Chapter One.

Joyce paced the lounge as she waited for Spike to bring Buffy home. Willow and Xander sat on the couch with Dawn . Willow chewed on her fingers , Xander tapped a tune out on his thighs and Dawn just sat watching the t.v, but wasn't taking any of it in. Giles was in London and had tried to get a flight , but Heathrow was under a blanket of fog and his flight was delayed, Bloody typical!

Spike drove home slowly as his son, who Buffy had named after his Father, had never been in a car and had promptly hid behind Buffy thinking it was a demon. Once sat in his new car seat the three year old was happy. He watched as the other cars sped past and disappeared ahead of them. Spike held Buffy's hand, scared that if he let her go , she would disappear. They still hadn't discussed everything , but Buffy had been less than forth coming with any information regarding her inter dimensional trip in front of Angel. She and Groo had told Angel the parts that mattered with regard to Connor, but that was all. Angel of course, wanted to know all about young William and how he had come to be. A part of it stemmed from the fact that he wasn't the only ensouled vampire, and now he wasn't the only one that had a son. Spike was certainly treading on his toes, not just following in his footsteps.

Jealousy ate at the brooding vampire. Connor had settled in and was comfortable around Angel. He had told him that Groo and Buffy had both bought him up knowing that Angel was his real Father and that he had been borne to two vampires. Connor often wanted to train and Angel had been impressed with his fighting technique, which of course stung once Connor had said that Groo and Buffy had trained him once they considered him old enough.

At night, Angel and his team would take Connor out and watch him take on and kill several vampires and demons on at the same time , and come out victorious every time. Angel and the team at A.I were impressed . Groo and Cordy would hug and make a fuss of Connor after his fights, leaving Angel to watch from the side lines.

Connor loved Groo but couldn't see what his connection was to the brunette, she was far too superficial in his opinion . After knowing and loving Buffy , he found Cordelia too much hard work. He tolerated her for Groo's sake. Connor wished that Angel would make more of an effort with him, instead of sitting back and watching.

Buffy sat in the car staring at the house. Nerves had never been something she had really suffered from, but then again, it seemed years since she died and was sent to Quor'toth. Spike watched her as it seemed a million emotions played across her face .

"What's up pet? You not worried bout what they think?"

Buffy looked back at William, his soft blonde curls and chrystal eyes blinked in confusion and the young boy frowned. "We not going to see Narnar and your friends?"

"Of course we are sweety, Momma's just... come on then" Buffy got out and opened the rear door.

Spike watched as young William held onto Buffy's hand and looked up at the house, his head tilting to one side.

"There's a magic doer in there, she won't send me back will she Momma, I don't wanna go back" he clung to her tightly

"No, Will, Willow is a good witch, she wouldn't hurt you, Mom and Dad wouldn't let her"

"S'right, she won' bloody touch you, that's for sure" Spike said his eyes shone gold for a second, making William snigger.

He tugged on Buffy's arm and she bent down to his level , he cupped his hand round his mouth and whispered into her ear, whilst looking at Spike "Does Daddy always do the eye thingy and does he go all bumpy face all the time?"

Buffy laughed and swept William up in her arms "No, not all the time, just when he's protecting family, friends or if he's fighting a big bad"

"Oh" he said and frowned as Spike showed his demon to the young boy, Who poked his tongue out and then buried his face into Buffy's neck.

Finally Buffy walked towards the door. Joyce swung the door open as she approached it and stopped dead. Joyce smiled, tears hung in her eyes and she threw her arms around her daughter and grandson.

Willow, Xander and Spike held back, giving the two women space to reconnect. Finally the little boy poked his head round Buffy and smiled sweetly at Joyce.

"Your my Narnar, I'm William" he held his hand out.

The gesture bought tears to Joyce's eyes and she hiccuped a laugh, taking his hand and shaking it .

"Nice to meet you William" she smiled and bent down to his eye level "Would you like to come in and have some chocolate milk?"

"And cookies, Mom says you make the best ones" he marched into the kitchen and climbed onto a stool, waiting for everyone else to catch him up.

Joyce motioned for everyone to join them and as the front door shut she whispered to Buffy "Welcome Home baby"

William woke early and scrabbled out of bed, his little feet ran across the wood flooring in the hall with a slight pitter patter. Spike opened his eyes and waited. The door handle turned slowly and then the door creaked. From his spot on the bed, Spike could just see the top of the boys head. It ran round the bed and suddenly appeared beside him. Spike feigned surprise and then grabbed William, hauling him up and putting William in between Buffy and himself.

William giggled and then snuggled into his Moms neck. This was the second time Spike had seen the boy do this. He frowned and shrugged.

Buffy stirred, she stretched and wrapped her arm round William. "Morning blondie " she said huskily "did Momma's boy sleep well?"

"Ya huh, the bed was much nicerer than the hides we went nights on, and they smelt like roclack flowers too!"

"That they do, so, do you feel like trying some normal human food today?" She poked at Williams nose and threw back the covers, "last one downstairs smells like Groo in the pits"

Williams feet were a blur as he ran to keep up with Buffy, Spike meandered down at his own pace. He was loving the change in Buffy, and to see his son... his son, Spike was a Dad!It was something that was reserved for someone more than just the bloody poof in L.A. He wondered how Connor was doing, how he was adjusting to life now that he wasn't trapped in that god awful hell dimension. Maybe he should give the poof a call and find out. After all, they now had more in common than just the slayer or their souls.

Buffy placed the bowl of cereal in front of William ,who just stared at it and prodded it a little

"If you don't hurry up and try it it will go all soggy and that is not of the good" Buffy said.

William looked at her with the same look that Spike would, head tilted and eyes narrowed. "It looks like ..."

"Don't even finish that sentence" Buffy said "Sometimes I wish I hadn't told you all of your Fathers sayings!"

"I wasn't gonna cuss, I was gonna to say chocolate"

"Hmmm , eat up it's yummy"

Spike walked into the kitchen and he kissed Buffy on her head and then ruffled Williams hair. He got a "gerroff" for his efforts . Williams curls fell about his face as he huffed his disapproval. Spike snagged a ball of the chocolatey cereal and he winked at William as he stared up at his Father.

"Isn't Dadda meant to just eat blood?"

"It's drink and no , I eat normal stuff too" he sat at the island and picked up a shiny apple and bit into it with his vamp teeth , to prove a point. It still amazed Spike that the boy accepted his demon without a flinch or gasp.

Guess he saw nasties in Quor'toth a lot nastier than me , he thought.

Joyce came in looking ready for work and she apologised before kissing them all and getting a yuck! from William, and then grabbing her car keys, she headed out of the door.

"That was brief, but don't worry, you'll get to see Narnar later. Today we have to go and see Moms friends and see her Watcher, if he arrives that is"

Spike watched as William tucked into the cereal and swung his legs happily. He was amazed at how well he had adjusted . He had accepted Spike as his Dad and wasn't scared off by his demon. Spike still hadn't had any time with Buffy . He wanted to know why she chose William as her gift. Surely she could have chosen anything else. This was a gift for him as much as for her. He had the one thing he never thought he would have, it wasn't like vampires had kids all the time, he only knew of one other that had managed it.

Spike snapped out of his thoughts and watched as William ran out into the garden to play. The sun shone on him and he giggled as he rough and tumbled with Buffy. They both moved fluidly and it reminded Spike of himself and Buffy sparring. His son was definitely a chip off the old block. He sighed deeply, he wished that he could walk out into the day and join them. Sadness gripped him and he walked upstairs alone.Joyce and Dawn stood at the top of the stairs, both looking down at him. Joyce crossed her arms over her chest.

"I hope that your not heading to the bedroom to sulk . Get a grip Spike, your wife is back with a son, your son, you should be bloody happy not sulking because you can't go into the garden with them"

"Easy for you to say Mum, you get to 'preciate the things I can' an' it bloody hurts that I won'. Groo got to see my nipper grow , saw Buffy carry my kid an' see , tha' s'not something I can get back. "

Dawn understood , really she did, but she wasn't about to let him put distance between himself and his family. Not again, he had done that after Buffy's death, saying that he was responsible and that he didn't want to feel that way again.

"Your a bloody idiot" she said "And you said you didn't want to lose anyone again , what do you think will happen if you hide from them and your feelings hmm?"

"When did you get so clever?" he squinted at her as he asked

"When you became a dumbass!" Dawn barged down the stairs, past him and out into the back garden.

"She's right" Joyce said, she pulled him into her and he rested his head on her shoulder."You'll find a way around the problems, that's what you and Buffy do, god, how on earth did you two get this far?"

Spike looked up at his Mum in law and opened his mouth to answer, she continued to talk

"You both came into each others world by being forced to be together, the body switch. You both worked together and found out alot , you learned respect for each other and overcame those demons by working things out together. That is what you'll do this time. I know it's hard, you both have alot to get past , but if you don't try then Buffy won't and you'll end up without her, is that what you want?"

"You know tha's not what I want, it's hard, to know tha' I missed so much, I should have gone "

"Did you know that she would end up there? Did you know how that awful place would have affected you?"

"No, how could I?"

"It happened but you have her back , we have her back, and a darling boy to complete it , to complete us as a family, be grateful for miracles Spike, they don't happen often " She kissed his cheek and left him on the stairs pondering what she had said.

William came running into the house, Buffy close behind him. He squealed with delight and ran straight into Spike

"Daddy Momma's tending she's a bog monster like the one Groo fought and he got all smelly. I don't wanna get smelly cos then Momma will make me bath an' I hate baths"

The family giggled at the boy and Spike picked him up. "We can' have that now can we"

Spike roared and they chased Buffy.

Joyce looked across to Dawn and winked, "See he just needed to put his priorities right, " she stated as she heard another squeal come from the bathroom.

Joyce knew that Spike had dunked Buffy in a cold bath, she heard William's giggles and Spikes as well, while Buffy cussed.

"Do you think they'll move back to the house on the beach?"Dawn asked

"I hope so, not that I'm not enjoying this, but well, they will be a proper family then, here they can avoid each other by hiding behind us. Buffy needs to show Spike that she still loves and needs him like she did before. That poor man went through hell "

Dawn nodded