up. "You need your sleep. So I'll clean up and them I'll join you upstairs."
"No," Buffy protested as Spike carried her upstairs. "You get the couch."
"I'm not sleeping on the couch," Spike said, laying her down on her bed.
"Yes you are," Buffy said, gazing up into his eyes.
"No," Spike said, leaning down to kiss her. "I'm not."
"Yes, you are," Buffy said, wrapping her arms around his neck.
"No," Spike said, lowering his body down to cover hers. "I'm not." And that was all that was said that night. In fact, neither one of them noticed when Dawn slipped out of bed and discretely closed Buffy's bedroom door.
Buffy walked into the house, followed by Tara, Willow, Xander and Anya. She had invited them over to discuss what they were going to do about patrolling. She heard laughter coming from the kitchen and quietly walked to the kitchen doorway.
"How is it possible to ruin pizza?" Dawn giggled. "Even I know how to make that."
"I've never had to cook in my life," Spike said, waving the smoke away from the oven door. "Besides the idiots who put the instructions on this frozen dough with tomato sauce are bloody incompetents."
"Really," Dawn said. "Then how come I've never had trouble making frozen pizza?"
Spike glared at her and said, "That's why blood's better. It doesn't have to be cooked."
"No but you make a big fuss if the blood's not warmed to just the right temperature," Dawn teased. "You're worse than a little kid."
"Am not," Spike snapped.
"Are too," Dawn retorted.
"Stop that," Spike told her."
"Make me," Dawn teased.
"Okay," Willow broke in, entering the kitchen. "Break it up you two. Buffy's already having one child. She doesn't need two more."
"She started it," Spike said pointing at Dawn.
"Me?" Dawn said. "You're the one who burned the pizza."
"You burned the pizza?" Buffy asked. "What were you doing using the oven in the first place."
"I thought I'd make dinner," Spike said.
"Well don't," Buffy snapped. "Don't touch the oven or the stove. Just don't touch anything."
"That's not what you told me to do this morning," Spike said.
"Okay, guys, break it up," Willow said. "How about I order us a couple pizzas?" Buffy nodded at Willow so she went and called in the order.
Everyone went into the living room and sat down to wait for dinner to arrive.
"So um how was school today, Dawnie?" Willow asked.
"Good," Dawn said. "I ah finished my homework."
"Fine," Buffy said. "Any problems?"
"No," Dawn said.
"Good," Buffy said.
"Before I forget, here," Dawn said, handing Buffy a bag.
"What's this?" Buffy asked.
"Spike had me pick up some pre-natal vitamins after school," Dawn explained.
Buffy glared at Spike, "Why did you have her do that?"
"You need to get started on those. This next few months are very critical," He said calmly.
"Since when did you become such an expert on pregnancy," Buffy snapped.
"I did some checking on the computer," Spike said. "And someone has to make sure this child is being taken care. I don't see you making any effort on your own."
Buffy was so furious she could hardly speak, "What are you talking about? I'm having this child, aren't I? I'm doing to best I can."
"Right," Spike said. "You haven't seen a doctor, you're still training.."
"How did you know that?" Buffy interrupted.
"I can smell you," Spike snapped.
Buffy made a face at him, "You are disgusting. Besides I'm fine. Training is not going to hurt the baby."
"How do you know that?" Spike asked. "You haven't asked a doctor or done any kind of research."
"I'm the one having this baby," Buffy told him. "I think I know what feels right and what doesn't and right now everything's fine."
Spike and Buffy's fight was interrupted by the arrival of the pizza. By the time the pizza had been divided up tempers had cooled down and the discussion had turned to Xander and Anya's wedding.
"Spike, I need your measurements," Anya said.
"Sure," Spike grinned. "Why don't we go upstairs and we can get them in…private."
"Shut up, Spike," Xander warned.
Spike rolled his eyes at Xander and asked Anya, "So who do I get to walk down the aisle with?"
"My friend, Hallie," Anya said. "You remember her. She locked up in the house at Buffy's birthday party."
Spike's face went rigid, "No, put me with anyone but her."
"Why?" Anya asked. "After the party she couldn't stop asking about you. I think she likes you."
"Tell her that she can…" He glanced over at Dawn and amended what he was about to say to, "Tell her to find someone else. Tell her that I said she's beneath me."
Everyone stared at Spike in shock. Spike was a lot of things but one thing he had never been was a snob. In fact Buffy had always noticed that Spike held a lot of contempt for people who thought that they were better than others.
"What do you have against Hallie?" Anya asked, surprised. "You hardly know her."
"I know her better than you think," Spike said. "And I am not waking down any aisle with her." He glanced at Dawn, "How about you, Nibblet? Wanna walk down the aisle with me?"
"Sure," Dawn said eagerly. Buffy started to protest but she knew that if she objected to Dawn's being paired with Spike then she'd wind up being paired with Spike herself.
"Okay," Anya said. "That'll work although it would be nice if Spike and Buffy were paired together."
"No," Buffy said, smothering a yawn. She was exhausted, from training and she noticed that her pregnancy was making her tire easily. Spike noticed this and slowly put his arm around her and pulled her down to his shoulder. Both he and Buffy were surprised when she didn't protest. She just leaned against him and sighed, with her hand resting on her stomach.
"Hey, Buffy," Willow said, being careful about what she said. Right now Buffy's moods were all over the place and Willow didn't want to upset her. "I have an idea. I was thinking about your baby today and I was thinking that instead of a doctor maybe you should use a midwife instead."
"A midwife?" Buffy said, surprised. "Why?"
"Well, even though this baby did technically have human parents, since you're the Slayer and Spike's well a vampire this baby might be a little different and a hospital would ask questions, and wouldn't be as well protected," Willow pointed out. "If you used a midwife then you could use this Wiccian one that I know and she would be discreet plus if you had the baby here then it would be protected from vampires entering."
Buffy looked up at Spike, "She does have a point. I think it would be a good idea."
Spike hesitated, "I don't think so."
"Why not?" Buffy asked. "It makes sense."
"It's too risky," Spike said. "Doctors are quacks but having a baby in hospital makes more sense than having some bloody stupid midwife delivering our child."
"She's perfectly qualified," Willow said. "She told me that she's delivered more babies than most doctors. She believes in doing everything natural and letting mother and child set their own pace."
"Great," Spike said, sarcastically. "Sounds like fun."
"I think we should use her," Buffy said.
"No," Spike said.
Tara looked at Spike and understood, "Spike, this is not 1880. Midwifes are trained now. They know what they're doing. Buffy's probably safer having this baby here than in a hospital."
Spike sighed. He knew how to pick his battles and in the case he wasn't going to win, "Fine, we'll talk to her."
"Good," Buffy said. She knew that she could get her way with Spike when she really wanted to. "Will, can you get us the number of that midwife?"
"Sure," Willow agreed. She looked at Buffy and saw how tired she looked. "Why don't we go out and patrol. You look tired."
"Okay," Buffy agreed grudgingly. She hated not being able to patrol but she knew it was either that or Spike would chain her down in his crypt again.
Everyone said their good-byes and left, leaving Buffy with Spike and Dawn. "Okay, Lil Bit," Spike said, standing up. "It's late, get to bed." Dawn made a face at him but she said good night to Buffy and Spike and then went upstairs.
"You're good with her," Buffy said, leaning back on the couch as Spike stood up and began to gather up plates, cans and pizza boxes.
"Practice," Spike said, looking off in the distance.
"With who?" Buffy asked, hoping she wasn't getting into dangerous territory. "Your brother and sister?"
Spike nodded, "I was ten when they were born. Father died shortly after so I was their father and their brother." He continued to stare off into space. Buffy didn't want to say anything more.
"Anyway," Spike said standing and picking Buffy up. "You need your sleep. So I'll clean up and them I'll join you upstairs."
"No," Buffy protested as Spike carried her upstairs. "You get the couch."
"I'm not sleeping on the couch," Spike said, laying her down on her bed.
"Yes you are," Buffy said, gazing up into his eyes.
"No," Spike said, leaning down to kiss her. "I'm not."
"Yes, you are," Buffy said, wrapping her arms around his neck.
"No," Spike said, lowering his body down to cover hers. "I'm not." And that was all that was said that night. In fact, neither one of them noticed when Dawn slipped out of bed and discretely closed Buffy's bedroom door.