CHAPTER SEVEN
Dawn had called Cordelia and invited her and Doyle to Buffy's baby shower and Doyle had been pestering Spike for a little over an hour to go with them. "Spike, you have to come or I'm gonna be bored out of my skull whilst the ladies coo over a bloody babygro, bassinet, and nappies," Doyle begged as he followed Spike around the house.
Spike ducked into the bathroom and turned to shut the door, only to find Doyle standing in the way wearing a hangdog expression. Spike let go of the doorknob and stepped back to lean against the counter as he spat, "You just don't give up, do you?" Doyle silently pleaded with his eyes and Spike raised his own eyes heavenward as he sighed, "Fine, ya git. I'll go."
"Yes!" said Doyle, jumping around happily.
XXXX
At the mother-to-be's household, the living room was decorated in soft pink banners with a diaper shaped cake perched in the middle of the table toward the rear of the room.
Buffy sat on the couch smiling happily even as she kept stealing glances at Spike who was standing in the dining room doorway seeming to find the coat rack by front door extremely interesting. "Oh, it's so cute!" exclaimed Buffy as she held up a pink onesie with a tutu attached to the bottom. "Thank you, Tara." She reached for the blonde girl and wrapped her in a tight hug then let her go and looked at the jumbled piles of baby items that surrounded her. "Hey, I'm all out of presents," Buffy mock grumbled.
"Then it's cake time," Willow chirped.
Spike slipped out of the room and headed toward the kitchen, unnoticed by everyone except Buffy. "I'll go get the plates," she said as she levered her bulk off the couch to follow him.
He was leaning against the island with his thumbs tucked into his waistband when she pushed open the kitchen door. He startled slightly then stood straight and motioned toward her swollen belly. "How's it going?"
"Good, but I'll be glad when this is all over," she said as she gently jumped up on the stool next to him.
"I bet." Spike turned to get his drink from behind him and turned back round to see Buffy silently crying. "Hey, luv, what's the matter?" he asked, setting his drink back on the counter so he could lay his hands lightly on her shoulders.
"Oh, nothing. Hormones get you when you least expect it, I guess. Bet you think I'm a wuss." She smiled sadly and gave a small snuffle.
He leaned across the island and snagged a tissue then held it out to her. "Not at all, pet. You sure you're okay?"
She shrugged. "Yeah... No... I don't know. I guess I'm just scared," she babbled then hitched out a sob. "I just wish my mom was here."
"Me too," he said as he wrapped his arms around her and hugged her tightly.
THE SUMMERS RESIDENCE
FEBRUARY 27, 2010
"Buffy?" Spike called as he let himself into the house. It seemed quiet. Too quiet. At this time of day it was usually a buzz of activity; Dawn stomping around listening to the latest boy band to hit the scene and Joyce running around cleaning up after her youngest, not to mention the constant sister quarrels, but today the house seemed eerily still.
That's when he saw her; Joyce was lying on the floor in the living room. "Joyce?" He stepped toward her, panic welling up inside him.
"No! No, it's too late!" Buffy shouted. He rushed to Joyce's side and knelt beside her, but his fingers froze just above Joyce's neck as he was reaching to take her pulse when Buffy shouted again. "Spike! No! We're not supposed to move the body!" She clapped her hands over her mouth in shock as what she'd just said registered.
She was sinking slowly to the floor when he jumped to his feet and rushed over to her, wrapping her in his arms as he murmured, "Oh, Buffy," over and over again under his breath. She clung to him as they sat together, her face buried in his chest until the coroner came to take the body away.
It had been hours since the body had left the house and still Buffy couldn't step into the room. Spike finally led her up to her bedroom and tucked her in, suggesting that she get some rest and she went without complaint, following him in a daze and letting him manoeuvre her through the house like some listless doll. He sat with her until she fell asleep then checked on Dawn before coming back to make sure his girlfriend was okay.
She was shouting for her mother in her sleep and his heart broke for her because he too had become close to Joyce. His own mother had died when he was five years old and he didn't even remember her, so Joyce had become the mother figure in his life. He loved and respected her and now she was gone. He vowed to take care of Buffy and Dawn no matter what.
The funeral was lovely as far as the service was concerned, but for Joyce's girls, it was terrible. Dawn couldn't get away fast enough, barely staying long enough for the minister to finish the final prayer before she pelted away on her coltish legs, dragging Willow and Tara behind her. Buffy stayed late into the night, just sitting at her mother's grave side, not speaking a word, just staring at the mound of dirt that covered her mother's casket.
"Luv, it's getting late, we should go," Spike said softly from his place beside her, his arm wrapped tightly around her trembling body.
"I can't, Spike," she sobbed quietly.
"You can, sweetheart, come on," he said, gently lifting her to her feet.
"I can't. I can't leave her. She's going to be lonely if I leave her," she cried.
He pulled her into his chest as sobs shook her small body, his own tears dripping into her hair as he murmured, "Shhh, baby, it's going to be okay. I've got you, Buffy, I've got you and your Mum won't be lonely."
"She won't?" she asked, looking up at him with an innocence in her eyes.
"I promise," he said as he laid his hand over her heart, "'Cause she'll be right here with you, wherever you go."
PRESENT DATE
"Oh God, I'm sorry," said Buffy as she swiped at her leaking eyes.
"Hey, don't worry about it; it's all right to be scared sometimes, Buffy." He smiled and helped wipe her tears away.
"I know, but I've gotta be strong, I've got to be brave," she said as she stood up.
"Not all the time. Remember what I said before? You can be anybody you want to be when you're with me."
"I know, thank you," she said, hugging him tightly.
When they parted, her eyes drifted up and made contact with his and within a second Spike's lips came crashing down on hers as Buffy desperately grasped at his clothes, trying to pull his body closer.
"Hey, Spike, where's my beer?" asked Doyle as he stepped into the kitchen, interrupting their passionate kiss.
"Uh... I should... um..." Buffy nervously grabbed the plates with one hand as her other hand settled on her kiss swollen lips. She shot Doyle a glare then waddled out of the room as fast as her belly would allow.
Doyle watched her go then smirked at Spike. "Well that was..."
"Not a bloody word," said Spike as he stomped out the back door.
