"Think that's the last of 'em," Spike said, setting down a large box of books on the floor of Willow and Tara's new apartment just across the street from campus.

It had been less than a week since the Finn's had been to town. Buffy was still fuming about Riley's behavior, he couldn't blame her in the slightest. He was just happy to see him go and the chip with him. It turned out that the chip actually had started to deteriorate. The doctor had told Spike that had they let it go another year it would have started to misfire and could have potentially left him in a vegetative state. The thought made his head hurt, despite the fact that it was healing well.

Tara sighed as she looked around at the sea of boxes around her, "Thanks for helping."

"If it means Buffy stops all this fretting over having a place for the little ones to sleep, it's worth it." He answered, "Besides, I've been cooped up too much lately. Starting to go a bit wonky."

"But you're doing better?"

He rolled his shoulders, "Peachy…"

She gave him a dubious look that said she wasn't buying it.

Spike huffed, "I'm best when I'm round people, except that I don't much fancy being round people."

"Yeah, I think I can understand that," Tara gave a tired nod and glanced at her watch.

"You need me to shove off?"

She shook her head, "No, I just thought Willow would be back by now, she was closing at the Magic Box tonight," she poked one of the boxes with her foot, "I'd like to get some of this stuff unpacked before going to bed."

Spike shrugged out of his coat, depositing it on the only slightly used sofa that had come with the apartment. "How's that going for her, working for Anya and Giles?"

Tara shrugged, "I'm not sure if retail is really her thing but she definitely knows a lot about the inventory."

"Bout time she got a proper job," he grumbled as he kneeled on the floor to start opening boxes.

Tara glared at him, seeing his point but unwilling to agree fully, "Have you seen her class-load? Not to mention the Scoobie stuff? Your soul? The Buffy-bot?"

Spike opened a box containing herbs and candles, "Yeah, alright. I hear you, Glenda. Where do you want this lot?"

"Bedroom I think."

He gave a curt nod taking it back a short hall that led to the bedroom and bathroom. The bed was already made but that was the only thing that indicated they had stayed there the night before. Buffy and the rest of the Scoobies had helped move most of their things during the day.

When Willow arrived almost an hour later, she set her bag down with a huff and gaped at the progress they had made in her absence. Most of their possessions were still in boxes but the majority of them were at least out of the living room and Tara had started to unpack a few.

"Wow, it's really coming along."

Tara abandoned the books she was organizing and slid into Willow's side, wrapping her arms around her waist. "You're late, what took you so long?" Tara asked.

Willow sighed, "Xander spilled a whole box of these little wish talismans. They're really tiny, more like charms for a bracelet. Anyway they were everywhere. I think we finally got them all cleaned up. Anya was having me count them when Xander popped up from behind the counter with another one. I jumped, the box went flying and we had to start all over again. It was a disaster."

"Aww, baby, that really sucks," Tara crooned, "but I'm really surprised that Anya would sell wish charms. I mean couldn't that be kinda dangerous?"

Willow shook her head, "They're sort of localized wishes. Like I could wish for a cup of coffee and get one but I couldn't wish to have controlling interest in the coffee trade."

"Is that your way of telling me you've had way too much coffee and aren't sleepy?"

Willow grinned at her girlfriend, "Maybe…"

Spike cleared his throat, "Right then, I'd better be off, Buffy has her ultrasound tomorrow."

"Oh, I forgot about that! Are you two going to find out what you're having?" Willow asked.

"Well they're not puppies, I can tell you that," Spike answered.

Willow rolled her eyes, "I meant boys or girls."

"I knew that… Buffy wants to know. Some rot about decorating the nursery." He reached for his coat, shrugging it on.

"Oh yeah, we're totally excited about helping with that," Willow grinned.

"What are you hoping for?" Tara asked Spike tentatively.

"Don't rightly know. They're already a couple of miracles, dunno that it matters so long as they're healthy. I wouldn't mind being surprised but that's not likely to happen," He shrugged.

"You're going to be a great dad," Willow grinned.

Spike ducked his head bashfully, "You really think so, Red?"

The two witches nodded in agreement, "You're already way better than mine," Tara added glibly.

"Oh yeah, like that's a hard one to top, convincing his daughter she's a demon to keep her in line, what a wanker. Proving him wrong was one of the best things to come out of having that sodding chip."

"Only time I was ever happy about being punched in the nose," Tara grinned.

Buffy sat on the edge of a hospital bed and squeezed Spike's hand as they waited for the ultrasound technician. "Nervous?" Spike murmured.

Buffy nodded, "A little. We never really did finish talking about names."

"Pfft, well see, there's your silver lining. After today we can chuck out whatever ones we don't need. Should make the decision making a bit easier, yeah?"

She gave him a half grin, "Good point."

A knock at the door announced the arrival of the ultrasound technician. She was a very thin, lanky woman with dark skin, her black hair was cut short and arranged in intricate twists all over her head. She greeted them with a dazzling smile and had a seat as she started preparing her computer for the examination. "Are you excited to see your babies?" She asked them as she scooted herself closer to Buffy with a smile.

Buffy nodded, "Kinda nervous, kinda excited."

"Totally normal." The technician assured her as she extended her hand to Buffy and Spike in turn, "My name is Sue."

Spike gave Buffy's hand a quick kiss, "Go on then, let's find out if your mates are about to bury us under a mountain of pink or blue."

Buffy snorted a laugh, "Way better than what they buried me in the last time," she muttered.

Sue gave a quizzical look.

Buffy cleared her throat hurriedly inventing, "Ohh ah, that sounded weird… I just fell asleep on the beach and— sand, so not a good…"

Sue chuckled, "Alright, just lay back, let's see who we've got here."

Spike watched with fascination as Sue attempted to measure the length of the baby's little arms and legs as they kicked and squirmed. They watched as one of the babies clearly kicked its twin in the head and Spike let out a bark of laughter, "Think I know who that one takes after," he grinned.

"Oh shut up, that could be either of us, you dope. I haven't kicked you in the face in over a year," Buffy tried for a pout but it soon turned into a laugh.

Spike drew closer to her, still watching the babies, "You'll be back in fighting shape in no time, Goldilocks, can spar all you want then, kick me round good and proper," he smirked.

Sue cleared her throat, "I'm going to assume you are talking about martial arts?"

Buffy turned her attention towards Spike, a snarky comeback on the tip of her tongue until she noticed how his eyes were tracking the twins' movements on the screen. She took a moment to watch him watching, and felt a little surge of affection go through her. She turned back to answer Sue, "Ah, yeah, it's sort of how we met."

Sue nodded towards the screen, "I guess it makes sense. These two are some of the most active babies I've scanned," she laughed, "they are definitely making me earn my paycheck today."

Buffy laughed and turned back towards Spike who was still watching the babies intently, "They're pretty amazing aren't they?" She asked him quietly.

Spike ripped his eyes away from the screen long enough to meet her gaze and gave her a little smile, "Take after their Mum I suspect."

Sue smiled at that and cleared her throat. "You two did want to know what you're having right?"

Buffy nodded her head emphatically. "Yes, we do. It's going to drive me nuts not knowing."

Sue smiled as she gave a nod and moved the ultrasound wand around a little bit. Then she pointed to the screen. "Well it looks like at least one of them is cooperating with me…" she joked, as she tapped something on her computer. She shifted herself, moving the wand around a little more, "opp, and there's the other…"

"That what I think it is?" Spike asked.

"Well, I don't see any dangly bits…" Buffy replied.

Sue shook her head with a laugh, "No, no dangly bits. It definitely looks like two very healthy looking little girls to me."

Buffy beamed, "Girls! We're having girls!"

"Girls—" Visions of tutus, piles of lace and pink everything suddenly filled Spike's mind. He sat back grinning at Buffy, "Bloody Summers women, bound to be the death of me," he chuckled.

Buffy stood in the doorway of her bedroom, or rather her old bedroom, with her hands on her ever expanding belly. The room had been completely cleared out over the past week. All of her things had been moved into the big bedroom where Spike was fast asleep, sprawled out over the bed like he had always been there. There were a lot of changes happening very quickly and she was just trying to keep up.

Dawn came into the hallway behind her, "Everything alright, Buff?"

Buffy cleared her throat, turning toward her sister. "Ah, yeah. I'm fine. It's just— this has been a lot," she laughed weakly.

Dawn nodded, "I miss Tara and Willow… but Spike is here so that's cool. And yay babies! Right?"

"Definitely yay babies. I think I'm just feeling overwhelmed with everything. Spike with the soul having and officially moving in, Riley being a major asshole about the chip, Will and Tara moving out, me and Spike taking over mom's room… and this," she said waving a hand towards her very empty former bedroom, "it's a lot…" she finished.

Dawn held her arms out for a hug.

Buffy let herself relax into the sisterly embrace for a long moment before pulling away. "Thanks, Dawnie."

"You know what you need?"

"A spa day?"

"I like where your head's at but that isn't what I was going to say."

"What?" Buffy asked with a dubious grin.

"A sister trip to the hardware store to pick out fresh paint for the nursery," Dawn beamed.

Buffy huffed a little chuckle, "Yeah, alright. Maybe we can get a few decorations and stuff too."

"I'm thinking unicorns!" Dawn said excitedly.

Buffy laughed, shaking her head, "That could be really cute. Well see what we can find. Right now though, your nieces are using my bladder as a punching bag," she announced as she pushed past her and into the bathroom.

"They're here!" Dawn's voice echoed up the stairs as Buffy pulled on an old gray paint splattered T-shirt over a pair of her mother's old jeans she had secured using a hair tie under her belly.

"We're coming! "Buffy yelled downstairs. She proceeded to pull her hair up into a bun, securing it with a hair tie, "I don't know why I'm bothering with the paint clothes; have a feeling that Anya is going to want me to help her go over the final details for the wedding anyway. Dawn is oddly excited about painting with Willow and Tara."

Spike stood in the doorway shaking his head with a huff, "I'd rather be painting, too. Whose bright idea was this little divide and conquer fest anyway?"

"Mine," she looked at him, pointedly.

Spike sighed, "Of course it was."

Buffy shifted into him as close as her baby bump would allow, "It will do you some good to get out. Besides Giles is the closest thing I have to a real dad, so play nice all right? And if you're a good boy," she kissed his neck below his ear, "maybe later I'll play nice too."

He caught her lips in a kiss, "God, Slayer, you know just how to get me don't you?"

"Good thing too huh?"

He chuckled, "Yeah all right, I'll play nice."

Xander parked the truck he had borrowed from a coworker in the large parking lot. Spike ducked his head to look out the window past Giles to the brightly lit storefront and groaned. "Bloody hell. Never thought I'd be setting foot in one of these places…" Spike grumbled. It wasn't bad enough that he had been cramped in the middle seat of the truck, but now the three men were about to venture into the massive Babies R Us/Toys R Us store.

Giles inclined his head a fraction, "Yes, quite."

Xander rolled his eyes, "Come on, I have to get this truck back to my buddy tomorrow. We'd better get the furniture stuff fast."

Spike huffed sullenly as they stepped into the brightly lit store. The lights washed out Spike's already pale complexion making his skin look nearly translucent.

"Yikes man, you're seriously white," Xander exclaimed.

Spike glared at him, "Piss off, Harris. Not like I'm about to go sunbathing."

"Don't blame me for your vitamin D deficiency, Dead-boy."

Giles rolled his eyes, "Very mature. Now I believe we have been assigned a task."

The three of them made their way to the furniture section of the store. Giles started looking up and down the display models, while Spike and Xander stood, nearly transfixed by the sheer volume of options.

Spike cursed under his breath, "Here I thought this was going to be an easy thing. Bloody hell, didn't realize they'd have this many options in store."

Xander looked around. "Maybe we should find someone to help us. Might help narrow things down a little if we can find a matching set."

Spike nodded his agreement, "Nice thinking, Harris, knew you had to have a brain in there somewhere."

Xander balked at that, "Hey, I didn't see you coming up with anything."

Spike shrugged, unperturbed, "Haven't been known to do much shopping now have I? Bit out of touch I suppose."

"That's what you get for decades of theft."

"You're aware that I can hit you now, yeah?"

The two of them walked along until they found a girl, younger than Buffy, stocking shelves next to the furniture display.

Xander cleared his throat, "Excuse me. Can you help us out?"

She turned, greeting them with a smile, "Sure, what do you need?"

"Can you help us find what we need to get for twins?" Xander asked.

Spike bit back a retort and interjected, "What he means is that we're trying to get the nursery together before the babies come. Would you mind helping us out, luv?"

The girl flashed a smile and nodded, "Congratulations! Are you guys adopting?" She asked brightly. Spike and Xander glanced at each other.

Xander's mouth dropped open, "I'm- no we're not- I'm getting married— to a smoking hot very female woman!"

Spike rolled his eyes, "Let me rephrase. My girlfriend and I are expecting twins. Girls. We are trying to get things ready. My lady wants white furniture. We need two cots, a changing table, and two chests of drawers."

The girl nodded soberly, "Oh I'm sorry, I just thought— Yeah sure I'll help you with that. You know it's funny you are the second British guy who asked me the same thing, like 10 minutes ago. You're not together are you?" she asked.

Spike resisted the urge to smack himself in the forehead. "Yeah, probably our Grandpa Warbucks you can stick him with the bill." Spike smirked.

Xander elbowed him in the side, "Hey, that soul of yours on the fritz or something?"

Spike rolled his eyes, "Wasn't actually going to do it. I was just joking Harris, crying out loud, you simp."

The girl led them down an aisle, where Giles was already standing with his hands on his hips, head cocked to the side. He stepped forward to observe one of the cribs, and looked up when Spike and Xander came his way.

"Oh good, you found me. This seems to be one of the only models they have in stock that has all of the pieces Buffy has asked for."

Spike moved forward, placing a hand on the display crib, examining it and bit his bottom lip, "Well, it's not like she gave me much to go on. It's a pretty enough set, says it grows with 'em, what's that mean?" Spike asked shooting Giles a quizzical look.

"It converts to a toddler bed and then into a single. A rather useful feature I thought," Giles answered.

"Yeah, alright. I'm sold. How much of my paycheck are we talking about?" Spike asked.

"I will purchase the cots and the mattresses," Giles squatted down checking the price of the matching bookshelf, "this as well," he added, standing up and turning to the sales girl.

She gestured toward the cribs, "I'll have someone help you with this stuff, they can take it all up to the register for you."

"Yes, please do." Giles responded.

The girl scurried off leaving the three of them alone again.

Spike's eyebrows went up, "Why Rupert, this is right generous of you."

"Yes well Buffys been kind enough to appoint me as the honorary grandfather. Therefore I wish to play my part accordingly."

Xander fidgeted a little, "Has Buffy even talked to her dad?"

"No, she hasn't. Not for lack of trying on her part," Spike answered very seriously, he eyed Giles, "Appreciate what you're doing for Buffy, thank you."

"No need to mention it." Giles said, moving over to choose the mattress, just as two men pulling large flat carts came over to them. They loaded the furniture, to take it to the front of the store for them.

Spike slapped a wad of bills into Giles's palm, "Think I want to have a look around."

Giles gave a tight nod and followed the men to the front to check out and get the truck loaded up.

Task complete, Xander ventured down the aisle next to them. "I'm thinking we'll have to get the car seats and stuff another day but is there anything else you want to get while we're here?"

Spike shrugged, "In for a penny— Dawn said something about keepin' a lookout for unicorns."

"Unicorns?" Xander snickered.

"Sure, beautiful, magical creatures capable of killing outright with a pointy weapon. I think they'll be perfect for the nursery."

"Dude, soul or not, you're kinda twisted."

"Still a vampire, hopelessly in love with a woman who's like a bloody unicorn herself."

Xander snorted a laugh, "Ahh huh, I'm sure that's totally what Dawn meant when she suggested unicorns."

"Yeah well she's got Buffy on board so here I am," Spike said as they strode down an aisle of nursery bedding and decor. Collections of everything from themed sheets and blankets to lamps and humidifiers, all bearing cutesy designs, seemed to bombard them from every angle.

"Bloody hell, what rabbit hole did we fall into?"

"Dunno about you Alice, but I'm thinking maybe we should leave this one to the girls. I wanna check out the toys," Xander said, distractedly drifting off through the store.

Spike looked around in exasperation as Giles came down the main aisle towards them, "Aren't the two of you finished yet?" Giles asked in a tone that matched Spike's mood.

Spike gestured toward Xander now in the toy section. "Kid. Toy store. What'd you expect?"

I don't think those are going to work for a couple of infants," Spike drawled as he and Giles came up behind Xander, who was perusing a display dedicated to the animated movie 'Toy Story'

"Oh, come on, this is a great movie! Tom Hanks and Tim Allen, toys coming to life! It was genius!" Xander said defensively.

Spike raised a dubious eyebrow at him, "Living toys? Bloody hell, haven't you ever seen 'The Twilight Zone' or 'Chucky'?" He was already making his way over to a display of oversized stuffed animals. Xander followed him, still rambling on about 'Toy Story'.

Xander stopped in front of a wall display of oversized teddy bears. They were a good three feet tall, in different shades of brown, all with different festively printed bow ties on. Xander tossed one to Giles, "Give that a squeeze and tell me it doesn't give you the warm fuzziness."

Giles examined the bear, "It is rather cute but hardly a necessity," he replied, putting the bear back on the display.

"That's not the point," Xander muttered to Giles. He turned and called over toward Spike, "I mean come on dude these are pretty cute aren't they?"

Spike, who was climbing up the shelves to reach a toy high on the wall running perpendicular to the one Xander was in front of. He jumped down clutching his prize in his arms. A massive soft plush unicorn in a lying position that looked like a couple of toddlers could easily use as a snuggle buddy in a reading nook or pretending to ride. He hefted the massive toy over his shoulders and turned towards Xander. "Yeah they're all right but I think I like this better."

Xander chuckled, "You get your unicorn, Unicorn-man. But seriously, look at these guys, even I wish they were alive!"

The words were scarcely out of his mouth when the teddy bear in his arms turned its head up to him very slowly. The bear blinked once, "Hug?"

Xander dropped the bear with a yelp, "Holy shit!"

A light tan bear fell from the top of the display, fuzzy little arms spread wide, squeaking "Hugggg!" as it dropped down onto Giles's face. The other bears followed suit. Catapulting themselves off the shelves, burning Xander and Giles beneath a fluffy pile of teddy bears all clambering for "Huggs!!!"

The bears started towards Spike, with unsure footing like an army of toddlers. A squeaky chorus of "Huggggs!!!" emitting from the zombie like throng.

Giles was struggling to his feet. Xander had grabbed one teddy bear by the legs and was swinging it in front of him to clear a path to Giles. The bear gave out an excited, "Weee!" that sounded remarkably like Gonzo the Great from The Muppets. Xander trudged through the torrent of plush-pests as though he were walking in three feet of snow.The bears just kept coming. Within seconds Xander was covered in bears. They clung to his legs, pulling themselves up his body with squeaky marryment as they continued their quest for affection.

"Bears… why's it gotta be Bears? Buffy is never gonna sodding believe this— Bear-pocalypse…" Spike cursed, tightening his hold on the unicorn wrapped around his shoulders as he charged into the fuzzy fray to help his companions.

Spike kicked a bear with a large green bow tie, with the toe of his boot. The bear hit the lip of the top shelf and bounced off, with a high pitched, "Yayyy! Huuuuugs!!!"

Xander yelped as the bear landed on his face, clutching his head with squashy arms and legs in a smothering hug.

Spike reached for Giles yanking a teddy bear from around his neck where it had been sitting as it attempted to remove Giles's glasses without thumbs- or fingers. Giles shot his arm out, desperately grasping for Spike's hand. Spike pulled him out from under the bears sending them tumbling to the ground. A pitiful cry of, "Hugggs!", bubbled up from the plushy pile of fluff.

Giles stumbled back against one of the shelves behind him, knocking into an assortment of bubble popper toys. He gripped one by the handle using it as a sort of makeshift golf club to knock bears free from Xander's legs. Spike pulled bears away, tossing them into the main aisle. He gripped Xander by the arm and pulled him along, away from their mindless pursuit.

The three of them crouched down behind a shelf of wooden toddler toys. "What the hell is happening here?" Spike growled.

"I don't know! All I said was 'I wish—' oh no…" Xander's face went pale.

Spike glared at him, "You made a wish! Bloody hell, you got one of those charm things on you?"

Giles groaned, "I told Anya those were ill advised. What are you doing with one anyway?"

Xander sputtered, "I don't— I mean—" he started patting the pockets of his jacket, "I think this is the same jacket I was wearing—"

"Aww hell!" Spike grunted as he forced the jacket off of Xander, tossing it to Giles. He reached into his pocket, drawing out a tiny charm.

Giles slapped the charm on the hard tiled floor. He grabbed a wooden stacking toy from the shelf behind him using it to smash the charm. The small crystal set in the center cracked and all was quiet.

"How many times do you have to be told, never make wishes?" Giles panted.

Ten minutes later they were crammed back into the cab of the truck. Spike clutching the top half of the giant unicorn.

Giles waved a hand, shifting the unicorn's tail out of his face, "Let us never speak of this again."

Xander nodded, "What happens at the toy store stays at the toy store."

"Too right…" Spike agreed.