Chapter 11: And a daisy for you
Spike was surprised to see how small and bare Buffy’s room was. The cream colored walls were empty except for a small wooden cross. Her bed was neatly made and the top of her dresser was clean. Only two personal items could be seen. A picture of Buffy and Xander on her nightstand and a small stuffed pig sitting on top of her pillow.
Spike picked up the picture and absorbed the image of Buffy. She wore a formal pale pink dress which seemed to be wrapped around her body. Her golden shoulders were bare. ‘She looks so happy.’ Spike assumed that is was a school formal since Xander wasn’t dressed up in the picture, but Spike couldn’t help but notice how proud her brother looked. Spike sat down on her bed. After putting the picture back down, he picked up the worn looking pig. He leaned back on the bed resting his head on her pillow. ‘This time I am not leaving.’
Buffy glared at the stairs. She wished, not for the first time, that her room was on the first floor. A low curse slithered from her lips with each step she took till she reached the top. Buffy had only been at work for two hours but the time had been spent rushing back and forth helping run food to tables while the normal evening waitress was at her son’s awards assembly. Buffy didn’t mind working in the evenings but the stress of Spike combined with the extra two hours had taken its toll. Her feet ached. Her back ached. her head ached. After debating whether to shower then or later, she opened the door to her room. Buffy dropped her purse on the floor and glanced up.
“Spike! What are you doing in here?” Buffy asked surprised. “I can’t have guys up here!” She said rushing to pull him off her bed.
“Relax pet, Tara knows I’m here,” he said.
“Oh.” Buffy stood still. “Why are you here?” she asked lowering her voice to a whisper.
“I came back to explain.”
“The marriage thing?”
“Yeah,” Spike said, smiling at her nervousness.
“OK, so explain.” Buffy sat down next to him.
Now that he had her alone again, Spike’s mouth went dry. ‘Can’t screw this one up.’ “I was serious when I asked you to marry me. I can give you and our child a good life.” Buffy began to protest, but Spike cut her off. “No, you had plenty of time to talk to me before running off. I have gotten to know you through Willow and Xander. I know how protective your brother is and I understand why. I know about your father.” Spike saw Buffy’s eyes tear up but continued. “I also know that you want Xander to get on with his own life. I think that is commendable. I really do. I also know you were about to start college.”
Spike took a deep breath. “I want to be a part of our baby’s life. I want to be there when he kicks for the first time and I want to be there for you when your feet are swollen. I want to run out in the middle of the night during a rain storm just to get a jar of pickles and a carton of Chunky Monkey ice cream. I want to help you put on your socks because you can’t even see your feet let alone get them on.” Spike smiled at Buffy’s grin. “I want to make sure you go to college and don’t have to face gossip at being an unmarried pregnant freshman.” Spike moved to the side of the bed in front of Buffy. As he knelt down he said, “I want to take care of you and our child, so please Buffy, marry me?”
Thousands of thoughts raced through Buffy’s mind, but the only thing she could do was laugh. Spike was taken back by her mirth. “What’s so funny?”
“I just never expected this to be my first proposal!”
Spike smiled, “Technically your second.”
Buffy began to sober up a little. “You never mentioned love,” she said all laughter dying from her eyes.
“We don’t,” Spike paused trying to find the words to explain. “We don’t love each other and I don’t know if we ever will, but we have a child together. You, Buffy, are the mother of possibly my only child. I need to know you will be taken care of. My father is right. I can give you money, but I also need to give you emotional support. I can give that, but I also need all the things I mentioned before. I need to be there for you every step of the way during your pregnancy. Hell pet, I’ve already missed so much.” Spike moved back to her bed. He tugged gently on her arm and moved her body so they faced each other. “I know that people have children out of wedlock all the time nowadays, but not in my family. If you married me it would help me out too.” Buffy saw the sincerity in Spike’s eyes.
“OK.” His eyes lit up. “But only for a year. We marry, you go through all the pregnancy stiff with me, I start college, I have a legitimate baby, then we divorce. One year after the baby is born.”
“One year and one month.” At her confused look he added, “Have to keep up appearances.”
“So we what, run off to Vegas and in 20 months we go in our divorced separate ways?”
“20 months?” Spike did the math. “You have the baby in about 5 and we divorce a year later that’s only 18 love.”
“I tacked on an extra few months for the divorce to go through.” Buffy and Spike chuckled at that.
“Ok pet grab a bag, Las Vegas, wedding capital of the world, here we come.”
“Hold on there, I am not sure about running off to Vegas. It may seem like we are sneaking off.”
“Tell me how you always wanted your wedding to be?”
Buffy had a far off look in her eyes as she answered. “I always wanted a classic wedding. Like in the magazines. I would wear a long white dress, and my bridesmaids would be wearing beautiful matching black dresses.” A wide smile brightened her face. “I saw a picture one time where the wedding party was in black and white tuxes and solid black dresses, except the flower girl and bride. But the flowers were all bright colored Gerber daisies. Bright beautiful flowers that filled the church. And the cake was all white with a small bunch of daisies on top.”
Spike suddenly pulled put his cell. “Hey mum. Call the florist. Order a hundred multicolored Gerber daisies. No make it two hundred.” He smiled into the phone. “Because I’m getting married, of course.”