Epilogue
Asheville, North Carolina. One year and two months later
The sun had finally gone down and Spike lay in a hammock on a large balcony, staring out at the evergreen trees that littered the mountainside where their home was. The air was crisp and fragrant from the rainstorm that had come earlier that day and he smiled, reclining with his bare feet propped up on the tight knot of ropes on his hammock, his five month old son nestled snugly on his chest. William started fussing and arching his back, something he’d been doing a lot lately as he was slowly learning to sit up on his own, so Spike turned him around so his back was against his chest, wanting him to see the full moon that shone bright in the sky. Spike kissed him on the top of the head which he then propped beneath his chin. He sighed happily when he felt tiny fingers wrapping around his thumbs, smiling wider when his son’s chubby little feet started kicking into the air.
Spike always thought women were strange when they spoke of how wonderful babies smelled. He never paid much attention to it before, always assuming they smelled like the mess they left in their diapers. But the day that William was born, there was no question about what they’d been going on about. His wee, fuzzy head nuzzled against Spike’s cheek and he’d been overcome with a strange sort of warmth, unable to restrain the emotions inside him that this was his son, that this beautiful boy was his, and he’d never get over his luck for as long as he lived.
Buffy was a wreck a few weeks before she went into labor and Spike was constantly on edge, trying everything to calm her nerves. He’d dutifully crawled out of bed at all times of the night to fetch her ice cream, rub her back and feet, work out the stinging pain that formed in her ass with his knuckles, reassured her that she was not fat, that she was perfect, and spent as much time as he could in the bathroom to relieve himself when she was too moody or in too much pain to have sex. However, and he could laugh with her about it now, the day William was born, Buffy was so pissed off that it took all his strength not to find amusement in her actions.
First, she thought she had diarrhea, and he was soon learning that pregnant women, even a pregnant Buffy, had no problems telling anyone and everyone about their bodily functions at any given time, nor would they spare the details. Frustrated that that wasn’t the problem, she’d thrown the toilet brush across the room in a fit of rage. Then she’d started crying, stomping her feet and cursing her stomach, cursing her baby for staying three days past the due date.
“Of course!” she’d said. “Of course Spike’s baby would be a stubborn asshole and stay inside me forever!”
Spike had left the room immediately in fear that he’d have a mouth full of blood from biting his tongue.
After that, when it grew eerily quiet, he snuck into the bedroom and found her jumping up and down. “What are you doin’, pet?”
“Making this baby want to leave the nest! Fly away, little birdie! Fly!”
He chuckled and walked over to her, kissing the frown that formed on her face. “I can help.”
“How? Are you a doctor? A magician?”
“No, I’m a man, and you need to get laid.”
“You are so not thinking about sex right now. I am the freaking Hindlebird!”
“It’s the Hindenburg,” he smiled affectionately and kissed her, “and no you aren’t. I’ll get the pillows.”
She’d huffed and scowled at him, but Spike was too busy setting up the bed in the way he knew she’d be most comfortable, on her left side with a pillow between her legs and several beneath her head and one in front of her.
“Come on,” he smiled. “I promise it’ll get the job done…while we get the job done.”
As soon as she’d reached climax, her water broke, and that resulted in a hilarious string of events that she was still embarrassed about to this day, no matter how many times he’d reassured her that nothing about her body was disgusting and in fact, he was proud to be the one to make her come so hard she’d wet herself. So it wasn’t the best choice of words, but he couldn’t resist the setup.
They’d rushed to the hospital immediately, Buffy shrieking at the top of her lungs in pain and Spike, while he’d tried to stay calm, was so nervous that if he were human, he was sure he’d have puked. A California girl through and through, Buffy insisted she have a C-section and, “Would you mind doing a tummy tuck while you’re down there?” She was convinced that natural childbirth was a curse from God and science came along to make it so that women didn’t have to hate their husbands for putting them through pregnancy.
Spike didn’t argue, because considering the alternative, which was a screaming slayer who’d probably deck him if he uttered a kind word of encouragement, he was thrilled that she could be sedated. But nothing, not even the day she’d found him in the rain, could top the way she looked when they handed her their son for the first time. Spike didn’t like talking about it because it made him misty eyed, so he kept it to himself. Sure, he might have baby vomit on his duster, there may be tampons in his bathroom and yeah, he’d painted Buffy’s toenails bright pink the day before…but he was still a vampire, dammit!
Spike chuckled softly when William began cooing and twisting his head back to look at his father.
“Hey there,” he whispered. “Are you bored?”
William just looked at him and put his fist in his mouth.
“Feel like terrorizin’ a country or somethin’? Could be fun. Your Da’s done it a few times.”
William’s free hand reached up and he pulled on Spike’s lip.
“Oh, you feel like sharin’, huh? Does it taste good?” he smiled and playfully nibbled on his tiny fingers. William giggled and turned his head back to the sky, finding that his own feet were far more entertaining than his father’s mouth and started kicking again. Spike dangled one foot off the side of the hammock and reached out to touch the balcony railing with his toes so he could rock them from side to side. It didn’t take long at all before William’s eyes grew heavy and he fell asleep curled into his father’s torso. He’d put him back in his crib later, but for now, Spike was content just lying with him beneath the stars. Buffy had been gone for a few hours to do a quick sweep before bedtime and he wondered if she’d found any nasties or if she was pouting in a cemetery, aching for a fight.
Spike could tell that Buffy was getting antsy for action and he was too. They’d started patrolling after the baby was born, taking shifts when Buffy was too wary about hiring a babysitter. The one night they had hired one, however, turned out to be one of the hottest nights of Spike’s life. Definitely on the top five of his list, and he had one, of course.
They’d both missed the simplicity of patrolling a cemetery together, the companionship, the thrill of fighting with one another as a team, smiling and cracking jokes, trying to best one another and having little competitions, and then of course, the fantastic sex. There was no question that fighting with Buffy served as the number one aphrodisiac for the souled vampire, and he knew she got just as worked up from the tussle as he did. The arrangement worked out quite nicely, if you were to ask him. The problem with the babysitter, as Spike constantly tried to reassure Buffy, wasn’t the babysitter’s problem at all. It was completely their fault, as they’d come home at five in the morning, covered in scratches and bruises, none of which were a result of fighting.
Turns out, the little sixteen-year-old girl wasn’t supposed to be up quite so late in the evening and had called the police in a panic, thinking they’d been killed and was so stressed out with watching William that she was in a fit of tears by the time they stumbled in the doorway. Buffy had been pissed that there were police in her house and that she had to explain why she was wearing a torn skirt and blouse and why she was limping, completely missing the teary eyed teenager who was sure to be grounded when she got home. The officer sent an accusatory glance to Spike who’d merely shrugged and threw him a one cent line like, “The bint likes it rough, what can I say?” He’d chuckled and the two shared a moment of devious camaraderie, and he’d left shortly thereafter. They didn’t call another babysitter again.
So they took shifts. Buffy on odd days and Spike on even days. It seemed to take the edge off but they were both missing the payoff that came only from a good, long, dirty fight; the payoff from fighting the big bads together. They’d talked about getting more serious about her duties once William was old enough, but Spike had a feeling after she spent a week with her friends, she’d be pushing the date forward and be back to her old self again. He didn’t mind, as long as she knew her worth and didn’t let it take over her life again, especially since she had more than a few helping hands now and a child to consider.
Spike sulked at the prospect of Xander and Dawn coming for a visit the following day, but he knew how much Buffy missed her friends. They’d been the only two she’d contacted since they went renegade across the countryside, and even then, it took her months to pick up the phone and call, afraid that they’d guilt her into returning. To both of their surprise, they never had. So she called more often and now she’d finally be seeing them for the first time. He supposed he’d had enough alone time with her that it was okay to share, but he could still pout when he was alone and work on making William cry when the whelp held him. Perhaps he could train him to puke on cue.
With a wicked smile, because he was still evil, Spike drifted off to sleep, dreaming of ways to make his son into the coolest baby known to man.
When Buffy finally returned home, exhausted from actually finding a nest and kicking the crap out of several vampires, she frowned when she realized all the lights were out.
“Spike?” she walked to their bedroom, to the baby room, finding both empty. Seeing that the screen to the balcony was open, she peeked outside and smiled at the scene before her. Very quietly, she slid the glass door to the side and stepped out onto the balcony. She sat down on a footstool by the hammock and watched Spike and William sleep, both of them with twin head tilts. She bit her lip to ward off her giggling so she wouldn’t wake them.
As if William knew she was trying to be a silent observer, he started to stir, so she carefully picked him up and walked back inside, pressing her lips behind his ear and cooing softly to get him back to sleep. Having a baby was unlike anything she’d ever imagined. Of course, she never even thought the prospect of having one was possible, but like most things in her life, she learned never to be surprised with the curve balls that were constantly thrown her way. She loved him so much, in a way she never knew she could. Just holding him made her so happy, so fulfilled. She felt silly at first, catching herself tearing up just looking at him but she’d caught Spike doing the same thing a few times so she was glad she wasn’t the only one overwhelmed with emotion. Sometimes Spike would tear up just watching her while she was holding him and he’d cough, or clear his throat, or light up a cigarette to hide it. He could put on the tough guy exterior as much as he wanted, but she knew better. She and Spike were simply in love with William.
Once he finally nodded off, she gently lay him down in his crib and covered him up, giving him one more kiss before she grabbed the baby monitor and went back to the balcony. Spike was still asleep so she tried to get into the hammock without waking him. It wasn’t as easy as she thought and when her hand got caught in the ropes, she jerked the swing too hard and fell into him, making his body jolt awake with a surprised groan.
“I’m sorry, was trying to be stealthy,” she pouted and finally situated herself alongside him.
“S’ok, pet,” he smiled, closing his eyes again and wrapping one arm around her. “Nothin’ like bein’ roused from sleep by a slayer fallin’ on you.”
She rubbed her hand over his chest and twined her legs with his, snuggling closer. “I’m glad it stopped raining. It’s nice out.”
“Mm,” he was slowly falling asleep again but one hand continued to delicately trail through her hair, unknowingly rubbing against the scar he’d left on her neck over a year ago, causing her to snuggle against him even further. Simple things like these were slowly becoming Buffy’s favorite things
She’d wanted him to claim her the second they found one another but Spike was wary about it. She was so hurt, thinking that maybe he didn’t trust her, thinking all sorts of awful things, only to find out that he was concerned how a claim would affect their unborn child. She felt guilty that she never even considered the consequences of that. When she saw the pile of old dusty tomes on vampire claims growing bigger and bigger, tomes he’d searched for and collected…and probably stole, too, she loved him even more. Always concerned for her, always wanting to do right by her.
He discovered a ritual that would bind them all together, a family claim, and that a mating claim would have no ill side effects on William, so they performed both on the same night.
“I love you,” she whispered, and delicately pressed her lips to his and smiled when his nose twitched. “You’re asleep, aren’t you?”
His head fell against hers and she giggled softly, wrapping her arms around him and running her fingers through his hair. Being claimed was an experience she’d never forget. It was as if Spike still didn’t think that she loved him until their blood was bonded. He’d cried so hard, held her so tight that she knew he’d finally accepted it. When the link was completed and his emotions flooded into her, when she felt the wealth of love that he had for her, really felt it, it was indescribable how beautiful it was, how beautiful he was.
In that moment, she knew that nothing could ever take away her happiness, her champion, her son.
She still couldn’t believe how much had changed in the past few years, how much they both had to go through to finally get here. She’d been so lost without Spike by her side, completely prepared to spend the rest of her life paying for the love she’d denied him, only to be given a second chance to prove to him and to herself how much he meant to her. Now, Buffy was determined to spend the rest of her life loving him, liberated with the unwavering knowledge that he finally believed her. She would never be alone again. Neither of them would.
The End
A/N: First of all, I want to thank Mari and Kristi for helping me with this story. This is the first fic I’ve had a beta from start to finish and boy, is the difference noticeable! You both helped me make the story I wanted, were so fast in getting back to me so that I could post as quickly as I had, offered so many wonderful ideas and comments along the way that it really made the writing experience one of the best ones I’ve had. Thank you, girls.
Also, to everyone who’s reviewed and read this story, I can’t tell you how thrilled I am that you enjoyed it, laughed and cried along with me, and continued to offer your support and encouragement through some of the most wonderful reviews I’ve ever received. It makes it all worth while. Thank you so much.