Title: Into the Light-THE END
Series: A NEW LIFE
Author: MarieC
Email: mariecynthia2003@yahoo.com
Feedback: Please.
Archive: www.the-crypt.net
http://home.att.net/~lubakmetyk/crypt.htm#marieC 
Pairing: Spike/Angel
Spoilers: Post-Initiative-very AU; Spike is chipped; Spike has a SOUL;
Angel is Spike's Sire; No Fred or Connor; Buffy did not die; Spike
never loved Buffy
Rating: R
Warning: Transgender fic (Female!Spike) mentions of rape in earlier
stories
Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters. They belong to Joss
Whedon, ME, WB, UPN, etc.

Must read: 'Changes', 'Transition', and 'Into the Depths' before this
fic.--ALL STORIES CAN BE FOUND IN THE LINK ABOVE

AN: It's taken a little over two years to finish this fic.  I
appreciate all the feedback along the way. This was my first fic and
it was certainly a learning experience.  Ghostforge is the best beta
ever and so encouraging.  I appreciate the trickling in of FB lately
even though I have not updated in a very long time.  I nearly
abandoned the fic, but there are those who wanted to see it finished.
So, this is especially for you all.  Thanks again and enjoy...

SUMMARY: Spike is bitten by a demon in Sunnydale and has turned into a
FEMALE vampire. Angel takes her to LA after she is raped. She is
attempting to build a new life with Angel and the Fang Gang. They are
still unsure of the reason for her change.



Chapter 18

Two days later

Spike sat up in bed.  She felt better for the time being, but her
attacks came on suddenly, without warning.  She was bored staying on
the bed, but Angel insisted.  'Angel can be such a stubborn ponce' she
thought to herself.  She felt nervous about what was happening to her.
Angel tried not to discuss it too much. He kept telling her that
it'll pass and she would be fine.  But, when he informed her that
Giles was arriving today, she knew this was a bigger deal than Angel
let on.  She was grateful that the headaches subsided but the nausea
was ever present.  She was finding it difficult to feed, but she
managed to sip on some blood occasionally.  Angel made sure she was
feeding properly.  Spike smiled at the care and love the dark vampire
had shown her.  She felt so comforted.

*

Angel sat in the lobby nervously awaiting Giles' arrival.  Wesley came
out of his office with an ancient text in hands.  He was deeply
concentrating because he suddenly found himself sprawled on the
granite tile after he tripped over the couch.  Angel rushed over to
help his friend off the floor.  He also picked up the book and handed
it back to Wesley.

"You okay?"  The dark vampire asked.

"Yes, thank you.  I was quite engrossed in the text."  The Ex-Watcher
answered.

"What are you researching?"  Angel leaned over to eye the book.

"Giles asked me to look up a few words in the proto-bantu language. 
It appears he may have found something of interest."  Wesley replied
as he adjusted his glasses.

Angel scowled.  "Did he tell you what it was?"  He was quickly losing
his patience.

"No, unfortunately.  We will await his arrival."

Angel started to pace.  "Well, he better get here soon."  He said with
an air of desperation.  As soon as the words left his mouth, Giles
walked through the lobby doors.  Angel opened his mouth  talk until he
noticed a man behind Giles.  He appeared to be a Shaman-like figure. 
He was dressed in a purple shroud that covered nearly his entire body.
Only his nose and eyes were visible.

The dark vampire charged over to the two.  "What the hell is going on,
Giles!?"  His eyes flashed yellow.

Giles calmly placed his bags down.  "Angel, please."  He turned to his
guest.  "This is Ky-Doung, a shaman friend from England.  He is
someone I trust explicitly."

"What does he have to do with Spike's chip?"  His eyes were hopeful. 
"Can he remove it?"

"I am not entirely convinced the chip is the problem, Angel."  He
stole a glance at Wesley who now stood over at the counter.  "Were you
able to decipher the words I requested?"

Wesley nodded and proceeded to hand Giles a piece of paper.  The weary
traveler eyed the contents for a moment and folded the paper and
placed it in his pocket. 

"Thank you so much, Wesley.  You're father would be so proud."  Giles
smiled warmly at his ex-colleague.  Wesley returned the kind gesture.

Angel's voice raised.  "If you don't tell me what's going on, I will
tear your limbs from your body."  He said menacingly as he stared at
the men in front of him.

"If I could see Spike first with Ky-Duong and confirm a few things, I
should be able to give you all the answers you seek.  I could still be
off the mark, Angel."  

Angel stood for a few moments before deciding to allow the two
upstairs.  He slowly led them to the bedroom he shared with the blond
vampire.  He lightly knocked on the door to alert Spike to their
presence.  "Sweetheart?"  He said as he opened the door.  Angel walked
in.  "Giles is here."  Spike scooted up in bed, smiling, as she saw
Giles.  Her smile faded when her eyes fell upon the purple shrouded
stranger.  

"What's goin' on?"  She asked as her eyes were wide with fear.

"Spike,"  Giles said gently, This is my friend Ky-Doung.  He can help
to decide why you are not feeling well at the moment."

As the shaman moved closer to the bed, Spike tried to play off her
illness.  "'M fine..."  She replied unconvincingly. 

Giles stepped closer.  "We may have the answer, Spike.  No one here
will hurt you."

Spike began to pant as she brushed her long locks out of her face. 
Her voice was caught in the back of her throat.  "Angel."  She
whimpered as the dark vampire immediately was at her side grasping her
tiny, pale hand.  He whispered encouraging words in her ear.  She
finally nodded a bit as her face was buried in his neck.  Angel turned
to the two and also nodded, giving permission for the shaman to
approach.  

The shaman spoke in broken English.  "Lay...down...her...now."

Angel obeyed and he aided the trembling vampire to the supine
position.  She kept her head turned away, trying to ignore the strange
man.  She panted loudly as she felt him near her.  Angel whispered in
her ear.  He told her how much he loved her and it would soon be over.

The shaman started at her head and his hand was just above her face. 
He chanted as he moved his arms in a circle and slowly traveled down
Spike's body.  He never made physical contact with her.  After about
ten minutes, he abruptly stopped.  He looked at Rupert and calmly
nodded his head.  He slipped his arms back into his large sleeves and
stood quietly.  Giles coughed and removed his glasses.   "Shall we
return to the lobby?"  He spoke to Angel and Spike.  "I will explain
when we arrive.  You have my word."

Angel was about to protest but decided against it.  Instead, he aided
Spike up and they slowly returned downstairs.  When they arrived,
Wesley, Cordelia, and Gunn were sitting on the couches.

Giles waited until the entire group was seated and then he cleared his
throat.  Silence befell the lobby.  Suddenly, Spike spoke.  "What the
bloody hell is goin' on, Giles?"    Her voice sounded worried and
scared.  

"Since I returned to England, I have been searching through texts and
prophecies regarding your change."  He looked squarely at Spike.

"I told you to leave well enough alone!"  She stood up angrily.  "Why
can't you respect that?"  Her blue eyes flickered to a yellow hue.

"I wanted to Spike.  But, there had to be a reason for this.  The
demon that bit you is not capable of inducing such a change."

"I don't want to talk about it!"  She threw her hands in the air.  "I
just don't want to be sick anymore.  What does this have to do with
anything?!"  Angel stood and placed his hands gently on her shoulders.  

"Hear him out, honey."  He said calmly as he brought her back to sit
on the couch.

"Once I had access to the Watcher's Council resources, I was able to
do more research.  One prophecy that I had read previously was the
Kalleikrein Prophecy.  I did not have the complete works until
recently.  In it, there is mention of the soulful vampires."  He
paused as he saw Angel sit up straighter.  "It alludes to the former
Scourge of Europe joining together in their fight and quest for
redemption."  Angel and Spike grasped each other's hands and squeezed
tightly.

Angel interjected.  "What does this have to do with Spike feeling sick?"

Giles pardoned their impatience because he knew how taxing this was
for the two vampires.

Wesley spoke.  "Joining together, Giles?  What does that mean?" 

The Shaman answered.  "Prophecy...discusses...Child of Light...born
from former darkness."  He bowed to the group and proceeded upstairs.

"Huh?"  Cordelia added as she looked at Angel whose eyes seemed to widen.

Giles continued.  "A Child is to be born to the soulful vampires. 
This Special birth will create a being who will play an important role
in the Apocolypse."

"There's always one of those around the corner."  Gunn said flippantly
to lighten the mood.

"According to the text, it may be THE APOCOLYPSE."  Giles stopped for
the moment to look closely at Spike.  He worried as he saw no emotion
playing upon her face.  She had disengaged her hand from Angel's and
sat slightly away from him.  "For all the death and destruction the
soulful vampires were responsible for, they will create a life that
will have a major role in averting the annihilation of mankind."

Angel shook his head to process all the information. He stood up. 
"So, you're...saying...that...Spike's pregnant?"  He said with shock
in his voice.

Giles nodded.  "Ky-Duong confirmed my suspicions upstairs."

"Wow!  Spike's having morning sickness!"  Cordelia exclaimed as she
smiled at Gunn and Wesley, who looked as shocked as Angel.

Spike's head slowly rose to face the group.   Her voice was shaky as
if she could barely keep a hold on her emotions.  "So...my...change?"

"It is permanent."  Giles said quietly as he knew how devastating that
fact may be for the blond vampire.  "The Powers that Be predefined
your role in creating the Child of Light to be that of the Mother.  It
has been foretold that the two Soulful Vampires would one day return
to each other."  Giles answered tentatively.

Spike clenched her teeth before she stood up.  "Foretold?  So
everything that's happened to me?  My Sire abandoning me?  Dru?" 
Angel hung his head.  "The Chip?  The Rape?  Was that predestined by
the Powers too?"  Tears poured from her eyes as she gasped.  "Who are
they to bloody play with me?  How do you know this will be any
different!?  Is this my penance?"  The realization hit her. "Oh, God!
She felt like the walls were closing in on her as she frantically
looked in all directions for a way out.  She needed air.  She stumbled
towards the exit and burst through the doors into the courtyard and
fell to her knees sobbing.  She held her arms around her as she let
all of her emotions out.  After some time, she felt that she had no
more tears to cry. She sensed Angel presence behind her, but did not
turn around.

"Go away."  She said bluntly as she stared at the ground beneath her.

"Will, we need to talk."  He said with concerned as he inched towards her.

"Don't call me that.  Or didn't you hear?  Won't ever be a bloke
again."  Her voice was devoid of emotion; that scared Angel immensely.

"Let's go inside and talk, honey."  Angel shivered.  "It's chilly out
here.  I don't want you to get sick."

"Doesn' matter."  Spike said.

Angel walked up to Spike and crouched down in front of her.  He took
her by the shoulders gently and looked her intently in her crystal
blue eyes.

"YES, it does.  YOU MATTER TO ME, SPIKE.  You are the reason I can
face a new day.  You are the reason I can continue to fight for what's
right.  Do you know how amazing you are?  Despite all you have been
through, you still try.  With a chip only, I would have continued to
be evil.  I would have found a way."  Angel's eyes sparkled while
Spike's lip trembled.  "You persevered and changed.  You made friends
and gained a father figure.  You fought for good, even when you didn't
have to.  You slowly let your Soul find it's way back."  He stroked
her long hair and then her cheek.  "We may never be able to make up
for all we have done, but we can try.   Together."  He smiled at her.
"William, Will, Spike, and whomever you are and become, I will ALWAYS
love you.  YOU will be the Mother to OUR child."  He laughed.  "OUR
CHILD, Spike.  It's not a punishment, honey.  It's our reward.  It's a
miracle.  Don't you see?  We're going to have a special baby.  We can
fight along side our child."  He embraced Spike as he stood them up. 
"I love you, Little One."  He whispered as he placed his forehead on hers.

"It's just a lot to take in, you know?  But I think...somehow I
knew...I feel different...it's so hard to explain..."  She sighed
happily as she looked into her Sire's eyes.  She knew this is where
she was supposed to be: in the arms of Angel.  "Gods, I love you so
much Liam...We can do this, right?"   She said as they brought their
lips together and shared a kiss.  

"Whatever the future brings," Angel said when he broke the kiss,
"we'll face it together.  As a family.  I will always be by your
side."  He stood back a step and placed his hand over her belly. 
Spike grinned as she placed her hand over his.  She laughed as Angel
picked her up and spun her a few times.

"Better stop that mate, or I'll puke all over ya!"  He set her down
and the two reentered the hotel hand in hand.  

Everyone relaxed when they saw Spike smiling and laughing.  They
breathed a sigh of relief.  Cordelia and Gunn left the hotel for a
time and returned with champagne.  They all held plastic cups filled
with the libation with the exception of Spike. She scowled playfully
when she realized she could no longer drink alcohol.  Her cup was
filled with blood.   

Spike stood by Angel holding his hand.  They were each other's
strength.  She dropped her head for a moment to think.  She raised her
cup as the eyes of her friends befell upon her.  "To a new life!" 
She smiled warmly.  The road ahead may not be easy, but they would all
face it together.

FINIS