A/N : So it would seem I freaked you all out a little bit with the pregnant Drusilla thing... Yeah, it's going to get freakier! ;-) Apologies for the lack of updateage, I've had a lot of trouble uploading!
(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)

Chapter 4

After her strange dream, Buffy found it was impossible for her to go back to sleep, besides it was almost lunch time now and she didn't want to sleep the whole day away. She got up and dressed, all the time thinking about the images that had passed through her mind whilst she slept. The fact she'd dreamt of making love with Spike was scary enough but she had to admit it was the later part with Drusilla that had her the most wigged.

It was several months since Spike's sire had last been in town, or so Buffy thought, now she was wondering if that were true. She hated to think the two vampires may have been seeing each other again and behind her back, but Spike had changed, there was just no way he would do that, surely. It made Buffy's headache come back full force as she considered all the possible things her dream might mean. It could just be nothing, different thoughts and memories and fantasies getting all mixed up in her alcohol fogged brain, but so many of her nightmares had come true before, Buffy was afraid to dismiss this one so easily.

"Buffy, hey" Willow smiled as her friend came down the stairs, "You feelin' better for the sleep?" she asked with a smile and the blonde nodded.

"Yeah, kind of" she admitted, "I... I had a weird dream"

"Was there badness?" Willow checked, "It wasn't a Slayer-type bad dream, like telling us that evil's coming again, was it?"

"I don't know" Buffy frowned as she came into the living room and sat down in the chair, looking over at her friend on the couch, "It was a little intense and weird and... it was probably nothing" she said at last, not really believing it but determined not to worry anyone unduly. She'd just have to talk to Spike, ask him where Dru was these days. He'd probably tell her she was dead or thousands of miles away or something and that there was nothing to worry about. It was strange but when he told her things would turn out okay, she did believe him, it was all weirdly comforting.

"We got some happy news whilst you were out" Willow grinned, "Xander proposed to Anya, they're engaged"

"Oh, that's so great" Buffy smiled, finding she could at least be happy for her friends if not for her own sake right now, "But they announced it without me there?" she frowned slightly, until Willow shook her head.

"Not on purpose" she assured her friend, "They kind of got into a silly fight last night, and Xander came over. We talked and the whole engaged thing slipped out. Tara got to hear and then we told Giles... I'm sorry you were the last to know"

"Hey, it's no big" Buffy promised the red-head, not wanting her to feel bad about something so trivial, "I mean it's not like I'm that late hearing it and I'll see the happy couple soon enough to offer my congratulations and stuff"

"That's kind of the plan we all had, with the congratulations offerage" Willow told her, closing the books on the table she'd been using to study and putting the cap back on her pen with a click, "We're going to have a little party type occasion at the Bronze, some drinks, a little dancing, to help Xander and Anya celebrate"

"Sounds good" Buffy nodded, "When were we planning this for?"

"Tonight" Willow told her, "Which is good for you, right? I mean, you can take a night off patrol or something?"

"Maybe" Buffy said thoughtfully, she had really wanted to visit the cemetery tonight as an excuse to go see Spike and ask about Dru, but this was her friends big night. It wasn't everyday people got engaged, "I guess I could do a quick sweep and then join you at the Bronze"

"Great" Willow grinned as she packed up her study things and stood up, "I'm gonna go meet Tara at the Magic Box. We're going on a little shopping trip, get new outfits for tonight since it's the first time in forever we've had spare cash" she explained, "You wanna come?"

Buffy thought about it for a moment, and realised she deserved a little treat. She had a few dollars to spare, she could at least buy a new top or something for this special occasion, and besides trawling around the mall with two of her best friends on a bright sunny day like today would hopefully take her mind off the dream she'd had, and all associated vampires she'd sooner forget.


"But it looked so great" Willow whined as she, Tara, and Buffy returned home to 1630 Revello Drive, referring to an item of clothing she'd seen in the store and begged Buffy to buy as she was sure it would suit her to no end. Buffy had made several excuses why she didn't want that particular shirt, despite the fact it was gorgeous. It was so similar to one that Dawn had begged and pleaded to be allowed to have last year, when she had been told in no uncertain terms by both her mother and sister she was far too young for such an item of clothing.

"Really, Will, I just didn't like it that much" the Slayer lied, knowing she'd loved it, but that also everytime she wore it she'd be reminded of Dawn in too painful a way to bear it.

"Sweetie, if she didn't want it..." Tara urged her girlfriend with a smile and the red-head sighed, finally giving in.

They'd been out all afternoon, mostly window shopping, and then grabbing some food on the way home. It was now getting dark and the three young women took turns to shower and wash their hair before getting ready to go to the Bronze for Xander and Anya's celebration of their engagement.

Knowing she wouldn't be patrolling as such but just getting to Spike's crypt and back, Buffy put on her party outfit, figuring that even in her skirt and halter top she could slay any vamps that attacked between here and there. Besides there didn't tend to be too many vamps hanging around Spike's place since they learnt he was a member of the Slayer's team and would likely dust them soon as look at them.

In all honesty, Buffy didn't relish the thought of facing Spike right now, especially in his crypt, him setting of her erotic dream turned nightmare. It would be bad enough with the thoughts of the steamy half of her dream stuck in the forefront of her mind, but knowing something bad might be coming, something in the form of Drusilla, that was way more scary from all kind of angles.

"Well, here we go" the Slayer said to herself as she checked herself over in the mirror one last time, pulling on her jacket and ensuring it had a stake secreted in either inside pocket.

As she stepped out of her bedroom door, she found Willow and Tara on the landing, about to come see if she was ready.

"You really have to be patrol-bound, Buffy?" the red-head checked, "Don't wanna get your new skirt messed up, do ya?"

"I should just make a quick sweep" the blonde said awkwardly, "I won't be long I swear, and I'll be careful, as always" she smiled.

"We'll see you at the Bronze" Tara smiled back as she and Willow took each others hands and hurried down the stairs, leaving Buffy alone, still wondering if she was about to do a very stupid thing.


Buffy stood outside of Spike's crypt for fully five minutes before she summoned up the courage to go inside. It was ridiculous, she knew that, she kept telling herself just how stupid she was being but the shaky nervous feeling she got when she thought of facing Spike right now just would not go away. She prayed to God he wouldn't notice, or would at least be polite enough not to mention it if he did, but after all this was Spike she was thinking about, and the chances of him having tact and diplomacy on this particular night out of many was approximately nil.

"Hello, luv" the vampire in question smirked as he turned in his armchair to look at her, "Bloody quiet entrance for you, wasn't it?" he teased as he flipped off the TV and stood up.

"Just keeping you on your toes" she told him, a scene flashing through her mind from her dream where he was more on his back than on his feet.

"You alright there, Slayer" Spike asked as he noticed the way she was shifting awkwardly and not really looking at him so much as the floor. She didn't answer as he approached her and he reached a hand out to her arm - she flinched away violently.

"I... I need to talk to you" she said, moving around him and further into the crypt.

"Well, whatever you gotta say, pet, you go right ahead" he told her as he turned and followed her movement with his eyes. She was pacing a little by now, still looking at the floor, and it was driving him nuts not knowing what was up with her.

When the pressure of having lost her sister and not being able to talk to her friends about it got too great she'd come busting in, loud as you please, either to yell and scream like a woman possessed, or to cry in his arms like a child. Those two particular mood swings he could handle, but lately she was developing far too many for his liking. Though this was a little preferable to her throwing herself at him as she had last night in her drunken state, he didn't like seeing her this jittery and uncomfortable it was unsettling.

"Slayer" he called across to her, but she didn't answer.

He strode across the space between them and grabbed her upper arms holding her still. It had been such a surprise and he was right in her face when she glanced up, Buffy could hardly breathe, nevermind co-ordinate herself enough to push him away.

"For God sakes, woman, what the bloody hell is up with you tonight?" he asked her, frowning still. This wasn't like her at all and it bothered him immensely.

"I... I had a dream is all" she said awkwardly, forcing herself to look away from his hypnotic blue eyes and wriggling free of his grasp, though she didn't move from standing in front of him, just turned around putting her back to him as she folded her arms over her chest.

"About the Little Bit?" he checked, since that was what usually upset her, thought not quite like this.

"No" she admitted so quietly that without his enhanced hearing he might not have heard, "About me, and you"

Spike didn't even try to stop the smirk that spread across is face at that little admission, he even let a little chuckle escape when it rose in his throat.

"This isn't funny!" Buffy protested, swinging around to face him.

"Never said it was, luv" he grinned overly much at her, "Just wonderin' how bloody good I was to get you so hot and bothered just standing three feet from me" he smirked wickedly and Buffy hated that she felt the heat rising in her cheeks.

How dare he make fun of her, embarrass her like this?! She hated him for that, and yet at the same time she knew what he was saying was accurate. What had happened in her dream had felt so good, he'd made her feel like the only woman in the world, and the most loved one at that. There was that tiny part of her, the tiny part that was bigger than she'd ever admit, that just kept on wondering if the reality would be as wonderful as what she'd imagined.

"I'd like to wipe that smirk off your face" she said, with an angry edge to her voice that he chose to ignore.

She was just annoyed that he'd infiltrated her subconscious, and Spike was fairly certain it couldn't be long now before he got into her heart too.

"Yeah, well, if your night-time brain flashes are anything to go by, you'd like to do a lot more than that, I reckon" Spike continued to smirk annoyingly as he walked past her towards the sarcophagus where he kept his supplies of blood, alcohol, and so forth.

"How long is it since you last saw Drusilla?" she asked suddenly, knowing this was the more important thing they should talk about and needing to change the subject as quickly as possible before her face heated up so much she got sun-burn from the inside.

Spike stopped moving completely then, like she'd stunned him into the form of a statue. Eventually she heard him take in a pointlessly deep breath before tuning around to face her and give an answer.

"Last time I saw Dru was the last time you did, pet" he said honestly, "Day she walked out of here, pissed at me for having tied her to a post and threatened to stake her"

Buffy nodded that she remembered that day all too clearly, as Spike couldn't quite keep eye contact with her, knowing now what an idiot he must have been to think chaining the Slayer to a wall would ever make her feel like confessing love for him, whether she felt it or not.

Spike took a long drink from the bottle in his hand, ever so glad he had it right now. Buffy was almost wishing she could do some memory blocking in a similar way but alcohol led to badness she remembered from last night, and she would not be touching so much as a drop anytime soon.

"Probably should've done what I said" Spike caught her attention when he suddenly spoke, "Shoulda done her when I had the chance I s'pose but... she was my sire, 's not that simple" he shrugged.

"And you loved her?" Buffy said, making it both a statement and a question at the same time somehow, "I know what that's like" she reminded him, immediately wishing she hadn't.

Angel was a sore point between the two of them, not least because he was the vampire who'd succeeded to get somewhere with the Slayer, that Spike himself had not, and yet wished he could.

"'S not the same, pet" Spike shook his head, pulling himself up to sit on the sarcophagus behind him, "Yeah, I loved Dru. Maybe I still do, somewhere deep down, I mean, she made me what I am and all. Wouldn't be sitting here now, looking at your pretty face if not for her turning me" he smiled and Buffy managed a smile back with a bonus eye roll at how corny he sounded right now. She came over to where he sat and contemplated sitting beside him, before remembering her new skirt and remaining on her feet next to him.

"But y'know what?" he said, strangely softly for a supposed evil vampire as he looked at the woman he loved more than anything else in the world, "Now I could do it" he confessed, "Now, seein' how easy it'd be for me to lose people I love, seein' Dawn take that dive and..." he looked away for a moment, regained his composure, and looked back at Buffy, "Easily could've been you I lost that day, and yeah, I know the drill, you're not mine to lose, right?" he sighed, "but that doesn't mean it would've hurt any the less" he said softly, his hand reaching out to her cheek, stopping just short and dropping away, as reality caught up with him and he realised he'd probably get a smack in the mouth for taking advantage or whatever, "S'pose that just proves how much of a screw up I am when it comes to bein' a vampire" he rolled his eyes, "Rather stake my own sire, than see you hurt, Slayer" he told her so sincerely and with such powerful love in his eyes for her that Buffy could hardly breathe.

"Naughty, naughty, wicked Spike" said a voice in the dark, breaking the mood between Slayer and vampire as they both jumped into battle-ready stance and glanced around in the gloom, "What a nasty, nasty thing to be saying behind our backs"

"Bloody hell" Spike cursed, "Drusilla?" he called into the black and Buffy's heart clenched in her chest as she spotted the face of Spike's sire in the gloom, the one who had infected her dreams and turned them into nightmares just this morning.

"Make a choice and pick the sunshine, you'll only end up burnt, you silly boy" she cackled as she swayed back and forth, "How could you be such a bad, silly, man... Daddy" she said a slow smile creeping across her blood red lips as she finally stepped out of the shadows and revealed her highly pregnant form to the two blondes, shock registering on both their faces, as Drusilla laughed.

To Be Continued...