Disclaimer: Joss owns them, I’m just borrowing them to indulge my muse. Maggie, Chloe, and Alex are my characters, although you won’t really be seeing too much of Chloe and Alex.

Notes: This is a future-fic, taking place a little over 5 years after “Normal again”. It’ll also have some flashback scenes to explain the background, but I’ll be sure to let you know what’s going on in the notes :)  Spoiler alert: any and everything on the show up until Normal again is fair game. It goes on it’s merry way after that. Please review, it encourages me to write quicker. Ok, here we go……..

The Little Miracle

by Bloodymiry

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Spike drove along the winding roads, coming upon a familiarly straight stretch of road. The August sun in the mid-afternoon should have been deadly, and he was thankful for the protection of his heavily tinted windows. His eyes drifted ahead and he laughed to himself at the previous fate that befell the landmark he gazed at. He pulled his car over to the side of the road, thinking how juvenile he’d been all those times before to try and destroy it, noting bitterly how it kept coming back like a Phoenix from the ashes. As he looked at the landmark, he started feeling a little uneasy about coming back here, wondering what he would find along the way.

“WELCOME TO SUNNYDALE!” The white letters stared mockingly back at him. “Well, mate, it’s now or never. Might as well at least go and try to find her…”

Spike drove through the town of Sunnydale, noting that the more things changed, the more they stayed the same. The small downtown area looked almost exactly the way he’d left it, except that many of the buildings were showing the wear of 5 years of weather and use. He continued to drive, past the cemetery, wondering what happened to his old crypt. As he watched the sun sink to a nice, non-fatal level he parked his car in the exact spot where the old Desoto used to sit. Using the advantage of the daylight still left but knowing he was safe from any direct sunlight, Spike stepped from his car and let the California air warm his face.

“Feels like a nice afternoon for a stroll” he thought to himself, and started walking down the sidewalk.  He seemed to go on autopilot after that, heading straight for her neighborhood. The more he walked he started to doubt himself, and delved deep into thought as he stalked down the street.

*It’s been 5 years, mate. She’s probably moved on. Found herself a nice, normal bloke and moved into a big white house with a cute little picket fence. Why would she still be hanging around here, other than the fact that she’s still the slayer? She is still the slayer, right? I mean unless that Faith bird kicked it and someone else was called to take over.*

He slowed his pace a little, trying to settle his thoughts and gain some more of his confidence back. He started remembering happier times with Buffy, before she’d ended things for good and he’d left because the pain had been too much. He wondered if she ever thought of him. He wondered what he’d find once he made it to her house.

*Well, it’s the only shot I’ve got. I’ll just go there, see if she still lives there. If she’s not there, then I’ll just go on about my way and chalk it up to bad luck. Oh, but if she is there…* He turned his eyes up toward the clouds and said out loud “Please, if anyone up there is listening, please at least let her hear me out, if I find her.”  The voice in his head picked up again. *Yeah, right. Why would she give you a chance? You did just what she thought you would. When the going got rough, you left, just like all the rest. You sodding, bloody, wanker…*

His self-belittling thoughts were snapped back to the present when he heard soft cries coming from just ahead. He stopped on the sidewalk and looked curiously at the site before him. A little girl was sitting in the grass beside the sidewalk with her little legs stretched out in front of her. When the strange man in black stopped in front of her, she turned her teary eyes up to look at him. She didn’t say anything, she just sat there, hiccupping with her sobs and letting new tears fall from her eyes. Her mommy had taught her to never talk to strangers, but this man was just giving off vibes that he wouldn’t hurt her.

In his entire existence, Spike had never seen a more beautiful child. Her skin was flawless, and was a perfectly sun kissed golden color *probably from playing outside all the time* he vaguely thought. Her ash-blonde hair fell to her shoulders in soft little curls, perfectly framing her tiny face. Even at her young age, she had these little cheekbones that gave definition to her face. Her green eyes sparkled back at him, shining even more brilliantly through her tears.  She turned her head, and then he noticed that she had a tiny cut over her left eye, and a very small stream of blood was trickling down the side of her face, mingling with her tears and turning from crimson red to a watered down pink color. She then drew her knees up to her chest, and Spike noted that both knees were skinned. He didn’t want to frighten her, but he felt something tugging at his heart, making him want to help this beautiful little angel of a child sitting before him.

He sat down in front of her on the sidewalk, so he could be eye-to-eye to talk to her. “Are you ok, love?”

She once again turned her teary gaze to him, and shook her head “no”.

“Do you need help? Do you want to tell me what’s wrong?”

She studied him for a moment, trying to decide if her mommy would be angry with her for talking to this man.

On queue, as if he were reading her mind, Spike said softly “I bet your Mum told you never to talk to strangers, right?” She shook her head yes. “Well, then, let me fix that problem. I’m William. Now you know my name, so I’m not that much of a stranger, ok?” Again she shook her head yes. “Right then. So why don’t you tell me what’s the matter, and I’ll see if I can help you.”

Big tears welled in her eyes as she prepared to tell her story. As she started speaking, Spike was enraptured at the sound of her little voice. If he thought she looked like an angel, he thought she surely was an angel when her precious little voice started telling her story.

“Well, I was playing at my friend Chloe’s house, when she said her Mommy thought that my Mommy was weird. And that made me mad, so I told her that I didn’t want to be friends anymore, and I ran out of her house to go home, even though my Mommy told me never to walk home by myself.”

“Oh, that’s terrible, pet. But that doesn’t explain how you got these scrapes, dear. Want to tell me what happened there?”

She hiccupped again with a small sob, and continued. “That meanie Alex saw me and said he was gonna go tell my Mommy that I was out by myself, and I told him not to, but he said he was gonna go tell anyway, so I bit him.”

“You BIT him?”

“Y-yes. And then he started to cry and I ran away and he chased me. But then he caught up to me and tripped me, and I fell down on the sidewalk, and I hurt my knees and hit my head.” She was crying in full force again. Spike tentatively reached out and touched her hand, trying to soothe her cries.

“So what did this meanie Alex do then?”

“He was still crying ‘cause I bit him, and he ran into his house and left me here. And my knees hurt and I couldn’t walk home and my Mommy’s gonna be so mad at me and she probably won’t let me have my party next week and…”

“Hold up, love.” He smiled at her. “Let’s see what we can figure out. You know, don’t you, that you shouldn’t bite people. It’s not a very nice thing to do.”

“I know. My mommy tells me that all the time. ‘It’s not nice to bite people sweetie. We don’t hit or bite people, because we could hurt them’… she always tells me that whenever I hit Alex or bite him.” She smirked. Spike could have sworn this little angel *smirked* at him.

“Well, I have to say I agree with your Mommy. Are you feeling a little better than before?”

“A little.”

“Well, that’s good, pet.”

Again the little girl smiled at him. “I know your name now, but you don’t know mine.”

“That’s ok pet, you don’t have to tell me your name.”

“No, I want to. My name’s Maggie” Spike’s unnecessary breath caught in his chest. That’s who this little angel reminded him of: his little sister Margaret. He had always called her Maggie, and his mum had always hated it. Her little voice once again snapped him out of his thoughts.

“Will-yum? Will you take me home?”

“Uh, pet…Maggie, I would love to, but I don’t know where you live.”

“I know my address. Mommy taught it to me. I live at 1630 Revello Drive. Can you take me there?”

“I think I can manage that, Maggie.” Spike’s heart sank a little, knowing now that the love of his life had indeed moved on without him. He had no idea how he would find her now; now that there was a happy family with a precious little girl living in her old house. He scooped her up in his arms and started to carry her toward her house.

“How do you know which way to go?” She asked him when he instinctively headed toward her house.

“Oh. Well, you see, I used to have a very dear friend who lived in this neighborhood. In fact, that’s why I’m here in the first place. Was just coming round to see if she still lived here… was going to maybe pay her a visit. In fact, her address was the same as yours. So your Mommy and Daddy must have moved in there once she moved out.”

“Hmmm. Maybe!” she cooed. “But it’s just me and Mommy. My Daddy doesn’t live with us. I’ve never seen him, ‘cause he had to go away to work. He’s a hero, you know. Mommy always tells me how much she loves him and that he will come back someday. Hey! Maybe he’ll come for my party… ” She got a far-away look in her eyes, far more broody than any child should know how to be.

Spike wanted to cheer her up. “So, Maggie, tell me about this party that you’re worried about your Mommy taking away.”

Her eyes lit up again. “Oh, oh, oh! It’s my birthday; I’ll be five. And I’m having a big party, and all my friends are coming, except for now I’m gonna un-invite Chloe ‘cause she’s just as bad as that meanie Alex. But Mommy is making me let Alex come because she is friends with his parents. He’s a yucky, yucky boy.” She made a face and Spike chuckled at her impression of the young Alex, thinking ‘in 10 years she’ll probably have fallen head over heels for the git.’ She continued her story as they walked toward Revello Drive, telling him about all the games they would play at her party, and what kind of cake she wanted, and how much she hoped her mommy wouldn’t take the party away.

Spike noticed that her story seemed to be fading away, and he gazed down at her only to see that little Maggie had fallen asleep in his arms.

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Meanwhile, about five blocks away, a young mother was on her phone, frantically pacing the floor. “What do you mean, she just left? How could you let a 5 year old just LEAVE your house by herself?”

“Honestly,” Chloe’s mom replied “ She ran out while I was getting the laundry. I thought the girls were playing in Chloe’s room until I went to check on them, and then Chloe told me that they’d had a fight and Maggie had left.”

“Well, we have to find her!”

“We will, you stay there, I’m sending Chloe’s dad out to look for her now. Keep your phone line free and he’ll take his cell and we’ll find her. Don’t worry.”

Maggie’s mom called Chloe’s mom back to see if they had spotted Maggie yet. As she was again becoming frantic on the phone, she was interrupted by a knock on the door.

“Wait. Someone’s at the door. I think she’s home. I’ll call you right back.” She went to the door, still holding the cordless phone in her hand.

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Spike made his way up the sidewalk with the sleeping child in his arms. The cut over her eye was still oozing a bit, and her tears had not yet dried. She still managed to look so peaceful in her sleep, and he wondered how she had managed to fall asleep so quickly. He walked up onto the porch, wondering how he was going to explain to this little girl’s mother how he’d found her and why he’d brought her home.

He shifted the little girl in his arms to free up a hand to ring the doorbell, and watched as the small child curled up even more in his arms. He rang the doorbell and waited patiently.

Suddenly, the door burst open, and the frantic Mom called out before even looking to see who was there. “Maggie??” Then she took in the sight before her. A tall, blonde man dressed in black stood holding her daughter, and there was a small trickle of red on the side of her face and on her little knees.

Spike’s eyes flew wide when he looked at the woman standing in her doorway. “What the….” He was starting to say, when Maggie woke up and looked over to see that she was home.

A huge grin broke over her face, and she proclaimed “Mommy! Will-yum brought me home. Please don’t me mad at me, please, please, please.”

“Yeah, Mommy, please don’t be mad at her. She was hurt and I was only trying to help her.” Spike said as a smirk started forming on his face.

Buffy dropped the phone she was holding and fainted.

Chapter 2

“Mommy!” Maggie shrieked, as she saw Buffy faint and hit the floor in the foyer. Spike panicked, not knowing if he could go into the house to help her, or if he’d been uninvited again after he left 5 years ago. He gently put Maggie down.

“Pet, you go sit on the steps, and let me see if I can help your Mum. I’ll be right back.” Maggie gave him a hard look, but then wandered across the porch to sit on the steps. Spike decided it was now or never. He reached out his hand, and let out a sigh of relief when his hand did not meet an invisible barrier at the threshold. He rushed in, and immediately fell to the floor beside Buffy, gently gathering her into his arms.

“Buffy, love, wake up. Please, wake up.” Her eyes began to flutter. “That’s it pet, wake up.” He looked out onto the porch, and called for Maggie. “Maggie, come here, pet. Your Mum’s waking up.”

Maggie ran over to where Spike and Buffy were sitting, and touched her mom’s face gently. “Mommy, what happened? You fell down like me!”

“Maggie?” Buffy’s eyes opened, and she looked at her little girl’s face. “Maggie what happened to you?!” She pulled away from Spike, and shrieked at him “What did you do to my little girl?!”

Maggie started to cry again. Spike never knew a child could start and stop crying so quickly. Buffy gathered her daughter in her arms and began rocking her back and forth. “Sweetie, don’t cry. Come on, calm down, try not to cry.”

The little girl placed her hands on either side of Buffy’s face, and looked at her. “Are you mad at me Mommy? Please don’t be mad. I know I’m not ‘sposed to walk home with out you and I know I’m not ‘sposed to talk to strangers but I fell down Mommy, and I was hurt and he helped me and please don’t take my party away ‘cause what if Daddy’s coming to it?”

Buffy’s heart skipped a beat. She looked back at Maggie and brushed her tears from her face. “No, sweetie, I’m not going to take your party away. And I’m not mad at you, but you scared me. I didn’t know where you were. Never, ever again go anywhere without telling a grown up where you’re going, Ok?”

“Ok, Mommy. You aren’t mad at me for letting Will-yum bring me home?” Buffy contemplated Spike, how he was just calmly standing there, taking in the sight of a Mother and Daughter, reunited.

“No, sweetie, I’m just glad he was there to help you.” She grinned to herself at how Maggie pronounced Spikes real name. Buffy looked up at Spike and he hoped that she just might give him that chance to explain that he was hoping for.

“You know what Mommy? Will-yum said he used to have a friend that lived in our house. And he was coming to see her, but she doesn’t live here anymore, ‘cause we live here now.”

“Is that so?” Buffy asked her daughter. “Well, why don’t we go into the kitchen and fix up your cuts and scrapes and William can tell us about his friend. Maybe we can help him find her.”

Buffy and Maggie started down the hall to the kitchen while Spike just stood in the doorway, amazed at how calmly Buffy was reacting to his return. He was sure he’d catch hell later, though, once Maggie was out of sight. Maggie turned around and noticed that Spike was not following them. She ran back and grabbed his hand, and tugged him down the hallway with her. “Come on Will-yum! You can tell me a story while Mommy fixes my cuts!”

Once in the kitchen, Spike lifted the little girl up to sit on the counter, while Buffy retrieved her first aid kit from the drawer. She got out the antiseptic, and Maggie winced and drew in a sharp breath before Buffy even got the bottle open. Buffy smiled at her, “Sweetie, I haven’t even opened it up yet, so it can’t hurt already.” Maggie opened one eye and looked at her mother warily.  Buffy turned to Spike “Um, William, why don’t you talk to her, and maybe it will take her mind off of getting her cuts cleaned.”

“Ok.” Spike was suddenly at a loss on what to say to the child. I mean, he couldn’t just start telling her stories of his past like he used to tell Dawn…too much blood and guts for the bitty-Buffy sitting in front of him was definitely not the way to win Buffy over. Luckily, Maggie saved him,

“Will-yum, you talk funny. Why do you sound like that?”

“Well, love, I’m from a place called England. Do you know where that is?”

“Uh-huh! It’s where Giles lives! Giles is funny. He wears these glasses, and he’s always taking them off and cleaning them. Mommy says he’s always done that!  He says there are real princesses that live in England. Is it true, are there really princesses there?”

“There sure are. There’s even a Queen and castles and palaces. Quite the fairytale land, it is.”

Maggie was so enraptured with Spike that she hadn’t even noticed that Buffy was finished cleaning her knees and had already put band-aids on them. She did notice, however, when Buffy touched the peroxide-soaked cotton to the cut over her eye. Maggie screamed immediately. Spike, without even thinking, took her little face in his hands and started to blow gently on her cut to soothe the sting. Buffy just watched in amazement at how tender Spike was being to her daughter.

Maggie closed her eyes and giggled, “How come your breath is cold? It tickles.”

“Just a little trick I learned once” Spike replied as he gazed at the child.

“So…” Buffy interrupted the tender scene, “Do you want to tell me how this happened, Maggie?” She gently placed a small band-aid on her daughter’s head and placed a kiss on the bandage.

“Will-yum knows. He can tell you.” Maggie was clearly trying to avoid telling her mother that she’d bitten little Alex Harris, causing him to push her down on the sidewalk.

“No, I think I want to hear it from you. I promise I won’t be mad at you, just tell me how this happened.”

Maggie began her tale again, about how she’d gotten mad at Chloe and left, and then ran into Alex on the way home. “…And he was so mean to me, Mommy, and he said he was gonna tell you and Auntie Anya that I was out and get me in trouble, and so I -bit –him-and-he-chased-me-and-pushed-me-down-and-that’s-how-I-got-hurt.” She rushed out the last part, hoping Buffy had missed the biting part.

Buffy had not missed the biting part. Spike was intrigued by the “Auntie Anya” part. *I guess the Whelp and the Vengeance Demon worked things out after I left…* Spike thought.

“You BIT Alex? Margaret Anne Sinclair how many times have I told you that you are NOT to bite people? No matter how angry you are or how much you think it will fix things??”

“I know Mommy, but he’s such a meanie, and he wouldn’t leave me alone. I hate him sometimes! I would hate him all the time if you didn’t like Auntie Anya and Uncle Xander!”

“Margaret…” Buffy warned. Maggie knew she’d gone to far- her Mom had used her real name twice already.

“I’m sorry Mommy. I will try very hard to never bite Alex again. But I won’t try to like him any better. He’s just a mean old  yucky boy and I’ll never like him, never, never, never!”

“That’s it Margaret Anne. Go to your room while I start dinner. And no TV while you’re there. You can play with your coloring books but no TV. Now go.”

She hopped down from the counter and ran to the doorway. She looked up the stairs, and saw that the upstairs hallway was totally dark. She turned her slightly frightened gaze back to Buffy. “Mommy…it’s dark up there.”

Buffy sighed, remembering that the lights weren’t on upstairs yet. “Ok, I’ll walk you up. Come on.”

“Can Will-yum take me?” she said hopefully, knowing that she could probably con him into turning on her TV.

“Fine. He can walk you upstairs. But then I want him to come back. I need to talk to him about this friend of his that used to live here.” Maggie grinned and grabbed Spike’s hand, tugging him out toward the stairs.

Buffy called after them. “Sp-William…” He turned to face her. “She’s afraid of the dark, so turn on the light as soon as you get upstairs. And no matter what she says to you, do not turn on her TV.”

“Sure thing, love. Be right back.”

Maggie led Spike up the stairs, gripping his hand tighter as they ventured into the darkness. She stopped when they almost reached the top of the stairs, now fully cloaked in the darkness of the hallway. Spike reached down and picked her up. She put her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly, until he reached over and switched the light on.

“Which room is yours, love?” Spike inquired of the child. She pointed toward the door that used to be Buffy’s old room. Spike took her to the room, and smiled to himself when he took in the décor of the room. The walls were painted purple, with a lavender border around the wall, about waist high, and the sesame street numbers and letters stenciled in the border. In one corner of the room sat stuffed toys of each and every Sesame Street character, except for one, which resided on her bed. On the bed was the missing character; The Count. In fact, there were several versions of the count scattered about the room. The biggest one sat in the middle of the bed, smiling back with his fangs and cape billowing. Another, smaller stuffed toy Count lay on the floor beside her dresser, and looked as if she had carried him everywhere with her. All of the pictures on her walls were of the Count. He smiled at the irony of it all. She apparently loved The Count, yet had no idea that she had a real live vampire in her room.

He put Maggie down and she ran over to a little table and pulled out some coloring books. “Will-yum, do you like The Count?”

“Well, pet, he seems nice enough. I’ll bet you like him a lot, huh?”

“Yeah, he’s my favorite. He’s all fangy and ‘grr’” Spike chuckled at her use of Buffy’s old phrase. “Will you watch him with me on TV?”

“Now, love, your Mommy told me specifically not to turn on your TV. Seems that’s your punishment for biting young Alex.”

“Yeah, I know.” She whispered in defeat.

“I’ll tell you what. I need to back downstairs and chat with your Mum. So why don’t you sit here and color a nice picture of our friend the Count and I’ll see if I can talk her into letting you watch some TV before you go to bed tonight. Does that sound like a good deal?”

Maggie grinned and said “Ok!”

“Right then. You stay here and be good then, and your Mum will be up in a little bit when your dinner’s ready.”

Spike walked back down stairs and found Buffy humming and making dinner. She sensed when he walked in the door, and turned around to smile at him.

“Did she get settled in her room?”

“She did. We chatted about The Count, and she explained to me how he was all ‘fangy and grrr’. She’s coloring a picture of him as we speak.”

“Did she try to con you into letting her watch TV?”

“Of course. But I told her no, just like you instructed. But I sort of promised her that I’d ask you if she could watch a little while before her bedtime.”

“Well, we will just have to see about that. Spike, I really want us to sit down and have a nice, long chat. Why don’t you stay for dinner with Maggie and me and then you and I can talk after she’s asleep?”

“Ok, Buffy. I think I can handle that. There’s so much I need to tell you.” He seemed lost in thought again before continuing, “Ah, Buffy, you’re being a lot more rational about me showing up out of the blue than I had expected.”

“Spike, don’t start. We can both behave like adults here. And after Maggie’s asleep, we’ll sit down and talk. But for now, why don’t you tell me how you managed to find my wayward child this afternoon.”

Spike smiled and sat down at the counter to talk to Buffy, much like he had done before with Joyce. “Well, love, I was coming to town to see if I could find you, and while I was walking through your neighborhood I saw this little angel of a child crying by the sidewalk. I stopped to see if I could help her, and we became instant friends. And she wasn’t quite feeling up to walking, so I brought her home and now… here we are.”

“But how did you know she was my child?”

“Um, I didn’t Buffy. I didn’t know to which home she belonged until she spouted out her address for me. In fact, I was more than a little sad when she told me where she lived, because I thought that you had moved on.” He looked away from her, trying to hide the emotion in his eyes.

Buffy watched him intently as he described his encounter with Maggie. He sounded like he was genuinely concerned for the child, even before he knew whose child she was. Buffy wanted to tell him the truth right away, but was afraid of his initial reaction. She knew he wouldn’t believe her at first, but once she proved what she had to tell him, she didn’t know if he’d be happy or sad or angry, or indifferent. She decided to just plunge in and tell him.

“Spike, was there nothing that seemed the least bit familiar about her before you knew she was mine?”

“Actually, yes. I mean, there was something familiar about her when I first saw her, but then when she told me her name, it hit me. I never told you this, Buffy, but I had a little sister named Margaret. She reminded me so much of my sister, their resemblance is uncanny. I’ve never seen another child that was as beautiful as she was until I met your little Maggie today.”

“You met OUR little Maggie today, Spike.”

“Pardon me, love?” Spike sputtered out, thinking he misunderstood Buffy’s statement.

“Spike…Maggie is your daughter. Yours and mine.”

Chapter 3

“Spike…Maggie is your daughter. Yours and mine.”

Spike sat there at Buffy’s kitchen counter and just stared at her, slack-jawed, with a sheer look of disbelief. *“well, that’s ok” Buffy thought “I knew that he wouldn’t believe me at first. But, really? Can’t I have some sort of reaction?” *

Buffy reached across the counter, and touched Spike’s hand. “Spike?? Are you ok?”

He blinked his eyes a couple of times and took a deep, although completely unnecessary breath. “Buffy, you know that’s impossible. Vampires can’t…”

“Well, you can.  And you did. I promise you I’m telling the truth Spike.”

“Right Buffy. I’ve been gone for five years. So was this some sort of immaculate conception on my part? Did my thoughts from across the world create her?”

Buffy rolled her eyes. “Spike, do the math. You left Sunnydale in April. Maggie was born in August. Now, call me crazy, but the last time I checked a pregnancy lasted a little longer than five months. And trust me, I know. I went through it.”

“Well, pet, that still doesn’t tell me anything. Other than the fact that I must not have been the only one you turned to for comfort back then.”

Buffy walked around the counter and stood right in front of Spike. “Spike, please stop. I will not have you ruin what precious few memories I have of that time by accusing me of cheating on you. Spike, I’m telling you the truth, and if you would calm down long enough to listen and try to believe me, I can show you I’m telling the truth.”

“There is absolutely NO WAY this is the truth Buffy. As much as I would like to believe it, I know that it can’t happen. It never happened in almost 125 years, why would it suddenly happen now? And besides, that precious child upstairs told me all about her father while I was bringing her home, Buffy. So, aside from the fact that I KNOW it couldn’t be me, the fact that that little girl practically described Captain Cardboard to a tee confirms for me that I AM NOT HER FATHER!”

“Shhh! Will you keep your voice down? She will hear you and I DO NOT want her to hear this fight. Spike, if she heard you denying that you’re her father it would break her heart. And for the record, I resent the fact that you think I slept with Riley Finn while he was here that time. He’s married, for goodness sake. And still, do the math. It’s impossible.”

“Not as impossible as ME getting you pregnant.”

Buffy rolled her eyes. “And besides, what on earth did she say to make you think Riley is her father?”

“Plenty. She told me that he didn’t live with the two of you, because he had to leave for “work”. And she went on and on about what a great guy he was, how he was some kind of hero. Oh, and the kicker was when she told me how much her Mommy loved her Daddy, and how she would talk about him all the time. Now, pet, I know that you of all people would not use any of the above phrases to describe me.”

“You know, Spike, I think I’ve dreamed about the day you would come home even more than Maggie has. I always wondered how you would react, but I never, ever thought you’d be this stubborn. I knew that you’d probably not believe me at first, but I at least thought you’d give me the chance to explain and show you what we found, and then I had all these high hopes that you’d tell me you’d stay, and I could finally have my whole family together.” Buffy’s eyes clouded over with tears, as she turned to walk away from him.

Spike saw the tears forming in her eyes. He could only remember a couple of times when Buffy had let herself be so vulnerable that she’d let him see her cry. Then it hit him. He’d come here, hoping for a chance to explain to her why he left all those years ago, and where he’d been, yet he wasn’t even giving her the same chance. And, she wasn’t even demanding an explanation from him, she just wanted him to trust her. He reached out and caught her hand, turning her back to face him.

The phone rang, startling Buffy. She pulled away from Spike’s grasp to answer.

“Hello? Oh, hi Anya. Yes, she’s home. I’m sorry I didn’t call you and Jane to tell you, I just got so caught up in taking care of her and getting her settled down. How’s Alex? Anya, I am so sorry…are you sure he’s ok? Yeah, well Margaret has some serious apologizing to do tomorrow to everyone she hurt in this little fiasco.” Buffy’s call waiting beeped. “Anya, that’s my other line. I’ll call you in the morning, ok?”

Spike figured Buffy was engrossed in her phone calls, so he took the opportunity to slip out of the kitchen and upstairs. Buffy answered the other line, and turned around to find Spike missing.

“Hello?? Buffy, are you there?” Dawn’s voice crackled through the phone.

“Huh? Oh yeah, Dawnie, I’m here. Sorry was just a little distracted.”

“I’ll say. You sound so lost in thought that if I didn’t know better I’d think either Spike was back and sitting in your kitchen or that Riley showed up with yet another super-hero wanna-be wife.”

“Uh-huh,” was all that Buffy could think of to say.
 

“Oh, Buff, I’m sorry. I know that was a low blow. Listen, I just called to tell you that I’m running a little late from my lit class tonight, and I didn’t want Maggie to think I’d forgotten our weekly storytime. I should be there in about 30 minutes, though.”

“Right Dawn. Oh my gosh, I’d even forgotten that you were coming over tonight. You wouldn’t believe the evening I’ve had. Maggie ran away from Chloe’s this afternoon. Just be careful coming over and I’ll explain everything when you get here.”

“Buffy, is something else wrong?”

“Let’s just say you weren’t too far off earlier. I’ll see you soon Dawn. Bye.”

Buffy hung up before Dawn could respond, but her mind was reeling nonetheless. Knowing that the chanced of Riley being back again were slimmer than the chance that Spike had come home, Dawn made up her mind to get to her sister’s house as quickly as humanly possible.

+ + + + + + + +

Upstairs in the hallway, Spike stood beside the doorway to Maggie’s room. She had several coloring books scattered out around her, and she had retrieved the little Count doll from the place on the floor where she’d left it earlier that day. Spike gazed at her as she flitted around her room, playing and singing some song that he assumed was from Sesame Street. He tried to stand at the very edge of the door frame, so that he could see her without her seeing him. He kept playing Buffy’s words over and over in his head. *Maggie is your daughter, Spike * Then, he remembered Buffy calling Maggie by her whole name after finding out she’d bitten little Alex Harris. Margaret Anne Sinclair. What kind of game was Buffy playing, calling the child by *his * last name? Surely she wouldn’t go so far with this joke that she would confuse the child. Spike’s mind was still reeling as he stared at Maggie in wonderment. She did remind him of his own sister. He had felt some inexplicable pull toward her, even before he knew who she was. She had his cheekbones, and Buffy’s eyes. Spike knew that he still needed the whole story, but the more he stood there and watched her play, the more he wanted to believe that she was his. He’d never even imagined that he’d have a family, other than the messed up, dysfunctional version of a family he’d had with Angel, Darla, and Dru.

Buffy walked slowly up the stairs, not wanting to disturb Spike. He looked like he was  deep in thought as he stood in Maggie’s doorway watching her. Spike felt her presence, though, and turned toward her, motioning her forward. He was so filled with emotion at that moment that he could barely speak around the uncharacteristic lump that had formed in his throat.

“She’s really mine?” He managed to whisper to Buffy when  she reached his side.

Buffy reached out and took his hand in hers. “Yes, she’s really yours. Spike you have to know that I would not lie to you. Not about this.”

“But, how? I mean, I have it on very good authority that vampires are not…um, set up to have babies.”

“I’ll explain it all to you after dinner… that is, if you’ll still stay. Dawn’s on her way over to spend some time with Maggie, so we can talk while Maggie plays with Dawn. Ok?”

“Ok. Buffy. Nibblet is coming over? Gosh, I can’t even imagine how much she’s grown up in 5 years…” he trailed off.

The two started back down the stairs to check on dinner before retrieving Maggie from her room. Just as they reached the kitchen, the front door swung open, and Dawn breezed in, calling for Maggie.

Maggie rushed down the stairs, and jumped into Dawn’s arms. “Auntie Dawn! You’re late,” she said, matter-of-factly.

“I know sweetie, I had to stay at my school a little longer tonight. How was your day? I hear you ran away?”

“Yeah, I did. I also bit Alex. That’s how I ended up with this cut on my head.” Dawn tried to hide a giggle as she listened to Maggie describe her afternoon as if it were a normal everyday occurrence. Maggie frowned, then smiled again when she remembered the rest of her story. “But I made a new friend!”

“You did?” Dawn asked as she put Maggie down.

“Yes, he helped me when I fell and he brought me home. I think he’s still in the kitchen with Mommy. You have to meet him.” Maggie took Dawn’s hand and dragged her into the kitchen much like she’d done with Spike earlier.

“Mommy?” she called loudly down the hall. “Is Will-yum still here? I want him to meet Auntie Dawn!”

Just as they reached the kitchen, Dawn realized that Maggie had just said her new “friends” name was William at the same time that she saw a familiar blonde head turn toward the door way.

“Will-yum… this is my Auntie Dawn! Auntie Dawn, this is Will-yum. He has a friend who used to live in our house, and he likes the Count, just like me!” she beamed.

Spike grinned. “Hello Lil’Bit”

Dawn couldn’t speak. She just stood there, holding Maggie’s hand, staring at Spike, and feeling very much like she might faint.

Chapter 4

Dawn stood in the kitchen, in complete awe. She had words forming in her head, but she couldn’t get her mouth to work to say them. Maggie had caught on to the nickname that Spike called Dawn.

“Hey- you called Auntie Dawn Lil’Bit. Sometimes she calls me that.” Maggie told Spike.

He smiled at the child. “Does she now?”

Buffy decided to intervene, before Dawn said something stupid to reveal more about Spike than Maggie knew. “Dawn, I just remembered something I need to show you in the living room…could you come with me please?”

Dawn followed Buffy, still staring at Spike the whole time. Maggie, thankfully, stayed in the kitchen with no protests, to talk to Spike more about England and the princesses that lived there. Once they reached the living room, Dawn’s mouth started working again.

“Buffy! Why didn’t you tell me he was back earlier?” She hissed at her older sister. “I mean, when did he get here? How long is he staying? Where has he been? Does he know about Maggie? Does Maggie know about him?”

“Slow down, Dawn. He had only been here about an hour when you called. We haven’t really had the chance yet to talk about where he’s been  or why he’s back. But…” Buffy continued tentatively “I did tell him about Maggie.”

“You did? What did he say?”

“Well, as you would expect, he didn’t believe me. Well, he didn’t believe me at first. But I think he’s starting to. When I got off the phone with you, I found him in the hallway upstairs watching her play. I swear to you Dawn, he was just about to cry. I promised him that after dinner I would explain everything to him. But, Maggie doesn’t know anything yet, except that he’s a really nice person who helped her get home this afternoon.”

“Wow. Buffy. I can’t believe you are being this calm about him coming back. Part of me is really glad to see him, and the other part of me want to smack him and ask him why he left like he did.”

“I’m right there with you little sis.” Buffy gave her sister a half-smile. “Oh, that does remind me, though, will you go upstairs to your room and get the book? I’ll need it when I talk to him after dinner.”

“Sure Buffy, I’ll be right back.”

Buffy walked quietly back into the kitchen. Maggie and Spike were sitting, facing each other on the bar stools at the kitchen counter. She was firing question after question at him, just like an inquisitive child would be expected to. Spike looked up to see Buffy standing there, but she motioned for him to stay where he was, she didn’t want to interrupt the Spanish Inquisition between father and daughter. Spike just smirked at her, and  listened intently to Maggie’s questions and observations.

For a few moments, Buffy just stood in the doorway, looking at Spike. *He hasn’t changed a bit.* He looked exactly as she remembered, with his strong muscular frame, bleach blonde hair, and trademark black apparel. He was still the beautiful vampire (man?) she’d secretly fallen for all those years ago. Buffy was so lost in her thoughts that she didn’t even notice Spike staring at her in much the same way that she was staring at him.

He was trying his best to listen to Maggie, and answer her questions when she presented them. But mostly, he was looking over her little head at Buffy. * She’s even more beautiful now, if that’s even possible* he thought to himself, while letting a smile creep to his lips. He gazed at her, noting how she had aged over the last five years. Well, not exactly aged, he noted, just grown up. She still had the same petite frame, the same tiny features, the same blonde hair. But something in her eyes told him that she’d done a lot of growing up in his absence, and he figured that the small child sitting before him was the main cause for the changes he could see in Buffy.

Just as their eyes locked on each other, Dawn bounded through the doorway and interrupted the moment. “Here Buff- I found the book you needed from my room. What’s for dinner?” Dawn asked as she slipped past Buffy and placed a thick leather bound book on the counter.

Spike and Buffy both snapped out of their gaze, and Buffy moved to get place settings for dinner from the cabinet. “Um, tonight’s Italian, Dawn… spaghetti and salad- it’s all I really had time for considering our little “incident” this afternoon” Buffy said while looking pointedly at her daughter.

“Well, it sounds great. I’m starving. I didn’t think we’d ever get out of Lit class tonight.” Dawn said as she moved to the dining room with Maggie.

Spike stopped Buffy before she followed them. “Pet, I think that I should leave for a little while- give you time to enjoy your dinner with your family.”

“What? No! Spike you promised you’d stay and we could talk. Where are you going?”

“Calm down, Love, I’ll come back in a little while… if you want me to, that is. I just…need to find a place to stay. I was planning on doing that shortly after I got into town today, but then the Bite-Size in there sort of altered my plans.”

“Well- you could stay here, in Dawn’s old room….” Buffy started.

“No Buffy. I don’t think that’s a great idea. Not right now anyway. I mean, how would you explain that to  Maggie?”

“I guess you’re right. But you’ll come back after dinner? I really want us to talk tonight Spike. There’s so much I need to tell you.”

“Of course, Love. I’ll be back in a couple of hours. Kiss Nibblet and Bite-size goodnight for me, and tell them I’ll see them soon.”

Buffy entered the dining room, and found questioning eyes from both girls seated there. “Mommy, where’s Will-yum? I though he was gonna eat with us.” Maggie inquired. Dawn just shot Buffy another questioning glare that mirrored Maggie’s question.

“Well, sweetie, he had an errand to run, but he’s coming back a little later.” This answer seemed to appease both Maggie and Dawn, and the three Summers girls shared a relatively normal dinner. Following dinner, Maggie went to her room to play while Dawn and Buffy cleaned up.

“So, where did he have to go that was so important?” Dawn asked.

“He went to find somewhere to stay. I told him he could stay here, but he didn’t think that was such a hot idea. Didn’t want to confuse Maggie and all…”

“Yeah, well, Buffy, he’s probably right. I mean, what are you going to tell her about him?”

+ + + + + + + + + +

A little while later, Dawn had left Revello drive to go back to her dorm, and Buffy was tucking Maggie into bed. She decided she had to tell her daughter something about Spike, even if it wasn’t yet the whole truth.

“Maggie, do you remember when William told you that he was coming here to find an old friend of his?”

“Yes, Mommy, why?”

“Well, William is actually one of Mommy’s old friends. I am the person he was coming here to look for. We were friends before you were born, and then he went away for a while, and we lost touch.”

“Kind of like Daddy?”

Buffy’s heart skipped a few beats. “Yes, sweetie, kind of like Daddy. But William is coming back tonight, so that he and I can chat and catch up.”

Maggie’s brow furrowed for a moment, then her eyes brightened and she smiled. “So, Mommy… if he was your friend, and now he’s my new friend, can we keep him?”

Buffy smiled. “We’ll see. Now you go to sleep. Good night Little Bit.”

“ Good. I like Will-yum. Night Mommy.” Maggie said, as she clutched her “count” doll and drifted off to dreamland.

 + + + + + + + + + +

Spike’s timing was perfect; he knocked on the front door just as Buffy descended the stairs. She opened the door, still a little awe-struck that he was really back.

“You just missed bedtime, Spike. I think Maggie was a little sad that she didn’t get to tell you good night, so I guess I’ll just have to tell you for her.” Buffy told him as they moved into the kitchen.

Spike smiled. “So, she’s already asleep, then?”

“Yes. Well, hopefully. But I’ll go up to check on her in a while… you can go with me if you want. I told her that you were coming back.”

“Ok.” Spike replied. “So, Love, I guess we have some catching up to do?”

Buffy reached for the book that Dawn brought her earlier. “You have no idea, Spike.” She led him into the living room, and settled into a comfortable spot on the sofa, inviting Spike to sit with her. “Let’s see…” she began, “ I guess to get to the beginning, I should start in the middle.”

“Love, that doesn’t really make a lot of sense.”

“Just stay with me here. It will. I hope…”

Chapter 5

Buffy took a deep breath, getting ready to tell Spike how Maggie had “happened”.  “Ok, Spike. Here’s how it happened. This may get a little confusing, but I’ll do my best to explain.”

“Ok, Buffy.” He gave her a reassuring smile as she started to describe events that unfolded five years earlier.

“Alright then. We have to start in the middle, with me finding out I was pregnant, to get to the beginning, of how it happened- well, not exactly how it happened, because we both know *how *- but you know what I mean…”

Spike just smirked as Buffy rolled her eyes and started telling him the story.

+ + + + + + + + + + + + +

*Sunnydale, April  2002 *

Buffy walked out of the training room at the Magic Box, to find Willow and Xander sitting at the table, staring at a large pile of books.
”Whatcha doing, guys? I don’t remember there being anything around that we needed to go into research-mode over.”

Willow looked up at Buffy, and noticed that she looked a little pale. “There’s not. That’s just the thing, though. Doesn’t it seem a little strange that we haven’t seen anything resembling a Big Bad lately? I mean, we do still live on the Hellmouth, right?”

“Yeah, I never thought I’d say this, but life is a little boring without some nasties to research and hunt down. Guess my Big-Bad non wedding scared them all away.” Xander laughed a little bitterly, and tried to change the subject that he really didn’t mean to bring up. “Buff, are you ok? You’re looking a little pale these days.”

“Yeah, sure, I’m fine.” Buffy said as she swayed a little, lost her balance and flopped rather ungracefully down on the nearest chair. “Or, maybe I feel just a little woozy. I probably just have one of those 24 hour bugs or something.”

“Buff- I don’t ever remember you being sick before. Don’t Slayers have some sort of, like, super hero immune system or something that goes along with your super healing powers?”

Buffy rolled her eyes at Xander. “I guess. But I’m sure it’s nothing. Maybe I’m just a little tired from working so much lately, or maybe I just picked up some Doublemeat germs or something.” They all laughed lightly at the mention of the DMP.

“Well, Buffy, since there’s not really anything to research or slay tonight, why don’t you go home and get some rest? Xander and I can take Dawn out for pizza and an movie, and you can have the whole house to yourself. Maybe you’ll feel better after a long bath and some extra sleep.”

“You know Will, that actually does sound like an excellent idea. Are you guys sure that you didn’t have other plans tonight? I hate to feel like I’m pushing Dawn duty off on you.”

“We don’t mind at all Buffy. You go, and get some rest”

With that, Buffy headed out the door and toward home. Once there, she filled the tub with warm water, adding in some of her favorite vanilla bubble bath, and grabbed her newest copy of  Cosmo from her room. As she settled into the water, she realized that reading in the bath was *not * going to work. She tossed the magazine to the floor and proceeded to enjoy her bath. Once out, she plucked the magazine from the floor and strolled to her room, deciding to read it while she was snuggled into her bed.

While flipping through the pages, she stopped on an article that for some odd reason caught her attention. The headline drew her in… “True story: Surprise pregnancies in the new millennium” She was reading it and was  totally engrossed in the women’s stories, before she even realized it. Buffy read one girl’s story and made a noise that sounded something like a cross between a snort and a laugh when she read the line “I didn’t even realize I was pregnant until I was about 4 months along. I was always so active that it didn’t even occur to me that I’d missed my cycle all those months.” * Ha * Buffy thought, *What kind of dummy doesn’t realize when they’ve missed FOUR months in a row?*  

She suddenly felt very sick to her stomach, and left the book lying there while she ventured to the kitchen to find something to settle the queasiness she felt. When Buffy returned to her room with Saltines and Ginger Ale, he eyes fell back on the article she’d been reading. …it didn’t occur to me that I’d missed all those months… Buffy’s eyes darted back and forth between the book, the calendar on her wall, and the glass of ginger ale in her hand, while trying to push away the waves of nausea she still felt.

“No.” She said out loud to herself. “There’s no way. Absolutely no way. Is there?” Looking at the clock, she knew she had at least two more hours before Dawn and Willow would be home. Buffy jumped up, grabbed on the first clothes she picked up, and headed out to the nearest drug store.

The next morning, she woke up before anyone else in the house, on purpose. She’d taken two tests the night before, but they’d both said that you get the most reliable results if you take the test first thing in the morning. So, first thing in the morning it was, and Buffy found herself sitting in her bathroom, staring at two more little white wands balanced precariously on the edge of the sink. One sported two little blue lines, one stared back at her with a pink plus sign; both gave her the same results as the two tests from the night before.

She heard someone stirring in the hallway, then a soft knock on the door. Willow’s voice called through the door “Buffy? Are you ok? You’re up awfully early…”

Buffy cracked the door open, and motioned for Willow to come in. “No, Will, I’m not really ok. And I’m not too sure how to tell you this…”

“Buffy, what’s wrong?”

“Well, remember how you and Xander were bummed that there was nothing to research? I think I’ve found something. You see, for the past few months, Spike and I have been… well, together. And now…” Tears sprang to Buffy’s eyes as she became light headed again.

“Buffy, you’re scaring me. What’s up, and why would we need to research anything about you and Spike, although I can’t really say I’m shocked by this revelation.”

Buffy motioned to the two little wands on the sink.

“Oh.” Was all that Willow could manage to say.

“Yeah. Do that for about ten more hours and you’ll be about where I am. Well, minus the being pregnant with a vampire’s child and all.”

“What are you going to do, Buffy?”

Buffy started to cry. Willow hugged her best friend, and led her back to her room. “Buffy, you know that you can tell me as much or as little about this as you need to. I promise that I won’t judge you. I mean, I’m the last person who should be judging anyone these days.”

Buffy calmed down, and told Willow the whole story. Everything from how she and Spike first got together, to how she’d recently broken up with him and told him that being with him was killing her. “But ,Will, I miss him. I need him, a part of me has always needed him I think. And this baby is a part of us. No option other than having this baby ever entered my mind.”

“So, when are you going to tell him?”

“I- I don’t think I can tell him. Willow, he won’t believe me. I don’t even know how this is possible. Vampires aren’t supposed to be able to… will you help me find out how this could have happened? In the meantime I think I need to go to the doctor, and make sure everything is alright, and then once I’ve got more facts, I’ll tell him.”

“Sure, Buffy. What ever you need. You know I’ll help however I can. Xander will too. He’ll probably be a little wigged at first, but he’ll just have to get over it.”

“Thanks Willow. So I guess we should head over to the Magic Box and get started on reading some dusty old books, huh?”

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The girls and Xander plundered through the books all week, after Buffy broke the news to Dawn, who took it amazingly well. The four friends sat around the table, scouring every volume that Giles had left behind, looking for anything that could explain Buffy’s “delicate” condition. Buffy had managed to get an appointment with her doctor, who confirmed what the four home tests had already told her. She was indeed pregnant. About four months along, she’d told Buffy, and the baby seemed to be in perfect condition. She even went ahead and did the first sonogram, producing the first official “picture” of Buffy’s baby. The baby wasn’t turned the right way in the first sonogram to tell the gender, but Dr. Birch had told Buffy that they would try again on her next visit. The picture from Buffy’s sonogram was lying on the table one night as Spike came breezing through the back door of the Magic Box.

“Well, hello, lovelies.” He said as he strolled toward the table, taking in the sight of Buffy, Willow, and Dawn all with their nose in a book. “What’s going on that has you three up to your ears in research at this late hour?”

“Not much, just researching the latest weirdo occurrences in Sunny-D, that’s all” Buffy said lightly as she stood up and faced him, trying to ever-so-slyly slide the sonogram picture off the table and into her pocket. “What brings you around to annoy us while we are busy doing actual work?”

“Well, you know, pet, I wasn’t actually coming to annoy. I was walking by, and saw the lights on, and thought it was rather late for the Scoobies to be researching, so I thought I’d see if I could help. I see now that was a mistake.” He started for the door.

“Spike, come back” Dawn called. “You probably can  help us.” Buffy shot Dawn a warning glare.

“No, Lil’Bit. I think big sis has made it all too clear that I’m really not needed. So I’ll just go.” He turned when he reached the door. “Night ‘Bit, Red…. Slayer.”

Buffy cringed and looked away when he called her Slayer. She couldn’t really remember him calling her that in the last few months. It had always been ‘pet’ or ‘love’ or even ‘Buffy’. Not ‘slayer’, not recently. When she turned back around, he was gone.

“Buffy, you should have told him” Dawn instructed.

“I know” she replied, as tears formed in her eyes and fell down her cheek.

“Oh! Buffy look! I think I found something… this has to be it. I mean, it describes the two of you exactly.”

Buffy turned her teary gaze to Willow. “What is it, Willow?”

“A prophecy… it seems that you’ve fulfilled yet another one of these cryptic prophesies. I think.”

+ + + + + + + + +

“Wait.” Spike interrupted Buffy’s story. “That night. The night I left. You knew then that you were pregnant with our baby?”

“Yes” Buffy whispered.

“Why didn’t you tell me? Buffy, I never would have left if I had known.”

“Well, I didn’t exactly know that when you said ‘I’ll just go’ you meant for good!”

“You still should have told me. I mean, I was right there, for crying out loud, and you couldn’t even bother to say, ‘Oh by the way, I’m carrying your child’?”

“Would you have believed me if I had just blurted it out like that?” Buffy glared at him.

“Well, probably not. But you still could have told me, and then worried about convincing me later.”

Buffy could tell Spike was hurt that she hadn’t told him that night. “Look, Spike, I’m sorry. Ok? Of all the really stupid things I’ve ever done, not telling you that night ranks as number one in my book. But you know now. And I have all this stuff to show you” she reached for the book on the coffee table. Just then, a shrill cry pierced the night and Buffy and Spike both jumped up at the sound coming from upstairs.

“Mommy!! Mommy! Monsters, hurry!!”

They both bolted up the stairs, immediately forgetting the impending argument they were about to have. They reached Maggie’s room, and found her lying in her bed, kicked out from under the covers, and squinching her eyes tightly as she fought off monsters in her sleep. Buffy sat on the edge of her daughter’s bed and gently gathered the child in her arms, while Spike watched from just inside the doorway. Maggie immediately clung to Buffy, still sleepy-eyed and crying.

“Shh, baby. Mommy’s here. What happened? Did you have a bad dream?”

Maggie nodded. “Do you want to tell me about it?”

“I was lost, and couldn’t find my way home, and there were big green monsters and ugly white ghosts everywhere, and they chased me, and said that they would take me away and that I’d never see you again.”

“Well, it was just a bad dream, sweetie. I’m right here. And I’ll never, ever let anything happen to you.”

Maggie opened her eyes and looked at Buffy. “I know Mommy.” She caught a glimpse of Spike’s blonde head over Buffy’s shoulder. “Will-yum! You came back!” Buffy turned and saw him standing there, and motioned for him to come into the room.

“I did, pet.  So what’s this I hear about monsters sneaking into your sweet little dreams?”

“They were mean, and ugly.” She told him.

He reached out and stroked her hair, trying to comfort her. “Well, I’ll just have to see if I can’t find those mean monsters, and have a little chat with them. Tell them I won’t have them interrupting your dreams anymore.”

“You can do that?”

“I’ll certainly try.” He assured her.

Buffy tucked Maggie back into her bed, and she and Spike both kissed her forehead and watched as she drifted effortlessly back into sleep, before sneaking quietly back into the hallway.

“So, love, about this prophecy…”

Buffy nodded and led Spike back downstairs to fill him in on the rest of the story.

next part