Never A Normal Day

The whole gang descended on Spike and Buffy's house for Thanksgiving dinner. And, of course, baby Jay was the star attraction. Willow cooed over him like any biological auntie would. It was the first she'd got to meet him, because she'd be out of the country on work until then. The Witch was doing well for herself, it seemed. And even Xander seemed to be making progress, in that he'd repaired enough bridges with Caitlin for her to come with him, to the gathering.

"Must be his excellent carpentry skills," Dawn joked, when she thought he wasn't listening. Others were commenting on how far Spike and Buffy had come, since the last time they'd all properly got together at the start of the year.

"And your cooking's gotten a lot better, too," Xander chimed in. "Look, Giles, it's edible."

After Buffy was done glaring at him she admitted that it was actually Spike that cooked. She enjoyed seeing the look on Xander's face then, as he contemplated whether to spit out his mouthful. Spike gave him a warning glance, and he swallowed, before raising his glass.

"To an eventful year, for which we're very grateful," he said.

"Amen," everyone agreed.

Xander's son – Alex – and Jay were sat side by side, in high chairs at one end of the table. They seemed fascinated with each other, which everyone else found adorable.

"Almost makes me want one," said Dawn, wistfully.

"Don't even bloody think about it, Niblet," Spike warned her.

"I said almost."

Buffy just rolled her eyes at them, as she was in the habit of doing.

"So what are you thankful for?" Willow asked her.

"Besides everything? Oh, not much."

Her friend smiled back at her. Everyone continued to laugh, and joke, and catch up, until Giles – who had been keeping more quiet than usual – cleared his throat to indicate there was something he wanted to announce.

"I'm afraid you'll all have to come to England," he began.

Instantly the noise around him died. Several mouths dropped open – still half-full of food, in some cases.

"You see, there is to be a wedding-"

Dawn squealed – interrupting him quite effectively. "I knew it! I knew it! I so totally said you were gonna propose to Olivia! Guys, do you remember I said?"

"Thank you, Dawn," said Giles, calmly, sitting down again. "You're quite right."

"I have something to say, too," announced Willow, when everyone had settled down again. "I know a couple of you already know this" – she threw a glance at Buffy, Xander, and her girlfriend – "But, for everybody else… I'm pregnant."

Off confused looks from Dawn and the watcher, she clarified by saying, "Oh, and it's Xander's."

"What?!" said Caitlin, throwing down her napkin as she rose from her seat. The exclamation was aimed at Xander, of course.

"It's not what you think," he began to say, but the girl wasn't listening. Taking Alex from his high chair, she swiftly packed up and left. Xander, of course, chased her down the street.

Biting her treacherous lips, Willow sank back down into her chair. "That maybe wasn't the best time," she concluded, aloud.

"I don't get it," Dawn told her, to which she jumped in to explain the situation. Buffy talked to Giles about his engagement – he asked her to 'give him away' – and Spike busied himself with comforting his son, who was upset at the loss of his playmate.

Later, when everyone had gone home, and they were curled up on the couch, Spike said to his mate, "So this is it? The normal life you've always wanted?"

Buffy shook her head a little, and he frowned.

"I'm not sure normal exists," she clarified. "But I am really happy. This is what I wanted."

A few hours after that:

"Slayer," Spike called, from the nursery.

"What now?" she asked, going to him, and then instantly seeing for herself what the matter was. "Oh."

"I think your watcher's losin' it," the ex-vampire commented, looking down at their child.

"I think you're due a snog," joked Buffy, as they both watched Jay levitate above his crib.

Ignoring her levity, Spike asked, "Are you sensing any danger about this?"

"Nope," she assured him. "Feels completely normal. Which, gonna say, slightly unsettling."

"Right there with ya," he affirmed.

"Maybe we shouldn't have assumed there being no prophecies about him meant he'd have zero abilities."

Spike nodded. "Gonna tell the watcher?"

"Nope," Buffy said again. "Totally gonna wait until he's babysitting some night, and sees for himself."

"And they called me evil!" Spike exclaimed.

"Evil? It'll make him like the happiest non-biological grandfather ever. All those books he can read again."

Spike chuckled, as did the baby, before drifting back down into his bedding.

Buffy went over to him, and smoothed out the sheet, then gave the boy a kiss on the forehead and told him to stay put.

"Normal definitely doesn't exist for us," she concluded, when she and Spike exited the room.

To be continued...