"Have you talked to Dawn yet?" Spike asked Buffy as she laid her head on his chest. He could feel her soothing warmth flow through his body. She giggled as his finger traced in circles on her back. She looked up into his eyes and smiled. She pressed her lips against his and he in turn ran his hands through her long blonde hair. It grew more passionate each second that passed. Buffy gently broke the kiss but she kept close to him, so close that their noses almost touched. She stared deep into his icy blue eyes.

"Tell her what?" She smiled and pretended she didn't know anything. Spike played along.

"Oh I don't know, maybe the fact that her big sis has been sleeping with a vampires that just happened to get her pregnant. Yeah, I think that just about sums it up." He started to chuckle until he looked over to Buffy who didn't seem to find it as funny.

"Is this really happening, Spike? I mean, are we going through with this?" She waited for an answer or at least something from him. We haven't even talked about it in all seriousness…I mean we've been running around telling people and we haven't even decided if we're…we haven't decided anything. I mean what is there to decided? Keep it? Give it up for adoption? Oh sure. Here would anyone want to adopt our baby? I'm sure he'll be great with the sucking your blood and such—but oh you can't bring him into the sunlight or he'll burn. I'm sure there would be people lining up at our door to adopt it…or take it into a laboratory to dissect it. Or there's…well there's that…

"Buffy? You okay love?" Spike looked over at Buffy as she stared aimlessly across the room. Buffy snapped out of it. "Buffy…I want this baby. It's happened for a reason. It'll be okay." He tried to reassure her but she wasn't buying it.

"Who says this is happening for a good reason? What if this is another apocalypse or something?"

Spike started getting a little upset. "Buffy, that's absurd. Why do you want to assume everything is a bad thing?"

"Because it usually is with me. Think about it Spike, it's the perfect plan. Some demon impregnates me and some evil demonic thing kills me from the inside out and causes mass destruction with no slayer to get in the way." She tried to use the logic she knew but it was only making the situation worse.

Spike moved back against the headboard of Buffy's bed, signalling her to get off of him. His eyes narrowed and suddenly the calm sea Buffy saw in his eyes became a raging sea amidst a firey storm. "Oh right Buffy because that's a much better alternative! Anything is as long as it's not Spike that did it! Right, Buffy? Admit it, you've always been ashamed of me and now you have to live with the fact that our child is growing inside of you! Fine, you go ahead and get rid of it. If that's what will make you happy then do it. I'm not stopping you. Go back to your normal life and pretend it never happened." He rose from the bed and started to storm off when Buffy yelled to him.

"Spike!" She called out. He turned around hoping to hear something different. Please tell me I'm wrong. Tell me that's not what you want. Tell me…tell me you want this baby as badly as I do. Tell me…tell me please… "Spike…I can't…"

Spike turned back around and headed for the door. He slammed the front door shut and stood still for a moment. He glanced at the front lawn and for a moment he pictured how his life would have changed. He saw a little boy running around the yard. He must only be about four or five. Beautiful blonde hair and hazel eyes like his mother. It was dark of course and Spike was right beside him, running after him. He caught up to him and tossed him up in the air as he giggled. And there in the doorway of the house was Buffy. Still as beautiful as ever.

"William, it's time for supper. Come in and wash up." Buffy called out to her son. The boy ran to his mother and hugged her tight.

"But I want to play with Daddy some more." He whined.

Spike smiled at his son and ruffled his hair. "We can play again tomorrow, William. Go inside now and wash up for dinner. Mommy and Daddy will be in soon." He walked over to Buffy as little William ran into the house.

"Spike, why do you make promises you know you won't keep. You're just like your father. You run off and come back when you want to. Don't you think it's bad enough he can't be a normal kid because of you? He's just like you, you know. He's just like you."

In a flash, it was over. Spike looked over to the lawn again and they weren't there anymore. A dream? Was that real? It was then that he realized maybe Buffy was right this time. Maybe I was just thinking about myself. I wasn't thinking about the baby. What if I am my father? What if this baby isn't human? It's my fault. She's going through all of this because of me. If I were human she would be happy with this baby. She would love it…love me perhaps. That's what it all comes down to. Humanity. Spike rushed out of the yard and as fast as he could. The farther away from Buffy the better. She made up her mind. He wasn't a part of her plans.

Back in the Summer's House…

"Buffy what was that?" Dawn asked as she hurried into Buffy's bedroom. Her older sister was lying on her bed with her knees tucked up to her chest. Tears fell onto her cheeks. She didn't say anything. Dawn quietly walked into the room and sat beside her sister. She stroked her blonde hair and wiped her tears. "Did you have a bad dream?" Her sister asked sweetly, trying to help. Buffy shook her head as her tears continued to flow. She sniffled and breathed heavily as she sat upward and hugged her sister tight. "Buffy what's going on? Is something wrong—is someone hurt—what is it Buffy talk to me. I'm your sister." Dawn pleaded.

"Dawn. Things are so screwed up."

"Things are always screwed up, Buffy. Everything will be okay though, you'll see."

Buffy pulled from the hug and looked at her sister. "No, Dawnie. I'm pregnant." She covered her eyes with her hands and cried out. Dawn tried to take it all in. A small smile crept upon her face.

"It's Spike's." Dawn asked quietly.

Buffy took her hands from her eyes and stared at her sister in astonishment. "You knew?"

"I'm a teenager, not stupid. You've been sick for days, Spike's been hanging around a lot, and I just put two and two together. It's not the end, Buffy. You've been through so much…you can do this."

"I don't think I can, Dawn. I'm not keeping it…Spike…" Buffy cried.

"Loves you and this baby." Dawn reassured her. "Give him a chance." She held her sister again as she began to settle down a bit. "Remember that song Mom used to sing to us when we were little?"

"Mhhmm."

"Remember the words?"

"Mhhmm."

Dawn started singing as she continued to hug her sister. The words were comforting and soothing. It had been almost a year since their mother passed away. Memories of her were bittersweet but they brought them closer together through the hardest of times...

The next day…

"Buffy Summers." The doctor called. This was it. There they were. The clinic, with Willow by her side for support. Willow gave her a nudge.

"Buffy are sure about this? Do you want me to come in with you?" She asked hesitantly. Buffy nodded and walked into the exam room. She sat back in the chair and looked over to the doctor as she prepared. The doctor had that look. That look of sorrow and pity. But she isn't judging me. She's used to this kind of thing. It's what she does. How many babies does she…how does she do it? How does she sit here and smile at me? How does she go home to her children at night…after killing…

"Okay Miss Summers, I am going to begin. Are you ready?" The doctor asked. Buffy looked to Willow and tears fell from her eyes.

"It's okay Buffy. I'm here for you." Willow spoke softly to her best friend.

"No, it's not. It's not okay Will." Buffy said as she pulled herself up from the seat. "I can't. I can't do it. I can feel it, Will. Inside me. It's real and it's a part of me. I can't just get rid of it." Buffy cried.

Willow was shocked…and relieved. "Are you sure, Buffy? This is huge."

"I'm sure." Buffy smiled as her attention turned to the doctor as the doctor spoke.

"Miss Summers, you are almost eleven weeks. If you don't do this now…you may not have a second chance." She advised her patient.

Buffy smiled and placed a hand over her abdomen. "This is my second chance…..and I'm taking it."