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Part 26

Buffy had stayed home that night to keep an eye on Spike and what she saw was remarkable. He had a cooler with blood and one with baby food. He told Buffy and Joyce that he hadn't killed the baby's mother. He told the Slayer about Christine and her death. Buffy was sceptical, but the emotions in his voice and the shadows that flit across his face as he quietly recounted the past months bore quiet testament to his love for the baby's mother. Spike remained insistent that there was nothing romantic between them, but it was plain that something about Christine has struck a chord in him. And when she died, Niya had taken over her mother's place in his heart.

The next morning, Buffy headed over to Giles' apartment to let him know that Spike was back in town. Her steps were hurried as she realised the time – she had to get to campus soon, she couldn't be late for Professor Walsh's class. Buffy stopped outside Giles' door taking a deep breath and then let herself into his apartment. Telling Giles and the rest of the gang was not going to be easy.

She walked in to find the floor covered with books and papers . Giles appeared from the kitchen, "Buffy, I'm surprised to see you. Is everything all right?"

"Hi Giles.... well uhmmm. Giles I have something . . ."

The phone rang, "Excuse me a moment please. I've been waiting for this call Buffy." The Ex-Watcher grabbed it, "Hello."

"Ahh yes Reese . . . They thought they found her but . . . What the child is gone? . . ."

Buffy's ears perked up as she tried to absorb ever detail.

"But the prophecy says what? . . . So why does the Council want . . . ? Him?" Giles turned to look at Buffy and the walked to the other side of the living room talking in a quieter voice.

"But the curse . . ."

Now she wanted to rip the phone from his ears to find out exactly what was going on. Why the hell is Giles talking to the Council? She looked at her watch knowing that she was going to have to leave soon. She turned to see that Giles had a suitcase by the door and his passport and what looked to be a plane ticket were on his desk.

In the background, Giles' voice suddenly lowered and his tone became extremely guarded. Buffy slowly opened the ticket cover to see it was for a trip to Lordsburg, New Mexico dated for tomorrow.

"Giles , I have to..."

"Can you hold a minute , Reese ? Please Buffy , just one minute."

Giles turned back, resuming his call. "Well maybe he's not the one . . . I know, but who else . . . what does the rest of it say? . . . Ruined? . . . ."

Buffy sighed looking at her watch again, then silently left . She couldn't be late and she had no clue how long Giles would be absorbed in his conversation.

"So you don't know where she is? . . . Well thank you for keeping me informed , Reese. . . Will you contact Wesley? . . . Fired? . . . Oh good heaven's . Well should he come here I'll tell him. Goodbye Reese." Giles hung up the phone.

"You wanted to tell me something Buffy?" Giles turned to her but she was gone and he frowned , troubled by her actions . Although concerned for his Slayer, the conversation with Reese was foremost in his mind and Giles' brow creased as he tried to recall whether he had a copy of the Book of Ushcamn. Maybe it would provide more insight into the prophecy.

Part 27

When Buffy got home from patrolling Willow wasn't in their room . She must be at Oz's. Buffy walked over to the blinking answering machine and listened to the one message on it.

"Hello Buffy, it's Giles. I am going on a trip for a couple of days. I'll call you as soon as I get back. Take care."

"Well I guess whatever is in Lordsburg is important." Buffy picked up the phone and called home.

"Hello." A strong accented voice answered the phone.

"What are you doing answering my phone, Spike?"

"Your mum is in the shower and Niya's sleeping . Didn't want the ring to wake her. What do you want?"

"I want to make sure that you haven't made a 'Happy Meal' out of my mother yet." Buffy scoffed. "Unlike her, I don't know if I totally believe your story ," the Slayer lied.

"Oh give me a break. You'd check up on me even after everything I told you."

If Buffy didn't know better she would have sworn that there was some hurt in his voice, "Sorry it's hard to trust a demon that has lied to me and tried to kill me."

"I'll never win with you. No big surprise there. You coming back here tonight?"

"No. Why?"

"No reason. I think your mum liked having you around."

"She was more interested in Niya."

Spike could tell the slit twinge of jealousy in her edge her statement, "Look pet , why don't..."

"Spike I'm tired and I really don't feel like having a squabble with you. Just tell my mom that I called." Buffy hung up the phone abruptly.

The next morning Buffy entered her kitchen to see it transformed . One of the island stools had been replaced with a high chair and the usual toaster, electric can opener, and spice rack had been replaced with bottle warmers and containers of Similac.

She opened the fridge to get some juice. It was buried behind Gerber's baby food and packets of blood.

"Okay, this is just to weird for words."

"Despite everything that I have learned about vampires over the last year , you always seem to surprise me." Joyce smiled as she walked in on Spike making a face as he held a dirty diaper as if is was toxic waste and dumped it into the garbage.

"Morning Joyce, pass me the powder." Spike smiled, "I bet Angel surprised you too."

"Oh let's not compare you to Angel." Joyce huffed, " You two are not even on the same level."

"Do go on Joyce. I kn ew you were a smart lady." Spike smiled as he sprinkled powder on Niya.

"I mean when you and I talked about Dru, I could tell how much you loved her. I wanted to tell you something that night, but with Angel and then Buffy interrupting, I didn't have a chance."

"What was it?" Spike asked as he brushed his brow before fastening the diaper on the infant.

"Well I always thought during our talk that you seemed to mention Buffy a lot."

Joyce cleared her throat, "And I was wondering if Dru maybe sensed something since she is kind of clairvoyant." Her words were both a hesitant statement and a tentative question.

She watched as Spike's body stiffened, but he quickly regain his nonchalant stance as he picked up Niya and turned around. Joyce couldn't help but laugh at the baby powder marking his brow, nose and cheek.

"What's so funny?"

"I think you should wipe your face."

"Why?"

"It's rather difficult trying to have a serious conversation with you having powder all over your face."

Spike took this opportunity to escape from what promised to be an uncomfortable conversation. Spike handed Niya to Joyce, "I should go then and have a shower. You don't mind do you? Taking care of her I mean."

"Of course not. It would be my pleasure." Joyce stated happily, knowing that there would be other opportunities to pursue continue her queries.

As Joyce walked down the stairs with Niya, Buffy slid noiselessly from the kitchen to the living room. Giving into a compulsion she did not understand, she pulled back into the shadows, hidden from her mother but close enough to hear Joyce's soft murmurings to the child. She watched as her mother set Niya in the high chair and retrieve a bottle of baby food from the fridge.

Joyce got Niya's bib and placed a bottle in the warmer. The Slayer smiled as her mother tried to feed the little girl the strained food. "Come on open up for Grandma Joyce."

The loving words pierced Buffy like a stake in the chest. Grandma Joyce. The Slayer suddenly understood why Joyce was so adamant about having Spike stay . She could have the one thing that Buffy would probably never live long enough to give her, a grandchild. Tears sprang to her eyes as she saw the look of happiness on her mother's face as she fed the gurgling baby.

Buffy quickly blinked back the tears and stepped into the kitchen.

"Heya mom!"

"Buffy? Not that I am not happy to see you, sweetie, but how come you are here?"

"I came to see how you were doing with Spike and Niya."

"We're fine honey." Joyce smiled, "Lookie who's here . It's Buffy." Joyce wiped off Niya's mouth and chin and took off the bib. Niya flailed her arms smiling as she saw Buffy. "Can you burp her honey?"

"Huh? I dunno how to do that." A look of fear crossed the Slayer's face.

"Just hold her upright over your shoulder and pat her back a little." Buffy did as her mother instructed and within moments the little girl let out a surprisingly lusty burp , spitting up some of her strained bananas over Buffy's shoulder. Cringing, the Slayer quickly handed the baby back to Joyce.

"I think I gotta change." Before Joyce could even warn Buffy she dashed out of the kitchen and up the stairs.

Buffy reached the top of the stairs to see Spike with a towel wrapped around his waist and rubbing another towel through his hair, not noticing Buffy as he walked into the spare room. Ok this is way too wrong for words, Buffy thought as she dashed in her room to avoid an awkward situation.

She reached her room to find a box of her baby clothes and blankets sitting on the bed. Buffy sighed as she took out a shirt and changed quickly. Then she looked on her bed and noticed that Mr. Gordo was gone. Now that was the bottom line. Mr. Gordo is off limits.

Buffy stormed into the spare room to see the last second of Spike pulling up his jeans over his butt.

"ACK!"

Spike jumped turning around. He smiled as he saw the Slayer's hand fly up to cover her eyes.

"Put on some clothes for christsakes." Buffy squeaked.

"Hey , you busted in on me." Spike huffed zipping up his jeans. "You can uncover your tender eyes now Slayer." Buffy heard the muffled voice as he put on a T-shirt. "What do you want?"

Buffy, finally opened her eyes, "I want Mr. Gordo back."

"Mr. who?"

"A little stuffed piggy that was taken from my room." Buffy huffed impatiently.

"Oh the tattered old thing. Your mum gave it to Niya the night you left to go back to school cause she couldn't sleep. If you want it back , take it." Spike searched the room and found Mr. Gordo in Niya's crib.

"Here!" He handed her the stuffed animal, "Happy now ? I wouldn't want you to be alone on a cold night and not have your piggy . You should sleep fine tonight half way across town but a little green eyed girl will be crying because you aren't here and there is nothing here to remind her of you."

Buffy took a deep breath and suddenly realized that Spike was making her feel guilty. She let go an infuriated growl and placed Mr. Gordo back in the crib and stormed out of the room.

Spike laughed, "Now I need to work that parental magic on Niya when she gets older. Guilt is a wonderful thing." He chuckled as before he went downstairs.

Part 28

Buffy reached her dorm after slaying and was dead tired and still feeling slightly guilty about trying to get Mr. Gordo back. She pulled off her boots and her jacket. She didn't even bother to change into her nightclothes. Jeans and a halter-top would have to do for nightclothes.

"B, you all right? You don't look so hot." Faith looked at Buffy with concern.

"Yeah girl. Ya look pale." Kendra quipped in as he walked toward Buffy.

Buffy looked at the other Slayers. "Where are we ?" Buffy looked at the desert. The surrounded them for miles.

"We are where we always are ." Kendra whispered.

"Alone." Faith added stepping forward.

"I don't get it." Buffy said, questioningly.

"B, you've been charmed. You have been given all the chances that no other Slayer has ever gotten or will ever get." The dark haired Slayer started.

"You must do what is right for her." Kendra continued, "You will raise our sister." Kendra pointed to a figure standing beside Buffy.

Buffy turned to she a beautiful girl standing before her with green eyes and long silky black hair. She looked about sixteen and she smiled at Buffy. Buffy instantly knew who she was, "Niya?"

"Yeah, Mom."

Buffy stepped back from the figure, and felt like she was falling.

"Buffy?" Willow said groggily as she looked at her best friend lying on the floor beside her bed, "Did you fall off your bed?"

"Go back to sleep Willow." Buffy grabbed her head, she could feel the bump already forming and it was going to be an ugly one. Buffy looked at the clock, which glowed, 5:58am, Buffy decided to go and check on Niya. She wasn't going back to sleep after that dream.

Giles read the book he had gone through great lengths to get in Lordsburg, he had spent nearly two weeks trying to get the Parham Scripture. The Codex was in unbelievably great shape considering the Wargot Troll he bought it from had used it as a coaster. He pored over each page until finally reaching the passage that Reese had conveniently left out of their conversations.

"The strongest Slayer ever to live will be born of the land of mountains, in the eighth space before the mille anni . The people who will love her and raise her will be mortal enemies, her mother a Slayer. She will repeat her parents' triumph and halt the apocalypse. She will cure the first plague. Slayers past and future will journey by her side, yet She will outlast them all. She will survive against all odds, bringing absolute destruction to evil until her death. Her weakness will kill her: a love for a vampire with a heart, her father."

Niya, The Vampire Slayer.

"The mother would have to be Buffy? But the vampire, who could he be? But if the Council has already checked out Angel and he doesn't have the child then who does." Giles thought out loud then yawned. He couldn't wait to reach Sunnydale, he definitely needed to talk to Buffy. He looked at his watch, "Over an hour left in the flight." He continued to read, hoping to find out more details.

Part 29

Buffy was walking toward her home as the sun rose, when she ran into Riley out for an early morning jog.

A grin breaking across his face, Riley halted beside her. "Hey Buffy. What you doing up so early? Whoa , that's a nasty looking bump." Riley reached out to touch her forehead.

Buffy flinched as he touched her, "You should go to a doctor."

"It'll be fine. I couldn't sleep so I went for a walk."

"Anywhere in particular?"

"Yeah, my house."

"You need company." He offered eagerly .

"Not really Riley , but I'll see you in class. Thanks anyway." Riley frowned as Buffy turned away, continuing towards Revello Drive.

Niya was screaming at the top of her lungs when Buffy reached the house. Spike was trying – with a spectacular lack of success from Buffy's viewpoint – to put a swab into the baby's mouth.

"Joyce , this stuff is not working." Spike bellowed frustrated, "And she's driving me crazy with this racket."

Niya stopped crying as if registering his words. Spike sighed in relief until her little face crinkled , turning bright red and then the wailing began. Spike brought an imaginary stake to his heart, and said "POOF."

"I could help you with that." Buffy said, as she stood behind Spike. He turned to see the Slayer looking not that much older than Niya in a oversized sweet shirt, slim fitting blue jeans, and Nike running shoes.

"What the bloody hell happened to you ?" He asked over Niya, "Vampire?"

Buffy looked confused for a moment, "Oh, the forehead, courtesy of bedroom floor and a dream."

Niya began crying even harder. "Do something womanly. Make her stop." Spike pleaded , thrusting the baby into Buffy's hands.

"What? I don't know anything about kids." Buffy said, looking askance at the red-faced baby. Mindful of her last encounter with Niya, she held the baby at arm's length as she asked Spike, "Why is she crying?"

"Teething. Poor thing." Spike said as Buffy stepped forward pushing the baby back into his reluctant arms. "I've got to get this bloody stuff in her mouth."

"I'll help. Just let me go wash my hands." Buffy dashed into the kitchen and washed her hands and then looked at her reflection in the glass window. "Yeah mom."

Her dreams flooded back into her mind. She's mine, Buffy thought. But Spike? As a father? Could that be anymore disgusting? I mean a blood sucking fiend and an infant. Lot's of logic there. The Slayer sighed as she walked into the living room, crossing to the couch, just as Joyce came down the stairs. Spike handed Niya to Buffy. With the baby snug in Buffy's arms, Spike gingerly manoeuvred the Ambesol-coated swab onto Niya's inflamed gums. As relief spread across the tiny face, Buffy waved a teething ring playfully in front of Niya who grabbed it with a gurgle and began gnawing earnestly.

Joyce watched from her perch at the bottom of the stairs as the little girl lay contentedly in Buffy's arms . Grabbing onto the end of the teething ring, Niya pulled it out of her mouth and gave Buffy a toothless smile . Joyce smiled at her daughter's startled reaction, a look of surprise and happiness. Before either Summers women even knew what happened, Niya was asleep in Buffy's arms. Spike wet a cloth and wiped Niya's tearstained face. Joyce turned back up the stairs, leaving the trio alone.

Buffy looked up at Spike as he tenderly wiped the little girl 's face. Feeling her gaze on him , he looked up at her , their eyes locking.

"Why?"

"Why what, Slayer?" Spike asked confused.

"Why you? Why a baby? Why British Columbia? Why Sunnydale? Again?" She had lots more questions to ask but for now these required lengthy enough answers.

"Ok let's see if I get these all. I have no clue. I have no clue again. I was just passing through. Because your mum is here and I figured that she would know what to do. As for the 'Again' I dunno… I guess like Sunnyhell. Why are asking me all this now. I mean it's been a month since I've been here."

"I dunno there was just never a good time. Ok round two." Buffy began to walk into the living room, shaking Niya gently in her arms. "Why would she ever pick you? And are you sure that this Jacob guy is dead? I know you said it was platonic but I dunno leaving a baby to a virtual stranger it seems…I dunno… weird for lack of a better word. And you never REALLY explained why you left Vancouver to come here, even it was for my mom's help ."

"Here we go again." He sighed, "I have no clue. She had no family and she trusted me." The look Buffy gave him stopped him cold. "She trusted me." His voice finalized any line of questioning around Christine's intentions. "Jacob is dust."

"Hey us Slayers have a saying. Unless you see them go poof! They aren't poof!"

"Us, Slayers?" Spike scoffed

"Well we need a new logo."

Spike raised his scared eyebrow. "I left Vancouver cause some guys came looking for Niya and Christine. Her friend tipped me off and I left. Plus some guy spooked Chris after a doctor's appointment asking her a bunch of questions and basically trying to pump her for information. So , when Nina told me about the blokes at the old apartment , I left."

"Did she ever tell you what they looked like? Sounded like?"

"Nope and I wasn't asking." Spike felt like changing the subject, "I should put Niya to bed."

Buffy pulled away from Spike as he reached for his daughter. "I can do it."

"This from a girl who less then ten minutes ago was complaining that she knew nothing about kids. I'm coming with you." Spike followed Buffy up the stairs smiling . Something about Buffy and Niya seemed right, like they were almost connected, he thought.

Part 30

"Where did you go all day?" Willow asked Buffy as she walked in the door of there room.

"Home."

"You've been going there a lot Buffy, every weekend for the last month. Something wrong with your mom? Or are you just home sick?"

"No. It's just . . ." Buffy sighed deeply bracing herself as he mentally prepared to tell Willow. "Spike is living with my mom."

" What?" Willow jumped off of her bed instantly. "Buffy, what's going on?"

"Spike has a baby." Buffy revealed .

Willow sat back down instantly, stunned, "Uhhh vampire? Kind of impossible . . . isn't it?"

"Well let me tell you the whole story Wil. It's a long one."

NOTE: I have got a new beta Wyrdin and she's a great help, thanks so much for taking over. This chapter is dedicated to my old beta Esme, have fun with with your new little one and don't be a stranger.

Chapter 7

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