The sun shone bright through the curtains the next morning. Buffy's eyes fluttered open and realized she couldn't move. She looked around as best she could. Somehow, during the course of the night, she had been squished in between Wesley and Xander. Buffy twist and turned and finally, the boys moved and she was able to get up. She stood and looked at her sleeping friends. If only she had a camera…instant blackmail. She narrowed her eyebrows in confusion, not seeing Spike. She decided to go upstairs to see if he was there.
She peeked into Ceri's room and there he was. He was lying on Ceri's bed, an open book on his chest and Ceri snuggled into his side. Buffy really wished she had a camera handy. Spike's eyes opened slightly. "Hi." he whispered.
"Hi." Buffy made a motion for him to follow her outside, as not to wake Ceri. Spike carefully detached himself from the little girl and followed Buffy to her room. "What are you doing up here?"
"Ceri came downstairs really early. I got up and took her back to bed. She asked me to read a story, but we both fell asleep during it."
Buffy kissed his cheek, "You're so good to her." She lay on her bed, "Come over here."
Spike smiled and lay next to his lover. "Oh, and by the way," he started, "not only do I adore Ceri, I love her to death. You as well."
Buffy blushed and turned over to face him, "What am I to you?"
"What do you mean?"
"Am I your girlfriend, sex buddy, what?"
Spike pushed Buffy's hair away from her face, "I thought you were my girlfriend."
"Good." Buffy said as she snuggled up against Spike. "I was hoping so." Spike just smiled and wrapped his arms around her. Before long, the two were asleep.
"You guys have to come see this." Anya said, coming back downstairs. "It's absolutely precious." The gang followed her upstairs to Buffy's bedroom. "Look at this." Spike and Buffy were fast asleep on her bed and between them was Ceri, sleeping peacefully.
"They really look like a family." Oz observed.
Faith pulled her camera phone from her pocket and took a picture of the three blonds, "We'll definitely have to show them this."
"Let's get back downstairs before they wake up." Wesley advised.
Later that day, Buffy and Spike sat on the couch, making out, when the door opened. Joyce walked into the living room and dropped her bags on the floor, scaring the two teens. "Mom!" Buffy exclaimed. "You're home early."
"Ms. Summers!" Spike also exclaimed, wiping his mouth.
Joyce smiled, "What do we have here?"
"Uh….um…" Buffy stuttered.
"I always thought you two would get together." Buffy's jaw dropped. "So where's Ceri?"
"Anya, Faith, and Willow took her to the zoo."
"That's nice." Joyce took was just about to walk into the kitchen when she collapsed on the floor.
Buffy ran to her, "Mom, mom!" She turned to Spike, "Call 911!"
Buffy sat on the uncomfortable seat in the ER waiting room as Spike paced the floor. As soon as they got to the hospital, they took Joyce to the back. A doctor had come out and said they had to do surgery. Spike had called everybody and they were on their way here. The three girls go there first, Willow carrying a sleeping Ceri. "What's going on?" Faith asked Spike.
Spike ran a shaky hand through his hair, "Um, they had to take her to surgery. We haven't heard anything since."
Anya waved a hand in front of Buffy's face and received no reaction, "How long has she been like this?"
"Since we got here."
Willow sat next to her catatonic friend and looked up. "Please let Joyce be okay." she prayed silently.
Xander and Oz arrived shortly after the girls had. Hugs and silent prayers were exchanged. All the while, Buffy never moved, not even blinked. It wasn't until the doctor came back out that she snapped out of it. She stood, "How is she? Can I see her?"
The doctor looked down at the floor and back to her, "I'm sorry. We did all we could. There was a brain aneurism, and we just couldn't help her. I'm terribly sorry." He walked away.
Buffy fell crumpled on the floor and started to cry. Spike got down with her and held her. The rest of the group looked at each other and, all at once, joined Spike in consoling Buffy.