The Ultimate Betrayal

by jamies_lady

Summary: After the Battle in LA Riley brings news to Buffy which will change things for ever. Goes VERY off canon after the Battle of Sunnydale

Chapter 42

'Come on pet you're frightening me,' was the first thing that penetrated the fog that seemed to be invading her brain. She could feel someone holding her hand, stroking it; was aware of her mate's panic and that panic was spreading to her as well. Buffy tried to sit up but another hand was across her chest, gently holding her down on the bed. The hand felt familiar, safe and reassuring.

‘No sweetheart, you just lie there and rest.’ It was her mother's voice and that confused her even more. It all seemed like a dream, one that she wasn’t sure if she wanted to wake up from.

‘What happened?’ she managed to get out, her head still spinning, but at least the waves of stress from her mate seemed to be calming down a little.

‘You fainted,' Cordy said sharply, but she was grinning from ear to ear. The ex cheerleader was so happy that she was actually glowing.

‘I don't faint!' Buffy exclaimed. She was feeling decidedly put, upon as though the world was ganging up on her, and she was remembering why she hadn't really liked Cordy in high school.

'Well you did today: pregnant women do that occasionally.' Cordy's smile was evident in her voice. 'You didn't really think The Powers would allow anything to happen to your son, did you?'

'Your son?' Spike’s throat loosened long enough for him to stutter those two words. He was staring directly at Buffy's abdomen in shock. 'My son,' the purr could be heard clearly heard in his voice. He put his hand out tentatively and stroked her stomach. 'My son.' Spike could feel the William part of his soul crying with joy and the demon was crowing in triumph.

‘And so the first of the shining ones comes to earth protected by the strongest of warriors and the most loving of hearts,' a voice resonated in the room. It was coming from a blinding light that appeared to make the whole room fluoresce. It hurt Spike's eyes to look at it and Buffy was shading hers with her free hand. Spike could feel his demon backing away from the source of the voice; that was something it hadn't done in more than 120 years. Whatever it was it was pure good, diametrically opposite to the First Evil they had fought years before.

‘Do not fear my son,’ the voice continued, ‘I just wanted to ensure the safe return of your child. We will all leave you now: you will want time alone, but before I go…’ a hand appeared from the light and gestured.

The ring of Amara flew from Spike's finger and into the outstretched grasp. The fingers closed around the gem and the hand waved again, opening the thick velvet curtains, letting the first rays of the sun flood into the room, and onto the mated pair. Spike threw his hand over his face to try and protect himself and Buffy tried to reach for a blanket to save him from the lethal effects of light. But both preternatural creatures were unable to move: their limbs seemed paralysed.

‘Do Not Fear,’ the voice boomed, ‘I am merely retrieving that which was lent. I will not have the father of the shining ones so vulnerable to a simple spell. May the light of heaven shine on you and bless you, as it has from the moment you claimed each other. I am so sorry Buffy, that the melding of your life force with that of your child caused so much pain; we had not anticipated that occurrence, but now no-one can take him away from you again.'

Cordy turned and, smiling, gestured to Andrew to preceed her back into the light. It shimmered as it enveloped the two figures.

‘That was fun: just like Han and Leia,’ Andrew's voice could be heard saying as they disappeared. Spike looked at Buffy. Joyce and Anne were still in the room and smiling.

‘He's a charming boy,’ Joyce said as she looked at the pair enveloped in each other's arms, oblivious to their surroundings.

‘And she is just what he needed,’ Anne answered.

‘Did I ever tell you about the first time I met him? He was pretending to be in a band with Buffy…' Joyce asked as they, too, faded from view.


Spike and Buffy hadn't noticed anyone leave. They were still looking at each other in stunned silence. The sunlight lit up Spike's bleached blond hair as though it were a halo; Buffy couldn't believe how handsome he looked bathed in its light. She reached out a hand and caressed his chiselled cheek.

‘Baby,’ she managed to say, 'and light.'

‘Wonder what else I can do?’ the demon muttered. He was trying not to show all the emotion that was threatening to turn him into a blubbering mess. He was the Big Bad, not some wuss that cried at the first opportunity: but so many dreams were coming true for him. Buffy was his forever, and she was carrying his child within her body; not only that but he could now walk in the sun. A huge part of him didn’t want to push his luck and ask for anything else. He had all he could have ever dreamed of.

‘We could find out…’ Buffy said quietly, almost afraid of his response. Spike gave a small nod and a half smile at which she stood up and walked across to the weapons bag that had been dumped in the corner of the room. Buffy pulled out a crucifix and a small bottle of holy water from the side pocket where they were kept safely away from Spike's searching hands.

She walked slowly back to the bed. Spike had thrown himself back on the pillows, his jeans low slung on his hips and the rest of him bare. He had taken off Buffy’s frilly shirt as soon as he could. Buffy stood transfixed by his feet. She hadn't really thought about it before but the man had sexy feet: every toe was perfectly formed.

‘Come on pet, let's get this over with.' He sounded cross, but Buffy knew he was just anxious.

She held out the cross and he opened his eyes to stare at it, the symbol of everything that he was supposed to hate and fear, there in front of him. He reached out a tentative hand and brushed his fingers across the wood: nothing, no sizzle, no tingle, nothing. William slipped into game face; crosses had always hurt worse when the demon was at the fore. Still nothing. He grabbed it hard with both hands and all he could feel was peace.

The holy water was wet and cold and made him damp. A drip trickled down his front and made its way under the band of his jeans. It tickled as it went into his groin but there was no other reaction.

‘Not a lot can hurt either of you. William, you are immune to stakes and fire; Buffy, bullets and knives are no longer a threat. In fact the only thing that can do any damage is beheading, and even then the result of that is only temporary.’

Buffy swung round to see Morgana standing in the room behind her. Neither of the supernatural creatures had felt her appear.

‘What?' Buffy managed to stutter out.

‘You are now chosen above all others; no earthly weapon can hurt you and the majority of the unearthly ones are merely a nuisance.' Morgana pointed to the discarded water and cross. ‘Now the three of you need to sleep and rest; Buffy, you will need a lot of rest in the next few weeks. I will come back tomorrow and help you with the morning sickness; we can discuss everything else then as well.’

Although she wasn't normally the compliant type to say the least, Buffy did exactly as instructed and between one breath and the next both she and her mate fell deeply into the arms of Morpheus.