Epilogue
One year later
Dawn raced down the stairs at the sound of the knock on the door, Sid not a step behind her.
“Slow down Nibblet.” Spike yelled from the couch. Buffy walked out of the kitchen just as the door swung open. Dawn’s excited squeal followed by laughter and talking filtered in from the outside.
“Dawnie, let them come in.” She said with a smile. Spike moved into the foyer, an actual smile on his face, in place of his usual smirk. Buffy walked to the open door, just as Giles, Anya, and Dawn walked back in. Cradled in the arms of her sister, was a giggling, squirming mass of brown curls, and baby flesh.
“Hello there, gorgeous, and how is my favorite goddaughter?” Buffy asked, plucking the giggling girl out of her sister’s arms.
“I swear, everywhere we go, that’s all people want to do. Take the baby.” Anya snarked good naturedly, leaning up to brush a kiss across Spike’s cool cheek. He brushed a hand over her hair, then turned to snatch the baby himself. Anya rolled her eyes, and moved into the protective circle of Giles’ arm.
“Hey!” Buffy snapped, before moving to the couple to embrace them both.
“Come on, pint size. Let’s go see what Uncle Spike can find on the telly to corrupt you with.” Spike told the girl, Dawn hot on his heels.
“I never thought I would see the day where I trusted Spike to handle a child.” Giles said, taking off his glasses to clean them. Buffy grinned, and led them into the living room.
“Life on the Hellmouth.” She offered in explanation.
“Quite right.”
“How was the flight?” She asked, sitting on the floor in front of Spike as he bounced the baby on his knee. Dawn sat next to him, making silly faces. Sid curled up next to her, resting his head in her lap in a not so subtle maneuver to get pet. She did so, without thought, while she waited for their answer.
“Tiring. Teleportation is such a more efficient, and less jet laggy way to travel.” Anya answered, sinking wearily into the chair.
“Yes, Anya dear. But it’s very inconvenient with a baby.” Giles told her, pulling the other chair next to her. Buffy smiled at the odd couple, and the obvious devotion they had towards each other. After they had returned to the house that horrible day, and called the police, Anya had taken the blame for Xander’s death. The extent of her injuries screamed self defense, so after a cursory investigation, the Sunnydale Police closed the case. They hadn’t even asked about the stake, which caused much eye rolling from Spike. Leave it to the Sunnyhell Police to not even bat an eye at the choice of weapon used.
The worst part, had been having to tell Willow and Dawn what had happened. The teenager had cried, denied, and screamed. But, in the end, she had accepted what had happened, and had rallied to help Anya. And Willow. . .
When Willow had returned a week later, after much calling of the Wiccan group headquarters by Buffy, she had been stunned. She had sat on the couch, her skin pale, her eyes wide and shocked. Tara sat beside her, her own expression sick as they listened to what had happened. Willow was beside herself, and guilty because she hadn’t seen that her best friend since forever had needed help. She’d left the house that day, her innocence completely ripped from her. She had started to pull away from them, too ashamed of herself to face them. Especially Anya. And once the former vengeance demon had found out the she was pregnant, Willow couldn’t handle being around them at all. By the time Anya had decided to keep the baby, the witch had accepted her scholarship at MIT, and had left Sunnydale. Tara had left with her, but still called Buffy and Dawn twice a week, just to keep in touch should the day ever come that Willow would want to see them all again.
When Buffy had heard that her friend had left, she hadn’t been surprised. She, herself, had spent many nights, huddled in Spike’s arms, trying to figure out how she could have been so blind. Spike hadn’t tried to say anything, just held her while she cried, let her yell if she needed to. Hell, he even let her beat on him if it made her feel better. If it was that hard for her, she couldn’t even imagine how hard it must have been for Willow. Giles and Spike had been their rocks, through it all. Taking over patrol, making sure they ate right. All of them, since Anya had been moved in.
But, once Anya had realized that she was pregnant, Giles had stepped in. Denial, rage, hate, fear, and finally acceptance had dominated Anya’s mind, as she agonized over her decision. Giles had done what Giles always did. He was there, and he helped her just by listening. Every step of the way, from getting her into rape counseling, to taking her to her first doctors appointment, he stood by her. It had become apparent to Buffy by this point, that her Watcher was entertaining some delicate feelings for the ex-demon. Spike had thought that maybe Anya was feeling the same way. So, when they had finally announced that they were officially a ‘thing’, it came as no surprise to any of them.
The day that the baby was born, was the first, well-needed happy day for them. Giles was acting just like a new father, a look of pride combined with panic on his face. Spike walked around the hospital handing out cigars to anybody that dared to look at him. Dawn and Buffy had sat in the labor room with her, and Buffy had been in the delivery room, because “For all the demons and stuff he’s killed, birth makes Rupert squeamish.” Anya had told her.
They had named the squalling, nine pound baby girl Victoria , after Giles’ mother.
A month after she had been born, they were married in a small civil ceremony. The only ones in attendance were Spike, Buffy and Dawn. After awhile, life on the Hellmouth returned to normal. The demons came out of hiding once they heard that the human killer was gone. Dawn went back to school, and Buffy went back to work.. Spike took over the finances, shocking them both with his ability to both manage and balance a checkbook.
“Hey, you don’t live for a century plus without picking up a thing or two.” He’d told them. They were even more shocked to discover that the only reason he was living in the crypt was because he was penny pincher. After he had moved into the house, Buffy had found some legal documents sitting on her dresser. After reading them, she had burst into the bathroom demanding an explanation as to just why he had extorted money from them for help when he was chipped. At his puzzled look, she held up the financial statement from his lawyer in London. Spike was apparently a very wealthy vampire. He had flashed her his devilish grin, then pulled her into the shower with him. After the water ran cold, she had decided to forgive him. Laughter broke through Buffy’s revery, and she shook herself out of her thoughts to rejoin the conversation going on around her.
“The Watcher’s council was very interested in the fact that I married a former demon.” Giles said, chuckling.
“Well, you could always take the heat off yourself by telling them that your Slayer is mated to a vampire.” Spike suggested, allowing Dawn to take the baby from him, so he could run his hand through Buffy’s hair.
“No, I don’t think I’ll do that. My reputation is dubious enough without adding that.” The Watcher answered, linking his fingers with Anya’s.
“Now, Rupert. There’s no need for the ‘Watcher-speak’ here.” Anya scolded. Spike’s brow shot up at the slight coloring of Giles’ face.
“Watcher, were you bad while you were in the mother country?” He asked, a evil smirk curling his lip.
“I should say not.” He replied indignantly.
“Oh, don’t lie.”
“Anya, dear. . .”
“He took us to a pub one night, and I can’t even tell you how many Guinness he had. By the time the night was over, I was pulling him from the bar, Vicky balanced in one arm, while he’s trying to sing another round of ‘Oh Danny Boy.” Anya told them giddily. Giles rubbed his hand over his forehead, wondering what he had done to deserve this.
“Rupert, you naughty Watcher, you.” Spike tsked.
“At least it wasn’t God Save the Queen.” Dawn volunteered, earning her glares from both Brits. She ducked her head sheepishly, her laugh causing the baby to respond. Buffy looked around the room at the people that she loved, happiness filling the hollow spot that Xander’s betrayal and death had left. This was what life was about. this little group had survived, and they would forever be bound together, family by love if not by blood. She felt a gentle tug on her hair, and she looked up into the blue eyes of her mate.
“I love you.” he mouthed, running a knuckle over her cheek. She captured the hand and kissed it.
“I love you, too.” She mouthed in response.
“God, could you two get more gross.” Dawn complained, a wide smile on her mouth. Vicky giggled and smacked at Dawn’s mouth.
“See, even the baby says watch your mouth, Nibblet.” Spike mock growled.
“Hey, you guys hungry? I made dinner.” Buffy asked, pushing Sid’s head off of her and getting up. She looked around the room and took in the obvious looks of distress at the thought of Buffy cooking. “What? I can cook.” She pouted. Spike stood and nipped at her lip, ignoring the gagging noises from Dawn.
“Pet, I love you. But Sid won’t even eat what you cook.” He told her.
“Oh, really. You keep that up fang face, and Sid gets your side of the bed.” She retorted, walking out of the living room.
“I wish I was Vicky. At least she gets out of eating.” Dawn grumbled, collecting the baby and calling Sid to follow her sister. Anya left with them, talking about how Buffy’s cooking was at least better than that stuff they called food in England. Giles and Spike followed their women, exchanging looks of sympathy at being the only ones with culture in the house.
“Yanks.” Spike snarled.
“Quite right.”
~*THE END*~