A/N: It is the early AM. I have just arrived home after a lovely holiday and I was given a beautiful gift in the form of sixteen lovely reviews. In these reviews, many of you begged, asked and threatened me so nicely that I'm going to try and get this chapter up as soon as possible. Of course, this means I'm going in half asleep and if the chapter is bad, I blame sleep deprivation.

Disclaimer: I am going to try very hard to keep the identity of Caitlin's mum a secret for as long as possible. Of course, due to the nature of my storytelling, this may not be possible. In point of fact, a lot of you will probably guess it long before I say who it is. I won't say her name until the very end, which is cruel to some of you, but I suspect that many of you will realise who she is in the first segment. Then of course there are those of you who already know who she is. Regardless, review me about it.

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Rebound

"Why did we have to come to Faith's before you would tell me who Katie's mom is?" Buffy asked Angel, who mumbled something unintelligible. "What?"

"I paid a safety deposit for my motel room."

Buffy looked at Angel.

"What? You might break something,"

"Just tell me the story, wise guy."

XXFLASHBACKXX

She lay on the bed in the dingy motel room, hopeless. Not even he could help her anymore. He sat in a chair by the door, standing vigil. He'd always had her back, even when she didn't deserve it. Especially when she didn't deserve it.

"Maybe it would be different," he said suddenly, startling her. "We don't know. Maybe, uh... because, you know, I have a soul - if-if I did bite you--"

"No," she told him simply.

"We don't know what it would do to you," he replied hopelessly, obviously suffering.

"Angel, I've seen it now. Everything you're going through, everything you've gone through. I felt it. I felt how you care. The way no one's ever cared before - not for me. That's all I need from you," she smiled weakly.

"That's not enough," he murmured into the heavy air.

"It is," she assured him.

"I can't protect you," he agonised.

"I don't need you to protect me," she said. "I'm dying, and you can't protect me from death." He opened his mouth to speak. "Not that way."

"You're not safe here," he argued. "They'll find you, and I can't protect you here."

"What happens, happens."

He paused. "I think I know a safe place. There are people there who could protect you."

"You're abandoning me?"

"I need to know you're safe," he told her. "They'll never think to look for you there and that's the important thing."

She sighed, resigned. "Fine."

XXX

"What are you doing here?" Spike asked sullenly.

Angel hesitated. "I need you to look after someone."

Spike snorted. "Hellmouth's not exactly the safest place to send someone who needs protecting, poof. Just last week vanquished some demon that makes everyone sing and dance their feelings out."

"It's safer than where she's from," Angel said heavily.

"From LA then? Or is this bird from New York?" he queried mockingly. "Sorry, mate. Can't help."

"You have to, Spike," Angel said hollowly. "I have nowhere else to turn."

Spike said nothing and stared into his mug. He'd promised the 'bit that he wouldn't get drunk again. He was seriously regretting that promise, but he'd keep it. The poor kid had enough trouble without dealing with a drunk vampire who couldn't keep a bloody promise not to get pissed. He didn't react when Angel came back, he knew the wanker wouldn't give up that easily, but an almost familiar smell caused him to snap his head up.

"Oh, no," she said, shaking her head wildly. "I'm not staying with him!"

"Wolfram & Hart aren't expecting it," Angel said desperately. "First, a Hellmouth is the last place I'd send someone I want to keep safe. Second, Spike is the last person I'd ask for help. Third, Sunnydale is the last place on Earth I'd come after Buffy…"

"As much as it pains me, Peaches, I have to agree with the girl," Spike muttered. "She is not staying here."

"Spike," Angel said in a harsh whisper. "I need to protect her, to keep her safe. I can't do it alone. I need your help."

Spike didn't say anything for a minute. "I'll run it past the bloody Scoobies."

XXX

"No. No way. Absolutely not!" Xander exclaimed emphatically.

"I'd have to say I agree with Xander," Giles said, polishing his glasses.

"'m not exactly asking for your blessings, here," Spike pointed out. "Just thought I'd do you the curtesy of letting you know is all."

"She's a killer," Xander pointed out.

Willow nodded a little. "It does seem pretty mucho with the badness."

"It may have slipped your minds," Faith said suddenly, "but Spike's a killer, too."

"But he's chipped and he can't hurt people," Xander said airily.

Faith leaned forward. "I'm not and I can. I'm a killer too, Xand."

"But… that's different! Giles, help me out here," the construction worker plead.

"I'm afraid Faith has a point," he said, furiously polishing away. "It would be rather hypocritical of us to turn her down."

"But she's not--"

"She is," Spike cut in suddenly. "Didn't think that bit of info should have swayed your decisions though. She's all harmless now."

XXX

She swallowed another shot, ignoring the burning in her throat and slammed the glass on the table.

"He left me for a cheerleader," she mumbled drunkenly.

"At least he loved you," Spike slurred. "Mine never even gave me the time of day until she bloody well wanted her itch scratched."

"A cheerleader!"

" 'm just a soulless thing," he groaned.

" 's not true," she asserted, then blinked. "okay, so maybe it is, but you're special."

" 'm just a thing," he muttered.

"No, no, no, no," she told him sternly. "No. You're special. You care. Like Angel."

" 'm bloody well not like Angel!" Spike yelled before falling out of his chair and landing on the floor.

Giggling madly, his drinking companion slid from her chair to lie on top of him. Her breath came in short, warm bursts and she realised there was more than one way to drown one's sorrows. Acting before she could think about it further, she pressed her lips to his.

XXX

She woke with a screaming headache. Looking around blearily, she spied her underthings and a T-shirt and slid into them. After gathering her courage, she dragged herself up the ladder to get herself some food. As she expected, Spike was fully dressed and already upstairs. Unlike she expected, he almost looked sorry.

"It'll never happen again," he said seriously.

She blinked. "Why not?"

It was Spike's turn to be surprised. "What do you mean?"

"Was it not good?" she asked. "I mean, we were pretty drunk but I thought we did okay."

"Love, that wasn't the problem," Spike tried.

"Look, as much as we both want otherwise, we're both single," she said. "This doesn't hurt anybody and it kinda helps."

"I'm not Angel," he reminded her seriously.

"I'm not Buffy," she replied. "If you don't want this to happen again, that's fine, but don't use them as a shield. This happened between us, it doesn't affect anyone else and the decision is ours."

Spike thought. "So you want to do it again?"

"Yeah," she said shyly, hating herself for the unusual shyness.

"Good," Spike exhaled. "You obviously have no idea what you look like."

With that, he wrapped his arms around her and carried her back to the downstairs bed.

XXX

She always felt odd at these Scooby gatherings, especially since everyone found out Spike and her had been sleeping together. You'd think that sex were a life and death matter with the way these people reacted. It was particularly bad today because she was sick or something. She'd thrown up all morning.

"Congratulations," Tara said to her.

She blinked. "For what?"

"Oh, I'm sorry," Tara murmured. "I thought you would have known by now."

"Known what?"

"You're pregnant."

She felt an almost hysterical urge to laugh. "What?"

"You're pregnant," Tara reiterated. "I can see it in your aura."

XXX

"You're what?" Spike asked incredulously.

"I'm pregnant," she said for the third time.

"How?" he sputtered.

She arched an eyebrow. "If I have to explain that to you then maybe we're not doing it right."

"I understand the bloody mechanics," he snapped. "Vampires can't have any sodding children though!"

"Then explain that to my doctor," she said sarcastically. "She seems to think these ultrasounds say different."

Spike looked down at the black and grey images in confusion.

"Tara says it's human," she continued. "She did a whole bunch of spells and took me to the hospital for a check-up."

"What…"

"It's a girl," she said.

"A girl," Spike breathed.

XXX

"What do you mean, get a new place?" Spike asked indignantly. "What's wrong with this one?"

"Spike, we're not bringing out daughter home to a damned crypt!"

"Why not?" he asked stubbornly.

"It's cold, it's damp, it's draughty, there's no sunlight, do you want me to go on?" she asked him. "It's nowhere near any schools, it's far from the hospital, it's in the middle of a damned cemetery for Christ's sake."

Spike dropped his head in resignation.

"Now, Xander has a friend who knows someone…"

XXX

"I'm getting fat," she complained, staring at her protruding belly.

"No you're not, love," Spike said, wrapping his arms around her waist and pressing his hands on the bulge lovingly. "You're beautiful."

She punched him in the arm playfully. "This is your fault," she joked. "You did this to me."

"And proud of it," he boasted.

XXX

"I'm sorry sir, you can't go in there," the nurse told Spike, barring his way.

"My baby is being born in there, and I'm not going to bloody miss it!"

XXX

"Sir, we're having complications," the nurse hesitantly explained.

"What complications? Is the baby okay?" he worried.

"The baby seems to be exceptionally healthy," the nurse assured him. "We're worried about your wife."

"What about her?" Spike asked, anxiety hitting him like a freight train.

"She seems to have a terminal syphilitic heart condition," the nurse began. "We're amazed no-one noticed before. To be honest, you're lucky that the baby is fine."

Spike swallowed past the lump in his throat. "How long has she got?"

The nurse shook her head. "Not long. Not long at all."

XXX

She knew she was dying. She'd been living on borrowed time. She'd hoped to have more time with her baby before she died, but Spike would be there for her. He'd look after her and the Scoobies would make sure he didn't screw it up. Anya was expecting any week now, so she wouldn't grow up alone.

She hugged her daughter tightly, marvelling at her tiny little fists. They were so delicate, so precious. She hoped that wherever the afterlife was held that she'd be able to watch her daughter grow up. Spike gripped her hand tightly.

"I want to call her Roselyn, after my mother," she coughed.

"Anything you want, love," Spike said in a tear-choked voice.

"I wanted to call her Caitlin," she wheezed. "It means pure beauty."

Spike squeezed her hand a little tighter as she closed her eyes. She was so very tired now.

XENDFLASHBACKX

"Katie's mom is…" Buffy repeated, still shocked.

"Darla," Angel finished.

"The same Darla who I killed?"

"Yeah, but there's a story behind that," Angel said nervously.

"Oh."

"You see, these evil lawyers were out to get me and," Angel stopped as the sound of knocking echoed through the house.

"I think someone's at the door," Buffy said dully.

"Don't worry, guys," Faith said. "I'll get it."

Buffy sat down. This was just confusing. She barely registered the sounds of Faith greeting someone until the Slayer brought them into the lounge room. Buffy looked up to see a familiar woman holding a young boy.

"Willow?"

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A/N: There were go. It was short, but give me a break here. It's past 3 AM and I've answered the question you were all asking. I hope it makes sense, but if it doesn't it's probably the result of me being sleep deprived in order to give you all what you want. Shame on you. I joke, I jest, I joculate, I make up words, I kid. I kid because I care. So REVIEW!