Ties That Bind

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Pairings: Buffy/Spike

Challenge Request/Requirements: Challenge: 121 at the Bloodshedverse by FaithUnbreakable: “Basically, I want you to kill off Angel shortly after Connor is born. (Can be Holtz, can be something else). Knowing that Connor is going to be a target because of what he is, Angel leaves a will saying that Buffy (and Spike, maybe) get Connor to take care of, in case Angel dies. Get Buffy out of her heaven-depression and get her together with Spike, over Connor. (Baby bonding, yippee) Must haves: Spike/Connor awkward fun. Make us laugh and make Buffy laugh, Dawn goodness, don't make her a brat, Bitey Spuffy Happiness. Can haves: Spike and Buffy both feeling a bond with Connor through Angel's blood. Family claims, etc. You know the whole nine yards of vampire-family-whatever. Scooby bitchiness would be appreciated.”

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 ... Um, you get the idea.

Feedback? Please, please, with chocolate and Spike on top!

Chapter 1: In Death Release

“Buffy! Get the phone! It’s Cordelia!” Dawn yelled down the stairs to where her sister was in the kitchen, managing to once again slay another meal dead. She listened for a moment to hear the downstairs extension picked up, before turning off her phone. She thundered down the stairs a few moments later, entering the kitchen just in time to see Buffy drop the phone in its cradle and slide to the floor, tears streaming over suddenly pale cheeks.

Dawn yelped in alarm and fell to her knees beside her obviously distraught sister. “Buffy! What is it? What did Cordy say?”

Buffy’s whisper was barely audible, “Angel...” Her voice broke on a sob as she folded into her sister’s arms.

Dawn felt tears flood her own eyes in sympathy, “Is he...dead?” She asked. Knowing it was the only thing that would reduce her sister to tears like this. Buffy was one of the strongest people she knew.

Buffy’s sobs grew and she couldn’t find her voice to answer Dawn, but managed to nod. She allowed herself the freedom to cry for a few more moments, holding Dawn tightly, allowing her sister to comfort her before she wiped her tears from her eyes and with Dawn’s help, rose to her feet.

“Cordy, didn’t go into the details over the phone, just said that something had happened and he had dusted. She and Wesley are on their way here, she said she would explain when they got here.” Her voice was husky with her grief and she squeezed her eyes tight to hold back the tears that wanted to began again.

She pulled back from Dawn, her face sad, hazel eyes glazed. “Cordy said that Spike needed to be here too, I wonder why? Angel and Spike hated each other...Dawn, can you go...?”

She trailed off as Dawn nodded, “I’ll go now; he can come through the sewers.”

Buffy nodded, not sure she was ready to deal with Spike so soon after their sing along, but it looked like she was going to have to. She went upstairs to take a hot shower, to give herself a few minutes to regroup before the LA crew and Spike arrived.

She turned the water on as warm as she could stand it and allowed the bathroom to steam up before stripping and climbing into the shower. She soothed herself with ritual, lathering her long, blonde hair with the sweet vanilla shampoo she favored. Things had been so hard since Willow had brought her back from Heaven. Her grief over living again, weighing her down. Now that her secret had been revealed she was at least able to drop the Buffy-bot smile she had been sporting for the past month.

She twisted her sudsy hair up and allowed the heated water to knead the muscles in her neck. She could actually feel the tension leave, sliding with the water and soap down the drain. She rinsed her hair thoroughly, wishing that all her problems could so easily be washed away.

She lathered her bath scrunchie and mechanically began to wash, thinking about Angel and how hard it always was to be with him, but how much she would miss him now that he was gone. A small sob caught in her throat and she forced back, she would make time to grieve later, after Cordelia and Wesley left. She didn’t understand why they felt they had to tell her in person, didn’t know if she could deal with them being here without Angel. It would make it too real. Dawn and Spike would be with her though they’d...

She sighed and finished her washing, unable to push Spike back to the recesses of her mind. Cordelia and Wesley were coming to tell her the details of how Angel had died and she was thinking of Spike, again.

She shut off the water and climbed out of the tub, wrapping herself in a big, fluffy towel. She glanced at the clock on the shelf over the toilet and groaned. She had spent more time in the shower than she realized. She would have to hurry to get ready now. She grabbed the hair dryer and started to dry her hair.

~

Spike groaned in his sleep, tossing on his bed, when normally he slept like the dead. His sleep was haunted by dreams of Buffy falling from Glory’s tower, her beautiful body bleeding and broken, surrounded by the crumbling remains of the construction site and her crying sister. In his dream he crawled on broken arms and legs towards his love, knowing it was too late, always too bloody late. That he had failed her, failed Dawn.

He held his hand out, sobbing, “Nibblet, I’m so sorry...” His voice cut off with a choked gasp when she looked at him with hatred in her blue eyes.

“You failed her, Spike. You failed her and I hate you! You failed her! You failed her! You failed him!” Dawn’s voice and body was suddenly superimposed with that of his dark Goddess, blue eyes glaring hatefully at him.

“You failed him, my Black Knight! You failed my Daddy!” She screamed at him, wailing and tugging on her hair. “No tea and cake for you, Spike! No tea and cake for you ever again!”

Spike’s eyes shot open and he gasped, clasping his hand to his unbeating heart. It felt as if something had torn it from his body. The pain was so horrific that he had to check to be certain that there wasn’t a gaping hole where his heart once laid.

He tried to make sense of his dream. The Buffy part he got. He had had the same bloody dream every night since she died. One hundred and forty-seven fuckin’ days and nights and they hadn’t stopped just because she was back. Dawn always looking at him with anger and hate.

It was the Drusilla part that had him frowning. She wasn’t accusing him of failing Buffy, probably didn’t even know about that. She had said ‘him’. She had accused Spike of failing ‘him’. She had said Spike had failed her Daddy...Spike put his head in his hands and moaned, tears springing to all ready glazed eyes. Angelus, she was talking about Angelus. He grabbed his chest again and rocked back and forth. That was what this gaping wound in his heart told him. His Grand-Sire was dusted.

Spike curled around himself on a bed that suddenly seemed far too big and lonely, allowing the tears to fall over pale cheeks. He didn’t know it would hurt so bad for Angelus to be dust. He had hated the bastard, hadn’t he? He moaned again, sobs loud in the quite of the grave. He cried for himself, for Dru, for Angelus himself. They had never been able to repair their once happy relationship. He cried for Buffy. Oh God, Buffy. He cried and cried, purging himself of all the grief he had felt since Buffy’s death and resurrection, for the death of his Grand-Sire and when he was finished, after he had cried until there were no more tears left to cry, he stood and dressed, eyes ravaged, but face free of any emotion. He had to go to Buffy.

He was moving the stone slab that sealed his underground room from the tunnels when he heard Dawn bust through the upper level door screaming his name.

~

Spike beat Dawn to the house, vampire speed giving him the edge. He jumped out of the manhole and raced to the front door throwing it open and falling through just in time to see Buffy descend the stairs. They stared at one another, hesitating in remembrance of their last meeting.

Buffy looked at his pale face, devoid of any emotion, in a way that only a vampire was capable. She wanted to throw herself in his arms, knowing in spite of what and who he was, that there was comfort and safety there. She looked into his eyes, seeing the true story behind his mask before hurtling herself off the last step into his all ready welcoming embrace.

“Angel,” She began, a sob catching her voice, her too thin arms caught him tightly around the waist.

“I know, love.” His voice was husky when he spoke and she pulled away slightly, hazel eyes searching his. She easily found traces of his tears.

“How? Dawn told you?” But he was all ready shaking his head.

“Had a dream, love, Dru told me. Her and this...” He gently pulled one of her arms free and placed her open palm over his unbeating heart. The warmth of her little hand almost burned him and she covered her hand with his own cooler, larger one.

Her eyes widened with his action and she stared at him questioningly for a moment. “You felt it?”

“Yeah, family bond and all.” She nodded and tucked her self against him again, leaving her hand where it was over his heart.

“I’m going to miss him.” She murmured.

“Yeah.” He whispered back and she didn’t know if she was agreeing with her or if he was saying he would miss Angel too.

Chapter 2: Ties that Bind

Spike and Buffy were comfortably on opposite ends of the couch by the time Dawn arrived out of breath and plopped down in between them.

“Geez, they weren’t kidding about that vamp speed, huh?” She snarked playfully, trying to little the mood a little.

Spike rolled his eyes at the antics of his Nibblet, but happy that she got a small smile out of her sis. He pulled Dawn to him with an arm around her shoulder, dropping a kiss on her head, showing her his affection.

Buffy smiled again at the picture they made--the Big Bad vampire and his teenage sidekick. She might not be ready to say that she felt something for the blond vampire, but she could easily see how much he meant to Dawn. That he had stayed and kept his promise even though she was dead meant a lot to her, it told her a lot also. It told her that he could be trusted to keep his word and that he did care for Dawn.

She rose to her feet gracefully, “Dawn, wanna help me in the kitchen?” She asked all ready heading that way. “I’m going to make some coffee for Cordelia and some tea for Wes.”

“Yeah, sure, I’d better, ‘cause everyone knows you can’t boil water without burning it.”

Spike chuckled and Buffy shot him a dirty look. “Ha-ha, Dawnie, very funny,” She stuck her tongue out at her sister and Spike. “And no comments from the sunlight challenged, please.”

Spike straightened out his face, looking serious, “Anything I can do to help, Slayer?”

“Yeah, you can come and put out some cheese and crackers or chips or something, maybe make some sandwiches.” It was her turn to roll her eyes at the looks the other two were giving her. “What? They might be hungry after their drive, besides, I kinda need to stay busy right now, you know?”

That stopped the looks, sobering everyone to the reason the LA gang was coming to Sunnydale.

~

Spike and Dawn had just finished arranging the snacks on a plate and Buffy transferring the hot drinks into carafes when they heard the front door open before Willow’s voice rang out.

“Buffy?”

Xander’s deeper “Buffster?” was also heard.

Buffy looked at her two companions questioningly, to which they simply shrugged and started to follow her into the living room with the goodies.

“Hey guys why are you here?” She asked greeting them.

Willow gathered her friend into a hug. “Cordelia called us and told us about Angel. I’m so sorry, Buffy. She told us they were coming here to speak with you and we thought you might need some moral support. So here we are all with the supporting.”

Buffy felt her eyes tear up and she squeezed her friend for a moment, “Thanks Wills.” She pulled away from her friend, wiping her eyes, only to find herself caught up in a tight hug by Xander.

“Yeah, sorry, Buffy, I know this must be hard on you.”

Dawn and Spike stood silent while the friends greeted Buffy, before Dawn asked, “Uh, Buffy, where do you want us to put this stuff?” She had gathered the carafes, leaving Spike with the trays of food.

Buffy turned back to tell them, but Xander beat her to it. “What’s he doing here?” His voice was angry, as it usually was when he referred to Spike.

“Hey!” Dawn yelled, “Spike has every right to be here too!”

Spike was strangely silent, eyes looking at the carpet.

“Cordelia asked that he be here.” Buffy answered Xander, looking at Spike for a long moment.

“What?! Why? Angel didn’t even like Spike!” Xander exclaimed.

“Yeah, well he didn’t exactly like you either, Xander and yet here you are.” She said not unkindly. She moved towards Spike, taking the tray from him and allowing her fingers to squeeze his in the transfer. His eyes flew to hers briefly. As she suspected, his soft blue eyes were glazed with tears.

She went up on tiptoe, holding his hand for a moment, to whisper in his ear. “I know you’re still tired, why don’t you go and lay on my bed until they get here?” Giving him an excuse to leave the room and compose himself.

He gave her hand a grateful squeeze and went up the stairs, still not looking or speaking to the others, glad that she understood.

Buffy watched him before turning and placing the tray on the coffee table. She turned back to her friends. Willow had taken a seat on the couch and sat looking uncomfortable. Xander’s mouth was slightly open, as if he couldn’t believe what he just saw.

“Xander,” Buffy began.

“Buffy! What is going on here?” He exploded, face red with anger.

“Xander, first of all, I told you, Cordelia wanted him here. But, even if she hadn’t specifically asked, I want him here.” She held up her hand, forestalling another outburst. She was so, so tired of Xander always questioning her decisions, yet always feeling free to do whatever he wanted, even if it involved her. She was also tired of denying that she felt something for the blond vampire. That kiss ...

“Xander, you have to get over your problem with Spike. He worked with you all summer while I was dead. He didn’t leave Dawn and he helped you patrol. He has proven he can be trusted. I know this sounds weird coming from me. Before I died, I was all on board with the Spike hating. But being dead changes your perspective on a lot of things and Spike is one of those things. I’m not saying we’re all going to be best friends now, but I am saying that I’m giving him the benefit of the doubt and offering him friendship.”

She turned to head back into the kitchen to get some napkins and cups, leaving a thoughtful looking Willow, a smiling Dawn and a flabbergasted Xander behind.

She looked back at them as she reached the kitchen doorway. “Xander, Spike and Angel may have hated each other for the last few years, but Angel was still his family. He’s hurting right now too.”

She continued on into the kitchen, leaving Xander with something to think about.

Chapter 3: Family

A/N Apologizing in advance here-- this is raw and unbeta'd. It may totally suck, but here it is...

Buffy had just returned from the kitchen when the doorbell rang, announcing the arrival of the LA gang.

Dawn came to stand by Buffy’s side as she went to open the door and Spike came down the stairs, careful to stay back from the slowly setting sun.

Buffy paused for a moment upon seeing the pair, before inviting them in, “Wesley, Cordelia, what do you have there?” She asked curiously as she hugged each of them in turn before leading the group back into the living room to join Willow and Xander.

“Actually, Buffy,” Wesley began, “this is one of the reasons we needed to see you tonight.” He turned and took a wiggling bundle of blue blankets from Cordelia, lying what was apparently a baby down on his knees and began to unwrap the layers.

“Ooo-kay, when did you and Cordy get together? And when did you have time to have a baby?” Buffy asked, puzzled. Cordy had not been pregnant when Buffy had last been in LA to visit.

Cordy gave a little sobbing laugh, wiping tears from an all ready tear-ravaged face. “He’s not ours, Buffy. He’s Angel’s son.”

There was silence in the small living room, before an explosion of noise.

“What?!” was heard from Buffy, Dawn, and Willow.

“Wait, Dead Boy had a kid?!” from Xander.

“Bloody hell!” was heard from the bleach blond vampire.

The noise frightened the baby and he started to cry. Wesley juggled him up and down, succeeding in making the poor baby’s head bobble all around, but little else. Cordelia was trying to get everyone back under control, only adding to the melee, everyone, but Spike, talking at once.

Spike took his duster off and laid it over the back of a chair before stepping forward and tapping Wes on the shoulder. “May I?”

Wes nodded, relieved to give up the squalling bundle, “Yes, please.”

Spike took the baby and held him up to his face, “Let’s get a look at you then,” he murmured to the red-faced infant. The baby, sensing someone new, had stopped crying and opened big blue eyes to gaze back at the man who felt and smelled like his daddy.

Spike chuckled, ignoring the silence that now reigned in the room. “Tiny little bite, aren’t you? Would hardly take anythin’ to gobble up a snack-size like you.” He cooed, vamping at the now gurgling baby, not surprised when the baby’s tiny face changed in response to Spike’s demon, teeny fangs peaking through minute sheaths, in spite of the kid’s obvious heartbeat.

Buffy and Dawn rolled their eyes at the vampire’s words, while Willow paled and Xander yanked a stake out of his pants and lunged at Spike. “Let go of that baby, Fang Boy!”

“Xander!” Buffy yelled, grabbing the boy as he went past. Spike turned to see what the ruckus was. Seeing the whelp’s stake, he let the demon recede, noticing that once again the baby’s demon responded to his and changed the baby’s face back into his human form. He turned the baby’s back against his chest, easily holding the now cooing baby with one arm.

“What the bloody hell did you think I was goin’ to do, Whelp? Eat the boy?” He snorted at Xander’s nod. “Yeah, like I’d eat a baby. Let alone, family.”

Wesley cleared his throat at this. “Well, yes, Spike, that’s good to hear.” He nervously looked between Spike, Buffy and Cordelia, the latter nodding her head in encouragement, before continuing. “Because, you see, Angel’s will name you and Buffy as Connor’s guardians.”

That comment once again prompted an explosion of noise, causing the baby to cry once more. Spike rolled his eyes and turned the baby back around, tucking the little bit against him and patting his small back. The baby snuffled into the hollow between Spike’s shoulder and neck, rooting around and crying, before vamping and latching on, the child’s cries dying away as he nursed on Spike’s blood. Spike’s eyes widened in surprise at the prickling sting of the tiny fangs, but let the baby feed.

Buffy was the one to put a stop to the riot this time. “Enough! Would you all shut up so that Wesley can explain?” She glared at Xander and Dawn.

“Yes, well, thank you, Buffy. As I was saying, after Connor was born, Angel made a will to arrange for Connor’s welfare if anything ever happened to him. We could have never foreseen Angel’s defeat at Holtz’s hands, but apparently Angel feared of such a thing. Connor will be a target, not only because he is the child of two vampires, but also because of whom his father was. Angel felt that you were best able to protect Connor, Buffy. As for Spike, when I questioned him about it, he said that Spike valued family above all else.

Spike nodded, oddly touched over what Angel said. Buffy looked confused and not a little panicked. “I knew about that law firm bringing Darla back, but I didn’t know about the baby. How exactly do two vampires have a baby? I like thought their...you know...was dead.”

Wesley and Cordelia answered at the same time, “Prophecy.”

Spike snorted again, “Bloody well figures.” he replied, gently rocking the dozing baby, sated, the demon had retreated.

Buffy sidled over looking at the baby as if he was a bomb. “What the hell would I do with a baby? I can’t even boil water for the bottles!”

Xander who had been surprisingly quiet throughout all of this blurted, “I don’t get it. Buffy I understand, long, lost love, Slayer, but Spike? Are we forgetting he doesn’t have a soul? Yeah, Angel’s a vampire, but he had a soul. How could he even have thought about letting Spike raise his kid?”

Spike growled and vamped, angry at Xander’s words, before smirking as he felt the baby’s bumpies form against his neck. “You wanna know why, whelp?” He snarled.

“Yes, Spike, I do. We all know that as soon as you get that chip out you’ll probably drain the kid.”

Spike’s smile grew bigger and he carefully cupped the Connor’s head and back to support him and carefully turned him to face the room. Everyone gasped at the little demon. “That answer your question, Whelp?”

Chapter 4: Beginnings

It was late by the time that everyone was settled down and explanations had been made. Buffy sent Xander and Willow home with much protesting, promising that they would get together the next day. She put Wesley on the couch and Cordelia in her mother’s old room, sending Dawn to bed and directing Spike to set up Conner’s portable crib in her room for the time being.

Alone, except for the baby she was holding in one arm, she tiredly made a bottle according to the directions Cordy had given her. Buffy found that Connor being a living vampire didn’t bother her all that much. Xander was freaked, to say the least, but Willow and Dawn both seemed okay with too.

She looked into Connor’s blue eyes and sighed. “What am I going to do with you?” she asked quietly. “I can barely take care of myself and Dawn.” While the bottle warmed in the little appliance, made especially for that purpose, she stroked the baby’s small round head, gently combing his sparse dark hair with her fingernails.

“You look so much like him, you know? A tiny little Angel.” Tears dripped from her bruised feeling eyes. “Oh, Connor, how am I going to do this?”

Spike had been standing quietly in the doorway, watching her softly speaking to the baby, when he finally spoke, “You do this with my help, Slayer.”

Buffy started in surprise, clutching the baby a little tighter to her chest, swinging around to face the vampire. “Don’t do that!” She stated sharply. The tone of her voice caused Connor to stiffen in her arms and start to cry. “Damn it, Spike! Now look what you made me do!”

Spike rolled his eyes, crossing over to the pair and taking the red-faced infant from her. He grabbed the bottle from the warmer and tested it, frowning at how warm it felt against his too cool flesh. “Hush, Slayer and test this. Is it too warm? I can’t bloody tell.”

She sighed anger forgotten at the cries of Connor, and shook some of the formula against her wrist. “No, its fine, go ahead and give it to him.” She handed the bottle back.

Spike was shaking his head at her, “Oh no, Buffy. You’re not going to get out of this.” He handed both the baby and the bottle back to the Slayer. “I’ll handle the blood feeding, but you have to do the milk,” He paused for a minute before a smirk curled his lips, “and the diapers.”

She snorted, but conceded, taking the baby and placing the nipple of the bottle into a greedy little mouth. “Oh no, buster. Angel made us both guardians. That means we both take care of the feedings and the diapers!” She turned the light out in the kitchen, motioning for Spike to follow her and headed upstairs, blond vampire in tow.

They entered her room and Spike eased the door shut behind them so as not to wake the others. His heart would have been pounding if it could. Here he was invited into the Slayer’s bedroom. Granted it was only because of the baby, but she had been treating him a little better since she had been brought back, almost clinging to him for comfort and help. He was still surprised by earlier, when Xander had said those things about Angel, she had seen how much it hurt him and offered her room as sanctuary.

He turned from the door to her, watching as she gently burped the boy and laid him into his crib, covering him with a light blue blanket. She straightened and moved to sit on the bed, patting the space beside her, in a request for him to sit also.

He settled down slowly, not sure it was a good thing. Just being in her room made him aroused, sitting beside her on her bed, made him ache.

“Did you mean what you said downstairs? That you would help?” She began, breaking the silence.

He looked at her seriously, “Yes, luv. Angel was right to make us both guardians. You can go out in the day, take the bit into the sun and all that, but he also has a demon in him. He’ll need to be around his own kind not only for the blood, although that is an important consideration, but also so he’ll know he’s not alone.”

He paused, taking her hands into his. “Buffy, I know that you don’t feel the same way that I do. I also know that I’ll never be Angel, I don’t have a soul and I don’t want one, but I do love you and Dawn, and I’m halfway in love all ready with the bit. I’ll help you, never leave you, if you’ll just let me.”

Buffy felt the tears begin again as he spoke, realizing, perhaps for the first time, just how much this supposedly soulless vampire loved her and Dawn. She was so tired of being alone, for searching for someone to love her, for her to love, for someone who wouldn’t leave. Everyone in her entire life had left her, her mom included, even though that wasn’t her mom’s fault. It had been so hard since she was brought back. Missing heaven, missing her mother, having to be the strong one. But here was Spike, offering to take some of the burden from her, to love her, and to never leave her.

She stood and walked slowly over to the crib, glancing down at the small baby who had become hers. Hers and Spike’s. A child, while not hers by blood, that she thought that she would never have. She turned to her dresser and picked up the photo of Dawn, running her fingers over the lovely teen, before sitting it down and turning the vampire that was sitting on her bed, heart in his eyes, begging her to let him in.

Decision made, she crossed back to him, pulling her shirt over her head, before undoing and kicking off her jeans. Clad in just her thong and bra, she swung her leg over his lap and sat down, fingers gently closing his gaping mouth. She pressed a tender kiss against soft, cool lips, whispering, “Yes.”

Spike was stunned as she revealed her golden flesh to him, before settling on his lap. Her kiss left him breathless and her soft words left him hard. “Yes what, Slayer?” His voice was a low rumble against her mouth, causing her to gasp into his as it traveled down her spine and caused wetness to gush between her wide spread thighs.

“Yes, I’ll let you,” she pushed herself further into the cradle of his hips, soaked panties rubbing against rough denim and hard flesh beneath. “Yes, I know that you love me and Dawn and that I know you’ll love Angel’s child as well. Yes, I know you’re not Angel, but yes I can fall in love with you, soul or no soul. I can, I’m half way there all ready.” She peppered each yes with a soft kiss on parted lips and small grind of her hips against his cock.

He growled and grabbed her rocking hips hard against him, “Say it again, love, Buffy...say it again.”

She took his mouth again, licking and biting the full lower lip, before pulling away, breathless and very aroused, “I’m falling in love with you, Spike.”

He groaned, thrusting against her heat and catching her mouth in a crushing kiss, before reversing their positions, flipping her beneath him on the bed. He pulled away from her slowly and divested her of her bra and thong, before hurriedly stripping off his t-shirt and jeans. He pulled the comforter out from under her flushed form and slid into the bed with her, settling between her legs. The smell of her arousal was making him crazy, he had to be in her, now.

She spread her legs wide and grabbed his ass, pulling him into her in one hard thrust. They groaned as he filled her, their rough curls merging together as he was seated fully. “Buffy, love,” he gasped, hardly able to speak at the hot, slick feel of her around his cock. “I’ve dreamed of this, wanted to take it slow, but...”

She gripped his hips with long, golden legs and flipped them, “But its too good to take slow, Spike,” it was her turn to gasp as she got to her knees and slid up his length, before taking him in to the hilt again. “There will be time for slow later, not going anywhere, promise...besides, since when have our dances ever been slow?”

He chuckled, before moaning as his golden Goddess rode him, shiny hair and small breasts bouncing with her movements on his cock. If he couldn’t hear the creak of the bed and the slap of their flesh meeting with every thrust of their bodies, he would have swore he was in his cold, bed in his crypt dreaming.

Moonlight streamed in through the open window, falling onto the bed and writhing couple there. The sound of their passion rose and fell about the room, both of them forgetting about the sleeping baby in their race for the edge.

Spike gripped her hips, vamping as she ground her clit against him on each down thrust, squeezing his hard flesh sweetly. She moaned and leaned slightly back, breasts thrusting forward as she arched her body, one hand delving between her thighs to twist her clit, the other, sliding back between his legs to find his tight balls, pulling and rolling them in her hot, little palm.

He growled and sit up, balls clenching under her questing fingers, his cock sliding hard in and out of her rising and falling form, he gripped her hair pulling her neck to the side, making it arch in a clean, taunt line.

Realizing what he was about, she abandoned her play and grabbed his shoulders with both hands, nails digging in, preparing for the stinging pleasure-pain of his bite. She shuddered cumming around him as his fangs penetrated her deeply.

“Mine!” He roared as her pussy contracted and released, milking his hard length as he stabbed into her one last time, moaning as her rich blood flooded his mouth, his cock spurting his cream in time to his pulls of blood.

“Yours.” She whispered as their hips still undulated against one another, not wanting to give up the pleasure of their passion. The baby mewled, moving in his small bed, causing their movements to stop as reality reasserted itself and he pulled his fangs out of her neck. He licked the still seeping wounds as Conner’s quiet fussing turned into an outraged howl.

The blond couple looked at each other in surprise, before Buffy started giggling causing his spent cock to slide out of her heat. They moaned at the feeling and sighed when the baby continued to cry.

“Bloody hell!” Spike griped and Buffy giggled again slipping off of his lap and allowing him to get up and get Connor as she straightened the bed covers and slid beneath the sheets.

Spike’s quiet murmurs drew her attention, and she stopped what she was doing to look at them. Her breath caught in her throat at the sight of her now mate, cuddling the small baby to his hard, bare chest; his hands large in comparison to Conner, carefully cradling the tiny head and body. She sighed as Spike came back to the bed, slipping in beside of her, the baby now resting quietly on his chest. She cuddled up against him and he wrapped his spare arm around her shoulders as they settled down to sleep. Lying against him, with the baby cuddled against them, she actually felt her heart mend as she fell the rest of the way in love with the two men now in her bed and her life.

Chapter 5

Spike awakened to the mewling sounds of the baby as it nuzzled against Buffy’s bare breast, rooting around until he latched onto the pretty pink nipple.

He chuckled as Connor suckled, strong little jaws working in vain, “Know what’s good dontcha lil bit?” He cooed, gently trying to disengage the baby before fangs dropped. “Sorry, mate, she can’t help you out there.”

Connor hissed in a fit of temper, not wanting to let go of the soft, sweet smelling nipple and his demon slid forward, shocking him into silencing his whimpers when sweet blood trickled into his mouth from tiny puncture wounds. He grunted and settled in closer, nursing strongly once more.

“Bloody hell!” Spike exclaimed as the baby vamped and he smelled Slayer blood. His eyes flew to Buffy’s face to see that her eyes were wide and staring down at the baby suckling her breast.

“Sorry, Love, here let me take him...” Spike began only to be cut off by a small shake of her head, before lifting tear filled eyes to him.

“I never thought I’d experience this. Well, you know what I mean. This is probably as close as I’ll ever get to feeding my own baby. I know its wrong, but...” She stopped as her tears spilled over and Spike gathered her and the baby closer.

“Shhh, Love, its not wrong. Wantin’ a babe of your own, wantin to feel it nursin’, it’s the most natural thing in the world. For all intents and purposes, you are Connor’s mum. No, you can’t nurse him like other new mum’s, but you can give him this. Jus’ have to put limits on it s’all.”

She nodded against him, oddly serene and peaceful as the baby nursed slowly, not really even taking that much blood; it just seemed to comfort him as well. Spike kissed the top of her head and got out of bed, pulling on his jeans.

“Where are you going?” She questioned him, snuggling the baby closer to her chest.

“I’m gonna go and get his bottle, he needs his milk too, yeah?” He looked shyly at her from under lowered lids.

“Yeah, Daddy, he needs his milk.” She grinned as he shot her a blinding smile and left the room, closing the door softly behind him so as not to disturb the new mother and child.

He had to lean against the door to support his suddenly trembling legs. Everything that he had ever wanted as William and even though unvoiced, hell barely even thought of as Spike; was in that room. That woman and that child were now his. His azure blue eyes filled with tears as the enormity of the situation hit him. He was someone’s mate, husband from a human standpoint, and someone else’s father and both of them needed him. Needed him. Damn that felt good. He flashed another smile and practically bounced his way down the stairs.

Good thing he had finally sold all the Gem of Amara’s treasure. He and Buffy were going to need the dosh for their rapidly growing household. He had been planning on offering it to Buffy anyway. After practically living in the Summer’s home while Buffy had been dead he was well aware of their financial difficulties. He had all ready begun selling the stuff and paying some of the bills with it before Buffy had come back. The last bit had set the vampire up for life and he now knew exactly how it would be spent.

He entered the kitchen surprised to see a bleary-eyed Dawn, Cordelia and Wesley sitting around the table. The two adults looked like they needed their coffee intravenously and the teen was slurping cold cereal.

Cordelia glared at him. “Could the two of you been any louder? I was downstairs and heard you!”

Spike smirked and chuckled, “Sorry ‘bout that.” He said, not sorry at all. He ruffled Dawn’s hair, “Morning, Nibblet.” He went to the fridge and pulled out one of the bottles they had made before bed, and put it in the bottle warmer. He turned and leaned against the countertop arms crossed.

She glared at him balefully. “I suppose, if you got to actually sleep! Geez and I thought it would be the baby that kept me awake all night!”

Wesley looked at the grinning vampire. “So, I take it congratulations are in order then?” He questioned, well aware of what the noises he heard through the thin wall between the bedrooms had meant. He had clearly heard Spike’s possessive, “Mine” of the night before.

Spike smiled again, “Yeah, Mate, you could say that.” He didn’t have time to say anything else before a squealing Dawn threw herself into his arms.

“Oh my God!” She squealed. “I can’t believe it! How? Wait, not how! I so don’t need to know anymore than I all ready heard—gonna need years of therapy here, but...”

He laughed at her and pulled her close, hugging her tightly. “Take a breath, Sweetbit! I’ll let Buffy be the one to tell you all about it, yeah? It’s a girly thing after all, big Sis get right irate if I spilled the beans.”

“Spilled the beans about what?” The group jumped, startled by Xander’s voice and the fact that they hadn’t even heard the door open.

The bottle warmer beeped, announcing that the bottle was ready and he turned, removing it and wiping it off before gently shaking it to make sure it heated evenly, stalling for time.

“Well?” Xander questioned again when nobody answered. “What beans are we spilling? And holy frijolies, Dead Boy, what in hell are you doing half naked in Buffy’s kitchen at 7:00 in the morning?” His eyes narrowed hatefully at Spike.

Spike decided it would be best not to respond and started out of the room with Connor’s bottle, he didn’t count on the Whelp grabbing his arm and jerking him around.

“I asked you a question, Spike.” He spat hatefully. “What the hell are you doing here at this time of the morning and only half dressed?”

Spike vamped and growled at the young human wishing not for the first time that the git would get a clue.

Cordelia slammed her coffee mug down on the table, “Oh for heaven’s sake, Xander! It was late, we were tired, Spike slept in the basement! Get over it all ready!”

The other two looked at her in surprise at her lie, but kept quiet knowing it would do no good for Xander to know about Buffy and Spike’s new relationship and not wanting to be the ones that told the brunette.

Xander, looking somewhat sheepish, backed off, slowly releasing the vampire’s arm. “Yeah, well, you know he’s got this obsess....” He was cut off by the sound of Buffy’s voice as she bounded down the stairs.

“Spike! What’s taking so long with that bottle?” She popped in the kitchen holding a once again fretting baby and wearing, quite obviously, only Spike’s black t-shirt.

Buffy took in the tableau before her and continued into the room stopping to stand in front of Spike, her back to his front, telling Xander without words, where her loyalties now stood and providing her mate’s bare chest with a protective barrier of Slayer. She handed Connor back to Spike, who shoved the bottle into the baby’s mouth quieting his cries, and arranged her body into clearly what was a fighting stance, ready and more than able of protecting her mate and child.

Xander took in Buffy’s outfit and the way she was clearly geared up for a fight—a fight against him! His mouth opened and closed several times, his eyes were wide, “Again, I must say, what the hell is going on here?”

Chapter 6

Cordelia snorted, “Way to go, Buffy. I just got him calmed down!” She shoved past the blond couple, grabbing her bag out of the living room on her way up the stairs. “I’m going to shower, you deal with him.”

Wesley, also seeing the benefit of a hasty retreat readily followed her, “Uh...I’ll just go and see if she needs help...” He stuttered, blushing at the looks the others flashed him, “I m-mean I’ll just go get dressed so we can get out of your way.” He fled.

Dawn, however, refused to go. She stepped closer to her sister and Spike, holding out her hands and accepting both baby and bottle so that Spike would have his hands free, just in case. He might get a headache, but she knew he would fight if necessary.

Buffy pressed back against Spike, resting her hands on his as they slid around her waist. “Not that I think it’s any of your business, Xander, but what’s going on is exactly what it looks like.”

Xander sputtered, “Please, God no! Because, Buffy, it looks like your boinking the undead again, and I know you wouldn’t do that after last time! Not when we just got rid of one Dead Boy!”

Buffy, Spike and Dawn all gasped at Xander’s hateful reminder of Angel’s death. Buffy, with tears pooling in her bright green eyes stepped forward and slapped Xander hard enough to swing his head around and causing him to yelp and grab his hot cheek. “You don’t get to speak of him like that Xander!” She screamed, turning to bury her face against Spike’s chest and sobbing.

Spike, fighting his own tears and pain over his Sire’s death and his mate’s pain, turned feral yellow eyes on the boy. “Take your hatred and get out of this house. You’re not welcome here anymore. I’ll take Dawn to school myself.”

“But, but...you can’t order me out of here! This is not your house, Bleach Boy!” He stepped forward, pained face forgotten in surging anger. He grabbed Buffy’s arm and jerked her away from Spike and pushing her across the room before drawing back his fist and letting it fly.

Buffy stumbled from the unexpected movement and fell against the table, crying out as her hip hit the table’s edge painfully, she would have fallen if Dawn hadn’t grabbed her around the waist, pulling Buffy against her and Connor. The baby had abandoned his bottle to cry once more.

Spike snarled in rage as the boy snatched Buffy from him and caused her to almost fall. He took the boy’s punch and returned it, slamming his fist into the boy’s face and knocking him to the floor. His chip went off and he shouted at the agony of it holding his head and leaning against the counter.

Buffy straightened up from Dawn, tears streaming down her face. “It is Spike’s house now, Xander, we were mated last night. Mated, Xander, for all intents and purposes, married. You will not abuse my husband anymore! I woke up this morning happy for the first time since you and Willow decided to bring me back and now you’ve ruined it! Spike is right. You are not welcome in this house anymore. Not until you lose your hatred and can accept our relationship and the fact that the four of us are now a family. You’re my friend, Xander, and maybe not even that now. But you don’t get to decided who I can be with.”

While she shouted, she gathered Xander off of the floor and shook him hard, before shoving him towards the door. With last word, she shoved him out of the house, “Don’t come back here until you’re ready to apologize!” She slammed the door and for the first time since she had met him, she locked him out of her home and her life.

She turned back to her family. Dawn had set the baby into his carrier and had helped Spike sit down at the table before she once more began feeding the baby his bottle. Buffy went to the fridge and took out a packet of blood, dumping it into a mug and sticking it in the microwave. She knew that sometimes if he fed right after the chip zapped him it would stave off the migraine that accompanied such a shock to his nervous system.

When it was warm she took it to him, sliding his chair back and settling in on his lap, running her fingers through his hair and rubbing his head.

“Thanks, love.” He leaned into her caress as he drank his blood feeling the pain ease. He smiled a little when he felt her press a kiss against the top of his head, unable to believe whatever fates allowed him her affection. He finished his meal and laid his head against the soft, black cotton that covered her breasts inhaling their combined scents and sighing at the comfort of it.

Dawn looked at her back from heaven sister and her now brother-in-law, smiling to herself at the cute picture they made. Both of them had their eyes closed, Buffy’s check against Spike’s head; his head on her breasts, just taking comfort in each other.

She spoke softly so as not to startle them or the now dozing Conner. “Why don’t you two go back to bed for a while? It’s still early by vampire and Slayer time and I’ll keep an eye on Conner. We only had a half day of school today anyway.

Buffy eyed her sister warily, but seeing only concern and love, nodded her head. “Thanks, Dawnie, I’m...we’re still pretty wiped out over Angel...and now this whole thing with Xander...” She trailed off as Dawn nodded her head understandingly, rubbing Spike’s shoulders for a minute.

“C’mon, Baby, let’s get you back in bed.” She stood and pulled the almost sleeping vampire up, wrapping her arm around his waist as she led him towards the stairs.

They passed a dressed Cordelia and Wesley, but Buffy just shook her head when the dark haired girl started to open her mouth. “Dawn will fill you in. If you guys leave before we wake up, thank you and we’ll talk to you soon.”

She got Spike into the room and settled him on the bed, worrying because he was so out of it. She knew that sleep was probably the best thing for him right now though, so she unbuttoned his jeans and started tugging on them.

“This is not how I imagined our first morning together,” she grumbled, smiling a little when he chuckled slightly, “Lift up, Baby.” She told him and pulled his jeans down over his hips when he complied, sliding them off his long legs and tossing them on the chair in the corner.

She helped him get turned around and under the sheet before stripping his black t-shirt, the start of this mornings troubles, off and dropping it on the floor, slipping naked back into bed, and curling up with her husband.

She smiled and giggled at the though, her husband the happy sound causing Spike to smile and turn sleepy eyes towards her.

“Wha’s this, then?” He murmered.

“Nothin’, just realized that you’re my husband.” She giggled again and kissed his chest where her head rested.

He purred, tightening his arm around her, “Yeah, guess I am,” and smiled at the thought of it right before the pull of sleep took him under.

To Be Continued

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