A/N : And so this story has come to an end, and considering how contreversial it seems to have been amongst the readers and reviewers that's probably a good thing! All I'll say is, I write what I want and if it's popular that's just a bonus. Again I say, if you don't like it, stop reading it and go read something else, surely thats just common sense. Also, I have no control over what other fanfic writers decide to write, and if certain parts of any of my stories are similar to others you have read, this is a coincidence and beyond my control.
(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)

Chapter 26

The Chosen might have been smiling as they played a third and final song to their small audience, but inside they were all more petrified than they'd ever been before. Though they appeared to be pretty tough, each and every one of them from Spike to Faith were far from relaxed as they played through to the end of their classic 'Lovers Walk', which had followed 'Welcome to the Hellmouth' and 'Lie To Me', since it had been unanimously decided to stick to the old favourites that they knew off by heart and were least likely to screw up under pressure.

Across the room sat Lorne, the man they were all trying so hard to impress. He had a group of people surrounding him, a couple of heavies, a PA, and a few others that Spike was less sure about. A few feet away sat Willow and Buffy, both looking as nervous as he himself felt, though he had no idea his girlfriend's nerves were slightly different to his own.

She feared the band getting this deal almost much as she feared them losing out on it. Whatever the outcome she would have to tell Spike the truth, that it was highly likely she was carrying his child. It would make life a whole lot easier, she thought, if the father of her baby were not destined to be a rockstar, and yet she didn't want to deny him his dream, she loved him too much for that.

As the song finally came to an end, the assembled audience had the good grace to applaud, some with much more enthusiasm than others. Lorne was on his feet in a second moving towards the auditioning band, his yellow and red outfit making them feel a little queasy even if the nerves hadn't already.

"Fabulous, kids, just fabulous" the record producer enthused, "What a delightful little noise you make" he said with a flourish and a clap of his hands, "Honestly, you have no idea how exciting it is to find such a fresh new sound such as yourselves, and every one of you is just gorgeous in your own way" he enthused, "Faith, my little vanilla sundae, you're a veritable vixen on those drums, and you two boys, excellent bass and keyboard action, I was quite overcome, my little choiux buns" he grinned, "And then we have our star. Not to be dissing anyone else but you, my apple dumpling, are the platinum topped cherry on a divine little cake that we call 'The Chosen'" he said with a smile as he spoke the bands name, "Now won't you all just look edible on those little CD covers"

It took a moment for the four members of the group, plus Willow and Buffy, to process what Lorne had actually said and he waited just a moment before he practically exploded at them like a party popper.

"You're in, you delightful people!" he said, making it very obvious, "You're hired, you're booked, you're hitting the big time!" he elaborated, as Spike let out a shocked but grateful laugh and ran over to where Buffy had just got to her feet. He lifted her clean off the floor as he hugged her tight to him and spun her around and around. Willow hurried straight to Oz, laughing hysterically all the way as Xander hugged his cousin and Faith laughed too, bouncing around like a child on a sugar high. This was all The Chosen had ever wanted, it was all working out perfectly.

"It is just beautiful to be me" Lorne sighed, "Making dreams come true, I ought to have a wand and a pumpkin coach to whisk you away in" he grinned, though in all honesty the band and their friends were no long paying full attention, they were just so excited and overcome.

As one of Lorne's flunkies came over to him, muttering something about another appointment, the producer tapped on Spike's shoulder til he came up for air from his kiss with Buffy and paid proper attention.

"You get your fine ass, and the whole band back here tomorrow, we'll do the paperwork thing, strudel" he winked as he turned to leave, "We're headed for a whole new world, kids!"

It was these last words he spoke as he went out of the door that stuck in Buffy's mind and made the smile fall from her lips as Spike hugged her once again, speaking words she barely heard about how bright the future could be now. In this 'whole new world', this new rockstar life, would she really fit? And what about the child she was pretty certain she was carrying? In an hour or so she would find out.

Spike couldn't stop talking about the endless possibilities for the band's career as the gang arrived back at the hotel where they were staying. They each went up to their respective rooms, with plans to meet up in an hour for some serious celebrating. As Spike let himself and Buffy into their room, he was still enthusing about their life to come and how great it could be. To his credit, he included Buffy in almost every aspect of his 'perfect life' description, which she was grateful for, but the smile on her lips was still a little fake as she battled the nausea that rose in her throat every time she tried to speak. She needed to tell him now, needed him to know the truth, before it was too late.

"Honestly, pet, you have no idea how long we've all dreamed about this bloody day" Spike grinned, as he moved around the room to get out some clean clothes and so forth. Buffy just sat herself down on the chair by the window, watching him for a moment, her face lowering into her hands as she fought tears that she was no longer able to hide.

"Buffy?" Spike looked worried when she came out from behind her hands once again and found him kneeling in front of her, "Are these tears of joy, luv, or should I be panicking?" he asked with a smirk that didn't quite qualify. His mind raced back to when they'd first got out of the car this morning, how pale and out of sorts Buffy had been. Now he looked at her, she still didn't look well, and these tears were clearly of the worried and sad variety.

"Spike, I'm so sorry" she sobbed a little, hating that she'd let herself be so weak over anything. She guessed maybe her hormones were already going out of whack, another sure sign she was indeed pregnant as she suspected.

"Not liking the sound of this so far, pet" Spike frowned as he knelt before her, "Is this you tellin' me you made some sort of mistake?" he asked, looking genuinely scared as Buffy blinked back tears and tried to bring his face into focus, "You tryin' to say that you and me... that you don't want me around anymore, is that it?" he asked, feeling as though his heart would break if she said yes now.

"No" she told him sincerely, "God, no, Spike, that's the last thing I want. I love you so much" she promised him, holding his hand in both of hers, "I'm just so scared that you won't want me anymore"

"How could I not want you, you silly bint" he said, his smirk returning, "You think my trip into the limelight's gonna stop me loving you? Not a bit of it, pet, I swear"

"It's not just that" Buffy admitted with a shake of her head, "Spike, there's something I have to tell you"

"Right then" he nodded, waiting for the news his girlfriend wanted to impart, a little worried by the way she couldn't seem to keep her composure long enough to force the sentence out.

"Spike" she said, swallowing hard, "I think I'm pregnant" she said eventually, physically holding her breath as she waited for his reply, "Please say something" she said after a minute that stretched out into two, and felt like a half hour anyway.

"Bloody hell" he said eventually, a small laugh escaping his throat as a huge grin spread over his face, "I mean, sod me, Buffy, that's brilliant!" he told her happily.

"It is?" she said, a little stunned by his apparent joy at her news. She'd expected shock, anger, sadness, disappointment, a lot of other negative emotions, but never this happiness she was seeing in his eyes and hearing in his voice.

"You don't think so?" he checked, a little worried by that but unable to shift the smile from his face - it was obvious he himself was thrilled.

"No, I... I just thought" Buffy shook her head, trying to muddle her way through a mass of confused thoughts, "Spike, you have this dream, Lorne just gave you a huge opportunity and now... How can me and a baby fit into the plan?"

"Buffy, luv, you are the plan!" he told her as if she were a little slow, "Yeah, I admit getting the band signed has been a dream since the beginning but you, luv, from the moment I laid eyes on you a part of me knew my future had to have you in it" he told her as he put his hand to her face and leaned in til his forehead was touching hers, "You mean every-bloody-thing to me, Buffy" he told her seriously, "I love you"

"And I love you" she sniffed, her mind in a whirl over this, after all she'd expected such a different reaction from her boyfriend.

"Then there's nothing we can't deal with" Spike promised her, "We can make this work Buffy, somehow we will. I don't see a baby as a problem, I see it as a bloody miracle" he explained, "Alright so the timing isn't all it could be but that doesn't matter, if we love each other and love this kid"

"Y'know the crazy thing?" she laughed and cried at the same time, "I don't even know for sure that I'm pregnant" she told him, "I mean, I'm pretty sure but, I was too scared to even go see the doctor or take a test"

"It doesn't matter, pet, I promise you" Spike swore, "If you're carrying my kid then that's fantastic, and if you're not, well then, can't lose what you never had" he shrugged.

"You make it all sound so simple" she said, wonderment in her eyes as she looked into his own blue ones.

"Because it is, luv" he told her, "I never knew my life could turn out like this, it's amazing enough that I found you and that we're together, then the band get this contract, and now we could be having a baby" the wide grin returned to his face at the very mention of it and Buffy was just so pleased to see it.

"The last few months have been an adventure" she agreed with a hint of a laugh.

"That they have" Spike nodded, "Good soddin' job too if I'm gonna write new songs for the album or what all" he smirked as they stood up as one and Buffy wrapped her arms tight around his neck.

"You have no idea how happy you make me" she told him, "I fought so hard against what I felt for you, and now... God, I was so scared I'd lose you today"

"Never gonna happen, luv, I promise you" he told her, their lips almost touching.

"I know" she agreed right before they finally kissed.

They ended up being a little late meeting the gang to go out and celebrate. Kissing had led to them making love, backing up their promise to be together forever. Afterwards Buffy admitted to having bought a pregnancy test and that it was still in her purse, unused. She took little encouragement to use it now and by the time she and Spike joined their friends to go out partying they had one more thing to celebrate.

No-one was more thrilled than Spike. He'd just got everything he ever wanted handed to him on a plate. The woman he loved, the career he craved, and a child of his own on the way. Despite being of no particular faith, he prayed the fates were kind and let him keep these precious things. He'd lost too much in the past, this time he hoped the Powers That Be would be on his side. Surely he, and Buffy, deserved it this time.

The End
...except the Epilogue, which is already posted!