December 5, 2007 4:11 PM

Giles pulled the car into their driveway and almost before it came to a complete stop, Spike and Buffy had climbed out. Spike took her hand and headed for the house without a backward glance.

“Spike, may I speak with you for a moment,” Giles called.

The couple stopped and turned to look at him. Spike wanted to tell him to sod off but Buffy laid her hand on his chest and her beseeching eyes met his.

“Go, talk to him,” Buffy said, casting a last glance at her ex-Watcher before walking away.

Sighing, Spike turned around to find Giles coming around the front of the car toward him.

“I’m sorry if you misunderstood me earlier,” Giles said. “I just think that we have to look at everything a little less emotionally for her sake.”

Spike laughed humorlessly. “She’s my wife, Rupert; it’s a little hard for me to view her anyway but emotionally.”

Leaning against his car, Giles sighed, “And that is my point. You do see her emotionally and may not be able to clearly see what is best for her.”

“The best thing for her is what it has always been: to be with me.”

“Has it? I can remember quite a few times when the two of you have been quite poisonous to each other,” Giles said. “And most of the time too dependent on the other to be able to see what would be the best thing to do.”

Rocking back on his heels, Spike rolled his eyes at the other man. “And yet somehow we make it through whatever it is and are stronger for it. And no matter what is going on we have each other’s back, always have, unlike some of our so called friends.”

“You’re getting paranoid, Spike. No one is trying to hurt either one of you. I want what is best for Buffy and the two of you are too close to see things clearly. The least that you can do is listen to us with an open mind and trust that we might see something that you don’t.”

“Don’t, Rupert,” Spike said, his voice dropping dangerously low. “Do you want me to remind you of all the times that if either one of us had trusted the lot of you to make decisions that we might not even be here?”

“Spike, we’ve all made mistakes but a lot of times we have been right too.” Giles removed his glasses and stood up to face the vampire. “We’ve done what we can. All of us; we’ve spent countless hours researching and trying to find something that we can vanquish and we can’t. We have to accept that she is probably schizophrenic and she needs help. Help that you can’t give her.”

“She is not going into a hospital. I won’t let it happen, no matter what anyone says. Did you forget that she was institutionalized once before by her mother? And its one of the reasons she’s having problems now. To go back in would destroy whatever fight she has left in her and I won’t let it happen to her.”

“And what are you going to do when she is completely insane?” Giles replied sadly. “Sara says the sicker she becomes the more likely she is to become violent.”

Spike shrugged, refusing to give an inch to the man in front of him. Buffy trusted him to protect her and their family and he would. No matter what the personal cost to him was.

“So, far she hasn’t been violent.” Spike said. “And if--if--that day comes then I’ll decide what to do. But until then she is staying at home with the people who love her. It’s up to you if you’re one of those people or not.”

Turning Spike started to take a step toward the house.

“And what about your children? Is this the best situation for them to be in? Have you thought about what this is doing to them? That maybe they would be better off…”

Spike didn’t give him a chance to finish. In full vampire guise, he grabbed Giles by his coat and pushed him against the car.

“Listen, because I am only going to say this once. My children are loved, protected and taken care of; a lot more than they would be anywhere else or with anyone else.” Spike hauled the Watcher up until he was standing on his tip toes. “Dial one number, utter one word to break up this family and you will deal with me, old man. Do you understand?”

Without waiting for a reply, Spike released Giles and stalked to the house, his body trembling with anger. How could Giles? After all this time and everything they had been through? To just give up? On Buffy? It wasn’t right. Somewhere there was, there had to be, an answer that would bring his wife back to him. And Spike wouldn’t stop searching until he found it.

December 5, 2007 7:12 PM

“Daddy, look, Raven’s putting stakes on her stocking,” Elijah called out from the security of Buffy’s arms.

Following the call of his son, Spike joined his family at the kitchen table. Sitting next to Raven, he glanced over her shoulder at the designs she was putting on her Christmas stocking.

“What? Mum said to design it however we wanted,” Raven defended herself. “And I’m going to put hearts on it, too.”

“Yeah, and Connor’s picture,” Sean teased.

“Oh, shut up, at least mine isn’t boring. I think you should put a big fat rainbow on it,” Raven retorted, gesturing at Sean’s stocking only adorned with his name.

“Stop now you two,” Spike advised, seeing the flash of hurt on Sean’s face. His hand caressed his daughter’s hair for a moment and when he got the feeling that someone was staring at him, Spike turned toward Buffy. “Everything okay, Baby?”

“Yep, right as rain, on the plain in Spain,” Buffy quipped. “Okay, sorry, watched ‘My Fair Lady’ yesterday.” Her family shook their heads at her and she broke out in laughter. “You guys, have no sense of humor anymore.”

“Might have laughed if it was funny,” Raven muttered.

“Don’t be mean,” Elijah said, looking up from his coloring book. His stocking was done and, like Sean’s, had only his name on it.

A knock on the door interrupted what would have been a dramatic moment in Raven’s life having been scolded twice in the last few minutes. Sean hurried to open the door. Xander stood in the doorway, smiled around at everyone before stepping into the kitchen. Sean returned to his seat while Xander glanced down at the project on the table.

“Getting in the Christmas spirit, I see,” Xander said.

“And Hanukah and Winter Solstice,” Raven announced. “We are an equal opportunity holiday celebrating kind of family.” She turned to look at her father. “Do vampires have holidays?”

“None you’d want to celebrate,” Spike answered.

“Yeah,” Sean said. “Because they all have to do with sacrificing smart mouthed teenage girls.”

Raven smacked Sean in the arm, forgetting her strength and knocked him to the floor. But before Sean could retaliate, Spike was between them.

“That’s it. Both of you neutral corners now,” he demanded. “I don’t know what burr is up your arses tonight but settle it.” Spike smiled at his wife. “This is a time of celebration and love and you two are ruining it.”

Both teens returned to the table and their stockings with reluctance. Spike turned to study his friend, obviously uncomfortable. Their gazes met and Spike knew why he was there. Giles had sent him.

“What brings you over?”

“I brought over some of the supplies for the attic,” Xander replied.

“Thought you were going to wait until this weekend,” Spike said, unable to keep the anger from his tone. “Or was that just an excuse for the real reason.”

Their gazes clashed and Xander raised his hands in mock surrender.

“Here as Switzerland. Strictly neutral, man, strictly neutral.”

Spike didn’t want to say anything in front of Buffy and the children. Sighing, he headed for the kitchen door, “Well, come on, let’s get it unloaded.”

Neither man said anything until they reached Xander’s truck. Spike stood aside as the brunette dropped the tailgate and without discussing it, they both took a seat on it. It was in moments like that one that Spike wished he still smoked. It would take the edge off; instead he looked around his backyard, trying to put off this conversation. No matter had badly the first years had been, the human beside him had become his best friend and in many ways the brother he never had. He knew it was that way for both of them. Xander had confided that he had actually been relieved to have another male around even one as snarky as he was.

“I didn’t come here to fight with you, Spike. I didn’t come here to start trouble. Giles called and told me what happened and hey, get this, he thinks if anyone can talk to you, it’d be me.”

“Guess he forgot how much you hate me.”

“Must’ve,” Xander laughed then sobered as if he remembered the seriousness of the situation. “Look, I am the last one that wants to see anything happen to our girl. Especially being…God, I can’t even say it.” He paused and Spike was surprised to see tears hovering on Xander’s lashes. “She told me. A couple of years ago, it was at one of the parties we always used to have, we were both drunk as skunks and she told me everything about that place. That was too much for a kid to deal with. And the thing is I loved Joyce but in that one act she was almost crueler than my parents have been in my lifetime.”

“You’re on our side then?”

“There aren’t any sides in this. We all love her but maybe we just see different things.”

“She’s my wife.”

“Yeah, and she is my friend, my sister, my golden girl and my savior, all wrapped in one little body and to this day I would lay down my life for her without a second thought; but I can’t fight this, Spike…and neither can you.”

Ignoring his friend’s pain, Spike hopped off the back of the back of the truck and paced for a few seconds before facing Xander.

“But I will fight it. I will fight it every second of every day until I find an answer to bring her back to me. All of her, happy and whole again,” Spike said, tears running down his face. “Buffy is my life, do you understand that? She is precious and needed by me and our children. And I will die before I lock her away somewhere. Because she has already proven that she would do the same.”

It was too much and Spike gave into the sobs that were wracking his body. His hand covered his face and didn’t see Xander move. All he felt was the arms that wrapped around him and he leaned into his friend.

“I know, buddy, I know.” Xander said, giving little awkward pats to Spike’s back. “Hey, it’s the season of miracles and if Deadboy can get one. Why not Buffy?”

Spike shook his head and pulled back. “I think Buffy is the Power’s little whipping girl. Let’s see how much one woman can take.” He threw his head back and closed his eyes, taking a deep breath before looking at Xander again. “I can’t do it. Not now. Not ever. Go tell Giles that. Tell him that he can help us or stay away. She doesn’t need anyone to bring her down and make her doubt that one day she’ll get through this.”

Xander nodded, “I will.” He laid a hand on the vampire’s shoulder. “We’ll find something. Now, can we be macho men and unload the construction supplies.”

“Thank God, too much sentimentality and I would be ready to vomit.” Spike joked. He was relieved that Xander hadn’t put any pressure on him to institutionalize Buffy. It wasn’t what they needed right now. Maybe they would just let it go but that was too much to hope for because they never did. He would just have to find a way to keep them away from his wife if they persisted.

December 6, 2007 1:15 AM

Buffy knew he was there before he said anything; she always did. Her senses searched for him and spoke to her when he was near. The blood rushing a little more, the ache deep in her loins and the tingle along the base of her skull were all things that had started in the last month or so. She hadn’t told anyone of this new thing that was happening to her. Her Slayer abilities had always done this because he was a vampire but this was different. Deeper and more needful now. It was a calling for the one thing that would calm her. Like in Sara’s office. His voice and his touch anchored her and when he wasn’t close a part of her sent out almost psychic messages until he was located. Relief would flood and comfort her once he was found. A warm blanket on a cold night and she turned to watch him emerge from the lower level of the crypt.

“Hey, Baby, what are you doing in here?” Spike asked, his eyes searching her face.

She knew what he was looking for, a sign of whether she was here with him or lost somewhere. Smiling, Buffy waited until he was seated on the old couch with her, his arm around the back and she leaned close to him. Her nose was alongside of his and she opened her eyes wide, staring deep into his.

“Just me in here,” she teased before kissing him. Light and quick but he captured her face with those hands that always held her so secure and he deepened the kiss. His tongue lapped at her lips and she leaned closer to him, letting her body settle against him. He sighed as she opened her mouth for him to plunder and her fingers danced along his ribs.

“So, why are you down here instead of sleeping next to me?”

“Reminiscing,” Buffy responded, turning so that her back was against him. Her head cradled under his chin and Spike wrapped his arms around her.

“About this place?” Spike asked, and she could hear the laughter he was holding back.

“Oh, come on, this was the first place we lived together. You never think about those days?”

“Yeah, I do, they weren’t that bad. After all you were with me.”

“We were together.” Buffy paused for a moment. She covered one of his hands with hers. “I left letters for the children in my vanity drawer.” Buffy squeezed his hand when she felt him about to protest. “Shhh, don’t. Just in case I don’t come out of it one day. I haven’t given up. It’s just in case. There are things I want to make sure they know.”

“Okay.”

Buffy knew better to push him too much so she dropped the subject. There would be time to cover the rest. If not there was a letter waiting for him too.

“So, what is your favorite memory of this place?”

He laughed and tightened his hold on her. “You wearing those skimpy outfits. My God, you looked like a hooker half the time. That and those sex lessons. You were so earnest about learning how to please me.”

“And I did quite well, didn’t I?”

“Oh, that you did,” Spike said and broke out into song. “Hot child in the city, runnin’ wild and lookin’ pretty. Come on down to my place and we’ll make love.”

Buffy giggled and turned to kiss him. “I love you so much.”

“Love you, too, more than ever.”

Meeting his gaze, she smiled, “I know. I’ve always known and that’s why I came here in the first place.” She sighed and ran her hand over her belly. “I guess the days of the skimpy outfits are over. I’m going to get fat and…”

Spike shifted until he was kneeling on the floor, his hands covering hers and her stomach. Those blue eyes looked into hers, and she felt chills racing along her body at the love and wonder in their depths.

“No, don’t ever say that. You’re body is even more beautiful to me now. It’s creating a life. Our child. I know I wasn’t on board with this when I should have been but I am now. Did you forget what you did? I did for awhile but I remember now.”

Buffy ran a hand through his blonde locks, “What did I do?”

“I was a man who had been dead for a hundred years and you brought me back to life. From that we created a little person inside of you and that is the most beautiful thing in this world.” Spike leaned forward and kissed the slight bulge of their child, “I died so many years ago, but you can make me feel like it isn’t so.” Spike pulled back embarrassment on his face. “Sorry, don’t know why…”

“Sing, hurry,” Buffy said, her hand pulling him toward her stomach again. “I don’t care what just sing.”

“So, young to be loose and on her own. And why am I singing? Young boys they want to take her home.”

“I felt the baby, Spike, the baby moved when you were singing.”

Spike flattened his hand against her, “You felt him. You felt our baby.”

Throwing her arms around his neck, she kissed his cheek, wetting it with the tears of joy that were falling. “Yes, I felt our baby. It was just a tiny flutter but she moved because of you. She heard her Daddy singing.”

They were both laughing as he started to sing again, random snatches of songs that he remembered as their entwined hands covered their growing child. Buffy smiled at the man kneeling in front of her, at the awe on his face, and she prayed that if there was a choice between her and her baby, they would let her baby be the one to be all right. This child was the proof of their love and continued faith that somehow they would win in the end. As long as the babe was fine then that hope would live on.

to be continued…

Author’s note: Lyrics for ‘Hot Child in the City’ are the property of Nick Glider and Twin Music.

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