Chapter 3:

Spike, Buffy and Willow stayed in Los Angeles for a whole while.

They've tried everything.

Spike agreed to let himself be scientifically prodded by Fred, in hopes to find out what exactly his and Angel's connection was. If it was some kind of power exchange that had taken place between them, she hoped she could reverse it.

Willow pored over her spell books, feeling as if something was blocking her magic. As if a small part of the demon was still inside Angel and he wouldn't let him go without a fight. But separating them forcefully would most likely kill the host.

Buffy shook up some local demons and even took on Wolfram & Hart to get whatever resources Fred needed or to find out more information about the Shanshu prophecy.

But nothing helped. Nothing changed.

Neither for Angel nor for Spike.

When all possible feathers were ruffled, all books read and all potions and equations tested, the three of them were forced to return back to Glasgow. The L.A. team kept working on a solution to wake Angel, of course, and Willow wouldn't give up her magical research, either.

As long as Angel was out and the team was more vulnerable for attacks from vengeful demons, they asked for a Slayer who would protect Angel in this rough neck of the woods.

They asked for Faith.

While Giles went looking for the boisterous Slayer, Fred and the others promised Buffy to let her know as soon as anything changed with Angel. Only then she agreed to return home. Still comforted by the miracle that was Spike.

No matter how worried she was, she couldn't deny that she was happy for Spike, too. There was a new spark in his eyes ever since he became mortal that told her he appreciated this chance wholeheartedly. No other vampire would most likely ever get to be human again and Spike knew that this gift would probably still expire one day. All the more reason for him to enjoy every second.

And Angel was okay.

He still wasn't aging and maintained a steady low brain activity that was common for people - and apparently also the undead - in his state. There were a few attempts from L.A. demons to harm him, but Faith fought them all off.

A month later:

Spike considered taking his old name back. Just so he could do normal human things like booking somewhere nice to eat without anyone lifting a brow or owning a credit card to buy stuff in broad daylight. He wondered what he could do to earn some money and support the Summers sisters now that he wasn't trapped in the house by day.

It was Buffy's suggestion to publish his poetry.

Spike wasn't convinced that anyone would like it, but he wanted to help, he wanted to fit in with all the other humans. Relish in the mundane, the normal things they all took for granted, so he listened to her. It wasn't like he ever trained for anything else. His words were all he had.

The only downside to his human life, which he did regret from time to time, was that he couldn't fight as effortlessly on Buffy's side anymore. He was weak. Well, certainly not weak by human standards, but keeping up with her and having her back was suddenly much more difficult.

It didn't stop him, though. Spike still trained with the Slayers and he trained hard by himself for hours every day to be able to hold his own against any threat they might be facing tomorrow.

For Buffy this meant that she found herself in the new, unusual situation of constantly having to worry about him when he was selflessly throwing himself into battle like he always did. Spike forgetting that wounds didn't heal as quickly anymore and that he would take much longer to recover was something that happened more often than Buffy was comfortable with.

A year later:

Spike asked Buffy to marry him.

Properly this time. Not because they were under a spell.

He recognized that deep inside of him he would always wait for the day that it would all be taken away from him and he would turn into a vampire once more, but that didn't mean he would stop loving her. He didn't care what happened or how much time they would have together. As long as he lived he would be by her side. As a human or a vampire.

What did it matter to them if a relationship like theirs had never existed in this world before?

Buffy accepted, happily overwhelmed and with tears in her eyes. Dawn was giddy as a teenager again and claimed to have known from the beginning that this would happen eventually.

They celebrated with only a small group of people. Dawn, obviously, Willow, Xander and Giles, who couldn't deny anymore how loyal Spike was to Buffy and how happy they made each other. Andrew was there, too, a couple of Slayers from the Hellmouth battle and a few of Spike's harmless demon friends like Clem, who was crying bubbly purple tears.

Spike took on Buffy's last name since he felt much more connected to her, Dawn and even Joyce than to his own long dead family. He only used the name William Pratt for his writing.

A book of his poems, collected throughout more than 130 years, had just been released and sold quickly. He also started his own collection of children's books about a toned down, not too graphic version of the Slayer's adventures.

If someone had told young William that somewhere far away in the future, he would meet and marry the one and only woman he ever truly loved and finally be a successful writer, he wouldn't have believed it.

And even if Spike was still dreading the end of this gifted opportunity, the day the sun would sink and to see it rise again would mean burning pain, he knew he would still be happy. Because Buffy was the sun his world revolved around.

She was all he needed.

Ten years later, San Francisco:

They had moved to a nice little house in the suburbs a few years ago. Not far away from where Dawn and Xander lived together.

Due to vampires being exposed to the public and idolized by pop culture, the Slayers of the world gained a bad reputation and Buffy was forced to shut her organization down. However, many of them still operated undercover, like she was doing, too. That was why they all resettled to San Francisco.

Dawn and Xander with a newborn baby daughter named Joyce. After their mother.

And Buffy with Spike… and their son.

It was something else Spike never believed he would ever have. A family. A child of his own. Part of his blood and DNA. He cried when Buffy nervously announced that she was pregnant and he cried again when his son was born and he held him in his arms for the very first time.

They called him William. Will, for short. He was now eight years old with blue eyes and a mob of light-brown hair just like Spike's that was always in disarray and Spike was sure he was the proudest, happiest father that ever lived.

Will was an open-minded, curious kid. He involuntarily had to learn that vampires and demons were real and that his mother had superpowers to fight them. They found out that Will had a knack for sensing if beings were of a demonic nature even if you couldn't tell from appearance. Sometimes whatever he saw in them scared him, but mostly Will was handling the supernatural very bravely.

Despite being raised in San Francisco, and therefore only thanks to Spike, Will also used the occasional, completely unexpected, British sounding rude word, which amused Buffy and Spike to no end.

With Buffy often out on patrol at night, it was Spike who mostly stayed home with their son. Their bond was something precious; Buffy loved to watch them and simultaneously she was slightly jealous about it at times.

One evening, one like every other evenings when they weren't expecting anything sinister to happen for once, Buffy was again watching them. A cup of tea in her hands, wrapped in a blanket on the sofa.

Spike and Will sat on the floor near the crackling fireplace. Spike had built them a den and they were huddled beneath a blanket while he was freely narrating a story from one of his Slayer adventure books. Will knew the stories were true and about his mother, so he was captivated and hung on every word. Eyes shining big and bright.

Buffy smiled, listening to Spike's dramatic performance and his voices for different characters. He usually played the villain and let Will be the hero or heroine.

"But Sweet, the demon, cried 'No, you shall dance for ever and ever!'" Spike said with flourish, getting to the climax of the story. "And the Slayer spun faster and faster, like a whirligig. Smoke was starting to gather around her, but then-"

"Then William the Bloody came and he stopped her spinning and he sang to her until she calmed down!" Will cried excitedly, grabbing his dad by his shoulders like he imagined it happening in the story.

Spike laughed softly, remembering the real story as well. "Yeah, that's right, cub." he said and lovingly ruffled Will's hair. "But what happened to Mr. Sweet?"

"The Slayer and William the Bloody fought together and sent him back to hell!" announced Will confidently.

"Well, actually-" Spike started but his son interrupted him.

"No, I like it better that way. It's so much cooler." he said and started to mime some judo moves he saw his mom do. Then he suddenly jumped and crashed upon Spike who howled theatrically and fell backwards. Will sat on his stomach and the fight continued. Buffy giggled at their joyous, silly boy laughter.

Suddenly, however, an actual grunt of pain from Spike made her ears perk. The sound didn't fit into her safe, calm living room. She only heard Spike made that sound out in a dark alleyway, ambushed by the enemy. A sound of real pain.

Her smile cautiously vanished. "Will, don't be too hard on your dad." she said, still half in jest. But at the same time Will haltingly lowered his hands.

"Daddy? Are you okay?"

Buffy pulled her blanket back and jumped from the sofa, coming closer to the little den. Will was still sitting on Spike's stomach, his little brows furrowed in concern and his arms at his side. He was moving to touch one of Spike's hands that he had tensely clenched to fists over his chest. Spike was shivering; as if he was trying with all his might to hold something back.

"Y-Yeah," he breathed thinly and then cleared his throat to reassure his son more convincingly. "M'fine, Will, of course, I'm fine." He tried a smile and then saw Buffy in his line of sight.

They exchanged an alarming glance and Buffy knew what was happening. There was a gleam in his usually blue eyes. Just for a second. Something dangerously yellow and wild.

"Will, sweetie, let him get up." she said in a calm but dead serious tone that made Will listen immediately.

He scrambled up, crawling out of the den and towards his mother, who pulled him close to her side. "What did I do, Mommy?" Will asked guiltily. "Did I hurt Daddy?"

Buffy risked another glance at Spike who pressed his jaw together so he wouldn't scream. His changing eyes were pleading with her. He wouldn't be able to hold back for much longer. Buffy took Will's hands, making him look into her eyes. "No, sweetie, you didn't. But I want you to go to your room and stay there, okay? So I can find out what happened." Will looked as if he was about to cry. "You did nothing wrong, Will, I promise, I'm not mad. But you have to promise me to stay in your room until I come get you, okay? Can you do that for me?"

It was what she always said when Will accidentally stumbled into a dangerous situation. He knew then not to question anything and trust his mom. It was serious, but she or Dad would eventually always come and get him wherever he hid and they would take him somewhere safe again. Bravely, Will nodded. "Yes, Mommy." he said obediently, ran to his room and closed the door.

Buffy waited until she could clearly hear the door shut then she crawled towards Spike, taking his hands. Finally able to give in to the pain, Spike groaned and grabbed her hands tightly. "Spike, it's okay, I'm here. What's wrong?"

"B-Buffy…" he gasped and his body convulsed as a new wave of pain rolled over him and he bit his lip hard as he moaned. "It's… it's h-happening. I'm changing back." And as if to prove his words his bottom lip started bleeding where two sharp teeth have punctured it.

Shocked, Buffy held onto him. "Oh, god, no." she mumbled as Spike cried out again. She could watch as his skin got paler; the life was drained out of him. Determined she buried one hand in his dark curls of hair, making sure he could still see her. "Spike, listen to me, I'm here with you. I'm not letting you go. No matter what we are, remember?" She swallowed down tears. "I love you. We're going to get through this together. Like we said. Don't let the monster take over!"

Spike let out another cry. This time it sounded more like an animal. A deep, guttural growl. As if the monster was laughing at her.

"Spike! Please, can you hear me?" Buffy stroked a hand along his white cheek. "You have to fight it. Do it for Will. Please."

Spike blinked, looking at her intensely. His hand flinched up to catch her wrist close to his face. He squeezed it tight, but Buffy wasn't giving up. Breathing deeply, Spike fought to reel the growls in. "Buffy." he gasped. "I'm… still… me. But I have to feed. Now!" he pressed out. "Lock me somewhere. Far away from Will. Please. I'd die if I hurt him. Please! Quick!"

Buffy nodded curtly and grabbed Spike's arms to pull him to stand. Holding on tightly to him while the monster and the man were fighting for control within him, she staggered out the door, already calling Xander for a ride and her sister to come over and look after Will.

Just when she wanted to put her phone away, it rang again.

Faith.

She answered. "I know." Buffy said, pulling a shivering Spike along with her. "It happened."

Soo, I'm introducing to you my little OC Will Summers. :) What do you think of him?

And if you liked my story so far, please let me know, too!