Buffy walked into the Magic Box throwing the door wide and ringing the bell, "Giles! I need you!"

Xander and Anya looked up from the mess of wedding paraphernalia laying on the counter. Xander stood up looking around confused, "Buffy?"

"Yeah, don't bother Xan, I'm invisible girl."

He kept looking around in the general direction of her voice, "But where are you?"

"At table 4 apparently," she said looking over the seating chart for the wedding.

Hope Anya doesn't mind having a seriously pregnant bridesmaid— What am I saying? Priorities!

Buffy picked up a couple of decorative balls, holding them to her eyes to give them something to look at. "Is Giles around?"

Anya tilted her head watching Buffy trying to juggle, "I think he was running some errands and heading back to his apartment."

"But we can call him," Xander interjected.

"Yeah," Buffy looked around, "Dawn is home with Willow and Tara, right?"

"Tara came by about an hour ago," Anya answered.

"Good. I don't want Dawn seeing me like this," Buffy said, settling down the balls and picking up a candle.

Xander's eyes followed the candle as she moved it in a great big circle, teasing him like a cat. "Don't think that's going to be a problem, Buff."

"Tell me about it," she sighed, setting down the candle, "can you call Willow and see if they can get her on the book thing. Or maybe it's a science thing, I saw that van again. Find out what or who could have done this?"

"Yeah, sure. What are you going to do?"

"Play Casper around town, I guess," she kept her tone light and playful but inside she was really worried about the possibility of permanent damage. "Try to keep Dawn out of it. I don't want to freak her out."

Spike was whiling away the remnants of the day waiting for nightfall. Waiting for Buffy. He had just got himself a mug of warm blood and sat back down in his chair in front of the television, examining the ultrasound photos Buffy had entrusted him with. They looked like two fuzzy little jelly beans at the moment and yet it seemed like he was somehow holding the secret of the universe in his hand.

Twins— just in case this miracle wasn't already big enough. It had to be twins. Really gonna have to step it up, William, old boy. Buffy is going to need you even more, even if she doesn't want to admit it. Got to be the man they deserve—

The door swung open violently and closed again with a clang, making him jump to his feet. He slipped the photos into his pocket and set his blood down. "Who's there?"

He stood turning his head slowly as the feeling of fingers glided across his collarbone and around to his shoulders then down to pluck the photos from his pocket. His hand shot out, gripping at thin air and landing on something solid. He gripped tightly. "I guarantee, you don't want to mess about with that. Or with me for that matter."

Buffy twisted her wrist out of his grasp but he held tight. He furrowed his brow looking at his own hand gripping her wrist, she couldn't help herself. She kept quiet, waiting to see what he would do.

"Never met a ghost I could touch. What the hell are you?" He growled.

The sound sent a shiver through her, straight to her core and she ran her other hand under his shirt to feel his hard stomach.

"Some sort of a succubus? Thought you lot went after unfaithful mortals, of which I am neither, so piss off!"

Buffy ran her hand downward to his jeans. He inhaled sharply, catching her scent and Spike's eyes flashed as he released his grip on her wrist, "Buffy?"

"Told you I'd see you later."

Spike tried looking as directly at her as possible, "Thought I'd be seeing you too though, what happened?"

She sighed, "I don't know, I came out of the salon and there was a big flash of light and poof, no-see-me."

Alarm bells were clamoring inside Spike's head. "But you're alright aren't you?"

The amorous urge that had consumed her a few seconds ago was doused in ice water. She felt fine. Good even, except for the almost constant nausea. But until they got to the bottom of this problem she was going to be worried. She realized with a little jolt that what she had been trying to do a second ago was seduce him into distracting her. Using him. The thought made her freeze.

If I'm going to have a relationship of any kind with Spike as the father of my children, it's going to have to be based on something solid. Like friendship. Trust. Respect— things that… really matter.

She took a deep breath.

"I think so— I don't know. It's part of the reason I came over early. I already went to the shop. The gang is working on it but I don't want to freak Dawn out so I'm just trying to not be home right now. I thought I'd have you take a listen and make sure the babies are okay."

He bobbed his head, thinking, "Was there anything else you noticed?"

"I saw that van again. That's about it. I told Xander about it."

Spike scoffed, "Well then maybe we should be out looking for your mystery van."

"Can we just focus on the babies please? I don't know about you but I've had a really freaking long, really emotional and seriously overwhelming day and now I'm invisible!" Her voice rose and broke slightly.

Spike closed his eyes with a sigh, feeling her press her cheek against his chest. He wrapped his arms around her, "I'm sorry, I'm being a git. Course you're worried, luv. We'll get it all sorted. Although, I dunno what good I'll be if I couldn't even tell there were two."

"Please?"

"Yeah alright." He started to squat down, feeling his way to her stomach and she pulled him back up to stand, gripping his arms.

"Let's try this down stairs where I can lay down, I just kind of want to crash."

"Sure, luv, I don't mind being your personal cuddle monster."

Buffy rolled her eyes and realized he couldn't see her, "I'll rest easier knowing that they're safe," she replied, moving the stone slab aside.

Spike watched the bed dip and the duvet wrinkle as Buffy laid down getting comfortable. "Like watching a vampire in a mirror except I'm looking right at you. Or I think I am. Definitely a bit odd."

"Yeah— totally agree."

He felt for her, his hand colliding with a familiarly soft mound, he couldn't help but smirk as he gave her breast a light squeeze. She swatted at him, "Can't blame a bloke," he smirked as he sank onto his knees and felt for her, laying his hand on her stomach and laid down resting his head against her. She laid her hands on his head and shifted him slightly. A moment later he could hear it. His stomach fluttered a little and he let out a sigh of relief. "Babies sound just as strong as they did in the office. Little hearts, still beating together."

Buffy could feel a tear roll down her cheek and she drew in a shaky breath, "Oh good," she croaked.

Spike moved himself up her body laying next to her and drawing her in to caress her back and her hair as she took some steadying breaths.

"Well at least I know you didn't get all your gorgeous hair lopped off," he said lightly.

He could feel her shaking her head, burrowed in the crook of his neck. "No, not a lot. Enough that Dawn would notice— if she could see me."

"Shhh, you just rest. I've got you and our babies are fine."

Buffy nodded against him and they were both silent for a long moment. Buffy's breaths grew calmer and Spike could tell she had fallen asleep. Even though he couldn't see her, he relished the fact that she fell asleep in his arms and he adjusted his grip on her.

He wasn't sure how long they laid like that, perhaps an hour, maybe more.

Buffy opened her eyes to find Spike's arms still wrapped snugly around her and tilted her head up to look at him. His face was tilted towards her, eyes closed. He looked unusually relaxed and peaceful. She laid there watching him for a moment before she shifted her position. He tightened his hold on her without opening his eyes.

"Going somewhere, Slayer?"

She hummed and shook her head, "I thought you were asleep."

"Weren't planning on slipping away were you?"

"No, this is the most relaxed I've been in days. I'm kinda enjoying just taking a break from everything."

He knew she was still feeling overwhelmed. The job had helped of course and things were going better there but she still had so much going on and only him to talk to. It wasn't fair. His thoughts stuttered to a stop when he thought he heard something and he turned his head towards the ladder.

"What is it?" Buffy asked.

He listened a beat longer but didn't hear anything else and shook his head. "Might have just been a bird or something. Not sure if the door got closed properly. I'll go take a look."

She let out a little whine, "Nuhh huhh, if I'm not allowed to move then neither can you. You're my pillow now, it's your job."

Spike chuckled, "That right, pet?"

"Humm humm, besides we have too much to talk about."

He groaned a little, "Aww and here I thought maybe you were propositioning me."

"Play your cards right and maybe I will," she teased.

"Suppose you want to talk about what we're going to tell your little friends."

"More like when."

He shifted his arm around her shoulder. There was a small flutter somewhere in his gut.

When— She said when, not if or how but when…

"That's not exactly up to me, luv. You're the one keeping things quiet. I'd be shouting from the rooftops the woman I love is having my babies if I didn't think you'd stake me for it."

"I know you would," he could almost hear her rolling her eyes as she spoke, "Spike, I haven't even told them I wasn't in hell when they brought me back, yet alone that the spell they'd used to do it also reanimated your little swimmers and got me pregnant. Never mind the fact that we're having twins."

"Notice you didn't include this little thing we got going on to that list."

"Pregnant pretty much implies sleeping together, Spike."

He tilted his head as though to look at her and was annoyed when he couldn't. "That's not what I'm talking about and you know it. I'm not talking bout our trist the night you died. I'm talking about now. I love you and I know you feel something for me too. You must. Otherwise why would you spend all your free time with me? It's not like all we do is shag. How do you explain movie time and all our little heart to hearts?"

He has a point— could I love him? Do I?

She snuggled into him a little more, "I know I like being with you."

"Might be the most romantic thing you've ever said to me," he sighed heavily, "wish I could see you. I don't like this invisible thing, pet."

She moved her leg around his hips and shifted herself so she was laying on him a little more, "Is that any better?"

He closed his eyes, adjusting his arms around her form. One arm wrapped snugly around her torso and the other resting on the thigh wrapped around him, "A bit. I always love feeling you on top of me."

"Yeah well, you're surprisingly cozy."

He laughed, "Don't think even Dru ever called me that before." He could feel her fingers drawing idol patterns in the fabric covering his chest and nearly let out a purr.

If she did that to the back of my neck I'd be done for.

"I just mean we're good together. Better than I ever thought we would be. It's just still weird to me," she murmured.

"Because I don't have a soul."

"Can we not get into that again?" She squeezed her eyes shut. God. He's been everything I could possibly hope for. He's been taking such great care of me without making me feel like I should be some damsel in distress. He cares about me and the babies. Why am I still letting this bother me so much?

She shook herself a little, trying to put it out of her mind. "Let's talk about something else, what about baby names?"

"Bloody hell," he huffed, "talk about your subject changes."

"What? Like you don't do it too?"

He shifted his arm a little and cleared his throat, "You got me there—"

"Great, so baby names," she said more cheerfully, "you already came up with Mason, we need to add more to the list."

"How about Colin or maybe Simon?"

"Eww, no to both. James?"

"My middle name? You'd really want to name one of them after me?"

"You want to use 'Ann', why not use 'James'?" She asked.

"Yeah well 'Ann' does double duty, you and my mum."

"I like James. I think we should use it somewhere," she said, drawing patterns on his chest with her fingers.

He shrugged a little, "Yeah alright, James and Ann— suppose we're further than we were. What about Sean?"

"No, dated a 'Sean' in middle school," Buffy gave a thoughtful little humm, "what about Claire?"

"No, I ate a 'Claire'."

She smacked his chest with a flat hand, "Oh come on we can't play that game, there wouldn't be any names left. What do you think about Lily?"

"Flower of resurrection. Appropriate. Lily Ann?"

Buffy scrunched her face and realized he still couldn't see her, "Let's use 'Ann' with a different name. We're going to need two of each."

"Lily Rose?"

"Are we going with Summers or Pratt?"

"Summers I imagine, unless you're willing to marry me."

The air caught in her throat, "I— I don't know. I— Maybe," she stammered. Maybe? What the hell did I just say?

Spike's head swam with the prospect of all the things that might encompass. Before he could let his mind wander too far down that path, there was a small shuffling sound from above and he turned his head sharply towards it.

"What the?" He murmured.

"Okay yeah, I definitely heard that," Buffy said, rolling off of him.

Spike sat up springing towards the ladder grabbing an old dagger as he did. Climbing up, he only vaguely realized they had left the door uncovered and poked his head out. A warmth on the back of his calves let him know Buffy was there waiting for him to move up the ladder.

He caught sight of Xander standing between the pillar and the trap door. "To what do I owe the pleasure, Harris?" He asked loudly as he slipped the dagger down the edge of his leg tapping it until he felt Buffy take it from him. He could feel her moving off the ladder a moment and climbed up before she could rejoin him.

Xander was looking at him oddly. "You alright, mate?" Spike asked as he moved over to his little fridge to grab a beer, trying to act as casually as possible.

"I hum, I was looking for Buffy."

"Yeah?" Spike hid the strain in his voice with a sip of beer as he felt Buffy's hand at his back, "Can honestly say I haven't seen her."

Xander gave him a dubious look, frowning, "I know you haven't. She's invisible." His eyes seemed to fix on Spike's, refusing to look away, making Spike feel like a bug under a microscope.

"Oh… right…" Spike raised his eyebrows trying to convey shock but he wasn't sure how well it came across when he felt Buffy grip his arm. "Well- Just say what it is you need to and I'll make sure she gets the message."

Buffy kicked his shin and he grit his teeth in pain, as he turned the growl into a cough. "You know, if she stops by."

"Sure." Xander swallowed. "Willow and Giles think they found Buffy's mystery van at the arcade. There isn't a lot of time. Whatever they did to her is eventually going to turn her into goo. As in no more Buffy."

"Bloody hell…" he breathed as Buffy's grip on him increased.

Xander gave a curt nod, "Yeah well Anya and Giles are back at the Magic Box trying to figure out a magical way to bring Buffy back to visibility. I think it would be a good idea if she heads over there. I'm going back now and we're just gonna wait for Willow to find out what sciency something she learned at the arcade. You should definitely tell her to come back to the shop. You know… if you see her…"

"Which I won't cus she's invisible." Spike said, clearing his throat to cover Buffy's shuffling behind him.

The welp definitely knows she's here… Wonder what else he knows—

"Right," Xander giggled nervously.

"Right…"

Spike could feel her hand on his arm tighten like a vice, and her heart sped up with fear. Fear for the babies if he had to guess. Spike nodded and swallowed the lump in his throat. "Right, well… I'll be sure to let her know."

Xander looked around the room once more, running an agitated hand through his hair and nodded. "Just— the van is parked outside the arcade, Willow was heading over there when I left the house. I'm not sure what she's going to do, she has a cold and she's not really on the top of her game. Ehh, you know what, Spike, it might be a good idea if you go check that out. Go see what Willow finds out."

"Sure, I'll get on that."

"Well I— I better get back— book stuff—" Xander said numbly as he turned, making his way into the dark of the cemetery.

"Well crap," Buffy breathed.

Spike stepped away from her, taking a drink of his beer. "Suppose I should go give super witch a little backup."

"And fix me," she said in a hollow voice.

He tilted his head in her general direction, "The situation isn't exactly ideal but you're far from broken, Luv."

Buffy felt the sting of tears and gave a sniff trying to hold them back. She felt like crying but that wasn't going to solve anything. She wiped her cheeks and huffed.

Spike furrowed his brow, "You alright, Slayer?"

She choked back the lump in her throat, "I'll be fine. I just— this day is— I don't want to lose the babies the same day we found out about them. I don't want to just fade away…"

He held his arms wide and started walking towards the spot he had left her, "You're gonna have to meet me halfway here, I'm not sure where— ohff—" he bumped into her standing still and wrapped his arms around her, cradling her head against him, "found you."

She nodded against him, collecting herself with a deep breath, inhaling his scent. "We should both get going."

"Right," he said, feeling for her jaw and tilting her head up to him, to reassure himself as much as her, "you and our babies are going to be fine. Do you hear me?"

She nodded her head against his fingers and pressed up into him for a kiss, "Thank you."

"Thank me when I can see that smile of yours."

Xander's stomach constricted painfully as he walked away from Restfield and he could feel a headache building. He had intended on telling Buffy to go to the arcade to meet up with Willow but with the new information he had just overheard, he couldn't just let her wander into the middle of whatever evil was lurking there. Vampires, werewolves, apocalypses…apocalpsi?... sure, forget about it.

Loner weirdos with ray-guns and who knows what else…

No way.

Buffy is pregnant— pregnant with Spike's— I can't even— and he's being surprisingly awesome about it. She seems happy with him. What's that about?

He shook his head and shoved his hands into his pockets. I know she's going to be pissed at me later. But I just couldn't let her go into that site unseen! Literally! Yeah she's tough but— if she wasn't in a hell dimension then where was she? And pregnant? No wonder she has been acting so weird since she's been back…

He kicked a soda can, letting out a little frustration. Things were just starting to get interesting. And interesting never meant good.