A/N: Here it is the next 3 chapters of the story, the father of Buffy's baby wont be revealed until late on, hopefully you wont be disappointed witht the outcome please review it would mean a lot to see if people are actually enjoying the story, once again a big thank you to my Beta Hulettwyo for her input

Disclaimer : still dont own anything, if i did i'd be rich!

CHAPTER FIVE

Spike sat hunched on a barstool at the Bronze nursing his bourbon as his brain careened along at breakneck speed. 'What if I'd never left? Would Buffy and I still be together? Would we have had a family?' The questions were rife in his mind and he was no closer to finding the answers, no matter how much bourbon he poured down his throat, but it would be akin to sacrilege to leave perfectly good alcohol sitting in his glass so he downed the last of his bourbon in one fast gulp. He stood slightly unsteadily and stepped slowly across the room, deciding to head back to Doyle and Cordelia's place for a much needed rest, only to collide with a tall, thin brunette as he made his way to the door.

"Hey, watch it! Walking here!" She bounced off a solid chest and looked up with a smile as the owner of the chest reached out to steady her. "Oh, Spike, hey."

"Niblet..." She smiled at the familiar endearment. He'd christened her with that nickname along with 'Lil Bit' the very first time he'd met her.

BUFFY'S BIRTHDAY BASH

JANUARY 19, 2009.

The Bronze was full of streamers, banners, presents, and party-goers that filled the dance floor and took almost every available seat. "Great," sighed Spike as he entered with Cordelia and Doyle in tow.

"C'mon, you needed to get out, Mr. Mopeypants. It's been at least a month since that crazy girl walked out on you, time to get back on the horse," smiled Cordelia, "Well, maybe not that horse, but it is time to find a new horse... one that's not a skanky ho."

"You've been around my brother for far too long," chuckled Spike as he led them to the bar.

"She's got a point there, Spikey, never seen you so bummed about a chit," said Doyle as he tried to get the bartender's attention.

It was true, Spike had been the love 'em and leave 'em type for a long time, but there was just something about Drusilla. Of course she was as mad as a hatter, but it only added to her appeal. She'd been his entire world and she'd left him for somebody else; some poncy geek that would've looked right at home dressed head to toe in tweed. When he'd come upon them in the park, Drusilla's hands and tongue diving down his pants and throat, respectively, the first thought that had entered his shocked brain had been, 'I don't have a patch anywhere on me.' That had been a month ago, and even if he didn't want to admit it to himself, he was brooding.

"You totally spaced out again," said Cordelia as she tapped him sharply on the shoulder.

He smiled weakly. "Sorry, luv. Just have a lot on my mind."

"Well this should change your tune. C'mon, there's somebody I want you to meet," said Cordelia, grabbing the lapel of his leather jacket and pulling him behind her until they got to the middle of the dance floor. She positioned him in front of a blonde woman and chimed, "Happy Birthday, Buffy," then gave her friend a hug.

"Thanks, Cordy. I'm glad you and Doyle could make it."

Spike promptly forgot how to breathe when she smiled the brightest smile he'd ever seen. He could tell from his chest tightening and the butterflies in the pit of his stomach that he already had a thing for this girl. 'Bloody hell! She hasn't even spoken to me yet and I'm mush.'

"Buffy, I want you to meet Doyle's younger brother." Cordelia pushed them toward each other.

Spike shook her hand and smiled nervously as he stammered, "Uh... my Mum actually named me William, as opposed to Doyle's younger brother, and you can call me that if you wish... William, I mean, not Doyle's younger brother, but most people just call me Spike." She let his hand go and it itched to smack his forehead as he thought, 'Git! Bloody babbling git! Way to make an impression, you wanker.'

She giggled as she turned that smile on him and his lungs locked up again as she replied, "Hey, I'm Buffy and this is my sister Dawn." She winked, "Feel free to call us Buffy and Dawn since that's what our Mom named us and everything."

The younger brunette woman beside her giggled and Spike forced his lungs into operation as he grinned. "Hey, Lil Bit."

As Dawn tried to work out whether Spike had complimented or insulted her, Buffy looked at Spike intently, raking her eyes up and down the lithe and compact body that was displayed by the opening of a long, black leather duster. 'Oh my God! Doyle's brother is hot... and yummy... and HOT! Why didn't he mention he had a brother before now? Oh who cares? Those eyes and those cheekbones and that chest... ding ding ding – we have a winner!' she cheekily thought to herself.

"Can I get you a drink, birthday girl?" he asked, a slight blush staining his cheeks at her intense perusal of his form.

She smiled at the cuteness that was an embarrassed Spike and breathed, "Sure."

Present Date

"What are you doing here, Spike?" Dawn asked, breaking him out of his trip down memory lane as she grabbed his arm and steered him back toward the bar.

"Same as you, I'd wager." He smirked as she plopped down on the barstool he'd just vacated and ordered a soda.

She smiled over at him as the bartender set a glass down in front of her. "Oh, cool. You're on a date?"

"Oh... uh... no. Wait... Buffy is letting you date now?" he asked in shock.

"Well yeah, or she would have if I hadn't been stood up," she grumbled.

"His loss, Niblet. It's awfully late; do you want me to walk you home?"

She nodded then gulped half her soda down before she grabbed her coat and threw it on. They walked a couple of blocks in silence before Dawn asked quietly, "So... are you like weirded out?"

"About what?" He sunk his hands further into the pockets of his duster.

Dawn rolled her eyes. "Hello... Buffy's stomach. You know, that thing that arrives five minutes before she does. Ringing any bells?"

"Well yeah, it's strange, but hey... I couldn't expect her to wait for me, now could I?" The light tone that he'd tried to inject into his voice was rendered completely irrelevant by the sadness in his eyes.

"I guess not, but... she's been a mess... you know?" Dawn said as she stopped in her tracks, her eyes flashing anger as she spat, "You just left. I know it was planned and you told her you were going, but I don't think she thought that you would really go." She crossed her arms and silently dared him to contradict her.

"I know," he said simply.

Her sails sagged as the wind of her anger dissipated and she looked up at him shyly. "Do you wish you hadn't?"

"I wish things were different, but Buffy's a big girl and she can take care of herself. 'Sides, I'm sure the baby's Da will come a knockin' any day now."

"You know who it is?" asked Dawn, stunned.

"No... You don't either?" he asked, equally stunned.

"Well... no. I figured it was you but she said it wasn't... but then again, she did do some pretty crazy stuff after you left."

"Like what?"

"Staying out all hours, acting differently – totally not like herself. She quit her job when she found out she was pregnant. She wasn't even showing or anything yet, but she just up and quit. Said it was too stressful and hard and she needed time, but I think she was just hurt."

"I am sorry. You know if I could take it back I would," he sighed sadly.

"I know, Spike."

"Hey, wait a minute. Quit her job? But she loved it there."

"I know... ergo the weird, right?"

Dawn toddled off down the sidewalk, leaving him standing there with his mouth hanging open. 'She quit a job that she loved because it was stressful? Oh bloody hell! The baby's father is her poncy boss!'