A/N

A/N: Set within Season Four's Something Blue episode, but goes one step further. Buffy and Spike get married, of course, this does not mean they get to live happily ever after! Everything comes undone after Willow's spell is reversed. Both Angelus and Dru put in an appearance.

Disclaimer: I don't own Buffy or Spike or any of the other characters from BtVS. I just like to get them naked and roll them around in a bed...or on a tomb...under the table....in the shower....ummm you get the idea...

Feedback? Please, please, with chocolate and Spike on top? Email me: spikesangel820@yahoo.com

Willow frowned as she listened to Buffy’s end of the conversation with Giles. “All right, I’ll go and try to find him. He couldn’t have gone very far.” She hung up the phone and sighed, and grabbed up her extra stake and a jacket. “Spike escaped from Giles’. I have to go find him before he can cause any trouble.”

“But… I thought we could have a girls night,” said Willow, pouting, “and you know, complain about Angel and Parker, and well, Oz, now that he joined the ‘men always leaving after you have sex with them’ fraternity.”

“Willow, I don’t have time for this right now! I have to go find Spike, who knows what he’s up to!” Buffy felt bad about how lost Willow seemed since Oz had left, but she was also kinda get tired of the whining.

“Why? It’s not like he can bite anyone, and if anything maybe someone will do you a favor and kill him.” Willow replied, still pouting.

Buffy impatiently rolled her eyes and blew her hair up, “Will, I know you’re upset about Oz, but I have to go, I have to find Spike. We’ll have a girls’ night when I get Spike chained back up at Giles’. Ok?”

Willow didn’t respond; she just sat there looking like she was going to cry. Buffy hugged her quickly, “I promise,” she said and left the dorm room.

Willow sat on her bed and grumbled; “ Don’t know what’s so important about finding Spike, not like he can hurt anyone with the chip and all. I’m the one in pain, first Oz left, then the ‘do thy will’ spell went kplooy, and now my best friend left me to go find a dumb bleach-blond vampire.” Willow’s anger rose as she continued her tirade. “Stupid Spike, stupid men, he’s probably just standing out there, looking stupid, like a, like a, a man! If Spike’s so important to Buffy, then why doesn’t she marry him and, and have his baby!” she said falling back on her bed in a huff. She didn’t even know that just for a moment her eyes glowed.

Buffy ran out of the resident’s hall and across the campus, only to stumble to a stop at the edge of the quad. She stared at the bleach-blond, mouth open. “Somehow, I thought that would take longer.” She said, half to herself, half to him.

“Yeah, well, so did I, pet.” He said, a confused look on his face. He blew out a long stream of smoke and tossed down his cigarette. As they stood there, each silently wondering what happened, a glow lit each of their eyes briefly before flickering out.

Spike was suddenly on his knees, holding Buffy’s hands in his, “Buffy, cor, I love you so much. Will you do me the honor of being my wife?”

“Oh God, Spike,” she started trembling, eyes filling with tears. “I love you too! I would love to be your wife!”

Spike jumped up and let out a triumphant yell. He spun her once in his arms, kissing her face. Grabbing her hand, he grinned at her, “C’mon!” and they took off running.

Spike stopped, and pulled her to him, he looked into her sparkling, happy eyes, her love for him blazing out. He slowly lowered his lips to hers, their eyes stayed open, seeing only each other. He nipped at her lower lip, and soothed the sting with a long lap of his cool tongue, before pressing his mouth fully to hers. Eyes closed, and breaths exhaled on sighs, their tongues met and tangled in her mouth, dancing for the first time. He slowly ended the kiss. “We’re goin’ to get hitched, luv.”

“I know a justice, pet, he owes me a favor. Now c’mon!” he kissed her briefly again, “I want us all safe and tucked in bed by dawn,” they shared a knowing look, and they took off running again.

Less than an hour later, with sunrise lightening the sky, Spike carried his bride over the threshold at the house on Revello drive. Their lips never parted as he shut the door and quickly ascended the stairs to her room, their room now. “Umm…Mom is going to be so surprised when she gets back,” she got out between kisses. “She always liked you, you know.”

He gently lowered her to the floor, eyes staring into hers, he brushed back a lock of her hair, and smirked, “I know.” The moment drew out, and smiles fell away, as they looked at each other. “I love you, pet, I want you, now,” he said huskily, smirk gone.

She backed away from him, a seductive smile on her face, her hands going to the buttons on her shirt. She quickly undid them, and let her shirt slide off her shoulders and to the floor, revealing that she was naked beneath. She chuckled, as his blue eyes flashed gold, and he growled.

“I love you too,” she said, his eyes never left her hands as she brought them to her breasts, to rub and pull the nipples hard, she shivered with the sensation and at the look of love and desire on his face. “What are you waiting for?”

He moved faster than she had ever seen, lifting her up off the floor and tossing her lightly on the bed. He followed her down, his knee between her spread thighs; her hands came up and grabbed his head as it lowered, and he captured a hard bud in his mouth. Her skin was on fire, and she arched into his cool, wet mouth, crying out softly in relief at the contact. He sucked at her hard, lightly biting with his blunt teeth, his hand mimicking his mouth on her other breast; twisting the nipple between his fingers.

She arched her back off the bed pushing her breast deeper into his mouth. Her hands ran down over his back and then back up bringing his t-shirt with them. “Off!” she demanded, and he stopped his ministrations, to pull the shirt over his head. They both gasped when his cool chest met her burning breasts and they rubbed against each other sensuously, reveling in the sensations and the wonder of being together. Their jean-clad hips pressed together urgently, and suddenly they couldn’t wait any longer.

He stood and quickly peeled off her tight jeans and his own. Without taking the time to look he was back on her, his hips fitting between hers, as if they were made to go together. The head of his cock nudged between her legs, searching for and finding her hot wet hole. Their eyes never looked away, their hands clasped, fingers entwined as he slowly pushed into her heat until he was seated fully, their curls mingling, and his tip touched her deep inside.

His head tipped back and hissed, as she moaned in relief at the feel of his cool hard flesh filling her completely, completing her like no other ever had. “Oh God, Spike, feel so good, love you.” She murmured.

“So, hot and tight, luv. You’re burnin’ me from the inside out.” He looked into her eyes once more. “Love you, Buffy…” he groaned as he began thrusting heavily in and out of her. She eagerly met his thrusts, pushing up against him each time, grinding her clit against his hard dick with every stroke. She was so wet, her juices ran down her between her cheeks every time he pulled out and shoved back in. He growled when her muscles tightened around his shaft and he heard her crying out each time he thrust home. He pulled himself up on his hands, angling his cock to best hit that bundle of nerves deep inside of her. He thrust harder, twisting his hips on the way in, making her scream his name, as he hit that sweet spot, and clamp suddenly pulsating muscles down on his aching cock.

His features slipped away to that of the demon, “Buffy,” he growled. She pressed his face against her breast in offering, and cried out again as fangs and cock double penetrated, causing another round of spasms and wetness. The taste of her blood on his tongue, and her inner muscles wringing his dick, had him releasing her breast, and roaring as his cold seed exploded out of him and into her hot depths. He collapsed against her, panting with unnecessary breaths. She gathered him close to her, rubbing his back, soothing his beast. Their eyes closed as they rested, and slowly drifted off to sleep.

Neither had noticed the magical energy that had gathered as they raced towards climax, or that the energy had poured out with Spike’s release and flowed into Buffy’s waiting womb.

“I can’t believe it!” Willow exclaimed, as she paced the room between the bed and the door. “She just left! We were going to have a girls’ night, with whining and ice cream, and did I mention the whining?” She threw her hands up in exasperation.

“Only a couple of times, Will.” Xander replied. Even if she hadn’t he would have known that whining was on the menu tonight, she had done nothing but whine since Oz had left three weeks ago. “I think we need to talk. Oz has been gone for over three weeks. Don’t ya think its time to move on?” He suggested helpfully.

“Move on! Move on! What’s this? Whose side are you on anyway!” Willow practically yelled. “So now you’re giving me advice on love? Yeah, cause like you have had ‘so’ many good relationships!” She replied sarcastically. “Hello, praying mantis woman, remember? She wanted to eat you… literally! And let’s not forget your hot little mummy. And, and Oh, yeah, then there was evil slayer girl, Faith! Can you say demon magnet? Cause that’s what you are!” She finished her tirade, and slammed out the door, eyes glowing.

Come in!” Willow said grumpily, from her position on the bed, and then sat up as Giles came hesitantly into the room.

“Willow are you ok? You were supposed to meet me this morning with the ingredients for the spell? It’s not like you to forget.” Giles cautiously sat on Buffy’s bed and surveyed the depressed witch.

“Sorry Giles, but I was a little upset last night and forgot.” She said, not sounding sorry at all. “Buffy and I were supposed to have a girls’ night, but then you called, and she left to find Spike!” This last was spit out rather vehemently. “She didn’t even come back home! I stayed up for hours waiting for her. I needed to talk to her about Oz!” She jumped up and started pacing furiously.

“What?! She didn’t come home and you didn’t bother to call me?” Giles jumped to his feet as well, moving to block and stop the red head. He grabbed her shoulders, and shook her lightly. “Have you heard from her?”

“What? Uh, no, but you know Buffy, she probably beat up Spike, tossed him in his crypt, and then went to her mom’s to sleep.” Willow said unconcernedly, stepping back to break Giles’ hold. “She had to know I was here waiting on her, but no, Spike was more important, she couldn’t even be bothered with her oldest best friend!” She went on, building back up to a good rage.

“Willow,” Giles began calmly. “I can see that you are still quite upset over Oz, but you know that Spike had to be found. I know that your hurting, and I can see why, but you need to get a hold of yourself. You are not helping yourself or the rest of us by acting this way.”

Willow spun around angrily, eyes shooting sparks at the Watcher. “You can see? You can see! No, you can’t see, you can’t see anything!” Giles eyes briefly flared with light. “You all are like, ‘Willow, let it go,’ and ‘Willow, it’s time to move on.’ But what you really mean, is that you’re tired of hearing about it!” She wretched open the door, and slammed out of the room.

Giles, squinted, took his glasses off and polished them, and then put them back on only to find that cleaning them hadn’t helped. “Uh, Hello, Willow, I seem to be having trouble with my vision.” He stumbled out the door.

Buffy blinked sleepily awake, surrounded by hard cool arms. From the amount of light creeping around the edge of the blinds, she figured she had slept for about four or five hours. They had slept…her eyes opened more fully as the previous night rushed back to her. Spike! It was Spike in her bed, holding her so tightly, Spike, who was now her husband. She quickly glanced over at the window, making sure none of the sunlight penetrated into the room enough to hurt him; she didn’t want to have to register for wedding gifts as “Mrs. Big Pile of Dust.” She giggled at the thought, and pressed her bottom against his hips, smiling as she felt his dick get hard. He growled low in her ear, arms tightening, and his chest vibrated against her back making a purring noise.

She giggled again, turning in his arms to look into his beautiful blue eyes. “I didn’t know you could purr.” She said, teasing him. She stroked his blond hair, “Nice kitty.” She giggled again at the pout on his full lips and couldn’t resist leaning in to nip his bottom lip, to tug on it gently.

He purred louder, and ran his hands down over her back in a sweet caress, to squeeze her butt, then lower to slide it under her thigh and lift her leg up and over his hip. He dipped his hand in between, sliding long cool fingers into her tight, wet heat. He groaned low in his throat, eyes flashing as he found her hot and ready. He gently pulled his fingers out rubbing them against her clit as he withdrew, causing her to catch her breath and moan at the sensation. Then he was replacing his hand with the head of his cock and pushing into her with a long steady stroke. They both sighed in relief of being joined again.

He tilted her hips more fully into his, thrusting long and hard, causing her back to arch and her breasts to push up, begging for his mouth. He growled and rubbed his face over the creamy mounds, before sucking a rose tipped nipple deep inside, as his hips continued to rock into hers. She cried out, hips jerking against his at the contact. He tightened his hands on her hips, thrusts speeding up as the feel of her tight sheath contracting around his length made them both lose control. He vamped out and his fangs sank into the soft skin of her breast, and they both screamed as they came hard and fast. The pull of his mouth on her breast as he swallowed caused their climax to go on and on, her muscles milking every last drop of seed from his body.

They held each other tight, panting heavily as their bodies tried to return to normal. She tilted her chin up to look at him, and raised a hand to push a stray curl away from his forehead. Her eyes filled with tears as she gazed at him.

He cocked his head questioningly, “What is it, luv?” He soothingly rubbed her back.

Her tears spilled over and she smiled, “Its nothing, I just can’t believe how much I love you, and how long it’s taken me to admit it.”

He squeezed her tight in his arms, tears coming to his own eyes, making them shine like the sun on the ocean. “I love you too, baby. I guess I always have, even when I wanted to kill you.” Their lips met, tongues tangled, reaffirming their words, and commitment. They pulled apart, noses rubbing lightly, sighed, and drifted back off to sleep.

The next time she awakened, she was alone. She sighed and stretched, wincing at the slight soreness of her body. She grinned as she remembered just how she came to be sore, but didn’t wonder where her husband was. She could hear the sound of the shower running in her bathroom, and Spike singing practically at the top of his lungs.

Her smile widened as he hit a particularly sour note, and she slipped from the bed and quietly into the bathroom. She clamped a hand over her mouth to keep her laughter from escaping and tiptoed over to the shower curtain. She grabbed a hold of it and gave it a yank. However, she under-estimated her Slayer strength, and Spike’s reaction. Instead of sliding back, the curtain gave way with a loud rip, startling Spike, who dropped the soap, and let out a loud yelp. He morphed into vamp face and growled, spinning to face his attacker. He slipped on the bar of soap, and crashed to the bottom of the tub in an ungraceful sprawl.

“Bloody hell!” he shouted, the surprise causing his vamp face to melt back into his human planes.

Buffy jumped in the tub, intent only on seeing if he was all right. Her foot landed on the renegade soap, and she slipped, landing hard on Spike. Her elbow slammed into his nose, her other hand, grinding into his groin.

“Aargh! Bollocks, Slayer! Are you trying to kill me!” he snarled, grabbing his abused appendages.

Xander slammed his car against the curb outside the Slayer’s house. He figured he had lost the demon, seeing as how he drove about 100 miles an hour, but was taking no chances, he had to get to Buffy. For him to say that the day had been more demony then usual, would have been an understatement. The first one had crashed through the door of his bathroom while he was in the shower. In its rage, it tore down the curtain trying to get to him. Luckily it was a demon that, when the water hit it, had begun to melt, until all that was left was a little pink slimy ball that was quickly washed down the drain. It had all happened so fast, Xander had simply stood there, hands covering his privates and mouth opening and closing like a carp.

The second one had jumped at him from the bushes as he walked from the house to his car. He handled that one as easily as the first, in that he screamed like a girl and jumped into the car and tore off. It was when he was stopped at Sunnydale’s only stop light and he saw four Faryl demons headed his way, that he realized something wasn’t right, and that he needed to get to Buffy right away.

As the car shuddered to a complete stop, Xander threw open the door and raced to the house, only to slam to a sudden halt as he ran full tilt into something. He screamed and threw his hands up to hide himself from whatever new hellmouthy monster decided it was “gang up on Xander day.” The demon grunted with the impact, and Xander stood there shuddering waiting for it to get him when he heard the beast open its jaws and…say in a most proper British accent…“Xander? Is that you?”

Xander’s eyes, in which had been squeezed shut tight in preparation, now popped open just as wide and they had previously been tightly closed. He did his fish imitation again, and stuttered, “Giles?”

“Oh, My poor kitty,” Buffy murmured soothingly, fingers tangling in Spike’s soft platinum hair, lips lightly kissing his closed eyelids, his sharp cheekbones. She gently removed his hands from over his nose, and lapped the light trickle of blood there; causing him to growl, and grab her hips, pain lost to rising lust.

“Nuh uh, Spikey,” she waggled a finger teasingly in front of his face. “Be a good boy, and let Mama take care of the boo boos.”

He growled again, blue eyes flashing gold as she kissed his lips, slipping her tongue inside to let him taste his own blood, “I’ll be good, baby. I’ll be real good.”

She just gave him a sultry look as she slithered down his body, and captured his cock in her hand, “Want me to kiss it and make it all better?” She laughed as he frantically nodded his head, before giving his shaft a soft kiss right on the tip, her eyes never leaving his face.

“Sshh, gonna make it all better…” and she ran her hot tongue down his length, rolling his balls in her hand gently, before opening her mouth and sucking him inside.

He groaned deep in his chest, and his hands came up, one to tangle in her hair, the other to grip the all ready ruined shower curtain. She took him all the way, until his head touched the back of her throat, and she fought past her gag reflex. When she had him in and was comfortable she swallowed him down and pressed gently on his hips, encouraging him to thrust. His head fell back, but he kept his eyes open to watch as his wife let him fuck her mouth. He kept his thrusts slow, not wanting hurt her, and the pain of going slow was a pleasure in itself. She sucked in her cheeks and swirled her tongue around the head of his cock every time he withdrew, before opening wide again to allow him back in. He thrust faster as he felt the burning begin in his balls, and his grip tightened on the shower curtain, the force of it causing the curtain rod to snap and clatter to the floor.

“Bloody hell!” Spike jerked at the noise, impaling Buffy for a minute. She moaned low her throat and he froze, even though it about killed him, thinking he had hurt her. She looked up at him with wide eyes, encouraging him to do it again, and he realized that though she held him with one hand, her other hand was between her legs, three fingers plunging in and out of her wet hole. He vamped, and began thrusting again harder now as his orgasm built.

Xander helped Giles into the house, and slammed the door closed. They collapsed against it and tried to catch their breaths. A crashing noise, followed by a loud, “Bloody hell!” had them straightening again. “Spike! What’s he doing…?” Xander broke off, and ran for the stairs. “He’s trying to hurt Buffy!” Giles followed as swiftly as possible, tripping over the first stair, before moving up with more confidence.

“Slayer, Oh God, Buffy, luv…” Spike threw back his head and roared as he came heavily, spurting thick and cool into Buffy’s mouth. Her throat never stopped working as she swallowed it all down, only stopping when he did, and then taking her time to lick every drop off, cleaning him up.

A loud gasp had both blonds’ eyes shooting to the doorway. Xander stood there eyes wide, mouth agape, before he slammed his eyes closed rubbing them with his fists. Giles stood slightly behind him. “Oh God,” he said, echoing Spike’s earlier sentiment, “can I be blind, too?”

Buffy sat scrunched up on one end of the couch, as far away from Spike, tied once more to a chair from the kitchen, as she could possibly get. Once Giles and Xander had figured out that it was Willow that caused all the wackiness over the past 36 hours it was only a short amount of time before everything was right in the Scoobies world again. Willow was frantically baking cookies, and babbling apologies all over everyone, trying to make amends.

Buffy smiled softly and accepted a cookie, “How many cookies do you think you will bake, before it’s enough?” She asked Will teasingly.

“I don’t believe there is enough chocolate in the world to make up for the fact that you are now married to Spike!” Buffy paled and shot the vampire a quick look, while Willow continued around the room shoving cookies into everyone’s mouth, the exception being Spike.

“Oi, Red, where’s my cookie?” Spike snarked. “I gotta have somethin’ to get the taste of Buffy out of my mouth.” He complained.

He regretted the comment instantly, as Buffy gasped like he had punched her in the belly, and still pale, clamped a hand over her mouth and ran to the bathroom decidedly ill.

“What? It’s the truth.” He mumbled under his breath. And it was the truth, just not in the way that they thought. For twenty-four hours his unlife had been perfect. He had been the happiest he could ever remember being, and it was soddin’ spell. He dropped his head into his hands, staring at the thin gold band, Oh Buffy, luv…

Buffy shakily wiped the back of her hand over her mouth, and pressed her cheek to the cold tile of the bathroom floor, finally letting the tears fall. For one perfect night and day she had known what it was like to be truly loved and to love truly in return. She sobbed harder; it felt like losing Angel all over again, only worse, because she realized now that she had loved Angel as a young girl in the throes of first love, and that she loved Spike as a woman loves the man she would marry. She pressed a kiss to the thin gold band closing her hand around it, Oh God, Spike, what are we going to do…

It had been six weeks, and Buffy still didn’t have an answer to her question. Her bed, though having had him in it for only one night, seemed cold and empty. As she lay there staring at the ceiling she ached for him. He was gone. He had left within a week of the spell, not even saying goodbye. She couldn’t blame him, she could still see the devastation on his face; knew it matched her own, as they sat on opposite ends of Giles’ couch. The distance between them might as well be the ends of the world, and now it possibly was. She had no idea where he went, where he was now.

She held her hand up and her gold band glinted in the early dawn light. At first, at the urgings of the others, she had taken it off. They didn’t know that she had put it on the chain with her cross; they thought she had put it away for good. They had gone to the courthouse and gotten the papers she would need to file in order to sever the legal tie he had over her, and take back her name, as if this would sever the emotional tie as well. She could see them lying on the dresser where she had tossed them four weeks ago. Everyday, they would ask if she had filled out divorce petition, and everyday she would have an excuse. She was running out of them. Lucky for her she no longer needed an excuse to put the paper work off. It was also the reason why the thin band was off her chain and back on her finger. She wasn’t sure how it was possible, but she was sure. She was pregnant.

She assumed it had something to do with the spell. She didn’t really care. All she cared about was that now she had a reason to look for him, to bring him back home. She gently cupped her hand over her still flat belly. “Don’t worry, baby. Mommy is going to find him, and bring him back to us. Daddy will know that we love him, and that we need him with us.” She promised. It was past time that she took her head out of the sand that she had buried it in since finding out it was all a spell. If she had done it sooner, she wouldn’t have to go look for him. She stretched her hand out and touched the empty side of the bed, she would know exactly where he was.

Borrowing Willow’s resolve face, she quickly jumped up out of bed eager to begin her search, only to moan and clutch a desperate hand to her mouth as she ran for the bathroom. Leaning over the porcelain bowl, her stomached heaved again, the tiny being, letting its presence be known to its mother. She groaned and rested her head against the toilet, and then smiled rubbing her tummy. This was the fifth such morning, she should have remembered by now not to jump up so fast. Also, now that she had thrown up, she was ravenous.

“Ok, baby,” she murmured, as she rinsed out her mouth. “Let’s get you some breakfast.”

She quickly dressed and practically skipped down the stairs, her smile radiant, her golden skin and hair glowing with good health and a soon to be known pregnancy. She paused when she reached the kitchen door and took a deep breath. Her mom was all ready there, sipping on her coffee and munching a bagel while reading the paper. It was past time to talk to her mother. To say her mother was going to be shocked was an understatement. She hadn’t been told of the spell or of the consequences, meaning she didn’t know that Buffy and Spike were married. She had been on a buying trip for the gallery, and the whole thing was over by the time she was back. Again, Buffy had listened to the others when they said it wouldn’t do any good to upset her Mom, especially since Spike had left and she was getting a divorce.

She bypassed the coffee pot for the pitcher of orange juice, and popped herself a bagel in the toaster. “Mom,” she began. “We need to talk.”

Buffy underestimated her mother’s reaction. Not that she wasn’t shocked, she was, but she was also furious. Joyce paced the length of the living room, pausing to glare at the Scoobies every so often, before storming off for another lap around the room.

She was ranting at Giles at this moment. “I can’t believe that you of all people encouraged Buffy to keep this from me. As her watcher, as her mentor, you should have immediately come to me with this! Why didn’t you?” She paused to shot him a look and then continued pacing.

Giles removed his glasses and began to nervously clean them. He stammered, “Joyce, I, well… I…um…”

She stopped across the room from him. “Let me tell you why you didn’t.” She began stalking closer. “You were so worried, not because Willow misused magic and Buffy was victim to the consequences, but because it was Spike.”

She turned on Willow next. “And you, young lady! Did you ever once stop to think about what you were doing before you tried to use magic to solve your problems?” She glared at the red head, who in response seemed to shrink into the cushions on the couch.

“Joyce, now see here…” Giles stood and stepped in front of the young witch.

Joyce growled low in her throat. “See here! Of all the nerve! No, you see here, Mr. Giles. Did any of you,” she paused, her glare taking in the assembled gang, “stop to consider how Buffy and Spike were feeling? Did you bother to ask them before making all the decisions for them?”

Buffy sat in the armchair watching her mother with surprise and awe. She had seen her mother like this only once before, when she had brained Spike with an axe on parent-teacher night.

Joyce started pacing again always staying between Buffy and the others, a mother tiger protecting her cub. She threw her hands up in agitation. “No, obviously you didn’t.” She replied, answering her own questions. “If you had, we wouldn’t be in this situation now.”

She turned to face the Scoobies once more. “Listen up, because I’m only going to say this once and you are going to do as I say. Buffy loves Spike, and for reasons I not going go into right now, she needs him. So, Watcher, you are going to do what you do best, research, and try to find out where Drusilla might be. If anyone knows how to find Spike it would be his Sire.”

She turned blazing eyes on Willow. “You Willow, are going to use your magic to perform a locater spell. Buffy has the ring Spike gave her, and if I understand how this works, it should do nicely to track down Spike.”

She turned her head to Xander, and her eyes narrowed. “Don’t think I forgot about you! You were one of Buffy’s best friends, and you did nothing to help her. You will help both Mr. Giles and Willow to expedite their search. You will also have to do Buffy’s patrols; she won’t be doing them for the foreseeable future. We have to find Spike as soon as possible. Now, get out of my house, I don’t want to see any of you until you have a lead.” She held the door open as they filed out, heads down.

Spike awakened slowly half still sleepy and half hung over. He tried to take stock in himself and his surroundings. That he was waking up at all was kind of a shock in itself, because the last thing he remembered was lying on the beach watching the first rays of the sun to come up over the ocean. He smiled slightly when he felt the bed move behind him and hard arms circled around his chest caressing his pecs and pinching his nipples just hard enough to feel the pain. He growled when the hands then continued downward to circle his growing erection, stroking his cock until it was hard and ready.

“Buffy,” he moaned, turning over to take his warm wife in his arms. He let out a yelp and sat upright suddenly, blue eyes opening wide as sharp claws raked across his face.

Dru stood, naked, glaring at him beside of the bed. He yelped again and grabbed the sheet to cover him self when he saw his sire.

“Dru…what…uh,” he began, swiping a hand down his tired face, trying to remember what was going on and why he was with Dru, in bed…naked. It came back with a rush: the spell, getting married to Buffy, making love, finding out it was a spell, the way she looked at him as if he were something she scraped off of her shoe, running over the Sunnydale sign as he left that hell far behind…only to realize that he hadn’t left it behind at all. That he William the Bloody, killer of two Slayers was madly in love with one. That’s when he had started drinking, crawled into a bottle of JD and hadn’t climbed back out…his last clear thought was of lying on that beach determined to kill himself, before Dru found him, just starting to smoke and dragged him all the way, kicking and screaming, to here…where ever here was.

He also remembered that she had put him to bed and told him to sleep it off, right before she turned at left the room with…a chaos demon? Relief filled him at the knowledge that he hadn’t betrayed Buffy by sleeping with Dru. Even if they weren’t together, as far as he knew, they were still married and he loved her. He would never be with another women while he wore the ring she placed on his finger. He looked down at the glittering gold circle, then back up to Dru, blue eyes clear and lucid for the first time in days, maybe even weeks.

“Dru, pet, I’m sorry. Not sure what you were after ‘ere, but I can’t, I love her.” Spike looked at Dru with fondness and remembered love, but he also felt dislike. She had left him, after all, and he was sure he had seen that same chaos demon with her before. “Besides, what would ol’ slimy think of you crawlin’ into bed with me?”

Dru sighed and picked up her dressing gown, covering herself. She had known that he was lost to her, but had felt she still had to try one more time, before letting him go. She looked at him with tenderness and love, “My Spike, I had to know for sure that we couldn’t put it back together. Darrell would probably stake me if he knew I was in here, but I had to know.”

She stopped for a moment considering her options. Should she tell him the Slayer was looking for him? The Slayer had hurt Spike pretty badly. Dru could see the pain all around him. Her Spike had always been different then other vampires, especially Angelus. Dru shivered at the thought of her Sire, in passion, but also in horror. He always had that effect on her. She hated him while at the same time loved him, had to be with him.

Angelus had no love in him, only hatred and a need to kill, destroy any weaker emotions. That was why he had tortured Drusilla the way he had. Her love for the church, for the Father, her purity, tormented him and made him feel and rather then trying to change, he destroyed the thing that caused him to feel. He had made her insane then he had made her like him or tried to anyway. She had never let Angelus know it, but when he turned her she had kept her soul or a part of it. She hadn’t really known what it was, she had been too crazy, but since Spike had completed the spell to cure her she had become aware of it. And Spike, being her childe had retained his soul as well. In fact, she was pretty sure that Spike’s soul had the capacity to become stronger then his demon. She was also sure that it was all ready happening. When she looked at him, his aura was no longer black, but a shade of light gray and it glowed. Defiantly the soul’s influence. She thought for a moment longer, or was it the Slayer’s influence?

She had made her decision. “Spike,” she began, both were aware that she hadn’t called him ‘my’. “I’ve been dreaming of the Slayer.” Spike’s gaze suddenly focused with laser intensity on her. “She is looking for you, she needs you to go back.”

Spike continued looking at her, thinking about what she said. “Why, Dru? Why does she need me? She couldn’t even look at me when the witch’s spell ended and she had realized what we done.”

Dru’s heart ached for her black knight, such despair and love surrounded him. “There has been much confusion swirling inside your Slayer. Her heart and her mind were at war. Her friends were pulling on her as well. She didn’t fill out the divorce papers, Spike. She wore your ring on a chain, close to her heart.” Spike’s eyes widened with the information, not surprised that she knew these things; after all she was still his dark princess. Drusilla closed her eyes and focused on that part of her that could ‘see’. She gasped and continued, “I see you all around her, in her heart and soul. She has accepted her love for you. You are a part of her…” She broke off; her lovely brown eyes opened wide and stared straight into his stunned electric blue ones. “There’s a part of you in her! She’s expecting and Spike, it’s yours!”

Spike jumped from the bed, forgetting his nudity. “Blood hell! A baby, my baby, how?” He paced around the bed, excited and agitated. “What do I mean, how, probably the witch’s bloody spell…who cares how…she loves me…” He looked at his sire. “Dru, I gotta go…” he began only to be cut off as her eyes rolled up in her head and she fell to her knees, keening wildly, clawed fingers digging into her head.

“Dru!” He bellowed and dropped beside her, gently taking her into his arms. He had only seen her act this way once before, when Angel had lost his soul. He shook her lightly, slapping her face slightly harder when she refused to stop wailing. “Tell me, what do you see? No, I know, Angelus!” He growled, his demon exploding out.

Buffy groaned and rolled her head slowly and trying to figure out what happened and why her head felt like it had been used as a punching bag. She moaned and tried grab the aching tormentor with her hands, oh, that’s why; it had been used as a punching bag. She started to panic as she realized her arms wouldn’t obey. She pried bleary eyes open trying to see in the darkness of the room. She took in her surroundings, heart speeding up and her fear mounting as she realized she was chained hands and feet to a large bare bed. She let her eyes close against the tears threatening to spill, vowing that she wouldn’t cry. That she would keep her head and protect her baby. Her baby…Angel…no…Angelus.

She had gone to Los Angeles after Willow’s spell had indicated that Spike was somewhere in the sprawling city. She knew that Angel hated Spike, but she was counting on the fact that he had once loved her to help. She had underestimated the effect of finding out about the Spike and the baby would have on him. She had arrived just as dusk was settling over the city of angels, strolling into the Hyperion, happier then she had been in weeks, knowing that somewhere out there in the dark she would find her husband. She had felt hopeful.

Angel had greeted her happily, enclosing her in a hug and gently stroking her hair. She had returned the hug easily, glad that there were no hard feeling between them. At first, they had caught up on each other’s lives. Angel telling her about Cordy’s new visions and about the young black man that had been fighting vampires and demons in the inner city. It was while Buffy was telling him about Willow’s breakup with Oz that something started to change. Buffy had noticed that Angel seemed preoccupied while she was talking. But she ignored it and continued tell Angel life in Sunnydale.

“So anyway, Oz left Willow and she was like major depressed and decided to do a spell to have her will done.” Buffy was talking fast, nervous now that it was time to confess.

“Only you know Will, not so good with the magics yet. Something went wrong and she made Xander become a bitch for every demon in Sunnyhell…” she went on unconsciously using Spike’s pet name for the town. “and she told Giles he couldn’t see and he went blind. And, well, as for me…” Angel was giving her his full attention now, brown eyes concentrating on her with laser intensity.

“Yes, and you…” he all but growled. Something wasn't right about Buffy’s scent. It had been bothering him since he had hugged her. She still smelled of vanilla and a scent that was uniquely slayer, but there was something else there as well. He took her in, blonde hair shiny and healthy, longer then he remembered, green eyes sparkling and happy, golden skin glowing, even in the pale light of the hotel’s lobby. He continued to stare at her, trying to get a handle on what he sensed about her when she stood up nervously and began to pace.

“Well, you see, Willow’s will be done spell, kinda affected more then just me.” She began again, pacing towards the door in the lobby then back to Angel. She stopped in front of him again and took a deep breath. “ShemademeandSpikegetmarried.” She said all in a rush, running the words together.

At the sound of his grandchilde’s name, Angel growled and rose to his feet. The scents on Buffy made since now. He smelled Spike on her. He glanced down at the hand that used to wear his Claddaugh, a plain gold band was in its place. He inhaled a deep breath, focusing on the scent, confirming what he now knew to be true. His eyes flashed gold as he realized that he could hear two heartbeats within the small woman standing nervously in front of him. And that the small being inside of Buffy’s womb smelled of the slayer and of…

“Spike!” Angel roared, face morphing into demon in his rage. He tore around the hotel lobby, bent of destruction. Couches, tables and desks, nothing escaped his destruction as his rage overcame him until he felt nothing but consuming hatred. His eyes flashed red and he clutched his chest and howled in agony.

“Hello, lover…long time no see.” He purred roughly, his voice a mockery of all that they had shared in the past.

She stared, unable to believe what had happened. As understanding overcame her, she turned to run, but she was too late. He was upon her driving her into the floor with his weight. “Oh, love, I just got here, you can’t be leaving so soon.” He growled, demon leering at her, right before he backhanded her into darkness.

The sound of the door opening and shutting with a slam jerked Buffy out of her memories and brought her painfully aware of the present. Angelus stood, shirtless over her, leering as he took in her appearance. Buffy gasped and for the first time realized that she was tied to the bed naked. Her body spread out for his pleasure. She jerked against her bonds, trying to free herself, to cover herself from his eyes.

He laughed sneeringly. “Don’t worry, lover, its nothing I haven’t seen before. Although it has been a long time and you’ve filled out some since then.” He eyes raked over her, resting lightly on the curves of her breasts, fuller now because of the baby and on her shaved mound, before zeroing in on the slight bump that was her baby. His eyes narrowed and he growled in anger.

“Before I’m through with you, you’re going to wish he never touched you. You. Are. Mine!” he roared, pulling his belt from his pants with a slithering hiss that had her cringing in fear. He brought the buckle end of the belt up over his head and brought it down with an audible whistle of air. Buffy braced herself for the blow, but was unable to stifle the scream that exploded from her as the belt made first contact across her sensitive breasts, the buckle leaving a perfect imprint across one creamy globe. He laughed in satisfaction at the sound of her agony, and even though fiery pain was spreading through her, she bit her lips hard to keep in the screams as he raised his arm for the second strike.

Spike lifted a nearly unconscious Dru into his arms and laid her gently on the bed. She had finally stopped her screaming, and was now, eyes glazed over, staring at something only she could see. Spike wanted to shake her roughly and demand to know what she was seeing. Fear welled up in him, for he knew that Angelus’ return had something to do with Buffy. He grabbed the phone off the dresser and punched in the only number he knew in Sunnydale.

As the line was picked up he spoke with a firm, harsh voice. “Watcher, listen to me, its very important. Is Buffy there?”

“What? Spike is that you? Where are you?” Giles began only to be cut off by an irate vampire.

“O’ course its me you git, now answer the bloody question. Is Buffy there in Sunnydale?” Spike roared into the phone, spittle flying.

Giles held the phone back from his ear, before putting it back and removing his glasses, rubbing them furiously. “Uh, actually, Spike, she isn’t. She has been looking for you and Willow’s locator spell told us that you were in Los Angeles. She left earlier today to go to Angel and ask him for help.”

Spike dropped back onto the bed beside of Dru, the phone forgotten for a moment, at the watcher’s answer, pain and fear overwhelming him. “Oh, fuck…fuck no…” tears sounded in his voice.

“Spike! Spike!” The watcher’s voice pulled him back and he put the phone back up to his ear.

“Spike, what’s going on? Is something wrong with Buffy? Is she there with you? Let me talk to her.” Giles inquired his voice firm this time.

“No watcher I haven’t seen her. I’m with Dru and she had a vision. I think Buffy needs help. I need you to get the whelp and witch and come to LA.”

“Yeah, Giles, this is bad. Tell the whelp to bring the crossbow and my axe and tell the witch to bring an Orb of Thessula.”

“That too, Rupert, praying would probably be a real good idea right about now. Meet me at Angel’s hotel as soon as possible, hurry!”

Spike grabbed his jeans and shirt off the floor and pulled them on, forgetting about the vampiress for now. He snatched up his duster and made his way to the door, “Hang on, Baby, hang on. I’m coming.”

Buffy didn’t know how long he had whipped her, but the pain was constant and the sound of the belt striking flesh seemed endless. Her golden body was all ready bruising and welts and blood ran down her sides and legs to pool on the all ready-stained mattress beneath her. It took several moments for her to realize that the noise had stopped and she carefully opened her eyes to look at her tormentor.

He had dropped the belt and now stood over her with a butcher knife. The blade glinted brightly in the lamplight. Buffy whimpered, and struggled once more against her bonds, her body a molten fire of pain.

Angelus threw his head back and laughed as he watched her renewed efforts and as a fresh wave of fear flooded his senses. He inhaled deeply still smiling at her. “Ah, smell that? Nothing quite like the smell of fear. It makes me hard, love.” He brought his hand down to the prominent bulge in his pants and stroked himself.

She gasped, wondering if she was about to be raped as well, but gritted out between clenched teeth, “Quite calling me love. I’m not your love. I’m his.”

He growled and backhanded her sharply, but he laid the knife down on the bed and straddled her body, still rubbing his cock. “Not now, love.” Turning the endearment into something ugly. “Not while that bastard’s spawn is inside of you.”

He snatched the knife up and before she had a chance to prepare herself not to scream, he sliced a thin, shallow line from between her breasts to the top of her stomach. She screamed in pain and fear, as he then leaned over her and licked the bloody line down her body. Using the knife again, he cut another line over her breast, licking the blood away and moaning, before plunging his fangs into her right over the nipple. He drank her down in a few greedy gulps, before removing his mouth and smiling down at her with bloodstained lips.

He rubbed his hard cock again, rocking it against her stomach. “No, not now, but as soon as I cut the little bastard out…well then, love, all bets are off.” He picked up the knife again and circled the point around her belly button, leaving a little bloody circle, his feral eyes never leaving hers, as he waited for her response.

Spike crouched down low in the alley beside the Hyperion using all of his senses to cloak his presence from his Grand Sire. Willow had whispered through his mind and told him that they were one their way. Neat trick that. He tried to use his claim to get a sense of Buffy inside the hotel. An overwhelming feeling of terror and fear and pain swept over him, causing him to grab his stomach and double up. He bit his lip hard to keep from screaming and quickly cut off the link with his wife. He knew he wouldn’t be able to do what he needed to do if he remained immersed in her emotions. Again, Willow whispered through his mind sending warmth and comfort through their psychic connection. He straightened as the pain subsided, feeling the witch’s presence still within him, giving him clarity and focus.

Blood sweat dotted his forehead and shakily wiped it off, sick to his stomach at what she was going through. Angelus had always been a bastard, and even though it sounded terrible, Spike knew they were lucky that Angelus always spent long hours torturing his victims, playing with them. Lucky, because if he had been more like Spike, Buffy would be dead by now. Spike wanted to know what Angelus was thinking, doing, but knew if he tried to breach his barrier and use the blood link that Angelus would know he was there. Spike shuddered to think of what Angelus would do if he knew Spike was coming. So he kept his protective barrier in place, rubbed his thumb over and over his wedding band, and prayed that the others would be there soon.

He heard the car before he actually saw it. Even in this serious situation he chuckled thinking about the ancient rat trap that Giles called a car. It sputtered and coughed before shuddering to a stop in the alley beside of Spike. Normally, Spike wouldn’t have passed on the opportunity to snark at ole Rupes about the condition of his car, but even though he had built a barrier between himself and Buffy, her fear was still leaking through it, making him anxious.

Xander, Willow and Giles jumped out of the car before it stopped shimming, armed with cross bows, battle axe, and magical supplies.

Willow approached the vampire first, enveloping him in her arms the way she had his mind earlier. “I’m sorry.” She whispered to him, so quietly it was just a breath of air at his ear. And she was sorry. She had spent the past hour immersed in Spike’s mind, in his heart, and what could have only been his soul. Feeling his soul had surprised her, none of them had known, she didn’t think he knew about it himself, but it was definitely there. Being inside of Spike had been a revelation in many ways. The vampire they had thought they knew didn’t exist. Spike had more feelings, emotions, and love swirling around inside of him then a lot of people she knew. And what he felt for Buffy overshadowed every thing she ever thought she knew about love and devotion. So at the very least she, they owed him this apology and at the most, respect and loyalty. To do any less would be to dishonor the love he had for her friend.

Spike returned Willow’s embrace hesitantly, he had not had much experience at receiving affection and wasn’t comfortable with it. At her whispered apology and the mental waves of affection and respect that washed through him at her touch, he let himself sink into her warmth, returning her hug with strong arms wrapped around a slender waist. He breathed her scent into himself, memorizing the fragrance and the essence that made her Willow, his Red. He had always liked the little witch, even when he had kidnapped her and threatened Harris, and when, after the chip, even though he was trying to bite her, she had tried to make him feel better about himself. She had the greatest capacity for giving love, and she felt things deeply, so deeply that it was now easy to see why she went off the deep end when wolf boy had left her.

He pulled back from their embrace and looked into her eyes, he touched that connection inside of them and between them something powerful happened. She was his to love and protect. She became one of those humans, like Buffy and Joyce; that he would die to protect.

Giles looked at the witch and vampire, confused at the power, the connection he could feel flowing between the two of them. Willow stepped back from Spike’s arms, and Giles could swear that he could see the thread that somehow bound them together. Interesting, but that was for later. He stepped forward and looked at the vampire that he had loathed for so long, put aside his amnesty, offered his hand as a truce. “Is she…” he stopped, unable to say the word, gulping and removing his glasses, rubbing them nervously.

Spike looked at the man who had for all intents and purposes kept him from his wife all these weeks. He stared at the offered hand for a long moment, before tentatively grasping it with his own. There were things that needed to be said, but they could wait. They could wait until Buffy was safe and Angelus was beaten, bloody and dusty. Spike wouldn’t let him walk away this time, even if the witch did restore his soul.

“No, mate, she’s in pain and scared out of her mind, but she’s still alive.” He held Giles’ eyes for a minute more, before turning to the whelp and looked at him, seeing him as an individual instead of one of Buffy’s hanger-on’s.

The two stared at each other, each trying to see into the other. Words would not come easy between them, Spike knew, too much past hate on both sides. Xander, sighed, accepting that the bleach-blond vampire was apart of Buffy’s life, their lives now, for good. He offered the battle-axe to Spike, like an olive branch between them.

Spike looked at the offering, reached out to heft it over his shoulder and nodded in thanks and understanding to the boy. “Let’s go get our girl.”

The others willingly followed the vampire’s lead, giving him point as they spread out in a “V” formation behind him. They entered the hotel, Spike growling out orders.

“Red, set up here in the lobby, start the restoration now, just in case…” Their eyes met in silent communication, Willow knew what Spike had planned and she couldn’t say that she disagreed.

“Giles, stay with ‘er, but keep the cross bow at the ready, if Angelus gets past me, shoot first ask questions later!”

“Whelp…” he stopped abruptly, head swiveling towards the staircase as Buffy screamed his name in extreme terror and fear.

He shifted from man to demon in seamless second and was all ready moving, too fast for the humans to see as he hit the staircase with preternatural speed. Xander, his hands full with a crossbow and first aid kit, followed as quickly as he could.

Spike dropped his shields, letting his Grand-Sire know he was there as he burst into the room, hoping that surprise would give him the upper hand. The door slammed against the wall of the dingy room and cracked under the pressure of Spike’s kick. Angelus was indeed surprised. He whipped his head up and around as both the crashing of the door and the presence of his Grand-childe registered in his lust-addled brain. Spike’s rage exploded out of control as he saw Angelus straddling the naked and bloody body of his tiny wife, her golden skin bathed in crimson. Both demons let out a roar and leaped at the same time, their bodies slamming together in the middle of the room.

Buffy sighed in relief when she saw Spike crash through the door. She knew now that their baby would be safe. She winced in pain when Angelus’ weight was suddenly gone from her abused body. She tried to focus her bleary, swollen eyes on the two vampires, one light and one dark, one beloved and one feared, but could barely see them, pain exploding in her head as she tried to force her vision to focus. She closed her eyes, tears leaking out from under dark lashes. Spike was here he would protect their baby…and with that thought, Buffy succumbed to the pain and blood loss; let her mind separate from her tortured body, turning her painful reality into soothing darkness.

Xander knew he had the right room by a: the broken door frame and b: the terrifying sound of two demons growling and fists hitting flesh. He rushed in the room careful to stay far away from the two vampires, his eyes focused on the bloody mess that was his friend. He drew in a sharp gasp, laying down the crossbow and first aid kit. Buffy lay naked and covered in cuts, bites, and blood, unmoving. Her bruised, swollen eyes were closed and he couldn’t tell if she was breathing or not. He gingerly swept back her sweat and blood tangle hair and felt along her neck for a pulse.

He held his breath as he searched, worrying when he found nothing, then breathing out a sigh of relief when he finally felt the tiny, irregular fluttering of her heartbeat. He took off his shirt and gently sat her up, slipping her arms into the warm, worn flannel, before laying her back down, pulling the edges together over her breasts. Her wounds were all ready healing, all but the bite marks. Angelus had bitten her deep and torn her flesh in several places, obviously in effort to keep her blood flowing. They were still seeping blood, not closing like the other straighter wounds that Xander supposed had come from the bloody knife lying on the bed. He held gauze over the worst of them, applying pressure, and then turned his eyes to Spike and Angelus.

Spike was tiring, as he punched and kicked his Grand-Sire. He had not feed in several days, couldn’t really remember the last time he had, but knew it was before trying to catch the sunrise and Drusilla had found him. Angelus on the other hand was suffused with powerful Slayer blood, his punches stronger and harder then Spike could ever remember them being. Angelus hit him with a roundhouse kick to his solar plexus and he flew back out of the door and slammed into the wall in the hallway, leaving a vampire sized impression in the plaster. His head rang with the impact and he had felt several of his ribs crack under the powerful kick.

Angelus moved into the hallway and stared down at his Grand-Childe. Blood ran from his lip from one of Spike’s punches and he took a minute to wipe it from his mouth, his feral gold eyes staring into those of the younger vamp. He licked the blood from his fingers in a long motion of his tongue. “I can definitely see why you killed those two Slayers, William. They’re soooo delicious.” He licked until all traces of the blood were gone. “And your wife,” he spat the word out like a curse, “was so sweet, especially when she was screaming my name as I…”

“Shut your gob, Angelus! We both know you didn’t fuck her. Your pride wouldn’t have let you with her carrying my child.”

Xander’s head whipped up from where he was checking Buffy’s wounds at the startling news, and then back down at the small, but now obvious bump in her lower abdomen.

Spike growled and threw himself at Angelus, butting him with his head and driving his knee into his groin. Angelus howled in agony and threw Spike off of him and back across the hallway, stalking towards him ready to end it and get back to the Slayer and her guard boy.

Spike felt another rib give as he hit the wall for the second time and knew Angelus was going to win, unless…he still felt Willow, he could literally almost see her in the lobby, inside her circle, the orb sitting, suspended in mid-air by her power. Her power…

Spike had the thought at almost the same time as Willow sensed his need. Her head flew back, eyes glowing green, wind whipping her fiery hair around her face as magic swirled up inside of her. She let the orb drop to the ground, forgotten, as she built the magic inside of her. She spoke to Spike telepathically, Spike, trust me… and his response was immediate. She took all of that swirling, burning power and thrust it into the thread that connected her to the blond vampire, thrust it into him….

Spike growled low in his throat as magic filled his dead body with heat and power. His bones re-knit and all of his bruises and split skin healed instantly in the rush of warmth. His head snapped up and he looked at Angelus with eyes gone drowning emerald green.

Angelus froze in shock and growing horror as he literally saw Spike’s wounds heal, leaving his alabaster skin smooth and blood free. He took an involuntary step backwards as Spike’s eyes glowed unlike anything he had ever seen.

Spike pushed himself to his feet and held his hands out in front of him. Looking his Grand-Sire in the eyes as he raised his hands and lifted Angelus several feet off the floor with a thought. He flicked his wrist and the vamp slammed into the wall causing plaster to rain down onto the all ready grimy floor. Spike did this several more times, enjoying the power coursing through his body.

Xander stared in amazement and shock, his hold on Buffy tightening as Spike tossed Angelus about like a rag doll, all without touching him. Buffy’s breath stuttered out in a sigh and Xander jerked his eyes back to her, his fingers automatically searching for her pulse in her throat. There was nothing.

“Spike! Were losing her! Finish it!” Xander screamed as he began CPR on his friend.

Spike froze, holding Angelus, now limp and as bloody as the Slayer, in mid-air, his emerald eyes looking at his unconscious wife and the boy desperately trying to save her.

He lowered Angelus to eye level, making sure the vampire could see him. “Save me a seat in hell, mate.” He growled, raising his hands once more. “Incinerate!” As the word left his mouth golden light shot from both his palms, encasing Angelus in a burning glow. Spike nodded his head in satisfaction as his Grand-Sire exploded in a shower of dust, his remains mixing with the filthy floor of the hallway until they were undistinguishable. Then he turned and strode to the bed, gently easing Xander out of the way and ripping the flannel shirt from his wife’s tortured body.

Spike focused his burning green gaze on Buffy, feeling inside of her, letting Willow guide him in his exploration. Buffy had severe internal damage from the many knife wounds and internal bleeding from the beating she had taken. Spike laid his hands on her lower belly; fingers spread over his small-unborn child and sent power into her womb, surrounding their daughter in a protective bubble of energy. Then he stripped off his clothes and laid on top his wife, covering her from head to toe like a cool blanket. He used the power, raging under his skin like blood, instinctively pushing it out and into Buffy. He guided the flow of magic; sealing and healing as he thrust the power Willow had given him into the still form beneath him. Her body arched under him and he used his strength to hold her still as the power flowed between them, completing its job. Finally, the power slowed and then left him and he felt Willow down the thread of their connection as she collapsed, exhausted, but unhurt.

Buffy stirred beneath him, and he raised up on his arms as her glazed hazel eyes fluttered open, slow to focus on his face. He stayed that way looking down at her for a long moment, holding an unneeded breath. It left him in a whoosh; as she smiled at him and whispered his name, before looping her arms around his neck and pulling him down to meet her lips.

Their lips brushed gently together, rubbing softly in hello at first. Spike groaned in her mouth as she brushed her tongue against his bottom lip, tugging on it lightly with strong, white teeth, begging for entrance. His lips parted and she pushed her tongue inside, stroking his teeth, the roof of his mouth and finally brushing against his tongue as it joined in their dance, battling in his mouth.

Xander felt like a third wheel, face heating up as he watched the couple. Normally, he would have just left them, but he couldn’t leave them in this room. The bed beneath them was disgusting, covered in blood and who knew what else, so…He cleared his throat loudly, watching in amusement as the two blonds jumped slightly and turned dazed, unfocused eyes to look at him. “I realize you have a lot of…um…catching up…to do, but do you think you could maybe move the reunion somewhere less ewe and a lot more sanitary?”

“So, what the bloody hell was all that, Red? Not that I’m complainin’ mind you, just was unexpected.” Spike asked from his seat in Buffy and his suite at The Marriott. The gang had drove as far from Angel’s hotel as they could get before sunrise and settled on the outskirts of the city, planning to rest for the day before traveling on to Sunnydale. Spike had raided Angel’s safe before they left, figuring the wanker owed him something for all those years of putting up with his torture and insanity. Spike knew for damn sure the wanker owed Buffy, least of all for her virginity and at most this latest atrocity. There had been enough that Spike and Buffy wouldn’t have to worry about funds for a while, if invested carefully.

“I’m really not sure. I was doing the curse when I felt you call for me. It was an automatic reaction, instinct maybe.” The witch began, hesitantly, biting her lip. She glanced at the others warily, biting on her lower lip, before looking back at Spike and Buffy. “I think it has something to do with when you…uh…drank from me.” She blushed as three voices rang out.

Buffy sat up straighter in her husbands arms, glaring at him. “When exactly did this happen?”

“Its not what it sounds like, Buffy, I swear.” Spike said, head bent, if he could have blushed, his face would have been as red as…well…Red’s.

Willow jumped up putting herself between Xander and the blond vampire. “No, Xander, calm down. He didn’t hurt me.” She turned even redder. “I let him…”

“What! Willow why would you let that thing bite you! Are you crazy!” Xander sputtered, taking another step towards Spike, stake now in his hand. “What did you do to her, Dead Boy Jr.? Kidnap her again? Try and force her to do another spell to get your crazy ho back?”

Spike jumped up from the chair where he was sitting with Buffy cradled in his lap and gently sat her back down, taking time to smooth his duster back over her nude form, before turning to step beside of Willow and face an outraged Xander. “Listen whelp, I didn’t do anything. It was after I escaped from Cardboard’s summer camp and went to the birds’ dorm room intent on killing Buffy.”

Xander let out a strangled sound, and stepped closer, stake ready. Willow jumped at put herself between the two again. “Xander! Will you chill and listen to us, please! Besides I don’t think Buffy would appreciate you making her a widow when they have just got back together.” She glanced at her best friend sitting quietly, cuddled into Spike’s duster.

Buffy was still glaring at Spike, but hadn’t said anything more, willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. She was exhausted and still somewhat terrified. Unless he gave her a reason not to, she was going to trust him when he said that it wasn’t like it sounded. She relaxed deeper into the chair and nodded her head at Willow to continue before she reached out her hand, sliding it over Spike’s, and entwining their fingers. He was seemingly focused totally on Xander and the stake, but when she squeezed his hand he squeezed back, letting her know it was okay.

Spike started again; turning to look at his wife, both hands holding hers, face serious. “I was half out of my soddin’ mind, luv. They had me locked up for weeks, cuttin’ on me, taking stuff out of me, puttin’ stuff in. After the first time I fed and woke up strapped down in the lab, them pokin’ their fingers inside me, I didn’t eat afraid it was drugged. I was starved and so angry. The whole time I was in there I thought of nothing but you. I blamed you for my being there, wanted to kill you for it, but at the same time hoping that you would come and save me. It’s what you do isn’t it? Help those that need savin’?”

She nodded her head, tears spilled from his eyes and Buffy tugged him down onto his knees beside the chair. She gathered him in her arms, her own eyes tearing as she imagined how scared he had been. She had never really considered the torture that he must have been put through down there, underground, in the Initiative. She hadn’t really cared.

He pulled back a little, but stayed in the circle of her arms. “But you didn’ come. You didn’t even know, and so, I blamed you and my rage grew. When I escaped and reached your room, I was half out of it. Dru dumped me, I’d come back to Sunnyhell for you, to kill you, and the soldiers caught me…everything bad that had happened I blamed on you. Know it’s not logical, but still I hated you. So I knocked on the door. I don’t know what Red was thinkin’, but she yelled come in, so I did, game face on. I tried to bite her, was going to drain her dry, but when I tried, pain, unbelievable pain stabbed in my head. That’s when I found out about the chip.”

He stopped and looked at Willow, now standing behind him, her hand on his shoulder. “The wolf had just broke up with her and she had been cryin’. Then I started too, from the pain, from the hunger, from the loneliness, I don’t really know, but suddenly she was trying to comfort me. We talked for hours, both of us cryin’ at times.” He looked uncomfortable when he admitted that, but continued. “I was so weak, I think I passed out and when I woke up there was Red leanin’ over me, looking all concerned and worried, about me! Me, the vampire that had tried to kill her on more then once!” He looked back at Willow again, “You wanna take it from here, pet?”

She nodded, her hand tightening on his shoulder for a minute, before turning to look at Xander and Giles. “He looked awful, so thin and broken, both body and mind. I…felt for him. He was starved near to death so I offered my wrist to him. We didn’t know if he would be able to bite me to drink, but he vamped out and tried. It didn’t cause him pain; I think it had something to do with intent. He wasn’t intending to hurt me, so it didn’t set the chip off. I let him drink until I felt dizzy, but I didn’t have to ask him to stop, he did it on his own. I think I must have passed out then.”

“When I woke up he was gone, but I could feel that he had just left, and that the sun was rising. I felt it when he went to sleep. I’ve been aware of him since then, but was blocking it. I didn’t want to admit what had happened to anyone, and I didn’t want ask Spike about it either, figured if I ignored it, it would go away. It didn’t. Earlier tonight, when we were driving, I let the shields drop and I could feel him, his pain, his love for Buffy, and his fear for her. So I reached out to him, used the connection between us. Its stronger now then it was before. I think that’s how I could do what I did when I transferred the magic to him.”

Xander had sat back down, not happy, but not ready to stake Spike yet. “I still don’t like this, first Buffy and now Willow, but I’ll leave it alone for now. Just remember fang breath, don’t hurt her or I will stake you.” Spike rolled his eyes and knelt beside Buffy’s chair once more.

Giles cleared his throat and put his glasses back on. “I’m not going to tell you that you did the right thing by letting him drink from you, but I can see why you did. You have so much love and compassion inside of you Willow. I know it probably concerned you to see him that way. Well, its done now, and we will have to do some research when we get home to see what is going on with the two of you. You and Xander come on and let’s get out of here so Buffy can rest.” They filed out the door, leaving husband and wife alone, finally.

The room was silent in the departure of the scoobies. Spike remained on his knees beside of Buffy’s chair, his arms around her waist, head buried against her shoulder. She returned the embrace, her arms curled around his white-blond head, her cheek resting lightly against him. They stayed that way for a moment, each taking comfort from the other. Spike eased back out of her embrace and opened the front of his duster, gazing at the smooth tanned skin from neck to hips, noting with amazement that all signs of Angelus’ torture was gone. He leaned forward and placed his lips gently against the small swell that was their baby. His breath shuddered out at the thought that he had almost lost them without even knowing about their daughter.

Buffy looked at his head bent over her belly, shivering at the touch of his cool lips against their baby. “How did you know? Where to find me? About the baby?” She ran her fingers through his soft hair, tugging gently to get him to look at her.

“After I left Sunnydale, you, I came here to LA. I crawled inside a whiskey bottle and stayed there until about two nights ago. I’ve lost time, not sure how long I was drunk, just remember being on the beach watching the rising sun, waiting for it to dust me, to take me out of a world that didn’t have you in it. Just as I was starting to burn, Dru found me. Probably some soddin’ vision, she didn’t say. I woke up yesterday morning naked and in her bed.”

Buffy gasped, and started to pull away from him, but he grabbed her hands and held her still. “Wait. At first, I thought it was you.” He laughed lightly, releasing her hands and raking his fingers through his hair in frustration. “Stupid, that. I realized right quick it wasn’t. Anyway while we were talking she had a vision of you and the baby. I had jumped up and was half way out the door when she dropped to her knees, screaming and wailing about Angelus, then I called the Watcher, and went to the hotel to find you.”

Buffy couldn’t look at him. “Did you…sleep with her?” She was so scared her heart was pounding madly, she twisted the plain gold band on her finger, waiting.

“No! How could you think that I…” He jumped up and stalked away from her. He spun around to face her. “Our vows…” He held up his hand so that his ring glimmered in the light of the lamp. “They mean something to me, even if we were under a bloody spell, you’re still my wife, and I’m still your husband, unless…” He broke off, scared to know, but having to ask. “Did you file the divorce papers, Buffy?” He looked down at his feet, awaiting her response.

Buffy pulled the duster back around her body and stood, slowly, still a little light headed from blood loss. She swayed slightly and Spike was by her side, easing her back into the chair. “What, luv, what do you need, I’ll get it for you.”

“My purse.” She pointed with a shaking hand, towards her purse lying on the small table in the entryway of the suite. Spike was confused, hurt that she hadn’t answered his question, but went and got her purse anyway, crossing quickly back to her and handing it to her. Then he stepped back waiting for whatever would happen next.

Buffy opened her purse and pulled out a sheaf of papers. Spike drew in a sharp breath of air as he recognized the papers in her hands. “Buffy, what…” he stopped, tears forming again as he looked at her.

He crossed to her and knelt by the chair once more. She held his eyes as she slowly ripped the divorce papers in half and tossed them to the floor beside of him.

He let out the breath he didn’t realize he had been needlessly holding, tears ran down over sculpted cheekbones and he leaned into her again. “Buffy.” Her name was whispered on a sob as he kissed her neck and face. “I love you…love you so much.”

She took his face in her hands, staring at his face, a face that for all these weeks she had been afraid she would never see again. “I love you too, and I still want to be your wife, I still want you to be my husband.” She took his hand in hers, the gold of their wedding bands meeting and nudged aside the old black leather of his duster. She placed their entwined fingers on the tiny mound of their child. “I want us to be a family.”

“I want that too, these weeks have been the worst in my entire unlife, love.” He nudged her lips with his, gently sucking on her lower lip, swiping it with his tongue, begging entrance. She moaned low in her throat and wrapped her arms around his neck, opening her mouth to him, meeting him with her tongue, tasting him, revealing in the fact that she had him with her again.

He pulled back from their heated embrace, and stood up picking her up in his arms. “Come on, luv, let’s get cleaned up and into bed. You and the Bit need your rest.”

He carried her in and sat her on the edge of the bed, while he moved into the bathroom and began to run water in the tub. He chose from the assortment of bath oils offered by the hotel, and soon the room was perfumed in lavender. He adjusted the lights in the bathroom to a soft glow, giving the room a feeling of peace, perfect for seducing his lady to sleep.

He stepped back out into the bedroom, smiling slightly as he took in Buffy’s curled body on the bed, nearly asleep all ready. “C’mere, luv, let the Big Bad take care of you.” She snuggled into his arms with a small smile of her own, content, knowing she was safe and that he would take care of her.

He eased her out of the duster and sat her on the closed lid of the toilet while he quickly stripped himself, before picking her up and stepping gingerly over the edge of the tub, easing them both into the steaming, scented water. Buffy moaned as the water covered sore muscles and she leaned back between Spike’s legs, her back resting against his chest, his arms came around her, hands clasping just under her breast. They both breathed a sigh of relief, relief that they were in each other’s arms again, relief that they were alive and well.

Spike eased one hand down her belly and cupped her belly. “When did you know, love?”

“About two weeks ago. After you left, the others, Giles, Xander, and Willow, kept urging me to file the divorce papers, but I kept giving them excuses as to why I hadn’t. I knew that that wasn’t what I wanted, but I didn’t have the courage to say anything.” Silent tears started to fall. “If I had been braver, if I hadn’t listened to them, you would have never left, you would have known how I felt.” She sniffled and turned her body into his, resting her head against his unbeating heart. “I’m so sorry, Spike. I let them influence me. I was too scared to go against what they thought was the right thing for me to do.”

She tilted her head up to look into his tear glazed eyes, and pulled his face towards hers, mating their lips in a gentle, searching kiss. Long minutes passed before she just as gently pulled away and settled back against chest once more, sliding her hand to rest over his on their child. “Anyway, about six weeks after you had been gone, I started to show signs of being pregnant.” She laced her fingers through his and stared at their twin gold bands, sighing at how right their hands looked entwined together. “I told my mom about everything, the wedding, the spell, you leaving, and my pregnancy. You should have seen her, she went all cave mom on the gang.” She giggled and Spike smiled at the sound, happy that she could laugh after what she had endured over the past twenty-four hours, well, the past two months really. “I haven’t seen mom act like that since she hit you in the head with the axe on parent-teacher night.”

She laughed out loud as he growled in her ear. “Sure, love, bring up one of my finer moments. The Big Bad taken down by the Slayer’s mum.” She giggled again and snuggled closer as he playfully nipped at her ear.

“So,” she continued. “Mom made Xander and Giles take over my patrols, Willow research and do a locator spell, and she made me eat healthy and rest. When the spell showed that you were here, in LA, I decided to come and ask Angel for help.” She shivered and turned around on his lap, her arms going around his neck, her legs around his lean waist, burrowing as far as she could against his skin as she recalled the things that had happened to her at the hands of Angelus. He wrapped his arms tight around her, nuzzling into her throat, purring against her to try and comfort her.

“I was so scared, Spike. The pain was bad, but I could take it, I’ve had worse. But he said he was going to r..rape me…after cutting out our baby…” She stopped again, unable to speak, sobbing against her neck.

“Shhh, luv, I’ve got you, I’ve got you now, not gonna let anything bad happen to you ever again.” He ran his fingers through her hair, soothing her, purrs rumbling through the room from deep in his chest. She quieted, sobbing tapering off to occasional sniffles as she listened, slowly relaxing against him. They stayed like that, him purring and her dozing until she shivered in the cooling water.

“Let’s get you outta here, pet, before you catch chill.” He stood with her still wrapped around him and stepped from the tub. He grabbed a large bath towel and wrapped it around them both, the edges meeting over her back. He carried her back into the bedroom and laid her on the bed, taking the towel and rubbing it over her golden skin, careful to get every drop of moisture before turning it on himself and quickly drying off. He tossed it onto the floor and picked her up again, this time pulling the comforter down on the bed and tucking her into silk sheets, before climbing in after her. He pulled the covers up over them spooning against her back, arms wrapped tightly around her waist.

She felt his erection against the small of her back and wanted so much to be able to make love to him, she needed it, but she was so tired. She yawned, snuggling down into the pillow and his embrace her eyes just drifting shut when she felt him lift her leg up and slide it back over his hip. Her eyes popped open again and she grabbed onto his arms, nails digging in a little, as she felt his cock rub against her, before slipping inside, pushing slowly in until he was fully seated.

She gasped at the feel of him so large and hard inside of her, but… “Spike, I can’t, baby, I’m too tired…”

“Shhh, love, it’s okay, not gonna do anything more, I just needed to be inside of you. I love you Buffy, go to sleep.” Her eyes had closed before he finished speaking and he tucked his face in against her neck; inhaling her scent, arms tightening around her waist, cock deep inside the wet warmth of her pussy.

She felt sleep pulling her under, but whispered just before darkness over took her, “Love you, Spike.”

Spike’s internal clock told him the sun was just setting when he awakened, Buffy’s body still spooned to his, his hard cock still buried deep inside her willing sheath. He held still, his arms crossed just under her breasts, his face pressed into that fragile spot between her neck and shoulder. He inhaled deeply, taking the scent of her into his lungs, into himself. He stilled even that small movement and listened carefully, hearing first Buffy’s steady, sleepy heartbeat and then the second faster heartbeat of his daughter. He smiled, joy alighting his sapphire blue eyes, as his hand moved down to cradle the small bump under which his child lay; a bloody miracle that, he’d definitely have to remember to thank Red for that bloody spell.

Buffy stirred in his arms and her pussy clamped down briefly on his suddenly throbbing hard on. He growled and nipped at her ear, hand sliding back up to cup her breasts, rolling the pink little nipples into hard buds. She moaned wiggled her hips against him, waking up, and flexing her inner muscles around his cock deliberately this time, making him tighten his grip on her breasts and thrust gently into her.

“Mornin, love, you all rested?” He questioned, his voice a husky vibration against the sensitive skin of her neck. His body continued its gentle thrusting against her.

“Mmmm, yes, much better.” She sighed at the feel of him, still so deep inside her, his arms wrapped around her so tight, and his rough hands so gentle on her breasts.

“Just makin’ sure, Pet.” He rumbled as his hands suddenly slid from her breast to catch her hips, holding her steady as he pulled out of her pussy before shoving himself back in with a hard slide.

She gasped at the sudden change from soft and gentle to hard and urgent, as his grip tightened on her hips, holding her still as he thrust into her over and over.

“It’s been so long, Pet….don’t think I can take it slow this time.” He grunted in her ear, his hips hitting the sweet curve of her ass.

“It’s okay, Spike. You don’t have to go slow, I need to feel you inside me hard and fast.” She reached her hand back to caress his face, turning her head awkwardly for a kiss. Wrenching her mouth away from his, she gasped, “This isn’t going to work…I need to hold you, too.”

Spike pulled out of her with a wet slide and turned her in his arms. She parted her thighs, making a cradle for his hips as he came down between them, lined himself up with her wet slit and slid back inside her tight heat. They both moaned at the relief of being together again. She wrapped her legs around his waist, her arms encircled his neck; her hands pressed him down for a proper kiss. He didn’t move inside her as their lips met, reacquainting themselves with the taste and texture of each other, tongues battling in the juncture of her mouth.

In between breath stealing kisses she panted, “Now…just like this…make love to me Spike.”

He groaned as he pulled out and began thrusting, his hips grinding against her with every movement. “Fuck, Buffy…missed you so much…I’ll never leave you again.”

She tightened her inner muscles around his cock as he pulled out, not wanting to let him go. “I’ll never let you go again…we’ll never let you go.”

At the reminder of their child, Spike felt himself lose control; suddenly orgasm was an urgency for him. He gently unwrapped her from his waist and came to his knees between her legs, never losing his rhythm, his hands lifting her ass onto his spread knees, supporting her, spreading her wide, as he increased his thrusts, pounding into her pussy.

“You gonna cum for me, luv?” His voice was a husky murmur in the air, sending goose bumps over her flesh, hardening her nipples further.

“Yeah, baby, I’m going to cum.” In her current position she couldn’t thrust back against him. She had an idea and a wicked look came over her face. She lowered her voice to match his. “Yeah, Spike, I’m going to cum…I’m going to cum all over your big, hard, cock.”

He growled and almost lost his pounding rhythm at her words, she had never talked to him like that before, during their one night and day together. Her bold words had fire igniting in his veins and he pulled one of her legs up to rest against his chest. He spread her legs wider and looked down. Two could play this game. “Oh, luv, I wish you could see us…my hard cock…sliding into your soft, wet pussy…your pretty lips wrapped around me…it feels so good, baby…you squeezing me from the inside…” He trailed off as she gasped and he slipped his finger in between her folds to find and rub her clit. Her hips gave a jerk at the touch and he smirked at her. “C’mon, Pet, cum for me…I’m going to cum in you, luv…I’m going to fill up your tight little pussy with my cum.”

His words had her desperate for release, she should have known he would be good at the game. Buffy couldn’t catch her breath, it felt like he was reaching all the way inside of her, she felt herself twisting tighter and tighter, release just a thrust away. She screamed and gripped his forearms, clamping her inner muscles down on his cock, as he shoved in one more time, seemingly deeper then before, hitting that bundle of nerves inside, sending them both exploding over the edge.

Spike felt his balls tighten as Buffy’s pussy began to flutter around him and knew with this last thrust it would happen for both of them. He pulled out until just the head of his cock was inside of her and shoved home hard, touching her womb and hitting all those sensitive nerves inside. Her pussy clamped down hard on him and he roared as his cock exploded, shooting load after load of his cream deep inside of her.

He released his hold on her hips and barely remembering not to lower his weight on her fell to her side, catching her to him as they both panted for breath. Their hands never stopped moving, caressing and soothing each other, reassuring themselves that they were together again.

“I love you, Spike.” Buffy whispered, tipping her head up to look into his shining, blue eyes.

His hold tightened on her, he would never get tired of hearing her say that. “Love you too, Buffy.” He slid one hand down in between them to cup the small mound of their baby. “This little bit, it’s a bloody miracle, Pet. I’m going to take care of you both when we get home. Going to find us a place to live first thing, we got to get ready for the Nibblet.”

She looked at him shyly, grinning. “I know you’ll take care of us, Spike. I know now that you love us. I do have a surprise for you though.”

He looked down at her, his lips turning up in a smile as he saw the love and laughter in her eyes. “What’s that, love? You’ve all ready given me the best surprise.”

“Well, although none of the others know about the baby, Mom does, and she is giving us the apartment over her gallery. I have a feeling that when we get back it will be all ready for us to move in.”

Spike looked shocked. He had always liked Joyce, but hadn't figured she would give Buffy to him so easily.

Buffy giggled at the look on his face. “What? I told you on our wedding night that she liked you.”

It was her turn to look surprised. “Easy? Spike nothing about our marriage is going to be easy, and besides, we still have to tell the gang about the baby.”

“Oh... hell yeah,” Spike, over his shock, offered her his trade mark smirk. “So, luv, since I didn’t get to before….”

Buffy’s laughter rang out in the quiet of the room, bringing a smile to her husband's lips and a never ending love to his heart.