Rated: PG-13
Summary: Spike leaves after "Dead Things," wanting nothing more than to get Buffy out of his head. Wesley's still an independent contractor after the events of "Loyalty." And the Slayer's still living in the land of denial.
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters featured
below except for Nika. She's all mine. And I'm not making any money off
of her either, so please don't sue.
Epilogue
"You're almost there, Buffy," Nika said, her tone encouraging. "I can see the head."
Spike winced as the Slayer's hand tightened around his again as another contraction hit. She had been remarkably calm throughout the entire ordeal, her only reaction to the pain to squeeze his hand harder.
It was a very good thing he was a vampire. Otherwise, she would have ground his bones to dust.
"Don't push," Nika commanded. "Just another minute." Spike watched Nika's movements with concern. So far, everything had gone according to plan, but he was half-afraid a complication would come up and snatch away everything he'd gained over the last few months. "Spike, I need you."
Spike gently extricated his fingers from the Slayer's grip and moved to the foot of the birthing table. He watched in awe as he realized that what he was seeing was the crown of a head. Nika's hands were sure and steady as she guided the small body out into the world, and they were soon rewarded by the cry of a newborn.
Following the directions that had been drilled into him in the classes, Spike took the blanket from the nurse who was standing close by. Nika placed the infant into his hands, and Spike knew he was holding life. He looked over at Buffy, who was staring at the image he made, wide-eyed in spite of her exhaustion. "She's perfect."
Buffy gave a tearful little laugh in response, and Spike held the wriggling body as Nika tied off the umbilical cord. "You want to do the honors, Daddy?" Nika asked, holding up the clippers.
"I'm not—" Spike protested feebly, staring at the tiny girl.
"You are," Buffy insisted. "You and no one else."
Spike nodded, seeming to come to the same conclusion for the first time. He cut the umbilical cord, then—with a brief, longing glance at Buffy—followed the nurse as she whisked the girl out of the way to clean her up. Hovering on the edges, he watched anxiously as Apgar scores were taken, blood was taken, injections given.
Continually glancing back over at Buffy, Spike kept a close eye on the infant. His Slayer was in Nika's capable hands; he knew nothing about the nurses that had shown up to help with the delivery. This might be one of the premier birthing centers in the world, but he was in charge of taking care of his girls.
Finally, it seemed they were done with the newest Summers, and she was placed securely into Buffy's arms. Nika smiled at the picture they made; Buffy might have been any other new mother, staring down at her child with adoration. Spike might have been any other new father, looking at both of them with an awe bordering on worship. "I'll leave you all to get acquainted," she said softly. "Spike—" she waited until he'd met her eyes. "We'll be out in the hall. Come get us when you're ready."
~~~~~
Wesley was talking with Nika in a low voice outside the birthing room. Connor and Dawn had both gone off to get something to eat after they'd heard Buffy and the baby were both okay. "She did great," his fiancée told him. "You're never sure if they're going to scream threats at the man, telling him he's never getting sex, or just deal with the pain. And Spike was wonderful. You'd never know he hadn't done this before. I've never seen him more calm and in control."
"Well, to be fair, Buffy could hardly threaten Spike," Wesley pointed out. "It wasn't his fault, after all."
"That doesn't always matter," Nika replied with a smile. There was a light in her eyes that Wesley recognized.
"Soon," he promised softly. "Only a few months and we'll be married. It isn't so far away."
"No," Nika agreed. "And you live up to your promises."
"I try." Wesley looked up as Spike slipped out the door, a pink bundle in his arms.
He gave them both a weary smile. "Buffy's sleepin'," he said in explanation. "Just thought you lot would want a peek."
Wesley stood quickly, watching as Nika accepted the now-sleeping infant. "She's beautiful, Spike. Does she have a name yet?"
"Yeah," Spike replied. "Wesley, Nika, meet your goddaughter, Margaret Joyce Summers. 's kind of a big name for a such a little bit, but her mum says we can shorten it up some when her personality starts showin' through."
"It's a beautiful name," Nika said, watching as Wesley reached out a tentative finger to stroke a ruddy cheek.
Wesley nodded. "I assume her middle name is for Buffy's mother."
"Yeah. Buffy said the first name was for me." Both Wesley and Nika got the impression that if the vampire could have blushed, he would have. "Margaret was a family name, an' we both like some of the ways you could shorten it."
"It's perfect," Wesley replied sincerely, looking startled, then reverent, as Nika handed Margaret Joyce over to him.
He only had her for a moment before Dawn appeared, asking for a moment with her niece, and then Connor awkwardly held her, Spike watching him like a hawk. After everyone had their turn, Spike took Margaret back. "I should stay with Buffy," he said quietly. "See you all later?"
"Much later," Dawn agreed. "I'm beat." She gave Spike a kiss on the cheek, and then left, Connor's arm draped loosely over her shoulders.
"We should be going as well," Nika said softly. She stopped for another moment to look down at her new goddaughter. "We'll see you later today."
"Tomorrow," Wesley corrected with a smile, looking at his watch. "I think we'll be sleeping for more than a couple hours."
Spike nodded, watching them leave, feeling a sense of relief knowing that he and Buffy weren't in this alone. He felt as though he was out of his depth—he was drowning all over again. He looked down at the girl, who was staring at him with wide eyes that were a bright shade of blue. Spike knew that babies' eyes often started out blue and then changed later, but he was thankful they weren't as dark as he remembered Peter's being.
"Hello, li'l one," he murmured. "Guess I'm the one that's goin' to be lookin' after you for a while. Your mum will be there too, of course, but you're a Summers, so that means you're my girl, till the end of the world."
Spike went back into the room to find Buffy waking up. "Spike? Is—"
"Right here, luv," he said quickly, passing the baby back to Buffy. "Just introducin' her to the rest of the family."
Buffy smiled. "I'm glad it's you here, Spike. I wouldn't want anyone else."
"That right?" Spike ran a fond hand down Buffy's bright hair. "Wouldn't want to be anywhere else, so I guess it works out for the both of us, then."
He settled himself on the bed next to her, watching as she managed to start little Margaret breast-feeding. Nika had gone over the basics with her several times, and Buffy seemed to take to it like a pro. "When are you going to move in with us?"
Spike hesitated. "'m already there all the time, Buffy."
She looked up at him, her face serene. "But when are you going to realize I want you there permanently?"
"I already know," he assured her. "'s just... After the wedding? Nika and Wesley'll want their space. Figure that'll give all of us enough time."
Buffy nodded, a shadow crossing her face as she remembered that Spike had very good reasons for wanting to keep his own little hideaway, just in case. "Whatever time you need."
Sensing her mood, Spike laid a hand over hers where it was supporting Margaret. "I know where I belong, Buffy." His fingers tightened over hers in a tender assurance. "I'm not goin' anywhere."
Till the end of the world.